Objectively, it's very interestng that Elisa still had a fever yesterday and still wasn't eating much, but I appear to be fine. I wonder if my flu shot had an effect and minimized my illness. Anyway, I did not go into town and tried not to infect anyone, just in case.

Ray and I took a walk. It had frozen again a little. The day turned sunny and was very pleasant, with a fire going in the morning. He went to work and I stayed home with Elisa, madly reading articles about innovations in nursing home care and trying to decide what to focus on. There have been a series of movements to try to improve it. Elisa was awake most of the day. At one point, she was hungry. Then, after two bowls of soup, she said her stomach hurt. Probably out of practice digesting?

I had a somewhat stressful encounter with the KR Finance Committee discussing the board and the proposed budget for next year, but it was good to get out of the house, probably, in the sunny cold, and walk to the Community Center, which was lovely.

Ray came home about 5 and we might pork and bok choy stir fry, with the leftover pork steak we ate early in the week--and a bok choy from the garden! Yay. Not much out there now but lettuce. Elisa joined us, mostly eating rice and a then some yogurt and fruit. She is pretty congested.

Ray and I watched several TV shows, for the first time in ages. I cast about for my next knitting project. Lidet wants a beret. I hope green is a good color.

Well, that was unfortunate. Elisa is home from school for the third day, although she wants me to take her in later for her history presentation on Hurricane Katrina (how can that be history? never mind).

Tuesday I felt a little odd. I met with my Epi group at 12:30 and didn't feel like getting any lunch before then. You know that is a red flag for me--no appetite means something is wrong. The meeting went pretty well, but there was still a lot to do before the final presentation yesterday. I wasn't sure if maybe it was just stress. I went to class at 5, but came home after less than an hour. I could barely stand up. I went to bed and Ray took care of me, bringing me tea and crackers. I slept a little and read some. He slept on the couch to try to keep from getting it. I had some diarrhea, but no vomiting. And, wonder of wonders, I felt much better by the next day.

Needless to say, I didn't go anywhere. I worked on my presentation for Epidemiology--about suicide and murder rates, a little depressing. BTW, suicide rates for older people are increasing, and they are about twice the rate of deaths from murder! You won't pick that up from the evening news! What does it mean? I'm not sure, we would need to do more research, but it means, for one thing, you can't believe mainstream media. Recently, funding was approved for suicide prevention, which is awesome, but it's for young people. Not that I think young people don't need help, but you would never guess that they are not the ones most at risk.

I didn't want to go in to make my presentation, so got permission to attend via Skype, protecting all those students (and professor) from possible infection. It went pretty well, although there were sound issues. I couldn't listen and talk at the same time and if the volume was up, there was some static and feedback. Nonetheless, it was a good discussion and I was glad I had made the effort.

We didn't go to choir, but Ray did. First, he made us some cajun shrimp. Elisa was still not eating, except for an occasional clementine. She sat up for a bit and watched CSI (a little gory for me--the bad guy shot and killed one of the good guys; that never happens on my shows. She wanted to know why he wasn't wearing a bullet-proof vest).

Ray slept on the couch again, but I am declaring myself better today, now that I don't have any more classes this week. Just a couple assignments to turn in...

We are still adjusting to being home. I worked some in the morning after walking Elisa to school and Ray drove to UGA. By working, I mean working on my class projects and readings. Only a couple more weeks. I can do it!

About 10, Amelia called from Kevin's and I went to pick her up, in the truck. She had some breakfast and we chatted a bit about what to do with the few hours we had. She got some things out of the closet and went through them, taking some with her to Durham and throwing some away.

We decided to get some lunch in town, since there is not much here as we haven't been to the grocery store yet. We went to Ike and Jane's, but got it to go, except for the donuts. Amelia has to research donuts and donut shops, since Monuts is opening a store in January. I think she is almost as excited as Lindsay, the owner. She drove me to Ray's parking lot and I got the Prius and drove it to my class.
She took the truck home for me.

Class was good and then I went to get Cameron, who was fine and excited. $266! Boarding, shots, exam. Glad we only have one dog. We went back and got Ray. At home, Cameron instantly disappeared, probably over to Conroys'. Ray made some popcorn and we left again. He is Charlie Brown in a short play of Charlie Brown's Christmas they are doing at UUFA. I watched for a bit and then went to get Elisa, who had rehearsal at Clarke Central.

We started back to get Ray, but Beth brought him to the gas station. While we were waiting, I filled up on gas.

At home, I quickly cooked some ham steak, potatoes, and broccoli, but Ray went right to bed. Elisa and I ate. I built a cheery fire and made cowboy cookies--perfect ones, the right texture, cooked just right. Elisa went to bed before they were ready and I didn't eat any. So sad.

I went to bed about 9:30. Ray is still not up and Elisa is sick, staying home from school. I made her te and gave her Nyquil. It is strange to have a sick child--that has not happened since Gerald, I think.

Home Again

A long travel day, one that is the busiest in the year in the US, went pretty well for us. It started before 6, when Molli and Adrian went to pick up the Suburban we rented so we could all drive to Veracruz together. We left the house, all packed and dressed with minimal stress, before 7:30. Goodbye, Osa! Goodbye, Xalapa!

On our way to Veracruz, we stopped at a restaurant they like a lot, where everything is cooked over a fire, and it's very inexpensive. It is at Serra Bossa (probably I have the name wrong), where there was a battle with the French. They have cannon balls found on site on display at the restaurant. We had beans and tortillas and cheese and meat and drinks and went on our way.

The airport at Veracruz is small, so not only were we checked in very quickly, but we were treated like minor celebrities to some extent. We had time to sit in a bar all together for a while longer (I ordered sangria--they asked if I wanted vodka in it, which is what they usually do). Then we went through security, with Abuelo in the wheelchair. When there weren't four seats together, they let us into what might have been the first class section, where we were the only ones sitting.

The smallish plane was full and a little bumpy, but we arrived safely in Houston and disembarked. With the wheelchair, we had two or three different people pushing, plus a cart ride in the middle. It was a long way from one terminal to the other, via customs and immigration, with a little waiting, but we still had plenty of time before our next flight and no problems.

I have to say, it was good to get back in the USA and be able to flush the toilet paper! It took a while to get through the Atlanta aiport and get all our suitcases. Ray went for the car at the Park and Ride lot. Then the real fun began--fitting four big checked bags, plus four carry-ons and "personal items" into the Prius, with four people. But that wasn't the hardest part. Then we drove to Buford to pick up Elisa from the home of the family that took her to Florida. We had to fit one more big bag and one more person (with purse and giant Biology book she never opened)--I don't know how Ray did it.


We arrived in Athens before 10 and unloaded the car. Kevin came to get Amelia and Ray drove Mudge home. I did some minor unpacking, turned the heat on, and climbed happily into bed. Ray was back in about 40 minutes and we were really happy to be home safe and sound.

