A delicate spirit

This morning I saw a possible comment to my blog, found in the SPAM file of my e-mail. In it was advice from an 'administrator' offering ways to improve my blog. "Mike" observed that I am not getting many readers and 'noticed' I am not getting comments. Ouch! It hurts when someone else is pointing that out! Of course, Mike had something to basically 'sell' me to improve my visibility in the blogosphere but I am NOT that type of blogger. But thanks, Mike, for pointing these out to me!

I know several people have told me they cannot figure out how to make a comment. My mom writes hers to me in an e-mail and often never get posted to the blog. There are a few faithful who will write something when the topic prompts them, but I remember something my sister said when I started the blog: "You just write about what you did that day...." Um, yes! Hence, the title!

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Today, I did not go out to the pool at all, as it was a bit cloudy. When I left to go to lunch I did see several folks around the pool, including parents with kids. The teen pool is closed due to a pump problem, so all must use the adult pool until Tuesday when the part arrives to make the repair. But, I would rather go to see my friend than get in the pool under cloud cover today!

Rita just got back to Jax after an extended time away. I had left in early May and did not see Rita at Victory's Bible study before leaving. First, she was with her mom in MI, who passed away with her family at her side.  From MI she went to Toronto where her hubby and son were waiting for her. Her husband works in Toronto so they spent the balance of June and nearly all of July there.

Sunday she sent me a message on Facebook asking if I wanted to get together for lunch. I said I certainly did and asked if Monday would work. Yay for us!!! We met at Newks' Cafe in The Avenues area and I amazed myself by driving right up to the door of the place. 

The restaurant was a bee-hive with folks coming and going, but all Rita and I did was stay! We had much to catch up on, even though we'd chatted on-line. Face-to-face is even better. She treated me to lunch which I had not expected, and we even shared a piece of chocolate cake. This place was known for their cake, and I can see why!

As we left the restaurant, we saw that it had rained. The sky looked dark and as I drove, I saw lightning. Part of the ride home was in rain but I beat the balance of the storm by a few minutes. As I got out of the car, my neighbor with her daughter and grands were just getting home and were also glad to have beaten the storm. I suggested it was good napping weather (hear that, kids???) and Cathy told me that Moli (Betty, the Rockette) actually was napping upstairs. She so loves having her great-grands around but she gets tired, too. Therefore, Cathy took everyone to get pizza in order for Moli to rest. And now, the little ones can rest, too!

Once I got upstairs, immediately I made sure my phone and little laptop were charged or charging in case the power went out---I was going to be ready! The last two times it happened, I told Justin about wanting to get the lantern mentioned on TV for lighting a room and/or the LED flashlights which beat the old-fashioned ones I have. Perhaps a trip to Lowe's or Home Depot is in order...

Justin excitedly told me his friend, Ron, has gotten an approved contract on buying a house---at long last! Justin's original intent was to live here with me until April. As we look August in the face, he has been here much longer than expected. He was going to stop at Wal*Mart Sunday for more plastic storage bins for packing his things, but due to the rain, he didn't go. His feet slide around too much in flip flops when they are wet. No cardboard boxes for us, we have learned that lesson the hard way!

Justin enjoyed his birthday weekend by watching the opening of the Olympics on Friday night, and being treated to the Jax Sharks game on Saturday night. He stayed overnight at his friends' house that night but got my car home for me to get to church on Sunday. 

Last night, he went to his friend, Jesse's,  house for dinner where Pam made him a wonderful birthday cake. His favorite flavor of confetti cake, three layers high, and decorated with gummy life savers, M&M's, and fruit rolls ups. Oh, my! It is just delicious, having brought home over half of this cake. Think I must go and have a slice as my nightcap!

Job across the miles

Saturday morning in our usual chat, Linda J. asked me if I had watched/listened to any of the Bible study on the book of Job. This study is taking place in Mishicot, WI which is a suburb of Shoto, where I have attended Bible study in the flesh. Truthfully, I had sort of forgotten about it, though my intentions were otherwise. 

