Vaccine

Last Thursday I got a code from Aurora to schedule a COVID vaccination.  Once I entered my information, I tried scheduling an appointment.  I clicked on every calendar day up to May with "no times available".  I registered with Walgreens, Maijier, and various other places.  Franklin was vaccinating on February 24th, but all slots were filled.  I talked to Terry on Friday and she looked up a lot of sources, but many places were closed by then.  Terry and Bob already had theirs along with many other people I know.  

Jay and Annika paid me a visit on Saturday to start Anton's car and pick up the slide projector (it works after many years in the basement).  Jay changed my bulb in the chandelier and cleaned out the bathroom vent in the spare bedroom.  I told him about my frustration in getting scheduled and he tried getting on Aurora.  After getting the same results that I did, he called the customer service number and after waiting through countless recorded messages, finally got a person who told him there were no appointments available.  Next, Jay sent an email to Franklin Health and Human Services to see if I could be on a wait list on February 24th.

I had to phone Jay after he left because he forgot the slide projector which was the reason for his trip.

Today I got an email from Courtney Day, head of Franklin's Health and Human Services, saying that there were spaces open on March 3rd.  I filled out one time slot, but by the time I hit Submit the slot was filled.  Fortunately the next slot was open.

March 3, 2021

I arrived for my 3:15 pm appointment a few minutes early and was directed to the check-in desk, then another person where I answered some questions about my health.  I waited a minute before a chair was open and sat down for my shot into my right upper arm.  The needle is so fine that I hardly felt it, not like the blood center spike. 

I had not discomfort in the evening.

March 4,

I had a very good night's rest with no pain or other symptoms related to the vaccination.

March 30, 2021 

My appointment was at the same time at Franklin City Hall.  Again it was hardly felt.  I expected some discomfort of other feelings that were listed as possible reactions.  I felt none afterwards.  When I was lying on my right side with sleeping, I felt a very little tenderness, but nothing to keep me awake. If I put pressure on the area of the injection, I could feel something; otherwise, nothing.  One bonus was a table of bread and rolls that we could help ourselves to.  I had a beef patty thawing, so I made a hamburger on a bun  with a nice slice of onion.

Blood Donation

 February 18, 2021

My appointment was for 10:30.  I was given a little package on entering which was Versity's promotional item called a gaitor. I arrived in plenty of time to keep my blood pressure down and it was fine, even wearing a mask.  The tech had no problem finding my vein with a little help from a cuff.  I drank plenty of water beforehand, so my blood flowed freely.  

When I opened my package while I was having my snack, I couldn't figure out how to use it.  Instead of a mask that you fasten back of your ears, you slip this gaitor, which is a tube and looks like a little scarf, over your head.  I don't know how effective it is stopping COVID droplets since it is only one layer.  But it is comfortable and I don't have to adjust my hearing aids.

Jay's Visit

 

January 30, 2021

Today Jay wanted to come and start Anton's car.  He had no problem and returned my library book on his little trip.

Purple Heart is coming on Monday and I wanted to donate my Nesco roaster from the basement that I didn't use in many years.  When he got back from starting the car I asked him to bring up the Nesco and set it outside the door.  Before he did that I put some cat litter in front of the door on an icy patch.  As the ice melted it turned that cat litter and melted ice into a slushy mud.  Jay said that I should put a tarp on my upstairs porch to prevent the melting snow from dripping on my front step.  I said that the porch has deep snow.  So he took my snow shovel and went upstairs to clear off the snow and spread a plastic shower curtain on the porch that he anchored with some bricks. 

When he went upstairs, his shoes had that messy slush that stained the carpet.  He now had to scrub the stains off the carpet.  When he finished with that, he said my stairs could use a vacuuming.  The tool he was using wasn't functioning properly, so he took it apart, put some WD-40 on it and cleaned it up.  The vacuum wasn't giving enough suction, so he cleaned out the lint container, cleaned the brushes and washed out the filters.  After putting everything together, he vacuumed my stairs from upstairs all the way to the basement.  All the while he was doing that I was sitting and watching him.  We both were wearing masks and keeping our distance. 

I offered him some wine with cheese and crackers that we both enjoyed.

Before he left I asked him to take the snow shovel and get rid of that slushy mess in front of the door.  That was no easy task because it really was muddy.  He used snow to try to clean it, but ended up with a bucket of hot water that I added floor cleaner to so that he could scrub it clean.

So what began as a simple project of getting the car started ended up in a major job.

Monday, February 1

Laura called me with a check-up call and we had a nice visit.  I told her all about Jay's visit and she told me about the magic cake that Anton made.  We had such a nice visit.

About an hour later Jay called and told me that Laura got her test results about 30 minutes ago that she tested positive for Covid.  She had flu symptoms. 

How long she was positive is anyone's guess, but Jay was at my house on Saturday doing all of his odd jobs.

Will I get symptoms also?

February 2, 2021

Could not get back to sleep after using the bathroom at 3:30 am.  The toilet was slow in flushing, so I went down for a plunger and tried to loosen it to to avail.  Stayed up and played gin online.  The toilet worked fine the next time I flushed.

Tried to take a nap before book club, but that didn't work with Dolly's weight on my legs.

A pretty uneventful day.  Book Club discussed Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny.  I misread some of the plot.

Went to get the COVID test on 73rd & Rawson.  Very efficient after I printed out and filled in the paper work.  Very pleasant people.  Results were negative.

 

 

 

Magic Jack

January 28, 2021

Today I am totally whipped after trying to get my Magic Jack to work. I hooked up the phone on Monday and called Spectrum to discontinue my service (big mistake).  When I talked to someone at MJ to arrange for my home phone to be ported over, the person said they would contact Spectrum to get that arranged.  This morning's e-mail from MJ said that the number could not be ported over since it does not exist.  I called Spectrum and was told after long waits and thanking me for my patience, that it could not be ported over. 

I was not getting a dial tone on my other phones in the house.  By some miracle I got a person on the line and got myself established with MJ, but the dial tone was not resolved.  The guy kept telling my that there is something wrong with my phone lines.  This is all in my nightgown, before taking a shower and breakfast.  I called Terry, and she suggested calling Bill Regner, who seems to know everything about MJ.  I got myself started for the day and decided to give him a call.  What a gem!  I didn't connect it correctly.  I never removed the phone line from the modem, which is supposed to go into the MJ.  Once I did that, the phones were getting a dial tone.

My next problem was getting the phone to give the caller a code number to press.  Terry and Bill's phones did that.  I had the service activated, but I never got that message when I called.  After numerous tries, it finally worked; how that happened I can't say.  But everything seems to be working.

