fossilfreak | Entries tagged with monica

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 599

66.6 miles

HOT

After I got back from Boxcar Children Camp, I had a blood test and then a followup visit with the Nurse Practictioner.

June 30, I policed the yard and got money and gas. (Great gas mileage!)

Lexi won all sorts of awards at the Marin County Fair, and Eric designed the logo the Scouts used when they went diving in the Bahamas. Meanwhile, Monica and her family were protesting while they were at the cabin. The family keeps busy.

Saturday night, there was a MUPT, a reunion Modem User Pizza Thingie. Bernadette and the two younger kids came. (Gareth was camping with Rob.) I saw a number of people for the first time in almost 30 years. It was a lot of fun catching up!

Then Sunday, July 1, I went to church, then out to Elk Grove for a memorial for a geocaching friend who has been fighting thyroid cancer about as long as I've known her. I met some of her cousins and told them about geocaching. I also ate a lot. (At this point, after a week of camp and the three parties this weekend, I'd completely given up on the blood test!) I left there about 3 because I didn't have any specific memories to share.

Then Bernadette picked me up for a 50th anniversary party of a couple from church whom we've known forever. Boyd is from Wyoming and was a student teacher (but not one of mine) when I was in high school. Mary Frances is very proud of her Croatian ancestry and used to have a sort of friendly rivalry with Rich on a lot of shared Eastern European traditions. They initially had trouble having a family and had adopted two boys and a girl, then lost them in the courts, but then had Amy, Brian, and Ned. Ned is about Bernadette's age. Amy married a few years ago, and has two stepdaughters, and their own daughter, Delilah, who is a healthy, delightful Downs child. Neither Brian nor Ned have married, so Delilah is the only grandchild and is the light of their lives. It was another great party, with all my church friends. I was surprised at how many people had seen my Facebook bruises pictures.

Then, as usually happens, Monday rolled around. I had made an appointment with the Quest diagnostics place at the same building where I had my colonoscopy pre-appointment. Once I found the Quest place, the blood test went smoothly and I had a full hour to have breakfast in the cafe.

Svetlana (an NP from Russia) gave me the preliminary exam and then I was scheduled for my colonoscopy on July 23, at 8 AM, in Roseville! And poor Bernadette has to come from Elk Grove, and stick around. Rob has agreed to stay home that morning so the kids (who aren't leaving till the 24th... I really have to write all this stuff down!) don't have to stick around the medical offices with her. I initially thought it would be just Padreic and she'd be able to leave and come back. (That's what happened with me last two times and with Rich's tests.) They sent the pharmacy the prescription for the colon cleanser, may I only be able to keep it down, and I was able to pick it up the next day.

I got home by 9:30 and spent the rest of the day waiting for the cleaners. When I was going to call them I noticed I had a message... they had come early! They never do, it's usually sometime between 1 and 3! So I called and they did come, about 3:30. How annoying!

I rather reluctantly reminded Steve that he owed me money (from maybe 20 years ago) and am quite relieved that he's still speaking and is willing to start paying me back.

July 3 I got back to digging up tulip bulbs, weed roots, and loosening the soil. The nearby country club had its fireworks, but I didn't feel up to going over this year. However, I stepped out in back when I heard the booms, and ended up watching most of them, the ones that rose above the neighbor's tree. Beautiful!! Vince had called early so I was able to stand outside and enjoy them.

On the 4th I finished watching "The Americans." It's interesting how the KGB wanted to stop Gorbachev. Think how Putin is now doing his best to undo everything since the fall of the Wall. It's a shame.

Benson was denied a visa to come to the US this fall. According to Fiona they didn't even glance at his paperwork! Grrrr.

July 5 I woke at 3:30, I went out to Mass at the Retreat House. It felt like coming home. Father Giltus is great. I sure hope he's going to lead a group to Oberammergau! I ate a little of the goodies, and talked to the guy who always is barefoot in church. A woman gave us plums!

Then I went to the Commissary for a few things, but didn't shelve the stuff until after I got back from Elk Grove. I'm reading fairy tales to the kids, but I can hardly wait till late August when they're back so I can start Stowaways in Paradise.

Bernadette has a friend who is going to start a kindergarten, so she wondered if I had stuff. Oh, yes, counting dogs and counting bears, and buttons, and keys. I threw my mom's tin she used as a button box away. I used to love to play with the buttons, but never got to it with my kids or grandkids. The keys are a lot of ours and even more of GoE's. I always thought they'd make great wind chimes, but of course never got to that either.

On the 6th the laptop didn't get recharged overnight. (When I moved the television I also moved my chair, and suddenly I can't leave the computer plugged in.) There's one of the outlets in the power strip that doesn't, apparently, work. I finally got the computer charged so I could upload the pictures.

There's a girl named Carol Powers (my sis-in-law's name) in an episode of NCIS!

On Saturday the 7th I went to the WPAC breakfast, and Gene, who had a stroke last month, was there. The girls' government teacher at Loretto had a couple of nice pictures of Bernadette's graduation for me.

I stopped at WalMart on the way home and got some dish disposal cleaner. It took all 4 packets, but the disposal is finally pretty clean.

Then I finally got back to the Nano T-rex Monica gave me at Christmas. I built a couple of ribs, but other pieces began to fall off, and it was hard to figure out where they came from. I'll have to take it all apart and start over, and it was just too frustrating, so I've put it away for awhile.

At Mass on Sunday the priest didn't consecrate enough hosts, so we all had tiny bits.

I took Joan M., a new widow at church, to WPAC.

I played a lot of Fishdom on the 9th. Then I watered the entire back yard.

On the recent commissary visit I'd gotten some curry noodle bowls. The instructions say to shake the curry to one side. I'm guessing it got a little damp, as the curry was hard. And no, it wasn't past the best-use-by date. Tasty when it was made up, though.

I finally wrote up the boxcar children entry. This got me into Flickr for the pictures and I got sidetracked correcting a lot of past omissions.

My car registration came! I made sure to put the sticker on right away, and put the paper into the car. I've printed up my insurance form, too, but it isn't in the car yet.

My doctor visit was the 10th. I actually thought it was the annual physical (which apparently I don't get anyway), but it turned out just to be a followup with the blood test. My A1C is 5.8, better than last time. Then, no surprise after the week of being bad, the glucose is 129. My cholesterol and thyroid are OK. Since the Lifeline screening found something maybe wrong with my thyroid, I could wish we'd looked into that a little more.

Vince's call was mostly about Eric, swimming with the sharks. Oh, just great.

I'm still reading Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; Pepys' Diary; Embarrassments by PJ Nel; Little Women, Louisa May Alcott; We Die Standing Up, Dom Hubert van Zeller; Over the Gate, Miss Read; Archie Meets Nero Wolfe, Robert Goldsborough and Pere Goriot, Balzac. (Everytime I hear that name I think of Music Man!)

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 599

31.4 miles

partly cloudy

305 recordings of 21 types, 65 old CPD. 31% clear.

Tuesday (the 19th) as I was driving home, I decided to stop at Wendy's for a burger. I think this may be the first time I've been at a Wendy's since David died and Rich walked me down to the local one to help me calm down.

