Holy Colee!

Today I actually kind of feel like I am really here. I can actually get around the building with out getting lost (now if we can just get my access card working), I’ve gotten the hang of the hotel, and I kind of even have the driver figured out so that Shobhit won’t have to give me a ride home tonight. I love that these guys work most of their day before my other responsibilities are starting to wake up. It has given me a chance to really give most of my time to being here and understanding what it is I am here to try and help with. I spent most of the “morning” (1pm -5pm) out on the floor with the real time team. Some things are the same, no matter what – I think floor management is one of them. I am excited because I think there are a few things I think we can knock out for them pretty quick. I am gaining a lot of education from the WFM managers. I think I will hang out with the team tomorrow and see what we can see and I am way looking forward to tomorrow night – they are taking me out :) I think you can learn more about a person in one evening outside of work than months in the office.
Today I also got my first actual Indian food… I love Indian food, and Indian food IN India- well, it really is that much better. It’s like the difference between a Big Mac in England vs a Big Mac in the US… The poor UK burger doesn’t have a chance. Amit assigned Shobhit to make sure I get fed while I am here. Shobhit then assigned me to one of the TAs. For breakfast I had a Masala Dosa and lunch was Butter Chicken. Do NOT let the name fool you, it was not a piece of chicken with butter – more along the lines of a chicken curry or tiki masala. I have also been assigned a friend for my weekend trip to Agra. I was willing to do it alone, but I am actually very pleased that I won’t have to. My luck, I would totally get separated from the tour group and miss my bus back. I have most of the call center figured out – not most of the country ;)

It’s kind of strange the things you notice. For instance, I noticed that the water bottles at the hotel come with caps that cannot be made to look unopened once they are twisted (which I appreciated as water bottles were on the list of things to be aware of). I noticed only 3 cows on the drive from the airport to the hotel. Seeing cows on the road is a pretty normal thing for me, but it is less normal when they are on the freeway. Plus, these were classic Indian looking cows, which I think is cool. I thought it was interesting that the hotel arranged an “in room” check in for me. I am pretty sure they think it’s a luxury, but I would much rather just give them my information at the front desk. That being said, the hotel is lovely, and I think tomorrow I will check out the bakery. :)
I’m still trying to figure out my driver. Yesterday he came to pick me up before anyone actually called him, or at least before anyone confirmed the time. Today we confirmed a time, but he was there 45 minutes late. I do enjoy the ride to work. There are just SO many people to watch, and today as we came in there were many school children on the roads – yes, on – so that was fun to watch as well. I did have to laugh a little. There was a boy, probably 8 or 9, who was walking with a bright pink Hello Kitty backpack. It looked new, so I don’t think it was a hand me down, and you could tell by the look on his face that he hated that thing, and would trade it for a black or blue or green backpack in a heartbeat. I would have traded him but all I had was a purple laptop bag. I’m pretty sure that would not be seen as an improvement.
The people I have met are really great. I will probably tell you more about them… but for now, it is bed time.

I have NOTHING important to say today, but for the record, I am ready for Spring. I know the weather we are getting this week is a tease, but I am going to enjoy every minute of the teasing.

Today's post is even more self- serving than most. I have been trying to put some thoughts together for my Grandma's tribute so I figure here is a good place to put them.

To all of you who have left kind words, offered prayers in our behalf, or are sending loving thoughts to the universe in our direction, thank you.


