We were up by 7 a.m. this morning to get ready for an outing to a town about 45 minutes from us. We packed a picnic lunch, and left home about 9 a.m.
Before we left town, though, we stopped by the store that has a sale every weekend. As I mentioned in a previous blog, we purchased a coat for Mother from the store, which was on sale, plus an extra $15 discount. It was a pretty good deal, but yesterday there was a circular in our daily newspaper that showed the same coat would be on sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. today for $30 less than we paid. So I took the coat back and asked for the discount price, which I got.
After that, we headed to the other town. When we arrived, we spent some time shopping. First we went to the $1 shop, where I picked up a few scrapbooking items. Then we went to a home improvement store to check out the washers and dryers as a comparison to the ones at our local store.
From there, we went to the city park to have our picnic lunch. It was a warm, pleasant day, despite gusty winds that kept threatening to carry away our tablecloth, foam plates, and napkins, and sort of dried the bread of our sandwiches before we could get them eaten. But at least there were no flies or ants.
After lunch, we went to open house festivities of the town's pioneer village. The village, established seven years ago, is a work in progress. There are several buildings, farm implements, and a windmill at the village, and today, docents dressed in period costumes talked about the structures and their antique furnishings. At one house, a woman was churning butter. Outside the house, another woman was making stew in an iron kettle over an open fire, and serving homemade biscuits and butter. At the schoolhouse, four musicians played gospel tunes on guitar, dulcimers, and an organ.
The village is cared for by the local historical society, and the town's Master Gardeners take care of the gardens. The village is always open to visitors, but the houses are locked, except during twice-yearly open house events. The next open house is the first weekend of May, and if nothing comes up, we plan to go back then. The gardens should be pretty in the spring.
We were back home around 3:30 p.m. I had recorded our favorite college football team's game while we were gone, and about 4:30, we began watching it. For supper, we heated leftover chili-mac and stuffed peppers, made cole slaw, and took our meals to the den to continue watching the game. We were pleased that our team won.
Later, Hubbie and I watched the movie, "Evidence of Blood," a 1998 PG-13 film starring David Straitairn and Mary McDonnell. A Pulitzer prize winning true crime writer goes home and gets involved in a forty year old case of the murder of a teenage girl. He and the daughter of the man convicted of the crime get caught up in a conspiracy surrounding the murder.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 6
We were up early, so I could go to water aerobics on this beautiful, sunny day. It was a little cool this morning, but there was no wind, so the stroll to the gym was pleasant. The pool was warm, too. Only eleven of us showed up, though. We are worried that if more do not attend, the college may cancel our privileges there.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, Mother came over, but we didn't accomplish a lot. I made a couple of phone calls, particularly one to our favorite electronics store, where we got our TV. The store was to replace our HD cable, but has had problems getting one. Today, the owner of the store said he was going to give us a longer, more expensive cable to replace the other one.
I was also interested in finding out if I needed to upgrade the anti-virus on my laptop, or just renew the one I have (it is about to expire), and he said he had one like the one I currently have at about $10 less than the online renewal one. So I agreed that we would go pick up both the cable and the anti-virus this afternoon.
After lunch, we went to the fairgrounds, where the county Extension Homemakers are sponsoring a craft fair today and tomorrow. There were a lot of new crafts at the fair this year, but all I bought was two bars of homemade soap and two pint jars of preserves...cherry and pineapple. The preserves were only $3.50 each, which was a bargain.
Mother and I were interested in a new craft at the fair...lighted wine bottles. The bottles, with motifs painted on the outside, contained mini white Christmas lights. Clusters of plastic grapes, or Christmas decorations hung from the necks of the bottles. I think we would be able to do this according to online instructions.
After we were done shopping at the craft fair, we went to the electronics store in a nearby town to pick up the HD cable and anti-virus package, and then came back home. We weren't home long, when Hubbie and I decided we needed to run errands...to the greeting card shop and the WDCS. The gas station was our last stop before returning home.
