Stormy Sunday

 

So, I am posting a picture I took earlier this year. This is from the car while in the driveway of my house. There is a huge lot catty corner to my house. This spot has Purple Prince tulips interspersed. The daffodils and tulips bloom at slightly different times, but for about two weeks, they are both blooming. This is the small group I planted. The huge swath in the back yard was there, but smaller when I moved there.

If the mailbox looks shabby, it is because someone came along the street and bashed everybody's mailboxes for several weeks. So, why buy a new one? 

Today, we had terrific rain, wind and lightning. I awoke before then, tried to go back to sleep and lay shivering for an hour. Finally, I went to living room and awoke at 4:30. I was shocked but had slept well for so long! 

Tommy discovered the remote did not work, even with new batteries and we went to Spectrum for a new remote. Five minutes before it closed, Tommy went in and came out with a new remote. Since it is next to Publix, Tommy insisted on buying MW for me. The tiny squirt bottle was on sale, but not the 30 oz quart. He paid $8.49! I am flabbergasted. 

Maybe I need to spread this more thinly. If I get too much from the jar, I refuse to wipe it back into the jar, so I lick it from the spoon. From now on, I will dip it out more carefully so there is no excess. There was a time not long ago that I paid $1.99 for the 32 oz quart. Yes, I am still burned up about the size of the present "quart." I need a good MW sale and imagine that Labor Day will be the next opportunity to buy MW on sale. MW=Miracle Whip.

I suppose he will have ham, collards, and squash for dinner tonight. I want cottage cheese and canned peaches. Maybe not.

More decluttering happened today, just a bit more than the bare minimum. In the middle of the night when I could not sleep, I went into the back bedroom where there is food. I saw a random trash bag on top of a box. Inside was the trash from the back bathroom that Oksana picked up from the closet floor when she cleaned the bathroom, bedroom and the closet back there. Goodness gracious. That was the end of April! I had no idea she left it in there. So, that bag will be filled to toss. 

My heart has been beating so erratically that I am weak. Most of this post I wrote before it started. Thankfully, we will have several dry days and then, still not much rain. 

Have you ever had anyone who was beating on mailboxes or destroying them where you have lived? 

 
 

Trees That Will Grow in Pots

 

You can grow Trees in Pots. Although I have the Meyer Lemon tree, I would love to have an apple tree, and maybe a fig tree. This article gives the names of dwarf varieties that are best for growing in pots and the year-round care they need. Of course, you can plant in the ground. Right now, I am working on Lemons, blackberries, and blueberries, so I won't be purchasing these dwarf varieties this year.

My sinus problems are lessening each day, but not gone. Still puny.

I cooked pork roast with carrots and potatoes in the crockpot. It is delicious and will provide leftovers. I also baked about 20 thighs in the oven. Tommy will take the meat off the bone and I can freeze a portion of the thigh meat. 

Tommy put all the pots on the porch onto the ramp last night, so they have had a proper watering. He was going to put MiracleGro on today, but maybe tomorrow. The Stella d' Oro are blooming. The wind was blowing so hard that the supertunia was swaying so it was threatening to blow down the shepherd's hook, so I bought zip ties to connect the hooks to the rail of the ramp. The pots where we sowed seeds have something coming up. Like Tommy said, they could be weeds. Maybe in a few days we can tell. 

We took a short ride and went to the park. I put out a bit of the cereal we have that is gross. One bird came. We are going the wrong time of day for birds to be about. 

I am continuing my walks down the hall. It is not much, but it can't hurt and can only help. 

How I ran out of Miracle Whip is a mystery to me. Usually, I have a reserve jar or four but not this time. So, we went to store for that. I do remember buying it at a sale price, one quart, hoping to find a better sale. Well, now the regular price is the sale price. So, the price of MW is dropping. Well, it appears that way.

The cleaner did not come again today. We have heard nothing. Tommy said he wondered if she ever came back from California. 

The weather was beautiful today. There will be no rain until a chance next Friday. I like this. 

What kind of trees do you grow in pots? 

