Slept late again this morning, until around 8 a.m., and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. While I was getting ready for the day, Mother came over, bringing a recipe for ginger snap cookies, and Hubbie visited a friend to get sacks of horse manure (how's that for contradictory images?).
By the time I was ready for the day, it was nearly lunch time. After lunch, I mixed a batch of cookie dough. Since the dough had to be chilled in the freezer for at least fifteen minutes, Mother insisted on baking the cookies while Hubbie and I went to pick up a few groceries and put gas in the van.
Back home, since we didn't have any projects planned, we watched a new stage version of the musical "South Pacific," performed at the Lincoln Center in New York. I had recorded the performance on DVR from the public television channel. It was a wonderful show that lasted until around 5:30 p.m.
Around 4 p.m., I put a couple of huge potatoes in the oven to bake, which we had with hamburgers/turkey burgers and corn-on-the-cob for supper after the movie.
Just as we were ready to eat, a storm blew up, bringing with it thunder and wind, but only enough rain to barely wet the ground. By 6 p.m., the storm had passed, and Mother was ready to go home, taking with her a half dozen of the four dozen cookies she baked. I kept a dozen for Hubbie and me and put the rest in the freezer.
Later, we watched the 2009, R-rated movie, "Inglorious Basterds," starring Brad Pitt. The two and a half hour film is a WWII drama about a group of Nazi-scalping American soldiers bent on taking down the Third Reich. Lots of cruelty and bloodshed. Certainly was a contrast to "South Pacific," also based on WWII. The only similarity between the two movies is that they are both fantasies.
On a lighter note, hummingbirds are finally visiting our feeders. We haven't seen any at the feeders all summer until now...maybe because there have been plenty of flowers for them to visit. Now that the flowers are fading, the birds are fueling up at the feeders for their long journey sometime in September.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Friday, August 20
Up late this morning at nearly 8 a.m., but did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. Mother came over as I was getting ready for the day and organized the scrapbooking and card making materials from our recent projects. Things just seem to get in a chaotic jumble when we work.
Once I was dressed, I uploaded photos from yesterday's meeting and printed copies. Then I wrote a short report for Extension Services, noting how we used the $100 grant money. I included the photos, and then Hubbie took the information to the ES office on his way to a chiropractor session this afternoon. It was due by September 1, so I'm glad to have it out of my hair.
After that, I joined Mother in organizing scrapbook materials. We didn't do much else until lunchtime, and after lunch, we continued with our organizing until around 3 p.m. Then Mother napped until suppertime, and I played on my computer.
For supper, I fixed biscuits and white gravy, with a combination of scrambled egg substitute mixed with fresh eggs (that are not of the tainted variety...ours are from our own state). This is another of Hubbie's favorite meals. I don't fix it very often, though, since it isn't the healthiest choice.
After supper, we got a recorded message from our cable company apologizing for the interruption in Internet and TV service the last two days. The explanation was that a fiber optic line that our company and other company share was accidentally cut. So now our company plans to install its own separate line. I expect that we'll soon be receiving a coupon for a free pay-per-view movie.
Later, we watched the movie, "Neverwas," a 2005, PG-13 feature starring Aaron Eckhart, Ian McKellen, William Hurt, Bill Bellamy, and Michael Moriarty, along with Jessica Lange and Nick Nolte. In this film, a young psychiatrist returns to his home town and is employed by an institution where he once lived. Here, he deals with a patient who lives the fantasy of a children's book that the psychiatrist's father wrote. Along the way, the psychiatrist learns some truths about his own past.
Once I was dressed, I uploaded photos from yesterday's meeting and printed copies. Then I wrote a short report for Extension Services, noting how we used the $100 grant money. I included the photos, and then Hubbie took the information to the ES office on his way to a chiropractor session this afternoon. It was due by September 1, so I'm glad to have it out of my hair.
After that, I joined Mother in organizing scrapbook materials. We didn't do much else until lunchtime, and after lunch, we continued with our organizing until around 3 p.m. Then Mother napped until suppertime, and I played on my computer.
For supper, I fixed biscuits and white gravy, with a combination of scrambled egg substitute mixed with fresh eggs (that are not of the tainted variety...ours are from our own state). This is another of Hubbie's favorite meals. I don't fix it very often, though, since it isn't the healthiest choice.
After supper, we got a recorded message from our cable company apologizing for the interruption in Internet and TV service the last two days. The explanation was that a fiber optic line that our company and other company share was accidentally cut. So now our company plans to install its own separate line. I expect that we'll soon be receiving a coupon for a free pay-per-view movie.
Later, we watched the movie, "Neverwas," a 2005, PG-13 feature starring Aaron Eckhart, Ian McKellen, William Hurt, Bill Bellamy, and Michael Moriarty, along with Jessica Lange and Nick Nolte. In this film, a young psychiatrist returns to his home town and is employed by an institution where he once lived. Here, he deals with a patient who lives the fantasy of a children's book that the psychiatrist's father wrote. Along the way, the psychiatrist learns some truths about his own past.
Thursday, August 19
Again yesterday, around 3 p.m., our cable company shut down Internet services. In the evening, we also couldn't get the three main TV channels. They must be updating services or something, but it sure is inconvenient.
