The day started out nice and sunny....and warm. Early on, the Beast got dressed (except for his shoes, the idiot!) and took out the garbage then wheeled the big garbage bin out to the end of the drive since garbage collection is on Wednesday. He came into my computer room (taking a real chance since I had only started drinking my FIRST cup of coffee), and said *Can you please give me a hand?*. He then walked into the living room and I, being curious, followed him.
At first, I thought he wanted me to help him put on his socks and shoes. I didn't know he had already been out in his bare feet. But I saw that he was chalky white and sweating. When I asked him where his socks and shoes were, he told me what he had done and said that was not the reason he wanted me. I asked him how he was feeling and he told me he felt AWFUL and, at first, was afraid he was having a heart attack. But it wasn't due to any real symptoms. He just felt incredibly dizzy and was afraid he wouldn't make it back into the house. He also said he felt like he needed something to eat but my suggestions didn't appeal to him. When I asked him if he wanted a bagel and cream cheese, he agreed that sounded good to him.
I felt his head and his carotid (checking to see if his heart rate was rapid) but it wasn't. He WAS afraid, however. I told him to just relax and I would make the bagel for him. When that was done, I grabbed the open cream cheese package, a knife, buttered his bagel, put it on a small plate and brought it to him. I knew that was the way he liked his bagel but couldn't bring myself to pile on the cream cheese as heavy as he likes it. Besides, it gave him a focus and he was much calmer. Nothing is worse than a man when he's afraid.
I made sure he had everything he needed and checked to see if he had taken his meds for the day. Of course, he hadn't but I didn't push it because his answer to me was, *No, not yet. I don't take them until after dinner*. When I suggested that I should call the doctor and see if I could get him in today (I knew he would resist going to the emergency room as long as he was conscious) but he told me *not yet. Let's wait until we see if I feel this bad later.*
I knew he wasn't afraid ENOUGH to feel he needed medical attention so I just kept checking on him for the next couple of hours. Later on, when I was checking on what he felt like having for dinner (I made several suggestions), he decided that he wanted some breakfast sausages and some mac and cheese. I fried up the sausages (they actually kind of boil themselves in the pan with all the water that's in the meat) and made the mac and cheese. I had been talking online with Mustachio so I bopped in and out of my computer room until he got involved again with his online game. Why is it that men love those interactive games that are available online??
When I came out to check on the sausages, I found out the Beast had succumbed to the smell and made himself a sandwich already. I finished making the mac and cheese and brought him a dish of it along with another sandwich. Let me explain about the sandwiches. It's actually two links on one piece of bread that is folded in half. That's just the perfect size to hold two sausages. It's not like a regular sandwich so I wasn't pushing a lot of food on him. But he ate everything so I knew he was feeling a bit better by then. He went in and got online to check out the news and also his email and his FB page. I kept checking on him until he got off the computer and came out to sit in his recliner to watch TV. He's been watching a lot of old movies lately. By then, I was really tired myself so I went in to watch MY TV in my computer room (and on MY recliner in there) and I must have fallen asleep within five minutes....LOL.
I was awakened by the sound of a little saying, *Knock, knock!* It was Chewlee. I heard the Princess' voice talking to the Beast and the sound of Gunner's shoes on the floor saying, *Mommy, mommy!* After giving Chewlee a hug, I came out to scold (not meaning it!) the Princess about being so mean to Gunner when he kept saying her name. She was just picking him up at the time so she grinned and said that the Beast had scared him was all it was. Chewlee had opened up her (late) birthday card from my BFF, Carol and showed me the check she had gotten. I told her to give it to Mommy so she could cash it for her, which she did and then she showed her the card, too.
The Princess was talking about this and that, with a few things about the *joys* of packing up her household. Chewlee told me that her job was to pack up the closet in the bathroom and said she didn't know how she would fit the vacuum cleaner in the box her mother gave her. I told her I was sure that she wouldn't have to include that in the box, just the jars and bottles of things on the shelves, as well as any towels. She swore it wouldn't be big enough but I told her to just pack it carefully and, if it all wouldn't fit, to show it to her mother so she would give her another box then.
Chewlee got her ears pierced today. It was actually a part of her birthday gift from her mother but, since you aren't supposed to go into a pool (mostly a public pool) for two weeks after getting your ears pierced, the Princess waited to have them done until the *end* of summer when they wouldn't be using a pool much by then. Since school starts in two days (Thursday), it seems a fair bet that they wouldn't be doing any camping for a while. Probably not until Labor day and that gives the ears time to heal. I know that Chewlee has wanted her ears pierced for a couple years but her mother always told her not until she was 8. I think the Princess hoped she would change her mind but she hadn't. Her mother has pierced ears (I remember how she begged us to have her ears pierced back when she was young) so I know that Chewlee wants to be *like her mother* as well as many of the other girls in her class that had them already.
Her earrings are cute. They're tiny butterflies that are iridescent. They matched the necklace she got at the same time (and she had on...the kid loves necklaces). We used to make play necklaces when she was younger from some beads I had kept for that purpose. Those had come from my BFF from a bunch she had at her house but no longer made any jewelry. She sent them to me and I passed them on to my daughter-in-law, who makes jewelry that is sold on consignment at a couple of local stores in her area. I've seen some of the jewelry she makes and it's lovely. When Carol had mentioned not wanting to throw away her supplies she had, I told her about Raven. So Carol sent them to me and that's how they got passed on to Raven. It was also where I got the ones that Chewlee used for her play necklaces. I still have one of them that she made for me. The others she either wore herself or used for her dolls. I think she also gave one to her mother.
