I’m baacckk!

This morning I woke to find an e-mail awaiting me from Google, informing me there was one more step to restoring my e-mail account. Yay! All I had to do was click the link, enter a new passcode/password and I was good to go. Such joy! It was like someone wheeled a cart of gold into my room, bringing my e-mail back to me. When he came into my room this a.m., I asked Justin if he’s ever seen a happier mama. He said that he had, but that did not deflate me one bit!

Yesterday’s Old Testament reading was from Job when he lamented his miserable state, even his boils had worms, and all that…I told Justin I knew how Job felt. Well, not quite, actually, not by a long shot, but I was sorely distressed about the terrible problems I would have fixing everything if I needed a new account. Whew! I know some people are disturbed that football players and fans offer supplications to the Lord on behalf of the game, but I am not above asking Him to help me remember my password or find another way to solve. “Another way” is how it worked out! Thank the Lord and Google for restoring my ability to communicate.  

Photos from the Tea

 Jackie really enjoyed the tea event at Basketique, this was truly 'her cup of tea'!

 The room where we were served our tea. My bro-in-law wondered if this was someone's home, thinking it was decorated quite gawdily

 Judy C. and I at the table. I fear this tea room made me look fat!

 Another course was served, the food just kept on coming!

Here is a shot of the room as we were served  the second round of sandwiches. One was made with raisin bread, a spread of pumpkin and cream cheese, and then rolled in chopped pecans. Oh, yes!

Terri was a good sport and drank a spot of tea before all five of us ladies ordered Diet Cokes!

Okay, folks, stand by...

Those of you who read this blog might also follow me on Facebook and know I am having terrible problems with my e-mail. At least I can still access it from this laptop as long as I do not close gmail. Sometimes upgrades come when the computer is shut down or does so automatically. If I suddenly drop off the face of the earth, seemingly, it's because I lost this computer's access. 


Blogger (blogspot) is run through my e-mail account so if I am unable to get into it, I am unable to post. Facebook is independent of the Google account so at least I will have that. 


I could get a new e-mail address but what a nightmare that will be. This morning I filled out a form which Google sent through Justin's e-mail so I could fill it out, send them $3.00 and they will try to help me. Obviously they cannot simply take my word for it but if I could just look into someone's face and plead my case, it could be fixed chop chop. 


It is all my fault for not remembering what I changed my passcode to about 10 days ago or so. I was getting deluged with SPAM, horrible stuff, and thought changing the passcode would filter that for me. Not so, and now I have a problem. There is not a way to grab the passcode from this laptop, unfortunately. 


Much takes place via my gmail account such as bill notifications, account info from the banks and investment companies, many many things interact with the e-mail, other than simple communications. We are held prisoner by our electronics and are made to look like fools when we forget important information like our passcodes!


If Google cannot help me, then I must change my account name and start over new, which is a huge inconvenience. I took a screen shot of my contact list so I can recoup that if lost, but will have to retype them all in again. More cleaning will take place, I suspect. I copy/pasted e-mails into a Word document and hope I didn't miss anything or anyone. Yikes!


Push comes to shove, you can reach me via my cell phone or on Facebook. Or write me a letter. Some of my friends say they keep a list of their passcodes at their desks but I did not do that, so now, I have a big headache and a tummy ache over not remembering the passcode!


I will keep you posted, some way or another, if I have to change my blog address and all that stuff. This does nothing but make me feel frustrated, impatient, and a little foolish---no, lots foolish!

What does Saturday hold?

Yesterday, as I mentioned, Justin and I, mostly Justin, tackled the game and linen closet in my bedroom. There is only room for one of us at a time in there so I pulled my desk chair over to the card table he set up and helped sort the sheets, pillow slips, and beach towels while he went through the games. I thought it might be more difficult than it actually was, more of a trip down memory lane for him than for me. 


Some of the games had either never been played (requiring more than one player) or seldom played, and others, well played. We kept the M*A*S*H trivia game and I do hope we pull it out once in awhile to at least read through the cards for refreshing our memories. 


One game in particular that I might have been okay with letting go was not even discussed, which meant to me that he wanted to keep it. Husker Du?, which is a matching game we had played as a family. Even though the box is banged up from multiple usings and multiple movings, it is a keeper. All he said when he pulled it out was say it's name, and slid it back in...

 

He carried the no longer wanted games, as well as the box of stuff from the pantry closet, to the car. It's on me now to get it to the Quigley House since Penny retired from there. I liked it better when she would take the stuff for me, directly to those who needed it rather than to the resale shop. I am okay with it going to the shop but think the families being served in the secure home might like the games. Oh well...He also toted two bags of clothing from my closet which I had had ready for Penny since before ThanksLiving. My house is emptier but my car is full!

Today is the day for the Ladies' Tea Party at the little shop down the street from my home. Located in the former railroad station, Basketique serves tea and sandwiches and other goodies, plus offers a charming gift shop where they sell many of the items used during the tea luncheon. I cannot wait! We have only 7 attending, which is too bad, but those who are attending will tell others what they missed! 

