Slept late this morning, until nearly 8:30. After breakfast, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises. While I was doing this, Sis accompanied Mother to our house.
We visited until nearly lunchtime, so I never did get out of my exercise clothes before it was time get lunch ready. Mother and Sis were plenty ready to eat by that time, since they'd had breakfast much earlier.
Mother had Ramen Noodle soup. I fixed a bacon and tomato sandwich on a toasted bun for Hubbie, and Sis finished the leftover barbecue. I settled for just a slice of Sis's homemade bread with margarine. We each chose different desserts...watermelon, cake, cookies.
After lunch, Sis and I accompanied Mother to her house, where we sorted the clothing in her closet. We worked two hours and discarded a huge trash bag of things she can no longer wear. Sis and I found a few items, like shirts and denim jackets, that we can use.
Around 3 p.m., we returned to my house, where Mother gave Sis and me a bit of a scare, when she tried to step up into the house and her legs sort of gave way. Fortunately, I was right behind her and was able to catch her. We now know we must always be right behind her when she tries to step up anywhere.
Once we were inside, I insisted she have a nap on the couch. Usually, she resists when I suggest this, but today, she didn't. One of her problems is that she gets up every morning around 4:30 a.m. Another problem is that she stays dehydrated. I'm forever urging her to drink water.
While I spent the rest of the afternoon goofing off, Hubbie installed a window air conditioner in the sunroom. Sis helped with this project.
Later, we heated leftovers from Mother's and Sis's supper last night...salmon loaf, sweet potatoes, and sides of green beans and English peas, along with slices of Sis's homemade bread. Mother woke up from her nap just in time for supper.
After that, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, Sis nodded off to sleep, and Mother and I watched TV. Later, we all watched TV until time for Mother and Sis to go to Molther's house.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Friday, June 22
Up at 6:30 to get ready to go to water aerobics. Pleasant walk to the gym. Water still high and cool. Seventeen of us showed up, an unusually large group for a Friday.
Our old lifeguard was on duty, because our new one is on vacation. I asked how his wife is, and he said she's no longer working at the medical clinic that I use. She is a technician, who was in charge of the lab at the clinic. While I didn't particularly like having blood work done, I always enjoyed seeing her, since she was a student in a college photography class I taught several years ago.
As soon as I returned from aerobics, Hubbie commandeered the van to take the cases of liquid refreshments downtown to the church fellowship hall, where the arts council will be holding a Summer Celebration fundraising event. He also delivered a baggie of colorful wrist bands with tags, to be used for the silent auction. The council director had dropped the bag of bands and tags, plus wire, by our house Wednesday night, so we could assemble them.
Sis arrived for a visit while I was getting ready for the day. Later, we fixed a lunch of leftovers, and then Hubbie and I changed into clothes suitable for attending a retirement reception later.
Around 1 p.m., we went down to the church fellowship hall to help prepare for tonight's fesivities. Hubbie and another man went to a local grocery store, where they filled a large rolling ice chest with donated ice.
While they were gone, I helped the ladies put tableclothes on the tables to be used for silent auction items, and then helped them set the items out on the tables. I didn't try to arrange anything...there is a lady who thinks this is her exclusive job, and I'm willing to let her do it. One year, I dared to try to arrange some of the items, but later, at the event, I found that everything had been rearranged.
We left around 2 p.m. to attend the reception in honor of a lady we worked with before we retired. The ladies who decorated for the reception did a good job of pulling off a Hawaiian theme, with purple, pink, and yellow plastic tableclothes, topped with colorful leis. An inflatable coconut tree was at the door, and pink flamingos decorated the wall.
The tiki hut cake was really cute. I was told it was a white cake, but it looked pretty yellow to me, so I only took a couple of bites of it. I also passed on the punch made of orange soda and orange sherbet. The punch was served in orange solo cups, and included a straw deocrated with a paper flamingo.
We were back home around 3:30. Sis was in charge of preparing supper for Mother and herself, since Hubbie and I were scheduled to go to the Summer Celebration, where heavy hors d'oeuvres were to be served.
Hubbie and I arrived at the event shortly after 6 p.m. Hubbie was hungry, since it was well after our usual suppertime, so we headed for the refreshment table right away. Food choices included sliced pork or beef on slider buns, meatballs in sauce, various exotic dips on homemade chips, a watermelon basket filled with melon balls, fresh pineapple chunks, and grapes, and an assortment of cookies, brownies and the like. Drinks included various brands of bottled beer, and various wines, and bottled water.
The tables were decorated with white tableclothes and centerpieces of new paint cans filled with colorful handmade paper flowers.
