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Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Tuesday Cooking and NO Waste Day

No waste is saving money instead of throwing it away

But first--The CHAIR  has no stretchers. If I had not been so tired, I would have noticed and maybe not have bought it. Oh, well, if it tears up, it does. I will take it back.

Last night's dinner:

baked chicken
baked carrots
slaw
whole strawberries
leaf lettuce
water

I had about a cup of the free salad that was kale, radicchio, and Brussels Sprouts, so I put that in the cole slaw. I could not find the Miracle Whip, so I was going to make his cole slaw with Mayo and just eat the raw, shredded mix myself. So, I used up the cole slaw shredded mix and the salad. Neither was going off, but now it won't. savings

THEN, I found MW in the refrigerator, and my heart soared. That was mighty good cole slaw! I just hate mayo. savings

I put the three chicken breasts and about four pounds of carrots in a cooking bag. The carrots were on the bottom with chicken on top, and salt and pepper. I was so tired I forgot to put in garlic, onions, and celery for flavor. I even forgot to shake flour in the bag to keep it from exploding. It didn't.

However, I did set the bag on fire as I bent to put the pan in the oven. Since there was so little in the large bag and in a small pan, the end that was loose was long and waving around. I did not bend far enough and the top element came in contact with the bag, and, boy, did that stink for a loooong time. There was only one flare of fire, but it kept melting once it was away from the element. savings

He was looking forward to canned pineapple I mentioned and was very disappointed with fresh strawberries. How was I to know. ???  I try to eat the leaf lettuce every day, and the strawberries were going to go bad. I meant to send pineapple home with him, but I forgot. savings

Since I am so much better, I am not wasting food like I did for a while when I was very ill. It is still hard to bend down, especially to find that Miracle Whip lying on a bottom shelf and shoved to the very back. It hurt, but at least I was well enough to take the pain and not feel like I was going to fall on my head.

Even after I sent food home with him, enough food for two meals of chicken, carrots and slaw, there is plenty for me to have another two meals, too. So, that is six meals from one cooking session. Actually, we might both get one or two sandwiches or salads from the meat because there was a lot left for both of us. savings

A round roll of sausage, Jimmy Dean Mild, had swollen and looked scary, so I swapped that out at WM instead of wasting $3 worth of food. I ate a banana for breakfast that was pretty black on the outside and perfect on the inside. No wasted banana. savings

So, free lunch, soaking up the sun, easy food  preparation, six meals, nutritious meals, no waste, used up three foods, did not burn down the house... I call Tuesday a total savings win.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Tuesday Free Lunch & New Chair



I slept two hours last night. ugh. So, I am literally batty today. Exbf came and we went to my bank to straighten something out that was not twisted, just my brain.

We went to the lunch. A group was meeting in our dining area. It seems there is a group of people with dementia that come together from 10 am to 2 pm in order to provide enrichment for them and respite for their caregivers. I volunteered, so that will be on the agenda.

Lunches have been better, but it was good. To make up for the lunch, I have pie and cake.

Then, we went to Lowe's and bought exbf a chair. He has sat in a lawn chair inside for about a year. None of my chairs or anyone else's chairs are right for him to get into and out of. He is worse, so I had a brainstorm while in Lowe's the other day.

Now, he has a barstool wicker chair. It is not exactly indoor furniture, but being wicker, plastic, of course, it looks better than the stuff that folds up and has the straps. I will call it patio furniture as Lowe's advertises it as such. He cannot sit down without great pain and effort. And, it is even worse for him to rise. So, this taller chair is better for him. It would kill me.

I almost killed myself getting the shorter wicker chair out of the house and the taller one in. Not having adequate sleep does not help my condition.

So, now I have three medium gray patio/lawn chairs outdoors. They were $50 reduced to $12.50. I bought two for outdoors and one for him to use inside. Well, I used his Lowe's credit card. This new one was full price of $50. Since he pays off the card quickly, this will work.

The patio chair actually looks nicer than the picture. It looks spindly in the picture but sturdy in real life.

I got it in the back yard when we came home. Then, I brought carrots to scrape while we got a bit of glorious sunshine and fresh air.

When I get up from here, I will put the carrots in a pan and put chicken breasts on them. While they cook I will make slaw.

You may not hear from me again tonight as I will sleep as soon as he leaves. And, don't ask why he does not have both hips replaced and both knees. He is afraid. He cannot go on like this and knows it.

And, this is not edited as I must put on dinner and it is almost 3 pm.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Laser Eye Surgery and Candy

Today, I sort of feel better, just tiring easily. I did nothing around the house or yard.

It took a trip to the bank and then inside to find out info. While there, I cashed a check that is a refund from ATT--$18.48. That's how much I saved per month by going to auto-pay.

I went to opthamologist  to have bubbles behind the lens zapped with laser. Once again, the laser sounds sounded just like shots in a video game. Little rings of color were also present in my eye I had to keep open. It is really sort of fascinating.  

While waiting in waiting room, the last lens fell out of my glasses. So, I was blind. Well, I could not entertain myself with reading. It made for a long office visit.

After a checkup to see that all is well, I am set. All I need to do after the checkup is go to get eyes tested and have lenses made for glasses. I am going to use my broken frames because I can find none I like.

The lost screw meant a trip to WM to get a screw put back to hold the frame around the lens. The woman acted like this was all new to her. Hopefully, she put the lens in straight.

I picked up a coupon that is worth $17, but cost me $6. It is a trip for two at DQ for 2 4-piece chicken fingers, fries, Texas toast, and small drink. I always save the Texas Toast for later. From now on, I am getting unsweetened tea instead of yucky Pepsi.

I found an Easter candy that is the best! And, it is only fifty-cents. It is a Russell Stover Coconut Cream Egg. The inside tastes like a Mounds bar, my favorite candy bar. The outside is dark chocolate, just like Mounds. Except, the Russell Stover dark chocolate is better and much thicker. It's a fifty-cent treat with 120 calories.

Since my one eye was dilated, it's difficult to even see to type. Tomorrow, I will have the worst headache ever from having my eye dilated.

By the way, I have the little eyeglass repair kit. However, I cannot see well enough to repair anything. And, this is the only pair of glasses I have. That will be rectified soon.

I have no idea how this could fill up a while afternoon! Well, it was six hours.

Have you been cruising the Easter candy as I have? Looking or buying?

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Now I know! Puppies, too

Tired

PM Thursday, I felt a bit tired, more tired than usual. Friday, I took a nap when exbf was here when I lay down just to rest. Friday night, I could not recover and became more tired by the minute. Saturday morning, I felt off and worse. I took a four-hour nap on Saturday afternoon and awoke finally knowing I was ill.

