November 1 Butterflies

 As usual, sleep was elusive. Then, I didn't get my proper breakfast because I didn't. Tommy brought almost all the Halloween stuff in. He sat the skeleton on a box right in the bedroom door. It looks like Skelley was on his knees and sat back on his heels with one arm up. He is the kind of skeleton that has joints that can be posed. Tommy bought him for me using some sort of discount and used a store coupon. So, he was cheap. 

Eating the wrong things sent me to sleep. I felt miserable the rest of the afternoon and evening after a long nap. 

I got up at 6:30 this morning after forgetting to reset the wall clock near me. So, I guess that was 5:30. I opened a refill of a prescription and found the wrong pill. After searching, it is an opioid, apparently. Wrong thing. As much as I would like a lot of pain relief, I won't take even one! I searched again. I have the correct pill, just from different manufacturer.

It was shocking to read the side effects, No wonder I am dizzy, cannot sleep, memory problems, all sorts of things. I can die without this but have no brain with it. Bummer!

Tommy sleeps so easily. I can sit with dim light on and type or read. It seems nothing bothers him. Sometimes, if I have the TV on when he goes to sleep, he asks me to lower it, but I just turn it off. 

When we shopped for chairs at Lazy Boy, the store kept delaying the delivery date, so we cancelled the two chairs and bought these on sale. They are Ashley, but bought from local store. Tommy's feet are never above his heart since these feet never raise to level of chair seat and he never lies back much. His hips and knees won't bend adequately. This discussion with him has not been loud as usual when I broach something. So, I believe getting him a chair that gives his blood a little help in getting back to his heart will lessen his swollen legs and improve his life. I will put mine into my bedroom. His will probably need to be sold. Maybe not.

I am making a list of things to be sold from this house. Most of those items are mine. It will give us more room and me more money. 

It was August when we last had the grass mowed. Some pretty little (short) weeds have bloomed. They attract butterflies. I remember as a child being thrilled when so many butterflies were out. Yesterday we saw what looked like a red butterfly flitting about. We were both just thrilled. 

Since Tommy has St. Augustine grass, it is not tall, just lush. I like it cut high, anyway. 

From now to Thanksgiving, I will be planning and cooking for Thanksgiving dinner. Beauregard sweet potatoes will be first. They will be roasted, peeled, and frozen for the main meal, maybe a sweet potato pie since Tommy loves them better than pumpkin pie. If not a pie, I will heat up the frozen sweet potatoes, put a dab of butter on them and eat them sans sugar. Making cranberry sauce will be next.

Are you planning your headlong rush to Thanksgiving? Or, are you going to wait until the day before and start cooking?

Woody Chicken Breasts, Storm

 Now I know why I have gotten chicken breasts with a strange look and strange texture. I asked a meat guy why the bscb looked funny. He said they were just fine, that some just looked that way and he did not know why. So, here is why!

These packages of bscb were lowest in years, $1.49/lb. I think someone, somewhere knew what was wrong with them. I have to watch this store because they have great sales on items with only 3 days left until "sell before" or "best by" dates.

CLICK HERE and HERE

Thursday, we went to Publix to get milk for Tommy and my milk for me, Miracle Whip, and ice cream. The MW has a best by date of Jan 24. I bought 3. The vanilla ice cream will be good with the strawberries. 

(I just remembered--Kim, have you discovered that Cokes at McD are no longer $1. They went up to $1.75!)

So, we drove about 3 miles. I was only in the heat to go into and out of the store. Since it rained, Tommy only went to the mailbox and back. I did not poke my head out the door the rest of the day. 

Just before 4 pm, the storm started, first with far off thunder, then wind, and then torrents blowing. It looked like one of the shepherd's hooks with a hanging basket of flowers was going to blow over as the basket blew back and forth. 

We both put our recliners in a position with foot down and backs where we would be comfortable if we lost electricity.  Plus, I did not want to have to call 911 to be hauled out of the chair. I called a mobility company nearby and we discussed the battery pack for the chairs--about $100 we were told. So, on Friday we will get a couple of those. 

Finally, at 7:15 or so, it calmed down after nothing worse than brief blips in the power. Birmingham probably had worse problems than we did. I heard the "feels like" temperature was between 113F and 115F". Now, that is hot. Okay, just heard--a three-month-old infant and a three-year-old child were killed when a tree fell on a home. It was a very nice multi-story home with mature trees. I say this because it was not a weather-related death in a mobile home as usually happens.

