All It Needs Is A Hanger

Hubby Tony and I have some friends coming for dinner later this week, and we decided it would be nice if he condo was decorated for Christmas. We put up the tree in the morning, putting the ornament from our our Greece and Turkey pilgrimage front and center. Then, as part of a house straightening, I found a tag from a souvenir tote bag which I thought could also make a nice ornament:

The tag was printed on heavy paper, but to make the finished product more sturdy I also glued it to a piece of card stock. Then I decided the tag would last longer if encased in some type of plastic. I asked on the Buy Nothing group if anyone had a small piece of clear Contact paper or a corner of a laminating sheet they would be willing to add my tag to. I didn't know there was a thing called a self-adhering laminating sheet (that allows you to laminate without a machine) until someone offered it to me.

This afternoon I swung by the woman's house and picked up the sheet, which was large enough to cover one side of a standard sheet of paper. Because my item was small I measured a piece large enough for both sides, then sandwiched the tag inside. Next I folded the laminate in half, and pressed down until all of the air bubbles were gone. The last step was to cut off the excess plastic and punch a hole. Just like that I had another ornament for the tree.

Five years ago today: A Social Bubble Adventure

Independent All The Way

Even through Black Friday shopping is often at the large chain stores, everything Hubby Tony and I did today was at small independent businesses.

This morning we got an early start. After dropping Foster Cat Smokey Joe off at the clinic at 7:45 am for a checkup (the vets work the shelter cat in during down times) we headed toward a local cafe for breakfast. My intention was to eat light, but by the time I sat down it was a couple of hours since I rolled out of bed and I was starving. I managed to pass on the larger items, but my two eggs came with a choice of meat (in my case a huge ham slice), hash browns, and toast. It was so good I couldn't stop until everything was gone. 

Rawpixel

Even after lingering over our coffee, when Tony and I left it was still too early for most small stores to be open. To kill time we walked through an Ace Hardware (a chain, but independently owned) where we had a nice chat with the manager, then continued our walk in the neighborhood around the store.

ornament

We headed to downtown Maplewood, which has many small independent stores. At a fair trade store we chose a black cat felt ornament I wanted for the Christmas tree to honor Smokey Joe (handmade in Nepal from natural New Zealand wool). We also splurged on a felted wreath, and found some Christmas gifts that will be easy to mail to the out of town adult kids.

On the way out of the store Tony and I started talking about making the fair trade items the inspiration item for gift baskets and what else we could include. Stopping in several additional stores didn't lead to any additional purchases, so we decided to head home.

After a couple of hours of housework and paperwork I hadn't heard from the vet office yet. Tony and I decided we were on a Christmas present buying roll and left to shop in the Webster Groves Old Orchard shopping area. At one shop we bought something for the baskets. At a book store we got a book that was on one of the grand's lists.

When we heard that Smokey Joe was finished we were only ten minutes from the office. We figured the cat was more than ready to be out of his carrier, so there was no stopping on the way home.

Gratitude Scavenger Hunt / A Slice Of My Life

It's easy to think of big things to be thankful for, but today I challenged myself to come up with smaller everyday things.

• Something in the morning that brings me happiness -My first sip of hot, freshly brewed coffee

• A sound that brings me peace -The sound of running water

• Something in my home I'm thankful for -The wide selection of clothes in my closet

 

• A scent I enjoy -Sauteed onion and garlic, ingredients in a dinner Hubby Tony was cooking

Public Domain Pictures

• Something that makes my life easier - The high speed router in my condo, which lets me access the internet and any information I want at any time.

Free SVG

• Something in nature that makes me smile - The crunch of leaves beneath my feet (and the light brown leaf that is smiling at me :-)

• A moment that brought joy today -Foster Cat Smokey Joe cuddled up on my lap

Poinsettias Everywhere

One of our friends is a member of a family who (up until they sold it earlier this year) owned a wholesale greenhouse. The greenhouse always has an open house the weekend before Thanksgiving. Hubby Tony and I usually have plans, but this year were able to attend.

When we arrived we texted our friend, and she was waiting for us when we entered the building. I had no idea what to expect, but our personal tour started with a short row craft booths and saying hello to Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their two young helpers. We moved over to the rows of for sale plants, some of which were still under trial to find out how well they would perform. There were so many shades of red! Also multiple pinks, whites, corals, and a few orange and yellow. Then there were bi-colored, marbled, and speckled patterns, and one with a flower that looked like a rose.

