Yesterday's highlight was that Ray mowed the lawn, so it looks much nicer and might last awhile. The chickens were out again some of the afternoon and we all enjoyed interacting with them. They are quite docile, although about as smart as you would expect, so they don't really come when you call them. But I think we will get better at it--like other animals, you can train them with food rewards. Ray was trying to get them to go to a certain part of the yard, where he thought there were more grasshoppers. We called and shooed, but they did not want to be herded. The three of them stay together pretty much and they are quite "chicken," not wanting to venture very far from their coop, which is good. They don't like the hot sun and will stay in the shade, even though it was only in the 70s yesterday.
Ray and I sang some great music yesterday morning, including Standing on the Side of Love, for a service of the same name. Also a terrific version of Kumbaya, arranged by the Soweto Gospel Choir--you should hear their recording of it!
After the service, we drove downtown and joined the Captain and Vanessa at the Melting Point for a soup cookoff competition. Eleven members of the Classic City Chefs Association prepared soups. For $1, you could have a taste; for $2, a bowl. There was music too. The weather was gorgeous and we saw people we knew, including Joan Prittie. It was a benefit for Project Safe, but they were approached by the chefs and didn't have to do any work. My favorite was a potato soup, but there was a great lobster bisque and a really good butternut squash soup. Free rolls and tea or lemonade or you could buy alcoholic drinks. A great idea.
In the late afternoon, Vanessa and I went to the mall. Belk had a sale and I was looking for pillows and sheets for the Homeless Shelter. They gave me 10% off. I bought a dozen Ralph Lauren pillows for $7 each. I hope no one thinks Ralph Lauren pillows are too good for our residents. I bought 6 new bath towels that were about $6 each, in all different colors. The Prius's back seat is full. But the thing I really needed was twin sheets, just the fitted ones. They only sell sets. Kerri told me we have plenty of flat sheets, but need the fitted ones. We walked to J. C. Penney's, at the other end of the mall, but it was almost 6, closing time, when we got there.
On the way, we stopped at Lady Foot Locker because Vanessa was looking for some new walking shoes. It is a little hard to find the kind she wants; most of them are too big and clunky for her taste, but we found some on sale for $50, more than she wanted to pay, but she got them because they were the right kind. At J. C. Penney, they didn't appear to sell bottom sheets any more than Belk did, but I couldn't find anyone to help me to be sure.
Vanessa was also looking for a new travel kit for the Captain. On his last trip to Boston, apparently the Pepto-Bismol leaked all over everything including the travel kit. They didn't have them at Belk, and they didn't appear to have them at Penney, but there was a line at the check-out counter and no one to ask.
Then we went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond, where they did have bottom sheets, but they were $20. You could also buy a sheet set for that price. I bought a few, but will need to keep my eyes peeled for sale sheets. They did have a travel kit, though, so I bought that.
We hadn't been home long when Ray was shouting my name. "I broke the faucet and the water is just spurting up--call the water office." So I did; they were going to send someone out, but he got it shut off. Of course, he also shut off the water to the whole house. He had stepped backward onto it while mowing and he was really angry because the Captain leaves the hose around and doesn't keep the cover on the faucet. It's a wonder he didn't break his ankle...We called our neighbor Paul, who would have come fix it for us (by now it was getting dark). Ray bailed some water out and figured out there was a shutoff valve half buried there. He was able to shut off the water to that faucet and not the whole house. So he was very pleased with himself (and glad to be able to shower). It's funny how happy you are when you avert a crisis--much happier than if the crisis had never happened.
Old-fashioned and snack, plus leftovers for supper. TV and bed.
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