Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful time with your family and friends!  To all those who went out on Black Friday – I hope you found exactly what you were looking for at exactly the right price, and enjoyed the festive stores and air! 

We were invited to 4-5 different homes, one of which was from our friend, Becky, so knew we needed to support Becky (who has recently come back into the Church)and her brother, George, at their meal.  Everything was wonderful!  We just needed to bring a salad, rolls, and pie!  (Thank goodness for store bakeries for the pies!  There IS a Marie Callenders here; it’s just a little far and expensive for pies for Thanksgiving.)  We had a fun time, and were blessed to be able to attend.

We both were feeling a little under the weather, so we didn’t do much else.  It was a nice, relaxing day – a time to thank Heavenly Father for all of the blessings we receive by His hand.    I had started to cough, so I wore a mask and some gloves to Becky’s.

That night, Dan arrived!  Yup – Daniel, my son, drove all day on Thanksgiving to come visit me for a couple of days!  Isn’t that great!!  What a great privilege for me and how kind, generous, and thoughtful of him!

For Friday's meal at Britta's house because Dan was driving all day Thursday, we had assigned out some of the meal to those who were attending.  We didn’t know, exactly, how many people were coming.  We had a possibility of 8 guests, but ended up having 5 guests, which was just fine.  Britta went to Utah for Thanksgiving to be with her family.

We were trying to be organized and figured we had a few hours to kick around, after the turkey was in the oven, as dinner was at 4 pm.  So we planned (Sister Morris, Dan, and I) to go to a movie.  (Yes!  It IS okay that we go to movies!)  We were sitting there, the actual movie having been playing for maybe 10 minutes, when Sister Morris leaned over and said “I forgot to turn on the oven!”  I said something like “Really???  Are you sure??”  She said, yes – that she remembered placing the turkey in the oven, but did not remember turning the oven on!  I asked shall we all go make sure?

She chose to forgo the movie – told Dan and I to stay there, and she went home and turned the oven on, peeled the potatoes, and a few other tasks, so there wasn’t much to do after she picked us up from the show.  She said she was grateful for the prompting of the Holy Ghost – otherwise, it would have been a strange Thanksgiving feast without the turkey, and gravy!

I was feeling bad about her paying for the movie and not getting to watch it, but when Sister Morris picked us up after the movie, she said she had asked for a refund when she left, and they were okay with giving it to her.  Good for her!

It was a great meal and a great time – we had so much food, that no one felt like they wanted to eat much pie – we had a lot of leftover pie (and turkey, and potatoes, and… okay – that’s about it).  I am surprised I didn’t take any pictures at either of our Thanksgiving feasts!  Silly Grandma! (which is what Camden and Taegen say).

Saturday morning, Dan, Sister Morris and I went to some underground gardens here in Fresno.  There weren’t a lot of “gardens” but many fruit trees and grapes still growing.  The underground gardens were dug by one Baldasare Forestiere, a Sicilian immigrant, who started digging in 1906 here in Fresno.  It was too hot for him in the summer, so he decided he would live underground.  It is unclear how many chambers and tunnels he had actually completed, as he did not map anything.  He had 80 acres and tunnel going out from where he lived to the 99 highway, which doesn’t mean a lot to anyone in Bountiful, but we saw the map, and it’s pretty incredible!   Most of what he dug has been filled in, as most of the property was sold off after Forestiere died.

Here is the link if you want to see http://forestiere-historicalcenter.com   It was really cool!  Forestiere had grafted up to seven fruits on one tree at one time, but that tree doesn’t have that many fruits on it now: but I remember lemons, oranges, grapefruit and ??? something else.

 

 

This picture sort of shows the summer bedroom on the left, and the winter bedroom on the right.  The summer bedroom was open to the outdoors. 

We also went to downtown Fresno, as we hadn't really been there before.  We went to this lighthouse looking place, and Sister Morris set off the alarm - It was suppose to be open...   We walked the outside mall - Fulton Mall - took a couple of photos at the fountain there - it was a nice, warm day to be out and about.

