In recovery mode...

Last night, rather, late afternoon, Linda and I drove to the airport in intermittent rain. It was misty if nothing else...just plain unpleasant, the way the weather was for most of Linda's visit. This is quite disappointing but entirely out of our hands. After she was deposited at the airport and I had regained control of myself, I called my mom. As I drove and talked, I was in sunshine. That is just wrong! Sunshine? Are you kidding me???  We did have a nice pseudo-sunrise yesterday morning, and below is the sky that greeted me today.

This morning I went over to Victory for Bible study, again talking with Mom on the phone. We always seem to have something to talk about. As I arrived at church and hung up with Mom, I saw a text message had arrived from my friend, Kathy H., who stays in my building. She had wanted to get together with Linda (Kathy had been out of town until last night), but I reported that Linda had already gone home. No worries, though, because we can still have lunch even if Linda has left. So, we met up at Pengrees to catch up with each other's news and just hang out. She keeps her mom company most days but Betty takes a nice rest around lunch time so Kathy is free to go! Loved seeing her again and having something to do so I wouldn't feel too sorry for myself this 'day after'...

Tonight Justin and I are having pizza from Papa Johns, the official pizza for the Jaguars. He gets coupons and special offers because of being a season ticket holder. We will be enjoying the Jaguar's pizza while watching the Packer game which comes on at 8:30. Justin already knows he won't be able to stay up to see the end of the game due to its late end time but we are excited to see as much as we can before bedtime. I am prepared for some 'smack talk' from my friends who are, sadly, MN Viking fans. I do have something good to say about that team, which annoys Mike S. when I pay the compliment: they sure do have pretty outfits!  Go Pack, Go!!!!

The fastest week ever!

Linda is gone....at this moment she is flying between Atlanta and Milwaukee, hoping to lie down in her own bed well before midnight. Justin was comforting me when he got home from work, knowing how I get after my company goes home, but I was doing much better by the time he got home. Listening to my radio programs sure helped.  I saw a sign one day with the reminder to not mourn what is gone, but rather to rejoice over what we had. I will do just that!

This morning as I was yet lying on my bed, I watched a thin red line form along the horizon, hopeful for a sunrise for Linda's last morning here. The line grew as I watched from my room, and Linda from the river room. My phone went off which was surprising at this hour---my friend, Anne H., was calling me to make sure Linda was up to see the sunrise. Anne had caught of glimpse of the colored sky in her rear view mirror as she made her way to work and thought immediately of Linda!! I just have the best friends! I flew from the bed to make sure Linda was seeing it, and she was. At last, a sky with a color other than grey! 

Linda had her bags about 90% packed for her return home before we went to Great Hang Ups so she could see the photography show in which my piece is showing. We had seen Julia briefly when we dined at Saigon Tokyo (Koko's) on Tuesday night. Julia was picking up the soup du jour for her dinner. We then promised to pop in the shop the next day, which we did. Unfortunately we missed seeing Dee as she was doing a take-in for a show elsewhere in the forenoon. Linda snooped around in the shop for a bit and we visited briefly with Julia, and then headed back home. 

Linda's lunch was her leftovers from Koko's, the shrimp and fried rice, while I had a baked potato left from last week's dinner at The Club. I don't know what makes their baked potatoes taste so good, but they do. And even a half one is a meal in itself! Justin and I will have our leftovers tonight for dinner, enough yet for each of us a full meal. That's why I don't fuss about the prices at Koko's---two meals, at least, for the price of one!

We kept busy with our machines until it was time to head to the airport. She had booked her travel according to avoiding rush hour traffic for me coming back. She did good! Or, rather, Tommy did! She got checked in at the curb and got her boarding pass, arranged for the wheelchair, with her letting me know she was positioned at her gate. It was a tearful good-bye for me, as I held them in as best I could as I drove off. 

As always, we have words leftover (a Justinism that applies to us!) and we will be meeting online perhaps tomorrow morning, or for sure tomorrow evening for The Five. In the meantime, Justin and I will get her room turned around and made ready for our next houseguests who will be here at the end of next week. I miss her already!

A full couple of days

On Monday, we fully expected to be attending Bible study but that was not to be. Pastor was offering a stewardship session for some folks who only had Mondays available. Nuts!! But, as Judy said, just because we aren't having Bible study it doesn't mean we can't have lunch. So four of us did just that.

Before Linda arrived, I had talked to Justin about where to take her this visit, which restaurants or types of foods we'd not tried. I thought about Mojo's BBQ or even Sonny's, just kicking that idea around. Sure enough, at Michael's suggestion, we went to Sonny's where they offer a Senior's Special at lunch time. I asked the waitress if she would let me order at that price and she said she would, since I am not yet 62 or older. We each got a meat, two sides, bread, and our drinks for $6.99. That can't be beat! Linda again grabbed the ticket and paid for my meal. She is the best!

We added my leftovers to the collection in the fridge, which we had for dinner that night. Justin joined us for dinner on Monday evening, again a bountiful array of leftovers to be enjoyed. I re-arranged some of the stuff into smaller dishes in order to squeeze it all into fridge. Eating it up at dinner doesn't hurt either.

Tonight we went to Koko's (Saigon Tokyo) and enjoyed a wonderful meal. They are so good to us there, can't be beat for customer service. Justin and Linda tried 'Tracy's Tuesday special' which was hot 'n sour soup. I was fine with some wontons but that means most of my dinner came home with me, of course. All three of us brought some food home and we have one more day with Linda, to eat it. 

