TheSecondTimeAroundEngland

Our computer has gone berserk, so I’m writing tonight on my phone. We were alone this evening....that is a first - it hasn’t happened in years, since we always get together with family to celebrate.  It was nice to have the evening to prepare for tomorrow and to regroup as far as getting the apartment spiffied up, but I miss being with our children/grandchildren to usher in 2020 (SK says this is the year for Optometrists 20/20).  We have been listening to a "Great Courses" series of lectures which Derek M. sent us.  It is titled "1066: The Year that Changed Everything."  We are very much enjoying it, and I am struck by how much of an impact the little UK Islands have had on the world.  What a plucky little nation and people!  1066....what an amazing year that was and how it has echoed down through the centuries. I'm looking forward to 2020.  I think it will be a very good one.  I wonder if people of the future will talk of 2020?  I have...

"You did this in Denmark."  That is what SK reminds me....often. I kind of remember.  Especially in the early months.  I kept wondering if this really was a mission.  I enjoyed it too much.  And it seemed like anyone within 50 miles of our apartment in Copenhagen could have done what we were doing, and probably could have done it better.  Cooking just isn't always my idea of a good time, especially if you are on a budget, especially if you don't know how many will be joining you for the meal, especially if you are never sure if it will turn out, much less taste good. For the last two or three weeks I have been going over all those things in my head.  There are at least 3 families in the ward who invite the YSAs over regularly....who fix marvelous dinners, who don't seem at all concerned about the cost, and who are brighter, more exciting and more adept in the kitchen than I.  Yes, I've been a little bit discouraged about it, wondering what thi...

Once again, we had just a one-hour meeting with both wards combined.  At this time of year, so many leave Oxford to return to their homes somewhere else in the world.  We also have several American families who leave to go spend time with grandparents.  But we had a good group in church today.  We didn't quite fill the chapel and overflow, but it was nice.  The young man who took charge of the program also was the last to speak.  He is a humble and sweet man with a large family and a kind and cheerful wife. The speaker before him pointed out that the last speaker today would not only be the last speaker of the year, but the decade as well. "No pressure!" he said as he began.  He spoke directly from his heart.  He talked about what a privilege it is to have the missionaries in his home, and how much they have meant to him over the years.  He was 18 or 19 when he converted - 27 years ago.  He said that he still can hear the young missi...

We took a walk this morning.  We put not quite 2 miles on our feet and it was a fairly easy walk.  We passed this little plaque halfway there.  It is an unobtrusive little sign.  I believe we have passed it a couple of dozen times at least without ever noticing it.  It kind of smacked us both between the eyes. Our destination was the Ashmolean Museum.  It is a lovely museum, free to the public.  We went in and wandered through the sculpture casts of ancient Greek and Roman art.  I don't know what it is about that art that speaks to me.  I love sculptures of humans. Reputedly Alexander in the throes of death, this is amazing. We made our way to European art from 1600 to the present.  There were six fairly small galleries and they had a modest collection of some of the most famous French Impressionists.  Going further back in time, we saw other art that we enjoyed.  I was excited to see that they had a gallery ...

Our district meeting was held this morning.  It was the first meeting we have had since Elder Hill was transferred to Reading - about and hour away.  He is a wonderful young missionary and we will miss him.  His replacement Elder Hathaway looks like he will be wonderful too - in his own way. Elder Hathaway texted around 9 to ask if it was OK if the zone leaders came today.  The zone leaders are Elder Hill and his new companion Elder Hozman.  Of course I said yes!!!  We were happy to see Elder Hill again, and we have visited Elder Hozman a couple of times now when we have made the rounds to inspect missionary apartments. I made white chicken chili....and when we found out there were going to be two more, SK hotfooted it over to the mall to get more chicken and more lettuce for green salad and two large baguettes.  As it turned out we had plenty of food, but not much left over.  I love the way those young people eat with such relish. I ment...

I am only 6 years older than Deb, but I feel every one of those 6 years.  On the other hand, she was running circles around me when I was 40 and she was 34.  So it is a combination of my lack of energy and her amazing abilities to do anything and everything.  And she is beautiful.  What can I say?  She is impossible NOT to love.  And I do love her dearly. SK and I slept in - with great glee.  We didn't set the alarm, we didn't hop out of bed running to get dressed and start the day.  We slept!  It felt good.  There were plenty of things to do, but we kind of took the day off. Today was the official P (Preparation) Day in the mission.  We were all pretty busy on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so today was it.  It was also a holiday of sorts, but some stores were open.  Yesterday, everything was closed.  It is called Boxing Day. This is a brief explanation from Wikipedia explains how this day came to be called "Bo...

It was not easy to get up this morning.  It was still dark and the bed was warm and so comfortable!  And we were tired! But there was a mission conference call and we wanted to be a part of it.  This is an idea whose time has come.  There is a mission conference call every Saturday night at 9, but today's was obviously a special one.  We have been reading The Book of Mormon with the rest of the mission this month and last.  The reading assignment for today was the last chapter of the last book, Mormon 10. It was read out loud by a man from London who is 85 and who has spent his life in broadcasting.  He had a deep sonorous voice and enunciated every word with British precision.  It was a beautiful thing to listen to, and of course the message made it all the better.  It was a great way to end our reading assignment on Christmas. After the call, the four young Oxford missionaries assembled here and just visited for a few minutes before e...

