I like to read blogs. It all started a couple of years of years ago when I googled knitting. I got hooked (that woudl be crocheting) on a blog from a lady in England. She was working on her PhD. but couldn't finish it because she couldn't stop knitting. Then I found a blog spot for some LDS People, active and less active. I found a "heavy weight" lady's group. then I found "Ernest Goes to Iraq". He is a civilian contractor who wrote from Iraq while he was there retro-fitting armor under trucks to better protect the military folks. I also found some pretty interesting young women who were either in school, finishing school, teaching school. The one that linked me to some of them now requires an invitation to view the blog. That makes me wonder if something happened. Like, was she being stalked? So anyway, now I have to find them on my own and bookmark them.

I found out that today is "International Talk Like a Pirate Day." It has been kind of fun every-once-in-a-while saying "ARRR!" I also sent out a few reminders on my distribution list and used some pirate jargon. Avast! Ahoy! Me Hearties! etc.
I feel like I am not having relaxing fun much. Most things feel like work, no matter what they are. Sad, isn't it? So throwing around a few pirate words was fun today.
Yesterday, one of my friends told me that Sept. 19th was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Then there was an announcement about the special nature of this day on the radio on the way in to work. So then I googled pirate talk and found that there are actually quite a few people who are really into pirates. Now I should have known that after we went to the Renaissance Festival this year in Larkspur, CO. and a major portion of the fair was pirates, pirate gear, pirate clothes, and pirate talk. Plus, the pretty good acceptance of Captain Jack Sparrow in the movies should have queued me.
It was also interesting that on the two websites that I actually read a little, there were both disclaimers about pirating.
"Just remember that real pirates were very nasty, reprehensible people" is the basic wording.
Once the phone rang and I almost answered by saying, "ARRR!" Now that wouldn't have been a good thing. Or would it?
Have a little fun every day!

People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success."
- Norman Vincent Peale

My father passed away in January of this year. It was a big shock. He had not felt well for a while. But nothing that hadn't been going on for a long time. He always said that he wanted to die the way that his father did. Grandpa Dayhoff went out after lunch and a small nap to work on the lawnmower. Grandpa had not felt well after lunch and looking back it was classic heart attack symptoms. Anyway, after he didn't come back for a long time Grandma went to find him and he was just sitting there on a box in the workshed dead. The doctor said that if he had any pain he would have fallen off of the box.
Well, Dad mowed the lawn the evening before he died. He went to bed and in the morning when Joyce got up she saw that Muffin, the cat, was laying over Dad in bed in his room (he snored REALLY loud) and that something was definitely wrong. He had died in his sleep. No pain, just like Grandpa. Dad was 76 years old.
He really had a fun personality. Just the year before he had flown up to Salt Lake City where Robert and I picked him up and he went snowmobling with us up in Idaho at Maxine and Gail's cabin. We had even talked about going again this year.
On New Year's Eve the phone rang at 1:00 a.m. It was Dad. He was all happy, almost giddy, welcoming in the new year. We oldsters had gone to bed hours before. :) But Dad was up celebrating a new year. How could I be upset about the phone call? We had a really fun conversation. Then he said, "I'm going to call your sister now." That was so funny because he was in Pacific time. We are on Mountain time and Rebecca is on Eastern time. So I reminded him that it would be 3:30 a.m. at Rebecca's house and he said, "Oh, I know." I never knew until the funeral a couple of weeks later whether he had actually called her or not. Well...he DID!
We also had a couple of fun traditions between the two of us. We always sent eachother 2 birthday cards. One funny, one serious. It was so fun even just finding the cards. Another thing was that at the end of a phone conversation One of us would say, "I love you." The other one would say, "I love you more."
We were trying to get together more often lately. When my folks divorced in 1976 it really tore our family apart and we didn't get together as much as we might have. Although we did live closer to eachother over the years especially when he lived in Indiana and we lived in either Illinois or Louisiana. So at least we saw eachother some. We were really having more fun together. He drove out to Colorado on his own more than once. The last time really tired him out though. Once he drove to Utah to meet his grandchildren and their spouses and to help with Kyle's baby blessing. That was so neat. He had started calling the kids every-once-in-a-while too.
I remember how handsome I always thought he was and he was always tall and straight. He told great stories too about his life. Once he was telling stories and I was amazed sitting there and thinking how I wished could know more about him. Before I forget the stories he told I should write them down.
I miss you Dad.

