Love the Impromptu

Earlier today I let Linda know that I was going to be absent from our appointment to watch "The Five" tonight because of being invited to an art show opening at Santioni's Restaurant. I hate to leave Linda, cherish the time, but I had not spent time with my dear friend, Dee, the artist being shown, since last year! Just before the lockdown, Dee and Julia, former proprietors of Great Hang Ups Gallery, had met me for brunch at Just a Pinch on Fleming Island. It was going to be wonderful to see Dee and view her art show, with Jan Koss.  

                  

Some of Dee's artwork on display at Santioni's 

Friend, Mo, was not available to have lunch because of a dental appointment but she was free for dinner. I explained about the art show and suggested we have dinner while there. VERY early for me to eat, I reserved for us at 5:15, knowing that we would see the show and talk with enough people in an hour's time in the Amalfi Room at the restaurant. They were serving free pizza and wine but I brought my own soda, and Mo had some wine. It was just awesome to see my old friends from the Orange Park Art Guild, many of whom urged me to come back, even though I told them I was done with painting. 

One of the ladies I had mentored when I was involved in AGOP was there, and showed us some of her work which is permanently on display in the Amalfi Room. She did not really need a mentor! When the frame store closed, Julia went on to teach art, and many of my supplies went with her for use in the classroom. My time of painting had run its course and I was glad to share my supplies with those who could really use them. Sadly, Julia was not there last night, would have loved to see her again. 

Mo and I were seated in the main dining room at a cozy little table. She once more insisted on paying for my meal because of the assistance I am lending to Roland with his re-election efforts. Then, we got free dessert because Mo had asked for no cheese on her meal and it came with cheese anyway. The waitress felt badly even though the cheese peeled right off (who does not want cheese??). Mo had Key Lime Pie and I had a small styro cup of chocolate ice cream. We so enjoyed the time together, talking for hours, as is our practice! 

It was such a nice event and wonderful meal, Mo even knew a couple of people there, and met many more. At one point she told our hostess, Jan, that this was the first art reception that she had ever attended, and Jan told her to stick with "this girl" for many more firsts. Oh my!  I must really step up my game. Most assuredly I have lost a step in my older age here. As we drove home, Mo at the wheel, she said, "Don't you just love the impromptu things?" Yes, yes, I do!!!  God bless you, Mo!!! 

Trouble with the Ks

Sunday I had the privilege of attending a birthday party for my neighbor, Nancy L, who is celebrating her 90th year. It was my privilege to help her with the planning of this party, which was originally going to be managed by her daughters. She took control of the planning after some bickering broke out (naturally!) between the siblings. How much of that actually occurred requiring parental intervention versus Nancy's desire to be in charge, I do not know.  Anyway, my contribution was to go through Nancy's contact list for her to choose her guest list. I copied and pasted them into the body of an email to forward to her granddaughter-in-law who was taking care of the Evite. After we took care of that, we played a quick game of Scrabble which Nancy kindly allowed me to win, as my reward! 

As she already knew, I was going to be late because after church we had a Ladies' Group meeting which I needed to attend, as its President. Three times she asked me if I was coming, and three times I reminded her, and the Evite manager, that I was coming, but might be late. The time of the party was changed by an hour, due to the time change, which allowed me to arrive just as the plates were being served.  As I scanned the room for my seat, I was waved at by a friend, Terreca, and they took good care of me with a plate of food, a cup of ice (I brought my own soda!), and some tablewear to eat it with. Such nice folks at the table! 

I mention the Scrabble game because everyone had a name tag on, made from miniture Scrabble tiles!  One of Nancy's daughters came around and informed me that I had a name tag waiting for me at the entrance and went to get it for me. I was wearing my generic name tag that I keep in my purse. Jackie brought me the name tag and explained that they had trouble with the Ks as they fashioned the name tags, so they had to overwrite the labels used to make them. I remarked that it was like some of Nancy's Scrabble tiles, as she has replaced lost tiles using large buttons, with a letter and its value written on them. Fortunately it was not the Ks that needed replacement. It is difficult, impossible, to keep it a secret when you draw one of the button tiles, but she doesn't seem to care about that, so I try not to either. More than once I had offered to order replacement tiles for her, but she loves the buttons so I won't take away her fun from her. It is my hope that she continues to allow me to play with her, and occasionally allow me to win! She is one sharp cookie! 

Neighbors Kay, Nancy, and Jane at 

The Palace Book Club

How do you tell time?

Today as I was getting cleaned up and dressed in my bathroom closet area, I dried my hands on the dark grey towel hanging next to my sink. It occurred to me how old that towel is, having been purchased in the mid 1980's when my nephew Jamie was a baby! The color of the bathroom fixtures for that home were Kohler Warm Rose and Thunder Grey, and this hand towel remains from that period. The passing of time!

