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Tuesday, January 30, 2018

How Monday Actually Went Down | Tuesday, Too

Monday, The first thing I did was go with him to see what he should do about his retirement, social security, and disabilities. He gained knowledge and now knows in which direction he should go. While there, I was offered a drink and took Diet Mt. Dew...more on that later.

I took his pants back to Wm that I gave him for Christmas. Finally, I found a pair, new style they carry that obviously is the style to replace the kind he has worn.  It seems that took forever. He has dress pants and some ragged stained ones. This pair will be perfect for everyday.

Before lunch, we took Coke/aluminum cans to salvage place. We had garbage bags full in the back of his vehicle. He just backed up; they took them out; I went another building and collected money. I need to use my can crusher on these so three huge bags will only be a half bag. But, it hurts my arm and hand!

We ate lunch at DQ, using a six dollar coupon that covered two drinks, chicken fingers, fries, a slice   of toasted, buttered bread. I did not eat half the slice of bread and brought it home.

At Publix, I bought a half gallon of a2milk. I had had the last half cup Monday morning before we left my house.

I was exhausted when we got home and I still needed to bring things in from his car. Dinner was the herbed turkey breast, cole slaw, and butternut squash. I did not realize I bought the steamer kind until I read the cooking directions! grrr But, I microwaved the bag and dumped it in a bowl, a cereal bowl was sufficient because there was so little!  We both had a smallish serving, and I gave him the rest to take home, a regular serving

Not wanting to put butter or sugar on this, I put about two tablespoons of maple syrup. Much of the maple syrup was left in the bowl, so we had little of a sweetener. It barely had any flavor at all, barely enough. But, that's okay with both of us.  So, turkey breast, butternut squash, and slaw was dinner. He declared it very good and said that he had missed having squash. Hmmm, he has never mentioned that to me.

The carrots were never cooked as I planned, nor the potatoes. This week all that will happen. I will bake and freeze in portions for him.  The potatoes will be cooked and put in the bag with carrots. This will make him happy.

After he left, I went to Publix to return something and could not find the receipt. It was no problem, but I took a store card instead of cash. I meant to make the return when he drove me to buy milk. But it is done and I received full value.

Now, I am waiting for The Good Doctor on TV..

Tuesday
From mid-afternoon on Monday until now, Tuesday night, I have had the worst belching I have ever had. It is not polite, easily squelched, and sort of worries exbf because this is highly unusual for me. I have no idea why it started or how to stop it or treat it.

I did not take my pill for the acid reflux until about 6 pm yesterday, way too late.  I took another about 5 am this morning. I do not have the pain from yesterday, but the horrid belching continues. I have just had to rest today, at least not do anything worth writing home about.

Does anyone grow butternut squash? Since they can be stored, it seems like a good crop. But, I bet raccoons, squirrels, rats, and chipmunk like them, too!

Monday, January 29, 2018

Take My Blood Pressure! I Am Frightened!

Written Sunday evening

This Sunday evening, I watched The Great Los Angeles Earthquake, part 1 and 2, a whole four or more hours worth. About three hours into it I was so distressed I am quite sure my blood pressure was sky high.  The movie really cinched my resolve to never go to California.

For a long time I have said I had no desire to go to CA because of my trepidation when it comes to earthquakes.

I barely lived through it, but hours later, I have a pounding in my temples. This pounding is not normal for me. I really never have headaches unless it is sinus problems and that headache is in forehead, nose and cheek bones. This pounding in my temples is my blood pressure, which is usually very low. Not now!

While I was being terrified, I cooked/baked. I baked the whole turkey breast roast. I took off the mesh bag and the plastic bag. Inside, the turkey breast was in a little string bag. I baked it in a Turkey bag in the oven. I left in in the oven for the right time, but the bag was burned black on one end and pretty much embedded in the turkey skin. Thankfully, it did not taste scorched at all.

Because I was busy watching TV, I let it sit too long to cool, The meat had to be ripped out of the bag. It's not so pretty anymore. But, it is extra delicious because it was herb flavor or something. It is very moist. There was a bag of gravy that I think I will make tomorrow. You just dump the gravy in a pan with water, and it is gravy.

A bag of butternut squash was bought for another dish that never happened, but tomorrow, Monday, I will fix that. Plus, I have carrots. Okay, two orange foods. Oh, well! I also have potatoes I can cook for exbf to take home or not. I need to make cole slaw for dinner, too.

Mama said I was terrified when they took us to the drive-in movies. She said I started picking my nails off and biting them when I watched cowboy movies. I was so concerned that something bad would happen to the hero. She assured me it would be okay, and that no one would be hurt. I was not believing her at all. And, so began a fifty-year nail-biting habit.

Wasted food: tonight, I managed to start an avalanche in the freezer and a pint of blueberries fell out all over the floor. Of course, I had to walk on a few first. Finally, I started the arduous task of getting them from where they rolled and like pool balls, before I realized I, bouncing, flying around corners,  off things and managed to get behind things like a box, the trash can, and chair leg. There are still blueberries there, thawing and running blue on my yellow and white floor.

Now, my floor has really clean spots where I used a wet cloth to wipe them up...sigh.

Your turn
I watch no Stephen King or movies that will scare me. I live alone. I made my husband leave the lights on in the house after we saw Psycho. Are you that afraid of scary movies? What movies frighten you? Are you more wary of earthquakes or tornadoes? Remember, tornadoes are not so scary because most of the time we are warned. Plus, if you live in the South, you know when conditions are right, not so with earthquakes.

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Sunday Coupon Inserts and Rotten Fruit

Today, there are four coupon inserts in the Sunday paper. There are coupons I will use, things I use every month. Hopefully, there will be sales on these items this week or next, certainly before the coupons expire.

Several weeks ago, I bought bananas. The inside of the bananas had a core inside about the side of a pencil and very hard. Since I could not find the receipt, I just threw them away.  Then, I bought another bunch that had no taste at all, even when they should have been sweet since there were little black spot on the skin. I tossed them.

I bought Halos that left a little to be desired. However, I finished those. I had more citrus that I threw out also, because I did not keep the receipt! Last week, I bought organic oranges because the price was no more per pound than regular oranges. Plus, they looked gorgeous, smelled wonderful and were firm. I ate one orange that was good. The second orange had no taste in some sections. The other sections were tasty, like an orange should be. The next was black inside. I actually found the receipt and received a refund.

At Customer Service I was commenting about the bananas as I returned the oranges.  The person at Customer Service said she bought bananas that were red inside. She returned those. So, it is not just me. Usually, I never keep a receipt with just bananas. As I was muttering while selecting bananas, a customer said he had gotten bad ones, too. From now on, I keep every receipt for produce.

