Slept late, until around 8 a.m. Skipped my exercises after breakfast, since I was expecting Daughter to arrive fairly early. She didn't. She got here around noon, bringing Great-Granddaughter with her, which was a very nice surprise.
I had just heated leftovers, so we all chose what we wanted. Great-Granddaughter opted for macaroni and cheese, with the chicken/spinach dish my student sent home with me last night; Hubbie had sweet potatoes and meatloaf; and Daughter and I had egg gravy over toast. Mother stuck with her usual Ramen Noodle soup. Great-Granddaughter thoroughly enjoyed her lunch...so much so that she ate two big helpings.
After lunch, we watched a DVD performance of Great-Granddaughter and a large group of second-graders, as they performed several really cute songs at their school. It was so cute!
Mother retired to the couch for a nap, Hubbie ran errands, and Daughter, Great-Granddaughter, and I went to the art gallery for a crafts open house. There, I bought a ticket to the Nutcracker Ballet for Great-Granddaughter. Great-Granddaughter also bought a pair of fuzzy fringed, striped socks, with spending money her mother gave her.
Back home, Mother was awake, so she, Daughter, Great-Granddaughter, and I made Christmas greeting cards. When we were finished around 3 p.m., we cleared the card making supplies away, because we won't have time to work on them again until after Thanksgiving.
Mother and I went to the kitchen to begin preparations for supper. Mother formed ground beef and ground turkey into patties, and diced leftover baked potatoes. Later, I sauteed the potatoes in olive oil, along with onions and green peppers, no-salt seasoning, pepper, and paprika, and I cooked the burgers, adding sliced cheese at the end. I added onion/chive dip, with sweet potato and veggie variety chips to the meal.
At first, Great-Granddaughter said she preferred a beef burger over a turkey burger, but I mistakenly served her the turkey. She loved it. She also didn't want the potatoes, until she tasted them, and then she ate two servings. She loved the chips and dip.
Around 6:15, Daughter, Great-Granddaughter, and I went down to the college to attend the Nutcracker Ballet. The performance wasn't until 7 p.m., but I knew we needed to arrive early to get a decent parking place. I was right, because there was only one space left in the lot near the auditorium.
By arriving early, we were also able to snag seats where Great-Granddaughter preferred...right down on the first row. This is not my favorite spot, but at least our view was unobstructed.
I was pleasantly surprised at how good the performance was. The two main characters are students from a Texas university, working toward their bachelor of fine arts in ballet. The others are all local dance studio students. But they delivered a charming performance.
The Sugar Plum Fairy (college student) is a very tall young woman, fully a foot taller than the Cavalier (male African-American college student), but he managed to lift her onto his shoulder and walk around the stage with her.
The costumes were colorful, and the set, though minimal, was very effective. Great-Granddaughter was mesmerized by the whole thing. She was pretty surprised when a ten-foot tall figure of a woman appeared onstage. The woman was atop some sort of platform, which was attached to rollers. The woman was costumed in long gown with hoop. Shortly after she arrived onstage, her skirt parted, and out came little dancers.
I think this might have been Great-Granddaughter's first exposure to this delightful ballet. It's one of my all-time favorites.
Back home, we enjoyed cups of hot chocolate, with slices of chocolate cake, and soon after, Great-Granddaughter was ready for bed, so Daughter went with her.
Hubbie and I finished the evening watching TV. It was a good day.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Friday, Nov. 16
Up at 6:30 to get ready for water aerobics. Cold morning, of course, but I dressed for it. The water, too, was quite a bit cooler. Today, our leader forgot to bring her watch, so I loaned her mine.
The only talk today was about the states who have gathered enough signatures to petition the White House for secession. Everyone agreed about the ridiculousness of the idea.
What we are more concerned about is the esculating conflict between Isreal and Palestine, and what it might mean for our country.
Seventeen of us attended today, and no doubt there will be fewer than that on Monday, the only day we will meet next week, because the ladies will be busy with Thanksgiving preparations. I'll go ahead with water aerobics, and my tutoring session, as usual.
Back home, I warmed up with cups of coffee, and then got ready for the day, while Hubbie ran errands. Mother stayed home this morning until around 10:30, and then Hubbie accompanied her to our house.
Once I was ready for the day, I went immediately to the office computer and wrote a letter to my friend in Texas to include with a handmade card for her birthday...which is tomorrow (I let it slip up on me, even though it's clearly marked on the calendar). Hubbie took the card to the post office soon after lunch, in the hopes it will arrive in time.
Back downstairs, Hubbie had fixed lunch for us...Ramen Noodle soup for Mother, canned chili for himself, and leftovers for me. Afterward, Mother cubed the bread we dried overnight, and I boiled eggs for an egg gravy on toast supper. Then she retired to the couch for a nap, while I searched the Internet for Christmas gift ideas for her.
