Up late, around 8 a.m., but did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast.
The first thing Hubbie did was hang the flag on the well house in recognition of Labor Day on Monday. Then he peeled and cored pears that needed attention and set them to stewing.
Mother came over as I was exercising and worked on greeting cards. Once I was ready for the day, I didn't accomplish much before noon beyond ironing a couple of outfits to wear this weekend, and calling the theater in another town to make reservations for tomorrow to see "Guys and Dolls."
After lunch, Hubbie and I went once again to the discount store that is going out business, so I could browse through the greeting cards again. Today, we picked up about 50 of them at three for a dollar. We also bought several boxes of facial tissue at 30% off (autumn sneeze season is upon us, so we'll need these). I bought another glue stick, and a couple of cans of cranberry sauce, while Hubbie picked up two boxes of peanut brittle (not my favorite).
Back home, Mother had changed clothes so we could go to a Japanese flower arranging lecture at the college. The lecture began at 2 p.m. and lasted until around 3:30. Hubbie, naturally, opted out of going.
A Japanese flower arranger artist from a botanical garden in another state led the lecture. She speaks English, but not well, so she brought along an American woman to describe what she was doing as she created arrangements.
The woman created eight arrangements, adding them to four that were already arranged when we arrived. All were beautiful and pleasing, and all were different, but they each followed forms dictated by what is called Ikebana, which roughly means "bring life to the flowers."
These arrangements are meant to make guests welcome in homes, and can describe the seasons or certain events. They are asymetrical, as opposed to the generally symetrical styles in the U.S.
Ikebana originated about 500 years ago with Buddhist monks. It is based on simplicity composed of three main lines to symbolize the harmony between heaven, man, and earth (called Shin, Soe, and Tai). The arrangement also symbolizes man, woman, and child, represented by the heights (tall, medium, and short) and placements of the plants used.
The artist used several types of containers for her arrangements, but the most pleasing ones, we thought, were the shallow ones. She said she bought the containers at hobby stores, yard sales, etc. An item called a Kenzan is needed to make arrangements in shallow containers. The Kenzan is a heavy object with brush-like needles embedded in it.
Ikebana is an art form that is learned over many years, but I am going to try the technique in my home, using whatever is growing in our yard. After all, it only has to please me and whoever visits my home. I won't be tested on it (though the students who attended as part of their Japanese studies class probably will be).
Back home, I made a pear cobbler, and put a quart of the pears in the freezer. We had the cobbler with ice cream after a supper of leftover potato soup and bran muffins.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I settled in to listen to the radio as our favorite college team played its first game of the season. When it became apparent that we were going to trounce the opponent by a wide margin, we abandoned the game in favor of watching TV.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Friday, Sept. 3
Up at 6:30 to go to water aerobics. It was a lovely morning, with temp in the 60s and low humidity. I didn't mind having to park way up the hill near the student center and walking the distance downhill to the gym and then back uphill to my car after aerobics. A little extra exercise is good for me, so I made sure to walk briskly both ways. Of course, it's easier and more of a joy to walk briskly in cooler weather.
The water was cool, as usual, but nice once I got used to it. About 24 of us showed up. The dressing room was not as cold as usual, thanks to our 90-year-old member running the hand dryers for heat.
At home, once I was ready for the day, Mother came over, and we worked on greeting cards. We spent most of the day on this project. I printed autumn photos to use as backgrounds, and used a rubber stamp to make several pages of the greeting "It is your Special Day" in several colors. We think this greeting might be more appropriate than the traditional "Happy Birthday," for hospice patients or their family members.
Around 3:30, we discovered we didn't have the right color papers to use as insert sheets in the cards, or a glue stick to adhere them. So off I went to an office supply store to get what we needed.
When I got back, I made a batch of bran muffins to have with our supper of potato soup that Mother made (Hubbie had peeled and sliced the potatoes in the food processor earlier).
While Mother was stirring the soup just before supper, she suddenly felt nauseous, but though her stomach churned, nothing came of it, and she was able to eat a bowl of soup. But she turned down the muffins. She went home after supper, taking a muffin with her for breakfast.
Hubbie and I ran errands after supper...first to the other discount store that's going out of business. Today, many things were 30% off, so I picked up the last of the word search puzzle books, plus a roll of brown paper, a bottle of correction fluid, and a stack of greeting cards that were three for a dollar.
