We had an especially good day today, because family came to visit.
We were up at 6 a.m. to prepare two beef roast for slow cookers. Mother came over while I was doing this, and we did a few other things related to lunch, before Hubbie and I had breakfast and got ready for the day.
I decided another dish or two would be in order for lunch, and decided to make a recipe of hot corn ( shoe peg corn baked with cream cheese and green chilies), and coleslaw. I had the ingredients for the hot corn, but no slaw mix. So Hubbie went to a grocery store for the slaw, as well as a few other food items. He brought back a very small bag of slaw mix, though, and I thought it wouldn't be enough. So I accompanied him back to the store to get another package, and cans of black olives for the pickle tray.
Son, Daughter-in-Law, Grandson and his girlfriend and her 18-month old baby arrived around 10 a.m. Granddaughter and her new friend, arrived around 11:30.
Hubbie had caged the male cat in the sunroom, but the two females were loose when family arrived. They immediately became frantic and ran to hide. Hubbie eventually coaxed them out and put them in the cage, too. They definitely seemed more content once they were caged and away from strangers.
Mother and I continued with lunch preparations while we visited with family. We all sat down to our feast around noon. Everyone seemed to like the beef roast (slow cooked in coffee and spices) with carrots and onions, mashed potatoes and gravy, hot corn, coleslaw, fruit salad, and yeast bread. Daughter-in-Law brought a German chocolate cake (a favorite of mine) for dessert, and it was yummy.
We had a wonderful visit with everyone. We really like Grandson's girlfriend and her very cute baby girl, and Granddaughter's new, very handsome and well-mannered friend. We hope to see more of them.
Before the grandkids left mid-afternoon, we gathered in the yard for group photos. We were glad that Son and Daughter-in-Law could stay longer. They left around 4:30 for the two-hour trip to their hometown, where they were to pick up our other young teenage Grandson, who was staying with friends for a couple of days to go duck hunting.
This was Grandson's first experience with duck hunting, but he shot a couple of them. He's destined to become an avid hunter, I guess...he's scheduled to go deer hunting with his dad during Thanksgiving weekend. The youth hunt is sponsored by our state's game and fish commission, which selects only 500 adult/youth applicants to hunt in a special area.
After everyone left, Mother went home, and Hubbie and I relaxed in front of TV. Around 8 p.m., we watched our favorite football team play to a nail-biter win in double overtime. The game actually began at 6 p.m., but I recorded it on DVR, so we could wait a while to watch it.
Funny: one of our female cats has become fascinated with the TV. She watches the images intently, and reaches out to touch the hands and faces of people, or tries to grasp objects, like women's earrings, and policemen's badges. From time-to-time, she goes behind the screen and paws the back of the TV, trying to figure out how the people got in there.
Mother said her cat watches TV sometimes, too, but only when animals are featured.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Friday, Nov. 19
Up at 6:30, and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Then did a few household chores, before getting ready to go to a Caring Hands Hospice awards luncheon at 11:30.
It was a very nice gathering of volunteers and staff. Lunch was salad and a choice of three kinds of soup...cheesy potato, taco, and vegetable...served in bread bowls. I opted for the veggie soup, of course, because the other two had yellow cheese in them. Dessert was mini cupcakes. Mother and I passed on those.
After lunch, each volunteer was presented with a pin, or a pin attachment declaring the number of hours served. Mother and I already have our pins, so we each got an attachment. The Caring Hands director spoke about how much the work of the volunteers is appreciated by patients and their families. She said that a handmade birthday card might be the only greeting they get on their day, and it makes them feel good that someone has gone to the trouble of creating something special for them.
One of the volunteers is a lady who owns a cake and candy making shop. This lady bakes and decorates cakes that she donates to hospice patients to celebrate their birthdays or anniversaries. I think that this is a very generous gesture.
One lady cooks meals for patients, while others just sit and visit with them. Today, a staff member said she would like to form a team of volunteers who could be called upon to sit with patients during their last hours, particularly with patients who have little or no family. This is a tough one. I don't know how many of us will be strong enough to brave it.
Our director read a piece about how the flight of geese is like human leadership (and volunteerism):
By flying in the V-formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a sense of direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of going it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are heading in the same direction as we are.
When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing, and another goose flies point. It pays to take turns doing hard jobs, with people or with flying geese.
These geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
We need to be careful what we say when we honk from behind.
Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out, two other geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help protect him. They stay with him either until his able to fly, or he is dead, and then they launch out on their own, or with another formation until they catch up with their group.
If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other, protect one another, and sometimes make new friends who seem to be going in our direction.
Another story she related was:
One day an elephant saw a tiny hummingbird lying on its back with its tiny legs in the air. "What are you doing?" the elephant asked.
The hummingbird replied, "I heard that the sky might fall today, so I am ready to help hold it up, if it should fall."
The elephant laughed cruelly. "Do you really think," he said, "that those tiny feet could help hold up the sky?"
The hummingbird kept his feet in the air, intent on his purpose, as he replied, "Not alone, but each must do what he can. And this is what I can do." ....Chinese parable.
Back home after the luncheon, we spruced the house a little for company tomorrow, and I made fruit salad to have with Saturday's lunch. Then Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands...first to the art gallery to tell the director that the newspaper article announcing our graham cracker cookie Christmas house workshop for Dec. 4 was misprinted as a "cookie making" workshop.
Then we went to check on a chicken dinner fundraiser to see if we could get three of the meals for supper. Unfortunately, the event ended at 2 p.m. So we stopped by a gas station to fill the van, and then went to a chicken restaurant to buy three takeout meals from their buffet.
Mother went home after supper, and we settled in front of TV. I checked my e-mail and learned from the Literacy Council director that I will not be working Monday and Tuesday with the Hispanic lady. Seems her former tutor has returned after her illness and wants to resume with the lady. So I am being assigned a new student, a 30-year old stay-at-home mom. So now I'll need to exchange my teacher's manual for yet another one. I haven't been told yet, at what level I'll be tutoring.
It was a very nice gathering of volunteers and staff. Lunch was salad and a choice of three kinds of soup...cheesy potato, taco, and vegetable...served in bread bowls. I opted for the veggie soup, of course, because the other two had yellow cheese in them. Dessert was mini cupcakes. Mother and I passed on those.
After lunch, each volunteer was presented with a pin, or a pin attachment declaring the number of hours served. Mother and I already have our pins, so we each got an attachment. The Caring Hands director spoke about how much the work of the volunteers is appreciated by patients and their families. She said that a handmade birthday card might be the only greeting they get on their day, and it makes them feel good that someone has gone to the trouble of creating something special for them.
One of the volunteers is a lady who owns a cake and candy making shop. This lady bakes and decorates cakes that she donates to hospice patients to celebrate their birthdays or anniversaries. I think that this is a very generous gesture.
One lady cooks meals for patients, while others just sit and visit with them. Today, a staff member said she would like to form a team of volunteers who could be called upon to sit with patients during their last hours, particularly with patients who have little or no family. This is a tough one. I don't know how many of us will be strong enough to brave it.
Our director read a piece about how the flight of geese is like human leadership (and volunteerism):
By flying in the V-formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a sense of direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of going it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are heading in the same direction as we are.
When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing, and another goose flies point. It pays to take turns doing hard jobs, with people or with flying geese.
These geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
We need to be careful what we say when we honk from behind.
Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out, two other geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help protect him. They stay with him either until his able to fly, or he is dead, and then they launch out on their own, or with another formation until they catch up with their group.
If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other, protect one another, and sometimes make new friends who seem to be going in our direction.
Another story she related was:
One day an elephant saw a tiny hummingbird lying on its back with its tiny legs in the air. "What are you doing?" the elephant asked.
The hummingbird replied, "I heard that the sky might fall today, so I am ready to help hold it up, if it should fall."
The elephant laughed cruelly. "Do you really think," he said, "that those tiny feet could help hold up the sky?"
The hummingbird kept his feet in the air, intent on his purpose, as he replied, "Not alone, but each must do what he can. And this is what I can do." ....Chinese parable.
Back home after the luncheon, we spruced the house a little for company tomorrow, and I made fruit salad to have with Saturday's lunch. Then Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands...first to the art gallery to tell the director that the newspaper article announcing our graham cracker cookie Christmas house workshop for Dec. 4 was misprinted as a "cookie making" workshop.
Then we went to check on a chicken dinner fundraiser to see if we could get three of the meals for supper. Unfortunately, the event ended at 2 p.m. So we stopped by a gas station to fill the van, and then went to a chicken restaurant to buy three takeout meals from their buffet.
