A Big Step—a New Adveture?

We just returned home from meeting with Tara, the Sales Manager at Stonebridge at Montgomery.  We had filled out various forms about our physical and financial health and gave her a $5000 check as a deposit on housing.  We requested a two bedroom apartment plus a nook or den.  They are popular and it could be a long time until our name comes up for a place.  But the process that we have discussed for a long time is now started.  

There are many folks from our church who live there.  In fact, there is a Sunday morning bus to church and back again and that would make attending much easier for me.  No need to walk those blocks to the municipal parking lot!  

Stonebridge is quite familiar to us.  We meet there twice a month when we sing with the Grace Notes Choir.  We met at the home of a resident with our church small group this fall.  We have attended an introductory meeting with a meal and have toured sample residences.  It will be another big move, but we won’t have to sell a house. There will be more down-sizing to do but not like it was seven years ago.  

I am trying to look on this move as an adventure! It’s an investment into our future as we know we will face more of the difficulties of aging.   It will be a new way of life with options of meals provided.  I am thankful we can do it together!  

Trader Joe’s Adventures

We have a habit of doing a weekly grocery shopping trip on Saturday mornings.  For years we have gone to McCaffrey’s here in Princeton, but lately we have alternated that with trips to Trader Joe’s.  McCaffrey’s is crowded and one has to purchase wine at the rear of the store and the other groceries at the front of the store.  There are rarely enough cashier-run checkout lates open so one has to use the self-checkout lanes where there are often challenges. I have been unhappy with produce a few times with strawberries that spoil quickly and green beans that don’t last the week.  

Trader Joe’s has our very favorite Sunday morning coffee cake and salmon at a price several dollars less than McCaffrey’s  and of course, an extensive display of wine at good prices, even if they are no longer “Two Buck Chuck.”  Coffee is reasonably priced and so are many other items.  Cage free eggs are no more than regular eggs.  And there is never a long wait for a cashier and the cashiers are, without exception, pleasant and helpful and act like they are happy to work at Trader Joe’s!

I look on shopping at TJ’s as an adventure in eating and try to buy at least one item that we have not purchased before.  A few weeks ago it was a delicious Leicester cheese that I remember buying in Scotland.  Today it was New England clam chowder that we heated up in the microwave for supper and it was very good and authentic tasting.  I couldn’t decide between the Chardonnay and the dry Riesling so I bought both.  Jim really likes their coffee ice cream and says it is richer than the store brand at McCaffrey’s.  All our bargains came to $149 but that did include wine, chicken, shrimp, and coffees.   While checking out, we had a conversation with the cashier about our favorite items and hers.  We leave the store happy and not feeling like anyone has taken advantage of us.  

It’s a little farther from home and sadly, down Route One but the traffic this noon was not bad at all.  

Christmas 2025

 

Jeff was our chauffeur picking us up around 2:30 on Christmas Day.  We enjoyed appetizers and Christmas margaritas made by Laura before opening gifts.  Dinner was a delicious tenderloin accompanied by Susan’s traditional rolls and various side dishes.  There was a variety of cookies for dessert baked by Dan and almond shortbread and brownies from our kitchen.  I encouraged Jim to bring along his yo-yo and several were able to demonstrate their skills.  

One hearty rendition of Joy to the World was sung  before we were ready to head back to Princeton.  Seventeen of us made 

a wonderful Christmas celebration again this year.  

Gift giving was simplified for us this year by giving the grandchildren their usual chocolate letters and cash.  The adults got a gift bag of goodies from the Dutch Store in Grand Rapids.  Henry as the youngest grandchild still got a toy and will get the book with his name in the title Henry Huggins for his birthday in a few days.  

A Blog to Print Book

 I wanted to take advantage of a coupon I saw in my gmail so today I put together my 2025 book.  I didin’t edit the last 2/3 of it.  I didn’t make any changes in the blog.  And it will end with the post just before this one.  That’s OK.  I was having trouble dealing with the technology and just went with saying “check out.”  So it is done and I can start a new book with this post and our Christmas festivities.  The site was ‘intorealpages.com.  

