We got up at 6:30 a.m. this morning, so we could go to a local radio station parking lot, where they were offering pairs of Branson show tickets for $25. There are a couple of shows I'm interested in, but when we arrived at the station at 7:30, we found there was a line of folks that stretched all around the building.
Apparently, early morning thunderstorms didn't keep them from gathering. It was still raining when we arrived, but people wearing yellow rain capes or carrying umbrellas...some standing and some seated in lawn chairs...were shoulder to shoulder in the line. I have no idea how long they'd been there, but we were unwilling to join them. The event was to go on from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., so we opted to try again later, though we held out little hope that tickets for the shows we're interested in would still be available.
On the way home, we stopped at a hardware store to pick up a tube of sealant for the upstairs shower drain, which has been leaking and causing damage to the den ceiling.
Back home, I checked the eagle web cam. Early morning fog had fogged over the lens of the camera, but the birds could still be clearly seen. Today, both mates were on board, though one of them soon flew away, and the other presently followed, leaving the baby huddled in a heap, trying to keep warm. After a while one of the birds came back (I presume it was the female, though I don't know if eagles equally share babysitting responsibilities or not). The adult watched over the baby, but didn't shelter it.
The second eagle came back later, bringing a small fish, which was still flopping about in it's beak. Instead of immediately tearing the fish in bits to feed the baby, he or she tried to transfer it to the baby whole. The baby valiantly tried to eat it this way, but couldn't manage it. At each try, the fish would drop to the nest floor, where the adult would pick it up and again offer it to the baby. Each time, the baby would try, unsuccessfully, to grasp it. After several tries, the adult finally shredded the fish for the baby. Then the adult flew away, and the other adult (presumably the mother) settled down near the baby, arranging grass around it, and sheltering it.
Around 10:30 a.m., Mother came over to make a decorative plate as a gift for one of the birthday honorees later this month. Meanwhile, Hubbie went to check on the Branson tickets. He did succeed in getting one of the shows we wanted, plus a decent alternate for another show we had in mind. He was also able to exchange a pair of tickets we'd gotten last year but were unable to use, because the entertainer had cancelled her show and moved on.
After a lunch of leftover biscuits and gravy, with scrambled egg substitute, I checked on the eagles again. The mother was still in the nest, where it was becoming very windy. She had moved around to a point where her back was to the wind, which helped shelter the baby. She had pulled more of the nesting material up and around the baby, too, as further shelter.
When the wind died down, the baby got up, stretched, and wobbled around the nest. When he wandered too close to the edge, the mother calmly nudged him back toward the center. The baby seems to have grown overnight again and appears darker gray today than yesterday, but he is still weak and wobbly.
At 2 p.m., Hubbie and I went to the museum for a book signing. One of my old college professors, who is a friend now retired, has written a novel based on actual events surrounding an 1840s unsolved murder mystery in our area. This professor has written a number of non-fiction books on archeology and Native American folklore, but this is his first venture into fiction. Upon returning home, Hubbie immediately began reading the book.
Later, we had a supper of spaghetti (using regular pasta this time, instead of wheat), and salad. Then we watched TV. Tonight's fare was two PBS movies. The first was Charles Dickens' "The Old Curiosity Shop." The story revolves around a grandfather, who owns the shop and has a gambling habit, his 14-year-old granddaughter, who he frequently sends out to borrow money for him, an unsavory moneylender named Quilp, and various other characters. Nell and her grandfather get in desperate straits, lose the shop, and have to go begging. Things go downhill from there.
The other PBS movie we watched was "Wallander," a Masterpiece Mystery! offering. Wallander is described as a scruffy British detective who "fights crime and his own demons."
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Friday, May 15
We were up late this morning, since I didn't have to go to water aerobics. After breakfast, I got on the treadmill, though, and then did strength exercises with a resistance band. Mother came over after I was ready for the day, and we planned a menu and a grocery list for next week.
Then on this sunny day, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the only grocery store that sells the brand of cottage cheese I like; to another grocery store/pharmacy to pick up prescriptions and packages of shredded Monterey Jack cheese that WDCS does not carry; to a gas station; to the WDCS for groceries; and to the other discount store for more $1 cans of peaches.
We got back home around noon and had deli turkey and baby Swiss cheese sandwiches, with lettuce, tomato, and Vidalia onions. For dessert, we finished a can of peaches we opened yesterday, topped with cottage cheese.
