When we got home yesterday, I napped for a time while my friend, the dynamo, did various. After I got up, she went to Acme, coming back with salmon, lettuce, tomato and a large carpet cleaner. It proved not to be effective, though, and she used the cleaner I already had on the living room and study, which look a lot better than they did.
I bestirred myself enough to sweep up the ice melter I had frantically spread on the front walk in order to get into Barb's car on Tuesday. Made a salad and puttered around with a few other things.
Jeanne P. called and I enjoyed talking to her; as I did Aline. I'll pick her up for an excursion today; of course, I have to go back to the eye doctor, too. Tonya e-mailed that we have to get the NJPerry Award applications in soon, so we'll drop the info off at her place today, I guess.
Friend cooked up delicious salmon and we had that with salad for dinner. We then tried to put my dolls on Craig's List, but were unable. She does it all the time and I know was directing me correctly, but for some reason, I never got the confirming e-mail, although we did it properly twice. She also showed me how to get games on my Tablet, and I've been having a lot of fun with that.
My friend, who's in that special category of "I don't know what I'd do without her" left at 8:00, taking my grateful thanks and love with her. But no fear, I have plenty left for her sibs and to a lesser extent, a few others.
.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Flower Show And Eye
Yesterday: Philadelphia Flower Show with Barb H., her sister, Pat, and Susan. Got to Bob's about 8:00 and left on buses a half hour later, arriving some time after 9:00. It didn't open until 10:00, so we went across the street to Reading Terminal Market for crepe breakfasts.
Show was very impressive, as ever. This year the theme was "Articulture" with lots of tie-ins to art and flowers. Beautiful displays, scads of people, and roughly six hours of walking non-stop. We had lunch at the market, too, looked around there and got on the bus to arrive back at Bob's Garden Center at 5:00.
Happily, the streets and our driveways were clear--it was worth my life to get in Barb's car when we stated off--and I had time to freshen up, return a few calls, and get read for rehearsal at the H.'s in the woods.
Brittany, their daughter, who plays Hedda was there, Jim and Mary being still in California. She had put wood in the wood-burning stoves, but unfortunately, smoke had somehow escaped and practically filled the room where we rehearse. In addition, it was so damn cold--surely 60, if not less--that we all kept our coats on.
We had been called for act 3 and 4, but act 3 took so long, it was 9:30 before it was over. I'm in act 4 and we stayed to run over that, but I had no hesitation in reminding Tara (assistant director, but in truth, director) I had to leave to get my other eye done at 6:30 am the next morning. We ran over it quickly,but I still didn't get home until well after I'm usually asleep; stayed up for popcorn and iced tea, and didn't get to bed until after 11:00.
However, my friend got here, I was up and dressed in time, I got the eye done, and now I'm back. There's still a long regime of eye drops and, of course, the eye isn't fully operational yet, but I think it's going to to great.
Show was very impressive, as ever. This year the theme was "Articulture" with lots of tie-ins to art and flowers. Beautiful displays, scads of people, and roughly six hours of walking non-stop. We had lunch at the market, too, looked around there and got on the bus to arrive back at Bob's Garden Center at 5:00.
Happily, the streets and our driveways were clear--it was worth my life to get in Barb's car when we stated off--and I had time to freshen up, return a few calls, and get read for rehearsal at the H.'s in the woods.
Brittany, their daughter, who plays Hedda was there, Jim and Mary being still in California. She had put wood in the wood-burning stoves, but unfortunately, smoke had somehow escaped and practically filled the room where we rehearse. In addition, it was so damn cold--surely 60, if not less--that we all kept our coats on.
We had been called for act 3 and 4, but act 3 took so long, it was 9:30 before it was over. I'm in act 4 and we stayed to run over that, but I had no hesitation in reminding Tara (assistant director, but in truth, director) I had to leave to get my other eye done at 6:30 am the next morning. We ran over it quickly,but I still didn't get home until well after I'm usually asleep; stayed up for popcorn and iced tea, and didn't get to bed until after 11:00.
However, my friend got here, I was up and dressed in time, I got the eye done, and now I'm back. There's still a long regime of eye drops and, of course, the eye isn't fully operational yet, but I think it's going to to great.
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
Snow And Justice
And the snow came down and down...
Not sure how much we actually got, but I'd say more than four inches. It was windy, too, so there were lots of drifts. Susan and I walked anyway, as it was crunchy, not slippery, but our umbrellas kept blowing inside out and the snow was the icy, stinging type, so we cut it short.
