Up at 7 a.m., but skipped my exercises after breakfast so I could shower, dress, and be ready when Son and Daughter-in-Law arrived. They arrived shortly after Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house.
It was raining a little bit, but Son didn't let that stop him from getting on the job. In no time at all, he got it done. He also dealt with a leak in the sunroom roof.
Before lunch, Hubbie and Son went to the grocery store to pick up coleslaw, which somehow had been overlooked in shopping for groceries yesterday. I asked him to also get an angel food cake mix, and a can of crushed pineapple.
In the meantime, Daughter-in-Law mentioned that she'd like to have a watermelon from the close by town that is famous for them. So I called Hubbie and suggested he go to one of the roadside vendors to pick up a couple...one for Son and Daughter-in-Law, and one for us. The season for them is drawing to a close, and I wanted one more.
When they returned, I noticed that Hubbie had bought an angel food cake instead of an angel food mix. My plan was to bake a pineapple angel food cake, but instead we just had the cake for dessert.
Lunch consisted of barbecue on buns, baked beans, coleslaw, tomatoes from the garden, and the cake, as well as Reliance grapes.
We spent the afternoon visiting after that, until around 2 p.m., when Son and Daughter-in-Law needed to head home, because he had a 3 p.m. appointment.
Hubbie, Mother, and I spent the rest of the afternoon watching a 2011 movie I'd recorded on DVR..."The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." This is a British comedy/drama about several senior citizens, with varying problems, who decide to move into a hotel in India, based on a glowing report of it on the Internet. The hotel turns out to be dilapidated, but they eventually grow to love it, while making new friends. Rated PG-13.
After the movie, we fixed scrambled eggs and toast for supper, using the eggs that Son and Daughter-in-Law brought. I accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and then Hubbie and I watched another movie..."The Gail Devers Story," a 1996 true story film about an Olympic gold medal hurdler, who was diagnosed with Graves Disease (a disease of the thyroid). She was given beta blockers and underwent radiation treatment.
Her feet swelled, cracked and oozed blood. This went on for two years, and just as doctors were considering amputating her feet, it was discovered that radiation treatment was making her disease worse. She eventually overcame her problem and went on to win the 100m in Barcelona. A good story of triumph over adversity.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Thursday, Aug. 8
We were awake for quite awhile last night, thanks to a severe thunderstorm cropping up. At 1:30, I was awakened when I began hearing thunder in the distance. I started counting the seconds between the lightning and the thunder...ten (storm about ten miles away), eight, six, five...and wham! Crashing thunder letting me know it was right on top of us.
The storm arrived quickly, but once here, it stalled, then boomed and crashed continuously for over an hour, causing power havoc. About a dozen time, the outside night light went off, then on, while at the same time, the cable box indoors went off and on, the backup unit to the computer squealed, and the bedside lamp came on automatically. I'd turn it off, and before I knew it, it would come on again.
Finally, at 3 a.m., the storm moved on, and we drifted off to sleep. When we got up, we discovered that the storm had turned on the TV in the den. We got about two and a half inches of rain from the storm. Our veggie garden likes the rain, but we'd prefer it would be delivered in a less frightening way. More storms are predicted for tonight.
Got a message first thing this morning that Son and Daughter-in-Law, and possible other members of the family, will be here tomorrow, so that Son can repair Mother's roof.
So I decided to skip my exercises, and get to work making dishes for the weekend. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house at 9:30, and then he went to a Master Gardener meeting. While he was gone, Mother and I made jelly-filled muffins (these are for Saturday, when Daughter and Great-Granddaughter will be here).
Then we made a recipe of baked beans...these are for tomorrow, to be served with barbecue/hot dogs.
Hubbie returned at noon, and after lunch, he peeled potatoes and sliced them in the food processor. Mother diced carrots, onions, and celery. Then I made potato soup, also for Saturday.
While I put the soup together, Hubbie went to the barbecue shack, and to a grocery store for a few items.
It was 2:30 by the time I finished in the kitchen, but by 3:30, I was in there again, this time to start preparing supper. I sauteed seasoned beef strips, added onions and mushrooms, and beef broth, and let it simmer for awhile, until the beef tenderized.
