Up at 7 a.m. and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Checked on Mother. She's still feeling bad, so she spent the day lying on her couch. Her appetite is low, so she didn't eat a lot today.
Once I was ready for the day, I hand washed some delicate clothes. I'm not crazy about clothes that need special attention, but a pair of white linen slacks, a white shell, and a long sleeve blouse wouldn't survive the washing machine.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...first to the store that has a sale every weekend. Hubbie had a $10 coupon in honor of his birthday, and he was able to find a knit shirt priced at just over $11 dollars.
I was interested in finding a pair of white crop pants to wear Monday night at the Summer Celebration event. I meant to wear the linen slacks, but they are lined, and in this extreme heat, I'd be uncomfortable in them (I certainly was at the outdoor wedding last Saturday). The event is indoors, but once a couple of hundred people pack into that restaurant, it'll quickly get stuffy and hot.
I did find a pair of crop pants, and Hubbie found another on-sale shirt. We also found an on-sale bath mat set for the downstairs bathroom. So with these items, we were able to take advantage of another $10 discount.
From that store, we went to a home improvement store, where we looked for a tower fan. No luck, so we went on to the WDCS. While I shopped for groceries, Hubbie found a tower fan, and a regular oscillating fan.
The tower fan is for our bedroom, because the window air conditioner died. The oscillating fan is for the den, where Shih Tzu sleeps. She's really enjoying lying right in front of it, but it is also helping to circulate the air in the den for us.
After we got back home, I made a pot of chicken noodle soup, and a bowl of Jell-o, in hopes of tempting Mother to eat. She did eat most of a helping of the soup, and later a small bowl of Jell-o with whipped topping.
By this evening, Mother was sitting up and watching TV, and she said she felt well enough to work puzzles. But she's still pretty wobbly when she walks. And she continues to run some fever...about 99 earlier today.
I asked if she would like to spend the night at our house, but she declined, so I checked on her before bedtime, and will check on her again early tomorrow morning.
TV fare tonight: the movie, "Ali," a 2001 film about the life of Muhammad Ali. Stars Will Smith and Jamie Foxx.
Kittens: when it came time to treat the three kittens that have eye problems, Hubbie brought in two of them and announced that the third one had somehow escaped the wire cage, and he couldn't find it. So off on a hunt we went. We let the mama cat out of the cage, thinking she would search for her baby. But ditz that she is, she just sprawled on the front porch. Finally, Hubbie found the kitten under something in the garage. Once we put the cat and kittens back in the cage, Hubbie blocked the area of the cage where the kittens were able to squeeze out.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Friday, June 18
Up at 6:30 to go to water aerobics. The dressing room was air-conditioned frigid, as usual, and the pool was cool, but I enjoyed the swim and aerobics, as usual.
I asked Hubbie to make a doctor's appointment for Mother while I was gone. For the past couple of days, she has complained of being unusually tired, and of being woozy to the point of nearly fainting when she stood up. She said that last night, she had a slightly elevated temperature.
Mother's doctor was on call at the hospital this morning, so Hubbie got an appointment for her at 1:30 this afternoon. In the meantime, I spent the rest of the morning after getting back from aerobics doing paperwork related to an upcoming photography workshop.
We arrived at the clinic shortly before 1:30, but had to wait til nearly 2 p.m. before Mother was called back. The doctor requested that the nurse conduct blood pressure tests with Mother lying down, sitting up, and then standing. She did fine until she stood up, and then her BP suddenly dropped 40 points, and she very nearly collapsed.
The doctor then ordered urine and blood tests. The urine test revealed a urinary tract infection, and the blood test showed that Mother is mildly dehydrated. An antibiotic was prescribed, and the doctor told Mother to cease taking her diuretic pill, to cut way back on coffee, and to drink lots more water. She's to go for a follow-up in ten days.
By this time, it was 3 p.m. The clinic provided a wheelchair, and off we went to the van. Even though it was mid-afternoon, Mother was eager to have an ice cream treat from a fast food restaurant. We got three medium cups of them and brought them home to eat.
So we weren't ready for supper until around 6 p.m. Actually, Mother and I only ate a half a barbecue sandwich and a half a Parmesan potato each. I made a couple of quarts of lemonade before supper, and we had big glasses of that over ice with our meal. I thought the electrolytes in the lemonade might help Mother feel better.
She did seem to perk up a little, and was ready to go home after supper, so I accompanied her to her house.
Mother isn't the only ill family member. A two-year-old great-grandson is also sick with flu symptoms and dehydration. Very worrisome.
Sick people, and sick animals. Earlier in the afternoon, we noticed that the mama cat with the three kittens that have eye problems were panting in the heat, even though they are in a wire cage in the garage. So Hubbie set up an electric fan for them.
Thanks to the hundred or so trees in our yard, it's several degrees cooler around our house than TV meteorologists report for our area. But because it's unusually hot and humid right now, even a few degrees lower temperature is still stifling. Hopefully, the fan will help make the cat and kittens more comfortable.
Even the central air conditioning in our house can't keep the heat completely at bay. The control is at its usual setting, but the house is still several degrees hotter. Shih Tzu started panting this evening, even though she is splayed out on the cool tile floor. Hubbie has set up a fan for her, too.
TV fare tonight: "From Hell," a 2001, R-rated movie starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham. Jack the Ripper is resurrected again, this time with Depp as the inspector who sleuths the crimes. Naturally, there's plenty of violence, and some nudity in the film.
