Saturday, March 1

It's the first day of March. The yellow crocus bloomed this morning. There's the threat of winter weather tomorrow. What's wrong with this picture?

We were up around 7:30, and I had every intention of exercising, but after Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, I noticed she was dressed for an outing. I asked why, and she said she thought we were going to the Extension Homemakers annual yard sale at the fairgrounds. Oh, shoot, I'd forgotten to check the calendar for today!

I hurried to get dressed, and then we headed out around 10 a.m. The weather was cool, but not unbearably so, when we arrived at the sale, but it was colder by the time we left.

At the sale, we took three tours around the building, but didn't find a lot to interest us. I bought a little brown filmy tie with a brown flower clasp for myself, and a package of peanut brittle for Hubbie, and that was all. We spent quite a bit of time visiting with folks, though, which was the primary reason why Mother wanted to go to the sale. She really enjoyed the outing.

It was nearly noon when we left, so I decided we should stop by a fast food restaurant to pick up lunch. Mother and I opted for grilled chicken sandwiches, and Hubbie chose a hamburger. We took the sandwiches home, and had chips and coffee with them. Mother enthusiastically ate her whole sandwich, saying that the outing really made her hungry, as though she'd spent a few hours walking around the yard sale, when she actually rode in her wheelchair.

After lunch, we watched a Hallmark movie..."Shuffleton's Barbershop." Then Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie and I watched a couple of one-hour shows.

Later, I made chili mac, using the leftover chili, which I served with individual salads and cottage cheese.

While we ate, we watched our favorite state college basketball team, as they played to nice win. Yay! Mother was ready to go home afterward, and Hubbie accompanied her. The weather will determine whether or not she is able to come over in the morning.

Hubbie and I spent the rest of the evening watching epsiodes of "Friday Night Lights."

Friday, Feb. 28

Today is the last day of February. It was a rocky month, weather-wise, and now we will begin March with more wintry weather. Everyone is very, very winter weather weary.

We were up around 7:30, and I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she went to her jigsaw puzzle, while I got ready for the day. Just as I was ready to come back downstairs, I noticed it had begun sleeting. It soon turned to rain, though, which I was glad about, because Hubbie was out running a few errands. 

 I didn't do much else before lunch, but after lunch Mother and I made a batch of candy apple jelly. The recipe made six half pints. A shelf in the store room looks good now lined up with these six, plus the two pints and four half pints of strawberry jam we made yesterday, and the eleven half pints of crab apple/apple/grape jelly we made on Wednesday. I want to also make pear preserves, but that will have to wait until another time.

Mother went back to her puzzle afterward, and Hubbie and I ran a couple of errands...to the library to pick up seasons three and four of "Friday Night Lights, and to the greeting card shop to get a birthday card and another jigsaw puzzle for Mother for her birthday.

Back home, I read newspapers and my novel, and just generally goofed off until time to prepare supper. Hubbie did the honors of making French toast and scrambled eggs. My job was to heat syrup, set the table, make coffee, etc. It was a good Friday night meal.

Mother was ready to go home afterward, so Hubbie accompanied her. Then we watched episodes of "Friday Night Lights."

Thursday, Feb. 27

Up around 8 a.m. After breakfast, I did stair stepping, but skipped the resistance band and weights exercises, because yesterday I had a little twinge in my left rotator cuff. I guess I overdid the dumbbell exercises at the pool. Decided I should let that shoulder rest for a day.

Got ready for the day, while Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. She went to her jigsaw puzzle, but I didn't accomplish anything for the rest of the morning.For lunch, Mother had Ramen noodle soup, and Hubbie and I had chili.

Afterward, Hubbie went to the grocery store to get a few items, including Sure Jell for making jelly. Meanwhile, I gathered all the other ingredients and supplies, and then Mother measured the sugar and strawberries.

When Hubbie returned, I cooked the ingredients, and Mother ladled it into the jars. I put the lids and rings on the jars and then processed them in a water bath. We got two pints and four half pints of jam, with a little leftover to enjoy right away.

Afterward, Mother returned to her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie cleaned the kitchen for me. We both spent the rest of the afternoon reading.

For supper, I fixed a meatloaf/potato casserole, which we had with whole kernel corn, and biscuits with some of the fresh strawberry jam.

Shortly afterward, Mother was ready to go home, so Hubbie accompanied her. Then he and I watched our favorite state college basketball team, as they played to a nail-biter win in overtime.

