Today is Niece's birthday. Happy Birthday, Niece! It's also the birthday of one of my friends, with whom I worked years ago in the capital city. I must call her, since I forgot to put a card in the mail.
We were up at 6:30 this morning, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. It was a sunny morning, though quite a bit chillier than it has been. I love the sun, but exiting my driveway was tricky, since it was difficult to see the road to my right, thanks to the glare and the undergrowth along the neighbor's fence.
The slightly wet road leading to the college was like a mirror with a huge spotlight shining on it. Between the sun and the glare from the road, I had to slow to a snail's pace, squint toward the grassy right hand side of the road, and just crawl along until I got to a shaded area.
Arrived at the parking lot safely, and enjoyed the cool walk to the gym. The water was pleasant today. I was told that it was pretty chilly on Wednesday, making me feel better about wimping out of going. Only eight showed up that day, though a dozen of us were there today.
Our leader commented that the man who had surgery to replace a heart valve is still in the hospital, because it became necessary to implant a pacemaker. She also told us that she will be having cataract surgery next week, so we will be led by a substitute for a few days.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I went to the clinic for a blood test. This is a re-test to check if my white blood cell count is now normal...it was a little low, I was told, which might indicate that I had a silent virus. Hopefully, I tested normal this time.
At home again, Mother and Sis were visiting at our house, while Mother finished a jigsaw puzzle. Since I was busy all morning, Sis helped Mother with her shower today.
I put together a lunch of hoagie sandwiches, served with chips and cottage cheese, and followed with servings of chocolate cake.
After lunch, Sis and I went shopping. We started at the greeting card shop, where I used a 20% off coupon to buy a jigsaw puzzle featuring cats...a Mother's Day gift.
From there, we went to a pharmacy store, where Sis bought two cartons of hair color using extra $2 coupons that I had, and I bought a cheap bottle of nail polish to match a blouse I'm wearing to the Red Hot Luncheon Monday.
Then we went to a boutique shop, where I used a $10 off $20 purchase to buy a reed diffuser gift set, and three pretty purse-size jars of hand cream. I gave one to Sis, kept one for myself, and set one aside for Daughter.
We went to a store that has a sale every weekend after that. There, Sis and I both bought sandals advertised in the store's newspaper insert. We used 20% off coupons for the shoes. Neither of us like open-toe sandals, so these pairs of closed-toe slingbacks are just right. And they're very comfortable. We both opted for the tan color.
Our last stop was the WDCS, where we shopped for Mother.
It was sunny to partly cloudy when we left on our shopping trip, but began sprinkling as we traveled home.
While we were gone, Mother cut zucchini, yellow squash, and onions for the steamer. She also prepared fresh salmon for the oven. Hubbie scrubbed sweet potatoes for the oven, too.
I put the potatoes in the oven, and started the squash cooking. Then, while Mother and Sis worked on another jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie watched a basketball game on TV, I washed a load of clothes, and played on my computer.
When the potatoes were done, I put the salmon in the oven, and by 5 p.m. supper was ready. Funny: I didn't notice until I was filling Mother's plate that I'd only baked three sweet potatoes. I'm so used to preparing for three that I forgot about Sis. Fortunately, the potatoes I baked were enormous, so three were sufficient for the four of us.
After supper, we played nine games of Duo, with Mother once again running away with five of them. Sis and I each won two, and Hubbie went out with a goose egg.
Sis and Mother went to her house after that. Hubbie popped popcorn for us, and we settled in to watch Kentucky play Indiana in an NCAA game. Kentucky won, as expected.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Thursday, March 22
Up around 7:30, so Hubbie could get ready to go to a Master Gardener training session at the Extension Services office. After breakfast, I did a stair stepping session and resistance/weights exercises.
Once I was ready for the day, I visited Mother and Sis at Mother's house. Later, Sis accompanied Mother to our house, and then she went to the WDCS to do some shopping. In the meantime, I gathered supplies for making Easter greeting cards, and then put together a lunch of chicken noodle soup, pimento cheese with a choice of crackers or sourdough bread, and fresh fruit...oranges, Little Cuties, and strawberries.
Hubbie returned home shortly after noon to join us for lunch. Afterward, he went out to work in the yard, and Sis, Mother, and I spent the afternoon making cards. Mother used stickers that we bought recently to make hers, and I made several rubber stamp designs that Sis colored.
Later, baked a chocolate cake, and then prepared a supper of bagel pizzas, salad, and cottage cheese, followed by the remainder of the rice pudding.
We played several games of Duo after supper, with Mother winning five straight games, Hubbie and I winning two each, and finally, around 9:30 p.m., Sis winning one. It was a fun time, with lots of laughs.
