Today is my grandmother’s birthday.  Mama.  Joannie was in the area and visited her.  Took her some flowers.  I remember visiting the Durant cemetery with Mama many times.  She always told something about each one we visited and pulled a few weeds. She was very dear to me and I named my first daughter for her — Katherine Miller.

My book group, Talking Heads, had our annual luncheon meeting at Sandie’s today.  After tomato bisque, we settled in under the big umbrella for salmon in boysenberry  sauce and quinoa full of lots of good things.

Then we moved out under this amazing grape arbor for dessert and to select our reading list for 2014.

Great food, great books, great women.  Doesn’t get much better.

At one point yesterday while we were talking she asked me what television news show was my favorite.  I didn’t have a quick answer to that.  I mostly listen listen to NPR.  When I returned the question, Kitty did have a quick answer:  Rachel Maddow.

Started out on Friday with our neighborhood having lots of yard/garage sales.  It’s ridiculous!  I haul loads of stuff to the Humane Society Thrift Shop and then I just go buy more stuff. I rushed up early to Francoise and Gary’s.  They have beautiful things.  But I was very restrained and came home with only this whimsical water color:

I plan to put it on the breakfast table.  I do hope it has the desired effect.

Then yesterday we drove over to Cape Lookout State Park on the coast.  They have a brand new dog-friendly cabin that I wanted to check out.  It sits on a little bluff surrounded by a forest of firs overlooking a lovely beach.  We will definitely book a few nights once the summer crowds have cleared out.

And in case you ever doubt that the forest products industry in Oregon is on the decline, just take a turn through Willamina  on your way back from the beach sometime.

Finished reading Zealot last night.  The really new idea in it for me was the importance of James the Just, the brother of Jesus, who was Bishop of Jerusalem, the pre-imminent leader of the early church after the crucifixion.  He was keen on following his brother’s example — keeping the Law of Moses and other Jewish teachings. He found it necessary to take to task Paul (Saul of Tarsus) who was not acquainted with Jesus in his lifetime, declared himself “apostle,” disclaimed The Law, and pretty much just made up stuff as he went along.  That’s pretty much the way I’ve always felt about Paul and was somehow encouraged and heartened to learn that the brother of Jesus had run that way long before me.

After church this morning, I went out to Bonaventure, the amazing new retirement community in Salem to visit my good friend Kitty in her new digs.  When I called to ask when we could get together, she immediately said I must come out for lunch.  It’s a beautiful place.  She had asked an attendant to wheel her down to the lovely foyer where she was waiting for me. Every imaginable amenity.  Good food too.  Kitty had the special of the day which was veal parmesan with some pasta and vegetables.  I ordered the Bonaventure Burger with fries.  After lunch she showed me her apartment and much of the facility.  She’s just moved in and is just beginning to get her things organized.  Her bed is still piled high with music — she says she prefers to sleep in her recliner — but her electronic-composing  computer and keyboard are in the corner, up and running.  She has her priorities right, I say. Next, I got her into the Subaru for a shopping trip to the Super Safeway in her neighborhood.  She may not be able to stand or walk much, but you should see her drive the store scooter!  Hell on wheels!  I couldn’t even figure out how to back it up to take it back from the parking lot to the store.  Luckily, a darling cart boy saw my dilemma and drove it back for us.    Kitty is a treasure.  One of my first friends in Salem.  Never likes to talk about herself.  Is always interested to talk about me and my girls — whom she has never even met!  My dogs.  Kayaking.  What I am reading.  Who was at church.  What was the music this morning. Kitty is a treasure.

Now time for my television night:  Masterpiece Mystery and The Newsroom.  Kitty bought me a box of her favorite cornbread crackers at Safeway.  They’ll be my “popcorn with the movie.” It’s been a really nice weekend.