This morning is not nearly as nippy as yesterday’s was, presently 44 above zero just after dawn. My friend, Jennifer, has become a den mother and was camping overnight with her little scouts. Oh, I can hardly imagine anything less enjoyable than sleeping outside or not in the comfort of one’s home on such a cold night.
In watching the news this a.m. I realized that “oops!”, I missed a debate last night. How did that happen? Usually I am on top of these things and really would have liked to have seen this one, based on foreign policy questions. Last week’s was about the economy and folks are discussing that debate even yet.
Before I forget, I have to report my delicious dinner from last night. When at Longhorn with Martie for dinner Thursday, I ordered the smaller cut rib-eye with a sweet potato. About half of each item came home with me for another meal. I had the brainstorm to reheat those leftovers plus a potato baked last weekend in the oven. In my stone baking pan (Pampered Chef product) after putting some olive oil in the bottom, I laid the steak and opened the potatoes. The oven was set for less than 300 degrees and I covered the dish with foil, reheating for about an hour. Perfection!! The meat was tender and needed no steak knife to cut it. When the microwave reheats it, the meat is tougher and loses some of its flavor, it seems. This other way of reheating was just dandy and warmed the house a little bit at the same time!
When Joanne lived with me, her favorite dinner to make, often at 9:30 pm, was to layer raw veggies and fingerling potatoes in a jelly roll pan, bathe them in olive oil and seasoning, and then baking them. Oh my goodness, did that ever smell delicious!?! It would make quite a portion, and while she offered to share, I never accepted. What a meal that made for her!
Monday when I was going to Ladies’ Group, I noticed that Joanne’s car was parked in the same place it had been for several days, appearing to have not moved. Since in the past, it happened that she would end up in the hospital with some strangle malady and not let me know right away. I called and got the answering machine, so I left a message expressing my concern for her and her car. In a few minutes she called back, not yet hearing the message. I told her I was wondering if she was alright, since her car had not moved and she was moved that I cared enough to call. She was in Atlanta visiting her sisters, and was headed to Ohio to spend time with her daughters. She had left the car there in case her daughter, Christine, needed to use it. It did not occur for me to ask why she was down here since Christine lives in Ohio….hmmmm….I need to have an extended conversation with Joanne, not one cut short by Ladies’ Group!
This morning’s e-mail brought an announcement from Amazon informing me of a new book published about Hemingway, letters he had written prior to 1920, I believe. I am half through reading “On Paris” which is a compilation of essays or articles he wrote when living there in the very early 1920’s, after WWI. He tells how cheaply Americans (USA and Canadians) can live there due to the strong dollar, estimating getting by on $1000 a year for a decent existence, as long as they stayed away from the tourist hotels and restaurants. That tickled me as I recall Justin and me sitting at the bistro in Florence, enjoying our $9 Diet Cokes and sharing a treat of strawberries with cream. It cost me $36 but I would not have missed it for the world!
Another reason Florence was on my mind is because Marlena came over yesterday when she was done working at The Club. She is going to do the dusting for me prior to ThanksLiving and my CHRISTmas party for the Ladies’ Group. Her hours have been cut, though that is cutting off one’s nose to spite their face, if you ask me, since she is such a vital employee there. She is quite ambitious and has the best interest of The Club at heart, not like some of the others that work there. If I still was a business owner, I would want a roomful of such people as she!
Anyway, she asked me if I needed any cleaning done and since I am having two events rather close together, I gladly accepted her offer. She came over to size the job, not her first visit here, and again expressed her love for my chandelier. And she really loves the glass flowers and vase that Justin gave me for CHRISTmas that year, too, which he matched to the chandelier. The other day I was admiring the two little amphoras he gave me and he said, “I did all my shopping on e-Bay that year…” It is so great that he knows what will tickle my fancy in that fashion.
Usually he struggles with what to get his father for gifts but Thursday, when Victory was all set up for their yard sale which takes place in the church, he found something right off the bat. Since the items were not yet priced, Judy A. just threw out a price to us, and I paid it. I know it seems odd for me to be buying it, but I know how Justin agonizes over these things otherwise. Having something just right and at a good price, and helping the church, well, it had to be done!
