All Day Long Every Day

I carry things to their proper home or take extra things to a new home for storage. Let me explain. All day long when I can even walk that far, I have made about 20 extra trips down the hall. I bought a large   Rubbermaid bin about two years ago, and I had not yet found its purpose. Actually, I had bought two bins, stacked them together and dumped stuff in the top one. That made the bottom one inaccessible to me because of the bending and weight. So, I had Oksana free the bottom one for me. 

On the UHC plan I had money to spend. I spent about $75 on OTC. One of the things I bought was Q-Tips, two 500 count boxes in plastic wrapping. I also had three 300 count boxes in the hall closet. Then, I had another box of 500 in a bin under a table in the living room. I took everything but the one 300 count box from the closet. They went into the pink bin. I have been doing this with extra meds. I have a new bottle not used of several items with a few pills in the bottle I have not finished. I have too many bottles of lotion. I will put all but one into the bin, same with all categories of items--prescriptions, otc, and personal care.

For everyday use, I put Q-Tips into tall prescription bottles. Who needs to pick up a box of 500 every day? not me. At my house, the box was in a set of open shelves covered by a lace curtain in the wall next to the bathroom sink. I could reach in and pluck out a Q-Tip. So, I never had this space and arrangement problem in my house.  

This exercise has freed up room everywhere in one day, it seems. I just need to continue and not become a slacker in this effort. Thursday, we are going to fill smallish boxes with books to take to a small, independent, used bookstore. If we don't manage to get any money for his or mine, I have other ploys to get books in the hands of people who want to read. I think the history books might be best put into the hands of hs students who love history. I have other ideas.

Some of you may clean for 15 minutes or for an hour, but one trip to put something or somethings away exhausts me. That is why I usually do a tiny bit at times all day.

We have had a lot of rain for 24 hours, but a respite now. There is a prediction for a possibility of snow  flurries this weekend, mostly a bit north of here. 

We are watching The King and I. Wonderful! 

The CPU fan is going, hence loud noise in laptop.  $300 fix may not work. So, maybe a new computer is in the future.

For dinner tonight, I made Hot Chicken Salad. Tommy is eating something else since he is not a fan of so much celery. Tommy: baked chicken legs, carrots, potatoes, Brussels sprouts. Later: buttered hot roll. 

Maybe some of you can relate to two minute cleaning or straightening sessions. I don't know, but I figure it will take about 147 years to get this done. Understand?

"What All is in That Chicken Salad?"

 Sunday, I made Martha Stewart's Hot Chicken Salad. Tommy was heavily involved. He washed a bowl. I carried the cheese and knife in to my chair. He brought the grater, washed the bowl and brought it to me. I chopped the celery and but he brought it to me, brought me Mayo, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the chicken. When I had chopped, grated, measured, he carried it all back and put it in the refrigerator. He turned on the oven and put on the topping. Then, when I asked him to make himself a salad to go with the chicken salad, he said, 

"What all is in that chicken salad?" 

I was speechless. I told him I would surprise him. He accepted that. He does not mind at all helping me so I do not have to stand. I am grateful and thank him profusely. He like this, celery and all.

copied below from practicalparsimony@blogspot.com

I don't remember if I got this from a magazine or someone gave it to me after I tasted it at a church dinner.

Family Circle
Martha Stewart's Hot Chicken Salad

2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped chicken or turkey
1 cup mayonnaise (I use 1/2 cup or less)
1/2 slivered almonds (I never use this)
1/2 shredded sharp or mild cheese (I use medium cheddar)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 crushed potato chips

Combine everything but chips. Mix well.
Turn into a buttered casserole.
Sprinkle with crushed chips

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes.

On a busy night this is easy to assemble if chicken is already cooked. I havepre-chopped the celery to hurry the assembly. Sometimes, I chop the chicken or turkey as I put away leftovers of either. The whole casserole can be assembled ahead of time, leaving off the chips. I crush the whole tiny bag of chips.

Less mayo does not affect the taste or texture of anything. almonds are too expensive.

In order not to have chips to tempt me, I buy the little lunchbox size of chips. In the past I have bought the bag that is about 8 inches high. I do not need a regular bag of chips.

Have you ever Martha Stewart's Hot Chicken Salad? 

Tonight, Tommy wanted to watch "The Weakest Link." We did. I just cannot stand that mean woman, Jane Lynch. She is not funny at all to me. Do your like her?