Several friends and acquaintances have commented about produce that is subpar lately. My complaints are not that it is not fresh. Well, I don't know what happened to the orange laced with huge black places, but it was firm and seemed fresh.

My beautiful Red Delicious Apples are probably all soft by now since they are from around beginning of December. I was not feeling well enough to eat apples from the first week in December until now. I just ate applesauce. Chewing an apple would take too much energy.

Your turn
Has anyone found that fruits and vegetables are not up to par lately? I don't think it is the season.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

"You are NOT starving"

One good thing about having a blog--I can save things, articles I want to read again...if the link stays good. You are not starving, so quit eating junk when you think you are starving.

Have you ever eaten junk food saying to yourself or aloud that you are starving? Or are you like me and xometimes eat too much nutritious food because you are starving?

Friday, January 26, 2018

Wasted Food

When I realized I had the flu, I was already not eating much. When the stomach problems started, I ate even less. When exbf did not come after my request for him to stay home, even less food was eaten. He also told me he did not want to eat anything I had cooked or handled or opened. He offered this without my having offered anything to him. I think he was afraid of being around me.

Since I could not bend down to see what was on lower shelves, things hid. At one point, I quit eating the fresh lettuce because I thought I might have e coli from eating it. Plus, my body did not need fiber. After three weeks of flu and recovery, I was not eating much, certainly not things I handled while ill. Then, the uti took away my desire and ability to do anything thrifty, like eating up leftovers I knew were okay. These leftovers were cooked after I recovered from the flu. I shoved back the leftovers and put more in front of them!

All this has been going on for about six weeks. The lettuce was tossed after it was so wilted and brown. I had two heads of cabbage that went south. A piece of ham was too old to eat. You get the idea. So, I had a whole 10 gal. garbage bag of food that was suspect or obviously not good anymore. The four pints of broth won't be consumed.

No, I did not compost any of it. I threw it in the trash, something I rarely do with food. I feel like I am starting over with food in the refrigerator. Actually, I am still digging around to find stuff to get rid of when I get milk or anything to eat from the refrigerator.

There is no one here to eat anything but me. Exbf would have eaten the food being tossed if I had not been ill. I don't blame him. I was not about to freeze food I had breathed on when I had the flu! I am not sure that the flu when frozen will be active upon thawing. Do you know?

So, in addition to tossing food, I did not get nutrition I needed. On the upside, I was not buying many groceries. However, I paid for and consumed fast food. There is just no upside to any of this. There is only the waste of more food than ever.

Do you find you waste food when you are too ill to eat what is ready to be eaten?  What event would cause you to actually waste food? Would people in your household be wary of eating anything you prepared when you were ill?

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Water Bill? Why?



Written on Wednesday

When the utility bill arrived, I was horrified it was almost $400. I just put it down, very discouraged. Plus, I was driving. Later, I analyzed it and was disheartened.

Remember, my utility bill includes: electricity, Utility tax, sewer, water, and utility tax. I wonder why two taxes. With this, I get garbage pickup, recycling pickup, leaf truck, limb truck, and another truck, forgot what. Of course, the water work from yard to road cost nothing.

Each unit equals 100 gallons. One year ago, I used an average of 61 units per day. Last month, I used an average of 19 units per day. This past month I used 166 units. This news is not good. So, wondering if the water problem from September was still with me, I called for help.

Thinking here after I wrote this post, how on earth can I use 61x100 gals of water a day? 6100 gals. There is only me, a dishwasher, washer and commode using water. 

The meter was read on Jan 9th, so the running of water inside my house to keep pipes from freezing was not in this bill.

I asked a Water Board guy if someone could check to see if I have a leak. My water meter cover is about 2.5' long and wide and heavy, so I cannot lift it. He came to the house today, and there was not a drop going through the meter. He is puzzled, too. He looked over my bill and then read my meter.

So, I am depending on him to figure out where water is going and why it does not show a leak.  It is a mystery to me. Plus, it is very discouraging. He was puzzled.

Have you ever had this happen to you? What can you suggest this might be?

By the way, I feel so much better!

Remember, I use little water. Plus, water is going somewhere because I am charged for it. However, the water meter shows I do not have a leak.

Written on Thursday

I felt worse during the night because I did too much yesterday. Exbf was amenable not to come this week. He will come next week.

Besides being tired and hurting, last night, the room was too warm. After I turned off the heat, I slept well. Now, the room is a little chilly. However, outdoors the day is warm with the slightest breeze and a blazing sun. That is heartening. I am calling it on winter. Maybe I can ignore the freeze that is predicted late next week.  I won't fret about that as I can wear my sandals now in the 56 F weather.

Several times this last week, I had looked for the half of the last turkey breast that was cooked and in the freezer. I had no luck. Today, there it was, front and center! How do these things shift themselves around in the freezer and the refrigerator?

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

You're Pre-approved?

One of these notices arrives at the rate of two a week, at least. Sometimes, there are several in one day. While I never wanted one of the offers of a loan, I did call once about thiry years ago. I knew I was not pre-approved, but I wanted to see what would happen once I called as instructed. The person who answered the phone spoke familiarly and was very friendly.

Then, he wanted all my personal information. When I asked why he needed it, he said it was to see if I could be pre-approved. Of course, I questioned him, saying I was already pre-approved--got the guarantee in my hand! Needless to say, he did not get far with me. I tried to use my pre-approval, but eventually I was told I did not qualify, not a surprise to me. The amount was exceedingly large.

Remember the thirty-two-year-old who had six children? She held down an iffy part-time job that she did not report to irs. And, she was paid by her church to teach Sunday School and babysit at night. Her husband never worked at any place longer than six months. He would quit before he had another job because people were hinting about him aloud or talking about him.

One day, she told me they had been pre-approved for $150K home loan. They had been home shopping. The plan was to get a home not quite the amount of the loan and buy new furniture and appliances. When I asked her if she really wanted to pay for a refrigerator loan for 30 years, she was a little irked at me.

She was also a little vague about where the loan came from. Outwardly, I was happy for her. Inwardly, I was alarmed. A few weeks into this delusion, she reported that the loan did not go through. Then, the truth came out. They received a letter in the mail and never filled out papers to get a loan before she announced their good fortune.

She was shattered and felt foolish. She rejected my cautions. She always knew better than I about anything because she viewed me as an old lady (I am) and behind the times on most everything (Not at all). My experience counted for nothing.  Now, she could not eat crow, not that I expected her to do so.