Supper tonight was baked talapia fish, baked sweet potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob, after which we spent the evening watching TV.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, Mother came over, but we didn't accomplish a lot. I made a couple of phone calls, particularly one to our favorite electronics store, where we got our TV. The store was to replace our HD cable, but has had problems getting one. Today, the owner of the store said he was going to give us a longer, more expensive cable to replace the other one.
I was also interested in finding out if I needed to upgrade the anti-virus on my laptop, or just renew the one I have (it is about to expire), and he said he had one like the one I currently have at about $10 less than the online renewal one. So I agreed that we would go pick up both the cable and the anti-virus this afternoon.
After lunch, we went to the fairgrounds, where the county Extension Homemakers are sponsoring a craft fair today and tomorrow. There were a lot of new crafts at the fair this year, but all I bought was two bars of homemade soap and two pint jars of preserves...cherry and pineapple. The preserves were only $3.50 each, which was a bargain.
Mother and I were interested in a new craft at the fair...lighted wine bottles. The bottles, with motifs painted on the outside, contained mini white Christmas lights. Clusters of plastic grapes, or Christmas decorations hung from the necks of the bottles. I think we would be able to do this according to online instructions.
After we were done shopping at the craft fair, we went to the electronics store in a nearby town to pick up the HD cable and anti-virus package, and then came back home. We weren't home long, when Hubbie and I decided we needed to run errands...to the greeting card shop and the WDCS. The gas station was our last stop before returning home.
Supper tonight was baked talapia fish, baked sweet potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob, after which we spent the evening watching TV.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Thursday, November 5
We were up early, so I could meet an 8:45 a.m. appointment to get blood work done. I arrived at the clinic at 8:30, but didn't have to wait, so I was back home before 9 a.m. Hubbie and I decided to go out for breakfast at a buffet restaurant, and then skip lunch.
From the restaurant, we went to a grocery store to buy three heads of cabbage at 39 cents a pound, and then on to the WDCS, where I chose a new pair of eyeglasses. The prescription lenses for them will be ready next Friday. I would not have had to change my glasses, since my eyesight is virtually the same as it was ten years ago, but my current, rimless, glasses are falling apart. Today, I chose a pair with gold wire frames that blend with my hair color. I'm told these wire frames are more sturdy than the rimless type. My old glasses are nearly five years old, so I guess it was time for a change, anyway. But prescription glasses are a bit pricey, so I'm not willing to buy them very often.
Back home, I did this and that around the house until time to fix supper. Mother stayed home all day today, so I fixed a simple supper for Hubbie and me....hamburger for him and turkey burger for me. We had those with grape tomatoes and cottage cheese. I meant to have baked potatoes with the meal, but after scrubbing the spuds, I forgot to put them in the oven at the appropriate time, so they weren't done by suppertime. We weren't destined to have them, I don't think, since Hubbie picked up full-fat sour cream, instead of the light variety, while we were at the WDCS today. Oh well, we had plenty to eat without the potatoes, and we can use them with some other meal.
After supper, I hurried to dress in a sweater and slacks to go to a performance of "Aladdin" at 7 p.m. We were obliged to be there at 6 p.m., since Hubbie and I acted as ushers. The show is a collaboration between the community theater and an arts magnet school. The play was cute, though there were too many lengthy lags for set and costume changes.
We were back home on this chilly night about 8:30, and watched a couple of one-hour TV shows before calling it a day.
From the restaurant, we went to a grocery store to buy three heads of cabbage at 39 cents a pound, and then on to the WDCS, where I chose a new pair of eyeglasses. The prescription lenses for them will be ready next Friday. I would not have had to change my glasses, since my eyesight is virtually the same as it was ten years ago, but my current, rimless, glasses are falling apart. Today, I chose a pair with gold wire frames that blend with my hair color. I'm told these wire frames are more sturdy than the rimless type. My old glasses are nearly five years old, so I guess it was time for a change, anyway. But prescription glasses are a bit pricey, so I'm not willing to buy them very often.
