Brexit and other News

Today, January 31, 2020 the senate voted to end the trial of Donald Trump in terms of calling witnesses or getting documents.  This ends the latest in a string of fishing expeditions mounted by the entrenched bureaucracy, the media and the Democrat establishment.  Meanwhile the President has spent his days making history in several ways, including appearing in person at the March for Life, sponsoring a rather clever two state solution for Israel, appearing to cheering crowds in liberal bastions like New Jersey and making a favorable impression in Davos.  He will be acquitted of the non crimes that brought him to face impeachment.  The final act of the democrat impeachment managers resulting in a act of comedy labeled "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry."
And to top it off the British finally freed themselves from the European Union.
I spent the morning trying to make a print of my painting and counting up the money taken in last night as people renewed their memberships in UVAG.

Temples

After attending the Provo City Center Temple this morning I rested and also put finishing touches on my painting of the Payson Temple after getting some advice from Richard.  I took it to the Utah valley artists guild opening social this evening and had a good reception.

Painting at last

Today I set out to make a painting of the Payson Temple against a backdrop of snowy mountains.  I began by painting an 11" x 14" canvas with varied shades of blue with craft acrylic.  I painted it before I took the kids to seminary.  Later I transferred the image to the canvas using my small projector and a white pastel.  Throughout the day I worked on the painting  Although there are some details left to finish, I feel that it is somewhat successful.  I have kept the line on spending and today I gave my helpers their wages. 

Reimaging

I decided to go ahead and paint a picture of the Payson Temple in acrylics on a 11"x14" canvas.  I have plenty of canvases after my misstep in doing copies of my portrait of Marge.  I decided to do a portrait as opposed to a landscape layout.  As January comes to a close I have been able to keep my expenditures tight.  I have already put aside the pay for my helpers.  I only have a little in my banking account but it should be sufficient for the next few days.  Other than working on the picture of the temple and doing two loads of laundry after coming home from the temple I haven't done much today.  At least I have kept close to the limits on my WOE.

Politics

I am politically conservative.  I feel America needs to put more money and effort into strengthening our borders.  I am fully in favor of legal immigration and I think the modern methods of gathering information should help smooth the process, but I feel that illegal intruders should be discouraged, stopped, arrested, forbidden aid of various kinds and quickly deported.  In fact, although I am generally not in favor of intrusive electronics, I think it would be justified to put electronic tags into those who are caught and deported.  I feel that 'birthright' citizenship should be made almost impossible.  As for those brought to this country by their parents, I feel they should wait a generation until their descendants can claim citizenship and not be given public assistance. 
I feel that our country should stop funding education.  It should be a local matter.  Even the state level is too remote to the case to do a good job.  As for Donald Trump, I am against his lavish spending, but I am in favor of his stance on putting more conservative judges in the courts and denying Planned Parenthood funding.

Visit from Meg

I just returned from taking my oldest daughter, Meg Stout, to the airport.  She had flown into town to attend the hearing for change of lawyers by my ex-husband, Richard C. Chiu.  Meg, Nancy, and Maryjane all attended the hearing.  Meg stayed in my living room for two nights and ate omelets for breakfast.  We watched Oak Hills Stake Conference via video streaming.  Meg was reading Don Bradley's recent book, 'The Lost Pages'.  It is always interesting to talk to her about her interests.  I suggested she might want to prepare her daughter Beth for a role in running her Nauvoo rental.

Chinese New Year

Meg stayed with me last night and this afternoon she drove her daughter, Annie, and me up to Salt Lake to join Nancy, Miranda, Tisha, Hannah and Rudy at Yanni's Greek Express.  I had already eaten my meal of the day but I enjoyed the company of my daughters and grandchildren.  As for other interests, I have decided to coat another supported board with hide glue gesso with a hint of iron oxide and crimson and use pastels to make the vignettes for my panel of Layla's life. 

Home Again

There was the prospect today that I would spend the night with my daughter Nancy in Salt Lake.  I was not eager to do so because the bed that she had provided for me before was like sleeping on a board.  I wanted to stop by and visit with my daughter Mary but she was involved in a hearing with her father today then I found that Meg had come from Virginia and Meg usually stays with me in Provo. That made two things in favor of staying with Nancy and two things in favor of going home to my own bed. then I found that my granddaughter Rochelle who has recently voluntarily undergone a double mastectomy the sake of folly would be staying with Nancy tonight. That tipped the balance.  I am sleeping in my own bed tonight for which I am very grateful.