I could not keep my balance, felt woozy, stumbled on non-existent things, hands trembled doing things, dropped items or fumbled them. A trip to the doctor was in order. I knew it was a uti. I checked in at 4:30 and they close at 6 pm.

With a prescription awaiting me at WM, I got out of his office by 5:58. I have only had one dose, so I am still getting worse. (written Sat night) Now, I know why I felt so crummy for several days, why I have had no energy to plant onions or garlic.

Hair

About 2 am this Saturday morning after the Friday afternoon haircut, I finally looked at my haircut and combed my hair. He left a piece of hair about 2 inches long that grows right behind my ear, well it hangs there and is on my neck. I can feel and see many more places like that.

I figured out what he did. Picture this. He held my hair between two fingers with the 1/2 inch I wanted cut below his fingers. Then, he cut 1/2 inch above his fingers. That means he cut a full two inches from my hair! Unbelievable! Now I know what he did. It does not make me one bit happier, but I am not so baffled that an engineer did not know a half inch.

"Cut off a half inch." ???

It is Sunday PM and I have had two does of meds and it is time for another. Amazingly, I feel almost cured, but, of course, I will take all the meds. I keep thinking I am better, then try to do things. No, I feel a tiny bit better. Laundry is the only thing I am doing, it seems.

I wish it would quit raining! The temps are down from 80s to 53. Bummer.

Puppies

People park at Walmart with a sign on their cars...PUPPIES. I have to look. The first I saw were retriever/husky mix. There was cute on that was so furry, the only one who had long hair, they said. Of course, I have no fence, so I get no puppy. I won't have a dog in the house due to allergies. I just look.

The next Saturday, a car with husky/lab mix puppies was in the WM parking lot. Cute.The next week, a carload of puppies had a sign...$20. The first two cars had people all around and people were carrying them off. The third car had no one even looking. The only dog I ever had after divorce was a Border Collie, and that is what I want when I get one. I want to teach her the chickens are hers to guard and she can herd them.

Have the temperatures at your house fluctuated the last few days, like 30 degrees? My Border Collie herded me. Do you have or ever had a dog that herds? Can you tell me a story?

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Food Bank...finally

Some people say that food bank food is fattening. Well, it depends. It can be. There are way too many cookies, crackers, chips, pasta, and mac and cheese for me. I give that away.

Some give me a choice of what I can get. One food bank has items on shelves where I can see things  and choose. Or, they take it from the shelf after I choose.

Here is what I received from one. Usually, I get twice as much, but there was little in their stores the day I went. Remember, in every case, I had a choice.

For instance, for meat I could have had a choice of several lunch meats. You can see my choices below. I was allowed three meats. I can go here once each month.

Ground pork
bacon
Tombstone pizza
kale salad mix
Rye bread
5 apples
6-pack Raisins
can mixed vegetables
can green beans
Frosted Flakes...he will eat these
half gallon milk
apple pie
blueberry pie
Bag of three chocolate chip cookies...expensive little bag.

Onions and limes were available, but since I got the apples, I could not have onions or limes. I could have put back some of the apples and gotten an onion and a lime or two. But, apples were okay and I want to cook them.

If there was nothing on a shelf I would eat or wanted, I got something he will eat--mixed vegetables and Frosted Flakes are examples. The kale salad mix had kale and shaved/sliced Brussels Sprouts along with cheese, dressing and croutons. I had this for dinner Thursday night along with part of the pizza. We ate the rest of the pizza and the rest of the salad for Friday lunch. Friday dinner was the veal and potatoes from elsewhere and the slaw mix I bought.

Usually, this place gives me two or three dairy--cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt, milk, my choice. Most of these were present, but I chose the Lactaid milk since I could only have one thing.

The pies were about seven inches across. I cut both in half and transferred one half to the other pie plate in clamshell so we both had half a blueberry pie and half an apple pie which was actually peach and mislabeled.

In the next list, I had no choiceThe other things I received this month I am not sure of the total amounts, but it includes:

gallon milk
3 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
veal flanks for ossobucco (bone with a hole)
3 lbs ground beef
4 cans of my favorite tuna
4 6-packs of raisins
2 large cans Hormel chicken breast
4 cans applesauce
dozen individual size applesauce
6 cans peas
5 cans green beans
2 lbs  white rice
2 lbs beans
can of corn
sweet potatoes
white potatoes
peanut butter
24 cups of Yoplait blueberry yogurt
24 soft drinks, assorted, none name brand...gave them all away.
Dozens of bars of goey stuff which I gave away. If they throw in a chocolate bar, I will eat that!

Yes, this is heavy on canned food. However, there is a lot of protein in cans if a person had to depend solely on these boxes.  The only fresh green food from anywhere was the salad which was two days eating.  I chose none of this list above

And, yes, food from a food bank can be fattening....if you eat it. I did choose the pies and the bag with three cookies. However, I often get boxes of bars that are so sweet and fattening. I give those boxes away to someone who has a son with lots of friends.

I chose all the list below from another food bank. Rules are: choose from meats and mark with 1, 2, 3 etc, according to your preference. I will list choices and mark what I chose. Based on my household size, I could check 15 items, plus the one meat choice.

Then, there is a list of foods and hygiene products. I will list all and mark what I chose. I can get 15 of these. An x marks my choice. Then, I decided to make it bold.

Meat (number indicates my preference)
x ground pork 1
ground beef patties 2
wieners 3
ground turkey 4

margarine
x cereal
jelly
instant oatmeal
x coffee
x hot chocolate
salt
pepper
rice
tea bags
evaporated milk
catsup
mustard
x peanut butter
brown gravy mix
stuffing
taco seasoning
x crackers...tube of saltines
corn meal
mac n cheese
Vienna sausage
soup
chili
ramen noodle
 pasta with meat
x tuna
spaghetti noodles
x spaghetti sauce
x tomatoes
canned beans
x sweet peas
salsa
garlic stuffed olives
dried pinto beans
x green beans
mixed vegetables
boxed potatoes
corn
carrots
x fruit
pudding
jello
vanilla wafers
kool aid
x cake mix
frosting
popcorn
cheezits
razors
shampoo
x soap
bandaids
x toothpaste
tooth brush
deodorant
adult diapers
ajax cleanser
toilet tissue or paper towels
Kleenex
laundry detergent or dish detergent
**milk as I went out the door, explained below

The directions say to circle three of this long list in case your choice is gone. I circled rice, pasta with meat, corn. None of my choices were gone, so I did not get these three items.

