MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day is a Day of Appreciation for our Service Men and Women of all times. Janet told me this morning that hundreds of flags are placed on the graves in their cemetary in honor of our soldiers, and that it is a very meaningful sight--unless it rains------We do honor and appreciate our service men and women, but we don't need to honor war. The sooner the world becomes civilized enough to solve diplomatic problems in more humane ways, the better off we'll be. But we in our retirement are not likely to live that long-----sad.

The sun is out, and we are to have a picnic in our dining room for lunch today, so go have as good day as you can------Marian

THE WEEKEND

Well, I didn't finish the silver; in fact I did nothing to talk about except----read a book all day, the first time since we've been here that I have given in to comfort and pleasure only. The book is THE ECHO MAKER by RICHARD POWERS==the one the Laibles sent. It's different, long, and interesting. We did watch a movie last night: one with Meryl Streep in it, but certainly, not one of her best.

I rather hope today will be the same-- a self-indulgent one. We started out well by finishing both crossword puzzles--the Gazette one, and the Sentinal one. Bob can usually finish at least one of them, but to get both done makes it a good beginning to the day. Our movie for tonite is one made from a Willa Cather book. Hope it is as good as I usually find her books to be.

This is Memorial Weekend: can we send good thoughts to our service men and women? and can we hope for better news from the oil spill?

Hope this is a good weekend for all of you-----enjoy! Marian

MYSTERY

We had a mystery yestersday. It started while Ken and Mary Jo were here, and to me sounded just like a big cat fight right outside the front door---not that we've ever seen any cats around here, and when we looked, we didn't see any this time. Well about 1/2 hour later: same sound. We looked, saw nothing, had a few theories, and went on with our weekly visit. The sound kept up all evening and just before we went to bed, there was a big one. "OH", said Robert, "that's my computer!" Sure enough it was. It makes very odd noises when the player gives right answers to its games, and that was what it was doing: just playing games by itself, and had been doing so all afternoon. Mystery solved!

We had our first Bacon/Tomato Sandwiches of the summer last night. Love 'em. And today, I plan to finish the last half of the silver------and so the story goes: have a good one. Marian

SILVER POLISH DAY

This is a day with no project scheduled, so in order to have something to say in the blog, I had to think of one. Shine silver!! And I got about half of it done before needing to stop. It looks so pretty that I think I will do it more often!

Talked to Ann on our regular Friday phone visit, and all is well with her. They are having guests for dinner tomorrow night, and she has ideas to try out in the studio. Happy girl. Asked about Joe's business and economy, she said that he isn't complaining, always a good sign that things are better.

Hope to get the interviews done, and if the powers that be get on the ball and get them printed for distribution soon, that project will be over.

Well, it's almost lunch time-----sun is shining---guess this would be a good day for you to do what you want to do----Marian

LOOKING AT 186 SELF PORTRAITS------

If you haven't seen yourself 186times in pictures, you have yet quite an experience before you. It reminds me of the old saying, "My face, I don't mind it, for I am behind it. It's the fellow in front who gets the jar". Bob confounded it by getting two copies of each at Walmart--that makes 400 and some self portraits of US. I guess Debbie caught the spirit of the nineties, and we'll have lots of ways to put them together with the blog.

Yesterday, I found a way to get it printed from the computer to paper--not very sophisticated result, but a start of quite a record of this part of our lives.

We also had another nice experience: went to dinner with Win and Bill and had good conversation, great food, and lived through a BIG thunder storm. But it did give us a much needed rain. The sun is out now---have a happy day---Marian

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SIX PICTURES!

I got all of that stuff done yesterday, and even the bread turned out well: loaves weren't the same size, but, oh, they are good! Oh no, I didn't finish the book---good, tho, as I have that to look forward
to this afternoon. Can also look forward to dinner tonight as we are invited out with two other couples to a place we haven't been before.

But the exciting thing yesterday is that we got to see the l86 (minus 2) pictures that Debbie took of us a week ago. She wanted to "capture our spirit" (which I think is the spirit of our nineties), and I think she did. Now I'd like to take the days of the blog off one at a time, and put a picture with each day, and save them with my other bios. Haven't figured that process out yet.

Debbie is a wonder-woman. The sun is out: enjoy it: that's an order! Marian

ANOTHER WORK DAY

This will have to be another work day--a catch up: notes to write, sheets to fold, bread to make, floor to sweep, interview to write up and still another for which I have to make an appointment. I have a book to finish, and will tell you about it when I finish it, if it still is as good as I think now.