Later, I cooked noodles, and added them, along with sour cream, to the beef. I like to serve spinach with this meal, but since I didn't have any, I opted for a choice of Lima beans or butter beans.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then went to the WDCS for sandwich makings for Saturday. While he was gone, I spruced the house a little.
It was TV time after that. Around 8:30, we began hearing thunder in the distance.
The storm arrived quickly, but once here, it stalled, then boomed and crashed continuously for over an hour, causing power havoc. About a dozen time, the outside night light went off, then on, while at the same time, the cable box indoors went off and on, the backup unit to the computer squealed, and the bedside lamp came on automatically. I'd turn it off, and before I knew it, it would come on again.
Finally, at 3 a.m., the storm moved on, and we drifted off to sleep. When we got up, we discovered that the storm had turned on the TV in the den. We got about two and a half inches of rain from the storm. Our veggie garden likes the rain, but we'd prefer it would be delivered in a less frightening way. More storms are predicted for tonight.
Got a message first thing this morning that Son and Daughter-in-Law, and possible other members of the family, will be here tomorrow, so that Son can repair Mother's roof.
So I decided to skip my exercises, and get to work making dishes for the weekend. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house at 9:30, and then he went to a Master Gardener meeting. While he was gone, Mother and I made jelly-filled muffins (these are for Saturday, when Daughter and Great-Granddaughter will be here).
Then we made a recipe of baked beans...these are for tomorrow, to be served with barbecue/hot dogs.
Hubbie returned at noon, and after lunch, he peeled potatoes and sliced them in the food processor. Mother diced carrots, onions, and celery. Then I made potato soup, also for Saturday.
While I put the soup together, Hubbie went to the barbecue shack, and to a grocery store for a few items.
It was 2:30 by the time I finished in the kitchen, but by 3:30, I was in there again, this time to start preparing supper. I sauteed seasoned beef strips, added onions and mushrooms, and beef broth, and let it simmer for awhile, until the beef tenderized.
Later, I cooked noodles, and added them, along with sour cream, to the beef. I like to serve spinach with this meal, but since I didn't have any, I opted for a choice of Lima beans or butter beans.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then went to the WDCS for sandwich makings for Saturday. While he was gone, I spruced the house a little.
It was TV time after that. Around 8:30, we began hearing thunder in the distance.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Up around 7:30 this morning, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30.
Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I called a member of the scrapbook club to find out how many volunteer hours she accumulated for the year. This lady loves to chat, so I was on the phone with her for about forty minutes.
I think she would love to start coming to the club meetings again, but she hesitates to drive her car very far (though she lives only about 10 miles from us), so I'm going to contact the other member and ask if she'll drop by and pick this lady up, since the other member has to go right by her house anyway.
The only reason the other member has not done this before is because she lives about twenty miles away, and when she comes for the meeting, she likes to run other errands in town afterward. But if she'd pick this lady up, I could take her back home after the meeting.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that until lunch time. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the bank, to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle, to the pet store to get a pet grooming glove, and to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals. We picked up four-ounce canning jars here, so I can experiment with making wine jelly.
Back home, I relaxed until time to prepare supper. Mother helped in the kitchen by peeling and slicing apples and onions for a pork chop recipe. The recipe calls for six to eight pork chops, but we used only four. To make the recipe, layer the apples (we used three) in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray; layer the onions (we used one) on top of the apples. Place the chops on top, and brush a combination of honey and mustard on them (used a quarter cup of honey and one tablespoon of mustard mixed together). Bake at 325 degree for an hour, or until the meat is done. Double ingredients if using six or eight pork chops.
Served the dish with instant rice, and canned English peas, as well as sliced tomatoes, and the last of the French bread.
Hubbie accompanied Mother back home afterward, and then he and I watched TV, as usual.
Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I called a member of the scrapbook club to find out how many volunteer hours she accumulated for the year. This lady loves to chat, so I was on the phone with her for about forty minutes.
