My Week

Well I walked Sophie around the block and not just down the cul-de-sac.  Brrr.

I think I know why I didn't use the water proof camera much...2 photos and the battery is empty. It happens with 2 batteries that I have alternated in the charger.  After a week, my other camera seems to have a normal picture again. Maybe the problem was the cold.

I had a box that I sent to a soldier returned despite the remarks to turn it over to the chaplain.  I hate wasting postage only to examine the contents and reuse them. 

The box was in bad shape and the Fretos were open and crumbled inside. I quit the Ladies of Liberty team and will just stick with the deployed adoptions team.  The only drawback is that I have to try to vary the same old contents every month going to the same person but a one time package they don't have repeat contents.  I'm tried my first themed box for the Superbowl.

Since the PBS is showing a mini-series called "Mercy Street" facebook fans promoting the show have had an app to tintype a photo on your facebook page.  I tried it with a few.

This picture was taken at the Old State Capitol in Springfield.

This is my latest ball gown taken by the Christmas Tree in the shop at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.  Only drawback is that the bertha is flipped up.

  Wednesday we woke to at least 4" of snow.  My electric snowblower did not start.  Needless to say, not many showed up for our exercise class at 8AM.  There was only 3 of us and I was a little late due to shoveling.  Then we were supposed to have Zumba but I was the only one.  I told our instructor, Patty, to go home because I was sore from shoveling and the preceding senior weight class.

Thursday I did paperwork at the clinic for my hearing and took it to the VA for a benefits application.  Now the ball is in the VA court. Then I went to pick up wreaths at Camp Butler. They were nearly done but glad that I came and helped for that last hour. There was a funeral planned at noon so we had to finish. 
Then I got my garage side door measured by Lowes. I need a  special order the door size and it should arrive around Feb 12.  Later I had a TDI visit and this evening, an ABATE meeting. Whew.
Friday I went to my exercise class and had double TRX and senior strength.  Then I stopped at Ruggless Auto regarding my "check engine soon" light.  It's another sensor than the other two senors I've had worked on.  I guess I'm on a roll to repair all 100 some sensors.  Then I stopped by and arranged for my new door and it seems to be a good idea to use the 6 months same as cash.   Apparently I never activated my Lowes credit card so that delayed my check out.  I had a choice of the 10% veteran discount or the 5% to pay upfront.  So I was ahead with the military discount and can pay over time.
Then I went to the Old State Capitol to try to get back into the swing of things since I now have hearing aids.  I gave a tour to a couple from Chicago that walked in.  Other than that, the excitement was trying to get rid of a starling flying around inside the building.  
Saturday we had our Soldiers Aid Society workshop.  We were learning netting.  Lisa had shared her skill that she learned in a workshop and she's been making lovely shawls.  Here she holds her antique tools.   It looked easy but....

 It looked easier than it actually was. I got that loop knot in the wrong place. I got the thread wrapped around the clamp at times. I got too taught at times and couldn't pull my fingers out. After a while I got a system down. Maybe in 5 years I can make a netted shawl.  That would be nice since I can't knit or crochet.  This is the goal.

Sunday I read the second reading at Mass to substitute for someone out of town.
This year I've been trying to cross my legs less often.  It's hard when trying to hold something up like a book or my laptop. Well at least I'll try.
Monday I got up a bit late and it was difficult to get to Sophie's appointment at "Bubbles of Fun".  I exercised while she was being groomed and then when I picked her up, I took her on a TDI visit.  Monday evening, I went to dance practice for a ball on Lincoln's birthday.  Whew.   ~ till next week.

My Week

This week I went on a TDI visit when it was very cold. It was nice except Sophie's petting got to the point of hair standing up in this cold weather.  Nice to visit with a lady on her 83d birthday.  She loved Sophie.

Thursday was real busy.  Yoga at 8. My financial adviser is visiting at 10:30 from Belleville. TDI visit at 2.  In the evening I went to a meeting of the Catholic War Veterans and that had a poor turn out too.  At least we got some prayers in.

Sophie sat on the lap of a lady who never had a dog. She always watched but seemed to not be interested enough to hold her till now. I think she liked having Sophie on her lap.  I never pushed the issue as in our TDI rules but today I asked again.  This time the lady was ready.
Boxes of cake mixes....

I thought I was helping out when Lana died by collecting her pantry of cakes to help bake for her fund raiser and our fish fry at the American Legion.  Some went to the fund raiser for her medical expenses and the later dates on the boxes were saved for upcoming fish fries.  I have very little storage space as it is but I thought I was doing the right thing by storing them for later as requested.  So when the next fish fry approached, I brought the issue up.  I was told that there were plans already for deserts from Sam's Club as an experiment.   I nearly died to think I'd been saving them for this and an experiment had a priority meanwhile these cakes are recently went beyond their "best used by" date.  I feel so used.  Then I read this:

I shall try not to complain.

