OH HAPPY DAY !

antarctica

My friend and walking buddy Natasha gave me a lovely gift for my 75th birthday last year.  It is a guided journal to celebrate all the joy in my world, titled "Oh Happy Day!"

As she gave it to me she said, "When I saw this at the bookstore I mused, I can't think of anyone who could make better use of this little journal than you.  I know you kept a journal for years, so I hope you enjoy this different take on recording some of your thoughts." 

The premise in the forward of the book suggests that we focus so much on working towards happiness, that we don't realize it's within us all the time.  It then suggested the journaler could discover lots of ways to savor the simple things, appreciate others, and smile every day.  In short--enjoy the world around us!

And I have. Thanks to this little book, I have taken better notice of all my multitudinous blessings, even if I don't write every single one of them down in that great little journal.

One of the topics is "What are some small pleasures that came to you this week?"  Yesterday I sat  down and wrote this:

Several years ago, my nephew's wife Karen sent me the link to a You Tube video entitled Ultima Frontera which was posted on December 27, 2007.  This breathtaking slideshow of Antarctica is set to background music of an aria from the opera TOSCA.  It shows a stunning continent of majestic mountains, unbelievable ocean scenes, and the penguins and polar bears who live there.  I was enthralled and played it often just to hear it, even, while I was doing my work around the house,

A few weeks later Louis did one of his famous purges to get rid of "unnecessary stuff that clogs the computer".  There went my bookmarked video!  I searched and searched for it over a period of several weeks and could never find the right one.  (Believe me there are a LOT of videos with this same beautiful aria for background music!)

Then yesterday I was looking through some loose papers on my side of  the computer desk and found the card on which  I had originally written the pertinent information about this outstanding video. I tried again to search for it on the computer, writing the name of the aria--"Aria de Amor de Tosca" in the search line.  Bingo!  That same gorgeous video of the Antarctic  popped up first.  I couldn't believe my good luck after all these years to find it once again!  I savored it over and over the rest of the afternoon while I was doing some work at the computer.  The aria is played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and  conducted by a man named Luis Cabos, a Spanish composer, conductor, and musician born in 1948.  (A contemporary of mine!)

Here is the link on You Tube.  I hope you will take the time to look for the video and enjoy it as much as I have.  Search for this   www.bing.com/videos/search?q=aria+de+amor+de+tosca&docid    Then click on the video ULTIMA FRONTERA.  It is a delight for the senses.....

OH HAPPY DAY !

THE YOLK'S ON ME.....

 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME....

I've always had this kind of interesting relationship with Daylight Savings Time.  It wasn't part of our summer landscape while I was growing up in south-central Wyoming.  So, it seemed kind of mysterious and the provenance of big cities on the East Coast. 

Colorado jumped on the band wagon sometime before I went to college because that first summer between school years I worked as a hostess at a local well-known restaurant along Highway 30.  There were a lot of tourists who had started out in Denver in the morning and were wanting lunch at 10:30 am at Adams Restaurant.  The cooks didn't begin preparing lunch items until 11:30, so we often had disgruntled patrons who had to wait for lunch--or  make do with a second breakfast if they were in a hurry on their cross-country journey.  I worked at that restaurant during the summer of 1965 BEFORE Daylight Savings Time.

Even though the idea of DST has been around since Benjamin Franklin, it was also proposed by someone pre-1900 who wanted more "bug-finding time on summer evenings".  It wasn't formally adopted until the First World War when Germany put it in place in 1916. Most of Europe followed with the United States joining in for a short period.

DST was reintroduced in the USA during he Second World War, but from 1945 to 1966 there were no uniform rules in this country. That caused wide-spread confusion, especially for trains, buses, and the broadcasting industry.  Shocker! The Uniform Time Act of 1966 was finally established granting US states the ability to opt out of DST if they wanted.  (Arizona, and Hawaii still do.)  At the time of the standardization of DST, the change took place on the last Sunday in April and changed back to regular time on the last Sunday in October.

