Go Gophers!

Awhile ago, I'm not sure how long since I wasn't actually listening to him, Monte told me he was purchasing season tickets to the Gopher's football games. The tickets came and we duly attended a game and lo and behold, they won! Last weekend he took our nephew, Wyatt, to the game. Wyatt had a blast. Today I got to go again and I have to say I had a blast too. Those of you who know me very well will probably be surprised by this. The truth is that I know very little about sports. I only understand the bare outlines of the rules and if someone I love wants to watch a sports event on the television I can't help sitting there thinking of how many other things I'd like to be doing. But an event live, a football or baseball game at the dome, or a baseball game featuring the Anoka LDS team, is a different matter entirely. I love the PEOPLE aspect. I get a charge out of the fans. I root for the local team as gleefully as any of them. Today at the Gopher game I saw it all. Lunatic fans with their faces painted posing and posturing for the cameras. Small children in Gopher regalia with no clue what was going on, but generally enjoying the mayhem. The couple sitting next to us were dressed up (for a football game) with jewelry, shoes shined, and creases in their slacks. They sat quietly just smiling and occasionally clapping, leaning toward each other sharing the experience while people around jumped out of their seats yelling, singing, clapping, waving their arms. The couple in front of them spent more time out of their seats than in them. Did anyone complain? Nope. We just watched on the monitors until the couple in front sat down again. They were so cute! They'd jump up and slap each other's hands in the air (what is that called a "high 10"?) anytime the Gophers gained yards, or scored, and then stand there cheering through the next play. Also, the dome is LOUD. There was the band and the cheering, the announcer "It's your M-i-n-n-e-s-o-t-a G-o-p-h-e-r-s . . . ophers . . . ophers!!" people eating and laughing. The place smells great! almost as good as the fair (at least most of the time) I'm a sucker for the smell of junk food . . and the lady next to me had nice perfume on, too. Note to self - go to more sporting events.

Too Busy?

I have a very bad habit that I'm going to share here in hopes that it will help me purge myself of it. I'm too busy. I work full time and teach an early morning scripture study class in addition to that. My work is such that my 8 hour "duty day" seldom is enough to complete what needs to be finished. In fact, I still have some paperwork to finish tonight, but all of this is beside the point. With all of the things I have to do, I still find time to do the other things that seem most important to me, or that capture my interest at the moment. I decorate cakes, take on sewing projects, watch television, listen to audio books, go out to dinner or lunch with friends, and manage to make an occasional handmade greeting card. I'd like to be scrapbooking, beading, and making gingerbread houses. I'd like to write a book ( I keep making notes - I have 2 notebooks full) Yet, the other day when I received a phone call from my church asking for a minor service I groaned and complained. That service just was not on my agenda. The sweet lady who called me was very understanding and said that if I didn't have time she could certainly find someone else to do it. Then the Lord gave me the prod I needed and I began to feel ashamed of my attitude. (I agreed to do it of course) The truth is that, while my days are certainly full, I have plenty of time to be selfish and I have almost complete control over my own time. When I still had children at home, their needs and schedules ruled the better part of my days. Now I have just myself and Monte (my husband) in the house. Monte does not require nor demand much of my time. He's not the kind of husband that needs to be looked after. In fact, he's a pretty darn good room mate. He cooks, cleans up after himself (mostly), does yardwork, and pays his share of the bills and then some. I have a lot to be thankful for - including the opportunities I have to be of service to others. So-o in future I think I'll try an attitude adjustment the next time someone asks me for something.

Enrichment Meeting

Wow! This is my very first blog thanks to the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Here's what happened. I belong to this society. It is the oldest and largest women's organization on the earth. We meet regularly and every woman over the age of 18 is welcome! Our meeting tonight was a lesson in choosing lifelong learning and part of the agenda was to help us learn to journal through blogging. The beauty of this answer to personal journalling and writing a family history is that I can share it with others immediately and I can't lose the notebook!
You may, at this point be wondering what you are looking at in the picture. This is the 50 foot tall cowboy that stood outside my family's business for more than 60 years! When the business changed hands, the cowboy was purchased by the city of Wendover, Nevada and placed in this setting as a historical landmark. This is a piece of my childhood.