Good Day, Busy Day

 Friday morning, I had an appointment for an ultrasound. Since I could not eat or drink after midnight, I hope I could sleep. I would not have eaten in the night because I resist eating, just drink water. I slept really well on Thursday night. 

I got up at 8:45 and we left at 9:30 for my 10:30 appointment. The whole appointment went well, but the glitch when I arrived worried me. A woman with a very accusatory voice kept telling me that no one would come out with a wheelchair to get me, whoever drove me had to go get one and push me in. She was relentless. So, I told her I was following directions. Finally, she called back with a much softer attitude.

The woman who came to get me was really sweet. Little did I realize she was the tech who did the ultrasound. She was kind and patient about my difficulties and the need for two pillows under my legs. The doctor had ordered two ultrasounds, so it took about 45 minutes. Now, I have to wait for the results. I am nervous but hopeful.

The gel was mercifully heated! She helped me from the table. I have had techs say-Can't you get off the table BY YOURSELF? Unless you have had these people mistreat you, there is no way you can appreciate simple kindness in a moment of weakness. 

Across the street I saw Bama Fever and Tiger Pride. I had Tommy take me there. I bought him an Auburn t-shirt, since he is a fan and graduate. I showed it to him and said, "Happy Birthday" since I did not want to have to go back if it did not fit. I bought from the $14.95 rack. It fits, but he says the neck is too tight. 

I tried eating the Munchies peanut butter and crackers. NO WAY. They were cheese crackers, but I tried them. I have always hated cheese crackers. So, he got us both a plain burger. Now, he can have cheese crackers with peanut butter for a snack here. 

We came straight home and left immediately to shop from my list from the ads. At Publix there was one ham left on the shelf, a ham for $1.49. I got it as I just did not want to wait on another to be weighed and priced for me to choose. The $1.49/lb. turkey breasts were sold out! So, I have to go back again, tomorrow at 10 am. About once a year, I will eat corned beef which was on sale. Dasani was cheap. 

Carrot cake was $3.49/slice. A whole cake on sale was $19.00. So, I bought two slices. I forgot the ice cream but can get it when I get the turkey breasts. 

At The Pig I bought cole slaw, cheddar cheese, squash, correct Munchies. Tommy loves squash and zucchini cooked together, so I am making that for him.

Food Giant--one deep dish Pet Ritz pie crust. another box of Munchies since Pig only had one, two cans of VanCamps pork and beans for $.88/each because I use them for baked beans and Tommy loves mine, I also found a deep, round plastic container with a lid that sealed as well as the Tupperware! And, it was only $1.25. I won't store food in it, though. 

By the time we got home it was around 3:30. We were both exhausted, but the day had gone well except for the first glitch. Since we had so little to eat, I suggested we have a pizza with cauliflower crust. It took me forever to get it in the oven, so that ended up being dinner. I feel like we did not eat well at all today! 

I had a heated argument with a friend who thinks we should not have closed borders because borders are a social construct. I agree with the social construct bit, but she made upset me. I think she is an anarchist. I reminded her of state boundaries, lot descriptions and our own rooms in a house. I doubt she is willing to give up and inch of her place because someone else wants it. 

After cheese, hot pizza, tiredness from the day, and being upset, I slept upright in my chair. I hate to sleep like that. We watched some sort of country music Christmas show. It was cheery. 

Just now, Tommy went to the car and found the delivery of my new sets of fairy lights. Good. They were right on the table by the door. 

Cheap gas--$2.84/gal. Temperature--mid 70s

Oh, yesterday as I sat in the car outside Belk's, I watched a USPS driver throw huge and small boxes into a very large truck. So, if you ordered anything from Belk's and it arrives damaged. I know why! Who throws boxes for delivery? I wonder how many more times these same boxes were thrown by USPS employees. 

Unfortunately, tomorrow we get up early and start all over again. I need to get the ice cream I forgot and get turkey breasts, among other things. This way, we do not need to go out on the weekend for anything. I am looking forward to a lazy day at home, at least a day at home doing things here. Medical things are never relaxing. At least I got all the ad items bought except for the turkey breasts. We had too much produce already except for the two squashes I bought for Tommy. 

