home again

I had a super time in Kansas and Oklahoma City this week. I feel very much like part of Margo's family now -- they were all wonderful! I'm really happy for Warren and Rachael, too, and I'm sure they'll be very happy together. Rachael has such a fun sense of humor, and she and Warren are really fun together.

On Thursday we went over to Margo's Aunt Shelly's house, and there I realized that I had lived with Margo's cousin Kristie for a semseter at BYU. It was the one semester before I left for my mission. It was an odd coincidence, but I spent Thanksgiving in part with one of my roommates from six years ago. It was fun to see Kristie again, and it made me remember all kinds of fun things that happened that semester.

Friday we drove down to Oklahoma City, and the next morning Warren and Rachael got married. (Warren is Margo's older brother.) Margo's grandfather is currently serving as first counselor in the presidency at the Oklahoma City temple, and they have a condo right across the street from the temple. We had a little luncheon there for the family and a few friends who had come for the sealing. President and Sister Hill (Margo's grandparents) had invited the other members of the temple presidency to come over in the afternoon whenever they had time, to have some lunch. When the president and his wife came over, there were very few of us left. Sister Hill convinced Margo to play the piano for us, and at one point when everyone else was out of the room, a slightly uncomfortable silence fell, and I decided I'd best make some conversation. So I asked President Gillespie how things were over there. I really meant just over there by the window, where he and Sister Gillespie were eating. But he assumed I meant over there at the temple, so he started in to a long discussion of how this was one of the best assignments they'd had. He said they really enjoyed it because they could work together in this calling, where in all of their other callings, they hadn't really been able to. In the middle of this conversation, I began to realize that President Gillespie is also Elder Gillespie -- Elder H. Aldridge Gillespie of the Quorum of Seventy. I thought it was kind of funny, because it made me think how differently I would have behaved if I had realized that right away, but at the same time there was nothing at all wrong with the way I did behave. I was just much more relaxed and informal with them than I would otherwise have been. And President Gillespie seemed to really enjoy Margo's playing. A lot.

That night we slept at Margo's grandparents' condo. They put out an air mattress for us, and we put on a movie and lay in bed watching it. It was a great movie, Maytime, with Nelson Eddy and Jeannette MacDonald. I really liked it a lot! I wish that I could find it sometime so that all my friends can watch it. Until then, I guess I'll have to be content with the knowledge that Margo has seen it and can share all the little jokes with me.

The last quote was, indeed, Bob Hope. Congrats to Elizabeth, who gets 53 points (10 off for not knowing the exact source).

It just shows to go ya. (28 points -- another of those things that I always wish others were familiar with so I could share the joke, so if you know it, be sure and tell me and we'll be much closer friends!)

recent activities and Thanksgiving plans

All right, I know it's been close to forever since I posted, so I decided it's about time.

This morning I took Erin to the airport. She let me drive Sweetie (her new Scion) down to DFW and back. What an adventure! I've always enjoyed driving, and it's been a long time since I have, so that was nice. Plus, there were a couple of incidents that could have been much more serious than they were, so I was grateful to get home in one piece. I said a little prayer of thanksgiving. :)

Right now I'm watching Matlock on TV. Mysteries always make me happy, so that means I'm feeling pretty happy. Besides that, I'm having a great time procrastinating some of my more pressing schoolwork. I have at least three minor to major projects that I need to work on during Thanksgiving break, and I keep telling myself that I ought to be working on them now, but I just don't have the oomph to do it. I have to get them all done by Dec. 6, though, so that I don't have to worry about them once I'm ready to leave for England on Dec. 8.

For Thanksgiving, I'm going up to Kansas with Margo. I'm looking forward to meeting her family, and I also get to see two (count 'em, two!) new states. I've never been to Kansas before, and on Friday we're going to Oklahoma as well, where Margo's brother is getting married. Should make for a fun rest of the week. I'm a little sad that we'll have to miss our ward on Sunday, but beggars can't be choosers and all that. Plus, I'm actually looking forward to spending a Sunday in a family ward and seeing some new faces and all.

Speaking of church, I had a tithing settlement interview on Sunday, and the bishop did something I've always hated and dreaded. After talking about my tithing and making sure my records are correct, he asked me (and I quote): "Have you met any young men?" I really wasn't sure what to say to that. Sure, I've met plenty of guys here, but did he really expect me to tell him who I'm crushing on? What would he have if I had given him somebody's name? What makes it worse, I specifically asked Margo, and she says he didn't ask her about it. Does this mean that he's specifically concerned about me? that he knows of someone who's interested? I'm probably making a bigger deal about this than I need to, but I just can't help wondering.

Well, I suppose I'll get going now. I don't have anything else mildly interesting to say, and you're probably all bored to tears already anyway.

The last quote was from Clue, a movie that I just love! Tim Curry has always cracked me up, and he's especially wonderful in that one.

I'll have to kiss this girl because she's got just the kind of lips I love: one on top and one on bottom. (63 points, since this is a rather obscure one)