Saturday, August 11

Up around 7:30, and after breakfast, I dressed to go for a bike ride, since it was a pleasant morning. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house.

As usual, lots of dogs yapped at us, or followed us, while we biked. The neighbor's labs...both female (mother and daughter)...stayed right with us for the whole trip, except for when they made a short excursion for a swim in a pond. Thankfully, they shook the water off before they came trotting back to us.

Back home, once I was ready for the day, I accomplished nothing before lunch. After lunch, we all traveled to a town about fifteen miles away to attend the watermelon festival. Fortunately, we were able to find a handicapped space near the festival walkway.

The temp had risen, and it was hot, but no intolerable. Made a trip around the festival grounds, stopping to sign up for prizes, while we listened to a gospel group perform. Then we found a shady spot, where Mother enjoyed a cup of chocolate soft-serve ice cream (her favorite festival treat), and I enjoyed a big cup of fresh squeezed lemonade (my favorite festival treat).

Refreshed, we toured the car and tractor show, and then headed to the van to come home. Mother lost no time in heading to the couch for a nap after we got back. She slept until after 5 p.m. today.

My supper plan for today was hamburgers/turkey burgers. But in checking the freezer, I discovered we had no patties, so Hubbie and I went to the WDCS to buy the meat, and a head of lettuce.

Had the burgers with corn-on-the-cob. Hubbie and I had already started eating by the time Mother got up, but I hurried to prepare a plate for her. After supper, I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I settled in front of TV.

Watched a couple of movies...an LMN suspense film about a man who kills his wife, and then decides he's in love with his neighbor's wife, so he sets about planting cameras in her house, and undermining her husband.

The second movie was "Elvis and Anabelle." A beauty queen collapses during a pageant, and appears dead. At the funeral home, though, she suddenly revives. After that, she and the young mortician fall in love.

Friday, August 10

Woke up really early this morning, around 5:30, but didn't get up, since Hubbie was still snoozing. By 7:30, he still wasn't awake, so I drifted back to sleep and didn't wake again until 8:30. Hubbie was up already. He said he'd awakened at 8 a.m.

Had a late breakfast, around 9 a.m., and then Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, where she and Hubbie sliced a green tomato for the freezer, and bagged the ones Mother had sliced yesterday.

In the meantime, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises. Before I got ready for the day, I gathered card-making stuff, so Mother could sort through stickers and look through magazines and books for ideas, and then I headed upstairs to get ready for the day.

Of course, it was close to noon by the time I was dressed, so I heated Ramen Noodle soup for Mother, and Hubbie and I had leftovers. Mother went to the couch for her nap afterward, and Hubbie and I ran errands.

We started at a grocery store that periodically sends us coupons for free or reduced prices on groceries. Today, we got a free carton of eggs and a free package of frozen vegetables, and reduced prices on cheese and ice cream. Also picked up yogurt for Mother, using a cents-off coupon.

We swung back by home to put the frozen foods in the freezer, and the other items in the refrigerator, and then went on to the WDCS for other grocery items.

Back home, Mother got up from her nap around 3 p.m. We watched TV for a while, and then prepared Ziplock bag omelets for supper, served with tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and slices of homemade wheat bread.

Accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and waited for her to take a shower before returning home. Later, Hubbie and I went to another town about fifteen minutes away to attend a watermelon festival concert by a group that we know.

Before we went to the festival, we visited our favorite watermelon farmer to buy another melon and three cantaloupes.

Parking was at a premium at the festival, since the entertainers are very popular. We took bag chairs, but we didn't want to carry them around the grounds while we toured the exhibits and booths, so we left them near a seated older couple, who were glad to watch them whle we were gone.

Met and talked to a few folks we know as we made our way past the booths, using address labels to sign up for prizes. Folks are always impressed by the tactic of using address labels.

There was the usual array of vendors selling jewlery, t-shirts, drinks and food, etc. We stopped by the soft serve ice cream vendor, where we paid an arm and a leg for cones of the treat.

What a glorious evening for a festival concert! I took along a long-sleeved shirt, since predictions were that the temp would drop into the 60s. I didn't need it, but I noticed others donned their sweaters and jackets.

Usually, during the summer months, flies, gnats, and mosquitoes are frustratingly bothersome, but I noticed no insects tonight. Maybe that was because bats were on the job...we saw lots of them flying overhead. Bats may be more prevalent in this town, because there is a cave in the center of town.

Before the main musical event, there was an entertainer who played harmonica. She is exceptionally talented, and we enjoyed her. We stayed for the main event until around 9:30, and then headed home ahead of the crowd.

It was a nice night, and a pleasant change from watching TV.