There were lots of items in the silent auction, but we only came home with an umbrella, and an oil change and tire rotation. We tried for the sail boat excursion for four, but were outbid. I bid on several items...movie tickets, dinners at local restaurants, live theater productions, etc., but didn't get anything. I was pleased, however, that the photo I donated sold for $40.
Oh well, we enjoyed the live music, anyway, though this year it was out in the courtyard, where it was a bit warm. Also, there was no place to dance, unless folks wanted to dance on the grass, and they didn't.
We anticipated getting back home by no later than 9 p.m., but after the event, we stuck around and helped clean up, so we didn't get back until around 10:30.
We finished the evening by watching our favorite college baseball team in the last couple of innings of the College World Series. Unfortunately, we lost this one, so that ends the team's run at the championship.
Our old lifeguard was on duty, because our new one is on vacation. I asked how his wife is, and he said she's no longer working at the medical clinic that I use. She is a technician, who was in charge of the lab at the clinic. While I didn't particularly like having blood work done, I always enjoyed seeing her, since she was a student in a college photography class I taught several years ago.
As soon as I returned from aerobics, Hubbie commandeered the van to take the cases of liquid refreshments downtown to the church fellowship hall, where the arts council will be holding a Summer Celebration fundraising event. He also delivered a baggie of colorful wrist bands with tags, to be used for the silent auction. The council director had dropped the bag of bands and tags, plus wire, by our house Wednesday night, so we could assemble them.
Sis arrived for a visit while I was getting ready for the day. Later, we fixed a lunch of leftovers, and then Hubbie and I changed into clothes suitable for attending a retirement reception later.
Around 1 p.m., we went down to the church fellowship hall to help prepare for tonight's fesivities. Hubbie and another man went to a local grocery store, where they filled a large rolling ice chest with donated ice.
While they were gone, I helped the ladies put tableclothes on the tables to be used for silent auction items, and then helped them set the items out on the tables. I didn't try to arrange anything...there is a lady who thinks this is her exclusive job, and I'm willing to let her do it. One year, I dared to try to arrange some of the items, but later, at the event, I found that everything had been rearranged.
We left around 2 p.m. to attend the reception in honor of a lady we worked with before we retired. The ladies who decorated for the reception did a good job of pulling off a Hawaiian theme, with purple, pink, and yellow plastic tableclothes, topped with colorful leis. An inflatable coconut tree was at the door, and pink flamingos decorated the wall.
The tiki hut cake was really cute. I was told it was a white cake, but it looked pretty yellow to me, so I only took a couple of bites of it. I also passed on the punch made of orange soda and orange sherbet. The punch was served in orange solo cups, and included a straw deocrated with a paper flamingo.
We were back home around 3:30. Sis was in charge of preparing supper for Mother and herself, since Hubbie and I were scheduled to go to the Summer Celebration, where heavy hors d'oeuvres were to be served.
Hubbie and I arrived at the event shortly after 6 p.m. Hubbie was hungry, since it was well after our usual suppertime, so we headed for the refreshment table right away. Food choices included sliced pork or beef on slider buns, meatballs in sauce, various exotic dips on homemade chips, a watermelon basket filled with melon balls, fresh pineapple chunks, and grapes, and an assortment of cookies, brownies and the like. Drinks included various brands of bottled beer, and various wines, and bottled water.
The tables were decorated with white tableclothes and centerpieces of new paint cans filled with colorful handmade paper flowers.
There were lots of items in the silent auction, but we only came home with an umbrella, and an oil change and tire rotation. We tried for the sail boat excursion for four, but were outbid. I bid on several items...movie tickets, dinners at local restaurants, live theater productions, etc., but didn't get anything. I was pleased, however, that the photo I donated sold for $40.
Oh well, we enjoyed the live music, anyway, though this year it was out in the courtyard, where it was a bit warm. Also, there was no place to dance, unless folks wanted to dance on the grass, and they didn't.
We anticipated getting back home by no later than 9 p.m., but after the event, we stuck around and helped clean up, so we didn't get back until around 10:30.
We finished the evening by watching our favorite college baseball team in the last couple of innings of the College World Series. Unfortunately, we lost this one, so that ends the team's run at the championship.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Thursday, June 21
Up at 6:30, so I could get ready to drive the ladies of our scrapbook club to a town about an hour away to shop for scrapbook supplies and have lunch.
The four of headed out around 9 a.m. on this very warm morning. The traffic was light and the trip was uneventful. Our first stop was a fabric store that also carried scrapbooking materials. Mother and I bought a few rubber stamps marked down to ninety-nine cents, but found nothing else of interest.
From there, we went to a small, corner cafe on a side street off the main drag. We arrived early, because one of the ladies gets low blood sugar if she doesn't eat at frequent intervals.
