Keith and I have returned to Texas, the Navasota Ranch, Prairie Hill, Texas.  We have come to visit, tend grand kids while their parents have a few days retreat, and complete a few projects on the ranch.  We traveled through Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma instead of Colorado and New Mexico as usual.  It was a couple of hours longer, but great to see other states.  We are staying in the home we refurbished in 2016, although we have eaten many meals with the neighbors, Kiley, Jason and kids.

Regarding this Little House in Texas, it's condition is pretty good, except the mice have taken up residence here.  Keith has found three points of entry, not small ones.  They are plugged and poison distributed in the attic.  The house has cement floors and metal siding so we think the mice are in the walls and attic. We do enjoy this place, despite the unwanted critters. 

 

Into January Already!

Time still goes fast when you are having fun or when you are busy.  We really are progressing.  Maybe not like professionals, but good for us.  We are finishing up the moldings, except for floor moldings and are ready to start installing cabinets, which are waiting to be picked up, hopefully in the morning.  There is still caulking to do, which is like there are always dishes to do or laundry to do.  Get the picture?

Last Sunday we had another serious storm.  We went to church, but wished we hadn't, ..cause it was really raining.  Branch president was home tending his flooded house, so we were all sent home after sacrament meeting.  We couldn't get home because of flooding and accidents, at least the normal fastest way and had to detour.  There was over four inches of rain here at the house, probably more in Mexia and other places.  It hasn't rained for eight days now!  We actually drove out into a pasture yesterday to explore a couple old houses.  That's pretty dry for Texas.

The interesting thing about this old place was the rain gutters.  They were round and drained into a barrel, we assume to be used in the dry season.  There was a well close with water, but maybe it doesn't have water all the time.
Keith is getting busy with outside the house reno projects like wiring for gas tanks and setting the portable office back upon it's stands after a big wind.  Salt Lake is coming to set up the electronics soon.
We did celebrate a birthday-Ryders!  He turned 10.  I remember flying to Laramie at the time of his birth.  It was a cold adventure.  Now he is big and tough and very smart, and cute too.

Starting in the Middle

We are up with the Jones in Texas because we finally have the internet, so no excuses for not blogging.  I hope to go back to the first of our mission and blog, but won’t at this time.  Here are details about the last week or so. 
The weather-We had a great week of sunshine and warm days and nights.  The goal was to get the new metal roof on the house that we are working on, which is called the Guest House, not because it is for guests but because the Guest family lived there previously.  Saturday, about noon, Keith climbed off the roof, feeling like it was secure and would protect the inside.  The sprinkles started then and by Monday we have two inches of rain.  Closer to Mexia, which is where the church is, there was four inches.  Our roof did it’s job. 
The House-We are working back inside now.  Most of the painting is done, just touchup and the bathroom walls.  I would have painted them, but was waiting for plumbing.  We need to install the new windows, which are here, the floor covering, and then the new doors.  We were able to save the ceiling fans, happy day.  There are tons of crickets and cockroaches.  An exterminator sprayed last week and there are less bugs, but until the house is occupied, the bugs take up residency. No cabinets yet, and the last thing will probably be the siding. The appliances were purchased during a Black Friday sale and are to be delivered Dec 26th.  Hope we are ready. 

After and before pictures of the roof. 

Before and after pictures of the kitchen.

Yesterday-It was an interesting day for me.  I ventured off to town (Waco) by myself to FedEx checks for the ranch to Oklahoma and to ship our kid’s families their Christmas packages.  I also needed to take a sizable ranch check to Home Depot to pay for new floorcovering for a different ranch house.  We still have the Christmas packages because the cost to ship was double the cost of the contents.  Why didn’t I use Amazon and free shipping?  Looks like there will be Christmas in February when we go home.  At Home Depot, the service desk person inserted the check into her machine and it ate it along the edge that has the routing number.  What a mess.  Took forever for them to work it out and accept the check they damaged. 

Sunday-Keith spoke in Sacrament meeting.  He told lots of cool stories illustrating examples of following the scriptures.  He is a good storyteller.  Not many folks in attendance, about 35.  Sometimes there are close to 70. No Christmas party or other Christmas activities planned, except once a month there a potluck dinner after the block of meetings.  This month there will be a Christmas message given.  It is so different.  The missionaries come to dinner about once a week.  Kiley feels like they are starving.  One looks like a young Joseph Smith.  I call him Elder Joseph.  They did have a baptism last Saturday. 

