From the Family:
Nick,
Well, life has gone on. I've finally quit coughing for the most part
so Matt is excited. Allergies are finally calming down and I'm
feeling better most days. A whole bunch of the plants around the
garden are going nuts flowering, provided they don't get fried first.
The pool is feeling nice for swimming but it's a little colder than I
usually care for but it'll keep warming up with the weather we've been
having. Since it's getting warmer Matt and I have been concentrating
on inside projects, mainly painting upstairs. Other than that, life
has been fairly boring.
Zantedeschia aethiopica, or the calla (arum) lily is one of Grandma's
favorite flowers because Great Grandma used to grow them around her
house. This is an old fashioned, but very rewarding garden plant.
Zantedeschia is named after Professor Zantedeschi, probably Giovanni
Zantedeschi, 1773-1846, an Italian physician and botanist, although
there is some uncertainty about this. The name aethiopica is not
directly related to Ethiopia. In classical times it meant south of the
known world i.e. south of Egypt and Libya. Several southern African
plants were given this specific epiphet early on.Although called the
arum lily, it is neither an arum ( the genus Arum) nor a lily ( genus
Lilium). But it is associated with the lily as a symbol of purity and
these elegant flowers have graced many bridal bouquets, as seen in
this picture of a South African bride in 1934. The flowers are
faintly scented and this attracts various crawling insects and bees
which are responsible for pollinating the flowers. Cross pollination
occurs as the anthers of each flower ripen before the ovaries. A white
crab spider of the family Thomisidae visits the flower to eat the
insects. This spider does not spin webs and uses its whiteness as
camouflage against the spathe. In the western Cape, a tiny frog
Hyperolius hopstocki is also attacted to the arum lily flowers. The
spathe turns green after flowering and covers the ripening berries. It
rots away when these are ripe and the succulent yellow berries attract
birds, which are responsible for seed dispersal. The rhizome is large
and eaten by wild pigs and porcupines and the ripe fruit enjoyed by
birds. Traditionally the plant is boiled and eaten. Raw plant material
causes swelling of the throat because of microscopic, sharp calcium
oxalate crystals. The leaves are also traditionally used as a poultice
and a treatment for headaches.
Matt and Sam
Nick,
I know your voice pretty well - I think it will be many years before
you have to identify yourself to me by saying this is Nick. Got that
out of the way. You made your momma pretty happy on Mother's day. She
does love and miss you. Matt still has your voice mail on his phone -
I told mom she should call it every day and talk with you - I'm
curious how long it would take him to change it or get a complex that
mom called and talking to Nick every day.
Life is going well with a few ups and downs, but the question is how
do we respond. I've about got things switched around with the homes.
One of my main goals is to get healthy this next year - I'm going to
start off slow by walking early mornings in June. The heat I can feel
just draining me when I walk to the bus stop. I'll let your mom tell
you all going on with the Alex - Busy week for him.
Love, Dad.
NICK
I would like to recount to you fragments of dreams I have recently
had. In the first one you are being lowered down an old chimney shaft
by Alex via a piece of rope. The purpose of this was so that you could
ask a girl on a date. I was annoyed with Alex for not using a pulley
and just looping the rope over a rafter, which was causing it to fray.
Also, we were all wearing old timey English clothes like chimney
sweeps. Second dream, we were helping Alex ask a girl to a dance. I
had made a 3 barrel cannon designed to shoot cannon balls about the
size of softballs out of pipes and whatnot. It was awesome looking in
my dream. Anywho, we blasted down an old brick wall with it and said
it would be a blast to go to the dance with you. Clever, I know.
