Saturday, April 26

Up at 6:30 this morning, so Hubbie could get ready to go to the armory to help with the Master Gardener plant sale.

I headed to the shower before breakfast, because I wanted to be dressed and ready to take Mother to the sale around 8 a.m.

Hubbie left the house around 7:30. Before I left, I gathered picnic food and supplies for a trip to another town about an hour away, where Mother and I planned to meet Daughter for lunch and afternoon movie.

At 8 a.m., I went to Mother's house and accompanied her to the van. The armory is less than five minutes from our house, so I thought we would arrive at the armory before the rush. But I was wrong. There were no parking spaces around the armory, and I had to park behind a state agency building, which is next door to the armory.

There are handicap spaces there, but I had to wheel Mother over potholes, and up a paved road to the armory. The wheelchair ramp is pretty steep at the armory, so I got my exercise pushing Mother up it.

We spent about 45 minutes at the sale, and Mother bought several plants. The armory was packed wall-to-wall with people, who swooped down on the plants, and then formed a long line to the checkout table. We let the crowd thin out a little before we left.

Back home, we relaxed for a little while, then headed to the other town about 10:30. When we arrived, Daughter was already there. Somehow we miscued, and Daughter had already paid for lunches at the restaurant. 

We enjoyed the meal, though. After lunch, we went to the town's city park (where I had planned to picnic, since it was such a nice day), and walked the one-mile loop around the park. Daughter pushed Mother in her wheelchair.

We stopped along the way to take snapshots, then relaxed in the picnic area until around 1:15, when we went to the movie theater to see "Heaven is for Real."

We're not crazy about this theater, in which there is only one aisle from which to access the seats. We preferred to sit in a row toward the back, but it seemed so did everyone else. After we'd gotten Mother comfortably seated on the aisle, several people...couples and families...asked us to let them pass.

Well, the seats were so packed in the theater that there was just inches between the rows. Mother could not stand up every time somebody wanted to go past us. The first couple that tried it was elderly...a bent-over woman, and a wobbly man with a cane. How on earth did they hope to crawl over us?  When they saw we weren't going to get up, they went to the row in front of us.

The next couple was obese...the woman probably weighed 300 pounds, and the man was upwards of that. We explained that Mother could not get up. They decided to go down a few rows.

After that, a family of obese people, carrying giant tubs of popcorn and huge drinks, tried it. At this point, Mother became irritated and snapped, "I'm disabled and I can't get up!" They moved on.

It wasn't as if the theater was full. There were only a handful of people there, and about a hundred seats, but everyone wanted on our row. Too bad...we weren't about to let them in.

Which wasn't very Christian of us, considering the movie we came to see. But I do believe folks should be able to recognize that a very old woman would have difficulty hopping up and down to let folks pass. Since there were so many empty seats available, there really wasn't a good excuse to disturb us.

The movie was good. It has something for the skeptics, and something for the believers, and it doesn't try to land squarely on either side, though it leans toward the believers. The little boy who plays the lead is very appealing in his innocent sincerity. The movie has its critics, as well as its champions, of course.

The film ended around 4 p.m., and we all headed to our respective home. It was a fun afternoon, and I think Daughter really enjoyed our "girls day out."

Back home, Hubbie was working in the yard. He'd had a busy day, too...all work, unfortunately. Mother was ready to go home as soon as we got back, so I accompanied her. Later, I took a chicken salad sandwich, chips, and angel food cake with strawberries and whipped topping.

At home, Hubbie and I watched the annual red/white game of our favorite state college football team. This is an exhibition game to show how the team might perform in real games.

After that, we watched episodes of "Bones."

Friday, April 25

Up at 6:30, so Hubbie could get ready to go to the armory to help the Master Gardeners prepare for a plant sale tomorrow. He started to leave the house around 7:30, but then discovered he couldn't find his truck keys.

He searched the house, then decided to check and see if he'd left them in the truck. Sure enough, he had. And not only that, but he had somehow managed to leave the truck ignition on. So, of course, the battery was dead. This necessitated calling the auto service to come and deal with it.

