Saturday, November 3, 2012
Saturday, Nov. 3
Daylight Savings Time ends today, drat it. Time to set the clocks back one hour. Now it will be dark by about 5 p.m., making the evenings stretch on forever. I always think that at this time of year, since I can't be outdoors, I can accomplish a lot of cleaning, sorting, and organizing, but I never seem to do it, because all I feel like doing is hibernating.
Up around 7 a.m., but skipped my exercises after breakfast, so we could get ready to travel about and hour south to attend an open house event at a pioneer village, sponsored by the town's historical society.
Had a little time before we left, so I spent it finishing the book I borrowed from the library for my e-reader. I expect it will be removed tomorrow.
It was an especially beautiful autumn day for the outing, sunny with temp in the low 80s. Before we visited the village, we went to a favorite restaurant for lunch. Daughter met us there.
We arrived at the restaurant just after 11 a.m., and the breakfast buffet was still offered. We settled for what few lunch items that were available...chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes, etc., but visited the buffet as soon as the lunch items were in place, so we could get veggies to go with our meal. I especially wanted to get macaroni and cheese for Mother, since this is her favorite dish at that restaurant.
As soon as we finished eating, we traveled to the village, and spent a couple of hours touring the old buildings, and watching docents in period costumes perform pioneer skills of blacksmithing, spinning, quilting, churning butter, basket weaving, etc. Daughter enjoyed participating in the children's games of jump rope, and hoop rolling.
Around 3 p.m., we were ready to head home. Got back after 4 p.m., and I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched our favorite college football team play to a much-needed win, for a change.
While we watched the game, I transferred photo files to an online storage site, and then downloaded them to a CD, so I could delete the files and free up space on my computer. I hope to do a few files each night until the task is complete.
I then uploaded snapshots from today's excursion, and downloaded some of them to my social network site.
Much later, Hubbie and I had bowls of cereal, with toast and strawberry preserves, for supper. Before we could do that, though, Hubbie had to go to a grocery store and buy a gallon of milk, since we were completely out.
Spent the rest of the evening watching TV until bedtime.
Watching the blacksmith working at the village made me want to go back and re-read this poem:
The Village Blacksmith
Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.
Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.
And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.
He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.
It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.
Toiling,---rejoicing,---sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.
Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Friday, November 2, 2012
Friday, Nov. 2
Up at 6:30 to get ready for water aerobics. Cool morning, with the promise of warmer weather later in the day. Twenty of us attended, which was more than I expected on a Friday, when folks generally have other weekend things to do. The water was warm, and I really enjoyed it.
The drive home was pretty. The sun was high enough that it set the arch of autumn trees aglow along the winding road down the hill from the college.
Back home, I had one cup of coffee, and then hurried to get ready for the day, so we could go to the fairgrounds for the annual Extension Homemakers Holiday Craft Fair. Among the craft items we bought was a really cute bird feeder in the shape of a country store. It was only $5! The vendor said she was selling that one and another for $5 just to get rid of them. I was glad we found it, because it'll be a perfect gift for the Master Gardener "Dirty Santa" exchange during the Christmas party next month. I also found a hand-painted glass Christmas ornament for our "white" Christmas tree.
Bought three pints of jelly/jam, too...peach, blackberry, and tomato. I'm very curious about the tomato one. Picked up a couple of brownies, and an mini-loaf of chocolate pound cake, too, to have as dessert with our lunch later. Got these mainly to support a local college student organization that is fundraising for a children's charity.
We were back home around noon, and I heated Mother's leftover spinach quiche from yesterday for her lunch, while Hubbie and I had the leftover pasta/chicken/veggie dish. Had the chocolate goodies for dessert, of course, along with dishes of mixed fruit from yesterday.
Mother headed to the couch for a nap afterward, while Hubbie and I ran errands.
Before we left, though, I noticed Hubbie going to and from the storeroom with a wet cloth. What was he doing, I asked? "I dropped the jar of blackberry jelly we bought at the craft fair," he frowned, "and it smashed all over the floor." I must have been upstairs when that happened, because I didn't hear the shatter of glass on that tile floor! I hate that we lost that jar of jelly, but oh well.
Once he got the mess cleaned up, we left on our errands...first to a dollar store to look for Christmas stickers and other things for an etched glass project at the gallery Sunday afternoon. Hubbie and I will join the art council director to make designs on clear glass ornaments to add to other ornaments that will be offered for sale beginning November 17.
I only found one card of snowflake stickers at the dollar store that I think will work on the project. At the WDCS, I found a couple of other cards of stickers...one of scroll designs, and another of stars. I might have to raid my own supplies for other designs.
Found the other things I'll need, though, like cotton swabs, protective gloves, rubbing alcohol, and face masks, at the dollar store.
At the WDCS, I also began buying supplies for a graham cracker cookie Christmsa house workshop for kids, scheduled for the first Saturday in December.
At home, Mother woke up around 4 p.m., and she and I headed to the kitchen to begin supper preparations. She diced an onion, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese for Ziplock bag omelets. I sauteed the onions in olive oil, with mushrooms and bell peppers, and then added the veggies to egg substitute in the bags, along with spices. Biscuits with a choice of honey or peach preserves, and hot coffee, completed the meal.
Accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and waited for her to shower before returning home. Spent the rest of the evening watching TV, as usual.
The drive home was pretty. The sun was high enough that it set the arch of autumn trees aglow along the winding road down the hill from the college.
Back home, I had one cup of coffee, and then hurried to get ready for the day, so we could go to the fairgrounds for the annual Extension Homemakers Holiday Craft Fair. Among the craft items we bought was a really cute bird feeder in the shape of a country store. It was only $5! The vendor said she was selling that one and another for $5 just to get rid of them. I was glad we found it, because it'll be a perfect gift for the Master Gardener "Dirty Santa" exchange during the Christmas party next month. I also found a hand-painted glass Christmas ornament for our "white" Christmas tree.
Bought three pints of jelly/jam, too...peach, blackberry, and tomato. I'm very curious about the tomato one. Picked up a couple of brownies, and an mini-loaf of chocolate pound cake, too, to have as dessert with our lunch later. Got these mainly to support a local college student organization that is fundraising for a children's charity.
We were back home around noon, and I heated Mother's leftover spinach quiche from yesterday for her lunch, while Hubbie and I had the leftover pasta/chicken/veggie dish. Had the chocolate goodies for dessert, of course, along with dishes of mixed fruit from yesterday.
Mother headed to the couch for a nap afterward, while Hubbie and I ran errands.
Before we left, though, I noticed Hubbie going to and from the storeroom with a wet cloth. What was he doing, I asked? "I dropped the jar of blackberry jelly we bought at the craft fair," he frowned, "and it smashed all over the floor." I must have been upstairs when that happened, because I didn't hear the shatter of glass on that tile floor! I hate that we lost that jar of jelly, but oh well.
Once he got the mess cleaned up, we left on our errands...first to a dollar store to look for Christmas stickers and other things for an etched glass project at the gallery Sunday afternoon. Hubbie and I will join the art council director to make designs on clear glass ornaments to add to other ornaments that will be offered for sale beginning November 17.
I only found one card of snowflake stickers at the dollar store that I think will work on the project. At the WDCS, I found a couple of other cards of stickers...one of scroll designs, and another of stars. I might have to raid my own supplies for other designs.
Found the other things I'll need, though, like cotton swabs, protective gloves, rubbing alcohol, and face masks, at the dollar store.
At the WDCS, I also began buying supplies for a graham cracker cookie Christmsa house workshop for kids, scheduled for the first Saturday in December.
At home, Mother woke up around 4 p.m., and she and I headed to the kitchen to begin supper preparations. She diced an onion, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese for Ziplock bag omelets. I sauteed the onions in olive oil, with mushrooms and bell peppers, and then added the veggies to egg substitute in the bags, along with spices. Biscuits with a choice of honey or peach preserves, and hot coffee, completed the meal.
Accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and waited for her to shower before returning home. Spent the rest of the evening watching TV, as usual.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Thursday, Nov. 1
November 1. Another month gone already. As usual, I didn't accomplish all that I meant to, but then I never do.
