Just a few minutes....

....before I get ready to leave for Bible study. A few moments ago the sun was beating me in the face but now is hidden behind the clouds. We had a good soaking rain yesterday with little fanfare (i.e. lightning) which is good for knocking down the fires in the area. It has been a week or so since our plans were affected by smoke and for this I rejoice! Now, what I don't like is the low temps overnight as it takes too long, for my tastes, to warm the day. Speaking as a pool enjoyer, and not as a laborer in the heat.

Judy A. called me yesterday to let me know we do indeed have Bible study today at Victory as there was some question on Sunday as to whether or not we would. Pastor and Anne were gone to MN for a family wedding, plus other activities taking away time in June, there had been no classes. There are few offered between the two churches and I am so hungry for study. My plans had been to attend a Bible Information Class being offered on Tuesday at GS but it seems the couple going through it needs additional time as they deal with other things besides becoming familiar with the Word. It is best if they study with Pastor alone. Certainly I get that but I was looking forward to the class. Of course, I can study and read on my own but it's simply not the same without the group or at least, a leader.

Rita, from Victory, came over to meet me for lunch and to see my place on Wednesday. She had told me about the delicious coconut cake at Hurricane's so we went up to Fleming Island to enjoy a slice. First, in good order, we had regular food first, and then the cake. I had a slider burger, bringing the second one home with me, and I must say, it was quite delicious. Almost like a hand-pattied burger with a grilled bun. It won't reheat that way but my mouth waters in anticipation of the second sandwich. Half the yummy cake came home with me too and made a lovely breakfast morsel for me today. It had fruit, cake, and yes, coconut on it and was moist beyond belief. Justin wanted me to try the Parmesan fries but I only took the ones that came with my meal so he thinks we have to go again some day so I can try the garlicky/cheesy fries.

After lunch we came back home, changed clothes, and got into the pool, as it was sprinkling ever so lightly. The rain did not last, but the sun played peek-a-boo with us as we bobbed in the water. Another lady, a guest from the hotel, was in there with us, hoping to get some sun but eventually she gave up and went inside. We had the pool pretty much to ourselves. After a point Rita and I got out to sit at the table to talk, but when the wind threatened to lift the table off the ground, I closed the umbrella and we came upstairs. No sooner did we get indoors did the heavens open and the wind threw huge rain drops against the doors as we sat in the river room. Amazingly the time had flown by and it was time for Rita to head for home, in the pouring rain, and I readied myself for dinner with Judy C. Good thing I ate lightly for lunch!

Wow, can you believe it is already going to be July tomorrow! Where did that month get to? Next week the young people will be here to stay which means I must stock up on those grocery and snack items needed to make my houseguests feel welcome. My sister, Lynn, suggested bagels would make a good, solid breakfast, as toast, cereal, and even some frozen waffles or pancakes would also be tasty. I also meant to look into frozen breakfast entrees which I saw coupons for in my mom’s newspaper when I was in WI. Might have been Jimmy Dean or something like that. Since I am not a breakfast eater (at home) person, eating much later in the morning than first thing, I am a bit rusty when it comes to feeding young people in the a.m. It will come back to me, have no fear.

Brent was able to sit in with us for Bible study today since he had sufficient coverage in the preschool classroom. It was nice to have him and at the conclusion, he announced that Kristin and he have accepted the Call to W. Palm Beach to serve as Staff Minister there. This decision did not surprise me as I suspected he was leaning this direction. Someone told me that he was friends with the pastor serving there and understood fairly well the circumstances of this congregation. He will be a blessing to that church, as he was to Victory. I gave him a hug and my best wishes for his new endeavor, reminding him how far back we go…1998! He came when Pete Prange came, and attended GS before Victory was established. Brent was there for Timmy’s funeral and at Justin’s confirmation. *sigh* Boy, will he be missed at Victory but also greatly appreciated at Hope Lutheran about 5 hours south of here. Lord’s blessings, Brent and Kristin!

All fixed

Michael, the appliance repairman, has just left after replacing the computer in my refrigerator. I hope this does the trick and all my troubles will be solved. All that I lost besides the cost of the repair was my milk, which had only about enough in it for a bowl of cereal. The nice lady who schedules for them called me when I was at Trivia last night to let me know the part came in (already???) and that he was coming in the a.m. to reinstall. Cool beans!

We did well at Trivia but did not win. The second half kicked our butts, with either just not knowing the answers or guessing incorrectly. One question was regarding the first actress who ever earned $1 million dollars for a movie, in 1963. Most of us thought either Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn, but Rita mentioned Liz Taylor. Drat! We chose MM but it was Liz. The sports question in the 2^nd half was about pro football and yet, we got it wrong. The answer was not Peyton Manning but instead Curt Warner, for going three times to the Super Bowl and has the record for yards passed (or something like that). Too vague for me, we leave the sports questions to Jesse and sometimes Justin normally, but last night, Erica, the soccer player, knew a soccer answer!

I did manage my sleep somewhat on schedule overnight but yet this a.m. I feel sleepy. While Michael was here, I managed to get busy enough to dust some furniture and glass, even cleaned the toilet in the guest bathroom. One of the offers on Living Social was for cleaning service and I bought it for a greatly reduced price. When I called to schedule the housekeepers, the lady told me the week I wanted them was fully booked already. Rats! July rather sneaked up on me and I wanted the rooms cleaned before the young people come to stay with me, from Rocky Mountain High school.

Another reason for tidying is that Rita is coming today. We are going to lunch and then to the pool, weather permitting. She is home alone this week so is having a good time doing what she wishes, since her son is gone to Camp S.O.U.T.H. in GA. Her older son is at intern in Washington DC and her hubby works out of town. We shall enjoy our day!

A refrigerator update

Well, the nice man was here and gone, leaving me a clean freezer, and plans for a return visit by "Michael" when the part comes in. This repair is a bit more costly than the first time, but I am thinking the first repair, it may have yet been under warranty. I got a discount because I answered in the affirmative one of the series of questions he had for me before he hit the SEND key on his iPad. The only thing I could answer 'yes' to was the question regarding my age group. I told him honestly that I can get a discount at Beall's on Wednesdays and he was filled with disbelief. "Really? What do you eat? Wait, I can see right here what your menu is..." since the freezer drawers and their contents were on the counter. Pot pies, pizza, a package or two of frozen meat, other containers of food, and yes, some raspberry sherbet! No, Michael, I don't think my diet affects my hair color! Earlier, when I offered to help him unload the baskets from the freezer, he said, "I never refuse help from a pretty lady" to which I replied, "Is it okay if I help you instead?". He said, "Now come on, don't tell me you can't take a compliment..." and I graciously accepted. (Think he was sniffing the freon on the way over!)

