Week 27 - Neighborhood War Zone

It was another blazing hot week. So hot that all the knitters cancelled for Monday Night Knitting. Welcome to summer in Nebraska. At least it meant the house was shut up to limit the noise from the war zone that was my neighborhood. So many fireworks. Hate them. I got out of town as much as I could. 

I went to Omaha on Tuesday to see Disclosure Day with Lori. Loved it! Tuesday is $6 movie day and you get free popcorn so I hope this is the first of many movies. When I left the theatre, I drove across Omaha to get a rotisserie chicken at Sam's. I've been wanting one for ages so it was worth the trip. It's a lot of chicken for one person though.

Wednesday was a Lincoln day. I had lunch at Cultiva with Lana, Dana, Cindy and Philippe (the computer guy). It was great to catch up and I went to Buresh Meats then Dairy Sweet for a lemon soft serve to kill the time until a talk on US/Iran relations, which was very interesting. After supper, my last book club on Common Sense went well and we talked way past closing time. Unfortunately Tot was spooked by all the fireworks and didn't come in that night. I worry less about her than the young ones but it still made for a bad night of sleep.

I had lunch with Lorri at Chip's in Wahoo on Thursday and other than swimming, the only other thing I did was water at my neighbor's. She always goes away for the 4th. Other than continuing to water there, and a bit of weeding by the retaining wall, I spent the weekend holed up, knitting, streaming, talking with friends and reading while trying to ignore the noise.

I was thrilled when the 4th was over but there were still stray fireworks on Sunday. Have I mentioned how much I hate fireworks? I hate the noise and trash of it (I will be picking up fireworks debris in my yard for months) and can't help but think of how much money is being spent that could be feeding hungry children. Rant over. And so are the fireworks. Until next year.... As usual, I swam Sunday night in Lincoln, which is my favorite way to end a summer week. Enjoy a picture of Goodie on the deck during the day, which was the only time it was quiet. : )

Week 26 - Last Cool Weather?

The cooler weather was still here and even cooler than last week. I made the most of it while it lasted.

As usual, Monday was laundry day and it dried super fast outside. I also ran local errands and my new friend Lori, who I met when working the polls, came to Monday Night Knitting. I'm glad I had a nice day at home to start the week because the rest of the week was busy.

As a new and reluctant member of the Emeriti and Retirees Association board, I had a 4 hour stategic planning session on Tuesday at East Campus. At least they were providing lunch, which was protein free unfortunately, and it wasn't too painful. I had made an appointment to pick up my laptop from Philippe on city campus for an excuse to leave early but it didn't go the full 4 hours so I didn't need to ditch early. I picked up my laptop, found bunches of marked down yarn grab bags at Goodwill, which with the senior discount were only $.80 each (score!), and then did a big Aldi shopping before heading home. I finished a super complicated pair of socks that night. I'll call that a productive day.

I had some online training for the American Conversation Project Wednesday morning then headed outside to garden. I edged a couple of beds and then went to the farm store to buy yet more annuals. I put impatiens around the birds nest spruce and more pinks around the clothesline pole. Now when the heat sets back in and I'm stuck inside, I'll have some color on the 2 beds I can see when I'm sitting in my favorite chair. The first actual discussion of Common Sense went well that night. Just one more session to go.

Thursday started off well. I put a loaf of banana bread in the oven and then found a bunch of bedroom furniture on an online auction that was perfect for my friend Darla, who was redoing her spare room for her mother-in-law's visit in August. She was interested so I big on it for her and left for Lincoln. I drove by a yard sale on the way to the ATM and scored some fabulous vintage tablecloths, which made it tight to meet Dodie for lunch but I made it. We had a great lunch at our favorite Bison Witches and while we were eating, I got an email that I'd won all the auctions, which was $46 for a double bed with new mattress, 2 nightstands and a dresser. Score for Darla! Then I was off to Anne's because we were going to her friend's house, who is a full time reseller on ebay, so I could pick her brain and see her set up. I gave her the banana bread as a thank you and got all her best tips. I had already decided not to swim because it was only 71 degrees and overcast so headed home. I went out at dusk to water at my friend Lorri's on the way. Another good day in the books.

Friday was a day at home, which I was happy with. It was city-wide garage sales so I spent the morning shopping them but didn't find much. That's OK. I did some gardening - weeding and planting some veggies Lorri gave me and more flowers plus I replanted zucchini since the old seeds I'd planted didn't germinate. I enjoyed tea on my bench and made sheet pan pasta for supper. It was time for the weekend.

Saturday was the last cool day but I spent most of it inside, only venturing out to water at Lorri's and hit The Warehouse. I started The Other Bennet Sister on Britbox and knitted. Totally enjoyable day. 

