Plant Sale

 We arose early and went to Cullman as the Master Gardener's were having a plant sale at the Ag Center. It started at noon. We had time to get to the PO and grab a Big Mac. Then, we went to the Ag Center and sat in front of the pavilion and lawn where the event was being set up. As soon as we ate, we got out of the car since they were allowing people to shop. 

I took my walker so I could help transport the plants. However, it was rough going across lawn, a bit of gravel. Sitting was all I accomplished. Tommy got what I wanted and one of the MGs also helped me and answered questions I had. 

Eventually, I made my way into the pavilion and sat again. My back hurt so! 

For three years, I had saved coins in Tootsie Roll coin banks. Finally, I took the pennies, nickels and dimes to the coin machine. That was a little over $12. Then, I had $18.75 in quarters that we carried. This was my plant money. 

My goal was flowers without going to Lowe's. I got flower plants that had few flowers yet. The total came to $41. So, Tommy paid the rest--$10. 

What we got for $41:

2 blueberry bushes

2 Blackberry--Navajo

1 calendula

1 aster, big and bushy

1 lemon balm

1 impatien 

1 daylily, Strawberry Candy

1 Flowering Quince, pink

Then, I bought two more that are on the list--$4 and the first $10, Tommy spent $14 cash. The rest was saved coins. 

Tommy put them all on a table and announced it was going to rain tonight, so he was not watering. That is why I had him put them on the table instead of the porch. I thought I bought blackeyed susan and did not know I bought the quince. I wanted a bluebird house, but Tommy did not want to worry with it. I was planning on doing nothing past putting on the trunk of a tree. But, I left it. 

Just after we arrived home, the guy came to mow, the one who was coming on Wednesday. He had truck trouble then. So, the yard is mowed, $70. We might find it cheaper, but We like the guy. When I mentioned to do something next time, he did not look at me, but looked at Tommy and said, "I will do whatever he tells me to do." And, he gestured at Tommy. !!!

I took a nap before dinner. I was exhausted, still am. 

We went to Publix where I gave away the other two Civil War books to a woman and a guy who wanted them.

I still want two hanging pots for the shepherd's crooks by the ramp. So, I suppose I will still need to spend money. There were food plants, of course tomatoes. But, I left those. I will go the Festhalle Farmer's Market where all food has to be grown by farmers in the county. I know most of these plants are not meant for pots, but that is where they will live, except for the quince. 

Tommy wanted a Big Mac since it had been a long time since he had one. I don't oppose fast food all the time because he wants it. However, I stopped the Hardee's sausage and biscuit, so I will figure out a way to curb the burger impulse, too. Don't get me wrong, I love a Whopper or a Big Mac. I am just trying to eat more healthful foods when out. He says he wants warm food. Maybe I will buy one of the lunch boxes that heats food using the cigarette lighter in the car. Or, maybe I will bring me a sandwich and let him buy his food. I think he might relent after a bit and have me fix him a lunch, too. 

Dinner was leftovers. Tommy had chicken drumstick meat and I had a tiny bit of ham. We had the leftover potato, carrots, and broccoli. He had grapes. I had blueberries. 

When I had him stick the pan in the oven that had 10 drumsticks in it and told him to take it out and eat, he did even more. He took all the meat off all the drumsticks and is pleased to have it ready to eat instead of having to deal with skin and bones. Sometimes, he puts bbq sauce on the meat. 

Do you ever go to plant sales? What do you buy, vegetables, trees, flowers? How was your Friday?

I Received Four Extra Hours on Thursday

 It felt like we were given four extra hours today. We were both ecstatic. Well, I was. We had one of those appointments today where the repair person would be here between 1 pm and 5 pm. Well, I just knew he would get here about a quarter to five. No. He was her at 1 pm. This is the guy who will repair my lift recliner. 

The whole undercarriage will have to be replaced. This will be pricey. He helped us beyond the chair carriage. I asked him what he knew about the battery to get my feet down when we lost electricity. He pulled out a box sitting on the floor and showed me where an nine-volt battery. It is just that easy. He does think the battery is good for only one use. Plus, he told me about the big battery case that must be charged and can be used without plugging it into the wall. I feel fortunate that he was so knowledgeable. 

About 12:30 pm we were out of here to do things we needed to do today. 

The thing we went to SAM's on Wednesday to buy was wrong. So, that had to go back on Thursday, and they did not have what we needed. The return was easy. Tommy got us a hot dog and diet drink for $1.38. These are the foods that will cause hardening of the arteries. So, neither of us need them. Thankfully, we live far from Homewood! 

At Publix, Tommy tried to return something and get another, different flavor. He had to bring it home because this was something not on the shelf. There were no nine-volt batteries. But, I did use the coin machine instead of rolling coins. Well, Tommy kept putting the job off, so I ended up just paying the coin machine to count pennies, nickels, and dimes. 

I had 75 quarters and thought I would just spend them a few at a time. I only saved about 20 cents by holding them back. These coins were what I had saved over three years. Some were picked up, some were from the bottom of my purse or pocket. All told, I have $30.28. This is my plant fund. 

Tonight for dinner, I will bake some chicken slices and vegetables--carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and sugar snap peas. Maybe this will offset the huge hotdog we had along with a huge bun and a huge diet drink. For breakfast I had blueberries, strawberries, cheese, and milk. So, the Sam's treat was the only bad thing today. 

