Old Enough

Yesterday was my birthday!  Yay, another year closes around geezerhood.  Still trying to figure out when middle geezerhood begins and then another troubling question is determining the age that determines advanced geezerhood.  With complete confidence, I can say that my youth has floated away although I don't give my hard-earned money to any of those BYoungForever products from hair color to anti-wrinkle cream.  God gave me my body and this is the way it will remain unless it's a matter of life or limb.  My  gallbladder was removed a few years ago but that was because the extreme pain I experienced eventually convinced me to sign the operative permit to have that organ removed. 
A special necklace was lost a few weeks ago and I was awakened  this morning by a nice young lady telling me that she had found my necklace.  She warned me that it was a bit bent, but seemed ok other than that.  That was good news.  I've done a bit of simple jewelry crafting and repair for a few years so I am holding out hope that this will be something I can handle.  

We had snow yesterday.  Yes, SNOW.  On my birthday.  As far as I can recollect, there has never been snow on March 28.  That was a first.  Of course, I snapped a few pictures, although we had little accumulation.  One day I will have no memory left but will have a picture or two to prove it actually happened.  At that rate, I should take a few pictures of my pile of pennies to prove I used to have a few retirement coins. 

Transitions

Today's a Saturday and that's a weekend day.  Yep, it seems I have to remind myself of the day of the week these day.  Saturdays blend into other days with actually Sunday being the only day of the week that really seems different from the other six.  That's because it is Sonday. 

Spring has hidden for awhile, not sure how long it will remain in seclusion, but until then I have to settle for cloudy, dreary, gray, chilly days.  Ahhh, but the warmth will return soon and I will be ready to greet it with open arms and a big smile on my face.

Today, I finished the book I was reading by Angela Hunt.  It was different, can't say I'd recommend this book but I eventually finished it.  Now, I have two more books in my reading basket.  Reading from the back cover, it seems one takes place in Russia and NY while the last book in my basket is an Amish novel. I have another week before they are due back at the library so I should have time to read them both, especially since the weather shouldn't draw me outdoors. 

My brother left this morning for Myrtle Beach, SC, for a week of golf.  He will meet a few other guys to chase those little white balls around.  Hope he packed his jacket and one of those huge golfing umbrellas since the weather forecast doesn't look too promising.

I had lunch Friday with a friend from my old job.  She's still hanging on but said she misses me.  Imagine that!  I miss her too, but I'd rather keep my new "day job" that I found that I really like. The hours are fantastic and the workload is so much lighter.  Oh, and the hours are flexible.  I made several more dishcloths and gave her one.  Her favorite color is green, so of course, it had some green in it.  She had to talk a little about the old workplace, but it seems more and more that I don't miss the place nor the aches and pains associated with it.  There have been lots of changes although I'd make a few suggestions for other changes if anyone would just ask me!  Yeah, I know, I won't get asked.   

Tomorrow we are meeting our son and his family for lunch in Greensboro.  That should be fun plus I'll get some hugs from those two adorable grandsons.  Hope I can snap a few pictures of their smiles.   

Time is Flying

The time flies for me lately - maybe it's the spring in the air that speeds the days.  For whatever reason, minutes are like seconds forever lost in the past.  That's ok, I'm not unhappy with that situation, at least for now.   Later on...years from now...I may feel sorry I lost these minutes.   

My days lately have been on the lazy side with little of consequence to write about.  I will look back at some point in the future to these writings and wonder what I did on my non-entry days.  Well, it's just a bit of this and some of that and alot of the some others.  I saw the recent "supermoon" and reveled in God's beautiful creation. Last night we attended a revival service at our church which was quite uplifting.

Today mom and I went to Elon College, NC, to spend the day with a cousin, Lillian, and her husband, Walt. Nice folks.  We visited for awhile then we three ladies headed out for lunch at a tea room, then shopped at a few stores in that area.  The tea room had a large tree they decorate for each occasion and holiday.  Today it was beautifully decorated with Easter items.

I'm the one who pulled out the cash the most. In fact, now that I think about it, neither mom nor Lillian bought anything.  I bought a couple of new things for the grandsons to play with when they come to our house.  I bought two insulated glasses to use when we're camping or maybe just to use here in the house.  I found a great deal on a set of two bamboo cutting boards which will come in useful since I broke my old cutting board several months ago.  Also there was a great deal on a silicone cake pan. All these culinary items should make me want to gravitate to the kitchen.  Maybe I will find myself in the kitchen soon, but for now, I'll sit here and type while I munch on black walnut fudge.  yummmmmm

Since Lillian loves to walk, Walt cleared walking paths in their large wooded back lot, all clearly marked with signs bearing their children's names.  Lillian and I walked the path while mom waited in the swing. I snapped a few of the path signs as we passed them.  I wish I had taken a picture of Lillian and mom on the backyard swing but we were having too much fun chatting. 