Sunday was our annual lunch with Jessica, our old water aerobics instuctor, and her family. She is now a professor at St. Lawrence University in Upstate New York but comes back every summer and makes time for lunch with her Campus Rec gang. Her partner and their twins plus her mom, who lives in South Sioux City, Nebraska, were there. It was a great time and her girls are so cute. I had planned to hang in Lincoln all afternoon but after hitting every single thrift, dropping donations at Stuff Creative Reuse, failing to find a movie worth seeing and even attempting to hang with kittens at the Humane Society, which was closed for some reason, I still had 2.5 hours to kill. I had brought a book and knitting but the thought of sitting in a coffee shop for hours just so I could swim sounded dismal so I gave up and drove home. Bummer to miss swiming but still a good decision. Did I mention that it was 98 degrees? Yeah, I stand behind not swimming.

This was a good week with a nice mix of socializing and productivity but the gorgeous weather was the icing on the cake. It could be a long time before we have highs in the 70's. I hate summer heat and it's even worse with the estrogen blocker taking me back to hot flashes. Just a couple of months. I can make it, spending time knitting and streaming in the AC, which isn't all bad.

Week 25 - Absolutely Perfect Weather

The weather was absolutely gorgeous all week - low 80's and no humidity. I finally was able to get some gardening done and enjoyed every minute of it. If only it would last.

My friend Lori had a meeting in Wahoo on Tuesday so brought Chinese food and we ate on the deck and chatted for hours. Again, perfect weather. I made a nice dinner that night of steak, potatoes and green beans but puked it all up before bed. I instantly felt better and was fine the next day. Must be something going around.

On Wednesday night, I was doing the first session of the library's book club on Common Sense by Thomas Paine. This was loosely affiliated with the American Conversation Project. Carrie, the librarian who was taking care of it, had prepped a presentation and we'd be handing out the books and planning for the next 2 sessions. Well, she had a family emergency and had to jump in the car to Colorado that morning so I had nothing. I asked the people who came if they'd be willing to do the program for the actual American Conversation Project, which is a set of questions to spark conversation that is recorded. They were in and I stumbled through it. Now to figure out how to upload it and make it official.

I was in Lincoln on Thursday to take my work laptop in for a software upgrade and ended up leaving it there. I went upstairs to see who was in and chatted with Lana and then Layton, talking so long that I had to bolt to get to swimming on time. Considering we had lunch every Friday for decades and now rarely see each other, it was great. Swimming was almost chilly but was better than roasting.

I was supposed to hang with my cousin on Friday but she'd been up all night being sick so cancelled. Same bug I had maybe? Anyway, we talked for almost 3 hours instead. I was supposed to have lunch with Darla but she graciously allowed me to cancel. I still went to Lincoln that evening for the pottery class Anne, Rene and I had rescheduled from a winter snow day. It was lots of fun and I made 3 pots, which the instructor will glaze and fire so we can pick them up after the 4th. We all want to take another class.

I decided to skip spinning on Saturday and had a nice, relaxing weekend. I did some weeding, cooking, reading and knitting. It was a wonderful week with gorgeous weather, which was inspiring after awful heat. I know the blazing heat will be back but I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Week 24 - Fun Being Home

It was my first full week home and since I was totally recovered from the road trip to Rhode Island, I was ready for some fun and this week delivered.

The week started out hot with 3 days in the 90's so the AC was on and I'd be staying inside as much as I could. I started with cleaning up the kitchen and took down the baker's rack that lives in front of my slider during the winter to hold plants, which lets in so much more light. I made bread pudding to take to knitting. I find that I'm willing to put the oven on when the AC is on to take care of the heat. Is that just me? I did plant eggplants and peppers in pots on the driveway and started working on the spare room, which lead to sorting yarn and casting on a pair of cotton blend, scrappy, shortie socks. Not surprising. I also knitted a couple of charity hats. I had a library board meeting but otherwise hadn't left the house on Tuesday.

I was venturing out on Wednesday to have lunch with my friend Nancy, who is moving to California in July. We sat and chatted for 3 hours, past the lunch crowd and only left because Nancy had a load of donations for the thrift store in town and they close at 4:00. We had such a great time! I should have been seeing Nancy more these past few years. I will miss her for sure.