Was up around 7 a.m. and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Mother came over after that, and we gathered our scrapbooking materials into totes, which Hubbie took to the van. We didn't do much else for the rest of the morning.
Hubbie ran to the grocery store/pharmacy to pick up prescriptions for Mother, and a jar of salsa for me to use in making a Mexican rice dish for supper.
Mother went home for lunch, and returned before 1 p.m. so we could go to a scrapbook club meeting at the Extension Services office. The other lady who joined us came by around 12:45 to ride with us.
At the meeting, one of the secretaries of the office took snapshots of the three of us looking through handmade greeting cards. I also shot photos of the cards and rubber stamps we used in making them. This was all for a report I am required to make, stating how our club spent $100 in grant money for buying rubber stamps and paper supplies for making cards to be donated to Caring Hands Hospice.
After that, we got down to work on our own scrapbook pages projects. I made two pages...one of my oldest son playing guitar with his band, and one of my youngest son posing in farm clothes in front of a bumper crop of corn he raised. Mother completed two pages featuring Niece's wedding photos.
As we were traveling to the meeting, the sky darkened as though there would be a storm. At the meeting, we heard a couple of thunderclaps, promising rain that didn't materialize.
We were back home just after 3 p.m. Mother went home, and I put together the Mexican Rice dish. I used brown rice that we'd prepared in the rice steamer, plus salsa, green chilies, refried bean dip, whole kernel corn from the freezer (thawed), spinach from the freezer (thawed), shredded Monterey Jack cheese, chili powder and cumin. The rice (four cups) is mixed with the salsa (one and one-quarter cups), 1 tsp. cumin, and 1 tbsp. chili powder, and half is spread in a cooking oil sprayed two-quart dish. A four-ounce can of chopped green chilies, the bean dip, and a cup of corn are mixed together. This is placed on top of the rice. The spinach (a cup) is placed on top of that layer, and this is sprinkled with half of a three-quarter cup of shredded cheese (can use cheddar). The rest of the rice is spread on top, and the other half of the cheese is spread on it. It is baked uncovered at 350 degrees until the cheese melts and the mixture is hot throughout. Makes six generous servings. Hubbie is fond of Mexican style food, so this tasty dish suited him.
We spent the evening as usual, watching TV. But while we were doing this, I brought another stack of "stuff" from the office, which we went through, discarding all of it except a newspaper article I'd written, and some squares of sample wall paper and paint sample chips that I think we can use in making greeting cards. These were from a large accordion folder of information about home decorating. If I ever need this sort of info again, I can probably find what I need on the Internet.
Movie fare tonight was "Traitor," starring Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Neal McDonough, and Jeff Daniels. In this 2008, PG-13 action movie of politics and espionage, Cheadle's character is a devout Muslim, living in Afghanistan, who is working with the FBI against terrorism. To do this, he is embedded with terrorists. To make them believe he is with them, a bombing incident is set up where dead bodies are planted in a building and then Cheadle's character blows part of the building away. Only thing is, eight innocent people somehow are killed. Now Cheadle's character is conflicted. But he is still determined to somehow thwart the terrorists' plans to simultaneously blow up a bunch of buses across America.
Was up around 7 a.m. and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Mother came over after that, and we gathered our scrapbooking materials into totes, which Hubbie took to the van. We didn't do much else for the rest of the morning.
Hubbie ran to the grocery store/pharmacy to pick up prescriptions for Mother, and a jar of salsa for me to use in making a Mexican rice dish for supper.
Mother went home for lunch, and returned before 1 p.m. so we could go to a scrapbook club meeting at the Extension Services office. The other lady who joined us came by around 12:45 to ride with us.
At the meeting, one of the secretaries of the office took snapshots of the three of us looking through handmade greeting cards. I also shot photos of the cards and rubber stamps we used in making them. This was all for a report I am required to make, stating how our club spent $100 in grant money for buying rubber stamps and paper supplies for making cards to be donated to Caring Hands Hospice.
After that, we got down to work on our own scrapbook pages projects. I made two pages...one of my oldest son playing guitar with his band, and one of my youngest son posing in farm clothes in front of a bumper crop of corn he raised. Mother completed two pages featuring Niece's wedding photos.
As we were traveling to the meeting, the sky darkened as though there would be a storm. At the meeting, we heard a couple of thunderclaps, promising rain that didn't materialize.
We were back home just after 3 p.m. Mother went home, and I put together the Mexican Rice dish. I used brown rice that we'd prepared in the rice steamer, plus salsa, green chilies, refried bean dip, whole kernel corn from the freezer (thawed), spinach from the freezer (thawed), shredded Monterey Jack cheese, chili powder and cumin. The rice (four cups) is mixed with the salsa (one and one-quarter cups), 1 tsp. cumin, and 1 tbsp. chili powder, and half is spread in a cooking oil sprayed two-quart dish. A four-ounce can of chopped green chilies, the bean dip, and a cup of corn are mixed together. This is placed on top of the rice. The spinach (a cup) is placed on top of that layer, and this is sprinkled with half of a three-quarter cup of shredded cheese (can use cheddar). The rest of the rice is spread on top, and the other half of the cheese is spread on it. It is baked uncovered at 350 degrees until the cheese melts and the mixture is hot throughout. Makes six generous servings. Hubbie is fond of Mexican style food, so this tasty dish suited him.
