THREE LITTLE KITTENS

Chuck brought Zachary and Mathieu over a little while ago, and they were anxious to see the kittens who live in the laundry room. They are going to 'camp out' with Chuck over at the cabin tonight, and were here to call in an order to The Chisholm Trail, and see if I wanted something too. I didn't.
Lydia and I ate catfish there at noon, so I won't be needing any dinner tonight. I got a couple of things done at the office, and then Lydia went with me to Beeville. With Father gone back to India on vacation, there is much less for her to do there. She is already doing next week's work, actually. So she accompanied me to take Patti-Jo to the vet for more shots, and more heartworm pills. We left her there while we went to Walmart, Goodwill and then I stopped by Exxon to fill my near empty tank with gasoline.

LIVER - GALL BLADDER CLEANSE

Even pink plastic flamingos are not safe around our property. This is what Zachary and Mathieu were playing the other day - Flamingo Hunt. They already have them shot and are transporting them back to camp. I guess they taste like plastic chicken.
Well, it's been 4 days since I updated my blog, so I thought I'd better put something up today. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened lately.
I went into the office today to get some mind twisting paperwork done. Lydia and I took a break and went to The Chisholm Trail for lunch. On the way out I said hello to Skidmore's own 'Ed Sawyer' who was sitting at a table reading...then returned to the office to finish up. Rose was working in the yard, and Mary had moved some things from the classroom formerly known as 'The St. Vincent de Paul Storeroom', into the hall, where there will be a major rummage sale on May 6th.
I guess my big news (ACK!) is that I tried the liver/gallbladder cleanse that I read about. It involved fasting, drinking concoctions of epsom salt and water, olive oil and lemon juice, and more doses of Epsom Salts and water. Let's just say it rocked my world. And not in a good way. Whether it worked or not, I have no idea, although I do have my doubts. I was skeptical to start with, but thought it worth a try, if I could avoid surgery. Whether the green 'stones' were actual gallstones or some byproduct of the olive oil and lemon juice plus bile from the liver, is open to interpretation. It is recommended that a second cleanse be done in a month to get the stones that work their way farther down in the meantime, but I am thinking I may just let it go.

CROCHETED BAG IN PROGRESS

Jane is showing you my Mystery Crochet-along bag in progress that I'm making along with the others in the yahoo group, Bumbles Groovy Crochet.
Can you recognize what it's made from? It's made from plastic bags from Walmart, H.E.B. and other places. The bags are smoothed out, and cut across into loops, which are then looped together into a long rope and rolled into a ball. I had a photo of that process in my March 27 blog entry. I really like how this is turning out. But now I need to cut some more plastic bags.

Things have been busy lately. Friday, I worked at the church all day. Well, from right after 9a.m. Mass until 3p.m. when Lydia went home. We took a break to go to The Chisholm Trail for catfish at noon.

Yesterday evening I went to the church at 4:30 for the children's First Reconciliation, and then Mass afterwards. Later that evening, I went to Beeville to get groceries. Chuck, Reagan, Amy, Zachary, Mathieu, Ralph, Vickie, Chuckie P., Kyle and Candice, all went to Corpus Christi to see Dan who flew in for the PRCA Rodeo. He won the bronc riding, so we were all happy about that.

This morning, I had to get to the church extra early to put pew decorations on the children's pews, and prepare for their First Holy Communion. Then after Mass, after everyone else was gone, Sylvia and I were sitting on the benches in front of the shrine, talking, when two javalinas came walking around the side of the hall! We were sure surprised! When they saw us move, they went back, and when we got to the corner of the building to see if there was a pack of any size, they had disappeared into the woods already.

I came home and Zach helped me prepare a dish for Father Sebastian's going away covered dish luncheon. He is leaving Tuesday to return to India for six weeks. He is really going to be missed. While at the luncheon, several people - Rose, Grace and Bertha - asked me about the quilt block project, so hopefully they will get their quilt blocks made soon. All in all, despite some snafus, it has been an excellent week-end, so far.

