It has been so long

 I have forgotten the exact order of things. However, we got up on Monday to go the Cullman to Office Max or Depot and the guy I needed to talk with was out of the store for the day. So, we planned to go on Tuesday, and I did not want to go. We went Wednesday and picked up our lunch from a church--grilled chicken with dish of bbq sauce, corn, green beans, little slice of butter bread, and two cookies. We also had the identical thing for dinner.

The guy came out to the car and took the burned laptop inside. He came back with info insurance and numbers for me to call. Then, I gave him laptop we bought two days or so after this one and decided to not even open. That went well. So, Tommy has over $1k back in his account. And, I should be getting a check for this one, actually that will go into his account, too. 

The sale on chairs interested me, but I would have to go inside. No luck with getting a new surge protector. I forgot what else I tried to buy. 

I found Miracle Whip bogo which made it $5.40 or something like that. Used the bathroom, went to PO, and came home.

The laptop had to sleep outdoors the first night. It camped out in the bathtub on a metal baking pan in a tiled showed stall for two nights. I was really afraid it would blaze to life again.

 

Unfortunately, this laptop cannot recharge, so it must stay plugged in at all time in order to use it. Plus, none of my passwords are evident. AND, it has a whine and scream and rat-tat-ing noise all the time. So, I cannot use it when Tommy is asleep. 

I got into my Yahoo account and into my blog, so all is better. 

A fly has been cruising the house, buzzing around me and any food we are trying to eat or cook. He even buzzed my hair. I could feel his wings making a breeze or something.  I resorted to running to Lowe's and getting fly strips. I hate those nasty-looking things. But, I hate the fly more. I even had Tommy stay with me in the kitchen while I was removing the pork loin and vegetables from the cooking bag. It has gotten dark and cool now, so he is sleeping, I suppose. 

My big chores for the day were replacing my electric candles' batteries and going through a tote bag of mail. The batteries in the Red Kiss were replaced and all eight batteries were put in the battery recycling Planter's Peanuts jar. Between Tommy and I, we removed pertinent information from my mail to shred and put rest in two places--paper to recycle or newsprint items to go the Animal Shelter.  

For some reason Belk's sent me a check for $8.98. And, Belk's sent me a coupon for $10 to use instore. 

Finally, I quit coughing. The guaifenesin made it a productive cough. So, it is gone. I only cough when I swallow something the wrong way. I am so relieved to be rid of the cough. 

Finally, I felt like going into Publix and shopping. When Tommy goes in, he comes out with all sorts fo chips and cookies. I have not been in a store for about a month. 

While I was in Lowe's shopping for fly strips, I noticed Christmas is going up. On the way to find the strips, I was horrified by an apparent boneyard. Someone was hanging skeletons and left them on a platform. They looked like a heap of bones, a boneyard.  It was spooky. I want a large skeleton and a stack of three pumpkins, but I will just dream about them. 

Oh, speaking of dreaming, I have been dreaming since I started taking melatonin. I was having an in-depth discussion with someone about the ceiling fans that can be screwed into a light socket in the ceiling. Tommy and I, another night, were having an equally scintillating conversation about something, forgot what. 

The humidity is incredibly low, so days, and especially evenings with low temperatures have been pleasantly not torrid or muggy. I don't rush to start the car as soon as I get into it. 

What fine chores have you accomplished? 

Has the humidity and heat become more tolerable where you live? 

Friday and Saturday--Car Repair and Guaifenesin

Early Friday morning, we took my car to show them the car to repair. They suggested we leave it even though we had an appointment for Monday morning. So, at 8:15 we went shopping, expecting it to be done before they closed. The shop surprised us by having it done by 2 pm. We had been home just a bit when they called.

So, my car was repaired today. It was almost $800. about $400 less than a previous estimate. Now, the temperature blend actuator door will not make a continual rat-a-tat-tat as I drive. That was driving me to distraction. Plus, this year, no ac was blowing.  

I went to one store and found the spice cake mix I wanted. I will put four Granny Smith apples, chunked, in the mix. But, I need to make a pecan pie first. The pecans need to be eaten before they go rancid. I know I could freeze them, but I did not. So this apple treat will wait until next week.

