What a "Vision"!

A few weeks ago I had e-mailed to Julia at Great Hang Ups a photo of Timmy's eyes to be entered in an art show titled "Visions". That photo was not really clear enough to be used but both Dee and Julia encouraged me to send in some other photos of scenery and such from my travels. I did that last week, the same day Linda and I were at the shop. I did not expect there was time for anything to happen since the take-in for the show was Wednesday.

Well, imagine my suprise when Julia let me know last night that the above photo, which she had framed and matted for me, was Juried into the show. Between the two ladies, they chose the framing and mattes and got them ready for the Judge. He chose the one above, but not the one below. One has 'action' in it, while the one below is more still. It does have Vision but he liked the wave action in the other photo. Julia used a white frame with a blue-edged matte. Looks great! Not sure I will win anything but once more, it's a privilege to be included. I am now 5 for 5 in being juried in when entering a show! (Both of these shots appear on my home page of the blog, if they look familiar to you.)

This photo below is one I call "Cross Eyes". This is cropped from a photo of Timmy as he was sitting in a high chair at church. The date stamp on the picture indicated May of 1997 so he was about sixteen months old. The way the light reflects in his eyes, the shape of crosses, is what makes me catch my breath when looking at this picture. It does not, however, have the proper dynamics for this particular art show. It's hard to look away from his eyes, is it not?

Back to routine

This morning I rode alone to Bible study at Victory, when last week I had both Linda and Justin with me. Our study, the last booklet from this publishing house, was begun today, looking at some of the differences in teaching between denominations. Today's was about baptism and "the age of accountibility" some reformed churches use. Good study!

                                    

Justin went to his future home this morning to do some painting---he wants to cover over the pink and white stripes in his bedroom. Once that is done, he can begin to move some of his items over, like bookcases and stuff for the closets. I am not entirely clear on the thinking there, but think it has something to do with the housewarming party which will take place prior to the full move-in day. 

I am so glad to be going today to the groomers, this after my teeth are cleaned. While there, I will be giving my friend, Peggy, who is the dentist, her tickets to the Wounded Warrior event at The Club which takes place tomorrow night. She has been most gracious to Justin and me, and I want to show my appreciation for her kindness, and support our mutually favorite charity at the same time. She is running in the River Run the next day so it will be an early night for them. Such busy people they are!

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Thinking about it now, I recall how much Linda enjoyed dining at PF Chang. Every time we went to eat, when she could, Linda ordered fish or other seafood for her meals. So glad she liked our menu offerings here in FL! Just as I enjoy the perch and steak sandwiches when I go to WI....

Why am I so sleepy?

This afternoon I have a chance to doze and yet the workers above me are keeping me awake. The tile guys have started so are using their wet saw and other tools which make quite a racket as they work. I cannot leave my warm room so I suffer without my needed nap. I think I had a really good night's rest which does not explain my sleepiness today. Perhaps my body rested while my brain was wondering if Linda got home safely to her own bed or not. At last contact, she was waiting for her plane in Detroit, which was delayed an hour from Chicago. If it hadn't been for Chicago, she'd have had a flawless return trip!                    

                     

            Judy, Frank, Amber, and Terri T. on her baptism day

This a.m. Judy C. called to confirm that Amber was indeed coming for Bible history class. Amber, who had been hospitalized, had called Judy to ask if we could please meet for Bible history class. Wow! Blew us away! So that Amber does not have to drive so far, we actually meet at Judy's son's home where she babysits and keeps house, closer to where Amber lives. I drive out there (about 25 minute ride) in order to make this happen. LOVE it, love it, love it!

The last time I drove out there, Amber did not come, so now we are confirming before I make the trip. It turned out she was in the hospital but her spouse did not have the phone information for Judy or me. Finally Judy reached him on the phone and we found out about Amber, hospitalized with water in and around her lungs. She's had a heart attack and stroke already so this is serious business for her. She is younger than I am and in precarious health. We rejoice for her wanting to return to class, and to overcoming her breathing condition.

                                          

So, anyway, we three ladies spoke briefly about the TV mini-series "The Bible" which has thrown Amber for a loop. She said she couldn't keep up with who was who, the order of events, etc. but then said her husband is simply eating it up. This was exciting news for Judy and me to hear, as he otherwise had no interest in coming to church or being involved. She said he loves history and watches this network 'all the time'. What a blessing this might be for some who have no other connection to the Bible, and religion in general. I hope that Amber gets more from it the next time she watches. Judy has it recorded on her DVR so it is possible to sit down and watch it together some time when it works out for us all.