KIND OF A DEPRESSING DAY

Doesn't this homegrown tomato and basil mix look good? That is the tomato that you saw growing on the bush yesterday. The way this looks may have been the highlight of my day. Actually, it didn't taste that special.

Today was just not my best day. I don't know why. It certainly could have been worse. Nothing major happened but I was just down all day. This morning started with me waking up too late to get ready and go to Mass. Also I woke up in the middle of a gruesome dream.
I dreamed that there were these 4 young chefs (I watched Top Chef
last night) who came every weekday to practice here. They were
around college age, and I think went home at night to the college
dorms in the next town.
Only one day, I found one of the girls, and a dog (the dog lived
here, I guess, but it wasn't one of ours) on opposite sides of the
big fig tree in the backyard (which died years ago, and is not there
any more, in reality). Now, after seeing this awful scene, with
blood everywhere and heads bashed in, I went back in the house, and
apparently forgot all about it (!) until the next day when one of
the young men chefs came to the house. I'd let Coconut outside and
she came back all streaked with blood from the horrible scene still
out there in the yard. I was standing at the sink washing dishes,
and I told the young man to call ...the authorities, and he was at
the phone in the dining room, waiting for me to decide WHO exactly I
wanted him to call. And I was all confused about, should we call
911, the sheriff's department, an ambulance, the college or what.
And then it dawned on me that there was going to be big trouble and
lots of questions about why I hadn't called the authorities when I
first found the bodies. And I was just so confused and upset about
how I could have forgotten and how to know who to call. And I was
thinking that my dogs, and myself are out in the backyard alone all
the time, and whoever killed that girl and dog, could have and might
be planning to kill us too.
And when I awoke, I was still just so upset that I didn't call the authorities when it first happened, and that I had been too confused to know what to do and who to call. Creepy! I hope this is the last dream I have like that!

Then after coming into the living room after getting dressed, I saw that for the 3rd day in a row, Coconut had gone to the bathroom on the floor. I have no idea why she is doing that early each morning. She spent a good amount of time outside before I went to bed, and then I had Chuck put her out when he got up around 4, too, and bring her back in before he left for work.

Inertia set in, and I got practically nothing done all day, which doesn't lighten my mood. When I feel like this, I should just get out and go somewhere - anywhere. I'd feel better. But I usually don't.

I had moved two 6-packs of vincas and a pepper plant out to the garden seat where the tomatoes are, so they could get better sun until I felt like planting them. Only when I was out there later, I saw Patti-Jo (and possibly Coconut too) had gotten them and torn them to pieces in the yard. I picked up what I could and immediately planted the more intact plants in flower pots on the deck. I wanted the vincas in the ground somewhere, but didn't have a place picked out, so just stuffed them in the nearest pots. Then I noticed that one of the hanging pots from the Vitex tree had fallen and broke. Apparently this was a day or two ago, because the dogs had pretty much leveled and trampled the plant that had been in it. So I picked through the dirt and saved a few tendrils, which I threw in another pot. And with no gloves on, I got my fingernails in a mess. Meanwhile Patti-Jo and Coconut were trying to unearth the vincas and pepper from the other pots I had just planted. Sheesh!

Then I decided to take Carl to get a bath and a flea pill. He was just scratching like crazy and was totally miserable. So I called to make an appointment but Barbara V. offered to take him right away, even though she had a goat in labor. So I took him over there and she said she'd call when he was ready, since she didn't know how long it would be, if she had to stop to help the mother goat, or there was trouble. When I went back over to get him, that goat had triplets! I was surprised because I didn't think goats had but either 1 or 2 kids per birth. Barbara said she knew someone with a goat who had 5 kids almost every time. It was news to me!

Anyway, I don't guess everything was bad today, but those are a few of the low-lights. There were more, but - well, that's enough to post here. Tomorrow will be a better day.

