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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Shiny Brite and Pests

 Do you have Shiny Brite ornaments? I have about a dozen. Not only that, I have two empty boxes that do say Shiny Brite. These ornaments are worth lots. Even the empty boxes are valuable. 

The link below is no longer available.

These Vintage Christmas Tree Ornaments Are Worth Good Money Today | Watch (msn.com)

Try this one.

Shiny Brite Ornaments Vintage - Search Shopping (bing.com)

Tuesday night, I sat up all night, until 8:30 am.  My stomach was jumping. That is the only way I can explain it. But, that is the way it felt just before throwing up. If I could just NOT eat, I would feel better. Then, the fear from the other end has kept me running to the bathroom. 

About noon, it seemed as though chest congestion was going to do me in. I have no idea what is happening. Then, my other kidney started hurting worse than the right kidney. 

Tuesday night while I sat up, I made a list from the ads online. Of course, today we left too late to really shop. We left here are 6 and got back at 7:30 pm. The holdup was a prescription. I made all the arrangements yesterday to pick up that night or this morning. We got there and there was noone attending the window. A sign said they were short-staffed, to come inside. 

That meant Tommy had to go in! I saw people go in and come right back out with a prescription, so I was annoyed. It turned out that the computer goofed. Yeah, that was the reason. 

As we drove through the parking lot to Publix, I saw Burger King straight ahead. So, you know what happened. It was only a Whopper Jr. with lettuce, tomato, and lettuce. 

As it was starting to get darker, I scrapped the list for only two items. He bought water and my 1/2 birthday item. The choices were a bar cake, ice cream, frozen yogurt and something else frozen. This offer of 1/2 price on these items was welcome. Then, he called and said there was no chocolate cake. I chose red velvet. 

I asked him what kind of frosting. It was so funny as he said, "it is off-white" and continued. I told him I did not ask him the color, but what was in the icing. Well, he finally found someone who went to the cake and picked it up and read to him. He did not know it would be on the label. 

It was dark when we arrived home. Of course, I feel like throwing up and the lower problem is back and body systems have expressed great unhappiness. 

A Surprise

When I awoke, Tommy had contacted a pest control and there was an email waiting. So, I called and we are getting pest control that comes initially, and then every few months. I was shocked. Fleas and roaches were the focus of my complaints. Tommy is having the whole yard treated for fleas. There is a list of other pests they control, too. I never thought I would poison the whole yard. I never thought he would pay for something this expensive. 

Hopefully, this last spraying and spraying will last to hold back the fleas until the guy can get here next week. There is no telling how much poison we will ingest from this professional spraying. I think I saw one small spider in this house, no ants, just roaches and a few tiny bugs caught on a glue board. Oh, I did see one ant coming in the front door. I killed it and saw no more. 

I have been asking him every few days about the pest control and mowing guy. However, he was the one to mention pest control...not my idea. Yes, he did call Keith to mow. 

Do you have Shiny Brite ornaments? 

Have you ever had them?

Do you or have you ever had pest control? 

Does it work? Are you wary of the poison? 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Cleaner Came; Today Was a Winner

 This person is the daughter of my friend who died last Fall. I mentioned needing someone. She said she might be able to help me. She lives halfway between Cullman and Birmingham. She cleans for several people. One moved to Hoover several years ago, so she still goes to her house every three weeks or once a month. She emailed me and said she could come today. 

I had told her I needed someone to help me get the last of the Christmas items boxed and put away. Well, I got to thinking about that. These few little things are hurting no one. What I really needed was someone to make my bed since it took Tommy and I so long, 45 minutes to put on two sheets, spread and blanket. 

Plus, the reindeer were still out, baby on the porch, doe and buck in carport. Even though they were not in rain, they were still in dampness and sun and wind. We have large, gold glitter everywhere!

She made my bed and took apart the deer and put them in a box. She took them inside to tape. She and Tommy were doing it when I managed to get inside. She stayed an hour and Tommy gave her $25.  We gave her the candy canes, making her happy. She said she would give them to people at church. She works with children, so I suppose they will go to her class. 

