Hubbie was up at 7 a.m., but I slept until nearly 8 a.m. After breakfast, we went for a bike ride. There was a lot more traffic on the road today...I guess because it's Saturday. I'll have to remember that, and save my bike riding for weekdays, and maybe Sundays. Of course, the weatherman predicts sharply cooler weather next week, so I might not want to ride at all.
When we got back from our ride, I accompanied Mother to our house, and then I got ready for the day. Spent part of the morning doing things related to our trip. Daughter, who is going with us, called around 10 a.m. to say that she was still doing the things she needed to do to prepare for the trip, and she would be up here later in the afternoon.
Before lunch, Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands...to a grocery store to pick up cottage cheese and bread, and to the WDCS for a few grocery items for the trip. At the WDCS, we bought three more pineapples. They are so good that we ate one of the two we bought yesterday.
At the register, though, the fruit rang up at it's original $2.98 each price, and Hubbie was quick to say that the sign over the pineapples stated that they are $1.75 each. The clerk didn't quibble. He just corrected the price. It reminded us that we always need to watch the register as items are checked to make sure we're getting them at the correct price.
Yesterday, when we were at that store and rang up our own purchases at the self-checkout, we had trouble figuring out how to ring up the sweet potatoes. Hubbie had decided we'd have to pay the regular 98 cents a pound for them, but when the clerk came to help us, I told him that another grocery store had them priced at 43 cents a pound. He didn't quibble, either, even though it required that he go to his register and get a key card to enter the new price.
Back home, we continued doing things related to the trip. Daughter arrived around 2:30 p.m., and loaded her stuff into the camper. Then she visited with Mother, while I made a tour of the yard and took pictures of the changing leaves, the potted mums, and some wildflowers growing in a ditch alongside our yard.
I uploaded the snapshots to my social network page as soon as I came back to the house. The leaves have just begun turning in our part of the state, but I'm hoping that colors will be more prevalent in Branson, several hours away.
Daughter has a virus or viruses in her laptop computer, so she spent a few hours this afternoon visiting her social network page on my office computer.
Around 3:30, I put potatoes in the oven to bake, and then played on my laptop, while Mother worked puzzles in the living room, and Hubbie did things related to the trip, like filling the truck with diesel, putting our bikes on the camper, and Daughter's bike in the back of the truck, and getting ice chests ready.
Later, we had the baked potatoes with barbecue pork sandwiches and coleslaw for supper. Afterward, we watched a one-hour show, and then Daughter accompanied Mother to her house. When she returned, we watched the 1997 movie, "Snow White: a Tale of Terror," starring Sigourney Weaver and Sam Neil. Based (more authentically, its said) on the Grimm Brothers Fairy Tale, this movie is rated "R" for violence and adult content.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday, Oct. 14
Woke up around 6:30 this morning, but since Hubbie was snoozing peacefully, I stayed abed until he woke up at 7:30. After breakfast, we went for a bike ride. The weather is just perfect right now for riding, or just for being outdoors.
Along the way today, we found that there was a garage sale going on at one of the homes, so we stopped to look around. I found a blouse I think Mother will like, and a crocheted top for myself. The top is dark green and will work well over a turtleneck shirt.
Back home, I accompanied Mother to our house, and then I got ready for the day. While I was doing that, Hubbie peeled potatoes and sliced them in the food processor, for making potato soup. Mother sliced onions, carrots, and celery and added the carrots and celery to the potatoes, which Hubbie put on to boil.
The veggies were tender by the time I got downstairs, so I sauteed the onions, added milk and flour, plus the cooked veggies and the water they were boiled in, to the pot. This is the first time I can remember when it took all three of us to prepare one pot of soup!
Mother spent the rest of the day relaxing after that, while Hubbie and I did various tasks related to an upcoming camping trip. Later, while Mother watched a movie on DVR, we ran errands...to the barbecue restaurant, and to the WDCS, where, among other items, I picked up a couple of fresh pineapples.
Back home, we continued tasks related to the trip. For supper, I fixed sauteed potatoes, and scrambled egg substitute with ham, and rye bread. For dessert, we enjoyed slices of of the pineapple that Hubbie had cut up earlier. The pineapple is absolutely wonderful. Since they are on sale at the WDCS, I might go back and buy some more of them.