Aside from all this the most exciting thing I have done recently was
buying all my kitchen appliances. I was all happy that I had purchased
some Spaghetti-Ohs and was looking forward to eating them after
getting home from work at 2 in the morning, whence I did have the sad
realization I was short a can opener to access the goods. I have since
secured just such a tool and have remedied this oversight. Indeed, I
have not just got myself a can opener, but also pots, pans, spatulas,
flippers, measuring implements, and so forth, including a 'Ninja
Professional 1000 Watt Blender'. I figure I will have it for many
years to come so might as well do it right. The thing has a vertical
shaft with embedded blades so that you don't have to wait for the food
at the top to get pulled or drop down to the bottom blades. I foresee
some serious smoothie making in my future. I spent $128 dollars on
food though and I still don't feel like I have a lot. Most of that is
stuff that lasts a while though, like cornstarch, bullion, spices, and
whatnot. Thus I hope my future grocery shopping should be far less.
And a side note, given the chance, you should try the key lime pie
yogurt. I have found it most agreeable to the palate.
I have found myself with much more open time at work between tasks now
that I am not studying for school. I brought my B.o.M. to work and got
a good start in on it. I think I'm going to see how long it takes me
to finish it as a straight shot. I want to read the whole thing
through just to refresh all the chronology and events and then go back
to do more cross referencing and detailed topic studying.
In summary, I wanted to let you know that I have been learning a
Spanish word everyday from my phone's dictionary app. I just recently
learned how to say 'grate'. As in grating cheese or garlic. I will let
you tell me in your response though to see just how well your language
studies are coming along. Anywho, I am going to return to the empty
old house that is my temporary abode. Fare thee well.
MATT
So last night was Baccalaureate. Yes I know how to spell it. It was
very very well done. Hannah Ellsworth and Grayson Allen sang "The
Prayer" with piano and violin accompanists. It was worthy of
recording. Alex, Kevin, Kier and 3 girls sand "Oh My Father" to the
tune of come thou fount. It was also very very well done. Great
harmony. Mr. Baser, Kier and a couple of others also talked. I
really enjoyed it. Earlier in the week I went to Alex's last choir
concert. Got a little teary eyed as they sang "thanks for the music"
and the next year's Chamber members came in one by one and took over
for one of the ones singing. It was probably the best concert they've
had. Now on to Seminary Graduation (which Alex has been asked to
speak at) and then real graduation and grad night. I probably
shouldn't have volunteered us to do grad night at sunsplash because
your Dad will probably be messed up for the entire weekend after that
but at the time it seemed like a good idea.
Yesterday was a little low key. We went to our last Sunday in the old
ward. Alex got his Duty to God. I slept til about 3 and then Sam
came over. Her Matt was at work, Alex had left early, my Matt was at
church. So she played bean farmer with us. Of course she won. It
was good. She brought cupcakes for the graduate with purple frosting,
then a chocolate square with a small reeses upside down (for the
mortarboard hat), and a little yellow m&m and two tiny yellow strips
of fruit roll-up for the tassels. Just on the drive from her house to
ours, it all melted though. It has been really hot. Dad and I then
went to Baccalaureate. When we came home, Matt came over and we all
met down at the church and Alex was ordained an Elder. After Matt
came back to the house and he played Carcasonne with Dad and I. Dad
beat me by 5 points. Matt didn't farm at all, and wasn't able to
play parasite as much as usual when he plays. Yes. A good Sunday.
So now for laundry, shopping etc. We ran out of milk. It's hard to
know how much to buy because Alex doesn't drink that much, and I don't
want it to spoil. At least I knew how much I needed to have when you
were here. Still miss you. Enjoyed reading about Matt's wacky dream.
Really a chimney sweep? Must have been watching Mary Poppins before
bed. Have a good week. Love, Mom
P.S. It is sooo good to hear your deep voice when I call Matt's
phone. Makes me not so annoyed he didn't answer.
