Another day, another book sold!

At one book a day, I will reach my goal of 1000 copies sold of Diary of a Plate Addict a little later than April 30, 2012... Oh well. It is good to have goals, apparently.

Is it possible that it is the combination of Zoloft and Aricept that has been causing mom's nightmares or intense dreams? I have been forgetting to remind her to take the Zoloft and for the past few days she has not been reporting intense dreams. I will have to ask Dr. Rifai when I call his office. It is good that she isn't having the dreams, but then again, she is seeming to be a little more depressed than she had been. I just don't know enough about drugs and physiology and all that sort of stuff. Does anyone really know about that stuff?

We had a pleasant enough day yesterday, though both of us were a little on the tired side. I didn't sleep well at all - partially because mom wanted a night light on. Understandable, since she almost always sleeps with a light on while in Geneva. And since we are in a new to her place -  she can at least see where she is if she wakes up - and can get to the bathroom without wasting time trying to find a light. But I like to sleep in the dark. I am not one of those people who needs pitch black, or a mask or anything - but the light we had on in the beginning was pretty bright - I later thought of turning just the bathroom light on and that was a lot better in my opinion. Yippee! But neither of us had more than 5 hours of sleep all together. I got up and wrote - two blog posts - go me - and then eventually slept for a couple more hours. Mom didn't go back to sleep.

It was $1.50 movie day! Except that the prices have gone up to $2 a ticket! Eeek! Then again, it was Stimulus Tuesday and a small popcorn was only $1 (instead of $5?!) so that was a good thing. We finally got to see A Dolphin's Tale - about a dolphin who had to have her tail amputated. The movie was ok, not great. Mom seemed to enjoy it. Yay!

Next, a light lunch from Burger King (they have onion rings and mom likes onion rings) before heading back to the hotel for a little rest before another night at the Saucer. Sometimes, going to the Saucer seems like work. Oh, right, in this case, it is, isn't it. Well, I didn't get paid a lot last night. Eventually, in the fullness of time, two copies were sold - one to Bill and another to Ted who bought one for Josh H. Ted is great! If he wants another book, he gets that one free. But I did get to hang out at the Saucer and drink three beers. That is always a good thing! Then, out to dinner.

We went to Piebird and had a nice young woman named Teresa as our server. We managed to show up along with about 15 other people, so service was kinda slow. The food was good, though. I had a special entree - pork belly - a little too fatty but otherwise yummy, and mom had a chicken pot pie. It was loud in there again, just the way it is designed, I guess. Still, I would probably go again. One day...

Back to the hotel again, TV, Skyrim (where I endured a buggy dungeon) and bed. Yippee!

Photos from December 6, 2011:

Ta da! A Dolphin's Tale/Tail

This is the men's room indicator at Piebird

My entree

Errands Galore!

Yay errands! I love running errands. Running being the operative word here - well, the gerund... anyway, I like having a list of things I need to do/buy/accomplish and heading out and doing, buying accomplishing those things. In the order (mostly) that I envisioned, in the time frame I set for myself. A plan that works out! Very satisfying. At least part of my day was satisfying...

So we got up and got out a reasonable time. First stop, coffee for mom - and other things - at Target. She let me park her with her coffee in the teeny cafeteria area while I ran around and got the things we needed. Well, we didn't really need a hippo pillow pet - but we got one anyway. She was thrilled! I wonder if she has forgotten it already and will be thrilled anew when I give it to her for the ride home. We shall see.

Next stop, the First Citizen's bank in NC. I didn't really have to stop there. I could have stopped in any branch and also could have just kept the money until I got to Geneva. But I wanted to see my old branch and some of the people that I have known for years. Luckily, my favorite teller, Diane, was there and we got a chance to chat a bit! Yay!