Fortunately, we found a parking spot on the curb immediately in front of the cafe, but it was a bit tricky getting Mother into the building, since there were two rather high steps up.
The cafe has a limited menu that includes a Mexican chicken plate lunch, sandwiches and/or the soup of the day, which was cheesy asparagus today. Sandwiches include chicken salad, tuna salad, or pimento cheese, with a side of potato chips, and a dill pickle spear. A choice of homemade chocolate chip, lemon iced, or snickerdoodles are free with the meal.
Only one of us ordered the Mexican chicken. The rest of us had chicken salad sandwiches. Mother could eat only a half a sandwich, so we asked for a box to bring the other half home (we had an ice chest with us).
From the cafe, we went to a popular discount variety store of name-brand products. Here, we found a couple of punches...one with little duckies on it, and the other a ribbon stitch punch. We also found a jigsaw puzzle for Mother.
Our third stop was at a scrapbook store...nothing but scrapbook supplies here. Mother found a book of fifteen sticker sheets, a sheet of lady bug stickers, a sheet of owl stickers, and a rubber stamp roller. She thinks she might be able to use this roller better than the regular wooden ones. It'll make a pretty border on cards.
We like the store just fine, but we were not crazy about the handicapped parking. The only space marked for handicapped, and the only curb cut, was at the back of the building...and there's no door there to get into the shop! At the front of the store you have to step up from the parking lot to the walkway. No curb there! I don't think this would pass inspection if someone complained.
Around 2:30, we were ready to head home. The trip back was also uneventful. Hubbie was snoozing when we arrived.
I'd prepared fajitas for Hubbie to put in the oven today, in case I arrived home later than expected. But since I was back in plenty of time, I put them in the oven. Served them with coleslaw, sliced tomatoes, and fresh veggies and salsa. Mother, though, chose to eat the other half of her chicken salad sandwich for supper.
After supper, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2005 movie, "Sahara," starring Matthew McConaughey, Peneope Cruz, and William H. Macy.
Then we watched our favorite college baseball team in the College World Series. Phooey, we lost this one.
The four of headed out around 9 a.m. on this very warm morning. The traffic was light and the trip was uneventful. Our first stop was a fabric store that also carried scrapbooking materials. Mother and I bought a few rubber stamps marked down to ninety-nine cents, but found nothing else of interest.
From there, we went to a small, corner cafe on a side street off the main drag. We arrived early, because one of the ladies gets low blood sugar if she doesn't eat at frequent intervals.
Fortunately, we found a parking spot on the curb immediately in front of the cafe, but it was a bit tricky getting Mother into the building, since there were two rather high steps up.
The cafe has a limited menu that includes a Mexican chicken plate lunch, sandwiches and/or the soup of the day, which was cheesy asparagus today. Sandwiches include chicken salad, tuna salad, or pimento cheese, with a side of potato chips, and a dill pickle spear. A choice of homemade chocolate chip, lemon iced, or snickerdoodles are free with the meal.
Only one of us ordered the Mexican chicken. The rest of us had chicken salad sandwiches. Mother could eat only a half a sandwich, so we asked for a box to bring the other half home (we had an ice chest with us).
From the cafe, we went to a popular discount variety store of name-brand products. Here, we found a couple of punches...one with little duckies on it, and the other a ribbon stitch punch. We also found a jigsaw puzzle for Mother.
Our third stop was at a scrapbook store...nothing but scrapbook supplies here. Mother found a book of fifteen sticker sheets, a sheet of lady bug stickers, a sheet of owl stickers, and a rubber stamp roller. She thinks she might be able to use this roller better than the regular wooden ones. It'll make a pretty border on cards.
We like the store just fine, but we were not crazy about the handicapped parking. The only space marked for handicapped, and the only curb cut, was at the back of the building...and there's no door there to get into the shop! At the front of the store you have to step up from the parking lot to the walkway. No curb there! I don't think this would pass inspection if someone complained.
Around 2:30, we were ready to head home. The trip back was also uneventful. Hubbie was snoozing when we arrived.
I'd prepared fajitas for Hubbie to put in the oven today, in case I arrived home later than expected. But since I was back in plenty of time, I put them in the oven. Served them with coleslaw, sliced tomatoes, and fresh veggies and salsa. Mother, though, chose to eat the other half of her chicken salad sandwich for supper.
After supper, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2005 movie, "Sahara," starring Matthew McConaughey, Peneope Cruz, and William H. Macy.