Back home, I did this and that around the house until time to fix supper. Mother stayed home all day today, so I fixed a simple supper for Hubbie and me....hamburger for him and turkey burger for me. We had those with grape tomatoes and cottage cheese. I meant to have baked potatoes with the meal, but after scrubbing the spuds, I forgot to put them in the oven at the appropriate time, so they weren't done by suppertime. We weren't destined to have them, I don't think, since Hubbie picked up full-fat sour cream, instead of the light variety, while we were at the WDCS today. Oh well, we had plenty to eat without the potatoes, and we can use them with some other meal.
After supper, I hurried to dress in a sweater and slacks to go to a performance of "Aladdin" at 7 p.m. We were obliged to be there at 6 p.m., since Hubbie and I acted as ushers. The show is a collaboration between the community theater and an arts magnet school. The play was cute, though there were too many lengthy lags for set and costume changes.
We were back home on this chilly night about 8:30, and watched a couple of one-hour TV shows before calling it a day.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wednesday, November 4
Another gorgeous, sunny, mild temp day! We were up by 6:30 a.m., and I headed to the college for water aerobics by 7:45. A ghost moon was visible in the bright blue sky as I drove to the pool. The water was warm again today. Fifteen of us showed up for the session.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I wrote a proposal to submit to the Extension Homemakers Council to try to get our scrapbook club $100 from a grant to buy supplies or tools for making greeting cards and memory books for Caring Hands Hospice.
While I was doing that, Hubbie went to the Revenue Office to try to get Mother's handicap cards renewed for our vehicles. He thought he could do this through our power of attorney, but the agency insisted that Mother had to go in and do it herself.
So after lunch, I took Mother to the office to get the cards renewed. First off, the machine that dispenses numbers wasn't working. Finally, an employee discovered the problem and corrected it, and then passed numbers out to all of us waiting in the seating area.
When Mother's turn rolled around (after waiting endlessly for the lady ahead of us to complete her business of getting a new driver's license...she had trouble with the eye test, as well as understanding instructions, and then she wanted to gab, gab, gab with the clerks) the person serving us ran into difficulties getting the information she needed from the main office in our capital city. She had to call twice to get things underway. On the second try, the phone rang and rang and rang, until the clerk became totally frustrated.
But, at last, she was able to get us squared away, and we left the office to go to the Extension Services office to drop off the proposal I'd written this morning. From there, we went to the new store that has a sale every weekend, where Mother used a 20% off coupon in the intimate apparel department.
We came back home after that, and a few minutes later, Hubbie and I headed out to run errands. First, we went to the bread store to buy day-old loaves to dry and use in making dressing for Thanksgiving. Then we went back to the new store that has a sale every weekend, where I used my 20% off coupon to buy more of the items that Mother picked up earlier, to use as one of her 12 days of Christmas gifts.
From there, we went to the WDCS for a few groceries. But somewhere along the line, I lost my grocery list, so I had to just try to remember what was on it. I did pretty well. The only thing I forgot was sour cream for baked potatoes tonight. We settled for using only margarine and chopped onions on the taters, which we had with stuffed bell peppers. I ate the rest of the turnips with my meal, and opened a can of jalapeno blackeyed peas for Hubbie. Mother opted out of having a side vegetable.
After staying on the run most of the day, I was plenty ready to collapse in front of TV tonight.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I wrote a proposal to submit to the Extension Homemakers Council to try to get our scrapbook club $100 from a grant to buy supplies or tools for making greeting cards and memory books for Caring Hands Hospice.
While I was doing that, Hubbie went to the Revenue Office to try to get Mother's handicap cards renewed for our vehicles. He thought he could do this through our power of attorney, but the agency insisted that Mother had to go in and do it herself.
So after lunch, I took Mother to the office to get the cards renewed. First off, the machine that dispenses numbers wasn't working. Finally, an employee discovered the problem and corrected it, and then passed numbers out to all of us waiting in the seating area.
