Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m. After breakfast, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, where she sliced large green tomatoes for the freezer, while I did stair stepping exercises.
Before I went upstairs to get ready for the day, I washed green beans from the garden for Mother to snap. It has taken about a week to harvest enough beans to cook. When I came back downstairs I set the beans to simmering...Mother had diced an onion and some banana peppers to add to the pot, and I added cans of low-salt chicken and beef broths, no-salt seasoning, pepper, and paprika.
For lunch, Hubbie made grilled cheese sandwiches for us. Afterward, Mother and I made a batch of strawberry jam. Unfortunately, it didn't jell. I was afraid that would happen when we got nearly five pints of product, instead of the usual four. Apparently, Mother incorrectly measured either the strawberries or the sugar, or both. I feel responsible, since I didn't watch her measure them.
These jars of jam were earmarked for Hubbie's daughter, who buys four jars of strawberry each year. I'll just have to make another batch, and if Mother helps, I'll be sure to watch her measure the ingredients.
This is the second batch of strawberries that have been messed up...the first was unusable for making jam when Mother mistakenly poured the sugar into the strawberries before I'd boiled the berries with pectin.
Mother likes to work in the kitchen, so I make sure she has jobs to do, but when accurate measuring is crucial, I'm going to have to be more diligent about watching her.
After the strawberry jam making session, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie went out to the yard, and I called a high school classmate.
The woman I called is married to a man who was also a classmate. He is suffering from Parkinson's Disease, and is in decline. I learned this from a woman who attended Hubbie's granddaughter's wedding last Monday. She lives in the same small town as my classmates, and she said the woman, who is basically housebound taking care of her husband, gets easily depressed and needs outside contact. I enjoyed visiting by phone with her.
After that I answered an e-mail letter from a friend (the one who visits another friend in our town from time to time). I sent a birthday card and a long letter (she has no computer) to our in-town friend recently, and in the past, she has always called me after receiving a card. I worried when I didn't hear from her, but I assumed she had gone on an extended visit with her daughter.
I learned from the other friend that this lady has been suffering depression for a while, due to opting not to take a prescribed medication. So her daughter did come and get her. She stayed with her daughter for quite some time. I was glad to learn that she is now on the mend and returning to her regular routine. She's in her 80s, and has twice suffered breast cancer.
Later, for supper, we had BLT's with Vidalia onions, and sides of leftover beans and ham, and the last of the scalloped potatoes.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and then he and I turned on the radio to listen as our favorite college football team played to a win.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Friday, September 6, 2013
Friday, Sept. 6
Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for water aerobics. It was actually a bit cool outdoors for the t-shirt and shorts swimsuit cover up I wore this morning. But it had warmed up nicely by the time aerobics was over. The pool was nippy, too, but I got used to it. Twenty of us showed up for the session today.
Back home afterwards, I enjoyed cups of coffee, and then went upstairs to get shower and dress. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and she went to her jigsaw puzzle.
Back downstairs, I didn't accomplish much before lunch other than planning next week's menu. For lunch, Mother had her usual Ramen noodle soup, while Hubbie and I settled for PB&J sandwiches.
After lunch, Mother and I made peach jam, using some of the fresh peaches Hubbie and I brought home from our trip. We used the automatic jelly maker to make the jam, which yielded two pints, plus a little more that Mother took home later. Peach jam is her favorite flavor.
Mother went back to her puzzle after that, and Hubbie and I ran errands...to the library to pick up DVDs, to the farmer's market, where we bought large green tomatoes to slice for the freezer; and to the WDCS for a few groceries.
Back home, I occupied myself catching up on reading a week's worth of newspapers, and Hubble went to the vet's office to check on the cat that suffered a pelvic injury when she was hit by a car. The cat has been at the vet's for two weeks, and was ready to come home. She's in a cage in the sunroom right now, because she can't live outside anymore. She wobbles when she walks, and can't defend herself. Not sure what we're going to do with her yet. The only payment the vet asked for was a sack of cat food.
Around 4 p.m., Mother helped get things ready for supper...she added leftover baked potatoes to the remainder of the scalloped potatoes, which she topped with slices of American cheese. I put the dish of potatoes, along with a dish of beans and ham, and a dish of leftover veggies....sauteed cabbage and asparagus. Later, Mother mixed a batch of cornbread for the oven, and sliced garden tomatoes to go with the meal.
