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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!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Wah, wah, wah!!!

One of my favorite “Seinfeld” episodes is on and I am already laughing in anticipation. And it is so naughty that I love it but what can I say??? “You’ll be out before we get the check…” (Jerry to Kramer). Yeah, you know the one….

I made myself a nice sandwich for my dinner a few minutes ago, instead of having the planned Koko’s leftovers as I really was not hungry enough for them. My lunch today was enjoyed poolside, a special treat on Maggie, in order for her to reach her monthly minimum. I do not have that problem in the summer time, especially with the cabana open, but they close this year right after Labor Day. Last year they stayed open through the end of the month, on the weekends, so folks could sit out there and watch the football games while enjoying some refreshment with food. Guess the management thought better of it this year. Rats for me, so to speak. I even considered having Sylvia make me a bunch of burgers so I could fill my freezer for the winter months, like a squirrel storing up nuts!

By the look of the branches moving outside, it seems like it must be windy tonight. Not the kind of wind one could hear but enough to move the palms. Earlier I turned on the A/C just to make sure it was working as my neighbor, Rose, called to ask if mine was working okay. As of yesterday it did but I turned it on again tonight to verify that is fine. Hers is on the fritz, so I offered her my spare bed in case her hubby and she needed to stay in air conditioning. Yes, I could do it one more night….But she said they would be okay, but appreciated my offer. She seemed surprised that I did not have mine in the “ON” position but it was only 81 in here tonight and I was just fine.

The first part of my day included laundering the towels and bed clothes from my guests before going out to the pool. Since the sun was not coming out this a.m., I was thinking of skipping the water exercises but the sun did peek out, so I did too! What I figured I would do, if missing the class, was make sure I was there for lunch with Maggie. Priorities! My choice was a cheeseburger with fruit and cottage cheese as my side dish, since I am not a fan of the fries, and ate all my fruit and all my burger. Last night at Trivia I ate every bit of my burger, as though it was my last meal. I am quite the nut for burgers (see two paragraphs above!)

When I came in from the pool, I loaded my soda cans into a lovely bag that Marlena sent upstairs with me, cleaning off my stove top. The bag will work well for me to take the cans and water bottles to the recycling area in the garbage closet downstairs. How incredibly annoying it is to do this but I succumbed to the pressure of worshipping at that altar. But I promised Connie I would do it under the guise of having less expense with the dumpster fees. Hopefully someone is tracking the actual savings and will let me know. I suspect nothing will change as far as weekly pick-ups go, as the smell would get to be quite something if it sat longer than week!

The lady who is taking Connie’s place while she is off for a knee procedure, Jane, was being trained today. Jane is the same lady who, the other day, asked how the pool was for us ladies. Lynn and Linda said it was good but, I, of course, said it was a bit cool for my tastes. Jane nicely replied, “Oh, wah, wah, wah!” which made us all laugh. Yup, that’s my mantra, “wah, wah, wah!”

Normal, as I know it!

This morning's sunrise on the river....

Things are back to normal around here, and that is not because my sister and my friend have left my home. No, it is that the news program I watch in the morning has the ‘normal’ crew sitting on the ‘curvy couch’ for a change. For weeks now, there have been substitute hosts, anchors, and the weekend crew working during the week. As a person who does not have a clock in my room and half the time am not truly aware of the day of the week upon waking, it is confusing to open my eyes and see weekend faces during the week! At least today I know it is Wednesday and the ‘right’ faces are on the couch!

Just now I paid a visit to the fridge and took notice of a few things that won’t be staying in there much longer. There is some fruit in a plastic tub, already turning color, from age. Good thing Justin suggested not getting the fruit until the ladies were in town, because it looks pretty tired already. I do have a bottle of sangria which might enjoy some fruit in it, but I think sangria is better with fresh fruit. A small amount of Boston butt remains but I have had enough of that to last me for a bit so the disposal can eat the balance. Some sliced tomatoes leftover from our BLTs will go out as well, even though they are nice and red now. A slice of fried bacon or two in a baggie, plus a fried egg with some sausage remain which might still be edible. Normally not a formal breakfast eater, I guess I could have those leftovers for lunch. But instead of breakfast for dinner, I have a foam box of Koko’s food for then. Today, I am having lunch on Maggie O. after water exercises.

Yesterday our congregation got some sad news---a son of our congregation died suddenly at the age of 37 due to diabetes complications. Chris lives now in northern IL and was driving back from a business trip in WI when he felt ill. He called his lady friend to report his feeling poorly and she suggested he find an ER to get checked out. Instead, he pulled into a rest area near the border, where he apparently rested and never woke up. Shocking news. His parents and sister are driving up there this week and with the help of our pastor and one up there, making the necessary arrangements for Chris’s funeral and such. His parents are not in the best shape health-wise, themselves, and this will be a terrible strain on them. The suddenness and unexpectedness takes ones breath away, well, almost, and makes one want to hug their son quite hard. And I did!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Ready for my 'big nap'!

Why in the world am I so sleepy tonight? No naps in the afternoon might be part of it but somehow or another I am sleeping later in the mornings than normally I do. Hopefully I can sleep okay when I decide to go to sleep!

Linda went to bed already, too, but Lynn is up and watching TV in the living room. She did not wish to select our evening’s viewing so I chose, of course, “Frasier” for our listening and dancing pleasure. Love to laugh at that program, but can do that in here so she can watch what she enjoys. My tummy is happy from dining on Papa Murphy’s pizza, a treat by Linda, which we picked up while waiting for Lynn to get her facial. My friend, Sharon, has her own shop from where she performs this service, and has given Lynn a facial treatment in the past. Lynn’s skin is now nice and smooth, so freshly plucked and treated, I barely recognized her when I picked her up afterward! Happy birthday, Lynn!

This morning we went to Bible study where we are studying the book of Ezra, where he tells about the Israelites returning to the Promised Land from Babylon after their captivity ended. Quite interesting to learn about the history and such of this area. After the class a bunch of us went to Longhorn for lunch, and were joined there by Twila, who came from her cardiac rehab appointment. The ladies got to say ‘good-bye’ to Lynn and Linda and sent hugs home for Mom, too.

