Brother Larry called yesterday evening from Virginia, and he'll be here this afternoon, I'm happy to say. I'll be picking Joely up at noon, so guess we'll be here when he gets in; if not, Pat will be.
Talked to Betty. She had a stomach (or some kind of innards) upset on Thursday, and was feeling better, but still not up to par. Hope she's better soon. She sent pictures of little Dexter, Finn, and Claire, all of whom are just adorable, of course.
Other than that, it was a slow day. Went to Manahawkin to get a tomato cage, went to the bank and Acme, and putzed around home. Had salmon for dinner and gave Pat a pork chop; also served corn on the cob, which we both enjoyed.
'Twas my least favorite kind of weather: dull and overcast, with drizzling rain now and then. The weather affects my mood--I like best a bright, hot, blazing-sun kind of day, which somehow seems so full of promise--but I was pretty chipper, anyway.
Addition: About 6:45, after writing the above, I went to pick up the paper and saw a police car and EMT vehicle at neighbor, Anne Mary's. Concerned (nobody else was out), I followed an EMT in. Anne Mary was sitting in the living room, hooked up to various moniters. As far as I can tell, she may have suffered (or thought she suffered) some kind of heart episode; not sure, because she said she didn't have pain, but had been throwing up. She said she had an appointment with a world-renowned cardiologist on Monday in New Providence, NJ. (World-renowed? In New Providence, NJ?) Not sure if she actually has some kind of heart problem or if she just pressured her doctor into referring. In any event, an ambulance came and took her to SOCH (Southern Ocean Regional Hospital) in Manahawkin. Before she left, she asked me to bring her home and I agreed, completely forgetting I was picking Joely up at noon. Hmm...I'll have to figure something out here. Just called the emergency room and they told me she had just gotten in, and to give them at least 3 hours before calling back to see if she was being discharged. Think I'll call Jen and see if I can get Joely earlier; he can stay with Pat or come with me to pick up Anne Mary--OR I'll ask one of the other neighbors to do it.

Yesterday was good. Called Patrick in the morning (his late evening) to wish him a happy forty-eighth birthday. (Even more than being 70, even more than being a great-grandmother twice over, it's just incredible to realize I have a son that old.)
Picked up Leslie for Weight Watchers. She has her granddaughters, Sierra, 7, and Aspen, 5, visiting and they came with us. I was pleased to have lost another 1.8, bringing my weight to 181.8. Now I'm looking forward to the next milestone of getting into the 170's.
Getting used to the Chevvy (it's a Malibu), I drove to Santori's and stocked up on stuff to feed my addiction: cauliflower, broccoli, onions, asparagus, squash, lettuce, carrots, and strawberries. Yep, I'm a veggie freak.
Because of WW at 9:30, I didn't have breakfast until 11:00. Skipped lunch and picked Marge up at 4:00 for the early bird dinner at Poseidon. (Well, I like to pretend I'm not an old lady, but who am I kidding?) I had chicken Francoise (?), substituting a side of Brussel sprouts for the potatoes, and decaf for dessert. I was a little taken aback to see that what I ordered was a kind of breaded chicken cutlet in a cream sauce, but living dangerously, I ate every morsel and drop. Once in a blue moon won't kill me, and boy, was it good--laden with fat, I'm sure, which is why I so rarely order anything either breaded or in sauce.
At home, I eat virtually no processed foods, aside from WW bread. Processed and packaged foods are where you find the most fat, sugar, and additives to extend shelf life and contribute to "mouthfeel" (ugh!).
I called Pat during dinner and he suggested I get him takeout, so brought him home a hot roast beef sandwich. Marge and I then drove to the bay just to talk, which we did and do constantly. Dropped her off about 7:00, watered the flowers, jumped in the shower, topped off the day with my ritual wine and popcorn, and slept well.

