Some down time at Lori's

Well, here I am sitting at Lori's new laptop which she received for Mother's Day.  She says it is going to like me better than it likes her because I have used it more.  Only a short while ago I came in from outside where I was resting in the sunshine in Lori's driveway as she napped in the house.  She had a very late night at the graduation party and was physically worn out from all the effort put into a party of this proportion.  Lori needed the rest!  David worked on a few things in the yard and garage and then got busy with some important music work.  He said that is how he relaxes and rests, doing music stuff rather than napping. 

*

Earlier this a.m. I started a load of laundry in order to take mostly clean clothes to Mom's rather than a suitcase full of "used" clothing, especially since my Saturday outfit smelled so strongly of smoke.  We finished our day 'round the bonfire with the guitar players strummin' and singin' well after midnight. Kerry was tired so went in ahead of me and got settled for the night, with me following her a bit later. We were sharing Dustin's bedroom which was fine since we both watch/listen to TV during the night. Dusty's friends were over yet when we went to bed and were a bit noisy, which was fine because it was his party, after all!  Oh, what a fine day it was, especially with my people arriving and then Judy and JerBear coming.  My people liked them and I think it was reciprocal.  The food was amazing and weather perfect, (no rain!), the bands good, especially Rose River.  They were getting cold toward the end of their set so ended sooner than they expected, as the temps began to drop. Hence, the blessing of the bonfire and smoky clothes!

*

This a.m., after all were up and about, the family came over from the hotel and we made plans to have brunch at nearby Drugan's.  Oh my, what a delicious feast we had.  It never ceases to amaze me how inexpensive dining out is here in WI.  The cost for five adults and two children to eat was less than $65 before tip, which is simply incredible, particularly since the food was so ample and delicious.  Having Kerry along was extra fun because she has not been over here to Lori's since she was pregnant with Alayna, nearly 18 years ago!!! Kerry is not what one would call a traveler, if you call visiting your sister three hours away being a traveler.....She is quite handy to have in the kitchen on clean- up detail, and always has been, and between us we cleaned up many many cans and bottles during and after the party.  Poor David is going to have quite the load to haul out on garbage night!!!!

*

Lori said they invited about 200 people and estimate that a little more than half showed up for the big event.  They were running low on beer and nacho chips at one point so people had to do runs to the store to restock.  Lori fortunately had made a kettle of hot beef the night before and she had to heat that up to serve as guests were still showing up well after 'supper' time, and all the meat was gone.  Lori was rejoicing that there are little leftovers to deal with, save for some fresh fruit salad and potato salad. Makes putting things away afterward quite a bit quicker!  We are having steaks on the grille tonight, I think, which sounds just wonderful to me, since I had brats and hot dogs yesterday.  Can check those items off my list of foods to have when I get to Wisconsin........  

I should get busy but....

....a few lines first.  Kerry woke me this a.m., telling me I had to get up and "play with her".  She was bored, being the only human being awake in the house this Sunday morning.  Kerry and I do not like the mess left outside and were told numerous times not to worry about it, but I suspect as soon as I done here, we will be up there and out there, tidying things.  Even this room I am in is totally trashed, as Dusty entertains his friends in this room, the "boy cave", as Lori calls it.  A garbage can will make quick work of this project as well as the one upstairs and outdoors.  It was dark when we came in and we could not see the mess that needed cleaning up.  What great fun the party was, though, well worth the effort, in my opinion!!

*

My family arrived mid to late morning and the ladies pitched right in with cutting up the fruit, etc. I busied myself with cutting bars, preparing the veggie trays without snitching, cleaning up in the kitchen including sweeping and mopping the floor.  I washed dishes and ran the machine, my usual stuff, as much as I like wiping counters.  Funny that only last week I talked about that very subject and I was totally in my element!  The boys were absolutely adorable and played on the swing set and entertained themselves with toys in the boy cave, while their daddy watched them.  

*

When it was time for them to check into their hotel, Lisa realized that her keys were locked in the car.  Oh, nuts!  At first she was going to call a locksmith and then asked, "Does anyone have AAA?"  I told her I did so we called them and without much delay, a nice man named Joe came out to rescue us.  They did not ask if it was my car or anything so I did not have to lie.  He used a wedge device to slide what looked like a blood pressure cuff between the door and the car, inflated the cuff enough to slide a long flexible gizmo in and ta da!!  The door was open and we loved Joe!!!!  Lisa was quite relieved to not have to pay a locksmith and I was so glad I have AAA.

*

I hear people up and about upstairs so will head up there to start bossing, I mean, lending a hand.  More will come later, I promise!  I miss all those not here with me in person, but know you are with me in my heart!

Life in the fast lane

Here I am, sitting in my sister's home, helping her look at her newest acquisitions from the bead store. Oh, such pretty things they have out there from which to make gee-gaws!  She is quite talented in designing necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.  Her home page on this computer opens to a bead purchasing website, set up for her by David.  He is a gem, too!  Get it?

*

Travel yesterday was long without any serious complications.  Justin picked me up at my condo and we took his car to the airport rather than mine.  Oops!  After I was checked through security it occurred to me that my phone charger, which I would have grabbed from my car was not with me....Quickly I called Justin to ask him to stop at my house on his way back out to Fleming Island and grab my charger, over night it to me.  But, as we talked, I thought maybe it would be cheaper and wiser to just buy a new one instead, in fact, I did just that in the airport.  I found a rather universal-style with the help of the shop clerk and away I went with a new charger to add to my collection.  Other than that minor glitch, the trip was problem free.

*

My rental car, reserved in advance, was an intermediate size which, it turns out, did not have a "power package", which meant, god forbid, crank windows and hand locking doors, and NO CRUISE CONTROL!!  The nice young man informed me that for $10 more per day I could upgrade to a mid-size with a power package, which I dismissed. Then he offered an upgrade of "only" $3 more per day, and since I was doing a great deal of highway driving this trip, I decided to take the offer.   I am driving a white Kia Spectra all over the state of WI and parts of MN!

*

I arrived at Lori's a tiny bit later than expected because I stopped a couple times to take a break and rest my eyes.  After having gotten up shortly before 3:00 a.m., when I suddenly realized I had forgotten to e-mail the condo newsletter to myself (so I can work on it when I am away).  At 3:08 I sent it off to myself and then climbed back into bed, without success at falling back to sleep.  Eventually I surrendered, got up, and ready to go.  Resisting the temptation to sign back on to the computer, I went into the family room and watched the news until I called Justin to make sure he was on his way to get me.  Originally I had planned on him staying overnight but his plans changed so he just slept at home.  Joanne was also flying out that morning, but her flight was later than mine, plus she had to collect her sister from the hotel and swap vehicles with her spouse.  I told her I would make noise in the morning so she would wake up though, as she still had some packing to take care of.  I did get to say "good-bye" to her through the door as we headed out.  

