I have been waiting to do this question for a while because I wasn't quite sure what we were going to do. The answer has been firmed up.
Our plans for retirement are to leave Rhode Island on July 31, 2013 and take our belongings to Kerrville, Texas. There we will put them in storage for 19 months. We will then visit with each of our daughters, son-in-laws and grandchildren for a few days. We will also go and make a fuss over my newest grandniece or grandnephew (thanks to Sara and Dallin Walker). Then on August 26, 2013, Clyde and I will report to the Provo MTC for our mission in Copenhagen, Denmark. We will spend 2 weeks there before we go and serve 18 months doing a record preservation mission for the Church. The Denmark, Copenhagen mission takes in Denmark, Iceland and Greenland - so we could be spending time in any or all of those places, working in churches and government buildings retrieving records.
We are beyond thrilled but also in shock. We truly did not think we would leave North America because of my health issues. Then after speaking to another returning Senior couple, I thought maybe we would go back to Frankfurt a/m Main in Germany. At least there I would know enough to get around. The ONLY Danish word I know is Aebelskiver! And I am sure it isn't even spelled correctly anymore. This is setting up to be quite an adventure.
After our mission, hopefully our skills as preservationists can be used in Texas and we can serve another local mission or possibly a temple mission in the San Antonio Temple. So far that is as far as our retirement plans go. I think that is enough.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Tell about changes you have seen in fashion in your lifetime:
When I was a young girl, women never wore pants. They wore a kind of wrap dress or a loose fitting dress for around the house. They also always wore and apron. Women changed their clothes to go somewhere - even if it was to the grocery store. When we went on our summer vacations to Utah, Mom would make matching dresses for the trip for Marianne, Mom and me. Marianne and I would match in everything we wore but we always had 1 or 2 dresses that matched Mom as we were on the road. The dresses were loose and usually made of a cotton jersey so they didn't wrinkle and we would look nice as we stopped along the way. (Dad always stopped at sights as we traveled. Only in an emergency would we travel straight through). My mother did have pants and pedal pushers for camping and hiking when we were in Utah. Grandma Tuttle did too. But she worked with the 4-H and had to camp a lot. I had plenty of short sets as play clothes and my long pants for the mountains too.
When we were in Germany, women started to wear slacks more and more but only in the home. You never saw them in public. We always wore dresses to school and would huddle on the playground in the freezing cold because our dresses were at our knees and we just had tights to keep us warm. I loved my blue Naugahyde coat because when I squatted down - I was warm! I was also glad when we came stateside to get rid of the monstrosity!
In Washington DC - when I was in JR High then things started to really change. We went from the real classic beauty of Jackie Kennedy's look to Twiggy. Skirts started rising - really quite slowly in retrospect but it was quite alarming to the parents of teenagers to see skirts 2 inches above the knee. Boys hair was getting longer and girls weren't doing the bouffant anymore or going for the lacquered look but letting their hair hang loose and free. Our mothers were horrified.
By the time I was in High School, skirts were really short and pretty much anything was being worn. We still could not wear pants to school. I remember a bunch of us going and begging the principal to let us wear nice pant suits on cold winter days. We badgered him so much that the European school districts finally said from Thanksgiving to Easter, nice pants could be worn. There were specifics but right then pantsuits for women were really popular and I had 3 that I wore all of the time. I was very out of step when in the spring - the dresses were shorter than ever. I wore mine the length I felt comfortable with and I knew the Church wanted me to wear them. I had my sister, Marianne and even though we were not in the same school - we at least had each others backs. When we moved to Heidelberg the next year, Marianne and I found the midi - it came mid-calf. My senior year I could also wear pants any day I wanted too. Suddenly my dilemma for what to wear was over. Plus Mom had hired a sewing lady and we would have her make us things periodically. (I still commandeered the things Marianne made because she sewed the best and had better taste than I did. Plus I was a brat.)
After that, I didn't pay attention to fashion again until our own girls were in HS. I still don't - much to our daughters' chagrin. I wear what like and feel comfortable in.
When we were in Germany, women started to wear slacks more and more but only in the home. You never saw them in public. We always wore dresses to school and would huddle on the playground in the freezing cold because our dresses were at our knees and we just had tights to keep us warm. I loved my blue Naugahyde coat because when I squatted down - I was warm! I was also glad when we came stateside to get rid of the monstrosity!
