Suitcase Stuffing

Someone asked me, "How do you pack for 3 months?" I said, "You don't. You pack for one week." Perhaps I should have said for 2 weeks. But the point is that I don't have to take enough clothes to wear for 3 months while we are in Namibia. We'll do the laundry. Did I say "we'll"? I should have said "I'll."

There are many things we don't have to take to Namibia because they can be purchased there. If I run out of clothes or get sick of what I take I'm fairly certain there will be shopping available.

This Saturday morning, June 2, we fly to Austin, TX. We'll be with our son and his family through Wednesday and Thursday morning we leave Austin International at 7:10 a.m. Thus will begin a very long period of time of being on the airplane and in an airport. I'm glad we will have a night to spend in Johannesburg before flying on to Windhoek. That should help us acclimate.

Next stop.....Hutto, Texas.

A Splendid Smile

On April 4, 2004 I began my experience with braces for my teeth. In March of that year my husband and I were watching TV when out of the blue he said, "I want you to get braces. You've always talked about how you don't like your bottom teeth." I wasted no time and called an orthodontist the very next day. I started my call with, "I'm 56 years old. Am I too old to get braces?" Fortunately the answer was 'no'. We decided that Invisalign would be the better choice for someone my age. It was the more expensive choice but worked very well for me. Slowly my terribly crooked bottom teeth began to straighten. The top teeth took very little time as they were decent.

So when we were in Botswana last year I realized that one tooth was simply not turning into place. When we returned home the orthodontist put brackets and wires on and that tooth began to move to its rightful position. And six months later he removed them and now I have a splendid smile.

If you don't like your teeth and you think you may be too old for braces...chances are you aren't too old. I am so glad I went through this process.

Prolific Pigeon Poop

Our small church in Umatilla, OR had a cupola or bell tower on top of the roof. It appeared to be rather attractive but actually it had become a home for a couple of dozen pigeons. Oh they were very happy in their nice little home. They cooed and made nests and laid eggs and POOPED!!! The attendees of the church decided it was time to remove the cupola and so Aaron and Pastor Ron and his son James undertook the arduous task. A high lift was rented and the work began on Tuesday, May 8. As they ripped apart the cupola the pigeons hung around. They even stayed on their nests. They could not sense that life as they knew it was about to be over.

On Wednesday Aaron and Pastor Ron scooped the 14 inch high pile of poop into garbage bags--about 27 of them. And then today, May 10, Aaron and I took the bags to the dump. The weight of the poop--EIGHT HUNDRED POUNDS!! Then we hauled 2 pickup loads of the wood to the dump--1120 pounds. There is more for us to finish up tomorrow.

A few pigeons meander forlornly on the roof--desperately seeking their home. Please don't feel sorry for them as they appear to be a nuisance in Umatilla. I'm sure they'll relocate and live to lay another egg.