HOLY WEEK PAST

It's been a while since I wrote about anything other than Norm's visit. Holy week was extraordinarily busy as usual...Holy Thursday, Good Friday, live stations of the cross, Easter Vigil, baptisms, and then Easter Day. In a small parish there are all the same events and tasks as in a large parish, only many fewer people to do them. It was exhausting, but beautiful nonetheless.
This is Mathieu with Father Sebastian after the Easter vigil Mass. Mat and the other two baptismal candidates, also children, got to go up and ring bells during the Gloria, when the new tower bells were ringing for the first time.
We had Easter dinner in the mid-afternoon over at the cabin. Chuck barbequed, and I marinated a huge variety of fresh veggies to go on the pit, and made deviled eggs. To that we added tortillas, and had watermelon for dessert. Simple because of the aforementioned exhaustion. I took all three dogs over with me, when I went and they had a blast. This was the first time Patti-Jo had been there.This is Mat and I with the three dogs - Carl, Coconut and Patti-Jo - following us out into the pasture.
I put Zachary's and Mathieu's Easter things into paper bags tied with a blend of spring colored yarns and had Chuck tie them into low hanging tree branches on the far side of the pond. Then I wrote clues on purple paper, tied with pink yarn and attached them to various spots around the yard and front pasture, giving them the starting clue. They enjoyed it, and so did we. Besides Reagan and family, Garrett and Marti came too. Andrew and Samantha and a friend of Samantha's came later on in the evening.
And lastly, here is a photo of Marlene and Sister Mary stopping to look at one of my tomato plants on their morning walk. This will be my first tomato this season. I bought only two tomato plants and planted them in large flower pots with some basil plants. They sure have been slow to grow. They are a variety of 'patio tomatoes'. I had to set them up on the garden love seat because Coconut kept digging the dirt out of the pots. I think I'll pick that tomato, infuse olive oil with some of the chopped basil, then cut up and marinate the tomato in it. Chuck and I can split that one small tomato tomorrow.

GOOD-BYE, NORM

After a good, hearty breakfast, Marlene, Barbara, Jenna, Shelly, Jane, Popeye, Olive Oyl and the children of Wandamore said their goodbyes to Norm. He will certainly be missed. Barbara, who was still stewing over the sock monkey incident, called in an old favor from her military days, and got two soldiers to accompany Norm to his priority package box, and see him safely on his way. They shook his hand before sealing him into his protective sleeping quarters.
Then they hoisted him into the box, and closed the flaps.
They sealed the package, affixed the labels and sent him on his way. ...Good-bye, Norm!

THE HIKE

Just as Marlene predicted, Norm and Jane hit it off right away. Jane is quite taciturn, but she and Norm were united in their intense interest in nature and the outdoors. Norm gave a very interesting talk about woodland creatures, wildflowers and ecology.
The children had many questions and he answered them all.
MARTIN - If a rabbit and a squirrel got into a fight, who would win?
OLIVIA - Do you think we'll see any fairies?
MARTIN - If a skunk and a buzzard got into a fight, who would win?
JANET - I brought my compass. If we get lost can I find our way out with it?
MARTIN - If a turtle and an armadillo got into a fight, who would win?
MEGAN - Where can I buy a tall pointy hat like yours?
MARTIN - If a mouse and a hummingbird got into a fight, who would win?
KELLY ERIN - Are we going to have a picnic?
MARTIN - If a mosquito and a fire ant got into a fight, who would win?
MARTIN - If a frog and a lizard...
JANE - Daylight's burning. Let's get to moving.
Norm showed them how to climb a tree to get their bearings in the wild.
Jane waited below with Kelly Erin since she was too small to climb that big tree.
Norm led the hike through the meadow, stopping the group to examine wildflowers, butterflies, and bugs.
They had a very educational and enjoyable hike. Everyone had a great time - Jane even cracked a rare smile - but it was time to turn back, so Norm could pack his things and be on his way to Missouri.