Then it was oil change/tire rotation time. I dropped mom at Bojangles and then took the car across the street to Just Tires. Mark was on duty and recognized me right away. He took the car and I went back to get some food with mom. Boy howdy do I miss the occasional Bojangles meal. It was as tasty as it usually is. I think mom enjoyed hers as well. In the line, I heard a familiar voice. Turns out I was correct - it was Leon, the person who used to do my yard work. I felt a smidge guilty since I stopped using him when Cate moved in - Cate had promised to mow the yard in partial payment for staying in the house. I am not good with things like that - telling people that I am moving on, changing services etc... Oh well. He was very nice - charmed my mom - he is 75 and solid. Does 15 lawns still. Goodness. And has prostate cancer! Eeek! He didn't seem too concerned - apparently there is a very effective new cryo-surgery that he will be having. Freaked me out, that's for sure.

Well, by that time the car was done, so mom and I headed to the house in Clayton. On the way we took a quick stop at Goodwill to buy mom a new sweater. The one she had brought was hole filled and quite stained. We left it with them to be ragged. Then, on to the house, for real.

I still love my house, even if it is teeny, crappily built and weirdly designed. Gee, sounds like me in some ways. Pekoe the Chihuahua and Greta the German Shepherd greeted me with open paws. They were a little leery of mom - ok, Pekoe was leery - Greta loves everyone indiscriminately. Pasha made an appearance looking for food. My main reason to be there was to fill up my water bottles, though I also wanted to see if there was anything that I could take with me to Geneva. I found a few movies, a tripod, an easel and a passel of mail. And I filled up 48 bottles of water with well water! Yippee!

Last scheduled stop was the Clayton Library. Miss Betty asked after my mom's health every time I stopped in, so I thought it only polite to re-unite them one more time. Miss Betty is retiring, so I am glad that I saw her. I also got to see Pam and Mardia (and Christian, Mardia's son). Great stuff! Gave the library a copy of the book! I doubt anyone but Pam will read it, but that is ok. I am very glad that we stopped there. Felt like old home week.

Then it was time to head to the Saucer - with a brief layover at the Best Buy to look for a new GPS. Sadly, no sales person could be found to talk with me about them, so I looked at a few and then left. I will try again, but it is not urgent.

The Saucer was fun - didn't sell many copies of Diary of a Plate Addict - see my writing blog - (or my kvetching blog post). Big news there - Kim drank her 1000th beer - making her the first female MOU at the Raleigh Saucer! Go Kim - she was given MOU card number 0100! Yay her!!

After the Saucer, mom and I headed to Five Star for food. I love that place and never went there enough when I was living in the area. If I had lived in Raleigh, I might have been a regular there. Oh well. I think mom enjoyed it.

All in all, a day full of fun and accomplishment.

Pictures from December 6, 2011:

My house

One bag filled, one to be filled

Kim's MOU #0100 card!

Five Star Food!

Up in time for Spanish Class and...

Up in time for Spanish Class and...I don't have to go! Yippee! I wonder what time the Spanish exam is a week from Friday? I hope it isn't early in the morning. Or maybe I do - just to get it over with...Anyway, that is a thought for another time and place.

Yesterday was my first full day back in Raleigh. Yippee? It is weird being back. Weird seeing all these people who I have known for 3, 5, 10 years and haven't seen in 8 months. Just like never having left in most cases, which to me is the sign of either good friendship or solid acquaintance-ship. Mom and I got out of the motel in a timely fashion. The Saucer is only five minutes away - except for a light for getting onto Capital that takes 5 minutes all by itself. Found a parking spot right in front, which was good since I wanted to take the books inside and store them - less lugging for me. A nice guy name Ben, a person I met once at one of Tim Phillips' tables, helped me carry boxes. Julie, his girlfriend, actually helped too! I gave them a copy of Bar Dreams - they later bought a copy of Diary of a Plate Addict. I was heartened!

Mom and I had brunch - gee, that hasn't changed. Still ok at best - though mom had seconds. I had a couple of NC beers. And lots of regulars came in. Sadly, most of them didn't buy copies of the book. What is that about? More whinging about that in a bit. It was great seeing people and chatting with them. We stayed until about 2:30 and then we went back to the motel to chill for a couple of hours. I knew I was exhausted and I was pretty sure that my mom was too.