Robert and I are going to Mexico, Puerto Vallerta, the last week in September. A whole week!
It is an interesting story.
Leslie told me that "some guy" kept calling me. I asked her his name but she had not gotten it. So one night I was home and he called. She answered and said, "Mom, it's that guy." I got on the phone and it was one of our good friends from Church. We have a lot of fun with them and try to get together every-once-in-a-while now that they have retired and moved to another town. He used to be our Hometeacher too. I guess he is still taking care of us.
Anyway, he was calling because he and Bonnie, his wife, were going to Mexico and wanted us to go with them.
Here's the GREAT DEAL.
No housing costs. Our flights are using United award points. Only costs are taxes on tickets and of course, food and any activities we participate in while we are there.
How COOL is that?
Of course, I always have "buyer's remorse" for doing ANYTHING. But I can't let that stop me. I mean, we barely are spending anything, relatively speaking.

Today I realized that we only have a week and a half until we leave!
After we get back I will have to figure out how to add pictures to this blog. I think it looks pretty easy.

A while ago I bought a new set of large print scriptures. Even though I could read them better (still needing glasses) I missed my old set. The old ones had gotten me through a lot of worry, planning, questions, etc. They are all marked up and the pages are soft with all the use. I remember once at girl's camp I was very stressed out. I went back to my bunk and there were my scriptures sitting on the quilt. I picked them up and just holding them and knowing what they meant to me quieted my emotions. They were/are my best of friends. So the new scriptures had a hard row to hoe.
Scripture study lately has been a little different. I have been going through the Book of Mormon to begin with and transferring my marked/favorite scriptures and writing in the margins, to the new set. I will through the Doctrine and Covenants and also the Bible as well. As I go through I am reading the scriptures and pondering them. It is taking a while, but has been really spiritually uplifting. It not only reminds me of the meaning of those scriptures but it also brings back memories of when I marked many of them. It is sort of amazing that I would remember.
After doing this, which will probably take a long time, I plan to go back and read between the marked passages and see what lies there as my next phase of scripture study.
I love reading the scriptures. They give me such peace and knowledge. We have been told that all the answers lie in the scriptures. At times I have asked myself almost sarcastically, "well..where is the answer to this problem, huh?" And then more humbly I have either found the answer while reading or sometimes even had words put in my mind which have given me the reference and where to look.
I read mainly early in the morning. It is quiet and I sit there in the living room in a pool of light from the lamp and soak it all in. Nikki usually either is by my feet or over on the couch all snuggled down in the pillows. Such a peaceful time. No wonder the time slips away so quickly.

What books have you read lately? Are you part of the Harry Potter craze? Are you are romantic? Do murder mysteries keep you captivated? Have you read the new vampire series by Stephanie Myers?
Books I have read lately:
Make Your Own Living Trust by Dennis Clifford
Twilight Stephenie Meyer
New Moon Stephenie Meyer
Eclipse Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J.K. Rowling

I never did finish this post and since I hate to waste the words I will post it and try to do a better job on the subject at a later date. Sorry :(

Surprise! After 9 months of no entries I thought I might get back on here. Although, I am not sure that anyone reads what I write except me. Ha!
Alot of people have either myspace or facebook pages. But I get a little nervous about those things where it seems like more people have access to your life.

Writing has always intrigued me. Either how people write or how I could write. I remember when I was in highschool I wanted to write something to make a difference in the world. I have kept a journal over the years. I have not really written for a few years now. And lots of things have occured which I should have documented. But I didn't and probably can't capture all of it now. But maybe I can try. I have a hard copy journal which I bought a few months ago. Small enough to carry around. So, I carried it around for a few months.
If I am truly interested in writing I have several venues to do so:
Blog
Journal
Children's stories
Short stories

Well, that is about all for now. I have had strep throat for a few days now. I just got the lab results back today and so am just now on meds. I hope that the first 24 hours will make a marked improvement. But for right now my throat is burning, I am tired, and I think I will go to bed.
Goodnight blog. Hope to see you again tomorrow.
ZZZZZZZZ

New Year! New goals, plans, new me! Well, the old me with new energy and hopes. I might even find a few dreams along the way which I seem to have forgotten how to develop.