I talked to Mustachio tonight and he said that Sheepie is adjusting well. She made herself a little retreat in the Master bedroom that he gave to her since he felt she would need her privacy. He also told me that she has been making dinner so he can eat once he gets home and he kind of likes that. I think he misses his daily steak intake though....LOL. I told him about my new clothes and told him to pass on the message to Sheepie that I had finally trashed my jean jammies. They were actually two sizes too big for me and they used to give Sheepie the giggles when I wore them. They had seen their best days, however, and had a couple small holes in them from wear. They had an adjustable waistband so I wore them a lot for a long time. *Goodbye, pajama jeans! You were great when I got you and I will miss you!*
I bragged to Mustachio about the Princess' culinary skills that she has developed. She really HAS become an amazing cook. She is always trying out new recipes and they turn out really tasty. My niece, Lucia, taught her how to make homemade tortillas the other day and I told her that now SHE had to teach ME. LOL! I love homemade flour tortillas. One of my boyfriends when I was young was Irish and Mexican and his Irish mother learned how to make them from her mother-in-law. A couple times when I ate at his house, she made them and I just loved them. My girlfriend, Pepper, was Mexican and her dad was from Argentina. Her mother, Josephine, made some of the best food and I loved her homemade tamales.
My kids learned to love what Mexicans call *sweet tamales* (made with a plum filling). My Mexican housekeeper, a neighbor who cleaned once a week for me when we lived in California, would make them for us around Christmas time every year. That was back when I was working and taking college courses and she had come over to my house to ask me for work. I was more than happy since she was amazing. She even started (unasked) to do my washing for me since she could clean my house in just a little over an hour and a half and I was paying her for four hours. Hell, it took ME four hours but she could clean like a whiz in that short a time. She made me dizzy on those days when I was off work and at home when she came over.
I would be studying on those days but never saw anyone so damn organized. Turns out she had been cleaning people's homes for years to earn money plus she had four kids herself. She loved being able to walk just four or five houses down the block to one of her jobs. She didn't have to wait for her husband or a friend to pick her up. How she could live without driving, I never did understand. She loved to be home when her kids got out of school though.
Well, time to close this missive. Love you all and I hope you are surviving the heat. It got overcast here this afternoon so we never DID get as hot as was predicted for us. I think the hottest was only 86 and it was supposed to be close to the triple-digit mark. We didn't get any rain but the cloud cover was enough so that the air conditioning the Beast had on wasn't blowing constantly.
Be happy. Stay cool and dry. Drive carefully and I hope you have a great Hump Day! ***Hugs***
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Bad Weather But Fun Day...Almost!
Our weather today really sucked. It was stormy, thundering and just plain nasty for most of the day. We got several different *waves* of the rain. And, wouldn't you know it, after running a couple small errands, just as I got to the shopping center, it started to pour. Now, I am NOT one to run in the rain any more. I am too old and afraid of falling on my face since parking lots and streets all seem to get oily in a good rain. Just my luck, I would be the ONLY person to slip and fall. At my age, that can be very dangerous. So...I put my reading glasses that I normally keep on top of my head for quick use if I need to read something into my purse and sauntered over to the door of the first store I went to. I had cashed the check I got for my birthday so I could buy some new things for myself.
The first place I went to look for some nice pants had nothing on sale that would fit me. I guess I shouldn't have gone in so soon after many parents (and teenagers) had bought school clothes. Now that I am down to a size 8, that's a size that is pretty popular among many of the high school kids...LOL. So, I headed for the ever popular Walmart. *Sigh* But they DO carry some nice jeans so I figured I should be able to find something there. I was right. I bought two pair of jeans (one blue, one black) and a nice pair of black slacks. I had a tougher time finding nice tops. I had more *blouse-y* things in mind but ended up buying five pullover type tops. Three are Danskin in a really nice material but different patterns...sort-of. One has a slightly different pattern to it without it being a real pattern...more like a mix of threads.
Then two of the ones I bought are the type with collars and three buttons. One is black, the other white. *Sigh* Boring but functional. It will have to do. I then bought myself some French vanilla coffee creamer (love that stuff lately) and a nice bottle of vodka at ABC liquor which is just next door to Walmart. It's been a while since I had any in the house and that was a treat for me. I didn't share one tiny bit of the money sent to me as per my BFF's instructions. *Grin*. I have almost never done that. Oh, I did it once before a couple years ago when I got an unexpected refund from a Class Action suit. I got it just before I made my last trip to Chicago so I spent it there....on me and a dinner out with my ex-sister-in-law and her hubby. It was fun! That was the first time I had ever done that in all my married life. I enjoyed it today and I have no regrets and feel no guilt. Does that make me a bad person? I used to give up a LOT of my money for my kids and their needs. I didn't regret any of that. It was natural, I believe. My only vice at the time was having my nails done every two weeks. Small price to pay for a little self-indulgence.
I almost....almost...thought about having my nails done today but decided I needed the clothes more. I really didn't have any pants that fit me. Back when I had my emergency surgery, they didn't really let me eat due to the removal of part of my colon. For three days, nothing! Then it was a liquid diet (only jello and pudding for anything substantial) for the next five days.
I finally got something solid (toast, scrambled eggs and bacon!) on the last day I was in the hospital. Now, think about this....they expected me to have a bowel movement before I could be released. Where did they think this material would come from? I actually did but I have a feeling it was the toast, eggs and bacon that my system processed quickly so I could go home and eat some REAL food. LOL! I lost over 15 lbs from that episode and I've kept it off. Thankfully, this time the weight loss hasn't left me drawn and looking like I am on the verge of dying. I just look ... smaller.
Even the Beast doesn't think I look bad at all. He says I don't look unhealthy like I did a couple years ago. Since he's always been the most critical of me, I figure that tells it all to anyone that knows me and wonders. Also, family can ask Sister Cee. She sees me all the time...well, once a week. LOL! But that's more than any others of my siblings see me. I think my son, Mustachio, was worried for a while (oh, and Sheepie was here around me, too) but, when he came here to move Sheepie, he got to see me and I think went home feeling better about me.
I was talking to my son, Marcus, online on the FB chat today. He had one of those moments when I mentioned my size and I knew what was on his mind. But I told him I did NOT look like death (not in those words). I just looked normal and actually fairly healthy. I had been losing a lot of hair and that scared me until I had to go to emergency because of my appendix. I have to apologize to my daughter-in-law, Raven, because when she had a bad appendix (years ago) and she tried to tell me that's why she was so sick, I really didn't know how she was so sure. But now I do. I KNEW it was my appendix (and it was). I thought of her when it happened to me. I know she knew then that I didn't really think she could KNOW. But, when you know your body, you DO know. If you just *think* it might be, it probably isn't. I even told the Beast that I had to bring a couple things with me to emergency because I was going to have to have surgery. HE didn't believe ME...but he learned. LOL!
