Scrambling Eggs and a List

First, something to watch out for with the sound off. The woman is laughing softly. So, you are not missing anything.

 Shopping List so funny!

Monday morning, I decided to make scrambled eggs. Tommy brought me a baking tray, a large bowl and a small bowl. I managed to crack 8 eggs one at a time into the smaller bowl, checking for shells and then dumped one egg at a time into the larger bowl. In the kitchen I managed the beater just fine and strained the eggs. 

I dumped all 8 beaten and strained eggs into a skillet that was not quite warm enough to actually cook them. So, I turned the burner up and tried to stand leaning on the stove. When I was in so much pain, I felt I would fall, I called Tommy and asked him to help. My instructions were to keep stirring until the eggs started to clump up, then call me. Don't let them form a brown skim on the eggs. Well, he called me and I could smell browned scrambled eggs! I hate the taste of brown skin on my scrambled eggs. I could see it, too. 

Plus, the eggs were very dry and about the size of a small lima bean and smaller. Finally, he said, "Linda, I have never even seen anyone scramble eggs!" Unbelievable.

I spent a long time getting the brown off the eggs and put half away for Tuesday. He had very wisely removed the skillet from the hot eye! 

The plan is to scramble two eggs some day and let him watch. 

I was fussing about why he did not call me sooner, but he thought it was soon enough when he did call me.

Tuesday, we drove to the doctor's office and Tommy walked in and got me an appointment. I did not feel like arguing with the answering service. I feel so awful that I can barely keep my head up, so I am not sure what I will be like in two weeks. 

Tommy got me two bananas from Publix after the trip to get appointment. I had him get me a 16 oz. cup of chicken wild rice soup from Publix. I polished that off as a snack in the middle of the afternoon. I think it has been over a year since I had that soup. 

Tommy brought me everything to slice for soup--carrots, potatoes, onion, celery. He had peeled the carrots and potatoes for me. He put it all in the crockpot with two cups of water. He has the diced tomatoes, corn, and green beans on the counter with summer savory. It may be midnight before it is ready to eat. He still needs to brown the hamburger meat. 

So, that's my whole day...nothing much, still feverish. It is 7 pm right now, and I feel like I need to go to bed for the night. 

The neighbors have turned out to be a nightmare in more ways than the dog. I really don't care about the pool and trampoline and basketball goal and balls of all sorts all over the yard. I do mind the barking still. But, about two months ago, they put a 6' pool out by the road and regularly dump garbage in it. The pool is partially collapsed and has water and trash in it. Lynda was incensed when she saw it, "We are not going to allow this." Maybe she is going to call the city??? 

The smallest child next door was running and crying. One of the mothers was punishing him by making him run until he started crying. She promised to punish him further if he did not quit crying. That is called child abuse. 

Do you make a grocery list for your husband that is illustrated in any way or has extra instructions? 

Do you have junky neighbors? 

They still have all the junk parked in the carport from their moving in a year ago. The three cars cannot get near the carport. At Christmas, they moved a full bedroom of furniture out there. It is still there, getting rained on when the wind blows it in. I cannot imagine why they don't get rid of it. No one in this whole subdivision has junk around like this house. Lucky us--trash pile and barking dogs. 

Very Busy Monday

 There is nothing growing in the culture. The antibiotics are not helping one bit. I still have an elevated temperature and chills all the time, chills like my fever is breaking. So, I don't know. Yes, I will take care of this.

Today, it was not going to rain, and I had things to do. And, we did it all, plus I was able to track down phone numbers I have not been able to find. And, I managed to make more than a few phone calls. 

Tommy had some books he wanted to purge. I asked for one and asked him if I could sell the others. So, we loaded up four books and took them to 2nd and Charles. That did not work out--$2 for one book and $4 for one other. Obviously, they did not want the books. I will put them on facebook marketplace.

I bought Spare and am disappointed in the binding. Wondering if this was just the cheapest means to sell a book on Amazon, Tommy went into Barnes & Nobles. Their binding is the same. He bought himself a cup of coffee and a piece of Godiva cheesecake for me. 

He went into Belk's for me and used my gift card he got me. I was able to shop via him, phone, and sales clerk. Remember when I ordered Butterfly Meadow by Lenox and one plate came shattered? Well, I had a $20 credit. He bought the three accent plates they had. So, I still only have five dinner plates, but that is okay. When I have four other people over to eat, I will worry about it then. Or, I can use the accent plate.

We had to wait an hour for 2nd and Charles to insult us! So, we had a tiny cheeseburger from McD, watched the cloudy sky, and window shopped from the car. I have never had the desire to go in Five Below, but I looked at what I could see. I still don't want to go in. I forgot what else we saw, what stores. Oh, Plato's Closet was another. 

I called a friend who has antiques and knows a bit about the book scene in Birmingham. He was not there but his employee said we would have no better luck at Reed's Books. Reed's Books is fantastic. I have bought and sold there before. The history books Tommy is selling are so large I cannot lift them. I am glad we did not carry my books! I don't sell books by weight...lol.   

Today, we were in a shopping center in a place called Trace Crossings, tony place. It was sad because there were so many nice shops closed. Some were empty and it was not evident what stores were there. Tommy was the first to comment on the sad state of the shops, closed and probably not coming back. This was not just a shop here and there, but rows of shops. We came home with no more stops, just what we left to do, except McD.

We did go out after dinner was in the oven and look for a pink bag with ads and coupons and found none. Anne, do they still throw these in your neighborhood? 

We are having chicken something. Plus, we have leftover slaw, baked zucchini and squash.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Cleaning and Gift

 The young woman who cleans came today. I sort of had her all over the house. She certainly did not have me for oversight because I felt too awful to care. She did quite a few things.

Changed my sheets.

Cleaned out drawers and under the bathroom sink. She threw away things with a 1995 date! Emptied bathroom trash that had at least a dozen out of date or empty bottles. He buys the largest size possible, always, so there was a huge bag.

Cleaned and emptied the refrigerator. I had her wipe off all bottles/jars. I wanted Tommy to replace items since he needs to know where things are and what is in the cheese crate. He threw away a lot of tidbits that were pushed back, but not a lot of food waste. 

Put grate back on bottom of the refrigerator. Neither Tommy nor I can get down that far. It mostly lays on the floor and gets kicked around, not on purpose. Tommy just said it is coming off again. I give up! I will have her look at it better next week.

Emptied and put away a box that had gathered lots of cans. She gave them to me to date with a marker, front and top. Then, she put them on appropriate shelves in bedroom and kitchen. 

Took the cover off stove vent hood and replaced the curly bulb with a regular bulb which was much brighter. I can barely see to even scramble eggs. I will put the cover into the dishwasher. I could have and would have done this myself, but when I came here, Tommy said I was not allowed to do so. I have not asked, just lost motivation and ability to do it myself.

Changed the bag in the vacuum. I have never changed the bag since I only used it for five minutes. I managed to order from Amazon new bags that came just in time for her visit today. It is impossible to use without pain. She figured it out. She vacuumed in front of my chair, Tommy's chair, and open space between front door and door to hall, not a lot. 

Emptied the kitchen garbage. She is really good about taking out the trash without being asked. 

Theeennnn, she got me on ebay. I was hoping that I could list things while I am not feeling well. Well, there was a glitch, so I will work on it myself. She needed to go home. I could have signed up for ebay like I did last time, but I was sooo tired and had a fever.

Yesterday, Tommy brought in the mail. There was a magazine for me. "On, no. I am not paying for this "free gift"! Well, it really was a gift from a friend for a magazine--allrecipes for one year. Great! Thanks, Jan. I browsed Saturday afternoon. Now, I will look for a recipe to cook. I love the internet version. But, I prefer a book/magazine in my hand. 

My temperature is still around 99 or 100 degrees. And, I am taking the antibiotic. Tomorrow, I will call AFC and see about the culture results. 

