Today was my last day at water aerobics until August 18. The rest of the group will meet again Friday, but we'll be out of town on that day. The pool was very pleasant this morning, and I'm going to miss it during the next several weeks.
After I got home, Hubbie and I were off errand-running, again. We stopped by the farmer's market first for tomatoes and cucumbers. While I was there, I snapped a few photos for the "Around Town" segment in the newspaper.
From there, we went to a nearby playground, where I hoped to catch a kid at play. There was only one little boy, but he was unwilling to cooperate. So we drove by a little lake to see if any kids were fishing. A boy, about ten years old, was seated on a rock near an older man who I thought was his grandfather. I hopped out of the van and snapped several shots. When I asked their names, I learned that the boy and the man didn't even know each other. They were just enjoying each other's company.
The man had caught a sizable catfish that had broken his line. The fish was idling near the bank, still hooked. Every once in a while, the orange and white bobber would disappear and then reappear. The boy tried several times, unsuccessfully, to catch the fish in a net. The man tried luring the fish to bait, but the fish was too wise to fall for another hook. I left before finding out if the two ever did capture the fish.
The man used a special bait to catch the catfish...a slice of hot dog. He said he's had great fishing success using hot dogs, ever since a friend of his told him about this unusual bait.
"Dogs" catching "cats." Hm-m-m.
Our last stop was, of course, the worldwide discount chain store to pick up last minute groceries for the trip this weekend. By then, it was lunchtime, so we headed home.
After lunch, though, we were back on the road to town. Hubbie wanted to look for a straw hat. We tried the WDCS this morning, but they had nothing but ball caps. This afternoon, we tried the store that has a sale every weekend. No dice. So we went to a men's store downtown. It carried only one hat that was remotely suitable, and that one was tagged at a price that Hubbie choked on. We tried the alternate store that has a sale every weekend. Nope. So on we went to the national chain farm store. Here we found a hat that will do, at a reasonable price.
We spent the rest of the afternoon getting stuff together for the trip. We don't want to pack the ice chest until morning, when Hubbie will go to the store for several bags of ice. So we'll probably be a little later getting on the road than we usually are. But that's okay, since we're on no particular schedule tomorrow anyway.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Mind Tricks
It's funny how our minds work. This afternoon, I announced to Mother that I should go ahead and gather the clothes I'll need for our weekend trip and put them out in the camper.
Just as I got to the stairs, Hubbie came inside. Seeing him reminded me that I wanted to suggest that while we are at camp, we should make a two-hour side trip Friday to visit his daughter.
"Well," he said, "first, you need to check and see what the grape festival schedule is for Friday."
I checked online and found that festivities don't begin until 8 p.m. that day, with a fireworks show. That will give us plenty of time for a side trip. Hubbie called Daughter to arrange the visit.
Since I was already at the computer, I decided to fulfill Hubbie's request that I go to another state's tourism site to order travel information and a new map. We are planning a possible trip to this state in the fall.
Thinking about the fall trip made me remember that I wanted to call one of the state's attractions - a flower and herb farm - to see if anything will be in bloom during the month we might want to visit.
So I called the farm and got info on the type of flower likely to be in bloom.
Since I was unfamiliar with this variety of flower, I went back to the computer to research it. I found that it is a lovely variety that blooms in a riot of colors.
I was in the middle of discussing the flowers and the trip with Mother when it dawned on me that my original plan was to gather my clothes and put them in the camper for this weekend's trip.
Off I went to finally complete this task.
Just as I got to the stairs, Hubbie came inside. Seeing him reminded me that I wanted to suggest that while we are at camp, we should make a two-hour side trip Friday to visit his daughter.
"Well," he said, "first, you need to check and see what the grape festival schedule is for Friday."
I checked online and found that festivities don't begin until 8 p.m. that day, with a fireworks show. That will give us plenty of time for a side trip. Hubbie called Daughter to arrange the visit.
Since I was already at the computer, I decided to fulfill Hubbie's request that I go to another state's tourism site to order travel information and a new map. We are planning a possible trip to this state in the fall.
Thinking about the fall trip made me remember that I wanted to call one of the state's attractions - a flower and herb farm - to see if anything will be in bloom during the month we might want to visit.
So I called the farm and got info on the type of flower likely to be in bloom.
Since I was unfamiliar with this variety of flower, I went back to the computer to research it. I found that it is a lovely variety that blooms in a riot of colors.
I was in the middle of discussing the flowers and the trip with Mother when it dawned on me that my original plan was to gather my clothes and put them in the camper for this weekend's trip.
Off I went to finally complete this task.
It's Nice to be Missed
The staff at Cardiac Rehab were glad to see me this morning. Yesterday, they worried when I didn't show up at the usual 9 a.m. hour. Finally, though, they realized that my schedule has changed to Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's good to know I was missed, anyway.
