31 August 2018 - Friday

31 August 2018 - Friday

Well, we did it!  We had a great morning in Casper celebrating two senior missionary's birthdays!  This was an exciting, and much anticipated activity.  We were scheduled at the Visitors' Center from 4:00pm until 9:00pm today, and we did not want to sit around the trailer all morning, and early afternoon.  So we planned our duel birthday celebration, and got quite a few things done in Casper!

The first thing we did after leaving the Missionary Village, and arriving in Casper, was to stop by the Honda Dealership to schedule an appointment for a service.  Our light started flashing on the dashboard about a week ago, so we have been thinking about getting it done before heading for home.  What was neat about this effort was they could take us today, and perform the service!  Check that one off the list of what needs to be done before returning home!

Along with the service, we got a coupon for a car wash at a local Shell station.  The car really needed the wash after so many trips down the dusty roads!  Then we went to Sam's and got our supplies.  Since our P-day changes to Monday's on the next schedule, we needed so shop for 10 days worth of food.  That is always fun to shop for food!  

We were in and out of Sam's within an hour, and then got a few more things at Wal-Mart.  By then it was 10:45am and Red Lobster opened at 11:00am.  That gave us a few minutes to stop by the cookie shop and get some fresh cookies for a missionary who will celebrate her birthday Sunday, the day before mom's.  

Now the whole push to come to Casper on the Friday preceding Labor Day weekend was to avoid the notorious traffic that holiday weekends generate.  We had two cars heading to Casper this morning with us and maybe a dozen leaving the Casper area.  At 8:30am in the morning, we felt blessed to have the road pretty much to ourselves!  And then to have had the car serviced, the shopping done at Sam's and at Wal-Mart, and the stop at the cookie place before Red Lobster opened for business was the absolute best use of our time today!

We were the first customers of the day!

We then arrived at Red Lobster at 10:58am and they had the doors opened for the employees.  They checked to make sure all was ready in the restaurant for customers, and we were seated by 11:00am.  Such great timing, and the food was just as we had expected.  Great Happy Birthday date for these two senior missionaries!

After our meal, we were back on the road for home by 12:00 noon.  We got back to the trailer and unloaded our goodies.  That gave me a good hour for a much needed nap!  Then we delivered the birthday cookies, and arrived at our assignment fifteen minutes early.  It was so quiet, at the Visitors' Center, that we sent the volunteer couple, who live in Casper, home a half hour early.  

Mom and I were then able to visit with just a handful of guests before 8:30pm.  It was dark by then and we had the area secured for the 9:00pm closing.  What a great day and we get to look forward to having the entire day off tomorrow, and having just the correlation meeting to attend at 8:30am.

I can't get over the beauty of the clouds!

This picture is the beginning of the sun setting over the VC

Look at Split Rock just in front of the sunset!

I put on my flash and caught some hungry deer 

I don't usually get the sun setting pictures!  And the wildlife animals get a lot more friendly after the sun sets.  Perhaps the closing shift at the Martin's Cove Visitors' Center has some silver lining after-all!  However, it was so dark walking back to the car that I had to use my phone flashlight so we could see the pathway to the car.  I am grateful that we don't have anymore closing shifts here that I am aware of!  We have had a great day!  And mom's birthday is still coming!