When we got back home after lunch, we had time before Lynn’s appointment to enjoy some pool time. It was lovely this afternoon, not too cold in the water and not too hot, for some of us, outside of the water. Poor Linda does not like the heat very much, but the cool pool water makes things much more tolerable. We are going to attend aqua aerobics in the morning and then we are planning to have lunch at Koko’s and visit my other lady friends at Great Hang Ups. Lynn and Linda will have their bags packed and loaded in the car so we can go straight to the airport after lunch to save time. I am going to hate that….was sort of hoping their flight was delayed and they could stay one more day----or two!

Justin came by after work tonight and had dinner with us, our home-baked pizza. He is so entertaining and the ladies loved his being here. We were together yesterday for lunch, too, and then again this evening. It will be sad to have the house to myself again but the fun holiday weekend might take care of the empty spot in my life. Can’t believe it’s the end of the pool season already…where did that summer go????

Sunday, August 28, 2011

More photos!

Linda was suffering something fierce from the heat but did not wish to go inside by herself. The rest of us endured the heat for the pleasure of dining alfresco. Justin had jumbayla which was spicy while Lynn and Linda had shrimp entrees. Mine was simpler than theirs: cheesy potatoes and an order of onion strings. We three ladies had adult beverages but Justin had Diet Coke. Poor Linda.....so hot!

Lynn enjoying her coconut shrimp and sweating as she goes! She loved her margarita so much, she wished for another but thought better of it. Instead, a nice square of Key Lime Pie was presented, but her eyes were bigger than her tummy, so she brought it home to eat later on when she was less full.

At church today, the Sunday school teachers were installed in their roles.

The kitchen crew making our delicious Mexican Fiesta dinner at church last night. Oh my, what a feast!

The chef team of Mike 'n Mike posed nicely for a photo, something rarely done. Thanks, guys, for taking such good care of my special needs (i.e. seafood-free cream cheese wontons!)

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Days Two and Three combined!

Wrapping up another day of enjoyment with Lynn and Linda, with an edge-of-our-seat football game! Not playing football, but watching it on TV. Last night the Packers won in a nail-biter in the last seconds of the game and the Jaguars lost tonight in overtime, the tie-breaker being a field goal by the Bills. Rats! It was a good, fun game to watch, that’s for sure!

Our dinner was at church, Mexican Fiesta fare, prepared by our congregation’s resident chefs, Mike ‘n Mike. While normally I do not eat much from the menu, I did try a few things and came away full. Starting with the nacho chips, which were good, and others ate with corn salsa, and finishing with Snickers Pie! No, you are right, that pie is not Mexican at all but truly was delicious.

The appetizer was a cream cheese, shrimp, and crabmeat wonton, with Mexican seasoning. I was going to give Lynn mine since I don’t eat shrimp, but Judy C. served me wontons made especially for me, with no seafood in them! In fact, I got three when the others got only two! Yes, I am spoiled, make no mistake about that! The rest of the entrees were dirty rice (delicious!), burritos, refried beans, and empanadas. I tried all the items as coaxed by Lynn, and even liked the beans. All the rice was eaten by me, some of the beans, and a bit of the burrito. One of the empanadas was enough for me, but not because it tasted badly, but because I was stuffed!

We had several guests from Christ, Keystone Heights, but none from Victory because Pastor H. told me he dropped the ball on posting the notice or including it in the service folder. They were in the process of losing their Staff Minister/Secretary and this notice fell through the cracks. We had seats for them, in case they came! Even the children had a special meal just for them, with cheese quesadillas and apple-filled empanadas. I would have loved to see all the seats filled but loved to see the folks we did have!

The first part of the day was spent watching the news, tracking Hurricane Irene’s movement and the preparations being made for her arrival. I am so thankful to the Lord for sparing us in Florida and pray that those up north remain safe as well. For about five hours, we ladies enjoyed outdoor time, in the pool or around it. Linda, who is an avid reader, read much of the time, and I stayed much of the time in the water, although I do find the water quite chilly for my taste. The air temp was around 100 degrees above zero so I kept my body as exposed to the warm air as I could.

Usually I paddle around the circumference of the pool with my arms and shoulders above water but yesterday I rested on the edge of the pool with my legs and back catching rays as well. We had our lunch alfresco with Sylvia working alone in the cabana. She handled the situation well, no big rushes, but nice steady business most of the time we were out there.

Friday, as I mentioned, we watched the Packer game on TV but earlier, as the photos attest, was the picnic dinner. Earlier in the afternoon, Judy C. joined us ladies at the theater to watch “The Help”. I was in tears during the previews already so it was that kind of day for me! What a good movie it is! Might consider going again, as this was Judy’s second viewing of it. Linda pushed and pushed to finish the book before we left for the movies, and she did it! I will continue reading it as well, since they say much is omitted from the movie version. So sad that people were treated that way during my lifetime, but I guess it’s true in every lifetime. There was none of that in my hometown, to my knowledge, other than the ‘differences’ between the northsiders and southsiders! Martie tells me about the people from the other side of the tracks where she grew up…same race, but different economic background. From what she reported to me, she was the one from the other side! Interesting!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Photos from the picnic

We had a lovely gathering for the picnic, held indoors but yet, a picnic! Closest to the camera is Linda J., then Judy C. (wiping her mouth), Suzanne, and Twila

Judy J. is serving the wonderful smoked Boston butt for those at the table, as Lynn is dishing herself some delicious cucumber salad, and on the far end of the table is Jean.

Justin stuck around long enough to get and give hugs from his biggest fans, including Auntie Brenda N.

Justin posed with the ladies, this one being his "Aunt" Jean

He was thrilled to see his Grandma Twila again and gave her a big squeeze. Judy C. and Suzanne off to the side. Justin did not stay to dine with us but at least he got a taste of seeing his church family and his godmother, Lynn, and our dear friend, Linda J. We will meet again for lunch on Sunday after church---at Joe's!!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Day One in the bag

Before I go to sleep, I must write about our day. Lynn and Linda arrived on Wednesday night, with us getting home from the airport right around 10:00 pm. Because they had eaten last in Milwaukee before leaving for Jacksonville, they needed a bite to eat upon arriving home. The ladies made sandwiches for themselves as I mixed us a drink. The recipe for the drink was one served at the cabana on the 4th of July , so “we” refer to it as the Firecracker or “4th of July Special”. Well, the ladies loved it and personally, I slept like a rock! Or like a boulder!

