I made it!

Justin stayed overnight at my house Monday night so we could hang out together before I left. We enjoyed some Ming Moon delivery and watched a couple news programs---just like old times! Most of my packing for the trip had been completed so the time was available. After I put his laundry in the dryer, we each went to our rooms before 10:00 pm. He said he hits the hay these days by 9:30 “like an old person!” he declared. I had had a short night Sunday and he was tired from a hot day at work. The rest was needed, for both us!

Tuesday morning he was going to make sure I was up before he left for work, but I was awake before he was. I got to hug and kiss him prior to his leaving for work. I carried the garbage down to the bin and went back up to get my luggage and shut everything down for the next couple of weeks. Because I needed my ‘driving down the road’ glasses from the car, I went down earlier than I needed to be. Just as I exited the lobby, Judy C. pulled in. Perfect timing!

She told me about the terrible traffic situation we were facing and we made the decision to go on I-295 and take our chances on the detour rather than trying the downtown route.  A car had gone the wrong way on the freeway and struck a bus loaded with a minor league baseball team. No one on the bus was injured but the driver of the car was killed. The freeway was closed northbound with traffic re-routed for a ways. We managed to follow the few detour signs and got back on the freeway again. Took us just over an hour to get from my house to the airport. Judy was glad we had left when we did! Me too!

Linda collected me in MKE and we stopped at Perkin’s nearby to have a quick bite. I had not eaten in either airport (I was holding out for Auntie Annie’s pretzels sticks in Atlanta and didn’t find any). We shared an appetizer of assorted treats, just enough to hold us over until dinner. Mom was standing on her porch when we pulled in at her building and she buzzed me in. So good to see her again! Later Lynn came over and brought me some sugar cookies. That was so kind of her! She also stocked up the supply of Diet Coke---isn’t that great??!! 

I had a good night’s sleep in Mom’s guest room, finding my legs freezing this morning due to the drop in temperature overnight. When I went to bed I had no covers on but by morning, with the window open, I needed my Barbie blanket over them. Only in the 60’s today but the temps are expected to improve as the week moves along. I will be in the minority of those who enjoy that! Instead of long pants today I opted to wear capris and take my chances!

After I dropped Jill off at work, I went to church to help Linda and talk to people. It was good to see a few of my favorite folks, Larry and Todd, and meet the new pastor, Chris Hoppe. He and I were already friends on Facebook but to meet in the flesh is excellent too. We got to sit and talk a while before he had to get to work and I had to leave. Mom and I were going shopping at Festival Foods and we timed our arrivals back at her place perfectly! She jumped from her friend’s car into mine for our shopping trip. Mom had been at breakfast with friends this a.m. Busy people!

                   

Tonight Lynn and I are going to Linda’s house for dinner and ‘girls night’. I am making taco salad and Lynn is bringing shrimp. Linda is making a fruit fluff recipe she found on Facebook. Good times in store for us!

Mostly packed

Well, there sits the suitcase on the bench on the end of the bed. My desk is very nearly cleaned off and gives the appearance of being organized. My hair is cut and still crisp from the product Barb used to style it. Did I do everything that needs doing before I leave? Not quite yet, but it's getting there!

                                    

Justin is coming over tonight, going to stay over, so we can hang out a bit before I depart. He was with his father yesterday  so I didn't see him for worship or lunch. Justin is going to load some stuff on my laptop for me to use when at Lori's at the end of the month, which will allow me to fall asleep and stay asleep. Such a needy houseguest!!

The end of my bed is stacked with the folded (somewhat) sheets and pillow slips ready for the guests, one of whom might come back with me from WI (whoo hoo!). One of the young people coming, Erynn, who was here last year, will be leaving mid-week of VBS to attend volleyball camp, which frees us the bed in that room. We shall see when the time comes who gets the room...might be my sister!!

Well, folks, if I drop off the blog for awhile, it would be because I don't have access to Wi/Fi to do my updates. Would be a huge pain to do so on my cell phone! See you when I see you...pray for my travel and for my drivers, please!

It's getting to be time

The washer and dryer are handling some of my clothing to prep for the trip to WI. Judy is all set to pick me up at 7:30 on Tuesday morning to drop me at the airport. The sheets for the guest beds are washed and some of them are even folded. 

The next important thing will be to get the suitcase out of the closet, it's almost time to pack!!! This makes my mother so nervous but it really takes little time for me to throw stuff into the luggage. At lunch today I mentioned that I rarely fold anything when I pack to travel. Mike S. asked me if I just wash and iron the items when I arrive at my destination and I told him that normally, I wear it just the way it is. Mike C. said, "Better cover my mom's ears!" as she is a rabid ironer. We will see how the things travel---perhaps a good shake out is all they will need.

