We were up by about 7:30 a.m., and after breakfast, I did a treadmill session with resistance exercises, as usual. I'm thinking I might add a second treadmill session in the evenings to help knock these three extra pounds off.
Once I was ready for the day and took care of a few household chores, I settled in to (finally!) lose myself reading the narratives and studying the photos in the beautiful National Geographic book that Son and Daughter-in-Law gave me recently. I didn't get very far into the book by lunch, since I spent lots of time absorbing each photo. The photos cover a span of time from the 1800s to the 1990s, and they are remarkable and fascinating.
Mother came over after lunch, but we didn't accomplish much during the afternoon. This morning, she discovered that a large tree limb had snapped on a tree in her front yard, but is not completely broken off...it is sort of just dangling there, one end touching the ground, the other barely attached to the tree. Hubbie will need to prevail upon the young neighbor who lives behind us to bring equipment and help him saw the limb off. We're just glad it didn't land on the roof of Mother's house, or on one of us as we were walking under it.
At the eagle nest: when I checked, the baby was perched close to the edge of the nest, but did not attempt to fly, of course. Soon he (or maybe it's a she?) began fussing with the nesting materials, moving twigs and other stuff here and there, either practicing nest building, or housekeeping, I guess.
After a supper of leftover Spanish rice, coleslaw and green beans, Hubbie and I spent the evening, as usual, watching TV. Tonight's fare was a Lifetime Movie Network movie mystery called, "Blind Obsession." A cop is shot and becomes blind. His orientation and mobility specialist (a woman) becomes obsessed with him to the point of murder.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday, June 26
We were up by 6:30 a.m., since this was water aerobics day. Twenty-one of us were there for the session. The number of folks who attend usually drops on Fridays, when people have weekend trips and other activities planned.
It was really noisy at the pool today, and not because we ladies were chattering (except for the leader, who never quits talking). It was because of a couple of large exhaust fans that were turned on to draw the heat and humidity out of the room.
Today, we were told that the money collected this week as a memorial contribution for the husband of one of the members who died last week was matched by one of the businesses in town, and the total amount was given to Heifer International to buy a goat for someone in another country. We were all very pleased by this.
Also, one of the members mentioned today that she has been gathering plums from the tree in her yard to give to anyone who wanted them, since no one in her family likes them. I jumped at the offer, of course. We love plums, and what we can't eat, we make juice from for jelly-making later.
The lady said she'd call me when she had enough gathered. She called this afternoon, saying she had at least a gallon of them. So we went right over to her house and got them. She had at least two gallons of them for me....Hubbie estimated there were about 20 lbs.
She said she gathers them several times a day to keep the birds and squirrels from getting them, and when she gets enough, she gives them away. The tree is about ready to quit bearing now, though, she said.
We sorted through the fruit, taking the ripest ones out to eat right away, and putting others in a bucket to make juice from as soon as possible, and then laying the not-quite-ripe ones on a cookie sheet...they'll probably be ready to juice by tomorrow.
After we got back from getting the plums, I continued working on a form, a narrative, and a resume', that I started this morning, to be sent to the state arts council, so I can be placed on the 2009-2010 artist's roster. It's due by July 10. I finished the materials around 3 p.m., and now all I need to do is let it rest overnight, and then re-read it tomorrow to make sure I've crossed all my "t's" and dotted all my "i's" before I mail it.
Family news: got a call from Daughter last night, just to chat. She said Great-Granddaughter, the one who is in school, has gone to Florida with her aunt, and Great-Grandson is at church camp. The camp leader told Daughter that Great-Grandson is just such a sweet boy, who is very helpful and accommodating. Of course, I could have told him that. This boy has always been a sweetheart.
He reported to his Grandmother, though, that one night in the cabin, some boys (he wasn't one of them, he assured her) wound tape around another boy while he was asleep in his bunk so that he couldn't get up the next morning. Just shows how deeply and soundly children can sleep!
And it shows what pranksters little boys can be.
From Granddaughter: year-old Great-Grandson's 12-month checkup revealed that he has grown an inch, now weighs a little over 21 lbs., and is 30 inches long. The doctor says he's going to be long and lean like his sister.
Supper tonight was salmon loaf, with sauteed new potatoes, and leftover veggies. Later, Hubbie and I watched the movie, "Unbreakable," rated PG-13 and starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. In this film, a security guard (Willis) is in a train wreck, where he is the only survivor..and he comes out of the accident unscathed.
