The Rest of Wednesday and Thursday

 Monday or Tuesday, forgot which, I roasted the turkey breast. Wednesday night, very late, I felt in the big freezer for what might be a mass of poultry since I could not see in the bottom of the freezer. I pulled out a young chicken. So, it is in the refrigerator, thawing. I will probably pull it out on Saturday and put it in the big pot, cover it with water and let it sit in the sink to thaw, refreshing the water often. 

I still believe there is at least one turkey in the big freezer! At any rate, there will possibly be a sale on turkey breasts. And, I need to cook these meats since they have been in the freezer for a bit. 

Wednesday night, I pretreated two red blouses for Tommy to wash on Thursday morning. 

Wednesday night, well after dark, he finally took steps to save my plants. He said he moved them all to the porch against the brick wall and covered them with a sheet. Then, he covered the concrete bunny with a plastic bag. I think the pansies will survive the cold, but he loves them. So, I did not object. I begged him last week when it was in the 80s to help me put them somewhere for the winter. At least it is done, but I hate he had to work in the dark and cold! 

Wednesday, I bought raspberries, 3/$10. I thought I checked them well. However, when I got home, one was rotten and the other had mold. So, that goes back Thursday morning. I am writing this late Wednesday night. Tommy has rewritten the list without all the stuff we bought. He put my list today on two tiny sheets of paper about 4" x 4". Who does that? I had trouble holding onto them in the store. 

Thursday night's dinner will be the rest of the beef and baby carrots, broccoli, and tomato. Of course, it is still Wednesday, so I could change all that. There is diced chicken and ground beef that needs to be eaten first, so he said he would eat those, maybe for lunch and maybe for dinner, one or the other. Neither of us wants to waste anything. He is cooperative like that. 

While I was retrieving the chicken, I found some brown bread, the small loaves from Outback. I am to the point we will need bread in about two days, so I will pull that out and eat it instead of storing it and buying more. Obviously, I am decluttering the freezer. I originally put it in the freezer because I cannot eat it fast enough to prevent some of it from molding. And, Tommy does not like it. 

Wednesday night, Tommy told me that while he was in Publix, a woman came by with only six items in her cart--four turkeys and two hams. He thought it was strange/funny that someone would buy so many turkeys and hams. I assured him that lots of people stock up on cheap protein. Turkeys are $0.48/lb at Public with no other purchase required and no coupons or limits. He was surprised at the low estimate I thought she bought. 

Wednesday night, we stayed up until after 4 am to watch the 1948 version of The Three Musketeers. Chances are, I could not have slept, anyway. And, I was up until after sunrise. ugh!

Today, I drug out a wad of Tommy's dark socks. I had him go through them and tell me which could be donated and which could not. He said they all had holes. So, he took them for me and put them in cleaning supplies. I can use the Swiffer tool to clean cobwebs off the ceiling by putting the end through the hole. A spritz of Endust will make a good dusting tool even better. The socks can be tossed after use. Plus, box is empty. 

Thursday Now

I took back the raspberries and got two more boxes. Nope. Still nasty and slimy. I will take them back on Friday!

While at Publix returning two boxes of raspberries, I bought other things, forgot what now. 

I sent to a second store and had a great visit. I asked for someone to get heavy boxes of drinks. A young guy was sent with me. We both went back to the register. While I was in line, I looked over the head of a woman who was maybe 4' 8" and said, "Could you please help me get one of the cartons onto the counter?" The cashier only needs one to scan.

The tiny woman in front of me turned and said, "Oh, sure," as she bent to get the heavy drinks. I was flustered and objected, "Oh no, not you, I was not asking you. I was asking the tall young man behind you." She kept on leaning and picking up the drinks while I was saying this. I thanked her and said I would never have asked her. I did not tell her it was because she was old and short. I told her I was glad that she was so able. She commented that she thought she was lucky to be in such good health. 

