FUNNY...ENTIERRO CUBANO

ENTIERRO CUBANO

Toda la familia en CUBA, se quedo sorprendida cuando llego de Miami un ataud con el cadaver de una tia muy querida.

El cuerpo estaba todo apretado en el cajon con la cara aplastada contra el cristal de la tapa. Al abrir el cajon, la familia encontro una carta prendida a la ropa con una aguja que decia:

Queridos Papi y Mami: Estoy enviando el cuerpo de Tia Jimena, para que hagan el entierro en Cuba, tal como ella queria; disculpen por no poder acompanarla, pero los gastos fueron muchos, con todas las cosas que 'aprovechando las circunstancias', les estoy enviando.

Abajo de tia, en el fondo del ataud, encontraran, 12 latas de Bumble Bee, 12 botellas de acondicionador y 12 de shampoo Pantene anticaspa; 12 frascos de Vaseline Intensive Care (muy bueno para la piel, no sirve para cocinar); 12 tubos de crema dental Colgate; 12 cepillos de dientes; 12 latas de frijoles Span (espanolas, de las mejores); 4 latas de chorizo (de verdad). Dividan con la familia, (sin peleas !!!).

En los pies de tia Jimena estan un par de tenis Reebok nuevos talla 9, son para Juan (pues con el cadaver del tio Esteban no le mandamos nada y se quedo enojado).

En su cabeza hay 4 pares de calcetines nuevos para los hijos de Antonio, son de colores diferentes. De nuevo, por favor, sin peleas!.

Tia Jimena esta vestida con 15 sudaderas Ralph Lauren: una es para Robertito y las otras para sus hijos y nietos. Ella tambien lleva una docena de sostenes Wonder Bra, dividan entre las mujeres, al igual que las 20 botellitas de esmalte para unas Revlon que estan en las esquinas del ataud.

Tia tambien lleva puestos 9 pantalones Dockers y 3 jeans Levis. Papi: quedate con 3 y les regalas los otros a mis hermanos. El reloj Seiko que papa me pidio, lo lleva puesto en la muneca izquierda; tambien usa los aretes, pulseras y anillos que Mama queria y me pidio.

La cadena en el cuello es para mi prima Carlota; los 8 pares de medias Channel son para repartir con mis amigas y las vecinas, o si quieren pueden venderlas (por favor no las den baratas, que son de las caras). La dentadura que le pusimos es para la Abuela que hace anos esta sin dientes y no puede masticar (con estos dientes va a poder comer pan sin antes mojarlo en el cafe). Los lentes bifocales son para Alfredito, pues son del mismo grado que el usa; tambien es de el, la gorra de los Orioles que lleva puesta.

Los aparatos para la sordera que usa tia, son para la Carola; no son exactamente los que necesita, porque son de segunda mano, los nuevos estan carisimos.

Los ojos de tia no son de verdad, son lentes de contacto; quitenselos que son de Marcela, se los debia desde sus 15 anos. En los dedos de los pies, van los anillos de oro para el casamiento de Josefina, para que este super hermosa ese dia. Espero que nadie se queje esta vez...

No le cuenten a nadie todo esto y saqueenlo rapido, antes de comenzar a velar el cadaver. Con mucho amor: Maria Dolores.

P. D. :

Por favor consigan ropa vieja para vestir a tia Jimena para el entierro, manden decir una Misa para ella ya que los ayudo hasta despues de muerta. Como veran, el cajon es de muy buena madera; no agarra termitas, deshaganlo y hagan las patas de la cama de Mama, comprenle un cajon de los baratos, pues a ella le gustaban las cosas sencillas. Saquen el cristal de la tapa y arreglen el portarretratos de la abuela que esta roto hace anos; una bolsa plastica sera suficiente para volverlo a arreglar.

Con el forro del cajon, que es de satin blanco de 20 dolares la yarda, Josefina se puede hacer su vestido de novia. No dejen que toda esa alegria les olvide vestir a tia para el entierro.

Con la muerte de Tia Jimena, la tia Blanca se quedo muy triste y enferma; creo que pronto les estare mandando mas cositas.

some more news...