Janice called me to my cell and she didn't think much of such a service and wondered why I just didn't use my cell as my primary phone. The thought occurred to my, but I didn't follow through.

 

Errands

 January 6, 2021

While I ate breakfast I did a load of whites, dried and folded.  I wrote a letter to Don, Annika and packaged two chimo caps for Doug Scott.  I went to the post office to send everything off, then to Walgreens to pick up my meds, some reading glasses and greeting card for the entire year, about $60 worth.

I dropped off an infant booster seat at Terry's when Everly comes to visit and relieved her mind when I told her that I changed my mind about moving.  She was overjoyed.

Next bought some groceries at Festival, even though I picked up groceries at Pick n Save yesterday, but I really didn't have anything for supper.  I stopped at Consumer Liquor for wine and Boodles.  Next it was to Kohl's to return the cap and scarf set from Amazon.  I had to let others get in front of me so that I could find the item I purchased on my phone.  Once I got on the Amazon site and located it there was no problem, and it will be credited to my account.

I crossed over to 76th Street and got a battery for my watch.  When I was ready to pay for it, the man said don't bother.  I didn't think I understood him right, but he repeated and said I didn't have to pay anything.  I thanked him and wished him a Happy New Year.  Then a short way away I had my calendar bound.  The last thing on my list was to turn in my converter boxes to Spectrum.  I was sure it was on 76th Street.  I went back and forth, then called Terry and she said it was on Hwy 100 north of Greenfield.  When I finally found it, there was a sign on the door that they moved to National Ave. right around Office Max.  I started out at 11:30 am and didn't get home until 5:30 pm.  I turned on the news to see the terrorist storming the Capitol to protest the electoral vote, all motivated by Trump's refusal to concede the election.

Thinking of Movong

 December 30, 2020

Jay came on Saturday the 26th, to pick up something from Anton's car, but I think he had ulterior motives.  He wanted a glass of wine and we talked.  He was concerned about my shortness of breath.  We then discussed my living arrangements and how long I might live in my condo.  I said I was contemplating a move, and he strongly suggested that I think about moving closer to the family.  I said that would be my intention and mentioned Eastcastle Place.  Jay was aware of other homes in the area also.

Laura called me either the same day or Sunday and discussed moving again.  I said that I would give it serious thought.

https://eastcastleplace.com/

I filled out financial information online at EastCastle Place to see if I could afford living there.  I would qualify for a one-bedroom apartment.  I requested a call back for more information.  Monday morning I got a call to answer my questions: yes, they have Catholic masses on Sunday, and yes, they do allow pets.  They would send me more information on finances.

Where do I start to downsize?  I thought a good place to start would be thinning down my calendars.  I brought a box upstairs from 1972 and started reading.  What memories and memorabilia! Recital programs, plays, a letter from Laura on her Slavic trip, a letter from Mother from Germany, obituaries, news clippings.  What do I throw away?  And so many notes about Mokelkes.  I put markers on those pages to include in my next letter to Donald.  Unfortunately, nothing got tossed.

December 29, Annika's Birthday.  I called The Catholic Home to get information on what they offered.  They allow cats, but no dogs.  They will send me more detailed information.   https://www.milwaukeecatholichome.org/

I wrote Don and Masako a letter with notes about what we did together in 1972 and 1973.  I took out loose items from the calendars and tossed the books away.  I was sad reading some of the turmoil going on in my life.

I ordered cashew shrimp from Green Tree Gardens for supper, enough for two meals.

January 1, 2021

I spent most of the day in my computer room cleaning out my file drawers and shredding.  The bags are overflowing with statements and stuff I hadn't looked at in years.  I took out a folder of cards that I created and put them aside, just to surprise myself at what I created.

Saturday, January 2, 2021

I continued cleaning and sorting.  I filled a huge bag with clothes that no longer fit.  It's shameful how much weight I've gained, and every resolution to cut back gets cast by the wayside.  Such short-lived commitments.  

I lectored at the 4:00 pm mass.  The church was beautiful with the splash of poinsettias.  The Catholic Home literature was in my mailbox when I got home.  This would be possible and would fit in my budget.  Looking at the video, I'd look like a kid among those people.  But, no doubt I would fit in.

1/4/2021

I took down my Christmas decorations and set aside a box that I would want to take to senior living.

Jay and Aleksei came for a visit before he leaves for California.  We discussed my move and I seemed firm in my decision.

I sent an email to the family with details of St. Rita's, which I really liked.

https://www.capricommunities.com/locations/st-rita-square/

It was Janice's week to call and from her car asked why I sent that message.  She was furious. She mentioned Heidi's mom in Seattle, being locked down during the pandemic, losing my independence and really did not like the idea.

So I gave it second thoughts.

I am too impulsive and make these decisions too quickly.  Claude said that I need help I should get Comfort Keepers that helps people stay in their homes.

January 12, 2021

It's Laura's week to check up on me and she commented on the bombshell I dropped when I wrote to Jay that I reconsidered moving.  He included me in a letter to the Farradays about how they downsized before moving into their apartment.

Laura really wants me to reconsider moving out of Franklin and closer to them, in a place that is more manageable.

I will keep this to myself.  The more I discuss this the more confused I become with everyone's advice.

February 17, 2021

I Zoomed a downsizing program offered by EastCastle Place.  It was a refresher course of things I already learned.

 

 

 

 

 

Minoqua

 Saturday, September 5, 2020

We had our breakfast outdoors at Denny's on Hwy 100. On the road on a cloudless sky reaching 70 degrees.

2:00 p.m. Back on the road after stopping for lunch at Sara Park in Tomahawk.  We had a picnic table right by a lake with nice facilities.  It was quite breezy off the lake, which we can expect for the next few days.

Our cabin is cozy, but confusing to find, since we shared a driveway.  We unloaded, put things in place and sat on the pier. There was a lot of activity on the lake. We did major shopping at Walmart that should hold us pretty well through the week.  I had beef barley soup that I made at home thawing and it hit the spot with Texas garlic toast.  There were no hot pads, which was really strange. I played with the TV to get it working. We have to work the Roku channel.

Sunday, September 6, 2020

We went to the 10:00 a.m. mass at Holy Family. 

The parking lot was pretty full, and I was reluctant to go inside the church.  It was huge. All the ushers had pale yellow sports shirts and directed people to their pews; we sat in the last pew to the side. 

Two musicians provided the entrance hymn; there was no sung Gloria.  There was one Eucharistic minister besides the priest. The ushers directed rows to proceed to Communion with proper distancing as we processed. The ushers also directed people by rows at dismissal.  I was very impressed with the organization.

