The Journal Project - Week 3

 Mon/ Aug 29, 2022 start of Journal Project week 3/4  

This will be my last post of a weekly journal. Sorry, just seems too repetitive.

Date with Helen and Teresa for lunch had been planned for months. Since Teresa is off from her job only on Mon. that was our limitation! Helen picked me up, and the restaurant we'd chosen didn't open till four...staffing issues. We ended up going to Ole's, which is my favorite restaurant as any of my readers know already.

And there were three other friends to surprise me with all the birthday party hoopla! A crown for me, flowers and little bags of presents. Which meant I wore the crown and opened the presents first. More on a blog about this great birthday event!

I'm at the far end of the group, wearing a tiara!

Afternoon a friend from church took me to look at cars in local dealer lots...and I found one of interest, that looked really good up front, low mileage and price in my range. But I wanted to drive it and have my mechanic check it out. Couldn't schedule with him till the next day. 

Tues Aug. 30, 2022

Early to car place, where the car of interest had a flat tire, but when they opened, they blew it up again, and I took it (with my advisor and trusty ride provider) to my mechanic. Mechanic said absolutely no...the bottom had too much rust. So we took it back and I went home. A couple hours later I met a good friend for brunch. I've know her since I lived in Tallahassee in the 70s! It's always good when we can see each other, though times are further apart these days. I look pretty tired (on the left) while M. looks cheerful.

Home for a nap...and looking on Craig's list for car listings. Big push to get the monthly newsletter for church finished for the proof reader and then published for tomorrow. 

Wed. Aug 31

Finally received money from insurance, to be wired to my checking account. At least I did the on line transfer and it should take effect within the next 2 days.

It's laundry day...for anyone's edification! Home chores to take care of. Audio book by Patti Calahan  "Becoming Mrs. Lewis" (fiction about C. S. Lewis getting married.)  Very good read (or listen as the case may be.)

Thurs Sept 1, 2022

Out at 9 to go look at two car dealer lots. There were 2 cars available in the first (which had another getting serviced whatever that means. Didn't consider either of them seriously.

At the second were 2 possibles, and one was really right for me. So again drive it (a long ways) to mechanic, who liked it. But oops, some fluid coming out of either transmission or steering. So I said to the dealer, if you fix that I'd like it. The dealer said they'd take care of it, and call me. I wonder if they will.. When I got home today around 4 (we'd had a nice Thai lunch somewhere in the driving around) I went straight to bed and slept till 6:30 pm. Got up and had the leftovers of Thai lunch.

 

Fri Sept 2. 2022

Nice and cool morning! I'm so tired of "Big Google" knowing everything about me. I recently was on the phone with a pharmacist and mentioned a new diagnosis I have, and the next day it appeared on my Facebook ads. Sometimes I'm more tolerant than others.

Today I put a deposit on a used car. I won't bother recording details here. I've been helped immensely by friends who've driven me to see cars, test driving a few, getting a few checked by my mechanic...and I think the one I've chosen will be great to own and drive. The dealer is fixing the problem my mechanic spotted, and I've put a down payment on it...and the cost is doable for me.

Friend brought me some fresh fruit, and a favorite treat, Pringles. I could eat the whole can at once...but am going to portion them out so I can enjoy how that salt hits me. Yes, I'm supposed to have low sodium diet...which is why I crave these so much. I figure once a week to have 6-7 Pringles won't kill me, and if it does, I'll die happy!

Saturday, Sept. 3 2022

And my blog life almost always does a Sepia Saturday blog on this day. Many of the photos come from historic postings on FB. Shrug. They put them out in public, I like them! I share them. Everyone knows I didn't take them!

Went to a pot luck lunch that the residents had here. I didn't eat a hot dog. But nibbled at other things and desert of banana pudding with lots of cool-whip!

Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022

Thoughts go to 43 years ago when I gave birth to my youngest son. I raised him alone, since his father wasn't in the picture. And I had a community of my friends and church groups who offered many activities for us to do...as well as good teachers in different schools. I moved frequently, since I was trying to support us and jobs for my skills were sometimes difficult to find. Finally I found I had a knack for helping senior citizens.. By then of course he'd moved on in his adult life. It really was hard for him growing up, and I have that regret, of moving and having to make new friends over and over. But he's now got friends from his young adulthood which stay in touch with him. I'm glad of that. And I'm very proud of the man he now is, with a great job, a wonderful wife, and two little animal pets, and their own home in CO. Yes, I've dedicated a blog to him on Sept. 4.

Neighbor's cat visiting for a drink of water. She didn't tongue it up like most cats, but stuck her chin in the water and then tried several times to swallow. I wonder if her collar is too tight. I'll mention it to her "benefactor" who feeds her (she used to be totally feral.)