My boy had sent me a text message last night about going to Victory today and then to lunch. That was not going to work for me at all---I had folks to say good-bye to at church plus meeting friends at the pool as soon as I got home from Chili's. Later today I found out he had not intended that for me, but for his father! Ooops! I hated having to blow him off for my church family and friends at the pool!

Our service was a bit slow at Chili's and I didn't get home until about 1:30 pm. As quickly as I could turn myself around, I got my suit on and was out the door to the pool. It was cooler outside today, since the front moved through so dramatically on Friday night. The water felt cooler too ("It's 10 degrees colder today!" according to Kathy) but it was tolerable when the sun was out. 

                             

Not actually me!

Jacquie presented me a white picture hat today to wear at the pool. It seems we had "met" earlier last year when at a function in The Club---a fund raiser for Quigley House. She remembers me anyway...I had been seated at a table in the middle dining room at first, seated with Jessica's sister and mom, and, it seems, Jacquie! Before we got settled, I was asked to surrender my seat and join Karrie at the head table to allow for a party of two who did not have a seat. My moving freed up my chair plus one next to mine. I was glad to move out into the garden room and sit with my friend, Penny. 

At that fund raiser, Jacquie won a door prize, the white picture hat! And now her prize is mine! I wonder what would have happened for Jacquie and me if I had not moved away from that table of ladies? Meeting her husband and she officially at the pool in the summer was the start of a great friendship and I rejoice in it!

Breezy fun

As my sweet friend, Betty, reminded us over and over at the pool this afternoon, there was no rain today. What we did have was a dry wind, dry as in 'less humid'. My doors were open all day long as the breeze moved through. The sun played peek-a-boo in the clouds, so it did feel chilly to me when the clouds won. I did get into the water a couple of times and the sun kept me warm enough. Last night's storm took the temperature of the water down a bit overnight.

My lunch was enjoyed poolside, being visited for a bit by Karrie, as she stopped long enough from her working to have a hot dog. Business was booming in the cabana with lots of families and guests from the hotel coming to eat. This year the kids' menu even includes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich which I think is a great idea. Kids can be so easy! And grown-ups as well. 

Got some reading done between visitors at my table before Jacquie and Mark arrived. Mark had gone on an adventure in the morning which delayed their arrival and brought back amusing stories to share. There is never a lapse in fun with these two around! Did not see Maureen this week at all, but hope to see her on Sunday before I leave. 

Betty and Kathy came out so we got in the water once more. Kathy's brother, Gary, stopped by and went for a dip too. The two ladies planned to come out again later for social time and did, with me having being out there the entire day. Hugh and Maureen (a different one than above) came out, and later Miss Chardonnay joined us. 

Having spent the day outside, my desk did not get cleaned off. I want to accomplish this before leaving for WI, having my affairs somewhat in order, so must make good use of my indoor time. 

                

Tonight I stripped the beds in the guest rooms to have the sheets ready for Justin to make the beds up again. My sister is considering coming back with me from WI so we must have a bed ready for her upon arrival. Then, on the 4th of July, my four teenagers arrive! What a great Independence Day celebration that will be for us and them!

What a crazy storm that was!

Oh my goodness! This evening, right in the middle of The Five, or just as it began, so did a HUGE thunderstorm. When the thunder was rolling without end before the storm, I sent Justin a text message to make sure he was some place safe, like at home. He let me know he was actually with his boss, as they were going to dinner together later on. So glad he wasn't on the bridge when it broke loose. I had to apologize to Linda for being distracted while our TV show was on, as I did my play-by-play of the stuff flying past my windows and the deafening claps of thunder. My oh my! I half expected to see an old lady on a bicycle with a dog in the basket go past my windows...

                  

             Taken in San Marco during the storm

Thanks be to God for sparing me from water intrusion this time. Not even sure if my neighbors were home to keep up with the wet vac but somehow, nothing. The wind was wild--I saw on The Weather Channel that we could expect up to 60 mile an hour gusts. Unsure if they were right or not, but stuff from the trees went sailing by. The thunder never stopped to catch its breath and the lightning was terrifying. I understand something at the base was struck by lightning as my friend reported being stranded there due to a power outage. I was so glad when it ended!