Perhaps my next encounter with DST was the day my oldest son Harold was born. His birth day was the day of the time change back to standard time that year. His birth certificate says he was born at 5:36, October 26, 1969.  But at the minute he was born, the recording nurse wasn't sure if the clocks in the hospital had already been set back one hour, or if those clocks in the delivery room were still on daylight saving time.  I'm guessing Harold could be one hour older or one hour younger than that official time.  Doesn't matter now....

The next big event in my life with DST was in 1973 during the oil embargo.  That was when Congress enacted a trial period of year-round DST beginning January 1974 and ending April 1975.  I LOVED IT!  I never minded getting up early  anyway, and that extra hour before the kids--toddlers Harold and Brice--got up meant I could clean the whole house (including vacuuming under their beds) while they were still asleep.  That lengthened out my day so I could march down into the basement to sew drapes even earlier.  Too bad that trial period didn't seem to bring about any cost savings.  It was scrapped.  I was sorry to see it end.

Fast forward a few years to our time living in Sweden.  No one told us--and we didn't think to ask--about daylight savings time.  Whoops!  We just assumed the whole world did it the same way we did it in the United States.  One Sunday morning when we arrived at church after we had moved there, one of the missionaries remarked that it was the first time the Nichols Family had been to Church on time.  

Turns out that most of Europe's DST at that time happened from September 15th to March 15th

Sadly that Elder's comment was probably more truth than a joke.  Getting ready for Church with a lot of kids in a foreign country with the chapel quite a distance from our house was like mating elephants...done on a grand scale with a lot of effort.  To be fair to the Nichols Family though, we often picked up ward members along the way which added an even more challenging dimension to arriving at Church on time.

We managed DST pretty well after that.  However, when I began flying for United Airlines, I came to really HATE that clock changeover if I were out on a trip.  I was always glad if I happened to be at home during the time switch.  That alleviated the possibility of getting myself to the airport too early or too late.  

There was one memorable experience in Chicago.  It was during the short period we also flew into Midway Airport.  It was there that my layover was very brief and my pick-up was early, early morning.  "O'dark hundred", as we used to say.  Before I set my alarm clock to go to bed, I called the front desk.  "Does the hotel change all the clocks over automatically, or should I set my clock ahead an hour myself?"  The desk clerk assured me it would be wise to set the clock myself.  I did.  And I was ready and waiting for the hotel van to take us back to the airport TWO hours early.  It seems that inspite of the reassurance given by the desk clerk, the hotel clocks were indeed automatically set according to the plan at 2 am.  Hence my hour ahead and the hotel's hour ahead!  Double Whammy!

After that--and if I were on a trip--I would make myself wake up in the wee hours to check my phone which I KNEW had an automatic update.  THEN I would set my alarm!

In the years since then, I have scrupulously changed ALL the clocks in the house BEFORE going to bed on the eve of the time change--winter or summer.  Never got in trouble with that.  And I didn't have to scramble to make up for that lost 60 minutes after I got up in the Spring when we jumped an hour ahead .

Until now...  

I went to bed last night forgetting to turn the clocks an hour ahead.  I woke with a start about 1:30 am and realized that it was really about 2:30 am.  I looked at my phone to make sure all was well with the time.  The screen's glow showed 1:37 am. But because it was before 2 am, I figured I was too early for that auto update.

At that point I set only my alarm clock ahead and went back to sleep.  The next time I opened my eyes, it was 6:23 am.  I had wanted to go on my walk before 6 am, so I was itrritated that I had been so forgetful and would have to stare at yesterday's time when I go home from my walk, then scramble to get ready for Church.

Only, when I went out into the kitchen, my phone said 5:23.  WHAT!?!?!  And then it dawned on me.  Not THIS week....NEXT week!  I felt foolish for my mistake.  