*

So, because of being up so early in the a.m. and hardly sleeping soundly on the plane, I was tired!  I made a wrong turn as I neared Lori's house, finding myself face to face with the Valley View Mall which normally would have been thrilling, but instead aggravated me.  The mapquest directions did not tell me left or right when I exited so obviously I went the wrong way, and had to back track in order to get going the right direction.  Mom is usually with me when I come here and knows the right way, and I am challenged directionally.  Ugh!!

*

It was so good to get here and sit in my sister's house with her!  She is such a talented decorator, I just love to see what new and fun things she has done with her house.  We decided to have dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ which was cool because only Monday Justin and I had seen Famous Dave's on Fox and Friends.  The place we ate dinner at Monday night with our former church member in NYC was across the street from Famous Dave's!!!  I had Georgia chopped pork, an ear of corn, and spiced apples for my dinner. Dusty had a violin class so he met us there, since he is a driver now, too.  Oh my!  No braces, a licensed driver, and a high school graduate, heading for college in a few months.

Where does the time go??!!??

*

Before long I was heading for bed, snug and cozy in Dusty's bed, where Lori got the TV rigged up for me.  It was so comfy that I did not get up nearly 9:30, due in part to the fact the room was dark and my hosts were not patting about upstairs.  Dusty had come into his room at one point to get something from the closet and left again, and still no stirring.  When I finally decided to get up, Lori was in the kitchen already busy while David strolled around in his robe.  Oh, good!  Was not the only sleepy head in the house!  Lori and I chatted as I did my nails and before long, it was time to leave for Winona to see Judy!!!!  I found her at the Blue Heron where we enjoyed soup and sandwiches, or salad in her case.  From there we went to the maritime museum where we saw some wonderful artwork, including a few pieces by Monet, Renoir, and others.  The rest of the afternoon was spent on the patio at her home, soaking up the sun and doing more chatting.  Before long JerBear came home and got showered, and then we headed for dinner in Trempelaeu.  My prime rib was absolutely delicious and Jerry nicely finished the end of it for me, as the bowl of beef barley soup rather took the edge off my appetite.  We parted company from there as they pointed me in the right direction for finding my way back to Lori's.  Soon it is bedtime and then tomorrow I will get to see my people when they arrive for Dusty's graduation party!!!  I cannot wait to see them, especially the little boys, and no one minds me saying that!!! 

After the haircut

Back again from getting my hairs cut and stopping briefly at Great Hang Ups to touch base with my peeps. Dee was busily working on a large project with a fellow in the workroom, so could only briefly greet and give a farewell hug. Julia was working on invitations for her parent's 50th wedding anniversary party which is also her mom's 70th birthday.....Dee had asked me to do something with just her because the party is being held at the home of my former spouses' attorney. After what transpired in March in Court, I would certainly not feel comfortable at her home. It is a moot point since I will be in WI anyway. Dee will be gone when I get back from WI so we are planning to have girl's night out at some point when all are back in town! Some others of her friends cannot be there at the official party either so it would not just be me getting special treatment.

*

The sun is still peeking out but hardly full force like it was when I woke up. The temps are near 80 which is tolerable. Hopefully I will experience the same when I am in WI!!! Justin did, but I did not, overpack for the trip, as we were limited on the size of bags that would go through security at the gates of West Point. He had his heavy backpack as well, which carried his tennis shoes and spare clothes. We bought a shirt at American Eagle in New York but it was too small right now. In a couple weeks it might fit him perfectly.

*

We also went shopping our first day in "the city" to get lightweight jackets, as nearly of us had one. It was expected to rain on Sunday, so off we walked to Kohl's. Justin's phone has GPS on it and we walked directly to where it said Kohl's was, but nope, only an empty store. Across the street was Macy's so in we went. That store is so huge!!!! Unless you have been there, you have no idea. It occupies nearly an entire city block, and then straight up. We rode the escalator up 8 floors, a couple of them being wooden steps, looking original or nearly so.

*

We found his jacket without much trouble, except that the cheapest one was marked $98 for a Nautica jacket, in white. Yikes! Well, there was a sale going on, and because we are from out of town (really??) we got an additional 11% discount. While his jacket, cotton and with some substance might be worth that money, with the designer name attached, mine was certainly not! After some searching, we finally located the large-sized women's department and began the search for a windbreaker or light jacket. I was about to give up but then discovered exactly what I was looking for. A designer, Michael Kors, blue windbreaker, priced at $159.00. There was absolutely nothing about that jacket other than this person's name earning the price tag, but once again, there was a sale plus the extra %%% for being out-of-towners. Mine I can roll in a ball and shove in my purse, while Justin's is more dressy looking and will inevitably end up in a ball in the back of his car, not staying white very long, I fear. Prove me wrong, Justin, prove me wrong!

*

We had planned to go to the museum on Sunday, the rainy day, but because we had bought the appropriate jackets, the day was bright and sunny! We opted to do our bus ride instead and off we went to see the sites from atop the double-decker bus. Toward the end of the day, it did begin to sprinkle so we put our new jackets on, mine which included a hood rolled into the collar. It was a brief sprinkling of rain and before long it was over. We ended up having to walk some yet that day to get back to the hotel, and we bought sidewalk hot dogs and some sodas to have for dinner. This did not prove to satisfy so later we went down the little snack area at the hotel, and got some chips and other treats to have as we watched TV.

*

Monday was our day to see the museum so after our breakfast, still on the house, we headed out to hail a cab. When we pulled up, we noticed one of the hot dog cart vendors had a sign about supporting the disabled veterans and had American flags on the wagon. We agreed this would be the place to get our Memorial Day hot dogs later on. We climbed the 85 steps up to the doors and went through security there, paid the suggested admission, and off we went.

*

Justin was interested in seeing the Renaissance art and certain artists he recently studied, but we found that several entire areas were not open, including the ones he wanted to see. I was fine to go look at other stuff but he is more like his father when it comes to stuff like that, gets into a slight huff and then nothing else is good enough, you know? We went to see the ancient Egypt site where a portion of a temple is reconstructed plus walked through the Greek display. His feet ached, his hip was sore, he had a slight headache....and I was the one expected to be ailing! At one point he went in search of the elevator or escalator to take us down stairs but found none, so we went down another 85 stairs, to the lower level to see that floor. At some point he admitted that he had seen all he wanted to, except, of course, that which was closed, so we left.

*

Before getting a cab, though, we had our roasted hot dogs from the Marine veterans, delicious!!! Not dirty water ones, truly roasted on the grille. We decided to go see a movie so once more his trusty phone found us a theater near our hotel and a time schedule. He had already seen "Angels and Demons" but did not mind seeing it again. We were on Times Square, in the heart of activity, and found the theater without problem. All ticket sales were done at kiosks and we followed signs to the escalator for our long ride up-up-up-up. So many escalators and we kept going up!!! At least 9 times and finally to the floor where our theater was located. We could see out and over the buildings with a panoramic view from the deck area. He estimated we were 20 stories high, and the vista as good as any movie! I did like the movie, although Justin had problems with them not following the book. I do myself a favor by not reading the books, I am seldom disappointed!!! He is terrible when it comes to the Harry Potter movies, does not forgive the license taken by the screen writers. He liked this one well enough to see it twice, so it cannot have been too bad!

