TheSecondTimeAroundEngland

  Wednesday is District Council, which consists of all six of the Oxford Missionaries (including and SK and me) and two missionaries from Reading - about an hour away.  They call in over zoom, because the law says that we should have no more than 6 together at any given time, and they prefer that it be six people in your bubble (your closest group/family).  I think these young missionaries are in our bubble. We had an instructive hour meeting and then ate lunch - which was baked spaghetti, green salad, rolls and a pizooki with a scoop of ice cream.  These young missionaries are always so grateful for food!  You have to admit, they are pretty cute. After they left, we had about an hour before Riccardo came.  He is a young man who was baptized with three others last January.  We think he is a great young man, and unlike most of the others, he is not a student, but a teacher at another college in Oxford - not associated with Oxford proper.  He is her...

 There is nothing quite so challenging in a marriage than being together all day - every day, and all night - every night.  The last eight years for me has been been quite an adjustment.  Lately, I have been looking at SK and wondering how difficult it must be to be married to me. He is perpetually happy and for the most part, even-tempered.  His temper flares every once in a while like a flash storm that rumbles a couple of times and then passes over.  He might bluster, or complain, but then he is back to the same SK.  I think it is gift.  It is a gift he has developed, and it may have partly come with him.  But it is also a gift he gives to me. The times that SK gets stressed to the point of blustering are in the car.  He wants to know exactly where to go, and when and how.  We have a GPS system in the car, and it is excellent.  Once in awhile, I revert to Google Maps on my phone.  But basically, he wants me to be watching ro...

 We had a hamburger for dinner!  Usually, if we have any feeling at all about purchasing dinner from one of the fine establishments in Oxford, we think first of fish and chips, then Lebanese, then African.  The African restaurant is interesting and very good.  But tonight we had a hamburger. Two of our young adults (married before we got here) have been here in Oxford for a few years finishing up their education.  They are a dynamic couple - she is enormously creative in singing and writing music - particularly theatrical music, and he is interested in going into art - as in a curator at an art museum.  They just need to have a child interested in literature and they would have it all.  They will be leaving Oxford on Wednesday.  We are sorry to see them go. They invited anyone interested to come by Five Guys (the franchise from America) to say goodbye this evening.  We had walked for a couple of miles on a wild goose chase, and then planned o...

 We joined the two Oxford Wards for a one half hour sacrament meeting service.  We were here at home.  The meeting was held in the chapel, with a limit of 30 people.  That is 30 people for two wards.  They have an opening song and prayer, a sacrament hymn and then the sacrament.  After that, they broadcast the last half hour to all of the rest of the members who are not physically present at the meeting.   We think we will wait to attend for a few more weeks, since there are people who greatly benefit from being with everyone else, and we are fine at home.  On Sundays, SK administers the sacrament.  Melissa gave us a little tray that is perfect.  He reverently prepares, blesses it and then "passes" it to him and me.  He always gets emotional when he blesses it.  He doesn't know why....he just does.  It is a sweet experience for us both.  Veer joined us last Sunday, and in Gilbert, we had it often with the Holgate...

  Fifteen missionaries are returning to their homes this week.  For this Saturday night zoom conference broadcast, each bore their testimony from their flats with their companions by their sides.  SK and I teared up many times as we listened to humble, sweet and strong testimonies.  It is easy to see the difference as they get close to their release date.  It they have been faithful, there is a maturity and a sweetness that is unexplainable. Here is a smattering of what was said: There is no growth in the comfort zone.  I am about to go home to my comfort zone...but it struck me that my old comfort zone is no longer comfortable for me.  I want to be in a growth zone. The early apostles did not succeed, but they knew we would. One elder quoted Dave's poem "If."  "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same...Hold on...even through the hardest times."  "How can I accomplish these things?  Jesus Chr...

 I am excited about this.  I don't know if it will come to pass.  But this is the proposal that I will present to our two YSA Reps and our Bishop's and his wife. I have written down a possible ten different dinner menus.  Simple meals, but something that might appeal to a young adult.  We will plan on preparing meals Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.  There will be an online signup and up to four can sign up to come any of those days.  We will serve a meal and then have a 15 minute devotional. I think that sounds marvelous.  Since the 10 meals are things that I have fixed forever, it will not be difficult to do.  For instance spaghetti.....I plan on making two large pots of the sauce next week, and I will freeze most of it.  We will stock up on ice cream as a go-to dessert.  Nothing like Melissa's ice cream, but once in awhile I will make cookies, cake or pie to go with it. The Bishop's wife asked us to go get food fr...