Hobby Folly

Today after I got home from the temple I ate steak, made a fresh batch of banana flavored ice cream and made a necklace, matching earrings and another pair of earrings to match the purple dress that I will likely wear on Sunday.  Although I have a fair amount of meat in my refrigerator I discovered a sale on ribeye at Smith's that I will investigate tomorrow.  It could be a way to add to my fuel credits and it seems it is selling for about the same amount I spent on sirloin.  I will use up my Amazon credit on a gift card for Mary and Lata.  I am trying to avoid impulsive purchases. 

Mortgage

I received a letter from the credit union that has carried a mortgage backed line of credit for me for several years.  I used it to provide an extra fund in case of emergencies and used it now and then.  As a result of selling several rights of way to my property in Duchesne and receiving back payments for support payments during the months that Eliza was acting as her father's executor I had enough to put together a savings account of more than $20,000.  In the fall of 2018 I purchased the Acura from Mary and had some work done on the car, reducing my savings to around $10,000.  I have used that as a 'line of credit' for the past year.  Recently I dipped into it to pay off my credit card, however I plan to replenish it.  The line of credit based on a second mortgage will expire at the beginning of February.  With prudent living I should be able to keep from further depredations on my savings.  Once again I feel gratitude that the recent loss of extra income from working for Marge Lewis has brought me to my senses regarding spending. 

Chicken Feed

The term 'Chicken Feed' usually means something cheap or negligible in terms of money.  Today I paid $16 for a bag of chicken feed intended for my hens.  I also harvested two eggs, an indication that the lengthening days are having an effect on the productivity of at least one of the hens.  They were even deposited in the nest area, unlike the egg I found the other day which was sitting on the floor of the coop.  In keeping with my intent to retrench and purchase mindfully, or prudently.  I count it a blessing that my small employment with Marge Lewis ended yesterday.  When the family engaged in setting financial goals last year I felt distanced from the process.  Now I recognize how I have been quite foolish in my spending.  I use my Smith's credit card to build up credit toward cheaper gas when used to purchase items from Smith's.  It seems that a fill up will last for at least two weeks.  I can earn 50 points of the 100 points required to qualify for a discount on gas by filling out an application with information on the back of a purchase slip.  I can also earn extra points by purchasing a gift card.  I think I will try using my Smith's card only for purchases from Smith's for groceries and gas.  For other items I will use my debit card so I have the constraint of what is actually in my checking account.  In the beginning of February I will receive $400, $832, $1500. This adds up to $2732 which will cover the amount I borrowed from my savings account.  I have $40 credit in my Amazon account which I could use as a gift card.  I will not be able to save as much as I should this coming month, but I intend to seriously readjust my spending to help to save.

Reviewing and Reordering

Today when I stopped by Marge Lewis's home with the intent of sitting with her for five hours, feeling ever more useless as she takes over the management of her life, I found her son there fixing things.  Marge told me she now wears a monitor that will let her signal if she needs help.  I hoped for this day and expected it to come since she is so self reliant and upbeat.  However I need to decide my path forward.  For the past several months I have had two obligations that kept me from making plans to travel and somewhat inhibited other activities.  I had agreed to help Marge a couple of evenings a week when she came home from a nursing home and began to recuperate.  I was paid $130 a week for virtually just sitting around for the past few months.  I will try to keep in touch with her.  I think it would be fun to make puzzles of some of the pictures I have painted and challenge her to finish them.
In addition, this coming spring I hope my son David and his family will move out.  I haven't minded most of the aspects of their living here, but I have felt encroached upon by all of David's stuff.
The loss of the small job with Marge and the rent from David will make a difference of a little more than $900 per month in my income.
In the past few months I have been frivolous in spending.  Some projects and purchases were wise, such as a new chest freezer to accommodate the meat bargains that help to keep my Carnivore Diet relatively cheap.  I got a good deal on the freezer and I like the way it fits my kitchen after a bit of carpentry work.  I also feel I will get good service from the trailer that my grandsons put together.  On the other hand I have spent money on other things that I could easily have done without. 
These are some of the fixed expenses that I need to figure into a more conservative budget going forward:
Donations: Tithing plus donations of $200 a month which should add up to around $400 a month
Food and Sundries: About $10 a day coming to around $300 a month
Utilities: $300 in winter, $100 in summer.  Average $200 monthly.
Gas and Car Care:  Around $100 with normal travel and weekly trip to Bountiful.
Insurance:  $50 a month for car.
Taxes: $500 monthly amortized for Fed, State, County, Duschesne.
Helpers: $180 month for grandkids helping.
Gifts etc. $50 monthly.
Total: $1880 for what I consider irreducible expenses.
Income: $1500 from alimony, $800 from mortgage, $120 from SS.  Total $2420
This leaves about $540 for saving, art, electronic replacement and emergency fund.
$240 should go into savings each month and $300 into emergency fund. 
Live it and add as necessary.
I am grateful for this opportunity to put on the brakes and take account. 

