Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m. Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Didn't do much else before lunch other than get ready for the day.
After lunch, I gathered ingredients and supplies for making jelly. Mother helped, and we made a batch of candy apple jelly. Got five half pints to use as gifts during the holidays.
Mother went to her puzzle afterward, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and I did this and that until time to prepare supper.
Tonight, my supper plan was various leftovers...mashed potatoes and gravy, corn-on-the-cob, macaroni and cheese, cheesy rice, okra, and sauteed squash.
Just as I put the meal in the oven to heat, Niece and Daughter arrived. They brought a couple of rotisserie chickens with them, along with microwave mashed potatoes, and microwave asparagus.
While the meal heated, we visited. Niece said she was in the area, because she needed to deliver some clothes to her son, who was performing in a town about 45 minutes away. She didn't want to travel alone, so she called Daughter to ride with her.
The meal was very good, and afterward, we spent more time visiting until around 7:30, when Niece said she needed to head home.
We really enjoyed catching up on Niece's life. We don't get a chance to visit much, since Niece, who is a teacher, is very busy. I suggested that if she has no other plans she should come back next Saturday, since both Sis and Daughter will be here. She said she will see how things work out and try to come.
After Sis and Daughter left, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he and I watched episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Friday, Aug. 23
Had trouble going to sleep last night, so 6 a.m. rolled around way too soon. But I dragged myself out of bed anyway to get ready to go to water aerobics.
The pool was cool, but not cold, and I enjoyed it. Nineteen of us showed up for the session, including one lady who has been away for a long time battling a colon problem that nearly carried her off.
Interesting: there are now four of us at the pool with my name...must have been a popular baby name back in the day.
I treated myself to a new swimsuit, purchased a few weeks ago at an online site that specializes in sturdy swimwear, and started wearing it Monday. The suit is navy blue with a bodice striped in green and aqua colors. It's guaranteed to not fade, and to give at least 300 hours of swim time without stretching out. I hope so, because other swimsuits I've bought faded and stretched out in only a couple of months in a chlorinated pool. To get more use from them, I either wore underwear with them, or threw a pair of shorts on over them.
This new suit is fully lined, unlike regular ones. It's comfortable to wear, too, but not easy to get into....I have to wriggle into it like a girdle. A couple of other ladies at the pool have similar swimsuits from the same online site, and they said they also have trouble wriggling into them.
We've noticed that the pool no longer smells like chlorine, though, so we think it is being treated with some other chemical. Hopefully it is one that is gentle on swimsuits. At least I don't smell like a swimming pool after our sessions. No matter how much soap I used in showering before, the odor of chlorine persisted. Now, my skin has no odor from the pool.
Back home after aerobics, I relaxed with a cup of coffee, while Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I gathered ingredients for making another recipe of mushroom soup, since I still had quite a bit of fat-free half-and-half in the fridge.
Mother was ready for a job to do, so she went ahead and sliced the mushrooms, and diced onions. Once those were ready, I decided I might as well go ahead and make the soup. When it was done, around 10:30, I went upstairs.
An hour later, I was ready to think about getting lunch on the table. We had Chinese chicken soup and crackers. Afterward, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I worked on a financial report for the Extension Homemakers.
This is a report required by the federal government, in which all clubs must give an accounting of their treasuries. Ours is so inconsequential that it's almost laughable that we have to report it. Nevertheless, I gave a line-by-line accounting ($3 received in monthly dues, $4 spent on Christmas stockings for children, etc.). Fortunately, I've kept accurate records, making it easier to report.
After that, I caught up on reading newspapers, and otherwise goofed off until time to prepare supper. Tonight's meal was breakfast for supper. Hubbie did the honors of making French toast, and I fixed bacon and scrambled eggs, heated syrup and coffee, set the table, etc.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched more episodes of "One Tree Hill."
The pool was cool, but not cold, and I enjoyed it. Nineteen of us showed up for the session, including one lady who has been away for a long time battling a colon problem that nearly carried her off.
Interesting: there are now four of us at the pool with my name...must have been a popular baby name back in the day.
