A couple types of frustration today

Love love love having days where I stay in the majority of the time, and wish I could also stay in tonight. We have midweek Advent service first and then choir rehearsal afterward, so must bundle up and go out. Rachel, the music director from Victory, is coming over to our church tonight to help us rehearse for the joint Advent song service to be sung the next two Sundays, alternating between Good Shepherd and Victory. Saturday is a run-through at Victory and then we sing together at GS the 12^th. Sunday the 19^th we will sing the same service at Victory, and from there, to the airport!!!!

Our record setting temperatures continue, resulting in bringing the space heater from the back bedroom and finding a way to plug it in. There are a limited number of outlets available to me, here at Mission Control, but I did find an open spot on an extension cord. The heater is now snuggled right up to my desk chair, and, with one false move, I will have a hot seat! So very badly I want to place my hands on the radiator-looking heater but know this might not be the wisest thing to do. Even though the heater is belching out warmth, I am yet shivering, hence, my frustration!

While sitting here, I was printing off prospect newsletters and got the annoying beep beep beep from the machine, claiming my ink was exhausted. Of course, in the midst of this project, the pages are coming out blank. Well, not quite blank, but very lightly printed. Fortunately I had a replacement cartridge to put in but then the machine has me run a couple tests before resuming the printing. Hopefully I will not mail anyone my printer test sheet instead of their newsletter! That would be frustrating, too!

Earlier when I was cooking (if microwaving food is cooking) my lunch, I noticed that cobwebs were hanging out around my windows yet again. I got the fuzzy wand from the laundry room and began the process of swishing dust all over the place, catching my window corners, the sun catchers (dust catchers!!!) and the lanterns. Now, as I look at the shelf next to my desk, below the area I just dusted, see all my ‘junque’ is layered in dust, which formerly graced my hanging stuff. Ugh! So, therefore, if I get the duster and sweep around on the items on my shelf, must I then vacuum the floors? Oh this dust really makes me wild! That’s okay, I will just go and lie on my bed where I cannot see it so well….

Oh, I wish I did not have to go outside tonight!

But I must do so. Good thing my coat is in the car already, getting nicely chilled for when I leave later on---excellent plan, Kim! Oh, well, by the time I get to church, my car will have sufficiently warmed the coat through and through, especially with my seat warmers going. Today as I drove MamMa to the Mayo Clinic, I warmed her seat for her which she really appreciated. Tracy met us out there and I handed Willie Mae off to her and came home. On the ride back, I stopped at Wendy's on Baymeadows for a soda and saw they now serve hand-cut fries. Yummy! A half order would have been enough as I ended up disposing of the unfinished order. Justin used to like to dip his regular fries in a Frosty ice cream treat from Wendy's, and I wonder if he would like these new fries that way as well.

Tracy gave me such good directions and Cassidy dropped off the paperwork for MamMa (Willie Mae), her great-grandma, after she returned from taking her to the same place for other tests this a.m. plus a parking voucher so we did not have to pay the fee for the valet twice in one day. Nice! We drove right up to the place where we needed be, got inside and to our proper floor and dept. with no troubles at all. The Mayo is a huge enterprise, and was so nicely organized, it made me feel quite comfortable, if that's possible, in a hospital. MamMa and I noticed the abundance of poinsettias situated throughout the waiting areas and lobbies, and figured it is likely a substitute for the highly controversial CHRISTmas trees about which people fuss.

Earlier in the day, I was visited by Dick the Clock Man, who came to clean my clock in more ways than one....not really, he is a delight. He cleaned some of the inner workings, which were gummed up, polished the brass, and made it work like new again. The last time I saw him was at my lake house after moving there in 2004. Dick mentioned that if I ever decide to move out of my apartment......I should let him know. I said, "Let's talk!" It is about 1000 sq. ft. larger than what he lives in now but man, was blown away by the view and room sizes. Most people are, and he especially likes it because he is a photographer as well and would love to photograph the birds and other wildlife seen from my windows. Hmmmm......