On a lighter note, at the clinic today, an elderly man of our acquaintance came into the waiting room. Someone asked him why he was there. "Slipped on the ice," he joked.
I asked Hubbie to make a doctor's appointment for Mother while I was gone. For the past couple of days, she has complained of being unusually tired, and of being woozy to the point of nearly fainting when she stood up. She said that last night, she had a slightly elevated temperature.
Mother's doctor was on call at the hospital this morning, so Hubbie got an appointment for her at 1:30 this afternoon. In the meantime, I spent the rest of the morning after getting back from aerobics doing paperwork related to an upcoming photography workshop.
We arrived at the clinic shortly before 1:30, but had to wait til nearly 2 p.m. before Mother was called back. The doctor requested that the nurse conduct blood pressure tests with Mother lying down, sitting up, and then standing. She did fine until she stood up, and then her BP suddenly dropped 40 points, and she very nearly collapsed.
The doctor then ordered urine and blood tests. The urine test revealed a urinary tract infection, and the blood test showed that Mother is mildly dehydrated. An antibiotic was prescribed, and the doctor told Mother to cease taking her diuretic pill, to cut way back on coffee, and to drink lots more water. She's to go for a follow-up in ten days.
By this time, it was 3 p.m. The clinic provided a wheelchair, and off we went to the van. Even though it was mid-afternoon, Mother was eager to have an ice cream treat from a fast food restaurant. We got three medium cups of them and brought them home to eat.
So we weren't ready for supper until around 6 p.m. Actually, Mother and I only ate a half a barbecue sandwich and a half a Parmesan potato each. I made a couple of quarts of lemonade before supper, and we had big glasses of that over ice with our meal. I thought the electrolytes in the lemonade might help Mother feel better.
She did seem to perk up a little, and was ready to go home after supper, so I accompanied her to her house.
Mother isn't the only ill family member. A two-year-old great-grandson is also sick with flu symptoms and dehydration. Very worrisome.
Sick people, and sick animals. Earlier in the afternoon, we noticed that the mama cat with the three kittens that have eye problems were panting in the heat, even though they are in a wire cage in the garage. So Hubbie set up an electric fan for them.
Thanks to the hundred or so trees in our yard, it's several degrees cooler around our house than TV meteorologists report for our area. But because it's unusually hot and humid right now, even a few degrees lower temperature is still stifling. Hopefully, the fan will help make the cat and kittens more comfortable.
Even the central air conditioning in our house can't keep the heat completely at bay. The control is at its usual setting, but the house is still several degrees hotter. Shih Tzu started panting this evening, even though she is splayed out on the cool tile floor. Hubbie has set up a fan for her, too.
TV fare tonight: "From Hell," a 2001, R-rated movie starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham. Jack the Ripper is resurrected again, this time with Depp as the inspector who sleuths the crimes. Naturally, there's plenty of violence, and some nudity in the film.
On a lighter note, at the clinic today, an elderly man of our acquaintance came into the waiting room. Someone asked him why he was there. "Slipped on the ice," he joked.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thursday, June 17
Today is Hubbie's birthday. Happy Birthday, Hubbie!
We were up by 6 a.m. this morning, so we could finish getting ready for Hubbie's family to arrive for a visit and lunch. I started by cooking lemon pudding for the lemon pudding cake.
After I dressed and got ready for the day, I cleaned the upstairs bathroom and spruced the bedroom. Mother came over early, and she and I prepared food for lunch. Folks began arriving around 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., I began cooking. By noon, eleven of us were ready to sit down to lunch.
Hubbie's two daughters and son, his two sisters, a grandchild and a great-grandchild, plus his son-in-law, and the three of us enjoyed a choice of ham or barbecued pork, Parmesan potatoes, steamed yellow and zucchini squash with onions, coleslaw, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and Vidalia onions, and yeast bread. Desserts were choices of lemon pudding cake or chocolate cake topped with pie cherries and whipped topping.
Hubbie received several gift cards, so he'll have a happy time shopping at two different home improvement stores and a farm store. He also got an interesting tool...an adjustable ratchet wrench that supposedly replaces 38 of the most popular socket sizes.
After lunch, we visited, toured Hubbie's gardens, and gathered for snapshots. Around 3 p.m., everyone left but the two sisters, who stayed for another half hour. Unfortunately, one of the sisters lost an earring, and despite a thorough search of the house and yard, we didn't locate it.
Hubbie really enjoyed this happy gathering of his clan that included reminiscing about days gone by and family long departed.
It was a good day, but by this evening we were ready to relax in front of TV. We watched a movie called "Purple Violets." Product description says its about "four college friends who meet up years later and reconnect in ways that willl change their lives forever." This 2008, R-rated, movie stars Selma Blair, Edward Burns, Patrick Wilson, and Debra Messing.
The second feature we watched was, "The Soloist," starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downy, Jr. This PG-13, 2008, true live movie is about a journalist (Downy) who happens onto a homeless street musician (Nathaniel Ayers, played by Foxx). He learns that the musician once studied at Julliard, but left after he began hearing voices. Ayers' life inspired columns, books and a film adaptation.
We were up by 6 a.m. this morning, so we could finish getting ready for Hubbie's family to arrive for a visit and lunch. I started by cooking lemon pudding for the lemon pudding cake.
After I dressed and got ready for the day, I cleaned the upstairs bathroom and spruced the bedroom. Mother came over early, and she and I prepared food for lunch. Folks began arriving around 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., I began cooking. By noon, eleven of us were ready to sit down to lunch.