Other than that, I was in all day, a rarity for me. Talked to Betty five or six times, plus Jeanne P., plus the eye doctor's office, plus brother Frank, plus Frank Next Door, plus Susan, Barbara, and my friend up north. Frank N.D. said Desi's plane from Florida had been cancelled, so he won't be in until today.
Rehearsal was cancelled for last night. We'll have it tonight at the Community Center if Frank can get the key; otherwise out in the woods at the H.'s.
The high point of the day was a Skype visit with adorable K., now high-steppin'--in a manner of speaking--all around his baby mat. Maybe it's more accurate to call it "high rumpin'," as he kind of maneuvers himself around with a combination of rolling legs and throwing arms. He's so bright, curious, and active, he seems to his Nana just the quintessential almost-six-month-old.
JUSTICE: Just as I was going to bed last night, I heard scraping sounds and discovered that two men were clearing Frank's front walk and porch; they then moved on to mine.
They were from the service, Meticulous, of course, but this was after nine at night, for heaven's sake, and it was so damn cold. You can talk all you want about inequities and how so few have so much and others so little and about following Jesus and helping the poor, but to be confronted with it--! How is it that I was snug and warm in my attractive, much-too-big-for-one-person, home with my possessions (and so many of them! Things I don't even need!) around me, about to climb into a comfortable bed and looking forward to the Philadelphia Flower Show today--and these other people were shoveling my walk in the dark and the cold?
I'm not religious, but I'm human and I know it can't be right. It can't.
Not sure how much we actually got, but I'd say more than four inches. It was windy, too, so there were lots of drifts. Susan and I walked anyway, as it was crunchy, not slippery, but our umbrellas kept blowing inside out and the snow was the icy, stinging type, so we cut it short.
Other than that, I was in all day, a rarity for me. Talked to Betty five or six times, plus Jeanne P., plus the eye doctor's office, plus brother Frank, plus Frank Next Door, plus Susan, Barbara, and my friend up north. Frank N.D. said Desi's plane from Florida had been cancelled, so he won't be in until today.
Rehearsal was cancelled for last night. We'll have it tonight at the Community Center if Frank can get the key; otherwise out in the woods at the H.'s.
The high point of the day was a Skype visit with adorable K., now high-steppin'--in a manner of speaking--all around his baby mat. Maybe it's more accurate to call it "high rumpin'," as he kind of maneuvers himself around with a combination of rolling legs and throwing arms. He's so bright, curious, and active, he seems to his Nana just the quintessential almost-six-month-old.
JUSTICE: Just as I was going to bed last night, I heard scraping sounds and discovered that two men were clearing Frank's front walk and porch; they then moved on to mine.
They were from the service, Meticulous, of course, but this was after nine at night, for heaven's sake, and it was so damn cold. You can talk all you want about inequities and how so few have so much and others so little and about following Jesus and helping the poor, but to be confronted with it--! How is it that I was snug and warm in my attractive, much-too-big-for-one-person, home with my possessions (and so many of them! Things I don't even need!) around me, about to climb into a comfortable bed and looking forward to the Philadelphia Flower Show today--and these other people were shoveling my walk in the dark and the cold?
I'm not religious, but I'm human and I know it can't be right. It can't.
Monday, March 03, 2014
Rehearsal And Snow (Or No)
Mostly puttered around during the day, except for an excursion to Acme in the afternoon. Rehearsal at 7:00, which went well except for a fellow actor's stumbling (she's far from off-book) and my lapse of memory re blocking. I find this harder by far than remembering the words; will write reminders on the script, which I should have done in the first place. Called El when I got home and we had our usual good weekly virtual visit.
Called brother Larry and was sorry to be told his old friend, Jack B., has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Not sure yet what will be done, if anything. Called Betty and will go down there today, but first see if I can do anything with the library showcase Susan said she'd help.
The usual over-reaction to a light snow has ensued: a "monster storm" was supposedly coming our way, but what I just saw outside was a scant inch or so. Hope it's not slippery.
Later: We took a truncated walk; it wasn't slippery, but the snow is still coming and it looks more like three or four inches now. Talked to Betty and we decided to postpone my going down there. Too bad, as I'm booked for the rest of the week; hope I can somehow get down there.
Still Later: Good grief, Betty just called to say she had an e-mail from the contractor she's been using for more than a year and he wants to drop her. Too long and involved to go into, but it stinks and now she has this to contend with, as well as so much else.
