Wednesday Night and Thursday

 Wednesday night, we had a different dinner. I had two pounds of fresh green beans that needed to be eaten. Plus, I had a few potatoes left and a dish of the juices of the applewood pork loin. Then, I had a meat that felt all frozen from the freezer. It was pork rib tips. I could not figure that out. But, when we were eating, I figured that is was the end pieces of a rack of ribs, little strips of meat with 1/2 inch tiny, round bones. 

So, frozen pork rib tips, green beans, potatoes went into a cooking bag along with the juices of the seasoned pork loin. It was one of the best dinners we have had in a long time. The skinny strips of meat with rib bones were the strangest cut of meat I ever saw. Have you bought or eaten this? 

I finally calmed down after finding a stranger had given my telephone number to another stranger to me and to her. And, she had posted my number on fb.

Wednesday night, Tommy started digging around in one of the spare bedrooms in order to put his crap he keeps in the floor in the living room into that room and out of the living room floor. Well, that will jumble things I know the locations. Plus, he took boxes out to throw away. Nope, those are for books. He found the box for the air fryer and got the fryer from the kitchen to put in the box. I give up! It will go on the curb for free. I spent a lot of money on it, and he broke the latch after the second use, so the door won't close. 

I tried the keto bread twice today. It is awful with pbj as the bread seems gummy and hard to chew. With cheese the bread was great. I will go back to using Smucker's  Natural pb and use half as much jelly, just a smear. I eat my potatoes almost cold in order to accommodate diabetes. 

Tommy is destroying the vac I bought for him. He will not empty the HEPA filter. He said it does not matter. Now, the huge wads of dust sit outside the filter cup. The HEPA filter serves a purpose--to keep the air exiting the vac from having particles that will bother me. I have no idea how long it will take the extra wads of dirt to kill the motor. He uses his reacher to pick up particles from the carpet, says the carpet is clean so no need to run the vacuum. Heaven help me! He did not change the furnace filter for over a year to save on filters. 

The only thing I need to buy for the tiny party is grapes and cherries. I will make the dip, put out goat cheese and crackers, make sausage balls. The rest is just arranging food. 

As I explained how he will mix sausage balls, Tommy looked appalled. He will have gloves on to squeeze sausage...lol. He did not realize how this was done. And, I would put gloves on, too. I never had rubber gloves to wear when I made these years ago.

I bought another basil plant. The leaves from the other were not as fragrant as they were when I bought it. I need to breathe the fragrance as ears and sinuses are becoming congested. 

Wednesday night, I ordered a tiny vacuum, about the size of a curling iron to get up bits, tiny particles. I hope it does what I need it to do. Surprisingly, it has a HEPA filter if I read correctly. It is very lightweight.

Wednesday night, at 7:30, the temperature was 59F, nice. 

The Christmas Party for seniors is coming up, but I think I am too tired! Last year, there were 800 seniors in attendance. 

You know I love bologna. I do and eat little. The last time I bought it, last week, the texture was off, and this was my favorite brand. I called and complained, inquiring as to the problem. As I tried to describe the texture, the guy said, "I know exactly what you mean." I asked if others had complained. "A few."  I took that terse, flat answer to mean quite a few. He said that the problem has been solved at the plant and he would give me a refund check. Okay. Good deal. 

Then, I called my favorite bakery about my favorite bread being scorched tasting. The young woman was rude, like I was lying, raising her voice. So, I raised my voice, too which hurt her feelings. I asked for her supervisor, and she had her call me back. I explained I did get loud but only after she insinuated I was lying, got loud with me, and continued her accusation over and over. Gee! Now, I will get a coupon for two loaves of bread. No, I did not go off into a lengthy maniacal rant. But, I do not suffer fools lightly! Her tone, phrasing, and voice insulted me and implied she did not believe me. The first thing I said was that I bought two loaves of bread. She then said repeatedly I only said one in the beginning. They have the conversation taped, so the supervisor can hear it all. 

That three-minute phone call turned sour quickly. I am getting coupons for bread! It was not so much getting another loaf of bread, just her yelling at me, calling me a liar, and being so obnoxious. Have you ever seen anyone argue by repeating the same phrase over and over like--I told you so, I told you so, I told you so! ??? Their intent is to drown out anything you say so that you give up and give in. ???