Funny: Sis's and my horoscope for today reads: Relatives probably are camped on your doorstep, sleeping on your sofa, and eating you out of house and home. On the other hand, you might be the one sleeping on your sister's sofa!
Sad: a mother and her four children died in a fire this morning in a town where Granddaughter lives. She personally knew the children from the school where she formerly worked. They lived next door to store where she now works, and often visited. The loss of the children is devastating to her, of course.
Once I was ready for the day, I visited Mother and Sis at Mother's house. Later, Sis accompanied Mother to our house, and then she went to the WDCS to do some shopping. In the meantime, I gathered supplies for making Easter greeting cards, and then put together a lunch of chicken noodle soup, pimento cheese with a choice of crackers or sourdough bread, and fresh fruit...oranges, Little Cuties, and strawberries.
Hubbie returned home shortly after noon to join us for lunch. Afterward, he went out to work in the yard, and Sis, Mother, and I spent the afternoon making cards. Mother used stickers that we bought recently to make hers, and I made several rubber stamp designs that Sis colored.
Later, baked a chocolate cake, and then prepared a supper of bagel pizzas, salad, and cottage cheese, followed by the remainder of the rice pudding.
We played several games of Duo after supper, with Mother winning five straight games, Hubbie and I winning two each, and finally, around 9:30 p.m., Sis winning one. It was a fun time, with lots of laughs.
Funny: Sis's and my horoscope for today reads: Relatives probably are camped on your doorstep, sleeping on your sofa, and eating you out of house and home. On the other hand, you might be the one sleeping on your sister's sofa!
Sad: a mother and her four children died in a fire this morning in a town where Granddaughter lives. She personally knew the children from the school where she formerly worked. They lived next door to store where she now works, and often visited. The loss of the children is devastating to her, of course.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wednesday, March 21
Woke up with the alarm at 6:30 this morning, intending to go to water aerobics. But before we sat down to breakfast, it began to rain heavily. Wasn't anxious to walk from the college parking lot to the gym in a downpour.
As happened last Friday, the rain slacked, and I thought I could go on to aerobics. But soon, it began pouring again. At 7:30, I wimped out and opted to stay home.
Since it was such a nasty day, I decided to make a pot of chicken noodle soup for lunch. I also sent white American cheese, a cheese grater, and a jar of pimentos to Mother, so she could make pimento cheese to go with the soup. I knew she'd be bored and need some sort of task to occupy her. She, of course, wisely stayed home today. I sent soup to her for her lunch.
Sis had planned to come up this morning, but torrential rains in her neck of the woods caused flooding on some roads. So she chose to wait until later in the day to make the trip.
After lunch, I finally got around to doing the task I'd been dreading for days...hem my slacks. It takes me forever to do this sewing task...I measure and pin, measure and pin several times before I'm satisfied that I can trim off excess material without butchering the garment. As the saying goes, "measure twice, cut once."
It doesn't help that one of my legs might be shorter than the other. I say this because with a pair of slacks I hemmed a few months ago, as well as with this pair, the leg lengths did not match, even though the hems were measured the same.
By the time I ripped out the old hem, measured, measured, measured, cut, turned up and pressed about a quarter inch, pinned up the hem, tried the pants on again, and finally hemmed them, it was time to think about supper.
It was a pretty simple supper tonight. I peeled and boiled potatoes to be mashed, made a batch of cornbread, heated leftover sauteed cabbage, and made gravy from roast beef drippings.
Later, we watched the 2000 movie, "Vatel," starring Uma Thurman and Gerard Depardieu. In 1671, a penniless prince with gout wants to catch the attention of King Louis XIV in order to borrow money and save his province. He orders a weekend of extravagant pleasures for the king. Vatel (Depardieu) is counted on to provide sumptuous food and entertainment. Things get sticky though, when Vatel catches the eye of the same woman fancied by the king. Elaborate costumes and scenery. Based on a true story.
Sis arrived safely around 7:30 on this rainy night. I think we'll all be mildewed before this monsoon ends.
As happened last Friday, the rain slacked, and I thought I could go on to aerobics. But soon, it began pouring again. At 7:30, I wimped out and opted to stay home.
Since it was such a nasty day, I decided to make a pot of chicken noodle soup for lunch. I also sent white American cheese, a cheese grater, and a jar of pimentos to Mother, so she could make pimento cheese to go with the soup. I knew she'd be bored and need some sort of task to occupy her. She, of course, wisely stayed home today. I sent soup to her for her lunch.