Conversely, Jackson plays a man whose bones break easily. Jackson's character is a comic book collector who believes that his breakable self has an exact opposite in Willis' character, who has never been ill or injured in his life and is super strong...like a comic book hero.
It was really noisy at the pool today, and not because we ladies were chattering (except for the leader, who never quits talking). It was because of a couple of large exhaust fans that were turned on to draw the heat and humidity out of the room.
Today, we were told that the money collected this week as a memorial contribution for the husband of one of the members who died last week was matched by one of the businesses in town, and the total amount was given to Heifer International to buy a goat for someone in another country. We were all very pleased by this.
Also, one of the members mentioned today that she has been gathering plums from the tree in her yard to give to anyone who wanted them, since no one in her family likes them. I jumped at the offer, of course. We love plums, and what we can't eat, we make juice from for jelly-making later.
The lady said she'd call me when she had enough gathered. She called this afternoon, saying she had at least a gallon of them. So we went right over to her house and got them. She had at least two gallons of them for me....Hubbie estimated there were about 20 lbs.
She said she gathers them several times a day to keep the birds and squirrels from getting them, and when she gets enough, she gives them away. The tree is about ready to quit bearing now, though, she said.
We sorted through the fruit, taking the ripest ones out to eat right away, and putting others in a bucket to make juice from as soon as possible, and then laying the not-quite-ripe ones on a cookie sheet...they'll probably be ready to juice by tomorrow.
After we got back from getting the plums, I continued working on a form, a narrative, and a resume', that I started this morning, to be sent to the state arts council, so I can be placed on the 2009-2010 artist's roster. It's due by July 10. I finished the materials around 3 p.m., and now all I need to do is let it rest overnight, and then re-read it tomorrow to make sure I've crossed all my "t's" and dotted all my "i's" before I mail it.
Family news: got a call from Daughter last night, just to chat. She said Great-Granddaughter, the one who is in school, has gone to Florida with her aunt, and Great-Grandson is at church camp. The camp leader told Daughter that Great-Grandson is just such a sweet boy, who is very helpful and accommodating. Of course, I could have told him that. This boy has always been a sweetheart.
He reported to his Grandmother, though, that one night in the cabin, some boys (he wasn't one of them, he assured her) wound tape around another boy while he was asleep in his bunk so that he couldn't get up the next morning. Just shows how deeply and soundly children can sleep!
And it shows what pranksters little boys can be.
From Granddaughter: year-old Great-Grandson's 12-month checkup revealed that he has grown an inch, now weighs a little over 21 lbs., and is 30 inches long. The doctor says he's going to be long and lean like his sister.
Supper tonight was salmon loaf, with sauteed new potatoes, and leftover veggies. Later, Hubbie and I watched the movie, "Unbreakable," rated PG-13 and starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. In this film, a security guard (Willis) is in a train wreck, where he is the only survivor..and he comes out of the accident unscathed.
Conversely, Jackson plays a man whose bones break easily. Jackson's character is a comic book collector who believes that his breakable self has an exact opposite in Willis' character, who has never been ill or injured in his life and is super strong...like a comic book hero.
Snapshots From the Yard
These photos go from the sublime to the ridiculous. The top snapshot is a blossom from an eight-foot-tall lily tree growing in the flower bed behind Mother's house. This morning, I snapped a photo of 4'11" Mother beside it, and she was dwarfed.The second photo shows a cluster of a variety of grape tomatoes growing in one of our raised veggie gardens.
The third photo is of what might be mistaken for a lake or sea monster, but is in fact a strange formation in the crook of a tree limb. Stepdaughter brought it last weekend, thinking we might use it in the whimsical garden, which we probably will.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, June 25
We slept in this morning, not getting up until nearly 8 a.m. After breakfast, I did a treadmill session and weights exercises. After that, I just did this and that around the house until lunch time. I only ate a bowl of fresh fruit for lunch, since Mother and I were scheduled to weigh in at Weight Watchers this evening.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the grocery store offering frozen veggies ten packages for $10, because Mother wanted some. I picked up another ten packages for our freezer, too. Hubbie had put ice into one of our ice chests so that we could store the veggies while we continued our rounds.
