Pergo Installed

This morning we got up early and had a quick breakfast. We waited for the installer for the laminate to arrive. He didn't come by the time of my hair appointment, and my dear husband wouldn't let me drive myself. After he took me, he went back to wait for the man. After my hair appointment I called, and the man had just arrived. At home again we spent the rest of the day listening to him work while he listened to his radio. The noise of his pounding the strips together bothered me, and I couldn't concentrate on anything. So, I just finished reading a book Karen had loaned me. We did grab a bite of lunch, and hurried to get back to the back of the house where it was somewhat quieter. After the installer finally finished, we went to Taco Bell for our dinner. Since then we have watched our Saturday night Brit shows and read the Bible for our Sunday school lesson tomorrow.

Buyers for the Sofa

This morning we started taking things out of the family room, so the installer can get around tomorrow when he comes to put down the laminate. I had put the sofa-bed up for sale in the Pennysaver paper, and a man called about it. He said he would come over to look at it about 11 and would call before he came. Well, he didn't. Karen came over for a visit and brought us another package of the English cheese with the spices in it, a box of strawberries from their garden, and some nice crackers. she is so thoughtful. Later in the afternoon the man called again about the sofa-bed, and he and his wife came to look at it. He said they wanted it, but they didn't want to take it today, because it was raining quite hard. He will come back in the morning for it. After it stopped raining, we went to the bank and the grocery store. I'm much better today.

Emptied the Desk

We've had a busy day. First of all we went to Home Depot and ordered the laminate we wanted. We picked a new color, and I hope it works out OK with our furniture. It's called Golden Oak. That sounds all right, and it looked all right in the store. We got home in time for lunch and Perry Mason on TV, a re-run we hadn't seen before. Then we started moving the books and the bookcase to the living room. Then we emptied the desk and put the drawers and other things on the twin beds in the back bedroom. We took out the folding table, and we put the tea cart in the family room to eat on until Saturday when the floor will be laid. Your Dad met the installer at Home Depot and he picked up the materials and brought them here and put them in the family room. We were both tired and went out for a hamburger. We came back home and had a vegetable and salad. Since then, we've been trying to get the week's journal in shape to print a copy to send to Logan, and one to keep in my paper files. That's it.

Ran into Karen at Home Depot

This morning we went to Home Depot to look at their laminates again. We had the list of supplies the installer said that he needed, and the clerk figured up the cost of them. We looked again at the colors, and we decided to use a lighter color instead of the walnut we had looked at earlier. We will go back tomorrow, pick a lighter one, and we'll pay for the supplies and arrange for the installer to pick them up on Friday. He says he can install the floor then. While we were there we met Karen. She had come to buy a new sprinkler head, since one of hers had broken and was spraying water on one of the windows. We had a soda with her and talked a while, and then came home for lunch. This afternoon we went shopping again for her birthday present and found exactly what I wanted, and I hope she wants it, too. If she doesn't, I'll keep it and get her something else. We will take her to lunch next Wednesday to celebrate her birthday and give it to her. She and Terry are leaving the next day for a three-week trip around Italy.

Brittany arrives

Brittany arrived this morning, rather about noon. So, we took her and Bianca to lunch at a Soup Plantation restaurant. That way they could pick out the food they wanted. We came back home, and then they went to visit Uncle Al for a while. They came back, and we had a nice visit. Later they left to have dinner at Travis's house. They forgot to take a laptop computer and a bottle of tablets, so we called them and told them they were here. They will come back here to get them before going back to Whittier. Brittany has classes tomorrow, so they can't stay here tonight. After they left we had our dinner, and then we had our home evening that we missed last night. We are now on the last chapter of St. John, listening to the CD and reading along with it. That's about half way through the New Testament. We can slow down a bit, because we are reading ahead of where the Gospel Doctrine class is now. Come to think about it, maybe Bianca will stay another night. she doesn't yet have a job, and she has her own car to drive back to Whittier. we will see.

