On Sunday 22 November we were at Heather and Tom's and played with Liam a bit until it was time to get ready for church at the Raleigh 2nd Ward.

This blog entry is without pictures which I will add later.

I finished putting pictures in my 24 May blog entry and published it again.

Opening hymn was #241 "Count Your Blessings" text by Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856-1922) and music by Edwin O. Excell (1851-1921).

A baby was blessed by his dad.  A young man was sustained as a deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood and he stated the 8th Article of Faith.

Sacrament hymn was #193 "I Stand All Amazed" text and music by Charles H. Gabriel (1856-1932).

Since Tom had a staff meeting at work, even though Liam was at a friend's home we left after partaking of the sacrament to rejoin Heather.

Tom got home before noon so we probably could have stayed at church.

Liam napped as he still does every afternoon and Tom watched the New York Jets - Houston Texans football game.

Portsea St Mary, Portsea Holy Trinity, Portsea St George, Portsmouth, and Rotherwick have no infoboxes.  I added Hampshire Parishes and Portsea St Mary to the Portsea St Mary crumb trail.  I did 8 O’s, 14 of the 18 P’s, one Q, and 7 of the 8 R's in Hampshire. 

I posted the following to Facebook that I read in Tad R. Callister’s “The Blueprint of Christ’s Church":

In the year 1844, just prior to the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, Josiah Quincy, an educated and respected statesman who would later become the mayor of Boston, visited Nauvoo. He toured the city, visited with the people, and interviewed the Prophet Joseph. Later he wrote a book entitled Figures of the Past. In it he included a chapter on Joseph Smith with this visionary insight:

"It is by no means improbable that some future text-book, for the use of generations yet unborn, will contain a question something like this: What historical American of the nineteenth century has exerted the most powerful influence upon the destinies of his countrymen? And it is by no means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus written: Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet. And the reply, absurd as it doubtless seems to most men now living, may be an obvious commonplace to their descendants."

Eileen did 19 L’s, 22 in all, 28 M’s, 17 N's, and 6 O's in Devon.

I worked on the Joseph and Elizabeth Hicks family on Ancestry.com and Family Tree.

On Monday 23 November we were up very early with Liam, though knowing such might happen we get to bed earlier than we would at home.

I finished reading "My Ancestor Was … Irish" by Alan Stewart which I began on 7 November.

I began working on Tom's family history entering information from his family tree on Ancestry.com into my PAF and Family Tree on FamilySearch.org.  I found some records on FamilySearch that disclosed ancestors that he hadn't known of before.

I got a prescription for Heather at Walgreens and shopped at Harris-Teeter.

After supper I finished reading "Seize The Fire" (the second Star Trek Typhon Pact novel) by Michael A. Martin which I began on 7 November.

On Tuesday 24 November we slept in for a little while as Tom got Liam.

Tom took Heather to her doctor's appointment in Durham and we took Liam to preschool.

Then to Fresh Market, Walmart, Hallmark for an anniversary card for William and Erin as the one we already had was home in Ellijay, and Harris-Teeter.  Hallmark has a post office in the store, so we mailed the card and returned there a little later to mail the Advent calendars to the Cubberley grandsons, to Weston, and Megan.  After I dropped Eileen off at Heather's and Tom went to work, I returned to Fresh Market for more almond butter for Eileen.

Our odometer reached 120400.

I did some more research for Tom's family history and added several of his ancestors for whom permission wasn't required to my temple ordinance list.

Later we picked up Liam from school.  Then I went to UPS and Home Depot for Heather.  I made one more trip to Harris-Teeter and picked up a pizza for Heather for their supper.  Eileen and I had a thin slice each!

I received the public library events from Heather Parker for January.

I continued researching Tom's family history, focusing on the Ginna surname, and emailed him all the new records that I found.

I began and finished reading "The Affair of the Pink Pearl A Tommy & Tuppence Short Story" by Agatha Christie.

On Wednesday 25 November Eileen was up very early with Liam and I slept on until 7:30.  We took Liam to preschool.

I took Heather to Home Depot with her ventilation fan to find the part she needed to no avail.  So she had to buy a new one.

I emailed President Stallings about the food orders for Fannin County.

Southampton Holy Trinity, Southampton St Mary,  Southampton St Michael, and Stoke Charity have no infoboxes.  Stratfield Mortimer in Hampshire doesn't have a page developed yet, so I did 39 of the 44 S’s in Hampshire.

Eileen did 30 P's, 10 R's, and 58 S's in Devon.

I entered all of the names from Tom's family tree on Ancestry.com on his mother Donna's side of the family into my PAF database.