Dinner: a bit of pork loin, one yellow squash, tiny potato, onions--all baked last night. Tommy had pork loin, potato, onion, zucchini, yellow squash. We both had a sourdough roll later. I had banana half for breakfast, grapes before dinner, and half an apple after dinner. Before I go to bed, I will have strawberries. 

Oh, I knew what I wanted for Valentine's Day. You know I never miss an excuse for chocolate. Ghirardelli's Dark Chocolate Raspberry Squares. I suppose these are better for me than the traditional chocolates in a heart box and cheaper. I had shown Tommy what I wanted last week. He was very disappointed I had bought it this week since he wanted to get it for me. I knew it would be gone if he waited, but it did go on his cc. He put it where I cannot reach it at my request. I want something different for dinner and something I don't cook, just a meal we can eat here. 

Before the cleaner left, she asked, "Is it okay if I come next Sunday? Seriously, she asks my permission?

 Do you like the allrecipe website? 

Are you having a cheap and low-key Valentine's Day or do you go all out? 

Wasting Food!

I wasted food!

Tonight, I was going to make slaw, so Tommy brought me everything I needed to make it on a tray in my lap. So far, so good. Well, except for the fact the cabbage was almost liquid and smelled awful. I hate that! But, I made a packaged salad given to me. It was fresh--Maple Bourbon Bacon, a chopped kit. It has Romaine lettuce, Broccoli, Red and Savoy cabbage, green onions, uncured smoky bacon, golden honey almonds. 

There was just a tiny bit of the dressing, and I am not a fan at all. There was even less of the bacon and almonds. 

The other slaw I had to toss was bought two weeks ago, just before I started feeling tired and lazy. This is the result of being ill. Tommy did not mention it should be used, not that he should! Wasting food is brought on by being ill. We wasted a bit of chicken breast, too. Ordinarily, I would have frozen it, but it was too long since it was baked. Hopefully, that is all we have wasted. The woman is coming to clean tomorrow, so everything can be taken out and uncovered. 

I will drink soured milk by making chocolate milk. Of course, I can bake with sour milk. Slimy cabbage and rotten meat are too much! 

We went to Cullman today. It was a beautiful day, sunny and not to cool--60F. 

Dinner: Tommy--bbq on 2 drumsticks sandwiches, lots of slaw. I had chicken breast with bbq on it, no bun, lots of slaw. We also had grapes. The two of us almost finished the whole bag of slaw! That was delicious and a lot of chewing! 

I need to do things before the cleaner gets here since I have been lethargic for the two weeks since she came.

Do you tend to waste food when you are ill? What is your biggest food wasting excuse, not that it is not true? 

Tulip Magnolia Tree

 

FACTS ABOUT THE TULIP MAGNOLIA TREE

We sat for a few minutes near a tulip tree. The flowers were unfurling and the whole tree was a mist of pink against a dark blue sky. I love these sights. It will soon be in full flower. There is one across the street that pleases me to see. When the front door is open, it is in my line of sight. Happiness!! 

Wednesday night, I felt like I was recovering well. I put the turkey breast in the oven and roasted it. When it was done and cooled a bit, I took the meat from the bones and just put all the meat in one bag, preferring not to portion it out and freeze. Tommy was hanging close. looking over my shoulder,  so I asked him if he wanted a bit. He said he wanted crispy skin. So, he tried to get all the skin, I think. That's okay. lol.

Friday, after finally getting to sleep and sleeping seven hours Thursday night, I feel like I have relapsed! So, not sure I can even go to the stress test on Monday. 

Even though I feel awful, I try to get things done. Thankfully, Tommy keeps pans and stuff in the sink that does not go in the dishwasher clean and put away. When he gets a couple of potatoes peeled, I will put on the pork loin with carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, zucchini and squash. We go light on the potatoes and heavy on the other vegetables. It is all in the oven plus two grape tomatoes. The vegetables will last three days. Pork loin is iffy. It should last three days, maybe not. It depends on how greedy we are. 

I put all the vegetables in the cooking bag and placed the marinated pork loin on top. It was very colorful, a beautiful sight. I tried to take a picture of it all in the cooking bag, but the camera battery needed to be recharged. I rarely take photos anymore. 

The morning after taking first antibiotic, I felt good, almost well. This morning, I felt worse than when I went to the doctor. I wonder why. 

Saturday, I might have Tommy go into Belk's to spend my credits I have since they don't work online. I need more flannel sheets. Hopefully, my seeming relapse is just my reaction to the antibiotic. Lots of antibiotics cause me to feel ill. 

Do you live in the South where Tulip Trees thrive? Do you have a tulip tree? Do you have any flowering trees?

The End of Something

I saw an advertisement for Nearly Natural Faux Plants. I liked the name of the company and loved this plant which I will love but not embrace.

Around noon, I heard something on the porch. We both guessed it was a box from UHC; it was. I received the final purchases made yesterday over the phone using the last of my $150 food/otc/utility allowance.

I received:

Deep Words OFF

Lotrimin (Why did I order this?)

1000 Q-tips

Centrum Silver Vitamins for Men over 50 (200)

Received earlier:

Bayer low-dose enteric aspirin

Neosporin

Oximeter

Vitamin D

So, that is the end of it, free money. Along with my groceries from yesterday, these were my benefits for $150. I suppose I have 1000 Q-tips already, so this should be a lifetime supply. I already have this many here. If I had stayed with this program, I would have gotten these benefits every month. 

I mended more dishcloths. We filled and started the dishwasher. Tommy washed dark clothes for me to hang inside. We put a turkey breast in the oven to roast. I feel a smidgen better, but then any exertion slams me.

Today and yesterday were cold with brisk winds. Brrr! As I felt so horrible, it hurt me. But, the sun part of the day was nice. It seems strange there is snow and ice in other places. Some of the trees have very swollen buds which is a nice promise. 

How is Spring coming along at your place? Swollen buds on trees? 

What is happening at your place? Plans?

Forsythia and Shopping/Doctor

 

forsythia

On the way somewhere, I saw that forsythia bushes were blooming. This is a sure sign of spring. I just hope that the early warm spell is not fooling the bushes into blooming, only the destroy the sunny display. Forsythia is in the olive family, but, alas, no olives. 

Many years ago, I bought a tiny forsythia. It bloomed and grew, giving me immeasurable joy for several years. I wanted another to go with it. I waited until we had a soaking rain. Then, I went out and cut about a dozen of the long stems. The, about three feet from the first, I took the stems and poked them as far as I could into the soggy ground. Lo and behold, they all took. So, I had two forsythia bushes. My experiment worked! 

Daffodils were blooming at my house the middle of January. It is just too warm for flowers. Well, too early for them to bloom. However, I usually have daffodils around the first week of January and they live and rebloom the next year. 

Yesterday, last night, we decided to go the Cullman to AFC since my doctor cannot see me until late next week. And, the other places here are iffy as to treatment. In the middle of the night, I got up and decided to see what urgent care businesses were right near us. Well, there is one less than a mile away that had horrible reviews. I cannot endure a 4 hour wait. So, I ditched that idea. 

We went to Cullman and I saw a nurse practitioner. The whole experience was positive except for one woman who was a pain. Everyone else was super nice and some remembered me. I left after giving a specimen. And, I got a prescription. So, I will start it and wait for the incubating specimen to reveal what kind of bacteria is hurting me. I had been told the front of the card worked and, surprisingly, it did. So, I had no problem at AFC with my bill. Only the back of the card is wrong. 

I used the rest of the UHC $150. allowance for otc and healthy food. I had $35.12 left to spend and $1.11 on a Publix card for a return. 

White grapes

quart of strawberries

3 red delicious apples

clamshell of Romaine

2 pints grape tomatoes

2 lbs. carrots

5 lbs russet potatoes 

2 bananas (I had 2 at home)

small bowl of watermelon (to eat on the way home)

2 Stovetop Stuffings

Tinactin foot spray

Bottle of Dasani (because I dropped my lid on the floor in the doctor's office and I was not going to use the lid again. I was not going to try to keep from spilling water. So, I wasted it and bought one bottle.)