If you are not already aware, north Florida has record temperatures going on, lows being in the 20's overnight and highs only teasing 50! All the trees and flowering bushes are wearing white covers, looking very much ghosts out on the property. Last winter, January of this year to be exact, we had similar temps and Connie, the maintenance lady, told me mine were the only plants to make it through the freeze. I hope that remains so this time, too. I watered them with hot water, not directly on the greenery but into the pot. Did that help? Not sure, but worth an effort again.

Last evening I was the designated driver for Judy C., Twila, and Jean, as we headed to a different part of town to Fran's house. I had printed off directions via a website but others at Bible study were making other suggestions than what I had gotten. Oh, oh....now I am nervous! I called Mike K. to ask him about it and he told the directions I had were the best ones for coming from OP. We did well, up to a point, and then, not so good. We tried various people's cell phones for help and not even Mike answered his at first, so next was pastor, who has been there before. He was going to pull out the map, from the atlas, and call me back, but Mike called me in the meantime and walked us to the door! We were the last ones to arrive but only late by about 5 minutes. It would be easier in the light of day, but the darkness for sign reading was not our friend. When it was time to leave, Terri T. lead us back out and pointed in the right direction for our ride back to my house where the ladies had parked their cars. Having not had a good night's sleep the night before allowed me to drop right off, or rather, shortly after climbing under my covers, and I slept until nearly 7:30 a.m. today. It was too cold to get up!

Justin sent me an instant message this late morning, asking me if I made it safely to the party and home again last night. I reported that I did make it, but not without needing help. He got busy on the Internet and found me a new cell phone that would come with a GPS built-in, adding $6 to my monthly billing (I would really like to go less on the bill, but cannot be limited in my talking minutes). It was also my hope the phone would be free but that hope was not met either. The cost of the phone, however, is substantially less than buying a a stand-alone GPS for the car, and it would go with me everywhere. His sales pitch to me, ever the salesman, was that I could even do my blog on my phone. Oh, good! Just what I need, another weapon at my disposal! He went on his lunch break to 'touch it', to see if is what I would like, and it is right for me. I may, just may, have to carry it in my purse or elsewhere than where I do carry it, because it is a soft screen phone. I would REALLY like to have access to the GPS and now have to decide if that's what I wish to do, since my present phone is only a little more than a year old.

So, tonight, I am off to the long-awaited meeting from the SoWE event some of us attended in late October. It will be good to this behind us and the items discussed, if there will be any addressed, we just do not know. We ladies consider it our privilege to give this report and can chalk it up to making an attempt at the very least. Attending that 'conference' was such a wonderful experience that I am considering attending the national Worship Conference in MN this summer! Judy R. might go, too, for part of it. This visit, then, it can encompass Lori's 60th birthday party, and our plans to attend the Winona Shakespeare Festival for which Judy serves as usher, and front office. Sounds like a plan to me!

Good morning, Angelo! and Gabe!

Gabriel and his littlest brother 'nuggling' on the bed before school

Lisa sent this photo taken this a.m., which she titled, "Chillin' with Mama in the morning"...sweetness!

All tucked in

It is getting colder and colder outside with my bed feeling quite snug right now. Suzanne and I rode to Victory for the Ladies' Advent Service in my car, after being 'bumped' by Gus in the parking lot. Gus and I had waved at each other when transferring Suzanne's viola and music stand into my car, and closed the hatch back. We got into the car and were getting me settled in, struggling with my belt because my coat was in the way, when we felt/heard a clunk. And Gus eased his car alongside of me. Suzanne put her window down, as did Gus, and he asked "Did I get ya'?" In fact, you did, Gus! I got out to look, as did he, and Suzanne. She said, "We don't have time for this now..." as we needed to get to Victory by 5:00 pm. Mine did not seem to have any damage but she noticed plenty of red paint on his bumper. All he wanted to ask me was how his borrowed robe worked out. I told him it was fine and thanked him, but did not want to tell him we did not use it. Gotta go, bye, Gus! As we got back into the car, he told me to have the car checked out, and fixed, and send him the bill. Poor Gus, he's had quite a year, with me leaking all over his unit earlier this year!

