Joanne and her family are enjoying the reflecting moon on the river, relaxing after having a wonderful dinner at The Club tonight. They spent the better part of the day in St. Augustine at the Alligator Farm, those crazy bird watchers! What is it with this family and their animal passions??? I never knew anyone who was so into birds and horses and cats and other creatures like they are! Although I was nicely invited to join the fun, I respectfully declined due to the fact that it was only in the 50's outside, not fit for man nor beast nor Kim to be walking around, looking at birds. And certainly NOT for watching the animal handlers feeding dead rats to alligators, thank you very much!
*
The first thing I saw this a.m. was Joanne strolling the house with a blanket draped around her as she was freezing cold. Not only were the outdoor temps low overnight, but she slept on the air bed in the guest room which tends to feel quite cold when slept on. Linda did not mention it when she was here but Joanne was chilled through, even though there is a blanket between the mattress and the sheets for insulation. Brrrr!
*
Once the rest of our company awoke and enjoyed some breakfast (Joanne baked biscuits this a.m.) we sat and talked about "The Phantom of the Opera" and Sarah Brightman and cruises we've taken and more Sarah chat. I adore Jo's daughter and grand-daughter, and love sharing my home with them. They were going to have lunch with Joanne's dad at the Home and then head for St. Augustine.
*
Only a few minutes after they left here, my phone rang. It was Kathy B., asking me if I had any lunch plans, needing a "Kim fix".....my favorite type of phone call! We met at Miller's Ale House on Wells Road and had a very nice lunch. She is a salad eater and I had the country fried steak, or at least, half of it! The mashed pots were fake so they were left behind on the plate, no big deal. We'd almost rather talk than eat anyway, but why not do both? She is on spring break this week and trying to pack as much into it as she can, since her daughter is getting married next weekend. Not Easter weekend, the next one.
*
Speaking of needing a fix----one of the phone calls that came during lunch which I let go to the answering machine was from my neighbor, Patti, who was in desparate need of a Diet Coke! If were at home, I would have dashed to her door with one to help her out, but alas, I was out and about. Her hubby is disabled and she could not leave him to get a soda. She was about coffeed-out. Having taken something for her arthritis earlier this a.m., she found herself drowsy and needing a Diet Coke, and she knew just who could fix 'er up----her Coke connection down the promenade! I told her that Maureen, our neighbor on 2nd floor, had given me a can of Diet Coke, the snack size, Sunday night and she said she'd try her next. I hope she scored some Coke before she nodded off while working on her taxes!
*
Another great part of my afternoon, following lunch with Kathy B. and a trip to the cemetery to switch out the bouquets, was to run to Wal*Mart to pick up my chocolate crosses for Easter. Last year I made the mistake of buying them, and then going to lunch and to Hang Ups, leaving the bag of chocolate in the car all that while. They melted and became gooey globs of unrecognizable shapes which did not recover when put in the freezer, and that was NOT going to happen this year! I took them into Great Hang Ups with me so as not to have melted globs again.
*
Another message left during lunch was from Rosalie, in Houston, which I listened to while heading for home. It was such a sweet, lovely message and I decided to save it because it made me feel so wonderful and warm inside. In her message, Rosalie reports that she has been thinking about me so much in recent weeks, because her friend gave her a copy of a CD with the hymn "In Christ Alone" on it. She is blown away by it, having only read about this hymn in my blog but not knowing what I was talking about......until she actually heard it. Blown totally away and thinking about her friend, Kim, way over here in Orange Park!
*
She wanted to be caught up on all the recent news and happenings in my life, as she was well-aware of the Court dates and such. She is quite distressed by the whole thing, not believing the things which have transpired in my life. The last time she was here was for Timmy's funeral and lots has happened since then! Rosalie is the perfect person for building ones' spirits back up and for offering Christian assurances. As Judy R. would say, she is 'such a person'!! Next week she is starting organ lessons again, to help keep her mind nice and sharp, although I cannot imagine hers any other way! Eventually she will learn to play "In Christ Alone" but that is a way down the road. I have no doubt she will concur it!
*
"In Christ Alone"......
