Good Evening, Buddies.  I've just watched the PBS special on Diana--interesting, but little about her young children.  Prince Charles was obviously a LOUSE!  And she was one sad, but beautiful woman.  Very little about her tragic death and not much about her children.  Did anyone else watch it?

I went to lunch and bridge at Azalea Place at 11:00.  This is the second company which has owned this retirement home in the past 2 years. The food was not up to par and the employees were totally inefficient.  If things don't improve, I think the bridge club might be looking for a new place for this monthly club.  Most of the club women who don't live there play all over town in homes and other public places--one group meets at Chappy's deli for lunch and bridge afterward.  Some of the residents don't drive anymore, so if the group moves they'll have to be picked up.  Azalea Place does have a bus, but they may have raised the prices for their bus service.  I had OK cards, but nothing spectacular and didn't win any money today.

Darlene, hurray for your friend who fixed your oven!  God is Good!

Sharon, I'll pass on your advice about Vitamin B6 to Tim.  He's ready to try almost anything.  Enjoy tomorrow's bridge and lunch.

Jane, we had temps in the low 90's today and are expecting them tomorrow.  I'm playing bridge with my Wednesday group tomorrow afternoon, so I'm getting up earlier than I usually do so that I can walk before it gets unbearably hot.

Mary, I watched the eclipse broadcast on the Weather Channel.  The broadcast from Illinois (a city in the southern most part) was pretty exciting.  After that not so much--and we didn't really get any darkness down here.

GinnyAnn, I'm sorry you didn't see much of the eclipse, either.  I'm glad you posted today, though.  Do you see improvement after each month's B12 shot?

I'm rereading a Trilogy about 3 sisters--two in Ireland and the third book is about a half sister from America they knew nothing about.  Good reading, especially if you love Ireland as much as I do.  If I'm ever able to travel alone again, I want to go to Norway for a coastal cruise and to look up Bob's relatives in Bergen and also to Wales and Ireland again. 

Sleep well, Buddies.
Sue

We're to have another cool day here...and through the weekend with highs in the mid 70s.  Ray and I walked a bit last evening. 

Today is bridge day for me, too. 

We've had wall air conditioners in this old house for 13 years now and the one in our bedroom has gotten so loud.  Unfortunately Sanyo was sold and their parts sold to someone else who stopped making them!  So, a new one from another company that is also a heat pump is on order.  At least we got 13 yrs of service from it. The one in the dining room is still working fine. 

jane

Funny thoughts about your room a/c units, jane.  We've lived in places with central a/c since 1963 when we bought our first house in TN.  Of course, that's the norm in the south.  I imagine one would have a hard time trying to sell a house without it nowadays - at least in the south.

Darlene, glad you got your stove fixed.

Sharon, thanks for posting about seeing Marilyn's family wedding.

Sue, I'm glad Tim is taking care of all your "business" stuff for you.  That's such a lot of responsibility gone.

Good to hear from Ginny Ann, as always.

Nothing happening around here - just heat and humidity.  We're losing one of our bridge players here (he and his wife are moving - for a variety of reasons) and we hate it.  We're just hoping that we'll get a new resident who wants to play.  I still can't believe that out of almost 100 people in this age bracket, we have trouble finding four who want to play.  Oh, well....

Hugs to all the Buddies!

The wedding was so wonderful. There was a lot of smoke in the air from the forest fires, but the day of the wedding it seemed to be above where we were. We watched the eclipse in the morning after our brunch. The air sure got cold when the moon covered the sun. Freckles was such a good girl and got lots of pets. I danced while holding her leash and Keith stood on the sidelines with his brother-in-law and watched while holding my purse. Some of us danced without a partner but it was so much fun.
I will come back to read all the posts later.

Marilyn, glad you're home safely, that all went well, and that you had a good time.

Marilyn, I ditto Mary's comments.  The photos looked really pretty on FB.

Darlene, so glad you got the oven fixed and for free!! (except the part, I suppose).