The service guy arrived around 9 a.m. He had to travel from a town about 40 minutes away, since there are no nearby auto services contracted with this emergency service. Seems ridiculous to me.

Around 9:30, Hubbie was finally ready to go to the armory. He was there until about 1 p.m. Before he left, he accompanied Mother to our house.

I did stair stepping exercises this morning, but skipped the resistance band and weights. While I was doing that and getting ready for the day, Mother sliced strawberries to be sugared. There were enough to freeze a quart of them for jelly-making later.

Spent the rest of the morning on my laptop. At lunch, I called Hubbie to see if he planned to come home. He opted to stay at the armory, since I really didn't have anything planned for lunch. Mother had her usual Ramen noodle soup. I chose to just have angel food cake, with strawberries and whipped topping, plus a cup of coffee.

After Hubbie returned from the armory, I went to the college down the road to view an art exhibit, and to the grocery store to pick up a loaf of bread and bread rounds. Stopped by a cafe' then to get a quart of chicken salad.

At the grocery store, I met a man Hubbie and I used to work with. In fact, he was my supervisor. He was carrying an oxygen tank. Seems he has to wear it pretty much always now. He's younger than me, but I don't know exactly what his problem is. He seemed embarrassed about the tank, but I assured him that if oxygen is what he needs to stay on his feet and have a reasonably normal life, then that's all that counts. I reminded him that we all have physical restrictions at our age. It's just a part of life.

What bothered me more was when he told me that his youngest daughter, age 33, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She is now faced with deciding whether or not to have a double mastectomy, since she has a family history of breast cancer.

Didn't accomplish much after that until suppertime. Had chicken salad sandwiches and chips for supper. Mother was ready to go home afterwards, and Hubbie accompanied her.

Then he and I went downtown to the art gallery to attend a reception and the grand opening of the newly renovated space. The gallery now includes two storefront spaces, which the younger members of board of directors and visual arts committee worked on for two weeks, while the gallery was closed. I'm a member of the visual arts committee, but I wasn't up for a renovation project.

The gallery event was scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., but we were only able to stay until 7 p.m., since Hubbie wanted to also attend a gardening program, sponsored by the local plant society.

But we were at the gallery long enough to tour the new space, and to see the juried art exhibit, which is what we wanted to do. But we couldn't stay long enough to attend the artist awards part of the evening.

Wow, we were absolutely impressed by the transformation of the art gallery. It looks very up town. They replaced carpet with hardwood floors, installed lighting appropriate to art work, and painted the walls a soft gray. They maintained the integrity of the this historical building, though, by exposing the original embossed metal ceiling tiles, which they painted white. In so doing, they were able to obtain a grant from the state historical society.

This gallery space was formerly a shoe store. It now opens at one end to the space next door that used to house the gallery. That space is now a workshop, which has also been renovated with counters, a large wall-to-wall blackboard, and plenty of floor space to set up work tables. Within this space there is also a spacious bathroom.

At the back of the gallery, there is a nice display area for items other than art. It houses pottery, jewelry, woodwork, books, and other for-sale items.

A lot of people attended this by-invitation-only wine and light refreshments event. We really enjoyed visiting with folks we haven't seen for a while. Our friends whose son and daughter-in-law had triplets four months ago said the babies will be christened in June, and we will be receiving an invitation to an after-the-christening-party for folks to drop by and meet the triplets.

Before 7 p.m., we went to a local bank to attend the plant society's program on rhododendrons. The speaker was late arriving, so by the time he finished his talk and slide program, it was nearly 8:30. Before he began his program, he auctioned off several azalea and rhododendron plants. Hubbie was sort of interested in the rhododendrons, but he wasn't willing to pay $50 and more for a one. I think he was wise in not buying one, because from all I heard tonight, they are difficult to grow in our state, because of the weather.

From the program, we went to the WDCS to pick up an angel food cake and whipped topping. Got the cake, but they were out of topping, so after we filled the van with gas, we went to a grocery store to get the topping.

