WEEKLY REPORT

I promise, this won't be a regular feature, but enough minor stuff happened last week with accompanying pictures that it's the subject for today.

Mr. Bob takes coumadin which helps to guard against strokes or heart attacks. If I understand it correctly, it's a blood thinner so it requires frequent blood tests to guard against his blood getting too thin. At the Manor we can arrange for a technician to come to the room to draw blood. In the beginning, it's a

little startling to hear a soft knock on the door while it's still dark in the morning and then, because we are past the age of being able to leap out of bed, the next sound is a turn of the lock. "Good morning, Mr. Humphrey", is next and then the routine blood test. Last week, Babette had an assistant with her and since I was scheduled for lab work, too, Mr. Bob and I soon went back to bed with a cotton ball taped to the crook of our elbows.

It was time for the car to be serviced which means sitting in a dreary waiting room for hours upon end. This time I didn't initiate conversation with any of the waiting men. At the end of 2 1/2 hours, new brakes had been put on our car and as we went to pay and collect the car, I said to this man, "Goodbye and good luck" and he said, "It's taking hours to get a lightbulb".

Our Manor shop is open on Tuesday and Saturday, from 9:30 until 11. There we can purchase supplies and snacks and greeting cards. The basket on the end of the table contains the Alaska pins our kids brought to distribute to residents and staff. Problem was,  when they were offered, many folks declined, not needing one more thing to clutter their lives.

One of the women at the Manor heads up a chapter of the Crones which meets once a month. We've gotten the okay for Mr. Bob to attend the meeting next month long enough to take a group picture. He can be known as a "Crony", temporarily.

We went to the Glendale Galleria for a computer lesson at the Apple Store. I usually always admire their window displays. This one shows some of the applications available. Among the ones I have and use are the Huffington Post, CBS Sunday Morning, New York Times, Today Show, Rachel Maddow, a flashlight and numerous others. That's Mr. Bob on the outside, looking in. Below, a passer-by checks out the other display window, which features a hot air balloon carrying a laptop through the air.

And that's pretty much it for the week's activities. One more thing: Lisa, upon reading the entry, TMI, the other day, asked for a photo of my Valentine poinsettia technique. I only cut 1 bract to show the heart shape because this plant is going to be long gone by Feb. 14, but it gives you a general idea.