Mom wanted her car washed, so she went to her favorite place where you pull in, give your key to the guy and pick it up at the other end all clean, shiny, waxed, and vacuumed.

Here's one of the signs that Walt made to mark the trails through their wooded lot.  Each one was named after one of their children or grandchildren. Yet again, this blog won't let me change the type size here...Grumble sigh... and even won't place the pictures where I want them.  Sigh grumble.

And here's a shot of the front of their home with the grass just beginning to pop out green but no leaves on the trees in this area yet.  There are a few daffodils blooming in the flowerbeds that the critters haven't eaten yet.  I saw a chipmunk on our walk, but he was camera shy.  It was a beautiful day - and now I have pictures and memories. 

Lots of Stores

Hubster and I went with some seniors from our church to Tanger Outlet Mall yesterday.  We had a ball and it was wonderful to spend the day with a great bunch of folks. I'm not a big fan of shopping but it turned out to be a fun day.  I bought some tees and some socks; Hubster bought a belt. Afterward we returned to the church and tucked the van away, we spent the evening with some friends, driving around, making a snack stop at an ice cream shop in Greensboro, and visiting afterwards at their house.  It was nice to spend some time with them before they headed out today in their camper.  Have fun guys!  We'll miss you.

Today, I spent the day with mom.  She came home last evening after spending a few days with friends at North Myrtle Beach.  She said they had a great time.  Mom and I hopped around today filling the car with ga$, a post office stop, restocking the library book bag, browsing in a few shops, then picking up a few groceries.  Of course, the day wouldn't be complete without a Mom&Me lunch and a long chat. 

The weather was divine - love when spring puts a spring in my step.
Hubster and I checked out our camper today to find it had overwintered beautifully.  Nothing much to do except flushing the water lines, and a bit of cleaning before we restock and move'em out.  Can't wait. 

Joys of Spring

Today was a beautiful spring day - just the way I like them.  I got some things done around here, mostly the usual breakfast, dishes, bed, sweeping, etc., but also got some plants repotted.  That is a task that I always enjoy in the spring.  Then I showered and dressed and was off for lunch with some friends - Bobbie, Marcia, and Joan.  We all worked together for many years and it's nice to keep in touch with each of them.  Lunch was delicious and the fellowship was even better.  After lunch I drove around in the country awhile and enjoyed some early spring views. 

My tray of seed starter cups is beginning to stay outside on the front porch during these warmer days so they can get lots of light.  The zinnias were the first to pop their little heads, and the parsley has yet to germinate, but I remember they are quite slow.  A few dill and daisies are beginning to pop up so now I have a promise of a few plants for the garden.  

Hubster took the cover off the camper and checked all the systems and reported all were in excellent working order.  Even our brand spanking new hot water heater worked beautifully.  Well, it should at the price we had to pay, but it's still nice to know there's a promise of a trip as soon as the weather warms up enough for us to head out. 

I walked on mom's treadmill Tues and Wed.  I shot this picture just as I finished 31 minutes yesterday.  And 200 calories.  Ummm, guess that was just enough to cover the peaches and Cool Whip I had for dessert.  I didn't walk on it today since I spent 30 min walking around mom's yard picking up a zillion sticks and twigs.  Even lost my cell phone, but prayed about it and God showed me just where it was hiding in the grass.  All that to say, my popping up and down surely was a even exchange for walking on the treadmill, plus I was also able to enjoy the outdoors.  

Mom called and will be returning from the beach tomorrow.  She said they had a great time and the weather was nice, although just a tad too cool/windy for a walk on the beach.  

March of the Modems

11:15 am
Today began overcast and foggy, but now it's sunny and warming up.  That's a surprise and I couldn't be more pleased.  I started seeds in starter trays a week ago and now I have little seedlings in 3 of the trays - the ones with flower seeds.  The herb trays are still harboring their surprises till later, obviously slower to germinate.  That's ok, it's not warm enough outside for the plants yet anyway. Sweetz and I put the trays outside in the sun so hopefully the seedlings won't get too leggy. But I'll need sun everyday and I don't have a sun control button. 

Sweetz recently ordered some vegetable plants and seeds online.  This morning we ordered some heirloom seeds from the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds website.  My thanks to Vivian for the names of various websites.  Vivian and her husband have delicious vegetables from their garden so hopefully we will have similar success.