For dinner I cooked a package of spaghetti, shredded/chopped the last chicken breast, added a jar of alfredo sauce. For mine I added green beans and diced pimientos. Tommy did not. He had a huge salad with grape tomatoes and mayo. Basically, dinner was boiling pasta and mixing things in. There is more pasta for the half jar of spaghetti sauce in the refrigerator. 

Have you had chicken breasts that were strange with a woody texture? Have you heard of "woody chicken?" How did the storm affect you?

Tommy Cooks! Pay Attention

Friday night, for some reason my stomach hurt. I had eaten oats because I was starving. Right below my breastbone, if felt like a rock was inside me. I did not feel well at all. I told him he needed to cook his own dinner--a pork chop. He agreed. He did ask if he needed to put oil in the pan. No. 

Of course, I had to talk him through the process. There were still collards and cole slaw, so frying one pork chop was all he had to do. First, he wanted to know if he needed to put oil in the teflon-like pan. No. Since the pork chop was partially frozen, I told him to put a bit of water, like two tbsp of water just to thaw it in a heated pan. No, I don't boil our meat. When the water boiled away, he said he turned it on simmer to cook it. 

Well, I told him to turn it up and brown it. He still wanted to know about oil. I told him to put maybe a tsp of oil in the pan. I did tell him to salt and pepper it just a bit. He ate it and had a good meal without my cooking by adding slaw and collards to his plate. When I feel better, later or tomorrow, I will cook mine. 

One day, I looked up and Tommy was carrying the yellow Tupperware cannister out of the living room and into the kitchen. I said nothing. I keep noticing things are disappearing from the bookcase between the front door and his chair. Good job. He is making the place look better for company and us! 

It is very cold and windy here. The wind snatched the storm door from my hand as we went out. I made a decision--we are not going anywhere Saturday since it is going to be even colder! Tommy is more than okay with that. 

I have 3 pounds of hamburger meat thawing. Tomorrow, I will make another pot of soup. We ate all the last gallon and never froze any. Soup, even the same kind will be good for the next few days when it will be so cold out. 

Well, another comment on the chair is forthcoming. Tommy said the chair is sort of hard. I call it firm. The thing I did not like about the La z boy recliner was that it sort of enveloped me. It was squishy. I sit on top of this chair and like it. Before we got our chairs, Tommy was adamant that he was not covering his new one. Eeww, sleeping and eating in it would make it gross. He slept and ate in his old chair for about 12 years with nothing on the chair. But, as soon as the guys delivering them left, I suggested he get the quilt I had out here. He immediately covered his chair and we both make sure we cover our chairs when the quilt slides off. We tell each other when the quilt has slipped off and a head is touching the chair.

From 6 pm until 10:30 pm, I kept hearing loud noises outside. Tommy said all the banging around was just car doors, people coming and going up and down the street. Well, it sounded like someone was throwing a ball at the carport wall. The utility room door does not fit well or stay closed. He went out and put a piece of cardboard in the door to keep it shut. Well, then he went out and put the cardboard in tighter or something. Finally, the noise was driving me mad. I asked him if someone was in my car in the carport. He went out to drag a bag of soil in front of the door. The noise stopped. The woman whose bedroom is next to carport probably was as irritated as I. 

Even though it was Friday night, these people around here are not noisy or apt to be out much at night, so I doubted it was car doors. No one had lights on and there were no moving vans, so where was the noise? I suppose I will have to apologize to the woman next door. 

He downplays everything. When I smelled gas at his gas meter, he said he could not smell it at the front door and that the only reason I could smell it was I went to the meter at the side of the house. It was not a bad lek. He finally called the gas company "to shut me up." Yes, we had a leak. Yes, I complained nonstop. 

It is now 5:30 am on Saturday morning, and I cannot sleep. 

Has your persistence in raising the alarm ever solved a problem or averted a catastrophe? 

Three Things You Can Do to Live Longer and Monday Evening

 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO LIVE LONGER.

Do you do any of these three things? 

