Busy Day

Things planned today happened with only one snafu. The weather was beautiful--80F, calm, pretty skies. The whole day would have been better if I had started earlier. 

First stop was the courthouse to turn in request for an absentee ballot. Tommy had to go down a steep ramp and then up, something I cannot do. I cannot do steep, up or down. So. they refused to give him a ballot for me. I have to go in by myself. Even in a wheelchair, that ramp is too steep. So, now I fight for my right to vote. 

We took the shoes I ordered to SAS. I just got another pair of sandals, a very bright pink. Shoes for my swollen feet will be bought somewhere else. I love pink, but if these are too bright, I still need something to wear at home.

Then, I went to King Cotton, a store that sells only upholstery and drapery fabric. They helped me with a place to sit. They brought five samples--I immediately said Tommy would like the huge buffalo check. But, I wanted him to have a choice, so we took the three best choices to Tommy. He took like three seconds to say he wanted the buffalo check. It is blue and a tan/gray color, not really greige. 

I ordered it with his cc and left--2 yards at $37/yd. So far, that is the only expense so since we got these from the trash in front of a house being renovated to rent. I expect to spend money on foam to go underneath and a layer of polyester over the foam. This is still cheaper than buying new chairs. And, these are old and sturdy and wood ladderbacks. Someday, I will find a free table to replace the smoky glass table of his that I just hate. Of course, he will have to agree. 

Lastly, we stopped at The Pig to get milk for Tommy and to get Lynda some guaifenesin for her congestion. This for lung congestion. She really needs it. I found a really fresh bag of cole slaw mix for $/97. We will have that for dinner.

At Lynda's house, she gave us her pumpkin and a bag of fresh green beans. Tommy has added it to our two pumpkins and butternut squash on the porch. I may cook the green beans to go with the coleslaw I will have with the ground beef from the freezer. 

So, we are home and watching a wonderful woodpecker documentary. Amazingly, all our plans have gone well, except for me not being able to vote! 

The week ahead looks good with highs near 80 and little rain except for the weekend. This makes me very happy! We may break record highs. I won't complain about that. 

Once again, I am looking for someone to help here. I have a call in to a friend. I gave Lynda the number for the missionaries to help her with a few things at her house. 

We have a hard day tomorrow, and I have phone calls to make tomorrow, also. 

I love to pick out fabric, especially upholstery fabric! Do you? Maybe this will expand in this house, to maybe some painting. Or something! I need to get some of my lamps rewired. What projects do you need to do or wish you could do to improve your home? We can all fantasize. 

Mask Material

Of course, I knew there was plenty of cooked meat. I got out what I thought was a portion with breast. No, then I thought it was a bag with some breast. No, it was a thigh and leg. That was discouraging. Finally, I got out a portion that looks like a half a turkey breast. No, but while thawing it, it appears to be something with breast piece, leg, and thigh. Since it don't have it completely thawed, I suppose I will see.

At any rate, I was able to have meat for dinner on Thursday night and a sandwich for both of us on Friday for lunch. Tonight will be poultry, baked sweet potato, and coleslaw.

While I was looking on the cooked meat shelf, I paid more attention to what was there. There are seven packages of thighs. Some have two thighs; some only have one. Tommy knows he will have a thigh for seven days in a row along with vegetables. He is happy with that as he just wants food cooked by me.

I am slow making the ice cream, but tonight is a definite plan to make it.

I have a new mask plan since I don't have remnants of anything to make a mask. Tommy must have about 50 button up shirts, mostly plaid. He was irritated when I asked him about them when I first came here. Finally, about two months ago, I asked him again because he also has drawers of t-shirts. He had a cousin whose weight changed, forgot whether it was a loss or gain, but the cousin gave him all his shirts.

Last night, he said I could use some of the plaid, woven-fabric shirts for a mask for him. It will be nice and masculine. I may make the first one by hand.

Another thing I will use is the pads for people who are incontinent. I was given a stack of these and really have no use for them. I took one apart. If the blue non-woven part will hold back a pool of pee, surely it will contain viral drops no matter how small. The  mask will be four layers.