After supper, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched episodes of "One Tree Hill." This soap-opera like series features supposed teens, played by actors who are obviously not. They attend a high school where all of the kids are (not very realistically) slender and beautiful.
The plots revolve around the on-again-off-again love lives of the teens. There's a self-serving father of a couple of the basketball star kids, who once was a basketball star himself, and has never lived beyond it. He is frustrated, angry, and not above doing whatever it takes to get his way. Various other adults throw monkey wrenches into things, too.
Back home afterwards, I enjoyed cups of coffee, and then went upstairs to get shower and dress. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and she went to her jigsaw puzzle.
Back downstairs, I didn't accomplish much before lunch other than planning next week's menu. For lunch, Mother had her usual Ramen noodle soup, while Hubbie and I settled for PB&J sandwiches.
After lunch, Mother and I made peach jam, using some of the fresh peaches Hubbie and I brought home from our trip. We used the automatic jelly maker to make the jam, which yielded two pints, plus a little more that Mother took home later. Peach jam is her favorite flavor.
Mother went back to her puzzle after that, and Hubbie and I ran errands...to the library to pick up DVDs, to the farmer's market, where we bought large green tomatoes to slice for the freezer; and to the WDCS for a few groceries.
Back home, I occupied myself catching up on reading a week's worth of newspapers, and Hubble went to the vet's office to check on the cat that suffered a pelvic injury when she was hit by a car. The cat has been at the vet's for two weeks, and was ready to come home. She's in a cage in the sunroom right now, because she can't live outside anymore. She wobbles when she walks, and can't defend herself. Not sure what we're going to do with her yet. The only payment the vet asked for was a sack of cat food.
Around 4 p.m., Mother helped get things ready for supper...she added leftover baked potatoes to the remainder of the scalloped potatoes, which she topped with slices of American cheese. I put the dish of potatoes, along with a dish of beans and ham, and a dish of leftover veggies....sauteed cabbage and asparagus. Later, Mother mixed a batch of cornbread for the oven, and sliced garden tomatoes to go with the meal.
After supper, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched episodes of "One Tree Hill." This soap-opera like series features supposed teens, played by actors who are obviously not. They attend a high school where all of the kids are (not very realistically) slender and beautiful.
The plots revolve around the on-again-off-again love lives of the teens. There's a self-serving father of a couple of the basketball star kids, who once was a basketball star himself, and has never lived beyond it. He is frustrated, angry, and not above doing whatever it takes to get his way. Various other adults throw monkey wrenches into things, too.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Thursday, Sept. 5
Slept late, until around 8 a.m., then did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and she diced onions, carrots, banana peppers, and ham for a pot of beans. I set the beans to simmering with the veggies and cans of chicken and beef broth, plus spices...no-salt seasoning, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder.
Got ready for the day, and then did this and that until lunchtime. Same lunch today as yesterday. By noon, the beans were cooked and I removed them from the heat.
Today, I had an ophthalmologist appointment at 1:50 p.m. Hubbie went with me, since I knew my eyes would be dilated and I wouldn't feel comfortable driving home.
I made the appointment, because my left eye has been bothering me...feels like a scratch on the eyeball when I rub it, and my vision in that eye is slightly blurred...not bad, but enough to be a little annoying sometimes.
I dreaded that something serious might be wrong, but after a thorough exam, the doctor told me my problem is dry eyes and a cataract that is slightly more mature than my last exam three years ago, but otherwise, there are no eye diseases, and my vision is only slightly less than 20/20. My current glasses are fine, he said, so there's no use wasting money on a new pair. I sort of hate that, since I don't like my current glasses. He suggested I use artificial tears about four times a day to combat dry eyes.
Back home, Hubbie scrubbed potatoes to be baked, and grated cabbage in the food processor. I put the potatoes in the oven, and later sauteed the cabbage. The potatoes and cabbage, with the ham and beans, were really good. There'll be a repeat of this meal tomorrow night.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and she diced onions, carrots, banana peppers, and ham for a pot of beans. I set the beans to simmering with the veggies and cans of chicken and beef broth, plus spices...no-salt seasoning, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder.