From there, we went to the WDCS for several grocery items. While there, I looked for a pair of canvas shoes I could wear with my waders. There were none to be found. So Hubbie and I returned to the other discount store, where I found a black pair in a size and half larger than I normally wear...big enough to stuff the wader footings into.
Then we went to a grocery store to get a gallon of milk, because the WDCS was out of it. The store also had shoe box size plastic totes at two for a dollar, so I got six of those.
Back home, we watched the 2008, PG-13 movie, "Doubt," starring Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. At a boys' school in 1964, a nun has it in for the parish priest, whom she dislikes intensely. On flimsy evidence, she decides the priest is having an inappropriate relationship with an African American altar boy. She decides to force him out of the parish, whatever the cost. Great movie.
The water was cool, as usual, but nice once I got used to it. About 24 of us showed up. The dressing room was not as cold as usual, thanks to our 90-year-old member running the hand dryers for heat.
At home, once I was ready for the day, Mother came over, and we worked on greeting cards. We spent most of the day on this project. I printed autumn photos to use as backgrounds, and used a rubber stamp to make several pages of the greeting "It is your Special Day" in several colors. We think this greeting might be more appropriate than the traditional "Happy Birthday," for hospice patients or their family members.
Around 3:30, we discovered we didn't have the right color papers to use as insert sheets in the cards, or a glue stick to adhere them. So off I went to an office supply store to get what we needed.
When I got back, I made a batch of bran muffins to have with our supper of potato soup that Mother made (Hubbie had peeled and sliced the potatoes in the food processor earlier).
While Mother was stirring the soup just before supper, she suddenly felt nauseous, but though her stomach churned, nothing came of it, and she was able to eat a bowl of soup. But she turned down the muffins. She went home after supper, taking a muffin with her for breakfast.
Hubbie and I ran errands after supper...first to the other discount store that's going out of business. Today, many things were 30% off, so I picked up the last of the word search puzzle books, plus a roll of brown paper, a bottle of correction fluid, and a stack of greeting cards that were three for a dollar.
From there, we went to the WDCS for several grocery items. While there, I looked for a pair of canvas shoes I could wear with my waders. There were none to be found. So Hubbie and I returned to the other discount store, where I found a black pair in a size and half larger than I normally wear...big enough to stuff the wader footings into.
Then we went to a grocery store to get a gallon of milk, because the WDCS was out of it. The store also had shoe box size plastic totes at two for a dollar, so I got six of those.
Back home, we watched the 2008, PG-13 movie, "Doubt," starring Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. At a boys' school in 1964, a nun has it in for the parish priest, whom she dislikes intensely. On flimsy evidence, she decides the priest is having an inappropriate relationship with an African American altar boy. She decides to force him out of the parish, whatever the cost. Great movie.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Thursday, Aug. 2
Up at 6:30 this morning again, because Hubbie needed to take the van to another town for repairs to satisfy a recall notice. He left around 8 a.m., and I did a treadmill session and resistance exercises while he was gone.
Once I was ready for the day, I searched again for the missing dinner-theater voucher. I went through Hubbie's briefcase paper by individual paper, but the tickets weren't there. So I went through my purse again, and lo, folded and tucked behind my check register was the voucher. I immediately called Hubbie and apologized for accusing him of losing it.
Then I called the theater, hoping to get reservations for either this Friday or Saturday night. Unfortunately, the show..."Guys and Dolls"...is sold out, and this is the last weekend for it. But the reservation clerk said that if enough people are interested in seeing the show, the theater is considering performing again on Sunday afternoon, but without a meal.
I agreed that I want to be notified if there is to be a show on Sunday, though I hate we can't take advantage of the dinner aspect of it. However, a show-only ticket will be less expensive for Mother (which I would have paid for anyway). If we get to see the show, we will go to the town early enough to eat at a favorite restaurant.
I would have planned to see this show sometime in August, except it would have been too hot to leave Shih Tzu in the car. Friday and Saturday are supposed to be cooler in the evenings, so that the dog could have stayed in the van. If we go on Sunday, we'll leave Shih Tzu home, because we can feed her before lunch, and then be home before her evening feeding. She's so old that she'll sleep the afternoon away.