Late breakfast, visit to MIX - Museo Interactivo de Xalapa. This was something we all enjoyed, including Adrian's mother and sister. His mother mainly took pictures of everybody else trying the various activities. There were even dinosaurs. We blew bubbles, played volleyball with robots, sent messages through tubes of air and generally had a lot of fun being silly.

The thing that makes us laugh still is pushing each other around in the really old "automobiles." There are two and it is an interactive museum, so Mudge enjoyed giving Amelia and me a ride and then Amelia pushed him. Then one of the museum guides, about 15 years old, came and explained to us that we were not actually supposed to move them. Many things here are like that, they are so different from the US that we end up making mistakes. No sign says, please do not move the cars. They are not blocked from moving or enclosed in walls that wouldn't let them move. No one seemed particularly upset. And now, just looking at the pictures makes me laugh and laugh.

There was also a giant exhibit of animatronic insects, complete with roaring sound effects, which I was told, were the real noises they make, only magnified many times. There was an elephant, an anaconda, a rhinoceros, and more, none particularly lifelike, but clearly very popular. A guide told us about them, in Spanish, of course. Luz Maria and I sat out the aliens.

We went in two cars to a very nice restaurant, where 15 of Molli and Adrian's friends and relatives joined us for a wedding celebration lunch of beef. We had bought wine for the group and they stopped and got a cake. It was too loud for much talking, but was generally very successful.

We were very full, but I had to rush with Adrian and his mother and sister to a travel agency in another part of town. (I have spent so much time sitting in traffic in Xalapa, it feels like home). He had not brought his driver's license and I gave them mine, plus my credit card. I listened to a long, complicated story about which of three Suburbans would be available at 6 the next morning. They filled out the paperwork and I gave my card. $200 for one day! But the best way to get all 6 of us to Veracruz today. And since there are 8 seats, Adrian's mother and sister will join us.

Then we met Molli, Amelia, Ray and Mudge at PopularArte, which is the state-run store that sells authentic local products: baskets, pottery, beautiful ponchos and shawls. We bought a few things, but were pretty moderate.

We were home by 6, but it felt like the middle of the night. Some packing and some hanging around, not knowing what to do with our last night in Xalapa, and early to bed.

Yesterday after Molli and Adrian left (and the cleaning lady arrived to wash our dishes and our clothes and the floors and everything else), the four of us walked to the Anthropology Museum. It wasn't very far, but it was uphill. This is a great museum and by far the best thing to see in Xalapa. We went five years ago, except for my Dad, and were all excited to go again. The building itself is pretty cool, built in 1986. You enter at the top and gradually make your way down steps and ramps to the bottom, where you exit and walk up through the gardens. Along the way, there are outdoor rooms as well as indoor. When we were there before in July, it was very hot, but now it is a little on the cool side. The most striking thing they have is several "colossal" heads created by the Olmecs. One thing that struck me this time was an example of a head that originally was used as a throne, flat, and then turned into a face and turned up 90 degrees, repurposing from prehistory. The faces have hundred of pock marks. They say they are not natural and were not meant to destroy them, but they don't know why they are there. My theory is it was some kind of offering, that was acidic. There are statues of some woman god, with snakes on her belt, that supposedly deified women who died in childbirth.

We looked briefly around the gift shop, which has mainly books and is very crowded. We sat on a sunny patio and gathered our strength and slowly walked downhill home. Marina was still cleaning and it wasn't noon yet, but we got out the leftovers and ate a little bit. They tasted pretty good. Molli got home a little after two and Adrian a little later. By then, Amelia was feeling like she should be out seeing Mexico, not sitting in the house on her computer. We left Mudge and Ray and went into town. It was nearly dark and the traffic was bad. Adrian parked in a little lot (10 spaces?) and we walked along, looking at shops. I bought some small pieces of pottery to bring home to friends (4 for $5) and Amelia looked at a tortilla press, but decided not to get it--too heavy to transport.

We went to the indoor market I remembered from before--hundreds of stalls crowded next to each other--shoes and food and hats and baskets... It was just what she wanted and she bought several things, including candles and dried chilis and just the right size and shape and color baskets. Molli or Adrian would ask questions and find out the prices. As we walked by, the vendors would usually address us. "Tell me what you would like" or "ask questions." Adrian politely responded to almost everyone.

The faces of some of these people are incredible. They are mainly "indigenous" and look quite different from the politicians we saw reviewing the parade, who look European--shorter and darker with rounder faces and big eyes. We saw babies and small children and teenagers old enough to work. The other children must be home with relatives, working on homework or watching TV. The smells were conflicting--spicy, cooked meats, pungent incense, exotic... There was an old short woman with white hair in wispy braids...a man offering today's lottery tickets.

The stalls began closing and we made our way out onto the street. Walking along, we went into several stores. In a hardware shop, you can buy a metal milk can for a couple dollars--too big to bring home, not to mention we don't really have a use for it. Garish clothing and shoes and decorative items. We went into a fabric shop and Amelia had a good time there. I found a pink plastic stool and sat by the door. Eventually Adrian came to lead me to another shop a few blocks away. It was a litlte like the health food smoothie shops we have. We ordered drinks--for me, water with orange juice, for him, milk with strawberries--and waited for Molli and Amelia to join us. She had bought some notions--rickrack and elastic, which are small and light to take home--and cheap.

The shops are like those in other big cities. They each share a wall with the stores on either side and front right on the sidewalk. They mostly have no wall in front and are open to the cold or heat. This one has a counter that runs around the edge, roughly u-shaped, behind which work 3 or 4 people. In the middle, there is room for stools and a little space for someone to edge past while you are sitting there. You pay the cashier first and then show your reciept to one of the workers, who puts your ingredients in a blender and whips it up and pours it into a big glass mug, like a beer stein. In between customers, they wash these mugs out--no hot water of course. You get a whole blender full of your preferred drink. The walls are plasltered with posters of body builders--the kind that are almost disgusting to look at--shiny and grotesquely muscular. Adrian left to get the car and we sat there a while longer. After 15 minutes or so, we went outside to stand, but it was at least another 15 minutes before he got there, thanks to the horrendous traffic in the narrow bumpy streets.

I feel a little in danger just being in Mexico. You could get sick from brushing your teeth with tap water or eating something from a restaurant. The house has mulitple locks and bars on the windows. (they were robbed once after they moved here and the landlord quickly installed them). Dogs bark and fight in the street, night and day. The garbage is out in the street, to be picked up every day. Someotimes, the dogs scatter it around. This is a much nicer neighborhood than they lived in before, so I haven't seen any chickens in the street or yards. Not that it keeps me awake at night, but I will be happy to be home in the USA, where it is also possible to be robbed or get sick and there are other things to stress about.

We were home a little after 7. I made macaroni and cheese. Molli and Adrian and Amelia especially like it. Molli roasted a cauliflower as well, so we had white supper on black Friday. My Dad ate canned soup and tea and crackers. He didn't want the medicine Molli said she had. She has gotten sick a couple times here, in four years, and says the medicine works great. We played Oh Hell and went to bed. I managed to sleep until 6:30 this time.

