After a restful night's sleep, I headed for the treadmill before breakfast this morning. Mother came over as I was getting ready for the day and made rice pudding from leftover rice. Then we all got busy sprucing the house for a visit from family tomorrow.
After lunch, Hubbie and I went to a local bank to attend an organizational meeting sponsored by a home health business that is looking for volunteers for its hospice services. Some activities that volunteers could become involved in are photography, crafts, scrapbooking, cooking, yard work, visiting, etc. The volunteers could work in groups or singly.
If I became involved, I'd be asked to do photography, which would mean going into homes to do snapshots of patients and family. I'm not sure how I feel about doing this, since it seems intrusive. I'd feel more comfortable helping with greeting cards and scrapbooking. Hubbie hopes to involve the Master Gardeners in helping with yard work.
Back home, we continued with household chores until supper time, At one point, Hubbie went into the laundry room to search for something. In a minute or two, we heard a loud clatter of tin against the concrete floor.
"I've been wondering where this was!" Hubbie announced triumphantly, as he emerged from the room waving a feather duster.
"That caused all the noise?" I laughed.
"No-o-o," Hubbie said, "I kicked an empty popcorn can while I was in there, and found the duster behind it."
Later, I made a batch of bran muffins to go with leftover potato soup for supper. Dessert, of course, was the yummy rice pudding.
This evening, we went downtown for Second Friday events. First we stopped by the art gallery to attend a reception for a fiber artist from another state who is exhibiting her work at the gallery. This lady does hanging quilted art pieces. We arrived at the reception during the last half hour of the event, and the artist had already left, but we hung around for a few minutes talking to other art gallery committee members.
Then we went to a local coffee house to see the film, "The Jesus Guy." This documentary, that has gotten quite a bit of media attention, is about a barefoot evangelist that has visited 47 states and 13 countries in his 16-year mission. The man has long, flowing hair, and dresses in a Biblical white robe, but he lays no claim to being Jesus. He just says he has been called to put aside worldly things, and not to seek things like money, food, or water, but to just walk barefoot and talk to any who approach him.
The film, made over a three-year period, shows him getting various reactions from acceptance to skepticism. At one point, a group of prep school boys attempted to engage him in a combative verbal challenge, but he just walked away, because part of his mission is to bring peace rather than discord. Some folks saw him as a kook, while others claimed their lives have been changed from coming in contact with him.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Thursday, January 8
Finally, we were able to drift off to sleep right away and stay asleep all night last night, but we still got up late this morning. Right after breakfast, I hopped on the treadmill, and Hubbie got ready to go to a 10 a.m. Master Gardener meeting.
Later, Mother came over, and we did this and that until lunch. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the art gallery and the bank, and then to the other store that has a sale every weekend, where I bought a black knit turtleneck shirt (which is Mother's birthday gift to me). Our last stop was the WDCS for a few incidentals and grocery items for this weekend, when family will be here to celebrate my birthday.
We were surprised and pleased that this evening's newspaper featured a photo of Daughter and three great-grandchildren working on the graham cracker Christmas mini-houses. The art gallery director submitted the photo (which I had provided to her) to the paper, but somehow there was a miscommunication between her and whoever she sent the photo to, because the info under the photo identified my daughter as me. Folks who see this photo will wonder how I dropped 20 plus years off my age! The names of the great-grandkids are not listed, but I'll make copies of the picture for family, anyway.
Another item in the paper announced that a fund has been set up to help the family of the man who was injured in an accident that catapulted him and his truck into our yard on Thanksgiving eve. The accident left the man with broken ribs and several shattered vertebrae that required surgery. He spent 32 days in critical care, and is now, sadly, paralyzed from the waist down.
Nothing much else happened today. We had leftover chili-mac, with leftover veggies for supper, after which Hubbie decided to try his hand at making dog biscuits for Shih Tzu.
This evening, we watched "The Golden Bowl," an R-rated movie that I'd recorded on DVR. It is based on a Henry James novel about an early 1900s love triangle involving a man who marries an heiress, but has an affair with his young mother-in-law, who is obsessed with him. There is no language, and no nude love scenes.