I used some of my newly acquired Spanish to tell the housekeeping people that we were leaving around 5 and that the room could be made up then. I think they understood me...

Round two, Diary of a Plate Addict book release event. I was expecting 9 or so people from the Tri-Beer Meet-up and 20 people had said they were coming on the Facebook event. Sadly, that wasn't the case. It was a decent turnout, but not quite that many. Good group who did come! And many of them actually bought copies. I know a lot of couples, apparently - they of course only bought one copy per pair. I had been hoping to sell 100 copies. I didn't. I sold 20. Still, much better than nothing. What I don't understand is the people who didn't buy copies. I mean, yes, it is expensive, but, it is a great looking and feeling book. And it is about a place that they come all the time (most of them at least). Or work there. Why aren't more of the staff rushing to buy copies? I thought Hope at least would. And Cat. But not one staff member has bought a copy so far. Sigh. Well, we shall persevere.

I had a lovely time talking with people. I hadn't seen Crystal and Garrett for a long time - Maria too! Jeanie come and brought her friend Barbara who I hadn't seen in a year - Dave F sort of monopolized her time, but she didn't seem too upset by that. Paul and Marie came - what a great couple - Marie spent a long time helping my mom feel spoken with. Dara chatted with me for a while about all the positive changes in her life. I spoke a little with Cate and Jonathan. Cindi and George Miller came - and it was great to see them and feel their support and encouragement - both for the book and for my mom situation. Wendy and Gerry came - poor Wendy wounded a wing! But it was great to see them! Eric and Nancy came - and invited us to dinner - which I think we will take advantage of - maybe on Wednesday.  Robin was having a plate party - which is not surprising - at the table next to mine and it was good seeing him and that particular group of Saucer fans. Ted Hurley bought three copies of DPA and one of Bar Dreams. Yay Ted! If I have forgotten any one, please forgive me! It was a hectic day!

We stayed until about 9 and then headed out. Yippee! I was exhausted. Though that didn't stop me from playing some Skyrim after we got back to the hotel... :)

Today - errands. And maybe some actual Spanish Studying. Ok, probably not...

Photos from December 4, 2011:

Mom all ready to eat brunch

Saucer brunch - I wonder how many of these I have eaten...

Cindi and George Miller - thrilled beyond compare with their purchase! :)

Cindi and mom!

A picture of the DPA release Event

Have to remember

Haha, I spelled have, "haf" at first. Sigh.

Anyway, I have to remember that I am choosing to be here for my mom. So, when she calls me and asks me something for the umpteenth time, or needs me to do some silly little thing, or is having trouble packing or putting on shoes or...well, you get the point - rather than feeling irked at the interruption, or feeling put upon - well, I have my permission to feel those things, then let them go and choose my response - feel glad that I am able to be there for her. It can be a challenge at times. We shall see how I do in the weeks and months (and years?) to come...

Yesterday was another wonderful travel day! Yay! I took a new-to-me route again, and I think this one is a keeper! True, I still go through the mishegas of Washington, so I need to find a way to get past that, but overall, I think it is an hour shorter than the freeway, way - even with lights and such. Yippee! We got out around 10, which is a reasonable time. Mom was not packed particularly well. She had on one outfit and that was all she had taken in terms of actual clothing. She had packed a nightgown and the four pairs of socks and four pairs of underwear I had suggested - but nothing else clothing wise. We rectified that situation, easily enough. For a woman with closets overflowing, the lament of "I don't have enough clothes to wear" can seem a bit silly. But I also understand. Having those clothes doesn't mean that they are things that she likes to wear. Or remembers well enough to choose to wear them. I am hoping that I can get her to let Ginger go through some clothes with her. And I think I have convinced her to let Ginger help her with a shower. We shall see how that goes. If it goes well, I may up Ginger to once a week instead of once ever two weeks. After I get back to Geneva, come hell or high water (love that phrase for some reason) I will definitely call the leader of her organization and maybe even Dr. Rifai, and start to get some information under my belt. Like, is there a clearish indication of how to tell when mom is declining? Signs, like consistently not knowing some specific thing? I certainly don't know at this point...

