Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Gathering

Today I had some friends over to bring their hand work, exercise and listen to a Joyce Meyer CD.

Originally I had thought we'd meet down in the basement where the exercise equipment is, but it was such a beautiful day, who'd want to be in a dungeon??? So we spent our time on the sun porch...part of the time we even had the sliding door open, so as to be able to enjoy some of that wonderful air.

We're planning on getting together the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month...the 1st and 2nd Wednesdays, are when we cook at the church.

I started out embroidering a tea towel, but didn't like how it looked...I was using three strands of thread, but think I'll take it out and try two, or maybe even just one strand. Then I got out some of the "Peaches and Cream" yarn, and started a simple skull cap for Laurel. So I didn't really get much done, but we all enjoyed the day and each others company.

A while back, a friend of mine was talking about having a piano for sale...I asked how much, and she said $100...a Kimbell with a Lowery organ in it...said that it needed tuning, and that the organ didn't work, so I told her I'd take it...well today, I finally got it moved over here...I hired Three Men and a Truck. It was well worth the $125 I paid them so I didn't have to worry about a friend or relative hurting their back(s) trying to get it moved. So the only place I have for it is in the walk way between the living room and the dining room. Next step is to get it tuned...hope it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.

We've decided we're not going South this winter...When I woke up the other morning in my nice warm bed, in my nice warm bedroom, in my nice warm house, I decided I can make it. I'll just have to lay in a large supply of ice melt for the drive way, and get in a stock of food when I see bad weather is on it's way.

Enough for tonight...I need to get to bed, as tomorrow is already filled up.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Birthday Weekend

It was a good weekend.

I got to sleep in on my birthday! Yeah! Now being retired, you'd think I could sleep in any day I wanted to...not the case...and it's not all the dog's fault...too often I'll make an early morning appointment so as to just get it out of the way...or I start thinking about stuff I "need" to get done and I just get up and get the day started...that doesn't necessarily mean I'll accomplish all those things I was thinking about when I was horizontal, but it quite often gets me out of bed, thinking I WILL get something done.

The best part of Saturday was the Sweet Adelines Show. Way back in August, when my friend had called me to see if I wanted to buy some tickets...and I realized it was the night before my birthday, I spontaneously decided to have my birthday party there, and told her I'd take 16 tickets. Aside from the three last minute cancellations, (with good reasons) everyone else showed up.

The best part of the whole evening was when the 1998 Queens of Harmony, put their quartet (Classic Edition) back together for the evening. That was the best birthday present I could have gotten...I was soooo upset when they broke up. They now are in three other quartets and although they're all doing very well with their new quartets...(all in the top 10 and 20 quartets in the world), I still wasn't hearing a sound like I'd heard with "Classic Edition". They said they practiced for about 5 minutes before going on, and honestly...you couldn't tell they'd ever been apart...what great voices!

OK...I realize if you're not acquainted with "Sweet Adelines" those last two paragraphs probably won't make a whole lot of sense to you...but believe me, it was a night to remember.

On Sunday morning, instead of going to an earlier service, we did the 11:00...after which, Wendell's sister and brother-in-law and nephew, Arliss and John and Perry and our friends Sandy and Walt took us out to dinner at the Longhorn Restaurant.

When we got home, I decided I needed to take a power nap before choir practice. I laid down, and almost immediately dozed off, only, to all of a sudden become wide awake, remembering I hadn't brought in some of my plants, and we were supposed to get a freeze...so jumped up, changed my clothes and hurried out to grab the plants...then before I knew it, it was time for choir practice.

Monday I worked at Republican Headquarters for a couple of hours. I came home, fixed lunch for Wendell and our cleaning lady...she usually gets here just before noon, and now knows I'll have a tasty lunch ready for her. After lunch, JoAn came over to exercise, then Bonnie dropped by for a visit...after they left, I ran an errand, then went over to Arliss' for a cup of tea.

I was ooing and aahing over the cups we were drinking out of, telling her how much my daughter-in-law would like them, and when I got ready to leave, she wrapped them up and gave them to me...I tried to not take them, but she insisted...I told her I'd probably give them to my daughter-in-law, and that was fine with her...Arliss likes to use the ones she's bought along her travels because they have good memories attached to them.

Monday evening, we had "small group" over at Sandy and Walt's. Sandy had made Weight Watcher's stew. It was great!

Today (Tuesday) I got to sleep in again! I managed to give Mollie, our 15 year old Carin Terrier, a bath. I should do it more often, as she's easy to bathe...I just have to get myself in the mood to do it...usually it's her scent that encourages me to "get er done".