Alicia had left the baby gate open so the dog got into the kitty litter. She left the shower leaking. She didn't eat the strawberries and grapes I had out for her, and she had the heater up to 72%. (darn. I was really hoping this month's usage would be down.) However, she was able to come at the last minute and the dog didn't have to stay out in bad weather.

Vince called and they planned A.J.'s birthday party for Saturday. Vince wanted to put together some kits so they could make their own trains.

Wednesday Fishdom came up with an Easter game. While I had most of the things from last year (and put the delighted hedgehog into the Wonderland aquarium) I did want the two fish again (Humpty and Dumpty) so I played.

Bernadette had work this day, so she brought Padreic over in the morning on the way. I decided it was too rainy to go to Wee Wednesday, so we just stayed in the house and I gave him macaroni and cheese for lunch.

He was playing with the Cookie Monster toy and had discovered it would travel across the kitchen floor, so of course the batteries ran down. It was C batteries, and I found a pack of two unused Cs. Then I see they were both corroded. Who knew that not using batteries in many years wasted them? So I need to get new Cs.

I drove directly to the school and went out in the rain with Padreic to go to the office and donate Charlotte's Web. We hung out then for about 10 minutes until we could go wait for the kids on the school grounds. I saw Joanna and told her to go to the crosswalk and then go to my car, which was unlocked, and get into it, and then waited for Gareth. The three of us walked toward the crosswalk, at Padreic's speed, and there was Joanna with the principal holding an umbrella over her. Apparently, she only remembered the first part of the instructions, and I believe this is the second time that's happened, so from now on I'll have her repeat the whole thing.

Back at the house, I read to them and watched their homework, though Gareth needs constant prompts. Joanna played with Padreic. When Rob got home he helped set Gareth up to edit his paper (which gets electronically sent to the teacher: wonderful technology) and then went to relax. I stayed around to keep the kids sane (not that it was hard) until R. came out to start dinner and I told him B. was going to bring something. Then I asked if he was prepared to rejoin the world, he was, so I left about 5:45. It was late enough that going up Watt actually was OK and I got home myself about 6:30.

Thursday, rain rain rain. I stayed in. John called. As I suspected, he's found a widow he knew from the past and is beginning to date.

I made the backspout *whoosh* out, very satisfactory. However, I got a hand cramp. The first one I ever had was in Zubiri, Spain, but I'm getting them more often now. Foot cramps I've been having for years.

I uploaded all the pictures from my camera. It's been a couple of months.

There was a shooting over the weekend... it was initially presented as a poor unarmed young dad, but there was a bit more to the story. It's our own Michael Brown incident, though so far the Black Lives Matter people have only blocked off the Kings games. No rioting to date, which is promising.

Friday I did some digging in the garden. I called Brenda to find out how Renee is doing, and she's been removed to a convalescent home. I also called Darlene. She was on her way to St. Augustine.

Then I drove down to the Feickert school Carnival. Bernadette had bought my raffle tickets and a ticket for a cheese pizza slice. (Friday in Lent, no hot dog for me!) I danced the Macarena and Y-M-C-A, but mostly I hung out. Bernadette actually can do the hula hoop! I put my tickets mostly in the bag for the gift cards, and a few in the Kindle Fire bag. And I won nothing. However, Bernadette (and Padreic, who had carefully put the ticket in that bag when she told him to) did win a basket with a really cute bunny. And Joanna was totally thrilled with the bag.

&bsp

I sadly told them goodbye, since this is Joan's turn to have them for Easter.

Saturday I spent a lot of time playing games, then went back to sleep and ended up with 8 hours of sleep. This hardly ever happens.

I went to the store, then later went to evening Mass to avoid the Palm Sunday processions. Ever since Alan left, our Palm Sundays just aren't that exciting any more. I talked to Peter Mithin for a bit.

I adjusted a slow cooker orange chicken recipe for the Instant Pot. It wasn't bad (it's from a diabetes cookbook) though I forgot the grated orange peel which is ridiculous with all the oranges Monica gave me!

Sunday morning the dog wasn't in his bed. I went looking for him and there he was in the kitchen with a RAT! A big one! Eeek!! It scurried off to the hole next to the dishwasher. Sunday morning at 4 AM, I couldn't call the rat people till Monday. That night I tried blocking the hole with a lead weight, but it pushed it over and got into the kitchen again, though this time I didn't see it. Then I put bricks there and that seems to be working to keep it out of the kitchen.

I dug up the garden for peanuts which I planted on Monday. I'm also trying to sprout kumquats. And I have a different kind of avocado pit I hope to grow.

I had a long talk with sister-in-law Carol. Frank will be 75 on April 11th!

Fiona (from Ngoko safari) has posted her trip report. They (she and Benson) will be coming to the US in October, maybe to Seattle!

I printed up the Canadian Geotour passport, and put Doug and Nancy on the GPS.

Monday I had a nosebleed. I spent a lot of time playing games. I am spending too much money on Albion, but it's very addictive.

The cleaners were early so I had to do a quick final pass. Then while I was in the bedroom I kept hearing this "tap tap tap" and wondered what they were doing. Finally, when they tapped on my window I learned they had locked themselves out!!

My tulips are so pretty!

I'd been wondering if Roni would ask me for Easter. She finally emailed the family, what fun it would be if everyone came for Easter dinner. (This was a surprise, lately they've been taking Grandma to dinner in a restaurant. Apparently Kathy has become totally anti-social, doesn't want to go out, doesn't want people to visit.) Monica is going to New Orleans, Bernadette is in Oregon, and I said no because I'm on retreat till Easter morning and am going to want to go home with my dog. Poor Roni!

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 599

31.4 miles

cloudy, cool

308 recordings of 21 types. 66 old SVU. 31% clear.

Sunday morning (the 18th) I went to church. There was an amazing time when all these young people, at least 100, filed in. I gathered it was a Confirmation class by the flame badges they were wearing, and later, after meeting the 14(!) leaders who came from as far away as Scotland and many different states, I deduced it was a retreat, and probably most of the diocese.

Then I came home, quickly wrote a journal entry, cleaned up the kitchen and living room, grabbed a quick bite, and was out of the house by 11:15. I tried stopping near the raptor center to see if I could get the cache I missed the other day, but it was down a steep slope and I had no backup if I hurt myself, so I reluctantly let it go. There were a couple of slowdowns on the road to San Jose, including one complete stop, but I got to Monica's house about 2:20, yay me.

Mark wasn't there! He was off riding his bike. Monica helped me carry the train stuff into the house, and the grill set from Lazy Boy. Then she gave me two bags of citrus. Now I'm trying to sprout some kumquat seeds. We were on our way out the door to walk down to the MLK library when Mark arrived, so we told him he wasn't allowed to look till I got back.

It was a pleasant walk and I got to see the inside of the library (which is a joint city and university library, which is a fantastic idea!) with Charlotte. When we got back to the house, I went and got Mark, telling him I want to play with the trains.

He was delighted. The decorations are great, (he thinks he can use Windsor Castle as an amusement park) and the trains wonderful. He said one locomotive was worth over $300! I'm so glad I didn't have to try to sell them! (And I just found another box with more layout stuff, though not as full as the last one.) Two of the transformers were corroded, and he gave me back the good one that was in good shape, because the Z gauge train was in the box. So I still have the tiny tiny one.