We were up at 7:30. I skipped my exercises after breakfast, so I could get ready to go to an 11 a.m. Caring Hands Hospice appreciation luncheon at a local Italian restaurant.
Didn't have time to accomplish much, other than making beauty shop appointments for Mother and me, before it was time to leave around 10:30. It's not far to the restaurant, but it takes a little while to help Mother get in and out of the van, and into a restaurant.
We arrived around 10:45, and by the time Mother had walked to the meeting room at the far end of the restaurant, she was pooped and trembling. But she had refused to use the wheelchair, I guess because she wanted the staff to think she is stronger than she really is. But she has actually lost strength since the therapists stopped working with her, because she promptly quit exercising with no one around to push her.
It was a nice luncheon, though a bit emotional when workers described their experiences tending to dying patients. I admire the hospice nurses, the clergy, and the volunteers, who dedicate themselves to this heartbreaking work.
Their work makes the tasks the rest of us volunteers do seem insignificant, though we are assured that everything we do helps add to the quality of life for the patients and their families.
We learned today that though many of the dying are elderly, as can be expected, there is a growing number of younger patients...30 to 50 years old...in hospice. No one knows why. But I figure it's a combination of environment and lifestyle changes in recent history.
On a lighter note, the staff did a great job of decorating...vases of sunny flowers and butterflies, and colorful placemats made from printed card stock encased in contact paper. Printed on the card stock was the "Legend of the Butterfly." It said:
An ancient legend of the butterfly states that, as a gift to his human children, the Great Spirit created butterflies. He took black from the maiden's hair, yellow from the warm summer sun, and blues from the lake and sky. Once he gathered the most beautiful of colors, He made them into butterflies.
If you want a special wish to come true, capture a butterfly and whisper your heart's desire to it. Since butterflies make no sound, they cannot tell the wish to anyone but Him. Being so colorful, the butterflies will easily be seen and the heart's prayers quickly answered.
By making a wish and releasing the butterfly, it will be taken on the wings of love to the heavens and granted. Softly whisper your wish for their eternal love and bliss, then carefully release and free the beautiful creature.
For Ancient Greeks, the transformation of butterfly from pupa to adult was a metaphor of the soul's resurrection and immortality.
Native Americans embroidered butterflies onto their children's caps to bring sweet dreams.
At each place were slips of paper with inspirational sayings related to volunteers: "Volunteers, a precious resource we cannot afford to lose." Denise Penn; "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." And, "Discover why some of the richest people in the world are not millionaires, they are volunteers." Jubail Barcelona.
A couple of staff members gave short talks in praise of the volunteers, and then we were each given certificates of appreciation, and little gifts. The women received small change purses, and the men received mugs filled with miniature candy bars.
We were encouraged to order whatever we wanted from the menu. Mother opted for quiche and fruit, while Hubbie and I chose pasta topped with chicken and veggies...onions, red and green bell peppers, and zucchini squash, along with a side of mixed fruit. We all had more than we could eat and brought part of it home.
Before we left the restaurant, the volunteer coordinator asked us to make Christmas cards, so I will need to find a free day or two soon to do that.
Back home, Mother headed straight to the couch for a nap. Outings, even small ones, tire her. But she thoroughly enjoyed the luncheon today.
While she napped, Hubbie and I rode our bikes, so I could get some exercise today, since I skipped my session this morning. It was a perfect fall day for a ride.
At home, I read a book on my e-reader that I borrowed from the library, and which will be removed in three days. I'm a little over halfway done with it, so I need to bear down on it if I'm going to finish in time.
When Mother woke up, we watched this week's episodes of "Dancing With the Stars," and then had supper around 6 p.m. Mother wanted Ramen noodle soup, and Hubbie and I decided on bowls of chili.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, as usual. While we did that, I completed a monthly Literacy Council report.
We were up at 7:30. I skipped my exercises after breakfast, so I could get ready to go to an 11 a.m. Caring Hands Hospice appreciation luncheon at a local Italian restaurant.
Didn't have time to accomplish much, other than making beauty shop appointments for Mother and me, before it was time to leave around 10:30. It's not far to the restaurant, but it takes a little while to help Mother get in and out of the van, and into a restaurant.
We arrived around 10:45, and by the time Mother had walked to the meeting room at the far end of the restaurant, she was pooped and trembling. But she had refused to use the wheelchair, I guess because she wanted the staff to think she is stronger than she really is. But she has actually lost strength since the therapists stopped working with her, because she promptly quit exercising with no one around to push her.
It was a nice luncheon, though a bit emotional when workers described their experiences tending to dying patients. I admire the hospice nurses, the clergy, and the volunteers, who dedicate themselves to this heartbreaking work.
Their work makes the tasks the rest of us volunteers do seem insignificant, though we are assured that everything we do helps add to the quality of life for the patients and their families.
We learned today that though many of the dying are elderly, as can be expected, there is a growing number of younger patients...30 to 50 years old...in hospice. No one knows why. But I figure it's a combination of environment and lifestyle changes in recent history.
On a lighter note, the staff did a great job of decorating...vases of sunny flowers and butterflies, and colorful placemats made from printed card stock encased in contact paper. Printed on the card stock was the "Legend of the Butterfly." It said:
An ancient legend of the butterfly states that, as a gift to his human children, the Great Spirit created butterflies. He took black from the maiden's hair, yellow from the warm summer sun, and blues from the lake and sky. Once he gathered the most beautiful of colors, He made them into butterflies.
If you want a special wish to come true, capture a butterfly and whisper your heart's desire to it. Since butterflies make no sound, they cannot tell the wish to anyone but Him. Being so colorful, the butterflies will easily be seen and the heart's prayers quickly answered.
By making a wish and releasing the butterfly, it will be taken on the wings of love to the heavens and granted. Softly whisper your wish for their eternal love and bliss, then carefully release and free the beautiful creature.
For Ancient Greeks, the transformation of butterfly from pupa to adult was a metaphor of the soul's resurrection and immortality.
Native Americans embroidered butterflies onto their children's caps to bring sweet dreams.
At each place were slips of paper with inspirational sayings related to volunteers: "Volunteers, a precious resource we cannot afford to lose." Denise Penn; "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." And, "Discover why some of the richest people in the world are not millionaires, they are volunteers." Jubail Barcelona.
A couple of staff members gave short talks in praise of the volunteers, and then we were each given certificates of appreciation, and little gifts. The women received small change purses, and the men received mugs filled with miniature candy bars.
We were encouraged to order whatever we wanted from the menu. Mother opted for quiche and fruit, while Hubbie and I chose pasta topped with chicken and veggies...onions, red and green bell peppers, and zucchini squash, along with a side of mixed fruit. We all had more than we could eat and brought part of it home.
Before we left the restaurant, the volunteer coordinator asked us to make Christmas cards, so I will need to find a free day or two soon to do that.
Back home, Mother headed straight to the couch for a nap. Outings, even small ones, tire her. But she thoroughly enjoyed the luncheon today.
While she napped, Hubbie and I rode our bikes, so I could get some exercise today, since I skipped my session this morning. It was a perfect fall day for a ride.
At home, I read a book on my e-reader that I borrowed from the library, and which will be removed in three days. I'm a little over halfway done with it, so I need to bear down on it if I'm going to finish in time.
When Mother woke up, we watched this week's episodes of "Dancing With the Stars," and then had supper around 6 p.m. Mother wanted Ramen noodle soup, and Hubbie and I decided on bowls of chili.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, as usual. While we did that, I completed a monthly Literacy Council report.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Today is Halloween. Happy Halloween to everyone! I say this even as my heart goes out to our friends on the east coast, who are struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Up at 6:30 this morning to get ready for water aerobics. Our leader reminded us on Monday to wear something Halloween-ish today. The only thing I could turn up was a black swimsuit with a net bodice that could be interpreted as either a black cat or a witch.
I left home just after sunrise, when the sun was just high enough to cast an orangy glow over the tops of the autumn trees. At the same time, a full moon shone in the west as brightly as if it were night. Puffy, soft gray clouds, rimmed in glowing pink, drifted past the moon. Very strange to see the sun and the moon together like that.
