Sunday, January 29, 2012

Goodbye to Owen

Friday I had an early beauty shop appointment. Because Rebecca had parked in the drive, Ted drove me in the truck and went shooting. He picked me up afterwards and we went to the Honey B store to pick up the ham and rolls we ordered and took them to Alicia's for all her company coming in. She was going in several directions and was easily distracted but our friends Jeff and Rachel's daughter Tammy was running the show. Alicia said she didn't know what she would do without Tammy and another young neighbor Cammie taking charge. Jeff was doing the slideshow and Rachel was coordinating the food. It's great to have friends like this at such a time.

In the evening, Gerre and Barry picked us up and we joined Jennifer and Gene for some BBQ before heading to the theater. There we saw another friend Teri who also attends these performances. It's a lovely theater without a bad seat in the house and we enjoyed the play very much. The jokes have changed over the years with Facebook and HD TVs mentioned that weren't in existence in the 90s when we last saw the play. We came straight home because Gerre and Barry had a 9 am flight to Jamaica.

Saturday was a long day. I had a dentist appointment and my partial was ready. It fits well but is a bit high and it "hits" before the other side does. I have appointments Monday and Wednesday for final "fittings." At 2:00 we attended the memorial service for Owen. He was a retired Navy captain and had a very distinguished career. There were many in attendance and we knew lots of them. This getting older sure is sobering when your mortality is brought forefront. The old saying "no one gets out of here alive" comes to mind.

From that church we went to ours to attend Mass before we went to bunco. We were subbing for Ted's brother and his wife in a group associated with our church. We saw Rachel and Tammy at the funeral, her family at Mass, and we were all at bunco together. We met Rachel's sister Louise who lives in The Villages and she was such a delight. She had flown to Texas to take her father back home with her for a month. The three siblings take turns having their 91 year old father stay with them. This bunco group is a younger group for the most part and I am always so impressed with how closely these parents monitor their kids friends, reading material, extra activities, etc. How very difficult it must be to raise children in today's permissive world.

I was very tired by the time we got home and after a little TV went off to bed and got a good night's sleep. Pat and Kelly are in town and we'll pick them up from their hotel on Monday afternoon. They are visiting with us until Wednesday.

Keeping busy is a good part of retirement but having a day like today with nowhere particular to go and nothing particular to do is a real blessing.

Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't. ~ Richard Bach

Thursday, January 26, 2012

I Aced It!

Sunday evening was a beautiful night on the waterway and we enjoyed what turned out to be a fresh group of people. I knew two of the ladies, had met two others recently at genealogy, but the other couples were new to me. We had enjoyable conversation, a very good pizza and shared a cannoli for dessert. Neither one of us had lunch so we were both way past hungry!

I didn't get around to my laundry but I did spend a lot of time on the computer doing family research and in-putting info I do have on over 200 people into Family Tree. I try to break up the work by looking for ancestors in between typing in descendants. I have found my great-great grandparents from my maternal great grandparents and that's exciting. After that entry the research moves to Europe and I have to upgrade my subscription to include The World. Since I have so much "regular" typing to do, I'm putting that off until I'm ready to concentrate on ancestors.

I worked at the thrift store on Tuesday and they are talking about having a small fashion show at one of our meetings wearing things people have bought from the store while working. I've picked up things for the kids but the only thing I bought for myself is a brand new jean jacket from Chico's. If I can wear the rest of my own clothes, I'd be happy to model it. We come across new stuff all the time. There is even a boutique area filled with designer clothes. I have to see what happens with this idea. It could be a lot of fun.

It was time for our evening Canasta group and Gerre and I had a hard time finding the house. The bad part is she has GPS in her car and I lived in that neighborhood at one time. We circled three times before we found the house on the opposite side of the street from where we were looking. We were in stitches by the time we arrived. I won second place and won $15 I think. Things are looking up!

We got some much needed rain on Wednesday and it was a great day to stay inside. We were supposed to take Alicia, whose husband just died, downtown but she called and said they were going to FedEx her what she needed. With the weather as bad as it was with flash flooding, we were both happy not to have to go out.

Today was my last performance at BookSmart. However, I was not Dwayne but ran the music machine. Last time I had trouble and was frantic the whole time getting the correct track ready to play at the correct time. This time I made sure the table was stable, did about three run throughs and it went off perfectly! I didn't miss one cue and there were no slip-ups. The new gal playing Dwayne missed three of her five lines and I knew how badly she felt. But the audience doesn't know and the others ad lib through it. All in all, it was our best production yet.

