Had a restless night...Hubbie got up at 4 a.m. to walk Shih Tzu, and after he came back to bed and fell asleep, he kept me awake with his sleep-apnea sudden and loud intakes of breath. Not only that, but at one point, he turned over and, while snoring, began vigorously scratching my leg. I think he must have been dreaming he was scratching one of the cats.
Anyway, I finally decided to get up around 6 a.m. Hubbie soon followed. We postponed breakfast, and I skipped my exercises in favor of dressing for the day to go to the Caring Hands Hospice yard and bake sale that began at 7 a.m. Mother went, too.
Wow, it was chilly outside! And downright cold at the sale, held in the office's drive-through underpass, which acted as a wind tunnel. We wore light jackets and still were none too warm, but the three women working at the sale wore only t-shirts. So even their goose bumps had goose bumps.
Hubbie didn't find anything he wanted at the sale, so he beat a hasty retreat to the van. But Mother and I braved the chill to browse until she found a puzzle book and a table runner, and I found an armload of novels and a loaf of homemade bread.
Back home, we had a breakfast of orange juice for me, cereal for Hubbie, and slices of the bread for all three of us, plus cups of steaming coffee, which was wonderfully warming after our excursion.
Mother went back to her house afterward, and Hubbie relaxed in his recliner and watched the morning news, while I sewed buttons on the sleeves of two blouses. Unfortunately, while I was attempting to attach the small buttons (there are two on each short sleeve) I tiddlywinked one of them somewhere into the recesses of the couch. Hubbie and I both searched for it, to no avail. Drat it.
I tried to find a similar one in my button box, but in rummaging through it, I discovered that the bottom of the wooden box had come detached, allowing buttons to escape. So I poured the contents on a table, and after Hubbie repaired the box, he helped me remove buttons from cardboard backings, and empty little plastic zip lock bags of them (these are ones that were attached as spares to new clothes). Wasn't able to find a button to match the one on my blouse, though.
Later, I decided I wanted to go to a couple of warehouse stores. I was hoping to find oval clear glass Christmas ornaments to create designs on with etching cream. Someone on the arts council happened upon the ornaments, in nice blue gift boxes, at only fifty cents apiece, and thought council artists could paint designs on them to sell as a fundraiser. So the council director bought a stack of them. She must have gotten them all, because there were none left today.
At one of the stores, though, I bought a pair of inexpensive binoculars. Hubbie has a pair that we adjusted to his vision while we were camping last year, and I needed a pair to adjust to my vision so we can bird watch together.
We didn't do much else the rest of the afternoon. At 3:30, Hubbie met a haircut appointment, and while I played with my binoculars, Mother prepared a recipe of Parmesan potatoes, which we had with a choice of hamburger, turkey burger, or hot dog on buns, and corn-on-the-cob for supper.
Actually, there was no corn-on-the-cob in the freezer, so I called Hubbie while he was out, and he stopped by the WDCS to buy a bag. Seems like no matter how many trips we make to the store, we rarely manage to get everything needed for meals.
Mother went home after supper, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2009 Lifetime Movie Network feature, "Final Verdict." On flimsy evidence and without a body, a man is accused of murdering his wife. The successful prosecution puts a young lawyer on the fast track to assistant D.A. in a big city. Eight years later, the body turns up, and new evidence forces the court to overturn the conviction of the imprisoned man. He is set free pending a new trial, and proceeds on a path of vegeance.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday, May 13
Friday the 13th! Boo!! Take heart, those of you who are superstitious, this is the only Friday the 13th of 2011.
Up around 7:30 this morning, and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Mother came over mid-morning, bringing a plastic bag of spools of thread, from which I was able to find two colors I need for sewing buttons on a couple of blouses.
Once I was ready for the day, I called the Caring Hands Hospice coordinator to offer my assistance in pricing yard sale stuff, but the job was already done. So I did other stuff around the house before lunch.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store vending machine to pick up a free regional insert paper, to see if photos I submitted had been published. They had not. So we went on to a greeting card shop, where I helped Hubbie choose appropriate birthday cards for his grandson and great-grandson, as well as a baby shower card.
From there, we went to the hydroponic farm to pick up tomatoes I'd ordered this morning, and to the roadside stand to get the strawberries I ordered. Then we went to the WDCS for a few grocery items. I wanted to get a lemon cake mix for Hubbie's birthday, but there were none. In fact, the shelf space allotted to cake mixes has shrunk to nearly nothing. Guess we'll be shopping for cake mixes at a grocery store.
Yesterday, we looked at the bell peppers at the WDCS and found them to be sky-high in price. So we swung back by a grocery store, where the peppers were fifty cents per pepper cheaper, and where the yellow and zucchini squash I wanted looked much better than the scarred and bruised ones at the WDCS.