I digressed there...speaking about losing my hair...it turns out that it was because I had that dead section of colon that was affecting my body. It seems like what I lost is growing back in (I have all this *fuzz* that is growing in now. I just wish it would hurry up and get longer. I feel like a duckling at times because it will stick up like pin feathers when my hair dries. It just looks...weird!
My son is going off once again to another city and state for a work related installation. This time it's in Lubbock, Texas. I had asked him what city because we did a lot of traveling around Texas back in the early 70's and almost bought a house in San Antonio. However, we never got to Lubbock once we decided to head further west. That's when we ended up in San Diego....the city of my heart. I think all my kids loved when we lived there.
We bought our first house in a town called Poway. It had more horses per acre than people at the time. My kids could ride horses through the drive-up windows of any of the fast food places and there were still those horse hitching posts in some of the shopping centers, just like the Wild West. I also happened to have an aunt and uncle that lived there and we spent a lot of time with them. It was great living back then. We hated to leave (the kids and I) but it was necessary for the Beast since his work hours were being slowly but surely cut back due to the fact that he was on a union travel card and work got slow. So we moved back to Florida, which the kids learned to love due to the beach. Plus they were old enough to grab the bus down to the beach...except for Marcus, of course. He was the youngest and had to wait a bit....LOL.
Well, time to put this to bed. It's late and I need to put myself back to bed, too. Love you all. Remember to be kind and smile a lot. Learn to love yourself just the way you are and you will be surprised at how other people will react. If you don't love yourself, how can other people love you? *I* love you, regardless. ***Hugs***
The first place I went to look for some nice pants had nothing on sale that would fit me. I guess I shouldn't have gone in so soon after many parents (and teenagers) had bought school clothes. Now that I am down to a size 8, that's a size that is pretty popular among many of the high school kids...LOL. So, I headed for the ever popular Walmart. *Sigh* But they DO carry some nice jeans so I figured I should be able to find something there. I was right. I bought two pair of jeans (one blue, one black) and a nice pair of black slacks. I had a tougher time finding nice tops. I had more *blouse-y* things in mind but ended up buying five pullover type tops. Three are Danskin in a really nice material but different patterns...sort-of. One has a slightly different pattern to it without it being a real pattern...more like a mix of threads.
Then two of the ones I bought are the type with collars and three buttons. One is black, the other white. *Sigh* Boring but functional. It will have to do. I then bought myself some French vanilla coffee creamer (love that stuff lately) and a nice bottle of vodka at ABC liquor which is just next door to Walmart. It's been a while since I had any in the house and that was a treat for me. I didn't share one tiny bit of the money sent to me as per my BFF's instructions. *Grin*. I have almost never done that. Oh, I did it once before a couple years ago when I got an unexpected refund from a Class Action suit. I got it just before I made my last trip to Chicago so I spent it there....on me and a dinner out with my ex-sister-in-law and her hubby. It was fun! That was the first time I had ever done that in all my married life. I enjoyed it today and I have no regrets and feel no guilt. Does that make me a bad person? I used to give up a LOT of my money for my kids and their needs. I didn't regret any of that. It was natural, I believe. My only vice at the time was having my nails done every two weeks. Small price to pay for a little self-indulgence.
I almost....almost...thought about having my nails done today but decided I needed the clothes more. I really didn't have any pants that fit me. Back when I had my emergency surgery, they didn't really let me eat due to the removal of part of my colon. For three days, nothing! Then it was a liquid diet (only jello and pudding for anything substantial) for the next five days.
I finally got something solid (toast, scrambled eggs and bacon!) on the last day I was in the hospital. Now, think about this....they expected me to have a bowel movement before I could be released. Where did they think this material would come from? I actually did but I have a feeling it was the toast, eggs and bacon that my system processed quickly so I could go home and eat some REAL food. LOL! I lost over 15 lbs from that episode and I've kept it off. Thankfully, this time the weight loss hasn't left me drawn and looking like I am on the verge of dying. I just look ... smaller.
Even the Beast doesn't think I look bad at all. He says I don't look unhealthy like I did a couple years ago. Since he's always been the most critical of me, I figure that tells it all to anyone that knows me and wonders. Also, family can ask Sister Cee. She sees me all the time...well, once a week. LOL! But that's more than any others of my siblings see me. I think my son, Mustachio, was worried for a while (oh, and Sheepie was here around me, too) but, when he came here to move Sheepie, he got to see me and I think went home feeling better about me.
I was talking to my son, Marcus, online on the FB chat today. He had one of those moments when I mentioned my size and I knew what was on his mind. But I told him I did NOT look like death (not in those words). I just looked normal and actually fairly healthy. I had been losing a lot of hair and that scared me until I had to go to emergency because of my appendix. I have to apologize to my daughter-in-law, Raven, because when she had a bad appendix (years ago) and she tried to tell me that's why she was so sick, I really didn't know how she was so sure. But now I do. I KNEW it was my appendix (and it was). I thought of her when it happened to me. I know she knew then that I didn't really think she could KNOW. But, when you know your body, you DO know. If you just *think* it might be, it probably isn't. I even told the Beast that I had to bring a couple things with me to emergency because I was going to have to have surgery. HE didn't believe ME...but he learned. LOL!
I digressed there...speaking about losing my hair...it turns out that it was because I had that dead section of colon that was affecting my body. It seems like what I lost is growing back in (I have all this *fuzz* that is growing in now. I just wish it would hurry up and get longer. I feel like a duckling at times because it will stick up like pin feathers when my hair dries. It just looks...weird!
My son is going off once again to another city and state for a work related installation. This time it's in Lubbock, Texas. I had asked him what city because we did a lot of traveling around Texas back in the early 70's and almost bought a house in San Antonio. However, we never got to Lubbock once we decided to head further west. That's when we ended up in San Diego....the city of my heart. I think all my kids loved when we lived there.
