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April Fools!

Can't believe it. Franklin even told me he was going to do it, asking for my help. "How did Bryan get the kitchen sprayer to come on automatically?" I was half asleep and said, "Rubber band." Then he asked me, "Do you want to get hit with a spray of water?" I said, "Probably NOT," and went back to sleep. First thing I do when I get up is try to get a drink of water, but what-the-hey, the sprayer turns on. But my darling child had thoughtfully pointed it away so that I would not be the target. The countertop got drenched, though.

Not a Proud Republican Today

Just a little background: 14 Democrats left Wisconsin to avoid voting on a budget bill, which requires a quorum. One of the main issues in the bill was the collective bargaining rights of public employees. The Republicans peeled the collective bargaining issues away from the spending items, making a new bill that did not require the votes of the missing legislators. It was passed last night and public employees now have no collective bargaining rights in the State of Wisconsin.

When I was a teenager I talked to my Dad about one of the issues of the day, I don't even remember what. He explained to me any issue can get out of balance and that public opinion tends to lean one direction (until it goes too far) and then another (until it goes too far), and so forth, just like a pendulum.

I do agree that several of the issues being so warmly debated--union rights, entitlement spending--have swung out of balance. But Governor Walker lost me the very first day he announced his proposed legislation when he exempted some public employees (firefighters and policemen) from his program instead of making across-the-board cuts.

Whatever Governor Walker's intentions, that act makes our government take on characteristics of a police state. The subsequent revelation that those unions had supported his campaign smacks of favoritism. The conversation with the fake Koch brother brings up issues of corruption.

I have been marching with the public employees, even though I don't have a job that has ANY benefits, because I don't believe that the union rights that have been won over the course of half a century through grass-roots movements should be snapped in a day by an overly aggressive executive.

I think there should be dialogue by both parties and due process.

Food

I have heard so many different and conflicting things about what is best to eat. Then my Ensign arrived in the mail and the section where the editors publish many comments on a single topic focused on the Word of Wisdom. A woman told how simply following the Word of Wisdom helped her overcome diabetes.

I had thought of the Word of Wisdom before, but I had always discounted it, thinking "but I have diabetes--my body doesn't process carbohydrates correctly. That way of eating no longer applies to me."

But I think I got it backwards. I think God has a pretty good idea of how our bodies work (after all, He created them) and His recommendations for healthy eating are surely just as good as any of the different diet plans out on the market and written in scholarly books.

Maybe it is just as simple as: whole grains are best, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, don't eat too much meat. Medications are okay if used correctly and in fact we are given the herbs to help us with illness. Don't misuse herbs. Moderation is the key: eat what you need, but not to excess.

I've tried Atkins, hypnosis, South Beach, ADA, modified ADA....Do you think I can give this a try?

Sacred Songs

Tom, Franklin and I went to Marshfield today to visit Grandpa and Grandma Breu. After dinner we went to see Auntie Vi, who is in a dementia ward of nursing home in the area. Franklin has memorized "A Child's Prayer," and will be playing it in church tomorrow. His Dad and I told him he could play it for Auntie Vi at the nursing home and when he got a bit antzy as we were trying to visit, I sent him off to find the organ in one of the side parlors.

His little fingers started in on "Jingle Bells," the second of his two memorized pieces. Our little group headed on down the hallway and sat down to listen to him play. The sound of the music brought a trickle of visitors. Tom, seeing the hopeful old faces, asked me to play. I hadn't brought any music, but there was a Lutheran hymnal there and we began looking through for songs people might know.

"How Great Thou Art" is a favorite in many churches, and I began playing it. One of the old ladies began singing when we came to the chorus, and Tom encouraged me then to sing and play, both. He started thumbing through the book looking for songs. He and Franklin passed out song books, and Franklin would help the oldsters look through the pages. I asked if they had any favorites, but since this is the dementia group, they've forgotten how to read and search and make any sort of requests for themselves.

We ended up in the Christmas Carol section. The old voices warbled and wavered, but for all that, sang with all that they had. Here they were, this group of forgotten souls, who themselves had forgotten the names of loved ones--children, spouses, siblings. And yet, when the music from their childhood was being played, they could sing along.

I was just about wiped out with "Silent Night," and turned around to face the little group, tears streaming down my face, suggesting that might be a good place to end. Tom said, "How about 'How Great Thou Art,' one more time?" It was a wonderful idea and it about did me in when they started singing the last verse: "When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation to bring me home, what joy shall fill my heart...."

For they were all them, raised in a time when Jesus Christ meant something to the American people, and they were, all them, waiting so patiently and with great faith, to be called home. It was for me, a sacred time.

Friends

I've been attending a morning water aerobics class at our local YMCA for several years (off and on), but I didn't attend all semester because of class scheduling conflicts.

I went on Friday and so many of the ladies (most of whom are 15 to 20 years older than me with white or silver hair) came up to me and asked how I'd been and told me they were worried about me, missed me, and wondered if I'd been sick.

They were so encouraging when I told them about going back to school and had so much helpful advice and support.

I'm grateful I have this group of friends!

Average for My Skill Level

So, I've been practicing a hymn for the past month to play at the stake Relief Society meeting this Saturday. I asked Franklin how it sounds.

"Like everything you play, about 6 or 7 percent better than me." Franklin is in the beginner books and this particular Glen Beck arrangement is labeled Early Advanced.

I asked him, "Why did you compare yourself to me? I meant 'How does it sound for my skill level?"

Franklin thought about this for a moment or two: "About average," he replied.