Sunday, July 31, 2011

When Life in My World Bumps into 52 Blessings

There were whites and reds under the same plant.  In the words of Grandpa Hoops, "Humph."

*After Calvin and I finished working out in the garden Saturday he said, “Let’s make a few piles (of potatoes, beans, beets, squash, etc.) and take them to people.”  We went to a family that Calvin home teaches first.  They are one of the finest couples and it’s always a pleasure to visit them.  Always.  They tell us what is happening in their lives, and we talk about current events and politics, and their children and grandchildren.  They ask about each one of our kids by name and what they are doing.  Though they’ve lived in the West for decades, their Southern accents are still pure.  It’s like them; they are genuine.    

  
*My friend and visiting teaching companion, Barbra, offered to take the two sister missionaries to the temple in Spokane.  She invited me along, too.  Barbra is always so generous and willing.  She’s a great woman.   

When we stopped to eat, a deaf man approached me on the street with a handful of pens.  His sign said, “Would you like one?”  I was so glad I still had a dollar in my purse.  A dollar won’t buy a bottle of water, but it will buy you a pen that reminds you of how much you have to be grateful for.  What a steal.  

This photo is a perfect picture of “I shouldn’t have judged.”  I saw this group enter at the back of the stage and groaned just a bit, until they started to play.  They were good.  And while I didn’t take the woman in the center seriously (before they began to play she danced around the stage a bit to the prerecorded music), I should have.  She was good and fun, and I was quite endeared to her by the end.  I really enjoyed The Dead Fiddlers.

*Our city may not have a wonderful grocery store and we may only have Wal-Mart as our shopping option, but we do have some great free concerts in the park all summer long.  This week was the bluegrass festival.  There were banjos and fiddles and basses and mandolins and guitars strumming for hours on end.  And even after we left the concert at ten o'clock, they promised that they would continue jamming in the campground 'til the sun came up.  I have little doubt they fulfilled that promise.

These were two new dips I tried from a blog.  I'll post the recipes Wednesday.

Calvin and I had a great time at the concert.  We packed a cooler and listened for four hours.  Bluegrass is one of those genres that not only causes lots of foot tapping, but attracts all kinds of people – both as performers and listeners.  We were so glad we’d gone.  One of the perks of marriage is always having your friend to do fun things with.


*I have gotten plenty of teasing about blogging friends from the kids through the years – especially the boys.  Abe and Ty call them my imaginary friends.  Joe pretends there are legions of them.  Ray, after meeting a blog-friend in Alaska, says he’s the self-appointed president of Janer Payner’s International and sometimes pumps a fist in the air and says, “Janer Payner’s UNITE.”  I mostly laugh at them all, and quietly go on appreciating the great people I’ve met through blogging.

This week Tami called and introduced herself.  Tami is from Colorado, but was here in town visiting her family.  Tami is also the friend of one of my blog friends.  Tami asked if she could come out and videotape a message from me for our mutual friend.  It was great meeting Tami and her husband Scott.  What a great and inspiring woman.  Long live blog friends.

scene from The Champ
*I saw the headline Scientists Name Saddest Movie Seen Ever and clicked on it.  The report said:  “As reported in Smithsonian.com, psychologists who study human emotions in laboratory settings have found that Schroder’s performance in the final scene of . . . “The Champ” reliably makes their test subjects sad on cue.”

I got sad just reading about the scene, because I remember it.  I knew better, but I went and watched the youtube clip of it anyway.  I wanted to see if it was really as sad as I remembered.  

Embedding has been disabled for this video, so you have to click here to see it.   


(By chance, if you go and watch it, please tell me what you think of it.)

I should have trusted the scientists.  It was as sad as I remembered.  I cried all over again.  It is so real.  “Georgie, make him wake up” is the line that really hurts.  After I finished the clip I wanted to google Ricky Schroder and make sure he has a happy life now; make sure everything is going okay for him and that he feels better.  After a few hours, I finally did.  I was glad to read that he has a wife and four children and is an advocate for children by fighting against child abuse.  It appears he’s doing just fine and helping others to be fine, too.  