I had been telling myself the time change was this weekend, though nothing had been said about it online, or in our meeting last night for stake conference.  Still I was adamant I knew what was going on.  Imagine my relief when no one was privy to my stupid mistake--not even Louis.  So, I just pretended my heart hadn't been in my throat, that I hadn't forgotten to turn the clocks one hour ahead, and that I hadn't convinced myself it was time to spring forward without checking for truth.

Well, I have six months before I will be able to prove I can safely navigate the "difficult" DST routine once again.  But in the meantime, I have...

Egg on my face for sure because the yolk's on me..... 

ST. PATRICK AND NEPHI: A COMPARISON OF TWO GREAT MEN

I was going through the Nichols Family Home Evening box the other day looking for something I wanted to use in my Seminary class.  It was a great trip down memory lane while I perused some of the fun activities we had as we learned the gospel together.  Our family celebrated EVERY holiday, major or not so major.  I always prepared a little blurb about WHY we were celebrating the holiday, so my kids had some idea about the background and reason for the “party” we always had to commemorate that special day.  After a while, those same activities became traditions, and we did them year after year without ever getting tired of the fun they generated.

For March we always had a little quiz about St. Patrick.  He wasn’t born in Ireland, but in Britain and tended sheep in his early boyhood.  Though he was captured by pirates when he was just 16, at some point he ended up in France where he studied to be a priest.

During a visit back to Britain, St. Patrick dreamed the Irish people wanted him to be their religious leader.  He converted many Celts and Druids to Christianity.  St. Patrick also taught Irish monks to copy books in a style so valuable and beautiful they became world treasures.  And he wrote an autobiography when he was old called “The Confession”.  St. Patrick led the Catholic Church in Ireland for many years and left so important a legacy that many people still celebrate his life every year on March 17^th which is the anniversary date of his death. The shamrock became the symbol for St. Patrick’s Day, not because St. Patrick liked to go hunting for them, but because of his teachings about the Trinity.

NOW BACK TO OUR FAMILY HOME EVENING CELEBRATION 

After we reviewed the answers to the little quiz, I then taught my kids about another man who had had similar experiences….Nephi, son of Lehi in the Book of Mormon.

Nephi was born in Jerusalem and relocated with his family to the Promised Land when he was just a young man.  He was often abused by his older brothers and was even tied up on occasion when they threatened to kill him.  Nephi studied the gospel with his father Lehi, then asked the Lord for a spiritual confirmation of his own after Lehi told him about a dream he’d had concerning the Iron Rod.  Nephi’s preaching and teachings helped many of Lehi’s and Ishmael’s families believe that Christ would come.  Nephi taught them to be Christians.

With all the work Nephi had to do building a ship and leading his people, there wasn’t much time to go looking for shamrocks either.  But he did find a ball of intricate workmanship outside his tent one day.  He learned that it was called a Liahona and would direct them where to go, so long as they obeyed God’s commandments.

Nephi took the Egyptian language to the Promised Land, then modified it so it was easier to engrave on metal sheets.  Using Reformed Egyptian, he wrote a record of the Nephites’ spiritual and historical events on gold plates.  The books of 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi are basically Nephi’s own history. He died over 500 years before Christ was born.

                 

 Both St. Patrick and Nephi suffered hardships and adversity, were well-loved by their people, and left a great example of devotion to God for those who came after.  But in spite of all St. Patrick’s goodness, Nephi had one role St. Patrick didn’t have.  It was that of a prophet, someone to whom God had given His priesthood so all of Heavenly Father’s children during Nephi’s time could be instructed and blessed. 

A prophet receives revelation, teaches us about God’s character, exposes the evils of sin, warns against wrongdoing, preaches of righteousness, builds and restores faith, and is a witness of Jesus Christ and testifies of Him through the Holy Ghost.

At that point we were at the serious part of the party as we discussed the duties of a prophet as outlined in scripture.  After the conclusion of the lesson, we played “Irish” games and ate Irish treats. What a celebration!