Tommy put the air fryer in its original box on the lawn and we left for about an hour and fifteen minutes. It was gone when we returned. I hated to give it away. I really wanted an airfryer, and it worked well but the door would not stay closed. But, it was on the counter, using real estate and not working! Plus, it was a constant disappointment and longing for me. I really want an Emeril Lagasse air fryer, but I want him too, to put food in there. 

We gave away a box of food we cannot use, won't eat, or whatever. I love dried beans, but we had too many. 

Gas is $2.62 here in Alabama. 

I took six D batteries to a battery store to recycle.

The Singer treadle machine is class model #66, quantity manufactured-- 35,000, Jan. 2, 1929. So, now we know. I wish I knew the story of the woman who bought it and all the women who sewed on it. 

Wednesday and Thursday, we watched A Christmal Carol with Jim Carrey and tonight with Patrick Stewart. I hope the one with Kelsey Grammer is shown soon. 

Thursday Dinner is leftovers--roast chicken, slaw, potatoes, green beans. 

There is not much happening here...lol. The house is rid of the clutter of six batteries, one air fryer, and 20lbs of beans. I count that a good declutter day. And, it was a sunny day in the 50s. 

How has your day gone? Do you enjoy watching different iterations of The Christmas Carol?

Red-Letter Day

Thursday and Friday and Saturday

Thursday was a red-letter day. I had the cleaner clean out two drawers that Tommy had emptied and the guys then removed.  She put them back in. I had bought eating utensils last month and needed to buy a tray to put in the drawer for the utensils. Well, lo and behold, there was a pink utensil tray in a drawer I have never opened. Tommy washed the tray last night. So, today, I put all the utensils into the tray and into the drawer. Today was the first time that I could reach into a drawer at my elbow and get what I need instead of having to turn and walk the table and back! It was a red-letter day for me. 

When I went in to cook meat, there was only a package with two huge bscb, so that went into the oven. I told Tommy he could wait for that or have a bag of bsc thigh. He said he wanted some of the pulled pork along with the Great Northern Beans and Collards. So, that was it. The chicken will be for tomorrow and at least two more days. The breasts are huge! 

Tommy is happy because it rained today, and he does not have to water. That's good because today is the day to take the garbage to the road. He takes a step, reaches back and pulls the can to him, takes another step and pulls the garbage to himself again, over and over. I tried to help when I first came, thinking maybe the two of us could make it more easily. Well, no. My shoulders will not allow me to pull things anymore. So, he takes the garbage by himself. Sometimes, a neighbor will bring it back to the porch. 

Tonight, Thursday, I will freeze some of the beans and the collards. Tommy will love having more single helpings of food to eat. If I die, he can eat for several weeks from the freezer, maybe longer. 

I boiled eggs so maybe I will get potato salad soon--incremental potato salad...lol.  

Added benefit of having the basil to inhale--There is always a bit of the red stuff at the back of my nose. That has entirely disappeared after almost three years. Why three years? This place is filthy!

Saturday

Another benefit to basil--I have had a gum irritation that has been really painful. When I chew the basil after having smelled it, crushed it and gotten a different aroma, I chew it. The side I chew on mostly, is the side where the two areas of gum irritation are located. The basil seems to have worked to lessen and relieve completely the gum irritation. Maybe it is just my imagination. 

I had places to go, but the no tax day on school supplies keeps me out of anyplace that might be crowded today. We went back to Publix to get things I forgot and things not on shelves, all on sale. Since all these had to be refrigerated, we had to come home immediately and put them in the refrigerator. Then,

Then, we went back to a yard sale. The stack on the side of the road was disheartening as the one thing I saw as we drove away was not there. After that. we just drove around, looking at all the burned houses being renovated. That is not what we went to see, just saw so many. 

Saturday morning, I slept until 11:30 and felt wonderful. However, I was loathe to get up from my chair and do anything because I knew I would be zapped and would no longer feel so wonderful. What an excuse to do nothing, right? So, now it is 6 pm and we have to load the dishwasher. But, at least I felt great for about six hours. 

