Plans Changed Multiple Times Today

 I had a good plan until it was not a good plan due to my mistake. The plan Friday morning was to buy bscb at Publix today. Then, I decided why not eat the half of the turkey breast reserved for our eventual Thanksgiving meal and buy a new breast cheaply for $1.49/lb. and thaw it. The plan was a good one until I found a turkey breast at Publix for over $32. It seems the ones for $1.49 are gone, sold. Or, the price was only through Wednesday. 

The chicken breasts were an exorbitant price, nothing I wanted to pay. We went to another Publix. No turkey breasts at $1.49. I bought milk for Tommy, and we headed home. I was exhausted and the sun was low in the sky. 

We sat in the park for about 15 minutes and talked. I made a new plan. We would go home, and I could search the freezer. That plan was working until lots of frozen rocks fell from the freezer quite an avalanche. Since I could not read what was on the packages because of no light near the freezer, I called Tommy. He took the large package over to the sink where there is a measly light, and read it--a whole chicken. So, it went into the refrigerator to thaw. I did not hurt as much as I thought I would.

The things that fell out were meatloaf and field peas, among other things. I was rushing to see The Great Christmas Light Fight. We hurried and heated meatloaf, leftover sweet potatoes, and field peas for dinner. We had three minutes to spare. Then, he realized he read the wrong thing and The Great Christmas Light Fight was not coming on. Bummer. 

We watched Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. I love that song and movie. Now, we are watching It's a Wonderful Life. I have to see this once every year. 

While I was picking frozen food off the floor, I found two chicken legs, so that is thawing as a meal or two for Tommy. A package with two hoagie buns will be eaten, probably by Tommy with peanut butter on them. I need to go check and see if something is hiding in the dark that escaped from the freezer.

There are two great gaps in the freezer that are for turkey breasts when I find ones that are cheap again.

I did not get the sweet potato bread baked. Maybe I will bake it tomorrow evening. Don't hold me to it. I told Lynda I might bring her some on Wednesday. I told her it would be Thursday, and then Friday. This evening, I told her it would be baked someday. I will be glad when my sense of taste recovers. 

I piddled at decluttering and picking up bits of trash from the table beside me. Yes, we can tell a bit of difference. 

The fall--my knee collapsed quite a few times on Thanksgiving. So, I used my cane. Today, the collapsing and almost falling stopped. My hand and shoulders hurt. I appear to be recovering nicely and I can still bend my left knee, something I could barely do before I fell. I am achy in places, but not really hurt except for the left knee pain. 

What movies or specials do you love to watch each holiday season?

Christmas Movies and My Recliner

 We tried to watch a movie that sounded cute--"Office Christmas Party." We could not make it through the film. 

Another night we watched "The Star." It was a short from the 1940s. The story was the nativity played out in the West. The three Wisemen were three cowboys on horses carrying a Christmas tree and all sorts of toys from a store. They bought so much because the owners were thrilled with making the sales. The rest of the story is just as bizarre and charming. They did follow a star. Okay, no more hints. The movie was only 30 minutes long. 

I don't think I have mentioned A Christmas Carol starring Reginald something. 

We found "Home Alone 2." That is always funny. Okay, it was in New York.

Several sitcoms have their Christmas episodes playing. I hope to catch WKRP in Cincinnati where they have the turkey drop! Oh, that was Thanksgiving. Bummer.

Plus, this the Duke month and a John Wayne movie is on every night. I saw one where James Arness/Matt Dillon was part of the cast, AND he had blonde hair.

I am so far behind on everything! Tommy just sits. Well, so do I...lol. But, these are two-person chores.

No, the recliner did not come on Dec. 15th like I was told it would. So, now it is January 15th. I am so annoyed. I need that chair. I guarantee it will not come in January.  

Three more cards go into the mail today. 