Grandma Claire had a profound love of people. She had a way of learning only the good things about people. Looking back, she may have known the less than good things but she never told anyone.
Grandma loved nature. She spent as much time outside as possible. She enjoyed her garden and the things she could grow and share with others. Grandpa told me that when he took Claire fishing with him, he didn't need a fish finder. She just had the gift. I know she missed it because in the past few years she was frequently craving fish. I'm not sure the halibut and fries from the Purple Turtle was really what she was looking for, but she seemed to appreciate the effort.
Grandma was a beautiful artist. Many of her family have had the opportunity to beautify their homes with her oil paintings. Our beds are covered with her afghans and doilies. She was also an artist with words. She didn't make up stories, she didn't need to. Her life was full of enough material to fill a library. She loved to tell stories of her travels, of her family, of her youth.
Some of my favorite were her stories about the things she did growing up. Growing up in Georgetown, playing down by the river, climbing to the top of the high school, the people she "ran around with." These stories allowed me to see her as a girl much like myself and remembering the time I have spent with her gives me hope that I might turn out alright after all.
Grandma loved to travel. Honestly, I think she enjoyed meeting new people as much or more than the new experiences she would have and sites she would see. We loved it when she traveled as well. She brought home pictures and stories and of course, presents. As I have had the opportunity to start traveling a little, Grandma would always ask me where I had been, what did I learn and see, and where was I going next.
Grandma was always learning. She loved to tell us about how she was skipped ahead in school and how they would have kept moving her, but mama and papa wouldn't let her get ahead of her sister. School was just part of the learning experience. She read everything. Her back room is full of the books she hadn't given to someone else to read after she finished. She enjoyed watching documentaries. But of course her favorite way to learn was living. She questioned everything.
Grandma had a great sense of humor. In Pleasant Grove there is a hill much like our M hill. Theirs has a G on it. When I asked why, she told me it was just called Grove, until she moved there.
Most of all, Grandma loved her family. In her eyes, we could do no wrong. We are all perfect students, perfect children, amazing people, and all the joy one life could hold.

Today I had the opportunity to attend the funeral for a truly beautiful woman. I have not known her for a long time, relatively speaking (only about 10 years), but she was the kind of person you love the minute you meet her and love her more every time you see her. From the remarks at the funeral, I think I am not the only person who felt that way. Everyone of her grandchildren is sure they are her favorite. I may not have been her favorite, but she definitely was mine. I will miss her hugs and her ever present smile.

Until we meet again Grandma Bess, until we meet again.

Dav is posting our trip in video form on youtube. Part 1 is up now.
http://t.co/lDj2HWX


Wednesday! DOLLYWOOD DAY!!!!

It started with great anticipation and excitement. I was not disappointed. We had a 2 hour drive to the park, so we started with the breakfast Jonathon said we had to try. Straight from the gas station, the deli inside was called “Big As Biscuits.” And, they were… really big ;) We pulled into Pigeon Forge and we were bombarded on every side with “As seen on TV” stores and go cart tracks. It’s like Vegas gone family, but really that’s not what today was to be about. We got to the park shortly after it opened, parked, rode the tram and … HOORAY!!!

Dollywood was everything it promised to be. All kinds of backwoods fun ;) I really liked the village with all of the craftsmen. It was fun to watch the glass blowers for a little bit, the wood and leather workers, and THEN we found the rides. I like roller coasters – but I hate the Ups. Dav made fun of me. I won’t open my eyes until the coaster starts its downward fall. However I LOVE the fall. The Mystery Mine coaster was NOT my favorite. I was on the outside of the car and the angle made the turns feel really funky. PLUS there are extra Ups. Straight Ups. The only thing that makes them worth it, is the straight downs that follow ;) Another awesome thing about the day is that the lines were nonexistent. I am pretty sure it was senior citizen day at the park. There was not a Jazzy to be found at the rental spot. Jazzy riders don’t ride roller coasters.

As we were making our second loop around the rides, Dav gave in and decided he was indeed going to ride the zip line. As much as I love roller coasters, they do not always love me. Plus, let us remember I am afraid of heights. I was more than content to hang out in the shopping emporium and do a little people watching in the front square while he went on this part of the adventure. I am told that I missed out and now Dav wants to go to Hawaii where a similar system of zip lines is set up but instead of an hour and a half, it’s a 6 hour tour. Enjoy the zip line I say – I will go snorkeling ;)
After our fabulous day of Dollywood our adventure was not complete. Our next stop was the Dixie Land Stampede! The set up is like Medieval Times, if you’re familiar with that. We, of course, chose to cheer for the South. The show was way fun! Cannon would have been in heaven. The horses, wagons, trick riders were so fun to watch. Dinner could have been terrible and I would still be raving, but it wasn’t. Dinner was tasty! And what dinner isn’t better when you get to eat it all with your hands?? The South was ahead all night, until the last competition. Be not afraid. The South WILL rise again ;)

