My Week

It was cold and rainy most all week.  The irony is that next week will be considerably hotter.  Monday morning I went to Mass after my exercise class.  I had a family prayer intention for my niece.  Then I gave Debbie a ride to her medical appointment since she needed a driver.  I ate a hamburger while I waited and she insisted on getting me a desert afterward.  I had a cinnamon cheesecake.  In the evening I went to our Legion meeting.  Turnout was poor.  I suspect burnout from all the work during the fish frys.

I had an appointment at the Veterans Assistance Commission about presumptive sinusitis.  Looks like I may be eligible for a VA disability compensation.  I don't want to count my chickens before they're hatched. The VA turned down my claim for hearing aids. 

Amber went on a visit Tuesday and I tried to spice Amber's tricks up for a slight Spring Theme since we missed our Easter theme.

In the evening I went to the monthly meeting for our dog club.  💤

Wednesday I got a lot done.  Done a lot of house cleaning and planted okra in the garden.  It was nice enough to put the guinea pigs in a cage on the grass and clean their cage also.  Ah the nice fresh scent of PineSol.  The dogs had a mid-day mile walk and then in the evening our Capitol Canine Dog Training Club had a nice "walk about" at Washington park at 6PM.  At 6:30, the carillon played. 

dogs, tulips, and carillon

So I needed a break and since it was senior discount day at the Goodwill, that would be my break.  I thought I'd walk out empty handed until I found a shirt that said "Cinco De Mayo" for the next day.  Only good once a year.

While  shopping, Sean had texted a question: "Did I used to poop with the door open as a kid."  I said "no" but he remembers show off a turd.
I had tacos at the VFW and a margarita.  Afterward I went with Chris and Liz to a home of a member of the German Club for real German desert and social.  The family is hosting a girl on a missionary request. 

Friday I had a tour bus.  I made sure they were on time for all their appointed stops.  We had time for a stop at a family owned souvenir shop just outside the gate by the Lincoln Tomb.  They always treat the guide to a bottle of water.  Last stop is at Godfather's Pizza and then a ride back  to my car where I left it after the first tour on the schedule since I rode on the bus. It rained and misted all day but most tours were indoors.  Lunch was a bit of a problem since we eat outdoors on benches under a roof at Union Station.  The bus driver was kind enough to let them eat on the bus.  Then  there were a lot of buses doing the same so we moved along to our next stop early.  I got home to take Amber to Friday night practice.   She did some excellent healing because of our long day of separation and she was food motivated.  The only problem I had was the "drop on recall".  She  was  so motivated to  come  that when I said "down" halfway,  she just wanted to  be with  me.  

Saturday I went to a DAR meeting.  On the way I dropped 2 coats off at the cleaners.  I had needed them up until last  week and finally warming up.  The clerk had the nerve to ask, "is Wednesday soon enough?"  We went to the cemetery of  the chapter's namesake Capt William Penney and the Starhill Forest Arboretum.   

 

We then carpooled over to the Arboretum because the parking would be limited yet not far.  It is tricky to find the place out in the sticks but I had maps on my phone to get there.  We had a reverse problem leaving but my phone has a map to my parked car also.  I got to bring Sophie and Marla just loves her.    She's in assisted living that I'm having TDI international add to their list of approved facilities.  Here we are at the meeting at the arboretum.   After the meeting, Guy Sternbuerg got to show us some rare trees and not-so-rare, poison ivy.

Members got to see Sophie's superpower in action.

On my way home is stopped downtown to get a "touch the top of the capitol"  photo to enter a contest for seniors.  I couldn't find a passerby to take it so I had  to set it on a 10 second timer with many takes to get this picture.

I brought my kitchen step ladder.

Then I went to the VFW for their Derby Party.  How about that long shot to win: Rich-Strike.

 

My Derby Hat with running springs for the horse mobility did not win  the hat contest.

Ahh the bourbon tasting table.  But all in a row?  Glad it wore off before the Vietnam Vigil shift.

After that I went to the Vietnam Vigil.  I wanted to get a group photo but since we had plenty of help, we broke the hour rotation down into 15 minute shifts and the early guard left early.  I was on the last quarter shift.

Sunday was Mothers Day and I was surprised to return from my mile dog walk to see my 2 son's cars in the drive.  Dinner was cooked by Alan.  We had steak, salad, and he brought 2 big bags of asparagus.  He know I like it but I got it as yard food during this season.  I was given a new set of bed sheets and bottles of wine. 

We watched 2000 Mules.

Alan left around 2pm because I also had a practice with with Ginger, a retired AKC judge at the club.  Ginger seemed to express the same problems I'm going through because she used to train terriers.  Now she has a black and white sheltie that she brought to demonstrate.  It was so worthwhile because she taught me what to do when Amber stalls on recall or when she stops to scratch herself.  Never repeat the  command but go back and correct her by a slight yank  on the collar.  It's like a parent telling their kids to go to bed 3 times.  We also learned what she called  the "jack in the box" method for practicing the dumbbell  retrieval.  There were others that had different problems that I could also learn from.  Once again,  Ginger used to train terriers and understood the challenge.  After that I finally got to mow the yard.  I had picked up the mower after 3 weeks for a tune up.