weekend ... and I have a silly husband

Carol had plans to go to Island Park for a vacation and things fell through.  She was really counting on this big trip and asked me to do something fun for the weekend.  We talked about a fast trip to see Liza but I needed to be here on Friday for commitments and back at church on Sunday.  So.  We opted for a quick trip to the ranch.  Alan and Jill asked me to check on a few things anyway, so we went up and did our little to-do list and then spent the night just playing games and eating and gabbing and laughing.  We do have fun together and the ranch is most beautiful at this time of the year!

My favorite thing when we do have "Girls Night Out" is when it gets late at night and we talk.  Not that we don't talk non-stop all the time.  But, there's something late at night that makes us talk about more serious things and create "hypothetical" situations, where we talk about how we would handle things and why.  It's always good conversation.  One of us usually falls asleep on the other's response and we wake up the next morning and pick up where we left off.  One of the things that we discussed was my relationship with my brother.  Bottom line is... I'm thankful for the sisters that I've chosen to have in my life!

While up at the ranch, Mom and Norm showed up to do some work at the cabin.  We got to visit with Mom for a while, which was nice, and we even started to watch an old Doris Day movie together before Norm finished his project and was ready to leave.  It was a nice visit.    The cabin is coming right along!  It should be done before the reunion and this week and next, furniture is being bought while the carpet is being installed!

 

While I was away, I felt a bit guilty for leaving even for an overnight, because Quayd's time is so limited. However, it worked out for the best.  Doug took Zee and Quayd canoeing together and the three of them had a ball!  I wish they'd have taken some pix!  Zee was telling me all about how Quayd tricked her into getting into the canoe after they'd pulled it up on a rocky slope "to help balance it", but what he really intended was to push her back into the water alone.  They flipped it and both got soaked.  They both had lots of laughs as they told me their stories.

Grace was working a double, so they also went together to see Finding Dory and both loved it.  I was glad that I went away, after I returned, simply because they both had a nice bonding time together and that would not have happened if I been here.  Now, he needs some time with Grace, as well.

We attended our own ward yesterday.  Grace spoke for a few minutes, sharing her testimony and the good time that she had at LTC, at the request of the bishopric.   Following church, I made a quick dinner of chicken and rice before Doug and I attended a YSA Marriage class and then a Finance class for soon-to-be married couples, which are two of his responsibilities on the High Council.  It was a fun little date.  The kids stayed home and napped while Grace practiced piano.  So many directions!  All the time!

Last night, we went for a short walk around the block, actually two blocks, to see the abandoned  mullberry tree, which Doug is insisting that we plant our own now.  They are pretty tasty!  We visited with a few neighbors while on our walk and had a nice little visit with Quayd alone.  Really, 22 days is going to fly by! We are almost done shopping and gathering.  There are still a few things he needs, but he's almost there.

Last night, when we got into bed, I was mentioning something about a funeral.  I don't even remember why.  Doug and I were talking about the marriage class, which we are supposed to teach (I think... shocker... Doug and Sophia teaching a family relations class... isn't that what we always do and have done for decades now...We get this assignment wherever we go... I think that's because the Lord wants us to eventually get it right!)

ANYWAY, I digress... we are laying in bed talking.  Funerals came up.  Doug said, "I don't want a viewing.  I don't want a funeral.  I just want a little gathering where people can just eat and go home." I said, "The viewing and funeral are not for the dead.  They are for the living.  They help the living have closure and a viewing gives them the chance to say their goodbyes."  Doug, out of the blue says, "Babe!  I know!  What if you have my arm rigged up to a little motor and I can be laying their in the casket waving goodbye to everyone as they walk by?"  I started cackling!  I'm cackling right now as I think of it!  He kept waving his arm in the beauty queen wave, but, really stiff. (I'm literally cackling and in tears laughing again right now.)  I was snorting!  Then, very seriously, he says, "Man, I wish I'd been in the military so that I could have a flag on my casket."  I said, "I don't think you have to serve in the military.  If you want a flag, you can have one."  He is still waving his hand, "Oh!  I know!  We could have a motor under my other arm and put a little flag in that hand!  I can wave goodbye with one hand and wave the flag with the other!"  I'm sure that Layne and Julie could hear me laughing! For the rest of the night, until we fell asleep, I'd look over and he'd wave.  This man... he makes me laugh!  I pray every day that we have years and years together here on this earth and then eternity and beyond!

Life is so very very good.