We wasted a lot of time this afternoon watching the nesting eagles. Finally, the baby was visible for Mother to see, and eventually, she saw the mother eagle feed the baby. The baby appears to have grown quite a bit overnight. It's about half the size of its mother, and it tries to stand and walk, but is very wobbly and often falls on its face. As with most babies, it spends a lot of time sleeping.
Somewhere near the tree that the nest is in, there is construction taking place, because we can hear hammering. The eagles seem unperturbed by this noise, however. The mother became more alert, though, when a plane flew over.
As she did yesterday, the mother eagle stayed close to her baby today, until later in the afternoon, when she flew away. While its mother was gone, the baby hunkered down near the tree trunk, where his gray, fuzzy body blended perfectly with the bark of the tree.
At one point, the baby ventured to the center of the nest, and presently a large shadow passed overhead, presumably the mother checking on the baby. Within minutes, the mother landed in the nest. If she had been on a hunting trip, it was unsuccessful, because she brought nothing back with her. The baby begged for food, so the mother resorted to her stash to feed it. After the baby was satisfied, it snuggled up to the mother for a nap.
By 5 p.m., we were hungry, too, and fixed freezer bag omelets, and biscuits and gravy (fat-free, salt-free gravy for me). Afterwards, as usual, we watched TV. From time-to-time, I checked on the eagles. The mother flew away again, and this time she came back with a kill...what looked like some sort of rodent, which she promptly fed to the baby.
After that, the baby tried to snuggle up to mama, but it is almost getting too big. The mother seemed to prefer to stand away and let it snooze on its own for a while, but later she did move closer to it.
This is probably an odd time to add a recipe to a blog, but as promised, here's the Mexican casserole dish that I talked about (from Weight Watchers, at http://www.weightwatchers.com/ ). I tweaked it somewhat for our tastes.
Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole
Cooking spray
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/4 cups salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
15 oz can refried beans (I used black beans, rinsed)
10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed (I didn't thaw, I just baked the dish a few minutes longer)
4 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, diced
1 tbsp chili powder
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, or collard greens, thawed and set to drain in a strainer over a bowl (I didn't thaw)
3/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I used packaged shredded Monterey Jack)
2 tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional, for garnish) (I didn't use this)
Preheat ovento 375 degrees. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish.
In another large bowl, combine refried (or black) beans, corn, chili peppers and chili powder. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top.
Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens (no excess water, since I didn't thaw the spinach) and then spread on top of the bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinklewith remaining cheese.
Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes (about 10 minutes longer if you don't thaw the vegetables). Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired). Makes six large servings.
To save time with this recipe, I cooked the brown rice a day or two ahead of time.
Then on this sunny day, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the only grocery store that sells the brand of cottage cheese I like; to another grocery store/pharmacy to pick up prescriptions and packages of shredded Monterey Jack cheese that WDCS does not carry; to a gas station; to the WDCS for groceries; and to the other discount store for more $1 cans of peaches.
We got back home around noon and had deli turkey and baby Swiss cheese sandwiches, with lettuce, tomato, and Vidalia onions. For dessert, we finished a can of peaches we opened yesterday, topped with cottage cheese.
We wasted a lot of time this afternoon watching the nesting eagles. Finally, the baby was visible for Mother to see, and eventually, she saw the mother eagle feed the baby. The baby appears to have grown quite a bit overnight. It's about half the size of its mother, and it tries to stand and walk, but is very wobbly and often falls on its face. As with most babies, it spends a lot of time sleeping.
Somewhere near the tree that the nest is in, there is construction taking place, because we can hear hammering. The eagles seem unperturbed by this noise, however. The mother became more alert, though, when a plane flew over.
As she did yesterday, the mother eagle stayed close to her baby today, until later in the afternoon, when she flew away. While its mother was gone, the baby hunkered down near the tree trunk, where his gray, fuzzy body blended perfectly with the bark of the tree.
At one point, the baby ventured to the center of the nest, and presently a large shadow passed overhead, presumably the mother checking on the baby. Within minutes, the mother landed in the nest. If she had been on a hunting trip, it was unsuccessful, because she brought nothing back with her. The baby begged for food, so the mother resorted to her stash to feed it. After the baby was satisfied, it snuggled up to the mother for a nap.
By 5 p.m., we were hungry, too, and fixed freezer bag omelets, and biscuits and gravy (fat-free, salt-free gravy for me). Afterwards, as usual, we watched TV. From time-to-time, I checked on the eagles. The mother flew away again, and this time she came back with a kill...what looked like some sort of rodent, which she promptly fed to the baby.