When they were taking in items for the sale, Ed, Judy A.’s hubby, sent me a message via Facebook reporting an “Italianesqe” piece of art someone had donated. He put it on the side for me to look at when there for Bible study. It was perfect and would have gone great in my dining room, but I did not take it. First of all, the size was large and secondly, it very closely mirrored the mural already in the dining room so would have been redundant. I have my own art not yet hung and it didn’t make sense to bring in another piece. It pleased me, though, that he knew what I would like and set it aside for me to view. It was almost like being there, the Italian countryside. For now, my travel will take place through my scrapbooks while sitting in my dining room!
This morning I awoke before the sun did, the first time since day light savings ended. Often I have troubles with the setting forward or backward of the clock hands but this one went far smoother. It was not a bad thing to be awake in time to see the sunrise, not at all!
When I walked out to the kitchen for my soda, it did not feel horribly cold in the rooms but I did notice again that my ceiling fans are running in the river room and family room. They are quite unnecessary, and think I will pull the strings the next time I venture through. No need to waste the electricity, especially since the temps dropped to the low 30’s overnight. I do not usually watch local news but did catch the weather last night on one network, where the meteorologist said the temps were dropping by 25 degrees overnight. (I just pulled my blankets up around me without even thinking about it!)
My doctor appointment went well on Thursday and my scrips have been refilled. My doctor, whose name is House, no kidding, is such a kind man. And a good salesman, as he has convinced me to get a flu shot. The only other flu shot I have had was when I worked at Shady Lane Home when it was mandatory for swine flu, I believe. He is also the man who convinced me to take the cholesterol-lowering medication when he told me he had outlived his father and grandfather, who had both died in their early 60’s from heart disease, and credited Lipitor for extending his life. What endeared him to me was his remark, “If my wife would let me, I would walk through the house eating a stick of butter!”
He also apologized to me for the high cost of medical procedures (i.e. colonoscopies) which he estimated cost me about $1000. I said, “Yes, times 7!” “Oh, my!” When he said I had not had blood work done in a couple years, I pulled out my paperwork from LifeLine Screening, which has been shared with them at the doctor office every time. I told him I get the testing done there because it is cheaper, but he remarked that some info he needed was not tested for.
He was then informed that the last time I went for the full course of blood work the doctor ordered, it cost me over $500 and again he apologized. And asked, “What kind of insurance do you have???” I expressed my dismay about this because that is part of the reason why pricing is so outrageous, when we think cost doesn’t matter if insurance pays for it. He said he knows how much those tests should cost, like $50 or so, and the rest is overhead or otherwise. So, he agreed to only order three tests for my blood in January, bare minimum with the rest of the information coming from LifeLine Screening. And the plus is doing the lab work now in the office again, which I really like. They had done this years ago and was quite convenient.
I complimented his medical assistant, telling him how nice she was and seemed compassionate. He told me there had been another turn-over of staffing recently and I remarked that this seems to happen a lot in this practice. He said he has nothing to do with the staffing, and in fact, he is an employee himself. It does not really affect me since I usually only go twice a year, and would only go once, if I had my way!
Martie and I went to dinner on Thursday evening, meeting at Longhorn in Argyle, my Monday place. We had not seen each other since September, the day of Marian’s memorial service. Much has happened for her since, including going to PA to nurse her sister, June, to health after some respiratory/heart problems requiring hospitalization. While there, her hubby had health problems back home so Martie cut her trip short to get back to Ernie. He is okay now, had to increase a medication he takes. She is working lots lately, being the only employee in the office besides the boss, which why it’s hard for us to get together sometimes. She insists she needs to try harder so I set up a schedule for us, including Dinner and a Movie for next week!
Yesterday began early with the “Meet, Eat, and Play” event at The Club, the fourth time we are doing it. I am in charge of the game, and those who wish to play have breakfast first. This time I had a great breakfast with my favorite person of all---me! No one else showed up to either meet, eat, or play so I was showered with all the attention. I also did not get to play Trivial Pursuit. Instead I came home to do some writing before meeting Betty and Robin C. for lunch. Such a life!
Betty loves Longhorn so once more, my 3rd time in a week, I enjoyed their menu. Makes for great leftovers for when I eat at home---like today! Betty had a birthday in late October but we ladies had a tough time finding a date we could gather. In fact, we had to go ahead without Brenda as she was working this Friday, which is fantastic for her. We sat and visited for hours, and when we parted, Robin said we must not let so much time pass between these gatherings. I agree, and that’s twice in two days that someone said that to me. We really must do this more often!!!
