I AM NEVER TOOOOOO OLD TO LEARN!

After 58 years look what I have finally learned to do! Mother, aren’t you proud of me?

That’s right, we learned how to make pies and pie crusts from an expert, Sister Fowers!!

She learned from a pie expert who ran a shop and she gave us some wonderful advice and tips!!! Guess what, the dough is supposed to be sticky! Who knew!!!

Don’t squish the dough together, it should be loose, use buttered Crisco and unbleached (not cheap flour), and tepid water, not cold……

Roll it from the middle out, middle back……Note to self. Pick it up and turn it over, handle it a lot I guess.

Cut a cute shape out of the middle, fold it in half, make some pretty cuts and then put it in the pie tin.

Wet the edge with water and apply pretty crust.

Apple pie seasoning before top crust however….

My pie!!!  I am so excited.  I am not to old to learn new things!!! Isn’t that amazing?

Love From Home……………………

I can’t believe how grownup some of my grandchildren are getting!!! Taryn especially right now is just maturing by leaps and bounds.  She is a sweetheart and does things for us that bring joy and happiness into our lives.  I love getting mail and so yesterday this is what we got……

Something to remind me of her.  Since she couldn’t fit in her envelope, this will have to do for the time being.  Thank you Taryn!  We love it, it is hanging on my board where I can see it everyday and it makes me happy.

Thank you also for sending pictures the kids have drawn.  We are making the best wall decoration in Nauvoo!

Got a little surprise in my mailbox and it was a bag of Smartees, which I am addicted to for some reason.  Thanks Debbie!  Anyway I think it has to be Sister Pierce who is going home.  Further investigation is required.

Then just for documenting purposes, I have taken pictures of some of the decorations here in Nauvoo that I know Richard and I can make.  Here they are.  I thought they would be cute hanging from my balcony at home…..

Onto family living today and then to Kindergarten……………………………

HUGS FROM NONNA…….

So I am trying my hardest to fit in, in Nauvoo. We are in the winter  months and things are slow………………………………..Did I say slow?  We only gave three tours in the Bakery and four in the Cultural Hall today.  So that means we have a few hours to kill.  I really enjoy working with the women and some of them are just so amazing.  Truly I am making lifelong friends here. But I do have to rest my mouth and ears for a few minutes during the day. 

Meanwhile I am always needing to keep my hands busy.  So I have taken up “stick sewing.” AKA Crocheting.  I have never done it before and never had  a real desire, but I do now.  (I think about all of the women’s statues in the Women’s Garden here and realize that I am on the last statue or phase, of a woman’s life.  How sad is that? She is sitting in a rocking chair quilting, so I guess I am on course.)

The yarn is so soft and fluffy, I thought it would be something for the kids to wrap up in, like a hug from Nonna.  This is my first one and I still need to put a border around it. For taking it apart three times, I think it is looking pretty good.  Anyway, it is made with love and that’s the best I can do. So who gets the first one??? I don’t know.  I bought this in Shea’s colors but should the youngest ones get them first.  Then I am waiting on different colors to make for the boys.  It is my goal to have all 12 of them done before another child comes along, or I get off of my mission.  Which will come first?

There’s No Place Like Home! Where Is My Home?????????

So for these last six months my fellow missionaries have felt kind of sorry for us that we live in such a tiny abode!  We all make jokes about it and I have had people over and we laugh and laugh as we try to get around one another. 

Last week a new person that is in our cast got put in charge of housing! Stroke of luck for us.  She decided that we needed a bigger place to live. I did not ask her, (Richard is paranoid that we would ask for a bigger place. Against mission rules.) So I guess we will be getting a bigger house.

I have to admit I will miss this little place just a bit.  It only takes me 15 minutes to clean the whole thing.  Richard and I have to sleep pretty close together just to stay on the bed, and not to mention we couldn’t fall out if we wanted to.  Now we will have a king sized bed, plus a spare bedroom!  Come on company!  Of course, it is a twin but…………………………….

