Friday, Saturday, Sunday--A Blur

 After the doctor's appointment, we went to Cullman. I now have a new laptop, but still in the box. I will go back another day to get everything transferred. This laptop has been screaming, changing pitch, and m aking a sputtering noise alternately withing a minute. This goes on forever. Right now, it is silent, so I worry. 

When I feel really bad, I stumble out to the car and leave Tommy to lock the door instead of locking it after he leaves the house. One day, I hoped I could make it to the car. When I got there, my door was locked and Tommy was not out the door. I stumbled back to the house and had to sit down and regroup. 

The problem--when he bought this car it only had two keys--no fob. That is annoying when I get to the car and cannot open the passenger door because there is no keyhole there. Friday, I said we were getting fobs! We went to a store I have shopped at for 50 years and the keys would not make fobs or something. Anyway, the only thing that could be made was a fob that contains the key. It is all very mysterious to me...lol. 

The fob was $49, and were both getting one. But, the fob with the key inside was $99. so, we only bought one for me. 

Now, if my fob is in the car, there is no need for a key, just twist the key place. It is like I was given a new toy. With my car I have a fob and a key. I tried this at the door and it will lock and unlock his car. Good deal. Now, neither of us will not have to stand in the rain to unlock the door. Tommy is not sure whether it is working from my chair, so we will see tomorrow when he can go stand at the car. I am not sure why he cannot tell if the taillights blink or not. 

This morning, I awoke and stumbled in here and was putting on my pants when I got a voicemail from the cleaner. Her husband was not feeling well, so she could not come. I was so happy. So, I sat here from 9:30 until almost1 pm and went accidentally went to sleep in the recliner. He woke me at 5 pm and asked me if I wanted to get up. I rarely sleep in the recliner and not in months. I know is was very ill to sleep so long in that position. 

All I had to do was mention Zaxbys and we were out the door and back with it by 5:30. The salad was such a disappointment. There were only crumbles of chicken in the salad, mostly crust pieces that did not even taste like chicken. Not happy camper here. 

While I don't feel well at all, I am not quite as ill as I was. I am easily tired. Hopefully, I will be much better by tomorrow. 

The following is unwelcome advice and off the mark from a reader who promises to never come to my blog again.

"Linda, you say you want no advice so why write this ? Please help yourself. Take ALL the meds recommended by the physician and finally get a full workup, not cancelling an appointment because you don't feel well, the exact time when you should see a doctor. Sitting in a recliner all day watching television or napping is no prescription for a healthy, fulfilled life. I cannot read your blog any longer as it is so frustrating seeing an intellegent woman not taking control of health issues, getting and following medical advice."

First of all, I can write what I like. When I want advice, I usually ask. When I am doing all I can, I do not need accusations.  I never cancel an appointment because I don't feel well. Do you think I am incompetent?

When I don't know something and someone gives me advice, it is best served with unfounded accusations.

I do cancel appointments for dental, MRI, eye doctor, eye exams, retina specialist, and those kinds of visits where sitting still is expected if I am coughing or coughing in someone's face. 

Mind your own business about my "healthy, fulfilled life." If I cannot stand in front of the stove to cook or the sink to stand and wash dishes and it bothers you, get a little compassion instead of blaming me for not being able to do what you can do. 

How do you know what medical advice I get and do not follow? Are you psychic, bitch? `````````````````````````` enough with that.

After the doctor attended to present probem on Friday, I detained him to talk about my feet. I explained how they felt and asked it that was neuropathy? He said it was and that he had neuropathy, too. 

I told him my physician before him, a podiatrist, and another MD had all said I did not have neuropathy. I did not tell him his own NP said NO, not neuropathy when I described the feelings. So, he is taking care of that. Yes, I am intelligent nough to know I am getting bad and false advice sometimes. Plus, the endocrinologist is not responsive when I try to make an appointment. I called and had to leave a message for an appointment. Then, someone called me and told me the person who makes appointments would call me back. I had the phone off and now had to call again. So, I wait! He said he would put a fire under them. We will see. 

For the last week when I cannot sleep, I am so hungry. However, this is a habit I never had and don't intend to start. Plus, I don't need more weight. And, I cannot lie down right after after eating. Don't get me wrong, I would love to eat...lol. 

We are in for another 3 or more days of 70s, and dry weather. That always cheers me. 

Dinner for me was the Zaxbys salad.  Tommy had a chicken sandwich and fries.

My tulips get a recess each day outdoors and seem like they will make it. There are six bulbs in the pot. I wonder if taking them out and repotting them will make them survive. Do you have experience with tulips potted commercially? I cannot put them in the ground. 

We are in for another three or four days of pretty, warm, dry weather. That always cheers me. 

Is Zaxby's still good place to eat in your opinion? I think I have eaten there three times and all with Tommy but not for three years.