But, anyway, he was a very nice man and insisted on cleaning out the bottom of the freezer for me, suggesting I was trying to take away his job. It is nearly impossible, well, make that extremely difficult, to get to the bottom of the freezer unless under these circumstances. I guess Justin could possibly lift the baskets out for me in order to wipe it the floor of the freezer, but instead, I choose to spend hundreds of dollars to have Michael do it for me! He had to manually defrost some vents at the back of the freezer, used a small wet vacuum to clean that up, and then put it all back together again, awaiting the replacement part. It is plenty cold now and will stay that way, he says, up to a couple of weeks, until it frosts up again.

You know what I love? When I posted the problem on Facebook, I got one e-mail asking if I needed cold soda, plus one text message asking the same question. That is so cool! I have great neighbors, have I mentioned this before? What I did do was put a can in the freezer, and set two timers to make sure it was not forgotten. When I took one out, I put in the next one, and set the timers once more. When this happened the first time, I bought a warranty for the year but never renewed it, figuring it was a waste of money. What could happen? The cost then was $60 a year, I think, and over the next three years, yes, it would have been money well spent!

Playing the waiting game

It seems this has happened before, but I am awaiting the arrival of the appliance repair man this a.m. When I got a soda after I woke up, it did not seem to be extraordinarily cold. I did not notice this until I also removed a stick of butter to soften and found it already started doing that! Now what????

Immediately I got on the computer to find an appliance repair shop in Orange Park, made the call, and got put on the list. The freezer seems to be just fine but the fan or something putting cold air in the fridge is not doing the trick. My neighbors, seeing my posting on Facebook, have offered to get me some cold Diet Coke but right now, it is okay. I can always put a can in the freezer if need be. But must not forget it or we will have yet another mess to clean up! The last time it was on the fritz was in 2008 but it seems more recent than that.

My nice pedicure gotten in Manitowoc is wearing off, the nail edges rough and the polish chipped. Yes, the pool is the culprit, and no, I don’t like to wear the pool shoes. Linda J. has a really nice pair that she likes but I have only worn mine, not as nice as Linda’s, when on the boat or jet skiing. I did try to use them for aerobics a couple times but they were unsatisfactory for me. Summer months equal bad toes and that’s just the way it is! Pool time is so worth it to me. The reason I mention the toes going to pot is that I noticed red flecks on the floor alongside my bed. I thought, “Now what??” but when I looked closely at my hand when wiping it up, realized it is chipped off polish.

Yesterday I took the video out to the pool, arriving just in time for the lifeguard to blow her whistle and get everyone out of the water. Yes, it was thundering! Timing was everything and I missed my chance. All covered in coconut sunscreen and nowhere to go! Kay was happy to get the movie, though, especially since their pool time was over, they only arrived about 45 minutes before the thunder did. I had put my address label inside the cover of the video (DVD) so she remembers where it came from.

Justin and I went to church at Victory on Sunday, even though I tried to get him to come to Good Shepherd instead, since we worship at 10:00 in the summer time. Nope, he was a hard sell on that point, even though my ‘argument’ was that Pastor and Anne were on vacation and we would likely have a video instead of sermon. He knows how I feel about that. Got to see Suzanne and family there and Daniel asked me to sign his new cast, Gator orange, of course. We sat with Rita on one side and Stephanie and Erica on the other side of us. Brent is deliberating a Call to a church in W. Palm Beach and was having a meeting after the service to discuss it with the congregation.

Justin and I did not stay for the meeting, heading together to St. Johns Town Center Mall for our lunch, then choosing Old Navy for his shopping. Grandma K. bestowed some money on him so he could buy suitable garments for job hunting. I had gotten him a nice pair of slacks last year, I think, but he got them dirty when stopping to do something on a job site, mud stains, I believe. Now, he has two pair of khakis and four polo shirts in a lightweight knit, removing the excuse for wearing jeans to church. (I have ulterior motives!). Yes, I am so glad and thankful that he goes to church, and yes, it should not matter if he wears jeans….but, if he has nice slacks to wear instead, especially when worshiping with his mama…Well, you know the rest of the sentence!

My choice for lunch was PF Chang, which I absolutely LOVE. My favorite is the crispy honey chicken with brown rice and Justin likes the beef and broccoli. The waiter suggested he try the Mongolian beef so Justin did, with the waiter incorporating broccoli back into it. It truly was delicious, almost had a sweetness to it. As did my honey chicken! Justin ate all his food and the waiter boxed mine up for me, except he did not take my brown rice. It was a tight squeeze to get the chicken in so that’s okay. The leftovers for dinner were simply delicious---again!

Our original shopping plan was to go to Kohl’s but he felt that it was handier and more economical to go to Old Navy. The polo shirts were only $10 each, and that is truly a good value. On the way back to get his car which was parked at church, Justin called his grandma to thank her for the clothes. Kohl’s on Southside is located on Atlantic Avenue, which, for him, would be quite handy but not so much as the Mall. And PF Chang! He has wanted me to try a restaurant at the Beach but that would not have worked out yesterday. Perhaps on a Thursday after Bible study we can do that!

One of the reasons we had a tiny time crunch was that I had promised Tracy that I would check in on MamMa mid-afternoon Sunday. Tracy’s cousins were staying with MamMa until early on Sunday when they left for Disneyworld. Friday we went to La Nopalera for lunch, as usual, and it was so nice. They treated me, which was extra nice, and also partook of margaritas with me. Nina, Steve, and their son, Juan, came in from Houston to see MamMa and stayed with her while Tracy and Cassidy were in Boulder, CO, apartment shopping. It all worked out, including my getting down there at 3:00 pm to visit Willie Mae. And then the thunder started!

I just can't get enough

This little guy is just so cute, all day long! His two brothers are standing at the mailbox awaiting the arrival of a special gift from their great-auntie. Justin used to own several series of 'chapter books' which I thought we still had here at home. Alas, they are not to be found so Amazon to the rescue! I love it that they can read!

