Busy Week

Church and Charge Conference meeting yesterday. Funeral and Women's group meeting Monday. Finish bazaar items Tuesday. Cancel Sewing Group on Wednesday for yet another funeral squeezed between Project Joy Rehersal and Yoga. Thursday a short Women's Society meeting in the morning and then begin setting up for the Bazaar. Friday really get things set up for the Bazaar. (Should take a good four or five hours.) Saturday "Show time". Doors are open from 9-3 but of course I'll have to be there early and leave late. And there we are, back at Sunday. Who said retirement was a time to "do nothing"? I hope to fit four sessions water aerobics in too.

More on Leaves

And now the leaves are on the ground - or most of them. The days have been cool and overcast. Quite foggy actually in the mornings. Winter is on it's way.
Got a picture of my cute great granddaughter.
She has enough hair for little bunny ears.

Leaves

I got my Bonsai trees bedded down for the winter and took out the "attack" rose bush. I'll look for a nice clematis to plant there in the spring.
The colors of the leaves are so great this year. I've been meaning to take my camera out every time I go and today I did. Be dazzled by the glory of fall.

A line of stately orange Maples.






A georgeous salmon maple.










A lovely deep red Maple. Such colors!

Thursday

The week has been full. Jessica, Jerry's daughter, is visiting from New York. While here she has renewed her driver's license, eaten with her sibblings and their families and gone through all of her "stuff" that was being held for her in storage since she was 20. Surprisingly, she found that she really didn't need to keep over half of it. We will store the rest (mostly music) for another while in our storage unit and in the crawl space.
Today I gave my Rainforest presentation to the second graders at St. Al's. It was great to see the teachers again. They have done some remodeling. What was once the stairwell going out to Mission Avenue has now been transformed into the main office/reception area. I only suggested that 12 years ago. The cogs of change move slowly. Do I miss work? Not on your life. I'm having too much fun playing.

Bonsai

Remember my Bonsai tree? I was forced by my condo association to "unplant it" and (for all they cared) dump it. So I decided to join a Bonsai Club with the thought of turning it into a Bonsai tree. The pictures I've seen of the end results are great. I did in fact dig it back up and it has been summering on the patio. Yesterday I took it to the Bonsai club meeting and they allowed that it was tall and spindly and needed to be pruned back (read lopped off). They assured me that the little bumps on the stem would bud out and become branches. What the heck. If it doesn't work I can always purchase another tree or quit the club.





Also in class we were asked to be the foster parent for a Ficus. This plant will be used as a demonstration plant at the Bonsai Convention to be held in Spokane in 2008.



While on Maui I purchased a Dwarf Schefflera.
Just a baby really, but she has a nice shape and could turn out to be quite fun. These two are tropicals and will need to stay in the house over the winter. The Ginkgo will have to stay outside all winter.

Gas Prices

This was the headline in the paper Wednesday:

"Friday, October 13, 2006
Spokane gas prices highest in lower 48
Only Honolulu gas prices higher!

"Fast fact:
Gas costs less in Des Moines. Spokane's price is almost 40 cents higher than the national average and far higher than gas costs in the cheapest city – Des Moines, Iowa, at $1.96 a gallon.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Spokane clocked in at $2.65. Only Honolulu's gas prices were higher, at $2.87."

That is no news to us. We have lived with $3.00 plus for so long that we are welcoming $2.65. While on Maui, I didn't flinch at the price at the pump. It was just like home. Well, they say that the prices are going to go back up after the election. What the *&%$ does the election have to do with gas prices? Do the incumbents force lower gas prices just to tell everyone how great they are and then let them pop back up after the votes are counted? Who makes these rules?

Have to go bake for a Tea Party tomorrow. I don't know the people so am not too hyped up. Guess I wouldn't make a good cafe owner (cause I want to know the people I'm serving).

New Baby born today

Traivon now has a son. The child will be called Traivon Michael Donta Asterino. He weighed in at 7 pounds 15 ounces and is 19" long. I'll check him out this evening. That makes two for Trai - a boy and a girl. He should stop. And 15 or 16 grand children for me (depending on who I'm counting as a grandchild) and one great grand child (which can stay at that number for a long while).

Peacock

While on Maui we spied a Peacock strolling across a yard (at the botanical garden), so I stopped to snap his picture. He came right up to the car for me to get this close up.
What a grand bird. Noisy but beautiful. Robin's neighbors have phesants. I think she should have peacocks. They make great watch fowl. See how he is watching me?

Food

When I lived on Oahu I was introduced to some lovely Chinese food stuffs. One of my favorite was steamed rice cakes or rice layered pudding/gelatin dessert. So, upon my return to Hawaii - Maui - I figured I'd just pop into a local store and pick some up. Well ... the stores have all sorts of Japanese sushi but no Chinese rice cakes. I even went to the Chinese restaurant and asked if they had it. I was told that I was the first person to have asked for it. Oh, I could go to Oahu and get some but none were to be found on Maui. Heck! I went to New York City and found it. Anyone have a receipt for it? Maybe I'll ask Jessica to bring some when she comes for a visit from NY next week. How about it Jessica?

Rummage sale

The church's biannual rummage sale was today. We hold it in the gym of the church. Yesterday was "set up" - read drag the stuff out of the closets and dump it out on tables , arranging, if at all possible, in some semblance of order. Today was stand on your feet for 6 hours (I can only do 3 to 4) and watch as the local population reek havoc of your semi neat piles of folded cloths.
I like to participate because on Friday I get first dibbs on stuff. There was a delightful little dolly bassinet which is in need of some tightening up and a new lining. Should be a fun project. Hope to have it finished for the Bazaar.

Had a wonderful time with the grandkids. From left to right, Shelby, Zack, me and Adam.

Isn't that a lovely quilt behind us?

This is Charlie the resident bird, trying to untie Jerry's shoe. Very tame bird but would have nothing to do with me. So I went out and found some that did.

This is a bird from a "bird show" in a park. They didn't perform for us but this one walked right up my arm and sat on my sholder for a while.

And then there was this 50 year old Cockatoo. He was a sweetheart. Wolf whistles. Kissy noises. Gentle massaging of my arm while I held him. If I could have I would have taken him home with me. All in all this was a great trip. The leg home was grueling but we live and learn. no more red eye specials.

We're back

Very long trip home. Luggage arrived with us. Cats are glad to have us back. Off to yoga now. Will post some pictures and more stories later.