We were finally home at 9 p.m. Before settling in, I went over to Mother's house and administered eye-drops. She tried to be cooperative by leaning her head back and opening her eyes wide...but then clamping her lids shut as soon as I approached with medication bottle. So as usual, I had to force her eyes open.

We watched an episode of "Bones," and then headed to bed. Need to be up at 6:30 again tomorrow, so Hubbie can go down to the armory at 7:30.

Thursday, April 24

Up around 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house mid-morning.

We didn't accomplish a lot before lunch. Since I didn't have anything on hand that we wanted for lunch, we decided to take advantage of a barbecue lunch at a local tire business. The business offered the lunch, along with goodie bags, an antique car show, and exhibits of a race car and a truck mounted on giant tires, as a customer appreciation event.

Lunch was served at tables under a canopy (in case of rain, which was predicted today). Upon arriving, we noticed that Hubbie's niece and great-niece were taking advantage of the lunch, too. We enjoyed visiting with them.

The lunch was pretty good...barbecue on buns, coleslaw, baked beans, and chips. The goodie bags contained ball caps, key chains, pens, and plastic cups. If we had gotten there sooner, we'd have gotten a tote filled with goodies. But as it was, they ran out of totes, so our stuff was in plastic bags. Oh well, I must have a hundred totes already...didn't need another one.

Once we had registered for the $500 door prize, we left and came back home. But then I decided I wanted to grab my camera and go back to the tire business to snap a few photos. Mother opted to stay home, so Hubbie and I went back to the business.

After I got the shots I wanted, we went to the newspaper to drop off the word search puzzle contest; to a grocery store to pick up a few items; and to a roadside market to pick up four quarts of this season's strawberries.

At home, I grazed on berries, and then Mother and I began supper preparations. Mother made three individual salads, and sliced strawberries, which I sugared to have later. I put the remainder of the casserole from last night's meal into the oven, with a dish of English peas.

After supper, around 6:30, we went to the college down the road to attend a country music concert by a group from Branson. They are older performers, of course, so the audience was mainly older folks. The group of four...three men and a woman...dressed in colorful, sparkly costumes, was very professional, though. They kept the show moving along with music and humor.

We were back home around 9 p.m. Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, while I fetched her eye drops and a helping of strawberry shortcake, and went over there to forcibly put the drops in her eyes.

Back at our house, Hubbie and I watched a couple of episodes of "Bones" before heading to bed.

Except for a brief storm, it was a very good day.

Wednesday, April 23

Up around 7:30. Skipped going to water aerobics, since my thumb is still really bothering me and I didn't want to try getting into my swimsuit. Instead, I did stair stepping and skipped my resistance band and weights.

Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and we put together a casserole using leftover scalloped potatoes, slow cooker chicken, a can of whole kernel corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and a recipe of freshly made gravy from chicken broth. Topped the casserole with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Then I put the casserole in the fridge to be baked later for supper.

Called the doctor to make an appointment before I got ready for the day. I decided my thumb needed to be checked again, since wearing the splint and taking daily pain meds for inflammation did absolutely nothing to alleviate the problem. My appointment was scheduled for 3 p.m.

Spent the rest of the morning doing this and that until lunchtime. Couldn't think of anything to have for lunch, so Hubbie and I had PB&J sandwiches, while Mother had her usual Ramen noodle soup.

After lunch, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie went out to work in the yard, and I read magazines and newspapers. Hubbie came in later with the mail, which contained an envelope for Mother and me. It was a black and white photo of the two of us taken at the museum a couple of weeks ago.

We visited the museum to attend a program about a couple that traveled the river between towns in our area taking photographs in the early 1900s. They lived on a houseboat that featured not only living space, but a photo studio and a darkroom.

There is a fascinating exhibit of the couples' photographs on exhibit at the museum. There is also a corner that simulates the photo studio on the houseboat. The original background and a wicker chair are there, and on the day of the program, a photographer was snapping shots of anyone who wanted to pose there.