Both of the ladies are normally early risers, I figured it would not be problem for us to be ready to leave around 9:10 a.m. for Bible study. They were up and dressed, but it was me who came flying out of my room, yelling to the ladies, “Get your bras on!!!”, as I overslept by a couple hours, getting up at 9:05 am. The bra reference came from the time Tommy, Linda, Justin, and I overslept before going on a deep sea fishing expedition with the church group. Tommy ran through my lake house like a fireman, yelling for everyone to get up. He saw me in my swimsuit and then ran back upstairs, where Linda was dressing, “You don’t need a bra on. Kim isn’t wearing one and I know that for a fact!” That never gets old!

In record time we hustled over toward Victory and would have been on time, if it had not been for a terrible terrible accident on 9A, which had two lanes blocked, and delayed us nearly 45 minutes. As we passed the site and saw the damaged vehicles involved, it was so horrific that Lynn began to cry. Perhaps Linda was too but I could not see her from my front seat position. I held Lynn’s hand and she said, “Thank you for oversleeping this morning…”, as we might have been right on time to be involved in the wreck, or witness it. I had let Pastor Hoyer know we would be late due to the stopping on the freeway. We still had about 30-40 minutes of class, and it was comforting to be in the Word instead of dwelling upon what we saw.

For lunch we came back to Orange Park and ate at La Nopalera on Fleming Island as I had a coupon to use there. No strawberry margarita for me as they were out of it (what??). Lynn and Linda had the regular kind while I had a mango one. Not the same as strawberry at all. Lynn brought a good deal of her meal home with her, and Linda, a portion of hers. From the restaurant we went to Publix to get the last few items needed for our picnic dinner for Friday night and what I needed to make our dinner tonight. I made us bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, and in fact, shed some blood in the process, as I poked myself with the knife tip when cutting the tomato. I have a special knife for tomatoes, a Pampered Chef tool, and it is still quite sharp! Yikes!

We only watched some TV after eating, instead of putting in a movie as was originally planned. I guess we were tired from our day, and from swimming in the afternoon. The two ladies were busy in the kitchen doing the preliminary work for their salads for the picnic, so that is out of the way. Even though I overslept, and slept so hard, I must have still been tired because I could not stay up very late. Should have made us another cocktail for our bedtime to sureness of sleeping!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

I love science!

Regular readers know that periodically I like to go off on the tricks and maneuvers the 'powers that be' like to play on us hapless citizens. Sometimes it is the annoying public service announcements which crowd the Internet radio broadcasts, telling us the obvious or not so obvious things of going through life. Other times it is about the latest and greatest news regarding medications, pros and cons, or which diet is the best to follow. Yesterday I heard on the national news about a ‘study’ which showed people who use salt regularly in their diets do NOT have a higher risk of elevated blood pressure or other maladies than those who do not use salt. I knew it! I just knew it!

A few years ago it was eat fat versus not eating fat, bacon vs. no bacon, even coffee vs. no coffee. One of the anchors on the program I was watching announced she was going right out after the show to get a bag of real potato chips. Her co-worker wished her well on that, since the mayor of New York has made it his personal mission to eradicate salt from restaurants and schools. Another study showed, surprise surprise, that fat people are no more or less healthy than skinny people. If stranded in a car on the side of the road in a snowstorm, a heavier person would likely live three days longer than someone with little weight on their bones. I think I have written about this in the past, wondering who in the world determined that being ‘obese’ is a crisis. A few years ago it was mental illness being all the rage, and now, it’s food! Reportedly millions were spent to remove salt and transfats from restaurants----gotta love the government being involved in every aspect of people’s lives!

It would seem that north Florida, according to the same scientists who discuss salt and obesity, might be skipped over by the hurricane. Mixed feelings erupt in my heart and head, relief over likely being spared but sorrow for those who will be clobbered. Yesterday I promised Connie, the maintenance lady, I would let everyone in the building know to secure their outdoor decorations and such in the event the storm winds come this way. Now I feel as though that might be overkill but I will still send out the notice. Better secured than sorry, I guess.

I was wishing that I had sheets of plastic on hand to put over the windows, but the Bible study ladies thought that would be ineffective. Hardly. I would be most happy to have something to put over the openings where my windows used to be to protect what remained of my home, right? Someone else suggested hurricane shutters which are wildly expensive, and only one unit in my building has them installed. It will be crowded in there if we all seek shelter with Hugh and Maureen! They use their shutters regularly, though, to keep the morning sun out (i.e. heat) and then in the winter, to help keep the cold at bay. They are not as crazy about the heat as I am!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Such a racket out there tonight!

It sounds as though there is a fleet of helicopters out over the river tonight….makes me wonder if they are moving some in case the hurricane comes this way. I read on-line that Mayport Naval Base was bracing for the potential storm which might mean that NAS JAX would do the same. Last night about this time I noticed a light flashing at my windows, very unusual for light to be seen at night, but it was a boat on the river, apparently a fisherman looking for his crab traps. I waved anyway, just in case!

Things are really rockin’ and rollin’ in our nation, earthquakes east and west, a hurricane off shore, yet, and even tornadoes in the upper Midwest. When the quake happened on the east coast, I was listening to a radio show airing from New York City, and the guest host, from Milwaukee, remarked how he suddenly had felt woozy, lightheaded, and shaky. He attributed it at first to nerves but found out later, it was an earthquake moving the building from which he was broadcasting. Mom told me on the phone this evening that she never heard about quakes on the east coast and I reminded her of the minor quake a few years ago that happened in Indiana and was felt as far north as Two Rivers! Neither she nor I felt it, at 4:30 a.m. but others reportedly did. Weird!

Oh my goodness----did our trivia team stink tonight! Nothing Tips Like a Cow failed miserably, due in part to our not getting the ‘free’ answer correct, good for 6 points. The question was about the ‘African American’ character in the Peanuts comic….who was it? Not one of our 6 players had any idea, nor did we think of the free answer, Franklin, as being the right one for this question. Rats! Naturally we anticipated the question associated with the ‘free’ answer would be about our founding fathers and not comic books. Ugh! Funny, but it seems that no matter how many correct answers we have, it’s the wrong ones that kill us!

