Friday, April 4

Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for water aerobics. It was a chilly morning (will warm weather never get here?), but the pool was warm. Around 20 of us showed up, which was very good number, considering that it's Friday. Often, folks have weekend plans that begin on Friday.

Today's talk was about the son of a "town father," who died unexpectedly of esophageal cancer. He was only in his 50s, and had gotten married only two weeks ago. Actually, I misunderstood the lady who related the news, and thought it was the elder gentleman who had died, but learned from the local newspaper that it was actually his son.

The other news is that one of our members, who recently had gall bladder surgery, is in a local hospital suffering complications from that surgery.

Back home afterward, I warmed up with coffee, then got ready for the day. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house.

I noticed in the local newspaper that a nearby business was hosting a customer appreciation day by offering catfish dinners. So Hubbie and I went there at 11 a.m. and snared four plates of the food to bring home.

Today was windy and sharply cool, so we didn't want to drag Mother to the business for the meal. We were glad we didn't, when we found that we had to park in the business office area, then walk to a large building at the back of an equipment yard to get the food.

The men serving the meals didn't question our asking for four plates, which we brought home to eat. We expected Sis to arrive somewhere around noon, so we got an extra plate for her. Of course, the food was cold by the time we got it home, after carrying in the cold wind, but it heated nicely in the microwave.

The plates contained generous portions of catfish, French fries, hush puppies, and coleslaw. There was plenty for the four of us. Sis arrived just after we sat down to our meals.

After lunch, Sis and I helped Mother with the jigsaw puzzle. Sis stuck with it most of the afternoon, but I gave it up when my back began bothering me. I chose at that point to read newspapers and a novel on my tablet.

Later, for supper, I heated lasagna, and Mother made individual salads. We had the meal with cottage cheese, and homemade rolls that Sis brought.

Mother was ready to go home afterward, and Sis accompanied her. Then she and I went to the college down the road to attend the film festival. Hubbie opted to stay home and watch NCAA basketball games.

The screening began at 6:30. Short films were shown before the full-length features. The first was about a man and his wife who had been separated for months, but the husband continues to refuse to divide their estate. She brings a lawyer to the shale pit they own to try to force his hand. What happens next is surprising.

The other short feature is humorous. A man tries to commit suicide by hanging, but is talked out of it when his basset hound speaks to him. He is stunned that his dog can talk, and decides to get him to do it again. The dog remains silent, no matter what he tries. Finally, a woman from his work place agrees to help him. Will they succeed in getting the dog to talk?

The first full-length feature follows a young black boy during the Civil War, who is sent north by a bounty hunter to bring back a wanted black man. In the process, he becomes attached to the man and then has to choose whether or not to betray him.

The second feature was a romantic comedy about neighbors who are friends, but who escalate the friendship to the possibility of getting married. They go on a road trip and become stranded in the desert. Other characters and situations complicate matters.