Our Chairs, Pain, Grapico, Paperwhites

 

I finally found the lift recliners online that Tommy bought. Notice, they don't have the big, bumpy pillow behind the head. The back is flat. The color is supposed to be Truffle. Tommy says they look brown. I think they look green. I think I copied the brown one here, not Truffle. 

The gray chair above looks identical to the one I bought the same day he bought the recliners, but mine is gray fabric. Notice how wide the arms are. I could put a dinner plate safely on the arms. My chair is massive. The seat was high enough that I could rise much more easily than I could from the love seat. The seat is very firm. The back is supportive. But, it is an ugly chair, big and clunky. I didn't want anything delicate looking, but this chair does not speak to me. It is not my style! If I saw it in your house, I would have no negative opinion. 

If I had known that the recliners would be ready for delivery only four days later, I would have never ordered this chair. It was delivered that day. Since I waited for three months for the recliners Tommy paid for at Laz y boy, I assumed there would be a long wait for the ones we got four days later. It was on sale and cheap, so now we can have company...lol. 

Several days ago, I had a pain below my breastbone. It continued for about three days and pain moved further down with churning feelings. Finally, I spent Sunday wearing a path to the bathroom. Monday, Tommy thought we were going to Cullman. No, not at this rate. And, I decided not to go today, Tuesday, because I was not sure the ordeal was over. Apparently, I am okay, but it did not want to be on the road and desperately need to find a bathroom. I will stick close to home for today. 

Even taking 100,000 iu of Vit D for months, my Vit D level, was not rising. So, the doctor told me he thought I should take 5,000 iu every day. Walgreen's employees where I go would not get it from otc, so I went elsewhere. CVS is always very accommodating with otc. But, I went to big box and found the brand suggested--Nature Made. 

I could only find 1000 in chewable. I thought they were gummies. No, tablets. They taste like Sweet Tarts to me. Tommy can smell them across the room and thinks they smell like Grapico. I love these chewables. Unfortunately, I ordered what I wanted, the 5,000 IU from Amazon and will soon have to switch to swallowing instead of the tasty chewables that are like candy! 

Yesterday, I put a pot of dirt near the door. TODAY is the day we plant paperwhites!

So, how do you like my new chairs? I don't even care if you don't like them. Do you have any tasty chewables that actually taste like candy? 

Ten-Minute Dinner, Chair Rehab Continued

 We came home on Saturday and I needed a nap. So, I took a one hour rest/nap, never slept. I told Tommy to let me sleep until 7:30 and I would have dinner done in 15 minutes after I got up. Well, I had dinner on the table in ten minutes. I sliced and heated a chicken breast, used Asian slaw mix and made regular cole slaw the night before, and heated a can of green beans in the microwave along with the chicken. I had two-thirds of the beans because Tommy does not want half the can. If I do say so myself, dinner was delicious. So, leftover chicken, leftover slaw, and a can were dinner. 

Sunday night, I put a Stir Fry bag of vegetables along with the tiny packet of sauce, another two tbsp of olive oil, and two tbsp of water into a cooking bag along with two healthy hotdogs and put it all in the oven for 30 minutes. We each had a hotdog and he ate most of the stirfry vegetables. This was a 30-minute dinner with 25 minutes of that in the oven.

The two bags of produce were very fresh and bought at a good price before the expiration date. The chicken was the last of the expensive package I bought instead of eating out. I do have one more frozen breast. The hotdogs had been open for about a week. So, things were eaten and the refrigerator is not so stuffed. I can see in there again. 

I have a whole chicken I will put in a cooking bag with potatoes and onions for three days eating this week. And, two boneless, skinless chicken breasts will go into the cooking bag, maybe with the whole chicken, maybe not.  There is a cabbage I will cook. There will be other vegetables, maybe peas for Tommy. A can will do for him for two nights. We still have bananas, apples, strawberries, oranges, and lots of canned fruit. Plus, onions, potatoes, plantain, cabbage. 

We woke at 7 am Saturday morning to go somewhere. The cable was out, so we could not determine whether to go or stay according to the forecast and storm locations. The cable was not restored until afternoon on Sunday. We were very annoyed to say the least. It seems the storms had disrupted the services of Spectrum in multiple places in the area. 

