Monday, Nov. 4

Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for water aerobics. It was a cool, drizzly morning for the walk to the pool, but the pool was warm. Twenty-five of us showed up. In the past, only a dozen or so of us attended aerobics, but maybe that was because the pool was pretty chilly most days. It's really nice that the water is consistently warm now. Water aerobics was scheduled for only one day this week, because the coach/lifeguard has coaching obligations on Wednesday and Friday.

After I warmed up with a couple of cups of coffee, Hubbie put color in my hair in anticipation of a beauty shop appointment tomorrow. While I got ready for the day, Mother diced veggies to be used in stewing chicken. She also snapped green beans (some from our garden, some from the store), and diced onions and banana peppers to add to them.

When I was ready for the day, I set the chicken and the beans to simmering. By this time, it was noon. For lunch, Mother had her usual Ramen noodle soup, and Hubbie and I had leftover chili. Afterward, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie and I ran errands.

First, we went to the bank, and then to the post office. As we left the post office, the van dinged that we were low on gas, so we went to the WDCS to shop for groceries and get a gift card for the gas station. Part of our grocery shopping included picking up a turkey and a ham for Thanksgiving. We wanted to get these early, because a couple of years ago, we waited too long and couldn't find what we wanted.

Stopped at the gas station after we'd shopped, and then went to a health store to get a box of no-salt seasoning. Our last stop was a pharmacy/grocery store to pick up a prescription for Mother, and a few more on-sale grocery items, plus this week's free item...a package of muffin mix.

While at the store, we met a lady who is one of the actors in the play we saw Sunday afternoon. She was a member of the community theater years ago...in fact, she directed the first play I acted in when I first arrived in this town 32 years ago. She dropped out of the community theater to become the drama teacher at a local school.

She commented today that she does not intend to ever accept a role in a play again, because she had a difficult time memorizing lines, and remembering her lines onstage this time. She told me that she'd nearly died last December, when three blood clots moved to her lungs. Her husband got her to the hospital just in time, she said. She feels this episode has caused a decline in her ability to memorize and remember. Also, she began resenting having to be at rehearsals when she preferred to do other things.

Hubbie and I determined years ago that we no longer wanted to give up six weeks of our lives to attend play rehearsals. And now, we also have memory problems and would probably have great difficulty memorizing and then remembering lines.

At the store, we also visited with a lady who retired from the same agency that we worked for. I almost didn't recognize her...her hair is very thin, with her scalp showing in several areas, and her eyes are red and puffy. She has lost a lot of weight, too. I don't know what her medical issues are, but I suspect a thyroid problem.

Back home, I spent time reading newspapers, and then finished supper preparations. Hubbie helped by peeling potatoes to be boiled. I mashed the potatoes, made gravy, and sliced sour dough bread, all to be served with helping of boiled chicken and green beans. It was a tasty meal.

Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he and I watched one-hour shows on TV.