Hopefully, we'll know tomorrow if there's to be a show on Sunday.
Before Hubbie got home, I started cleaning the closet in my office. I sorted through all my shoes, discarding a big bag full, and bagging three pairs for donation to a secondhand store.
Hubbie got home right after I finished that project. After lunch, we ran a couple of errands...to the WDCS, where I bought a plastic tote to store 30 years of calendars, and pick up a few groceries, including counry ribs and a bottle of barbecue sauce for our Labor Day dinner on Monday. From there, we went to a pharmacy to pick a medication for Mother. Had to stand in line forever, since a new employee was being trained. Have to be patient with new employees...we've all been there.
At home, I continued to work on cleaning the office closet, beginning with storing the calendars in the tote. We keep our calendars each year, because they are a history of events and activities of our lives, and we have frequently referred to them to verify birth dates, check on when we've had surgeries, etc.
Then Hubbie and I sorted out a jumble of purses and clothing hangers, putting the purses in a tote, and tying the hangers together to keep them from mating with each other. Empty boxes and the like went to the trash. Hubbie likes to keep boxes that electronics come in, in case we have to send the item off for repair, which means we get an accumulation of boxes. The items to some boxes in my closet are long gone, though, so I was glad to ditch those. I'm left with only one empty box, now, thank goodness. The closet looks nice and organized now.
When we'd finished with the closet, Hubbie gathered the two female cats that had been spayed last week and took them to the vet to have the stitiches removed. He also took two of the kittens to be seen, since one of them is sneezing. The vet ordered an antibiotic for them. Wow, they really don't like the medication and fought Hubbie when he administered it.
Mother stayed home today, but later she came over to help put leftovers in the oven for our supper. It was a real carbohydrate-load smorgasbord tonight, with choices of macaroni and cheese, noodles topped with autumn stew, mashed potatoes and salisbury steak gravy, Spanish rice, spinach, English peas, and Chinese beets. But it was all good.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched the first football game of the season between our local high school team and a nearby town. The game was broadcast by our local newspaper's online site, and we watched it on my laptop. Our team won.
Once I was ready for the day, I searched again for the missing dinner-theater voucher. I went through Hubbie's briefcase paper by individual paper, but the tickets weren't there. So I went through my purse again, and lo, folded and tucked behind my check register was the voucher. I immediately called Hubbie and apologized for accusing him of losing it.
Then I called the theater, hoping to get reservations for either this Friday or Saturday night. Unfortunately, the show..."Guys and Dolls"...is sold out, and this is the last weekend for it. But the reservation clerk said that if enough people are interested in seeing the show, the theater is considering performing again on Sunday afternoon, but without a meal.
I agreed that I want to be notified if there is to be a show on Sunday, though I hate we can't take advantage of the dinner aspect of it. However, a show-only ticket will be less expensive for Mother (which I would have paid for anyway). If we get to see the show, we will go to the town early enough to eat at a favorite restaurant.
I would have planned to see this show sometime in August, except it would have been too hot to leave Shih Tzu in the car. Friday and Saturday are supposed to be cooler in the evenings, so that the dog could have stayed in the van. If we go on Sunday, we'll leave Shih Tzu home, because we can feed her before lunch, and then be home before her evening feeding. She's so old that she'll sleep the afternoon away.
Hopefully, we'll know tomorrow if there's to be a show on Sunday.
Before Hubbie got home, I started cleaning the closet in my office. I sorted through all my shoes, discarding a big bag full, and bagging three pairs for donation to a secondhand store.
Hubbie got home right after I finished that project. After lunch, we ran a couple of errands...to the WDCS, where I bought a plastic tote to store 30 years of calendars, and pick up a few groceries, including counry ribs and a bottle of barbecue sauce for our Labor Day dinner on Monday. From there, we went to a pharmacy to pick a medication for Mother. Had to stand in line forever, since a new employee was being trained. Have to be patient with new employees...we've all been there.
At home, I continued to work on cleaning the office closet, beginning with storing the calendars in the tote. We keep our calendars each year, because they are a history of events and activities of our lives, and we have frequently referred to them to verify birth dates, check on when we've had surgeries, etc.