Playing peek a boo with the sun

Am I ever enjoying my day today! At this moment I am chortling at a “Frasier” episode, how I do love their banter. The other night I sent my sister, Lori, a snippet from a script which had me, figuratively speaking, rolling on the floor. It was a description Niles was giving a bartender when Frasier and he were looking for Daphne. Something about 'skin like Devonshire cream and eyes that pierced the soul'…typical Niles. Lori and I would simply roar at these if we watched them together. Perhaps Lori and David will come down at Christmas this year and we can sit together and watch. Sitting on towels, of course!

Earlier in the day, as I waited for the sun to come out, I watched the news and then “You’ve Got Mail”, the second half of it anyway. What a sweet movie it is, gets me every time! The news program I was watching switched to coverage of the murder trial going on further down the state which I refuse to give a moment’s time. Ugh! So, I found this charming movie and visited New York with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks instead.

At long last, I gave up waiting for the sun and went out to swim. In fact, I broke my own rule about swimming when the sun is not out and got into the pool. It was much cooler than the last time I was in, likely because of the lack of sunshine to warm the exposed parts of my body. For an hour I did my laps and when not circling the pool, I kept my legs moving when I stopped to talk. This nice lady, Kay, was sitting on the edge of the pool and we got talking about movies. (Her hubby is the one who reads in the pool and acts like he doesn’t want other talking when he’s reading…) She mentioned that she would like to see “The Way We Were” again, had not seen it in years so I am going to let her borrow it. She has never seen “The Bucket List” either so I am lending that movie as well.

One of the older ladies at The Club named Caroline was at the pool, arriving after I did. She comes to walk in the water, parking her walker at the top of the steps for when she gets out. Back and forth, back and forth she goes and what a pistol she is! I can only imagine she was a spitfire in her day, working as a Realtor back in the ‘old days’ of Orange Park real estate. Oh, the stories she can tell! It is obvious that she resents having been laid up by her malady requiring the walker, wanting to be free of it, but the recent doctor visit reported no change after three years of using it. Caroline did mention dancing a bit the other night with a fellow strong enough to hold her up! She was complaining that Pasta Market charges too much for their wine, which might be why they don’t do good business for the dinner hour….I found that amusing!

Speaking of spitfires, last night was Happy Hour at the cabana (instead of Wednesdays) and only a handful of people were there, due to a turn in the weather just prior to 6:00 pm. Fortunately I have Danny’s phone number now so I could text him to make sure activities would take place. Penny was waiting for me, and it was just great to see her again. Mary Lew, the low talker, was there, announcing to all who entered that she was the first one there! Randy and his wife, Carol, came later and I am always so glad to see her. She is simply a delight, and told me she finally made it to Great Hang Ups---without me! Carol had been a client of theirs for years when they were on Kingsley Avenue but not in the 7 years since the shop moved to the Island. Penny told Carol, “Kim doesn’t like it when we go to Great Hang Ups without her….” and she was right!

A couple whom I did not know joined our group, members of The Club, who live in Ft. Lauderdale. What a fun couple they were! The man sort of reminded me of Jim B. from church, and she, Joan, was just a hoot. They are about to celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary and she told us her life story as we sat there. Most of us were riveted to the love story but poor Mary Lew, on the end of the table, sort of missed out on it. She was talking to Betty’s daughter, Kathy, who was trying to listen to this other story as well. I felt badly for Kathy, as I doubt she could even hear what ML was saying to her, just smiling and nodding at her. Next time I see Kathy, she might be wearing a puffy shirt! “…but I don’t want to be a pirate!”

Joan told us about how her hubby and she lived on the same block in Brooklyn, NY…she was 13 and he was 14 when they fell in love. They got married when she was 19 years old, and he was in the Air Force. After the Air Force he went to work for IBM and continues to work with Microsoft as a consultant. They were fascinating folks and I enjoyed meeting them. They come up about once a month, having already met Penny a while ago at a Wednesday Happy Hour. Joan and her hubby have a big shindig planned for their anniversary and after that, taking their entire family on a cruise. Joan mentioned she might have to just get up and dance on the bar at the party, and I believe she can do it!

Since it was Happy Hour, the regular menu was not being offered, only some appetizers were served. Being such a spoiled brat, there was nothing I was interested in eating. Some kind of bean dip which was to be stuffed into a pita thing, plus homemade salsa and chips. I could have had some chips but I do not eat the rest of that. Later on I made myself a summer sausage sandwich on a dinner roll for my dinner…..so sad for me! Not really, it was wonderful!

The other night when Judy J. picked me up for dinner and Bible study, she remarked how much she liked my hair. It is bleaching out, as it does in the summer, some natural highlights especially where the silver usually is. She said it looked good against my tan and I thanked her. But I also told her I just bought silver remover that very day! At first I thought I could stand waiting for a few months to do it, but gave in, and removed the silver before getting dressed again after coming in from the pool this afternoon. When I mixed it up, the new foamy type of treatment, it looked quite red so I tested an area first to make sure it would not turn me into Lucille Ball. Nope, I am more like Desi! Using the lightest brown color seems to be the closest to the color the rest of my hair is, for some very strange reason. Lightest brown would not be the color I would use to describe my color but I leave that to Nice ‘n Easy to figure out!

Thinking about our trips....

He will be greatly displeased if he sees this posting, but this is Justin enjoying an expensive glass of soda on the piazza outside of the Santa Croce Cathedral, barely visible on the left of this photo.

Yesterday, I wrote how thankful Justin is about our visits to Rome and the Mediterranean region. Sometimes I forget that he was not with me every time I was there, but in my mind he was...hmmm. I do depend upon him to remember things that I have long erased from my memory banks. That's where the scrapbooks come in handy.

Here is the chandelier which Justin would not rest until he found, hanging from the ceiling in the shop--right where I saw it in 2005 when visiting Florence with Twila and Jean Nichols. Had to go back to get!

He mentioned the story of the guys moving the car. Here's more of the story: When the car was in our way, we were on our way to eat at an Italian restaurant, go figure it would be Italian, with a group from the cruise. Justin and I were seated with some ladies traveling together, a mom, her daughters, and perhaps a granddaughter, if memory serves. They took a liking to Justin, of course. After lunch was our walking tour of the ruins of ancient Rome, seeing the spot where Caesar was burned, the three arches, just magnificent sites.

