Spirit Sunday: For The Heathens

 This morning as I was reading scripture, I came across this verse in The Book of Mormon:

2 Nephi 26:33: "For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile."

This just struck me this morning as truly important.  Especially the bit about "he remembereth the heathen."  I don't know about you, but I know I am sometimes a heathen.  I say stupid things, I am not nice to other drivers, I get hangry; I am human.  The cool thing about this verse is that Jesus remembers us heathens and "he inviteth them all to come unto him."  His arms are always stretched forth to us, we just have to come to him.  I also like how in this verse race doesn't matter, and gender doesn't matter; all are invited to Jesus' grace.  And don't forget the Jew and the Gentile.  That for many reasons, in this crazy time of wars, made me think.  The fighting doesn't give us anything.  It doesn't make us right, and it doesn't make us chosen.  

So, let's unite fellow heathens and try to do a bit better this week.  Perfection isn't what is needed...life is a journey and we need Christ to help us through it all. Be a smidge better.

And excuse the really annoying white background behind this text.  Blogger can lame at times, even if it isn't human!

And thank you 7 readers for reading this blog consistently this month.  I have enjoyed your comments(that may just be 2 of you!). I will be here writing a little less but I do have the goal of writing weekly.  I like how I feel when I write and I how I get better at writing while I work my writing muscles. Have a wonderful July.  Enjoy the warmth that comes with summer.  Look at sunsets. Say I love you to those you do love.  Be less hangry, and more kind to other drivers! Cheers.

Sports Saturday: Fantasy Baseball

 I have an addiction.  It comes in the form of 9 innings and is played with a red-laced-covered white ball.  Wooden bats hit said ball and the sound it makes is captivating. There is something about the green of the grass and the brown of the dirt infield.  There is also something about the pants but that is for another post on a very different platform. 

Baseball is part of who I am.  I love it.  You may feel it is slow or boring, but that slowness is something I need in my life.  Listening to the commentary, as these men in their prime work for a daily win,  just does something good for my soul.  

I also have an addiction to Fantasy Sports.  I actually do have a fantasy baseball team.  I do really well most weeks, especially when I remember to sub in my starting pitchers. I am currently in first place in my league.  I am awesome!

Having a Fantasy team helps me be a part of the action.  It connects me to a game I love.  It makes me look at other players besides Dodger and Brewer players.  I love it. Go Sports!

I am also slaying against Evan, whoever he is! Go Alice!

Fantastic Blossoms!

 I am officially an old garden lady.  Right now, my favorite thing is happening...all the blossoms!

Here is a pictorial journey through my favorite blossoms:

#1: Pumpkin Blossom(oh the pumpkins we will have!):

#2: The First Sunflower Blossom:

#3: Roses!

#4: Petunias(I'd never seen any like those striped purples ones):

#5: Cucumber Blossoms:

#6: Purple Daisy-Like Flowers:

List of Instruments I Own

 

Music is therapy.  I love to both listen and make music.  Hitting my electric drums got me through The Covid Era.

Here is a list of the instruments I own:

1. Electric Drums: I paid 14 dollars for them.  I got an amazing deal and had a bunch of Amazon gift cards from work.  Best Christmas present ever!

2. "Wynonna" the Guitar: My mom bought that guitar for me when I took a class at Ricks College one hundred years ago. 

The picture of Wynonna on my Guitar

An inspirational quote from Wynonna on the back

3.  White Electric Bass:  My most recent purchase.  Paid a whopping $30 for it.  It is beautiful and like new.

4. Mandolin:  Gifted to me by my mother-in-law, LaVaun.  Now that she is gone, it is an even more prized possession. I hope to learn lots of folk songs!

5. Upright Bass: It is playable but doesn't produce much sound.  It has a serious problem that would probably cost a million dollars to fix.  It looks nice though.  I would love to own a playable bass in the future.

*not pictured a real snare drum I bought for my marching band Halloween costume. It is a bit loud but sometimes comes out when a loud time is needed.

Next purchase? I keep looking for good deals on banjos.  I really miss the banjo I gave away many moons ago.  Remind me not to give away my instruments!

Poetry Writing Wednesday

 Here is an oldie:

Haiku Poet by Alice Ficklin

Counting syllables

Real poems just less commitment 

The haiku poet.