I think one of the challenges about making Mother's bread is to get the batter into two EQUAL loaves for baking. In all the years I've made it, I still have to get two loaves the same size. Suppose it will be the same today. I missed the timing again, and it has to cook while we should be eating our noon meal at the central dining room, so Bob --nice Bob--is bringing my lunch to me.

Sometime soon I'm going to schedule a "no work day"==a day with absolutely NOTHING that I have to do. I can hardly wait--------take care of yourselves--Marian

OLD WEEK AND PLANS FOR NEW WEEK

Monday Morning, the morning of the easiest crossword puzzles, and the easiest of those is in the Hot Springs paper! I got all but two words in it, but did poorly on the D-G ones, probably because our company was moving around trying to get "on the road" for home. (Why should I admit that I just don't know the words---!)

We truly enjoyed the week with the Laibles and Herb, and I think they did too. Our next guests will be Marilyn and Joe from Nashville, but that's after our trip to Kansas.

I have two more interviews to do, and will do one this afternoon, and maybe the other tomorrow. Marsha, the boss, has been reading them, she said, so perhaps something will be done with them soon.

Only 91 degrees today---but not yet a swimming day--ha. Marian

NIGHTMARE

I had one of those screaming nightmares last night: first in years. Someone was pushing the door out while I was trying to get in, and NOBODY was supposed to be there! My finger was also being pinched in the door which HURT, HURT, HURT. But a close inspection this morning showed no cut, slice, bruise or other injury to any finger, so I guess it really was just a noisy dream.

Herb's son Jim is coming to get him today, and they will drive back to Lewisberg tomorrow. Laibles left this morning for Florida for a week before going North for the summer to avoid the heat. It has been a lovely, stimulating week.

I have some one coming to fix my e-mail tomorrow--it is an awfully isolated feeling being without it.----------Rest today----why not? Marian

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY JO

Herb treated us all to a fish dinner at the Wharf last night. There must have been a million people there, and the noise level was high. But there's a different kind of talk in a situation like that, and the thing I like about it is that because it's hard to hear, everything is funny or clever. It was a good evening.

However, the Friday Night Political programs capped off by Bill Moyers are just not the same since he retired. Too bad. It's not always easy to find people with whom we agree on TV programs. Both Bob and I were amused to see that Ron Paul, the son, is a Tea Party-er, and his Father just couldn't be more different.

It's Mary Jo's birthday today, and Herb will be over soon for the rest of his visit. His son, Jim, will get here tomorrow to take him home to Tenn. And Laibles go back to Florida Sunday too, so all will soon get back to normal. "Normal" if you count not being able to get your e-mail up! That's my predicament now, but the "fixers" come Monday. Hail to a working Computer!

Please---make your day a joyous one! Marian

A SPECIAL TIME WITH FRIENDS

Bob fixed one of his specially good and beautiful breakfasts for our guests this morning, and we were able to serve all 5 of us around our small table. In fact, I think we could do six people for a breakfast-----maybe that's what one might call "all the comforts of home". Anyway, we are enjoying the old friends.

It's interesting to me that old friends like we are should all have similar ideas--not much room for arguing. Jon was for Obama before we were, but we all are solidly behind him now. We want him to succeed. But this morning our conversations were more about where we've been together in our travels, and not about politics. Herb, Sue and I have been to Abita ten times, and traded for 10 other time shares through the years.--twenty trips together!!!!! It's been a good life, with good friends.

Yesterday, I talked to Walt, Ann, Janet, Mary and Peter----a good phone day!!! Hope you have a special type of good day today, whatever that might be-----Marian

THE VISITORS, THE CHAIR, AND THE RABBIT

Yesterday turned out to be a great day. We had a beautiful time out on the deck with our guests visiting and catching up on things that have happened since we last saw one another. We expect another great day today, but different as it is raining. But back to yesterday: the chair came---it really looks nice, and came much before the 6 weeks we expected to wait for it. Now if I can get the green tablecloth changed for the tan/brown one, we'll be color coded again.

But the chair wasn't all. The Hairdresser had a baby rabbit that he had caught coming into work. He put it on a pillow under a hair drying hood, and spent the time we were in his shop trying to get one or any of the residents to take it and bring it up as a pet. Much back and forth "big talk" over all of this which both Jo Ann and I enjoyed. Finally, the hairdresser decided that the baby rabbit come from under our deck as several people in the shop remembered seeing an adult rabbit come out from under there too. (Our deck can be seen from the shop window.) Well, anyway, he brought the baby back to our house, and put it under our bush hoping it would find its family. See? It was a great day.

