Lakeside 2019, Week 7

It's been a terrific week at Lakeside--even my bursitis pain has been under control most days. I've been carrying my new folding blue cane with me everywhere, but have only used it once. Week 5 I had given up walking the lakefront and went to the wellness center instead and always accept a ride in a golf cart when I could.

We returned on Saturday with everything in great shape--Mark had been trimming the bushes, watering, raking and washed the deck.  Phoebe had everything spotless and put fresh sheets on the beds. We all went out for lunch and then they headed for home--and probably a rest! It was very hot the week they were here, so they skipped the "Guess Who" performance, which I heard from my friends  was fabulous.

That evening the program was Wynonna Judd and The Big Noise. It was a super evening, packed the house, and that woman has a range I've hardly ever heard.  There's no better place to show off a big voice than Hoover Auditorium.  She really didn't do much "country," so those who stayed away because they don't like that genre, missed a lot.  We left after her last song, but I understand she continued for another 30 minutes.  I could have done without her remarks about her mother, as I don't think she'd be where she is today if it hadn't been for "The Judds." She had great rapport with the children and invited them to the stage for photos and selfies.

Sunday was a VERY full day, with some surprises.  It was the day for the Raccoon Run (5 mile marathon), so the lakefront church service was moved to the gazebo which got a huge overhaul in the spring, and now has pavers and new benches.  Then we went to the Patio Restaurant with my friend Nancy for lunch.  After a nap I headed for the Heritage Hall lecture about Confederate monuments in the north (we have one here on the peninsula on Johnson's Island).  Nancy went with me, and was anxious to leave before Q & A, but I didn't think much about it.  When we got to the cottage I got a big surprise--Bob had planned, and pulled off, an 80th birthday party for me (which was 50 days early).  Lots of laughter, and great food from Bassett's. One of the best cakes I've tasted.

 

 

That evening we went back to the gazebo to hear a polka band from Chardon.  They were very good and the hot weather had disappeared--only beautiful wind and sunset over the lake.

It was the end of the art show.  Bob got a second place ribbon and it sold, so we had some cash on hand.  The other painting, which was actually the best (of our neighbors watching the regatta), was sold to the subjects.

On Monday I did go to the program on -- well, something about the planets, but didn't stay long. That afternoon I attended the book discussion at the Lakeside Women's Club of "Lillian Boxfish takes a Walk" by Kathleen Rooney.   Bob and I then attended the Backstage at Hoover tour, which was great fun and so interesting.  Lakeside is trying to raise money to replace this 91 year old structure in the back of Hoover where the performers dress and bring in their props.  There are some programs we can't provide because there is no room for the equipment or instruments.

That night we had a pot luck for the communion servers and ushers for the 8:30 service on the lakefront.  We don't necessarily know the people Bob serves with, so spent some time introducing ourselves and chatting.  A sudden storm blew up and God blessed us with a fabulous rainbow--which you can see behind us between the 2nd and 3rd pillar.


After the potluck we drove to the train station near the mobile home park in south Lakeside for a "book in hand" performance of a play by George Bernard Shaw by the LKSD Playreaders. Then home to bed. . . tired but happy.

The Tuesday program at the Lakeside Women's Club was "Hers and Hymns: Women composers and Lyricists with soprano Jeanine Donaldson of Lorain and Errol Browne, her accompanist who also sang.  On Wednesday and Thursday mornings I attended lectures on Zero Energy Buildings by Ann Edminster. Our neighbors were out of town, so we had their son Jack, 14, for dinner Tuesday evening.  He's a really sweet guy--going into high school, and now sails lasers and wins races, so he doesn't need our model sailboat on our porch which fascinated him 4 years ago. The girls are starting to hang around their cottage which we can see from our front porch.

On Wednesday afternoon I sat in on a group discussion of Artists' Way led by Dee (Baker) a UMC retired pastor at the lovely Idlewyld Bed and Breakfast.  In the evening we had dinner with the Barrises at their B & B with Dee and her husband. Wednesday evening was the opening of the 2019 symphony season with our new director, Daniel Meyer. Dvorak (violin concerto in A minor) and Tchaikovsky (Symphony no. 4 in F minor) made it a very exciting evening with guest violinist Jinjoo Cho who has been here a number of times.  We've been sitting in the aisle with all the residents of the nursing home so that I can stay on a flat surface.

