The last of the snow finally melted today, and now we're looking forward to frigid temps and winds gusting to 50 miles an hour tomorrow. Winter is apparently not done slapping us around.
Slept late this morning, until 8 a.m., and dressed for exercise in a t-shirt and shorts, but didn't get around to it until mid-afternoon. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning, and we absolutely wasted the whole day watching TV. We started with Tuesday night's episode of "Dancing With the Stars," which was a review of Monday night's show. I'm glad it was, because my DVR failed to record the show on Monday.
Followed that show with several episodes of "The Vicar of Dibley," on two DVDs borrowed from the public library. This is a British comedy series, in which the female vicar, and eccentric members of her flock, are saucy, irreverent, and absolutely hilarious. Today, we watched six or seven episodes. Hubbie and I saw several episodes on another DVD we'd borrowed from the libary in the past, but today was the first time Mother had seen the show. She thoroughly enjoyed it.
Finally, around 3 p.m., Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran an errand to the grocery store, and I did stair stepping exercises and then got dressed. I was getting a little chilled sitting around in a t-shirt and shorts, so jeans, a turtleneck shirt, and a long-sleeved shirt felt good.
Later, we had a supper of leftover split pea soup, with some of the orange muffins, and slices of the bucket cake with topping for dessert. Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then Hubbie and I continued watching TV, including a 2010 movie called, "13," in which an inexperienced young man falls in with underground bad guys, where men gamble on the lives of other men in high-stake games of Russian roulette.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Friday, March 22
Well, the snow finally arrived last night. It was dark by the time it got here, and because I figured it would be gone by morning, I donned a jacket, grabbed my camera, and went trudging around the yard snapping a few pics, one of which I sent to a Capital City news channel, where it was briefly featured on the 6 p.m. weather segment.
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., then exercised on the treadmill after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning, where she worked on her jigsaw puzzle. I was sort of surprised that she wanted to come over, since there was still snow on the ground. I guess she gets bored when she stays at home.
Before I went upstairs, I uploaded snow pics to my social network page, and sent one of them to the TV station. By the time I was ready for the day, it was close to lunchtime. Hubbie opted for a meatloaf sandwich, and since it's a Lenten Friday, I fixed potato patties and scrambled egg substitute, with toast, for Mother and me. Mother really liked the meal.
After lunch, Mother and I worked in the kitchen for a little while. I put a pan of eggs on to boil to be used in white gravy for supper; and then we made a bucket cake (also known as poke cake). I put a store-bought angel food cake into an empty ice cream bucket, and made a batch of raspberry Jell-o. Mother poked holes in the cake, and ladled the hot Jell-o over it. I put it in the refrigerator to set up. This is such a pretty, bright pink, dessert...one that the grandkids used to love when they were young.
Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle then, and I worked on our scrapbook club's treasury report. I hadn't reconciled it since our last meeting back in November. Fortunately, there's not much to reconcile. I also called the Extension Homemakers Council president, who (go figure) is a man, to clarify information about a letter he sent regarding grant funds.
I was under the impression that I needed to spend the remainder of our club's funds by the end of the fiscal year. But in talking to him, I learned there are two funds...one is awarded from the Council, and the other is a Quorum Court award. The one our club has been awarded is from the Council. It's a community service award, and can be spent any way we wish, at any time we wish. There is no deadline for using the funds.
The other is earmarked for community education only, and must be requested from the council. In order to access this money, a club must submit a proposal, including estimated expenses. It's a reimbursement fund, so clubs must spend their own money, keep receipts, then asked for reimbursement.
Our club has never sponsored a community education program, and I'm not sure we want to, though the president suggested that a card-making session would be a welcome program. I'll have to think about that. Long ago, I did lots of programs for the Council, and it's a lot of work. So I'm not sure I'm up for it again. But I've been known to change my mind.
At any rate, the Council president decided that if I'd been confused over the two funds, then other club presidents probably were, too, so he needs to send another letter to clear it up. I agree.
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading my novel, and then Mother and I finished supper preparations...she peeled and diced the boiled eggs, and buttered the toast, and I made the egg gravy. Served the meal with dishes of canned peaches. Sampled the bucket cake for dessert.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched TV, including a year 2000 Hallmark Channel movie called, "Missing Pieces." A widowed man is told his son has committed suicide in Mexico, but when he travels there to find out, he discovers it might not have been suicide, and he sets about solving the mystery.
