There's not A lot to Say....
      ...and I don't have many Pictures to Prove it.

   

   

The week is over and as I muse over it I struggle to find pictures and thoughts that can paint a picture.  It's not that there was little that happened....it's more like it was the same thing every day.  So it is likely this will be shorter than normal and contain a lot of random ramblings....
     It's been a month since Elder Van Horn left and I have spent the majority of my time working alone....not necessarily and bad thing but it does make progress seem slower and it definitely is harder physically.  We tore out more of the floor and exposed another wall at the McConkie home and discovered more hidden damage.  A structural engineer was summoned but he was unable to make it to the house last week for his assessment.  I can hardly wait to hear......if I have any nightmares it will be that this will be a return to the Schenk house scenario.
     Meanwhile, back at the Economou house the plumbers finally finished and Friday the electrician began work.  He went to get some wire and I never saw him again.  I started framing in a doorway and temporarily laying some plywood on the floor so I didn't have to dance so much over the open floor joists.

Speaking of dancing.....It started with a phone call from Sister Orme, our fellow cast member and neighbor.  They were having a little "get together" with music and dancing on Friday with a few other couples....Sister Gibson answered the call and of course she said "we would love it".    Turns out...we did. (even though I said "What are you thinking?"!!!
   We met at the Finlinson's, who have a large deck on the back of the house, and there Elder Finlinson, who is one of my favorite off beat Elder's  explained we were going to have a"Quadrille" (a dance where four couples form a square and follow the instructions of a caller).....
If they'd called it a "square dance" I would have known what I was getting into.
    We turned out to be short a couple so he called President Gordon (one of the mission presidency counselors) and started out the conversation by asking him if he and his wife were dressed...we were having a little "get together" and wondered if he and his wife could come over.  After a long pause...and our raucous laughter in the background died down he acknowledged they were.  It may not be what you think but around here you always need to ask that question.....bed time comes early....anytime after 7:00 you better ask before you show up.  Fortunately they were coming back from dinner and arrived quickly....let the dancing begin.
    It turned out to be a lot of fun with Elder Orme plays a mean accordion and Elder Finlinson guided us through the moves. Old people tire quickly and it was over before  we knew it...plans were formed to try and do this again....I can hardly wait!!?


    

      We had to make a shopping run to Burlington.  It is really more of an excuse to go out and eat.  I needed to get a pair of gloves so we stopped at Lowes.  I sat down for a rest and was soon joined by Sister Gibson.  Apparently it had been a rougher week than I thought.  At least my dental hygiene look to be pretty good.
     On the way home I met a nice young police officer from Gulfport, Ill. who sits in the median and waits for unsuspecting drivers coming off the downhill side of the highway bridge that crosses the Mississippi.  I had seen him apply his crafty trade to those who weren't paying attention.  Now I was the guy.  He wore the cutest Bermuda shorts and was very polite.  I would have asked him for a picture but I didn't think he would appreciate it.


 

   
Conference has a way of wreaking havoc on schedules for the sites and Rendezvous.  Women's Conference and General Priesthood Meeting require that some sites, where schedules can't be adapted, are closed early so the missionaries can get to Rendezvous that must start at 5:30.  Then it's quick change time to get to the conference on time.  In the case of Priesthood meeting the Elders were fed spiritually while the sisters headed off to Sister Butt's where the were fed lavishly with a meal prepared by Sister Butt.  I'm sure there was also a lot more fun and frivolity than at the meeting the Priesthood attended.

    

 

   The one thing left to post needed to wait until about 6:30 Sunday Night (Oct 1, 2017).  That was about the time we made our way up to the temple after arriving in Nauvoo.  We marked the occasion with a selfie.
     While it didn't look like a promising night for a picture.....the longer we stayed the better it got.  We met a family from Georgia......Sometimes you are in the right place for a reason.
     They introduced us to their father who was a rancher from Weston, Id.  The next hour we listened to his many spiritual and inspirational stories about things that had happened to him and his family and their experiences.
     We walked away feeling better for the night...and I am sure he did.