After winding our way up and down the rows we walked through a large room with a stage at one end where a dance studio was performing. We stopped at the refreshment station, then visited several of the industrial-sized greenhouses where plants were waiting to be delivered to stores. We also saw the spray painting line, where cream colored poinsettias are sprayed with unnatural colors (like blue) and glitter.

Adobe Stock

Eventually we made our way back to the first room where we thanked our friend for the tour. Poinsettias are mildly toxic to cats, so not knowing if Foster Cat Smokey Joe is a chewer I decided not to bring something home that might be an attractive nuisance.

Five years ago: Helping Yourself Out

Connecting With The Cat

I can't believe it's only been a little over a week since Foster Cat Smokey Joe came home with Hubby Tony and me. It didn't take him long to settle in and be a part of the family.

Smokey Joe is the most affectionate cat I've ever had. Whenever Tony and I are moving around the condo the cat is following, and rubbing against us when we stop. As soon as someone sits down on the couch Smokey Joe is on our lap, and hunkers down for the long haul. If we get up he's ready to start the cycle all over again.

As much as I like his lap-sitting, purring, and 'biscuit making' (pushing and pulling his front claws, alternating between his right and left paw) all the attention presenting a bit of a problem. I don't mind passing on the household chores I should be doing but I usually do my blog posts with a laptop on my lap. The cat doesn't like sharing.

I am sure we'll eventually come to some type of agreement.

 Next to me, but laying on my arm😊

Giving Gifting

Our church has a Christmas Outreach tradition called the Giving Tree. Each year Hubby Tony and I choose tags for a male and a female, buy and wrap the requested items, then return the back to the church so they can be delivered to a city in southeast Missouri

Public Domain Pictures

Earlier this week Tony was meeting some friends at church. While he was there he picked out tags for a 47 year old man and a 21 year old woman. 

I put the envelopes containing the instructions on my dresser so I could remember to buy the presents. The gift drop off isn't for several weeks, but today I found a coupon from Kohl's for 30 percent off a purchase. The coupon expired in a couple of days, so I asked Tony to to go shopping with me.

Each year the requests are pretty basic. The man asked for jeans or pants (size 34-32) and underwear (32-34). The woman wanted the same two items (bottoms size 12-14, and underclothes size 7).

Tony was in charge of making purchasing decisions for the man. After a little browsing he decided on standard blue jeans and boxer briefs. When we moved over to the women's department it was on me to figure things out.

There were a couple of issues. The first one was a size issue. The tag suggested a size range, which makes sense if the person was there in person and could take one of each into the dressing room, but no help for a third-party gift buyer. Even if my crystal ball could figure out which size was more accurate, there was still the length issue to contend with. Google AI told me

"The average women's pant inseam for an average-height woman (around 5'4" to 5'7") is typically 29 to 31 inches, while a standard "Regular" inseam length is often cited as 31 to 32 inches."

I fall into the average height range, but most pants are too long for me. Rather than guess wrong, I chose a pair of elastic waist joggers (size Medium) with an ankle cuff to eliminate the length problem. In the lingerie department I had to guess again, but figured high cut cotton panties would be a safe option.

We always include something extra with the requests. I had a pair of lounge socks in my gift stash that will be great for the woman. For the man I will be going back to Kohls tomorrow to use the "Kohl's cash" reward today's purchase earned us.

A Wednesday Walk

It's supposed to rain hard for the next two days. Today was overcast, but warm enough to be comfortable in a fleece jacket. Hubby Tony suggested we go out for an afternoon walk while it was still dry. I agreed.

At first we were going to drive to a walkable shopping area, but halfway there I remembered a nice multi-use trail (along Clayton Road if you know the area) and suggested our budget would probably like that better. Tony parked the car in the lot of a professional building and we were off.

The first task was to cross the road. I've never seen trees growing in the crevice next to a traffic light pole, but this one still had beautiful autumn colors.

We started westward on the trail, but right before it crossed over the highway we saw a spur off to the right and turned that way. A sign indicated it was a wellness trail for Missouri Baptist Hospital just to the north. The first part paralleled the highway, but between the greenery on the left and a privacy fence on the right the trail felt quite secluded.

Eventually the trail turned to the east, and grass replaced the fence and greenery. I saw bright green orbs scattered over the grass and realized the were fruits from an Osage Orange tree.

The trail made a couple more turns and ended up at a Ballas (a major street) north of where the car was parked. We walked along a overgrown sidewalk back to the professional building, where we used the bathroom before heading home.