I'm going to mom's in a bit to get the mail and walk on her treadmill.  I walked 31 minutes yesterday, hopefully I can up that today or at least match it. The treadmill is in her spare bedroom and I can't hear her TV (in the den).  Since there's no radio or TV in that room, I need to come up with something to occupy myself for at least 30 min.  There's a book holder but not sure I can read that far away. She has no internet access either, so I can't prop the laptop on it either. 

Followup of the computer tech scheduled visit:  He (Lil Brian) called 2.5 hrs after he was to show up yesterday evening , said he was on his way here.  Told him I had reinstalled the old modem one minute after getting off the phone with the company's highest tech support person and had been back online since waiting for him to arrive.  He snickered.  At that point, I was having second thoughts about this internet company, but it wasn't his fault so decided to give him my best attitude.  I suggested I keep the old modem as it was only a few months old and working fine.  He was ok with that and entered the info into the computer.  I'm to return the new modem to the company.  I'm ok with that too.  WoooooHoooo: Another win for the Geezer!

My Eyes Want to Shut

Today was computer/internet day.  Oh, and change the sheets day and make cornbread day.  Probably some more stuff happened but can't remember anything much more than the computers.  I finally exchanged the modem my provider sent me and insisted I replace the old one (6 mo old and working fine).  Didn't work - couldn't get online.  Not a good way to start my afternoon. 

Since my laptop CD/DVD drive arrived, I drove to the computer techie shop with my laptop in tow and they installed the new drive. Great people there and knowledgeable.  While there, I asked lots of questions about my modem and wireless box.  The two techies were very helpful.  When I got home I did what they said but couldn't get back on the internet although my laptop said it was on.  Right.  OK, then I spent hours online with my provider who flipped me from one tech to a higher techie and then yet a third higher level tech.  Nothing worked.  They FINALLY decided to send an on-site tech here to the house tomorrow.  Fine, that's what I wanted all along.  OK, things are now in motion. 

After I got off the phone, I decided to try a few things myself.  I'm not stupid -- retired, female, chubby, but definitely not stupid.  Ahhhh, within one minute I had it fixed.  Computer working, internet accessed, wireless humming smoothly.  Maybe I should send RR an invoice.  So now the tech support guy will arrive tomorrow to fix things - and I decided I will just let him come.  Won't he be surprised to see a geezer did it herself!!  Can't wait to see his bright young surprised eyes tomorrow.  I have a few questions anyway, plus guess I'd cancel the appt if I knew how to contact the guy to stop him from coming. 

I'm still dealing with DST.  We lost an hour and thought I found it, or at least borrowed it from my awake hours.  Must not have worked because since about 6 pm I've been extremely sleepy.  Maybe I'll roll into those sheets early tonight.

Last Friday I planted seeds in some of those little seed starter trays.  And today I noticed some of the flower seeds have sprouted. That was fast! Not the herbs yet, but hopefully they will be popping up soon too. 

The three library books I picked out started out on a great note.  The first book has been very good, actually to the point that it's difficult to put it down.  Only about 75 pages left to read, but I have time, so no rush to finish, but I want to.  But my eyes want to shut.  I would bet on the eyes winning this contest.

Festival of Tables

Last night there was a ladies' dinner at our church.  They called it "Festival of Tables".  Each table had a hostess and was decorated in a unique style.  My hostess was Anne and she chose a Greek decor with lots of grapes.  She had a little bag of goodies for each of us containing grapes, our name in Greek calligraphy on a pretty card suitable for framing, grape flavored candy, bookmark, candle, and a Biblical puzzle.  The caterer fixed salads, chicken, potatoes, green beans, roll, then we had a choice of either chocolate or coconut cake.  Men from the church served the tables and did a terrific job taking care of our needs. 

There was special music, a funny mime of the song "I'll Fly Away" loosely based on the comedy musical play, Smoke On The Mountain.  Ever so funny.  There were poems on mothers, readings on a woman's qualities and a sample of her day, etc.  Most were funny as well as based on some facts. 

I crocheted a second cotton dishcloth.  Then Sweetz came home with two more skeins. Guess I'll be making two more...

Dinner With Friends

Sweetz and I were invited to dinner with some friends Tuesday night.  I'm not a dog person being the "mom" of two katz, but their darling dog, Snoopy, was adorable.  He stayed with me and even curled at my feet during dinner.  Then afterward in the den he sat in my lap and was rewarded with a nice scratch and long massage. We watched a movie after dinner that they had been talking about and it was fun to laugh and enjoy the evening with a wonderfully sweet couple.

