Tame Tuesday

I spent most of the morning on food prep: Scrubbed and cut two pounds of carrots, quartered five "cuties" (baby tangerines), added a dash of cinnamon, and slow-cooked it over several hours. I had a bag of small sweet peppers in red, orange, and yellow; trimmed, de-seeded, and sliced them. Three big onions got chopped and six others julienned. I froze some--I always like to have a supply ready--then stir-fried the others with a ground turkey. Reserved some for dinner last night and the rest is waiting for another day in the freezer.

After the above, I called Blue Shield, as I want to get an eye exam and have mislaid (or thrown away) my benefits books. Got it--it's easier on line, anyway--called eye docs Miramar, that outfit from hell, which I've complained about here before.. Couldn't get an appointment until March 22. Oh, well, I guess.

Walked to the post office for stamps and to mail the rest of the Valentine cards. It then occurred to me it was a little early, so I'll send later. (Although what in the hell difference it will make to my grandson, his two boys, and his girlfriend, is beyond me, but yes, I'm the compulsive type.) Stopped at CVS on the way back for veggie straws to take for a snack at the movie today. Checked Von's to see if the Hormel things, for which I have a rain check, had come in. No.

Home and I just putzed around. Got this charming card from my nephew, Tim, in Vermont:

As in common in my extended family, Tim was an "older Dad," 51 when his first and only was born. (Little Declan, 4, shares a birthday with his mother, Erin, being born on her fortieth.) Tim, however, is not the oldest first Dad in the fam; to my knowledge, my son, Patrick is. He was 54 when his Koushin was born. Coincidently, just yesterday, I dug out some of my silver serving pieces. Among them was a little bowl Pat won when we attended his tenth Holy Spirit reunion in 1961. It's badly tarnished and the photo isn't good, but here it is:

The inscription reads "H.S.H.S./CLASS OF '51/10th Reunion/Newest Parent." So essentially, Pat and Patrick both won the Dadhood stakes, but on opposite tracks, so to speak. 

Suzanne texted to ask if I wanted to go to WinCo at 9:30 today and I do. I'm having lunch at Urbane with Diane, but not until 2:00, as we're going to the movie, The Whale, at 4:30.