Happenings

Dinner Wednesday night at Leah Jane's was very nice. There were 6 of us and the food and conversation flowed. Was only gone a couple of hours, but had 3 new holes in the sofa when I got home. Damn dog...

Our temperature has been flirting with 100 degrees for the past week. "They" say that today it may not only hit 100, but pass it....ouch!

Yesterday I went to Norma's house about 9:30am. We picked blueberries for about 20 minutes. The temperature was already in the high 80s and the humidity was 98 percent. 20 minutes of picking in the shade was about all either of us could handle. Even so, I picked 1 1/2 quarts of some of the prettiest blueberries I've seen in a while. The bushes are still loaded and Norma invited me to come back and pick more soon. I'm going to freeze the majority, but have been thinking about dehydrating some to see how that'll work. I'm also contemplating refrigerator jam.

I had lunch at Sage with my friend Betty (Bennett as she's called now) from high school. We outlasted everyone there. Did a lot of catching up, after all, high school was 46 years ago! It's so funny how differently life happens to everyone. I also find it interesting that memories of basically the same thing can be so different! The brain is a strange and miraculous thing!

I'm torn today between 2 projects. I need to sew up the holes in the sofa and I want to start beading. Both projects require using these arthritic old hands and I know they won't last through both projects and either one of them will leave me mighty sore tomorrow. Of course, I could just vegetate on the computer and do nothing! We'll see.

El Nino

Just read an article that said "El Nino is Back"...Not sure just what the impact will be for everyone, but the article said stormier in the deep south and a warmer winter with storms. Drat.

We are very hot and dry now. High 90s during the day and 70s at night. They were just joking about triple digit temps being just around the corner on tv. I don't find that very amusing. I've been keeping the thermostat on 80 during the day, but I do turn in down when I go to bed. The last electric bill was up $20. This next one will be worse.

Yesterday was the meeting at the nursing home. I left here at 8:30 even though the meeting wasn't scheduled until 9:45. I read in the paper Sunday that there would be one land traffic in spots on US 90 and to expect delays. Wouldn't you know it, I got there in 30 minutes! I don't think I've ever made it that quickly...nope, I didn't speed, well, just a little. The meeting was uneventful, except that they told us they had taken Mother off the anti-psychotic drug she's been on for about a year...some kind of regulation that requires they reduce or remove. I hope she behaves! Both Bert and my sister were also there. Bless his heart, Bert is sure beginning to show his 91 1/2 years! He focuses on minutia and trivia. The staff is very patient with him.

When I got home the propane folks had already filled the tank and hung a bill on the back door. I delayed opening it for an hour or so...was afraid. It wasn't so bad, about $158.00, so I wrote a check and put it in the mailbox. I didn't grocery shop in Tallahassee yesterday because I was worrying about how much that bill would be. It's just as well.

When I got in to work on Monday there was a note on my desk from HWB (former boss) saying to call him that he needed to see me. So I did, asked him what was going on, but he wouldn't say on the phone, wants to talk to me in person. So, I'm going to go see him after work today. Haven't the foggiest idea what's up.

Leah Jane's having a little dinner party tonight and tomorrow I'm going to Norma's to pick blue berries.

Last Thursday I decided to use a hair color that we found in Mother's bathroom when we cleaned out the vanity and linen closet. Well, I guess they expire or something. When I began applying it to my hair the plastic bottle burst wide open splattering hair gunk everywhere. Of course I used what was usable and finished doing my hair. I now have hair the color of Goodness the cat and Jazzy the dog...looks good on them (see photo at top). My sister said yesterday that it's not awful. I'll wear it for a while and then do something else.

Return of the rain

Well, rain's back in our daily forecast...yesterday was day 4 of rain...not just a sprinkle, but major downpours! Each day I dumped more than an inch of rain out of the rain gauge...Friday more than 2 inches!

The hay bale garden is looking pitiful. The rain's leaching everything nutrient-wise out. The squash looks like it may not make it at all...all of the leaves are yellow. I'm thinking of trying a slow release fertilizer. Will go to the garden center tomorrow.

Friday SE Propane called to say they are running a special on propane, $2.90 a gal. The last time I had the tank filled was a year ago this past February and I paid $4.30 a gal. So, even though I didn't run the furnace once this past winter I told them to fill the tank. They'll do it on Tuesday. It doesn't evaporate and if I can afford to have the system checked out I may use it this coming winter...just on a really need to basis.

I guess I'll hold off on Jazzy's makeover since this month propane trumps dog!

I'm gradually getting the house in order. With all of the rainy days it's hard to work outside so the house is reaping the rewards! Yesterday in the midst of the downpour I backed the car in and out of the carport a bunch of times and then squeegeed all of the windows and lights. It looks much better. Next time I may throw a little soap on the body and see how that does. I try not to use tap water for anything other than necessities.

Hurricane season is here. Prepare folks, prepare!

TGIW!! again

It's absolutely amazing to me how long it is from Monday to Wednesday and how short it is from Thursday to Sunday! When Tuesday finally rolls around (my "hump" day) I'm exhausted. Sounds weird, I know, but it's true. When I'm at work I go full steam from the moment I walk in until I leave. That's one reason I'm able to work Monday - Wednesday...I get everything done that would normally take a 5-day work week. It's good for me, but generally Thursday is a wasted day. I do the bare minimum around here and rest up. Then I go full tilt for the remainder of the weekend. What a way to live.

Sunday night at Ann's house was nice. It was so good seeing Kay after 46+ years!

Am thinking about having Jazzy sheared...she could use a make over!

No particular news.

Sunshine!!!

The sun was out all day yesterday! Now, I'm not much of a sun person, but this was a welcomed event! Of course it was hot and quite muggy, but this dark side of the moon person loved every moment of it! The same weather is forecast for the next 3-4 days and then rain gradually slips back into the picture. Now, if I had my druthers, I'd request a good soaking every 3 days with sun in between. I have requested that numerous times, just evidently not getting the right ear.

Met with my sister around 7:30 yesterday morning. We went to our usual restaurant for breakfast. We both had turkey and avocado sandwiches that were to die for! They were so big that each of us took a half home!

After breakfast we went to see Mother. She was still in bed with a breakfast tray that was totally untouched and getting cold. With a little urging from us she ate quite a bit! So much so that the aide that came and took her tray commented on it! Since Mother wasn't up or dressed there wasn't much we could do with her, so we sang every song we could think of standing by her bed! When her roommate came in we got a little self conscious, but she urged us to continue, so we did. We ended up spending about an hour and a half singing. Everyone enjoyed it, but I think my sister and I enjoyed it the most! We'll have to come up with a few more songs for next time!

When we left I did my monthly main grocery shopping and got home around noon. Not bad.

Around 7 last night I was sitting on the front porch and the very old dog that lives across the road actually crossed the road and walked down my driveway a little bit and looked at me. We've never met, but always make eye contact and he watches me when I drive out. This was the first time I've seen him cross the road and it felt important. So, I dashed into the kitchen and got a bowl of water and a soft treat (don't know what shape his teeth are in), but by the time I got back out he was on his side of the road. He saw me come out and stopped and waited while I crossed over to him. I sat on the ground and gave him the treat which he really enjoyed. Then he let me rub his head. I wanted to rub his hips as they really seem to hurt him (he has to squat to pee and walks really, really slow), but he didn't want me to. The fur on his back is so dirty and sticky and almost matted and he smells really bad...I guess that's why they never seem to let him in the house anymore. When he finished our visit he drank quite a bit of water and continued his nightly stroll down the way. I'm not sure where he goes, but he does it every night.

Tonight I'm going to my friend Ann's house for hamburgers. Her sister is here for a visit. I haven't seen Kay for over 45 years and am surely looking forward to it!

and, yet more rain....

Today is our 16th day in a row of rain. Yesterday we had intermittent spots of sunshine and we had a little bit earlier this morning...just enough to get my hopes up. At first I was thrilled to be getting so much rain, but as it continued day in and day out my attitude underwent daily changes, mostly downhill! The soft plants aren't so happy either. The tomatoes and mint are especially unhappy...who woulda thunk it? They are sparse and leggy and borderline fungusy.

No particular news today. My sister and I are meeting for breakfast tomorrow and then planning to go see Mother. It's so much more pleasant seeing her with the two of us...I guess it gives us a buffer or something.

Work is slow. Hope it'll pick up soon. I get sooooo bored!

The weatherman says that tomorrow and Sunday will be hot and sunny! We'll see!

Rain.....

Today is our 10th day in a row of rain! The first few were so welcomed! Now it's getting to be a bit much! The poor dogs hold their bodily functions until they are about to burst and then dash outside and pee and poop in the rain for what seem like an eternity! They are so totally over the rain!

Yesterday one of the ladies from Garden Club had an open house. She has a rather large farm south of town and hybridises daylilies. The open house was from 10 to 3. I really debated about going in the rainy weather, but I thought I saw a patch of blue around noon, so I went. Her farm is really off the beaten path, down a one lane clay road forever! I was so glad I went. When I got there I asked her how the turn-out had been and she said I was the first. Even with the weather the rows and rows and rows of daylilies were breath-taking!

I got home in time for the bottom to drop out once more!

Thursday I roasted a chicken and made potato salad. Yesterday I made chicken soup and turtle walnut chocolate chip brownies. For breakfast I ate a brownie with my coffee. I've got a hankering to cook something now, but I'm forcing myself to wait until I at least finish the chicken, the meatloaf (and mashed potatoes) from Tuesday and the chicken soup. I figure I don't have to finish the brownies before cooking something else! I've always liked to cook, but I'm thinking this compulsion is being driven by the weather!

