Thursday, November 14, 2002

friend LG examines the bear from her grandparents homeland: Switzerland

"I haven't exercised in 100 years. (Slight exaggeration.)"
LB, February 4, 1992

[I'm occasionally reviewing old, hand-written notebooks and I've decided to quote myself now and again.]

I am up early to make coffee, fill the sugar bowl, rearrange the media room a little, get out cups and stuff. It's amazing how much trouble it is just to offer coffee (regular and decaf) to twelve people along with some kind of breakfast cake someone else is bringing. Cups, saucers, spoons, milk and sugar, plates, napkins. It's fun getting out my china cups and little silver demitasse spoons, though.

When I've gotten everything ready and greeted a few people, Chalow and I retreat to my office to wade through the paperwork and 'to do' lists, waiting to clean up after the meeting.

It's nice to be able to entertain a little. Some of the people coming in have never seen our backyard. They ooh and aahh although it isn't looking its best in the fall. They are also thrilled to come to a meeting where it is easy to park and there are no distractions. I clean up the china and put it away. This is something we can do in retirement: provide a meeting place (and coffee or soda or cheap white wine) for small (dozen or so) groups like this Ballet Austin committee meeting of Forrest's.

Lunch in honor of birthdays has been a tradition among a few friends for a long time. Today is one for one of the Nancys whose birthday was yesterday.

We go to Spiazzo's on Parkcrest. The food is pretty darn good. I have tortilini with shrimp and pine nuts and garlic and artichoke hearts. We discuss this and that. The other folks work, my non-work.

I fiddle around a little with a Berlin Travel advice page I'm going to do and then go for a workout. Twenty-five minutes on the bike, reading and a bunch of arm exercises.

Then I go home, put on jeans and get cans of yard waste to the street for tomorrow's pickup and then chop up more of the bamboo.

I meant to get to the thrift store with a load of stuff today. I really did. But I didn't get there.

And another thing. About the spam e-mails. They are always trying to sell me phone service and cell phones and printer ink. These are services I do need but the competition does seem fierce doesn't it? I won't buy from an e-mail spamer, though. If I didn't sign up to get the e-mail, if I'm not sure that I'm voluntarily getting it...I won't buy as a matter of principle. Just like when people call on the phone: they blew it. I won't do it. Because they called.

A few psychic reading offers are also showing up now. And those offers to let you know about forclosures. Given that I haven't responded about all the credit fixing and refinancing, I assume they think they are telling me about my own forclosure!

I'm being offered insurance, too, and The University of Phoenix thinks I need a college degree to get ahead. In retirement?

You know how there is no such thing as a free anything? No free lunch or dinner either? Well at lunch I did the usual and pitched in to buy my birthday friend's lunch as well as my own. That isn't really free for her, of course, because there is the implication that you will have to pony up for everyone else's birthday.

FFP got a call, though, in the afternoon. Come to Four Seasons and we will give you free food?

Is that credible?

Well, we had to check it out. We left our car with the bell captain and gave him $10. And we gave the waiter $20. But otherwise they gave us free soup, entrees, a glass of wine for me, Perriers and green tea and berries for FFP and even brought out a plate of goodies with 'Congratulations on your Retirement.' No kidding. Free.

FFP isn't feeling too great and so we just stop and say 'hi' to Rebecca before leaving. The hotel is on high security because there are apparently scores of Republican governors there. Everyone is wearing a photo badge. The help, I mean.

Then it's home. I'm sleepy. I don't know if it's the trip to Berlin or the fact that I get more exercise but I seem to want to go to sleep early and get up early. And since there is no one to stop me....

JUST TYPING
Organizing my day.
Around setting a table for coffee.
Washing china.
Lunch with the gals.
A workout,some yard work.
Organizing photos.
The life of.
What I used to call.
"Ladies who lunch."