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. 

Long, Stressful Day

Today, I almost overdid it. I am trying to rest for a real challenge next Monday. We left early to go to Cullman to meet someone at my lot. I got my business done with guy we met. First, we had a burger and went to PO. Afterwards, we went to the festehalle and I bought beautiful small yellow crookneck squash from my sweet potato man. Then, we came back for something this afternoon, something that was cancelled when we got there. Bummer.

I called and left a message cancelling the missionaries because I was tired and knew I would be exhausted for three days if they came by to help in the kitchen. But, they did not get the message. They showed up, and I did not get out of my recliner. I told them I was too tired and we had left a message cancelling. However, I told them I had something that really needed doing--take all dead limbs at back of the lot to the road. 

When the guy next door paid for someone to mow Tommy's lawn, the mower carried all limbs to the back of Tommy's yard. It is not like we live backed up to a forest. The guys thought we meant the huge limb that fell on neighbor's fence. They got it off the fence but could not get it through the small gate. So, they just carried all the limbs at the back and left the newly fallen limb which was okay.  

They left without telling us. I am sure they were hot and figured that lady would have more work! Of course, I would not...lol. They had on black pants, white shirt and tie. But, they did not mind working outdoors that way. These guys are really nice young men, personable. 

I cooked, mashed and sweetened the blackberries with Swerve. It was fine until I tried drinking milk. Then, my mouth seemed to be lined with sugar. I could not get the sweet taste off my tongue or lips. It was weird and way too sweet once I drank milk. I only put 1/4 cup swerve in a quart of blackberries. 

Then, later I decided to eat oats and put only a tsp of Swerve in the bowl of oats. Well, my tongue was coated with a sickening sweetness once I started drinking milk. I tried wiping it off with a dishcloth but it would not go away. I am not sure what is happening. 

I won't give up. I need to cut back on sugar, of course. And, I need to make Kool Aid! I should buy pure Stevia. 

My plan for the squash is somewhat off-beat. I will slice them, put a tiny bit of oil over them in a bowl and stir in cornmeal Then, I will put on a pan for the oven. I have done this before in place of frying the squash. I cannot stand or tend to them for a long time. Plus, if you don't use an iron skillet, fried squash is nothing special and does not turn out right. It is better in the oven. 

Tuesday night, I folded kitchen linens, folded my bathroom stuff, struggled with Tommy to open a huge box that we could barely get inside, had meatloaf and vegetables for dinner. Tommy heated his own leftover meatloaf and vegetables and went out and watered the flowers. 

The flowers are surviving the heat from the brick house. Of course, Tommy's watering them is working miracles. Tomorrow, it will be 100F here, so we will stick close to home. 

Monday night and Tuesday afternoon, I talked for a total of four hours to an abused woman whose husband and his attorney agreed to give her $1000/month as long as she does not marry or cohabitate  with anyone. She thinks living with her brother out of necessity or staying with our mutual friend to do his 2020 taxes is cohabiting! (Friend lives far away and her work laptops were stolen, so she uses friend's computer.) He gets $7000/month from his pension from former high level govt job. He told her that it was not money she could get like social security from him since they were divorcing. 

He and his family stole her medicines, computers with clients social security numbers and all their financial records. The items he stole include pre-colombian articles that a dead husband gave her. I know that sounds fishy and will not criticize her or listen to criticism. He abused her in ways I cannot imagine and have never heard before. 

His daughter took her walker away so she was helpless, pulled it across the room. He stole her son's computer and camera, and phone! She did not recognize elder abuse, and obviously her son does not recognize theft! 

She talked to an attorney who wanted $5000 up front. So, she has given up, suffering, I believe, from learned helplessness. I promised I would help her. I will. So, I have a chore set out for me. 

It all makes me so sad and wears me down emotionally which affects me physically!