Saturday, May 23, 2009

Notes on Memorial Day Weekend

Amy asked Paul if he'd bring his pressure washer this weekend when we went over and he did. He loves working outdoors and was soon busy power-washing everything in sight. The little retaining wall, the fence, the driveway, the back of the house. He was dirtier than I think I have ever seen him. The water pressure sprayed away all the dirt, and half of it sprayed up on him, head to toe!



For lunch Amy made stuffed bell peppers that her friend Karen told her how to prepare. They were so good! The peppers were really big, so she stuffed only three. Paul had one for lunch and one for supper; Amy and I halved one for lunch. We've been snacking on Rice Krispie Treats this evening.

She and I went to Michael's to look at cross-stitch books, but I didn't find anything I wanted to do. I've been wanting to for some time and now that I can see so much better, maybe I can get into this again. I always enjoyed it - the rythm was relaxing. I used to love to choose all those colors for a pattern and how the shades of threads were like watercolor painting for me. I have to sort of start over again and nothing too hard at first. I went to Target later and got some Pantene mousse like some of hers I'd used. Seemed to tame my hair and hold the curl a little better.

Thursday when I went by the library, they had the book I'd asked about on reserve for me: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, the latest of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith. HBO has a series of movies based on the books, but we don't subscribe, so I'll see about the DVDs when they're reasonably priced. First season is on DVD but not for $60! May be something I could rent, but I'm thinking it would be too obscure for our video place.

Saturday just at dusk I sat on Amy's front steps and talked to Carolyn. When I got up, something stuck to my hand and I thought, oh, a wet leaf, and flicked it off. Turned and looked at the step where about two dozen (well it looked like that many) slugs were making their ways up the riser of the step. Pretty sure what was a wet leaf wasn't. Paul checked my back and said I was slug-free.

Sunday Morning

Paul was up before anyone (of course) and he went to get a Commercial. I made breakfast; Paul repaired the back door; we listened to Meet the Press and Paul left for Home Depot when the "RediSetGo" infomercial came on. (At the dot-com site, it is $20 cheaper, too. I didn't order it, though if it did all it's demonstrated to, it'd be neat.) Olive Kitteridge is in paperback and I'm pretty sure it can be found at Davis-Kidd. (No kidding... Imagine that. Considered ordering from Amazon, but then I remembered {yeah, right} the bookstore just a couple of miles from here. I suppose it's a good thing I don't live near a bookstore...) I've really missed being in church and Sunday School, but we've enjoyed spending time with Amy and it's important to have family time. These are mini-vacations, of a sort. No "real" household responsibilities, though of course, I clean up the kitchen and wash a load of clothes when needed. She and I went to check out a bookcase on the curb, but it turned out to be a corner entertainment unit and too heavy for us to lift, not to mention neither of us have any place to put it.

The movie Chocolat was on this afternoon and I saw most of it except for a bit in the middle. We went through Amy's cross-stitch books (most of which used to be mine that I'd given her) and I pulled out a couple that looked like I'd be able to use. Dinner was Schnuck's deli chicken, potato logs, slaw and potato salad. Naps. Then Amy and I went to Davis-Kidd and I only bought her a couple of things - and no book for myself. Amazing. Actually, I came back and put the ones I'd thought about in my Amazon basket. We had sandwiches for supper, then a little later went to Ben and Jerry's for ice cream. Paul had butter pecan; she and I had chocolate coated/sprinkled cones with Chunky Monkey (she) and strawberry (me). She and I played checkers with the giant pieces on a table, and stalmated each other. Don't recall ever playing a game where neither player jumped and finally ran out of moves. Same exact pattern of both colors.

Monday

Last day of our mini-vacation. We slept a little later. Paul did wait till after 8:00 to start the power washer on the back paved area in front of Amy's garage. I cooked breakfast for me and Amy as he had already had his honeybuns. She and I decided to go to the Children's Museum on Central. I'd seen pictures on Tara and Joy's blogs where they'd taken their tots, but Amy and I had a good time at our advanced ages, too. We enjoyed watching little ones dress up for the "Orpheum" stage, for the fire truck and police car. We especially enjoyed the art room where Amy painted her own face. One little boy came up and started telling Amy, "This is the pattern I want." (There were samples on a laminated book.) She told him she didn't work there, so he and his sisters decided to try their own hands at it. It's a neat place to take your kids - even your older ones!




Paul and I got home Monday evening around 5:00-ish. It rained off and on all weekend and by the time we got to Levesque I told Paul there should be a rainbow. Sure enough, by the time we got to our house, there was one we could see - a double actually, though the outer one was pale - beyond the school field. Oscar and I walked to the elementary school and back and watched the rainbows fade. After a supper of strawberries (from Jimmi Ann next door - they were delicious!) and chocolate covered graham crackers, I went to bed at 6:30 and slept all night.

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