Up around 7:30, and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Mother came over mid-morning, but we didn't do a lot before lunch.
After lunch, we made greeting cards, to use as county fair entries. There are categories for all sorts of greeting cards, including every holiday, cards made from recycled materials, marbled paper, handmade paper, stamped, tarjeteria, and others. After the fair, we'll donate most of the cards to Caring Hands Hospice.
While we were doing this, Hubbie spent the afternoon in the yard. Volunteer tomato plants are growing in most of the flower gardens around the yard, so Hubbie fertilized them to see if they'll bear fruit. The plants sprung up out of the compost that Hubbie distributed throughout the flower beds.
Extra tomato plants are also volunteering in the veggie gardens, thanks to the compost. If all the tomato plants produce, we'll be eating tomatoes until they are coming out of our ears. Of course, we'll be happy to have plenty for the freezer, and for making chili sauce, etc. We love fried green tomatoes, so maybe there'll be lots for the freezer.
Also in the flower gardens, the lilies are in bloom. I want to get out tomorrow and shoot some digital photos of them. I've enjoyed using prints of flower snapshots in making greeting cards for Caring Hands.
Other than making greeting cards, the only thing I accomplished today was doing laundry. First I had to treat wine stains on a pair of capris. Instead of treating the stain immediately, I waited for a week. Of course, I couldn't treat the stain at the reunion picnic, where it happened, but I should have rinsed the capris in cold water when I got back to camp.
I tried a stain removal product on them first, which didn't work. So I followed that with a vinegar treatment...dabbed vinegar, full strength, on the stain with a paper towel, and in a few minutes, the stain lifted. I'm glad I was able to save this pair of capris. I got them for $3 off the end-of-summer clearance rack at one of the stores that has a sale every weekend, but they fit nicely, and I like them, so I didn't want to have to trash them after only one wearing.
For supper tonight, we had a choice of hamburgers/turkey burgers...hamburger for Hubbie, and turkey burgers for Mother and me...with sauteed potatoes in onions and bell peppers. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I wasted time in front of TV, again.
We watched a couple of Lifetime Movie Network features. The first was called "The Dead will Tell." A woman falls in love and receives a ring that has a history. The former owner of the ring was murdered, and the woman begins seeing her ghost. The ghost cannot rest until her murder is solved. Secrets are uncovered as the woman pursues the truth.
The second feature was "A Near Death Experience." In this one, the heroine nearly dies from chocking on food. Afterward, she comes across a little girl in a hospital gown. She follows the girl into the hospital. Turns out she is dead. Other dead people begin to enlist her help to solve their problems, particularly one, who has been murdered.
Got a nice note in the mail today from a classmate's wife (she and her husband hosted the reunion picnic). She sent along an "in the past" newspaper column that featured "60 years ago today." It listed the names of our graduating class. It's a welcome item to include in my reunion scrapbook.
She was excited about the hostess gift of a bottle of wine that we gave her...not so much because of the wine, but because it came in a blue bottle. She collects blue bottles, and has a large display of them in her sunroom.
Besides blue bottles, I noticed that she also collects Santas, which are displayed in her den. Collections are to be enjoyed, so I was glad to see that she doesn't hide the Santas away after Christmas, but leaves them out to delight her eye all year round.
Hers is a home that is well lived in, clean, but cluttered enough to show she and her family use it for their various activities. I felt very much at home there. I'm ill-at-ease in homes that look like showcases. Right now, my own living room is serving as a craft area, with two tables set up and covered in card making materials.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Friday, June 4
Two Great-Grandsons have birthdays today. Born just hours apart two years ago to two Granddaughters in different towns, they officially reached "terrible two" status today. Happy Birthday Great-Grandsons!
Up around 7:30, and did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. Mother came over mid-morning, dressed to go shopping, but we waited until after lunch to go.
We stopped first at a grocery store, where I picked up several items that Mother wanted, including more Sure Jell, because she wants to make more jellies. I also got a few pounds of fresh cherries. We bought some yesterday, and they were so good that we ate most of them right away.
After that, we went to the greeting card shop to get birthday cards for Hubbie. I also bought a Father's Day card, and a card for a friend who is retiring this month. We will go to her retirement party on the 25th.
Then we went to a farm store, where Mother bought a gift card and canning lids and rings. From there, we came home.
While we shopped, Hubbie ran errands, including taking the male cat to the vet to be neutered. He fetched him back home again around 2 p.m. Only two more females left to be dealt with, but we have to wait til they have weaned their kittens.
Around 3 p.m., Hubbie and I ran a few more errands...to another vet's office to get dog food, which is cheaper than anywhere else in town, to the bank, and to the WDCS. We're really getting aggravated with this store...having more and more trouble finding what we want there. Today, we couldn't find the brands of dry cat food and kitty litter that Mother prefers. We bought another brand of food, though we don't know if her cat will accept it. Cat's can be very finicky about their food.
We picked up a few grocery items, and then went to the farm store, where we found the type of kitty litter that Mother likes, though it's not the same brand.
Back home, we fixed Ziplock bag omelets, and potato pancakes, which we had with some of the muffins I baked yesterday. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I settled in front of TV, as usual.
Sent two of Mother's canning recipes to Son and Daughter-in-Law...one is for chili sauce, and one is for cucumber relish. Both are Son's favorites. Son and Daughter-in-Law have grown large gardens for the past few years, and both enjoy preserving the food from them. I never would have dreamed that Son would love veggie gardening so much, but I'm so happy he has found this satisfying activity.
It makes me happy to know that each of my children has found something that brings extra joy to their lives...older Son has his music, Daughter is a dedicated grandmother, and younger Son is a gardener. Work and family are the most important parts of our lives, of course, but we all need something special that appeals to our creative sides.