Sweet Sunday

I have been mostly carnivore with some dairy since the turn of the year.  I avoid all but incidental carbohydrates, such as the breading on the cheese cubes I ordered at Arctic Circle this past Friday. I make 'ice cream' with whipping cream, half and half, stevia, a little salt and a variety of flavorings and sometimes egg yolk, frozen in an electrical counter top ice cream freezer.  So far I have made mint chocolate chip, banana, and peach variations.  My weight has remained in the high 140's which is just about where I feel comfortable.  It is sufficient for me to have a little extra in case of illness.  Today I tried to eat two steaks but only succeeded in eating about 5/4 of the amount I cooked.
 Today I wore my thigh high boots to church and found them very comfortable.

Almost

I have been fiddling around with the encaustic painting of the Payson temple and I find it difficult to proceed.  Each time I try to 'meld' the newest layer of pigment a lot of change happens.  Most recently I baked it in the oven at less than 200 degrees and it still flowed and marbled in an unpredictable manner.  At this point I am willing to let the mountains move and change but I would like to have a more exact and controllable image of the temple. 
I mended the lid of the chickens feeding bottle.  They had ripped off the tape I put on last night.  I used up the last of the previous bag of chicken feed.  I expect to purchase a bag on Tuesday after going to the temple.  I had the boys move the compost bins into the chicken run.  From the noises I heard this afternoon the chickens were playing on the barrels.  The barrels were of the same type used as set dressing in the Mandelorian in the episode where 'the Child' is found.  For the past couple of days I have been eating some really gristled steak.  Much of it I only chewed but didn't attempt to swallow.

New venue for Rudy

Although the day began with sudden, intense snow, but the time I started my drive up to Bountiful the roads were clear and dry.  It is approximately 60 miles from my house to Tisha's new home.  Google Maps gives between 55 and 57.  I arrived in time to take a tour of the neighborhood and found a nice small park close by.  I also located an Arctic Circle with a playground within a mile.  Rudy enjoyed the playground but he couldn't quite approach the large burger I purchased for him.  I ran low on gas before I reached my goal of the Pleasant Grove Smith's.  I pulled off in Lehi and purchased $5 worth of gas at $2.44 which was a good price.  Then I proceeded up State Street to the Smith's and filled up on gas that began at $2.44 but with a bonus of 75 cents off per gallon.

Chicken Treat Threat

I made a bad batch of frozen cream flavored with mint and containing chocolate bits.  It was not only too salty but the plastic bag I was melting the chocolate in melted.  Last night I impulsively decided to give it to my chickens.  Reason intervened and I looked up the effect of chocolate on chickens.  It turns out that chickens don't do well with chocolate, like most animals.  When I got home from the temple today I went out and removed the threatening globs of melting cream and chocolate.  Later I made a new batch of better tasting frozen cream with mint and chocolate.  So far I have flavored the cream, which I freeze in an ice cream freezer, with peach lemonade and banana flavor.  I think I will try some rootbeer flavored treats.  They are sweetened with stevia which I find tastes better with a small amount of salt added to temper the aftertaste.  Today I ate lamb, steak and frozen cream, both peach and chocolate mint chip.

Fiddling Around

Today, January 15, 2020, I composed and mailed the UVAG newsletter.  After taking the cards to the BYU mailing office I went to DI to see if I could find some pebbled leather to use in covering a key can for my phone holder.  I found several prospective sources of leather, two of which were scriptures which I was reluctant to sacrifice.  Then I found an electronic device cover that seemed it would suit.  I hadn't expected to get another case, but my eye was caught by a bright turquoise leather wallet decorated with incised images of flowers and the landmarks of CanCun.  I decided to get it as well.  When I returned home I fiddled around with the respective pieces of leather.  I didn't make any progress on my encaustic painting. On the other hand my dear little helpers came over to clean my house and car.  I am so grateful I live near them.