THINGS CONTINUE TO LOOK UP FOR NORM

Shelly and Jenna were right - Marlene loved having Norm come for a visit. Barbara was there too, as were a couple of the neighborhood children who were 'helping' Marlene babysit two of the younger citizens of Wandamore.
Barbara makes Norm's acquaintance, while Olivia, holding baby, Hannah, and Janet, entertaining Kelly Erin, watch, fascinated. They shyly say hello too.As the evening wears on, Norm tells Marlene and Barbara all about his unusual journey, and everything that befell him since arriving in Skidmore, and then Wandamore.
BARBARA - Those sock monkeys are completely out of hand!
MARLENE - Well, they do have their good points, I suppose. They are just so mischeivious. They don't mean to be bad, though. Wanda likes them...
BARBARA - Well, THAT figures! Do you know that the sock monkeys have been spotted in Jenna and Shelly's part of town? Wanda should rid the place of those goodfornothings!
MARLENE - Now, Barbara, the girls are always careful, and they are saving for a better place.
BARBARA - A better place, yes, but WHEN?! Wanda only provided them with a cardboard box fixer-upper! If I hadn't helped, they wouldn't have furniture or locks on the doors and windows, yet.
MARLENE - See, that will keep the monkeys out well enough. All those monkeys need is direction and a good leader to guide them and mold them into gentlemen.
BARBARA - Gentlemen?! HA! And who is going to guide and direct them - WANDA? We can see where her direction got poor Mr. Gnome, here!
NORM - Please call me 'Norm'. We gnomes are an informal lot.Meanwhile, Jenna and Shelly enjoy the little ones. JENNA - So what are you girls doing tomorrow?
JANET - Miz Jane is taking us for a hike in the wild!
SHELLY - Wow! That sounds interesting.
OLIVIA - Yes, Miz Jane says the woods and the fields are full of interesting things.
JENNA - I believe it! Norm was telling us about various flora and fauna he has seen on his trip. Gnomes are very much into nature, you know.BARBARA - Are you familiar with Buckminster Fuller's work or Scott and Helen Nearing's work?
NORM - Oh, yes! Some gnomes have employed the ideas Bucky spread, since the middle ages. And we gnomes have always believed in the 'back to nature' movement. We followed the Nearing's work with first hand observation.
BARBARA - So Norm - Do you know Ewell Gibbons?
NORM - No, but I do like wild grains and we gnomes have always been able to 'live off the land." And I did meet Tinkerbell once.
MARLENE - Oh, I bet she is delightful!
NORM - Yes, she is. I also saw Little Red Riding Hood one time in the woods.
MARLENE - Oh, what a sweet child she must be! Wanda is crazy about Little Red Riding Hood!
BARBARA - Crazy is right! I am sick of hearing about Wanda. Let's change the subject.
Fortunately the girls clammer up to the table.
JANET - Mr. Gnome, since you like the outdoors so much, you should go with us tomorrow when Miz Jane takes us hiking!
OLIVIA - Yes, pleeaase? You'd have a great time, and then Miz Jane could meet you too!
MARLENE - You'll like Jane, Norm. She is really interested in nature and the outdoors.
NORM - That sounds like fun! I will be glad to go with you, girls.
JANET - Oh boy! Our friends will be so surprised!
After that, Barbara gave the kids a ride home, and went home herself. Jenna and Shelly spent the night at Marlene's, since Barbara was concerned about them going home so late at night with Sock Monkeys about. Marlene heated some warm milk for Norm and then everyone turned in for the night.
TO BE CONTINUED...

NORM'S BACK!!!