 

We also have a prophet today.  President Russel M. Nelson leads the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at this time and does those very same things I taught my kids about Nephi being a prophet.    

Starting three years ago, President Nelson has given us much instruction, including specific counsel that has allowed us to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic with much better skills to keep our families strong in spite of restrictions.  He introduced the “Come Follow Me program” which put our home as the center of our religious life, with what happens at our church buildings a support of that concept. Not the other way around.  That was a year before the pandemic.  So, when government restrictions that wouldn’t allow us to gather as a congregation were put into place across the country, we as church families had basically been having Church at home.  

President Nelson has also invited us  to find the ways we can hear the voice of the Lord in our own lives...HEAR HIM. That voice gives us direction and assurance.  And our prophet has encouraged us to let God prevail in all we do. 

I am grateful that we have a leader who gives us instruction through revelation and invites us to always emulate the Savior which is ultimately the best medicine the world could have at this time.  Love for all instead of hate.

Perhaps you have also recognized blessings in your life because we have a prophet.  Jot them down and see what warm tones and tiny miracles come to you on a daily basis. These are gold nuggets that are more priceless than earthly wealth or any pot of gold you might find at the end of the rainbow.

                    

WRITER'S BLOCK...OR JUST NOTHING TO SAY?

When I began this blog adventure a few years ago, I was excited to share my thoughts, feelings, experiences, and observances.  I set a goal for myself to write at least two blog entries a month.  I was pretty faithful to that ambition, except for a couple of months when my work schedule was really hectic with little time to sit at the computer.  

I have recently noticed that no one reads my blog entries any more.  Even one or two hits from my family was enough to satisfy my communication via this avenue.  But it has been discouraging as I have gone back and reread some of the the essays I wrote and see no one is interested in reading them.  I'm not sure why many other people have such a following (I never set my sights on THAT kind of blog experince).  I simply wanted to be in touch with a few readers who enjoyed hearing some little tidbits about a person out of their everyday circle who is just a "regular Jane", no special celebrity--or anyone for that matter--who has an "agenda" she is pushing.

Now I find that my excitement to sit down and write something has waned.

Then again, perhaps my life has dried up since I have retired and there is NO interesting thing happening in my little corner of the world.  I no longer sit at the computer and compose--except for Seminary for which I spend hours and hours every week....studying, preparing, and presenting religious education lessons at 6 am on school days to the high school students in our congregation. 

So, I am asking myself:  "Do you have writer's block--or is there just really nothing to say?"

I guess time will tell....

PRESIDENTS' DAY 2021

 When my kids were growing up we had a party for EVERY holiday there was.  And that included the minor ones like Flag Day, Veteran's Day, and Presidents' Day, as well as other more notable holidays.  A whole Family Home Evening was dedicated to learning just why we celebrated that holiday with fun games to commemorate the day.  And, of course, treats that reflected the occasion.  I wanted my kids to know it wasn't just a three-day weekend we were celebrating so we could have a school recess and giant sales at the stores.

Well, my kids grew up and those fun times are fond memories of the past.  But the other day when we celebrated Presidents' Day (NO SEMINARY THAT DAY!) I reflected again on why  the holiday was designated in the first place.

According to an online source, "Presidents' Day is a significant holiday for a number of reasons, the bulk of which correlate directly to concepts of American unity and nationalism. The holiday shifted from being specifically about George Washington to celebrating all presidents, a decision made to create a broader recognition of all the leaders of our beloved United States of America."

So, I decided to read a little bit about some of those men elected to the highest office in the land.  

One very moving article was about a vision George Washington had about three significant events in our country's history.  Two of which had already happened with the Revolutionary War and our complete break with England.  The third was on the horizon. Though the vision did not specifically name the Civil War, that was the strife to which it alluded.

I read again Lincoln's famous "Gettysburg Address", just 273 words in a message that stands as an affirmation of this country's destiny. 

 "...  that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Immortal words that will forever stand the test of time.