I think she would love to start coming to the club meetings again, but she hesitates to drive her car very far (though she lives only about 10 miles from us), so I'm going to contact the other member and ask if she'll drop by and pick this lady up, since the other member has to go right by her house anyway.
The only reason the other member has not done this before is because she lives about twenty miles away, and when she comes for the meeting, she likes to run other errands in town afterward. But if she'd pick this lady up, I could take her back home after the meeting.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that until lunch time. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the bank, to the newspaper office to drop off this week's word search puzzle, to the pet store to get a pet grooming glove, and to the WDCS for groceries and incidentals. We picked up four-ounce canning jars here, so I can experiment with making wine jelly.
Back home, I relaxed until time to prepare supper. Mother helped in the kitchen by peeling and slicing apples and onions for a pork chop recipe. The recipe calls for six to eight pork chops, but we used only four. To make the recipe, layer the apples (we used three) in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray; layer the onions (we used one) on top of the apples. Place the chops on top, and brush a combination of honey and mustard on them (used a quarter cup of honey and one tablespoon of mustard mixed together). Bake at 325 degree for an hour, or until the meat is done. Double ingredients if using six or eight pork chops.
Served the dish with instant rice, and canned English peas, as well as sliced tomatoes, and the last of the French bread.
Hubbie accompanied Mother back home afterward, and then he and I watched TV, as usual.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Tuesday, Aug. 6
We were startled last night when shortly after we went to bed there came a bright flash of lightning, immediately followed by crashing thunder that rattled the windows and shivered the timbers. It felt like it was right on top of the roof. Got the adrenaline up. I thought the storm would continue, but nothing else happened.
We slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., and then I did stair stepping after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she went to her jigsaw puzzle. Then Hubbie ran errands.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that until lunch time. After lunch, Mother and I made a batch of Venus grape jelly, using the automatic jelly maker. The jelly maker is doing a great job. It's going to be very useful for making small batches of jelly, though I'll still use the old-fashioned pot-on-the-stove method for some things, like making large batches of strawberry jam, and candy apple jelly.
When the jelly was done, Mother went back to her puzzle, and I relaxed and finished a novel on my e-tablet that I borrowed from the library. It'll be automatically removed from my tablet tomorrow or Thursday.
I was behind in reading newspapers, and only got around to reading the Sunday edition this afternoon, along with Monday's state and local editions, today's editions, and the local weekly paper.
Later, I heated leftovers for supper...mashed potatoes, squash casserole, and fried okra. I made a recipe of white gravy to go with the potatoes. I also boiled ears of corn. Mother sliced cold chicken and garden tomatoes for the meal, and buttered French bread for the oven. It was a very satisfying meal.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched TV for the evening, including the 2010 movie, "Red," starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, and Helen Mirrin.
*************************************************
Speaking of TV, when we tuned to the 10 p.m. news last night, we found the picture squashed up...it was about a foot wide right in the middle of the screen. I wondered if the problem was with our TV, or our cable company. I went upstairs to see if it was happening on the bedroom TV...it was. This morning, Mother said it happened on her TV, too. So obviously, it was a problem of the channel. But it sure was comical looking.
That was two nights in a row that we experienced TV problems...Monday night, the TV seized and wouldn't budge. We tried changing the remote batteries, to no avail. So we just turned it off and went to bed, hoping it would right itself by morning. It didn't, but it occurred to Hubbie to unplug the cable box, wait a few minutes, and then plug it back in. That worked...the box reset itself, and we were in business again.
We slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., and then I did stair stepping after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she went to her jigsaw puzzle. Then Hubbie ran errands.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that until lunch time. After lunch, Mother and I made a batch of Venus grape jelly, using the automatic jelly maker. The jelly maker is doing a great job. It's going to be very useful for making small batches of jelly, though I'll still use the old-fashioned pot-on-the-stove method for some things, like making large batches of strawberry jam, and candy apple jelly.
When the jelly was done, Mother went back to her puzzle, and I relaxed and finished a novel on my e-tablet that I borrowed from the library. It'll be automatically removed from my tablet tomorrow or Thursday.
