End of Book binding for two years

I have been volunteering in the Oakland Family History Library for eighteen months.  I have been repairing and rebinding books from the Library so they will survive another 50 to 100 years of use.

This old bible was brought in by a friend who didn't know I worked there.  I enjoyed getting it back together and in a condition where it can be used often for another 150 years.  I was happy to help and she was happy to donate to the library.  

                                                  This was my last book for a while.

The little mark of a compass rose is my symbol for the books I rebound.  There are three of us who bind books now.  Through the years each person has marked the books they worked on.  If you see a compass rose in a book in that library - I will take all the credit or perhaps the blame for a poor job.

I haven't had the courage to work on my own books yet.  I really love them in their worn and tattered condition.  Only the best RESTORATION, not repair or rebinding, can improve the value of a book beyond library use.

Kristi spent her time at the Library helping patrons.

Preparation (Spiritual)

Once Kristi and I had turned in our papers for a mission we were planning on a humanitarian emphasis.  However, we knew the first week of orientation at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) would be about being member missionaries.  We decided that we should read through the basic manual of "Preach My Gospel".  That took us about a month and now we are going through the Book of Mormon trying to finish before we leave.  

What a change from 47 years ago.  Back then I was sent a little booklet of six lesson dialogues that were to be memorized word perfectly.  That "perfection" came about six months into my mission and became the total emphasis for two years.  Today the missionaries are taught to seek, find and rely on the spirit.  Having experienced a "change of heart" is essential before trying to show others how to change their heart.

I also did not have months to prepare physically, spiritually, mentally or socially for the cultural transition that was to take place on such a focused mission.

Forty-seven years ago I was at Kristi's house about eight o'clock on a Sunday night when my Mom called on the phone and said that a "special delivery envelope" was just delivered from Salt Lake City.  I took Kristi with me and went home to open a letter calling me on a mission to the North British Mission.  It said I was to report in ten days on Wednesday to Salt Lake City with shots and a passport.

It was a fast ten days getting suits, luggage, and passport, and a visit to the two year old Oakland Temple.  Fast Sunday was the next Sunday, with no evening meeting scheduled.  The word was put out that a special meeting was to be held as my farewell. The very next Sunday, Kristi sang as part of a musical number at the meeting.  I had been in England for six weeks when I started to ask myself - "How did I get here"?

We were pretty young - but we insisted we were just friends.  There is nothing like eventually loving your best friend.  You can see we both look about the same except Kristi got to keep her hair.

This is me with Elder Loughton in my first area, Liverpool.  You can tell I was still pretty cocky.

Time to Clean the Garage (after 30 years)

I love my garage.  It is the start of projects and the catalog of leftover items from those projects.

We have never had a car in it since the first day it was finished.  I raised the door an extra six inches so we could get our 1977 Blue Dodge van inside, but the day I tested it was the only day a car was inside. I did keep the boat in there for many years until I tricked my son-in-law Brent into buying it from me.  That event was one of Kristi's happiest days of our marriage.

Kristi thinks I like to keep EVERYTHING.  It really isn't true, but it is fun to rediscover items from the past.  Someone just might need it later on.

This suitcase was full of costumes I had worn as a kid.  I dyed the long johns red and wore them to high school for some occasion.

                       This is the holster set and guns that I got for my fifth christmas from Santa.  

                         The ruffle sleeves were from a church dance festival in Santa Rosa 1963.

Kristi actually got a little teary eyed when I said we should toss out the puzzle board we used from an old crib.  We have used the crib-end to put puzzles on so we could move them in our first apartment when it was dinner time.  (We now have more than one table)  It has been used over forty years, and very handy.

                                                     We uncovered the boxes of wheat.  

There are still over 3500 lbs of wheat against the wall.  We have given a few boxes to our kids when they would agree to take it.  The wheat is a symbol to me about obedience. We had tried ever since we were married to follow the words of the prophet and have a storage supply of food.  It always gave me comfort that we were never told we had to eat it, : )  just have it for emergencies, local or personal.  When we started to finally put on our first addition it was only on faith as we didn't have but a little extra money each week.  After the footing and garage floor were poured I thought we were spending money that we could use for food storage.  My Dad and I took our step van (the SWAT truck) to Sacramento and canned wheat all day.  It was close to 4000 lbs.  We loaded it up and headed home to unload it in the middle of the new concrete.  I built the garage around it.  It delayed construction a week as I had spent the money on wheat, but there it sits.  We used a little last year and it is still very good.  We've told the neighbors where it is.

Two Missionaries

This is Tyler, Brent and Rebecca's oldest.  Tyler just went to the Oakland Temple for the first time.  He will be heading to Florianopolis, Brazil one day before we start our journey to Zambia.  He is our oldest grandchild and I am really proud of him.

Right after this photo we all headed to Fenton's for a crab sandwich and for me a chocolate fudge sundae with a very ripe banana.  Fenton's is where I took Kristi for her very first ever banana split, the summer of 1966!  (I think she just about threw up)

Tyler will fly directly to the Missionary Training Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil to start his two years of service.

Preparation (physicals/lot of shots)

Kristi doesn't like this photo, it was her second Rabies shot, only one more to go.

We have also had Yellow Fever, Tetanus, Meningititis, Shingles, Flu, Polio, Pneumonia, 

Hepatitus A & B, a series of Typhoid pills and before we leave the USA we will start taking Malaria pills everyday for two years.  The hospital also set us up with Cipro for our first couple bouts of diarrhea.  Do they know more than they are telling me at the hospital?  All those hippos and elephants and lions look really healthy.

Preparation (physical)

Once our papers were in we (Kristi) decided it was time to get in shape for whatever assignment we were given.  We (Kristi) decided we could do the "East Bay Regional Park Challenge".  This meant that we would visit many of the local parks and hike.  I must admit that it was absolutely beautiful to be in the California hills among the wildlife and spring flowers.   The hikes were about five to seven miles each.

Tilden Park has great views and miles of trails

We hiked up to the top of the ridge around the Black Diamond Mines

 This is above Round Valley behind Mt. Diablo where many Native Americans once lived.

I would have been very happy to stay in that valley by the creek and watch the wildlife.

Blue Bellied Lizard or California Fence Lizard - They are everywhere.

Learning about Zambia

Zambia is landlocked and surrounded by eight different countries.

Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi (which is part of the mission), and Mozambique.

Below is the Flag of Zambia

The pole would be on the left side.

The Green represents the land of Zambia.  (I suppose during the wet season)

The three columns stand for:  Red for freedom.  (blood?)

The Black is for the people of African heritage.

The copper colored column is for its resources which is mainly copper mining.

The flying Fish Eagle is the national bird and is always on alert and protecting.