a Tenge for your Thoughts

I was waiting at the bus stop when I looked down in the gutter, and in the water, I could see what looked like a penny, but too small in diameter, more dime size. I picked it up. It was 20 Tenge from Kazakhstan. I do think I get a lucky day when I pick up a penny, so what does 20 Tenge get me. It is worth almost 16 cents.

And as it happens I think I get a lucky day regardless of which side is facing up. I have heard some ludicrous notions that it being tails up, is an unlucky day. Heavens, I look for every portent of luck, who has so much they can cavalierly decide that a bottom up penny is poor luck. I don't think the rhyme makes the distinction. "Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck." See, it doesn't include the caveat "head side up".

I like coins and have always collected them. Currently I collect the commemorative state quarters. I of course like the ones from places I have lived, but outright, I think I like Texas, Colorado, and Alaska best. I would like Wyoming's best, but the impression is sort of shallow and I don't like that. If it were deeper then it would be my favorite. I like the ones with bold designs that aren't too busy. I sure wish Utah's was of a Bee-hive or the Delicate arch. Alas!!

I saw a shooting star the other night and I wished on it, I saw the first star on Saturday night and I wished on it. I wish on EVERYTHING!!

Falling

My super pleasant looking jack-o-lantern sure got angry looking as he desiccated. Oh well, don't we all. hahahahah.

I went on a lovely walk yesterday evening. I went down to Santaquin to do some canning. I had invited a beau as well, because nothing is as romantic as a walk in the orchards ( that might just be my opinion). But, he didn't come early enough for a walk, but we did bottle Tokay grapejuice. It was fun. When reporting how I had spent my weekend to some friends it was a hard sell trying to convience them that bottling is what all the hip young kids do nowadays for courting. Sheesh.

Pumpkins & Prizes

This is Marie and me at the pumpkin carving FHE. Marie drove and bought me a pumpkin too. SOOO NICE! I won a prize tonight for "simplest Jack O' Lantern". Simple as in uncomplicated I hope, and not in that it is not too bright. It is right now perched on my window ledge. I won a bag of peanut M&M's. FANCY!! I have a few secrets for carving a simple JOL*. Use a small pumpkin, use an apple corer, and make a hole in the bottom to remove the seeds. Then you sit the pumpkin over the candle, no messy top to worry about removing. TA-DA! I placed a single seed via a bit of gum under an eye for a tear. A sad JOL.

*JOL short for Jack O'Lantern

Let Us All Press On

Ah, ha. I did it! Today I bought a press. A Vandercook 317 . As you can see from the photo, there is a lot of work to do. Luckily my boss at The Mandate Press finds great joy in fixing presses up and has volunteered to help me. I can't wait!! I own a press, look at me, does that make me grown up yet?

Guess what friends, that means you all have a source for custom note cards, Christmas cards, birth announcements, and invitations for the rest of your life. Isn't that cause for joy? I think so.

Not to brag, ok, it really is blatant bragging, but at the Mandate, I am known for my keen ability to mix color. This will come in handy. I won't have to buy a ton of ink colors, I can do some skillful mixing. I love ink, I love paper, I love machinery, I love my new press, the 317!

Spirit of the Law vs. Letter of the Law

OK, so I believe in The Word of Wisdom, *that I may live long, and be beautiful and strong, tea and coffee and tobacco I despise, drink no liquor, and I eat, but a very little meat; I am seeking to be great and good and wise. But, dang it, I like coffee FLAVORED things. I have been enjoying coffee gelato at the Gallivan Center concerts and the Farmer's Market. Well, in my recent Gourmet magazine they had a delicious Mousse Au Moka Et Poivre. OOooooh, coffee and pepper mousse. I love pepper even more than I like coffee flavored things, and it's in French. I had to try it. I rationalize it because of a story told about President McKay.

At a reception President McKay attended, the hostess served rum cake. All the guests hesitated, watching to see what President McKay would do. He smacked his lips and began to eat. When one guest expostulated, "But President McKay, don't you know that is rum cake?" he smiled and reminded the guest that the Word of Wisdom forbade drinking alcohol, not eating it. [From David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism.]