Some thoughts for today......

1 Nephi 18:1-3
"1. And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.
2. Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.
3. And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things."

If the Lord can show Nephi how to build a ship that was not what anyone else was doing ("neither did I build the shop after the manner of men") then if we petition to Lord ("I did go to the mount oft; and I did pray oft unto the Lord") won't the Lord answer us in the way that he answered Nephi? ("wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.")
What is to stop the Lord from helping us do anything we need to do?

1. Not what we have seen before.
2. Not what others have tried before.
3. We don't petition OFTEN.

The only think that is stopping the Lord from helping us is.....US.

Can it actually be this simple? I think so.

Christmas Carols For All My Friends

1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?

2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are

3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas

4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

5. Manic --- Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and.....

6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me

7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy oooh look at the froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?

10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells ....

"Thomas! Why do we have to go over this again and again? " Cynthia moaned as she flung herself down on the burgundy leather sofa. "I'm so tired of all this debate."
"Cynthia, I just have to find an answer," Thomas said soothingly. He sat down next to Cynthia and tried to take her hand.
"Don't touch me!" she cried out and at the same time she jumped up from the sofa and grabbed her pink cordoroy jacket off of the coffee table. "I'm leaving Thomas. Don't follow me. Don't try to find me." Cynthia turned and fixed Thomas with a blazing stare from her ice blue eyes. "IF I calm down and IF I decide that I can hassle this through ONE MORE TIME I'll let you know. Otherwise, you can just forget about me!"
Cynthia punctuated her last sentence by jabbing her finger into Thomas' chest with each word.
Taking a few steps backward with each jab, Thomas stumbled back onto the sofa. His eyes filled with tears which threatened to spill over and down his pale cheeks. Slowly his jaw dropped as Cynthia jerked about and grabbed the doorknob. The door flew open with such force that when it hit the wall a picture in a frame fell to the floor, cracking one corner of the glass.
Cynthia called "sorry!" over her shoulder as she ran from the room.......

It has been a while since I wrote here. Every day a reminder pops up on my screen to ask if I am going to blog. For a long time I have just dismissed it. Then yesterday we recieved an email from our son-in-law, Ryan about his blog. It is mainly about programs and work, etc. At least the part I saw. But it reminded me how much I really do have to say. I just don't say it.
Over the past few months we have been to Guatemala. We have brought our missionary home and helped him get started living in the U.S. again. We have had ALL of our children and grandchildren in our home for Thanksgiving. I have had miracles happen. It's all so amazing, busy, sad, and funny, thoughtful, and overwhelming.
I really must type it in here.
I think I will also put into the blog a couple of things I started writing a while ago. Hopefully I can figure out how to post them to the correct date?

Thought: The definition of insanity is doing the same things, the same way over and over and expecting something different to happen.

In February I realized that staying in Harmon was killing me. I couldn’t eat. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Sleep was impossible. Each day my ability to concentrate was fading. Each way I turned was a constant reminder of the pain that refused to fade.
And I had to concentrate. I had to remember.
When I walked down the main street of town to my shop people stared and whispered. Even people I didn’t know began to watch me as they noticed the locals staring.
I could imagine the questions they were asking in their minds.
“Who is that woman?” “Why are people watching her so closely?” “What has she done?”
What had I done?
I fell in love. I moved back to my hometown with my new husband. I opened a book shop which had been a lifelong dream.
I killed my husband.
No!
How could that be the truth? I loved Chase. I loved him still. But Chase was dead. Dead to the world, dead to me. Dead to the life we tried to build together.

This is a list of guidelines from Aram Mika. He was a man who worked for my company. He passed away a couple of years ago. Everyone liked him. He was only 50 something. I think he has some very good points.

