Good, full day. Set up both crock pots with lentil stew in the big one, a pepper/onion/mushroom mix in the small before I picked up Susan at 10:30. We went to Bob's Garden Center in Egg Harbor and boy, did we have a ball. Bob's has acres of outdoor plants, all healthy and beautiful, as well as large room after room of gifts, garden supplies, artificial flowers and plants (seems odd, somehow), lawn furniture, and everything else even remotely connected to gardening. The place has so much we didn't even get to the greenhouses. Susan bought tall bamboo stakes for her gladioli, a cute little pink flamingo (I have one, too), a gardenia plant, and a few smaller items. I got two beautiful runculous (?--I don't know how to spell it and I bet Spellcheck doesn't, either) plus another, smaller border flower, and a gardenia of my own. Great place; I've loved it since we moved here, and now, so does Susan.
After, I suggested lunch and we went to Applebee's. Had shrimp, "island rice" and a cold Coors--yum! We then stopped at the cemetery and while we were there, Mary Ellen called to ask if I wanted to meet her at Calloway's for dinner and to read lines. Cognisant of my sister's advice never to turn down an invitation, I accepted with pleasure.
Got home about 3:00, returned some calls, rolled my biggest flower container to the porch, then jumped in the shower. Dressed and left about 4:30 to meet ME at 5:00.
Had a White Zin and Cobb salad, half of which I took home. After running through Act 1, Scene II twice, we went down the road to Barbara's for rehearsal. It's positive now that there won't be any added performance--sigh. I'm disappointed, but it can't be helped unless R.D. falls down a manhole pretty soon. (That expression--"falls down a manhole"--is so silly, but I've used it for years. Wonder if anybody falls down a manhole nowadays.)
Director Tara wasn't there, as she's in the throes of a divorce, and we discussed a gift for her; decided on a piece of jewelry made by ME's friend. The cast ran through the scene twice, then Andrea, the assistant director, asked if they'd do it again and, for the first time, I left before it was over. It was already after 9:00 and I had had a full day. Went home for my wine and popcorn, then slept soundly.

Had four small forsythia bushes newly planted in the back, along the woods. Hope they take. Other than that, not much going on, aside from the usual domestic chores. Received the play book of Blithe Spirit and am already going over the Madame Arcati lines, although it won't be staged until November. If nothing else, I'm going to be ready for auditions.
Attended the Sunrise Bay board meeting last night for the first time in more than a year. Info on the upcoming newsletter was announced and was, as expected, received with smoldering resentment by some and approval by most. The meeting wasn't as explosive as I thought it would be, but who knows what the future will bring?

Had a lovely Easter, first visiting at Care One, then with the family gang for afternoon and dinner. We hid Easter eggs for the boys to find, sat out in the yard, and had a delicious dinner of ham, two casseroles of macaroni and cheese--mild and spicy--and other goodies. The trifle I brought turned out very good and we all ate our fill. Ellen called and we had a short chat; she's off this week for Spring Break, so she'll call later in the week, too.
Got home about 7:30 and stayed up only until 9:00 or so. Nice holiday and now I'm ready to go back to the straight and narrow. I want to be in at least reasonable shape to attend the Longtimers Reception at Rider on May 5 when my old boss, Shirley Turner, will be one of those honored for her forty years there.
WIDER: Fred Reed has a hilarious--horribly hilarious--essay called "Halloween Comes To The Subway" on his blog where he discusses the inept "war on terror" efforts. Near the conclusion, he writes:
"If Washington really wanted to end terrorism, it would stop bombing Moslems, who would then get bored and stop bombing us. What a concept. You saw it here first. But there’s no money in it."
If this obscure ex-pat in Mexico can figure this out, why can't "the gummint," as he calls it? Ya got me.