My only day in between trips.......

.........and already watching the clock! I woke in my own bed to sunshine and I hope it stays awhile! The long-range forecast does not promise such so I will try not to get used to it. When we left New York yesterday morning, it was overcast and 60 degrees, quite a change from what we had been experiencing. Predictions showed rain most of the days in Florida, too, until some time next week. Facebook friends kept us updated on the number of inches, now measured in feet, of rain that had fallen in our area. The high temperatures are in the 80's which is good, and often the storms come at the close of the day, which is better than having rain all day long. In checking the headlines on the local radio station's website, there was a report that Clark's Fish Camp, one of our favorite eateries, was closed because of the high water in the restaurant. At some point, however, the owner of the restaurant went into the men's restroom and discovered a 4' long alligator hanging out in there. He merely dragged it by the tail and threw it back into Julington Creek. Talk about fresh catch!

*

Today I have a hair cut appointment and my primary "job" is to get the big suitcase out and packed for tomorrow's adventure. When I got home last night, immediately I started a load of laundry in order get things in process. Oh, no! The soap jug was nearly empty!!! I swished water around in it and poured it into the washer, hoping that was enough. Joanne was not home yet so I called and left a message for her to pick up some soap. When she came in, she handed me two tiny boxes of Tide, purchased at her sister's hotel on Wells Road. That will get me through my wash but won't help her out any. Hopefully she is ready to go and won't need to wash anymore. She leaves tomorrow with her sister, heading for Kalamazoo to check on things at her parent's home, which is for sale. They still have numerous items to sort through and want to get going on it in the outside chance that someone will buy the home.

*

I just got back from the kitchen, where I ran a small amount of hot water into the sink and put soap into it. The kitchen cloth stunk, so I gingerly carried that into the laundry room, and took a fresh one from the drawer. Phewww! With the hot soapy water all the counters, the stove top, and microwave face were wiped, making them fresh and crumb-free. As I did this, my memory brought back days of old.....I specifically recall one afternoon when I got home from work at Shady Lane, I immediately got busy with the hot sudsy water and busily wiped all the counters, the table, and anything that would not move. It wasn't until I was satisfied all was clean that I realized I still had my winter coat on with purse hanging on my shoulder! From that moment on, I always made sure to take my coat off and put my purse down BEFORE manically washing things. Thankfully, I have gotten much better about those things, now no longer living in "always for sale"-mode.

*

Only 10 minutes before it is time to leave for the booty shop so must get dressed. Susan washes my hair for me after the cut because I am full of whiskers when she gets done with her clippers. I hate to leave a rain of tiny hairs everywhere I go after the booty shop. After I get back today, I will add some more updates about my trip, but, for now, have a great day all!

Pictures from JR's graduation

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was the speaker at West Point's graduation Saturday, May 23. He personally handed out the diplomas to the high honors graduates and then yielded to the officers who actually read the names, one on each side of the dais, for over 900 West Pointers.

On the right is JR, waiting on the ramp to hear his name called for the diploma. The skies were threatening and I wonder what would happen to their diplomas if it did rain. Afterward we could see it was inside a tube to protect it from the weather. John and Mona bought JR the suitable frames for hanging his diploma and also his commission. He also bought a sword which will be hung in the display as well. The sword they are wearing is more decorative than official, so had to be turned back in after the ceremony.

After JR came down the ramp upon receiving his diploma, several of their teachers were waiting at the bottom of the stairs to congratulate them, and give hugs. It was a pleasant surprise to see the normally stiff and rigid military guys grabbing the graduates and hugging them freely, and the graduates hugging back! In this photo, JR is scanning the huge crowd to see us, but I do not think he could pick us out, although he knew approximately where we would be seated.

At the conclusion of the graduation ceremony, a time-long tradition of the hat toss took place. Children in only a certain age group were gathered on the far edge of the grounds, and as soon the graduates tossed the hats in the air, the kids were set free to go and grab the hats. The hats supposedly had coins or paper money tucked in the band for the kids. Soon after the hat toss came numerous announcements about lost kids.....really?

If you will notice the different uniform, this is their new style and color this year. The Commissioning Ceremony was separate from graduation, at which his parents attached the bars to his shoulders as Allie stuck his lieutenant bars to his beret. Again, we could not be more proud of JR's accomplishments and his career choice. Doesn't Justin look handsome, too? He is losing weight and now has to have his tuxedo resized for Jamie's wedding in June. What if he loses more before then????
John, Allie, and Mona pose with JR after his commissioning ceremony, with the lovely vista as the backdrop. What an incredibly wonderful event to be part of and I cannot believe that we even considered not going. Our time in New York was all great fun but it is pretty hard to beat graduation at West Point!!!

Happy Memorial Day, all!

My mindset regarding the military and their service certainly improved after I got older, and most especially since moving to Jacksonville. Surrounded by the military and veterans has been a huge blessing as far as garnering an appreciation for the work these people have done and continue to do for us. And then to have a nephew graduate from West Point, it is just, WOW! I wish I was in Manty for the parade today.

*

So, Justin and I are setting off for Memorial Day in NYC, with today's plans to visit the Met and possibly meet Hope Meyer for dinner tonight. We have some coordination to do, but 'hope'fully we can make it happen. Breakfast is still "on the house" here due to the room problem at check-in so we can advantage of that, eating hardy. Our plans also include having a sidewalk, 'dirty water' hot dog, from a vendor again, because, after all, it is the American thing to do. As Justin said, "We have to have a hot dog on Memorial Day, even if we are buying it from an Arab!"

Graduation at West Point

The first word that comes to my mind is AWESOME! I am not original and I am the first one to tell you this. But our time spent at West Point was awesome! John excitedly told Justin and me about how every time they visited the campus they learned something new, how every tradition or event has a history, the statues a story, even the cannons relate history. Justin and I, at one point, simultaneously expressed regret for not coming up there sooner for visits, with time to take the tour and see more sites. Speaking of sites, the vistas from West Point are incredible, magnificent, picturesque, without getting the Thesaurus!

*

Our shared pride for JR rather goes without saying, but I said it anyway, telling him we were so honored to be there and that I was busting with pride. He thanked us for coming and I told him it was important for us to be there, for him and for ourselves. All citizens of the U.S. should make the pilgrimage to West Point or our other military academies, so see, hear, and feel the great history and strong sense of patriotism. He looked amazing in his dress uniform, grey jacket with white slacks, a maroon cummerbund tied to the side and a white belt which held his saber. And the white "covers" which they toss in the air after the ceremony and little children from the crowd are allowed to go pick up. The "cadets" place a small amount of money into the band of their hats for the kids, like a silver dollar or similar, traditionally. All is tradition!

