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?

Returns and Recycling

 Monday night, I was so tired  that I went to bed at midnight. I slept well, waking at least five times to go to the bathroom, but went sound asleep after coming back to bed each time. I awoke about 8:30 am feeling like I had been beat up. However, we were out the door for chores by 10 or so.  That means I did get my required 7.5 hours of sleep. 

A call from my gastroenterologist was comforting. My liver enzymes are right. I got no report about spleen, pancreas, or gall bladder even though they were studied. I suppose that is good news. The liver is not in the best shape but no worse than five years ago. I have all the symptoms of gall bladder disease. Over my objections, I have had all sorts of tests, and nothing shows up. I do not encourage these tests. 

We had one thing to do in the morning and one thing in the afternoon. I took back a jacket of sweatsuit fabric and got the right size.  When I bought it, a woman was standing in front of the rack. Instead of asking her to move as she had offered, I asked her to hand me a certain size. She did and I left. Well, I put it on at home and it was tight. She had handed me a jacket two sizes too small.  Today, I could not find my size and just one a size larger. It may or may not work. I bought smaller stemless wine glasses.

We took the recycling to Publix--paper, plastic bags, plastic bottles. We will give soup/tuna cans to someone else to recycle and recycle coke type cans ourselves. I returned the larger wine glasses. 

I mailed a few cards yesterday and have one to mail right now. I no longer hold cards until I get them all ready for the mail, now trying to beat the rush of cards and packages as I can at least for a few of them. It is after 5 pm and dark, yet we have to get my med that I need for my heart health. So, I suppose we will go out again. 

Today has been chilly, dry and very dreary! But, it has not dampened my spirit. IT'S CHRISTMAS! I am not in a buying frenzy, cleaning frenzy, or cooking frenzy, just have heightened feelings right now. 

Today, I bought low carb bread that might help with weight loss or at least weight gain. A comment from another blogger made me think twice--she loves a sandwich for lunch. I do too. I don't need so many carbs since I have diabetes. 

Okay, I took a bite of the keto bread. It is the best I have tasted. I tasted two other keto breads in the past. Miracle Whip will jazz it up. This is from Sprouts--Live Carb Smart, only 1 net carb per slice. Is that good? 

We drove the few blocks in the neighborhood to find a pink bag of ads and coupons. See, we did little today. We did offer a ride to a woman on a bike with too many, too heavy boxes and bags. A woman who knows her stopped and with a car more suited to her load and she went with her. We did try. 

Tommy's flashlight and headlamp are on the way. Lynda's Kiss has fairy lights and Hershey's kisses in it and needs to be wrapped. My grandchildren will get Amazon e-gift cards. Things are coming along. A cash donation to one very worth person needs to be delivered. I am set! 

Tonight's dinner--chicken, green beans, slaw, leftover sweet potatoes. I will bake the whole green beans in the tasty juice from the pork loin. The sweet potatoes had cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in them, but NO sugar. Green beans were not cooked, so he ate chicken, sweet potatoes, and slaw. 

We have everything we need for any possibility, anything I might fancy to cook, bake. There may even be enough milk until after Christmas. The only thing I might hurry out to get is a loss leader that might disappear like the cheap turkey breasts did.

The Tabernacle Choir is wonderful tonight!

Tomorrow should be torrential rains, maybe flooding, and high winds. We will stay in! We do need to put a plastic over the sewing machine, but nothing else right now.

Are plans at your house better formulated? Is everything coming together for you? Do you have snow or rain?

Decluttering, Feeling Puny, Spaghetti

 There has been no rain in three weeks. Last week, we had 0.003 of an inch of rain. Or, was it 0.03 of an inch. Either way, that is not a lot of rain. Combined with the leaves falling and something growing to which I am allergic, I am fighting a battle to the end of the month! Humidity is 29%, just the way I like it whether hot or cold. 