I treated myself to a new swimsuit, purchased a few weeks ago at an online site that specializes in sturdy swimwear, and started wearing it Monday. The suit is navy blue with a bodice striped in green and aqua colors. It's guaranteed to not fade, and to give at least 300 hours of swim time without stretching out. I hope so, because other swimsuits I've bought faded and stretched out in only a couple of months in a chlorinated pool. To get more use from them, I either wore underwear with them, or threw a pair of shorts on over them.
This new suit is fully lined, unlike regular ones. It's comfortable to wear, too, but not easy to get into....I have to wriggle into it like a girdle. A couple of other ladies at the pool have similar swimsuits from the same online site, and they said they also have trouble wriggling into them.
We've noticed that the pool no longer smells like chlorine, though, so we think it is being treated with some other chemical. Hopefully it is one that is gentle on swimsuits. At least I don't smell like a swimming pool after our sessions. No matter how much soap I used in showering before, the odor of chlorine persisted. Now, my skin has no odor from the pool.
Back home after aerobics, I relaxed with a cup of coffee, while Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I gathered ingredients for making another recipe of mushroom soup, since I still had quite a bit of fat-free half-and-half in the fridge.
Mother was ready for a job to do, so she went ahead and sliced the mushrooms, and diced onions. Once those were ready, I decided I might as well go ahead and make the soup. When it was done, around 10:30, I went upstairs.
An hour later, I was ready to think about getting lunch on the table. We had Chinese chicken soup and crackers. Afterward, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I worked on a financial report for the Extension Homemakers.
This is a report required by the federal government, in which all clubs must give an accounting of their treasuries. Ours is so inconsequential that it's almost laughable that we have to report it. Nevertheless, I gave a line-by-line accounting ($3 received in monthly dues, $4 spent on Christmas stockings for children, etc.). Fortunately, I've kept accurate records, making it easier to report.
After that, I caught up on reading newspapers, and otherwise goofed off until time to prepare supper. Tonight's meal was breakfast for supper. Hubbie did the honors of making French toast, and I fixed bacon and scrambled eggs, heated syrup and coffee, set the table, etc.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched more episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Thursday, Aug. 22
Up at 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she worked on her puzzle while I got ready for the day.
Once I was dressed, I did this and that for the rest of the morning. For lunch, Hubbie made grilled cheese sandwiches for us. Then he went out to work in the yard.
Just after 1 p.m., Mother and I went to the beauty shop for haircuts. Today, my hairdresser was full of stories about her daughter's recent wedding, and the upcoming wedding of her son. An announcement of her daughter's wedding was in tonight's local newspaper.
Her daughter opted for a country-themed wedding, using burlap, driftwood, and mason jars for decorations, but choosing a traditional white gown and veil for herself, and pink chiffon dresses for her bridesmaids. The groom, groomsmen, and ring bearer wore khaki vests and khaki slacks with ivory shirts and ties. Pink rose bouquets and pomanders complimented the theme.
Today, my hairdresser and I discovered that we are both planners and list makers, and that we are first children who like to organize things and get others moving. We soon learned that we are both Capricorns, born in January, just one birth day apart (though several years separate us).
Went first to the greeting card shop to get a wedding card for Hubbie's granddaughter, who is to be married on Labor Day. From there, I went to a grocery store. My main reason for going there was to get a head of cabbage to use in making Chinese soup for supper. But while I was there, I also got a package of mushrooms for making more cream of mushroom soup, and a bottle of apple juice for making candy apple jelly.
On the way back home, I noticed that there had been a rain shower beginning at the four-way stop and ending just beyond the college. From that point to our house, the pavement was completely dry.
Later, Hubbie decided to go visit our injured cat at the vet's office. When he returned, he said that the pavement was wet beginning at the vet's office, and ending at the cutoff just down the road from our house. Ironically, not a drop fell between those two rain shower points, where our house is located.
The Chinese chicken soup hit the spot for supper, even though it's a summer night. Served jelly-filled muffins with the soup.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he and I watched more episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Once I was dressed, I did this and that for the rest of the morning. For lunch, Hubbie made grilled cheese sandwiches for us. Then he went out to work in the yard.