Surfbuck's is packed this afternoon. It's that little cafe near the docks - Popeye's favorite place.
Jenna and Shelly, who are trying to earn money to move to a better apartment have part-time jobs there. For those of you who didn't read the story, way back when, of the Wandettes, Jenna is the one standing at one end of the bar, and Shelly is the girl sitting at the other end.
Hey, isn't that Norm with Popeye and Olive Oyl? Yes, it is! After performing CPR on his new gnome friend, Popeye took him and Olive Oyl out for a good meal. Norm was starving because he hadn't had anything except bananas since arriving in Skidmore, and now Wandamore.
Norm and Olive are having big dishes of spaghetti and meatballs. Popeye is growing impatient waiting for his stir-fried spinach.
JENNA, waiting on their table, says, "You are new to Wandamore, aren't you?"
NORM: Why, yes I am. My name is Norm. I arrived a few days ago.
POPEYE: Where's me spinach?!
OLIVE: Ohhh, Popeye! *slurp*
JENNA: I'm Jenna and this is my young friend, Shelly.
SHELLY: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Gnome. I know our two aunties would love to meet you, too.
POPEYE: There's too much chit-chat here and not enough cooking. Where's me spinach?!
JENNA:Yes, Auntie Marlene and Auntie Barbara would love to meet you. I know they'd be delighted if you'd stay a few days. They love having guests, and Auntie Marlene always invites newcomers and visitors to stay in her guest room.
SHELLY: Yes, please do think about it. Our shifts are about over and we'd love to take you to Auntie Marlene's.
POPEYE: Shiver me timbers! What did they have to do, grow the spinach first?!
Popeye FINALLY gets his spinach, and then they tell Norm good-bye, since he has decided to leave with Jenna and Shelly. Olive Oyl gives him a hug, and Popeye shakes his hand.
Alan the bartender waves good-bye as Jenna, Norm and Shelly leave.
TO BE CONTINUED...

PALM SUNDAY

My weekends are frequently exhausting. It seems to me that I don't really do all that much, so I have no idea why I just vegetate on Sunday afternoons. Friday both Zachary and Mathieu spent the night here. Zach pretty much watched tv and used the computer while I played Veggie Tale concentration, some made up games with color, number and word flash cards and worked puzzles with Mathieu. Predictably, Mat started crying for Amy around bedtime, but she and Reagan went to some kind of concert out of town and weren't even going to be home until the wee hours. But he and Zach bedded down with sleeping bags to watch the Sponge Bob movie, and he went to sleep. Then Zach got up and we spent some quiet time together.

Saturday Zach spent the night and we played several games of Yahtzee together before I got a late start on my typing for Sunday morning. Saturday night is kind of late to be starting from scratch on the parent talk that I had to give this morning (Sunday), but it worked out fine - much easier than the previous two, thankfully. I also managed to type up an inventory of most of the books, videos, cassettes and learning materials that I have been stocking the resource room with. Then I composed a letter to the teachers, aides and assistants letting them know when the end-of-year meeting is going to be and what's on the agenda. Also what things are in the works so far for next year...and asking them to come prepared to critique the school year and bring up any new ideas for next year. And I composed a letter to parents with a schedule of events for the next few weeks, an opportunity for a tuition break for early registration for next year, and other information. Anyway, it was after 2am when I finished and went to bed, but then I couldn't go to sleep for around another hour. But I got up this morning on time, got ready and got to the classroom building in plenty of time to get things settled and organized and sweep all the walkways that had new mown grass on them.

After Mass, my talk went well, although it had to be shortened since we had less time, and part was taken up with taking care of things that cropped up right before classes. I have been intending to take a photo of the junior high group with the poster they made for the Youth Spectacular, since the ones I took that day didn't 'take'. Only as usual, I forgot until after class when most had already left. But I did get two girls to hold it and snapped their photo, quickly. Once we were home from the church, Zach cooked bacon and I scrambled eggs. Chuck took a nap, and when he woke up, he and Zach left for the cabin. Then I crashed for a 3 hour nap. But even after that, I've been so tired and 'foggy' this evening.

Tomorrow I've got to go to Beeville at some point - supermarket and Walmart, AND the medical supply company. Would you believe Chuck wants me to get him a certain kind of neck brace so he can break Zach's horse that is well past the usual time for breaking...? It's absolute lunacy, with all his physical problems, but what can you do?

MONKEY BUSINESS???

Okay, I'll admit it. I have no idea where Norm is. Sorry, Peggy...And then I keep finding upsetting photos uploaded onto my computer overnight. YIKES!!! But thankfully, it looks like the renegade sock monkeys, Rocko, Jocko and Buzz, were seen by Popeye and Olive Oyl who were having a picnic.
Apparently Popeye's loud, colorful sailor lingo caused them to drop poor Norm.At least he's now free of the wild hooligans. Luckily Popeye knows CPR.

