Monday 3/18/24 Day After St. Patricks!

Monday: We texted Kilee, wished her a Happy Birthday - #20!
Boy, was it tough getting out of bed this morning I didn’t get out until a little after 7 AM. Ford got up a little earlier, but we both really enjoyed having a good nights sleep. I did work for a little bit and put together the Irish beef stew in the crockpot that we’re having for dinner tonight. I had bought the stew meat at fresh market yesterday plus the potatoes, carrots and celery. 

After getting that started, I took Ford to his Parkinson exercises and then got a Starbucks coffee as a treat, while I was listening in on my APTIM work 10 AM meeting.  

After Ford got out of his exercises, we went to Leisa Ashline home and picked up two cherry tomato seedlings which she had advertised for free on Facebook. We love cherry tomatoes and have one plant that is still producing from last summer. We thought we would try her brand of cherry tomato or strain of the tomato and also will try to  propagate more of our cherry tomato plant. 

We decided to go to lunch back at Hawkers where we had just taken Alyzabeth a week ago. I wanted to try something different, so I had the Hong Kong dumplings soup which was delicious with noodles. I also ordered the satay chicken skewers which I forgot had peanuts and peanut butter on it which is not my favorite.  Ford got his pad Thai, which was not as spicy as he liked so we asked for a hot sauce and got a chili sauce. It was a delicious lunch. 

We drove home and then I took the truck over to Larry’s house to clean up the kitchen in preparation for Easter Sunday when Leaa and Jesse come over there.  I did get the kitchen cleaned up and also put some free cycle items in the yard and a lady did come get about half of it. I also gave her some glasses from the kitchen. 

After closing up Larry’s house I gassed up the truck and went home, took a shower and we enjoyed our Irish beef stew, which I actually put too much fresh rosemary in it.  We ate the last of Cliffreda’s cakes her cream cheese pound cake, and her Kahlúa chocolate cake with strawberries, delicious again. We watched a Maine Cabin Masters show and then at 8 PM, watched The Voice, first episode of the battle rounds. 
We heard from Alyzabeth as she went to the Vatican in the morning, and a walking to a room and some other places I’ll have to look up. They had real pizza and salad for dinner, we are looking forward to having her home Wednesday night!

Tuesday began a little better. We woke up too early (4:40 a.m.), made coffee, and I worked for a bit. We got ready to go to Ford‘s doctors appointment (Dr. Dolven). It was a check up just to continue progress on monitoring his back pain, his Parkinson, his dermatologist, his prescriptions, etc. All went well and only an annual blood panel workout was ordered. Ford then had physical therapy at 11:00 but we got out so early from the doctors, went to Urban Bean for coffee and a breakfast pastry. He had the apple pie crumble and I had an apple turnover, all was very good. We learned that their menu has expanded to include lunch items with lots of burgers, sandwiches, and salads. I think we will try them sometime for lunch.  We went to his physical therapy where I walked just a few steps as it was cold outside and then chatted with Mom on the phone. We went to Walmart to get prescription and a few other items. We also stopped at the bank to pick up some cash and then went to the Time Out Deli for lunch. Back home to see Donna for a few minutes, then drove to Larry’s for me to put out the trash and a few items. We went to Publix, picked up a few items for our River House Happy Hour like cheese, olives, cashews and I already had pickles. I changed clothes and Ford was chatting with Leaa on the phone; then we went to the River House. Always nice, cool weather today. We sat inside with no heat on, didn’t want to ask Kelly to turn it on so Hugh carries a portable heater in his car and warmed us up that way. Karrie joined us and we chatted about all sorts of things between Europe, her education, her pink flowering tree at Azalea, etc. Ford and I came home and warmed up my Irish beef stew that I cooked on Monday. We watched a rerun of Finding Your Roots, and then the new "The Voice" episode.  Can’t wait for Alyzabeth to arrive home late Wednesday night. I know she’s ready to get in her own bed and hug Ginger. 

Wednesday: Ford made spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker, I worked. I drove to Larry's to make sure the trash was picked up, then I went to the Bank of America where Larry had a safe deposit box; that branch was closed - so back to the Fleming Island branch. I was there for over an hour, taking care of getting proof he no longer had a safe deposit box, completing the 401K paperwork, had my password reset, was told to contact New Orleans bank directly about the old money orders from Ree, and saw where the fee I thought they took out was actually part of ordering the checks, all explained. Ford picked up a few items at Publix (and strained his back), we ate leftover Irish beef stew for lunch. We tried to nap for an hour, then went to Whitey's for dinner. 

