Food and Freezing

 Tonight, we froze four one-quart bags of rhubarb. Each bag had three cups of rhubarb and 1/4 cup of sugar. There is a container of cooked rhubarb with three cups cooked with 1/4 cup of sugar. Those five helpings were $25. That is expensive but we won't buy more until next year. 

We went to the guy in Bessemer who sells produce from the curb today. I know he goes to the big Farmers Market and buys stuff. We paid $2 for a huge tomato. I meant to eat it for dinner but forgot. The cereal was near the 'use by' date. I worry it might go rancid if it is not eaten. 

We delivered food to the two guys. Today, I had six boxes of cereal I bought cheaply. But, even though it is granola and sounds nutritious, it has 48 grams of carbs in one small serving. So, along with rotel with chilies, they can have it. 

Tommy picked two more blackberries for me and put them in the bowl in the freezer. It will be a long time until I have even a half cup.

Dinner--small piece of chicken, 1/2 small potato, carrots, onions, Brussels sprouts. 

I washed a couple of things cluttering the counter space between the microwave and sink. I put the items where they should have been all along. The area is becoming more useful every day!

Somewhere, on a blog I read where a woman proudly wrote how she made a recipe keto. She said flour has carbs, but she ground oats into flour and made a keto dessert. She was someone who commented, not the food blogger. 

Now, I need to look over ads online. Tomorrow, we will get the ads from stores and see if there are any deals..

Tonight, we have watched Christmas movies. Such fun. We are watching the 1938 A Christmas Carol. Are you faring well in this heat? 

Stolen?

One package from Amazon did not come. I was so annoyed since it was my new, pink set of flannel sheets from Amazon. Finally, I was informed by email that it had arrived. A picture of a package on my front porch comforted me little.

Exactly the opposite was true. I felt targeted by a thief, fearing other packages would be stolen. I fretted over this, internally and aloud. Tommy was a little worried, too. I had been fussing about his mishandling of a package that I had told him to put in the first bedroom. He said he did what I said and put it in my bedroom. Well, no, there were two items in that box. Where is the other item and why did you put a cardboard box in my bedroom when I told you never to do that because I am afraid of a scrape in my skin that will lead to a need for wound care? Neither of us knew what the other was referring to in all these questions. 

Finally, I went to the bedroom and looked in the offending cardboard box. There were my sheets. 

Before we got to this point, I had gone online and reported them missing from the porch. So, replacements were on the way. It looked like I could have had free sheets. But, I did the right thing and now have to drive to somewhere to return them. UGH! 

It is all straightened out, but it has been an ordeal. I was just sitting here wondering how many people say things are stolen just to get a replacement, free. Oh, I remember, I know someone who bragged to me about ten years ago that any package sent to his house (pre-Amazon), he reported it as not received. He has quit telling me about this "trick" but I assume he still does it, just not telling me because I highly disapprove. 

We are no longer worried about someone deciding we are targets. Nor are we worried about anyone stealing future packages. Of course, anything is possible. 

I am so weary I can barely move my little finger. Yes, I know I typed this. It seems the house condition has regressed since the cleaner was last here! 

We have been monitoring how long the produce from the card for UHC have fared--no waste and length of time available to be eaten. So far, no waste. I did have to buy two more apples and bananas today, but that is normal and about three times each week. So far, we have bought no other fruits or vegetables. 

Dinner: Me--roasted chicken and enormous amount of slaw. Tommy--remainder of hamburger-vegetable soup, bread. I had grapes. 

Have you known anyone who continually stole, cheated and lied, taking advantage of individuals and businesses? 

This has been a beautiful, sunny and dry Saturday. We have four more days like this predicted.  

Great Saturday Shopping, Price Drop

 We went to the Festhalle Farmer's Market and I found homegrown tomatoes. The market only allows farmers within the county to sell their produce and products. There was everything to imagine. I found tomatoes and squash to bring home for $5 each, so $10 spent on produce. We bought apple fried pies, also known in some parts of the country as hand pies. We both wanted peach but by the time I went to the car for cash, peach was gone. So, apple fried pies were delicious. 

Tommy loves fast food. We got burgers and sat in my driveway. It was so peaceful! I offer to make a sandwich from chicken, bologna, anything he wants, but he says he wants something hot. And, I am not averse to having a Whopper with cheese, lettuce, and tomato! 

For the last year or so, I have been struggling with plastic bags that tear up before I can even put anything in them. So, I finally called customer service. The woman sent me three coupons for $4 each with an expiration date of today! So, I had to work fast, considering I only got these coupons a week ago. I bought a box using one coupon and still had to contribute $1+ tax to the purchase even using the coupon. 