I noticed the cashier was ringing up my items and was annoyed she did not seem to finish this woman's items first. The cashier beamed at me and told me that here was my receipt. I was a little stunned she was giving me the other woman's receipt. The short woman said, "Why don't you just give me my receipt, smiled at the cashier who was then flustered. 

Laughing, I said well did you pay for mine? The short woman said, yes, I did. Then, I was confused and looked at the cashier and asked her if the woman did. She assured me the woman did. I objected, saying I was just kidding and told the short woman I certainly did not mean for her to pay for my groceries. The short woman said two people had done things very nice for her, and she was just paying it forward. Well, that was an excellent surprise. My groceries were about $25. I had just given away about $10 worth of food to someone outside the store. 

The next store was a nightmare, very cold. At this store I have to walk inside to get a cart, something that is too far to be any form of easy. When I came to the register, the woman unloaded the few groceries I had and checked them. I told her I would need someone to take them out. You also cannot take the cart outside the store! She said I could transfer them into a buggy and push them myself. No, I told her, I cannot. So, she called for someone just as four women employees had an angry pow wow over my cart of groceries and my cart. 

Finally, I said for the third time, quietly and not demanding at all, "I need someone to take my groceries to my car. One woman exploded at me and said, "Well, she is trying to get to the phone to call someone." How did I know this? No made a move to get around me, and no one asked me to move! So, I moved quickly to roll out of the way. Finally, I said I was going to the car. One woman said angrily to the other three, I hope, that she was going home as she could not take it anymore. Geesh! 

AND, we got home before it got dark. I found the new raspberries need to be taken back, and plopped in the chair to watch the news. Finally, the time to start dinner arrived. It was a black moment. For the last few days, I have had no cheese. And, one day, I saw a can of tomato soup. I asked Tommy if he would like tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. He did! Whoopee!

I hate the whole idea, ate my grilled cheese with relish and then ate soup in a cup, less than four ounces. So, we will have vegetables and fruits later. Ssdo, soup and sandwich are not my thing. I remember pb and honey sandwich and tomato soup. I don't know where that combination is from. 

Tommy covered lots of plants under one sheet and covered the pansies with plastic. When I saw the forecast, I told him to leave the sheet on until the forecast was not for freezing temps.

I still have a bad taste in my mouth from Tomato soup. Yuck.

We have started watching ELF, a movie I have never seen. The intro was hilarious. Bob Newhart was great as usual. 

I think my tomato soup would have been better with crackers like I ate it when I was a child and never as a meal! 

The only thing I need for Thanksgiving is some of the cheap brown and serve rolls, the kind with a crease in the top. Nothing else, no other kind will do. I would rather go without and don't need them for a good meal. Next week's shopping will to be for loss leaders, things that will be for Christmas or next year--stocking up.

We will rework our list tonight.

Have you seen ELF?

Do you like the cheap brown n serve rolls or do you go for something a little more fancy? 

Saturday Accomplishments, Food Waste, Grocery Shopping, Lodge

Saturday, I told Tommy we needed to clean out the refrigerator. Now, I mean clean out food and sort and possibly throw out. I wanted to do it before I lost the natural light since it is a cave in there otherwise. At 4:30 I told him now was the time since he kept sitting. He was watching Cash Cab. He is hard to interrupt when he is engrossed in that show. 

He got right up, thankfully for both of us. All of a sudden this early afternoon I felt weakness flood over me as quickly as the ill feeling comes on. I know it is weird how I describe it. 

His job was to take things still good and put them on the counter, like all bags of carrots together. That way, I did not have to get up over and over. I had the kitchen garbage can right up against my leg so I could put wasted food in it. 

At any rate, I could not stand or bend for long, so I found a chair and unloaded it. A box of food was holding it down. I thought I was going to have to sit on the low stool and try to figure out how to get up. 

At any rate, we got it done. Not everything had to be removed and we did not clean the inside! I know I know. First of all, I finally felt I was sinking back into illness; I was incredibly tired. Plus, even sitting I cannot reach it all, not by a longshot. 