After church we picked up V8 and dish cloths and hot pads at Walmart and a newspaper at Walgreen's. We drove north to Boulder Junction and on the way back we turned into a road that said Trout Lake.  Many bikers and a few hikers were on the road hugging the lake.  We found a little turn-off where we parked near a park bench and took in the view. Reading the paper was a lost cause, because we were fighting a stiff breeze.  

I tried getting the TV to work, but to no avail. It's going to be a long week if we don't get it working. I put a couple of fish lines in the water; that was a waste of time. Worked on the TV again while the pizza was in the oven and almost ruined it if Peter didn't come to the rescue, but it was still edible. I think the oven is hotter than the setting.

Labor Day, 2020

It was a beautiful day, sunny and mild. We took a walk on our road and noticed some whimsical creations using logs and other findings. 

Peter went to the second house from ours and asked Lois if she could tell us what we were doing wrong with the TV. We really weren't doing anything wrong, but we had to make the right selections with Roku. The large remote was really useless. We sat on the pier until it got chilly.

 I made chicken breast with red potatoes, corn from the cob and a salad.  We played Dominoes, but not the entire numbers; I am winning

Tuesday,  September 8, 2020

Overcast and cool, we won't see any sunshine today. I made portabella mushrooms filled with spinach,  cherry tomatoes and eggs for breakfast.  I had an Osher Zoom at 10:a.m. on Maverick Writers. We drove into town checking out beer gardens, the Wisconsin Cheese Board, where I bought cheddar, Swiss, a spread and a small jar of jam, mailed a Birthday card to Maureen and filled the car with gas. We bought a loaf of bread before heading for home.

Wednesday, September 9

Cold and raw. Peter walked around the cabin, but not for long, reporting that it was a very bad day. I zoomed Mavericks in Cream City, read some of Aloft, and started Michael Cohen's book. I did not leave the house at all. We played dominoes in the evening. 

Thursday,  September 10

What a difference a day makes. The sun was making an effort and we took advantage of it; we were not disappointed.  We headed north, stopping at Mercer to take a picture of a giant loon, as Mercer is the loon capital of the world. 

We also picked up a couple of sandwiches and water. I never thought we'd be able to have a picnic, so we left everything in the cabin. We passed Hurley and landed at Saxton, where Peter had some acquaintances. We then went to Saxton Harbor right on Lake Superior.  We found a picnic bench right next to the water. It was perfect, hardly a breeze and a very calm lake. 

On the return, Peter stopped at a bar to inquire about the people he would like to visit. With such a small population he was able to get his information. There was no response at the first house, but we were in luck with the second. We were greeted warmly and talked a lot about the man's family and his involvement in community projects.

On our return, we drove through St. Germain and Eagle River, hitting some construction that slowed us down. We had leftover chicken salad and ham sandwiches for supper. The sunset was obscured by trees, but we sat on the pier for awhile before starting to pack for our departure tomorrow. 

 Friday, September 11, 2020

8:54 a.m. Leaving Loon's Nest. We were up at 6:30 a.m., had Cheerios, hard cooked eggs, bananas and coffee for breakfast.  We got the cabin spic and span and are leaving on a beautiful sunny day, 47 degrees and rising.

12:38 p.m. We are on our way after having lunch at a rest stop on Hwy 51. It was cool, but tolerable. 

Overcast skies and intermittent mist followed us home. We stopped at Pick 'n' Save for my stock up of groceries and fried fish, potato salad and cole slaw for our at-home dinner. We relaxed with cheese, crackers and beer/wine, then warmed up the food. We really avoided human contact this whole week.  As a whole, it was an enjoyable outing, and we took advantage of every opportunity 

Now to put things away.

A Very Sad Day

 August 24, 2000

At 1:15 pm I got a phone call with the caller ID Nathaniel L. Shorty from Flagstaff AZ.  I ignored the call; another spam.  I retrieved my calls, which I neglected to do for a long time and the last call was from Eric.  We exchanged short pleasantries, but I'm sure he would not call to find out how I am.  He was calling about his dad.  Don has stage four pancreatic cancer.  He and Masako are with Rachel and Troy.  Apparently they abandoned everything in Japan.  He got the diagnosis in Japan, then came to Wisconsin on Tuesday.  He will be getting treatments, but with the cancer spreading to his liver and lungs, the prognosis is not good.  He has maybe a year to live depending on how he responds to the treatments.  I am just heartsick.  I felt bad that he wouldn't be coming to the states this year because of the pandemic, but here he his, under the most terrible circumstances.

End of June

 Where did June go?  It seems I did nothing noteworthy; I feel so useless.  Reading, knitting watching TV mostly occupy my time.  Osher has filled some of my time, also Jean Martyn that I find very enjoyable.

I ordered groceries from Pick 'n' Save this time; they were out of Cheerios!  There must have been a special sale.  I ordered chicken breasts and got a huge family pack.  One breast was more than enough for one person.  I halved each and planned my Friday dinner for Peter and me using one chicken breast using a recipe I discovered on Facebook. The only place that I was able to find a jar of roasted red peppers was at Fresh Thyme, which I picked up after my hair; they also had Boursin garlic and herb cheese.  It's a very nice specialty store; it does not have as many items like cereal as big food chains. I put some spinach, a few strips of baked red peppers and garlic and herb cream cheese on each breast, then wrapped a bacon strip around, securing it with tooth picks.  I made salad and used the cauliflower from last week that I roasted with garlic and a bit or red pepper flakes.  Peter came while it was raining pretty hard, so he parked in the garage.  The meal was delicious; I don't know when I enjoyed cauliflower more; I wish that I had more.  We watched some prerecorded programs in the evening.

I made a fritata with spinach, garlic and peppers topped with guriere cheese, blueberries and yogurt for breakfast.  After breakfast we went to Home Depot for mulch for me, some plants for Peter.  Since we were in the neighborhood we paid a visit to Rudy.  He made coffee and we talked and he told me countless times how good I looked.  I'm glad I never bought one of those single serving coffee makers.  What an abuse of plastic, and each serving is barely a cup. 

Peter unloaded my three bags of red mulch and was on his way.

I went to 4:00 pm mass that was sparsely attended.  I had a delicious chicken breast sandwich and salad for my supper. 

Sunday, June 28th

After breakfast of a leftover fritata, I spread two bags of mulch on the garden and did a thorough watering.  Mostly relaxed the remainder of the day.