Later, Mother came over, and we did this and that until lunch. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the art gallery and the bank, and then to the other store that has a sale every weekend, where I bought a black knit turtleneck shirt (which is Mother's birthday gift to me). Our last stop was the WDCS for a few incidentals and grocery items for this weekend, when family will be here to celebrate my birthday.
We were surprised and pleased that this evening's newspaper featured a photo of Daughter and three great-grandchildren working on the graham cracker Christmas mini-houses. The art gallery director submitted the photo (which I had provided to her) to the paper, but somehow there was a miscommunication between her and whoever she sent the photo to, because the info under the photo identified my daughter as me. Folks who see this photo will wonder how I dropped 20 plus years off my age! The names of the great-grandkids are not listed, but I'll make copies of the picture for family, anyway.
Another item in the paper announced that a fund has been set up to help the family of the man who was injured in an accident that catapulted him and his truck into our yard on Thanksgiving eve. The accident left the man with broken ribs and several shattered vertebrae that required surgery. He spent 32 days in critical care, and is now, sadly, paralyzed from the waist down.
Nothing much else happened today. We had leftover chili-mac, with leftover veggies for supper, after which Hubbie decided to try his hand at making dog biscuits for Shih Tzu.
This evening, we watched "The Golden Bowl," an R-rated movie that I'd recorded on DVR. It is based on a Henry James novel about an early 1900s love triangle involving a man who marries an heiress, but has an affair with his young mother-in-law, who is obsessed with him. There is no language, and no nude love scenes.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wednesday, January 7
Again, we had trouble falling asleep last night, so we were tired when we got up at 6 a.m. to get ready by 8 a.m. for a trip to the capitol city.
It was sunny and warmer when we got on the road this morning, a very nice day for an outing. We listened to an audio book on CDs as we traveled, and arrived in the capitol city just before 10 a.m., about fifteen minutes before the art museum opened.
We were mainly interested in visiting the Andy Warhol exhibit, which was excellent. Included in the exhibit were works that most folks are familiar with, like six silkscreen prints of Marilyn Monroe, and six silkscreen prints of Campbell's Soup cans.
Other works include a wallpaper design of repetitive life-size pink cow heads on a yellow background, and eight silkscreen prints of camouflage designs in brilliant colors. One of our favorite displays was called "Silver Clouds"...a small, white, room that held about fifteen two-foot by three-foot helium filled metalized (silver) plastic film pillows that floated around the room in a gentle "breeze." We entered the room and let the "clouds" float around us and bounce off our heads and shoulders. This display is bound to bring out the happy, carefree child in anyone who experiences it.
We also visited an exhibit by a ceramic artist, though we didn't spend much time in that area. Mother and I were most impressed by the intricately designed jewelry.
It was noon by this time, so we went to the museum's restaurant and had Chicken Salad Kaiser sandwiches (white meat with grapes, almonds, lettuce and Roma tomatoes), and creamy chicken soup, plus a cup of fresh fruits. The appetizer was a chunk of poppy seed bread for dipping in an herbed olive oil.
From the museum, we went to a popular discount coat and clothing store. I have been searching for a new brown pea coat to replace my old one that is now too large, and luckily I found just the right one...a wool Calvin Klein in my size at less than half the original price, so I snapped it up. In fact, it was the ONLY brown one on the rack in my size, so I was thrilled to find it.
Then we went to the mall, so I could spend a $10 birthday coupon at an intimate apparel shop. I bought six tubes of hand cream at their semi-annual sale price.
Our last stop was the warehouse club store to pick up fresh fruits and other grocery essentials. We were on the road back home by 2:30 p.m., before the after-work traffic began. Even at this early afternoon hour, a three-quarter, translucent, tissue-paper moon was visible against a cloudless blue sky.