  Ha!  What do you think of my new purse?  SK got a wonderful bag for his racquetball things last spring at the covered market.  We both loved the fact that it was made of water buffalo (I need an emoji of a laughing face) and that it was engraved with "Oxford."  I looked at purses, and SK encouraged me to get one, but it seemed like a foolish purchase.   This evening, we took our walk of 3 miles.  We just walked....nowhere special in mind.  But you can strike out in any direction from here and be delighted with what you see.  Tonight was no exception.  As we walked down one street lined with shops (very few open - perhaps because of COVID, and perhaps because it was after 7 p.m.) we saw the same shop from last year in a different location.  The window was plastered with "Last Day of Business" signs.  We went in and asked if it truly was closing. The two young men there confirmed that the location was too costly and the ow...

 I have only one thing to say about today's weather:  95% humidity and 61 degrees.  We walked for a couple of miles and I wore a jacket....kind of a mistake.  It is a fleece jacket and it holds the warmth in.  By the time we got home, I felt like I had been in a sauna! On the other hand, how I love the feel of a rainy day.  We have all the windows open.  It is cool.  The high today was only 61.  Clouds have been dark and dramatic, and as always scoot across the sky with haste.  A light breeze has wafted through. There have been people in and out of the apartment complex.  I always hear delivery vans down there, but on days like this, the sounds they make are muted and echo through the clearing.  It is a perfect day to curl up on the couch. I recognize that you may be getting sick of pictures out this window, but this view just makes me so happy! We walked, but only for a couple of miles.  We walked to a little grocery stor...

 According to the weather report, today was the last great day of summer - or something like unto it.  The day was clear as an Arizona day, not a cloud in sight.  The temperature climbed right up to 75 degrees!  By 10 this evening there is a good chance for rain, an even better chance tomorrow and the next day, and cooler temperatures are ahead with 59 being the high tomorrow. We didn't go out walking until this afternoon.  I had several loads of laundry to do, and try to do them in the morning.  With the humidity starting out at over 90%, I figure I ought to do it early and then hope that the flat will dry out a little in the afternoon.  All windows are as open as possible.  You may remember from earlier posts that it takes nearly 2 1/2 hours to do one load of laundry.  Very small washing machines and dryers. When we did finally get out, we walked maybe 2 to 2 1/2 miles.  I was dragging, and even SK wasn't up for a long walk.  Afte...

 Nearly five miles today!  Although it was enjoyable, it was not quite as easy to walk so much as along a river path.  We walked to the center of town to take care of several things.  We went to our bank, where our account is still open (but we had both forgotten our pin numbers!).  We went to the post office, We went to the sister missionary's apartment to check their electric meter, and then we walked to the place where it can be replenished.  We walked to the pharmacy to see if we can get flu shots (we can - end of October is the earliest appointment), we walked through the mall and purchased a light raincoat for SK, and we went to one of our favorite grocery stores and bought a few items. I think that pretty well covered our travels....why does shopping always make us more tired, and walking rejuvenates us?  Who knows.  But it was a beautiful day.  It was foggy when we awakened...58 degrees an 95% humidity.  It was gloriously beautif...

 SK mentioned this morning that he is beginning to feel at home.  I think I have felt that way since we arrived.  But every day brings more and more familiar experiences that bridge the gap between March and September, and we are both feeling so comfortable with being here.   There isn't any of that slightly uncomfortable feeling of not quite belonging and not quite knowing what is expected or how to behave.  We are familiar with the apartment, the driving, the telephone calls, and people.  And it's comfortable. And last night when we went to the store, I bought a houseplant!  I love having a living plant sitting happily in the light.  It makes me feel at home.  This is Lily. We watched the non-sacrament part of sacrament meeting on a zoom conference call, and later in the morning participated in a Sunday School discussion on a zoom conference call.  Mark Wrathall, a professor of philosophy at Oxford is the teacher, and does a treme...

 Upon rising this morning, we took a walk - a walk I've been dreaming about taking for months now.  I first went on this walk with Caroline, a cute YSA back in February I think.  It was about 6 miles round trip, and I was amazed that I could actually do it!  Today, we didn't take the full 6-mile walk, but opted instead to go about 3 miles.  We will build up the the 6-mile walk. A word of warning:  If you plan on coming to visit us, we'll take you on this stroll alongside the Thames River and through a 1,000 year old meadow, past the ruins of a medieval church and to an inn built in the 1700's, where we will eat fish and chips.  Then we will return the way we came.  Three miles to the inn, and three miles back, and heavenly all the way. We got back with no hurting feet, legs or backs, and with maybe just a little energy to spare.  We will continue to walk daily if possible.  I know the glorious weather's days are numbered...3 to be exact ...