Have you found a few foods are coming down in price?

Do you have one food that is always in reserve in your pantry, something you can always count on?

Dinner: pork roast, carrots, potatoes, strawberries

We Interrupt This Program for a Special Announcement!

                          Okay, I found the Miracle Whip by accident. 

I was looking in the cabinet on the left side of the sink, looking for something else I misplaced. As I looked where the little two shelf storage unit for spices is kept, I looked on the shelf above where quart jars of flour, sugar, etc. are kept. My eyes went upward to the third shelf and there was the MW, sitting there, mocking me! 

The other thing I misplaced was the little pink bin where I previously kept spices. I remember it being in front of the microwave in Tommy's way as I was rearranging that shelf and putting in the double-decker spice holder. I told him to just put it anywhere. It was near the table with a box of cleaning supplies on top!

And, after I took the Miracle Whip to the kitchen, I placed it on the counter beside the sink where I was going to make a sandwich. I was not sure if there was enough MW in the jar or if I would need the new jar. Well, there was enough to put back in the refrigerator for another use. So, I picked up the MW and put it right above where it sat, in the top shelf instead of where I would store it. 

See, I remembered how both "lost" items were...lol. Well, I do remember how they got where I found them. Got to save face here. 

Some were concerned the MW had been out of the refrigerator too long. But, this jar had never been opened. I am glad I found it because I paid over $6 for it. That is outrageous. I was dreading buying another. However, MW is a food group. I like it thick and sloppy on my sandwich, but I need to put it on in a civilized smear like I was reared to do. 

I slept two hours last night and the cleaner came this morning. She emptied the closet in the bedroom and cleaned it and fumigated it. She started filling it back up as I directed from bed. When I asked Tommy what to do with some things, he said to throw them away. Well, they will be sold instead. He has a Polaroid camera and a nice case that are over 40 years old. Plus, he has various colognes, gifts he has never used. I am glad he hates cologne. 

It is now time for a nappy poo. 

When you misplace an item, do you remember the circumstances of where you put it once you have found a "lost" thing?

Blackeyed peas, Explained.

 If you are not familiar with the Southern Tradition of eating blackeyed  peas on New Year's Day for luck in the upcoming year, the explanations in Mental Floss will be interesting.

We will never have a full meal  for Christmas since I am barely up to getting out of bed! Since I just got up from a nap, I will try to load the dishwasher with the usual help from Tommy. 

For brunch, I had half a banana and I think I had milk. Who knows? At almost 5 pm, I had a plain turkey sandwich with Miracle Whip.  Tommy can eat anything he can find. 

Yesterday, I threw out a bottle of MW that was getting too spicy. Today, I opened a new bottle and it was sweet and creamy. YUM! There was not much left in the bottle I threw out. I over bought last summer. Oh, well, still saved money. 

Sitting right here in the living room, you will find me sorting blackeyed peas. Of course, I will do it dry and then rinse the beans later. The crock pot cooks them perfectly. I don't mind if they get a bit mushy. I wish I had some chow chow. I might eat them plain or with some catsup.

Do you eat blackeyed peas? With Chow chow? Catsup? What?

Happy New Year!

Wasted Food, This and That, Amazon

 I was putting the three new Miracle Whips into deep storage...lol. Ooops! I already had three. This would be no problem except for the fact I cannot eat them before they go wonky. I am sure they won't kill me, but they are not tasty. I will give one away one of these days. I am still in the process of seeing how long it takes me to finish off one 30 ounce jar. 

Slowly but surely, everything will be put where it goes. 

The applications to receive a absentee ballot are ready to mail today.  This will be a first for both of us. Do you cast an absentee/mail-in ballot? 

Since both of my good printed outfits are rather skimpy around the shoulders, I have started the alteration process. I took the little belt from the black and white outfit off the pants. This is just a self-fabric tie belt in loops. When I get it taken apart, I will cut it in four pieces and use two on each shoulder. I think it will not be so bare and more to my liking. The resulting addition of a sleeve will be nothing more than a ruffle that at least extends over my shoulder. not off it. I have seem quite a few "sleeves" that are nothing more than a short ruffle sort of sticking out, not really hanging down on the shoulder. 