After letting Linda go to ready her home for a former pastor and his family who were staying with them over the weekend, I found the church's website and laid back to study Job. At first, it brought tears because in my picture eyes, as Justin would say, I could visualize the ladies at their tables with Bibles opened and worksheets in front of them. The video option did not open on my little laptop so I opted to listen. 

Kathy comes through loud and clear, leading the class. At times I think I could hear Linda answer a question or offer a comment. More often I could hear the little ones who came with their moms making a bit of a racket in the back of the room. Linda said the microphone is quite sensitive so picks up the sounds of the room. 

For over two hours I listened in and absorbed so much from these first couple of sessions. These ladies have been studying in some depth other Old Testament books including Genesis, Ecclesiastes, and others. 

Kathy's late husband, a pastor and missionary to Africa, left many notes and studies behind which are extremely helpful in putting the studies together. The students are knowledgable and do not get to answer questions with the pat answers, because they know better than that!

I learned more about Job and the history of 'his story' in those two hours than I ever knew. So appreciative for the Internet and its allowing me to be 'distance taught' in the form of Bible studies and listening to church services. That is how I roll! And some people wonder why I need this computer in front of me at all times....This is but one reason!

New friends in the same club

In Ecclesiastes we are told there is nothing new under the sun, but yesterday, I made some new friends in the sun, at the pool. Yes, I know what the Scriptures meant and it came true with my new friends. 

Friday I hit it off nicely with Mark and Jackie, with whom Lee had been visiting before I came out. On Friday evening  Linda J. and I were "chatting" on FB about taking a cruise in November, post-election. Only in the pondering phase right now. Well, yesterday, my new friends mentioned going on a cruise in November so I asked if it was the National Review cruise. Mark said it was not, but the NR one sounded good, too. Aha, a man after my own heart!

His opinion was that these conservative columnists and authors would not be the most exciting party people to cruise with but I said that if Linda and I were there, they would be! This would be true if they were early morning people, like we are! We can tear it up before 10:00 a.m. and then nap time for us...Yes, it was a valid point Mark made, but the reason for going would be for "reason", not necessarily partying!

As our little pool session was drawing to a close (for them!), Mark said he has be home in time to watch "The Five". Lee gestured my direction with her thumb, indicating the same is true for me. I had less a commute, though, to get home. These folks were going to work out just fine!

Today, when I got to the pool, Mark and Jackie were already there, having just taken delivery of their meals. I got into the pool instead of ordering lunch because of eating a later breakfast of sausage with toast. Lee was not to be seen all day. 

Before getting in, though, I stopped at the table where Gigi was seated and got some information from her. The 'young' man who used to live in the apartments near the pool was hospitalized and I needed his location. Zach was a hairdresser, and would compliment me on my summer hair, the highlights God adds with the sun. "Girl, you have the best hair!", he would gush. 

Gigi told me last weekend that he was very ill, was in Hospice care, not long for this world. Tracy, my downstairs neighbor, had gotten to know Zach as the caring neighbor who had checked in on MamMa when she yet lived in her apartment, so I let her know his situation. But, I had no name or real location for his Hospice but got that from Gigi and texted it to Tracy. I hope she finds him before it's too late.

As Mark, Jackie, and I visited in the pool, I was telling about Justin learning to drive, what a nightmare it was until I got him into Driver's Ed. After all my cautions to the teacher, he still took Justin on the freeway on the first time out!! They asked how come he was so old before learning to drive and I explained that he knew he was not invincible due to the death of his brother. Mark and Jackie reported that they also had lost a son, at age 23, only seven years ago. He was killed in a single vehicle motorcycle accident. As we talked, Mark said what I have often said to other parents: "We belong to a club we had no intention of joining."

I just knew I was going to like these folks and now we have that in common as well. Jackie told about how wonderful it was to have his viewing and service (Roman Catholic), how helpful it was. She journaled for the first year after her son died which really helped her to cope. I asked if she would ever put it into book form and she told me she tore it up some time ago, so her daughter wouldn't see it. Jackie might regret that but at the time, she felt it was right.