When Mother's turn rolled around (after waiting endlessly for the lady ahead of us to complete her business of getting a new driver's license...she had trouble with the eye test, as well as understanding instructions, and then she wanted to gab, gab, gab with the clerks) the person serving us ran into difficulties getting the information she needed from the main office in our capital city. She had to call twice to get things underway. On the second try, the phone rang and rang and rang, until the clerk became totally frustrated.
But, at last, she was able to get us squared away, and we left the office to go to the Extension Services office to drop off the proposal I'd written this morning. From there, we went to the new store that has a sale every weekend, where Mother used a 20% off coupon in the intimate apparel department.
We came back home after that, and a few minutes later, Hubbie and I headed out to run errands. First, we went to the bread store to buy day-old loaves to dry and use in making dressing for Thanksgiving. Then we went back to the new store that has a sale every weekend, where I used my 20% off coupon to buy more of the items that Mother picked up earlier, to use as one of her 12 days of Christmas gifts.
From there, we went to the WDCS for a few groceries. But somewhere along the line, I lost my grocery list, so I had to just try to remember what was on it. I did pretty well. The only thing I forgot was sour cream for baked potatoes tonight. We settled for using only margarine and chopped onions on the taters, which we had with stuffed bell peppers. I ate the rest of the turnips with my meal, and opened a can of jalapeno blackeyed peas for Hubbie. Mother opted out of having a side vegetable.
After staying on the run most of the day, I was plenty ready to collapse in front of TV tonight.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Tuesday, November 3
We were up by 7 a.m., but I didn't exercise, because we needed to get ready to go to a community breakfast at 9 a.m. The breakfast was sponsored by the home medical service and Caring Hands Hospice that I volunteer with. The agency is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and this event was in recognition of that milestone.
The event was not advertised, but invitations went out by e-mails and phone calls to those of us connected with the home medical service, as well as to members of the local Chamber of Commerce.
It was a continental breakfast...homemade mini-quiches and mini-muffins, plus a variety of fresh fruits, as well as orange juice and coffee. The little we ate didn't satisfy our appetites, so when we got home, we fixed a brunch of biscuits and gravy, with eggs fried in a dab of olive oil and light margarine.
After that, Mother went home to busy herself with her own activities, while Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to the bank, and then to a warehouse store, where I got packages of Christmas stickers (50 cents per package) to use on greeting cards, and CDs of Christmas music (50 cents each).
Then we stopped by the new drug store, where Hubbie picked up jars of popcorn...two for $5. The same would cost $8 at the WDCS. We eat a lot of popcorn, so we were glad to find this bargain.
After that, we were off to the health food store for a supply of fish oil gels for me. The store is having a buy-one-get-one-half-price deal this week, plus I have a 20% off gold card, so I was able to buy enough fish oil for a few months.
Our last stop was the vet's office to get vitamins for Shih Tzu. At the vet's office, there is a beautiful Persian mix male cat, with long gray and white, soft, fluffy hair, that Hubbie wanted me to see. The cat has the run of the office and is very friendly. When approached, he turned on his back for a belly rub.
Back home, I occupied myself uploading photos to the one-hour service and writing e-mails before my 2 p.m. appointment at the beauty shop. I didn't do a lot for the rest of the afternoon. Mother came over around 3:30 and boiled wheat macaroni to use in making chili-mac for supper. We had this with sliced tomatoes and cottage cheese.
Before supper, I sauteed a pan of mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers. The veggies needed to be used before they spoiled. I put the mixture in the freezer to be used later for topping pizzas, or for making omelets or fajitas.
As usual, we spent the evening watching TV. First, we saw the movie, "Eagle Eye," featuring Billy Bob Thornton. A young man, whose twin has just died, is suspected of being a terrorist after an ATM spits out $750,000, and an arsenal of weapons is delivered to his apartment. Meanwhile, someone threatens the life of a woman's young son if she does not cooperate in the plan. The young man and the woman become connected and are taken into all sorts of dangerous situations, as they are chased by the FBI. Neither one knows how they got caught up in the intrigue, or what is expected of them. The viewer is kept in the dark until the end, too. This movie is rated PG-13.