I overheard Genevieve breaking my heart. She was making a poster or something that said "If you're pro-life you're pro-welfare..." Sigh. But no point in confronting the 17-year-old, who knows everything of course. I hope the society continues to change, because I'm sure her grandchildren will be horrified that people nowadays thought abortion was acceptable, the way we are disgusted by slavery.

Monica and Charlotte went off to see a play, and Mark had a dinner with friends, so I said goodbye to Genevieve and drove off to Helena's. Of course I once again turned at the wrong exit (the Lawrence expressway). Maybe next time I'll get it right.

Helena, on medication for her bad back, couldn't have the wine, but *I* surely enjoyed it!

She fixed a pleasant dinner and we were relaxing, both in our jammies at 9 when all of a sudden the CO monitor went off with an ear-piercing shriek! It turned off for a short time when I took it outside, but started up again in the house and there was no shutting it off... Helena went through the neighborhood till she found someone to remove the batteries. We opened windows and turned off the heater, but it was obviously a defective monitor. (It never stopped, even outside.) Nonetheless, we were jumpy.

Helena has a way of repeating herself that is easy for me to catch. When I got home I found myself talking to myself (which I do) "That was good. It was quite tasty." "I really liked that tasty meal." "It was really good."

Monday morning I went out geocaching. To my delight, I found the first three, so of course I got cocky and didn't find two, but ended up with 5 finds, including two Little Free Libraries and I did remember to bring books to leave at each. (And picked up a book for Padreic at the first one.) The second one was built from an old fence. Their hint was something about the attic so I wasted a lot of time looking there before I found the cache in a fake book. Really clever!

Helena had been intent on taking the CO monitor to Home Depot but when I got back and said "let's go" she didn't want to. We had lunch and then went off to Notre Dame High School. Monica and Mark had each given us directions, and they differed slightly, so once I had the vague idea, I was able to get to the school, and I saw the parking lot was open. Helena, trying to interpret the instructions, was telling me to turn right, but I decided to circumnavigate the school first, and sure enough, we got a parking place in the school lot!

There was a little program, and then Charlotte took us on a tour of the school. The tour finishes at a big display of place settings... each Freshman girl made a plate and display about a famous woman. Of course there were a lot of women like Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, not so many of the Condaleesa Rice persuasion. They did have Katherine Johnson, (Hidden Figures), and Malala, women I really respect. They also had Bella Abzug and Margaret Sanger. I dont know why one has to be in favor of killing babies to be a feminist, and this at a Catholic school. If I lived here I would be biting my tongue so very much.

They also had some really nice food and I, like an idiot, threw out a very nice plastic cup that they had veggies and dip in (so I went back for another which I kept.)

They finished with the school song and I was reminded of the time I saw Charlotte in her 1st grade performance of "I'm going to eat some worms" when she really got into it and shuddered. I said then she'd be an excellent actress and so she has been (apart from the first time when she was just checking with everyone else about what she should do.)

Afterwards I drove us to Monica's (which Helena, for some reason, calls Mark's) where she fixed a very nice dinner. I told her I'd filled my eye-rolling quotient for the day, but I got a few more in before we were done.

Part of the eye-rolling was because I'd said "sure" I'd come to her grief support group and then she was all a-dither about dinner, we'd be late, they couldn't have it early enough, etc. etc. I finally said I wanted to go to dinner(!) and to the grief group if we managed but que sera sera. She'd managed to get Mark involved in the panic, but in the end we had a good dinner, plenty of chat time, and make it to the meeting in time. Though Helena's deafness did cause some trouble because on the way back I asked, to be sure, if the grief group was at the church, and she heard something about the Greek church and said she'd never been there and I'm thinking that can't be right. We finally got it sorted out. It's good we went because we were the only two people there apart from the group leaders. I wore my WPAC name badge and we ended up talking about that. They thought we had some good ideas. I pretty well dominated the hour, but we did give Helena some time to talk.

Tuesday early I left, and came home. It wasn't too bad once I got out of SJ.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 572

3.8 miles

cool, partly cloudy

350 recordings of 51 types, 1 old SVU, 62 old CPD, and 53 LMS. 24% clear.

Sunday I forgot to bring the donation envelopes. I've adopted Rich's program of giving one big donation on the first Sunday of each month and not on the other weeks. But that does mean giving on the first Sunday! I'll catch them next week. At least I did remember to bring a Mma Ramotswe book to Gerrie!

About five pews ahead of me was a big black man I've never seen there before. I didn't notice him until he suddenly sat with a *thump* from standing during the prayer. A woman sitting with her family in the same pew leaned over to ask if he was all right, and then a couple of other people came to talk to him and someone called 911 and went out to wait for the paramedics. 5 minutes later, Communion time, he was given communion, and then someone ahead of me in line told the priest about him and the priest went down to give him a blessing, too. Shortly after that the paramedics were there, but the man was well enough to walk to the gurney. I'm glad this stranger came to our church to be taken ill!

About 2:30 I drove with Pharaoh to drop off the chocolate-y popcorn I'd bought from Teddy. No way I could eat that. So I took it to Sunday Support. Imagine my surprise to find the meeting already underway. They've changed the time so people don't have to drive home in the dark. I tiptoed in and dropped off the snack and left, and came home to read the bulletin which I keep forgetting to do. I knew about membership and the luncheon this month, but I hadn't known about a trip to see an Eberley Brothers retrospective in March. Sounds like fun!

Monday morning, early, it started to rain and it rained for at least 30 straight hours. By the time it was done, the back yard was back to swampy, but at least this time the leaves are where they belong.

Monica decided to berate me publicly in Facebook. "Why do you post this stuff?" I was pretty mild telling her to back off, but I was mad, and went into messenger to tell her so. I told her she can disagree with what I post in public, but keep the personal stuff private, and besides, it's not her job to teach me to think. Honestly, I thought I raised her better not to be rude.

I decided, after 7 years, it's probably time to change out the Sonicare brush. I checked in the back bathroom cabinet and yes, Rich had three Sonicare heads. Unfortunately, they don't fit this model too well, but I made it work. They say to change every three months. Ha.

There's lots of stuff in those three drawers in the back bathroom. Aspirin, for one. I have to go through it (yet another thing.)

Tuesday I went to the WPAC breakfast, then to the Carmichael Post Office (which is mostly self-serve and PO boxes) to finally mail off the passport application, and on to the Ford garage, downtown, to give them back the engine fluid they left in the car.

In the afternoon I popped Spooky into the carrier and listened to him meow and squeak all the way to the vet, where he was checked (he's fine) and got a shot. I had to turn around halfway there as I forgot his stool sample, and as I'd cleaned out the box the day before I knew for sure the sample was fresh. I called from here to let them know I'd be late, but I wasn't all that late.

And yesterday I finally got to see the kids again. Padreic cried when he was told it was time to go with me, but he had a good time at Wee Wednesday. The lesson this time was about opposites, and I think most of the kids, who seem to be 3 rather than 4, were completely baffled. Then we looked at a painting with "warm colors" and "cool colors", again too much. They played a game with objects either "hard" or "soft" and that, too, was difficult. Arthur, who may be 4, he's talkative enough, was convinced his wooden truck was "soft." They did better with pictures of "hot" and "cold." However, on the whole this wasn't that successful. Padreic decided he wasn't interested in a third game, but he was well-behaved.