I finally took the time to clean out our MB bathroom closet, it was over crowded with winter linens that I hardly use so moved to our closet on the top shelf.

After:

I drove to the airport, walked about 1000 steps waiting for her to deplane. The kids were all tired, ready to get home. 

Put a "Little Jesus" at Whitey's and at the airport (our church asked us to put these in the community) - everyone needs a little Jesus.

Happy to have her HOME!

She ate the macaroni and cheese (a side from our dinner at Whitey's) and grapes. We chatted, spoke of food and places, arrived home and she got organized for school the next morning (actually, since it was after midnight, it was already Thursday!). We did sleep and morning came way too soon!

Thursday: We got Alyzabeth off to school on time, then we napped for about an hour, jumping up to shower and get Ford to his Parkinson exercises. I worked and walked Ginger. 

We stopped at Tijuana for a bowl and chips to share. AA came home from school, doing pretty well, had some of our chips and salsa. Has many quizzes and a Spanish speech to work on/make up. Went to Publix for our dinner food - blackened salmon with sautéed asparagus, onions, summer squash and zucchini.

Friday: One more week of work and then I am retired!

Ford didn't sleep again so went back to bed, and skipped his PT. I worked, then went to Larry's - rainy day! Alyzabeth came home and took a nap! We had homemade spaghetti/meatballs for dinner with a iceberg lettuce wedge salad (cherry tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese).

Saturday: Alyzabeth did homework most of day, stopping to watch a movie while Ford and I did errands and enjoyed lunch at Moon River Pizza (salad is always delicious, best)! 

I made antipasto skewers for RH happy hour (cooked tortellini, added marinated artichokes, olives, pepperoni, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, the roasted red bell peppers from a jar did not hold up), We enjoyed the nice weather, even though it had just down poured, Karrie stopped in to chat with us. Kathy's brother had a stint put in for an aneurysm, but encountered low blood pressure, but all seems well now. 

Sunday: We all slept pretty good Sunday morning. I got up around 6:30, drank my usual coffee; put corned-beef, carrots, potatoes and cabbage in the slow cooker. I had already cut the carrots night before, washed the potatoes and got the crockpot going by 8 AM. Alyzabeth was up and we found the new New York Times word puzzle, called Strands and worked on that which was very interesting and a bit hard, but gives you plenty of hints as you work it. Palm Sunday: I went to church, got there by 9 AM to help out before the service, plus served communion, and the church hosted a potluck picnic and egg hunt for the kids at noon. 

Ginger's leash had frayed (about six years old/used) so Alyzabeth and I went to Petco and bought a new retractable leash for Ginger. 

We were hungry, picked up two bowls at Tijuana Flats, pretty heavy lunch, knowing we had corn beef and cabbage for dinner.  I called Carolyn just to say hi see how she’s doing, found out her latest news that Alex has taken a six-month contract position in Virginia (job was cancelled so he came back) plus Kayla and Mike are moving in (arrived April 6th) with Carolyn in 2 to 3 weeks. I invited her over for corned beef dinner, but she declined as Sunday, on her one-day weekend is mainly catching up with her chores and cooking for the week.  After lunch and walking Ginger, I baked two batches of blueberry muffins, from the Bakewell cookbook, one with vegetable oil and the other with melted Crisco. I think we both liked the ones with the melted Crisco better. 

I laid down, took a retiree nap for about an hour; then wrote out some Easter cards, while watching PBS Sanditon reruns. We ate our corned beef and cabbage at 6:15 as Alyzabeth had her usual time with Laurie, her tutor at 7 PM. Finished up the evening chores of dishes and another walk with Ginger, got ready for bedtime and watched the new American Idol (with an adoptee from Cumberland, Maine - last contestant and earned a Platinum ticket).

AA talked about her Greece/Italy trip - We listened but caught bits and pieces. She will have to writer her own account of the trip which starts with siting by Clyde on airplane. Ricado Guide, Italian. Athens guide, named Apollo. Parthenon, Delphi- Greece. Tour guide lady interesting, engaging, answered questions. Ruins. Bari.

St. Nicholas, bones statues, Russian Orthodox Church, Patron saint. Pasta ladies. Italy Mount Vesuvius - Pompeii 79 AD. Abbey St Benedict. Sinister chapel not as big as imagined. Vatican.

St. Peter’s Basilica’s. Jacob, Joseph, Clyde, Caroline (knows David, dates Clyde older brother). Sadie, sophomore. Colosseum in Italy.

I hope she does journal her trip as these snippets of our conversation are hardly the whole story! On to Monday morning!