The pool was a bit chilly today, but tolerable. Several members showed up in "costumes," mainly masks or hats. One woman wore a rubber mask that featured long blond hair and swim goggles. I'm not sure who she was supposed to be.
Another woman wore a khaki bucket hat with an owl attached to the front, and a pair of large, black-rimmed, nerdy, eyeglasses. I assumed she was a "birdwatcher." Like me, one woman wore a plain black swimsuit. Her hair is naturally very dark brown, almost black (or was, when she was young...it is now dyed), with a gray steak on one side. She could have been portraying Frankenstein's bride, but I didn't inquire.
Our leader wore a shocking pink wig, topped with a glittering black and gray striped fedora hat. The best "costume," though, was worn by a man...a khaki colored baseball cap with a catfish appearing to swim through it from back to front.
There are among us some who delight in the fantasy of Halloween, and then there are some (like one particular woman) who just want the holiday to be over, because they think it promotes evil.
Before the session began, one of the women asked to be allowed to sing a Halloween song for us:
Halloween
(Harry Behn)
Tonight is the night
When dead leaves fly
Like witches on switches
Across the sky,
When elf and sprite
Flit through the night
On a moony sheen.
Tonight is the night
When leaves make a sound
Like a gnome in his home
Under the ground,
When spooks and trolls
Creep out of holes
Mossy and green.
Tonight is the night
When pumpkins stare
Through sheaves and leaves
Everywhere,
When ghoul and ghost
And goblin host
Dance round their queen.
It's Halloween.
At the end of the song, she let out a blood-curdling scream that startled us.
The first song of a CD our leader played for aerobics was the theme from the movie, "Ghost Busters." The lady who hates Halloween didn't recognize the song. "I've never seen the movie," she said. Well, I don't think I've seen it either, but I certainly recognize the song!
In the middle of the session, there came a loud, deep-throated moan from the direction of the gym. We never did find out what that was all about, but it was kind of creepy.
Back home, I thawed out with a couple of cups of coffee, and then got ready for the day. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. It was 11:30 by the time I came back downstairs...time for Mother's lunch, which, as usual, was Ramen noodle soup. Hubbie and I opted for sandwiches.
Following lunch, Mother and I watched the movie musical, "Cats," while Hubbie ran errands. He isn't a fan of musicals, though Mother and I love them.
As soon as the movie ended, Mother headed to the couch for a nap. While she slept, I did a couple of loads of laundry, and played on my laptop.
Mother woke about 4:30, ready to watch a movie on DVR..."The Addams Family." We enjoyed this amusing movie as we had chili topped with sour cream, and crackers and cheese, for supper.
When the movie ended, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited until she showered before returning home.
As soon as I got back, I made a peach cobbler to have later. I usually make an apple dessert on Halloween, but I don't have any apples at the moment, so the peach cobbler had to do. And it did just fine.
TV fare tonight included, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."
That was Halloween for this year. No trick or treaters. We live too far from town. Anyway, I think most kids in our small town probably attended a Halloween event downtown, where the merchants provided activities and trick or treat candies. Also, most local churches sponsored fall festivals, where costumed kids could party and receive "trunk or treat" candy.
Up at 6:30 this morning to get ready for water aerobics. Our leader reminded us on Monday to wear something Halloween-ish today. The only thing I could turn up was a black swimsuit with a net bodice that could be interpreted as either a black cat or a witch.
I left home just after sunrise, when the sun was just high enough to cast an orangy glow over the tops of the autumn trees. At the same time, a full moon shone in the west as brightly as if it were night. Puffy, soft gray clouds, rimmed in glowing pink, drifted past the moon. Very strange to see the sun and the moon together like that.
The pool was a bit chilly today, but tolerable. Several members showed up in "costumes," mainly masks or hats. One woman wore a rubber mask that featured long blond hair and swim goggles. I'm not sure who she was supposed to be.
Another woman wore a khaki bucket hat with an owl attached to the front, and a pair of large, black-rimmed, nerdy, eyeglasses. I assumed she was a "birdwatcher." Like me, one woman wore a plain black swimsuit. Her hair is naturally very dark brown, almost black (or was, when she was young...it is now dyed), with a gray steak on one side. She could have been portraying Frankenstein's bride, but I didn't inquire.
Our leader wore a shocking pink wig, topped with a glittering black and gray striped fedora hat. The best "costume," though, was worn by a man...a khaki colored baseball cap with a catfish appearing to swim through it from back to front.
There are among us some who delight in the fantasy of Halloween, and then there are some (like one particular woman) who just want the holiday to be over, because they think it promotes evil.
Before the session began, one of the women asked to be allowed to sing a Halloween song for us:
Halloween
(Harry Behn)
Tonight is the night
When dead leaves fly
Like witches on switches
Across the sky,
When elf and sprite
Flit through the night
On a moony sheen.
Tonight is the night
When leaves make a sound
Like a gnome in his home
Under the ground,
When spooks and trolls
Creep out of holes
Mossy and green.
Tonight is the night
When pumpkins stare
Through sheaves and leaves
Everywhere,
When ghoul and ghost
And goblin host
Dance round their queen.
It's Halloween.
At the end of the song, she let out a blood-curdling scream that startled us.
The first song of a CD our leader played for aerobics was the theme from the movie, "Ghost Busters." The lady who hates Halloween didn't recognize the song. "I've never seen the movie," she said. Well, I don't think I've seen it either, but I certainly recognize the song!
In the middle of the session, there came a loud, deep-throated moan from the direction of the gym. We never did find out what that was all about, but it was kind of creepy.
Back home, I thawed out with a couple of cups of coffee, and then got ready for the day. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. It was 11:30 by the time I came back downstairs...time for Mother's lunch, which, as usual, was Ramen noodle soup. Hubbie and I opted for sandwiches.
Following lunch, Mother and I watched the movie musical, "Cats," while Hubbie ran errands. He isn't a fan of musicals, though Mother and I love them.
As soon as the movie ended, Mother headed to the couch for a nap. While she slept, I did a couple of loads of laundry, and played on my laptop.
Mother woke about 4:30, ready to watch a movie on DVR..."The Addams Family." We enjoyed this amusing movie as we had chili topped with sour cream, and crackers and cheese, for supper.
When the movie ended, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited until she showered before returning home.
As soon as I got back, I made a peach cobbler to have later. I usually make an apple dessert on Halloween, but I don't have any apples at the moment, so the peach cobbler had to do. And it did just fine.
TV fare tonight included, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."
That was Halloween for this year. No trick or treaters. We live too far from town. Anyway, I think most kids in our small town probably attended a Halloween event downtown, where the merchants provided activities and trick or treat candies. Also, most local churches sponsored fall festivals, where costumed kids could party and receive "trunk or treat" candy.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, Oct. 29
Today is Great-Granddaughter's and Great-Grandson's birthday. Happy Birthday to both!
Up at 6:30 to get ready for water aerobics. Br-r-r...really cold this morning, requiring not only fleece wear and a hoodie, but a coat and gloves. This is the first morning this season that I've seen frost on the low-lying fields.
The pool was pleasant enough, though I was told it was cooler than last Friday, since water had been added. Attendance was down to about 18, thanks to the cooler weather.
Over the weekend, I learned that a lady I was acquainted with, who owned the dress shop that provided an outfit for me to model at the heart event a few years ago, died of cancer last Tuesday at age 82. Her funeral was Thursday. She was a sister-in-law to one of the scrapbook club members, and a friend to the lady I stand next to at aerobics. So she was the topic of discussion today.
Back home, after I thawed out with a couple of cups of coffee and got ready for the day, I reviewed the lesson plan for my ESL student, and did other things around the house.
I met the student at the usual 2:30 hour. Today, we worked with "although" clauses. "Although she was tired, she went to work." "Although it was cold, Tony went fishing."
Then we worked on vocabulary using "wait on," and "wait for." "Rosa waits on tables at the snack shop." "Ann is late. I'm waiting for her."
Then we moved on to words about time. "Today is the present. Yesterday was the past. Tomorrow is the future."
Vocabulary continued with restaurant terms: menu, desserts, beverages, etc. Also touched on musical instruments: band, piano, drums, guitar.
