WHEW!

Why does everything happen all at once?  The week before last was slow and even boring.  Then there was so much going on this week that I had to miss some of it.

For example, my friend, Marsha Adaams, was visiting from Utah.  I couldn't even get away to have lunch with her because we were processing new missionaries.  On Wednesdays of transfer weeks we go to the Temple with departing missionaries, then dinner and testimony meetings--a  rather long day.  The next morning they all leave for home.  There is no good flight connection, however, for the Islanders.  So, I had a young Samoan companion for 48 hours while she waited for her flight.  I'm sure I'll repeat the experience next month when Sister Angimarau leaves.

On Friday morning, Val was scheduled to fly into Sacramento where we would have lunch and some face time, then continue on to Clear Lake where she does decorating work.  The Salt Lake airport was closed for all but a few hours in the middle of the day.  By the time her plane arrived in Sacramento, it was too late for her to get to her final destination.  So, Val had a sleepover with us!  We spent most of the evening un- and re-packing Sister A's suitcases, which were 40+ pounds overweight.  I'm still finding discarded stuff:  in the trunk of my car, in my apartment, and in the office.  She was heartbroken at leaving her fur-lined leather boots here.  (Really?  In Samoa?)  She was also sad to leave behind the boxes of cookie mix she was taking to show how she had learned to bake.

Today we went downtown to the art museum to see the Norman Rockwell exhibition before it leaves next weekend.  It was wonderful.  I was pleasantly reminded how much of my life was portrayed in those paintings, from eating in a railroad dining car to welcoming home a soldier-hero.  I love how he showed life at the truest level, but with humor and optimism.

The rest of the museum was good, also.  This picture is for Ben:  an AK-47 and a grenade covered with blue and white porcelain.









It was a wild week, and I'm tired.  But the longest and my second-least-favorite month of the year is coming to a close.  And we had blue skies and sunshine again.  I'm OK with missing the extreme weather back home in Utah this year.