Back home, I played on my laptop until time to prepare supper. Mother had sauteed onion, bell peppers, and mushroom to be added to Ziplock bags of eggs for omelets. We had the omelets with a baked potato/onion dish, and biscuits.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2009, R-rated movie, "Order of Chaos," a thriller film starring no one I know. A naive attorney and his neighbor-colleague compete to move up in the firm. Very strange movie, with very strange background music (if you can call it that).
The second feature we watched was a Lifetime Movie Network movie called, "One Angry Juror." Supposedly based on a true story, a female corporate attorney is chosen to sit on a jury for the trial of a young African-American man in the murder of another African-American man. She starts out cynically believing the accused is guilty, but eventually becomes convinced of his innocence.
Up around 7:30 this morning, and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Mother came over mid-morning, bringing a plastic bag of spools of thread, from which I was able to find two colors I need for sewing buttons on a couple of blouses.
Once I was ready for the day, I called the Caring Hands Hospice coordinator to offer my assistance in pricing yard sale stuff, but the job was already done. So I did other stuff around the house before lunch.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to a grocery store vending machine to pick up a free regional insert paper, to see if photos I submitted had been published. They had not. So we went on to a greeting card shop, where I helped Hubbie choose appropriate birthday cards for his grandson and great-grandson, as well as a baby shower card.
From there, we went to the hydroponic farm to pick up tomatoes I'd ordered this morning, and to the roadside stand to get the strawberries I ordered. Then we went to the WDCS for a few grocery items. I wanted to get a lemon cake mix for Hubbie's birthday, but there were none. In fact, the shelf space allotted to cake mixes has shrunk to nearly nothing. Guess we'll be shopping for cake mixes at a grocery store.
Yesterday, we looked at the bell peppers at the WDCS and found them to be sky-high in price. So we swung back by a grocery store, where the peppers were fifty cents per pepper cheaper, and where the yellow and zucchini squash I wanted looked much better than the scarred and bruised ones at the WDCS.
Back home, I played on my laptop until time to prepare supper. Mother had sauteed onion, bell peppers, and mushroom to be added to Ziplock bags of eggs for omelets. We had the omelets with a baked potato/onion dish, and biscuits.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2009, R-rated movie, "Order of Chaos," a thriller film starring no one I know. A naive attorney and his neighbor-colleague compete to move up in the firm. Very strange movie, with very strange background music (if you can call it that).
The second feature we watched was a Lifetime Movie Network movie called, "One Angry Juror." Supposedly based on a true story, a female corporate attorney is chosen to sit on a jury for the trial of a young African-American man in the murder of another African-American man. She starts out cynically believing the accused is guilty, but eventually becomes convinced of his innocence.
Thursday, May 12
Up around 7:30, and did a treadmill session, but got distracted and forgot to do weights or resistance exercises. Mother stayed home today, as she usually does on Thursdays, and Hubbie went to a Master Gardener meeting at 10 a.m.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that for the rest of the morning, including making a meals/food/supplies list for an upcoming camping trip; deciding on gifts for two granddaughters who have birthdays at the end of May and first of June; selecting birthday cards from my personal stock for various family members; and printing material to take to a Literacy Council tutoring session Monday.
Hubbie returned home around 11:30, and after a sandwich lunch, we ran errands...to the Caring Hands Hospice office to drop off the puzzles and audio books that I'm donating to their fundraising yard sale Saturday, and to the WDCS for a few grocery items.
At the Caring Hands office, there were two tables spread with various foods and desserts, and the coordinator prevailed upon us to indulge in cheesecake. I chose a slice of chocolate, and Hubbie had a slice of the regular flavor.
Back home, Hubbie went into the yard to work, and I did a few household chores. For supper, I heated leftovers for Hubbie and me...ribs from Sunday, mac and cheese from last night, rolls from Sunday, and fresh salad.
Right after supper, I buzzed Mother on the intercom to see if she wanted to join me in going to a high school/junior high chorale concert of Broadway tunes. She did. The concert was at 6 p.m., so we had to rush a bit to get there in time.
The fine arts building at one of the colleges was packed. We had to park a short distance away, but Mother was up for walking. The only seats left were in the very last row, which was fine with us.
Glad we didn't find seats a few rows down, because the 500-lb. man who plunked down directly in front of Mother at the high school cafetorium where we watched the play "Music Man" last Saturday night wedged himself into an aisle seat tonight. We were a few seats over from the aisle, so he didn't block our view at all this time. This man and (I assume) his wife spent the entire concert passing a cell phone between them, upon which they played many, many games of tic-tac-toe.
Before the concert began, the chorale director asked that everyone silence their cell phones, and not exit the auditorium during the concert unless absolutely necessary. So, of course, cell phones rang, and only Grand Central Station could rival the amount of exiting and entering that occurred.