Back at Bernadette's, I got told that Joanna's teacher had called to have her talk to Joanna. The assignment, a 5 minute writing thing on "how I help the community", was too hard for her, she couldn't remember anything she did, and Bernadette reminded her about the things she does with the Brownies. But, when I went to get her, it appears that Joanna still hadn't done it, despite a talk with the principal and another talk with the teacher trying to talk her through it. She lost her eraser, broke her pencil, was told she could do computer once she'd finished it, and still didn't even start. I'm baffled, as she writes all the time at home. Anyway, I brought them home and read to them (although I stopped halfway through a long chapter because my voice was giving out) and Bernadette was pretty much standing over Joanna to finish the FIVE MINUTE writing. ("You'd rather have me than your Dad.")

And I left my raincoat. With my WPAC name tag in it. Sigh.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 572

225.0 miles

cloudy and cold

356 recordings of 64 types, no old SVU (though some will come later this week) 51 old CPD and oh, yes, 54 old Last Man Standing. 23% clear.

Saturday I had dithered about whether to leave the dog out, figuring it would be at least 12 hours so I would have to give him access to the back room (with the kitty litter box, eek) but I was afraid it would be too cold for him outside. At least Andy fixed the back gate to discourage him... he's scratching at it, but I think the gate will outlive him. I finally decided that since it wasn't raining, he could probably be left out. I thought the gardeners would be on vacation, after all it's only two days till Christmas, but at the last minute I decided to leave them a note on the back gate, and it's a good thing I did, because they did come. But they didn't go in the back yard, hallelujah!

So I drove down to Elk Grove and moved my packages to Bernadette's car (except for the mandarins and stocking stuffers I smuggled in) and we packed up and drove to San Jose. I didn't get out at the Latham gas station, but Gareth decided he needed to go to the bathroom too. He opened the door and got out and Joanna closed it and he opened it and Joanna closed it... "Gareth! Go in to the bathroom!" And then he did the Midvale School of the Gifted thing of trying to go in the exit. He finally got in.

When we got to San Jose I gave the kids some stuff to take in... "Don't drop it." Of course, Gareth dropped the packages. Since they were cookies (from Bernadette) and stemless wineglasses (from me) that was less-than-optimal. However, everything survived.

Monica and Charlotte had put together a lovely brunch... chiliquilas, tamales, eggs, salad... Joanna, of course "didn't liiiike it" but at least ate the eggs. Then we opened presents. I gave each family a set of the stemless wineglasses, but since I gave Mark one and Monica one I almost didn't. Oops. They also got a big box of almons. Bernadette had commissioned hats for the kids, though Lexi got fingerless gloves instead. (I could use those... I've had cold hands a lot during this cold wave.) Joanna got a jewelry making kit of at least 1000 pieces. She absolutely loves it, and it's something Grandma could do with her, too. I got a nice tray with dried fruit and a couple of nanoblock dinosaurs. Gonna keep me busy! I apologized to Teddy for giving him a subscription that is too young.

And off to walk to Christmas in the Park. The kids got well ahead. The teens went off to get churros y chocolate (which I like better here than in Spain, so there) and I bought ride bracelets for Gareth and Joanna and 4 ride tickets for Padreic. Bernadette took them to the train and I caught up with some members of the family, then when the train ride was over she took the kids to the bigger rides and I had P. to go around with Monica and the girls. We got stuck at the adoption place with two of the most terrified cats I've ever seen. Then I took him to the car ride and helped him get a red car. He really enjoyed this. We looked at little houses and special trees, and then went to the ball drop and looked for Bernadette. Finally caught up with her and it turned out that Gareth is too big to be on his favorite jungle walk (a sort of obstacle course.) Joanna had definitely used her ride bracelet but I may have lost money on Gareth's. Bernadette took Padreic to the train again, but the operator wasn't there. Monica asked "why is she still waiting?" just as B. left the line, with Padreic in tears. That's why.

It was time to start to leave, so Joanna and Padreic went on the little Ferris wheel. He was a little dubious at first but then she held his hand and also the operator started to poke him in the leg every time he went by. Unfortunately, though, Bernadette thought the last ride could be the "Frog Drop", and he was quite happy going up, but terrified at the first drop. Joanna held his hand and we all encouraged him, so he was a little mollified by the end, but that really was a mistake.

Somewhere in there Joanna wrote a nice letter to Santa.

We went back to the house for dessert. I couldn't have any pie myself but probably should have gotten two pumpkin pies. Joanna asked if she could take the pumpkin home and ended up with both of them. OK then. It turns out Joan likes pecan so it's all good. Padreic was having fun giving Uncle R.J. fake cupcakes to eat. They left and then we did, and P. threw a real tantrum, having such a good time at Aunt Monica's he didn't want to leave. He fell asleep on the ride home, almost right away.

We stopped at a great light display. I blew it. Gareth was stimming and I commented, sotto voce, that "the Autism is strong in that one." Bernadette was filming. I sure wish I'd never remarked.. I wouldn't want Gareth to hear that and somehow be ashamed. I love him with all my heart, not any less because he's autistic. Nor any more because he's autistic. I just love the whole package, just the way he is.

Home. The dog was OK. What a good day, except for my misstep at the end.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 560

215.4 miles

clear, cold

358 recordings of 60 types, 4 old SVU and 45 old CPD. 25% clear.

Friday the 15th there was WIND! It stripped all the leaves off the beds I'd put them on.

I had ghastly leg cramps that woke me up.

Then I dreamed I was on a trip, and Evan (the Honorary Geezer from Africa) was there. I said "this is quite a difference from Dubai." I wrote him on Facebook and he wrote back. Such a nice young man.

I went out to get money and buy gas and get bananas. Other than that, I stayed home and watched Big Cat videos.

Saturday morning my power went out. I sat in the kitchen and read, and fortunately it came back in 3 hours, while I was still home. I say "fortunately" because my coffee pot was turned on. It would have been OK as it had too much coffee in it to evaporate, but still.

I caught the gardeners to give them their Christmas cards and tips. Then the dog went mad and racing to the kitchen to bark at them he ran into the water dish and knocked it all over the kitchen. So I had a swamp in the kitchen! It took two towels with two times being soaked to get most of it up. Meanwhile, they managed to get all the leaves into the bin with room to spare.

Bernadette and Rob had their annual "Hogwatch" party so I went to pick up the kids and we braved the traffic at Arden Fair to see Ferdinand. Joanna was all over the place, but luckily she wanted to sit in the back row (as far away from the screen as possible) so her wiggles only bothered me. The movie was fine, and then we came here to finish their presents. Mosaic tiles were involved, and not surprisingly, Joanna is more artistic than Gareth. My mistake was only having one thing of glue, so she was impatient and I gave in to Gareth's plea to put the glue down in the pattern instead of on every tile one at a time. So the glue smeared here and there. The projects are OK anyway. I got the kids back as it was getting dark but Bernadette's party hadn't quite finished "Hogfather." I stuck around till the end.