She finished her nap around 3:30, and after I peeled the eggs, she chopped them. Later, I prepared a white gravy to put them in. Served canned peaches on the side.
Then I changed clothes to go to the happy hour event, while Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house.
We arrived at happy hour about 5:45, by which time, my student was already worried that we'd gotten lost on the way, and was in her van, ready to come and look for us. I know the event was scheduled for 5:30, but we couldn't finish supper, clear the supper dishes, put away food, and see that Mother got home, and still get to the party sooner. Besides, it's chic to be fashionably late (she said, tongue in cheek).
There were fewer than ten of us there, but there was a spread of food enough to feed an army. This was intended as a supper meal, which we were unaware of. I understood there would only be nibbles.
My student had prepared a chicken dish, and being the thoughtful person she is, she fixed part of it without salt. It was very good...cubed boiled chicken with fresh spinach, cheese, and herbs. It can be eaten alone or on a bun.
The onion/chive dip I brought, served with sweet potato chips, and mixed veggie chips, was a real hit. I left part of it with the host's brother, since he loved it so much.
We also took along a bottle of moscato wine, which disappeared in a hurry. I snared one glass of it, before it was gone.
Because everyone was enjoying our contributions so much, there were soon five of us gathered around a small table, munching down, and participating in interesting conversation. The host, thank goodness, was engaged in political and philosophical conversation in another part of the room, so we didn't have to listen to him.
We really meant to leave by 6:30, but it was 7 p.m. before we knew it. At that point, the host drifted toward our table, and made a couple of political comments. Since the comments didn't seem to require a response, I got up and thanked him for including us in the gathering, but it was time for us to leave.
I asked if I could help clear away the mess, but he said no, it was the responsibility of the men to do that.
He was gracious in extending an invitation for us to come again, which we might or might not, depending on our schedule. But I let him know our weekends are booked until at least January.
I learned a couple of more things about my student tonight: one, her husband taught English in Japan for fifteen years; and two, her ex-husband is a pediatrician in Venezuela.
Back home, we finished the evening watching TV.
Daughter is coming for a visit this weekend, so I'm excited about that. I'm not sure what time she'll arrive, but it'll probably be early, even though she works until midnight tonight.
Funny: when I looked in the mirror after we got back home from happy hour, I noticed that my turtleneck shirt was on backwards. Wonder how many other folks noticed it. I guess I got in too big a hurry when I changed clothes after supper.
The only talk today was about the states who have gathered enough signatures to petition the White House for secession. Everyone agreed about the ridiculousness of the idea.
What we are more concerned about is the esculating conflict between Isreal and Palestine, and what it might mean for our country.
Seventeen of us attended today, and no doubt there will be fewer than that on Monday, the only day we will meet next week, because the ladies will be busy with Thanksgiving preparations. I'll go ahead with water aerobics, and my tutoring session, as usual.
Back home, I warmed up with cups of coffee, and then got ready for the day, while Hubbie ran errands. Mother stayed home this morning until around 10:30, and then Hubbie accompanied her to our house.
Once I was ready for the day, I went immediately to the office computer and wrote a letter to my friend in Texas to include with a handmade card for her birthday...which is tomorrow (I let it slip up on me, even though it's clearly marked on the calendar). Hubbie took the card to the post office soon after lunch, in the hopes it will arrive in time.
Back downstairs, Hubbie had fixed lunch for us...Ramen Noodle soup for Mother, canned chili for himself, and leftovers for me. Afterward, Mother cubed the bread we dried overnight, and I boiled eggs for an egg gravy on toast supper. Then she retired to the couch for a nap, while I searched the Internet for Christmas gift ideas for her.
She finished her nap around 3:30, and after I peeled the eggs, she chopped them. Later, I prepared a white gravy to put them in. Served canned peaches on the side.
Then I changed clothes to go to the happy hour event, while Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house.
We arrived at happy hour about 5:45, by which time, my student was already worried that we'd gotten lost on the way, and was in her van, ready to come and look for us. I know the event was scheduled for 5:30, but we couldn't finish supper, clear the supper dishes, put away food, and see that Mother got home, and still get to the party sooner. Besides, it's chic to be fashionably late (she said, tongue in cheek).
There were fewer than ten of us there, but there was a spread of food enough to feed an army. This was intended as a supper meal, which we were unaware of. I understood there would only be nibbles.
My student had prepared a chicken dish, and being the thoughtful person she is, she fixed part of it without salt. It was very good...cubed boiled chicken with fresh spinach, cheese, and herbs. It can be eaten alone or on a bun.
The onion/chive dip I brought, served with sweet potato chips, and mixed veggie chips, was a real hit. I left part of it with the host's brother, since he loved it so much.
