Grounded

This week has felt somewhat surreal. I have been 'stuck' here in Vernon as the TransCanada has only been partially open since last Saturday's mudslide and continued mudslides. I could take that route home if I could bear the 2+ hour delays that a single lane of traffic through the affected area has created. That sounds like self torture to me, travelling with two young children. This is what the report says tonight...

"Closed in both directions 65 km west of Golden because of Mud Slide. Expected opening time of 6 am Pacific time Thursday May 17th. Confidence level moderate. Next update at 5 am Pacific time Thursday May 17th. Updated on Wed May 16 at 6:38 pm."

So we'll see what tomorrow brings...but at this point I'm not holding my breath.

It feels surreal because you think that in this day and age in a country like Canada you can pick up and head anywhere you want, at anytime. It makes me think about what will/would happen if there was a major earthquake or natural disaster. All trucking could stop, food and produce transport would be haulted, etc etc etc. Yup, time to finish gathering that food storage. My Mom has been doing a lot of scripture reading and study on 'the last days'. For those less aware of our church beliefs, we believe that in the final years/time before the second coming of Christ there will be greater strife, natural disasters, wars, famines etc. That is one of the reasons that as a church we have been counseled to have a food storage and be prepared for troublesome times. Anyway, my Mom heard from a friend that Elder Boyd K. Packer, one of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was at a stake conference in Holladay, Utah, this spring and opened the floor for questions from the congregation. Someone asked why the prophet and apostles no longer give talks in general conference encouraging members to get their food storage. Elder Packer said, "President Hinckley," (our prophet), "has told us to not speak on that anymore. The saints have been told to get a food storage for a hundred years; now the Lord will preach his sermon." That put tingles down my spine. I have made a good start on the food storage but I am definitely going to focus in the next few months and finish it off. It can kind of freak you out, all this "end of the world" stuff, but I keep thinking of the phrase "if you are prepared you shall not fear". And so I am going forward with faith and doing what I've been told.

The weather has continued to be wonderful here, we were at the beach yesterday and the boys loved playing at the edge of the water and puttering in the sand. I've been slathering on the 60spf sunscreen, so while we've been out a lot we have only light tans. In some ways I long for the pre skin cancer, care free days of slathering baby oil on my arms and shoulders! Good-bye pastiness! But I guess when I'm eighty I won't be so wrinkly, so that's a plus. But this delayed gratification seems like a long time!