The bed frame was on the grass with a FREE sign on it. While we were taping, someone took it--the mailman. I was shocked and asked Tommy how he got it in the truck. It seems he knew how to take it apart. I knew it came apart, but could not figure out how. Well, it was too hard. I am glad someone took it who can use it instead of selling it for scrap. Well, he might be doing that, but I don't care. 

Within three minutes of her leaving, I was getting into bed after changing into a clean nightgown. As I turned and over to sleep on my left side, I felt funny. Well, I barely had time to roll over and sit up as I threw up over and over again into nightgown I had on.  I had Tommy hand me the nightgown on top of dirty clothes, put it under the bulge in my nightgown. Once I got both nightgowns in waste basket, I realized liquid was on my panties and then on fresh, clean sheets. A wipe got off the dampness on sheet. Thankfully, it was like one drop. 

So, here I am sleepy, naked, still sick feeling! I had to get up. It's been over an hour and a half. I ate crackers very slowly, very slowly. I almost choked on them. I wonder if this is related to other GI problem I had. 

Oh, I asked my friend how her father was doing. She said he remarried three weeks ago. She laughed and said he needed someone to do all the things her mother did for him. She was okay with his remarrying so soon. I certainly don't care. 

Tommy has been outside rinsing nightgowns under the faucet since he cannot get the hose onto the faucet. The poor man has been doing a lot of laundry in the last few days. The faucet is so low that he cannot bend to use it. He must put his head against the brick wall to get to the faucet. I will have the faucet extended upward so we both can use it. 

Other than the cleaner coming, the mailman coming, the bed frame going, my and being sick, today has seemed like Sunday. 

I wanted to get meat on sale at Food Giant, so we finally left to get meds and meat. Walgreen's still did not have Victoza, so I transferred to CVS, Tommy went in and got top round roast for $4.99/lb., and a box of Graham crackers. The roast was almost $12. I will cut it in two pieces and freeze half. Maybe I will cut it into three pieces. 

We needed to get Dasani water, but there was none yesterday. I called and they had plenty. On Wednesday it is bogo. We can wait. 

My nap was 1.5 hours, not nearly enough. I still feel like I will be sick again. All in all, today was a winner. 

I will cancel the doctor appointment tomorrow. I cannot ride an hour to allergist! I hate that, too. 

Tommy found his own dinner--meatballs from freezer, broccoli from refrigerator, and a little can of red beans and rice.  I had Graham Crackers and later cooked ground beef on bread. I hope it stays down. 

Plans for tomorrow revolve around collecting ads and buying at least water and whatever else is on sale, clearance, or bogo. 

What did you get accomplished today?

What are your plans for tomorrow? 


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Monday, March 11, 2024

Liar, Liar and TMI and 60th Reunion

TMI section is marked below, so you will know when to stop.  

I was told today that mattresses are measured from the middle instead of on the side. No, not true at all. Every person in the mattress business laughed hard from Canada to Cullman. 

My new mattress is not helping me go to sleep faster or sleep longer. I did not buy it to put me to sleep. However, I hurt less when awake and walking is easier. Plus, I can turn over and get in and out of the bed more easily. My lower back thanks me. Sunday night, I could not keep my eyes open, so I went to sleep around 10:30.  Great, right? /s  Well, I slept two hours and was only able to go back to sleep at 1 pm today. 

Sunday night, I dropped the wireless remote trying to pick it up from the bedside table. When I awake, I need to go the bathroom RIGHT NOW. So, this was an emergency. The rules for using the mattress state  that I cannot get off the bed with head or feet elevated even a little bit. So, Tommy had to come and get it for me. 

Now, the small, slippery remote lives in a mesh bag, the kind to wash lingerie. I can feel the little control buttons. I just leave it in the bed and sleep with it. I need to find a ribbon, tie it to the bag, and pin the bag to my pillow or the sheet. Okay, I am using the ribbon that was tied around the sheets like a gift. Maybe I should just tie it to my wrist. /s

TMI below.