We also took along a bottle of moscato wine, which disappeared in a hurry. I snared one glass of it, before it was gone.
Because everyone was enjoying our contributions so much, there were soon five of us gathered around a small table, munching down, and participating in interesting conversation. The host, thank goodness, was engaged in political and philosophical conversation in another part of the room, so we didn't have to listen to him.
We really meant to leave by 6:30, but it was 7 p.m. before we knew it. At that point, the host drifted toward our table, and made a couple of political comments. Since the comments didn't seem to require a response, I got up and thanked him for including us in the gathering, but it was time for us to leave.
I asked if I could help clear away the mess, but he said no, it was the responsibility of the men to do that.
He was gracious in extending an invitation for us to come again, which we might or might not, depending on our schedule. But I let him know our weekends are booked until at least January.
I learned a couple of more things about my student tonight: one, her husband taught English in Japan for fifteen years; and two, her ex-husband is a pediatrician in Venezuela.
Back home, we finished the evening watching TV.
Daughter is coming for a visit this weekend, so I'm excited about that. I'm not sure what time she'll arrive, but it'll probably be early, even though she works until midnight tonight.
Funny: when I looked in the mirror after we got back home from happy hour, I noticed that my turtleneck shirt was on backwards. Wonder how many other folks noticed it. I guess I got in too big a hurry when I changed clothes after supper.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Thursday, Nov. 15
Had one of those nights when I woke up at 5:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. I hate when that happens. Seems Hubbie did the same thing, but neither of us knew it until we got up at 7:30. Guess we were each being careful not to wake the other.
Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house while I cooled down. Then he went to meet a 10 a.m. dental appointment. Before I went upstairs, Mother and I watched the elimination episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Hubbie returned home as I was getting ready for the day. By then, it was time for lunch. After lunch, Mother retired to the couch for a nap, and Hubbie and I ran errands...to the bread store to get loaves to dry for dressing; to a grocery store for store brand icing to be used at a kids' graham cracker cookie Christmas house workshop; and to the WDCS for grocery items, including cream cheese for making a dip for a happy hour event tomorrow night, and various things for Thanksgiving Day dinner.
Back home, the first thing we did was open the loaves of bread, put them on baking sheets, and placed them in a high place to dry, out of the cats' reach, in the storeroom.
Mother had finished her nap and wanted something to do, so I let her make the cream cheese dip, which I'll take to the happy hour, along with sweet potato chips, and vegetable-variety chips. The chips are low fat, with no-salt-added, so I will be able to enjoy them. The happy hour will take place after business hours at a local architect's office.
The architect is the brother-in-law of my ESL student, and someone we've known for years. According to my student, this man hosts a happy hour every Friday after work, which is attended by family and friends of family as they have time to do so. My student is anxious for me to attend, since she considers me her "best friend in this country."
This is a busy season for us, so tomorrow will be the only Friday we have free until sometime after the holidays.
According to the student, drinks are provided, but guests may bring their own favorite beverage if they wish, and they are encouraged to bring nibbles.
Even though we know the host, we have never had occasion to visit his architectural firm, so today on our errands, we swung by there. The firm is in an historic two-story stone structure, built by the host's grandfather. It's a very unique looking building. I'm surprised we haven't seen it before. But it's sort of out of the way, on a gravel road.
The host is a very, very opinionated man, and it's hard to be around him sometimes, since he fancies he's an expert on every subject, particularly politics. We like his wife. She's a member of the master gardeners, which is how we know her. She must have the patience of Job, though, to put up with her husband.
I'm not sure we'll want to make a habit of attending these get-togethers, but we'll do it this once just to please my student.
Got a call today from the Literacy Council director in response to my e-mail asking how many pre-schoolers normally attend Family Reading Night, and she said a whopping 50 or 60! Yikes! That's a crowd for making graham cracker cookie Christmas houses. But she hastened to say that she and various volunteers will gather the necessary supplies for the event, so I gave her a list of things needed. I agreed to attend to help give instruction, if necessary. And I agreed to take along a sample house to use as a model.
Making these models is something Mother enjoys doing, so I'm sure that'll be on our list of things to do the week after Thanksgiving, since we'll need it the first time on Dec. 1 at the art gallery, and again on Dec. 13, for the pre-school event.
Supper tonight was more leftovers...meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, green beans, and a choice of biscuits or cornbread. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we settled in to watch TV for the rest of the evening.
Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house while I cooled down. Then he went to meet a 10 a.m. dental appointment. Before I went upstairs, Mother and I watched the elimination episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Hubbie returned home as I was getting ready for the day. By then, it was time for lunch. After lunch, Mother retired to the couch for a nap, and Hubbie and I ran errands...to the bread store to get loaves to dry for dressing; to a grocery store for store brand icing to be used at a kids' graham cracker cookie Christmas house workshop; and to the WDCS for grocery items, including cream cheese for making a dip for a happy hour event tomorrow night, and various things for Thanksgiving Day dinner.