After that, the baby tried to snuggle up to mama, but it is almost getting too big. The mother seemed to prefer to stand away and let it snooze on its own for a while, but later she did move closer to it.
This is probably an odd time to add a recipe to a blog, but as promised, here's the Mexican casserole dish that I talked about (from Weight Watchers, at http://www.weightwatchers.com/ ). I tweaked it somewhat for our tastes.
Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole
Cooking spray
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/4 cups salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
15 oz can refried beans (I used black beans, rinsed)
10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed (I didn't thaw, I just baked the dish a few minutes longer)
4 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, diced
1 tbsp chili powder
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, or collard greens, thawed and set to drain in a strainer over a bowl (I didn't thaw)
3/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I used packaged shredded Monterey Jack)
2 tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional, for garnish) (I didn't use this)
Preheat ovento 375 degrees. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish.
In another large bowl, combine refried (or black) beans, corn, chili peppers and chili powder. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top.
Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens (no excess water, since I didn't thaw the spinach) and then spread on top of the bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinklewith remaining cheese.
Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes (about 10 minutes longer if you don't thaw the vegetables). Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired). Makes six large servings.
To save time with this recipe, I cooked the brown rice a day or two ahead of time.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Thursday, May 14
Again, a thunderstorm woke us up around 2 a.m. I fell back asleep right away, but Hubbie came downstairs to check the TV weather report. There were severe thunderstorm warnings, but no tornado alerts.
Hubbie was glad that he took advantage of the sunny warm day yesterday to mow the yard. Except for one section that is still too wet for the riding mower, he got the lawn in good shape again.
We got up fairly early this morning, so Hubbie could get ready to go to a Master Gardeners meeting at 10:30, where he was the featured speaker. He talked about bromeliads, their ancient history, and some fun facts about them, as he demonstrated how to divide the plants and care for them. Over the years, we have acquired lots of the plants, since each year several of them have to be divided. So Hubbie was glad to offer one of them as a door prize.
I busied myself with household tasks while he was gone, and when he got back at noon, we settled for PB&J sandwiches for lunch, with fresh oranges for dessert. Hubbie's and my plans for the afternoon went awry, and since we didn't make alternate plans, we ended up being unproductive.
Hubbie had planned to work in the yard, but the thunderstorms this morning left the lawn in puddles. So he kicked back and read a novel.
And in my stupidity, I had recorded our scrapbook club meeting on my calendar for today, when it is actually supposed to be on the third Thursday. Yesterday, I had already called one member to remind her of the meeting, and she didn't question it, but the second member I called pointed out my error. I felt pretty silly when I had to call the first member back and advise her of my mistake. She said she thought I was calling the meeting a week early, but decided not to dispute it. I wish she had...it would have saved me some trouble. Oh well, it'll be something for us to laugh about when we do meet next week.
Anyway, I didn't have an alternate plan for this afternoon. So I just started a grocery list, gathered birthday gifts for honorees who will attend the family get-together at camp during the last weekend of this month, put together a Mexican casserole for Hubbie's and my supper, and read the evening newspaper.
I also took a little time to watch a live web cam of an adult eagle guarding her baby in a nest high up in a tree. It's at a website that was recommended by one of the members of the arts council during our Tuesday night meeting. The website is at http://www.hancockwildlifefoundation.org/. Even though there isn't a lot going on in the nest most of the time, it's still mesmerizing.
The member who recommended it to us said the eagle pair were feeding a fish to the baby when she watched it, and later in the afternoon when I checked the site, I also saw the adult feed a fish to the baby. It looks as though she has food stored under branches and grasses around the edge of the nest, because she dug around in the nesting matter to pull the fish out. After she fed the baby, she rearranged the nest matter, maybe to protect other buried food, which by now is very ripe carrion that is drawing flies. The baby, tummy full, and shaded by his mother, snoozed.
The eagle pair originally had three babies, I'm told, but one died, and one fell out of the nest (or, I suspect, was pushed out by the remaining sibling).
Later, Mother came over to see the eagles, but the mother eagle had her back to the camera, which hid the baby. The mother moves around the nest as the day progresses, so that she is always shading the baby. As the sun went down, the nest became totally shaded, and the baby got up and wobbled around, exercising his gangly legs and fuzzy wings.
Anyway, after Mother watched the eagle's nest for a long time without seeing the baby, she went on home, and Hubbie and I had the Mexican casserole for supper, which was very good...this is a keeper recipe that I'll post in another blog later.
We spent the rest of the evening watching favorite one-hour shows.