Dan and I went on a bike ride after some lunch – as there are only 2 bikes – Sister Morris wanted to stay home and work on her black and white quilt (more on that in a bit).  It was a really nice afternoon, and a very nice bike ride.  I’m grateful Dan chose to come for Thanksgiving.  Though it was hard to see him go, it was super nice for him to be here!  I appreciated some tips and helps he gave as well.

See all you seniors and pre-seniors!  There are many advantages for us as older missionaries!  My companion is going to Virginia in less than 2 weeks for her granddaughter’s baptism!  Of course everything is based on mission president approval, but as most of you know – we have our own cell phones and computers, etc.  It isn’t like it is for the younger missionaries, in some aspects.  It would, also, depend on the type of mission you serve.  We are Welfare Missionaries, but have been called and set apart as missionaries for our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ.  So we still talk to people all the time, give ‘pass along’ cards, Books of Mormon, family helps, etc.  You all should try it!  What a learning experience!

Monday (the 19^th) was Sister Morris’ birthday.  It was one she didn’t like having.  I suggested to her to not worry so much about what age she was turning, and to think of it as she was having the 21^st anniversary of her 39^th birthday!  I don’t think she thought that helped much.  We had cake, balloons, posters, etc. up.  It was fun to … I wouldn’t say tease, because I tried to be…. kind?  So I guess I will say, it was fun to get everything ready!  I do have some pictures of that here.  There was, also, a surprise birthday dinner at Applebees that night, which was fun as well!

 

(Notice the question mark by the 40th)  Sister Morris determined that she needed a pity party, and …. requested…. everyone wear black and white last Monday to the office.  (not everyone got the memo, and not everyone was there).  She also decided she wanted a black and white pity blanket which she had asked I make for her, though later decided she needed to make it so she could really feel sorry for herself!  I’ll try to remember to get some photos of it when it is done.  It keeps evolving, as projects so often do.

We have moved the furniture around in the office, again…..  This time I was determined to not move the heavy desks around without the use of those mover disks dealies that when placed under furniture help it glide, and yes – they work wonderfully! – so I went and bought some.  They saved our backs, hands, legs – you name it!  We now have our workshop classroom in the back where my desk and our associate manager’s desk were.  This is the conference room now -

 

The associate manager had previously moved into a different office.  We, partially, took apart those two desks, and moved them out front.  There are now 5 desks in the front office.  The conference table has been moved into that back room   I’ll see if I can take a picture or two and post them later.

Break a leg to the Sterling Singers and their concert at the Tabernacle tomorrow night, and especially Marie and Lyle!  You are the best!

I am heading to InstaCare – I’m pretty sure I have a lovely sinus infection, and feels like it might be heading south to the bronchi.  Time to go to the doctor!  SO – everything is par for the course – nothing new there!

Well – I am back from InstaCare, after 2 shots given where it now hurts to walk, a breathing treatment, 3 prescriptions …..  it’s not just a sinus infection – I also have ear infections and pneumonia.  The last part really surprised and dismayed me.  I really didn’t feel that bad until last night.  I was coughing a bit here and there, but it hit pretty hard in the middle of the night last night which is why I went to the doctor today.  I feel okay, a little tired – which is weird.  I am not contagious, which is great, but I can’t go to work for a couple of days so I will rest.

Not too much more to report here!  Just laying around, having been ordered to bed by 3 or 4 people…  I really do appreciate their concern – it makes one feel loved.  I, also, see Heavenly Father’s hand in this, as I prayed I would be healthy enough to spend time with Daniel, and not get our friend, Becky, sick.  Blessed, and more blessed!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  Through all of life’s ups and downs, through disappointments, fears, heartache and sinful sorrow – we ALWAYS have our Savior to turn to for his redeeming and saving grace.  I don’t want to think what my life would be like without Him.  I am so very thankful for all that He does for me, and for all of you, too.  Best wishes to all – Love, Sister Ure