We arrived back home around 4:30 and later had a supper of potato soup, before relaxing in front of TV for the evening. Tonight we watched part one of "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," based on an 1891 novel of seduction and love by Thomas Hardy. We're looking forward to seeing the second part of this public television offering that centers on a poor and pure young peasant woman who falls prey to a man who masquerades as her aristocratic cousin.
It was sunny and warmer when we got on the road this morning, a very nice day for an outing. We listened to an audio book on CDs as we traveled, and arrived in the capitol city just before 10 a.m., about fifteen minutes before the art museum opened.
We were mainly interested in visiting the Andy Warhol exhibit, which was excellent. Included in the exhibit were works that most folks are familiar with, like six silkscreen prints of Marilyn Monroe, and six silkscreen prints of Campbell's Soup cans.
Other works include a wallpaper design of repetitive life-size pink cow heads on a yellow background, and eight silkscreen prints of camouflage designs in brilliant colors. One of our favorite displays was called "Silver Clouds"...a small, white, room that held about fifteen two-foot by three-foot helium filled metalized (silver) plastic film pillows that floated around the room in a gentle "breeze." We entered the room and let the "clouds" float around us and bounce off our heads and shoulders. This display is bound to bring out the happy, carefree child in anyone who experiences it.
We also visited an exhibit by a ceramic artist, though we didn't spend much time in that area. Mother and I were most impressed by the intricately designed jewelry.
It was noon by this time, so we went to the museum's restaurant and had Chicken Salad Kaiser sandwiches (white meat with grapes, almonds, lettuce and Roma tomatoes), and creamy chicken soup, plus a cup of fresh fruits. The appetizer was a chunk of poppy seed bread for dipping in an herbed olive oil.
From the museum, we went to a popular discount coat and clothing store. I have been searching for a new brown pea coat to replace my old one that is now too large, and luckily I found just the right one...a wool Calvin Klein in my size at less than half the original price, so I snapped it up. In fact, it was the ONLY brown one on the rack in my size, so I was thrilled to find it.
Then we went to the mall, so I could spend a $10 birthday coupon at an intimate apparel shop. I bought six tubes of hand cream at their semi-annual sale price.
Our last stop was the warehouse club store to pick up fresh fruits and other grocery essentials. We were on the road back home by 2:30 p.m., before the after-work traffic began. Even at this early afternoon hour, a three-quarter, translucent, tissue-paper moon was visible against a cloudless blue sky.
We arrived back home around 4:30 and later had a supper of potato soup, before relaxing in front of TV for the evening. Tonight we watched part one of "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," based on an 1891 novel of seduction and love by Thomas Hardy. We're looking forward to seeing the second part of this public television offering that centers on a poor and pure young peasant woman who falls prey to a man who masquerades as her aristocratic cousin.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday, January 6
I had trouble getting to sleep last night, so we got up late again this morning. I headed to the treadmill right after breakfast, and then after I was ready for the day, I did this and that until lunch time.
Mother joined us for lunch, after which Hubbie and I ran errands. We had no trouble traveling, since the predicted ice storm skirted us. It was very cold, though, and a few icicles, created by a light rain, clung to the bushes near the front porch. A small patch of ice was on the parking lot of the grocery store, too, right where I tried to step out of the van. I lost my footing momentarily, but caught myself before I fell.
We spent about two hours running to various places, including the newspaper office to pick up yesterday's issue, which was not delivered last night. We learned that the reason it had not been delivered is that the newspaper carrier lost his 40-year-old daughter to cancer yesterday. We are heartsick for him, even though we are not personally acquainted with him.
Besides the newspaper office, we went to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and an office supply store. We wanted to see if we could buy a calendar at the office supply store, with big enough spaces to accommodate all our events, including numerous monthly birthdays. But we didn't want to pay the arm-and-a-leg price charged for the calendars. So we'll make do with free ones from a bank.
From there, we stopped by the bank to pick up calendars for the household, for my office, and for Hubbie to keep track of his gardening affairs. Then we went to the health store for very potent multi-vitamins for me, and 8-grain cereal, also for me.