Hubbie's two daughters and son, his two sisters, a grandchild and a great-grandchild, plus his son-in-law, and the three of us enjoyed a choice of ham or barbecued pork, Parmesan potatoes, steamed yellow and zucchini squash with onions, coleslaw, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and Vidalia onions, and yeast bread. Desserts were choices of lemon pudding cake or chocolate cake topped with pie cherries and whipped topping.
Hubbie received several gift cards, so he'll have a happy time shopping at two different home improvement stores and a farm store. He also got an interesting tool...an adjustable ratchet wrench that supposedly replaces 38 of the most popular socket sizes.
After lunch, we visited, toured Hubbie's gardens, and gathered for snapshots. Around 3 p.m., everyone left but the two sisters, who stayed for another half hour. Unfortunately, one of the sisters lost an earring, and despite a thorough search of the house and yard, we didn't locate it.
Hubbie really enjoyed this happy gathering of his clan that included reminiscing about days gone by and family long departed.
It was a good day, but by this evening we were ready to relax in front of TV. We watched a movie called "Purple Violets." Product description says its about "four college friends who meet up years later and reconnect in ways that willl change their lives forever." This 2008, R-rated, movie stars Selma Blair, Edward Burns, Patrick Wilson, and Debra Messing.
The second feature we watched was, "The Soloist," starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downy, Jr. This PG-13, 2008, true live movie is about a journalist (Downy) who happens onto a homeless street musician (Nathaniel Ayers, played by Foxx). He learns that the musician once studied at Julliard, but left after he began hearing voices. Ayers' life inspired columns, books and a film adaptation.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Wednesday, June 16
Up at 6:30 to get ready to go to water aerobics. The pool is cool, but the showers in the dressing room are positively cold. I shower slightly (just dash under it now) so it won't be such a shock when I get in the pool. Learned today that one of the boilers is down, with no plans to fix it in the near future, so no hot water at the showers, and only tepid water coming through the pool jets. Still, I enjoy the pool, and feel refreshed after a workout.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I baked a lemon cake for Hubbie's birthday gathering tomorrow. In the morning, I'll finish the cake by topping it with lemon pudding and a meringue icing. This is a favorite dessert for Hubbie, though I can't eat it because of the yellow dye in both the cake and the pudding. So Mother baked a chocolate cake for me, using applesauce in place of oil, sugar substitute, and egg substitute. I'll top the cake with sugar-free pie cherries and fat-free whipped topping.
Once the cake was out of the oven, I baked a ham. Then Hubbie and I got busy with household chores. Mother came over after lunch and put together a dish for supper...she mixed together the sauce from the Swiss steak and the sauce from the barbecued pork chops last night and blended these with the brown rice. She topped the dish with Monterey Jack cheese and baked it. It was a good dish, served with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, and sourdough bread.
Later, Hubbie and I went to a grocery store to pick up last minute items for tomorrow's meal. After that, we all occupied ourselves in individual activities. I researched attractions that we might do while we are in the Capital City, where I'll conduct a photography workshop at a children's museum.
I also went into the yard to gather a variety of flowers to make an arrangement for the dining room table.
Speaking of flowers, today, an interesting box of garden stuff was delivered to Hubbie. Seems he bought a grab bag of plants. The grab bag contained strawberry plants, Dahlia tubers, Sweet William, Sterling Star Lilies, Red Hot Poker, Mixed Balloon Flowers (or Chinese Bell Flowers), Gladiolus, and Crocosmia. Since he was unfamiliar with some of the plant's requirements, I researched online for information on the planting and care of the plants.
Sad note: one of the cats that recently had kittens, and who moved them to a place where we couldn't find them, decided to move them back near Mother's front porch. So Hubbie checked on them and found that none of the three kitten's eyes were open. The kittens are about four weeks old, so obviously the mama cat hasn't taken very good care of them. Hubbie washed their eyes, but they appeared to be blind.
Later today, he took the mama cat and the kittens to the vet. We feared that the kittens would have to be destroyed, and I was heartsick about it. I was relieved when Hubbie brought them home again with the news that the vet said they aren't blind, but they have an eye disease. So he prescribed a liquid antibiotic, and recommended putting an antibiotic salve on their eyes twice a day. One kitten is now looking around, but the other two still can't see.
The mama cat is really beautiful...white, with big blue eyes, and black around the nose, on the tips of the ears, and on her feet. She is also very sweet and craves attention. But we are convinced that she's retarded and doesn't quite know what to do with her kittens. Still, she'd make a wonderful house pet. One of the ladies at the vet's office has expressed interest in her. I hope she takes her.
She's not the only cat that's a bit strange. A few of the others have six toes on their feet. And the females are unusually small. We think these quirks are the result of too much inbreeding...a male cat in the neighborhood has been servicing all the females here...his offspring, first, second, and third generations. If we could catch him, we'd change his mind in a hurry!
But, if we can give away the mama cat, and have the last of the other mama cats spayed, our problems will be solved...until these five kittens grow up, that is. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to find homes for them before they are ready to breed.
Spent the evening watching TV, including an episode of "Miss Marple," from the public television channel. Most prime time shows have ended their seasons, so TV fare is scant. I've recorded some movies from premium channels, but the first two we tried tonight didn't suit us, so we gave that up.
