Per Perkins Perhe: Back to Bethlehem

It must be that time of the year, because my favorite Christmas event is here!

Yep its my book club luncheon ...

When your friends match your decor.

I'm thinking of getting rid of my Christmas dishes, and tried a table using other dishes I have ...

Tuesday I walked with Carolyn at the High school. We were walking at the Park in Elkridge, but it has gotten too cold for that. We are now walking three days a week, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I walked with LaVern in Genola on Monday, and I'll start walking with Ginny at the high school on Wednesdays after the first of the year. It only took nine months to get back up to walking every day. since my mission, so sad.

Dad and I went to the Dentist that morning to get our mission papers signed, and we had a nice visit with Dr. Clark. He told us about a former bishop in our Orem stake, when he was Stake President. The man is a developer, he's the one that built the castle in Lindon, and hosted the Princess festival there. Anyway he and his wife had lots of money and took off a couple of years and went on a mission to German. When there, they found that the buildings didn't have much religious art, so when he and his wife came home for a few months for a medical procedure, he bought up a lot of original art, and some nice framed prints too. He had a lot of artists donate stuff, but he bought thousands of dollars worth of stuff. Then they had it all shipped back, and when they went back they got the town to sponsor a religious art festival, which brought a lot of interest in the church. Then he donated it all to members and church buildings. I thought that was a pretty amazing way to serve others. Anyway, in the 2008 crash he lost everything. He now lives in the basement of one of his daughters' homes. Dr. Clark said he isn't bitter, he's still active in the church, and just as happy as he was when he had money.

Dad and I are doing the 'light the world' initiative. We loved doing them on our mission. Anyway, this week was to serve family members, so besides a couple of little things for our kids, Dad had the idea to take his cousins (they were all born within two weeks of each other) to lunch at the Art City Trolley in Springville. Karen is next to him, and Jerry, whom I visit teach, is next to her.

In the afternoon we went to my doctor to get my medical papers signed for our mission.

We had carolers that night, when Trevor and the kids came to get our van, as they were to use it to drive to Mexico. They also brought all there gifts for the exchange.

I finally got my dining room mantel decorated that afternoon ... its about time.

On Wednesday Dad and I got up early and went to the temple, taking family names that J. Scott had extracted, for the first time ever. We did this as part of our 'serve your family', initiative.

At work I gathered some things for my friend Jann's banister project. Jann had a brain tumor removed last month, and was told that her condition is terminal. She is a darling lady in my art group, and is so beloved. When she sent Joanne a picture of a super kitsch banister decorated in 50's plastic decor stuff, Joanne decided we should gather the goodies and make it happen for her. Thus all our art group have come together to make it. I shopped the store and came up with these and a few other items to add.

At Young Women's that night we played the white elephant gift exchange game, which was a lot of fun.

Becky and our president Cheryl

Rosie

Don't we all have fun in Young Women's? Notice I'm not down there doing the splits, but then, Cheryl is 10 years younger than me.

I worked on Thursday and one of the other dealers, Mike, gave me this amazing angel that he had made. He said he makes 8 of them every year, and gives them to friends. I was very touched. You may recall our going to his Christmas Open House a week ago Sunday.

Doesn't she look great with my Nativity angel collection?

Also on Thursday we got the good news that the judge had approved the variance for Darby to have grandfathered animal rights for the house on Redwood Road in Riverton that she first put an offer on 3 months ago. Its been a long and annoying road, but we are all thrilled for her. She closes next week and should be in around the end of the year. Congrats Darby.

After work on Thursday night, Dad and I went shopping for my ministering gifts, and I put them together afterward. On Friday I went ministering with my cute 88 year old partner ... on our gift tag, which has a magnet and our phone numbers I noted: More than 150 years of experience.

I finished off my Christmas cards, sending about 90 this year ... I found just one box of these cards, and thought they were perfect. Barb even mentioned that too ... such weird cards, and oh so very me!

We drove up to Salt Lake that day to take goodies (Dad made the cheese balls) to two of our cousins who are in assisted living places as part of our serving family project. Dad thought of both of the cousin service ideas this week. Isn't he a rock star? This is his cousin Marva Dibble.

Here we are at the care center where my cousin Sharon lives. This is a family that came by caroling and delivering gifts to residents.

On Saturday we put together the kids baskets. Dad worked endlessly and unsuccessfully on the trying to increase the water pressure in the kitchen sink, which I am sure Nell remembers as being wussy.

That night we got together with these rapscallions for some more Hallmark Christmas movies.

I stole this off the Internet since it is so apropos.

Greg Zenger

Sunday morning we headed to Salt Lake and attended Elder Cameron Fielding's homecoming. These all all Finnish missionaries, plus Jerry, a Finn who lives here in the US.

At the second homecoming Dad ran into an old school chum, named Greg Zenger. He is an uncle to Sister Quick whose homecoming we attended in Holladay.

We went to her home afterward because we were to drive the Eriksons, shown to the right here, back to their daughter Stina's house in Highland. Also in the picture are Jerry Koponen, then dad, Sister Cain's husband and Sister Cain, a former commanion to Sister Quick.