I woke up to find .8" of rain in my gauge on Thursday morning but more importantly, the storm had broken the heat. Yay! I was up and out early for a talk at the lake on wetlands and after lunch, I pulled all the dead roses out of one of my veg beds and was happy to see that one of them had survived. They all came from the east side garden and I had dug them up in November but had trouble getting much root since they came with the house so were decades old and had been planted right against the foundation. So one living made me happy and it may end up back in the new east bed below the new retaining wall. Anyway, I planted tomatoes, which had grown in their little pots while I was gone, then went to the salon for a haircut then to Lincoln. I had books to return at the library commission then was meeting Darla for nachos at Tico's before swimming. Way to pack it in, right?

Friday was a super fun day. My friend Becky had told me she wanted to antique in Wahoo but there's only one shop that has any antiques so I suggested we go to Fremont for the Estate Dispersal Store weekend. I've only ever done lunch or tea with Becky and didn't know what she looked for when antiquing and how she felt about thrifting so I took a chance and made our first stop the Habitat Restore, which is more thrift store than antiques. She LOVED it! She found all kinds of goodies and took photos of all the granny rockers. Her entire box was $14 so she was thrilled. From there we went to Mel's Diner (recommended by the cashier at the Restore) for lunch and both of us ate yummy food from the senior menu for $13 total! We did go to the Estate Dispersal Store and an antique mall downtown but bought nothing. We ended our Fremont day with soft serve at Zesto - yummy pineapple sherbet for me. Becky may be my new thrifting buddy.

Saturday was World Wide Knit it Public Day and Found & Flora, the florist/gift shop in Wahoo, was hosting. I took some show and tell and spent the morning knitting with friends and a new person, who we invited to come to Monday Night Knitting. We went to Mocha C's for lunch and I got my favorite chicken salad croissant from my grab and go Tuesdays while I was still working. I went home to plant yet more tomatoes.

After so many days out and about, Sunday was finally a day at home. I made - French toast and bacon for breakfast, talked to Carolyn, did the shelter cats and  planted squash and cukes. I also started listening to Common Sense for the book club at the library. I put on my suit, ate PB&J in the car and went to water aerobics in Lincoln. It was pretty chilly but I'm glad I went.

So much fun in one week! To me this was a perfect retirement week so I hope this summer brings a few more like this one.

Week 23 - Funeral and Home

The week started off with a chilly day, which seemed appropriate for Auntie Margaret's funeral. We'd be busy all day on Monday and then start back the next day. It was going to be a long week.

After breakfast at the hotel, we headed to St. Luke's - the church we grew up in and where the funeral would be. We got there at 9:30. The visitation was at 10:00 and the funeral at 11:00. Auntie Margaret looked nothing like herself and there were fewer people there than I thought there'd be but it was a very nice service that Aunt Margaret had planned herself. The new priest, who was new to St. Luke's and new as a priest too, was great. We went directly to the cemetary for a small service in their chapel and then we found Nana and Papa's grave to take a pic for ancestry. The funeral lunch was at a nice Italian restaurant, where I got to visit with my cousins, which was lovely, and the food was delicious. We said our goodbyes and headed out.

Dottie and I went to East Greenwich and did the obligatory drive through the old neighborhood on the way to my oldest friend's mother's house. She has cancer so I wanted to make sure I paid her a visit. We then went to Deanne's so I could see her new house, which was lovely, and we chatted for a bit. We had made plans to meet Janice at The Newport Creamery for ice cream and closed it down, with more chatting. I had only been in Rhode Island for mere hours but I'd managed to fit lots in besides the funeral. We'd be leaving first thing the next morning so went back to the hotel to get a good night's sleep.

After another hotel breakfast, we started driving. Having enjoyed Budd Lake Diner, we stopped at another fave place of Dottie's in Mt. Arlington - Davey's Dogs. I love a good hotdog so was happy with it. We drove around her old neighborhood and found her condo before getting back on the road. We drove through Pennsylvania all day, stopping at an Applebee's somewhere for supper and staying in Youngstown, Ohio, found with an app my friend Ana recommended - hoteltonight. It was a much better experience than on our way to Rhode Island.

The hotel breakfast was pretty lackluster so we went to Starbuck's across the street and hit the road. Our goal was to not take the toll road but smaller highways and hit some thrifts along the way in Indiana. It took us a few hours to get through Ohio and we found a great mom & pop restaurant for lunch and had time to hit 2 MCC (Menonite Central Committee) thrifts and found some treasures at both. We ran out of time for the last thrift but got back to Dottie's in time for pizza for supper. We then went out for soft serve followed by porch time. I went to bed happy to know it was my last night not sleeping in my own bed.