For "join a union," the student needed definitions for the words "join" and "union," before she could comprehend the sentences. She was familiar, though, with the words citizens, immigrants, and refugees. She also knew the terms east, west, north, south.
During the session, the student commented that she was getting a headache. But when I suggested we might want to end the session early, she did not want to, because, as she put it, our sessions are her "dessert" of the week. She loves attending classes with me, and I'm glad.
We won't meet next week, though, since she is scheduled to go to Orlando, Florida, to visit with relatives coming from Venezuela. She'll have the opportunity to see her three-year-old grandchild.
Back home, Hubbie had heated the leftover autumn stew for our supper, and I put a can of biscuits in the oven to have with it. Served a choice of honey and peach preserves with the biscuits.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited until she showered before coming back home.
This evening, Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 1990 movie thriller, "Misery," starring James Caan, and Kathy Bates. An obsessed fan rescues a writer from a car wreck, and then proceeds to terrorize the writer. Another movie suited for Halloween.
Up at 6:30 to get ready for water aerobics. Br-r-r...really cold this morning, requiring not only fleece wear and a hoodie, but a coat and gloves. This is the first morning this season that I've seen frost on the low-lying fields.
The pool was pleasant enough, though I was told it was cooler than last Friday, since water had been added. Attendance was down to about 18, thanks to the cooler weather.
Over the weekend, I learned that a lady I was acquainted with, who owned the dress shop that provided an outfit for me to model at the heart event a few years ago, died of cancer last Tuesday at age 82. Her funeral was Thursday. She was a sister-in-law to one of the scrapbook club members, and a friend to the lady I stand next to at aerobics. So she was the topic of discussion today.
Back home, after I thawed out with a couple of cups of coffee and got ready for the day, I reviewed the lesson plan for my ESL student, and did other things around the house.
I met the student at the usual 2:30 hour. Today, we worked with "although" clauses. "Although she was tired, she went to work." "Although it was cold, Tony went fishing."
Then we worked on vocabulary using "wait on," and "wait for." "Rosa waits on tables at the snack shop." "Ann is late. I'm waiting for her."
Then we moved on to words about time. "Today is the present. Yesterday was the past. Tomorrow is the future."
Vocabulary continued with restaurant terms: menu, desserts, beverages, etc. Also touched on musical instruments: band, piano, drums, guitar.
For "join a union," the student needed definitions for the words "join" and "union," before she could comprehend the sentences. She was familiar, though, with the words citizens, immigrants, and refugees. She also knew the terms east, west, north, south.
During the session, the student commented that she was getting a headache. But when I suggested we might want to end the session early, she did not want to, because, as she put it, our sessions are her "dessert" of the week. She loves attending classes with me, and I'm glad.
We won't meet next week, though, since she is scheduled to go to Orlando, Florida, to visit with relatives coming from Venezuela. She'll have the opportunity to see her three-year-old grandchild.
Back home, Hubbie had heated the leftover autumn stew for our supper, and I put a can of biscuits in the oven to have with it. Served a choice of honey and peach preserves with the biscuits.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited until she showered before coming back home.
This evening, Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 1990 movie thriller, "Misery," starring James Caan, and Kathy Bates. An obsessed fan rescues a writer from a car wreck, and then proceeds to terrorize the writer. Another movie suited for Halloween.
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m. After breakfast, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and we started a pot of chili simmering. Mother chopped the veggies for it.
Once the chili was on the stove, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises, while Hubbie ran errands.
By the time I was ready for the day, it was already 11:30 and time for Mother's lunch. I fixed Ramen noodle soup for her, and then when Hubbie returned, we had a sandwich lunch.
After lunch, Mother went to the couch for a nap, and I started the movie musical, "Sweeney Todd," starring Johnny Depp. This is a pretty bloody movie, so I didn't think Mother would want to see it, and I turned the sound way down low. But in a few minutes, here she came to watch it. She just didn't want to be left out, I guess.
At 2:30, I stopped the movie so I could go to my dentist's office for a 3 p.m. appointment. The hygienist had made the appointment, so she could check that bothersome tooth that suddenly developed pockets. Today, when she examined it, she found it much improved. I asked if the Water Pik I use could be causing the problem, and she said yes, if used incorrectly. Apparently, I was using it incorrectly, and she showed me the correct procedure. Now, I will not need to return for another exam until February.
Back home, we finished the movie, and then I heated leftovers from Sunday for our supper. Afterward, I accompanied Mother home, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2011 movie, "Contagion," starring Matt Damon. This is a disaster movie, of course, in which a lethal pandemic creates an immediate need for vaccine to combat it. Pretty scary for Halloween, since this is something that could actually happen.
Note: we have been plagued with fruit flies for a while. Our pest control guy treated for them, but the flies seemed impervious to the treatment. We stored all food away from the flying pests, and thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, but nothing seemed to help.
Finally, on Saturday, I researched online for ideas, and found one I thought might work...I placed a Mandarin orange in a bowl, and poured some balsalmic vinegar in the bottom (the flies are attracted to the strong scent of the vinegar). I then stretched a piece of plastic wrap tightly over the bowl, and pierced it several times with a dessert fork. I left the bowl on the counter overnight, and lo and behold, on Sunday morning, the bowl was filled with fruit flies.
They crawled in through the tiny holes, but are unable to get out. Nearly all of the flies are gone now, but I'll leave the bowl on the counter for another day or two, until the fruit goes south, to attract as many as possible.
Once the chili was on the stove, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises, while Hubbie ran errands.
By the time I was ready for the day, it was already 11:30 and time for Mother's lunch. I fixed Ramen noodle soup for her, and then when Hubbie returned, we had a sandwich lunch.
After lunch, Mother went to the couch for a nap, and I started the movie musical, "Sweeney Todd," starring Johnny Depp. This is a pretty bloody movie, so I didn't think Mother would want to see it, and I turned the sound way down low. But in a few minutes, here she came to watch it. She just didn't want to be left out, I guess.
At 2:30, I stopped the movie so I could go to my dentist's office for a 3 p.m. appointment. The hygienist had made the appointment, so she could check that bothersome tooth that suddenly developed pockets. Today, when she examined it, she found it much improved. I asked if the Water Pik I use could be causing the problem, and she said yes, if used incorrectly. Apparently, I was using it incorrectly, and she showed me the correct procedure. Now, I will not need to return for another exam until February.
Back home, we finished the movie, and then I heated leftovers from Sunday for our supper. Afterward, I accompanied Mother home, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including the 2011 movie, "Contagion," starring Matt Damon. This is a disaster movie, of course, in which a lethal pandemic creates an immediate need for vaccine to combat it. Pretty scary for Halloween, since this is something that could actually happen.
Note: we have been plagued with fruit flies for a while. Our pest control guy treated for them, but the flies seemed impervious to the treatment. We stored all food away from the flying pests, and thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, but nothing seemed to help.
Finally, on Saturday, I researched online for ideas, and found one I thought might work...I placed a Mandarin orange in a bowl, and poured some balsalmic vinegar in the bottom (the flies are attracted to the strong scent of the vinegar). I then stretched a piece of plastic wrap tightly over the bowl, and pierced it several times with a dessert fork. I left the bowl on the counter overnight, and lo and behold, on Sunday morning, the bowl was filled with fruit flies.
They crawled in through the tiny holes, but are unable to get out. Nearly all of the flies are gone now, but I'll leave the bowl on the counter for another day or two, until the fruit goes south, to attract as many as possible.
Sunday, Oct. 28
Up around 7 a.m., but skipped my exercises. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house early, and we put a pot of chicken on to stew. Mother, of course, chopped the veggies for it.
My reason for making a pot of chicken was that I planned to use it tomorrow night for Chinese soup, my contribution to a chili and soup event at the college library, sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
But since I hadn't received an invitation as usual, and I hadn't seen the event announced in the newspaper, I began to wonder if we had the date wrong. We were going by a date that Hubbie wrote down when we attended the last event at the library a couple of weeks ago.
I decided I needed to check the college's online calendar to confirm the date. There, I found that the event is Nov. 29, rather than Oct. 29.
