Thursday in the Park

[FelineFriend]

DH doesn't want to talk to me! He's MAD! He took our car into the dealership garage, to remove the mouse bed in our car, because they did NOT get it "RIGHT" the first time! But today, they told DH, "You'll need to make an appt. and the soonest we can see you is in TWO WEEKS!" Riding in the car is like we're being fumigated! I hope it can be fixed!

I had a rough night's sleep. I woke up wanting to cut my bob off! I'll grow my hair out long for awhile, keep it off my neck/shoulder area. At least I'll keep cool in this warmer weather.

So Far:
- I've dusted the great room, dining room, eating bar shelves and our master bedroom.
- I've decluttered in the master bathroom.
- I dumped trash from all waste baskets.
- DH watered my Pothos/Devil's Ivy.
- DH cleaned out the potty box and put fresh kitty litter inside it.
- I emailed Dsis that her July 15th b-day box is now sent out of Salt Lake City, UT and she's in Ivins, UT, next to St. George, UT. She'll LOVE her sun hat, when it gets to her. They have an above ground pool, she's fair-skinned and blonde, so this sun hat will shade her face, neck AND shoulders! I "know" she'll be happy with it. I enclosed a nice b-day card, w/a note, to her, too. It's remarkable that the USPS does such a fantastic job, getting mails to their destinations so quickly. When you have a tracking # on a pkg. or mailer, you can sign up for email notifications from the USPS, as to where the pkg./mailer just left from. I think that's so super, too. I'm a happy camper, for sure, and can hardly wait until Dsis gets her hat, so I can find out if it's what she's been looking for. There's an adjustable under-the-chin strap, too.

In E. WA State, there are 3 fires near each other, over 800 homes have been level 3 evacuated, and they warned ALL people (on the news) to remember these 6 P's, when evacuating:
1- People
2- Pets
3- Prescriptions
4- Important Papers
5- Photos
6- Personal Computer
It's something we ALL should know, keep a list jotted down, and be prepared in case of earthquakes, storms, etc.... I had a friend, once, who lived over there, she was evacuated a number of times, because of fire, so they kept a bin full of what they needed to evacuate with them at a moment's notice. Luckily, they had no pets. So I'm thinking how exciting of a story it would make to write about a summer fire and evacuation of two families, write their stories out, etc....

Helia, I LOVE ♥ your posts! It's wonderful!

Nancy, I hope the fires don't get worst, it doesn't sound good, and I feel for you and your air quality, too. Hang in there, be safe, and I am glad you're doing your a.m. routine so FAST!

(((LO))) and LadyM. I hope LO gets well soon, too. Thanks for the updates. (((Mr. LadyM.)))! One of my Dgs isn't circumcised and his Dr. prescribed a cream to be used, to keep the skin from growing over, to prevent any problems, but he was older than LO, so that might not work. But if you do get that suggested to do, just know that it is done, too, in these cases. At least LO is young enough, the memory of the surgery, will fade into his past, as he's older. I know what it's like to have these problems rise up from not having that surgery done at birth. DD wanted Dgs circumcised, but "Ex"-SIL and his 2 brothers, insisted NO! So DD went with the guys' suggestions.

(((Mr. DeeClutter)))

BookSaver, I'm sorry about the Lego program and am glad you're a patient person!

MT and (((Mr. MT))), stay cool and I hope your DH gets to feeling better soon, MT!

Dee, It's wonderful news to hear the guy your DH saved, went back to work, albeit on a limited basis. It's still progress.

I need to start a LOL, get busy around here, on and off today, especially paying attention to getting in stretches and yoga/Pilates moves, too. I'll baby step the day. (And stay out of DH's way.) He DID put TP around in all the bathroom cabinets. I rearranged drawers in the master bathroom, to make room for my shoe box of scrunchies, bands, and crocheted headband, too.

HAPPY THURSDAY IN THE PARK DAY, EVERYBODY!

[Nancy]

Distracting myself by cleaning the carport it looks better plus stuff put away out of sight so folks will not take off with it.

I have started laundry. ToddlerN is here napping after doc. Appt. Vaccination day for her. Dgd will be here today.

Taking a water break now time for some inside stuff.
Got a new to on me lamp I am excited!

[DeeClutter]

"Lord M" -very cute, Helia. I like it! Dh takes Tamouslin too, LadyM.

[Sadie]

Hello Dear Ladies,

It's cool here, unbelievable 60 degree temps in July. Guess we're getting a cold day in July.

Argh!!! Dson's procedure was moved to August 18 by doctor. Dson just wants it done.

Other than that, everything is about the same. Working on catching up with house, still doing at home PT and trying to get my arm behind my back. Two fingers from left can grab two finger on right. Slow progress.

Work day for me.

Great day to all!