I have not had white/green grapes in ages. I just buy red for Tommy. Everything else will be eaten or it will last. None of it except for tomatoes and lettuce will be in danger. But, we will make sure nothing goes to waste. 

Since Tommy and I did not keep up with the total well, we got more than we had "money" on the card. My total was $13.41, Over $4 of which was tax. We had the opportunity to put some of the food back but chose to pay for it. Another benefit was that I got rid of the Publix card since those cards do get bulky in a tiny purse. 

Overall, it was a good day, but it ended up cold and rainy. I have meds, lots of fresh food, and feel hopeful that I will get better. We will have a salad with chicken, tomatoes, and cheese, and dressing. Tommy will not want cheese. 

It is cold here. Tomorrow, I will make soup with vegetables and hamburger meat I have thawing--1lb of ground beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, green beans, tomato sauce and tomato bits or whole, celery, onions, bell pepper, lima beans. Part of the ground beef I cook will be saved for the Kraft spaghetti kit. Since I am using the crockpot for the soup, it may not hold all the cans I want to put into it. I will only put two small potatoes diced small. Then, I may not put the whole can of vegetables into the pot, saving them for another meal later. Pepper, savory, and a bay leaf will be added. Of course, I will take the bay leaf out after cooking. 

I cannot wait until dinner on Thursday. I have not had this soup for several years. I don't know why. 

How was your day? Cold like mine? What are you having for dinner? Got any soup plans for the rest of the week?

Tuesday--Not Much

 I called my new doctor on Monday and never received a return call. I called back today and the answering service tried to answer my questions and told me there were no appointments for a week! Since when does the answering service do this? Even the np does not have an appointment until Monday. I would not go to her anyway. Finally, I convinced answering service to connect me to the front desk. Nope, no appointments. 

So, they wasted the day. I will go to afc tomorrow! 

I don't freeze milk and never have except for the first and only time. You still have to have it taking up room in the freezer for several days as it thaws.  I did try pouring it in pint jars and freezing it so that the thawing was not too bad. But, no, won't ever freeze milk. Tommy does and can deal with drinking it as it thaws. 

Monday night, I baked 18 drumsticks and two chicken breasts. So, I have frozen meat. Tonight, I will bake the turkey breast and freeze that. Maybe I won't.

Two naps took most of my day...lol. I had Special K and 1/2 banana and milk for breakfast. For lunch a chicken sandwich. For dinner, I don't want anything. Maybe I will have oats or Cream of Wheat. 

Today, I called uhc and ordered more otc/food items. In the catalog, I found Spam. Since when is Spam healthy food, purportedly all that can be bought with the funds? It makes no sense. . Hormel Compleats are not healthy but approved by uhc. I don't eat it, anyway. Before Jan 31, I will go to Publix and spend the last $35 on produce or whatever foodstuffs I am allowed to purchase. 

Dinner: Tommy had baked chicken, mashed potatoes, leftover English peas. I had a piece of apple pie and milk. 

Last night, I mended four dishcloths, mending tiny holes that were growing. Or did I say that? Today, I folded clothes and hung more to dry. I am not really ambitious. 

Tonight, we have been watching Marion Davies films. Interesting. 

I have been a slug today, a slug with a fever. What have you accomplished? Cooked?

Milk Decision and Toe Towel

As you know, I drink a2milk to avoid the a1 protein in milk an allergen that causes me gastric distress. When it is on sale, I buy at least 3 or 4 half gallons to save money. The last time it was on sale, I bought 6 half-gallons. The refrigerator cannot handle this and food. Tommy's gallon jug was in there along with two other bottles of something and a half gallon of chocolate milk. 

I always leave the milk in the plastic bag from the grocery. I think this helps insulate the milk to keep it colder as we open the door. Consequently, it was dark inside the refrigerator. So, I made a decision that we will never buy more than three half-gallons at a time. Usually, there will be at least one more of my milk and a gallon of his. 

Tommy mentioned he needed to find a way to get his feet clean, really clean since he cannot reach them at all. So, I got the bucket with a handle. He hates it. I like it. Then, he said he needs a way to clean between his toes. So, I order a thing called a toe towel from Amazon. It is thing plastic handle with a terry cloth towel that fits the end--a toe towel. It works! 

We were both given a backscratcher that is too floppy to work. It will be perfect for making a toe towel cleaner. I will let you know how it works. 

Four more toe towels to fit on the wand cost $14. I believe I can use a needle and thread and hand sew toe towels from a washcloth cheaper than that. 

When I mentioned the state of his feet several years ago, he declared angrily that it was his business and to leave it alone. Then, when I made both of us an appointment with a podiatrist, he accepts ever suggestion. Even when I use his card to buy things for his feet, he acts pleased. 

Late last night when I could barely stand or hold up my head as I sat, I decided what is wrong with me. I have a UTI. I could get no response from the new doctor because the np hates me, and the feeling is mutual. So, I may have to go all the way to St. Vincent instead of two miles down the road. 

Today, I made 9 phone calls to United Health Care. !!! Last week, I was given my new number--16 digits under the upc. Well, I used it to order online. Now that I need the number again, I am denied that for a variety of reasons. I wrote it down and misplaced it. I really need to go to the doctor. I told one guy that if I had to pay out of pocket, uhc would reimburse me. He agreed they would. But, I bet I have to fight for it. 

All last week, I felt blah. Now, I know why, and I am running a 100F temp. I may go to Cullman to a doctor. 

Right now, I need to cook dinner. The red cabbage is cooked. The plan is to bread chicken slices with Panko I have never used and cook that. Maybe I will bake the yellow squash and zucchini. Of course, I will have an apple later. Tommy might eat the cherries. I eat three fruits and at least three fruits every day. I bought the Panko on sale on sale and put it in the freezer. 

Doldrums and Deliveries

 Today has been slower than yesterday. Both days, I have not felt well. There is nothing I can put my finger on, just malaise. Once again, we did not leave the house. Well, Tommy took a load of clothes to the washer and dryer. 

I am determined to do things tonight. Since it is 7:30 now, I need to get a move on. I need to label all my new panties with a stitch at the top seam of the elastic. I need to wash my hair. I really want to make a little progress on cutting and maybe putting the shelf paper into the drawers of the chest of drawers. 

See, that is not much. My goals are reachable, but I believe I probably should get up and start something if I ever intend to finish anything I have planned. 

One thing I want to do is make a notebook for next Christmas. I see ideas for decorations that make a big display but are dirt cheap. But, by next year I will have forgotten most of them or remember the ideas a few days before Christmas. Same for all the other holidays. I don't want to pin them or keep the information. I like a book to hold, even if I have to make the book! I can still keep a record in a notebook of where to find the idea. When I tore out magazine pages for idea, I kept them together in a large envelope or a drawer. 

I see dead simple ideas for all holidays, things I can easily implement and cheaply. Do you keep ideas? How? Where? 

What is it with deliveries these days? My United Healthcare order was only partially filled with no information when the rest will come. An Amazon order of Tommy's is delayed/cancelled. Two of my orders are cancelled. Heretofore, very few orders I have expected have arrived on late or have been cancelled. Have you had problems with deliveries, either not being delivered or late?

Dinner for me: baked chicken, wrap with ham. Swiss cheese, and lettuce. Also, half an apple and 8 huge strawberries. Tommy: pork loin, salad, mashed potatoes, cheese toast later.

Last of Christmas and Repairs and UHC

 Saturday was another quiet day in the house. The car was not started all day, and I stayed in my nightgown.  Actually, I slept in a summer nightgown and put this winter nightgown on because I was chilly. I never did ask about the temperature of thermostat setting. 

