I survived

Got through my colonoscopy with no problems - one little polyp that was removed.  It amuses me that the day of the procedure is so much more enjoyable that the day and night before. Lots of friendly people milling around, soft talk, a little pin prick and hey, presto it;s a half hour later and we're all finished. I even, after it was over, got a heated blanket when I mentioned I was chilly.  Such luxury. But now they want to see me back in three years.  Three? What happened to 5 or 10 years?  Ah well, if it can prevent colon cancer (or at least catch it early) I'll play their game.

feast before famine

This Friday I'm having my once-every-five-years colonoscopy, yuck!  Which means that Thursday I can eat nothing but clear liquids and something called MoviPrep which has absolutely nothing to do with getting ready to go to the movies.  But tomorrow I will prep for the prep day by eating lots at a luncheon I'm going to and even more at supper with my grandkids.  Bring on the pizza!!!

political decisions

This year, for the first time since 1978 I am a resident of the city of Fort Wayne and eligible to vote in the city election next week.  I changed my voter registration address some weeks ago when I changed the address on my driver's license and car registration (worst license picture ever!!!) and have since received all sorts of mail assuring me that I am registered to vote and where and when. Sooo, being a good citizen, I watched the mayoral debate this evening.  It didn't firm up my decision on who to vote for but it didn't really change my mind either.  I have eight days to decide. The anchorman hosting the debate said anyone interested could rewatch the debate on line over and over again.  Hmmm, no.

an unexpected inconvenience

I received a notice in the form of a note tucked by the doorknob of the door of my apartment informing me (and all of the other tenants) that they are going to resurface our parking lots and that no one can park in the underground garage or in most of the large parking area from today until Tuesday evening. We were given a list of several parking lots around the area where we had permission to park. I opted for the lot of a nearby restaurant, less than 5 minutes from my front door, dutifully parked my car there before 5pm today as requested.  This wasn't really a hard choice since I was meeting some friends there for an early supper.  As I was walking back to my apartment later I found myself thinking "Well, this type of inconvenience certainly didn't happen when I was a home owner." Then I remembered the time, 11 years ago, when the county dug up a one mile stretch of the road in front or our house to level it and install a traffic light.  We had to park in a nearby church parking lot for almost a month. I guess two days isn't so bad after all.

a wonderful one-woman show

My internet connection has been down for a couple of days but has now mysteriously healed itself so I can report on a play I saw yesterday.  Billed as a musical biography, "His Eye is on the Sparrow" is the story of gospel and jazz singer Ethel Waters.  It;s a one woman show and Nickie White is amazing both singing and acting. It's on tomorrow and next Friday and Saturday at First Presbyterian Theater.  On a scale of 1 to 12 I'd give it a 23!

the reviews are in

I had a jewelry party last night. It was really an excuse for people to see my new apartment.  I probably can stop saying new now. I've been here 4 weeks; met a young lady in the elevator yesterday who had just moved in two days ago. I guess I'm not the new kid (hah!) on the block any more.  There were a lot of firsts involved with this party - first brownies and gingerbread baked in my oven (it worked), first scrambled eggs for the friend who stayed over.  First cleaning up after a party. That was actually pretty easy. I found the comments about the apartment interesting. Most people loved the view. One friend said the place was too elegant for her. Obviously she didn't look closely at my furniture. Another said she thinks the apartment suits me. I really liked that comment and I agree.

a weird vision

Today the man came back to my apartment to put the new top on my desk. Two weeks ago when he assembled the office furniture I had purchased we discovered that a big hunk had been broken off one corner of the desktop. So today the new top was put on and now everything looks fine. But when he was finished he left me with the damaged top and the big cardboard box the new one came in. He said that some people cut off the damaged section and use the rest to make a book shelf or something.  That made me laugh because it reminded me so much of my husband's way of thinking. Always save everything, there may be a use for it.  After the furniture man left I hauled the damaged top and the cardboard down to the place in the basement where I've been told to leave such things. A couple of hours later as I was leaving for a meeting I walked past the place where I had left the stuff on my way to the garage and saw that it was gone.  That got me to wondering. Do they really recycle all the big cardboard boxes and other stuff (like desktops) that people leave down there or is there, somewhere in the depths of the basement, a room full of stuff that might come in handy someday?  I hope I'll never know.