[Nancy]

Ff sit in your car with your cat in a pet carrier maybe it will scare the mice away by just being there. I had mice in the trunk once from work left the trunk open and they left.

We made a chocolate pie for dinner. Spiffed up after that so at least half of the counter is good yea! Dgd is here.

[helia]

Well, I'm back. It's 9:30 pm here. The kids, dh, and I are on the terrace using our internet devices. Well, ds is reading a book. He didn't bring any internet device.

I have never thought your fb posts to be tacky or show-offy or anything like that, LadyM. I did have a fb conundrum a month ago when a friend, not a close one, posted on my wall a local newspaper article that mentioned dd18 as one of the top hs students in the city. . .. She is a friend, and she posted that on my wall in kindness. Deleting her post would have been rude to her, yet, I felt awkward with that post on my wall.

Maybe TMI, but none of the males in this family are circumcised. I kind of wanted ds to be, but dh felt strongly "no" since he wasn't. And he wasn't b/c he is from a European family. No health problems, though, that I know of. I had some special care instructions when ds was a wee baby. I know the pedi checked it every time he went in for an appt.

Oh, I'm sorry the procedure has been moved, ((Sadie and ds)). If its any consolation, it looks like temps in NL are unusually hot this summer. They also had a very mild winter.

That sounds frustrating, felinefriend, both the wait to get your car properly repaired/cleaned and your dh's irritation. Are the mice still there? Or just their mess?

Nancy, you're on track, as always!!

I hope Harriet got her nap.

It sounds like several of us had trouble sleeping last night.

Well, your positive comments have convinced me. I might make a little album of some of our Italian experiences on facebook.

Driver will be here at 9:30 tomorrow morning drive us all the way to the Naples airport.

[lucylee]

(((LO))) (((LM & LordM))) That is kinda nerve-wracking for LO. Hope all goes well! And I'm sure it will, people have this done all the time at older ages, so it has to be manageable... but I know it won't be the most fun day of anyone's life, so -- thoughts and prayers for quick and easy procedure. * Also sending lots of good wishes and prayers for LordM to get rid of this kidney stone SOON!

No walking today. DS has not called and it became time for dh & I to get haircuts, so I'm all s2s and I'm not going to mess up my new hair to walk, even though it is very nice and cool here, too.

OH NO! Mice in the car??? Oh my... I missed that on my first cuop, FF... ooohhh... bless your heart! Hope they disappear SOON!!!

(((Sadie))) re: ds's procedure... but WTG on the home PT!

Ooohhh... scary re: the fires in FF and Nancy's areas.

(((Mr. Dee)))

(((Mr. MT)))

So good to hear from Helia! I am loving the stories! (And I think it's fine to post pics, too, but agree that children's test scores are possibly a bit over the top -- unless everyone expected child to fail or something, and you're saying * whew * so relieved! *.) Interesting the stereotypes others have of us here in the U.S. Wonder what else, besides being overweight, GG expected of Americans... Also, LOL @ your ten appetizers plus first course of meal! I guess the waiter WAS blessing you as you left!

Hope you get to catch up on some sleep today, Harriet.

Agreeing w/Harriet that Lego's probably don't seem quite as attractive in July. Too many other distractions in the summer. Hang in there, BookSaver!

[Nancy]

We have been to the yd. Sale the girls got yarn
Sidewalk chalk and fake flowers.
We put eggs in a carton & fed hens.
Hubby is home.
Thanks Helia.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I love that Mr. OKay has been promoted to a Lord! I'm sure he's chuckling over that (and he'll be a good Lord, not one to rule unjustly over the manor.)

As for LO, he was in pain from the infection so if he knows this pain is to make sure he never has the other pain again, it will help.

Long day here and no time to post.

1. Bike ride first thing after getting up (but at 8 instead of 7 as intended) was refreshing. Stretches on the balcony after were divine.

2. Quick s2s, dress and breakfast in order to head off at 10 (made it by 10:06.) Drive to a cemetery with a chapel that I've heard of but never been to before. Location is 30 minutes away and took me by the airport so I now know the airport is the same time from the apartment as the house but I'll bet a taxi won't cost me $80.

3. Funeral was fine.

The funeral was being held at the cemetery but it is one of those places that claims you can skip the expensive funeral home high pressure sales and use them at a fraction of the price. My music friend said the final price wasn't all that cheap and it was obvious this place is not set up for a large funeral. Despite not being in the paper, with social media invites this turned into a large funeral with all the friends of the parents, the grandparents and the great-grandparents coming out to support the family. Easily 150, possibly 200 there in a chapel that can handle, at most 100. Large group standing and people outside as well. To top things off, there were no washrooms (really?!) and no reception area so we all stood outside for 40 minutes until we were allowed to enter (late) and then the family came in. It wasn't raining so that was acceptable (except there was no place to stand so my foot was sore), but had it been rainy or cold, this would have been impossible. I still can't believe the place is marketing itself as an alternative to a funeral home. The staff at funeral homes are present, guide people as to what to do (there were tons of young people for whom this was their first funeral) and are supportive and proactive. This staff didn't start to put out extra chairs until the family were ready to come in, and then put them beside the family (but no-one dared be presumptuous and sit beside the family at the front.)