Hubbie was glad that he took advantage of the sunny warm day yesterday to mow the yard. Except for one section that is still too wet for the riding mower, he got the lawn in good shape again.
We got up fairly early this morning, so Hubbie could get ready to go to a Master Gardeners meeting at 10:30, where he was the featured speaker. He talked about bromeliads, their ancient history, and some fun facts about them, as he demonstrated how to divide the plants and care for them. Over the years, we have acquired lots of the plants, since each year several of them have to be divided. So Hubbie was glad to offer one of them as a door prize.
I busied myself with household tasks while he was gone, and when he got back at noon, we settled for PB&J sandwiches for lunch, with fresh oranges for dessert. Hubbie's and my plans for the afternoon went awry, and since we didn't make alternate plans, we ended up being unproductive.
Hubbie had planned to work in the yard, but the thunderstorms this morning left the lawn in puddles. So he kicked back and read a novel.
And in my stupidity, I had recorded our scrapbook club meeting on my calendar for today, when it is actually supposed to be on the third Thursday. Yesterday, I had already called one member to remind her of the meeting, and she didn't question it, but the second member I called pointed out my error. I felt pretty silly when I had to call the first member back and advise her of my mistake. She said she thought I was calling the meeting a week early, but decided not to dispute it. I wish she had...it would have saved me some trouble. Oh well, it'll be something for us to laugh about when we do meet next week.
Anyway, I didn't have an alternate plan for this afternoon. So I just started a grocery list, gathered birthday gifts for honorees who will attend the family get-together at camp during the last weekend of this month, put together a Mexican casserole for Hubbie's and my supper, and read the evening newspaper.
I also took a little time to watch a live web cam of an adult eagle guarding her baby in a nest high up in a tree. It's at a website that was recommended by one of the members of the arts council during our Tuesday night meeting. The website is at http://www.hancockwildlifefoundation.org/. Even though there isn't a lot going on in the nest most of the time, it's still mesmerizing.
The member who recommended it to us said the eagle pair were feeding a fish to the baby when she watched it, and later in the afternoon when I checked the site, I also saw the adult feed a fish to the baby. It looks as though she has food stored under branches and grasses around the edge of the nest, because she dug around in the nesting matter to pull the fish out. After she fed the baby, she rearranged the nest matter, maybe to protect other buried food, which by now is very ripe carrion that is drawing flies. The baby, tummy full, and shaded by his mother, snoozed.
The eagle pair originally had three babies, I'm told, but one died, and one fell out of the nest (or, I suspect, was pushed out by the remaining sibling).
Later, Mother came over to see the eagles, but the mother eagle had her back to the camera, which hid the baby. The mother moves around the nest as the day progresses, so that she is always shading the baby. As the sun went down, the nest became totally shaded, and the baby got up and wobbled around, exercising his gangly legs and fuzzy wings.
Anyway, after Mother watched the eagle's nest for a long time without seeing the baby, she went on home, and Hubbie and I had the Mexican casserole for supper, which was very good...this is a keeper recipe that I'll post in another blog later.
We spent the rest of the evening watching favorite one-hour shows.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Wednesday, May 13
Yikes, the pool was cold this morning! We were told it was 81 degrees, but it felt more like 70. It's amazing what a difference a few degrees makes. I love 86 degrees, and am relatively comfortable at 84 degrees, but 81? No way. Br-r-r...too cold.
But those of us who showed up for this last day of water aerobics before summer break bravely soldiered through the session. I left a little early, so I could get home, shower and dress, and go meet the "water babes" group for lunch at a local Italian restaurant at 11 a.m. Mother went with me. She enjoys getting together with the group, and they enjoy her.
After our "spaghetti glop" supper last night, we weren't in the mood for Italian food, so we opted for deli turkey/cheese melts on hoagie buns. Mother had oven fries with hers, and I had a salad.
One of the ladies at our table commented that after she ate some locally grown strawberries, she broke out in a rash. So she's decided she's now allergic to strawberries. I dearly love strawberries, so I really, really hope I never develop and allergy to them!
From the lunch get-together, we dropped by the beauty shop to leave a small bag of homemade chocolate cookies, along with the recipe. The cookies are filled with nuts and dried fruits and are more diet-friendly than lots of other cookies (as long as a person sticks with the two-cookie serving size).
Then we went to the art gallery to see a traveling youth art exhibit, on loan from our capital city's art center. I am always absolutely enchanted by children's art, which is colorful, creative, and unrestrained. The pieces were done by artists ranging in age from kindergarten to 12th grade. The work of the older children was very, very good. There's a lot of talent in our state.
