River Birch

It is great that the time has changed. Unfortunately, my internal clock still causes me to wake up at 5:45 old time...which is 4:45 new time. And my overactive mind kicks in and won't let me go back to sleep. I think about all the different obligations I have and how to get everything done in the right priority without any conflict. Ha! It is a beautifully rainy morning and the sound on the roof should have lulled me back to sleep, but no.

Yesterday morning, Elisa took the bus for the first time. We walked out with her. It was light, but the sun wasn't quite up yet. The driver was agreeable. We finished getting ready and were able to leave at a very reasonable hour. I drove to the credit union after dropping Ray off and then met the small group at the Botanical Garden. We had a private instructor and walk, learning to identify trees. It was great fun. In the piedmont, we have red cedar (juniper), loblolly and short-leaved pine. We learned about alternate and oppposite leaves, simple and composite. It was a beautiful day, cool enough for a coat, but sunny.

Then I went to the Institute of Gerontology. It was about an hour before class, but I ate my lunch and finished up some of the reading to prepare. I led a discussion of Green House nursing homes (google it) and the empowerment of the direct service workers there. I want to learn a lot more about this idea, which is better for the residents and the workers. It went pretty well, but a majority of the class would rather work in a traditional nursing home, interestingly.

Ray and Elisa were waiting for me. They had stopped at Masada and E. had gotten some Uggs. She did not bring boots with her from Germany, since they only wear them when there is a lot of snow. She found that the young women here are already wearing their Uggs.

We went to the grocery store. We usually avoid being there when it is crowded, but somehow we were stuck and had to buy some things. E. drinks a lot of orange juice and we needed milk and cereal for her, too. She also asked for frozen waffles, which we bought. It was crazy and the 5:30 traffic at dusk was incredible. We have managed, for the most part, to be home before then.

We made asparagus risotto and cooked some delicious pork chops that had been marinating. Then we watched TV and went to bed.