On Monday night, Tommy knocked a can of WD40 off the kitchen counter. I told him to just leave it and I would pick it up since he cannot reach it and I can.  He was waiting on his plate of chicken, potatoes, and broccoli.  I finished up serving dinner. Several times, I was on the verge of going to the kitchen and did not. Tommy went into the kitchen and came back telling me the can of WD40 had leaked all over the floor. It was in a streak from one side to the other in the kitchen. He asked what to use to clean it. I suggested paper towels to soak it up, some Dawn, and then water to get up the Dawn.

I have a Swiffer thing and showed him how to put a dish cloth in the little holes, so he did. It took a while, but he got it clean. He said there is a clean streak about two feet wide across the kitchen. 

We both were sure I would have fallen if I had gone into the kitchen. He saw the "wet" place and put his walker on the other side and managed to step over the stream of WD40.

As he opened the door to put a cardboard box soaked in WD40 in the trash outside, he exclaimed, 
"It's gone!" I thought the car was stolen. Someone took the love seat. I suppose someone is going to dry it out and use it.   

I received a call that the recliners are in. So, I need to find someone to get things out of the living room before they chairs are brought in. I cannot believe it only took from Thursday to Monday to get it in stock. 

Last night, the three-foot Christmas tree was stuffed into its tiny box and is stored away. Now, I need to cover the poinsetttia and have Tommy ride it to the room on his walker where I store it and I can carry it from there. That is the end of Christmas. 

Do you make a concerted effort to do any of these three things to live longer? What other things do you make sure you include in your life to improve mental or physical health?

Better Night

 I awoke at 1 pm after a better night. I still was not able to go to sleep until 5 am, but I did sleep better. 

I awoke to a voice mail--the recliners are in! So, my whole focus will be getting someone to help me get this stuff out of the way so it will fit. Then, we will have two recliners to join the loveseat on the lawn! 

Yesterday, Tommy just sat when I said we needed to unload the dishwasher, and the few other things that needed to be done. So, I was pushed to around 7 pm, losing hope and energy. He had leftovers again, something different every day, it seems. Now, the day I wanted to finally get all the Christmas put away, I have to think about yesterday's work and getting the recliners delivered. sigh sigh

Okay, two days in the 30s is a temp I find cold. On days like this, I would consider wearing socks and shoes outdoors. 

Okay, I must think and plan. So, stay warm if it is cold where you are. 

Haircut Day

 Now, our only job is to clean out the living room so the recliners can be put in here. I suppose the guys will take away the old recliners. Hope so. The rest is piled and cluttered, a mess. 

I called and finally found someone who would prescribe the lift for a recliner! And, medicare won't reimburse La Z Boy because they are too expensive. I have to get it from a medical supply for help. When I told Tommy, he said he was not going to all that trouble to save $250. Well, we are going to look and test. 

For two years I have asked at various places that sell equipment for the handicapped/disabled where I could get a recliner/lift through medicare. Not one person would tell me, claiming they did not know of any place! I have been told I could not sit in one to try it out, just order it. Not true! I will see if anyone has what they call a "zero gravity" chair, one that raises my feet above my heart, is minus that head pillow, and that the seat is deeper. 

Finally, today, Tommy let me cut his hair. I must have cut five or more inches off. We both have trouble getting through the carport to the back yard, so we do everything in front of the house. It looks tacky, like we are yahoos, but it is the only thing we can do without pain and maybe falling. I sort of got it to short and crooked on the back on one side. Just don't look there. I look over at him and I am amazed. 

When we were in the front yard, he exclaimed he could feel the sun on his neck and ears. I told him the sun was shining. He said his neck and ears had been covered for so long. He was amazed that he could feel the sun. I laughed. 

He washed a load of clothes for me, separating the things I hang into three bags--nightgowns, panties, and the white sheet of crepe back satin I use in the car. Usually, he just stuffs things in willy nilly. Of course, then he went back for the things he dried--my towels and washcloths. I cannot believe he has become so organized, something I did not ever expect. I just hang them up however he brings things in. 

He does not want me to wash his clothes or to mingle them...lol. He puts everything he needs to wash in one load every two weeks. So, he does and I don't argue. 

This fall, I intend to buy something upon which to hang clothing in a bedroom and just dry my towels and washcloths on there, too. That way, he does not have to stand in the weather to sort things for the dryer and then go back in the weather again. Also, I won't have to hang things on the door facings in the hall. I am tired of it! Tired! 