Mother and I took advantage of it. However, the intention was for folks to view there snapshots on the digital camera screen, but no print copies of the photos were offered. But the museum director spotted our photo at the website of the folks who mounted the exhibit. She liked it and decided to print it and send it to us.

I'm glad, because it is a pleasing photo that I plan to use in a scrapbook page. I shared the snapshot on my social network page.

Around 2:30, I headed to the doctor's office. Across town on a side street, traffic was stopped while a swarm of police rushed into a house, brought out a young man, handcuffed, and put him in a police car (there were five police cars there).

I was sort of surprised that no police directed traffic during this incident. So after a few minutes, we began to cautiously direct ourselves around the police cars. In cases like this, folks don't know if the police want them to stay put, or try to move on. We just took our chances and moved on, taking turns in the one open lane.

At the clinic, the doctor examined my thumb and declared I needed to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon. An appointment has been scheduled for May 1. I'm not looking forward to it. The doctor also decided I need a bone screening, since I haven't had one in seven years.

I suppose my thumb problem sent up a red flag that I could have osteoporosis, especially since Mother has it, I'm Caucasian, and I'm an older woman. So that test is scheduled for May 6.

I'm falling apart at the seams.

Before I left for my appointment, I asked Hubbie to put the casserole in the oven, which he did. It was baking when I returned home around 4 p.m.

The casserole was pretty tasty for supper. I didn't serve anything with it but slices of rye bread. But it was hearty enough to suffice for a full meal.

As soon as we cleared away the dishes, we headed to a local church fellowship hall downtown to attend a charity bingo event for the Literacy Council.

The event was from 6 to 8 p.m. There were fifteen games... including six regular ones, four postage stamp ones (fill in four numbers in any of the four corners), two picture frame ones (fill in all the numbers around the edge of the card), two letter "L" (all the numbers down the "B", and across the bottom of the card, representing the word "Literacy"), and one cover-all.

Hubbie won one of the "L" games, and received a prize of $25, a free car wash, and a bunch of candy in a gift bag. Mother and I got within one number of winning a couple of time, but in two games, I got absolutely no numbers. I jokingly asked the Literacy Council director if there was a booby prize for someone who got no numbers. Nope, no prize.

It was a fun evening. Afterward, we stopped by a local ice cream/fast food restaurant that was offering free soft serve ice cream cones in celebration of a re-grand opening following renovations. I chose chocolate ice cream dipped in hot chocolate sauce for both Mother and me, and Hubbie chose plain vanilla. I can't remember the last time I had a dipped cone, and it was really delicious.

At home, I accompanied Mother to her house and pried her eyes open for drops. Back at our house, Hubbie and I watched episodes of "Bones."

The weather was glorious again today, and except for the doctor appointment, it was a very good day.

Tuesday, April 22

Slept late, until around 8 a.m., but did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast.

Hubbie made arrangements to take both the van and the truck for oil changes today. He took the van this morning, then took the truck this afternoon.

Before he left, he accompanied Mother to our house. She and I spent the rest of the morning watching "Dancing With the Stars."

When the show was over, I went upstairs to shower and dress. In the meantime, Hubbie returned and decided to make grilled cheese sandwiches for our lunch.

After lunch, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, and I went to town. I stopped at the WDCS first to pick up photos I'd ordered online last night. Then I went to the Goodwill store to browse for DVD movies. But they were picked over and there was nothing I wanted. I browsed the rest of the store, but found nothing I wanted. I think the best time to visit this store is right after they restock, and I don't know when that is.

I was back home around 3 p.m., in time to put chicken in the slow cooker for supper. Hubbie returned around 3:30.

The chicken was ready by 5 p.m., and we had it with leftover scalloped potatoes, asparagus, and dinner rolls that Sis brought for Easter.

Mother stayed around for a while after supper and watched TV with us. Around 8:30, she was ready to go home, so we accompanied her, and I put drops in her eyes. Thought I'd need a pry bar to get them open tonight.

