Monday, September 23rd, 2013

Today is P-Day, our day off.  Wayne asked what I wanted to do and I said, "I don't want to wear a dress and I don't want to get in the car!"   Well, I haven't put on a dress yet, but we did drive a little bit - to a hair salon and the grocery store.  I'm just very tired of spending lots of time in the car,  traveling back country roads trying to find people, and going to meetings.  So my idea of fun today was to take a long walk,  clean the apartment real well,  get groceries, do a couple loads of laundry, get a haircut, work on the computer,  and maybe cross-stitch and watch a movie.  Wayne thinks we are going to a nearby Chinese restaurant for dinner,  I think it's close enough to walk to...

So welcome to Petersburg, West Virginia.  Home of the Golden Trout.  I looked up Golden Trout and

 found that it is a color mutation of the regular rainbow trout and was developed using selective breeding at the Petersburg fish hatchery.  Apparently they are quite proud of it.

I also researched the North/South question in regards to the Civil War.  Evidently it's complicated.  Here are a few things I found out.  "West Virginia is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania and also on the north and northeast by Maryland.  It is separated from Pennsylvania by the well-known Mason and Dixon Line.  ...   The Mason and Dixon Line has become famous in American history as symbolizing the division between the Northern and the Southern states during the American Civil War.  Since West Virginia is south of this line, West Virginia can be thought of as a Southern state, but because West Virginia was created as a Union state during the Civil War, it is hard to classify as either Southern or Northern."   There were an estimated 32,000 West Virginians who served in the Union army, but also about 9,000 who served in the Conferate army,  many from the Eastern Panhandle which is where we live.  Many of the farmers along the Potomac River had slaves and were pro-Confederacy,  the coal miners and mountain families were pro-Union.  Like I said, it's complicated and we have seen monuments and plaques honoring both sides as we drive around.  I found this interesting.

Also saw a herd of very large long-horn cattle in a pasture back in the hills yesterday.  And a bit further,

along a little stretch of freeway we noticed a hillside of grazing goats.  We are becoming a little more familiar with the roads, towns, directions, and family relationships.  Still nice to use the opener of "We're new here" and I think we will feel that way for a long time.  When we went to church Sunday it was comforting to recognize most of the people there and we even could attach names to many.  They are very patient with us. 

This past weekend was our stake conference.  We are part of the Winchester Virginia Stake.  The evening adult meeting was in Winchester, about 70 miles away.  We took with us a recent convert from Puerto Rico,  Oscar Torres.  A neat young adult,  it was nice to get to know him better.  The meeting was great and we found out that the 2nd Counselor in our stake presidency is Jason F. Wright,  a motivational speaker and author.  I have read and enjoyed several of his books:  "The Christmas Jars",  "The Wednesday Letter",  "The 17 Second Miracle".  He is a great speaker and story teller,  gave a memorable talk in the meeting,  all the talks and music were good.  Sunday they broadcast the general session to our little meetinghouse in Petersburg,  but didn't have very good reception and it even went completely out for about half an hour (just when Pres. Wright gave his talk!  but when he heard about our problems he said he would come to our building and give it again to us some Sunday). 

So this week we are taking our Elders to a District meeting in the town of Romney tomorrow.  Then Wednesday we are going with our bishop and his wife, and a recently reactivated couple to the Washington DC Temple, then we are going on to Maryland (Ellicot City) for a get-together with the other senior missionary couples in our mission.  Thursday we are taking a pair of missionaries to Wardensville to meet the members there,  some of whom don't come to church very often because they can't afford gas.  Another busy week.  Missing our family but know we are where we are supposed to be.  Enjoying the wonderful weather and the great blessing of good health and happiness. 

Lovely West Virginian Cabin

PS.  Found a sign on the bulletin board in our laundry room last week that a baby copperhead was found in the grass near our apartment.  What's a copperhead?  I asked Wayne.  A very poisonous, stealthy snake, he replied.  I watch very carefully now on our walks through the grass to the church.  And I don't leave our apartment door open ...