Several groups performed, and the chorale director apologized that so many students were not in attendance...seems 30 or more were absent due to ballgame obligations. Also, graduation ceremonies for another school were taking place at the other college, and some students were attending that event.
Therefore, one group had a complete lack of male voices, which changed the dynamic of the music. But overall, the concert was enjoyable. They performed numbers from popular Broadway shows and movies, like Mary Poppins, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz, Annie, South Pacific, Grease, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, and Camelot.
The concert lasted two hours, so it was after 8 p.m. before we got back home. Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching the 2006 Lifetime Movie Network movie, "The Secret of Hidden Lake." A woman returns to her hometown, where her father has been injured in a supposed deer hunting accident. But she soon suspects it wasn't an accident, and she begins to uncover hidden truths.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that for the rest of the morning, including making a meals/food/supplies list for an upcoming camping trip; deciding on gifts for two granddaughters who have birthdays at the end of May and first of June; selecting birthday cards from my personal stock for various family members; and printing material to take to a Literacy Council tutoring session Monday.
Hubbie returned home around 11:30, and after a sandwich lunch, we ran errands...to the Caring Hands Hospice office to drop off the puzzles and audio books that I'm donating to their fundraising yard sale Saturday, and to the WDCS for a few grocery items.
At the Caring Hands office, there were two tables spread with various foods and desserts, and the coordinator prevailed upon us to indulge in cheesecake. I chose a slice of chocolate, and Hubbie had a slice of the regular flavor.
Back home, Hubbie went into the yard to work, and I did a few household chores. For supper, I heated leftovers for Hubbie and me...ribs from Sunday, mac and cheese from last night, rolls from Sunday, and fresh salad.
Right after supper, I buzzed Mother on the intercom to see if she wanted to join me in going to a high school/junior high chorale concert of Broadway tunes. She did. The concert was at 6 p.m., so we had to rush a bit to get there in time.
The fine arts building at one of the colleges was packed. We had to park a short distance away, but Mother was up for walking. The only seats left were in the very last row, which was fine with us.
Glad we didn't find seats a few rows down, because the 500-lb. man who plunked down directly in front of Mother at the high school cafetorium where we watched the play "Music Man" last Saturday night wedged himself into an aisle seat tonight. We were a few seats over from the aisle, so he didn't block our view at all this time. This man and (I assume) his wife spent the entire concert passing a cell phone between them, upon which they played many, many games of tic-tac-toe.
Before the concert began, the chorale director asked that everyone silence their cell phones, and not exit the auditorium during the concert unless absolutely necessary. So, of course, cell phones rang, and only Grand Central Station could rival the amount of exiting and entering that occurred.
Several groups performed, and the chorale director apologized that so many students were not in attendance...seems 30 or more were absent due to ballgame obligations. Also, graduation ceremonies for another school were taking place at the other college, and some students were attending that event.
Therefore, one group had a complete lack of male voices, which changed the dynamic of the music. But overall, the concert was enjoyable. They performed numbers from popular Broadway shows and movies, like Mary Poppins, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz, Annie, South Pacific, Grease, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, and Camelot.
The concert lasted two hours, so it was after 8 p.m. before we got back home. Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching the 2006 Lifetime Movie Network movie, "The Secret of Hidden Lake." A woman returns to her hometown, where her father has been injured in a supposed deer hunting accident. But she soon suspects it wasn't an accident, and she begins to uncover hidden truths.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday, May 11
Up around 7:30 this morning. After breakfast, Mother and Sis came over, so Sis could visit for a few minutes before she left for home.
After she left, I did a treadmill session and weights exercises. Afterward, I set the TV for Mother to watch last night's episode of "Dancing with the Stars," while I got ready for the day.
I spent the rest of the morning doing this and that. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to drop the word search puzzle contest off at the newspaper office; to the bank; to a pharmacy store to pick up a bottle of fingernail polish remover; to the roadside vendor to get another flat of strawberries for the freezer; to the WDCS for a few grocery items; and back to a grocery store to search for borax, since there was none at the WDCS. The borax is for Mother to use on ant trails in her kitchen...the ants won't cross the substance, so it should keep them from entering the house.
While we were at the grocery store, I decided to request that my favorite brand of fat-free ice cream be ordered. At the service desk, though, three employees were dealing with an elderly woman. Apparently, she had unwittingly tried to cash a scam "lottery winner" check...one of those where an unsuspecting person is asked to cash a check and send the money by money gram to a "tax agent." This is supposed to be the amount of tax the "winner" is required to pay out his or her large winnings. Once the "tax" is paid, the winnings will supposedly be awarded. When the check bounces, the victim has to foot the bill. Not only that, but the victim can also be arrested and prosecuted for a variety of felony crimes like fraud and passing bad checks.