Last evening, right outside my windows, I heard the roar of a helicopter flying VERY close. Twice it zoomed from behind the building from the west and rattled my windows, causing me to leap to my feet to see what was going on. The third time, I was prepared with my camera in hand and took this photo of it hovering just over the surface.
This is normally done further out in the deeper water and not near the shore, and made me think that it’s finally happened---the black helicopters are here!!! First, the government taking over the airwaves on Wednesday and now, the helicopters circling…
Putting aside my conspiracy theories for a moment, I found out today there was a wedding going on at The Club, a pilot of a helo, and his buddies came by to give him a ‘salute’! Now that makes sense and has me breathing a sigh of relief! All is well with the world…
When I was in Wal*Mart the other day, the music of the season greeted me. No, not patriotic music, but rather music for the ‘holidays’. I cannot even tell you what I heard, only that it seemed wrong to me. One of my friends posted a picture of a sign on the door at a Nordstrom’s indicating they would NOT be playing Christmas music or decorating until after Thanksgiving. If we had a Nordstrom’s here, they would be my store of choice simply for taking that stand!
Of course, the store Tuesday was fully decorated and the shelves filled with gift ideas and the ingredients for cookie baking. I wish my sister, Lynn, lived closer to me so we could bake together. She used to be quite a baker, and she probably still is. It would just be more fun to bake with someone; at least it was when I was still married. Thinking about those good sugar cookies from Copp’s right now!
Coca Cola has begun an ad campaign which really irritates me and if I were not so hopelessly fond of their product, I would abstain in opposition. The campaign is to bring attention to the polar bears, which have been their sort of mascot over the years. Evidently someone in the company found it to be a good marketing move to focus on the “plight” of polar bears, although there is none! Jackie would love this---I do not! Some reports show the bear population to be at ‘near historic highs’, which the global warming activists really hate to know.
I am rejoicing at once again getting some dandy customer service, this time from Delta Airlines. If anyone recalls, it took me three airplanes to get out of Atlanta (“I’d rather go to jail than go to Atlanta!” to quote my friends, the Jachimstals’), last May when traveling to WI. At the gate, when leaving the 2nd plane, the desk attendant handed out vouchers for what were to be valued at $100. There was nothing on it indicating a value or a redemption number, which the airline is now requesting in order to make my CHRISTmas travel plans. In sending e-mails forth and back, I have been provided a redemption voucher code to use for purchasing the next tickets. Hopefully I am not praising them too far in advance of actually making the travel plans but at least I have a number to start with!
Yesterday I did some on-line shopping for my nephew, Gabe’s, birthday. Lisa said he needed some pajamas and liked non-fiction books. When I asked her, via Facebook chat, if he liked Star Wars at all, she wrote back “YES!!!” I remember how obsessed Justin was with Star Wars when he was younger and was glad to know this for Gabe. At Wal*Mart.com I found the pj’s and an encyclopedia for S.W. which I am sure he will love, since he is a fan of science. That’s why I asked about the S.W. in the first place, knowing he liked science. Wish I could see him when he gets his delivery, watch his face. Guess I will wait until CHRISTmas to watch him open his presents then! So hard to believe he will be 8….
Last week I went to get my nails done, including having my hands tended, and today, they look wretched. The polish is chipped and peeling off already. Julia, my friend, when I pointed them out to her, suggested I get the gel-type coating like her mom gets but such a treatment requires follow-up visits and I am too parsimonious to do that every couple weeks. The young lady was going to order a bottle of the polish for me so I could make repairs as needed but I don’t think I can wait for it to come in.
These nails need to be taken care of promptly, but not before I leave for my doctor appointment. I hate having to go in but the medical folks won’t refill prescriptions without seeing me in between. What is them seeing me going to show that a phone call will not? If anything changed, I would have already called them!
Only moments ago I ‘hung up’ with Linda J. with whom I was chatting via Facebook. I am in search of an ‘old’ Catechism from my school days. She said she has a rather beat up one at home, matching the description of the cover I gave her. When she has a moment, Linda is going to get me the publishing information and so on in order for me to find one on-line somewhere.
In checking e-Bay, there sure are a lot of catechisms out there, but I am not sure if they are the one I am looking for, especially if there is no photo provided. I believe it was issued in the 1940’s, using the King James Version, of course, and then was revised some years later, with ‘updates’. My friend, Betty S., loaned me her daughter’s catechism which was published by Concordia Publishing House. The wording on the explanations is a bit different than I learned, or remember!, and this edition was released in 1965 with the words “Slightly revised” listed with the date. The search is on!