Five years ago today: Trending

One Of The Best Songs Ever

At today's Cycling class there were two women to the left of me who appeared to be in their late 30s. The instructor for this class plays a wide variety of music, and I particularly enjoy it when something from the 1970s starts coming though the speakers.

That happened halfway through the class. It only took a couple of introductory bars for me to figure out I was going to hear "The Chain", my favorite Fleetwood Mac song. I had to giggle when I heard one of the women say to the other that it was one of the best songs ever. The Rumour album, which contained the song, was released in 1977-long before she came along.

Five years ago: Why Didn't I Think Of This Before?

New Cat Kindness

While surfing the web a couple of days ago, I learned that today is World Kindness Day. I think that's appropriate, given that today Hubby Tony and I brought home our new Foster Cat Smokey Joe.

Checking out his new home

Twenty four hours after Pimento left for his new home Tony and I decided the house needed a feline. I sent an email to the shelter, but before we could get a response a request popped up on social media that one of their partner clinics asked if they could take in a FIV+ cat with a suspected leg injury. (A cat that has tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus has a weakened immune system and shouldn't be around other cats). It only took a couple of minutes for me to respond to the post that we were interested, and a couple more minutes for the shelter to acknowledge our offer.

Because this was a new cat Tony and I got the honor of giving him a name. The shelter only uses a name one time, so we had a great time thinking of something that would suit him based on a photo and comparing it to the database to make sure it was unique. 

The shelter picked up Smokey Joe from the partner clinic this morning. After lunch Tony and I brought him home. 

It took almost two months for Pimento to feel comfortable around us, but today when Tony opened the carrier Smokey Joe slunk out and cautiously walked down the hall, then around the kitchen and eating area. He found the gap underneath the couch and settled in for his first nap.

I hope the rest of his assimilation is as easy as the beginning has been. 

Would You Rather?

Do you know the game Would You Rather? Each question has two choices, and you must choose one of them (no answering 'both' or 'neither'). Feel free to comment on my answers here or on your own blog.

• Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?

I think it would be great to fly, which would allow me to zoom past traffic jams on the road.

 

• Would you rather live in the future or in the past?

The future. I have no desire to revisit the things I've already done or experienced.

 

• Would you rather have a personal maid or a personal chef?

A maid. I love to cook but hate to clean.

 

• Would you rather live without the internet or a television?

I use the internet for so many things, but could easily do without a television.  

 

• Would you rather be fabulously famous and poor or unknown and rich?

Unknown and rich. Fame doesn't appeal to me.

 

• Would you rather take a vacation on an exotic island or in a romantic city?

I am much prefer the hustle and bustle of a city.

 

• Would you rather be an unknown superhero or a famous villain?

As I said above, I have no desire to be famous. In addition, no way would I want to be evil.

 

• Would you rather live on a houseboat or in an RV?

I think an RV provides more options. You can travel on land, or go to a beach and park there.

 

• Would you rather be on a losing team with friends or join your rival team and win the competition?

With my friends. Winning is much less important to me.

 

• Would you rather always have the same song stuck in your head or always have the same dream at night?

I would vote for the dream, because I rarely remember mine!

Five years ago: Pumpkin Polenta With Chipotle Pintos And Roasted Vegetables

So Long, And Good Luck!

Pimento the Foster Cat has been with us for about a year and a half, long enough that I sometimes forgot about the fact that we were not his permanent 'parents'. A while back Hubby Tony started a discussion about changing that. However, before we could make it official with the shelter we got an email that someone was potentially interested in adopting him and she wanted to set up a meet and greet.

We offered her several times that fit into our schedule and she picked one.   The woman asked if she should bring a carrier to that meeting. I didn't know the answer. The adoption coordinator said the shelter doesn't do same day adoptions, but if the woman decided she was interested, the paperwork could be process and pick up scheduled as soon as possible.

The day of the meet and greet I couldn't decide if I was rooting for Pimento to shine or if I wanted him to be a jerk. He was skittish, but was won over by pieces of kibble. The woman, who appeared to be about my age, said after some life changes she was living in a one-bedroom apartment and was looking for a cat to love. 

That evening she let us and the adoption coordinator know she wanted to move forward. Completing the paperwork and arranging a time for pick up took five days, which allowed me to come to terms with the whole arrangement. 

This morning was Pimento's big moving day. All morning he sensed something was up, and when the time came it for him to leave took all three of us to get him into the carrier. A couple of hours later his new mom was nice enough to text a picture of him enjoying the view out of a window at his new house.