We spent the evening as usual, watching TV. But while we were doing this, I brought another stack of "stuff" from the office, which we went through, discarding all of it except a newspaper article I'd written, and some squares of sample wall paper and paint sample chips that I think we can use in making greeting cards. These were from a large accordion folder of information about home decorating. If I ever need this sort of info again, I can probably find what I need on the Internet.
Movie fare tonight was "Traitor," starring Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Neal McDonough, and Jeff Daniels. In this 2008, PG-13 action movie of politics and espionage, Cheadle's character is a devout Muslim, living in Afghanistan, who is working with the FBI against terrorism. To do this, he is embedded with terrorists. To make them believe he is with them, a bombing incident is set up where dead bodies are planted in a building and then Cheadle's character blows part of the building away. Only thing is, eight innocent people somehow are killed. Now Cheadle's character is conflicted. But he is still determined to somehow thwart the terrorists' plans to simultaneously blow up a bunch of buses across America.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wednesday, August 18
I was glad to see this morning that we are back online.
I skipped my exercises this morning, because Hubbie and I had appointments to get fasting lab blood tests...his at 8:30, mine at 8:45. We arrived a few minutes before 8:30, and both of us were called back to the lab in no time. Besides a blood test, I was to give a urine sample. I didn't know that before I arrived, or I wouldn't have relieved myself just before we left the house. The lab had to make do with what little I could provide.
We were back home around 9 a.m., and Hubbie fixed us a breakfast of bagels with cream cheese and mulberry jelly, sliced fresh peaches, and mugs of steaming decaf coffee.
At 11 a.m., I returned to the clinic for a six-month follow-up exam. I drove the noisy diesel truck, since Hubbie was using the van to meet an appointment.
The doctor said my blood and urine tests showed perfect results, though she won't know about the thyroid result for a couple of days. But I expect it to be fine, too. The doctor commented on the bruises on my arms (of which there is one more added, thanks to the blood draw), and I told her that it is really inconvenient to sport these black and blue places during special event times. Right now, I have a couple of sizable bruises on my right arm, and about four on my left arm. She suggested that if I was really bothered by them, I should contact my cardiologist to see if she would cut my blood thinner to one tablet every other day, instead of one a day. I'll probably do that.
Back home, Hubbie and I settled for PB&J sandwiches and glasses of milk for lunch. Mother had lunch at her house and then came over to our house afterward.
After lunch, I shopped at both the stores that have sales every weekend. I had a $10 coupon for one store, where I bought intimate apparel at buy-one-get-one-half-price, plus the $10 discount. At the other store, I bought a brown shell for myself and two shirts for Hubbie (Mother will use these as Christmas gifts for him). The shirts were on sale at 70% off, and I used a 40% off coupon to buy the shell.
When I got back home, Hubbie was ready to commandeer the van to go to a chiropractor appointment at 3:30. It's been a day for doctor appointments. Glad to be done with them for a while.
While I was gone shopping, Mother put a pot of beans on to simmer. We'll have the beans with baked sweet potatoes, sauteed cabbage, and sliced tomatoes from the garden. The tomato crop is about to dry up. We'll miss them. Although I won't mind seeing the last of the extremely hot weather of this summer, I hate that there won't be anymore fresh , locally grown fruits and vegetables. Of course, there will be autumn crops of squashes and apples, etc., but I'm paticularly fond of the summer yields.
After supper, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS to pick up a few items, including green chilies for a Mexican rice dish for tomorrow night's supper. We also stopped by the pharmacy in hopes of paying for a prescription for a family member in another town, but was told we would have to call the other store directly. This after I'd been told an hour before by the store in the other town that I could drop by our local store for the transaction. I'm surprised that our local store can't oblige, since a competing grocery store is able to. Just another reason to do more of my shopping at the grocery store.
I'm getting more and more disenchanted with the WDCS (worldwide discount chain store) anyway, especially since they are in the process of "remodeling," which includes making aisles so narrow that two carts can't pass, discontinuing name brand food products in favor of the store's lower quality brand, and narrowing the scrapbook department into practically non-existence. I don't sew, but other ladies are frustrated that the store has discontinued its fabric department. It's getting to be a thoroughly unpleasant place to shop.
Later, we watched the movie, "The Confessor," starring Christian Slater. In this PG-13 flick, a priest is accused of murder, and another priest (Slater) has his faith tested as he attempts to prove the accused priest innocent.
Note: our do-good act for the day: as we were leaving the parking lot of the WDCS, we noticed a purse in a cart...the cart had been pushed between two cars and left there. No one was around or in any of the nearby cars. So Hubbie wheeled the cart into the store and let the door greeter (a person we know) take charge of the purse. The lady who lost it will be thrilled to get it back...I know, because I've left my purse in carts twice....once at this store and once at a grocery store. Each time, an honest person took it into the store, where I retrieved it later.
I skipped my exercises this morning, because Hubbie and I had appointments to get fasting lab blood tests...his at 8:30, mine at 8:45. We arrived a few minutes before 8:30, and both of us were called back to the lab in no time. Besides a blood test, I was to give a urine sample. I didn't know that before I arrived, or I wouldn't have relieved myself just before we left the house. The lab had to make do with what little I could provide.