We have done well keeping the cheeses in the box I bought at DT for sorting food. Tommy had nothing in his. His grapes were elsewhere, but that is okay. 

We had losses. Remember, I have been mostly too ill to do much. It has been all I could do to get in there and cook or cobble together a decent dinner. I am heartbroken at what was lost, all produce and nothing wasted that I had cooked. But, there was no help for that waste. I have five one-lb bags of baby carrots that I am going to freeze for soup this winter. But, first, I have to blanche them. Also, there are four heads of celery to freeze.  There are plenty of my Delicious Apples and more oranges for Tommy than I realized. 

Saturday night, if all goes like I expect, I will roast fresh Brussels sprouts and green beans. The fresh peas will be cooked separately. Maybe there is a quick meat in there...lol. Probably not. But, I have planned to have tuna and MW with lettuce and mayo--all as a salad. 

Scratch that plan! We had beans and a salad of Romaine, tomato, and bacon. 

Last week or the week before, I bought a Lodge skillet. Mine are either in dump or in a jumble in the storage unit. Either way, not available for me to use. Of course, I was not going to use it until I cured it. I had uncured bacon from hog jowl to cook, so I put that in the oven and saved some of the bacon grease. 

Yesterday, I poured about a Tbsp into the skillet and rubbed it into the skillet with a paper towel and stored it in the oven overnight since I was in no shape to do more and it was very late. Today, I rubbed it onto the bottom and handle and set it on a pan and baked it for a while. Then, I turned it upside down and baked it more. While I am quite sure it is not fully cured, I will cook bacon in it tonight to help complete the finish. 

Even though I was exhausted, we went to get bargains about to expire in the Dollar General ad--Diet Pepsi and Coke. Then, I had a rain check for Dasani on sale and got that from Walgreen's. At Publix I bought 3 half gallons of a2 milk and bananas. Smithfield bacon was two for $12. AND, the package has 16 ounces! Imagine that! My favorite bacon has 12 ounces and is just as expensive. 

Two Campbell's Cooking Soups were reduced to $0.75 each so I bought one pumpkin and one roasted bell pepper cooking soup. I figure just one can of each can be tolerated. There were many on sale. Kraft chunk cheese, 8 oz., was $2.10 each. But, I only got two. I should have gotten more. 

Lastly, I bought a huge box of sandwich bags so I can freeze small portions  in them inside a sturdy freezer bag. Saturday night, I cooked and froze 5 more cups of the shelled beans, putting them in sandwich bags and then into a freezer bag. So, that will cover ten meals for $12 I paid for the beans. Well, actually we have eaten three meals from the beans, so that is 15 meals for $12, making a meal element for the two of us for $0.80.

I have a stack/bag of staples for the guy next door. He is still not working.  Well, it appears they are moving. Too bad. They were nice neighbors.

Do you use Lodge cast iron skillets? Have you lost food in the refrigerator or elsewhere because of uforeseen circumstances?

Wasted Time, Gas, Energy

I need to send a fax and could not find a place here to send one. So, we drove all the way to Homewood and went to a Office Max/Depot. I was exhausted and hot by the time we got there. I spend $17 to send a local fax of nine pages.

While we were there, I suggested we go to the bread store on 150. Tommy said it was no savings in time or distance, thus no savings in gas. I bought four loaves of the bread I like, a package of white hot dog buns like he likes, and one package of chocolate cupcakes with frosting in the middle. We share this, never eating a whole pack. Buying four loaves of bread will keep us from making the trip for about 3-4 weeks. It is nine miles from here to bread store with nothing else on the way. 

Then, we stopped at Publix so I could get a few things, chief among them was strawberry Jello for the poke cake. The assistant manager brought an electric cart to me. Suddenly, I had as idea. Since he was not a teen worker, I supposed he might know.