Sis had planned to come up this morning, but torrential rains in her neck of the woods caused flooding on some roads. So she chose to wait until later in the day to make the trip.
After lunch, I finally got around to doing the task I'd been dreading for days...hem my slacks. It takes me forever to do this sewing task...I measure and pin, measure and pin several times before I'm satisfied that I can trim off excess material without butchering the garment. As the saying goes, "measure twice, cut once."
It doesn't help that one of my legs might be shorter than the other. I say this because with a pair of slacks I hemmed a few months ago, as well as with this pair, the leg lengths did not match, even though the hems were measured the same.
By the time I ripped out the old hem, measured, measured, measured, cut, turned up and pressed about a quarter inch, pinned up the hem, tried the pants on again, and finally hemmed them, it was time to think about supper.
It was a pretty simple supper tonight. I peeled and boiled potatoes to be mashed, made a batch of cornbread, heated leftover sauteed cabbage, and made gravy from roast beef drippings.
Later, we watched the 2000 movie, "Vatel," starring Uma Thurman and Gerard Depardieu. In 1671, a penniless prince with gout wants to catch the attention of King Louis XIV in order to borrow money and save his province. He orders a weekend of extravagant pleasures for the king. Vatel (Depardieu) is counted on to provide sumptuous food and entertainment. Things get sticky though, when Vatel catches the eye of the same woman fancied by the king. Elaborate costumes and scenery. Based on a true story.
Sis arrived safely around 7:30 on this rainy night. I think we'll all be mildewed before this monsoon ends.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Tuesday, March 20
Today is the first day of spring. Yay!
I think I'm finally adjusting to the time change. Had no problem going to sleep last night, and I probably would have snoozed til morning had it not been for being startled awake by a couple of cats caterwauling. I don't know why there was a fight, since all our cats have been neutered or spayed. Maybe a stray male wandered in, and our resident male declared his turf. Took a while to get back to sleep, though.
We were up around 7:30, and after breakfast, I went to Mother's house to help her take a shower, throw a load of laundry in the washer, and fix Ramen noodle soup for her lunch.
Back home, I debated what sort of exercise I wanted to do (well, I really didn't want to do any exercises, but I had to choose something). Since it was such a nice morning, with a pleasant breeze, I decided to put on my ankle weights and walk several times around our two-acre yard. Worked up a sweat, so it must have been effective.
Hubbie spent the morning working in the yard, but after lunch, he cleaned up and changed clothes to accompany me on a grocery shopping trip. Wanted to get supplies in before storms arrived, which are predicted to plague us for the next few days.
Home again, I accompanied Mother to our house, where she worked on her jigsaw puzzle, while I made a large batch of rice pudding, and Hubbie went back out to work in the yard.
Relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. While I was playing on my laptop, a brief thunderstorm cropped up. I was caught unawares, so when there was a loud clap of thunder, I issued an expletive and nearly jumped out of my skin. It poured rain, effectively ending Hubbie's session in the yard.
Later, we had a supper of leftover chicken, rice and gravy, and California mix veggies. Afterward, I accompanied Mother back to her house.
TV tonight included anxiously watching weather reports, since tornado warnings popped up in counties bordering ours.
Well, I still didn't get around to hemming my white slacks. I should have hemmed them Monday. I had all afternoon to do them, since my ESL student cancelled our session, because she had an appointment. Instead, Mother and I chose to watch a British theater performance of the musical, "Phantom of the Opera." Hopefully, I'll get around to hemming those slacks tomorrow, barring threatening weather.
I hope the weather is such that I can go to water aerobics in the morning. Swimming is my favorite form of exercise...fun, instead of a dreaded chore. I enjoy the socialization, too. There is always interesting gossip during the sessions. On Monday, besides the stories about the red oak beetles, the broken glass door, and the good news that our only male member is mending from heart surgery, we also learned that the husband of a former aerobics member, absorbed in what he was doing on his computer, received a very painful wasp sting to his nose when he plucked a facial tissue from a box and applied it to his face without looking at it first.
Maybe the rain today will help wash away the pollen. Yesterday morning, though, a layer of the yellow stuff covered the windshield on the van. So the first thing I did was run the wipers. Unfortunately, Hubbie, who had walked me to the van, was standing near the driver side door and POOF! got a face full of it.
Folks allergic to pollen will be grateful for the rain, but the same rain that washes away the pollen will also help promote the growth of grass and mold, causing allergic reactions in other folks. Can't win for losing.
I think I'm finally adjusting to the time change. Had no problem going to sleep last night, and I probably would have snoozed til morning had it not been for being startled awake by a couple of cats caterwauling. I don't know why there was a fight, since all our cats have been neutered or spayed. Maybe a stray male wandered in, and our resident male declared his turf. Took a while to get back to sleep, though.
