Loving it!

I am so loving this weather. High around 70 degrees. Overnight low around 50. Fall? No, it's still summer, it just feels like fall. I am also loving reading on my sunporch/lanai/veranda/deck. I've decided from now on I'll refer to the back area (or is it the front area?) of my home as the sun porch, although it is probably a lanai, because it is an extension of the home, and it is an outdoor room, but it isn't year-round, so maybe it is really a sun porch. I'll stick with that.

So on my sun porch I'm loving it -- the weather, that is.

This morning I decided to "sleep in" something I haven't been able to do for weeks because there has been something going on that required my attention and meant that I "rise and shine" soon after the sun was visible from the sun porch.

Today, around dawn (just as the sun was peeking over the tops of the trees) I woke up in one massive body lock (pain). I took all my meds, a little early, but I took them and decided I'd stay in bed and wait for them to take over so that I could walk to the kitchen and get started for the day. A good plan. They kicked in and I was up around 9 a.m., which isn't really sleeping in, but it is a later time to get out of bed and start my day than I've been out of bed for the past few weeks.

Okay, folks, I'm old, retired, and go to bed late at night or early in the morning, and I am able to get up late sometimes, so I do. Remember being a teenager and sleeping away Saturday? Well, I'm elderly, and everyday except Sunday is Saturday, so if I want to sleep, and have nothing else to do, I sleep.

Yesterday, I was hurting slightly, and then I recalled that I had a birthday party to attend -- David, one of my grandchildren is eight (I think) and his party was scheduled for yesterday afternoon. Knowing that I could never navigate all the steps inside my son's home, I called my DIL and asked her if she would mind moving the party to my house. So she did, including bringing along her parents, presents, cake, ice cream (actually it was an ice cream cake), plates, and plastic forks. We had a really good time. The children played with toys after the cake and presents, and the adults talked, mostly. Children tend to interrupt at odd times.

I did very little to help with the party, my dear DIL did all the work, and how thankful I am that she didn't mind moving the party to my home so that Alan and I could attend. I hate it when I have to miss these events, for whatever reason.

Today, after I finally got up, I did the laundry, cleaned up the kitchen, sort of, and then went to the Farmer's Market.

Mentally, I've been preparing dinner since I left for the Market. We're having fettuccine Alfredo. From the FM we'll have sliced tomatoes and peaches with whipped cream for dessert.

I'm functioning well at this point, and am about to get the wet clothes into the dryer. So, I'll say, ttfn.

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I definitely overdid

The last couple of days have been hectic and fun and I definitely overdid. I'll go back to Monday.

On Monday I knew that my brother-in-law and his wife (my S-I-L) were coming for an overnight visit, and I had to get my house super clean, as well as prepare a super-duper dinner because Alan didn't want to go out to eat. And I had to do a lot of laundry. Also on Monday I had to clean (sort of) to get my house ready for my house cleaner, so she doesn't think I'm hopeless in the cleaning department, which I'm not, but I am, because of my movement problems.

Then on Tuesday, my cleaner/shopper came and I got really ready for my B-I-L and S-I-L. Of course, I can't just sit there and watch, and I had to get a path cleared in my office so that if anyone had to go in there, they could walk. I did a pretty good job. I even made enough room so that my cleaner could vacuum in there.

On Wednesday my daughter (the middle one, Becky) called and asked if I minded if she came on Thursday, instead of her planned visit on Thursday to visit with her Aunt and Uncle, and I said no, but her Aunt and Uncle were planning to leave before she was going to be able to get here. So I suggested since they like camping out, that they camp out on the sun porch, since I was out of bed space. And they came to visit as well.

The dinner I prepared was excellent -- you can get the recipes at Runnemede Remembered Recipes. There were no leftovers.

I faded at 10 p.m. and went to bed, the rest of the folks including the children were going strong when I turned in and I didn't hear a thing. I woke up at 7:30 and was have a fibromyalgia set back. I hurt all over and couldn't even stay in bed, so I got up, took my medicine and prayed it would help. It did for about 2 hours, then I was down and out again. Took another pill, and went to bed.

