Back again

Made it thru the graduation, just not sure quite how! Glad it was a 'small' mid-year group of graduates--it only took 2 hours for the 'small' group. Not sure how long the summer group might take, but don't think I want to find out, either. This event was held in a rather new arena, used for a lot of sports activities, concerts, etc, and was full. I don't know where they might hold the larger event, maybe in an outside stadium, and pray for a dry day. As is was, each grad only was given 5 tickets, and only because some grads did not need that many, were we able to have 8 family members there. From our seats, the main view of the grads was a 'sea' of mortarboards and tassels, not much else to see, except that on the scoreboard, there were large video screens, and the speakers were televised onto the screens, as well as the grads as they walked across the stage.

Also got to see MUCH MORE of the campus than we wanted, or at least than I did. We parked in a parking garage, the one Amanda uses for getting to work, but then walked clear across the campus to get to the arena. And several of us did not have on hiking shoes! Way too far apart!!! Had I known how far ahead of time, I would have been dressed a bit more casually, and worn better walking shoes, not dress clothes and shoes. It was sort of downhill, slightly, as we walked, and I was not looking forward to the walk back, but a couple of drivers made the walk, and drove back to the arena and picked us up. What a blessing that was. I didn't really realize how much of a walk it had been, until I tried to walk around a mall for a bit on Tuesday morning! Don't even want to think about what a return walk to the cars would have done. Did OK yesterday and today.

It was a good trip, at least until we got to Pt St Lucie, on the way back, and then traffic was a royal MESS. We spent 30-45 minutes trying to cover 1/2 a mile or so. Partially because of IDIOTS ignoring the 'lane closed' ahead signs, and driving right to the point of losing their lane, and then insisting on crowding into the lane of people who belonged there. I hope that in eternity, there is a special place of punishment for drivers like that.

Thought when I mowed last week, that it would do at least thru Christmas, but once again, I miss-guessed. The fertilizer application, along with several showers of rain, and the 70-80 degree weather, of course, has made another cutting, in the next couple of days, an apparent necessity. Could be worse. I spoke to Nate at noon yesterday, his time, and he was shoveling out his driveway as we talked. He claims that the proper system is to use the mower for half a year, and the snow blower for half a year----personally, I can't figure out how you cut grass and make the yard look good, with a snow blower. I must be missing something.

Made a trip to Wal-Mart last night. Planned on just a quick trip, but no such thing with the people and carts all over the place. They could have had more registers open, but guess they are trying to run on minimal help as well. We had been in a small mall in Orlando Tuesday morning, and it was almost deserted, but Wal-Mart made up for it. Just think a week from today, and it will be CHRISTMAS. Hard to believe with weather close to 80 today. May have to go to the beach for Christmas!