Then we watched our favorite college baseball team in the College World Series. Phooey, we lost this one.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Wednesday, June 20
Summer Solstice...half a year gone already. It's the longest daylight day, so minute-by-minute, we'll inch toward shorter daylight days. I like the long daylight months. I also prefer warm weather over cold weather, even though some of the summer days in our part of the world are brutely hot and humid.
We were up at 6:30, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. Nineteen of us showed up this morning, more than we've had in a long time. The water was cool, but not unbearable. I enjoyed the session, as usual.
Back home, I did this and that, including going through my photo mats to find something to match a photograph I planned to donate to the arts council for the Summer Celebration Friday night. Succeeded in finding a suitable mat, but had no frames the right size.
So off Hubbie and I went to find a frame. But first we stopped by a dollar store to pick up a birthday card for a great-granddaughter. At the WDCS, I found an inexpensive frame. I figure whoever wins the bid for the photo will want to frame it to suit themselves, anyway.
Picked up several other items at the WDCS, stopped by the bank, and then returned home to fix lunch. After lunch, I framed the photo, and prepared a bithday card for Great-Granddaughter. Then off we went again...this time to the post office to mail the card, and to the art gallery to deliver the framed photo.
At the gallery, the director noted that she'd ordered assorted adult beverages for the Summer Celebration, and she needed to run to a nearby town to pick them up at a package store that gives us a price break, and allows us to return any unopened products for a rebate. Since she is being run ragged coordinating the event, we volunteered to pick up the beverages.
Stopped by our house to pick up Mother for the trip...thought she'd enjoy the outing, which she did.
We got back home around 5 p.m., and Mother helped me prepare supper...she sliced Vidalia onions and tore lettuce for turkey bacon/tomato/lettuce/onion sandwiches, served with leftover potato salad, and a side of green beans from the garden.
Before we sat down to supper, Daughter called to let me know a wildfire was in progress near Granddaughter's home. Two homess were already destroyed, and there was an alert in the neighborhood for possible evacuation.
Granddaughter hurried to gather necessities and valuables, in case the call came to leave the area. A very tense evening for her, and for those of us awaiting word about the fire. Fire departments from at least five surrounding communities were on the scene and managed to contain the fire before it spread.
After supper, I accompanied Mother to her house, and helped her take a shower, then threw a load of laundry in the washer.
Back home, Hubbie and I watched TV, including a Lifetime Movie Network film called, "Game of Your Life." A highly talented video game designer wins a scholarship to a prestigious digital design institute. Back home, though, his father is having financial difficulties, and the young man must decide whether to go back home and give up his dreams, or continue at the institute.
We were up at 6:30, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics. Nineteen of us showed up this morning, more than we've had in a long time. The water was cool, but not unbearable. I enjoyed the session, as usual.
Back home, I did this and that, including going through my photo mats to find something to match a photograph I planned to donate to the arts council for the Summer Celebration Friday night. Succeeded in finding a suitable mat, but had no frames the right size.
So off Hubbie and I went to find a frame. But first we stopped by a dollar store to pick up a birthday card for a great-granddaughter. At the WDCS, I found an inexpensive frame. I figure whoever wins the bid for the photo will want to frame it to suit themselves, anyway.
Picked up several other items at the WDCS, stopped by the bank, and then returned home to fix lunch. After lunch, I framed the photo, and prepared a bithday card for Great-Granddaughter. Then off we went again...this time to the post office to mail the card, and to the art gallery to deliver the framed photo.
At the gallery, the director noted that she'd ordered assorted adult beverages for the Summer Celebration, and she needed to run to a nearby town to pick them up at a package store that gives us a price break, and allows us to return any unopened products for a rebate. Since she is being run ragged coordinating the event, we volunteered to pick up the beverages.
Stopped by our house to pick up Mother for the trip...thought she'd enjoy the outing, which she did.
We got back home around 5 p.m., and Mother helped me prepare supper...she sliced Vidalia onions and tore lettuce for turkey bacon/tomato/lettuce/onion sandwiches, served with leftover potato salad, and a side of green beans from the garden.
Before we sat down to supper, Daughter called to let me know a wildfire was in progress near Granddaughter's home. Two homess were already destroyed, and there was an alert in the neighborhood for possible evacuation.
Granddaughter hurried to gather necessities and valuables, in case the call came to leave the area. A very tense evening for her, and for those of us awaiting word about the fire. Fire departments from at least five surrounding communities were on the scene and managed to contain the fire before it spread.
After supper, I accompanied Mother to her house, and helped her take a shower, then threw a load of laundry in the washer.