In Washington DC - when I was in JR High then things started to really change. We went from the real classic beauty of Jackie Kennedy's look to Twiggy. Skirts started rising - really quite slowly in retrospect but it was quite alarming to the parents of teenagers to see skirts 2 inches above the knee. Boys hair was getting longer and girls weren't doing the bouffant anymore or going for the lacquered look but letting their hair hang loose and free. Our mothers were horrified.
By the time I was in High School, skirts were really short and pretty much anything was being worn. We still could not wear pants to school. I remember a bunch of us going and begging the principal to let us wear nice pant suits on cold winter days. We badgered him so much that the European school districts finally said from Thanksgiving to Easter, nice pants could be worn. There were specifics but right then pantsuits for women were really popular and I had 3 that I wore all of the time. I was very out of step when in the spring - the dresses were shorter than ever. I wore mine the length I felt comfortable with and I knew the Church wanted me to wear them. I had my sister, Marianne and even though we were not in the same school - we at least had each others backs. When we moved to Heidelberg the next year, Marianne and I found the midi - it came mid-calf. My senior year I could also wear pants any day I wanted too. Suddenly my dilemma for what to wear was over. Plus Mom had hired a sewing lady and we would have her make us things periodically. (I still commandeered the things Marianne made because she sewed the best and had better taste than I did. Plus I was a brat.)
After that, I didn't pay attention to fashion again until our own girls were in HS. I still don't - much to our daughters' chagrin. I wear what like and feel comfortable in.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Whisperings
During my life, I have had many promptings from the Holy Ghost. Sometimes I follow them and other times, I am sorry to say, I ignore them. I have been thinking a lot about this, because I had a very strong prompting over and over - not for me but for Clyde just this last week. I kept thinking, "Surely Clyde would feel the same way." It turned out he did but he also ignored it because it was for Church. Things did not go well. Lesson learned.
There is kind of a popular story among the youth of our ward. They called it "Sister Bailey's Seminary Story". It makes me laugh when someone tells me that the story popped up in a class. In fact this story was just told last week. I have told it many times but thought I would write it down for posterity. It is how things usually work when you have a prompting.
When we owned the print shop, I always took the Broadway exit and then turned right on Broadway and went straight on to work. One day I had a very strong impression not to go that way. So I didn't.
{This is when the students say, "What happened?" and I say, "Nothing, because I listened to the prompting."}
I have learned that when I get a prompting, to do what I have been prompted to do. Sometimes it is to call a Visiting Teaching sister or one of Clyde's Home Teaching families. Other times it might be just like the story above, to simply not go that direction. More often than not, I follow the voice and do what I am told to do. It has become quite apparent though that there is room for improvement.
There is kind of a popular story among the youth of our ward. They called it "Sister Bailey's Seminary Story". It makes me laugh when someone tells me that the story popped up in a class. In fact this story was just told last week. I have told it many times but thought I would write it down for posterity. It is how things usually work when you have a prompting.
When we owned the print shop, I always took the Broadway exit and then turned right on Broadway and went straight on to work. One day I had a very strong impression not to go that way. So I didn't.
{This is when the students say, "What happened?" and I say, "Nothing, because I listened to the prompting."}
I have learned that when I get a prompting, to do what I have been prompted to do. Sometimes it is to call a Visiting Teaching sister or one of Clyde's Home Teaching families. Other times it might be just like the story above, to simply not go that direction. More often than not, I follow the voice and do what I am told to do. It has become quite apparent though that there is room for improvement.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
What games did you play in your home and your neighborhood when you were growing up?
In the neighborhood, we played Hide and Go Seek, along with a lot of games that involved running and hiding, such as Cowboys and Indians or Cops and Robbers, or variations on that theme. We played softball, Bad Minton, we bicycled everywhere and anywhere we wanted to go. We had no fears. It was a wonderful time to grow up. When I was in the sixth grade, in the summertime, we had Monopoly marathons. One of the neighbor girls always cheated and we all knew she cheated - so there would be hard feelings and we would all be in snit for a week or two. Then she would apologize - we would do it again with the same result!
At home, we played a lot of card games. Smut was one of our family favorites and we of course played Old Maid & Go Fish. We also played a game involving cards and spoons. I remember if you got rid of all of your cards you grabbed a spoon (I think). It was kind of like UNO. We played SORRY!, Mousetrap and other board games. In fact every Christmas we would get a new game to play. We didn't have TV when I grew up except for a few years here and there. We read and played games. I remember the year Marianne got the game "Dream Date" (was that what it was called?) We played it all of the time for the first few weeks. But we figured out really quick how to get the 'dreamy guy' and avoid the creepy one. We pulled it out every so often to play but once you played it and could rig it - it wasn't quite as much fun.