I had Tommy take one of the free chairs we rescued from a trash heap. He put it outside, unscrewed the top and ripped off the upholstery and the original upholstery. Now, I can have new bottoms cut. I called a friend who is building a house and he assured me he had plenty of scraps. So, the chair restoration started in the fall, resumes. I will have to buy padding and upholstery for the four chairs. Everything else was or will be free. I think I have padding, maybe not. Hopefully, I can find a remnant for the upholstery. 

The Hosta I bought last Wednesday is in a 7 inch black pot. I watered it when I brought it in and just sat it on the floor. It is thriving. I suppose it thinks this is a shady tree. There is a shaft of sunlight that comes in the fanlight in the front door and cast a bright light right beside it. I have never heard of Hosta as a houseplant. But, I suppose this Hosta will be for a bit. 

I am not a houseplant person, but this will be here for a bit. Do you have houseplants? What kind? Do you have a piece that is in rehab at your house? 

Chairs Gone; Shelves Moved; Food Shared

 I awoke on Tuesday morning feeling awful with a slight temperature. However, I was determined to get the shelves in place. I laid around after getting up at 10 am and going back to bed from 11 am until after 2 pm. ugh

Wednesday, I have an appointment to have teeth cleaned but I am not really sure if I can make it or hold my mouth open! So, I suppose I will cancel once again. Allergies are killing me. 

Before Tommy's show came on at 3 pm Tuesday, I told him that at 4 pm we were going to remove food off of and around his chairs and move them outside to street. Then, we would put the shelves in place and do nothing else. He was all for that. 

I told Tommy that the next shelves I buy will be plastic ones! He strongly agreed. 

While he was moving the first two chairs out to the road, I removed the other two from behind the table. I used my torn rotator cuffs and injured back more than I should. The last chair I hoisted and sort of threw it across piles of food on the floor...lol. It landed on food. Tommy was shocked I could do that. Of course, I had to lie down for an hour. And, I still hurt1

Then, I assembled dinner--used small casserole where I had stored leftover squash and onions, chopped two fresh tomatoes and put that on top, put in chopped chicken cooked over the weekend, put cheese on top and put in the oven. It was delicious, one dish and low in carbs and fat. 

About 10:15, I took a picture of the chairs on the curb. It was so cold out--57F. Summer weather will return for a bit.

Wednesday morning, I heard something outside that seemed like the chairs were being taken. I came into the living room and saw two of the chairs were gone. I was baffled. He pointed out that someone was coming back for the other two. In five minutes I heard the vehicle again. So, all four are gone. YAY! I hated for them to go to a thrift store when someone could use them. 

Now, I am watching the debate and yelling at the TV! 

I called yesterday and a application for absentee ballot is being sent to both of us. We both enjoy the voting in person process, but physical limitations and covid19 have convinced us both to vote by mail/absentee ballot. 

In the last week, we went to a food bank where I got 3 lbs. bs chicken breast and a package chicken legs and thighs. At the one where I can choose and do so over the phone, I could get a specific number of items. Finally, I said could I have what was left for me in green beans. So, I got five cans of green beans. I also got 2 3-pound bags of chicken breasts, the kind frozen with thin layer of ice and separate and not frozen in a lump. I received two 5lb-bags of potatoes, 2 5-lb bags of apples, 2 5-lb bags of pears, 2 1-lb bags of baby carrots, a box of bars I like, can of corn, can of peas, a dozen expensive eggs, and we cannot remember what else. 

Not feeling well has its consequences. Sunday night, the eggs I put in the refrigerator shifted and slid out on the floor, spilling the whole dozen. I threw away four before I realized I could have saved two of those. One of those burst all over the floor. I saved 8 eggs. However, 4 had a dent. So, I washed 4 eggs and put them back in the refrigerator. I took the four dented ones and broke them and scrambled them about 1 am. Yuck, I was tired. So, I actually saved 8 out of the 12 eggs. 

The one that broke on the floor still had the yolk intact. I retreated to wait and clean it up. Well, the yolk broke finally. I had to clean it up about 2 am. That was so hard. From now on when I have to put eggs on top of bags of apple in the refrigerator, I am using a rubber band to keep it closed. At least, if the carton slides out, the eggs will be contained. 

What we did not like or was too much of the food given us, we loaded it up and took it to poor area of town and gave it all away to one person on Tuesday. She seemed appreciative. We were appreciative that we did not have to waste it. 