I realized I hadn't read Hogfather for many years, so I looked it up (not on the Pratchett shelf, and where did I hide the Christmas books?) and added it to my reading. Meanwhile, in the morning, I finished The Little World of Don Camillo. So funny! I'm now reading Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; Pepys' Diary; Embarrassments by PJ Nel; Shattered, Jonathan Allen & Amie Parnes; Hogfather, Terry Pratchett; Little Women, Louisa May Alcott; and Before Midnight, Rex Stout.

I also ordered the DVD of Hogfather.

On Sunday the Advent wreath was lit ahead of time, so Father had no chance to forget it.

I think I'll pay less taxes with this tax cut bill. Monica says they pay $34K in income tax! OUCH. Nice to be poor! Or nice not to live in California.

I gave up on the Rosetta Stone puzzle. I'd put in 405 pieces, not 395. It's very frustrating but I would like to do it one day. I put the groups back into the box still connected, but I really need to try something else for awhile.

In the evening I went to a caroling party. It was great fun. I'd taken a veggie tray, others had brought bread and stuff. They had a really delicious tortilla soup and glogg, and then we went out and carolled around the block, singing at places that were decorated. It took two hours, and as I wasn't planning to eat dessert anyway, I came home.

I took a quick trip to the Commissary. I couldn't get regular oatmeal, but it doesn't matter, I have a spare box. I usually use the quick check, but it's Christmas time, so I went through a regular check stand so I could tip the baggers.

The cleaners came early and there were three of them (of course.)

I picked 13 more oranges. There are 5 left on the tree, but I think I'll have Bernadette's for her.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 560

201.9 miles

fog

371 recordings of 33 types, 8 old SVU, 32 CPD. 23% clear. (And my remote has pretty much died so I am getting a new one, but this is going to be worse before it gets better.)

I left really early on Thanksgiving so I could go with Roni and Teddy to his hockey game in Fremont! I put Pharoah's food in the doghouse so it wouldn't get rained on, and I figured that way he wouldn't eat it all immediately. He's afraid of the doghouse for some reason, and I planned to get it hauled away, but thought I would at least try to give him some comfort overnight.

It was foggy to start with but at least traffic to Novato wasn't too bad. I could see it was worse in the other direction. I arrived before 9 (which is when I told Roni I would call if I couldn't make it.) We drove to Fremont and then it was wait and wait around, so I walked over to the REI and picked up a geocache. Then I was starving, so had chicken strips (and they took so long they probably had to go catch a chicken!) and watched the beginning of the game from the bar, then joined Roni for the second two periods. Teddy's team lost, 9-2. This was not a surprise, as apparently this year they're pretty awful.

Most of the team parents, from Santa Rosa and Sebastipol and points north, were staying in a hotel in Milpitas, but Roni had to go back for Thanksgiving and then would be there Friday and Saturday nights. The game on Friday was early and she would have to leave Novato by 6 AM! We started back and got into a couple of major traffic jams before we got to Oakland.

We were back in Novato about 3:45 or so. R.J. had been cooking the turkey. He made me a margarita (he makes wonderful margaritas!) and I made up the relish tray. Then I told everyone (Monica and Mark, Genevieve and Charlotte, as well as Roni's family) not to touch it till R.J.'s mother and brother came. (Roni said they wouldn't care but Jan (the brother) actually did admire it and try the rolled olives.) Teddy called it a peacock!! Next year I will do this again, as it comes out better than the train, but also we won't wait for the slowpokes to arrive!

I was feeling really bitter about Bernadette and family, in Oregon. I asked if they'd seen Marie, the ostensible reason we'd gone there, and B. said no, they were really there for Joan. Lucky Joan. Grrrr. Monica doesn't understand "Grandma camp." I pointed out that a lot of people do that (we never did, because usually we lived too far away and then my Mom lived with us.) She says she enjoys her kids and it's not that long until they're gone. In any case, it's still true that Joan sees more of the kids than I do. I said it would be like I saw more of their kids than Helena. Turns out she doesn't see that much of them anyway, but of course having her husband ill made a difference. Anyway, Monica was amazed at how much I see the kids. Once a week, and some weekends, not all that much. If Rich were alive, it would likely be less, but hey, what else do I have to do?

Allan and family were at Max's girlfriend's parents this time. I was sorry to hear that, had hoped to see them. I'd been thinking of visiting a couple of weeks earlier, before I had the leaky pipe problems.

It was a nice dinner. Kathy is not looking well, as they warned me, but was pleasant enough, no worse than usual.

After everyone left I told R.J. he had to try the Amarula. He did, and I don't think he liked it much, but I did! I had had an awful lot to drink this day.

Friday I woke impossibly early and couldn't get back to sleep. So I read, and got up when Roni started moving around, and packed up and left just before she and Teddy left for Fremont. It was a bit foggy here and there, and I actually appreciated it over the Yolo causeway, where it kept the rising sun out of my eyes.

The dog was fine, but hadn't had any food. He may have tried, because some was spilled out of the bowl but it was pushed back in the doghouse further than I'd put it. He was really happy to see me, and very hungry. Also, apparently he didn't sleep at all, because he was pretty well comatose the rest of the day. (So was I, in fact.)

I finished In The Best Families, which was wonderful. Wolfe leaves the house for 5 months(!) in order to get rid of the gangster. I am now reading:

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; Pepys' Diary; Embarrassments by PJ Nel; Shattered, Jonathan Allen & Amie Parnes; The Little World of Don Camillo, Giovanni Guareschi; and Murder by the Book, Rex Stout.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 558

176.5 miles

cold in the mornings, sunny, 71 degrees

364 recordings of 29 types, 55 old SVU. 21% clear.

Wednesday the 18th I left the house with Pharaoh, got money, took him in to the vet. They were getting someone with two dogs out so we waited outside for about TEN minutes. Then they couldn't get the dog and the paperwork finished. I thought I would NEVER get out of there. On down to the gas station where I filled the car. And off I went.

A little outside of Davis a warning light went on. I had to pull off to be sure it said what I thought it said, and indeed it did. "Check gas cap." (I don't HAVE a gas cap.) So I opened the cover to be sure the valve was closed, and it was, so I figured it was OK and kept going. Argh.

Outside of Milpitas I had marked 5 caches, but unfortunately went past three of them. I did find the 4th but by that time I was just eager to get to San Jose. And there, I took the wrong exit to get to Helena's. I couldn't get turned on the Lawrence expressway south and ended up driving all around before I finally got to her street. Turns out that I should have turned off on Saratoga. I can go back on the Lawrence, but to get to Helena's must turn on Saratoga. OK then.

Boy that woman can TALK. Of course, that's why I went down, so she could. She tends to repeat herself and just keep talking when one tries to comment.

She'd recently gone to Prague and had a lot to say about that. I'd never considered it as a destination, but now I'm really interested. Monica and family plan to go in 2019 and to Peru (with Helena) next year, which sounds wonderful.

Helena talks to herself, too, and repeats herself. She's louder than I am talking to myself, but I, too, repeat myself (maybe I think I didn't hear me the first time.)

We went for a short walk before dinner, which was meat loaf and trimmings. I tried to keep the carbs down, with mediocre success.

Thursday I woke before Helena (surprise surprise) and took a shower. She woke talking to herself.