The selection of music was questionable. I love "How Great Thou Art" but would never choose it for a funeral of a child especially when 70% or more of the attendees don't attend church. To sing how great God is at the death of a child is to ask for mocking of God. If you want to turn people to God at this time, you choose different lyrics.

The minister did manage to redeem the service with a stellar message. He blew me away since this is first funeral and he hit every point I would hit. The only complaint was that it was too long but I didn't mind.

I sat with other choir members and we knew why the last hymn "God be with you til we meet again" was chosen so we sang it (in 3 part harmony) from our pew for my music friend. CM had to play and sing all hymns because this chapel didn't have hymn books and there were no order of service. In fact, come to think of it, we didn't stand when the family left with the urn. Oh, and the mother carried her baby out. That may have been by choice but it felt to me like she didn't want to do it but there was no sign of any staff to handle things like that.

Two of us from the choir went up and sang the postlude with CM, skipping the graveside part. Again, we did that for my music friend who had wanted that piece and it had been nixed by her daughter so she had it done as a postlude.

The funeral felt as if the people planning it were adrift (and they were) but an experienced minister might have pulled it together into something less disjointed. Still, it was his first funeral under extreme circumstances so I'm not sure an experience minister might have done better.

After, CM, dh's tenor partner and I went to a long lunch. Our waitress was very upset because a party of 21 came in. She said, "who brings a party of 21 to a restaurant without a reservation?" and I responded, "a group leaving a funeral, the same funeral we just came from and to make it worse, it was a funeral for a baby so expect them to drink more heavily than my friend here" (because the tenor was on his second beer at that point!) Her attitude changed at that point so hopefully that made things a bit better for the group on the patio. Not that I'm totally sympathetic, the baby's father was there, drinking hard. I suppose that's to be expected except that the reason the baby wasn't living with him was because he's an abusive alcoholic (who claimed to be reformed in order to win his baby back.)

After that it was to my music friend's home for a reception there. Nothing dramatic happened. Thankfully. And interesting mix of young people with the mother and older with the grandmother. One great-gran was a quiet as could be, the other is a social butterfly, greeting everyone, smiling, making sure everything is perfect. Such a contrast but the social butterfly bit is exactly what my music friend dislikes about her mother.

I came home and rested for a bit before heading down for the tenants bbq. Turns out one of the buildings (there are three in this complex) has a group home in it. So that was an interesting revelation. Met a nice young man from my building and then we all helped a new tenant carry loads of things in as we returned to our apartments. The young man was hopeful ds was living with us because he hasn't found many his own age here. We have seen some, including a young woman who moved in on our floor two weeks ago. So I gave him a bit of hope.

I have a sermon to write and a service for the senior's home as well. Got an email from them asking for dates up to Christmas so those are going on my calendar. It is nice to have steady, poorly-paid, work!

[Twins' Mom]

I also enjoy the travel experiences and the photos on Facebook. Dh prefers not to post travel photos while we are away - security in terms of us not being in the house altho we do usually have a dog/house sitter, but he also prefers that his clients not see travel photos that they might see as extravagant.

A fb friend posted a photo of her son's AP test scores on fb. I thought that was quite tacky.

Nodding along with helia on this. I am proud of my kids but don't need to tell the world of their achievements on Facebook.

I have been on the run today. This morning, the usual a.m. routine, then off to alterations shop to p/u dmom's pants and to JCC for her meals. Then to her house for a visit - we looked at more photos and I have more to scan and return to dbro. I got back home here and immediately went back out with our Israeli guests - department store, Michaels, Tar-jay, BB&B, then Walmart looking for a specific item they wanted to take home. Then Costco where they loaded up on stuff to take home - I got steaks for our dinner tonight and salmon for tomorrow night when we have a little dinner party. Back home, and dh and I cooked up dinner, and they have all taken off to a Mac store at the mall with ds in tow for his student ID.

I have done kitchen clean up and need to walk ddogs and then collapse. Tomorrow I need to finalize menu and shop and cook. At this point:
-poached salmon
-squash casserole
-an Israeli couscous type starch which they brought us
-caprese stacks - tomatoes, mozarella and basil drizzled with balsamic vinegrette
-challah
-dessert - watermelon and halvah - a sweet sesame based dessert - they brought us several pkgs

Trying to figure out if I need another dessert. I may make baba ganoush as an appetizer, will also have cheese, crackers, olives and Israeli almonds from their kibbutz.