11 Guidelines for Leadership

1. Practice a single standard of courtesy.
2. Focus on making your team, your people vibrantly successful.
3. Never attribute to malice that which may be explained by ignorance or happenstance.
4. You need not compromise civility to be effective.
5. Stay on the high road.
6. Treat every job as if you will be there for the rest of your life.
7. Embrace the requisites for senior leadership.
8. Shamelessly assimilate outstanding traits of others.
9. Think of your job in terms of three numbers:
a. Percentage of time ecstatic
b. Percentage of time satisfied
c. Percentage of time dissatisfied
10. Discard woulda, coulda, shoulda.
11. Enjoy humanity.

Probably these are 11 guidelines for Life itself.

I began this thought in October 2006


Ethics Principles

Honesty
To be truthful in all of our endeavors, and to be honest and forthright with one another and with our neighbors, friends, and Church members

Integrity
To say what we mean, to deliver what we promise, and to stand for what is right.

Respect
To treat one another with dignity and fairness, and to appreciate our differences and our individual uniqueness

Trust
To build confidence through teamwork and open candid communication.

Responsibility
To take responsibility for our actions, and to speak up – without fear of retribution – and report concerns in the home, including violations of laws, regulations and family policies, and seek clarification and guidance whenever there is doubt

Citizenship
To obey all the laws of our Family, the Church, and the United States and other areas in which we participate and to do our part to make the communities in which we live and work better

This was written on October 3, 2006

BAILEY, CO - Agents with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said the gunman who terrorized Platte Canyon High School last week was at the school the day before.......

KUSA - Although the Penn. Police Commissioner doubts there is any connection between the shootings at an Amish schoolhouse and Platte Canyon High School, many think it could be a copycat crime......

Nickel Pine, PA - 5 Girls Still Hospitalized; Gunman Said He Had 20-Year-Old Grudge, But Likely Not Against Amish....

FIRESTONE, Colo. A 5-year-old boy from Firestone is expected to make a full recovery after being shot in the leg.The boy's father Nolberto Ojeda, 29, was arrested Saturday night on suspicion of felony child abuse....

EVERETT, Wash. -- Authorities said a group of about 15 teenagers pulled a woman from her car and beat her Thursday afternoon near Mariner High School in Everett.EVERETT, Wash. -- Authorities said a group of about 15 teenagers pulled a woman from her car and beat her Thursday afternoon near Mariner High School in Everett....

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Officials in St. Johns County said a man shot and killed after a high-speed chase may be the man wanted by the FBI in connection with a murder in Virginia and violent armed robberies in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.,,,

HOUSTON -- A jury found a 12-year-old boy guilty Friday of killing his father, KPRC Local 2 reported.
The boy, who was not identified because of his age, was found to have committed an act of delinquent conduct, which is the juvenile court's version of a guilty verdict....

I have spent considerable time this week feeling sorrow for the parents of innocent children who have been murdered by crazy people. I want to do something about it. The only thing I can think of is to make my part of the world a better place by speaking up about morals and taking a stand against evil. I am very anxious to go on some missions. I think we can do some good in those areas. In fact, over the last few months I have been dissatisfied with what I am doing to make an impact on the world to make it a better place. I feel a need to reach out to others and help them.
There are alot of things I can do right now. I can walk for the Cure (breast cancer). I can donate to places who make Thanksgiving meals for the homeless. I can go to the Denver Shelter to help serve. I think I need something beyond teaching a lesson in RS once a month and going to the temple twice a month.

On a day when I was pretty in tune I wrote down these goals for the year. I personally think they are pretty good goals. But I have not been "pretty good" at working on them. Today I will start again. In italics I have written where I stand with the goals, though.

Spiritual
Read Scriptures and other good books (I am not reading many novels now. Mainly non-fiction and church materials.)
Recognize what I learn from them (Write down?)
Apply what I learn in my life
Share what I learn with others
Let the Word of the Lord strengthen me, soften my heart, defeat my pride, renew my testimony
Pray
Pray with REAL intent (I have been more intent with my prayers.)
Remember what I pray about
Strive to understand the answers I receive
Respond to the answers to my prayers (Sometimes)

Physical
Exercise Daily
Strengthen my body so I can do good works (Curves on a fairly regular basis and I can feel the difference, even if I can't see it.)
Eat in moderation (Nope)

Emotional
Think positive thoughts
Quit thinking so much about myself and my woes (Woes? We don't need no stinkin' woes!)
Think more on helping others

So overall, I think that as Ricky Ricardo (Do you realize that is Richard Richard?) would say, "Janice, you got alot of splaining to do!"
This is a very sad situation. Maybe I can do more in the last quarter of 2006 than I have done in the previous three quarters. Why waste such great goals?

Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider.
`Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
`I don't much care where--' said Alice.
`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
`--so long as I get somewhere,' Alice added as an explanation.
`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'

I have always liked this quote. It says so much about life. And how am I doing? Hmmmm.....

Last week I went to a memorial service for a young man. His family were very strong in their faithful testimony that this life is not all there is. They were strong. They were bonded together. As I sat in the congregation and listened to them speak about their son/brother I began to wonder what my family would say at my funeral.
I wondered where they would find the material to frame their words. Memories? My journal? Pictures? Then I began to think that maybe I should outline my funeral before hand. Not the actual words. Just a format.
Is this morbid?
A couple of years ago I had a dream that I died when I was 53 years old. That was it. Finito. (SP) If that would be the case then I have less than a year to make my plans. Hmmmm......

I like to watch a certain TV Evangelist, Joyce Meyers. She tells it like it is. She’s humorous in the telling. She tells it from a human perspective. I don’t watch her very often anymore, but the other day I caught about 5 minutes at the end of her program. What she said really stuck with me and I have been thinking about it ever since. I am sure someone some where has said it before, but it must be what I need at this time. And I guess I should also add that I have forever been a believer in the motto of being where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there.
This is what she said: (And I paraphrase)

“You must do the right thing at all times. If things are going badly for you, you must still do the right thing.”

Immediately I thought about my habit of heading for the sweets when I worry or get depressed. I don’t need the sweets. I shouldn’t be eating the sweets. The sweets are not good for me. But there I go anyway, eating sweets.
Then I thought about other aspects of life where we all might not be doing the right thing.
What kind of words might come out of someone’s mouth when they are angry or hurt?
Swearing? Name calling? Negative remarks?
What times do people lie? Do they lie to cover up a sin or to get out of doing something?
Do people rationalize to make themselves feel better, look better than others, or justify actions?

I wear a ring on my hand. It says CTR. Some people wear bracelets in different colors. They say CTR, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Faith, etc., Return with Honor, WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). We have pictures of the Savior and temples in our homes. We have sayings cross-stitched on the walls such as, Love Is Spoken Here, Families Are Forever, Faith, Hope, & Charity. We listen to talks, often several times a week. We attend the temple. We teach lessons. We take all of them into our minds and hopefully our hearts.
But when we come down to that defining moment, when all the knowledge and faith we have is tested, what do we do?
When people are deliberately cruel, selfish, damaging…. What do we do when what they say is not true? What do we do when they don’t acknowledge the wrong or even understand that what happened was wrong?
The choices we make, whether consciously or unconsciously determine the direction our lives will take. I submit that we have to be conscious of what our choices are as often as possible so that when we are making an unconscious decision it will be the right one. Making the right decision will be a habit in our lives with no second guessing.
President Hinckley says: “It is not enough to be good…you must do the very best you can.”
Have you ever heard the poem called If Jesus Walked With Me Today?
Basically the poem says: If Jesus walked with me today would I….
Change the tone of my voice?
Change my clothes?
Put away the books I read?
Change the TV shows or movies I watch?
Change what I put into our body?

If Jesus walked with me today….
Would he gossip?
Would he ignore the lonely?
Would he shake your hands and make others welcome?
Would he deliberately deceive?
Would he deliberately hurt?

He would pay attention to the details and the choices to be made on a daily basis because they make a difference.

There is a story about an old man walking along the beach, picking up starfish which had washed up on the shore and throwing them back into the ocean. A young man came along and asked the old man if he thought he was making a difference. The old man bent down and picked up another starfish which he threw back into the sea. Then he said, “I made a difference to that one.”
The little things do count. Doing the right thing at all times, counts. Being in the right place at the right time, counts. Smiling, loving, reaching out to others, stepping outside of your comfort zone ALL COUNT.