I nearly forgot to mention that Nancy W. called to see if wanted to have breakfast at Grumpy's this a.m. Twice in a week I have felt Grumpy! We picked her up and off we went, this being her first time seeing Linda on this visit. After our nice breakfast, we stopped at Goodwill because Nancy had reported seeing rubber stamps on the shelf there. None were to be found but Linda did take some Halloween-style costumes for her granddaughters to use for dress up play when they come to her house. Such fun for them.  

Linda and I watched another movie, one I've seen before, called "Everybody's Fine". It was kind of hard to watch, though I knew what was coming in it, and it has a somewhat happy ending. I really like it, and hope Linda will too, once she's had time to soak it in. Good night all!

Pictures from Oktoberfest

This is a shot of one side of the table, with me posting behind Linda. From left is Fran (her hubby, Rick, is out of the picture), Cynthia, Linda, me, and Phyl (Cynthia's husband) 

This photos show our laden table with Mark and Patty on my right, then Ollavan sitting next to Nancy M. with Bill and Bob sitting at the kids' table. 

Besides the dishes Linda, Justin, and I made our guests brought food to share. Rick and Fran brought pork loin which he had smoked; Phyl and Cindy brought German chocolate cupcakes; Bob brought a German chocolate cake; Bill and Nancy brought brats which were cooked on the grille; Ollavan brought creamed spinach and red cabbage with pork; and Patty 'n Mark brought cheese soup with homemade pretzel rods to dip in them. Oh my goodness, was that ever good!!  We had plenty of cabbage in various forms, pork, desserts. It was a fantastic night!!!

A football day

This morning Linda and I went to Bible study and worship. Everyone was glad to see Linda again, and she distributed the hugs she brought from Mom. Ethel is still traveling so Linda didn't get to see her this time. After worship, our group went to Chili's for lunch, like usual. The nice manager, Katie, put the Packer game on for us to watch while we ate. Sadly, I had misread the TV Guide online and thought it was on national TV today, but, alas, I was wrong. At least we got to see the 1st quarter!

Linda has been hoping and hoping for a lovely sunrise, and this is as close as we can get here this visit. We'll take it!

When we got home after lunch, we added our to-go boxes to the already bulging refrigerator which is laden with last night's leftovers. I couldn't get everything into the dishwasher when we cleaned up after the gathering so I did another load today. Normally don't care to leave a messy kitchen but I made an exception, because we were tired! Linda and I each watched the Packer game on our laptops, not live but on their website, where one can follow sort of play-by-play. The Packers beat their nemesis, the Bears, 13-10!  

Just before the game ended Michael sent me a text message saying they were showing the end of the Packer game after a previous game so we caught that. And then the Jaguar game came on. At first the game was going well, the Jags tied with the Chargers at the half....well, that was the end of the scoring. Thankfully the coaches put in the rookie QB which was a good thing, even though they didn't score again with him. Linda and I enjoyed leftover for dinner, a regular smorgasbord of delights, to make up for the sad football game. At least, I was sad...

For our entertainment we watched a movie I'd borrowed from my neighbor, Kathy H. "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is the title. I had seen the previews for the sequel when last at the movies and wanted to see this one first. Now I am ready for the next movie. Some said they didn't care for it, but I really liked it, and think Linda did, too. It was good day of rest --- starting at church and ending on the sofa!

We started out Grumpy!

This morning Linda and I went to have breakfast at Grumpy's, which we like to do at least once when she's here. We got there early enough to not have to wait for a table. I got some razzing from the staff because there were only two of us today (I guess I usually come with a group or something) but that's part of the charm there. Again, Linda grabbed the bill. It's another grumpy day but at least we had some Grumpy's!

I have to back up a bit---on Thursday Linda and I stopped at Publix for a few things for the Oktoberfest dinner which is tonight. She and I worked on our creations some yesterday and last night so we don't have to do it all today. That would wear me out, so I pace myself. Linda made pumpkin bars which she is frosting with cream cheese frosting, plus sauerkraut with pork cut into it, and then, as an after-thought, pumpkin dip for ginger snaps. I am making German potato salad. 

So, today, after our Grumpy breakfast, we stopped once more at the store for a few items for tonight and then got busy in the kitchen. We took turns working on our recipes, and Justin joined the fun as well, making his delicious cooked cabbage, at my request. We ladies did some work, and then sat down, do some work and then sat down, so as not to tax ourselves too much. It was a wonderful rhythm. 

I have the tables dressed, asking Justin to put up a 'kids' table' at the end of the dining table so we can all sit at once. It looks a little tacky but I want us all to dine together. Nancy W. let me know she could not make it, having double-booked herself for a friend's birthday celebration. Nuts! I will miss her and the treat she was bringing---bacon wrapped hot dogs! Yum!  Now we rest until it's time for people to arrive....I'm so excited!!

Let's have a tea party!

Today our group of ladies met at Basketique/Over the Second Cup Tea Room for lunch. A feast for the eyes and the tummies!

 Our table settings

Appetizers and strawberry soup first course

Second course of delights including the 'walking salad' of a lettuce leaf wrapped around pickled carrot and asparagus, which is wrapped in prosciutto ham and Swiss cheese. And I love it!

 Here are the more filling sandwiches and main course foods including chicken salad in tortes, pumpkin bread rolled in pecans, deviled eggs, and other treats I cannot recall. I eat them all except the eggs---there, I draw the line! I also drink one cup of tea, as required by the hostess, and then she gives me Diet Coke in a lovely tea cup!

 Here's Linda and her matching soup

 Terri and Betty digging in

 Here is Judy! 

Our group picture of Terri, Betty, Linda, me, and Judy, taken by Pat. 

Terri was working from home today so she could allot the time to meet us for lunch. It was wonderful, just wonderful! Pat, the proprietress, did not have muffeletta on hand for Linda so arranged to ship it to her home once it came in. Such good customer service for Linda!