As happens so often, I am a little let down after dessert night. I enjoyed the preparation, but the actual event had some kinks. I was quietly baking cookies for a couple hours and then people started coming. They kept coming through the kitchen and talking to me, or looking at the desserts...I didn't bake the molten chocolate cakes ahead of time; they're best right from the freezer to the oven, but it takes about 20 minutes. I don't know if people were really annoyed, but if your friends ordered cookies, they were done by the time you got yours. I went ahead and baked the last 4, but the rush had died down. We made about $200, not enough to cover the cost of the ingredients, although I do have lots of leftover goodies. One "friend" asked for samples of about 10 desserts--she wanted to try everything, including pieces of cookies! Honestly. It wasn't really that much of a problem because there weren't that many customers. My friend Janna didn't like the meringues because they had chocolate in them. And so on...

Of course, today I am sore and tired and probably don't feel great partly from eating too much sugar. I stayed up until midnight after we got home. I was tired, but a little keyed up still.

Yesterday morning I went to class. Then I bought some strawberries at Earth Fare--and heavy cream and a few other things. Ray and I ate our lunch together, sandwiches he had made for us. I went to a talk on aging in Finland. It wasn't that helpful, unless I wanted to learn about Finland. In fact, I dozed a little, not very good if I wanted to make an impression on the people there.

We went home and I gathered everything I needed (except a couple things I forgot) and went to the Fellowship. Ray helped me by cutting things into neat servings. I called my Dad and he came and cut up fruit for me. We put cognac on it and it was good. The minister bought the leftovers for a brunch she is having. I hope it is not too boozy! I warned her...

Ray picked up Elisa and Molli and the ice cream and a lemon. Elisa invited her friend China and they seemed to have fun. They weren't that helpful, but looked cute. We ate some supper about 6:30. Molli and Mudge left for the dog ventriloquist act at 7:30. They had a ball. We were cleaned up and out of there by 9:30 and met them at UGA.

Well, yesterday was really an eye-opener for me. Kate, my "boss," has had trouble getting members to attend events. The marketing person at the Council on Aging advised her to see how many of her members were on Facebook and "friend" them. "Ridiculous," I scoffed. "Most of these people will not be on FB." Well, I was wrong. I spent most of the day looking for members and inviting them to be friends, then looking at their friends for anyone I knew who might be interested in the Village for one reason or another. Lots of people sit at their computers, and many of them instantly agreed to be friends with Kate...I am not even sure most of them knew who she was. Fascinating lesson in digital media. We have yet to see if it will translate to better attendance at events, but I bet it will!

Other than that...it was a pretty crazy day getting everyone out the door and back in again. Elisa wasn't done until 6 with her rehearsal. In the meantime, Ray is working on his big presentation (tonight!) and I went out to Molli's place of work to pick her up. Elisa texted to say that it was free pancake day at IHOP and could we go...I hate to say no to her, at least for something like that. We took her friend China too...but the line was out the door, so we did not stop. Instead, they made chocolate chip pancakes at home, with buttermilk. I resisted. Molli made butter chicken (a kind of curry), with cauliflower and couscous. I prepared an apple-peach pie for the freezer and dough for nut slice-and-bake cookies. The kitchen was a madhouse, while Ray continued to work on his power point slides.

I took China home and Molli started on tonight's supper. She and I listened to Ray's 50-minute talk and gave him feedback (too much detail, but mostly very interesting). He was up until 12:30 or so and has to get going again soon. I went to bed at 10 and slept pretty well until 6!

I was awake for a while before I remembered I had a cold, so it can't be too bad. Darn that moon! It's only a crescent, but it's really bright. Must be the time of year, but I have noticed it a lot this week. Anyway, I woke up at 4:30, which is not helpful.

Yesterday was Monday. We managed to all get where we were going, with lunches. I enjoyed class. Then I went downtown to Ted's and waited for Becky, playing with my phone and having some soup and chai. It's nice to enjoy cold weather food. Then it was time for my afternoon class, which also went pretty well. At a break, Dr. Glass (my advisor) told me how pleased they were with me at the Council on Aging. I have mixed feelings. Of course, I am very glad they like me. But I also felt like, doh, of course I'm an awesome intern. Just look at my previous work experience. Anyone would be lucky to have me! I haven't really done anything amazing yet...

Picked up Ray, E went home on the bus. Made supper, made apple cake to freeze for Friday. Watched a little TV. To bed about 10.

Now we're in trouble! Elisa has a cold and I am getting it too. The five of us spent a lot of time together this weekend, so it's likely to spread. But, it's just a cold.

We started the day with a short walk--out to the mailbox where the paper is usually. Now, they seem to have stopped delivering it. It's been almost a week now. I don't really care if we get the paper, but I don't want to pay for it if they are not going to deliver it. Ray is the one who cares. My Dad has brought over his old papers a couple times. I expect Ray will call and complain at some point, but he is pretty intensely engaged, working on his public lecture on the Origins of Earth when he is not preparing for his classes.

The four of us went and sang a song we like a lot, "The Awakening," as part of a service I enjoyed more than most, including lots of great hymns like "For the Beauty of the Earth." My Dad came and then drove Elisa and Ray home. Molli and I heated up some leftovers and went to a training for FaceTime February. It was crowded and we had to sit on the floor and eat our lunch, but it went well. I asked them to include my father when they are contacting people.

Then Molli and I went to Trader Joe's (a first) and got some groceries. It was smaller than I expected and a little unpredictable in what they sell. Lots of packaged prepared foods, but no whole wheat flour, for instance. Ray and Elisa and my Dad ate at the Royal Peasant.