Since I get these all the time, I am pretty sure you do, too. Have you ever had anyone try to use the pre-approval and succeed? Have you ever known anyone who was able to cash the "check" sent to them? Do you have any other thoughts on these practices?

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Strange Dream or Reality?

On Monday night/Tuesday morning, I set the alarm to get up and go to the lunch. It seemed the alarm went off all night long and I was continually hitting the snooze button or just turning off the alarm. Finally, at 9:15, I looked at the clock, ready to get up. I had set the clock for 8:51, so maybe the alarm had gone off at the earlier time. I have no idea.

I made the decision not to go to the lunch and changed my mind about 10 times. However, once I had gone to the bathroom, I did not move from the bed until almost 1 pm when I had to go again. I ate a salad.

Sporadically, I pulled the laptop onto my chest and posted comments to other blogs and read the news. most of what I read was discouraging. I found a book that sounds interesting.

Every time I talk to exbf, I change my mind about his coming up this week. As it stands, he is coming. His last day at work is this Friday. He works at the door at Sam's Club in Irondale. They are one of the Sam's Club in the US closing. He is only 64, but his health, osteoporosis of knees and hips, is intolerable. He is going to retire and take early ss. He cannot take one step without a walker or two canes.

As I think of what I need to do before he comes, my standards drop...lol. The turkey breast roast will be cooked today since I put it in the refrigerator to thaw before I became so ill. I have carrots to roast and salad fixings. I can wash two plates and two place settings of utensils. Bathroom can have very minimal attention and barely pass. There's more. But, isn't there always more? The rest of the kitchen is just piddling--throw away the cheese wrapper left on the counter, etc. Remember, I have been ill since about Dec 10.

I have potatoes that need to be cooked, so maybe I will slice those and put in with carrots. My plans and expectations when I am ill ebb and flow with how I feel at the moment, yes, according to how I feel now not later. Once I go to the mailbox, I could scale back again...lol.

Right now, it is 50+F, with a clear blue sky and few clouds. I can see there is a slight breeze as leaves blow. This makes me think I am recovering faster than I am.

In a little while, I am going to have 4 chocolate chip cookies and milk, but first an apple. Later, I have something to return to WM and another to Publix.  I am ambitious...lol.

2:00...I suppose I need to get out of bed.






Tuesday

On Monday, I went to the doctor, knowing the uti was back or just much worse. The ER doctor only gave me 5 days of med. This never works for me. I have 14 days worth now.

Today is lunch at a church, so maybe I can drag myself there. It's only three blocks, so I can make it.

Even with the rain today, the weather is beautiful. This line of rainstorms was less than predicted. That makes me happy.

I forgot to say, but on New Years Day, I had a daffodil that was about three inches tall. And, it has a bud trying to open. These are going to be the shortest daffodils ever. Tulips are about six inches tall. Flowers growing in my yard makes me very happy, too.

Exbf told me it going to be near 60 degrees F this week.

After all the hard freezing we had, down to 2 degrees F, I found my seeds where they had been in the car in a metal container. I have no idea why they were in a box in the car. They experienced freezing weather for about a week. Now, I wonder if they are okay. What do you think?

Your turn
Do you have anything flowering or trying to flower?

Monday, January 22, 2018

Resolved

I negotiated an exchange of this crockpot for another like I have had. It will be about two weeks. But, it beats having this one. Of course, the customer service said it was my fault. Later on that.

Bottle Hacks

I am in no mood to write anything after arguing with the Crockpot representative. She talked to me like I was the village idiot.

This video is 12 minutes long and has annoying music which can be muted. It is very clever.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

My Crockpot Is Dangerous! Beware!

A change in design from my first three Crockpots has rendered my present one dangerous to use.
The lid has a clip on each end that holds the lid on when it is carried about. Well, I am not carrying the whole unit, just trying to clip the lid on. However, I have brushed a finger or three against the side of the heating unit. The last time I burned my finger so badly, I was in lots of pain. The frozen chunk of cheese and the ham were not sufficient to take away any pain.

Besides, standing with a hand inside the freezer, touching all the food with my ring finger was making my back hurt, too. Since I was in no mood for an avalanche, I did not take anything out. The ointment with silver in it was not to be found. I just used a topical antibiotic which did nothing for pain.

It was bedtime, and bed was where I was headed. I lay there in pain, near tears, and all of a sudden there was no pain. Weird. However, it really hurts every time it touches anything today.

The hen cooked about twelve hours, not necessary, just happened. Plus, I put potatoes in to cook. I dipped out potatoes to eat and snagged meat with a fork. There was no need to take the crock out until the end.

Finally, it was time to remove the crock so I could get the food out and into a colander. There is no way to removed the crock without burning myself or sticking pot holders into the broth.

You know how there is a little bit of a stubby extension on many casseroles to use as a handle? Well, the ends of the crock are as close to the hot unit as the front and back of the crock. Eventually, I will drop this full of boiling food. So, I am not having this!

I do not want to have to let the whole thing cool until I can handle it. Food would end up spoiling or just soaking in the grease.

Finally, I figured out how to keep from burning myself as I latched and unlatched the lid. No, I do not want to let it just sit there because the lid does not sit straight unless latched.

I am sooo disappointed. These were not problems with the first three crockpots I had. It worked with handles. Who could have been in charge of deciding to leaves off handles?

Tonight, broth is in the making, so it is sitting in there waiting to burn me Sunday.

Does your crock pot have the stubby little handles? Or, does your crock fit uniformly with no place to lift it from the hot unit?

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Dropping the New Crockpot

Written Friday night

I had a hard time with the Crockpot box. It was on the floor where my friend put it when he brought it in, so I left it there. I had already opened it, so all I had to do was get the thing out of the box. You know how they put the two pieces of Styrofoam to cushion the object in the box? Well, that was my nemesis. It was tight, just like it should be.

As I was tugging, I got off balance, straightened up, and pulled hard. Well, the only thing I managed to hold onto was the metal base. The crock fell hard! The two pieces of Styrofoam fell away, and the box that had risen up through my pulling and skinned my shins. Crap! I could not even get around all the stuff in the floor. After I got the base on the counter, I picked up the crock. It does not appear to be damaged, but who knows what will happen in the future.

I am resting after the ordeal. There is a bit of water and Dawn waiting in it for me to wash. Okay, washed!

When exbf was planning to come yesterday, I was going to have him help me. But, I told him not to come because there was only going to be two or three hours above freezing.  The frozen hen I put from freezer to refrigerator last Saturday must be cooked. My friend around the block did not come to help. So, I did it myself.