I have several movies on DVD that we haven't watched yet, so as the summer rolls along, we'll probably dig those out. However, the next few weeks will be pretty busy, so there probably won't be a lot of time for watching movies, anyway.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I baked a lemon cake for Hubbie's birthday gathering tomorrow. In the morning, I'll finish the cake by topping it with lemon pudding and a meringue icing. This is a favorite dessert for Hubbie, though I can't eat it because of the yellow dye in both the cake and the pudding. So Mother baked a chocolate cake for me, using applesauce in place of oil, sugar substitute, and egg substitute. I'll top the cake with sugar-free pie cherries and fat-free whipped topping.
Once the cake was out of the oven, I baked a ham. Then Hubbie and I got busy with household chores. Mother came over after lunch and put together a dish for supper...she mixed together the sauce from the Swiss steak and the sauce from the barbecued pork chops last night and blended these with the brown rice. She topped the dish with Monterey Jack cheese and baked it. It was a good dish, served with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, and sourdough bread.
Later, Hubbie and I went to a grocery store to pick up last minute items for tomorrow's meal. After that, we all occupied ourselves in individual activities. I researched attractions that we might do while we are in the Capital City, where I'll conduct a photography workshop at a children's museum.
I also went into the yard to gather a variety of flowers to make an arrangement for the dining room table.
Speaking of flowers, today, an interesting box of garden stuff was delivered to Hubbie. Seems he bought a grab bag of plants. The grab bag contained strawberry plants, Dahlia tubers, Sweet William, Sterling Star Lilies, Red Hot Poker, Mixed Balloon Flowers (or Chinese Bell Flowers), Gladiolus, and Crocosmia. Since he was unfamiliar with some of the plant's requirements, I researched online for information on the planting and care of the plants.
Sad note: one of the cats that recently had kittens, and who moved them to a place where we couldn't find them, decided to move them back near Mother's front porch. So Hubbie checked on them and found that none of the three kitten's eyes were open. The kittens are about four weeks old, so obviously the mama cat hasn't taken very good care of them. Hubbie washed their eyes, but they appeared to be blind.
Later today, he took the mama cat and the kittens to the vet. We feared that the kittens would have to be destroyed, and I was heartsick about it. I was relieved when Hubbie brought them home again with the news that the vet said they aren't blind, but they have an eye disease. So he prescribed a liquid antibiotic, and recommended putting an antibiotic salve on their eyes twice a day. One kitten is now looking around, but the other two still can't see.
The mama cat is really beautiful...white, with big blue eyes, and black around the nose, on the tips of the ears, and on her feet. She is also very sweet and craves attention. But we are convinced that she's retarded and doesn't quite know what to do with her kittens. Still, she'd make a wonderful house pet. One of the ladies at the vet's office has expressed interest in her. I hope she takes her.
She's not the only cat that's a bit strange. A few of the others have six toes on their feet. And the females are unusually small. We think these quirks are the result of too much inbreeding...a male cat in the neighborhood has been servicing all the females here...his offspring, first, second, and third generations. If we could catch him, we'd change his mind in a hurry!
But, if we can give away the mama cat, and have the last of the other mama cats spayed, our problems will be solved...until these five kittens grow up, that is. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to find homes for them before they are ready to breed.
Spent the evening watching TV, including an episode of "Miss Marple," from the public television channel. Most prime time shows have ended their seasons, so TV fare is scant. I've recorded some movies from premium channels, but the first two we tried tonight didn't suit us, so we gave that up.
I have several movies on DVD that we haven't watched yet, so as the summer rolls along, we'll probably dig those out. However, the next few weeks will be pretty busy, so there probably won't be a lot of time for watching movies, anyway.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, June 15
In honor of a young man from our town who was killed last Friday while on duty in Iraq, we continued flying the flag today, and will do so until sundown Thursday.
We were up at 7 a.m. this morning, and I did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. After that, I got ready to go to an 11:30 a.m. lunch meeting of the visual arts committee at a local restaurant. Mother went with me.
Hubbie stayed home to bathe Shih Tzu and continue mowing the yard.
We arrived at the restaurant just before the appointed hour, but none of the other committee members were there. After waiting fifteen minutes, I called the arts council director. She apologized and said she be there soon. In the meantime, another member arrived, and we waited some more.
Finally, at noon, two others arrived, including the arts council director. We immediately proceeded to discuss with a restaurant staff member table arrangements for seating and for setting up two refreshment tables, as well as what room to use for a silent auction for the upcoming summer solstice event.
It was 1 p.m., before we ironed out the details and beckoned a waitress to come take our orders (I'm not sure why we couldn't have ordered first and then held the discussion while we ate). By this late hour, Mother was famished. She hadn't eaten since early this morning. We ordered and shared a club sandwich and a fruit cup.
We left shortly afterward, and arrived back home about 1:45. Mother stayed at our house and prepared a barbecued pork chop dish for the oven, while Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to a roadside vendor, where we bought tomatoes and a cantaloupe, to the newspaper office to pick up last week's editions, to another roadside vendor for yellow and zucchini squashes and blackberries, to the WDCS for a few groceries and miscellaneous items like the wedding photos, a dishpan for hand washing clothes, and a special pair of pliers for jewelry making. From there, we went to the bank, and to the gas station. Before coming home, we stopped by a barbecue restaurant to get a couple of pounds of pork barbecue to add to Hubbie's birthday lunch Thursday.
Back home, we relaxed for a while and read the back editions of the local newspaper, and then did this and that related to the Thursday party.
The barbecued pork chops, served with brown rice from yesterday, coleslaw, and slices of sourdough bread, was good. Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I settled in front of TV, as usual.
We were up at 7 a.m. this morning, and I did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. After that, I got ready to go to an 11:30 a.m. lunch meeting of the visual arts committee at a local restaurant. Mother went with me.