Other than loading the dishwasher I have to do other things--cut up three peppers for Tommy to eat, cook meatloaf hamburger, cut up strawberries, cut zucchini. 

In the car we have hangers to go to thrift store, plastic to go to recycling, and shirts to give to food bank. They did put clothing in a clothes closet. I told them as far as I was concerned, the workers could have them. I heard the minister, present at the food bank found a jacket to use. There are about a dozen people working, so surely they can use these shirts. We both have books to donate. I have had my books for three years; his have been here for a couple of decades. 

I Like It | Suspect in Lack of Sleep

 Okay, it's official--I like cheese curds. I ate too many. Tommy would not try even a tiny bite. It seems to me I remember hearing something about their squeaking. These don't. Tommy wonders if they would make good grilled cheese sandwiches. I cannot imagine why not. 

For dinner Sunday night, we were still full from the Whopper I wanted after my nice, long sleep. I sauteed zucchini, green and red peppers for Tommy along with a slice of some sort of turkey loaf. I had a little of the zucchini, a bite of the turkey stuff, and purple hull peas. 

I sliced and froze the green onions I used earlier in the week. Plus, I froze the slivered almonds from the meal kit. I will put both into something I cook. It seems like I froze something else today.

Starting tomorrow, I will pick and freeze basil each morning. I pick in the morning, soak in salty water, rinse, and stick into a small freezer bag. When the bag is getting full, I just crush the basil in the bag. It tastes fresh when used. I have plans to make Mediterranean Pasta. 

Monday

I slept for 6 hours, so a big deal after 8 hours last night. I think I have solved the sleep problem--Melatonin. It does help me sleep then wakes me--rebound effect. These two nights are the only nights I have not taken and melatonin or a much-reduced dose. So, tonight, I will either not take any or take just a portion of the dose. 

Monday, Tommy took my metal chicken and my lawn chair to the front lawn so I could paint it white without a mist hitting his car, no fumes would get on the hummers or their feeders, and where I could move around it. 

We don't do this in the back yard like normal people do because his steps from the house are only a foot from the utility room. We have to struggle so that it is not worth it. He has a huge, pretty, back yard. It has a huge tree that makes it cooler than the front yard. 

I managed not to spray myself or my shoes, but did clean them in case it was just a mist I could not see. However, the wind changed and I inhaled lots of the mist. It caused my asthma to act up. I was so afraid I could not get into the house! Then, I was sooo out of breath and coughing, that Tommy had to find the inhaler on the table next to me. Of course, he found the two I did not need first.  My chest feels like I have 20 lbs. on me. 

The "new friend" gave me cuttings of a plant. I forgot about it and kept it closed in a plastic bag. I think that was three weeks ago. It is blooming inside the plastic bag. In a few minutes, I will repot those. 

The pansies look so happy, all fluffy and blowing in the breeze. They looked great when I brought them home, but they look so much more healthy now. I let the mums get too dry and they almost looked crunchy, but they have filled out after not only having been watered, but also sitting in water for a bit. 

We went to Publix to give a recipe to a woman who works there. We bought and took a small bowl of watermelon to the park and ate it in the shade of a huge tree. I want at least a bit of traditional candy at Halloween, but those huge bags are too much to eat and too much sugar for two of us. I bought a tiny bag of candy corn that will be eaten by two people over several days. 

About ten years ago, I had an idea for buying Halloween and Christmas candy. I bought it and opened it at the register, leaving the opened bag. I just refused to take it, telling the cashier she could have it. These people are younger and have children. 

Tonight, Tommy is going to chop one of the two packages of ground beef for something for dinner. I will have leftover purple hull peas we got at the market. And, I am cooking Brussels sprouts. So, beef, purple hull peas, and Brussels sprouts and sliced tomatoes. 

Have you ever had one of these wire chickens? Do you have any special pots you like to put plants into? What flower would work in place of pansies this next spring in the concrete chicken? They cannot be tall. And, must be able to withstand heat and sun. 

A Very Long Week!

 As early as Monday, I was ahead of myself. The week is not dragging at all. It just seems every day, I think it should be two days later. I suppose every time I take a nap, it should be a different day when I awake. But, it is not working out that way. 