The first time I was ever ill the whole month of October, I had just gone back to school, taking a heavy load. I failed one class and dropped another. The class I failed was a humanities participation class, 1 hour! Other students asked me how I failed that class. Easy! You don't ever show up. These were lecture, dance, theatre, and always on Friday night. I went to class on Tuesday and Thursday that semester, plus one class on one Saturday, and a Sunday class. Going on Friday was just something I could not handle. So, I failed. I was beyond annoyed at my state of health. Every year since then, 30 years ago, I have been ill every October. 

Ground beef is now $3.99/lb. and boneless skinless chicken breast is $2.99, prices I have not seen so low in almost a year. Hopefully, this will be a trend, lower meat prices. 

I had a coupon for a free loaf of bread. There was a bogo sale for the same bread. So, I should have been able to use the free coupon to "purchase" one loaf and get another free. I explained all this to Tommy when he went in to get it. But, did he get that deal. No, he gave up a coupon AND paid for a loaf of bread. If the coupon could not be used that way, I could have saved it until bread was not bogo. Did he do that? No! So, I have to go back and get some sort of satisfaction. He wasted a coupon. 

We took four little plastic grocery bags with things in them to the Thrift store and put them in the donations. Tommy insists that t-shirts should go in the trash here at the house. Finally, he said they had to go for donations even though these are old and will bring money. He wants to drop all old electronics into the garbage in front of the house. I really don't understand his thinking. But, three small bags are gone from the house. 

I have had a 42 ounce can of pimiento waiting to open and share with my neighbor for over a year. I finally did that, so one can and clutter off the counter in the kitchen. We took it to her on the trip to grocery and thrift store. There were seven people/cars waiting at the pharmacy drive-through, so we will do that another day. 

I am struggling to stay well. But, in a few minutes, I will wander into the kitchen where he is cooking ground beef for spaghetti. I will add caramelized onion, garlic, and olive oil to the jar of pasta. We can have a salad. 

On Monday, when I awoke feeling on top of the world, I looked for otc meds I keep in a bin in my bedroom. I try to never let my otc meds run out. Since I struggled to find dental floss in the store about 18 months ago, I had bought a box of six from Amazon. And, where was it now? So, I uncovered my favorite dental floss, Glide Pro-Health Original. I have no idea if the shelves are stocked with what I need, but my bin is stocked. If there is any on the shelf, it is probably higher than the price I paid last year.

Curds and Brown Bread and Tommy

Tuesday night, we had leftovers. Tommy had chicken, the rest of zucchini/red and green peppers that were sauteed and purple hull peas. I had two slice of the cooked zucchini, and a teaspoon of the peas. 

 I bought the cheese curds and Tuesday night he still had not tried one and was adamant that he probably would never even try one. Why?

T- I don't think I would like it.

L-What could make you think that? 

T-I have heard they are awful.

L-Where have you heard about curds? 

T- My grandmother and my grandfather. 

L-They didn't like curds?

T- No, they didn't like them at all.

L- Where did they taste them?

T- On their farm.

L- They had a dairy farm? 

T- No. 

L-What kind of farm did they have? 

T- I don't know. 

So, that is how most conversations go with Tommy. I have to drag information out of him. Possibly, I will get him to try a bit. He says "NO!"

Come to find out, his grandparents never had a farm. They both left farms where they grew up, met in Birmingham and married. 

I finally found the cheese curds in a Publix, but before that I could not find anyone in the places I looked who knew what I was talking about. 

As I approached three upper level employees, all older than thirty, They all turned to me and asked if they could help me. I said I was trying to find B&M bread, brown bread. the woman was eager to point out the bread aisle by flinging her arm out toward the other side of the store. She acted like I had never been in a grocery store. "No, I want bread in a can, brown bread, B&M. She kept interrupting and said disdainfully  there was no such thing as bread in a can, just in loaves. 

I moved along to asking about the cheese curds. This woman volunteered, saying she did not think they carried cheese curds. Then, she spotted the cottage cheese with the "large curd" and "small curd" labels. She said that this is what "they" were talking about. She sort of patted it as if to gently lead me. JERK! She ran her fingers under the "large curd" and "small curds" on the cottage cheese.  As I was objecting to the cottage cheese being "cheese curds," she kept telling me in a soft voice, "This is what you need to get." That woman would not give up. Finally, I raised my voice a bit and told her she did not have to explain cottage cheese to me. She was miffed because I would not believe her. 

