Wednesday, Sept. 14

Up at 6:30 this morning to get ready to go to water aerobics. I wore a fleece outfit over my swimsuit, not knowing how warm it was outside. But by the time the session was over, I was glad I'd worn it.

The pool was extremely cold today. Even so, fifteen of us showed up. Today, Hubbie took me to the pool and returned to pick me up later, because our van is in the shop, and I don't want to drive the diesel truck to the college.

As if the pool wasn't cold enough, the dressing room was like a walk-in freezer. We wondered who decided air conditioning was in order today. By the time I'd chilled in the pool, dressed in the freezer, and walked in the rain to where Hubbie was parked, I was grateful for the fleece outfit.

At home, after I'd downed two cups of steaming coffee and stood in a hot shower for several minutes, I finally warmed up. I didn't have a lot on my to-do list today, but after lunch Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to a grocery store to get a loaf of bread at a lower price than we could get it at other grocery stores or the WDCS; to a pharmacy store to check on sale prices of food storage bags, mascara, and nail polish; and then to the WDCS for some items.

We found the storage bags are cheaper at the pharmacy store, but the mascara was cheaper at the WDCS. Apparently, the WDCS has quit carrying the brand of nail polish that I like, though.

So after we'd finished shopping at the WDCS, we returned to the pharmacy store, where we picked up the storage bags and the nail polish. But at the register, I learned that the buy-one-get-one-for-50%-off on the nail polish is only good on Saturday. I failed to see that in their sale paper. So I'll return to the store Saturday and pick those up.

Back home, Mother had come over and boiled potatoes (that Hubbie had peeled earlier) for a beef hash supper tomorrow night. Then she worked on her jigsaw puzzle.

A thunderstorm cropped up later, so Hubbie couldn't work in the yard. He occupied himself in other ways for the afternoon (mostly watching TV). Since I didn't have anything productive planned, other than responding to an invitation to a surprise 60th birthday celebration for the head of the home medical services, of which I'm an advisory board member, I read a few chapters of "The Help."

Our van was supposed to be fixed today, but Hubbie got a call that it will not be ready until tomorrow afternoon. I'm a little unhappy about this, since I need it to go to our scrapbook club meeting tomorrow. Mother and the other lady that I drive to the meetings will have a hard time getting into and out of the truck.

Hubbie called the shop and insisted that the van be ready tomorrow before close of business, because I need it to go to water aerobics Friday morning, while he pulls the camper to another town to have the heater fixed. He discovered earlier this week that the heater isn't working. Rare have been the times we have planned a trip in the camper that something didn't need fixing in it or on it. A heater will be absolutely essential at Branson later in October.

I was supposed to go to a visual arts committee meeting around 5 p.m., but because a thunderstorm was in progress, and because I didn't want to drive the truck downtown, where I'd have to parallel park it, I decided not to go. I called the arts council director to explain why I wouldn't be there. She assured me that she'd e-mail me about any business discussed by the committee. I did let her know that I'd be willing to conduct a graham cracker cookie Christmas house workshop for kids again this year on the first weekend in December.

Supper tonight was leftover beef pot roast, with carrots and onions, and mashed potatoes and gravy. While we were eating, we heard a crash in the living room. Our mischievous black cat had jumped from the stairwell onto the table containing the jigsaw puzzle, and slid with it to the floor.

Mother had completed about half of the puzzle, but very little of it remained constructed. I could have shot that cat! Mother took it very well, though, and decided to begin again on the puzzle tomorrow, saying it should be easier this time, since she'd already worked on it once.

Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2003 movie, "Shattered Glass." This movie is based on the true story of the young Washington, D.C., journalist, Stephen Glass, who quickly rose to fame for his stories, but was eventually discovered as having patially or totally fabricated 27 of 41 of his published articles.

The second movie we watched was, "The Perfect Roommate." A young woman who wants to make it on her own without the assistance of her wealthy father takes on an older roommate. The roommate begins dating the father, but things are not on the up-and-up with the roommate.