Once it was out of the box, I used the lids to determine how the size of this one compares to the others I have had. It is almost the size of the largest one I had, the first one.  It is very heavy.

The 6 lb. hen is in the crockpot with ground sage on it. Ooops, I need to go put salt and pepper on it. I think I forgot to turn it on.  Okay, I went and salted/peppered and turned it on high.

It seems that Lowe's has crockpots on the Black Friday sale every year even though they do not carry them ordinarily. Maybe I should just go buy a $10 one this next year, just in case. You think I am kidding? I may look for sales in the meantime.

This crockpot has different controls than the last one. I like the manual/analog controls rather than the push-buttons/computerized. From left to right, this one is off, warm, high, low.  The last one made more sense with off, warm, low, high.  I think that is what it was. At any rate, I think having off on the left and high on the right is logical. So, I have to memorize these controls.

Saturday morning.
It works well.

Which type controls do you prefer on  your Crockpot?

Friday, January 19, 2018

100 things NOT to Eat When You Have a Cold or Flu | 13 Foods to Eat When You Are Sick

The title was something like that. I was horrified. Since I have been ill with the flu and other maladies for the last month, I have exclusivity eaten these things! I had no liquor or fish/seafood. But, I did have cheese sandwiches and mac and cheese, plus milk and yogurt. All dairy is forbidden on this LIST.

Then, there is another list at 13 Foods to Eat When You Are Sick.

This list is sort of contradictory with some foods included on both lists.

Thoughts? Do you agree? What foods do you eat when ill or avoid when ill?

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Finding Money | Update on Frozen Faucet

At 5:41 pm after hearing a noise, I went to the kitchen and found water running from the faucet. There was no water running from the pipes under the sink. This is such a relief. I am not sure any pipes in the basement broke, but I doubt it. Tomorrow, I can get the city to check for a leak anywhere by looking at the meter. I cannot get to the meter as the lid is too heavy. 

When I came out of the bread store, there was a shiny, new quarter on the ground. Of course, that went right into my pocket. When I got into the car, I remembered or thought I remembered I had a quarter in my pocket. The only quarter was the one I picked up. So, either I found a quarter someone lost or I found the quarter I lost.

Then, I found a dime on the ground and a penny elsewhere.

After Thanksgiving I washed five pair of black pants. I obviously left a Kleenex in a pocket. I tried to wash again to get it off the pants, shook them, and did all sorts of things trying to help the situation. Finally, I bought a roller thing to get it off. That worked. I tried shaking them outside wet and then shook them when dry. Nothing worked. I could not get tape off a roll of tape to use to get the lint/paper off.

The last pair was hanging up and the last clean pair of black pants I had.  When I put my hand in the pocket, I found a very clean $10 bill. Oh, happy day!

When I was in my purse looking for something, I saw a wad of receipts in a place where I don't keep receipts. Inside was a $1 bill.

There was change in the bottom of my purse, change by the bed, change on the bed, change in the yard. Plus, there was about $7 in my change purse.

Granted, only the dime, penny, and possibly the quarter were true "found" money. But, finding a $10 bill that had been washed about two months ago was thrilling.

Mama said she was going to give her mother money for sending a coat to the dry cleaners. Her mother, my grandmother, said she always found enough money in the pockets of her clothes and coats to pay for dry cleaning.

Do you ever find money that is yours, just misplaced and never missed? Where do you find your own money? Do you find money your family has misplaced?

Snow and Freezing Pipes

Tuesday morning, I awoke early to my alarm. We were expecting snow and freezing on the roads, so I needed to get settled for a couple of days. I had three things to do.

First, I went to CVS, a drugstore, shortly after it opened at 8 am. Walmart did not have the one thing I had to have. I purchased that and got five or six coupons. One was for $5 in CVS. The others were for various amounts--$0.60 and such. I can use all those.

Then, I wanted/needed to give someone food at a service station before  she left at 9 am. I got that accomplished and left to go to other end of town.

At Publix I purchased the expensive milk I drink and found it was $3.99 this week instead of the regular price of $4.29 for a half gallon.

Since late Monday night, I have had the water in bathroom and kitchen sinks open, flush the commode often, and wash clothes often. Yes, I am getting caught up on laundry and washing small loads. Once, I ran a small load in an empty machine...anything to keep pipes from freezing.

I forgot to leave the kitchen sink running today. At some point I used the water and just shut it off. So, now, something is frozen somewhere. I have the new heater sitting outside the sink and am heating the cabinet under the sink. Leaving the undersink door open is useless because the kitchen is frigid! I am quite sure it will thaw when the temperature is about 40 and it has time to thaw. In the past I have never had this problem until I hired the plumber to redo water to house. If the underground pipe is frozen, there is no way I can thaw the sink pipes with the heater. When that freezes, water into the sink cannot move.

I dread tomorrow.

Just as I left Publix, the person who came out to get the cart showed me a picture her daughter sent her from Hartselle, 18 miles north of here. The ground was covered with snow. The coverage happened within the hour since she left home. THEN, the first flake fell between us.

At home, the snow lazily fell....for about 30 minutes. I took a nap because of my early rising and late night. About noon the snow came down fast and furious. The leaves on the ground held snow. Then, on and off snow fell.

It is Wednesday night and I have not left the house since Tuesday morning. Last night, the temperature here, according to the weatherman, it was 2 degrees here with wind chill below 0 F. It is almost that cold in the house, it seems. Last night, I had trouble getting warm enough to go to sleep. I discovered the edge of one of the three blankets over me was not over my knee as I lay on my side.  I rechecked and straightened everything.

Staying undercovers is the only way to survive in here. I could turn up the big heater more, but I only do that for a bit and then turn it back down. It seems to only get really warm in a small area, anyway!

Exbf was planning to come tomorrow. However, there will only be about 3 hours above freezing here. So, I told him to just stay home. I have cooked nothing, done nothing. So, it will be the end of next week before he is here.

On Wednesday, I ventured out to the mailbox. The steps were not icy. A small square table and a large round table had at least a half inch and maybe more snow on them. The yard had a bit of snow here and there, not enough to even wonder about. The snow you see on the news in Alabama happened all around us. The snow was pretty falling, but nothing else.

Now, I look forward to a burst pipe under the sink. GAH! It may be days before I can get a plumber here.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Free Medication Information

When I was in Publix, I picked up a brochure, "No Wallet Needed." There are free medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, allergies and asthma, antibiotics, and other conditions.

publix.com/freemeds

You can find the rules and names of the meds.


