*MONDAY MEMOS*
(If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge)
Weekly recap of my rather crazy, insane, but fun and rewarding life!
Weekly recap of my rather crazy, insane, but fun and rewarding life!
dear monday, today I got in a five mile walk. Walking five miles is so much tougher than running it because it never ends! I would much rather run five miles than walk it. It gets so boring too.
It is VERY obvious we are living during a pandemic!
I did find some coins though. Among other things. When I got done, I went and picked up Chayden and Carson and brought them over here. Sky and Sarah had to leave at 4 a.m to go to Lindon to do FIRST LOOK photos. I figured the boys would be alone and bored all day and so I brought them here. I made them Funfetti pancakes and Chayden made eggs. Carson painted a wooden car craft kit I had and Chayden played video games. It was pretty hot outside and so staying in was the best plan. Sky picked them up before lunch. They were good kids. I got one blog post published! I am so behind!
dear tuesday, I got up early and practiced the harp. I got in almost four hours practicing today because I practiced for a long time after my lesson too. I am so excited I am learning Petite Etude! I have wanted to play it forever but wasn't sure I would ever be at that level. I have made it! Now to master it. Well, to learn it first! hah I put together treats for the Sunbeams. I also made zucchini bread for my ministering sisters. Dave was off today but busy with the yard all day. I delivered the bread to all my sisters. Not one was home. Go figure. I ran some errands and as for the rest of the day I have no clue. Sarah added eyes to the cow potato. Hah
My goal was to get a full week done today of this blog. I was able to finish one but it is a slow go! Ugh I am about six weeks behind. And I can never seem to catch up. It's like the laundry. Even if you are caught up you are still behind because you are wearing clothes that need washing. Every day I am living another day and it needs recording! hah But hopefully I will find some time and be able to get it caught up within a couple weeks. Sigh. Carson and Sky stopped by for a short visit.
Guru Gary sent me this today. He sent me another one on Friday but I will post them both here. I am baffled he would go to all that trouble and time and effort to do this! I was laughing out loud reading what he wrote to go with the photos. It brought back such great memories of all the crazy things I have done! Who does that? He is the nicest person!
Guru Gary sent me this today. He sent me another one on Friday but I will post them both here. I am baffled he would go to all that trouble and time and effort to do this! I was laughing out loud reading what he wrote to go with the photos. It brought back such great memories of all the crazy things I have done! Who does that? He is the nicest person!
I am trying to get a shower planned for Sarah but didn't get too far on it today. Ugh. I am also stressing about the wedding cake! By the time this gets posted the wedding will probably be over! That is crazy!
dear thursday, the internet guy showed up this morning to try and figure out why our internet is always going off. It's so frustrating! #firstworldprobs I had to stick around until he was done and so I got out on my walk later than I hoped. I almost bagged it but decided I would feel better if I did. I got in three miles. I ran a little ways, but not much. Saving up the ankle for my Saturday run. McKay is still really sick. Poor guy. Dave gave him a Rocephin shot. He is worried his tonsils are so huge they will shut off his airway. He is a tough kid and never complains. I have the best boys. I ran some errands and then got Dave's parents dinner ready. I chatted with McKay while I made a salad and biscuits etc. Dave got home in time to drop it off. I have been watching Shark Week all week. I can't get enough! LOL I usually fall asleep watching it once I am in bed. Not sure why I love it so much!
These guys made a visit today....
dear friday, I got out on a walk this morning. The air had a chill in it. Fall is not far away. I got in three miles. I saw this woman pushing a wheelchair surrounded by this stuff and then she took off and left it. Not sure what she is doing. Weird.
Haylie asked me to borrow some stuff for her party for Brinlee tonight. She said she was stressed and not sure how she was going to get it all done. I offered to help in anyway I could. I took some stuff over and her mom came after I was there a bit. Before I left, Haylie said Brinlee probably wasn't going to get a cake because she had so much to do. I said, "How about I bake the cake and you decorate it?" She was up for that. It was a ghost cake (she wanted a spooky party!) and so I came home and baked it. It was a four layer 6" cake with each layer a different color (purple, black, green, orange). I figured it wouldn't be too difficult. I had to carve the top one to the shape of a ghost head. But of course one of the layers crumbled on the side when I removed it. I was mad I didn't Crisco and flour the pans. Will I ever learn? But I managed to repair it with icing. That is one thing I am a pro at. Repair work! I have had lots of practice! It ended up being great and so I took it over. She was still stressed but I left it to her to finish.
