Sunday, Nov. 6

Changing the clocks back one hour last night meant an extra hour of sleep this morning. So it was about 8:30 before we all got up. I helped Mother into the den for breakfast, but skipped my exercises afterward, so I could start a skillet of beef strips simmering to tenderize them, and do other morning chores.

I'd added a can of beef broth to the meat, but it evaporated before I finish showering and getting ready for the day. Mother knew by the smell that the meat would scorch if liquid wasn't added, so Hubbie took care of it.

When I got back to the kitchen, I added bell pepper and onion strips to the meat and simmered them until they were tender crisp. The beef is for our Monday night supper. Since I'll be meeting my ESL student tomorrow afternoon, I knew I wouldn't have time to prepare supper before five or five-thirty p.m. This way, Hubbie can put potatoes in the oven to bake while I'm gone, and open a can of veggies for the microwave, and supper won't be late.

For lunch today, though, I fixed some leftover macaroni and cheese, and a helping of English peas, for Mother's early lunch (her request), so I could help get her settled back in bed, before Hubbie and I went to a the local church where the Literacy Council office is located for a barbecue lunch at 12:15 p.m.

The purpose of the lunch was to recognize current tutors with certificates of appreciation, and to introduce potential new tutors, as well as members of the congregation, who had also been invited to the lunch.

I was delighted that several folks I know are already tutors or are exploring the possibility of tutoring. Two are volunteers with the art gallery, two are members of the water aerobics group, one is a lap swimmer at the pool, and is someone I've been associated with in regard to making our community more exercise-friendly with walking and bike paths, and one is a past member of the community theater.

About fifty of us enjoyed barbecue sandwiches, with a choice of homemade beans and ham, baked beans, store-bought potato and macaroni salads, and fresh fruit, as well as an array of desserts, with sodas or water for drinks.

We were back home from the event around 1:30 p.m. Mother was still propped up in her bed. She'd spent her time reading the Sunday newspaper, and a couple of issues of our local paper, plus working puzzles.

Shortly after we arrived back home, she opted for a nap and slept until around 4:30 p.m. While she slept, Hubbie went to her house and spent a few hours with Mother's cat, who is missing Mother mightily. I spent the afternoon watching a 1999s PG-13, Hallmark Channel movie, "Forces of Nature," starring Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock. A young man on his way to his wedding is delayed because his plane has trouble taking off. He meets an exciting and adventurous woman, and is soon joining her in her escapades. Romance blossoms.

Following the movie, I continued reading a novel on my Kindle, entitled, "Invisible." It was a free book, mainly intended for a Christian audience, I think. It's a murder mystery, with a LOL (self-described Little Old Lady) as the amateur detective. It's title alludes to what all we seniors know...we are invisible. The book is very humorous, while interlacing the heroine's Christian values. It gets a little preachy in places, but I'm enjoying the book because I can relate to all the daily hurtles this older woman encounters.

Later, I fixed breakfast for supper...leftover fried potatoes and white gravy, with fried eggs (from Sis's laying hens), and toast. Again, Mother cleaned her plate.

Afterward, we watched the Hallmark Channel 2010 movie, "A Family Thanksgiving." A woman lawyer hoping become a partner is suddenly zapped into a family setting, where she has a husband and two kids she doesn't know. Lessons are learned.

I'm not liking this time change...dark by 5 p.m. Makes the evening seem endless.