This week in review

1. Last Saturday we attended, well sort of, the Family Picnic at the Baldwin Care Center. It started pouring just as we (Dan, Abe & I) were leaving the house and we knew we'd have to wait in the food line outside, so we just stayed put until the rain stopped. When we arrived, we found Don and Doreen (Dan's brother and sister-in-law) sitting with Ruth, looking at photos from a recent BWCA trip. We enjoyed our visit with them and Ruth and Brian who stopped by later and with Dean and LouAnn (Dan's other brother and sister-in-law) who arrived even later from Clear Lake, Iowa. Dean told about battling the recent floods at Metalcraft, in Mason City, where he holds down a day job. See story titled 'Businesses are struggling to recover, too'.
In the afternoon, Mose and I caught the last bit of an 50th anniversary open house for some friends from church, Lloyd and JoAnn Doornink. By then the weather was just lovely - bright and summery but cool.

2. Sunday must have been a quiet day...I don't remember it much, though I'm sure it included a nap (for me) and a long bike ride (for Dan).

3. Monday was a typical work day...rode the van too and fro then walked to Sentimental Journey practice at the Senior Center. Only four ladies were able to be there - 3 singers and the pianist.
4. Tuesday, I started my week on call and had a pretty bad first evening. Went to bed in a very bad mood.
5. Wednesday at work was about the same as Monday. The boys returned home in the morning so I had their company in the evening.
6. Thursday was a good day. I drove in on my own and left early for lunch with Chris at India Palace, followed with shopping at Borders, under duress as usual :) After lunch I picked up a citrus juicer at Bed, Bath and Beyond then headed to Hudson for a haircut. I decided a couple months ago that my hair needed more styling than I was getting at the barbershop (very nice cuts but my graying hair needs something more than just scissors). I stumbled upon a very nice salon, called, most unfortunately, El Shaddai House and had my first appointment there on my 50th birthday. Am just as pleased with my second cut.
7. Dan had the day off on the 4th so we slept in a bit and then did yard work. The boys went to a shooting match near Eau Claire. Dan and I cleaned up and went to Hudson to get more Zip Edge and materials for a compost bin (our freezer is overflowing with the kitchen scraps I've been hoarding). I made steak for supper but it wasn't that good. Mose was supposed to work until 11 but got off early because business was slow. Lots of neighbors were shooting fireworks, but Baldwin didn't have a sanctioned display, so the boys (mainly Abe) and I watched a movie instead: Honeydripper. Abe liked it a lot. I thought it was too predictable and too low key...everyone seemed to be sleepwalking except for the young woman who played China Doll.
8. Dan and I worked in the yard all day yesterday, planting shrubs and zip stripping and weeding and watering. It was a lovely sunny day, quite windy. Mose worked 8 hours - his longest shift yet - but it went fast because his 5 (present and former) school buddies were working too. I made a pretty good supper including potato salad' always a hit with Dan. After supper, Abe and I toured the yard and walked out in the country. When we returned, we enjoyed shortcake, topped with the berries Carol dropped off yesterday, while watching my favorite Andy Griffith episode of all time "Barney's First Car". It was Lorraine's birthday and though I thought of her often, the fact that it was her birthday didn't register until this morning.
9. My first thought on waking up was: Oh my, I forgot to call Lorraine yesterday! Sigh. There wasn't much I could do about my oversight at that point and it sounds like she had a great day, anyway.
Usually I walk with Trudy on Sunday morning, but she is out of town, so I had time to give a little TLC to the Wahoo plant, suffering from a Four Lined Plant Bug infestation. I sprayed it with Safer's soap, which I have great faith in.
It was a really nice morning so the boys and I walked to church. Since then it has turned sticky and hot. We've got the A/C on for the first time this year.