We bought our first house in a town called Poway. It had more horses per acre than people at the time. My kids could ride horses through the drive-up windows of any of the fast food places and there were still those horse hitching posts in some of the shopping centers, just like the Wild West. I also happened to have an aunt and uncle that lived there and we spent a lot of time with them. It was great living back then. We hated to leave (the kids and I) but it was necessary for the Beast since his work hours were being slowly but surely cut back due to the fact that he was on a union travel card and work got slow. So we moved back to Florida, which the kids learned to love due to the beach. Plus they were old enough to grab the bus down to the beach...except for Marcus, of course. He was the youngest and had to wait a bit....LOL.
Well, time to put this to bed. It's late and I need to put myself back to bed, too. Love you all. Remember to be kind and smile a lot. Learn to love yourself just the way you are and you will be surprised at how other people will react. If you don't love yourself, how can other people love you? *I* love you, regardless. ***Hugs***
Monday, August 10, 2015
Happy Birthday Princess....
....even if it is a day late. I'm sure you had a good one, filled with the love of your family around you. I want you to know that I love you dearly. I have since the day you were born and the nurse brought you out for me to see and be astonished at how gorgeous you were. You were beautiful then and you are beautiful now.
My day was a peaceful one. I kept falling asleep since I couldn't sleep during the night and kept getting up to use the bathroom or just to stretch. I am starting to think that I can't fall asleep in the dark...LOL. The Beast went to church and then disappeared for a bit. I found out he was at Walmart, where he tried to pick up my prescriptions but none were there for me. The dumb pharmacist that took my order looked at the date (6/19/2015) and didn't really pay attention to the fact that I got my last refills in JUNE, NOT July. He assumed that the insurance would not pay and the refills would have been pricey. Jerk! Now I have to wait for them to be filled tomorrow and make the trip myself. Sheesh!
Tomorrow will be washing day for me. My hamper is full and the only good pair of jeans I own is in there. I got a gift from my BFF and I am going to use it to buy myself a couple more pair of pants...jeans and at least one pair of dress pants. I may even buy a new top or two. Thank you, Carol. I will NOT share just as you said.
Love you all. Tomorrow (today) is going to be hot as hell in many areas so please take care. Hydrate. Keep cool. Be kind. ***Hugs***
HINT#1: Here's an easy way to make your own eco-friendly air freshener with ingredients you have around the house. Mix 2 cups warm water with two tablespoons baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon orange or vanilla extract. If you prefer, you can use an essential oil for the scent: lemon, jasmine, rose, and lavendar all smell wonderful. If you leave out the extract or oil, it's safe to spray around pets, kids, and most furniture (although you might want to spot check first).
HINT#2: A broken stem doesn't have to mean the end of a flower. If you catch it in time, you can save the limb by making a little splint out of a toothpick and tape. It looks a little funny, but your kids will get a kick out of it and it makes a great lesson in resilience.
My day was a peaceful one. I kept falling asleep since I couldn't sleep during the night and kept getting up to use the bathroom or just to stretch. I am starting to think that I can't fall asleep in the dark...LOL. The Beast went to church and then disappeared for a bit. I found out he was at Walmart, where he tried to pick up my prescriptions but none were there for me. The dumb pharmacist that took my order looked at the date (6/19/2015) and didn't really pay attention to the fact that I got my last refills in JUNE, NOT July. He assumed that the insurance would not pay and the refills would have been pricey. Jerk! Now I have to wait for them to be filled tomorrow and make the trip myself. Sheesh!
Tomorrow will be washing day for me. My hamper is full and the only good pair of jeans I own is in there. I got a gift from my BFF and I am going to use it to buy myself a couple more pair of pants...jeans and at least one pair of dress pants. I may even buy a new top or two. Thank you, Carol. I will NOT share just as you said.
Love you all. Tomorrow (today) is going to be hot as hell in many areas so please take care. Hydrate. Keep cool. Be kind. ***Hugs***
HINT#1: Here's an easy way to make your own eco-friendly air freshener with ingredients you have around the house. Mix 2 cups warm water with two tablespoons baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon orange or vanilla extract. If you prefer, you can use an essential oil for the scent: lemon, jasmine, rose, and lavendar all smell wonderful. If you leave out the extract or oil, it's safe to spray around pets, kids, and most furniture (although you might want to spot check first).
HINT#2: A broken stem doesn't have to mean the end of a flower. If you catch it in time, you can save the limb by making a little splint out of a toothpick and tape. It looks a little funny, but your kids will get a kick out of it and it makes a great lesson in resilience.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Early To Bed....
I was up early today and started my cabbage soup since I had really had a yen for it for several days already. It's time consuming to make but so worth it. To me, at least, and the Princess loves it, too. I'll have to save her some and give it to her tomorrow if she actually comes by. She was having company over today so I didn't even mention it to her. But I did call her because I got mail today for Chewlee from my BFF, Carol. From the sticker on it, it's a belated birthday card (which Chewlee will still love!) She also sent me one for my (belated) birthday. It has the most awesome card in it. Very touching to me, anyway. I love it.
When the Beast got home from his outing with his church members, he was hungry and was so glad I had made the soup. He came into my computer room to tell me he thought it had turned out excellent and that he had even had two bowls of it. Then he ran out again to his church since they were showing a movie there and he didn't want to miss it.
When he got home around 4pm, he had stopped off to pick up some bologna, cheese and the Chicago Italian bread will like figuring we could have soup and sandwiches for dinner (which we did). I was already deep into watching Sharknado and anticipated watching Sharknado 2 and 3 after that. Not that I love those movies. It was just all that was on that I hadn't seen a hundred times before. I mean, my usual channels were all showing nothing but repeats that I had already watched multiple times and just couldn't watch one more time without slitting my wrists out of boredom. I couldn't say that about any of the Sharknado movies because they at least had a couple laughs buried in them (or at least groaners for bad acting and ridiculous story lines). The *new* Piranha movie was both adult in places and so damn ridiculous, I would have turned it off if anyone had come into the room. All I could think about was how Bratfink must be loving it (if she didn't just record it because she had gone to bed...in which case, she will find out how much gratuitous violence and bloody massacres are in it...LOL!