I tell you, there are times when modern life isn't worth living. Pat dropped me off at Enterprise in Manahawkin, the ONLY car rental place less than 50 miles away (remember, we live in the sticks). It took us an age just to find it, as it's hidden away on Route 72 next to Goodyear Tires, but I was there at 11:00 when I said I would be.
My car wasn't. I cooled my heels for 45 minutes, waiting for a young woman "on her way from Barneget" to return the car. She finally got there and half the sales crew, including my rep, went out to clean the vehicle, all dressed in suits and ties as they were. (I can't believe this is how it works in Manhattan or, for that matter, Upper Jippip.) This would only take a minute except--oops!--the car was so filthy (it seems her two dogs had lived in it) that the entire inside would have to be gutted and they couldn't give it to me. I was steamed, of course, and said, "Well, just give me another car." They didn't have another car, but would get one (from Outer Mongolia, I guess) and deliver it to my house as soon as they could. "Rob" drove me home and I got over my mad, of course. The old employment manager dies hard and we had an interesting conversation about where he went to college, his major, and how he happened to work at Enterprise.
Got home, made Pat lunch before he went down the bay,then called Charlie's Auto Repair and asked them to send a tow truck.
I then had to wait--inside! the whole day!--for 1. the tow truck; 2. the rental car, and 3. the cleaning people.
What the hey do you do inside, all day, in weather that's blazingly hot, and just calls for you to go to the pool or to Kohl's for their Wednesday senior citizen discounts, or out to lunch--and you have to stay in???
It was brutal, I tell you. I sulked for while, but that's no fun when you're by yourself. Read a magazine and some of my current books. Played "Wordslinger" until even I got sick of it. Did some wash and puttered around. At one low point, I even turned on the television, but that was enough to make me think I was actually confined in the loony bin.
Finally, the cleaners got here at the same time my car did, then the guy from Charlie's showed up, and all was well. For the first time in ages, I got Pat take-out (fried flounder and spaghetti); I had Boca sausage and mixed veggies.
Alison called from New Mexico. They were on their way to the "white sands" and cave-dweller sites, passing an air force base and watching the Stealth (ugh) planes on maneuvers. I miss her a lot, but am so glad they're having such a great time.
I like the rental, which is a--I think, Chevvy--hatchback and is easy to drive. Not sure when my car will be finished, but now that I have this little beauty, I don't care.
Tonight, Marge and I will go to Poseidon at 4:00 for the early-bird dinner, so I'll be home in time to make Pat something. Hey, life's not so bad, after all.

Bought myself a tomato plant!
Yes, just one--after all, there are only two of us. Planted, fed, and watered it, and will get a cage for it today.*
My perm looks good, soft and natural-seeming. Must wait a few days to color it, then I'll be satisfied for another few months.
Spent some annoying time on the phone with Allstate. When I called in my claim, the idiot at their claim office (or outer space, who knows) erroneously put down that the accident was on May, not June, 23rd. That means there has to be a new claim number and although I can still get it fixed, I have to wait to send in the police report. Aagh!
I told the guy I was afraid the bumper would fall off--it's actually just tied on with shoe laces--so he said he'd put it down as "undrivable" and I'll have to have it towed to the shop. He told me they'd pay for a rental for 30 days and I'm picking that up this morning. I found that, damn, we do have a $500 deductible for collision; it's $100 for other stuff, like the windshield. I have to pay the $500 up front, then Allstate will "try" to collect it from the the kid's New Jersey Manufacturers. He said it could take up to six months!
When did insurance companies take over the country? Dealing with the medical, auto, house, and every other kind of insurance is so frustrating, it drives me crazy. I'm no longer polite and conciliatory to their reps--I try not to be rude unless they're rude first, but believe me, I'm as cold and businesslike as I can be. I hate them all, especially the sweet, chirpy, babykin ones who talk like Betty Boop.
Tomorrow is Joely's fifth birthday, but with Alison in New Mexico, Jen said they won't have his party until next weekend. This Saturday, I'll pick him up to go with Leslie and her granddaughters to "Peter Pan" at the Surflight Theatre.
Cleaners will come today, at my request. After, they'll resume their twice- a-month-on-Fridays visits, so that, at least, is back to normal.
*Goes to show what a blah day it was when the featured news is that I bought a tomato plant.