Sunday starts the Year of the Rabbit. Maybe the year will be as gentle as a bunny. However, the only time I ever tried to hold a rabbit, it kicked me and hurt me! Maybe this year will be gentler than that rabbit.

On Friday, I mended the Christmas deer that broke a leg somehow. I think it fell over on the bookcase where I had placed it. I forgot to put them out for Christmas, so I put them out the day after Christmas. There were two deer and a Santa. I bought the two deer at a furniture store, went back in several weeks later and found a Santa. The deer are white with wreaths around their necks. The Santa has a long red robe and sack on his back and a wreath in his other hand. All three of these pieces are beautiful. They are sort of frosted with very small glitter that never seems to fall off much on things. 

I let the glue on the deer leg set for a couple of days. When I was ready to put the Santa in its box, I remembered I needed to repair it, too. When I returned to the store and found the Santa to purchase at half price, the woman took it to the register to wrap it and place it in a shopping bag. She exclaimed that it was "damaged, so you can have it for $9." The price I was going to pay was something like $18, and that was the half cost. So, I got a Santa worth almost $40 for $9. This was several years ago and when I had money to spend after Christmas. 

The damage was a hole in the Santa sack over his shoulder. It was a tiny hole, too small for a patch. It does not show at all sitting as a display. I was going to put a tiny patch and paint it later. But, today, I put a drop of E6000 on it. If it dries whole instead of just going down into the hole, I will store it as it is and maybe next year find something brown to color the clear hole. Maybe it will be done and left as is. Some repairs are just as good when minimal. Trying to make the brown match would probably just make the repair move obvious.

This is the last of the Christmas decorations as I put the rest away on NYE. The deer and Santa were not in my line of vision! The Kiss stays out and is lit at night, thanks to a remote and fairy lights. 

For the last three years I have saved coins in a little bank from Tootsie Rolls. I had Tommy count it all for me--over $35. This last year, I saved little in the coin banks. I still have piles of coins the cleaner got from under the nightstand and bed. Since I mostly use a debit card, I get few coins. These coins are saved for the grill I want. Since I rarely find coins, this is the little I get from change or on a return. I wish I could find wheat pennies! 

Only four of my products came from UHC--oxygen monitor, low-dose aspirin, Vit D, and Neosporin. I wonder when the rest will arrive.

Dinner tonight is all leftovers: Chicken breast or pork roast, mashed potatoes, baked carrots/sugar peas/broccoli, salad with Romaine and tomatoes. 

I love to repair things. I know--crazy. Do you mind repairs or like doing repairs? 

If you get OTC from UHC, do they dribble in a few items at a time?

For what are your coins tagged? 

Yuck, Gag, Truly Awful

 I have not had Cream of Wheat in years. I love it but it is not something I should eat since I love it with milk, butter, and sugar. But, once in a while, I succumb to buying Cream of Wheat. 

First off, when I opened it, I realized I had bought the expensive stuff in little packets. Well, too late. When I am sitting on a cart, I cannot see high and find what I want. When the guy put his hand on it and asked if it were what I wanted, I said "yes" in order not to waste his time. Well, I wasted money.

I put a packet and the right amount of water in a bowl, microwaved it and prepared it to eat. Since I was trying to make it healthy, I did not use salt and only one spoon of sugar instead of my preferred three spoons of sugar. As I stirred it around to mix it all, I put a dab of butter, probably two teaspoons of butter. Then, before it was stirred well, I had a taste. Oh, YUCK. I needed to spit it out. Sitting in my chair, I found nothing into which to spit! Tommy could not figure out my anguish. I had put a spoon of salt into the COW and had a good portion of it in my mouth! It took me hours to get over that horror. Actually, I could have spit it into the bowl since it was all inedible, anyway. 

Why I had salt in a quart canning jar is anyone's guess. At this point, I decided I need a better labeling system! 

Today was another low-key day and nothing spent. Lynda gave us a tray of vegetables and dip. We saved the tomatoes, threw out the dip, and cooked the rest. (below)

Dinner: hamburger patty cooked in oven with onion soup mix over it, carrots, sugar peas, broccoli cooked in oven on another pan. Tommy had half a leftover oven baked potato that was cooked with chicken. This was all truly delicious. But, I should have used only a sprinkle of the onion soup mix. There are leftover baked vegetables. 

Have you ever gotten a spoon of salt in your mouth, thinking it was something else and sweet? Or, have you oversalted or seasoned and made something truly awful?

Solving a few Problems

Several months ago, a woman had a product that I decided to try one day. So, I bought it--Kraft Spaghetti Classics Tangy Italian Spaghetti, Spice Mix & Parmesan Cheese.  I want to thaw some cooked ground beef to add to it. 

The woman said her grandsons love it. I will taste it and let you know what I think. I am looking forward to this. But, I highly doubt I will ever purchase it again. Plus, it has angel hair pasta which I don't like, either. I may use some regular spaghetti instead. Have you tried this?

I found Kraft Chunk Cheese Medium for $3. I grabbed six or had someone hand it to me. Somehow, I came home with two mild cheese which I loathe and a pepper jack that Tommy will eat, not me. I can eat the mild but it is gross. It tastes bitter to me. So much for getting a bargain! 

Today, I had several goals. I made a list and we set out. We stayed away for two hours and made three stops. 

First, The Pig. Tommy had mentioned he needed something for a bit of athlete's foot he had. He is not happy he cannot reach his feet to wash them, either. I knew none of this. I have several tubs like wash pans that people use in a sink. But, that would be inadequate. If he could put it on the floor, he could reach his feet. So, I bought a Libman bucket that is tall and has a handle. I thought it might work. He tried and it would not. With that purchase, I used a digital coupon and received a Success Boil in Bag Rice. (buy $10 and get the rice free) I will give that to my 90 yr+ friends. She said they would use it. 

I will get some kind of bin that suits him, and I will use that bucket because I cannot get into the shower as it frightens me as the sound of the water makes me dizzy. It is hard to get my feet clean!

 A few weeks ago, we both got day planners. His runs from July 22 to June 23 and he hates it. So, I got him a new one. I don't understand why the first one ran like it did. Useless. At another store I bought a long brush for my feet. Since my knees swell from a medication, I cannot reach my feet either! 

While in The Pig, I found two balls for a quarter each. These will be therapy for us...lol. We can kick the soccer ball and toss the pink ball. Well, when we get them blown up, they will be useful to support present skills and not lose the skills. We do have the little air thing for tires, so maybe we won't explode the balls. 

Onward--I bought a package of panties, Command hooks, E6000 glue, and Squeaky-Clean Straws. The Command hooks are to put on the bathroom waste basket, but upside down to hold the plastic bag liner in place. It usually slides down. I saw it on the internet. Tommy approves.

The E600 glue is for the reindeer that fell and broke its leg. Then, I can finally put it away.  The Squeaky-Clean Straws are split down the side to open and wash, needing no cleaning brush. They are BPA-Free and plastic-free and can be put in the dishwasher and are silicone. Of course, they are reusable. I tried opening a straw and closing it back. It works. 

At the Publix in Cullman, they had a spray for athlete's foot that Tommy liked. Here, they did not have the Tinactin Liquid, so I bought another Tinactin he liked. It cools the burn which he does not have. Oh, I bought a 1/8 sheet pan, small like we needed to put multiple items in the oven. I also bought strawberries and yellow squash. 

My daffodils at my lot are blooming! 

Did I say that last night I ordered items, otc that are allowed and healthy food? 

Dinner: baked chicken, green peas for Tommy, and mashed potatoes. 

Have you ever heard of or used Command Hooks on the outside of a wastebasket to hold a bag in place? 

Have you ever used the Straws that split to wash? If so, how do you like them?

Too Good to be True

 Since it is Wednesday, I barely remember Tuesday. But, it has nothing to do with my memory. It is because nothing happened Tuesday that was memorable. 

