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No longer on the river and, again, an empty nester. Back to living on Fleming Island and making some more friends!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

"You're my brother, Fredo, and I love you....

....but don't ever take sides against the family again---EVER!" Yes, folks, another marathon of "The Godfather" for the weeks leading up to the Oscars. It is so funny that it's on because either Friday or Saturday I watched "You've Got Mail" yet again, and there are references to "The Godfather" in that movie. It made me wish Godfather was on TV and ta da, here it is! Sometimes it is complicated to follow but reading the on-line threads really helps, as would reading the book, I suppose! Oh well, I will simply watch the movies, shown back to back and enjoy.
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Today was a mixed up one, temperature-wise, as the sun finally came out and warmed things a bit. The Fellowship Hall was on the cool side when we gathered there for Bible study but the church was toasty warm for worship. Some thought too warm but I was perfectly fine. In the car, driving home from Palm Coast in the full sun, I had to turn on my A/C for a bit to cool off!
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We had some minor excitement as one of our senior members had a problem addressing his folding chair in Bible study and very slowly sat on the floor. I was right there and saw it happening but could not get there in time to catch him. As I began to help him up, Pastor and Mike C. came around the tables and helped stand Andy back up again. It was obvious he was not hurt, as gradually as he went down but it sent a ripple of concern through the group. It seems, upon further inspection, that the chair he was trying to sit down on had no rubber tips on the legs and would not yield when he tried to maneuver it. His wife said he has troubles at home, too, with the dinette chairs because they are on wheels, which is not a good idea for the elderly. Oops, down we go! We had some visitors today whom I recognized when they came in. After I said 'hello' to them, the man asked, "Are you still here?", as it seems they had worshiped with us last year about this same time. They are retired snow birds from the Dells area of WI and bounce around the country, the 'warmer' states, going to various time shares they have. From St. Augustine, they were heading to Myrtle Beach, getting into snow as they go!
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From church I headed south to have lunch with Tina and the little girls in Palm Coast. We were meeting at Ruby Tuesday, our usual place, and I hoped it would not be too busy with the holiday and all. It was not overly busy and I arrived nearly on the button for our meeting time. Maya was so darn cute, as Tina described her, "she's a real person!", only miniature! Rayna could sit up in the high chair, has a mouthful of teeth, and is a picky eater, just like her sister. Tina said she is knocking herself out trying to find foods with sound nutrition that the girls will eat, becoming quite the expert in her research. Rayna, who turned one Dec. 31st, likes food with crunch and slimy fruits so that tells her mama that she does not have sensory problems, but she will not eat meat. Guess meat is not crunchy enough for her. We grown ups enjoyed our meals, as I had the cheeseburger quesidillas, half of them, and Tina, a pasta dish with chicken. Her hubby, Keith, is the food and beverage manager at a country club and has to work most weekends so rarely do I get to see him.
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The girls opened their Christmas presents, and it appeared that Maya liked her ladybugs game. It might keep her occupied for a while anyway, and Tina said they will share the bathtub bubbles I gave Rayna since they bathe together. I also got Rayna plastic dishes with fun monkeys on them. They were going to an indoor playground after our lunch as I opted to come back home instead of going to their house. I should try harder to get down there and will add that to my list of things to do in 2010! Certainly I love the company, and so does she!
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My fridge is telling me that I need to eat at home the next couple days as it is full of foam boxes! Last night our church group went out to eat at the Japanese Steak House where we had simply a wonderful time. It was not Koko's but I adapted to not having my every whim met. Extra charge for teriyaki, indeed! Forget it then, I will eat it plain! Or, rather, take it home to eat it some other time, when I have my leftovers from Friday's lunch from Koko's. Enough for four meals in those two boxes alone, plus today's quesidillas, and a mystery box that I cannot recall its contents. Another aroma emanating from the fridge is the sliced Johnsonville summer sausage from Publix. Yum, gotta love that smell! It reminds me of Christmas for some reason.
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There is no Bible study tomorrow as Pastor took off for President's Day. The government schools are closed so his wife and children will be home. A family day is planned then to enjoy the time off. So no chicken tenders for me, one less foam box in the fridge, but I miss the fellowship with the ladies. We can make up for it on Wednesday as we recognize Ash Wednesday, having a cookie social after the service, and then choir rehearsal. I hope we have a good turnout for Ash Wednesday, I might send out a reminder about the service if Pastor does not. I will see him Tuesday when I am done in the kindergarten classroom and go to work in the office. I am going to do the administrative work for outreach, preparing maps and such in advance of teams going out to make calls. Legwork, as it were! Monthly mailings will be prepared and so on, much of which I can do from home if I have the information. I like doing things like this and especially if I can do it from my desk. The secretary's hours were cut to allow for the budget cuts so there is work not being done by her that I can do. I asked for the mindless jobs but am not sure that is how it is working out!
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Next Friday is a concert at Victory by a group from up north, "Koine", made up of WELS-trained musicians who do songs from the hymnal using band instruments, and I don't mean trombones and clarinets. I got talked into going and hope I like it, but know I will enjoy our meeting for dinner beforehand at Mimi's Cafe with a bunch of members from GS. Another group, called "Branches" is coming down to our church in March and Jim B., our congregation president, asked me to spearhead the publicity. I will certainly do that but will not be here when the group comes. I will be with my own 'group' in Wisconsin and Minnesota enjoying the musical "Mamma Mia!" with Lynn and Lori and her church ladies. I am starting to write in Italian now so I had better let this go and pay attention to my movie. Buona Sera everyone!