"Looking back it is hard to believe I had already been back from the Nelson Reunion (0628.html) 15 days by Sunday, 23 July, 2006. And this was the Sunday I was responsible for Sharing Time during the second hour of Junior Primary. We had practiced the previous two weeks, and during class time, and it was still unexplored territory. The idea was relatively simple, i.e. to have the kids act out 'Froggie Learns the Gospel.' I cut down a bunch of big elephant and HyperMedia plant leaves in the back yard, and we built a forest at the front of the room. I played the guitar. Each of the kids had a copy of the music, and they had their parts outlined in red. So Dylan Hutchings was the Herman, Jennifer Martin was his mother, Jonathan Schmidt and Cody McInroe were the missionaries, Morgan Bancroft was the old muskrat, etc. Needless to say it was a real hit, the kids had a lot of fun, and I hope they learned something from the song and the performance. Of course, kids do what you do not expect. They picked up the plant leaves before I could get them all thrown away and were using them as fans. The little Sarls girl was very upset she did not get one, and so that night, I cut one and took it over to her house. That afternoon I was invited to had dinner with with Tom, Coleen, Jared, & Amy Moore while I did my annual Home Teaching visit to them while they visited their house from their posting with Conoco in Indonesia. It was a wonderful dinner, and I sure do enjoy the Moores.
Monday there was a senior management meeting I accidentally walked in on. I recall it because it is written in my notes, and because Mike Dunn said, 'You were not invited.' Oh well! I guess it is good to have the title of Vice President, even if it is in name only. One of Fred's students came by and told me that Fred is receiving the Maurice Ewing Award, which is the SEG's highest award. Neat. When I got home there were e-mails about the Japanese teaching position, requesting an interview, to forward to Andrea in Utah. She got the job, has worked very hard in preparation, has enjoyed teaching it, and probably will not teach again next year. Andra called and said our nephew, Peter Shirts, one of Randy's son's is interviewing at Cypress Creek High School to be a music teacher. I was asked to pick him up at the airport and to provide him a car for while he is here. Rob and one of his friends came over for a late dinner. Rob was showing off the musical instruments, and it was fun to see him involved in the house. Monday evening there was an e-mail stating that the Sieberts have lost the lease on their house, are on vacation, and need to find a new home to rent within the next few days. This is why Ashley did not participate in the "Froggie Learns the Gospel" presentation on Sunday. Someone in the ward found them a house within a few blocks of where they lived, they liked it, they moved in right after they got back, and so Ashley has remained in my Primary Class the rest of the year.
Tuesday I was listening to AudioTech Business Book Summaries while driving to work (I bought a new cassette player to listen to these cassettes). The tape I listened to had a description of how to use the web, which I wrote down:
Wednesday evening I did the ironing. Angie Law, the late Larry Law's second wife, sent this e-mail, which even though I have not followed up on it, seems like something worth each of you looking into in order to minimize identity theft:
The link is http://www.license.shorturl.com.
Thursday afternoon I went up to the temple after work and did an endowment for someone born after my Mom was born. This individual was born in 1937. I guess this really makes me officially old. After the temple session I went over to Intercontinental Airport and picked up Peter Shirts. Peter and I had fun while he stayed with me. He took the Prius (0630.html) to Cypress Creek High School on Friday, and Saturday. On Friday I was listening to another AudioTech Business Book Summary and it said:
So if you are in sales, helping folks do one of these things is one of the ways of becoming successful. On Friday Melanie wrote me the following e-mail:
I responded with:
Friday night Peter and I got to know each other better. We had a good time. I took him down to the church and gave him driving lessons on using a clutch in the Saturn. He did very good, and was using it sufficiently well after a very short period of time.
Peter went to the school to continue the interview process on Saturday. I worked in the yard, and got everything ready to do a dutch oven dinner. Peter got home from Cypress Creek about when he thought he would. Rob came and brought Joe Amason with him. I went by the Haney's when I came back from gettin some ice cream, and they were not ready to come over. So I took Peter, Rob, and Joe and we finished unloading the semi-truck for the Haneys. They would have been there all night with the help they were getting from their moving crew, which was constantly taking a break. The kids had gone up to The Woodlands with some friends, and so it was just Brother & Sister Haney who came over for Dutch Oven. I enjoyed it. Joe Amason made a big deal about switch and bait, and it was good for him to help out. It was a nice evening, and I think it was obvious I wanted nothing from the Haney's, I was just being a good neighbor.
Sunday morning I went to Vidor for Halle Nalise Wright's blessing, and Peter went to check out the singles ward. I think the single ward was more important than the job to Peter, which is a good thing. I got there just in time for church, where I learned substitute is the same as invert, exaggerate, eliminate, combine, and re-order. Melanie and Halle looked great. The Orange Stake was having WWW week (Wilford Woodruff Week), which meant no TV, no radio, no Internet, and no movies for the week. I think this is a great approach. Jared spoke in Sacrament Meeting, and I wrote two possible stanzas for Prime Words from his talk:
After church went to Glenda Wright's Mom's house for a Vidor feast and party. I sure do feel at home with these good people. There are not words to describe how pleased I am for Melanie with her extended in-law family. It was a privilege to have have my photo taken holding with Jackie Wright, holding Halle Nalies Wright in her blessing gown. Life is good!"