Tomorrow is hair color and cut day and then dinner and the play Nunsense with Gerre and Barry. They have season tickets and get two free tickets on occasion and invited us along. We saw this play in New York in the early 90s. Having gone to Catholic school K-12 with nuns doing most of the teaching, I find it a hoot. I know I'll enjoy it just as much this time. I don't remember the exact story line so much of it will be new again.

If my memory gets any worse I'll be able to hide my own Easter eggs soon.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

I Broke A Leg!

Not really, I just didn't blow any of my lines as Dwayne. The only mishap was Bubba put my bolo tie on with the medallion facing in instead of out but I don't think the kids noticed. One teacher was laughing so hard I thought she was going to fall off her chair. Then we went around to seven classrooms to "autograph" the book - 120 in all! It is such a fun time for all concerned. I'm going to suggest they get shirts and hats as costumes that look like the characters in the book. I had a black cowgirl hat on and in the book the Wicked Stepdaddy does. A little boy pointed this out and I think he has a point. With so many of us working at the Thrift Shop, I'm sure we could locate a few things there or be on the watch for them for next year.



Ted ordered his new glasses and sent for his new lense to snap into his shooting glasses. I'm expecting all 25's from him with his new toy and new glasses. But Lord knows I don't need any more trophies unless he puts a shelf in his man cave to put them on. My office is plumb full.



Friday was up and out early. I had to be at the CWJF meeting by 8:15 to help set up the food. It is sign up time and most everyone comes so we have a crowd. They requested my deviled eggs so I made a couple dozen. We had everything set up, I signed up for what I need for the rest of the year, and I came back to eggs missing. People were wandering by and picking one up, then moving the others around to fill in the hole. But as more and more people did that, more plate was showing than there were eggs. By the time the crowd came up to eat and sit down for the meeting, my eggs were mostly gone already.



I came home and Ted and I went to visit our friend Owen who had been moved to hospice. We were there mid-afternoon with his wife and minister. We prayed for him with them and took our leave around 3:30. Owen passed away in the early evening. We were so glad we went to see him and didn't wait. He was a true gentleman, a military man and one h*ll of a Canasta player! Our hearts and prayers go out to Alicia and his family at this difficult time.



Friday was getting even longer for us because we were expected at Wind Down. We bought some jalapeno sauce when up at Canton Trade Days so I bought mini phyllo dough cups already made up, mixed eggs with the jalapeno sauce, filled the cups and put shredded cheese on top and popped them into the oven to bake into mini hot quiches. Quick and easy which is all I was up for. They were a hit but I caught flack because I didn't bring my deviled eggs! We had a nice visit with everyone including the host couple who are moving to Jakarta soon. So many people travel in and out of our lives in the area where we live.



We made plans to go to the campground to see Tommy and Susan on Saturday. They are there for the weekend to just have a few days away. There was a BBQ going on in the park but we had elected to go out to dinner. We took them to that new Italian place we learned about last fall. The food was excellent and we all enjoyed it. We did go to the BBQ once we got back, not to eat but to visit with the folks that we know. Then we retired to the motorhome to visit.




We had a great time and had a cup of coffee. Tommy carries decaf just for me and Ted so we have to show up now and then to keep the stock rotated. Susan used her I-Pad to send me this photo of Lexy. When we got back she was in the driver's seat and Tess was in the passenger seat just sitting there looking out as if they were ready to drive away.



This morning we went to church, Ted is shooting, I'm playing with the Family Tree looking for Ted's elusive great-great grandparents. We are going to a pizza place on the waterway with the Dining Out group tonight at 6. And tomorrow ... so far ... is still open! Laundry room here I come.



Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things. ~Author Unknown

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Still Trucking Along

Ted's endoscopy went well but the doctor did biopsy two spots and removed a nodule at the junction of the stomach and esophagus. He said he didn't think any of it was anything but he was being careful. His office called today and said it was negative on the nodule and irritation from reflux on the others. He is to continue his Nexium and see him again next year. Those waits sure can be long! We give thanks to God for the good report.