Didn't do dinner with the ladies last night. Was a chicken and just didn't answer the calls from Ruth. It's so hard to tell her no. Last week after telling her no she called again at the last minute and begged me to go. Said no. Then she wanted me to go as her guest. Said no. Then she offered to lend me money. Said no. This is all very hard.

The meeting with staff at the nursing home has been changed from this coming Tuesday to (I think) June 9th. They called my sister Friday and said they hadn't realized that Monday was Memorial Day when the first appointment was set and that some of the staff wouldn't be there. That's okay with me.

We work Memorial Day. Our leader says that's a "Yankee holiday"!

It's still quite early in the day and very muggy! and raining!

Perfect egg

This morning I cooked the world's most perfect poached egg! The other day Alton Brown (Good Eats) did a show on eggs. He's so good! I really sat up and took notice when he got to the poached egg part. That is probably my favorite way to have an egg and I've never been satisfied with the way mine turn out. His secret is to swirl the water and gently place the egg in the swirling water. That tightens the white up. The result is just wonderful. This morning I had mine on a buttered slice of 15 grain toast and topped it with a little finely shredded sharp cheddar and some cayenne pepper. Talk about good!

We have had three days in a row of made to order weather! Clear, sunny and hot in the mornings and major rain in the afternoons! I haven't heard about our rain deficit situation, but I'm willing to bet it's much better!

The hay bales are coming along nicely. The squash seeds are the only ones germinating yet, but I'm hopeful for the rest. Just in case they don't make it, yesterday I put out (in the bales) 2 tomato plants, 2 pepper plants (1 bell and 1 jalapeno), 1 Japanese eggplant, 3 clumps of flat leaf parsley and 1 mint plant. Then I went a bit nuts and seeded lots of herbs in the raised bed in the fenced area and zinnias, sunflowers and marigolds in the new bed that Jazzy and I dug right off the patio. If everything comes up it will be unreal! It's quite a large bed and it's the one I've planted crape myrtles and daylilies in. I put out 5 3cu.ft. bags of cypress mulch, but it looks like I need about ten more to really cover it. Then I really need to weed and mulch the front beds, they are getting away from me and they show! No one sees the back except for me.

A week from this coming Tuesday we have a meeting at the nursing home about Mother. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say. My sister and I think she's slowly going down hill, but Bert thinks she's okay. So to have a professional perspective will be good.

More rain is in the forecast for this afternoon and then both Monday and Tuesday it's supposed to rain 'most all day! How good is that?!

Rain, rain, rain!

We've had rain! Thank goodness!

Yesterday I came home from Garden Club with two crepe myrtles and an angle trumpet. As it was mighty hot and dry I just put them in the shade and took a nap. We had such an incredible luncheon. There were a gazillion salads, several different deviled eggs and desserts to die for! I tried my best to have some of each and when I finally got home a nap was my only option!

Around 4 o'clock I decided to go ahead and do my plantings. Got the 3 shrubs planted and 5 bags of cypress mulch spread out along with some weeding and then it started raining!!! Not just a sprinkle, but a downpour that lasted for about 40 minutes. Then it settled down and did a really nice rain all night! How perfect is that? The temperature dropped from 90 to the mid 70's and it actually felt cold! I turned the air conditioner off and opened both the front and back doors and watched Survivor with a lap robe, a dog and a couple of cats on me! More rain is in the forecast for the next few days!

The hay bales are coming along nicely! I have germination already from the squash.

My Uncle Buddy's Jeep dealership is one of the ones that Chrysler is closing. They've been in business for 40 or so years. He said that he's not sure what they'll do. Say a prayer for them and all the folks that have lost jobs. Times are hard and life so unpredictable!

Next month is the beginning of hurricane season. That sure seems to come around so quickly. Stock up, be prepared. Get batteries, food, water, etc. Don't get caught at the last minute needing to stock up, especially if you live on or near the coast (that includes everyone in Florida!). Remind your friends and neighbors and if you are able, help the folks that need it. You know, we're all in this boat together.

It's Wednesday!!!!!

TGIW!

Still no rain...scattered around our area, but not here. More scattered showers predicted for today. I'm hopeful.

My second job has fizzled out. I had been going to my old job once a week for the past year. It only amounted to about a hundred dollars every six weeks or so, but that was nice to have. Oh well. Rumor has it that they are closing...they've cut out most of the jobs and the customers are slowly being absorbed into home office where I am. I'm sorry to see this happen.

I stopped at the service station on the way home yesterday. They put my car over that pit thingy that they walk down into and scraped off a bunch of the plastic bag that was melted all underneath. They weren't able to get it all and said that it should just melt off. Said it shouldn't cause a fire, but the smell is just awful!

Last night was the three hour season finale of Biggest Loser. A 48 year old woman won! She went from close to 300 pounds to something like 120 pounds (I think it was less)! Can you imagine? She looked absolutely wonderful as did most of the contestants. Some of them didn't do so well, I know the discipline it takes to keep on an exercise and healthy diet routine is awfully hard...I can't do it. I did get my dumb bells out and did a few things...I'd like to think that I'll do it every day. Doubt it.

Tomorrow is garden club. We're all to take either a salad or a dessert. I'm thinking I'll take my taco pasta salad with black beans. It's unusual and good.

TGIW!

The Heat

Yesterday we hit a new high for the date...95 degrees! I wore walking shorts to work!

Saturday I planted some of the hay bales. Just seeds...still want to get a few bedding plants. Put out 2 different types of squash, 2 different types of peppers and Roma tomato seeds. It'll be interesting to see what works!

Sunday when I got home from Tallahassee I was absolutely shocked when I walked into the house! Jazzy had been on a rampage. She tore up pillows, books, magazines, 2 decks of cards, a couple of ball point pens and some things that were in such small pieces that I'm not sure what they were! It was spread out through 3 rooms! I didn't try to salvage anything. Just scooped it all into a big black garbage bag and took it out to the trash can. So yesterday I left both dogs outside...hated to because of the heat, but just can't take this separation anxiety! I plan to just leave Jazz out today...Shirley's getting a little old for the heat.

Last night I got a phone call from Uncle Buddy. He was just touching base and wanted to tell me about his visit with Mother. It was a good conversation and it cleared the air a bit.

The TV weatherman just said we could possibly get rain today. We haven't had any this month. Cross your fingers!

Yesterday was Mother's Day

My sister and I met for breakfast yesterday and afterwards went to the nursing home to see Mother. She was still having breakfast when we got there and we sat outside while we waited for her to finish. It was quite sad to see the state she was in. She was dribbled with food and had scrambled eggs under her fingernails.

It was awfully cold inside, so we got one of her sweaters for her, but we were only able to get it on one arm and over her shoulders. She's hard to maneuver and heavy.

The three of us went outside to the garden and sat at the new picnic table (Mother in her wheel chair) for a visit. I read her cards to her (one a letter from Rosie) and she seemed pleased. Visiting gets harder each time. She's more child-like and more vague and confused each time. She has begun drooling pretty badly, too. We asked her about her visit with Uncle Buddy. We thought she remembered the visit until she told us that Aunt Betty was there, too. She wasn't. We visited for an hour or so, until Mother starter dozing off in her chair.

When we took her back in the dining room was being set up for a Mother's Day party. So we parked her chair so she could watch with some of the other ladies there. It's a shame that it always feel like we're escaping when we leave.

Happy Mother's Day.

Heat and Electricity

Well, here it it! Summer! Our daytime temperatures have been in the high 80's and low 90's for the past few days and the nights aren't too cool either! Night before last I turned the air conditioner on for the first time...turned it on at 10pm and then off at 5am. Did the same thing last night. I can cope with the heat in the daytime, but sleeping is almost impossible at night. To compensate for the electricity that the air conditioner uses I'm not burning lights, even though they all have the compact florescent bulbs. When I must have light I'm using either candles or flashlights. I know that doesn't make up for but a smidgen of the electricity, but it's something!

Not doing Dinner with the Ladies tonight.

Sunday is Mother's Day. My sister and I will have breakfast and then go to the nursing home.

At 4:30 yesterday afternoon Bert called. He wanted to let me know that there was a Mother's Day cookout at the nursing home at 5:30! Hey! That's just a little short notice! Obviously I didn't go...by the time I showered and dressed and drove to Tallahassee it would have been over!

Norma broke her toe the other night. She doesn't know how, she just woke up with it swollen, black and broken. The doctor wrapped it and told her to wear that shoe she had to wear when she broke a bone in her foot a few months back. She's in her late 80's...I wonder about her bone density...you'd think her doctor would check that and her vitamin D levels. You know, most of us are deficient in vitamin D and without an adequate amount of it we don't absorb calcium.

Not much going on...not much news. That's a good thing!

Busy weekend

I always have so many things on my list that I want to get done. Crossing them off the list is such a joy! I guess part of the pleasure is the fact that I'll always have a list...it'd be a shame to run out of things that needed to be done!

Didn't do Dinner with the Ladies Friday night.

Yesterday I had the house pressure washed. The mildew on the north and east sides of the house had turned it absolutely green with circles the side of fifty cent pieces! Really looked awful...didn't know just how bad until it was clean!

The empty charred shell of a house down the street is drawing such traffic on this little road. Sight-seers at some points this weekend actually created traffic jams! It will be better when the house is taken down and the lot is cleared. As it is, it's a constant reminder of what happened.

The last time I drove my car was last Wednesday. I hope I remember how to this morning.

Gotta go to work. (Should say"Get to go to work today"!)