I'm still feeling pretty bad. I had hoped I was getting better with the new homeopathic medicines I was using for arthritis, and perhaps it is working, at least I know it is in my hands and elbows, and I thought it was doing a job on the knees, but since I had been doing so much walking the past three days, today it didn't feel like anything was working.

Oh, yeah, did I mention that my son, his wife, and his four children also came over for a couple of hours? That was not a problem at all, and I know that the B-I-L and S-I-L enjoyed the visit, as did I. I'm getting more and more used to their activity -- which is not something I am used to, because Alan and I are pretty much inactive most of the time. Where do they get their energy?

Well, that's it for for now. I'm going back to bed. A new book arrived from Amazon today, and I can't wait to get to it. I'll have to write about some of the books I've been reading lately. They are for the most part comedic mysteries. Go figure.

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what a week!

Last week was something else. It went so fast, and I held up pretty well.

On Thursday and Friday, two of my granddaughters stayed with me and Alan. We had a blast. We did what I always do when I have these children -- we went to the library, had lunch from Mc D's, visited the dollar store (that makes two times in two weeks that I went into a store!) and went swimming. The girls played dress-up and I'm finding more of my old clothes for them to play with. I now have a separate section of the toy box with dress up things in it. And some new doll clothes for the dolls.

I've been cleaning as much as I can, and trying to get my scrap book room cleaned and polished before Alan's brother David and Dave's wife, Libby, arrive to spend a couple of days with us. Even with me having my Tambo to clean for me, I still have a need to straighten and clean as well. Two weeks is a long time. But I can only do one room at a time. When she comes, the whole house sparkles, which is much better than what I do.

I went to a scrap book crop on Saturday and booked 6 pages. Not too bad. My neighbor, Mary, and I had planned to only be there for three hours. Instead, we were there for 5 hours. That's the longest I have ever held up at a scrap fest. I was so proud of myself. And except for complete exhaustion (at least I guess that's what it was) afterward, I didn't suffer any bad physical problems from the marathon.

I have slept a lot the last week. It goes in cycles. Sometimes I sleep hardly at all, then boom! I'll sleep for 12 or 14 hours and the days following are the same. I'm in a sleep cycle, I guess.

And yes, I've noticed how dark it is getting so soon at night, and how dark it is in the morning. I don't like winters. Oh, I love the cold weather, but not the dark. And after reading a book about Alaska I wonder how those folks can stand the long, long dark days of winter, and how they get sleep at all when they have the sun almost all day long in the summer. But they do survive. So, I guess I can survive the darkening times ahead.

No broccoli on my menus for this week. That should make my niece very happy!

TTFN

Hi, my name is Judi and I'm a broccoli addict!

Well, not really, but I have to give a "testimony" here about how I used to hate broccoli, then I loved it, then I couldn't even look at it without getting sick to my stomach, and then I tasted it again, and am in love with it again.

When I was little and my taste buds weren't fully developed I didn't particularly care for broccoli. Maybe it was the way my mom fixed it -- boiled in salted water and served with a pat of butter. But when I became a teenager and broccoli was one of the veggies they served in the high school cafeteria, I started liking it.

Well, I enjoyed broccoli and would even order it as a side dish at the area diners for many years until one year I was putting up vegetables for my freezer, and our neighbor gave me a lot of broccoli. Well, I washed it, but when I put it in the boiling water to blanch it, up popped all these green worms, feet side up! I mean it made me so sick, I couldn't even think of broccoli without wanting to puke. I, like my niece, could even look at it.

Then people started putting raw broccoli on raw vegetable platters and I thought well a lot of other people are eating the broccoli dipped in ranch dip, maybe I'll try it (again). Believe me, I checked very closely to make sure there were no worms hidden in the heads of this veggie. And I rather enjoyed it.

Then I discovered that it usually came as a side at TGIF's or Appleby's and I was taught to eat everything on my plate, so I started eating it again, and now I'm hooked.

Now I know that my taste buds are on the wane, and things do taste different than they used to. I mean, doesn't anyone make good spaghetti sauce any more? And why does cheese cake always taste like tobacco smoke? Do bakeries permit their employees to smoke around the cheese filling? If, then, as my niece tells me, my taste buds aren't working properly, that's really a good thing because now I can enjoy something that is good for me.