Tonight, we watched the movie, "Bordertown," a 2007, R-rated film, starring Jennifer Lopez, Martin Sheen, and Antonio Banderas. Based on truth, the movie examines the rapes and murders of hundreds (the editor of a Mexican newspaper said it is closer to 5,000) of Mexican women, who worked in American-owned factories in Juarez. The editor of the Chicago Sentinal sends an ambitious reporter to investigate. What she finds is danger and corruption. The attacks, which continue today, were, and still are, covered up by local authorities.
Up around 7:30, and did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. Mother came over mid-morning, dressed to go shopping, but we waited until after lunch to go.
We stopped first at a grocery store, where I picked up several items that Mother wanted, including more Sure Jell, because she wants to make more jellies. I also got a few pounds of fresh cherries. We bought some yesterday, and they were so good that we ate most of them right away.
After that, we went to the greeting card shop to get birthday cards for Hubbie. I also bought a Father's Day card, and a card for a friend who is retiring this month. We will go to her retirement party on the 25th.
Then we went to a farm store, where Mother bought a gift card and canning lids and rings. From there, we came home.
While we shopped, Hubbie ran errands, including taking the male cat to the vet to be neutered. He fetched him back home again around 2 p.m. Only two more females left to be dealt with, but we have to wait til they have weaned their kittens.
Around 3 p.m., Hubbie and I ran a few more errands...to another vet's office to get dog food, which is cheaper than anywhere else in town, to the bank, and to the WDCS. We're really getting aggravated with this store...having more and more trouble finding what we want there. Today, we couldn't find the brands of dry cat food and kitty litter that Mother prefers. We bought another brand of food, though we don't know if her cat will accept it. Cat's can be very finicky about their food.
We picked up a few grocery items, and then went to the farm store, where we found the type of kitty litter that Mother likes, though it's not the same brand.
Back home, we fixed Ziplock bag omelets, and potato pancakes, which we had with some of the muffins I baked yesterday. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I settled in front of TV, as usual.
Sent two of Mother's canning recipes to Son and Daughter-in-Law...one is for chili sauce, and one is for cucumber relish. Both are Son's favorites. Son and Daughter-in-Law have grown large gardens for the past few years, and both enjoy preserving the food from them. I never would have dreamed that Son would love veggie gardening so much, but I'm so happy he has found this satisfying activity.
It makes me happy to know that each of my children has found something that brings extra joy to their lives...older Son has his music, Daughter is a dedicated grandmother, and younger Son is a gardener. Work and family are the most important parts of our lives, of course, but we all need something special that appeals to our creative sides.
Tonight, we watched the movie, "Bordertown," a 2007, R-rated film, starring Jennifer Lopez, Martin Sheen, and Antonio Banderas. Based on truth, the movie examines the rapes and murders of hundreds (the editor of a Mexican newspaper said it is closer to 5,000) of Mexican women, who worked in American-owned factories in Juarez. The editor of the Chicago Sentinal sends an ambitious reporter to investigate. What she finds is danger and corruption. The attacks, which continue today, were, and still are, covered up by local authorities.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Camping Trip, Sunday, May 30
We were up around 7 a.m. Daughter stopped by around 8 a.m. and joined us for breakfast. Later, Son and Daughter-in-Law also came by, mainly to deliver a dozen banty hen eggs to Mother. They sure are cute little things, but it'll take more than a couple to make a meal.
Around 10 a.m., we were ready to pack it in and head home.
Got back at noon, and after lunch, we spent a couple of hours unloading the camper, washing clothes, and just generally putting things in order again.
It was a good trip, but tiring, so we were ready to relax, read the Sunday newspaper and just do our usual Sunday stuff.
Shih Tzu came home coughing, as she usually does from this campground, because she buries her nose in the cottonwood fluff that lines the sides of the road like snow.
This trip, we saw several fat, brown rabbits, but not as many birds. In past years, blue jay fledglings have landed on our picnic table or the running board of the truck. But not this year. Of course, we were at the camp a week earlier than usual, so maybe the fledglings were not yet ready to leave their nests.
Around 10 a.m., we were ready to pack it in and head home.
Got back at noon, and after lunch, we spent a couple of hours unloading the camper, washing clothes, and just generally putting things in order again.
It was a good trip, but tiring, so we were ready to relax, read the Sunday newspaper and just do our usual Sunday stuff.
Shih Tzu came home coughing, as she usually does from this campground, because she buries her nose in the cottonwood fluff that lines the sides of the road like snow.
This trip, we saw several fat, brown rabbits, but not as many birds. In past years, blue jay fledglings have landed on our picnic table or the running board of the truck. But not this year. Of course, we were at the camp a week earlier than usual, so maybe the fledglings were not yet ready to leave their nests.
Thursday, June 3
Had trouble going to sleep last night. Last time I checked the clock, it was 2 a.m. I was up about 8 a.m., anyway. Hubbie had risen earlier to take the cat to the vet for spaying. After breakfast, I did a treadmill session and resistance exercises.
Mother stayed home today, where she made four pint jars of very pretty, clear pink, plum jelly. She'll enter one in the fair in July. She also made several mini-loaves of pineapple-banana bread. One of those will be a fair entry, too.
Hubbie spent most of his day in the yard, while I spent the morning in my office, where I worked on an update of my artist-in-education information for the state's arts council. The deadline for the update is July 7, but we will be very busy during the next few weeks, so I wanted to get this piece of business out of the way.
After lunch, I made two batches of bran muffins. In the first batch, I used oil, egg, molasses, and regular brown sugar. Three of these will be put in the freezer until fair time. Hubbie will eat the rest. Then I made a second batch, using applesauce instead of oil, egg substitute, honey, and Splenda brown sugar. We'll take these with us on our next camping trip, to have with the leftover Chinese chicken soup that is now in the freezer.
