October 2023

Dear Family and Friends

    What was interesting during September? Well, let’s see... Labor Day came and went without much to-do on my part. The hydroplanes went speeding by, again, up and down the river. I heard them long before they reached here and long after they passed, their noise is quite unmistakable, but I didn’t actually see their little boats from my spot inside the house. They won’t be back until next Memorial Day.

    We are still having fun with our cat, Haiku, as it chases after the laser dot and a small feather and then for no reason at all, runs lickety-split up and down the hardwood hallway and ends up sliding into a small rug at both ends. Maybe that’s her way of getting some daily exercise, but it's fun to watch her do it. She’s definitely True’s cat and cuddles and purrs for her, but not for me. I don’t have a proper lap anymore! She utters some meows once in a while, which are a little loud, but not bad. So, I guess we’ll keep her.

    I attended the Relief Society Ladies Luncheon again in Sept. but certainly didn’t try taking a ready-to- bake pie again, after the fiasco of the previous month. In fact, upon reading of my problem in handling such an undertaking, my sister, Carol, called me from Utah and gave me a real tongue-lashing reprimand for having done such an unsafe thing, saying I could have been burned or could have fallen and that it was beyond my scope of ability now. So, I had to promise to be more careful and be sure True or somebody else is with me at all times. I appreciated the fact that she cares and worries about me, but I can’t live my life in fear of what might happen, but I will try to be more cautious and not do anything really stupid! ... If I can.

    As for my physical condition, I still have trouble with my stump and being able to fit my “Buddy” over it so as to be able to use my leg for any length of time. It sends stinging sensations that increase as pressure is put on it by standing and walking. There doesn’t seem to be anything anyone can do about it; just wait for the active nerves to quiet down, I guess. But I still put it on every day and try using it for as long as I can.

    I hate to admit it, but I guess I am getting old, as other ailments are cropping up - not on my insides but on my outsides.  Like, my mouth has a sore spot, so I’m not able to wear my lower denture and am now eating mostly soft foods. My right eye stings from burning the midnight oil and reading with too dim a light I guess, and drops don’t help. My nose runs like a stream for some unknown reason, and continually wiping it is beginning to hurt my nose. Both of my cheeks have a spot on them that was frozen with liquid nitrogen by the dermatologist, who deemed them as pre-cancerous, so I’m waiting for those to heal. But it’s nothing to be concerned about, I’m sure. I don’t have a return appointment for another six months. And, of course, I still have incontinence, which makes me have to run (oh, yeah?) to the bathroom much too often.

    But the thing that really made me wonder if I was not only old, but also becoming senile, was an incident that happened one day when I was in the bathroom. I was seated in my wheelchair when I noticed a little black bug on the floor of the shower. “Now, where did you come from?” I said to myself, as I reached for the washcloth. I laid it across the bug, squeezed tight, and took it to the toilet to be flushed away. But, was I surprised when nothing fell out! Where could it have gone? Then, I noticed that same little black bug making its way slowly across the bathroom floor. So, again, I placed the washcloth over it, squeezed tight and took it to the toilet to be flushed away. I couldn’t believe it - when again, nothing came out. “What’s going on here? Is this bug able to make itself disappear?” Later, I saw it crawling across the wall and then take off! Well, now I knew, it was not a bug at all, but a rather large black fly that I had not seen escape the cloth. How stupid of me, to have even thought for a moment that a bug could pull off such a disappearing act. And now everybody knows my tale of the Vanishing Bug and can have a good laugh. Along with me.

    But, even with this taste of senility and the other nuisances to put up with, I’m still healthy and strong and determined to live a good life for as long as the Lord sees fit to grant me. I happened to be checking in my maternal grandmother’s line and found that her mother lived to be 94 and her sister, Lucy, was 100 years and 8 months before she died. And, of course, my own mother lived to celebrate her hundredth birthday plus four months, so I’ve got some pretty good genes, I’d say! So, maybe I’ll get there, too, if I remember to not do anything UNsafe, that is. Huh?

    Beside the “Houdini” bug, another little mystery seemed to crop up last month. I used to subscribe to the Readers Digest and enjoyed it over all other magazines, but haven’t seen one for several years now. I know, with the advent of digital news over the internet, all magazines are struggling to keep their subscribers. So when I received a copy of Readers Digest in August, I was pleased, but assumed it was a promotional thing, although it didn’t contain any order form along with it. Then again in September., lo and behold, another copy appeared in my mailbox. Now I’m wondering if some anonymous soul is providing me with a gift subscription, or if I’ll be getting a bill soon. I guess I’ll have to wait till next month to find out. Oh, how I do love a mystery! I remember how much fun it was to keep people wondering about the things I left for them.

    I must tell you about an overnight visitor we had in Sept. She was called OnaRae, a 54 year-old young woman who is a friend of True’s daughter, Cedar.  She had just left Cedar's house in Spokane, heading for Merlin, (near Grants Pass) after receiving instructions to contact True for a place to spend the night. True had never met her, but was happy to oblige, and had a dinner ready for her when she arrived at 8:00 pm. In between mouthfuls, she talked continuously for the next full hour until bedtime. We were intrigued by the fact that she had been detained for three years on the tiny Pacific Island of Bali because of the COVID pandemic when all travel was curtailed, especially to the United States. We were fascinated by her experience there. Then for an hour the next morning, it was more of the same, as she spoke continuously of the many other places she had been to in ALL parts of the world. What a world traveler, indeed!

    Like True, she was interested in her own body and the spiritual energy derived from it. And ironically, we found that she knew the same people True knew in the San Diego area. And also that she had been born in Downey Community Hospital, which happened to be across the street from my parent's home in Downey, California. So, It definitely was an interesting and rather amazing experience for the both of us. With all that continuous traveling around she was doing, I thought to myself, she’s like a vagabond, always moving on from one place to the next. But what’s the point of it all? We wished her well when she left.

    I had a nice telephone conversation with my son, Elder Dan Mundell, from their apartment in Kaneohe, on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. He is being very faithful in writing weekly about their missionary activities and experiences there. Those are being placed on my email along with some pictures for me to enjoy. And I appreciate that. He still sends out these monthly letters of mine to all who have supplied us with addresses. I hope you are finding a bit of pleasure in reading about my silly “goings-on”, and that you do take the trouble to print out the puzzle(s) that accompany each one, and perhaps make some copies to share with others. That’s the whole reason I make them up, is to share with people. Most are about a monthly event, but others are just for fun, like this month’s Picture Phrases. So please do print it off and enjoy!

    Sept. 23rd and 24th was the weekend for our Grants Pass Stake Conference, which was great. And the Church General Conference will be held on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1st from Salt Lake City, Utah, which we will watch at home via YouTube. Then, the very next weekend will be Ward Conference for our Redwood Ward. Funny, how it happens like that - 1,2,3 - for us, twice a year. But we are glad to have the opportunity to be well instructed by our leaders and General Authorities in how to bring ourselves and others unto Christ. As we strive to live more exemplary and Christ-like lives, let us pray the same for others, too.

With that thought in mind, I leave you with my love and prayers until we meet again. ALOHA!

Marie