Back home, Hubbie and I watched TV, including a Lifetime Movie Network film called, "Game of Your Life." A highly talented video game designer wins a scholarship to a prestigious digital design institute. Back home, though, his father is having financial difficulties, and the young man must decide whether to go back home and give up his dreams, or continue at the institute.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday, June 19
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m. After breakfast, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises. Then I called the ladies of the scrapbook club to confirm our plans to travel to another town on Thursday to shop and have lunch. Both ladies agreed that we should make the trip.
Around 10 a.m., the pest control guy came to treat Mother's house for bugs that neither her house nor ours has, before now, ever encountered in the 30 years we've lived here.
While he was here, he treated our house for ants. On Thursday, he'll treat our house for fleas. We chose Thursday, because it's necessary that we vacate the house for four hours after the treatment, and Mother and I will be gone at least that long on our trip. Hubbie can stay outdoors, or relax at Mother's house.
The cats will be crated and stay in the garage for the duration. We don't have a lot of fleas, but even one is too many! Thanks to the warm winter, I'm afraid the flea population will increase, so we want to head off any problems. Even routinely treating the cats has not completely discouraged these pests.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 10:30, and at 11 a.m., we went to the beauty shop to meet haircut appointments. I took along a recipe for coffee can ice cream, and a few crafts ideas for my hairdresser, who had requested them last week.
Back home, we had lunch, and then Hubbie and I went to a town about fifteen minutes away to pick up the computer (I'd gotten a call this morning that it was ready).
We arrived just as the tech (not the usual one I deal with) was about to leave. He explained what he'd done...he had been convinced that the computer needed a new hard drive, but discovered when he checked it that the old hard drive has lots of room. What was needed was more RAM memory, which was what I suggested when I discussed my problems with the tech last week.
When we asked if he had checked the CD burner, he admitted he'd forgotten to. So he checked it while we waited. When he first tried to burn some of my photos to a CD, he succeeded. But when he tried to burn some to a DVD, he got the same error message I got when I used the burner. He agreed that the burner was corrupted, and that I needed a new one, which he installed.
We thought we'd be gone no more than an hour to get the computer, but it ended up being closer to two. Mother occupied herself with snapping beans and working on her jigsaw puzzle while we were gone.
Once I was back home, I seasoned the green beans with a can of beef broth, sodium-free seasoning, paprika, and pepper, and simmered them until they were tender. Mother sliced green tomatoes, which I dipped into egg substitute and coated with a mixture of cornmeal, flour, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and pepper, and then sauteed in olive oil. Hubbie peeled potatoes, which I boiled and mashed. I made a recipe of white gravy, and we had this meal with sides of coleslaw, sliced ripe tomatoes, and slices of cantaloupe.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV.
**************************************************************************************
Funny: today, while I was searching for a birthday card from my supply, I noticed a bag from the WDCS on the dresser. Phooey, it was a gift I'd gotten for Hubbie for his birthday, but had forgotten to give to him. So before Mother and I left for the beauty shop, I poked my head into the sunroom and handed him the gift (a mustache trimmer that he'd admired a few weeks ago). I didn't know the pest control guy was there, too, so we all got a good laugh.
Around 10 a.m., the pest control guy came to treat Mother's house for bugs that neither her house nor ours has, before now, ever encountered in the 30 years we've lived here.
While he was here, he treated our house for ants. On Thursday, he'll treat our house for fleas. We chose Thursday, because it's necessary that we vacate the house for four hours after the treatment, and Mother and I will be gone at least that long on our trip. Hubbie can stay outdoors, or relax at Mother's house.
The cats will be crated and stay in the garage for the duration. We don't have a lot of fleas, but even one is too many! Thanks to the warm winter, I'm afraid the flea population will increase, so we want to head off any problems. Even routinely treating the cats has not completely discouraged these pests.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 10:30, and at 11 a.m., we went to the beauty shop to meet haircut appointments. I took along a recipe for coffee can ice cream, and a few crafts ideas for my hairdresser, who had requested them last week.
Back home, we had lunch, and then Hubbie and I went to a town about fifteen minutes away to pick up the computer (I'd gotten a call this morning that it was ready).
We arrived just as the tech (not the usual one I deal with) was about to leave. He explained what he'd done...he had been convinced that the computer needed a new hard drive, but discovered when he checked it that the old hard drive has lots of room. What was needed was more RAM memory, which was what I suggested when I discussed my problems with the tech last week.
When we asked if he had checked the CD burner, he admitted he'd forgotten to. So he checked it while we waited. When he first tried to burn some of my photos to a CD, he succeeded. But when he tried to burn some to a DVD, he got the same error message I got when I used the burner. He agreed that the burner was corrupted, and that I needed a new one, which he installed.
We thought we'd be gone no more than an hour to get the computer, but it ended up being closer to two. Mother occupied herself with snapping beans and working on her jigsaw puzzle while we were gone.