May you all have the best of the best today---Marian

A MIXED UP DAY

This is a BAD DAY---having a bad day, and breathing hard. Company due in 15 minutes, and we go to lunch. Couldn't brake hair dates as we broke last ones, so company will entertain themselves until we get home. Hope this isn't indicative of how entertaining in our nineties is always going to be.---

Nobody will know how great our yesterday was thanks to Debby. She has some beautiful photography equipment, and used it to take pictures of us in every kind of pose she could think of. We had lots of visiting, and she made us talk about ourselves a lot---something one seldom if ever, feels free to do: not the best of manners. We loved it. I've already told her that things from now on will be measured by "before and after our day with Debby"

Keep your fingers crossed that we all have some fun today in spite of how we feel. I didn't mention that these are "talking" friends, so there will, of course, be SOME fun. Hope you have some too. Marian

THE SAGA OF THE PILLOWS

I am going to write about getting the right pillows for the living room sofa bed. Bob and I took our time yesterday for a little shopping trip to get just the right pillows before our next guests arrive. But Walmart didn't have an empty go-cart for me to ride, so I waited for Bob to check out what they had. Shortly, he came back and reported that there were no appropriate pillows. So we went to Penny's. We parked in back thinking there would be a shorter walk from that door to the pillow department, but we got no further than the return desk. Well, the little girl asked if she could help us in our exhausted state, and we told her that she surely could be doing our shopping. "WHY OF COURSE," she said, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?" And that lovely young thing went around to the pillow department and brought back three pillows just like we wanted. BUT not being able to remember the color we were trying to match, we sent her back for some darker blue ones. She found them, we bought them, and brought them home. But no, the first one she had brought would have been better. We slept on it, and then " bless-his-heart-Bob" took them back this morning and got the first ones. They are perfect! Oh, and I forgot to say that some nice lady carried the pillow packages out to the car for me. Moral of the story: "shopping in your nineties just ain't so hot, but there are nice people in the world one might not know otherwise. " Fun? What's "fun"? Marian

EXERCISE

I didn't do any exercise for maybe a month before we moved, and not until last week did I start again. My STRETCH AND FLEX has kept me agile for years, thanks to Sheri , but the tape wouldn't work in our TV. But Jim and Bob fixed it for me, and now I'm back in the routine. I don't know how long it will take me to catch up, but I'm working at it. It takes a long time in the nineties to get into shape, as if you hadn't guessed!

I used to love to walk, and in our country location, I got in several miles every day. I use to go down in what they called the "take area", the low place left from taking dirt for the DeGray Dam, and walk almost to the lower pool. It also was a good place to walk the dogs and for them to visit on their "days off"--oh yes they do have days of exploring when there are two of them and when they have a lovely place to go in the lower lake area as our dogs had.

I not only miss our big dogs, but I miss the environs of the lake, and I miss exercising outdoors.
Well, enough complaining: have an entirely good week---Marian

SUNDAY THOUGHTS

I stopped work on the Sunday Crossword to wish you all a good day. For me Sunday is such an end to one set of activities, and the beginning of the new that it is really a needed and special day.

I'm a salt freak: have eaten it on everything, from bananas to pumpkin pie, all of my life. But now I've been told that it is very necessary for me to go without it. Although very difficult, I have cut it out on everything except my morning egg----and that I just can't do yet.

And here's a thought about salt. Do you realize that at some point in our history, it was decided that everyone needed a certain amount of iodine in their diet? Powers that be, whoever they were, decided that it could be combined with salt , and that would take care of it. What a important step that was----would our present Congress have been able to do that?

Well, that's my thought for the day. The sun appears to be out, and that should help you have a great day-----Marian

REPORT FOR FRIDAY

We had a good day yesterday. Bob and I each are alumni of several different colleges, but we don't attend any of their meetings: we go to the Alumni Assoc. monthly meeting of Henderson State University---now figure that out! Yesterday, it was held in the beautiful Country Club, and we had a fine time. I usually select the wrong food if given a choice, and yesterday was no exception. Ken came to visit as Mary Jo was ill--she and I both missed the PEO State Convention.

There's nothing on the docket today, but we'd better prepare for next week----lots of activity, house guests and picture taking planned, but now that I'm doing my stretch and flex exercises again, it all should be "duck soup".

No real news, but wish you all plenty of fun time---Marian

MOTHER'S' BREAD RECIPE

Ooops--hit the wrong key--(but that's the story of my computer life--) any way, here's the recipe for Mother's Bread:
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 C Crisco (scant)
1/2 C warm water on a pkg of powered yeast--add to above
1 egg, whipped--add
Warm 1 1/2 Cup Milk and pour over above mixture. Mix
Add 6 cups of sifted flour--mix and let rise for 1 1/2 hours

Shape into two greased bread pans, and let rise another 1 1/2 hours
Bake in 350* oven for 30 minutes Cover top with butter when you take it from the oven.