Watched a couple of one-hour shows after that, and then headed to bed. It wasn't an exciting day, but it was satisfying, reasonably productive, and restful.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Today is Ash Wednesday. Lent has begun, and Easter is on the way.

Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for water aerobics. I wasn't gung-ho for getting out into the c-c-cold morning, but I dressed in several layers, plus hat and gloves, and went anyway. The walk to the gym, a block away, wasn't pleasant at all, since there was sharp wind, and I was walking into it.

The pool was delightfully warm, though, thank goodness. Twenty-two of us attended the session, and we all enjoyed it...there was a lot of joking and joyful laughter as we did an aerobics routine, followed by a barbell session, raced back and forth across the pool, and walked rapidly in a circle, then abruptly turned and walked the other direction (to create water resistance).

Back home, I relaxed with a couple of cups of coffee, then went upstairs to get ready for the day. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and she went to her jigsaw puzzle.

For lunch, I heated the remainder of the Dragon Soup for Mother. Hubbie and I had cold meatloaf sandwiches.

Afterward, Hubbie ran errands, while Mother and I made a batch of jelly. Today, we used the rest of the crabapple juice (which had been in the freezer), supplemented with both apple juice and white grape juice. The resulting jelly is really tasty. Tomorrow, we plan to make strawberry jam.

I had nothing else planned for the rest of the day, so Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran more errands, and I read newspapers and finished my novel.

Later, for supper, we had chili and crackers, which was good on a cold evening. Mother was ready to go home afterward, so Hubbie accompanied her.

Then Hubbie and I watched episodes of "Friday Night Lights."

Tuesday, Feb. 25

The biggest news of the day is the arrival of a new great-grandson, born this afternoon, and weighing 6 lb., 14 oz. He's bright-eyed, alert, and gorgeous. Can't wait to get my hands on him.

Up around 7:30 this morning, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Got ready for the day as soon as I finished exercising. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and we headed to the kitchen.

Today, we made a pot of chili and a meatloaf. Mother diced all the veggies and mixed the recipe of meatloaf after I seasoned the meat. I browned seasoned ground turkey along with onions, bell pepper, and banana pepper. Added diced tomatoes, three kinds of canned beans, and tomato sauce, and then let the pot simmer for a few hours. The meatloaf went in the refrigerator until time to put it in the oven later.

For lunch, I heated tilapia fish, cheesy rice, and Lima beans for Mother, and fixed egg substitute scrambled with half a leftover baked potato and cheese, and served with bagels, butter, and jelly.

After lunch, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie did this and that, and I made a recipe of fruited Jell-o, then mainly read the newspapers and my novel.

Around 1:30, the cable guy came to find out what was causing static on the land lines. He changed out a bunch of stuff, and the phones seem to be operating okay now.

At 4 p.m., I put the meatloaf in the oven, and shortly afterward I started a pot of potatoes boiling (that Hubbie had peeled and cut up). Served green beans with the meal. It was all very good, and Mother even asked for a second helping of everything.

Mother was ready to go home afterward, and Hubbie accompanied her. Then he and I watched episodes of "Friday Night Lights."

Wonder what the weather will be tomorrow? Predictions are for possible now flurries, but it might just be rain. Learned a new meteorological term today...graupel: soft hail or snow pellets. Apparently some of that fell in the southern part of the state today.

Monday, Feb. 24

Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for water aerobics. Chilly morning, with a chilly breeze...it required the full regalia of winter clothes for the walk to the gym. I had the same problem leaving our driveway today as I did Friday...the sun glared on the horizon, so that I could not see traffic coming from my right. So I turned right, and went down to our neighbor's semi-circle driveway in order to see traffic both ways.

Two dozen of us showed up for water aerobics this morning. The pool was pleasant, so I didn't suffer chill bumps like I did last Friday. It was a good workout, and I enjoyed it.

Back home, after warming up with cups of coffee, I got ready for the day. Hubbie had accompanied Mother to our house before I went upstairs, so I removed the jigsaw puzzle she completed yesterday, and she began another one.

It was 11:30 by the time I was ready for the day, so I heated soups for our lunch...Ramen noodle for Mother, and leftover Dragon Soup for Hubbie and me. Hubbie was running errands, so he didn't return until shortly after noon. By that time, Mother and I had already eaten.

