Dust And So On

Bestirred myself to de-dust over the stove and nearby kitchen wall, then scrub the cabinet over the (defunct) microwave.  Must prepare for the installation of the new, although that won't be until next Sunday.
Judy called and asked me to come up with 35 questions for the silly quiz she always conducts at Dine Around.  Will do.  She told me that not only Leslie and Dennis (who are in the group) are going, but so are Frank and Barbara as guests.  I was going to call one of them and ask if Aline and I could sit with them, but before I had a chance, Leslie called and asked if we'd like to do just that.  Yes, indeed.
We then had a long, long talk--for more than an hour, in fact, ranging over our usual topics of pacifism, family matters, and the state of the world.
Vaguely intending to go to Target or somewhere in Manahawkin, I got in the car and started up Route 9.  However, I really didn't feel like shopping, the weather was rainy and gray, and I simply turned around after twenty minutes or so, and came home.  No harm done, as I took my tape recorder and practiced my lines as I drove, and it felt good to get out of the house.
After dinner, I was able to Skype the Tokyo Trio--it was early morning for them--on my new Tablet and see precious little K. just as he got up.

Color And Concert

Got my color on after lunch--at the hairdresser's, that is--and it looks pretty good, I guess.  Think I should have had it trimmed, too, though.
Went with Susan and Walter to the Christmas concert at St. Theresa's, and what a wonderful evening it was!  It had been postponed from last week because of the snowstorm, so it was a tad late for Christmas, but no matter.  We saw Desi beforehand and chatted with him in the vestibule for a bit, then entered the quite beautiful (I think, but some don't) church proper.
The program consisted of Christmas-themed songs, some classical, some traditional, some in Latin, but none, I'm happy to say, "patriotic."  I was thrilled to hear Kevin B. (my murderer in Night Must Fall) again; what a magnificent voice and what authority and stage presence he has!  The three Henry's--Jim, Mary, and daughter, Brittany--also performed, father and daughter first solo, then together, and Mary on the piano.  Interestingly, "Father Mick," the pastor, also sang.  He has a pleasant voice, but can't it compare to either Kevin or Jim.
It was a marvelous treat and what's more, members of the audience were invited to take home the dozens of huge, magnificent red poinsettias that were banked all over the room.  Red poinsettias are one of my favorite flowers and now I have a very large, lush one in my foyer.

This 'n' That

Writing late today because my alarm didn't go off--maybe I didn't set it--and I didn't wake up until 7:00.  Susan came to my door a few minutes later, but I told her to go on without me, as I wasn't even dressed.  Decided to go over and get my long-ignored blood test (routine), so I did.
Yesterday, I arrived at Parkertown Auto at the appointed time of 8 am.  I should have asked how long it would take or I should have been told, because I sat there for two and a half hours (they had to go get a part).  However, I didn't have anything pressing to do, so no prob and now my little darlin' has heat again.
Otherwise, just went to Acme and the bank.  Called and got an appointment at Scissor Sisters for today; I need color.  I'm going with Susan and Walter to the concert at the church tonight, as it was postponed from last week because of the weather.
Saw on Facebook that Betty W. had posted pictures of a Christmas party at Mary O.'s, which Muckie had attended.  I called the latter and we had a nice chat.
I must have done other things, too, but I can't for the life of me, think what they were.  I'm pining for spring and warm weather.

Fine Day

A fine day.  I picked up Aline a bit after 12:00 and suggested we go to Cuisine On The Green at the Atlantis Golf Club, to which she happily agreed.  We no sooner walked in, then we saw Frank D. and Desi. Chatted with them for a bit, then Aline greeted two friends of hers, Diane and Pat, whom I had met before. The four of us sat down together and ate.  
Diane has an 89-year-old father whom, she said, has always been a mean drunk. She has no siblings, so is his major caretaker.  Luckily, he lives a distance away in Jackson (with a live-in aide), but calls constantly--the day before, six times.
Pat is a former singer who once lived in Libya (husband, oil) and who is probably my age at least, but quite stylish (nobody has ever accused me of that).
We had a fine time together and stretched out lunch to about two hours.  Then I took Aline back to my place and she "heard" me do my lines for Hedda.  As noted yesterday,  I have my prompt lines recorded, but it's always better to have a live person feed them to you.
Showed her video and still pictures on Google of precious little K., over which she oohed and aahed.  She thinks he's adorable and I have no argument with that. Took her home about 5:00, then called Betty, who had told me earlier in the day that pipes had frozen in her house and flooded some of it--aagh!  She won't be home until next week, so hopes her guy, Dave, and his men will finish cleaning the place up by then.
At 6:00, went to the library to attend an e-Book tutorial conducted by one of my biblio-pals, librarian Arlene.  It was mildly informative, but I think I'll take advantage of the one-on-one session they offer.
Must take my car in at 8:00 and fervently hope the cost (or replacement) for the thermostat isn't too horrendous.
  