Tuesday dinner was even leftovers, delicious, but not very exciting, all leftovers--baked chicken, carrots, and potatoes along with leftover green beans, plus peas for Tommy. Later I had half an apple and a couple of cookies. So did Tommy.

Tuesday night, I made a chicken, MW, and cheese sandwich on keto bread for Wednesday breakfast, which I ate in the car as Tommy drove. I spent my time before leaving washing my hair. It dries on the trip up. 

Wednesday, we went for Cullman for a couple of reasons. There was a lunch that once was inside. Now, we pick it up--hamburger patty with gravy and mashed potatoes, green beans, small piece of buttered bread, and two cookies. 

When we got our dinners, we took two dinners to our 90+ friends. The woman was having physical therapy at home. They were very grateful. 

Sportsman's Lake was not open, so we ate at a little city park with all short bare, brown trees. 

At the PO, the only two pieces of mail were from United Health Care. I got a new card and tried to activate it. I was so upset because it could not be activated as it was an exact duplicate of the one that does not work, so the new one does not work, either. The woman told me my new card number that would work.  The manager at Publix figured out how to enter the number without the card. I tried it on a banana and it worked. I shopped otc in the pharmacy and it did not work! However, I did get the test banana for only 3 cents. 

We also went to the body shop, but the woman owner was on the way to take relatives to the airport. I suppose it was people who came to the grandmother's funeral this last weekend. I left a message we would be back in an hour. An hour later they still were not back. So, we will go back next week or the next. Thankfully, the car is fully drivable. 

That was our day in Cullman. When we got home, I took a nap. Is anyone surprised that I took a nap? 

For dinner tonight, we had a repeat of lunch--hamburger patty with gravy, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans. Later, I will have an apple and half a banana. I had strawberries sometime today.

Tonight, my goal is to order online from UHC. Wish me luck. Oh, I was chided today by the uhc lady who told me I got a replacement card, and the new card would be the card that worked, like this was all my fault. The card I got today had a huge scratch across the upc! Of course, I was not going to try to try to use it. 

That was our day, nothing much. We did miss an instapot demonstration! I did not know it was happening. 

I did make a decision yesterday--from now on when my milk is on sale, I will only buy three half-gallons instead of six. There is so much milk in the refrigerator that it was cluttered, and I could not find anything. The money saved is not worth the aggravation! It never goes bad, so no loss of milk occurs. 

What did you get done today? Anything new or exciting? Do you ever wash your hair and let it dry as you go somewhere?

A Day to Do Nothing

                                                                Would you recognize him? 

                                                                       Milburne Stone

After a hard day of watching someone cleaning, it is difficult for me the next day. I was on my feet more, sitting on my walker seat more, and stressed more on Sunday. After she left, we got the dishes in the dishwasher, so a bit more effort during the day. I did take a nap, but naps are no longer refreshing. I wake less exhausted, that's all. 

It seems today I mostly sat. We did go looking for a pink bag of ads and coupons. There were none, so that means I have to make a list from ads on the internet. 

I have, however, done a tiny bit of decluttering.  tiny  But, any decluttering is better than nothing. The table to my left seems to gather things. I have no idea how...lol. 

My car is finally back in the carport. It has been out since Tommy got hit. Then, when I put it back the other day, it was in wrong, so it needed to be changed. I have to put the car near the brick wall on the right so I can get out without feeling I might fall two feet to ground.  Plus, it must be parked where I don't hit the carport support and ruin the door finish. And, he needs to be able to push his walker beside it to washer in utility room to the front of the car. He said he can get by on the brick side. Well, that involves scraping my car! So, NO. 

In my optimistic head, I planned to call UHC today, but did not. I also needed to get new cell service. Did not. I should have put paper in the newly cleaned out drawers and I should have looked for my pink blanket. There is always tomorrow. I really was truly tired today since I need recovery days. 

Wow, it will be 70F here Tuesday and 72F on Wednesday. Tonight or tomorrow, I need to find my pink fuzzy blanket and Tommy needs to sort the items she took from his dresser drawers. 

In Tommy's sorting of his books, he is getting rid of five huge books, tomes (large and oversized), all about the Civil War. I absolutely did not encourage getting rid of these scholarly books. I will keep one as I need to know more about the subject. 

Dinner: baked chicken breasts and thighs, potatoes, and carrots. I will have an apple later. Dinner was delicious. Tommy added a chunk of bread to his plate. The chicken was very tough, but it was 195F inside, so I suppose it was safe to eat. Now is the time I wish for a pressure cooker. I will put the chicken back in the oven sans cooking bag and cook it more. I had four chicken breasts that weighed over five pounds for the pack. 

One chicken breast must have been nearly two pounds. Of course, I mean one side or half of the breast. I wonder how miserable that hen was before it was slaughtered. 

Okay, now I must put all the food away in freezer or refrigerator.

Is your energy at a level that causes you to need to rest after any exertion?  Does a portion of a day out of the house and in the car or at a doctor's office make you need two or three days to recover? 

A Day of Opposites

First, thanks to everyone who has responded about United Healthcare. I needed to hear. 

 

Second, I tried once again to use the card and was told only this flavor of drugstore who took this card was in Florida. I was going to get two items at $75, free, of course. Normally, these two items are around $40. So, that would eat up half of the $150 benefit for otc and food. 

I may not use this credit on otc since they are so expensive at the pharmacies where I can use the card. If I can find where it can be used on food, I will spend the card on food. When I talk to pharmacies, it is like I have three heads. 

Third, cleaner came today. I try to get in touch to see if she is still coming. However, she never called back all day Saturday. At 9:45, she pulled up, surprising me. I thought I had another no-show on my hands. 

She brought in the ladder and put two new bulbs in the ceiling in my bedroom. Now, I can see. She has been using her little Shark vac because she said it is easier to use. Today, her vacuum would not suck, so she asked to use mine. I said mine would get up more of the forty years of dust and tobacco residue. She is still not finished with the bedroom vacuuming, but I need to do things first.

She moved the long low bookcase from over the air vent. Maybe I will get some heat and ac from now on. She removed my sheets, Tommy washed and dried them, and she put them back on. I have another set of flannel sheets that she could have put on the bed, but I love the new ones so much. 

Two heavy boxes are now off the chest of drawers in the bedroom. I suppose Tommy will have to go though those. I thought the boxes had electronics. She said it was cds and stuff. 

I asked her to clean the commode inside and out, but she did that, cleaned floor, counter and sink. She also took everything from under the sink. She threw away gallons of dish washing liquid and tossed it. One item she read. "It says 1987, but that can't be right!" I assured her that it was correct. She tossed it.  She washed under the sink and used some crack stuff to hopefully stop roaches coming into the house. Then, she put down shelf paper and replaced the little left that should live under the sink. YAY! 

Then, she put back two apps on my phone. 

Tommy had a shelf full of books that she brought to him to sort. He has about a dozen books to take to 2nd & Charles. They are very heavy books about the Civil War. 

Tonight, I must cook--huge package of bscb and skinless thighs. I will Put potatoes and carrots in the cooking bag with them. Or, maybe some red cabbage, making pink chicken...lol. 

Tommy put the rest of the pressed sawdust desk into the trash. He had broken it up enough last week, so that all he had to do was put it in. 

Now, I need to put drawer paper in the drawers of the chest, and I have a place to put things instead of into the floor in boxes or bags. And, I have two bulbs in the ceiling so I can now see things in the room. 

She cleaned out the vanity, and Tommy will sort that. This bedroom is the one his parents bought when they married, old with vanity, chest of drawers, four poster bed. 

It was a very good day, and then I went to the pharmacy! Still, recounting all she did makes me happy! 

Maybe I won't cook if we can find leftovers. 

Today has been a beautiful, sunny but cold day. Temps right now at 5:30 are 55 with 21% humidity. That low humidity makes it cold, but it is dry out, so all is good. 