*

Before Suzanne got here, I watched the Jaguars win at football--whoo hoo! What a great game to watch, beating the Titans which had humiliated them earlier in the season on Monday Night Football, in our house! The way I understand it, the Jags are very near to being able to go to the playoffs this year. Love it! The Packers were also victorious in their game today. I was a winner for getting to spend yet more time with Suzanne this weekend, last night having dinner and going to the symphony to see/hear Handel's Messiah, with the Victory folks. We enjoyed a dinner at Juliette's across the street from the Times-Union Center and then walked to the venue, getting a whiff of the animals inside a tent. The Rockette's show was going on at the same time as our show, and their program concludes with a live nativity, including live animals---which have a whiff!

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My big news Saturday morning, though, was hearing from Judy Rusert, on the phone instead of e-mail or Facebook. She was calling to let me know of a plan she cooked up with Linda J.---the Ruserts are coming to Manitowoc to see me when I am up there for CHRISTmas!!!! On New Year's Eve, Linda is making an earlier dinner for us and then we will all go to church together. Judy and Jer Bear will stay at a hotel and I told her about the meeting room off the lobby that we used in the spring when I was up there. We played Apples to Apples and ordered a pizza....it was great! We can ring in the New Year if we want to, or not. Judy said I did not have to make my plans around her, she wants to be the icing on my cake, not my entire cake!! I love my friends.....it means everything to me to have my two friends making these plans like this!

If I don't have to, I will not...

....get out of this bed any time soon! It is so cold outside while delightfully pleasant in my room, especially under my covers. A few minutes ago I ventured to the kitchen for a soda and yummy cinnamon roll which I had made yesterday morning, and those rooms were tolerable. That might be because I had the heat on when having my meetings and failed to turn it down last night when I retired. There is no need to heat rooms I am not using, but I do step lively on the ceramic tile floor when I run to the kitchen! The registers in my bedroom and bathroom/closet are still closed since my company was here in September. As a gracious hostess, I will turn the A/C on for their comfort while keeping my registers closed for my own protection. However, having them yet closed does not help much when the heat is on!

*

Friday two of my partners from the School of Worship Enrichment event came over to work some more on our report for the meeting which remains to be scheduled. We had pre-agreed to set a deadline for the meeting so that helped to move us right along. Now I must type up the expansions on comments and then we can meet to present it. For our breakfast, I made a cylinder of cinnamon biscuits mentioned above, which helped warm the kitchen and made it smell nice for a bit. Justin and I had lunch at Koko's, as he asked me if I could go. As it turned out, I could sneak away, but had to be back in time for my next meeting, with a young man from church. Love having my home being THE meeting place!

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Justin and I popped in a Great Hang Ups before and after our lunch, and I had a great conversation with Julia and Dee. They have some new items available for the holidays and some of them found their way home with me for my gift-giving. When I checked the time, it occurred to me that I had to run, and told Julia I would not have time to stop at Publix now. Julia asked what I was going to get, just curious, and when I said I needed butter....she excused herself and came back with a stick of butter for me! Talk about full service shops!

*

Well, I guess I should sign-off here and start reading, as I have quite the stack of books waiting for me, with two started-but-not-yet-finished books to tackle, one titled "The Council of Dads" and the other "Not Unto Us". Looking forward to my time on vacation when I somehow manage to read when not eating out! Mama, I am getting to excited to see you!

Did you miss me?

Oops, do not answer that, please. What a whirlwind of activity these past two days...much to my delight. Thursday was the official "Justin Day" as we began our time together at Victory's Bible study. Before class began, I was able to help fold and assemble the service folders for Sunday's worship. Justin is glad to know that it will be Favorite Hymn Sunday this week, and thinks folks will likely choose CHRISTmas hymns this time. Maybe he will be bold enough to request "Of the Father's Love Begotten", one of his favorites.

