Jack B. stopped in yesterday morning, a nice surprise. I left Pat and him talking and exited about 10:30 to go various places. Finally got my new glasses ordered; I'm getting new frames for the first time in 15 years. Also got a lot of other errands done. Stopped at the godforsaken Atlantic City Airport, as I assumed they have a currency exchange (after all, they bill themselves as "international"), but oh, no-o-o, they don't have any sucha thing. Well, the hell with them. Guess I'm stuck with pounds sterling for awhile.
I actually had lunch out--at the Hamilton Mall--letting Pat get his own, which he did all right. When I got home, he had gone to the bay. He also stopped at the tackle shop and used one of his gift certificates to get a new fishing box. When he got home, we went looking for the huge concrete blocks--they're as big as houses--that still exist in Tuckerton right in residential neighborhoods. They were used to hold the guy wires for a gigantic radio antenna, which is why one of the main streets around here is called "Radio Road." We found three of them, and I took pictures to send Ellen. One is plunk in the middle of a street, which goes around it. I'll stop at the Tuckerton museum today to ask when they were put in.
Had hot dogs and beans for dinner, an okay meal once in a while.
Alison will be here today to cut Pat's hair. I may run over to Boscov's to complete my chores while she's here.

Remarkably, Pat went again to the bay yesterday while I was getting my perm (it looks good, incidentally). He was fine; of course, he doesn't get out of the car, but at least he can see some of his cronies, if they're around, and enjoy the water.
I'm going to get a little tougher about being able to do some of my own things. I've managed to go out for lunch with people and to go to the supermarket in the afternoon, but I really dislike being tied to the house until then. If Pat goes back to bed after breakfast, as he likes to do, that's what usually happens. I'll wake him about 11, then help him with getting dressed, etc. By that time, it's almost time for lunch, so I usually stay in until 1 or so. Being a morning person, I don't like having to do that, so yesterday, I asked Pat not to go back to bed, as I have a lot of errands to run, to Hamilton Mall to pick out glasses, to the hospital to drop something off, to "Toys 'R' Us" for gifts, etc. He seemed okay with that.
Talked to sister Betty earlier and got the latest news on little Claire and her family. Looking forward to seeing Alison tomorrow. She called last night and she and Mike both came in first in the Wall Township Thursday run--yay!
It's only 10 am and the morning routine is finished--Atlantic County, here I come!

For the first time in months, I was able to go to exercise today. Leslie asked if I wanted to go at 8 am and I thought, "Damn, I will go!" I woke Pat at 7:30, got his insulin, morning pills, and breakfast and left him reading the paper. I figured he'd go back to bed and he did. I was gone about an hour (had the cell phone) and he was still in bed when I returned. I'm very glad to have finally been able to go, although Susan and I will continue to walk at 7 or so.
Nice lunch with Marge yesterday at the new Bakery Cafe. When we walked in, Ray and Barb were there just finishing lunch. M. and I shared a lobster salad sandwich, and I had cappuchino--both very good.
Today, I'm getting a perm at 1:30. Hope it turns out as good as the last one. I want to get a shower first, then make Pat's lunch. Have a lot of other things I should do, but keep putting them off.
Had baked chicken last night, along with leftovers from the Fourth, and will probably have spaghetti and meatballs tonight.
The big, BIG new is that I cleaned out the pantry yesterday! It was such a mess I didn't know what I had. Found six boxes of rice--four white, two brown--enough cans of soup to start a soup kitchen, and a multitude of cans and jars of veggies, spaghetti sauce, as well as spices and seasonings that I've probably had for twenty years. I understand you're supposed to throw such things out after a year, but now I have a sentimental attachment. I have so many dups because when I wanted to follow a recipe, I couldn't find the ingredients I needed, so bought more. Now it's a pleasure to open the door and see everything neat and in order. I hope to tackle the study closet soon, as that's probably the worst of the worse when it comes to storage.
All in all, it's been a good several days...

We had a quiet, but very enjoyable, Fourth of July. Helped Pat to shower and dress, puttered around, did various chores, went to the store, and so on early in the day. After lunch, Pat said he again wanted to drive to the bay. This time I didn't go with him, but he took the cell. Shortly after he left, Alison called to say she and Mike were about a half hour away, so I told them Dad went to Radio Road and they met him there. When they and Pat got back in 45 minutes or so, we sat around and chatted, then had an old-fashioned 4th of July dinner: hamburgers (chicken burgers for Alison), potato salad (but I bought it--shame on me!), devilled eggs, salad, baked beans, iced tea, and beer. In addition, Alison brought fresh corn on the cob (from her next-door neighbor, who has a produce stand on Route 539) and delicious double-blueberry pie she made herself. We ate and talked, talked and ate, and had a good time.
Pat really needs a haircut, Alison noticed, and she said she'd come down Saturday to cut his hair; Mike goes to his botany class that day. Alison sometimes trims Mike's hair and often does Lulu's in between visits to the dog groomer. Will she use the same clippers on her Dad as she does on Lulu?? We'll find out.
Have a lunch date with Marge today and we want to try the bakery cafe in the new shopping center behind Rite-Aid.

