Hear! Hear!

Oh, my head. My aching head...

While rinsing my hair Thursday night, a rogue drop of water found its way into my ear canal. I'm telling you, I couldn't hear a thing for three days. I kept telling people to talk into my left ear. At church, I couldn't tell if I was playing the right notes on the organ or not.

I had used drops. I tried irrigating it. But tonight, I conquered it by flushing it mightily - and I won. I can now hear what is going on in the next county.

We had a wonderful and beautiful week. It began with a Memorial Day picnic at Jean's. I wasn't able to attend it last year, for I was in the hospital. Kerry brought me down ribs and all the fixin's. I couldn't eat much of it. But, I was grateful to be able to attend it this year. Jordan and his little family, and Erik and his roommate, Oscar, were there also. I've included some pictures:

Jean's boys - Steve and Dave - always close brothers.
Jordan's little family - Melissa holding Justin, JJ, Jordan holding Jayden
Justin, Jayden, JJ, Jordan
Grandpa and Jayden
JJ
Mr. Erik
After the picnic, Erik and Oscar came over to our house for a couple of more hours. We talked and laughed and enjoyed each other a little morel.

The next day, I went with Betty to her doctor's appointment here in Mansfield. She has a particularly bad twitching of her left eye and face and must get injections to help arrest it. Later, she and Jean and I went to a restaurant that is straight out of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (Food Network). It truly is a hole in the wall, but oh - the food is so good! As a matter of fact, Kerry and I returned there again on Thursday.

Wednesday night found us in Columbus for a scrumptious dinner with Erik. He had given us a gift card for Christmas that we needed to use, and it was the perfect evening. He told us that he thought we would really like it.

And, we did! It seemed very familiar to us - just like the one Harmony took us to in Honolulu our fist night there. I think it's called Buca de Beppa, or something like that. It's Italian - my personal favorite. I'm sure we'll go there again - if only to see the twirling Pope's head.

Kerry worked at the temple Thursday evening and I was there Friday. That's three days in a row in Columbus. It's okay. We enjoy it.

Kerry and I appreciate all of the faith and support and prayers that you offer in our behalf. They truly hold us up. I received a lot of emails after the missive I sent last week, and I have saved each one to draw on when I need strength. Thanks to you all. As an update - Peter went into the hospital last Sunday evening and is still there. They have done a battery of tests on him. He anticipates being out in the next couple of days.

This month, we wish a happy birthday to:
Content - Kerry's sister - Jun 5
Miss Debbie! - our good friend in Florida - June 10
Justin - Betty's son - Jun 16
Marion - wife of Kerry's brother, Kelly - Jun 17
Erik! - our son - Jun 27

And a happy anniversary to:
Jean and Earl - Jun 25

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer,> > Cleveland , Ohio> > "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.> >> > My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once> > more: 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone...4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch5. Pay off your credit cards every month.6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.14. If a relationship has to be a secret,you shouldn't be in it.15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.19.. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer. 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.24. The most important sex organ is the brain.25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'27. Always choose life.28. Forgive everyone everything.29. What other people think of you is none of your business.30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.33. Believe in miracles.34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.37. Your children get only one childhood.38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.42. The best is yet to come.43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.44. Yield.45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

"I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. '[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved' (Moroni 7:36). On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal."May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord's promise as contained in one of President Monson's favorite scriptures: 'I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, . . . my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up' (D&C 84:88). In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and 'the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted' (D&C 90:24). Perhaps then we can be emissaries sent from God."
Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Ministry of Angels," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 31