I was behind in reading newspapers, and only got around to reading the Sunday edition this afternoon, along with Monday's state and local editions, today's editions, and the local weekly paper.
Later, I heated leftovers for supper...mashed potatoes, squash casserole, and fried okra. I made a recipe of white gravy to go with the potatoes. I also boiled ears of corn. Mother sliced cold chicken and garden tomatoes for the meal, and buttered French bread for the oven. It was a very satisfying meal.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched TV for the evening, including the 2010 movie, "Red," starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, and Helen Mirrin.
*************************************************
Speaking of TV, when we tuned to the 10 p.m. news last night, we found the picture squashed up...it was about a foot wide right in the middle of the screen. I wondered if the problem was with our TV, or our cable company. I went upstairs to see if it was happening on the bedroom TV...it was. This morning, Mother said it happened on her TV, too. So obviously, it was a problem of the channel. But it sure was comical looking.
That was two nights in a row that we experienced TV problems...Monday night, the TV seized and wouldn't budge. We tried changing the remote batteries, to no avail. So we just turned it off and went to bed, hoping it would right itself by morning. It didn't, but it occurred to Hubbie to unplug the cable box, wait a few minutes, and then plug it back in. That worked...the box reset itself, and we were in business again.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday, Aug. 5
Was startled awake last night when a sizable limb snapped out of a tree and grazed the roof near the bedroom. Hubbie slept through the noise, but I woke him up to go and inspect. No harm was done, and the limb landed between the east end of the house and the garage.
Slept late, until after 8 a.m., but did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she worked on her jigsaw puzzle.
Got some rain today, about a half an inch according to the rain gauge, though it seemed like more, because it came down pretty hard for a while, and then continued drizzling after that.
Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I made a few phone calls...to the scrapbook club members to get their volunteer hours for the year; to the ophthalmologist's office to make an appointment; and to a dinner theater in the capital city to make reservations for a show. I have two complimentary tickets, won at the recent arts council summer celebration silent auction, but I needed another one for Mother.
I didn't reach either of the scrapbook club members...kept getting a busy signal for one, and had to leave a message for the other. This one called back later in the day to give me her hours, and to tell me she has acquired some punches and templates for the club. I'm anxious to see them and try them out.
Went upstairs after that, and it was nearly noon before I came back down. After lunch, Mother and I made a batch of Venus grape jelly. Naturally, I discovered I didn't have enough pectin for this, and Hubbie had to go to the grocery store for me.
While he was gone, I measured the juice, cold from the refrigerator, into a four cup glass measuring cup and put it in the microwave to heat a little, to bring it to room temperature. Then I gathered all the other stuff needed for making jelly.
When I'd gathered everything, I looked for the juice. But where was it? It wasn't on the counter, and I hadn't already poured it in the pan. Hm-m-m....did I put back it in the refrigerator, on a pantry shelf, in the other refrigerator? I was completely baffled, and Mother couldn't help me, because she didn't know where I'd put it either, even though she was sitting right there in the kitchen when I put it...(I finally remembered) in the microwave, of course.
I seriously worry about my brain sometimes...
When the jelly was done, Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle, and I relaxed with the newspapers and my novel on e-tablet until time to fix supper.
Had leftover spaghetti, sliced tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and French bread. The tomatoes from our garden are so mouth-watering delicious.
After supper, Hubbie went out to the garden and brought in banana peppers and okra. We put the peppers in the freezer...a quart of them. We'll collect the okra until there's enough to cook in a few days.
Watched TV after that until bedtime.
Slept late, until after 8 a.m., but did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she worked on her jigsaw puzzle.
Got some rain today, about a half an inch according to the rain gauge, though it seemed like more, because it came down pretty hard for a while, and then continued drizzling after that.
Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I made a few phone calls...to the scrapbook club members to get their volunteer hours for the year; to the ophthalmologist's office to make an appointment; and to a dinner theater in the capital city to make reservations for a show. I have two complimentary tickets, won at the recent arts council summer celebration silent auction, but I needed another one for Mother.