Jane, sorry about your AC, but 13 yrs is pretty good longevity for one.  Ours is 10 yrs old and we're keeping our fingers crossed.  Like Mary said, AC is a must in the south.  I can remember when we were stationed in Arkansas when I was pregnant with Melanie. It was 85 or more in May and broke as we were, we had to get a window AC.  They had an attic fan in the quarters, but one house caught fire and because of the fan burned completely down. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Anyway, we stopped using ours then.  We took the window AC with us back home to IN and used it there for 4 or 5 yrs.

I played bridge today and came in in the middle--probably because I doubled a 4 spade bid and set them 3 tricks. Otherwise, I would have been toward the bottom. Had a nice time anyway. Just hated getting up at 7:30. That's an hour early for me!

Sue, too bad about the food at the retirement home.  I'm not thrilled with ours at the pro shop either.  I'm sure a trip to Norway would be interesting. I would like to visit Spain and Portugal, the only western European countries I"ve missed, but unless something changes in my health, it is unlikely.

No other news here.  Hi to all. Sharon

Pictures
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Great pictures, Marilyn -  looks like a festive occasion - with lovely weather.

Great pics, Marilyn.

Cards were not good today, but bridge was fun, as always.

jane

Marilyn. Nice pictures . Don't see you in them.  Beautiful place to have a wedding and reception by the lake. Good you got back home safe and sound. is the car all fixed up now or did you get another one?

Jeanne, I will be in some of the pictures taken by the photographer.

Good Evening, Buddies.  I'm tired tonight, didn't sleep well last night and woke up early.  I had an early breakfast, a long walk, read the paper and did the crossword puzzle, then showered, dressed for bridge, fixed and ate a light lunch, then waited for my ride.  Meanwhile, my 90+ neighbor Brownie called me to come down to her house to get her mail and bring it in her house.  She can't safely walk down her driveway and her across the street neighbor who usually brings it in for her is at his farm in north Alabama.  She wanted to chat a bit and by the time I got home, my ride was late (actually she'd come and gone when I didn't come outside to get into her car).  She was supposed to pick me and Libba who lives on the next street up. 

Finally Olyne called and wanted to know what happened and Terri got in her car and came back to pick us up.  Everyone else was there and waiting for us.  Believe me, not being able to drive is the "PITS"!  Libba had been standing outside her house waiting and had locked her keys in her house, so she was overheated and it took her some time to recover.  However she played bridge very well and she won high and I took second place!  Libba is 89 and not driving much, either.

I fixed a light supper and have watched the news and am listening to classical music on my TV.  Also reading the last book in a Nora Roberts trilogy about 3 sisters--2 Irish and their half-sister who is American.  I've read it several times, but it's an easy read and I do love the Irish!

Marilyn, your wedding pictures are great--I wish you were in some of them!  It looks like everyone is having a super good time.

Sharon, all the other times I've eaten at the retirement center, the food has been really good.  The new management either fired kitchen staff or some, like our favorite server/cook Glenda who was upset with the management and quit.  The residents there are pretty upset about it and their fees have gone up a lot!  It took more than 45 minutes for the new waitress to take our orders and then more time to get the food to the table.  If it's not better by the next time, we'll probably be looking for a new venue.

Mary, I have central AC, too.  It's a heat pump in my back yard, but connected to the furnace thingie in my half basement and is piped in from there.  It keeps my home pretty cool.  I appreciate it on these 90* days!

I'm almost ready to take my book to bed to read until 10:00 and hope to sleep better tonight than I did last night.

Good night everyone and Hi to everyone looking in this evening.
Sue

I've had a good walk this morning, although I had to detour as the city is resurfacing some of the streets in my neighborhood.  Then I sat down and read a while until time to fix and eat lunch.  After I cleaned up the kitchen, I showered and shampooed my hair.  Now I'm waiting for my ride to the beauty shop.  One of the Village Friends will pick me up.  I'll have to renew my membership in that organization in September as I'm pretty sure Tim won't clear me for driving by myself yet.  I'm getting my monthly haircut today.

