Black Eyed Pea Weather

 Tommy knew of an urgent care that I had never seen. I went there and got prescription. I took it about 5 pm and now at 10:30 pm, I feel somewhat better. Maybe I am just hopeful. 

Dinner of chuck roast, collard greens and banana over chocolate ice cream did help me feel better. I need blueberries now. I am just now sorting the peas. 

Today, the day was warm and beautiful. Sunday will be much colder and freezing temps at night. So, a sheet will have to go over plants. I am putting on blackeyed peas. The only prep I need is to find my gloves and red scarf. 

My pink mum that changed back and forth from pale pink to pale lavender finally faded to almost white. Now, it is back to a vivid but still pale color. I have never had a mum change colors like that. 

While at the urgent care, I asked the np to look at a pressure wound, she obliged me. Tommy is not good at telling me anything looks like. I got this pressure wound from sitting too much. She told me that a ring to sit on made hemorrhoids worse. I don't have hemorrhoids, but the news is good to know just in case. 

As I was throwing away the bag from the peas, I saw the nutrients listed. I was shocked to find there were 9 grams of protein in 1/4 cup. Then, I looked on the back and saw there were 24 grams of carbs. Who eats only 1/4 of black eyed peas? I can eat a bowlful for dinner. 

Maybe I will cook brown rice to mix with the peas. I love brown rice and black eyed peas with no seasoning of any type, not even salt. I may freeze some of these for New Years in case I don't get around to cooking these again. 

I just asked Tommy if he ever ate catsup on his black eyed peas. "Hell NO! That sounds awful!" Well, I have. Have you? Mostly, I eat them plain or with relish.

How Time Feels in My Head

 The only thing of note to day was the cancellation of my oncologist appointment. HE cancelled. His nurse who rescheduled said he was in the hospital or had been in the hospital. He is such a nice and caring man. So, that is pushed more than a month out. I am not happy, but what can a person do? 

I had a really long talk with two women and that made my day. The first was a friend of a friend. I have never met her. The second woman was the sister of the friend. We talked about how we had all known each other for 43 years and agreed that was a long time, but the time actually seemed like no time at all. Have you ever looked back at decades long memories and thought how the time did not seem so long? 

The friend here in Birmingham has dementia. I said he might not remember me. She assured me he lived in the past and probably did. The talk with his sister revealed some things about their past family history that I had forgotten. And, the talk found her in seemingly good health although she must use a walker even in the house. I am fighting that. I take nothing that causes me dizziness or lightheadedness, she does for pain. I am fighting the use of pain pills, too. I just won't have them around. 

The funny thing is that I know almost as much as anyone does about her family history as I was good friends with friends and relatives of her family. They are sometimes shocked I know their history. 

For the last week or so, I have started dinner early so we could watch whatever was coming on TV at 7 pm. Often there are movies we want to watch or PBS programs like history or nature documentaries. It makes me grumpy to be starting dinner at 7 pm. Tommy never pushes me, so I am pushing us both. He peeled potatoes, and I cut the eyes out. We put the pork loin, potatoes, carrots, and celery in a cooking bag and dinner was done earlier than usual. There was leftover cabbage from the night before. I also got my three fruits in for the day--banana, strawberries, and apples. He is eating the oranges two at a time, sometimes three at a time.

When I eat potatoes, I only eat about two bites hot. Then, I let the rest cool completely before I eat them. So, don't think twice about my potato eating when I am diabetic. 

Sunday night, I slept four hours, and I took a four nap today. So, I suppose I am caught up on the sleep today. I told Tommy to wake me at three pm, but I awoke when he brought my phone to me at four pm. He said I moved and made a noise at three, and he thought I was getting up. I don't even remember. 

My plants will stay covered for tonight and then there is no more frost. We left the lettuce out last night instead of bringing it in, so I don't know if it will recover. 

Do long ago events when you think of the number of years seem like not so long ago as far as the memory? That is convoluted. I met my friend and relatives 43 years ago which is a long time to me. Yet, it seems like we met just yesterday and interacted. Do you ever have these feelings about events? 

The Thermometer and Cravings

 While it is still below freezing, the temperature Wednesday should rise above freezing later this afternoon. I have not stuck my nose out of the house since Sunday. No thanks. Tommy lets in a lot of air and leaves the door open every time he goes to washing machine or to the mailbox. But, it is my choice for the door to be open as I wish to hear him if he falls and yells for me. This is my choice in the summer, too. 

Wednesday morning, all seven of my tulips have bloomed, but some not fully. They are red but appear to be a deep pink, almost red. I would rather have pink, anyway. I brought them home on 2/14 and they are all bloomed on 2/17. It is fun to watch them. 

Like I have said, there are no windows to place things to get sun. So, these have been sitting under/beside an incandescent bulb in a lamp. Obviously, this works for blooms. I wonder if seeds would germinate. 

I am going to try to make a better pizza crust tonight. I will read the directions on the pizza crust mix....lol. We need to use the open container of Prego Pizza Sauce. Tonight, we will have meatballs, bell pepper, and onions on top along with the sauce and cheese. I may let Tommy cut the meatballs into small pieces if I don't want to cut them. 

Even though it was bitterly cold last night, the temperature in the house was uniform and warm. Of course, the bedroom I sleep in is always colder except in the summer when it is torrid. 

I said I had used all the dishes. No, four of the glass dishes that I use in the oven were still in the dishwasher. I just could not see them in the dark! The tongs that Tommy said were not in the dishwasher were in there, hiding in the dark. When I ask Tommy to get something from dishwasher or off a shelf, he sees how difficult it is to function in the dark since he needs to get a strong flashlight and still cannot find things.

Amazon brought my pedal exerciser today. I finally got it put together as there were minimal instructions or pictures. This item weighs only 8 pounds, so it is infinitely easier to handle as opposed to the 28 pound elliptical. 

After finishing this post, I tried my new pedal exerciser. The motion of the pedal does not hurt my knee like the elliptical. Within one minute I knew two things. The pedaler works. Doing it without shoes hurts my foot.   So, I need to wear shoes when using it. The elliptical had a flat pad where the foot sat. This cost $110 less than the elliptical.                                                                                                  

Another package was reported by email to have been left in the mailbox. But, it was not there, so the two assistive devices are being sent again. I suppose someone stole it. 

I finished loading the dishwasher in record time and with an enormous number of large and heavy items. While it hurt my back to load it and took forever with my breaks, I still hurt less than I would have. I am also dry. Washing dishes with my elbows on the edge of the sink/counter left me soaked. 

Hopefully, everyone is warm and safe, forgoing using generators inside or any other heating means that can kill with carbon monoxide or flames. Three days without heat, electricity, or water in subzero weather is a terrible burden and danger. 

I am glad we are having pizza since we are watching a documentary on pizza in America. 

I am craving two things: chocolate anything and chicken. What am I going to do about it. First, I am making brownies. As for the chicken, I may thaw one of the pieces of breast. In the meantime, a 6 lb. package of chicken thighs is thawing so I can cook that for Tommy while I eat the breast. 

What are you craving and what are you going to do about it?