Got ready for the day, and then did this and that until lunchtime. Same lunch today as yesterday. By noon, the beans were cooked and I removed them from the heat.
Today, I had an ophthalmologist appointment at 1:50 p.m. Hubbie went with me, since I knew my eyes would be dilated and I wouldn't feel comfortable driving home.
I made the appointment, because my left eye has been bothering me...feels like a scratch on the eyeball when I rub it, and my vision in that eye is slightly blurred...not bad, but enough to be a little annoying sometimes.
I dreaded that something serious might be wrong, but after a thorough exam, the doctor told me my problem is dry eyes and a cataract that is slightly more mature than my last exam three years ago, but otherwise, there are no eye diseases, and my vision is only slightly less than 20/20. My current glasses are fine, he said, so there's no use wasting money on a new pair. I sort of hate that, since I don't like my current glasses. He suggested I use artificial tears about four times a day to combat dry eyes.
Back home, Hubbie scrubbed potatoes to be baked, and grated cabbage in the food processor. I put the potatoes in the oven, and later sauteed the cabbage. The potatoes and cabbage, with the ham and beans, were really good. There'll be a repeat of this meal tomorrow night.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then he and I watched episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Wednesday, Sept. 4
We slept late, until 8 a.m. I didn't go to water aerobics, of course, but I did do stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. It had been several days since I exercised, so I needed a workout.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning, and she sorted navy beans to be soaked later. Then she went to her jigsaw puzzle.
Once I was ready for the day, I did a few after-trip things, and then served a lunch of sandwiches for Hubbie and me, and Ramen noodle soup for Mother.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the newspaper office, to the bank, to the pharmacy, to the paint store, to the card shop, and to the WDCS.
At the paint store, I looked for a color appropriate for painting the stairwell. I want a pale green similar to the color in Hubbie's daughter's living room. She said it's called celadon, but when I asked about it, the store clerk said it's no longer in stock. But she can mix it if we want it. I don't know if I want it until I can get a sample. Daughter said she has leftover paint in that color and will paint a sample to send to me.
I hope it works, because we can get paint at 40% off toward the end of the month, and I want to get that stairwell painted before the holidays. I'm tired of looking at the peeling wallpaper (scratched down by the cats when they were younger) in that area.
Back home, later, I heated the rest of the leftover lasagna for supper, and served it with tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and the last of the garlic bread.
Mother stayed around for a while to watch TV, and then Hubbie accompanied her to her house. We continued to watch TV for a while before bedtime.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning, and she sorted navy beans to be soaked later. Then she went to her jigsaw puzzle.
Once I was ready for the day, I did a few after-trip things, and then served a lunch of sandwiches for Hubbie and me, and Ramen noodle soup for Mother.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the newspaper office, to the bank, to the pharmacy, to the paint store, to the card shop, and to the WDCS.
At the paint store, I looked for a color appropriate for painting the stairwell. I want a pale green similar to the color in Hubbie's daughter's living room. She said it's called celadon, but when I asked about it, the store clerk said it's no longer in stock. But she can mix it if we want it. I don't know if I want it until I can get a sample. Daughter said she has leftover paint in that color and will paint a sample to send to me.
I hope it works, because we can get paint at 40% off toward the end of the month, and I want to get that stairwell painted before the holidays. I'm tired of looking at the peeling wallpaper (scratched down by the cats when they were younger) in that area.
Back home, later, I heated the rest of the leftover lasagna for supper, and served it with tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and the last of the garlic bread.
Mother stayed around for a while to watch TV, and then Hubbie accompanied her to her house. We continued to watch TV for a while before bedtime.
Tuesday, Sept. 3
Up at 6 a.m. to get ready to hit the road home. After a breakfast of fruit and more zucchini bread, we lost no time in packing up. We were ready to leave by 8 a.m.
The trip was uneventful, and we enjoyed the beautiful hills of that part of the state. This mountain area rivals any state for fall color displays, though autumn is still several weeks away. Today, the trees were green and lovely.
We didn't picnic on the way today, since Hubbie's ex offered to spring for a restaurant lunch. We stopped at a buffet restaurant about an hour away from home and enjoyed a hot meal, which was welcome after a few sandwich lunches and suppers.
We dropped Hubbie's ex off at her car around 1 p.m., and then we arrived at our house close to 2 p.m. Daughter had left only a few minutes earlier, so Mother was not alone in the house very long.