Back home, the first thing we did was open the loaves of bread, put them on baking sheets, and placed them in a high place to dry, out of the cats' reach, in the storeroom.
Mother had finished her nap and wanted something to do, so I let her make the cream cheese dip, which I'll take to the happy hour, along with sweet potato chips, and vegetable-variety chips. The chips are low fat, with no-salt-added, so I will be able to enjoy them. The happy hour will take place after business hours at a local architect's office.
The architect is the brother-in-law of my ESL student, and someone we've known for years. According to my student, this man hosts a happy hour every Friday after work, which is attended by family and friends of family as they have time to do so. My student is anxious for me to attend, since she considers me her "best friend in this country."
This is a busy season for us, so tomorrow will be the only Friday we have free until sometime after the holidays.
According to the student, drinks are provided, but guests may bring their own favorite beverage if they wish, and they are encouraged to bring nibbles.
Even though we know the host, we have never had occasion to visit his architectural firm, so today on our errands, we swung by there. The firm is in an historic two-story stone structure, built by the host's grandfather. It's a very unique looking building. I'm surprised we haven't seen it before. But it's sort of out of the way, on a gravel road.
The host is a very, very opinionated man, and it's hard to be around him sometimes, since he fancies he's an expert on every subject, particularly politics. We like his wife. She's a member of the master gardeners, which is how we know her. She must have the patience of Job, though, to put up with her husband.
I'm not sure we'll want to make a habit of attending these get-togethers, but we'll do it this once just to please my student.
Got a call today from the Literacy Council director in response to my e-mail asking how many pre-schoolers normally attend Family Reading Night, and she said a whopping 50 or 60! Yikes! That's a crowd for making graham cracker cookie Christmas houses. But she hastened to say that she and various volunteers will gather the necessary supplies for the event, so I gave her a list of things needed. I agreed to attend to help give instruction, if necessary. And I agreed to take along a sample house to use as a model.
Making these models is something Mother enjoys doing, so I'm sure that'll be on our list of things to do the week after Thanksgiving, since we'll need it the first time on Dec. 1 at the art gallery, and again on Dec. 13, for the pre-school event.
Supper tonight was more leftovers...meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, green beans, and a choice of biscuits or cornbread. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we settled in to watch TV for the rest of the evening.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Up at 6:30 to get ready for water aerobics. Cold morning, requiring coat, hat, gloves over my fleece wear. The pool wasn't as warm, either, as it was Monday. The pool guy informed us it was 84 degrees, but it felt cooler, maybe because the room was cool, too.
I welcomed a couple of cups of hot coffee, and a hot shower, when I got back home. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house before I went upstairs, so I gathered card stock in Christmas colors for her to make backgrounds to be applied to greeting cards.
After lunch, we used stickers, rubber stamps, and other elements to create cards for Caring Hands. We have now completed twenty-nine cards, but our aim is forty, so we need to work at least one more day on them. Daugther is supposed to visit on Saturday, so we'll probably enlist her help in completing the task.
For supper, I made a recipe of macaroni and cheese, which I served with meatloaf and green beans from last night's supper. Mother loves macaroni and cheese, so she thoroughly enjoyed her meal.
After supper, I attended a visual arts committee meeting at the gallery. It was a long meeting that ran from 5:30 to after 8 p.m. I hate long meetings. Tonight, we wrestled with new gallery policies and guidelines. The new guidelines are being proposed by a young upstart couple who serve on the arts council board. The husband of the pair is the new art instructor at the college where I attend water aerobics.
I don't know where this couple came from, but they certainly "aren't from around here," as we in the south say, because they have highfalutin ideas about how the gallery should be run, which includes ditching our local folks in favor of fine art by people from far off places.
We are a small rural community. The works of local artists are what is most likely to sell. But we agreed to let the couple try one, maybe two, shows (which they insist should be six weeks in length) to see what happens.
And we refused to concede to not having workshops in the gallery while a show is mounted. The gallery is a small space...we have no other place to conduct workshops. So if an artist is offended by having a workshop going on while his or her work is on display, then he or she can just take their work elsewhere.
A gem from the director: "If our benefactor sells this building next summer, then this proposal will be mute anyway." She meant "moot" of course, as in irrelevant, rather than unable to speak.
In the news: apparently seven states have gathered more than 25,000 petition signatures each to secede from the union, qualifying them for a response from the White House. Texas is one of those states, but comically, its state capital, Austin, has filed a counter-suit calling for it to secede from Texas and remain a part of the United States.
What chaos it would be if these and other states succeeded in seceding. Might be cause for another civil war...not only between states, but within states!