**A man carried out my grocery bag of food and gave me the choice of whole or 2% milk. I cannot drink this, but exbf can and I can cook with it. Usually, there is brand name bread that includes buns of all sorts, whole wheat bread, and bagels. Instead, they had milk today.

Sometimes, there is sugar at this place. They put it in bags that probably hold two cups. Same with rice. The hot chocolate was only 5 packages, more than I need to satisfy a chocolate craving. If there were dried beans I like, I would get those. They don't have a lot that caters to a sweet tooth today, and that's fine. Some days, there are packages of cookies. Usually, the cookies are the $1 kind with sugary filling...yuck, give them away. If there are good chocolate chip cookies, I keep them.

Sorry if it bothers you that people go to these. The last one does not depend on central food banks or government funds at all. One of the others does not, either. If I am given a box with no choice of foods, I give some items to someone who needs it or can use it. That is what we are told to do. So, if you think I give lots to exbf, I am doing as instructed, just cooking it for him first.

Other notes: The milk I just got had an expiration of 3-11-18, seventeen days from now or something like that. Some times I get things that are not regularly on most people's shopping list--water chestnuts, stuffed olives, Kalamata olives, pickled bell peppers, expensive cheeses, etc. Now, I do buy Kalamata olives, but never stuffed olives unless I am having a party. I cannot think what else. I have also gotten cans of crab meat and large and small cans of salmon. Nothing is ever out of date!

As you may have guessed, I get food stamps, too, a whole $22 worth. I still have to buy chicken and the a2 milk, which is expensive. If I want any fresh vegetables or fruit, I buy that. I also buy brown rice, not cheap.

This is just a sampling of what is given. Questions? Comments? Do food banks in your area give good things like these do?







Friday, February 23, 2018

A Haircut

Today was the day exbf and I decided was the least rainy day for him to drive and us to do things. He drove up and I was ready. We went to Publix to get my expensive milk and then to WM to make a return. Then, we drove around Sportsman Lake, a lake within city limits and about three miles from me, looked at flowers and campers and ducks. It was a beautiful day and the lake was beautiful.

There were two quite large pull-behind campers set up and separated from their vehicles. Kids were out playing. Someone was fishing. I wonder how much it cost to camp.

There was a bike rental sign but no bikes. What? People can rent one or more of the nearly three dozen pavilions. Plus, there are small cabins for rent. Now, I need to find all the prices just to satisfy my own curiosity. There is also putt putt golf, playground, train, snack bar at the Sportsman Lake Park.

The ac has been on for two days now. It's very warm out. Of course, I took today to use the oven. All winter, I have used the crock pot. The weather has been a high of 83, nice weather. Next week, it should be down to 70s, maybe 60s. Birds are celebrating. Flowers abound everywhere.

We had Tombstone Pizza and salad for lunch,  Then, I had to lie down. Exbf said I went to sleep for a long time. I thought it was only ten minutes. Dinner was beef, potatoes, and corn slaw.

Before he went home, we had planned for him to cut my hair, just trim the bottom half an inch. Well, I asked him to show me the first cut. It was fully an inch long. I pointed that out. He said, okay. Well, a few minutes later, I had him show me the hair he had just cut off. It was over 2 inches long. I told him and he said, DAMN. Same with the next cut. He said DAMN! Did he have a sudden spell of brain damage. I had him show me more cuts. None were near the same. I am going to kill him. It has been two hours since he left, and I cannot even bear to look at it.

Because he cannot cut the hair without holding it, he holds my hair in his fingers and cuts above what he is holding. It has worked before. Now, there is a little pile of hair on the ground that I need to pick up.

As he looked at my hair while he was sitting in the car, he said, "Yeah, I see lots of places I left it scraggly, lots of long pieces." I tried not to cry. And, I have not yelled at him or fussed at him. sigh

It was a very pleasant day until he cut my hair. I am not sure if I need to leave it alone, try to straighten it myself, or pay for a haircut.

Has anyone EVER given you such a crummy haircut?  Well, I have paid for bad haircuts, but this is the only bad haircut anyone not a professional has given me. A half inch is safe, Two inches gone is a catastrophe. He wanted to go back and try to cut it better. No. I don't want a pixie haircut.

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Done

The Animal Control Officer came Before 9 am and the possum is gone. The guy used gloves and a huge black plastic bag to hold the poor thing. The stench was beyond what I could bear. I rarely go over there, but I will assure I do not go back soon.

A friend came by to pick up things that people have said they want and do not come by. There is more room in the car. It is a glorious morning, no need for anything beyond my sandals and short sleeves. Well, I do have on pants, just nothing for cool weather. The sun is brilliant even though there is rain to the west that might be here or not very soon.

She also brought me a recipe for date balls. We had discussed this earlier in the week, and she did not forget. Since I will see her Tuesday at one of the free lunches, I have a list for her that I will carry.

I really want to pick daffodils since there are now so many all over the yard. Every year, I pick a bouquet and am so pleased with the beauty and fragrance indoors. Then, my allergies bother me so that I have to move them into another room. So, that is the plan.

The few times I have been in the hospital long enough to receive flowers, I had them removed immediately. I did not want to compromise my health with allergic reactions. And, I cannot have plants in the hospital because of the mold spore in dirt. It's annoying when I am ill to listen to people whine because I cannot have their flowers in my hospital room.

The tulips look as though they will bloom any day. For a few days, the lavender-pink tulips make a showy display with the yellow daffodils. I cannot wait!

Last night, I baked ground turkey Italian sausage. I baked it on a pan in the oven in one flat piece like it came from the Styrofoam. I cut it in four pieces before baking. I ate one and am not a fan. Three meals for exbf are separated by waxed paper and in one plastic bag.

This morning, I have a chunk of ground beef, 85% and 15% in the crockpot for exbf.  It will be packed in pint bags, one meal in each bag. Some will be crumbles or slabs to use as he pleases. I always use onions and garlic which he loves.

When he has bought ground beef or I have given it to him, he  cooked it all in patties at one time--no onions or garlic. Now, he cannot stand at the stove to do so. I suppose it has been three years since he actually cooked anything. He buys a meal, eats what I cook for him along with a can of vegetables, or brings home a fast food hamburger. He only uses a microwave now.

11:15...Rain just this minute! I thought it was going to miss me or at least hold off another thirty minutes until I got into the car...ugh. The sun went away just a few moments ago. At least I had a glorious few moments/hours of a warm spring day.

At 2 pm I lay down for a three-hour nap. I awoke feeling less than refreshed. My allergies are bothering me today. Eyes itch.

This evening, I picked up my online order at WM. I thought I would receive an email, but went to the pickup and it was ready. This is the order I used a $10 off code that came in the mail.

That was my day. It is not over, but I am.