Blood Donation

 June 23, 2000

The last session of Spirituality and Justice was much better than the previous ones; I almost was not going to attend as were a lot of people, only nine in attendance.  Laurie asked Jackie about her personal involvement and that sparked a lot of Jackie's background as an activist.

The Blood Center sent an appeal for a desperate need of blood, so I thought I'd give it a try after almost two years of low iron counts.  I've been taking an iron supplement for quite a while and it really paid off.  My iron was way above the required count; the required level is 12.5, mine was 15.5!  Blood pressure was also good.  The only problem was that my right arm, which I generally use, was not cooperating, so I had to get stuck again for my left arm.  Everything went well.  I rested for the rest of the day.

Summer 2000

Friday, June 19th

After viewing an informative nutrition Osher program, I decided to make a completely meatless meal for our Friday dinner.  I never heard of Farro, so this was going to be an adventure.  I cooked the Farro, which looked like barley but a little larger.  It took about 30 minutes to cook.  I prepared cauliflower, red onion, red pepper, zucchini, and summer squash and grilled them in a vegetable basket.  I made the sauce that really finished the dish and gave it life.  I toasted some garlic french bread to complete the meal .Peter and I really enjoyed it. For dessert, Peter suggested a trip to Leon's.  There weren't crowds of people, but with the spacing it took longer to be served.  It was worth the wait.

Phone story: Peter's phone was not taking a charge, after numerous attempts.  He was so disgusted that he asked Terry to order a new phone for him.  She gave him a link and he ordered one.  In the meantime, Terry wanted to check the phone out herself.  She worked on it, put settings in order and it took a full charge.  She also told Peter not to activate the new phone, because this one still had life.  When he came over, I gave him the box with the new and old phones.  The old phone was dead again, most likely because it had been sitting idle for a few days with the power on.  But I started charging it and it started charging up to 1%.  Peter thought he'd continue charging it at his house.  And he left.

Saturday, June 21st

Peter was totally frustrated.  His old phone still didn't take a charge.  As a last resort, he activated his new phone.  He wasn't getting that one to work either, and somehow the old phone started charging to 100%.  He came over with both phones to see if I could help.  I called Track Phone technical support and eventually got his service in order.  With my difficulty hearing and Maria's accent it was amazing that I understood those directions.

We needed a break and headed out to Mariachi's for steak fajita and Margaritas.  This would be our first venture to a restaurant since the pandemic. The staff were wearing masks and tables were separated.  We were very satisfied sharing the fajita with 6 tortillas.  

We stopped off at ECU's ATM to get some money, then drove to Warnimont Park and sat near the edge of a grassy area looking out at the beautiful lake.  We stayed until the black flies started to bite.  We took a detour to avoid the Black Lives Matter march that was going down one of the South Milwaukee streets.

Sunday, June 21st

I went to 10:30 mass, which was sparsely attended maybe 30 people.  In Romans 5:12-15, though sin is not accounted when there is no law, I compared it to there is no COVID-19 when there is no testing. 

Purple Heart is coming for a pick-up tomorrow, so I had to get my discards together.  I looked at the drawers with all my craft supplies that I haven't touched for over ten years, and don't anticipate any crafting urge in the near future.  Instead of separating the items, and there was plenty, I left them all in the drawers and donated it as is.  I managed to get both drawer sets upstairs, regretting that I didn't invite Peter to help me.  Then I looked at the sewing machine that I touched maybe once since 2001.  I sorted things out and then thought Peter could come over and we'd carry it upstairs to donate that also.  After calling him and trying to lift one end of the machine, I didn't think I'd be able to be much help.  He thought Purple Heart might be able to take it upstairs.  Peter brought his old phone with over 1500 photos that he wanted transferred to his computer.  I was able to do that.  It took some searching to find the phone file, then the pictures.  But he's happy to be able to see them on his computer. 

We headed out to the Rock, sitting high up overlooking the landscape on a beautiful breezy afternoon.  Peter went back for our steins to pour our beers into.  We ended up at Point After on 76th and Rawson for a Reuben sandwich that we split and beers.  Somehow the computer registered two Reubens, but we paid for just one and we each had a take-home.  That was pretty filling.

Thus ended a lovely first day of summer weekend.

 

Breakfast Visitors

June 4, 2020

The day was so lovely to have my breakfast on my patio.  But it is getting very difficult to balance my tray and keep Hello Dolly indoors at the same time.  She is determined to run out the door.  As I'm having by breakfast, what should stroll by on my lawn but two sandhill cranes.  Fortunately, I had my phone with me.  I gasped, slowly raised my phone and took a picture.  What a thrill!

 

Gift Plant

 

June 2, 2020

I attended the first of three sessions on Spirituality of Peace on Zoom. We discussed Little Fires Everywhere in Book Club via Zoom.  Then I picked up my groceries at Festival Foods at 3:00 pm.  I was almost finished putting them away when Peter came over with a hardy Mandavilla.  I couldn't let him stand outside in the heat, so I invited him in, first time we got together since the March 15th Founders Day Dinner; except when he dropped over to check on my landscaping. 

He really misses our togetherness.  We visited for a while and he thought not getting together was my excuse.  I think he almost fainted when I told him to stay longer.

I think hummingbirds should like this.

Planting

Shopping for plants is like shopping for toilet paper in a pandemic!  To refresh my memory, I asked Jerry how to get to Wayne's Daughters where we went last year for our plants.  He said not to waste my time; it is almost bare.  This was two weeks before Memorial Day.  I decided to take a drive anyway; Jerry was right, hardly any plants.  All the greenhouses were empty.  There were quite a few plants outside, but not what I was looking for.  I bought some nicotiana, a fushia and some herbs.  Planted them when I got home.

Friday, May 29, 2020

I thought I'd get an early start at Bluemel's for some annuals.  Not one!  there were some in pots, roses, grasses and shrubs, but not much else.  A woman suggested a place on Howell south of Rawson that only sells annuals.  I drove there.  It's a temporary hot house with a lot of plants.  But nothing was labeled, and I didn't see any fibrous begonias or anything else I wanted.  Next, I drove to Custom Greenhouse on 6th street north of Layton.  They had a pretty good supply.  I bought marigolds, a flat of fibrous begonias, zinnias and coleus.  This was all before my 12:30 pm hair appointment.  Jocelyn said Tehan Greenhouses on Rawson east of Howell had plenty of plants when she went there.  I'll give it a try.

It was too hot to plant after my hair, and I didn't want to get sweated up, so I relaxed indoors.  At about 4:30 pm, it became cooler and overcast, ideal for planting.  After I got all the purchased plants in, I had some gaps to fill in, but it is starting to look nice.

