Busy In Gold Star
Jan says you can play yourself to death here at the Gold Star RV Park, and it’s true! There is something to do every day - multiple things even! We both had plans to get projects done, but after three months we haven’t even gotten started! We’re just busy!
Church Socials
In the past month we’ve had an Elders Quorum campfire and weenie roast. Yesterday the Relief Society had games and an ice cream social for Valentines Day. Last week there was line dancing. Every Thursday there is a fireside presentation, followed by treats. The members may be in their 60’s to 90’s, but these folks would outplay much younger people, for sure! You’ll have to ask Jan about that cup stacking game. She got beat by a 91 year old! I got beat at a roll tape candy eating game. Competition is stiff!
Cooking
Besides baking a lot of bread, I’ve been busy making flan, yoghurt, and last week made pork stew in the Ninja Foodi, something we have never tried before. Jan liked it so much she asked me to make it twice a month from now on!
Cooking Class
Jan taught a cooking class at the club house recently. I got to help. We made homemade potstickers, with sweet and sour soup and zucchini. It was a fun group, and everyone got to take some home to cook for dinner.
We made our own yoghurt in Hawaii, but just bought it since returning to the mainland. Using my new bread maker, making yoghurt is easy. The first batch failed. I forgot to bring it up to 190° first. The second batch was so much better! We add jams and preserves for flavor. It’s really good! Going homemade is better!
Entertainment
There are several variety shows every season. This month it was the creation of Gold Star in 1984. It was an hour of skits and monologues about the founders, and all the shenanigans they did back then. There were several references to one particular circus show that was apparently quite memorable, even now! Jan and I played angels, representing some of the founders who are no longer with us. We laughed all through the show! Thanks to my big mouth, we are in charge of one of the shoes next year. No pressure!
Besides the weekly music and gospel jams, there are concerts every Saturday. Last week a great young musician put on a super 2 hour show. Mikki Daniels is a western musician, and for being only 25, has already been recognized as a rising star. She played some of her own songs, plus some from Roy Rogers and other western greats. She even has a horse named Trigger! She and Jan are kindred spirits, too. Cowgirls stick together! One of Jan’s original poems she wrote some time ago about a horse may be put to music. Stay tuned!
Learning at Church
Every Monday night we meet with a group of 12-14 members for a Family Home Evening. We discuss a weekly lesson, followed by treats and socializing. This has become our family here. We are very close.
This year our Church is studying the Old Testament. I’ve been learning a lot, and getting answers to questions I’ve had for a very long time. For example, I’ve struggled to understand the Abrahamic Covenant in simple terms. After some really good group discussions, going through the lessons, watching some videos with LDS and Jewish scholars, and some additional reading from articles by BYU professors, I finally understand this wonderful promise that God made with Abraham, and with us. If you are interested in discussing the Abrahamic Covenant, let me know.
Jan and I are really enjoying our callings as Family History Consultants, and work in the Family History Library every Thursday. Besides helping people to find their relatives, I have added over 250 ancestors to my own family tree, most of them from Germany, going back to the 1600’s. Finding the relationships between generations, and where they lived, has been a great joy for me. Knowing who your ancestors are gives you a real sense of connection and identity. If you haven’t done any family history research, we would love to help you get started. Just so you know, it gets addicting!