Mom did well on the trip, limiting her "are we there yets" to once every half hour or so. We stopped twice, I think. Once in Pennsylvania and once in Virginia. I need to find a better stopping place in Pennsylvania. I think the answer is Lewisburg (yay Lewis!). We shall see.

We got to Raleigh and got into the hotel easily. It is up near 440 - so only 5 minutes from the Saucer. And a lot less expensive than the hotel right across the street from the Saucer. After getting mom in and settled-ish, I headed out to the Saucer for a look-see. It was fairly busy, and I didn't think I would see any patrons that I knew. I was wrong, I saw at least five! Yay! One couple, Bryan and Sarah, went so far as to track me down and get me to sell them a copy of Diary of a Plate Addict! Thank you B&S! Another just said hi! And the last two both said they were coming to the book release event. Ann was mad that I hadn't sent her an email about the event. Sigh. I wonder how many people feel that way or people who I neglected to contact in some way. With Facebook no longer sending out things actively, I don't know if many of the invitees even noticed that they were invited to an event. Giving them the benefit of the doubt...Anyway, had a good chat with Jeff and am looking forward to a week of Saucering! Yippee!

And there we have it, a day to be recalled fuzzily (travel days are like that, generally).

Photos from December 3, 2011:

Yay frost on the car!

Full trunk

I hope to have a lot fewer books to bring home...

Someone was towing an airplane! Coolio! :)

Last Spanish Class, again

Now that it is tomorrow I can speak about yesterday without confusing myself. I routinely confuse myself, so, this is a good thing.

I got up and got out really early so that I would be fresh and happy for my oral presentation. I had practiced a lot, with three different people, one of whom was my partner. No one was in the room when I got there, so I moved the table where I wanted it, and arranged the rest of my stuff for easy access. Sebastiano showed up and we went through the presentation one more time. Sadly, he wasn't prepared. Maybe my script was just not to his liking. Oh well. Carlos and the class arrived - though a few kids were missing - Jolyn, Dani and Rachel, most notably. I don't understand missing class. Whatever. Well, I do understand the desire to not go - goodness, I had that just about every class day, but I went. The way I learn best is through osmosis and classes give me the chance to osmosize. Anyway, we got up and the, overall, the presentation went. Sebastiano had his script in hand, I had a note card. I forgot to look at my note card, but remembered most of the salient points. I hope that we will be graded ok. We were the first ones - the guinea pigs, so to speak. And we did make Carlos laugh a couple of times. So, we shall see. For my last Spanish class for the foreseeable future, it was a good one. Oh, and I signed a copy of Diary of a Plate Addict for Carlos. We shall see if I ever see any dinero for it...I probably will...he seems conscientious...

Mom worried me for a bit yesterday. I think she is, understandably, stressed out about the trip to Raleigh. If I had my druthers, I wouldn't take her. Or rather, I would have the Flying Saucers all be here in Geneva, so we wouldn't have to travel. That would be a good thing. Sadly, that isn't the case. And if I am to positively contribute to the financial well being of the household, I need to sell books. So, off to Raleigh we go, with mom in tow. I have offered to help her pack and have made some packing suggestions. We shall see what comes of that in just a little bit.

For some reason, I got it in my head that the car needed a wash, so I trundled down to the mobil station (which is apparently becoming a sunoco soon) to get a car wash. When did the least expensive car wash go from $5 to $7? Sigh. I got gas and a car wash and also did laundry. As I was driving to the gas station and lamenting the need to drive all the way to the Town and Country plaza laundromat, I saw the one there, right across from the gas station. Mom says that she and Karl went there once and I saw nothing to prevent me from going. Yippee! Less driving. Gotta love that. And it was pleasant enough, for a laundromat. Oh, and I stopped the mail. Hurrah for errands!