After that, we watched tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
The event was not advertised, but invitations went out by e-mails and phone calls to those of us connected with the home medical service, as well as to members of the local Chamber of Commerce.
It was a continental breakfast...homemade mini-quiches and mini-muffins, plus a variety of fresh fruits, as well as orange juice and coffee. The little we ate didn't satisfy our appetites, so when we got home, we fixed a brunch of biscuits and gravy, with eggs fried in a dab of olive oil and light margarine.
After that, Mother went home to busy herself with her own activities, while Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to the bank, and then to a warehouse store, where I got packages of Christmas stickers (50 cents per package) to use on greeting cards, and CDs of Christmas music (50 cents each).
Then we stopped by the new drug store, where Hubbie picked up jars of popcorn...two for $5. The same would cost $8 at the WDCS. We eat a lot of popcorn, so we were glad to find this bargain.
After that, we were off to the health food store for a supply of fish oil gels for me. The store is having a buy-one-get-one-half-price deal this week, plus I have a 20% off gold card, so I was able to buy enough fish oil for a few months.
Our last stop was the vet's office to get vitamins for Shih Tzu. At the vet's office, there is a beautiful Persian mix male cat, with long gray and white, soft, fluffy hair, that Hubbie wanted me to see. The cat has the run of the office and is very friendly. When approached, he turned on his back for a belly rub.
Back home, I occupied myself uploading photos to the one-hour service and writing e-mails before my 2 p.m. appointment at the beauty shop. I didn't do a lot for the rest of the afternoon. Mother came over around 3:30 and boiled wheat macaroni to use in making chili-mac for supper. We had this with sliced tomatoes and cottage cheese.
Before supper, I sauteed a pan of mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers. The veggies needed to be used before they spoiled. I put the mixture in the freezer to be used later for topping pizzas, or for making omelets or fajitas.
As usual, we spent the evening watching TV. First, we saw the movie, "Eagle Eye," featuring Billy Bob Thornton. A young man, whose twin has just died, is suspected of being a terrorist after an ATM spits out $750,000, and an arsenal of weapons is delivered to his apartment. Meanwhile, someone threatens the life of a woman's young son if she does not cooperate in the plan. The young man and the woman become connected and are taken into all sorts of dangerous situations, as they are chased by the FBI. Neither one knows how they got caught up in the intrigue, or what is expected of them. The viewer is kept in the dark until the end, too. This movie is rated PG-13.
After that, we watched tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Fall Colors
These are snapshots I took yesterday in our search for fall colors. I shot the first two photos on the college campus. The other two were taken from an overlook on a hill on the south side of town. One shows the spire of the college chapel, and the other features red and white checkerboard silos.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Monday, November 2
We were up at 6:30 on this sunny, perfectly gorgeous day, so I could go to water aerobics. The pool was comfortably warm today, too. I was surprised that only 12 of us showed up for the session.
After I got home, Mother came over and put color in my hair. I have an appointment for a haircut tomorrow, by Mother opted out this time. She has decided to go every other time, since she says her hair is thinning and not growing very fast.
It was around 11 a.m. by the time I was ready for the day. We had an early lunch, and then went over to the college, where an author, a former professor at the the school, was a visiting speaker promoting a book he has written about our state.
The book centers around a stereotype that by and large, the folks who live here are uneducated backwoods hicks. The author, a native of our state, and a humorist as well as a historian, spent seven years researching two centuries of events and incidents that contributed to the perception.
His talk was very entertaining, as well as enlightening. I was surprised, though, when Hubbie, who is very careful with a dollar, decided to buy the last available edition of the book. The author came with a box full of books, but they were snapped up before his talk began. Hubbie got the display copy, which he hurried to grab just before the end of the talk.
Because this was a noon talk, sandwiches and brownies/cookies, along with cold drinks were provided. But since we didn't know this lunch would be provided, and we had already eaten, Mother and I indulged only in the brownies. But Hubbie ate a sandwich, as well as dessert.