After breakfast we took a longer walk, and I hoped to be able to find a geocache to show her what it is I do, but without luck.

Then we went to Santana Row. At first I thought I would be REALLY bored because we went to a nice clothing store, and she kept pointing out such pretty clothes. This sort of thing would be more interesting to Monica. But then on the way to lunch we stopped at Sur La Table. I wish we had this store where I could go more often. All the kitchen supplies! So many things I would like to have but have no need for them.

From there we went to the Village California Bistro. We had chicken waldorf wraps. Huge, but YUM! Thence to more tchotske stores. I really liked the velociraptor but thought it wouldn't fit on the plastic window ledge where I would have liked to put it. (When I got home I realized the ledge was wider than I remembered, and I decided to order the dinosaur after all. (Perhaps if I'd realized the car was going to cost so much to fix, I wouldn't have, but it's done now.))

Back at Helena's house she found out that Mark wouldn't be able to come due to trouble with the product launch on the day before. This was good for a lot of sad talk. "But I should be glad he has a job."

Finally Monica and the girls arrived, and cousin Olga, and Helena ordered the chinese food and went with the girls to get it. We ate, and were just finishing when Mark was able to come and Helena perked up. Monica liked her presents (some nice clothing, nice jewelry, and from me tapioca beads and dutch chocolate from Koreana. Her real present is going to be given to her on Thanksgiving.) Charlotte went to dance class and then the rest of us chatted for an hour, and then everyone left. I was getting tired and went to bed soon afterwards. I thought I would read in bed, but woke at 11:45 long enough to turn the light off.

Friday I got up, stripped the bed, packed, had a quick breakfast with Helena and drove home. My "check engine" light came on right away so I had a pretty tense time for 158 miles and cancelled the trip with Bernadette to Apple Hill for the next day. I figured it was probably OK to drive home if this was the same thing I had before, but since that was only 3 months ago (and I'd spent $130 on it) I was NOT a Happy Camper. At the vet, they'd lost my leash, so I got a better one for Pharaoh's vet visits. I hoped that filling the car again would fix the problem, but nooooo.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 558
169.9 miles

cold in the mornings, sunny and breezy

371 recordings of 31 types, 67 old SVU. 18% clear.

Monday I did all the watering I put off Sunday because of the wind (which has led to the terrible fires going on in California.) I had a dental appointment at 11 and was a little surprised I would have scheduled it the same day as the cleaners. Then I remembered I changed the cleaning week after my trip to Ashland. In any case, Stephanie was quick and I also had a nice visit with the dentist himself. He asked if I'd gotten their birthday card... no, actually, and I haven't gotten it yet.

I was back in time for the cleaners. In fact, I'd just made my lunch and there they were!

To my utter surprise, one of the squash grew!

After the cleaners left I went to Walmart to see if I could find ramekins. No luck. Then I got gasoline and went down to Raley's to see if my prescriptions were in. The Lisinopril was, but there was a question about the Simvastatin and they were checking (with the doctor in Placerville, sigh, so I guess I'll have to do the doctor change thing again next year.) According to the paperwork, they think it will interact with the blood pressure meds. It hasn't for the last what, 4 years? 5 years?

I got my flu shot while I was there. And on the way out I found some ramekins, so I bought 3. I use them for bacon grease, and stupidly shattered one of the two I had by putting the still-warm one into the fridge. Fortunately, it cracked but held together by the bacon grease. I posted about the great ramekin hunt in Facebook and drew a surprising argument about cooking with bacon grease.

I called Cricket Media to get the last three subscriptions at the lower price they were giving on the online renewals. To my utter shock, Kelly at customer service was quick and efficient. After all the trouble I've had with them through the years, this was surprising.

I had also intended to call the heater people and the hauler, but didn't. I'll get them later.

Tuesday I went to the WPAC breakfast, then down to Elk Grove. Bernadette went out for dust masks and then spent all the rest of the time cutting and decorating a gourd. Since I had thought the plan was to finish with the garage, I found this frustrating. I felt a little better when I learned the gourd was for the 2nd grade basket for the school carnival. She wants me to win it if she doesn't! Meanwhile she thinks she'll be able to keep Joan out of the garage. Chance would be a fine thing, though Joan and I had a long talk about the science kits so she may be making messes with them instead.

Because the kids had a dental appointment, I came home early and vegged out. Vince called and talked for about an hour about his trip to Washington. It sounds like they had a great time. I'm so glad he had the idea (he went when he was in 8th grade but their school doesn't participate, so he thought he'd give Eric the same advantage.)

Mark says Monica doesn't like surprises, so I can talk about my trip to San Jose next week.

Wednesday was really frustrating. I was hoping to write this up but when I tried to get Facebook up it was awful on the computer and I tried to run a repair app on it, which froze. Even the iPad didn't do well with FB, which was giving me Bernadette's posts from 2016!! Also, I got together a bag of toiletries, toothbrushes, and toilet paper for a nursing home that has taken in evacuees from the fires, and then drove 20 miles out of my way but couldn't find the place. Argh.

I did get down to Elk Grove and did the reading, but next week Gareth is having his teeth sealed, so I can drive down to San Jose earlier. I left the kids on a cliffhanger. Gareth was trying to see how the story ends, so Pinocchio was a good choice. I asked Joanna if she was trying for a record of the most "consequences" in second grade. She says she was good at the beginning, but it's hard.

When I got home the computer was still frozen, but I hit every key and eventually it restarted, and restarted, and restarted a third time, and it works!

I had picked 18 pounds of pomegranates in the morning, about a third of them, so I will have plenty to share with Joan and with Monica next week. I gave a dozen to my neighbor Mindy.

I had pretty well gotten over the coughing but this day was really smoky.

Yesterday the water guy came and showed me where the new meter would be. He looked at the setup in back and has a plan where the new main will join the current pipes. I get to keep the standpipe. I didn't ask if there would be a way for me to cut off the water to replace washers (as if, but there are a couple of things in the bathroom that need attention.) I'll call him and ask later.

Andy came while he was here and fixed the shed door. I also went in and rearranged stuff after the dog had really messed it up. I took a huge box out. I was surprised to see glasses at the bottom... apparently they were the current ones which fell in when I wasn't paying attention. Anyway, I got it into the recycling can. I'd intended to get a lot more paperwork in but got ambushed by Rich's notes on banking last week.

Since I intend to have a big open house on my 75th birthday, I've got to get to work.

Quick trip to the Commissary. $60+, though.

I went out to Appleby's for dinner. Ray sat with me, and was quite pleasant. I also met a Dave, whose son plans to walk the Camino. This gave me a chance to tell some of my stories to someone who hadn't heard them! I tried the appetizer combo and it was too big, and then they gave me a birthday dessert! When I got home, there was a hatching raptor candle from Monica.

I was going to write this then, but Bernadette wants Monica's pictures NOW so I downloaded 270 of them and started to sort them chronologically, but my eyes began to cross after about 80 or so. Darn. I had hoped to have this one so much more organized than Roni's was. Oh, well.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 547
166.9 miles

warm

350 recordings of 31 types, 66 old SVU. 21% clear.

