Long time, no see!

I have been imminently satisfied with the computer set-up in our household, but then my techno-tastes are quite simple. Harry is annoyed by the fact that certain parts of the house have better wireless reception than others. Since he has a multitude of devices, this gets to be a problem at times. I just use one computer, so I have no complaints.

In an attempt to rectify this problem, Harry got some new device to install - please don't ask me to explain - on the box it says, "wireless-n router and repeater" if that means anything to any of you. It not only did not solve the problem, it created some problems. For example, no internet access and the printer no longer worked!

So, until just now, I have not had access to the computer. It was not a huge problem - I just missed a few days of blogging - my daily streak has not been perfect anyway, so that is no great loss. And I read three books - Harry was not home part of the time - I had plenty of "chores" that could have filled my time - but instead of wasting time on the computer - I read 3 books!!

I will note them on the book blog, but if you are interested, they were Helen of Pasadena, Book of A Thousand Days, and Left Neglected - which I'm still reading. It's kind of fun to tear through books instead of doing chores - or blogging!!

My one regret was Friday a.m. I wanted to log on and see "the dress" but alas, I had to wait until I got to school - and on our school computers, I had to click on the computer between pictures to take away the box that comes up to say I'm not supposed to be accessing those sites!! (It was the LA Times for heaven sake!)

The dress was not a disappointment either. I loved it - maybe now wedding dresses will get a little classier!!

We can only hope!!

"Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Coldstone's we go . . ."

There was a "Grub With the Cubs" fundraiser at Coldstone's today and tonight - and Marcie wrangled Kyle and me to join in dishing up ice cream for an hour, from 4 to 5.

It turned out to be fun - if someone put a tip in the tip jar, we had to sing them a song - it was pretty hilarious - they provided some clever lyrics for us - "sprinkle, sprinkle, little star" for starters!

Marcie wore her tap shoes and did some soft shoe and tap routines for the folks too!!

On a sad note, about half way through the power went out - even the theater next door had to send patrons home and refund their money!!

But the ice cream was still safe to eat when our shift was over - not sure how long that lasted!!

Fortunately the power outage did not extend to our neck of the woods!

The Changing Face of MHS

I don't often drive up or down Madison, but Saturday I did - and was surprised to see the new gymnasium in all it's glory. I don't even know how long they've been using it - I am pretty much "out of touch" with the high school. What I do know is that the auditorium is still unfinished, so we will have Clifton promotion at Clifton once again - and the musical will be at Clifton too.

This is looking from coming into the parking lot by the pool.

It looks pretty nice. I guess I will have to take a tour or something. I know that the front of the school is all fenced in - not sure if it's some lavish landscaping or if they are putting buildings in front of the administration building!

Nothing so constant as change!!

Happy Birthday Alice and Maddy!!

Happy Birthday today to Alice and Maddy!!

I've often thought it would be fun to share a birthday with a daughter - and Maddy and Alice seem to enjoy it!!

Here's to a great day for both of you - and a wonderful year ahead!!

Happy Birthday to My Grandma Stevens!!

I'm pretty sure I post the same photos and tell the same story. But today is the anniversary of my Grandma Stevens' birth. Alice was born the day after. And I would say, "Oh it's too bad she missed yours by just a day." My grandma would say, "Might as well have missed it by a month, she still missed it!"

My grandma had been a stenographer, and she still had her Remington typewriter. When I was in college, she typed letters to me all the time. I loved it.

She was a wonderful Grandma - we often spent nights at her house - and that was a real treat. And I always thought she wore the most amazing jewelry. Years later, my mom gave me a box of her jewelry for a jeweled Christmas tree I was making. I remembered all the jewelry in the box - and it was all costume jewelry!!

Oh well, she was royalty to me!!

"Hidden in Plain Sight!"

I took quite a few shots of the eggs that Bruce and Noah hid for the egg hunt. As I was going through them, I was thinking about how often we miss things - ideas, blessings, gifts, and good suggestions - because we just don't see them.

Or we "see" them, but their significance doesn't register with us.

Sometimes we think we are seeing something else.

Sometimes we aren't sure what we are seeing, so we pass it by.

Often, upon reflection, we realize what we have missed. This all sounds "theoretical," and it is. But I recall times when someone said something to me that should have let me know what they were feeling. I took their words at face value, however, and missed the message.

