Saturday, March 22

We were up pretty late last night watching NCAA March Madness games, but we still got up at 7:30 this morning.

I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house while I was doing that. She went to her jigsaw puzzle, and Hubbie went to the WDCS for a few items, so he would be home for the first NCAA game today at 11 a.m.

Once I was ready for the day, I gathered laundry, and did other things around the house until lunchtime. For lunch, Mother had a salmon loaf sandwich, and Hubbie and I ate the remainder of the New England stew.

Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle afterward, Hubbie continued watching basketball games, and I did more household things, then played on my computer, read my novel and newspapers until time to prepare supper.

Tonight's fare was burritos, salad, and chips (except for Mother, who opted for a hot dog). Mother helped prepare the meal. The burrito filling consisted of cubed boiled chicken (I'd frozen the chicken a few weeks ago), sauteed onions/bell pepper/mushrooms, a can of black beans (rinsed), a can of diced chilies, salsa, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese, along with spices, that was spooned onto tortilla shells and then rolled up in aluminum foil and heated in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Mother calls this kind of  Saturday meal "fun food."

For dessert, we had angel food cake and strawberries (left from the scrapbook club meeting), with whipped topping. Hubbie had bought the cake at the WDCS this morning.

Shortly after supper, Mother was ready to go home, and Hubbie accompanied her. Not a particularly exciting day, but it was relaxing, though I thought our eyeballs would fall out from watching basketball games for about twelve hours.

Friday, March 21

Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for water aerobics. It was a bit chilly, so I wore a coat and gloves for the walk to the gym.

Arrived at the college at 7:30, and as I was about to cross the street the gym, one of aerobics members called to me. She and others, including our leader, were gathered in the parking lot. Seems no one could get into the pool area, because the coach/lifeguard had not arrived.

This was strange, because he is usually there very early for the lap swimmers. We waited for a while, and when he didn't show up, our leader called him. No answer. Finally, she and another lady decided to go to his house, which is just a couple of blocks away from the college. They returned to say they had knocked loudly on his door, with no response.

We were bewildered, but most of us decided to go on home. Our leader said she would stay behind and find someone to check on the coach. She would leave a message on her social network page letting us know what she learned.

Later in the morning, I checked her page. The young man had been located. He and his family had simply overslept, because they had forgotten to set their alarm. He's a very reliable person, so I'm surprised this happened, but glad to learn he's okay.

At home, after enjoying a couple of cups of coffee, I headed upstairs to get ready for the day, while Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house.

After selecting and discarding several clothing choices, I finally decided what to wear. These between-season days make it difficult to decide what to wear that's warm enough for a mild spring day, but doesn't look like a winter outfit.

We didn't have anything all that important to do today, but we did want to go to the grand opening of a Goodwill store that has set up business in the old Fred's building. Mother wanted to go on this outing, too.

We left home around 10 a.m. The store parking lot was pretty full, but we found a space close to the door. We spent about an hour shopping in this large, well-lighted, very organized store. We weren't looking for anything special, but we did find a few things.

We picked up five new Christmas stockings...price $2...which I stored until Christmas. These will be our scrapbook club's contribution to the Extension Homemakers stocking drive in December. We also found a large Christmas snow globe that features wind-up music and whimsical figures that pass by little windows at the base of the globe. I don't need this, but it is very interesting, and it only cost $4.

I also found a handmade pottery vase in colors that match our dining room. I don't need this, either, but it's pretty. I would have liked to look through the movie DVDs, but Mother and Hubbie weren't interested, so I'll go back another day and do that. Mother and I did briefly looked through the clothing, but nothing struck us. While we were browsing, Hubbie registered us for the door prize of a TV.

Back home, Hubbie made grilled cheese sandwiches for our lunch, in observance of a Lenten Friday. Then he watched NCAA games on TV, and Mother and I finished the scrapbook pages we started yesterday. We were done with the project around 3 p.m.

We went to the kitchen, where I scrubbed sweet potatoes for the oven, and then gathered ingredients for making salmon loaf. Mother measured and put the loaf together. At 3:30, I put the potatoes in the oven, and when they were done shortly after 4 p.m., I put the salmon loaf in. Served the salmon and potatoes with canned green beans, and rye bread.

Mother was ready to go home after supper, so Hubbie accompanied her. Then he watched more NCAA games, while I played on my computer, read the newspapers, and generally goofed off.



 

Thursday, March 20

First day of spring! Yay!

We were up around 7:30, but I skipped my exercises after breakfast, so I could complete preparations for a scrapbook club meeting this afternoon.

While I was preparing a fruit plate, I asked Hubbie where he had put the grapes. Grapes? What grapes? He hadn't picked up any grapes. Hm-m-m, I was sure I'd put it on the list yesterday, along with fresh pineapple (on sale for 99 cents), and fresh strawberries. But he said I did not put them on the list, but he'd go to the store and get some. Which he did.

While he was out, he picked up a small container of chicken salad for our lunch. We ate a little early, around 11:30. Just after 12:30, the ladies arrived.