The grocery store employees recognized the scam and alerted the state's attorney general office. Both the employees and the elderly lady talked to a representative from that office. They were still ironing out the issue when we left the store.
It amazes me that after all the information on TV, in newspapers, and in other places, there are still folks willing to fall for this scam.
Back home, Mother and I sorted through the jigsaw puzzles to cull the ones she no longer wants. These will be donated to Caring Hands Hospice for a fundraising yard sale on Saturday. Then I went through all my audio cassette books and filled several bags for the sale.
By this time, it was 4 p.m., so I relaxed for a while before going downtown for a 5 p.m. visual arts committee meeting. Only two of us, besides the arts council director, were present, but we covered a lot of ground...mostly related to an upcoming fundraising Summer Celebration event.
The meeting ended at 6 p.m. At home, Mother had prepared a supper of leftover meatloaf heated in the oven, along with homemade macaroni and cheese. We had this with leftover Lima beans, and sliced tomatoes.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2001, R-rated movie, "Firetrap," starring Angela Angel, Dean Cain, and Mel Harris. A master burglar fails in his first attempt to steal a computer chip from an industry. Later, he enters as a cop, but a fire breaks out, and he is forced to help save people.
After she left, I did a treadmill session and weights exercises. Afterward, I set the TV for Mother to watch last night's episode of "Dancing with the Stars," while I got ready for the day.
I spent the rest of the morning doing this and that. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to drop the word search puzzle contest off at the newspaper office; to the bank; to a pharmacy store to pick up a bottle of fingernail polish remover; to the roadside vendor to get another flat of strawberries for the freezer; to the WDCS for a few grocery items; and back to a grocery store to search for borax, since there was none at the WDCS. The borax is for Mother to use on ant trails in her kitchen...the ants won't cross the substance, so it should keep them from entering the house.
While we were at the grocery store, I decided to request that my favorite brand of fat-free ice cream be ordered. At the service desk, though, three employees were dealing with an elderly woman. Apparently, she had unwittingly tried to cash a scam "lottery winner" check...one of those where an unsuspecting person is asked to cash a check and send the money by money gram to a "tax agent." This is supposed to be the amount of tax the "winner" is required to pay out his or her large winnings. Once the "tax" is paid, the winnings will supposedly be awarded. When the check bounces, the victim has to foot the bill. Not only that, but the victim can also be arrested and prosecuted for a variety of felony crimes like fraud and passing bad checks.
The grocery store employees recognized the scam and alerted the state's attorney general office. Both the employees and the elderly lady talked to a representative from that office. They were still ironing out the issue when we left the store.
It amazes me that after all the information on TV, in newspapers, and in other places, there are still folks willing to fall for this scam.
Back home, Mother and I sorted through the jigsaw puzzles to cull the ones she no longer wants. These will be donated to Caring Hands Hospice for a fundraising yard sale on Saturday. Then I went through all my audio cassette books and filled several bags for the sale.
By this time, it was 4 p.m., so I relaxed for a while before going downtown for a 5 p.m. visual arts committee meeting. Only two of us, besides the arts council director, were present, but we covered a lot of ground...mostly related to an upcoming fundraising Summer Celebration event.
The meeting ended at 6 p.m. At home, Mother had prepared a supper of leftover meatloaf heated in the oven, along with homemade macaroni and cheese. We had this with leftover Lima beans, and sliced tomatoes.
Mother went home afterward, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2001, R-rated movie, "Firetrap," starring Angela Angel, Dean Cain, and Mel Harris. A master burglar fails in his first attempt to steal a computer chip from an industry. Later, he enters as a cop, but a fire breaks out, and he is forced to help save people.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tuesday, May 10
Up around 7:30, and did a treadmill session and resistance exercises after breakfast. Mother and Sis came over mid-morning. Mother worked on the jigsaw puzzle, and Sis worked on her laptop, while I got ready for the day.
I spent the rest of the morning doing this and that, including laundry.
Later, after a lunch of cold meatloaf sandwiches, Mother, Sis, and I went to the college down the road from our house to see an art exhibit...unfortunately, the exhibit had already been taken down.
So we went to the art gallery downtown to see a youth art exhibit, touring from the museum in our capital city. Art by youngsters ranging in age from kindergarten to twelfth grade were on display. There is just something so uninhibited and enchanting about art by youth...especially the kindergarten through fourth grade levels.
From there, we went to the roadside market to pick up another flat of strawberries. I'd called the market this morning to have the berries set aside for me.
Back home, Mother resumed her jigsaw puzzle, Sis resumed her laptop session, and I went outdoors to snap images of flowers, which I then uploaded to my social network page.
Later, we had a supper of barbecued ribs, brought home from the restaurant Sunday, with baked sweet potatoes, garden salad, leftover butter beans and Lima beans, and hot rolls brought home from the restaurant. We all took part in preparing this meal.
