Wednesday, July 18

Woke up this morning at 4 a.m., and that was it. No more sleep. My body protested having to get up at 6:30 to get ready to go to water aerobics. But I did it, anyway.

Phew! A very muggy, warm, morning for the walk to the gym. The dressing room was freezing, though...air conditioner running full force, I guess because kids are on campus for some sort of sports camp. It was like a sauna in the pool area, but the pool itself was pretty cool.

Enjoyed the water once I was used to it, but later, in my wet swimsuit, I really felt the chill of the dressing room.

When I first entered the pool, several ladies were talking about having suffered shingles in the past. Probably a dozen aerobics members, and two of our scrapbook club members, have experienced this very painful disease. I was vaccinated against shingles a few years ago, and I hope it completely suppresses the virus, or if I get it, that it will reduce the severity and duration of the disease.

Other topics of conversation: the lady I stand next to commented that blueberry bushes she was given as a Mother's Day gift from her grandson are thriving. She laughed, though, when she said it cost $100 dollars for the pots, potting soil, peat moss, etc., for planting the bushes. "You can't afford many Mother's Day gifts like this," her grandson quipped.

Fortunately, her daughter picked up the tab for the pots, potting soil and the peat moss, as a Mother's Day/birthday gift. "How many people do you know," the lady chuckled, "who get peat moss and potting soil for their birthday."

Another lady said that yesterday she was driving behind a truck with a trailer-load of tires, when two of the tires suddenly bounced out, forcing her to quickly maneuver between them. In her rearview mirror she saw one of the tires fly off into the ditch, but the other one continued rolling down the road. She didn't see where it finally landed, but only hoped no one hit it. "That incident took ten years off my life!" she declared. "And I can't afford to lose ten years."

Back home, Hubbie was gone to a Master Gardener meeting. Once I was ready for the day, I accompanied Mother to our house, where she cut up tomatoes and banana peppers to put in a pot of spaghetti sauce to simmer for a few hours.

After lunch, Mother went to the couch for lunch, while I shopped at a department store, where I used a $10 coupon to buy a periwinkle blue shirt and some lingerie.

The lady who waited on me at the register is someone I've known for years. She has had a variety of jobs over the years, and was once the editor of our local newspaper. But once she left that job, she seemed to have difficulty finding satisfying work.

The last time I saw her on-the-job was at a home improvement store. But until she got her current job, she said she'd been out of work a year and a half. Also, I was sorry to hear that she lost her brother last May. He had been diagnosed with cancer in December, but it was so far advanced that he could not survive it. He was only in his 50s.

In the van, after I'd paid for my purchases, I reviewed my receipt and discovered that she had not charged me correctly. In fact, she'd not charged enough. I did not want this to show up on her register and then be responsible for the shortfall, so I went right back in and had her correct it. It was only a little over a dollar difference, but I didn't want it to seem she is inadequate to the job. She obviously needs the work.

Back home, Mother had awakened from her nap, and was ready to watch TV for a while.

Later, when I was ready to complete supper preparations, I discovered we didn't have spaghetti. So Hubbie had to scoot off to a grocery store to buy a package. I was aggravated with myself for not thinking to check the pantry for spaghetti before we went grocery shopping yeterday.

The spaghetti and sauce were really good, though, served with green beans, and fresh tomatoes topped with cottage cheese.

Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and then grabbed my camera to snap a few shots in the yard of trees stressed from the heat and drought. The veggie garden is very stressed, too, and now blister beetles are invading our tomato plants. So Hubbie will be using Sevin liquid to battle them.

Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV, as usual.