On Thursday evening it was wonderfully cool and low humidity.  After dinner on the deck and a stroll to the lakefront to sit on a bench to watch the boaters, we enjoyed the group RUNA at Hoover with tunes of Ireland and Scotland in jazz, bluegrass, flamenco and blues.  Later this morning I'll go to another Chef Stacy class.  This evening is Sandy Patti who always puts on a great show.

Tomorrow evening (that's week 8) there is a volunteer recognition picnic under a tent near the lake, and then at 8:15 the second performance of the symphony with Verb Ballets, a contemporary company. The program includes Felix Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, Adagio for Two Dancers and Carmen Suite.

The day after the birthday party

We spent the night at Joan's home, and Deb was at Jean's. On Sunday we all went to Cornerstone Baptist Church where Jean and Joan's families are members, then headed back to Jean and Bob's home for more family time and lunch.  There were lots of left overs from the birthday party.  Hamburgers, hot dogs, French Fries, cute cupcakes.  We left about 3 p.m. for Columbus.

The party food fed our Sunday crowd

Caleb's twins, Joan's granddaughters

The siblings enjoy time together at Jean's home

Our party favors, 2 Coke glasses

Dressing for the 1950s

Today we are going to a party for which we're supposed to dress in 50s attire.  Because I have a clothing archive, I actually own outfits from the 1950s, even my wedding dress made by my mother in 1955 for my sister. The problem as I see it is that I don't have a 1950s body!  I actually weigh less than I did when I wore one dress--a floral jersey--to a dance around 1959, and it's in the closet, but my waist is about 5" larger and I can't zip it.  It even has a sewn in crinoline. And I just don't have any saddle shoes or white bucks. The photo below is authentic 1955 clothing styles in Mt. Morris, Illinois. Looks like it might have been early spring and I jumped the gun a bit and am wearing a cotton skirt. Perhaps it was new (Mom made it).  I never seemed to be together where fashion is concerned.

So I will be authentically dressed for this party in an unconstructed gray and red plaid jacket my mother made for me for college, and a flared gray wool skirt I found last week at Volunteers of America for 75 cents that is mid-calf. The previous owner had taken the waist in about an inch in two places, but it had the dry cleaner tag still on it, so I just let out the stitching. It's a little snug, but I can breathe. Pencil straight skirts were popular, but also flared skirts as you can see from the photo. It's been awhile since I wore wool, both pieces feel a bit scratchy. We looked through my husband's high school annuals and examined closely the photos.  My goodness!  Young women dressed with pride and flare in those days!  There's not much you can do with torn jeans and saggy t-shirts with political slogans.

The photo below is what I'm wearing and was probably taken 6-8 years ago when I was rearranging storage and had it out of the garment bag. I probably even wore it to work a few times in the 90s because OSU colors are scarlet and gray and that was the custom on Fridays before a football game.

So easy even a librarian could do it

Ham sandwiches for a crowd

BEST HAM SANDWISHES YOU'LL EVER HAVE!!!
2 -12 packages of sweet Hawaiian rolls (the small dinner roll looking ones)
1 1/2 lbs of Virginia ham (NOT honey ham)...
12 slices Swiss cheese
1 stick of real butter
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Directions:
You will need two 9 x 13 pans. Place the bottoms of 12 rolls in each pan. Place ham (about 2 shaved slices or so) on the rolls. Cut the cheese slices into 4 parts and place 2 small pieces on each sandwich. Put the dinner roll tops on. In a sauce pan, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and poppy seeds. Wait until all butter is melted and then brush the melted mixture over the ham sandwiches. Cover with foil and let sit in fridge for 1 hour or over night. (If you want to bake them right away, you can also.) Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve. They are great hot and even at room temperature. Enjoy!

Thursday Thirteen Christmas season 2013

Christmas  these days seems to begin around Halloween when Christmas themed merchandise appears in the stores, although for some retailers it’s even earlier and you see craft and decorating items stocked in strategic places.  This year Thanksgiving was the latest it could be and so the festivities and shopping had one less week. Our holiday season was saddened by the death of brother in law John Sterling, whom we had visited in October in California. He died the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  For us, Christmas more or less began at Thanksgiving when we began to discuss how we would do the holidays.  Usually our daughter has Thanksgiving dinner, but her father-in-law who lives in  Cleveland and who has been ill, was unable to travel, so they needed to be free “just in case,” so we had dinner here, and decided that I would host the family on Christmas Eve, and then we’d all go to our daughter’s for Christmas Day. I fixed a huge turkey, and we’ve had leftovers off and on since.  So beginning with Thanksgiving, we all went to church together at the Lytham Road campus of Upper Arlington Lutheran Church at 10 a.m. where we had worshipped when the children were growing up (began attending in 1974 and joined on Palm Sunday 1976).  Pastor TJ Anderson, our new senior pastor, gave the sermon. At this service we bring sacks of groceries to be distributed by the Lutheran Food Pantry. Our location of UALC has a traditional style worship with hymns and organ; Mill Run has contemporary style worship with praise songs and communion.