A KIndergarten Tea

 This was my third kindergarten tea at Gladwyne Elementary School.  Today we were Henry’s guests in Mr. Brown’s kindergarten.  

We left home at 8:29–with plenty of time to get to Gladwyne, a one hour drive as scheduled.  However, there was lots of rain and we came to a complete standstill two times on I-276.  It was clear we were not going to make it by 10:00 am and I was so sad to be disappointing Henry.  He did ask why we were late! 

We found a parking spot and it was a long walk with my walker on a bumpy path through a field to the school entrance.  A guard greeted us and had us sign in and show our ID.  I’m glad schools are so conscious of safety.  He told us how to get to the classroom.

  Mr. Brown was reading a book to the class and grandparents.  It appeared to be on a theme of memories and he said that we were all making memories today.  I was very happy to see some grown-up folding chairs because I thought if I had to sit in a kindergarten chair, I was going to have a very hard time getting up.

Our assignment was to fill in a little booklet comparing our time in kindergarten with Henry’s time—focusing on snacks, favorite activities, places to visit, TV shows. Henry really enjoyed filling in each page with Jim and me trying our best to remember so long ago!  There was no scheduled time to show the toy we were asked to bring along, but Jim took Henry aside to a place where there was enough room and demonstrated the yo-yo we had purchased from Amazon a week or so ago.  Henry made sure that Mr. Brown saw Grandpa and his yo-yo.  

We stopped at the Conway estate on our way home for a bathroom break and a sandwich.  We were able to greet Jasper who is home from college and a very successful first semester.  The trip home was much less stressful.  I found the December 14 broadcast of “With Heart and Voice” on my phone and we listened to lovely Advent music all the way home.

With my walker and cane, it was not easy to get to places and find my way in crowded rooms, but with Jim’s help, I did it and was so glad we could see Henry in his environment.  I do think we were the oldest grandparents there with my giving birth to Laura at age 32 and Laura giving birth to Henry at age 42. 

The First Snow of the Year

 

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland.  We do not get much snow here in New Jersey, not like it was in Indiana or Michigan.  The 9:15 church service was cancelled so we had to wait for the 11:00 service to be live-streamed.  There were not many folks there!  

It is beautiful looking out our living room window.  It looks like we live in a forest instead of a 225 unit apartment complex.  We live on the very end—a fortunate but unplanned choice.  

I may even find my boots and mittens and attempt a walk.  The roads and sidewalks are cleaned thanks to the New Dawn folks who maintain the grounds here.  We could hear the plows before 9 am.  

Princeton Public Library, my Library

I read just one of these books. 

This afternoon Jim dropped me off at the entrance to the library and I carefully walked in with my cane.  We had accidentally left my walker at the top of the stairs at home and using it makes me feel more secure.  Jim had reminded me to take a bag for my books and I grabbed an orange one from the garage.

At the library, a young library staffer named Zach told me he liked my bag—and I noticed it said “Stonebridge.”  He said he used to work there and it was a great place.  I told him we had heard that from many residents and were considering it.  Then he said many folks from his church went there—Nassau Presbyterian. I told him that was our church too!  I wish I had gotten his last name.  At least I could tell him I loved my library!

And I do!  I keep a list of books on their website “For Later.”  They let me know which are available and I make a list of a few to find on the shelves.  I usually have a requested book waiting for me —either a brand new mystery or a book from the second floor where I find it difficult to find books.  I often ask for help in checking out because my library card can be a problem at the self check out kiosks.  

I have asked the library to buy a few books when I have heard of new ones.  Maybe I should ask them to get Laura Vanderkam’s newest book coming out soon—Big Time to be published in May 2026.  

Because we do not live in the Princeton itself (even though our postal address is Princeton), I have to pay a fee every July.  It’s a senior rate and worth every penny!  I am so grateful for our public library and the way it enriches my life.