No problem. I'll just do it all again for Nov. 29. For today, I served the chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, and a side of English peas.
While we prepared the chicken and then had lunch, we watched both the old version of "War of the Worlds," and the new version, as well as Monday and Tuesday nights episodes of "Dancing With the Stars."
After lunch, Mother headed to the couch for a nap, while Hubbie and I got ready to attend the symphony concert later this afternoon.
When Mother woke up, I accompanied her home, since she said she wasn't in the mood to attend the concert.
Hubbie and I arrived at the college fine arts building around 3:30 for the concert that began at 4 p.m. It was a really good program this time, intended to be very family friendly.
The concert included "The Olympic Spirit," created for the 1988 summer olympics, and very familiar to the audience. Also included was "The Young Prince and Princess," from Scherazade, and the overture to "William Tell."
Following an intermission, the first piece was "Casey at the Bat." This number began with the canned sound of thousands of people cheering at a baseball game. As the cheering died down, the orchestra began playing, and a narrator read the famous poem about Casey at bat. The deep-voiced narrator was great, bringing just the right tone and animation to the poem, as the orchestra added drama.
Casey at the Bat
by Ernest Lawrence Thayer ©
Published: The Examiner (06-03-1888)
The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.
The concert ended with two other familiar numbers from movies: "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and "Harry Potter Sympohonic Suite."
Back home, I fixed a hot dog on a bun, with mustard and relish for Mother's supper, which Hubbie took to her. Hubbie and I had leftover barbeque and sweet potatoes for supper.
Spent the rest of the evening watching TV, including "The Shining," a 1980 psychological thriller starring Jack Nicholson...very appropriate for Halloween week.
My reason for making a pot of chicken was that I planned to use it tomorrow night for Chinese soup, my contribution to a chili and soup event at the college library, sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
But since I hadn't received an invitation as usual, and I hadn't seen the event announced in the newspaper, I began to wonder if we had the date wrong. We were going by a date that Hubbie wrote down when we attended the last event at the library a couple of weeks ago.
I decided I needed to check the college's online calendar to confirm the date. There, I found that the event is Nov. 29, rather than Oct. 29.
No problem. I'll just do it all again for Nov. 29. For today, I served the chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, and a side of English peas.
While we prepared the chicken and then had lunch, we watched both the old version of "War of the Worlds," and the new version, as well as Monday and Tuesday nights episodes of "Dancing With the Stars."
After lunch, Mother headed to the couch for a nap, while Hubbie and I got ready to attend the symphony concert later this afternoon.
When Mother woke up, I accompanied her home, since she said she wasn't in the mood to attend the concert.
Hubbie and I arrived at the college fine arts building around 3:30 for the concert that began at 4 p.m. It was a really good program this time, intended to be very family friendly.
The concert included "The Olympic Spirit," created for the 1988 summer olympics, and very familiar to the audience. Also included was "The Young Prince and Princess," from Scherazade, and the overture to "William Tell."
Following an intermission, the first piece was "Casey at the Bat." This number began with the canned sound of thousands of people cheering at a baseball game. As the cheering died down, the orchestra began playing, and a narrator read the famous poem about Casey at bat. The deep-voiced narrator was great, bringing just the right tone and animation to the poem, as the orchestra added drama.
Casey at the Bat
by Ernest Lawrence Thayer ©
Published: The Examiner (06-03-1888)
The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.
The concert ended with two other familiar numbers from movies: "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and "Harry Potter Sympohonic Suite."
Back home, I fixed a hot dog on a bun, with mustard and relish for Mother's supper, which Hubbie took to her. Hubbie and I had leftover barbeque and sweet potatoes for supper.
Spent the rest of the evening watching TV, including "The Shining," a 1980 psychological thriller starring Jack Nicholson...very appropriate for Halloween week.
Saturday, Oct. 27
For some reason, my Thursday and Friday blogs flip-flopped, so now this blog follows the Thursday blog, instead of the Friday one.
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m. After breakfast, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises.
Once I was ready for the day, I spent most of the rest of the day cleaning my laptop...deleting photos, and sending others to an online storage site, and then downloading the files to a CD.
It was necessary to do this before I could download anymore photos to the computer. Finally made enough room for the photos from our recent trip, which I then uploaded to my social network page.
Took quite a while to deal with four or five huge files, so freeing up space is going to be a long process that I'll need to do as time permits. When I finish with the laptop, I'll need to do the same with the office computer.
Mother opted to stay home today and rest up after the trip, but I saw that she got her lunch and supper.
This afternoon Hubbie and I watched our favorite college football team as they played to a very disappointing loss, again. I don't think anything can save our team this year. It's painful to continue watching them lose, but we'll keep watching the games to the bitter end. However, we're ready for basketball season to begin.
Tonight, we attended a film festival primiere movie, scripted and directed by a local woman. The movie was shown at a storefront church downtown. The church has a huge screen mounted way up, so that audience view is completely unobstructed. This church once was a popular movie theater, but it fell into disrepair after years of neglect.
We really didn't expect a large audience for the showing, and were surprised when we found we had to park a couple of blocks away. The church was nearly full. Later, we decided that many of the folks were ones who had helped produce the film.
We knew lots of other folks, though...mainly people who, like me, support the film festival each year. Two women that we know sat with us. We hadn't seen these ladies in a long time, so we had a great time visiting before the movie began.
Funny: both of the ladies were wearing exactly the same pendant necklace. I laughed and commented that I was apparently out of step. It turned out that one of the ladies had hosted a jewelry party, and the other lady had attended. They'd both bought the same necklace, but neither knew that the other would wear hers tonight.
The movie, called "45 RPM," is about a woman artist, who has received funding to produce a work for a gallery, but her creativity is blocked by the need to find a particular 45 RPM record of a 1960s song by a band her father played in. Somehow, the record and a bathtub she sketches over and over again, are intertwined.
She finds a record dealer in Memphis, who convinces her to go with him on a road trip to locate the record. They travel all over creation, visiting vintage music stores, flea markets, and garage sales, looking for the record.
The movie is described as a "dark comedy that extends the world of classic American Road Movie into multiple mediums, while exploring rich Southern history." It's well done, and we enjoyed it.
There was a question and answer session afterward, featuring the stars and some of the cast of the movie.
We were back home around 9 p.m., and since it was such a cool evening, we enjoyed cups of hot chocolate before bedtime.
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m. After breakfast, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises.
Once I was ready for the day, I spent most of the rest of the day cleaning my laptop...deleting photos, and sending others to an online storage site, and then downloading the files to a CD.
It was necessary to do this before I could download anymore photos to the computer. Finally made enough room for the photos from our recent trip, which I then uploaded to my social network page.
Took quite a while to deal with four or five huge files, so freeing up space is going to be a long process that I'll need to do as time permits. When I finish with the laptop, I'll need to do the same with the office computer.
Mother opted to stay home today and rest up after the trip, but I saw that she got her lunch and supper.
This afternoon Hubbie and I watched our favorite college football team as they played to a very disappointing loss, again. I don't think anything can save our team this year. It's painful to continue watching them lose, but we'll keep watching the games to the bitter end. However, we're ready for basketball season to begin.
Tonight, we attended a film festival primiere movie, scripted and directed by a local woman. The movie was shown at a storefront church downtown. The church has a huge screen mounted way up, so that audience view is completely unobstructed. This church once was a popular movie theater, but it fell into disrepair after years of neglect.
We really didn't expect a large audience for the showing, and were surprised when we found we had to park a couple of blocks away. The church was nearly full. Later, we decided that many of the folks were ones who had helped produce the film.
We knew lots of other folks, though...mainly people who, like me, support the film festival each year. Two women that we know sat with us. We hadn't seen these ladies in a long time, so we had a great time visiting before the movie began.
Funny: both of the ladies were wearing exactly the same pendant necklace. I laughed and commented that I was apparently out of step. It turned out that one of the ladies had hosted a jewelry party, and the other lady had attended. They'd both bought the same necklace, but neither knew that the other would wear hers tonight.