I had an appointment for a haircut today at 2:00 pm but Barb called to ask me to schedule for 1:00 instead. Sure! On my way back from Lake Asbury I stopped at McDonald's for lunch and to wait until time for my groomer visit. While waiting, Barb called again to ask if I could come tomorrow instead. Sure! I was glad to be able to come home instead and look forward to getting my haircut after my teeth cleaning appointment tomorrow afternoon. Busy day on Thursday!!!

Working backward

In case we missed anything, or I missed anything, I will work backward through the days with Linda, to mention the highlights. Just a few moments ago I returned from dropping Linda at the airport and am SOOOO glad to be home! My goodness, such traffic! My sympathies for folks who have to commute in this every single day, often in the rain. I have much for which to be thankful!

We were concerned that the most recent snowstorm was going to delay or impede Linda's travels today but in tracking through the Internet, nothing of significance in her path. I won't know until tomorrow whether this remains the case or not. She must be back in order to process the payroll for the staff at church and school as no one else knows how to do it. That is how valuable their employee is!

Linda and I went to lunch at Pengree's Restaurant not far from home, her first time there. She said the meal portion was just right, as I had hoped it would be since she is traveling during the dinner hour. She enjoyed the patty melt and I had their wonderful country fried steak with green beans. Yum!

    

We had to scrunch down a bit to better show off the hat

From there we went to Joann's Fabric and Crafts to get glass glue. Yes, I am going to try fixing some of the flowers. We also went to the holiday aisle to look for deelyboppers to try on, as is our custom. We each tried on an Easter bonnet head band and took our photos. A lady passing through was tickled we were having such fun. Me, too!

When we came back here, Linda rested her peepers a little bit, having been packed up since morning. She had slept the majority of the night in the family room, having awakened with a headache. Sleeping in the recliner helped her head feel better. She accidentally messed up the TV remote control in her sleep so she missed the news. And she slept through the sunrise, which I managed to capture for her. 

Our weather today was magnificent, the high temp being 75 above zero. Now we're talkin'!!! Linda got blamed for the cold temps we are experiencing but gets no credit for the lovely day we had today. Hopefully she took some of that home with her in her carry on! 

Still working backward....

Let's see---I wrote about the play and dinner on Saturday, but I did not write about Sunday's event. We had a Call meeting after worship and Linda was fine sitting through it. One of the men came to sit with us ladies to hear our opinions on the names on the list, which was appreciated. The Call was an easy one for our table, calling our own member and former staff minister, Michael. This was not without some discussion, not that folks did not want him, but how the Call would be presented, I guess. That out of the way, it was on to lunch!

Some of our group had gone ahead to reserve the table, so they sat there about an hour prior to our arrival. Justin had left to go shopping for work boots, and then went in to sit with the others. Once all ten of us were in place, the service as a whole ended up being horrendous, the 2nd week in a row for such. Our drinks were coming out in to-go cups due to a failed dishwasher. Food was slow coming out due to having three new cooks...so, we did not get home until after 3:00 pm.  Totally missed Fox News Sunday! We will give them one more chance and then change the place we go after church. But, I love Chili's!!!

Sunday night was a BIG event, highly promoted and invitations sent out for watching "The Bible" at church. When Linda and I got to church, the fellowship hall door was locked so we went to the back classroom building. It seems the giant TV screen was not yet hooked up in the fellowship hall, so we were watching the regular TV back there. It was also not hooked up, but Judy J. had control of the remote, and was trying to hook up the needed wires and such. About a dozen folks had gathered, with four or five pizzas to share, a slow-cooker of meat balls, and other treats spread out for us. Finally they got it hooked up and ready to go, only it seems we were not actually subscribed to the History Channel. We, therefore, could not watch the movie we gathered for. Those few of us who stayed enjoyed some pizza and fellowship, but some of the others simply headed back home. Fiasco!

Monday Linda and I went to Bible study at church, looking this time at satanism. Michael is still the leader for this class. It was interesting but I am ready for a new subject. We passed around sheets from which to select our next course of study after Easter. For lunch we went to Longhorn where Linda and I used a coupon to get a free dessert. I asked the young lady to pack it to-go for us, which included ice cream. We had no choice but to go home with our dessert!

Back to church we went last night (Monday) for Ladies' Group (Justin's parting wish to us was "I hope it's not an unmitigated disaster!") and his wish was granted. Terri runs a good meeting, has a knack for leadership. The meeting wrapped up before nine which allowed for Linda and I to watch "The Bible", starting with Moses' life, on the Lifetime Network. So glad Judy J. told us it was showing there. I don't have the History Channel here and would have relied on Justin's computer to see the series otherwise. Not sure I want to venture back over to church again to sit on folding chairs to watch when I can lie on my bed and be cozy at home. What an excellent presentation that mini-series is! Making and breaking all sorts of records---to God be the glory!

It's a sad day in my house....

