Missionary Blog

Picture of the Day for 6/30/2014. My nephew Rob, who is currently serving a mission deep in the heart of the Navajo reservation, tasked me with keeping his Facebook page updated while he was gone. I've done a miserable job of it. I'm much better at blogging than Facebooking so I've started a missionary blog for him. It's a work in progress since I'm catching up on a year's worth of activities, pictures, and emails home, but you can check it out here:

http://robertmerrillcollins.blogspot.com/

Goo Pie

Picture of the Day for 6/29/2014. My sister Paula made a chocolate chip cookie pie for Sunday dinner tonight that she declared an unmitigated disaster. She was sooooo embarrassed that it didn't set up and was a gooey mess. She even stalled for time because she didn't want to serve it. It may not have been pretty, but I swear that's the best damn pie I've ever had in my entire life. And yes, the "damn" was called for because it was just that damn good. It might have had something to do with the three sticks of butter called for in the recipe. It was a gooey, buttery, chocolately, melty delight. I had three helpings. 

Corinne's Wedding Shower

Picture of the Day for 6/28/2014. My niece Corinne is getting married in a month so of course this means it's wedding shower time. Today's bed/bath shower was a formal tea at the Grand America Hotel. I wish all wedding showers were like this! A lovely time was had by all and Corinne received a lot of nice things. My only question is what is Corinne's cousin Lisa looking up at?

Blingy Niece

Picture of the Day for 6/27/2014. My great-niece Hayley is especially blingy today with her silver-sequined hat and big necklace!

Lethargic Titan

Picture of the Day for 6/26/2014. I posted this picture on Facebook for Throwback Thursday. I'm dressed in a toga for homecoming week my senior year at Olympus High School. 

I look like the most lethargic Titan ever. It's like I'm saying, "Fear me and tremble, for I am a mighty Greek god who will...oh who am I kidding. Whatever. I'm off to take a nap. I will inspire fear and trembling another day. If I feel like it. If I get around to it."

I actually remember posing for this photograph and I wasn't feeling lethargic! I don't know what happened!

I showed this picture to some nieces and they said it actually reminded them of an antique photograph from the Gibson Girl era. I like that assessment better than my lethargic one!

Dirty Fingers

Picture of the Day for 6/25/2014. There were some bags of coins in my parents' safety deposit box which we just got around to clearing out last week. I've been sorting through the coins and it's a dirty business. Look at my fingers. Yuck. 

Before anyone gets all excited thinking we've stumbled into a fortune, the majority of the coins are 1971 Kennedy half dollars which in today's market and accounting for inflation are still worth just a half dollar. Dang.

Elephant Jigsaw Puzzle

Picture of the Day for 6/24/2014. I stumbled across this puzzle I made in elementary school. I remember the teacher had us draw a picture on a thin piece of wood and then she had either a friend or relative with a saw cut the pictures into small pieces to turn them into jigsaw puzzles. I adore puzzles and have from an early age so I used to play with this puzzle and assemble it all the time. I remembered I drew an elephant, but I couldn't remember any of the other details so I had to stop and put the puzzle together tonight because it was making me crazy wondering what it looked like. It was an elephant all right- an elephant that is perched on a tree limb! I laughed when I saw that. Definitely quirky which I definitely was (and still am). 

Shoe Update

Picture of the Day for 6/23/2014. It's been awhile since I've posted a new shoe update for my friend Suzanne who likes to keep abreast of my new shoe purchases. It's because I haven't purchased new shoes in awhile, especially given the fact I've had to spend the equivalent of the Gross National Product of a small nation to retrieve my car from California. I couldn't resist these shoes, however. Had to buy them.

McDonald's Obsession

Picture of the Day for 6/22/2014. What is wrong with me?!?! Lately I've become obsessed with McDonald's. I stop there nearly every day for a Diet Coke. Sometimes I'll get crazy and order something else from the dollar menu. It's gotten to the point where I recognize the employees and they recognize me when I come through the drive-thru. I'm not a McDonald's hater like so many people are, but still, this has got to stop.