Thursday, August 9

Up around 7:30 this morning, and after breakfast, Hubbie delivered the van to the shop to have work done to satisfy recall notices. Afterward, he attended a Master Gardener meeting, which lasted until noon.

In the meantime, I did a treadmill session and resistance bands exercises. Once I was ready for the day, I accompanied Mother to our house, where she sliced green tomatoes for the freezer, while I did this and that around the house, including washing laundry.

Around 11 a.m., I gathered ingredients for making a chef's salad. I used a combination of spring lettuces, fresh spinach, tomatoes, Vidalia onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, walnuts, Craisins, fresh cantaloupe, fresh plum, sliced cheese, cottage cheese, and dressings.

Hubbie arrived with a door prize he'd won at the meeting...a pretty basket, with the word "Garden" etched on the rim, and filled with salsa makings: a couple of onions, a couple of tomatoes, and a handful of red and green japaleno peppers. I doubt that I'll make salsa with the veggies, but we'll eat the onions and tomatoes, and put the peppers in the freezer for whoever in the family wants them.

He also brought home a pin and certificate awarded to him in recognition of his ten years as a member of the organization. So he had a very good morning.

For lunch, Mother had her usual Ramen noodle soup, cheese, and crackers. Afterward, she headed to the couch for a nap. She slept until around 4 p.m.

Didn't accomplish much during the afternoon...I'm always afraid I'll make noise and wake Mother. Finished the laundry, read a couple of magazines and the local newspaper, played on my laptop, watched TV, but that's about all. If I'd thought ahead, I could have gathered some card-making supplies, and worked on the little table in the kitchen.

Mother sleeping most afternoons is a fairly recent thing, so I need to adjust to it and think of constructive things I can accomplish that don't make a lot of noise. There are cards to be made, a photo that needs framing, paperwork for Extension Homemakers that needs completing, photos on my laptop and upstairs computer that need to be transferred to CDs, novels to be read, a new pair of jeans that need hemming...all sorts of productive things. No use wasting my time.

Hubbie didn't do much, either, except go to the gas station to fill the truck with diesel, since we heard on the news that the price of fuel is about to rise significantly.

For supper, I put leftover pork roast and veggies in the oven to heat. Later, I heated the rolls we brought home from our lunch Tuesday. Also had individual cups of applesauce with the meal.

Accompanied Mother home afterward, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including a 2010 movie called, "The Rig." A violent storm comes up, and the men and women working on an offshore oil rig end up battling not only the storm, but an undersea creature, when they invade the creature's territory. Naturally, they get picked off one by one.

Addendum to Wednesday, August 8

Forgot to mention that the cable guy came about 4 p.m. to figure out why I couldn't access the DVR after he installed a new cable box several days ago. It turned out to be quite a process that took about an hour and a half, and the help another cable guy, who came to assist after about thirty minutes.

I think if I hadn't been on hand, these two might never have figured out our complicated system that required four remotes. They needed me to guide them in how to operate a system that had the TV connected to a sound system, a cable box, and a combo DVD/VCR unit.

I had hoped to keep VCR capacity, but when we tried a VHS tape in it, the unit gobbled it and wouldn't turn it loose. So I decided to abandon the unit. That uncomplicated things a little, but it still took some wrangling to get cables attached to the right places.

Once the DVD player worked, I tried to switch to TV...no picture. So, we were off to the races again, until the problem was solved. But now there was no sound. More cable wrangling. Finally, we had sound. I tested all the remotes again, and learned that everyting works if I use different input signals from what I'd used in the past.

The DVD we used to assure that the unit was working was an animal show, which prompted one of the cable guys to relate an amimal story.

Seems a friend of his had a couple of kids, one of whom captured turtles to play with. The kid turned them loose later, but once he asked his father if turtles bite, and was assured that they didn't, or if they did, it wouldn't hurt.

Wrong, because one day the daughter frantically called the mother at work, saying that her 12-year-old brother had been bitten by a turtle. The mother laughed, saying it couldn't be that bad. But the daughter insisted that she needed to come home right away.

When she arrived home, the mother discovered that the turtle had the boy's lip tightly clamped in its mouth. Apparently, the boy was observing the turtle close up, when the turtle lunged out and grabbed his lip.

The father was alerted to come right home, and the two parents tried everything to get the turtle to turn loose of the boy's lip. They even rubbed a ice cube over the back end of the turtle, hoping to shock it into turning loose. But it reacted instead by withdrawing inside of its shell, taking the boy's lip with it.

Out of ideas, the parents decided to take the boy to the hospital ER. What a sight that must have been to others in the waiting room...a boy with a turtle held in his palm, with his lip in the turtle's mouth.