Then Hubbie and I sorted out a jumble of purses and clothing hangers, putting the purses in a tote, and tying the hangers together to keep them from mating with each other. Empty boxes and the like went to the trash. Hubbie likes to keep boxes that electronics come in, in case we have to send the item off for repair, which means we get an accumulation of boxes. The items to some boxes in my closet are long gone, though, so I was glad to ditch those. I'm left with only one empty box, now, thank goodness. The closet looks nice and organized now.
When we'd finished with the closet, Hubbie gathered the two female cats that had been spayed last week and took them to the vet to have the stitiches removed. He also took two of the kittens to be seen, since one of them is sneezing. The vet ordered an antibiotic for them. Wow, they really don't like the medication and fought Hubbie when he administered it.
Mother stayed home today, but later she came over to help put leftovers in the oven for our supper. It was a real carbohydrate-load smorgasbord tonight, with choices of macaroni and cheese, noodles topped with autumn stew, mashed potatoes and salisbury steak gravy, Spanish rice, spinach, English peas, and Chinese beets. But it was all good.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched the first football game of the season between our local high school team and a nearby town. The game was broadcast by our local newspaper's online site, and we watched it on my laptop. Our team won.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Wednesday, Sept.1
Up at 6:30 on this first day of September, to get ready for water aerobics. I arrived a little earlier today, so I had more time to swim in the deep end before the session began. The water is still cool, but okay once I'm in it. The dressing room is another story...freezing in there, especially in a wet swimsuit.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, Mother came over. Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands before lunch. First we hand delivered a financial report to the Extension Services office. Each club, including our scrapbook club, is required to report income and expenses, under a Federal ID number, even though EH clubs have very small treasuries, and no inventory to report. Our club, for instance, has been in existence for five years, and has a treasury of less than $100, most of which will be used to pay dues, purchase Christmas stockings for a charity, and buy gasoline to travel to other towns for educational events.
The report was due today. I failed to complete it, because I thought our club didn't have anything of value to report. But the ES agent called yesterday saying that we had to report even our piddling funds.
From there, we stopped by a grocery store for a few items, and then came home.
After lunch, Hubbie made campground reservations for a trip to Branson in a few months, and I made reservations for the five shows that we plan to see. Took me a long time to jigsaw puzzle the shows into the days we will be there, but I finally did it. I had hoped to do only one show each day, but Hubbie didn't want to stay an extra day, so we'll do an afternoon and an evening show on one of the days. Hope that won't stress Mother too much, though she insisted that she wanted to attend every show.
Got an e-mail from the Caring Hands coordinator saying that we will be doing a greeting card making session on the evening of Sept. 9. She remarked that the organization particularly needs birthday cards, so that's what we'll be making.
While I was nailing down the Branson shows, Mother began making greeting cards. She used wallpaper samples as backgrounds (I'd unearthed the samples while cleaning my office). She'll finish decorating the cards at the meeting.
Later, for supper, we had salisbury steaks, with mashed potatoes, and spinach and English peas as sides.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I relaxed in front of TV.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, Mother came over. Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands before lunch. First we hand delivered a financial report to the Extension Services office. Each club, including our scrapbook club, is required to report income and expenses, under a Federal ID number, even though EH clubs have very small treasuries, and no inventory to report. Our club, for instance, has been in existence for five years, and has a treasury of less than $100, most of which will be used to pay dues, purchase Christmas stockings for a charity, and buy gasoline to travel to other towns for educational events.
The report was due today. I failed to complete it, because I thought our club didn't have anything of value to report. But the ES agent called yesterday saying that we had to report even our piddling funds.
From there, we stopped by a grocery store for a few items, and then came home.
After lunch, Hubbie made campground reservations for a trip to Branson in a few months, and I made reservations for the five shows that we plan to see. Took me a long time to jigsaw puzzle the shows into the days we will be there, but I finally did it. I had hoped to do only one show each day, but Hubbie didn't want to stay an extra day, so we'll do an afternoon and an evening show on one of the days. Hope that won't stress Mother too much, though she insisted that she wanted to attend every show.
Got an e-mail from the Caring Hands coordinator saying that we will be doing a greeting card making session on the evening of Sept. 9. She remarked that the organization particularly needs birthday cards, so that's what we'll be making.
While I was nailing down the Branson shows, Mother began making greeting cards. She used wallpaper samples as backgrounds (I'd unearthed the samples while cleaning my office). She'll finish decorating the cards at the meeting.