The movie, called "45 RPM," is about a woman artist, who has received funding to produce a work for a gallery, but her creativity is blocked by the need to find a particular 45 RPM record of a 1960s song by a band her father played in. Somehow, the record and a bathtub she sketches over and over again, are intertwined.
She finds a record dealer in Memphis, who convinces her to go with him on a road trip to locate the record. They travel all over creation, visiting vintage music stores, flea markets, and garage sales, looking for the record.
The movie is described as a "dark comedy that extends the world of classic American Road Movie into multiple mediums, while exploring rich Southern history." It's well done, and we enjoyed it.
There was a question and answer session afterward, featuring the stars and some of the cast of the movie.
We were back home around 9 p.m., and since it was such a cool evening, we enjoyed cups of hot chocolate before bedtime.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Thursday, Oct. 25
We were up at 7:30 this morning, after retiring fairly early last night. Following breakfast, we took turns getting ready for the day, and then left camp to go on a tour of a local seven-acre garden open to the public.
The garden features native plants along a winding, paved, path that crosses a couple of bridges. It was a lovely morning for strolling, overcast and just cool enough for jackets.
Took lots of photos, but drats, at the end of the tour, I discovered my camera battery was dead. I hated this, since I wanted to go to the town square to get a shot of that ginko biloba tree.
When we left the garden, we set off to find the Walmart museum. This proved to be a challenge when we got completely off track and traveled several miles out of our way, before finding our way back to the town square, where, it turned out, the museum was located, in an old Ben Franklin five and dime store.
The front of the museum features an old fashioned five and dime type store, with many items that we old folks remember from our younger days, but at prices that are nothing like we remember. Penny candy, for instance, is now ten cent candy, with each piece shrunk to no more than a tidbit. The prices are dear on vintage-like toys, too.
The museum itself takes visitors through the history of the business from its inception to the current time. The old truck that Sam Walton drove is the centerpiece of the museum. This is an interactive museum, suited to families.
We were ready to head back to camp after the tour...none too soon, since the temperature suddenly dropped, the wind whipped up, and it began to rain.
The miserable turn of weather was perfect for a soup lunch, though, so I heated the squash soup, and served it with pumpkin muffins, with cream cheese for the muffins, and sour cream for the soup.
We rested for the afternoon, with Mother napping on the couch, Hubbie reading his novel, and Sis and I playing with our cell phones.
Around 4 p.m., Hubbie, Mother, and I headed on the forty-minute drive to Hubbie's daughter's home. Sis begged off, wanting to stay at camp and complete chores on her laptop.
We had a good visit with Hubbie's daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, and two great-grandsons. At this house, there is a porch that overlooks a forest vista, at the center of which is a large barn. In the evening dusk, the autumn trees rose out of the mist, making for a lovely photographic setting.
The two boys are live wires, and tonight they insisted that Hubbie play a game of Uno cards with them. They are very young, and don't quite grasp the finer points of the game, so they make up rules as they go along.
When the game had gone on as long as their grandmother wanted, she announced that supper was ready, and they should put the cards away. "No!" the older boy said, "Not until I win!"
At last, after both the boys declared themselves winners, the game was over, and Daughter served a supper of homemade vegetable beef soup, with a choice of crackers and cheese, or cornbread. She also served cheese sticks. For dessert, she served chocolate cake. The only thing lacking was coffee. We should have brought a pump pot of it with us, because we know that Daughter doesn't like it, and never serves it.
We were back at camp around 8 p.m. We didn't lose much time getting ready for bed.
The garden features native plants along a winding, paved, path that crosses a couple of bridges. It was a lovely morning for strolling, overcast and just cool enough for jackets.
Took lots of photos, but drats, at the end of the tour, I discovered my camera battery was dead. I hated this, since I wanted to go to the town square to get a shot of that ginko biloba tree.
When we left the garden, we set off to find the Walmart museum. This proved to be a challenge when we got completely off track and traveled several miles out of our way, before finding our way back to the town square, where, it turned out, the museum was located, in an old Ben Franklin five and dime store.
The front of the museum features an old fashioned five and dime type store, with many items that we old folks remember from our younger days, but at prices that are nothing like we remember. Penny candy, for instance, is now ten cent candy, with each piece shrunk to no more than a tidbit. The prices are dear on vintage-like toys, too.
The museum itself takes visitors through the history of the business from its inception to the current time. The old truck that Sam Walton drove is the centerpiece of the museum. This is an interactive museum, suited to families.
We were ready to head back to camp after the tour...none too soon, since the temperature suddenly dropped, the wind whipped up, and it began to rain.
The miserable turn of weather was perfect for a soup lunch, though, so I heated the squash soup, and served it with pumpkin muffins, with cream cheese for the muffins, and sour cream for the soup.
We rested for the afternoon, with Mother napping on the couch, Hubbie reading his novel, and Sis and I playing with our cell phones.
Around 4 p.m., Hubbie, Mother, and I headed on the forty-minute drive to Hubbie's daughter's home. Sis begged off, wanting to stay at camp and complete chores on her laptop.
We had a good visit with Hubbie's daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, and two great-grandsons. At this house, there is a porch that overlooks a forest vista, at the center of which is a large barn. In the evening dusk, the autumn trees rose out of the mist, making for a lovely photographic setting.
The two boys are live wires, and tonight they insisted that Hubbie play a game of Uno cards with them. They are very young, and don't quite grasp the finer points of the game, so they make up rules as they go along.
When the game had gone on as long as their grandmother wanted, she announced that supper was ready, and they should put the cards away. "No!" the older boy said, "Not until I win!"
At last, after both the boys declared themselves winners, the game was over, and Daughter served a supper of homemade vegetable beef soup, with a choice of crackers and cheese, or cornbread. She also served cheese sticks. For dessert, she served chocolate cake. The only thing lacking was coffee. We should have brought a pump pot of it with us, because we know that Daughter doesn't like it, and never serves it.
We were back at camp around 8 p.m. We didn't lose much time getting ready for bed.
Friday, Oct. 26
Today is Daughtr-in-Law's birthday. Happy Birthday, Daughter-in-Law!
We slept until around 7 a.m., had breakfast, then got dressed and ready to leave on the trip back home. We were on the road around 9:30 a.m. on this really cold, windy day.
It was an uneventful trip, during which we stopped for lunch around noon, and then arrived in Sis's home territory around 2 p.m. Nephew met us at the same department store parking lot where we met on Tuesday. Sis unloaded her clothes and personal items into her own vehicle, and we said our goodbyes and headed home.
A few miles out of town, Mother glanced at a back seat in the van, and discovered that Sis had left her coats. So I pulled off at a gas station/grocery store and called both Sis and Hubbie. Hubbie traveled on, and I waited for Sis to come and fetch her coats.
I figured Hubbie would be so far ahead of me that he'd arrive home before me. But instead, I soon caught up with him, and we caravaned home together.
It was around 4:30 by the time we got home, and we were tired, so we brought in only those things we absolutely needed this evening, and left the rest for the morning.
I accompanied Mother straight home, then prepared her a supper of Ramen noodle soup. For Hubbie's and my supper, I diced leftover Parmesan potatoes, and scrambled them with eggs. Served slices of Sis's homemade bread with the meal.
Spent the rest of the evening watching TV.
We slept until around 7 a.m., had breakfast, then got dressed and ready to leave on the trip back home. We were on the road around 9:30 a.m. on this really cold, windy day.
It was an uneventful trip, during which we stopped for lunch around noon, and then arrived in Sis's home territory around 2 p.m. Nephew met us at the same department store parking lot where we met on Tuesday. Sis unloaded her clothes and personal items into her own vehicle, and we said our goodbyes and headed home.
A few miles out of town, Mother glanced at a back seat in the van, and discovered that Sis had left her coats. So I pulled off at a gas station/grocery store and called both Sis and Hubbie. Hubbie traveled on, and I waited for Sis to come and fetch her coats.
I figured Hubbie would be so far ahead of me that he'd arrive home before me. But instead, I soon caught up with him, and we caravaned home together.
It was around 4:30 by the time we got home, and we were tired, so we brought in only those things we absolutely needed this evening, and left the rest for the morning.