In order to get the turtle to turn loose, the doctor had to inject it with a muscle relaxant.

The boy is grown now, but he still carries a half-moon scar on his lip.

Wednesday, August 8

Slept late, until around 7:30. Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning, and she peeled and chopped ripe tomatoes, and sliced some that were between green and ripe. Both went into the freezer. The ripe ones will be used for soups and sauces, and the sliced ones will be used for fried green tomatoes.

While she did this, I called the scrapbook club members to get their estimated volunteer hours for the year. One lady loves to chat, so it was a while before our conversation ended. Left a message for the other member, since she wasn't home, and I don't know her cell phone number. Then I chatted briefly with Daughter.

Did a couple of household chores after that, and at 11:30 headed upstairs to get ready for the day. Prepared lunch at noon, and then Mother went to the couch for her afternoon nap.

While she slept, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the newspaper office to leave the word search puzzle contest; to the greeting card shop to get a card for Hubbie's great-granddaughter, who will celebrate her first birthday Friday; to the farmer's market to pick up some more green tomatoes for the freezer, since our crop has quit...also picked up yellow and zucchini squash, and a box of plums from one vendor, and a loaf of homemade wheat bread from a Mennonite vendor; to the cable TV office to let them know that I'm unable to access my DVD player following a change in cable boxes (a tech was scheduled for a visit this afternoon); to the WDCS to return some unneeded electrical receptacles, and to pick up new potatoes and cottage cheese; and lastly, to the farm store for a bag of birdseed.

On the way back home, we needed to cross railroad tracks. The signal was sounding. Some sort of yellow vehicle was approaching on the tracks.

"Wonder what that is?" I said.

"It's a worker carrier," Hubbie said, authoritatively.

"A what?" I quizzed, doubtfully.

"It's a support transport," he waxed poetic.

"You don't have any idea what it is, do you?" I laughed.

"No," he said.

Online research shows that it's a track maintenance car. When I pointed this out to Hubbie, he contended that this is what he meant. He knew what it was, but didn't know the technical name for it.

Okay.

We were back home around 2:30. Didn't accomplish much before Mother woke up. I try not to rattle around making noise while she's sleeping.

Later, I put leftover lasagna in the oven for our supper, which we had with the remainder of the garlic bread, and salad with cottage cheese. Accompanied Mother home afterward, and waited while she took a shower.

At home, Hubbie and I watched TV, as usual, including another episode of "Mystery Woman."

Tuesday, August 7

Up around 7:30, but skipped my exercises, so we could get ready to travel to another town about 45 minutes away to join a group of my high school graduation classmates for lunch at a restaurant.

Family was invited to join us, so Hubbie and Mother went along. Ten classmates, plus three family members gathered in a private room of the restaurant. The food at the restaurant is homestyle, and the three of us had roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, and fried okra, along with hot rolls. The homemade pies looked luscious, but I knew the lemon and coconut cream ones would have yellow dye in them, so I opted for vanilla ice cream, which Mother and Hubby ordered, too.

We visited for about an hour and a half, and then there was a drawing for a door prize, which Mother won. She objected that it should go to a classmate, but no one would hear of it. Since she is downsizing at her house, she insisted I take the prize, which is a large, heavy, pewter-like bowl, which she will "visit" when she's at our house.

Learned today that I am one of only two classmates whose Mother is still living. The other mom is 92 years old. Mother is 90. I feel blessed that Mother is still here. Mother really enjoyed seeing everyone today, and they enjoyed seeing her. It's been fifty years since she'd seen them in person, though she'd seen them in photos I took at past reunions.

After lunch, the lady and her husband who live in the town invited us back to her house for coffee, but since I knew Mother was getting tired, we declined and headed home.

Got back around 2 p.m., and Mother immediately headed to the couch for a nap. Hubbie and I relaxed in front of TV while she slept. She awoke around 4 p.m., ready to go to her house, so I accompanied her.

Since we had such a big lunch, it was catch-as-catch can for supper. Around 5:30 p.m., I opted for nice cold watermelon. Hubbie fixed himself a sandwich, then went outdoors to water plants. It was 7 p.m. before I got hungry. Fixed myself a cold roast pork sandwich, which I had with the remaining macaroni salad.

It was more TV after that, including another episode of "Mystery Woman."

A good day.

Monday, August 6

Slept late, until around 8 a.m. Did a treadmill session and resistance band exercises after breakfast. While I was doing this, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and the two of them peeled and sliced peaches for the freezer.