It is early yet and already I have been outside. Connie called from downstairs, wondering if I was going to Bible study this a.m. Don’t do that to me!!! All of a sudden I thought the days were mixed up or something, but, no, it is only Wednesday. What she actually wanted was for me to move my car so she can trim the trees and bushes in front of my car. Talk about a sweat breaking out for a moment!
The weather is relatively pleasant outside, and glorious inside, sitting here in the sun. Every year I think about getting a thermometer for my room but Justin seems to think it would not be a good idea for me to have one. That means I should, in my opinion! Perhaps he is of the opinion that he does not want to know how insufferably hot it gets in my room!
Monday evening was Ladies’ Group at church. The traffic was already getting to seem like Christmas, it takes on a certain ‘aire’ along the route I follow. Others mentioned, too, how ridiculous it was getting there, coming from every direction. And it’s not even Veteran’ Day yet! At least I allowed enough time and got there with three minutes to spare, walking in with the President and the VP. Not bad!
Both Pastor and our Elder were tied up in a meeting, therefore, were not available for us, resulting in our meeting just zooming along. Many plans for future events were either confirmed or arranged. I presented the upcoming social outings in the works, and the names of the new officers put into place. For the upcoming year, I will be known as the Queen of Ladies’ Group or Madam President. Twila really is not up to it, besides being horribly busy with her rentals, her health is not what it should be. It is my honor to relieve her of this job, though there really is not all that much to it besides the monthly meetings.
The first group event we have coming up is the Clay County Christmas production at Thrasher-Horne Center. I have gone every year since it began and watched it get better and better. The show features local talents including choruses, the Clay County Band, theatrical groups from schools, and culminates with the reading of Luke 2 by a pastor. As he reads and my upstairs neighbor, Donna, plays her flute in the background, a live nativity is acted out on stage. Another of my neighbors, Judee, has appeared in previous years as part of the nativity, and likely will again this year. Thus far only three people have signed up to go and I have the cut-off date of Nov. 15 in order for us to get decent seating. I hope we can at least have a half dozen folks who wish to join me for this event!
In many forms, I had sunshine in my life today, not the least of which was the one shining on my desk and me this morning. It’s been several days without sunshine and it was greatly missed.
The other sunshine enjoyed was my visit to see my friends at Great Hang Ups. When I got to the shop, there were clients at the counter buying a mess of pottery made by Julia and her husband. The lady was buying ‘locally’ for Christmas, which is something many are pushing toward. I did a bit of shopping there, too, while I was at it!
Dee was just about to leave to pick up lunch and asked me to ride with her as she wanted to talk. We went to her car, removed a few pieces of paper from the passenger seat, and I reached to move a satchel on the floor to put my purse down. Oh my goodness! Under the bag was a tipped over bottle of gesso, soaking her car mat, the computer bag, and even got on my purse. I did not realize my purse had gesso on it at first and set it on the leather seat---yikes!
Gesso got everywhere, but fortunately it is water soluble. Dee quickly went back into the shop to get toweling and cleaner, with me hot on her heels. I was not all that concerned about my purse as it is tough looking already but was hoping her mat and computer bag would come clean. She hosed off the mat behind the store and used wipers to clean almost all the gesso off our stuff. It looks like shoe polish, used to prep canvas for painting. I hate when that happens!!!
Eventually I did get over to Wal*Mart for my movie, “Atlas Shrugged” which came out today on DVD. It was not in the display at the front of the store with the other new releases so I had to meander to the back where the electronics are sold. On Facebook I had joked that I would have to stand in line for the movie, but I took the very last copy of “Atlas Shrugged” from the display. I also ventured over to the grocery department while doing some people watching---oh my! I got a case of soda and Uncle Ben’s brown rice (in the mood for brown rice lately!), and a package of rolls.
Once home I rested a bit before leaving for Trivia. What fun we had tonight! Anne H. joined us and added her wisdom to the game. We came very close to coming in at least in 3rd place, but two teams tied for 2nd which bumped us out of contention for the final. We got along okay without Justin though he certainly would have known who the god was who shot Achilles in the heel! Cupid is NOT the right answer…Justin was helping his father and step-mother do something with their wedding pictures and make other preparations for a follow-up reception this weekend. Perhaps I will get to see him on Thursday for Bible study instead!