Today was education day. We were given a booklet on exercise and the heart, and warned that since cardiac patients are more susceptible to heat stress that can bring on a cardiac episode, we should consider purchasing exercise equipment, like a home treadmill, or try walking at local air conditioned malls and stores during these summer months. We were also reminded of how important warm-up and cool-down sessions are when we exercise, to give our bodies and hearts time to adjust.
While I was at Rehab, I snapped a few shots of staff for the "Around Town" segment in the newspaper. It's against hospital policy to photograph patients, but I did get one of a physical therapist taking a blood pressure reading (showing only the arm of the patient), and one of a registered nurse using a model of a heart to explain cardiac disease.
At home, Hubbie bathed Shih Tzu, and I pressed clothes that I'll need for a trip we're making to another town a few hours away to attend a grape festival. This will be our fourth year to attend the festival, which features grape stomps and wine tastings, as well as other contests, a crafts fair, music, and a fireworks display. There's plenty of subject matter for my camera in this hill town, with its acres of vineyards laden with several varieties of grapes, a beautiful historic church, vista overlooks, and a lighted bridge.
We'll leave Thursday morning and set up camp that afternoon at a shaded campground located near a pretty lake. On Friday, we'll travel a couple of hours to the northeast to visit with Hubbie's daughter and great-grandsons. The festival opens Friday night with a fireworks display, and then continues on Saturday. We'll come home on Sunday.
We'll be "roughing it" this trip. Since the camper refrigerator quit working during our trip to the capital city, and the local appliance repairman we engaged to fix it has been uable to do so, we are forced to use the big, white "casket" ice chest that Sis and Mother purchased for us to keep food cool for the weekend. It's not a problem, except that the chest is so huge that we'll have to move it thither in the morning and yon in the evening to keep from stumbling over it.
One of the first tasks on our agenda upon our return from this trip will be to take the camper to a regular RV dealer and repair shop in another town to have the refrigerator either repaired or replaced.
Today was education day. We were given a booklet on exercise and the heart, and warned that since cardiac patients are more susceptible to heat stress that can bring on a cardiac episode, we should consider purchasing exercise equipment, like a home treadmill, or try walking at local air conditioned malls and stores during these summer months. We were also reminded of how important warm-up and cool-down sessions are when we exercise, to give our bodies and hearts time to adjust.
While I was at Rehab, I snapped a few shots of staff for the "Around Town" segment in the newspaper. It's against hospital policy to photograph patients, but I did get one of a physical therapist taking a blood pressure reading (showing only the arm of the patient), and one of a registered nurse using a model of a heart to explain cardiac disease.
At home, Hubbie bathed Shih Tzu, and I pressed clothes that I'll need for a trip we're making to another town a few hours away to attend a grape festival. This will be our fourth year to attend the festival, which features grape stomps and wine tastings, as well as other contests, a crafts fair, music, and a fireworks display. There's plenty of subject matter for my camera in this hill town, with its acres of vineyards laden with several varieties of grapes, a beautiful historic church, vista overlooks, and a lighted bridge.
We'll leave Thursday morning and set up camp that afternoon at a shaded campground located near a pretty lake. On Friday, we'll travel a couple of hours to the northeast to visit with Hubbie's daughter and great-grandsons. The festival opens Friday night with a fireworks display, and then continues on Saturday. We'll come home on Sunday.
We'll be "roughing it" this trip. Since the camper refrigerator quit working during our trip to the capital city, and the local appliance repairman we engaged to fix it has been uable to do so, we are forced to use the big, white "casket" ice chest that Sis and Mother purchased for us to keep food cool for the weekend. It's not a problem, except that the chest is so huge that we'll have to move it thither in the morning and yon in the evening to keep from stumbling over it.
One of the first tasks on our agenda upon our return from this trip will be to take the camper to a regular RV dealer and repair shop in another town to have the refrigerator either repaired or replaced.
Monday, July 21, 2008
It's Monday Again
I took my camera to water aerobics this morning, so I could snap several shots for an "Around Town" feature in the newspaper. I'll need to scout out other interesting things here and there to add to this morning's shots.
After lunch, it was errand time again. No matter how well we try to plan, we still seem to need to run around every day. Today, we discovered we didn't have enough chicken breasts for tonight's supper meal, so we decided to make a run to the worldwide discount chain store. I picked up several other items on the grocery list while I was there plus some that weren't, like salad makings for lunch.
As long as we were out, we stopped by the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions for Mother. A lady we've known for years, who worked in the same building as we did before we all retired, was at the pharmacy, too, and told us that her diabetes has grown worse. She now has kidney problems and has been warned by her physician that she must more strictly follow the diet plan he has outlined for her or face dialysis in the near future. She's had diabetes for many years, and for as long as we've known her, she has strayed from her diet. The diabetic diet, she said today, goes against her German cuisine background, and she resents it.
I can certainly empathize with her, having had to adjust my own diet over the past few years, first to lose weight and then to conform to a more heart-healthy regimen. I sometimes miss the high fat, salty foods I enjoyed before, but now it's easier to remind myself of how damaging they can be to my health.
