We had high temperatures here today soaring upwards toward 100 in some areas, with my friend, Carol, sending a photo of her car's thermometer showing 108! It probably was not really that hot but even I had to mop my brow after shopping at Wal*Mart. My arms ached, believe it if you will, from pushing my cart through the store, as it resisted me at every turn. It is a blessed day when a person gets the cart that actually doesn't mind moving through the store! I remember the first time I used a self-propelled lawn mower and was amazed at the difference....what a good idea for shopping carts! It was not that I had my cart laden with purchases, either, it was just one that had seen better days---I could not have steered with my elbows if I wanted to!!
Justin was in need of work shoes, canvas ones, so I picked some up for him as well as a package of socks to wear inside the shoes, the type we ladies used to call 'footies'. These shoes, inexpensive ones, work better for him doing the type of tasks he is doing right now than either flip flops or work boots. They are a compromise, I guess.
About 11:00 a.m. he called me from work and asked if I was coming to Fleming Island for lunch. He needed something for pain and a cold drink. I was going to lunch with my downstairs neighbors but I grabbed some cans of Arnold Palmer from the fridge and the ibuprofen to take him. Justin had loaded his father's car with 50 archive boxes full of papers and such from one office and got to the new 'old' office to unload them, only to find that the doors were locked! He was so frustrated, and the keys were with his father who was checking the jobsite at the beach. Justin had the wisdom to unload the boxes into the storage building on the property, but I asked him, "Aren't you going to have to move them again then?" He thought it would be a long while before that would happen since they really were archives and not immediately needed.
I had let my neighbors know I may be late and told Cassidy they should go ahead without me but it turned out we arrived at the same time. The strawberry margarita was just delicious but we all thought the chips were somehow different. We asked the young man waiting on us if the chips were different and he said they were exactly the same. Maybe it was just us....Tracy told funny stories about attending a book club for the first time with her friend, who is a lady with whom I used to crop at Cindy R.'s house. She was also my spouse's attorney! As they say in "The Godfather"--"It's business, it's not personal...." Sometimes it's both!!! Not sure if Tracy will be too excited about going back again, but she might surprise herself and get into it. She teases herself, saying she has the book and movie tastes of a 13 year old, loves the animated movies. A real Pixar fan, she is!
So, when done with lunch, I had to go back to Fleming Island to get my scrip from Wal*Mart plus a few other things which I had forgotten to get at Winn Dixie the other day. My friend, Julia, needed to borrow my swimsuit and a cover-up for a trip to Las Vegas with her hubby. They are celebrating their 20th anniversary while Mike is there on business which works out dandy all the way around. While we were chatting at Hang Ups, a very nice man came in with a piece of art which needed a repair. He told us his whole life's story in a short period of time, how he lost his wife two years ago, now moving to an apartment, what he does for his living (in retirement is still a church organist and choir director), where he used to work, how many cats he has......Whew! He's going to be okay, I have no doubt about this!
I had run some other errands as well before heading home. When I pulled onto the property, I was met by giant trucks and machinery, the place crawling with men. It's tree trimming time, as always, just prior to hurricane season starting. All the dead branches and such are removed so as not to become projectiles during a wind storm. Ellen stopped her car behind mine and pulled a branch out from under my car, which had gotten trapped on my way down the path. She excitedly told me about a huge sale at Beall's, having been once and was now going back for more! She was sporting a pair of khaki shorts she had gotten there and she rarely wears shorts! I am in the market for some denim capris so maybe I should check out the sale. My friend, Carol, from Mandarin, also sent me a note on e-mail reporting this same big sale at Beall's so I had better see what it's all about!
Earlier in the day I had turned on the A/C while I was yet home because my kitchen door is so swollen that it takes every once of my strength to pull it open. On Thursday, I had to leave via my front doors as I could not get the kitchen one to open. When I came home, I threw my hip against it to pop it open, hence, the A/C had to be turned on for a while. Even my laundry room door was swollen, as is my left ankle! I think all the water I am drinking these days is being stored in my ankle. Now that I have my prescription refilled, it should be fine. This getting old is not for sissies!
Justin stopped by on his way home from work to pick up his shoes and he carried up the purchases I had left in the car as he got his shoes and socks transferred to his car. He had to put some of the stuff back when he left because I meant to keep it down there for the picnic with Victory on Saturday but I sure appreciate his doing it. At least the soda got carried up and into the fridge. My other neighbor, Rose, helped me carry some of my store purchases as far as the 3rd floor when I had gotten home.
Have I mentioned lately how nice my neighbors are? They are! Hugh asked me to send out a notice to everyone about donating money to the Town of OP for the fireworks display this Independence Day. Last year we did not have one because of the terrible cost but this year businesses and groups are raising the funds, coming up a bit short. So, a fund raising effort is being made and Hugh asked me to let everyone know. I did it! I let everyone know about the need and reference the newspaper article so they can read it for themselves on-line. Travis, upstairs, gave Hugh the correct address for mailing the donations and we are good to go!
At WD the other day, I picked up a half-loaf of seeded rye bread, and for my dinner, I enjoyed a wonderful roast beef sandwich on rye. My dessert was a bowl of raspberry sherbet which I told Linda I am absolutely MAD about. I go after it like a wild woman and I rarely ever do that. Maybe because of the heat or the barometric pressure or something like this....At least it's relatively inexpensive and low-fat, besides being refreshingly delicious!