When I came home, I carried up the rest of the stuff from last night’s shopping trip, except for the water case. Tomorrow I must go to Winn Dixie for soda plus Mike C. recommended a mustard-based sauce from WD, for the Boston butt he cooked for me today. Mmmmm….I so look forward to having a taste of it. He did not want me to come over to get it, saying he will send it with his mom on Friday night. After I was thinking about it today, and talking with Mom, I might change our schedule for seeing the movie until Saturday, which is likely the day it will be raining. Friday might be our best pool day, depending upon the passing storm. I will make that executive decision tomorrow, after watching the weather some more. I told someone the other day that I feel like an old person, checking the weather every little while. Judy J. told me that’s what she does, now that she is an old person, watching the weather channel and waiting for the mail. She makes me laugh sometimes!

Today I met a new lady at the pool, Tina, who normally has her two little ones in tow. Marlena teased her that she could hang out at the grown-up pool, since her kids are in school. What a nice lady she is! Another lady whose name I do not know brought me a lovely cobalt blue insulated tumbler. I had admired hers on the weekend and she told me she would bring me one. I never expected that, just being complimentary about her lovely colored cup, but she works for the water management company that gives them away. She brought me a bunch of printed materials besides the cup, and offered to come give a talk to our condo association about water conservation, etc. I told her I would let them know, and I will, via the newsletter! And I got a lovely insulated tumbler out of it!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Running out of day here….

….but I am enraptured with a program on the Internet which has occupied my evening. Coming from Israel, very historic and I would dare say, profound. Earlier this evening I was outside by the pool with my neighbors for Happy Hour. How I looked forward to sitting with them to enjoy the dusk....One of my neighbors is fervently trying to put a team together for tennis, and was nearly relentless in her attempts to get me to say ‘yes’ to playing for the team. That is the most incredible thing I ever heard (well, nearly….) but there is simply no way I could even consider grabbing up the racket. She said all I had to do is stand near the net and I would not even have to swing at a ball unless I wanted to…Ya, ya, ya, forget it! Rosemary even suggested that the church reschedule Bible study on Thursdays to accommodate my tennis game. Isn’t ‘NO’ enough??? I think eventually she understood this was simply not going to happen, but what a funny thought it was. Imagine me out there on the court, an imposing figure in my little tennis skirt!

After he was done working, Justin came to meet me at Publix on Fleming Island for grocery shopping which does not happen all that often in the course of a year. Some of the purchases were in preparation for the possibility of the hurricane coming as well as supplies for when my guests are here, and for the picnic dinner being held here on Friday night. A few things need to wait until the ladies get here, such as produce, but I did buy a bag of apples for them to enjoy. Justin got a few things as well including a bowl of fruit which he thought he would eat on the ride home. It took both of us, arms heavy-laden, to get the stuff upstairs. A case of water remains downstairs and somehow I will have to get that up here, which I might do bottle by bottle. We will either drink the water once up here, or use it to brush our teeth if we lose electricity from the storm. Really, though, I am trying to be hugely optimistic that Irene will simply ignore Florida all together and allow us ladies to have a wonderful time, as planned!

Oh, how nice it was to get back to our Monday Bible study after being on recess all summer long!!! Kristi, recently retired, joined our class today and also came along for lunch afterward. How nice to have another face and student at the tables---those being at church and at Longhorn! Twila will be absent for a few weeks as she has cardiac rehab on Mondays. Fortunately, she gets done in time to meet for lunch so at least we get to see her part of the time.

A short while ago, Michael C. called to tell me he is making the Boston butt tomorrow which will be served at our picnic on Friday. How nice of him to offer making that for me, since I would have had to go begging at my neighbor’s house to use their grille for cooking burgers and brats. Everyone likes butt, right? I know I sure do! We are having baked beans, potato salad, cucumber salad (I think), Oriental cole slaw, and some sort of dessert. No one will be hungry, that is for sure.

On my way out this a.m., I stopped at the mailbox and found my new book and a CD I had ordered. Instead of listening to Neal on the way over to church, I put in my new “old” recording of Judy Collins’ “Wildflowers” CD. Rather than driving down Wells Road, I drove on memory lane!!! (Good one, Kim!)

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Because I felt like it!


I decided to post this photo taken at my nephew's wedding, where my son, Justin, niece Alayna, and nephew, Dustin, participated in the ceremony. They posed with their grandma, my mom, Kathy, in June of 2009. Nice, yes?

Oh, marvelous!

Just as things are ramping for the pending visit of my sister, Lynn, and my lady friend, Linda J., I will also being making some plans for the arrival of Irene. Now, she is a tropical storm but there is some likelihood that she will develop into a hurricane further downstate. This might, at the very least, rain on our parade, so to speak, with some contingency plans needing to be made in case the power goes out. Lynn has been through this here with me in the past, ala Tropical Storm Faye a few years ago, and my guess is that she is not in a big hurry to repeat that experience. That time, her daughter and family were also here, so we had two little boys to keep busy when house bound, and thanks to Justin, they were troupers! He brought them Play-Doh, coloring books, and even got out old toys of Timmy’s and his for the boys to play with. We got through it, but sure would have liked better weather and steady electricity, make no mistake about that!

Speaking of Justin, he was coming over this afternoon to watch something with me on the Internet but has since changed his mind. He told me last night that he is going to work around the house instead after church, not certain if that means in his ‘bungalow’ or in the main house, or on the property. Jesse and he do the yard work at their home, as well they should, so maybe that’s what he has in mind. The other boys go to play volleyball at the beach on Sunday mornings so perhaps he is actually going over there after church. Since he is not coming today, I will go outside once I get home.

Tomorrow we are meeting when he is done working so he can help me with grocery shopping for the ladies. The help I need is actually after wards but he knows he will reap rewards himself by going with me!

Friday, August 19, 2011

My house is nice and sparkly!

The cleaners just left and I am quite pleased with their work. The floors are particularly nicely done, and I will do my best not to be too fussy about the dusting. It was a husband and wife team who came, the owners, so I got their best team! The closing act of their efforts was them using a steam cleaner on the floors as they worked their way out the door---nice touch! It smells good, smells clean and gives a sense of being ready for guests! This is a service I purchased on-line at a tremendous discount via LivingSocial.com and she gave me a code to enter when I reschedule, if I do, so I continue to get discounts. Nice again!

