A full, fun day!

Oh, my tummy is so full, as full as my day was! This a.m. I went to Edward Jones to pick up some current statements from Frank and had a wonderful visit with him. Yesterday I had planned to attend a seminar they were having in their office but because of my other commitment, had to miss it. Well, today I got the Reader's Digest version, one-on-one! He is quite animated and really very good at what he does, with a great handle on what the markets and economy, society at-large, are doing.

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Whoo! Besides the sad news on my reports, I came away full of information and a great visit! As I was leaving the office, I saw a man waiting to see Frank, and I knew him! Many years ago Jeff was our electrician and it was terrific to see him again. His sis-in-law is part of the Art Guild so I sort of keep up with their family news. It was just so nice to see him!

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Next stop was the cemetery to switch out the bouquet, which had been in my car since Wednesday night. I left them at church Sunday for the Lenten service and then forgot to take them yesterday. Because it was cool outside, the flowers stayed fresh so it was okay. The markers had been freshly surrounded and filled in with soil and it looked so nice around his spot. Sadly, the guys must have been on their lunch break so I did not get to greet anyone today.

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From the cemetery I went up Wells Road toward the Sonic to get my drink of the day. When I placed my order and then said, "I have a sticker", the young lady told me they were not doing the sticker any longer, but would still give me the drink at half price. How nice! I love nothing better than great customer service, or, maybe second only to Diet Coke!

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With some backtracking I worked my way over to Kingsley to the Lowe's to order my stuff for the bathroom fix up. In order for the repair to be made to the shut off valve in "Justin's bathroom", the vanity has to be taken out for access. As long as it is out, it will be replaced, vanity and top and faucets. The toilet, the last of the four to be replaced, was purchased also, as was a light for over the mirror, which will replace the existing 1970's-style medicine cabinets with arms holding lights. Really quite dated! I already have a cabinet for placing behind the toilet for holding towels and toiletries, so a medicine cabinet, an unusual size, would not have be sought. If I ever sell my condo, my bathrooms will be in good working order, as will my two shut-off valves!

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The nice thing is that I pay for the purchases, making good decisions quickly and less expensively than I planned, and Butch will pick them up for me! Even the faucets, which are in a small box, although I could have easily taken them along, were left for Butch to keep the order together. Lowe's has "store-brand" products which allowed me to save money. Gotta love it! This man has replaced these valves in other units in my building and is aware of the idiosyncrasies of the plumbing here.

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Speaking of plumbing, the water was off again much of the day. It was turned on about mid-afternoon and produced the most lovely color of brown ice cubes. I dumped them into the sink and when I came home later, soil was left behind after they melted. Yech! Good thing I dumped them, and I think I will dump the next batch, too, just to be sure. Monday the plumbers will be back and finish the repairs they were unable to make today, which means another 6 hours without water. This time I will shower early so I don't have to go around with funky-looking hair all day!

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Justin was coming by after work and did not have his keys so when I went to get my haircut, I left my door unlocked for him. He could get a start on the cleaning before I got back again. I was sitting in the booty shop getting groomed, Barb said, "Here he comes now..." and in walked Justin! He finished working early and decided to come see me down there. After the haircut we went and sat on the deck at Whitey's and had sodas and fried dill pickles in the sun. At least, I liked the sun shining on me---Justin, not too much. When I had left home this afternoon, several people were sunbathing, and a couple teens were messing around, throwing each other into what must have been icy water!

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We enjoyed our time on the deck, taking in the 'odd' sights which this particular deck affords. It is still "biker week" but I doubt it would be different any other Friday afternoon! The waitress was tattoed like a circus character but I restrained myself from commenting to her. I know of someone who would have! While sitting there Judy J. called to see what I was doing for dinner but Jen had called earlier to make plans. As I told Justin, it stinks to be me!!! It worked out, though, as Judy was welcome to come along to Woody's for supper with some of the Middleburg family. Both Sandy and Judy are from the Detroit area so they truly hit it off perfectly! It had been a while since I had been out with Bruce so I really had a great time and had bbq again in a week's time!

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Kathy B. was planning to come over tomorrow to unload her pictures onto my computer but she is still feeling sick, as she has been all week. Somehow or another she loaded them onto Facebook in a private place just for me, so all I have to do is go get them. Swell! I wish she felt better, she sounded so hoarse after teaching all day. We have plans to eat lunch Sunday with a prospect couple from church and I hope all feel well enough to do this. I hate it when something interferes with lunch!

I have the greatest friends in the entire world!

As well as my family! I was greeted by a wonderful e-mail last evening from my friend, Suzanne, as she sent me a zip file, complete with instructions about how to open it, of an anthem we are singing in choir, called "Hiding Place". This lilting melody had been echoing in my head the better part of Wednesday night following rehearsal and through the "tribulation" yesterday morning, and to find it waiting for me last night was tear provoking! Linda J. sent me a message about how tears make rainbows on the soul, from a devotional book she is reading, and I told her my soul must look it is hallucinating! Many sent good wishes through phone calls, e-mail and other electronic venues, and I greatly appreciate them!

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Then, Mom sent me an e-mail telling about the funeral service for a very young lady from her congregation. The father, Greg, was a schoolmate of ours---younger than Jill and me, but older than Kerry, I think. He recently lost his wife to cancer and now he's burying his daughter. Last year, I believe it was, his cousin was killed in an accident in a barn where she was crushed under enormous hay bales, and not too long ago, Greg's mom died. And I am concerned about a meeting and a Court date???? Oh, puhlease!

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My friend, Judy R., is having her lump removed on the 12th so prayers and good wishes by all would be appreciated. Her spirit is good, excellent, as she reports feeling quite confident after all the tests and exams show it might be a less dramatic surgery than some experience. Of course, no one knows for sure until the surgeon gets a look at it, but from what has been observed thus far, it looks like it might be "only" a lumpectomy". She has already become, in a week's time, the spokesperson for mammograms, breast health and cancer awareness while proclaiming the role of the Father's guiding hand in these matters. We just never know what it is going to be in our lives which spurs us forward!

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Today I am busily gathering some current information for the Court appearance Monday, but I think I have most of what I might possibly need. My dishwasher is busy in the kitchen, hopefully finished its job before the water was turned off to repair a leaking pipe affecting us all on The Club Continental compound. My hair should have been attended but I think I can make it work until my booty shop appointment late this afternoon.

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There was not much to clean up this a.m. as my lady friends did such a great job after our dinner last night. Our themed dinner was "Green Food" based upon St. Patrick's Day coming up later in March. My donation was my famous corned beef, cabbage, and carrots which I found to be too crisp (except the meat, of course) but the ladies claimed they like the veggies to have some snap left in them. Justin and I like them mushy so I will cook it some more this afternoon. Sandy brought mashed potatoes with apples mixed in, a sweet taste, and yummy! Christine made a Shepherd's Pie which was delicious, too, and we had Key Lime Pie for dessert, courtesy of Martie. Oh, nearly forgot to mention that Jen brought potato rolls with green butter, and I did manage to recognize some of Joanne's food in the fridge and made a lettuce salad and cooked a cauliflower for our meal. Justin opted not to come for some reason. Betty couldn't make it last night, Brenda N. was sick, Dee and Julia had art conflicts, and Brenda W. decided she has spent too many evenings away from home lately so stayed in to spend time with Jimmie. Okay, I see how it is! Only teasing, I know sometimes it gets to be too much running, especially for those with such a distance to travel. Our theme for next time is Breakfast Foods and I would like to make that delicious apple French toast, but someone else already volunteered for French toast. Can we have too much of that? I will make some thing with meat, so we have protein....hmmm? Suggestions???