On Tuesday, I jumped up and got dressed and asked Tommy when he wanted to leave. He was puzzled. Well, we had something to do on Friday and I was ready on Tuesday, or maybe it was Monday I was ready to go. 

Tommy told me the weather would be dry for the next ten days. I love that. It is only 63F degrees right now at 10:30 am, so cooler than I prefer. No rain means I will have to water a few plants. It also means the grass will not grow so quickly for a while. Aha! I saw a hummingbird just now. So, they are still here.

After I bought my third basil plant this year, I decided to keep it inside. Someone must have dropped a handful of seeds into this one pot since there are about 20 stems. I will repot it into 2 pots, hoping some of the stems survive. I finally remembered to buy a very small bag of potting mix. So, there is that to do today, maybe...lol. 

Since I slept one hour last night, I am headed back to bed after the news. Maybe I can work on the list this afternoon. It's growing longer. 

Okay, I went to the bedroom before noon and awoke at 3 pm and got up at 3:45 and ate--salad greens, lots of chicken, shredded cheddar cheese and ranch dressing. 

I gave Tommy the Publix ad to find what we need or he wants or what I might want. The only thing he circled was zucchini and squash at $2.99/lb. I will be going to the Farmer's market soon. Hopefully, it will be small squashes and cheaper and better. 

Dinner will be chicken again today for both of us. Tommy had a chicken sandwich for lunch. But, this will be a different iteration. Wish me luck...lol. We both enjoy having a breast in the freezer to slice sandwich meat. It is much healthier and just as delicious as bologna and cheaper than something from the grocery. 

Colcannon is on the menu tonight as I just set Tommy to peeling potatoes. I will get the cabbage ready and cook it. 

Do you ever have a week where it always seems it should be later in the week than it is? Do you run around getting ready to go somewhere when it is three days away?

Frozen Corn, Allergies, More Decluttering

 Tuesday, I cooked all twelve ears of corn and cut the kernels off the cob. I cut from two ears and froze those in a snack bag. I kept it up until I had five packages frozen for us, half a package apiece, so one ear apiece. We ate none of it that night. On Wednesday, I did not feel like cooking so we had what was in the refrigerator. The sixth bag of corn was eaten. Tommy had a salad with dressing, sliced cucumbers on top and chopped chicken. I had two hotdogs and too much chili. Ooops, forgot the cheese. I had something else but cannot remember what. The chili was going to be too much for my gastric system, so I only ate a bit of it and saved the rest for him.

No more patterns were sorted. 

I took my first dose of the med, snorted, for my congestion. Maybe I am imagining it, but it seems my congestion is less and my ears hurt less. Hopefully, October will not be too rough for me, no antibiotics. 

On Wednesday, I discovered I am being overcharged by providers! Medicare helped me to determine this. Now, I have to straighten it out. If they do not refund money and quit charging me, Medicare will take hold of them and beat them about the ears. I would prefer they be put in stocks.

And, another reward program has not been giving me what I was due, even though I pointed it out before. I had to call corporate to get it straight. 

Wednesday was a dreary day, no sun at all. But, somehow, it did not affect my mood. There was a smattering of rain where we are. 

I have some boxed-from-the-factory chicken equipment that my friend from Cullman is going to get when he comes down to clean Tommy's gutters. He was eager because he had five ducks and now has two. So, he said this will give them a better chance of survival. That will be one huge box out of the dining room. YAY! I have no idea why Tommy put it in the dining room, but that is where I found it. 

I slept about nine hours today, waking at 1:30 this afternoon. I had to talk to Amazon, one of those long conversation. I got something straightened out there, too. 

My ear is definitely better and I have no pain! It feels a little stuffed up, but nose is no longer running day and night. My allergist is the best. 

Tonight, we are having preformed burgers, really thick ones, cooked in the oven with mushroom soup mix over them and a bit of water. I will have a salad with tomatoes. Tommy will have cucumbers on top along with tomatoes. 

I need to make refrigerator pickles for him since we have so many they will get mushy if they are not used. 