Tuesday, January 16, 2018

I want some black furry ones

These are not to be found where I have shopped. I am suffering without them. What is this? Earmuffs! I don't like the flat things that people wear around the head. I want furry earmuffs that are on a plastic band that can be extended for comfort and fit.

The new style that are flat hurt my ears. I want my ears warm, not flattened. Also, who wants her hair flattened against the back of her head? Not me.

The ones I bought over twenty-five years ago were destroyed. I liked them. The furry part was gathered over and around the wider round base. There was a hollow place, sort of where ears had a little room.

So, my ears will be cold today if I go outdoors. My plan is to call stores and ask if these are available before I have to go inside the store.

Do you use fluffy earmuffs, the furry kind? Or, do you like the flat kind that fit behind the head?

Monday, January 15, 2018

Ballistic Missile Threat

As I watched the video of people running for their lives after the ballistic missile attack threat was broadcast in Hawaii, I cried. I think that was a video of a campus. The people thought they would die. I imagine my children running like that.  As I thought about it, I wondered what ramifications were evident even after the threat was exposed as false.

Jim Carrey said he thought he would be dead in ten minutes. At the moment I read that, I realized how soon people thought they would die without proper cover or a direct hit. I wondered how many people suffered even though the event never happened. I thought of my own situation.

Mostly, we on the mainland just breathed a sigh of relief and went about our lives. I did that at first. But, what happened when the people in Hawaii realized the attack was not going to happen right then? I wondered and was appalled.

How many people had or will have heart attacks from the anxiety and strain on their hearts? How many people have and will suffer more with their chronic conditions? I know that stress for diabetics can be unhealthy. Many other diseases cannot stand the stress of this kind of warning.

Did anyone commit suicide in the despair of an imminent attack? What kind of problems do psychiatrists hear that were caused by the news? Has anyone's life been derailed by the unfortunate mistake of the coming attack? How many people have gone off their diets or whatever measures they were taking to improve their health? Did people start drinking or doing drugs again? Did they just spin out of control with their already bad habits?

I wonder about the human social fallout. Do people not allow their children or families out of their sight? Are they anxious when everyone is not in one place? How do children cope?

I wonder if people are at a higher alert considering their homes or workplaces. Are people fortifying their homes? Will construction reflect more measures to avoid fallout? How many workplaces think about providing underground shelters? Will the area stand underground construction?

How many people have started supplying their home with food and water? Is the sale of Geiger counters rising? Has the sale of potassium iodide tablets risen?

At some point, at many points, I thought about how this news has affected us on the mainland far from Hawaii. It has only raised questions about my safety in case of a nuclear attack. I sit facing a wall of windows and have little chance of escaping the danger where I live in my house. I have a basement that is spacious, dirty, damp, and has many windows installed in the one foot thick rock walls. I doubt I would survive much better down there. Asthma would get me as soon as radiation! I am not capable of sufficiently covering the windows that sort of negate one foot of protection!

I don't have potassium iodide tablets. I wonder if Hawaiians have them on hand more than we do.

Don't say children are mostly too young to worry long term if their parents are calm. When I was four, I worried about the cold war.  This worry went on for years even though my parents assured me there would be no war. I wondered just how cold a war could be. How much cold would kill me? Then, when I was eight, I worried because we did not have a bomb shelter. These worries were not short-lived. They lasted for years, probably even to now, even to a time and space that I should not worry.

Are you prepared for a ballistic missile threat? Do you have a place safe from fallout? Do you have food and water stored? Do you have potassium iodide tablets and know how and when to use them? Of course, if you are prepared for natural disasters, you have some preparation for a ballistic missile attack.

There are a lot of questions in this post. What are your thoughts?

Are you prepared?

Sunday, January 14, 2018

A Giveaway

Sluggy has a new GIVEAWAY!  Of course, there is chocolate as well as lots of good items.

Hand Tongs

It is not often that exbf goes into the silly or playful mode. However, he had commented that he prefers the little boxes of raisins because he can dump the contents into his mouth without getting his fingers sticky.

When I was in WM, I saw hand tongs. These are five inches long with a silicone "hand." The hand is like an outstretched hand, green silicone, sort of silly looking. Well, for less that $2 they looked perfect for his purpose.

I showed the little utensil to him and told him I bought it for his raisin eating.  He took them, looking interested and snapped them where the hands clapped and chuckled. "This would be good for my peanuts...and crackers....and chips." He was smiling broadly, something he rarely does. So, I know he approves.

Normally, he is not up for new things I buy him, saying I should not have spent my money on the item because I should not spend my money on him or I should not have spent money on the item.

So, now he has something to keep his hands clean. I am laughing as I type, thinking of him eating with Green-apple colored hand tongs.

One day, about 8 years ago, he came out of the basement and said he had found a shield. He was wearing a little round, metal disc for riding on the snow. He was walking around, fending off enemies. It was so cute. I am not making fun of him about the tongs or the sled since both actions were endearing.

When I had two-inch diameter wisteria vines hanging from the hickory nut tree, any guy who passed it took a Tarzan swing on it. Guys easily revert to little boys. Do you have a guy around who takes advantage of play opportunities? A guy cut a long straight limb into a five-foot stick to use at his place. He came out of bushes a ninja master...made me laugh.

Yesterday, I made a mistake. I turned off the heater as I left the house. Outdoors, the wind was raging, cutting right through what I considered to be warm enough clothing. I think I was gone three hours. When I came home, the house was beyond frigid. I did something I rarely do--turned the heater to its maximum.

I arrived home at about 7:30 pm. I awoke at 4 am and had to turn the heat way down. Now, at 7 am, I am becoming chilly. But, a blanket around my shoulders will suffice. This next electric bill will be horrendous.

As I lay here before I got up, the trees were full of tiny birds flitting in and out of the trees outside the window in my yard. Once they land, they fly away again to a different limb or out of sight. There must have been a hundred in the small area. I don't know what kind of birds they are, but they are so tiny. I wonder what they are. By 7 am, they were all gone.

It is time for a big bowl of hot oats with raisins, sugar, and Country Crock. I gave up on butter in my oats. I know it is better for me. I know I should eat it instead of Country Crock. However, my oats are not good with butter. I have switched to butter for everything else!

Your turn
What kind of birds could these be, tiny and seen at dawn? What little-boy play have you observed in grown men?

Friday, January 12, 2018

Snow, Flu, Food

It was not much, but it was snow.

I used the ac Wednesday night, wore a summer nightgown and thin throw over me. When I left to go to the ER, I forgot to turn off the ac. It was 61 F yesterday, so the ac was needed but not all day long while I was gone. Last night, once again, I used just the throw, the $2.50 kind from WM.