We had a good session, with each of us completing several scrapbook pages. Mother and I did five pages featuring a new great-grandson. I also used some punches that one of the ladies brought to make borders on notecards.

The punches are a set in a case, with a main tool that the punches are placed into. The tool makes it easier to operate the punches. The lady who brought the punches insisted on leaving it for me to use for a while.

We discussed what we want to do next month, and decided another field trip is in order. Weather and health permitting, we will go to a town about an hour away to shop at a huge flea market, and then have lunch.

Around 2 p.m., I served the fruit, with coffee for three of us, and water for one lady. We all enjoyed the fruit, especially the pineapple.

While we worked, Hubbie watched the NCAA games on TV. Several of our brackets choices went down in flames. Oh, well, it was fun trying.

The ladies stayed around until 3:30, even though the meeting time ended at 3 p.m. We aren't on any real schedule, though, so it doesn't matter how long we visit.

During the meeting, the library called to say a movie DVD we had on hold had come in, so later Hubbie went to pick it up. It's the second season of "Bones." While he was at the library, he also picked up season three of the series.

Meanwhile, I heated leftover New England stew for our supper, which we had with slices of rye bread...same song, third verse, and there's another verse left.

Mother was ready to go home after supper, so Hubbie accompanied her. Then we watched TV for the evening.

***************************************************

Note: one of my photos of the young man who is riding through 48 states for charity is featured in tonight's local newspaper. It is the one taken from the platform of the group heading out on the trail. It fits nicely with the other photos of the event. And I was credited with the shot. Often, when folks submit photos that are published, they are listed simply as "photo submitted."

Wednesday, March 19

I really wish I wouldn't have sleep problems on the nights I need to arise at 6 a.m. Woke up at 4:30 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. So I was glassy-eyed at six. Dragged myself out of bed, though, and got ready to go to water aerobics.

It was a bit chilly this morning...still coat weather. Saw a spectacular sunrise in my rear view mirror, as I traveled to the college. The sun on the horizon was huge and fiery against a blazing red sky. To an alien eye (as in a being from another planet, if there were such a thing) it could have been a frightening sight.

The pool today was warm, though not as toasty as it was Monday, probably because water had been added to it. Nineteen showed up for the session, more than have attended in several months. Typically, the number of attendees increases in the spring, when the weather is milder, and the ladies are ready to come out of hibernation and become more active.

It was even chillier for the walk back to the parking lot after the session, because it was windy. So I was glad that Hubbie had a hot cup of coffee waiting for me when I got back home.

Around 9:30, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. It appears her head cold is gone now. She went to her jigsaw puzzle, while I got ready for the day, and Hubbie ran errands. His errands included taking the area rugs from the kitchen and bathrooms to the laundromat.

Back downstairs, I started cleaning the kitchen, and then got lunch ready....Ramen noodle soup for Mother, as usual, and leftover casserole for Hubbie and me.

Hubbie returned right at noon, but discovered he had somehow not gotten home with an envelope of photos that I needed for doing scrapbook pages tomorrow. So after lunch, he went back to the WDCS, where the envelope was waiting for him at the lost and found counter. I wonder how it got away from him in the first place? Maybe it dropped into the bottom of the shopping cart, and he didn't notice it when he loaded the groceries into the van.

After lunch, I continued sprucing the house for a scrapbook club meeting tomorrow. Hubbie helped by vacuuming the living room and den, and setting up a folding table for me in the living room. I loaded the table with scrapbook supplies, but I didn't begin work on pages today. Too sleepy to think about it.

Later, I heated leftover New England stew for supper, which I served with slices of rye bread. Then I worked on setting up NCAA brackets on my laptop. Took a while for me to understand how the thing worked, but I finally got it. I let Hubbie decide which teams to choose as winners.

Mother stayed around until after she'd watched a one-hour show with us, and then was ready to go home, so Hubbie accompanied her.

Hubbie and I continued watching TV for the evening.

Tuesday, March 18

Up at 7:30, so Hubbie could get read to go to a Master Gardener's home around 9 a.m. to dig and pot plants for an upcoming plant sale.

Before he left, he accompanied Mother to our house. This was the first day she has felt like getting out of her house since last Friday. Her head cold seems to have eased quite a bit, so she was ready to get back to her jigsaw puzzle.

While she worked on her puzzle, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises, then got ready for the day. I didn't do much else for the rest of the morning.

Hubbie returned around 11:30. For lunch, I fixed something different for each of us...Ramen noodle soup for Mother, the remainder of the barbecue for Hubbie, and an omelet and toast for me.

After lunch,  Mother and I watched last night's season opener of "Dancing With the Stars." The Mother went back to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie snoozed in his recliner, and I went upstairs to sort my shoes. I tossed four worn out pairs, weeded out six or eight pairs to be stored in the shed for a future yard sale, and organized the rest in the closet.

I plan to do more sorting and tossing in the next five or six months, with an eye to mounting an autumn yard sale. Hoping to sort things at Mother's house, too.

