No News, Good News and Bad News

No news?  refers to my new glasses. The store has not called yet to say they are ready and I am still having headaches (from wearing an old pair, I think.) I am really looking forward to the new ones, and if I still have headaches, I can blame it on the pollen that has appeared overnight everywhere.


Good News?   Moppet turns three this week, and while her living to this age (and still being in our home) was not promised, she has settled down a bit more than last year, so there is hope for the future.  I do have a rather nasty scratch on my arm from last week. I hope that will be the last one.

We had a nice family get-together on Easter. Daughter One had to work and two grandchildren were out of town, but the nine of us enjoyed our buffet. It was overpriced for what they had - but isn't that true of almost all buffets?

Bad News?  My good friend Nancy (93 years old on May 1st) had a brain aneurysm then angioplasty and remains in the ICU after 6 days. She came through the surgery okay, but her blood pressure is erratic and she is too weak to eat, so she has a feeding tube. That's not easy for anyone, but especially a 90+ year old! Please say a prayer for her recovery.

On Easter, I wore a new (never worn, but older) pair of "thigh high" hosiery.  The left one was fine, but the right one fell to my knee (or below) every time I walked to the buffet. Luckily, my dress was mid-calf, so I don't think anyone saw it hanging at half-mast, but what an annoyance!!  I hate panty-hose, but I don't think I will ever buy another pair of thigh highs; it is money down the drain!

I must be living right!

Today I went to the place I usually buy new glasses, expecting to pay a boat load of money for them. I soon found a frame I liked and sat down to be measured.  My daughter mentioned an insurance we all have that gives us discounts on such things.  I didn't have my card with me, but she had hers. The optician had never heard of the program before, but he looked it up on their computer and said it gives a 5% discount. Well, as you know, 5% is better than nothing.

The guy started measuring my eyes and eventually said they would discount my new glasses by $40  (even though that was more than 5%. I was ecstatic - plus the lenses didn't cost as much as the last pair - bringing the cost even lower than I expected.

Then the good news:   I get a refund once a year from the use of that store's credit card.  I had no idea how much it was this year, but they checked and said I'd get $50 back. So my glasses cost less than $90 below the cost of my last pair.

Can you say "VERY HAPPY WOMAN?" 

I'm supposed to get them within 7-10 days, so I'll let you see what they look like later.

A Wonderful Documentary Film

Dancing in Jaffa is a lovely story about a famed ball-room dancer who goes back to the place of his birth (Jaffa), to teach dance to Palestinian and Jewish children. At first the children are very wary; not only of getting to know other children whom they consider their enemies, but they also have the usual reluctance of young boys and girls to be so familiar with each other as to touch in preparation for dancing.)

Seeing how they change over the course of the classes; gaining self assurance and physical ability is heart-warming. It is wonderful to see them gain acceptance of each other, realizing that their "enemies" are just kids like themselves. It gives one hope for the future of the Middle East. 

If you have an opportunity to see this documentary, I recommend it!!

It turned out well.....but

Our guests arrived a few minutes late - the perils of trying to find a place you have never been.  I saw them 2-3 weeks ago, but Jim had not seen them in over 20 years. We used to be good friends, but a work relationship went awry (as many do) and we lost touch with each other. It is nice to "re-make their acquaintance".

The Publix  lamb chops were excellent; tender and juicy and mild-flavored. I topped them with lemon zest, minced garlic and chopped rosemary (just cut in my garden.) I also had a Caesar salad and sauteed asparagus, along with yeast rolls (not home-made.)

Dessert was lemon cake with either pistachio or chocolate caramel ice cream. It was a satisfying meal and an enjoyable visit.

However,   (you knew there was one, didn't you?), I could not for the life of me sleep last night. My eyes were open until sometime after 4:30 am, which was the last time I looked at the clock. I got up at 8 am and began to work in the kitchen and dining area. By the time we sat down for luncheon, my eyes were drooping, although I managed not to fall asleep at the table. 

After they left, I got into my recliner, hoping to have a long nap. I woke after 90 minutes, refreshed but hungry again. We nibbled, and I watched the UNC-VA basketball game (now I'm sad.) As I write, it is 11:15 and I'm not sure I could fall asleep easily tonight either. What the heck is going on?  I usually sleep like a  rock.

Wish me luck. The fact that we are losing an hour tonight will not help my sleep patterns.  