                    

      View of the Dames' Point Bridge as the storm rolled in

The good news was no loss of electricity and only a few blinks of the cable. Of course, the storm wiped out my hopes of getting dinner and meeting my neighbors at the cabana. The skies did clear but when the storm came up, the cabana staff closed up and ran for cover. I had come in the from the pool mid-afternoon when it began to sprinkle, just missing Betty and Kathy as they went out. That rain was short lived and they had the place to themselves. Kathy sent me a text message but I missed it, and missed the fun as well. None of us missed this tonight, though, no mistaking it!

Fun night at the movies

Judy and I had a private screening of the movie "Parental Guidance" tonight at Frank's office. When I called to let him know I was coming and bringing a friend with me, he said he messed up. The announcement about the movie viewing did not include RSVP information. Oops! Only Judy and I were there to watch the movie with Frank on his projection screen, and didn't mind one little bit!

                        

They started out with a tiny sliver of cake and went nuts after having the dreaded sugar

Frank has a popcorn machine which made the place smell so good and it tasted like movie popcorn---almost. We had sodas and some round chocolates that I should know the name of (I think my sister, Lynn, likes them). Since it was dark in the room, I could not read the label. 

The movie was much what I expected, only more. There actually was a story to it---tightly wound parents with strict rules for their kids (no using the word "no" to them, suggest alternative thinking (???), other sorts of mumbojumbo for rearing their kids.) They are a functional family, with a few glitches: little boy is a runner, takes off running when he doesn't get his way, who also has an imaginary friend, Carl the Kangaroo. The next boy has a serious stutter so gets picked on at school. The oldest, a daughter, is committed to her violin, trying to make into a highly regarded music school. I won't give it all away but it has a great ending for all of them.

We got home again just after 8:00, with the sun still out. Got to watch most of O'Reilly anyway, having missed the first half last night because of Happy Hour. Good thing it comes on again at 11:00 pm to catch up. Hope I can stay awake that long as I am sleepy from my time in the sun at the pool and my movie watching.

I heard a news story about a tree falling on an apartment building in Maccleny in a recent storm and had to look it up on the map for location. Christine's gentleman friend has his business there and I was not clear on where this area is. I should have known it was in Baker County because of something Christine said at lunch Tuesday. 

Because we were in a local small restaurant, I knew many of the folks dining there and they knew me back. Besides the man being there from whom I bought my condo, a friend from the pool was dining at a near-by table. The staff there recognizes me, too, and were attentive to us. 

After Christine was seated, my friend from church and her husband came in. Jackie came to our table to greet me and I introduced her to Christine. Later, Jackie came back to our table to ask me some questions about church mailings. Jokingly Christine made the remark about next time we must go somewhere where no one knows me, perhaps in Baker County, saying she didn't want to have to share me. Oh my! I know Greg works there!!! And Martie's son lives near there...

                                   

This afternoon when I was at the pool, my upstairs neighbor left me a phone message. He had made up a batch of meatloaf, and wanted to give me one! Nice! We'd talked about meat loaf at Happy Hour the other night and Debbie told me how Dick makes such wonderful meat loaf. He described his ingredient list and methods, and now, I have a pan of yet-to-be-baked meat loaf making my fridge smell wonderful! Thinking I will serve that for my dinner Saturday when I have my Dinner and Movie Night. Thanks, Dick!

Great neighbors

Tonight I had a very nice evening around two different tables at The Club. Our group at Happy Hour grew and grew and grew requiring a second table to be added. As it turned out, folks made little circles with their chairs and had separate conversations all about the room. Maureen prefers all around one table but that just was not possible this time. 

I had invited my upstairs neighbors to join me as my guests to thank them for keeping up with the water collection during the most recent TS. Dick and I walked over together, with his wife joining us later. At the bar, I reached for the ticket to sign my name but Dick took it away from me and signed his name. They had joined The Club the day before, using me as their reference, and tonight was his treat!! So much for my idea of treating them! BUT, his using me as his reference got us each a $100 credit on our accounts! Yay!

We had such an enjoyable time around the table, my neighbors getting better acquainted with folks and meeting new ones. One lady Debbie and I talked with, Micky, is Swiss, and quite interesting. She said something about speaking French and Debbie asked her how many languages she spoke. Micky sort of laughed and said, "Not that many...." but confessed to speaking English, Swiss, German, French, and some Italian...." Not very many??? As Debbie said, "I have enough trouble with English!" I think Micky was a war bride and so darn cute for a little older lady. Such fun to talk with her.

                    

This morning was my first time at water exercises this season. Even though I paced myself, I can sure feel it in my arms and legs. As soon as I got back up here I had a bottle of water to replenish my liquids as it was hot today---almost 90! Now that's more like it!