The Lazy River

The Monon Center in Carmel is fairly new and I've been wanting to do the Lazy River ever since I heard about it. Sat. I got the chance! The Monon Center has a big workout area, a track for walking, basketball courts, meeting rooms and classrooms, indoor pool. Outside there is the Lazy River, a diving pool, lap pool, kiddie pool, a sandy section and the water slides area. There's probably a lot more I don't know about. Click HERE if you want to read more about The Monon Center.

Shopping

Since Mom's getting around good now (but still has to use a walker), I've started going out and doing a few things. One day I went to Hamilton Square which is east of Mom's just a few miles. It's a pretty outdoor mall with lots of flowers everywhere. Even though we have no pets, I went in to check out this Three Dog Bakery and was surprised to see two cases full of things that look like pastries and other fancy desserts for dogs! Borders is going out of business so everything was 40% off. I've never been much of a shopper but times like this when I don't really need anything and have some time to leisurely look, I kind of like it. When I worked full time I really hated wasting my days off doing any shopping.

Music at the Market

This was last week at the Farmers' Market. You can see The Monon Trail is very busy on nice days. It's just to the side of the market. A guy named Greg was a one man band playing and singing. After doing my shopping looking for cucumbers, onions, green beans and sweet corn, I sat and listened for quite a while. He sang a lot of island music and played a steel drum some. For a while several little kids ran around in front of him dancing and jumping and entertaining us. If you click on the video at the bottom, you can hear Greg singing and see the area.

Little Dresses for Africa

I've gotten to have some fun with my stamping friends this week! Today I went to lunch with one of my long time customers/friends, Suetta. Then she showed me her office where she works plus they happened to have on display all of these cute Little Dresses for Africa! Click HERE to go to their web site. Suetta's mom made about 150 of the 189 dresses and 131 pairs of shorts they have ready to send to Africa! I thought many would be exactly the same but they're all different and so cute! Much of the fabric and trims were donated and many dresses are made from pillowcases.

On Tues., I got to go to the home of one of the Stampin' Up! demonstrators in my downline for some "play time". There were three of us. I took a couple of projects that Lynn and Debbie could make and Lynn showed us how to make an origami star with our designer paper and some garden stakes with flashing and our Big Shot dies. Debbie & Lynn showed me how to make a mummy, ghost, pumpkin and bat that are the perfect size to hold a Hershey nugget - made out of our Petal Card Double punch (pg. 212 in our catalog).


As you can see on the blackboard, Lynn made us a yummy lunch of Greek Panzanella, asparagus with roasted pepper dip, and buckeye bars with Constant Comment iced tea. I really like Constant Comment hot or iced - it's a good black tea with a cinnamon flavor.

We finally got .9" of rain here in central Indiana during the night along with a lot of lightening and thunder. The yards and all sure needed it.

Visitors

Mom's brother, my Uncle Dale, stopped by one day on his new Honda Goldwing. He had a maroon one last time I saw him but recently traded for this red one. Looks like a really nice ride! He enjoys riding around in the summer.

The picture and video below is of the guy that comes to treat the pond behind Mom's house during the summer. It's to keep the pond clear of algae. Might be a fun summer job? The pond is really down and the grass looks bad after 37 days this summer above 90 and almost no rain.

Speaking of jobs, I called Bill the other night and said "I got a job!" I had answered the phone for Mom one day. A woman was calling wanting her to be a mystery shopper this week, but when she found out Mom is recovering from knee replacement she said "oh, she probably can't do this then but maybe you can help me"? She needed me to shop at a certain area furniture store this week at a certain time and be looking for something that would be at least $300 and observe how many associates were in the store, where they were located when I went in, how soon I was greeted and how, if things were dusted and pillows fluffed, etc. etc. So I agreed. I had been with Mom on one of these before at a jewelry store. I went one evening looking for a comfy living room chair, filled out the two pages of questions/observations, called to say I had completed the job and faxed them in - and was paid $25 for about an hour of "work"! Bill told me he was still going to have to transfer money to cover our credit card bills that have recently come in - my temp. job is not going to help much!