I am off to bed shortly after posting this since I managed to just take a regular nap at a decent time and am now ready for bed for the night. I was hoping to talk to Mustachio but he wasn't online again tonight. I know he's working 12 hour days for a while now and there's still the chance that his union will be going on strike within the next month or so. I'm sure he's dead tired when he gets home (and hungry!). I have no idea if Sheepie is cooking anything for him or if she's trying to find herself a job or what? I guess I will have to wait for his next days off...whenever that is. I don't want to call him in case he's already crashed for the night or may even be napping before eating once he gets home. It can be tough trying to be a considerate mother especially when you are nosey....LOL.
Love you all. Stay cool during this hot weather. Stay dry in those areas where it's been raining. Drive safely. Have a nice Sunday. ***Hugs*** (And a special bunch of hugs to my BFF, Carol!)
HINT#1: If your child never wants to eat his vegetables at dinnertime, try putting out a plate of raw veggies like carrots, celery, and broccoli right before dinner (*along with their favorite dip, of course*). Since he will be hungry, and probably pestering you in the kitchen, it will be more likely that he will succumb to this healthy snack.
HINT#2: If your driveway or garage floor has become an easy place to do some Rorschach testing thanks to the grease, oil, and transmission fluid stains all over the place, take heart---clean concrete is only 10 minutes away. Spray any stained areas with oven cleaner, then let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse off with a hose and the stains will disappear.
When the Beast got home from his outing with his church members, he was hungry and was so glad I had made the soup. He came into my computer room to tell me he thought it had turned out excellent and that he had even had two bowls of it. Then he ran out again to his church since they were showing a movie there and he didn't want to miss it.
When he got home around 4pm, he had stopped off to pick up some bologna, cheese and the Chicago Italian bread will like figuring we could have soup and sandwiches for dinner (which we did). I was already deep into watching Sharknado and anticipated watching Sharknado 2 and 3 after that. Not that I love those movies. It was just all that was on that I hadn't seen a hundred times before. I mean, my usual channels were all showing nothing but repeats that I had already watched multiple times and just couldn't watch one more time without slitting my wrists out of boredom. I couldn't say that about any of the Sharknado movies because they at least had a couple laughs buried in them (or at least groaners for bad acting and ridiculous story lines). The *new* Piranha movie was both adult in places and so damn ridiculous, I would have turned it off if anyone had come into the room. All I could think about was how Bratfink must be loving it (if she didn't just record it because she had gone to bed...in which case, she will find out how much gratuitous violence and bloody massacres are in it...LOL!
I am off to bed shortly after posting this since I managed to just take a regular nap at a decent time and am now ready for bed for the night. I was hoping to talk to Mustachio but he wasn't online again tonight. I know he's working 12 hour days for a while now and there's still the chance that his union will be going on strike within the next month or so. I'm sure he's dead tired when he gets home (and hungry!). I have no idea if Sheepie is cooking anything for him or if she's trying to find herself a job or what? I guess I will have to wait for his next days off...whenever that is. I don't want to call him in case he's already crashed for the night or may even be napping before eating once he gets home. It can be tough trying to be a considerate mother especially when you are nosey....LOL.
Love you all. Stay cool during this hot weather. Stay dry in those areas where it's been raining. Drive safely. Have a nice Sunday. ***Hugs*** (And a special bunch of hugs to my BFF, Carol!)
HINT#1: If your child never wants to eat his vegetables at dinnertime, try putting out a plate of raw veggies like carrots, celery, and broccoli right before dinner (*along with their favorite dip, of course*). Since he will be hungry, and probably pestering you in the kitchen, it will be more likely that he will succumb to this healthy snack.
HINT#2: If your driveway or garage floor has become an easy place to do some Rorschach testing thanks to the grease, oil, and transmission fluid stains all over the place, take heart---clean concrete is only 10 minutes away. Spray any stained areas with oven cleaner, then let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse off with a hose and the stains will disappear.
An Adventure!
My sister, Cee, and I went on an adventure today. We decided that we wanted to check out the area where the Princess and Johnnycakes were going to be moving. I knew the general area and had hoped the Princess would answer my voice mail so we could actually see the house. Alas, she didn't so we couldn't ride past the house with any certainty.
But, I took the route that she had mentioned and...it was awesomely beautiful. It felt like driving into the mountains in different areas. Most of the homes we saw were just incredible. But, like Cee told me, the area was even prettier than the area we live in. Hell, it was more rural feeling than where we live and we are surrounded by all kinds of farms...cows, donkeys, goats and then we have the regular farmers that actually grow food! But this area was heavy with old growth trees that were massive and the most incredible green lawns and fields. We even went past a horse farm with some truly beautiful horses grazing in the fields. No wonder the kids love the area.
When I got home from our adventure, the Beast was at the kitchen table with his computer stripped down and in pieces. It turns out he got the *blue screen of death* and was trying to find out what was wrong. He ended up putting in a new motherboard (I didn't stick around for what else he replaced except he DID change out his memory). His hard drive was fine it turned out and I thought it funny that Windows recognized he had changed his motherboard. But it works just fine now. He spent about six hours fixing it but as long as he got it working, he was okay with that.
I answered the door when a package was delivered from Amazon, of course. Since he joined the Prime program almost a year ago now, it's about the only place he orders things from since he gets free priority delivery (2-day delivery for everything he orders). With as much as he buys, it was a smart thing for him to join. But I digress..... Turns out the Beast ordered some Guatemalan coffee beans. We haven't used it yet but we are almost out of our Kauai coffee beans and he feels it's just TOO expensive for us to buy with as much as we go through. We kind of did a few things to make it last a bit longer for us (we opened up one of the regular cans of coffee and alternated it with the Kauai). We decided that the regular coffee was okay but nothing to write home about. We really DID get spoiled by our gifts of the Kauai from my BFF.
I was surprised that he bought a different type other than what we had bought before (they were cheaper) and wasn't surprised when he said this stuff had some good reviews and was a lot cheaper. I swear, I don't understand how he can spend so much money on useless items and will get cheap about our coffee. We DO drink a lot of coffee, of course, but the better the coffee, the less we actually drink for some reason. This coffee he just bought is an arabica bean and I haven't a clue as to the taste of it. I'll let you know.
