My Week

Workers from Lowes started installing ceramic tile on Monday.  Half the house has it so now it will be completely tiled.  I figure if tile lasts in Europe, are dust free, then I'll never replace flooring besides throw rugs.  I'm sleeping fine...on the floor in cuddle spot.  I almost like it.  It's like camping.  It's hard to get to the kitchen sink and microwave.  This was taken from the no-cross line.

Here is the before photo with splits.

after

Monday evening I left at 4PM in my pink ball gown to go to Rosewood senior home in E. Peoria to dance.  Before the dance, Jean Meyer had me share a picture viewer with the audience as part of the warm up.  I was to ask the seniors if the children in the photo were good or bad. One was crying another was getting a spanking etc.  There were about 65 people there and only 4 said they were being bad.  The rest insisted that children were good.  One old lady pushed me away.

The workers left about 5.  I left abt 5:30 for a meeting with the Soldiers Aid Society. We had a great discussion about the 2015 Lincoln Funeral Coalition that wants to charge 'volunteers' $20 to participate.  It's more for the extreme die hard reenactors (mostly easterners) not us.  How can they control those reenactor participants that have paid from those that have not.  Organizers cannot turn guests away based on attire.   I've never paid to volunteer except maybe for the honor flight.  The Old State Capitol is not participating and that was the place of his funeral so it will pass out side from it.  Since veterans have been invited to line the street, maybe that will be a better way to participate. 

I then stopped by the regiment house to pick up a copy of the book to scan the governor's reactivation proclamation.  I could not  get to my scanner until the flooring was complete and I could move around.  But it is now on their website.  http://114thillinois.yolasite.com/

Wednesday evening I went to Fat Willys for our AmVets meeting.  We had barely a quorum due to illnesses.  Besides that, the room we usually meet in was down for flooring so we had to meet in the bar area.  It was so noisy.  I suggest we meet next time at Edgar's Coffee House.   I was getting ready to shower and it was cold.  Workers used a fan and that probably blew out the pilot.  I had to relight it and had my shower before bed.  Thank goodness for that.  While they worked, I couldn't clean house so I did outside chores. I cut the grass and cleaned the gutters.  There were so clogged that when I freed that clog, a gush of water and twirlly gigs came flowing out.  Since I could only use the back door, I did slip on the wet grass and got a mark on my arm.

Thursday evening I went to an ABATE meeting.  Afterward I stopped by Walmart since there was word on the street they had ammo in stock.

 It rained off and on for my garage sale from Thursday through Saturday while staying for the workers on my floor.  At least it was very cold and damp. So damp that I slipped in the wet grass going to the back door and fell against my trailer.  That left a mark.  The low Saturday morning was 38 degrees but the sun came out and dried things up.  I had closed my garage sale that morning when I went to the Celtic Festival in Chatham and was a proud member of the color guard.

It was the first time I wore the harness to carry the flag.  I told our honor guard commander it felt like a sports bra.  Just being honest.  I believe we did a great job this time and the singer was awesome too.  I had to pick up my feet a little higher on that soft muddy ground to keep in step. After that I got my purse from my car and bought some haggis and fries.  I had half for lunch and reheated it for dinner.

After that I came back home and changed into my camp dress for my presentation of Belle Reynolds at the Lincoln Home Historic Site's theater.  The workers were still grouting the tile so I signed off on the job and they locked up.  I think there may have been about 40 in the audience.  

Here is the park ranger, Laura Gundrum.

Sunday morning I went to Mass with the Catholic War Veterans. I missed the meeting that we had the week before.  I had a lot on my mind so I didn't want to forget the Memorial Mass.  I picked up some breakfast sandwiches at Hardees because I was expecting my sons to help move furniture by 10AM. 

I'm thankful for my sons who helped move furniture.  By doing so, they also helped me de-clutter -- which was one of their biggest critiques of me.  It had not been easy since loosing my husband and being injured, surgery, and housing them one by one on their own transitions toward greater independence.  I love them with all my heart. 

Monday night I went to the VFW meeting.  I met a service dog named Comet belonging to a man with the Purple Heart Chapter.  After the meeting, a group stayed to stuff envelopes for the semi-annual newsletter and raffle tickets.  

Now to finish putting the little things back in place on dusted shelves.  I also have to prepare a short speech for a memorial balloon launch on Sunday.

My garden is coming along.  I see carrots, beans, green beans; yellow peppers, cucumber, cantaloupe and radish growing after the recent rain.