From the grocery store, we stopped by a pharmacy that advertised transport chairs on sale (these are lightweight wheelchairs). I wanted to know what their Medicare policy was regarding the chairs. I was advised it would probably be better for us to go to one of the medical supply places to get one under Medicare.
So I went to another store...a pharmacy/medical supplies business...where I was assured that with a prescription from Mother's doctor, a chair could be provided. Medicare will pay for the rental of the chair for 13 months, at the end of which Mother would own the chair. Her supplemental insurance should cover whatever Medicare doesn't pay.
So from that store, we went to the doctor's office to request a prescription for the chair from Mother's physician. She is out of the office today, but we were assured she could write the prescription Monday. So early next week, we should be able to get the chair. We will need it for a couple of upcoming trips, because Mother has trouble walking any distance these days.
From there, we went to a home supplies business, where Hubbie spent a gift card to get garden watering supplies. Then we went to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals that we forgot when we were there yesterday.
We were back home around 3 p.m. Later, I did preliminary things for our supper tonight...washing and putting potatoes in the oven, slicing tomatoes and Vidalia onions and tearing lettuce for BLT's, and opening a can of whole kernel corn for the microwave. Mother won't join us tonight. She usually eats at home of Thursdays.
The scale wasn't kind to me tonight. I've gained three pounds. Too many family get-togethers in May and June finally caught up to me. So it's back to a more rigorous diet regimen for me! It's proof that I can never let my guard down...any stray morsel of food goes straight to fat on me. Mother lost a pound. I think being sick with a cold and bronchitis dulled her appetite. Apparently, nothing dulls my appetite.
At the eagle's nest: the wind was strong enough this evening to sway the tree and rock the nest a little. The mother brought a fish and laid it on the nest floor, but the baby didn't attempt to eat it. Finally, the mother helped him with it.
After supper, Hubbie and I watched the movie "1408," a spooky tale by Stephen King, rated PG-13, and starring John Cusak and Samuel L. Jackson. Cusak plays an occult writer. In pursuit of activity at an old hotel, he insists on staying in a haunted room (1408), with the intention of debunking paranormal activity there.
Note: It was sad that Farrah Fawcett died of cancer at just 62 years old, and shocking that Michael Jackson died of a heart attack at only 50 years old. We hated to hear of Ed McMahon's death yesterday, but it could be expected at his more advanced age of 86.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the grocery store offering frozen veggies ten packages for $10, because Mother wanted some. I picked up another ten packages for our freezer, too. Hubbie had put ice into one of our ice chests so that we could store the veggies while we continued our rounds.
From the grocery store, we stopped by a pharmacy that advertised transport chairs on sale (these are lightweight wheelchairs). I wanted to know what their Medicare policy was regarding the chairs. I was advised it would probably be better for us to go to one of the medical supply places to get one under Medicare.
So I went to another store...a pharmacy/medical supplies business...where I was assured that with a prescription from Mother's doctor, a chair could be provided. Medicare will pay for the rental of the chair for 13 months, at the end of which Mother would own the chair. Her supplemental insurance should cover whatever Medicare doesn't pay.
So from that store, we went to the doctor's office to request a prescription for the chair from Mother's physician. She is out of the office today, but we were assured she could write the prescription Monday. So early next week, we should be able to get the chair. We will need it for a couple of upcoming trips, because Mother has trouble walking any distance these days.
From there, we went to a home supplies business, where Hubbie spent a gift card to get garden watering supplies. Then we went to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals that we forgot when we were there yesterday.
We were back home around 3 p.m. Later, I did preliminary things for our supper tonight...washing and putting potatoes in the oven, slicing tomatoes and Vidalia onions and tearing lettuce for BLT's, and opening a can of whole kernel corn for the microwave. Mother won't join us tonight. She usually eats at home of Thursdays.
The scale wasn't kind to me tonight. I've gained three pounds. Too many family get-togethers in May and June finally caught up to me. So it's back to a more rigorous diet regimen for me! It's proof that I can never let my guard down...any stray morsel of food goes straight to fat on me. Mother lost a pound. I think being sick with a cold and bronchitis dulled her appetite. Apparently, nothing dulls my appetite.
At the eagle's nest: the wind was strong enough this evening to sway the tree and rock the nest a little. The mother brought a fish and laid it on the nest floor, but the baby didn't attempt to eat it. Finally, the mother helped him with it.