I made 2 Carmel cakes for our bake sale and the rest got tossed.  I'm through helping.  Last time the American Legion post left me out that we had canceled the German dinner without telling me and I had posted it on facebook and Illinois Times.   Next time they have posters to pass out, I'll pass on that.

Seems like my facebook friends are posting photos of Florida and cruises while I'm cold.  Jealous!

Friday night I went to a meeting of the OWLS (Older Wiser Love-able Seniors) at Edgars Coffee Shop. After eating we broke up into different tables playing games.  I played dominoes and won.   Noooo....we didn't play stack and tip the dominoes.  They were cheap little plastic ones that had uneven bottoms and wouldn't stack. 
Saturday I used my $5 off coupon on a $30 purchase at the Dollar General.  Sure added up fast though.  I spent a lot more than the minimum to get that $5 off.

I stopped by Lowes to get a curtain rod and ordered a new side door for my garage.  The one that's on there now sticks and is hard to open.  That door seems to be split in the center too.

Saturday I watched the movie, Mercy Street, online know that when it airs on Sunday, I'll be at the 114th Regiment's Commander's Ball.  It's a PBS special about a Civil War nurse. Oddly, the ladies in the facebook for Civilian Civil War Closet are picking apart the costuming while those (mostly men) in the the "The American Civil War" love it. 

Sunday I read the second reading.  Since I've been cleaning up around the house, I found a donation envelope from a few months ago that I never turned in.  I gave it to our priest and he was elated to get it.  Joe Blankenship (local dog trainer) has been bring a medium size black dog named Diva to church as part of her training  as a service dog.  Diva went with him to Communion and tried to check out what's under Father's vestments. 
The digits are really freezing when I take Sophie for a walk around the block.  It was 9 degrees on Sunday.   Oddly, finger-less gloves are popular. That's the part that freezes first. If I need my fingers, I'll remove the glove. 
Sunday evening I attended the Commanders Banquet for 114th Infantry (reactivated) at the Chesapeake Seafood House.   The guest speakers were Dawn and Ted Henry about their experience as chairs for the Lincoln Funeral reenactment last May.  I would have taken photos but my camera died and looked pix elated like stalagmites. So these were take by Peggy.  Thanks Dean and Peggy.

 I'm talking with Lisa about our next workshop on netting and how I feel so craft handicapped.

Ken and Martha came too because they never miss a retreat ceremony at the tomb by the 114th.

  There's our guest, Dawn Henry, in the background.

When I got home I pulled out another camera and started charging its battery.  I got out another Olympus 550 WP (water proof) camera that I had that's almost the same age as the FE-370 that is destroyed. I haven't used the black camera much. It had state fair photos on it from when Linda Crites was Veteran of the Month.  I got it in 2009 when I rode my motorcycle and it may be exposed to moisture. Then I brought both cameras on my European trips so I could alternate as batteries charged or camera got full.

My neighbor gave me some wood for the fireplace for which I'm very grateful with this freezing temperature.

My son recently joined a rock band called "Set Piece" and he can be seen here at practice:

They haven't had a gig since he joined.  The band's music is original.

I had picked up a package of tomato/mozzarella pancake mix at Aldi and loved it and didn't burn it.  Yeah, I know, you're not supposed to burn pancakes.  So next visit I see that the packages were marked down to .49 cents and being discontinued.  

My Week

My article of my summer reenacting personna was published in the "Citizen's Companion" and you can read it here:
 http://www.citizenscompanion.com/a-fictional-historical-account-of-lincolns-passing/

Wednesday I went to a Legion Riders meeting. We discussed our American Legion Riders Legacy ride (whom Roger's children are eligible for benefits) and naming our ride his memorial ride.
Then Saturday I went to the VFW for a memorial for SSgt Roger Gross who had been wounded in Iraq in 2006.  Sen McCann gave a nice proclamation to his parents.

Staff Sgt. Roger Gross remembered for humor, love of children 

I brought my yard concrete soldier for decor that is stamped "Iraqi Freedom" on the back.  This same statue was at a funeral for Chad Young.  I think they appreciated the added touch.  Chad's dad also came to make condolences and I thought that was very nice.

Friday evening I had dinner with friends at the Hawaiian BBQ.