Spent a lot of time cooking and assembling my contributions to Easter dinner today, first changing my bed and doing wash. I had bought about four pounds of beautiful white mushrooms the other day and decided to bring them. Got a good recipe and marinated them. Hard-boiled the eggs for devilling later, and prepared the ingredients for the trifle. Will finish assembling it this morning.
Susan came to the door with the pretty pink tulip plant--so nice and so spring-y. Was pleased to receive cam calls from P. and N., then from Mike and the precious little girls. Vivian talked about going into first grade (in the fall) and Violet looked adorable with her China doll haircut. Got a good long e-mail from Ellen, who's been getting her garden in shape during her week off. Will hear from her tonight, too.
Susan and I are skipping our walk today, in order to prepare. Must go--to assemble the trifle and finish up other chores. Happy Easter to all!

Imagine a day at the beach in Belmar with two little boys. It was brilliantly sunny, with the bluest of skies and the place was packed. Notice I didn't say it was warm, because it wasn't. There was a stiff wind coming off the ocean, but we didn't care. The kids loved playing in the sand and I loved watching and interacting with them. Stayed several hours, went to Dunkin' Donuts for lunch ((I had a tuna sandwich and coffee), then home after a thoroughly enjoyable outing.
Got back to Little Egg about 5:00 and did something I haven't done for months: I deliberately "broke my diet" at home, as opposed to indulging when I go out to eat. Went to Subway and got a chicken teriaki sandwich; when I got in, I scarfed it down with a cold Coors. Followed it with most of a container of Cool Whip, then slices of banana bread.
Boy, was that good and boy, does my stomach disagree.
WIDER: Another profound and absorbing essay-- by Chris Floyd at his "Empire Burlesque," which includes:
"Until Americans drop their addiction to war which is inextricably bound up with the widespread, bipartisan cult of exceptionalism -- there will be no stability, no security, no peace, no prosperity for ordinary people, neither at home or abroad."
But it's a crime to read just this. See it all at
The Silence of the Liberal Lambs: Outrage at Outliers, Hosannas for State Crime

A sun-filled, fun-filled, all around great day. Got the Steel Magnolias display up in the library. It looks okay, I guess, although I'm not entirely satisfied with it. The case itself is ugly, with a sickly yellow background and a lot of metal shelf brackets. I may go back and change it if I can think of a better way to do it.
Lots of phone calls back and forth about opinions surrounding the new community paper of which I'll be a part. The publisher of the current one put out an issue with a full page of letters of support, some containing personal attacks on the board. The upcoming board meeting on Monday should be v-e-r-r-y interesting--and heated, I'm sure. There's no doubt it will be heavily attended by factions on both sides of the topic.
I planted the pansies (a dozen) and violas (ten) around the tree in front and they look gorgeous. It was a glorious day, temp got up to at least 75 and don't I love it.
Just had time after my outdoor labors to jump in the shower, cook up a piece of tilapia for dinner, then dress for rehearsal. When I got there, I was chagrined when Mary Ellen told me she had called both land and cell phone several times to invite me to dinner with her and Ellen. Not sure how I missed her, but I did.
However, after rehearsal, eight of us went to Calloway's to celebrate Kathy's fortieth and we had a ball. Andrea brought cupcakes with candles and we all sang "Happy Birthday." I gave her the calla lily plant, which she liked a lot. Didn't get home until very late for me, and to bed at midnight, but so what? It was a neat day.

Again survived the three-mile walk, strenuous as it is. I always feel so triumphant after it's over. Mary S. came over to show me how to get into The Breeze so, as editors, we can modify submissions. It involves cut and paste; I later instructed fellow-staffer Julie L., in the method.
Did several loads of wash, then went to Manahawkin to pick up my med and other items. When I got home, I continued to fool around on the computer, trying to get the new game ("Flip Words") I bought from Big Fish to run. I can't, although I'm following instructions from them. So annoying.
Late in the day, I decided to run over to the cemetery. The grave looks good, the pansies having gotten a thorough drenching. I then drove to Bob's Garden Center, my new favorite place, and got a shipload (that's SHIP-load; I'm a sedate little lady) of pansies and violas (teeny little pansies) for around my tree out front. Also bought a gardenia plant with an actual gardenia on it and a wonderful fragrance.
We're going out for a drink after rehearsal tonight to celebrate Kathy's 40th birthday and I found a pretty rose-colored calla lily to give her. Forty--wow. What must it be like to be that old?