I have no doubt Pimento will have a wonderful life going forward, but it hurts to see him go. When both Tony and I are ready for another foster cat we will let the shelter know.

One last Pimento photo

Temperature Change Is A Comin'

The weather for the past few days:

 

Tuesday-73 degrees ☀️

Wednesday-70 degrees 🌤️

Thursday-66 degrees🌤️

Friday-73 degrees ☀️

Saturday-62 degrees ⛅

 

The weather for the next two days:

 

Sunday-37 degrees 💨

Monday-39 degrees💨

Although after a couple of days of winter temperatures fall will come back, Hubby Tony and I have tried to get outside to enjoy the ice weather as much as possible.

• Wednesday we went to St. Charles. The sun was so warm that I left my jacket in the car and walked around with just a t-shirt.

• Thursday I skipped the gym and we headed to the Botanical Garden. We arrived five minutes before the start of a walking tour and joined in. It was cooler, so my light jacket came in handy (although I had to take it off every time the group entered a building).

• Friday after lunch we walked to the grocery store so I could get something to eat for dinner after setting up for an event at church. I picked up small containers of cole slaw and pre-cooked salmon. On this walk it was almost too warm to wear capris, but that was easier than digging out a pair of shorts.

• Today was the change day between warm and chilly. I wore a pair of jeans, but it was still nice enough to get by with just a light fleece. Tony and I picked a neighborhood ten minutes to the east to walk through. There were a lot of big old trees that were a blaze of color. Two hours later when we left for church it was substantially cooler. My jeans jacket wasn't warm enough.

Tony and I have an outdoor neighborhood get together tomorrow night. I will dress warmly and hope the host has some heaters going.

Five years ago today: Coincidence?

Caffeine And Sugar

The first part of this week's weather has been/will be lovely, but over the weekend a cold front will bring the first winter-coat weather so I've been spending as much time outside as possible. This morning before a Pilates class I walked around the neighborhood by the gym, then after lunch Hubby Tony and I headed to Main Street in St. Charles to get steps and do some window shopping. 

We walked from one end to the other on the west side of the street, then crossed to the other side to head back. Eventually we passed a coffee shop and decided to stop in for a cup.  

If we're not in a hurry, and a shop offers it, we'll order a pour over (a brewing method where hot water is manually poured over grounds in a filter, with the brewed coffee dripping into a carafe below). Today it was. There were two choices of beans. One of them came from Yemen. The other was from Ethiopia. We ordered one of each in order to taste both, and added a cookie to share. The barista said the drinks would take a little while, but I told her that was okay. 

We took a seat at a table and waited. All of a sudden a string of customers came in, and the two baristas were working hard to get everything done. Ten minutes later one of our drinks was ready. When they called my name I went up to the counter and collected it and the sweet. We waited almost ten more minutes for the other drink, but passed the time by enjoying the large homemade cookie.

When the second drink was ready one of the baristas brought it over and set it on the table, along with a cardboard container. He apologized for the delay, explaining that one of the two pour over stations was out of commission, and said he hoped we would enjoy a piece of Turkish baklava on the house.

I am familiar with Greek baklava, which uses walnuts and honey. This Turkish version had pistachios and a lighter but sweeter sugar-based syrup. The small piece was cut into a wedge like a piece of pie.

The piece might have been small, but combined with the large cookie was more than enough. On the walk back to the car I had plenty of energy, but back at home had a sugar crash. (It was worth it, though.)

Five years ago: Leaf Walking

Time For Time Change Issues

In the middle of the night Saturday Daylight Savings time ended. Yesterday was the first day of 'fall back' time, but Hubby Tony and I were at a fellowship business meeting. I was so busy I didn't really think about the time change until today. This morning when I got up it was nice to have sunlight to pick out my clothes. I normally don't have a problem with the fall adjustment, but for some reason today was filled with time change goofs.  

• After breakfast I lost track of time, which meant that Tony and I had to hustle to get to our volunteer commitment on time.

• We ran a couple of errands on the way home. Along the way I looked at the clock in Tony's car and started dramatically whining about how late it was getting....then realized he hadn't changed the clock in his car.

• At the grocery store Tony went inside to get a few things. I walked across the street to the bank to deposit a check. At the end of the transaction the teller asked if I wanted a receipt. I told her I did, because it was the only way I would remember to write the information in the check register. And then I came home and almost forgot to write the information in.