Jackie also mentioned how people who don't have funerals really miss an important part of the healing. If she wouldn't have been so sun burned, I would have hugged her! They reported how much they learned about their son from his friends, how he was the glue of this group of young folks and how much he meant to them. 

One young woman expressed concern that Ryan's parents would blame her for his death, as he was on the way to see her when he died. Of course, they didn't blame anyone for it, but that is a game 'we' play, that Satan plays with us. As believers, they know the 'reason for the hope that we have...' and I love it that they shared their story with me, on only the second day of our hopefully long friendship!

I think I am lacking something

Last night after our birthday dinner, Justin and I went to Publix at the Town Center Mall so he could get the things he needed for his treat. He was going to make individual sized lasagnas using wonton wrappers and the other ingredients usually used for such a dish. The bad news was---we could not find the wrappers. Up and down the aisles of the store, looking everywhere they could possibly be. Either this store did not carry them, or they were out. Instead of the wrappers, then, we took lasagna noodles, to make them work. 

Once home, that poor boy went right to bed. Justin was dog tired after his long day at work in the heat. So much so that he did not open his birthday presents---now THAT'S tired! He had an early start this morning and got home sometime mid-afternoon today. I didn't see him because I was at the pool.

After cleaning himself up, Justin immediately got busy in the kitchen making his treat for tonight. He is taking these mini-lasagnas to his friend's house where they are gathering to watch the opening of the Olympics. More about that later. 

                     

It smelled wonderful when I came up from the pool---sausage and hamburger cooking, marinara sauce---plus water boiling for the noodles. I had stopped at the mail box and saw a package which I had been waiting for had arrived. I didn't want him to see it so I came in from the front door and quickly tossed the package under the table in the foyer, to be wrapped later. 

Justin asked for my help with his creation, which was no help at all, since the fragments of lasagna noodles weren't working the way he wanted. I told him how Lee told me she buys these wrappers at Winn Dixie so off he went to WD to see if they had some. Yup, they did! In no time at all he had them put together just the way he wished them to.

Now we have cooked lasagna noodles in the fridge along with extra ingredients which were not needed. I can put it together in some sort of casserole or other delight, some day. He is off to Ron's with his special appetizer to share with the gang as they watch the opening ceremonies.

I, on the other hand, am not so caught up with the ceremonies. For a little while I switched back and forth between a rerun of "House" and the ceremonies, catching the portion where the Queen and Prince made their entrance. Justin is all about the Olympics and I won't take that away from him one little bit. 

He and I were in NYC years ago when the decision had not yet been made for where they would be held, and NYC was still in the running. The TV ads promoting the City to the Olympic committee were amazing and we were so disappointed that London was chosen instead of New York. His father had told Justin he would take him to London to see the Olympics but things changed dramatically since the Committee decision was made, and the trip offered. So, he can watch them on TV or on the Internet instead. With lasagna treats to boot!

It's Justin's birthday!!!

            

This photo of Justin was taken when he was 13 months old. If his feet were showing, likely you would see his little blue and white saddle shoes which were his trademark until he started school, I think. At St. Johns, the kids had to wear black dress shoes so the cute saddle shoes were done. He was dressed like Little Lord Fauntleroy when he was younger.

Such a cute little boy he was! Terri T. gave me this photo of Justin, with his "Chip Off The Old Block" t-shirt.  (His father's shirt had "Old Block" on it, in the shape of a cheese block.) This was taken at church, with what appears to be a clown (on the right) with Chris Wolfle, the  Smith grandsons, one of the Almeda girls, and Julie Harris.

Justin's graduation pictures, taken in the 'borrowed' tuxedo from the photography studio. All the boys had to wear the same style of tux. We had such good laughs that day, as the harder we tried to be serious, the more we giggled. What could have been a stressful thing for him turned out to be memorable in other ways, for which I am grateful.