It seems that when I have to stay home for a repairman, that everything I want to drive and do is urgent. I am antsy the whole time. Do you hate to stay home for someone who will come eventually? Once I waited all day and got a call that the repairmen had run late and I could wait another four hours the next week, not even the next day. I was fit to be tied. 

Today, was a good day even though we did not get everything done. And, Tommy was not so sweet today, but not as horrid as some days. 

We drove to Piggly Wiggly and Giant to get ads. 

He returned something at Big Box and the money was put back on the cc. 

We arrived home about 5 pm, having spent our free four hours doing things that needed to be done. So, essentially it frees up other days and hours. 

How was your Thursday? Did things go smoothly? Do you hate waiting in the four-hour window for a repairman to come? 

Last of Christmas and Repairs and UHC

 Saturday was another quiet day in the house. The car was not started all day, and I stayed in my nightgown.  Actually, I slept in a summer nightgown and put this winter nightgown on because I was chilly. I never did ask about the temperature of thermostat setting. 

Sunday starts the Year of the Rabbit. Maybe the year will be as gentle as a bunny. However, the only time I ever tried to hold a rabbit, it kicked me and hurt me! Maybe this year will be gentler than that rabbit.

On Friday, I mended the Christmas deer that broke a leg somehow. I think it fell over on the bookcase where I had placed it. I forgot to put them out for Christmas, so I put them out the day after Christmas. There were two deer and a Santa. I bought the two deer at a furniture store, went back in several weeks later and found a Santa. The deer are white with wreaths around their necks. The Santa has a long red robe and sack on his back and a wreath in his other hand. All three of these pieces are beautiful. They are sort of frosted with very small glitter that never seems to fall off much on things. 

I let the glue on the deer leg set for a couple of days. When I was ready to put the Santa in its box, I remembered I needed to repair it, too. When I returned to the store and found the Santa to purchase at half price, the woman took it to the register to wrap it and place it in a shopping bag. She exclaimed that it was "damaged, so you can have it for $9." The price I was going to pay was something like $18, and that was the half cost. So, I got a Santa worth almost $40 for $9. This was several years ago and when I had money to spend after Christmas. 

The damage was a hole in the Santa sack over his shoulder. It was a tiny hole, too small for a patch. It does not show at all sitting as a display. I was going to put a tiny patch and paint it later. But, today, I put a drop of E6000 on it. If it dries whole instead of just going down into the hole, I will store it as it is and maybe next year find something brown to color the clear hole. Maybe it will be done and left as is. Some repairs are just as good when minimal. Trying to make the brown match would probably just make the repair move obvious.

This is the last of the Christmas decorations as I put the rest away on NYE. The deer and Santa were not in my line of vision! The Kiss stays out and is lit at night, thanks to a remote and fairy lights. 

For the last three years I have saved coins in a little bank from Tootsie Rolls. I had Tommy count it all for me--over $35. This last year, I saved little in the coin banks. I still have piles of coins the cleaner got from under the nightstand and bed. Since I mostly use a debit card, I get few coins. These coins are saved for the grill I want. Since I rarely find coins, this is the little I get from change or on a return. I wish I could find wheat pennies! 

Only four of my products came from UHC--oxygen monitor, low-dose aspirin, Vit D, and Neosporin. I wonder when the rest will arrive.

Dinner tonight is all leftovers: Chicken breast or pork roast, mashed potatoes, baked carrots/sugar peas/broccoli, salad with Romaine and tomatoes. 

I love to repair things. I know--crazy. Do you mind repairs or like doing repairs? 

If you get OTC from UHC, do they dribble in a few items at a time?

For what are your coins tagged? 

Counting Coins and Blackeyed Peas

 Suddenly, I decided to count my change that I have put into the Tootsie Roll bank that Tootsie Rolls come in. When I started using a debit card almost exclusively, I still had a bit of change. That went into the jar, but it was about $2 because I had not used money much, and I never wanted to touch what change I had. 

Since I wanted it counted, I asked Tommy to do so. . . lol He took it and counted it for me and recorded the number of each coin. 

Once, I had stuffed a $1 bill in, too. Why? I don't know, just to boost the count I suppose. So, here it is. 

Pennies 89

nickels 33

dimes 31

quarters 45

One-dollar bill 1

Total $17.89

I think I will just stick it back in the bank unless I figure out something to do with it. I may use it to buy purses for my Pink Purse Charity. 

Of course, we had blackeyed peas for New Years. Usually, I buy the cheapest I can find, $0.99/lb. When the panic buying started, I decided to up my count of beans by another pound. Only, none were left at any price. Then, one day, I passed the bean aisle, and found one lone bag of beans, one pound of Camelia. 

I paid $2.49/lb and was just horrified. The only dried beans I ever buy or eat are Navy Beans, Great Northern Beans, and Blackeyed Peas. And, I have never paid over about one dollar per pound. But, I bought them. 

Last year, I cooked them in the crock pot for New Year's Day. Usually BEPs fall apart and can go to mush before I can finish the pot. Well, these BEPs did not fall apart at all. Even after 14 hours in the CP, every last bean was intact! I am still in shock. Do you ever cook BEPs? Do yours fall apart or remain intact? Does it matter to you? I like the ones that fall apart. Have you ever had Camellia brand? 

I am having trouble remembering what day it is. Are you? Holidays mess with my mind.