Just after 1 p.m., Mother and I went to the beauty shop for haircuts. Today, my hairdresser was full of stories about her daughter's recent wedding, and the upcoming wedding of her son. An announcement of her daughter's wedding was in tonight's local newspaper.
Her daughter opted for a country-themed wedding, using burlap, driftwood, and mason jars for decorations, but choosing a traditional white gown and veil for herself, and pink chiffon dresses for her bridesmaids. The groom, groomsmen, and ring bearer wore khaki vests and khaki slacks with ivory shirts and ties. Pink rose bouquets and pomanders complimented the theme.
Today, my hairdresser and I discovered that we are both planners and list makers, and that we are first children who like to organize things and get others moving. We soon learned that we are both Capricorns, born in January, just one birth day apart (though several years separate us).
Went first to the greeting card shop to get a wedding card for Hubbie's granddaughter, who is to be married on Labor Day. From there, I went to a grocery store. My main reason for going there was to get a head of cabbage to use in making Chinese soup for supper. But while I was there, I also got a package of mushrooms for making more cream of mushroom soup, and a bottle of apple juice for making candy apple jelly.
On the way back home, I noticed that there had been a rain shower beginning at the four-way stop and ending just beyond the college. From that point to our house, the pavement was completely dry.
Later, Hubbie decided to go visit our injured cat at the vet's office. When he returned, he said that the pavement was wet beginning at the vet's office, and ending at the cutoff just down the road from our house. Ironically, not a drop fell between those two rain shower points, where our house is located.
The Chinese chicken soup hit the spot for supper, even though it's a summer night. Served jelly-filled muffins with the soup.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he and I watched more episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
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."
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."
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Tuesday, Aug. 20
Up at 7:30, and did stair stepping exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30.
Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, we decided to make a batch of strawberry jam, so I gathered all the utensils and ingredients, and we set to work. Made two pints and two half pints. All of them sealed following a water bath but one. So we opened it, poured it into another clean jar, put a new lid and ring on it, and put it in the water bath again. It sealed that time. In checking the first lid, we found that it had a little chink in it, just enough to keep it from sitting correctly on the jar rim.
Once the jam was cooling, I went upstairs. By the time I was dressed, it was near noon, so I fixed lunch...Ramen noodle soup for Mother, mushroom soup for me, and PB&J for Hubbie.
Afterward, Mother worked on a jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie went out to mow the yard, and I went shopping.
Stopped first at a department store, where I hoped to use a couple of $10 coupons. I browsed the store for quite a while, and tried on a couple of blouses, neither of which worked...one with vertical stripes in a variety of pastel colors that hung on me like an awning, and a form-fitting rust colored three-quarter-length-sleeve shirt that poofed out in an unflattering way around my shoulder blades. I don't know if the problem with styles these days is my goofy shape, or the goofy cut of the clothing.
Finally, I found a brown knit long-sleeve shirt, with animal print cuffs and collar that cost $7 after the coupon. I would have used the other coupon to buy a purse for Mother, but of course, it was an exclusion item. So Hubbie can go to the store and see if he can find something he can use.
From there, I went to a music/book/movie store to browse. I have a couple of gift cards for that store. Didn't see anything I wanted, so I'll just save the gift cards until something occurs to me. I like buying movies, particularly musicals that I can watch over and over again.
Next I went to the greeting card shop, where I looked for a jigsaw puzzle for Mother, but I didn't like any of the ones they have. However, I was told there are new ones on order, so I will check back there later. I have a $5 coupon for that store, so I'm hoping to use it to buy a puzzle for Mother for Christmas.
Finally, I stopped at another department store, where I looked for sheets for the master bedroom. I found some microfiber ones in queen size on sale for $20 a set. But the matching pillowcases were priced at $29. What's up with that? I don't think I want to pay more for pillowcases than for sheets.