I welcomed a couple of cups of hot coffee, and a hot shower, when I got back home. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house before I went upstairs, so I gathered card stock in Christmas colors for her to make backgrounds to be applied to greeting cards.
After lunch, we used stickers, rubber stamps, and other elements to create cards for Caring Hands. We have now completed twenty-nine cards, but our aim is forty, so we need to work at least one more day on them. Daugther is supposed to visit on Saturday, so we'll probably enlist her help in completing the task.
For supper, I made a recipe of macaroni and cheese, which I served with meatloaf and green beans from last night's supper. Mother loves macaroni and cheese, so she thoroughly enjoyed her meal.
After supper, I attended a visual arts committee meeting at the gallery. It was a long meeting that ran from 5:30 to after 8 p.m. I hate long meetings. Tonight, we wrestled with new gallery policies and guidelines. The new guidelines are being proposed by a young upstart couple who serve on the arts council board. The husband of the pair is the new art instructor at the college where I attend water aerobics.
I don't know where this couple came from, but they certainly "aren't from around here," as we in the south say, because they have highfalutin ideas about how the gallery should be run, which includes ditching our local folks in favor of fine art by people from far off places.
We are a small rural community. The works of local artists are what is most likely to sell. But we agreed to let the couple try one, maybe two, shows (which they insist should be six weeks in length) to see what happens.
And we refused to concede to not having workshops in the gallery while a show is mounted. The gallery is a small space...we have no other place to conduct workshops. So if an artist is offended by having a workshop going on while his or her work is on display, then he or she can just take their work elsewhere.
A gem from the director: "If our benefactor sells this building next summer, then this proposal will be mute anyway." She meant "moot" of course, as in irrelevant, rather than unable to speak.
In the news: apparently seven states have gathered more than 25,000 petition signatures each to secede from the union, qualifying them for a response from the White House. Texas is one of those states, but comically, its state capital, Austin, has filed a counter-suit calling for it to secede from Texas and remain a part of the United States.
What chaos it would be if these and other states succeeded in seceding. Might be cause for another civil war...not only between states, but within states!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Tuesday, Nov. 13
Up around 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I gathered veggies for Mother to dice for making a meatloaf later.
We didn't accomplish much else after I came back downstairs. But after a lunch of leftovers, we finished putting the meatloaf together for the refrigerator until time to bake it later.
Then Mother retired to the couch for a nap, while Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to the library to take back movies we borrowed last week, and pick up four more; to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle contest; to the post office; and to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals for both Mother and us.
Back home around 3 p.m., I put a cookie sheet of russet potatoes in the oven. At 3:30, I put the meatloaf in the oven. After that, we all watched Monday night's episode of "Dancing With the Stars."
The meatloaf was especially yummy tonight for some reason, with sides of baked potatoes and green beans. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including a Jesse Stone movie from the library.
We didn't accomplish much else after I came back downstairs. But after a lunch of leftovers, we finished putting the meatloaf together for the refrigerator until time to bake it later.
Then Mother retired to the couch for a nap, while Hubbie and I ran a few errands...to the library to take back movies we borrowed last week, and pick up four more; to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle contest; to the post office; and to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals for both Mother and us.
Back home around 3 p.m., I put a cookie sheet of russet potatoes in the oven. At 3:30, I put the meatloaf in the oven. After that, we all watched Monday night's episode of "Dancing With the Stars."
The meatloaf was especially yummy tonight for some reason, with sides of baked potatoes and green beans. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV, including a Jesse Stone movie from the library.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Monday, Nov. 12
Veteran's Day Observed...Hubbie hung the flags in honor of the day.
Up at 6:30 to get ready for water aerobics. First really cold morning of the season, requiring not only fleece wear and hoodie, but a hat and gloves. The water was so wonderfully warm, though. I figured not many would show up, since it was so cold outside, but twenty of us enjoyed the session.
Back home, by the time I thawed out with a couple of cups of coffee and a hot shower, and got ready for the day, it was nearly 11:30. Hubbie had accompanied Mother to our house in the meantime. She had Ramen Noodle soup for lunch, and Hubbie and I had leftovers...potato soup for Hubbie, and lasagna for me.
Afterward, I gathered ingredients for biscuits, and Mother put the recipe together, rolled out the dough, cut the biscuits, and put them on a cookie sheet, to be baked once a tray of sweet potatoes came out of the oven. Hubbie had started the potatoes baking...they were ones that were about to go south in a 40-pound box of them.
Once the biscuits were out of the oven, Mother headed to the couch for a nap, Hubbie went out to bring in the last of the plants that need protecting from a freeze that is expected tonight, and I reviewed today's ESL lesson.
