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!