So I headed back home. By the time I got here, it was around 3 p.m. I relaxed with the newspapers, and then around 4 p.m. started supper. Mother helped by slicing tomatoes and Vidalia onions for BLT's (with onion). I put a dish of macaroni and cheese in the oven, and heated water for corn-on-the-cob.
The supper was very good. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV, including several more episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, we decided to make a batch of strawberry jam, so I gathered all the utensils and ingredients, and we set to work. Made two pints and two half pints. All of them sealed following a water bath but one. So we opened it, poured it into another clean jar, put a new lid and ring on it, and put it in the water bath again. It sealed that time. In checking the first lid, we found that it had a little chink in it, just enough to keep it from sitting correctly on the jar rim.
Once the jam was cooling, I went upstairs. By the time I was dressed, it was near noon, so I fixed lunch...Ramen noodle soup for Mother, mushroom soup for me, and PB&J for Hubbie.
Afterward, Mother worked on a jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie went out to mow the yard, and I went shopping.
Stopped first at a department store, where I hoped to use a couple of $10 coupons. I browsed the store for quite a while, and tried on a couple of blouses, neither of which worked...one with vertical stripes in a variety of pastel colors that hung on me like an awning, and a form-fitting rust colored three-quarter-length-sleeve shirt that poofed out in an unflattering way around my shoulder blades. I don't know if the problem with styles these days is my goofy shape, or the goofy cut of the clothing.
Finally, I found a brown knit long-sleeve shirt, with animal print cuffs and collar that cost $7 after the coupon. I would have used the other coupon to buy a purse for Mother, but of course, it was an exclusion item. So Hubbie can go to the store and see if he can find something he can use.
From there, I went to a music/book/movie store to browse. I have a couple of gift cards for that store. Didn't see anything I wanted, so I'll just save the gift cards until something occurs to me. I like buying movies, particularly musicals that I can watch over and over again.
Next I went to the greeting card shop, where I looked for a jigsaw puzzle for Mother, but I didn't like any of the ones they have. However, I was told there are new ones on order, so I will check back there later. I have a $5 coupon for that store, so I'm hoping to use it to buy a puzzle for Mother for Christmas.
Finally, I stopped at another department store, where I looked for sheets for the master bedroom. I found some microfiber ones in queen size on sale for $20 a set. But the matching pillowcases were priced at $29. What's up with that? I don't think I want to pay more for pillowcases than for sheets.
So I headed back home. By the time I got here, it was around 3 p.m. I relaxed with the newspapers, and then around 4 p.m. started supper. Mother helped by slicing tomatoes and Vidalia onions for BLT's (with onion). I put a dish of macaroni and cheese in the oven, and heated water for corn-on-the-cob.
The supper was very good. Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV, including several more episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Monday, August 19, 2013
Monday, Aug. 19
Up around 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I washed veggies for Mother to slice...squash and okra. Hubbie shucked corn given to us by Son (he grew it in his garden). The okra, and some of the squash was from our garden.
Once I was dressed, I booted the office computer and wrote a letter to Mother's and my friend, to include in a birthday card I made at last week's scrapbook club meeting. Our friend is in her early 80s, and adamantly refuses to learn to use a computer.
She's a staunch believer in hand-written letters, but I'm not about to cramp my fingers handwriting a letter, so she'll have to be satisfied with a typewritten one. She hand writes a weekly letter to our other friend, who lives in a town a couple of hours east of us. That friend sometimes hand writes one back, or types one, if she's not in the handwriting mood.
Even though our friend lives right here in town, we don't often get to see her. Our opportunity to visit usually comes when our other friend spends a few days with her, and we all get together for a couple of hours.
It was close to noon by them time I came back downstairs, so I fixed our lunch...Ramen noodle soup for Mother, mushroom soup for me, and pork roast sandwich for Hubbie.
After lunch, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I played on my tablet, caught up on reading newspapers, and worked this week's word search puzzle contest.