M&M Candy Bar

Picture of the Day for 6/21/2014. I recently discovered there's an M&M chocolate bar. I'm obsessed. I've eaten an embarrassing number of them in a single day. I don't seem to have any plans to stop either as long as Rite Aid drugstore continues offering them at the low price of 59 cents each.

Safety Deposit Box

Picture of the Day for 6/20/2014. Took care of one of the last remaining tasks related to my parents' estate. We had to get a locksmith, along with a lot of legal paperwork, to open up my parents' safety deposit box. I had never seen a safety deposit box before so I found the whole process very interesting. The box was mostly filled with papers. Sadly, no secret stashes of stock certificates that will make all three of us Merrill girls fabulously wealthy. Dang. I did come across my grandfather Moss' Last Will and Testament. It's an interesting document, but not really relevant as he passed away 25 years ago and my mother wrapped up his estate. It was fun seeing my dad's distinctive handwriting on documents though. Little things like that make me miss him.

Fortune Cookie Karma

Picture of the Day for 6/19/2014. At family lunch today, my sister Robynne (and business partner) and I both ordered lunch from Panda Express. Robynne broke into her fortune cookie and promptly handed over her fortune to me. She told me that this message, "Give your business interests top priority next month," was clearly intended for me as an admonition to work harder and that my fortune was meant for her since there had obviously been a mix-up.

I opened up my fortune and what do you know, it was EXACTLY the same fortune! Ha! That was karmic payback if ever I've seen it. I've never seen that happen before where two people in the same party get exactly the same fortune. I think the universe is trying to tell us that we BOTH need to work hard on the business, Miss Smarty Pants Sister of Mine.

Where the Elderly Hang Out

Picture of the Day for 6/18/2014. One would think the freedom to work from home is great. It is, for the most part, but sometimes I get restless and take my work to a public place just for a change of scenery and to feel like I'm part of the human race. Today's public place was the library and I was amused to see that I was the youngest one there by several decades. Made me feel positively youthful. 

I'd like to clarify that I'm not making fun of these people. I too will be elderly some day and I think the library is a fabulous to hang out, regardless of one's age. 

Winter Temperatures

Picture of the Day for 6/17/2014. Look at the mountains. They are covered in snow. In June! I actually had to turn on the heat it got so chilly during this cold snap that hit Utah today. This just ain't right!

Twisted T-Shirt Logic

Picture of the Day for 6/16/2014. This is actually a photo I took yesterday, but I had two excellent subjects for my Picture of the Day yesterday so I decided to spread them out over two days. My niece Chantal asked her father (pictured below) during last night's Father's Day celebration why he had not yet worn the Rat Pack t-shirt she purchased for him in Las Vegas last April. He stated that he only wears dark-colored t-shirts in the colder months and wears white t-shirts in the summer. Since the Rat Pack t-shirt has a black background, he's saving it for the cold weather. This excuse failed on an epic scale due to the fact:

1- He's making all these claims as he's wearing a dark-colored t-shirt; and,

2- It is summer. 

Chantal rightly rejected his excuse. He did not have a good comeback.

Bugging Hayley is Fun

Picture of the Day for 6/15/2014. I celebrated Father's Day with my sister Paula's family. I ended up sitting next to my great-niece Hayley at dinner which is always fun since I enjoy tormenting her, as a good great-aunt should. Her older brother Dane loves it when I bug Hayley and always joins in the torment. 

An Interesting Sequence of Events

Picture of the Day for 6/14/2014. So, my hope of driving my repaired car uneventfully back to Salt Lake was extremely short-lived. While I was driving around Las Vegas this morning my car began overheating. I added more anti-freeze thinking that might solve the problem, but my car merely scoffed at me. I knew I had to get this checked out before getting on the freeway and this led to a very interesting series of events.

1- Just as my the heat indicator was heading into the dangerous red zone, by sheer accident I passed by the same repair shop (it's a national chain) that worked on my car in Hesperia, California. I figured if the problem with the car was related to the work done in Hesperia, the cost would be covered. I limped into the parking lot just as my car was fittin' to break down.

