Dear Friends and Family,
Wow I can not believe it is time to start school again. This summer has
been busy and has just flown by so quickly. I found a Lake shore
store very close to our apt and just had to go in and look around. So
fun to see all the school things and fun science and math projects and
art and music. All the things they have in the catalog for teachers but
to actually be in the store was so fun. Well kind of like torture since I did
not have a class to buy things for, so felt I was in teacher dream land but
nothing i needed. I was happy when the Mission president said he needed
a ream of lined paper and I volunteered to go get some and walk down
the school supply aisles. But I do not go out shopping much but was fun to
explore that store. smile
You know how in Utah we were warned (in a very nice way) to lock our car
doors in the summer time when we go to church? So well meaning friendly
people would not load you up with extra zucchini from their over productive
gardens? Well it is kind of like that here except the people have an over
abundance of avocados and lemons. So I am trying to be very helpful and
take some extra lemons and avocados! Fun to smell those fresh lemons. I did
miss our cherry tree, especially when I saw cherries in the store for $5 a pound.
So we skipped those and had strawberries and mangos. Anna did send some
cherries out to us this year so was fun to have some to eat.
We went up to Morro Bay this past weekend and it is so pretty there. Sorry we
did not see the Jewel of Morro Bay there (if you saw the Finding Dory Movie
you would know). But there is this huge rock the last of the volcano there
and it is a sacred rock that the Native Americans only climb once a year
but others can not get on it. But we can hike around it - well 2/3 around it.
We saw some very friendly squirrels and a group of sea otters just lazing
around enjoying the sunny day and the friendly people taking their
pictures. smile. We also heard and saw some lively seals. Discussing
who had the last fish, and who was taking up all the room on the dock.
Fun to see different animals in the wild. Morro Bay is about 2 1/2 -3 hours
north west of us so was fun drive up there. There is a big fire in one of the
cities along the way so saw lots of smoke from that. Makes some pretty sunsets
but so sad for people losing their property and farm land.
We were able to go to the local Ventura County fair here one day. Senior citizen
day so we got in free. I guess it helps to be "old"!! smile They only have county
fairs here since the cities are pretty big and they do not have state fairs since
there would be too many people to accommodate. Saw lots of fun craft and
canning projects and animals and art and photography exhibits. So fun to see
the art show as MANY of the pictures were taken in Utah! And the grand prize
picture by an amateur was of the Salt Lake Temple. Then in the evening they
have a concert with different singers each night of the fair. 2 nights of Rodeos,
and 2 nights of car races and then the rest are singing ones. The fair goes on
for 2 weeks, so lots of concerts to choose from. We saw Patti LaBelle sing and
was so fun to hear some of her songs and see her in person. We had our own
show of some real fans of Patti LaBelle in front of us and were singing and
dancing to most of her songs. Quite the harmony and just as much fun watching
them perform and sing along and dance! smile
WE had quite a fun month with 23 new missionaries coming here. We had to
rent a larger van to help pick up all the missionaries. Steve and I drove up with
a trailer for all the luggage and the mission president and his wife drove another
large van and the assistants drove a van. So it is truly amazing to get them all
here close to the same time. Most are coming from the Provo MTC but one was
coming from the Mexico MTC since she was learning Spanish, another was coming
from Canada ( was waiting for his visa to come into the US) and another was
coming directly from her home since she had been on her mission but had to go
home for a bit for medical problems and then was returning here to finish her
mission in the states. So i think it is amazing they can all get here within 30 minutes
of all 23!! So we take them to the beach which is about 1/2 mile from the airport
and give them a snack and a drink and of course they all want to take pictures! I am
not sure if that is torture or not since they can see the beautiful beach and water
but can not get in. But they get a beautiful view of the Calif beach and ocean. Then
back to Ventura and since the mission home is not large enough for all of them we
have members who live close by, have them stay there for the first night. then back
to the mission home for breakfast and I go pick up many of them and bring them
to the mission office (which is in the stake center church) and then I have lunch
ready for them. Their new companions come to the lunch also. So they are
about 50 missionaries there, so we decided to order sub sandwiches instead
of cooking something for them all. We had 4 six foot subs, grapes, cookies
and chips. They ate it all. Then we give them about an hour orientation
and send them off with their new companions. Fun and busy day!
We had a ward beach party and Steve and a young man we are teaching
came and were about the only adults in the water. The kids were in the water
but the adults talked on the beach. But the missionaries from our ward came
and got to at least take off their shoes and wiggle their toes in the sand. smile
But fun to go play at the beach. Oh they are having a Halloween party or activity
coming up and they said they have a parade of the kids in costumes, but I had to
chuckle a bit thinking they did not have to plan for the Halloween costumes to
fit over a jacket like we do in MInnesota and Utah some years.
WE are doing well and enjoying the weather and beautiful world we live in. I
was talking to a man here and asked if the leaves on the trees fall off in the
autumn time. He said most of them don't lose their leaves so that will be quite
interesting to see. But then he said there is one tree that loses its leaves for
about 4 months and i told him that was about as long as we Have leaves on our
trees in Utah. Oh and when we arrived out here in March they had lemons on
the trees and now the next batch is coming on again.
We have a family here - Danny and Deann Anderson. Brother Anderson stopped
me in the hall and told me they were going to visit Logan soon to see Sister
Anderson's sister. I asked who her sister was and he said Sue Germany! Well
we know Curtis and Sue Germany from Logan!! They are called on a mission
in London and will be serving with the Warnicks!! Small world. Then this Sunday
Brother and Sister Germany were here visiting the Anderson family so fun to see
them here!
Hope you are doing well. The people are great and so fun to meet new people
and new experiences. We have many new people all summer long come visit
church and most come out to visit families or they used to live here or just on
vacation and stopping in for the week.
Have a great week and fun school year!!
love you,
Diane
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