Thanksgiving in Mexico

We sort of pulled it off. Molli took the day off, somehow. Adrian skipped his morning break and left work at 1.

I started by heating up milk and melting butter for the rolls. I sliced some onion for the stuffing, but had to wait until we went to Chedraui (have we been every day?) to get more butter. We walked with Adrian (Molli, Ray and I) and then to the store. We picked up some pain au chocolat and some coffees, too.

Amelia took over mixing and kneading the rolls and put them to rise. Molli worked on the turkey. We used some fresh parsley, the only thing edible Molli has growing here (in pots) and some dried herbs, and mixed the butter and onions with the bread crumbs and stuffed the bird. The biggest question was the oven--what temperature (1-5) to use? In it went. Then we could relax a bit before tackling the squash and potatoes. My Dad took on the squash, hacking it up with a big knife. It was very hard to cut. It didn't look much like a butternut, but it smelled right. We boiled it for a while and peeled the chunks. Amelia mashed it and she and Molli added some secret ingredients. The flavor was good, but the texture a little odd. The potatoes were boiled and mashed with some Mexican heavy heavy cream, more like creme fraiche.

The turkey came out, the rolls went in, followed by sweet potatoes. A few things got reheated in the microwave. The guests arrived and we ate, some more than others. The next I knew, Ray had disappeared. Research found him asleep in his bed. Tryptophan strikes again! Mudge was in his room off and on, checking on football games. Unfortunately, we missed the parade for the first time in ages.

The pies came out--they were tasty, but not quite the way they usually are: pumpkin a little milder, maybe with different spices, apple pretty yummy, fudge pecan awesome, but the texture is odd. Whipped cream perfect.

Games were played. People left. We even listened to Christmas music. I went to bed about 9:30 or so.

Yesterday was mostly about cooking. My favorite way to cook is with other people and very slowly. I have been reading lots of recipes and buying ingredients. Yesterday morning, Ray and I walked Adrian to work. Then we went by Chedraui, the grocery store, and bought a wierd squash, some red sweet potatoes, and lots of green beans, as well as more intstant coffee for Mudge, and a couple pillows.

At home, I made oatmeal bread, even though the ingredients were a little different and the oven is a lot different. It was excellent. I mixed up pie crust, enough for four pies, and put it in the fridge. My Dad cut up all the apples we had (8) and we put them in a casserole with spices, etc., and put a crust on, for a deep-dish apple pie. I wanted to try it, but it is ready to go. I might have cooked it too long, so it is like applesauce with a crust. We boiled sweet potatoes and he peeled them for me. I arranged them in several dishes. Later Molli poured on orange juice and sprinkled with brown sugar and dotted them with butter.

Adrian came home and went back. Then he came home at 3. Ray and I took a walk with the dog, between rain showers. WE played some more Mille Bornes. Molli got home and we ate leftovers. ADrian rushed off to a Masons meeting. I broke up some white bread for stuffing and made the fudge pecan pie. It was really ltempting. I rolled out the crust for the pumpkin pie and mixed it up and baked it after they left to get Amelia in Veracruz: Molli, Adrian, and Ray.

After the pie was done, I stayed awake reading until almost midnight, but they weren't home yet. Now they are here, but all asleep.

Adrian's work schedule is really interesting: he goes in at 9 (he can be up to 20 min late), works until 11, goes back from 12-3 and comes home. It is a part-time job, but seems on the one hand very pleasant. On the other hand, it is hard to imagine how he gets much done. I guess it depends on the kind of work one does. Molli works from 8:30 - 6 with a half-hour lunch break, not enough to get out of the office for the most part. I suspect she is paid a lot more than he is. His is a government job.

Anyway, it's great for us. Ray, Adrian and Molli went to the track early yesterday. Then they come home and got dressed and showered and we had breakfast. Molli headed out in the car. Adrian walks a couple blocks to his office. Ray and I and the dog went with him. I am not sure what we did between the time he left and the time he came back, but we had lunch at 11 with him.

When he headed back, the three of us went with him and then took a cab to downtown. Everything is an adventure in a foreign country and most of it is interesting and fun. The first cab we approached at Chedraui (the grocery store near their house) said it would be 30 pesos to town. That is less than $3, for three of us, but Molli had given me instructions not to pay more than 25, so I said no. The next one was 25, plus he spoke a little English. He had lived in California for seven years, but didn't seem to want to talk much. There was a parade so we couldn't get all the way to town.

We walked down a street and stood for a while where we could see bits of acrobats and various sports teams. After a bit, we figured out if we walked a little further we could sit at a cafe and order something (beers and naranjada) and watch more comfortably. It appeared to be the end of the parade, but every time we thought it was over, more military and police groups came by. As Xalapa is the capital of Veracruz, we decided units from all over had come to join. Our favorite were the skidoos (on trailers). Many of the policemen balanced on each other's shoulders or on horses or motorcycles and some made pyramids. There was an announcer, but I didn't really follow him...words like civil, responsibility, strength came through every now and then.

When the parade really was over, we made our way across the street to the Parque Juarez, a very nice park in the middle of Xalapa. There was a clown talking very fast to a large crowd and making jokes that we naturally did not get. Mudge was pretty tired by this point and we walked from bench to bench for a while. Then we made our way down to the street to take a taxi back home. Unfortunately, there were many other people trying to do the same. We felt like we didn't know the secret, but actually, it was kind of a question of being in the right place at the right time. If someone was let out near where you were standing, you could grab the cab. We were pretty happy when we finally got one. There was a woman in the passenger seat and we didn't really know what was going on. I guess she was his friend or wife and this is how they spend time on a holiday. We squeezed the three of us in the back, not easy. The seatbelts in the cabs are never used or usable. When asked, he said 20 pesos, so that was good.

He let us off at the Chedraui and we bought a few more groceries. They didn't have sweet potatoes or butternut squash and so we may not have them for Thanksgiving this year. We walked home and Adrian was already there. He cleaned and I made dinner--pork roast, rice pilaf. Ray prepared the green beans. We had time for a little Mille Bornes, but Ray did not like being on the losing team and quit playing.

Sometime after 6:30, Mara and Franz and their 2-year-old, Leo, arrived. Adrian fit eight places at the table and we had a great time. Dinner was appreciated. I love being the cook and getting the compliments, since it is often the other way around, Molli being so good at cooking. Franz is an English major and is an amazingly good English speaker with a wide knowledge of American and British culture. My Dad especially enjoyed talking with him, although I think the feeling was mutual.

Soon after they left, I went to bed, a little later than I have been staying up, which is good. I was awake for a bit in the night, but went back to sleep until almost 7!

Adventures in Mexico, cont'd.

It took a little while for everyone to get up, breakfasted, showered, and dressed, but we crammed back into the Corolla by 11 and were in Coatepec for lunch before noon. We admired Adrian's driving skills and the luxury of being let out at the door while he dealt with finding a place to park.