Tragedy close to home

Between 5:30 and 6:00 this morning a fire broke out in a home just down the street from me. A young couple and their 3 children lived there. The mother (8 months pregnant) and 2 of the children (like 1 & 3 yrs old) died in the fire. The father threw the oldest child out a window and was severely injured trying to rescue the mother and other 2 children. He was life flighted to Shands Hospital and the one little boy was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The cause of the fire hasn't been determined yet, but the father said they had gone to bed with a crock pot going in the kitchen. Like so many of the houses here that one was quite old and it's suspected the wiring wasn't in great shape. The arson folks are sifting the ashes still and an arson dog has been brought onto the scene. I'm sure they have to check all aspects.

Earlier this afternoon I walked down to see what it looked like. It's unimaginable. The tin roof was rolled back on itself and just charred walls remain. The Tallahassee Democrat has pictures on their web site.

I didn't know this young couple except for waving as I passed by. Somehow, that doesn't make it any easier.

It is still Spring

With all of the hoopla going on about H1N1 I tend to forget that it is still Spring and the sky is still blue and the grass is still green and basically things are good.

My yard man cut the lawn yesterday and it looks so nice. Right now, the weeds are the main things that grow and they had spiked up a foot or two! When I came home yesterday I drove back to the hay bales and finally unloaded the car of top soil and cow manure. The weeds around the hay bales were as tall as the bales! I'm sure the car will drive better now. It had been feeling heavy and like I was really having to peddle awfully hard to get up hill!

Found out that Mother's twin brother came up for the first time since she had the stroke. He came up Monday and went home Tuesday. Bert arranged everything and didn't even let me know. Shame on him!

Biggest Loser was good last night. I hate that this season is winding down. Besides being very entertaining, the program is quite motivational. Good show.

Today is my Friday. Yesterday there was NO work for me at work. No new sales to file or anything. Scary. I finished the stenciling on the chairs and tables. It ended up being 60+ chairs and 5 tables. I left work at 10:30 due to lack of anything to do! As most of the employees on the nursery are Mexican I'm wondering how this Swine Flu is impacting their families. I don't know if any of them have been home recently or not.

TGIW!

Swine Flu in Florida

I just read on the computer that the first case of Swine Flu has been found in Florida. Guess where? Disney World!!! Ironic, isn't it? Now, just imagine the implications of that...I don't know the numbers, but thousands and thousands of people go through Disney World daily and the probability of infection must be great. Where are all the folks that are visiting there going when they leave? Probably home. Home to South America, Africa, India, Indiana, Mississippi, etc. You get my drift...

Every time I turn the news on more cases are being reported and the first probable death in the US (that we know of) has been reported in California.

This morning while I dressed I had the national news on on one of the networks. They were interviewing the parents of a student that has been confirmed with Swine Flu. The mother was hacking and coughing the entire interview. That didn't seem too bright to me.

Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! Stay out of crowded situations! Stay home if you're sick. Use common sense. Buy a few canned goods just in case this thing shuts down our supplies for a while. Prepare for the worse and pray for the best.

Be safe.

Is it still Spring?

Our temperature hit 90 degrees yesterday! It's hard to believe it's still Spring! Seems we just jumped to Summer! I turned the air conditioner in the car on for the first time on the way home from Tallahassee yesterday. At first all it did was blow HOT air. Turned it off and on a couple of times to no avail and was beginning to think I needed to have it serviced. Then I noticed a button on the dash...A/C. Punched it and glorious COLD air came out. Amazing what a difference a little button can make! I haven't turned the AC on in the house. Early last night it was pretty warm inside, but I opened both the front door and the French doors and got a lovey cool breeze through, 'course it did blow some dust bunnies around. I was hoping it would blow them outside...no such luck!

Yesterday was Mother's 84th birthday. Except for the fact that she was told it was her birthday she didn't know and didn't care. I'm sure that today she doesn't remember...in fact, I'm sure that shortly after we left she didn't remember. It's hard to believe that just a little over a year ago she was a very young 82...now she's a very old 84!

Wednesday I brought home the cutest old corner desk. It's small, has a drop lid and is on 3 tapered legs. Inside it has 2 small drawers and 5 or 6 cubbies. There are 2 decent sized drawers on the outside as well. Cute, cute, cute! I got it for $2 and for stenciling our nursery's name on some folding chairs and tables. Not a bad deal! Poor desk had been stored in a dirt floored garage for who knows how long and was filthy. After I got it home and got it cleaned and polished it turned out to be a really nice piece. Getting it into my little car and then into the house was really the challenge. I still have bruises on the inside of both arms from wrestling it! I feel I came out ahead on this deal! I still have about 15 chairs and 2 tables to stencil. Should be able to finish that up Monday or Tuesday.

I'm debating as to whether or not I should go the the doctor's office this morning. Mercy scratched my right leg quite badly this morning. She didn't do it with malice, she was just urging me out of bed and into the kitchen for her breakfast. I slept in until 5:45! The place is about 5 inches long and pretty deep in several spots. I had trouble stopping the bleeding and it still hurts. It doesn't need stitches. I cleaned it and put Sulfodene on it...don't think the Doc could or would do much else. There, I just answered my on question. I'll just keep an eye on it.

Okay, tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. I didn't go for 2 weeks and that was nice. Then Ruth called Wednesday night and caught me off guard. She asked me if I wanted to "come back"! I asked her what in the world was she talking about and she had been told (Leah Jane) that I didn't want to do Fridays any more. Told her that I didn't want to do every week any more and that yes, I'd do it this week. That's okay...I figure I'll go once a month on the Friday following getting my SS check! Gee, the joys of a small town! There are folks here that have no idea what friendship means and wouldn't know how to keep their mouths shut if they were sewn shut! There are many perks to small town living, but I stupidily have trusted a couple of folks that I really didn't know anymore. Can't undo it, but can and will guard my every word with these 2 from now on! Snakes! They are just snakes in the grass!!!!!

Shirley jumped off of the foot rest of my recliner Wednesday night and did something to her left shoulder. She hobbled on 2 back legs and the 1 good front one the remainder of the evening. I had to carry her out and back in when she needed to go out and had to lift her up into my lap and onto the bed. I rubbed it for her and it didn't seem to hurt her when I did that, but also didn't seem to help. When she got up yesterday morning she was able to use it, but slowly and quite gingerly. Today she's okay. She'll be 7 May 1st as will Goodness and Mercy. That's not that old, is it?

This is better!

Wow! Two weeks in a row and I didn't do Dinner with the Ladies on Friday night! It's absolutely amazing to me how much better Friday felt not having the obligation of going to something I didn't want to go to felt! Once more, I wasn't completely honest about my reason for not going (cited the Fletcher Family Reunion), but the event I used was true, I'm just not going. I'm guessing that next week I'll just have to say "no".

Thursday was a busy day for me. I planted 2 crape myrtles (pink), a Coral Bell Azalea and 18 daylilies in the back yard around the patio. Yesterday (and again this morning) my lower back is killing me. I guess I'm just getting too old for that sorta stuff. I weeded a very large area, removed grass, too, but there's still lots more I'd like to do. I only had one bag of mulch left over from last year and was able to spread it out pretty well. Doesn't look wonderful, but looks tended.

I worried about Jazzy and the stuff I'd planted, but it seems that since she was out there with me (as were Shirley, Goodness, Mercy, Bandi and Smokey!) and I told her it was mine she's pretty much left it alone. I think she ate one daylily as I can't find it, but so far everything else is in place...sure hope this holds!

Then Thursday night Leah Jane had me over for supper. Soup and pie. Delicious! We visited for a while and I got home right when Survivor started. Boy, those people on that show are so stupid!

I have a pot of stew simmering on the stove now and it smells so good! A couple of months ago I bought 2 pot roasts (buy one get one free). I made pot roast with one and froze the other one (also froze several bags of pot roast and gravy for later). So yesterday I partially thawed the whole frozen roast, cut it in half and refroze half (it still was partially frozen, so I'm not worried about that). Then I cubed the remaining half and seasoned and floured it and put it in the 'fridge. Of course by this morning the cubed meat had pretty much turned the flour into a paste so I added more flour and tossed it around. Browned the meat off really nicely and added some finely chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery. While that was all making merry in the pot I diced an onion and a potato and tossed those into the pot. Added some brown gravy that I made earlier this week with garlic and red wine and added a little more water and a half a cup of black coffee. Wish you could smell this! It's fantastic! Later I'll add some frozen green peas and I may make a pot of rice to serve it over. Yum! I'll take Leah Jane some and freeze some and still have enough to eat on for a couple of days!

I'm really enjoying having things in the freezer that are ready to thaw, heat and eat. Even though I only work 5 hours a day, some days I just don't feel like cooking when I get home, however, I ALWAYS feel like eating. In general I enjoy my cooking much more than anything I can get out and the selection is broader. It's also so much cheaper to eat at home and healthier, too!

I'm trying to figure out how to make a slip cover for one of the chairs in the living room. It seems like it should be a simple thing to do, but for some reason I just can't get my head wrapped around it. Those folks on the home improvement shows make it look so easy. I guess I'll Google it and see what comes up.

Pictures

This is the front porch, the spirea is still blooming and you can see the red nandina berries. I wish I'd had film and had taken some pictures before the storms took all of the azalea bloom! This is my first iris bloom of the year...beautiful! The pink Knock Out rose is just really coming into it's own!

Jazzy. Hasn't she gotten big? When she first arrived she was too tiny to go up the steps, now she takes them in leaps and bounds! You can see the land scaping she's done...all of that used to be grass!