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., then exercised on the treadmill after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning, where she worked on her jigsaw puzzle. I was sort of surprised that she wanted to come over, since there was still snow on the ground. I guess she gets bored when she stays at home.
Before I went upstairs, I uploaded snow pics to my social network page, and sent one of them to the TV station. By the time I was ready for the day, it was close to lunchtime. Hubbie opted for a meatloaf sandwich, and since it's a Lenten Friday, I fixed potato patties and scrambled egg substitute, with toast, for Mother and me. Mother really liked the meal.
After lunch, Mother and I worked in the kitchen for a little while. I put a pan of eggs on to boil to be used in white gravy for supper; and then we made a bucket cake (also known as poke cake). I put a store-bought angel food cake into an empty ice cream bucket, and made a batch of raspberry Jell-o. Mother poked holes in the cake, and ladled the hot Jell-o over it. I put it in the refrigerator to set up. This is such a pretty, bright pink, dessert...one that the grandkids used to love when they were young.
Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle then, and I worked on our scrapbook club's treasury report. I hadn't reconciled it since our last meeting back in November. Fortunately, there's not much to reconcile. I also called the Extension Homemakers Council president, who (go figure) is a man, to clarify information about a letter he sent regarding grant funds.
I was under the impression that I needed to spend the remainder of our club's funds by the end of the fiscal year. But in talking to him, I learned there are two funds...one is awarded from the Council, and the other is a Quorum Court award. The one our club has been awarded is from the Council. It's a community service award, and can be spent any way we wish, at any time we wish. There is no deadline for using the funds.
The other is earmarked for community education only, and must be requested from the council. In order to access this money, a club must submit a proposal, including estimated expenses. It's a reimbursement fund, so clubs must spend their own money, keep receipts, then asked for reimbursement.
Our club has never sponsored a community education program, and I'm not sure we want to, though the president suggested that a card-making session would be a welcome program. I'll have to think about that. Long ago, I did lots of programs for the Council, and it's a lot of work. So I'm not sure I'm up for it again. But I've been known to change my mind.
At any rate, the Council president decided that if I'd been confused over the two funds, then other club presidents probably were, too, so he needs to send another letter to clear it up. I agree.
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading my novel, and then Mother and I finished supper preparations...she peeled and diced the boiled eggs, and buttered the toast, and I made the egg gravy. Served the meal with dishes of canned peaches. Sampled the bucket cake for dessert.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched TV, including a year 2000 Hallmark Channel movie called, "Missing Pieces." A widowed man is told his son has committed suicide in Mexico, but when he travels there to find out, he discovers it might not have been suicide, and he sets about solving the mystery.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Thursday, March 21
So-o-o....the much anticipated three to six inches of snow didn't materialized during the day, as predicted. It's still predicted for tonight, but for much of the day, the sun shone. I'm disappointed that we were compelled to cancel our scrapbook club meeting based on this erroneous weather forecast.
We slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., and then I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house later, and she worked on her jigsaw puzzle.
It was a pretty lazy day. Once I was dressed and ready, all I did was return a call to my family clinic to make an appointment for a fasting lab exam in a couple of weeks, and write a get well card to a sister-in-law, who is recuperating from a serious surgical procedure.
The morning just slipped away, and soon it was lunchtime. We finished the chicken noodle soup, and afterward, Mother and I made a batch of orange muffins. The last time we made blueberry muffins, I came across the recipe for the orange ones in an old cookbook I've had for over forty years. I'm surprised I hadn't noticed it before. Anyway, I had all the required ingredients on hand...a fresh orange for orange zest, orange juice, and Grape Nuts cereal.
So we decided to try it. When they had baked, Hubbie tried one and put his stamp of approval on it, so I guess we'll make another batch for the freezer soon.
Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle for the rest of the afternoon, Hubbie napped on and off, and I gathered materials for making an Easter greeting card. Afterward, I decided to go online and order some special markers for use with rubber stamps. The cost of the markers will be charged to the funds awarded our club from the Extension Homemakers Council, which are to be used toward our community project.