The restaurant is called Tio Yeyo and it specializes in trout. The word for trout, we now know, is trucha. There were probably 20 dishes with it on the menu, plus many other things. Ray had steak with almond sauce (really tasty) and a big side salad--oh and potatoes, maybe oven fried. Molli had grilled trout with a little salad-y garnish. We had a pitcher of naranjada and lots of water. My Dad had rice with shrimp followed by barbecued seafood. Really. shrimp, octopus, snails, fish in Mexican barbecue sauce, less sweet than what you usually find in the US. Adrian had the same appetizer followed by octopus (pulpo), with garlic, onions, peppers. I had trucha yeyo, which approximates stroganoff, only with trout. By the way, both trouts, mine and Molli's, came with the head, of course. A cream sauce with mushrooms and onions...and chipotle. Delicious, if slightly out of my preferred hotness range. We also ate tons of chips with two kinds of salsa, while we were wating, and tortillas with the meal. We took home some steak and some barbecued seafood.

Back in the car, we saw a little of Coatepec and then headed to Xico, famous for its waterfalls and its toritos (might have that word wrong). As we crawled along a fairly rough road in our overladed vehicle, admiring the views of mountains and banana trees and coffee plants, with an occasional orange tree, we drove through a gathering of houses lining the street. People, mostly women, approached our car, effectively stopping it, and offered us little plastic cups full of various homemade flavored liquors. Our first few tastes, including the peanut Molli prefers, were not as good. At the second stop, we bought peanut and two other flavors. A third place, we decided on coffee and coconut and maybe pine nut. A couple of bottles will go to friends and relatives. At one point, we were passed by someone on horseback. I began to laugh uncontrollably. The idea of being "forced" to drink these homemade liquors while we were driving in this strange landscape, struck me as completely hysterical. We trust Adrian to guide us and let us know what is safe and what is not. They always buy some.

Eventually we arrived at the approach to the waterfalls. We walked slowly down a paved road, passing small shops selling junk of various kinds, and arrived at a flat paved area with some buildings. If you dare approach the railing, you can see down into a very fast rushing waterfall. If you walk over the swinging bridge, you can see it from a different angle. There were many other groups doing this, including some who had clearly been swimming, although there was a sign that indicated no swimming. We also met a man who asked for money because he was picking up the trash. Molli explained that in a society where the government doesn't provide services, and the people are very poor, they find the gaps and try to get paid voluntarily to do the work. We didn't see many beggars, but a lot of people tried to sell us products and "services," including juggling, road repair, and the above-mentioned blood pressure checks.

My Dad did not cross the swinging bridge and Adrian soon turned back. For Molli and me, it is a challenge to face our fears and we were pleased with ourselves. Also, somewhat intriguing as to why it should be easier for me this time. Five years ago, I turned back when trying to cross and stayed alone while the rest of the group went on without me. Although it was not easy this time, it was much less terrifying. After an adventure with paying to use the toilet, we all climbed back up the road to the car and drove back past the assertive liquor vendors.

Our next adventure involved buying sarsaparilla, home made root beer. There is a town whose name I don't know, where Adrian likes to buy it. If we had remembered, we would have brought bottles to fill. The challenge is in finding the town and the particular shop that he likes, called Flores. He got really lost last time, but this time we found it. It is someone's home and we had to wait while they found and filled some old soda bottles for us. (I don't think the FDA would approve.) My Dad had to use the restroom and when Adrian asked, the young woman graciously allowed him to use theirs. In the store/living room, there are some really old pinball-type game machines that entertained Molli for a few minutes. The young son demonstrated how to play. (5 years old?)

We got lost again on the way out of town and eventually got back to Xalapa. The holiday was winding down and the streets were crowded. We left Ray and Mudge at the house and drove out again to get our turkey. Molli and Adrian don't buy meat at the local grocery store. We drove a long way through traffice to get to the carniceria, but it was closed, probably because of the holiday. Then we drove some more to get to a different supermarket, which was full of many wondrous products from the US, as well as Mexico. We bought a frozen Honeysuckle turkey, canned cranberry jelly and other things we were looking for.

Xalapa

It took us all day, but we pretty much recovered from our flights. I was up for awhile alone, and the same is true today. That's fine. It gave me a chance to catch up on reading e-mails and, theoretically, work on my assignments.

I made pancakes. Most of the cooking I did here yesterday was "adaptive," that is, we don't have exactly the ingredients called for, so I made some changes. The local whole wheat flour is a little different and Molli didn't have much white flour, so I threw in some oats. No sour milk, but I used all the milk and cream she had. I didn't find the baking soda or cinnamon, but they were pretty edible. Th worst thing was we only had fake syrup. You can get real maple syrup here, but it is about 20 dollars for the smallest size.

It took a while for everyone to get up and dressed and ready to go, but we eventually walked (with Osa, the dog) to the outdoor food market. Man, that was one of the funnest things I've done for awhile. On the face of it, it's not that different from any kind of shopping. You look at what's for sale and decide what you want to buy. There are lots of different vendors, and one person's lettuce may look better than another's. They offer you tastes and try to engage you. One man spoke some English. He said he had lived in Kentucky. I picked out some good-looking stuff and Molli and Adrian bought it for me. Lettuce, radishes, zucchini, carrots, chicken, sausage, pork roast, and more. Some of the displays were very attractive.

It was raining, more or less, when we finished. Molli and Adrian and Mudge went back to the house, while Ray and I went on to the grocery store. There were a few other things we needed. Yogurt, multivitamins, peanut butter, bourbon... I remember being at this store years ago. It is overwhelming. I suppose it is like US superstores. They sell everything, not just food. Like refrigerators. There are 30 checkout lanes or so and lots of noise. I was starting to lose it, like I did last time, by the time we left with our purchases.

Osa is the dog's name

At home, we recuperated and ate some lunch. Molli and I threw together soup. It was supposed to be chick-pea soup, but she didn't have the can of chick peas she had remembered, so we used some lentils. She didn't have any tomato paste, so I chopped up a tomato. We used the elbows we had just bought. No rosemary, but some other dried herbs instead. It was tasty, maybe not as good as the original, but warm on a cold rainy day. There is no heat in their house and probably no insulation either. There are some windows that generally stay open too. Ray was cold, which is unusual.

Molli went for a run and did some stretching exercises on a pad on the floor while we played some pretty intense hands of Mille Bornes. It was close when we started the last hand, but I had to take a break to work on dinner: chicken tagine. Adrian's mother and sister arrived right at 6, unusually early for them, while Molli and I were early in the cooking stage. We threw in the game (Mudge and I were ahead) and changed to hosting mode. Crackers and cheese, wine and other beverages.

at the market

My second favorite thing of the day: watching people who don't speak the same language work on communicating. In particular, Ray and Adrian were involved in a long philosophical-scientific debate. Adrian's English improved by leaps and bounds! Meanwhile, Luz Maria was very interested in Mudge's skydiving adventure. I did some spontaneous interpretation and re-telling of what he said.

the scientist and the philosopher conversing

Mudge, Molli, Tamara, and Luz Maria

The chicken and couscous was very good, in spite of a few missing spices and minor substitutions in the recipe. Luz Maria had wanted to buy some local speciality involving fried tortillas, but Molli and Adrian had tried to explain to her about Ray's (and my) health concerns and diet changes. Everyone's plate was clean and I think they enjoyed it, but I am not sure they understood how our meal might have been healthier than what she had wanted to offer us. It reminds me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The fiance is a vegetarian, so the aunt says, "That's okay, I make him some nice lamb." Food is an integral part of culture. I would probably have gone with her plans, even though I would rather eat chicken tagine I made myself (or Molli did). L.M. brought dessert, a fancy jello mold and a pastry with custard. They were both tasty, but Mexican desserts and baked goods aren't my favorite.

