Cloudy with a chance of meatballs

I woke up a little after 7. I thought of going to the beach for a walk, but wanted to be here to say goodbye to Larry and Dottie when they left. So I got on my computer. Even though I had shut it down last night, it was awake and waiting for a password. I wanted to run the diagnostic program from yesterday, but when I clicked on it, a pop-up window asked me if I would allow the program to make changes to my computer. I googled to see what changes it would make, but there was no info on that. I canceled it and read e-mail until my phone alarm rang and I turned it off. Then I went upstairs to be sociable. When they were packed and ready to leave, I asked Becca to take their picture. (They were out by the car and I wasn't dressed) I wanted a pic because I had a feeling I might not see them both again. Then Cecily was ready to go to the beach. So I put on my suit and went with her. I walked in the surf, but thought the water was too rough for me. Mostly I sat on my towel and talked to Cecily. Then James and Becca came out. James went in the water and had a great time. He came out to say that there was a zone where it was easy to bob on the waves. So I went in. I had a good time for awhile, but at some point thought I should be a little closer to the shore. Because the tide was mostly out, the depth was fairly shallow for some distance. However, when I tried to swim closer, I got caught in an undertow. Struggle as I might, I could make no headway. I got scared then and the tension was not good for my back, which made me more scared. I called to James that I was done. He came over and helped me toward the shore. But my strength ran out before we got there, and he had to carry me. When we got to the shore I could not stand. So I lay in the surf until my breathing slowed and then Al helped me up. Cecily picked up my towel for me and I went back to the house. I tried to wash off the sand in the outdoor shower, but there was only hot water, so I got out pretty quickly. I floated on my back in the pool. It was very calming. Then I noticed a hose running cold water into the pool. I guess that is why there was no cold water in the shower. After a while I came in, took a real shower (with soap and everything) and put on regular clothes. I read some e-mail. I asked Bryan about the diagnostic and he said it would not make changes, but needed to run with admin privileges to show all the functions. So I ran it. Then I made breakfast and ate it, and worked on Masyu puzzles. I watched Bryan cut up onions and make meatballs. Then he put them in the oven to bake. When the Masyu puzzles were all gone, I turned to Skyscraper puzzles. After taking a long time to complete one puzzle, I tried looking for clues to solve it in easier ways. I checked e-mail again and got one from Faye about Dad. So I called Dad and we talked about some papers he couldn't find and I made suggestions on where to look. He also told me about visits to doctors. Then it was supper time, so I hung up with him and went upstairs to eat supper. Those who had gone to play miniature golf were back. For supper we had meatballs, sauce, peas, spaghetti, stirfry veggies, and chopped tomatoes. Then we pitched in to clean up. I went back to my room to check the latest e-mail, then came up to hang out. Al said that Chris was on Skype, so I came back down to interact with him. Then he brought Al into the conversation on skype. Al was upstairs where James and Becca could chime in. He gave them a tour of his quarters by laptop. It was dizzying. And not in good focus. When that call was over, I went up to verify that the picture behind Al was level, not skewed like it appeared to be on skype. It was time to blog and go to bed, so I got a glass of water to drink in the morning. Then Al asked about Dad and Kelly joined the conversation. Somehow we got on the subject of exercise. Finally I took my glass and went to my bedroom. I wrote my blog post and planned to sleep in the room vacated by Larry and Dottie to see if it was any quieter than this one. 

*  This is me before almost getting swept away by the tide  *

I learned a lot today. Hope there is no quiz.