We came home for a while after that to re-group before going to the other discount store to buy large cans of peaches for $1 a can. One of the ladies at the luncheon commented that the peaches are really good. So we bought 12 cans...six for Mother, and six for Hubbie and me. Mother will try them tonight, and if she says they are as good as the lady claimed, we will go back and get more of them.
From there, we went to the WDCS, so Mother could shop. She only shops once or twice a month, and since today was sunny (YAY!) and warm, she decided it was a good time to go. We were back home about 3 p.m. Her doctor's office had called and left a message for her to call back. She did and learned that her blood test revealed that her kidney function is much better, but that she needs to drink more water. That will be a challenge for Mother.
Mother went home, and later Hubbie and I fixed a simple supper of BLT's, with fresh strawberries for dessert. Later, we went to the movie theater to see the new Star Trek film. We've been hearing positive reviews about it, and we weren't disappointed. The young men who play Captain Kirk and Spock in their early years are both charming and handsome. The characters are well developed, there's humor, and the special effects are great. Leonard Nimoy, as Spock 126 years later, even appeared in the movie, and as he would say...
live long and prosper.
But those of us who showed up for this last day of water aerobics before summer break bravely soldiered through the session. I left a little early, so I could get home, shower and dress, and go meet the "water babes" group for lunch at a local Italian restaurant at 11 a.m. Mother went with me. She enjoys getting together with the group, and they enjoy her.
After our "spaghetti glop" supper last night, we weren't in the mood for Italian food, so we opted for deli turkey/cheese melts on hoagie buns. Mother had oven fries with hers, and I had a salad.
One of the ladies at our table commented that after she ate some locally grown strawberries, she broke out in a rash. So she's decided she's now allergic to strawberries. I dearly love strawberries, so I really, really hope I never develop and allergy to them!
From the lunch get-together, we dropped by the beauty shop to leave a small bag of homemade chocolate cookies, along with the recipe. The cookies are filled with nuts and dried fruits and are more diet-friendly than lots of other cookies (as long as a person sticks with the two-cookie serving size).
Then we went to the art gallery to see a traveling youth art exhibit, on loan from our capital city's art center. I am always absolutely enchanted by children's art, which is colorful, creative, and unrestrained. The pieces were done by artists ranging in age from kindergarten to 12th grade. The work of the older children was very, very good. There's a lot of talent in our state.
We came home for a while after that to re-group before going to the other discount store to buy large cans of peaches for $1 a can. One of the ladies at the luncheon commented that the peaches are really good. So we bought 12 cans...six for Mother, and six for Hubbie and me. Mother will try them tonight, and if she says they are as good as the lady claimed, we will go back and get more of them.
From there, we went to the WDCS, so Mother could shop. She only shops once or twice a month, and since today was sunny (YAY!) and warm, she decided it was a good time to go. We were back home about 3 p.m. Her doctor's office had called and left a message for her to call back. She did and learned that her blood test revealed that her kidney function is much better, but that she needs to drink more water. That will be a challenge for Mother.
Mother went home, and later Hubbie and I fixed a simple supper of BLT's, with fresh strawberries for dessert. Later, we went to the movie theater to see the new Star Trek film. We've been hearing positive reviews about it, and we weren't disappointed. The young men who play Captain Kirk and Spock in their early years are both charming and handsome. The characters are well developed, there's humor, and the special effects are great. Leonard Nimoy, as Spock 126 years later, even appeared in the movie, and as he would say...
live long and prosper.
Tuesday, May 12
We got up late, so by the time I did a treadmill session and got ready for the day, it was time to take Mother to the clinic to have blood work done. Results from her test a couple of weeks ago indicated that she needed to drink more water and have blood work done again. Drinking water is a chore for Mother, whom we accuse of drinking only a thimble full at a time. But she forced herself to drink flavored water during these two weeks, and at her appointed hour of 10:45 this morning, we were at the clinic. The young woman who drew her blood was maybe inexperienced, because she wasn't very gentle and left Mother with a big bruise on her arm.
We were back home in time for lunch. I heated leftovers, while Mother finished her jigsaw puzzle, and we waited for Hubbie to get back from the barber shop. At 2 p.m., Mother and I met our appointments at the beauty shop.
After we got back home, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals. Then I went to an arts council meeting at 5 p.m., and a community theater meeting at 7:30 p.m. So I stayed on the run all day.