Just returned from my morning walk with Susan. Before 8 am, it's already hot and humid--my kind of weather!
We had a nice day yesterday. Pat decided he wanted to drive down to the bay and I went with him. He hasn't driven (this was in his car) for months, so this was a milestone. He went to the bay at the end of Green Street where he used to fish, then several miles down Great Bay Boulevard. We saw lots of people out fishing and crabbing, as well as herons, red-tailed blackbirds (or is is black-tailed redbirds?), and other wildlife. I was so pleased he was able to do this and hope he'll soon venture out again. Mind you, he isn't able to get out of the car--we didn't take the walker--but I know it gave him a lift to leave the house.
Just generally, I think television is boring except, maybe, for a few shows. Last night, though, I stumbled on "The Wizard of Oz," which I love, and watched most of it. What a great movie! The whole premise, childlike though it is, is entrancing and the songs, dialogue, and sets are all magical and dreamy. Aren't the monkey-warriors horrifying? I've heard others say this, too, and that they were scared to death of them as children. Why, in particular, would they be the most frightening thing in the movie? Maybe because they seem to be a strange hybrid of human and animal and, deep down, we know that's unnatural and dreadful? Dunno.
I wonder how many people besides me have ever read the L. Frank Baum book from which the movie is adapted. The general outline is the same, but it's very different from the movie and is disconcerting to read for that reason. "The Wizard of Oz" is actually part of a series of fantasy books by Baum, none of them very memorable. Baum is buried in one of the famous cemeteries in L.A. which we visited a few years ago; I took a picture of his monument.

Had a delightful dinner with Ray and Barbara last night. I made salad, baked potatoes, banana bread, and baked beans (alliteration!), and--the best part of the meal--we had the filet mignon Mike gave us for our anniversary. Ray cooked it on his grill, and very well, too. It was superb, we all agreed. We then sat talking until nine or so and greatly enjoyed ourselves. R. and B. are going on a three-week trip starting Thursday, and we'll miss them. I'll go to the clubhouse at ten to get tickets for Barb and me for the Bucks County (my old stomping grounds) trip in September.
No walk today, as it's raining, but Susan and I have taken our one and a half mile walk most days. Good thing, considering my eating.
Today, I'll try to get appointments for Pat with a hemotologist and an opthomologist; his eyes are red, for some reason. He's about the same, I guess--he did enjoy having R. and B. over last night. However, he has developed a cough, which is new and that's worrisome. (As what isn't with his health?) I also need to get my own prescription filled for new glasses--can hardly see a thing, especially up close.
Think I'll call his pulmonolgist for recommendations to the other doctors and ask about the cough.
We're expecting Alison and Mike over tomorrow and will probably have hamburgers. It will be a low-key Fourth of July, but hey--nobody around here is really able to celebrate independence...

Just got back from Joely's fourth birthday party at his Uncle Jake's. Easy ride of about an hour. Party was mostly outside and he got a lot of nice presents. Other children there were his cousin (actually first cousin once removed) Gabriel, Mike B.'s grandchildren, Lindsay and Lucas, and assorted Phillips kids. As ever, it was good to be with Alison.
Pat did all right by himself. I had alerted neighbors that I'd be gone for a few hours, so they were aware he might call if he needed to. I left beef stew, which he heated in the microwave. I called him twice and there was no problem. Pat said Patrick called, plus niece Donna.
I invited Ray and Barbara for dinner tomorrow to have the filet mignon Mike gave us for our anniversary. The stipulation is that they cook them on the grill, as we don't have one. I'll just add a salad, some baked potatoes and a few other items and they'll come down here, as I don't think Pat is up to it.
Well, this blog seems no longer to be a weight one. Okay by me---I'll see if I can change the title.
Later: Darn! I keep trying and can't seem to change the title back to just "Mimi's Musings." I know it can be done because I did it when I put the Weight thing in. Will continue to try.
Still later: It worked, it worked! I finally got the blog name back to "Mimi's Musing" and will abandon the weight thing--well, for now, no promises for later.