Ted's Christmas present arrived on Friday and he spent a lot of time over the weekend and the first of the week at the gun club. He is happy with his new toy and I'm happy for him. He doesn't smoke, drink, or carouse around but he does bet on the lottery. I can deal with his little "man cave" and the time he spends with his buddies. Everyone needs something to do in retirement.

We played Canasta Saturday night and I won third place which gave us our $10 back. We always enjoy subbing in this group. We get called frequently because there are 8 couples and it seems there is always someone who can't make it.

Sunday I spent time on the computer with My Family Tree Maker and my new subscription to ancestry.com. I've made some headway on our family tree for the next reunion. I was proud when I hit 100 people included. Gerre then said she had 15,000 people! She has books and books of things. I'll be a long time catching up I think. I'm trying to get the bottom part of the tree filled in with my generation on down. Then I'll work on the ancestor part in earnest. Right now I do have eight generations so that's a great start. We figured out one of my problems is I knew eight of my grandparents (Kelly had 10 when she was born) and that takes you off on tangents in every direction. I'm focusing on Joseph C. Homer, my maternal great grandfather, whose family of three children and descendants populate the reunion we hold every two years.

My Third Monday Bunco group met on Monday and we had two new ladies join us. We have two spots to fill and they have expressed an interest. One will fill a vacancy and the other is waiting to see if my friend Michele is going to drop out. She has her 90+ year old mother at home, her husband with slight dementia in need of a new hip replacement since the other is one of the bad ones and she is now hospitalized with shingles. I stopped to visit her and her face is a mess. I know she is under tremendous stress and that is making things worse. She doesn't need to worry about making it to bunco. We'll let it ride for awhile to see how things go. The decision will be hers.

Tuesday is my day at the thrift shop. I have to say I really enjoy working with the Forum ladies there. There was so much stacked up that we were in each other's way so I took the basket of things to be set aside for poundage and cut buttons off. I filled a container like you would pack a sandwich in only a bit deeper. That's a lot of buttons! However, I wasn't as tired as I normally am when I stand and unpack bags and boxes for four hours.

Today was genealogy and we had a good group. Everyone has done something and several have beautiful books, pictures, trees, etc. All are doing ancestors, I'm the only one still working on descendants. But some day, someone will be happy I have all that information down on paper.

Ted had an eye appointment this afternoon and I went with him to drive him home after his eyes were dilated. He has a change in his prescription so he'll be getting that done soon. He needed a second prescription so he can send his shooting safety glasses away to be changed also.

Tomorrow is my premier performance as Dwayne, the ugly cowboy stepbrother. Wish me luck!

"Life has no rehearsals, only performances." ~ Anonymous

Friday, January 13, 2012

Almost a Vacation Week

It's been a slow, catch up week and I almost felt like I was on vacation. Monday I played Canasta in the afternoon. Tuesday and Wednesday were free days. It gave me a chance to get started on our taxes, take my new coat and slacks to the tailor for hemming, pick up mail at Rayford for Jay & Stella, take care of getting a couple prescriptions, pay our estimated tax payment, mail a package at the post office, drop off Carol's birthday gift and lots of other little things.

I had dinner with Gerre Tuesday night while Ted was shooting. Darn if I didn't lose another bracelet! I had a lovely turquoise one made summer before last and when I arrived home and started to take off my jewelry, there was no bracelet. I called the restaurant and Gerre, but no one had it. I've lost a gold nugget bracelet and a diamond tennis bracelet. Now I seldom wear one for this reason. At least I don't wear expensive ones anymore, though this was a very nice one!

Yesterday was our first play performance and I ran the music machine. Unfortunately, they set up the music stage left where the actors exit most of the time. With the cowboys stomping past me, it sent enough motion to the machine to make it keep going back to Track 10. I was frantic getting it back to the Track I needed. Normally it would go in succession but that was not to be. The only major thing I missed was the lightning bolt sound which follows the thunder sound immediately. After the thunder track it went back to 10 and I couldn't get it to 6 quick enough for the bolt. But the audience didn't seem to notice my hurried pushing of buttons and most everything else went well. Next week I'll be Dwayne.

Today Ted is having his annual surveillance endoscopy to check that the Barrett's Esophagus remains gone! We are praying, first that everything is still clear and second, just maybe he can get these done every other year instead of yearly. But it's a small price to pay for the excellent outcome he had in 2008 with the new ablative therapy he had done.