I woke up around 7:30. I put on my suit and went to the beach. It was sunny for once. I walked south. I came to the pier thingy that I saw two days ago, but it was buried much deeper today. I could not tell if there was a pipe buried under this one like the one to the north. When I walked back, I missed the stairs to our walkway. When I saw the hotel, I knew I had gone too far. I looked back and saw Dottie standing on the stairs, so I walked to her and we chatted on the way back to the house. Then I went in the pool for a swim. I got a twinge of pain in my back and thought about how bad it would be if it seized while I was in the pool. So I went in, dried off, and got dressed. I went upstairs to sit and listen to conversations until it was late enough to have breakfast. I was talking to Al about how hot my computer got, and Bryan said he could fix that. He checked a few things on my laptop. He reduced the clickable area on my mousepad so I would not lose data unexpectedly. Then he got out his screwdriver-of-many-bits and took my laptop apart. More than one person has told me that taking a laptop apart is serious business and don't do it. But he disassembled it until he got to the fan. He took it out and pulled out a wad of dust as thick as felt. Then he reassembled it up to the user-serviceable part. He had me do the rest. I booted it and it said the fan wasn't working. So he re-disassembled it, hooked up a fan cable and reassembled it. I spent the time watching Cindi watercolor cardstock. She makes beautiful cards. Becca showed me how she spins roving into yarn. Then Bryan ran a diagnostic on my battery which included reconditioning it. I did not even know that that was possible. It might have taken 4 hours. He explained many things to me, much of which I barely understood and probably will not remember. He looked up computer batteries for sale, as well as memory cards and SSD drives. When the battery utility finished, we determined that the battery life was 7 minutes (running at full capacity). So, the battery did need replacing. He also downloaded several diagnostic programs and one that computes prime numbers. The value of that program is to stress the cpu to see what its capabilities were. It maxed out my ram, indicating that my laptop needed more memory to run faster. He also recommended a SSD drive instead of the disc-type hard drive that I have now, because it will be less taxing on the battery and run faster. By then it was time to go to The Flying Fish. Some of us walked, and some of us rode in cars. I put on pants and a sleeved shirt and a wrap to keep warm. The 4 oldest of us sat at a table for 4 and the rest of us sat at a table for 10. Each kid sat with a parent. Kelly and I sat in the middle. One of the kids said lets cover the table cloth (paper) with hashtags, so we did. We used the crayons that the restaurant staff provided for the kids. Bryan drew waves on the table cloth and then a tornado with a shark for #sharknado. This was just the start. We added other images: a flaming bat which turned into a Nazgul, a volcano, a firewall, a tomato (for #tomatonado), #chardonnaydo, etc. Becca and I ordered a seafood soup which was delicious. I watched Cindi and Olivia get decadent desserts. Cecily ordered one to go. Then the Carlson's drove back, then some of us walked home, leaving three to pay the bill and drive back. Those three had to carry Cecily's dessert. Brian downloaded something to scan my startup file for malware. That ran for a long time. He looked at my laptops stats again, including temp and memory usage. Chris popped up on Skype. He got to talk to Dottie and Larry, as well as Bryan, Cindi and Kelly. They all went to bed and finally it was just me. Then the connection broke. So I took the laptop to my bedroom and started typing my blog. I tried unplugging the laptop. The battery icon said it had enough power for an hour (not at full capacity). Sadly it shut down a few minutes later. The malwarebytes program detected one item in the system file. I googled it and learned that it was not needed so I let the program delete it. I finished posting and went to bed.