Later, for supper, we had salisbury steaks, with mashed potatoes, and spinach and English peas as sides.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I relaxed in front of TV.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 31
Last day of August. Not sorry to see it go, hopefully taking it's record high heat and humidity with it, rather than passing it on to September.
Slept late this morning, until 8 a.m., but did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. By the time I was ready for the day, it was 11 a.m. So I didn't accomplish anything before lunch. For lunch, I fixed cheese omelets (using egg substitute) for Hubbie and me, but Mother opted for a PB&J sandwich.
After lunch, Hubbie and ran errands...first, we went to the local radio station to see if we could get tickets to Branson shows. We found some to the Tony Orlando and Lennon Sisters show, and to an Amazing Pet show. Prices for these shows was two tickets for each show for less than half the cost of one ticket.
With the tickets we bought, we were given two free tickets to a comedy show, and two free tickets to the Veterans Memorial Museum. We went to the museum last year, so we will offer these tickets to someone else when we arrive in Branson.
From there, we went to the grocery store for a few items, including bread, cereal, and ice cream. Then we dropped by the medical clinic so Hubbie could leave a CD the X-ray his chiroprator made. The chiropractor wants the doctor to check on what he believes is a calcium deposit.
Then we went to the art gallery to see if Branson tickets offered at the summer celebration silent auction were still available. They were, but some of them had already expired. But there were two shows available. We offered $10 for the four tickets and the arts council director was glad to accept it.
Back home, I checked a Branson show schedule online, where I discovered that the animal show is not scheduled for the week we plan to be there. So Hubbie took them back to the station and got our money reimbursed.
So now we have enough tickets to admit the three of us to two shows, but will need to supplement the other two shows with tickets for Mother. And I want to buy tickets for the Andy Williams Christmas show...these will be the most expensive ones, but Mother really wants to see that show, so it'll be worth the price.
Since I was checking out shows online, I went to the site of a dinner theater in a nearby town, because I had bought two tickets to that theater at the summer celebration silent auction. I decided we might like to see "Guys and Dolls," which ends its run this weekend. Before I made reservations, and bought a ticket for Mother, though, I asked Hubbie to get the tickets out of his briefcase so we could check them. He couldn't find them. We've looked everywhere, but so far haven't turned them up. Drat, I hate that.
Later, for supper, we had Spanish rice and the last of the slicer tomatoes from our garden. Mother stewed the remaining grape tomatoes for the freezer.
Mother went home after that, and I went to the other store that has a sale every weekend to see if I could use a 40% off coupon. I found a silky, sleeveless tourquoise top on the clearance rack. After using the coupon, I paid $3.64 for it. The clerk and I both laughed about that.
At home, Hubbie and I watched the PG-13 romantic comedy, "(500) Days of Summer." A bit of fluff that turns the tables of 20-something romances. A greeting card designer guy meets what he believes is the girl of his dreams. The girl warns him that she doesn't want a permanent relationship, but when she breaks up with him, he goes into a tailspin and spends the rest of the movie hurt and angry with her. Not sure where the comedy comes in.
In the middle of the movie, I realized I'd forgotten that President Obama was to speak tonight. But after the movie, I went to an online news site, and we watched the video there.
Slept late this morning, until 8 a.m., but did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast. By the time I was ready for the day, it was 11 a.m. So I didn't accomplish anything before lunch. For lunch, I fixed cheese omelets (using egg substitute) for Hubbie and me, but Mother opted for a PB&J sandwich.
After lunch, Hubbie and ran errands...first, we went to the local radio station to see if we could get tickets to Branson shows. We found some to the Tony Orlando and Lennon Sisters show, and to an Amazing Pet show. Prices for these shows was two tickets for each show for less than half the cost of one ticket.
With the tickets we bought, we were given two free tickets to a comedy show, and two free tickets to the Veterans Memorial Museum. We went to the museum last year, so we will offer these tickets to someone else when we arrive in Branson.
From there, we went to the grocery store for a few items, including bread, cereal, and ice cream. Then we dropped by the medical clinic so Hubbie could leave a CD the X-ray his chiroprator made. The chiropractor wants the doctor to check on what he believes is a calcium deposit.