Writing Haiku is something I do more and more of. It truly is less commitment. I can sit down and write one in five minutes or less. The short verse is helpful for a person who feels more and more ADHD lately and who also deals with kids all day. I am a busy person and haiku is perfect for that lifestyle.

I will now write another, a glimpse of my Monday night:

Punctured Foot: Victim of Landscaping Staple

Putting hose away

Ouch! What did I just step on?

Now to Urgent Care

I am thankful for Reuben who was brave enough to remove the buried an inch into my foot landscaping staple. Also, grateful for Tetanus shots and antibiotics.

Travel Tuesday: Left My Heart In San Francisco.

Next week we will road trip to my homeland: Wisconsin.  Every year we go we take the exact same route.  There is a comfort to repetitive travel, and my son loves that comfort.  He especially looks forward to Mt. Rushmore and we will all love it.

I too, have a favorite repetitive travel place: San Francisco.

I first traveled to The Golden Gate City for my 30th birthday. I wrote about this once in 2021 as a "Flashback Friday" post.

I also went with my school(and my Mom) for training in Oakland.

Most recently, I took my little family to The Bay Area in April for my nephew's wedding.  

It was special to see my kids experience California for the first time.  The beach was their favorite place and they could have gone every day.  

Muir Woods is one of my favorite places.  I could only visit there and would be okay with it.  It is fun to be dwarfed by these majestic coastal redwoods. I didn't know, but these trees can consume up to 500 gallons of water daily.  In fact,  these trees only exist along the coast in California because they are built to absorb water found in fog through special top branches. Miraculous!

Chinatown was also a highlight, especially for E.  He loves all things Asian and bought his hat and kimono with the money he earned.  I showed them one of my favorite stops: The Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company.  They make the fortune cookies right in front of you.  I bought a bag to share but was sad to find none of their sesame seed cookies.  

I taught Reub the joy of riding cable cars on the outside.  Riding those cars around the city makes me feel like a kid again.  I was sad that we missed the Cable Car Museum.  The kids would have found seeing the running cables underground impressive, but we were on a time crunch.

It was an honor to witness my nephew Kris marry Nikki.  It was a gorgeous ceremony in a gorgeous place. 

It was an honor to witness my nephew Kris marry Nikki.  It was a gorgeous ceremony in a glorious place. 

Showing my sister, her husband, and her mother-in-law the beach sites and The Golden Gate Bridge was also a fun adventure.

Like Tony Bennett, I may have "left my heart in San Francisco," but I will always have the memories to entertain me.

Oh My! Pet Peeve #1

 

I am purchasing 11 tickets to a Wausau Woodchucks baseball game in mid-July.  I really wanted front row seats behind home plate.  Notice how two groups of two people have plopped themselves there.  They have left space for more people to comfortably join that row, which is totally fine.  Now, look at the fourth row.  See that little seat between two groups of tickets?  Those are my kind of people.  See, if you have the technology to buy tickets beforehand and know where you will be sitting, why the heck would you ever buy a ticket right next to somebody if you know there are many options for you to choose from?  I am always disappointed in humanity when I get to the theatre for a movie, and some moron comes in and sits right next to me in a mostly-empty theatre.  Dingleberries.  

Maybe this isn't an irritation to you, but OH MY, does it bug me!

Spiritual Snidbit

 Just a little scripture today:

Alma 14:1: "And it came to pass after he had made an end of speaking unto the people many of them did believe on his words, and began to repent and to search the scriptures."

I listened to a podcast this morning that spoke about scripture study as the fruit of repentance.  I had never thought of that before, but if sin is us turning away from God, we can turn toward God(repent) by searching the scriptures, where we will find the goodness of the Gospel.  This does not mean you are a horrible person if you aren't reading scripture.  I just know that in my life, sometimes I don't read as regularly and I can feel a difference in how close to the spirit I feel.  

The True Sport

 

This guy is the best sport. He has now put up with me for 12 years!  He is still the best fishing buddy, makes me laugh everyday, is my best cheerleader, is a great dad, and still keeps his promise that he will make my life easier!

I chose well and am blessed with a great companion and a wonderful life that we have built together. Go Team Ficklin!

