Dinner at Stonebridge

 A friend from church invited us to join him for dinner last night at Stonebridge.  He arranged for a table of six.  We met him in the lobby at 5:30 for a 5:45 seating.  A table seemed to be reserved for us and a bottle of wine showed up—whether he brought it in or it was ordered, we don’t know.  But we were happy to see that wine could be a part of a nice meal.

There were menus at each place and the choices were extensive.  You could choose from three or four entrees, four salads, three sides, and desserts.  If none of those seemed right, you could choose from the other side of the menu of always available items like a hamburger, French fries, and I’m not sure what else.  There were points listed for each item—14 for entrees, 3 each for salads and desserts.  A waitress took our orders on her iPad.  A trainee waitress was shadowing her.  You pay for a set number of points each month.  

Our host had invited three others to join us—all from our church.  We knew one of the guests and were happy to get acquainted with the other two.  Conversation was easy and fun.  The food was good and how they can prepare so many options so quickly is a mystery to me.  

The room was not full.  They said Thursday was often emptier than other days and that a men’s luncheon probably discouraged some from a big meal again.  I don’t know if you have to reserve a table with others or just call in that you will be there that evening.  As empty as it was, I guess you could come in and start a table just with the two of us.  Another option is ordering in the cafe—and maybe taking it to your room.  We do still have questions!  

It was so kind of our host to plan and coordinate a lovely dinner and we found it reassuring to get a glimpse of how dinner works.  It definitely will be an adventure if and when our name comes up for a place.

Way to Go, Hannah

 I’ve blogged before about Hannah Hidalgo but she is bringing us joy again this year.  That is Jim’s phrase as he sits at the end of the sofa, remote in hand, “Way to go, Hannah!” He chuckles with delight.  One of the commentators said “She is just annoying.”  And she is.  Her hand gets in the way of any dribbler and she succeeds in another steal of the ball.  And then she tears down the floor ahead of everyone else and puts the ball in the hoop.  Sadly, we have seen the ND team lose their energy in the last quarter because there are only eight players suited up to play these days.  They lost two great players from last year,  one to the WNBA and one sadly to the transfer portal—we don’t know why.  But there are other players doing their part—Prosper bringing down rebounds and Moore shooting three pointers and DeJesus, also a good shooter.  

The arena is full of fans.  The women bring out a bigger crowd than the men including many older fans, not just students.  The older crowd are all decked out in their green shirts.  A few years ago, when we were in South Bend, I went to a game alone, got a great single ticket at half-court and saw that I was definitely not one of the oldest fans there.  

Part of the fun is watching Hannah’s fun in playing.  She smiles often; we know when she is pleased with a successful move.  I hope they can keep this up in the post-season and get a good long ways into the NCAA tournament.  I want to keep watching them!  

The Process for Hip Number Two Begins

 I took a photo of the hospital bracelet to start this blog but decided it had too much information to put in a public place—not that there are so many readers but sometimes I get sales pitches on comments and have to delete them.

But…the hip replacement  process has begun with a 9 am appointment at Penn Medical Center for Pre-Admission Testing which means bloodwork,  an EKG and going over information.  I had a list of questions which were answered for the most part and at least notes were put on my file so maybe some things can be easier this time around.  As the last time, the women who helped us were very kind and informative.  No one acted like my concerns were foolish.

Next week is another appointment with my primary care provider for surgical clearance.  I hope I can cancel the appointment I was told to make with the cardiologist just in case.  But this morning the nurse thought it would not be needed.  

As soon as I was asked my birthdate, the memories came flooding back of saying that over and over again as nurses checked it before they took my vitals or did anything else.  At least no credit card was asked for today.  So three weeks from today, I hope the surgery is over and I am on my way home.  I am almost thankful for pain in the right hip as it reassures me we are doing the right thing.  

Our Grace Notes Choir director told me that the Nassau Church staff had prayed for me at their meeting on Tuesday.  I was honored by that.  I had not requested prayers but I had posted on the virtual attendance form that we hoped to be back in the sanctuary more often after my surgery and recovery.  Another friend asked me for the date of surgery because she was adding my name to Echo, her prayer app.  I do have folks I pray for regularly but have not used an app for that so far at least.  