We were back home around 9 a.m., and Hubbie fixed us a breakfast of bagels with cream cheese and mulberry jelly, sliced fresh peaches, and mugs of steaming decaf coffee.
At 11 a.m., I returned to the clinic for a six-month follow-up exam. I drove the noisy diesel truck, since Hubbie was using the van to meet an appointment.
The doctor said my blood and urine tests showed perfect results, though she won't know about the thyroid result for a couple of days. But I expect it to be fine, too. The doctor commented on the bruises on my arms (of which there is one more added, thanks to the blood draw), and I told her that it is really inconvenient to sport these black and blue places during special event times. Right now, I have a couple of sizable bruises on my right arm, and about four on my left arm. She suggested that if I was really bothered by them, I should contact my cardiologist to see if she would cut my blood thinner to one tablet every other day, instead of one a day. I'll probably do that.
Back home, Hubbie and I settled for PB&J sandwiches and glasses of milk for lunch. Mother had lunch at her house and then came over to our house afterward.
After lunch, I shopped at both the stores that have sales every weekend. I had a $10 coupon for one store, where I bought intimate apparel at buy-one-get-one-half-price, plus the $10 discount. At the other store, I bought a brown shell for myself and two shirts for Hubbie (Mother will use these as Christmas gifts for him). The shirts were on sale at 70% off, and I used a 40% off coupon to buy the shell.
When I got back home, Hubbie was ready to commandeer the van to go to a chiropractor appointment at 3:30. It's been a day for doctor appointments. Glad to be done with them for a while.
While I was gone shopping, Mother put a pot of beans on to simmer. We'll have the beans with baked sweet potatoes, sauteed cabbage, and sliced tomatoes from the garden. The tomato crop is about to dry up. We'll miss them. Although I won't mind seeing the last of the extremely hot weather of this summer, I hate that there won't be anymore fresh , locally grown fruits and vegetables. Of course, there will be autumn crops of squashes and apples, etc., but I'm paticularly fond of the summer yields.
After supper, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS to pick up a few items, including green chilies for a Mexican rice dish for tomorrow night's supper. We also stopped by the pharmacy in hopes of paying for a prescription for a family member in another town, but was told we would have to call the other store directly. This after I'd been told an hour before by the store in the other town that I could drop by our local store for the transaction. I'm surprised that our local store can't oblige, since a competing grocery store is able to. Just another reason to do more of my shopping at the grocery store.
I'm getting more and more disenchanted with the WDCS (worldwide discount chain store) anyway, especially since they are in the process of "remodeling," which includes making aisles so narrow that two carts can't pass, discontinuing name brand food products in favor of the store's lower quality brand, and narrowing the scrapbook department into practically non-existence. I don't sew, but other ladies are frustrated that the store has discontinued its fabric department. It's getting to be a thoroughly unpleasant place to shop.
Later, we watched the movie, "The Confessor," starring Christian Slater. In this PG-13 flick, a priest is accused of murder, and another priest (Slater) has his faith tested as he attempts to prove the accused priest innocent.
Note: our do-good act for the day: as we were leaving the parking lot of the WDCS, we noticed a purse in a cart...the cart had been pushed between two cars and left there. No one was around or in any of the nearby cars. So Hubbie wheeled the cart into the store and let the door greeter (a person we know) take charge of the purse. The lady who lost it will be thrilled to get it back...I know, because I've left my purse in carts twice....once at this store and once at a grocery store. Each time, an honest person took it into the store, where I retrieved it later.
Tuesday, August 17
Up at 7 a.m. and did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. Mother came over after I was ready for the day, and I helped her plan scrapbook pages of Niece's wedding.
One of the scrapbook members called this morning to say she won't be able to make it to our meeting, since she has medical appointments in another town. So it'll just be the three of us to work on scrapbooks this month.
While I was at the phone (an old-fashioned land line...wonder when these will become obsolete?), I called my beauty shop to make an appointment for a haircut next week.
I did a couple of more loads of laundry this morning. Can't seem to come to the end of the laundry this week, which has included some hand washing, since I made the mistake of buying a couple of items that can't be washed in the machine. Also, since I'm prone to wearing my food, I had items that needed special attention to remove stains.
Didn't do much during the afternoon, other than start a steamer of brown rice cooking, after which Mother spent some time catching up on e-mail messages, blog narratives, and social network chatter. Around 3 p.m., our Internet went down, so that was the end of computer activity for the rest of the day.
For supper, Mother fixed Autumn apple pork chops, which we had with the brown rice, and a choice of butter beans or Lima beans. Sort of a colorless meal, though it all tasted delicious. She went home after that, and Hubbie and I spent time getting rid of stuff in my office. For months, rather than throwing away paper from the computer printer, I've saved it thinking I could use the back sides for some projects (a very green recycling idea), but I haven't. Instead, it created an unsightly mess, so we cut some of it into note papers and discarded the rest.
Then we cut the address labels off a stack of photography and office organizing magazines (some dating back to 1994), and discarded those. It's a start on paring down the "stuff" in my house. I don't know why we cling to things so long. I think some things accumulate just because we don't think to trash them in a timely manner....like magazines. Other things, like clothing, we believe we might one day wear again, but never do.