Our project is making greeting cards for Caring Hands Hospice, so purchasing the markers is a legitimate expense. We had a few dollars left from last year's fund award that needed to be spent before the end of the fiscal year, and this was a good investment. These markers have a very long shelf life, unlike ordinary markers. We'll be able to make lots and lots of cards with them.
Later, we had split pea soup, with the orange muffins. Followed that with peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert. Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward. As they left, it began snowing, and after dark, there was a light dusting on the ground.
Tonight, we watched a couple of movies recorded on DVR. The first was the 2011 movie, "My Week With Marilyn." This biographical film is based on accounts by Colin Clark, as he documents interactions between Marilyn Monroe and Sir Lawrence of Olivier, during a movie production.
The second movie we watched was "White Squall." This 1996 movie is based on the true story of a group of American boys, who learn life lessons when they crew a sailing ship on an ill-fated voyage one summer. Good movie.
We slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., and then I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house later, and she worked on her jigsaw puzzle.
It was a pretty lazy day. Once I was dressed and ready, all I did was return a call to my family clinic to make an appointment for a fasting lab exam in a couple of weeks, and write a get well card to a sister-in-law, who is recuperating from a serious surgical procedure.
The morning just slipped away, and soon it was lunchtime. We finished the chicken noodle soup, and afterward, Mother and I made a batch of orange muffins. The last time we made blueberry muffins, I came across the recipe for the orange ones in an old cookbook I've had for over forty years. I'm surprised I hadn't noticed it before. Anyway, I had all the required ingredients on hand...a fresh orange for orange zest, orange juice, and Grape Nuts cereal.
So we decided to try it. When they had baked, Hubbie tried one and put his stamp of approval on it, so I guess we'll make another batch for the freezer soon.
Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle for the rest of the afternoon, Hubbie napped on and off, and I gathered materials for making an Easter greeting card. Afterward, I decided to go online and order some special markers for use with rubber stamps. The cost of the markers will be charged to the funds awarded our club from the Extension Homemakers Council, which are to be used toward our community project.
Our project is making greeting cards for Caring Hands Hospice, so purchasing the markers is a legitimate expense. We had a few dollars left from last year's fund award that needed to be spent before the end of the fiscal year, and this was a good investment. These markers have a very long shelf life, unlike ordinary markers. We'll be able to make lots and lots of cards with them.
Later, we had split pea soup, with the orange muffins. Followed that with peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert. Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward. As they left, it began snowing, and after dark, there was a light dusting on the ground.
Tonight, we watched a couple of movies recorded on DVR. The first was the 2011 movie, "My Week With Marilyn." This biographical film is based on accounts by Colin Clark, as he documents interactions between Marilyn Monroe and Sir Lawrence of Olivier, during a movie production.
The second movie we watched was "White Squall." This 1996 movie is based on the true story of a group of American boys, who learn life lessons when they crew a sailing ship on an ill-fated voyage one summer. Good movie.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wednesday, March 20
Today is the first day of spring, even though snow is predicted for our county tomorrow!
I skipped water aerobics this morning, of course, and slept late, until around 8 a.m. But I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house later, and she went to work on her jigsaw puzzle.
I postponed getting ready for the day, and did a few things to spruce the house, while Hubbie vacuumed, and cleaned the bathroom, etc. We did these things in anticipation of a scrapbook club meeting tomorrow, since the morning news indicated that we were not in the predicted snow area. Two hours later, that forecast changed, of course, to include our county.
Anyway, it was after lunch before I finally went upstairs to get ready for the day. While I was up there, one of the scrapbook club members called to say, not surprisingly, that she would not attend the meeting tomorrow. I was sure the other member would not attend, either, but I called her to confirm it.
Since plans for tomorrow had changed, Hubbie and I decided after lunch to run a few errands...to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle contest; to the card shop to get an Easter card for Mother, and a wedding shower card, plus a new jigsaw puzzle to use as an Easter gift for Mother; to a gift shop to pick up a pound of Mother's favorite brand of jelly beans (also for Easter); and to a grocery store for a few items.