It is pretty old, they just put in a “new” old stove! What did I expect.  The carpets have to be cleaned but if all goes well we should be able to start moving our stuff over on Thursday!!!

What do you all think????????????????????????????????????????

Did I mention that we had a garage? We do, however the door won’t open so hoping to get that fixed.

Landscaped as well…..So you all are welcome anytime!!

BIRDS OF A FEATHER!!!

The air in Nauvoo rings with the songs of birds.  It honestly is so loud that it will bring  you out of your house to see what is happening.  I have been enthralled with them for several weeks now and just found out that 40% of the birds migratory route is down the Mississippi!  Wow! What a place I live. So many animals.

They have been so thick, this afternoon they looked almost like a tornado.  These pictures don’t do the experience justice, but none the less, I will try to let you see a little for yourselves.

I was at the Seventies Hall today and they must have been this thick over the hall for at least fifteen minutes……………………………………..

Guess what?  I didn’t get pooped on once.  My luck may be changing!!!

IS IT THAT TIME ALREADY?

So in some ways it just seems like yesterday that we were at the MTC and in other ways it seems like I have always been in Nauvoo and there was no life before this.  We have now hit our six month mark and with that milestone, there are couples that started with us in the MTC and are going home this week!!!!!!!!

Thinking honestly about it, six months and you have really got the hang of things.  I know all of the houses and tours, I know all of the songs and the shows and even my part. I am just now getting comfortable in what I am being asked to do.  Six months might be too short, but I think a year would just be lovely.  For this mission anyway, but of course, About our year mark they will be needing us in the worst way.  So many new missionaries to train, teach and support, just like we were, so I know going home in the summer would be selfish, but oh how I would love to.  Then thinking about being here a year from now seems for ever…….

We decided to have a party for our MTC group and give two of our couples a send off.  They have actually been amazing missionaries and we were so worried about them in the MTC.  Both couples older and struggled so with all of the things we were asked to do.

The little sister in the middle by me has just grown by leaps and bounds. She was afraid to do anything and now she prays, has born her testimony, gives Book of Mormons away, and is a changed person. She will tell you that this has been the best experience of her life and she has certainly been an inspiration to everyone here. 

I’m a good delegate.  Table settings taken care of.  We had soups, breads, salads, and desserts. 

These are the Atkinsons, he is 82 years old and so sweet. He does remind me of my granddaddy some. So sweet and kind and cries easily, plus he can’t hear very well.  They have grown just as much and they just abound with joy in the service they have done. We have been so blessed to know them and to learn from their untiring service.  She has been working for conservation, laying new carpet, fixing any and everything, taking care of the artifacts and houses. what examples they have been for me.

My sweet Sister Brown. She was our only single sister in our group. I surely do love her, we are good buddies. 

Elder Poulson and his wife have taken the Pierces with them on their preparation days on field trips around the country side. Wonderful people.

So farewell to some of our MTC family. We will never forget you, My quote from Lucy Mack comes to my mind again, “that we may all sit down in heaven together.” AMEN.

MY FRIENDS HAVE GONE……..

So sad, Jill and Kyle Franklin have gone to sunnier climes.  I was so sad at seeing them go. They have been amazing to us. They have made us feel that we had automatic family, taken us on tours of the countryside, explored new places to eat, shared supper at our own homes, introduced us to the temple workers community, saved us places at church, supported us in all of our shows and just plain loved us with our warts and all.  I actually have bowls because she gave me some of her things when she left.

We took them to Keokuk for supper the night before they left. They surprised us by coming by Rendezvous on their way out of town. So crying me learned the phrase, “the show must go on,” the hard way. 

I truly think that the Lord will allow us to be eternal friends, after 38 years spending time together again as if there had been no time in between. That is a true friend.  Thank you Jill and Kyle, we love you!!