My intent was to leave at 9:00 to miss Chicago traffic but I woke up at 4:30 when my nephew, who gets up early for work, was yelling at the dog outside my room. I read until 5:15 but when it was clear I wasn't going to fall back asleep, I got up, ate breakfast and headed out. I didn't want my brother-in-law to wake my sister up (I'd just spent 5 days 24/7 with her after all) but he didn't listen and did. Oh well. I was so early that I not only missed Chicago traffic but the construction workers weren't at work yet so I sailed through Illinois. I stopped for a break in Grinnell, Iowa and was almost to Nebraska before it started raining. It was an easy ride and it felt great to be home. I unpacked, sorted laundry and went to bed early.

I spent the next 2 days doing laundry and cooking. It was wonderful to have healthy, homemade food after eating on the road for a week. My cats were happy I was home, although not so happy when I put on the Bravecto flea stuff, and I was happy to see that all my plants and newly planted things all looked great. I planted my dahlias, which I'd already potted up a month ago, into window boxes and called my flowers done. 

By Sunday, things were back to normal. I did the cats and was sad to see that my favorite cat, Gracie, who was a skinny old girl, had died the day before. I showered and headed to Lincoln, dropping off some donations at Stuff Creative Reuse before meeting Anne and Rene for lunch to hear all about Rene's 2 months in Europe. We all went to Sam's together and then split up. I scored some super cheap yarn grab bags and went to 2 supermarkets to restock from being gone. I made French toast and bacon for supper and called myself recovered.

What a week! Spending 6 of the 7 days I was gone driving all day was tiring. I didn't get as much knitting done as I thought I would despite being the passenger for 4 long days (chalk that up to my sister's driving style, which stressed me out). It was wonderful to get home afterwards but I'm glad we went. Auntie Margaret was the last of that generation and I loved her so much. Totally worth it. Here's a rose that was growing outside the church to remember her by.

Week 22 - Rhode Island Bound

Well, I'd be leaving on Friday for the drive to Rhode Island so I had things to do and plans to make. Otherwise it was a lot of waiting and then a lot of driving.

I had some decisions to make about veggies. To plant or not to plant, knowing I wouldn't be there to take care of them for a week. I decided to throw caution to the wind and planted potatoes and some flowers in one of the veg beds and green and wax beans along my neighbor's chain link by my driveway. I also transplanted all my tiny veg seedlings and set them up in a tray that could be easily watered and tucked them under the deck bench where they'd be shaded. Gardening done.

The rest was getting ready to travel. I ran to Lincoln for gas, a few groceries, kitty litter and got my tires checked. I was madly working on a complicated pair of socks for the Supersock World Championship in hopes that I could get them done before I left and I'm happy to report I got them done. I bought my plane tickets for my beach week and started piling things I'd take, including loading all the yarn for Dottie into the car. I was also taking a tote of things I'd need this summer for the beach week and leaving that at Carolyn's so packed sheets, towels and a few clothes too.

Thursday was a busy day. I made banana bread, did laundry and finished packing that morning and then the rest of the day was jam packed. I had a dentist appointment at 2:00, online training for the American Conversation Project (something for the library) at 3:30, went to dinner with my friend Anna, who was in town for a couple of weeks and would be leaving while I was gone at 5:00. I went straight to the library from there for book club. I set up extra cat boxes and with that was ready to leave.

I had originally thought I'd leave at 9:00 to miss Omaha traffic but that would put me in Chicago traffic at the end of the day so when I woke up early, I left at 7:30 instead. I took a break in Iowa City, which is the halfway point between Wahoo and Dottie's, to hit the MCC thrift shop Dottie and I had discovered when we met there 2 years ago. I also stopped at the yarn shop that had been closed that day and scored a skein of West Yorkshire Spinners Christmas yarn that I'd looked for locally and failed to find. Yay! Unfortunately, there was so much construction on I-80 in Illinois that I was smack in the middle of rush hour traffic outside Chicago so the trip took 11 hours instead of the usual 8.5. Dottie had made one of my favorite dinners - smothered steak - and after enjoying sitting on the porch and chatting, it was time for bed.

We ate a hearty breakfast and headed out for the long drive. We chatted all day and stopped for a late lunch in Mercer, Pennsylvania. We drove all the way through Pennsylvania (if you've ever done it, you know it feels endless) and stayed in a pretty skanky yet expensive hotel in Delaware Water Gap, which is in the Poconos, and almost to New Jersey. We'd eaten lunch so late that we just ate snacks in the room and called it supper.

Dottie suggested we get McDonald's and hit the road but since we were so close to where she used to live in Mount Arlington, New Jersey, I asked if there wasn't somewhere she'd like to eat near there. She was thrilled with the idea and we went to Budd Lake Diner and had a delicious breakfast. And then we were off to a cemetery just over the New York line where Dottie wanted to look for a grave from my mom's father's side of the family. We lucked out that the president of the cemetery was working on a Sunday because he was headed out for summer vacation the next day. He was very helpful but the grave she was looking for wasn't in the database yet (they're working backwards and are 10 years away yet) but we took some pics of other Seeley graves and then headed to Rhode Island.

