Tuesday, October 15

We awoke to rain this morning. Predictions were that wet weather wouldn't arrive until later this evening, but then TV predictions often miss the mark. The front must have come in yesterday, because it was cloudy all day. We even debated whether or not to hang the flag for Columbus Day, but finally chanced it, and it was okay.





Daughter-in-Law called yesterday afternoon to report on Son's and her trip to visit Granddaughter, who is in Army basic training. While they were on the base, they needed to visit the food court, and asked Granddaughter to guide them as they drove. Granddaughter said she didn't know how to find her away around the base by automobile...."The only way I ever go anywhere is by marching or running," in drill formation, she said.





Daughter-in-Law also said that Grandson developed a deep abscess from a boil that he stoically refused to have treated by a doctor until yesterday, when swelling and fever drove him to seek help. He ended up in the hospital to have a procedure to drain the abscess, which had become staph infected. He stayed in the hospital overnight last night, and is due to go home today. The procedure left a hole the size of a small orange, Daughter-in-Law said, which must be treated and packed twice a day for a week or so. A home health nurse is to assist with this. Grandson is, of course, taking antibiotics.





Today, I was almost late getting to Cardiac Rehab, because I was playing on the computer and lost track of time. Even with a road construction delay on the way, though, I still arrived at the dot of 9 a.m. and was allowed to begin my exercises right away, while the rest of the group attended an education session. So I finished at my usual time, just before 10 a.m.



Household chores occupied the rest of the morning, and then after lunch, Mother and I watched "War of the Worlds," a PG rated movie on DVD, starring Tom Cruise. There have been very mixed reviews for this film, but we find it scary enough for our October-fest library. The special visual and sound effects are pretty spine-tingling. These effects are even more dramatic on the big screen, which is how Hubbie and I saw it when it came out in theaters in 2005.



The original 1950s movie terrified me more, of course, but then I was only about 13 years old when I saw it for the first time. I remember how jumpy I was as I hurried home from the theater in the darkening afternoon following the movie...every leaf rustle made me cringe in dread of a sinewy four-fingered hand reaching out to grab me. This older version of the movie is also in my library, and we'll probably watch it this week, as well.

Before supper, I went to an arts council meeting, which lasted until after 6 p.m. I tried to escape as soon as the meeting was over, but didn't make it to the door before the council director insisted that three of us pose for photos for the newspaper. The object of the photos is to promote the pretty Christmas ornaments that we've made to sell as a fundraiser. I'm not crazy about being photographed...I prefer being the photographer.

For supper, we had canned navy beans (rinsed to eliminate some salt), prepared with onions, garlic, banana peppers and spices, along with baked potatoes and boiled turnips, as well as corn muffins and low fat biscuits, with light margarine and honey.

Later, I went to a community theater board meeting that ended at about 8:30 p.m. At home, Hubbie watched a two hour and forty minute movie entitled "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." This 2007 movie stars Brad Pitt as James, along with Casey Affleck as Robert Ford, and Sam Shepard as Frank James. It's "R" rated for violence and sexual references. As with most films, it has had mixed reviews, but many said it is slow and boring. Hubbie also thought it was slow...not enough action to keep it really interesting. I only caught the end of it after I got home...at the point where Robert Ford shoots charismatic Jesse James in the back of the head and then is reviled for his cowardice.