At one point at the grocery store the power went out temporarily. We at the very back of the store, and being in the dark back there felt strange. I was glad the lights came back on quickly.
There was a long line at the checkout counter. When a girl behind me wondered why there was a line, I commented that it was because of the weather forecast. People were stocking up, even though whatever snow may fall is not supposed to hinder traffic, and will melt off quickly due to a temperature above freezing. But winter weather warnings never fail to cause knee-jerk reactions in folks.
We were not at the store to stock up on milk and bread...we were there to avail ourselves of a sale on canned chicken broth, which is a staple ingredient in many of my recipes. We snatched up all of the 99% fat-free, low-sodium cans of it that there were on the shelf.
At the checkout counter, I think the checker was irritated because we had several items more than the "15 or less" posted for this speedy checkout lane. We really should have gone to another lane, but we just absent-mindly rolled up to this one.
I tried to speed up the process by helping to bag the groceries, but she took over and flung items in bags willy-nilly, and then shoved the bags at me. By the time we got home, half the stuff had fallen out of the bags and rolled or slid around on the floorboard.
Back home, I made a peach cobbler, and then relaxed with my e-reader tablet until time to prepare supper. Supper tonight was split pea soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. Hubbie grilled the sandwiches for us. Had peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert, of course.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched one-hour shows on TV.
I skipped water aerobics this morning, of course, and slept late, until around 8 a.m. But I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house later, and she went to work on her jigsaw puzzle.
I postponed getting ready for the day, and did a few things to spruce the house, while Hubbie vacuumed, and cleaned the bathroom, etc. We did these things in anticipation of a scrapbook club meeting tomorrow, since the morning news indicated that we were not in the predicted snow area. Two hours later, that forecast changed, of course, to include our county.
Anyway, it was after lunch before I finally went upstairs to get ready for the day. While I was up there, one of the scrapbook club members called to say, not surprisingly, that she would not attend the meeting tomorrow. I was sure the other member would not attend, either, but I called her to confirm it.
Since plans for tomorrow had changed, Hubbie and I decided after lunch to run a few errands...to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle contest; to the card shop to get an Easter card for Mother, and a wedding shower card, plus a new jigsaw puzzle to use as an Easter gift for Mother; to a gift shop to pick up a pound of Mother's favorite brand of jelly beans (also for Easter); and to a grocery store for a few items.
At one point at the grocery store the power went out temporarily. We at the very back of the store, and being in the dark back there felt strange. I was glad the lights came back on quickly.
There was a long line at the checkout counter. When a girl behind me wondered why there was a line, I commented that it was because of the weather forecast. People were stocking up, even though whatever snow may fall is not supposed to hinder traffic, and will melt off quickly due to a temperature above freezing. But winter weather warnings never fail to cause knee-jerk reactions in folks.
We were not at the store to stock up on milk and bread...we were there to avail ourselves of a sale on canned chicken broth, which is a staple ingredient in many of my recipes. We snatched up all of the 99% fat-free, low-sodium cans of it that there were on the shelf.
At the checkout counter, I think the checker was irritated because we had several items more than the "15 or less" posted for this speedy checkout lane. We really should have gone to another lane, but we just absent-mindly rolled up to this one.
I tried to speed up the process by helping to bag the groceries, but she took over and flung items in bags willy-nilly, and then shoved the bags at me. By the time we got home, half the stuff had fallen out of the bags and rolled or slid around on the floorboard.
Back home, I made a peach cobbler, and then relaxed with my e-reader tablet until time to prepare supper. Supper tonight was split pea soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. Hubbie grilled the sandwiches for us. Had peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert, of course.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched one-hour shows on TV.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Tuesday, March 19
Slept reasonably well last night, and got up late, around 8 a.m. Just can't seem to shed this very irritating hacking cough. And I'm still sneezing and blowing a little. Guess I won't be going to water aerobics again tomorrow, drat it.
Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and we set up a new jigsaw puzzle for her. I postponed getting ready for the day until after I made a few phone calls...first to RSVP an invitation to a wedding shower. I hoped to find out where the bride-to-be is registered, but the hostess seemed not to know. But she said she would contact the bride's mother and get back with me. If she's not registered anywhere, she'll get a gift card from me, since I haven't a clue what she needs or wants.
