At Last!

 We sent in our request for a mail-in ballot about two weeks ago. I have been afraid we would not get a ballot in time. Our mail-in ballots came today. I have been fretting over this situation. Usually, Tommy gets the mail at noon, as soon as it comes. Today, he did not get the mail from the box until after 6 pm. I was so relieved to receive the envelope. It is filled out, just waiting for two people to witness my signature. 

The large white envelope held Five (5) other items: instruction sheet, secrecy envelope, affidavit envelope, brown mailing envelope. Whew! And there were lots of instructions on the instruction sheet. Now, we either have to have it notarized or have two witness sign. We are going the witness route. We can witness for each other, then find one witness to use for both of us. 

At 8 pm and rushed off by 8:30 to find marked-down Halloween items. There was little to be had and certainly not pumpkins, fake ones. A furniture store did have Fall items and pumpkins, but none were marked down. All specifically Halloween items were packed away. So, that is that. I refuse to chase a bargain right now. 

I did find an orange container and a black and orange pick.

We needed a nap. We got up right when we were supposed to be elsewhere, snatched on clothes and left. The people asked why were so late, thinking we had forgotten. We sheepishly told them we were asleep. 

Last night, we did a bit of decluttering. I had saved boxes, large and small for a specific reason. Well, we overdid it. So, Tommy broke down boxes I brought out to him. They are in the garbage truck. 

Publix was next. I bought the wrong Cheerios for Tommy. So, one of us will return them. I like original Cheerios and cannot stand Honey Nut Cheerios, his favorite. They even stink when he eats them.  I did get two half gallons of a2milk that is 2/$9. 

I switched to Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats from Special K which is too expensive! I rarely find them bogo. Besides, I like oats. I would eat them all the time except for the fact they have to be prepared. I am not lazy, just in pain. Tommy would do all the dipping of oats, measuring of water, and heating, but he does so much for me. 

Something strange happened here just before Halloween. I had changed out all batteries in things around the living rooms, candles, Red Kiss with lights inside, pillar candles. Tommy was standing and trying to use the tv remote. Suddenly, the Red Kiss fairy lights came on. He had not noticed. I certainly had noticed and was a little dumbfounded. He could not get the tv remote to turn off the lights. I had to turn them off manually. What on earth? Has your tv remote ever turned off another device that had its own remote???

Today, as I got out of the car and tried to turn and walk up the ramp, I stumbled and almost fell, stumbling toward the ramp until I could grab it. Later, I asked Tommy if he saw me. He said, "No, but he did see me stumbling/staggering in Lowe's parking lot when I dropped my debit card. Then, he let go of his walker here in the living room and held out both arms and slightly wavered back and forth, knees slightly bent, saying, "You looked like you were hanging ten. He really did look like a surfer. We had a good laugh. 

I was feeling woozy when I got out at Lowe's and then saw my debit card flutter to the ground, I momentarily assured myself I could pick it up. No, I cannot. I looked up and a man was exiting his car. So, I called to him and asked him if he could help me. He approached me eagerly and asked me what he could do. I pointed to the card and asked him to get it for me so I would not fall. Nice guy. 

I love DST, but I hate the early evening. We had to be home by 5 pm tonight as it quickly became too dark to drive once we came home. Soon, the day will end an hour earlier. DST has never bothered my sleep. Now, how could my sleep habits get any worse? In the past DST never disrupted my sleep, school, work, or health.

Ooops, I stored away Skelli with two AA batteries in his head, so we have to buy the proper screwdriver, take them out tomorrow. It's the only thing in which we put batteries. 

Tomorrow, Auburn plays at 11:45 am. I want to go out to stores. So, he will willingly get up and take me in order to get back in time for the game. Fall is the only time he will go out in order to get back here for a game. Otherwise, he is sleepy or watching something else. Tomorrow, he will be encouraging me to go soon. Then, I can take a nap while he watches to game in peace. 

It's late; my nap has worn off. 

What's on your agenda for this weekend.

Bulbs, Pansies, Cooking, DST

 

The new turkey decoration made of resin and about 10 inches tall. It sits atop a bunch of fall leaves. 

Today is very warm, so Tommy took the lemon and lime tree outdoors after they had been indoors during the cold snap. He said that a bee was settling on a flower as soon as he put it down. Good job, bees. While reading about citrus trees, the article said to just take a finger and wiggle it on the center of the flower, that was enough to pollinate a flower as they do not need to be cross-pollinate with another flower. Good to know. 

Oh, the lime tree has a blossom. I read about how fragrant lemon blossoms are, but we cannot smell them. He brought the trees in, it went past me, stayed in a room where I went, and came back past me--no fragrance. Well, I left by the front door and wondered what the heavenly, soft fragrance could be. I stepped over to the lemon tree, pulled a branch toward me and was pleasantly surprised at the frangrant blossom I had to my nose. This is such a lovely surprise!

The black-eyed peas are done. I will put a few in the freezer for NYE in case I am overwhelmed when we need them. Otherwise, they are ready to eat. So, that makes sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, turkey breast, broth, black-eyed peas for Thanksgiving and NYE in the freezer. 

Right now, I have eggs in to boil so I can make tuna salad. 

We left for Lowe's about 3:30, needing to return something to DG. Well, by 5 pm, just after coming out of Lowe's, it was too dark to be out, so we came home. The early dusk are actually worse than the cold where I need more clothes. I have Purple Prince tulips and daffodils to plant together, interspersing them in in a planter. They are beautiful in the spring. My concrete bunny needed pansies, so I bought bright yellow. 

I miss Daylight Saving Time. Do you?

As I came up the ramp a few days ago, I noticed a hanging planter that was smashed. I asked Tommy how that happened. He said he had to squeeze the heavy plastic pot to get the dirt out. When I asked him to explain, he said the dirt was so hard he could not get it out, so he squeezed the pot to break it up. Now, there is a pot on the porch with two tools for dirt--a little rake and a trowel. AND, he knows where they are and has used them. Plus, I pointed out that water loosens dirt. That made me so angry. I am not sure if the hanger part with the hook can be put onto another pot or not. I will try. Maybe the pot is crushed but not completely apart and will still hold dirt. I don't know why he does these things. 

At Lowe's I was going to buy brown spray paint to paint a base to elevate the turkey because it is too low. But, I was not going to pay $7 for brown paint, the cheapest they had, something I cannot imagine ever using again. I do believe I have brown construction paper from a pack bought for red paper. I will cut that and tape around books to achieve the look I want. I do have black paint, so I can use that. But, I had my heart set on a brown base. Really, I wanted a piece of a tree limb or trunk about 6" high. 

Now, I have to cook pork chops and the nine bscb I planned to cook yesterday. Okay, I put the five pork chops in a pan with trimmed Brussels sprouts. We have leftover vegetables--carrots, potatoes, and cole slaw to eat with this.

I always fried pork chops in a cast iron skillet and they were delicious. But, in the oven the did not brown, so there was not that delicious taste gotten with browing in cast iron. 

It is wonderful outdoors, 75F at 3:30. Okay, now it is cooler out at dusk. I could be happy with these temps all year. It will be warmer later this week or next, forgot which. 

Do you miss DST?

What flower besides pansies can be grown this winter in my concrete bunny? Some are too tall. Pansies are just right because the flowers cannot be too tall.

How do you cook pork chops?