Smokey, Goodness and Jazzy.

Jazzy getting a bath from Goodness.

Bathing just wears one out!

I just looked at the dates on the pictures. Obviously I need to figure out how to change the date, 'cause it's 2009, NOT 1994!

Well, I didn't do Friday Night with the Ladies. I was less than truthful, well, I stretched the truth a bit. When Ruth called I told her that I couldn't go because I had a date. Actually, I was asked out, but I didn't go. I'm just not up for that yet. Guess I'll have to have a date every Friday night!

Thursday I spent hours going through some clothes that Mother and Bert brought over here 2 or 3 years ago. They just drove up and unloaded his van into my living room and left. These were all things from Mother's closet that she couldn't use any more. Well, she knew I couldn't use them as the majority were size 6! So Thursday I finally cleared out the guest room of all of it. Took it up to Wag the Dog (the Humane Society's thrift shop). They were delighted to get it and I was thrilled to have it all out of my house!

I just made some pickled eggs. Haven't done that in years! Used beet juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, thinly sliced onions and sliced garlic. Took a sip of the pickling juice before pouring it over the eggs and it took my breath away! Good stuff, just not to drink! Sure does make pretty red eggs! They'll sit in the 'frige for a couple of days before I eat them.

Weather's rather warm and overcast. Slight chance of rain in the forecast. I'd like a little, but there is flooding all around. The next county over to the east still has major evacuations and road closings! They were talking about closing I-10 earlier this week, but so far they haven't. Our local paper on Wednesday had lots of pictures of roads here in Jefferson County that are flooded and closed. It's really been a wild spring!

What am I supposed to do?

This Friday night thing is really getting old! When our leader, Ruth, called this week I told her that I wasn't going to be able to make it and, to make a very long story short, she insisted and I went! It wasn't fun and even though I got a burger and fries and it was good and cheaper than the regular fare, I resented spending both the money and the time for something I didn't want to do! Why is this so hard to get out of?

Then, yesterday she called and invited me over for wine and cheese tonight with a couple of other folks. I actually lied and told her that an old friend was in town and I'd be seeing her! She is in town, but we don't have any plans to get together, we had a nice phone visit yesterday. I don't like to lie. I should be able to just say no! What's wrong with this picture? I feel sorry for Ruth, she's old and a widow and crippled, but she has around the clock help and a driver and goes constantly. She has plenty of money and doesn't lack for anything she wants or needs. She makes me feel like I'm being used for entertainment and I don't like it! I'm just not going to show up this coming Friday night and I guess I'll just have to stop answering her calls. For some reason she makes me feel guilty if I say no! Cross your fingers that I'll get some gumption!

This is the oddest Spring weather! Both tomorrow night and Tuesday night we are supposed to be below freezing! Guess I'll have to get the space heaters back out and bring in the potted plants that I can lift! And, tonight and tomorrow we are looking for more storms! Weird, huh?

When is this basketball stuff on TV going to end? I'm so tired of basketball knocking stuff I watch off the tube! What's wrong with ESPN? That's a sports channel...can't they have it on there and leave everything else alone? Phooy on them!

This is a cloudy and chilly day...perfect for hot tea and movies!

This year it's April that's a lion!

I've always heard that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb...well this year's certainly confused! The past 3 days have really been stormy! The wind, lightening and thunder and torrential rain really had my nerves on edge! The animals were quite jumpy, too! We're still under a flash flood watch and we were under tornado watches almost the entire time. Today's supposed to be beautiful and tomorrow cloudy, then it's back to the storms for Sunday and Monday. At least we're almost out of our 10" rain deficit!

When I walked out back this morning it felt like I was in a different world. The SUN is shining! It's a little chilly, but beautiful. The strong winds blew away the majority of blooms that were so beautiful this year, but the greenness of everything makes up for their loss. The last trees to bud out each spring are the pecan trees and they have all budded! That is suppose to mean that the cold weather is over. Yeah!

Went online to check my electric bill and found that it has dropped $107.23 from last month. I sure needed that! It's $88.85. That's pretty good. I had 3 months of the bill being over $200! And I never cut on the furnace! Just think if I'd been using the furnace and paying for propane too!

Gasoline prices are creeping up. Monday it was $2.09 at the local BP and Wednesday it was $2.19. The prices are always a few cents cheaper in both Tallahassee and Thomasville, but, you know, it uses gas to go there and to come back, so unless I have to go for some other reason it'd be rather stupid to go just to get gas!

I got an e-mail from my youngest daughter. Sure was nice to hear from her, it's been a long time! She has a blog: bethsnikpmot.blogspot.com, check it out.

Tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. Not looking forward to it.

Tomorrow I'm taking Shirley in to have her nails trimmed. She sounds like she tap dancing on these hardwood floors!

I think I'll get some bedding plants and top soil tomorrow and get the hay bales planted. I can't put it off forever!

Stormy, stormy weather!

Wow! The weather across the panhandle was just amazing for the last 3 days! We had sustained winds of 20 mph with gusts (and rather prolonged ones at that!) of 65 mph! For once I didn't lose any of the limbs from the pecan trees, I think they all came down a few weeks back when the winds were only 30ish mph! I got over 5 inches of rain here at the house, don't know what the official rain fall was.

The timing of the rain was just perfect for me. Friday morning I had 12 bales of hay delivered and I have to keep them soaked for 3 days! So there you go! This coming weekend I plan to plant tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash in the bales. I'll try to remember to take pictures at various stages in this process so you can see how or if it all works out. Everything I've read about hay bale gardening sounds so good!

Well, Friday night for Dinner with the Ladies we went to another restaurant. I'd made reservations and the table was nice. The food was iffy and the service was terrible and it stormed the entire time (we ate outside). Perhaps I expect too much from this small town? So next week the powers that be have dictated that we go back to the former restaurant we've been going to. I'm going to order a hamburger and see what happens. I'm sick of the seafood that all tastes alike (and is very greasy!) and the steaks that are never cooked the way I want them! I know I keep saying it, but I've just got to stop this weekly thing...it's not working out in my best interest!

This morning I went to Tallahassee. Left home before daylight (7ish) and my sister and I went to breakfast and then on to the nursing home to do Mother's clothes. The things we took out of the closet we just stuffed in the box the new things came in and tossed the box in the dumpster! Sure feels good to have that done. Mother must have been at breakfast as we didn't see her, but we did see her room mate. Then it was back to my sister's house to sort through the stuff we'd taken from Mother's bathroom a month or so ago. Good to get that done too!

I've been having a horrible metallic taste in my mouth for several weeks. Finally really sat down and thought about anything new in my diet or habits. Around the start of flu season I added zinc to my arsenal of vitamins and things that I take daily. So about 5 days ago I stopped taking the zinc and the metallic taste is almost (but not quite) gone. So much for a prophylactic dose of zinc to prevent colds and flu! I was beginning to really think something was terribly wrong!

I have so many things I want to do today. It would be so nice to get something done! I hope I do!

Busy weekend

Wow! I had so many obligations this past weekend that I didn't feel like me!

Friday night, of course, was Dinner with the Ladies. We went to the same old place and the service was just horrid and the food boring! This week I've been charged with getting reservations at another restaurant. Hope I don't have any trouble.

Saturday Leah Jane had a small dinner party and even though it was very nice, I was away from home! You know me....

Sunday was the day that almost did me in. I met my sister, Bert and my step sister and her husband for lunch in Tallahassee. That meant that in order to be there on time I had to leave here at 10 after 11! Then, I was a little after 4 getting back! I was invited to a cocktail party at Edgewood plantation at 5:30 and got back home a little after 7! A full and tiring day. Needless to say, I slept through most of The Amazing Race!

Yesterday at work after doing catch up (that's always what awaits me on Mondays) I got settled into my new office. It's a very nice office, but has been used for storage and has piles of stuff that I don't know what to do with. So, I've just shoved most of it into a corner and that's that!

I hope the phone system has been fixed today. Yesterday the phone didn't ring in my office...makes it rather hard to catch it! Three of us were shuffled around and the extensions are all messed up, and, I have no mouse! Kinda hard to use the computer that way! They say I'll have one today...we'll see.

Tomorrow is the final day of my work week and I'm looking forward to yard work, house work and just being home!

Happy First Day of Spring!

Actually we still have about 37 min. until it's officially Spring, but that close enough! It has looked like Spring here for several weeks, but the last couple of days have felt like early Summer! The temperature is going to slightly cool down for the next few days and that will be welcomed. If only it would rain! We are already in a 10" deficit for the year!

I made a cake last night! Those of you who know me know I don't bake much, I love to cook, but I find baking so intimidating. Well anyway, I really wanted something sweet and only had chocolate available and didn't want chocolate! I drug out my old Bundt pan...can't figure out how old it is, probably around 37 years old, and I made a cake! I toasted chopped pecans and diced 2 Granny Smith apples that I sauteed in a little butter with brown sugar (also added a little cinnamon, salt and black pepper). Made a basic yellow cake and put the apple/pecan mixture in the Bundt pan first added the batter and baked for an hour at 325 degrees. The house smelled wonderful! I let the cake cool for 15 minutes, turned it out and drizzled a little glaze that I made with confectioners sugar, apple cider, cinnamon and cayenne pepper (tasted a lot like Red Hots). It was so good that I ate two pieces! Then while it was still hot I ran a large slice down to Leah Jane. Her back still is giving her fits even after the surgery.

Wednesday right before time to leave work the Big Boss called me and told me to move my stuff to the empty office next to him. I did, but it'll take me a few days to settle in. I have a WINDOW!!!

Tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. We're back to the same ol' place, but we're going to eat outside. That should be nice. We'll all take cushions to sit on. I'm thinking I'll take slices of cake for everyone. That'll save me from eating it all! Monday, if there's any left, I'll take it to work...those guys'll eat anything!

Yesterday I rolled $74.oo worth of coins and still have a bunch of pennies to roll! I'll deposit it today. It's a long stretch from one Social Security check to the next!...and the next one isn't due 'till next week. I manage to keep the bills paid and of course eat, but I need both gas and dog food, hence the coins! Thank goodness I save them!

The source I had for straw bales fell through. The fellow finally called me on Monday and said the bales he picked up over the weekend are heavely sprayed and he knew (and he's right) that I didn't want sprayed bales. His first cutting won't be until June, but he'll call me when he bales and if I haven't found any I'll be among the first on his list. I hope he'll come through for me, even though June is very late to plant here in N. FL.

Well, I left Jazzy in the house today. Not because I wanted to, but because she's gotten rather savvy about my go to work routine. Yesterday I had to shove her out and this morning I couldn't get my hands on her. I hope to go by on my 10am run this morning and get her out then as this is my long day. Before I left this morning she'd already torn up a pee pad all over the living room! I've gotten quite spoiled not having all that mess when I get home.

Yesterday I just told the Big Boss that I couldn't move upstairs. He asked why and I cited my back, which is the main gist of the matter. He said he'd just have to figure something else out. Whew!

Leah Jane walked down to my house yesterday and we sat on the front porch and had wine and visited. It was nice.

If you don't read my daughter's blog (moonmeadowfarm.blogspot.com) you should. She's remarkable and her oldest daughter (the young one, too!) is just unreal! You should read about what ED has done!

Enough for now. Am at work.

I'm not sure what to do...

Yesterday the big boss called me into his office. One his sons and another salesman were in there with him. He said that he wanted me to move upstairs to the son's desk before my week ended on Wednesday. Upstairs is the sales dept. domain and is an area carved out under the eaves of the building (attic). The single flight of stairs is very narrow and very steep. I avoid those stairs whenever possible. I don't know what to do. I can't do this. Everything I do is downstairs and this would mean climbing those stairs several times a day. I don't want to quit this little job...need the insurance...but I can't do those stairs.

Sunday I gave Jazzy her first real bath. I took a bucket of warm water out to the patio and wet her down from it. She was real good and really enjoyed the soaping and scrubbing...then I took the hose to rinse her off. She really freaked out! Pulled out of her collar and dashed into the house through the open back door! Oh, what a mess. Next time I sure hope I remember to close that door!

Well, I've gotta go to work.

Updates

Right before Norma picked me up to go to the farm for garden club I got a call from my sister. Bert had called her in a tizzy to say that Mother was in the hospital having surgery to remove her feeding tube and what did she know about it. Well, this was the first that she had heard about any surgery, so she called the nursing home to find out just what was happening. It seems that Mother was in the hospital having surgery to REPLACE her feeding tube as the old one wasn't functioning well. The nurse that she talked to also implied that she has told Bert all about it. Oh, this whole mess is so difficult! Anyway, I called my sister when I got home and Mother was already back in the nursing home and resting and doing quite well. NEP (sister) did ask the nursing home nurse about the virus that's going around and she said it's still running through the nursing home, so we will not be going there this weekend!

The farm was wonderful. Golden Acres Farm. It was interesting to see first hand the straw bale gardening, but I learned nothing new that I hadn't already read about on the computer. They did give us info on a source for the bales and I'll call either today or tomorrow. It'll come out of Tallahassee and is pesticide and other chemicals free. They also deliver, but I don't have any idea how much it'll cost. There were a gazillion chickens and cats and dogs running around the place, but we didn't see the goats or sheep. I bought some bone in goat stew meat ($6.00 a pound) as that was all I could afford. I really wanted some of the lamb, but it started at $9.00 a pound and went up! Didn't buy any of the eggs, though they were quite nice, but $4.00 a doz. is way out of my price range! We each took a bag lunch and ate at tables out under some very old oak trees with begging chickens under foot. It was so nice and the weather just perfect!

For lunch I made some egg salad that I got a little carried away with. I added chopped green onions, chopped gherkin pickles, minced pickled jalapenos and olives with pimentos and capers...a little salt and black pepper, a dab of mayo and a squirt of yellow mustard. Made a sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread and it was absolutely delicious! Took a bottle of water and some chips. I'll fix that again!

Now it's time for a nap so I can stay up and watch Survivor tonight!

Golly Gee It's Nice Here!

Wow! Spring has sprung fully and it's beautiful! Spirea, azaleas, snow drops, red buds, dogwoods, Japanese magnolias and even the camellias are all blooming and the entire town (and my yard especially) looks like wonder land! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!!!!

I haven't had a heater on (except for the one in the bathroom once) for almost 2 weeks and have been having both the front and back doors opened! Just lovely. Ain't spring grand?

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I left Jazzy out in the back yard when I went to work. I don't know how it's working out for her, but it's wonderful for me! When I get home the house is just as I left it and I don't have to spent an hour or so cleaning up before I can sit down. I'd like to build her a dog house before next winter. I think that gives me enough time to figure something out.

Today my garden club is going out to a farm that does hay bale gardening. I'm really excited about learning first hand more about this technique. Hope they'll have hay bales for sale...and that they'll deliver! I'm riding with Norma today and neither of us know exactly where we're going...just very vague directions. Cross your fingers that we find it!

The moving force behind out Friday night Diner with the Ladies called a little while ago. She's not going to be there nor are any of the rest except for Norma and me. So I just talked to Norma and we're going somewhere else! Yeah!

No news on Mother. As of Tuesday Bert was still sick.

Woke up this morning and the two lasered places actually aren't killing me. Got the direction on care out again the other day and it says it will take 6-8 weeks to completely heal. Today is 2 weeks. Can you imagine that folks have their whole faces lasered? I don't know if I could go through that just for beauty!

Oops, I took a spill

I finally got all of the clocks changed in the house...each room has one and some have two...but haven't changed watches yet, I figure I'll change them as I use them. Sounds good to me.

Yesterday I spent four and a half hours sewing up the holes in the sofa. I can't get another one yet (am saving my change) and it was really, really bad! I covered it with a sheet, but Jazzy shredded that, so not only was it a holey sofa, but covered with a shredded sheet it REALLY looked bad. Doesn't look so great now, but much better. My hands hurt from the stitching, but the hard part was threading the darn needle! I really can't see squat, even with my dime store glasses!

After I finished the sewing I went outside to rescue some azaleas that a big oak limb had fallen on. The main part of the limb is about 8 feet long and bigger around than my leg. There were some pieces that had broken off that were pretty big, too. Well, as I was dragging them out to the street somehow my left foot got tangled up and I took a pretty hard fall. I'm okay, but my left hip hurts and my right knee took the brunt of the fall and is bruised and swollen and hurts, as does the heel of my right hand. It all happened so quickly, one minute I was dragging and the next I was on the ground!

My sister talked to Bert yesterday (I did on Saturday) and it seems he has Mother's bug. We both had suggested to him that he not go to the nursing home while this bug was going around, but he's more stubborn than most! He actually went 3 times on Friday!

I'm thinking of leaving Jazzy outside today. It's going to be another beautiful day and I'm just not up to cleaning up another one of her decorating projects! It's amazing to me that a relatively small amount of poly fiber fill can fill up several rooms! It reminds me of the time I was watching a friend's puppy...a Rhodesian Ridgeback...she ate their sofa on my watch...maybe it's the breed.

Gotta run, am running late...slept until the alarm went off!

Why can't "they" just leave the time alone?

Why in the world can't we just run on the same ol' time all of the time? This jumping back and forward stuff is for the birds! People are going to do what ever they need to do no matter what the clock says and I'm just fed up with changing clocks! At least tomorrow the clock in my car will be correct for the first time in what 6 months? I've still managed to make appointments on time and work on time, etc. So why screw around with the clock? I know there are a couple of states that don't do the time change stuff and they seem to function okay, they haven't fallen off the face of the earth or anything like that. This is just plain ol' dumb!

Anyway, reminder, set your clock forward an hour tonight.

My sister called yesterday and said that Bert called her to let her know that Mother is sick. I haven't heard from him, will probably call him today. It seems that there's a virus going around the nursing home and Mother's caught it. Nancy and I had planned on going to see Mother and do her clothes today, but neither of us can afford to catch anything else...we've both been sick several times this winter. So I guess we'll go when we hear that the bug is gone. Seems that it should be gone by next weekend...

Last night was Dinner with the Ladies. There were only 5 of us. We have 2 out with back problems now. The company was nice, the food was the same. Brought home some fried catfish, hush puppies (for the dogs) and 4 fried oysters...am thinking a fried oyster hogie sounds good!

Made an interesting little pasta salad yesterday. Shell macaroni, pinto beans, minced onion and bell pepper, fresh basil, a little lemon zest, a package of dried ranch dressing and a little mayo. I ate some right after mixing it and it was good, but this morning it was even better! I've just boiled 3 eggs and will be making egg and olive salad shortly. Yum!

Once a week I go to my old job and catch them up on filing and sending out statements, etc. I do strange little odd jobs and such. Well, it's sometimes less than an hour that I'm there and sometimes as long as 3 hours, so I only turn in my time card every 6 weeks or so. Turned it in last Wednesday (a week ago this past Wed.) and attached a note asking to have the check this past Monday. Well, HWB lost my card...so no check. I'm angry. This is not the first time he's messed around with my money, and it's such a piddling little bit. Like an idiot, I did not keep a copy of the time. Don't know exactly what to do, but I'm so angry about this that I'm thinking of not working there anymore! I'm worried that this may cause problems where I'm working Mon-Wed, as it's his dad I work for now. Perhaps I should talk to the dad about it...