*

Robert Gates was the speaker yesterday and that was pretty spectacular, too. He gave a rousing speech, with some eyebrow raising thoughts not normally heard in a military setting, like "sometimes you will have to stand alone" and "question authority". I would like to reread the speech some time and revisit the context, but regardless, it was thrilling. The portion that received the greatest ovation was the part about taking care of our wounded warriors, which is something Justin and I have supported in the past, and will continue to do. The night before at a banquet John, Mona, and Allie attended, General Wm. Casey was the speaker and we would like to have heard that, too. We were resting in our hotel during that event, thankfully so.

*

Once we arrived at our hotel from the Stewart/Newburgh Int'l. Airport, after arriving late and waiting without end for our luggage (probably offloaded by the pilots!), we checked into our room. It ended up being a smoking room, even though my paperwork indicated we wanted non-smoking. The manager took Justin to check out the room first, which was a great gesture, but we were stuck anyway. I had my little Lysol can along to spray surfaces and the manager had housekeeping bring us a bottle of Febreeze. The room was tolerable, with us catching only occasional wafts of old smoke. We were just sooo tired! Getting up at 3:30 a.m. after not sleeping the night before in anticipation of sleeping through the alarm....yeah, I was bushed!

*

At one point, I got up off the bed to do something and OUCH!, my right knee locked up and I could not put any weight on it. Justin grabbed the desk chair and put it behind me so I could sit, and I was totally freaked out. Now what??? I worked the knee forth and back, rubbing on the place where a knee cap would be and eventually things seemed to settle into position again. Unbelievable! What was I going to do now, if I cannot walk? Besides the obvious complications, what about graduation? What about New York City? I could not even imagine getting in and out taxi's, could not imagine getting to the bathroom from the chair! With my mind busy making alternative plans for an injury, several ideas passed through my brain. I have one day after this trip to my next----how could I get an x-ray, injections, treatment, and cure in one day? Would not happen. Mona's sister works for an ortho doctor in Manty so that is an option, too. I am using utmost care not to over-extend the knee, which is what I think happened. Keeping in mind this is not the knee I injured in 2004, this really freaked me out. Perhaps a contact with my upstairs neighbor, Jessica, the physical therapist, might be in order....Mona has a torn meniscus and said my situation sounds like hers. She plays volleyball and other sports and told me she has braces to wear for every body part! And I get hurt getting out of bed!

*

We walked miles and miles yesterday, climbed hills and steps all over the place and Justin was extremely kind and beneficial to me, lending me his arm and hand at every step. I thanked him for this at the end of the day, because he could have been so annoyed with me and was not openly so. We had a wonderful dinner with the Hackmann's all at a steak house next to their hotel, and then John and JR drove us to Beacon to catch the train. Another experience for Justin and me, to ride the train for about 1 1/2 hours to Grand Central Station. We were awed by the Station, Justin moreso, and we stood in the "center" taking it all in.

*

After some nice police officers pointed out the door to the taxi stand, we purchased some sodas from a street vendor, and then hailed a cab. There was one waiting for us immediately and he took us for the wild ride (Lynn, remember the cab rides???) through the streets toward Times Square for our hotel. Only, there was a glitch----I had the wrong hotel! I thought we were at the Marriott Marquis, the Powell's favorite hotel, when, at registration, we were told we are registered at Marriott Courtyard on Times Square. As often as I looked at this paperwork, it never occurred to me it was two different places. Back to the taxi stand for another wild ride, 6 New York blocks or so to the other hotel. The lady at the first place told me they were fully booked or she would have gotten us in, very nice to me.

*

The next hotel and another cab fare later, we are in our room. But, not our room for long. They are moving us today to a different room because this one was a king-sized bed for which they offered a rollaway, and they will move us today to a 2 double-bed room. I was just so weary, I did not care. For our trouble, though, they gave us complimentary breakfast all three days! Nice!

*

Today our plans will include going to the Met Museum because it is supposed to be rainy. Tomorrow we will venture out on our favorite double-decker bus tour, and hopefully the weather will support our plans! Justin had only a winter weight cordoroy jacket to bring along and I told him to leave it behind, so we will look for a lightweight jacket for him while we are here. Perhaps Macy's has a sale or even Kohl's, which is just across the street from Macy's.

*

Pictures will be posted as soon as I can from this weekend trip, so hang tight, and I will try to post words as often as I can. Let me just say again, we were incredibly honored to be there for JR yesterday at his graduation. Wow, he is a second lieutenant and people were saluting him!

I am astonished!

Until we started making plans to travel to New York State for JR's graduation, I will confess never hearing about the city of Newburgh before in my life! And today, it is all over the news---not because I am going there or because of the graduation at West Point Academy. No, rather, terrorists, home-grown in American prisons, were plotting to blow up a Jewish temple in New York City. AND, they were plotting to shoot surface-to-air missiles from Newburgh at the Air National Guard planes based near the Newburgh/Stewart Int'l. Airport!!!!

*

Martie likes to think she is a sleeper cell, because, different tragedies have occurred, coincidentally, right around her travels including being in New Jersey the day before the terror attacks September 11, 2001. She was also with Justin and me in New York City the same day that the London trains were bombed. The police used Vesey Street, right outside our hotel, as their drill base of operations, and the three of us got to see the robots used to sniff out and disarm bombs when one of the guys opened the back of his truck. We opted to forego our subway ride to Chinatown that day, feeling totally freaked yet fully confident, after the day's events.

*

It just struck me as being wild that a city or town I had never heard of before, is now "the news"!

Happy Ascension Day, everyone!

Tomorrow morning at this time Justin and I will be in Philly's airport, waiting for the next super sonic jet that will take us to Newburgh, New York. Mona has assured me that the plane is teeny tiny so my expectations are for a tight squeeze. Good thing one of us is losing weight! Justin is on a diet and reported that he will need to have his tux for Jamie's wedding re-sized. He was measured for it in April on Easter weekend and already it will be too large for him. He is still a "man of size" and I, "a woman of size" so we can plan on being wedge into this sardine can of a plane to get to see JR's graduation. We can do it!

*

Mona asked us what size luggage we will have because, in order to get onto the grounds where graduation is conducted, we have to pass through two security zones. In order to avoid trouble, John is going to pick up our luggage and us, take the bags to their hotel for holding, and then off we will all go to graduation. JR seemed to think it was okay to take my telephoto lens in with me as long as I do not have too large a bag (okay, okay, hold the jokes about me being a large bag!) and I pray he is correct. Justin wondered about dress code for this event but we have not been informed on that yet. Here is the fun part: we have to be ready to go Saturday morning at 4:30 a.m. in order to get through security by 7:00 a.m. for graduation which is at 10:00 a.m.!!!! Talk about a long day!

*

This morning I am off to Bible study at Victory, my final one until late in June. Pastor is going to have an abbreviated version of the class on Sundays and incorporate the Bible truths into his sermons. I really wish for Justin to hear some of these DVD's, the one about the family especially. Actually it was about social order and how this "order" is shown in the Trinity, the Church, and then the family. I only wish it were WELS material, I would feel so much better about it.