I'm hoping to sort and organize at least one shelf in my office each evening that we aren't scheduled for some other activity.
Later, Hubbie and I watched a movie..."The Least of These," starring Isaiah Washington, Robert Loggia and others. In this 2008, PG-13 movie, a young priest (Washington) returns as a teacher to the boys school he once attended. He is replacing a priest that disappeared under mysterious circumstances. He begins to suspect murder because of dark secrets. He also has to confront his own past.
One of the scrapbook members called this morning to say she won't be able to make it to our meeting, since she has medical appointments in another town. So it'll just be the three of us to work on scrapbooks this month.
While I was at the phone (an old-fashioned land line...wonder when these will become obsolete?), I called my beauty shop to make an appointment for a haircut next week.
I did a couple of more loads of laundry this morning. Can't seem to come to the end of the laundry this week, which has included some hand washing, since I made the mistake of buying a couple of items that can't be washed in the machine. Also, since I'm prone to wearing my food, I had items that needed special attention to remove stains.
Didn't do much during the afternoon, other than start a steamer of brown rice cooking, after which Mother spent some time catching up on e-mail messages, blog narratives, and social network chatter. Around 3 p.m., our Internet went down, so that was the end of computer activity for the rest of the day.
For supper, Mother fixed Autumn apple pork chops, which we had with the brown rice, and a choice of butter beans or Lima beans. Sort of a colorless meal, though it all tasted delicious. She went home after that, and Hubbie and I spent time getting rid of stuff in my office. For months, rather than throwing away paper from the computer printer, I've saved it thinking I could use the back sides for some projects (a very green recycling idea), but I haven't. Instead, it created an unsightly mess, so we cut some of it into note papers and discarded the rest.
Then we cut the address labels off a stack of photography and office organizing magazines (some dating back to 1994), and discarded those. It's a start on paring down the "stuff" in my house. I don't know why we cling to things so long. I think some things accumulate just because we don't think to trash them in a timely manner....like magazines. Other things, like clothing, we believe we might one day wear again, but never do.
I'm hoping to sort and organize at least one shelf in my office each evening that we aren't scheduled for some other activity.
Later, Hubbie and I watched a movie..."The Least of These," starring Isaiah Washington, Robert Loggia and others. In this 2008, PG-13 movie, a young priest (Washington) returns as a teacher to the boys school he once attended. He is replacing a priest that disappeared under mysterious circumstances. He begins to suspect murder because of dark secrets. He also has to confront his own past.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday, August 16
Up at 7 a.m. and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Hubbie had an appointment wtih his chiropractor at 9 a.m., and he left before I was ready for the day. Before I showered, I got a call from our neighbor lady who feeds our cats while we are on trips. She wanted me to drop by her house this afternoon to take a look at a digital SLR camera that she had an opportunity to buy from a friend. I agreed to do that.
Once I was ready for the day, Mother came over to work on gathering materials for making scrapbook pages of Niece's wedding. While she did that, I made phone calls. One to return a call to the nurse at Mother's and my doctor's office. I had to leave a message, since she was busy.
Next, I called the ladies of the scrapbook club to remind them of our Thursday meeting. Every month, one of the ladies asks to come by our house so she can ride with Mother and me to the meeting, and every month I agree, because it is no trouble to take her with us. I assure her every time that we never schedule anything else for meeting afternoons, so she is in no way imposing on us, and that if it is ever inconvenient, I'll let her know. But she worries every month, anyway.
I didn't reach the other scrapbook club member, but then I never do when I call. I always leave a message, and she usually shows up each month.
Before lunch, I washed several loads of clothes, and planned the week's menu. It was a brain-strainer, as usual. I simply run out of ideas after a while. But I finally cobbled a menu together, and made a grocery list based on it.
At 1:30, I visited the neighbor who asked me to look at the camera she thinking of buying. It's a really nice Sony SLR, that the friend is selling with five lenses, a flash unit, several memory cards, and a battery charger for only $600. He is a professional who wants to upgrade his camera system. This is a a dream deal, and I urged her to accept it. Her reservation is in learning to use it, but I convinced her she could use the automatic functions first to get used to it, then when she's more comfortable with the camera, she can read the manual to begin using more advanced functions.
To get her started, I showed her how to hold the camera, how to change the lenses, and how to access a few of the simple functions on the camera. I spent about thirty minutes with her, before her grandson awoke from his nap. He's a two-year-old with busy hands, eager to explore the camera equipment. So the neighbor had to quickly put it all away.
The nurse called back and said Mother's urologist had sent the doctor a report that showed Mother's constipation problem. The nurse asked if Mother was feeling any pain, and she said 'no.' The doctor recommended, though, that Mother take a daily dose of Miralax to ward off any further problems.
While I had the nurse on the line, I scheduled a fasting lab test for myself for Wednesday, when Hubbie is scheduled for the same test. I also scheduled an appintment with the doctor for later in the morning of that day.
Later, Hubbie and I shopped for groceries at the WDCS.
For supper tonight, Mother and I fixed microwave baked potatoes topped with barbecued pork from the freezer (heated, of course), barbecue sauce, and chopped Vidalia onions. Served this with a salad.
