Wonder what the Boss is doing tonight? He's building a saw horse work bench. He says it's for things too big for his regular work bench, like if he's working on a door or a table. You can see it in the picture.





Sometimes, no often, he disappears into the inner sanctum of the garage and you never know what he is working on. But tonight we are fortunate indeed because there is a picture! Note the 3 stitches above his eyebrow. Yesterday he had a funny mole removed and another patch burned off. There is no abuse going on in this house. Rest assured!

He is for sure my Superman!

Monna To the Rescue!

Ryan has joined a city basketball league and the only time available for them to play is either 8:30 or 9:30 on Wednesday nights. Mary wanted to go to his game so I agreed to watch the already sleeping kids. No Problem!

Tanner soooound asleep.

Preston & Hailey crashed on their parent's bed. All is well.

I spent the next hour & 1/2 checking out Mary's favorite blog and websites. Then the carefree couple returned home. Ry's team had lost but "they had a good time".

Just as I was getting ready to leave, Ryan heard Tanner cry and Mar went up to check on him. He's had croop this week and has really been under the weather. She sat down at the kitchen table to soothe him and he immediately threw up. Great Timing Tanner Man! At least where your Monna is concerned. Poor little guy. He will feel better soon, but being 2 is a hard job. He kept looking at me and wondering what the heck I was doing there that time of night. I'm so glad it happened after his folks got home!

F Y I ... CUTE THINGS @ MARY'S HOUSE

This is in her stairwell. She made it out of an old tabletop. It is a combination
of vinyl and paint. I love it!

Mary just finished painting all of her cupboards cream. She left the doors off this upper cabinet, put red painted beadboard in the back and displayed her white milk glass. This pix doesn't do the cupboards justice. It looks so classy in person. What a great idea.

This used to be my quiet time each evening. Pull open the Oregonian, read whatever, then finish with the crossword puzzle. Sometimes I could complete it and sometimes I could not. But I did it every night except Sunday. The Sunday puzzle is gigantic and not worth the time or trouble. Then I would snuggle down into my covers and read whatever library book I was working on until I was tired enough to go to sleep. I could read 2, even 3 books a week, depending on the books and how early I got started. Oh, the life!

But things have changed. . .

Now I have this new calling as gospel doctrine teacher. I teach every Sunday and we are studying the Doctrine & Covenants. There are teacher's manuals to study and class members guides to read. There are maps to be familiar with and Ensign articles to keep abreast of. There are commentaries to understand and church history to be knowledgeable about. Plus there are all the scriptures to study, ponder, and pray about. Can I just go back to planning women's conferences and speaking at sacrament meetings and attending meetings?

The problem... or the blessing... is this: It has become a compulsion to study all this "gospel doctrine". I have my trusty puzzle and novel beside me each night and intend to make use of them when I finish up with my studies, but I can't seem to put my studies down. Just one more chapter or one more page of explanation. It's a curious thing. I do complete my attempt at my crossword puzzle before turning out the light but by then I'm so tired I'm not very successful. I've read one novel in 4 weeks. That must be some kind of record for me. I think as I get better in preparing for my class I will reach some kind of compromise in my reading material, but also I think the Lord is pleased that I am finding joy in my true study of His word. I am learning that my time is well spent in gaining so much knowledge. Knowledge that I can't gain out of the novels that take time out of my life that has now been replaced with surprising joyful compulsion.

Perhaps I should begin by explaining the name of my blog. My daughter-in-law, Kendra, said it should mean something personal and be short. I pondered this for months. Hard! Finally I decided on the name of an old song my father taught me. I remember sitting close to him in the car as we traveled and singing this together. The words go like this:

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze,
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.

Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies.
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise.
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.

There's more to the song, but that's enough for here. We sang a lot in the car and that has always been one of my favorites. Plus, I'm very claustrophobic, love the big sky country I live in in Eastern Oregon, and need to have my space. What phrase could be more appropriate for my blog?