Met my student at the usual 2:30 hour. Today, she brought me a quart bag of cracked pecans, ready to be picked out of the shells. Fortunately, in exchange, I took along a bottle of shampoo/body wash, of the brand that Mother likes, for the student to use when helping her mother-in-law bathe. Her mother-in-law suffers from Alzheimer's Disease.
Today, the lesson was about the map of North America...identifying the countries within it, as well as particular states, and the directions of those states (north, south, east, west). The lesson also involved people of the countries...Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and Cubans.
The lesson also dealt with a structure focus exercise: "look forward to, plus noun": "The Garcias look forward to a better future." "I'm looking forward to the party on Friday night.
Another structure focus exercise involved "look forward to, plus verb-ing." "They look forward to going home." "I look forward to seeing you again." "The Garcias are looking forward to becoming citizens." (to which the student commented that she is, too...she absolutely loves America, and the small town we live in, so she's anxious to become a citizen).
We spent a lot of time in conversation today. One thing the student wanted to know was if my maiden name is Jenkins, which, of course, it is not. She asked me that, because the Literacy Council director made the mistake of using Jenkins as my married name when she announced in various newspapers and our local slick magazine that I am the tutor who nominated my student for the 2012 State Literacy Council Student of the Year award, which she recently won.
I promised the student that I would contact the Literacy Council director to let her know about the mistake. I was sure that her assistant had probably written the news release and got the name wrong. But when I e-mailed the director, she was embarrassed and appalled to admit that she herself had made the mistake. She hastened to say that she'll send corrections to the papers and magazine, but I'm afraid the damage is already done. Few people read correction statements. I know I don't.
In other conversation, she was full of stories about her recent trip to Florida to visit family, particularly her grandchildren. Her three-year-old granddaughter is obviously already a fashion and makeup diva, because she wanted her grandmother to buy her a particular outfit that resembles one worn by a fashion doll, and she wanted makeup. Of course, Grandma indulged her.
The student was mesmerized by the beauty of the land she saw on her flight back home...lots of autumn colors, and a fantastic view of the Mississippi River.
When we discussed countries of North America, she mentioned how much she loves our state and our rural town in particular. She loves the wide open spaces, and the small population of our town. The city she comes from in Venezuela...Maracaibo...has a metropolitan area population of over two million people.
She is really enjoying the autumn colors, and particularly the cooler weather. Venezuela is always hot, she said, so she likes the four seasons of our part of the country.
I was pleased to learn today that the student now has art work on display in a gallery in another town about an hour away. The gallery owner has placed high prices on the work, so I hope it sells. She would be thrilled.
Back home, Hubbie had heated leftover Dragon Soup from yesterday, which was served with the biscuits made this morning and heated in the microwave. We had a choice of honey or peach preserves for the biscuits.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited for her to shower before returning home. Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV, including an episode of "Upstairs/Downstairs" from the PBS channel.
Up at 6:30 to get ready for water aerobics. First really cold morning of the season, requiring not only fleece wear and hoodie, but a hat and gloves. The water was so wonderfully warm, though. I figured not many would show up, since it was so cold outside, but twenty of us enjoyed the session.
Back home, by the time I thawed out with a couple of cups of coffee and a hot shower, and got ready for the day, it was nearly 11:30. Hubbie had accompanied Mother to our house in the meantime. She had Ramen Noodle soup for lunch, and Hubbie and I had leftovers...potato soup for Hubbie, and lasagna for me.
Afterward, I gathered ingredients for biscuits, and Mother put the recipe together, rolled out the dough, cut the biscuits, and put them on a cookie sheet, to be baked once a tray of sweet potatoes came out of the oven. Hubbie had started the potatoes baking...they were ones that were about to go south in a 40-pound box of them.
Once the biscuits were out of the oven, Mother headed to the couch for a nap, Hubbie went out to bring in the last of the plants that need protecting from a freeze that is expected tonight, and I reviewed today's ESL lesson.
Met my student at the usual 2:30 hour. Today, she brought me a quart bag of cracked pecans, ready to be picked out of the shells. Fortunately, in exchange, I took along a bottle of shampoo/body wash, of the brand that Mother likes, for the student to use when helping her mother-in-law bathe. Her mother-in-law suffers from Alzheimer's Disease.
Today, the lesson was about the map of North America...identifying the countries within it, as well as particular states, and the directions of those states (north, south, east, west). The lesson also involved people of the countries...Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and Cubans.
The lesson also dealt with a structure focus exercise: "look forward to, plus noun": "The Garcias look forward to a better future." "I'm looking forward to the party on Friday night.
Another structure focus exercise involved "look forward to, plus verb-ing." "They look forward to going home." "I look forward to seeing you again." "The Garcias are looking forward to becoming citizens." (to which the student commented that she is, too...she absolutely loves America, and the small town we live in, so she's anxious to become a citizen).