Called brother Larry and was sorry to be told his old friend, Jack B., has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Not sure yet what will be done, if anything. Called Betty and will go down there today, but first see if I can do anything with the library showcase Susan said she'd help.
The usual over-reaction to a light snow has ensued: a "monster storm" was supposedly coming our way, but what I just saw outside was a scant inch or so. Hope it's not slippery.
Later: We took a truncated walk; it wasn't slippery, but the snow is still coming and it looks more like three or four inches now. Talked to Betty and we decided to postpone my going down there. Too bad, as I'm booked for the rest of the week; hope I can somehow get down there.
Still Later: Good grief, Betty just called to say she had an e-mail from the contractor she's been using for more than a year and he wants to drop her. Too long and involved to go into, but it stinks and now she has this to contend with, as well as so much else.
Sunday, March 02, 2014
From October 31, 2009
Wider: I dip into the libertarian LewRockwell.com blog every once in a while, although there's a slew of stuff there I can't stomach. An example? This, by Pat Buchanan (yes,that Pat Buchanan), writing about the folly of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan:
"While these two wars have cost 5,200 dead, a trillion dollars and a divided America facing an endless war, what have we won?"
That little sentence, those handful of words illustrate the immensity of American hubris. So the dead total 5,200. That's five thousand, plus two hundred. It's a bit more than half of 10,000. I think it's actually about the same as the total population of the small town where I grew up. That's a lot of people. Such a shame. How dreadful. Of course, that's the total, which isn't TOO bad, of human beings killed over there, right?
Wait, there are more? Men, women, and children? Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Don't be silly, no such thing, that's just crazy, you're wrong, you got rocks in your head.
Well, if you're gonna count the animals who live there--!
"While these two wars have cost 5,200 dead, a trillion dollars and a divided America facing an endless war, what have we won?"
That little sentence, those handful of words illustrate the immensity of American hubris. So the dead total 5,200. That's five thousand, plus two hundred. It's a bit more than half of 10,000. I think it's actually about the same as the total population of the small town where I grew up. That's a lot of people. Such a shame. How dreadful. Of course, that's the total, which isn't TOO bad, of human beings killed over there, right?
Wait, there are more? Men, women, and children? Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Don't be silly, no such thing, that's just crazy, you're wrong, you got rocks in your head.
Well, if you're gonna count the animals who live there--!
St. Teresa's And The Library
Went back to St. Teresa's in the morning to attend a memorial mass for the sister of an acquaintance, Rosemarie M. I had worked with Rosemarie on an early version of our community paper, Sunrise, and had met her sister. Got there a little late, but that was okay. As I was leaving, I met Mary S., whom I had seen at A Night At The Opera. In mock amazement, she said, "Heavens, here you are at church two days in a row!" I laughed and said, "Yes, the earth just jolted to a stop, I guess."
After assembling the Hedda stuff for the library display window, I discovered I had no tacks or push pins, so went over to Dollar General to get some. While there, I bought a pair of eight dollar reading glasses; it's incredible to me that I can actually use them, at least for the right eye.
At the library, it was frustrating to try to arrange the window to look less--or more--than tacky. The damn thing is so ugly, with metal supports or braces or whatever they are, which holds a glass shelf in the middle. I wanted to cover as much as possible with my lengths of black and green cloth. I've done it before, but got very nervous on the top step of my step stool and found it hard to adequately cover the brackets. Don't like the finished product at all. I want to bring somebody back to help, but I'm booked for most of next week, and don't know when I can get back there.
After, thought I'd go to Shop-Rite, but once I was in Manahawkin, realized it was Saturday and the place would be jammed. Turned right around and went to Acme instead. That was jammed, too, I guess by people who think yet another Storm of the Century is coming. However, I got what I wanted and got out of there.
Betty called to say Larry had told her Jack B. has lung cancer. Damn--yet another in a long line of smokers who paid the price for Bogart sophistication--including Bogart. Betty said Larry had tried to call me, but I wasn't in. I had promised Betty I'd go down there "for moral support" on Monday, and I will, but I hope to take time to do something with the display window first.
After assembling the Hedda stuff for the library display window, I discovered I had no tacks or push pins, so went over to Dollar General to get some. While there, I bought a pair of eight dollar reading glasses; it's incredible to me that I can actually use them, at least for the right eye.