Today, I wore a spaghetti strap blouse and light cardigan with nylon jacket over that. It was just right outside.

The became fierce and I saw tiny pebbles of snow dancing around the streets, on the ground and on my windshield. It was a wild and beautiful sight. It made me really happy. Of course, since I am getting better, regaining my health. Nothing stuck even a little bit.

As I lay on the bed without changing my clothes, I felt chilly. Finally, after fighting the cold for an hour. I realized it was 24 F degrees. Needless to say, a sweatshirt replace the spaghetti strap top.

I am actually going to cook tonight instead of just eating a sandwich or going out to get something. The injection last night and meds today have worked miracles on me. I have actually picked up stuff from the house. For a month, I just have let things go.

On the news tonight, I heard that flu can live on door handles for 24 hours. I hope scientists can guess better next year to formulate a vaccine that will work on the strain that comes next year. Because of this ordeal for a month, I will become that paranoid person who wipes, sprays, and never touches anything in order to avoid the flu.

Now, to go cook. I will put beans on, cook pasta for a jar of bought pasta. I want to cook potatoes, too. I may cook the potatoes first, then the beans. I hope I don't give out before I get three easy dishes done.

All the Christmas candy has been separated from the trash of the wrappers I discarded in the bag of candy. I can share this tomorrow with some teens.


ER Ordeal

Exbf picked me up at 9:30 am. I was in ER in Birmingham shortly after 11 am. I sent him home. He did not need to go in and catch the flu. So, he drove across Birmingham and stayed there until I called him. I was discharged at about 10:30 pm. Yes, I spent just short of twelve hours in the ER.

The doctor said all tests show I have nothing. The illness is some sort of virus and not the flu. I do have a uti and got a shot. I had an iv for a little over an hour. And, it was described as "nothing."

There were literally dozens of people with the flu, lying across the chairs, leaning on friends, and looking and acting miserable.

Alabama declares a state of emergency due to flu outbreak. sooo

The whole ordeal was horrible due to abusive nurse and a peon with power. I will elaborate when I feel better.

I will tell you the highlight of the day. Since I had not eaten since the banana at 9:30 in the car on the way down, I was starving and asked the nurse if I could have something to eat. She advised that the peanut butter crackers would be best since I had diabetes. When I asked if the crackers were whole wheat, she said she did not know and would look.

"Cheeseburger?" I smiled.

She turned and laughed when I asked, and asked me if I wanted a turkey sandwich. I did not expect much, but was shocked when she returned. In a clamshell was a lovely bun with shaved turkey. There was grape juice, applesauce, spoon in plastic, mustard and mayo packets. The turkey sandwich was handwrapped in Glad wrap. I chose a Sprite, also.

I thought the turkey sandwich was the kind dispensed in machines. No sirree! When I ate it, I asked if I would be billed for the sandwich. She said it was from their own private stash. The ER must have things for the workers to eat stashed. Usually, I have had trouble getting the second oj or crackers.

And injection in my hip proved to be very painful since the med was thick. I lived. Tomorrow, I have three meds to fill.

I will try to catch up on blog reading tomorrow or maybe later.

Is the flu running rampant where you or relatives live?

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

and the doctor said,

"Go to the emergency room. There is nothing I can do for you." He went on to say he did not have what I need, that he was capable of helping me but did not have the equipment. So, exbf will drive up and take me to ER.

I have added a new thing to being ill. I will be sitting on the side of the bed or at the table, be walking or driving, and I sort of start fading away. It is not like I am going to faint or go to sleep. I just feel everything fading away. It is not at all like I am relaxed and just slip into sleep.

So, I am afraid to drive far. In the meantime, I continue with the immodium and Zofran.

Okay, I rested an hour from writing the above.  Then, I balanced my checking account. There is not enough money here to get to mid-month, much less to the end of the month. Lovely!

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

"Out My Window" Post

I did not want to hijack Kim's post, but I wanted to give her some of my solutions to things she mentioned.

Dish towels, dish cloths, and napkins that have a grease smell. It is a stale smell, too, a stale grease smell. These are so obnoxious and putrid, I could not stand to use them.  As they became unbearably nasty smelling, I would take them out of the drawers, store them in a bag, a put out new ones. The new ones often were bought dirt cheap or from yard sales, unused, still in package or hooked together with the plastic string thing. The bag of stinky things might have been used once and put in the trash if I had not figured out how to make them cleaners and fresher than new.

One day, I was loading the dishwasher and using a freshly laundered dish cloth to wipe up water. Unable to even handle it, I put the dishcloth in the DISHWASHER. Yep. I strung it out down the area for glasses and set a couple of glasses on top of the stinky, clean dishcloth.

The dishcloth caught some food. All the food in the glass or cups was stuck in those. However, I rinsed the food out of dishcloth, glass and cups.

Unbelievably, the dishcloth came out fresher than new smelling. So, I put a couple of dishcloths or towels in the dishwasher every time I used the dishwasher. Palmolive was the brand I used and not the lemon variety. It was some flower scent.

I still have a whole bag of newish towels that still stink to high heaven because I never got around to putting them in the dishwasher. Maybe I will take them all to the laundromat and put Palmolive in their washing machine since they have boiling hot water available. Maybe not.

Maybe I will put on water to boil on the grill outdoors and put the stinky yet freshly laundered dish towels and dishcloths in the pot of boiling water with Palmolive. Our ancestors boiled laundry over a fire. Could work.

I do use Glad Wrap, but it frustrates me and wraps all the wrong way so I use very little to cut down on costs. I use storage dishes with glass lids, or put a saucer over things. I also use fruit jars of all sizes. I use foil when it won't touch the food. When I store an opened block of cheese, rather than fight the glad wrap, I put the whole thing in a Tupperware storage container. Sometimes, I use a Glad ziplock bag and store the cheese in that. I can use the same storage or freezer bag for months.

I don't buy paper towels. I use rags like my cut up knit pants for the yucky cleaning where you do not want rags going into the wash.

Click HERE to read her post and admire her beautiful and well-appointed kitchen.



Monday, January 8, 2018

Possessed Antlers | Bargain Hits and Misses

Sunday
Now, we will not have any temperature below freezing. I am so happy. However, the rain now will just be miserable. Some places will have freezing temps and freezing rain. Not us. If the rain had come in during the freezing temps, road conditions would have been so dangerous. Plus, we might have lost power due to trees and power lines downed by the ice on them.

Today, I found two eye products reduced so low that I purchased them. Hmmm, they are for a darker sister! Those will go back!