At the grocery, I bought another basil plant since the last two bolted. I could not bend over to pink off the tops with the last one. Tommy thinks basil stinks, so I didn't ask him to pinch it. I hope this one lasts thought the winter.

There is another soldering project in the works. I feel really happy knowing that I have five meals of corn in the freezer!

What kind of projects do you have planned, started, or finished?

I'm Back

 Mentally, I feel much as I usually do. Tommy said for over two weeks I talked as though I had just gotten out of bed, that my voice was soft and sort of trailed off as I spoke. I can think. I can plan and carry it through. I can sleep at night and do not feel the need to sleep all day and into the evening.

Not once did I exercise/march

Today, for the first time in about a month, I went to a big box store. Before, I was afraid to go. Even so, today, I ran into three racks. LOL...maybe I am not 100%. 

I tried to use Fetch again, thinking it was my brain not working. Well, my brain works now, and I still cannot use it. I need help. 

I finally finished The Bird Way. Reading only as few as 4 pages some nights certainly did not make it a quick read. Now, I will start on Hillbilly Elegy. I have had this on my reading list for several years. Now, I will read it. 

Now, I have a divot in my nose. I think it is very noticeable. Tommy calls it a dimple. Who ever heard of a dimple on the end of a nose. Well, it is off-center. If it had been skin cancer, it would have been much larger. 

Tomorrow, I must pick basil if it has not bolted. It was scary to think of bending over on the porch when I was so medicated. I have a long list of items that I need to do! 

Tommy has been really good to get his food and bring me endless things I have wanted. For over two weeks, I just got up to go to the bathroom. Tonight, we went through the refrigerator to see what went to waste. The list was short--celery and a bit of salad greens. I got to see what was in there to plan when to eat what. 

I have calls to make and sugar water to make for the hummers, clothes to fold, painting, gluing and soldering (sort of), When you are discombobulated from being ill, do you have a list of things to do? 

Monday Night, Dinner and Reading

 I was miserable Sunday night with acid reflux and did not sleep until after 7 am. Then, I awoke at 11 am. I did not nap, but did lie down twice because of my back. 

For dinner tonight, we are having our third dinner from the chicken breasts and also had three lunches. That is pretty good for $6 worth of chicken at $.99/lb. 

On Tuesday I will cook the bscb that was $1.99/lb. I should have bought five packages for the freezer. I like that this store has a freezer with frozen packages and thawed ones in the refrigerator section. 

Tonight, I chopped the rest of the chicken and put it in a casserole. On top of that I had a thick layer of broccoli, then chopped tomatoes. I put a layer of cheese on the casserole and baked it--delicious. 

For him, I cooked the remains of a bell pepper, shriveled zucchini, and a whole Vidalia onion in water to soften and olive oil and one shake of garlic powder.  It smelled delicious and he liked it. This was an easy dinner. I know all the vegetables will soften in olive oil, but I add a touch of water.  

Tonight or tomorrow, I will scramble another 9 eggs to last three or four days, probably four days. Do you eat eggs? Lots? My father refused to believe that eggs were harmful and raised cholesterol levels. He never cut back on his egg consumption.  He was right! 

As we came in the house from a ride, I picked basil, the whole top of the plant. I put it down and eventually Tommy came in. He said, "I smell something strange in here." I sniffed the air and could not detect anything strange. LOL Finally, when I told him it was basil, he just grunted. He hates basil and I love it. 

Today, I made an appointment to get with a friend who is going to help me with my passwords and the new Android. I will put apps on and figure out what I don't know. Actually, I am smart enough to do this, but exhaustion sets in and I bumble around. Maybe I can figure out how to mail pictures. I could mail pictures on the one that was stolen from me. If you have an app for saving money you can recommend, feel free to leave it for me. If I can get something from your blog, leave a link. Maybe some of this can help your bottom dollar if I sign up through your link! 

When I read at night, I seem to sleep better. The book light is working. I figured out that putting many pages in the clip helps. And, placing it nearer to the spine of the book. I am still reading The Bird Way. Reading four pages a night will not get it read soon! Even when I am sleepy, I can work through it to read, like I have all my life. However, I have decided I cannot read for hours late at night. 