Spent about an hour reading newspapers, and playing on my tablet, and then went to the kitchen to put together a casserole for supper. Mother joined me. I gathered leftover sauteed potatoes, thin pork chops, a bit of leftover white gravy, a can of mixed veggies, a couple of slices of bread (the end of a loaf), Monterey Jack cheese and a remaining slice of baby Swiss cheese.

Mother shredded the Monterey Jack cheese, and cut up the Swiss cheese, while I made bread crumbs, and drained the mixed veggies. Then we layered the potatoes, the meat (which had been cubed), the veggies, the cheeses, and topped the dish with bread crumbs (that had been mixed with Parmesan cheese and spices).

Baked the covered dish for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, then uncovered it and baked an additional 15 minutes. Served the meal with sliced tomatoes topped with cottage cheese, and the remaining three slices of rye bread. Hubbie and I also had a couple of pieces of leftover corn-on-the-cob.

Shortly after supper, Mother was ready to go home, so Hubbie accompanied her. Then we watched one-hour shows on TV, until time to watch our favorite state college basketball team as they played to a win. Yay.            

Monday, March 17

Today is St. Patrick's Day. Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone who is Irish, partly Irish, or just Irish for the day.

Naturally, since I needed to get up at 6 a.m. to get ready for water aerobics, I had trouble going to sleep last night. It was around 1:30 a.m. when I last looked at the clock. So I was pretty groggy when I got up.

Fortunately, there was no wintry weather last night, so it was clear sailing for going to the pool. I bundled up in winter clothes, though, for the cold walk to the gym. I'll be so glad when warm weather arrives.

About a dozen of us showed up for the session. The water was warm, so it felt really good swimming. Hope the pool stays that warm, but it probably won't. Some of the ladies were wearing green leprechaun or bowler hats, or cute bobbly four-leaf clover headbands. My only nod to the day was the green stripes on the bodice of my swimsuit.

Back home afterward, Hubbie ran errands, while I got ready for the day. He checked on Mother before he left. She was fine, but chose not to come over today.

Back downstairs, I found that Hubbie had peeled and quartered potatoes, quartered a head of cabbage and a couple of onions, diced celery, and washed carrots for making New England stew. I seasoned and browned beef, and put it, along with veggies, spices, and chicken and beef broths in the slow cooker.

The meal acted as a stand-in for traditional corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day. I'm not sure what the traditional St. Patrick's Day dessert is, but I chose to make a blackberry cobbler. If that's not an Irish dish, it ought to be.

Didn't get much accomplished for the rest of the afternoon, except calling the scrapbook club members to remind them of our meeting Thursday. One of the ladies wasn't home, so I left a message. Spent quite a while on the phone with the other lady, though, who is always quite chatty. For the rest of the afternoon, I read newspapers and my novel...when I wasn't nodding off.

Later, near suppertime, Hubbie and I took the stew, some bread, and the cobbler to Mother's house. Like me, Mother was wearing a green turtleneck shirt in recognition of the day.

The stew hit the spot on this cool day. Mother even had two helpings. I think her cold is getting better. Since the weather will be better tomorrow...temps to rise to nearly 70 degrees...she'll probably decide to come over.

Before we left Mother's house, Hubbie decided to clean Mother's coffee pot, which ran extremely slowly when he tried to make coffee to go with dessert. Took a while, so we visited with Mother until it was done.

Returned home around 7 p.m., and watched a couple of movies borrowed from the library. The first one was called, "A Little Bit of Heaven," a 2008 film starring Kate Hudson. A young, full-of-life woman gets bad news from the doctor. Relationships with friends and family change. Rated PG-13. Good movie, but I probably wouldn't have gotten it if I'd know what the subject matter was.

The second movie was called "The Women," starring Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Cloris Leachman, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen, and others. This PG-13, 2008, comedy-drama film is about a woman whose husband strays, and how her friends and mother try to help her deal with it.   

Sunday, March 16

Slept late, until around 8 a.m., on this gloomy day that promised colder weather, rain, and possibly snow.

Skipped my exercises after breakfast this morning. Hubbie checked on Mother, who said she wasn't up to coming over in this weather. She is still nursing a cold, so I was glad she opted to stay home.

Spent the morning reading the Sunday newspaper, and my novel, while Hubbie watched TV. Around 11 a.m., I began lunch preparations. Hubbie helped by peeling and dicing the potatoes I baked yesterday, and an onion. I sauteed these in olive oil and spices. I also dredged thin pork chops in egg, flour, and spices, and fried them in olive oil. Then I made a white sauce in the same pan. While the potatoes and pork chops cooked, I boiled ears of corn.

At noon, we took the meal to Mother's house, along with sliced bread. We also took Mother's medications, so she could fill her pill carriers, and the coupon inserts from the newspaper, so she could clip them for Granddaughter.

The food was very good, and after we ate, Hubbie brought the leftovers home to put in the refrigerator. I stayed with Mother for a while, until she finished clipping the coupons. I took my e-tablet with me to show her postings from family on my social network page. I also read a few pages of my novel while she worked on the coupons.

I returned home around 2 p.m. The temperature had dropped considerably by then, and it was windy and rain-sleeting.

At home, Hubbie was watching the championship basketball game on TV. I continued reading my novel, because I was at