Mudge was in the garden, planting beets when we got home. I changed my clothes and went out, pulled a couple leeks and a cabbage. He was about done for the day so we went in. Molli put away the groceries and I got started on the soup for supper. We convinced Elisa to come down and play cards with us and kept my Dad from leaving. I won; we all laughed a lot and had fun.

After Mudge left, Molli went for a run and Elisa, Ray, and I played Carcassonne. He won, but it was a good game. Molli came back and we ate our Sausage and Potato Soup. Molli and I talked some about the meals for the rest of the week. Elisa asked what channel the super bowl was on, so she and Ray watched that. We all watched most of the Beyonce half-time show. Pretty impressive, but a little repetitive, with the obscene costumes and hair-tossing. It's interesting what a difference it makes having other people around. Molli and Elisa are fans and said things about her that made me enjoy it more. I made Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes and put them in the freezer, while Molli worked on her financial aid.

I went to bed a little after 10; the game was still on. I woke up about 5 and took my mask off. Happily, I went back to sleep.

We had a slight disappointment yesterday. We were looking forward to driving to Hochston to visit John and Gini, who have donkeys on their several-hundred-acre farm. It was very cold, but sunny, and we like them. But Gini came down with the flu and cancelled. Poor Gini! We will do it in the spring, when it will be warmer.

Ray went to kill privet on the property next to Kenney Ridge. I made oatmeal and cookies. Molli shredded the chicken for chicken pot pie. My Dad came and Elisa got up and the four of us played Oh Hell as the sun warmed the house slowly. Elisa and I are ahead. When Ray got home, we ate chicken pot pie. It was awfully good. Homemade crust is the best.

Molli and I walked on Three Oaks Drive with the dogs. I headed back and she ran a bit. We all showered and dressed and eventually went to the gym meet. It was really fun, but the time of day is a tad inconvenient. We got home about 6:30 and thrashed around making frittata.

Ray prepared the broccoli, Elisa the peppers, and I cut up onion and garlic and cooked it. Also a sauce. Asian Frittata. yum. A little TV, a little dessert and to bed around 10.

We had a REALLY nice dinner last night, lots of fun, but now I am filled with remorse, because it cost too much and I ate too much. Becky's 60th birthday was this week, and Deb had a birthday earlier in the month. I had called to invite them for Saturday night, but Deb and John are going to the wine tasting today, so they wanted to go last night. They had a coupon for Etienne. I was a little extravagant, ordering two appetizers for the table--hummus and a charcuterie board---both excellent, with almost-right French bread: duck rillettes, smoked duck, salami, Brie, gouda, other cheeses, olives, cornichons...Several people had the excellent Butternut squash soup. Ray had a lovely salad. We had to wait quite a while for our entrees--there were 8 of us and the restaurant was full. Duck confit for Molli and Elisa, shrimp and homemade pasta for me, coq au vin for Kent, sausage for Ray, and trout for three others. Two bottles of wine--Viognier white and Merlot. And I had a whiskey sour to start with. I like having Elisa, but it does make an evening like that more expensive. We would hardly tell her she couldn't come.

Yesterday was a busy one. Before class at 10, I met a young woman with discount tickets for today's gymnastics meet. It was a cold walk on campus. After class, I met with Madeline V. and talked about the Village and where she thinks it will go. I think she is president of the Advisory Board. She is very enthusiastic and has a long history in Athens. Between us, we must know everyone.

I met BEcky for lunch--I was pretty restrained then, but we did go for forzen yogurt aferwards. I spent some time at the credit union with the new treasurer for Kenney Ridge, and then gave him a ride to his car, which was being repaired. By then, the Friday afternoon traffic was getting pretty bad. I picked up some more food at EarthFAre (the four of us go through it!) and then Ray and then Elisa

We had a nice couple of hours at home, still sunny and very cold. I got an egg...

Molli came home and we all went to dinner. By the time we came home, I could only manage to watch Wheel and Jeopardy before I went to bed. Woke up too early. The heat is running. It's supposed to be 25 out.

Yesterday was windy and cold, but sunny. Pretty nice in the house.

I walked E. all the way to Skipper's house. Molli was getting ready to head to work. Ray got up. We had fried eggs, fresh from our chickens.

Ray and I did some work on our computers. My Dad arrived. We had lunch, leftover pot roast. My Dad planted some more onions. I finished an assignment for Monday. Mudge left. Ray took a walk/jog. We bathed and dressed. He dropped me at the cocktail party for the Village.

It was at a really nice house in Five Points, an older house that had been expanded and remodeled. Lots of windows, lots of fireplaces, a beautiful kitchen, a bar and comfortable places to sit. I mostly opened the door and welcomed people in. They thought it was my house! Although billed as a cocktail party (I wore a sweater, skirt, and boots--Liz said I looked like a college student--good, I gues), they only had wine--chardonnay, pinot noir, and merlot. Lots of lovely snacks courtesy of Lee Epting--three kinds of dip, little sandwiches, crackers and cheese. My Dad was there and a few other people I know, but mostly ones I don't. I would say it was a succss. My Dad is thinking of joining, mostly so he can volunteer to drive other people places. He spent time talking to a woman whose husband is in a locked ward in the final stages of Alzheimer's. Her name is Ann.

Ray came back to get me and we went to pick Elisa up at 6. Molli was home and went for a run. We grabbed the food I made yesterday and went to the Kenney Ridge Community potluck.

Then TV and bed. I slept until 5, with my mask on.