orange hat, with flowers and veil

I am a little blue, maybe from watching The Reader, maybe from having a busy day ahead of me and back to work tomorrow. I know it won't be long before I am unemployed again and wishing for work. The Reader is very good, very beautifully filmed and acted. My favorite thing about it is the setting, the sense of place and time. She lives in this really grungy little old apartment in Berlin. I wonder if someone found it or they created it...? I have a tiny bit of doubt that the plot is completely believable and so feel somewhat manipulated. Now, granted I love many movies that are totally unrealistic, but this left me sad but not quite totally buying it. I still think it is a better movie than Doubt, which I like a lot.

I went to the meeting at the Fellowship, except I turned up on time for 9:30 and it was supposed to be at 9. Got it wrong on my calendar somehow. Ray was going to drop me off, go donate platelets and pick me up again. Unfortunately, he forgot and took his aspirin (which he does every night to prevent heart attacks, I guess). He can't take it for 2 days before donating. So, instead, he went to watch a wrestling match featuring one of his students. I think that is sweet and I am glad he went and enjoyed it. The part about me I don't get is that I really don't want to hear all the details. Is that because I am heartless? Or is it that Ray just gives too much information?

In the afternoon, Lisa Lewis came with her 2 children, Ella and Billy (7 and 3?). Geoff is out of town. Lisa is my young friend. Her mother was a teacher at Molli and Amelia's elementary school, although they did not have her (Mrs. McMinn). They have started and are living on a farm, raisimg and selling vegetables. Lisa writes a column for the paper, but mainly is a Mom. Geoff is a teacher and coach. They are designing a house, energy efficient, but looking like a farmhouse. I have leant her many books and they have been out here before. We looked at her sketches, and she looked at the house again. Ray mostly entertained the kids, reading stories and playing games. It makes me cry... I love to hear 3-year-old laughter. But...we tell Lisa how much we enjoy her kids and how well-behaved they are and she sort of rolls her eyes. Ella has "attitude" and it makes her crazy. Her teachers love her and she is very good in school, but apparently has used up all her goodness before she gets home. While she was here, she said she was hot, could she have an ice cube. She was hungry (she didn't eat all her lunch), could they go home now? I remember this too and I know she is tired and worn out and I probably couldn't handle it, but boy I sure miss it.

The Kings came to play bridge with Mom and Dad, so we cleaned up some. That's why Ray and I went to the movies. They were of course still here when we got home, which is why we stopped for dessert after the movie, but didn't make it last long enough. We went up to bed, but it sounded like they were having fun. Mommy had made lemon meringue pie, hopefully we will get some today!

Saturday! We only played one game yesterday morning and Ray won, but we played hard. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be losing any weight. But I like to believe it is because muscle weighs more than fat. The important question is how is my cholesterol doing? I won't find out for a few more months.

It's just below freezing here this morning and was up to 60 during the day yesterday. Dad planted peas and it is supposed to be even nicer today. Unfortunately, something he did seems to have strained a muscle in his stomach.

floppy straw hat with ribbon

Hi,

Well, I'm a little congested, but no major cold symptoms. Yesterday afternoon I was sure I was getting it, but maybe not. I woke up at 4:30, but managed to go back to sleep until 6.

Yesterday morning, I beat Ray again in the second game, 16-14. Sometimes he gets really mad when I am ahead and then plays really hard to catch up. But then he seems to remember and play more calmly. Sore back and neck, but it's good.

I didn't get to work until almost 11 and I rated 4 packets before I left at 4:30. I couldn't bring myself to stay another hour, which had been my plan. They told me my accuracy is good, so that made me happy.

My recipe called for ramen noodles, which I didn't have. I went to pick Ray up at the library and made a visit to Fook's Foods. Other people have said what a great place it is, but I had never been. They did have ramen, of course, 17 varieties, fresh and dried. They also have rice in bulk and some Asian vegetables. The woman there has an interesting manner, not overly helpful. She was offended when I asked what the difference was between ramen and regular egg noodles. She said there was a lot of difference--see how thin these are! Well, yes, but in terms of what they're made of?

Watched some more Firefly - a great episode where Mal is accidentally married...