Long Nap

When I got home from the temple and a shopping trip to Smith's and a trip to the Bank I ate my steak and thought I'd lay down for a moment or so and nap.  For some reason when I woke up I thought it was evening.  Fortunately it was still relatively early in the day because I received a package full of things from Amazon and the dress I ordered turned out to be a major disappointment.  It was not only a dull, dark color, made of flimsy material, but it was also really short.  I took it back to Kohl's and stopped by at Walmart on the way home to pick up more cream and some flavorings for ice cream.  I decided to try banana.  I liked the ice cream I made using the flavor.  I had ordered peach lemonade from Amazon but they sent me ordinary lemonade.  I decided to keep it but when I ordered a replacement dress on Amazon I also ordered peach flavoring.  The reviews for the peach flavoring varied widely.  I made some modifications to the check wallet I received with this shipment to make it into a good phone case.  I don't carry a checkbook but the nice leather folder had a nice assortment of card slots and it's made of leather. 

Encaustic progress

I proceeded cautiously with my encaustic painting of the Payson temple.  Control of melt is difficult but I'm happy that I have this smaller, less complex project to practice with in preparation for my larger Layla panel. 

Long Cool Sunday

I didn't get the sacrament today.  I usually sit in the foyer, mostly because of Richard's discomfort, but he wasn't with me today.  When I realized the Sacrament portion of the meeting had concluded with none of the deacons coming to the foyer I decided it was a bit too late to give noticed that the few of us had been passed over.  I left before Relief Society after a strange visit with Diana Graham.  I let the chickens out before going to church and they apparently took a bit of sun before cooping up for the night.  Although I had vowed not to use Amazon so casually, I bought a pair of burgundy boots late in the evening.  When I weighed this morning I was just under 150 lbs., which is good in some ways.  My ketones were 1 and my glucose 91, both of which measurements are okay.  I feel satisfied at this time and don't anticipate I will eat anything before bedtime.  I went back on Facebook after a week of abstinence and not much has changed.  I am surprised at the level of ignorance about the Book of Mormon displayed by many if not most members of the Church.  While I believe the Book must be judged from a faithful perspective, for after all, it claims first of all to be a miraculous gift of God, given that I accept the existence of miracles and the evidence, once one accepts the possibility of miracles, is overwhelming, I can only believe it is the Word of God.

More Sous Vide and other things

I've been off Facebook for six days and to some extent I filled the gap by browsing Amazon.com, which is worse in several ways.  I made a separate post about the matter, deciding to stay off Amazon unless I have an active need for something only found on Amazon.  I have already ordered practically everything I can realistically imagine that I want or need.  Today I cooked my steaks with sous vide at 126 for about 150 minutes.  I feel that although they were more tender, there was a decrease in taste.  It seems that just a little over an hour is the best timing but that depends on the meat.  I also made another batch of peach ice cream with more taste.  I used the cheap iron I picked up at Deseret Industries on the encaustic picture.  This is a learning experience and I'm glad I decided to try out things on the Payson temple painting before going ahead with the Layla panel.  I also made some changes to the small purse I purchased at DI.  It is strange that the body of the purse seems relatively undamaged although the chain is quite worn out and showing different tones of metal.  It seems a nice, compact item. 

What Works for Facebook Should Work for Amazon

Earlier this month I realized that I had spent too much money and would run into a budget problem if I didn't cut back.  Unfortunately I have been self-indulgent on Facebook in the past spending time that would be better spent doing something. I have been off Facebook for about a week and it turned out just fine.  However I spent more time browsing amazon.com and spending money on silly things.  I hereby vow but I will not buy anything on amazon.com unless a serious need arises for the next month beginning today January 11th 2020. In any case I will be too busy trying to use the things I bought. 