It's pretty warm outside, although it was comfortable at 9:00 when I took my morning walk.  I hope you're all having a good day.  It might hit the 90's this afternoon, but next week's forecast so far is just mid-high 80's--so we'll think it's cool!

Sue

Haircut day here, too, Sue.  And, I need to get out and try a walk.  The joints have been bad this week...and yet the rains go around us. 

Finishing up some laundry and then will decide what clothes to pack for the weekend in MN.

jane

I'm trying to put my haircut off another week so that it will be right for the reunion.

I'm back from the grocery. My leg is hurting really bad today. Don't know why. Don't plan to do anything active the rest of the day.  I have a call in to the GI office about getting my test scheduled. I would love to have it done Monday. I see the ortho PA next Friday and would like to have some idea when I could schedule my knee replacement, but doubt that will happen.  I also have an appt w/ the pain center on Tues to tweak my back stimulator.

Jane, when are you leaving for MN?  Have a good trip.  YOu spend more hours on the road than anyone I know!  My joints have been hurting more too and the rain has bypassed us too.

All for now. HOpe everyone is doing okay. Also hope Darlene is safe from the hurricane. I think she is, but my knowledge of TX geography is pretty sketchy.  Sharon

Just back from store...Harvey heading our way...I am 100 miles north west San Antonio.....expecting high wind and lots rain...Darlene

Darlene..I've been watching the weather channel...looks bad for the coast up to Houston and for your area inland. Take care and keep alert, as I know you will.  I hope SPI is ok, too, of course.

Sharon...we'll leave tomorrow and come home Sunday.

Glad to get the haircut...always feels better before going away.

jane

Darlene, stay safe!

Jane, I saw on the news last night that SPI was filling sandbags and trying to protect themselves. I hope it doesn't do any serious damage.  Sharon

I was glad to get my hair cut, but we started talking and it's shorter than I wanted.  I'd like to have it grown out a bit--at least to the middle of my ears by the end of September and into a short Bob by the end of October.  She always turns me away from the mirror and I didn't tell her about my plan to grow it out for Nov-March when it's chilly here.  So I'll have to be more forthcoming next month!

The approaching hurricane looks bad for the Texas coast and inland, too.  I hope SPI is spared as well as Galveston and other coastal areas.  Darlene, do you live near the coast or further inland?  I'm praying for the people who will have damage there.

I've been reading this evening and listening to music on my TV's classical station.  I've started a Nora Roberts trilogy I've read several times.  I used to walk to the library but can't go that far alone now and only occasionally do I have someone to take me there, so I read books my bridge buddies have finished and recommended as well as favorites I own that I like to reread.

Tim is picking me up for lunch and Kroger shopping tomorrow.  I bought a new hair dryer last week at Kroger and used it once--it did a great job and then the next time I wanted to dry my hair, it didn't  work!  So I'm taking it back.  Olyne thinks maybe someone did return it and they put it back on the shelf--I don't know about that.  It's a Revlon dryer.  Most of the time if I'm not going anywhere when I shampoo, I just let it dry by itself.

I'm off to bed now.  Sleep well Buddies.
Sue

How frustrating, Sue, to get a new dryer that only works once!  I've read most, if not all, the NR's trilogies. I do enjoy them except when she gets into vampires, etc.  Too bad about the short haircut, but it will grow out  as you said. I keep mine pretty short summer and winter. I also nearly always airdry it and then style it with a curling iron.  My hair is very curly, but is kind of erratic with straightish patches, hence the curling iron.  It also helps to smooth out the curl when it is too tight.  I'm reading a D. Steele book called Impossible. I had thought it was new, but discovered I've read it before, but am still going to finish it.  John gave me a Grisham book called The Broker that he said was good. I'll probably read it next.

My leg hurt bad all day yesterday and is still hurting today. I had put a different brace on it and don't know if that aggravated it or not.  I did my exercises and then didn't put on any brace this morning. We'll see if that helps. I still haven't heard back from the GI office about my test. I called them yesterday, but was to be called back--nada. That makes me so mad.  Patients have schedules too, but they don't seem to realize that.