Next Thursday our garden club is going out to a farm to learn first hand about straw bale gardening. I'm hoping that I can get a lead on buying straw bales there. I hear they will also have goat meat (which I like a lot) and eggs for sale!

Just how long should it take to get a tax return back? I sent mine in a few weeks back...maybe it'll be soon. I sure hope so!

Yesterday was a year...

It was a year ago yesterday that Mother had her stroke. In some ways it feels like much longer and in some, just a moment ago!

I ordered some clothes online for Mother and they arrived on Monday. Got her several sweaters and tops and pants. The staff told us the last time we were there that she needed some, but after going through her closet we found there wasn't much that could just be thrown in the washer...so, Heband got a pretty large order from us...Mother's account paid for them. I made sure to get colorful things, but she really doesn't care. It's sad to see her go from such a clothes horse to a rag-a-muffin!

"They" are saying that today should be out last day starting out below freezing. I certainly hope so!

The laser places are so slow to heal. Tomorrow will be a week since the surgery and I'm just so uncomfortable...can't lay on my back and the one on my thigh is on the side I sleep on, so that's very hard to do. Not getting much sleep. Hope that changes soon.

Work is terribly slow. Scary slow. Walked in yesterday and there was not one piece of paper to file. That's the first time in over a year that's happened. The main thing I file are orders, so that means orders have SLOWED down terribly!

I stayed up on purpose to watch the 2 hour Biggest Loser last night and fell asleep in my chair during the last 10 minutes. So, I have no idea how it ended! That's the pits! If it's so slow again at work today maybe I'll try to find it online and see what happened...or I could call my sister...

I tend to over react!

Yesterday went quite well. It seems that I tend to over react about some things. I got to the dermatologist's office a little early and once more they took me in right away. Dr. Jackson had decided to do laser surgery on both my thigh and back. He did the surgery with me in a seated position which was much better for me, though he had to kneel to do it. I read my book (a biography of Elizabeth Taylor) the entire time and got a whole chapter read before it all was completed. The place on my thigh went from the size of a dime to the size of a quarter. I haven't seen the place on my waist/back yet. I was quite capable of driving myself home, in fact I stopped at Publix and did my shopping!

Before shopping I went by to see Mother as I was only a few blocks away. I didn't stay long as they were starting an activity. She was just sitting in her wheelchair in the hall watching what was going on when I got there. When they came to take her in to her activity I left.

I don't know what to do with Jazzy. She's still chewing furniture. I mean she's really tearing it up. When I see her doing it I spank her and tell her no...that seems to have no real effect. She knows she's doing wrong and if she sees me see her she hides or runs from me. When I get home from work or being out if she's crying at the back door it means she's done something wrong. So I KNOW she knows!

I need to get some straw bales. Not sure where. I'm going to try straw bale gardening this year. I can't have worse results than I did last year and it's supposed to be a real back saver!

The husband of one of my Friday night Dinner with the Ladies died this week. He's been in a nursing home attended by Hospice for the past few months. I went to visitation Wednesday night, but didn't make the funeral yesterday afternoon.

I'm not going to Dinner with the Ladies tonight. I'm having trouble with everything with a waist band rubbing the place on my back. I'm probably just using this as an excuse. I'm afraid I really need to stop going all together. I'm spending almost $14.00 every week on food I'm getting bored with. The menu is very limited, just seafood and steak. I tried the steak 3 times and never got it cook the way I wanted it, in fact I sent it back once. So, that's $56.oo a month I'm spending on food I'm really not enjoying. I could get enough food for several meals at the grocery store for that! I guess that's what it really boils down to, money. There's never enough.

The results

Got a phone call at 6:45 last night from the nurse that works with my dermatologist. The pathology report came back and both of the biopsied places are cancerous and they didn't get everything with the biopsies. The one on my thigh has gone deeper than the top layer and they'll do laser surgery Thursday morning. The one on my back is more superficial and they'll do cryogenic surgery on Thursday. Drat.

I really don't have anyone to take me to Tallahassee for the procedures. I guess I'll be okay to drive home. We'll see. I certainly can't stay there.

Got an email from work this morning (it was sent yesterday). Rather than lay anyone off that's working in the office they will be cutting hours. They didn't say when or how drastically. Damn, I really can't afford to have my hours cut more. I can get by on 12 hours, I'm working 15 now. I hope it won't be less. We'll see. They cited the economy and how poorly business is doing and that they don't expect it to improve anytime soon.

I'm so tired of being cold. Once this house takes on cold it's awfully hard to dispel it. Even with the space heaters it's cold. Sometimes it's colder inside than outside! They did say on the weather this morning that we should be warming up soon. It's 30 degrees now. I look forward to it being 50 in the mornings! Of course I'll be bitching about the heat all summer long! There's just no pleasing me I guess.

Odds and Ends

Wednesday was my trip to the dermatologist. The appointment was for 1:30, but in true Virgo fashion I got there at 1 o'clock. That was a stroke of luck, because they took me right in. It seems I don't have much of a grasp of what I should be looking for on my skin as every thing I was a bit concerned about turned out to be nothing, but there were 2 places that he did biopsy, one at my waist line on my back and one on my upper right thigh. I should hear Monday what the pathology shows. I did get a little ticked off at the young doctor (same one I saw this time last year), because every time I'd ask about a place I was concerned about he'd say in a rather dismissive manner "that's age related". After hearing this several times I finally said "Okay, wait a minute. I've never been old before and I don't know just what to expect. Do you have a manual?"...He sorta jumped back and stood very straight (he's quite tall) and looked at me. Then he laughed and said "No, I don't, but we'll get through this together."...Maybe he'll take a better approach with other older patients. I hope so.

Wednesday night we had quite a storm. Several miles north of us, in South Georgia, they had some very damaging tornadoes. A huge limb from one of my pecan trees in the front yard came down across my neighbor's driveway. They moved in back onto my property. It'll just have to stay there for a while as I can't do any moving, pulling or lifting until my biopsy sites heal.

Thursday it was back to Tallahassee to meet my sister, Bert and Mother's friend from NC at the nursing home. We all visited with Mother for an hour and then Bert took us all to Crisper's for lunch. Mother's hair hadn't been done, but other than that the visit went well.

After lunch everyone went their own way and I went to Ross! I've been needing a non-stick skillet for a while and found one there. And it's PURPLE! Awesome!

Leah Jane's home from the Mayo Clinic. I'm amazed that she's home so soon. She had surgery on Thursday. She says the pain relief is unreal. There's pain from the 4" incision on her back, but she says that's quite bearable. I'm meeting her and her cousin for lunch today.

It's cold this morning...26 degrees right now. I don't know what this is going to do to everything that's blooming. I have a bank of azaleas across the back of the yard in full bloom and the Japanese magnolias, red buds and camellias are all blooming, too. We'll see.

Old address

I googled the old address in central FL and up popped my ex-husband's business...by name. I was sorta surprised. I googled because I'm getting all sorts of e-mail regarding refinancing, etc. Sure wish all that would stop!

Have an appointment with my dermatologist in Tallahassee this afternoon. Have a few places that don't look too good. I'm hoping it's all in my head!

Gotta get ready for work!

We've had RAIN!

It's been so dry as to be quite dusty for the last few weeks and finally yesterday and today we've had rain! I took advantage of the moist ground and planted my pitiful Myers lemon tree this morning. Poor blessed thing has been in a pot on the patio for 2 years now and has valiantly tried to live and produce fruit. Actually had two stunted lemons this year. They were so small, but still quite juicy and had that lovely Myers lemon taste. Poor, poor tree has lost most of its leaves and I'm not even sure it's still alive, but this is it's only chance. Cross your fingers for it!

Friday night was Dinner with the Ladies. The service was so poor as to be painful. When the food finally arrived (an hour after ordering) we all requested to go boxes and left! I took some little appetizers because of last week and we needed them! I got a little creative and cut out a gazillion red hearts of all sizes and sprinkled them on the white table cloth...pretty and took 4 red glass votive candle holders with candles. It was quite festive. I'm not sure I want to continue this Friday night routine...at least not at the same place. I've decided that I'll go this coming Friday night and if the service is as bad as it's been the past 2 times I'll just have to beg off. I mean really, I can shop and cook something wonderful for what I spend on Friday nights! And have it when I want it!

My friend Leah Jane had a MRI done on her back last week. She has a ruptured disc (she fell down a mountain in NC backwards!) and will be going to Mayo Clinic for a consultation for surgery this coming week. Her birthday is Tuesday and she'll be 74. That worries me as I know age and surgery are not friends. Of course, 74 gets younger and younger!

Today Jazzy is a year old! I sang Happy Birthday to her this morning and she danced around on her hind legs! She's so funny! Shirley danced too and then they both had treats. This morning they were called Birthday Treats and they both acted like they were really special! All 4 cats went outside and acted like we were nuts. They just don't appreciate a good party!

Bert called Friday night. A friend of Mother's from NC will be here on Thursday and he wants both my sister and me to meet them at 11am at the nursing home. So we will. Then the 4 of us will go out to lunch. That should be nice.

I've got an interesting thing cooking now. A chicken leg quarter with rosemary, garlic, lime juice, 9 grape tomatoes and chicken broth with shell pasta. Smells fantastic! Boy, I'm very hungry!