I accompanied Mother home after that, and then Hubbie and I watched TV. Tonight's feature was "Breakaway," a 2002 R-rated movie starring Dean Caine and Eric Roberts. A suspended Chicago cop (Caine) matches wits with a professional thief (Roberts) in a mall. The thief and his cohorts take hostages, including the cop's wife. The thieves hope to make off with $12 million in cash, and the cop must try to stop them and save the hostages. The thief (Roberts) needs the millions to save the life of his son, who has leukemia.
Once I was ready for the day, Mother came over to work on gathering materials for making scrapbook pages of Niece's wedding. While she did that, I made phone calls. One to return a call to the nurse at Mother's and my doctor's office. I had to leave a message, since she was busy.
Next, I called the ladies of the scrapbook club to remind them of our Thursday meeting. Every month, one of the ladies asks to come by our house so she can ride with Mother and me to the meeting, and every month I agree, because it is no trouble to take her with us. I assure her every time that we never schedule anything else for meeting afternoons, so she is in no way imposing on us, and that if it is ever inconvenient, I'll let her know. But she worries every month, anyway.
I didn't reach the other scrapbook club member, but then I never do when I call. I always leave a message, and she usually shows up each month.
Before lunch, I washed several loads of clothes, and planned the week's menu. It was a brain-strainer, as usual. I simply run out of ideas after a while. But I finally cobbled a menu together, and made a grocery list based on it.
At 1:30, I visited the neighbor who asked me to look at the camera she thinking of buying. It's a really nice Sony SLR, that the friend is selling with five lenses, a flash unit, several memory cards, and a battery charger for only $600. He is a professional who wants to upgrade his camera system. This is a a dream deal, and I urged her to accept it. Her reservation is in learning to use it, but I convinced her she could use the automatic functions first to get used to it, then when she's more comfortable with the camera, she can read the manual to begin using more advanced functions.
To get her started, I showed her how to hold the camera, how to change the lenses, and how to access a few of the simple functions on the camera. I spent about thirty minutes with her, before her grandson awoke from his nap. He's a two-year-old with busy hands, eager to explore the camera equipment. So the neighbor had to quickly put it all away.
The nurse called back and said Mother's urologist had sent the doctor a report that showed Mother's constipation problem. The nurse asked if Mother was feeling any pain, and she said 'no.' The doctor recommended, though, that Mother take a daily dose of Miralax to ward off any further problems.
While I had the nurse on the line, I scheduled a fasting lab test for myself for Wednesday, when Hubbie is scheduled for the same test. I also scheduled an appintment with the doctor for later in the morning of that day.
Later, Hubbie and I shopped for groceries at the WDCS.
For supper tonight, Mother and I fixed microwave baked potatoes topped with barbecued pork from the freezer (heated, of course), barbecue sauce, and chopped Vidalia onions. Served this with a salad.
I accompanied Mother home after that, and then Hubbie and I watched TV. Tonight's feature was "Breakaway," a 2002 R-rated movie starring Dean Caine and Eric Roberts. A suspended Chicago cop (Caine) matches wits with a professional thief (Roberts) in a mall. The thief and his cohorts take hostages, including the cop's wife. The thieves hope to make off with $12 million in cash, and the cop must try to stop them and save the hostages. The thief (Roberts) needs the millions to save the life of his son, who has leukemia.
Sunday, August 15
We were up by 7 a.m. to get ready to leave camp. We were on the road by about 9 a.m., and arrived home around 11 a.m.
Getting Mother's cat into the canvas crate this morning proved even more difficult than getting her into it to travel to camp. She hissed and spit and arched her back, laid her ears back, and swatted at Hubbie. So he just left the crate facing open to the open cage the cat was in. After a while, the cat, unable to resist exploring the canvas crate, finally walked into it, and Hubbie quickly zipped it closed. This infuriated the cat, who tried her best to claw her way out. She also whined for a while on the trip home, but finally gave it up.
Back home, we once again discovered that our air conditioner wasn't working. Hubbie had to call the emergency number to get a repairman scheduled. He was told three others were in front of us, so it was about 7 p.m. before the repairman came. Problem? The motor needed replacing. Phooey...another high repair bill. But I truly hope this is the last of the problems.
Since the air conditioner was fixed so late in the evening, the house didn't have time to cool off before bedtime, so we spent another night in the camper.
Speaking of the camper, this trip Hubbie found that the awning isn't working. He can't lower it for some reason...it seems to be stuck at the top of one of the arms, which means we'll probably have to get a camper repair service to fix it. It's always something.
The trip was nice, and we enjoyed both evenings of entertainment, but we did not enjoy getting a phone call just before the "Annie" performance from Hubbie's aunt in Texas, who reported that two months ago, she fell and broke a hip. She spent those two months in the hospital, but is home now. That was disturbing enough, but even more disturbing was news that less than two weeks ago, her son also fell, and he died. He was a man in his fifties, and she suspected he died of a heart attack.
Tonight, then, Sis reported that a young woman she worked with was murdered by her boyfriend on Saturday. The boyfriend, who is now in jail, also once worked at the same store. A younger brother and an older sister of the murdered woman currently work there. Naturally, this shocking event has distressed Sis and the other employees of the store.