We were up around 7:30, and after breakfast, I went to Mother's house to help her take a shower, throw a load of laundry in the washer, and fix Ramen noodle soup for her lunch.
Back home, I debated what sort of exercise I wanted to do (well, I really didn't want to do any exercises, but I had to choose something). Since it was such a nice morning, with a pleasant breeze, I decided to put on my ankle weights and walk several times around our two-acre yard. Worked up a sweat, so it must have been effective.
Hubbie spent the morning working in the yard, but after lunch, he cleaned up and changed clothes to accompany me on a grocery shopping trip. Wanted to get supplies in before storms arrived, which are predicted to plague us for the next few days.
Home again, I accompanied Mother to our house, where she worked on her jigsaw puzzle, while I made a large batch of rice pudding, and Hubbie went back out to work in the yard.
Relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. While I was playing on my laptop, a brief thunderstorm cropped up. I was caught unawares, so when there was a loud clap of thunder, I issued an expletive and nearly jumped out of my skin. It poured rain, effectively ending Hubbie's session in the yard.
Later, we had a supper of leftover chicken, rice and gravy, and California mix veggies. Afterward, I accompanied Mother back to her house.
TV tonight included anxiously watching weather reports, since tornado warnings popped up in counties bordering ours.
Well, I still didn't get around to hemming my white slacks. I should have hemmed them Monday. I had all afternoon to do them, since my ESL student cancelled our session, because she had an appointment. Instead, Mother and I chose to watch a British theater performance of the musical, "Phantom of the Opera." Hopefully, I'll get around to hemming those slacks tomorrow, barring threatening weather.
I hope the weather is such that I can go to water aerobics in the morning. Swimming is my favorite form of exercise...fun, instead of a dreaded chore. I enjoy the socialization, too. There is always interesting gossip during the sessions. On Monday, besides the stories about the red oak beetles, the broken glass door, and the good news that our only male member is mending from heart surgery, we also learned that the husband of a former aerobics member, absorbed in what he was doing on his computer, received a very painful wasp sting to his nose when he plucked a facial tissue from a box and applied it to his face without looking at it first.
Maybe the rain today will help wash away the pollen. Yesterday morning, though, a layer of the yellow stuff covered the windshield on the van. So the first thing I did was run the wipers. Unfortunately, Hubbie, who had walked me to the van, was standing near the driver side door and POOF! got a face full of it.
Folks allergic to pollen will be grateful for the rain, but the same rain that washes away the pollen will also help promote the growth of grass and mold, causing allergic reactions in other folks. Can't win for losing.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Monday, March 19
Today is the last day of winter, though the weather has been spring-like for several weeks now. The crocus and daffodils have come and gone. The Bradford pear trees are going green. The tulips and azalea bushes are in bloom. Gnats are flying, and other bugs are waking up.
We were up at 6:30 this morning, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. It was a nice, mild morning for the walk from the parking lot to the gym. The pool wasn't as warm as it was last Wednesday, but it was pleasant once I was in it a few minutes.
One of the ladies brought an unusual "show and tell" item today...a jar containing two huge live black beetles. She said there is a beetle invasion that is killing red oak trees in our state. In researching online, I can find nothing to verify this. But the beetles certainly looked intimidating at about an inch and half long. The lady said she'd seen some three times that size. Gad.
We learned today that the only male member of our aerobics group came through his heart valve surgery last week just fine, but is still in the hospital. We were relieved to hear that he's on the mend. It'll be several months, though, before he can return to aerobics.
When we returned to aerobics last week, after the college had closed for spring break, we saw that one of the glass doors to the pool area had been broken. Apparently, someone, or several someones, had decided to go for a swim, and didn't let something as trifling as a locked glass door stop them. Today, in the middle of our session, two guys replaced the glass, making all sorts of racket in the process.
Guess there was no other time of the day when they could have done the job.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I tried on the new pair of white slacks I bought recently to see what I'll need to do to shorten them. They are several inches too long, so it'll be a chore to cut and hem them. I couldn't face the task today, but I must get to it tomorrow.
Hubbie spent his morning with other Master Gardeners digging plants for the plant sale in April.
Mother stayed home this morning, but Hubbie accompanied her to our house after lunch, where she and I watched a performance of "Phantom of the Opera," from PBS, while Hubbie worked in the yard. He's trying to get everything in shape before predicted rains come in this week.