Now, all I need is to shop, and then pick up my sister and friend from the airport! Easy enough---as long as I don’t have a flat tire like that one time. Of all things!! In a few minutes I am going outside to enjoy the evening after having been in the house all day. The morning was spent making things ready for the cleaners and the rest of the time, listening to the roar of the vacuum cleaner.

A little frustration is being experienced by me as the radio program Justin and I ‘watch’ changed its services today and in so doing, messed up the password situation. I believe Justin was able to log on from his phone, as he listens instead of watches when at work, but I cannot from the laptop. Customer service has been contacted and I await their help.

Customer service at our Synod’s publishing house came through like gangbusters for me today, which makes me so happy. When the gas powered computer died, it took a CD that was loaded inside of it, with it. Oh oh…since the power button is broken, Justin cannot open the drawer where the disc is loaded, nor would it open with urging from a screw driver. He figures with all the moving it around and such that the disc is likely scratched or roughed up anyway. The nice lady at NPH told me she would simply send me a replacement disc…just like that! What I was asking her for was the ability to access the last four month’s worth of newsletters on the disc, if possible, but ‘Cheryl’ said she would just send me a fresh disc. She said, in her e-mail response to mine of thanksgiving, “I like to make people happy!” She knows me well, as I like to be this way!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Marian's birthday

Last week Tuesday, I drove to Palm Coast to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday with her. Marian resides in a nursing home, a lovely one at that. As I mentioned in a previous posting, Marian rather enjoys living there and participates in the activities conducted for the patients' entertainment. Most of the them are elderly, but Marian is 'only' 63. Her husband, Biff, lives in an apartment now, having recently moved from assisted living, and was there to help celebrate her birthday.


Here are Marian and I, posing for the camera, with Biff as photographer

Marian takes medications which cause her to become drowsy so Biff sat nearby during the bingo game to keep her awake and help place her tokens. I took advantage of the snoozing to keep up with my own cards, but alas, I did not win once!

Marian and Biff waiting expectantly for the games to begin!

The remains of the day....

....or should I say, the remains of the pillow?

On Monday, I decided to wash my sheets and air my bedding to get any leftover germs or viruses out of them, including the little pillow that supports my head when I am lying down to use my laptop. The pillow prevents my head from poking through the wrought-iron spindles on my headboard. I had written in the past about how tired that pillow was getting, but I figured it could endure one more washing.....I was WRONG!

Imagine my surprise when I opened the machine and saw that mountain of 'suds' looking back at me! From outward appearance, the stuffing in the pillow was a solid piece of foam, but evidently, I was mistaken! The Publix bag was filled with foam (the pillow cover is next to it) and that was only part of what I could rescue from the washer, with hopes that the balance would accumulate in the dryer lint bin. Oh no, that was not to be! I had to shake each and every piece of laundry and cause a snow storm in order to get the rest of the foam. What a mess! At least it was a clean, white, and dry mess this time!

"What a great laugh..."

A quick recap of the week’s events---on Sunday, my first day back amongst the living, the afternoon was spent at the pool. There I conversed with one of my newer friends, Lee, who is single and not employed (i.e. ready playmate!) and is interested in art. Yay! Monday and Tuesday I enjoyed some company with Jamey who might soon be my neighbor. And today, I met and enjoyed the company of a lady named Mary, whom had already been coming to the exercise class with another lady, named Dale. We each felt like we had met before, and by figuring things out, decided it must have been at a musical soiree at the very same penthouse Jamey might move into!

Mary was discussing an interesting sounding book with Randy, our sole male exerciser, concerning the topic of stroke recovery. It is not really about that, however, but more about what the author, who experienced a stroke at the tender age of 37, learned about herself during the recuperation. It sounded right up my alley, that left brain/right brain stuff, which side controls thought, which side controls ego, and so on. The author could sense, being unable to communicate, what people were really thinking or feeling when they came to see her. Pretty revealing stuff! Yes, Amazon is bringing it to me hot off the press, even though my new ‘mother-earthy’ friend suggested I check it out at the library. She is too new a friend for me to explain my issue about used books!

After class we sat and talked for a bit, and then she said she had to go to the bathroom. As she got up, she said, “Hey, I don’t have any clients until about 3:00, wanna grab some lunch?” Of course, I declined---NOT!!!!! Madly I raced upstairs to change clothes and then we met in front of The Palace to ride in my car. I wanted her to meet and talk with Dee and Julia so we chose Koko’s for our lunch place. When we got to Hang Ups, they were just fixin’ to have their lunch, being delivered by Blair, Dee’s hubby, so we excused ourselves after a bit to have our lunch next door. But at least they met each other and Mary had a chance to look over the shop.

Our lunch and conversation were both delightful, and we made our way back to The Palace. We share having lost a loved one, hers being her husband almost a year ago, on Labor Day. They had been in business together in floor covering sales and installation, as well as her pain management practice. Her spouse of only 11 years just woke up dead one morning. That is a tough pill yet to swallow, as I am sure it is, being less than a year into her loss. Later on, as we were talking, I told her how much fun my sister, Kerry, was having on Labor Day last year, one of the finest in her life, while Mary was mourning the loss of her hubby that same day. It really makes you think….My sainted grandmother, Lily, used to caution us kids, as we laughed and laughed, that some day we might be crying. Talk about raining on our parade!

But, back to the water exercises---we had such a great time today, my two new friends and the old ones as well. As we did one of our more floaty-type of routines using the weights, Mary remarked how her butt floated up all the time. She is not heavy at all so it must be her make-up. Anyway, I told about how I had to use a concrete block on my weight belt when taking diving lessons, because I bob like a cork in the water---NOT in my make-up, but from being chubby. Mary said she always had this problem, claiming, “I was never able to pick up the penny from the bottom of the pool……” which prompted me to roar with laughter at the prospect. Mary said, “Oh, what a great laugh!” Thanks, Mary!

The conversation, all the while we are working out, turned to physiques, with one lady reporting that she has actually bought jeans with a padded seat to add more shape…Oh no she didn’t!!! I ordered her out of the pool, NOW!!!, in horror at the thought of someone having that need or desire. Like wearing a padded bra, for heaven’s sake, what?????