After supper, Hubbie and I watched the movie "1408," a spooky tale by Stephen King, rated PG-13, and starring John Cusak and Samuel L. Jackson. Cusak plays an occult writer. In pursuit of activity at an old hotel, he insists on staying in a haunted room (1408), with the intention of debunking paranormal activity there.
Note: It was sad that Farrah Fawcett died of cancer at just 62 years old, and shocking that Michael Jackson died of a heart attack at only 50 years old. We hated to hear of Ed McMahon's death yesterday, but it could be expected at his more advanced age of 86.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 24
We woke up this morning around 5 a.m., an hour and a half before we meant to, but stayed in bed until the clock alarm went off at 6:30.
This was water aerobics day, and the pool felt wonderful. I wish it felt that warm in the winter. Not as many of us showed up today as did on Monday, so we weren't bumping into each other during the session.
Back home, after I got ready for the day, Hubbie and I ran errands...first to the greeting card shop, where I spent an about-to-expire 40% discount card to buy a reed diffusers with oil set to use as a gift when needed.
From there, we went to the other discount store for a couple of items, and then, because our tummies were rumbling before 11:30 a.m., we decided to go to the local Italian restaurant for lunch. Hubbie had spinach quiche with fruit, and I had a grilled shrimp salad, which was too much for me to eat. So we brought half of it home, keeping it in a hot/cold bag while we shopped at the WDCS.
As we were leaving the restaurant, an elderly gentleman opened the door to let his wife in, and continued holding the door to allow us to exit.
"I'll be your doorman today," he said cheerfully. "Do you want to give me a tip?"
I wanted to say, "Yes. My tip to you is your pants are unzipped." But I restrained myself, figuring it was his wife's duty to tell him.
At the WDCS, we only picked up a few items for ourselves, plus a half dozen or so things from a list that Mother sent with us. We were back home around 1 p.m.
When I checked the eagle's nest, I found both mother and baby hunkered down, close together, backs to the wind. It was raining a little, too, so it was probably pretty cool and miserable at 63 degrees high up in that unsheltered nest.
After I'd posted my blog last night, I visited the eagle's nest one more time, and saw the mother feeding the baby from the kill she'd brought to the nest earlier. I guess she lets the baby struggle with feeding himself first and then later helps him to be sure he gets enough.
It's amusing to see him run and flap his wings, practicing to fly. Today, he actually lifted off the ground a few inches. But he still sometimes falls on his face.
Mother came over after we got home from running errands today, but we didn't accomplish anything during the afternoon. She snoozed, while Hubbie finished the first "Twilight" novel and began a second one, and I played on the laptop. Later, we read "The Daily Blab," and then had a supper of boiled new potatoes, sauteed squash, and sliced tomatoes, Vidalia onions and cucumbers.
After supper, Hubbie continued reading his novel, and I worked several Sudoku puzzles. Then we watched TV, including President Obama's address to the nation concerning his ideas for a government health plan.
This was water aerobics day, and the pool felt wonderful. I wish it felt that warm in the winter. Not as many of us showed up today as did on Monday, so we weren't bumping into each other during the session.
Back home, after I got ready for the day, Hubbie and I ran errands...first to the greeting card shop, where I spent an about-to-expire 40% discount card to buy a reed diffusers with oil set to use as a gift when needed.
From there, we went to the other discount store for a couple of items, and then, because our tummies were rumbling before 11:30 a.m., we decided to go to the local Italian restaurant for lunch. Hubbie had spinach quiche with fruit, and I had a grilled shrimp salad, which was too much for me to eat. So we brought half of it home, keeping it in a hot/cold bag while we shopped at the WDCS.
As we were leaving the restaurant, an elderly gentleman opened the door to let his wife in, and continued holding the door to allow us to exit.
"I'll be your doorman today," he said cheerfully. "Do you want to give me a tip?"
I wanted to say, "Yes. My tip to you is your pants are unzipped." But I restrained myself, figuring it was his wife's duty to tell him.
At the WDCS, we only picked up a few items for ourselves, plus a half dozen or so things from a list that Mother sent with us. We were back home around 1 p.m.
When I checked the eagle's nest, I found both mother and baby hunkered down, close together, backs to the wind. It was raining a little, too, so it was probably pretty cool and miserable at 63 degrees high up in that unsheltered nest.