I took five more boxes of jigsaw puzzles to the community theater meeting, to exchange for a stack from the lady at whose home we meet. I'm glad I put the puzzles she gave us into the car before the meeting started, because it began raining as we left afterwards.
During the meeting, we all laughed when the president read the list of board members whose terms will expire at the end of this month...which was everyone in the room except the president and the treasurer (the treasurer is the lady at whose home we meet). Without a doubt, the president will be begging us all to stay on board.
After I got home around 9:30 p.m. we watched the second episode of "Dancing with the Stars," so we could see who got kicked off. This week I was not surprised by who was eliminated, as I (along with the rest of the viewers) was last week.
Note one: Supper tonight was spaghetti, and green beans. We tried whole wheat spaghetti this time, which we found to be an unappetizing glop with sauce on it. We ate servings of it, but discarded what was left. We've used whole wheat macaroni several times and like it fine, but the spaghetti just won't do.
Note two: Got a call this morning from a radio station telling me that I'd won a pair of tickets to a festival in our capital city later this month. I'd registered for the tickets at the tourism council event Monday afternoon. Hubbie and I aren't interested in going to the festival, so I offered them to family. Later today, Daughter-in-Law was the first to call and ask for the tickets, so I'll send them to her and Son.
We were back home in time for lunch. I heated leftovers, while Mother finished her jigsaw puzzle, and we waited for Hubbie to get back from the barber shop. At 2 p.m., Mother and I met our appointments at the beauty shop.
After we got back home, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals. Then I went to an arts council meeting at 5 p.m., and a community theater meeting at 7:30 p.m. So I stayed on the run all day.
I took five more boxes of jigsaw puzzles to the community theater meeting, to exchange for a stack from the lady at whose home we meet. I'm glad I put the puzzles she gave us into the car before the meeting started, because it began raining as we left afterwards.
During the meeting, we all laughed when the president read the list of board members whose terms will expire at the end of this month...which was everyone in the room except the president and the treasurer (the treasurer is the lady at whose home we meet). Without a doubt, the president will be begging us all to stay on board.
After I got home around 9:30 p.m. we watched the second episode of "Dancing with the Stars," so we could see who got kicked off. This week I was not surprised by who was eliminated, as I (along with the rest of the viewers) was last week.
Note one: Supper tonight was spaghetti, and green beans. We tried whole wheat spaghetti this time, which we found to be an unappetizing glop with sauce on it. We ate servings of it, but discarded what was left. We've used whole wheat macaroni several times and like it fine, but the spaghetti just won't do.
Note two: Got a call this morning from a radio station telling me that I'd won a pair of tickets to a festival in our capital city later this month. I'd registered for the tickets at the tourism council event Monday afternoon. Hubbie and I aren't interested in going to the festival, so I offered them to family. Later today, Daughter-in-Law was the first to call and ask for the tickets, so I'll send them to her and Son.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Monday, May 11
The pool was, drat it, very chilly again this morning for water aerobics. There's only one more day of the session left before summer break. The date was moved back, because the maintenance crew want to drain the pool on Friday in preparation for cleaning and repairs.
So on Wednesday, after water aerobics, the members will meet at a local Italian restaurant for lunch, and then we won't get together again until June 15. Guess I'll be giving my treadmill a workout for several weeks.
After I got back home, Mother came over and put color in my hair. We'll go get haircuts tomorrow. Just as Mother was finishing up, a friend of hers stopped by unannounced. This lady lives in California, and from time-to-time she travels to our town to visit her daughter and other family. We never know when she's coming. She just takes her chances that we'll be home when she decides to drop by.
The visitor left before lunch. We heated the leftover Chinese soup, along with leftover biscuits and a couple of rolls we brought home from the restaurant yesterday for our meal. Afterwards, I prepared brown rice for the electric cooker. I fixed enough so there will be four cups left to make a Mexican casserole Thursday night.
While the rice was cooking, we went downtown to attend an event sponsored by the tourism council. The event included several booths promoting tourist sites in nearby counties and towns, as well as vendors selling handmade crafts. One crafter was spinning angora goat hair, from which she makes very soft rugs and wraps. I really liked the rugs, but they were a bit pricey for my budget. However, as labor intensive as they are to make, I don't doubt that they are worth every cent.
Another crafter was selling beautiful and colorful polished glass jewelry, and another had pine planters for sale. Others sold jellies, honey, and sorghum molasses. I bought a jar of cherry jelly.
A museum representative was making small corn husk dolls. We watched her long enough to learn how to do it, and I'm sure Mother will be wanting to try this craft soon. The dolls would make cute pins.
