Thursday, Clock, Pain

 It was a beautiful day, no clouds and blue sky. Just a sweater was too much for the warm day. Plus, I had had all of five hours sleep, so I was not so exhausted. 

The trip to Cullman was unremarkable except for the several dead deer and a dead coyote on the interstate. I had a list in my head of places to go. Of course, we went to my lot, bought bananas and cherries at Publix where I went to the bathroom. There was nothing interesting on the Cullman Publix ad like there was the week I found the pork tenderloins bogo. The other store had nothing on sale that was of interest to me. 

Now, I have to make enough money to pay for a very pretty wall clock I bought. The price was too high, but I found it marked down just a bit. It was the last and a floor model. So, I asked for discount on "shopworn" item. They discounted it for a flaw and laughed and sold it to me for even less. I cannot justify spending this money. But, I can sell something to make it an earned item. 

We had a burger and took it to Sportsman's Lake, the lake in the city limits, hoping it was open. Well, the first section was, the commercial section. We managed to park with a view of the lake. 

Usually, there is one mother duck taking care of 15 or 20 goslings. Thursday, the babies seemed on their own. I wonder why they were out alone. Where were their mothers? This was the first time since the first of November or end of November that the park area has been open as they were putting up lights and decorations for a Christmas display.

When I was at the store and bought the clock, I made it clear I could not hold it at all. The women held it on my lap for me. I was so careful not to break it or injure my hands. They understood or at least catered to my needs. They took it to the Rogue and put it in the back. 

Well, when I got home, all that ended. Tommy carried it in and put it where I needed it in front of me. Of course, I was anxious to look it over and took it out of the two bags where it was packed. It was sort of heavy, too heavy for me to pick up. Tommy says it only weighs five to seven pounds! 

The next time I moved my hand after putting it back right in front of me, my hand hurt so that I shrieked. Just moving a finger caused extreme pain. Since I could not use the chair control, I had to reach over to the right with my left hand. 

After I rubbed some Diclofenac on my hand, the shriek inducing pain left just a bad throb and pain. After dinner, I took care with my hand. Today, Friday, I am still medicating it and being careful about what I do with it.

Thursday night, I managed to cut in thin slices four stalks of celery that I quickly cooked. Also made about 1/2 cup rice in microwave. Cooked celery and brown rice added to the leftover soup made enough soup for two cups apiece.

Luckily, having the lift chair kept me from pressing with my hands to lift myself. Last night, I dared not to even fold clothes. I need a nap. 

I have no idea how to deal with my hand injuries. I suppose just using pain reliever is the only way to stop the pain. If this is age-related arthritis, the only remedy is to not get older. So, the pain remains. I won't take pills, just use cream. 

What do you do for age-related arthritis?

New Neighbors

At first, we had two hummingbirds, both tiny brown birds. When we could see three, all three were little brown birds. Then, a hummer with a white neckband, then a hummer with a full white head and neckband. Then, one of them showed a green back. Finally, one had a red chest and then another with a redder chest marking. 

How many hummingbirds are coming here? It seems there are at least four "couples." I think I need more feeders! And, I don't have a flower in the whole yard! 

The first two hummers were exciting and boring. We saw the PBS special on hummers. Can you imagine the thrill of a highly colored hummer on a 50" screen. And, we could practically reach out and touch these three foot hummers! 

But, we were still thrilled with our little brown hummers. The one with white was a thrill, then the red-breasted one, the ruby-throated hummer was exciting, so exciting. We are easily thrilled! 

I think I need more feeders. How many do you have?

Today is the day I am finally getting a week's worth of work done. Still, I am behind. But, I got the dishwasher emptied, which took less than three minutes since I have just used dishes from it as I needed it. Mail has stacked up and I am working it down. Tommy washed clothes for me one day and I managed to hang all the wet stuff and still have many items to fold and put away. 

Saturday night into Sunday morning, I slept well. I awoke and it was 2:30 pm. I stumbled to the living room, sat and watched what Tommy had on TV. Finally, I looked at the clock and saw it was 1 pm. I went back to the bedroom and my clock said 1 pm. It appears the Kleenex I sort of tossed at the table landed covering the first number on the clock, making 12:30 appear to be 2:30. This is twice I have done this. Even with the mistake, I did sleep over 8 hours. This is the second night this week I have slept over 8 hours, so I hope this continues. I might have slept 7.5 hours, but still...  Have you ever accidentally covered your clock?

Okay, laptop is going to die unless I find the power plug that goes into the laptop power port. .

Domestication; Long Day

Wednesday lunch was a Reuben from Arby's. One sandwich is more than ample for two people. But, Tommy wanted a whole one. Okay.

On Wednesday, I lay down and made some phone calls in the afternoon. And, after an hour got up. But, I did not want to cook and didn't want to get anything out. I just wanted to go back and lie down.

Finally, I took a pack of chicken tenders from the freezer and let them sit out while I spent almost an hour washing dishes. I asked Tommy to come to the kitchen, spread a towel on the counter and had him spread one on my chair sitting by the sink and gave him a dish towel to dry. I put the washed dishes on the towel on the counter and he dried them and put them on the towel on the chair. He did it without attitude. Good for him. AND, he got everything dry. 