• Mid-afternoon I was sitting at the table having an afternoon snack and doing a crossword puzzle. Tony asked me a question from the other room, so I walked down the hall to talk to him. Things looked blurry and it took me a few minutes to realize I was wearing reading glasses instead of regular ones.

• After snack time I stepped outside to sweep leaves off the deck. My downstairs neighbor was doing the same thing on her patio. We started a nice conversation, which would have turned out much different if she had heard me call her by the wrong name.

• While Tony was cooking dinner I went outside to walk around the neighborhood. Since it was closer to sunset than it would have been last week the angle of the sun was lower and in my eyes. I managed to avoid the dog poop on the sidewalk, but didn't see the rotten crab apple until I stepped into it. 

• Later in the walk I stifled a shriek when a squirrel darted across the sidewalk in front of me. (This time there was no sun to blame) 

Five years ago: Stop, Please

Happy Halloween

Hubby Tony and I live in a controlled access building, so there will be no trick or treaters for us tonight, but this poem reminds me of the many years I handed out treats to cute little ones.

What Do I See?

I see a big ghost

I see a bat

I see a little witch

I see a cat

 

This is such a scary night 

Now who will we meet?

I see trick or treaters

Coming down the street

 

~~Author unknown~~

 

Mary Engelbreit

Good To Hear

A while back I went to see my primary care physician for my yearly appointment, during which I mentioned I was having some off and on tinnitus. The doctor recommended an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) practice in the office building of the hospital she was affiliated with, and suggested I make an appointment and have the issue checked out.

The information sat on my desk for a while, but when I finally got around to calling for an appointment I was surprised to learn that the practice had multiple offices, one of which was much closer to me than the hospital branch. That's where I made the appointment.

This afternoon I went in. There were two parts to the visit-a hearing exam and a consultation with the doctor.

Vecteezy

During the first part I got to sit in a soundproof booth and respond to a series of tones and words. I got my results immediately, and was pleased to find out that except for a tiny bit of high frequency hearing loss my hearing was normal. I was escorted back to the lobby to wait for the doctor.

Five minutes later I was called back again, this time into an examination room. The doctor asked about my tinnitus symptoms and went over my hearing test again. He told me that unfortunately there wasn't a lot that could be done for my symptoms but since it was most annoying at bedtime I could try using a fan or a white noise machine to mask the noises in my ears.

Five years ago today: I'm Always Learning Something

Inspirational!

Today's forecast was for rain and chilly temperatures. There was nothing on our calendar, so Hubby Tony suggested we walk inside at a mall and then take in a movie we've both been wanting to see called Soul on Fire, based on a 2016 memoir by motivational speaker John O'Leary.

When John was nine years old he accidentally set himself on fire while playing with matches, which left him with burns on 100% of his body and a 1% chance of survival. The first part of the movie tells the story of his recovery and later life with the support of his family, community, and Jack Buck-the radio announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.

The movie was filmed in St. Louis, and it was fun to pick out locations that we knew. I follow John O'Leary on Facebook, where he's been sharing some of the hidden Easter eggs to look for. The reviews have generally been positive, and for me it was a three-tissue movie (with as many happy tears as sad).

Five years ago today: Chocolate-ish

Miscellany

Thanks to the overly warm weather that overstayed its welcome, this area only had a week of nice fall weather. Rain moved in over the weekend, and the temperatures have been normal for this time of the year.

The weird weather caused me to pretty much miss out on one of my favorite fashion seasons of the year-three quarter length sleeve shirt season. The style is perfect for in-between weather when a tee shirt is too cool and a long-sleeve shirt too warm.

Last week, when I put away the warm weather clothes I hung the in-between ones front and center in the closet. Now, unless the weather turns out of the ordinary warm those shirts will have to get moved to the back of the closet until spring arrives.

Yesterday Hubby Tony and I stopped into Costco. In addition to buying the things on our list we got some good food samples, but the best sample was non edible - a gallon size freezer bag with a roll of toilet paper inside.

Last week we had a new garbage disposal installed. The plumber was punctual and professional. Since then we've used the disposal a couple of times. This afternoon I turned it on, heard something go pop, and the disposal stopped working (along with the light above the sink and dishwasher, which are on the same circuit).

Tony called the plumbing company, who tried to punt the issue off to the disposal manufacturer. He called the manufacturer, who tried to punt the issue off to the plumbing company.  Finally the plumbing company said they would send someone out today to take a look. 