I got all dressed up in my WITCH costume. I wore my new apron thing I bought at the Grand American last year at our Witch's Tea. It is so cute! I wore the torturous shoes too! The outside pictures shows the true color of the apron. I love it! I got the hat there too.
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| Fabio! haha He does kind of look like him! Only Bryce is better looking! |
Bryce played baseball with Chayden for a long time. Liam can really throw the ball! He has an arm. Sarah took me home after Haylie and I looked at all of her First Look pix. Wow! They are amazing! SO amazing!
Sarah told me Carson woke up this morning in a grumpy mood and said, "The only thing that makes me happy is making potions! And Jodi!" Ahhh.... He is the sweetest!
dear saturday, today Chayden wanted to go with me on a walk but he changed his mind so I hit the high school and did the track and surrounding areas. I ran the whole time (well a few walk breaks) and got in three miles. I was pretty happy about that since I haven't run much lately.
I even found a penny! Hey to you too, Tyson!
I took some shark cookies to Chayden and Carson this afternoon from Crumbl. It is Shark Week and I have been watching lots of the new programs. I can't get enough! I chatted with Sarah for quite a while. Sky was there at first but had to go to some appointments. They stopped by later tonight so we could tell Chayden goodbye since he leaves tomorrow morning. Carson spent the night so he didn't have to get up at 5 a.m to take Chayden. He took a bath and we had to improvise for PJ's and underpants since he wasn't planning on spending the night. I found one of Tyson's silky shirts that Tyson loved to sleep in. And some oversized Grinch boxers! LOL Tyson was watching down with a big smile on his face I am certain. We watched some show and then I had to hit the hay. I was so exhausted! Oh this boy makes me happy!
Dave made us German pancakes that were to die for! They are my favorite breakfast food I think. We even had a fresh peach to go with it! Mmm.... Peach season is coming fast! I can't wait! 
We had church again today. Only the second time in five months. Dave sat on the stand so it was just Carson, McKay and me. Dave spoke for about five minutes at the end. We had a lot more peeps there this time than last. It still is strange seeing everyone in masks. McKay wanted to get home and so I didn't get to visit with anyone. When we got home Sky and Sarah were here. They stayed a bit and then went home with Carson. They came back a bit later for dinner. We had ribs and baked potatoes and a jello salad I made and some bread sticks I made super quick. They were so good.
Aubrey, Mickey and Sam ran over for a bit. Aubrey gave me a book she made of the girl's cabin trip for my birthday! I loved it. That's my quote on the second photo.
Carson was very happy to see them! hah
We were laughing so hard while we looked at the pix. I shared bread sticks with them. It was fun. When Carson heard they were coming, he hurried and made Micky a present and wrapped it. It was artwork and a card. He is so thoughtful!
Carson and I went out back and sat in the swing for a bit. The baby deer came down. I got the best video of them.
dear random, this is a photo of my Grandma Helen (my Dad's mom) with some of the Raggedy Ann dolls she made! Can you spot mine????
Yep! Mine is the only purple one!! I still have it!
She was such a cute and talented lady. I sure miss her.
I got my Homemaker's invite done!
She was such a cute and talented lady. I sure miss her.
My mom's famous Strawberry Danish Dessert Delight recipe! I thought I better preserve it here!
Little Miss Kailani! I miss her!
I’m Not Ignoring COVID
Mike. In a recent post, you said you’ve been to Tennessee and Georgia, giving speeches and filming for your new show. Before that, you were on the road shooting for Dirty Jobs. Is it really so important to film a television show in the midst of pandemic? Is it responsible of you to encourage this kind of behavior when infection rates are spiking? Don’t you watch the news? More and more cases every day – aren’t you concerned? Darlene Gabon
Hi Darlene
Of course, I’m concerned. I’m just not petrified.
