Virtue and vice

It all started out so well tbis morning. I heard an ad on the morning local news for the Farmers' Market and decided I should go.  For one reason and another I hadn't gone all summer but today seemed like a good day for it.  I made my mental list: tomatoes, green beans, maybe some sausage. I made it to the market, bought the green beans, tomatoes and even a couple of potatoes.  So good, so healthy. Even the little jar of jam was all natural.  The mistake was deciding to stop at the little bakery on Main Street on the way home.  Just for a loaf of bread you understand.  I needed it to go with the jam. But the strangest thing happened while I was in the bakery.  I bought the bread (their really good apple bread) but other things kept hopping into my hands.  Two packages of cookies and a cup of chicken salad later, I headed home.  A chocolate cookie or a tomato?  I'll leave it to you to guess which I ate first.  

At the big game

I'm back after two frustrating days of problems with my google connection.  It seems to have cured itself now and just in time for me to report on the big game.  This evening I went, with family, to the first home game in Bishop Dwenger's new stadium. Very nice, and lots of excitement as they played their first real "home game." Of course we (two grandmas, one mom, one dad and one sister) weren't there for the football.   There are no football players in our family.  We were there for the half-time show.  My youngest granddaughter, a sophomore this year, is on the flag squad and they looked wonderful.  The band was good too.  But, you know, my focus was on the flags.  Their costumes were bright orange, with turquoise trim, and quite stunning.  I'm told they received gold fro visual effects at a competition last week and I can see why.  Very nice indeed.  
We did pay passing attention to the game.  When we left, during the third quarter, The score was Bishop Dwenger Saints 29, Northside Legend 0 (sorry Northside fans).  

Always the last to know

All my life it seems I am the last to hear juicy gossip or learn fascinating facts about anything.  Maybe I'm just not curious enough.  Case in point, three days ago, in an elevator conversation, I was told that we are going to get new elevators in my apartment building.  Not a minute too soon in my opinion.  I was excited and have mentioned it to three or four other residence since then.  In every instance the response was something like "Oh yes, I heard about that months ago."  Well, nobody told me.  Now, on the news this evening, I was informed that my apartment complex is going to be remodeled and renovated to the tune of about five million dollars.  They have revamped the lobby area - to appeal to millenials I think.  One friend commented that all the white marble looks like a mausoleum.  Well, it's really not that bad but it is kind of stark.  I know they are remodeling apartments (new kitchens, baths, etc) as tenants move out and before new ones move in.  I can hear hammering and other construction noises in the distance.  I think they're mainly working on the 13th floor right now.  I would love to request a new kitchen but I don't want my rent to go up.  In the meantime I will wait excitedly for new elevators.

another great day

Today is National Dog Day.  I think it's wonderful that "man's best friend" has a day of his or her own.  A day that they can relax, be pampered, chase a few squirrels, be served their meals and a few treats, sleep on the furniture, and generally just be catered to in every way.  Wait, I think I just described every day in the life of my granddogs.  Ah well, enjoy your day, Wallace, Stella and Perry.

a little sympathy, please

As I was rushing around my bedroom this afternoon, barefoot, I wanged two toes of my left foot against a chair leg.  I know, just stubbed toes, but it hurt sooo bad.  Now one toe (the one next to the little toe in case you're interested) has turned a darkening shade of purple.  It reminds me of one of those wierd grapes I described yesterday.  It's an interesting sight but give me a little credit here.  Although I'm fishing for sympathy, at least I haven't taken a picture and posted it on Facebook.  I do have my limits and wish to retain a little dignity.  

two tastes

Today I helped with the Taste of the Arts Festival here in Fort Wayne.  We manned the First Presbyterian booth and helped children (and some adults) create a giant "sculpture" from newspapers - pages and pages of newspapers - rolled into tubes and taped together with duct tape.  I know, sounds amazing, right? I discovered that, just like my kitchen talent discussed yesterday, stirring hamburger, I had a special talent when it came to creating newspaper sculpture.  I am really good at rolling pages of newspaper into tight little 12 inch long tubes.  So that was my taste of creativity for the day.
The other yummy taste I've enjoyed recently is a taste of really interesting grapes.  I love grapes and buy some almost every time I go to the grocery store. Usually I buy green grapes but this week the green grapes didn't look too good so I bought some deep purple grapes.  I didn't notice til I got home that the package said "fun shape."  These grapes are called Sweet Sapphire black seedless grapes.  The name is almost a long as one of the grapes.  These grapes, rather than being the usual oval shape, are shaped like little Vienna sausages, each one about two inches long.  Very strange but quite tasty.  I will buy them again.

a joy and concern

When we begin meetings at my church we often start with a sharing of joys and concerns.  Today I'm not in a meeting but I do have a joy and a concern.  First the joy.  A friend and I walked down to Promenade Park.  It was a glorious day, perfect day for a walk, nice and cool.  I had expected that the park might be very quiet on a week day but much to my surprise and joy it was crowded with people.  Kids were playing in the splash pad and playground, adults were walking and riding bikes and walking dogs.  It appears to be a very popular park.
My concern started with a report on the morning news.  It was another sad story about a baby left in a hot car.  In this case the baby survived but a comment made by one of the reporters (made in all seriousness) reallly concerned me.  The suggestion was made that parents should put their cell phone on the back seat next to the baby's car seat. The implication being that while a person might forget their child they would never forget their phone.  What does that say about young parents these days?  On the other hand it might cut down on distracted driving.