Had a great visit and lunch with Pat L. She arrived bearing a nice fruit salad (ate it later, as I had already prepared one for our meal) and we settled down to chat for a bit. I had mentioned vodka and bitter lemon as a terrific summertime drink, asked if she'd like one--"Why, yes"--and we both enjoyed it. Great in the hot, hot summer, which yesterday certainly was.
Besides the fruit, I served chicken salad made with the rest of the breasts I had cooked in the crock pot the other day, a green salad, whole wheat bread, and two relishes: my famous crystal pickles from the freezer and the onion/garlic combo I put together recently. Simple, but good. We talked and talked; Pat stayed until after 5:00 and we really got to know each other. I was sorry Betty couldn't have joined us, but hope she can next time.
George called to ask to postpone rehearsal until this evening, and Frank was okay with that. It actually worked out better for me; I had some of Pat's fruit salad for dinner, then jumped in the shower, and relaxed the rest of the day.
Betty called and we made plans for Sunday, Jay's birthday. Will meet her at the cemetery, then go to lunch.
Today, Barb H., her sister, Pat, and a friend, are going to the New Swedish Colony, another van tour by Ocean County. I'm driving this time to get the van at Wells Mills Park; will pick them up at 7:40. Should be fun--and hot.
WIDER: There is a truly horrifying organization called Mission: Readiness that is bent on preparing children for an Orwellian future:
"Mission: Maintaining the strength of our military and our nation will depend on new generations of young Americans who are willing and able to serve our country with courage, compassion, and sacrifice."
High-sounding words that translate into: "We're going to need more and more cannon fodder from the lower ranks of society, so must brainwash children into believing military servitude is a high calling."
Beyond belief. It isn't enough that children are indoctrinated from their earliest days to worship "our boys in uniform" (oh, I forgot, it's "our boys and girls in uniform"), now there has to be a conscious effort to mold them to serve the imperialist agenda. This is not, you understand, an effort to encourage future generations to be intelligent citizens. The danger is that then they might begin to probe and question their corporate masters. No, the aim is "maintaining the strength of our military" to ensure that our wars go on and on and on....
Wonders never cease in this brave new world.