A few items needed for the party must be picked up at the grocery store which I will do on the way back from the Tea Party. Justin will carry up the heavy items for me, and prepare the wrapped smokey links for tomorrow. So far he has no plans made with his friends (he is often the social chairman!) but that is subject to change, which means we must not delay in getting at our projects. UP goes the TV and AROUND goes the link wrap! This means I must now be UP and AROUND myself!

Plans for Friday

Things did not go as originally intended for the closet cleaning on Tuesday, so we tackled those jobs today. Later, Justin is planning to make cupcakes for movie night so the kitchen will bear the aroma of confetti cupcakes again. What a marvelous scent they have, like a party! 

First we went to breakfast at The Club where we enjoyed a lovely meal. Marlena was not there as she had a slight accident, falling over her dog while out for a run, and messing up her face. The chef 'suggested' she take a few days off to heal (look better) before coming in to serve the guests. The good news is that she did not break her nose or any other bones in her face. 

I came up with a plan for raising the height of the TV to allow viewing for more people for the Super Bowl gathering---using my wire file baskets, a board, and a tablecloth to disguise the props. This should raise the TV about 12”, almost like going to the outdoor! 


My often sweet boy regressed a bit, and made the remark that he would be upset (“I know it doesn’t matter to you…”) if he was watching the Super Bowl on a non-HD TV. THAT sounds more like the Justin I know and love!!!  How could anyone reduce themselves to watching such a low-class TV, and it’s not even a plasma or LED type either??? Hey, it seems when he and I went TV shopping in 2007, this TV was the cat’s meow, and now, not so much. When he makes a fortune cutting lawns, he can have any kind of fancy electronic device he would like---every single month, a new one! I simply smile, inwardly and outwardly, and knowingly!

“That would be us…”

At lunch today, Justin and I were enjoying our Bubba Burgers and fries. It was his first visit to a BB restaurant, the franchises in our area owned by my neighbor Jeff and his wife, Kathy. We splurged, and should not have, on an appetizer of fried pickles which promptly filled me up before the meals came. The fries are more delicious than just about anything in recent memory, and I long for the next visit to have more!

Justin is going to his friend’s house for movie night Friday but had not heard yet if dinner was being provided. He told me he still has a gift card for Taco Bell to use up, so checked on-line to see the burrito special for the month, just in case he had to get his own dinner.  An app on his iPhone takes him to a restaurant coupon page, and he read off a few that would be of interest to me. One was for Sweet Tomatoes and he rattled off the ‘deals’ offered for lunch and dinner diners. One he read was Dinner for Four, two adults and two children for a certain dollar amount. I think I simply acknowledged the good deal, but then he said, “That would be us….” It just struck me, the sadness in his voice. Yes, that would be us….

For his birthday this past July, I gave Justin a copy of George Washington’s “Rules of Civility” which includes, besides the Rules, a couple of Washington’s speeches. I would guess his friend, Jesse, upon seeing the tiny book, thought it was a dud of a gift; however, Justin loved it. In fact, he mentioned it to me again on Tuesday as we walked over to vote.

Justin said it was difficult for him to know what to do when a woman and he approach an out-swinging door, or pool gate, as the case might be. It is awkward for him to reach around the woman, who is already in front of him, to grab the door knob or handle, then stand out of the way for her to pass. If there is anything he strongly dislikes, it is feeling ‘awkward’. I was not sure what to tell him about the manners involved in such a situation, other than to ask the female to stand aside while he gets the door. And she can retain the option of getting the door herself. Not sure that helped him with his dilemma but I do let him get the doors for me if he wishes.

I don’t know for sure that the Rules of Civility covers the out-swinging door issue or not, but he also follows a website or blog which deals with the art of being a gentleman. I cannot tell you how great this makes me feel, knowing that it matters to him how he treats people. The site gives advice such as ‘What does a gentleman wear to a funeral?' and other things on that order, which he often quotes to me, and, hopefully, to his friends!

One time, he told me how he took his buddy to the side and reprimanded him for not being more complimentary to the young lady who had made their dinner. She is this guy’s ‘intended’, seemingly taken for granted by her beau, but Justin tried to set him straight on this. What a sweetheart he is about these type of things!

Yesterday, I was at the dentist for a cleaning and check-up, the office located in our ‘old’ office building. I am no longer an owner but still have an attachment to it. Peggy, my dentist, is also my friend, and the hygienist lives in The Preserve, where I used to live. I told the hygienist that I would not be surprised to see Justin peeking in the window at me while I am in the chair. His father's office is back in the building again, on the far end, but Justin tends the shrubs and grass, etc. for the entire property. She and the dental assistant who has been with Peggy for over 12 years both told me how much they love Justin. He always has a smile for them in the office and greets them warmly. “He is always so polite!” What mom would not like to hear this???? By the way, I had a good check-up, a shiny smile and no cavities!

What a good looking morning!

When I opened my eyes this morning, I wondered what was that white stuff floating on the river. Suds? Algae? Ice bergs? I went to the river room to look out and determined it to be clouds. Clouds! And not in the water but actually reflected on the very, very still water by a not yet risen sun. It was too dark at that moment to take a photo, would have not looked like anything. This photo, taken by my neighbor, shows the sky once it lightened up.