We just now picked up two prescriptions and rushed back home to start the dishwasher since laundry had been washing. We finished loading it and turned it on. Tommy put things in the dryer and then brought in stuff to hang. NOW, we are running back out to get me a new and free phone since this one holds a charge about 30 minutes. 

Tommy will put ornaments on the tree tonight and we have no more dinners in the refrigerator, so I must cook something. 

How is it going in your world? Are you behind on Christmas preps? Are you seeing many Christmas specials? 

Quiet Day After

 Friday was quiet here, and we did not leave the house. Well, Tommy washed and dried clothes for me and got the mail. But, we went nowhere. And, it's okay. Now, I need to fold them. 

We ate leftovers and I napped. He ate leftovers and watched TV. After the news we had leftovers again. And, I wanted to watch Christmas shows--How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, Five More Sleeps Til Christmas. Jimmy Kimmel wrote the book and was involved heavily in the movie. I won't ever watch a Hallmark Christmas story. 

Tommy helped me by handing the dirty dishes to me to load in the dishwasher. Now, he is washing out two bowls that would not fit and the knives, and cleaning the sink. He usually wipes off the stove, too. Good man.

I checked Amazon and there are no cheap green beans. I can get them cheaper at the store and on sale of some sort. I also wanted Margaret Holmes collards or kale, the kind with nothing but water and the vegetable. No luck. The Margaret Holmes items in the store are Southern Seasoned, too strong, too salty tasting, too much sodium, and too much artificial ham taste. 

It was a good day, no shopping, nothing but relief that there was no cooking to be done to get the meal we wanted. 

What did you purchase on Black Friday, online or in stores? Was it crazy busy in the stores? I will live vicariously through you. Any good bargains?

Shotgun Houses

 Some days, when I go into the refrigerator, I can barely tell what is in there. But, sometimes I go look and everything is organized. Tommy gets in there and really does a good job making it neat and where we can find things. It is always surprising to find an organized refrigerator. 

Today, my ear is not hurting but my throat does not fee normal. The top of my shoulder is not quite as stiff or sore. I put a cream on the shoulder last night and today that is for the age-related arthritis in foot and thumb. It seems to have helped. Lying down helps, too. I put a wet and hot washcloth in a plastic bag and wrapped in a handtowel and applied it to my shoulder. And, I have napped. That seems to help since I don't have to hold up my head...lol. 

The day is brilliant and sunny with temps in low 70s, so it is a wonderful day. We took a ride and took the rest of a pie to the park. I used a plastic spoon to cut and drag out a piece for each of us on paper plates we took with us.  We prudently threw the rest of the pie in the dumpster. The price was right to bring it home, but we do not need a whole pie, EVER. 

Before we left, we watched Mighty Joe Young...fabulous film. At 11 pm we will watch Mogambo, another great movie. 

I forgot to thaw anything, so it seemed like a good Whopper day. However, I wanted chicken and real food, the vegetables I have to prep. I will put the chicken, carrots, potatoes, and onions on a pan in the oven. Talking about makes me hungry, ravenous, actually. 

We took a ride in Bessemer and saw shotgun houses. The only SHOTGUN HOUSE I have ever seen was singly and dilapidated. One day we saw six in pristine condition. Of course, we never saw inside. They were all painted the same gray color. The yards were immaculate, just grass. So, we figure one person owns them and maintains them as rentals. 

Today, we saw three and not all the same and in poor condition. Bessemer is a city with huge homes, historic ones. It is an interesting drive. 

So, I need to go in and check the package of chicken thawing a pan of water, get Tommy to scrape carrots, and I need to peel potatoes and slice onions. 

Have you had a beautiful Saturday?  Have you ever seen a shotgun house?

So, You Think It's Hot? Stock Up Trip

On Friday evening it was 90F at 8 pm...yes, at night. Okay, if you want to be tedious, at 7:55 the temp went down to 89F.

I waited here all Friday afternoon for the new Bringer of Oxygen. He never came, so I called the original company and told them the problems. They gave me the name of two other suppliers.