Bianca came

I missed writing on Sunday, so I'll do that now. We went to church and stayed for all three meetings. And then we came home and had a bite of lunch. Karen and Terry had invited us over for hamburgers later. Bianca called, and she was in Carlsbad. She was going to the singles ward there, and then she said she would come over to our house. We told her about going to Karen's and suggested she call her. She did, and she invited Bianca, too. we all met there and had a very nice dinner on the burgers Terry cooked on his barbecue and veggies and salad Karen had made. she served for dessert a pie with a chocolate crust, which she filled with sugar-free ice cream with chocolate sauce dribbled on top. It was delicious. We had a nice visit, and then came home. Monday, today, Roy came to clean, so we went out to breakfast and then to the bank. Bianca called Brittany, and she is coming over on Tuesday. So Bianca will stay another day. I wanted to go shopping for Karen's birthday present, so she drove me to the Mall. We went to three stores and didn't find what we wanted and came home again. We all had lunch and a rest, since we stayed up late last night watching a history of the the U.S. involvement in the Middle East. There were a lot of things I didn't know about that, but I am more likely to trust this PBS program rather than the regular daily news in the papers or on TV . Now Bianca and I are going down to the beach.

Perm

I decided this morning that it really was time to get a new perm, so when I got to the salon I asked my hairdresser, Amy, if she had time for that. She looked at the clock, and looked back at me, and said yes. So that's what I did. While I was doing that, my dear husband did all the grocery shopping. That left the rest of the day to do just what we wanted to do. first of all that was lunch. Then we watched a "Matlock" episode, and then we drove down to the beach. There was a tie-up of some kind on the freeway, so we went down the old highway 101. It was crowded, too, with lots of people evidently also avoiding the freeway. We found a place to park along side the highway, and we had a good view of the waves. There was a strong wind and clouds were coming up. So we didn't walk. It was a nice interlude. Afterwards we stopped at a shop for a soft drink, and then came home. We cooked dinner together; that is a lot more fun than doing it alone. Then we watched our usual Saturday night Brit shows on TV. They happened to be ones we hadn't seen before, and that was a good surprise.

More about Laminate

Today we did more about putting down the laminate. We went to Lowe's and picked out what we thought we'd like--it was a light oak. Then we went to the supply house the first man told us about, and looked at their light oak. We didn't like it very well, and we picked out a light cherry. Now we will have to get in touch with the installer, and see what the whole thing will cost. We couldn't get any help at Lowe's, so I rather think we will go with the other supplier. We stopped for lunch at an I-Hop restaurant near there, and I had a discount coupon that gave us a free lunch for one of us. Your Dad got the regular cod with Hollandaise sauce, and I picked the senior size. We enjoyed it, and we 'll go back again sometime. At home we read the paper and then watched another Magnum P I episode. Then I tried to get back on the blog, but I had to call Kaye to help me do it. Finally we worked it out, but somehow I didn't get it written down. So, I'll probably have to call her again next time, as I will now, to make sure this day's letter gets with yesterday's letter.

Looking at samples of laminate

This morning Karen and I did our visiting teaching. We saw two of our women, and we' ll have to do the last one sometime later. I got back just in time for lunch and a short rest. Then the first man came to estimate the cost of putting in the laminate in the family room, and the next one is coming in a few minutes. I had hoped to go to Lowe's to check out their samples , but that will have to be tomorrow. It's a clear day, and I want to go look at the ocean, since there will be high waves later, but I don't know if there will be time . We'll see what happens, and I will finish this note tonight.

Laminate Flooring

This morning Karen said she would come to see us after she went to San Marcos to get her blood test. So, we had our breakfast and then did a few other things until she came.

She told us more about their visit to Monterey with Candace and her family and big dog. They brought the dog because they were afraid to put him in a kennel, because he was old and might die alone. Well, he got better on the trip and started to eat again.

They all enjoyed their visit, and Candace is feeling well too.

After lunch we went to Home Depot to look at laminate flooring and also Berber carpet and decided on the laminate for the family room. We put the hide-a-bed up for sale, and we'll buy one of 22-inch high airbeds to use instead.