After supper, I accompanied Mother home, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2009 movie "Solitary Man," starring Michael Douglas. A 60-year-old man's life starts going down the tubes because of his shady business dealings, romantic indiscretions, and a threat to his health.
Along the way today, we found that there was a garage sale going on at one of the homes, so we stopped to look around. I found a blouse I think Mother will like, and a crocheted top for myself. The top is dark green and will work well over a turtleneck shirt.
Back home, I accompanied Mother to our house, and then I got ready for the day. While I was doing that, Hubbie peeled potatoes and sliced them in the food processor, for making potato soup. Mother sliced onions, carrots, and celery and added the carrots and celery to the potatoes, which Hubbie put on to boil.
The veggies were tender by the time I got downstairs, so I sauteed the onions, added milk and flour, plus the cooked veggies and the water they were boiled in, to the pot. This is the first time I can remember when it took all three of us to prepare one pot of soup!
Mother spent the rest of the day relaxing after that, while Hubbie and I did various tasks related to an upcoming camping trip. Later, while Mother watched a movie on DVR, we ran errands...to the barbecue restaurant, and to the WDCS, where, among other items, I picked up a couple of fresh pineapples.
Back home, we continued tasks related to the trip. For supper, I fixed sauteed potatoes, and scrambled egg substitute with ham, and rye bread. For dessert, we enjoyed slices of of the pineapple that Hubbie had cut up earlier. The pineapple is absolutely wonderful. Since they are on sale at the WDCS, I might go back and buy some more of them.
After supper, I accompanied Mother home, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2009 movie "Solitary Man," starring Michael Douglas. A 60-year-old man's life starts going down the tubes because of his shady business dealings, romantic indiscretions, and a threat to his health.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday, Oct. 13
Slept late this morning, until 8 a.m., and skipped my exercises so I could get ready for the day before Hubbie had to go to a Master Gardener meeting at 10 a.m. Before he left, he escorted Mother to our house.
Mother's back is uncomfortable, so we discussed it and decided she wouldn't be able to go with us on a planned upcoming trip to Branson. It would be too difficult for her to get in and out of the truck, ride the several hours to Branson, and then climb up and down the steps of the camper. So I contacted Sis to see if she could come up and be with Mother while we are gone. She had to rearrange her work schedule, but she agreed to come up.
I spent the day preparing foods for the trip...a baked ham, baked sweet potatoes, and homemade tomato soup. Mother insisted on making pimento cheese. But she had no sooner gotten the cheese, pimentoes, and salad dressing mixed than she felt woozy and had to sit down.
I was looking for something in the freezer in another area, and when I came back to the kitchen, I noticed she looked a little funny and asked what was wrong. She said she had an upset tummy. So I helped her to the bathroom and got her a chair to sit on in case she had to upchuck. After a few minutes, she had recovered and was able to return to her chair in the den.
She remained there the rest of the day, while I fixed food for the trip, for our lunch, and for supper.
Hubbie returned home around 11 a.m. After lunch, Mother and I watched the movie musical, "Cats," while Hubbie pursued his own interests. Later this afternoon, he picked up a new TV for Mother that we'd ordered from an appliance store. We set it up right away, and as soon as supper was over, Mother was anxious to go to her house and see it. She is so thrilled with it that she said she might watch it all night.
Later, Hubbie and I watched the 2010 movie, "Centurion." What remains of a Roman legion after a guerrilla attack fight to the death behind enemy lines.
Mother's back is uncomfortable, so we discussed it and decided she wouldn't be able to go with us on a planned upcoming trip to Branson. It would be too difficult for her to get in and out of the truck, ride the several hours to Branson, and then climb up and down the steps of the camper. So I contacted Sis to see if she could come up and be with Mother while we are gone. She had to rearrange her work schedule, but she agreed to come up.
I spent the day preparing foods for the trip...a baked ham, baked sweet potatoes, and homemade tomato soup. Mother insisted on making pimento cheese. But she had no sooner gotten the cheese, pimentoes, and salad dressing mixed than she felt woozy and had to sit down.
I was looking for something in the freezer in another area, and when I came back to the kitchen, I noticed she looked a little funny and asked what was wrong. She said she had an upset tummy. So I helped her to the bathroom and got her a chair to sit on in case she had to upchuck. After a few minutes, she had recovered and was able to return to her chair in the den.
