Our cabin in the Pines (literally!)

Our first assignment - Groveland Ward.   It's at the 'top of the mountain' - a little community thick with pine trees and its own private lake.   We live in a little gated community where I watched four deer play around under our deck yesterday.   We also have two walking sticks to carry when we walk to scare off bears and cougars.   No, that's not a joke.   But they said it's rare if you walk during the daylight hours.  (Rare?  I'm looking for 'non-existent'!!)

Now let's talk about the path up here from Modesto.   The last eight miles is called 'Priest Grade' - totally winding, blind corners, steep.   (Think Farmington Canyon, but steeper)  As there are not many ways up here, I'm sure I'll adapt!   I sent Jodi a video; that may have been a mistake.

Here are pictures of the two best things we've seen so far in our area:  the wonderful little Groveland chapel, and our branch president, President Whitmer.   According to President Palmer, they don't come any better than this man.   And after one meeting with him Tuesday, we'd have to agree.

                                                                                  The branch has around 140 members with 30+
                                                                                   attending...which is a lot better than the first
                                                                                   statistics we were quoted.  

Okay, so let's talk about the technology issues with our area.  We can make calls, but we have to 'stand on our head and hold a coat hanger with our feet' to get good reception.   I guess you sort of pay a price for being in this thick wooded mountain terrain.   We can also text.   And that's where it stops at the moment.   No email, no internet, no news, no TV reception that we've figured out yet.  

But hey, we have great hopes!   One company said they are sending up another satellite and should be able to add customers by April.   And Fred is pretty resourceful; if there's a good carrier in sight, he'll find it!

Meanwhile we are enjoying some very quiet nights!   Oh, and I have a key to our own post box, a Groveland Library card and my own pass to make the 'little arm' go up on the road to our cabin!   What more can you ask?