After dinner, we went across the street, checked into the hotel, left our stuff in our rooms and of course – went to Wal-Mart. As an FYI, Google maps does NOT know how to get to the Pigeon Forge Wal-Mart – even if it says it does.. Finding the store was far more fun than wandering around. We gave up and decided to drive to Gatlinburg, just to see what was there. We almost gave up before we got to the part of town we were looking for, fortunately we kept exploring. Really the town is just a bit more tourist trap, but a little less “fun park” and a little more “Park City” esque. I would really like to make the trip in the day time at some point. The canyon seemed like it should be beautiful, except it was the middle of the dark.

My friend Jim's wife has a super cool food blog and she's doing a give away. It's a fun read and if you're looking for recipes (which I usually am) it's super useful.

Check it out


http://kjrskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/09/its-give-away.html

Tuesday morning… well, hmmm… I had one call I had to be on for work. The rest of the morning was Enterprise drama. Dav had reserved our rental car a few days before. When he called to see if they would come pick us up, they said they would need to be a little later because she was busy. Well, the new time came and passed and when Dav called them back, she said that they had had to get our car from another location and they had left a few minutes ago. Next update, it turns out the car had left about 15 minutes AFTER she originally said they had. We continue to wait. A bit later I notice a car driving around looking lost. Dav went out to the road to see, and guide him to the apartment. We then have to go into the office and go through the actual paperwork. Needless to say, we are now running about 3 hours late. As we pull out of the lot, we notice the car ALSO has an empty gas tank! It was a great start to the day.

The plan was to drive down to Pigeon Forge, go Zorbing, drive back to Kingsport to stay with Heather. Well, the 3 hour delay with a 5 hour drive and Zorb closing at 5… the math was pretty simple. We weren’t going to make it. The good news is, plans can change. We decided to move Zorbing to Thursday, which meant today all we had to do was get to Heather’s. Slight change in the driving directions, expressing gratitude for google maps for iPhone, and we were good as gold. We stopped in Shelbyville for lunch, and then we were off. It was a gorgeous day for driving. Driving, perhaps, a little faster than the signs said we should be. In Pineville, we found out just how much faster ;) The best part was that the AWESOME rental car (did I mention that it was 2 classes smaller than the one that was reserved) had an expired insurance card! Yeah, it was pretty neat. The rest of the trip was done much closer to the posted speed limits.

We arrived in Kingsport and went to Heather and Jonathon’s apartment(s). They live next door to each other, so really it’s one place with 2 doors. After getting shown around and settling in a little, we went on a trek to Wal-Mart for pillows, and you know, stuff you pick up at Wal-Mart. After which we were on to what we were promised was “The Best Cheese Burger, Ever!” The location for this burger is a hole in the wall bar called, The Finish Line. It did NOT disappoint. I am still not sure how I ate the entire thing, but it was so good, I could not bear to leave it. We spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Heather and Jonathon. They are a great amount of fun. There was much music, stories, and laughing. And to end the evening, I got to sleep in the most ginormous chair!! It was like the one I had considered replacing my loveseat with… it’s making me rethink my decision not to buy it. It was really most awesome and I slept like a log. (I know you were wondering :P)

Disclaimer - I don't actually take photos. There are many that exist, but they will come at a date that is still tbd.


Monday started very early. My FABULOUS airport shuttle (aka, Liz) picked me up at 5. She even showed up with breakfast, which I had totally spaced. The beauty of flying standby is that the earlier you check in, the higher you are on the list. So once I checked in I went to my gate to await my fate. The part I missed is that I needed to wait by the service desk. As they started boarding the flight I went to see what was going on. Yeah, I had totally missed them calling me up so they had taken me OFF the list. I was, however very fortunate and there were 2 seats left. So, I was on my way :)

My flights were quiet, which is exactly how we like flights. I had forgotten how easy it is to make connections when you stay on one airline the entire time. No extra security passes, no running from concourse to concourse. It was a good day of travel. I landed in Louisville on time and as expected and HOORAY! Dav!!!