Following the talk, the author signed copies of his book, and Hubbie waited his turn in line. It was around 1:30 by the time we got back home. Mother went to her house after that to rest, and Hubbie and I went on a photo safari. Before I started taking pictures, we stopped by the appliance store where we bought the upstairs TV and left the remote control for a replacement. The TV is still under warranty, so the remote might be replaced free of charge.
Then we went to all my favorite spots to take autumn photos. Unfortunately, the peak for fall colors happened during this month's monsoon rains. Since I don't have rain protection for my camera, I didn't venture out. Today, I found very little subject matter for photos. We were back home by 3:30.
Supper tonight was Sunday leftovers. Mother went home after that, and Hubbie and I settled in to watch TV, including an episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
After I got home, Mother came over and put color in my hair. I have an appointment for a haircut tomorrow, by Mother opted out this time. She has decided to go every other time, since she says her hair is thinning and not growing very fast.
It was around 11 a.m. by the time I was ready for the day. We had an early lunch, and then went over to the college, where an author, a former professor at the the school, was a visiting speaker promoting a book he has written about our state.
The book centers around a stereotype that by and large, the folks who live here are uneducated backwoods hicks. The author, a native of our state, and a humorist as well as a historian, spent seven years researching two centuries of events and incidents that contributed to the perception.
His talk was very entertaining, as well as enlightening. I was surprised, though, when Hubbie, who is very careful with a dollar, decided to buy the last available edition of the book. The author came with a box full of books, but they were snapped up before his talk began. Hubbie got the display copy, which he hurried to grab just before the end of the talk.
Because this was a noon talk, sandwiches and brownies/cookies, along with cold drinks were provided. But since we didn't know this lunch would be provided, and we had already eaten, Mother and I indulged only in the brownies. But Hubbie ate a sandwich, as well as dessert.
Following the talk, the author signed copies of his book, and Hubbie waited his turn in line. It was around 1:30 by the time we got back home. Mother went to her house after that to rest, and Hubbie and I went on a photo safari. Before I started taking pictures, we stopped by the appliance store where we bought the upstairs TV and left the remote control for a replacement. The TV is still under warranty, so the remote might be replaced free of charge.
Then we went to all my favorite spots to take autumn photos. Unfortunately, the peak for fall colors happened during this month's monsoon rains. Since I don't have rain protection for my camera, I didn't venture out. Today, I found very little subject matter for photos. We were back home by 3:30.
Supper tonight was Sunday leftovers. Mother went home after that, and Hubbie and I settled in to watch TV, including an episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sunday, November 1
It'll take a few days for me to adjust to the time change. I went to bed at my usual 10:30 p.m. time last night, which was 9:30 after we set the clocks back. We watch TV until we get drowsy after we go to bed, but last night I had trouble turning the TV on with the remote, and then I couldn't set the sleep timer. Hubbie changed the batteries in the remote control, which didn't help. It completely died anyway. There doesn't seem to be a function on the TV itself for setting the time, so we just watched for about 30 minutes, and I hopped up to turn the TV off.
By that time, I was alert, and it took a while to get sleepy. We woke up after 8 a.m. on this perfectly gorgeous, mild fall day. It was nearly 9 a.m., though, before we had breakfast. After that, I got on the treadmill and did weights exercises. I usually skip my exercises on Sunday, but since I missed a couple of days last week, I decided I needed a session this morning.
Mother came over while I was on the treadmill and put chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. It was a one-pot meal that included potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and onions and was very good for lunch.
This afternoon, we went to the museum for a program on trapping, by a woman who, after only a few years, has reached the skill level of some men who have engaged in the sport for many years. Last year, she won the trapper of the year award in our state. She and her husband both trap various animals, including beavers, bobcats, raccoons, possums, gray foxes, etc.
To set the mood, she came dressed in a frontiersman type costume, and spent the first part of her program talking about the animals that were once plentiful in our state, but are now thinning or are gone. We no longer have wolves, for instance, and the red fox suffered a disease that has decimated their numbers.