Then I called the scrapbook club members. One lady was not home, so I left a message. The other one loves to talk, so I was on the phone for quite a while with her. She does not attend meetings if there is a threat of rain, and later today, I learned that there is not only a threat of rain, but it could snow! That would be a real coincidence, since an ice storm prevented our meeting last month, and snow cancelled it in January.
While I was doing this, the guy who is to pump the septic tank came. Despite what the plumber said, this guy said the yard is too wet to pump the tank or do anything about the field tiles. The task will have to wait awhile. But he did give us an estimate of the charges for this service...yikes! is all I can say.
By now it was time for lunch. Afterward, Mother and I prepared a couple of pots of soup to simmer...chicken, and split pea. Mother diced all the veggies, and cubed the ham, and I did the rest.
Finally, I headed upstairs to get ready for the day, which was now half over. Back downstairs, I noticed Mother was strugging with the border to the puzzle she started, so I helped her straighten that out, but didn't accomplish much else the rest of the afternoon.
Later, we chose the chicken noodle soup for supper, served with the remainder of the Irish soda bread. Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then we watched TV.
Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and we set up a new jigsaw puzzle for her. I postponed getting ready for the day until after I made a few phone calls...first to RSVP an invitation to a wedding shower. I hoped to find out where the bride-to-be is registered, but the hostess seemed not to know. But she said she would contact the bride's mother and get back with me. If she's not registered anywhere, she'll get a gift card from me, since I haven't a clue what she needs or wants.
Then I called the scrapbook club members. One lady was not home, so I left a message. The other one loves to talk, so I was on the phone for quite a while with her. She does not attend meetings if there is a threat of rain, and later today, I learned that there is not only a threat of rain, but it could snow! That would be a real coincidence, since an ice storm prevented our meeting last month, and snow cancelled it in January.
While I was doing this, the guy who is to pump the septic tank came. Despite what the plumber said, this guy said the yard is too wet to pump the tank or do anything about the field tiles. The task will have to wait awhile. But he did give us an estimate of the charges for this service...yikes! is all I can say.
By now it was time for lunch. Afterward, Mother and I prepared a couple of pots of soup to simmer...chicken, and split pea. Mother diced all the veggies, and cubed the ham, and I did the rest.
Finally, I headed upstairs to get ready for the day, which was now half over. Back downstairs, I noticed Mother was strugging with the border to the puzzle she started, so I helped her straighten that out, but didn't accomplish much else the rest of the afternoon.
Later, we chose the chicken noodle soup for supper, served with the remainder of the Irish soda bread. Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then we watched TV.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monday, March 18
Decided against going to water aerobics this morning. I felt I needed at least another day or two to get over this cold. So we slept until after 8 a.m. After breakfast, I did do a modified session of stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exrcises, though.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 10 a.m., and she worked on her jigsaw puzzle while I got ready for the day. She is nursing a cold, so she's feeling blah, of course.
Hubbie ran errands before lunch, but I didn't accomplish anything for the rest of the morning. After lunch, I reviewed today's ESL lesson. The student called around 1 p.m., thinking that we would not have a session, because this is spring break week at the college. But as it happens, even though students are on break, the library is open all week, as is the administation office.
So we agreed to meet at our usual 2:30 hour. The first thing the student did was inform me that she and her husband will be moving to Florida in three weeks. I hate to lose her as a student, but I fully understand why she must leave. Both she and her husband have jobs awaiting them in Florida.
The purpose for their being here was to take care of her husband's elderly parents. But now the parents will be moving to a nursing home, and their home will be put on the market. So there is no longer any reason for the student and her husband to remain in this area, where there are no professional opportunities them.
I asked if the student wished to continue our sessions, or just head home today, and she preferred to continue as long as possible. She is also interested in finding a tutor in Florida, so I called the literacy council director, and left a message asking her to contact the student.
Our lesson today involved the student reading a story to herself, rather than aloud, as we've done in the past, and then relating the main points aloud. This was an exercise to check her reading comprehension. She did very well, and completely understood the story, which she was able to relate it to me.