After telling him we went to Homewood to send a fax, I asked him if he knew a closer place in Hueytown. "Right here," he said. I cannot believe that we went so far and this was a mile from us. Yes, it was listed under their other services behind the service counter. So, now I know but may never have to send another fax after sending two in four days.

The first time I ever went into Publix and got a cart, the manager told me to call them and an electric  cart would be brought to me. I do use this service.

I did tell Tommy we needed to use the other bits of bread before we opened the new loaves. So, he agrees and will be good about us not storing bits of bread and buns. However, at some point I will put some of the leavings in a bag for bread pudding this winter.

Yesterday, I had a crockpot meal all packaged together and frozen. I put the roast in the crockpot almost fully frozen, put the bacon bits in scrambled eggs, poured out all but a tsp of the bbq sauce, did not use the rub, and cooked the collard greens in a pot on the stove. The roast beef was wonderful without salt and pepper and just one tsp of the bbq sauce in half cup of water and poured over the top. Of course, I tasted it. 

Since I had thawed cooked, frozen chicken breasts on Saturday, we had chicken again Sunday with the collards and applesauce I made. The roast will wait as we are having chicken breast again in another iteration. Tommy is just happy to be fed.

Last week, I took all the clothes I bought back to Belk's and could not return them for the price I paid because I could not find my card I used to purchase them. I searched my purse in the car while at the lake. Last night, I lay in bed and emptied my purse again. The card was between the pages of a small pad. whew! I fear the store will close again before I get these clothes off my card.

Sunday, Tommy let me use his cc to buy a Cuisinart Ice 100 Ice cream maker with two freezing bowls. It was reduced almost 50%. We should enjoy this. I intend to use bananas in mine and something else in his. 

When I get hot, it always causes digestive grief for me. So, todays' wasted trip wore me out and the resulting upset left me weak. 

Storms were predicted for most of the day. They are else where, not right here. The blue sky and tall, stacked fluff clouds. Well, it is 6 pm and some rain should be here soon. 

Does wasted driving make you tired? Does the heat cause you intestinal distress? 

EURO and Stuff, Mess I Made!

Tommy went out to get my wet clothes from the washer when I was feeling so dizzy this last week. I was afraid that in the dark I would topple off the edge of the carport. The wet clothes are too heavy for me to carry, anyway. 

He came in with a  copper looking coin that was in the washer, obviously from my pocket. It is a 50 Euro cent from the Netherlands. I must have gotten it in change and put it in my pocket without examining it. "Beatrix Koningin der Nederlanden" I think there is a date, but I need a magnifying glass. I can read the date on our coins.  I have never had a Euro. Centavos are what i usually receive in change. 

I have so much to do today. But, I awoke about 10:30 and have been sitting or lying and watching tv. Since i have so much to do, i hate this. But, i have resisted the urge to get busy with things--throw out the nasty remains, mostly liquid, of the broccoli soup, put color on my hair, wash a few bowls so i can make make strawberry shortcake. Maybe I ought to cook some chicken, too.

The pink plastic bag with coupons in it arrived and Tommy went out in the rain to get it for me. It had three newspaper inserts. I cannot believe i bought a newspaper in order to get these. There was a $4 coupon I will use plus others for $1.

Yesterday, I was going to buy generic Mucinex. I accidentally bought the Mucinex brand for over $20. I wasted money. I could kick myself!

My allergist person tried to kick me over to a nurse practitioner. Not having that. She said the NP could go down the hall and ask him anything she or i needed to know. There would be followup questions. So, that will not work. I first called three months ago. Today, i called and asked nicely for him to see me. I have to wait until the end of April, but it is worth it.

I am wearing my fingers to the bone typing...lol.  I want to go someplace tomorrow if the rain is less, but we will see.

While trying to pour the liquid from the crockpot of broccoli soup, I managed to dump it where it ran in the floor but atop my feet and sandals first. I don't energy for this. And, it is getting on my last nerve.  This is being posted early because I cannot stand the problem in the floor.

Has a doctor ever seen you for years and then when business picks up he or she wants you to see a NP?