And I read a simple statement by Ronald Regan which underscores the Christian ideals we pray for in a nation that has seen a lot of recent turmoil.  

"Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, leave the rest to God."

I feel great gratitude for the United  States.   I HAVE lived abroad, and though our residences in Europe were wonderful in so many ways, still there is something about America that is a testament to its divine origins and providence.

Thank you to those who served as our country's president--whether they were popular or not.  The office has to be daunting in so many ways.  I'm sure it takes a certain courage to face each day as the President of the United States.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Alexander and I

 Alexander* and I are two peas in a pod.  Some days are nothing but terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.

Last Thursday was one of them.

I told Louis not to eat before I got home after practicing the organ following the class I teach.  (He had gone to Seminary with me that morning to play a video during the lesson.) I told him I was in the mood for a REAL breakfast, and I was going to fix an omlete, bacon,  muffins, and some cottage potatoes .  He like the idea of a good breakfast.  Me?  I could hardly wait to get home and start cooking!  Yum!

But....I haven't practiced cculinary skills for a long time (nuking something in the microwave doesn't qualify) and everything went wrong.  Well, almost.  The orange juice and milk were okay.

I got a terrific set of pans for my wedding 52 years ago.  They are heavy cast aluminum, but over the years the bottoms got warped from all the heat from the burners.  When that happened, Ross would take the pans out to the garage and hold a blow torch on them until he was able to pound out the bottoms for a flat cooking surface once again.  Voila!  Just like new.

Only, Ross has been gone for a long time, and Louis doesn't do that kind of thing. Instead he  constantly asked me to get rid of the set and buy a completely new set.  One year for Christmas he even gave me a complete Rachel Ray set.  But I know HOW to cook with the ones I have.That new set was too fancy.  Expensive.  And I told him that if we were cooking for eight people every day like I used to, it would be worth getting a new set.  But not now.  It is way too late in the game for the upgrade.  I returned the pans to get a gift I could really use.

After that and a few more pointed suggesstions that we get new pans, Louis got tired of my negative answers to his pleas. About three years ago he went out and bought two heavy--and I do mean HEAVY--cast iron skillets  because he saw a recipe online and decided to start cooking.  The pans were too large and too small for the kind of preparation we do for two people.  And too heavy for me to handle.  My aging body just cannot pick up that kind of weight any more.  Plus Louis' desire to cook lasted for only one or two meals.  Then nothing.

Louis got the same "cooking bug" again a few weeks ago.  This time, he went out and bought two frying pans--also odd sizes for our needs--but at least I could handle them.  

So, that morning when I got home the cooking adventure began.  I prepared the muffins first.  Easy, peasy and put them into the oven.  The omlete and potatoes could cook while the muffins were baking.  Howewver, I wasn't used to using these new pans, and I underestimated how fast and hot they prepared the food.

             The next thing I knew, the potatoes were scorched!  While trying to turn them over and eliminate the tainted ones, I began to smell an awful burning odor.  YUP!  The omlete--completely charred on the bottom and the top still a really runny egg mixture--was a disaster.  There was NO saving anything from that--though I did try to scrape char off the bottom and cook the rest of the eggs.  Didn't work out.  What a surprise, huh?

The bell dinged for the muffins but, because I wanted to eat them HOT, I just turned off the oven and left them in for a couple more minutes while I wrestled with the burnt food on the stove top. 

By this time I was screaming bloody murder stuff like, "No wonder I hate to cook!  The failure rate with me is too high, and I don't LIKE to cook anyway."  Louis heard the commotion and came into the kitchen offering to take over and prepare a completely new omlete for the two of us.  That made me even madder! I told him I wouldn't eat it, so not to cook anything for me, and I flounced out of the house.  But not before I took the muffins out of the oven.  By then they weren't burnt, but way too dry.  I didn't care  and took one with me.