For the moment, mask fabric problems are solved. The search is not over, but is not as pressing.

~~~~~off to chop strawberries.....

Haircut and Fabric

Thursday evening, we went to the yard and I cut Tommy's hair. This is a man whose usual haircut has most of the hair about 1/4" to 1/2" long, except for right on the top. Well, I cut 3 inches from his hair.

I cut the length from the bottom all around and he sighed and said he was cooler already. He said he had been so hot lately. Hair on his neck is so uncomfortable. Thankfully, my hair has grown to where it is not on my neck. But, I am not getting it cut. 

I hold the hair and cut, dropping lumps of hair. I know I should hold the hair and cut it, but after cutting, I`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` throw down the hair. Unfortunately, I managed to cut it at the bottom of the ramp, right where we will step in it going to and from the house and car. This ought to be fun after walking it into the house.

His hair is a light gray and fine. As I cut it and dropped the clumps, it looked like soft kitten hair. He did not think so. 

He always swore I would never cut his hair. Now, he welcomes it. Are you cutting anyone's hair due to the virus? Your own?

Today, I bought the fabric that is reported the best for masks--polyester spandex chiffon. I have a bit of fabric to use for the outer mask. I have some of the pads that were given to me that are for use under a bedridden person to catch urine. No, I was not given these because I am incontinent. At any rate, if they will hold a puddle, surely they will stop something smaller. Now that I have all the materials, I need to make masks by hand or get the machine up and running. 

Dinner on Wednesday was chicken breast and mixed vegetables for Tommy. I ate the chicken and something. I try not to eat canned vegetables, but that is what they are for, so they won't hurt us to eat once in a while. There was tomato that Tommy refuses to eat. He says they are too soft. So, I will blanch and peel and put in some sort of sauce. Spaghetti?

Maybe one of the squash plants is dying. I am not sure why. Remember, the squash plants were maybe four inches high and cost a quarter apiece.

Tonight, part of a turkey breast from last year, sweet potato, and broccoli are on the menu.  

Does anyone know of a fabric store anywhere near Birmingham besides Walmart or Joann's? I may have to go far away to buy fabric since this Joann's does not want to help me.

I Think I Stole This

After I brought scissors like I wanted, it appears I did not. The blades are serrated. I did not want serrated blades. So, I searched for the receipt to exchange them. I searched everywhere I could imagine. And, then I tried some more places.

On the receipt every purchase was something in the bag--fabric and elastic. Except the scissors were in the bag and not on the receipt. Finally, I decided that I put the material on the debit card and then put the scissors on the debit card. That would be two transactions.

So, there would be two entries for that business. No, I checked and had the guy at the bank check again. I can only figure I never paid for the scissors. But, maybe I had $50 in cash on me. That is possible but highly improbable.

By the way, the woman who took the scissors down for me told me they were not serrated. I knew the difference and did not make this mistake on my own. I took her word for it--my mistake. Plus, I did not put things into the bag, the female cashier did. Furthermore, the scissors were in a separate bag!

There was a man in front of me in line. He was talking and sort of being in the way. He picked up my fabric and put it on the counter because I was having trouble with it. (I could do it but the fabric was sliding and unfolding.) Then, when things were rung up, I realized the scissors were not included and he handed the woman the scissors. Now, I wonder if she was distracted and just put them in a separate bag. Did he pay for them, being nice, like paying for the order of the car behind?

I may never know. But, they are not on my debit card and I have no receipt. However, the cashier did handle them and put them in a separate bag. I am quite sure I did not bag them myself, but I have no evidence that I purchased them.

After rethinking all this, thinking in detail, I remember this guy being out in front of the register for at least three customers before me. I thought he was a manager. Then, I did not know what he was doing as I got to the register. He talked a lot to the cashier. I think he may have distracted her. Or, there is the thought I could have paid in cash. But, where is the receipt?

Have you ever had a mystery like this involving a purchase?

Ollie's and Joanne's

I went to Ollie's today. The experience was a disaster! I could only stand long enough to look at books and found nothing like Sluggy did. Most of the books were novels, baby and kids' books, and a million and a half of cookbooks. 

A few appealed to me--Beowulf, The Mueller Report, Skeletons, the extraordinary form and function of bones, Railroads Across North America. The last two are going back--Killing Patton, and Abraham Lincoln Vampire Killer. Tommy said Bill O'Reilly wrote the one about Patton and he did not think I wanted it. He said Abraham Lincoln Vampire Killer would be no good. So, back those two go. 

Before the cashier even touched a book, I asked her nicely not to drop the books in a bag since that would bend the corners. I could tell that set her off. So, I was in trouble.

Oh, I bought a Rand McNally Atlas of North America and the woman folded it, folded it. I raised the volume of my voice and the pitch as I said, "Don't fold my book!" Another cashier came to rescue me or the cashier, not sure. 

After I put my card in the reader, she answered a call and just left me and my card hanging. I asked her to tend to the card. She continued with the call. The other cashier told her to finish my transaction before helping the person on the phone. She was livid. 

When she answered the phone, she called the name of the store as "OH lees". I thought it was "AH lees." So, I thought maybe I was wrong and asked her how to pronounce the store name. She refused to say a word. I asked again. She still refused. So, I turned to the other cashier and asked her--AH lees. 

Then, I refused to care and asked the cashier how long she had worked at the store. She refused to speak even after I asked her four times. I thought she did not hear me at first. 

I could walk no further to see other bargains.

Finally, I got to go to Joanne's, a fabric and craft shop. I found three pieces of fabric for outfits. The fabric was $16.99/yd. reduced to $7.99/ yd. Since it was 60 inches wide, I thought two yards would make one outfit--top and pants. Everyone there disagreed. I bought 2.5 yards if one,  but feel confident I have enough. 

Plus, I found the scissors I needed/wanted for sewing. 

AND, I found elastic. They had cut 3 yard lengths and put it in tiny bags for $0.99. I imagine it is inferior elastic, but it is only for masks. So, for $2.97, I have 9 yards of elastic. The last time I bought 1/4 inch elastic, I bought a spool that was 10 inches high and about 8 inches wide. So, I have no idea if this is a good price. 

This was my afternoon. I will tell you about my morning tomorrow. 

My freezer is scheduled for delivery tomorrow morning. I am so excited.

Now, I have to make a pattern for my pants. Not tonight.

Do you think the Abraham Lincoln book is good? Read it?