The drive to Dav’s house was so pretty. Utah has all kinds of beautiful, but not this kind. So many trees, so much green. Once we got out of the city, the countryside is dotted with the classic image of horse farms and small towns. I can absolutely understand why he is so drawn to this place.

We dropped off my stuff; I got a tour of the town (which took about as long as a tour of Dingle); and we were off to dinner. Dinner was at the Richins’ home. This family is amazing. It makes my heart happy to know they have “adopted” Dav. Their little girls are beautiful and Rhonda and Ryan are awesome. Dinner was aMaZiNg and dessert is still lingering on my mind. I NEED the recipe. We had fun with the girls and their new playground until it was time to leave. On the way home we drove past the temple and I got to see more of the area.

Have you ever forgotten to write in your journal for so long that you can't even bother to try and catch up? That is what this entry kind of feels like. August went by in a blur and there were so many fabulous things that happened it would take too long to catch up, so instead today - you are getting a book review. Actually 3 book reviews, since I read 3 books this week. Don't be impressed, they weren't very long ones.

In order of completion

(August Book club) The Great and Terrible. The Brothers by Chris Stewart.. Is the first in a series of 6. The book is set in the preexistence. Talk about going to the beginning of a story to do character development ;) I am pretty sure that's as far back as you can go. The book was actually very thought provoking. I've never really spent much time thinking about what life was like before earth, the council in heaven, how we learned, the choices we made there. For that aspect, I really enjoyed it. I'm not going to say it is 100% true or anything, but it did give me a new perspective and some things to ponder. I have yet to decide if I will read the other 5. They have been highly recommended, but I am not breaking down doors to get a hold of them right now. The rest of them are set in modern day the war in the middle east and America's fall from grace... and well, I get enough modern day as it is.


(What you're reading, work email) Find Your Strongest Life. What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham... was actually much better than I thought it would be. I mean, I obviously got it for a reason, but most self help books are just a little crazy. This one also made me think. He redefines strengths as things that make you feel strong - not just things you do well. Our strengths are different than our performance. Others can judge how well you do something, but only you can know how what you are doing makes you feel strong, or happy. Weaknesses, are then the things that make us feel weak, unhappy, or bored to tears.
His suggestion is that we should base our choices around the things that make us stronger, happier, more fulfilled - and by doing so we then can also help the people around us and those who depend on us. The concept I most appreciated was his approach to balance. AVOID IT. Balance by definition is stagnant. If you move, balance is lost. We must strive for imbalance, tipping towards the things that will help us grow and be happy. The book also comes with an online strong life test. Again, most personality tests I think are bogus- or at the very least, unhelpful. I really liked this one. You can find it for yourself at stronglifetest.com. It's only 23 questions, takes all of about 5 minutes. In case you are wondering my lead role is Equalizer and my supporting role is Advisor. They were both much more accurate than I am used to admitting, but I'm owning it. I like rules, and I like telling people what to do ;)
I know you are laughing, because if you know me at all, you know both of those things are (for better or worse) 100% true.
As I have been considering making a lot of changes in my life, this book has been helpful, mostly in affirming I am on the right track - which might be why I liked it ;)

(September Book Club) The Remarkable Soul of a Woman by Dieter F. Uchtdorf is a lovely little reminder of the talk he gave at Women's Conference a few years ago. I loved it then, and I love it now. Buy the book, read it online, print it out and paste it on the walls... but read it often, and never forget how much your Heavenly Father loves you. You are His child and He wants you to be happy. Joy can be found in doing the things He asks, love Him and love others. I think my favorite line of the talk is when he is talking about the power of creation or creativity. After listing many ways to share in this attribute of Godliness (for those of us who are pretty sure there is not a creative bone in our body), he says, "If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create..." Making someone smile - helps us to be more like our Heavenly Father. It's just... true. So simple, yet it speaks to my heart. Not all of our gifts can be displayed on a stage, or a canvass, or a table, or a book. But it doesn't make them any less amazing or awe inspiring.

