The week in review:
Terry and Linda stayed with us from Saturday to Tuesday noon. They got to break in a new mattress in our guest room. On Sunday we went to Ward conference at Mike’s ward, Buckeye 2nd to support Mike who conducted the PH-RS session. He talked about following the Spirit and how it applied to their move to Arizona. We went over to Mike and Ayesha’s home for dinner afterwards
On Monday we drove over to Quartsite AZ to see their famous flea market. It was winding down but there was still a lot to see. Merle fell in love with a 3-1/2 foot crystal stalagtite that was marked down from $1000 to $500–a real bargain! He could just see it as the main yard decoration in front of our home. Fortunately we didn’t get it! I don’t know how those vendors got the stalagtites but wondered if they came from an Indian reservation, since they can break some of our laws. He also liked a 300 pound piece of petrified wood that was big enough to sit on. It was too big to put in the car!
We met another neighbor this week–Jen, and her 5-year old daughter, Emma. Jen brought me back a publication with pictures of desert landscaping plants. She told us how to spray for scorpions, spiders and termites. Did you know termites like to eat cardboard as if it is candy?
Traffic reports here make the Portland traffic reporters sound like they’re having a picnic. Any 7:30 broadcast on weekdays will have 10 or more accidents. With big wide streets and turn lanes and one-way parkways, I don’t understand why so many accidents, except for speed. The freeways out in the open spaces say 75 mph speed limit, and in town, about 65 mph, but if we drive the limit we look like we’re standing still. People make left turns on red lights too.
We went to Peoria Stake Conference today. Elder LaSeure was the conference visitor. The mission president told about a native missionary from Tonga who was serving in Fiji. He and his white companion were sent up to a remote island. The Tongan told his companion, “Tomorrow we go to the beach.” The companion told him missionaries don’t go to the beach.
As it turned out, the Tongan walked up to a group of fishermen who were cleaning their nets. He said, “You are fishermen, I am a fisherman. Why do you catch such small fish? We Tongans catch big fish. We eat big fish.“ He told them they caught small fish because they worked on Sundays. “Now do you want to hear what I have to say?” They did.
I did one more thing this week. Filed our income tax with help of Turbo Tax. Yea! We get a full refund.
I've been fascinated by the native cacti. The one I liked this week is a barrel cactus with long spines all over like a porcupine. They're round and about as big as a watermelon. For one week they have yellow blossoms in the center of the top. I've also noticed some real songbirds that can warble a whole song. The pictures I'm posting show T & L at a restaurant called Black Bear, and one of Merle squeezing orange juice and one with Merle and all three of Karen's cats. A difficult shot to take!