How has your Sunday gone? I am off for a nap, so talk to you later.

Short Saturday

 I was looking over the broken china and may have a problem. Most of the designs that can be used are around the base/rim the plate sits upon. There is a lot of flower area that I can use. But, it seems the butterfly, ladybug and bee are on this thick area. Rae, how did you handle this? Or, anyone else?

My sleep pattern is back to normal, not sleeping until 6 am and then sleeping until after 3 pm. When it gets dark early, sleeping most of the day does not leave much time to be productive. 

One futile trip to drugstore and a productive trip to The Pig were all we had time for and then stayed out after dark with those two short trips. Tommy needed Diet Pepsis, so this was the cheapest we could find around here. I got a quarter dog toy for Lynda's dog, bologna, slaw mix with coupon, and a free bag of cereal which we will give to Lynda. 

Dinner: two hamburgers broiled with two zucchini, leftover mashed potatoes. I had my burger plain and half an apple. Tommy had his on a bun. 

I have not heard from the woman who cleans, so I have no idea whether she is coming or not! I hate I will have to get up early and she might not come!

My new healthcare plan is failing already. Anyone heard of or uses United Healthcare?

Does anyone know about using the rim of plates for broken China projects?

This and That Week and Friday

 This week has been a week of telephone calls to get things settled on so many fronts, sort of "putting out fires" calls. Today was my first failure, mostly due to losing patience with the guy at the mobile company. But, one item was settled, so that makes me very happy. Tomorrow, I will finish up the one item.

I will start on a new list of "things to do." Hopefully, most things can be accomplished with a phone call and a pickup at a store. Goggles for breaking China is number one on the list. I also have a list of doctor and dental appointments that I need to schedule. 

Since I now have McAfee on my computer, I can resume business online. SAM always mentions the ms rewards. I have looked and there are a dozen sites, but I did not know which was the right site. She gave me a link, and I got back on there. Unbeknownst to me, I have something like 5065 points which will not buy any gift card. So, I have work to do. It should not be hard since I have earned 650 points this month doing nothing.

If you participate in MS Rewards, how do you use them?  

Now that I have a stapler, I have nothing to staple. Isn't that always the way? It has seemed every day I have missed having a stapler--until I got one! 

It will be very cold tonight! Mostly, I have been wearing a summer nightgown. Tonight, I expect the winter gown will be what I wear. 

Tonight, I need to declutter something, anything. Okay, I did it.

Tommy struggled to put shelf paper in a drawer. Tonight, he doesn't know it, but he will put sticky paper in another drawer. He hates this stuff I bought. 

Dog update--When the dog barked for so long, I was also treated to a car revving its loud engine. As soon as the car left, the dog stopped barking. Well, I got up during the barking and struggled to get to a window. There was no dog in the yard next door! It was the car owner's dog! So, now there are two dogs who bark for an hour apiece. 

Last night, I slept ten hours. I was surprised. I did not take a nap, surprising me again. Tomorrow will be a full, purposeful day. I wonder if he has a game he wants to watch. 

Dinner was all food from a giveaway in the past: dinosaur chicken nuggets, frozen mashed potatoes, canned green beans. We even got two half-gallons of ice cream one day. Dinner was delicious, easy, and maybe not so nutritious. 

What did you have for dinner? Do you ever just have to take a break from life and sit to make necessary phone calls to straighten things out? 

New Enterprise or Not

 Today, tornadoes tore up parts of Alabama, the most significant of which is Selma. This tornado was sort of expected, and I went to bed rather trepidatious. Nothing happened here, thankfully. 

As I was moving things that need to be decluttered, I found the plastic bag containing the Butterfly Meadow plate that arrived broken. I looked at it and decided there were enough elements to make jewelry from the flowers, bees, lady bugs, and butterflies on the porcelain. Then, it occurred to me that I could sell these. And, I could make and sell more! My mind raced with possibilities. I know I have the skill to make them. And, I know I can sell them. 

The only thing I don't know is how I will deal with the fallout from nipping off porcelain and from the air pollution when I smooth the edges. I don't want to get this stuff in the carpet or breath in anything. I know I will wear goggles, a mask, and gloves. However, I will have to work on carpet, a real problem. I will power through and make jewelry from this one plate. But, I don't know how far I will take this enterprise. 

I am only interested in making jewelry, nothing larger. Once upon a time, I considered making something larger, like a stepping stone or a table. Not now. I can handle small pieces. 

If I am successful, I can move forward and buy old china that is broken or chipped. Or, I can just break some old pieces I buy. I have nothing to lose as I will have to buy a few tools to work with the broken plate I have. At any rate, I can salvage the broken plate.

Maybe Etsy is in my future.

Have you ever worked with broken plates/China? If so, what did you make?

Dinner tonight: I did not want to cook! So, we thawed a chunk of the pork loin. I had bbq  pork on bun with a ton of coleslaw. Tommy had bbq sauce on chicken breast and mixed vegetables and salad. 

Red Stapler

 Wednesday, I wanted to go to a body shop in Cullman since I know them. It had not yet been 24 hours since Tommy had anesthesia, so I drove. It was grueling for me to get from his house to 65, a half hour trip! The sky was overcast, which was good since I did not have to deal with sun in my eyes.

Even though it was in the 50s when we left and all day long, I think, it was chilly. Tommy even thought so and wore a jacket. A storm is coming tomorrow, so I hope his tree in the back yard is secure! It would fall right on my bedroom and I cannot bear to lose all I have again! Hopefully, we won't lose all the food in the freezer, either. 

We dropped my laptop off at Office Max/Depot. Then, we got lunch at Chicken Salad Chick so we could eat at the body shop. I told Tommy we could only do this once a month. Once every three months was his response. So, I cannot wait for April. 

He drove back since his 24 hours was up. We both got a rest from driving today. Well, I never drive to Cullman. But, if he got me to the interstate, I would gladly drive. 

When we got near the body shop, I called, I thought. It was the father. The shop was closed. He told us to come back next week. When I reminded him where we lived and the tire might start scrubbing again, he told us one of the guys could fix the scrubbing. 

The guy worked on the underside of the car with us sitting in it. We mentioned eating the delicious lunch. He commented all the fast food was so expensive. Then, he said sometimes he brings his lunch. This led us to talking about cooking bags. This very young man cooks! He was reared by his grandmother and she talked to him in the kitchen about cooking and what she was doing when he was a little boy.

When she died, no one wanted her kitchen stuff, so he got it all and knows how to use it! He even uses her roasting pan and casseroles. He says cooking is relaxing. Nice guy. I told him about Reynolds Cooking Bags. He was surprised when I described the ease. Tommy volunteered how carrots and potatoes could be cooked with the chicken. "Pot roast in a bag!" was the young guy's exclamation. 

I suppose I have another convert to cooking bags.

We left and the tire was scrubbing before we got out of the parking lot. So, we went back. I asked him if he could cut off the offending part. He did so and we went on our way. 

We got the mail, collected my laptop, and bought a stapler with staples and staple remover. The guy at OM brought to the car several staplers, one was red. It seems there was a movie, Office Space, that had a guy who was enamored of his red stapler. I had never heard of the movie, and I was not spending $30 on a stapler color! I have missed having a stapler and remover since living here. Tommy likes it, too. 

We also went to Publix where I bought apples and bananas and some other things that I don't recall. When we arrived home, I was sure I would never walk normally again. 

I gave our favorite fast-food worker a generous Christmas gift. She came to the front of the store and asked us if we knew what was in the envelope Tommy handed her. She could hardly breathe. She needs it. 

After I took a short nap, Tommy washed clothes for me and I hung them to dry. We had what was in the refrigerator for dinner. 

Dinner: Tommy--chicken cutlet, frozen mixed vegetables, fresh pineapple. Me: chicken breast, slaw, last tablespoon of cranberry sauce, Romaine. All of this was leftovers except for the new container of frozen vegetables Tommy opened. I put the other half of the chicken breast into the container that held cranberry sauce so I could get rid of the huge container that had held four cooked chicken breasts. Space is at a premium in the refrigerator.