She also completed workbook lessons. Even though she's able to comprehend the written word, she has diffuculty with writing practice sentences: for instance, a lesson asked the student to turn statements into questions..."People can steal money from the bank by computer." "Can people steal money from a bank by computer?" "People will use computers at home." "Will people use computers at home?"
She needed to understand that words like "can," "will," "do," and "did," clues the reader that the sentence is a question, rather than a statement. She needs more practice with this.
Future perfect tense sort of stumps her too: "Computers will be used in businesses and at home." She sees "used" as past tense, and it seems odd to her that "will be used" refers to the future.
We finished the session around 4:15, since the library was to close early, at 4:30. At home, Hubbie informed me that the father of a woman we worked with before retirement died last Thursday, and there was to be visitation tonight from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
So I hurried to complete supper preparations. Hubbie had put leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes into the oven at 4:15, and in my hurry to get supper on the table, I took it out around 4:45. I'd already made gravy to go with it, and sliced bread and fixed coleslaw. So everything was ready early...it also wasn't hot. But we poured hot gravy over it and ate it anyway.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I went to the visitation. This was a well-respected man, so the line was very long to the viewing. We stood there quite a while, mainly for a chance to offer our condolences to the woman with whom we'd worked. The line moved very slowly, though, as the widow spent a lot of time talking with each visitor.
Finally, our friend began moving down the line, talking briefly to each person. When she got to us, she told us that her father, 85, had suffered with Parkinson's Disease, and that recently, it was also discovered that he had four 98% blocked arteries. He also suffered from dementia. The family felt he was in no condition to undergo bypass surgery, so his doctor just put him on medications. Within days, though, he suffered a heart attack and died.
Back home, we watched TV, including this week's episodes of "Vikings," and "The Bible."
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 10 a.m., and she worked on her jigsaw puzzle while I got ready for the day. She is nursing a cold, so she's feeling blah, of course.
Hubbie ran errands before lunch, but I didn't accomplish anything for the rest of the morning. After lunch, I reviewed today's ESL lesson. The student called around 1 p.m., thinking that we would not have a session, because this is spring break week at the college. But as it happens, even though students are on break, the library is open all week, as is the administation office.
So we agreed to meet at our usual 2:30 hour. The first thing the student did was inform me that she and her husband will be moving to Florida in three weeks. I hate to lose her as a student, but I fully understand why she must leave. Both she and her husband have jobs awaiting them in Florida.
The purpose for their being here was to take care of her husband's elderly parents. But now the parents will be moving to a nursing home, and their home will be put on the market. So there is no longer any reason for the student and her husband to remain in this area, where there are no professional opportunities them.
I asked if the student wished to continue our sessions, or just head home today, and she preferred to continue as long as possible. She is also interested in finding a tutor in Florida, so I called the literacy council director, and left a message asking her to contact the student.
Our lesson today involved the student reading a story to herself, rather than aloud, as we've done in the past, and then relating the main points aloud. This was an exercise to check her reading comprehension. She did very well, and completely understood the story, which she was able to relate it to me.
She also completed workbook lessons. Even though she's able to comprehend the written word, she has diffuculty with writing practice sentences: for instance, a lesson asked the student to turn statements into questions..."People can steal money from the bank by computer." "Can people steal money from a bank by computer?" "People will use computers at home." "Will people use computers at home?"
She needed to understand that words like "can," "will," "do," and "did," clues the reader that the sentence is a question, rather than a statement. She needs more practice with this.
Future perfect tense sort of stumps her too: "Computers will be used in businesses and at home." She sees "used" as past tense, and it seems odd to her that "will be used" refers to the future.
We finished the session around 4:15, since the library was to close early, at 4:30. At home, Hubbie informed me that the father of a woman we worked with before retirement died last Thursday, and there was to be visitation tonight from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
So I hurried to complete supper preparations. Hubbie had put leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes into the oven at 4:15, and in my hurry to get supper on the table, I took it out around 4:45. I'd already made gravy to go with it, and sliced bread and fixed coleslaw. So everything was ready early...it also wasn't hot. But we poured hot gravy over it and ate it anyway.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I went to the visitation. This was a well-respected man, so the line was very long to the viewing. We stood there quite a while, mainly for a chance to offer our condolences to the woman with whom we'd worked. The line moved very slowly, though, as the widow spent a lot of time talking with each visitor.