At home, we watched episodes of  "Bones."

What a glorious day! I'd love for the weather to stay just like this.

Monday, April 21

Up around 7 a.m., so we could be ready when the cable company guy came to fix our land lines. Skipped my exercises after breakfast, since we expected the guy sometime between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. I didn't want to be caught in my shorts and t-shirt when he got here. Or worse, be in the bathroom upon his arrival.

So once I was dressed, I occupied myself doing a couple of loads of laundry, putting away dishes, etc., from yesterday's Easter Sunday celebration, and other piddling things.

As it happened, I could have exercised, showered, and dressed before the repair guy came, since it was shortly after 10 a.m. when he got here. He worked for about an hour repairing something or other outdoors, and then doing what needed to be done to the phone in the den, and the one in the office.

He kept getting cell phone calls while he worked, and it became apparent that he was getting a bit put out. He explained that he was the only senior repairman on duty today, and that there were several new guys working at different places. Even though these young guys had been trained for the job, they still ran into problems that they didn't know how to handle, and had to call him to walk them through them.

At one point, I heard him say, "No, I can't leave this job right now"! I guess whoever was seeking his advice wanted him to go to where they were to solve a problem. He commented that it takes at least six months to become skilled and confident at the job. So he's run ragged dealing with these young guys, even though he is paid overtime for his efforts.

He finally got our phones working, though, which is selfishly what mattered to me. Glad he was sent to our house, rather than one of those green workers!

Hubbie had accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she started a new jigsaw puzzle...one given to her for her birthday by Daughter and Great-Grandkids.

After lunch, while Mother continued her puzzle, and Hubbie ran errands, I switched out my winter and summer clothes. I'm confident (with crossed fingers) that I'll no longer need turtlenecks shirts and heavy sweaters until next fall.

Later, for supper, we had leftovers from Easter Sunday dinner. Mother stayed around for a while afterward and watched TV with us. At 8:30, we accompanied her home, so I could put drops in her eyes. For a tiny woman with not much strength, she sure can clamp those eyes shut!

Back home, Hubbie and I watched episodes of "Bones." Hubbie picked up seasons four and five at the library today while running errands.

We got about 3/4 inch of rain today, but thankfully no storms. It was cloudy most of the day, though.

Sunday, April 20

Easter Sunday...hope everyone had a happy one!

Up at 7:30, ready for the day by 8:30. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house right after breakfast, and we put together two large dishes of scalloped potatoes for the oven. Then Mother fixed a plate of deviled eggs, while I set put a tablecloth on the table, and set it for dinner. While we did this, Hubbie went out to the yard and gathered tulips and lilacs for the dining room.

Sis and Nephew arrived around 10:30, and Daughter and Great-Granddaughter arrived thirty minutes later. Sis brought dinner rolls and hot cross buns with her, and Daughter brought an Easter basket loaded with candy treats, a couple of stuffed ducklings, and a greeting card.

Earlier, I put chocolate Easter bunnies near the place settings for Sis, Nephew, Daughter, and Granddaughter, and a small basket containing packages of Jelly Belly candy, and a card, at Mother's place, and a card at Hubbie's place. Mother gave cards to Sis, daughter, and myself.

We sat down to eat at noon. The meal of ham, scalloped potatoes, deviled eggs, carrot salad, asparagus, and dinner rolls, was delicious. For dessert, we had helpings of pineapple upside down cake.

After lunch, we watched the musical movie, "The Music Man," that we'd begun watching before lunch. This morning, Mother and I were watching, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat," when family arrived, and they joined us in watching that.

We also watched a movie romance this afternoon. Then at supper, we chose what we wanted to eat from ham for sandwiches, macaroni salad, carrot salad, deviled eggs, and chips, with hot cross buns for dessert.

Afterward, we watched "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown." Then family was ready to head home. Mother stayed around and continued watching TV until around 8:30. Hubbie and I accompanied Mother home then, so I could put drops in Mother's eyes.

Hubbie and I finished the evening vegging in front of TV.

A good day.