One of the guys checked the internet for B&M. He explained to me this was a small store, so maybe a larger one would have it. He did check the store inventory before suggesting a larger store. 

Have you ever had an encounter with people who do not know what they are talking about while trying to help you AND point out how you are wrong?

Shopping at Three Grocery Stores Today

 Every time I went into a store for one thing today, I inevitably brought more out with me. I planned none of this, but it happened

First, I went into the bread store for two loaves of $1 bread, and I came out with a package of two cupcakes, also. 

Then, I went into The Pig for a case of  Diet Pepsi for Tommy, and spent more than I planned. With a $10, pretax purchase, I could get a free dozen eggs. So, his drinks, zucchini, dried navy beans and a package of bologna came home with me. But, I have free large eggs worth $1.20.

Then, thinking we needed vanilla ice cream for the blueberries, I went into Publix, got the ice cream and more. I found that Diet Pepsi and Diet Dr. Pepper were b2g2, so I got 4 12-packs. He will drink these five 12-packs in about two months. Since he does not care for the Johnsonville sausage patties, I bought Jimmy Dean sausage patties. The white grapes have not been pretty but today I found nice ones on sale. Black cherry juice has been on my mind, and they had a coupon for $1.

UGH! At least none of it was random spending since all of the items were things I had determined I would purchase. 

Before the 4th of July week, at the bread store I decided to get hotdog buns at the bread store. After I did, I went to The Pig and found that I could get buns free with their app. So, I got that. How could I turn down free hotdog buns for the 4th? There, I did shop to get buns, but not for anything superfluous. Right now, I have forgotten what I got, but it was heavy into bananas and vegetables. 

I came home to put the buns from the bread store into the freezer. As I took the buns I just purchased, I realized that the person from Publix had put a gallon of milk right on top of the hotdogs buns. I told Tommy to prepare to eat squashed buns. A few days later, I picked up the package of buns. Unbelievably, the buns had completely recovered their shape! 

Food shopping can be complicated and hard somedays! 

Maybe the sausage I bought will make him happier about not going to Hardee's. I could buy the roll and make the patties myself, but standing that long is too hard. With sausage all over both hands, it would be hard to lean and hold onto things. Yes, I could use plastic wrap or waxed paper to make the patties, but there is still too much standing. Maybe I can teach him how. 

Maybe I have found someone else to help out around here. The young attorney who hosted the 4th has a guy who helps her, is good and only charges $10 an hour. Things need moving, mostly just boxes. But, they have to be moved before two rooms can be vacuumed. Plus, the hole needs to be fixed where something came in the kitchen and ate potatoes. 

Doctors and The Chocolate Lounge Found and More Exercises

Tuesday, I had a long neglected appointment with a retinal specialist. Fortunately, this last year has not caused further damage to my macula. He kept reassuring me, but I still have to perform an Amsler grid test everyday without fail.  It is scary, but I have to determine if my vision is worsening with a graph. 

My macula started to pucker about thirty years ago. The doctor is talking surgery which I will not resist! The macula is scarring my retina. For me macular degeneration is scarier than heart disease. Not being able to see is a nightmare for me. With heart disease, you just die. 

This is just the beginning of doctor appointments that I have delayed. People keep telling me I don't look my age, that I look much younger. I suppose this proves you don't have to look old to have old people  health problems. 

Wednesday, I am off to see endocrinologist. Okay, back.

There was lots of good news and a little bad news. My AIC is up a tad. My cholesterol is down to where it should be, but he wants it lower. My blood pressure was 110/63. Thyroid level is finally okay. I have an ultrasound scheduled for nodules behind my thyroid. I believe more have developed. So, maybe this is all uninteresting. 

