Week 62
We got more serious about lesson preparation this week, and can't wait for OSU classes to start on Tuesday.  We have one Monday class (so that will start the following week) and two on Thursday.  We start Soup Tuesday this week with tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Wednesday was perfect for our last little "day off" before school starts.  We went to the gym, as usual, then went to the temple.  Following that we had the best Thai lunch at our favorite little Thai restaurant (Charm) in the city.  By the way, the temperature was 74 degrees.  We went to the movie Hidden Figures, and it's one we highly recommend.  We came out of the movie to the beginning of one of the most spectacular sunsets ever!  It started out a blaze of gold and then deepened to almost magenta--it also lasted longer than any sunset in memory, changing colors as it went.  While that was entertaining us on one side of the drive home, the full moon was dancing in and out of clouds on the other.  We ended the day at Smokey Pokey's--it is the restaurant at the truck stop where we turn off the interstate to head into Stillwater.  One of their big highway signs boasts, "The Best Pork Butt in Payne County."  That was the first sign we saw as we drove into Stillwater over a year ago, and we've been intending to check it out since then.  Well, it's pretty darn good, and the fried green tomatoes were really good, too.

Freezing rain was in the forecast for Friday, so everything that could close was closed.  Saturday was supposed to be even worse.  Freezing rain is taken seriously around here, because there are so many accidents on the slick roads and because of the high likelihood of downed power lines.  We did have some freezing rain, but the ground was so warm because of the high temps the day before that it didn't get treacherous.  I think other parts of the state got it worse than we did.  We stayed in Friday and Saturday, so it was nice to go out to church today.  It's been raining all day, but the temperature has been above 32.

Our entire car encased in a thin layer of ice and ice on the stairs, trees, and bushes

Elite Repeat, the classy resale shop were we volunteer on Saturdays, passed a great milestone last month.  It's donations to local charities went over $3 million.  Elite Repeat has been in operation since 2002, has no paid staff, and relies on over 90 volunteers.  It works with 11 different agencies in town--the $10,500 donation to Habitat for Humanity in December pushed it over the $3 million mark.  Fun to know that our little effort contributes a bit to that good work.

Almost all our YSAs were back in town today, and it was so fun to see them.  We've gotten very attached to these kids, and it will be hard to leave them when the time comes.