Last night, I asked Tommy was he going to get rid of the love seat I sit on. He said he  might as well. This is one of those very cheapo pieces of furniture and over 20 years old, broken down and nasty. His last girlfriend gave it to him when she moved because she could not get it on the truck. Her dog used it as she pleased, and Tommy has smoke in here until I came here. It is just nasty to me even though it still looks pretty good. 

He said he really hates there will be no other place for a person to sit when we get rid of his recliner, the one he refused to let me use, and the love seat. Well, no one else can sit in her anyway. He does not know it, but I am going to a consignment shop to find chairs. I like movable chairs instead of massive ones not meant to be moved about. This won't be my idea of a stylish makeover, but anything is better than it is now. baby steps baby steps

We went out today so I could get bananas and milk at Publix. At The Pig I found mixes for $0.48, two pumpkin spice cupcake mixes and a apple cider cupcake mix. Since I don't have cupcake papers and don't want to wash the pan, I just put the mixes in the pan and make a sort of cake in a tiny rectangular glass pan. It works. For the apple cider mix, I will chop two apples of some sort. 

Since I need to cook dinner, I think I will let Tommy clean the razor with oil and a tiny brush. Dinner will be Stovetop Stuffing with three small breasts in it, very meat-rich. I will put in the chicken, low sodium mushroom soup, egg, celery, dried cranberries or Craisins, and green beans. There are other vegetables to cook, maybe sweet potatoes. But, the sweet potatoes will not go in the Stovetop mixture. I am going to cook the breasts and celery together with sage. My mouth is watering. This plan may change right now because I am soo tired.

Tommy's Birthday, New Furniture, This and That

 Tommy's Birthday is coming up and I am confused. I want to get him a nose hair trimmer. Is it better to get a battery operated one or a manual? I looked to Amazon and I have no idea. Help! Pros and cons of both, please. 

At Publix, I was given a cloth, reusable bag. It is the rectangular, flat kind, not one that stands up. But, it is washable, I think. 

Monday, I found Halo's for the first time this year. They are not very good. 

When the commode overflowed, I put four large, thick towels in the water when I got it stopped and then into the tub. Tommy later put his rug from in front of the sink onto the shower bar in the shower. Later he took it out and hung it on the ramp railing. I mentioned washing it. He said it needed to be thrown out. I thought it was a flat, brown rug. No, it has a squished down pile and is not brown, just filthy. . . this is why I never go without shoes. 

He has two recliners, both given to him. The current one is rickety because of his struggles to get out and falling into it. The one he does not use is beige and in a corner. I keep telling him the one he sits in sound like it is going to fall down. Today, I asked him if he really thinks he needs to keep the beige one or get rid of it. He said he thinks it needs to go. Miracle of Miracles--I think I see new furniture in the future and more space where someone can vacuum. He said the beige chair is so uncomfortable and hard he cannot sit in it. 

Does your lipstick ever run? I had a young friend whose lips looked like a 90-year-old woman's because of the bleeding lipstick. She was using lipstick gotten from estate sales, probably never worn, just old.  Old lipstick bleeds even on young lips. So, throw it out. 

I playfully suggested to Tommy that we could take the Halo's and paint pumpkin faces on them. No, not doing it. But, a thought. 

Today, Tuesday, we went to Cullman for lab tests. I was about to faint from hunger, but the phlebotomist was great and found a vein the first time, so the experience was not so bad. 

We went out in the country to the Hunny Hut for Honey. I bought two pints for $8 each. I could have had a quart for $15, but who wants to handle a quart of honey? Not me. Each pint is 22 oz. honey, so that is almost 3 lbs of honey. This will last me a long time. 

I went to my bank and had my absentee ballot notarized, Tommy's also. They know me so the notary public was willing to come outside. It was the bank manager. Then, I had to go and have a copy made of my driver's license at another business. I left a dollar bill on the counter in order to make the pain less...lol.  Now, to mail it. 

Tommy likes to drive around and look at Halloween decorations, so we did a bit of that, too. 

It's only 4 pm., but it has already been a hard and busy day. 

Do you ever ride around to see Halloween decorations? Are you voting early or with absentee ballot?