They left about 8:30 their time, which was about bedtime my time. Mudge happily watched football on TV. I read a little more of the first Game of Thrones book. In the night, I woke up from a bad dream and decided I am not reading any more of it. I also had some digestive issues. Who knows which of the things I ate yesterday made me sick? Maybe it was brushing my teeth with tap water.

Friday morning, Elisa had breakfast and I walked her most of the way to Valley's house. I showered and dressed and Ray packed the car. I grabbed the last few things, like food, and threw them in. We locked the doors and took the dog. It might have been less nerve-wracking for me to drive him to work and then come home and finish the last preparations, like giving the chickens lots of food, but that would not have been the most enviornmental and efficient thing to do.

After getting Ray to work almost on time, I took Cameron to the kennel. He was not happy about it and looked at me accusingly and sadly. I assured him he would have a good time. Then I got some cash. While I was at the credit union, I talked to them about a loan for next semester's tuition.

Then I spent a couple hours at the library, picking books to check out and take with me to work on my final presentation and paper for Psychology of Aging. It's a challenge to read enough of a book to konw it's worth getting, but not get caught up in it and spend too much time on it. I read about geriatric care managers, which is something I would like to do, but is for more wealthy older people, not the ones who need it most. And I would be working for myself. I would like to do something simliar for a non-profit, but don't think it exists. It's basically helping people get connected to resources they need and make the right decisions about their care. It's especially helpful for people who have aging parents in another town.

A little before noon, I left the library and went to meet Joerg, who is our AFS liaison. He works at the Small Animal Clinic at the vet school. I gave him Elisa's suitcase and a bag of cookies, pistachio nuts, and bananas for her to snack on.

Then I went to my Dad's and ate the leftovers I had brought for lunch. Rice with dressing and tomaotes and a few lettuce leaves. Very tasty. I repacked some things I had thrown in the car that morning. Then we drove to UGA and waited outside Ray's building for about 40 minutes. We got there at 1:08 and did not expect him before 1:30, but it was the least stressful thing to do. If he should be able to leave earlier, we would be ready. It was 1:46 when we saw him and got right on our way to the ATL airport. This gave us four hours until our flight, which would be plenty as long as there was no traffic or other delays. As it turns out, there were no problems, although there was an accident on the other side of the highway that caused a major backup for people leaving ATL. We were there more than two hours ahead of time, TG.

Ray left Mudge and me off at the curb with all the luggage and went to find a parking place. My Dad went in to get his wheelchair and I stayed with the things. He came back and we brought it all in. The wheelchair staff helped us get it all in line and check in. Of course, we couldn't check Ray in, so we waited a bit. He came along and swiped his passport and checked our third bag and then we were set. My Dad had his carry-on bag and his briefcase and Ray had a backpack and I had a small purse. And then there was the giant boatbag that my parents gave me years ago with our initials on it. I always take it with me. It had the food in it and the raincoat and spare underwear and books and computers. It was heavy, but sometimes we carry it together, one on each handle.

When your Dad is in a wheelchair, the attendant (pusher) goes to the head of the line for security and we go with them. He knows where the elevators are and the best way to get to the gate, so you don't have to think about it, you just follow him. We were at the gate in no time and had more than an hour to kill, eating, reading, wandering.

The first flight was to Houston. It was on United and was a smaller plane than we usually fly--two seats on each side of the aisle. The aisle was small, the seats were small, there were no snacks, just one beverage (water for us). It was fine. At Houston, we got a ride on a cart to the other side of the terminal where our next flight left from. We wandered around, read, bought more water.

Then Ray noticed they had changed the gate--we had to go back where we came from. We found another cart, but there was no driver. Eventually, someone came with a wheelchair to push my Dad back. He was a little nervous at that point that we might miss the plane. Ray had gone ahead, thinking we would be in the cart and leaving the luggage! So I was carrying the heavy bag by myself and the backpack. We did get there and get on the plane, among the last to board but still in time.

This plane was even smaller--two seats on one side of the aisle and one on the other. They took my Dad's carry on and "gate-checked" it. My giant bag still fit under the seat in front of me, but there was even less leg and elbow room and no snacks, even though the flight was longer. There was a little turbulence. Most of the time I read my book, The Best Possible Care, about palliative care at the end of life. It was not gripping, but apparently not boring enough to put me to sleep.

We arrived on time or a little early, in the dark and the rain. We had to go down the steps to the runway. My Dad asked for a wheelchair, which we had to try to do in Spanish. Eventually, we got one. They took us in to Immigration and Customs. The forms we had been given on the plane were apparently old ones, so we had to recopy the information, which involved Molli's address as well as information about our flight. We got stamped and went on to Customs after getting all our bags. No one asked us any questions or opened any bags, even though we had said, "yes," we were bringing fruits and vegetables into the country (a couple apples we hadn't eaten).

So we were in good time, out in front of the airport with all our bags. It felt warm and humid, tropical, not at all like Thanksgiving. We were surprised not to find Molli and Adrian waiting for us. Other people's rides came and went. There was a police car with flashing lights that pulled up. We were tired and began to worry that something might have happened on their drive from Xalapa. In an emergency, I could have used my cell phone, but it would have been expensive. Could we have had a mis-communication? I didn't know the name of the hotel we were staying at. Molli had lost her phone in the last week, so we couldn't call her from a pay phone if we could find one. Later, she pointed out that we did have Adrian's cell phone number too, but I didn't remember that at the time.

They came about half an hour later. They had checked in at the hotel and had time to relax before coming to get us, but they had gotten lost on the way. It was a ways to the hotel, maybe half an hour, and there was traffic. No GPS or iPhone to check the traffic and find the best way to go. They just followed the signs and discussed in Spanish which way they thought they should turn...

We did get to our hotel. A nice man brought our suitcases up. The elevator was so small, we had to go in two groups. The room had two double beds and a bath--and a small convertible couch in the anteroom that made it a suite.

One of the strangest things about visiting Mexico is they don't put toilet paper in the toilet. It goes in a small trash can next to the toilet. This is hard to remember to do, especially when you're tired, but soon becomes routine. Molli lived here four months before she found out--no one told her until her toilet backed up. Their plumbing can't take it apparently.