Here is a bonus pic of us at the same spot 12 years ago:

Favorite Bike Polish

 

You may or may not ever use this product in your life.  If you like old bikes, and ever get the great opportunity of restoring or just cleaning an old Schwinn this is the magic compound you will need.

It is simple to use: you just coat the chrome with the compound and then use a cloth to rub it.  The more you rub the shinier it gets.

I have been working on my new-to-me-old Schwinn this week and here are the results:

Pretty obvious that the fender on the right has been polished. (Ignore the big dent in the one on the left too, I mostly fixed it.)  There is nothing like the chrome of the old Schwinns.  It makes me happy to see such quick results.  I think my bike geek is showing just a bit.  

This bike should be done in the next few days.  I will keep you posted!

Writing List from "Writing Camp"

 It was meant to be that I was at my Reunion Day for The Central Utah Writing Project(CUWP) and the presenter had us write a list.  So, the list of things Thrusday is a list of events that stick out in my head that I could write a story about:

1. Holding five kittens with my eyes swollen shut at the family farm at age 5.

2. Asking Mom where she was going(shuffling feet) while standing and talking in the kitchen.  

3. Birth of each of my kids.

4. Meeting Reuben.

5. Discussing marriage apprehensions with the Good Brother(Randy), the seminary teacher.

6. Technical Foul in high school basketball.

7. The track coach asking me about throwing the shot put while I walked to the field. "But I play softball..."

8. Driving mom's car in the ditch.

9. Freshman taking me to my Senior Prom.

10. Combat Boots to Prom while a best friend went with an ex-boyfriend.

11. Friend's retainer in the trash at Wendy's.

12. Rocking chair with E when going through a miscarriage.

We always write a "Scribble" to start the day off.  Basically, one of the participants has a prompt for us, and then we write for ten minutes.  I couldn't, for the life of me, remember much of the prompt except that I turned it into some mumbo jumbo about being true to your true yourself and the word "pigeonholed" came up and that is what I ran with:

    I've never even seen a pigeonhole.  I've been assuming all my life that pigeons nest like all normal birds, but who am I to pigeonhole a pigeon. If they would rather burrow into the cold abyss of the underground, fine by me.

    The older I get the less I care about what other people think, say, or do.  Live your life to your truth...and let me have a nap.  I'm exhausted by the loud, annoying voices found on social media and in the news.  I dream of acreage in the middle of nowhere  but within driving distance from an airport.  See...I want to bury my head in the sand like a flamingo...why do we always use birds for our analogies?! I could ignore the world but come out to go to a concert or a baseball game on occasion.  I want what my dad and his siblings had growing up in rural Wisconsin.  Ya know the quiet and produce-your-own food kind of place.  The only going into town once a week for essentials kind of place.  

    The place that his sisters hated and desperately wanted out of...I want that. The 1950s of limited technology and less worry about the neighbor's politics or preferences...A. Simple. Life. Maybe retirement will bring this simplicity and a more solace-filled place.

But maybe I'd just be bored like my kids everyday when they don't have the structures of routine and the endless summer days are only endless and unbearable for their parents. (When will the fighting end?)

    Maybe my pigeonhole is just my office when I run away to ignore the fighting and write about the back 40 and how the grass is always greener for the other pigeons.

    

Haiku Writting...Will You Write One, Too?

I just wrote this poem after editing my last post.  It is inspired by this picture:

 

Woman on the Moscow Metro by Alice Ficklin

Your small stoic face

Stares at me in the metro

Criss-cross of cultures.

Here is a classic poem also written by me, Alice Ficklin

Haiku Poet

Counting syllables

Real poems just less commitment 

The haiku poet.

I love that I can sit down for five minutes and have one or more haikus written. Haiku is perfect for the very busy poet.

You should write one and share it in the comments, either here or on social media. I want to hear your voice. Remember a haiku is a short three-lined poem. Historically, it was a nature poem, but I take the liberty to write haiku about anything I wish. In haiku: The first line has five syllables, the second seven and then the final and third line again has five syllables. Happy writing.