I went shopping at Harris-Teeter and Fresh Market.

I added more pictures to my 24 May blog entry and published it again.

Heather and Tom hit the hay at the same time as Liam.  It was too early for us (before 8 pm), so among other things I read the next two talks to Eileen from the women's session of October's General Conference.  They were by Carol F. McConkie, first counselor in the Young Women General Presidency ("Here to Serve a Righteous Cause"), and by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency ("A Summer with Great-Aunt Rose").

On Thursday 26 November I awoke about 2 am and finished reading "The Antiquary" by Sir Walter Scott which I had begun on 11 June.  That took two hours and I slept from 4 to 8:15 am.

I worked all morning and into the afternoon on Tom's mother's family history.

We watched "Property Brothers" that Heather recorded last night for Eileen.

Then we switched to the football game between the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles, two poor teams however dominated by the Lions winning 45-14.

My sister Libby called and left us a Happy Thanksgiving message as I didn't answer it because it was a call from Callicoon, N. Y.  I called her back and Eileen filled her in on how Heather's doing.

 

We had a very nice Thanksgiving dinner late in the afternoon which Tom prepared.  The 9 lb turkey was delicious!  We enjoyed cooked beets with our salad, green bean casserole with onion rings, dressing cooked within and outside the turkey, mashed potatoes (not for us), gravy (Eileen had a bit), and mashed cauliflower.  Dessert is for tomorrow!

Heather and Tom hit the hay at the same time as Liam again.  So I read the first talk to Eileen from the Saturday morning session of October's General Conference.  It was by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency ("It Works Wonderfully!").

Reading to Eileen I finished the October issue of the Ensign.  I had especially enjoyed the First Presidency message from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled "Finish With Your Torch Still Lit."  Other good articles were "Living With Real Intent" by Randall L. Ridd, former second counselor in the Young Men general presidency; "Faith, Service, and a Loaf of Bread"; "The Blessings and Mission of the Seed of Abraham" by Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Seventy; "The Plan of Salvation A Sacred Treasure of Knowledge to Guide Us" by Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; "Joseph the Seer"; "Words to Change Our World"; "Filled With the Holy Ghost"; "Protecting Our Youth Through Family History"; and "The Way to Safety" by President Henry B. Eyring.

I finished reading "The Tragedy of Coriolanus" by William Shakespeare which I had begun on 1 August.

I began reading "A Christmas Tragedy A Miss Marple Short Story" by Agatha Christie.

On Friday 27 November we were up with Liam and watched "Mater's Tall Tales."

I finished reading "A Christmas Tragedy" and was sure I had read it before.

I worked all morning and into the afternoon on Tom's mother's Haller family history.

Then I went on a big (for us) shopping trip to Walmart and had to also stop at Harris-Teeter for one item.  Lots of texting back and forth between myself and Eileen!

Eileen made her Hungarian goulash for the Dowd's supper.

Eileen did 25 T’s, 8 U’s, 2 V’s, 34 W’s, 3 Y’s, and 1 Z, finishing Devon.

On Saturday 28 November I was amazed that after having pecan pie for dessert last night and even nibbling a second piece late in the evening my blood sugar was still under 100 this morning.

I finished working on Tom's family history for now, adding many of them born over 110 years ago to my temple ordinance list.

I did 10 T’s, 5 U’s, 1 V, 52 of the 57 W’s, and 3 Y’s, finishing Hampshire. I had to add Hampshire Parishes and the name of the parish to the crumb trail for numerous Winchester parishes.  

Eileen will work on Somerset next and I will do Wiltshire.

I went shopping at Walmart and for one item at Harris-Teeter that Eileen texted me about on the way home from Walmart.

Then I drove to Crabtree Valley Mall and bought a new power cord for Eileen's laptop.

I emailed Roger Hall with our limited home teaching information for this month (cc Jay Hanks) and Carol Messina with our family history work this month prior to us coming here to Heather's (cc Jay Hanks and President Stanley).

Eileen made delicious chicken and dumplings for supper and neighbors Audrey and Keith brought delicious Brunswick stew and quiche.

We watched "A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures."

I finished adding photos to my 31 May blog entry and republished it.

I prepared the Kids Ferst newsletter and sent it to Richard Armistead at Ferst Foundation.  I included a picture of the announcement about the Kids Ferst Playhouse being offered as a fundraiser.

I read the second talk to Eileen from the Saturday morning session of October's General Conference.  It was by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles entitled "God Is at the Helm" about the Church, the "Old Ship Zion."