Dead Wood and Suckers

On Friday about 5:00, there was a knock on the door. I thought it was probably a someone stumping for a politician again. But it was a man who said that they were in the "neighborhood" working on trees. I have heard that line before but I had heard the noise down the street and I had seen the huge trucks so I knew they were for real. He told me that our two front trees were very valuable and we needed to have the dead wood and suckers removed so they could thrive.
I know that I am constantly picking up branches and twigs after a windstorm and that there were some dead branches. So I asked him for an estimate - of course, he gave me a real deal!!?? For the two trees, we would pay only $300 instead of $500. I told him I would ask my husband and call him. I know he didn't expect me to call but Dad said to go ahead. It was bitterly cold outside and I know that they must have really been desperate to want to work in such weather.
So yesterday, they came with a huge truck with a grinder, about 10 men and lots of equipment. They finished within an hour! The trees do look a lot better and although it probably was painful for them, it was for their good to be hacked and trimmed.
Isn't that just like us - we don't want to undergo pain and suffering to clear out our dead wood and those suckers that sap our energy! But like the olive trees in the scriptures, we need to be pruned and cut back so that new growth can occur. Another life lesson learned!!

I DID IT!

I wrote about us getting a new snowblower earlier. Well, Dad has used it a couple of times but I hadn't tried it. It doesn't have an electric start (plug in)and I am always afraid of the darn pull cords. Well, last night we had about 4 inches and Dad didn't have time to blow it this morning. So, I went out to see if I could make it work. I turned it on, primed it slowly 2 times, pulled the cord and it STARTED!!!! I was almost amazed. With the lawn mower usually I have to do it several times and I usually flood it and have to wait a while before trying again.
I was able to do the whole driveway, sidewalk and street so the mailman can reach the box without the snowblower clogging up and dying even ONCE! Our old one just wasn't powerful enough for heavy snow. This one just cuts right through. Anyway, I was pretty proud of myself. Now I know that I can do it!
Dad called me when he got to work. He was about 45 minutes late because of the roads. He said he passed an accident just after it happened or he would have been even more delayed.
Today is the first day he goes to the temple so it is going to be a long one for him. I will miss him! He is usually always here at dinnertime.

Pearly Whites

I have just been to the dentist (ouch - both physical and financial pain!). The experience got me thinking about those little white gems in our mouths which are so very necessary and can also cause us so much trouble.
Getting teeth the first time is traumatic for both parents and the baby. Swollen gums, fevers, restless nights and irritability are all part of getting those "baby" teeth. But what joy when you first feel that sharp little tooth popping through! And is anything cuter than a baby's smile revealing those first two teeth? The process of getting all of the teeth seems to take forever. Everthing bad is blamed on teething. Finally, the two year molars are in and now we wait for the first loose tooth to come out! The tooth fairy visits and the gaps in the smile are engaging.
The second set of teeth emerge slowly and for years kids have a jack-0-lantern smile. Crowding (at least in our family) causes problems and teeth come in crooked. Sometimes they come in behind those baby teeth that just seem to want to hold on forever. Then off to the dentist we go to see if there is a problem or if we should just wait. Of course, usually there is a problem and we are sent off to the orthodontist for an evaluation. Extractions occur, spacers are inserted, mouth wideners must be turned with a key each night. Braces are strongly suggested and those bimonthly visits go on for years. I think we put our orthodontist's children through college! All six of ours had to have extensive work done.
The trips to the office for tightening, new elastics, etc. goes on for years. But finally, it all comes to an end and the braces are removed. New casts are taken and the difference between the beginning and the end results are amazing and very much worth it! Now comes the fitting of the retainers. There are lots of lost retainer stories and we have experienced many of them. Once we searched through garbage dumpster at Beebe School to try to find one that had been carefully placed in a napkin. Of course, it was discarded and we never found it. That meant a replacement (and more money). The wearing of a retainer soon gets old. They end up in a drawer or cabinet somehere and slowly those nice straight teeth try to revert back to their original positions. It is painful to try to start using the retainers again. So many times, a tooth or two is out of place and no one even notices any more (or cares!).
We haven't even mentioned the regular checkups , fillings, floride treatments, etc. My teeth are white on the outside and silver on the inside! Lots of fillings, a few crowns, a couple of root canals - all these are part of my dental history. The kids seem to take after Rulon with few cavities. Of course, we had floride in the water here and I credit that for fewer problems too.
And now, I find out that I have periodontal gum disease!! Does it ever end? I had to have half my mouth numbed and the teeth scaled and antibiotics shot into my gums. Now I am facing the other half in a couple of days. I just went in to have my teeth cleaned and an exam. They wouldn't even do anything until I had this deep cleaning (very expensive).
At least I still have my teeth. My mother had hers removed at an early age. All older people seemed to have dentures when I was young. And of course, the pain of getting used to false teeth sometimes meant that they were only inserted when leaving the house! The teeth in a jar by the bed was a common sight.
Now there are bridges, implants, and many other ways to save teeth. It is much better to save them than to lose them. So we keep on working to stave off all that can destroy these pearly whites.
I innocently asked the hygentist what type of toothbrush was good. She immediately told me that an electric brush with soft bristles was best. AND if I should want to buy one, they had an Oral B there for only $99. Apparently that is a deal compared to stores. Maybe I will go get a battery operated brush.
Teeth are expensive but priceless. My advice is to take care of your mouth. There is new evidence that links many other health problems to gum disease. Guess we have to do the best we can with what we have. After all, our teeth (and bones) will outlast our bodies.