Finally, our friend began moving down the line, talking briefly to each person. When she got to us, she told us that her father, 85, had suffered with Parkinson's Disease, and that recently, it was also discovered that he had four 98% blocked arteries. He also suffered from dementia. The family felt he was in no condition to undergo bypass surgery, so his doctor just put him on medications. Within days, though, he suffered a heart attack and died.
Back home, we watched TV, including this week's episodes of "Vikings," and "The Bible."
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Sunday, March 17
Had one of those nights...trouble going to sleep, then trouble staying asleep. Got up at 8:30, and skipped my exercises. Still hacking and sneezing. Headed straight to the shower, then got dressed.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house right after breakfast, and around 10 a.m. we put together a large meatloaf. Got that into the oven at 10:30. Hubbie peeled potatoes that I boiled and mashed later. The meatloaf, potatoes, along with coleslaw, and Irish soda bread from the freezer, was our nod to St. Patrick's Day, though traditionally the meal should be corned beef and cabbage. But corned beef is salty, so the meatloaf had to stand in.
We had a lazy afternoon, with Mother working on her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie and I reading and watching TV.
The temperature took a sudden dip this afternoon, a shocker after the beautiful day we had yesterday. It also appears now that Mother is experiencing the beginning of a cold, drat it. I'd hoped she could avoid it. We'll have to keep careful watch on her.
After enjoying cups of chai tea late this afternoon, Mother was ready to go home, so Hubbie accompanied her.
Well, it's one thing after another at our house. Had to call the plumber back in Friday, because the downstairs potty is flushing slowly. The diagnosis is that the septic tank needs to be pumped. I figured that it couldn't be done until the ground dries some, since a truck will need to be driven onto the yard, but the plumber said it can be done regardless of the weather, because the guys who do the job are careful to put things right afterward...any ruts will be filled and smoothed. The field tiles will also have to be replaced, meaning a trench will be dug. They will supposedly make sure everything is put to rights with that, too, but I'm thinking the yard will look a bit undone for a while, until grass covers the scars.
Spent the evening watching a couple of forgettable movies I'd recorded on DVR. I only half paid attention to them, preferring instead to play on my laptop or e-reader.
Hubbie's cold seems to have abated, and mine appears to be on the downswing, though I won't go to water aerobics in the morning...don't want a relapse. But I am hoping I'll be well enough to meet my student tomorrow afternoon.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house right after breakfast, and around 10 a.m. we put together a large meatloaf. Got that into the oven at 10:30. Hubbie peeled potatoes that I boiled and mashed later. The meatloaf, potatoes, along with coleslaw, and Irish soda bread from the freezer, was our nod to St. Patrick's Day, though traditionally the meal should be corned beef and cabbage. But corned beef is salty, so the meatloaf had to stand in.
We had a lazy afternoon, with Mother working on her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie and I reading and watching TV.
The temperature took a sudden dip this afternoon, a shocker after the beautiful day we had yesterday. It also appears now that Mother is experiencing the beginning of a cold, drat it. I'd hoped she could avoid it. We'll have to keep careful watch on her.
After enjoying cups of chai tea late this afternoon, Mother was ready to go home, so Hubbie accompanied her.
Well, it's one thing after another at our house. Had to call the plumber back in Friday, because the downstairs potty is flushing slowly. The diagnosis is that the septic tank needs to be pumped. I figured that it couldn't be done until the ground dries some, since a truck will need to be driven onto the yard, but the plumber said it can be done regardless of the weather, because the guys who do the job are careful to put things right afterward...any ruts will be filled and smoothed. The field tiles will also have to be replaced, meaning a trench will be dug. They will supposedly make sure everything is put to rights with that, too, but I'm thinking the yard will look a bit undone for a while, until grass covers the scars.
Spent the evening watching a couple of forgettable movies I'd recorded on DVR. I only half paid attention to them, preferring instead to play on my laptop or e-reader.
Hubbie's cold seems to have abated, and mine appears to be on the downswing, though I won't go to water aerobics in the morning...don't want a relapse. But I am hoping I'll be well enough to meet my student tomorrow afternoon.
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