I had to cancel my Wednesday dentist appointment for about the fifth time. My gums are sore from lack of teeth cleaning! About two months ago, I was willing to buy a new toothbrush since I could not get in to the tooth cleaning and receive a new one. However, GUM brand is hard to find. I was willing to order from the internet, but there were too many kinds to choose the one he wants me to use, that he gives me. I called and asked could I buy a toothbrush from the office. I was told to come by and get a new one anytime I needed one. The woman brought it to the car. So, a small economy. 

So, more food is gone and we only have to organize what is here. Some of each thing will stay in the kitchen. The rest will be stored in the bedroom. 

At noon today, I was just too ill to even smear pb on bread. We went to Arby's and had a Reuben sandwich. Anne in the Kitchen mentioned a coupon and he had it. I asked for the sauerkraut "on the side" since I only eat a few strings on the sandwich. Less than a tablespoon was used. I brought the little container home and put it in a freezer bag for Tommy to eat with a hot dog some day. So, another small economy. I guess sauerkraut freezes well. ???

I asked him if he enjoyed the sandwich. He said that is was good and something different. He craves something different more than I do. 

Then, we loaded up four 5-lb. bags of potatoes, another bag with onions and apples and found a very nice man to take them. He put them in the car with his father and said he was "going right home to cook some potatoes." 

Next hurdle? Figuring what to cook for dinner and actually cooking it.

Do you or your person in your house crave something different, or are you the one wanting something different to eat. 

New Books, Curb Shopping, Food Deals

 We went to the free book place and, as I said, we took 8 of Tommy's books. I think we got 21. The next time we go, we will return as many books as we got in the two trips. I wanted to get books before they were exposed to rain or just damp air. As before, some books have never even been opened.

We cruised a bit, not much. This area has fraternity and sorority houses besides grand old homes used for student apartments. I saw a pile of junk and we stopped. I scored a tiny ironing board, the kind you put on the counter to use. Then, a sheet caught my eye. It was clean, new and MINE. There was a tiny rip near the top hem where it looked like the sheet might have been caught in a tug of war. It may be turned into curtains. It is going into the washing machine. 

I knew we would both have low blood sugar if we did not take something to eat. So, I asked him to grab crackers and juice. He got two of both, not what I meant but okay. 

So, it was my idea to wash the chairs early in the day, but I wanted books, and we left. At 4:30 or maybe before, he got up to wash chairs. About halfway through, I asked him if he would like these chairs instead of his dining chair. The answer was an emphatic YES. 

My plans that he did not dispute--take off seats and have new ones cut, get new padding, upholster with fabric he likes and maybe get it laminated, put slides on the bottoms of the wooden legs. My kitchen chairs were never used on carpet, so I put the carpeted slides on the bottom. His chair will be on carpet, so I will put the smooth glides on his chair legs. These are the things on a nail that is nailed in the bottom of the chair leg. I asked him if he wanted the chairs painted or like they are...like they are--wood. There is hope! 

He got so much dust on him and nasty water. So, he is covered in dust that looked like the residue of sanding seams. The white stuff was not paint, mostly sheet rock mud since it was thick in places. All but two or three specks did come off. I took a fingernail and scraped off some tiny immovable specks. My emery board will take care of the other few. It took a little over two hours. He is in the shower.

These chairs are very sturdy. There are two stretchers on the front and both sides with only one stretcher across the back. The original papers were still stapled to the bottoms of the chair. There is no zip code  on the address which were officially implemented in 1963 but in use some places during WWII. I am going to research the company and find out when these were made. If made in 1962, the chairs are 58 years old. I sat on one of the chairs and they are large enough for my ample bottom that they were comfortable. 

Dinner Tuesday night--either we go buy something or have a hotdog with chili with no beans and cheese and the leftover mashed potatoes from last night and whatever is in the other three containers. He said the hotdogs and leftovers would be okay. I think I need KFC.

I cannot list books now since I need to put hotdogs in the microwave. Okay, Tommy had hot dogs and bread and chili without beans, mashed potatoes, and cantaloupe. I had cheese and no bread, no cantaloupe. Good enough!

Ronco Pasta--In the last batch of coupons that are thrown in the little pink bags, I found Ronco coupons--75 cents off two packages. Well, I have six coupons and can only find two. I will find them. I went to the Pig and found no Ronco spaghetti, just vermicelli and thin spaghetti. I cannot stand either. 

But, Ronco Rotini was there. I bought two bags for $1.54 each. The 75 cent coupon doubled. So, rotini was $3.04-$1.50 doubled coupon=$1.54 or $0.77 for each bag of rotini. That will be four servings or two meals, less than 20 cents per serving for this ingredient. 