We arrive at 3:30, which was too early for supper so we went to Job Lot and did some obligatory shopping. Since we had the car, I was hoping to find something big but only managed a welcome mat. I didn't think to load up the truck with my favorite Polar Diet Orange Dry soda, which is only available in New England. I got one box but missed the opportunity to buy lots. Oh well. We met Carolyn and Matt at The Crow's Nest for an early supper and I thoroughly enjoyed fried belly clams and an in person chat. We drove from there to the hotel we'd booked near the airport, checked in and went to bed early after a long couple of days of driving.

The next day would be the funeral. It was a long drive to get there and would be a long way back but it was good that we came. I was hoping it wouldn't be super sad but only time would tell.

Week 21 - Goodbye Auntie Margaret

It was a weird week with storms, cancellations, clinic runs and some fun but ended with the death of my dear Auntie Margaret. Here we go.

My cousin Richard's grandaughter had died from a horrible disease and the visitation was on Monday night. They recently moved to Omaha and I felt like I should go because they have no other local family besides their daughter's. But the weather did not cooperate. There were huge storms with hail forecast for exactly when I'd need to drive so I didn't go. knitting was cancelled too so I stayed home and made a nice dinner while the rain poured down.

It was chilly Tuesday morning, which was perfect because I was making a strawberry/rhubarb pie for dessert since -Lori was coming for lunch. She lives in Omaha now but comes for lunch when she has appointments in town. She was due ~12:30. When it hit 1:15, I texted her only to find out I'd screwed up the date and she'd be coming next month. Sheesh! Totally my fault so I made a quick lunch and went through a cabinet that afternoon. There was knitting too, of course.

Wednesday was the long awaited cinnamon bun trip with Darla. She had seen a reel of a truck driver who does routes in eastern Nebraska who raved about the cinnamon buns in the tiny town of Pilger, which was about 80 miles north of Wahoo, and we were going to get some. Darla picked me up early and we were there by 9:00. Luckily I'd called ahead and had 4 buns put aside because they were already gone. We shared one and then headed out to thrift our way home. Pender had one of the best thrift stores I'd ever been in and we found another great one in Scribner, where we ate lunch in Mel's Bar (delish burger and my favorite tots). We stopped in Hooper for ice cream and then hit the Goodwill in Fremont. It was a totally fun day and ended with the Surivor finale. Here's a pic of some of my favorite thrift scores from the day.

I had nothing beyond taking care of my neighbor's cats on Thursday's calendar. I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth and when I took a perfectly normal step, something twisted just above my ankle like something I'd never felt before and I was instantly in pain. I limped to take care of the cats and it hurt so much that I called the clinic and got an appointment for 10:00 with a doctor I'd never seen before. She sent me for an x-ray and nothing was broken, which was a big relief. She put a brace on and told me to go home to ice and elevate so that's what I did. I spent the day knitting and started watching a Great Course on the Pacific theatre in WW2. That evening when I took the brace off to take a shower, I had zero pain. It's like it had never happened. What????

There was still no pain Friday morning but I put the brace on anyway and got busy. I had to do the shelter cats that morning and ran some errands in town then spent the afternoon planting containers. Then the phone rang. My dear Auntie Margaret, who was 104, was near death. She's recently fallen and was failing fast. I talked to my sister about whether we would go to the funeral and we decided to go. We got the call Saturday morning that she had died.

I loved my aunt so much. We grew up with Auntie Margaret and my cousins Bette and David at every holiday, event - we even vacationed together. She was always there and such a hoot. After I moved to Nebraska, I would fly into Rhode Island on Thursday mornings so I could crash my dad's weekly lunch with her. She was there for every milestone in my life. She had been housebound for the past few years and couldn't hear to talk on the phone so I feel like I lost her a few years ago. I definitely needed to go to the funeral.

We didn't know when the service would be but I started making calls to make sure I had cats and plants covered. I also had to make decisions on my garden. I planted the rest of my containers but decided to wait on planting my veg beds. There was lots of waiting to hear so the weekend dragged. I finished the WW2 thing, which was also a drag, and we finally heard that the funeral would be a week out on June 1st so we booked a room in Rhode Island. I'd be driving to Dottie's in northern Indiana and then we'd drive to RI from there, which would take a couple of days.

So, what a week, huh? Auntie Margaret was the last of her generation, outliving them all, and the sweetest, funniest aunt I could ever have wished for. Rest in peace, Auntie Margaret.