The Carving of the Jack-O-Lantern

Sabrina skipped school today.

Well she didn't actually skip school. She had a dentist appt. at 8 am. It was traumatic so she needed to stay home. She stayed home with Grampa while I went off to babysit the other Larsen household which has been overcome with flu.

When I got home we went off to the Pumpkin Patch to see what we could find.

In our valley in California, it stays warm until...well...until this week, so carving pumpkins before now just leads to rotteness.

Anyway...we came home with a pumpkin for each of us to carve and then that horrible mad scientist pulling out of the insides and cutting of eyes and scary mouths began.

Mine was a little rotten already so the smell of its insides almost did us in, but we surgically removed all the "icky" and then it was OK.

Sabrina's had a very thick skin so she needed help. Good thing Harry was around.

In the end we created two pretty great "Jacks".

A Dark and Stormy Night

It was a dark and stormy night!
Just right to give you a fright.
Graveyard to the left,
Haunted house to the right.

Hey! Is that my MUMMY?

Sacrament Meeting Doodle

So you know how I doodle when I'm supposed to be listening? Well today was no different. I doodled during Sacrament Meeting. Sister Rupe gave a great talk about the light of Christ. I doodled a little but I also tried to listen. Her talk was short.

Then Bro. Calvo got up to speak-I was uncomfortable. The Calvos went inactive a while back and announced that when we got a new Bishop they'd come back and sure enough when we got a new bishop they were back. Is it me or is that really weird? I wonder what our old bishop did to offend them and how did our new bishop manage to "un"offend them?
I don't understand the whole concept of, "We believe in the church and will live the gospel, but we don't like you so when you're gone we'll come back to meetings."
Enough on that subject.

Needless to say-I was doodling. Bro. Calvo read his talk and I don't really remember much because I was uncomfortable and I was doodling.



I don't know why, but when I go to draw a little boy it always turns out to be Andrew.

Anyway...

The rest of the morning was great so I have no other doodles to share. Both Sunday School and Relief Society were about Prophets.

I am so glad that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he restored the gospel. I love reading about what he was like as a man, a friend, a father, as well as the prophet. I'm grateful to have a prophet who leads us today.
Yay! President Monson!

I Iron and I Am Not Ashamed

Recently there was a short discussion on my Facebook page about ironing. Most people who commented did not iron; had thrown out their irons. Some recommended various brands of clothing that were "no iron" friendly. Some had never ironed in their whole lives. Can you imagine?! I was the only one who ironed. I responded with, "I iron and I am not ashamed!"

When did ironing become this unthinkable act?

I remember my mom ironing mountains of white shirts for my dad. He wore one everyday to work. I can't tell you how many young men I've seen passing the sacrament in wrinkled white shirts.

I've been known to ask my daughter-in-law if she wouldn't like me to iron her top for her. She always laughs like I'm joking. Just yesterday she had a top on that was so wrinkled-but I didn't ask because I knew she would just laugh. What is wrong with having the bow on the front of your blouse flat instead of lumpy. (Does anyone say "blouse" anymore?)

Ironing used to be part of a woman's "bag" of talents. Pioneer moms heated their iron (or irons, if they were lucky enough to have more than one- one heating while ironing with the other) in the fire or on the stove. It was important that her family look neat and wearing pressed clothing is a way of looking "neat".

Back then you ironed your petticoats as well as skirts and bodices (now that's a word you don't hear very often). And your petticoat didn't even show. My cousin, Marie, used to only iron the parts of her outfit that showed, like the collar and cuffs under a sweater. I tried that once-I didn't even make it out of my room. I felt so "disheveled". I iron everything whether it shows or not.

My mom taught me pillow cases should be ironed and at least the top hem of a flat sheet if you don't have time to do the whole thing. And I did most of the time, especially if she was coming to visit. Since her passing, I don't do it as often as I should.

Now I realize that lots of fabrics today are supposed to be "wrinkle-free". You can always spot the people wearing "permanent press"-they're wrinkled. And seriously, they think nobody notices. Clothing made out of this fabric is meant to be washed in cold water on a special "cycle". They have to be dried carefully and then "finger-pressed" (that means smoothing the wrinkles out with your hands) as you fold them or before you hang them. This whole process actually takes just as much time and energy as ironing.

Those of us who do iron fall into two groups. My daughter, Sandi, falls into the first. She hangs up or folds everything and then irons it just before she wears it. She always looks "neat". I fall into the second group. I have an ironing pile. When it gets big I spend a day (sometimes more than one) ironing everything. Then I put the board away and the pile starts to grow again.

I don't just iron when it needs to be done. Most of the time I iron when I'm procrastinating doing something more important like working on a drawing or design or painting, a Sunday School lesson, a talk, or cleaning the garage. Ironing takes no real concentration so you can think about other things. Or nothing. It's a great time to watch a scary movie.

So I iron. More people should. Come on! Wrinkles are BAD!