the ultimate downsizing

For the last couple of months I've been patting myself on the back because I managed to downsize and get rid of a great deal of personal property.  Good for me, but recently I've been watching coverage of the Syrian refugees making their way to Germany to escape horrors at home and in search of a better life. In the footage I've seen the refugees are carrying small bundles of stuff and. often, their children, and that's all.  Talk about downsizing.  Ironically I know that my own ancestors left Germany for a better life here, bringing with them a few bundles and boxes and at least two spinning wheels - more than the Syrians have - and apparently on safer boats. I'm not sure I would have had the courage in either situation.

not all basements are created equal

One of the reasons I decided to sell my house this summer was that it had a big basement with a garage and much to much storage space that I really didn't want to take care of.  It occurred to me today that now I have an even larger basement, still finished, still walk-out, but this one has a laundry room with 10 washers and 10 dryers, a work out room with eight or none pieces of exercise equipment (none of which I've tried out yet but I plan to), long hallways, pop machines and a huge underground parking garage.  All very nice, but the best thing about my apartment basement is that I don'y have to clean it, ever. Hooray!

my old rocking chair

On my moving day four weeks ago the movers managed to move all of my possessions in tact except for two of the oldest - a picture that has been in the family since I was about five and the rocking chair in which my mother rocked me when I was a baby and in which I rocked my babies and my grandbabies. So you could say items of great sentimental value. I didn't discover that the glass had been broken out of the picture until two weeks after the move, too late to make a claim, so I took it to Frame Art this week and ordered new mat and glass, only this time I'm going with picture quality plexiglass. So the picture is taken care of. Now about the rocker, After the move, when the damage was discovered, the movers took the rocker with them, explaining that they would either be able to repair it or to make a financial adjustment.  I told them, and retold them in repeated follow-up conversations, that if they couldn't fix it I want it back. Today I got a call from a furniture repair company saying they had been contacted by the movers to repair my rocker and when could they come pick it up. I told the nice lady on the phone that the moving company still has my rocking chair and she said she would contact them.  Now I'm wondering if and when I'll ever see that old chair again.

strange messages

I dealt with two communications today that left me feeling bemused or amused or a little of both.  First I received two very stern  sounding phone calls (one in person, one left as a voice mail) informing me that I am in big trouble with the IRS. I hung up on one and deleted the other. Second I received a document in the mail telling me that one of the pensions that I receive monthly will now be handled by a different company. It took them 18 pages to explain this with frequent reassurances that nothing would change. Finally, on page 17, I found a phone number to call to inform them of my new address so I guess it was worth wading through the verbal swamp.

so close to stardom...

Some months ago a friend and I went to Chicago to try out for a commercial.  We did the preliminary interview, did not get the call back and assumed that was that. Since it's not that easy for me to get to Chicago I didn't submit any of the follow up information they asked for. Early this afternoon my friend called me and said she had been invited to try out for another commercial - they wanted cheerful, old fashioned grandma types (boy do we qualify) so I cheered her on and thought nothing more about it until I got home and received a phone call of my own, and an email.  I thanked the gentleman kindly but explained that I couldn't come to an audition or call back any time during the next couple of weeks. Will I ever get another call? Doubtful, but it's fun to dream.  If my friend becomes rich and famous she'll owe me big time because these calls were based on the interview they recorded of us together.

balloon bonanza

We saw lots and lots of beautiful balloons at the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. It was a visual feast of brilliant colors and fancy and funny shapes - flying cows, pigs, stagecoaches, Darth Vader and so much more.  The only possible negative was that balloons seem to have to launch at dawn so we were at the balloon park by 5:30 each morning. It was worth it.  The dawn patrols and mass launches were simply beautiful. Now I'm off to bed and I really won't care if I'm not up in time to see the sunrise tomorrow.

not flying quite so high

I'm off to see some balloon launches over the next few days.  It should be a spectacular sight. However the flight I was dreaming of taking in a hot air balloon is not on the agenda any more - not since I found out that the cost would be $429!! I will just admire the show from the ground and, when I need a lofty experience continue to enjoy the view from my balcony.

