Friday, September 18

The sun was shining this morning, but turned to liquid sunshine by the afternoon, then back to sunshine by supper time. We got up at 6:30 so that I could get ready to go to the pool for water aerobics. The water felt nippy, but was fine once I go used to it. Thankfully, the dressing room wasn't frigid today.

Back home, once I was ready for the day, I went shopping. No one went with me this time. Before I visited the stores, I stopped by the college to see an exhibit by an art instructor from Rochester, New York. I was born in Rochester, but my family left there when I was only three or four years old. The artist and I also have the same first name. Those two things attracted me to the exhibit, though I try to see most of the art exhibits at the college.

The artist used wooden shadow boxes and plaques in which, or on which, she mounted found objects to make statements. One shadow box was titled "How I Learned to Keep My Mouth Shut," or something like that. In the box were glued the names of famous women of history and of current times, along with other objects. I don't know what the artist meant to portray, but to me it said that these powerful women have important messages to impart to us, if we'll be quiet and listen.

Another box of gold gilding had tiny portraits of the Rockefeller family attached to the outside. Inside, behind a barely cracked door, is housed what looks like a chalice. The word "old" is attached to the top. Meaning: old money, wealth, a family as an almost religious icon in this country? Whatever the meaning, it makes the viewer think and puzzle.

One of the plaques that struck me was called "Pig in a Poke." A toy pig head is mounted on a small box covered with an American flag. A triangular red sign above the pig's head has the word MINES printed in large letters on it. I interpreted this to be a political statement about our country's precarious and vulnerable standing in the world.

Other viewers might look at these works and come away with entirely different interpretations, but I think trying to figure out what the artist intended is less important than to ponder the pieces for our own meanings.

From the art exhibit I went to the greeting card store to take advantage of a 20% off coupon. I bought a small scented reed diffuser that will probably become an exchange gift at Christmas. Then I went to the new department store to see if there was anything I could use a 25% off coupon for. I didn't find anything for myself, but I did find a cute gray cape with collar and button-up front for Mother. I brought it home for her to try, and she likes it. It'll be nice and warm for upcoming crisp fall days.

After shopping at this store, I headed home. Unfortunately, I ran into a traffic jam, created by an accident. By the time I got into the line, I could see a tow truck loading a vehicle, while a guy hurriedly swept glass off the road.

In order for the tow truck to get to the vehicle, which was in a ditch, it had to be parked sideways on the highway, completely blocking both lanes of traffic. After about ten minutes, the vehicle was loaded, and traffic resumed.

Apparently, this was a head-on collision between a van and a sedan. Any injured passengers, and there must have been injuries, were taken to the hospital before I got into the line of traffic.

I got back home a little after noon. I didn't do a lot other than read my novel before going to the hospital for a 3:15 appointment for mammograms. The lab now has a new digital machine, so although the test is still not my favorite thing to do (even with soft pads on the metal screen), it was a whole lot faster today. It took only minutes to do the screening, the results of which promptly came up on the computer, instead of having to wait for x-ray films to be developed. I was in and out of the lab within fifteen minutes.

While I was involved with all this, Mother prepared a salmon loaf and baked sweet potatoes for supper, which we had with a side of English peas. Mother looks forward to salmon loaf, since she is a fish lover and gets to take any leftovers home with her. Tonight, she took half of the salmon loaf, since Hubbie and I don't care for leftover fish.

We spent the evening as usual, watching TV.