Dinner Friday night: bbq chicken breast, baked potato, cucumber/tomato with salad dressing. Tommy had watermelon. I ate my watermelon last night.  I have cucumbers that he needs to eat and I will put some in the refrigerator with vinegar. He said I slice his salad cucumbers too thick, so he gets to slice the cucumbers for his salad now! I have trouble slicing things thinly. 

Entertainment on Friday night: How Green was my Valley and The Grapes of Wrath. I have read the last.  The ending of the book is soooo different than the movie. Did you read the GOW? 

I have to go to Publix early Saturday morning since I ran out of milk tonight. Bummer! Yes, I am writing on Friday night.

Okay, it was after 2 pm before I went to the grocery. I did a bit of stocking up, too. Tommy spent over $100, and I still did not get all I need or want. 

 stock-up items

* ALL

* Northern Bath Tissue

* Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup

* Reynold's Wrap

* 4 Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter

*1 lb. Ronco Spaghetti

* 2 Betty Crocker brownie pouches

* 1 lb black beans

* 1 lb. blackeyed peas

* 2  bottles Kraft Italian salad dressing

* 1 bottle Kraft Ranch salad dressing

* 8 gallons of vinegar

non stock-up

* 4 1/2 gallons a2milk

* 1 qt strawberries

*  Swerve

2 Kellogg's Red Berries Special K

This is not all I had on my list of needed items for stocking up. I went to two stores, and decided to get more another day. The soups are for holiday dishes.  We don't eat a lot of salad dressing and both of us can switch to mayo or Miracle Whip. The vinegar is for laundry, cleaning, dish washing. The guy loading it into the vehicle asked how I used so much vinegar.  

Meat is not a problem right now. I bought the bottle of Dawn last September. So, I need more. Although they are not necessary, I do want several boxes of Suddenly Salad and Stovetop Stuffing. However, those will have to be on sale for me to buy them, I think. 

AHHH, I forgot bananas! 

Sometimes I Wonder...Westerns| Saturday in a Nutshell

I love Westerns. But, I suppose I have seen too many because I get involved in the what is happening and how it could have happened.

For instance, tonight, I was watching a movie where men basically standing still could not shoot each other. The bad guys were no better or less shots than the good guys.  As a matter fact, the two good guys were up against 6-8 bad guys. Neither of the good guys died even though one was shot in the arm.

At other times and in other movies, men hiding under wagons are shooting at Indians riding by. The men at time are dead shots. They get an Indian with most shots. I know it is possible to hit moving targets. But, it happens so often.

Another thing about Westerns. I am surprised at the social conscience of some movies where the hero explains that the Indians were here first, that we mistreat them, and that they do not have the same rights we do due to our doings. This pleases me.

No matter how good a shot the bad cowboys are, they can never seem to shoot the hero. There can be a dozen good guys against one or a dozen bad guys. The hero good guy is always left standing even though he is just as visible as his good guy friends who get killed.

Mama said I started biting my nails while watching movies at the drive-in. She kept telling me, she said, that everything would be okay, that the hero was not going to die. You know how suspenseful some of the cat and mouse chases can be. Obviously, I was not persuaded.

There are other things about Westerns that defy reason, well my reason. But, the gunfights are the most puzzling. I know the good guys will win even though as a child I feared for him.

Nothing happened today except that I bought bananas and blueberries and ate same. The day was very nice, not a postcard sky but still with no rain, I was happy in the heat. After all, I have ac. lol

I talked to Tommy and finally found a guy to do some work for me.

That is my Saturday in a nutshell. Oh, I took a nap about 7pm tonight. I found no money. I found no sales. I did not look. I had no drama with anyone. I had no particular joy with anyone. However, it was a good Saturday overall. I got a Whopper Jr. with only lettuce and tomato only.

Do you ever watch Westerns with a critical eye, analyzing the actions on the screen? What actions do you watch for? How was your day today?