Hubbie stayed home to bathe Shih Tzu and continue mowing the yard.
We arrived at the restaurant just before the appointed hour, but none of the other committee members were there. After waiting fifteen minutes, I called the arts council director. She apologized and said she be there soon. In the meantime, another member arrived, and we waited some more.
Finally, at noon, two others arrived, including the arts council director. We immediately proceeded to discuss with a restaurant staff member table arrangements for seating and for setting up two refreshment tables, as well as what room to use for a silent auction for the upcoming summer solstice event.
It was 1 p.m., before we ironed out the details and beckoned a waitress to come take our orders (I'm not sure why we couldn't have ordered first and then held the discussion while we ate). By this late hour, Mother was famished. She hadn't eaten since early this morning. We ordered and shared a club sandwich and a fruit cup.
We left shortly afterward, and arrived back home about 1:45. Mother stayed at our house and prepared a barbecued pork chop dish for the oven, while Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to a roadside vendor, where we bought tomatoes and a cantaloupe, to the newspaper office to pick up last week's editions, to another roadside vendor for yellow and zucchini squashes and blackberries, to the WDCS for a few groceries and miscellaneous items like the wedding photos, a dishpan for hand washing clothes, and a special pair of pliers for jewelry making. From there, we went to the bank, and to the gas station. Before coming home, we stopped by a barbecue restaurant to get a couple of pounds of pork barbecue to add to Hubbie's birthday lunch Thursday.
Back home, we relaxed for a while and read the back editions of the local newspaper, and then did this and that related to the Thursday party.
The barbecued pork chops, served with brown rice from yesterday, coleslaw, and slices of sourdough bread, was good. Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I settled in front of TV, as usual.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday, June 14
Today is Flag Day, so we hung our American flags in honor of it.Flag Day, of course, commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.
We were up at 6:30 this morning so I could go to water aerobics. The water in the pool was cool, but felt good once I got used to it. It was a refreshing session, and I really enjoyed it.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I uploaded photos of the wedding to a one-hour service, and to a social network. Then I busied myself doing things to get ready for Hubbie's birthday party on Thursday.
Mother came over mid-morning and helped with sprucing the kitchen. She also put brown rice into the electric rice steamer to have with a supper of Swiss steak, green beans, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, and sourdough bread.
After that, we relaxed for a while, and looked at photos of the wedding on the social network, and caught up with family comings and goings and doings.
After supper, Mother went home, Hubbie went out to mow the yard, and I posted blogs about our camping trip last weekend on my blog (see previous postings).
The rest of the evening was spent in front of TV.
Note: getting a letter from one of my friends in Texas provided a bright spot to the day. Friend wanted to wish Hubbie a happy birthday. This is a lady who, when she learns someone's birth date, never forgets it. I don't know how she does it. It was a newsy letter about her family, and I enjoyed it. E-mail is fine, but it's still special to receive snail mail from a friend.
We were up at 6:30 this morning so I could go to water aerobics. The water in the pool was cool, but felt good once I got used to it. It was a refreshing session, and I really enjoyed it.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I uploaded photos of the wedding to a one-hour service, and to a social network. Then I busied myself doing things to get ready for Hubbie's birthday party on Thursday.
Mother came over mid-morning and helped with sprucing the kitchen. She also put brown rice into the electric rice steamer to have with a supper of Swiss steak, green beans, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, and sourdough bread.
After that, we relaxed for a while, and looked at photos of the wedding on the social network, and caught up with family comings and goings and doings.
After supper, Mother went home, Hubbie went out to mow the yard, and I posted blogs about our camping trip last weekend on my blog (see previous postings).
The rest of the evening was spent in front of TV.
Note: getting a letter from one of my friends in Texas provided a bright spot to the day. Friend wanted to wish Hubbie a happy birthday. This is a lady who, when she learns someone's birth date, never forgets it. I don't know how she does it. It was a newsy letter about her family, and I enjoyed it. E-mail is fine, but it's still special to receive snail mail from a friend.
Camping Trip, Saturday, June 12
Up at 7 a.m. After breakfast, Hubbie and I walked across the road to visit a neighboring camper. This lady and her cat slept in a tiny tent, and she was gone all day, leaving the cat behind. In all the hours she was gone, that cat never strayed farther than a few yards from the tent. We couldn't believe it. We'd never seen a cat behave that way. Certainly, if we ever let Mother's cat out of the trailer, we'd likely never see her again.
So we just had to learn how she had trained the cat to stay around the campsite. She told us she and the cat came into each other's lives at a time when they most needed each other. The lady had lost her home and everything in it to a fire. She found the cat in a cage, sick and nearly eaten alive by fleas. She nursed it back to health, and I guess it so bonded with her that it sticks close to her when she's around, or patiently waits for her when she's gone.
The lady set up a small window air condition to blow into the tent, so the cat could shelter comfortably there while she was gone. But it was the most amazing thing to see how that cat stayed so close to the tent when it was outside. The lady declared that it's God's work that she and the cat found each other. We couldn't argue.
Since the lady has no home, she travels from relative to friend, staying a few days and helping them with whatever they need. She's very religious, so she felt compelled to share her beliefs with us. We listened politely, because we sensed that this is a very lonely woman, despite the comfort of that amazing cat.