*

From Victory we headed to the Town Center Mall where he most politely dropped me at the door of Maggiano's so I would not have to walk so far. Oh, I have to back up a bit----after Bible study, we stopped at Old Navy because Justin did not have 'good clothes' yet at his bungalow, not thinking about going to the luncheon at Maggiano's. So, Justin's wonderful mama bought him a sweater and a t-shirt. This little side trip delayed us only a few minutes so this was why he dropped me down at the door and parked the car. I had to make my entrance, but waited for him anyway, serving as greeter at the back doors to the restaurant. It turned out some of the people I greeted were going to the same luncheon we were!

*

Diane is a gracious hostess, and her bosses and co-workers in the financial investment firm were very very nice as well. They introduced themselves and then had one or two of their vendors say a few words as we ate. The menu consisted of chopped salad, calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and Italian bread. Then we were served chicken tortellini, meatballs with pasta, and crusted tilapia. I liked the tortellini and the meatball dish, plus ate some of the salad and a bit of calamari. Not nuts about the fish entree but Justin enjoyed it all very much. And he did not seem to mind to be the youngest and most handsome man at our table! For dessert we had tiramasu and an apple crostini, all foods served family-style. The lady to my right, I cannot recall her name, asked for permission, when most others had left our table, to clean off the spoon to the tiramasu! I like her! Justin used ice cream from the crostini for his coffee, most innovative.

*

After thanking our hostess for her delicious luncheon treat, Justin and I went to the car and headed to Barnes and Noble. I had printed off a shopping list, as I had a discount coupon to use before the 5th. For the books we could not find, a nice young man helped us, seeming to know exactly which books were where. I am amazed that he could do that, and impressed. As often happens in a book store, keeping in mind that I stink as a reader, 'we' found more books to buy than were on my list! Linda, I got the "Freedom Writers' Diary" so I will be glad to share it with you at CHRISTmas time. Somehow or another I did not save as much as I thought I would even with the discount....funny how that happens!

*

After the bookstore we headed back to my house where we each got comfy with our laptops, he on the loveseat for a snooze, and me on my bed, each of us also 'watching' the radio show we love so much. He actually did sleep but I merely rested my eyes. Justin had a load of wash going and when I heard the washer stop, went to check it. The load was HUGE, so I opted to re-rinse it so that all the soap would be gone. By the time he remembered about putting the load into the dryer, we knew it would not be dry in time for him to take along to the OP Mall, since we were going to have dinner before the show. He would have to come back here after the show to get his clothes. Justin and I ate at Fridays where he enjoyed his pasta dish, and me, the Jack Daniel's Chicken Fingers appetizer. The waitress thought I should have some fries, too, but I refused, knowing the portion was just right for me. Justin actually finished the last of the chicken when his meal was gone.

*

We got our tickets but still had time to walk around in the Mall, where I had not been in years, it seems. He checked out the cell phone kiosks as I looked at the game kiosks. I saw many games I would like such as "Would You Rather...", which I hear advertised on the radio. This shop carried some strange or hard-to-find card games and board games which folks really love to see, according to the guy working there. Hopefully their business picks up, he claims it was rather slow so far....

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Anyway, Justin and I went to the theater and got our soda to share, seeing our friend, Cliff, getting his movie treats. Carol and he go on date night Thursdays, but we did not see her. (I asked her today if he told her that we were there and she said, "NO, he did not tell me!") We got situated in the theater and waited for the simulcast production to begin, billed as 'the largest town hall meeting ever'! Called "Broke", the host took us through the engine of our nation, the Constitution, using a vintage Mustang as the prop. Something worth keeping, worth the time and effort to restore, and not to be thrown into the dustbin of history, etc. Very good show, to a packed house in Orange Park and I hope, everywhere it was broadcast.