Spelling Christmas

C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S

When I was but a youngster,
Christmas meant one thing,
That I'd be getting lots of toys that day.
I learned a whole lot different,
When my Mother sat me down,
And taught me to spell Christmas this way:
"C" is for the Christ child, born upon this day,
"H" for herald angels in the night,
"R" means our Redeemer,
"I" means Israel,
"S" is for the star that shone so bright,
"T" is for three wise men, they who traveled far,
"M" is for the manger where he lay,
"A"'s for all He stands for,
"S" means shepherds came,
And that's why there's a Christmas day, And that's why there's a Christmas day.

Reading Lynn's H-O-L-I-D-A-Y account has helped me remember this old song that was always sung during the Christmas season. Sometimes we do get much too involved with the holiday aspect but we can remember that it can also mean HOLY DAY and that puts another perspective on the debate of using "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". I personally don't see anything wrong with wishing another person a pleasant greeting especially if it is given in the spirit of good fellowship. We keep Christ in our hearts anyway no matter what greeting we give. Just my opinion!

If you want to see more Christmas carol lyrics - just type it into Google! It is amazing what you can find!

New Snowblower

Well, after Wednesday's heavy, wet snow and our old snowblower's inability to move it, we purchased a new one today! I ended up shoveling most of the snow last week. The machine simply clogged up with clumps of icy snow. We have had that one since the boys left home so it has been a while.
Dad looked online and studied Consumers' Reports and then we went to Ace. It was going to be our first stop and then we were going to go to Sears, etc. We had a knowledgeable salesman but he got called away. Another man who was a customer in the area came over and told us that he had been to all the other places and this was comparable to them. He sold us on it! (Or was it the fact that Dad hates to go to the mall?) So anyway, the salesman came back and had a sale right away! We brought it home and Dad assembled it while I went to get some gasoline. It works! Of course, just as we were about to start it up, our neighbor comes down the sidewalk with his. It was very nice of him but Dad had to be content with just doing the pathway to the door.
Tonight we are supposed to get more snow but it is to get to 37 tomorrow so it will melt. Anyway, we are prepared for winter (watch it not snow heavily again!).
We hear Utah is having a lot of snow today so we hope you are all safe in your homes.