For lunch, we fixed hamburgers/turkey burgers. The burgers were already cooked and frozen, so I heated them in a bun warmer...this is a little pan with an inner pan. A small amount of water is put the bottom portion of the pan, then the inner pan, which has holes around the sides, is placed on top. This steamed the burgers and melted the cheese nicely. Mother chopped Vidalia onions, and cubed cold baked potatoes. I sauteed the onions, then added part of them to the potatoes. I forgot to bring no-salt seasoning, so I just added whatever I could find to the pan of potatoes...pepper, paprika, and dill weed. We spooned part of the sauteed onions onto the burgers and added sliced tomatoes. It was a really satisfying meal.
Around mid-afternoon, Hubbie and I had bowls of fat-free ice cream with blackberries. Then we all got ready to attend Nieces 6 p.m. wedding. It was an outdoor wedding at the home of a friend...a secluded area with a large yard of shade trees. It was an insufferably hot afternoon, and the ceremony was held in the sunshine, but it didn't last long, and we all soon headed for the shade.
Niece's wedding dress was beautiful, and she was spectacular in it. the wedding area was beautifully appointed, the food was good, particularly the desserts. Niece and Nephew parted from tradition by having iced mini vanilla cupcakes set on a three tiered silver tray, and clear bowls of chocolate trifle instead of a chocolate groom's cake. The trifle was yummy.
Around 8 p.m., we left, though we understood the party would continue into the night with a dance.
We arrived back at camp around 8:30 and lost no time getting ready for bed.
Note: we picked up a state newspaper to read articles about the flooding disaster in the southern part of the state. Besides the disturbing stories about that horrible event, I also noticed in the obituaries that two acquaintances from our town had died on Thursday. Both were only 71 years old, and both, I assume, probably died of heart attacks. One of the men and his wife bought a nature photograph of mine at an arts council silent auction, and the other man served on the community theater board with me a couple of years ago.
So we just had to learn how she had trained the cat to stay around the campsite. She told us she and the cat came into each other's lives at a time when they most needed each other. The lady had lost her home and everything in it to a fire. She found the cat in a cage, sick and nearly eaten alive by fleas. She nursed it back to health, and I guess it so bonded with her that it sticks close to her when she's around, or patiently waits for her when she's gone.
The lady set up a small window air condition to blow into the tent, so the cat could shelter comfortably there while she was gone. But it was the most amazing thing to see how that cat stayed so close to the tent when it was outside. The lady declared that it's God's work that she and the cat found each other. We couldn't argue.
Since the lady has no home, she travels from relative to friend, staying a few days and helping them with whatever they need. She's very religious, so she felt compelled to share her beliefs with us. We listened politely, because we sensed that this is a very lonely woman, despite the comfort of that amazing cat.
For lunch, we fixed hamburgers/turkey burgers. The burgers were already cooked and frozen, so I heated them in a bun warmer...this is a little pan with an inner pan. A small amount of water is put the bottom portion of the pan, then the inner pan, which has holes around the sides, is placed on top. This steamed the burgers and melted the cheese nicely. Mother chopped Vidalia onions, and cubed cold baked potatoes. I sauteed the onions, then added part of them to the potatoes. I forgot to bring no-salt seasoning, so I just added whatever I could find to the pan of potatoes...pepper, paprika, and dill weed. We spooned part of the sauteed onions onto the burgers and added sliced tomatoes. It was a really satisfying meal.
Around mid-afternoon, Hubbie and I had bowls of fat-free ice cream with blackberries. Then we all got ready to attend Nieces 6 p.m. wedding. It was an outdoor wedding at the home of a friend...a secluded area with a large yard of shade trees. It was an insufferably hot afternoon, and the ceremony was held in the sunshine, but it didn't last long, and we all soon headed for the shade.
Niece's wedding dress was beautiful, and she was spectacular in it. the wedding area was beautifully appointed, the food was good, particularly the desserts. Niece and Nephew parted from tradition by having iced mini vanilla cupcakes set on a three tiered silver tray, and clear bowls of chocolate trifle instead of a chocolate groom's cake. The trifle was yummy.
Around 8 p.m., we left, though we understood the party would continue into the night with a dance.
We arrived back at camp around 8:30 and lost no time getting ready for bed.
Note: we picked up a state newspaper to read articles about the flooding disaster in the southern part of the state. Besides the disturbing stories about that horrible event, I also noticed in the obituaries that two acquaintances from our town had died on Thursday. Both were only 71 years old, and both, I assume, probably died of heart attacks. One of the men and his wife bought a nature photograph of mine at an arts council silent auction, and the other man served on the community theater board with me a couple of years ago.
Camping Trip, Friday, June 11
Up at 7 a.m. After a breakfast of quick breads and fresh fruit, Hubbie and I went to a veterinary clinic to get flea tablet for Shih Tzu, who was being bothered by the little beasties. Hubbie had bathed her and applied flea medication just before we left for camp, but she still had a few that needed eliminating.
The vet's clinic is very nice...at least the front of the building, where I waited, was attractive. Water cascaded over a rock wall into a pond of goldfish. In the center of the pond, was a rock island with cascading water. Around the edge grew water irises, elephant ears, tall grasses, ivy, and other plants. A seated St. Francis of Assisi statue, with birds alight on his hands and shoulders. graced a rock shelf. Behind the rock wall grew a small red Japanese Maple tree. It was a very pleasant spot.
Back at camp, Daughter-in-Law and Great-Grandson arrived for an early sandwich lunch. At noon, we traveled to Capital City to go to the art museum to see an Egyptian exhibit. We arrived just before 1 p.m. Since the ticket prices were lower for the afternoon matinee, I feared we'd be standing in line a long time, but we were admitted right away.