We were up and down, climbing, standing, walking, climb some more, in the summer heat, and I was physically taxed. We got back on the bus for the late afternoon stop at the "St. Paul in Chains" historical site and I was too wiped out to go in. Today I regret it but at the time, it was right to sit it out. The nice ladies took charge of Justin and enjoyed it with him. I perched myself on a wall and watched the world go by, with Italy having won a huge soccer event at that moment. Oh my! What a parade of flag waving Vespa riders and horns blowing and excitement was I witness to!! We must go back so I can see "St. Paul in Chains" and the Santa Croce cathedral we missed in Florence when we were chandelier shopping.

I turned the A/C on again!

It's warm in here, and this only hours after I covered up with my baby afghan from the bottom of my bed. My guess is that the temperatures dropped during the thunderstorm and have since come back up again. It was in the mid-90's today, and no smoke, or very little around here.

The water exercise class had four in it today, a very manageable-sized class for Marlena, especially since one of the ladies was a first timer this year, but had come a few times last year. I am sure I mentioned in this blog that I am the youngest in the class, usually by well more than 10 years, and am younger than Marlena, too. This does not mean more fit, it means I can usually catch on fairly quickly to what Marlena is telling us, and usually hear her the first time she says it. It is downright comical sometimes, which only adds to the fun.

Mary Lew, whom I have described in the past as a 'low talker' and whom Hugh calls "the mumbler", really made us laugh today. Marlena demonstrates the exercise we are to do, using a chair on the edge of the pool to show us what to do. She was telling us to do the frog leg routine, which we do every time, and of course, since she was standing up and not in the water, could only show us using one leg, obviously. Mary Lew asked, "Oh, only one leg at a time???" And, without guile, Marlena exclaimed, "I can only do one leg at a time from up here!" and we lost it!!! I mean, really??? The one man who comes, Randy, who always wants me to sing 'the old standards' in The Club, got into the pool today with his phone in his pocket. I believe it's shot but he was hoping it would dry out enough to work again.

Mary Lew wanted to eat lunch at the pool today so Marlena took our orders from The Club menu and delivered our meals poolside. The lunch Mary Lew got included soup which Marlena brought in a to-go type cup with a lid, like for coffee or similar, plus the foam box the meal came in. She gave Randy and ML their meals, told her that was her soup in the cup, brought them a glass of wine, and left. I ate my burger (served on a wheat bun.....) and fries, listening to the two of them chat. It seems they picked up where they left off last year, arguing about who is older. I stayed out of that conversation! ML finally announced that Randy and she decided she was nearly a full year older than he. At long last, they figured it out. I asked them if it took this long to do the math. Another good laugh. They were asking me if I knew of a Woody Allen movie that took place in New York---I thought they all did.....

About the soup----ML had finished her lunch, having ordered the soup and half-sandwich, when Randy discovered the covered cup between them. "Did you order this?", he asked. "No, that must be yours..." she replied. "Is it wine? I told her I did not want another glass..." "It feels quite hot..." I said, "Mary Lew, that is your soup, it came with your meal." Marlena had specifically told her this was her soup but she forgot or something. Time laugh again and get back in the pool, Kim.....

My friends, Rick and Fran, showed up as I was finishing my meal and I was so glad to see them. Fran was unable to come to the pool much lately since the smoke affects her badly, which she found out Monday playing tennis in the heat and smoke. Rick is a pharmacist and we share many things in common, including politics, so we have some fun conversations. I am going to make up a list of books I have for Rick to borrow as he fluctuates between novels and non-fiction. He is presently finishing "Heaven is For Real", a book on the side of my bed, borrowed from Judy J. He is not really impressed with it, but wants me to read it first so we can discuss it. Rick thought it would be somewhat special since it was a child's experience 'seeing heaven' but then realized when getting into the book that the father was a preacher. He feels that since the father is the writer of the book, some of the experiences might be "enhanced" rather what the child actually says he saw. Now the pressure is on for me to read the book!

When I got out of the pool, I checked my phone and saw that I had missed some calls. Only one left a message, my Justin, who was amusing himself with his video game again. He was calling to tell me where he was in the game, the location, something he saw when in Rome, and thanked me again for taking him to Italy. I love it! Those messages are to be kept if at all possible. This evening he called again, this time asking me to guess where he was. I said, "Let me see----Trivia?" and he laughed, saying, "I meant in the game...." Silly me! This time he was near a bridge where a pyramid was built into the wall (I acted like I knew....) "You know, where the car was in our way?" Yes!!! I do remember, because our bus was sideways under the bridge, unable to clear the turn due to an improperly parked car. He honked and honked the horn, and finally, a group of guys came out of a bar. They did not own the car but our bus driver, one of our passengers, and the bar guys, picked up the car and moved it out of the way! Thanks, Justin, for this reminder of another fun experience! (But why don't I remember the pyramid????)

Earlier this evening I gave Lynnie a call to tell her that a local network station was showing "Beach Blanket Bingo". She was yet in the car, driving home from the Wellness Center where she had her orientation session. How wonderful that she is going to go there and think of all the people she will meet. Already she knew a few faces on her first night...gotta love that! Linda J. goes very early in the a.m. before work for her water fitness class and such but I know some other ladies from FG who attend this center as well. It can be fun to go with someone, even if you work independently. Lynn got home while talking with me but her program guide did not show the movie in her listings. Too bad! I thought she might get a kick out seeing something from when she was a girl. Oh well, she was going to watch her recorded "Jeopardy!" program. One of the reasons she was joining the fitness center was so that she did not watch so much TV. Funny, but Linda J. told me the same thing last night, that she was dedicating herself to reading more and watching "the box" less! Gotta love that!

A busy day

As I enjoy a lovely frosted shortbread cookie, cut in the shape of a flower, before bed, I will recap my day. The cookie was purchased with the dinner at Panera Bread where I ate with my driver, Judy J. She was longing for her favorite strawberry summer salad, similar to what my sister, Lynn, enjoyed at Perkin's in Manty. This salad is served with strawberry poppy seed dressing which Judy sopped up with her French bread baguette. Good to the last drop! I had half of my mac 'n cheese and one of my cookies, which were on special when purchased with our meals. Judy took a bear claw to have for breakfast tomorrow morning.