Do you get out the ads in order to make a list of loss leaders? Items you need? 

Do you have a friend whose ideologies appall you and seem very radical?

Tommy's Cake

 My head has been busy today, deciding what to serve for our tiny Christmas party and what to make for Tommy's birthday this Friday. 

I asked him if the pork loin with potatoes and carrots and onion would be fine after I asked him what he wanted. He shrugged at first, but said the pork loin would be fine. I suggested slaw and he said no, it would be too much. Exactly when is slaw too much. We will have it, but he does not have to eat it. I want it. 

Then, I went through the ads for the week, finding a few things but nothing major except for the ham for $1.49/lb at Publix. So, my grocery list is done. Eggs still are not on sale. 

I asked Tommy for a suggestion for cake for his birthday. He did not know. When I asked about carrot cake, he was eager, "get a couple pieces." So, he will get a carrot cake or just slices. He just now said to get a slice or two, not a whole cake. And, he wants vanilla ice cream. So, it is settled.  We don't need a whole cake around here. I do have candles. 

Today, I needed a nap at noon. I forgot we had someplace to go, so I could only sleep until 1:15. UGH Then, I needed the rest of the nap at 5:15 pm and awoke at 6:30 pm. Honestly, I am napping like a baby! 

Tomorrow, we have plans, so I hope I can sleep well. We will go to Belk's and to several stores to grocery shop. I have gift cards for Belk's. 

I received the Amazon fairy lights and went to the trouble to set them up for Lynda's gift. I was fit to be tied when the remote did not work. I had already set mine up! So, I was going to have to dismantle mine for the second time and order more and return the present set. The very nice woman said to just keep them, take a refund and order more, plus they were giving me a $10 credit at Amazon. Okay, then.

The lights will still work if they are in the same area with the first set in the box. The remote works on both. thankfully. 

The remote lives in a sandwich bag. It is so tiny and thin that it will disappear if it slides somewhere, it will disappear. If it disappears, I can find it by the sandwich bag. I have one hiding somewhere for my boombox! It could have been thrown away for all I know. 

Have you seen these tiny remotes (3.25 x 1.5 x 3/16 inch)? Have you lost one? 

Have you ever just bought one slice of cake for the birthday person?

How are the ads for this week at your stores?

Tornadoes, Familial Tremors, Fairy Lights

We were watching a Michael Bublé special as the tornado warnings scrolled across the screen. Rather incongruous, yes? It is blowing and raining. We had Michael Buble special on, but the weather people took over and he was overridden by the weather. And, that's okay. I have my light with me and Tommy has his. There is a little light to turn on in the bathroom. Phones are charged. Hopefully nothing dire happens. 

Monday, I told Tommy I was going out on Tuesday for things I wanted/needed. So, we did and it almost killed me! My blood sugar was so low that I had to have something to eat. I still have not recovered from hypoglycemia! Tomorrow, I will feel more human. 

We also went to the food giveaway. In line, a woman was stopped and people were going around her. She called someone and got out of the car to see the street sign. I had Tommy ask her if she needed help. She did. We both got out of the car, both of us holding onto the car to walk around it. He took the device we bought at Auto Zone to jumpstart her car. I drove ahead to stay in line. He walked back with his walker to me and I drove. I hated to leave him behind! 

What we bought and used today--Duralast Jump Starter, 2.4 amp jumpstarter power pack. The guy at Auto Zone recommended it and said that is what they used at the store to start cars. This has helped us quite a few times, and now we used it to help a woman stranded. I think every car should have one! Maybe we have a new calling! That, plus the device to air up the tires are certainly useful.

Sometimes, we are given a frozen chicken breast with feta and spinach. What we got this time looked like that but had no label. So, I opened a box of potato onion pierogies and cooked the dish that might be chicken. Well, the pierogies were awful and the chicken was butternut squash. We did not eat the pierogies, ate some of the butternut squash, and leftover taco soup.

