A Snowy and Sunny Happy Birthday

 We knew it was cold last night.  We had read the forecast, and it said snow.  I was awake a couple of times in the night and both times, stumbled into the living room to look out the window.  No snow.  SK got up in the wee small hours of the morning, and it was snowing.  When I got up at 7:30, there was a fine layer of snow.  Whoo hoo!  I love it.

All these pictures were taken within about 6 hours of each other.







I spent the morning studying and working on some things.  I met with Elder Baerhal, from France via Zoom. He spent a couple of hours with me training me - mostly on how to access all the training videos available to help me teach institute to Pathway students from all over Europe.  They have several senior couples who are now teaching, but they need more.  SK didn't want to do it, but they said they would take me as a single teacher.

It will last fourteen weeks and be on one night a week, with each class lasting 45 minutes.  That is not a long time.  It will begin next week, but I won't be able to teach, because I'll be doing a presentation in a London ward.  So I will start with the second week.

He spent time showing me how to use Zoom for classes, how to do breakout groups, share my screen, and other stuff.  There is another program just for the Pathway program which looks like it will take some time to learn.  I will be reading papers from them and grading them (pass or fail), and taking roll.  I will also be doing a lot of computer work - it looks like a much bigger time commitment than the original 45 minutes that I imagined (plus preparation time). I guess time will tell.

In the afternoon, I met a young woman at the local mall.  We got hot chocolate and sat at an outdoor table (46 degrees!) and I taught her the basics of faux calligraphy.  She was adorable, and she caught on very quickly and was elated to embark on this new fun hobby.  She is getting her master's degree in English, and is currently working on what books have risen to popularity in the last year and whether or not there is a correlation with COVID.

While I was there with her, SK was getting his hair cut.  Today was the first day all non-essential businesses, and barbers and beauty shops were open once again and at last.  They were all slammed, with long lines of people waiting to get inside clothing stores and other shops.  SK got in to see his 2nd favorite barber (me being the first) after a wait.  In the last five months I gave him three haircuts with the black cape and clippers.  I didn't improve, and he looked better than with no haircuts!  I was grateful for the helpful tools.

We met up and walked up High Street, glorying in the number of people out, the number of businesses open and the brilliant sunlight.  Even in 46 degree weather, that sun makes all the difference.  I understand more now about C.S. Lewis's quote: "I believe in Christianity like I believe in the noonday sun, not that I can see it, but I can see everything else by it.  C.S. Lewis lived and wrote in Oxford, and I love walking the streets that he walked.









The sunlight is so clear here, shadows are dark against the brilliant light ricocheting off the flat surfaces of buildings, and everything is so beautifully illuminated.  The noonday sun lights everything up, and I can't help but think how clearly I see everything.  The light of Christ truly is like that.

We walked to a little 12th century pub SK wanted to look at.  It is charming.  We vowed to go eat there sometime.  They - like everyone else in the restaurant/pub business are only open to serve at outdoor tables.  Every table was full.









SK presented me with my birthday present today.  He purchased/ordered it in December for my birthday in January, and the lockdown and other thing prevented him from being able to pick it up until today when the business opened once again. He was so excited to present it to me and I am so pleased with it!





Comments

Erin said…
What a beautiful necklace! That’s so cute of him.

All the pictures are charming.
April 12, 2021 at 11:51 PM
Lia said…
What a pretty necklace. And this must be a birthday record! I like to celebrate all of January, but you've gone into April!
April 13, 2021 at 12:26 PM
melissa said…
What a happy day!
April 13, 2021 at 3:12 PM
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