 Whew!  Famine to Feast! Figuratively Speaking. Our two weeks of isolation were indeed isolating. We stayed in our little tower opening windows and gazing longingly out at Oxford, heartily looking forward to get out there and walk! Yesterday was absolutely marvelous, although my legs complained bitterly throughout the night last night.  5 miles was a little too much to do to them after such a lengthy period of activity.  However, I think daily walking will be the answer.  The weather here is absolutely wonderful.  Down in the 50s and even 40s at night and then up to 70 or so.  We'll walk in the morning, and we will probably try to average 3 to 4 miles.  I have to say, this is such a lovely place to walk...in any direction. We got into bed late last night, and then I ended up walking back and forth in the living room to ease the dull ache in my legs.  We got up early to be off to the missionary zone conference about an hour and a half away....

 This is the day my dear friend Valerie was born...a few years ago.  She has been in my thoughts and prayers today as I know she will be celebrating.  Nothing keeps her from this special day's festivities, even though it may be a little lower key today.  She is fighting...and I mean battling cancer, and she is ever in our prayers. It is 3:30 in the afternoon, and we are home.  It is beautiful outside...around 70 degrees.  Yesterday at about 5 p.m. in the afternoon, we completed our mandatory 2 weeks of isolation.  We were very obedient.  Except for one 5 minute period when Dave and Deb came to deliver the car, we were in our apartment - 24/7.  It's a great apartment, but honestly it was getting just a little small. Yesterday was Dave's birthday.  Deb had invited us to drive one hour away, and stay in a lovely hotel with them, join them for dinner last night and breakfast today, and generally surprise Dave.  It all worked out very we...

 I am dragging!!!!  I just kind of wander around this apartment all day wishing I could crawl back in bed.  And actually, I seem to be doing that on a regular basis....daily I take advantage of the empty calendar and sleep soundly for about an hour.  That afternoon sleep is so refreshing! We had another visitor today.  It was Veer, our young friend from last year.  She was baptized on the same day as three other YSAs, and we have come to love her.  Her entire family is Sikh, yet she met the missionaries, listened and prayed, and has embraced the gospel.  She is delightful. She came to the apartment and stayed outside and downstairs and we leaned out the windows and chatted with her for nearly half an hour.  It is funny, because when we were in our friends' apartment in Gilbert during the 2-week isolation, we would open the door and look up a level of stairs at our visitors and visit.  Now we are looking down from a third-floor apartment....

 Have I mentioned how exhausting it is to do nothing?  The hours and the days kind of blend together.  It is odd that just because I cannot go outside, I am thinking we are doing nothing, yet the moments go by - full of activity.  It's just that it is activity that would not be recognized as productive.   Dave sent me a quote today from Ralph Waldo Emerson.  It struck me particularly now when life is quite simple: " Yesterday afternoon I went to the Cliff with Henry Thoreau.  Warm, pleasant, misty weather, which the great mountain amphitheatre seemed to drink in with gladness.  A crow's voice filled all the miles of air with sound.  A bird's voice, even a piping frog, enlivens a solitude and makes world enough for us. At night I went out into the dark and saw a glimmering star and heard a frog, and Nature seemed to say, Well do not these suffice?  Here is a new scene, a new experience.  Ponder it, Emerson, and not like the fool...

 Let's see....what do I tell you?  Business as usual?  Did two loads of laundry, which took 4 hours.  Read from a couple of books and read some online sources.  mmmmm.  The temptation is always to eat.  I think of great things to bake, but then what would I do with the goodies?  Can't leave the apartment.  Can't have anyone here.  And I can't eat them myself!!!! No, baking is not a good idea. I got all of the ironing done...9 shirts.   A certain amount of ennui is setting in.  Webster's says that ennui is  "b lahs ,  boredom ,  doldrums ,  listlessness ,  restlessness ,  tedium ,  wearines s" I have to say that even entertaining those emotions seems the height of ingratitude, not to mention a kind of dullness.  We are comfortably ensconced in a lovely little apartment in a beautiful and historic town, with all of the necessaries we could desire, and more at just a computer click away...