A new kind of puzzle - Masyu

I woke up expecting to hear twice as much noise from above as yesterday. But it wasn't there. So I figured I had woken up extra early. But then my phone alarm rang, signifying 8am. I got dressed to walk on the beach. I walked north in the surf until I saw a big pipe pouring water into the ocean. I walked back not touching the water. I saw my footprints and wondered how long they would last. I thought about my mother leaving her footprints on this world and wondered how long they would last. I stood in the surf, basking in the 'now' of the ocean. Then I came in, washed up and got dressed. I went upstairs to face the crowd. One by one they dispersed, except for William and Kelly. I made and ate my breakfast, then came down to take my supplements and check e-mail. It was a good chance to meditate while the house was quiet. I was way behind on meditation, and should have meditated right away, because the kids came back in the house and the quiet was over. I listened to all the meditation sessions that I missed last week and this week. I finished the KenKen type puzzles, then searched the internet for strategy for the Masyu puzzles. I worked a bunch of those. I noticed the sun so I put on my suit and went to the beach to get in my 20 minutes of sun. There was a sign at the lifeguard stand that said “No Swimming. So then I sat by the pool, wrapped in my towel to sweat, but it did not work very well. I got in the hot tub to jumpstart the process, but someone had turned the temp down. I watched the kids swim for awhile. There was a breeze blowing which kept me from sweating. I went in and changed clothes, then went upstairs to work puzzles and be sociable. Bryan wanted one to try. I worked off and on while listening to people talk. It was hard to concentrate on one person with others talking. Cindi and Bryan made chicken for supper. We also had rice, greens, tomatoes, and salsa. Bryan took some iceberg lettuce and sprinkled sugar on it for a treat. Larry brought out a shoo-fly pie. But most people ate the ice cream cones called drumsticks. I ate a peach. After supper we cleaned up. Larry told me about his cancer treatments. Then we skyped Chris so everyone could talk to him, but only his dad and Larry did. I think Olivia and William waved at him. Then I went in my room to skype him privately. When we finished, I read e-mail and watched some tapping videos before going to bed.

Becca's beaded bracelet

I was awakened at 6:30 by a series of thumps and bangs and thuds. The kids were awake. Somehow I was worried about them being noisy at night when they should be sleeping. It did not occur to me that they would wake up early and bounce around, waking me since I am sleeping right below them. I stayed in bed for awhile longer. Then when I heard Cecily, I got up to read e-mail. I thought I should take a shower, but then I would have to take another one after going to the beach, etc. So the beach came first. I put on my suit and took a towel, soap and wash cloth. I left it all by the outdoor shower. Then I walked down to the beach. Our beach access was completely unremarkable, so I cleared away the sand from the house number and left a pile of sand on one step to mark it. Then I walked south, maybe a quarter of a mile, to a submerged piece of jetty or pier. I stood in the surf for awhile, then came back. I saw the lifeguard write on the placard, and then climb her tower. She sat under an umbrella because it was threatening rain. Then I came back to the house and swam in the pool. I tried doing my usual exercises in the water. Some did not work so well. Then the kids came out and joined me. I could not leave. But then Cecily came out. I stayed in for a bit, getting chilled, then got in the hot tub. Olivia joined me there. The others went in. I washed in the outdoor shower, then wrapped myself in a towel to come in for clean clothes. The shower was too wet after the rain to store clean clothing. In fact, Becca and Cecily were trying to decide where they could hang a clothesline that the items would be safe from rain. They did not find one. I threw my towel and suit in the dryer. I went upstairs to make breakfast and ate it. Then Cecily made lunch for Al. I came down to take my supplements. I remembered taking off my earrings in the middle of the night and putting them on the nightstand. But when I checked, one backing was missing. Al came down to help me search, but it was nowhere to be found. I stayed in my room listening to audios and working Sudoku-like puzzles. I came up for a late lunch. I joined the conversation in the second dining room. Becca was making bracelets and she made me a purple one. Then the doorbell rang. It was the repair man to fix the window.  Cecily told him about a shelf in the fridge downstairs and I told him about the outlet in my room.  He measured the window, taped the shelf, and replaced the innards of the outlet.  Then Larry and Dottie arrived. We all greeted them and they got the tour of the house. Then we were all talking in the second diningroom when Kelly showed up. We gave her hugs, and there was more talking. Then Cindi and her family came. Olivia was so glad to see her boys. I hadn't met them before. Or her husband Bryan who turned out to be Canadian and quite the conversationalist. He made the smashed potatoes while Cecily and Becca made pork tenderloin, sauerkraut, and peas. Cindi, Kelly and I went to Harris Teeter for a few grocery items. I got coconut milk. When supper was ready, the adults sat at the large table while the kids sat at the bar. It was a nice supper. The stories rolled out. The kids got restless and went to play. After supper the table was cleared and Dottie and I stacked the dishwasher, and washed and dried the dishes that wouldn't fit. We guessed at where in the cabinets the items should go. Dottie and I talked about Michele and her kids and the empty nest feeling. Larry talked about his experiences in Korea. I froze in the AC. Kelly talked to me about my family. I wanted to take her pic for my blog but she 'declined'. Most went to bed. Bryan was telling us stories of people he worked with. Then I ducked out to post to my blog because they said something about being a bad influence. I deleted a few e-mails and realized there was a skype text from Chris that was an hour or two old. I responded thinking he would see it in the morning. But as I started my blog, he skyped me and we talked quietly. Then I finished my blog and went to bed.

