Monday, August 25, 2014

Lessons from the Brits Week 15 August 17th to August 23rd


Wow!  That was quick as I just finished the last week less than a minute ago.  I will call this catch up time.  This week has been a most enjoyable week as we have a complete coach of French people here with us again.  They come for a week 4 times a year.  That is everyone of their holiday’s (day’s off) so I would have to say they are very dedicated.  We try to turn as much over to them as we can.  They run their own baptistery, their own instruction sessions and their own sealing sessions.  It is so much fun to just sit back and watch them.  They said that their temple has most of the underground things done now but not too high.  It is sure fun to try to talk with them.  I am not too good with the gift of tongues but our hearts have communicated rather nicely.   When they pulled out Friday afternoon part of me went with them.

Words:
Hire              To rent something for a short period of time like a dress at the temple or a car for a trip.
Rent              Something you hire/use for a very long time like a flat or house or business building.
to let            how they advertise that they have something to rent.
let                 hindrance, like the tennis net on a let serve

1. English Chinese
After our non eventful day to church, we came home and cooked up a Chinese dinner for Mulholland’s and Sister Freeman.  Ibbotson’s went to Bristol to be with their son so they couldn’t come.  I had no idea when to stop and cooked for 20 instead of 5.  I made sweet and sour chicken and pork chow mien.  Sister Freeman brought the rice and Sister Mulholland brought the dessert.  We had a grand time.  I only have one big roaster pan so I was in a wreck trying to cook 2 large dishes but it finally happened a bit later than I had expected.
We cleared to the kitchen and headed to the fireside but there was no room left in the inn.  We came home and cleaned up and went home teaching to the Roger’s.  That was very nice.
Home and to the book – it is getting exciting.

Brad's picture of the reflection of the temple.

2.  Castles and Cathedrals
We headed out in the van today to Rochester for a castle, a cathedral and a castle type blockade.  The Rochester Castle was first built in 1066 but the first stone was used in 1087.  It was rather large with a lot of stairs as my legs started telling me.  We walked around it for a while and enjoyed the view (how did they build those tall buildings in that day) and then headed to the van for our lunch.  I had just washed my hair and the wind was so cold I thought I would freeze but the van warmed me up so I could continue.  We walked back through this amazing old cathedral that had a walking tour with headset that was great.  Then we went to the High Street and enjoyed walking up down all the little shops.  It was great.  It took us a bit, but we found a little Swiss Chalet where Charles Dickens wrote 5 of his books, including the last words he ever wrote.  For you looking at the picture you will see how small it was so there were no tours but it was an honor to stand close to the ‘guest house’ of such a talented man.
After we left there we headed to Upnor Castle.  It was not nearly so big but was a main battle front to try to stand off the Dutch.  It surprised me to think of the Dutch as the aggressors.  It started to rain there and we had carried the umbrella all morning and then left it in the car for this bit.  We didn’t get too wet walking back.
The group wanted to stop at another Toby’s Carvery were you could get a £3.69 dinner.  We didn’t speak the language again and couldn’t understand and paid a bit more for a chicken dinner which was –fine – but Brad is getting less fond of Toby’s.  We made it home and did some wash for the week ahead.
I called Neil and as he answered I asked Brad if he needed a white shirt ironed.  Neil said that yes, he needed a white shirt ironed.  I asked him to throw it over then.  He asked what I was talking about and I said to throw it over the ocean.  He then says, “Betcha I could throw it right over that mountain.”  That was a set off and the 3 of us were quoting ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ for about an hour.  Murdoch’s have our DVD so we called and arranged to watch it next week.
Our pictures of the Rochester Castle.
The floor rot out but an amazing structure for 1087!

A replica.
The Actual Castle




 





 

3.  Watch the French Go! Or 2nd time around!
I was to be at the temple very early to help a young woman coming through for the first time.  That was very nice but what was really fun was to see the French there ahead of me all waiting to work everywhere.  I had a very busy day as we also had 3 French girls go through the temple for their first time.  I was supposed to go home an hour early but ended up going home an hour late.
After finishing at the temple, I got my haircut which I desperately needed.  LeeAnn had been in charge of the musical fireside so we couldn’t do it that week and last week we work nights and that is just tough.  I hurried home and fixed up the leftovers from Sunday and Mulholland’s came over to eat them again.  We had a fun little night with them, then read a bit and hit the hay for another big day.
View of Rochester from the top of the castle.

Complete with a yellow -- ah shucks -- a rusted submarine.