We spent about two and a half hours leisurely touring the exhibit, which included mummies, a sarcophogus, masks, pottery, jewelry, amulets, and other of over 200 artifacts from the 3,000 years of ancient Egypt. We rented two audio guides and shared them to hear more information about the artifacts than was written on plaques.
Each of us was struck by different items or information...Daughter-in-Law was fascinated by a razor blade, Great-Grandson was interested in the Egyptian afterlife culture, and I had to say hm-m-m at the fact that the distinctive kohl makeup around the eyes of Egyptians was not only for decorative purposes, but it also helped protect the eyes from the glaring sunshine. I'd never thought of it before, but sure...football players use the same technique when they apply black strips under their eyes during games.
We ladies loved the Egyptian jewelry, mainly necklaces, which would be lovely to wear even today.
We were back at camp around 4 p.m., when we played several games of Skipbo. This time, Daughter-in-Law won two games, I won two, and Great-Grandson won one.
We had a supper of leftover Chinese chicken soup and muffins. Then Daughter-in-Law and Great-Grandson stayed with Mother and Shih Tzu, while Hubbie and I went to a club to hear Son and his band play blues music. Hubbie had a couple of beers, while I, as the designated driver, had only water. We stayed a little longer than we meant to, and left around 10:30.
Before we left for the club, Daughter-in-Law received a phone call from Son, who related the news to her of a flood at a campground in the southern part of the state that killed a dozen people. Others were missing.
At the club, Hubbie and I watched the news about this tragedy on TV. The campground is located at the foot of three surrounding mountains. Rain caused rivers of water to flow down those mountains, and at 3 a.m., the water had rapidly risen to around 20 feet, carrying campers and sleeping people along a now rushing river. It was unbelievable and horrible.
We arrived back at camp around 11 p.m., and Daughter-in-Law and Great Grandson left shortly afterward. Hubbie and I were hungry, so we had slices of sourdough bread and glasses of milk before going to bed.
The vet's clinic is very nice...at least the front of the building, where I waited, was attractive. Water cascaded over a rock wall into a pond of goldfish. In the center of the pond, was a rock island with cascading water. Around the edge grew water irises, elephant ears, tall grasses, ivy, and other plants. A seated St. Francis of Assisi statue, with birds alight on his hands and shoulders. graced a rock shelf. Behind the rock wall grew a small red Japanese Maple tree. It was a very pleasant spot.
Back at camp, Daughter-in-Law and Great-Grandson arrived for an early sandwich lunch. At noon, we traveled to Capital City to go to the art museum to see an Egyptian exhibit. We arrived just before 1 p.m. Since the ticket prices were lower for the afternoon matinee, I feared we'd be standing in line a long time, but we were admitted right away.
We spent about two and a half hours leisurely touring the exhibit, which included mummies, a sarcophogus, masks, pottery, jewelry, amulets, and other of over 200 artifacts from the 3,000 years of ancient Egypt. We rented two audio guides and shared them to hear more information about the artifacts than was written on plaques.
Each of us was struck by different items or information...Daughter-in-Law was fascinated by a razor blade, Great-Grandson was interested in the Egyptian afterlife culture, and I had to say hm-m-m at the fact that the distinctive kohl makeup around the eyes of Egyptians was not only for decorative purposes, but it also helped protect the eyes from the glaring sunshine. I'd never thought of it before, but sure...football players use the same technique when they apply black strips under their eyes during games.
We ladies loved the Egyptian jewelry, mainly necklaces, which would be lovely to wear even today.
We were back at camp around 4 p.m., when we played several games of Skipbo. This time, Daughter-in-Law won two games, I won two, and Great-Grandson won one.
We had a supper of leftover Chinese chicken soup and muffins. Then Daughter-in-Law and Great-Grandson stayed with Mother and Shih Tzu, while Hubbie and I went to a club to hear Son and his band play blues music. Hubbie had a couple of beers, while I, as the designated driver, had only water. We stayed a little longer than we meant to, and left around 10:30.
Before we left for the club, Daughter-in-Law received a phone call from Son, who related the news to her of a flood at a campground in the southern part of the state that killed a dozen people. Others were missing.
At the club, Hubbie and I watched the news about this tragedy on TV. The campground is located at the foot of three surrounding mountains. Rain caused rivers of water to flow down those mountains, and at 3 a.m., the water had rapidly risen to around 20 feet, carrying campers and sleeping people along a now rushing river. It was unbelievable and horrible.
We arrived back at camp around 11 p.m., and Daughter-in-Law and Great Grandson left shortly afterward. Hubbie and I were hungry, so we had slices of sourdough bread and glasses of milk before going to bed.
Camping Trip, Thursday, June 10
Left town around 9:30 a.m., heading about two hours south to a campground for the weekend. It was cloudy and cooler, but predictions were for extreme heat. Wildflowers...Queen Anne's lace, Black eyed Susans, orange Butterfly Weed, orange Daylilies, purple Coneflowers, Cowbane, Trumpet Vine, thistle, and pink and white Evening Primrose, as well as cattails, grow in abundance along the shoulders of the highways. The white blossoms on Magnolia Trees were fading even as Mimosa Trees were showy with pink flowers. Crepe Myrtle bushes, too, were showing signs of wear, but various colors of flowers still tipped long branches, reminding me of bursting fireworks.
A strange sight: a canine that we all agreed must be a wolf/dog mix loped onto the highway, followed by a dog. The wolf-dog was mottled gray, with slanted eyes, and a long face. Wild looking, but it probably was tame.