I didn't reach either of the scrapbook club members...kept getting a busy signal for one, and had to leave a message for the other. This one called back later in the day to give me her hours, and to tell me she has acquired some punches and templates for the club. I'm anxious to see them and try them out.
Went upstairs after that, and it was nearly noon before I came back down. After lunch, Mother and I made a batch of Venus grape jelly. Naturally, I discovered I didn't have enough pectin for this, and Hubbie had to go to the grocery store for me.
While he was gone, I measured the juice, cold from the refrigerator, into a four cup glass measuring cup and put it in the microwave to heat a little, to bring it to room temperature. Then I gathered all the other stuff needed for making jelly.
When I'd gathered everything, I looked for the juice. But where was it? It wasn't on the counter, and I hadn't already poured it in the pan. Hm-m-m....did I put back it in the refrigerator, on a pantry shelf, in the other refrigerator? I was completely baffled, and Mother couldn't help me, because she didn't know where I'd put it either, even though she was sitting right there in the kitchen when I put it...(I finally remembered) in the microwave, of course.
I seriously worry about my brain sometimes...
When the jelly was done, Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle, and I relaxed with the newspapers and my novel on e-tablet until time to fix supper.
Had leftover spaghetti, sliced tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and French bread. The tomatoes from our garden are so mouth-watering delicious.
After supper, Hubbie went out to the garden and brought in banana peppers and okra. We put the peppers in the freezer...a quart of them. We'll collect the okra until there's enough to cook in a few days.
Watched TV after that until bedtime.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Sunday, Aug. 4
Up around 7:30, but skipped my exercises, as usual on Sundays. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30. I got ready for the day, and then Mother and I headed to the kitchen to begin lunch preparations.
She sliced fresh okra (some from our garden, and some we bought at the farmer's market), and Hubbie peeled potatoes.
Around 11 a.m., I started the potatoes cooking, and fried the okra, along with three chicken breasts. Later, I mashed the potatoes, made white gravy, and heated slices of buttered French bread. It was a soul-satisfying meal. I'd cooked quite a bit of okra, and thought there'd be enough left for another meal. But we must have been really okra hungry, because we ate all but a tiny bit of it.
Afterward, we spent the afternoon watching the final episodes of "Wind at My Back." We're sorry the series ended after five seasons. In reading about it online, I learned the show was unexpectedly cancelled in 2001. However, there is a Christmas movie featuring most of the cast that attempts to tie up loose ends. I think I'll see if the library can order it.
We finished watching the series around 5 p.m., and then Mother was ready to go home, so Hubbie accompanied her. We sent some pancakes home with her to have for her supper if she gets hungry later.
We had some for our supper around 7 p.m., then we watched mysteries from the PBS channel.
*********************************************
There was thunder in the distance a few times today, but no rain here. Other parts of the county got some though. It's not uncommon for it to rain all around the area, but skip us. There's still a 40% chance for rain tomorrow, so maybe we'll get some then.
She sliced fresh okra (some from our garden, and some we bought at the farmer's market), and Hubbie peeled potatoes.
Around 11 a.m., I started the potatoes cooking, and fried the okra, along with three chicken breasts. Later, I mashed the potatoes, made white gravy, and heated slices of buttered French bread. It was a soul-satisfying meal. I'd cooked quite a bit of okra, and thought there'd be enough left for another meal. But we must have been really okra hungry, because we ate all but a tiny bit of it.
Afterward, we spent the afternoon watching the final episodes of "Wind at My Back." We're sorry the series ended after five seasons. In reading about it online, I learned the show was unexpectedly cancelled in 2001. However, there is a Christmas movie featuring most of the cast that attempts to tie up loose ends. I think I'll see if the library can order it.
We finished watching the series around 5 p.m., and then Mother was ready to go home, so Hubbie accompanied her. We sent some pancakes home with her to have for her supper if she gets hungry later.
We had some for our supper around 7 p.m., then we watched mysteries from the PBS channel.
*********************************************
There was thunder in the distance a few times today, but no rain here. Other parts of the county got some though. It's not uncommon for it to rain all around the area, but skip us. There's still a 40% chance for rain tomorrow, so maybe we'll get some then.
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