On March 15th, the day after my part of the country was locked down, I posted a link to an interview with Dr. Michael Osterholm. I’m posting it again, because I believe you and everyone else in the country would benefit from listening carefully to what he has to say. https://youtu.be/E3URhJx0NSw
Dr. Osterholm is the Director of Infectious Disease Research and Policy. This is the same epidemiologist who ten years ago, predicted a coronavirus would come from China and turn our country upside down. In his book “Deadliest Enemies,” he described the utterly irresponsible way in which the media would report on the situation, the completely opportunistic and shamelessly political way our leaders would likely react, and the unprecedented chaos and confusion that would arise from all the mixed messages from the medical community. His resume is unexampled, and his analysis of the situation is the most logical and persuasive of any I’d heard so far. He’s also the only expert I know of who hasn’t walked back his numbers, reconsidered his position, or moved the goalposts with regard to what we must do, what we can do, and what he expects to happen next. I say all of this because Dr. Osterholm also predicted that we could easily see 100 million COVID cases in this country, with a very strong possibility of 480,000 fatalities – even if we successfully “flattened the curve.”
It took me a few weeks to accept this scenario, because 480,000 fatalities is a frightening number, and lot of other experts were saying lots of conflicting things. But eventually, I came to the conclusion that Dr. Osterholm was probably correct, and quickly navigated the four stages of grief that usually precede acceptance – denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. By late April, I had come to accept Dr. Osterholm’s predictions as a matter of fact. Since then, I’ve had three full months to come to terms with the fact that, a) I am probably going to get COVID-19 at some point, b), I am almost certainly going to survive it, and c), I might very well give it to someone else.
I hope that doesn’t sound blasé, or glib, or fatalistic, or selfish. Four-hundred eighty thousand deaths is an obvious tragedy, and I’m deeply sympathetic to all who have been impacted thus far. I’m also very concerned for my parents, and everyone else in a high risk category. But when Dr. Osterholm says that COVID can be slowed, but not stopped, I believe him. When he says a vaccine will not necessarily hasten herd immunity, I believe him. And when he says that “flattening the curve” and eliminating the virus have nothing to do with each other, I believe him.
Thus, for the last three months, I’ve been operating from the assumption that this is a year-round virus that’s eventually going to infect 100,000 million people and kill roughly 1/2 of one percent of those infected. I’ve gotten used to those numbers in much the same way I’ve gotten used to the fact that 40,000 people will likely die on the highways this year. That’s why I’m not panicked or surprised by tens of thousands of daily COVID cases; I’ve been expecting them. Unfortunately, many others have not. Every day, millions of people watch the same breathless coverage by the same breathless journalists, who seem determined to do all they can to foster uncertainty. And so, millions of people are still paralyzed by fear, because they haven’t been given a chance to digest the truth, (or, what I believe to be the truth.) Fact is, we can accept almost anything, if we’re given the facts, and enough time to get our heads around them. But if we don’t have an understanding of what’s really happening, we simply can’t get passed denial and bargaining, where so many seem to be stuck, understandably so.
Imagine for a moment you had no idea how many people would die in car accidents this year. Now, imagine that every single accident – over six million a year in the US alone – were reported on the same way that every new COVID case is reported today. Imagine every day you were told in hysterical tones, that another 16,000 accidents had occurred, resulting in another 90 deaths per day. What would that do to your willingness to drive? Six million accidents is a lot of accidents, and 40,000 annual fatalities is a lot of death – especially if you don’t know how high that number could get. But we DO know the dangers of driving, and we’ve accepted those numbers. Consequently, we’re able to make a grown-up decision about whether or not we want to assume the associated risk of operating a motor vehicle.
Again, don’t misunderstand. I’m not ignoring COVID, and I’m not pretending the risks at hand aren’t real. I don’t want to get this disease and give it to someone else, any more than I want to be in a car wreck and hurt someone else. So, I take precautions. I get tested often. If I can’t distance, I wear a mask – especially around higher risk people. I also wear a seatbelt, obey the speed limits, and check my mirrors before changing lanes. I’m aware that we’d all be a lot safer if we kept our cars in the garage. I’m also aware we’d be a lot safer if we all kept ourselves in the house. But that’s not why cars, or people, exist.
Anyway Darlene, that’s a long way of saying that I have accepted Dr. Osterholm’s numbers, and now, after three months of acceptance, I’ve made a decision on how I wish to live my life. Sooner or later, you will too. We all will.
Mike
PS. My foundation is selling masks to raise money for our next work-ethic scholarship program. They’re going fast…mikeroweWORKS.org/Shop
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