How weird that is to remember for which home a certain towel set was purchased! Having lived in many homes over the years, some things from each place do stand out. I have a couple striped hand towels remaining from the bathroom on the lower level in our lake house. The stripes coordinated with the striped bedskirt and valances, and yes, bedroom wall, in my adjoining bedroom. 

This late morning, Justin got out some more bins from the "Timmy" closet for me to go through. In one of them I found part of a set that hung in the kids Jack 'n Jack bathroom at The Preserve house, with a fish motif. It is presently in the washer with some other clothing items and a few stuffed animals. I was told the police dept. will accept the stuffed animals for taking with them on domestic calls when little ones are involved and need some extra comfort. Glad to share these from my kids with those who need some extra love. But the towel set stays, how else would I tell time?  

By the way, set your clocks ahead one hour when you go to bed on Saturday night! 

So, what's the story?

Any of you with siblings and parents know that each person has a different version of the same story. How does that happen? Often one of the storytellers will put a more negative spin on the incident being related while another person remembers it as being quite delightful. This came up recently when I was talking with my friend, Terri, about some family event and each one has a diffreent version of how things took place. 

Yesterday I was listening to an episode of "That's The Way I Heard It" by Mike Rowe.  When he was done with the playback, he went live on Zoom, talking with his elderly parents who live in Baltimore. Mike is relating chapters from a book he wrote and cannot get out to promote due to the pandemic (he lives in CA, need say nothing more) so he is using these programs to do so. Mike told a story about cutting down trees in their yard and neighboring woods to use in their wood burning stove. Well, that was a hoot!  Mike told the story one way in his book, and his dad, reluctantly, not to rain on his boy's parade, retold the story the way it really happened. And then Mom got into the fun and remembered the particular tree being in an entirely different place in their yard. For all we know, the tree cutting never took place, but he tells the story in so interesting a fashion that it would be okay if it was entirely a work of fiction! Three people, three different recollections of the same story...

On the news this week has been a high society story about the Royals who left the "life" of luxury in London and are airing their dirty laundry about the royal family.  It seemed like the more the interview went on with what many consider royalty in some circles, Oprah, the stories just got bigger and better, or worse, as the case might be. Of course, the royal family and the press all have other versions of the same story. 

It is distressing to me to have this much unnecessary coverage of this story while the Congress is passing an  horrendously expensive rescue bill (ha ha) and sinking our nation into incredible debt. All this spending is under the guise of helping the people suffering from the pandemic, but in reality, little actually is directed to the people. Typical pork barrel spending, and without much mainstream press attention.  The Royals are fiddling while Rome burns, in this case, the USA, as illegal immigrants are charging the southern border. Ask someone else about the story, and you will probably get a whole 'nother version of the outcome. By the way, gas was up to $2.85.9, a leap of 35 cents in less than a week. Send help!!! 

The Forty Day Challenge (or a lifetime of collections)

 Some recent posts and happenings have me pondering a few things. One of the posts is the "40 Day Lent Challenge" where a person is suggested to find something in their home every day for 40 days and place those items in a bag, to donate at the end of the period. My mind said that is not possible, I cannot let go of 40 items except when I clean out my closet. I have actually done that a couple of times, not long ago.

Another person shared the knowledge of having had to pack out her parent's home and had two weeks to do so. She said she wishes she could serve as a consultant to others on what to keep and what to get rid of well before someone has to do this for us. I did tell her I'd be interested to hear what she has to say. 

Today a friend at church reported having to do basically the same thing for a family member this past weekend and how much stuff was not worthy of being kept. So much work and effort involved in closing out someone else's household, someone else's life collections. 

Timmy's Booklet All About Him 

While my friend, Rosalie, was here visiting, she told me about a photograph she has of herself and Timmy, seated on the front steps of our home. She said, "That is my joy picture." My, that touched my heart so deeply! We went on to discuss a movement circulating now of walking through your home and deciding what gives you joy and what not so much, and freeing your home of the no joy items. 

A couple years ago my sisters had the daunting task of closing out my mom's apartment where she'd lived for many years. Even though we'd discussed the 'who got what' and all that some time ago, it still became a struggle when it came down to the actual sorting and packing thereof. Even with plans in place, it still was a chore to actually do it. 

A box of Timmy's belongings

How does a person begin such a purging? What if something happened and I'd suddenly (or Justin would suddenly) have to clean out my house? What do you think you'd absolutely have to keep and of what could you freely be rid? Would those items be something your family or friends would love, or wish to keep, or are they meaningless to others? I believe that if I choose to participate in the 40 day challenge, I can catch up without violating the concept.