Later, for supper, we had leftover spaghetti and salad. Just as we sat down to supper, I got a call from one of my high school classmates. She just had to tell me, she said, that her husband had commented that he thought I was the most attractive woman at the reunion (second only to her, of course). I'm very flattered, and told her that the compliment made my day. This lady is one of the two or three of us who look basically the same as we did in high school, except for aging. She (along with several others at the reunion) also commented about how much they enjoyed Hubbie, saying that I'd made a good choice in marrying him. I agree.
After supper, we vegged for a while, until the vet's office called to say we could pick up the cat around 7 p.m. The cat is to be kept in the carrier overnight, and then she can be transferred to the cage, where she'll stay for a day or so. Tomorrow, the male cat goes in to be neutered.
Spent the evening watching TV, of course...a few one-hour shows, including the pilot to a new one that we probably won't want to continue.
Mother stayed home today, where she made four pint jars of very pretty, clear pink, plum jelly. She'll enter one in the fair in July. She also made several mini-loaves of pineapple-banana bread. One of those will be a fair entry, too.
Hubbie spent most of his day in the yard, while I spent the morning in my office, where I worked on an update of my artist-in-education information for the state's arts council. The deadline for the update is July 7, but we will be very busy during the next few weeks, so I wanted to get this piece of business out of the way.
After lunch, I made two batches of bran muffins. In the first batch, I used oil, egg, molasses, and regular brown sugar. Three of these will be put in the freezer until fair time. Hubbie will eat the rest. Then I made a second batch, using applesauce instead of oil, egg substitute, honey, and Splenda brown sugar. We'll take these with us on our next camping trip, to have with the leftover Chinese chicken soup that is now in the freezer.
Later, for supper, we had leftover spaghetti and salad. Just as we sat down to supper, I got a call from one of my high school classmates. She just had to tell me, she said, that her husband had commented that he thought I was the most attractive woman at the reunion (second only to her, of course). I'm very flattered, and told her that the compliment made my day. This lady is one of the two or three of us who look basically the same as we did in high school, except for aging. She (along with several others at the reunion) also commented about how much they enjoyed Hubbie, saying that I'd made a good choice in marrying him. I agree.
After supper, we vegged for a while, until the vet's office called to say we could pick up the cat around 7 p.m. The cat is to be kept in the carrier overnight, and then she can be transferred to the cage, where she'll stay for a day or so. Tomorrow, the male cat goes in to be neutered.
Spent the evening watching TV, of course...a few one-hour shows, including the pilot to a new one that we probably won't want to continue.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Camping Trip, Saturday, May 29
Up early, so we could get ready to go meet classmates at a historic home that has been turned into a sort of museum for the high school where we graduated. Son and Daughter-in-Law stopped by for a short visit before we left at 10 a.m.
The historic home/museum houses the school's endowment office. The coordinator of the office gave us a very interesting talk about the work of the office in raising funds for the parochial elementary and high schools, as well as a history of the church, convent, and schools from their inception in the 1800s to the current day.
The coordinator offered us cards to a popular grocery store that we could load with $100 dollars, and then 5% of our purchases with the card will go to the endowment fund. The cards already had $5 on them, as a gift from the endowment office. This is an easy way for us to contribute without even opening our own pocketbooks. It's a clever fundraising technique, I think.
Of course, we are urged to also open our pocketbooks. Each class, once it becomes fully funded, is allowed to decide how to spend a certain portion of the funds to buy something for the school...a bench, a piece of playground equipment, etc. We were amused when told that the second grade class, when fully funded, had $80 to spend. They chose to buy board games for the third grade...why? Because the games would be available to them when they reached the third grade. Pretty smart thinking!
After the presentation, Hubbie and I went back to camp. My friend and her husband came a few minutes later and joined us for lunch. Family were also visiting...Son and Daughter-in-Law, Daughter, Granddaughter and two Great-Grandsons, Sis, plus Niece and Great-Niece.
Later, at 4 p.m., Hubbie and I went to Mass, joining the other classmates. Afterward, we gathered at a local restaurant for a catered meal. Local classmates had put together a memory book for us, as well as a wonderful video slide show of the history of the students from kindergarten through high school. I didn't arrive at the school until the ninth grade, so there were only a few photos of me in the video (including one in a swimsuit while we were on our senior class trip), but it was still interesting seeing the others.
After the video, various classmates told humorous stories of events and incidents they remembered through the years. Others traced their fifty-year journey since 1960. From our class, their are teachers and nurses, farmers and businessmen. There is a female Methodist minister, a winemaker, and even a retired Navy man, who is now a Naval consultant in Japan.
The Naval consultant and his wife (now on assignment in Bahrain) traveled the farthest to get to the reunion. Of course, they had other business in the town as well, like checking on rental properties and attending a family wedding.
Others traveled from Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, and Georgia.
Before the end of the event, one classmate conducted a little game, using as prizes a stack of slim volumes of poetry. He must have been collecting the volumes over many years, but decided it was time to part with them. Those who came the farthest, had the most children or grandchildren, etc., got to choose from the stack. But eventually, everyone was given a book. We got two, for the most grandchildren and the most great-grandchildren.
The gentleman giving away the books has Parkinson's disease, and has become very enfeebled since we last saw him eight years ago. Our hearts go to him and his family, who also have a son who was blinded in a hunting accident eight years ago, about the same time as he was diagnosed with Parkinson's.
In conversations, we learned that many of us have medical problems. Two of us have heart disease, and one has recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Owing to this and the fact that we have lost six members of our class already, we have decided we'd better try to organize reunions every one or two years, rather than every eight or ten years.
Before we left the event, the classmate who is a winemaker insisted that we take a jug of his wine home with us. We agreed, and promised to visit him at his home and vineyard at the first opportunity.
We were back at camp around 9 p.m. Daughter was there. She had stayed all evening to be with Mother, in case Shih Tzu needed to be taken out. Daughter brought me the movie, "Up," that belongs to Granddaughter. We have been wanting to see this animated feature. We'll return the movie when we go to Niece's wedding in a few weeks. Daughter left shortly after we returned to camp.