2- Instead of spending hours in the repair shop waiting room, I decided to check out the Eureka Casino right next door. I figured it would be more comfortable and definitely more interesting. I'm thinking a casino should be available next door to any establishment that is going to make you wait. It's a great way to kill time. 

3- As I was walking through the casino (which happens to be the only Asian-owned and operated casino in Las Vegas), a slightly inebriated middle-aged woman about my age called out to me that I just HAD to try the restaurant. Sure, I thought, why not.

4- The casino's restaurant is called Fat Choy and the food there is divine. Who would have guessed that a tiny casino off the main strip would have such a fabulous restaurant. I had a pork belly sandwich which was life changing. 

5- Several hours later when I was leaving the casino to walk next door to pick up my newly repaired car (the problem was a cracked radiator), I ran into the same woman who was a little more inebriated at this point, but not so much so that she didn't remember me. We spent a few minutes exclaiming over the wonder that is the Fat Choy restaurant. 

6- I have to return to Las Vegas in a month for a work conference and I will be stopping in at Fat Choy again. I never would have known about this place if my car hadn't broken down. I'm not sure the discovery was worth the $500 my little adventure in Las Vegas ended up costing, but I can appreciate the sequence of events that led me there. It was definitely an interesting day. 

Swing Kit

Picture of the Day for 6/13/2014. I'm at a seedy motel in Las Vegas. It's not what you think! I finally was able to pick up my repaired car in Hesperia, California late this afternoon and I only made it as far back as Las Vegas. Apparently seedy is all that's available on a Friday night in this city when you book last minute. I was checking out the amenities available at my hotel when I was alarmed to see they provide "swing kits" upon request. I know it's Las Vegas, but c'mon! Actually, it's a sewing kit they are offering at the front desk so this is just a typo. Totally made me laugh though. And ponder what might be included in a kit for swingers...

She's Going To Be Trouble

Picture of the Day for 6/12/2014. I've jumped on the Throwback Thursday trend on Facebook that dictates you post an "old" photo from the "way back." I've had fun doing this. I love the photo I posted today of our family which was taken in late 1963 when I was about a year old. Clearly you can tell by the glint in the baby's eye that she is going to grow up to be trouble. In fact, I have a friend who calls me "Trouble" as a nickname. Clearly, I deserve the moniker since instead of being disturbed by the nickname, it makes me laugh.

No Longer Wearable

Picture of the Day for 6/11/2014. Hmm...it's looking like these black jeans from Old Navy are waaaaaay past their prime. They are so worn out that I'm not even going to donate them to charity. Time to throw them away. This should make my sister Robynne happy since I tend to flash people in these jeans because they are so low cut in the back. This makes her crazy. And embarrassed to be my sister. (Just one of many reasons I suspect.) She's seen enough of my bum to last more than twenty lifetimes. 

Permanent Rental Car

Picture of the Day for 6/10/2014. This vehicle has been in my driveway for so long that people in my neighborhood assume I've bought a new car, but no, this is just my rental car. The rental car I've been using for an entire month since I left my red PT Cruiser in Hesperia, California to be repaired. I keep calling the repair shop every day only to be informed it's still not done. Unbelievable. I never guessed this would be such an ordeal.

Pediatric Care

Picture of the Day for 6/9/2014. I have been sick for so long now that I even resorted going to the doctor today which is a drastic measure for a doctor-phobe like me. I went to an instacare facility that just happens to specialize in pediatric care so the examination room where I was placed was covered with pictures of zoo animals. The admitting clerk also gave me a "kindness" coin. I'm thinking it's not such a bad idea to use some of these pediatric care techniques on adults. It definitely made me smile. 

So, the official diagnosis? Just a cold from hell. I'm so used to being healthy and recovering quickly, but the doctor said it takes on average between 10-14 days to recover from a cold. So, it appears now I'm just average. Sigh.