She brought along various traps that are used, demonstrating that the units, though uncomfortable to animals, do not permanently injure them. She stated that her own dog has been caught in the traps frequently, and he/she hasn't received so much as a bruise. Once the animal is caught, trappers use the most humane methods possible to dispatch it quickly and painlessly. She stressed that trappers have a keen sense of respect for animals.
Trappers trap for profit, of course, but the demand for pelts is very low right now, due to the poor economy. Even the most desirable pelts fetch very little money today, she said.
That being the case, she decided to use the pelts from animals she had trapped to have coats made for herself. She showed us several beautiful examples, like one that is a combination of bobcat and fox, and one that is dyed possum. I would never have thought that possum (ugh) pelts could be transformed into something beautiful.
Another unique coat she showed us is a dyed fox and cowhide combination that is 100 years old and as striking and fashionable today as it must have been a century ago. It belonged to her great-grandmother, I think she said, and was reworked to fit her slender frame.
It was an interesting program, though not one we would ordinarily have been attracted to, except that we were curious about a woman being drawn to the sport. I figure it's because her husband is a trapper.
Also, we wanted to visit the museum gift shop, where Mother bought my Christmas present early...a volume on our state's wildflowers. I'll really enjoy this book in the summer, as we travel on camping trips.
We got back home around 4 p.m., but didn't do anything constructive for the rest of the afternoon. After a supper of whole wheat pancakes, with sugar-free syrup, scrambled egg substitute, and fresh fruit, Hubbie I watched TV, as usual.
By that time, I was alert, and it took a while to get sleepy. We woke up after 8 a.m. on this perfectly gorgeous, mild fall day. It was nearly 9 a.m., though, before we had breakfast. After that, I got on the treadmill and did weights exercises. I usually skip my exercises on Sunday, but since I missed a couple of days last week, I decided I needed a session this morning.
Mother came over while I was on the treadmill and put chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. It was a one-pot meal that included potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and onions and was very good for lunch.
This afternoon, we went to the museum for a program on trapping, by a woman who, after only a few years, has reached the skill level of some men who have engaged in the sport for many years. Last year, she won the trapper of the year award in our state. She and her husband both trap various animals, including beavers, bobcats, raccoons, possums, gray foxes, etc.
To set the mood, she came dressed in a frontiersman type costume, and spent the first part of her program talking about the animals that were once plentiful in our state, but are now thinning or are gone. We no longer have wolves, for instance, and the red fox suffered a disease that has decimated their numbers.
She brought along various traps that are used, demonstrating that the units, though uncomfortable to animals, do not permanently injure them. She stated that her own dog has been caught in the traps frequently, and he/she hasn't received so much as a bruise. Once the animal is caught, trappers use the most humane methods possible to dispatch it quickly and painlessly. She stressed that trappers have a keen sense of respect for animals.
Trappers trap for profit, of course, but the demand for pelts is very low right now, due to the poor economy. Even the most desirable pelts fetch very little money today, she said.
That being the case, she decided to use the pelts from animals she had trapped to have coats made for herself. She showed us several beautiful examples, like one that is a combination of bobcat and fox, and one that is dyed possum. I would never have thought that possum (ugh) pelts could be transformed into something beautiful.
Another unique coat she showed us is a dyed fox and cowhide combination that is 100 years old and as striking and fashionable today as it must have been a century ago. It belonged to her great-grandmother, I think she said, and was reworked to fit her slender frame.
It was an interesting program, though not one we would ordinarily have been attracted to, except that we were curious about a woman being drawn to the sport. I figure it's because her husband is a trapper.
Also, we wanted to visit the museum gift shop, where Mother bought my Christmas present early...a volume on our state's wildflowers. I'll really enjoy this book in the summer, as we travel on camping trips.
We got back home around 4 p.m., but didn't do anything constructive for the rest of the afternoon. After a supper of whole wheat pancakes, with sugar-free syrup, scrambled egg substitute, and fresh fruit, Hubbie I watched TV, as usual.
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