Saturday, May 30, 2020

I drove to Tehan, that I never heard of before.  It is a little off the road, and I'd miss seeing it if I didn't know the address or see the sign.  Many greenhouses, all empty except one with a few vegetables.  Not one annual, but it's good to keep in mind in the future.  I went back to Custom and bought some ageratum and petunias.  The woman at Custom said the sales were unbelievable, also their shipment wasn't as large as it usually it.  I finished my planting, compete with my glass plate garden ornament.  I hope the bare spots fill in.

The brick is a stepping stone when I fill the jelly jar and safflower feeder.  I'll probably add a few more.

Peter and I really need to get away somewhere before the summer is over.  That cabin in Minocqua still haunts me.  I looked it up to see what vacancies there are.  The week of Labor Day was open.  I called Peter and we had a nice visit.  He was in favor of going to Minocqua, so I reserved it for September 5 - 11, and we are confirmed.

Landscaping

 The summer of 2019 was not a good year for tending my garden.  After returning from our Ireland/Scotland vacation during which time would have been good to work in the garden, it was very rainy, too wet to work in the garden.  Unfortunately, the weeds thrived.  I was too involved with doctor appointments and fatigue took over.  Little did I know that it all related to my kidney infection.  My garden never looked so bad.

Time to bite the bullet and have all this mess cleared out.  I called Bluemel's and Igor evaluated the situation.  He would put sod in most of the garden, plant hydrangeas and grasses in front and hostas next to the garage.  He would leave a small planting area next to the front door for a cost of $2,015.64.  He scheduled the work for the first part of November.  On October 31st we had 6" of snow!  Then bitter cold.  So much for my landscaping.  He said it would have to wait until spring.

May 11, 2020

On a bright Monday morning Igor and his crew of four arrived to do the work.  Igor and I reviewed what would be done, then he left to let them proceed.  I was so pleased with their work and the finished effect.  I hung four $20 bills, one for each of the workers; they were very appreciative.  I don't think too many people make that gesture.

Pandemic

 March 13, 2020

Many cancellations because of the corona virus.  It is recommended that people stay at home.  I still had my much needed hair appointment with a hair cut.  Did some grocery shopping and invited Peter for a shrimp supper.

March 14, 2020

Peter and I met at Divine Mercy, the same church as last week for John Reitzi's funeral in South Milwaukee, for David Wick's funeral, who is an Austrian Club member.  Peter, as vice-president, was really a representative of the Austrian Club.

March 15th, 2020

Founders' Day at Bullwinkle's still took place, and people didn't seem too concerned about the virus.

March 16, 2020

Many cancellations in city and county.  No WAUC lunch, I cancelled Red Hats.  I walked around the block once in the morning and again in the afternoon, with much effort.  My lower back is very painful, also my calves.

March 17, 2020

I did some light grocery shopping at P & S, mostly to make my trail mix. That stuff is addicting.  I ordered ear phones from Amazon; my noise cancelling phones had one earpiece loose.  Now that I'm walking, I like listening to blogs.  Walked around the block.

March 18, 2020

Did not leave the house except to get the paper and mail.  I listen to Anthony Cuomo from NY, with bleak news about how his state is the epicenter of the virus with many deaths and lack of supplies.

March 19th, 2020

Walked around the block with my new earphones.  Rained most of the day, very light and steady.

March 19, 2020

All beauty shops are closed, and any business that has personal contact.  Didn't leave the house.

March 21, 2020

Grocery stores are keeping special hours for seniors, so I was at the P & S on Rawson at 6:30 pm, along with other seniors, some wearing masks.  Shelves are depleted of toilet paper and sanitizing supplies.  I have a plentiful supply.  I stocked up way before this virus developed, and I bought a big pack.  I also have plenty of paper towels. I made a chicken breast with mushrooms topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese that turned out quite good.

March 22, 2020

Masses are cancelled.  The governor has ordered that groups of no more than 50 can congregate in any one place, so that eliminates church services.  I watched the mass at 5:30 am, from my bed in my nightgown, then went back to sleep.

March 23, 2020

Once around the block on a mild day.  Lots of walkers in the neighborhood.  That's about all that people can do. 

March 24, 2020

My Plant Diagnostics class at Boerner was cancelled, so it's being held on Zoom.  This was very convenient.  It didn't take long to get adjusted to the concept.  Then, Osher also has Zoom classes.  Today was Kim O'Meara that was truly inspiring.  Her poem that someone shared on Facebook went virile, with many people putting her poem to music in different languagesl

In the Time of Pandemic

Published on March 16, 2020 397 Comments

And the people stayed home.

And they read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.

And they listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed.

And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.

I'm enjoying following her on the-daily-round.com

March 25, 2020

Diagnostics on turf.

March 26.

Diagnostics on Apples and Raspberries.  John Gurda on The Making of Milwaukee on Osher.

March 27.

Got to Sendik's at 6:30, but they open at 7:00 for seniors.

Everyone is supposed to stay six feet apart, and it looked like it was working, except there were two entrances and there was too much crowding when getting carts. 

Diagnostics on trees

Walked slowly around the block without stopping. Last of the pierogi for supper.

March 28.

I was supposed to lector at 4:00 pm, but no church services are being held.

March 29

Made waffles, with enough to freeze.  Dumped the waffle iron in the trash because it heated unevenly and the waffles stuck even when I greased the griddle.  I bought it at the estate sale before I was married!  Watching the mass from St. John's Cathedral at 11:00 am was more satisfying than on Channel 6.

March 30

Claude calls me to check up on how I'm doing and we have some nice long chats about all kinds of things.  Laura and Janice also call.  Peter texts me every day with blessings and love.

March 31.

Last diagnostic class on vegetables.

April 1

Osher class on Looking at the Bright side with suggestions for keeping up our spirits, especially not watching too much news.  I watch Anthony Cuomo and the situation is dire.  I try to avoid the daily briefings with trump, because I absolutely cannot tolerate him.

April 2

Poems of Life, Wonder and Affirmation gave me a different insight to understanding some of the poetry.  What bothers me is why do I have to get an interpretation to understand the poem by myself.  Then John Gurda gave a program on Milwaukee's Economic Roots.  He's always so enjoyable to listen to.

April 3

Relived my Iceland trip on Osher, but the speaker had more travel information instead of the highlights of Iceland.  That prompted me to look at my trip photos.  I'm also posting on Facebook what I was doing ten years ago when I was on my Exploritas trip.

April 4

I'm doing a lot of reading, but I'm not bored.  I can always find something to do. There's a Daily Reflection every day from the Cathedral expounding on the daily reading.