Mother went home after supper, and we settled in front of TV. I checked my e-mail and learned from the Literacy Council director that I will not be working Monday and Tuesday with the Hispanic lady. Seems her former tutor has returned after her illness and wants to resume with the lady. So I am being assigned a new student, a 30-year old stay-at-home mom. So now I'll need to exchange my teacher's manual for yet another one. I haven't been told yet, at what level I'll be tutoring.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thursday, Nov. 18
Up around 7:30. Hubbie was gone...he took one of the cats to the vet to be spayed. This is the last cat to be spayed or neutered. No more kittens around here! He returned a few minutes before 8 a.m.
After breakfast, I did a treadmill session and weights exercises. Once I was ready for the day, I prepared a couple of beef roasts with garlic, onions, and vinegar to marinate for cooking Saturday.
Mother came over mid-morning, but we didn't do much before lunch. I fixed omelets with mushrooms, onions, and cheese for lunch. Mother and I shared an omelet, which we had with slices of toast and jelly, and hot coffee.
Around 12:45, one of our scrapbook club members came by, and I drove the three of us to our meeting at the Extension Services office. Another member was already there, and the fifth member arrived shortly afterward.
We all worked on various projects until around 2:45. Except for a little journaling, I finished the scrapbook pages of my high school class's 50th reunion. Mother still has a few pages to do on Niece's wedding. One member worked on Christmas cards for sending money gifts to her family, and the other two worked together on a heritage scrapbook to be given as a Christmas gift to the children of one of them (the women are sisters-in-law). We got a lot done today.
Mother went home after we got back, and Hubbie and I changed clothes to go to a soup/chili supper, bake sale, and silent/live auction at my alma mater college. There were about a dozen varieties of soups and chilies, including salmon-corn chowder, clam chowder, lamb stew, and several types of chili. All were being judged for a prize of a pewter Christmas ornament featuring one of the buildings on campus. I tried small samples of several of the soups/chilies, but my favorite was the salmon-corn chowder (which was also the winner of the prize). We know the lady who made the chowder, so I asked for the recipe, which she is to send to me.
At the bake sale, I bought a loaf of Casserole Swedish Rye Bread (something I've never tried), and six yogurt/nuts/Craisins mini-muffins. At the silent auction, we got a beautiful wooden inlaid cutting board (loaf of yeast bread included), made by an aquaintance, a black patent leather purse, a hand-decorated Christmas box, and a stuffed bunny. The bunny is intended as a gardener's decoration. It stands about a foot and half tall, with green gardening clothes, holding a spade. This might become part of a Christmas gift for the Master Gardeners.
The Christmas box is one that was decorated for the art gallery for one of its fundraisers, but it didn't sell (it's a bit gaudy), so the gallery donated it to the college library for the silent auction. No one bid on it, so I bid one dollar and got it. It'll make a good gift pack box at Christmas.
It was a fun event that ended around 7 p.m. I enjoyed visiting with folks, including a friend who works in the library at the college, and who was a student of mine when I taught a photography course there. I hated to learn, though, that her husband (a long-time smoker) was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. A portion of one lung was removed, but tests show that the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes. Chemo is the remaining option, which he does not want. So he and my friend are planning to fulfill his "bucket list," including making a long-desired trip to Belize.
When we got back home, there was a message on our phone saying that our cat would be ready to pick up anytime tomorrow. It was a busy surgery day for the vet, so he didn't get around to spaying the cat until late this afternoon. We had hoped the surgery would be done this morning so we could bring her back home this afternoon. This is the cat that is nearly blind, and we hated to leave her there alone all day and night. She's used to having the two other kittens around.
We finished the day watching TV one-hour shows.
After breakfast, I did a treadmill session and weights exercises. Once I was ready for the day, I prepared a couple of beef roasts with garlic, onions, and vinegar to marinate for cooking Saturday.
Mother came over mid-morning, but we didn't do much before lunch. I fixed omelets with mushrooms, onions, and cheese for lunch. Mother and I shared an omelet, which we had with slices of toast and jelly, and hot coffee.
Around 12:45, one of our scrapbook club members came by, and I drove the three of us to our meeting at the Extension Services office. Another member was already there, and the fifth member arrived shortly afterward.