Do your allergies bother you when you cut flowers and bring them into the house? Or, have them in a hospital room?

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Sleep Deficit and Restorative Sleep

Today was a beautiful day, sunshine, warm weather and daffodils looking more beautiful than the day before.

I finally caught up on my sleep with a double dose of melatonin and the air conditioner.  I just cannot sleep if I am too warm. Well, I could sleep under a pile of blankets if I could breath cold air.

Someone is coming tomorrow to get the long-dead possum. She is looking more pathetic all the time. It was dusk and dangerous for me to walk out there, but I took a flashlight and went to look and she if she was still there. I could not see wisteria, but did not trip on little limbs embedded in the pine straw. Her head is sort of leaning to one side now.

I got little done today. I got the last bag of garbage ready. It is too heavy to take out. But, my friend has a cold and cannot take it to can or can to road. sigh

Junk in the car was only partially organized or removed. It exhausts me and lifting anything hurts my hand and back. So, it is half-done. Or, maybe one-tenth done. Yes, that is more like it.

Hopefully, I will get some cooking done even though it is almost 8 pm. Chicken sausage patties in a baking pan in the oven. Some sort of beef in bag in oven. Chicken breasts cooked somewhere, oven or crockpots. I am so ambitious and talk a good game. Ha! Now, to get some of this done.

My secret projects are still on my mind. This is the planning stage. When I get them done and delivered, I can share with you.

Plan as I may, I still have not planted the garlic or tulips or onions. So, sue me.

Since it is about time for Modern Family, I need to get dinner to eat while it is on.

Do you ever have days that plans do not come to fruition? What did you get done today?

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Monday groceries, seeds, and a 'possum that is deader than it was yesterday

Monday, I bought groceries--lettuce, 2 Kraft Cheese Chunk, bananas, strawberries, and milk. I eat a banana each day. I needed the strawberries for my live trap to catch animals. Okay, I just put the cap end with a bit of strawberry as bait plus crumpled foil.

At the place that gives beans and rice with no means test, I also received a can of green beans and a can of corn. I also received about three pounds of sweet potatoes and three pounds of white potatoes. This is all very basic eating, nothing fancy.

There are still carrots that need to be baked, apples, and grapes. So, there was no need for any of those. I actually forgot about the grapes, but they stay good forever. Oh, I bought seeds for butternut squash. Hopefully, I will get one butternut squash since the seeds were $1.44. Butternut squash are expensive to buy. If I can just break even on the seeds!

Ooops, there is broccoli here, too.

The expensive a2milk has risen twenty-cents since last week. I over-indulged last week.

Monday, I went out to cut forsythia to force, and a possum frightened the life almost out of me. I was looking away and trying to find my forsythia bushes. As I turned to the right, I was eight feet from stepping on a possum half out of the ground. She was just lying there with closed eyes. I thought I saw a slit of eye several times.

I took a picture with my flip phone, went inside and got my camera. I took pictures with both and went to WM to buy a $0.28 picture. I did not recognize the animal as an opossum, so others confirmed what it was. Tuesday, I will bait the live trap and set it out there. Hopefully, I will catch her and babies probably still inside her pouch. She looked dead, but I am sure she was "playing possum."

Tuesday update: The possum is in same position, dead, I think, okay, I am sure. No need for a trap. The fur is not so smooth and there are flies on it. The possum is less swollen/fat today. The reason I did not recognize it for a possum was that 1) it was very swollen, not the shape of a possum head and body, 2) I could not see the tail, a dead giveaway. So, there is no need for me to try to get the trap around the house.

There will be other babies around the neighborhood. I saw a female cat that had obviously just been impregnated--she walked funny.. Why don't people fix their animals? Now, I have to get my neighbor to remove the opossum.

Do you fix your animals? Do people in your neighborhood do the same? How could the healthy looking animal have died half out of her hole?


Monday, February 19, 2018

Walmart Online Order Saving

A card came in the mail for $10 off a $35 order. I thought today was the deadline so I was frantically looking for the card with the code. No, the 28th was the deadline. My bank card is at the bank, so I used exbf's credit card and will give the money back to him.

Sure enough, the order came to $29 instead of the $39 I ordered. This works for me. I realized there are codes on the internet all the time, so I will be using them to get $10 off a $50 order. I am $10 to the good today.

My only problem was the ordering from my computer. It made no sense and the same offer was not online. So, I went to WM and got a very helpful young employee to do it for me. It appears my only two problems were 1) I needed to use the app on my phone, 2) I am slow and must use a stylus. I can use the stylus but she probably did not have the time it would take me. Next time, I can slog through by myself.

Exbf can order, too, and get $10 off. Yay! I am patting myself on the back for accomplishing this saving. I will pat a little harder when I can do it by myself...lol.

Today must be the first day in over two weeks When it has not rained, sprinkled or drizzled. Although the day was a little dreary this morning, it has brightened considerably. (about 4 pm now)

Robins are all around, pecking in the yard. Oh, that was this morning for the robins.More daffodils are in bloom. Tulips are closer to blooming. Exbf said that he heard male Cardinals' mating calls as he sat in my driveway waiting for me to get ready one day two weeks ago. The squirrels are still ripping up the tarp for bedding. I wonder if birds are getting it for their bedding. I have some yarn I may toss up there on the tarp for them to use.

I was going to plant a few garlic cloves today. I didn't.  A guy at the farmer's market gave me a clove of Elephant Garlic last year. I ripped the cloves off when they started to have green shoots. By keeping them mostly in the dark, they are still good, I think. We will see.

Your turn
Did you get a card from WM with coupon for $10 off $35 order? Do you ever order from WM using online codes? If so, where are they? What are the signs of spring at your house?

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Out my kitchen window today--what is the man doing??

Today, I went to the kitchen to do something at or beside the sink. I noticed a red truck parked beside my retaining wall. The side of the yard outside my kitchen window has a retaining wall about four feet high. It is right at the curb, so I am always surprised when someone parks there.

There was a guy about ten feet behind the truck, looking at the ground on this side of the wall. He sort of stirred the leaves/pine straw/dirt. I watched until he got to the back of his truck, curious as to what on earth he was doing or what he was looking for.

He then scooted in between truck and the retaining wall. I could tell it was a tight squeeze by the way he walked sideways. What could he be looking for?

Okay, I am in a nightgown and my hair looks like the Medusa. I headed out the back door with a tall cup of cereal and milk, smushing my hair down like it did any good.

I went quickly around the front of the house, hoping my hurry did not make me trip on something.

"Excuse me. What are you doing?"