By then, we were ready to hit the sack. It had been a long, though pleasurable day.
The historic home/museum houses the school's endowment office. The coordinator of the office gave us a very interesting talk about the work of the office in raising funds for the parochial elementary and high schools, as well as a history of the church, convent, and schools from their inception in the 1800s to the current day.
The coordinator offered us cards to a popular grocery store that we could load with $100 dollars, and then 5% of our purchases with the card will go to the endowment fund. The cards already had $5 on them, as a gift from the endowment office. This is an easy way for us to contribute without even opening our own pocketbooks. It's a clever fundraising technique, I think.
Of course, we are urged to also open our pocketbooks. Each class, once it becomes fully funded, is allowed to decide how to spend a certain portion of the funds to buy something for the school...a bench, a piece of playground equipment, etc. We were amused when told that the second grade class, when fully funded, had $80 to spend. They chose to buy board games for the third grade...why? Because the games would be available to them when they reached the third grade. Pretty smart thinking!
After the presentation, Hubbie and I went back to camp. My friend and her husband came a few minutes later and joined us for lunch. Family were also visiting...Son and Daughter-in-Law, Daughter, Granddaughter and two Great-Grandsons, Sis, plus Niece and Great-Niece.
Later, at 4 p.m., Hubbie and I went to Mass, joining the other classmates. Afterward, we gathered at a local restaurant for a catered meal. Local classmates had put together a memory book for us, as well as a wonderful video slide show of the history of the students from kindergarten through high school. I didn't arrive at the school until the ninth grade, so there were only a few photos of me in the video (including one in a swimsuit while we were on our senior class trip), but it was still interesting seeing the others.
After the video, various classmates told humorous stories of events and incidents they remembered through the years. Others traced their fifty-year journey since 1960. From our class, their are teachers and nurses, farmers and businessmen. There is a female Methodist minister, a winemaker, and even a retired Navy man, who is now a Naval consultant in Japan.
The Naval consultant and his wife (now on assignment in Bahrain) traveled the farthest to get to the reunion. Of course, they had other business in the town as well, like checking on rental properties and attending a family wedding.
Others traveled from Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, and Georgia.
Before the end of the event, one classmate conducted a little game, using as prizes a stack of slim volumes of poetry. He must have been collecting the volumes over many years, but decided it was time to part with them. Those who came the farthest, had the most children or grandchildren, etc., got to choose from the stack. But eventually, everyone was given a book. We got two, for the most grandchildren and the most great-grandchildren.
The gentleman giving away the books has Parkinson's disease, and has become very enfeebled since we last saw him eight years ago. Our hearts go to him and his family, who also have a son who was blinded in a hunting accident eight years ago, about the same time as he was diagnosed with Parkinson's.
In conversations, we learned that many of us have medical problems. Two of us have heart disease, and one has recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Owing to this and the fact that we have lost six members of our class already, we have decided we'd better try to organize reunions every one or two years, rather than every eight or ten years.
Before we left the event, the classmate who is a winemaker insisted that we take a jug of his wine home with us. We agreed, and promised to visit him at his home and vineyard at the first opportunity.
We were back at camp around 9 p.m. Daughter was there. She had stayed all evening to be with Mother, in case Shih Tzu needed to be taken out. Daughter brought me the movie, "Up," that belongs to Granddaughter. We have been wanting to see this animated feature. We'll return the movie when we go to Niece's wedding in a few weeks. Daughter left shortly after we returned to camp.
By then, we were ready to hit the sack. It had been a long, though pleasurable day.
Wednesday, June 2
Today, Great-Grandson graduated from eighth grade. Congratulations, Great-Grandson!
We were up around 7:30 this morning, but I skipped my exercises, because I didn't want to get all sweaty and not be able to shower. Last night, shortly before bedtime, I noticed that we had no water. The well pump had quit working.
Hubbie visited a plumbing company, and a plumber said he'd come sometime today. He came before lunch and discovered that the breaker switch was damaged (probably zapped in a lightening storm recently) and needed to be replaced.
We were very glad to have running water again. It's amazing how many things depend on it. We had a plentiful supply of bottled drinking water, but were forced to use buckets of hot tub water to flush the potties.
Mother intended to make strawberry preserves or plum jelly this morning, but no dice without water. I thought about using some of my rubber stamps, but couldn't without a way to wash them afterward. No matter what we started to do, it required water.
So Mother and I spent part of the morning gathering card making stuff for making a congratulations card for Great-Grandson. I also contacted a camera store in the capital city to order darkroom chemicals. They didn't have any, so they are searching for some and are supposed to call when they locate them. If they fail to locate any, I think I can do an online search and find some. The only thing is, the camera store gives me a teacher's discount, which I probably wouldn't be able to get if I order on my own.
After that, I helped Hubbie make reservations at the campground where we camped last week. We had planned to camp at a private campground next week...one that is midway between the capital city and the town where we will attend Niece's wedding. But when Hubbie called to make reservations, he learned that the campground will have no sites available in the foreseeable future, because they will be occupied by highway construction crews. Phooey. No fair.
While I was at the computer, I uploaded class reunion photos to the one-hour service.
After lunch, Mother made the congratulations card, while Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store for cottage cheese, to the newspaper office to pick up last week's editions, and to the WDCS for several more items that Mother needed, plus cypress mulch for the gardens, and the photos I'd ordered. Hubbie also filled the truck with diesel, in anticipation of our trip.
Back home, we didn't accomplish a lot before supper. Supper was a Chinese soup, made with chicken, and veggies like carrots, celery, green onions, and a half package of slaw mix that needed to be used. The recipe included fresh ginger, soy sauce, chicken broth, and Ramen noodles. It was very good.
Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I settled in to watch TV. We started with a Lifetime Network movie called, "Time and Again." A housing renovation contractor (a woman) is so involved in her work that she neglects her family. She fails to pick up snacks for her young daughter's team, so the father agrees to get them on the way to the ball game. They are killed in an accident on the way, and the woman is guilt-ridden. Then she inherits a house and seven acres from her great aunt. There, she finds a mysterious music box. Strange things happen after that.