I cannot imagine what I ate, but it appeared to be food poisoning. The problem is that Tommy and I ate exactly the same thing and it was all prepared here and very fresh. Leftovers were only one day old. No, I never threw up. But, there was laundry to be done, lots of laundry. Lots! 

However, it is not all bad. I was down 15 pounds from the last time I weighed. I was in a doctor's office. I weighed and had on a long, heavy sweater with a cell phone in my pocket and heavy shoes on. So, I probably actually lost almost ten pounds in two minutes. Tommy believes it was an overly heavy olive oil dressing on pasta. I think he is correct. If I could do this once a week for ten weeks, I could love a cool 100 lbs. 

Since I am having 60th Class Reunion, that would be great. That sound harsh--60 years since I graduated. What reunion is coming up for you this year? 

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Mattress Update

 The new bed is like a board with a blanket over it and I love it! I raise the head just a smidgen and the feet a bit more. My feel lose most of the swelling. The right foot looks skinny and almost normal. The left foot is still swollen a bit. Now, If I could sleep longer than 3 or 4 hours. 

It is so wonderful not to be wallowing in a mattress. I sleep on my side, so lying on my side in a bent mattress is not possible without pain to my back and knees, hence sleeping only with a bit of bend in the mattress is great. 

I could write a whole post about the two delivery guys, two Hispanic guys from Atlanta. I told Tommy I would stay in the bedroom and he could sit in other end of the hall to see how things went. Neither guy hit anything bringing things out or in. They were personable and polite. 'Personable' is not a requirement, but it helped. 

They carried the metal bed frame to the road. I will put a free sign on it. They carried Tommy's parent's bed that is broken and the slats to back bedroom. I have lived with that for five years, just propped against the wall. They carried the bedside table behind the bed to kitchen just to get it out so they could work. Plus, queen bed did not leave enough room for it. The bedside table I use was place just inside the other bedroom in order to make room for assembly. 

Delivery men have been annoying over the years. One almost took off the door frame. Another ran into an antique table. When I told him to be careful, he said he had to get in some way. Now, I do move things, valuable or not, out of the way. Another took a bag of tools and threw on yet another antique table, one with pie crust edge and inlay. I gasped and asked him to remove it and be careful. He snorted and said he had to put them somewhere. NO! 

The washing machine and the freezer were delivered from Huntsville, AL when there is a Lowe's about then miles from here. 

Tommy said the truck they were driving had the name of another business scratched off. So, these guys may be two enterprising guys with their own delivery service. Good for them. 

Tommy gave them each $15 apiece. That was all he had in his wallet. 

The salesman said mattresses are measure from the very center of the mattress, not on the side. I doubt this. 

My back still hurts when I get out of bed and walk. But, the pain lasts fewer minutes. This mattress won't cure my back, but it will help mitigate the pain and damage to my spine. 

Sleep would help. I did not sleep the night before the bed and mattress was delivered. Then, I slept 3 hours and another 2 hours. I did not sleep Saturday night, and finally went to bed and slept at 2:30 Sunday, sleeping another 6:30.

DST should help things. I love it. Tommy hung our shamrock on the door. I bought it one year dirt cheap on clearance. 

Next project--irrigation for potted plants on porch and ramp. Maybe I can sneak things into the ground this year. He seems more amenable to doing things. Of course, another car for both of us is still a top priority.  

Have you ever bought a mattress sight and feel unseen or felt?

What type mattress do you like? Soft? Hard like mine? Pillowtop? 

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Friday, March 8, 2024

My Mother's Birthday

 Today, March 8, 1921, my mother was born, six months after her father was killed. She had an older brother-6, and a sister-4. An older brother had the year before, shortly after his birth. They went to live with her mother's mother on 'the old homeplace' my great-grandfather had settled in the 1800s when he came from North Carolina and bought 90 acres. My mother would be 103-years-old today.

Back in the 1970s and beyond, Spring break for Alabama schools was the first full week in March as I remember it. So, we made it for her birthday most years. There was the occasional year that her birthday did not fall during the break, so those were the only years my three children and I did not descend on her home. 

