Crop Walk And Dine Around

Brr, I'm cold.  Felt chilly yesterday morning, went to turn the heat up, and discovered the furnace isn't working.  Must go down the street and ask Dennis to look at it; he's not only a neighbor and husband of my good friend, Leslie, but a contractor.*
Re Leslie: She and I participated in the Crop Walk organized by several area churches.  I was a bit concerned about being ready for Dine Around, as Jay and Marilyn were picking me up at 4:30, but I was in plenty of time.  We walked only about two miles, but each kicked in twenty bucks to "sponsor" each other.
Home about 3:30, I changed into my impromptu costume.  Judy had instructed all women to dress as witches--just how cliché-ridden can you get?--so, of course, I wouldn't dream of dressing as a witch.  I dressed all in black, wore a gorilla mask bought for a buck at a yard sale, and incredibly, won the "funniest costume" prize, a cute little wooden wall hanging I need like a hole in the head.
As usual, Judy and Roman went 'way over the top decorating the room.  It was festooned with orange and black streamers, light-up pumpkins, plastic spiders, black cats, small "hangings," such as "come in and have a bite," Halloween centerpieces, and all manner of other junk decorations that must have cost a fortune.  The fact that the place was prepared for roughly 35 people and only half that number showed up, points up the pathos of Judy's frantic need to be--well, what?  A leader?  Admired, respected, and emulated?  The most popular girl in the class?  I believe I'm one of the few people who know something of her sad background, and I find her both difficult to actually like and deeply pathetic.
The evening was okay, but a little boring.  I seem to already be moving my interest  from Jersey and casting a curious inner eye on New Mexico.  I did enjoy getting to know Harry and Pat V., who rode with us, and I like Marilyn and Jay P., who drove, but not intensely, only mildly.  (Aha! That looks as it refers to Jay's driving, whereas....)  
Got home to find an unwelcome message from Julie S. and called her back to discuss. She's a teacher and accepted a tutoring job for a handicapped girl, which has to be on Tuesday nights--damn!  I know the girls' situation is more important than any show and that Julie desperately needs the money, but it's a problem.  Now I have to not only definitely get somebody to take her role in Hell On Wheels, but almost surely, fill Tara M.'s role, too.  There is Lucille P., of course, but she doesn't get sitters for her six-year-old and I'm not agreeable to having the kid around at rehearsals, let alone the actual show.  It might work out, though; must think on it.
I plan to make this a veggie day and will prepare and cook the many harvested goodies I was given by my friend on Saturday.     
* I wonder if I wasn't born with an "overlook the obvious" gene.  The little screen on the thermostat read--I thought--"ba-lower case r--lo," just gibberish.  However, it finally dawned on me the lower case r is actually a small t and the message was "batteries low."  Got Dennis, he came down and replaced them in two seconds, and all is well.  Next time, I can probably even do it myself.