We all worked on various projects until around 2:45. Except for a little journaling, I finished the scrapbook pages of my high school class's 50th reunion. Mother still has a few pages to do on Niece's wedding. One member worked on Christmas cards for sending money gifts to her family, and the other two worked together on a heritage scrapbook to be given as a Christmas gift to the children of one of them (the women are sisters-in-law). We got a lot done today.
Mother went home after we got back, and Hubbie and I changed clothes to go to a soup/chili supper, bake sale, and silent/live auction at my alma mater college. There were about a dozen varieties of soups and chilies, including salmon-corn chowder, clam chowder, lamb stew, and several types of chili. All were being judged for a prize of a pewter Christmas ornament featuring one of the buildings on campus. I tried small samples of several of the soups/chilies, but my favorite was the salmon-corn chowder (which was also the winner of the prize). We know the lady who made the chowder, so I asked for the recipe, which she is to send to me.
At the bake sale, I bought a loaf of Casserole Swedish Rye Bread (something I've never tried), and six yogurt/nuts/Craisins mini-muffins. At the silent auction, we got a beautiful wooden inlaid cutting board (loaf of yeast bread included), made by an aquaintance, a black patent leather purse, a hand-decorated Christmas box, and a stuffed bunny. The bunny is intended as a gardener's decoration. It stands about a foot and half tall, with green gardening clothes, holding a spade. This might become part of a Christmas gift for the Master Gardeners.
The Christmas box is one that was decorated for the art gallery for one of its fundraisers, but it didn't sell (it's a bit gaudy), so the gallery donated it to the college library for the silent auction. No one bid on it, so I bid one dollar and got it. It'll make a good gift pack box at Christmas.
It was a fun event that ended around 7 p.m. I enjoyed visiting with folks, including a friend who works in the library at the college, and who was a student of mine when I taught a photography course there. I hated to learn, though, that her husband (a long-time smoker) was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. A portion of one lung was removed, but tests show that the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes. Chemo is the remaining option, which he does not want. So he and my friend are planning to fulfill his "bucket list," including making a long-desired trip to Belize.
When we got back home, there was a message on our phone saying that our cat would be ready to pick up anytime tomorrow. It was a busy surgery day for the vet, so he didn't get around to spaying the cat until late this afternoon. We had hoped the surgery would be done this morning so we could bring her back home this afternoon. This is the cat that is nearly blind, and we hated to leave her there alone all day and night. She's used to having the two other kittens around.
We finished the day watching TV one-hour shows.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Wednesday, Nov. 17
Up a little after 7 a.m., and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. After I was ready for the day, I made an appointment with my doctor, because I woke up with the all-too-familiar symptoms of a UTI.
Then I did this and that around the house until 11 a.m. Mother came over around that time, and I drove her to an 11:30 haircut appointment.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands until time to meet my doctor appointment at 2 p.m. First, we went to the store that has a sale every weekend, where I used a $10 coupon to buy Mother a pair of underwear leggings for Christmas. Then we went to a grocery store to pick up sale items, including a snuggie blanket with sleeves...another Christmas gift for Mother.
By then, it was time to visit the doctor. I was prescribed an antibiotic, and was out of the clinic by 2:30.
From there, we stopped by a clothing boutique, where I bought a bag of hand shelled pecans. One of our scrapbook club members mentioned on our trip to the Craft Extravaganza last week that the lady who owns the boutique cracks and shells pecans in the fall and sells them to make money to give to her grandkids. She does this not out of need, but because she enjoys the activity of gathering and shelling the nuts. She has no trouble selling them.
We came back home after that, but only stayed long enough to put the groceries away, particularly packages of on-sale frozen veggies. Then we ran a few more errands...to an everything's a dollar store, where I hoped to buy candies to use at the graham cracker Christmas house workshop at the art gallery in December, but didn't find what I wanted.
So we went to the WDCS for a few items, including the candies I needed, and then stopped by a barbeque restaurant to pick up a few pounds of pulled pork to put in the freezer and served as needed with soups when family drop by to visit. Finally, we swung by the pharmacy to pick up the antibiotic prescription.
Back home, Mother had cooked a little spaghetti to add to what was left over Monday. We had this and salad for supper. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I did our usual thing of watching TV.
