It was a quiet week in Nauvoo

After all the holidays this week felt routine. Although there is much I haven't experienced,  I'm not feeling new anymore.  The days are starting to get longer and the beginning of the week was windy, but mild.  The Heber C. Kimball home faces south, so the house blocked the north wind. We sat on the porch and watched the wind blow the leaves in great swirls. Sometimes after being in the buildings all day I get itchy to be outside, but by the time we are done it is getting dark. A few more weeks and I'll be outside all day.

I sewed pioneer dresses on Monday and Thursday. The sewing room has increased all of the sisters' want list.  The $70 irons are coveted as well as the 2 1/2 foot wide ironing board, which is really helpful when working on a dress that has 6 yards of fabric in the skirt.

Instead of pinning patterns, we weight them.  Much faster. 

Before sewing we serge the edges of all of the pieces.

Do you know what this tool is? It pleats the skirt.

And this foot is to sew buttons on.  Amazing. 

                                                     

In teaching others, we teach ourselves.  Written on the selvage of the material

I worked in the Scovill Bakery for the first time this week with, fittingly, Sister Baker.  We had three tours.  Just as we were closing up at 4:00 a grandpa came with his teenage granddaughter.  We quickly told him the Lucius Scoville story, then asked him if they'd heard it before.  "Oh yes, I live here in Nauvoo, and we've been here many times." I suspect he just wanted a cookie.




The bakery missionaries also take people to the cultural hall, which I thought wouldn't be that interesting, but turns out it has a really good story. The site book says there were 16 different activities that took place in the cultural hall.  The police and the legion were headquartered there.  Of course there were plays, art exhibits. and dances.  The Masons used the top floor. When the citizens of Nauvoo prepared to leave Nauvoo in 1845-46 the hall turned into a staging center for the exodus.  They built wagons and stored grain in preparation for leaving for the West.  I forgot to take pictures, but I'll be there again this coming week and I'll be sure to include some.

Elder Barrow had an exciting week installing heating units in some condos that were given to the church.  On Friday Elder Baker, who is from Idaho, treated everyone working on the condos to an Idaho lunch.

Yep, just french fries with ketchup. 

Friday I was back in the John Taylor home, which includes the print shop and the post office.  It was missionary day - we had two sisters visit who are leaving on missions soon and one sister who served here last summer.   She came back with her fiancee.  They are going to be married in the Nauvoo temple in the spring.  To have three tours this time of year is considered good.  Sometimes we sit all day with no tours.  What do we do?  Mostly talk.  We try to read, but it seems so unnatural to be with someone and not talk with them.  A lot of sisters crochet or knit.  I need to start doing that again.  Any orders?

Friday night we enjoyed a session at the temple. Then it started to snow.  It snowed for 24 hours, so we enjoyed a quiet Saturday at home, cleaning, studying, and weaving.  I think there is about 12" of snow on the ground.  Our upstairs neighbors, the Bakers,  came down and taught us how to play Rook.  They have served 2 other missions, and I got the impression that they didn't have time to play games in their other missions.

That will all change when summer comes. I'm enjoying this respite between the busy holidays and the coming Spring when everything comes alive again here in Nauvoo.

We took a little walk in the snow. 

Looks like we will get  a sleigh ride this week.