Our stewardship chairman at the church called me this morning and asked that I give a stewardship speech in October. Not really something I wanted to do, but .....

The Dr's office just called me and the test has been ordered, but now I have to wait for radiology to call me to actually schedule it.  Grrrrr!  Oh yes, they have to check my ins too.

Take care everyone.  Darlene, batten down the hatches and stay safe.  Jane, have a good trip to MN. Sharon

Hi folks - looks like everybody is having some good summertime stuff.  Except Darlene, of course.  From what she says about her location, she'll probably miss the worst of it, and be happy to see any rain they get.  My family in the area where jane goes (The Valley) are always glad to get rain to fill up the reservoirs.  And it looks like they'll miss the worst of Harvey.  It does look tough for folks further north/east along the coast, though. Jeanne, is your Texas family in harm's way?  I hope not.  And I hope Joy's Baton Rouge doesn't get too much rain out of Harvey - they've had enough problems. 

Re haircuts - Like Sharon, I keep mine the same length all year.  It grows so fast, I get it cut every three weeks to keep it the way I want it.

Nothing going on around here.  The weather  has turned off beautiful for this weekend - temperatures in the low 80s and low humidity, with nice breezes.  I sat on the deck this morning to read the paper and drink coffee.  Such a treat to watch the two hummers come to the feeders.  I'm still driving Margaret's car - not settled into it too comfortably yet, but I don't know how long I'll be driving it.  I haven't heard from Jesse about possible repairs on my old one.

Happy Weekend, Buddies!

Mary, our temps are much like yours--low 80's and relatively low humidity. I did go out and get my hummer feeder and cleaned and refilled it and filled the bird bath and did a little deadheading on my flowers in the pot. For some reason, they haven't done well this year.  Ones out front are gorgeous though--red hibiscus, one double & one single, + some filler flowers and pentas.  So nice you have a deck to relax on in nice weather. I do hope you get your car situation worked out soon. I imagine it is a worry.

My leg is still hurting and haven't even gone out to get the mail. After I did what little I did outside, I'd had enough. John will bring it in for me later.  Sharon

Sharon, Tim looked at my new hairdryer before we went to lunch and realized that I needed to push the reset button--so I didn't have to buy a new one today at Kroger!  I'd tried the darn thing in my bedroom and also my kitchen--and nothing happened.  I didn't think to look for the reset button--but he showed me what to do.  Sometimes I just miss the simplest things--and should try harder!

BTW, I went to the hairdresser yesterday for my monthly haircut and we started talking about our gardens.  I was turned away from the mirror and didn't realize how much was coming off--and when I looked as I was paying her--it was WAY TOO MUCH!  I'm going to wear a hat to church on Sunday to cover it up and hope it looks more like me next week.

I usually let my hair grow a bit each month during Nov.-March and have a short bob.  I'm afraid I won't even be able to get that length to the middle of my ears by March!  In early April I go back to my summer hair cut--which right now is TOO SHORT! 

Mary, your haircut IS you!  I think it's very attractive and always looks great--and so easy.  I'm all for easy, but I like mine to look good, too.   I need some hair around my very square face.  It's nice to still have hummers.  It won't be long until they'll start migrating south.  So enjoy while you can.  I hope Jesse can get to your car soon.

I hope the hurricane settles down and doesn't do the proposed damage to the Texas coast.  I'm not sure where Darlene lives in Texas, so hope she only gets rain and none of that damaging wind from the hurricane. 

I'll check in again later this evening before going to bed.  I hope Jane and Ray have had an easy drive to the north.

Sue

Sue, I just remembered that you have a son just west of New Orleans.  Are they still there? and making preparations for the storm?

I changed my hairdo this morning after I washed it. Instead of it being a pageboy look, I used my curling iron and curled it, it looks really nice.  Furry Friends is doing a circus this afternoon at the Memory Care Center for the residents. We did one there about 2 yrs ago. Freckles will be wearing her pink Tutu and neck ruffle.

