3 March 2025

Scullery Maid was busy with Kitchen Maid this morning finishing up from last night's meal with the family. Chef made corned beef, mashed potatoes, corn, and fried cabbage with onions and kielbasa sausage. She also had romain and iceberg lettuce with all the fixings; red onions, green onions, pepperoncini, craisins, fried onions, grated cheese, baby carrots, cucumbers, bacon bits, croutons, salad sprinkles, cherry tomatoes, and dressings. Baker made peach cobbler, and had ice cream/homemade whipped cream to go with it for dessert.

Building Maintainer was BUSY today. She set up the ladder and got up into the "belly of the whale" to install some insulation. It seems that 50 years ago when The Hermitage was built, in their haste, they didn't put in about 15' of insulation. Five years ago when the kitchen remodel was going on, this was noticed. NOW it is finally up! Is it perfect? Goodness NO! Sometimes perfectionism is out the door. This was one of those times. She felt it was "good" and since breathing was an issue up there, and black snot was the end result, everyone was fine with it and no one complained. Also, because no one else wants to go into "the belly of the whale!" Then she got out the drywall mud and prepared the kitchen ceiling, and bathroom area ready for texture and paint. This won't happen this week though.

The rest of the week MANY of us in The Hermitage will be BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. Chauffeur, Reader, Costumer, Prop Master, Board Member, Disciple, and others.

Someone has a teeth cleaning.

Reader and Costumer prepared for upcoming events this week. Reader was asked to read to two third grade classes, as well as a kindergarten, and a pre-k class this week as part of "Reading Week." Costumer dug out the Belle, and the Rapunzel dresses, as well as Pascal and a "pooch" who will be joining for the story time. Prop Master also got out one of the tiara's and a small cast iron skillet. Reader will be reading, obviously, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast. Hopefully this will go over well.

Board Member will be attending a County Planning Meeting to fight a proposed Paint/Auto Body shop on the corner. We don't want it rezoned for that. Some of us in The Hermitage would rather have a Waffle House.

Disciple and Reader will be having some fun with the Activity Girls this week. There are also some choir practices coming up for some special events.

Gardener is pleased with all of the blooming flowers at The Hermitage! Lavender, daffodils, jonquils, iris, rosemary, violets, orchids, and the freesia are next up.

AND someone is getting their hair done!!! Maybe...that may be delayed. Ornithologist has been keeping her eyes on the Bald Eagles at Big Bear! Jackie laid three eggs; January 22nd, 25th, and 28th. She and Shadow have been sitting on the three eggs and two of them have pipped! Maybe tomorrow or the next day the third one will pip. She is SO excited to watch all this. She has been reading a LOT about bald eagles and has learned some fascinating things. She is having a lot of fun with this.

Anyway, things are happening in The Hermitage. Thankfully the wind has died down. It did blow a tree over last night.

Have a GREAT week!

 1 March 2025

Writer has a touch of scatter-brain this weekend, and it seems to have carried over to others who have been a tad loopier than normal today. Disciple had to text a friend because she couldn't remember what time Church starts tomorrow! It starts at 10. Thanks Gina!

Gardener forgot the water was running and luckily remembered after about 20 minutes. But she hadn't watered all week, so maybe that will be okay.

Chef isn't on strike, but told Chauffeur to stop at a local eatery as she wasn't preparing anything. She IS preparing a meal for The First Family Dinner tomorrow. She is fixing corned beef, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, and peach cobbler.

Board Member has been busy helping at the clubhouse. We put up new blinds in the windows, replaced several electrical outlets, and put the AC vents back in the ceiling. She helped with the blinds and outlets, surprising one of the other board members.

All of us in The Hermitage are trying to get back to "normal" or what is normal for us. After some were gone for two weeks, we've forgotten what we are supposed to be doing. Next week will be a busy one! Teeth cleaning. Meetings. Getting our hair done with our FAVORITE hairdresser! WOOHOO!!! Can't wait.

AND it is reading week next week in honor of Dr. Seuss. Reader and Educator have been asked to do something they ABSOLUTELY LOVE to do! They will be dressing up as Rapunzel and reading the Rapunzel story to two third grade classes...one of the classes Queen's grandson is in! Then the next day she will be dressing up as Belle and reading Beauty and the Beast to a Pre-K class and a Kindergarten class! When asked why they said:

They love children

They love teaching

They love reading

They want children to have a love of reading

They want the grandson to maybe see them in a different light/way

They love fairytales

They love dressing up

They rarely have interactions with people as we rarely leave The Hermitage

Reading week is special

When Employee was working in school libraries, during reading week she would put up a display of "Banned Books" in hopes students would check them out. She once tried to encourage a couple of students to check out the "Banned Books" display, and they said they "didn't want to read about musical instruments!" Palm to forehead. Too bad! They may have learned something. Nevertheless, books and reading are THE BEST! Shopper purchased four books at the DI yesterday; two for Reader and Educator to use on their outing and two because they were Fancy Nancy books, and are delightful. Not to mention we absolutely needed to add to the thousands of books we already have in The Hermitage. Organizer saw the books, shook her head, and was dumbfounded that Shopper purchased them. Organizer even questioned, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!?!" Shopper wasn't thinking. She is just crazy when it comes to books and loses her mind. Well, it's already lost, so there's that.

Anyway, it is time for the Redistribution of our little treasure we've collected this week. Should be entertaining. Have a GREAT week. Share your light and your smiles!