Note: after lunch today, I was standing near the sliding glass door leading out to the sun room, and happened to glance Shih Tzu wandering in the backyard. Hubbie was standing beside me...so why was blind and deaf Shih Tzu in the yard unattended?
Seems Hubbie had taken her into the front yard to do her business, and then got distracted putting the cover back onto the wellhouse and doing other things and forgot about her. I don't know how long she was outside, but she had managed, flanked by two cats, to wander around the house to the backyard. My heart went into my throat. What if she had wandered onto the highway, instead? Needless to say, I was less than thrilled with Hubbie's lack of presence of mind!
Tonight, we have an unhappy cat. Hubbie was instructed by the vet's office to confine her, so she won't be able to eat or drink anything after 5 p.m., because she is to be spayed in the morning. She has two kittens who are weaned to kitten food, so she has come in heat again. We don't want another batch of kittens out of her.
We were up around 7:30 this morning, but I skipped my exercises, because I didn't want to get all sweaty and not be able to shower. Last night, shortly before bedtime, I noticed that we had no water. The well pump had quit working.
Hubbie visited a plumbing company, and a plumber said he'd come sometime today. He came before lunch and discovered that the breaker switch was damaged (probably zapped in a lightening storm recently) and needed to be replaced.
We were very glad to have running water again. It's amazing how many things depend on it. We had a plentiful supply of bottled drinking water, but were forced to use buckets of hot tub water to flush the potties.
Mother intended to make strawberry preserves or plum jelly this morning, but no dice without water. I thought about using some of my rubber stamps, but couldn't without a way to wash them afterward. No matter what we started to do, it required water.
So Mother and I spent part of the morning gathering card making stuff for making a congratulations card for Great-Grandson. I also contacted a camera store in the capital city to order darkroom chemicals. They didn't have any, so they are searching for some and are supposed to call when they locate them. If they fail to locate any, I think I can do an online search and find some. The only thing is, the camera store gives me a teacher's discount, which I probably wouldn't be able to get if I order on my own.
After that, I helped Hubbie make reservations at the campground where we camped last week. We had planned to camp at a private campground next week...one that is midway between the capital city and the town where we will attend Niece's wedding. But when Hubbie called to make reservations, he learned that the campground will have no sites available in the foreseeable future, because they will be occupied by highway construction crews. Phooey. No fair.
While I was at the computer, I uploaded class reunion photos to the one-hour service.
After lunch, Mother made the congratulations card, while Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store for cottage cheese, to the newspaper office to pick up last week's editions, and to the WDCS for several more items that Mother needed, plus cypress mulch for the gardens, and the photos I'd ordered. Hubbie also filled the truck with diesel, in anticipation of our trip.
Back home, we didn't accomplish a lot before supper. Supper was a Chinese soup, made with chicken, and veggies like carrots, celery, green onions, and a half package of slaw mix that needed to be used. The recipe included fresh ginger, soy sauce, chicken broth, and Ramen noodles. It was very good.
Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I settled in to watch TV. We started with a Lifetime Network movie called, "Time and Again." A housing renovation contractor (a woman) is so involved in her work that she neglects her family. She fails to pick up snacks for her young daughter's team, so the father agrees to get them on the way to the ball game. They are killed in an accident on the way, and the woman is guilt-ridden. Then she inherits a house and seven acres from her great aunt. There, she finds a mysterious music box. Strange things happen after that.
Note: after lunch today, I was standing near the sliding glass door leading out to the sun room, and happened to glance Shih Tzu wandering in the backyard. Hubbie was standing beside me...so why was blind and deaf Shih Tzu in the yard unattended?
Seems Hubbie had taken her into the front yard to do her business, and then got distracted putting the cover back onto the wellhouse and doing other things and forgot about her. I don't know how long she was outside, but she had managed, flanked by two cats, to wander around the house to the backyard. My heart went into my throat. What if she had wandered onto the highway, instead? Needless to say, I was less than thrilled with Hubbie's lack of presence of mind!
Tonight, we have an unhappy cat. Hubbie was instructed by the vet's office to confine her, so she won't be able to eat or drink anything after 5 p.m., because she is to be spayed in the morning. She has two kittens who are weaned to kitten food, so she has come in heat again. We don't want another batch of kittens out of her.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Tuesday, June 1
Today is Granddaughter's birthday. Happy Birthday, Granddaughter!
We were up around 7:30 this morning, and I did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. Mother came over mid-morning, and we gathered materials for making a wedding card. I did a rubber stamp design and typed a message for the inside of the card, and Mother completed the rest of the design.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the pharmacy, to the bank, and to the WDCS, where we shopped for Mother. She wanted household supplies, as well as jelly-making supplies. We also picked up grocery items for ourselves, including deli turkey.
I think I must have stood at the deli counter for 20 minutes before being served. Only one associate was cutting meat, and several of us were waiting to be served. When it was my turn at last, she apologized, saying that a supervisor had insisted that one associate work at the rotisserie, and one at the deli meat counter, while one was to make sandwiches. That, in my opinion, is not very good staff management. When there is a backup of customers, shouldn't the sandwich maker help out until the customers have been served? I think I'm going to write the company to complain.
Back home, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and I did a few computer chores, including communicating with staff at the museum in the capital city, where I am to conduct a photography workshop in July.
Supper tonight was loaded baked potatoes, using leftover barbecue and slaw, along with chopped Vidalia onions, shredded cheese, and sour cream. We had fresh tomatoes with cottage cheese on the side.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched a couple of movies on TV.
We were up around 7:30 this morning, and I did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. Mother came over mid-morning, and we gathered materials for making a wedding card. I did a rubber stamp design and typed a message for the inside of the card, and Mother completed the rest of the design.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the pharmacy, to the bank, and to the WDCS, where we shopped for Mother. She wanted household supplies, as well as jelly-making supplies. We also picked up grocery items for ourselves, including deli turkey.