4.  And Go!
Yep, the French are still at it.  When they come for the week they of course have to bring their children so the lawns are just crawling with children.  It wasn’t quite as busy today but we never really had a break either.  The other day I was walking with Sister Cooper and she asked me to slow down and said we were not to haste in the temple.  Humm!  I wonder what she would have thought today.  I was standing in the east end of the second floor when the phone rang and said to get Parkinson to the west end of the 3rd floor immediately.  Once I turned the corner I grabbed my long dress in my hands and took off on a full-fledged sprint.  I was taking the stairs 2 at a time and rounded the corner at just the exact moment I was needed.  Believe me, there was haste and I have seen others doing it as well.  Sometimes we just get caught and have to do whatever it takes.
I did an instruction session as a patron today and I went through for Mary born 1685.  WOW!
We thought about going shopping but I was too tired so we made spaghetti instead.  It tasted great and I didn’t have to leave the flat to do it.  We finished our book tonight which was very good.  We enjoy Dick Francis. 
The pipes for the organ at the cathedral.

 Looking east to a new day and a new life.


5.  Still going!
It definitely keeps us all going to have the French with us.  The communication is great fun as we are talking English and French plus we have had a young sister from Angola who only speaks Portuguese and since I said my 5 words to her, we are well bonded.   Busy day!  We actually thought we would just ride the shopping van but it was full so we drove over and got our groceries and headed home.  I was delighted to find sour kraut so we came home and had hot dogs and kraut; almost as good as Costco in Mesa.  I finally ironed about 5 white shirts and a blouse and a skirt for me.  It is impossible to keep up with white shirts over here.  We also watched ‘True Grit’ and it was wonderful to see ‘the Duke’ again.
Pictures of the little town. 


Loved the ornate door.
 

 




6.  They left us!
The first news of the day was that new shift coordinators were announced today.  The Murdoch’s time is almost over and this morning the announced the Callaghan’s, an English couple, are going to be the new coordinators.  Sister Freeman is going to be the assistant for the women and Brother McClellan is going to be the assistant for the men.
The French are only here till noon.  We have been running the 10:00 instruction session in French for them so if the English want to go they need a headset to translate.  Today they decided to run both the 9:00 and the 10:00 in French.  At least that is what we thought so we gave the headsets to the English.  Then we found out the session was in English but the French could use their headsets so we had to change all the headsets.  Then the session was truly in French so we had to change all the headsets back to the English.  Since I wasn’t involved with all the mix up I could see the humor in it and had a good laugh. 
My day was indeed a busy one and I was going strong to the very end.  I made it home and said I had to have a nap.  Brad had other plans.  He wanted to work out so we got ready and headed to the workout room.  There wasn’t room for me so I went out walking and running around the outside path and it was great.  On the way back I met a family from Ireland and we had a lovely chat.  So fun.  I didn’t get my nap but I had a very good time.  We fixed up our sweet and sour with some fresh chicken and watched a movie tonight so it was a very good day. (By the way – Don’t tell Brad how we Americans take our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for granted.)
 

The little guest house where Charles Dickens wrote 5 of his books.
 
More shots of the little village.  You can tell I took this picture,
and I have no idea why the glow around our little party.
It was suppose to show the LOW ceilings.




Driving in England
7.  Early, Early!
We had to be at the temple by 7:15 which we made with time to spare.  It was a pretty good Saturday but people always come in spurts so you are really busy and then slow for a few minutes and then really busy again.  I worked right through my lunch but got a bite a bit later.  Today, I did get to go home a whole 15 minutes early. 
We got Mulholland’s and headed to Costco.  We bought our goodies and then ordered a pizza from their Deli – that was a mistake.  We made it home, got the food put up and went to movie night – Johnny Lingo.  It was great fun.  Home and to bed.  The fox was out there but I missed her again.

Brother Rogers, hiding Brother Whitehouse, Sister Rogers, Sister Whitehouse.
Me -- entering  Upnor Castle
They have a room upstairs where they perform weddings, etc.,
and the guest sit on these kegs.
We thought we should be King and Queen for a day.
The Castle with fortress.
It is on the Medway River.
Brad cannot believe how Sister Bustamonte balances this topper.

So ‘adieu’ to another week and a lot of friends.  We made it through another week in grand style.  We hope you all fared as well. 
I cannot thank you enough for your emails and I will say your prayers as well.  We love hearing from home and knowing we are not totally forgotten.

Oh Bless, Bless You!

Chew you food – lots,

Our Love,

The Parkinson’s

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