Yet Another Journal

Nostalgia, DVDs, old movies, television, OTR, fandom, good news and bad, picks, pans,
cute budgie stories, cute terrier stories, and anything else I can think of.


 Contact me at theyoungfamily (at) earthlink (dot) net

. . . . .
. . . . .  

 
 
» Thursday, December 28, 2017
A Day That's So Tinsel!
Today James had an appointment to have his power chair looked at after he could not get it going at work a few weeks ago. The rubber cover of the control handle had peeled back one foggy morning and moisture had gotten into the contacts. He had to hobble into the building, but by the time lunchtime rolled up the fog was gone and the contacts dry. It's worked fine ever since.

I had toyed with going with him. He was driving out to the other side of town and if I went with him perhaps we could stop at the Buford Highway Farmer's Market or the Barnes & Noble at the Forum in Norcross. But if he just had to twiddle his thumbs for hours while it was being fixed, it wasn't worth it. So finally he went off to work this morning (he's one of the few there early) and left at ten to go to the appointment.

I was off at ten, too, after breakfast and dog-walking, headed ultimately back to Richard's Variety Store to get more of the magnetic hooks. The ones we have in the kitchen are terrible; we use them on the range hood to hold potholders, and they frequently fall off if you put the "Ove Glove" on them carelessly. But first I wanted to stop at Love Street, the little gift shop, to see what was on sale after Christmas.

My cell phone ringing distracted me, and I turned the wrong way, so I ended up stopping at the CVS on Concord Road first, and I was so happy I did. The one thing that has bothered me this year is that I could not seem to find any tinsel [icicles]. To me it's not a Christmas tree without the icicles, and because with these thin, modern icicles you cannot save them the way you used to be able to, I have for the past years always bought enough tinsel to replace what I put on the tree (about 2 1/2 boxes) and usually a couple more. But this year I was not seeing any, either in CVS or in Walgreens. But there in the CVS were about 30 boxes of the stuff, down on a bottom shelf in a corner. I bought a dozen, and a door decoration, all half price. Then I did go over to Love Street and bought another little log reindeer, this with a red nose, to join Woody and Holly on the lawn, and also a bicycle bell for James' power chair. (He has one now, but due to the structure of the arm of the chair it can only be installed upside down and doesn't work that way. This one works differently and does work upside down.)

I headed toward Richard's then, cutting through the little village of Vinings. I usually don't pay attention to what's in Vinings, as the little shops there seem to be all clothing and expensive housewares and restaurants. But last time I cut through, I thought I saw a sign that said "books." There is indeed something there that is a combination book and magazine/coffee shop. I didn't stop to look, but checked out the other shops. There appears to be a vinegar and oil shop here as well! Noticed a Mellow Mushroom before stopping at the Vinings CVS. Nothing else in the decorating aisle, but I did get Tucker a new sweater (half price), as his "Trouble Maker" sweater bought when we first got him is now too small.

James texted me as I was leaving CVS. All they had to do was order a new rubber overlay, and we can install it ourselves. So he got that ordered and was heading home. So instead of going on to Richard's, I went home, stopping by Publix to pick up the twofers. Found some pork chops at a good price and got James some ground beef as well.

James arrived soon after, and once the groceries were put up, we went out for lunch, back to the Mellow Mushroom I'd spotted in Vinings. We both had a hoagie and got a big one. Boy, were they big! We brought half home and had them for supper. The service was great and we enjoyed eating there.

Next we went to Richard's where I did pick up the hooks, and then went to Barnes & Noble. James bought a book with one of his coupons, and got a stack of magazines with the last coupon for magazines. He also found the calendar he wanted.

Finally we headed home, stopping by Publix once more to drop off the recycling.

Spent a relaxing evening watching the box. Watched a wonderful British special I recorded called The First Silent Night, hosted by Simon Callow, about how the song was written. The old story that you have heard—that mice chewed the bellows of the organ and the words and music were written at the last minute for guitar—is not true. Joseph Mohr had actually written the words two years earlier as a poem after seeing a beautiful painting of the Nativity every day at his parish church. The organ was already broken, and had been for a while. He and Franz Gruber were going to perform the song on guitar to show their solidarity with the people who lived there, using their native musical instrument, the guitar. Beautiful, beautiful Austrian scenery throughout, mostly snow-covered woods and valleys. Afterward watched the NOVA episode "Bird Brain," about the intelligence of birds. Clever birds!

Labels: , , , , ,