This plumber was also punctual and professional. He did some things under the sink for about twenty minutes, then said the issue should be fixed. We asked him what the issue was. He was noncommittal, and  considerate enough to not trash talk his predecessor or their work. As long as the disposal works I don't care anything about who or why.

Five years ago: Cold, Or Something Else?

Don't Catch It

Tonight I had plans to get together with a group of women for dinner while our husbands got together to play poker. However, after lunch I started feeling under the weather and eventually decided to stay home.

But fortunately my issues weren't as bad as this guy's:

A man was sitting at home one evening when the doorbell rang. When he answered the door a six foot tall cockroach was standing there. The cockroach punched him between the eyes and scampered off.

The next evening, the man was sitting at home when the doorbell rang again. He answered the door and once again the cockroach was there. This time, it punched him, kicked him, and karate chopped him before running away.

The third evening, the man was once again sitting at home when the doorbell rang. When he answered the door, the cockroach was there yet again. It leapt at him and stabbed him several times before running off. 

The gravely injured man managed to crawl to the telephone and summon an ambulance. He was rushed to intensive care, where they saved his life. The next morning, the doctor was doing his rounds. He asked the man what happened, and the man explained about the six foot cockroach's attacks, culminating in the near fatal stabbing.

The doctor thought for a moment and said, "Yes, there's a nasty bug going around".

Five years ago today: What A Good Idea!

Fond Memories And Food

Today was one of those beautiful fall days that demanded an outside adventure. Hubby Tony and I decided to combine a walk somewhere different and lunch out. But where?

An internet search for "good lunch restaurants" offered a list of many places I had been before. They were good, but I wanted something different. As Tony and I were throwing out ideas he mentioned one which was close to where he grew up, and were we lived after we first got married. He suggested we could walk around the area and past the old house. 

All of a sudden our plans were set. Tony fed the cat while I gathered my things and we were out the door in fifteen minutes. Our trip took us north on the interstate and east on Page Avenue, a large arterial street. When we arrived at our destination I parked in the lot of the church Tony attended as a young person, we attended as newlyweds, and where Son Tony was baptized. I locked my purse in the car and we started walking. 

The first thing we passed was a city park on the location that used to be the original church, school, and rectory. 

We continued walking, came to a main street (Midland), and turned right to head back. This area was Tony's old stomping grounds. As we passed different houses Tony would reminisce about people he knew and things he did. It was fun to listen to his memories

When we reached the house we lived in together, there was a tall wooden fence blocking the back yard. I was nosy and peeked through a gap in the fence to see that the gazebo were we hung out in the warm weather was still there. 

We crossed the street and walked around the strip mall on the corner, and Tony told me what was in every storefront back in the day. After a couple more blocks we realized we were both hungry. It was time for lunch.

Descriptions

Our destination was FUFU n' Sauce, a restaurant which features Togolese and West African cuisine. Adjo Honsou, the chef, started with a food truck in 2023. She was the winner of Season 3 of the Great American Recipe show on PBS. Earlier this year she opened a brick and mortar location.  

Since this was the first time for Tony and me to try West African food we asked the person at the counter for suggestions. He was extremely friendly and helpful, offering samples of several items. 

Each entree came with a serving of fufu (similar to mashed potatoes, except made with plantain and yam flour) or jallof rice (cooked in a tomato-based sauce with west African curry). 

Even after my samples everything was so good it was hard for me to make a decision but in the end I ordered egusi, a tomato-based stew cooked with roasted pumpkin seeds and spinach in palm nut oil with rice. Tony chose oxtail in palm nut stew, (the winning “Great American Recipe”dish) with fufu. We added an order of fried plantains to share, and we each got mixed hibiscus and ginger tea to drink. 

While the food was being prepared I took in the ambiance of the restaurant, which was decorated with West African art. The restaurant was takeout only, which we hadn't counted on, but there were comfortable places to sit while we were waiting. There was music playing that I assumed was West African and I couldn't help but sway along to its beat. 

We took our food to the park from the beginning of our adventure. The carefully-plated entrees got a little sloppy looking from the walk, but the appearance didn't detract from the taste. As we do, we shared our meals with each other. Tony's oxtail was fall off the bone tender, and the large piece was covered in a savory sauce. It was perfect mixed with the fufu. My stew had ground pumpkin seeds, large pieces of colored peppers, and nice amount of chopped spinach. I enjoyed the rice, but if I ever get back to the restaurant I will choose the fufu. The fried plantains were the best I've ever had. Cut into bite-sized chunks, they were caramelized on the outside and soft on the inside.

plantains, egusi, oxtail stew

 I'm not used to having such a large lunch. Hours later I was still full, so dinner was more of a snack than a meal.