Then we went to the art gallery to see if Branson tickets offered at the summer celebration silent auction were still available. They were, but some of them had already expired. But there were two shows available. We offered $10 for the four tickets and the arts council director was glad to accept it.
Back home, I checked a Branson show schedule online, where I discovered that the animal show is not scheduled for the week we plan to be there. So Hubbie took them back to the station and got our money reimbursed.
So now we have enough tickets to admit the three of us to two shows, but will need to supplement the other two shows with tickets for Mother. And I want to buy tickets for the Andy Williams Christmas show...these will be the most expensive ones, but Mother really wants to see that show, so it'll be worth the price.
Since I was checking out shows online, I went to the site of a dinner theater in a nearby town, because I had bought two tickets to that theater at the summer celebration silent auction. I decided we might like to see "Guys and Dolls," which ends its run this weekend. Before I made reservations, and bought a ticket for Mother, though, I asked Hubbie to get the tickets out of his briefcase so we could check them. He couldn't find them. We've looked everywhere, but so far haven't turned them up. Drat, I hate that.
Later, for supper, we had Spanish rice and the last of the slicer tomatoes from our garden. Mother stewed the remaining grape tomatoes for the freezer.
Mother went home after that, and I went to the other store that has a sale every weekend to see if I could use a 40% off coupon. I found a silky, sleeveless tourquoise top on the clearance rack. After using the coupon, I paid $3.64 for it. The clerk and I both laughed about that.
At home, Hubbie and I watched the PG-13 romantic comedy, "(500) Days of Summer." A bit of fluff that turns the tables of 20-something romances. A greeting card designer guy meets what he believes is the girl of his dreams. The girl warns him that she doesn't want a permanent relationship, but when she breaks up with him, he goes into a tailspin and spends the rest of the movie hurt and angry with her. Not sure where the comedy comes in.
In the middle of the movie, I realized I'd forgotten that President Obama was to speak tonight. But after the movie, I went to an online news site, and we watched the video there.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 30
Awoke to a rainy morning. It has been a long while since we got rain, so we are grateful for it. Had trouble getting my day started, though, and I was a little later arriving at the college for water aerobics.
The parking lot was nearly full, and I began to think I wouldn't find a space. But there were a few open at the very top of the hill, near the student union. Fortunately, it had quit raining by the time I had to hike the distance to gym.
The pool was a bit cool, but felt good once I was in it for a few minutes. I only had about fifteen minutes to swim in the deep end, though, before aerobics started. There was a nice crowd on hand today...twenty-four of us. More than that and the pool would be too crowded.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I worked again at purging my office...lots more books went to the tote for storage until we can donate them to a fundraising event. And another pile of "stuff" went to a trash bag.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store for cottage cheese, to a pharmacy to pick up prescriptions for both Mother and me, to the bank, to a health store for multi-vitamins, and to the WDCS for a few items.
As usual at that store, we had trouble finding what we wanted, because they have rearranged everything in their remodeling efforts.
As we were proceeding down an aisle, a store associate said, "Don't you just love these wide aisles?"
"Yes," I agreed, "but I can't find anything."
"What are you looking for?" she asked, helpfully.
"Jelly," I said.
The associate got a very puzzled look on her face. "I know we have jelly," she said, "because I remember stocking it."
"See," I said, "even you don't know where anything is in this store, and you work here."
"I think it's on that aisle," she said, pointing and laughing, and set off in search of it. When she hadn't returned in a few minutes, we searched for it ourselves, and eventually located it....not in the direction the associate, who must have gotten lost in very bowels of the store, had pointed.
On the way home, we noticed that the other discount store was having a going-out-of-business sale. A big sign declared that items were on sale for up to 40% off. Since we had perishable groceries in the van, we came home and unloaded, and then went back to the store.
Aisle after aisle in that store had 10% off signs, one or two had 20% off signs, and I only saw one with a 30% off sign...no 40% off. But I guess 30% is considered "up to" 40%.
I bought a stack of word search puzzle books, originally marked one dollar each, so I got them for 80 cents. The cover price on the books was $3.95 each.
While I was browsing through the books, a reporter from our local newspaper asked if he could interview me, because the store wouldn't let him bring a camera or any sort of recording equipment into the store.