I think I must have stood at the deli counter for 20 minutes before being served. Only one associate was cutting meat, and several of us were waiting to be served. When it was my turn at last, she apologized, saying that a supervisor had insisted that one associate work at the rotisserie, and one at the deli meat counter, while one was to make sandwiches. That, in my opinion, is not very good staff management. When there is a backup of customers, shouldn't the sandwich maker help out until the customers have been served? I think I'm going to write the company to complain.
Back home, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and I did a few computer chores, including communicating with staff at the museum in the capital city, where I am to conduct a photography workshop in July.
Supper tonight was loaded baked potatoes, using leftover barbecue and slaw, along with chopped Vidalia onions, shredded cheese, and sour cream. We had fresh tomatoes with cottage cheese on the side.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched a couple of movies on TV.
Camping Trip, Friday, May 28
Slept well last night. After breakfast, Hubbie called the pharmacy in our town to let them know I'd forgotten to bring one of my meds to camp. The pharmacist advised us to go to the same pharmacy in the town where we were camped, and we would be provided with a couple of tablets to tide me over.
So as soon as we were ready for the day, we went to the pharmacy. I was surprised when the pharmacist provided the med free of charge.
From there, we went to the WDCS for a few groceries. Back at camp, Mother and I made potato salad and macaroni salad for Saturday.
After lunch, Hubbie and I went shopping again, to two clothing stores. I didn't find anything at the first store, but at the second store, I found two swimsuits, at half price.
Back at camp, Hubbie and I changed clothes to go to a 5 p.m. picnic at a classmate's house...one of the 50th anniversary high school reunion activities. Sixteen of our 20 remaining classmates, plus spouses, showed up. Six classmates have died...one as recently as a few weeks ago.
We all had a wonderful time. At our first reunion ten years ago, we had difficulty recognizing each other. This time, we knew each other, except for a few who didn't attend the 2,000 reunion. It's amazing how much we have changed...pounds heavier, balding, paunches, medical problems. I was flattered to hear from all of them that I was instantly recognizable. A couple of the other ladies, except for aging, still look the same, too.
The classmates who live in the area organized everything and provided the food. One gentleman, who operates a vineyard and makes wine, provided both red and white muscadine wines, as well as homemade cheese and summer sausage, for the gathering. I tasted the wine and a bit of the cheese, but passed on the sausage.
Some classmates traveled long distances to be at the reunion...from Michigan, Oklahoma, Georgia, and even from Japan and Bahrain (a husband and wife....the husband is retired Navy, who is now a Naval consultant in Japan, and his wife is a Naval supplies supervisor currently working in Bahrain). The couple have several properties in the state that they wanted to check on, as well as a family event to attend, so the reunion squared nicely with their visit.
Around 9 p.m., the party began to break up, so we left for the campground. Sis had arrived at camp around 5:30 to be with Mother, and see to Shih Tzu's needs, while we were gone. She left shortly after we got back.
We wasted no time after that getting ready for bed.
So as soon as we were ready for the day, we went to the pharmacy. I was surprised when the pharmacist provided the med free of charge.
From there, we went to the WDCS for a few groceries. Back at camp, Mother and I made potato salad and macaroni salad for Saturday.
After lunch, Hubbie and I went shopping again, to two clothing stores. I didn't find anything at the first store, but at the second store, I found two swimsuits, at half price.
Back at camp, Hubbie and I changed clothes to go to a 5 p.m. picnic at a classmate's house...one of the 50th anniversary high school reunion activities. Sixteen of our 20 remaining classmates, plus spouses, showed up. Six classmates have died...one as recently as a few weeks ago.
We all had a wonderful time. At our first reunion ten years ago, we had difficulty recognizing each other. This time, we knew each other, except for a few who didn't attend the 2,000 reunion. It's amazing how much we have changed...pounds heavier, balding, paunches, medical problems. I was flattered to hear from all of them that I was instantly recognizable. A couple of the other ladies, except for aging, still look the same, too.
The classmates who live in the area organized everything and provided the food. One gentleman, who operates a vineyard and makes wine, provided both red and white muscadine wines, as well as homemade cheese and summer sausage, for the gathering. I tasted the wine and a bit of the cheese, but passed on the sausage.
Some classmates traveled long distances to be at the reunion...from Michigan, Oklahoma, Georgia, and even from Japan and Bahrain (a husband and wife....the husband is retired Navy, who is now a Naval consultant in Japan, and his wife is a Naval supplies supervisor currently working in Bahrain). The couple have several properties in the state that they wanted to check on, as well as a family event to attend, so the reunion squared nicely with their visit.
Around 9 p.m., the party began to break up, so we left for the campground. Sis had arrived at camp around 5:30 to be with Mother, and see to Shih Tzu's needs, while we were gone. She left shortly after we got back.
We wasted no time after that getting ready for bed.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Camping Trip, Thursday, May 27
After a wakeful night (for me...Hubbie and Mother seemed to sleep well), we were up at 7:30. For breakfast, we had quick breads with cream cheese, and fresh fruits.
We didn't do anything for the morning, but before noon, Hubbie and I went to Grandson's middle school to join him for lunch. Daughter-in-Law works in the lunchroom, and she and the other staff treated us like royalty. We really enjoyed visiting there. We were appalled by the students, though, who one-by-one threw perfectly good apples into the garbage.
Society complains that school lunch programs are not healthy enough, and yet when students are offered a healthy choice like apples, they toss them. They also toss unopened cartons milk. This year, lunchroom staff had to place unwanted food on student trays, but next year, I understand that the students will be given the choice of accepting or rejecting the food, so there shouldn't be as much waste.
After lunch, we were given a tour of the school, particularly of rooms that might be suited to conducting a possible photography workshop next school year.