Around 4 p.m., Mother diced onion and banana pepper to be added to the yellow squash, which I sauteed in olive oil. I coated the okra with flour and cornmeal, mixed with spices, and fried it. Also set a pot of corn-on-the-cob cooking. The corn came from Son's garden, and was tender delicious. Added sliced tomatoes from the garden, and a choice of cornbread or biscuits with honey. Very satisfying meal.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched a DVD we borrowed from the library, "One Tree Hill," a TV sports drama series, which ran from 2003 to 2012.
Once I was dressed, I booted the office computer and wrote a letter to Mother's and my friend, to include in a birthday card I made at last week's scrapbook club meeting. Our friend is in her early 80s, and adamantly refuses to learn to use a computer.
She's a staunch believer in hand-written letters, but I'm not about to cramp my fingers handwriting a letter, so she'll have to be satisfied with a typewritten one. She hand writes a weekly letter to our other friend, who lives in a town a couple of hours east of us. That friend sometimes hand writes one back, or types one, if she's not in the handwriting mood.
Even though our friend lives right here in town, we don't often get to see her. Our opportunity to visit usually comes when our other friend spends a few days with her, and we all get together for a couple of hours.
It was close to noon by them time I came back downstairs, so I fixed our lunch...Ramen noodle soup for Mother, mushroom soup for me, and pork roast sandwich for Hubbie.
After lunch, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I played on my tablet, caught up on reading newspapers, and worked this week's word search puzzle contest.
Around 4 p.m., Mother diced onion and banana pepper to be added to the yellow squash, which I sauteed in olive oil. I coated the okra with flour and cornmeal, mixed with spices, and fried it. Also set a pot of corn-on-the-cob cooking. The corn came from Son's garden, and was tender delicious. Added sliced tomatoes from the garden, and a choice of cornbread or biscuits with honey. Very satisfying meal.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched a DVD we borrowed from the library, "One Tree Hill," a TV sports drama series, which ran from 2003 to 2012.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Sunday, Aug. 18
Up at 7 a.m. to get ready to go to a dinner theater in the capital city. We arrived just before 11:30 a.m., too late to snag a handicap space, but the space we did get was close enough to the door anyway.
The theater is very old, so it was not originally constructed to accommodate handicapped folks. But they do have a portable metal ramp to use when needed. While Hubbie bought an extra ticket for Mother (we had two already...ones I'd won at the arts council summer celebration silent auction) a staff member and I got mother up the ramp and to her place at a table near the entrance.
Then I went through the buffet line to get her lunch and mine. Today's choices were spaghetti and sauce, Chinese fare, pork slices in sauce, beef with potatoes and gravy, or ham, along with a variety of sides and salad. I chose pork slices in a sauce for both of us, and rice and Chinese veggies, including stuffed pepper pods. Turned out the sauce on the pork was a bit spicy, so Mother couldn't eat it. The stuffed pepper pods were really good, though.
There was a choice of desserts, too, and we all got peanut butter mousse topped with chocolate. That wasn't enough chocolate for me, though, so Hubbie went back and got us each chocolate cake.
The show, "South Pacific," was really well done, and we enjoyed it. The cast played to a nearly packed house of mainly senior citizens. Matinees attract mostly the gray-haired bunch, including us. I don't think Mother would be able to bear up under a two-hour trip to the theater, a three-hour evening performance, and a two-hour trip back.
There was an intermission, of course, during which every woman in the place trooped off to the ladies' room. We waited for a few minutes before I asked a staff member to get the ramp ready for Mother.
Even after waiting to get in line, the line was still long. When we finally did get to the front, we still had to wait, because some woman in the handicap stall seemed to have taken up residence there. We allowed other women to go around us to other stalls as they became available. Finally, the lady vacated the handicap stall, and it was our turn.
I wondered if we'd be late getting back to our table, but outside the bathroom, a staff member said the curtain wouldn't go up until we were seated.
The play ended around 3:15, and staff brought the ramp out again, so we could be on our way. They couldn't leave the ramp up all the time, because cast members entered and exited through that doorway....sometimes dancing, sometimes singing. The first cast member who did that sort of startled us, particularly Mother, who was nearest to his path.