The Sunday paper has six coupon inserts today.  I had gone over the coupons online and found several I could use. So, I bought two newspapers. When I have the Sunday papers, the ads for drug stores are included. I know all the ads are online, but it is difficult to read the print and sometimes to even see the product, so I am grateful for paper ads.

Reduced to 50% and 75% were items for birthdays and Christmas gifts this next year. Of course, I purchased them.

My Christmas antlers are possessed. I had left them on the dashboard. Every time I hit a bump in the road, just a little one, they come on. So, in the dark I drive along with little red lights blinking. While I was out, I tried to find replacement lights. If I put this thing up for next year, I am quite sure it will burn out and maybe have acid all over. Maybe not. There are lots of tiny led lights, but none to use for my antlers. It looks like Hobby Lobby will be the place to find them.

My scalp is still suffering from the nails of the shampoo girl. Also, I have a scabby area around the edges of my hair. ugh Plus, my hair is not in good shape.

I forgot to buy butter. There is none in the refrigerator, so a midnight run will be necessary. Yes, that is a trip for one item. But, traffic will be very light. I can find a parking place more easily. There will be an electric cart available. And, most importantly, I want to have oats, so butter is necessary.

Monday 6 pm
Okay, I did not get butter since I did not go out last night.  I have a plan. The game kickoff is in an hour and thirty minutes...so says exbf. By the time I get dressed and get down there, WM will be a wasteland, so I can find a place to park, find a cart, and shop in peace. Well, there rarely  is a crowd in front of dairy unless someone has said the "s" word.

Plus, I need to get more Immodium and Zofran to make it through the night. Tomorrow, I go to doctor again.

I have a plan. Exbf will go along with it. He will bring butter to me if I can find it for less than I can. Of course, he won't have to search. I will do the research and he can pick it up for me.

Monday 8 pm
The parking lot was practically empty. Inside, there was a quiet that is not usually there this time of night. I spoke to a young male employee, just small talk. He said it was so quiet on the roads when he came to work that he got there in record time. I reminded him of the Alabama game. 

I think I paid $3.84 for butter, about twice what people online are paying for butter!

Monday 11: 30 pm

Alabama won. While I am not a Bama fan, I did want them to win. My son roots for whoever is playing Alabama.

Okay, I have written on this for two days. I will publish now.

Who were you rooting for? No, I am not actively a fan, just have my choices. Is there a certain brand of butter you find on sale most often?







Sunday, January 7, 2018

Product Review: UPDATE

For two months, I have been trying a sample of a toothpaste my dentist gave me. The tiny sample lasted two months because I don't use a lot of toothpaste when I brush. Actually, I need to cut the tiny tube open to get the remainder.

Crest 3D White
Whitening Therapy
Enamel Care

Pros
For the past three months, the toothpaste has worked well. (I bought a new tube last month,)My teeth are definitely whiter, not sparkling, but not stained, either. Since many foods can cause staining, and I am not willing to give them up, this is a good solution.

Teeth whitening from the drugstore or at the dentist' office is prohibitively expensive. The toothpaste is not cheap but less expensive than whitening products.

Cons
Speaking of the cost, this toothpaste is $7 for the tube. My toothpaste for at least the last ten years has been free or a quarter for a tube, a much larger tube.

The texture was off-putting at first. It sort of looks slimy. I cannot easily get the toothpaste to cut itself off. It wants to leave a string of toothpaste. I usually put the toothpaste on the toothbrush and then pull the tube away. It cuts off. This doesn't. Well, I finally figured out how to get it to cut off the string of toothpaste.

It also feels a bit slimy. But, that is not a problem, just a different texture than I have used. For a whitening product, I am surprised the product is not really all that white and it looks a bit translucent.

The taste is okay.

ADDED:
T'Pol commented whitening toothpastes made her teeth sensitive. I had noticed mine were sensitive, too, but did not connect the pain to toothpaste.

Summary
The cost is the biggest problem. It works.  No one is paying for this review. Sensitive teeth is also a problem.

A thought
I will start brushing with this toothpaste once a day and use a cheaper tube for the subsequent times I brush during the day.

Has anyone tried this toothpaste--Crest whitening? Do you have another whitening toothpaste that you would recommend? Have you tried a whitening toothpaste that does not work?

Saturday, January 6, 2018

speaking of falling down

When we had the blizzard in 1993, snow stayed on the ground for over a week. I would walk across the side street to go to my elderly neighbor's house. I would do things for her. We would talk. We could talk on the phone, but a visit was better for both of us. And, we ate cheese sandwiches. And, I never fell down.

A friend lived up the block further, a foster mother in a group situation. One day, she called me heartbroken she had no candles for the birthday of one of the children. She was that kind of friend, she always made me volunteer to help her instead of asking. Anyway...

I "volunteered" to bring my candles to her. Of course, I walked. It was the fourth or fifth day the snow had been on the ground. I know that walking on thawing snow can be treacherous since it thaws a bit and refreezes all the time. Walking where anyone has stepped has snow pressed down and refrozen, too.

I set out walking in the yards of people, near to the road. The road was clearly refrozen in spots. I fell down about three times trying to cross the width of four narrow yards. On the way back, things were different. I fell down about twenty times. In one yard I fell five or six times--splat!

As I struggled to stay on my feet, then struggled to get up, becoming more tired with each fall, I wondered if people were seeing me. You know how a person struggling to walk and falling down even one time makes people inside interested. After all, they are snowbound with no place or way to go, so they have to find entertainment. 

They were probably watching to see if I would fall again. I am sure they called the family to see the woman who has fallen four times already in their yard. They probably used this as a teachable moment for kids who insisted on going out.

Well, that is what I would do! If you had been snowbound for almost a week, wanting to go out, wouldn't you watch this woman who insists on being out and falling? I am quite sure it was a good laugh.

Are you experiencing conditions that make you fall or fear you will fall?

Friday, January 5, 2018

walking in my yard

You all know how it is--you can walk in your own yard, especially on a familiar path, without thinking, usually, even at night. I can walk in my yard without thinking because it is familiar ground under my feet. My muscle memory helps me to walk confidently without searching with my feet for the ground.

Okay, just forget about the time I was tripped up by the wisteria. And, forget about the hickory nuts, especially before the husks wear away. So far, I have never fallen because of stepping on one. Usually, I stumble about and wrench my back or calf muscle.

For the last week it has been difficult to walk in my yard. The ground is so frozen that what was soft under my feet is now brittle and frozen in odd shapes. My muscle memory is betrayed.

A squirrel or raccoon can dig a place in the yard, mostly swipe marks for both, just longer and a bit deeper for the raccoon. Now, I slip and my foot turns when I hit these unfamiliar places.  Ordinarily, I would squash the loose dirt partially back in place.