After I'd posted my blog last night, I visited the eagle's nest one more time, and saw the mother feeding the baby from the kill she'd brought to the nest earlier. I guess she lets the baby struggle with feeding himself first and then later helps him to be sure he gets enough.
It's amusing to see him run and flap his wings, practicing to fly. Today, he actually lifted off the ground a few inches. But he still sometimes falls on his face.
Mother came over after we got home from running errands today, but we didn't accomplish anything during the afternoon. She snoozed, while Hubbie finished the first "Twilight" novel and began a second one, and I played on the laptop. Later, we read "The Daily Blab," and then had a supper of boiled new potatoes, sauteed squash, and sliced tomatoes, Vidalia onions and cucumbers.
After supper, Hubbie continued reading his novel, and I worked several Sudoku puzzles. Then we watched TV, including President Obama's address to the nation concerning his ideas for a government health plan.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday, June 23
We slept late this morning, since we had nothing in particular lined up for the day. After breakfast, I got on the treadmill and then did resistance exercises. Once I was ready for the day, Mother came over to hear about last night's event, and to read e-mails and blogs.
We did nothing productive the rest of the morning. For lunch, we had leftover beef roast gravy over slices of wheat bread, along with slices of yeast bread and butter, sliced tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and individual cups of applesauce for dessert. We have some odd lunches around here, sometimes.
Before lunch, Hubbie took the stuff from the silent auction back to the art gallery, and then picked up a bag of birdseed. But this afternoon, we did nothing important...he read his "Twilight" novel, and I played on my laptop.
At 4:30 p.m., I met an appointment with my cardiologist. Because the office of my former cardiologist no longer accepts Blue Cross insurance, I was transferred to a new doctor. This cardiologist is female, and is the one who performed the catheter test on me when I first went to the emergency room a year and a half ago.
Today, she ordered a heart ultra-sound, just as a routine exam, because it has been a year and half since I had one. I should get the results of that in a few days. Otherwise, I seem to be in pretty good shape. The cardiologist gave me a large sample box of Lipitor, which is great, since it's a two-month supply of the costliest drug I take.
This doctor's nurse is an obese male. In fact the doctor is obese. And the technician who did the ultra-sound is overweight. This is kind of surprising for a cardiologist office. The scales showed that I've gained a couple of pounds, but I'm still well within acceptable limits, so the doctor didn't comment on it. By comparison to herself, I must seem positively skinny.
I was back home about 5:30 p.m., when we had a supper of Spanish rice and coleslaw. After that, Mother went home, and Hubbie and I spent a leisurely evening in front of the TV. Tonight, we watched "The Kovak Box," R-rated (for violence and some brief nudity) and starring Timothy Hutton. the plot revolves around an author whose strange tale of folks committing suicide after hearing music over their cell phones, plays out in reality, starting with his fiance', who pitches herself out of the window of their hotel.
I checked the eagle nest several times today. The mother came and went and finally, on one of her visits, she brought a small animal. I couldn't tell what it was, but she and the baby spent a long time just standing near it but not trying to eat it. Maybe it wasn't quite dead when she first brought it. Later, though, she began shredding and eating it. The baby begged her to feed him, but she refused. Finally, he had to join her in the feast, shredding portions for himself. As the evening wore on, he returned to the kill and fed while his mother was away from the nest. Sometime during the night, a spider built a web across the camera lens, which close up looks like little light blobs dancing around.
We did nothing productive the rest of the morning. For lunch, we had leftover beef roast gravy over slices of wheat bread, along with slices of yeast bread and butter, sliced tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and individual cups of applesauce for dessert. We have some odd lunches around here, sometimes.
Before lunch, Hubbie took the stuff from the silent auction back to the art gallery, and then picked up a bag of birdseed. But this afternoon, we did nothing important...he read his "Twilight" novel, and I played on my laptop.
At 4:30 p.m., I met an appointment with my cardiologist. Because the office of my former cardiologist no longer accepts Blue Cross insurance, I was transferred to a new doctor. This cardiologist is female, and is the one who performed the catheter test on me when I first went to the emergency room a year and a half ago.
Today, she ordered a heart ultra-sound, just as a routine exam, because it has been a year and half since I had one. I should get the results of that in a few days. Otherwise, I seem to be in pretty good shape. The cardiologist gave me a large sample box of Lipitor, which is great, since it's a two-month supply of the costliest drug I take.