Post a picture on FB, Marilyn.

Sue, glad the dryer is working now.  I think Darlene is between San Antonio and Austin, so it should be mostly wind.

I think everyone should have the hairstyle that suits them and their personality.  I couldn't wear Mary's hairstyle, but it is perfect for her.  Sue's is also very attractive for her. 

I have done a load of laundry, but not much else on the schedule today.

Hope you all are doing well and that Jane is enjoying the trip to MN.  Sharon

I didn't take pictures yesterday at the circus, Sherry.

It's 1:35 here, Buddies.  I slept late, ate a quick breakfast and got a long walk in after that.  I'm doing about 35 minutes each day walking up and down the small hills in my neighborhood.  I'm hoping to get the brace off my right leg sometime this year, but so far, no encouragement for that from any of my doctors!  I take my cane with me for balance and so far haven't fallen down!

I've had lunch and cleaned up my kitchen and am planning a quiet afternoon reading and maybe catching a movie on TCM or TNT.  I'm on the third and last book of the Nora Robert's Trilogy I started on Thursday evening.  I know the outcome, but it's still a good read.

A longtime book club friend's husband died recently and the funeral is tomorrow afternoon at 2:00.  I'm trying to find a ride now, but so far NO GO.  He was a retired Methodist minister who'd lost his vocal chords, but was a super great bridge player and used a device which enabled him to bid.  He also had similar political views as I have and I always enjoyed reading his letters to the editor.  Very succinct, to the point, and often witty.  The obit didn't mention his age, but I'm pretty sure he was in his 90's.  The funeral will be held at the smaller Methodist church here in town where he was the pastor before I moved here.

I'm worried about the folks who are waiting for the Hurricane to hit.  I'm wondering if Darlene is far enough inland to stay safe without having to evacuate.  She hasn't been here for a couple of days and is probably making preparations for the storm.  My prayers are with her and all those within reach of the terrible storm.

When I sign out here, I'll call Jon and Stacie.  They've moved out of New Orleans to a suburb north of the freeway, so it won't be as bad as the city, but they'll probably get some.  I saw news videos of the pumping stations in N.O. this week that are having problems, so the city may have lots of water.

Marilyn, your new hairdo sounds lovely! 

Have a nice afternoon and evening, Buddies.  Watch out for heavy rain.

Sue

I bought a new hair dryer   but seldom use it. Found it doesn't have a cool setting. Don't care to use the hot. Even the warm is to hot for met.

Did a stupid thing again Thursday. I have a small low stool in the kitchen next to where the phone is. It rang and I just pulled the stool out fast and slid off it backwards. Hit back of my head on the door lock . Has handle coming out. Blood just gushing so heavy. Up all night holding towel and then a Ice pack. Nob as big as a Egg. But got it stopped. was going to go Emer. room but hate that place. First thing they would do was shave hair it that side.  But did go to the big clinic one yesterday to get it looked at at Convenient Care. First time there. Doctor was great. Saw it didn't need stitching but called the big clinic and told them he wanted a Head Scan  right away. it is 3 miles away so I was there in 5 min. Did it and sent me back to him. No damage and all looked good. He told me if I could wait 10 mins he would just show me the film . I love looking at those things. Says the whole area is clear of anything. Brain looks so good. told him I was happy to see I have a brain now as my memory seem to be leaving me. Certain things. He said he is half my age and his is the same.  I will be checking in with him if have any other little things that we make appt. with our primary  doctor for and wait ages. He says just run in and see me. But just toss that stool out. Was all done within 30 mins. Then we talked for another 20 min.  Little hard running a brush through my hair at the moment.

Just checking in...didn't have to evacuate...we are just getting wind...up to 30mph..and rain..which is supposed to last through Tuesday...lot of damage at Rockport and SPI...prayers for that area..Jeanne..sorry to hear about your fall and glad u are ok...b careful....time to eat a bite..Hi to everyone..Darlene