I did go to The Chocolate Lounge and (Tommy)  bought two chocolates for a total of $7.15.  It is located in a business that says "Art Camp" at 1925 29th Ave in Homewood, Alabama. The chocolate lounge is an old-fashioned looking candy counter and on a table with chocolate truffles on  footed cake  plates with covers. The guy said they order these from Texas.  I know, I know. I go to the doctor about diabetes and eat chocolates!

The bread store was on the way home. My favorite bread that is usually $3.59 was $1.09. The two loaves had dates of May 5, 2021 and May 9, 2021. So, none of it will be stale. If I can get one loaf in the freezer, I will put it there. 

Today, I did my sitting marching for TWO MINUTES! I felt no worse than the first day I exercised for 30 seconds. A blog friend sent me a page of similarly easy exercises, so I will add those. I must be a bit more fit. 

Another Shortage and Bargains, Found Clove Oil, and Another Clue for You

First of all, I have given you two clues as to what my charitable project I have talked about in the last  post.

This past week, Publix had a bogo for my favorite bread. I think it was $3.58, something near that. So, two loaves would be $3.58 or $1.79 each. Then I had a $0.55 coupon from another loaf of bread that I had bought, maybe at the bread store. That brings the price down to $3.03 for two or $1.52 for each loaf. 

At the bread store I can get one loaf for $0.99. This may seem like a bad deal to buy bread for $1.52. However, we have to drive so far along a busy, two-lane road with no other place to shop. We go so far--11 miles! I am willing to buy bread for $1.52/loaf this time instead of $3.58! 

Keep me out of Dollar Tree! I went in to get two dishpans and came out having spent much more than $2. I got several thing--set of 6 red sparkly ornaments for my 3' tree, small wire tree that holds a votive candle in the base, Solar Santa, two ice creams on a stick. I bought the Santa specifically for Tommy, and he laughed and said it was cute. Putting it in light makes it dance. 

Ir's a good thing I was hurting and could barely get to the dishpans I went in to get. Everything looks like such a good bargain. Of course, being at the register led me to buy the ice cream. The woman at the register had to blow up balloons, answer the phones, and something else in addition to running the register. I was in great pain by the time she got to me. When I ran a register at TG&Y, that is all I did. 

Really, it is not hard to keep me out of DT since it hurts to go into the store. If I had not been intent on saving $7 on the two dishpans, I would not have been in there. They are cheap, thin, not sturdy, but I don't need anything better. So, there! 

In Publix there was a sign under the space for Pint Ziplock Freezer Bags with something about due to the demand the item was not available. Sooo, I am not the only person searching for pint Ziplock freezer bags. There will probably be other shortages, so get anything you need and double that. 

Have you found a shortage of ziplock pint bags or any other bags? What else are you having trouble finding? Okay, I went out on Saturday and could find no pint bags in the one place I looked. So, I stocked up on gallon, two-gallon, and quart freezer bags. I decided I would buy several Cooking bags--Turkey and Large.  

While I was out in the electric cart in a big box store, I waited for a woman to move on. As I sat there, I glanced to my right and there before my eyes was clove oil. I had checked there twice before and was told they did not carry it. 

Clue: my charity plan involves a gallon storage bag. Guess in the comments here today or in the last post. I need a way to contact you. 

Freezing Plans and Bread

Olive oil is a food I love. In order to have a good supply, I plan to buy it and freeze it in the bottle. I will not buy large economical bottles. I will buy smaller sizes. That way, it will stay fresh and not become rancid even when it comes out of the freezer. I don't use a lot at a time or every day. But, when I want it, I want it and do not want to have to find it or purchase it.

I am planning for the covid19 to become worse and for more food shortages. I am not trying to be an alarmist, but a realist.

Right now, I have two packages of tortillas, something we rarely eat. They were cheap.  By freezing them between waxed paper, I can get out a few at a time. 

Lots of "I" sentences in this post! But, these are my thoughts and plans.