Getting Mother's cat into the canvas crate this morning proved even more difficult than getting her into it to travel to camp. She hissed and spit and arched her back, laid her ears back, and swatted at Hubbie. So he just left the crate facing open to the open cage the cat was in. After a while, the cat, unable to resist exploring the canvas crate, finally walked into it, and Hubbie quickly zipped it closed. This infuriated the cat, who tried her best to claw her way out. She also whined for a while on the trip home, but finally gave it up.
Back home, we once again discovered that our air conditioner wasn't working. Hubbie had to call the emergency number to get a repairman scheduled. He was told three others were in front of us, so it was about 7 p.m. before the repairman came. Problem? The motor needed replacing. Phooey...another high repair bill. But I truly hope this is the last of the problems.
Since the air conditioner was fixed so late in the evening, the house didn't have time to cool off before bedtime, so we spent another night in the camper.
Speaking of the camper, this trip Hubbie found that the awning isn't working. He can't lower it for some reason...it seems to be stuck at the top of one of the arms, which means we'll probably have to get a camper repair service to fix it. It's always something.
The trip was nice, and we enjoyed both evenings of entertainment, but we did not enjoy getting a phone call just before the "Annie" performance from Hubbie's aunt in Texas, who reported that two months ago, she fell and broke a hip. She spent those two months in the hospital, but is home now. That was disturbing enough, but even more disturbing was news that less than two weeks ago, her son also fell, and he died. He was a man in his fifties, and she suspected he died of a heart attack.
Tonight, then, Sis reported that a young woman she worked with was murdered by her boyfriend on Saturday. The boyfriend, who is now in jail, also once worked at the same store. A younger brother and an older sister of the murdered woman currently work there. Naturally, this shocking event has distressed Sis and the other employees of the store.
Saturday, August 14
Up early again, so we could go to an annual "bargains galore" yard sale event. All along a route from a town in the western part of the state, to the middle of the state, yard sales were in progress. It began on Thursday, though, so by this morning, the sales were pretty picked over. But I found a few things...four China salad plates with pink flowers around the rim for one dollar; and six pairs of scrapbooking scissors for two dollars.
By 11 a.m., we were weary and very hot. The temperature today was over 100 degrees, and the humidity was thick enough to cut with a knife. Back at camp, around 1 p.m., Daughter, Granddaughter, and three great-grandkids arrived. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. It had been a long while since I'd seen one of the great-granddaughters, so I couldn't get enough of hugging her.
Later, we showered and dressed for a local dinner-theater performance. Great-Niece was part of the cast for a production of popular Broadway tunes. A local bistro catered the meal of green salad, chicken piccata on rice, spinach casserole, rolls, and New York cheescake.
The event was held in the fellowship hall of a local church. The meal was served at long tables with white tableclothes. Although the food was served on white plastic plates, there were cloth napkins. Self-serve pitchers of iced water and iced tea were on the table. Self-serve coffee was available on a separate table. Around 200 people attended the event tonight...a sold-out crowd.
A makeshift stage included a backdrop of heavy black material, hung on a pipe frame. For lighting, two stands of three utility lights each were taped to PVC pipes. As with "Annie," set pieces consisted of wooden boxes, and small round tables with chairs.
Today was an extremely hot day, reaching about 104 degrees, so even though there was air conditioning in the fellowship hall, large fans were set up around the perimeter to help stir the air. The fans were pretty loud, but we could still hear the singers who belted their numbers out. For those with less strong voices, production staff turned the loudest fans off.
Thirty-seven songs were featured, which I think was a bit much. I stood for most of the performance, so I could take pictures. But Mother said her bottom was numb by the time the event was over. With a twenty-minute intermission (during which we were served our cheescake dessert), plus two and a half hours of music, the performance ran on until 10:30. It was after 11 p.m. before we got back to the campground.
The performers were very good, though, and included singers as young as about eight, to a woman who appeared to be in her late 70s. We were particularly pleased with Great-Niece's performances, of course.
We were also glad to have the chance to visit with Niece and her family.
As with last night, we were plenty ready for bed by the time we arrived back at camp.
By 11 a.m., we were weary and very hot. The temperature today was over 100 degrees, and the humidity was thick enough to cut with a knife. Back at camp, around 1 p.m., Daughter, Granddaughter, and three great-grandkids arrived. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. It had been a long while since I'd seen one of the great-granddaughters, so I couldn't get enough of hugging her.
Later, we showered and dressed for a local dinner-theater performance. Great-Niece was part of the cast for a production of popular Broadway tunes. A local bistro catered the meal of green salad, chicken piccata on rice, spinach casserole, rolls, and New York cheescake.
The event was held in the fellowship hall of a local church. The meal was served at long tables with white tableclothes. Although the food was served on white plastic plates, there were cloth napkins. Self-serve pitchers of iced water and iced tea were on the table. Self-serve coffee was available on a separate table. Around 200 people attended the event tonight...a sold-out crowd.
A makeshift stage included a backdrop of heavy black material, hung on a pipe frame. For lighting, two stands of three utility lights each were taped to PVC pipes. As with "Annie," set pieces consisted of wooden boxes, and small round tables with chairs.