********
Reply to the Family:
The formatting on the emails you're sending me are wacky. They're skinny, like you sent it from your phone and the formatting stuck. It's not necessary, per say, but it could be nice to change it. Regardless, this week has continued forth. Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the future. Fly like an eagle. Don't know the artist or title to the song, but those are the words that stick. I'm certain at least 4 of you have heard and recognize the lyrics. It is tough finding people still. We've talked to so many people, so many people work all day, and it just culminates. Just have to find a way to beat the system. More members are going to church now, though. That's a definite positive. Still eating food. Since we're combined now, the English members feed us occasionally as well. In fact, usually when there's a food appointment for the English elders they invite us as well. So around 3 times a week, maybe 4. Pretty good. Haven't seen any live possums lately. Next one will get the boot. There was some pretty sweet rain and lightning, though. It was around three or four o'clock, still sunny, and it started pouring. It was like the monsoon in Arizona, almost. It came in like four minutes and kept going for half an hour hard, then it let up a little bit. Less ground lightning and more cloud lightning was seen. Got some boomers though, that make you jump sometimes. I like it.
Sam & Matt - Good thing those allergies are taking a chill pill. And flowers are nice. The ones here bloomed early. They're basically all gone now. Apparently there wasn't really a winter here, so they came early. A pool sounds nice. They have one at the apartments here. And not that we can swim in it anyways, it isn't kept at all. It is pine tree green, and quite disgusting. Nothing gets near it, not even mosquitoes or water skeeters. Pretty shady. And that plant has quite the name. Zantedeschia. If you get a bird you can name it that. Preferrably a parrot or parakeet. As long as the bird is annoying and colorful the name fits it. Not to discount the plant, however. I don't even understand fully about flowers and berries and blooming and whatsoever it be, though. I'll avoid eating it raw, however. Certainly got that part. And don't you go eating it raw either.
Dad - I just have to check each time. Maybe I'll get some weird throat thing, or I'll eat some of Sam's throat-injuring Zantedeschia plants so I'll sound different right before I call. I need to make sure. Please make sure Mom doesn't do anything so weird. Please ask Matt to remove that voicemail. So weird. A good goal. Starting slow is definitely the way to go.
Matt - Oh goodness. How in the world do those random things occur to you. I had a dream last week that I was a superhero. Kind of. Either way I killed the demon and won. Are you taking the counsel from general conference and write these dreams down? Elder Scott's talk, I remember. 3 barrrel cannon. Pretty clever though, I agree. A can opener is important. My companion really likes rice though, and so we haven't had a single can of soup. We have opened some black beans and canned fruit though. Our can opener is dumb. It opens the can on the outside. Rather than going inside the rim and cutting it down there, it literally cuts the rim off the top and leaves a sharp edge. Terrifying. Plus, it makes the liquid leak out. And no, we're not just using it wrong. I don't think. I'll have to check again, now. We also want a blender but can't get one. I think the Ross's and TJ Maxx's here are better than in the West, because they have some pretty cool stuff. Good to go over the BoM again. It is nice to review the history. Gets a little convoluted around Mosiah, what with all the switching back and forth and moving around. A good move. I bid thee luck.
Mom - Sounds like some good music, some weepy Mom. Grad night should be good enough. Pretty late, it's true. Funny Alex is giving a talk. Makes me laugh to hear that. And embarrassed, because he's my brother. You know, the usual. I had no clue what a mortarboard hat was at all. I'm still not entirely sure that I do. Oh the wisdom of a mom. Maybe that's where Matt gets some of his obscure knowledge from. We just go buy a gallon of milk a week. Pretty consistently. It's good. And oof. That voicemail should be deleted.
Alex - Was wondering, did the seminary give you some kind of guide to track your reading of the Old Testament this year? Did it have specific chapters to read listed on it? If it did, I would like a copy somehow, sometime. It's good to read the Old Testament, but a hassle to pick and choose which chapters to read or not. If you've got it. Also, the missionaries were invited to a seminary party thing at the church. It was a scripture mastery quiz party thing. I got teamed up with the valedictorian of the school, and we owned mercilessly. Quadrupled the next highest score. He actually didn't help that much, but it's all good. He's pretty cool.
You people are good. Cool. Will email again next week. Just thought I'd throw that fact out there. Love you all. Until then.
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