We were seated at a corner table, on the upper level of the three-quarter round theater. It wasn't the best placement. Mother and I could see the stage just fine, but Hubbie's chair seemed to be in a direct line with a big-haired lady seated on the level below us. He maneuvered his chair closer to mine and had a better view. The only part of the stage we couldn't see was the recessed area that had a painted scrim in the background...we finally gathered that it was a picture of an island across the way.
Note one: as is the case with most events like this, an announcement was made beforehand that we should turn off our cell phones. And is usually the case, someone's phone rang.during the performance, anyway. Very disruptive.
Note two: even though it was a mostly senior citizen audience, I think there were very few, if any, who were involved in WWII. Most would have been children during that time. I was a baby. Mother is of an age to clearly remember the war, of course. There is so much literature, and so many movies, plays, and music featuring the era, though, that I almost feel as if I remember it.
We were back home around 5:30, and Mother was ready to go to her house shortly afterward. Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV. Nothing very exciting, just a Hallmark romance movie.
It was a good day, and beautiful weather for the trip.
The theater is very old, so it was not originally constructed to accommodate handicapped folks. But they do have a portable metal ramp to use when needed. While Hubbie bought an extra ticket for Mother (we had two already...ones I'd won at the arts council summer celebration silent auction) a staff member and I got mother up the ramp and to her place at a table near the entrance.
Then I went through the buffet line to get her lunch and mine. Today's choices were spaghetti and sauce, Chinese fare, pork slices in sauce, beef with potatoes and gravy, or ham, along with a variety of sides and salad. I chose pork slices in a sauce for both of us, and rice and Chinese veggies, including stuffed pepper pods. Turned out the sauce on the pork was a bit spicy, so Mother couldn't eat it. The stuffed pepper pods were really good, though.
There was a choice of desserts, too, and we all got peanut butter mousse topped with chocolate. That wasn't enough chocolate for me, though, so Hubbie went back and got us each chocolate cake.
The show, "South Pacific," was really well done, and we enjoyed it. The cast played to a nearly packed house of mainly senior citizens. Matinees attract mostly the gray-haired bunch, including us. I don't think Mother would be able to bear up under a two-hour trip to the theater, a three-hour evening performance, and a two-hour trip back.
There was an intermission, of course, during which every woman in the place trooped off to the ladies' room. We waited for a few minutes before I asked a staff member to get the ramp ready for Mother.
Even after waiting to get in line, the line was still long. When we finally did get to the front, we still had to wait, because some woman in the handicap stall seemed to have taken up residence there. We allowed other women to go around us to other stalls as they became available. Finally, the lady vacated the handicap stall, and it was our turn.
I wondered if we'd be late getting back to our table, but outside the bathroom, a staff member said the curtain wouldn't go up until we were seated.
The play ended around 3:15, and staff brought the ramp out again, so we could be on our way. They couldn't leave the ramp up all the time, because cast members entered and exited through that doorway....sometimes dancing, sometimes singing. The first cast member who did that sort of startled us, particularly Mother, who was nearest to his path.
We were seated at a corner table, on the upper level of the three-quarter round theater. It wasn't the best placement. Mother and I could see the stage just fine, but Hubbie's chair seemed to be in a direct line with a big-haired lady seated on the level below us. He maneuvered his chair closer to mine and had a better view. The only part of the stage we couldn't see was the recessed area that had a painted scrim in the background...we finally gathered that it was a picture of an island across the way.
Note one: as is the case with most events like this, an announcement was made beforehand that we should turn off our cell phones. And is usually the case, someone's phone rang.during the performance, anyway. Very disruptive.
Note two: even though it was a mostly senior citizen audience, I think there were very few, if any, who were involved in WWII. Most would have been children during that time. I was a baby. Mother is of an age to clearly remember the war, of course. There is so much literature, and so many movies, plays, and music featuring the era, though, that I almost feel as if I remember it.
We were back home around 5:30, and Mother was ready to go to her house shortly afterward. Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching TV. Nothing very exciting, just a Hallmark romance movie.
It was a good day, and beautiful weather for the trip.
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