This doctor's nurse is an obese male. In fact the doctor is obese. And the technician who did the ultra-sound is overweight. This is kind of surprising for a cardiologist office. The scales showed that I've gained a couple of pounds, but I'm still well within acceptable limits, so the doctor didn't comment on it. By comparison to herself, I must seem positively skinny.
I was back home about 5:30 p.m., when we had a supper of Spanish rice and coleslaw. After that, Mother went home, and Hubbie and I spent a leisurely evening in front of the TV. Tonight, we watched "The Kovak Box," R-rated (for violence and some brief nudity) and starring Timothy Hutton. the plot revolves around an author whose strange tale of folks committing suicide after hearing music over their cell phones, plays out in reality, starting with his fiance', who pitches herself out of the window of their hotel.
I checked the eagle nest several times today. The mother came and went and finally, on one of her visits, she brought a small animal. I couldn't tell what it was, but she and the baby spent a long time just standing near it but not trying to eat it. Maybe it wasn't quite dead when she first brought it. Later, though, she began shredding and eating it. The baby begged her to feed him, but she refused. Finally, he had to join her in the feast, shredding portions for himself. As the evening wore on, he returned to the kill and fed while his mother was away from the nest. Sometime during the night, a spider built a web across the camera lens, which close up looks like little light blobs dancing around.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, June 22
I had trouble getting to sleep last night, so I was groggy when I got up at 6:30 to get ready to go to water aerobics. The water was wonderful, though, as usual. Thirty-three of us showed up for the session, so we were shoulder to shoulder during the workout, and from time to time, someone accidentally kicked or elbowed a neighbor. We were all still very quiet today, after being chastised Monday, though our leader jabbered the whole time, which caused us to look at each other and roll our eyes.
After I got home and ready for the day, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the WDCS for milk and bread; to the bank; to the grocery store that sells my favorite brand of cottage cheese; and then to another grocery store that was selling packages of frozen veggies ten for $10. This store is also the only one I'm aware of that carries my favorite brand of chocolate fat-free ice cream, and I picked up couple of cartons of those.
At home, we settled for PB&J sandwiches for lunch, with milk and bowls of sugar-free Jell-o with canned mixed fruit. At 1:30, we went to the art gallery to help haul items in our van to the restaurant on the river, where the Summer Celebration was held this evening.
At the restaurant, we helped set up tables of silent auction items, and then we came home around 3 p.m. to relax until 5 p.m., when we had a supper of cold roast beef sandwiches on slices of yeast bread, and microwaveable baked potatoes. Nibbles and drinks were offered at the event, but not enough to make a meal from.
We didn't get to the event until nearly 7 p.m., and by then the parking lot was full. We finally found a space hidden down a hill, close to the river, near the restaurant's balcony seating area. A couple of hundred people packed the restaurant, many of whom were standing in line to the refreshment and drinks table when we walked in.
A couple we know were about halfway down the long line, and in chatting with them, we learned there were two spaces available at the table where they were seated, and they invited us to join them, which we gladly did.
I sat at the table and visited with the others there, while Hubbie got in line for refreshments. He brought back a plate of fried chicken wings, tortilla chips and salsa, and fruit...cantaloupe and honeydew melon, and grapes, plus drinks. I ate a couple of bites of melon and a grape or two.
One of the ladies at our table introduced herself, saying she saw me modeling clothes at the Go Red Luncheon last February, but didn't remember my name. I didn't remember her name either, but I did remember that she wore the same red jacket, trimmed in sparkles, that I modeled at the luncheon. We laughed about the coincidence, and then she related a story about a similar incident she'd experienced years ago, before her husband retired as an officer in one of the military services.
She said she and her husband attended a very dressy affair, where the officers wives were expected to dress formally. This lady had returned to our small town earlier to visit family, and while here, she found a beautiful formal dress to wear to the affair. When she and her husband arrived at the event, the wife of a higher ranking officer than her husband, approached her wearing (horrors) the exact same dress as this lady.
Apparently, the woman had bought her dress in a large eastern city and had been assured that it was the only one of its kind. "Where did you get that dress!" she demanded of the offending lady.
When told it had been purchased in a very small southern town, she said, "Go to the other side of the room, and don't be anywhere near me for the rest of the evening!!"