From Panera, then, we were off to Bible study, an intimate gathering of four ladies, plus pastor. This class is offered intermittently throughout the year, called "This is the Life!", and our study last night was about self-control. We went through it quickly and then sat around, talking, afterward. In the class, one section lists 'favorite sins' and we were to read through them to see which ones we 'chose' as ours. Without the list in front of me, I will try to remember some: "Worry", "Not being loving enough", "Selfishness", "Unforgiving", and so on. We were supposed to do this to our ourselves, not really to say aloud which ones were our 'favorites', but one lady likes to mutter aloud and chose hers. I think she does not even realize she is basically thinking out loud, another 'self control' issue, I am sure. I shared the story of my visit on the phone with the insurance adjuster, who told me to find something else to worry about, because "I got this one." What a good feeling that is! Just like Jesus says to us, "I got this, don't worry about it..."

My morning began somewhat early as Maggie O. was coming by around 9:00 a.m. after taking a class for substitute teaching in Green Cove Springs. I wanted to be ready for the pool before she got here to change her clothes but then she called to say she was going straight home due to the smoke rolling in. Good idea, Maggie! Phew, it was dense and stinky smoke at that. The window repair man called to say he was about 30 minutes away so I cleaned off the ledge along the windows, got busy with the dusting brush and Pledge, and even swept some of the floor around there. Ugh! Gross! Good thing Justin was coming to vacuum clean in the afternoon. The repairs went well, with more than one thing amiss on the windows, which explains why the sash would not close down tightly. The guy told me that when the windows are going to be washed, they must be opened all the way up and then tilted so the posts (mine were replaced) won't be twisted or bent. They are going to come back again to replace a pane of glass in my river room, the lower sash only right now, as I cannot see through it due to scratched up film put over the glass. It is more cost effective to replace the glass than to try to scrape off the film!

The smoke was so thick that I decided to not go out to the pool at all, after they left. I looked out and saw only Randy paddling in the water. Whether Marlena was there or not, I could not tell. Instead of going out, I put all my stuff back in my room, did some more dusting and sat down at the desk to work. After having a bowl of cereal mid-morning, Justin sent me a message on Google chat which meant he was in the office at his father's office. I think he again thanked me for taking him to Italy (!) and then said he was "hoongry" for 5 Guys. Since I had to go to the Island anyway, I suggested we meet in a half hour, since I had to change into 'real clothes' and such.

We met there and dined alfresco as Justin was sweaty from mowing the lawn at the office building. Since I had recently had cereal, I was not hoongry but did share the fries with Justin. The best fries! While we sat there, I saw a Realtor I knew, who was the listing agent for my lake house. She came and sat with us for a bit after getting her meal to-go, and shared the story of her miracle, being spared from an inoperable brain tumor four years ago. She is strong believer in the Lord and was not afraid to let us know. I was glad she remembered me, and felt comfortable enough to share her story.

After lunch, Justin went back to work and I went to Wal*Mart to get a prescription refilled, where I ran into Danny Roy. He showed me photos of his grandkids who are visiting this summer from Italy, where his son-in-law is stationed. I had seen photos on Facebook but loved to look at his as well. I can always depend on a hug and smooch when I see Danny in the store! From WM, I headed to Great Hang Ups with a framed clay hand print with me, so Julia can match the frame for a picture she is framing for me. Dee is working on a round family photo I had done after Timmy died, and I want the frame to match the other one.

The photograph was actually two separate pictures which a co-worker of Suzanne's at then Channel 4, used Photoshop magic to unite. No other places would do anything with them because of the copyrights on them, since one was taken on a cruise and the other at Wal*Mart. So, the private party could do it. I wanted a small enough round photo to place inside a pocket watch which I gave Justin's father as a gift 10 years ago. Dee was able to take the larger of the round ones, tweak it, and make it frameable for me. Our other friend, Kris, was there at Hang Ups when I arrived so we ladies had a good visit before Bubba arrived. Bubba and Dee are friends, he is a retired 'educator', having been a Dean of Students and high school principal for many years. He is elderly, extremely hard of hearing, but charming all day long. I have read his poetry in the past, and spent some memorable times with him in the shop over the years. Today he brought in some items for framing, pictures and poetry, for his school in Naples, FL, where he served much of his career.

Once he was in the shop, the floor was his, so to speak. He told a funny lament about trying to get a new dishwasher purchased and then installed, trying to make arrangements over the phone, even though he's deaf! Funny stuff! As I gathered my stuff to leave, Bubba asked me if I minded letting him see my photograph, which Dee gave me to take home. She is going to resize a different one for the frame, so this was extra. I said I did not mind and let him look at it. The dear man complimented me in the photo, and said I was still as beautiful as in the photo. Bubba gets a smooch, too! He asked me about the boys, as he remarked about how cute Timmy was with those big dimples. When I told Bubba that Timmy was in heaven, he got all teared up. Quickly I pointed out that I still had Justin, pointing at him in the picture, while Dee gestured that he was quite tall now. Bubba said that Justin really resembles me, and Dee said he did, in more ways than one. Bubba was still moved about Timmy, asking me how old he was when he died, and I held up my hand to show "5"....He told us he never met a student in all his days that he did not care about, that to this day he hears from some of them, thanking him for all he did to make them turn out decently.

Justin came by my house after work to do the cleaning and swept through (ha, ha!) quickly. Far more quickly than I can do, that's for sure! At one point I told him there was a dead palmetto bug under the sofa in the river room, and he asked, "Can you see that from your bed???" No, I had seen it when in there with the window repair guys, silly boy! He already thinks I am too particular (my word, not his!) about my dust and such, so it would have been funny if I could see under the sofa from here! After he was done with my cleaning, he was going to do yard work at his friend, Ron's, home because Ron's dad was coming home from TX and expected the yard to be in decent shape. Those boys will have to hustle. Instead of beach volleyball on Saturday, they could have gotten sun and accomplished the yard work at the same time. It's all about management, guys! So, anyway, once my floors were cleaned, I told Justin I would sleep better at night....

It was a great great day!

My little nieces

Here are two of my nieces, posing at Allie's graduation party. Alayna, from the Lahaie side of the family, is friends with Allie, although she graduated last year. Allie is from the in-law side of the family. Alayna just finished her summer course from UW-Eau Claire, as she prepares for her 2nd year, and Allie plays to attend UW-Manitowoc for her first couple years. Love it that they are friends!