No particular news...at least nothing note worthy.

TGIW!!

It's amazing that a 3 day work week can be soooo long! Thank goodness Wednesday afternoon does finally get here!

Our weather is wonderful! Chilly in the morning, high 40s, and comfortable afternoons, mid- 70s. I haven't used the space heaters for 3 days and nights now and I've had both the front and back doors open each afternoon. I get a wind tunnel effect with both of the doors opened, now everything smells so much better!

This weather trend is supposed to last for a while, I'm praying for rain...it's so dry!

Last Friday, after many days and nights of living in knit hats of one sort or another, I de-capped and much to my chagrin found that my hair not only was longer, but very, very ugly. So, I spent a few hours (not all at once) and cut about 4" off. The last 2 hair cuts that I've paid someone to do were just awful and I really hated and regretted them! At least, this way, there's no one to blame but myself! Actually, I'm really enjoying the hair cut, but need to do a little more refining. Maybe tomorrow.

Spent several hours this afternoon figuring my Federal Income Tax. Went online to irs.gov and got some good information and some help in figuring how to do the Social Security stuff. Will get a small refund.

Tomorrow is Garden Club. Sure seems to come around right often! We're going to paint flower pots for Valentine's Day. Just what I need! You know, I'm not much of a joiner...hope I'll stick this out for a while at least.

I was so proud of Allen Boyd for voting against the stimulus package. Bless his heart, he sure has caught some flack because of it. Since the House is a Democratic majority he sure did go against the grain!

Yesterday I cut a huge bouquet of red camellias and made a really nice arrangement on my coffee table (rustic old garden bench). When I got home today it looked like an ancient pagan ritual had taken place in the house. The entire house was filled with red petals...from the back door to the front! Some Jazzy dog, that will go unnamed, must have had a ball!

I've had such trouble getting up for the last 3 mornings. It's rare indeed for the alarm clock to wake me and it has each morning! I'm hoping to sleep until whenever tomorrow!

Sunday Jazzy will be a year old! Hard to believe! She's such a hoot!

We have a warming trend

I went out to the street at 6 this morning to bring the newspaper in (I only get it on Sat. & Sun) and it felt almost balmy! Well, not really, it was (and is) cold, but there is a significant difference in 16 degrees and 26 degrees! This morning it's 26 and no one is shivering in the house. I'm bundled up of course, but no knit cap...and I turned the space heaters down by half! We may get up to 70 today. I certainly hope so as I have asparagus and day lilies to plant.

Last night was Dinner with the Ladies. We were in a little room decked out with oriental rugs on the floor and a round table with linen cloths on it. An orchid arrangement was in the center of the table with lovely old china and crystal and sterling silver. It was all most pleasant! The food (fried shrimp and oysters) was absolutely wonderful! This was my first dinner in several weeks as I've been quite sick. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until I went!

Today there's a reception and art show at our local gallery. I hope to get my plantings done so I can go. The artist is a renown authority on daffodils and jonquils, but they say her paintings are mainly abstracts. Should be interesting.

I'm very fond of abstracts, in fact that's mainly what I do, or did. I must get back to my painting. I miss the process. Several months ago Michael's had a sale on stretched canvasses and I bought several. The puppies chewed one corner off of each one. I can't throw them away, but I haven't decided just how to utilize them.

Gotta run, Shirley just threw up on my bed!

It's Cold in sunny Florida!

At 6:30 this morning the tv said it was 16 degrees here and expected to drop several more degrees in the next couple of hours! Tonight's supposed to be even colder!

Well, all of the plants I'd tried to protect by putting them on the front porch weeks back died when the wind tore all of the plastic down for the third time, so I don't have them to worry about. And all of the animals are inside, so I don't have to worry about them either. So for now my focus is just keeping as warm as possible with two small space heaters. Of course, if I sit in my chair or get in bed I'm immediately covered with animals and actually find that a little too warm sometimes!

Okay, the tv just said it's 14 degrees now!

I just got all of the ingredients out to make a pot of chili. That should help.

I've been off of the computer for a while because I've been quite sick. Acute bronchitis. Have finished my antibiotic and have 2 more days of the steroid to take. I hate taking that. I bloat up so terribly and have Mother's round face. It does help with the breathing however. Today I feel much more like myself. (Didn't miss any work! Couldn't!)

My sister objected to my mentioning her (and her medical conditions) on this blog. So from now on please know she's very much in my life and very important to me, but shall go unmentioned!

The cats are going crazy! They are running from door to door and yelling. They want to go outside and I'm not going to let them until it warms up a bit. They have 2 litter boxes and they are both clean. So they can just settle down! Jazzy went out at 6 this morning and I'd no more closed the door than she barked to come back in. She just went out again and stayed long enough to do her business and came back in. Shirley has decided that she'll just sleep through this!

Oh good. The tv just said it'll get up to almost 50 degrees today. It can't happen soon enough!

I'm dressed in layers...wool slippers w/2 pairs of socks, sweat pants, a short sleeved silk tee shirt with a heavy turtle neck sweater, a long caftan and a wool jacket. All topped with a knit cap. Last night while watching tv I wore 2 caps! I may be setting a new winter style! It's amazing to me, but I'm even finding my glasses warm!

I went to the grocery store after work yesterday. They've rearranged several sections to fool us into thinking they are well stocked, but it's quite obvious that the stock isn't as plentiful as it used to be. Of course, think about it...I've never understood the need for umpteen dozen types of canned soup, or a gazillion different types of bread, etc. Maybe this will help us get back to basic cooking...or not. The meat section is the one that bothers me the most. It looks like there's been a run on meats and they just haven't had the time to restock. That, however, is not the case. There is just less meat available. Perhaps folks are not buying as much and the threat of spoilage is greater. Who knows? Well, as is all things, I feel sure this too shall pass. Just when I'm not sure, but we are a very resilient country with some good basic values and I feel that if the dudes and dudettes in Washington can screw their heads on straight everything will work out! I sure hope so!

Stay warm!

Brrr!

Something odd

Okay, I've stewed about this for a day or so and wasn't certain that I even wanted to mention it, but I find it a bit unsettling and figure that if I put it in writing I may be able to let it go.

Yesterday, or maybe it was Thursday, an old friend from high school that I've made a friend on FaceBook wrote on my wall (FaceBook term) wanting to know why I'd told her husband what was on her profile and did I want him!!!!! Well, this feels like grade school! and, putting it in writing just magnifies that feeling! Anyway, I responded that I'd not had any contact with him at all and that no, I did not want him. She responded to just forget it. Well, I don't find that enough of an answer. Something like that is not easy to forget! I mean for heaven's sake, we are both in our 60's!!!! So, I took her off of my FaceBook contacts, but now I'm worried about just how unstable she must be. So let it be said here and now that if anything unforeseen happens to me I'd suspect a girl that I was a majorette with in high school who is separated from her husband and lives in Tallahassee!

There, I got that off my chest.

Finally our weather is quite bearable! It's 69 degrees right now and I've been able to have the back door open for the animals to go in and out as they please. Nice. I had to close the door a while ago as it started raining and Jazzy loves to frolic in it. She gets so muddy and stinky when she does that!

I've been fighting a really awful cold for the past few days. Yesterday it settled in my chest. It's what I call an office cold as everyone there has one too and seem to be passing it around. Sick folks should stay home!!!!!

Global Warming?

Here I am in sunny Florida and it is 19 degrees this morning! Where's that global warming I keep hearing about? I think it's bosh and hog wash! Weather, along with everything else, is cyclical and this too shall pass.

The 2 little space heaters are valiantly trying to keep the house from freezing. They certainly are not keeping the house warm, but it's not freezing inside. I'm so bundled up that I'm unrecognizable...I surprise myself when I catch sight of me in a mirror! Knit cap, scarf, 2 pairs of socks with wool slippers and double layers of everything in between! Not a pretty sight, but warmish. The animals stay together in heaps and are doing okay. This too shall pass!

My sister had surgery yesterday. They found lesions in her bladder that they removed and sent off to pathology. I guess it'll be next week before the report comes in.

This is the start of my weekend...I look so forward to it! Nothing planned, but much I should do. The garden still needs to be turned, my work room looks like a hurricane hit it (as does the rest of the house). The only rooms that stay pretty good are the kitchen and both bathrooms. When the clutter/mess gets too oppressive I go to one of those rooms!

I wonder about Maggie, but I really no longer miss her!

Store closings around town

Went out this morning to pay some bills and do a little shopping. The Radio Shack here in town was one place you could go to pay bills. Well, imagine my surprise when I got there and found that it has closed! I knew they were seldom busy when I'd go there, but I never thought they'd close!

The owner of one of the two drug stores in town is talking about maybe having to close, too. The other drug store is CVS and they have taken so much business from this mom and pop store that's been around as long as I can remember. Plus taxes and government regulations are making it much harder for the small businesses. In this day and age you'd think it would be beneficial to have the small business...maybe not. Who am I to say? Anyway, that's where I ended up to pay my bills. If they close, where will I go?

It's cold. Cold in the house. With both space heaters going full blast it's 62 in the house. Bearable, but just barely. Of course, I'm wearing a gazillion layers and lap robes, etc. and I pile on the animals whether I'm sitting in my chair or in bed. But walking around or working in the kitchen is really shiver time! The bathroom's a challenge. I can't justify leaving the heater on in there. I turned it on about 1/2 an hour before my shower this morning and it got up to 60...it was 61 when I got out. It's amazing how fast one can dry off and dress!

