Thursday

A better photo of my apple blossoms. 

I found some substitutes for my church shift today since my husband had an out of town doctors appointment. He neglected to look at the calendar when he made the appointment so we also took a preschooler with us since his teachers had an inservice. 

Since we were in the big town, we stopped to look at lighting fixtures for the bathroom. Of course I fell in love with one that was not on the shelf. A lovely clerk named Monique actually found a case that was being checked in and managed to secure the fixture for me. We also picked up towel bars, tp holder and hooks in a matching metal for the project spending only double what I had budgeted.  

Since we were in the big town with our little helper, we had to stop for lunch at Applebees which is his "date night" restaurant. It did not compare to my sandwich earlier this week. 

We headed home so I could make my Thursday dinner for my son's family on their way to soccer. Tonight was breaded pork steak, scalloped potatoes and carrots.  

They left for soccer and we left for a cocktail party fundraiser.  This is not our normal Thursday activity but I was there in gratitude that the party was not for me.  I was recently asked to serve as our county's Democratic Party Chair and declined. They almost begged.  I just feel they don't really know me. I told them from the get go that my mouth can't be trusted and I would not represent them well.  In addition, I really feel like more of an independent voter who isn't happy with almost anyone.  

They did find a chair and this was a fundraiser for her since the last chair did not leave much in the account.  I thought her name was familiar but she had to remind me who she was.  

Way back in the day (I believe 2017) I joined the Indivisible and thought we could save the world with postcards.  National organizations as well as state and local candidates would send me hundreds of postcards and mailing lists and I would host parties at my dining room table where we would address these to voters and write personal messages.  She had contacted me via facebook and volunteered to take some home to work on.  Several people also did that but she requested 300!  And let me know two days later that her husband, her sister and herself had completed all of them.  So yes, I did remember her! 

As I said, we don't go to parties like this and I promised my husband we would drop off our donation and leave. He was the talkative one, lol.  First we sat with an old friend of mine whose husband also retired from the railroad. They had to share stories. Then the county auditor who I worked with previously had a petition for reelection and my husband cornered him with questions and his opinion on property taxes. I was edging toward the door when we were caught by the mayor and his wife (I also hosted meet and greets for him pre-covid) where I found out some interesting gossip about the sale of property in my neighborhood.  Then the mayor introduced us to a district court judge made a two hour drive to this thing.  

They were all trying to corner me into volunteering for some kind of position, but fortunately I couldn't hear what they were saying with my ears blocked from the sinus infection so I just kept saying no and smiling. And finally got him out the door. 

I should mention I purchased a cosmopolitan at the bar. I drink about 2 cocktails a year so this is of note. The drink was $10 and I tipped. This is one reason I do not drink often. I guess this is what cocktails cost? I thought we weren't tariffing Russia - isn't that where vodka comes from?

I did speak a little with an old friend whose sister I was very close to when we were raising our children.  Her sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last summer and went through chemo and radiation. The cancer has come back and she is not doing well. She began chemo again, but is very ill and taking a break.  

She was the prettiest girl in my high school, elected Homecoming Queen and the envy of all. She was a few years older than me and I always admired her, she was my Taylor Swift.  When our girls started preschool I discovered in real life she was a sweet and kind mom and we shared so many adventures together. She still looked as gorgeous as ever, at her last class reunion she was voted "least changed" which I did not know was a thing. And neither did she.  The chemo has caused her to lose her hair and changed her appearance and she doesn't want anyone to see her like this. She doesn't want to talk to anyone or have any visitors.  I have been sending her a card every couple days.  I know this is a horrible thing for her to deal with and her husband is just devastated too. It's all so sad. 

Tomorrow I am hoping to take the husband and preschooler to visit the tomato plants at the Amish nursery. And late afternoon we are picking up the next oldest grandson for the weekend. He is a kindergartener and gets bored at his brother's sports tournaments.  Oh, and one of those tall grandsons tore something important in his hip yesterday and is on crutches for the next five weeks in hopes to avoid surgery.  His mother is thinking she will need tranquilizers for both him and her to keep him down.