I'm sure we've all had the experience of asking someone how we looked. They say fine or great. But what we are really asking is "Do you think I look good enough to do this task?" or "Do you think I have value or worth?"

We extend a compliment and it is dismissed. And then we miss the hesitation or the inability to accept the compliment and what that means.

We are all busy and have agendas of our own. I'm sure we all understand and accept the truism that it really doesn't matter what you wear, because everyone out there is worrying about how they look, not how you look!

Or you've had someone ask you for advice - and then you gave it. But you wondered why it didn't seem to satisfy. Because it turns out that your questioner didn't want advice at all - he or she wanted sympathy or understanding.

So I'm thinking I'm going to try a little harder to "see" things clearly - especially as it pertains to relationships.

Maybe I will even remember to let you know how it goes!!

A love of lilies

I do not have a green thumb. I can water and plant, but I don't really know how to maintain, so my efforts are not always spectacular, to say the least.

There are two flowers, though, that grow in abundance in our yard regardless of what I do or don't do. They are calla lilies and amaryllis. The lilies were here when we came. The amaryllis were a gift from Polly.

(Actually I don't do too badly with roses either, but the deer come and eat them with so much regularity, I can't count on them.)

And there is a brief window - that seems to occur at slightly different times each year - when I get to feel like I'm some kind of gardener!!

I love flowers - they bring me joy - you would think I would learn to cultivate many different kinds. But I don't - maybe when I retire I will have the time, inclination, and energy to become a cultivator of flowers.

Till then I will enjoy the calla lilies and amaryllis when they come!

Some Friday Night Musings!

Yesterday I posted a photo of Theo, sitting between his mom's feet while she was standing on the sidelines at the Boston Marathon. I commented that sometimes I feel like just sitting down in the midst of all the action. That got me thinking about the idea that I'm the grown up now - no more excuses.

I remember the first time I felt the weight of "being the adult" in the situation. It was right after Bonny was born. I distinctly recall thinking that if there was any kind of emergency or disaster, Bonny was absolutely dependent on me for everything. And who would be taking care of me??

As the years went by and more children came along, I would wonder at times how it would have been to have been a pioneer. I would imagine how difficult it would be to walk along, possibly carrying a child for long distances - undoubtedly without a stroller or even a nice Baby Bjorn!!

In 1987, the Whittier earthquake hit our neighborhood. I was truly frightened - I was sitting in the living room, feeding Noah, who was a 5 month old baby at the time. Hannah was 2 and playing in the family room at the other end of the house. Eliza was 4 and still in bed. Phoebe was 10 and was getting ready for school. Harry, Bonny, and Harry had all left for the day. I was indeed the grown up - the only grown up in fact!!

I will say this - if I'm ever in an emergency or earthquake, I want Phoebe with me - what a trouper. She galvanized us all - hustling us under the table for shelter and dragging quilts with her - "to protect us from the falling glass" she was sure was coming. I was pretty nervous and anxious - and not at all sure if I felt up the event!!

Within a short time, Bonny and Harry showed up with a truckload of kids who wanted to stay with us - because they didn't want to go home to an empty house! It was an interesting day - and throughout the day, I kept wondering if a big aftershock would be coming - and was I ready to take care of all these children and adolescents who were under my roof!

I talked about this once with my instructional aide, Beth, and she recalled that during the Whittier quake, school was in session. She said it was pretty amazing how obedient and well-behaved the students were. They were looking to the adults for directions - and they were prepared to follow them!!

I was glad to hear that, because soon after becoming a full-time teacher, I started thinking about earthquakes and other emergencies - and wondering if sometimes-disobedient students could be counted upon to follow your lead! It has been my experience thus far - and this has only been with the practice drills we have regularly - that students are willing to turn the worrying and turmoil over to the adults!

As I have said before, when did I become the resident grown-up??

Sometimes I feel -

Sometimes I feel like Theo, and I just want to sit down in the midst of all the hustle and bustle.

When did I become the resident grown-up??

Orchard House

Little Women is definitely part of the Terrill persona. We can quote lines, and we never tire of watching any of the many film versions available. We even enjoy the Broadway musical version, although we are not quite fluent in that one yet. (I have heard disturbing reports that some of the Terrill women have not actually read Little Women. I am certain they will rectify that soon!!)

And of course, the famous story about how Ara, upon learning that Annika was born, said, "Now we are our own Little Women!"