Later, when we came back from lunch, Mary had a few minutes before needing to get back to work, so she came up to see my place. 'Blown away' does not adequately describe her reaction, as she has seen many foreign countries and enjoyed my story about meeting Jeanne in Santorini, and re-meeting her in 2006 and 2007!!! She loved the chandelier and its story, as she tried to look at everything. (When my sister, Lori, was here a couple years ago, she said she needed time to take it all in…I love that!) Also, I told Mary about the waiter on the cruise ship who remembered me from a cruise two years before (“Oh, you wear your hair the same!), and how Justin is so thankful his rose-colored glasses mama secured a taxi and its driver to take us to Pompeii so he could find the address of a house he read about in Latin class.

It was a good day!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A great week for friends

No more Grumpy Gus for me, no siree!!!! The past few days have been phenomenal, people-wise, for me, that I can barely contain myself! Kindly forgive the overuse of the exclamation points, but I have extra excitement these days. (There is a “Seinfeld” episode regarding overusing exclamation points….of course, there is!)

At this moment, I am so tempted to open the doors and let the breezes go through but Justin is coming this afternoon after work to make some things ready for guests and he needs the A/C to be operating. Believe me, if he was not coming today, those doors would be open.

Okay, where to begin??? Let’s go back to Monday, my crotchety day, when I mentioned in my posting about the hotel guest I met at the pool who only stayed out awhile before leaving. As she was going up, I invited her to come back the next for the water exercise class on Tuesday, and sure enough, there she was yesterday morning. We properly introduced ourselves, and she to the others, and we proceeded to become fast friends. Conversation grew to include my telling her about the empty condos in my building, giving her Pat’s phone number so she could show Jamey and her husband the penthouse unit, starting out looking at mine first! My home is in serious need of dusting and vacuuming but what the heck…let ‘em come! Pat met us here and, being invited by Jamey, I joined them in looking at the available unit. And they loved the views, both mine and the one upstairs.

She is probably younger than me by a few years but that won’t matter. Like we used to do in our Eagle Harbor years, I sold them on the community first before they toured the two units. They were staying at the River Suites so knew the property already, and had dinner at a few places in the area, this being their third trip to JAX to scope things out. Jamey’s hubby is planning to retire in a couple years and wants to fish. I told her how Kerry fished right off the bulkhead in the early morning, catching something every day she tried, and about how the fishing boats love the area straight out from The Palace. Pat told them about the marina just down the road where he could dock a boat.

They loved the amount of built-ins that unit has, perfect for displaying treasures, books, fine china, and so on, plus the ‘office’ will be perfect as a workroom for Jamey’s quilting. The extended open patio, though, is a deal maker for sure, and she told me today how she found disappearing curtains perfect for outdoor use, about finding a ‘sand box’ thing for their dog to use so they don’t have to walk it outside, and furniture for the patio. I’d call it ‘done’, wouldn’t you?????

She was able to extend her check-out time today so she could join us again for water exercises. Jamey was welcomed by those who had not met her yesterday and she told them how she had fallen in love with the condo upstairs. Nice! When it was time to part, she hugged and hugged me, like long-time friends, and we had already exchanged our information for staying in touch. No matter what, we can stay in touch! One of the other ladies in the group, a newer face to me, Mary, was able to give Jamey a quick ‘release’ on a sore muscle, as she does pain management for her living. More about Mary later, though. Jamey was carrying something too heavy a few months ago, and hurt a connective tissue in her shoulder that therapy was not helping. Mary fixed her up with a few firm pressures to some points in her arm. Hope that does it for Jamey, another ‘lock’ to get them to move here!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

You can tell I am feeling better…

…because I am more crotchety. Not crochet, like knitting, but like a grumpy Gus. At the moment I am doing great, make no mistake, but some things I observed made me put on my exasperated face and attitude. It began at the pool, which, I rejoice, was fully operational when I got out there. The pumps were doing their thing so I went around the edges on my ‘laps’ and pulled the pine needles and other refuse out of the drains. I could not help but notice the bathtub ring around the edges of the pool where the water had stood. If only I had a little scrub brush, I would be happy to take care of the ring around the collar!

The other lady who was at the pool was a hotel guest and did not stay long after I arrived, as it was the lunch hour. Before she went in, I invited her to join us at water exercises in the morning so perhaps she will come back out. The next lady to come was rather uncommunicative, only chatting enough to report that the water felt good after having had a head ache for two days from the heat. Her body language said she still had the head ache and I pretty much left her alone. I can take a hint!

Parents with kids were coming through fairly regularly by this time, kids skipping merrily toward their end of the pools. One little boy, whom his dad called ‘Buddy’, came strolling through on their way to the kids’ pool. As he walked by, Buddy reached down and swept some of the extracted pine needles and such away with his hand. “Thank you for cleaning up, Buddy…” said the conciliatory father. Oh please, gag with me a spoon! Instead of going all the way down to the kids' pool, Buddy stopped at the baby pool, insisting this was where he was going to swim. “If you want to swim in the baby pool, you can…” as Dad moved a chair around to sit down. “Come here so I can help you take your shoes off..” as Buddy got his own chair and proceeded to take them off himself. “Oh, you want to be a big boy and take off your own shoes, Buddy?” Um, yeah, that’s what he was doing, as he got into the baby pool.

Two seconds later, he was looking for tubes to play with. The dad said they would have to ask Laura, the lifeguard, for them, and I explained that she was not there today. The dad seemed a bit alarmed that there was no lifeguard on duty and then explained to Buddy that he could not have any tubes today because Laura was not there. Buddy was not happy with that answer, not even if Dad told him five or six times. Do kids really think that asking multiple times, the things will suddenly appear? Or is it to wear down the parents so that they steal from other kids just to shut theirs up? After the great tube debate, Buddy and his servant went down to the other pool, with the dad telling me over his shoulder, “that’s what it’s all about---pool hopping!” to which I replied, “Well, he IS the boss!” Sassy girl! Please tell me I was not like that…and if I was, please don’t tell me!