A Frustrating Day

Yesterday, I went to my usual grocery and while there, I looked at some lamb chops, which looked a bit old to me,  so I decided not to buy them. They didn't have the number I needed anyway. I asked a butcher if they would have fresh chops tomorrow (Friday) and he said yes.  We are having guests tomorrow and I wanted to serve chops at our meal.  I purchased everything else I needed, and expected to finish out my list today.

So today, I go back to the store, and (lo and behold) there are no lamb chops. I asked another butcher, who told me that they don't get a delivery of the chops until tomorrow. Was I ever upset?!  You bet! 

Then I went to a new Whole Foods that I had not been to yet; expecting them to have nice chops. They had four in a package that looked as if it had been there a week or more. I was beginning to get very frustrated. My daughter advised me to go to a store closer to her home, which I did. They had no chops either. I bought enough chicken salad to have sandwiches, along with some good bread. My daughter then offered to go to a Publix that is about 8 miles from my house, and I took her up on the offer.  She found 8 chops - just the number I need. I will forever be in her debt (for that and many other things.)

Before I got back home, the woman who is supposed to come to lunch tomorrow with her husband, called and asked if we were still expecting them tomorrow. I said most assuredly so and asked if she didn't get my email (in which I expressed my pleasure that they were coming, and gave her directions to our new home.) She did not. I think it may be due to the fact that she has a very old aol.com account, which is not supported any longer.  Either that, or she gave me the wrong email address or I wrote it down wrong. 

They have my address, but they don't have GPS, so I hope they can find me. I think I won't start to cook the chops until they arrive, just in case.

To end on a better note; last night our son, his oldest daughter and her coworker and friend, came for dinner. We enjoyed seeing all of them and meeting her delightful friend, Chloe, who is originally from New Jersey, but now works in Pittsburgh, with my granddaughter, in a psychology lab at UPitt.  They came to Raleigh because their lab is participating in a research project, along with NCSU. It is great to have them here to visit!  

A side note:  I am surely cooking a lot more than usual!!  That doesn't do much for my thought of losing weight before my class reunion in August.....lol

A Very Special Performance

A neighbor asked me to attend a charity event with her, and I am so glad I went. The performance was given by a number of people; both children and adults who are disabled in some way. It is conceived and directed by a man who lives across the street from me, and I am pleased to know someone who gives of himself so unselfishly with a group that no doubt requires infinite patience.

The TOCS program (the link takes you to a former show) promotes inclusion and community spirit. It is committed to building performance skills, discipline, responsibility and positive values through the creative arts. 

The program reads "Although this show is an outcome, the bigger picture is of people of all abilities working together in a truly welcoming environment, gaining self-esteem and building socialization skills."

This program was modeled after "Annie", the Broadway play and included the cast singing along with pre-recorded music from the show. Movie screens on the sidelines showed slides and video of the cast in rehearsal, I think.  The secondary theme was bullying; identifying it and finding ways to stop it. 

My friend and I enjoyed the performance and look forward to the next!

A Very Special Day

Our grandson, the one who just returned from Ethiopia, was asked to visit to NYC to see about applying to graduate school (at a consortium of schools) in anthropology. The interview was to take place at the Museum of Natural History (one of our and his favorite places.)  

He went to NYC last week and met with the people and 7 other candidates from across the United States for the two openings in grad school. He learned where he would be taking classes and attending labs, and suffice it to say he was eager to learn and happy to be there. 

Among the questions they asked him was how he felt about the possibility of living in New York City. He replied that his grandfather was from there, his aunt had lived there and he had visited a number of times, so he felt comfortable with it. 

He returned to Raleigh on Saturday evening and told us all about it; excited and proud to be in the group of possible students.  We were all so proud of him and happy for him.

Sometime on Sunday he got a call from one of the professors, asking if he was the J_____C____ (person of the same name) who had been arrested in NC sometime recently. He told them that he had never even had a traffic ticket, let alone been arrested! That scared us all; not knowing if they would be able to determine that he was not a criminal in time for the selection process. 

But apparently they learned the truth, because he was selected to attend grad school there next fall. Can you say "PROUD GRANDMA?"  This kid carried a huge hard-backed book about prehistoric animals and dinosaurs around when he was 4-5-6, memorized the dinosaur's names and even slept with the book and hard plastic animals for a few years. He talked about them to anyone who would listen.  It seems inevitable that he went on to study bones and body morphology with such zeal. 

J_____, we could not be more proud of you or happy for you! We know you will go far in life and in your field. Good luck in the future!