I think I would love to go visit Orchard House - where Louisa May Alcott wrote the famous novel of 4 sisters growing up in Civil War New England - with all of my girls. And my granddaughters.

For now I'm glad I could go with two of my own Little Women!!

(Notice Theo wondering where he should go since the "grown women" seemed to be standing still!!)

Happy Patriot's Day to You!

Today is a state holiday in Massachusetts - it's Patriot's Day. In 1776, on April 19th, the Revolutionary War began. I personally think it ought to be a national holiday - don't you?

At any rate, 115 years ago, the first Boston Marathon was run - on Patriot's Day too. There were 18 runners! This year there are 27,000!

So we are all celebrating - missing work and going to cheer Harry on!!

A great way to spend a holiday. There is even blue sky, sunshine, and a promise of 62 degrees as the high.

A great day!!

Enjoy yours - and think of a patriot!!

Race day countdown!!

Harry's computer has issues, so we can't seem to get any photos to post. Suffice it to say the runner is in bed, has been hydrating and carbo-loading all day!!

We had fun seeing Sister Lopez - a former missionary in Monrovia - at her ward in Nashua, New Hamshire.

We have a plan in place for tomorrow - that's all it takes. And we will have text updates - we are all logged in.

Oh the excitement of it all. The weather is even supposed to be perfect.

We will keep you posted!

(Did I mention I love being a cheerleader??)

Saturday/Sunday Post

I'm still on West Coast time - which means I sit up late trying to find something worth watching on the T.V. And if I try blogging, blogger gets confused and doesn't post when I think they will post.

So I'm a day late and a dollar short as they say in the vernacular.

Today we head to Nashua, New Hampshire to attend church in Sister Lopez's ward there. She served in the Arcadia Mission a few years back. She is one of the many wonderful sister missionaries Harry worked with. And she is from Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Speaking of missionary work, Harry was released as Ward Mission Leader after more than 6 years in the calling. Now we need to finally organize our files of photos to see if we can still recognize the multitude of missionaries who have come through our house over the years! (Am I sounding a bit like Elder Maxwell with my penchant for alliteration??)

His new calling is Emergency Preparedness Specialist. And we are ready for that!

more fun on the east coast

Hannah, Robbie, Eliza, Matt, Theo, and Ida are here with us - so the the good times are rolling.

And I have been taking photos.

Which I will post.

We went to Orchard House and Walden Pond today.

I could spend some time out here - and enjoy myself immensely.

Meanwhile I am enjoying our little mini-family reunion and playing with the grandkids - and kibbitzing with the grown kids!!

My Life with jetBlue!

I'm starting to feel like jetBlue is my new home!! I flew out Friday night, flew back home Tuesday p.m., flew out Wednesday a.m. - turned out we had an hour delay getting on board - and what seemed like another 10 hours waiting to take off!! Then we went to JFK - late of course for our connecting flight to Boston - but got on the last hop to Boston - it was midnight - Eastern Standard Time - by the time we were getting the rental car at Alamo.

Then it seemed to take forever to get to Milford - winding our way through the Williams Tunnel and navigating the Mass Pike - or I should say, trying to avoid it - it's a toll road!!

We did make it to La Quinta Inn - at 4 a.m. - only 1 a.m. our time - but we were getting punch drunk with fatigue!!

Good thing we have some days to "acclimate!"

And we are excited to see Hannah and Eliza and families soon.

The sky is blue - guess we will go find FOOD!!

In Boston

In the interest of keeping my daily blogging streak going, I have pre-written a number of blog posts - you'd already figured that out though - right??

We've hit this plaza every year that we've come - so chances are we hit it again this year!!

Maybe the mimes are out. They are pretty entertaining.

And there's a post office here. Maybe I've sent you a postcard!!

On the trail to Boston!

After a load or two of laundry, we are off to Boston.

We will keep you posted!

And check the Terrill blog for a round up on my Portland trip.

The visit winds down . . .

As you read this, I may be winging my way home.

I'm pretty sure I'm sad to be leaving everyone for now.

But it's off to Boston next!!

"I love to see the temple . . ."

Phoebe is actually in walking distance - albeit a somewhat long walk - of the Portland Temple.

We will probably drive by it anyway! Now matter how you get there, it is beautiful.

A blessing in their lives.

Downtown Lake Oswego!!

While at Phoebe's I am hopefully getting a glance at the wonderful hanging flower baskets that grace the city.

They are wonderful - and a special truck drives around every evening to water them!!