Then we went to another bank, and the WDCS. Mother gave us her list, and Hubbie shopped for her, while I shopped for us. A trip to the gas station, to fill up for our outing to the capital city tomorrow, completed our listed errands.
When we got back home, Mother said that our favorite electronics store in another town had called to say that the computer surge protector/battery back-up unit was in, so we made the 15-mile trip to pick it up.
It was after 4 p.m., by the time we were finished running around. Mother had stayed at our house making a big pot of potato soup for tomorrow night's supper. Tonight, we had leftover steak strips in onions and bell peppers over a bed of rice, along with the leftover corn casserole dish.
Mother went home shortly after supper, and we settled in front of TV. At 9 p.m., we watched our favorite college basketball team play to an exciting upset win over their opponents.
Mother joined us for lunch, after which Hubbie and I ran errands. We had no trouble traveling, since the predicted ice storm skirted us. It was very cold, though, and a few icicles, created by a light rain, clung to the bushes near the front porch. A small patch of ice was on the parking lot of the grocery store, too, right where I tried to step out of the van. I lost my footing momentarily, but caught myself before I fell.
We spent about two hours running to various places, including the newspaper office to pick up yesterday's issue, which was not delivered last night. We learned that the reason it had not been delivered is that the newspaper carrier lost his 40-year-old daughter to cancer yesterday. We are heartsick for him, even though we are not personally acquainted with him.
Besides the newspaper office, we went to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and an office supply store. We wanted to see if we could buy a calendar at the office supply store, with big enough spaces to accommodate all our events, including numerous monthly birthdays. But we didn't want to pay the arm-and-a-leg price charged for the calendars. So we'll make do with free ones from a bank.
From there, we stopped by the bank to pick up calendars for the household, for my office, and for Hubbie to keep track of his gardening affairs. Then we went to the health store for very potent multi-vitamins for me, and 8-grain cereal, also for me.
Then we went to another bank, and the WDCS. Mother gave us her list, and Hubbie shopped for her, while I shopped for us. A trip to the gas station, to fill up for our outing to the capital city tomorrow, completed our listed errands.
When we got back home, Mother said that our favorite electronics store in another town had called to say that the computer surge protector/battery back-up unit was in, so we made the 15-mile trip to pick it up.
It was after 4 p.m., by the time we were finished running around. Mother had stayed at our house making a big pot of potato soup for tomorrow night's supper. Tonight, we had leftover steak strips in onions and bell peppers over a bed of rice, along with the leftover corn casserole dish.
Mother went home shortly after supper, and we settled in front of TV. At 9 p.m., we watched our favorite college basketball team play to an exciting upset win over their opponents.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Monday, January 5
We've been really lazy lately, not getting out of bed until 8 a.m. or later. It's a good thing that water aerobics starts again next Monday, which will force us to get up earlier. I still got a treadmill and weight exercise session in after breakfast, though.
But as I came into the den after exercising, I looked out the double glass doors to the sun room just in time to see Hubbie crash to the concrete floor from his perch atop a bench, where he had been standing to water hanging plants. My heart leaped in the fear that he'd broken a hip or a leg. But he was okay, thank goodness. So far, he hasn't even shown signs of stiffness or bruising. But I admonished him to find a safer way to water those plants next time.
This morning, I was successful in ordering photos of Grandson and the little girl he escorted in the "Mr. and Miss Christmas" event at his school. I guess the problem yesterday when I tried to order is that the business was closed and wasn't accepting orders.
After that, I wrote a few thank you notes for Christmas gifts, and then Hubbie and I made a trip to another town to our favorite electronics store to buy a TV converter box for the camper, and a new memory card for my camera. We also wanted to get a surge protector/back-up battery unit for our regular computer, but there wasn't one in stock. We'll have to go back to get that later in the week.
We got back home near noon, ahead of predicted icy weather. Counties south and east of us started seeing freezing rain this morning, and schools dismissed early in some towns, but by mid-afternoon, our town had not yet experienced ice. Later this evening, moisture began freezing on the bushes and trees. Hopefully, the whole event will end by tomorrow afternoon.