Wednesday night, I was trying to order something on Amazon. It was taking so long that I did not get dinner cooked before the debate. I forgot to put carrots and potatoes and celery and onions in with the chicken. I rushed and cut up potatoes for potato salad. When I tried to drain the potatoes, I dropped all the potatoes in the sink. I was so mad and discouraged. I stomped back into the living room on the verge of tears. I was sooo hungry. 

Amazon--I am finally ordering the dry iron I need. A gift card sent by a follower helped. I hate a steam iron, especially for pressing things I sew. Tommy is buying a pair of clippers for me to cut his hair. It has colored attachments for each length of hair it cuts.  It seems you cannot accidentally cut hair too short. I hope it is all I think. Have you used one like this?

Thursday, another food sorting session was only 30 minutes by plan. I cannot keep bending and picking things up and hurting my back and spending 3 days in pain. We quit even though we were on a roll. Tommy assured me I got a lot done. He took a box down the hall for me to transfer into bedroom storage. It feels good to have a plan for 30 minutes each day. This will occur at 2 pm every day. 

Today, the doorbell rang. It has never rung before. It looks broken, but still works. I received something I did not mean to order! I had put and Epson flatbed scanner in some list on Amazon. When I made a purchase, it was not there. When I checked a few days later, it was in my order! So, I owe Tommy. 

This scanner will transfer slide, negatives and film, besides photos. I don't know organized it will make me, but I won't lose more pictures like I did when my house went to the dump. I will store a cd with the pictures on it in a safe place. I have boxes of slides! 

These scanners were out of stock in June. I suppose people were spending their free time scanning photos. Have you spent time scanning and storing photos or organizing?

I am going to take a nap. I slept well last night and am getting over the infection. Temperature is normal, at least. 

Curtains and More Bargains

 The sheet I found when curb shopping has had the stains treated and washed in cold water. The sheet is white as snow. By the way, the sheet looked like a new sheet that got a slight stain on it when I found it. It is destined for two curtains in the bedroom Tommy is letting me use for sewing. I think I can also get a curtain for the half bath off that room. The window is bare. Three free curtains is a good price for curtains. I can sew. So, I should figure out how much money I save and apply that to cost of sewing machine and see how long it takes to save the price of the machine. 

You may remember I bought 1.5 yards of white satin-back crepe to throw over me in the car so the sun does not shine on me. Maybe not, but with the shiny side out, the sun is reflected. Well, Tommy managed to spill my coke on it. So, it was washed too without stain treatment and came out equally as white as the sheet. 

Miracle Whip was $2.50, so I bought 3 jars. I should go back and get more since that is about half the price it normally is. One package of Frozen Mac n Cheese was fifty cents, then it rang up for 98 cents. grrr  I found a vegetable brush for all the potatoes I have to scrub and peel. I have not had one since I moved here. AND, I found slotted serving spoons and got two for $1.50 each. 

I never eat corn on the cob. I have to cut it off by standing a half cob and using a knife to cut it off for eating. Now, corn fresh out of a boiling pot of water is hot, too hot for holding. I always used a corn cob holder, the kind that sticks into the corn, to hold the hot corn. Today, I found a set of two that stick into each other for $1. Now, I don't have to pay $5 for a whole set of plastic holders. Small/tiny bins that were $2/2 were now $1/2. So, I splurged and spent $1. My corn cob holders went to the dump. 

Instead of buying bins to put on the set of shelves, I am using boxes, flats and corrugated box top. I found a dark blue Duct tape with constellations. It will put that on the sides to hide the box and I can buy what fits exactly when I find it. No hurry.

Okay, it is 7:30 pm and dinner is late. The rest of the jar of spaghetti with the rest of the ground beef over toast or pasta will be dinner along with a salad. 

Have you ever made curtains from sheets or not-curtain material? Do you remake curtains?