That's my "testimony" and I have been a broccoli addict for years now, and I'm NOT trying to become a recovered broccoli addict because I know how good this vegetable is for me and I'm glad my God created it.

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Broccoli wars

Well, I have had the pleasure of having two of my grandchildren spend today with me, staying overnight, and then all day tomorrow, and may tomorrow night -- depends on how I am.

Tonight around suppertime, while I was preparing dinner my body locked up. Yes, it locked up. I couldn't move. So, I sat at the table watched them eat, then cleaned up after the dinner, while in horrible all-over pain, and laid down on my back.


I'm upright, currently, but I'm not moving anything but my fingers.

Anyway, the topic of BROCCOLI came up at dinner and YES, YES, YES, we have a winner. Rosie likes broccoli cooked, not raw, with cheese, not without. Rachel, on the other hand, doesn't care for it with or without cheese, but she eats it because she has to -- thank you Amy!

So, the war is on again, I suppose and when you something like a cartoon character as the leader of the anti-broccoli side -- well, what more can I say. At least I have real, live, people who have good things to say about the veggie.

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Why, oh why?

Why do I do this to myself? There was a movie on TV this morning. It STARTED at 1:30 a.m. Not a problem on that end, but it was still about an hour after my usual bedtime. I was awake when the movie began (See Runnemede Remembered to find out about the movie) and wide awake when the movie ended, although my face was mush. It was a ten-hankie movie.

So, I went to bed around 3:30 a.m., but couldn't sleep. Nada, nil, nothing was making me drowsy, not even quoting Scripture or praying. Nothing. So, at 7:30 a.m. I finally was able to get comfortable, then at 8:00 a.m. the pain set in -- fibromyalgia was all over my body, ouch!

Was staying up that late worth it? I don't know, but I did see a movie I had never seen before!

I don't do these all-nighters very often, but often enough that I feel the agony of de-feet, legs, arms, back, hips, etc., the next morning, and you'd think I'd learn a lesson.

But folks, a good movie is a good movie, and I'm not into buying or renting something I can see for free, so to speak. I mean cable costs, right? And don't suggest setting the VCR and recording it. I have no aptitude when it comes to that machine, and don't really want to learn.

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UPDATES to Runnemede Remembered

For all those of you who have listed "Runnemede Remembered" as one of your favorite BLOGs, I noticed that RR is NOT being updated automatically on your computers. Why? I don't have a clue. It's not that I haven't "paid the rent" so to speak. So, keep watching for updates. I'm being more regular now that I've reread several of the really old items.

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More wonderful grandchildren

These are pictures I took at the pool. Annie, Becky, and Grace -- in the pool.

Well it's been another wonderful day spent with grandchildren. Becky and her three children arrive last night, spent the night, and early this morning Dan got up (it was 6:45 a.m., I had been up for about 15 minutes). I gave him a banana to ward off his hunger pains, not wanting to cook eggs and bacon twice, and knowing that his sisters and mom wouldn't be up much before 9:00 a.m. Surprise, surprise, they got up at 8:00 a.m. So I put on the bacon and eggs. Breakfast was served around 8:30. And the girls, Beck and I sat on the porch, and the men (Dan and Alan) sat at the table indoors. And then the games began -- games between Pop-Pop and Dan. Dan loves games as does his grandfather, so they set up at the table and had at it. Dad did get down to the pool for about 15 minutes, but he spent the rest of the time in the condo with Alan.

I actually did get into the pool today. It was so hot even in the shade, that I finally had to get myself wet or die (at least that was my belief at that time). The pool water wasn't too bad, but it was cooling. I didn't swim, and I didn't get all the way down the steps fearing I wouldn't be able to get back up them. I did okay, though. I sat on the third step, complete submerged except for my head. Does that count as getting INTO the pool?

It always amazes me when the pain disappears, and while I was at the pool, the pain really did go away for quite a while.

After we came back from the pool around 2:30 p.m. we sat around trying to decide what we were going to do. After two hours of hashing that out, but not moving from the chairs on which we posted ourselves for the discussion, we decided, or rather Dan decided, that he was hungry, and so off to Bob Evans we went for dinner. They left from there.

All in all it was a very happy, lazy, summer day. Thanks Becky, Annie, Grace, and Dan for sharing it with me and Pop-Pop.