And for the first time this summer, I heard the dreaded “Marco! Polo!” game going on at the kids’ end. Hope you enjoyed that, Buddy’s dad! Thankfully, this game did not last long, and the poor lady’s head ache faded away….and mine, too!

My trip to Wal*Mart was nightmarish, to describe it accurately, as the place was mobbed with parents and kids doing their last-minute shopping for school. The first day is tomorrow and the aisles were clogged with folks pouring through the displays of supplies and such. It looked like Christmas! By this time, my arms were noticing that they were working again, and my legs were weary. Oh, oh, I was overdoing it, after I promised everyone I would not. Sadly, the Diet Coke is located in the back of the store so I had to work my way through the crowd. Finally I broke free and met Danny Roy on his way somewhere. He is always at a full trot but stops for a hug and quick catch-up. Once more he showed me pictures of his grandkids but was saved by a summons from his walkie-talkie.

In the grocery department, the aisles were clogged with mothers and kids getting lunch box items so I got out of there. On the way out, I did see one mom being a parent and correcting her children, telling them to behave like decent human beings, and be a lady and a gentleman. I felt like complimenting her but might have embarrassed her and undo her reprimand. Nearby, another mom was letting her kids, too big to be in the carts, order her to buy certain types of crackers and such. Time to head home!

I stopped at McDonald’s to get a burger (cheap on Mondays!) and apparently woke the order taker from a nap. He sounded half way asleep (perhaps he was getting over a stomach virus!) and I could scarcely understand his acceptance of my order. I drove up and handed him my money, and he said, “…right back…” and left the window. After a short while he came back with a change roll, and handed me the coins. As I pulled to the next window, the young lady handed me a bag before I rolled to a stop and said, “…nice day..” and I said, “I wish the same for you!” before I drove away.

At Sonic, the staff has rules to address the “guest” with four or more words and I really like that. Now I expect it everywhere. McDonalds used to have rather high standards for their employees, like no tattoos or facial piercings, things like that. It seems that the standard is now lower. Hopefully Publix does not follow suit as they like to hire the clean-cut looking young people and adults. At least I experienced good customer service at the credit union as I wished the lady a good day as I left the drive-through.

Normally, I am not really not so testy, but I guess today was not my best day to be out in the public. Linda J. saved my day with an interesting/sad phone call about someone she had just been talking to and wanted to bounce it off of me. Lynn and Linda’s visit cannot come soon enough for my purposes, and I promise to not be grumpy and crotchety when they are here!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Keeping watch....

My upstairs neighbor, Randy, posted this photo of an eagle perched on the roof edge not far from his porch. Someone mentioned that these birds look a bit messy before they get new feathers for the winter months. I feel sorry for this guy looking less than majestic...

I’m back, baby, I’m back!

Spoken like George Costanza, it seems my good health is returning to me, at long last. Yesterday I coaxed myself to go outside and float around in the pool since it had been a couple days since my last ‘event’ and my bones were begging to be floating. It was nearly miraculous, the curative effect of the sun and warm water, and talking to people.

One negative was that the adults’ pool was on the fritz, in fact, they all were, but the handyman was busy cleaning it up. I was glad I was not out there the day before!!! What it turned out to be was the pumps have failed so no water was being filtered. The cabana lady came out to discover the water had turned almost brown since the day before (it does happen quickly) mostly from no filtering plus being littered with leaves and residue from the two late storms Friday and Saturday. He had shocked it and was using a device to vacuum the bottom of the pool. We used the teens’ pool instead, which was fine with me.

The cabana lady, Sylvia, wondered where I had been and when I explained, and ordered a Diet Coke in decaf, she said, “Now I know you’re sick!” I assured her I was probably better but would not be dining with her today. One of my newer acquaintances at the pool, Lee, came out after not being around for over a week. She is new to the area so we had lots to talk about. Lee is in need of a handyman at her place so I gave her some names and numbers, plus told her about my wonderful massage therapist and about where to get a pedicure on Fleming Island.

She is also an artist so I am going to make plans with her to go visit Great Hang Ups some day. Lee is a single lady, just bought a home not far from The Club, but off the property. Another artist friend, Melissa, came out to the pool, too, so we three ladies talked about art a bit, which intrigued Lee. It will be nice if she becomes involved and gets to know more people around Orange Park. Her sister lives in Mandarin which is whole ‘nother world so I accept the challenge of introducing her to goods and services around here, and Fleming Island!

Eventually we were able to move to the other pool as more and more folks came out to enjoy the day. Many were commenting about how terribly hot it was but you could not prove it by me. Or even Lee, for that matter. Being in the water made any excessive heat go away. For those who sat poolside, they were miserable from the heat but I was unaware. The lady to whom I loaned the DVD a few months ago, named Kay, returned it to me, saying she had been looking for me when she came but we missed each other. Her hubby is the one who reads while standing in the pool.

Kay, Lee, and I talked about books (yes, books again!) and how we are not on board yet with the Kindle or e-readers. Kay said she really likes the smell of new books (me, too!) but her kids gave her a Kindle as a gift so she is trying to learn to like it. We three ladies preferred new books, but Kay’s spouse gets his books at the Chamblain Book Mine, the place I took Lynn and Linda last time they were here. Kay was telling Lee about donating her used books, which she does not keep, generally speaking, to the women’s shelters in the area. I can fix Lee up with Penny from Quigley House for donating her books there rather than to Goodwill. Kay said that Goodwill will often sell books by the pound to the recyclers so no one gets to read them. I have to take her word on that, since I don’t know.

I made Lee laugh by telling her how Jessica, upstairs from me, calls my books “boring”. Lee reads fiction, has read “The Help”, the book which is all the rage, and went to see the movie already that weekend. Kay wants to see the movie, having grown up in that era and in that environment. She told us about how she had a black maid all her life, the same lady, Miss Maddie, I think she called her. Every meal she ate was prepared by Miss Maddie, but while they did not eat together, the maid was allowed to use the same dishes and the same bathroom, not like it was in the book. Miss Maddie was flown by Kay’s parents from Mississippi to attend Kay’s wedding, and was flown again to stay with Kay when she had her first baby! She was like family. I had never met anyone who was raised this way and it was amazing to hear this story from Kay. Makes reading the book and seeing the movie (hurry up, Lynn and Linda!!!) all the more enticing!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Sitting in the light of the laptop!