If you want to use graham flour, use 2 cups of it, and 4 Cups of white flour
Or add some cheese and/ or raisins along with the flour for two other variations

Let me know if you make it, and how it turned out----than rest----Marian

I did mean to give the recipe when I told the bread story, but forgot it. So here it is;

THE BREAD STORY

The bread story: My Mother had alzheimer's for the last ten years of her life, and lost sight of who she was, where she was, and what she'd been. And that was a very busy lady, Mother of three children, and a great bread maker. We all inherited her receipe, and I think each of us keeps our family supplied with plenty of Mother's bread. Well, once when Ann was visiting with her, she complained about never having contributed anything to the world. Ann immediately contradicted her and said, "Oh but Grandmother, you always made LOTS of bread!" "Oh," answered Mother immediately, "I never made a loaf of bread in my life!!!!"

So now every so often Ann calls me on the phone and asks me, "Have you made bread lately?" Well, I wonder what she's trying to assess? HMMMMMM And I think of this story every time I make bread!

Are you ready to take it easy today, and have some fun? Hope so. Marian

FOLLOW -UP TO ARKADELPHIA TRIP

Not being in Arkadelphia, we missed the fact that Tim's Mother died. Too bad, and we hope the good memories he has had through the years begin to surface, and help him recover.

But we also heard that Andrew graduated from OBU with a fine record, and it wasn't his Dad who told us. He's a real "people person", everyone knows him and likes him. Have a good life, even better than your great start---

I got a copy of my STRETCH AND FLEX tape and followed it for the first time in months---which certainly was immediately discernable. I'm already sore, but by noon should feel really good. Maybe doing it every morning will help me have more energy. I hope; I need it.

I made bread Monday, and I know a good story about that I didn't have a chance to tell it. Look forward to it tomorrow, but have a great day today----Marian

AND OFF TO ARKADELPHIA WE GO---

We're going to Arkadelphia today for our usual visits with the Doctor, and a hair appointment. Will have lunch with Mary Ella, and Bob wants to shop for summer shirts. We also hope to go visit our old home and see what all the new owners are doing to it------I'll report on all of this later.

It's rather dark here, so suppose it will rain. I'm wearing all white, so suppose I'll stand out like the proverbial sore thumb--------hope you get to stay in today and do your favorite thing. Marian

ROMANCE

Don't tell me there's no romnce in a ninety year old's life-----in the line for dinner yesterday, the lady in front of me leaned close and lowered her voice, and said, "May I ask you a personal question?" All ears, I told her "of course". This is what she asked: "Is that man back of you your husband or your live-in?" For heaven's sake---"what would make you wonder?" I asked. "Well"she said,"the ladies at our table saw him hug you once==so we just wondered!"

Well, I guess I laughed the rest of the day----have fun today, even if it is wash day. Marian

MOTHER'S DAY

It's Mother's Day--often maudlin, but more often a time to contemplate the importance of Mothers. The day bothered my Mother, and we would walk home from Church after Sunday School as she didn't want to hear a sermon on the meaning of the day. Her Mother died when my Mother was just 14 years old, and perhaps she knew that she was missing something. But perhaps again, she might have thought everything was just too sentimental.

I know that having Walter and Ann has been the most important venture of my life. Being with them as they grew to maturity was the most important thing that ever happened to me. They are fine people, and do contribute to the world in their own ways and both make it a better place to be. Now having said that, I must say that they'd better not read this---they'll think that I'm the one being sentimental.

Well, tomorrow is another day, and there will be another 374 days until the next Mother's Day----Enjoy your memories today, Marian

SATURDAY'S AGENDA

It's Saturday, a traditional "pick-up" day for me so that things will look nice for Sunday. Today's no different in that I have all the things from the Craft Show to put away. Also want to make the sugar-free lemon pie that is a pretty good substitute for the one Mother used to make. That takes care of the morning, and leaves this afternoon for a visit from Ken and Mary Jo, and for finishing THE BOOK OF RUTH, a novel loaned to me to read. Not a bad day---

The terrible flood in Nashville is getting more attention in the papers this morning. It seems as if the disasters that happen because of bad weather are so very much worse than they once were. This was noted to be over a 500 year storm possibility, and the damage apparently is unbelievable.
My friend is not in the water, but some of her relatives are very close to it.