Yes, broken glass flowers and a broken heart today. I did it myself, which is better than having someone else have this happen to them. Like Justin said when I told him, "Good thing it didn't happen to Marlena..." 

Several of the flowers broke free of their stems while others smashed to bits when the flowers collided with each other on the way to the floor or against the chair. I have a few 'dips' in the wood top from the sharp edges grouging into the wood, They are heavy flowers and especially so with gravity propelling them. 

The sun was shining across the table this a.m. and is not kind, as you have heard me say before, to dust. I told Linda last night that some people think I am obsessive about the dust ("Just the dust???" she asked...) and now it is my undoing! The dusting wand ever so gently, or not, bumped against the base of the vase and over it went. The vase survived unscathed, as did one of the flowers. Another has 'only' one petal broken off which means it is salvagable. Justin, having heard from me about the disaster, called to say perhaps 'we' can use the flowers in another way, like in a bowl perhaps. My silver lining kid!

"Hoke, you're my best friend...you are!"

When Linda was first planning her visit, I had been thinking we would be enjoying the opera at the Jacksonville Symphony. It was a lesser-known show coming but the opera nonetheless. Then, Judy C. brought to my attention the coming play at the Alhambra Dinner Theater titled "Driving Miss Daisy" and I KNEW we had to choose that instead of the opera. Our church friend, Gretchen, refers to herself as Miss Daisy because of getting rides to church events with her friends. Judy and I, who shared the cost of her ticket, were joined by Darwin and Ethel, and Linda, of course. As Judy said later, we couldn't have asked for a better group, as we had all, except Linda, been our own Miss Daisy's driver. 

Judy C. came here at 10:00 a.m. which we determined was too early to head over, but Judy J. had said we would need that much time for driving. I knew we would not have traffic delays on a Saturday morning. We are nothing if not compliant. (Judy J. is going with a different group of church folks to this show next Saturday). In about a half hour we were parked in the lot at The Alhambra. Various senior citizen groups had buses and large vans pulling in to unload their passengers so we decided to go in and get in line, too. 

As we stood in line, the rest of our group found us, with Ethel stopping to pick up our guest of honor on their way over. In no time at all we were seated and served our drinks. The menu was amazing, offering four different entree choices, and so much nicer than buffet dining. I chose the corned beef brisket and Linda had the fish with lemon sauce. My portion was bountiful---so much so that I could not even finish all the meat. A wedge of cabbage came with the beef plus a potato pancake. Didn't care for the pancake, but the rest was delicious! I ate one entire slice of the meat, parts of the other slices, and all the pyramid shaped carrots. 

                                                     

The food was marvelous but nothing as  compared to the play. Actress Michael Learned portrayed Miss Daisy and played her nearly the same as Jessica Tandy did in the movie version. The man who played Hoke, her Black driver, nailed his role as well, each one aging right before our eyes. To do the car scenes, two stools were placed on the stage, one in front of the other to indicate front seat driver side, and the other back seat passenger side. When he would 'start' the car and step on the gas, they would lean back a bit to indicate forward motion. Very clever!

We were all amazed at how closely the play matched the movie, or would it be vice versa? More like the actors' voices sounded like Jessica and Morgan's from the movie. The acting was exquisite, in our opinions, with the set quite simple. It featured a single chair, end table, lamp, and off to the side was Boolie's desk for the office scenes. Plus the two stools. 

At the close of the show, when the two men visit Miss Daisy in the old folks' home, there were two chairs and the end table between them. It was there where Hoke sat to feed Miss Daisy her 'Thanksgivin' pie', as tears rolled down my cheeks. It was such a touching scene, in the movie as well as the play. Miss Daisy's feelings for Hoke gradually grew from resentment to genuine affection over the decades of companionship and through the societal changes going on around them. A Jewish lady and her Black driver became best friends, "how 'bout dat, Miss Daisy...how 'bout dat?" 

As we neared home from our ride from the Beaches, I got a phone call from the Alhambra, asking if I knew a Judy Chappell who was seated at our table. I said I had her in my car! It seems when we were digging for our tip money during intermission, her check book had fallen from her purse. The clean-up crew found it on the floor and they had it at their desk for her. She got Michael to ride back over there with her and then went to visit her daughter and family as long as they were out. The only downside to our fun day had an upside as well!

Linda and I decided to have Chinese for dinner Saturday night so we ordered in from Ming Moon. She had cashew shrimp with rice and an egg roll. I had my usual of cheese wontons. We have been spending most of our time in my room where the space heater is when not entertaining. It's chilly outside! The furnace thermostat (heat feature on the A/C) is set at 73 in the house but Linda prefers to sleep in cooler rooms so I wish to oblige! 

                                             

Justin said he considered putting his little heater thing, my old one, under his bed to warm the bed from the bottom. That's my boy!!!