I will save the 5 coupons left to try to buy at the Pig when they have more Ronco spaghetti. 

Bananas--1.825 lbs. bananas reduced to $0.29/lb and I have 5 bananas for $0.53. These have bumps and bruises, I am sure. But, you never can tell. I will mash and freeze at least one cup of these and eat the rest, probably just one. Okay....There was exactly one cup of mashed banana from four of the five bananas. This morning, Wednesday, I ate the other for breakfast in a sandwich. 

Speaking of Piggly Wiggly, I tried their cheese because it was cheap. It was fine, not quite as tasty as Kraft, but not like some other cheeses I have tried. So, I am sold when I cannot find Kraft cheap enough. 

That was Tuesday--free books, Ronco coupons used, curb shopping, bananas cheap. 

Wednesday morning I awoke after five hours sleep and finally got up because I was hot. I feel better, but not well by any means--lower temperature but not gone, less pain, less congestion. Now, it is Wednesday afternoon and after a four-hour nap, I feel even better, but not completely well. 

How was your bargain hunting or finding lately? Any sales? 

More Accomplished

 Sunday afternoon, Tommy got up without my mentioning the sweet potatoes and took them all outside and sorted the good from the bad. Now, we can buy another 40 lbs. I am going to cook the remaining dozen sweet potatoes. I have cooked chicken, so this oven full will not be hard for me to do. 

Tommy always has joined in with my recycling. But, when I came here, he did not want to recycle cans. I mentioned yesterday that we have too many bags of plastic bags and we should throw out the old bags of bags. He reacted with alarm, saying he wanted to recycle them at a store that recycles bags. What a shock. So, we will do that today. We need to get out to go somewhere as it keeps us feeling less cooped up. 

Okay, we went to Publix with kitchen garbage bags full of bags and an employee took them in. Wow, the place here has more room.

Hopefully, the chairs will get washed. I am not too hopeful, though. No, chairs are for Monday. He is cutting coupons and I am listing books.

I mentioned I wanted to go to the "take a book; leave a book" store outside a store in Southside. He asked if I wanted to go now. So, we went. Unopened books have a spine without signs of opening and they are stiff. You know the feeling. 

I know I took 13 and left 0, but it is a long way to this place, a 40 mile trip. I will return 13 books or more when I go there again.  

I  chose 13 books~~ N denotes never opened, so obviously new and never read. 

N To Engineer is Human--role of failure in successful design

N Born To Rock--heavy drinkers and thinkers

Dog Years--Mark Doty

The People's Almanac

N ABCs of Bridge

Literature: Today's Young Adults--how to teach it, not what I thought but useful.

N How to Be a Bridesmaid...just to see what they say. pristine dustcover.

For Her Own Good--150 years of the experts' advice to women by Barbara Ehenreich  I read this before and it's gone.

Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet

A Discovery of Witches--I thought this was about witches through the years. I think it is a novel, but the back cover says it is a book about books. I will look it up and see. Okay, it is a novel so I probably will not read it.

Midnight Song by Henry James--I love anything he wrote. Correction: This is "Henry James' Midnight Song", not what I thought. It is a fin-de-siecle mystery set in Vienna. It might be good after all. 

In Praise of Play by Robert E. Neale This sounds good, research, I think.

N Everything, Everthing "soon to be a motion picture" Why, yes it was a movie. Pristine dustcover

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince--hardback Surely, this was read only once. First American Edition

When I picked out a book from this outdoor, exposed-to-the weather bookcase, I opened it, put my nose in and breathed deeply. Ten of these books have the same faint odor of a woman's house. None have even the slightest whiff of mustiness. I wanted to go here before it rains because I sort of figured someone would put out books in this week of dry weather and humidity.  Actually, all these books look so great that I think they threw out the old ones that had gotten wet with rain blowing. 

From the condition of all these books and the subjects, I believe the whole lot belonged to a professor and a maybe a bibliophile. The subjects spoke of erudition. There were about 500 new (not wet and musty) books replacing the mess I found last time I was there. 

Okay, it is Monday and almost 4 pm. It looks like no chair washing will happen today...sigh.

I love Hormel Canned Roast Beef. But, Armour Canned Roast Beef is about $1.50 cheaper, so I bought two cans, one to try now and one to save in stockpile. Tonight, we will try the Armour brand with potatoes or sweet potatoes and two other vegetables. I will let you know. 