I plan to be happy today--better think of happier things, and start now. Breakfast is ready: a good beginning. Make it a great day today-----Marian

CRAFT SHOW:" BEEN THERE, DONE THAT" NOW

Bad news about the craft show: not many buyers, and not many who needed what I had: notes, and a few prints. BUT I did giet to explain and illustrate what etchings are, and visited with some really nice people, so it certainly wasn't a total loss.

Now, what's the next project? Probably should get out the finished quilt blocks and put them together. Also have a couple of dry-point ideas to try, but now, also, I can read some of the books we've accumulated around here.

There's still some of this day left, so enjoy it------Marian

EXPECT A LATER REPORT

I will give the report on the craft show later today. It's beautiful out, but the crossword puzzles were too hard for me to work this morning, always a disappointment. Enjoy your world--Marian

COMPUTER PROBLEMS AGAIN

Now my printer is printing multiple copies of things I no longer want. It's a good thing that by the time one has reached the nineties, one has learned to control (somewhat) emotions when things go wrong, and in the past I gave computers credit for that. But here it is testing me out again. Yuk.

We have a day's work before us getting ready for the craft show tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that we do well. Retirement? Means not working? Lots of relaxation? Not sure---

Enjoy your world today----Marian

HOW AWFUL NOT TO BE ABLE TO WRITE ON THE BLOG!

TROUBLE, TROUBLE---GOT THROWN (?) OFF MY BLOG YESTERDAY, AND BOTH DAUGHTER ANN, AND NIECE KARYN HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD--HARD--HARD TO GET ME BACK ON. I WAS REALLY DISCOURAGED, AS I WAS FINDING THAT I REALLY LIKED WRITING IT. WHETHER OR NOT ANYONE IS READING IT, (except just 3 who email me) I DON'T KNOW. ANYWAY, NOW I'M BACK ON AND HELLO TO EACH AND EVERYONE.

Today I finished up the work (a couple of LITTLE details) on the interviews with the residents who answered the questionnaire. Gave it to the office, and don't know what is next. Will keep you posted.

Also am getting ready for the Craft Show to be held for residents here in the building. It will be Friday----if I sell anything, I'll use it to pay for computer help or/and storage place rental for all of my art work. When it's over, I'm going to curl up, fix my pillow and READ, READ and READ!

Hope you had fun yesterday while we were in Arkadelphia--I got to drive over, so I HAD FUN! " Life in our nineties" is more good than bad, I guess, and more fun than not. Marian

COMPUTER TROUBLE

Today it's Computer Trouble. The printer kept printing the same thing over and over. I called the computer man, but because he was going on a vacation , he was too rushed to come fix it. BUT the nice man said that he would "walk me through it" and try to get it fixed that way. AND IT WORKED! Now that's a good case of "man's HUMANITY to man!", (or woman) and I am truly grateful.

I'm grateful because today I want to start to copy the write-ups of the residents and put them in some kind of final form. It has been a very worthwhile project, but it's time to move on. With a new ink cartridge Bob put in, plenty of paper and time (!) I'll see what I can get done in the next few hours. Progress report tomorrow.

Have fun, or read a book, or call a friend, or watch a movie---just have a good one! Marian

JUST ANOTHER DAY'S REPORT---

The Papers must have gone to print too early to report on the storms Friday night, because we had very bad ones throughout the State both nights. Bob and I found it fascinating to watch the TV as it showed their rapid movements through the State. .

We did go to the photography show over in Arkadelphia, and how glad we were that we did. It was the first ever, and very successful. There were 120 entries, and over 300 photos, colorful and professional. My dog picture didn't win, which was not a surprise, but it made me feel good that it was entered.

Win and I are going to get together this afternoon to see what comes next on our project of telling and writing about the interesting people here in C.C. Village. It has been a good project, and we got to know people who have done exciting things. I will, however, be glad when it's over as it put us under too much pressure. And "pressure" is what we thought we retired to get away from!!!! I'M TIRED OF PRESSURE, so hope we make progress toward the end this afternoon. Hope you all enjoy yourselves today. Marian

Today's Agenda

No storms here last night in spite of continuous warnings. Lucky. They are predicted again for today, but we are hoping to go back to Arkadelphia to view the results of a photography contest, a first time attempt to recognize excellence in photography in our area. I'm told that there were over 300 entries,--most impressive for a first.

I entered my precious picture of Alex feeding her ten baby pups, with their Father, Nick, looking on as if he were checking up on things. It was just a lucky snap, and not an artistic endeavor, but I entered it anyway So, that's the activity for the day.

Hope you all have a great day----Marian