I might as well write while I have battery power on this new laptop. That fact slipped my mind until I saw it light up across the semi-darkened room. There is no electricity right now, as we just had a fierce thunderstorm complete with winds, rain, and hail. Hope my car is okay after the pummeling. I was afraid my windows would break in the river-facing rooms. Pretty scary, like the storm we had in WI that night when the sirens were going off. We don’t have sirens here; it’s every man for him, so to speak.

Dare I say it? I think I am feeling a bit better! After talking with the doctor’s office today and taking their advice about this virus, I am following the b.r.a.t. diet, with one exception: banana, rice, applesauce, and toast. My friend, Judy J., offered to get me anything I needed from the store and I took her up on the offer. The doctor also suggested an over-the-counter medication to take for the diarrhea with a probiotic in it (?) so Judy asked the pharmacist at Publix for it. And, I have to drink Gator Ade, which I never cared for. Judy got me a blue colored one, and I like just fine. This is doable!

The rice is boil in the bag instead of microwavable like my 90 second rice packages are so I had to get out a pan to heat the water. There is enough left for another time, as I did not wish to overdo it. I guess I could have a baked potato to make up for the banana which I don’t eat, but also the Gator Ade might help with that. I believe it’s the pills, however, making the difference in my life right now. Should have done that sooner, I guess!

My upstairs neighbor, Randy, and his lady friend, Denise, just came down to visit me because they knew I was feeling poorly and was  frightened from the storm. He brought a cribbage board along, sure that I would know how to play since I am from ‘up north’. He is originally from Ohio and said everyone there knows how to play. It’s not a problem though since Denise doesn’t play either. Oh, just now, the power was attempting to come back on, gave us a little flicker. I am sure it won’t be long before the electricity is back on. When Randy came, he was wearing some sort of head gear with blinking red lights and had a flashlight attached to it. He looked like a rescuer, so funny, peering in my kitchen window like that!

It’s getting light outside now, even as it is dusk. Denise and I heard water dripping in my river room as we sat there and sure enough, water was coming in through the top of my tiny window. Not sure if it was coming in from above my house or not, but it stopped. Randy mentioned he had water coming in around his sliding glass doors and since he lives two units above me, this might be from his leak. Or from Travis’s house. The rains were torrential and wind-driven so anything can happen, but not like it used to, thankfully.

Speaking of water dripping, I spoke with Greg from my insurance company and once more he assured me he had it under control. He did stop by to pick up the package I got in the mail but I did not see him, choosing to place the envelope outside the door, due to my illness. Hopefully this will all go away nicely or at minimum expense. Randy suggested I hire an attorney but I will wait until I hear from Greg about it, as they likely would provide the defense. At least I would hope so. My neighbor is an attorney but that might prove to be a conflict of interest for her to represent me.

Yay! The electricity is back on and all my machinery is now grinding and making starting up noises. The printers go through gyrations to reset and the fridge makes its own sounds. Life is good, now that there is again power, although it is still lightning across the river. The lights are out over there, too, except for one lone light on a dock. Justin reported his electricity was off, too, but I am not sure where he is tonight. Sometimes he stays at Jesse’s mom’s house on Fleming Island instead of going back to the beach. He has to work for his father tomorrow so might be on the Island tonight. Anyway, I need to make my bed and get myself settled in for the night. It feels good to be feeling better!

Still on the sick list

The sun is rising on the river, brilliant red in color this Friday morning. I have been wakeful since about two a.m., I think, unless I miscounted the chimes of the clock. A couple times I turned over in my bed to try to sleep some more, and I may have, but not fast asleep. Whatever is living inside my abdomen is roaring and gurgling, rolling and cramping at times. Sometimes I think it’s hunger, as that is the sensation it exhibits, as if I am wildly hungry, but I am not. Yesterday I finished off my raspberry sherbet and later in the day, ate the leftover green beans from Monday’s birthday dinner with Justin. It does not hurt all the time nor does the cramp last very long. If I were to call the doctor and manage to get an appointment today, I just wonder what she would be able to do for me. Likely she would listen to my tummy and try to figure out just what it’s trying to say!

Last night I tried to stay awake long enough to watch the Jaguar game, and was glad I had, at first. Right off the bat they were up by six points against the Patriots but that changed dramatically before long. When I quit watching, the score was 29-12, so I switched back to the debates until I fell asleep. When I woke this early morning, I got to watch them again, in full, and then the follow-up programming.

Besides my aching tummy, I am waiting to hear back from my condo insurance claims adjuster as I was met with a packet of paperwork in regard to the Great Flood last year. The insurer for the unit below mine wants to collect for the loss from Butch and from me. Butch has already given a deposition in regard to this but I did not know I had the same stuff waiting for me. I have 30 days to respond and since I was gone from home much of that time, I am running short of it! The adjuster, Greg, is so reassuring all the time (he’s the one who suggested I find something else to worry about the last time I got such a letter!) and is addressing this situation for me. Hopefully I will hear from him today. I have my liability insurance with this same company so we shall see how this all plays out. I really wish it were over, once and for all!

Justin offered to bring me some more sherbet today and I also asked for some diet Jello, already made, from the store. This week I had to run around to get him cold medicine and now he can return the favor. I would like to try some toast to see how that sits but hesitate in doing so. It’s nearly the weekend and time’s a wastin’ here!!!!! I haven’t been to the pool since Tuesday morning and the temps have been so amenable to swimming. Saturday I am supposed to be at a funeral for Iva, actually a memorial service, but the way it looks, I might have miss it, unless I feel dramatically better. Sure don’t wish to make anyone else sick, right?

Judy C. called me yesterday to see if I was going to the Worship Committee meeting last night. She did not know I was feeling poorly but said that Pastor had asked her to give a presentation about the Worship Conference. He had said the same thing to me but I didn’t think it was to be presented at this meeting. I had told him the two of us would put something together when we had a chance to get together. She told me she was going to use the keynote address booklet we received, highlighting various areas that were valuable. Not many people would be at last night’s meeting since the musician and head of the Altar Guild were away, and we have no head elder at present. Perhaps later I will work some more on my notes and such, which Judy yields to me in that regard any way. And I truly love doing it!