This was indeed a red-letter day....SK and I drove into London, with no problems, practically no stress.  It was pretty smooth sailing all the way.  The GPS said that it would be an hour and 23 minutes, and that is what it was. We got there with a little time to spare before we met in Dave and Deb's apartment.  All of the senior couples were there from the England London Mission.  There were at least 30 to 40 people in their apartment, visiting and laughing and exchanging recipes.  It is so lovely to spend time with them.  I forget how nice it is to be with people in my age group.  They are a nice group of people. Deb had the flat looking festive and so beautiful.  Her tree was trimmed with very large silver and white balls and it was elegant.  She also had a huge wreath on her front door, and bright bouquets of fresh flowers throughout.  At 2, Dave called us all to attention, and proceeded to tell a couple of stories in a row....

We inspected two missionary apartments this morning.  They were the Oxford missionaries, and we were supposed to have them done by the 17th.  But way leads on to way and we just couldn't get them scheduled....and when we thought we had them scheduled, something else got in the way.  It's that old "You live five minutes away...you can do it anytime" way of thinking that done us in. I'm happy to report that we got them done, I came right home and got the paperwork done, and then I emailed them off to the mission office.  The sisters' flat has some problems, and I have repeatedly called their management office to try to get help.  I think we will finally have some changes.  Someone will be coming on January 6 to change out a water pump.  (You may remember that this flat is the legendary "Sisters who killed 8 mice" apartment.) Last week, they kind of burned up their microwave, and the apartment still has a lingering bitter smell, even though the micr...

Our day started with a baptism!  Enrik has been coming to church for a few weeks now, and meeting with the missionaries.  He looked so happy today.  He seems like a great young man.  I am unsure if he will begin to come to our YSA activities.  He hasn't yet, but I think he would enjoy. it. Enrik is on the left and our YSA Seth is on the right.  Seth baptized and confirmed Enrik. We had a one-hour meeting, combining both the Oxford 1st and 2nd Wards for the special Christmas sacrament meeting.  It was a lot of music and some scripture reading....wonderful scriptures that we hear every Christmas, but I never tire of them. We stood around in the chapel and the foyer for a half hour enjoying everyone and visiting with as many as we could.  We were missing so many of our YSAs, but our numbers were compensated by the many visitors we had.  It really was wonderful and brought the spirit of the season. We got home and began rummaging thro...

The larger share of the day was taken up today with the 'Wedding Blessing" of Ellie, our YSA Rep.  We left here a little after nine to make sure that we would get to the ceremony on time.  Over hill and dale we traveled in the rain.  It was gloriously green, as we made our way through small towns and gently-rolling hills. The only thing that marred the trip is a very very close call with tragedy.  We were traversing 2-way country roads where the speed limit is 60.  Often, they are barely wide enough for one car.  Oncoming traffic was a very large truck.  As we rounded a bend, the truck was barreling along, and not only one, but two cars had decided to pass him!  I was sure we were dead.  SK exclaimed, braked and swerved to the left, but there was hardly anywhere to go.  The first car got past us, then the second veered into his lane in front of the truck just as we passed him.  We were both left shaking. But we arrived in go...

We awakened to the sound of rain this morning....as we slouch towards the shortest day of the year, I can attest to the fact that these days are short!  Of course the clouds muddle things up a bit, but it seemed like it never got very light at all today. We drove through the rain for about an hour to get to a hall in a town about 40 miles from here.  One of our YSAs is having a Wedding Blessing tomorrow, and it seems to be as big a deal as a regular wedding and reception.  This is what a local website said about it: A husband and wife can have their marriage blessed in church, whether they got married in the UK or abroad. For couples who marry abroad, it can be a way of ensuring more family and friends can celebrate the marriage if they were unable to travel to another country for the legal marriage. The Church of England service is called a  Service of Prayer and Dedication , which is often known as ‘a blessing’.  It is a simple service acknowledging th...

My dear brother in London expressed a desire "for a slice of Mom's fruitcake." I laughed and responded, "Didn't you know that there is only one fruitcake in the world?  It just keeps getting re-gifted!" I immediately felt bad because I realized that he was serious, and that at this time of year, his heart goes home back to a time and place where we were children, loved and cherished.  A time when Mom would bake, and we would be the enthusiastic recipients. To be truthful, I always liked her fruitcake...dark and rich and crunchy with walnuts.  But time, and SK's jokes about fruitcake have left me somewhat jaded. I have never made fruitcake of any sort, and I am pretty sure that I have never had the recipe.  But, my own dear sister has made it for years, and I spoke with her this week.  As usual, she is up to her neck in busyness.  She is responsible for a cast and crew of hundreds who put on an outstanding holiday production of song and dance.  It...