It was a good trip (except for the strain of the wedding), but we were glad to be back home.
Later, for supper, I scrambled eggs with cheese and ham, and served them with garden tomatoes, with slices of Sis's homemade bread, and cups of fresh coffee.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV for a while. We were really pooped, so it wasn't long before we showered and hit the sack. I decided that we would not set the clock for 6 a.m. (to go to water aerobics), but sleep until we woke up naturally. We needed the rest more than I needed the exercise.
The trip was uneventful, and we enjoyed the beautiful hills of that part of the state. This mountain area rivals any state for fall color displays, though autumn is still several weeks away. Today, the trees were green and lovely.
We didn't picnic on the way today, since Hubbie's ex offered to spring for a restaurant lunch. We stopped at a buffet restaurant about an hour away from home and enjoyed a hot meal, which was welcome after a few sandwich lunches and suppers.
We dropped Hubbie's ex off at her car around 1 p.m., and then we arrived at our house close to 2 p.m. Daughter had left only a few minutes earlier, so Mother was not alone in the house very long.
It was a good trip (except for the strain of the wedding), but we were glad to be back home.
Later, for supper, I scrambled eggs with cheese and ham, and served them with garden tomatoes, with slices of Sis's homemade bread, and cups of fresh coffee.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV for a while. We were really pooped, so it wasn't long before we showered and hit the sack. I decided that we would not set the clock for 6 a.m. (to go to water aerobics), but sleep until we woke up naturally. We needed the rest more than I needed the exercise.
Monday, Sept. 2
We got up around 7 a.m. on this Labor Day, I showered and dressed, and then we had a breakfast of fresh fruit and zucchini bread. We'd brought two pump pots of coffee with us, so we both had cups of it.
Daughter was very busy after breakfast getting things ready to take to Daughter's wedding (our reason for being there). It soon became apparent that there was nothing I could do to help, so I retired to our bedroom and read my novel on e-reader.
Back upstairs later, Hubbie's ex and I visited for a while, and then decided it was time to dress for the wedding. Daughter was gone at this time doing things for her Granddaughter. Upstairs again around noon, Daughter's husband had laid a spread of sandwich makings, so we all indulged.
Daughter arrived back home just in time to dress for the wedding, so she didn't have time to eat. She drove us all to the wedding area at a state park, about 40 minutes away.
The wedding took place in a picnic pavilion. The decorations, planned by the groom, were less than Daughter would have desired. The groom collects canning jars, and he wanted that to be the theme, so the tables held quart size blue jars with clear marbles and votive candles.
For a wedding cake (and I thought this was clever), cake, icing, and raspberries were layered in half-pint jars and closed with lids and rings. Red raffia tied around the jars held wooden spoons. The jars were placed on two levels of a black metal three-tiered serving tray. On the top tier was a groom's cake...chocolate, iced in red and white.
However, the couple had rigged an entrance by draping white and red plastic tablecloths to one side of the pavilion, securing them with masking tape. Opposite that, white plastic tablecloths, also secured with masking tape, were draped and caught back with more masking tape (one side of which kept coming unattached). A garland of artificial roses adorned the tablecloths. A generous bunch of garland roses were placed on the grill at one end of the pavilion in an attempt to hide it.
I'm guessing the red, white and blue color scheme, as well as the barbecue-potluck supper, were nods to the Labor Day holiday, though I can't be sure. When I asked Daughter about it, she didn't know either.
A potluck of foods (guests were asked to bring dishes) were placed on the pavilion counter on one side, and on the other side was an arrangement of photos of bride and groom, several small canning jars filled with sand, and a large jar to be filled from the small ones by the children of the couple.
The picnic tables were covered in white and red plastic tablecloths.
The bride wore a red sundress and black flip-flops; the groom wore a red shirt, navy blue swim trunks, and flip-flops; the three boys wore red shirts and navy swim trunks and flip-flops; the girl wore a red and white sundress and flip-flops.
The groom's daughter was the flower girl, and the groom's son was the ring bearer. He brought the rings in suspended from a fishing pole.
The wedding was a strain on the family, since the bride married a man who is someone less than dearly loved by her mom and dad, her grandparents, and her sons. I took several shots of the ceremony and the expressions on everyone faces told the tale.