He explained that there was white wisteria on the wall. I live here, so I know that. He showed me the bean like seed carriers and told me these were white wisteria seeds. I know that, too. He said he had the lavender wisteria and wanted some white wisteria, too. He hoped I did not mind since he did not go onto my property.

I explained I did not care, that I just could not imagine what he was getting. He said it would take ten years for it to bloom. That cannot be right. I offered to give him some that had rooted, you know, the kind that trips me!

So, that was the highlight of my day.

Just looking out my window, sometimes the front and sometimes the picture window, or the kitchen or bedrooms, I see all sorts of things--car break-ins, home vandalism, fights in a parking lot, peeping tom at neighbor house.  I don't spend so long at the windows, but things happen. All this has not happened where I live now. I like to look out my windows. While I am not looking for anything in particular, I see squirrel antics or people antics. I love to see the trees and the sky.

Once, I heard a dog making noise/yapping and looked out the back window to see a neighbor dog hanging by his collar from the fence. I ran out of the house and told neighbor boy who ran into my yard and leaped easily over the fence and rescued the dog. The dog jumped on something and tried to make a getaway.

Today, I stayed home today. So, no money was spent on anything. That means I also cooked/ate from home.

The house still is messy from almost three months being ill. I piddled and threw out paper stuff, worked on kitchen and bathroom, doing a bit on each. Someone who was supposed to get stuff out of the car for herself did not call, show up, or answer her phone. I am giving this away, so why not come?

Do you ever sit or stand and look out the window? Why? Do you like seeing nature, people, animals? Do you ever accidentally see something that calls for action?

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Looking out my kitchen window

Okay, I cannot show you, but I can describe it. I can see the chickens' pen, a 10x10x6 foot dog pen. Over the top is hardware cloth to keep out the critters who like to have chicken for a snack, mainly raccoons at night. Over that is a tarp and another tarp. When the original tarp several years old sprung leaks, I had someone put another on right over the first.

One day, as I was at the sink, I noticed something moving outside the window. As I looked closer, I saw a squirrel digging at the top tarp. (I have to peer through the bare dogwood tree limbs.) She scratched on it until she had a huge fluff the size of a basketball of shredded tarp. There is no way to stop these squirrels when they start on a project of deconstructing what we humans want intact.

My neighbor had a nice, new hammock with the attached pillow. Squirrels ripped up the pillow. She said every day she looked, more was ripped open and the pillow was being gutted. She was furious and finally took down the hammock. I had sweet potatoes on a table in the back yard. A squirrel carried one 20 feet up a tree and left it in a crotch. Squirrels dig up anything planted in a pot, so my life is rough when it comes to anything potted growing. Okay, maybe those are chipmunks digging in pots.

Several days, I have noticed the squirrel at work or noticed that more of the good tarp has been ripped up. Before I get new chicks to put out there, I was going to have another tarp put over the pen. It won't last now that the squirrels have found a ready source of bedding for the babies probably due soon.

When a tarp is ripped up, the tarp shreds into little blue plastic strands, sort of like spaghetti. These strands will now be all over the yard and in trees.

Even if I could rid my yard of squirrels, there are so many that the other squirrels in the neighborhood would just move over here.

This morning, I awoke about 4 am. I was too warm, so I threw off the sheet and fuzzy blanket. Then, I was chilly, so I pulled the sheet over me. I was too warm, so I pulled it away from my neck and stuck my hands out. sigh Finally, I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed the heater was on. It was not just barely on! It was on too high. So, I turned it almost off. The room finally was cooler. The cooler I got, the sleepier I got. So, I turned over to go to sleep with only the sheet over me.  Then, my cold feet roused me even as I tried to just ignore my feet. I took the blanket in a heap and threw it at my feet. Ahhh, better. Then, my feet were too hot. I lay still and tried to sleep, anyway. That did not work. Finally, I just turned on the light and got the laptop out and waited for the alarm to go off at 8 am.

It is 11:15 am, and I am exhausted. I am too tired to put on a nightgown, but I don't want to sleep in my clothes. UGH!  Three hours sleep does not work for me!

I called a friend and we are going to meet and she just said, "When I get through here." Well, about 11:30, I went to sleep in my clothing. I had a nice nap until about 4 pm. I called and she had forgotten another place she was going, so, that's that. It's okay.  Plus, the conference was late ending.

If I had not had the heat on too high, if I had turned it down sooner, if I had not had so much cover on me, if I had taken a melatonin, if, if, if, that is how some nights go.

Do you have an abundance of squirrels? Eating things you don't want them to eat?  I know there must me somebody who has as much trouble going to sleep some nights as I do. Raise your hand.

Friday, February 16, 2018

Girls of Dragon Valley

Edifice Rex

I hope Mama Hen does not mind I borrowed her photo to promote her calendar.
MamaHen, Thank you. 

Wednesday, as we came home from the doctor, I was surprised by a box by my back door. Even though exbf was waiting in the car, I had to open it.

It was a calendar by MamaHen, Girls of  Dragon Valley.

It had twelve pictures of beautiful hens. My Dominique named Dominique that I gave her last Fall was Ms. December. She is a very photogenic chicken and her shoot was tastefully done.

The post in the link also has a picture of Dominique at the bottom. She is a very fat hen.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

I Could Have Bought Candy

I thought the $5 coupon from CVS expired on February 19. Luckily, I looked at it and saw February 15 was the expiration date. So, I got myself down to CVS. I needed one thing. Chocolate was what I wanted but not what I needed.

When I got to the OTC section and found my item, I could barely walk to the front. When it was rung up, the cost was $15.03. After the coupon, I paid $10.03. SCORE!

If I had waited until the 15th, that $5 coupon would have bought a lot of marked-down Valentine candy.


Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Problem Solved (sort of)

History of this. I was told after an MRI that I had broken a bone in the base of my thumb. Then, I was told to go to hand surgeon. Today, I did. The doctor ordered and xray and used that for his diagnosis. Remember I caught myself on steps as I tripped on the high step and landed with hand/palm flat on concrete? Well, that was diagnosed today.

Conclusion today: I do not have broken bone in thumb. I did not break a bone in hand. No sprains either. The pain in hand from last injury is probably a bruised bone or two. That is  good thing for thumb and hand. The solution for the pain is shot in thumb base. No thank you. Or, there was a long list of NSAIDs, none of which I care to take.

He ordered a brace for me. That, I know, will help with the pain and keep me from hurting it over and over again.

So, I get a brace and I just don't do things that make it hurt. Using a brace will help me not to hurt my hand. The thumb pain will be with me forever, just not so great a pain, I hope.