At the library, it was frustrating to try to arrange the window to look less--or more--than tacky. The damn thing is so ugly, with metal supports or braces or whatever they are, which holds a glass shelf in the middle. I wanted to cover as much as possible with my lengths of black and green cloth. I've done it before, but got very nervous on the top step of my step stool and found it hard to adequately cover the brackets. Don't like the finished product at all. I want to bring somebody back to help, but I'm booked for most of next week, and don't know when I can get back there.
After, thought I'd go to Shop-Rite, but once I was in Manahawkin, realized it was Saturday and the place would be jammed. Turned right around and went to Acme instead. That was jammed, too, I guess by people who think yet another Storm of the Century is coming. However, I got what I wanted and got out of there.
Betty called to say Larry had told her Jack B. has lung cancer. Damn--yet another in a long line of smokers who paid the price for Bogart sophistication--including Bogart. Betty said Larry had tried to call me, but I wasn't in. I had promised Betty I'd go down there "for moral support" on Monday, and I will, but I hope to take time to do something with the display window first.
Saturday, March 01, 2014
Lunch, Opera, And My Expensive Eyes
I decided to devote yesterday--some of it, anyway--to trying to lower the cost of the outrageously expensive eye drops I must again take for three days. I called Bausch & Lomb and spoke to somebody who said I could get a coupon for $50 off for one of them, but no, they wouldn't send it electronically, only through the mail. Scratch that, as I have to start them tomorrow. Finally got a number which the pharmacist would have to call to get the Rx code, or whatever it is, to possibly reduce the cost.
Aline then called and I asked if she was available for lunch. Sure, and we decided on a late one at Elements, a new (or newly taken over) restaurant in Manahawkin. Picked her up, then went back to the eye doctor's, pleading my case for a sample. The day before, they had said they had no more, but the assistant looked again and--yes! She gave me the Prolensa. This was, wouldn't you know, the less expensive one ($124), but hey, it was something.
We went to lunch--Elements immediately became a favorite--then to Wal-Mart to see if they would recognize either of the--supposedly dollars off--coupons I had printed out. Also gave them the phone number for B & L. They said it would be at least an hour, so we cooled our heels with this and that.
Went back and found they were able to get thirty bucks off; okay, I'll take that. So the two cost a total of $133--still highway robbery, but better than before.
We didn't get out of there until after 5:00, but luckily, Aline didn't have to go home before A Night At The Opera, so I just brought her back to my place. While I changed and applied make-up, she looked at her e-mail on the computer (she doesn't have one) and we were ready in time for Frank and Barbara to pick us up.
It was a wonderful show: a mother and daughter singing arias from various operas--I actually recognized some--as well as German and Irish folk songs, "art songs," and other selections. We chatted with several Sunrise Bay attendees and enjoyed the complimentary non-alcoholic cider and cheese and crackers. After, we went up to thank the singers and Aline told them she had seen the mother at the Met twenty years ago.
Got home by 9:30 to hear a message from brother Frank. Called him back and had a nice chat with him and Marybeth.
Busy, but good and productive day.
Aline then called and I asked if she was available for lunch. Sure, and we decided on a late one at Elements, a new (or newly taken over) restaurant in Manahawkin. Picked her up, then went back to the eye doctor's, pleading my case for a sample. The day before, they had said they had no more, but the assistant looked again and--yes! She gave me the Prolensa. This was, wouldn't you know, the less expensive one ($124), but hey, it was something.
We went to lunch--Elements immediately became a favorite--then to Wal-Mart to see if they would recognize either of the--supposedly dollars off--coupons I had printed out. Also gave them the phone number for B & L. They said it would be at least an hour, so we cooled our heels with this and that.
Went back and found they were able to get thirty bucks off; okay, I'll take that. So the two cost a total of $133--still highway robbery, but better than before.
We didn't get out of there until after 5:00, but luckily, Aline didn't have to go home before A Night At The Opera, so I just brought her back to my place. While I changed and applied make-up, she looked at her e-mail on the computer (she doesn't have one) and we were ready in time for Frank and Barbara to pick us up.
It was a wonderful show: a mother and daughter singing arias from various operas--I actually recognized some--as well as German and Irish folk songs, "art songs," and other selections. We chatted with several Sunrise Bay attendees and enjoyed the complimentary non-alcoholic cider and cheese and crackers. After, we went up to thank the singers and Aline told them she had seen the mother at the Met twenty years ago.
Got home by 9:30 to hear a message from brother Frank. Called him back and had a nice chat with him and Marybeth.
Busy, but good and productive day.
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