I accompanied Mother straight home, then prepared her a supper of Ramen noodle soup. For Hubbie's and my supper, I diced leftover Parmesan potatoes, and scrambled them with eggs. Served slices of Sis's homemade bread with the meal.
Spent the rest of the evening watching TV.
Wednesday, Oct. 24
Since we were all pooped after our trip yesterday, we went to bed early last night, and slept until 7:30 on this sunny, warm morning.
The first thing Hubbie mentioned after breakfast was that the battery in the truck was dead, thanks to the fact that he left the keys in the truck, with the ignition switched on all night.
We went about our business this morning, with an eye toward contacting road service to come and charge the battery later today, when we were back at camp.
We spent the rest of the morning getting ready to go to the museum, which opened at 11 a.m.
At the museum, Hubbie let Sis, Mother, and me off at the entrance, while he went in search of a parking space. We waited at the walkway overlooking a portion of the museum, where busloads of senior citizens were also waiting for their tour guides.
Inside the museum, once we'd purchased tickets, we waited for a few minutes until Hubbie's daughter and son-in-law arrived, before we began touring the facility.
We started with an exhibit on light. In this gallery, the first section dealt with artists who recreated the illusion of light and atmosphere on canvas. Another section used light-emitting mediums, like colored floor-to-ceiling fluorescent tubes, LED undulating lights in a translucent box, neon, blown glass lighted from within, and simply casting a pink light into the corner of a room, creating the illusion of being able to walk through a wall.
Another gallery featured the best-loved works of the museum..works of artists from the 1700s to the 1970s. The works included portraits of early Americans, like George Washington, as well as landscapes, along with more modern pop art.
Just inside this gallery, a docent advised us that cameras are allowed, as long as no flash is used. So wouldn't you know it, some guy standing near us allowed his flash to go off. I reminded him that he shouldn't do that. He declared that it wasn't a flash, but just the camera taking a reading. I retorted that it was still a flash of light and harmful to the paintings. So he fiddled with the functions on his camera until he managed to shut the flash off.
In the gallery (two galleries, really...upper and lower) celebrating the American spirit, works from colonial times to late nineteenth century and early twentieth-century are featured. Landscapes, American Indians, American folklore, women artists, and modernists, like Andy Warhol, are explored.
One gallery featured whimsical art, like a human figure to which was attached all sorts of childhood toys...tops, Jack in the boxes, bells, whistles, etc. The gallery also featured a very large lifelike bust of a bald man with eyeglasses that was mounted on the wall, and other odd sculptures and mountings.
Shortly after we finished touring the first gallery on light, we decided to visit the cafe' for a sandwich or soup lunch, for which we paid an arm and a leg.
Mother opted for the chicken salad on a bed of greens and fruit, while Hubbie, Sis, and I opted for the veggie wrap. The veggie wraps were okay, but tasted a lot like grazing in a garden...not a lot of flavor beyond "green." The food presentation was beautiful, though...very pleasing to the eye, if not the palate.
Hubbie's daughter chose a German potato soup, which she said was good, while her husband opted for a plain old hamburger and fries. He was probably smart to play it safe.
My suggestion is that anyone wanting to visit the museum should take along a lunch to eat at one of the picnic areas. You might also want to walk one of the six one-half to one mile soft surface, crushed granite, or hard surface trails around the museum. We didn't have time to do this, but hope to in the future.
The architecture of this huge museum is itself a work of art. It takes advantage of surroundings by being built into both the water and the wooded hills. Glass walls create a feeling of being one with nature.
When we were ready to leave, Hubbie went off in search of the van, while Sis, Mother, and I waited on the walkway. As we were looking down to the ground, we spotted a groundhog, happily munching away on the landscape vegetation. A staff member promptly called the Game and Fish Commission to come and fetch the creature and relocate it to some other area.
After a time, I began to wonder if Hubbie was having trouble locating the van, so I called him. He assured me he had found the van, and he was on his way. When I turned around, there he was, right behind me.
Back a camp about 4 p.m., I heated barbecue and sweet potatoes for supper, which we had with coleslaw and a veggie dip that my student sent home with me Monday. We decided that we are not real fans of cilantro. I tried doctoring the dip with other things, but it just didn't thrill our taste buds.
After supper, while Mother napped, Sis and I took a walk around the campground for exercise. We explored the pond area, where Sis became fascinated with all the flora, most of which she could identify. My identification skills were limited to toadstools, which became subjects for my camera, along with an odd, stubby tree, a bridge, and other things.
While we meandered, the road service guy came and charged the battery.
Later, we played several games of Skipbo. Sis won three games, and I won one. This time, Mother and Hubbie were left out.
Off to bed after that.
The first thing Hubbie mentioned after breakfast was that the battery in the truck was dead, thanks to the fact that he left the keys in the truck, with the ignition switched on all night.
We went about our business this morning, with an eye toward contacting road service to come and charge the battery later today, when we were back at camp.
We spent the rest of the morning getting ready to go to the museum, which opened at 11 a.m.
At the museum, Hubbie let Sis, Mother, and me off at the entrance, while he went in search of a parking space. We waited at the walkway overlooking a portion of the museum, where busloads of senior citizens were also waiting for their tour guides.
Inside the museum, once we'd purchased tickets, we waited for a few minutes until Hubbie's daughter and son-in-law arrived, before we began touring the facility.
We started with an exhibit on light. In this gallery, the first section dealt with artists who recreated the illusion of light and atmosphere on canvas. Another section used light-emitting mediums, like colored floor-to-ceiling fluorescent tubes, LED undulating lights in a translucent box, neon, blown glass lighted from within, and simply casting a pink light into the corner of a room, creating the illusion of being able to walk through a wall.
Another gallery featured the best-loved works of the museum..works of artists from the 1700s to the 1970s. The works included portraits of early Americans, like George Washington, as well as landscapes, along with more modern pop art.
Just inside this gallery, a docent advised us that cameras are allowed, as long as no flash is used. So wouldn't you know it, some guy standing near us allowed his flash to go off. I reminded him that he shouldn't do that. He declared that it wasn't a flash, but just the camera taking a reading. I retorted that it was still a flash of light and harmful to the paintings. So he fiddled with the functions on his camera until he managed to shut the flash off.
In the gallery (two galleries, really...upper and lower) celebrating the American spirit, works from colonial times to late nineteenth century and early twentieth-century are featured. Landscapes, American Indians, American folklore, women artists, and modernists, like Andy Warhol, are explored.
One gallery featured whimsical art, like a human figure to which was attached all sorts of childhood toys...tops, Jack in the boxes, bells, whistles, etc. The gallery also featured a very large lifelike bust of a bald man with eyeglasses that was mounted on the wall, and other odd sculptures and mountings.
Shortly after we finished touring the first gallery on light, we decided to visit the cafe' for a sandwich or soup lunch, for which we paid an arm and a leg.
Mother opted for the chicken salad on a bed of greens and fruit, while Hubbie, Sis, and I opted for the veggie wrap. The veggie wraps were okay, but tasted a lot like grazing in a garden...not a lot of flavor beyond "green." The food presentation was beautiful, though...very pleasing to the eye, if not the palate.
Hubbie's daughter chose a German potato soup, which she said was good, while her husband opted for a plain old hamburger and fries. He was probably smart to play it safe.
My suggestion is that anyone wanting to visit the museum should take along a lunch to eat at one of the picnic areas. You might also want to walk one of the six one-half to one mile soft surface, crushed granite, or hard surface trails around the museum. We didn't have time to do this, but hope to in the future.
The architecture of this huge museum is itself a work of art. It takes advantage of surroundings by being built into both the water and the wooded hills. Glass walls create a feeling of being one with nature.
When we were ready to leave, Hubbie went off in search of the van, while Sis, Mother, and I waited on the walkway. As we were looking down to the ground, we spotted a groundhog, happily munching away on the landscape vegetation. A staff member promptly called the Game and Fish Commission to come and fetch the creature and relocate it to some other area.
After a time, I began to wonder if Hubbie was having trouble locating the van, so I called him. He assured me he had found the van, and he was on his way. When I turned around, there he was, right behind me.