For the record, the book I am reading now is Defined By Christ by Toni Sorenson. If this reading kick lasts a little longer, I have stack of fantasy books on my nightstand AND my end table to get through.

Let me start off with a disclaimer. I know there are people who have had a worse day than me, but this is my blog, so I get to whine for just a couple of minutes.

I woke up this morning intent on having a pretty good day. I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish and no reason why they couldn't be done. Item 1- Start Laundry.

I went into my laundry room and found this.




Yes, that's right. My ceiling had gotten wet and collapsed. The good news is, it seems to be very local, and at the time other than a bit of water on the floor, there was no new water coming in. Called Mom, called the HOA president, started my wash.

Jeannie (HOA pres) came over to take a look. It doesn't appear any of the pipes are leaking so we decide it might be upstair's (Jill) washer. Jill's not home. We leave a message.

Going about my day... all of the things on my list are done - FYI... I pretty much rock. Ran a few errands, got all my August birthday's bought... came home to hear dripping water. Yeah... that's right. Water is now dripping from my collapsed ceiling. I don't hear the washer upstairs, so there goes that theory.

Went upstairs, Jill is now home. Knocked on the door, told her about my predicament and ask to take a look in her washroom. The floor above where mine is leaking is wet. It appears that the drain pipe for her A/C unit had gotten bumped out of it's proper location and has been dripping on the floor. This is the same A/C unit that some of you remember was the cause of another flood in my house. The original flood came from the drain upstairs not tying into the drain down stairs, which then flooded my washroom, hallway, bathroom. UGH

Jill came down to see the damage and immediately shut off her A/C. Fortunately it's cooling off by now. The water has stopped again. Now the fun begins... finding someone to stop it for real, fix the ceiling and take care of the mold that is of course growing from where the water was. The good news is - she's the one that caused the damage, so she'll be the one paying for the repairs.

Like I said, I know there are many worse days out there than mine... but there you have it.

PS - June Marie and Lisa - you both win the worse days than mine award. June, I hope they catch the thieves. I am pretty sure we can find ways to make them pay back time if not money. Lisa, my prayers are still with you and your doctors. May they find out what is wrong and be able to bring you back to full health speedily.

Love you both.

Just in case you were wondering - the book and the movie are barely even related, let alone telling the same story. SOOO glad I read the book first. I do enjoy Grover's character quite a bit in the movie, but the plot line, extra characters, and just about everything else - definitely better in the book.

Today's public service announcement brought to you by - READING! Read to your child (or yourself) at least 20 minutes a day :)

I never actually remember to take pictures at reunions, even though I made my mom turn around and go back for my camera. So, thanks Laura for forwarding this one over. The kids really are the best part of any reunion. I mean, I love you all ;) but your kids are cuter than you are. Don't you just want to kiss those dirty little faces?

Today was a happy day. My cousin Tyrel has received his mission call and will be leaving for Honduras August 18. In preparation for that, today was his first temple visit. It was such a good day. The room was full of about 30 of his family members. I can only imagine how proud his parents must be of his decisions. It was nice to see his brothers and sisters step in and act as Kirk and Janet's proxies. On days like today, I think the veil gets to be especially thin.

Love you Relly.

I was working on an assignment for my mentoring group today, and I think I have figured out my problem. Question #1 - What is most important in my life as a whole? This one is easy.... My family and loved ones. Question #2 - What gives meaning to my life? Questions #3 - What do I want to be/do in my life?....Should it worry me that I have no answers to these question?

Have I mentioned that Cannon is one of my very favorite people ever? I no longer have my own bed in my mom's house, so I kick Cannon out of his when I visit. This week, when my mom was changing the sheets on his bed she told him it was so I would have a clean bed to sleep in when I come home. Since then, he hasn't been sleeping in his bed, so that they will stay that way until I get there.

He makes me laugh. Isn't he thoughtful?

I really don't have a whole lot to talk about, as is evident from the lack of posts. But I am setting up a new experiment, and it's only fair to warn anyone who might come to visit...