*

Tonight is worship, celebrating the Ascension of our Lord. This will be the last time I see some of my church family until I get back on the 14th of June. Boo hoo! Kelly T. came over yesterday and helped me wrap my gift baskets, having all the stuff needed to make them pretty and presentable. In nothing flat we had "biddable" gift baskets! The spaghetti dinner one I put together with the money from Monday Bible study consisted of a red checked tablecloth, supporting a shiny aluminum colander which served as the basket. In the colander went a jar of meat sauce, pasta, a pasta fork for serving, a cheese grater, Italian seasoning, plus a small container of shredded Parmesan cheese (sprinkling kind). The best part, I think, was finding a tiny cardboard container of wine, with a screw cap, looking sort of like a milk carton. I thought that was the icing on the cake! As Kelly and I were wrapping them up, I suddenly remembered my disposable wine glasses and we added two of them, bases criss-crossed, in the front of the basket. Voila! I would have liked to include some Andes candy but was afraid, if the baskets were outside any length of time, that the candy would melt, so omitted it. The total for all that was just shy of $30! I hope it goes for more!

*

The other basket was my donation, scrapbook supplies. I found a kit for a smaller-sized scrapbook, and added a paper cutting tool, adhesive, some sticker embellishments, an archival pen, and a pair of scissors. I had a wicker basket on hand to use so there was no cost in that. All the winning bidder needs to add are the photographs, and I could have thrown some of those in, too! Kelly and I wrapped them in no time at all, and away she went with two completed baskets in tow! We were to include a tag or sign indicating the contents of the bag so when I did mine, I embellished with an image. The Italian dinner tag shows a plate of spaghetti sitting on a red checked tablecloth, just like the one included in the basket! $5 at Wal*Mart for an oblong table cover!

*

Time for me to go now so will sign off for now. My time this afternoon will be used for packing and finishing up the newsletter for church, as I will be time-crunched between the two trips! Quack, quack, quack from a very wet Orange Park!!!

Glad I am on the 3rd floor!

While wind-driven rains can find their way into my house, fortunately none since Sunday, the river will not! I am up three floors from the bottom with little chance of the river rising enough to even threaten the first floor units. Not unless the wind pushes the water up and over with increased wave activity. My earlier posting shows photos of the nasty weather which cannot show the cold and dampness of the air. The thermometer reads 70 degrees, and some may think that is warm...NOT!

*

Linda J. sent me a wonderful note via facebook this a.m. that reported at First German's staff meeting and devotion time, they sang "Jerusalem, the Golden". She said she was thinking of me, and paid extra attention to the wonderful message woven in that hymn. What tickles me is that this hymn already appeared in previous hymnals but set to a different tune. We discussed this in our Monday Bible study not long ago, where the melodies can evoke certain emotions or sentiments in us, besides the lovely message in the stanzas.

*

The morning's e-mail brought some wonderful things including an article to use in the Flock Talk from the leader of the Little Lambs. Sadly, she has somehow deleted her pictures taken at their most recent event, and cannot find where she downloaded them onto her computer. I know just how frustrating that can be and I feel very badly for her, losing not only those photos but others as well. A few hours later, another mom sent me photos she had taken at the event, totally unaware of the previous situation! Talk about intuitive! I forwarded the 2nd e-mail with photos to the first mom who lost hers, hopefully filling in some of the gaps in her picture taking loss.

*

As grumpy a day as it is out there, I must venture out into it to Wal*Mart, having not finished yesterday because Justin needed my car for work. When Justin and I went later in the day to get his car, (completed with the brand-new tires, $500+!!!), the wind was blowing the rain sideways. Instead of finishing the shopping, I decided to just come back home and get dried off. Yeck! My friend, Kelly T., is going to come today and help me wrap the baskets with the clear wrap and shredded paper, things she has in stock like a good mama does, so I had better be ready when she gets here! The Tuesday night Bible study donated some money and Kelly has some partial baskets ready to go, so I am giving her the collected money which she will apply to the baskets. Rather than combining the Monday and Tuesday Bible studies into one basket, having more baskets to bid on will be better, even if they are smaller or lesser in value. Makes sense to me! I will miss the whole thing because I will attending a church picnic in Manitowoc WI instead that day!

Ahoy, there matey! Where is Mandarin today?

Here is yesterday's photo, with Mandarin still visible on the horizon. The winds were more fierce at this time, as you can see by the trees in the basin.
This morning, May 20th, does not allow for site of Mandarin, nor does it show the rock barrier to the left of the palm trees. The water is so high that the grass is covered, and Joanne wonders what the birds and fish are doing, and the raccoons, trapped on that island in the basin!

Just as I snapped this one today, the wind blew the mist against my lens, which made for an interesting photo, I think. It sort of illustrates better just what we are up against here. Some areas in our county have roads underwater making it impossible for the school buses to do their pick-ups. Other neighboring counties have had nearly a foot of water, but we in Clay are not that deep---yet!

Oops! Got carried away there....

I must have had words leftover, rambling like I did on the previous posting....I tried to remove some using cut and paste but it would not come, so get a cup of coffee and start reading. Sorry!

It is raining spam!

It is raining real rain, too, but I have noticed recently that my gmail account is being bombarded with spam messages. Fortunately my filter catches them but I always check to see what is in the spam file in case something which is not truly spam does not end up dumped. Crazy stuff in the filter, prescriptions available for body parts I do not even have! Ricky told me he gets those advertisements on his blackberry phone, too, and is horrified that they are even sent to him. What and who thinks people will actually open those misspelled and "taunting" e-mails in the first place? They even try using people's names to lure one into clicking it open. Do not do it! Delete, delete, delete!

This is my table, all dressed for the monthly dinner, Cinco de Mayo-themed, in May. Beautiful, if I do say so myself!

*

Joanne is finally back home in this nest and wondering why in the world is the house torn apart like this? Justin was going to come over yesterday to put it all back, hang up my tapestry again, move the furniture, etc. but with the continued threats of winds and rain, nope. We might even leave it like this the entire time I am gone, since Joanne will be going away part of the time as well. My neighbors will have authority to come in and check on things for me while I am away, and Justin will have access, too, if need be.

This is a shot taken this morning, May 19th, as Joanne and I watched the winds whip the trees and throw water around the breakwater. See how gloomy it is out there?

*

Joanne was ensconced in my bedroom desk chair and eating her supper while watching the finale of "Dancing with the Stars" when I came home last night. The TV in the family room was still unplugged and she was desperate to see this show. Wow, she has got it bad! Immediately I plugged the TV back in and turned the family room over to her to watch this show, while talking with her sister in Atlanta who is also a fan.