*To sum up life in my world (as if you need a summation) and add in one of my Sunday 52 Blessings, I would have to say I’m grateful for being able to go to free concerts in the park with Calvin, and good people the whole world over, and a sad movie clip every now and then to remind me of the good things in life.  And potatoes.    


15 comments:

Angie said...

saddest scene ever!

Julie said...

Rick Schroeder has been here in Moses Lake and here at my mom's house! He and his wife are friends with my sister Jen and her family. They were very nice and we even went to the Aquatic Center with his wife and kids. He's the only celebrity I know. Well, except the drummer for Pearl Jam. Who I'm related to. :)

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

No way, Julie! That's a coincidence. Next time I'll call you and ask how he's doing. Some day would you please ask him how he ever did that scene. Ask him how they ever made him cry so real.

Jill said...

Hi, my name is Jill and I'm a Jane Payner! (Fist pump!). Tell your kids that blogging friends are real and that you especially have legions of fans who soak up your wisdom regularly!

I can't rewatch that seen, I'd be a wreck. By the way, Ricky Schroeder was my first serious crush...I actually wrote him 2 letters!

Ande said...

JANER PAYNERS UNITE!

I love you mom. I enjoyed this blog. I enjoy you.

Deanna/Mimi said...

Jane, I never saw the movie nor heard of it, but I did watch the clip that you posted. What can I say except I was feeling the emotion of losing someone you love and now I have a lump in my throat. Fantastic acting by R.S....unreal that one so young could act like that. Thank you for sharing. Your potatoes look wonderful by the way. I enjoy your posts so much...I wish the world knew about you!!!

Deidra said...

My dad asks about Jane Payne often. "So you've never really met her?" But I figure we're as good as real-life friends because of real-life people connections! And we're both Magic Valley stock, that counts for something, right?

We had a family that just moved into our ward from Colorado Springs. He taught at AFA and is on assignment to get his PhD. I was going through all my AF connections, trying to see if we could match up. I even tried Ty (but no luck), and wondered how I would explain I don't even know the kid if we would have had a connection. "Uhh, his mom and I are blog friends?!" :)

Millie and I went to a fun concert on campus this week while Chris was at scouts. It was so enjoyable to be out and enjoying life (even if it was hot and humid)! It would have only been better had Chris been there to enjoy the people watching with me.

michelle said...

Janer Payners UNITE! I assure you that my admiration for you is not imaginary. (Your kids crack me up.)

My dad has actually asked me about you several times. He sees your comments on my blog. For some reason, the "Neighbor" throws him off, and he keeps thinking you're my actual neighbor. He can't believe we've never met. (Someday.)

I love your thoughts about marriage. And people. And potatoes.

Derek-Jenny-Kaitlynd-Ethan-Dylan said...

I am a proud JANE PAYNER!!

I love reading your blog and getting new perspective. I love trying new things that are suggested and making Derek try them too!
We watched Temple Grandin after you suggestion...loved it and passed on a movie review to several others!

Your changing the world, Jane Payne, don't ever stop!!!

Love you!

Michelle said...

I'm a Janer Payner too!!!

Lucy said...

I love potatoes so that is a happy photo for me.

And I am a true-blue jane payner. You are definitely a favorite and I'm so glad I've had the blessing of meeting you.

Bailee said...

Jane, I forgot your email. I knew I would.

Bowen7@blogspot.com

Lyle and Mary: said...

Still remember that sad scene in the movie and the crush I carried for Ricky after that movie. Don't know if I can bear to watch the clip for fear it will not be as good as I remembered it.
From my experience...once a Janer-Payner, always a Janer-Payner fan. Pretty sure there are at least several thousand of us out there, so we need to unite!

Samantha said...

Yeah that scene was super sad. I'm in love with that kid though. What a great little actor.

Becky said...

Yep, like everyone else I'm a Jayner-Payner and proud of it...I'll even write a testimonial if Ray would like :)

Considering how rarely I see *anyone* these days due to Jeff's crazy schedule, I don't see how my blogging friends are any different from my high school or college friends that I haven't seen in years or my true next-door neighbors that I don't see regularly either.

Keep inspiring me, Jane--you are one of my 52 blessings! :)