I can see clearly now...

or at least I understand something a little better. The last few mornings have been foggy and the view from my balcony has been hazy.  I'm used to fog at ground level and have driven through some fairly dense patches and been confused sometimes when the weather man says something like "Visibility at the airport is less than two miles." It doesn't seem like I can see two miles when I can't even see the traffic light until I'm under it. But up here on my balcony where I can see for 10 miles (possibly 9 as the crow flies) on a clear day it becomes very obvious when I can only see for two miles. And on a tangent subject why "as the crow flies"? Why not the sparrow or the pigeon? What about an eagle or a hawk?  Why does a crow get all the credit for flying straight?  Do crows actually fly straight?  Maybe as the crow flies is a longer distance??? For that matter I can't remember the last time I actually saw a crow fly.  They're usually sitting clustered in trees making raucous noises. Perhaps I should do some research on this (when I'm fogged in for three days and have exhausted all other possible forms of entertainment).

Possibly the world's most perfect food

unless you have allergies, of course.  If you haven't guessed already, I'm talking about peanut butter.  That amazing spread (which I am presently snacking on) which can be eaten by the spoonful, on apple slices, on celery, on crackers, creamy or crunchy, on bread (white or wheat) - sweet with jelly or banana slices, tart with olives or pickle slices - the possibilities are endless.  Perhaps I should write a peanut butter cookbook?? Peanut butter and chocolate fondue anyone?

seeing the space station

I heard on the 6pm news that the space station would be passing over and visible at 8:05pm for five or six minutes. The announcer said it would be coming from the south west and visible if I looked ENE so I did.  I had a great view from my balcony.  Promptly at 8:05 I saw a bright white spot tracking across the sky just where it was supposed to be.  Then, just as it was fading on the horizon, another brighter light went tracking across the same piece of sky only this one was flashing three different lights.  Was it the space station or a plane or a visitor from outer space?  I may never know, but one way or another I saw it.

my "fortress of solitude"

Another reflection on my apartment. When I walk in here after being gone most of any day I lock one door, with a lock and a deadbolt, and feel comfortably alone and secure. Granted, I can also lock the sliding glass door that opens on to the balcony but I'm not too worried about that.  If someone is determined enough to climb up or down to my 10th story balcony in an effort to break in here I'm pretty sure he/she would just break the window and come on in.  But that's not the point.  In the house I sold I had six doors (4 up, 2 in the  basement) that led outside, either directly or through a garage. Five of those doors either had glass in them or a window immediately adjacent so for 33 years that house was never really secure.  Granted I didn't waste any time worrying about it but now I only have one door not to worry about - so relaxing.

Possibly too much of a good thing

Today my son-in-law delivered the items I had ordered from my grandson's band fundraiser a couple of months ago.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, buying something I could really use instead of the usual candy or cookies, which I certainly don't need more of.  However when he delivered the laundry and dishwashing detergent I had ordered I realized that 10 gallons (in two 40 pound tubs) of detergent is more than I had envisioned.  The tubs are sitting in my kitchen now while I figure our where to store them.  Happily, they come equipped with pumps that can be inserted to get the goo out and into manageable containers.  I'll tackle that tomorrow.  Oh well, at least I won't be buying detergent for a while. Perhaps I'll pump it into small bottles and give it away for Christmas.

An interesting factoid

I met another neighbor today.  Her name is Brenda and she lives at the east end of my hallway with a white fluffly dog. She started our elevator conversation by saying "Oh, you're the new tenant in the split bedroom plan." I agreed that I was and learned that she has lived here for several years and her husband's parents also.  Her parting shot, as she was walking down the hall was "This is a very safe place to live. There hasn't been a robbery here since 1978. I find this very reassuring but, of course, now I'm wondering what happened in 1978.

another walk around the block

Keeping the promise I made myself.  This afternoon I ended up with some unexpected free time so I took  a walk. One block up and over from my apartment is the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. I think this will be a great place to walk to and through, accomplishing my daily hour of walking with at least some of it inside. Should be a good plan for winter, right? So I joined the museum, then, after a browse, walked on through the park around the block and home. I find I'm really liking walking on sidewalks as opposed to very busy country roads.  I know, I know, I'm easily entertained.