Mother and Sis went to Mother's house afterward. Hubbie went back outside to work in the yard (which he did most of the day), and I went to a community theatre board meeting at 7 p.m.
Only six of us showed up for the meeting, and we finished our business by 8:30. Back home, Hubbie and I watched the elimination episode of "Dancing with the Stars." The one kicked off was the one I thought would go tonight.
I spent the rest of the morning doing this and that, including laundry.
Later, after a lunch of cold meatloaf sandwiches, Mother, Sis, and I went to the college down the road from our house to see an art exhibit...unfortunately, the exhibit had already been taken down.
So we went to the art gallery downtown to see a youth art exhibit, touring from the museum in our capital city. Art by youngsters ranging in age from kindergarten to twelfth grade were on display. There is just something so uninhibited and enchanting about art by youth...especially the kindergarten through fourth grade levels.
From there, we went to the roadside market to pick up another flat of strawberries. I'd called the market this morning to have the berries set aside for me.
Back home, Mother resumed her jigsaw puzzle, Sis resumed her laptop session, and I went outdoors to snap images of flowers, which I then uploaded to my social network page.
Later, we had a supper of barbecued ribs, brought home from the restaurant Sunday, with baked sweet potatoes, garden salad, leftover butter beans and Lima beans, and hot rolls brought home from the restaurant. We all took part in preparing this meal.
Mother and Sis went to Mother's house afterward. Hubbie went back outside to work in the yard (which he did most of the day), and I went to a community theatre board meeting at 7 p.m.
Only six of us showed up for the meeting, and we finished our business by 8:30. Back home, Hubbie and I watched the elimination episode of "Dancing with the Stars." The one kicked off was the one I thought would go tonight.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Monday, May 9
Up at 7:30. After breakfast, I called our computer tech to help me figure out what my wi-fi password is, so Sis could access the Internet. Luckily, the tech was the one who answered the phone, and he helped me resolve the situation quickly.
Next, I called a roadside vendor to reserve a flat of strawberries, which Mother will work up for the freezer.
I then called Mother and Sis on the intercom to give Sis the password. But she was still unable to access the Internet, because the signal was too weak. So she and Mother came to our house, where Sis had no trouble getting online.
Mother worked on her jigsaw puzzle, and Sis used her laptop, while I got ready for the day. Afterward, Sis and I ran errands...to a farm supply store to look for a squirrel feeder (a Mother's Day gift request from Mother, but there were none); and to the WDCS, where there wasn't a squirrel feeder, either. But we shopped for groceries while we were there.
Back home, we had a lunch of the remainder of the chicken noodle soup, with the remainder of the bran muffins. Then Sis and I ran more errands...to a grocery store to pick up cottage cheese; to a grocery store/pharmacy to pick up a prescription and a couple of cans of butter beans for supper; to the roadside market to pick up the flat of strawberries, plus a couple of more quarts to munch on; and finally, to a home improvement store, where Sis again looked for a squirrel feeder. No dice. So she picked up a couple of six packs of impatiens to add to the ones Mother bought at the plant sale Saturday. Happy extended Mother's Day to Mother.
While we were gone, Mother put together a meatloaf, which we had for supper, with baked potatoes, topped with sour cream and chopped green onions from the garden, a choice of butter beans or Lima beans, and sliced tomatoes with cottage cheese.
Today at 4 p.m., I was supposed to meet for the first time with a new Literacy Council student at a local college library, but around 3:30 p.m., a child called to say that the student could not meet with me today, because a grandmother had fallen and broken her hip (we think this lady may be someone we have known for many years...she has been afflicted with Alzheimer's for a long time).
I reported to the Literacy Council director that my student had cancelled our meeting tonight, to which she responded: "If I were a "betting man" I would have bet that tonight's meeting would have gone off without a hitch." Hubbie jokingly wondered if all these cancellations is a sign that I am not meant to pursue this volunteer activity.
After supper, Mother and Sis resumed the jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie continued working in the yard, and I grabbed my camera and went around the yard shooting images of flowers and plants.
As we were coming in the back door of the house, Mother and Sis were going out the front door...they decided to go to Mother's house to wash and slice strawberries for the freezer.
Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV, including tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Next, I called a roadside vendor to reserve a flat of strawberries, which Mother will work up for the freezer.
I then called Mother and Sis on the intercom to give Sis the password. But she was still unable to access the Internet, because the signal was too weak. So she and Mother came to our house, where Sis had no trouble getting online.
Mother worked on her jigsaw puzzle, and Sis used her laptop, while I got ready for the day. Afterward, Sis and I ran errands...to a farm supply store to look for a squirrel feeder (a Mother's Day gift request from Mother, but there were none); and to the WDCS, where there wasn't a squirrel feeder, either. But we shopped for groceries while we were there.
