The Air Force Ball

Friday

I got up after 8, having slept pretty well. I brushed my teeth, took supplements, practiced trombone and did chair squats. I got ready for Math Morning. I ate two hardboiled eggs as I checked messages.

Then I grabbed the mail from yesterday and headed to the post office, where I unlocked the swap shop for Michele's friend. Then I went to the chapel for Math Morning. The chaplain and his assistant were just locking up. They left. I turned on lights and got out the pencils. I sat and opened the mail, which was mostly junk. Casey came in and we chatted until the Clark kids showed up. Then we helped them with math. Saronna and Jedediah counted the chairs in the chapel. Moira and Sophia finished their math.

After they left, I locked up. I dropped by the post office to lock the swap shop and to get the mail. Then I went home. There was a bill, so I wrote a check and got it ready for the mail. I read some e-mail, then brought up the Zoom link. I fished around in the bathroom for my small collection of make-up. Then I sat down to jot notes for my blog.

I paused that to sign into Zoom. Brendan and I talked for an hour. He had questions about health goals and such. The answers will help him create a new online program tailored to what the demographic wants.

I made and ate breakfast out in the sun. I took a shower. I took my bag of makeup and hunted for the little clutch I made I Korea. I went to Michelle's house. I arrived at 2, which is what she told me to do. But Angelina was still applying Michelle's makeup. Michelle's mother was visiting, so I chatted with her and with Isadora.

After 45 minutes I was getting antsy. So Michelle went off to work on her hair and Angelina put make-up on my face. She did glitter and eyeshadow. I wasn't so sure about it, but everyone kept saying it looked good. I gave her $10 and said my goodbyes while Michelle sat down for more.

I went home and did my own eyebrows. I did a bit of eyeliner and lip pencil and lipstick. I shaved my upper lip. Then I put on pantyhose and shoes and a slip and the dress. I tried on several necklaces, then found a blue pendant one with matching earrings. Was it too much?

Michelle arrived around 4 and I went out to ask her. She loved it. So I put a few items plus supplements in the clutch. Then Chris and I got in her car. Casey drove us to Hill Air Force Base, arriving at 6. Luckily, a parking space had been reserved with Chris' name on it. So we didn't have far to walk.

We went in and made our way to the main room. We had to sign in. Then we entered. Planes had been moved out of the way to make room for tables and chairs. 500 people they said. Speeches had already started. We walked around till we found table 1. We sat with the Colonel and his wife. Salads were on the table.

When the talking was over, waitstaff brought us plates of food, according to what we had preordered. I ate the salad, then moved to the meat and potatoes and carrots. I kept glancing around for Michelle and Casey. Finally I saw them standing at the back row of tables. I texted her, but she didn't get it right away.

She texted back wanting to go get drinks (using the tickets we'd been given). I told Chris I was going to go and Ria said she'd go with me. So the two of us went to find Michelle, who was already standing in line somewhere. There were multiple drink lines. We found her in the back. We got in line and got mocktails. Then the three of us wandered around and found the photobooth. I wanted to get back to my dinner, so we left.

I finished my dinner. Michelle texted me that they ran out of the beef and brought her creamed chicken, which she couldn't eat. Chris and I went to see her and when we got there, she said they had found some beef but it was green so she refused to eat it.

Then the four of us went to the photo booth to have wacky pics taken. She loved it because we did it last year.

We went back to our tables. Cake was being served. It was far too sugary for me. Then they had a guest speaker – a female general. She spoke well, but my phone rang and I hastened to answer it. It was the older lady that I clean for every other Saturday, returning my call. I spoke as softly as possible as we discussed cleaning tomorrow. Then I hung up.

After the speech, she was presented with a coin. We sang the Air Force song in honor of its birthday. Then loud music started up in the back. Michelle and Ria and I followed the sound to find people dancing. I tried to dance along, but it wasn't my kind of music. Then the next song had instructions, like a line dance. Everyone seemed to know what to do, but I couldn't make it out because of the raucousness. So I sat down to wait it out. The next song wasn't any better, so I left, and walked back to our husbands. Soon, Ria and Michelle came back as well. I guess they didn't want to dance without me.

Ria and Brian left for their hotel. Michelle, Casey, Chris and I went out to the car and Casey drove us home. It was a two hour trip, and a stop for gas. They dropped us off at home. I took off the jewelry and dress and shoes, etc. I put stuff away, then got dressed for bed. I rubbed magnesium oil on my arms, which stung because the sequins on my dress had abraded the insides of my arms. Chris went to bed while I took supplements, and worked on my blog. Sadly, I stayed up afterwards to check e-mail.