Good Day

Today I put my new sous vide to the test.  I cooked two equivalent steaks and found the sous vide method resulted in a more tender version, but at a temperature of 130 degrees for an hour it was too well done.  After eating this morning I worked on my encaustic picture of the Payson Temple agains the backdrop of the snow covered mountains.  The skillet I picked up for 2 dollars at DI worked out well.  This afternoon I drove up to Bountiful where Tisha has bought a house.  It has a nice compact design and a finished basement.  Tisha came with Hannah and Rudy when we went to the park and McDonalds.  The park is located west of the site of the junior high where I spent 7th grade.  A new school with a different name has replaced old South Davis Jr. High.  I went down a slide but it was damp and my progress was slow.  I climbed onto the net tower but only the lower ropes.  The McDonald's was full of children.  My trip home was slow but steady most of the way.  I decided to get a glare blocking attachment for my visor.  I stopped at Day's and found a very nice roast with a lot of marbling.  When I got home I cooked it in the sous vide at 126 degrees.  It made a real difference and I really liked the tenderness and taste.  I also decided to recycle the bin for my wheat grinder which seems a promising container for the machine when it is cooking.  I had tried using one of my glass apothecary jars but the round shape made it cramped.  I purchased some half and half to add to the whipping cream I have been using in my ice cream maker.  I made a fair imitation of the mint chocolate chip ice cream I liked so much.  It is very keto, using cream, half and half, 90 percent dark chocolate, mint oil, vanilla, stevia and Real Salt.  The salt seems to moderate the herbal taste of the stevia.  As far as I'm concerned, my recipe is superior to the current formula for Breyer's mint chocolate chip ice cream which uses coconut oil instead of cocoa butter as well as soy lecithin and other dubious ingredients.  I purchased spring water for 80 a gallon from Walmart and find that it is bottled from Wasatch mountain water.  I find it a good replacement for the Artesian Well water that is now unavailable.

I'm Grateful for the Temple

As is usual on Tuesdays and Thursday, I rose early and performed my daily routine: praying, exercising while listening to scriptures, making my bed, then I showered and got dressed in preparation for leaving my home.  Today I took Alden and Jacqueline to Timpview seminary before driving to the center of Provo and parking about two blocks away from the temple dressing room.  Once dressed in my white long dress I proceeded back toward the other end of the temple and the grand staircase that winds upwards to the chapel where I waited for the 8 AM endowment session to begin.  During the endowment session I climbed the spiral staircase leading to the upper floor of the temple.  After the endowment session finished I entered the sealing office and joined a sealing session.  After I left the sealing room I went down the grand staircase and back through the length of the temple to the dressing room, then dressed, I returned to the far end of the parking lot and my car.  The daily morning exercises and my twice a week attendance at the temple are the main basis of my exercise.  Then there is shopping.  Today after leaving the temple I stopped at Smith's and purchased a package of t-bone steaks that are on sale.  After that I drove to DI and found a skillet although I was looking for an iron. I went west to Orem Main Street and then north to Joann's where I picked up an order for some silver beads and found several packages of findings including catches, crimp beads and a chain for the necklace I plan to make.  Although I usually stop at Walmart Neighborhood market to pick up bread, this morning I was hungry for the steak I had purchased.  At home I let the chickens out of their coop, cooked the steak and took a nap.  I also made some peach ice cream with some peach lemonade drink mix and whipping cream.  I had Adam come over and add windshield wiping fluid to the tank in my car because a warning light came on and insisted that it was time to act.  Fortunately I had anticipated the need and had a couple of gallons in storage.  After napping I sorted my purchases from Joann into the boxes where I keep my jewelry making supplies.  I am really grateful that I have set a routine of going to the temple twice a week.

Setting Up

I decided to do a small encaustic of the Payson Temple before trying to do the large panel of Layla.  However I have composed both pictures on the computer and today I projected them on their intended panels.  Tomorrow I plan to go to DI after I attend the temple and shop for an iron to use with my encaustics.  If I can't find one I will order the small travel iron available on Amazon.com.  It looks like it is free of steam vents.  A cheap iron from DI will likely have steam vents.  I made some mint chocolate chip icecream with 90% chocolate, whipping cream, stevia, salt, vanilla and peppermint oil.  While not the same as Breyers, it seems that Breyers isn't the same ice cream I have favored for so many years.  For one thing, it is now made with chocolate chips made from cocoa and coconut oil plus other additives that I find concerning. 

