Tuesday, Oct. 9

Slept late, until around 8 a.m. Did a treadmill session and resistance bands exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she watched an episode of "The Mentalist," while I exercised. Hubbie and I had seen the episode last night, but I kept it on DVR, because these days Mother forgets to watch her favorite shows at home.

While I was cooling down after exercising, we watched this week's episode of "Dancing With the Stars." I've decided to record the episodes each week and watch them the next day, so I won't have to watch them twice when Mother forgets to watch them at home.

We had lunch while we watched TV, and afterward, I finally headed upstairs to get ready for the day. Mother went to the couch for a nap. As soon as I was ready, Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands...to the library to select four more movies on DVR, and to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle contest. It was interesting that this week's puzzle was all about my alma mater college.

From there, we went to two discount warehouses. We didn't need anything, but we thought our being away would help Mother nap better. At one of the stores, I found a brown knit scarf, with brown snowball tassles that will be cute to wear with denim jackets. At the other store, I found a sparkly Jack o'lantern scented candle.

Mother woke up soon after we arrived home, not because we were noisy, but because one of the cats nipped her on a toe. The cat had nestled herself on Mother's feet, and I guess nipping her was the cat's way of protesting when Mother drew her feet up. The other two cats were harmlessly nestled in Hubbie's chair, grooming each other.

Didn't accomplish much else before suppertime. Supper was leftover Sunday beef roast dinner, plus leftover macaroni and cheese.

Shortly after supper, I got a call from the Literacy Council director to let me know that my ESL student, whom I nominated as state Literacy Council Student of the Year, has won! The director said the award will be given in a ceremony Friday in the capital city. Unfortunately, we already have plans for that day, but I hope my student can attend. She is very deserving of the award, and I'm thrilled for her.

Later, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited until she showered before returning home.

This evening, Hubbie and I went to the college to attend a program by a nature photographer and photo-journalist. I'm always interested in the photographic works of professionals, who are generally more proficient at the craft than I am. And this guy had some really good shots. But some of them looked strikingly like ones I've taken. That's because the rules of photography are the same for every photographer.

He has traveled widely, so he had some exotic shots, but he also had many that were taken in his own yard, or close to home, and those reminded me of some of mine.

Back home, there was a message on the phone, as well as an e-mail, from my student, who is very excited about winning Student of the Year. I responded to the e-mail to let her know how pleased and proud I am of her.

She and her husband are going to try to go to the capital city for the awards ceremony, which takes place during a Literacy Council conference that begins at 7:30 in the morning. Yikes! Even if we didn't have plans for that day, I don't know if I'd want to get up before daylight to travel the required two hours.