Part of the problem is that invitations went out to only forty people (selected by the groom), and didn't include several of the bride's family members, like her sister, and her aunts. Obviously, there are hurt feelings in the family because of this.
Following the ceremony, the groom grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and we all chowed down.
Funny: while we were eating, we heard a loud bump and hurried to see what caused it. We saw that a guy decided to drive right over a three-foot wide concrete drainage trench. He made it, thanks to front-wheel drive, but we wonder what damage he did to the underside of the car. Later, he found another path out of the park, but not before he told everyone that it was his wife's idea to jump that trench.
Once the party began to wind down, Hubbie, his ex, and I proceeded to disassemble the decorations and gather everything into a central place so it could be taken away. Soon, Granddaughter arrived to ask her mother to take everything to her house. So we packed it all into the back of her van and headed home.
Funny: the drive to and from the park was beautiful, along winding roads among the hills of the state park. But Daughter's vehicle has leather seats, and I had trouble keeping from sliding out of mine. No one else had that problem, so it must have had something to do with the fabric of my white crop pants. Even though I gripped the arm rests, I still zipped toward the door every time Daughter sailed around a left turn bend in the road.
Back home, I was plenty ready to change out of my outfit (the same one I wore to the arts council summer celebration in June) and into my comfy denim crop pants and knit shirt.
This evening, we were all tired, so I excused myself to our room to read my novel. Hubbie stayed upstairs to visit with Daughter for a while.
When he came downstairs, we gathered our belongings into one area so we wouldn't forget to take everything with us in the morning.
It was around 11:30 p.m. by the time we went to bed.
Daughter was very busy after breakfast getting things ready to take to Daughter's wedding (our reason for being there). It soon became apparent that there was nothing I could do to help, so I retired to our bedroom and read my novel on e-reader.
Back upstairs later, Hubbie's ex and I visited for a while, and then decided it was time to dress for the wedding. Daughter was gone at this time doing things for her Granddaughter. Upstairs again around noon, Daughter's husband had laid a spread of sandwich makings, so we all indulged.
Daughter arrived back home just in time to dress for the wedding, so she didn't have time to eat. She drove us all to the wedding area at a state park, about 40 minutes away.
The wedding took place in a picnic pavilion. The decorations, planned by the groom, were less than Daughter would have desired. The groom collects canning jars, and he wanted that to be the theme, so the tables held quart size blue jars with clear marbles and votive candles.
For a wedding cake (and I thought this was clever), cake, icing, and raspberries were layered in half-pint jars and closed with lids and rings. Red raffia tied around the jars held wooden spoons. The jars were placed on two levels of a black metal three-tiered serving tray. On the top tier was a groom's cake...chocolate, iced in red and white.
However, the couple had rigged an entrance by draping white and red plastic tablecloths to one side of the pavilion, securing them with masking tape. Opposite that, white plastic tablecloths, also secured with masking tape, were draped and caught back with more masking tape (one side of which kept coming unattached). A garland of artificial roses adorned the tablecloths. A generous bunch of garland roses were placed on the grill at one end of the pavilion in an attempt to hide it.
I'm guessing the red, white and blue color scheme, as well as the barbecue-potluck supper, were nods to the Labor Day holiday, though I can't be sure. When I asked Daughter about it, she didn't know either.
A potluck of foods (guests were asked to bring dishes) were placed on the pavilion counter on one side, and on the other side was an arrangement of photos of bride and groom, several small canning jars filled with sand, and a large jar to be filled from the small ones by the children of the couple.
The picnic tables were covered in white and red plastic tablecloths.
The bride wore a red sundress and black flip-flops; the groom wore a red shirt, navy blue swim trunks, and flip-flops; the three boys wore red shirts and navy swim trunks and flip-flops; the girl wore a red and white sundress and flip-flops.
The groom's daughter was the flower girl, and the groom's son was the ring bearer. He brought the rings in suspended from a fishing pole.
The wedding was a strain on the family, since the bride married a man who is someone less than dearly loved by her mom and dad, her grandparents, and her sons. I took several shots of the ceremony and the expressions on everyone faces told the tale.
Part of the problem is that invitations went out to only forty people (selected by the groom), and didn't include several of the bride's family members, like her sister, and her aunts. Obviously, there are hurt feelings in the family because of this.