Five years ago: In Search Of...

With Apologies To Jimmy Buffett

Margaritaville (Cat Version)

Sniffin' some catnip, watchin' the sun dip

My silly human is mixin' a drink

Playin' with some string, on the front porch swing

This 'nip is so good I can't even think

 

Picryl

 

Sleepin' all day again in Margaritaville

Playin' with an old shaker of salt

Don't really care, I knocked it under a chair

He left it out...it's my human's fault  

 

Adobe Stock

 

Don't know the reason

This catnip's so pleasin'

Helps pass the time when there's not much to do

I see a broke mug

Some barf on the front rug

What happened there I haven't a clue

 

Wikimedia

 

Sleepin' all day again in Margaritaville

Playin' with an old shaker of salt

Don't really care, I knocked it under a chair

He left it out...it's my human's fault

 

Adobe Stock

 

  I slept on a flip flop

Batted a pop top

Rather have wet food, but ain't gonna beg

But there's 'nip in this cat toy

And soon I will feel joy

Then maybe go scratch up that old sofa leg

Wikimedia

 Sleepin' all day again in Margaritaville

Playin' with an old shaker of salt

Don't really care, I knocked it under a chair

He left it out...it's my human's fault

 

~~Author unknown~~

Five years ago: Wanna Follow?

Adventureful

This afternoon Hubby Tony was doing some volunteer work. While he was gone I took a walk, part of which involved swinging by the grocery store to pick up a couple of things Tony needed to cook dinner. As I left the house with my day pack I didn't know that my walk would turn into quite the adventure.  

The adventure started in the subdivision next to mine. In the middle of a block I saw a colorful cardboard box on top of a pole. On the side of the box was a hand written sign that advertised free comics.

Even though I was on the other side of the street I crossed over to see what was going on. Inside the box was another sign, and two stacks of copied, hand-drawn, hand-stapled comic 'books' weighed down with plastic shoe box lids.

Each stack had a different title. If I had to guess, by the quality of the plot, writing, and illustrations the author was a boy and around 8 years old.

I like to encourage young creativity. When my boys were that age they would have been excited if someone picked up something they put out, so I chose a copy of Banana Man vs Mr. Pancake, slid it into my back pack, and kept walking. I'd only gone a couple of blocks when it occurred to me that the author might enjoy a thank you note. I didn't have anything to write on or with, but figured I could probably find what I needed at the grocery store.

Ten minutes later I passed the house of the person who sometimes puts out free flowers. I crossed the road again to see what was there. The other times I've found blooms there the table was unattended. Today the homeowner and a couple of friends were hanging out there. I was going to take one bunch of pink mums, but a bunch of dark pink mini mums also wanted to come home with me. The long. wet flowers wouldn't fit into my day pack without getting the comic book wet, so I carried the two bunches in my hand and continued toward the store.

Shortly before entering I realized the flower packaging had SKUs on them, which might cause the cashier to think I was stealing when I checked out. I stopped by the self-serve stand and explained the issue, but the associate didn't seem to be at all concerned. 

I only needed four things so I didn't bother to get a cart. It was a little difficult to carry everything, but I managed. After making my purchase I walked over to cafe area and reorganized my things-purchased items in the day pack and the flowers in the grocery bag. Because the flowers still wouldn't fit in the day pack I had to cradle them in the crook of my arm like a beauty pageant bouquet.

The cafe tables had napkin dispensers. I borrowed a pen from someone sitting at one of the tables and write out a couple of words.

On the way back home I stopped by the comics box again and slid my note underneath the plastic lids so it wouldn't blow away. I wish I could be there to see what happened when the author (or his parents) brought everything in for the day.

Five years ago: He's Deciding To Hang It Up

A Big Change Is Coming. I Can't Wait!

This screen shot from Weather Undergroundtells the story of my area in the month of October.

Temperatures have been running about ten degrees higher average, and precipitation has been nonexistent. Normally by this time of year we're having pleasant, mild days and evenings cool enough to add an extra layer, but it's been warm enough that we've turned on the air conditioner.

For the past week I've heard that a change will be coming, and it's supposed to show up tomorrow. After a day of heavy rain (HALLELUJAH!) I will be digging in the closet for some long sleeved shirts and jeans to wear during the day, and pulling the blanket over my shoulders at night.