Back home, we had a lunch of the remainder of the chicken noodle soup, with the remainder of the bran muffins. Then Sis and I ran more errands...to a grocery store to pick up cottage cheese; to a grocery store/pharmacy to pick up a prescription and a couple of cans of butter beans for supper; to the roadside market to pick up the flat of strawberries, plus a couple of more quarts to munch on; and finally, to a home improvement store, where Sis again looked for a squirrel feeder. No dice. So she picked up a couple of six packs of impatiens to add to the ones Mother bought at the plant sale Saturday. Happy extended Mother's Day to Mother.
While we were gone, Mother put together a meatloaf, which we had for supper, with baked potatoes, topped with sour cream and chopped green onions from the garden, a choice of butter beans or Lima beans, and sliced tomatoes with cottage cheese.
Today at 4 p.m., I was supposed to meet for the first time with a new Literacy Council student at a local college library, but around 3:30 p.m., a child called to say that the student could not meet with me today, because a grandmother had fallen and broken her hip (we think this lady may be someone we have known for many years...she has been afflicted with Alzheimer's for a long time).
I reported to the Literacy Council director that my student had cancelled our meeting tonight, to which she responded: "If I were a "betting man" I would have bet that tonight's meeting would have gone off without a hitch." Hubbie jokingly wondered if all these cancellations is a sign that I am not meant to pursue this volunteer activity.
After supper, Mother and Sis resumed the jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie continued working in the yard, and I grabbed my camera and went around the yard shooting images of flowers and plants.
As we were coming in the back door of the house, Mother and Sis were going out the front door...they decided to go to Mother's house to wash and slice strawberries for the freezer.
Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV, including tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Sunday, May 8
Happy Mother's Day!
Got up just before 8 a.m., but skipped my exercises, as I did yesterday morning. This morning, I wanted to be ready by 11 a.m. to go to lunch at a local steakhouse.
Both of my sons called before we went to lunch. Had long conversations with both of them. I was happy to learn from my younger son that insurance is helping to pay for damages incurred during the recent tornado. The trees that were uprooted have now been cut up, the power is back on, and things are looking and feeling more normal for his family.
Older son is doing well, too, though he is mourning the loss of his uncle, who died of a massive heart attack a few days ago. He, his brother, and his sister will attend either the visitation, the funeral, or both. Older son was closest to his uncle, so the death is hitting him hardest.
We arrived at the restaurant a little after 11 a.m. Even this early, the restaurant was already crowded. Luckily, though, we were ushered to a table right away. By the time we left, the church contingent had arrived, and the restaurant was crowded wall to wall and rafter to floor with diners, while lots of folks waited to be seated.
We ordered combo meals...Mother ordered ribs and chicken, Sis had fried catfish and ribs, I had ribs with chicken, and Hubbie had ribs and steak. That's a lot of ribs. Mother and Sis didn't touch theirs, and Hubbie and I ate only one or two rib portions. We brought the rest home for another meal.
For sides, Mother had baked sweet potato, Sis had fried sweet potato, Hubbie had regular baked potato, and I had the fried okra. We all sampled the sides.
Back home, we watched a DVD of the musical movie, "Guys and Dolls." Well, actually, I watched the movie. Hubbie, Mother, and Sis snored through a good bit of it. The movie is the original 1955 version, starring Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, and Jean Simmons.
Later, we had strawberry shortcake again. Afterward, we exchanged Mother's Day cards. Sis and I were especially delighted with the hand-crafted ones that Mother made for us, with greetings in her own handwriting.
Then Mother and Sis worked on the jigsaw puzzle, which they finished today, while Hubbie and I watched a Lifetime Movie Network 2008 movie, "Nothing but the Truth," about a woman who refuses to give up the source of a newspaper story she wrote that outed a CIA agent. The movie stars Kate Beckinsale and Matt Dillon.
Mother and Sis went to Mother's house around 8 p.m., and Hubbie and I continued watching TV, including the 2010 unrated western movie, "6 Guns," starring Barry Van Dyke, and Sage Mears. A woman's husband and small boys are slaughtered, and she is raped, by a gang of five killers. She loses herself in the bottom of a whiskey bottle, until a bounty hunter (Van Dyke) takes her in hand and teaches her to shoot a gun. The woman wants revenge, the bounty hunter wants to bring the five to justice for monetary gain.
Got up just before 8 a.m., but skipped my exercises, as I did yesterday morning. This morning, I wanted to be ready by 11 a.m. to go to lunch at a local steakhouse.
Both of my sons called before we went to lunch. Had long conversations with both of them. I was happy to learn from my younger son that insurance is helping to pay for damages incurred during the recent tornado. The trees that were uprooted have now been cut up, the power is back on, and things are looking and feeling more normal for his family.