What? Again?????

This photo was snitched from my friend, Loretta, taken from the 33rd floor of the Modis Building in downtown Jacksonville this a.m.

Smoke, smoke, everywhere---again! Around 9:00 a.m. Maggie O. sent me a message wondering if it was smoky here or not. My reply was that it was hazy but the sun was out and I could see across the river. That did not remain true. As we did our water workout, the smoke was just rolling in, and now, I cannot see beyond the trees in the basin area. Barely can I see the navigation markers in the river. It’s bright out yet, but I still feel like it is gloomy in here. My eyes are tired feeling, likely from the smoke effects.

Justin informed me that we will have four in our group tonight for Trivia and there will be five in the other group, so I am not sure how that will work as far as making one team out of so many. Justin does not like having so many people, harder to come to a consensus for the answer, and we have to sit in the back where the A/C unit roars like a wild beast. It is difficult for him to hear anyway, and add to that all the answers being whispered so no one else can hear our answers….well, it’s just hard!

At the pool this a.m., I was talking with one of the ladies who daily swims laps. Deb was telling me about the yellow algae in the pool, making the steps on the south end more slippery because they are often shaded. I did notice the yellow edging along the tiles but did not realize it was a problem until she mentioned being itchy. YES!!! I was blaming the sunscreen which I promised the doctor I would use, but the irritated skin might be from the algae. The Club needs a different pool cleaner, that is obvious. Guess I will need to write a letter to the leadership and voice my concerns.

Tomorrow a nice man is coming to repair my window next to the desk. At least, I hope he can fix it. Cob webs form there and I am sure the opening allows for spiders to make their way in as well. The other night when the smell of smoke was strong in my house and I was checking the doors, it occurs to me now that it might have been coming through the loose-fitting window. Steve told me he had two other calls in the morning, in areas quite far from OP, but asked if I would be around at 10:00 a.m. I said, “Wow, you guys start early in the day!” and I will certainly make myself available when they can come. All the stuff will need to be moved from the ledge and the guy will have to help me carry the shelf/storage thing away from the window so he can work. It’s a two-person job to move it.

Yesterday afternoon, after a couple hours poolside, I tried once more to reach my insurance man. Instead of calling my agent, I called the fellow who handled my claim last September. A message was left but it did not take long for Greg to call me back. He is so kind, both in person and over the phone, and soothed my concerns regarding the insurance request from my neighbor’s agent. Greg has already addressed it, answered their request before the 30 days were up, and will keep me posted on what is transpiring with this situation. He basically assured me they would handle it, and told me I should find something else to concern myself with. Very funny, Greg! I have every confidence in him and hope he can make this situation just go away!

Pastor sent an e-mail yesterday about upcoming Bible studies, even though the Monday morning ones are on recess for July. At the church meeting Sunday he mentioned a Bible Information Class being held on Tuesdays so I asked him about that. It seems he has a married couple enrolled but they are having problems keeping the appointments so no class today or perhaps next week either. Fortunately he is using the “People Close to God” curriculum this time rather than the DVD one we used last time. It was a bit, um, too lighthearted, for my tastes. So now I will await word of when the class resumes so I can get some Bible study in when we are ‘down’ for the summer. Tomorrow night the two Judy’s and I are attending a Bible study at church, with Judy J. and I having dinner at Panera first. She is hungry for her summer salad from there, with the raspberry poppyseed dressing she loves so much. Not sure what I will have but imagine it will be the mac ‘n cheese!

I smell garlic!

It is coming from me as I ate a piece of garlic toast with my dinner tonight at the Pasta Market . Fourteen ladies, our number doubling since this a.m., came together to eat and socialize, and yes, laugh. Judy J. picked me up so only one car had to be used, but this confused some people when they did not see my car parked there. I was lucky enough to have a driver, and I didn't even need a designated driver. If our group had not been there, this restaurant would not have had any customers. Mondays are often 'down nights' for restaurants so I would not be too alarmed. I had the Philly Cheesesteak Stromboli, half of which came home with me. One more box added to the collection. At lunch another box came home with me so I am fairly well set.

This afternoon after getting home from lunch, I did a little bit of work on the church newsletter before heading outside to the pool. It was too nice a day not to enjoy it, fairly smoke-free and plenty hot, just the way I like it. At first, it was only me and a man named John, a regular pool attendee but mostly unfriendly. He appeared to be dozing in the pool, along the side with his book propped up and held with a large clip so the page stays open. After a little while, two ladies who live in the villas directly across from the cabana came out and we had such fun talking. John left and I was not sad he was gone, because I often feel as though he is not happy when others are talking or laughing when he is dozing or trying to read. Sort of an odd duck but I am used to him. The other ladies were irritated by him, suggesting he put in a pool at his own house!

We were talking about going to Barnes and Noble on San Jose, one lady likes the World Market next door while the other lady shops for books. This opened the door for me to ask her preference regarding the electronic books vs. the books with paper pages. Julie is definitely a 'real book' person, having not tried a Nook or Kindle. She likes the idea of holding the book, turning the pages, using a book mark, and all that goes with reading.

Then, I asked the 'other' question----"do you read used books?" Immediately, both ladies answered, "NO!", because they are too dirty. Aha! No library books, used book stores, or yard sales for them either, and when they buy a magazine, or even just look at it, always choose from the back of the stack. I am so not alone with this....Neither lady will read a magazine in the doctor's office or other places with waiting areas, or if they do, wash hands with sanitizer before and after! They said they rarely travel because the thought of hotel rooms and how unsanitary they are just 'bugs' them. Julie said she cleans the room so thoroughly when she gets there, people wonder where her housekeeping cart is! This means I am not the only one who cleans the remote control, telephone, and light switches...Julie does too! We all agreed it was NOT a good idea to take a black light to the hotel....

At Patty's beauty shop, which she owns and where Julie works, they take the books purchased from B and N for 'sharing' purposes, which the regular clients enjoy since they know where the books came from and that they were gently read. Patty said she and Julie are like Howard Hughes, who was a germaphobe, which brought to mind potato chip bags. HH would never put his hand in a bag of chips, for fear his hands would touch the side. Patty said she dumps the chips onto her plate to eat them. Julie said that she will take scissors to trim the bag down, which is exactly what I do. I shared my secret with them, about opening the Cheetos from the bottom where the good stuff is, more cheese and flavor. We all agreed to never, ever eat Cheetos when reading a book though, with the caution being added to avoid getting the cheese on ones clothes. I never had a problem with that, but evidently, they did! Gotta love time at the pool!!! We somehow are able to enjoy the water that other people swim in-----ewwwww!!!!