The week is up, so I'll close.

Lots of Love, Mother and Dad

Watering & Fish in Harbor

This morning your Dad watered the plants that aren't on the automatic system. I just picked up around the house. We were too late for showers last night, so we did it this morning.

Tom and Beth Wieland came by about 12:30, and we went in their car to the Harbor. They drove down from Utah, because they didn't want to take their dog on a plane. I guess they were afraid he would be traumatized by riding with the luggage.

Anyway, we had a fish taco there, and it was as good as I remembered it. Next time you are here, we'll have to go there. Afterwards I walked to the car; Tom couldn't find a parking place, except across the harbor. Tom offered to go get it, but I said I'd walk. I shouldn't have, because I've been tired ever since.

Surfers

Karen called last night and said they would be home today, so we didn't go anywhere until after she called. Your Dad did the washing, because I wasn't feeling too well.

She called in the afternoon. So after that, we had a rest, and then we went to the Kaiser Clinic to get a prescription for your Dad. From there we stopped at the beach to look at the water. The sun was out, so it was very nice. There were a few surfers in the water, in spite of the sign warning of sewage contamination from a broken sewer pipe.

At home we had another of the dinners Karen had left with us, and then we had our Family Home evening reading and listening to the Bible.

Visit with Tom And Beth

I overslept my time for Tylenol, and I was not in good shape this morning. I took it, and rested a while, then hurried to get ready for church. We stayed only for the Easter program, and it was very good. I'm glad we went. At home again, we waited a while, we then had a brunch. That way we put off dinner until evening. We had a call from Beth and Tom Wieland, who are here visiting their son and family. They said they could come to see us in the afternoon. We watched another "Matlock" and then I fell asleep until the Wielands came. We had a nice visit with them. After they left we had dinner and then watched TV. That was our day.

Easter Lilies

This morning I had my hair done again. My usual operator wasn't there, and the staff forgot to tell another one that she was supposed to do it. So, about 45 minutes after the appointment, I finally got it started. Your Dad came early, and sat waiting for me. That made both me and the operator nervous. My hair suffered.

After we left there, we bought two Easter Lilies and to took them to your Dad's two remaining ladies he home teaches That was after lunch, and we stayed about an hour at each house. Then we went grocery shopping.

At home we had dinner and watched our Brit shows, and now it's time for showers and bed.

Al visits- Karen in Monterey

Karen called about 10:30 to tell us they were in Monterey. We were glad they had a quick trip, to make up for the long one to DC.

We had a good day. Your Dad's nose didn't bleed, except tonight when that crying girl or woman called. We called all the family, except we couldn't get Brittany. And it wasn't one of them. We'll try Brittany again later. I guess your Dad's blood pressure may have gone up, thinking it was one of you. He has the nose bleed stopped now.

This afternoon Uncle Al came over and we had the first visit with him in about a month. He was more cheerful this time. Also, he said he was still visiting the care center, where some of his friends are very ill. Jim Bevins passed away last week, and Al was sad about that. Al seems to be more interested in religion now

Cauterized nose

We got up early this morning to go to your Dad's appointment to have his nose cauterized. Karen drove us, and she allowed about 40 minutes to drive there. The procedure was short, and we were out of there in about 30 minutes.

He has no trouble with it the rest of today. He is supposed to change the packing tonight, and I hope all goes well.

We have spent the day quietly, watching another "Magnum" episode and then some TV newscasts. That was followed by a nap. Karen had brought over several meals for us to use, so we won't have to cook tonight. However, your Dad baked a loaf of bread!

Karen and Terry are leaving tomorrow for Monterey, where they will meet Candace and her family. They missed their visit earlier when Karen saw only Danya, because Candace was sick and couldn't come to Sacramento.

Notes from the secretary

As the author is hesitant about this whole technology venture, her humble secretary offers up this post as proof of its simplicity and value. (She is at left with first technical assistant.) Yours, Kaye