Then I did this and that around the house until 11 a.m. Mother came over around that time, and I drove her to an 11:30 haircut appointment.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands until time to meet my doctor appointment at 2 p.m. First, we went to the store that has a sale every weekend, where I used a $10 coupon to buy Mother a pair of underwear leggings for Christmas. Then we went to a grocery store to pick up sale items, including a snuggie blanket with sleeves...another Christmas gift for Mother.
By then, it was time to visit the doctor. I was prescribed an antibiotic, and was out of the clinic by 2:30.
From there, we stopped by a clothing boutique, where I bought a bag of hand shelled pecans. One of our scrapbook club members mentioned on our trip to the Craft Extravaganza last week that the lady who owns the boutique cracks and shells pecans in the fall and sells them to make money to give to her grandkids. She does this not out of need, but because she enjoys the activity of gathering and shelling the nuts. She has no trouble selling them.
We came back home after that, but only stayed long enough to put the groceries away, particularly packages of on-sale frozen veggies. Then we ran a few more errands...to an everything's a dollar store, where I hoped to buy candies to use at the graham cracker Christmas house workshop at the art gallery in December, but didn't find what I wanted.
So we went to the WDCS for a few items, including the candies I needed, and then stopped by a barbeque restaurant to pick up a few pounds of pulled pork to put in the freezer and served as needed with soups when family drop by to visit. Finally, we swung by the pharmacy to pick up the antibiotic prescription.
Back home, Mother had cooked a little spaghetti to add to what was left over Monday. We had this and salad for supper. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I did our usual thing of watching TV.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Tuesday, Nov. 16
Slept til around 7:30 this morning, then did a treadmill session and weights exercises after breakfast.
Once I was ready for the day, I spent time at my office computer corresponding with a science teacher from my grandson's school, who was interested in my doing a photography residency there. I sent her information on applying for a matching grant from our state's arts council. Once she read the info, though, she determined that the school wouldn't fund the match for her sixth grade class. But she thought that the fifth grade science teacher might be interested, since she teaches a unit on light, and photography fits with that unit. So I sent the info to that teacher.
I also corresponded by email with the Literacy Council director, who said I should stop by her office at 1 p.m. to exchange the unit one teaching books I was given Sunday afternoon for a unit four book, which I'll need in tutoring the Hispanic lady next week.
I also gathered materials for making a quilled greeting card for a friend who lives in our town. This friend discovered that I'd sent a quilled birthday card to our mutual friend who lives in a town about an hour and a half away, and she felt left out. This is a fall card, and it suited the October birthday of our mutual friend. But the friend's birthday who lives in our town was in August, and I didn't have the fall quilled card pattern at that time. So now, I'm sending one to her one as a Thanksgiving greeting.
The same thing happened last year. We learned how to make screen door greeting cards around the time of the mutual friend's birthday, so I sent her one. I intended to send one to our other friend on her next birthday, but she said "I might not live that long." Okay, I'd send her one for Thanksgiving, I said. "I might not live that long either," she said. So I made one right away and sent it to her. This lady is in her late 70s, and has suffered two rounds of breast cancer. But she is doing extremely well, and is nowhere near death's door. She just doesn't want to feel left out.
After lunch, Hubbie and I went to the Literacy Council office to pick up the necessary tutor book, and then we went in search of another church, where I am to meet my student next Monday and Tuesday nights. I wanted to locate it in the daylight, instead of wasting time hunting for it during the evening.
We ran a couple of more errands, and then returned home.
Shih Tzu has been having tummy problems today, so Hubbie went to a grocery store to pick up Pepto Bismol, and to the vet to get an antibiotic.
Mother had come over mid-morning, and while we were gone this afternoon, she peeled and sliced enough apples to make two quarts for the freezer. I helped her package the apples when I got back, and then made a small apple crumble dessert for supper from the remaining apples.
After that, I spent quite a bit of time making the quilled card. When I was finished, Hubbie asked me to help him order an 18-quart slow cooker online, which I did. Hopefully, the cooker will arrive in a couple of days.
For supper, we had canned white beans, rinsed and cooked with onions, banana peppers, and spices, potato patties made from leftover mashed potatoes, and fried green tomatoes. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV. I also did a little online Christmas shopping.
Once I was ready for the day, I spent time at my office computer corresponding with a science teacher from my grandson's school, who was interested in my doing a photography residency there. I sent her information on applying for a matching grant from our state's arts council. Once she read the info, though, she determined that the school wouldn't fund the match for her sixth grade class. But she thought that the fifth grade science teacher might be interested, since she teaches a unit on light, and photography fits with that unit. So I sent the info to that teacher.