I slept soundly, in spite of the bed being really firm and there being a shortage of pillows. Unfortunately, I woke up at 5:45 local time, which was 6:45 in Athens, pretty good for me. I spent time reading my book on end-of-life health care quietly in a chair. After many hours, other people woke up. Some of us were dressed more quickly than others and ambled down the street. There was loud music playing and lots of people. It is a 3-day weekend in Mexico and Veracruz is a big holiday destination for them. We sat at a table outdoors and were brought "lechero," coffee with milk, as well as an extensive menu. Ray and I had huevos rancheros, Mudge had an omelet/frittata ("tortilla") with mushrooms and sausage. Molli and Adrian had beans and turkey and cheese.

Probably fifty people came by our table while we were eating to try to sell us things: embroidered dresses and shirts, wooden toys, perfume, cigars, even cheese and butter! Also, women in white uniforms offering to take our blood pressure. A marimba band set up and played a few songs, but we didn't give them any money either, so they moved on. Adrian demonstrated the technique. You cannot smile while you are saying no thank you. You must appear angry and they will leave you alone. Apparently, they all work for the same person and tell each other who are most likely to buy. I smiled at them all and nodded pleasantly, so that is perhaps why they kept coming even though I never bought anything.

After breakfast (it was nearly noon), we wandered back to the hotel. I took my shower and we packed up everything and went downstairs. Ray got most of it in the trunk and we squeezed back in the car.

Adrian drove around the crowded streets until we came once again to the naval museum we had visited five years before. It is a good museum and it is free, but it was espcially interesting to my Dad. Once again, the men lingered over every room, communicating in Spanish and English about many things. We felt bad about the American attacks on the Mexicans. Molli and I went ahead and sat on a bench talking (about gerontology mainly). It rained outside. We were all back in the car a few hours later. It was "parked" against a yellow curb, partly blocking two different driveways. There was a man there (with bad teeth) who guided us to park there and watched the car, in exchange for a small amount of money Adrian gave him when he got back.

Then we drove some more, down along the waterfront. It is great to look out at the water, even in the rain. There were fishing boats, police boats, and more. We looked for a restaurant for "lunch," and drove all the way to Boca del Rio, the next town. Somehow, Adrian found a Brazilian grilled meat restaurant, something we all enjoyed tremendously (like Fogo de Chao). It was very crowded. Five of us squeezed into a corner table meant for four. There was an extensive salad bar. I got some spicy soup--maybe chicken tortilla, salad with mushrooms, sliced beet, spicy jicama and fruit and other "sides." Molli ordered our favorite flavored water, naranjada.

Then the meat started coming. My favorite was the first one, cordera, that Molli got for me before I knew what was happening. Lamb. There were a dozen kinds of beef, two kinds of ribs, chicken, all grilled and tasty. For some reason, it is great fun to have men bring you meat on a skewer that looks like a sword. I imagined the proliferation of long sharp implements traveling through a crowded restaurant, complicated with wet tile floors near the entrance where the rain was tracked in could have been a dangerous scenario, but I never saw any accidents. There were repeated birthday songs from various groups. We ordered some Chilean merlot (Concha y Toro) and ate until we couldn't hold anything more. Ray went for fruit on the buffet and we admired the desserts, but passed them by. All this cost us less than $20 per person, approximately.

After a wait in the rain, our car appeared again and we stuffed ourselves back in it. The big white bag was under my feet and my Dad's briefcase on Molli's lap. Some of us dozed while Adrian made his way through the holiday traffic to Xalapa. The trip was only a couple hours, but seemed much longer. We even sang some of the old songs.

About seven o'clock, we arrived at Molli and Adian's house. It is really nice, three bedrooms. The table was set with placemats and napkins I recognized. The walls were freshly painted white, with framed pictures hanging. The wooden furniture is solid and there is a big curved leather couch in one corner. There is an actual kitchen, unlike the last place she lived, where it was in a corner of the living/dining room. All the doors and windows are covered with bars and locks. and there is city noise of people going by at all hours, not loudly, but different from the sounds at my house.

The floors are tile, a black and white pattern something like leaves. In the kitchen, a different blue and white pattern, more like snowflakes, covers the sink and the walls. It is about four feet wide by ten feet. A water pipe comes out of the wall over the sink, with a faucet like you might have had outside your house fifty years ago. There is a big bottle of water for drinking, a small gas stove and shelves under the counter, plus one cupboard on the wall. This is a deluxe kitchen for Mexico. The small shiny refrigerator is in the living/dining room.

They have given us their bed and bedroom and my Dad has a single bed in the guest room. They sleep on the floor in the third room, which they use as a study most of the time, on a large inflatable mattress.

Molli and Adrian are going to a wedding reception that started about an hour ago. We are all invited, but the three gringos are too worn out, even though it would be fun and interesting. We settle in and relax and go to bed very early. For company, we have Osa, their small and friendly to the point of obsequiousness, black and brown dog. One of the many challenges of moving to the US will be bringing Osa along, as she is part of the family and cannot be left to her fate here.

I put on my pajamas and snuggle into another firm bed, with the first book of Game of Thrones. It is not soothing bedtime reading, and I manage to get through two or three chapters before it slips from my grasp. I sleep nine or ten hours, waking briefly when Ray comes to bed and again when they come home about midnight.

Strange bird sounds distract me as the day starts.

As we were walking E. to her ride this morning, Skipper came down the drive. Valley was sick, so she was leaving a little earlier. Ray and I continued our walk. He went to work and I did some packing and some computer stuff. In the afternoon, I stapled some more chicken wire and made the run safe, hopefully, for while we are gone. I did Elisa's laundry and hung it up inside to dry. I hung our laundry outside. It was rainy in the morning, but clearer in the afternoon, with a little watery sun now and then. We have turned on the heat.

I made a sausage and rice casserole for the potluck. I went out and ran some errands, picking up some books for Molli and some items at Hawthorne Drugs and Kroger. Buying shampoo and deodorant for a young lady is challenging with all the options. Fortunately, Elisa is pretty agreeable and will not object to my selections.

I waited in the auditorium for about half an hour, watching rehearsal until Elisa could leave, right about 6. We drove to the community center and I wolfed down some food. Then I picked up Nancy M. and drove to UUFA for a 2 1/2 hour LM meeting! I was pretty annoyed by the time we left, and she agreed with me, to some extent. I had a little drink and watched BBT (Big Bang Theory), which was a good antidote. I slept pretty well.

I woke up early this morning from a bad dream. We were trying to hide in the grass because there was a helicopter overhead. As I woke up, my feet were cold and I could still hear the sound of the helicopter. I thought maybe the heat was on and that was what I was hearing, but it was my sleep mask. I had apparently taken it off, but it was blowing a mile a minute. It was quarter of five, but Ray was already up.

We walked Elisa partway to Valley's house and headed back so Ray wouldn't be late. I dropped Dan and him off and went to the bank, then to the library. I spent a couple good hours researching for one of my final projects. Unfortuately, it involved reading about lots of murders.