This afternoon we drove out to Leatrice's to get our hair cut...she lives in the country. She's a lot of fun...tall skinny redhead with an outgoing personality...somehow that just doesn't describe her well...she's sooo much more than that.

On our way home, I decided we should stop at Dominoes and pick up a couple of sandwiches for dinner...when I got back out to the van, I opened them up...they were huge, so I called JoAn and invited ourselves over to share our sandwiches...we had them and a salad she made and ice cream for desert.

OK...now it's time to go down stairs and watch TV with Wendell and take our pills...(my pills are all vitamins and food suppliments)...that reminds me of a story, but I'll spare you tonight.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

I'm Baaaack!

Since I don't think anyone is reading this blog anyway,...and who could blame them, after all I'm always going AWOL...I feel more at ease to write whatever...whatever pops into my head, instead of trying to be somewhat structured.

I had a great call from a granddaugher lastnight...she's been trying to get her computer back on the road. After 5 or 6 trips to the computer store where she bought it, where she also has a, what is evidently an unconditional "Fix-it-or-get-a-new-one" guarantee. (that's not the word I'm looking for, but if I think of it before I post, I'll change it...if I don't, I won't.) Oh...the reason I think this "guarantee" might be unconditional...she spilled hot chocolate on the key board.

It was my great pleasure to be invited to join "Facebook"...by one of my 13 year old grandsons. I had heard of Facebook, and one of my friends told me she had joined to keep up with her kids. I now have 13 "Friends" on Facebook. What really surprised me, was, after I had been a member for only about a day, I got another invitation from my nephew's wife in Texas, who had just joined...did I say surprised? I meant thrilled.

Every year around my birthday I seem to gain about 10 or so pounds what with all the celebrating I'm doing...Lunches with friends, etc...Actually, I don't need the excuse of my birthday, I can gain 10 pounds all on my own. So I've gotten a head start this year...

Fortunately for my weight gain, some of the functions I'm to attend all happen at the same time, so I can't possibly have dinner at Topeka Civic Theater, go to a church soup supper, attend a Fall party at some friends (I hated missing that one)... and I'd have to go look at my planner to remember what the other two things I missed were. I selected TCT, as I had paid out good money for a season ticket (with meals) and didn't want to miss the meal or let down my friends who had changed the date to accomodate me last time...the play was ok.

I could be a blimp, if I could just figure out how to have all the fun that's happening.

I had the opportunity to drive to Leavenworth today...it was a beautiful day for a drive. No sun in my eyes, and the recent moisture caused the colors of the fall leaves to be outstanding.

Let's see...what should I be doing right now...well, actually, I should be doing right what I'm doing right now...Watching TV with Wendell, playing on my computer and getting a back and shoulder rub...does it get any better than this? (why do I always feel like I should be doing something I would enjoy less?) I used to put off my ironing, because I liked ironing, but since I liked doing it, I should be doing something I enjoyed less, thus, I never got to my ironing.

What I should have said is...What I should put on my "to do list"...the first thing I think of is playing my violin...that then makes me think of re-learning my sasophone. Those are not vital things to do, just my more preferred ones...more preferred than cleaning out my closets, or the utility room (my two main "stash it" places) I also need to finish the stained glass project I started last August...then we went to Colorado, and I haven't touched it since. I also need to bring in some plants...I'd better go do that before I go to bed...I'll check the weather again, but my sister told me earlier today it may freeze tonight...that might be for Lawrence and not for Topeka. OK...that was probably my subconcious nagging at me about "what should I be doing"...I'd better get at it...

Later



Tuesday, October 7, 2008

AWOL (again)

Where DOES the time go!!!

Life is good...Had "Small Group" over here last night...since the group is sooo small, it's easy to have them over for dinner before our meeting...broiled chicken, green beans (fresh), tossed salad...Sandy brought potato salad and Earlene cake. The content of the lesson was making room for God in your day at work.

Today Sandy and I are doing shopping for the Wednesday evening meal we prepare at church every other week...Wednesday morning is Bible Study at the church, then home to fix lunch for Wendell, then back to church to cook...meatloaf, green beans, baked potatoes, rolls and pumpkin cake for desert...it's the recipe where you make the pumpkin up like for a pie, pour it into a 9" x 13" cake pan, mix a yellow cake mix with one stick of chunked up butter, sprinkle it over the pumpkin, then sprinkle chopped pecans over that...OK...I'm this far into the recipe, I might as well finish it...Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour...there...that's it...all but the..."Enjoy!" Truly yummie!

OK...I've got to get my recycling out to the curb, grab a shower and be on my way.

Later...