Once I was back home, I seasoned the green beans with a can of beef broth, sodium-free seasoning, paprika, and pepper, and simmered them until they were tender. Mother sliced green tomatoes, which I dipped into egg substitute and coated with a mixture of cornmeal, flour, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and pepper, and then sauteed in olive oil. Hubbie peeled potatoes, which I boiled and mashed. I made a recipe of white gravy, and we had this meal with sides of coleslaw, sliced ripe tomatoes, and slices of cantaloupe.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV.
**************************************************************************************
Funny: today, while I was searching for a birthday card from my supply, I noticed a bag from the WDCS on the dresser. Phooey, it was a gift I'd gotten for Hubbie for his birthday, but had forgotten to give to him. So before Mother and I left for the beauty shop, I poked my head into the sunroom and handed him the gift (a mustache trimmer that he'd admired a few weeks ago). I didn't know the pest control guy was there, too, so we all got a good laugh.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Monday, June 18
Up at 6:30 to get ready to go to water aerobics. Nice day for a walk from the parking lot to the gym. The water is still high, but not as high as last Friday, though it's just as cool. Seventeen of us showed up this morning, more than usual for a Monday.
Back home afterward, Hubbie loaded the office computer into the van, along with the table and four chairs we'd borrowed from a business downtown, and headed out to run errands to return the table and chairs, and deliver the computer to our favorite tech in a town about fifteen miles away.
On his way back, he stopped and bought a watermelon, the first of the season from this town that is known for its excellent melons.
Mother opted to stay home this morning, so once I was ready for the day, I fixed Ramen Noodle soup for her lunch, as well as a plate of food from yesterday's meal for her supper, because I thought she meant to stay home all day. I learned later that she did not. I asked if she felt well, and she said she was fine, but was a bit "down" today.
She's a little depressed, because she can't do the things she used to do before she fell ill last fall. I reminded her that though she won't be able to return to the activity level she enjoyed before she got sick, there are still plenty of things she can do. I'm doing all I know to help her feel useful, and keep her active.
I told her that it seems that about every ten years, we notice that we've lost some of our capabilities, but we have to just use what's left and move ahead. There are lots of things I can't do after injuring my back a number of years ago, and still other things I can't do after suffering a heart attack. Things change. That's life. We must adjust and go forward.
After lunch, I prepared a lesson for my ESL student. She called this morning while I was at water aerobics and told Hubbie that she had returned from Venezuela and was ready to meet again.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house shortly after lunch, where she worked on her jigsaw puzzle, while I met my student for a tutoring session.
The student and I enjoyed seeing each other again. She brought me four peaches, several candy-like cookies made by her mother, a small heart-shaped box of chocolates, and a baggie of treats that includes a candy bar and lots of little wrapped candies made in Venezuela.
Before we began the lesson, we caught up on each other's lives over the past few weeks. She spent her weekend, as I did, preparing a meal in celebration of Father's Day. She commented that Father's Day and Mother's Day are celebrated on the same dates in Venezuela as in America.
I learned today, too, that the student is an artist who works in acrylics. Apparently, she is pretty skilled, since her work has been exhibited and sold in Venezueala. I persuaded her to bring a sample with her next week, because I suspect the art gallery here in town would be interested in diplaying her work. I think she might also be interested in joining the gallery's Friday Painters group, because she said there is no space in her home adequate to her needs.
Today's lesson included vocabulary related to date of birth, getting a driver's license, measures of length, and verbs that express feelings. The student also practiced listening comprehension, and reading stories and then answering questions related to the stories.
Since she's becoming more fluent in English, we are able to cover two or three lessons in a session now. One sentence that she misinterpreted, though, was, "How long has Steve been working on the radio?" She answered, "ten years." She confused the idea of fixing a radio with working at a radio station.
She also had a little trouble with placing the emphasis in the right place in the use of the word "permit," as in driver's PERmit (noun), and "to perMIT (verb), as in giving permission.
Back home, Hubbie had heated leftover baked beans and barbecue for supper, which we had with slaw, potato salad, and fresh veggies. Afterward, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and helped her take a shower, then threw a load of laundry in the washer.
Later, Hubbie and I watched TV, including the second round for our favorite college baseball team in the College World Series. Our team won again!!
Back home afterward, Hubbie loaded the office computer into the van, along with the table and four chairs we'd borrowed from a business downtown, and headed out to run errands to return the table and chairs, and deliver the computer to our favorite tech in a town about fifteen miles away.
On his way back, he stopped and bought a watermelon, the first of the season from this town that is known for its excellent melons.