Rebecca will clean today while we are gone. She hasn't been here since the middle of December so I'll be glad to see her. Next week is a bear and I have every day on my calendar marked with at least one, and in some cases two, things I have for that day. I guess it will be time to pay the Piper for the easy week I had this week.

"You owe it to everyone you love (including yourself) to find pockets of tranquility in your busy world.” ~ Wolfdyke

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Success!

Kara completed her first half-marathon (13 miles) in 3 hrs., 28 minutes at Disney World this weekend. I'm not sure about times but I do know that they have a "sweep crew" and if you aren't keeping a 16 minute mile pace, off the course you go. By my calculations, she finished ahead of sweep time by about 20 minutes. Next month she returns for the Princess Half Marathon. What a wonderful husband she has who will stay home with the kids while she trains and flies off to Disney World by herself for the weekend!


Ted and I shared the kitchen on Saturday while he used his new Christmas gift crockpot for his pork shoulder. He puts the smoker on the deck for the brisket and both things were going at once.

I, on the other hand, was making more mundane things like yeast rolls, roasted peppers and lemon pie to go with our Saturday night meal. I made a great one if I do say so myself for my old boss, his wife and son. I left Hoechst Celanese in 1996 and we've remained friends all these years. They are at retirement "loose ends" and are trying to decide where to live. They have a son in Denver, one in the Carolinas and one here. They are returning in April and have invited us out to dinner so maybe they will have some news then.

We went to church early today because Ted is gathering up his banquet things and will be getting his brisket and pork ready for the first Skeet Banquet of this year. I'm going along to share in the banquet and just watch Ted in action. It does my heart good!

Health food may be good for the conscience but Oreos taste a hell of a lot better. ~ Robert Redford

Thursday, January 5, 2012

I Knew I Would Hate Myself

I said when I decorated a bit for Christmas that I would hate myself on January 2. Well I hated myself today on January 5. Everything is down but some is still sitting in the garage waiting to be put upstairs in the attic. While it is semi cleared out, I want to go up and get rid of a few things before I put everything back up there again. As Scarlett O'Hara said "tomorrow is another day."

I was busy Monday night tending to Ted's very sore neck and shoulder muscle. I think he had a spasm from driving for so long and he had a big knot. Using Flexall, aspirin and a heating ring, we finally got it to loosen up. Each day it got a bit better and he is fine now.

I played Shang Hai on Tuesday and even though Gerre and I were at the same table and did lousy, we had a lot of fun with Jan and Monica. We laughed and laughed the whole time. That evening I had another dentist appointment and he said we are two away from being finished. Hooray! I was supposed to stop at the funeral home for a viewing of one of the Newcomer lady's husband but I simply forgot and came on home.

Wednesday morning I did remember to send the dozen chicken salad sandwiches I made over to church for the funeral luncheon. I was unable to attend the Mass or help out because we had Book Smart play practice. It was a dress rehearsal and the last one before our first performance on January 12. I did great on the music but switched my last two lines while playing Dwayne. This learning two parts is nerve wracking. I wasn't alone and one gal was still using the script so I didn't feel too bad. I need to zero in on the Narrator to get the right line at the right time.

We brought a ham bone home all the way from Michigan because Kara was going to throw it away! There was a ton of ham left on it so we just put it in our cooler with ice. I made a pot of bean soup and we had it two nights for dinner with cornbread. It was mighty tasty.

Today was Continental Breakfast and since I'm one of the Activity Chairs I have to show up on occasion. My best estimate is that I won't be able to attend again until September so I thought it best to show my face. Afterwards I drove to the mall to exchange a top and ended up buying two pairs of slacks. There are still some good bargains out there.

Tucker is with us tonight and will be until Sunday. He's all curled up on the recliner love seat with Ted. He usually likes me best but he's really warming up to Ted who takes him out all the time and for walks.

My former boss at Hoechst Celanese in Michigan and his wife and son are coming for dinner Saturday night while they are in town. It will be good to see them. Ted's shooting league banquet is on Sunday. He is preparing the pulled pork and brisket for it. Both of us in the kitchen at one time might be pushing the envelope just a bit! I'll let you know how we make out next time.

If the shelves are dusty and the pots don't shine, it's because I have better things to do with my time. ~ Author Unknown