April 5

I signed up for Amazon Prime and saved a bundle on gifts I sent to the family.  It took me a long time to get everything right, but I think the Easter gift will lift everyone's spirits.  Watched the 11:00 am from St. John's.

April 6

Osher stories also How COVID-19 is affecting Wisconsin

April 7

Wore a mask to shop at P & S at 6:30.  Found everything I needed, lucky it wasn't toilet paper

April 8

Worked on my accounts with the determination to keep at it more faithfully.

April 9

Worked on my Alabama trip on Penzu and keeping an account of the pandemic.

 I haven't been following through on keeping track of daily activities.  But here are some additions.

Laura got me started listening to Jean Martyn on Facebook at 1:00 pm.  She is a very accomplished organist and plays a variety of music that appeals to a wide group of followers.

Book Club met on Zoom.  I've been catching up with a lot of reading.  A Gentleman in Moscow was very engrossing.  It put isolation in a whole new perspective when Count Rostov was exiled in his hotel for 22 years.  A beautiful relationship between him and a young girl, then her daughter, who he treated as his daughter.  Beautifully written.  I'm also reading The Fall of Berlin, which is very detailed.  I wish I had some good maps to refer to.  That's the shortcoming of reading such a historic book on a Kindle.  There probably are maps, but at the end, and very small.

Claude does all of his grocery shopping online and picks them up.  I tried it a couple of times with Festival Foods.  I was quite satisfied.  Except when I ordered smoked pork hocks that I wanted to use for split pea soup.  They didn't have split peas and they sent my fresh pork hocks instead and wouldn't take them back, but didn't charge me.  I roasted four of them; they were very dry with so little meat that I ate them all. 

Still determined to make split pea soup, I bought two at Ray's.  I had the most delicious meaty soup.  It was worth the wait.

I don't walk as much as I should, but the girls down the street have some neat chalk drawings.

WAUC has been conducting meetings and SIGs on Zoom.  Howie from APCUG has been joining us as a valuable resource.

My trip to New Orleans with Osher has been canceled, which I was not too disappointed about.  It would involve a lot of walking which I'm not able to keep up with any more.  I wouldn't want to hold the group back.

May 17th.

After their hike, Vagabonds met at Area 7 in Whitnall park and Ron suggested people gather to meet one another again.  The day was perfect with about 40 people.  I brought water and wine, unfortunately no beer for Peter.  We practiced social distancing and had a wonderful day.

May 22, 2020

I was able to get my hair done.  Jocilyn and I wore masks.  I unhooked mine during my shampoo, but still kept my mouth covered.  A haircut and style made me look human again.

May 30, 2020

Church services resumed this weekend.  There are fewer lectors, which means we'll be lectoring more often.  I lectored at the 4:00 pm mass.  The church was roped off to allow seating on the right side of the church only.  Ushers wearing masks directed people to their seats.  There were no more than 50, about 10 not wearing masks.  I wore my mask, but removed it when I read.  We did not line up for Communion, but stood in our places until Father Terry came to each one and dropped the host in each palm.

Gulf Shores, Alabama 2000

 February 16, 2020. 

 22755 miles

7:45 am. We are on our way on an overcast, cold day 23 degrees.   

On the road again at 11:05 after a substantial breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  That should hold us over until dinnertime. 

Very bright sunshine in Indianapolis. 1:34 pm.

I could have finished another cap in the time it took me to untangle an entire skein of yarn.  What a waste of time.  We switched drivers at a rest stop, but for only a short while. The GPS went haywire whenever Peter touched it.  Then I was driving too fast. It's really better that he drives and I navigate. The rest of the ride went very smoothly, light traffic, excellent roads.

We arrived at the Quality Inn at 6:15 p.m., just as Peter predicted.  Mexican food appealed to us among the myriad of restaurants to choose from.  Plaza Mexican Grill got us seated with some taco chips and hot salsa. We started out with Margaritas then ordered a vegetable fajita for Peter that was very colorful and a fajita taco salad for me that was very good. I got a call from Heather with our condo code, directions and dining suggestions. Beds were comfortable,  room was satisfactory.  It didn't take me long to fall asleep.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

We woke up at 6:30 am. The shower was very good.  We had scrambled eggs that cooled off quickly, sausage patties, toast, an orange,  yogurt and coffee. We were on our way at 8:08 a.m., after filling the gas tank.

The day started off very sunny, then became overcast with a light drizzle.  We stopped for a light lunch at McDonald's and filled up with gas.  The rain got harder the farther we went.  It pretty nearly stopped when we got to Island Sunrise.  We are very pleased with our arrangements, very spacious and we should be very comfortable.  We met Mike and Mary Jane from Eau Claire as we were unloading.  I did my unpacking then we headed for Mikee's seafood, a very casual place.  We shared one pound of broiled shrimp and baked beans, very enjoyable.

Monday,  February 17, 2020

Very foggy, 57 degrees.

We managed to have our breakfast with what we brought from home: oatmeal, milk, cuties, and bananas.  We would have had eggs if Peter had remembered if the X on two of the four eggs meant cooked or raw.   Neither was right, all were raw.

We found a Walmart and bought our supply for most of our two-weeks' stay.  They had everything I needed, but I didn't know how to use the Pay app.  By the time we put everything away, it was time for lunch, with the usual summer sausage sandwiches. We rode to Orange Beach and made a loop, exploring the area.  I made a pepperoni and cracker platter to take down to the 4:00 pm Happy Hour.  The gathering was in a sheltered area with plenty of tables and chairs.   There was a nice assortment of  finger food.  We met a few nice people.  Next week will be the last Monday Happy Hour. There was also a trio playing that added to the enjoyment.  I even joined in a trail dance.

We didn't think about going out to eat, so I made a big kettle of vegetable soup with Texas toast that satisfied us nicely.

I received a beautiful bouquet of roses from Don and Masako on Valentine's Day, and hated to leave them behind.  I wrapped them well and they are gracing our table.

Tuesday,  February 18, 2020

Peter took a walk, I started breakfast.  I put the portabella mushroom in the oven to precook.  REMEMBER TO OIL THE PAN!  I sautéed the garlic, tomatoes and spinach, and when Peter got back and while he took a shower I filled the mushrooms and added the eggs. MAKE A DEEP WELL BY PUSHING THE FILLING TO THE SIDES.  I kept checking the eggs for doneness and they came out perfectly.  This dish is a keeper.

The day was foggy all day, not a hint of sunshine. I sat on the porch and read a while, but mostly stayed indoors.  We warmed up the soup for lunch.