Thinking I am in the for the night

Even though it is dinner time, I have pretty much decided to stay in tonight and have some leftovers instead. Already I am in my night gown, putting this on after taking off my swim suit, which is dripping in the shower as I write. First Judy C. and I had lunch after the church meeting, Chili’s, with Michael joining us, and then went swimming. Despite it being Father’s Day, we had a good number of folks stay for the meeting. Since church began 30 minutes sooner than usual for the summer schedule, it helped to keep folks from leaving right away. About forty-five minutes ago, we two ladies came out of the pool, with me having been out there for over three hours. Judy, not quite that long.

Our choir sang for Holy Trinity Sunday, Psalm 150, and some of the members commented about how nice we sounded. I felt like I screeched on the closing note but no one else said they heard it. How kind of them! Robbie sang CW 271, the first two stanzas, a capella, and then the congregation joined in to sing the closing stanza with accompaniment. The service was beautiful, starting with the congregation singing "Holy, Holy, Holy".

As I write, I am trying my best not to "strongly dislike" Jon Stewart but am losing the battle. Glad Chris Wallace is so worthy an opponent. Very much I enjoyed the interview, the exit interview, if you will, of Robert Gates that Chris conducted. It moved me to hear Gates say how much the soldiers and military mean to him, and how difficult it was to leave the arena when he came back to the USA last week.

Some of my Facebook friends are griping about the weather being too hot. I am wishing I had my slippers on but that is the way I am. The other night when the neighbors were here to see my home, it was quite warm in here, at least 82 degrees and closed up due to the smoke. When I am idle, there is no need for cooler temperatures and if I had known company was coming, I would have adjusted the air conditioning. They all have much higher electric bills than do I, so that is my consolation.

Justin sent me a text message this a.m. requesting prayers for his friend, Sarah’s, brother who is only 20 years old and has ulcerative colitis. Alex also has Asberger’s Syndrome on top of all this. At this point, Alex will have to take medication the rest of his life, and I pray that is all he has to do in order to remain healthy. Surgery at some point would not be unexpected, but for now, besides the medication, he has some strict dietary restrictions as well. I appreciate the fact that Justin recognizes the need for the Lord’s hand in this family and for this young man. I am glad the weather was good as Justin was going to be on a boat much of the day. His father’s fiancé was renting a boat for the day in celebration of Father’s Day.

Last night I had a steak at the cabana since they are not offering the sirloin sliders for dinner right now. Not being a fan of shrimp Louie, fish tacos, or chicken Caesar salad, I chose the steak. It was good, but I would have liked it better on a roll, as a sandwich, I think. Not in a hurry to have it again, and if Danny cannot make a hot dog for me, I will simply not have dinner there. It’s certainly their loss!

My sleep remains upset, almost a week after getting home again, with me finding myself yet awake at midnight or after. Sometimes I mess myself up with late afternoon accidental snoozes, but today I am avoiding that in hopes of ‘normal’ sleeping. Last night, as I rolled over to drop off to sleep, my right foot developed an ache out of nowhere. No matter which way I turned, it ached in a place that never touches the ground, sort of in the arch, just above it. After I took a couple ibuprofen, I waited for sleep to come, and it did, but again, after midnight. Ugh! Tonight will be a different story, I pray, thanks to my long workout in the pool today!

Some graduation shots, plus one not a graduation shot!

This photo was taken at the Ungemach graduation party that I crashed in my effort to meet in person my Facebook friend, Patty. She is a cousin to the mother of the graduate and has connections with other mutual friends throughout Facebook Land. Linda J. and I arrived just in time to find Patty and her husband as they were leaving to go home to the Chicago area. Timing was perfect and made my day! It was a fun party, too, as many of my other Facebook and real life friends were inside....

This would be the NOT a graduation shot, taken of Dolly and me at the Fork and Knife. We have been friends since 4th grade. After several years of less than regular contact, my phone rang when on the cruise ship in Alaska, with Dolly on the other end, stepping outside her box to say, "I was thinking of you after hearing "Angel of the Morning" on the radio." Ever since then, we are very regular in our contact and see each other at least once when I am in WI. Hugs, Dolly!!!

My niece, Tabitha, posed with her cake for graduation, as her other auntie, Barb, looked on. Harv, Barb, Kevin, and I had dinner with her family at their home and later enjoyed a wonderful bonfire in the yard after the young people left to enjoy other parties. Her actual graduation ceremony was the next day but I abstained from going back to Valders for it.

Even though I did not attend the ceremony, I still got to capture Tabitha in her graduation cap and gown. Her plans for next fall are to attend the UW-Manitowoc to get her pre-requisite classes taken care of before venturing on to college.

This young lady, looking quite serious at the keyboard, is the multi-talented Naomi, whose graduation party I was able to attend on Memorial Day at church. She is a classmate of my nephew, Danny, and both young people are members of FG. MLHS graduation took place on the Sunday of Memorial weekend.

Danny is walking up to receive his diploma. The guy handing them out used to be our landscape man when we did business in Manitowoc.

Here is Danny marching in to the graduation service at Manitowoc Lutheran High School, May 29th, 2011.

These next photos are of Allie's graduation, another niece, who attended Lincoln High School, and was part of the 100th class to graduate. What a landmark! All the graduates received a commemorative medallion to wear and keep. The trumpeters are one of my favorite parts of this school's graduation events, just prior to the flower girls carrying in their baskets.

Here she comes, marching in with lovely flowers in her hair! Her good friends are with her, the marching partner and directly behind her. Gorgeous procession!

Allie is about to get her diploma. She, too, will attend the local UW Center for her first couple years. In the meanwhile, she is working at two area stores in order to make some money. Allie was also an "Athlete of the Month" in May, with her sport being Track and Field, shot put division. Only the weekend before, she was competing on the State level in her sport, but did not take first in shot put. Two years in a row she made to State!