She remained there the rest of the day, while I fixed food for the trip, for our lunch, and for supper.
Hubbie returned home around 11 a.m. After lunch, Mother and I watched the movie musical, "Cats," while Hubbie pursued his own interests. Later this afternoon, he picked up a new TV for Mother that we'd ordered from an appliance store. We set it up right away, and as soon as supper was over, Mother was anxious to go to her house and see it. She is so thrilled with it that she said she might watch it all night.
Later, Hubbie and I watched the 2010 movie, "Centurion." What remains of a Roman legion after a guerrilla attack fight to the death behind enemy lines.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Wednesday, Oct. 12
Up at 6:30 on this rainy morning so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. Today, Hubbie fixed oatmeal for our breakfast, since I needed a soft food after my dental procedure yesterday. He prepared enough to take a serving of it to Mother for her breakfast.
When it began thundering, I debated whether I wanted to go to the pool. But I finally decided to chance it. The water was pleasant again, and I enjoyed my swim until a flash of lightening made me wonder, along with some others in the pool, if I should vacate the pool. But since nothing more happened, I stayed in the water.
Seventeen of us showed up for the session this morning, so obviously others had debated with themselves about attending and decided to stay home.
I was home only a few minutes, though, when it began raining pretty hard. It rained steadily for the rest of the morning, and into the afternoon. According to our rain gauge, we got almost three and a half inches, which was desperately needed, since a burn ban has been in effect for our county.
Hubbie was gone when I got home...he'd gone to pick up the camper, which had been at a repair shop in another town since last week. He returned home around 11 a.m. By then, I had gotten ready for the day and had accompanied Mother to our house.
Since Mother had not watched "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday and Tuesday nights, I played them for her from our DVR while I did this and that around the house and prepared our lunch.
After lunch, I met my appointment at the beauty shop. Mother decided she wasn't up to going today, so I'd called the shop this morning and cancelled her appointment.
As soon as I got back home, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the bank, to the pharmacy, to a grocery store, and to the WDCS.
Strange: at the WDCS checkout, the clerk noticed I was buying a ham and asked if I was shopping for Thanksgiving already. I said no. "You're not shopping for Halloween, are you?"
I began wondering how it was any of her business why I was buying a ham, but discovered it was just her way of launching into a subject. "Halloween is getting to be such a big deal that I won't be surprised if we start having a big meal with it, like Thanksgiving or Christmas," she said.
And then she said something that startled us. "I made sure my husband died on Halloween," she announced. "He always loved Halloween, so I made sure the kids had costumes and went trick or treating."
It dawned on us that she hadn't meant the statement about making sure her husband died on Halloween the way she had said it. With the right pauses, what she meant was, "I made sure..." (pause to start her sentence over again)..."My husband died on Halloween, and since he loved Halloween, I always made sure the kids had costumes and went trick or treating," (in his memory).
It was about 4 p.m. when we got back home, and time to prepare supper. Hubbie had peeled potatoes while I was at the beauty shop, and I boiled those, made chicken gravy, and heated leftover chicken and English peas.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, as usual.
When it began thundering, I debated whether I wanted to go to the pool. But I finally decided to chance it. The water was pleasant again, and I enjoyed my swim until a flash of lightening made me wonder, along with some others in the pool, if I should vacate the pool. But since nothing more happened, I stayed in the water.
Seventeen of us showed up for the session this morning, so obviously others had debated with themselves about attending and decided to stay home.
I was home only a few minutes, though, when it began raining pretty hard. It rained steadily for the rest of the morning, and into the afternoon. According to our rain gauge, we got almost three and a half inches, which was desperately needed, since a burn ban has been in effect for our county.
Hubbie was gone when I got home...he'd gone to pick up the camper, which had been at a repair shop in another town since last week. He returned home around 11 a.m. By then, I had gotten ready for the day and had accompanied Mother to our house.
Since Mother had not watched "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday and Tuesday nights, I played them for her from our DVR while I did this and that around the house and prepared our lunch.
After lunch, I met my appointment at the beauty shop. Mother decided she wasn't up to going today, so I'd called the shop this morning and cancelled her appointment.
As soon as I got back home, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the bank, to the pharmacy, to a grocery store, and to the WDCS.
Strange: at the WDCS checkout, the clerk noticed I was buying a ham and asked if I was shopping for Thanksgiving already. I said no. "You're not shopping for Halloween, are you?"