We went to the Drunken Shrimp for dinner, based on the great ratings.  It was very low key. Peter's flounder and shrimp were served in a plastic basket, but there were plenty of shrimp that he shared. My crab cake was served on a plate with very good potatoes and so was the crab cake. Only plastic forks were available.

Wednesday,  February 19, 2020

The day is warm and overcast,  with a promise of sunshine.  We finished  off one jar of juice, sunny side eggs, bacon and yogurt with strawberries.  I'm doing some laundry.

The day was very gloomy; we stayed in all day except to get some mushrooms for my pork recipe.  We found a nice market similar to Publix and also got some bread. I made two thick cut bone-in chops with fried potatoes and broccoli that turned out very well.  We finished  the day playing dominoes.  Peter won,7 games to 6.

Thursday,  February 20, 2020

Today was a real wash out.  To salvage the day and see something,  we drove to Pensacola and the Naval Air Museum. There was a line up of cars that seemed to be turning around. We got as far as the sentry and we had to turn around also.  It's closed. Peter said there was some shooting some time ago. We drove through the downtown area and checked out where Peter will get his oil changed on Monday and drove back home, all in the rain, sometimes pretty hard.

It was getting towards lunch time so we stopped at Bubba's in Orange Beach. Peter had grilled shrimp   I had a combination dinner of shrimp and crab legs with boiled potatoes and sweet corn.  I enjoyed every morsel.  We took two pieces of Key lime pie for home.  It was good to get into our dry condo. I took a nap until a stupid phone call awoke me and then continued reading Before We Were Yours, excellent reading.

Friday,  February 21, 2020

On a cool breezy day, we drove to Bellingrath Gardens.  We walked around a while

before taking the 1:00 pm tour of the mansion. We had a great guide that seemed to be a part of the estate. 

We did a lot of walking and covered a lot of the grounds.

We shared a ham sandwich and ate it outdoors before heading back home.  I made some breaded chicken breasts for dinner.

Saturday,  February 22, 2020

We were expecting someone at 10:00 am to look at our unit, but the place is rented for all of February next year so that won't be necessary.  We were looking for a place to mail a Birthday card, since there is no pick-up at our condo. I spotted a place on our way to Gulf Islands National Seashore.  We passed through Pensacola that was getting ready for the Mardi Gras parade.  We'll have to come through here again when we go for the oil change on Monday.  The headquarters was closed so we drove to Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island.  We were driving along a narrow strip of land surrounded by sand dunes and water.

I showed the Ranger my park pass to get into the fort. We read the posted information and watched a video about the canons and parts of the fort. We headed back to a picnic area by the water.  It was pretty cold, since we were in the shade, plus there were kids yelling on the playground equipment.  Across the street were many picnic shelters that would have been warmer.  I took a few pictures before heading back.  I tried taking a nap when we got back, but there is a lot of outside noise.  We went to the Oyster House for dinner. We had very good service and I enjoyed my combination of fried oysters and shrimp. Its hard keeping warm.

Sunday,  February 23, 2020

We had scrambled eggs mixed with bacon, yogurt with bananas and strawberries,  toast and coffee. We were not too early for the 10:30 am mass at Our Lady of the Gulf; we squeezed into a pew, but there were a lot of people standing.  We did some grocery shopping at Rouses and picked up a paper at Walgreen's.  We finished off the soup and some sandwiches at lunch. The day was getting very nice and  warm with a lot of sunshine. We gathered our gear and parked in the lounge area near the sand dunes.  There is a wooden bridge going to the beach in order to preserve the vegetation.

I still haven't seen the beach.  We are evaluating some of the pluses  and minuses of this place

I think it's too noisy, being on the main street.

The pool is poorly located, always in the shade.

There is no bathroom on the main floor.

No mail pick-up

We like the coded entry system

It is near everything. 

We were outside until almost 4, when it started getting overcast.

We had pizza for dinner.

Monday, February 24, 2020

We had Cheerios, yogurt with bananas for breakfast before heading for Anderson Subaru for an oil change.  Good thing we allowed more time, because we hit a traffic snag and we were at a standstill. A lot of cars were turning around for an alternate route.  Peter did the same and we didn't have far to go for a parallel road.  We got there with 5 minutes to spare. Very good service got us out in about an hour and a half.

We headed for Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center. On the way we found a Ruby Tuesday and shared shrimp fajitas.  We were really pleased to have two apiece with our own container of hot shrimp filling plus toppings. We could have parked closer to the center, as we had a little farther to walk in the light rain. The Temple Mound was closed but we enjoyed the museum. It was compact and nicely arranged with a collection from the area's prehistoric Native American cultures. We stayed until the 4 PM closing and headed back in the rain and heavy traffic.  As we approached the high bridge, Peter said, “The rain stopped, Sweetheart”. In less than a minute, the skies opened up and there was a downpour that lasted almost until we got home.  We shed our wet clothes while I put together a quick supper of fried potatoes,  ham steak and a salad.  

Fat Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Cut-up ham in scrambled eggs with toast, yogurt and bananas made a hardy breakfast before we headed to the Mardi Gras parade. We found a place near the curb and I went to the Dollar Store to borrow a shopping basket to invert as a seat; Peter went back to the car for blankets. By the time he came back the crowd had moved close to the hastily erected fences. Some ladies were very kind and offered their chairs while we waited for the parade to start.  The day was overcast and warm; we were comfortable in light jackets.  We had a prime viewing site as the parade passed

I took pictures as Peter gave high fives to the marchers and caught beads.  It was a lot of fun.

We went back for chicken bacon tomato sandwiches.  Took naps.

Looking for rentals in this area to take advantage of next year's Mardi Gras,  I saw that most condos were rented during those dates.  We found a beautiful place in Fort Walton Beach and secured it.

Wednesday,  February 26, 2020

Cold and very windy. I wrote to Annika and we stayed in until it was time to go to the Cobb Theater for the 2:00 pm showing of "The Godfather".  Peter never saw it.  There was only one other couple in the theater.  We got out just after 5, in time for dinner. Fish River Grill was in the neighborhood  next to Rouses. I had a shrimp platter with a pint of pineapple Margarita; Peter had blackened catfish.

Thursday,  February 27, 2020

The sun woke me up at 6:45, very bright but cold.  Peter went for a walk along the beach.  

We stopped at the Visitor's Center to pick up their literature, even though we'll be leaving on Saturday.   It was a beautiful facility with lots of brochures and attractions. As I was waiting for Peter, the attendant gave me a discount coupon for the battleship Alabama and museum in Mobile.  It was only a 55  minute drive so that seemed  like a good idea. 

