SUNDAY JULY 14th through Saturday July 20th, 2024

 SUNDAY:  Church was very good again!!!    The movie featured was A WING AND A PRAYER, and ice cream sandwiches were passed out just as the service started.  After church, Peggy held a seniors event at Parkside Diner across from Day Road Park.  It was a little disorganized, and it was SO hot.  I ordered a lactose free milkshake and a hot ham sandwich.  I was not very hungry and did not finish either one.  I spent the rest of the day at home.  I completed my Univera order of OTC items so that I can get it in the mail tomorrow.  

Kind of late in the evening (after nine p.m.) I had an idea: that after leaving Michigan on August 17th (Saturday) Marlene and I might break our trip up by going to Sugarcreek, Ohio to see the SIGHT AND SOUND production of RUTH at a theatre there.  I called Marlene and she liked the idea.  I was able to find an available room with two beds in Sugarcreek so I reserved it.  It was too late to call the theatre, but I will do so tomorrow.  OHIO STAR THEATRE.  

MONDAY:  first thing today, I secured tickets for Marlene and I to see the play RUTH at the OHIO STAR THEATRE, and we will have supper (included in our tickets) before the play at the restaurant on the same premises.  I met up with Jan at the Y and we walked for over 35 minutes, with a short break in the middle.  I stopped at the library and picked up the book THE BOYS IN THE BOAT.  I spent the afternoon at home.  I made a batch of rice pudding.  Lori arrived at about six fifteen with pizza and salad, which we had for supper.  We watched the PBS documentary THE BOYS OF 36 which is about the same boys in the book.  

TUESDAY:  The Ladies Life Group was very good this morning.  We completed our study of the book of Jonah.  Cindi is kind of stressed out due to issues that have arisen with her family who is staying with her prior to her youngest daughter's wedding which is next Sunday.  The girls had lice and they all had to go to a LICE CLINIC (I have never heard of these).  Her son is a lawyer and is continuing to work while there, and his computer broke down.  After the meeting, Karen, Lori, Glenda and I went to THE OLIVE LEAF for lunch.  I had a pita wrap which came with a bowl of corn chowder, it was very good.  I spent the rest of the day at home.  

I called Marlene to discuss our lodging and having dinner before our theatre reservations to see RUTH.  She is OK with everything.  I called Elaine and we talked for a few minutes.  She is kind of down due to having a new diagnosis of a thyroid issue which may require surgery.  I wrote out a grocery list which I will use tomorrow.  

WEDNESDAY:  Before going to the Y to meet up with Jan, I went to WalMart and got some groceries.  I took my blue TRADER JOE'S insulated bag with me so that I could leave cold items in the car.  While in WalMart, I kept running into Glenda.  Jan and I walked for about 35 minutes.  I talked with her about the possibility of she and I taking Janet Ford to West Seneca so she can see her sister who is in a nursing home.  We are going to try to go on the next free day that the three of us have free.  I napped in the afternoon.  I tried to reach the new dentist that Dr. Smith recommended since he has decided to retire, but I had to leave a message.  I arranged to meet Marlene at the Royalton Center Methodist Church at five p.m.  However, I made a wrong turn on the way out there, and realized that I would not make it by five p.m. so I called her and asked her to pick up two dinners and bring them to the Royalton Ravine Park, which is very close to her house, and we could have a picnic.  She did that and we had a nice time together, eating and talking, and we took a short walk in the park before leaving.  It was a beautiful evening.  

Marlene gave me two cucumbers that her neighbor gave her.  I plan to make refrigerator pickles, maybe tomorrow.  I got a "second wind" about nine thirty and decided to change the sheets on my bed.

THURSDAY the 18th.  First thing in the morning I started making the baked beans.  I also called the new dentists office, since Dr. Smith has suddenly retired.  I tried to use the Xumo box in the family room but I cannot do so.  I also am having a problem removing a cord plugged into the old cable box, which I need to return.  Phone rang several times.  I went to the Y a little early.  I think there were between fifteen and twenty people there.  Before the food was ready, Debby, Jan and I played UNO and we included a cute little girl, Alana.

  I am pretty sure she is the niece and adopted daughter of one of the instructors.  I remember hearing that her sister died several years ago, before COVID, and she took the little girl, who was very small, perhaps only one year old, at that time.  The "dishes to pass" that the other seniors brought were kind of pitiful.  There were several very small macaroni salads, a couple of purchased salads (small), chips and cookies.  Several people liked my baked beans.  Marlene arrived late.  At our table were me, Deb, Louise, Jan and Marlene.  Jan left early because she did not feel well.  Marlene, Deb, Louise and I  played a couple of games of UNO and talked for a while.  It was announced that the next social will be a day trip to the Erie County Fair on August 7th. 

I spent the rest of the day at home.  I made refrigerator pickles, using the cucumbers Marlene gave me yesterday.  

FRIDAY:  In the morning, I tried in vain to reach the SLEEP CENTER here in Lockport, in an effort to return a call that I missed yesterday.  Before going to the Y, I dropped off my SPECTRUM cable box at UPS and got a receipt.  I met up with Jan at the Y and we walked the track for about 35 minutes, maybe more.  I was glad to run into Salma and Sabba in the parking lot since I had not seen them in a long time, and I was starting to worry about them.  After the Y, I decided it was a good time to take my sleeping bag to a laundromat in order to wash it in a machine larger than the one I have at home.  It has been in my car since I got back from the trip to Penn Yan a few weeks ago.  While it was washing, I walked down to Arby's and purchased lunch and ate part of it before returning to the laundromat.  

SATURDAY:  I went over to visit Carrie and took some of her clothing.  I was disappointed to find her new dresser filled up.  I had been looking forward to putting her clothing in it and organizing it my way.  I did organize a few drawers.  I eliminated some items of clothing that appear to be too small or too long or too short, meaning that I bagged them up and will donate them.   On the way back to Lockport I thought it might be a good idea to go to the Farmers Market on Canal Street.  I had forgotten that they were holding the CHALK FESTIVAL today in the same area.

There was live music.

  I ran into Peggy and David.  I bought a tomato and a head of garlic.

When I got home, I took some pictures of the Rose of Sharon bush in the front yard. 

 In the early afternoon, I started bean with beef soup (using the leftover baked beans) in my crockpot.  Also, I called SPECTRUM to confirm the changes to my service and to request help with using my ZUMO box.  The woman I spoke with sent me an email with helpful hints.  

In the early evening, I went through my two FREEDOM CURRICULUM notebooks and got the papers, chapters, notes, etc. organized. The bean soup turned out pretty good, and I froze some of it.  My sleeping bag has been draped over my dining room table since I washed it at the laundromat on Friday afternoon.  I had the overhead fan on for many hours in order to speed the drying process.  I had a bit of a hard time getting the zipper to work.  The sleeping bag has "fluffed up" and seems about twice as large (thick) as it was before.  I found the movie KEYSHIA COLE:  This Is My Story.  I googled it in order to find out if it is based on a true story, so I decided to watch it.