Got into the car and backed out of the driveway....but there was no place to go.  No one to go visit.  No store where I needed to purchase anything. Nothing to do.  I had already practiced the organ that morning. Nothing.  I ended up sitting in the church parking lot and tried to read on my smart phone.  Couldn't even focus on that!  So, I just sat there until the huff was finally over and then I drove home.  

Louis had indeed fixed a new omlete and salvaged enough potatoes for his meal.  He had prepared the bacon, too.  Then he ate and cleaned up the dishes and the kitchen.  By the time I walked in, it looked like no major crisis had happened at all.

I don't remember what else I did that day.  Probably NOTHING that could have been considered great, since I was so over the top enraged about my cooking skills.  But you can be sure I more than likely thought the whole day was a pice of junk.  

Ah, yes!  Alexander and I could have been twins on that crazy morning.  Nothing worthwhile came my way the rest of that day, I'm sure.  My attitude killed it all.  

Some days are nothing but terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.  That was one of them!

Welcome to my world, Alexander!

*Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day  is a children's book written by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Ray Cruz. It won several awards during the 70's and was a Reading Rainbow book.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

OUT TO LUNCH...OR WHAT?

I have two friends both named  Cathy with a "C".

One Cathy was my next door neighbor at our Secrest Court house in Arvada, Colorado.  A woman who became like a sister to me, and with whom after more than four decades I still share a special bond.  In the last few years, in spite of living over an hour away from each other, we get together every few months for a long early lunch which always lasts well into the afternoon as we catch up with the news of family and the stuff life is made of.

Her three children are the same ages as my three oldest kids.  She is about six months older than I am.  And she went with me to the hospital and stayed with me throughout the remaining hours of labor--and then delivery when Brittany was born.  This is the woman who taught me HOW to be a neighbor.  She flew to Colorado from Philadelphia where she and her family were then living to be with my kids during the time I accompanied Ross back to Belin after Jeremy died.  

She is literally the salt of the earth, an outstanding Christian woman who is not afraid to step up and help out, in the neighborhood AND the community,even when it is messy and not convenient.  I cherish our friendship and the rare opportunity I have to be with someone who knew me and my family before everything changed in our lives.

My other Cathy is a friend whom I met at church when we moved to Johnstown 18 years ago.  Our assiciation has not been as in-depth as my other friend, but we have shared some good experiences in the course of our relationship at church and in the community.  However, we have never, ever met for anything social like a one-on-one lunch.

COVID has put a damper on those long lunches with Cathy C.  I missed them a lot.  So a few weeks ago I wrote a short email to her expressing my impatience to get back to the business of our friendship.  Unlike I usually do, this time I didn't mention anything about catching up with what was happening with her kids or anything personal.  In fact it was quite generic.  Just a mention that I got a gift card from Panera's and that I was excited to use it.  

Cathy C. usually comes before Cathy H. in my phone contacts.  But I had recently sent an email to Cathy H. about the music for our church services.  I am the organist, and she is the music director.  Must have blipped her addresss to the top of the list. Anyway, I didn't pay attention and clicked on the first Cathy without reading the last name.

A short while later I received a gracious e-note from Cathy H.  She wrote that lunch sounded really nice.  It had been a stressful week for her with the latest news of COVID aftermath.  "Love, you, Georgia.  Thanks for reaching out.  Sure miss socializing with friends."

Good thing I wasn't too specific. How embarrassing it would have been to have to admit I had sent that email to the "wrong" Cathy.  I had no idea that Cathy H. would enjoy my company at lunch.  I replied we would save a date just for that.

Well, I went to that looong lunch with Cathy C. the other day.  It was still the satisfying encounter it has always been.  So, I guess I'll get in touch with Cathy H. and see what her week looks like.  I might really enjoy having lunch with "Cathy" more often.

Lesson to me:  watch what I'm doing!  The computer saves a lot of time, but it looks like I might have gotten careless about checking before I clicked
--or my hand was shaky and I accidentally clicked on the second entry.  Either way, it's the same sad advice I give people all the time....

DON'T GET OLD!