Treats are only baked once a week. I do not want to bake goodies all week. We don't need that.

Friday, when I went shopping, I found the $1 brownie mix in the pouch and bought four.  Now,  feel prepared...lol.

For congestion in my lungs, I take the generic version of Mucinex. It works miracles. The only active ingredient is guaifenesin. I had bought them in little $0.88 cent bottles (15 tablets)  at WM, but had not been able to find them for over a year. I usually bought about 4 bottles or less, depending on what I could afford each month or when I was low.

I never buy anything that works for fever-chest congestion. I buy one ingredient otc meds. A friend who is a nurse found out I took this med. She told me it could save my life if I ever had pneumonia. Guaifenesin is an expectorant. No, it will not stop a cough. I use Vicks Vaporub on the soles of my feet for that...lol. Coughing gets stuff up. Some coughing is good. -

While I was in Piggly Wiggly today, I went down the aisle with soft soap, looking for Dial Soft Soap and Dial bars;  both kill germs. (I was not looking for it instead of hand sanitizer.) I turned away since it was not there. And, what did I see?

Guaifenesin !!!

Guaifenesin is an expectorant that helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus. Then, I can cough it up. Timed Release never works for me in any meds.

The brand is Top Care and 50 tablets cost something around $5.10. That is cheap to me, especially compared to Mucinex. I now have two bottles. When I need this stuff, I really need it. I have never had a prescription expectorant that worked this well. I highly recommend it. I did take this med that was manufactured in Mississippi, but have no idea where Top Care is manufactured.

Have you ever used the original Mucinex, the one that is only an expectorant, Guaifenesin, as it only active ingredient? This is cheaper. Do you ever use the generic guaifenesin from any manufacturer? Maybe you find it cheaper than I?

A Clog (not the shoe), A Cough, A Coronavirus

Last night, I slept about two hours. That was tragic since I will have to be up early on Tuesday and Wednesday. I needed to sleep this Monday morning. He was yelling at me about untrue traits I have and how this pipe clog is all my fault. The plumber disabused him of that idea, saying it was a huge clog, reaching far.

The plumber was scheduled for 9:30 or 10:00. The stuff on this table by me needed to be neatened a bit and other stuff removed. Believe me, no cleaning was accomplished or a complete decluttering. I had gotten up at 8 am and piddled around, ate breakfast, tried to wake after two hours of sleep.

At 11 am, he was still not here and I was panicking about no sleep. Finally, at 1 pm he left. $319

He took something (short piece of pipe) out from under the sink and used an electrical snake on its on cart. There was trouble, so he called the guy who sent him to help him. Finally, when he finished, he sat in the truck and smoked then wrote out the bill. I just wanted him to hurry so I could sleep.

I slept from 1:30 to 5 pm. Since then, I have tried to recover, put frozen chicken in  turkey bag with two potatoes. I had to eat, so I had a hotdog. I know it is not the best choice of all the food I have, but I did. Then, I made coleslaw.

All I have left to do is color my hair. It is in bad shape. I have to get up at 8 am, so I dread coloring my hair. I can sleep on it wet if I put a towel over my pillow.

I have had a banana and halo today, so I will eat a few strawberries--trying to get in my fruits and vegetables. Potato and cabbage will have to do on the vegetable front although there is carrot in the slaw.

This evening, I converted a pair of earrings to clip on. Now, I have to hang up clothes to dry. UGH

Tommy has not yet noticed the ashtray. It is the square, clear, glass kind with an indentation in each corner, probably the most familiar ashtray ever. You know the kind. I may pour a little Coke in it before we leave tomorrow and then try to empty it when we get back.

I have blue nitrile gloves I plan to wear when I leave the house and go into anywhere. When I get groceries home, I have wipes to clean each item before letting it touch my counters or anything. Yes, my bananas will be wiped. I am not afraid, just prudent since there is coronavirus in GA, right next to AL.

I have scared myself because I have started coughing, but I have no temperature, I don't think. I have needed a thermometer for the last six months. My mercury thermometer is the favorite. What brand/kind of thermometer do you use? I see lots but I need a recommendation or need to know if there is a problem with any brand.