Ball and Bulbs

Once in a while, I decide to check on canning supplies when in stores. I got lucky last weekend and found a box of Ball canning jar lids and rings. There was only one box. However, there were two boxes of lids for large mouth jars, so I got two of those. 

With the short life of the new lids, I am loathe to buy any more for fear they will go bad before I can use them. That's okay because I am using jars for dry storage, cannisters, leftovers. There were jars but I barely noticed how many or what kind as I have plenty. Of course, those here have rings and lids. 

Monday was supposed to be rainy. But, it was not, and I had cancelled a doctor's appointment. Rats! 

Sunday, I sort of straightened and cleaned the front porch. There were pots to toss, the black nursery kind.  It looks so much better for two minutes attention. I have Purple Prince tulips and daffodils to plant in pots soon. I have pots to plant other bulbs, too. 

Dinner on Sunday night--Chicken Cordon Bleu (given to me) for both of us. He had the rest of the quinoa with vegetables and the zucchini. I had a portion of a salad that was not good to me.  I ate it for the nutrition. 

Dinner Monday night--baked chicken breasts, two small red potatoes (one for each of us), green beans. 

Do you ever plants two kinds of bulbs together so they will bloom together? The purple tulips and bright yellow daffodils are gorgeous. 

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?

Tulips and Snow

 When I awoke about noon, Tommy said there was snow on the ground at 8 am but not falling. By the time I looked out, there was just a little deep in the grass around a small tree. So, I missed that. 

I put the vase of tulips near my lamp beside me, sort of under the shade. I suppose they like that light because they grew taller so that I could not scoot the lamp over. One tulip started blooming then another last night. This morning, four are in the process of blooming. Of course, I check on them every ten minutes! 

There is no bread, so I just had cheese and a diet Coke for breakfast and then banana and milk. I won't die without bread! I might make pancakes or biscuits or something bready. I need something hot. Hot chocolate?

I think every dish in the kitchen that I use is dirty. I just did not feel like washing anything as long as I had something else to use, I suppose...lol.  At any rate, they will be easy to wash with the dishwasher. 

Amazingly, the temperature is still below freezing--26F. Tommy took my laundry out and now must go out again to retrieve it. 

Yesterday, I received an email informing me that my delivery of the pedal thing was delayed. Okay. Then, about 8 pm, I received an email saying an assistive device was in the mailbox. I decided it was too late and cold to go out. 

Tommy went out about 2 pm, and there was nothing in the mailbox. So, I called and the assistive devices are somewhere according to the cs person at Amazon. They may have been stolen or be in someone's mailbox, just not ours. I really wanted those. But, I was assured that if they were not here at 7:01 pm, that they would automatically be reordered and redelivered. 

The sun is shining brilliantly, so the cold does not matter at all to me. Of course, if I had no heat or food or means of surviving, the sunshine would not thrill me. 

What yummy foods are you cooking up to keep the cold at bay and your tummy warm? I think we will have leftover roast, share the one potato left, green beans and Suddenly Salad Ranch and Bacon with grape tomatoes. Temperature at your house? 

Into the Freezer! Grocery Shopping, THE MOST AMAZING SIGHT

 Once again, I erased a whole post! I finally figured out that when I managed to turn anything blue and then try to type, the whole shebang disappears. I am a fast typist if not entirely accurate. So, the inaccuracy causes me to hit a key (and I don't know which) that causes me to erase it all! 

Saturday, I froze meat for 25 meals in pint bags. Each bag held a meal for two, so 46 portions. 

2 packages one chicken breast.

23 packages of 16 meatballs in each pint.

I had 3 4-lb. bags of Armour Meat Balls that were thawed. So, I heated/cooked them and re-bagged them in meal-size portions. So, 12 lbs of meatballs are resting for me to thaw at mealtime. I am so happy. 

Earlier in the day, I went to Publix for bananas and carrots. Just before I got out of the car, I asked Tommy if he wanted to buy flowers for me. He said, "How about candy?"  

I purchased both. I found a bag of Lindt truffles, dark chocolate. As I looked over the flowers, I found a 11" vase with tulip bulbs not yet blooming. Green leaves are about 6" above the top of the vase. The idea is to watch them blossom. That appealed to me. So, I spent $16 on his card and came home deliriously happy. 

The huge vases of roses were $25. But, those did not suit me. 

It was like Christmas crowds up front. The candy, and flowers were on extra shelves and the bakery section near the candy and flowers was loaded with all sorts of hearts, red, and pink confections. It was all so tempting. 

THE MOST AMAZING SIGHT--In a cold case were clamshells in the shape of a heart with a thick steak cut almost in half and opened to fit in the heart clamshell. It was very impressive. Refrigerated sides were present with this meat presentation. I forgot what kind of steak it was. But, there was something for everyone.

So, I bought the bananas, carrots, Lindt truffles, tulips, and a reduced can of apricot filling. The apricot filling goes into stockup. 

So far, I have spent $105 this month. 

Have you put meat into the freezer?