Travel Tuesday: Russia

 

Traveling is one of my favorite things.  Before becoming a more responsible adult, I could do more of it, including leaving the country.  My first passport stamp was from Russia. The thirteen-hour flight was a new experience.  Jet lag was also a new experience.  Of course, both of these new experiences were well worth it.

When we arrived, our hosts, my friend, Janette's parents, were working for the U.S. Government at the Embassy in Moscow, and there was a 4th of July party.  Janette's parents thought the best thing for us to adjust to the time change would be to stay up and enjoy the party.  We enjoyed the party from lawn chairs, laughing at each other as we alternately fell asleep.

Moscow is a beautiful city, filled with lots of history.  The Russian state itself has been around since 862.  Going to their history museum on Red Square was special because of that rich and long history.

State Historical Museum, Moscow

Red Square, which is east of The Kremlin(the capital of Russia), hosts other tourist sites besides the museum: Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed, and Lenin's Tomb.

Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed

My favorite on the square was St. Basil's.  Each dome is a separate chapel, and each is filled with ornate decor and art.  The cathedral was built during the reign of Ivan the Terrible to celebrate his military conquests.  

Lenin's tomb was also a fascinating stop on Red Square.  Here you line up to see the deceased leader.  We asked our tour guide if we needed to purchase tickets for the tomb to which she responded: "Who would anybody pay to see a dead communist?"  It was obvious that she and many of the citizens of Moscow didn't really love their political famed past. The stop was even more memorable because while walking past the corpse of Lenin, the military police posted on each corner started coming toward me with their rifles drawn, and speaking loudly in Russian.  I had my hands in the pockets of my sweater and promptly removed them, not knowing that this was the cause of their dismay and as soon as I raised my arms, they went back to post.  Apparently, it is a signal of disrespect to have your hands in your pockets?  Maybe they thought I was a threat with some hidden weapon?  Seems silly seeing I couldn't make Lenin any more dead...truly a peculiar stop.  A very well-preserved and plasticy Lenin lays beneath thick clear glass.  Not really how I want to be memorialized and a smidge creepy. 

Janette and I in front of Lenin's Tomb, it is the tiny building in front of the wall

Rich art and architecture could be found everywhere in the city. One of the memorable buildings are the Wedding Cake buildings built during the Stalin era.

During the peak of the USSR, Stalin wanted to demonstrate Russia's power and felt that the lack of skyscrapers in Moscow diminished the appearance of that power.  From 1947-1957, seven of these buildings were erected.  Currently, the majority of them are upscale hotels, one is a government house and another is part of Moscow State University.  These buildings are filled with marble, sculptures, and arches.  Each structure is topped with a gold five-point star, directing attention to how tall these once-tallest structures in Europe truly are.

Russia was truly a rich experience.  I am thankful that I went back then, seeing not too many people travel there today, with the whole war going on in Eastern Europe.

I remember the people of Moscow seeming very stoic and a little apprehensive about us Americans.  They definitely noticed us.  We were louder than them and we dressed differently.  One of my favorite pictures is this one: 

Here we are going down into the metro, which was strangely very deep underground. Notice the face of the young woman on the far right of the photo.  To me, she symbolizes the people of Russia.  I wondered what was going through her mind as she saw me taking pictures of her normal life metro escalator.  She seems serious and hesitant.  

Little side note, many of the metro stations are also constructed majestically in the style of the Stalin Era.  I had never seen gold leaf and marble used for subway stops, and it seemed odd to me, but again Mother Russia is a bit different. And since the Cold War Era, Russians have always been weary of Americans and I could feel it while visiting. 

Also, another side note, if you do ever get to Russia, be sure to take your own toilet paper.  Most public restrooms either don't have any or it is made of the brown paper that is used for paper towels here in the States.  Oh, and mentally prepare that you may encounter a squatty potty while out and about there.  I survived though, even if I almost slipped in: 

Oh My Soap!(and deodorant)

 Since I was little, I have had sensitive skin.  I grew out of the breakouts, but I still like to use natural products on my skin.  I used to use Yardley, which I could purchase at the dollar store.  Lavender was my favorite, but I always looked for other options. I desired variety. 

One fine day, I saw an ad on Instagram.  Dr. Squatch filled my feed.  I was hesitant because it is aimed at men and I am not one.  But eventually, I caved and I am glad I did.  The scents aren't all masculine and I have found some favorites as I have ordered and tried different soaps. 