When it was time to head back to camp, we tried a shortcut route suggested by Daughter-in-Law, but we missed a turn somewhere along the way. We traveled past pastures of farm animals...donkeys, ponies, horses, longhorn cattle, even an alpaca, and past fields of corn and other crops, until we ran out of pavement and drove onto a gravel road. We knew we were misplaced, so we turned around and retraced the route back to a familiar road.
We stopped by to visit Son at his place of employment before going back to camp. After we saw to Shih Tzu's needs, Hubbie and I headed out again to shop at a couple of clothing stores. At one, I found the type of knit shirts that I like, with sleeves that cover my upper arms, and a button front with collar. I bought them in several colors. I called Mother to see if she wanted any, and she asked me to pick up a red one for her.
At the other store, I found only a turtleneck shirt on the clearance rack. The price was only $1.60.
By this time, another thunderstorm cropped up...black clouds, streaking lightening, wind that
tore a shopping cart out of a woman's hands, sending it careening down the parking lot. I called Mother, who said nothing was happening at camp. Fearing that the storm would soon be out there, we headed back. But no storm materialized there.
Supper tonight was spaghetti, salad, and cottage cheese. Afterward, we sat outside for a while to enjoy the cool of the evening.
Later, we played Skipbo again, with each of us winning one game.
When it was time for me to take my before-bed medications, I discovered I hadn't brought enough of one of the meds to see me through the weekend. I felt really stupid, since I'd gotten the prescription for this med filled a couple of days before we left for camp expressly so I would have enough, and then I forgot to put them into my pill carrier.
So we had forgotten not only our tote of games, but I had forgotten a med. Couldn't stop with those though, so we decided to also forget to bring antiperspirant, hairspray, and our music CDs. Oh, well.
We didn't do anything for the morning, but before noon, Hubbie and I went to Grandson's middle school to join him for lunch. Daughter-in-Law works in the lunchroom, and she and the other staff treated us like royalty. We really enjoyed visiting there. We were appalled by the students, though, who one-by-one threw perfectly good apples into the garbage.
Society complains that school lunch programs are not healthy enough, and yet when students are offered a healthy choice like apples, they toss them. They also toss unopened cartons milk. This year, lunchroom staff had to place unwanted food on student trays, but next year, I understand that the students will be given the choice of accepting or rejecting the food, so there shouldn't be as much waste.
After lunch, we were given a tour of the school, particularly of rooms that might be suited to conducting a possible photography workshop next school year.
When it was time to head back to camp, we tried a shortcut route suggested by Daughter-in-Law, but we missed a turn somewhere along the way. We traveled past pastures of farm animals...donkeys, ponies, horses, longhorn cattle, even an alpaca, and past fields of corn and other crops, until we ran out of pavement and drove onto a gravel road. We knew we were misplaced, so we turned around and retraced the route back to a familiar road.
We stopped by to visit Son at his place of employment before going back to camp. After we saw to Shih Tzu's needs, Hubbie and I headed out again to shop at a couple of clothing stores. At one, I found the type of knit shirts that I like, with sleeves that cover my upper arms, and a button front with collar. I bought them in several colors. I called Mother to see if she wanted any, and she asked me to pick up a red one for her.
At the other store, I found only a turtleneck shirt on the clearance rack. The price was only $1.60.
By this time, another thunderstorm cropped up...black clouds, streaking lightening, wind that
tore a shopping cart out of a woman's hands, sending it careening down the parking lot. I called Mother, who said nothing was happening at camp. Fearing that the storm would soon be out there, we headed back. But no storm materialized there.
Supper tonight was spaghetti, salad, and cottage cheese. Afterward, we sat outside for a while to enjoy the cool of the evening.
Later, we played Skipbo again, with each of us winning one game.
When it was time for me to take my before-bed medications, I discovered I hadn't brought enough of one of the meds to see me through the weekend. I felt really stupid, since I'd gotten the prescription for this med filled a couple of days before we left for camp expressly so I would have enough, and then I forgot to put them into my pill carrier.
So we had forgotten not only our tote of games, but I had forgotten a med. Couldn't stop with those though, so we decided to also forget to bring antiperspirant, hairspray, and our music CDs. Oh, well.
Camping Trip, Wednesday, May 26
Left home about 10 a.m. Arrived at the campground around noon. Bus loads of school children were happily playing in the picnic area of the park...an end-of-the-school-year field trip, I'm sure. Group of kids were playing baseball, basketball, and volley ball. Others were playing yard darts, or Frisbee, or flying around on a skateboard.
After camp setup and lunch, Hubbie and I went shopping...to pick up five quarts of strawberries (the last for season, according to the roadside vendor), to a craft store, and to a discount store.
Back at camp, a thunderstorm cropped up. There is a leak somewhere along the ceiling and wall in back of the refrigerator, and during storms, water seeps out from under the fridge and puddles on the floor, so we had to throw towels down there to sop the water up. Also, Hubbie failed to roll up the windows on the truck, so he got a damp behind when we went out later. Add to those things the fact that our sixteen-year-old shih tzu has a bladder infection that caused her to leak, and "wet" was the order of the afternoon.
Supper was leftover meatloaf, microwave baked potatoes, green beans, and sliced tomatoes.
After supper, Hubbie and I went to explore campgrounds near a town where Niece will have a wedding ceremony. We want to camp next week, go to our capital city's art museum for an Egyptian exhibit, and then attend the wedding on Saturday evening.
We looked at two campgrounds, neither of which were satisfactory...one of them was a downright dump, the other was just barely okay. We spent a couple of hours exploring the campgrounds, and when we left the dumpy one, Hubbie turned the wrong direction, so we traveled a few miles before deciding we needed to turn around and go the other direction.