———-a follow up on the testing showed that I had another “abnormal” EKG and my glucose was high.  I was hoping Dr. Delacruz would override those results and he did.  The glucose was non-fasting so that makes it higher.  He said that computer EKGs always come back as abnormal and he OK’d the test. I cancelled the cardiologist appointment as soon as I got home.   Dr. Delacruz did have me redo the urine sample which turned out to be an ordeal of sorts at home the next day. I tried to keep my sense of humor about it.  Eventually, we got it into the office before it closed and that too came back as OK.  Now on to sign papers at Princeton Orthopedic Associates and ask a few more questions.  And then the surgery on January 29. 

Looking Ahead to 2026

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Jim is honoring me by reading my blog book for 2025 which came in the mail yesterday.  I looked at the first few months and saw my despair about President Trump’s initial acts.  And now that the year has gone by, I see that it has only gotten worse and not better.  I don’t know where to start but I want to record my worry and fears.

In international news,  the situation in Gaza has improved but still is a cause for concern.  President Trump has had some good influence there. There is no improvement in Ukraine with Russia continuing to cause destruction.  Trump was going to end that on Day One.  He spent the year humiliating Zelensky in the White House and greeting Putin in Alaska warmly.  

Our allies in Europe have been insulted.  Today Trump’s seizing of Maduro and his wife from Venezuela is being considered a war crime by the UN.  He has bombed several fishing boats in the Caribbean because he says they are carrying drugs.  Even survivors of the initial bombing have been shot and killed—again a crime against humanity.  But our Department of Defense is renamed the Department of War and our President is looking for wars.  He threatened Nigeria last week and Iran this week.  I wonder if January 2027 will see these situations worsened or eased.  I hope and pray our young men and women including my grandsons are not sent to fight his battles.  (January 5–Trump is even threatening to take Greenland, a part of Denmark and a NATO ally—it is beyond belief and very scary!)

Immigrants to the USA are being welcomed only if they are white South Africans.  Many businesses and health care facilities are having a hard time being staffed without immigrants, including highly skilled doctors.  Universities are having to manage without international students who pay tuition. Those in the process of getting asylum are afraid.  This process will probably only continue until enough of us object to the inhumanity of it all.

Trump was going to end inflation on Day One but it persists and he still tries to blame it on the previous administration.  His tariffs have effects on businesses.  A friend could not get a Christmas tree from his usual provider because of tariffs on trees imported from Canada.  There was a tariff on our granddaughter’s bridal gown imported from Australia.  I buy ground beef at $6.49 a pound and don’t even consider stew meat or roasts.  

Then there is the self-serving narcissism of this man as he is renaming the Kennedy Center with his own name.  He wants a coin with his name and face on it.  He is looking for a huge Arch to be built in Washington DC probably with his name as well.  He has torn down the East wing on the White House and is planning a huge ballroom.  His own family is making money from cryptocurrency and real estate deals.  Donations to his projects facilitate mergers.  

Ordinary folk are going to pay huge amounts for health insurance next year as a result of his “big beautiful bill” that extends tax credits for the rich but cuts SNAP benefits for the needy.   It’s a cruel world he is promoting.  

There are some reasons to not despair.  A few judges are ruling against his sending in federal troops to cities that are largely Democrat run.  Some performers are boycotting the Kennedy Center.  Heather Cox Richardson writes daily summarizing the reports of others.  Pete Buttigieg is planning a 2026 campaign to speak and have town meetings objecting to the status quo.  Gavin Newsom is so bold as to satirize Trump’s Truth Social posts. President Trump’s approval ratings have gone down considerably.  Maybe the mid-term elections will show a defiant spirt against his regime.  

Maybe all this belligerence is to detract from the so-called Epstein files which may implicate Trump is scandals involving young women.  I think that if the Access Hollywood tapes didn’t cause his base to give up on him, I can’t imagine much else would do so.  Unless it is clear that he was involved in Epstein’s suicide  which was really a murder—now that would be news.  

I don’t want to even post a photo of that man on my blog so this post will stand without a picture.  I pray nightly that there will be peace and that President Trump will have a change of heart—a conversion from lying and cruelty and revenge seeking to one of compassion and justice.  (I did add a photo of my most faithful blog reader—my husband!)

———January 4. Our sermon this morning from Nassau Church talked about the wisemen who had hope as they followed that star.  It was a good reminder for me to have hope.  I think it was Steven Colbert who said despair would be a big mistake.  What can I do to avoid despair?  Give money to Democratic PACs and to ACLU and other organizations that are trying to oppose this administration?  Avoid too much doom-scrolling!  Don’t read too many news sources—maybe Heather Cox Richardson is enough.  I join Facebook groups that are promoting my beliefs but I do not share them lest I just make trouble with others.