Mother spent the afternoon with her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie read a novel on his e-reader, and I did this and that...made a birthday card for a great-granddaughter, reconciled the scrapbook club treasury, paid a bill, called a store credit card company to get a new one (since my old one is out of date, and I want to continue getting those $10 birthday gift cards each year), sorted coupons to send to a granddaughter, planned a menu for the week, washed a load of clothes, caught up on reading newspapers, worked this week's word search puzzle...nothing earth-shaking, just piddling things that needed to be done.

Later, Hubbie scrubbed baking potatoes, which I put in the oven around 3:30. We had the potatoes with leftover smothered steak, cheesy rice, green beans, and Lima beans. An odd combination, with too many carbs, but it was a lazy way of putting enough food on the table for three.

Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house around 6 p.m., and then he and I went to the college for a basketball game. We arrived in time to catch most of the second half of the women's game, which our team won in a real nail-biter in the last few seconds...only won by one point. The men won their contest, too, by a nine point margin. Both games were exciting.

Tonight, I was seated right next to a lady, who, while she means well, I find annoying. She's an enthusiastic fan, who yells in a tone of voice that threatens to break my eardrums. She also makes her displeasure quite clear to officials, when they make calls that she disagrees with.

She's somewhat of a pest, too. She's determined to befriend Great-Niece, who is a very shy toddler. She cajoles and bribes the baby with little gifts, and keeps trying to encourage her to go with her to her seat.

I did feel sorry for her tonight, though. She had a tooth pulled today, and the deadening wore completely off during the game. Every time she yelled, she grabbed her painful jaw. I think I would have kept my mouth shut, but not her.

On the upside, the young challenged man who was recently named ESPN' s biggest fan led the women's basketball team, the cheerleaders, and a few others in a dance routine during halftime of the men's game. He did a great job.

Back home around 9:30, we watched an episode of "Friday Night Lights," before heading to bed.

Sunday, Feb 23

Up around 8 a.m., and skipped my exercises after breakfast, as usual on Sunday. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 10 a.m., and she sliced and diced veggies for smothered steak. I dredged the steak in flour and seasoned it with pepper, paprika, no salt seasoning, oregano, and garlic powder, then browned it in olive oil. I added the veggies and a can of low sodium beef broth and let the meat simmer for a couple of hours.

While the steak cooked, we watched a 2013 movie borrowed from the library..."Bless Me, Ultima," takes place in 1944 New Mexico, and centers on a young boy and his medicine woman grandmother. Religion, superstition, and witchcraft coexist among the Hispanic farmers, and good and evil play out dramatically. Good movie.

At noon, we had the smothered steak with sides of leftover cheesy rice, and green beans. It was a good meal. Afterward, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, while Hubbie and I attended a program at the museum.

This program was originally scheduled for three weeks ago, but it was canceled due to a snowstorm. Two local men were the featured speakers. One spoke about his experiences in the cotton field when he was young, and how his family supplemented their income by picking cotton for a few weeks each year.

He told how his family traveled from our hill country area to the "bottoms," or the delta, where cotton was grown. They lived in what was known as a "shotgun" house...two rooms, bedroom and kitchen, built back-to-back. Days started early, before dawn, when they had a hearty breakfast, and then carried cold boiled eggs and cold biscuits to the fields for lunch. Pay for cotton was $3 a hundred pounds. It was backbreaking, hot work, of course.

This man said he was grateful when cotton picking machines took over the task, and he went on to other occupations, including spending many years as a historical cartoonist for our local newspaper (his work still appears there), and for the state's tourism council.

The other speaker is the owner of a local business that makes wooden handles for various items (shovels, axes, hoes, rakes, etc.). His business has fluctuated with the times, and with the availability of  wood...a particular variety of hickory.

In the beginning of his business, which his father began, wooden bats were in high demand, since baseball was at that time America's favorite sport. When bats were no longer a viable market, the business turned to making handles.

In early days, the business used hickory from our state, but with clear cutting or agriculture, the supply has dwindled, and now the wood has to be brought in from other states.

Today, the speaker noted, a trend toward using hickory for hardwood floors and furniture, both here and abroad, is creating competition for the supply.

Back home shortly after 3 p.m., we enjoyed cups of coffee, and then watched two episodes of "When Call the Heart." It was around 5 p.m. when the shows ended, so Mother was ready to go home, and Hubbie accompanied her.

Then we watched episodes of "Bones." Around 7  p.m., we were ready for supper, so we had helpings of Dragon Soup, with crackers and peanut butter, and fruit for dessert.

I'm not particulary looking forward to getting up at 6 a.m. to go to water aerobics, since predictions are for sharply cooler weather. Hopefully, the pool will be warm.