Today, exbf drove me out of town to hand surgeon. I could kill him for his swerving all over the road and in my opinion driving too close to the outer edge. His opinion is that he drives just fine. He gets bent out of shape over it. He manually turned the windshield wiper on and off today. Since it was raining, he really frightened me.

Remember, he is the one who has wrecks and hits things. I don't.

I did not want to go the back way because the water would be high on each side of the country road, especially on my side of the car on the way up. I knew I would drown it he ran off the road. So, we went to long way to the doctor.

We went the wrong way to doctor because he did not make the turn that I told him about. "Take the Parkway to the left and then Governors to the right. Well, two miles past the Parkway, I told him we were still on Bob Wallace. He angrily blamed it on me for not telling him about the turn. ???  Fortunately, I knew the names of the roads and got us back on track easily.

Then, on the way back from doctor, he wanted to go the wrong way to leave and I yelled at him. I yelled because he kept arguing and waggling the wheel back and forth, trying to go right and then left. He did this about ten times, and I just knew we were gong to have a wreck in the rain and rush hour traffic. He just does not follow directions or notice where we came from...ugh.

By being on the wrong road, we passed a Quiznos, and I promptly told him I was getting that on the way home. It must have been ten years since I had the Traditional sandwich. I ate it in the car and had crumbs down my blouse with some migrating to my waist. I love Quiznos!

When we got back to my house, he sat in the car while I came in the house and packed what I had for him. He got the thighs and legs and wings from the chicken I cooked. I baked four spicy thighs gotten cheaply. I put them in four pint freezer bags to facilitate his eating them. I remembered to give him the baked carrots I put in the freezer. I had bought coleslaw mix and had not made it. So, I put half the mix in a gallon storage bag and put all the seasoning stuff in the bag and sent it home. He was laughing about squeezing it to mix it. He still had the apple, halo, and grapes I packed for his wait at the doctor. Oh, I gave him the whole wheat bread I cannot touch and some nooks and crannies. Altogether, he had enough meat and vegetables for eight meals. He is so happy to get this food so he will have home-cooked food.

This may be the first time he ever recognized Valentine's Day without me complaining that he always forgets. It was a token gift, nothing expensive. But it made me happy he remembered.

The weather is damp which makes me chilly, but spring-like and makes me get too hot. More daffodils bloomed and exbf exclaimed at how pretty they were. I suppose it is the first time he has seen them. The tulips look like they will burst open any day.

gone

I wrote a long post and hit a button that disappeared it. So, I will start again later or tomorrow. Bummer. I need a good night's sleep which I missed last night.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

My elbow skin problem--a puzzle

Let me say this has been a dreary day. I have been miserable because of the lack of sun. Maybe I am still very ill, but I feel just awful, another consequence of no sun. My limbs feel heavy. I feel lazy. Okay, enough of that. Now, for my "problem."

Believe me, this is a minor, yet baffling,  problem. I always have a rough elbow. When it becomes smooth, the other becomes rough. I never do anything to cause the rough elbow to become smooth.

The condition is not much visible according to my observations and comments from exbf. The roughness does not catch on clothing or anything. I only know my elbow is rough if I put my hand there and feel it.  I have seen people with elbows that were horribly wrinkled, gray-looking and calloused. I have no problem with people's elbows so there is no judgment in the appearance. I doubt mine will ever be that way. This is not an attempt to keep elbows looking good...lol.

The one elbow is not so rough. However, the other elbow is amazingly smooth. It is the switching back and forth between elbows that is baffling. I do not obsess over this and rarely notice or think of it. Today, I just thought I would mention the condition.

I don't spend my time putting lotion on the afflicted elbow. Occasionally, I do, but I am not obsessive or regular. Besides, it seems not to help.

When I was in school, leaning on desks, writing, leaning on library tables as I studied, this condition might not have been so baffling.

This was brought up to a dermatologist who was not interested at all. "Put lotion on it." My elbow was not the reason for the visit.

There has got to be an explanation as to why it switches elbows. Don't laugh!

Do you ever have this happen or know anyone who has same thing happen--roughness switching elbows? Do not suggest asking a doctor or putting lotion on it. The answer is beyond those two suggestions.

The switching of elbows, not the roughness, is the problem/question.  Okay, the elbows don't switch. The roughness goes from one to the other. Or, stops on one and starts on the other. just curious.

Monday, February 12, 2018

Kids putting on clothes, flu deaths

First, let me say this weather is wrong, just wrong! It was very warm Sunday, almost 70. On Monday, the temperature fell to 30s. At about 38 F, I felt what felt like sleet on my arm. It stung, very tiny, but it stung. It is just not right. Temperatures will rise to high 60s and into 70s this week.

One more thing before I get to the subject at hand.

My daffodils bloomed last Friday. That was February 9. The tulip buds are swelling, so they will be blooming soon. Spring is glorious. Right?

VAL was writing about her grandson Leon and his getting dressed. Click on her name to read the post. The post reminded me of my oldest daughter, second child. 

My daughter had to dress within my sight. Otherwise, she would never get dressed in the morning before school. I could see the sofa through the kitchen door. 

She is sitting on the sofa with socks in hand, staring into space and not putting on socks. 
Put your socks on, Lisa
repeat three times
her--huh, what?
put the left sock on
now
now
now
Now pull it all the way up
pull
pull it up NOW 

Repeat same scenario for right sock, right pants leg, left pants leg, up to the waist, and right shoe and left shoe. All this time, I am trying to cook breakfast and pack lunches. 

When I would insist she put her sock on, she would stick her toes in, holding the sock with both hands and just sit there. ???  So close.

It was maddening. She was not a morning person and neither am I. 

Son--took socks off and rearranged them a half dozen times, at least, for each foot. I understand how socks don't fit right all the time. (I do the same, even now.) But, at least he was working. I think the son of daughter (my grandson) above has sock problems like my son and I do. I spend lots of time getting my socks to feel right! 

Youngest daughter--just dressed herself to show up the other two, I suspect. I never had one problem with her getting dressed! 

The county school system here let school out at noon on Wednesday and cancelled school Thursday and Friday. It seem that 27% of all students were absent Wednesday. I wondered aloud why the city and private schools did not close. A person in the know said the city schools were not so badly affected. Wonder why?

I don't know how the red text got there!

If my children were in school now, I would have taken them out to homeschool. The children who are dying are being treated for the flu. They are not sitting home and dying.  Their parents are attentive and do the right thing, getting them health care. It seems like there is nothing that can be done for them to keep them from dying, and they die. Of course, when the flu problem was  over, I would put them back in school. 

