Most of My Life Has Disappeared

I just read a summary of Stephanie Nielsen's talk at the 2014 RootsTech conference. She encouraged people to keep records-to be consistent, to record something about every day of their lives.

I am lousy at long-term commitments like blogging.

Sunday Grandma Roberts came to lunch and brought with her a shoebox of cards and letters Grandpa saved over the last 40-something years. Just one shoebox. There were a few letters from me in there, several more from Shane from various points in history (missionary letters, newlywed letters). In one of Shane's letters, written two months after our marriage, he told about having to take me into the Emergency room at UtahValley Hospital to have stitches put in my hand, a result of me breaking a glass while washing dishes after supper that night.

Shane told his dad that the emergency room physician, Dr. Hooker (for whom Shane had done landscaping at the doctor's Edgemont home), stitched me up, bandaged my hand, and said, "Don't get that wet for a week." Shane told him, "I think she did that on purpose so I'd have to wash the dishes." To which the doctor responded, "Make that thirty days."

You know what? I don't remember the incident at all. I remember that I had to get stitches shortly after we were married, but I just remember the fact, not the actual incident or anything surrounding it.

That is sad. More than sad--it's tragic. If I had been blogging all my youth and adult life--journaling in the old days--I would have a detailed memoir of my life. So much of my earthly existence would be recorded and accessible. But it's not. Truly, you lose part of yourself when you don't keep records.

So--for the record--here's what I did today:

Went to Seminary at 6ish, hoping there wouldn't be four inches of snow to shovel off the sidewalk, like there was Sunday morning (except I don't have to shovel on Sundays). Bonus! No new snow.

Stayed in Cowley to prepare tomorrow's lesson, then drove to Powell to get the car tires rotated and the oil changed. There was an hour and a half wait--boring--and then I picked up some Christmas gifts from the clearance toy section of Lintons and filled the car up with gas ($2.97/gallon). Resisted buying a cinnamon roll at Maverick, although I was sorely tempted.

Got home about 11:30. Let Bear out of the kennel; threw in some laundry, read and sorted the mail. Changed clothes, ate some diet barley soup--I'm getting tired of that stuff--and took Bear out for a 3 mile run. Clarification: I drove the car, he ran beside it for three miles. It only got up to about 10* today.

Came home, did some online diaper shopping for a family in our ward with new twins, as well as for a replacement rack bottom rack for our dishwasher. Those things are ridiculously expensive.  $175!! That's one-third the price of an entire new dishwasher. I found a gently-used one on Ebay for $67. Much more reasonable. Besides, it will match the gently-used upper rack.

Checked my email and found Elder Russell Roberts' weekly email, which always perks me up. Except this one made me feel slightly guilty for some less-than-optimistic comments about our coming ward boundary realignments. Repent, Mormon Mama!

Did some dinner prep, tried to take a nap--it lasted 13 minutes. Got on the elliptical for nearly an hour; I could sustain that because Rachell called shortly after I started and talking to her was a great distraction from the workout.

Wrote an email per Rachell's request for some life history info on me and Shane which she needs for her online history class. Shane got home from work; visited with him as I finished supper. We ate, read part of the Sunday school lesson for our FHE, went to Grandma's and visited with her for about an hour, came home, read the RootsTech talk by Sister Nielsen, am writing this and then plan to get ready for bed.

There we go. In 100 years will someone will find this interesting?