Older son is doing well, too, though he is mourning the loss of his uncle, who died of a massive heart attack a few days ago. He, his brother, and his sister will attend either the visitation, the funeral, or both. Older son was closest to his uncle, so the death is hitting him hardest.
We arrived at the restaurant a little after 11 a.m. Even this early, the restaurant was already crowded. Luckily, though, we were ushered to a table right away. By the time we left, the church contingent had arrived, and the restaurant was crowded wall to wall and rafter to floor with diners, while lots of folks waited to be seated.
We ordered combo meals...Mother ordered ribs and chicken, Sis had fried catfish and ribs, I had ribs with chicken, and Hubbie had ribs and steak. That's a lot of ribs. Mother and Sis didn't touch theirs, and Hubbie and I ate only one or two rib portions. We brought the rest home for another meal.
For sides, Mother had baked sweet potato, Sis had fried sweet potato, Hubbie had regular baked potato, and I had the fried okra. We all sampled the sides.
Back home, we watched a DVD of the musical movie, "Guys and Dolls." Well, actually, I watched the movie. Hubbie, Mother, and Sis snored through a good bit of it. The movie is the original 1955 version, starring Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, and Jean Simmons.
Later, we had strawberry shortcake again. Afterward, we exchanged Mother's Day cards. Sis and I were especially delighted with the hand-crafted ones that Mother made for us, with greetings in her own handwriting.
Then Mother and Sis worked on the jigsaw puzzle, which they finished today, while Hubbie and I watched a Lifetime Movie Network 2008 movie, "Nothing but the Truth," about a woman who refuses to give up the source of a newspaper story she wrote that outed a CIA agent. The movie stars Kate Beckinsale and Matt Dillon.
Mother and Sis went to Mother's house around 8 p.m., and Hubbie and I continued watching TV, including the 2010 unrated western movie, "6 Guns," starring Barry Van Dyke, and Sage Mears. A woman's husband and small boys are slaughtered, and she is raped, by a gang of five killers. She loses herself in the bottom of a whiskey bottle, until a bounty hunter (Van Dyke) takes her in hand and teaches her to shoot a gun. The woman wants revenge, the bounty hunter wants to bring the five to justice for monetary gain.
Saturday, May 7
We set the clock for 6:30 a.m., because Hubbie needed to be at the fairgrounds by 7:30 to help with the Master Gardener plant sale, and Mother and I wanted to go to the sale early, before everything got picked over.
So as soon as Hubbie arose and went downstairs, I hopped up, too, and went directly to the bathroom to apply my makeup. Just as I finished, Hubbie looked in and asked what I was doing.
"Getting ready to go to the plant sale," I said, puzzled that he should have to ask.
"It's 4 a.m.," he said.
Seems he'd gotten up to walk Shih Tzu. So we had a good laugh and returned to bed. Fortunately, I was able to go back to sleep right away, and get back up at the planned 6:30 hour.
Hubbie put the bran muffins I made yesterday into the oven, and we had breakfast while they heated. He took the muffins, along with a tub of margarine to the sale. Later, he said the muffins disappeared within minutes of their arrival. I guess I should have made more for him to take.
Mother and I wanted to be at the sale around 8 a.m., so she came over just before that time. But before we could go to the van, there came a thunderstorm and heavy rain. We waited about thirty minutes, until the rain slacked, and then went to the fairgrounds.
Hubbie helped me get the wheelchair out of the van, and we got into the building where the sale was held just moments before another thunderstorm with frog-stangling rain cropped up again. Our county appears to have been the only one in the state to be graced with this unwelcome rain.
Mother was interested in buying impatiens and tomato plants, of which there were a limited number. She bought all the impatiens that were available, as well as the type of tomato plants that she prefers. I browsed the plant books again and turned up two more of interest.
Around 9:30, Sis called. She was at our house, but joined us at the fairgrounds as soon as the storm passed. She bought a wagon load of plants, as well as several books.
Back home, I decided that soup was in order on this rain-chilled day, so I got a container of broth with chicken out of the freezer, which we quick-thawed. Mother added noodles to the broth, and while the soup cooked, I made a batch of muffins to go with it.
The soup was nice and warming on this rainy day. Hubbie, of course, had to satisfy himself with cold nibbles provided at the sale, which ended shortly after 1 p.m. He spent the rest of the afternoon planting the impatiens and tomato plants, as well as other plants he obtained.
Mother and Sis spent the afternoon working a jigsaw puzzle, while I perused the books I'd bought at the plant sale. Later, I sauteed onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms for wheat bagel pizzas, and prepared salad veggies.
After supper, Mother, Sis, and I changed clothes to go to a local high school to see "The Music Man." The production was held in the school's cafetorium, where seating was a choice of metal folding or plastic molded chairs.