Today, I decided I needed to spend the other two coupons in Cullman or go to the store once we got back home. We only want to get into the house and relax when we drive so far. So, I went into Publix and found what I wanted had been on sale. I got two boxes of bags for $7.50 and had two coupons for $4 each for a $3.50 product. I spent $0.63 for tax on two boxes of storage bags, 180 in total. I spent $0.63 cents for tax. Good deal! 

We dropped off the dozen shirts, so that is gone. 

Gas has gone down again to $3.43. 

Tommy saw a large hawk flying along with two mocking birds chasing it. Mocking birds are vicious and fearless. I have seen them terrorize cats and crows, now hawks. 

I had a nap when we got home. Tommy never wants a nap, he just does...lol. Friday night, I slept about an hour, if that, so I needed a nap. 

Tommy is out watering flowers. Next spring, we will have an irrigation system that goes from pot to pot. I saw one on someone's porch. So, they do exist. I had no idea, just wished it existed. 

Believe it or not! I put out a package of woody chicken to thaw! I am so disgusted and irritated. I will cook it, but only because it is thawing. 

Tommy spends hours using a reacher picking up bits of trash from the carpet around the house. Right now, he is putting together a cordless, stick vacuum cleaner that has a hepa filter. This won't be for the whole house and dust that has been here for about 16 years, but he can at least get up what he sees and wants to get up. In four hours the battery will be charged and I suppose he will be using it all over the house. Of course, the cleaner will use the corded, more powerful one. So, YAY for a vacuum he can use instead of a reacher. 

About the hepa filter, I need it. Regular vacuums just push out dust into the air. With almost twenty years of dust, I suffer. It would be worse having it pushed back out into the air up where I breathe. 

Tonight, for dinner I am combining stuff already cooked and leftover--half a jar of spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles in the refrigerator, and ground beef we cooked last night. I will probably add some zucchini to the sauce. No, I sliced zucchini and squash, he got slices of red and orange peppers, and some grape tomatoes to a huge bed of salad greens. So, he had a hearty and healthy dinner. 

Around midnight, he tried out the little stick vacuum using his walker with one hand and the vacuum with the other. After three minutes on a "clean" carpet, the dust bin was full. This was in front of his chair, in front of the front door, and toward the hall. 

Do you have a full-sized vacuum or a stick? Does the stick seem to do a really good job? 

Are you going to markets that limit vendors to farmers in your county? 

Have you ever observed a mockingbird terrorizing crows, hawks, and large birds? This happened daily at my house, but I cannot see out well here. 

Beautiful, Hot Summer Saturday

 Saturday was hot as is usual these days. But, it did not deter us from listening to live music outdoors. Of course, we sat in the car and only rolled down the window with the ac going. We were so close we got the full effect of the music. I will post about that maybe next week.

In the meantime, I have a hard Sunday night and Monday coming up. I am trying not to wear myself to a nub since I have to be alert. 

Friday, I put a chicken and five extra legs in the crockpot. Saturday night, I took them out. The legs are frozen. The breast has been removed and at almost 1 am, Tommy is in the kitchen taking the rest of he meat off the bone. 

For dinner Saturday night, Tommy had carne asada, tomatoes, and baked squash. I had chicken breast and baked squash. The carne asada was too hot for me. After two tiny bites I was burning to the bottom of my stomach. So, that is a sign it will not go well if I eat more. 

We got showers from the glancing blow a storm skirting us dropped here. Tommy is always happy he does not have to drag the hose around. Flowers look happier after a rain. 

Tommy really loves the blackberries with Swerve. He is welcome to it. It's in a pint jar for him to enjoy. I was going to jell it, but he likes it the way it is. 

What's happening with you this weekend?  I am waiting for Elberta peaches! Are you eating fresh produce?  

This and That

 Tuesday was just Tuesday. And, I am eternally grateful it was quiet and easy. No drama. Not even good busyness like Monday. We went out for a bit. I did take a short nap after a good talk with a friend. 

Tuesday night, I felt very sleepy approaching midnight. When I told Tommy I was going to bed, he did not have a heart attack at my early bedtime, he just turned off the light and TV immediately.  Of course, I was not going to sleep immediately. 

I read The Beautiful Mystery, by Louise Penny,  the book I started last Friday night, but only two short chapters. As soon as I became really sleepy, I stopped reading and went to sleep. So, by 7:45 am on Wednesday, I was awake and ready to get up. 