As for me, I feel wonderful, so much better. The meds are working. I cough so much less, but there is still a heavy feeling in my chest and when I breathe deeply or exert myself. I have overdone it today, Saturday, so Sunday may not be great for me. I am writing this on Saturday night. But, I am posting it on Monday night and feel better than on Saturday.

I don't know what happened to the text size!


Your turn
Do you or anyone you know fuss over socks fitting right? My friend was annoyed at her granddaughter about socks feeling bad and taking forever to put them on. I assured her I had the same problem and so did my son and there was nothing to do but let the child/person work it out. 

Have schools in your area been cancelled because of the flu? 

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Crockpot Chicken, Jelly, Inserts, Hot and Cold, Haircut

Saturday evening, I put a chicken in the crockpot. It barely fit in the 4 qt. Crockpot. I had to mash it down to get it in. Today, I saved legs and thighs for exbf and breast for me. Yum!

He went to his church where they were celebrating 200 year anniversary of the founding. He brought home a plate of bbq, slaw, and other things that he said would make two or three meals. That makes for a happy man. It rides on the seat of his walker, so he can handle it.

Saturday evening and today, I cooked down 2 gallons of blueberries, one gallon on Saturday and one on Sunday. After I left them to drain in a colander, I had a quart of juice last night. Today, I didn't put any water in them, nor did I cook them down as long. I ended up with about a cup and a half of juice.

The juice is in the refrigerator. Today, Sunday, I bought Sure-Jell to make jelly. Cooked blueberries were strained through a colander and should be strained through cloth to make clear jelly. I am not making this for a competition or for show, so I will use the murky juice full of blueberry matter. Monday, I will make jelly. I don't remember ever making blueberry jelly.

There were three coupon inserts in today's Sunday paper. Two of them were only two sheets folded, so only 8 pages of coupons as opposed to three or four times that for a normal Sunday insert. Bummer!

Friday, I went to buy the newspapers for the last three Sundays since I was ill one Sunday and forgot another Sunday. I don't remember why I did not get one on the other Sunday. I bought one newspaper and the other Sunday with four inserts was sold out. However, someone had bought the paper and did not want the inserts, so I was given a whole stack of inserts.  Lucky me.

It is so hot in my area with daytime temps of high 60s. Then, tonight it is about 49 and sprinkling, just enough to make me feel very cold. So, heater gets turned off and then on. It's an awkward time of the year. I am continually taking off socks, putting on sandals, off the  sweatshirt, now I am too cool. it keeps me busy.

Sunday, I cut my bangs and they look great. Then, I cut some angled on the sides, and I am not sure if I ruined it or not. When exbf comes this week, he is going to cut the back for me, just the length. I was going to get it cut. I do not like my hair washed at the shop but I come in with it fresh, clean, and dry. I want to walk out after the cut. So, no washing, no water or towels or person used. Nothing, no product or time spent on me afterward. I always hate the product and must wash it out when I get home. I hate hairspray because of the smell and it makes my face break out. She wanted $18 for just the cut. No!

Your turn
Do you make blueberry jelly? What is your favorite jelly? Did you notice the coupon inserts were skimpy today? Or, was it just my paper? Are the temps where you are so variable that you have to take clothes off and on and actually turn the heat off and then on a bit later? Am I the only one who thinks $18 is a lot for just the haircut, trim length of hair, no layering?


Saturday, February 10, 2018

I found a rock!

I went to Publix to find reduced Christmas ice cream and maybe some Thin Mint ice cream since it is that time of the year and someone, maybe sluggy, said it was on sale.

There is a station in Publix where a woman cooks and serves samples. She was not working at that time, so no samples. I was looking at the recipe she used today. I put my hand on the counter and was puzzled by a heart cookie decorated and sitting on the edge of the counter. I gingerly touched it. It was a decorated heart-shaped rock. Someone had taken a foam heart and put a heart sticker on it and glued it to the rock. It looked just like a Valentine cookie.

Finding the rock made me so happy. I imagine a little kid wanting to paint a rock and the mother saying, "let's just decorate one with stickers.

There was no clearance Christmas ice cream and no Thin Mint ice cream. At least I had something to bring home, make me smile, and forget how much I wanted ice cream. This is my second rock I have found. I lost the first one and was sorely disappointed.

Your turn
Have you found a painted/decorated left for someone to find rock lately? Or ever? Do you paint rocks and disperse them for people to find? Do you skip rocks on water? Tell me your rock story...lol...seriously.

Friday, February 9, 2018

A New "Appliance"

We purchased this from Walmart, about $20 including tax. This will positively impact our health and hopefully my weight.  We both have diabetes. It makes spirals and ribbons from vegetables and fruits.

Exbf came today (Thursday) and the plan for lunch was spaghetti sauce with spiralized zucchini and Parmesan. That did not happen. A coupon for Arby's got sandwiches and $1 got us two cokes from the machine in Walmart. I had returned something so had what felt like free money. It was not free, but I was too ill to think about spiralizing anything or eating what was in the house.

You can read about it here. Veggetti

Monday, I think, I had visited a lumberyard and gone into the huge area where people had been sawing. The second breath I took sent me into a coughing fit. Since then, I have just started coughing, seeing stars before my eyes as I coughed so hard. People run from me as they are alarmed by the cough.

Thursday, I awoke to the alarm before 9 am. I was so confused as to where I was, why was the alarm ringing, what to do. I was dazed like when you take a fifteen minute nap and are so discombobulated when you first awake, wondering what is happening. I staggered upright and continued to be confused and light-headed most of the day. Thank goodness exbf was here to drive me to doctor and WM for meds.

We took our lunch to the doctor's office to eat in the car while I waited my turn. So, I signed in before 1 pm. and got out of there about 4:30. There was only one person ahead of me, waiting to see the doctor. ???

The nurse could get not hit a vein as I was dehydrated. I had forgotten to bring water to drink, so all day I had none.  My urine was clear except for ketones. ??? The doctor said she thought I had walking pneumonia but a blood test was the way to confirm her thoughts. So, she said she would treat me for walking pneumonia. I got a shot in both hips and three prescriptions. The only symptom I could give the doctor was I was dizzy and it hurt just a bit to breathe and I occasionally coughed! I had a slight temp. She had little to go on. Well, she did say she had seen lots of walking pneumonia  in the office.

Exbf said he could tell I felt ill because my eyes were dull. Dinner did not happen either. I went in the house and packed food for him to take home: thawed, sliced ham from freezer; raw broccoli, zucchini, and yellow squash;  grapes, Halos, apples; leaves of leaf lettuce and a whole tomato. I had baked carrots for him and forgot to put those in the bag. He had cheese and ham sandwich and a salad when he arrived at his house.