One of the things I have missed being in Rhode Island is having family to play games with. I love visiting our children and grandchildren and then the games come out. Clyde and I play Scrabble and Upwords but we are too evenly matched and we literally win back and forth.
At home, we played a lot of card games. Smut was one of our family favorites and we of course played Old Maid & Go Fish. We also played a game involving cards and spoons. I remember if you got rid of all of your cards you grabbed a spoon (I think). It was kind of like UNO. We played SORRY!, Mousetrap and other board games. In fact every Christmas we would get a new game to play. We didn't have TV when I grew up except for a few years here and there. We read and played games. I remember the year Marianne got the game "Dream Date" (was that what it was called?) We played it all of the time for the first few weeks. But we figured out really quick how to get the 'dreamy guy' and avoid the creepy one. We pulled it out every so often to play but once you played it and could rig it - it wasn't quite as much fun.
One of the things I have missed being in Rhode Island is having family to play games with. I love visiting our children and grandchildren and then the games come out. Clyde and I play Scrabble and Upwords but we are too evenly matched and we literally win back and forth.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
What is your favorite movie and why?
I love old movies. My most favorite movie is "The Bishop's Wife" with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. I do love "Enchanted April" even though it is not old. However it is set just after WWI. It is beautiful story and almost word for work for the book. I also love "The Princess Bride".
I love musicals. My most favorite musical of all time is "The Slipper and the Rose". Marianne came to visit me infrequently when we lived out of state but once when she came, she told me we had to go to the movies and see this wonderful movie. I fell in love but didn't get to see it again for years. Then I saw it on TV but it was all chopped up and the best parts were missing. I was thrilled when I finally had my own copies - first on VHS and then DVD. Through an unfortunate chain of events, I have lost my copy. I love the story and the music. I keep hoping they will put it out on Blu-ray but so far no luck.
I love all animated features, especially the Disney classics and most all of Pixar's presentations. There are other animated movies that I love. I am also a big fan of the Jim Henson's productions - whether it is with the Muppets or his fantasies.
What are your favorite movies or movie genre?
I love musicals. My most favorite musical of all time is "The Slipper and the Rose". Marianne came to visit me infrequently when we lived out of state but once when she came, she told me we had to go to the movies and see this wonderful movie. I fell in love but didn't get to see it again for years. Then I saw it on TV but it was all chopped up and the best parts were missing. I was thrilled when I finally had my own copies - first on VHS and then DVD. Through an unfortunate chain of events, I have lost my copy. I love the story and the music. I keep hoping they will put it out on Blu-ray but so far no luck.
I love all animated features, especially the Disney classics and most all of Pixar's presentations. There are other animated movies that I love. I am also a big fan of the Jim Henson's productions - whether it is with the Muppets or his fantasies.
What are your favorite movies or movie genre?
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
What home cures were you raised on?
My family had the same cures for some things as other people. Chicken soup for a cold, etc. My favorite is still what my father said, "You will feel better when you quit hurting." Or he would hand us a Tylenol and say, "Your cold will be better in 10 days to 2 weeks." That is the running time of a bad cold. Sometimes you just have to let things run their natural course.
When I was about 9, I had a really bad case of the hiccups. I couldn't get rid of them and I was driving my parents nuts. My dad sat me on the piano bench and told me sit tall and make myself burp. Low and behold - my hiccups went away for a little while (I get hiccups all day long even now - just with short reprieves). But the belching trick does help. At least it helps me.
When I was little, we had Jewish neighbors. I had chronic earaches. One day Mrs. Israeloff (whose husband was a pediatrician) came over and brought an eye dropper and some olive oil. She warmed a bit of the oil in a pan to about 99 degrees - because it was just a bit warmer than my skin. She then dropped the warm oil in my ear and packed it with cotton. The pain was gone. I would never recommend this instead of a DR visit but before the visit this trick works great. My earaches were usually caused from swimmers ear (where the water gets trapped in the ear canal). This worked great on my earaches that were not an infection. My youngest daughter had chronic ear pain too and this worked on her most of the time too. I still do this when I have an earache. Be careful though, Pam and I both have an eardrum that has a pinhole in it. Don't go dropping oil in that ear! You could do more harm than good!