I also corresponded by email with the Literacy Council director, who said I should stop by her office at 1 p.m. to exchange the unit one teaching books I was given Sunday afternoon for a unit four book, which I'll need in tutoring the Hispanic lady next week.
I also gathered materials for making a quilled greeting card for a friend who lives in our town. This friend discovered that I'd sent a quilled birthday card to our mutual friend who lives in a town about an hour and a half away, and she felt left out. This is a fall card, and it suited the October birthday of our mutual friend. But the friend's birthday who lives in our town was in August, and I didn't have the fall quilled card pattern at that time. So now, I'm sending one to her one as a Thanksgiving greeting.
The same thing happened last year. We learned how to make screen door greeting cards around the time of the mutual friend's birthday, so I sent her one. I intended to send one to our other friend on her next birthday, but she said "I might not live that long." Okay, I'd send her one for Thanksgiving, I said. "I might not live that long either," she said. So I made one right away and sent it to her. This lady is in her late 70s, and has suffered two rounds of breast cancer. But she is doing extremely well, and is nowhere near death's door. She just doesn't want to feel left out.
After lunch, Hubbie and I went to the Literacy Council office to pick up the necessary tutor book, and then we went in search of another church, where I am to meet my student next Monday and Tuesday nights. I wanted to locate it in the daylight, instead of wasting time hunting for it during the evening.
We ran a couple of more errands, and then returned home.
Shih Tzu has been having tummy problems today, so Hubbie went to a grocery store to pick up Pepto Bismol, and to the vet to get an antibiotic.
Mother had come over mid-morning, and while we were gone this afternoon, she peeled and sliced enough apples to make two quarts for the freezer. I helped her package the apples when I got back, and then made a small apple crumble dessert for supper from the remaining apples.
After that, I spent quite a bit of time making the quilled card. When I was finished, Hubbie asked me to help him order an 18-quart slow cooker online, which I did. Hopefully, the cooker will arrive in a couple of days.
For supper, we had canned white beans, rinsed and cooked with onions, banana peppers, and spices, potato patties made from leftover mashed potatoes, and fried green tomatoes. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV. I also did a little online Christmas shopping.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, Nov. 15
Up at 7 a.m., and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Once I was ready for the day, I finished writing the letter to my friend in Texas and enclosed it with the handmade greeting card, so it could be taken to the mailbox before the mailman arrived around 10 a.m. My friend's birthday is Wednesday, so I'm none too soon in getting a greeting out to her.
After that, Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store to pick up cottage cheese and another ten pounds of red potatoes; to another grocery store to get a free gallon of milk and another bargain grocery item; to a pharmacy store to pick up several on-sale items that we also had discount coupons for; and on to the WDCS.
I was interested in getting an 18-quart slow cooker to use during the holidays, but of course the store didn't have any. When we got back home, I checked online at every familiar store I thought would carry the cooker, but only one had it and it was on back order. There was a site unknown to me that carries the cookers, but I hesitated buying there, since I don't recognize the name.
We puzzled over this problem for a while and decided to just use two smaller slow cookers to do what we want (fix two beef roasts for this coming weekend, and two chickens for Thanksgiving). We had a new slow cooker on the shelf in the storeroom...one we'd bought a few years ago at a silent auction to use as a possible gift. Since an occasion hasn't arisen to use it as a gift, we'll just use it ourselves when needed. But I'd still like to have one of the larger units.
Mother had put noodles in chicken broth while Hubbie and I were shopping, and we had the soup for lunch. After lunch, we made another batch of chicken soup (this one for the freezer), and a double recipe of tomato soup (also for the freezer).
In between errand running and soup making, I called the scrapbook club members to remind them of our meeting on Thursday, and corresponded by e-mail with the Literacy Council director, in attempt to schedule a time to meet with the student. The student rejected the 6:30 to 7:30 time on Mondays and Tuesdays that I proposed. She said the days are okay with her, but it'd be better for her to meet from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Well, that is our supper hour, so I asked for a compromise of 5:30 to 6:30. We settled on 5:45 to 6:45. I'll start next week.
Later, we had a supper of beef strips and peppers, with baked potato and salad. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including "Dancing With the Stars."