Back a camp about 4 p.m., I heated barbecue and sweet potatoes for supper, which we had with coleslaw and a veggie dip that my student sent home with me Monday. We decided that we are not real fans of cilantro. I tried doctoring the dip with other things, but it just didn't thrill our taste buds.
After supper, while Mother napped, Sis and I took a walk around the campground for exercise. We explored the pond area, where Sis became fascinated with all the flora, most of which she could identify. My identification skills were limited to toadstools, which became subjects for my camera, along with an odd, stubby tree, a bridge, and other things.
While we meandered, the road service guy came and charged the battery.
Later, we played several games of Skipbo. Sis won three games, and I won one. This time, Mother and Hubbie were left out.
Off to bed after that.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for a six-hour trip to the northwest part of the state. We left home at 8 a.m., and headed south to pick up Sis, about two hours away. Hubbie drove the truck pulling the camper, and I drove the van. Mother can no longer get into the truck, so it's necessary to take both vehicles, in order for her to ride more comfortably in the van.
Leaving the driveway, Hubbie took the lead, but there was so much traffic on the road this morning that it was a while before I could turn onto the highway. In the meantime, I lost sight of Hubbie, so I drove at the maximum speed trying to catch up with him. I drove quite a way without seeing him. How on earth had he gotten so far ahead of me?
On a two-way stretch of highway, here he came sailing past me on the right. What? He was behind me? How did he get behind me? He must have had to drive faster than he likes to when pulling the camper, trying to catch up with me! Later, he said he even honked trying to get my attention. Mother and I did hear a horn, but thought it was some emergency vehicle or other. I never did look in my rearview mirror, or I'd seen him behind me.
Later, he said he took a different route out of town than I did, because he didn't want to pull the camper up the winding hill. By taking the hill, I shaved a few minutes off my time.
He was surprised, though, that I didn't see him at the stop light, since he saw me. But I guess Mother and I were deep in conversation, and I wasn't paying attention.
It was a nice morning, cloudy, but with temps promising to rise into the 80s. Sis arrived at a department store parking lot at the appointed 10 a.m. hour, and as soon as we loaded her clothing and personal items into the van, we set off, with Sis driving the van, and me riding in the truck with Hubbie.
We stopped at a rest area around noon to have a chicken salad sandwich lunch, and then got on the road again. This is a beautiful drive through the scenic hills of this part of the state, which at this season, are ablaze with autumn colors.
At one point, there is a lighted tunnel that is a bit eerie. Later, Mother mentioned that she wasn't crazy about it. I think she's slightly claustophobic.
Another strange sight was a truck hauling an enormous windmill blade. Just seeing windmills in pictures doesn't give any sense of how enormous those blades are.
Arrived at our destination around 2:30. Information Hubbie gathered from a campground catalog directed us to turn north in the town where the campground is, but after traveling much farther than the one mile indicated, we realized this must be the wrong way. So we stopped, and Hubbie called the registration office at the campground. We needed to backtrack south.
Found the campground, and once we'd set up, Mother headed to the couch for a nap, while Hubbie, Sis, and I toured the area to locate the newest state-of-the-art museum in our state, as well as some other attractions we wanted to visit over the next couple of days.
One thing we saw was a gorgeous yellow tree on the town square. We'd never seen this type of tree before, and so Sis researched it on her phone. She learned that it's a ginkgo biloba tree. I didn't have my camera with me today, but I vowed to get a shot of it later.
Back at camp, I boiled noodles, and heated autumn stew and pumpkin muffins for supper. Served the stew over the noodles, and set out pumpkin-spice cream cheese for the muffins, which I discovered after I'd taken a bite, contains yellow dye. Phooey. Fortunately, though, I'd also brought along plain cream cheese, which was also very good on the muffins.
A problem with this campground was that the electrical breaker switched off several times, caused, we suppose by having the microwave and water heater on at the same time, or the hair dryer and the water heater, or something and something else. Anyway, it was annoying.
This evening there was a beautiful sunset...pink sky reflecting on a small pond overlooking the golf course across the road from the camper area. I grabbed my camera, and Sis and I rushed outdoors to enjoy it and snap some photos. Just as we got outside, we heard geese honking, and looking up, we saw a pair winging toward the pond. They made a lovely addition to the photos.
Spent the rest of the evening playing Skipbo. Mother won two games, and Sis won one. Zilch for Hubbie and me.
Funny: while we were relaxing this afternoon in the camper, I sort of saw something dangling between my eyes. It turned out to be a tiny spider that had somehow suspended itself from a web-thread attached to a hair of my bangs. yikes! Guess it dropped from the ceiling onto my head, and then tried to find a way to dismount.
Leaving the driveway, Hubbie took the lead, but there was so much traffic on the road this morning that it was a while before I could turn onto the highway. In the meantime, I lost sight of Hubbie, so I drove at the maximum speed trying to catch up with him. I drove quite a way without seeing him. How on earth had he gotten so far ahead of me?
On a two-way stretch of highway, here he came sailing past me on the right. What? He was behind me? How did he get behind me? He must have had to drive faster than he likes to when pulling the camper, trying to catch up with me! Later, he said he even honked trying to get my attention. Mother and I did hear a horn, but thought it was some emergency vehicle or other. I never did look in my rearview mirror, or I'd seen him behind me.
Later, he said he took a different route out of town than I did, because he didn't want to pull the camper up the winding hill. By taking the hill, I shaved a few minutes off my time.
He was surprised, though, that I didn't see him at the stop light, since he saw me. But I guess Mother and I were deep in conversation, and I wasn't paying attention.
It was a nice morning, cloudy, but with temps promising to rise into the 80s. Sis arrived at a department store parking lot at the appointed 10 a.m. hour, and as soon as we loaded her clothing and personal items into the van, we set off, with Sis driving the van, and me riding in the truck with Hubbie.
We stopped at a rest area around noon to have a chicken salad sandwich lunch, and then got on the road again. This is a beautiful drive through the scenic hills of this part of the state, which at this season, are ablaze with autumn colors.
At one point, there is a lighted tunnel that is a bit eerie. Later, Mother mentioned that she wasn't crazy about it. I think she's slightly claustophobic.
Another strange sight was a truck hauling an enormous windmill blade. Just seeing windmills in pictures doesn't give any sense of how enormous those blades are.
Arrived at our destination around 2:30. Information Hubbie gathered from a campground catalog directed us to turn north in the town where the campground is, but after traveling much farther than the one mile indicated, we realized this must be the wrong way. So we stopped, and Hubbie called the registration office at the campground. We needed to backtrack south.
Found the campground, and once we'd set up, Mother headed to the couch for a nap, while Hubbie, Sis, and I toured the area to locate the newest state-of-the-art museum in our state, as well as some other attractions we wanted to visit over the next couple of days.
One thing we saw was a gorgeous yellow tree on the town square. We'd never seen this type of tree before, and so Sis researched it on her phone. She learned that it's a ginkgo biloba tree. I didn't have my camera with me today, but I vowed to get a shot of it later.
Back at camp, I boiled noodles, and heated autumn stew and pumpkin muffins for supper. Served the stew over the noodles, and set out pumpkin-spice cream cheese for the muffins, which I discovered after I'd taken a bite, contains yellow dye. Phooey. Fortunately, though, I'd also brought along plain cream cheese, which was also very good on the muffins.
A problem with this campground was that the electrical breaker switched off several times, caused, we suppose by having the microwave and water heater on at the same time, or the hair dryer and the water heater, or something and something else. Anyway, it was annoying.
This evening there was a beautiful sunset...pink sky reflecting on a small pond overlooking the golf course across the road from the camper area. I grabbed my camera, and Sis and I rushed outdoors to enjoy it and snap some photos. Just as we got outside, we heard geese honking, and looking up, we saw a pair winging toward the pond. They made a lovely addition to the photos.
Spent the rest of the evening playing Skipbo. Mother won two games, and Sis won one. Zilch for Hubbie and me.
Funny: while we were relaxing this afternoon in the camper, I sort of saw something dangling between my eyes. It turned out to be a tiny spider that had somehow suspended itself from a web-thread attached to a hair of my bangs. yikes! Guess it dropped from the ceiling onto my head, and then tried to find a way to dismount.
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