Following the ceremony, the groom grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and we all chowed down.
Funny: while we were eating, we heard a loud bump and hurried to see what caused it. We saw that a guy decided to drive right over a three-foot wide concrete drainage trench. He made it, thanks to front-wheel drive, but we wonder what damage he did to the underside of the car. Later, he found another path out of the park, but not before he told everyone that it was his wife's idea to jump that trench.
Once the party began to wind down, Hubbie, his ex, and I proceeded to disassemble the decorations and gather everything into a central place so it could be taken away. Soon, Granddaughter arrived to ask her mother to take everything to her house. So we packed it all into the back of her van and headed home.
Funny: the drive to and from the park was beautiful, along winding roads among the hills of the state park. But Daughter's vehicle has leather seats, and I had trouble keeping from sliding out of mine. No one else had that problem, so it must have had something to do with the fabric of my white crop pants. Even though I gripped the arm rests, I still zipped toward the door every time Daughter sailed around a left turn bend in the road.
Back home, I was plenty ready to change out of my outfit (the same one I wore to the arts council summer celebration in June) and into my comfy denim crop pants and knit shirt.
This evening, we were all tired, so I excused myself to our room to read my novel. Hubbie stayed upstairs to visit with Daughter for a while.
When he came downstairs, we gathered our belongings into one area so we wouldn't forget to take everything with us in the morning.
It was around 11:30 p.m. by the time we went to bed.
Sunday, Sept. 1
Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for a five-hour trip to Hubbie's daughter's house. Mother stayed home, since Sis would be here all day today, and Daughter will be on hand tomorrow and Tuesday morning.
I packed a lunch while Hubbie loaded stuff in the van for a two-day stay-over. We were ready to get on the road just before 8 a.m.
Traveled about 45 minutes south to pick up Hubbie's ex-wife, who rode with us to his daughter's house. It was a nice day for traveling. We stopped at a roadside park for lunch around noon, and then arrived at Daughter's house mid-afternoon.
Daughter's house is very large. Downstairs, in her husband's play space, there is a large room with a pool table, a television viewing area, and a full service bar. One corner is occupied with musical instruments.
There is a bedroom and full bath on this level, as well as a room for the husband's elaborate train set. Outside this level is a screened porch, with a huge barbecue grill and other outdoor cooking amenities. The play room has floor to ceiling windows that look out over an expanse of yard and down into the forested valley and river.
We stayed in the bedroom on this level. The husband stayed out of the area for the two days we were there, so we had complete privacy. I feared that I would have trouble sleeping on a strange bed, but the king size bed in that room was quite comfortable, and I slept like a log both nights.
Upstairs, after we'd put our things in the spare bedroom, we saw that Daughter was snapping beans and slicing peaches. She noted that she got the peaches at a local farmer's market, and she agreed to take us there to shop. At the market, we got a basket of peaches and a basket of locally grown apples.
Daughter provided a nice supper for us...pork loin, scalloped potatoes (funny, since that's what I served at home on Saturday), fresh green beans, sliced tomatoes, and fried okra. She also baked a fresh peach pie for dessert.
Hubbie's granddaughter, her fiance' and his cousin, her two boys, and his two children...a boy and a girl...joined us for supper. I really like the fiance's cousin. She and I got along great. She's a small young woman, who looks years younger than her age. But she teaching and working on a Ph.D in literature. I'm a fan of literature, so we had something in common to talk about.
We visited for a while after supper, and then Granddaughter and her gang left. Hubbie's ex and I retired to our respective bedrooms, and Hubbie stayed upstairs to visit with his daughter for a while.
Later, we watched TV for a time, and Daughter came downstairs to visit with the two of us for a few minutes, and then we all hit the sack. Big day tomorrow.
I packed a lunch while Hubbie loaded stuff in the van for a two-day stay-over. We were ready to get on the road just before 8 a.m.
Traveled about 45 minutes south to pick up Hubbie's ex-wife, who rode with us to his daughter's house. It was a nice day for traveling. We stopped at a roadside park for lunch around noon, and then arrived at Daughter's house mid-afternoon.
Daughter's house is very large. Downstairs, in her husband's play space, there is a large room with a pool table, a television viewing area, and a full service bar. One corner is occupied with musical instruments.