*

It was obviously getting colder outside as we made our way to the car. Justin decided to stay at his dad's house overnight, since his belongings were yet there and he was working today. It felt good to be in my warm bed and all snuggled in after a wonderfully full day. No reading for me as I needed to just fall asleep. This a.m. when I awoke, it occurred to me that winter has arrived! Not only the extremely cold temperatures but the extremely itchy legs making for a snow storm in my bedroom. Yikes! Two layers of lotion and still little relief. Tonight as I prepare for sleep, I shall coat them once more with lotion and wear mittens so I don't scratch them in my sleep and bleed to death!

Waiting for the sun to peek through

…and here it comes, little by little. This a.m. I woke up early and immediately turned on the local news, the station where Suzanne works, to watch for my friend, Helen, to be on as a guest. Sadly, it seems I tuned in too late, and missed seeing the segment. Another artist, Donna, and Helen were expected to be featured in regard to the ArtWalk in downtown Jacksonville plus their involvement in other art endeavors in the area. Helen has a gallery at The Landing where she creates her art, fused glass and other similar pieces as well as having consignment space for artists to display. Like an art co-op. In checking the station’s website, I cannot find information about this segment at all but maybe someone recorded (Dee or Julia) so I can see it another time. So much for waking up early!!

Already I am showered and dressed for the day. Also have cleaned my old polish from the fingernails and trimmed them a bit. Needed more garbage inside my keyboard I guess—ha ha! My nails and their beds look awful and I had tried calling Lisa W. Monday for an appointment to have my feet and hands done. She called me back later to report that she’d been asked to vacate the space where she rented and was in the process of setting up elsewhere. In a week she should be ready for her first appointment, which will hopefully be me! She will stay in the same area of Middleburg, just a hair down the street from where she used to be. Normally my policy is to have Lisa (or someone else) do the areas I cannot reach, such as my feet, and I take care of the hands. But right now the nails are in need of some serious attention, having several hang nails and ridges in some of the nails. She has a tool to sand them smooth again, and have them looking nicer for the holidays.

Today is the day that the plumber is coming back to see why in the world there is not water coming from the faucet in the back bathroom. This was discovered by Mike when he was here Wednesday last week to grout the tile in that bathroom, and tried to rinse his sponge. No water? Only the day before Sherri had been here cleaning and she did not mention there being no water coming from the faucets. Since she was using a foaming cleanser she perhaps did not turn on the water??? The shower and toilet in that room operate, as does the water in every other room, except that particular sink. It might be simply a plugged aerator…oh, I hope I hope I hope!

My little breakfast today is a dinner roll with summer sausage on it. Not typical breakfast food but I am not typically a breakfast eater. Since Judy J. and I went to dinner sort of early last night, I am more hungry now. Plus, getting up earlier than I usually do allows for more time to consider eating. It is better to be sleeping it seems! We two ladies very much enjoyed our meal at Sonny’s BBQ, both in the mood for comfort foods. Instead of my standard beans ‘n franks there, beef brisket was my choice. We shared an order of corn nuggets, Judy’s first time having them. My meat came with beans and mac ‘n cheese. There was enough left over for me to bring home to have another meal from it. Whenever I eat at Sonny's, I think of Tarren and Pete, because Tarren just loves Sonny's food!

Monday at Longhorn I had a cheeseburger, well, half of it, with some fries, of which I ate none. The little box she brought me did not accommodate the half burger and the fries so I left many of them behind but Terri T. gave me some of her onion strings which I dearly love. Her as well as the onion strings!

Just a few moments ago I went outside to take Jessica’s robe back to her and Gus’s back to him, plus a bag of trash for the bin. Wow, it is cold out there! Jessica said she loved it and little Beckham was all snug in his fleece bibbed sleeping sack. Brrr….in my opinion. At midnight the temperature was 70 degrees, and today is dropping to 60 for the high, with freeze warnings for overnight. Yikes! Yesterday folks were at the beach, as shown on TV but not so much today, unless they are tourists! After all, 60 degrees is tank top weather to some folks!