1.  On Wednesday, December 4, we attended with our neighbors Tom and Joyce the annual Conestoga (friends of the Ohio Historical Society) Holiday Party at The Boat House at Confluence Park. It was a lovely venue with views of the river and the downtown skyline lit up for Christmas.  Conestoga has 203 individual members and we learn about Ohio history, travel around the state together visiting historical places, and have fund raisers.  All the money supports the Ohio Historical Society. Our current endowment is about $66,000.

2. Mid-week day time Advent services are held on Thursday at the Lytham Rd. location, and we served communion on December 5.  Wednesday evening services are held at our Mill Run Campus. Usually serve at all these Thursday services, but this year we had conflicts on the other two dates. These services are followed by lunch in the fellowship hall.  Generally, it’s an older crowd, and follows the Thursday morning Bible study.

3.  On December 7, the combined choirs of Lytham and Mill Run presented a wonderful Christmas Concert on Saturday evening, “Glory, Peace, Joy” with conductors Brian Carlton and Michael Martin, with an orchestra. Members of our pastoral staff gave the readings from Isaiah, Colossians, Luke, and Matthew. I sat with the other women of our SALT group—our husbands were at home watching the OSU-Michigan football game, and they missed a beautiful concert.

4. On Sunday December 8, we attended our own service (8:15) and the 9:30 Celebration Service at Lytham, so we could participate in the installation of Pastor Thomas J. Anderson. Pastor David Wendel, assistant to the NALC Bishop performed the installation, with Pastors Brodie Taphorn and Buff Delcamp participating. Pastor TJ follows Pastor Paul Ulring who ended his service with the church in September. Pastor TJ said, “My primary mission is to kick you out of the nest.”

5. We were thrilled to have our friends Martti and Riitta Tulamo of Helsinki, Finland with us December 11-13.  We did some touring of the OSU campus where Riitta was a student at the veterinary college in 1978-80.  We spent a lot of time together in those days, so our children remember them well, and we had a dinner here on Friday night before taking them to the Brens where they would enjoy a few days, then going to the Rigolli home in Worthington before returning to Finland. We attended Advent services on Thursday and then stayed for a very nice lunch of lasagna and salad.

6. On Saturday December 14 our church’s Mission ministry had a pot luck at the home of the Camerons to meet with our missionaries Dave and Pam Mann who teach in Haiti and are home during the month of December.  It was so good to see them, and hear about what is happening at the school and clinic.

7.  On Sunday December 15 members of Conestoga were invited to a buffet and program at the Ohio Historical Society.  We went with our neighbors the Rieslings. The theme for this fall/winter has been the 50s—and there is a Lustron on display, so it was decorated with the much more simple décor of the 1950, including an aluminum tree and plastic poinsettias.

8.. Party with Faith of our Fathers study group Monday Dec. 16 and my  first training session with the Pregnancy Decision Health Center on Wednesday Dec. 18 where I hope to continue volunteering.  This is a Christian ministry that saves lives—of babies, but also mothers who may be in great distress with a pregnancy

9. Party for condo association hosted by the Thompson and Rieslings on Sunday Dec. 22.  The Thompsons had their twin 18 month old granddaughters with them, which really enhanced the environment. Joan and Joyce put out a beautiful spread of of wonderful food, and I think I gained back all the weight (6 lbs) I’ve struggled to lose during the fall.

10. We had a get together after exercise class at instructor Christine’s home on Monday December 23, and will have a 2 week hiatus.

11. We hosted our family for Christmas Eve for dinner—ham, roasted squash, potato salad, mixed fruit, cookies. Then together we attended the  UALC  9 p.m. service.  On  Christmas Day, we opened gifts at home after a leisurely morning, then attended church at 10 a.m. where we served Communion, and then went to our daughter and son-in-law’s for a lovely Christmas dinner and more gifts. Such lovely thoughtful gifts, and my daughter spiffed up my wardrobe, something I always look forward to.