*

Many years ago when I was newlywed, some of my sisters and I were involved in watching a spinoff of "Dallas" with Joan Van Ark as the star, I simply cannot remember the name of it right now. One of the main lead actors died in a season finale and Jill called to tell me that Sid had died. I was all upset and talking about someone dying, and my spouse thought it was a real person. He got upset because here it was a TV show, and we had a brother-in-law named Sid....Guess he had a point, but still, that is how "real" it was for us, at the time. As a married couple, we were "hooked" on "Dallas", pre-VCR days, and scheduled our Friday nights around the TV show. After that series was over, we never really got attached to TV shows like that anymore, it was so empty and we were too busy working to have our lives revolve around TV. How did I get into this? Oh, yes, "Dancing with the Stars"!

*

Despite Monday's wretched weather, a nice group of us met at church for Bible study before we take a recess until July. We did not finish or even come close to it, our study of "Come, Worship Christ", because we got off on a tangent about the role of women in the church. The passages we started looking up were about keeping worship orderly, no speaking in foreign tongues unless there was someone to interpret, only one or two or at most three speakers in worship, and so on. One of the ladies proceeded to read further into the chapter, hence, taking us widely away from learning about organ music in the church! We did not even get to view the video segment planned for the class but Pastor said the conversation and questions confirmed the plans for an upcoming Bible study on this matter. We went to Longhorn (really?) for lunch, having seven of us in our group this time, and at the end of the meal, "our" waitress, Patty, treated us with a dessert which we all shared. Yummy! We will not be going as a group to eat there again until July but certainly individually or in twos or threes, we might!

*

Sunday I sent my heating pad home with Paul for use on his sore neck and now I am thinking it sure would be nice to have it to help warm me! It feels quite chilly in the house, no sun since Sunday afternoon---brisk winds and rainy skies make for good nap weather! This morning I got a call from my little boy, asking me if I could buy his birthday present early....okay, now what? It seems his tires are quite bald and he got freaked out yesterday when his car swayed into another lane when he went from stop and around the corner. At first I was skeptical about it, but when he informed me that he has 45000 miles on them, I ran to the store to buy him tires! Ever since he did a 360 spin out on I-95 last year, he is extremely cautious when driving, especially on wet pavement.

*

We met at the tire place near Wal*Mart, thinking I had to pay right away. He said not until it is complete and agreed to ride over to the store with me instead of sitting in the waiting room. He picked up a new pair of wipers for his car, too, saying he has originals on there yet. I replace mine fairly regularly because I have a low tolerance for poor wipers. Justin told me he had to be at a house in St. Johns county at 1:00 and hoped the tires would be on by then, but then he got a call that he needed to be at the house sooner. Oh, oh, now what? He was getting upset and I suggested he take me home and use my car to run his errands. Mom, the Problem Solver!!!! I checked out and away we went so he can do his work. He will just come back for me later and we will go together and pay for the tires. I told him that I really had not planned on tires for his birthday, and that I certainly would not have spent THAT much on him!!!! We are going to work out his paying me back for them as I have plenty around here that needs doing for him to work off much of the cost.

*

I finished the washing and drying of the rain-catching items yesterday afternoon, and laid them back in place "just in case". The maintenance lady, Connie, said the storms were not over and I would rather be safe and messy, than sorry! Part of the afternoon was spent helping my friend, Suzanne, write some paragraphs to use for her application process at a job she is interviewing for today. She lost her job last week and is hustling to find a new one. Of course, I was incredibly flattered that she asked me, saying, "I need a writer!" As we spoke on the phone, I was also typing on the paragraph she e-mailed me, plus Instant Messaging with Justin about him not needing to come help me with the furniture repositioning....true multi-tasking! I should have applied for the job! One thing about that----I am not qualified!!!! And Suzanne is perfect for the job, I know she is going to get it.

*

In the midst of our conversation, my doorbell rang, as I had cautioned Suzanne it would. I had an appointment with the ceramic tile cleaners who came to give an estimate for cleaning the tile for The Palace. Excusing myself from the conversation and typing with Suzanne, I put my jacket on and joined the cleaners as we visited each floor so Aaron could see what needed to be done. Each floor in the building has a different colored tile in the elevator alcove, some needed more care than others. He is even giving us a price on cleaning the lobby on the first floor in case the Board wants to go that far. As Hugh told me, the floor in the elevator is going to be replaced at some point, but in the meantime, it needs to be clean. With so many Units for sale right now, everything really should be looking its best. My opinion is it should look its best all the time for those of us already here, but I also understand the other thoughts.

*

After walking the floors and getting the measurements, the three of us came back here because Aaron wanted to make sure my floors and walls were not holding moisture from the mini-flood. He has a metal rod with prongs which is a moisture-meter, as well as a handheld device which does the same thing. He was pleased with the readings from the drywall, wood floors, and baseboards, no danger right now of mold or other rot from the leaks. I was not worried until he said something about it!

*

Being chilled to the bone after running around outside in the rain, I decided to climb under my covers to warm up. While there I thought about Sheila and her little grand daughter walking in the rain to get home that afternoon, and since I would be heading that direction later to have dinner with Kathy and attend some church meetings, I called Sheila to make arrangements for picking up Akeila. It was on my way, and if the day care would allow her to leave with me, that would be great! I got Sheila's answering machine and left her a message. Before long she called back to say she was in a job interview when I called but was glad I did.

*

At first Sheila said she would walk from the interview to the daycare to meet me there, but I told her to stay where she was, since I had to drive right past her to get Akeila. I had to fly around to get myself ready and off I went to get her. She looked very nice for her interview, and Sheila said she has to call back in a couple days for a 2nd interview. We picked up her granddaughter and I took them home. I really must get a booster seat for use in my car, especially if I make a habit of picking her up from daycare. I think I have the child-resistant handles in the back seat but don't know if I want to enable that for when grown ups sit back there......Anyway, I dropped them off, complete with a bag of food from my fridge, including the fore-mentioned fruit. Since I will be gone, there is no need for my food to go bad when Sheila can certainly make use of it. As my grandma used to say: "Every little bit helps", said the old lady as she peed in the sea..."

*

On my drive to meet Kathy B. for dinner, I called Kathy L. in Manitowoc to see how she was. Mom told me about the "performance" Gabe gave in church on Sunday. She laughingly said, "He can't just walk up to the front, he has to leap and dance all the way up the aisle!" This reminds me of Timmy, how he could not stand still either. She did not tell me about his song or any more info other than that his aisle dancing.

*

Kathy and I enjoyed a lovely meal together and did some necessary chatting, the kind best done face to face. Joanne had given me a gift card for the Olive Garden which I used toward my meal. Thanks, Jo! Mom was envious that I was eating there, as she misses the Olive Garden. Unfortunately, since I had back- to-back church meetings, I did not have an Italian margarita. Certainly I had to have my wits about me when we are making decisions regarding summer Sunday school and VBS! We did end up choosing the same program that Victory is using and I already made some contacts with members over there to see what we can "share', as their VBS is before ours. I know one man is making a backdrop of some sort, looking like "Tool Time" from the Tim Allen TV show of old.