WHERE'S NORM...?

I expected Norman the Gnome to be arriving any day. So when I got a package slip yesterday, too late to get my package from the post office, I felt sure that it was him waiting to be picked up. Only this morning when I went to retrieve that package, the package slip was not in my purse where I was sure I put it yesterday! I asked the post office guy, and he said there was no package waiting there for me, and due to post office regulation #836403 he was not at liberty to discuss any package transaction with me. So I had no choice except to return home empty handed. But upon returning home, I thought I heard scurring noises several times around the house, and some excited chattering... It's a mystery, that will hopefully be solved soon...To find out about Norm's story and his travels see Peggy's blog, Hidden Haven Homestead: http://hiddenhavenhomestead.blogspot.com/
You can scroll back and into the previous weeks of Hidden Haven Homestead to find links to his various travels. (I haven't been able to make the 'link' button work, so you'll have to copy and paste her URL. I must be doing something wrong.)

CATCHING UP...

Today I actually got a painting done. Not much else, though... I did move the pots with tomato and basil plants, from the 'patio' workbench onto a bench in the sun. I can't leave them setting down on the porch because the dogs will dig in them or chew the plants off. I've also got laundry going and will vacuum when I finish typing this. I have tonight's TV line-up down: Amazing Race, American Idol, Top Chef and Black.White.

WRITTEN TUESDAY... Well, no photo, no blog entry. Today was pretty uneventful except for my ultrasound. I had to get up early and get ready to be at the hospital by 8:15. I was happily surprised that I was taken right in and got out very quickly. The screen was turned where I could barely see it, but I did see a gallstone or two. If that's the worst of it, I'll be satisfied. I won't know anything until the 14th when I go back to see the doctor, though.
I don't know why I am getting so sleepy in the afternoons every day...well, I guess I do know. I go to bed much too late, and then get up either at my usual time, or like today, about an hour earlier. But anyway, I took a nap and woke up with a bad headache, as I do sometimes. It lessened after I was up awhile, and almost went away after some aspirin.
I watched American Idol tonight. Gosh, Taylor was pretty bad...very lackluster, weak performance. No one was really great, I didn't think.

WRITTEN MONDAY...
After morning Mass, Reeys and I went out to breakfast, then Lydia and I went out for lunch a couple of hours later. Gosh, I felt like such a wastrel! Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal without sugar and most of two pieces of wheat toast. Lunch was the chicken-fried steak special - delicious but not what I should have eaten. Actually, I was not very hungry, so only ate the salad, green beans and very tiny piece of pumpkin cake topped with a teaspoon of whipped cream, and only a little bit of the small steak and mashed potatoes and gravy.
When I arrived at the church to pick Lydia up before lunch, I was happy to see so much activity going on. There were about 5 parishioners (Mr.S., Rose, Reeys, Annie and Loretta and maybe Delfina) taking care of yard work and various cleaning duties.... watering, weeding flower beds, mowing, emptying trash cans from the classroom building, cleaning restrooms, etc. I got the money turned in from the school desks that were sold over the weekend, got some copies made that the 1st/2nd grade teacher needed for the students, and picked up a form I need to fill out.
Garrett stopped in after work to look for his old nomex coveralls that he is going to start needing for work again. It's his 26th birthday today.

I SPRANG FORWARD

...sort of. Chuck sat the clocks forward before he went to bed last night, but I stayed up much too late and it was hard to drag myself from bed this morning. After Mass, the students' breakfast went well, classes went well, and my parents talk went well. In addition, we sold 7 of the school desks that we need to get rid of, the extra classroom that was taken over as a St. Vincent de Paul storeroom is being emptied, and I have a teacher to take over the Pre-K/K vacancy for next year. So now I will just be needing one more teacher - probably to take 5th graders. And since Sylvia will be giving up her Wednesday evening class for the junior high and high school students, and moving to Sunday morning classes, I won't be having to teach that group in that time slot next year. I would like to be able to just take care of administrative and 'creative resource' duties next year. As it is, that gets shortchanged when I have a class to prepare for during the week, and teach each Sunday morning. Then there are the parent classes each year. And the class gets shortchanged when I have to take care of this, that and the other before and often during classes.

