January 2nd through January 8th

January 2^nd through January 8^th: This has been a hard week for me.  I have been fighting a very bad cough and cold.  Chris had it during December and it lasted weeks.  She is finally feeling a bit better, but now I have it and it is a “doosey”.  I end up coughing all night long and don’t get a good night’s sleep. Thursday we went to the genealogy building in Salt Lake.  We split up, Chris went downstairs to the Irish records and I stayed on the main floor for some help with trying to learn how to find source documents to prove the information that has been submitted.  I learned a lot, but Chris had no luck trying to find the information she was looking for.  Friday we worked on moving me out of the second bedroom we were using as an office/ dressing room for me.  I did a little remolding in a storage room, an unfinished room, and now I have a man cave. 

The man cave.

We started painting the room we moved out of so that Evan, Charlotte’s oldest son, can move in.  Before we started painting, I had to add jamb and casing around a window.  I also started hanging some of the old cabinets we tore out of the kitchen in the laundry room.  After we get Evan moved, Charlotte can start making his old room upstairs into the nursery for the arrival of the yet unnamed baby daughter that will be here in early March.  In the evening, we went to dinner at Judy and Mike Nelson’s home.  Judy and Mike are dear friends.  Judy served with us in the Ecuador mission many many years ago.  Judy made an Ecuadorian dish, but served the cilantro on the side.  She knows how I hate it.  It was such a nice evening and fun to see them.  Saturday I worked an 8 hour shift at Home Depot.  I have to say that by the end of 8 hours of being on my feet, my feet are screaming at me to sit down.  Mom continued to help get the new bedroom painted.  Sunday I went to work early but was able to leave in time to make it to our Sunday school class and Sacrament meeting.  Sunday evening we, along with Charlotte’s family, went up to Kaysville to celebrate with Abbie, our youngest granddaughter who turned 1.  We gave her a box of tissues that she enjoyed pulling out of the box.  Thanks Kate for the idea.  She remembered that Ginny had given her daughter this same gift for her 1^st birthday.

Abbie's birthday cake.

Do you think she liked her birthday cake?

Abbie enjoying her birthday present.

Monday was the early shift, 5am, and mom finished painting.  I got home and hung the door and changed all 5 electrical plugs and a switch to white ones.   We watched the premier of season 4 of Downton Abby in the evening. 

Downton Abby is back.

Tuesday mom got a teaching job at Ensign, where Ginny and James went to school.  She saw a few old friends from the high avenues where we lived before going to China.  I worked till 6 pm.  Evan slept in his new room for the first night.  We now have a very close neighbor.  

Evan in his new bedroom.

Wednesday mom got another teaching job.  It started snowing so I drove her to Salt Lake and then I went straight to work.  I only worked 5 hours so I had time to get back to Salt Lake to pick her up.  In the evening, we met old friends, Wally and Martha Cooper and Martin and Magali, a couple from Ecuador who are here visiting, at Crown Burger for dinner.  We first met Martin and Magali when we went with Wally and Martha to Ecuador in Feb. of 2009.  We had a great evening talking and getting caught up on the last 5 years.