Justin graduated in June of 2006 with his ceremony taking place at The Thrasher Horne Center of the Arts. Our friend from church, Joe Z., wanted to take a look at the diploma, to make sure it was signed. Justin was honored to have Joe attend the ceremony for him, as well as the party held the following Saturday. We remember Joe having such a good time talking to folks, except he had trouble engaging "the older gentleman sitting at the table..." That gentleman turned out to be my father-in-law, who was the same age as Joe!

A couple years after they graduated, Justin's classmate, Olivia, a friend of our family's, participated in the local debutante event. That summer, Justin and I were invited to a number of the parties the parents threw for their daughters. This photo was taken at one of the parties held at the Orange Park Country Club. 

This photo is from April when my friends, the Schwarz's, were here visiting. You might note his hair style is changed yet again. I told him he could wear his hair any way he wished after he graduated from St. Johns (strict grooming rules there) so he eventually grew his hair out to his shoulders. He even scared small boys with this look but his hair was so beautiful. Eventually he has gotten shorter and shorter with at times sporting a buzz cut when Jesse and he cut each others hair. 

Now he is right back to his high school look, still gorgeous hair but far less frightening to small boys! (When he wore it long, a little boy in church whispered to his mama, "He looks like Jesus...") Not anymore, now we can focus on his face! Happy birthday, Lamby!

Dinner with friends

This morning, I chatted with Linda J. before she left for work but after she had done a workout. I love beginning my day in conversation with my friend, and sometimes with a couple of my sisters as their days are getting underway. And then, to the pool for some more conversation!

Last week I didn't go out one day for some reason (probably because it was cloudy!) and one friend sent me a message later saying she missed me, and telling me how quiet it was that day...They doze in the water exercise class when I am not there, I guess. Maureen M. is one of my new pool friends, but not so new as her family has come to the pool for years. Now, her youngest is old enough to not need all her attention so she can enjoy time with the grown-ups. We enjoy her as well!

My other friends, Hugh and Maureen O., left Friday for a drive to Chicago to help their son and daughter-in-law with a move. Denny is not doing well health-wise so extra hands are appreciated, especially those of his parents who are so gifted. Hugh is my go-to guy when I have a problem here and Maureen keeps every one organized around the tables at happy hour. I tease that she was in charge of the deck chairs on the Titanic!

Before Hugh and Maureen left, I asked them to let Denny know I asked about him. A couple years ago they had told me about his health problems and such, so when I finally met him (his friend and he came down to see the shuttle launch, on his Bucket List!), he thanked me for my prayers.

 

Today I got an e-mail from him, telling me again how much he appreciates my good wishes and prayers. His parents speak highly of me, he told me, and his sign-off handle is Prayer Warrior. He is my age and has suffered for many years with various cancers and such. I am glad his folks are there to help him out, but I am also looking forward to their return!

Back to the pool---after our exercise class 9 of us stayed to have lunch, ordered from the dining room. Laura, the young life guard and waitress, took care of us, as Marlena was 'off the clock'. Lee had come to class and I was glad to see her again. I know she would have liked to talk but with many people around, it is not very easy. Perhaps tomorrow in the afternoon we can get together. She missed pool time because life had given her some *&%# recently. Oh my!

Marlena was coming up in the afternoon to do some tidying so I had to excuse myself to get back up here to get things ready for her. She is coming back again just prior to Mom and Lynn's arrival to do the bathrooms and whatever needs doing but for today, dusting. Justin is also taking care of some of the making ready for our guests, as we yet wait for the new air bed to arrive. I got a notice that it will be delivered 8-3-12, which is plenty of time in advance of their arrival.

Justin was working with his father today, doing lots of errand running and such. In an air conditioned vehicle instead of mowing lawns and trimming hedges all day, should be a breeze! He gets tired when driving like that, though, which is typical. 

Justin was not coming straight home after work as there was going to be an office celebration of sorts at Whitey's to rejoice over some contracts being signed. Yay! Prayers answered!!! He half-way expected it to be a surprise birthday party for him under the guise of this celebration....but, no, it was not. 

Instead, then, when he got home, we went to Aron's to have some dinner. Justin was hungry for some calzone and the nice waitress knew in advance that I was having the small Stromboli. Love having things like this happen---dining with friends!