Saturday Morning I started out in a bad mood.   I got an email begging for an item (a flag donation) that would have cost anyone less than $50 but instead seeking a donation.  Heck, nothing is free.   I learned that the previous flag(s) were paid for out-of-pocket by Les from our post.  He should be proactive and do it himself.   I have always felt that if you want something done you got to do it yourself.  Another thing I hate is charities begging from other charities for money.  That's like some kids who don't want to hold a bake sale so they beg from those who did.  I'm sorry but letter writing fund campaigns are not real fundraisers.

Have I not been charitable enough  with all this begging going on?  Hey I'm retired now and still giving and now I have expenses like hearing aids and eye glasses.  I've seen what junk people buy for one-time uses and trashed on pick up days while walking the dog.  Sometimes I'm guilty of buying junk but then I'm also charitable in other ways.

So with that on my mind, I'm walking my dog and I see another pet peeve.  This house that has a large shrub growing into the drive way so the lady has to have her car's wheels off the pavement.  Why doesn't she remove the bush?  Does she think it provides privacy?

Well, you know I mentioned that I walked the dog.  I'm glad I did so early (like it was still dark and barely sunrise) because by 9AM it rained and then it turned to snow by 10:30.  This was the first accumulation of snow but I still didn't have to shovel.



This snow rips my heart(s) out of my motorcycles.  Here is where they rest for the winter.

Sunday it was one degree when I got up and walked my dog.  I'm glad she did "it" fast.  Later I walked her just as short of a walk and the wind chill make it feel even colder.  I have a fire in the fireplace going.  I went to a District meeting of the American Legion held at our post.

Names were listed in our church bulletin of donations of poinsettias for our Christmas decor.  I donated one in honor of my adopted soldier through Soldiers Angels.
I mentioned this to a fellow parishioner and she suggested I send my adoptee the Prayer to St Michael, patron of soldiers.

 

PRAYER TO
SAINT MICHAEL
THE ARCHANGEL

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..

I took Sophie to Reflections home on Monday.  I'm not allowed to take photos but they can and took a picture of her on the lap of one of the residents for their activity board.  It made me proud of her.

I am getting close to finishing my son's ancestry application for the Sons of the American Revolution but not through the Connolly line.  However, there is a direct descendant line from James McDade  and here's his story.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wvpioneers/jamesmcdade.html

We celebrated my son's birthday with dinner at Outback Steakhouse and then came home to give him his gift from both his mom and brother; a gift that he had dropped a hint.
I got my DVD "Now He Belongs to the Ages ~ Lincoln Tomb" in the mail yesterday and haven't watched it.  I purchased and advance copy last year.  It's an hour long so I will watch it today.

My Week

I went to visit a fellow female veteran who was recently hospitalized for heart surgery.
I took Sophie with me since we had just left a visit from the nursing home. I told her I'd be happy to watch her dog, Jack, if she ever needs me.  She had a double by-pass on Dec 13th.  Black on black doesn't show very well but I'm holding a miniature pinscher.   Jack was calm for a mini-pin.  She welcomed Sophie in her home and Sophie just explored every room in the house.  Sophie wasn't

In my last blog I mentioned a returned Christmas card to my niece whom I'd gotten a card from with the same address in the return corner so I sent it again.  It came back again.  I give up.

Wednesday I exercised at both of our senior classes: strength group and zumba gold.   I did a little shopping at the thrift stores since it was senior discount day and then spent 3 hours with Polly putting together a lineage sheet for my son's application into the Sons of the American Revolution.  Sunday I got the required signatures on the form.  Now to find out about my other son and the fees for a life membership as I know from experience that annual dues collection is a pain.  I also need to find out if there's a discount to submit them together.

I spent New Year's eve with reenacting friends at U. S. Grant's house.   We played some nice games like truth or lie.  I'm not a very good liar. 

 I wore my tiara instead of a hat.  I love the dress that I found at the Salvation Army but it does leave little sparkles on the floor.  The dress and jacket were hung in different areas of the store and I happened to find the pair.

Saturday I got a new soundbar and TV that helps with my hearing loss.  I gave away my old TV because it was not compatible with the soundbar even though it was only about 3 years old.

Sunday I went to Mass at the cathedral for our monthly Memorial Mass with the Catholic War Veterans.  Now that it's getting colder I'm trying to get the house cleaned up.  I found the other tennis shoe under the bed that I had given up looking for and threw the other away.  Ha!

I packed two boxes to send to lady airmen serving overseas and made a trip to the Post Office.  Paid a few bills.  I did some running around to get back ground material for a VA claim on my hearing loss.  I found some records of my assignments and my firearms training card.  I then took my Nissan Murano to the mechanic to look at a check engine light and it seems there is a sensor problem so I have another appointment for that on Thursday.
In the evening I went to the American Legion meeting.