In an effort to live in an attitude of gratitude always (cliche aside), I have set up a gratitude door. "What is a gratitude door?" you ask. It is a door that before you can walk out of, you write something you are grateful for on it. I have chosen my front door. If you're going to come visit (and I wish you would) be prepared to add to the list before you leave.

I am hopeful it will not only remind me to be grateful more often, but when I am struggling, it will be a visible reminder of all the wonderful ways my life has been blessed.

Now you know.

"This is a gospel of agency." This off the cuff remark, which was actually part of a joke has been running through my head for last 24 hours. I am not sure why it is such an "aha" for me today, but it really is true. Not only do we have our agency, but we allow others there's. “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” (Article of Faith 11)

I think sometimes it's easy to forget. We want so much for people to do the things we know will make them happy, or the things we think they should do, or even the things that will make US happy, that we have to let them make their choices and live with their consequences. Of course, we don't have to stand by and let them make ALL the possible mistakes there are. We are given the chance to help them learn, help them see the possibilities, try to help them look forward. But in the end, we each are responsible for our own choices.

And even more, we are all only a little piece of this puzzle. If we can feel so much desire to help the people we love to do what is right, how much more must our Heavenly Father desire for all of His children to make the right choices. And HE actually knows what ALL of those right choices are... our view is so limited.

There is a person who seems bent on being as difficult as possible. She seems especially skilled in finding fault, even where there is none, and pointing it out in a manner to make the "faulted" person feel bad about themselves. Living in a small community means that everyone is aware of what she is doing. The interesting part is that she seems unable to find fault in herself. For the past few months whenever I think about this person, it makes me angry. I dwell on all of the things she should be aware of and how she should have to feel as bad as the other dear sweet people she seems to need to bring down. It's not healthy, and I am not proud of it. The comment about agency also got me thinking about this woman. She has her agency. I can't take it away from her, no matter how many people she hurts. She still has the choice to use her words to tear people down. I am trying to change the way I think, how am I using my agency? Wanting to make her feel bad, puts me on the same level as her. Two wrongs, still don't make a right. What I can do, is try to make MY choices better. I can try to use my words, my actions, to lift people.

Ok... so now I am just rambling a little, and maybe this particular ramble isn't something I should be broadcasting on the world wide web, but I am curious. I know you people are amazing, and so much more advanced than I am - have you ever had a person like this in your life? How did you rise above the situation? What can I do to feel better about her? Feel free to comment, or you know email me :) I really would appreciate any advice you have to offer.

One of the things I like best about being from a small town, is how much things stay the same, or at least they give the illusion of doing so. However, when I got home this past weekend there were actually a couple of changes ;-) First, my mom bought a 4-wheeler. I personally find this completely amusing. She's wanted one for a long time, but I really just never thought she'd do it. Now if she would just go get the thing licensed we might actually be able to ride it. Second, we have a new batch of kittens. Even though I do not personally own them, I do actually like animals. Baby ones are the best. I am a firm believer that animals should live outside, though - which is why I don't own them. I don't have an outside for them to roam around in.
It was also fun to drive to town and see old buildings being torn down and new ones coming up. It gives the perception of change, even though nothing really does.

It's been a good weekend to be home, quiet and yet productive. Friday, Daniel, Kelly and Justin worked out in mom's yard. They got the war zone (created from digging for the plumbing this winter) leveled out and Daniel even mowed the lawn. It doesn't look like mom's yard yet, but it does look a lot more like it than it has. Saturday was community clean up day. Mom felt guilty about having to leave early for our dinner reservations, so we went and got the girls and cleaned up for a couple of hours before the rest of the folks gathered and joined us. I'm going to hand it to Tylyn and Heather. They were tired, but even so they did their part and the extra part to help out. AND they did it with out being forced to. Thanks girls!

Today was Mother's Day. I have been blessed with a particularly fabulous mother, if I do say so myself. I hope she knows every day, and not just one day a year how much I love her. I think I might have lived an extra blessed life for all the "like my mothers" I have. Aunts, neighbors, friends' moms, teachers, grandmothers, friends... my life has been full of wonderful women who have taught me what it is to care about people and to love unconditionally. To all of those I also wish a very happy mother's day.