We spent a lot of time in conversation today. One thing the student wanted to know was if my maiden name is Jenkins, which, of course, it is not. She asked me that, because the Literacy Council director made the mistake of using Jenkins as my married name when she announced in various newspapers and our local slick magazine that I am the tutor who nominated my student for the 2012 State Literacy Council Student of the Year award, which she recently won.
I promised the student that I would contact the Literacy Council director to let her know about the mistake. I was sure that her assistant had probably written the news release and got the name wrong. But when I e-mailed the director, she was embarrassed and appalled to admit that she herself had made the mistake. She hastened to say that she'll send corrections to the papers and magazine, but I'm afraid the damage is already done. Few people read correction statements. I know I don't.
In other conversation, she was full of stories about her recent trip to Florida to visit family, particularly her grandchildren. Her three-year-old granddaughter is obviously already a fashion and makeup diva, because she wanted her grandmother to buy her a particular outfit that resembles one worn by a fashion doll, and she wanted makeup. Of course, Grandma indulged her.
The student was mesmerized by the beauty of the land she saw on her flight back home...lots of autumn colors, and a fantastic view of the Mississippi River.
When we discussed countries of North America, she mentioned how much she loves our state and our rural town in particular. She loves the wide open spaces, and the small population of our town. The city she comes from in Venezuela...Maracaibo...has a metropolitan area population of over two million people.
She is really enjoying the autumn colors, and particularly the cooler weather. Venezuela is always hot, she said, so she likes the four seasons of our part of the country.
I was pleased to learn today that the student now has art work on display in a gallery in another town about an hour away. The gallery owner has placed high prices on the work, so I hope it sells. She would be thrilled.
Back home, Hubbie had heated leftover Dragon Soup from yesterday, which was served with the biscuits made this morning and heated in the microwave. We had a choice of honey or peach preserves for the biscuits.
Afterward, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited for her to shower before returning home. Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV, including an episode of "Upstairs/Downstairs" from the PBS channel.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Sunday, Nov. 11
Today is Veteran's Day (though it will also be observed tomorrow). Our gratitude goes to the men and women who have served, or still serve, our country.
We were up around 7:30 this morning, and shortly after breakfast, Hubbie hung our flag on the well house, and Mother's flag on her porch.
Around 9:30, he accompanied Mother to our house, where she diced veggies to add to Dragon Soup. I sauteed the veggies...bell pepper, banana peppers, carrots, celery, and onions...in olive oil, and then added homegrown tomatoes from the freezer, plus herbs and spices, which I let simmer for awhile. Later, I added leftover veggies, meat, rice, etc., collected in the freezer for a few weeks.
The soup was delicious for lunch, served with a choice of cornbread or bran muffins. This kind of soup is different every time it's made, since the leftover veggies, etc., are always different. But it's always wonderful, and it was especially good on this rainy day.
During lunch, we watched a 2008 movie on DVD that we borrowed from the library..."Christmas Cottage," starring Marcia Gay Harden, and Peter O'Toole, among others. This charming movie is about the small town, and its residents, who become the inspiration behind Thomas Kinkaid's paintings.
Following this movie, we began watching a second feature called, "The Conspirators." This 2010 movie is about the trial of Mary Surratt, who was the only female tried as a co-conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. This is a very interesting movie.
We only watched a half hour or so of it at this point, though, since Mother was ready for a nap, and Hubbie and I decided to go to the museum for a program about astronomy, given by a local astronomer, who has his own observatory with huge telescope in our town.
It was raining a little before we left home, so Hubbie hurried out and brought the flags back in. We feel it's disrespectful to leave the American flag outside in bad weather.
We arrived at the museum around 2 p.m., and the program lasted a little over an hour. The astronomer presented an interesting slide program...shots of galaxies that he has personally taken.
At the end of the talk, one woman commented on how insignificant we are compared to the vastness of the universe. But I think that instead of the vastness of the universe being proof that we are insignificant, it is actually proof of our significance. Because, as far as we know, in all the vastness of the universe, our planet is the only one that God has created to sustain intelligent life.
No sooner were we back in the van for the return trip home than the sky opened up, and it poured rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Naturally, this is when Hubbie discovered that the van was nearly out of gas, so we had to go to the WDCS for a gift card (in order to get ten cents per gallon off), and stop at the gas station to fill up.
I enjoyed seeing the trees on the drive back home. They are still gorgeous. In the rain, they display a softer, muted pallete of autumn colors.
At home, Mother was awake and sitting on the couch, huddled under an afghan. She doesn't like storms. She came into the den, and we watched the rest of the movie, "The Conspirators." Afterward, we had a supper of potato soup and crackers, and then Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, since the rain had eased by this time.
Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching the last two movies we'd borrowed from the library..."Dead Gorgeous," and an Inspector Lynley episode, "In The Presence of the Enemy." Both are British movies from PBS channel.