For Hubbie's and my lunch, I sauteed a leftover baked potato with onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms, which I then scrambled with egg substitute. For Hubbie, I also made a small batch of white gravy to have with leftover biscuits.
After lunch, I finished writing thank you notes, and then Mother came over around 3 p.m. She spent the morning and the afternoon, up til 3 p.m., at home engaged in her own projects.
She was relieved to hear that Hubbie had not hurt himself in his mishap this morning. "Did something break your fall?" she asked.
"Yes," Hubbie replied, "the floor."
Daughter-in-Law called to say she, Son, Granddaughter, and Great-Granddaughter will be here for my birthday gathering on Saturday. I'm anxious to see Granddaughter, who is home from the Army.
Daughter-in-Law also said another granddaughter was recently in an auto accident, when a young man slid on a patch of ice and slammed into her. Her car was totalled, but fortunately, she was not hurt. And thank goodness, too, her two babies weren't with her in the car.
For supper, we had chili-mac, using leftover chili from the freezer. After that, Mother went home, and Hubbie and I vegged in front of TV.
But as I came into the den after exercising, I looked out the double glass doors to the sun room just in time to see Hubbie crash to the concrete floor from his perch atop a bench, where he had been standing to water hanging plants. My heart leaped in the fear that he'd broken a hip or a leg. But he was okay, thank goodness. So far, he hasn't even shown signs of stiffness or bruising. But I admonished him to find a safer way to water those plants next time.
This morning, I was successful in ordering photos of Grandson and the little girl he escorted in the "Mr. and Miss Christmas" event at his school. I guess the problem yesterday when I tried to order is that the business was closed and wasn't accepting orders.
After that, I wrote a few thank you notes for Christmas gifts, and then Hubbie and I made a trip to another town to our favorite electronics store to buy a TV converter box for the camper, and a new memory card for my camera. We also wanted to get a surge protector/back-up battery unit for our regular computer, but there wasn't one in stock. We'll have to go back to get that later in the week.
We got back home near noon, ahead of predicted icy weather. Counties south and east of us started seeing freezing rain this morning, and schools dismissed early in some towns, but by mid-afternoon, our town had not yet experienced ice. Later this evening, moisture began freezing on the bushes and trees. Hopefully, the whole event will end by tomorrow afternoon.
For Hubbie's and my lunch, I sauteed a leftover baked potato with onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms, which I then scrambled with egg substitute. For Hubbie, I also made a small batch of white gravy to have with leftover biscuits.
After lunch, I finished writing thank you notes, and then Mother came over around 3 p.m. She spent the morning and the afternoon, up til 3 p.m., at home engaged in her own projects.
She was relieved to hear that Hubbie had not hurt himself in his mishap this morning. "Did something break your fall?" she asked.
"Yes," Hubbie replied, "the floor."
Daughter-in-Law called to say she, Son, Granddaughter, and Great-Granddaughter will be here for my birthday gathering on Saturday. I'm anxious to see Granddaughter, who is home from the Army.
Daughter-in-Law also said another granddaughter was recently in an auto accident, when a young man slid on a patch of ice and slammed into her. Her car was totalled, but fortunately, she was not hurt. And thank goodness, too, her two babies weren't with her in the car.
For supper, we had chili-mac, using leftover chili from the freezer. After that, Mother went home, and Hubbie and I vegged in front of TV.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Sunday, Jan. 4
I headed for the treadmill before breakfast on this chilly and windy 40-degree Sunday morning. Usually, I skip my exercises on Sunday, but since we are planning a trip to the capital city on Wednesday, and I won't have time to exercise that day, I decided to get a session in today.
Today feels more like January than yesterday, when the temp rose to over 70 degrees. I much prefer balmy days. Even though we keep the thermostat at a constant moderate temperature, it feels chillier in the house on colder days than on warmer ones. Hubbie says this is my imagination, but I don't think so.
Mother came over while I was getting ready for the day and cut round steak into strips for beef with sauteed onions and peppers for lunch. I made a new no-salt corn casserole to go with the beef and baked potatoes.