Today was spent arguing with furniture delivery system. I do not want a delivery that is scheduled from 7-9 am in the morning. I was told I could have changed it. "They will call you the day before and you can tell them when to come." Now, it would just have to be canceled. I desperately need this mattress and base. 

I did find out online that they will vacuum the space where the bed will replace the one taken out. Of course, they will wear shoe covers and gloves, thankfully. The vacuuming and shoe covers and gloves are in the contract that no one told me about. I certainly do not want this heavy bed and frame put on 40-year-old dusty carpet. I cannot imagine not vacuuming a space for that many years. If I could handle the vacuum, I would have no problem vacuuming after they removed the old mattresses and bed frame. Tommy is keeping the full-size bed frame. 

We had plans such as grocery ads pickup and grocery shopping. But, the rain came in early and stayed all day. Tommy went out in sprinkles to get the mail, but no laundry was done since he must walk in the rain. He would do it if I asked, but I won't ask.

I have moved a few things in the bedroom this afternoon, had a nap. Now, at 10:30 pm, we need to move more things in the bedroom. I am still very disappointed with the information I have been given, especially disinformation by the company. 

Tommy says the plants in the dark laundry room are all really growing tall, so it is time for those to come out into the sun and rain and have some fertilizer.  And, plans for carrots are coming along.

Did the rain spoil plans for today? 

Or, was it good for things you have planted?

Lots Done Today

 I was very discouraged when I noticed behind the bathroom door had not been swept. Then, I actually looked around the bathroom better. I was seduced by the clean area in the middle of the floor. Then, Tommy put the clean rugs on the floor. She had not swept the corner most visible in the room or the three less visible ones. One woman did this, the hotel cleaner, while her mother used the vacuum. 

These women did nothing! Well, nothing to call themselves cleaners. The mother did vacuum about one foot into one bedroom, six inches into another, and an area about 6x6 feet in my bedroom. This was all I asked. The whole bathroom in 6x9 feet, so little to do. The tub, commode and a large vanity cover most of that. Yet, she could not get the floor at least swept! She did not clean under chair or table in the kitchen. I did not even check that. 

I know, I know...I said vacuum. So, if I had it to do over, I would expect her to drag a vacuum into the bathroom and move chairs in kitchen to vacuum under them. Actually, sweeping and Swiffering was easier and faster. Plus, there were two of them. Was one going to stand when she was here? 

Tommy spent at least an hour hurting himself, digging around in his mound of stuff. I asked what he was doing...getting stuff out of the way so she could vacuum. I used a reacher getting stuff up in front of my chair and out into the floor--kleenex, receipt, and tiny items, scraps.  We did other things to prepare. We are not stupid or uncaring of their time and energy. However, this is not hotel cleaning. 

Anyone that has ever cleaned has not stopped to lecture me on what I hired them to do. Picking up one extra thing should not be a dealbreaker. Yet, they expected me to call again soon. Well, they were talking like I would. 

Looking into the kitchen, I found a disposable pie pan in the area not under the table, an area that should have been cleaned. One way or another, it would have been picked up by a conscientious floor cleaner. There was a box, sink, table and counter an arm's length away. 

I will not publish more unfounded criticism of my handling of the situation. I am done.

Today, Tommy washed my new sheets with an additional sheet and pillowcases, a load of clothing, and a load with the quilt I put over my chair. I spilled food all over me and it. I gather clothing, he washes and dries, and I mostly put them away or hang the wet items not going into the dryer. There are two more loads to do tomorrow and black clothes for Saturday. 

Tonight, we roasted a pan of chicken, carrots and potatoes. Delicious. There is enough for two more meals. Yay! Plus, there is still slaw which I forgot to mention to Tommy. 

Tommy bought another bogo bscb package when he went in today to get three half gallons of my milk, and bananas. 

I made an appointment with dentist and allergist. Both are long overdue. The heating guy checked out Tommy havac unit. It is natural gas.

Now, I need to go over the rest of the Publix ad and Pig ad. We have one more ad to pick up tomorrow. 

I cannot wait until the farmer's market here opens. We are discussing planting carrots. What are you planning to grow?