Nothing Much Friday But Stuff to Say--Tomatoes, Basil, and Gunsmoke

 When pots are left with dying plants from over the winter, sometimes they will reseed , sprout weeds or just sit there and look ugly. I noticed a few days ago green in one of my herb pots. Yesterday, I made note of the fact it looked like basil. Well, today, feeling like I could bend and not topple over, I bent and pulled a leaf and smelled it. BASIL

It is really hard to water things on the porch as bending is hard and I don't want to spray the leaves. So, I have to bend or go off the porch and down the ramp to water standing on the grass. Plus, Tommy must go down the ramp and then back around it to turn on the water. I hate to have him do this, but I cannot turn the faucet. 

No pretty plants on the porch. I need to find ones that can go dry without immediately collapsing and then dying. But, I had another thought while on hummingbird watch. I will get another shepherd's crook and put flowers near the ramp railing. That way, either of us can water them with water from inside the house. 

It looks like I lost my third cleaner before he ever came. He would be in one of three locations and I had to go get him.  Well, before I could call, he moved to some place called Livingston. My friend has a second person in mind, so we will see. 

Tonight, I decided a BLT would be perfect with the new tomatoes, but I needed to purchase already-cooked bacon. We got out the door and onto the ramp and decided to stay home as it was starting to sprinkle and there were big, black clouds. No use getting caught out in that, so we unlocked the door and stayed here. The tomatoes will last until tomorrow. 

Right now, I am watching a movie with James Arness. I love Gunsmoke! I hurried and put dinner in the oven--two bscb and two chicken breast filets. A whole Vidalia onion sliced in half and a whole bell pepper sliced in fourths are cooking with the chicken. Tommy is going to have salad with grape tomatoes. I will have slices of one of the tomatoes from the market. We can eat all weekend from this since the breasts are so large. 

I may have a tomato salad--diced tomatoes, a bit of Miracle Whip stirred in with other vegetables.  YUM. When we were kids, we would go in and make tomato sandwiches before dinner. I loved those. 

The chicken is almost ready and Tommy is getting his salad. So, I need to check on the chicken at the next commercial. 

Do you or did you just eat tomato sandwich with mayo or salad dressing? Did you toast the bread or eat it with toasting? 

Monday Doings and Plans and Plans Not Done

The basil recovered without any help from me. Whew! When I repotted the herbs, the basil had a rope of roots a half inch thick around the bottom of the pot. Undecided what to do with it, I explained it to Tommy and ripped off the whole root mass around the bottom of the pot. Now, Tommy knows what "root-bound" means and what it looks like. I think it took a long time for the plant to recover from all the damage I did. Hopefully, it will be strong going forward.

It is hard to wait so long for the new scales. Last week, I stopped into a doctor's office in Cullman and weighed myself. Well, i called and asked. There was not a soul in the waiting room or in any of the exam rooms. So, I felt safe. Surprisingly, I had only gained a pound since the first of the year. I suppose I just feel fatter. I have gained in the last six months. So, now I need to reverse that.

I went into this virus with one canister of Lysol wipes. Then, i found them bogo at Publix. A store sold me another cannister from the office where they kept them to protect canisters from people who would buy them all. So, out of four canisters, I have used two and am on my third. The last is orange scented, so I dread using it. It smells like Tang!

Okay, I caved. I bought a Pill Planner. Now, I have pills in a plastic case. Since I added three pills last week, and two the month before, it is time to get me organized. My planner has a week and four times each day. Honestly, it is a relief. Finding and opening each bottle was such a pain. I keep all the pill bottles in a zippered case, but they never were easy to find. I do not actually have many pills. Does this make me old?

Today, I have to go out and spray bug killer on the kale since it is curled up, cringing from bug bites. And, I want to take my car to the carwash where they pull the car through. I need to color my hair. Turkey legs are waiting to go into the oven. Maybe I will bake sweet potatoes.

It is 6 pm and all I have done is take my car to the carwash. It certainly looks nice after being covered with yellow pollen for the last month. I still need to go kill bugs on kale and pick lettuce. Well, I went for a drive and to Home Depot.

What are your plans for today? Okay, it is late, so what did you plan and do or plan and not do.