I went to Whole Foods for the ingredients. The coffee was a quandry. I didn't want to buy a lot, so I bought the bulk stuff that you can grind there at the store. But, how? I am a coffee buying novice. I made one of the store employees do it for me and I bought just a few tablespoons. I didn't follow the reciepe in that it said to filter out the pepper and coffee grounds. I didn't have a fine sieve and I like a little texture anyway. I doubled the pepper but not the coffee. The coffee flavor was strong, but I didn't notice any peppery burn. Dang it!! I will have to add more pepper, and next time I will replace the coffee with cinnamon. It is delicious!...and easy.

I just talked to Lena, she will be home this evening and I am going to bring some to her. I want to share the delightful treat.

* In Our Lovely Deseret (Hymn)

FLW in SLC

Bradford talking about the abomination of having an air register in the entrance. (Phew, later we found out it wasn't in the original plan).

I heard that there would be a showing of the Frank Lloyd Wright Stromquist home in Bountiful. OH, delight! So I emailed a past beau who enjoys architecture and Bradford & Thomas and we all went. The docents told us not to walk on the carpet or sit on the furniture because it was for sale, etc. and there would be many visitors that day (we were some of the earliest), blah, blah, blah. Well, as a confirmed naughty, I tried to convince my old beau to sit down and let me take his photo, but people kept coming in so he gave up and left the room. Finally I had a chance and I sat in the chair pictured here. I would include the photo of the naughtiness, but in my vanity I cannot. I crashed on my bike earlier that week and besides the bruising, the photo is very uncomplimentary. Oh well. Knowing the old beau was a confirmed scoff-law, I briefly showed him the photo on my phone to impress him with my equally laissez-faire attitude toward the rules. I think it worked.

How High the Moon

Somewhere there's music
How faint the tune
Somewhere there's heaven
How high the moon
There is no moon above
When love is far away too
Till it comes true
That you love me as I love you

Somewhere there's music
How near, how far
Somewhere there's heaven
Its where you are
The darkest night would shine
If you would come to me soon
Until you will, how still my heart
How high the moon

Somewhere there's music
How faint the tune
Somewhere there's heaven
How high the moon
The darkest night would shine
If you would come to me soon
Until you will, how still my heart
How high the moon

After months in advance planning of letterpressed invitations with matching dance cards, reservations of the pavilion and band, my party planning impetus was dissipated. Crisis arose with my scholastic status, I crashed on my bike 4 days prior, leaving me with scratches on my face, scabs on my knees and wrist, overall body aches and a nasty bruise on my chin. Oh, if I could have cancelled, I would have. I was weary.

But too much was in motion and so on Saturday afternoon my co-hostesses met at the pavilion and we strung lights, moved & arranged impossibly heavy tables (which Bradford came to help with), cleaned the toilets, and ran some last minute errands. I admit I am fastidious, I want everything perfect. I have a vision and I want it implemented, but my co-hostesses kept me in check. We didn't have access to a tall ladder to hang the lanterns in key locations. NOPE, we had to cluster them on a rope and string them from the rafters. They hung x-mas lights and then discovered that ½ were out. If it had been me, I would have restrung the lights, but I couldn't restring their lights (it might offend them) so I had to let go. I disliked the table placement, but there were large rings (from where the tables had been chained) protruding from the floor as perfect tripping hazards. Lena was right that the only way to prevent an accident was to place the tables over them. I couldn't have done without their help and kept my sanity. Many friends brought treats, We provided lavender lemonade, spa water and 3 flavors of Italian ice (strawberry, lemon , & passion fruit).

We took shifts in watching the area and then going home and getting ready. I was late to my own party. Oh, but to arrive with luminarias lighting the walk and the band playing was lovely. Because I was weary, worn out, vision displaced, I was able to go and have a wonderful evening. I wasn't the perfect hostess, but I was a great guest. I did manage to maintained the punch bowls and fill up shy ladies cards for them. But, otherwise I negelected my guests and just had fun. The men were enormously good sports about the dance cards, many booked themselves up quickly. And then we danced. Most people didn't dance when there was no dance number, but some did.