And the FOOD....  Oh, it was delicious.  Roast beef baked slowly in the oven, fresh green beans, and cheese potatoes.  Yummy.  Mary bakes her own bread, so we had HUGE rolls.  They were lip smacking good.  I asked if she'd teach me how to make them.  She said she would.  I've "tried" to make homemade bread/rolls before, but they never rose to that light and fluffy height.  I definitely need a lesson. There was cake for dessert.  Everything was delicious.  Mary enjoys crocheting, knitting, crewel work, cross-stitch, sewing, etc. so we had lots of things in common and she showed me her latest projects.  Charles has a nice boat so Sweetz had to check it out and was even able to hop in and sit in the boat.  Looked a bit funny when I went into the garage and saw both guys sitting in a boat.  I didn't have my camera with me but that would have made a cute picture.  There was a treadmill near the boat, so I hopped on and walked while the men were planning the next time they could get out with the boat. 

Forgot to add that when we first drove into their driveway, there were wild turkeys in their front yard.  We thought they were those artificial ones but realized in just a few seconds that they were real when they started moving.  We counted seven turkeys and all were beautiful with colorful glossy feathers.  We sat in the car awhile and watched them while they made their way across the drive and into the woods behind the home.  It was a great way to start an enjoyable evening.

I took something for Charles and Mary which I thought was cute.  They are planning a long camping trip to FL and thought these could be used.  At least they are green and ready for St. Patty's Day.

Since blogger isn't allowing me to adjust the font size, this entry is in a smaller font than usual.  Also other settings seem to not be accessible this morning.  Spell check isn't working either.  Pictures continue to be added at the end of the blog.  Maybe those smart blogger guys are working on improving these settings. We can hope...

11 pm I'll start typing with larger font... yep, it worked this time.  I spent the evening crocheting a dishcloth from cotton yarn.  I've bought several of these dishcloths at craft shows and loved them...so decided to see if I can make one myself.  Took me awhile to understand the pattern (sedge stitch) but by the third try I realized my misunderstanding of one step.  Once I did it correctly, the dishcloth finished nicely.  While out at WallyMart this morning, I bought two small skeins of cotton yarn.  Realizing this yarn is 4-ply which makes a thicker item, I compensated by making it shorter than the pattern stated which worked out more to my liking.  Not sure if there is a 2-ply in our shopping deficit of a town. This solution worked and that's the name of the game. 

Just got an email from RoadRunner that I haven't installed the modem they sent me a few weeks ago.  Think they'd come out and  do it for me?  Nah, guess I better hook it up tomorrow. 

Luck of the Irish

Yesterday, I met a friend for lunch.  The food was delicious but the chat and visit were even better.  The rest of the afternoon was spent running a few errands and shopping for a few items.  Not many people were out and about so it was nice to get a good parking spot and stroll the aisles with relative peace.  Even the cashiers welcomed shoppers enthusiastically when we walked in the door.  The weather pushed the spring season, not really warm, but sunny and so much better than the cold winter we just experienced.  The grass is even beginning to turn green.

Since I was to meet two other girlfriends for dinner, I drove to that area and shopped some more. There was a bit of fun playing the Avoid the Cones game.  Wonder how long the road construction will last. The three of us ate at Kickback Jack's.  It was loud so we felt like we were yelling across the booth, but my burger was delicious and you should have seen how BIG it was.  I had to nibble on the top half, or the bottom half or nibble in the burger in the middle.  I mean it was BIG.  No picture of it.  Camera was in the car and I was having so much fun, I didn't want to go get it.  Yep, it would have made a great picture! Only bought two little things the entire day but it was nice to do some compari$on shopping in another town. 

This morning I downloaded and printed a subway St. Patrick's Day sign to frame.  It's nice sprucing up a corner in my kitchen. 

Not sure why the pictures don't go where I want to place them today.  Grrrr***.  Ok, they are at the end of the day's blog entry -- against my will.  I'll not get bent out of shape about it, maybe tomorrow it will work...

Drenched

Today started out rainy.  We got drenched getting from the parking lot into the church.  By then my shoes were wet and I never did get warm.  Of course, it was a small price to pay to worship with fellow believers.  We sat next to my favorite member: Mr. Wall.  He's a dear fellow who lost his wife about a year ago and has had a hard time since he's misses her so. He's about as sweet as a sunkissed Georgia peach in July and nearly 90.  Yes, he's definitely a sweetheart.

We ate lunch at a Japanese place with two of our friends.  She's been having a bit of a problem with increased blood pressure for a couple of weeks and I'm hoping she consults her physician to see what's causing that.  Her husband suggested a complete physical and
bloodwork.  