He wanted me to go out and look at various flowers, and after Mother and I had finished our movie, and then prepared chicken for the oven, I grabbed my camera and went outside. Later, I uploaded some of the pics to my social network page.
Mother spent her time before supper working on her jigsaw puzzle. The chicken, baked with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, rosemary, no-salt seasoning, pepper, paprika, and a little chicken broth, was good, served with rice and chicken broth gravy, steamed California mix veggies, and biscuits left over from the beef roast meal.
After supper, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including the season premiere of "Dancing With the Stars."
We were up at 6:30 this morning, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. It was a nice, mild morning for the walk from the parking lot to the gym. The pool wasn't as warm as it was last Wednesday, but it was pleasant once I was in it a few minutes.
One of the ladies brought an unusual "show and tell" item today...a jar containing two huge live black beetles. She said there is a beetle invasion that is killing red oak trees in our state. In researching online, I can find nothing to verify this. But the beetles certainly looked intimidating at about an inch and half long. The lady said she'd seen some three times that size. Gad.
We learned today that the only male member of our aerobics group came through his heart valve surgery last week just fine, but is still in the hospital. We were relieved to hear that he's on the mend. It'll be several months, though, before he can return to aerobics.
When we returned to aerobics last week, after the college had closed for spring break, we saw that one of the glass doors to the pool area had been broken. Apparently, someone, or several someones, had decided to go for a swim, and didn't let something as trifling as a locked glass door stop them. Today, in the middle of our session, two guys replaced the glass, making all sorts of racket in the process.
Guess there was no other time of the day when they could have done the job.
Back home, once I was ready for the day, I tried on the new pair of white slacks I bought recently to see what I'll need to do to shorten them. They are several inches too long, so it'll be a chore to cut and hem them. I couldn't face the task today, but I must get to it tomorrow.
Hubbie spent his morning with other Master Gardeners digging plants for the plant sale in April.
Mother stayed home this morning, but Hubbie accompanied her to our house after lunch, where she and I watched a performance of "Phantom of the Opera," from PBS, while Hubbie worked in the yard. He's trying to get everything in shape before predicted rains come in this week.
He wanted me to go out and look at various flowers, and after Mother and I had finished our movie, and then prepared chicken for the oven, I grabbed my camera and went outside. Later, I uploaded some of the pics to my social network page.
Mother spent her time before supper working on her jigsaw puzzle. The chicken, baked with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, rosemary, no-salt seasoning, pepper, paprika, and a little chicken broth, was good, served with rice and chicken broth gravy, steamed California mix veggies, and biscuits left over from the beef roast meal.
After supper, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including the season premiere of "Dancing With the Stars."
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sunday, March 18
Slept late this morning, til nearly 8:30. After breakfast, I went to Mother's house to help her take a shower, and then throw a load of laundry in the washer. Back home, I skipped my exercises and just did the usual Sunday stuff.
Around 10 a.m., Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. She clipped coupons for Granddaughter, and then I gather ingredients for her to make biscuits. When the biscuits were baked, I put dishes of leftovers from yesterday's beef roast dinner in the oven.
After that, I started a load of laundry and did other chores, while Mother worked on her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie watched March Madness basketball games on TV.
Our lunch was as delicious today as it was yesterday. Afterward, Mother continued her puzzle, Hubbie continued watching games, and I read the Sunday newspaper, played on my laptop, read my John Grisham novel, and just generally goofed off.
Later, we had a supper of roast beef sandwiches and fresh fruit, then watched the 2010 movie, "Pound of Flesh," starring Malcolm McDowell. A college professor awards scholarships to female students through an escort service. Clients include the chairman of the board, the chief of police, and the mayor. But when a young woman's body is found near campus, things go awry. Supposedly based on a true story. Not an Academy Award winner, for sure.
Around 10 a.m., Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. She clipped coupons for Granddaughter, and then I gather ingredients for her to make biscuits. When the biscuits were baked, I put dishes of leftovers from yesterday's beef roast dinner in the oven.
After that, I started a load of laundry and did other chores, while Mother worked on her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie watched March Madness basketball games on TV.
Our lunch was as delicious today as it was yesterday. Afterward, Mother continued her puzzle, Hubbie continued watching games, and I read the Sunday newspaper, played on my laptop, read my John Grisham novel, and just generally goofed off.
Later, we had a supper of roast beef sandwiches and fresh fruit, then watched the 2010 movie, "Pound of Flesh," starring Malcolm McDowell. A college professor awards scholarships to female students through an escort service. Clients include the chairman of the board, the chief of police, and the mayor. But when a young woman's body is found near campus, things go awry. Supposedly based on a true story. Not an Academy Award winner, for sure.
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