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What a day!

These are the few pictures I was able to get before my battery died. The first picture is me with the girls (Rose and Rachel) with our orange hair. The girls became Princess Laia (from Star wars) and I turned my wig around and became Chewbaca. David (bottom picture) was Luke Sky walker. The mustache was bothering him so we cut it off. He looked so much more handsome without the mustache! The picture is the one I refer to below. That's me on the left in the green dress.

Wow! I had such a great time with my grandchildren -- four of them -- Phil's children. Because of my physical limitations, I have to decide at the last minute that they can come visit me. But, I had tentatively set up a time for Amy to bring the children over. And she did. I had gotten to the dollar store so I had some goodies for the children, and I had them draw me a picture for my GC Picture Album.

Rose is quite an artist. I have put up a picture she drew today of me. I think she did a great job. The other children were in a hurry to get to other projects so they just scribbled a little bit on their paper. I also noticed that she is getting past the gawky stage and is turning into a very pretty little girl. She is also very sweet and quiet and cooperative and helpful.

David wants to be called "Dave" and because I've been calling him "David" for so many years, it will be hard for me to change, so I told him I'd call him "Sweetie" instead because I didn't want to offend him by calling him David. He was okay with that. He played a computer game for part of the time he was here, and he played with a toy I had gotten him at the Dollar Store -- a detective set. He enjoyed the gun especially because it shot soft darts.

Matthew actually LISTENED to me today, and we put together a couple of puzzles -- he loves them. And he let me help instead of his mom, for which his mom was thankful, I think. He's a nice boy.

Rachel was the good guy (or girl) in the play we all put on. I had bought the children "costumes" -- actually wigs and funny noses -- and even I had a wig. The children thought that was the funniest thing -- Memom wearing a wig, and I wore it backwards and kept blowing it away from my face which gave them fits of giggles.

I am so glad I had them come over today. I am so blessed. I didn't get many pictures because my battery went dead. But I did get a few.

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Been thinking (for Stacia)

When I was working at Answers in Genesis back in the 90s and early part of this century I kept track of something.

The Bible says something about the lifespan of a man (woman) -- that being three-score and ten. For those of you that don't know what a "score" is -- no, men, it's not when a guy wearing 20 pounds of gear carries a dinky ball across a line and then is penalized if he jumps up and down -- a "score" is 20 years. So doing the math, a Biblical lifespan is 70 years.

Back to Answers in Genesis and Stacia. I would remind Stacia from time to time that my three-score and ten was getting closer and closer. I did this every time someone celebrated a birthday, not just me.

So, I was thinking last night as I was falling asleep, I'm now at a point of three-score and six. You know what that means, right? Four more years!

Now, I'm not God, I don't pretend to be God, nor would I want to be God, but if God is willing, I'm willing to accept three-score and ten. I'm also willing to accept more than that, but I would like it to be with less pain. Which brings me to another topic for today.

I went to the pain clinic today. Apparently, the sciatic nerve is inflamed. I have arthritis very bad in both my hips, and a disc problem on the left side. The doctor asked me 10 times (well, he asked me four times) if I was sure that the pain I was having was on my right side. DUH! I do know my right from my left, most days.

So, he started poking me in the back, and low and behold, the right side was the side that when touched nearly put me on the floor it hurt so bad. So, I guess I proved to him that I was correct, that the pain I have is on my right side. So, about the disc problem, I asked? No answer. I asked again. He said, "I'll see you in two months." And he walked out. I don't think he's going to see me in two months.

Fortunately, I have a "chat" appointment with my GP in two weeks and I'll discuss the back problem which really has been cleared up with the patch, at least for now, with her; and then I'll also discuss with her about getting something for the knees, like maybe cortisone shots? A lot of the elder people who are neighbors of mine have had success with those shots.

That's it for today. Be back tomorrow? Maybe.

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Weather

Today much be a "high" weather day. Little pain, and little medication. I just forgot about meds because when I got up this a.m. I started right in with housework and by the time I remembered that I had forgotten to take my pills, it was almost noon. So, I took the blood pressure med and the joint medicine and that was it.