I took a much-needed nap this afternoon to get caught up with some lost snoozing hours last night.  Woke up way too early this morning with a dream and never could get back to sleep. I'm so thankful I was able to grab a nap today.  Certainly does help me get back on my game.  What game?  Well, let me see.  Maybe I could call it the Retirement Game.  But probably more like the Getting Lazier Than Ever Game. 

If the weather is conducive, I want to walk tomorrow.  The fat continues to live happily on my body and it's past time to shake it.  I've nearly shaken the soft drink addict stage and am on to the tea and water phase.  After that?  Well, hopefully mostly water. 

Nope, didn't eat the Oreos, just thought they were nice in the picture. Actually ate two carrots. Yum. 

Sweetz cut some daffodils for the house and they look quite perky.

Staying Busy in a Quiet Environment

It's been a great day - home all day - even inside most of the day.  But it was still wonderful.  I read alot today, seemed to be a perfect day to read.  Tonight it's supposed to rain but probably will start as a drizzle and the forecast for the weekend doesn't look too promising for outdoor activities. But we've had sunny skies for several days so I will be ok. Maybe I can find my St. Patrick's Day decorations if I actually brought them home from my old office/desk/work.  If not, there's always Dollar Tree where for $4, I can find four neat things to liven up my plain wreath.  A bow, a package of little 4-leaf clovers, a "Lucky" sign, and maybe a pot of gold!

Wow, I have four invitations for get-togethers this coming week.  It will be nice to get out and enjoy being with others. I'm already beginning to yawn, so am thinking some pillow time will be the best option right now.  I'll go find my toothbrush and then my jammies, hopefully snoozing between the sheets will come shortly after that.  Whew, retirement is sooooooooooo tiring.   

Date Day

Sweetz and I spent yesterday on what we called Date Day.  We watched the movie "The King's Speech" which was quite good. 

We had a delicious meal at LoneStar then did a bit of shopping including a stop at Sam's.  I didn't see any bargains there, not sure why we continue to go and buy.  With no luck at all, bargains can be found easily at Food Lion with our MVP card.  A quick swipe at the checkout and I saved $8.43 the last time I was there on just a few items. 

A friend lost her sister unexpectedly this week, so I think I'll make a card for her.  While my supplies are out, I might make a few other cards to have handy.  Hope I never need another sympathy card.  When I told a younger friend of mine that there seemed to be so many people dying these days, she commented that maybe it was the age group I was in.  Ouch, that stung like a bee!  But really, it does seem there are more than the usual number of deaths lately, and many with cancer. 

Today, mom and I had lunch at an eatery sponsored by a local church.  Their food is exceptional with generous portions.  I had a 1/2 turkey sandwich and cup of chicken and dumplings.  Yum, was it good.  There were several people in there from the place where I used to work and there were some warm greetings and hugs and miss you's.  Everyone seemed happy for me that I was able to quit work.  Hate to see them have to keep working so hard, but their time will come. 

I drove the long way home with many detours in order to enjoy the sunny day.  I didn't take any pictures, nothing seemed worthy of a snap.   Guess it was just my mood today.  We stopped at a couple of shops but I didn't find anything worthy of my money slipping out of my wallet.  I did stop in the computer store to pay a deposit for a new combination CD/DVD drive for my notebook computer.  The owner said he had been duped by people ordering things which couldn't be returned, so now they require a deposit.  Fine.  So, they got half of the cost.  Hopefully, the new part will be the answer.  I have a memory card full of pictures that need to be saved to a DVD. Hope it works.  If not, I'm thinking of buying a second laptop.  Yep, Sam's had them.  I looked.  Money remained in the wallet for now. 

One of the nursing managers was diagnosed with breast cancer

just a few short months ago.  

She lost her battle with this cruel disease last night. 

Her husband and son must be devastated and in a dizzying fog

since her life was cut down to just

a few remaining months. 

It would be wonderful if a cure for cancer is found

soon.

I'm thinking a cup of ice cream would be nice about now.  I walked mom's treadmill for over a mile today, which equalled more than 100 calories.  Yippeee, my mood just zipped up a notch or two.

Everything Costs More

Today ended up a nice day.  The sun was out and the temps were moderate.  Sweetz and I decided to run around town and get some errands done: bank, post office, gas fill-up, grocery shopping, Lowes for gardening supplies, etc. The morning was crisp but was tolerable in my light jacket as long as I stayed in the sunshine.  We saw these two beautiful dogs in the back of a pickup outside Lowes. 

And we saw a local business being torn down following a fire.  We sat in the car and watched the trucks and heavy equipment pull out metal and wood, knocking down the roof and the walls.  I doubt it will be long before the entire structure is totally removed.  Wonder how  long it will take before a new business will be built and thriving?