The Princess started her packing today with boxes that one of her friends saved for her from her work. She said on FB that she has a bunch more (she even included a picture) and will have more tomorrow to add to them. I think the Princess will be surprised at just how much *stuff* they have to move when she really gets going and gets serious. It's one thing to pack up the things you have out in the open but when you get to the stuff you have stored away, it gets really old.....fast! I had such a headache from the packing up of our house in Florida (the last one) and I even had help since I was recovering from my gall bladder surgery then and couldn't lift the boxes once they were packed up. It was a nightmare packing up our garage and the stuff we had stored out there...and the cabinets in the laundry room.....ick! The Princess has a room at the back of the house that they use for storage. That will probably do her in....LOL!
Time to close this missive. I woke up to use the bathroom and then do this blog. I had a nice day with Cee. I've been going over to her apartment about once a week I've noticed. I enjoy my time with her and it's also time away from the Beast, too. He drives me crazy at times but he's handy to have around. He has learned to like cooking and he also can really clean! He actually enjoys it. He'd better with all the different things he's bought to use to help him. He's actually almost become a kind of weird hoarder. Not the kind that keeps useless things per se. It's just he has bought all kinds of small appliances and we own a Shark steamer for the wood floors, three different vacuum cleaners, a carpet cleaner and more other things than I want to think about. I won't go into all the small appliances but I shudder every time there's something new advertised on TV.
Love you all. Have a great day. ***Hugs***
But, I took the route that she had mentioned and...it was awesomely beautiful. It felt like driving into the mountains in different areas. Most of the homes we saw were just incredible. But, like Cee told me, the area was even prettier than the area we live in. Hell, it was more rural feeling than where we live and we are surrounded by all kinds of farms...cows, donkeys, goats and then we have the regular farmers that actually grow food! But this area was heavy with old growth trees that were massive and the most incredible green lawns and fields. We even went past a horse farm with some truly beautiful horses grazing in the fields. No wonder the kids love the area.
When I got home from our adventure, the Beast was at the kitchen table with his computer stripped down and in pieces. It turns out he got the *blue screen of death* and was trying to find out what was wrong. He ended up putting in a new motherboard (I didn't stick around for what else he replaced except he DID change out his memory). His hard drive was fine it turned out and I thought it funny that Windows recognized he had changed his motherboard. But it works just fine now. He spent about six hours fixing it but as long as he got it working, he was okay with that.
I answered the door when a package was delivered from Amazon, of course. Since he joined the Prime program almost a year ago now, it's about the only place he orders things from since he gets free priority delivery (2-day delivery for everything he orders). With as much as he buys, it was a smart thing for him to join. But I digress..... Turns out the Beast ordered some Guatemalan coffee beans. We haven't used it yet but we are almost out of our Kauai coffee beans and he feels it's just TOO expensive for us to buy with as much as we go through. We kind of did a few things to make it last a bit longer for us (we opened up one of the regular cans of coffee and alternated it with the Kauai). We decided that the regular coffee was okay but nothing to write home about. We really DID get spoiled by our gifts of the Kauai from my BFF.
I was surprised that he bought a different type other than what we had bought before (they were cheaper) and wasn't surprised when he said this stuff had some good reviews and was a lot cheaper. I swear, I don't understand how he can spend so much money on useless items and will get cheap about our coffee. We DO drink a lot of coffee, of course, but the better the coffee, the less we actually drink for some reason. This coffee he just bought is an arabica bean and I haven't a clue as to the taste of it. I'll let you know.
The Princess started her packing today with boxes that one of her friends saved for her from her work. She said on FB that she has a bunch more (she even included a picture) and will have more tomorrow to add to them. I think the Princess will be surprised at just how much *stuff* they have to move when she really gets going and gets serious. It's one thing to pack up the things you have out in the open but when you get to the stuff you have stored away, it gets really old.....fast! I had such a headache from the packing up of our house in Florida (the last one) and I even had help since I was recovering from my gall bladder surgery then and couldn't lift the boxes once they were packed up. It was a nightmare packing up our garage and the stuff we had stored out there...and the cabinets in the laundry room.....ick! The Princess has a room at the back of the house that they use for storage. That will probably do her in....LOL!
Time to close this missive. I woke up to use the bathroom and then do this blog. I had a nice day with Cee. I've been going over to her apartment about once a week I've noticed. I enjoy my time with her and it's also time away from the Beast, too. He drives me crazy at times but he's handy to have around. He has learned to like cooking and he also can really clean! He actually enjoys it. He'd better with all the different things he's bought to use to help him. He's actually almost become a kind of weird hoarder. Not the kind that keeps useless things per se. It's just he has bought all kinds of small appliances and we own a Shark steamer for the wood floors, three different vacuum cleaners, a carpet cleaner and more other things than I want to think about. I won't go into all the small appliances but I shudder every time there's something new advertised on TV.
Love you all. Have a great day. ***Hugs***
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Good News For The Princess and Johnnycakes!
They got the good news this afternoon. The offer on their dream home was accepted. Now comes the tough part. Packing! I don't envy them having to do this. I've done it so many times in my life time that the mere thought of doing it again makes me cringe. I would never move again unless I hired people to pack up everything for me. I'm not kidding.
We had cut down all that we had from our former homes when we moved into this one because it was one of the smallest homes we have ever owned. But, figure this...we first added the barn...that's full now of *stuff*. Then we bought the *cottage* which is three times bigger than the *barn* and it is full of *stuff*. So where have we saved ourselves anything? Plus I have stored several big containers of things up in the attic area that actually need to come down sometime soon because I can get rid of some of them now. It would be just as big a nightmare now as it was when we moved from our Margate house into the house that we eventually built. And we had also gotten rid of some things when we moved from there.
The accumulation of *stuff* never truly ends no matter what. It's just having the place to store the excess *stuff* that is the problem you may face. The Beast solved that with his *barn* and *cottage*. The barn holds his riding mower along with the regular mower, the extras for the riding mower (cart primarily) plus the trimmer, the rototiller and a few other things. The cottage holds seasonal clothes that we move out there every winter and spring as well as the Beast's extra wood for projects he doesn't do but they come in handy on occasion. It's also got extra blankets, hangers, some of my yarn in a big bin, a couple lamps, and lord knows what else he's put out there. I hate to even go out there unless I absolutely must.
