Back from the Klondike.

Steve and Danny got home from the Klondike Derby around 7pm last night.  Steve was very diligent about unpacking and tidying up after himself...Danny, well, not so much.  Steve did leave one thing in the van.  I mean, ON the van.  Yeah, we still have the sled on top...Steve's hoping there is enough room (and that he has the key) to put the sled in the scout shed at our new building.  Yeah, I'm hoping that also...because I really don't want to have to store that thing.

Guilty Pleasure

Rebekah accused me of cheating on my blog last week.  She was right...I confess.  I have been cheating on this blog. 

Keira and I are having a total geek fest with our new blog (The Uncrushable Jersey Dress).  Our recent conversations sound a little like this:

(me) "Did you see we have a reader in SPAIN!

(her) "INDIA!  We have 3 readers from INDIA!?!

I have been learning a little more amatuer blog designing in the process of co-hosting The Uncrushable Jersey Dress. 

• I've embedded links in the sidebar...that link back to book reviews that we've done...
• I've picked up a little photo editing know-how (really that's thanks to an amazing site called picnik.com - it's got a lot of things you can do for free - or fork out $25 for a one year premium membership)
• Along with picnik, I've learned how to make custom headers.
• Widgets.  Have I mentioned widgets?

If you haven't had a chance, drop on by - it's not all book reviews.  Did I mention food?  Yeah, we've been trying out and reviewing food too. 

Budding Baker

Our ward has an annual combined youth bake off.  They've been doing this for years...(I think it's brilliant - they save money on refreshments AND the kids have a good time).  I found out about this yesterday.  I asked Danny what he was going to make.  No hesitation:  "cream puffs". 

Okie dokie.

He did a great job...I talked him through the tougher parts...and I scooped up the first one to show him the size, but he did the rest.  He even made the fillings, chocolate and vanilla. I filled the piping bags and put the chocolate in half, he put the vanilla in the other half.  I can't wait until he gets home - I'm wondering how the judging went.

Ski Bums

Considering the fact that I had to go to the Medical Clinic 3 times, it was a great day.

Danny had an incident involving his ear-bud coming out...in his ear...on the way to the mountain.  Unfortunately for him, none of us happened to have a pair of tweezers with us.  Luckily, the Clinic did - and they pulled it right out.  And didn't charge us for it.  A couple of hours later, Danny calls me (on my seriously dying cell phone) - to let me know that he was in the Clinic again. This time the ski patrol had strapped him on a sled and pulled him to the clinic.  Man, do I wish I had a picture of that.  Turns out he had fallen and wrenched his knee.  After seeing that he would probably live, I had to hike back up to the lodge to get his shoes...then back to the Clinic...then back to the lodge with Danny hobbling next to me. (still no charge...) 

It's been a couple of days now, and he's still limping a little, but I don't think his tumble put him off skiing.  We'll have to give it a try again next year.

Our Man in Japan

Dear Family and Friends,

So the Marysville ward boundaries are changing? Let me know how that goes please. I think I`m supposed to notify the Mission Office if my home ward or stake changes.

So this past week has been pretty good. But I don`t have much time to write now so this`ll be short. We took the train over to Tanabe Monday night and spent the night there. The next morning we still had to get up early to catch a train at 6:30 AM. We made it interviews up in Iwade in time. Afterwards we had some Korean Barbeque (Yakiniku) before starting the trip back to Shingu with the Tanabe Elders. That took from 1:44 PM to 7:34 PM.

On Wednesday we were on exchanges with the Tanabe Elders in Shingu. It was pretty good. On Thursday the Tanabe Elders went home after having district meeting in the morning. Elder Slater and Elder Homer made me a happy birthday pancake with sprinkles in it. Elder Slater was going to make a cake for my birthday but halfway through realized we were out of oil. We`re getting oil today. I did eat some Tim Tams which was good.

I got the package on Friday, thanks! Now it`s a question of when to make the pecan pie and harvest loaf. Thanks a lot for those, it`s odd that canned pumpkin and pecans aren`t to be found here. We had a dinner of pancakes with Brother Tsuboi Friday evening, it was pretty nice of him.

On Saturday morning after English Class we talked with a new student about the Bible and Book of Mormon some. When he filled out the new student information sheet he wrote in the box for other comments or anything `I sort`ve want to read the original manuscript of the Bible` we talked with him about how the Bible was written and compiled and what the Book of Mormon is.

On Saturday evening there was a fire festival. Only boys and men are allowed to participate because it`s dangerous though everyone watches. At around 6 or 7 PM the guys who are participating (They`re dressed in white) walk up a steep hill where a shrine is. They go to the top? and wait there behind a gate until 8 PM. They`re all holding flaming torches while they`re up there waiting. Some of them are drunk. Some of them want to be the first to the bottom when the gates open so they fight for position at the gate. I personally don`t thinking drunks fighting while holding flaming torches is smart... Anyways the gate opens at 8 PM and they race down. The stairs are really steep, but the people in front who really want to be first jump down them really fast. When they get to the bottom they walk in a line through a crowd. It`s fun to watch but the drunks are super careful with their torches, fortunately they`re mostly burned out by the end. The festival is called Otomatsuri I think. It was on February 6. You can probably see videos online.

Well I`m out of time. Talk to you next week.
Love,

Elder Andrew West.

ROTFL

Rebekah texted me a few minutes ago.  I like to stay connected, but I'm not sure I'll ever truly get the hang of texting.  When it comes to typing on a phone, I have two left thumbs...and they're not opposable.

Alex just got a text from her.  He texted her back and told her that texting is a tool of the devil.

Good luck, Rebekah.

Groundhog's Day

"There is no way that this winter is *ever* going to end as long as this groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don't see any other way out. He's got to be stopped. And I have to stop him."

Happy Groundhog's Day!  I need to find my copy of Groundhog's Day...for our once a year watching of my favorite movie about groundhogs.

What's your favorite movie dedicated to an obscure holiday? 
And now we dance.