Saturday, Feb. 2

Up around 7 a.m., but skipped my exercises, because we expected Daughter, and three great-grandchildren to arrive mid-morning to join us in going to the Extension Homemakers annual yard sale. As soon as family got here, we went to the fairgrounds.

Gad, it was cold this morning! At the fairgrounds, there was a one dollar per person admission fee at the gate...the gate being a brisk walk to the commercial building, where the yard sale was held. It was a good workout pushing Mother in the wheelchair.

As usual, the kids weren't dressed warmly enough for the weather. The youngest child used the money her Mother had given her to buy a knitted scarf and hat, which she donned for the walk back to the van later. The other girl wore capri-length pants and flats, but she seemed unaffected by the weather. Daughter, like the youngest girl, bought a knitted scarf to ward off the chill.

Mother and I bundled up for the outing in warm coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. It might be March, but windy winter weather is windy winter weather, no matter what the calendar says.

Mother enjoyed the yard sale, because lots of ladies we know either had booths there, or were working in the kitchen, where inexpensive lunch items were available. Our real reason for attending the sale was to visit. Mother didn't buy anything, and I only bought a Christmas gift pack of cups, hot chocolate, marshmallows, etc., which I got from the former Extension Services agent. Her daughter had gotten it for Christmas and didn't want it. I gave it to the kids.

Back home, we had a lunch of potato soup and sandwiches, and then Daughter and the kids gave Mother birthday gifts...balloons, jigsaw puzzles, and a musical card featuring cats meowing the happy birthday song. Daughter gave Mother a really cute plant holder...it's black metal in the shape of a cup and saucer. Inside it was a pot of African violets.

The jigsaw puzzles were from the kids, one of which is a 100-piece Sponge Bob Square Pants design, sent to her from her great-great-granson, who chose this especially because he likes Sponge Bob, and thinks that surely his grandma must, too. The kids and Mother worked this one first, so I could snap a picture for my social network page.

Following that one, Mother and Great-Grandson worked a 200-piece puzzle featuring cats, and then a 400-piece Noah's Arc one.

While they did this, the girls played on the stairs, Daughter napped, Hubbie shopped for groceries for supper, and I baked a lemon cake, and two dozen chocolate cupcakes.

Later, I prepared a supper of hot dogs and turkey burgers, served with chips, and a dessert of chocolate cupcakes. While I was fixing supper, Hubbie and I watched our favorite college basketball team as they played to a win.

Mother was ready to go home after supper, so Hubbie accompanied her. Then he and I spent part of the evening reading our novels, while Daughter and the kids played on their smartphones.

Daughter and the kids were ready to retire fairly early, but before they headed to bed, we had bowls of ice cream with chocolate syrup. Hubbie and I were ready for bed right after watching the nightly news. It was a busy day, but a good one.