We took Mother's wheelchair, of course, including the padded chair seat. We also took stadium pillows for Sis and me. When we arrived, we placed Mother's wheelchair in a space where we thought she would have the most unobstructed view. But Sis and I had no sooner settled in than a 500 lb. man plunked down in the chair directly in front of Mother.
So we moved to the other side of the aisle, where a man obligingly moved some chairs out of the way to accommodate Mother. Her chair was slightly out into the aisle, where she had a good view of the stage.
The play was good, though not as good as the one we saw in the town where Niece lives (Great-Niece and Great-Nephew had minor roles in that one). No matter who does the play, though, the music is always delightful. The only objection we had to the production was that the sets were much too elaborate, which meant that the stage hands took an inordinately long time changing the scenes behind the curtain.
The costumes were great, and certain youngsters turned in strong performances. We were especially charmed by the child who portrayed the boy who spoke with a lisp. The play ended around 9:30.
Back home, we indulged in strawberry shortcake...slices of angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped topping. After we watched a couple of one-hour shows, Mother and Sis went to Mother's house, and Hubbie and I headed to bed.
Note: today the mail brought special Mother's Day cards with perfect sentiments from my three kids. Mother received cards, too. Daughter chose musical cards, which both surprised and delighted us.
So as soon as Hubbie arose and went downstairs, I hopped up, too, and went directly to the bathroom to apply my makeup. Just as I finished, Hubbie looked in and asked what I was doing.
"Getting ready to go to the plant sale," I said, puzzled that he should have to ask.
"It's 4 a.m.," he said.
Seems he'd gotten up to walk Shih Tzu. So we had a good laugh and returned to bed. Fortunately, I was able to go back to sleep right away, and get back up at the planned 6:30 hour.
Hubbie put the bran muffins I made yesterday into the oven, and we had breakfast while they heated. He took the muffins, along with a tub of margarine to the sale. Later, he said the muffins disappeared within minutes of their arrival. I guess I should have made more for him to take.
Mother and I wanted to be at the sale around 8 a.m., so she came over just before that time. But before we could go to the van, there came a thunderstorm and heavy rain. We waited about thirty minutes, until the rain slacked, and then went to the fairgrounds.
Hubbie helped me get the wheelchair out of the van, and we got into the building where the sale was held just moments before another thunderstorm with frog-stangling rain cropped up again. Our county appears to have been the only one in the state to be graced with this unwelcome rain.
Mother was interested in buying impatiens and tomato plants, of which there were a limited number. She bought all the impatiens that were available, as well as the type of tomato plants that she prefers. I browsed the plant books again and turned up two more of interest.
Around 9:30, Sis called. She was at our house, but joined us at the fairgrounds as soon as the storm passed. She bought a wagon load of plants, as well as several books.
Back home, I decided that soup was in order on this rain-chilled day, so I got a container of broth with chicken out of the freezer, which we quick-thawed. Mother added noodles to the broth, and while the soup cooked, I made a batch of muffins to go with it.
The soup was nice and warming on this rainy day. Hubbie, of course, had to satisfy himself with cold nibbles provided at the sale, which ended shortly after 1 p.m. He spent the rest of the afternoon planting the impatiens and tomato plants, as well as other plants he obtained.
Mother and Sis spent the afternoon working a jigsaw puzzle, while I perused the books I'd bought at the plant sale. Later, I sauteed onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms for wheat bagel pizzas, and prepared salad veggies.
After supper, Mother, Sis, and I changed clothes to go to a local high school to see "The Music Man." The production was held in the school's cafetorium, where seating was a choice of metal folding or plastic molded chairs.
We took Mother's wheelchair, of course, including the padded chair seat. We also took stadium pillows for Sis and me. When we arrived, we placed Mother's wheelchair in a space where we thought she would have the most unobstructed view. But Sis and I had no sooner settled in than a 500 lb. man plunked down in the chair directly in front of Mother.
So we moved to the other side of the aisle, where a man obligingly moved some chairs out of the way to accommodate Mother. Her chair was slightly out into the aisle, where she had a good view of the stage.
The play was good, though not as good as the one we saw in the town where Niece lives (Great-Niece and Great-Nephew had minor roles in that one). No matter who does the play, though, the music is always delightful. The only objection we had to the production was that the sets were much too elaborate, which meant that the stage hands took an inordinately long time changing the scenes behind the curtain.
The costumes were great, and certain youngsters turned in strong performances. We were especially charmed by the child who portrayed the boy who spoke with a lisp. The play ended around 9:30.
Back home, we indulged in strawberry shortcake...slices of angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped topping. After we watched a couple of one-hour shows, Mother and Sis went to Mother's house, and Hubbie and I headed to bed.
Note: today the mail brought special Mother's Day cards with perfect sentiments from my three kids. Mother received cards, too. Daughter chose musical cards, which both surprised and delighted us.
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