I began wondering how it was any of her business why I was buying a ham, but discovered it was just her way of launching into a subject. "Halloween is getting to be such a big deal that I won't be surprised if we start having a big meal with it, like Thanksgiving or Christmas," she said.
And then she said something that startled us. "I made sure my husband died on Halloween," she announced. "He always loved Halloween, so I made sure the kids had costumes and went trick or treating."
It dawned on us that she hadn't meant the statement about making sure her husband died on Halloween the way she had said it. With the right pauses, what she meant was, "I made sure..." (pause to start her sentence over again)..."My husband died on Halloween, and since he loved Halloween, I always made sure the kids had costumes and went trick or treating," (in his memory).
It was about 4 p.m. when we got back home, and time to prepare supper. Hubbie had peeled potatoes while I was at the beauty shop, and I boiled those, made chicken gravy, and heated leftover chicken and English peas.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, as usual.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Tuesday, Oct. 11
We were up a 7 a.m. this morning, but I skipped my exercises to get ready to go for a dental appointment at 11:30. Since I knew I wouldn't be able to eat right after I got back from the dentist, I had a little more for breakfast.
Once I was ready for the day, I called Mother on the intercom, but when she didn't answer right away, I started out the door to go see about her. She buzzed back just as I got to the door. I answered the intercom, but couldn't contact her further, because she had somehow pushed a button that left her intercom open.
So I went to her house to find out what was wrong. She seemed nervous, and her hands were trembling, and I asked if she was ill and needed a doctor. She denied that she was sick. I finally asked if she'd fallen, and she admitted that she had. She said she'd bumped into a worktable in her kitchen and fell to her knees.
She showed me her left knee, which was swollen and very bruised. Apparently, she had somehow also fallen on her backside, because she complained that her lower back was hurting a little. She'd crawled to the intercom to answer it.
I retrieved her walker from her bedroom and insisted she use it. She has resisted using it, but I firmly insisted she begin using it today. In fact, I asked her to get up and use it to go to the bathroom, so I could assist her in learning to use it, and to see if her legs are functional. She made it to the bathroom and back just fine.
So I made sure she was comfortable on her couch and had a cup of coffee, a glass of water, and Ibuprofen for pain, before I returned home to make a haircut appointment for the two of us for tomorrow (we'll play it by ear as to whether Mother will feel like meeting her appointment).
Then Hubbie and I went to the dentist's office. By noon, I had still not been called back for my procedure, and I knew Mother would be hungry and ready for lunch. So I suggested Hubbie go back home and fix her something to eat and then come back to the clinic.
In the meantime, I was finally called back for my procedure. Because the procedure was painful, I was given gas and then shots. Hubbie returned shortly after the procedure was done.
My plan for supper tonight was chicken noodle soup, because I knew I'd need a "soft" meal. Mother was scheduled to make the soup today, but it was out of the question after her accident, so I asked Hubbie to do it. He's made chicken soup dozens of times before, but for some reason, today he chose to have brain freeze, and seemed not to know the first thing about how to do it. So I instructed him and then helped put it together.
It took a while for the effects of the deadening agent to wear off, so I couldn't eat lunch until around 3 p.m., when Hubbie fixed me a couple of poached eggs and bread and butter. Fortunately, he hadn't forgotten how to do that.
Later, after the chicken was cooked, I cooked noodles in the broth, and then took a serving of it to Mother. After Hubbie and I had eaten, I went back to Mother's to wash her dishes and see if she needed anything else. She didn't, but I stayed around until she nodded off, and then came back home.
I meant to go back to her house and help her get ready for bed, but when I buzzed her on the intercom at 9 p.m., she said she had already gotten into her night wear, and was going to camp out on the couch tonight, so she said she didn't need anything more tonight.
So we watched tonight's elimination episode of "Dancing with the Stars." The one who was eliminated was the one I predicted would go. Too bad. She's actually a good dancer.
Once I was ready for the day, I called Mother on the intercom, but when she didn't answer right away, I started out the door to go see about her. She buzzed back just as I got to the door. I answered the intercom, but couldn't contact her further, because she had somehow pushed a button that left her intercom open.
So I went to her house to find out what was wrong. She seemed nervous, and her hands were trembling, and I asked if she was ill and needed a doctor. She denied that she was sick. I finally asked if she'd fallen, and she admitted that she had. She said she'd bumped into a worktable in her kitchen and fell to her knees.