*

During our phone conversation, Mom did tell about nearly missing a fabulous chorale concert by the Lutheran High choirs at First German. My sister, Jill, called Mom to make sure she was going and it is good she did! At first Lynn was not sure if she wanted to go out again that night but also was happy to see/hear the concert. The director, whose father-in-law had died that morning, was presenting this special concert as part of earning his advanced degree. The show must go on! Even his wife and mom-in-law were present and joined the choir for their final anthem, the benediction. No dry eyes in that house, the Lord's house. "Oh, for a faith that will not shrink though pressed by many a foe; that will not tremble on the brink of poverty or woe...", (used in Timmy's funeral service.) Mom said the memorial service for Dan Hennig is being held on the day prior to the trip to Lori's for Dusty's graduation party and I am sad to miss it. I will already be at Lori's, perhaps hanging out with Judy the day of the service. Again, the show must go on!

Oh, baby, it's cold outside.....

According to WOKV.com, the temperature here is "only" 62 degrees at 8:00 a.m. this morning. And I do not think it is going to be much more than this the rest of the day, which is predicted to be overcast and misty....As long as we do not have the wind-driven rains, we should be okay. My washer is busily handling the towels, blankets, and sheets used to soak up the dripping water, and I go on record as saying, "I hate folding sheets!"!!

*

Jill called me last night to report her computer has "worms" or what we would refer to as a virus! She recently had the computer repaired for the same type of illness and now it is acting up again, so the repairman is doing this fix gratis. Only, she has to physically take it to him for the fix since he does not have a car. I cannot even begin to imagine trying to disconnect, lift and carry, and then reconnect this monster "AlienWare" computer which gives me wings to tour the world. The last time I needed work done, on my previous "regular sized" CPU, Steve came here to disconnect and take it away, and then returned to hook it back up. I wonder if he is still in business....this economy has been rough on small business people.....and big business, too!

*

At this moment I am enjoying a nice bowlful of taco salad leftover from yesterday. Mmmm.....When it began to thunder, the Lawcock's and I came upstairs and Emily watched me as I threw the taco salad together. The final ingredient to add was the container of grape tomatoes, which made the salad look so pretty, lying on the cheese layer on top. As we sat around the table in the family room with our plates piled with salad, a meal in itself, all three adults sat there, pushing the grape tomatoes off to the side of our plates! I just had to laugh because if I had known none of us ate them....obviously, I could have omitted the tomatoes! Emily and Paul loved the rest of the salad, though, with Paul commenting that he even ate the diced tomatoes mixed in. Oh man! Emily said later that she is fussy about green peppers and onions, too, which were in this salad but did not mind them being in the famous salad! And you thought I was the fussy eater???? I also picked up a container of fresh fruit from which Sarah ate only the cantaloupe, digging deeply into the dish to garner. As I looked at it this a.m., I made a mental decision to eat some of that fruit so it won't go to waste, remembering I have another can of Cool Whip in the fridge leftover from Sandy's key lime pie......

*

Not long after eating, Sarah was asking for something to eat, and Paul kept saying, "No!". I asked if I could get something for her and Paul told me she only wants to eat junk food. Emily said Sarah does not generally eat beef (i.e. taco salad) and I said I had some chicken in the fridge that I picked up at Winn-Dixie, drumsticks and breasts, etc. Nope, Sarah will only eat nuggets, like from McDonald's. Emily asked if Sarah could have some potato chips which, of course, she could. I had the snack mix leftover from the Youth Group but from that mixture Sarah only wanted the M & M's, throwing the raisins and nuts back into the dish! Oh, it has been a long time since I have had interaction with little ones!!! I cannot wait to see the boys in Sheboygan!

*

I have been in communication with a young lady from church who is stressing about how and when to discipline her kids, etc., always second guessing herself. One of the remarks she made was about "picking your battles" and I had to tell her that I missed that in my era. Battles? Are you kidding me? Bottles, yes, picking battles, I do not know..... One thing I did comfort her with was that age and a fading memory allows me (and probably other moms, too) to recall primarily the good things the kids did, the type of things one captures on film or tape. Fortunately the temper tantrums and raised voices don't often make it to 'preservation format'! How I wish I had a recording of Justin telling us at bedtime, that he could not stop talking because "I have words left over..."

*

Oh, oh! I have gone into the "danger zone" of my time frame for being on the computer before leaving for Bible study so had better finish up. I might put on a long-sleeved top due to the cold, nasty weather, which will go right through me once I leave the building. Saturday I got an e-mail from one of the maintenance guys declaring the snake is dead, and he included a picture of it. Sadly, Miss Chardonnay reported to me that this is NOT the same snake which was intertwined in my kitchen door grille-work so the heat is not off as far as that fear is concerned. Oh, if only Eve had not eaten that forbidden fruit......

What a mess!

I am seated on the loveseat which is pulled out into the family room, watching a TV only recently plugged back in. The TV stand is also pulled away from the wall and once more towels and sheets and blankets are spread about to sop up the water drips. Yikes! It was Tropical Storm Faye all over again but with incredibly scary winds this time. Paul, Emily, Sarah and I were in the family room, with Paul and I watching a "Seinfeld" episode when it became apparent that the wind was bending the palm trees almost to the ground...Yeah, I think we are having a storm! Almost immediately we noticed the water running in around the window and the sliding glass doors....oh, no, not again!

*

Paul helped pull the furniture out and get the towels in place, unplugging the TV (nuts!) and Emily helped me remove the glass pieces from the window in case the windows didn't hold. We saw what might have been a lawn chair go floating by in the river, and I remembered the winds a few weeks ago that took the neighbors' gas grilled over onto its side. Oooh, that would be terrible if the wind blew it my direction this time! We did not lose electricity but the lights blinked many times. The rains were just torrential, lightning wild, and thunder booming, with Sarah half afraid and half excited about the whole thing. As soon as we said, "Stay away from the windows and doors!", she headed straight for them! Of course!

*

Emily thought they should stay to help put things back but I wanted to keep the water catchers in place at least until the storms ended. They left as soon as it seemed to let up a bit, but it was still raining and lightning. Paul has a bulging disc in his neck giving him a fit and I did not want him doing any more than he already had to help me. Justin is coming by tomorrow to give me a hand with the furniture and such, which I appreciate. He has school tomorrow night so will not be able to stay, and I can do much of the clean up before he arrives. I filed a "damage report" with the maintenance guys in my building, not because they can fix it but they at least need to know what is going on in the various units. Hopefully some of the leaks will be corrected when the building is caulked, sealed and painted this summer. What's another $100,000.00 capital improvement, especially when we are flying around moving furniture and laying out drip cloths for the leaks????

Boy, I am hungry this a.m.!

Normally I can go until 10 or later before rummaging for something to eat for breakfast, but do not think I will hold out that long today. I had a nice little supper last night, making Four Cheese cook-in-the-bag rice and adding cut up ham into it. No directions to follow other than "microwave for 90 seconds". The other instructions on the package were for where and how to grab it when the food is done cooking but fortunately I took a non-hot edge when removing it from the oven. "Sometimes," she said smugly, "I don't need directions!"