I was supposed to meet someone at Barberito's at two, but I knew I wouldn't make it that late. I ducked into Lumpkin Cafe and ordered a cup of potato chowder. It was good and thick. After sitting there a while, I ordered the oriental chicken salad too. It's what Becky and I usually get. Fortunately, I was too full to order dessert, even though they had chess pie.

Then it was 1:45, so I went to Barberito's. There is a young professional couple at UUFA who just had their first baby. Well, he's already eight months old. She has started a private practice and he was already in one, I think. The baby is a delight, big blue eyes, quiet and pretty calm, but watching everything. He goes to day care twice a week, but they want someone they can call if he is sick, so they don't have to cancel any appointments. They will pay me $9 an hour. I said I could do it for the rest of the year, but don't know my schedule for next semester yet.

Ray and I went over to my Dad's. He is thinking about getting hearing aids. Well, actually, he is thnking about not getting hearing aids. The audiologist told him he needs them, but they are $5000 and he doesn't think his hearing is that bad. We will have to make an effort to speak clearly and look at him. He will get them if he feels like he is missing too much.

We picked up Elisa and came home for a couple hours. It was cold and gray, so Ray built a fire.

It was Wednesday, potluck night, but once a month, the Coming of Age kids are making a dinner as a fundraiser. This week was spaghetti. It was pretty good, too. Then choir rehearsal, except I dozed off a little during Drummer Boy. We will be missing some Sundays, unfortunately. Well, Drummer Boy is not my favorite anyway.

Elisa and Valley took the bus this morning, so we didn't walk as far as usual. It was cold, but not raining while we stood there. Ray and I spent a little time on the Chicken Fence before he went to work. I did some school work and had leftover vichysoisse for lunch, with a sandwich. I went back outside and did some more stapling during the warmest sunniest part of the day, when it was about 60.

When Ray got home, I rushed around trying to get some early dinner together. I had thawed a couple drumsticks and stuck them in the oven with some seasoning, started some rice and cooked a bok choy from the garden. It was good, but, of course, I only ate a little of it because we had to get to class by 4:55, which we pretty much did. We were talking about death and dying, which is kind of an area of expertise for me. I had brought all my handouts, but didn't have a chance to say anything or share them. We also watched an interesting video called the Personals, a documentary of some older people doing theater in NYC.

Ray picked up Elisa and took her to Taco Stand. They lelft me the car and took a campus bus to the Performing Arts Center. We had tickets to Mixt, a young trio--violin, piano, clarinet. I was embarrassed to always be leaving class early, so they went without me. I drove over and sat in the lobby during the first half, doing some reading with faint music in the background. At intermission, we were going to switch, but they let Ray in--one of the ushers was a retired Geology professor. The place wasn't half full, so a victimless crime. The music was very good. I am not that great an audience for it--always thinking of other things I should be doing and wondering how much longer until we can leave.

To bed, and a good night's sleep.

We walked to Valley's house and back. We got ready to go and picked up Dan. I took the car from Ray's office and decided to visit Talmadge Terrace and talk to Ann. She is the one I have talked to there a couple of times about my parents moving there. She wasn't in yet and I waited a few minutes. When she got in, she was quite flustered and I suggested I could wait a few minutes more. I didn't do a very good job explaining what I wanted to talk about, but she said she couldn't really talk to me until after the Open House that they have every year the weekend after Thanksgiving. They are expecting 600 people! She said the Executive Director would be busy until after that event as well. I had wanted to ask some questions about the facility for a paper I need to write, and possibly bring up the idea of having an internship there. It doesn't seem like it will really work out from our conversation, but I have an appointment with her afater the Open House and the name and contact information for the social worker. I had wanted to come by in person because I thought she would recognize me and might not know me from the name, which she did.

My next errand was to stop at the bank, which was closed. Then I went to the library, which also turned out to be closed, at least until 1. I sat in the car; it was sunny and pleasant and I did some of my reading there. A little before noon, I headed to a restaurant to meet Becky. The Sultan is a Middle Eastern restaurant we used to go to, out near the mall, until it closed. Fortunately, it reopened on Baxter Street and we enjoyed our lunch there--hummus, gyros...

I got to the Institute early enough to do a little more reading before class. After class, I went by the hardware store and picked up a few nails, which was an entertaining experience in itself. The atmosphere and the characters that work there are very interesting to me. Then I picked up Ray and Dan and we went to Earth Fare for a little grocery shopping. After that, we headed to the high school and spent some time in the back row of the auditorium with our computers until Elisa was ready to go. It's always fun to watch the process of rehearsing scenes early on.

At home, we made hamburgers with peppers and onions and steamed broccoli. Elisa supplemented with yogurt and fruit. We watched TV and went to bed. This time, I slept until 5, a little better.

Yesterday was blueberry pancakes. Ray and I went for a walk. Elisa slept late. We went to UUFA, picking up Nancy M., who is recovering well from hip surgery. After the service, I had to introduce Dr. Glass to a group she was addressing about aging. I used the word elderly and she explained to everyone how we don't say that any more. I was embarrassed and irritated. Ray and I had to meet with the Coming of Age kids. We are both mentors. E. came with us, but did not really participate.

We were planning to go to the Greek Festival, but had to take Nancy home. On our way into KR, Skipper invited Elisa to spend some time with them. She said they would bring her home. So we didn't go. Ray watched football. When it was almost dark and she wasn't back yet, we went out and worked on the Chicken Fence some. We don't have any good nails, so it occasioned a lot of swearing.

She still wasn't home and it was full dark, so I called and they said they were on their way. When she arrived, she told me she already ate dinner. I was surprised that they would give her dinner without telling me. Ray and I had frozen fish (from years ago) and potatoes and broccoli. We mixed up some mayo and pickle relish for tartar sauce.

I fell asleep in front of the TV very early. Consequently, I woke up at 4. Must get back on a normal schedule.

Paintball

I was awake very early this morning, thinking about my life and ideas for the future. It is a little cool in the house, even though it was sunny yesterday. The hours of daylight are so few this time of year.

Elisa and Guillermo

Yesterday, there was a little frost. Ray and I took a walk. Elisa needed a permission slip printed, but we couldn't make either of our printers work. Mine would print out part of it, but not all. I think the file was too large for my old printer. We could not get her computer or mine to see the other printer.

Elisa gets her gun

I was anxious to get to pilates, but was nearly late. Ray and Elisa went to Clarke Central for set call. Elisa is in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Harriet, the drama teacher, was happy to see us again after the years our kids spent doing drama. Ray and I had a visit to the farmers' market and picked up some veggies: rutabaga, turnip, eggplant, green tomatoes. (I think they might still be in the car; our day was so busy I forgot to bring them in).

All suited up

Elisa was invited to two birthday parties. One involved playing paintball. This is what she needed her mother's permisison for. She had sent the form to her mother, who had printed it, signed it, scanned it and sent it back. However, I signed one at the place and they didn't ask any questions. I spent an hour there, watching them get face masks and guns and learn about safety and the rules. There were three girls in the group of fifteen. Elisa was excited (and had a great time). In Germany, you must be 18 to play paintball. She has a good bruise on her leg and some abrasion on one hand. I had very mixed feelings watching kids shoot at each other. It was a sunny day and it looked like a blast, in some ways. It also seemed awfully close to really shooting at people.