And then I went to the farmer's market. This is becoming a Saturday thing with me. I get over there around noon-thirty and get some veggies and fruits, walk around to pick up my produce, then head over to my favorite bakery and get some fresh bread to use to dunk in my tomato salad juice and then I head home again. Today I even picked up some onion soup for dinner to go with the bread and tomato salad.

I then stopped at the Dollar Store -- the first time for me to do that since before last Christmas -- but I didn't buy anything. I know, I know, you're saying: "How can you go into a Dollar Store and not buy anything?" Well, I did, and I didn't.

I was thinking about that and decided that since I really haven't done any shopping at all except at the farmer's market since before Christmas last year, I guess maybe I'm out of the "habit" and don't know how to do that any more. It certainly wasn't for lack of funds that I didn't buy anything, because I do have a couple of dollars available for my use.

Oops. I just recalled that I had stopped at McD's and gotten a sweet tea. I left it on the elevator. So I just retrieved it and it's warm, of course. I tasted it, and it tasted okay, even though it was diluted a bit. So, I just put it in the fridge for tomorrow. I do love McD's sweet tea. I think they make it best.

It's the end of another week. I can't believe it. Another week closer to Christmas 2009. The first decade of the 21st century is almost over, can you believe that? Wasn't it just yesterday that we were all worried about Y2K and storing up beans and rice because everything was going to crash and burn? It seems like just yesterday, anyway. I wonder, if I'm still around in 2019, if I'll feel the same way about the first decade and say, well, it seems like just yesterday that I was doing this or that.

I recall that this past decade has seen the passing of my father, many of my neighbors, and the births of most of my grandchildren. The comings and goings of life. God is good.

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It's almost back to school time

I guess you are all wondering what a picture of my hunky grandson has to do with almost back to school time. Well, I keep in touch minimally with my family via Facebook. And Shandon (that's him) has been bored most of the summer, except when the family was in Florida. And so I asked him a couple of days ago when school started, and he told me, today, August 20. This summer has flown by.

It seems like yesterday was Memorial Day and the children were just getting out of school for the summer. My son was relieved of his 10-year job at the school district where his children attend school, and now it's time for school to start again, and my son is hoping, yes praying, that he has a job in a new school district by the time school starts. I understand, again from Facebook, that he had a good interview the other day, but nothing definitive yet, as far as I know. So, I keep praying that God will intervene and even though there are many others out there without jobs, God will pour his mercy and grace on Phil and his family and provide a job for him real soon , like today!

Last year at this time, or rather earlier in the summer, I posted a rant about the fact that it was getting dark and that the light was disappearing. Well, I did notice that tonight for the first time. I really haven't kept up with the light and dark this year, I guess because we've had such a nice summer and I've been able to enjoy the outdoors so much more than the last couple of very hot summers. They're telling us to expect warmer temperatures for the next few days before we go back down into the low 80s again. Two days of heat? I think I can take that.

You'll recall that I went to the pool yesterday, but didn't go in? Well, today, I didn't go in either. In fact, I didn't even go to the pool. I was on my way, but I met up with one of my dear neighbors who has been very, very ill this whole summer, and she was outdoors watering her plants. It was good to see her again. Her name has been second on my prayer list since early June, just below my son's name. I won't remove her from the list because she's still pretty weak and not feeling 100 percent, but she is, at least, able to get out on her porch and have some time to perk up her plants with a drink. Then, as I scooted along I met another neighbor, and, of course, I had to stop and chat for a while. Well, by the time I got to the pool, it was time to get home and make Alan's lunch, so there went my pool visit for the day, but that's okay.

This afternoon, after lunch and my travel around the neighborhood, I sat on the porch/lanai/deck/patio/veranda and it was wonderful. There was a breeze and I was able to make a few phone calls out there before the lawn crew got close to the lanai/porch/veranda/deck/patio and I couldn't hear anything. Then, I moved indoors again. But I have to tell you, I loved being out in that nice cool air. There were a few children at the pool and they were screaming everytime they went into the water, so I assume the water is still very cold.

Enough rambling. I just love that picture of Shandon, and wanted to post it, so I did.