Cold

It was so cold Susan and I completed only about half our walk before being driven inside.  I did manage to go out later, to Acme and the post office.
Started setting up my method for memorizing lines: I record those of the person to whom I'm talking on-stage and leave a "blank" space for my response.  By going over and over this (and taking the tape recorder with me wherever I go), I can pretty much have it down pat by opening night.
It was my dear older grandson's thirty-second birthday.  Late as usual with the gift, I wished him a happy on Facebook and via e-mail, telling him his gift was coming, then sent it with a card.
Stirred-fried garlic, onions, and mushrooms in oil, added a pound of pasta, and will have that for several days.  I'll freeze some, too, and maybe add sauce, although I like it fine without the tomato base.
I usually send Christmas cards only to the children, and feel obscurely guilty when I receive them from family and friends.  Decided to send out New Year greetings, instead: composed a little verse, added "year of the horse" clip art, and busied myself with cutting, folding, addressing, and taking to the P.O.
I was pleased to receive a phone call from brother, Frank, and we had a nice chat. Called the library to register for an eBook session and will go this evening.  Aside from all that, it was another somewhat mundane, but okay day.
I long for spring.

Microwave And Cataracts

We walked in the pouring rain, but happily, it was very mild.  Dennis and Bill came early to pronounce my microwave dead; gave me a good price for install it, so I guess I'll let them do it.
Stopped at Parkertown Auto on my way to Manahawkin and got an appointment to take my little darlin' in on Thursday morning.  Poor thing, there's a thermostat problem.
Ran a lot of errands, including buying a new microwave at Home Depot. However, they had none in stock (another not-so-subtle hint about the economy, which I think a lot of people overlook) and it won't be delivered until next Tuesday. Poor, beleaguered me, I'll have to wash pans until then, I suppose.
Speaking of which: I bought chicken thighs (I like dark meat best--more flavorful, sez I) and immediately fired up the stove to roast them.  Diced onions and garlic and will stir-fry, then combine with pasta and sauce for dinner.
I spent some time getting to know my new Tablet and impulsively called my nephew, Dave, in Rome.  Was connected right away, but they keep the video part turned off to save the battery.  Had a quick little chat with them, though.
It seems my children are concerned about my cataracts: I've been pressured by two of them already and last evening, got a Skype call from K.'s Dad in Tokyo.  He requested--demanded?--that I make an appointment to have them removed.  Okay, okay.  He's even going to call me back tonight to make sure I did it.  A drag, but I'll do it.  At least I got a chance to see adorable little K. in all his four-month-old preciousness.

Largess

Yay!  Yesterday, I was the grateful recipient of some largess--labor--from two benefactors who blew in with the frigid temps to:
1.  Replace the battery in my bedroom smoke alarm (it had been chirping for a year or so);
2.  Hook me up to wi-fi and give me a tutorial on my new Tablet;
3.  Take the cover off the thermostat and replace that battery;
4.  Examine my television and ascertain it's actually still working and just needed the channel put back on 3;
5.  Replace my long-flickering kitchen light with the spiffy new one I bought the other day.
The only "fail" (people are sheep and I'm no exception) was the microwave, which was examined and found to be arcing.  I called Bill and Dennis and they'll come in today to look at it.  It's only about five years old, but it seems they often don't last longer than that nowadays.
Otherwise, I worked on a little Happy New Year card I'm going to send family and friends, as I didn't send Christmas cards; went over my lines for Hedda; enjoyed (to an extent) a Facebook exchange with Bruce B., who's been crowned The Negativity King of the World; and finally, topped off the good day with my Sunday Skype call from the west coast daughter.
Incidentally, when I told the latter about the microwave, she suggested I buy the old-fashioned stove-top kind.  I actually had some from years ago, and popped it up.  It made too much, two quarts, and I had to throw half away, but every kernel popped and it wasn't bad.  It's subtly different from the microwave kind-- somewhat coarser, I think, and naturally, I had to add salt--which goes to show how our tastes have been adulterated.  If my microwave is still down tonight, I'll pop 'em up again.
Thanks for the suggestion, El!