First taste of the beach

I woke up about 5 with a headache, hearing a strange sound. I was sleeping in the computer room and had thrown a garment over the modem to hide the lights. So I went out to the den to sleep, but there were no blankets on the couch. I got cold so I went back to the computer room and eventually the noise stopped. I woke up later hearing the kids. I exercised, then got dressed and made breakfast. Al was packing the car and Cecily was finding last minute things to go and pack. By 10 we had it all packed in two cars and we headed out. At some point on our trip, we stopped at a Burger King for lunch. I got the chicken-cranberry-apple salad. Cecily got one too but only ate half. When we got near the beach, James and Becca went to the grocery store while Al, Cecily and I went to pick up the key. We drove to the house, and walked through the floors examining the rooms and layout. James and Becca came with the kids. The kids room was assigned, Al picked one, and James picked another. I picked one, too, that I thought would be quiet and away from the 'action', but Cecily did not seem to like my choice because people who hadn't arrived yet might want it. Logically there was only one choice that would please her, so I took it even though it would be close to rooms likely to be noisy. I was tired, had a headache and was in tears. I just sat in the room and cried. I tapped but it wasn't working well. Then it occurred to me that maybe I was just dehydrated. So I went upstairs where the kitchen was and used my Brita pitcher to make three glasses of water, which I drank. I felt much better then. I worked a pencil puzzle that came with Cecily's Sudoku book. We checked the towel situation in each room. We examined the pool area and walkways to and from the beach. I walked to the oceans edge to touch the waves and came back. Olivia and I flipped switches in the sunroom to see what happens. One of the lights in the ceiling appears to be a heat lamp! She and I also played with the pool balls (as in billiards). I talked to Al and James while Cecily and Becca worked on supper. Then we had supper: salad, chicken in panko, spaghetti and corn. Cecily sliced up a tomato for me since no one else wanted one. We had finished and were just talking when Olivia spotted a rainbow. So some of us rushed out to see it. At first it got brighter, and then dimmed as the sun went down. Olivia explained how it dimmed because of a pony (one of My Little Pony's) that came and went from another dimension. Allll righty then. The kids ran to get their suits and go in the pool. Cecily was cleaning up from supper. I was cold because of the AC, so I put on my suit and went in the hot tub. Olivia joined me between swims in the pool. When we were done, she and James helped me run the hose to the tub and add water. Then we all went in. She put on her pajamas. I booted up my laptop to skype Chris, but the laptop winked out suddenly. It seems the outlet wasn't working. So I went into the den next door to my room and plugged in there. I talked with Chris for 20 minutes. Then I checked e-mail and went upstairs for a glass of water. I talked to Al who was watching preseason football. Then I came back down to finish e-mail and post to my blog.

*  I did not take any pics today, but here is one of the anklet that Olivia made for me  *