He wanted to know if I was surprised the store was closing, and I said I was not, adding that anytime Hubbie and I drove past, only two or three cars were on the parking lot. I'd frequently commented that I didn't know how the store stayed in business.
The reporter wanted to know what I thought the reason is for the store's lack of business. I remarked that I thought the store was hoping to catch the overflow from the WDCS, but that the everything's a dollar store had snatched that business away from them. All three stores are located within spitting distance of each other (figuratively speaking).
After we got home, Hubbie and I continued our office cleaning project. Again, I discarded a bunch of books, and Hubbie washed the shelves. Now, I have a dozen more neatly organized or empty shelves. That completes the book shelves. But there are two cabinets, and six file drawers that still need attention, as well as a jumbled closet.
Mother stayed at our house most of the day. For supper, she heated the leftover autumn stew from last night, and boiled a few more noodles to go with. We had this with canned biscuits and apple butter. Earlier in the afternoon, I made a batch of tapioca to have with our supper.
The parking lot was nearly full, and I began to think I wouldn't find a space. But there were a few open at the very top of the hill, near the student union. Fortunately, it had quit raining by the time I had to hike the distance to gym.
The pool was a bit cool, but felt good once I was in it for a few minutes. I only had about fifteen minutes to swim in the deep end, though, before aerobics started. There was a nice crowd on hand today...twenty-four of us. More than that and the pool would be too crowded.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I worked again at purging my office...lots more books went to the tote for storage until we can donate them to a fundraising event. And another pile of "stuff" went to a trash bag.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store for cottage cheese, to a pharmacy to pick up prescriptions for both Mother and me, to the bank, to a health store for multi-vitamins, and to the WDCS for a few items.
As usual at that store, we had trouble finding what we wanted, because they have rearranged everything in their remodeling efforts.
As we were proceeding down an aisle, a store associate said, "Don't you just love these wide aisles?"
"Yes," I agreed, "but I can't find anything."
"What are you looking for?" she asked, helpfully.
"Jelly," I said.
The associate got a very puzzled look on her face. "I know we have jelly," she said, "because I remember stocking it."
"See," I said, "even you don't know where anything is in this store, and you work here."
"I think it's on that aisle," she said, pointing and laughing, and set off in search of it. When she hadn't returned in a few minutes, we searched for it ourselves, and eventually located it....not in the direction the associate, who must have gotten lost in very bowels of the store, had pointed.
On the way home, we noticed that the other discount store was having a going-out-of-business sale. A big sign declared that items were on sale for up to 40% off. Since we had perishable groceries in the van, we came home and unloaded, and then went back to the store.
Aisle after aisle in that store had 10% off signs, one or two had 20% off signs, and I only saw one with a 30% off sign...no 40% off. But I guess 30% is considered "up to" 40%.
I bought a stack of word search puzzle books, originally marked one dollar each, so I got them for 80 cents. The cover price on the books was $3.95 each.
While I was browsing through the books, a reporter from our local newspaper asked if he could interview me, because the store wouldn't let him bring a camera or any sort of recording equipment into the store.
He wanted to know if I was surprised the store was closing, and I said I was not, adding that anytime Hubbie and I drove past, only two or three cars were on the parking lot. I'd frequently commented that I didn't know how the store stayed in business.
The reporter wanted to know what I thought the reason is for the store's lack of business. I remarked that I thought the store was hoping to catch the overflow from the WDCS, but that the everything's a dollar store had snatched that business away from them. All three stores are located within spitting distance of each other (figuratively speaking).
After we got home, Hubbie and I continued our office cleaning project. Again, I discarded a bunch of books, and Hubbie washed the shelves. Now, I have a dozen more neatly organized or empty shelves. That completes the book shelves. But there are two cabinets, and six file drawers that still need attention, as well as a jumbled closet.
Mother stayed at our house most of the day. For supper, she heated the leftover autumn stew from last night, and boiled a few more noodles to go with. We had this with canned biscuits and apple butter. Earlier in the afternoon, I made a batch of tapioca to have with our supper.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday, August 29
Skipped my exercises this morning again, in favor of sleeping later. I needed the rest more than the exercise today.
