Rodeo (Stadium-Style)

I've been getting back into the swing of things as I feel like my crazy is settling down. My hunger is back. The gym is going ok sans arms per my PT's temporary precautions. And I started a new series for my Etsy/YouTube gig that is going well. 

I had my second sewing class this week and I finished my shirt. It's not my favorite style or color, but I learned some things about sewing with knits and using my sewing machine that I appreciate. And since I finished early, the teacher agreed to help me with figuring out a special project.

Work is still a little dry, but we had a good discussion with our sales manager this week about everything that PT can (and does) provide that most of the doctors don't recognize, but our mutual patients have really appreciated. I also was able to complete my CPR recert using our online training and dummies provided. 

It was YW camp for all the girls 11-13 this week. They loved it. I was able to go the last day/night/day of the camp and they seemed to be having fun. They did some nice skits, Evan did a dance per request, and I helped out in a self-defense demonstration. Then the Stake YW Presidency did a super spiritual thought that led straight in to testimony meeting. I was so proud of all of our YW that shared testimonies (aka 100%).  And the experience overall was eye-opening to me in a lot of ways. 

I helped Rog prepare for camping, since he decided (against his will, apparently) to sleep in. We went shopping and packed in the rain and ate Chinese food. And he told me to stop reminding him about stuff he wanted to bring (which he then forgot to bring). And he did some of his school work just in time for our date. 

We went to the rodeo. It was actually really fun watching from this side of the arena. It's much more stressful, closer, and with a worse view from the medical tent. Although I did tell the AT that I would help him out for next year's rodeo. Best part by far is the Mutton Busting - where you just sign your small children up to ride on the back of bucking sheep for as long as they can. Hilarious. 

Uncle Sam helped us figure out a strange clunking noise that appeared after my recent tire rotation. (Suspicious, I know, but the tire shop ASSURED me it wasn't there fault. And it likely wasn't.) But it should be a pretty easy fix.

The weather is a little crazy with on and off rain storms with severe potential for flash flooding in the area of the most recent fire. So Roger spent most of the week helping friends and family prepare by stacking their yards with sand bags. 

And now he's halfway to Sandall hole, his happy place. 

Fathers Day (in which the Chins say farewell to CT)

Work has been real slow this week since I discharged a lot of patients last week and now I've got to rebuild. I spent my time getting partway through a CPR course and N95 fit testing and acing a practice visit for state. I even got a card on how well I did. 

I also spent some extra time re-vamping my office. Aka my car. I washed her, changed her oil, even got the tires rotated. She's already vacuumed, so she's good to go. 

Wee Scotty, an old man I met on the streets, invited me to sewing classes a while back and I finally joined in on one course that specializes on working with knit fabrics. All the other classes are full, but this class is a one-on-one with his wife (because nobody else signed up). Round one pretty fun, but the gelato Rog requested spilled on the way home. 

The YW had a game night and we played Left-Right-Center. This is a game in which the loser dumps a cup of water on their head - and we all got wet throughout the night. It was fun and the YW stayed for like two and a half hours playing and chatting, so I guess they needed it too. 

I played some basketball this week and there was a new lady who really wanted to set a screen on me. That seemed to be her main goal on defense, but one which she never accomplished. The other fun news is that I scored the winning 3. And THAT doesn't happen every day. 

Rog's parents were in town so we hung out at Carol's with them on Saturday for lunch and so Rog could play with the kids. By the time we left, it was late so we got wings for our date night and then I worked on a sewing project and Rog worked on leather and we watched New Girl. We went back to Carol's house Sunday so Becky and I could crush everyone by 4K points at Hand and Foot and eat some prime elk straps and fish. 

Funeral Fun

 There was a lot of funeral prep. This from the family that does it all themselves - builds the casket, lines the casket, dresses and makeups the body. My task was to rearrange a piece of music so it had a better alto line. So I spent most of Sunday and Monday doing that and trying to learn how to play it. I did well enough. 

An evening stroll to the "stream". 

This week was Quest. Finally. I went over on Wednesday night and it took me about 30 minutes longer to get there and find the campsite than I had planned. Which was good, because they were an hour behind schedule. I sat and chatted with the girls and helped troubleshoot some crafting. And then we went to the Tree of Life. 

That was kind of a cool event. They led use along a rod of light through an unsuspectingly long tunnel of smoke where we could see nothing. We passed the great and spacious building, which really didn't look too tempting. Then we went along various stations that would light up and play a little clip about things we can do to hold to the rod. Then at the end was the tree with little popcorn balls that we got to eat. 

The kids had a good time and it would've been fun to hang out longer. As an adult, I am amazed at how many people are available. Do they just have a lot of vacation days? Or do they have nothing better to do? I'm not sure how it works and neither does anyone in my presidency yet. 

I ended early on Friday (squeezing one patient in SUPER last minute), so that I could drive up to Snowflake to get to a temple session. Afterwards, we went to grandma's old house down the road. Everyone was very upset at the state of disrepair. But we made it through and did all the funeral prep needed - included convincing the town that the plot purchased 30 years ago would be a great place for the burial. Which seems unnecessary, but they weren't about it. 

Baby Ellie loves me since I gave her a whopping 
glass of chocolate milk. 

On Saturday, the funeral went off well. There was a viewing and I think most of the town came. I played that piano piece while Roger's sisters and cousin sang Softly and Tenderly. We had a couple of good speakers and we got our escort over to the grave. The cousins had fun throwing flowers and playing cards into the grave and casket. 

We got some grub real fast before booking it straight up to Page for another conservation banquet we reserved seats for a while back. Kelsey and the Knights were a party, as always, but we were a little disappointed Brandt and Becky couldn't make it to use our extra tickets. We had some good grub and had fun in the only type of gambling I'll condone - where all the proceeds go to help with animal conservation locally. We got a nice new rangefinder and Jeff's family left with 3 new guns. Would do again. 

Then we drove straight back to Flagstaff, getting in after midnight. So I could attend ward council the next day. And have one of our young women tell me she wanted to do a shorter lesson - only to be let out of church early due to a new wildfire. It was caused by an arsonist this time and it spread quick. But it rained a few days ago and hopefully the fire dept is better prepared this time. We'll see. 

Iceland (part 2)

There is too much - I'll sum up. We woke up a few mornings at 2am for some pseudo-sunrise photos at the black beaches and viking village set. One day, we were startled by a huge reindeer in the road. It was toasty all day, but those mornings froze my toesies off. 

 

We saw so many beautiful waterfalls and streams Roger wishes he could've fished in. Most of them were just off the glaciers or mountains, but we stopped at a couple notable ones - the big boys. One morning we went to a birdwatching spot and heard a heavy rain, but saw that it was thousands of bugs hitting the window. (That stop was not long.)

Kaylee and I stopped at the rainbow church and some cool turf houses. We learned some good history and wondered how babies were made with all the women sleeping in separate beds. Somehow we found a fishing shop so we could get some new flies for Rog (even a few thrown in for free :)

The diamond beach and ice lagoons were full of seals and dive-bombing birds that were cool to watch. Most of the driving was pretty chill, but we did run into a few 7km 1-lane tunnels that were a bit sketchy. 

In the land of fire and ice, the hot is mixed into the cold. We swam in the nature baths and visited a volcano that was active until December of last year (and still steaming a little). 

 

We saw a natural fortress Borkarvirki and climbed all over it and then went to my new favorite restaurant Fridheimar. This place ships out 2 tons of tomatoes per day, every day of the year. And they had all you can eat tomato soup and bread - like GOOD bread.