Mother opted to stay home this morning, so once I was ready for the day, I fixed Ramen Noodle soup for her lunch, as well as a plate of food from yesterday's meal for her supper, because I thought she meant to stay home all day. I learned later that she did not. I asked if she felt well, and she said she was fine, but was a bit "down" today.
She's a little depressed, because she can't do the things she used to do before she fell ill last fall. I reminded her that though she won't be able to return to the activity level she enjoyed before she got sick, there are still plenty of things she can do. I'm doing all I know to help her feel useful, and keep her active.
I told her that it seems that about every ten years, we notice that we've lost some of our capabilities, but we have to just use what's left and move ahead. There are lots of things I can't do after injuring my back a number of years ago, and still other things I can't do after suffering a heart attack. Things change. That's life. We must adjust and go forward.
After lunch, I prepared a lesson for my ESL student. She called this morning while I was at water aerobics and told Hubbie that she had returned from Venezuela and was ready to meet again.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house shortly after lunch, where she worked on her jigsaw puzzle, while I met my student for a tutoring session.
The student and I enjoyed seeing each other again. She brought me four peaches, several candy-like cookies made by her mother, a small heart-shaped box of chocolates, and a baggie of treats that includes a candy bar and lots of little wrapped candies made in Venezuela.
Before we began the lesson, we caught up on each other's lives over the past few weeks. She spent her weekend, as I did, preparing a meal in celebration of Father's Day. She commented that Father's Day and Mother's Day are celebrated on the same dates in Venezuela as in America.
I learned today, too, that the student is an artist who works in acrylics. Apparently, she is pretty skilled, since her work has been exhibited and sold in Venezueala. I persuaded her to bring a sample with her next week, because I suspect the art gallery here in town would be interested in diplaying her work. I think she might also be interested in joining the gallery's Friday Painters group, because she said there is no space in her home adequate to her needs.
Today's lesson included vocabulary related to date of birth, getting a driver's license, measures of length, and verbs that express feelings. The student also practiced listening comprehension, and reading stories and then answering questions related to the stories.
Since she's becoming more fluent in English, we are able to cover two or three lessons in a session now. One sentence that she misinterpreted, though, was, "How long has Steve been working on the radio?" She answered, "ten years." She confused the idea of fixing a radio with working at a radio station.
She also had a little trouble with placing the emphasis in the right place in the use of the word "permit," as in driver's PERmit (noun), and "to perMIT (verb), as in giving permission.
Back home, Hubbie had heated leftover baked beans and barbecue for supper, which we had with slaw, potato salad, and fresh veggies. Afterward, I accompanied Mother back to her house, and helped her take a shower, then threw a load of laundry in the washer.
Later, Hubbie and I watched TV, including the second round for our favorite college baseball team in the College World Series. Our team won again!!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Sunday, June 17
Today is Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in the family. It is also Hubbie's birthday. Happy Birthday, Hubbie!
Up at 6:30 this morning, and skipped my exercises again, so I could get ready for the day and begin preparations for lunch. I began by putting the baked beans into the oven to heat. Once they were heated, I turned the oven off and left them in there to stay warm.
Then I made lemon pudding to top the lemon cake. I let the pudding cool for about an hour before making the meringue topping.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she sliced tomatoes and mixed dressing into slaw.
Folks began to arrive around 10 a.m. Soon, everyone was here...Hubbie's two daughters, a son-in-law, his son, his grandson, his two sisters, and a nephew and great niece...twelve of us altogether.
At 11 a.m., I put barbecue and sauce into the oven to heat, and finished other tasks related to lunch. While I did this, Hubbie toured his family around the yard and gardens. When they came back indoors, his Sister began beating on herself and yelling that something was stinging her. The insect was a little black bee. I fetched a bottle of calydryl lotion for her, which took the sting out of the bites.
We were ready to sit down to lunch at noon. The meal of barbecue on buns, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, a variety of fresh veggies...tomatoes, yellow and zucchini squash, cucumber, mushrooms, bell pepper, celery, and carrots...and tortilla chips, with salsa and/or cheese dip, and lemon pudding cake, pineapple upside down cake, or chocolate cupcakes. The meal was a big hit, and several wanted my recipe for baked beans.
Hubbie's sister, apparently not satisfied with getting bee stung, whacked her knee on a dining room table leg, and then chocked on something that sent her into a coughing fit.
Hubbie got a variety of gift cards to his favorite home improvement stores for his birthday, so he's going to have a happy time shopping. His sisters opted to give him a card good at several restaurants, all of which are located in their town...so that we'll have to go there to use it. This was a clever ploy to get us over there for a visit.