She showed me her left knee, which was swollen and very bruised. Apparently, she had somehow also fallen on her backside, because she complained that her lower back was hurting a little. She'd crawled to the intercom to answer it.
I retrieved her walker from her bedroom and insisted she use it. She has resisted using it, but I firmly insisted she begin using it today. In fact, I asked her to get up and use it to go to the bathroom, so I could assist her in learning to use it, and to see if her legs are functional. She made it to the bathroom and back just fine.
So I made sure she was comfortable on her couch and had a cup of coffee, a glass of water, and Ibuprofen for pain, before I returned home to make a haircut appointment for the two of us for tomorrow (we'll play it by ear as to whether Mother will feel like meeting her appointment).
Then Hubbie and I went to the dentist's office. By noon, I had still not been called back for my procedure, and I knew Mother would be hungry and ready for lunch. So I suggested Hubbie go back home and fix her something to eat and then come back to the clinic.
In the meantime, I was finally called back for my procedure. Because the procedure was painful, I was given gas and then shots. Hubbie returned shortly after the procedure was done.
My plan for supper tonight was chicken noodle soup, because I knew I'd need a "soft" meal. Mother was scheduled to make the soup today, but it was out of the question after her accident, so I asked Hubbie to do it. He's made chicken soup dozens of times before, but for some reason, today he chose to have brain freeze, and seemed not to know the first thing about how to do it. So I instructed him and then helped put it together.
It took a while for the effects of the deadening agent to wear off, so I couldn't eat lunch until around 3 p.m., when Hubbie fixed me a couple of poached eggs and bread and butter. Fortunately, he hadn't forgotten how to do that.
Later, after the chicken was cooked, I cooked noodles in the broth, and then took a serving of it to Mother. After Hubbie and I had eaten, I went back to Mother's to wash her dishes and see if she needed anything else. She didn't, but I stayed around until she nodded off, and then came back home.
I meant to go back to her house and help her get ready for bed, but when I buzzed her on the intercom at 9 p.m., she said she had already gotten into her night wear, and was going to camp out on the couch tonight, so she said she didn't need anything more tonight.
So we watched tonight's elimination episode of "Dancing with the Stars." The one who was eliminated was the one I predicted would go. Too bad. She's actually a good dancer.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday, Oct. 10
Happy Columbus Day. Never mind that Columbus didn't actually discover America. He never even got close to the United States, though he did voyage to Central and South America.
According to an article on MSNBC, another explorer, Giovanni Cabot, actually "discovered" Newfoundland (now known as the United States) and claimed it in England's name in 1497. But later, early colonists were fighting with England, so they turned to Columbus as their hero. The fact is, though, that natives had discovered the continent millenia before this, but get no credit for it.
Nevertheless, the Post Office and the banks were closed, and we flew the American flag in honor of the day.
We were up at 6:30 this morning, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. I figured the pool would be topped off today, and it was, but contrary to my expectation that it'd be much chillier, it was actually very pleasantly warm. I thoroughly enjoyed my swim and the aerobics. Today, I learned that we will not meet for aerobics this coming Friday, because the college will be on fall break.
Back home, before I got ready for the day, Hubbie put color in my hair in anticipation of getting a haircut later this week. By the time I was ready for the day, it was already nearly noon.
After lunch, I reviewed my lesson plan for a session with my student this afternoon. I met the student at 2:30, and we had a good session. I noted to her that today is Columbus Day, and she told me that the day is also celebrated in her country, on the same date. She drew a crude map to indicate where Columbus landed in the Venezula capital city of Caracus, where she was born.
Amerigo Vespucci, who also explored the region, actually named the area Venezuela, because the houses on stilts in the area of Lake Maracaibo reminded him of the city of Venice...Venezuela means "little Venice."
We then discussed the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who is ill with cancer. She said she did not vote for him. She apparently does not appreciate that he launched a Constituent Assembly in 1999 to write a New Constitution of Venezuela that would afford him twelve years as president, instead of eight.
We managed to discuss all these things despite her halting English, and my very limited Spanish.
The student also told me she is reading a history of Ellis Island, and she is reading it in English, with the help of a Spanish/English dictionary. She said she has wept at the stories of the immigrants who arrived in America in hopes of a better life. She herself is very anxious to become an American citizen.