What do you recycle? Do you have to take it to a recycling place or does it get picked up at your curb? Do you have a free book place? 

New Chairs and Table

I went to Cullman Saturday for several things. Only one worked out. My mail is now being put into my box!   That's good. When I checked my box, there was mail, so I did not have to go upfront where the people are located.

My friend who had to have surgery on her neck is doing okay according to a man who was near her house. I think he is a relative. She must spend 21 days in rehab. So far, so good.  I still worry about the virus in a nursing home.

No one is having a yard sale. It was a beautiful day, so only the virus is holding people back. Oh, and the governor. I am not complaining, just observing. Well, one of the permanent yard sales was open, but there is never anything good there.

Sunday--I now have a picnic table, 6 feet and shoddily made. But, it is working fine since it is a place to sit. The two chairs are very comfortable, plastic wicker with steel frame. Plus, I can rise from the chair without a problem.. I bought paint but forgot to get brushes and sandpaper. I will get that.

The same picnic table and sturdily made was $280 at Buettner's Hardware in Cullman. At Lowe's it was $99. Of course, mine was stolen. Only, mine was 8 feet long and is now $305. I can see the ways to make the cheap one sturdier. Yes, I can get the wood and have someone do this. Well, if I can buy a drill, I can do it myself!

Also, the hose is always all over the yard and in the way of the guy who mows. So, I got a thing to put it on that has two stakes to poke into the ground. At least the guy can mow now.

These things cost more than I had before the friend gave me money. So, I only had a bit to use of the stimulus. The guy who could get me 20% contractor's discount said it was only 5%. ??? But, a guy lets me use his 10% military discount. So, it is done.

Publix had Miracle Whip bogo, so I went there. Tommy obviously had read the ad while I was in PO or somewhere. He told me zucchini were fifty cents each. So, I got the MW and searched for these cheap zucchini. I asked in the produce department and two people answered--no, not fifty cent zucchini. I noticed the cucumbers were that price and realized he must have just looked at the ad pictures and thought they were zucchinis. I did get zucchini, anyway.

One big problem remains. Tommy cannot sit in the chair because he cannot rise from it. I have to figure out how to make it higher. Or, I have to find a taller patio chair and get it cut off to the right height. Sitting on his walker is not relaxing or comfortable. I hurt for him.

Monday, garden stuff is on the agenda. Putting out fire ant bait is, too.

Picture me--sitting to work in the yard and sitting to relax. Tommy has a huge maple tree in his back yard that has the nicest shade....ah.

Okay, after I wrote this post, Tommy ruined something I just bought. I bought two pots and asked him to open the drain holes. Of course, he turned the pots upside down and used a straight screw with me say, "noooo." He refused to turn them right side up or to use a Philips screwdriver. So, now I have two horrible split pots. GRRR  He does this to all sorts of things of mine. I know he doesn't know better, but please listen to someone who knows better and is the owner of what you are ruining.

I know it says to use a drill, but I no longer have a drill. Now, I will use part of my stimulus money to buy one. I do know how to use a drill. I don't want him ruining it.

How is your yard situation? Do you know anyone who manages to ruin things? Your things?

Scales and Chairs

Scales I purchased with gift from a blogger. Of course, after saying this style would help him get onto the scales, and I purchased them, he informed me he would rarely use them. Well, I think he will since he needs to keep his weight down and it is up a bit. I don't know why he is like this!

This site offered me free shipping if I used their site to order things on their site. Plus, I could get 5% back from purchases from other sites. Catch? It will cost me $14.95 with first month free trial. I marked my calendar when a month is up. I will cancel.

We need chairs for the yard, front and back. Maybe Lowe's will have them on sale for Mother's Day. He told me upfront he would not sit in them if I bought them. ??? Remember I had three benches, 4 chairs, and two swings in my yard so I could sit without walking too far?

And, I had three round tables and a picnic table. One table was where I sat with my chickens. The other was for potting plants and cutting vegetables.  The other was for eating in one side of my yard on the opposite side of the picnic table.  Yes, I have that much trouble walking and standing.

It is a long and arduous way into his backyard. The steps down to the carport from the house are treacherous, so I go out the front and up the carport to fight my way past those steps. ugh It would be nice if we could sit outside after going down his ramp in front. But, I need to sit to spell myself while gardening.

Where do you have tables and chairs in your yard? Or benches?