Dinner was left overs with the addition of some corn from the freezer. Mom raved over it and wanted seconds but there was no more of anything. Sigh. Haute cuisine is lost on my mom. :) I also baked the last three chocolate chip cookies - mom had two! At least she has an appetite!

Lastly, had a pleasant night in. Yay!

And now it is Saturday and it will be a travel day. Gotta pack up and go!

Photos from December 2, 2011:

Spanish Classmates - Brenna, Andrew, Peter, Detrius, Perry, Carlos (sitting), Taylor, Caitano (sitting) Lisa, Katie, Abby and Maya

The "other" laundromat

Dinner that mom found so delicious

Cookies! (Can anyone else hear cookie monster?)

Last Spanish Class

Hurrah! Well, at least for the time being...

But that is for tomorrow, for today is yesterday. Or something like that.

Yesterday was another day. Yay for days! It was a Thursday. And, truthfully, even in my life, there wasn't a whole lot of moving and shaking going on. Since I was exhausted, all I really thought about was when I could go back to bed.

Mom and I did go out to Friendly's for dinner. It is not my favorite place, but mom is enamored for some reason. The food isn't all that great, and I rarely get ice cream. And, sadly, the servers there are just not wonderful. Oh well. Since mom likes it, we go. If I had had more energy I might have picked someplace else. As it is, I am glad that I didn't cook and that we have some leftovers for lunch today.

And what else exciting happened yesterday? Studied a little Spanish -oh, met with my presentation partner - he just didn't seem all that into it. Oh well. It will be what it will be!

Gee, how's that for excitement! And to top it off, only one picture from December 1, 2011:

Mom and I both ordered the Friendly's version of a cheese steak...

Slept miserably

So I am probably going to go back to sleep. Grrr. Ok, not really upset. Just tired. This is how tired I am. I don't want to go downstairs and turn on Skyrim! Now that is tired! :)

Ok, slept a bit more. Yippee! Still tired, but not as tired.

Back to yesterday. I like Wednesdays. In general and in specific, I liked yesterday. Yay!

Mailing! I got some packages in the mail on their way to various people. I hope they get them and let me know when they do! Then it was Beer Wednesday! The Beef and Brew people really like me, I guess. Mike, one of the owners, and Steve, the bar manager, were both there. They told me that if the beers that they have on special are ones that I have already had at their establishment, that they will discount other beers for me, personally, instead. How awesome is that? Yesterday, two of the three were ones I had already had, so I had a Latitude 48 IPA from Sam Adams - which was pretty good. And an Aventius, which I have had before and is not one of my favorites. And I had a Sam Adams Winter Lager, on tap, which was ok, not great. What was also great was that Steve bought a copy of Bar Dreams. And Mike took 12 copies on consignment. Yippee! Here's hoping they sell all 12 this weekend! :)

Next, other errands. I went and asked if one of mom's prescriptions could be changed to the Rite Aid on Hamilton street - there was another nice, floating pharmacist who said she would see what she could do. Food shopping was easy, bought a few mom staples - tissues, swiss rolls, soda water. Also stopped at Staples to get her some blotter paper so that she could set up her blotter set on the dining room table. I will do that today, probably. Lastly, I stopped at Friendly's to see if they had followed through on getting pistachio ice cream in. They hadn't. Oh well.

Cooking was easy too - reheated turkey tetrazini and fresh sautéed mushrooms and spinach. Then off to Spanish Tutoring - I hadn't been in a while, but Wendi forgave me. She was a great help, tweaking the oral presentation a bit and going through it with me probably six times! I think it will go just dandily. Yippee!

So, all in all, a pleasant Wednesday. Gotta like those pleasant days! :)

Photos from November 30, 2011:

Art photo!

Trying to capture a picture of the flurries falling with no success...

Two yummy things - pistachios and seed honey bars stuff. Yay!