We registered for door prizes, and picked up activity books for great-grandkids, and watched the entertainment, which included a popular local guitarist, and troupes from the local dance studio , who performed ballet and tap dancing numbers.
Since we were downtown, we also visited a nearby flea market/antique mall, where Hubbie bought a small crystal bud vase for me, at a reasonable price.
We got back home around 5:30 p.m. The brown rice was done and being kept warm by the cooker. We stir-fried veggies, adding a sauce of chicken broth with a little soy sauce and cornstarch and no-salt seasoning and served it over the rice for supper.
Later, Hubbie and I watched a movie titled, "The Field," starring Richard Harris and Tom Berenger. This PG-13 movie is about a 1930s Irish man who is obsessed over a piece of land. Things heat up when the land is put up for auction by a widowed woman, and an American dares to outbid the obsessed man. It's gotten mixed reviews, but we thought it was good.
We watched a pretty good movie last night, too, called "Reservation Road," an R-rated film starring Jennifer Connelly, Susan Powell, John Rothman and John Slattery. The film revolves around a tragic incident, when a father stops at a service station, and his 10-year-old son gets too near the highway to let fireflies out of a jar and is struck and killed by a hit-and-run motorist.
The hit-and-run man's son, also 10 years old, is in the car with him, and bends down just as the accident happens and hits his head. He isn't badly injured, but he does not see that his father has hit the other boy. The father of the dead boy becomes obsessed with finding the hit-and-run guy, and the hit-and-run guy falls deeper and deeper into guilt. They eventually cross paths. It's a good movie, but emotional, of course. I'm not sure why it's rated "R." Maybe because of violence and one "word."
So on Wednesday, after water aerobics, the members will meet at a local Italian restaurant for lunch, and then we won't get together again until June 15. Guess I'll be giving my treadmill a workout for several weeks.
After I got back home, Mother came over and put color in my hair. We'll go get haircuts tomorrow. Just as Mother was finishing up, a friend of hers stopped by unannounced. This lady lives in California, and from time-to-time she travels to our town to visit her daughter and other family. We never know when she's coming. She just takes her chances that we'll be home when she decides to drop by.
The visitor left before lunch. We heated the leftover Chinese soup, along with leftover biscuits and a couple of rolls we brought home from the restaurant yesterday for our meal. Afterwards, I prepared brown rice for the electric cooker. I fixed enough so there will be four cups left to make a Mexican casserole Thursday night.
While the rice was cooking, we went downtown to attend an event sponsored by the tourism council. The event included several booths promoting tourist sites in nearby counties and towns, as well as vendors selling handmade crafts. One crafter was spinning angora goat hair, from which she makes very soft rugs and wraps. I really liked the rugs, but they were a bit pricey for my budget. However, as labor intensive as they are to make, I don't doubt that they are worth every cent.
Another crafter was selling beautiful and colorful polished glass jewelry, and another had pine planters for sale. Others sold jellies, honey, and sorghum molasses. I bought a jar of cherry jelly.
A museum representative was making small corn husk dolls. We watched her long enough to learn how to do it, and I'm sure Mother will be wanting to try this craft soon. The dolls would make cute pins.
We registered for door prizes, and picked up activity books for great-grandkids, and watched the entertainment, which included a popular local guitarist, and troupes from the local dance studio , who performed ballet and tap dancing numbers.
Since we were downtown, we also visited a nearby flea market/antique mall, where Hubbie bought a small crystal bud vase for me, at a reasonable price.
We got back home around 5:30 p.m. The brown rice was done and being kept warm by the cooker. We stir-fried veggies, adding a sauce of chicken broth with a little soy sauce and cornstarch and no-salt seasoning and served it over the rice for supper.
Later, Hubbie and I watched a movie titled, "The Field," starring Richard Harris and Tom Berenger. This PG-13 movie is about a 1930s Irish man who is obsessed over a piece of land. Things heat up when the land is put up for auction by a widowed woman, and an American dares to outbid the obsessed man. It's gotten mixed reviews, but we thought it was good.
We watched a pretty good movie last night, too, called "Reservation Road," an R-rated film starring Jennifer Connelly, Susan Powell, John Rothman and John Slattery. The film revolves around a tragic incident, when a father stops at a service station, and his 10-year-old son gets too near the highway to let fireflies out of a jar and is struck and killed by a hit-and-run motorist.