On my birthday I went over to the WPAC breakfast with a bag of pomegranates, but nobody turned up for a long time and I thought I'd be eating alone. Finally Jackey came and I got to tell her my tale of stupidity. Then Terryl came and I got to repeat it. It's a good story if it has happened to someone else! They each took a pomegranate, leaving me with about 7 to take to Bernadette. I guess that's why I forgot my glasses!

On down (ow) to Bernadette's, where I dropped trows for her. She was properly impressed with the bruise, which is less black but still impressive. Now, two days later, the outskirts of it are feathery (I'd do well camouflaged in a forest!) then blue, purple, ending with black in the crack. Still painful.

She didn't do much cleaning in the garage, though she got out an impressive amount of Hallowe'en decorations. She did pass out Boo Baskets the day before, two in the neighborhood (they're wise to her by now, as proven by the nice Easter baskets a neighbor gave the kids this year) and one with Gareth's teacher from last year. (SHE will be baffled!) B's main project this day was to clean up the kitchen counter. That she could have done without me. Meanwhile, I went into Gareth's room. All the stuff was up off the floor but in a tumble on the desk. I sorted through papers, keeping an awful lot because I didn't know for sure if it was important. Joanna has been there, too, leaving her junk in the room, and I sorted that out. I dug down to his computer, anyway.

Joanna had had a "difficult day." I would guess SO. She's defiant in school and refusing to do what the teacher says. Wednesday's report was much the same. I know there have been times she's argumentative (like almost all the time) but she's gone over the line to bratty.

I talked to Gareth about what HE would have done if I'd gone unconscious. "CPR" was his answer, so we had a talk about calling 911 or at least running into the museum to say "My Nana needs help." I'd better talk to him some more about how you need to actually know HOW to do CPR or you'll hurt someone worse. (Though teaching the Heimlich manouver might not be a bad idea.)

Vince called. He told me all about the plans for his and Eric's trip to Washington, which started the next day. On Thursday they had a Congresswoman (Eric's friend's district... he's moved to Kentucky but the kids are still close) giving them a tour of the White House and later (dunno if it's the same person) the Capitol. Nick will give them a tour of the Pentagon and the rest of the time it's play it by ear museums and so forth, though they will definitely do the Spy Museum. If Rich had been going after it was built, I'd have certainly directed him there. Apparently if you want to go to the bathroom, you have to crack the code! Rich would ask me what he should see when he had Pentagon trips and I told him the VietNam wall, and the Holocaust Museum, both new since we were there together 50 years ago. Vince and I talked about when he went, in 8th grade. He saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I don't think we saw the Tomb... I remember the Iwo Jima monument and the eternal flame for Kennedy, but I don't remember that. Gabe will go with Niki in two years. (Personalities similar. I remember when Rich and I took the two to the Lawrence Hall of Science. Rich, who was ill, was able to sit with Eric concentrating on some computer program, while Gabe led me on a merry chase through all the exhibits.) I'm putting in my bid to be the one to take A.J. when he's in 8th grade!

Vince, living in Washington (state), doesn't have an acceptable driver's license for ID, but he does have a passport. Eric has a passport and also an ID card.

Anyway, it sounds WONDERFUL!

Yesterday I started trimming the privet in back, because I was looking for the water cutoff for one of the houses on French avenue and couldn't see it. I want to show the water guy next week... I called him to tell him I had three, and when they are installing the new water mains, I would really like it if they didn't come here three times to do it. Since the other two are on a different street, I imagine that's not going to work.

Then down to my usual Wednesday stint at Bernadette's, though this time she had an appointment about Joanna. It wasn't an actual 504, because the J. is not having any educational problems, it's all behavior. (Howling in the bathroom, screming in line, defiant with the teacher.) They have a behavioral specialist at school so she'll work with J. and give Bernadette and Rob some helpful ideas. I sure hope so. Meanwhile, I emptied both kids' wastebaskets before the recycle truck came... hello? I thought that would have happened last night! I started going through Joanna's stuff and found the poster she didn't have last weekend, so I put it out with the stickers she was supposed to put on it. When Bernadette got home, though, Joanna had picked up the Ladybug magazine and could barely keep her eyes off it. I stopped her twice from taking it into her room before she'd done her homework.

(This reminds me. I went to CricketMedia to do the yearly renewals, but naturally, they didn't send my password. Hmm. Maybe I didn't have one. I'll have to start fresh, but who knows who's getting what. This company has been nothing but trouble since I started.)

I finished the Nero Wolfe I'd brought with me, and so while I was waiting for B. to get home with the kids, I started "The Little World of Don Camillo" (I'd had two so gave her one.) OK, hooked again.

Now reading: Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (yeah, right); Pepys' Diary; American Fiction; Embarrassments by PJ Nel; Shattered, Jonathan Allen & Amie Parnes; The Red Box by Rex Stout; and The Little World of Don Camillo, by Giovanni Guaresci.

Today was pretty much a waste. I finally got my act together to drive to the restaurant to look for my glasses, and they told me Jackey had picked them up. This afternoon I was going to go to the neighbor's water polo match only it was cancelled. I talked to her about others and thought I might go to Rio next week, but no, I'll be heading to a WPAC dinner.

So I did drive enough to get the car out of the carport so I could take the bin back for the rest of the privet, and leaves, and yes I found the water cutoff.

Lots of real phone calls. From the WPAC lady reminding me of breakfast next Saturday, from Jackey to tell me she has my glasses (NOW she tells me!) and can bring them by, from Alicia, twice, to find out if I was home (I was the first time, outside talking to Jackey!) and then they came by with my birthday present, a Tricerataco holder! The other call was from Helena, Monica's mother-in-law, first off to thank me for a grief booklet I sent, and to tell me she's having a hard time (go figure, of course she is) and to invite me down in a couple of weeks. I don't think Monica is reading this, in fact, I don't think she ever read my LiveJournal and I haven't yet actually advertised that I'm here, but in any case I think that's all I'm saying at the moment.

I snapped about half the green and wax beans Bernadette gave me, heated them in the microwave, sprinkled them with Parmesan and YUMMMMM! Also had leftover andouille and squash stew. Yum. I'm spoiling all that nice healthy eating with Amarula, but ohhhhh, it's good!

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 547
154.7 miles
mild

372 recordings of 50 types, 71 old SVU. 17% clear.

Saturday the 9th was a busy busy day. After I did my morning watering I walked down to Leslie's house to help her set up her garage sale. I worked there until it was time for the sale, and got a decent wheeled ice chest and a great National Geographic atlas for my trouble. (Well, I paid for them, but it was nice stuff. I needed a new ice chest... I had taken one from the neighbor's discards and they told me the handle was broken, but in actuality this lasted about 3 years before completely falling apart when we went to Micke Grove Park last April.)

I had planned to go to the WPAC second Saturday breakfast but decided there simply wasn't time. I headed back to the garage sale about 9:15 to chat and wait, and my friend Eileen came about 9:30 to take me and Alisa to Oroville for Jeo's memorial. I was wearing an orange Hawai'ian shirt that Rich bought about 10 years ago. (That was a great surprise. He always wore very conservative shirts, till we were in Hawai'i and he got a shirt for the luau (at my insistence.) This was on sale at the Lathrop gas station for $10 and he bought it.) It is far too big, and I couldn't wear my waist pouch on the outside and didn't want to wear it underneath since it made me look 10 months pregnant. So I pocketed my camera and ID and money and keys, and made do without the kitchen sink I normally carry. (And I remembered when we picked up Alisa who is attached to her phone that I didn't take mine.)