The Princess told us something that made me feel really good today and I don't think that was her intention. She said that Johnnycakes said he wants to give his kids the things he grew up and never had. She said she just wanted to have the things she grew up with again. Those things were what we gave her. A great home...several times....each was better than the last. When she said this house was her dream home (except they will have to put in the in-ground pool down the line), I know it is going to remind me of our Margate home (by the size) only it's a bit better, I believe. She has another full bathroom (we just had 2.5 baths and the half bath was more for the use of those that were in the pool). Their guest room has it's own bath attached. The house has a split floor plan with the Master bedroom on one side and the kids rooms and the guest room on the other. That is the only part she's not crazy about...but she will get used to it. She may have to put one of those baby monitors in Gunner's room until he gets bigger or at least sleeps through the night but that's a small price to pay.
There's no set date for closing at the moment (although it won't be too long..just a couple weeks) since the house they are buying is ready to go into foreclosure. However, I am sure the agent will be notifying the bank about the sale AND the closing date once the mortgage company sets the date for funding.
Chewlee is registered for her new school which starts next week on Thursday, I think the Princess said. Chewlee is not happy about going to a new school but she is happy about school starting. She loves school. I gather the Princess or Johnnycakes will have to drive her to the new school since she is actually going out of district but the Princess will pick her up because the school is right across the street from her gym and they are starting up a kids program that Chewlee wants to be in (she told me about it when she was here for her sleepover). It's probably a good idea anyway since it will help drain off some of Chewlee's excess energy before going home where she will need to then do her homework, eat, take her shower and get ready for bed.
The Beast and I had patty melts for our dinner tonight. Yum! He's got them down to a science and they are tasty and just perfectly made. I had to compliment him twice. They are a pain to make from scratch because of the steps but soooooo worth it!
Love you all. Oh, I decided something today. I am going to be doing my *hints* on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I will do two each time and then one additional one on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on how those days work out for me. I just think that will be a good schedule that I will be able to stick to. If not, I'll go back to one every day.
Be good. Be happy and remember tomorrow is Friday. Smile. ***Hugs***
We had cut down all that we had from our former homes when we moved into this one because it was one of the smallest homes we have ever owned. But, figure this...we first added the barn...that's full now of *stuff*. Then we bought the *cottage* which is three times bigger than the *barn* and it is full of *stuff*. So where have we saved ourselves anything? Plus I have stored several big containers of things up in the attic area that actually need to come down sometime soon because I can get rid of some of them now. It would be just as big a nightmare now as it was when we moved from our Margate house into the house that we eventually built. And we had also gotten rid of some things when we moved from there.
The accumulation of *stuff* never truly ends no matter what. It's just having the place to store the excess *stuff* that is the problem you may face. The Beast solved that with his *barn* and *cottage*. The barn holds his riding mower along with the regular mower, the extras for the riding mower (cart primarily) plus the trimmer, the rototiller and a few other things. The cottage holds seasonal clothes that we move out there every winter and spring as well as the Beast's extra wood for projects he doesn't do but they come in handy on occasion. It's also got extra blankets, hangers, some of my yarn in a big bin, a couple lamps, and lord knows what else he's put out there. I hate to even go out there unless I absolutely must.
The Princess told us something that made me feel really good today and I don't think that was her intention. She said that Johnnycakes said he wants to give his kids the things he grew up and never had. She said she just wanted to have the things she grew up with again. Those things were what we gave her. A great home...several times....each was better than the last. When she said this house was her dream home (except they will have to put in the in-ground pool down the line), I know it is going to remind me of our Margate home (by the size) only it's a bit better, I believe. She has another full bathroom (we just had 2.5 baths and the half bath was more for the use of those that were in the pool). Their guest room has it's own bath attached. The house has a split floor plan with the Master bedroom on one side and the kids rooms and the guest room on the other. That is the only part she's not crazy about...but she will get used to it. She may have to put one of those baby monitors in Gunner's room until he gets bigger or at least sleeps through the night but that's a small price to pay.
There's no set date for closing at the moment (although it won't be too long..just a couple weeks) since the house they are buying is ready to go into foreclosure. However, I am sure the agent will be notifying the bank about the sale AND the closing date once the mortgage company sets the date for funding.
Chewlee is registered for her new school which starts next week on Thursday, I think the Princess said. Chewlee is not happy about going to a new school but she is happy about school starting. She loves school. I gather the Princess or Johnnycakes will have to drive her to the new school since she is actually going out of district but the Princess will pick her up because the school is right across the street from her gym and they are starting up a kids program that Chewlee wants to be in (she told me about it when she was here for her sleepover). It's probably a good idea anyway since it will help drain off some of Chewlee's excess energy before going home where she will need to then do her homework, eat, take her shower and get ready for bed.
The Beast and I had patty melts for our dinner tonight. Yum! He's got them down to a science and they are tasty and just perfectly made. I had to compliment him twice. They are a pain to make from scratch because of the steps but soooooo worth it!
Love you all. Oh, I decided something today. I am going to be doing my *hints* on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I will do two each time and then one additional one on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on how those days work out for me. I just think that will be a good schedule that I will be able to stick to. If not, I'll go back to one every day.
Be good. Be happy and remember tomorrow is Friday. Smile. ***Hugs***
Found!
I finally found a couple of my HS friends on FB. Don't know why I hadn't thought of this before (Old Timers?). LOL...guess you get dumber as you age, too. But I sent them requests to be friends so we can find out what's going on in their lives as they post.
I know one friend doesn't have a computer at home so she uses the ones at the library from time-to-time but at least that's better than nothing (or having to constantly call them!). Now to just wait to see.
Was a totally sleepy day for me today. The Beast made a great fish fry dinner, complete with nuked potato and some great banana bread. He always forgets a veggie but I made myself some broccoli a little later so it wasn't bad, all-in-all. He's decided that the more *ripe* the banana is, the sweeter it is in the banana bread. It seems true, too. It was very noticeably sweeter this time. And he doesn't add more sugar to the mix, either. The flavor was much more *banana-y*.