Funny: I was up to my usual silly stunts yesterday afternoon during the Literacy Council training. I started by missing the road to the church and ending up in the parking lot of the Department of Human Services.
Shortly after the session began, I noticed I was missing a gold loop earring on the left side. Rats! This is one of my favorite pairs. Oh, well, I took off the other earring and put it in my purse. Later, I was adjusting the collar of my turtleneck shirt and felt the other earring there, looped over the collar. Yay! I was glad to find it.
Then, at one point during the session, another lady and I needed a bathroom break. Our leader directed us down the hall to the lady's room, where she said there were two stalls. The other lady marched down to the end of the hall, but I whipped into the first door I came to, because I saw a sink there. The other woman had gone too far, I reasoned. Once I closed the door, though, I saw by the urinal that I was in the men's room. Oh well, the one man in the group had already taken a break earlier, so I figured I'd be safe in using the potty in this room.
During the training, our leader asked us to refer to a paper in the front of our notebooks. I immediately began flipping through the pocket at the back of the notebook. "In the front of the notebook," our leader repeated. "Oh, right," I laughed, "that's what you said. But I didn't believe you."
At another point, we were shown a video in which an instructor showed a picture to his group of teachers...it was not clear what the image in the picture was, but I commented that it looked like a horse. It was a cow. But at least I saw an animal, which is more than the group in the video, or our little group could see. Once a transparency outline of the cow was placed over the picture, the cow became very visible.
I found the picture online tonight and showed it to Hubbie. But even after he saw the outline of the cow, he couldn't see the cow. I think he was letting extraneous information distract him. What was completely obvious to me was a muddle to him. I need to remember this when I'm working with students...people perceive the same information in different ways.
After that, Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store to pick up cottage cheese and another ten pounds of red potatoes; to another grocery store to get a free gallon of milk and another bargain grocery item; to a pharmacy store to pick up several on-sale items that we also had discount coupons for; and on to the WDCS.
I was interested in getting an 18-quart slow cooker to use during the holidays, but of course the store didn't have any. When we got back home, I checked online at every familiar store I thought would carry the cooker, but only one had it and it was on back order. There was a site unknown to me that carries the cookers, but I hesitated buying there, since I don't recognize the name.
We puzzled over this problem for a while and decided to just use two smaller slow cookers to do what we want (fix two beef roasts for this coming weekend, and two chickens for Thanksgiving). We had a new slow cooker on the shelf in the storeroom...one we'd bought a few years ago at a silent auction to use as a possible gift. Since an occasion hasn't arisen to use it as a gift, we'll just use it ourselves when needed. But I'd still like to have one of the larger units.
Mother had put noodles in chicken broth while Hubbie and I were shopping, and we had the soup for lunch. After lunch, we made another batch of chicken soup (this one for the freezer), and a double recipe of tomato soup (also for the freezer).
In between errand running and soup making, I called the scrapbook club members to remind them of our meeting on Thursday, and corresponded by e-mail with the Literacy Council director, in attempt to schedule a time to meet with the student. The student rejected the 6:30 to 7:30 time on Mondays and Tuesdays that I proposed. She said the days are okay with her, but it'd be better for her to meet from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Well, that is our supper hour, so I asked for a compromise of 5:30 to 6:30. We settled on 5:45 to 6:45. I'll start next week.
Later, we had a supper of beef strips and peppers, with baked potato and salad. Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including "Dancing With the Stars."
Funny: I was up to my usual silly stunts yesterday afternoon during the Literacy Council training. I started by missing the road to the church and ending up in the parking lot of the Department of Human Services.
Shortly after the session began, I noticed I was missing a gold loop earring on the left side. Rats! This is one of my favorite pairs. Oh, well, I took off the other earring and put it in my purse. Later, I was adjusting the collar of my turtleneck shirt and felt the other earring there, looped over the collar. Yay! I was glad to find it.
Then, at one point during the session, another lady and I needed a bathroom break. Our leader directed us down the hall to the lady's room, where she said there were two stalls. The other lady marched down to the end of the hall, but I whipped into the first door I came to, because I saw a sink there. The other woman had gone too far, I reasoned. Once I closed the door, though, I saw by the urinal that I was in the men's room. Oh well, the one man in the group had already taken a break earlier, so I figured I'd be safe in using the potty in this room.