Mother came over early to start a pot of autumn stew simmering. For the rest of the morning, she entertained herself with the Sunday newspaper and working puzzles, while I gathered laundry, programmed the DVR for this week's shows and movies, and played on my office computer. I enjoyed reading comments about the photos I submitted for a coffee table book. I got over 550 votes in just three days, and some of my snapshots are included in the "most popular" categories. None of this is enough to get my work into the book, but it sure has been fun communicating with other photographers and seeing their images.
The stew was delicious served with part of a loaf of yeast bread from the freezer. Mother went home after that, and Hubbie and I spent time cleaning shelves in the office.
I culled a stack of romance novels that Hubbie's cousin had given me years ago, but which I never read, because I'm not a real fan of the genre. I also discarded several self-help books. At my age, I'm probably too set in my ways to take advice from authors who probably know nothing more about how to should live life than I do.
We stored all of these books in a couple of the $2 totes we bought the other day. The totes will go to the storage building until the college or some other organization asks for book donations for a fundraiser. Clearing away these books left two shelves entirely free for better use.
Culling books made me want to choose one of the "keepers," curl up in a chair, and read. I renewed my vow to set aside one hour each evening to do just that.
Once we'd breathed dust and sneezed enough for one afternoon, Hubbie came down to relax in the den, and I sorted my swimsuit drawers. I tried on several old ones, setting aside those that I can wear a little longer with shorts over them, and discarded those that are hoplessly stretched out and threadbare.
After that, we sat down to watch the movie, "The Children of Huang Shi," a 2008, R-rated (for violence) film, starring Johathan Ryes Meyers, and Yun-Fat Chow. This movie is based on true events. In the 1930s, in war-torn China, George Hogg, an Englishman, leads sixty orphan boys to safety across the Liu Pan Shan Mountains, before they can be drafted as soldiers. Good movie.
This evening, we watched, "Mrs. Henderson Presents," a 2006, R-rated comedy-drama, starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins. In 1937 London, wealthy Mrs. Henderson (Dench) is widowed. Instead of leading a quiet life, she decides to entertain soldiers about to be sent into battle by producing an all-day musical variety show featuring nude women posed like portraits in a gallery, with their "midlands" discreetly obscured. Based on true events.
Mother came over early to start a pot of autumn stew simmering. For the rest of the morning, she entertained herself with the Sunday newspaper and working puzzles, while I gathered laundry, programmed the DVR for this week's shows and movies, and played on my office computer. I enjoyed reading comments about the photos I submitted for a coffee table book. I got over 550 votes in just three days, and some of my snapshots are included in the "most popular" categories. None of this is enough to get my work into the book, but it sure has been fun communicating with other photographers and seeing their images.
The stew was delicious served with part of a loaf of yeast bread from the freezer. Mother went home after that, and Hubbie and I spent time cleaning shelves in the office.
I culled a stack of romance novels that Hubbie's cousin had given me years ago, but which I never read, because I'm not a real fan of the genre. I also discarded several self-help books. At my age, I'm probably too set in my ways to take advice from authors who probably know nothing more about how to should live life than I do.
We stored all of these books in a couple of the $2 totes we bought the other day. The totes will go to the storage building until the college or some other organization asks for book donations for a fundraiser. Clearing away these books left two shelves entirely free for better use.
Culling books made me want to choose one of the "keepers," curl up in a chair, and read. I renewed my vow to set aside one hour each evening to do just that.
Once we'd breathed dust and sneezed enough for one afternoon, Hubbie came down to relax in the den, and I sorted my swimsuit drawers. I tried on several old ones, setting aside those that I can wear a little longer with shorts over them, and discarded those that are hoplessly stretched out and threadbare.
After that, we sat down to watch the movie, "The Children of Huang Shi," a 2008, R-rated (for violence) film, starring Johathan Ryes Meyers, and Yun-Fat Chow. This movie is based on true events. In the 1930s, in war-torn China, George Hogg, an Englishman, leads sixty orphan boys to safety across the Liu Pan Shan Mountains, before they can be drafted as soldiers. Good movie.
This evening, we watched, "Mrs. Henderson Presents," a 2006, R-rated comedy-drama, starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins. In 1937 London, wealthy Mrs. Henderson (Dench) is widowed. Instead of leading a quiet life, she decides to entertain soldiers about to be sent into battle by producing an all-day musical variety show featuring nude women posed like portraits in a gallery, with their "midlands" discreetly obscured. Based on true events.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)