Tuesday, August 14

Slept late, until around 8 a.m. Since it was such a nice morning, I decided a bike ride was in order, so after breakfast, I dressed for exercise. While I did this, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house.

Enjoyed the ride...sunny, but breezy, and only one dog came yapping out at us. At the riding school, several young people mounted on horses were being trained by a couple of older women.

A herd of cattle in a pasture were gathered under trees, where one began bawling, setting the whole herd responding. Wonder what stirred them up? Maybe it was that there's not a blade of grass for grazing, thanks to the drought, and the pond they frequent is drying up. I didn't see any hay in the pasture, either, so I don't know what they're grazing on.

Back home, once I was ready for the day, I asked Mother if she wanted me to gather supplies for her to make a greeting card. She wasn't interested. In fact, she hasn't been interested in crafts, or even working her jigsaw puzzles lately. She doesn't act depressed or anything, just not interested.

There wasn't anything for her to do in the kitchen, so she watched TV until lunchtime. She said she hadn't slept well last night, so she was tired and ready for a nap right after lunch.

While she napped, I called one of the scrapbook club members to remind her of our Thursday meeting.

The medical clinic also called to schedule Mother for a fasting lab, and a visit to her doctor. Scheduled her for the last week in August.

After that, I made a birthday card for a friend, and then Hubbie and I ran errands...to a repair shop to get one of the van tires aired up, in accordance with a warning light; to the newspaper office to leave this week's word search puzzle contest; to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions; and to the WDCS for a few grocery items.

Back home, Mother was already done with her nap. I started supper preparations. I sessoned round steak with pepper, no-salt seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika, and dredged it in flour. Browned the meat, along with onions, in olive oil. Added a can of low-sodium beef broth, and let the steak simmer for an hour and a half. Added browning liquid to the broth, and then thickened it with a water/cornstarch mixture.

Hubbie peeled potatoes, which I boiled and mashed later. Served the meal with sides of spinach and English peas...spinach for Hubbie and me, and peas for Mother, who has never like spinach.

Accompanied Mother home after supper, and waited until she had showered, before returning home.

Hubbie and I settled in to watch TV. Absolutely nothing on TV tonight, so I dug out a DVD that we hadn't watched yet..."The Sandlot." This 1993 movie was one I'd gotten for cereal box tops some time ago. Hubbie thoroughly enjoyed this coming-of-age movie about a bunch of ten to twelve-year-old kids, who form a sandlot baseball team and get into all sorts of scrapes. Family comedy. PG rated.