I took a nap. So, what is new? I lay down, went to sleep instantly, and did not move until I awoke two hours later.  That won't interfere with my sleep tonight, since we will stay up until the danger of a tornado is past. 

The two sets of fairy lights had to be returned since one was damaged, and I could not find any in the one store where I went. I hope the tensions in China will not affect my new order for more fairy lights. There don't seem to be fairy lights made in the US. 

I talked with my friend who is 92 and husband is 91. She was saying how difficult cooking was for her. I told her we use the cooking bags and how we put in chicken, potatoes, carrots and onion and have a meal in the oven shortly. I told her how Tommy peels potatoes and carrots, and once I get it all seasoned, he puts it in the oven and takes it out, giving us days of chicken to do different things and eat different meals. She said her husband can make bread. So, he can probably do all the preparing and cooking of this kind of meal. I bought her a box of Reynolds Cooking Bags. Of course, any meat can be cooked in the bags. Her family brings meals to them, but she still cooks a bit. 

She might never buy Cooking Bags, but if she has a box at hand, she might use them. I will wrap these as a Christmas present and give them a sweet potato bread loaf (made with my pumpkin bread recipe) for her Christmas. 

She has familial tremors and says the condition makes her very tired. I understand tired! But, I know nothing of familial tremors. 

Decorating Thoughts

 Since I decided to put fairy lights in my red kiss candy dish instead of candy, I had to buy fairy lights. They finally came. When I put the whole string in the red kiss, it was magical. Of course, there has to be a stinker in the mix. One set, the first set in which I put batteries, was faulty. One of the little spring coils on which the battery end rests was missing. So, since they were ordered in a box of two, I had to return both. 

I found construction paper that had 12 sheets of red and 12 sheets of green to make a chain like we made when we were kids. Tommy insists we use every color of paper. Who does that? It's certainly spoiling the idea of having a paper chain for Christmas! 

Tomorrow, I will get out the door wreath and start the little decorating we will do. The red kiss will be here when I get fairy lights.

Tonight, we watched The Great American Christmas Light Fight. It was wonderful. There are four contestant each hour. The best Christmas lights win. I am always full of inspiration after we see this program every year. Of course, the idea quickly dies after considering I don't have the stamina or youth to do all this decorating on the roof, not to speak of the lack of money.  One year, I did enter the Christmas decorating contest in the town where we lived. I made elves and decorated the swing set in the front yard. 

A wealthy and influential man won for just sticking the back end of Santa out of a second store window with a little balcony. People all over town called or told me in person they had complained to the powers that be and said I should have won. We moved and I never tried that again, probably because I never saw that any town had that contest. 

Sunday night, I measured out the spices for the sweet potato bread. I may measure the flour and sugar tonight...lol. I will get it done one day. I promised Lynda some, so need to just bake it. She is very understanding. Besides, I told her that I would be slow getting it done. 

Part of decluttering is thinking and planning. I have determined to put glass baking dishes and glass cereal bowls and glass storage dishes in an upper two cabinets. I had put three colanders in these cabinets, but I believe the glass will be better up there instead of on a chair! The colanders can go into a bottom cabinet where we both can reach them. Neither of us can get very low. 

My air fryer will go on the curb with a "free" sign. I used it twice and the drawer will not close. So, it is just taking up space! That was a waste of money. 

When I fell, I hurt the knee that was the uninjured knee. But, my shoulders with rotator cuff injuries both hit. Now, my left shoulder is in agony. I thought Tommy was going to have to help me get my t-shirt off today. Lots of other spots on my body have that "slammed to the floor" feeling, but it is my left shoulder and left knee that still are in significant pain. 

We watched "White Christmas" tonight. I loved it!

The grocery ads don't seem to have much to interest me this week. But, I have not looked at the Piggly Wiggly ads yet. 

Today was another beautiful day. I love these days, not dark and not too cold. 

How was your weekend? What is happening in your world? Did you take advantage of Cyber Monday?