Overcast & drizzly. I don't think it's going to get to the 80 degrees the weatherman says. Jonathan took two jackets to Seminary, just in case, but only used one. It's breezy, but really not that cold. Grocery shopping today, I didn't even take a jacket and was in a t-shirt. It'll take more than that to make me cold!
I do NOT recommend Church's Chicken in Altus. Not a clean place, the guy at the counter was downright surly, and the place smelled...funky. It did not add to my gourmet experience. I'm not a big fried chicken person anyway. I just thought I'd try something new. They don't do health department grades here like in California. I don't think this place would have rated very well. At least I haven't gotten sick from the food.
Today was Chat-with-Sundry-People-at-Walmart Day. People do. All the time. Walmart is the great meeting place, apparently. A lady outside offered me her cart and proceeded to talk to me for fifteen more minutes. Whoever I meet and talk with, it always starts with, "What church do you go to?" followed by "Are you Air Force?" Inside the store, everyone is either a) chatting in the middle of the aisles (it is very hard to just shop there) or b) apologizing for almost smacking someone with their cart as they enter or go past an aisle and then striking up a conversation. And I'm not immune it, either, not anymore since I actually know some people in town. I bumped into my Altus homeschool friend's husband, George. Actually, he saw me first. But, since his wife & I share the same first name, he remembers mine easily. I see him more than I do her, usually, because she works in the evenings and so he takes the kids to 4H. To wrap it all up, I had at least half a dozen encounters shopping today...and the kids wonder why it takes me so long.
The weather wasn't too cold today...but the pool was! Apparently the city park pool's heater wasn't working well. Usually it's heated and, in the cold season, the room is kept warm for the swimmers. Today, we had to work extra hard at our aerobics to keep from shivering. At least our thyroid issue lady wasn't there today, poor thing. She is cold in the pool on a good day - today would have been just awful.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Listening to the radio is a different experience here. There are at least five stations in town, though our favorite station is out of Snyder (30 mins. away). All these stations have ads running from local businesses. So you could hear an ad and drive by that place at the same time. Some of the stations air local high school sports games on Fridays. At least you know that events announced are within the vicinity. And the all-important weather is VERY regionally specific. I don't let Jonathan change stations if the weather is being broadcasted.
I made rolls today for tomorrow's event at the church, while Jonathan made chili for the cookoff. They specifically said the cookoff was only for the men and Jonathan wanted to do it. Actually, he's really good at seasoning things. If I make salsa, I have him finish it for me. His tinkering always makes it better! He wanted to make it today so it would sit in the fridge overnight and the flavors blend better. He's getting to be quite the cook! Now, if I could get him to be quite the dishwasher, too!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Today was another baking day for me. This time, it's pumpkin cream-cheese muffins for the Seminary breakfast tomorrow. Oh, and cutting up fruit for a fruit salad to go with it. The muffins are a new recipe, but they look (and smell) really good!
Ken is flying back from Michigan today. Whether he makes it in time for the ward party is unknown. He had a layover in Atlanta, and the boarding was 30 minutes late. We shall see.
We carved pumpkins today. I mean we because, even though I was going to leave it up to the kids, Analiese had a small headache, so I had her lay down & I finished hers. Actually, it turned out cute! Jonathan's was very...interesting. I can't even give it a name or description. Just big eyes, really. Going for the minimalist look.
We left to be at the church by 5:00, even though the party doesn't start until 6:00. Jonathan has to set up for his game (which he put together at the last minute), and they wanted all the food there by 5:30. I was impressed how well they judged and kept up with their timing. Dinner was promptly at 6:00, costume-judging and carnival games were at 7:00, and trunk-or-treating was at 7:30, with everything to wrap up at 8:00 so kids could be up for school in the morning. We were home by 8:15, no sweat.
Ken really didn't make it. What I mean is, yes, he was back in time, and drove straight to the church by 5:30. He said hi, saw the kids' costumes (and mine - I was a Queen Bee!), and then said he'd go home quickly to unpack and be back. Well, he never came back. By the end of dinner I called him. He'd fallen asleep. I told him not to worry, go back to sleep. We had it handled. Still, he really likes Halloween, so it was a little sad.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Seminary is SO early! Especially since I had a hard time going to sleep last night. I tossed and turned and then, at about 11:00, the lightning storm that was supposed to have come earlier came. Lots of lightning, lots of thunder, lots of wind, pouring down rain. I was the only one awake for it and I remembered - the rabbits weren't properly covered! Could I go out there - was it safe in the lightning storm? So I woke up Ken to ask him (sorry, he can go back to sleep easier than I). He went out, checked on the bunnies, made sure they were covered and came in - SOAKED. Drying off what he could, he crawled back in bed and started snoring. Me, it was probably about another hour before I slept. ARGH!