Today, the student brought me a Ziplock bag of a half dozen peanut butter cookies. I was glad I'd brought along a new ESL book that had an attached word-builder CD that I could give to her in exchange for the cookies. I kept the book, but I thought she'd enjoy the CD.
The lesson today included prepositions of direction: "Mrs. Smith went into the house;" "She walked across the street." She also learned verbal phrases with "back." "I go to work...," "I come back...," "I gave her my book...," "She gave it back..."
Then we worked on vocabulary dealing with driving a car to work, downtown, and back home again, using the terms of passing another car, parking a car, using a parking meter, buying gas, parking in a garage, etc. We also looked at vocabulary dealing with car trouble: repair shop, flat tire, dead battery, broken windshield, and brakes that don't work. She learned the different parts of a car: trunk, hood, windshield wipers, etc.
Back home, Mother had heated the leftover spaghetti and sauce, which we had for supper, with green beans and cottage cheese. I accompanied Mother home afterward, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
According to an article on MSNBC, another explorer, Giovanni Cabot, actually "discovered" Newfoundland (now known as the United States) and claimed it in England's name in 1497. But later, early colonists were fighting with England, so they turned to Columbus as their hero. The fact is, though, that natives had discovered the continent millenia before this, but get no credit for it.
Nevertheless, the Post Office and the banks were closed, and we flew the American flag in honor of the day.
We were up at 6:30 this morning, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. I figured the pool would be topped off today, and it was, but contrary to my expectation that it'd be much chillier, it was actually very pleasantly warm. I thoroughly enjoyed my swim and the aerobics. Today, I learned that we will not meet for aerobics this coming Friday, because the college will be on fall break.
Back home, before I got ready for the day, Hubbie put color in my hair in anticipation of getting a haircut later this week. By the time I was ready for the day, it was already nearly noon.
After lunch, I reviewed my lesson plan for a session with my student this afternoon. I met the student at 2:30, and we had a good session. I noted to her that today is Columbus Day, and she told me that the day is also celebrated in her country, on the same date. She drew a crude map to indicate where Columbus landed in the Venezula capital city of Caracus, where she was born.
Amerigo Vespucci, who also explored the region, actually named the area Venezuela, because the houses on stilts in the area of Lake Maracaibo reminded him of the city of Venice...Venezuela means "little Venice."
We then discussed the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who is ill with cancer. She said she did not vote for him. She apparently does not appreciate that he launched a Constituent Assembly in 1999 to write a New Constitution of Venezuela that would afford him twelve years as president, instead of eight.
We managed to discuss all these things despite her halting English, and my very limited Spanish.
The student also told me she is reading a history of Ellis Island, and she is reading it in English, with the help of a Spanish/English dictionary. She said she has wept at the stories of the immigrants who arrived in America in hopes of a better life. She herself is very anxious to become an American citizen.
Today, the student brought me a Ziplock bag of a half dozen peanut butter cookies. I was glad I'd brought along a new ESL book that had an attached word-builder CD that I could give to her in exchange for the cookies. I kept the book, but I thought she'd enjoy the CD.
The lesson today included prepositions of direction: "Mrs. Smith went into the house;" "She walked across the street." She also learned verbal phrases with "back." "I go to work...," "I come back...," "I gave her my book...," "She gave it back..."
Then we worked on vocabulary dealing with driving a car to work, downtown, and back home again, using the terms of passing another car, parking a car, using a parking meter, buying gas, parking in a garage, etc. We also looked at vocabulary dealing with car trouble: repair shop, flat tire, dead battery, broken windshield, and brakes that don't work. She learned the different parts of a car: trunk, hood, windshield wipers, etc.
Back home, Mother had heated the leftover spaghetti and sauce, which we had for supper, with green beans and cottage cheese. I accompanied Mother home afterward, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Sunday, Oct. 9
Up at 7 a.m., so I could take a dose of antibiotic, which I'm to take every eight hours in anticipation of a dental procedure Tuesday.
After breakfast, Hubbie and I went bike riding. It was another glorious morning to be outdoors. The sky, clear and blue, seemed particularly expansive this morning. It was still early enough that dew sparkled like diamonds on lawns. There was only the slightest breeze, upon which wafted the scent of cattle and pasture grass.