How petty and ungracious. Not a bit the way a southern lady would behave. We would have laughed it off, and maybe even prevailed upon someone to snap a picture of us together.
The evening's entertainment was a blast...two local businessmen dressed in Blues Brothers outfits, with black sideburns (their hair is gray, which peeked below their fedora hats), mimicked the Blues Brothers dances, while they lipsynched the songs. They were hilarious and the audience exploded in laughter and applause. These guys are a long way from being young, so we were surprised when one of them even did cartwheels on the dance floor!
The second entertainer, with short, gray hair, and dressed in a sparkly shirt, with a white coat and several scarves around his neck, performed Elvis Presley songs to an appreciative audience. At one point, he wandered through the audience, stopping to let an "adoring fan" pull a scarf from his neck.
While the entertainers performed, audience members wandered in and out of the room where the silent auction items were on display. All but one item was bid on and sold. The black and white photo I donated...a 5x7 print of a striped tulip, displayed against a black mat and framed in an 8x10 black frame sold for $55.
I won the bids on two items in the silent auction...two tickets to a symphony orchestra performance in October, and an original pen and ink drawing of a Japanese woman in traditional dress. This will become a Christmas gift for Mother, who loves anything oriental.
The live auction included a large original colored pencil drawing by one of our arts council members, who has won numerous national awards, and who is currently on exhibit at a New York gallery. Her work sold for several hundred dollars, as did a week's vacation package to a Florida beachfront condo, and a pair of diamond and ruby earrings.
The event ended with a drawing for a cruise. One of the Master Gardener members won that. After that, there was more music and dancing. Hubbie and I took a turn around the dance floor a couple of times, before we helped clear the silent auction area and loaded stuff into our van to be taken to the gallery tomorrow.
We were home by about 10 p.m., and ready to hit the sack after a long and busy day.
After I got home and ready for the day, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the WDCS for milk and bread; to the bank; to the grocery store that sells my favorite brand of cottage cheese; and then to another grocery store that was selling packages of frozen veggies ten for $10. This store is also the only one I'm aware of that carries my favorite brand of chocolate fat-free ice cream, and I picked up couple of cartons of those.
At home, we settled for PB&J sandwiches for lunch, with milk and bowls of sugar-free Jell-o with canned mixed fruit. At 1:30, we went to the art gallery to help haul items in our van to the restaurant on the river, where the Summer Celebration was held this evening.
At the restaurant, we helped set up tables of silent auction items, and then we came home around 3 p.m. to relax until 5 p.m., when we had a supper of cold roast beef sandwiches on slices of yeast bread, and microwaveable baked potatoes. Nibbles and drinks were offered at the event, but not enough to make a meal from.
We didn't get to the event until nearly 7 p.m., and by then the parking lot was full. We finally found a space hidden down a hill, close to the river, near the restaurant's balcony seating area. A couple of hundred people packed the restaurant, many of whom were standing in line to the refreshment and drinks table when we walked in.
A couple we know were about halfway down the long line, and in chatting with them, we learned there were two spaces available at the table where they were seated, and they invited us to join them, which we gladly did.
I sat at the table and visited with the others there, while Hubbie got in line for refreshments. He brought back a plate of fried chicken wings, tortilla chips and salsa, and fruit...cantaloupe and honeydew melon, and grapes, plus drinks. I ate a couple of bites of melon and a grape or two.
One of the ladies at our table introduced herself, saying she saw me modeling clothes at the Go Red Luncheon last February, but didn't remember my name. I didn't remember her name either, but I did remember that she wore the same red jacket, trimmed in sparkles, that I modeled at the luncheon. We laughed about the coincidence, and then she related a story about a similar incident she'd experienced years ago, before her husband retired as an officer in one of the military services.
She said she and her husband attended a very dressy affair, where the officers wives were expected to dress formally. This lady had returned to our small town earlier to visit family, and while here, she found a beautiful formal dress to wear to the affair. When she and her husband arrived at the event, the wife of a higher ranking officer than her husband, approached her wearing (horrors) the exact same dress as this lady.
Apparently, the woman had bought her dress in a large eastern city and had been assured that it was the only one of its kind. "Where did you get that dress!" she demanded of the offending lady.
When told it had been purchased in a very small southern town, she said, "Go to the other side of the room, and don't be anywhere near me for the rest of the evening!!"
