An Accomplished Week

Monday after my walk with Gerre, I cleaned out my office closet. I was gathering up cards, envelopes and pens to be sent to the soldiers in Iraq so they can write home. My friend Anna takes care of this and I had a small shopping bag full for her. She asked me if I would sponsor PJs for a soldier. I said sure and started looking on line. I was able to get four sets of PJs on line from JCP on sale and with free shipping. I ordered four different sizes. I think I'm supposed to write notes to go with them. Anna will get back to me on that. After all that was taken care of I cleaned the files and had to empty the shredder five or six times. But now I'm ready for tax time and a new year.

Tuesday's funeral luncheon was an all time high for our St. Martha's group I think. There were about 250 in attendance. I thought we had so much food that we could set some aside for the Thursday funeral, but I was wrong. I seldom claim to be exhausted but believe me when I say I was exhausted after that. Then I had to come home and wash 12 of the tablecloths and make brownies to deliver on Wednesday for use on Thursday. I felt bad for the ladies going back for a second time in one week. However, no one dies at a good time, no matter when it happens.

On a brighter note, our Wednesday Newcomer breakfast was a huge success. We had great attendance and a lovely buffet by our hostess. This is a casual atmosphere for new (and old) members to get together with nothing to do but get to know one another. I met a new lady and she and I are going to the Christmas luncheon together so she knows some one when she arrives. Sometimes it's just that little extra that makes people comfortable in our group and they become enthusiastic members.

Thursday was the Habitat for Humanity luncheon and fashion show. One of the St. Anthony men from Terry & Carol's bunco group had purchased an entire table. His wife asked Carol to invite me. Sometimes we sub in that group so they know me and Ted. It was a very nice luncheon and show. We met a couple more ladies from our church. There are over 4200 families at St. Anthony's so getting to know people is a challenge.

Gerre and I walked on Wednesday and Friday. Then Ted and I went to the jewelers here in The Woodlands. I have a diamond and emerald ring that my mother gave me. I wear it all the time and the emerald got pretty beat up. We purchased a marquise diamond to replace the emerald in that ring. I also had two other rings - one had my original engagement set diamonds in it and the other had my mother's engagement set diamonds. We chose a setting that will use all the diamonds from both rings into one new ring. When the kids had a big 40th anniversary celebration for us, Fr. Terry asked us to remove our rings to repeat our vows. Darn! I missed a perfect opportunity for a new ring. I just never gave it a thought. Since April will be 45 years, I guess we'll call it a 45th anniversary present.

Wine Tasting last night was awesome. The couple had traveled to Argentina and used those wines along with Mediterranean food for the evening. They had a digital frame showing pictures of their trip, a map on the refrigerator showing their travels and the location of the wineries and then they did a slideshow on their TV of the wines we would be tasting. Now how is anyone going to top that! We start with a sparkling wine or champagne, move up to the white wines and then on to the bolder reds. I liked them all and I'm not much of a red wine drinker. Ted drinks Caffeine Free Diet Coke instead. He's not much of a drinker but enjoys the group nonetheless.

I've been on the phone with our daughter Kara a lot this week because Morgan has been sick. We finally think she is on the mend. Kara is ordering shirts for us for our day together at Epcot during the holidays. They have a timeshare and spend lots of time at Disney World. Here is the design for our shirt. They find it easier to keep track of one another this way. I know it worked well in 2006 when all eleven of us went to Disney.


Next week looks a bit calmer. I'm playing Canasta tomorrow and going to the eye doctor on Tuesday. My calendar is clear beyond that for a few days. I need to start thinking ahead to the holidays. How did that get here so soon?