In "Dead Gorgeous," two women plot the murders of each other's husbands. "In the Presence of the Enemy," is about the kidnapping of the love child of a liberal black member of parliament, and a white conservative newspaper editor.
My stange dreams lately: in one, a niece who lives on the west coast invited me to go see her new house (as far as I know she hasn't acquired a new house). I went...though how I got there, I don't know. After visiting for awhile, I decided it was time to return home. But I wasn't sure how to do that, since I didn't even know how I got there.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that I could just raise my arms and teleport myself back home. So that's what I did...I raised my arms and, voila, I awakened in my own bed.
In the other dream I am testing the waters in new swimming pools. I didn't like the first pool I tested, because while it was very large, the water in it was only ankle deep.
Another pool was very deep, but only about eight feet wide and twelve feet long. And it didn't have any ladders for getting into the pool. Instead, there was a crane with a basket attached. Swimmers had to get into the basket, and be lowered into the pool. I was about to demonstrate how to do this when I woke up.
We were up around 7:30 this morning, and shortly after breakfast, Hubbie hung our flag on the well house, and Mother's flag on her porch.
Around 9:30, he accompanied Mother to our house, where she diced veggies to add to Dragon Soup. I sauteed the veggies...bell pepper, banana peppers, carrots, celery, and onions...in olive oil, and then added homegrown tomatoes from the freezer, plus herbs and spices, which I let simmer for awhile. Later, I added leftover veggies, meat, rice, etc., collected in the freezer for a few weeks.
The soup was delicious for lunch, served with a choice of cornbread or bran muffins. This kind of soup is different every time it's made, since the leftover veggies, etc., are always different. But it's always wonderful, and it was especially good on this rainy day.
During lunch, we watched a 2008 movie on DVD that we borrowed from the library..."Christmas Cottage," starring Marcia Gay Harden, and Peter O'Toole, among others. This charming movie is about the small town, and its residents, who become the inspiration behind Thomas Kinkaid's paintings.
Following this movie, we began watching a second feature called, "The Conspirators." This 2010 movie is about the trial of Mary Surratt, who was the only female tried as a co-conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. This is a very interesting movie.
We only watched a half hour or so of it at this point, though, since Mother was ready for a nap, and Hubbie and I decided to go to the museum for a program about astronomy, given by a local astronomer, who has his own observatory with huge telescope in our town.
It was raining a little before we left home, so Hubbie hurried out and brought the flags back in. We feel it's disrespectful to leave the American flag outside in bad weather.
We arrived at the museum around 2 p.m., and the program lasted a little over an hour. The astronomer presented an interesting slide program...shots of galaxies that he has personally taken.
At the end of the talk, one woman commented on how insignificant we are compared to the vastness of the universe. But I think that instead of the vastness of the universe being proof that we are insignificant, it is actually proof of our significance. Because, as far as we know, in all the vastness of the universe, our planet is the only one that God has created to sustain intelligent life.
No sooner were we back in the van for the return trip home than the sky opened up, and it poured rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Naturally, this is when Hubbie discovered that the van was nearly out of gas, so we had to go to the WDCS for a gift card (in order to get ten cents per gallon off), and stop at the gas station to fill up.
I enjoyed seeing the trees on the drive back home. They are still gorgeous. In the rain, they display a softer, muted pallete of autumn colors.
At home, Mother was awake and sitting on the couch, huddled under an afghan. She doesn't like storms. She came into the den, and we watched the rest of the movie, "The Conspirators." Afterward, we had a supper of potato soup and crackers, and then Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, since the rain had eased by this time.
Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching the last two movies we'd borrowed from the library..."Dead Gorgeous," and an Inspector Lynley episode, "In The Presence of the Enemy." Both are British movies from PBS channel.
In "Dead Gorgeous," two women plot the murders of each other's husbands. "In the Presence of the Enemy," is about the kidnapping of the love child of a liberal black member of parliament, and a white conservative newspaper editor.
My stange dreams lately: in one, a niece who lives on the west coast invited me to go see her new house (as far as I know she hasn't acquired a new house). I went...though how I got there, I don't know. After visiting for awhile, I decided it was time to return home. But I wasn't sure how to do that, since I didn't even know how I got there.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that I could just raise my arms and teleport myself back home. So that's what I did...I raised my arms and, voila, I awakened in my own bed.
In the other dream I am testing the waters in new swimming pools. I didn't like the first pool I tested, because while it was very large, the water in it was only ankle deep.
Another pool was very deep, but only about eight feet wide and twelve feet long. And it didn't have any ladders for getting into the pool. Instead, there was a crane with a basket attached. Swimmers had to get into the basket, and be lowered into the pool. I was about to demonstrate how to do this when I woke up.
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