My big news of the day is that we have finalized our cruise plans -- we paid for a cruise/resort vacation last year and still haven't taken either part of the vacation, so I finally did it. I booked us on a Thanksgiving cruise. Our families tend to be apart on Thanksgiving leaving Alan and me to fend for ourselves, and so this year, we're fending on a cruise to the Bahamas. I'm renting scooters, so we'll be able to see a lot of the Island with our scooters which I know will do fine in Nassau and Freeport.

I'm already starting to pray around that trip. Praying that we'll both be physically able to do it and enjoy it. I'm also thinking, Thanksgiving day, on the ocean, "high-tea" at 3:30 p.m., then Thanksgiving dinner, a dress-up affair at 8:00. Nice day. Can't wait.

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I went to the pool today

This is a picture of my granddaughter Grace at the pool. She is IN the pool. I did NOT go IN the pool, I just went TO the pool. And I have to add that this picture wasn't taken today, but I couldn't find my "pool" pictures, so I had to improvise.

Yes, I went to the pool today. I got up early, got showered, took my pills and waited. When I was able to walk fairly well, I headed down to the garage and got on the scooter and went to the pool. Since today was the first nice day for almost a week, I thought there would be a lot of people down there.

I used to be able to see if there was a crowd, or even a few people there from my lanai/porch/deck/patio, but the trees have grown in the last 8 years and now my view of the pool is mildly obstructed.

When I got there I found that there were several people sitting around, and it was good to see folks again. It was only the second time I've been to the pool all summer. Of course, this is vacation month for many of our folk, so there were only five others there, but the conversation was swift. We didn't talk much about our aches and pains, as we usually do, nor did the conversation about which new restaurant was the best to visit. We basically caught up on our families' comings and goings. What a nice neighborhood, to know each other's families -- those living off-campus, so to speak.

As I mentioned I did NOT go into the pool. Two reasons. One, the water, as I was warned, was very, very cold. Reason number two is that when I get in, I have difficulty getting out. I can get up the lower three steps, but the top step is a bit steeper, and usually the railing is slippery from use by people who have slathered themselves with sun blocking lotion, and when I grab hold, I usually tend to fall or slippery slide, at least I have the last few times.

So, today, while I took with me a small cloth to use when I got out of the pool which would prevent the slippery effect from hindering me from making that top step, the water was just too cold.

Maybe I'll try tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be nice again, and the water surely warmed up some today because it seemed to me to get pretty hot out there today.

I apologize again to my Texas readers. 80 degrees is hot for us this summer!

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I printed out some of RR today

Well, I printed out the first three months of Runnemede Remembered from two years ago, and basically wore out our laser printer. It ran out of ink. But, it gives me something to read and has given me some new reminders of what I skipped the first time around.

My niece Lori put a video of my brother talking to her about his second "love" -- baseball cards -- on YouTube today. The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLEq2V5GLww. If you want a little bit of a laugh, go ahead and watch it. It cuts off in the middle of their conversation, but you will get the drift.

Alan FINALLY read my BLOG (Runnemede Remembered) -- well the part that I printed out -- well, part of the part that I printed out. His remark? "I don't know how you could remember all that stuff." My remark to him? "I didn't. I made it all up." Ha ha.

I think he might be getting into my blogging pages now. Well, after two years, and I spending more time with my laptop than with him, I guess he figures it's time for him to find out what all the fuss if about, since it certainly isn't him. Poor guy.

My dad used to say that a lot: "The poor guy." And we'd all laugh. Usually it was during the Red Skelton Show, or during some movie when the man was being rapped on. I guess you just had to be there.

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I couldn't sleep this morning

I did try, though. I woke up around 8 am and said to myself, "It's too early to get up." It was a rainy morning again, and perfect for sleeping in. Then I had a thought that popped me right out of bed.

I had posted a sign on the door of the clubhouse on Monday telling people who wanted to scrapbook to come to my house -- thus moving the neighborhood scrapbooking from the clubhouse to my house.

Well, yesterday it completely left me that I had posted that sign and it needed to be removed on Tuesday. Around midnight I remembered it. I was not about to go down there at midnight, and I told Alan to make sure I took the sign down in the morning. He didn't remind me and he was up and dressed and working at his desk by the time I "popped" up. But I did go down there on the scooter in the rain/mist and got the sign down. It -- the sign -- was actually dry. The rain didn't hit it. I guess the wind doesn't blow that way.