During the training, our leader asked us to refer to a paper in the front of our notebooks. I immediately began flipping through the pocket at the back of the notebook. "In the front of the notebook," our leader repeated. "Oh, right," I laughed, "that's what you said. But I didn't believe you."
At another point, we were shown a video in which an instructor showed a picture to his group of teachers...it was not clear what the image in the picture was, but I commented that it looked like a horse. It was a cow. But at least I saw an animal, which is more than the group in the video, or our little group could see. Once a transparency outline of the cow was placed over the picture, the cow became very visible.
I found the picture online tonight and showed it to Hubbie. But even after he saw the outline of the cow, he couldn't see the cow. I think he was letting extraneous information distract him. What was completely obvious to me was a muddle to him. I need to remember this when I'm working with students...people perceive the same information in different ways.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, Nov. 14
Up around 7 a.m., but skipped my exercises for today. Spent the morning in routine Sunday activities...programming the DVR, reading the Sunday newspaper, etc.
Mother came over mid-morning to simmer a jar of spaghetti sauce with canned tomatoes, leftover meatloaf, and additional spices. We sat down to lunch around noon, after which Mother went home, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and I dressed to go to a Literacy Council training session at a local church.
The training was scheduled from 2:30 to 5 p.m., but went on for an extra thirty minutes, thanks to one guy, who held forth on every subject introduced. He is retired military, who apparently was an instructor who taught instructors in some sort of aircraft repair...one of those people who knows everything about everything.
He was the only male present. Among the four of us women, two are already experienced adult learner teachers. They came, because they want to start a literacy council in their county. The building that housed the council was blown away in a tornado, so all their teaching materials were lost, and they have no funding to start back up again. They wanted to get information on obtaining grants for a program.
They are individually teaching a couple of students on their own right now, using whatever materials they can get a hold of. One lady is wheelchair bound. She's currently working with a 75-year-old man, who hopes to earn a GED and obtain a job. Seems like a pie-in-the-sky idea, but who's to say?
My first student might be an Hispanic woman, who knows some English. I've been assured that the material I'll be using to help her will make it possible to bridge the language barrier. I hope so, because I'm a little nervous about it. I don't want my inadequacies to block her progress.
A stumbling block right now is landing on days and times convenient to both of us. With her former teacher, she met at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for an hour each day. Five is our supper hour, and I don't want to ask Hubbie and Mother to change that. The lady works until 4 p.m., so I'm hoping we can move the hour to 6:30 to 7:30 on Monday's and Tuesdays. Thursdays are close to the weekend, when we frequently plan trips, etc.
Back home, Hubbie had heated leftovers for our supper, after which we spent the rest of the evening watching TV, as usual.
Mother came over mid-morning to simmer a jar of spaghetti sauce with canned tomatoes, leftover meatloaf, and additional spices. We sat down to lunch around noon, after which Mother went home, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and I dressed to go to a Literacy Council training session at a local church.
The training was scheduled from 2:30 to 5 p.m., but went on for an extra thirty minutes, thanks to one guy, who held forth on every subject introduced. He is retired military, who apparently was an instructor who taught instructors in some sort of aircraft repair...one of those people who knows everything about everything.
He was the only male present. Among the four of us women, two are already experienced adult learner teachers. They came, because they want to start a literacy council in their county. The building that housed the council was blown away in a tornado, so all their teaching materials were lost, and they have no funding to start back up again. They wanted to get information on obtaining grants for a program.
They are individually teaching a couple of students on their own right now, using whatever materials they can get a hold of. One lady is wheelchair bound. She's currently working with a 75-year-old man, who hopes to earn a GED and obtain a job. Seems like a pie-in-the-sky idea, but who's to say?
My first student might be an Hispanic woman, who knows some English. I've been assured that the material I'll be using to help her will make it possible to bridge the language barrier. I hope so, because I'm a little nervous about it. I don't want my inadequacies to block her progress.
A stumbling block right now is landing on days and times convenient to both of us. With her former teacher, she met at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for an hour each day. Five is our supper hour, and I don't want to ask Hubbie and Mother to change that. The lady works until 4 p.m., so I'm hoping we can move the hour to 6:30 to 7:30 on Monday's and Tuesdays. Thursdays are close to the weekend, when we frequently plan trips, etc.
Back home, Hubbie had heated leftovers for our supper, after which we spent the rest of the evening watching TV, as usual.
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