Five years ago today: A Dallas Debut

From Ruins To Revelations-Going Home

It would have been fascinating to spend more time in Greece and Turkey, but after ten days of pilgrimage it was time to go home. The tour company had made all of the flight arrangements, and because of time zone changes (factoring in Daylight Savings Time Athens, Greece was 8 hours ahead of St. Louis, MO) we had to get a very early start. We left the hotel at 3 AM, which allowed us to get to the airport for a 6 AM flight to Munich, Germany.

When Hubby Tony and I arrived in the hotel lobby we found the luggage that had been brought down by a porter, then picked up a boxed breakfast (scones, a granola bar, a fruit drink juice box, a pear, and an apple). The bus driver put all the luggage on the bus, everyone boarded, and we were on the way.

Not surprisingly, there was no traffic on the way to the airport. Check in went smoothly, and we had plenty of time to get a cup of coffee and one last piece of cheese pie before the flight boarded.

On our way!

The flight to Munich took approximately 2 1/2 hours. In Munich the passport process was easy, thanks to a cool automated scanner/live attendant system, and we had time to get a German pretzel before heading to the gate. (Some of the group also got a German beer, but at 9 AM that did not sound good to me.)

The flight to Chicago was approximately 9 1/2 hours. After the plane got up to cruising altitude the attendants served drinks and lunch. Conventional wisdom says that the best thing to do was to try and stay awake so my body would quickly get used to my home time zone. I couldn't pull that off but closed my eyes for a couple of quick cat naps. Otherwise I passed the time by reading a complete e-book and playing iPad mah jong. Shortly before the flight arrived the attendants served breakfast.

In Chicago there were no custom declaration forms to fill out, but we had to pick up our luggage and go through Customs checkpoints for a biometric face scan before having our passport checked. Our flight was in a different terminal, so everyone hustled to get on a transit train, then hustle to get to the correct gate and turn our luggage back in. We arrived five minutes before boarding started.

The last flight was a little less than 1 1/2 hours, just enough time for a beverage service before the plane started its descent. When the wheels touched down I was so happy! The waiting for luggage seemed to last forever; I just wanted to be home.

My long day in one photo

We picked up our luggage, and there boarded one more tour bus, which took us back to the church parking lot to pick up our car. Back at home, Pimento the Foster Cat was initially standoffish, but after he sniffed everything seemed to warm up to the idea of us being around.

~~~Finis ~~~

From Ruins To Revelations-Corinth

Our pilgrimage trip was winding down, but it ended with one last hurrah. After one last cruise ship breakfast buffet Hubby Tony and I went to the lounge that had been our group's staging area for each excursion. The group was dismissed according to the color of the luggage tag given to us by the cruise line. As I disembarked from the ship I had my cruise card scanned by a crew member, walked over to the luggage holding area to find my bags, then proceeded to our pilgrimage's tour bus and loaded the bags underneath.

In real time the disembarkation happened on a Friday. Our flight home wasn't until Saturday, so there would be one more night in the Athens hotel. Before we checked in there was one more excursion planned, to the site of ancient Corinth. This turned out to be my most spiritual experience in the entire trip.

Ancient Corinth was established around 900 B.C.; it was destroyed by the Romans in 146 B.C. The city was rebuilt by Julius Caesar in 44 B.C, and became a major port. In 1858 an earthquake destroyed the area and a modern city was rebuilt nearby.

Corinth is another archeological site with Christian connections. Saint Paul lived in the city, as documented in Chapter 18 of Acts of the Apostles. After Paul left he wrote several letters to the church there, two of which are recorded in the New Testament of the Bible (1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians)

Temple of Apollo at Corinth

After the excursion guide led us through the ruins, she directed the group to a site with benches and rocks to sit on. There, the priest with our group spread a cloth on a large rock and used it as an altar to celebrate Mass.

Consecration

Both on the way to the archeological site and on the way back we passed over the Corinth Canal, which connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea.

Canal

The bus stopped at a restaurant along the canal for lunch. I was so hungry I forgot to take a photo of my gyro plate before digging in, but  the sandwich was full of wonderfully seasoned, thin, slices of pork and a tzatziki sauce loaded with shredded cucumber and garlic.

Back in Athens, our group checked into the hotel, then had a couple of hours before dinner. Tony and I walked with a friend to a nearby grocery store to get snacks for the next day's flights. After dinner we put our suitcases outside the door for a porter to pick up the next morning.