Wednesday, Aug. 21

Up at 6 a.m. to get ready to go to water aerobics. First day back after a two week break. In the past, aerobics started at 8:30, but was changed to 8 a.m. when a swim team nabbed our usual hour. But then most of the members decided they wanted to stay with the 8 a.m. hour. I'm not crazy about getting up earlier, but at least there's not a problem finding a parking space, since students don't arrive until after 7:30, and I get there just before that.

The pool was cool, but pleasant once I got used to it. About fifteen of us showed up. Today, we got a new member. She arrived in a wheelchair with the substitute teacher, who assisted her. This lady's left leg is amputated at the thigh, so she needed help getting in the pool. But once in, she had no trouble keeping up with the aerobics routine.

I was glad to see one of the regular members return. She's been out all summer for various reasons. One was that she had a cancer removed from her leg. She has also been busy traveling to see her kids, or entertaining them at her home.

She related a story about seven members of her family who traveled in the same vehicle to come and visit her and her husband. On the way, in the middle of the night, the vehicle began acting up. They stopped at a fast food parking lot in a very small town, where there was no garage open at that hour. So they decided to spend the night in the car.

While they were there, an old man with a beard checked on them, and asked if they were having car trouble. After a brief conversation, he left.

The next morning, they contacted a garage, and learned that the car needed a new alternator, to the tune of $180. While the mechanic worked on their car, the old man returned with his wife, and  insisted on paying the repair bill because, he said, "God put it on our hearts to help."

Back home afterward, I relaxed with a cup of coffee. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and then he put color in my hair in anticipation of a haircut appointment tomorrow.

Then he went out to work in the yard. In a few minutes he returned to say one of the yard cats had evidently been hit by a car, because she was dragging her hind quarters. He put her in a pet carrier and took her to the vet. The vet said she had damaged her pelvis, and nothing could be done but to confine her, give her antibiotics, and see if she mended on her own. He is keeping her at the clinic for a few days.

Once I was ready for the day, I didn't accomplish much for the rest of the morning beyond reading the newspapers.

After lunch, Mother diced veggies for chicken soup. Once I got that started simmering, I didn't accomplish much else for the afternoon, except wracking my brain for menu ideas for the rest of this week and next, and trying to jigsaw an idea for going to Hubbie's granddaughter's wedding.

The wedding is in a town about five hours away, so we don't want to drag Mother to it, which would entail taking the truck and camper, plus the van. If there is a family member available to be here with Mother while we're gone, then we'll just drive the van and stay with Daughter for a couple of days. If not, then we will skip the wedding.

Later, for supper, we had the boiled chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy (made from the broth), and English peas, plus sliced garden tomatoes.

Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched more episodes of "One Tree Hill."