Missing the Badge

We need a final post then send to the printers for a book of our mission to Texas.  When I see others with their missionary badges I am a little envious, although it is good to be home and able to see kids, hold babies, and mow the lawn and grind wheat and make regular bread, etc. Keith is so busy with water, he wishes for a quiet day in his machine on the thousand hills.
We did leave Texas on Sat. March 28th and went through parts of New Mexico we had never seen, which included two areas where my ancestors are from, then to Arizona to be with Mother.  She had suffered a fall and we felt the need to go spend time there.  In New Mexico, we went to Cloud Croft where my grandmother, Lucy Grace Smith Moody was born and then to Alamogordo where her grandparents spent their later years and are buried.

 

In Arizona, Mother was doing better than we expected.  She did have two fractures in her pelvis and was using a walker.  Kay had been spending each day and night with her, so we stayed a week.  Keith was able to work on some projects in her home.  I mostly visited with Mother and Kay, Hailey and Ruben.  Mother’s Joseph’s Coat was blooming prolifically like it does.  What a breath-taking sight.  We do have plans to get together in July for the the Ed Brown reunion.

We did make it to Mijken’s in time for general conference after an 18 hour drive, then on home for Sunday’s sessions.

 

Bret and Jen hosted us for afternoon session on Sunday.  All the kids were great, didn’t need us at all.  We hurried back to Laramie the next week to attend the temple with Kameron.  Greatest time ever.  So we saw the Jensen boys and then Luke and Sara on the way home.  We also watched Tricia’s boys when she went to get Lexi from Rexburg.  Now we have seen everyone, expect …. the Bagley’s in Florida!

 

       

On April 26 we spoke in church and the girls sang.  Here we are, except for the Florida, Wyoming, and Heber kids.

Final Days

 

We are leaving soon and must post “branding” pictures and description.  The ranch hires local cowboys and some that go on a circuit around to which ever ranch is branding.  We cook for fifteen cowboys, but cook enough for leftovers for their supper too, and ours.  We have learned that there is no need to make any fluffy salads or strawberry jam.  We are sure that if they would try it, they would like it, but they all look and go on down the line.  Only meat and potatoes for these cowboys.  Today we told them that their mother’s called and told them they liked pink-the salad was the yogurt, strawberry one.  Not many takers still, except Coley who came back for seconds.  

I was happy to see that all cowboys don’t wear Wranglers.  Several wore Levis, just like my cowboy daddy.  They are all very kind and a little shy.  “Yes Ma’am” and “No Ma’am” is about all the say, except “Thank you’all”.

 

 

 

The Cooks-Sister Christiansen, Sister Pyper, and Sister me.

 

We didn’t go out and watch the branding.  Been there, done that.  There is at least one more week, possibly two of branding.  Sister Pyper, the white haired lady will be on her own after the 1st.  The secretary and Miguel’s wife will help her.  Miguel’s wife speaks no English.  Hopefully all will go well.

Spring??

 

 

I wish I had pictures of the really bad roads.  We just cannot explain how bad they can get.  The pickup and trailer are the grubber’s transportation and fuel/service trailer.  Keith tries to have the fuel delivery truck fill the tank rather than having to fill it himself out of the big tank here at headquarters.  It takes forever.  The tank will last four days.

We had our last day at school today.  It was a little sad.  The kids are so great.  And, of course, so are the teachers.  One teacher bought us lunch.  We took the kids fruit treats, but need to do something for the teachers. 

The best news though is Kameron’s mission call to Alaska!  Couldn’t be more excited for him.  Kurtis said that is will be a long time before they would see each other again, which it will be.  We are trying to figure out our schedule for leaving here, going to Arizona, then home and then to the temple with Kameron on April 11th, which is Kam’s birthday.  What a great day to be endowed!

We did have a quick visit from Washington friends, Vard and Verdene Jenks.  They were on the way to their daughter’s near Houston and took the time to stop.  I met them at the gate and we went in the 7L where Keith and the other missionaries have been grubbing.  It was fun, except the rains started and we slipped and slid to get back out to the highway.  We appreciated their stopping on their long trip to see us. Wish I had pictures.

There is no way I can resist attaching this picture, agreed?  This is Rett, Mijken’s four year old.  Do you think she still made cookies with Rett’s “dirt”?