Window Shopping

 Today, we went to Cullman--mail, lunch pickup, cans to salvage for money-$6.15, Publix, Lowe's. Off in the distance when we came over hills, there was a haze. Other than that, the day was sunny and beautiful. The haze was from controlled burns all over the state. It was eerie. 

Plus, I window shopped. This place sells guns, fishing equipment, knives, shoes, canning supplies, kitchenware, tape, nails, paintbrushes and painting supplies, can crushers, Ball jars/lids/flats, gaskets for Pressure canners, Hummingbird feeders, hammers, cast iron little red rocker, coffeemakers, car fobs. They also test pressure canner pressure.

Tommy love the sign on the door--Wanted-Browsers    No Experience Necessary. 

When I need something, I park in front of store in the angle parking on the street, call them, and tell them what I need. Someone brings it out for me to examine and buy by giving the guy a  card. While the person is inside, I window shop from the car. Today, I had the guy bring back some of of pancake cooker. It was cast iron with a wooden handle. The batter made little poufs of the pastry. Or, you could make something savory...for $49. It was too heavy for me, not something I wanted to stand and make, and too expensive for the little use I would get. While he was talking to me, I saw a ladle hanging in the window, so he brought it out for me to examine. I did buy that. 

Isn't that a lovely way to shop? Of course, it only works well when you know exactly what you want. When I was capable of walking in, I loved to look at all the things I had never seen before or just did not know still existed. There are probably 10,000 different types of items in this store. It was actually three stores but this guy has doors between, cut to make easy access. I often describe it as a mercantile. 

There was only curly kale at Lowes, and there were no cayenne pepper plants so I can make hot pepper jelly. 

Before covid the lunch was an eat-in experience. They changed it to a pick-up and have not changed back. Lunch: ham, collard greens, kidney beans, cornbread, Buddy Bars. Everything was delicious. We ate it all. Well, Tommy ate my kidney beans. I told Tommy I would not eat the cornbread if there were sugar in it. No sugar. 

The other two plates were brought home for our dinner. Tommy can get that while I sleep. We picked up two plates for my ninety-two-year-old friend who is really ill with chest congestion and her husband who is two years older. I am worried about her. 

I am off for a nap. 

Resident Alien was on when he woke me at 9. He turned off the ac, so I awoke so hot. He ate dinner without me fretting there was only leftovers that maybe he did not want again. 

Do you have a store where you can park and the people who own the store will get what you need or want and bring it to the car? 

Salvaging Pants/Retro Refrigerator Hangs on Wall

I found a pair of pants with a bleached place on it, so I had black pants that had places bleached to a rather pale peach/orange. I have no idea what was on them, but it was disgusting, so I took them to the laundry a week ago. Then, I rewashed them here at home and hung them to dry.

This pair is a good pair. I took a black marker and colored on the bleached places. The marker places appear darker than the surrounding undamaged area. However, the largest stain is about 9 inches below my waist on the back with smaller places in different places.

When I say "bleached," it was not laundry bleach.

Even if these pants are not wearable outside the house, I will not be wearing a better pair. That is a great win for me.

I use markers all the time to salvage clothes. Do you ever use a marker to salvage something? Other than mending, alternating, using scotch tape or a stapler, do you have a favorite method of salvaging clothing?

I could handle these refrigerators, but I wonder about shorter people.

This ARTICLE has refrigerator styles I have never seen or heard of.

Abject Failure Today, But It's Okay

First, I went to the market, finding only one guy there, a guy from whom I had bought. He was helping a woman, so I was patient. Finally, after she talked and TALKED for fifteen minutes, I went over to lean on a column, saying I had to lean on something. She said, "OH, here, you go ahead." She had her bags and remained rooted to the spot and her mouth did not cease to move. I

"I have to sit in the car." She said for me to just go ahead and talk to him as she kept rambling on. "I will just talk to him, too."  "Blankety, Blank, No!" I said in my head as I struggled to get my feet and legs in the car. Still, she did not leave, just yelled for me to come on back.

When I do go back, I will not shop at his booth. He was the only person left today, or I would have gone to another booth. Besides, he was selling half-rotten tomatoes at an exorbitant price. There were huge flat boxes of better ones on the truck. THAT is what I wanted to talk about. He kept telling me to pick out the basket on the table that I wanted.

I will go to a different market on Monday.

Second, I drove for miles, maybe 30, looking for a salvage yard. A guy was going to put two new lights in my car. He called and found them but never got them like he said he would. His mother became ill and many trips to hospital and working two jobs made it impossible. He said I could pick up the lights.

Well, that was in August. Since I have not been able to even take care of myself, a trip to the near country did not seem like something I wanted to try.

Today was the right day, brilliantly sunny, light breeze and warm. Well, the first part of the directions I understood. When the salvage yard did not appear, I kept stopping for directions in the country. "Just take the next right, go through a big curve, turn next to the church, go around two more really big curves, turn right." As I opened my mouth, the guy said impatiently, "You will see it!" He turned and limped away.

He was the third person I asked. I was done. I decided after an hour and a half of bad roads to call it quits and try to find my way home, not going back the way I came because who actually knows where I turned to get where I was--lost. All of a sudden, places, trees, signs, houses started looking like ones I had passed.

Aha, I just kept making turns and finding familiar  things. I was soon home and exhausted. I drove on country roads, narrow, hilly and curvy, so I could not go over 40 mph, sometimes around 25 because of road conditions mentioned.  Finally, I was home and exhausted.

Since I have a county road map and now know the co rd the place is located, I will use it to find my way to the salvage yard.

Third, I thought I would get a pneumonia shot at WM, but the pharmacist I wanted was not there.

Since he will probably there tomorrow, I will get a shot when I get my Sunday paper.

Fourth, Dominique was not eating well. She would leave oats from the day before. She leaves meat. Today, I had some salad that was going south, so I put oats on top of that and she was gobbling salad when I left. Lately, I have not felt like bending to get grass for her. For weeks, even when I was ill, I would snatch a handful of grass for her. Now, that some of it is browning, I just have not taken that extra few step to get it for her. All is well now.

Fifth, my goal of hanging up the black clothes in the washing machine did not happen. It is after dark, but I can still do that.  I never hang black clothes outdoors, just in the house.

When I feel well, which I do  (I know I keep saying that), setbacks are not draining at all. I will have a can of tuna in salad and call it dinner.

Bummer! As I was talking just now to exbf, he said abruptly, "The Auburn game is on." I said 'bye' and hung up. The man has few passions and Auburn is one of them. And, Dr. Who. He is an Auburn graduate. He gets testy if I keep talking when a game is on...lol. I only care who wins because my son is an Auburn fan.

To make things better, I did have butter pecan ice cream at the end of all this inconvenience.

Your turn
Do you hate country directions like the "second big curve" or the "stand of trees"?  Or, the person who cannot shut her mouth and go away so you have a turn at a vendor's table? Do you have a sports fan that you know will want you to be very quiet during a game? When you feel well are inconveniences less annoying when you feel well? Conversely, if you are not feeling well and things are thwarted, does it make you fell worse and testy?