So close, and now so far away

I went to bed around 11? I heard Cecily get up in the middle of the night and thought it was time to get up. But it was only 3:55. I laid back down hoping for a power nap until 4:15. Then Michele and I both got up. I put on pants and a sleeved shirt. Michele's stuff went into the car.  She made two balloon animals.  Then we drove her to the airport. The check-in was full of young adults on some kind of group trip. But Michele used the kiosk to print boarding passes and then Al stood in line with her to check her suitcase. We hugged in the open area in front of security. She did not want to leave and I did not want her to leave. I cried and she went on. Then we came home and I went back to bed. Cecily stayed up and prepared and packed things for the beach. She washed Michele's sheets but let me continue to sleep on mine. When I got up, the house was quiet and Cecily left a note saying that they had gone shopping. I exercised and made breakfast. Then I cleaned up and got dressed. They came back from the store. Cecily gave me a suitcase that was smaller than my big one and larger than my carryon. She also gave me a beach bag. Between the two I packed the bare essentials for the beach. She said I could bring my Brita pitcher if I stuffed it with tomatoes for the trip. James and Becca and the kids arrived soon after. They enjoyed their balloon animals that Michele had made just before she left. Olivia mad me a rubber band bracelet. When my clothes from yesterday came out of the dryer, I packed in the suitcase. I saw pics of the beach house and then Becca's house on Becca's laptop. Al and Cecily went to church and Becca and James went shopping, so I stayed behind with the kids. Olivia made me an anklet. I picked a few blackberries; they were mostly gone. I drank some salt water after reading about the importance of having a balance of water and salt in the diet. James and Becca came home from shopping and Cecily and Al came home from church. I put on pants, and we went to Kan Pai for supper. I enjoyed the fire during the meal preparation. The chef was good and also entertaining. Olivia gave me her vegetables. We came home, and chatted about the beach house and who will sleep in which bedroom, etc. We skyped Chris for awhile. Cecily ran the dishwasher, and went to bed. I talked to Al, and then he went to bed. I wrote to my blog and then I went to bed.

*  This is Michele enjoying lush grass at the botanical gardens.  *

Medallion certification

I got up early, kind of. I read e-mail, exercised, and bathed. I used the red bath towel twice and still wasn't dry so I got another towel. It must have been one of those non-absorbent towels. I got dressed, and made breakfast. Dad offered me a taste of his almond milk, and it was pretty good. I took my supplements. I tried to put a box of garbage bags away, but he told me they belonged on the diningroom table. I looked up on internet how to change ownership of stock when the owner is deceased. I typed in a paragraph for Dad on his laptop about visiting the county clerk. We printed the change of ownership form. Dad filled it out while I sat there answering his questions and looking up treatments for essential tremors (his). After filling out the form by hand, he went to his computer to type it in and print it out again. I started packing and put a load of laundry in the washer. I took some time to clean out the vacuum bag and sweep the rug in the living room. There were some spots of mud that I needed to scrub first. And some smears on the wood floor that I wiped up. Somebody stepped in something and tracked it through the livingroom into the diningroom. I typed a paragraph on his laptop. I put the clothes in the dryer. I looked up affidavits, state tax waivers, small estate limit, backup withholding, etc.  What an education I am getting!  I reset the dryer to run again, pulling out a few things that were dry. We went to the bank for a Medallion stamp (like being notarized on steroids) for the change of ownership form. But they wanted to see the death certificate and letter of testamentary. We did not bring that but they should have had them on file. Those papers could not be located, so I went home for copies. When I went back, I noticed a splinter in my hand. We finished the business at the bank and came home in the rain. I folded clothes from dryer, and packed my carryon and suitcase. I consolidated my foods, and packed up my computer. I could not find tweezers so I used a piece of packing tape to put the splinter out. I drove the station wagon in the rain to the Damour's house. The windshield wipers would only work on the slow intermittent setting. My shoulders kept creeping up to my ears as I drove. I had to remind myself to relax. But we got there. Cecily had a nice meal for us – fish, snow peas, tomatoes (from their garden) and roasted potatoes. Dad wanted to know the difference between baked potatoes and roasted potatoes. No one knew. After supper the conversation continued, and then Dad got in the car, to drive hom in the rain. We were worried, but he called 45 minutes later to say he had driven home on 288 at 50mph so he wouldn't hit any pedestrians. And he hadn't. Michele went to bed early. Al and Cecily and I talked . We all agreed that Dad looked good tonight. They went to bed, and I stayed up to write to my blog. Chris skyped me briefly. But I want to get to bed because we plan to get up before 4:30am to take Michele to the airport (and then go back to bed).

*  Another beautiful sight at the botanical gardens  *