So, with Analiese in tow, Jonathan & I went over to the building so I could get things going in the kitchen. Really, all I had to do was cut up bananas to go in the fruit salad and make the orange hot chocolate. No, not orange flavored, orange colored. It was basically white chocolate chips melted in warm milk, with a little vanilla and some orange food coloring. I also had some pumpkin-spice marshmallows that added nicely to the flavor. But it was all received well (yes, the muffins were good!). Evidentally, they have a game day once a month (they play games to practice scripture mastery) and they ask the parents to take turns bringing in breakfast. I won't have another turn until April.
Don't think I don't have baking today - I do! I have a birthday cake to bake today in anticipation of tomorrow's party. For a child who doesn't like fruit, she likes the strawberry-flavored cake. Bake on!
With pumpkins carved and the house already decorated, there wasn't much to do today (beyond normal stuff) than wait. Analiese had to wait for Ken to come home; he had promised to take her trick-or-treating. We only had a handful of trick-or-treaters ourselves (maybe 6), and not any after 7:00 p.m. Of course, it's not a big surprise. Nearly all the churches in town had something going on, plus the community center had something and the police did a safety town. For those who really want to trick-or-treat, they go to the north side of town where the nice homes are; better candy, I hear. Probably, because I'm cheap and I don't buy anything that will tempt me - no chocolate!
Ken & Analiese went to the police safety-town, where they went from "house" to "house" getting goodies. They did a few homes up north, but Analiese was tired and wanted to go home. When they did, we popped some corn and watched some Studio C off of BYUtv (if you haven't seen it, it's silly and funny and clean!), which had a Halloween special. At least we were all together.
Friday, November 1, 2013
A normal day today? Not so, today is party day! On top of lessons & laundry, I had a birthday party to get ready for. It really wasn't too much work, I just had to decorate the cake (which if you know my kids, probably wasn't an easy task), make pizzas (pre-bought crust, no time to make all that pizza dough). and decorate the table, which Analiese willingly helped with.
And the cake wasn't as hard as I figured, probably easier than some of the things they've dreamed up for me to do in the past. She wanted a golden snitch - like in Harry Potter - so I baked a small square and a small bowl (so it would be more globe-ish), cut the square into 2 triangles and put them on either side of the ball. I frosted them all yellow, drew black gel-lines on the triangles to give the thought of feathers, and then spray-painted it gold. YES...there is a gold food coloring spray and I used it. It looked great!
It was 5 o'clock. The cake was done. The pizzas were hot out of the oven. The house was fairly straightened. The table was set with the party goods and the sodas were out and ready. No girls. In fact, nobody showed until 15 after. I was getting a little nervous because you can imagine how Analiese was pacing. But they came, four out of the seven invited, bouncy and loud and eager.
They invaded the storage room off of the garage to visit the bunnies first (we'd moved the rabbits there to keep them out of rain). Oh, the ooohing and aaahing and "let me hold it," etc. The rabbits are probably traumatized for a while, but the girls loved them! In fact, they were begging to have baby bunnies if any come about. Yeah, I can see that going over well with parents!
They ate and chattered, played games and chattered, opened gifts and chattered, had cake with ice cream and chattered. I felt like I had let the squirrels in the house! They kind of scampered around like them, too. But, smartly, I only let the party going on for two hours (my nerves probably couldn't take more) and gladly ushered them out the door when parent came.
Whew! Ken had asked earlier if I was going to do a sleepover. Horrified, I had said, "NOOOO!!!!" I can't imagine that horror!
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Despite having had a party the day before, I was up by 6:30 so I could go pick up my basket at 7:00. They have moved the location to a place indoors. Indoors for the produce, that is. The line was still outside...in the alley. I have to learn to dress warmer, especially layering. I put on a sweatshirt...but not over anything. And I had no hat or scarf or gloves. And the morning was dark & crisp. Brrr!
My basket was heavy to me today. Somehow, I hurt my left shoulder hefting it. A gentleman (truly!) took it to the van for me, but I still had to take it into the house. I rubbed something on my shoulder and I hope the pain goes away.
The kids had an activity today - taking bags all over town to get food donations for Harvest for the Hungry. Jonathan went with the Scouts, Analiese with Activity Days (their leaders are spouses, so they did it together, really). That left me an hour of quiet to get some stuff done. Not much, but some. Ken was asleep in bed, so I wasn't really alone, but I was unbothered. So, down came the Halloween stuff; but no, not up with the Christmas. Get me through Thanksgiving first, please.
A fairly quiet day, really. Jonathan went off with friends to a stake activity in Lawton, the elders came to dinner, I cleaned up. Quiet Saturdays are quite nice!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
I didn't have anything extra to do in church today, just my SS President duties (intro, prayers) and piano for RS. But that won't be the case for the next two months. Our ward chorister is going to have surgery and will be out for about that long and asked me to lead music for her. No biggie. EXCEPT...now I get to figure out the Sunday before Christmas. She told me some ideas she had, but nothing's solid. Guess I'd better go have a little talk with the bishop.
And the afternoon at home was pleasant, too. A small rain storm floated in, leaving us feeling cozy inside. However, I did check to make sure the rabbits will be cared for if it rains harder. I don't want my conscious keeping me up all night again!
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