I couldn't figure out why I was so sleepy until I decided to read the bottle of the newest vitamins/minerals I added to my daily intake and I discovered that one of them was supposed to be taken at night because it was *known to make you sleepy*....not in those words but that was the gist of it. It's called melatonin, just so you know. I actually knew that from years ago but had forgotten when it was told to me (by my doctor, of all people) that I should take it to help encourage me to sleep since I told him I was having a problem. He prefers to use more natural things than a prescription for a sleeping pill (which is why I love him). I didn't think about the fact that it probably was meant to be used at night only. No wonder I was having so much trouble keeping awake in the afternoon. I usually take all my *non-meds* around lunch time, like my daily vitamin. DUH! So dumb. Have now switched it in my med case to my bedtime pocket.
I tried to call the Princess (got her voice mail) so I left a message to find out how Chewlee was feeling today. She went to register her for school at the new school she will be attending (even before finding out if they get the house they want). Regardless if they don't get the new house, their house is sold so they may have to hurriedly make a new offer on another house OR find temporary housing until they find what they want (and put most of their stuff into storage!). I am hoping she's not mad at me and that's why she never answered me. She may blame me for Chewlee getting sick. I'm not sure I didn't pass something on to her myself. But I feel bad that Chewlee never told me just how bad she was actually feeling so I didn't call the Princess before I ended up falling asleep.
Well, I can't change that now, unfortunately. But I will feel bad about it for a long time. *Sigh* Forgive me, Chewlee. Grandma loves you and I am sorry! If it ever happens again, I promise I will call your mommy and let her know. (PLEASE tell her this, my Princess! Love you both).
I have been following a program called *Orangutan Island* for over a year now. It's an experimental program designed to help orphaned orangutans learn the things they need to go back to the wild. The program really grabbed me from the beginning and I've watched the orangutans grow and learn. Now a bunch of them have been deemed ready to be released (on another island that was purchased from the government for them). I wonder just how they will do with no food delivery supplements (the island is deemed to have plenty of food available for them) but also has wild animals that pose a threat to their lives. These include wild pigs and panthers, also the normal alligators that are in the area. I hope we get to find out since some of them may end up killed. I have a couple favorites I would miss.
Have to post this now. It's much later than I thought and I need a couple more hours of sleep before I am up for the day. Be good. Be kind. Take care of yourselves. ***Hugs***
HINT#1: When a picture refuses to hang straight, wrap clear adhesive tape around the center of the wire to prevent it from slipping sideways.
HINT#2: Instead of buying expensive shaving creams or foams, try shaving with hair conditioner. (Buy the cheapest kind). The conditioner will soften the hair and provide a layer of protection between your blade and your skin. You'll even find your shave is closer.
I know one friend doesn't have a computer at home so she uses the ones at the library from time-to-time but at least that's better than nothing (or having to constantly call them!). Now to just wait to see.
Was a totally sleepy day for me today. The Beast made a great fish fry dinner, complete with nuked potato and some great banana bread. He always forgets a veggie but I made myself some broccoli a little later so it wasn't bad, all-in-all. He's decided that the more *ripe* the banana is, the sweeter it is in the banana bread. It seems true, too. It was very noticeably sweeter this time. And he doesn't add more sugar to the mix, either. The flavor was much more *banana-y*.
I couldn't figure out why I was so sleepy until I decided to read the bottle of the newest vitamins/minerals I added to my daily intake and I discovered that one of them was supposed to be taken at night because it was *known to make you sleepy*....not in those words but that was the gist of it. It's called melatonin, just so you know. I actually knew that from years ago but had forgotten when it was told to me (by my doctor, of all people) that I should take it to help encourage me to sleep since I told him I was having a problem. He prefers to use more natural things than a prescription for a sleeping pill (which is why I love him). I didn't think about the fact that it probably was meant to be used at night only. No wonder I was having so much trouble keeping awake in the afternoon. I usually take all my *non-meds* around lunch time, like my daily vitamin. DUH! So dumb. Have now switched it in my med case to my bedtime pocket.
I tried to call the Princess (got her voice mail) so I left a message to find out how Chewlee was feeling today. She went to register her for school at the new school she will be attending (even before finding out if they get the house they want). Regardless if they don't get the new house, their house is sold so they may have to hurriedly make a new offer on another house OR find temporary housing until they find what they want (and put most of their stuff into storage!). I am hoping she's not mad at me and that's why she never answered me. She may blame me for Chewlee getting sick. I'm not sure I didn't pass something on to her myself. But I feel bad that Chewlee never told me just how bad she was actually feeling so I didn't call the Princess before I ended up falling asleep.
Well, I can't change that now, unfortunately. But I will feel bad about it for a long time. *Sigh* Forgive me, Chewlee. Grandma loves you and I am sorry! If it ever happens again, I promise I will call your mommy and let her know. (PLEASE tell her this, my Princess! Love you both).
I have been following a program called *Orangutan Island* for over a year now. It's an experimental program designed to help orphaned orangutans learn the things they need to go back to the wild. The program really grabbed me from the beginning and I've watched the orangutans grow and learn. Now a bunch of them have been deemed ready to be released (on another island that was purchased from the government for them). I wonder just how they will do with no food delivery supplements (the island is deemed to have plenty of food available for them) but also has wild animals that pose a threat to their lives. These include wild pigs and panthers, also the normal alligators that are in the area. I hope we get to find out since some of them may end up killed. I have a couple favorites I would miss.
Have to post this now. It's much later than I thought and I need a couple more hours of sleep before I am up for the day. Be good. Be kind. Take care of yourselves. ***Hugs***
HINT#1: When a picture refuses to hang straight, wrap clear adhesive tape around the center of the wire to prevent it from slipping sideways.
HINT#2: Instead of buying expensive shaving creams or foams, try shaving with hair conditioner. (Buy the cheapest kind). The conditioner will soften the hair and provide a layer of protection between your blade and your skin. You'll even find your shave is closer.
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