Sunday, November 24, 2013

          As mentioned already, the temple was closed yesterday, Saturday, for the national elections here.  While Glade was walking an exercise lap with President Ocampo about 7:00 a.m. they came around the corner to head downhill and saw, to their dismay, a large bus just entering the compound at the guard station.  Pres. Ocampo said, “Oh, no; this is not good.”  A group on an excursion from San Pedro, about four hours away, was just arriving for a day in the temple and were about to be disappointed that it was closed.

          The message about the closing went out to all stake presidents who were to send it down the line to bishops who would see that their ward members were aware of the schedule change.  One bishop was working with ward conference meetings and somehow didn’t get the communication.

          We felt so bad knowing what sacrifices people make to come to the temple.  There was nothing to be done, however.  They disembarked from the bus and spread out over the grounds stretching their cramped legs, enjoying the ambiance, the beautiful landscape, and the grand view from the location’s vantage point.  At one point some of them—kids and grown-ups together—gathered for a photo in front of the temple.  They were all smiles and seemed to be enjoying themselves.  I won’t pretend to know what their feelings were, but after about 20 minutes or so, we watched them as they made their way to the bus, climbed on board, and started their journey back home.  We waved as they drove by and enthusiastic waves from the bus windows were returned.

          Since we had the day off, we made it our own personal Thanksgiving Day.  I made pumpkin pie and roasted the Butterball turkey we found at La Colonia.  The efficiency ranked about a 2 on a scale of 1-10 in our tiny kitchen with almost no counter space and it took me forever!  The only white granulated sugar we could find was very course and the one time I baked cookies with it found that the crystals didn’t dissolve during the baking.  So, being worried about the pie not turning out well, I put the sugar in the blender and make “powdered sugar”!  Then I didn’t know the ratio of granulated to powdered and had to guess.  Anyway, it turned out fine and once the baking started, the aroma made it feel just like home—not only like home in Garfield, but home when I was a little girl and it felt so good!  The turkey turned out great, too; and Glade was able to watch the BYU football game so that made it feel like Thanksgiving as well. 

          While Glade spent time on the computer, I turned on some Christmas music, took the Christmas tree we bought out of the box, read the instructions, and assembled it, fluffing all the branches and making it just right.  Then the lights and decorations went on and it now looks and feels like the season.  It was my only chance to decorate in order to have any time at all to enjoy it.  So we are a little ahead of the game, but that’s okay.       

The pies!

The turkey!

The football game!

The tree--

Getting Started!

One trunk section wouldn't fit into the next, so I found a metal
fingernail file and Glade filed away at a ridge until it fit.  Needless to say,
the file won't do for fingernails any more!!

Our six-foot tree all assembled!

All decorated now!  I found this snowman at Price Mart on one of our first trips
there several months ago.  Not knowing how many decorations would be available nearer the holiday, I bought it--just in case!  He fits in quite well I think!!