High school Reunion

 

October Journaling

1.    Fun with the grandkids. Baking for tomorrow.

2.    Church. Our new pastor was introduced to the congregation today, then we had a welcome luncheon.

3.    Writing.

4.    Shopping for a dress for my high school reunion this weekend.

5.    Found a dress. Starting to pack.

6.    Bible study. My sister is arriving from B.C. tonight.

7.    Going to the Soo for my reunion. I graduated 40 years ago. I hate flying, BTW. The first evening was a Meet and Greet and we were told to dress for our decade, so my sister dressed in 70’s clothes and I dressed in 80’s. I didn’t recognize anyone; not even a glimmer of recognition. We are all old, retired grandparents; we’ve lived our lives in the meantime.

8.    We went shopping in the Station Mall; many stores are closed. Then in the evening there was a dinner-dance. Since it was Thanksgiving weekend they gave us a turkey dinner. We were all dressed up. The highlight was seeing one of our business teachers who was Finnish. She was 94 but still remembered us. I told her I still remembered the shorthand she taught me even though I never used it. She was the only one who pronounced our names correctly. Then our next-door-neighbour growing up who babysat us, was there. So it was nice to catch up. They also had an in memoriam of all the staff and students who had died since the last reunion ten years earlier. Included in that was someone I really would have liked to see; Peter Barich. So sad. Back home my daughter hosted the family for TG dinner.

9.    A farewell breakfast, nap, and then return flight home. They said they’d have one in ten years but I’ll be 68 so not likely to attend. My sister stayed over one more night.

10. My sister flew home and I scrambled to write my podcast.

11. Housekeeper. Posted my podcast. Packed for two nights at my daughter’s, and then fought traffic with my mom to go see Singin’ in the Rain. We were on track to arrive with a half hour to spare but spent the last twenty minutes stuck in traffic half a block from the parking place, so we were late. Frustrating. I don’t know how people do this.

12. Early morning. Went with my mom to spend three days looking after the grandkids so my daughter and son-in-law could go glamping to celebrate their 10^th anniversary. Went to the dollar store and bought a bunch of story books to send to Uganda. The next box is blankets and bed time stories since the kids sleep without blankets. Worked on the speech for the M.C. to give at our Pastor’s retirement party.

13. Taking the kids to McDonalds for happy meals. They get them once or twice a year.

14. Final day with the kids, then rushing back to have a second planning meeting for our Pastor’s Retirement party. I am writing the speech for the emcee. Since our Pastor preaches his sermons around three points all starting with the same letter, I am titling it A Ministry Fulfilled and the points are related to past, present and future: Past Accomplishments, Present Achievements, and Potential Ambitions. I learned some new things about him, like that he has a Doctorate in Theology. He could legitimately use the title Doctor, but doesn’t which shows his humility.

15. Church this morning for our missions week kickoff, then getting our fourth covid shot.

16. Missions week, missionaries from Taiwan, then we took them out for lunch.

17. Chiro and massage. Finished my lesson for Thursday. Trying out the recipe I plan for guests on Saturday: salmon en croute, a.k.a Salmon Wellington.

18. Planning my menu for Saturday: Apps: Cucumber and salmon bites, Devilled eggs, Caprese bites Soup: Moroccan carrot soup Main: Salmon Wellington, Cilantro-lime rice, Sauteed vegetable medley, Italian bread with oil and balsamic reduction Dessert: Tiramisu,Carrot cake, Coffee/tea

19. Setting the table and doing as much as I can to prep for our dinner party.

20. My mom got her fifth Covid shot today. Tolerated well. I taught this morning. Then got Botox for pain in the afternoon.

21. Prepping for our dinner party.

22. Finished prep for our fancy party, but by the time the guests arrive, I have nothing left. It was a hit though.

23. Church. Last day of our week long Missions conference. Went out with our guests from yesterday out for dinner again.

24. Writing.

25. Pain clinic for back injections. Bank appointment to renew our mortgage. The interest rates have doubled, but they’re going up again tomorrow.

26. Writing. The grandkids have two days off school so they’re coming here, along with my son-in-law who will be working nearby. My daughter gets a few days of peace and quiet.

27. Busy day with grandkids. I’m not as patient as I was with my own, but then I was healthier and younger then, and my middle grandchild is a handful; often disobeying outright, which is very frustrating. Ordered in dinner.

28. Women’s ministry meeting. Cleaning up after the grandkids trashed a few rooms. Laundry day.

29. Church.

30. The two older grandkids are sick with ear infections, and the babysitter of the two year old has a fever. So my daughter and son-in-law are home with them.

31. It’s Hallowe’en but my son-in-law has Covid for the first time; pretty mild, but because my daughter works in a hospital, even though she’s negative, she has to stay home until she has two negative tests a few days apart. It’s also Reformation Sunday.