Changes

Today was the day! We packed up our contributions for the last feast for the YSA (rolls and pumpkin pie dessert) and were at the church about 45 minutes early. We actually both rode together in one car! Lots of old members who have married started coming in with babies and it was so fun to see them all. Then we watched to see who came who might be in the new bishopric. We saw the Snapps and the Glassetts but no others. The meeting started and after the announcements and sacrament, the Stake President announced that John Clements would be the new bishop! He has been the high councilor and so we were used to seeing him there and didn't suspect him. Steve Snapp will be the counselor from Joliet Stake and Joel Glassett from the Naperville Stake.
They then had Bishop Taylor and his wife speak. Judy Taylor had gone the whole 5 years without giving a talk. She said it is hard for her but she did an excellent job - so sweet. And Bishop Taylor urged everyone to get beyond the tithing commandment. He promised that it will make your life easier in every way if you can just obey that one tiny commandment. It was a powerful last plea from someone who loves them all so very much. Dad then gave a beautiful testimony and thoughts that were inspired. He has been such a fun but powerful presence in this bishopric. And then Bro. DeWitt told that he felt like when he sent his sons on missions. He wanted them to go but he didn't want them to leave home! Next Sunday will be hard for all of us. Then they had the new bishopric speak and they will be great. Pres. Peterson then spoke a bit and it was finished.
We then went to the kitchen to prepare the turkey dinner. Everything went very well and we had 10 tables set up and all were full. We came out fine on the food. There were lots of hugs and tears and it was hard to leave the building. We loved being a part of this wonderful venture and wish them all the best in continuing onward and upward!

Hot Hands

Yesterday was our YSA trip to Chicago. There was a winter storm WARNING (more serious than a WATCH). All was fine in the morning but snow started as we were driving to Woodridge to meet the bus. The wind started up and the snow was swirling. It was a very wet rain/snow and the roads were getting bad. We ended up waiting for a few people to come and one girl missed out all together. We drove (slowly) into the city and saw many cars that had gone off the road and a few crashes. We were supposed to be at the Cadillac Palace Theater at 2:00 but with the conditions, we were a few minutes late. So then we had to watch the monitor until they would let us in. By then, there were people sitting in our seats and they had to be rousted out before we could be seated. Finally, we could settle down and watch. Phantom was terriffic and we really enjoyed the music and the acting.
After we got out, we had an hour and a half on our own to go to the German Christmas market or Macy's (Field's) or anywhere else as long as we met the bus at 6. We walked (very slowly because of the ice on the sidewalks) to the Daley Plaza where the market was set up and enjoyed a bratwurst sandwich with sourkraut. The rain/snow was just pouring down and freezing as it came. Our coats seemed to lose all of the waterproofing and Dad lost a glove trying to help me get my hood tied. We walked around for a little while and then made our way back to where the bus was to come.
Now for the handy hint of the day (see the title) - Hot Hands! One guy had brought handwarmers (little packets that you activate by squeezing). He was passing them out to anyone who wanted them (and most of us did!). They were wonderful! They had to be squeezed when they started to cool but heated right back up again. This morning, they are still warm! I would recommend buying some for winter outings. He got them at Walgreens but I am sure they sell them everywhere. Perfect for boy scouting or carolling, or just for fun in the winter. Dad was teasing me saying that they were the best part of my trip!
Anyway, the bus came and we drove around trying to see the lights and skyline but it was hard. We did stop the bus and get a picture with the skyline in the background. It was freezing and we made it quick. We will see if it turned out.
We drove then to Brookfield Zoo where we had free passes from a member of the ward who volunteers there. We noticed that there were very few cars in the parking lot. Not many people ventured out in the storm. We slipped and slided (lots of fun for Dad and his foot) and saw a few things - the lazor light show was cancelled because of high winds. Mostly we looked in the gift shop and tried to stay in buildings. However, the buildings closed at 8:30 and we weren't supposed to get on the bus until 9. And they had sent the bus to another lot far away so we couldn't even go wait on it! So, some of us went in the restrooms and waited until the bus came. It was warm in there and we could turn on the hand blowers to warm us up. It fact, that was a fun part of the evening! Lots of laughs and memories were made in the bathroom!
Finally, we all crawled on, wet and soggy and made our way back to the church. All the lights were out for quite a stretch on 75th to 53. When we finally arrived, we got to de-ice the cars! There was a sheet of ice covering everything and it was hard to remove!! Dad & I were so glad to get home!! It was so icy on the driveway, that Dad backed back down to the mailbox! It was to dangerous to try to walk down it.
Now today, the temperatures are to get into the upper 40's!! The storm went through the midwest quickly and it did have to be the day of our last Chicago trip with the Ward. Oh well, we did have some fun times and I am sure that lots of memories were made - good and bad.
So much for our adventures yesterday. Now come the events of today. Dad and the whole bishopric will be released. I will write about this later.