How petty and ungracious. Not a bit the way a southern lady would behave. We would have laughed it off, and maybe even prevailed upon someone to snap a picture of us together.
The evening's entertainment was a blast...two local businessmen dressed in Blues Brothers outfits, with black sideburns (their hair is gray, which peeked below their fedora hats), mimicked the Blues Brothers dances, while they lipsynched the songs. They were hilarious and the audience exploded in laughter and applause. These guys are a long way from being young, so we were surprised when one of them even did cartwheels on the dance floor!
The second entertainer, with short, gray hair, and dressed in a sparkly shirt, with a white coat and several scarves around his neck, performed Elvis Presley songs to an appreciative audience. At one point, he wandered through the audience, stopping to let an "adoring fan" pull a scarf from his neck.
While the entertainers performed, audience members wandered in and out of the room where the silent auction items were on display. All but one item was bid on and sold. The black and white photo I donated...a 5x7 print of a striped tulip, displayed against a black mat and framed in an 8x10 black frame sold for $55.
I won the bids on two items in the silent auction...two tickets to a symphony orchestra performance in October, and an original pen and ink drawing of a Japanese woman in traditional dress. This will become a Christmas gift for Mother, who loves anything oriental.
The live auction included a large original colored pencil drawing by one of our arts council members, who has won numerous national awards, and who is currently on exhibit at a New York gallery. Her work sold for several hundred dollars, as did a week's vacation package to a Florida beachfront condo, and a pair of diamond and ruby earrings.
The event ended with a drawing for a cruise. One of the Master Gardener members won that. After that, there was more music and dancing. Hubbie and I took a turn around the dance floor a couple of times, before we helped clear the silent auction area and loaded stuff into our van to be taken to the gallery tomorrow.
We were home by about 10 p.m., and ready to hit the sack after a long and busy day.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Father's Day
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE DADDIES IN THE FAMILY
We got up later than usual this morning, and I skipped my treadmill session. Once I was ready for the day, Mother came over, and we spent the morning reading the Sunday newspaper and just generally relaxing. Mother caught up on reading e-mails from family, as well as Sis's blogs.
We did wash a few loads of clothes, stored the special dinnerware we'd used yesterday, treated the spots on the white table clothes and then put them into a soaking solution before we wash them. For lunch, we had leftovers from yesterday's feast. Mother went home right after lunch, and Hubbie and I kicked back to relax again.
Hubbie's sister brought four volumes of Stephenie Meyers' "Twilight" series with her yesterday, and Hubbie started reading the first novel of the series this afternoon. While he did that, I selected shows and movies to record on DVR for the week. Then I read and answered e-mail messages on my laptop. After that, I continued reading my novel, "Outer Banks," by Anne Rivers Siddons.
I checked the eagle nest, too. It's very windy there, today, and the mother was on duty providing a windscreen to the baby, who was huddled in the hollow of the tree against which the nest is built. Each time I checked the nest through the day and evening, the mother was there, which is unusual since she has been away from it so much lately.
Later this afternoon and evening, Hubbie and I watched a couple of Hallmark movies. It was a restful day, which we needed after all the activity of the past few weeks.
We got up later than usual this morning, and I skipped my treadmill session. Once I was ready for the day, Mother came over, and we spent the morning reading the Sunday newspaper and just generally relaxing. Mother caught up on reading e-mails from family, as well as Sis's blogs.
We did wash a few loads of clothes, stored the special dinnerware we'd used yesterday, treated the spots on the white table clothes and then put them into a soaking solution before we wash them. For lunch, we had leftovers from yesterday's feast. Mother went home right after lunch, and Hubbie and I kicked back to relax again.
Hubbie's sister brought four volumes of Stephenie Meyers' "Twilight" series with her yesterday, and Hubbie started reading the first novel of the series this afternoon. While he did that, I selected shows and movies to record on DVR for the week. Then I read and answered e-mail messages on my laptop. After that, I continued reading my novel, "Outer Banks," by Anne Rivers Siddons.
I checked the eagle nest, too. It's very windy there, today, and the mother was on duty providing a windscreen to the baby, who was huddled in the hollow of the tree against which the nest is built. Each time I checked the nest through the day and evening, the mother was there, which is unusual since she has been away from it so much lately.
Later this afternoon and evening, Hubbie and I watched a couple of Hallmark movies. It was a restful day, which we needed after all the activity of the past few weeks.
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