When the Brugger family was in Germany the first time, our piano teacher, Frau Berner, told my mother to drink peppermint tea when she had a headache. I do that now when I just have a dull throbbing headache and it works great - so does chamomile. To sleep, chamomile works beautifully but there are some other herbal teas on the market that work great too. I realize now that the flavored water is just a way of re-hydrating your body and the throbbing headache is quite often a signal you are dehydrated. At least that holds true for me.
When I was really young, I had 3 great-aunts that lived together. Aunt Ida, Aunt Cora and Aunt Lou. All three suffered from various levels of arthritis. Aunt Cora's was the worse off - hers made her use a walker (but she was in her late 90's at this point). Aunt Ida (the oldest sister) had actually had the arthritis eat through one of her hip joints - she would just pop her hip back in every time she stood up! I asked them once how they kept going - because in the 1960's - arthritis quite often put you in a wheelchair. They both told me exercise. Just keep walking. I realize now that their advice is the most sound advice anyone with arthritis could be given. Since mine is inherited and probably from that side of the family - I plan to exercise and walk into my 100's too - just like they did.
When I was about 9, I had a really bad case of the hiccups. I couldn't get rid of them and I was driving my parents nuts. My dad sat me on the piano bench and told me sit tall and make myself burp. Low and behold - my hiccups went away for a little while (I get hiccups all day long even now - just with short reprieves). But the belching trick does help. At least it helps me.
When I was little, we had Jewish neighbors. I had chronic earaches. One day Mrs. Israeloff (whose husband was a pediatrician) came over and brought an eye dropper and some olive oil. She warmed a bit of the oil in a pan to about 99 degrees - because it was just a bit warmer than my skin. She then dropped the warm oil in my ear and packed it with cotton. The pain was gone. I would never recommend this instead of a DR visit but before the visit this trick works great. My earaches were usually caused from swimmers ear (where the water gets trapped in the ear canal). This worked great on my earaches that were not an infection. My youngest daughter had chronic ear pain too and this worked on her most of the time too. I still do this when I have an earache. Be careful though, Pam and I both have an eardrum that has a pinhole in it. Don't go dropping oil in that ear! You could do more harm than good!
When the Brugger family was in Germany the first time, our piano teacher, Frau Berner, told my mother to drink peppermint tea when she had a headache. I do that now when I just have a dull throbbing headache and it works great - so does chamomile. To sleep, chamomile works beautifully but there are some other herbal teas on the market that work great too. I realize now that the flavored water is just a way of re-hydrating your body and the throbbing headache is quite often a signal you are dehydrated. At least that holds true for me.
When I was really young, I had 3 great-aunts that lived together. Aunt Ida, Aunt Cora and Aunt Lou. All three suffered from various levels of arthritis. Aunt Cora's was the worse off - hers made her use a walker (but she was in her late 90's at this point). Aunt Ida (the oldest sister) had actually had the arthritis eat through one of her hip joints - she would just pop her hip back in every time she stood up! I asked them once how they kept going - because in the 1960's - arthritis quite often put you in a wheelchair. They both told me exercise. Just keep walking. I realize now that their advice is the most sound advice anyone with arthritis could be given. Since mine is inherited and probably from that side of the family - I plan to exercise and walk into my 100's too - just like they did.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
What do you enjoy doing today that you also enjoyed as a child?
When I was very little, I watched everyone around me read for the pleasure of reading. I couldn't wait to read! I was going to be so good at and it was going to be something I loved - I just knew it! Some of my first memories are of helping my dad study in the morning. As soon as the light went on, I would get up and crawl in his lap. I would snuggle down and promptly fall back asleep. It was the most comfortable and comforting place to be. To this day, when I visit my father and see the light go on, I still have the urge to go and curl up beside him and help him study. From that early age I knew I wanted to read. My mother and father read, my grandparents read and so did all of the other adults in my life. It is one of the I things that I do daily. I read my scriptures but I also read for the sheer joy of reading. I usually read at least one book a day. I will miss that while I am on our mission but I will be reading different things so the joy of reading will not be gone.
My whole life I have listened to music. This is something that I do everyday too. I love classical, musicals and old rock and roll. Thanks to Pandora, I can listen to pretty much any type of music I want as I do my work. I love having music on in the background and that is something I did as a kid too.
My whole life I have listened to music. This is something that I do everyday too. I love classical, musicals and old rock and roll. Thanks to Pandora, I can listen to pretty much any type of music I want as I do my work. I love having music on in the background and that is something I did as a kid too.
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