Long Loop

I decided to go to Payson in the afternoon instead of immediately following my sessions at the Provo City Center Temple today, January 7, 2020.  I wanted to have late afternoon light on the Payson temple and the mountains to the east.  I also needed gas.  I found on GasBuddy.com that a Smith's store in Springville had gas for 20 cents less than the local station.  I took a nap after arriving home from the temple and eating close to 2 pounds of steak.  I woke up around 2 PM and arranged my encaustic area.  After putting a load of laundry in the dryer I headed south.  I went down State street through Springville to 400 south then went to the new Smith's store where not only was the gas 20 cents cheaper, but the card I used took off an additional 55 cents plus the 10 cents per gallon for having a hundred gas points.  The fuel pump locked me into getting medium grade gas but it was still less than $2.00 a gallon.  I then went west to the freeway and down to Payson.  I had intended to take a picture of the temple from the vantage point of a road through the turf farm west of the temple but the road was closed to public traffic and a new development of 'senior living' houses intruded on the view.  I went further west and crossed the freeway to find a small road that paralleled the freeway through mostly farm country.  I got some nice pictures of the temple against a background of snow covered mountains with the intense late afternoon light making nice cool shadows on the mountains and the temple.  I took a few pictures closer to the temple.
I then returned to the freeway and drove north to the University Parkway exit.  I stopped at Lowe's and purchased the brush that was included in my package without charge yesterday and a halogen work light that may serve as a heat lamp for the encaustic painting project.  I stopped at Walmart neighborhood market for some whipping cream and chocolate then stopped at Lucinda's house to get the ice cream maker.  The trip was productive and I am grateful for the fine weather which was clear and cold. 

Boom goes the Bulb

In preparation for my Layla panel I purchased a heat lamp bulb from Lowes for about 10 dollars.  It was still in the box when I inadvertently knocked it off my dining room table, which meant I was only faced with a box full of glass shards instead of the disaster of tiny bits of glass all over the floor.  Jacqueline and Lelia came up and worked on their stained glass panels.  Jacqueline was able to complete her panel but Lelia's remaining pieces are rather complex.  I should probably go ahead and cut them out for her so she can have a completed panel.  I rescued my boots, at least one and a half pair, and plan to make a purse from the one brown long boot I found.  I also took on the task of making a picture of the Payson Temple.  It will look best in late afternoon so I plan to drive down to Payson tomorrow and take a few pictures from all sides.  I would like to do a work on the small panel I purchased before attempting the Layla panel.  I was happy to find that I can use my palette cart andt easel for the project.  The glass panel I rescued is just the length of the cart and about 4 to 5 inches wider.  I can work on the panel and close it off with the studio curtain as needed.

Going Dark

Iran has a habit of cyber revenge.  In consideration of the various ways they could hack and disrupt the internet I have decided to go dark as far the the internet is concerned for a couple of weeks.  I will concentrate on tasks that don't involve popular websites.  This means I won't shop online or access Facebook.  As the song goes:  'Got along without you before I met you, going to get along without you now.'

Ordinations

Today three of Ralph Hancock's grandson were ordained.  Adam and Calvin were ordained as a teacher and a priest in the Aaronic priesthood by their father in their home with the assistance of two members of the bishopric of their ward including Bishop Taylor.  Another grandson was ordained as a deacon in Salt Lake.  Because the wards are different the ordinations were not combined, leaving Ralph with a choice of venues.  Fortunately I was able to attend the ordinations of Calvin and Adam.  Ralph and his wife Julie were present for their other grandson, who is new to the Aaronic priesthood.  Since the other family only recently returned to Utah from the east many similar events have been missed over the years.  I think the choice was wise. 