Once I was ready for the day, I reviewed the lesson for today's session with my ESL student. Did this and that around the house after that until lunchtime.

After lunch, Mother peeled and quartered onions to be included with a pork roast, and then she headed for the couch for a nap. Hubbie peeled potatoes, and I seasoned the meat with pepper, paprika, now-salt seasoning, garlic powder, and thyme, browned it, and put it in the slow cooker. Topped the meat with Rosemary, added the onions, some carrots, and the potatoes, and a can each of low-sodium chicken broth and beef broth.

Before I went to the college to meet my student, Hubbie ran errands, including picking up a few groceries.

Met my student at 2:30, as usual. Her tooth is still bothering her, but she couldn't get an appointment until August 22. Actually, she could have gotten one for August 20 at 2 p.m., but she refused to accept a date that interferred with our class time.

The first thing she did today was give back the half pint jar that had contained homemade strawberry preserves. She was enthusiastic in her praise of the preserves, which her husband and mother-in-law loved (as did she).

Today's lesson included comparative of adjectives: "Mary is 20. Jane is 18. Jane is younger than Mary." Comparisons included the words older, cheaper, sadder, larger, darker, good/better, bad/worse, little/less, far/farther, etc.

The lesson also included focus on "think" or "say" plus noun clauses: "I think that he is a fine person." "Ellen said that Tom died in his sleep."

I also read a paragraph so that she could practice listening comprehension, and then she read stories from her workbook. One story involved the death of a person on a Friday, with a funeral scheduled for the following Monday. She seemed surprised that so long a time elapsed between death and the funeral.

In Venezuela, a person is buried within twenty-four hours of death. I explained that in America, many arrangements must be made, including choosing a casket, setting a visitation time, gathering memorial materials, choosing music, etc., and sometimes family have to travel long distances to attend. Also, if a person dies on Friday, it is customary in some churches...Catholic, for instance...to wait until Monday for the funeral.

She also wanted to know how to refer to a woman who has lost her husband, and I explained that it is "widow" for a woman, and "widower" for a man. In Spanish, it is "viuda" for a woman and "viudo" for a man.

Another discussion was related to the cost of food in the U.S. Although we Americans don't like the rising costs, the student commented that it is less expensive here than in Venezuela or other parts of the world. And what she enjoys most is the great variety and bounty of foods here, a thing we Americans take for granted and fail to appreciate.

We ended our session on the dot of 4:30, but I guess the librarians feared we were never going to leave, so one of them came back to the study room to remind us of the summer hours. I'll have to remember next week to end the session a few minutes earlier.

Back home, Hubbie had turned the slow cooker to the "keep warm" setting, so the roast was ready to eat. I made gravy from the drippings and another can of chicken broth, and was ready to serve the meal at 5 p.m. It was delicious, with a side of individual cups of applesauce.

Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including a couple more "Mystery Woman" movies from the Hallmark Movie Channel.

Sunday, August 5

Slept late, until after 8 a.m., so it was nearly nine before we had breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house after that, where she watched the Academy Award winning movie, "The King's Speech," while I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises, and Hubbie did this and that around the yard. Hubbie and I had seen the movie at a theater several months ago.

I didn't accomplish anything else for the rest of the morning...not even getting dressed. After 11 a.m., I put leftover lasagna in the oven, followed by garlic bread later. While we enjoyed lunch, I put the leftover peach cobbler in the oven. Had that for dessert, topped with ice cream.

While we ate, we watched a "Mystery Woman" movie from the Hallmark Movie Channel. A woman (Kellie Martin) inherits a bookstore of mystery books from her uncle, and becomes an amateur sleuth. "Mystery Woman" is a TV series, in which mysterious murders happen to occur all around the heroine.

After lunch, Mother retired to the couch for a nap. As she was snoozing, I got a call from a high school classmate, inviting us all to a gathering of classmates in a town about 45 minutes away to bid goodbye to one of us who is moving away. I alerted the man who invited us that if we go, we will need to take Mother, because there will be no one here to stay with her. He said that was fine, since family is invited to the gathering. The class will meet at a restaurant on Tuesday, around 11 a.m., unless things change.

Hubbie and I spent the rest of the afternoon watching TV, including another "Mystery Woman" movie, and reading the Sunday newspaper.

Mother finished her nap around 4:30, and Hubbie made grilled cheese sandwiches for our supper. Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and hung around until she'd taken a shower. I put a load of laundry in the washer before I came back home.

Spent the rest of the evening in front of TV, as usual. While we did this, I checked online to see how my physical statistics compare to the Olympians, and found that my body style is most like a female weight lifter. I'd hoped I'd compare with someone a little more graceful and elegant!