I went back to the school and picked Ray up. Harriet had bought him lunch (at Wendy's). Elisa and I had eaten chicken curry and rice from the farmers' market, which was awfully good.

calibrating the gun

I spent some time on the phone, trying to arrange for Elisa to attend the other party she was invited to. It was in Atlanta and she could have spent the night there. I wasn't willing to drive there and back twice (or even once, I guess). It didn't seem that important to me. We could have put her on the Megabus and someone would have met it. But then getting her back the next day appeared more challenging. The Mom where she was staying would have put her on the MARTA train and then she would have to get off and get on the right bus going the right direction, which she could probably do, but it just seemed a little nerve-wracking. We decided she would have another chance to spend time in Atlanta, maybe next month for the Christmas party.

Old Fashioned with Peaches!

Ray and I spent some time with Becky and Kent, because the paintball place is in Winterville. I picked up a few pecans. Ray watched some TV with Kent and recovered from his work on the set. We got Elisa about 5 and drove home. Before long, it was time to head out again. We had a lovely dinner at Porterhouse with my Dad--the four of us, plus Becky and Kent, who were celebrating their 33rd anniversary. We were also celebrating the results of the elections!

Tomato Soup

It was frosty again yesterday morning. Elisa was a little late getting going, but we ate scrmbled eggs, the last of the eggs laid by our hens. The three of us started for StipeMaases', but we didn't get halfway there, we were so late.

Ray headed out a little late, too. I worked on my big assignment for Monday's class, my life review. It is hard, not because I don't have anything to say, but because I need to whittle it down to what answers the questions. What are the recurring themes of my life? Environmentalism, political activism, caring for others.

My Dad arrived about 10. He wasn't feeling very good. I made him some tea and later heated up chicken broth and scrounged up some crackers for him. Sometimes he doesn't know if his digestive problems cause him to be depressed or his depression gives him indigestion. I made some Cowboy cookies while he told me news items from his computer. I had a sandwich for lunch and started working on my readings. He headed home. About 3, I spent some time outside. It was too nice not to. I stapled chicken wire to supports, working on the Amazing Chicken Fence. The chickens were out all day. Cameron kept running off and I tried to keep him close to home.

Ray and Elisa arrived home and I put the chickens up. We made some pork steak and vegetables. At about 7, we headed to UUFA for game night. Ray left us off and picked up my Dad, who seemed to be feeling better. Aleta showed up and the five of us played trivial pursuit, the boys against the girls. Aleta had brought Genus IV and some of the questions were really hard. We tended to avoid sports and leisure and try to land on science and nature, both teams. After about 2 1/2 hours, Ray and my Dad finally triumphed over the women. It was fun. I tried not to mind that no one else showed up, but the powers that be had not done much to publicize the event.

I was tired and slept well.

Frost again last night. I had almost everything covered. We'll see if it was enough.

Yesterday Ray and I volunteered for the big cancer study. This meant answering a long questionnaire on line ahead of time and going to the hospital for about half an hour, answering some of the same questions again, getting my waist measured and some blood drawn. Unfortunately, in my case, the phlebotomist tried my right arm first and didn't get any blood. I am not fond of having needles in my arm, so that was unnecessary unpleasantness. I believe there are 300,000 of us and they will continue to ask us questions every few years and see which ones of us get cancer. It was very had to answer some of the questions. Do you know at what age you reached your present height? How much you weighed at various ages? How many cups of fruit and vegetables you ate every day for the last month? Of course, for women, they asked a lot of questions about menstrual cycles and pregnancies, too. I encourage everyone to write down your medical history, maybe on line somewhere, so you can refer to it when they ask you questions.

Elisa, by Adah

He went in an at 7. When he got home, it was time to walk Elisa to catch her ride. Today Ray walked with us and we walked over a mile. It was cold but sunny. I got to wear my hat and gloves. Cameron came too. This is a good way to start the day. Elisa, like most of the other teenagers I have known, did not want a hat or gloves or scarf.

When I went for my appointment at 9:30, Ray was able to catch a bus to his office. I headed to the library afterward and finished the reading for my Monday class. Later in the day, I started Tuesday's. We came home and spent most of the afternoon on the couch on our computers (my iPad, actually). After a bit, though, I had to go outside. It was sunny and in the 60s. I stapled chicken wire on our Amazing Chicken Fence. Cameron had trouble sticking around.

Ray went to get Elisa while I got ready and headed over to the KR potluck dinner. I played some with Adah and talked some with other neighbors. Elisa and Ray arrived and joined us. Then I had to stay for a Kenney Ridge board meeting--not my favorite way to spend an evening. There should be only one more meeting this year. In theory, my time will be up then.

When I got home, I had to watch four shows before I could go to bed, and finish my book, which was a good one, by the way. It was after eleven when we went to sleep, but it was light when I woke up.

Yesterday morning, Elisa got up so late she had to take her breakfast with her to eat in the car on the way to school, and plan to buy lunch. I walked her all the way to StipeMaases'. It was raining and cold. Then I walked all the way back, jumped in the tub, and we rushed off. I didn't eat most of my breakfast, either.

I dropped Ray off and waited for Janna to be finished with her dentist appt. I spent a few minutes at her house, admiring the work they have been doing to renovate their basement. Then I had a doctor's appointment. My doctor does not cheer on my accomplishments as much as I would like. I have lost two pounds since the last time I was there, and my cholesterol has improved. Unfortunately, my sugar has not. She is still willing to let me keep trying to improve my diet and exercise. I am hereby giving up orange juice for one thing. I was somewhat pleased, though.

I met Becky and Le'Ann for lunch at DePalma's, an Italian restaurant with mainly pasta dishes on the menu. I ordered a grilled ribs appetizer and a side salad--meat and veggies, no carbs. It was good.

The plan was to pick Ray up and trade cars. I was supposed to go to class while he went home to make something for potluck. However, I was reading my email on my phone while I was waiting and another student sent out a question about working on our assisgnment since class was cancelled. Apparently, an email went out, but I was left off. Ray and I stopped by the Institute to confirm and then we went home. I have to say, having class cancelled made me unreasonably happy.

Ray immediately went to sleep, not surprisingly, since he had gotten less than five hours the night before. He did build a nice fire first, though, and I enjoyed sitting on the couch and reading stuff on my iPad. I didn't do much of anything constructive. The weather was cold and gray, but it was cozy in the house.

Elisa came home on the bus and helped me make a lentil salad, with peppers. Then we went outside and covered the tomatoes and most of the peppers. The basil and peanuts will have to take their chances. There was a frost advisory, but it may or may not happen. We also picked about a dozen peppers, two small potatoes, some radishes and some lettuce, just in case.

We went to the Fellowship and enjoyed our dinner, less than 10 of us for potluck. Then we had choir rehearsal. When we got home, I went right to bed. I woke up at 5, with the sleep mask on!