73rd Annual Carmel Lions Club Fish Fry

This evening was Mom's first time getting out of the house since surgery. We went to the fish fry and through the carry out line that you drive up to. We then parked across the street and ate. Mom realized when looking at the sign that this has been happening every year since she was 1!

The pictures at the bottom are of the building where Mom and Dad had their real estate business. The guys that bought it have just put in new landscaping. It looks nice.

I Love the Fresh Market

Every time I'm back in Carmel I try to go once to the Fresh Market that's just down the street from Mom's neighborhood. It's just a neat place to look around. I love how everything is displayed.

The produce looks colorful and fresh, and they always have unusual gifty things and seasonal items up front like wrapped chocolates for Christmas or Valentine's Day, Easter candy and even white chocolate covered pretzels drizzled with Colts blue. I used to stock up on their Big Train Spiced Chai Tea mix but have found out that it's not a good thing to drink when on a diet especially since I like it made with skim milk rather than water.

They have lots of flowers and the best thing is that their roses are always $9.99 a dozen. They are fresh and last a long time. The only problem is deciding which color to buy! I told mom last year and this year that rather than bringing flowers to her at the hospital, I'd get some roses from Fresh Market after she got home and felt better to enjoy them. The last picture is what I chose this time - kind of a salmon color which doesn't show up well in the picture, but they're beautiful. Grandma R. would've liked all of their orchids.

Perfect Weather for Lunch Outside

I got to have lunch today with my long time friend and blog reader, Marie - you've seen her comments here probably. We had lunch at a new restaurant, Detour, (click on the name to go to their web page) which is across from Bub's and right on The Monon Trail. Our lunch was really good. I had di Mario which was a thin flatbread with thin sliced roast beef, green & red peppers, mushrooms and melted mozzarella cheese. Marie's meal was very good too - quesadillas. The temp. was in the low 70's - perfect for lunch outside.

Marie and I met at my first full time job at Union State Bank and have stayed friends for about 30 years since. We went to Jazzercise together several years, became Stampin' Up! Demonstrators at the same time, went to the same church for a while, both went through divorces and the single years after and went on a couple of fun trips together. Now we're both happily married and she even has a granddaughter.

Bill has been working on the corn and bean heads for the combine. Today he's at an insurance class in Des Moines. He's on the board of Pocahontas Mutual and has to take a class every year.

Carmel Farmers' Market

Yesterday was my first time out for very long since Mom's surgery, and it was to a fun destination - the Farmers' Market. It has sure changed since I lived here! Lots more booths and most have a tent, lots more food to eat like walking waffles, (3rd picture), Kettle Corn, crepes, smoothies. There's a guy there every week to sharpen knives. There is always music, and you could smell ribs being grilled.

They have cooking demonstrations every week done by area restaurants (7th picture). Notice the "park my ride" area for those that come on bikes. The market is right next to The Monon Trail. Click HERE to read more about the Monon Trail. The My Dad's Sweet Corn is the best around we think (2nd picture). The silver eggplants were interesting and so were the ones with the noses! Don't forget that you can click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Click HERE to read more about the Carmel Farmers' Market.

What's Happening

August is when the farmers are getting their equipment out and checking it over to make sure it's all in working order. Beans will be ready to be combined in about a month. Bill says he has had a busy day today. He got parts for the disk ripper and got them put on. He says it's ready to go. He went to an auction of our friends' parents' stuff. He met a guy that came to work on one of the fire trucks.

Mom is still doing well since her knee surgery. It's been a week as of today. Last year she said the first 10 days was the hardest time so she's almost through that. The therapist came late this afternoon and will be here tomorrow - plus the nurse will come. The Kings stopped by and brought us a southern Indiana melon - yum!

It actually felt cool out at times today - with a nice breeze. It's supposed to get down in the 50's tonight. Maybe we can have windows open tomorrow!

Breakfast Out

Last week after I got here, Mom & I went out to breakfast to a place that my cousin David really likes in Noblesville, Rosie's Place. It's on the court house square. It's cozy with the brick walls and the food was pretty good. All of the scones and things they bake that were on display up front looked good too.

The last picture is of one of the trash cans downtown there that have a little "tree" and flowers planted in it.