24 - 30 November 2015, Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving!

I got the bug to have Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day.  We altered our schedule and made a trip to the store to get all the needed ingredients.  We were on the late shift so I baked and cooked during the morning and we sat down to a delicious meal on Thanksgiving Day.  We invited Rex and Nora Jensen to join us.  The food was great and we had good conversation.

Rex told of Thanksgivings when he was growing up in America.  Nora wanted to know how we would celebrate Thanksgiving if we were home.  We told her how all the children are together this day with a full meal, more dishes than what we have here, and are enjoying the cooking and baking, the eating, and then being together in games, conversation and fun.

This is what we were missing at home:  42 of our posterity gathered in celebration.

The Jensen's brought us a lovely Harvest Basket.  The purple and white carrots are interesting.

Cold weather continues each day with no sun.  Sometimes there is rain and or wind, but no sun.  The SAD lamp is in full use each day and it is keeping me sane!  The temple was slow for the week and then on Saturday we had more patrons than all the week.  It was great to see it busy and everyone taking part.

The Doug and Beverly came for dinner and Pinochle on Saturday.  We had a fun time playing.  It was a refresher for them, but once they got into the groove, they were great to play with.

Sunday was busy with church and music rehearsals.  Sister Call came for dinner and then she and I headed over to the Visitors' Centre Christmas Carol Fireside.  Ben, the Rogers' son-in-law sang a beautiful rendition of "O Holy Night," and a Brother Charles was the speaker.  Afterward we all sang carols.  The evening was ended with each person given a bag of treats.  The whole place was full from the theater, the arrival centre, and out into the main area of the centre itself.  All the doors were open so those crowding around could participate.  It was a grand event to begin the Christmas season in remembrance of the birth of the Savior.

The missionaries held their annual Thanksgiving Dinner on Monday.  We took mashed potatoes, or "mash" as they call it.  The tables were laden with bowls and pans of delicious food.

 Sister Jensen and Sister Pilgrim are in the front with Brother Jensen standing.

 Tooley's, Williams, and Walter's are at this table.  Brother Mansbridge has served Sister Walters her first taste of "white" gravy.

 Sister Russell, Sister Call, Sister Carlson, Sister & Brother Orton

 The Kirk's, Sister George, The Whitehouse's, and Sister Christensen.

Sister & Brother Orton.  The table behind them has the missionaries from the Visitors' Centre, Brother & Sister Holman, Brother & Sister Pinegar, and Brother & Sister Hansen.