12.  Friends of ours are hosting events in their homes in the next week, on Saturday December 28  the Sloughs, and on Monday evening December 30, the Zimmers.

13.  We will attend the New Year’s Eve Jazz Concert and Worship with Communion at our Mill Run church on Tuesday December 31 beginning at 5:30 for music and 6:00 for worship.

Tip for the holiday parties

Talk half as much as you listen.  If you drink, talk 1/5 as much as you listen.

I found this quotation in a 2000 notebook I kept in my purse.  I gave no attribution.

3820

Party Girl

Terrapin Station had this list of questions and I hadn't done one for awhile. It's all about parties.

1) Would you rather be the host or the guest? I like both. "Party" isn't exactly what I do--maybe more of a "gathering." If I go to someone else's party, I get to meet new people. Last Saturday we went to a Kentucky Derby party--we all wore hats and dressed up, watched the race and enjoyed a fabulous meal with interesting people. I like to have "Whistle stop" parties--if you talk about weight, age, or health, I'll blow the whistle and stop you.

2) When you are hosting, do you clean everything up the minute the guests go home? Usually. If it is really late, it can wait, but all the dishes are rinsed and in the kitchen. Right after the meal (if it's a dinner), I load the dishwasher and keep everyone out of the kitchen, but I can see and hear what's going on. The dining room is a bit tight for 6 or 8, so they really can't move, which helps my plan.

3) If you had the wherewithal, and I guess I mean more than money, to throw a great theme party, what would the theme be? Doing something on a movie theme is fun. We went to one for my son-in-law's birthday--although I think for our age group we'd have to do an era, or specific stars. We rarely see movies anymore unless they are on TNT or AMC. The 70s were the pits for movies. 90s and 50s pretty good. 30s and 40s the best. If money were no object, I'd rent a spot and we'd have some sort of opening for an art show.

4) What's the worst time you ever had at a party? This one's easy. The first party I attended as a married woman was my husband's office Christmas party. It was a small company and I knew most of the people. The host was so inebriated by the time we got there (and we're always on time) that he had wet his pants. He was so drunk, it didn't bother him either and he didn't change his clothes. It made the guests really uncomfortable. I think we left early.

5) And to end on a brighter note, what was the best? I always tell people that my daughter's wedding was the best party. She was old enough (and independent enough) to do most of the planning herself, so I just had to show up, look pretty and enjoy myself. I got to see all my friends, dance, and eat good food. She was probably a frazzled wreck, but, hey, it's all about the mother-of-the-bride, right?

3756

Why older Democrats left the party

This looked like a pretty balanced explanation of what has happened to the Democratic Party since the early 1960s. The author is wondering why there aren't Moslem Methodists, i.e., mainstream. If you've watched the flap about PBS using our tax money to create a film on moderate Moslems, then refusing to show it, this explanation starts to expose some of the bizarre behavior of liberals. Still, it was written in September 2005, and since then the Democrats in Congress have gone completely over the edge, groveling before their New Left, socialist party leaders.

"The biggest problem in analogizing Democrats to Moslems is that the former did have other voices surrounding them, voices that were pointing out the radical nature of those organizations [Matt] Barr mentioned (NOW, the unions, and the teaching establishment): first, the Republicans, of course; in our republic, the critiques from the GOP could not be entirely shut out, even back in the 60s and 70s.

But second and more important, we need to bear in mind what Barr himself noted: Democratic leaders and organizations were not always so insane. The switchover (I'm using Judge Bork's timeline here from, I think, Slouching Towards Gomorrah) was when the New Left began to arise following the Port Huron Statement, released by the SDS in 1962 (the Students for a Democratic Society was the group from which the radical faction the Weathermen later spun off).

Most older Democrats never particularly embraced the New Left -- which was radicalized, hard-core, and Stalinist, inexplicably combined with feverishly anti-science, anti-technology, Luddite "environmentalism" -- and the New Left didn't take over the Democratic Party until, to be blunt, the older generation died off.

Thus, there has been reasoned resistance to the radicalization of the Democratic Party from the very beginning, coming from sources with unassailable liberal credentials, such as Hubert Humphrey and Pat Moynihan. Many Democrats retained their basic love of America... and unfortunately for the new radicalized Democratic Party (but fortunately for the country), that meant a lot of people left the Democrats and joined the Republicans, bringing the two parties into rough parity (during World War II, I would guess the Democrats enjoyed at least a 2-1 advantage over the GOP)." Big Lizards Blog, Where are all the Moslem Methodists?