These frozen places make walking so perilous that I now have to watch the ground! In the last five days, I believe the temperature has been above 32 F for maybe two or three hours total for the five days.

I know that people who expect the snow to fall and stay there for the winter often scurry to pick up things that, once covered with snow, will become a major obstacle for those walking. Things might be destroyed on a farm if a vehicle hits the object obscured by the snow.

While I complain about freezing, being so cold, I am lucky I only have to traverse yard with frozen clumps in different places. The yard does not "roll" under my feet even on familiar ground.

Probably, I won't be making daily trips to potatoes growing behind the house. This prolonged freeze has doomed them. Someone told me they will re-emerge in the spring. Is this true?

Does the frozen ground at your place interfere with the familiarity under your feet? Or, is snow obscuring familiar ground?

Thursday, January 4, 2018

My Houndstooth Scarf

As I rode into Lowe's, a man I passed said, "Roll Tide." It took a moment to understand he was talking to me. I backed up and asked him what he said to me. "Roll Tide," he said. I asked him why he would say that to me.

He said, "Well..." as he sort of glanced at my clothing.

"Red is my favorite color!" (I had on a red coat.) And, this (plucking at my houndstooth scarf and flipping it in the air) is a sartorial choice, not a sports statement!"

A couple who had stopped to talk with the man laughed so hard. The woman bent over and turned around covering her mouth, laughing. She nodded and said, "That is right."

I commented I saw a large AU pen with jewels that I was going to buy to make my choice clear. "And, pin it right onto the houndstooth scarf. The woman said I should do that.  I think she and her husband were Auburn fans, too.  As I rolled away, I could tell the single man was humiliated. So sorry!

In WM today, I saw the friend who came in late at the Senior Christmas Party on Dec. 15. I told her I was so ill with the flu on the next day, and finally was able to go to the doctor on Sunday. She said she had the flu, too. I commented that I doubt she caught it from me. She continued with her story of a horrid gastrointestinal problem, saying she had been in ER for four hours being hydrated. My doctor tried to make me go and have iv for problem of losing fluid. We shared the more disgusting aspects which we both had. Then, she commented she now had a horrendous cold. And, I have cold and asthma problem. She said she had been ill for three weeks. Yep, me too.

I have heard the flu is now becoming more widespread in AL. Hopefully, I will not get it again. You can catch the flu again, right?  Do you have common items that peg you for a fan of one team?


Tuesday, January 2, 2018

More than I asked for--asthma attack

I finally became well enough after the flu and a gastrointestinal bug to worry about my hair color. My hair had grown an almost an inch and desperately needed color. Since I had not kept up with dishes, there were some in the sink and others on the side. Plus, it was sooo cold in the kitchen.

My long-time hairdresser has moved and had surgery on her right hand and joints replaced in thumb. Thinking back, I remembered my long ago hairdresser and our recent conversation, the first in 40 years. I knew where her shop was but could not recall the name. When I got there, I still could not remember her name...ugh.

I went in and asked her if someone would wash the hair color off if I put the color on at home and came back. She agreed. I returned in 12 minutes and sat for 13, waiting until time was up to rinse off the color.

As I went to the shampoo bowl with a young woman, I handed her the bottle of conditioner/shampoo and told her, "Use this after you rinse off the color." She agreed and took it from me.

After she rinsed the color off, she put a glop of shampoo on my hair in front. I could not figure out why the little bottle had so much in it and why it was so cold since the tiny bottle of conditioner/shampoo had been in my pocket.

Then, she started using her fingernails on my scalp. I yelped and told her to stop. She continued until I shook my head twice more and yelped and told her to stop!

So, she put another glop of shampoo on my head. I could barely breathe and told her to get that off me. What is it? Get if off now. I cannot breathe! Another employee walked past and asked me if I had asthma. I said yes while the woman kept insisting she would rinse the shampoo off after she finished the second washing. NOW is what I yelled to her as I put my face in the huge towel I had brought.

She finally put my conditioner/shampoo and I allowed her to briefly wash it in and out. I rose up gasping. The shop shampoo had caused severe reactions in head also. My ears felt like they were severely congested with skewers poked into them. That is throat closing symptoms according to doctor. My forehead hurt from congestion that occurred so quickly.

Since Friday, I had had problems breathing and the whole asthma symptoms like wheezing. My chest still hurts and I wheeze still.

I wanted to kill the shampoo girl. I pulled out cash to pay owner for my visit. Owner said, " Never mind. M paid for you." Before I had gone to put on color, I was talking to a friend (M)  that the owner was working on. I have known M for at least 30 years. This bit of friendship was shocking, something I never expected.

As I tried to pay, the owner said it was okay for the woman to use the shop shampoo, just don't worry about the cost. I tried to tell her I could barely breathe because the washer did not use my shampoo, but a different shampoo. I just left because I was so upset at my asthmatic problems brought on by the stupid shampooer.

After I rushed home to my inhaler and other meds to take, I still had things to do. More on this next post. Right now, my chest feels like someone is sitting on me. I started coughing several hours ago.

Your turn
Would you be upset at having shampoo used on you that caused an asthma attack when you said USE THIS to the shampoo girl and she said OKAY?  Have you ever had someone, teacher or friend or shop person, cause a problem for you or your child by not following instructions on how to handle allergies, asthma, or a wound? If you tell someone you have a severe allergy to a food or scent, does that person assure she only used a little bit? What is your tale of a person not following instructions? I know you all have one tale, at least.

Bucket List Shattered

While I was in Auto Zone about a battery, a young man spoke, and I  barely returned his greeting. Then, he said, "Aren't you Mrs. *****?" Stunned, I said I was. It turns out he was a friend of my son. He asked about my son. I asked what he was doing. It turns out he works for CSX, a railroad line that runs through area.

We talked for a bit, and I asked how a person would get to ride on that little car that rides the track and is moved by the up and down motion of a handle. This little car probably has a name. He informed me those were no longer used.

Crushed! Well, I had always wanted to ride one of those someday. This dream deferred had dried up like a raisin in the sun.

It had been 38 years since I had seen this man as a child. Adults do not change as much over the years as children do. As I searched his face, I could not see the child I knew. Sometimes, I can after I am given a name.

Just a note: It is cold here, very cold in the house with heat as high as it can go. No Wonder! It is 8 degrees F here at 4:30 am.

Have you ever had a child, now grown, approach you, remembering you from so many years before? How do you feel in that one brief moment? Have you ever had a whim about doing something only to find that experience was no longer available?