Monday, August 8, 2016

A Pretty Nice Day Outside! & freebie

I got up early this morning because the city was supposed to send someone out to talk to us about a problem with the street in front of our house. It's a main street, fairly heavily traveled and for years never caused us problems, other than the usual waiting to pull out of the driveway. A year or so ago, the city did some work on the street, adding some kind of gap joint that was supposed to allow the asphalt to expand in hot weather without the street buckling. Don't know what else they did but afterward, when heavy vehicles pass over certain points our house started to shake. It was minor at first but has become bad enough, when buses and garbage trucks especially pass by, that it can feel like the start of an earthquake. Doesn't seem to matter where in the house we are. I've been in bed and felt the floors shake. Things are beginning to rattle on shelves and we are worried about our foundation. We have made several calls all of which involve getting passed around from one number to a next. Guy never showed up. So I took a long nap and when I went out this afternoon to pick up prescriptions (I've now hit my gap!), I discovered the temperature was only about 80 degrees! Wow - haven't seen that in a long time.
So I decided to check out a couple of my favorite thrift shops. Scored a Toni Morrison book for 99 cents at one (I was a Morrison scholar in grad school) and a purple hat at another. Yes, I am a Red Hatter, so why a purple hat? Normally we wear purple clothes with a red hat (inspired by the poem "When I'm An Old Woman") but on our birthday we reverse colors. I have a purple feather thingy for my hair but didn't have a purple hat until now. It's a really nice straw (?) one in the perfect purple shade and only cost $3.95. I'll be able to doll it up with flowers, feathers, tulle, a rhinestone pin or something. Rhinestones are big with Red Hatters and I don't just mean in terms of popularity but also that they seem to like huge rhinestone brooches, necklaces and earrings. I've never been a fan of rhinestones. I've pretty much resisted the trend choosing instead those crystal beads that were popular in the 50s and real gemstones like garnet and amethyst. Of course, since the real stones get pricey, my pieces are modest. Right now I'm planning ahead for the North Carolina Red Hat Convention which will be in October. Making a list of required outfits and accessories. Among the things to consider is a butterfly themed party and a birthday celebration for one of the Pink Hat ladies who has always helped organize this annual event. She is turning 50 so will become a Red Hatter and we are all going to wear birthday attire.
Got our dental and vision insurance back - hurrah!

Had step-daughter and 2 of her 3 children over for dinner on Saturday. The "baby" is so exuberant. Larkin is six, has high energy, and is so loving. I had taken a shower before they arrived and was getting dressed when they came in. Heard her ask, But where's Nonna?" When I came down the hall, she ran to me with open arms, calling my name and wrapped me in a big hug. Malachai, who is 11, in contrast didn't look up from the game he was playing on his phone lol.

That's about all the news from here other than BIL came by, figured out why the roof leaked (flange around a vent on roof had rusted out), made temporary fix and will come back when we get supplies to do permanent fix. Love that man! He is so good to us.

And today's zip:
Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/Yesterday/ws_Yesterday_4.zip

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