The hit-and-run man's son, also 10 years old, is in the car with him, and bends down just as the accident happens and hits his head. He isn't badly injured, but he does not see that his father has hit the other boy. The father of the dead boy becomes obsessed with finding the hit-and-run guy, and the hit-and-run guy falls deeper and deeper into guilt. They eventually cross paths. It's a good movie, but emotional, of course. I'm not sure why it's rated "R." Maybe because of violence and one "word."
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day
We've had a very good Mother's Day. Mother came over around 10:30 a.m., and we exchanged greeting cards. I also gave her a little book of cute cat photos with smart aleck remarks as though said by the cats.
For lunch, Hubbie took us to a popular restaurant on the river, where Mother and I had hot roast beef sandwiches, with mashed potatoes, and green beans, and delicious hot rolls. Hubbie had fried catfish with French fries and coleslaw, which was preceded by a garden salad (seemed strange that a meal would feature both a garden salad and coleslaw).
Lots of folks were celebrating the day with their mothers and grandmothers. Ladies dressed in their Sunday best proudly wore beautiful corsages; grandmothers doted on the grandchildren in their group; cards and gifts were exchanged; at one table, a baby was being passed around and cooed over.
While we were at the restaurant, there came a downpour, and it was still raining hard when we left. Back home, even though I'd used an umbrella, I was chilled from the rain, so I changed into a long-sleeved knit shirt, jeans, and denim jacket before we went to see our local high school in a performance of the musical, "Oklahoma." Mother and I were glad we wore warmer clothes, because the middle school auditorium was very air-conditioned cold.
The seating in the auditorium is uncomfortable, too...small, unpadded seats, meant for middle-school children, soon cramp aging bodies. We were grateful for the two ten-minute intermissions, so we could stand up and shake the cramps out.
The play was good, if not quite up to the standards of the high school performance of "The Music Man" that my niece and nephew were a part of in the town a couple of hours south of us. However, the set for "Oklahoma" was pretty amazing. It featured a wood frame farm house, approximately 12 feet by 12 feet, built on one side of the stage, and on the other side, just below the stage, stood a 14 or 15 foot wooden water tower. At one point in the play, there was also a large wooden smokehouse on the stage that stage hands managed to quietly roll on and off between acts.
The play lasted three hours, so it was 5 p.m. before we got back home. At least it wasn't raining. Mother stopped by the house for a while to work on the jigsaw puzzle, and I read the Sunday newspaper. Mother went home around 6 p.m. Around 7 p.m., Hubbie and I had cold cereal and toast for supper, with strawberries for dessert.
After that, we settled in to watch TV.
For lunch, Hubbie took us to a popular restaurant on the river, where Mother and I had hot roast beef sandwiches, with mashed potatoes, and green beans, and delicious hot rolls. Hubbie had fried catfish with French fries and coleslaw, which was preceded by a garden salad (seemed strange that a meal would feature both a garden salad and coleslaw).
Lots of folks were celebrating the day with their mothers and grandmothers. Ladies dressed in their Sunday best proudly wore beautiful corsages; grandmothers doted on the grandchildren in their group; cards and gifts were exchanged; at one table, a baby was being passed around and cooed over.
While we were at the restaurant, there came a downpour, and it was still raining hard when we left. Back home, even though I'd used an umbrella, I was chilled from the rain, so I changed into a long-sleeved knit shirt, jeans, and denim jacket before we went to see our local high school in a performance of the musical, "Oklahoma." Mother and I were glad we wore warmer clothes, because the middle school auditorium was very air-conditioned cold.
The seating in the auditorium is uncomfortable, too...small, unpadded seats, meant for middle-school children, soon cramp aging bodies. We were grateful for the two ten-minute intermissions, so we could stand up and shake the cramps out.
The play was good, if not quite up to the standards of the high school performance of "The Music Man" that my niece and nephew were a part of in the town a couple of hours south of us. However, the set for "Oklahoma" was pretty amazing. It featured a wood frame farm house, approximately 12 feet by 12 feet, built on one side of the stage, and on the other side, just below the stage, stood a 14 or 15 foot wooden water tower. At one point in the play, there was also a large wooden smokehouse on the stage that stage hands managed to quietly roll on and off between acts.
The play lasted three hours, so it was 5 p.m. before we got back home. At least it wasn't raining. Mother stopped by the house for a while to work on the jigsaw puzzle, and I read the Sunday newspaper. Mother went home around 6 p.m. Around 7 p.m., Hubbie and I had cold cereal and toast for supper, with strawberries for dessert.
After that, we settled in to watch TV.
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