Hi again,

I thought I would write to fill you in on a little more news, if I can find any. The last couple of weeks have been a blur of very cold weather.

When it gets cold like that, we have to do a lot of wood hauling and stoking of the fires. Jarred was on evening watch this past week, which means he stokes the boilers for the public buildings. He did a very good job, keeping us all as warm as could be expected in such weather. Something went wrong with the school boiler, but Merlin was able to patch that. Now we are toasty warm again.

Various people had trouble with frozen drains--us, Jannis, Kim Milliron, and maybe others. Our frozen drain was caused by an ignored drip from one of our faucets.

Sis Marilyn is continuing to improve while undergoing some physical therapy in Anchorage. I heard that Garth with Ann and Wayne Gentry went to visit Sis Marilyn. They passed all these very sick people before finally happening upon Sis Marilyn who looked very well and was grinning from ear to ear.

Allyson and Jo had a scare today. Bro Rus dropped them off at Chasz to pick up the Dodge minivan that’s been in the shop for a month for body work. The heater wouldn’t work, and it is -10° out. Allyson firmly told Chasz to get it fixed, and they did. (It had worked when we dropped it off so…)

We did have service yesterday, but I was in the kitchen so I don’t know what was said. I do know that Ben led worship and that Bro Steve and Bro Andy preached. Many people were missing due to sick children-hopefully we will be all “healed” before convention time.

The pellet production is going well, but the guys are looking for a good market for selling them.

Kathy Casey has started planting begonia seeds. It’s too cold to start the greenhouse so we just plant them in the upstairs of the tabernacle using grow lights for sunlight.

Erica Mehaffey turned 18 yrs yesterday. Seth and Olivia put together a little party for her.

Speaking of birthdays… Sis Millie’s 80th birthday will be on the 21st of this month. We plan on having a cake for her or something this coming Sunday. This is a surprise so NO ONE tell, NO ONE mention it to her!!!!!!!! Thanks.

Convention starts on the 23rd. We will be starting to do the pre convention cleanup soon. Everything gets a scrubbing, lights, floors, walls, ceilings, ovens, etc. It is a good time to get together and the kids especially love it, all that water sloshing about.....then usually have a snak to top the evening off...

We are happy for the warmer temperature. It is now happily at -10°. Everything that was frozen to windows and doors is now merrily melting and bath towels are coming in very handy to stop the flow of water....

Big Pat went to Delta to tune for Whitestone so they can get ready for their convention. People are planning -before convention- trips as fast as they can, now that the weather has warmed up some. Flo has a medical in Delta coming up and I will probably be taking her in.

May's 19th. is coming up at the end of this month and we are planning a big party at home. She always wants all her ex teachers and her old school friends so it makes for quite a crowd.

Again, have a great week,

Talk to you all later....

HEAT WAVE!!

OMW, the temp has warmed up to -15*. After having such extreme cold temperatures for so long now, this feels wonderful. Seriously, people have canceled appointments and scheduled town trips for these two week unless they just had to go somewhere (which wasn’t many people) because of the temperatures. We are running out of food (not really, but out of the extras that make food fun).

Because of the milder temps, some people are finally able to get out and go to their appointments—Ann with Micah for his foot brace appointment; Rus and Millie for a dental appointment; and more – I just can’t remember them all. Allyson and Jo are going in with Rus to pick up the Dodge that’s been in the shop for quite awhile. Then they will do shopping so we can prepare for convention which is only approximately 10 days away.

Ok, I better do the breakfast thing. Just wanted you all to know that we are alive and well and that the temperature has finally broken, hopefully, for awhile.

Have a great week!!!!

CAN U BELIEVE IT IS STILL - 40 !?

Well, this has gone on long enough...we are definitely ready for warmer climes! According to hubby Pat, this cold spell is a record going back 2 decades.....going into our 3rd. week...ouch!

Even for us Alaskans, we have had enough and some of us are going thru the dreaded "cabin fever" syndrome....