When I was feeling especially rich, I decided to order their subscription which saved me a little money.  I started with a six-soap subscription every three months but now I am only getting three at a time because I had a huge stock.  

Current Stock

Packaging

Currently using: Headless Rinse. 
A Halloween special edition
that smells like pumpkin spice.

My next order comes in July and will include: Summer Citrus, Grapefruit, and Bay Rum.

Bay Rum is a delicious blend of cinnamon and rum, and I love it because I feel like I am on an exotic island while showering.  The other two arriving in July, were summer-inspired and I haven't tried them, so I am excited to give them a try.  Dr. Squatch soaps come in four different grit levels: zero, light, medium, and heavy.  I don't really enjoy heavy exfoliation so I stick to "briccs" that have zero or light grit level.  On occasion, I will choose a medium grit because I am curious about a new scent. 

I also have been using their deodorants and just bought Bay Rum.  I love that they don't have aluminum and also are all-natural.  And get this, they make you smell good all day!

If you need new soap, you should give Dr. Squatch a try.  You can buy individual soaps and deodorants at Walmart.  You also can find Dr. Squatch on Amazon.

THIS JUST IN: While researching and cruising around drsquatch.com, I found that they DO have a women's line.  It is separate from Dr. Squatch and is called Jukebox.  You can visit both brands and see what might make your bathing and hygiene experience more exciting:

Dr. Squatch

Jukebox

Father's Day

 "The perfect, divine expression of fatherhood is our Heavenly Father. His character and attributes include abundant goodness and perfect love. His work and glory are the development, happiness, and eternal life of His children.⁶ Fathers in this fallen world can claim nothing comparable to the Majesty on High, but at their best, they are striving to emulate Him, and they indeed labor in His work. They are honored with a remarkable and sobering trust."

                                -Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Just a little Father's day quote for Father's Day.  I dropped the ball and didn't call my Dad today...but I did buy Reuben an Air Fryer.  Both Reuben and I talked today in church.  Here is a bonus quote from my own talk:

'I waited a long time to find Reuben. I was 34 when we met. There were lots of frogs before his prince-like winning ways came along. I was impressed by how he always opened the door for me and treated me respectfully. At 34, dating is serious business. I knew I wanted children, and i tried to find a husband who also wanted children. A man who liked kids and was good with them was a must. I needed a teammate and I got more than I ever pined for with Reuben. I saw how he was with his nieces and nephews and that impressed me.

When I was complaining about not finding good men to date and how I  wanted to become a mother desperately and how  felt that I was running out of time, my mother suggested that there are other ways to have babies besides getting married.  Now, I know that seems a bit extreme but you also don’t know my mom, and she was full of good advice even if sometimes it was a little extreme.  I explained to her that I didn’t plan on raising children by myself.  I knew that parenting was a tough gig and that my future children deserved to have a good father in the home.'

I am so glad I found Reuben 12 years ago. We have build a great life together and I couldn't have found a better dad for my kids!

Kickball Dad

 Sports Spotlight: Kickball Dad

The Kickball Dad is Kevin Cronin from New Jersey, a viral sensation filmed by his daughter, Alyssa.  Most of the clips are things Kevin says while just living life.  I follow him on Instagram and love it when there is new content.  He is a sports lover and is skilled in kickball(of course), hockey, tennis, basketball, and most recently pickleball.  

Alyssa was playing on a coed kickball team when their pitcher was injured.  She invited her dad to play and when she filmed him before the game, The Kickball Dad was born and the rest is history.  Watch the video below to learn more about The Kickball Dad, and feel free to follow him on Instagram: @kickballdad.  You can also follow Alyssa: @alyssacronin13.  They also have lots of videos on YouTube! (I will post a few of my favorites below too!)

Caution: the one below does have a little swearing in it.

Favorite Pillow

 Do you have a favorite pillow? Here is mine:

This is one of my Christmas presents from last year. My dog, Rozz, in the shape of a pillow. I use it every night to help keep my arms from going numb. It is the perfect shape to do so. 

Who can resist that face?

This is the picture my dear friend used to make my pillow. He’s just my favorite. I love my dog.