Since we wasted quite a bit of time, I called Mother to make sure all was still well at camp. I'd forgotten, though, to take my cell phone out of my purse, so she was jarred out of a nap, and in a disoriented state, fumbled around trying to locate my phone. I had to dial the number three times before she finally found the phone. And then in her fuzzy state, she tried to answer it by holding the phone upside down, with the keypad to her ear.
Finally, we connected. All was well at camp, so Hubbie and I stopped by the WDCS to pick up a Skipbo game and a couple of American flags, before returning to camp. Seems we forgot to bring our tote of games and card shuffler. I don't know why we take along so many games when the only one Mother usually wants to play is Skipbo.
We got a bargain on the flags, which were only twenty-five cents apiece. We wanted to display the flags in honor of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Later, we played Skipbo. I'm the official card shuffler, so I really missed the little battery-operated shuffler. Wears my fingers out shuffling 162 cards in that game. We played three games. Hubbie won two games, and I won one.
After that, it was off to bed.
After camp setup and lunch, Hubbie and I went shopping...to pick up five quarts of strawberries (the last for season, according to the roadside vendor), to a craft store, and to a discount store.
Back at camp, a thunderstorm cropped up. There is a leak somewhere along the ceiling and wall in back of the refrigerator, and during storms, water seeps out from under the fridge and puddles on the floor, so we had to throw towels down there to sop the water up. Also, Hubbie failed to roll up the windows on the truck, so he got a damp behind when we went out later. Add to those things the fact that our sixteen-year-old shih tzu has a bladder infection that caused her to leak, and "wet" was the order of the afternoon.
Supper was leftover meatloaf, microwave baked potatoes, green beans, and sliced tomatoes.
After supper, Hubbie and I went to explore campgrounds near a town where Niece will have a wedding ceremony. We want to camp next week, go to our capital city's art museum for an Egyptian exhibit, and then attend the wedding on Saturday evening.
We looked at two campgrounds, neither of which were satisfactory...one of them was a downright dump, the other was just barely okay. We spent a couple of hours exploring the campgrounds, and when we left the dumpy one, Hubbie turned the wrong direction, so we traveled a few miles before deciding we needed to turn around and go the other direction.
Since we wasted quite a bit of time, I called Mother to make sure all was still well at camp. I'd forgotten, though, to take my cell phone out of my purse, so she was jarred out of a nap, and in a disoriented state, fumbled around trying to locate my phone. I had to dial the number three times before she finally found the phone. And then in her fuzzy state, she tried to answer it by holding the phone upside down, with the keypad to her ear.
Finally, we connected. All was well at camp, so Hubbie and I stopped by the WDCS to pick up a Skipbo game and a couple of American flags, before returning to camp. Seems we forgot to bring our tote of games and card shuffler. I don't know why we take along so many games when the only one Mother usually wants to play is Skipbo.
We got a bargain on the flags, which were only twenty-five cents apiece. We wanted to display the flags in honor of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Later, we played Skipbo. I'm the official card shuffler, so I really missed the little battery-operated shuffler. Wears my fingers out shuffling 162 cards in that game. We played three games. Hubbie won two games, and I won one.
After that, it was off to bed.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day...a carefree holiday for most of us, made possible by our military heroes. We hung our flags in honor and remembrance.
It was a day of rest for us. Beyond ordinary activities of exercising this morning, and doing a couple of loads of laundry, we didn't do anything productive. Spent the afternoon watching the animated feature, "Up," followed by a reunion DVD of a history in photos of classmates through the years leading up to our 1960 high school graduation. Hubbie and I had seen the video at the reunion, but Mother was interested in viewing it.
Afterward, Mother went home for a while, Hubbie watched TV, and I played on my computer upstairs, where I uploaded a photo to a social network of myself and two friends in swimsuits, taken on our 1960 senior trip. Family asked that I provide the photo. But if they want to see what I look like in a swimsuit today, they'll just have to visit me at the college pool.
For supper, we revisited picnic fare from the camping trip...barbecue, slaw, potato and macaroni salads. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie went out to work in the yard (he wanted to mow the lawn today, but a thunderstorm cropped up this afternoon).
It was a day of rest for us. Beyond ordinary activities of exercising this morning, and doing a couple of loads of laundry, we didn't do anything productive. Spent the afternoon watching the animated feature, "Up," followed by a reunion DVD of a history in photos of classmates through the years leading up to our 1960 high school graduation. Hubbie and I had seen the video at the reunion, but Mother was interested in viewing it.
Afterward, Mother went home for a while, Hubbie watched TV, and I played on my computer upstairs, where I uploaded a photo to a social network of myself and two friends in swimsuits, taken on our 1960 senior trip. Family asked that I provide the photo. But if they want to see what I look like in a swimsuit today, they'll just have to visit me at the college pool.
For supper, we revisited picnic fare from the camping trip...barbecue, slaw, potato and macaroni salads. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie went out to work in the yard (he wanted to mow the lawn today, but a thunderstorm cropped up this afternoon).
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 30
Today is Granddaughter's and Niece's birthday. Happy Birthday to both!
Arrived home from our trip just after noon today. Spent the afternoon unloading the camper and just generally getting organized again.
We had a wonderful time, but we are now tired and ready to veg for a while. Over the next few days, I'll post blogs about the trip.
Right now, we just want to relax in front of TV. The DVR is full, so we're watching one-hour shows to help free up space.
We'll take the day off tomorrow...Memorial Day...to rest, and then we'll get busy with projects. It's going to be a busy summer from now on, and we'll be lucky to stay on top of all that needs to be done.
Arrived home from our trip just after noon today. Spent the afternoon unloading the camper and just generally getting organized again.
We had a wonderful time, but we are now tired and ready to veg for a while. Over the next few days, I'll post blogs about the trip.
Right now, we just want to relax in front of TV. The DVR is full, so we're watching one-hour shows to help free up space.
We'll take the day off tomorrow...Memorial Day...to rest, and then we'll get busy with projects. It's going to be a busy summer from now on, and we'll be lucky to stay on top of all that needs to be done.
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