Tonight's Dinner with the Ladies. There will only be 4 of us. Often we have 8 or more. We've got a broken foot, a bad back and some general babies who think it's too cold! Should still be fun.

Things are slow

As the economy spirals downward it's effecting everyone. The price of gas is once more rising, food costs have gone through the roof (though I fear this is only the beginning) and thousands and thousands of folks have lost their homes and their very livelihoods. I don't know about you, but here the grocery shelves are sparser with fewer choices and in some cases no choices at all. It's frightening to walk through a grocery store and see bare spots in areas that once were overflowing with supplies. Where is this all heading? How much worse will it get and will it get better anytime soon? Stock up people. Buy canned goods and dried beans and rice and any shelf stable items that you know you will use. Forgo the sweets (though have a bag or two of sugar in your pantry and honey) and think protein when you shop. We are really in for a rough ride and the home that's even partially ready will have an easier go of it.

Pet food is soaring in cost, too. It's hard to stock up on that. I don't know how long it'll keep. Toilet paper and other paper goods don't seem to be rising in price so rapidly yet, but from what I'm reading it may just not be available at some point. I've off set the cost of paper towels with 100% cotton flour sack dish towels. Of course they have to be washed and detergent is getting costlier. What are the answers?

Those of us on city water need to be aware that at some point it may not be available or may not be treated. I wish for a well. Of course, ground water may not be the purest thing around what with all of the agriculture run off and general pollution. Stock up on bleach.

At work we have a freeze on hiring. No layoffs, but who knows what will come? I'm barely eking by with my 15 hours of work a week (it just pays for health insurance) and under $700 a month in Social Security. I really pray I keep these hours, though I usually only actually have work for an hour or two a day. I make busy the rest of the time.

I still haven't turned the furnace on. Can't afford the propane. The space heaters make it bearable, but this week will be the true test. We'll be in the teens for several days starting tomorrow or Friday.

My friend Norma (one of my Friday night Dinner with the Ladies ladies) who is 84 or 85 years old had a freak accident on Monday and broke a bone in her foot. I think she'll be okay, but at that age a broken bone is mighty slow to heal. At least it's her foot and not her ankle. She's getting around, slowly of course, with one of those heavy boots. I'm afraid she has a long road ahead of her!

Things are sure different around here with Maggie gone. It's much calmer (she is part Jack Russel) and no more random pooping and peeing! We all miss her, Shirley and Jazzy are still looking for her, but I'm finding the sense of relief is much greater than the missing! Actually, I'm just sorry it didn't happen sooner. The bedroom carpet is ruined. I'm thinking of tearing it out and painting the plywood. But I don't have to decide today!

I got off work at noon on Monday and went to Tallahassee to see Mother. When I got there she was in the dining room! asleep in her wheel chair at the table. I woke her and wheeled her to the common area where we had a rather good visit for about an hour. She was rather snappy and bossy at first. She would make demands of me (to cover her legs or turn her chair around, etc.) in a really awful tone. Finally I started adding "please" or whatever was appropriate to her demands. She suddenly got this funny look on her face and said "I've really gotten bad haven't I?", when I said yes she thought for a minute and even though she didn't respond to my answer she totally changed her tune! Maybe it'll last. That would be nice.

Gotta get ready for work, thank God I can still say that!

Maggie's gone

Around 5:30 yesterday afternoon the young fellow who adopted Maggie came to get her. I knew it was going to be hard, but didn't realize just how hard! I put Maggie in the back yard a little after 5 so I wouldn't have to drag Jazzy into the house and paced and waited until he got here. Maggie seemed to remember him and was delighted to see him. That pleased me! He said that all the children could talk about on the cruise was getting home and getting Maggie. That also pleased me! She went with him without a fuss, though he did have to carry her as she isn't leash trained, and sat in the front seat of the car just like she knew what she was doing.

When I got back in the house both Shirley and Jazzy were inconsolable! They howled and cried and ran inside and outside and hunted Maggie. She'd been with us for close to 9 months and of course was an important factor in our little family.

I left early for Dinner with the Ladies just because I couldn't stay here. I actually had to touch up my make up before I left, crying had made a mess of it! Before I left I gave Shirley and Jazzy the toys that Santa had brought for them. I sent Maggie's with her along with some dog treats, dog wipes, pee-pee pads, a leash, a new dog chew and her favorite old dog chew. I also sent some pictures of her when she was younger and 4 pages of words and phrases she knows and important dates, etc.

When I got home the first thing Shirley and Jazzy wanted to do was go outside to look for Maggie. It was rather sad. We did have quite a bit more room in bed last night! First thing this morning they were outside once more looking for Maggie. I know this will all ease up, but right now it sure is hard on Jazzy...they were best friends, joined at the hip!

I only have one more antibiotic to take for my bladder infection and I don't think it's much better. I'll go by the doctor's office on Wednesday and let them see if it's cleared up. It's really funny, one of the women I met last Saturday at the dog trial practice also was diagnosed with a bladder infection this week and one of the Ladies also has one...what's going on? My first thought was the water supply, but each of us has a different source for water. I can't think of anything else we may have in common. The air we breath? Dinner was awful. The Ladies, as always, delightful!

I'm thinking I may not even get dressed today. Maybe there will be some good movies on tv.

I'm Back!!!!

It seems like months since my computer died, but in actuality it's a day short of a week. Funny how very important the computer is and how very out of sorts I became without it! I felt totally isolated even with a phone and tv and a car, etc. It sure is good to have it back!

I started feeling puny last week and by Monday I felt down right sick. Called my doctor's office and begged an appointment. I was fortunate that an 11:15 appointment had cancelled and they saw me then. Turns out I have a bladder infection (or as my Dr. said "Miss Jane, you sure have a bunch of nasty bugs!"). Have been on an antibiotic and an anti-spasm medication since Monday and think I'm better now, however, am still running a fever off and on.

Tomorrow is the day Maggie's new family is supposed to pick her up. I've packed a little box with her Christmas gifts, dog treats, raw hide chew, ball and a fly swatter. I've included a couple of pages with her vets name, when she was spayed and when she's due her next shots along with a list of phrases she knows. This is really going to be a good move for her. She needs to have children and be an only dog. It's not going to be so easy for me.

I went to garden circle today. We made dish gardens. Someone gave us all asparagus starts and someone else gave us succulents. It was only an hour, but it wore me out.

Tomorrow night is Dinner with the Ladies. I'm looking forward to it.

Unplugged

Thursday my computer monitor died. So Friday I went to Office Depot in Thomasville and got a new one. Took me a while to install it, but once I did everything worked perfectly. Then Saturday my computer died. I can't run get a new one, so today I brought it in to work and the fellow who works on ours here will pick it up this afternoon and see what he can do with it. Keep your fingers crossed that he can fix it! I'm so lost at home without it!

Friday night was Dinner with the Ladies.

Saturday I took Shirley to a practice for Jack Russells for a field trial they have coming up in two weeks. This was the first time Shirley or I had seen anything like this and it was great fun. Well, at least I had fun, Shirley was crated most of the time and she wasn't too crazy about that, but all of the dogs were crated and she was side by side with others. She learned to throw her head back and howl!!!!! They let Shirley race three times, but she wouldn't run unless I ran with her. Whew! Three was all I could do! Then she got to hunt the rat (yes, rat, a live one in a cage under the brush). She saw no point in that. Then we went home and collapsed!

I spent Sunday catching up on things I didn't get done on Saturday or Friday. It's nice to have clean clothes!

Friday is the day Maggie/Maxie is to go to her new family. I'm soooo looking forward to that!

Yet another party!

Last night I went to an intimate cocktail party at Edgewood Plantation. This was the first time I've been there and it was truly awe inspiring! The main drive up to the mansion has 100+ year old live oaks on either side that intertwine their canopies over the drive. This creates such a tunnel of transition that by the time you enter the huge, ornate metal gates you feel as if you're in another world. The 20' ceilings and gigantic rooms that are beautifully decorated just further the feeling of another era. Scarlett could have swept into the main room and I wouldn't have been surprised! It was a really good way to start the New Year!

Happy New Year!

Well, I made it through! Fell asleep in my chair watching the Food Network around 9 o'clock last night, woke up about 2 mins. to 12! Told the animals Happy New Year and ate some collards!

I dozed off and on in my chair until around 3 this morning and finally went to bed. The animals let me sleep until about 7!!!!

I found a recipe for cooking dried black-eyed peas in a crock pot, so I put about 1/2 a pound of dried peas, a smoked ham hock, chopped onions, Cajun seasoning and dried, chopped jalapeno peppers in the crock pot covered with water and let it sit on low until this morning. Really good! So for the New Year I have a nice pot of collards that I cooked last night, the black-eyed peas, consume rice and a pretty little steak. I bet I eat all day!

Yesterday I took a vat of potato salad to work and found out after I got there that I had been elected to cook the country ham and the baked beans also! So I spent most of the morning in the kitchen there at work. It's a much larger kitchen than this one I have at home, but my layout here is much better and so it the color! Everything was ready about 12:30 and gone by about 1:00! I really don't remember anyone saying thank you. I was told the potato salad was good. It was! Just your basic potato salad with 10 pounds of potatoes, a dozen eggs, onion, celery, sweet pickles, mayo and mustard and a little salt...it actually needed more salt, but with the salty country ham it was just right.

Cousin Patricia's visitation is scheduled for 9am Saturday and the service for 10am Saturday. I can't go. That would mean boarding the dogs Friday through Monday. If it were during the week I could have boarded them for one night only. Oh well. I sent flowers yesterday.