Back on Track

I've been so busy getting the Paris blog done that I haven't kept up with our day to day activities since our return. 

We attended a 50th anniversary party on Saturday for Pat and Don, camping friends of ours.  He told the story of being in the service when they married, being transferred from Waco to Tampa and spending $9.60 in fuel for his VW Beetle to get there in 1962.  Great story!  They played the Oldie Wed Game and Ted and I got two answers right - our song, and my favorite treat from a convenience store.  After 47 years I'm not sure what that proves.

I met Gerre on Sunday for lunch and shopping.  We had planned for a movie but I told her if I sat in a dark place for two hours I would fall asleep.  That seven hour time change is tough to handle the first few days.  We had a great time catching up and I got some things I needed while we were out.

Ted's great-niece's husband was in town for Coast Guard training and he came for dinner on Monday.  Afterwards we took him for a ride around our area and he was suitably impressed.  His opinion up to that point had been colored by the city traffic which he didn't like at all.  It was good to see him and we had a nice visit.

I was scheduled to work the Junior Forum Senior Luncheon on Tuesday and the theme was, are you ready for this?  April in Paris!  How fitting for me.  We were told to wear our berets but I wore my new Monet scarf instead.  There were 26 tables of 8 seniors each and I was assigned to Table 22 as the hostess.  Lo and behold, Joanne, a fellow camper whose husband had a stroke, was at my table.  They had to sell their trailer five years ago and he is in a nursing home.  Of all the tables in that room, God put her at mine so we could catch up with one another.  What a blessing.

Ted left for Austin while I was at the senior center.  That's how we spent our 47th anniversary.  Not very romantic but that's life. 

By Wednesday I was ready to take it easy so the only thing I did besides the normal straightening up and such, was to go to Happy Hour.  I'm afraid with Susan's move to Atlanta and Sherida's recent illness, this group is falling apart.  There were only three of us last time I went and four this time.  And two of them were already there having dinner after playing Bridge.  Not a good sign.  I hope I'm wrong but only time will tell.

I played Canasta on Thursday and came in third.  That means after having never won, I have now won two months in a row.  Jacque was second and our scores were within 500 points of each other.  That's not a lot in Canasta.  Maybe I'm playing better, have better partners or the card gods are smiling on me.  Whatever, I'll take it.

Rebecca cleaned on Friday which gave me the opportunity to finish up the blog and send it off to those expressing interest in our trip.  I've received some nice feedback, one comparing me to Rick Steves.  What a compliment.  Ted and I say that when we can't go anymore, we'll read the blog to each other and relive the wonderful trips we took in retirement.  I hope that's a long way off.

We went to church last night and then out to eat for our anniversary.  Today Ted is shooting and I'm going to start getting my things together for our trip to Michigan next week.  I also need to go to the grocery to tide us over until then.  Chris' parents have still not sold their house so he'll be back.  I think he is looking forward to the long stretch this summer when he becomes "king of the hill" around here without us or his parents anywhere around.

The weather has been near perfect since our return. We've been in the high 80s already and it isn't even May.  I know what is coming and it's time to "get out of Dodge."