Rob and the guys did go out this Sat. to chop wood for the community and I was worried all the time somebody wld end up with frost bitten appendages....especially Rob who does not like to wear his muffler over his nose...but all was well and after about 2 hrs. or so they all came trooping in again to the warmth of the indoors. Rob even helped Dad fill the wood box and was feeling very proud of his accomplishments indeed!

He actually tired himself out so that we found him at one point sleeping in his bed...in the middle of the day!!

Underground weather report has it that it will warm up again soon...maybe tomorrow...?? ha ha, heard that one before.

Here's to warmth, wood stoves, hot chocolate and log cabins!!

more later...and....

"warmest of wishes your way"

grib et all

STILL COLD

Evenin'

Cold snap still with us I'm afraid. This morning Pat decided he just absolutely HAD TO GO TO VALDEZ TO TUNE PIANOS!! At -45...he called a while back saying that he had made the mountain pass in the big van OK...so we're thankful for that. Seems folks up in the University there are having some winding show or something and just had to have their Steinway tuned again...Pat usually is done with piano trips by this time. This was an "extra"...and then again at the end of the month.
This month is gonna be a busy one, what with medical trips into 'Fairbanks (150 miles away one way) and our annual church Convention, plus May's 19th. birthday celebration....she likes to invite all her past teachers and all the young folks so our cabin rocks with about 30 people which is alot for us!!!

The temperature has stayed between -26° and -55° for about ten days now. Tonight a cold wind is blowing warming the temps up to -40° so far.

Bro Russell Stendal was here for a couple of days. We had meetings with him on Sunday morning and Monday night. (We won’t have service on Wednesday night). He had many good things to say. Sunday he talked about community and being “friends” with God. Last night he talked about, among other things, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit having their own very special jobs. Pat and Ben each led a praise service.

Garth took off today, with Russell Stendal, for the Wasilla convention. Garth will be traveling on the Alaska convention tour. He is using one of our big vans to transport the ministry around. I’m not sure where Garth quits being chauffer, but I can tell you that at a later date.

The loggers have been running the chipper (the machine that chips slabs into smaller pieces for the pellet machine) and the pellet machine despite the cold temperatures. So far, everything is going well with that.

Not much is happening in these cold temperatures. We are all staying close to home right now.

Ok...good night to y'all

stay warm.....

HOMESTEADING ALASKA STYLE....

ABOUT WOLVES ...GOOD ARTICLE,,,CHECK IT OUT!

SOME CLIPS OF ROB ...

Here are some of Rob helping out with wood...he says he's a big boy now.....starting to help out which is good. Creek out back froze over and left a nice little ice patch for Rob to practice his skating..

HOW WAS YOUR NEW YEAR'S EVE??

How was your first day of the New Year?

Jon installed a pellet stove in Marilyn’s house. I see that there are bags of pellets outside her house. Those pellet stoves burn so clean that you can’t even see the smoke coming out of the chimney. How will we ever know if the fire is running or not by just looking?

Allyson came home from Anchorage, leaving her mother in the hospital there. From what I hear, Marilyn is doing well. She’s doing some physical therapy and such like things.

School is out for a few days over the Christmas/New Year holiday.

Temps are still rather low...everybody still kinda holed into their cabins.

This month is gonna be busy with Convention and all.....

More another time....

gri et all


You can't expect to prevent negative feelings altogether.
And you can't expect to experience positive feelings all the time.
The Law of Emotional Choice directs us to acknowledge our feelings
but also to refuse to get stuck in the negative ones.
~Greg Anderson~

FELIZ ANO NUEVO! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

FELIZ ANO NUEVO!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A BLESSED ONE TOO!

We just came back inside from enduring about 30 minutes of 45 below zero weather to witness the yearly firework display put on by the young men here on the farm. This one was very good one, they are getting better and better at synchronizing it and it was a very colorful display.

Robin does not like fireworks so he took his bath early and went to bed...I think the noise and bright lights bother him....despite the freezing cold weather and the danger of frostbite, there was a pretty good turn out, including children.

Then we gathered AT the Tab again for more food and hot drinks....

It is now past midnight and everybody is starting to drift home.

Hope you all had a great festivity and here are prayers for a blessed 2009!

See you next year!!