*

Part of my time Saturday, on a weather-threatening day, was used talking on the phone with Mona in Manty. Since they had to be on JR's campus at West Point bright and early the morning we arrive for graduation, we needed to find our own ride from the airport to the hotel. I checked on-line and saw our hotel offers "Complimentary airport transportation" ("My, you look nice today!" "New outfit? Great!). It suggested I call for availability so I did and talked to a young man in the metropolis of Newburgh, NY. It seems the hotel does not have a dedicated vehicle (shuttle or town car) but 'someone will be here that can come and get you'. Great! I asked him to please put a note on my reservation that our flight arrives at 10:23 a.m., and he told me the driver would be there at that time. Don't I need time to get my luggage, etc? Oh, yes, he said the driver would be there at 10:30!!!! It must be a tiny airport...

*

Mona said that it is quite small and really old, with blacktop runways and baggage claim is not going to be a problem. I will not tell Justin about this, let him find out himself, or he might murmur about our small plane, rugged airport, riding in the back of a truck to the hotel, being beastly tired because of our early morning flight. I sure would not want him to ruin JR's big day the next day! JR could twist Justin's head off because, according to press reports, JR is "the best powerlifter West Point has ever had"! I'll bet he could get us carried in chairs on people's shoulders from the airport to the hotel if we asked him to make the arrangements in person!

*

It is time to leave for church so will sign off for now. Presently I am sweating just a bit which means it might a good day to sit poolside, but guess I should check the weather first, before making too many plans for the afternoon. I cannot wait until the cabana opens again which will be Memorial weekend and not one moment before! I want a hot dog and an adult beverage poolside!

Saturday sittin' on the river

Well, I guess it is time for me to go to the h-o-m-e....In anticipation for friends coming over to go swimming today, I decided to make a pan of brownies for dessert. There were cans of whipping cream left here from the dinner on Thursday last week which would taste so good on brownies. Well, it has been awhile since I baked anything....already defending myself here....I goofed! Instead of putting a quarter cup of water into the mixture, I misread the amount and put in 1 1/4 cups of water. OOOPS! Now what? Well, I put it in the oven anyway and we will see what happens with it. Chocolate soup anyone? Nuts! It is heck to get old....

*

Since our plans were changed for tonight by the cancelled concert, some are thinking of coming over here to go swimming. I do not know how many to expect so might just order pizza for supper rather than try to cook something. It is not my day to be cooking, I am afraid! "Hello, Pizza Hut? It's me again....." It sure would be lovely to be sitting under the stars at Metro Park tonight and listening to the orchestra, but it is not to be!

*

The river is active with boats today, many pulled up to fish. Some were the noisy kind that certainly scared the fish away. The water level is higher now that the moon is no longer full, so I do not have to look at the nasty underbelly exposed during lower tides. Wednesday night was our condo BOD meeting and I arrived just in time for them to adjourn. It seems they began 30 minutes earlier than advertised (oops!) so finished before I could return after choir practice. One of the guys told me they assigned a job to me, to contact the ceramic tile cleaners to come and give us a price. See what happens when you miss a meeting??? The same folks who cleaned my rugs last week also clean the tile, and in fact, did clean the area around the elevator once before, when they cleaned and refinished the floor in my river room. Aaron was going to come Friday but they got too busy so plans are now to come on Monday afternoon. It will be nice to see the tile cleaned up again, after so many people have moved out and in, leaving black tire marks from the handcarts .

*

Because our concert plans were changed, Justin told me he was going to church tonight rather than Sunday morning. He likes to sleep late I guess. Even though worship does not start until 10:30, and he lives only blocks from church. As long as he gets there, this is what matters. I only hope the weather holds and those of us who are going to swim and sit poolside can actually do so. If the weather does not cooperate, we can be thankful to not be under the skies downtown when it begins to rain!

*

Last night was our Youth Group gathering here, complete with Pizza Hut and salad. I thought Kathy might like something other than pizza so I bought a bag of lettuce and some low calorie dressing which we all enjoyed. Kathy had the bright idea of adding olives to her salad so I did, too, making it more tolerable. Brian had the idea of ordering two Panormous pizzas and end up taking an entire one home with him. Evidently not everyone was as hungry as Brian was! Earlier in the day I had gotten the Youth Group newsletter via e-mail so I printed it off for Brian to use. Pastor Kuske wanted to show the kids the website just for young people the WELS has, so I set it up on my desktop and turned the monitor around for viewing in the river room. Sadly, only two kids came which can leave the leaders feeling quite defeated. Hopefully with some regular activities and promotion "we" can stimulate some more interest, like the kids used to have "back in the old days" at church.

*

The little newsletter mentioned some interesting topics such as the age group referred to as the Mosaic Generation. Nothing to do with Moses, I fear. This age group was born between 1984 and 2002, I do not know who made this decision, but that is what the article stated. General statements attributed to this Mosaic Generation: they are comfortable with contradiction, post-modern, exhibiting non-linear thinking, eclectic in lifestyle, fluid in their personal relationships, with cut-and-paste values, and a hybrid spiritual perspective. The discussion that followed, led by Brian, who teaches sociology and similar subjects to high school kids, was how people are so connected now days that we are disconnected. I have said this for a long time, beginning with the portable CD players with ear buds. Very isolating. He asked them about what it says when you take a phone call from one person while talking to another---what does it possibly say about the first caller? Or, how people seldom make eye contact, particularly not taking their eyes or fingers off their cell phones. Our conversations, especially this mosaic generation, have been reduced to short bits and pieces, often over the top of the other person's bits and pieces (I knew this too!!!), and I threw in the fact that we speak in sound bytes now. Not me, of course, I can just go on and on and on.....In fact, I do!Anyway, I just found this entire conversation incredibly interesting and more than a little frightening, with little hope of reversal.

*

My sister, Lori, called me a while ago and was rejoicing because she had tracked down an old folk song we used to sing together, called "Jamie". My nephew is named Jamie, so I think we should sing it at his wedding. Lori tried to play it over the phone but it didn't work, so I found it myself on youtube and we listened together----no eye contact but certainly our hearts were! She said she had been searching for it since I was there last year and was just so happy to finally scare it up. Lori is going to have David learn to play it for us, so I cannot wait to get out there. I believe I have the original album in my possession but will wait for Justin to come and pull it out of the closet for me. I also got a wonderful invitation via e-mail from my friend, Linda O., at Victory. She wanted to know if I was interested in going to a Pops concert on Memorial Day with her, but I will be in New York at that time. Nuts! But I was seriously tickled to be asked by her!!!

*

My toes are cold, I hope it is not chilly outside. The sun needs to be on me if I go into the pool so it had better break from of the clouds and warm things up. There is a little breeze and little sun. Perhaps I had better get out there now while it is still showing itself!