Yay, it's Friday again!

I am on the dark side this morning, crying over Eve's tragic death a year ago. One of the songs we sang in choir last night set me off too. It's a John Denver song about Love. I used to really like John Denver, but at some point, his songs became too sappy for me, usually. Somehow the words last night struck me. "my memories of love will be of you."

Molli called last night and we had a lovely conversation. She is doing well. And I have much to be grateful for. Sometimes I am just very sad. This will pass. Perhaps it is related to getting the cold, in spite of my efforts.

My neck and shoulders are sore, probably from raquetball yesterday, and sitting scoring essays after that. I won the second game, 16-14. I'm sure Ray had to work really hard to let me win!

It is so hard this morning to say, yes, I am going to get moving and go to the gym at 8 am (in order to get to work by 10). We have to make complicated plans and arrangements, although Ray is the one who has to give up the most by riding the bus. It is tempting just to say forget it. I'm sick and I'm sore and I already played twice this week. But it is hopefully going to keep me healthy and save my life.

fur scarf (no recognizable animal parts)

Well, so far, I have successfully held off the cold, maybe thanks to Zi-Cam, which I have used a few times. Ray was finally well enough to play raquetball again yesterday. We took Vanessa to yoga class at 8 am, then went to the Ramsey Center. Unfortunately, Ray had packed his bag, but neglected to put it in the car. That was due, at least partly maybe, to the fact that the Protege wouldn't start. It was below freezing and hadn't been started in months. We had this plan. He was going to park at the Board of Education, I was going to pick him up, take Mom to yoga, then play raquetball, then drive to work. In the evening, he would take the bus home (as far as it goes, to the Board of Ed. building), then drive home from there. So, he called the Captain and asked him to bring the bag. After we played raquetball, he went to his office to meet him and get his clean clothes and shower things. Meanwhile, I took my shower and got dressed and met him in the parking lot to get the car when he came back to take his shower. Then he walked to his office. Very complicated and not very interesting to you, dear reader, I am sure, but somehow the kind of thing that happens in my life. Ray had been ready to give up and just go back home, but I was damned if I was going to do that after all the preparations and anticipation. Then in the evening when he got to the end of the bus line, my Dad went to pick him up. I had to be home for my online class at 5 and Ray was just leaving the university then. After class, I gobbled my (delicious) supper (that I had frozen months before) and spent the evening working on UUFA stuff. The Exec. Committee meeting is tonght.

I think I am coming down with Ray's cold. I held out for a long time... Hopefully, it won't be too bad. I spent most of my computer time this morning working on a group assignment for my class, a timeline of important events in IT history.

Yesterday we had a humor service at the Fellowship. It was packed. My parents came, but they had run out of programs. An example: we sang "Coffee, coffee, coffee" to the tune of "Holy, Holy, Holy"; they sang "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" for the offertory.

We went to see Bertha's apartment at Talmadge Heights. It is lovely, with sunny windows and lots of space. Of course, it was covered with things being unpacked. We ate in the dining room; I saw quite a few people I knew. Phyllis Durham, hunched over with her walker, but sharp and in good spirits. She said she is moving to California in a few months to be with her family. She was happy about it, but will miss the space she has here. There she will be in one room. Bertha has 2 bedrooms (one will be her study) and 2 baths and a large living room and small kitchen. She gets one meal a day in the dining room, but apparently they are very generous and you can bring tupperware and take half of it back to your room.

Ray and I went to see Doubt at Cine. We had root beer floats and popcorn. It was good. There were only about 8 people in there.

A fur, the real thing with glass eyes. I call him Charles.

I'm feeling a little iffy, didn't sleep very well. Maybe I am getting Ray's cold--not surprising, but not good. I thought maybe I had made it. Perhaps a big restaurant meal (with a whiskey sour) in the middle of the day yesterday was not good. Or maybe I have not been getting enough exercise.

The UUFA executive committee meeting is Wednesday, with the Finance Committee meeting tomorrow. I am really stressed about all this, with the budget having a $30,000 deficit and some other issues. I keep hoping I can make it the last few months of my term as president without completely losing it!