We arrived at the campground around noon, and after lunch Hubbie and I headed to town to shop. At a clothing store, I found a periwinkle blue hoodie jacket for $5.89. At a craft store, I picked up several stamps, marked 40% off. At a beauty supply store, I bought two cans of a hairspray that Mother particularly likes.
At a discount store, I got a $3 DVD titled "Food, Inc." This is a 2009 documentary that "criticizes American food corporations engaged in industrialized food production." The documentary was shown at our local filmfest a couple of years ago, but I missed it. I also missed a showing of it on the public TV channel.
From that store, we stopped at a roadside vendor to get fresh blackberries. Our last stop was the WDCS for several food items, including ice cream to have with the blackberries.
We got back to camp at 5 p.m. Sis was there visiting with Mother. Mother had put our supper in microwave bowls, and I began heating the dishes, and preparing other things for the meal. We had leftover pork roast with veggies, potatoes, sliced tomatoes, and sourdough bread.
It began raining, but Sis stayed around for a few games of Skipbo. She won three games and I won two. We had a snack of ice cream and blackberries (Sis, who is lactose intolerant, had vanilla yogurt) before Sis went home.
It continued to rain all night long.
A strange sight: a canine that we all agreed must be a wolf/dog mix loped onto the highway, followed by a dog. The wolf-dog was mottled gray, with slanted eyes, and a long face. Wild looking, but it probably was tame.
We arrived at the campground around noon, and after lunch Hubbie and I headed to town to shop. At a clothing store, I found a periwinkle blue hoodie jacket for $5.89. At a craft store, I picked up several stamps, marked 40% off. At a beauty supply store, I bought two cans of a hairspray that Mother particularly likes.
At a discount store, I got a $3 DVD titled "Food, Inc." This is a 2009 documentary that "criticizes American food corporations engaged in industrialized food production." The documentary was shown at our local filmfest a couple of years ago, but I missed it. I also missed a showing of it on the public TV channel.
From that store, we stopped at a roadside vendor to get fresh blackberries. Our last stop was the WDCS for several food items, including ice cream to have with the blackberries.
We got back to camp at 5 p.m. Sis was there visiting with Mother. Mother had put our supper in microwave bowls, and I began heating the dishes, and preparing other things for the meal. We had leftover pork roast with veggies, potatoes, sliced tomatoes, and sourdough bread.
It began raining, but Sis stayed around for a few games of Skipbo. She won three games and I won two. We had a snack of ice cream and blackberries (Sis, who is lactose intolerant, had vanilla yogurt) before Sis went home.
It continued to rain all night long.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sunday, June 13
Up about 7 a.m. to get ready to break camp and head home. Hubbie had a pair of camper jacks that he wanted to give to Son, so I called Son to arrange a meeting place on the way out of town.
We met at a small gas station/grocery store, where Son and Daughter-in-Law gave us a box of cucumbers from their garden, as well as a jar of dill pickles, and a jar of cucumber relish that they'd canned, based on Mother's recipes.
We arrived back home around noon, and after a sandwich lunch, unloading the camper, and showering, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS to get a few groceries and pick up a rotisserie chicken for supper.
The chicken was very good with leftover macaroni and cheese, leftover sauteed potatoes, cream style corn, and slices of sourdough bread (a high carbo meal), plus fresh cucumbers and tomatoes.
Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I watched TV until around 8:15, when we went over to the college to see an outdoor movie, sponsored by the arts council. But boo, we were told the movie, "Wallace and Gromit," was cancelled due to projector problems. "Wallace and Gromit" is a British stop motion clay animation feature that I've been told is hilarious, so I was disappointed that it was cancelled. Maybe I can rent it.
I'd packed fresh fruit and bottled water, hand fans, and insect repellent for the movie, and Hubbie had tossed the lawn chairs into the van. When we found out the movie was cancelled, we decided to go by a fast food restaurant and pick up three cups of soft serve ice cream. We brought them home to enjoy, including one for Mother, who had opted out of going to the movie.
We finished the evening with more TV.
Over the next few days, I'll post blogs about our trip a couple of hours south to attend Niece's wedding.
We met at a small gas station/grocery store, where Son and Daughter-in-Law gave us a box of cucumbers from their garden, as well as a jar of dill pickles, and a jar of cucumber relish that they'd canned, based on Mother's recipes.
We arrived back home around noon, and after a sandwich lunch, unloading the camper, and showering, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS to get a few groceries and pick up a rotisserie chicken for supper.
The chicken was very good with leftover macaroni and cheese, leftover sauteed potatoes, cream style corn, and slices of sourdough bread (a high carbo meal), plus fresh cucumbers and tomatoes.
Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I watched TV until around 8:15, when we went over to the college to see an outdoor movie, sponsored by the arts council. But boo, we were told the movie, "Wallace and Gromit," was cancelled due to projector problems. "Wallace and Gromit" is a British stop motion clay animation feature that I've been told is hilarious, so I was disappointed that it was cancelled. Maybe I can rent it.
I'd packed fresh fruit and bottled water, hand fans, and insect repellent for the movie, and Hubbie had tossed the lawn chairs into the van. When we found out the movie was cancelled, we decided to go by a fast food restaurant and pick up three cups of soft serve ice cream. We brought them home to enjoy, including one for Mother, who had opted out of going to the movie.
We finished the evening with more TV.
Over the next few days, I'll post blogs about our trip a couple of hours south to attend Niece's wedding.
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