I mean we had almost 3 inches of rain yesterday, maybe more. Lots of wind as well. Right now it looks like the sun is TRYING to get out. But they're still saying it's gonna rain again today. I noticed that the pool water is almost to the top of the rim rather than the six or seven inches below the rim it normally sits at, so we much have had quite a bit of rain.

I mean, just because I looked out the windows and all day it was pouring rain, didn't mean that we really had several inches of rain, but we did.

It's really been a non-global warming summer here. I know you folks in Texas can't relate, but we've actually had very few hot days. Mostly we've been in the 70s and low 80s all summer. Yesterday, I don't think it even got into the 70s, it was more like spring. And I'm really enjoying it. I've been able to sit out on my porch and read and do crossword puzzles almost the whole summer, even on rainy days, because it hasn't been too hot. God is good.

So, it's early in the day and other than my normal early a.m. pain and hobbling around, I'm doing fine. Alan is still trying to work through a cold, and sometimes fever, but he certainly got up early today, which indicates something -- either he couldn't sleep because of his cold, or he had some energy and wanted to get to work. Right now, he's hacking away. Sneezing. Moaning. Hey, he sounds like me -- the moaning part, that is.

From the elderly home of the Hahn's I bid you all adieu.

TTFN

Beautiful day

I know most people would not think today was a beautiful day, but I did. I love thunder storms when they aren't right over my head. Today we had storms for most of the day and only a few of the boomers were close. It was just a wonderful, stormy summer day. I loved it. Did I say that already?

My dear cleaning person came today and did a super job. I went into the bathroom and thought I had lost my eyesight for a minute there. The clean room was so bright it nearly blinded me. And it smelled to nice and clean. I love the smell of a clean house!

Then I went into the kitchen. Her daughter had been working in there most of the morning, and wow!!!! That's all I have to say. My stove hasn't looked as good as it looks now since the day it purchased it. I had to call her and ask her what she used on it. "Nothing new," she tells me, "just that stove-top cleaning thingy you bought several weeks ago." Well, it never looked that good before. It was so nice-looking that I decided to just cook an oven meal and not get the stove top dirty. Oh, yeah, I have a flat top stove, which I really don't have a problem cleaning, but she got it so shiny! And the oven meal? Well, let's just say that next week, she'll be cleaning the oven!!!

ttfn

I used to love Mondays

When I was working I loved Mondays. I loved working - at least the last two jobs I had, I loved. No, make that three jobs. I didn't mind getting up early on Monday and I was glad to do my job.

Well, today was not one of those Mondays that I enjoyed. First, I had to take Alan to the eye doctor. Which isn't a problem except that I get so bored while he is getting his eyes checked. Fortunately, today's appointment only lasted one hour. Short for this particular doctor.

Then Alan and I went to TGIF for lunch. It was a good lunch. He got a burger, and I got the cajun shrimp and chicken, which I thought was excellent, and I told the waitress to tell the chef.

Then when I got home I had to prepare for a scrapbook meet at my house. Normally, we meet at the clubhouse, but I had received a box of new products and didn't feel like hauling them to the clubhouse, so I moved it to my house. Creative Memory has come out with some really, really nice new things. I'm so pleased.

I had quit getting the "sample" set for a few months, but then decided to start up again with that program and I'm glad I did. The samples I got were really different from what they've sent in the past. There was some new paper patterns, but there were other things as well. You'll just have to check out my website to see what's new from Creative Memories right now. I can't wait to get an order in.

I'm always ready to quit, then something happens, and people start wanting items again, and so I stay in. I'm glad you all can't see my home. It's ground zero and looks like it. Ugh. A lot of cleaning for me to do tomorrow. I can't let my cleaning person do that work.

Right now I'm so tired I'm seeing three of everything. Been a busy, busy day. So, I think I'll go to bed. But if you want to know about Creative Memories you can find out on my website which is:

http://www.mycmsite.com/judihahn1

My ID #, which you might need is: CM ID #92624539. That doesn't mean you can charge anything on MY account, but some things can't be purchased wtih the ID of the creative memories consultant from whom you are making the purchase.

Hope you have fun seeing what's new from CM for the fall. I thinks there's lots of nice new stuff.

ttfn