The casserole, which was on the back of a can of corn uses one can of cream style corn combined with two tablespoons of flour; add 11 ounces of whole kernel corn, one-and-a-half cups broccoli florets, one-quarter cup chopped green onions, one-half cup egg substitute (or two egg whites, slightly beaten), one-quarter teaspoon pepper; mix all this together and pour into a pie plate or quiche dish, then top with one-quarter cup crushed shredded wheat, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Also this morning, I gathered and washed fall and Christmas holiday sweaters and laid them out to dry, so they can be stored away until next season. I store my holiday wear in empty suitcases, on the top shelf of a closet, so they don't take up space in my sweater drawers.
It seems to take forever to get things back in order after the holidays. Yesterday, Hubbie and I rearranged things in the storeroom to make space for wreaths and other seasonal decorations. In so doing, we discovered a large sack of Christmas gift bags. I'd searched for them all through the season without turning them up. I knew I'd bought gift bags very inexpensively after the holiday season last year, but had no idea what had happened to them. Turns out they were stowed behind some other stuff way up on a top shelf of one of the storage units, in a place I couldn't reach without Hubbie's assistance. I suspect, he's the one who stowed them there, and then forgot he had done so.
I finally bought a few new bags this season to finish up gifts, and then stocked up again after Christmas. So now I have enough gift bags to last at least a couple of years...if we remember next Christmas where we stored them!
Mother went home after lunch, and Hubbie and I relaxed with the Sunday newspaper. Then I attempted, without success, to order photos of Grandson as most popular boy in the sixth grade to use in scrapbooking. I'll need to contact the photographer tomorrow to find out what the problem is.
Later, Hubbie and I had cold roast pork loin sandwiches and salad for supper, and then spent the evening watching TV.
Today feels more like January than yesterday, when the temp rose to over 70 degrees. I much prefer balmy days. Even though we keep the thermostat at a constant moderate temperature, it feels chillier in the house on colder days than on warmer ones. Hubbie says this is my imagination, but I don't think so.
Mother came over while I was getting ready for the day and cut round steak into strips for beef with sauteed onions and peppers for lunch. I made a new no-salt corn casserole to go with the beef and baked potatoes.
The casserole, which was on the back of a can of corn uses one can of cream style corn combined with two tablespoons of flour; add 11 ounces of whole kernel corn, one-and-a-half cups broccoli florets, one-quarter cup chopped green onions, one-half cup egg substitute (or two egg whites, slightly beaten), one-quarter teaspoon pepper; mix all this together and pour into a pie plate or quiche dish, then top with one-quarter cup crushed shredded wheat, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Also this morning, I gathered and washed fall and Christmas holiday sweaters and laid them out to dry, so they can be stored away until next season. I store my holiday wear in empty suitcases, on the top shelf of a closet, so they don't take up space in my sweater drawers.
It seems to take forever to get things back in order after the holidays. Yesterday, Hubbie and I rearranged things in the storeroom to make space for wreaths and other seasonal decorations. In so doing, we discovered a large sack of Christmas gift bags. I'd searched for them all through the season without turning them up. I knew I'd bought gift bags very inexpensively after the holiday season last year, but had no idea what had happened to them. Turns out they were stowed behind some other stuff way up on a top shelf of one of the storage units, in a place I couldn't reach without Hubbie's assistance. I suspect, he's the one who stowed them there, and then forgot he had done so.
I finally bought a few new bags this season to finish up gifts, and then stocked up again after Christmas. So now I have enough gift bags to last at least a couple of years...if we remember next Christmas where we stored them!
Mother went home after lunch, and Hubbie and I relaxed with the Sunday newspaper. Then I attempted, without success, to order photos of Grandson as most popular boy in the sixth grade to use in scrapbooking. I'll need to contact the photographer tomorrow to find out what the problem is.
Later, Hubbie and I had cold roast pork loin sandwiches and salad for supper, and then spent the evening watching TV.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)