Today was an extremely hot day, reaching about 104 degrees, so even though there was air conditioning in the fellowship hall, large fans were set up around the perimeter to help stir the air. The fans were pretty loud, but we could still hear the singers who belted their numbers out. For those with less strong voices, production staff turned the loudest fans off.
Thirty-seven songs were featured, which I think was a bit much. I stood for most of the performance, so I could take pictures. But Mother said her bottom was numb by the time the event was over. With a twenty-minute intermission (during which we were served our cheescake dessert), plus two and a half hours of music, the performance ran on until 10:30. It was after 11 p.m. before we got back to the campground.
The performers were very good, though, and included singers as young as about eight, to a woman who appeared to be in her late 70s. We were particularly pleased with Great-Niece's performances, of course.
We were also glad to have the chance to visit with Niece and her family.
As with last night, we were plenty ready for bed by the time we arrived back at camp.
Friday, August 13
Up early to be ready for a trip a couple of hours south by 9 a.m. We wanted to beat the heat and get to the campground before noon.
This trip, beside Shih Tzu and Mother's cat, we took two kittens...the nearly blind white one and the black one. Took the black one to keep the white one company so she wouldn't yowl. We all rode in the truck this time, with a large canvas crate on the back seat for Mother's cat, and a small pet taxi for the kittens, which sat between the large crate and Mother.
Mother's cat was not a willing traveler this time. Hubbie had a devil of a time getting her into the crate and suffered a scratch while doing so. She voiced her objections for quite a while before settling down on the trip. Didn't hear a peep out of the kittens, though.
Got to camp in time to set up and have lunch at noon. Daughter called to say she and Great-Granddaughter were on their way for a visit. They arrived around 12:30 and had lunch. Daughter left after that, and Great-Granddaughter stayed. She planned to spend the night with us, but later in the evening, she changed her mind, and we had to take her home.
Tonight, we attended the play, "Annie," at a dinner-theater in the capital city. It was an excellent production, and the buffet-style food was pretty good too. There was a choice of flounder in wine sauce, freshly carved roast beef or ham, fried chicken, and corn dogs for the kids. There was also mashed potatoes and gravy, and macaroni and cheese, along with a variety of vegetables and salad. Desserts included a couple of kinds of pie and cake, as well as bread pudding.
The dinner-theater seating area is on three levels...the floor level, closest to the stage, a second level with tables for four, and a third level with tables for two. Seating is in a square, with three sides facing the stage. There was an iron rail along our level, but it in no obstructed the view of the stage.
The stage rolled out to extend it close to the first level seating area. The musicians were in one corner of the room. The set was minimal, with a city skyline as the backdrop. Quilts and pillows on wooden boxes that rolled onto stage served as the beds for the orphans.
It was an absolutely delightful production that held the attention of not only the adults, but all the children in the audience. Tonight, we estimated that about 350 people attended.
The curtain was scheduled to go up at 7:30, but it was held because a church bus load of folks arrived late. Seems they had not one but two flat tires on the way from their town, about 50 miles north.
It was about 11:30 before we got back to camp. It was a long day, and we were ready for bed by the time we got to it.
This trip, beside Shih Tzu and Mother's cat, we took two kittens...the nearly blind white one and the black one. Took the black one to keep the white one company so she wouldn't yowl. We all rode in the truck this time, with a large canvas crate on the back seat for Mother's cat, and a small pet taxi for the kittens, which sat between the large crate and Mother.
Mother's cat was not a willing traveler this time. Hubbie had a devil of a time getting her into the crate and suffered a scratch while doing so. She voiced her objections for quite a while before settling down on the trip. Didn't hear a peep out of the kittens, though.
Got to camp in time to set up and have lunch at noon. Daughter called to say she and Great-Granddaughter were on their way for a visit. They arrived around 12:30 and had lunch. Daughter left after that, and Great-Granddaughter stayed. She planned to spend the night with us, but later in the evening, she changed her mind, and we had to take her home.
Tonight, we attended the play, "Annie," at a dinner-theater in the capital city. It was an excellent production, and the buffet-style food was pretty good too. There was a choice of flounder in wine sauce, freshly carved roast beef or ham, fried chicken, and corn dogs for the kids. There was also mashed potatoes and gravy, and macaroni and cheese, along with a variety of vegetables and salad. Desserts included a couple of kinds of pie and cake, as well as bread pudding.
The dinner-theater seating area is on three levels...the floor level, closest to the stage, a second level with tables for four, and a third level with tables for two. Seating is in a square, with three sides facing the stage. There was an iron rail along our level, but it in no obstructed the view of the stage.
The stage rolled out to extend it close to the first level seating area. The musicians were in one corner of the room. The set was minimal, with a city skyline as the backdrop. Quilts and pillows on wooden boxes that rolled onto stage served as the beds for the orphans.
It was an absolutely delightful production that held the attention of not only the adults, but all the children in the audience. Tonight, we estimated that about 350 people attended.
The curtain was scheduled to go up at 7:30, but it was held because a church bus load of folks arrived late. Seems they had not one but two flat tires on the way from their town, about 50 miles north.
It was about 11:30 before we got back to camp. It was a long day, and we were ready for bed by the time we got to it.
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