Our last stop was the farm supply store that carries the brand of senior dog food that Shih Tzu prefers. This national chain store publishes an interesting and free quarterly magazine aimed at rural Americans. All sorts of topics are featured, including farming, animal husbandry, farm equipment, as well as veggie and flower gardening, hobbies, crafts, and recipes. Mother and I especially like this magazine, and Hubbie sometimes finds something helpful in it, too.
Since the temperature reached into the sizzling triple digits this afternoon, with sauna-like humidity, we stayed indoors under the air conditioner and relaxed, each involved in our own pursuits. We needed a few hours of down time after last week's county fair.
After lunch, it was errand time again. No matter how well we try to plan, we still seem to need to run around every day. Today, we discovered we didn't have enough chicken breasts for tonight's supper meal, so we decided to make a run to the worldwide discount chain store. I picked up several other items on the grocery list while I was there plus some that weren't, like salad makings for lunch.
As long as we were out, we stopped by the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions for Mother. A lady we've known for years, who worked in the same building as we did before we all retired, was at the pharmacy, too, and told us that her diabetes has grown worse. She now has kidney problems and has been warned by her physician that she must more strictly follow the diet plan he has outlined for her or face dialysis in the near future. She's had diabetes for many years, and for as long as we've known her, she has strayed from her diet. The diabetic diet, she said today, goes against her German cuisine background, and she resents it.
I can certainly empathize with her, having had to adjust my own diet over the past few years, first to lose weight and then to conform to a more heart-healthy regimen. I sometimes miss the high fat, salty foods I enjoyed before, but now it's easier to remind myself of how damaging they can be to my health.
Our last stop was the farm supply store that carries the brand of senior dog food that Shih Tzu prefers. This national chain store publishes an interesting and free quarterly magazine aimed at rural Americans. All sorts of topics are featured, including farming, animal husbandry, farm equipment, as well as veggie and flower gardening, hobbies, crafts, and recipes. Mother and I especially like this magazine, and Hubbie sometimes finds something helpful in it, too.
Since the temperature reached into the sizzling triple digits this afternoon, with sauna-like humidity, we stayed indoors under the air conditioner and relaxed, each involved in our own pursuits. We needed a few hours of down time after last week's county fair.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sunday, July 20
Since I didn't exercise yesterday, I hopped on my home treadmill this morning, for a 40-minute workout. Beyond reading the Sunday newspaper, and having a lunch of braised pork chops, sweet potato casserole, creamy whole kernel corn, and applesauce, we didn't do anything special for the rest of the morning.
After lunch, we went out to the fairgrounds to pick up our entries. I took along my camera and photographed the community theater and the Master Gardener booth exhibits, and then Hubbie dismantled the theater's exhibit, as requested by one of the board members (actually, I was asked to do it, but Hubbie did it for me).
It took all three of us to gather our entries from the various departments, and both vehicles to haul it back home. We counted our awards and found that Mother topped out with the most (as usual) with 48 blue ribbons (first places), three red ribbons (second places), and one Best of Show. I got 36 blue ribbons, 5 red ribbons, and one Best of Show. Hubbie got 13 blue ribbons, and 5 red ribbons.
It was sweltering at the fairgrounds today, with temps in the high 90s and drenching humidity. We were glad it took less than an hour for us to get our stuff and head home, and we didn't envy the volunteers who had to stay there until 3 p.m. Mother and I worked as volunteers in the crafts and household arts area for many years, but neither of us can tolerate the heat in that building anymore.
It took another hour to get the van and the truck unloaded and the plants back to their homes in the sun room or out under the trees. After that, we were ready to call it a day and cool off with showers and big glasses of lemonade over ice.
After lunch, we went out to the fairgrounds to pick up our entries. I took along my camera and photographed the community theater and the Master Gardener booth exhibits, and then Hubbie dismantled the theater's exhibit, as requested by one of the board members (actually, I was asked to do it, but Hubbie did it for me).
It took all three of us to gather our entries from the various departments, and both vehicles to haul it back home. We counted our awards and found that Mother topped out with the most (as usual) with 48 blue ribbons (first places), three red ribbons (second places), and one Best of Show. I got 36 blue ribbons, 5 red ribbons, and one Best of Show. Hubbie got 13 blue ribbons, and 5 red ribbons.
It was sweltering at the fairgrounds today, with temps in the high 90s and drenching humidity. We were glad it took less than an hour for us to get our stuff and head home, and we didn't envy the volunteers who had to stay there until 3 p.m. Mother and I worked as volunteers in the crafts and household arts area for many years, but neither of us can tolerate the heat in that building anymore.
It took another hour to get the van and the truck unloaded and the plants back to their homes in the sun room or out under the trees. After that, we were ready to call it a day and cool off with showers and big glasses of lemonade over ice.
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