I decluttered a tiny bit, just enough to say I did...lol.

So, now we have to make an appointment to have the car repaired. This shop is good about getting things out and not letting them sit. It pays to help to know the reputation of body shops, don't you think? We know none here. 

So, that was my very exhausting day! I even got some more important phone calls done. Of course, just my luck, I received mail with fires to put out. 

Have you heard of the movie "Office Space?" Have you heard of the movie? 

I Didn't Fall, But I Could Not Get Up!

 

Late on Monday night, Tommy casually told me he had an appointment today. I could tell he was apologetic or feeling he had not told me soon enough. Oh well! Sooo, we had to make plans. We had to get up at 7:30 and leave by 8:30 for a 9:30 appointment for his procedure--an endoscopy. 

Since he could not drive afterwards, his car was broken, as he put it, and I don't like anyone driving my car, especially someone who has diabetes and cannot eat, I chose to drive. I only slept 2 hours, so I am not so sure how I thought I was better to drive than him.

They told Tommy I could sit in the car rather than come inside since I could not walk so far. We kept in touch by cell.

I bought along things to do--check bank balance, paid three bills over the phone, complained about not being able to order online and use a gift card. The last call was the doozy--trying to restore an account with a Medicare agency rather than the new plan I agreed to use. 

Finally, Tommy was ready. I drove to the drive-thru to pick him up. I used his walker to run in for the restroom. When I came out he was stuffing his face with cheese crackers. I could not lift the walker to get it into the back seat. UGH A passerby I asked did help me. 

I staggered around the car and tried to get into my seat. I am accustomed to Tommy's suv which is higher. I dropped into the seat and Tommy felt it and commented. As I started off to the highway, Tommy was trying to talk--Oooo, owa, aoo, ooma, ooaao. I looked at him as he was gesticulating and getting more excited. The man must have stuffed all the cheese crackers into his mouth. 

As he tried to talk with crackers in his mouth, crumbs were spewing out. I was just horrified since we were in my car with light gray upholstery! Only cheese balls could have been worse. 

He was trying to correct me on the direction to go to get out of the hospital complex. As I objected, he just became more agitated and animated, spewing cracker crumbs. I did as he said, objecting all the way. 

His clothes and coat in his lap were covered in cheese cracker crumbs. I strictly forbade him to touch the crumbs or try to clean them up. 

First, I decided we would go by the carwash and I would vacuum him at the free vacuums. Finally, I decided we would go to a food giveaway then home where I would get his vacuum and clean him up. 

I went into the house, got the new vacuum that had been converted to a hand vac for something he did. I could not stand long enough to figure it out. So, I sat on a lawn chair. As I sat, it slowly sank into the wet ground. Do you know that sinking feeling? Tommy called for help after I could not get up holding onto the car door, him, or his walker. 

Do you know how embarrassing this was, just sitting in the yard, in a chair, and waiting for a firetruck to show up?

The two guys got me up from the chair. I just know all the neighbors were watching. But, they see me holding onto the rail of the ramp. I know they see! I immediately took the hand vac and got all the cheese crackers from the seat and inside the car. Two pieces of cheese cracker were squashed and left a nasty stain, but I can clean that with the spray for carpets, I am quite sure. 

The legs of the chair had dug into the ground six inches! At least. So, I have plans. Before today, I planned to kill the clover that has claimed this area, a quarter circle of sidewalk goes from the driveway to the front steps. Of course, the ramp cover most of the sidewalk, but the St. Augustine Grass has been replaced by clover. It is pretty and green all winter, but in the summer, it is just weedy and a home for dandelions and about a half dozen other weeds. 

Now, I will put something hard there. I thought about a brick patio type area. Then, I decided bricks would trip me and be hard for Tommy's walker. Maybe I will get the largest paving stones and hope I don't trip over the cracks between the stones. 

What I really need is something like skis attached to the bottom of the chair legs to keep the legs from sinking. 

At my house, I never had this problem. It was like my soil and deep roots were safe for chair legs even after a rain. Maybe I had clay. 

Today, I sat from 8:30 to 3:30 and my left knee did not want to cooperate when I tried to get up. Plus, my back did not like sitting in my very comfortable car. 

I really need a taller vehicle, something like Tommy's. A car is definitely not my thing anymore. Neither is grass...lol. I won't be trading cars but will try to get something except grass there. 

Tommy has never stuffed his mouth so full, so I suppose he was hungry. He certainly was not himself! He came home and gave me pictures of his esophagus...so funny. It is all pink. 

Dinner: chicken cutlet, salad.

Have you ever had a chair sink into the ground? 

Guess what book I received from Amazon today.

 

Supertunias & I Should Have Kept My Mouth Shut

 We saw the most beautiful flowers at a nursery. When I asked if the were petunias and was commenting about how late in the year they were blooming, and how mine died in the summer, the guy explained. He said the ones were looking at were Supertunias.  The flowers were $35 for a hanging basket, too rich for my blood.

So, now I will look for the seeds or a cheaper pot. So far, everytime I google "supertunia, I get wave petunias, but the guy said supertunias were better than wave. So, you can judge for yourself.

While we shopped in Cullman and I bought two more turkey breasts for $1.49/lb., I made an honest mistake. Then, I questioned and should not have. We bought $45 worth of groceries. Some of this was Christmas markdown. Well, only three small items were mark down. 

When I got to the car, I looked for the receipt to tell Tommy the prices. No receipt. Finally, I called the store and told them I needed my receipt. I had relinquished the electric cart, so the guy came to the car. After he looked over the register where I checked out, he came back out. Then, he said he would have to look in the system in the office. He needed to know what I bought. At some point, he needed the card I used. 

Finally, he came back out and showed us the purchases on copy paper. He said there was no receipt because I did not pay for it. Well, I was indignant, saying I did put the card in the machine. Boy, was I insulted because I would not steal the items and knew I had paid. Or, so I thought. So, at this point, he took our card and went back in to pay for the merchandise and brought back a receipt. 

If I had not wanted a receipt, I would never have known I had not paid! I asked him to please look at the camera and see I did put in the card. And, I heard the beep that tells me to take out the card. He said no matter, it was the person who rang me up that should have known I did not pay. 

My conscience would be clear because I honestly thought I had paid. He said that sometimes the machine makes mistakes. This manager said he remembered me being in the cart. I think the guy who checked me out got into trouble. I hate that because he was new. 

Today, we were going out of town, but due to my inability to sleep, we did not. I was in here in the middle of the night, a little before 7 am. I could hear Tommy was not asleep, so I called his name softly. He answered. I told him we were not going to Cullman. He let me sleep. 

I awoke around 1pm, felt a little nappish later, but resisted. Nothing has happened except a trip to the grocery store. I got Special K--bogo, keto bread, cream of wheat, bananas. 

Decluttering happened. Will this ever end? 

I do have plans for Tommy to put shelf paper in one kitchen drawer.

Have you ever heard of supertunias?

Have you ever walked out with merchandise that someone rang up and put in your cart, but somehow you did not pay for it even though you used a card? 

Sunday

 Today, little has happened. I got seven hours, sleep and then needed a long nap. I suppose I am still trying to catch up and overcome my sleep deficit from last week. 

Tommy washed the kitchen linens and dried them while I slept, and I folded them. He also took a heap of things off my table beside my bed. I cannot sit on the bed because it hurts my back, and I cannot bend long enough. Now, I can sort it. The cleaner added to the little heap I had, so it was impossibly high. I had asked him for a week, so I told him to do it today. When I have complained about him taking too long, he has told me to tell him to do it now. So, I did...lol. Every little bit of decluttering helps, even if I need help.