Thursday night, I thawed chicken thighs, cooked zucchini in olive oil and garlic, and heated left-over carrots, potatoes, and Bell pepper. Tommy is supremely happy. He sliced the zucchini for me. I love to have leftovers. I had a can of tuna/celery with lettuce and tomato. Oh, and some carrots.

The celery is flash freezing on a broiler pan and Bell pepper is on a paper plate in the freezer. Soon, i will dump them into bags for the freezer. The stumps of the celery heads are in a plate with a bit of water. 

The celery and peppers stayed in the freezer over night Thursday, longer than they should. But, they are in freezer bags. I have enough. There is also some chopped in the refrigerator for another tuna salad next week. 

We have made two trips to the bread store and found no bread like I like and can eat. So, the third trip we made was in desperation. Having to drive 10 miles, i think, makes bread expensive when you find none. Today, I went in even though I could see the shelves where the bread I want is displayed. I was going to get Wonder Bread (yuck). However, I saw the woman who works there sitting in the office. 

I asked her if kids being home, or lower bread production, or hoarding caused the bread shelves to always be bare. She said the breadmen were not bringing it back from the stores. I asked specifically when my brand might be there. She said to wait a second because she thought she had some. I asked for eight loaves. She said she had five, so I took those--did not grumble and was grateful! Four loaves are in the freezer. 

Four loaves are in the two 2-gallon bags that I stored in the freezer after I used the bread stored in them. So, this is not intended to be a stocking up long term deal. I just hate going that many miles for one loaf or two loaves of bread. When I had a freezer, I would buy $7 worth to get the extra bread that came with that purchase. 

Tonight, i am going to make a squash casserole. Tommy will chop the squash after I wash it. I have not had it in several years. There is more than enough, so I will freeze some squash, too. 

The store still had Suddenly Salad for $1, so I purchased another 12 boxes. Remember, this will be eaten instead of bread and only one box a month. We are set for 24 months. 

I was going to buy olive oil, but all the bottles were plastic. I want glass bottles. 

Tonight, dinner for Tommy is another chicken thigh, squash casserole, and leftover zucchini, maybe a salad of cucumber and tomato. I will not have meat, i suppose. 

Wasted Time, Gas, Energy

I need to send a fax and could not find a place here to send one. So, we drove all the way to Homewood and went to a Office Max/Depot. I was exhausted and hot by the time we got there. I spend $17 to send a local fax of nine pages.

While we were there, I suggested we go to the bread store on 150. Tommy said it was no savings in time or distance, thus no savings in gas. I bought four loaves of the bread I like, a package of white hot dog buns like he likes, and one package of chocolate cupcakes with frosting in the middle. We share this, never eating a whole pack. Buying four loaves of bread will keep us from making the trip for about 3-4 weeks. It is nine miles from here to bread store with nothing else on the way. 

Then, we stopped at Publix so I could get a few things, chief among them was strawberry Jello for the poke cake. The assistant manager brought an electric cart to me. Suddenly, I had as idea. Since he was not a teen worker, I supposed he might know.

After telling him we went to Homewood to send a fax, I asked him if he knew a closer place in Hueytown. "Right here," he said. I cannot believe that we went so far and this was a mile from us. Yes, it was listed under their other services behind the service counter. So, now I know but may never have to send another fax after sending two in four days.

The first time I ever went into Publix and got a cart, the manager told me to call them and an electric  cart would be brought to me. I do use this service.

I did tell Tommy we needed to use the other bits of bread before we opened the new loaves. So, he agrees and will be good about us not storing bits of bread and buns. However, at some point I will put some of the leavings in a bag for bread pudding this winter.

Yesterday, I had a crockpot meal all packaged together and frozen. I put the roast in the crockpot almost fully frozen, put the bacon bits in scrambled eggs, poured out all but a tsp of the bbq sauce, did not use the rub, and cooked the collard greens in a pot on the stove. The roast beef was wonderful without salt and pepper and just one tsp of the bbq sauce in half cup of water and poured over the top. Of course, I tasted it. 