Wednesday, I measured the half bath off another bedroom, a bathroom I am forbidden to use. It measures 39" x 49" and the commode is 8 " from the wall. That is 8" of knee-room to sit. I read that a commode should have at least 23" in front of it. And, the commode is one of the short ones. Maybe I cannot use it...lol. Some pull bars would help. I wonder if I could sneak a gallon of paint in there and paint it a pale pink. 

I sprayed my wire chicken again. It will take more spraying to get it covered. Next spraying or two, the chicken will have to be upside down. The wind keeps changing while I spray it, but today I wore a black and white outfit, so if it gets sprayed, it will not show too much. Besides, the outfit is something I wear at home. My black leather sandals won't look too bad with white specks! 

Wednesday dinner was a chicken breast in the park and a huge salad a bit later at home. Tomorrow night, it might be a peanut butter sandwich since Tommy shows no signs of helping with the dishwasher. Next time, he gets to load dirty dishes and to wash the ones that don't come clean because of the way he loads it...lol.  We may have to have a come-to-Jesus-meeting.

I came upon a green jack-o'-lantern and my metal Halloween box, so those are out. I need to look for the ghosts we used last year. Did I say my wooden blackbird is hanging where one of the hummingbird feeders was hanging? 

A friend with whom I have not spoken for a year is having surgery Thursday on a trigger finger, so that call was longer than I planned. She is the one who is getting the recyclable cans to redeem, the cans I delivered to a mutual friend on Monday. She does not want patterns and said she was looking at hers yesterday and is going to give hers away, too. But, like me, does not know where to take plastic bottles. 

I have about 15 pounds of ugly, misshapen carrots to cook, 5 pounds of zucchini to cook for Tommy, and about 8 very large cucumbers to wash and slice for him for salads. So, I have lots to do on Thursday, maybe into Friday. 

Fall weather is supposed to arrive this weekend. Rats! low 70s during the day will call for taking a sweater along, just in case. Then, 60s on Monday will mean I will need a sweater early, late, or in the shade. I wonder if this is the end of summer. 

The new ads came out yesterday. I found Kraft Miracle Whip and Kraft Mayo bogo at Publix. So, I got one of both, each of which have date of 4/22. I use very little Mayo, but do put it in Suddenly Salad. The Granny Smith apples I bought for $1.49/lb. are now more than twice that--$3.99/lb. I need to look online for The Pig and other ads. 

My back hurts me so from spray painting. If I don't paint today, the rest will have to wait until spring or a very warm snap later this year. It was not the painting, but the carrying/dragging the heavy wire chicken and the chair to sit in. 

What have you been doing? What are your plans for this weekend?

Reduced Produce, Free Wood, New Glasses

 Sunday, I went into The Pig for one thing and came out with reduced produce, both of which Tommy loves: 

4 Granny Smith apples $0.99

3 huge Bell peppers  $0.50

The apples look perfect to me. The peppers need to be used now as the ends of all three look wilty.  So, Monday night he will have a salad with Bell peppers, carrots and tomatoes. I forgot one shopping trip when I bought slaw mix for $1.99 but not reduced. 

Monday, we went to Cullman. I got my mail, picked out new frames and spent $305 for frames and lenses. I will get my free ones next week. I picked up free wood and dropped off free wood to be cut. Lowe's had a free cart, so I got to go inside and pick out paint for my wood project and choose the right size eye screws. And, one chore was a dead end. 

The friend who gave me the wood left over from his house building came to my storage unit and took the road-rescued table and put it in the storage unit. That table was in the car too long! 

I went by my lot,  and as we pulled into the driveway, I had to scream to get Tommy not to run over a piece of wood at the gutter, right in the end of the driveway. I saw nails in a piece of wood from my annoying neighbor's trash pile that had washed down to my yard. Tommy was screaming that it did not matter if he ran over nails. I do not know one man who would knowingly run over nails protruding from a board. Do you? 

When I got out, some of the nails were four inches long in one board. The other board had bolts in it that were at least the same length, four inches. Tommy sort of moaned when he saw them. That bolt would have meant a new tire. It could have been a carriage bolt. Maybe the nails would have been a catastrophe, too, if he had run over them. 

Later at the dead end chore, he managed to straddle a piece of concrete at the edge of the driveway. Then, he had to rip it off the concrete...sigh. 

Tonight, we are having cabbage, lots of it and leftover green beans, cole slaw, a bit of potatoes and  chicken. Okay, I cannot keep a plan alive for 15 minutes! There was no cabbage for dinner. I cannot find my large knife to cut it, so we had plenty of the other leftovers.