Chorley/Preston YSA Temple Conference and More "A" Characters at the Fancy Dress Dance

If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.  Doctrine and Covenants 136:28

And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.  2 Samuel 6:14

Let them praise his name in the dance . . . For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people . . . Psalm 149:3-4

We walked into the YSA dance and saw three young men dancing.  Later, we saw a circle of young women dancing.  Still later, we saw the whole room full of people dancing with no one in particular.  It was a group do-your-own thing on the dance floor.  I realize things had moved in this direction in the U.S., so it isn't just a U.K. thing, yet the complaint is the young singles are having too much fun having fun and few seem to want to become seriously interested in anyone of the opposite sex and eventually find someone to marry.

Back in the olden days people danced with a partner.  We females craved the slow dance because that was when there was an opportunity to feel the arms of a nice young man around you--to hold hands and wonder if this was "the one."  The slow dance offered the young men the opportunity to feel his partners hair and smell her sweet fragrance.  It was a chance to say sweet nothings in the ear (now you'd never hear anything with the music so loud).  Even in the fast dances, we could at least flirt face-to-face and look into our partner's eyes . . .

Whose stupid idea was it to get rid of slow dancing and partner dancing?  I know some people decided the slow dances were too risky as people became, ah, a little too close.  Then, it was decided the fast dances were too provocative (which, in some cases, I agree), but why is being close to someone in a slow dance a problem with adults of marriageable age?  Obviously, most people are appropriate on the dance floor at Church events anyway.  

How do the young adults these days get to know someone well enough to know if that person would be a good eternal companion?  There are lovely individuals wanting marriage.  Everyone is afraid to date or pair off because they will be pronounced a couple before they have a chance to know if that is want they want to be.  The young adults are great at mingling and having a good time together, but they may as well be brothers and sisters for all the romance they are getting out of some of their activities.  I'm glad I'm not their age with the way their generation is dealing with single dating--not doing it.  When I went to a dance a hundred years ago (as it seems to the present generation), I still remember the anticipation of being asked to dance by someone who picked me out of the bunch.  Let us all mourn the death of romance at the dance.

Family Visit-Flowers and Clitheroe Castle--First Two Days of Lovin' England

"He hath made every thing beautiful . . ."  Ecclesiastes 3:11

The most fabulous part of last week was seeing family from the good old U.S.A.  The U.S. doesn't seem very old compared to the visible and recorded history of other countries.  Our evidence of "old" isn't all contained in a small area where it can readily be seen.  We know all the lands in the world were inhabited in ancient times at one time or another, but it is hard to beat the long recorded history of Europe with the magnificent buildings.  Of course, everyone knows the U.K. has the greenest of greens and lots of old buildings still standing--especially castles!  That is what family came to see more than anything--well, they did come to see us except it is tough to vie for equal attention when you're up against a castle.

We all took pictures galore--of each other and other things.  Oh, yes, they made it in time to see the millions of daffodils everywhere!!

Our car is waiting on the right in this picture, with everyone in it but me

So fortunate the daffodils were still in full bloom!

We enjoyed the patterns in which they were planted in many places

Yes, the first evening here they HAD to eat in a carvery.  Everyone was sick of carveries when they finally left.  The food IS the same and all that gravy, well, it becomes so boringly fattening because it cannot be resisted!  The flags have Prince William and Kate on them.

Bridger getting ready for bed in our luxury accommodations on the floor!

No, you just think you see Cailin rolling her eyes over her plush little corner of the office/storage room.

Dakota is showing his satisfaction with the deluxe accommodations.

The first castle to see is the one near where we live--Clitheroe--1186

At Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire County, Ribble Valley Borough.  We were in search of a labyrinth, which they advertised, but it turned out to be a spiralling pathway and not a proper hedgerow type of maze.

I was there too!  Often, I'm not in the pictures when I'm taking most of the photos, but that's okay since I don't like me in photos.  We had the same problem with Dakota as he'd be lost in photography when someone wanted a picture of everyone.

The hole in the castle tower looks like a heart.  Very appropriate for the love we feel for family.

Beautiful view in the back.  They were thoroughly impressed already with England from atop this limestone hill where the castle stands.

See?  I told you Dakota had to be hunted down for a picture

Do you like this castle bench?

Daughter and mother in front of the war memorial at Clitheroe--windy and cold day even with the sun out.

Beautiful flowers are out everywhere and here is a view overlooking the village of Clitheroe

Dakota had a problem with keeping the cart going straight--all four wheels turn.  Same problem we originally had.

Necessary gear for a teenager

They came with their technology so there was not a moment that couldn't be filled with something when not site seeing

Lucky us!  Blue skies (through the top of the castle keep) with beautiful puffy clouds for perfect picture taking when we were out and about the whole time the family was here.