Allie's party theme was Tropical which is ironic as it was quite cold and nasty that day and evening.
Festive cupcakes and delicious homemade bars rounded out the dessert table. Some of her ribbons and awards are displayed on the wall behind her cupcakes. A couple of her coaches attended the party which I thought was just wonderful!

Great ending to the day

Sweat is running down my face and I do not mind one bit. The A/C has kicked in, much to my regret, because keeping the doors closed prevents the breeze from circulating. The air is heavy with smoke once again this evening, although the late afternoon rain storm cleared things for a bit. Now it is lightning and a bit of thunder is rolling, which means another rain shower might be coming. What would be good is some wind to blow the smoke away from here but that also fans the flames. Many folks are hoping this is not a repeat of the fires we had in 1998 where the counties south of us had to evacuate when the flames crossed the freeway. Awful!

The reason I am so warm is that I just came in and settled down after being out at the pool having dinner with my neighbors. Rose and Joe's son came up from Tampa for a visit and we were discussing the available units in the building. We went with Miss Chardonay to look at the one on 5 that has the long porch, front to back in length, and at a very discounted price. Almost a third its original value, in a 'normal' market. It is owned by the company that employed the owner and they are responsible now for selling it, and want to unload it. So tempting but no, I am not considering it. But, I just love that porch!!

After the five of us looked at that unit, we came down here so I could show Scott my place. Joe had never been here and he loved it. Scott said he did not know what to look at first, that I had so many fun things. He described my living room as being cozy and homey, and I thanked him for that. They loved the chess sets, light fixtures, art work, clock collection, and glass pieces. And the river room! Another fun thing Scott said, keeping in mind this is the first time I am meeting him, "I am not surprised about all the color..." I had warned them that my bedroom was untidy, the only room in the house I actually use (which we chuckled about!) so they only glanced in from the river room. Makes me want to clean my room, maybe tomorrow!

Before going out, I was on the phone with Justin, who called me with a sweet message. He had rented a video game, something to do with assassins. The reason for his call, though, aside from killing people, was to describe the scenery included in the game. In one 'scene', his character was standing atop a structure looking into the ruins of ancient Rome, and seeing many things illustrated that he has seen in person. Justin called to thank me for taking him to see these things in real life. My heart! "You are so welcome, my dear..." And that, my friends, was a fabulous moment!

I did not think the cabana would be open since it had been raining but Hugh and Maureen informed me that others were going over to eat dinner, having called to make sure Danny was there. Sure enough, when we got there, Danny and his helper had packed everything up to close since no one came out. They had to reset the whole thing and made about 8 dinners before closing for good. Then we went and looked at real estate after dark! Oh, and Danny gave me his cell phone number so I can call or text him to inquire about the status of cabana so they don't pack things up when we are planning to come over. Love that! There is a phone in the cabana but sometimes it does not work and he did not know the number for it. What a great plan!

Joe is going to give the number of window repair man he knows of from Green Cove Springs so I can get my bedroom window fixed. Justin sort of fixed it by shoving a rolled up towel between the window and my desk shelf, so it would not blow in if gets really, really windy. The Scotch tape I tried to use did not do the trick, somehow or another. When the sun catchers and lanterns moved in the breeze, yes, we have a problem. Joe will be busy with his son visiting this weekend so I will wait until Scott is gone and remind Joe of the number. It would be a problem if we get a huge storm!

Nice, clear skies

Even at night, the skies are clear and moon is bright. Around midnight last night, or earlier this a.m., the smell of smoke became quite strong, so much so that I thought perhaps a door had been left open or something. In checking, the doors were all closed tightly but yet the smell permeated. The moon was a funky orange color due to the filter it was passing through. At some point in the wee hours, I heard my printer cranking and grinding in my dark room, and it occurred to me we had lost power at some point. My TV was off which would absolutely wake me up but the pounding rain did the trick as well. Lightning was also visible which is not good when we already have so many fires going on. This a.m. when I woke up for good, the wind was blowing quite hard which succeeded to move the smoke away for a while. It is a breath of fresh air in many, many ways!

This afternoon I sent yet another e-mail to my insurance man regarding the certified letter I received before leaving for Manitowoc, and it seemed as though he had not even read my first communication to him. In his response to my original e-mail, he wrote that I should call him, he would be in the office all day. That day being my travel day, it was not ideal to discuss this business from the airports. The weekend was Memorial Day so I called him the next week, having to leave a message with one of the ladies in the office, and she assured me he would call back. Today, after I sent him my e-mail, he finally called me back. Russ asked me to scan the letter from the insurance company to him, and I said I had already done that. No wonder he could not figure out what they wanted---he had not opened the attachment in the first place!!!

Russ also made a remark about why the letter was sent to me and not the insurance company, and, hey, I don't know either! He said the letter would be referred to the Claims Department and I gave him the name of the guy who had been helping me. Russ said, "You made my job easier!" which is exactly what I was trying to do. NOT! He sort of ticked me off, you know? Later he sent an e-mail saying he had turned it over to Claims and I should hear something tomorrow. I can rest more confidently now that Greg will be on the case, since time is of the essence as so much has gotten away from us. As I was talking to Dee tonight at a Club function, she said, "It is never going to go away, is it?" So it seems!

Today I drove over to Victory where they are holding their VBS this week. The cheese and sausage was delivered to Ed, who was wearing one of his many hats today including photographer. He was happy to have his special treats and told me Judy stayed home today because the smoke yesterday was too much for her. Rita was there getting snacks ready for the children and we greeted each other. She said I looked like I had lost some weight, mostly around my face and neck, which was exactly what Julia had said on Tuesday. Did I??? My photos taken in WI do not attest to that, but I graciously accept the compliments. From Victory, Justin and I met Stephanie and Erica for lunch at Bahama Breeze where we enjoyed a lovely lunch. Both Stephanie and I had an adult beverage with our meals, which was had al fresco. Such a different day than yesterday, remarkably so!

Justin picked up some garbage bags for me at my request as I was totally out and needed to change a couple. My office basket which gets full quickly from soda cans, to-go boxes, and shredded paper. It was not emptied before I left for WI so really needs taking care of. I offered him my to-go box of chicken mini-sandwiches with yellow rice but he refused. They will serve me well for breakfast tomorrow. Not sure if we will go to La Nopalera or not, have not heard from my neighbors. Several of my other neighbors have welcomed me back home, one lady wondering where I was since she did not see me at the pool. It is time!!