This Thursday night, I sit here feeling like I might just live. For dinner (after a nap) I had a Halo and then a bowl of spaghetti sauce with lots of Parmesan cheese. It was like spaghetti soup and delicious.

There were no decent yellow squash at WM yesterday or Publix today, and they were expensive. One small yellow squash that looked like it had been tossed about was 85 cents.

Has anyone used the Veggetti? There was another spiralizer there, about the same cost. But, the one employee who had used one had used the Veggetti and loved it. Do you use another appliance to spiralize? This one makes ribbons, too, so I can use zucchini for pasta in lasagna.. 

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Poke Sallet--dewormer

Did you ever eat poke sallet? This is a great article about the history of poke sallet? I will disagree with one thing. He states that Poke Sallet festivals use the green as a totem but serve none. At the Poke Sallet Festival in Arab, AL, we did eat poke sallet. A big pot of greens has beaten eggs stirred into the hot poke greens. Several restaurants served poke sallet for the festival.

I have poke sallet in my yard every year. The neighbor who share about 12 feet of fence line never cleans out the poke or weeds of the corner in their yard. They rent. Naturally, poke berries sprout in my yard in those twelve feet.

This story is one I have told here before. My father found poke and cooked it. Mama told him to cook it three times, emptying the water and rinsing the poke between cookings. He argued that his mother never cooked and rinsed it three times. Mama refused to eat the poke he cooked. He spent three days in the bathroom and swore he would never eat poke sallet again. He never did.

Have you ever eaten or cooked poke sallet? Did your parents or grandparents cook and eat it? Are you familiar with the song Poke Sallet Annie?

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

It was not because I am old!

If you are of any age, do you ever think younger people think you cannot do something because you are old and inept? Just because I walk funny does not mean my brain is not working.  Got it?

I was trying to get a combination lock open, but try as I might, I could not get it to work. So, I asked a woman about 27 to see if she could get it to open. Even though she tried for about 15 minutes, she could not get it open either.

A guy friend of 24 tried and tried and asked the combination over and over, thinking he had it wrong. Finally, he said he was going to get his girlfriend. She came in and opened it within 15 seconds of getting the combination! I was flabbergasted.

The point? It was not that I am old and inept with combination locks. Who knows why so many people could not get it to work. Their youth certainly did not beat being older.

My one chore today did not pan out. No, it was not the lock fiasco.  Enough said. It was a dreary day, no sun. Finally, about 11 am, the rain stopped.

I did other things that are not worth mentioning, even if I could remember what they were. lol Oh, I did return that combination lock and got my money back. Today, before the lock was finally removed, I did purchase a keyed lock in order not to ever have to try to get it open again.

My toes are cold!

Your turn
Have you figured that people think that when an item won't work for you it is because you are old? Or a woman? Or, an old woman? Then people figure out the item is defective?

UGH! Tuesday

An early appointment did not end well. So, that's that! Since I had little sleep, I decided a nap would be appropriate. It was going to rain all day, so napping sounded good. Plus, driving around in the rain is not my favorite thing to do since getting in and out in the rain is a pain with the umbrella.

When I say pain, I mean physical pain. My right hand is swollen and hurts six inches above my wrist. Remember the broken bone in base of thumb from last year? Well, it still hurts. Plus, I tripped on the steps into the house, caught myself with palm flat on another step. I think I broke something else.

This step has been a trip hazard since we moved here in 1977.  All three kids tripped on it. Friends comment since they are unaware that the step is higher than the others. I think I will measure them to give you a sense of the problem.

Since I was out of milk, a trip to Publix was in order. I think I went to sleep at 11:45. I awoke at 3:45. I am feeling wonderful. It is almost nine pm. Yes, I will sleep.

About 6 pm I had to go to WM electronics department with a small problem solved easily, then it was home in the rain. Neighbor friend came to do one little thing for me.

He had news of J. They moved from their apt that cost more than he brought home. Now, they live about 30 miles south of here with a friend. Sound familiar? They told a friend of my friend that he wanted them to fail when he asked they move after 13 or 14 months living rent free in his home. I think J knows better. She is still waiting on a fast food job that told her in November they might be hiring after Christmas and not even looking anywhere else. Sad. And, she will not come here and get her money I owe her. Oddly, he worked a mile from here and chose to live 7 miles to the south. Then, he moved 30 miles away from his minimum wage job. ??? He and his choices could be a case study in how to fail and how to never get ahead in life.

Maybe tonight I will do the online $35 order at WM to give me a $10 credit on the order. Maybe not.

Oddly, typing does not hurt my hand. Holding a spoon to eat does.  I have a very light touch on the keys. Key pounding puzzles me. The keys are easy to touch. Since I started typing on the old black manual typewrites in 1959 in high school, I really appreciate laptops keyboards. I would not be typing on this blog is the keys were as hard to depress as those keys on the old black manual typewriters.

Did you know the first QWERTY keyboard was invented in 1873?

Wednesday plans: get 5 lbs of carrots scraped and cooked and frozen in packages for exbf. Of course, we will eat from them and I will keep some for myself.  He absolutely loves the olive oil and garlic on them.

I do not regret one bit the nap that restored me! If it does keep me awake, so be it.

WEDNESDAY
I managed to take an additional evening nap and still slept six hours overnight.

Your turn
Did you ever type on the old black manual typewriters? What did you use to learn to type? Do you still pound the keys on your laptop or do you use a light touch like I do?

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

How Monday Went

Since I had trouble going to sleep, I just slept until I awoke Monday morning...10:35. Immediately, I started calling. The first call took me 1.5 hours and I was not happy with the results--government agency.

The Water Dept. adjusted my bill by ~ $40. Power Board noted on bill. Happy dance

Got supplies done at Lowe's.

Friend cannot do favor in time, but tomorrow.

Bank account--balance obtained. The missing check came in!

I picked up only part of trash because I forgot to take a bag. One item was cigarette pack like J smoked.

Church activity dates noted in day planner after calling both.

I washed my hair about noon.


go to Com. on Aging--question, sign papers and shredding papers done
call Water Dept. done
call Power Board done
go to Lowe's done
Call friend to do a favor done
pick up trash in my yard almost
pay for internet at ATT office
go to bank  done
call gov't agency done
go to courthouse
call church about lunch dates  done
wash my hair  done

Rolled over to tomorrow, two things:
go to courthouse to purchase tag and get Homestead Exemption. I just did not get everything done in time and was very tired. Where did the green text come from?!

Pay internet. ATT office claimed the could not help me. Ha! I thought I got rid of the green.

I stopped by the hair dresser that I forgot to get the telephone number to call. Still don't have number but can find it on internet. She was not there. So, that is for Tuesday.