Right after breakfast, I dealt with the home insurance thing. Emailed Maureen, at the agency, to answer her question as to whether we ever had the roof, HVAC OR heater replaced; I'm pretty sure we never did. It seems the insurance agencies now raise the premium if a roof is more than 20 years old; mine is twenty-one, wouldn't you know. She will search out alternatives to the highway robbery being proposed, but it it doesn't work out, the hell with it, I'll just pay it.
After attending to some other business-type crapola, I packed lunch and left for the mall. On the way, I dropped off Vickie's card (yesterday was her birthday) and included an offer to take her to lunch. She texted her appreciation later, then called me and I asked her to suggest a day and place. We settled on this Sunday and she said there's a brunch at The Shoals, and suggested we go there. Coincidentally, that's where Lora, Julie, and Regina had taken me for my birthday in December after we visited Betty. I like the place a lot and here it is (what's not to like?):
Ate at my usual place in the middle of the mall, then picked up grapefruit, blueberries, peppers, tomatoes, and onions at Target. Home, I did about an hour of food prep: diced the onions and peppers, cut up the tomatoes, and added garlic and seasonings, oil and vinegar, for a batch of my roasted tomatoes. I also put the small potatoes I bought the other day in the small slow cooker. I had planned to have both those items for dinner, but forgot I had taken home some of the good pasta from lunch with Noreen. Had that instead and will hold over the other (with salmon) for tonight.
While I was working away on food prep, it occurred to me that my parents' descendants and their families include almost every variety of human there is. We have plenty of Asians (Japanese, Korean, and Chinese); certainly a lot of Latinas (from Mexico, Ecuador, and other parts of South America).Most family members are straight, but at least two are gay (my nephew and my granddaughter). Thanks to the new bride of my nephew, Wes, we have a Black family member, too; Heidi's son is from Ethiopia. Of course, there are lots of different countries of origin, also, Irish, German, and so on, but those are just political constructs. There are a remarkable number of different places where they live, too, in both Europe and Asia.
Lunch with Diane across from her place today; I offered her these decorative boxes: 
Unfortunately, the two larger ones won't fit in my cart, so she'll just get the smaller ones. She and I have a date for lunch on Monday, too--at the hospital after she goes to the dentist.
Called El last night and we had a nice chat. She seems to have gotten into cooking and made a chicken dish in the slow cooker. Sounded delish and, as I often do, she planned to have a portion for dinner and freeze the rest for another day.
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While I was working away on food prep, it occurred to me that my parents' descendants and their families include almost every variety of human there is. We have plenty of Asians (Japanese, Korean, and Chinese); certainly a lot of Latinas (from Mexico, Ecuador, and other parts of South America).At least two are gay (my nephew and my granddaughter) and thanks to the new bride of my nephew, Wes, we have a Black family member; Heidi's son is from Ethiopia. There are several other adoptees, notably my older brother's two children. Of course, there are lots of different countries of origin, also, Irish, German, and so on, but those are just political constructs. There are a remarkable number of different places where they live, too, in both Europe, Asia, and--I think--South America. If the world followed this pleasant path of inclusion, maybe we wouldn't be so avid to slaughter each other. Yay for diversity!
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