Friday, Dec. 13

Today is Friday the 13th. Superstitious folks are leery of this date, but to me it's just another day.

I thought about attending water aerobics this morning, but when 6 a.m. rolled around, I dreaded too much getting out in the cold, icy morning, so I snuggled back into the blankets until around 8 a.m.

I opted out of exercising, too, since I needed to get ready to go to an 11 a.m. Christmas gathering of the water aerobics group. I dressed in a green sweater with a reindeer necklace for the festive occasion. The necklace is one I made of miniature clothespins several years ago, but every time I wear it, I get lots of comments on it. Today was no exception, and one lady even took a picture of it.

I arrived at the Italian restaurant shortly before eleven, and several ladies were already there. Eighteen of us showed up. Our leader said only nine attended the aerobics session this morning. Guess others were as lazy as I was.

Before I sat down to order my lunch, I bought a gift card to give to Mother as a Twelve Days of Christmas gift.

Today I ordered veggie pasta and fruit. With the garlic bread and marinara sauce, I was only able to eat half my meal. I brought the rest home.

Part of the talk today was about a couple of ladies who were injured in the ice storm. One fell and broke her ankle, and while at the hospital, she suffered kidney failure and nearly died. Her ankle could not be set until doctors got her kidneys under control. But now she is doing okay.

Another lady fell and broke her kneecap some weeks ago, and then, just as it was healed, she fell recently and broke it again. She's now in a cast.

When we finished lunch, we  played the Dirty Santa game. There were lots of nice things, but I ended up with a little candy dish, to be added to a tote of similar items I've received over the years that I don't need and will never use.

I had drawn the number 13 for the Dirty Santa game, so when it came my turn, I could have stolen someone elses gift, but I decided not to...I didn't want to feel guilty again, after stealing the birds at the Master Gardener party. So I just grabbed the first gift bag I saw on the table...thus the candy dish.

Back home, Hubbie had seen to Mother's and his own lunch. We didn't do much this afternoon but try to straighten a few things up for company. I'm afraid it's going to look messier than usual this weekend, though.

Later, for supper, I heated the leftover veggie pasta for Mother, and Hubbie and I had bowls of chili. Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he and I went downtown to the art gallery to attend a reception for several artists that are featured in the gallery right now.

We left the reception around 6:30, and went to a church meeting hall, where members of the congregation were presenting the play, "Little Women." It was well done, and even Hubbie enjoyed it. The cast borrowed their Civil War era clothing from the local community theater. I was amused when one of the characters came onstage wearing the same dress I wore to the Civil War ball last spring.

This is the second performance sponsored by this church that we have attended. Last year, we saw "It's a Wonderful Life." The church has presented a play each year for the past ten years, but these are the only two we've attended. The performance was entirely free. I anticipated that folks would pass the collection plate during intermission, but they did not. I guess the plays are the church's gift to the community.

Back home, we watched a TV show, and then headed to bed.