Since I had thawed cooked, frozen chicken breasts on Saturday, we had chicken again Sunday with the collards and applesauce I made. The roast will wait as we are having chicken breast again in another iteration. Tommy is just happy to be fed.

Last week, I took all the clothes I bought back to Belk's and could not return them for the price I paid because I could not find my card I used to purchase them. I searched my purse in the car while at the lake. Last night, I lay in bed and emptied my purse again. The card was between the pages of a small pad. whew! I fear the store will close again before I get these clothes off my card.

Sunday, Tommy let me use his cc to buy a Cuisinart Ice 100 Ice cream maker with two freezing bowls. It was reduced almost 50%. We should enjoy this. I intend to use bananas in mine and something else in his. 

When I get hot, it always causes digestive grief for me. So, todays' wasted trip wore me out and the resulting upset left me weak. 

Storms were predicted for most of the day. They are else where, not right here. The blue sky and tall, stacked fluff clouds. Well, it is 6 pm and some rain should be here soon. 

Does wasted driving make you tired? Does the heat cause you intestinal distress? 

Shopping and Cooking

Wednesday, I slept not a wink. I got up when Tommy awoke at 6:15 and watched TV with him until 8:30 and went to bed until 12:30. I still cannot walk safely...lol. We went out to Belk's and Walgreen's I took back a pair of pants that did not fit and bought a sweater--long black duster, but not very heavy. The black and white buttons are ugly, so I will change those. I looked at many items. Coats were too heavy and too short and sporty.

I cannot bear looking at gloves and scarves. My best scarves were from yard sales. My gloves were bought on deep sales, really cheap. Walmart gloves do not fit. They hurt in between my fingers. All my umbrellas went to the dump, too!

We passed Nature's Own bread outlet. I bought bread for $0.99 instead of the $4.05 I spent for the same loaf at Publix. I need a small freezer. If you spend $7, you get a free loaf. There is not enough room in his refrigerator freezer. There never was in mine, either. Before my big freezer broke, I only bought bread/buns about every six weeks. I only want a 3 cu. ft. upright. I will check Craigslist first.

Then, we went to Walgreen's where I used Tommy's cc and my coupon for $1.50 off three boxes of cereal that were $1.99, making his Cheerios $1.49 for each 10.8 ounce box. I need to check this price to see if it is a good bargain. I bought a box of parchment paper, a 25 sq. roll for $1. I am not sure that is a bargain, but it works for me. Having to buy everything all over is stressful, expensive and impossible.

We had every intention of going to Lowe's and another store, but I was busy getting a bit of sleep. We both agreed we wanted to be back by 3 pm to avoid traffic. The Galleria where Belk's is located and the roads leading to it were not busy at all.

For the drive I brought little bottles of Minute Maid orange juice in case Tommy needed it as he sat in the parking lot. You cannot leave him along with oj because he is sure to consume either...lol. I had him go get us a cheap hamburger to keep his blood sugar up. I did not have Atkins bars, so even though this cost, it is better than scaring me out of my wits.

I am off the make the taco casserole in the crock pot. I will cook the meat first and save part of it to put in spaghetti that I am craving. Tommy gets to grate cheese.

It is so wonderful having a light over the sink in the kitchen. Imagine only having a dim light over the stove to cook. Tommy said it was nice, too. The ugly round fluorescent bulb is either blown or the ballast or starter is not working. That is my next project. No, getting an LED bulb and a shade for my lamp I put in the living room is next. That is what I was going to Lowe's to purchase. Tomorrow.

When I was making the taco casserole/soup, I discovered the rice was rancid, so no rice in the dish. I could not find the grater which was six inches from the crockpot, so I sliced it thinly and put it on top of our servings. When we both finished, I realized I forgot to put the taco seasoning in the dish. Tommy said it was good and he preferred it that way.

Tomorrow, I will have to call the doctor since I seem to be getting worse by the minute. sigh...

Does anyone own or has ever owned a tiny upright freezer? I wonder if they freeze as well as a larger one. I cannot lift things out of a chest freezer.

High today was 82F with beautiful clouds in a blue, sunny sky.