As we topped the first hill on the road, a little female beagle ran out to greet us. She didn't bark, but only trotted along with us for a while, before turning back to her home. Farther down the road, a pair of terrier type dogs, white with brown spots (that I've come to call "The Twins"), dashed to the end of their owner's driveway, yapping in unison. At the end of the driveway, they both stopped yapping at exactly the same time, as if they were under the direction of a choirmaster.
Birds resting on power lines lifted off and away at the sight of us...unlike the movie, "The Birds," in which birds attacked and even killed people.
At the point in the road where we turn around to come home, I noticed chickens cackling at some nearby house. This is the first time I've heard chickens, so I wonder if they are a recent acquisition to the folks who own them.
Before we went bike riding, I accompanied Mother to our house. While we were gone, she started a pot of spaghetti sauce simmering. Once I was ready for the day, I did the usual Sunday things of programming the DVR and doing some laundry.
Before lunch, we watched the movie musical, "Phantom of the Opera." It was nearly 1 p.m. before it was over, and past time for lunch. The spaghetti, served with a side of French style green beans, was very good. Afterward, we wasted the afternoon watching a DVD I bought at a yard sale yesterday..."Category 7: the End of the World." This was a two-part movie that had originally been featured on TV.
It was after 4 p.m. by this time, and Mother was ready to go back to her house, so I accompanied her. After that, Hubbie went out into the yard, and I played on my laptop, and read the Sunday newspaper.
Later, we continued wasting time in front of TV until bedtime.
Note: today Hubbie received a call from his younger daughter telling him that his older daughter, who recently suffered a broken ankle, is back in the hospital. Her leg had begun swelling and become very painful. At the hospital, it was discovered that she had another blood clot.
His daughter further reported that the older daughter, who underwent a test in the capital city to determine if she needs a procedure to patch a hole in her heart, learned that she has apparently suffered multiple cerebrovascular accidents (mini strokes) over an undetermined period of time. The last one was the only one recognizable as a stroke, as manifested by slurred speech and facial numbness.
After breakfast, Hubbie and I went bike riding. It was another glorious morning to be outdoors. The sky, clear and blue, seemed particularly expansive this morning. It was still early enough that dew sparkled like diamonds on lawns. There was only the slightest breeze, upon which wafted the scent of cattle and pasture grass.
As we topped the first hill on the road, a little female beagle ran out to greet us. She didn't bark, but only trotted along with us for a while, before turning back to her home. Farther down the road, a pair of terrier type dogs, white with brown spots (that I've come to call "The Twins"), dashed to the end of their owner's driveway, yapping in unison. At the end of the driveway, they both stopped yapping at exactly the same time, as if they were under the direction of a choirmaster.
Birds resting on power lines lifted off and away at the sight of us...unlike the movie, "The Birds," in which birds attacked and even killed people.
At the point in the road where we turn around to come home, I noticed chickens cackling at some nearby house. This is the first time I've heard chickens, so I wonder if they are a recent acquisition to the folks who own them.
Before we went bike riding, I accompanied Mother to our house. While we were gone, she started a pot of spaghetti sauce simmering. Once I was ready for the day, I did the usual Sunday things of programming the DVR and doing some laundry.
Before lunch, we watched the movie musical, "Phantom of the Opera." It was nearly 1 p.m. before it was over, and past time for lunch. The spaghetti, served with a side of French style green beans, was very good. Afterward, we wasted the afternoon watching a DVD I bought at a yard sale yesterday..."Category 7: the End of the World." This was a two-part movie that had originally been featured on TV.
It was after 4 p.m. by this time, and Mother was ready to go back to her house, so I accompanied her. After that, Hubbie went out into the yard, and I played on my laptop, and read the Sunday newspaper.
Later, we continued wasting time in front of TV until bedtime.
Note: today Hubbie received a call from his younger daughter telling him that his older daughter, who recently suffered a broken ankle, is back in the hospital. Her leg had begun swelling and become very painful. At the hospital, it was discovered that she had another blood clot.
His daughter further reported that the older daughter, who underwent a test in the capital city to determine if she needs a procedure to patch a hole in her heart, learned that she has apparently suffered multiple cerebrovascular accidents (mini strokes) over an undetermined period of time. The last one was the only one recognizable as a stroke, as manifested by slurred speech and facial numbness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)