Early this evening, I sat in my chair and put color on my hair. It had three inches of white at the roots! It was shameful and shabby looking. There is no color on my chair. I am careful, but still, the quilt on the chair protects it. And, I wore a cheap dress-black, navy and a bit of white. So, if it gets color on it, no problem. My hair looks and feels so much better. 

For my dinner tonight, I made hot chicken salad. If anyone is interested in what I made, I will post it tomorrow. It has six ingredients--chopped chicken (used turkey breast), chopped celery, chopped cheese, lemon juice, pepper, Mayo (NOT MW). I tried it once with mw and it was nasty. 

One online recipe had 12 ingredients! Not the one I used. I guessed the measurements of each item and it turned out great. 

Tommy's dinner: chicken breast, cranberry sauce, slaw, caprese rolls, and something else. He prepared his own plate while I chopped and mixed my meal. 

We watched Lion King. Tommy had never seen it. I had and did not want to watch it. But, since he had not, I did watch it and am very glad I did. 

Today was pleasant with just a little rain. Tomorrow should be better--no rain. 

Between the two of us, we loaded the dishwasher and it is going. It is 11:30, and I forgot to take meds. So, this will be a long night.

Boring, right? Well, we cannot always have an exciting day. 

What was exciting or boring about your Sunday?

Cooking and Laundry

Friday night, between 1:30 am and Saturday11 am, I managed to get up around dawn, get on the internet, and then go back to sleep, getting around 7 hours sleep. Yay me. The dog only yapped around 3 pm when I tried to rest. However, the dog only stressed me and did not make me lose sleep since I did not need or want a nap. 

The day has been low-key. We went to drop off things at Lynda's house, picked up meds for Tommy, and sat in the park a bit. He has washed a load that does not need drying and dried the bit that needs a dryer. Now, he put in a load that needs nothing to be dried in the dryer, just to hang in the house. 

Okay, he went outside in the dark and just came back with nothing. He forgot to turn on the dryer and the washer is slowly spinning. He probably just dumped the clothes in the washer and did not distribute the clothes in the washing machine. There was a blanket. 

I am seriously considering getting a clothes drying rack for the house. I am sick of hanging things in the doorways and then Tommy cannot go in that room, especially the room he cleaned out somewhat and where he now hangs clothes and puts them in a chest of drawers. He can get in, but too often he knocks my clothing down. I wish the clothesline here were in reach or I could walk better. 

At my house, the clothesline I put up was from the back corner of the house to a post near the fence. So, I could get there easily. And, things I dried in the house were not in anyone's way. 

I finally got the gumption to cook a bit. I put a five-pound pork loin in one cooking bag and a turkey breast in another bag, and in two different small pans, cooking them both in the oven at the same time. This saves two hours running the oven since they will use the same heat. 

Both are seasoned, but I forgot to put vegetables in the oven, too. Rats! I may put a sweet potato on foil and stick it in the oven, too. Plus a salad. 

So, we went to The Pig for slaw mix with only carrots and no red cabbage. When Tommy went in, I told him a red cabbage would be nice, too. He called me and had not looked for a red cabbage and asked me what kind of red cabbage I wanted. Then, he said, "A whole one, or what." I thought that was cute and laughed for a good ten minutes after I hung up. He told me he had never looked for or at a red cabbage, so he thought they might sell halves or something. Well, he is amused by some things I ask him.

When I went out shortly after the little bit of yapping I heard, one of the women was sitting in their carport. The dog was there but not making a sound. I suppose she does not want that noise disturbing her peace. At this point, the carport is full, the latest addition is a full bedroom of furniture. They keep adding stuff and never haul anything off! Before Christmas they dragged a huge pool to the curb and have now filled it with wood. I wonder how long this will go on. Dogs barking for hours is grating on the nerves whatever time of the day. The trash won't keep me awake. 

Dinner: bbq pork and slaw on bun. The house smells wonderful--pork and turkey.

If you dry clothes in the house, what system do you have or have you had? 

Damned Dogs and Tragedy

 Last night, because of exhaustion I went to bed at 7 pm and for one solid hour, this yappy dog barked and yapped. At 8 pm I was over sleeping and shaking. Finally I went to bed and slept for three hours. I had to get up because I was not going to sleep.

At 6:30 am, I figured I could sleep. NO! This same dog started yapping while someone revved their motor in the driveway. At 7:15, the dog stopped and the car left. I am not sure how long it took me to get to sleep, maybe an hour? 

I told Tommy last night to wake me at 11 am, before I knew how sleep-deprived I was going to be. He was calling me every half hour! UGH!  Finally, I got it across to him that I wanted to get up at 1 pm. I was/am shaky but may live.

While I was still in rough shape, I called a business and was puzzled as the why I could not get the owner. Well, I got the father and found out the young business owner had died a very tragic and preventable death. I cannot say more because this will probably be a big lawsuit, and I don't want to reveal anything to thwart the outcomes of this present tragedy. 

I felt gutted as the father told me what happened. He is a broken and bitter man. And, I can understand why. He said he cannot let it go as he kept warning the proper people and was ignored.

So, I am facing the weekend with a car tire being scrubbed by a part shoved into it. This loved and very nice man is gone. And, I need sleep desperately. Tonight is a low point. And, I cannot share the inequitable treatment or get comfort from others. No one told me not to talk about this senseless death, but I don't believe salving my pain at the expense of justice is the answer. 

How is your weekend shaping up? Any grocery deals? Our weather is beautiful, warm and dry. How is your weather?

Insurance and Pecan Pie

 We were told that the insurance company would mail us a list of "approved" body shops. We called last night and left a message that we had gotten no such email. Yes, I checked spam and trash. Today, after checking again, Tommy called and talked with someone who said we would receive the email in 15 minutes. We will see.

Today, we did nothing. I watched the memorial for Kim's husband, Joel. It was emotional and funny, very informative. 

Today, the plan is to make a pecan pie. Hopefully, I have a deep dish crust in the freezer. If not, Tommy will go into Publix and buy one.

About noon today, I had an idea. I had Tommy ask a neighbor who should know about these things where we could get someone to do a quick fix on the bumper by pushing or pulling the portion where it won't scrub the wheel. Well, the guy somehow pushed back the piece of bumper and screwing it where it will stay there and not scrub the tire. Hopefully, the fix lasts until we can get it permanently repaired. It appears we will have a brand-new bumper on this raggedy car. Neither he nor I am bothered by the car's appearance since it runs well and is clear of debt. Besides, he runs into things, so a new car body would soon be scuffed and dented. 

Okay, at 4pm, we still have not received the email promised a half hour ago. He is on the phone! Now, they are promising, once again, it will be 15 or 20 minutes. Okay, an email arrived with four "approved" shops. However, I do know we can chose our own, so we will work with someone who is a friend, someone with whom I have had a long friendship and working relationship. This has the possibility of a better outcome for Tommy. 

However, the shop is not answering the phone, too late in the day, I suppose. I always answered my office phone but other people switched their phone to the answering machine. How rude. 

Wednesday night, I could not get to sleep and than back to sleep for a new reason. I had put on panties in the afternoon that seemed to fit wrong. I struggled through the evening with a tight fit. It was hard to get comfortable to sleep. When I did sleep and wake, it was a struggle to get the tight panties comfortable. So, I got up and changed into a new pair that were just heaven. Today, Thursday, I am struggling because I had too little sleep. 

I remember now that when I got this pair and washed them, they felt like all elastic was too tight. Thinking I removed them from all I wear, somehow, they are back. How many things can I find that make me lose sleep??? Ugh I suppose wearing too tight panties are as good an excuse as any. 

We are going to bake a pecan pie after the news and before dinner. The cooking and cooling time is a long time, so want it to cool enough so that I can at least cool it. I wonder if Swerve would work for this pie. 

What strange reason have you had for not going to sleep or staying asleep? 

Do you like pecan pie? I have eaten well for two days preparing for this experience.

Is car repair a pain for you?