Got an estimate on the car: $1179.09. When I called the kid's mother to tell her, she asked if I'd also go to a place in West Creek (pop. about 42) down Route 9 her husband knows. I grumpily agreed, but later her husband called and said he thought we should just go through our insurance companies. Fine by me; I called Allstate and gave them the info and an agent will get back to me today. I was told they'd give me $30 a day for a rental car, too.
Made an appointment to get a perm at 9 today. Gotta get some color on, too, and you're supposed to wait a week or so after a perm.
Will call the cleaning service and ask if they can come tomorrow, or even today. I had asked them to discontinue while Pat was so sick, but he's much improved (probably as good as he's going to get), so I'd like to get the place done before Larry comes sometime this week.
Ran into Leslie at the scene of the crime, Acme, and she reminded me we're taking her granddaughters and Joely to Surflight Theatre on Saturday to see Peter Pan.
Got an interesting e-mail from Brother Frank to his sibs, asking for memories of our father (that always sounds funny) on behalf of his son, Jim. I told him what I remember and reminded him of the blog "Domino Lane" (listed on my profile page), which contains the reminiscences of my uncles and aunt, with mentions of Daddy (we always called him that). Our older brother, Jim, is a better source for the early married years, and he contributed, too. (Yes, all were named "Jim," my brother and nephew after my father.)

Sunday was not a red-letter day. While Pat was at the bay after lunch, I ran over to Acme to pick up a few things. I was just about to check out when the loud speaker paged "the owner of a Buick, license plate number...." Gee, that sounded like my car.
It was. A kid in a pickup truck parked next to me had pulled out, cut it too close, and ripped off my entire front bumper. He wasn't a bad kid, and was very apologetic, as he, his friend, and I waited for the police. In the meantime, kid called his mother, who then said she wanted to talk to me. She asked if I would let her pay for the repair, rather than reporting to the insurance company. I was noncommittal on this, said I'd have to talk to my husband, but want to get general info from Allstate before I agree. (I don't care who pays as long as it gets fixed, but I want to know what ramifications there might be if I go along with not reporting.) The cop was cordial as he wrote out an incident report, then he and the kids actually picked my bumper off the ground and tied it back on. It should be okay until I can get to an auto body shop this morning.
Well, damn, I needed this like a hole in the head, but I guess in the scheme of things, it's just a minor setback and I'm not terribly upset. I'm glad that Pat isn't, either. Just another problem to deal with and think about--(sigh...).
Called from the parking lot to tell Alison; she and Mike were almost finished packing. At home, I called again and asked Mike's advice on the reporting/no reporting question. He discussed some possible considerations and outcomes, and mentioned that my insurance could go up. What?! Yes, the lawmaker politicians allow this, just to keep the insurance billionaires happy. A pox on both their houses.
Ellen called and also commiserated, of course. She's starting on the (teaching) art class that will increase her salary eventually. Well, she's starting to the extent she cleared off her desk (a daughter after my own heart).
Made chicken drumsticks in the crockpot and they were delicious. Decided not to go out after dinner, even though the car is drivable--the motor seems not to be affected at all. Went to bed at my usual time, didn't even think about the car, and slept well.

Boy, I'm getting up in the world: dinner out two nights in a row. Alison and I went to Joseph's at Renault Winery, a very nice place and--surprisingly--not terribly expensive. We managed to spend $70, but Alison had a salad, we both had a glass of wine, and I had coffee. They have a varied menu with a lot of interesting dishes. I had mahi-mahi cooked in lime on a banana risotto, Alison a pasta/seafood dish. The wine was their own, of course, a white Merlot, and boy, was it good. It wasn't as dry as most Merlot and actually had a slightly sweet taste, which we both liked.
After, it was still light and we drove down the bay to see the sunset. Got out of the car, but the gnats were so bad, we left. Alison came back to the house just to say goodbye and went home about 8:30.
It would have been a very enjoyable evening if it had ended there. Unfortunately, it didn't. I skipped my regular glass of red wine, got FF Popsicles for Pat and me, looked at "The Lost Weekend" for a half hour, then went to bed.
I had barely settled down with my book when I noticed an oddly queasy feeling. I took antacids, but it got worse and I was really sick to my stomach. I don't think it was the food itself; what I think is that my body is so used to eating a virtually fat-free, rather bland diet, heavy on the vegetable side, that it found it hard to process my dinner. Anyway, after some unpleasant events which the reader can imagine, it passed and I was able to sleep. I feel okay now, but not quite up to par.
Earlier in the day, Susan and I planted the annuals (and the miniature rose) in the front. They look good, but I want to add a few to fill in more. Will also get mulch.
Aside from the above, had a quiet day. Washed and did other household chores while Pat was at the bay. I had just left him sandwiches for dinner, but tonight, will have a proper meal, probably featuring seasoned baked chicken.