Among my gifts to him are two books...John Grisham's "Calico Joe," and "The American Challenge...What Every American Should Know About Their Country," by Robert C. Etheredge. It includes a concise, easy-to-read American History timeline; presidential profiles; influential speeches; history and care of the American flag; important American documents, like the Delclaration of Independence, Constitution, etc., plus famous songs and poems; Americana...arts, music, literature, etc.; branches of government; maps; and rates, ranks and insignias of all military branches, as well as the U.S. Citizenship Test.
Hubbie read about this book in the Sunday newspaper a few months ago, and commented that he'd like to have it. So I searched for it at a popular website and put it on my wish list. Then I ordered it a couple of weeks ago, so that it wouldn't appear on our credit card until after his birthday.
Hubbie spent part of his visit going over genealogy records that Nephew brought along. Very entertaining for him and his family.
We had a good visit with Hubbie's family today, right up to the point when his daugher said something that didn't set well with his (injured) sister, and she fled outside and to the other end of the yard. After a while, his daughter and other sister smoothed her feathers, and everyone was ready to leave around 2 p.m.
After the family left, we relaxed and watched the 2008 animated feature, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," and then had same-song-second-verse for supper. Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house.
Later, Hubbie and I relaxed and watched TV, including an old 1957 western called, "Decision at Sundown." Hubbie likes westerns, and I thought he'd enjoy this classic film for his birthday.
After that we watched the premiere of the new "Dallas" series. This prime time soap opera continues its scheming ways with in-fighting among the Ewings.
Up at 6:30 this morning, and skipped my exercises again, so I could get ready for the day and begin preparations for lunch. I began by putting the baked beans into the oven to heat. Once they were heated, I turned the oven off and left them in there to stay warm.
Then I made lemon pudding to top the lemon cake. I let the pudding cool for about an hour before making the meringue topping.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she sliced tomatoes and mixed dressing into slaw.
Folks began to arrive around 10 a.m. Soon, everyone was here...Hubbie's two daughters, a son-in-law, his son, his grandson, his two sisters, and a nephew and great niece...twelve of us altogether.
At 11 a.m., I put barbecue and sauce into the oven to heat, and finished other tasks related to lunch. While I did this, Hubbie toured his family around the yard and gardens. When they came back indoors, his Sister began beating on herself and yelling that something was stinging her. The insect was a little black bee. I fetched a bottle of calydryl lotion for her, which took the sting out of the bites.
We were ready to sit down to lunch at noon. The meal of barbecue on buns, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, a variety of fresh veggies...tomatoes, yellow and zucchini squash, cucumber, mushrooms, bell pepper, celery, and carrots...and tortilla chips, with salsa and/or cheese dip, and lemon pudding cake, pineapple upside down cake, or chocolate cupcakes. The meal was a big hit, and several wanted my recipe for baked beans.
Hubbie's sister, apparently not satisfied with getting bee stung, whacked her knee on a dining room table leg, and then chocked on something that sent her into a coughing fit.
Hubbie got a variety of gift cards to his favorite home improvement stores for his birthday, so he's going to have a happy time shopping. His sisters opted to give him a card good at several restaurants, all of which are located in their town...so that we'll have to go there to use it. This was a clever ploy to get us over there for a visit.
Among my gifts to him are two books...John Grisham's "Calico Joe," and "The American Challenge...What Every American Should Know About Their Country," by Robert C. Etheredge. It includes a concise, easy-to-read American History timeline; presidential profiles; influential speeches; history and care of the American flag; important American documents, like the Delclaration of Independence, Constitution, etc., plus famous songs and poems; Americana...arts, music, literature, etc.; branches of government; maps; and rates, ranks and insignias of all military branches, as well as the U.S. Citizenship Test.
Hubbie read about this book in the Sunday newspaper a few months ago, and commented that he'd like to have it. So I searched for it at a popular website and put it on my wish list. Then I ordered it a couple of weeks ago, so that it wouldn't appear on our credit card until after his birthday.
Hubbie spent part of his visit going over genealogy records that Nephew brought along. Very entertaining for him and his family.
We had a good visit with Hubbie's family today, right up to the point when his daugher said something that didn't set well with his (injured) sister, and she fled outside and to the other end of the yard. After a while, his daughter and other sister smoothed her feathers, and everyone was ready to leave around 2 p.m.
After the family left, we relaxed and watched the 2008 animated feature, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," and then had same-song-second-verse for supper. Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house.
Later, Hubbie and I relaxed and watched TV, including an old 1957 western called, "Decision at Sundown." Hubbie likes westerns, and I thought he'd enjoy this classic film for his birthday.
After that we watched the premiere of the new "Dallas" series. This prime time soap opera continues its scheming ways with in-fighting among the Ewings.
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