Here's what I found in the grass by the back porch. After getting allll the female cats fixed not all that long ago, this mama cat arrived here as a nearly grown kitten, and then a pregnant mama cat was dropped off and promptly had 4 kittens, one of which is now a nearly grown female. So now I have three females, who will have to be fixed...plus any of the new kittens who are female. The other mama cat also had kittens within the last few days, only I have no idea where they are, so how many, and the sex, are unknown. Anyway, since the dogs were nosing around, having found the 'kitten nest' and bothering the mama cat, I moved them to the laundry room....which is where Patti-Jo was sleeping at night. This also makes a problem for the dogs going in and out from the back door during the day. This keeps the mama cat upset and wanting to move the kittens. I prepared a nice, secure, 'hidden' box for her, but she moved the kittens to the cement floor next to the water heater. At least she let me put down a towel for them. I guess Patti Jo will be sleeping on the back porch tonight if R. doesn't pick her up.

YARD SALE TRAIL

Today was the county-wide yard sale trail. I hadn't gotten to go the last two years, because I was having a rummage sale in the parish hall, so this year, I declined and did a little yard saleing, myself.Actually, I started a day early, since one of the yard sales was open Friday, too. Plus it was off the highway (WAY off, as it turned out. I just followed...followed...followed the signs.) between here and Beeville when I was making a trip there yesterday. Anyway, I bought two books (one for Mathieu and one for C.C.D.), and these two partial sets of dishes, there.I love the wide shallow bowls - or are they just very deep plates? - in the first photo. And the larger serving dish, too. Perfect for... spaghetti and meatballs, maybe? In the second photo, the two bowls and salad plates I got just because I really liked them. It was $5 for the first set and $2 for the second.
Last night I was feeling so exhausted that I thought I might not even go today, but I woke up early and feeling better, so at the last minute decided to go after all. This photo is what I bought at the Garden Club Plant Sale - 2 china berry trees, a morning glory 'tree'...or is it 'bush'?, 2 rock roses (to replace the one I killed previously), an angel wing plant (also, to replace the one I killed the last time), and a white angel trumpet plant. The Garden Club Sale is the one I've always raced to first, since they started having it. This year, I didn't get that much, since this drought kind of makes me think twice about buying plants. I ran into Amy and Mathieu there, as well as one of my neighbors. The candelabra is one I bought at Goodwill recently, and just didn't take out of the car yet.
At my next stop and the one after that, this is what I got - large cardstock squares to use for drawing paper, a box of laminated Bible verse strips and a couple of books for C.C.D., a small Barbie chair, a foldable scooter (for Zach and Shabree) and some lego bases with letters to go onto them (for Mathieu).
After that, I went to a couple more yard sales, but didn't find anything I wanted, so came back to Skidmore. I unloaded my things, picked up Coconut and her leash and went to the church to see how the space rental and the sales there were going. They had quite a few large spaces filled with a big variety of things. I ran into Amy, Mathieu and Zachary there. Amy got a vintage folding chair for Zach's room. She is going to 'westernize' it. From Mrs. Ross's booth, I got this crochet edged and embroidered center small tablecloth, and this vintage pyrex(?) cereal bowl. Maybe it was an oatmeal premium...? Oh, and I bought a chance in one booth that was selling raffle tickets for a tv, gas card, and lesser gas card, to finance the next year of collage tuition.
After I came home, relaxed and showered, I got a lot done on my talk for tomorrow. It's still not complete, but I may just wing it. Surely I can talk about the points I have written down for an hour. I hope. Then I went to evening Mass and came home and cooked dinner. While I was doing that, Chuck came home from work, then went to pick up Zach to spend the night, as he does each Saturday.