Living On Ice Cream and Diet Coke

Picture of the Day for 6/8/2014. I've had a nasty cold this past week so the only food that has remotely appealed to me has been ice cream and Diet Coke. I have enjoyed seeing the ice cream cartons in my freezer. It reminds me of my dad who kept his freezer filled with ice cream- much to my mother's dismay/annoyance since there wasn't any room left over for actual food. 

Buzz Aldrin's Bracelets - Part 2

Picture of the Day for 6/7/2014. Last month I blogged about how I was obsessed with Buzz Aldrin's skull bracelets the day I was his helper at Spacefest 6. He had three bracelets- one made out of turquoise, one made out of a black stone (I suspect onyx), and one made out of crystal. I was at a craft store the other day when I saw this skull bracelet on sale for $3.99. It totally cracked me up so I HAD to buy it. With my 40% off coupon, it came to less than $3.00. Not bad.

70th Anniversary of D-Day

Picture of the Day for 6/6/2014. Today is the 70th anniversary of D-Day. And, the 5th anniversary of my mother's passing. I bet she never guessed on June 6, 1944 that she would pass away precisely 65 years in the future. I'm sure the only thought on her mind was hoping the war would conclude quickly so her husband could return home to her. 

In honor of both events, I'm posting a picture of my mother and father taken during World War ll.

Unflattering Picture

Picture of the Day for 6/5/2014. I caught a nasty cold in Florida that I haven't been able to shake. My nose runs and runs and runs so I've resorted to sleeping like this at night- with a tissue stuffed up my nose. I'm guessing this is the most unflattering selfie I've ever posted on this blog.

Lack of Privacy

Picture of the Day for 6/4/2014. I'm wondering who designed the stall doors in the Fashion Place Mall food court women's bathroom. There's at least a one-inch gap between the wall and the stall doorframe. Really?! It's a lovely bathroom, but this is a big design flaw. You can clearly see into the stalls as you walk by. Definitely not conducive to privacy for the women using the bathroom. 

Ethan's Pet Alligator

Picture of the Day for 6/3/2014. So what is the appropriate pet for a henchman? Definitely not a cuddly little kitten. A cute bunny doesn't seem to fit the bill either. How about a vicious alligator? Yep- that's it! My great-nephew Ethan, aka The Henchman, came home from school today with this stuffed alligator he was able to purchase from the school "store" with "money" he had earned for academic performance/good behavior. The family's collection reaction was "of course!" And as a Florida resident wannabe, I was particularly proud. 

Shadow Looming Over My Dad's Grave

Picture of the Day for 6/3/2014. Apparently if you want to take a picture of your father's grave on what would have been his 93rd birthday, don't arrive as the sun is setting and casting a long shadow. It looks like a giant, menacing shadow is looming over his grave, but it's just me. I brought him his usual strawberry sundae from McDonald's to mark the occasion. I took a big bite of it first before leaving it on his grave. Payback for all those times he took overly big bites of a candy bar or dessert when I was "encouraged" to share. My mother used to get so irritated with him when he'd do that. I'd be happy to share anything with him now to have him back. OK, maybe not my chocolate, but anything else. Just kidding- I'd share my chocolate with my beloved dad! Actually, we did share a snack of chocolate-covered peanuts during my last visit with him before he passed away. We ate the chocolate while we discussed how I was off to go see the very last space shuttle launch and then see Neil Armstrong at the 2011 National Aviation Hall of Fame induction banquet. Dad was very interested in my activities. I'm glad my last visit with my dad was so companionable and he was "with it."

I posted this on Facebook and a couple of people commented I could have stood on the other side of the grave, taken the photo, and then rotated it back so it was right side up. I kind of had a "duh" moment when I read the advice. I should have thought of that, but it appears my creative problem-solving skills need some work. 

Man Wearing A Cape

Picture of the Day for 6/1/2014. I was waiting for the light to turn green at an intersection when I noticed this man wearing a floor-length cape in 80-degree weather. I'd love to know why...