This time of year is so crazy-busy! Even without having the girls dancing in Nutcracker this year, we're still up to our eyeballs in alligators. Sigh. In any event, here's catching you up since last week!
Last Tuesday Abby's choir caroled at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in the French Quarter at lunch time. I was able to go see them singing. Tom was in Dallas for training, so he didn't make it this year. They sang my favorite song to sing-along to (Feliz Navidad) but Abby kept motioning to me to NOT sing (if you've heard me sing it, you'll understand). I kept motioning like I was going to sing and/or dance and she just kept shaking her head. I think we were both laughing hysterically! Fun to see them all, of course!
Wednesday after Bible Study I made my quarterly trek to SAM's. While I appreciate the concept of bulk shopping, I HATE going there. So I definitely buy in bulk! Unfortunately, I do not have the storage space, so I have pantry "additions" in both my closet and in the extra bedroom upstairs. Amazingly enough, I do know where most stuff is, unless someone doesn't put it back where it belongs! After that trip I picked the girls up early from school as Maggie had an orthodontist appointment. Her teach are now straight and her bite has been corrected, they're working on more "cosmetic" stuff right now. They added brackets to her very back molars for some reason. Never having worn braces myself, I don't know much about them, BUT having worn one on my back for a few years for scoliosis, I appreciate the discomfort! Picked up Chinese food on the way home (fried rice is acceptably "mushy") and then got some ice cream to numb the mouth.
Thursday was my art class. Our assignment the previous week had been to paint a leaf on canvas with arcrylics. We first critiqued the paintings. Overall, I was pleased with mine, though I knew something was "missing" and couldn't figure out what it was (a thin line of very pale green outlining the leaf). Then we did ink sketches of leaves. Our "final" assignment is to gather 3-6 leaves and paint them on a large canvas. After doing three sketches -- one in black charcoal, and two in pastels. Silly me didn't realize that there are both "pastels" made of chalk as well as oil pastels (see how much of an artist I am?). So I did one sketch in black charcoal, one in chalk pastels, and one in oil pastels. If nothing else, I learned new techniques! I've started my painting -- painted the back "ground", sketched the leaves in charcoal (outline) and gone over the outline in paint. Tomorrow I'm home with the termite people (treatment, not getting rid of any pests thankfully), so I'll be working on it then.
Friday was my shot day. After finding out where to go to get my immunizations for Africa, I finally found the place (Passport Health -- they're a national company of private clinics that does this sort of work). Went for my appointment and was impressed -- they'd prepared a briefing book with my name and the country to which I'm traveling which includes information on all the vaccines required/recommended, travel alerts, climate, government, etc. And I got 4 shots -- a big poke with Hepatitis A and B, the adult Polio booster, Yellow Fever, and meningitis. I had 2 options for typhoid -- a shot that lasts for 2 years OR 4 pills that will last for 5 years. Went ahead with the capsules. Also got the pills for malaria to take with me. Go back again in January for the second round of hepatitis. They also sell packaged "kits" for sun/insect protection, digestive "woes", water sanitation, etc. Overall and very well-run place. I took the first typhoid pill (empty stomach, 2 hours after or one hour before eating) and, as indicated, was nauseous for the rest of the day. The second pill on Sunday didn't make me nauseous, but the 3rd yesterday did. Curious about the final one tomorrow!). Tom came home Friday evening (thankfully, as there was snow in Houston and those flights from Dallas were cancelled/delayed).
Maggie's camping trip was cancelled (due to how cold it was and winter warnings where the campsite is), so we had a quiet Saturday (aside from piano lessons). I worked on my drawings! Sunday was the church anniversary (40 years!) celebration and luncheon. Wonderful sermon on the topic of the local compared/contrasted with the universal church. One of those (many!) sermons that seems to speak right to your heart. I've been going to this church just under a year and it's always felt like "home" to me -- very welcoming, sound teaching, etc. The luncheon was nice as well. Maggie won a door prize -- the one we'd brought! Since it was stuff we all like, we were happy to have that one (hee hee!). Home to watch the final 3 hours of the Saints game -- even though the Redskins LOST the game more than the Saints WON it, we'll take the 12-0 record! Got to also see some of the Browns game, though I turned it off before they almost rallied in the 4th quarter, scoring 16 points.....
Monday was back to yoga and the normal "routine". Maggie went to see the girls basketball game at school immediately after school, so Abby and I made a detour to have coffee. Home for the evening. Yesterday the annual termite inspection was done. Whoopee. The girls got out of school at noon (b-ball teams were playing the northshore campus at the arena at 2:30 and 3:30), came home to clean their rooms (they were NOT thrilled!). Violin at 3:45, Celebration in the Oaks at 7:30. Last year for this choir concert was the day it was freezing, windy, and snowy here. In the tent where they perform it was cold and the wind was blowing all over the place. Much more pleasant this year!
Running out of time -- need to leave in 5 minutes and need to pack my stuff first. Never enough time, no?????
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