We did a self-guided tour of the ship, the museum with many aircraft and a lot of video stations showing various battles and operations, including 911.

Next we boarded the submarine Drum, and I struggled going through a number of passageways where I had to crawl through each doorway.

  

We stopped at a restaurant, but changed our minds when we had so much food at home.  We weren't hungry after Peter polished off his takeout from yesterday, potato salad, kielbasa and fried onions and a salad. 

Friday, February 28, 2020

Cold and windy. Stayed in most of the day.  Did some laundry, started packing, cleaning up.  We bundled up to watch the sunset at 5:49 p.m..  We had to walk up to the water's edge to see it, because buildings blocked the view.  There were a few brave souls also out there, but not for long. We had dinner at the Island Grill.  I started out with a great martini.  I had grilled shrimp with a grilled pineapple slice and other sides; Peter had another shrimp dish.  We saved the best for the last. The staff greeted us just great, with high fives and a wonderful service.  The bartender jumped for joy when I gave her a dollar for a great martini: people at the bar also gave her a cheer.

Saturday February 29, 2020 

7:08 am We are leaving our condo, heading for the Diner, 49 degrees. The diner was very bright and clean. We each had eggs, ham, hash browns and a biscuit with coffee, surrounded by music blasting from the 50s.  Now I appreciate my quiet breakfasts even more.  Leaving Streamliner at 8:10; 57 degrees, and very clear sunny skies.

The roads are excellent and traffic is light.  We stopped at a rest stop and found a sunny spot to have our lunch. We had plenty of odds and ends with some left over. We had only one backup,  but once we got passed it we had smooth sailing. We got to the Quality Inn at 5:00 pm, rested a while before deciding where to go for dinner.  We could almost have walked to the Rice Box, a cozy Asian restaurant in a strip mall.  The Mongolian Beef with two helpings of brown rice that we shared was plenty, along with a pot of tea.

Sunday,  March 1, 2020

On the road at 8:08 am, 37 degrees, a mild, clear day. Quality Inn breakfast should hold us for a while. Roads are very good, but traffic is heavier than I expected.  We made a rest stop in Indiana thinking we could polish off some leftovers in the 59 degree temperature, but it was very windy.  We've had luck with city parks and Google found one in Lafayette, but it looked like it was in someone’s backyard.  We settled for a McDonald's and headed back on the freeway.

Before getting home we stopped at the Brat Stop in Kenosha and enjoyed a nice cold beer with delicious hot dogs.  Really hit the spot.

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Virus-free. www.avg.com

Happy 2000

 Peter and I were really planning on spending New Year's Eve at my house with a dinner and watching videos.  I especially don't like going out when the weather will be bad and coming home late at night.  Peter did suggest going out to an early dinner, but I didn't care for that idea either.  At the Vagabond breakfast Ron asked if we were signed up for the Vagabond party; we said "no".  He urged us to sign up.  We both looked at each other and started thinking about it, but not for very long.  What the heck; let's do it.  I signed up on line on Sunday. 

Peter picked me up at 7:30 with five yellow roses. I was overdressed in my black gown and jacket.  I changed into a more casual outfit.  Ron was very pleased to see us.  We sat with Marilyn and Jim, Janice from dominoes, Mary, Gail and another woman.  The music was very good, with alternating fast and slow pieces and good volume.  There were relishes with chips and pretzels, then ham sandwiches and coffee with small cakes.  We danced a lot.

  Ron passed out hats and noisemakers for the midnight fanfare along with champagne.  All in all, it was a very pleasant evening.  Going home was not at all bad with a clear, crisp night.

We had eggs, toast, tangerines, stolen and coffee for breakfast.  We watched the Rose Bowl parade and football games.  The featured game was the Rose Bowl where the Badgers lost to Oregon.  It was disappointing, but with fumbles, an interception and penalties, they were bound to lose.

Christmas 2019

 My Christmas began with Claude making pierogi on Christmas eve.  Claude came over the night before to mash potatoes and mix the filling.  The garage was too warm to keep the filling overnight, so I had to make room in the frig. 

The next day we started about 9:00 am and made 105 almost perfect pierogi.  We had about four split, not at the seam seam, but in the middle,  Perhaps the dough was stretched too much.

I lectored at the 10:00 pm mass after enjoying and singing carols along with the choir.  There was a pretty good attendance at the mass.

I had a very nice breakfast, but I think Sendik's Polish sausage was a little too salty.  I filled my table favors and set everything aside for our afternoon with the Dorns. 

I was at Peter's house at 1:30 and we took some pictures.

The temperature hit 60 degrees.  We don't have Easters that warm. 

Michele and Kevin were at Janice and Brad's and we had a warm greeting.  But then it went downhill.  I make sure I have fresh batteries in my hearing aids so that I catch all the conversation, but I should have removed my hearing aids.  After a while Michele's voice got the better of me...non-stop.  Laura contributed delicious appetizers

I prepared the pierogi

and we had a very complete dinner.

Beside the pierogi, Janice had a vegetarian meal of beans, fruit and a broccoli salad.  We finished everything off with an assortment of cookies.

Janice had some pull toys that made a noise with little tokens inside, plus crowns.  Here we are, minus Laura, because there is always too much fuss when I pull out my tripod.  Annika was also missing, since she was spending the day with her boyfriend.  Aleksei Skyped us from CA.

Celebrating Life and My Birthday

 October 30, 2019

Even though it was a month past my birthday, we celebrated it today together with my recovery from my kidney operation.  On a beautiful fall day, even though overcast, we started with luncheon at Eddie Martini's.  I had stroganoff; Peter had salmon.  The meals were delicious and the service impeccable.  We lingered and were in no hurry.

Next we drove close to Holy Hill to view an outstanding Halloween display, very humorous.

We thought Fox and Hounds would be open to have another drink, but they open at 4:00 pm.  So we drove to the Corners at Brookfield to see the shops.  Parking was scarce, almost like Bayshore, with mostly boutiques.  A dessert and coffee would finish our day, so we stopped at a place that looked like it specialized in bakery.  The selection was nothing to rave about.  I had a small apple pie; Peter had a lemon poppy seed cake that he said was dry.  We walked across the street to a very large Sendik's and were sorry we didn't have our dessert there.  There was a nice eating area with a lovely selection of bakery.  I bought a few groceries.  We drove to Peter's house where I had parked my car, and I drove home. 

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

We need to do this more often.  Instead of having a dinner shen the day is over, by having a lunch with something else to do really makes for a longer time together.