It was a nice ride and I got some answers about why Jeo and his wife were no longer together. I thought she had washed her hands of him when he got sick, which I don't really approve of, but it was the other way around. Jeo told her to get out of his life (I have to believe it was the disease talking, as Jeo was usually a very sweet guy). So at the memorial it was easy to hug her and tell her how sorry I was. At the memorial (which was at Jeo's sister's house) I learned some other friends are now divorced. Sigh. There were about 35 geocachers there (all in Hawai'ian shirts, plus the family. The three children, and Cinde and her parents, Jeo's sisters and brother, and his mother. (Woe. Eileen says she's somewhat out of it, what a blessing.) Plenty of food (although the cookies I brought were unpacked at the end.) I picked up a geocoin to remember him by. It's a California one, not recognized by Groundspeak, but that's OK.) I wrote a memory of Jeo in the book. (Rich and I had just started geocaching, and found a big travel bug hotel in Elk Grove, and we were engrossed in checking the contents when this voice boomed out "WHAT ARE YOU DOING??" and scared us to death.) Jeo's son spoke. It was nice to see so many old friends.

I got home about 5.

Eric Bolling's son died. The hits just keep coming.

Sunday was also a busy day. At church, Gerrie returned my books and gave me some candy (how the heck am I supposed to get my A1C down this way?). I hadn't planned to go back to the house before the late afternoon, but had to get the candy bar out of the car. Thence down to help with Communion... there's s guy from church there recouperating from a fall, in his 90s and sharp as a tack, knew my name and Brenda's. He has an easy name to remember, Charles Schulz!

Hence to Elk Grove. I thought I would drop in on the 9/11 event and see some of the people who weren't in Oroville the day before, but I couldn't find the group. Oh, well. I stopped at Jack-in-the-box for lunch, then got to Bernarob's house. When it was his truck left in the driveway, I thought maybe they'd changed their plans, but no, he was still taking the big kids to see their Mom in the play. My job was to babysit Padreic.

He was busy busy. There was plenty for him to do in the living room, but at one point he climbed over the gate into Mommy and Daddy's room (forbidden, and I'd locked both kids' bedrooms.) I got him out and then told him to pick up the little bells he'd been carrying. "No." He said "No" a couple of times, and finally I gave him a pop on the backside. Then held him while he cried it out, and we started playing finger games.

Rob and the kids enjoyed the play. He said it was better than the other Gilbert&Sullivan's Bernadette has been in.

Monday the 11th of September I had the flags out all over the yard. It was the day for the cleaners. They sat in the driveway in their car and had lunch, and here I was all ready to let them in and disappear into the bedroom. I could have finished my TV show!

While I was in the bedroom, I straightened up some more for the window people, and called my classmate Rich who was in town for the weekend. Too hot to leave the house again, though.

I had cloudy urine. But it's been coming and going, mostly clear, so I don't know what's going on.

My neighbor Carol brought over ice cream bars to keep in my freezer for the party the next day.

Tuesday I went to breakfast with the ladies. We only had 4 this time.

I found and rescued a tiny alligator lizard in the house. I thought at first maybe Pharoah had hurt it, but it moved from the zinnia bed where I put it, so it's probably OK. So beautiful!

Carol had a farewell party for Leslie. I will be sad to have her (and Zeus) go. We met the new homeowners, James and Yolanda. They're into wine and across the street Sloan and Christy (who were new to me) brew beer! Hey, I live on a party street! I also met Luann, and then chatted with the neighbors I know, as well.

I got home just before Vince's call. Eric will be going to the Bahamas next year. Gabe and A.J. are doing well in soccer. And I forgot to tell him about Jeo's memorial and about the alligator lizard... so I started a list for the next time!

Wednesday I went down to Elk Grove as usual, and Bernadette wasn't there. I thought maybe she had decided to take Padreic in to the doctor, since he's been crying over a hurt leg since Monday. Sure enough, it's broken! He had a splint on it and it will be cast on Friday. He was apparently really good with the doctor, and the X-rays. It was a trampoline accident. I said, when Joan gave them that, it was dangerous for such small children. Monica argued that it was good exercise and I said it would lead to broken bones. She said "at least they won't be overweight." So of course, when I posted about the broken leg, I said "told you so, Monica!"

The big kids were in trouble about this. They just stood on the trampoline watching while Padreic cried. No one went in to tell Mommy. Also, while B. was trying to clean up, Gareth just went to his room and Joanna wouldn't go fetch something "there's a branch in the way." She got popped on the bottom for her pains, too. Daddy had a long lecture for them.

I fetched them and we talked about the broken leg on the way home. Nobody knows what exactly happened. I read them more of Pinocchio. I decided I need to bring over a marionette so they really know what it is.

Thursday, I got my new windows!!!!!! I just love it! The annoying thing is I will have to make sure all the smoke alarms have batteries (I really only keep the hall one and my bedroom charged up, the others are old and beep even with new batteries, too much trouble) before I call the county inspector to come out. It took the guys 4 hours to get all the windows in, and I spied one defective screen so called about it at the end of the day.

I went to the WPAC Appleby's dinner. I ordered the chicken tacos which were filling enough, and to my surprise, between the half price Happy Hour and the 10% discount, I only owed a little over 4 dollars!

Friday was Renaissance. The morning documentary was "And Still I Fly" about Maya Angelou. When it was dealing with her early life, there was a cameo with Hillary Clinton, who said it was like her mother's early life. All I could think about was "was that before or after she named you for Sir Edmund Hillary?" The bitter old woman (mighod, this book tour!) always has to make it all about herself! The documentary, however, was really good. There was this time she lectured Tupac Shakur about his language. I'd read all the autobiographies and really enjoyed this documentary.

The time travel movie was Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. I enjoyed it more this time than when I saw it first. Silly but fun. I was tempted to go to the forum but really wanted to come home.

Before I left I saw Leslie walking Zeus for the last time here, so dashed out for a hug from her and a total slobber from him.

The windows will go on November's bill! Hooray, it's nice to spread the misery out!

They warned me there might still be pieces of glass, but I forgot, and sure enough, barefoot in my bedroom. Ow.

Saturday I was pretty well crippled up with a terrible backache, but because I'd promised, I saw Bernadette's play, Patience. It's cute and funny. I'd never heard of it before though there's one song in it I've heard somewhere (an ad, maybe?)

Sunday I stayed in to heal up. My back still hurt but not as badly as it did the day before. I've been leaving the windows open night and day, except when the gardeners were here. I trimmed the roses in the rose garden Rich made for me. Most of them are dead, thanks to the drought.

I made a salad of dragonfruit, pineapple, (I wanted pomegranates, but they aren't quite ready yet. There are so many I think I can have some despite the squirrels), romaine, one small bell pepper chopped up with a blueberry balsalmic vinaigrette. Yum.

I actually READ "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" for the first time. Disney did a great job following the descriptions! Irving's prose is great!

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fossilfreak

December 2018

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