There is a bedroom and full bath on this level, as well as a room for the husband's elaborate train set. Outside this level is a screened porch, with a huge barbecue grill and other outdoor cooking amenities. The play room has floor to ceiling windows that look out over an expanse of yard and down into the forested valley and river.
We stayed in the bedroom on this level. The husband stayed out of the area for the two days we were there, so we had complete privacy. I feared that I would have trouble sleeping on a strange bed, but the king size bed in that room was quite comfortable, and I slept like a log both nights.
Upstairs, after we'd put our things in the spare bedroom, we saw that Daughter was snapping beans and slicing peaches. She noted that she got the peaches at a local farmer's market, and she agreed to take us there to shop. At the market, we got a basket of peaches and a basket of locally grown apples.
Daughter provided a nice supper for us...pork loin, scalloped potatoes (funny, since that's what I served at home on Saturday), fresh green beans, sliced tomatoes, and fried okra. She also baked a fresh peach pie for dessert.
Hubbie's granddaughter, her fiance' and his cousin, her two boys, and his two children...a boy and a girl...joined us for supper. I really like the fiance's cousin. She and I got along great. She's a small young woman, who looks years younger than her age. But she teaching and working on a Ph.D in literature. I'm a fan of literature, so we had something in common to talk about.
We visited for a while after supper, and then Granddaughter and her gang left. Hubbie's ex and I retired to our respective bedrooms, and Hubbie stayed upstairs to visit with his daughter for a while.
Later, we watched TV for a time, and Daughter came downstairs to visit with the two of us for a few minutes, and then we all hit the sack. Big day tomorrow.
Saturday, Aug. 31
The last day of August. This has been one of the mildest Augusts in memory. It's usually the hottest month of the year here in the south, with humidity so high that we wilt as soon as we step outdoors. By now, the trees are dusty and drooping, and leaves are crisping. Grass is brown and dead. Cars and trucks are covered in dirt from unpaved back roads. "Wash me," is a message frequently seen scrawled into the dirt.
Sis is here today, and she accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning. I expected Daughter to arrive before lunch, but she was later getting here. I was a little anxious about her, and was glad when she walked in the door.
She was obviously tired, so she wasn't here long before I suggested she go take a nap. She ended up sleeping until suppertime.
In the meantime, Mother, Sis, and I visited until time to prepare supper. I'd cooked and sliced the ham yesterday, and today, we fixed two large dishes of scalloped potatoes. Well, actually, Hubbie, Mother, and Sis did the honors. Hubbie peeled and then sliced the potatoes in the food processor, Mother grated Monterey Jack cheese, and Sis put the dishes together.
The potatoes were in the oven for two hours, but were still not as soft as we would have liked. Next time, I'll pre-cook the potatoes a little before making the dish.
But they were still good with the ham, as side of fried okra (okra from the garden), tomatoes from the garden, and homemade sliced bread provided by Sis.
After supper, we watched a 2002 movie..."Charms For the Easy Life," starring Gena Rowlands. In the 1940s, three women, a grandmother, a mother, and a granddaughter, who live in a North Carolina town and do things their own way. Good movie.
Sis is here today, and she accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning. I expected Daughter to arrive before lunch, but she was later getting here. I was a little anxious about her, and was glad when she walked in the door.
She was obviously tired, so she wasn't here long before I suggested she go take a nap. She ended up sleeping until suppertime.
In the meantime, Mother, Sis, and I visited until time to prepare supper. I'd cooked and sliced the ham yesterday, and today, we fixed two large dishes of scalloped potatoes. Well, actually, Hubbie, Mother, and Sis did the honors. Hubbie peeled and then sliced the potatoes in the food processor, Mother grated Monterey Jack cheese, and Sis put the dishes together.
The potatoes were in the oven for two hours, but were still not as soft as we would have liked. Next time, I'll pre-cook the potatoes a little before making the dish.
But they were still good with the ham, as side of fried okra (okra from the garden), tomatoes from the garden, and homemade sliced bread provided by Sis.
After supper, we watched a 2002 movie..."Charms For the Easy Life," starring Gena Rowlands. In the 1940s, three women, a grandmother, a mother, and a granddaughter, who live in a North Carolina town and do things their own way. Good movie.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)