Today's quote:

In the past, I have been a cloud, river and the air. And I was a rock. I was the minerals in the water. This is not a question of belief in reincarnation. This is the history of life on earth.

Thich Nhat Hanh, 

The part of a waterfall I could visit

Yesterday was so wonderful (after my full weekend with the family in super weather) with clouds and cool air, open windows as I again sat at my desk to start writing new blog posts. And though many blog friends are suffering in droughts, we will be getting rain again in the next day or so. 

But here's part of my memories...

The pond which was on the map of the B&B mansion/cabin...we had to check it out first Sat. morning. 

Some folks were fishing from this floating pier. 

Our OH girls were not thinking this was where they'd swim and sun...though some other visitors arrived as we left, brining lots of big floats upon which to go float around the lake.

We were able to park close to this nice shelter with the "stone table." No other explanation was given, but it appeared the shelter was built around it, with the logs going through the floor. Aslan comments were made aka C. S. Lewis and the Narnia chronicles.

Nobody much heeded this weird sign.

Having found that even with my walking stick, climbing steps either direction was really hard for me, I limited my hiking in the mountainous terrain. As a fully integrated (vs. wilderness) Appalachian area with many switchback roads, the area near Lake Lure, just south of Old Fort NC is mainly trees...not like the Rocky Mountains at all.

Me in the blue hat at Upper Falls

The Upper Falls...I sat out the trek to the lower falls however...playing with kaleidoscope app with my grandson.

I enjoy a portrait full of hearts, feeling the love!

The other family members went to the lower falls, then hiked back up to where we were. 

I'm glad they took some photos. It really does look worth the hike...maybe next time!

Sharing  with Skywatch Friday

Today's quote:

When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments; tenderness for what he is, and respect for what he may become. -Louis Pasteur, chemist and bacteriologist (27 Dec 1822-1895)

More weekend vacation pics

 It wasn't very far away for me, less than an hour's drive to the cabin. But the environment said sanctuary in the woods! No other cars, people, planes trains or mules. One bear however...but he walked past the cabin and on his way into more woods. Oh, did I mention the mountainous terrain? The drive became more switchbacks and roller-coaster deep hills down then up, and finally a gravel stretch where I'd have preferred a 4 wheel drive vehicle! Once there in our well dusted cars we had paved driveway and parking at the cabin! But we just unloaded the perishables from my car, parked it and went back to Asheville Airport in the van. This was Fri. night, and the van had just driven from Columbus OH.

After picking up the two from CO at the airport, by myself and the three who had driven down from OH, we had a quick delicious dinner at a Japanese restaurant (don't remember the name) where tapas were served with Ramen bowls. It was delicious and everyone shared together.

This is a Ramen burger...the noodles squished into bun shape, then fried, with a stick of onion rings filled with pork meat chunks.

I liked my fried avocado balls...a ball of seafood spicy stuff on a slice of avocado with an incredible fried crust...no skin! Edamame of course, and fried tofu in the back ground.

NOTE: After comments asked what the restaurant name was, I found it on Google Maps...in case you're ever in Asheville...it's Itto's Ramen Bar and Japanese Tapas.

Then off to the woods, where we met the Florida four waiting in a car at the gate to the community of houses/cabins. They had rented a car after flying to Charlotte NC.

The table was nicely set, with cute glassware from NC spots

Early Saturday morning waiting for everyone to get ready for going out...water falls after checking out the "pond" or maybe Lake George.

Today's Quote: 

I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat. -Rebecca West, author and journalist (21 Dec 1892-1983)

From full moon to spiders to...

  August Birthday gathering 2022

Friday night moon just past full woke me up where I was in a new bed...but of course the phone camera thought I wanted the clouds rather than the moon...I wanted to go back to bed, so this is what I've got. 

And this was also visible against the well lit clouds at around 2 am! I didn't intend to open the door to try to get a better shot of the moon. No way!

This is the great room where we had rented a cabin (think mansion) for the weekend gathering of most of my family to celebrate the August birthdays!

Many overstuffed couches and chairs, with places for me to put my feet up, though for August we didn't need the fireplace. We did have wonderful weather in the 70s in daytime and 60s at night.

  Upstairs were many bedrooms...as well as more downstairs. We only used 10 beds, but somehow the young people kept sleeping on the couches!

Downstairs was a pool table, comfortable conversation seating, and even a massage chair, where your whole body is massaged with air pressures...I didn't try it, but those who did said it was great!

A welcoming entrance.

A back deck looking over trees, with beautiful skies.

Yes I'll have more photos of the places we went!

Today's quote:

In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you. -Mortimer J. Adler, philosopher, educator, and author (28 Dec 1902-2001)