Late night Friday, lazy Saturday

On Friday, January 3, I left early for my usual appointment to take Rudy and Hannah out to the park and to McDonalds.  I picked up my alimony check in Provo, deposited it at the UCCU branch on Freedom Boulevard, then proceeded to see if the Artesian Well Park in Salt Lake was still available.  I quickly determined it had been closed for renovation.  Rudy greeted me with a joyful little dance and the repetition of 'Go Slide' which meant he had really enjoyed his first experience of sledding the previous Friday.  I had checked out the neighborhood park and saw some potential for enjoyment so I joined Hannah and Rudy in sledding the rather random paths until Rudy headed for the playground equipment and a brief try at the 'spinners' before heading for the car and the hoped for trip to McDonalds.  After dropping them at their home I went to the home of my daughter, Nancy, who had invited me to go to a movie as her birthday present.  She offered me a choice between a Friday night showing or a Saturday morning showing.  I chose the night showing of 'The Rise of Skywalker' which is currently in theaters.  Maryjane and her children Sela, Heta, and Tevita joined us at the Sugarhouse Cinemark for the 7 PM showing.  They have reclining seats which was my first experience of this popular innovation.  Nancy reserved seats toward the back left side of the theater so there would be easy exiting for the younger children.  I enjoyed the movie and we stayed up until after 11 at Nancy's house afterward discussing the plot and the acting.  Nancy had seen it before but enjoyed the second viewing.  I liked it.  It was not the equivalent of the first experience of 'Star Wars' when it came out in 1977 when most of my children were very young, but it surpassed the 'prequels' which were released thirty years later.  Ironically, the human members of the original cast all appear in the final movie although none of them were in the prequels except Palpatine who is treated sort of like Voldemort.  At any rate, I got to bed late and slept badly from a combination of factors, namely a new mattress Nancy got for the TV room day bed.  It is quite hard and I am used to my lovely combination of 4 inches of memory foam over a firm standard mattress.  I left Nancy and Miranda still in bed when I started home for Provo after 9 AM.  I stopped at Smith's and Day's to shop for meat and bought cheap steaks at both locations.  When I got home I cooked a couple of steaks but ended up offering Richard at least a third of what I'd cooked.  I planned to fast for the end of drought and fires in Australia and ended my meal at around 12:30 PM.  Tomorrow Church begins at 9 AM for the rest of the year.  After eating and minor supervision of my helpers I decided it was time to do a final fix on the hot water supply to the sink which Richard had temporarily fixed on the day before Christmas.  I found the part we needed at the Ace hardware store on Cougar Blvd. and State.  It is somewhat closer than either Lowe's or Home Depot but likely more expensive.  In the process of fixing the water supply, Richard also dislocated then fixed and cleared the drain under the sink.  I had planned to start on my encaustic painting of Layla, but instead I decided to take a nap.  I didn't wake until after the sun had set and went out to secure the chickens.  This makes the fourth day I have kept a strict carnivore routine, with the exception of an occasional sugar free stick of gum.  At Nancy's I had two eggs before we left for the theater, and while not strictly Lion Diet, they are carnivore. 

Revenge of the Chia

Today I hoped to get around to cleaning out my refrigerator.  Since going on a fairly stringent carnivore diet I haven't eaten 'sugar-free' preserves or jellies and I knew there were a number of half used jars in my refrigerator, along with other nameless concoctions.  After cleaning out the revolving shelves in the corner cupboard and disposing of some things and consolidating others, I didn't think there was enough time left in the day to clean out the fridge, but I went ahead and did it.  I had expected to have to sign for the delivery of a power supply for my scanner so I only went to the temple for about an hour this morning and performing initiatory ordinances.  I stopped by Smith's looking for some bargains on beef and found a whole leg of lamb for $5.99 a pound, which was more per pound for meat than the boneless leg Jing  gave me, but I had eaten the last of that roast and wanted some stored in my freezer.  I put a thermometer probe in the meat and it was done sufficiently for me to eat it at around 11 AM.  I then cut the roast into slices and portions and stored it, rendering down the juice and fat in the bottom of the roasting pan and putting it in a silicone muffin 'tin' to stiffen up and then be frozen.  This means I will have the lovely sauce to eat with each portion as I thaw it.  My daughter Lucinda visited with her children and each one brought me a flower as well as several nice little gifts, including tiny stone animals.  Finally, after closing the door on my chickens and observing that they had picked all the meat and gristle from the bone of the leg of lamb, I decided to go ahead and deal with the refrigerator.  I found a really nasty mess in the bottom.  It was super tough and very sticky and black.  I finally identified it as chia seeds that had spilled, been moistened, then it swelled and stuck and made a really nasty mess, but not as bad as if it had been the mold that I suspected.  It is nearing time for me to wrap up for the day and I have finished cleaning out the refrigerator to my satisfaction.  I still need to tidy up the kitchen, but that is not nearly the challenge it might have been.  I'm grateful that I kept to carnivore today, eating lamb, taking some butter and drinking some whipping cream. 

Curtains

After spending most of yesterday binging on Star Wars movies and series I spent today in several different more productive pursuits.  It was time to put away all the Christmas decorations.  My sweet team of helpers did most of the work.  Today was pay day, although technically they should have been paid yesterday.  I noticed that the inside drapes covering my projection screen were dingy and decided to wash them.  They look much nicer but putting them up again is keeping me up somewhat late.  Tonight I sat with Marge again.  She really doesn't need any help from me.  As a result I was out of my house until after nine PM.  I expect to sleep well and wake up and go to the Provo City Center Temple tomorrow.  I believe it is a good idea to leave my phone with Richard in case the delivery of my scanner power supply takes place before I get home.