May 2012

May 2012

To begin, I would like to list the events of this month and then make comments. Agendas for stake meetings, finish fence, garden, graduation, and weather (yuck!) are the main events of this month for the Blaine and Dawn Russell family.

Each Sunday I meet with the stake presidency at 7:00AM. Then throughout the week I schedule meeting with the presidency. The calling requires me to fabricate agendas for all the meetings that take place each month with the stake. I also assist in the stake office with the stake clerk. Pres. Stewart calls me frequently to arrange for items to be put on the agendas. Missionaries coming and going, temple recommends, high council, stake council and presidency meetings are the bulk of what needs to be put on agendas.

The chain link fence is finished and looks good. We will never need to repair it in our life time. Also, the grass is growing in our newly improved parking space. Also, the garden is beginning to grow next door. With the recent rain we should see real growth, IF the temperature stays above freezing.

Dawn and I flew to Sacramento on the 18^th of May to attend Ben Russell’s graduation. He finished the X-ray Tech program at Yuba College. Convulsing from heart surgery, he was able to complete the course work. He has clinical work to finish all the requirements to take the state board exams. We spent two days with his family before flying to meet my mother, Julia in Las Vegas.

Dawn, Julia and I stayed at the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino to attend Aubry’s graduation from Touro University medical school. We meet up with the Taows (Christine, David, Sven, Sara and Steven Hodgesen) and attended the graduation. A good time had by all.

The weather in Las Vegas was wonderful. The temperatures were in the 90s and beautiful blue skies. The difficulty came when we returned to Idaho. The wind blew fiercely and the temperature dropped significantly. We spent time inside and secluded from the storms. Today the rains came and soaked the garden. One good thing, we will not have to water for a few days.

Dawn and I are looking forward to travel in June. We are planning to visit Mike and Louise Hodgesen on our way to Brian and Katties in Washington. We are planning to take their kids to Disneyland at the end of the month. 

Looking forward to golfing this summer!

April 2012

April 2012

April begins the spring time in Idaho and surprisingly the weather began with warming trends. However, the month continued to be cooler and very windy at times. All this made some difficulty in working outside in the back yard.

Our big project for this month was to replace the existing fence surrounding our back yard. The board fence has started to lean in because the posts are old and have given way to decay. Dawn and I removed all the upright wooden panels and took out all the nails and disassembled the entire fence. The wood was hauled off to my brother’s house for firewood.

In addition, to removing the fence I also removed a large section of the botanical garden next to the alley. By digging up an enormous number of iris bulbs along with various and sundry annuals, I was able to clear an area to prepare for planting.  After positioning paving blocks to act as a drive way for the Volks Wagon car, I planted grass over the entire space now leveled for planting.  The VW will be stored in the back yard over the winter.

April was the month I intended to fix up the VW and drive it this summer. I began the repairs by replacing the front brake system but had difficulty in replacing the master cylinoid.  I needed help so I called on VW Bob’s Repair shop to help. Bob said bring it in and he would get on it. After he fixed the brakes, he called to tell me the main engine seal was leaking and would have to be replaced. I discussed the need to overhaul the engine as well. He said he would do it and two days later called to tell me he had it out and ready for repairs.  I did not hear from him for two weeks and wondered if there were problems. Well, my neighbor brought over the newspaper obituaries listing the death of BOB!

To date, I have been unable to get my car out of the locked up garage. Speaking with relatives, it seems there are legal issues on who actually has possession of the business.  It has been two months and I may never get the car back.

In summary, April has been a working month by landscaping the back yard, putting in a garden next door and planting an enormous number of flowers. Dawn has arranged a front lawn floral display using an old ½ barrel and rocks. It looks nice.

Our lives have changed due to a new calling I have received as stake executive secretary. Also, Dawn and I were called to be temple ordinance workers. We will work Tuesday mornings (5:00AM) each week. I have also been asked to serve on the YMCA board for the next two years. So you see we are not able to plan a mission for some time to come.