Funny thing--When I just had to sit down because of back pain and left the kitchen with a few things unwashed and even more not dried, he came to living room, too. I asked him if he finished. He had not. I asked why not. If he were hurting, I was not going to say anything. No, he did not know why he quit, and went back and finished. I was chuckling inside because he was quite a worker until I stopped. Funny man.

He is fascinated by how I cleaned the cast iron skillet. I heated it and then put water in it and boiled it while I scraped out cooked-on hamburger. It did boil dry as I intended. Eventually, I used a paper towel to get burned stuff out. 

Peanut oil, just a bit, and chicken tenders went into the pan and cooked on low and then higher. We had from a food pickup two trays of vegetables and dip. We had eaten most of one. He got broccoli, grape tomatoes, sugar peas and raspberry dressing. He ate that while the chicken cooked. I took a smallish potato and peeled it and sliced it in rounds and put in with the chicken. 

Do you remember how he pushed back at Raspberry Dressing? Well, he got a bottle from ones on the table and has been using it. ??? 

And, this clenches it! I think he is becoming domesticated! He grabbed the plastic bag I keep ads in and in the pink shopping bag. I asked him what he was doing. He said he was just checking the sale ads to see if there was anything he wanted. WHAT? 

He actually does know what I need to buy this time. We were discussing going to grocery today. So, he told me where Dasani was on sale and cheaper than the other ad I was perusing. He did the math. 

Remember? He would not allow a clock in here. I got one and propped it on a table and he said nothing. Last night, I asked him if he would help me decide where over the TV to hang the clock. He said he thought it would look better over the table where it is sitting. So, it is over the table. He wasted a lot of emotion over having a clock. Now, I never have to ask him the time. Sometimes, he has asked me since flowers were in front of it one time so he could not see most of the clock. It still rolls a bit where 10 or 11 is at the 12 position and it is confusing. No more. 

Thursday morning, I have a mission no matter how I feel. I will tell you later. If I feel well enough, we will make the rounds with the ads and our list. Okay, there were about 30 packages of a dozen Ball jars and I did not get even one. Then, on Thursday, Publix had two left. I forgot to get one and then had to make another trip in the same day. ugh

These shelves have no little edges to keep things from sliding off, so I have a plan--all food will be in something like a basket or bin. I have plenty of flats from food, but I want no corrugated boxes...well, unless I cover them with fabric or paint them. I don't want cans toppling. Example: only a few of the cans of tuna will be in the kitchen. The rest and great majority will be in the bedroom. It is a plan. 

Wednesday, I still felt ill and on Thursday was just tired and still running a bit of a temp. By 4 pm on Thursday, we were home and I am barely able to form a sentence. 

I carried in one small, light load of groceries and went back for another. Tommy made three trips into the house and I told him to leaves the jars in there and bring them in later. He did not argue. Sometimes, he says he will/can do it now. 

I'm sneaky

In my house, I had some sort of timepiece in every room. Here, Tommy was one small clock radio by his chair. It faces the corner and cannot be seen by me.

I mentioned getting a clock for the wall in the living room and was forbidden to purchase any sort of clock. He does not want nail holes in his wall, ruining the paint and wall.

Consequently, i have to ask him dozens of time each day the time. I might be waiting on something in the oven or just wonder how long until a favorite movie comes on. Knowing the time is important sometimes. At other times I just wonder what time it is getting to be.

Back in February, I bought a clock for the wall. He is so volatile when he perceives he is being crossed about minor things that I just now got it out. I put a battery in it and hid it where he cannot see it from his chair.

I planned to put it out when he went to the bathroom. It has been in here by the TV for over 24 hours. I have not mentioned it nor has he.

The clock is just leaning against the wall. I bought a Command hook, but cannot find it. There is a box on a table next to the TV. It is on its way to another room, but I put the clock on it, leaning against the wall. When i move the box, I will not be able to see the clock since it will be too low.

There are four walls in here...lol. One is over the love seat where i sit. If I put the clock there, i will have to stand up to see it. If I put it on the wall opposite the TV, it will still be difficult to see. If I put it on the wall opposite me, it will be easier to see. If I place it on the same wall as the TV, it will be perfect.

There is a clock on the wall above my head, behind the love seat. The clock is a train clock that someone gave him, but it has a train whistle that sounds every 30 minutes. He will not remove it because there is a two inch hole in the wall that was here when he bought the house in 1980! He paid his brother to paint the wall, but the left the hole. sigh  The train clock is the only thing on the walls in the whole house!

If i am cooking in the kitchen, I must walk to the living room and ask him what time it is. There is a nail that was here when he moved here. I will put a clock in there, too, this next month.

I am absolutely positive he will only "allow" the clock on the two walls that are impossible for me to look at. Yeah. We will see.

WWIII may break out when I pull out the Command Hook. He is convinced it will ruin the wall.

He paid for the clock, unbeknownst to him and the Command Hook. So, it will be left when I leave.

He is not so bad. He sincerely thanked me the other day for doing things around here he cannot do. He even told me i could not have a clock plugged into the wall in the bedroom where I sleep!!!

Much ado and stress about a clock? I think so, too.