I had just drifted off to sleep last night, when Hubbie hopped up, ran around the bed, grabbed the TV remote and began fiddling with it in the dark.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Turning the TV off," he said.
"It's already off," I said. "I set the timer, so it turned itself off about 30 minutes ago."
"Well, there was some sort of red light on it," he insisted.
"You probably hit some other function on the remote," I said. "I'll have to check it tomorrow."
Satisfied, he stumbled back to bed.
After that, I slept fine for the rest of the night, and got up around 7:30 this morning. Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, as usual, and she went to her puzzle.
I noticed she was having difficulty completing the border, so before I went upstairs to shower and dress, I sat down and helped her with it. After that, she was able to work on it just fine.
Once I was ready for the day, I didn't accomplish anything before noon. Mother opted for her usual Ramen noodle soup for lunch, while Hubbie and I had pancakes leftover from last night.
Afterward, Mother returned to her puzzle, Hubbie met a haircut appointment (with my hairdresser), and I read my John Grisham novel.
When Hubbie returned, we ran errands...to the WDCS for groceries, to a grocery store to pick up items we couldn't get at the WDCS, and to a gas station. Back home, we watched our favorite college basketball team as they played to a disappointing loss.
Later, for supper, we had individual boxed pizzas. We'd bought two of them, after we got one free a couple of weeks ago on the Friday free-item day at a grocery store. We had salad and cottage cheese with the meal. It was an okay supper, but not something we'd make a habit of having.
Afterward, I thought about going downtown for a $2 movie at the old theater..."Hunger Games: Catching Fire"..., but since both Mother and Hubbie were snoozing, and didn't wake up until close to showtime, I abandoned the idea. When Mother woke up, Hubbie accompanied her home, and then he and I watched episodes of "The Tudors."
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Friday, Jan. 17
Slept all night for a change. Up at 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she went to her jigsaw puzzle. She finished that one today, and began another.
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that around the house until lunchtime. For lunch, Mother had Ramen noodle soup, with a little cold meatloaf on the side. Hubbie and I had the rest of the chicken noodle/veggie soup, with meatloaf sandwiches. We shared an orange for dessert.
Afterward, I spent a couple of hours recording birthdays, monthly meeting times, and other information on our 2014 calendar. This is the main calendar, on which I keep up with all of our appointments, etc.
When I finished recording on the calendar, I then went through the 2013 calendar and made a list of the most important events of the year. I've been doing this since 1998, and it has come in handy, when we need to nail down a date of a past event. I routinely keep our old calendars, and have had reason to consult them frequently. These lists help me quickly locate the appropriate calendar. Also, it's interesting to review them...a lot happens in a few years.
Didn't do a lot after I finished with the calendar until suppertime, when Hubbie and I worked together to make pancakes. I made the batter, heated syrup and cups of coffee, set the table, etc., and Hubbie cooked the pancakes. They were very good, topped with a combination of sugar free syrup and blueberry jelly (the jelly that did not set properly).
Mother was ready to go home shortly after supper, and then Hubbie and I watched episodes of "The Tudors."
Once I was ready for the day, I did this and that around the house until lunchtime. For lunch, Mother had Ramen noodle soup, with a little cold meatloaf on the side. Hubbie and I had the rest of the chicken noodle/veggie soup, with meatloaf sandwiches. We shared an orange for dessert.
Afterward, I spent a couple of hours recording birthdays, monthly meeting times, and other information on our 2014 calendar. This is the main calendar, on which I keep up with all of our appointments, etc.
When I finished recording on the calendar, I then went through the 2013 calendar and made a list of the most important events of the year. I've been doing this since 1998, and it has come in handy, when we need to nail down a date of a past event. I routinely keep our old calendars, and have had reason to consult them frequently. These lists help me quickly locate the appropriate calendar. Also, it's interesting to review them...a lot happens in a few years.
Didn't do a lot after I finished with the calendar until suppertime, when Hubbie and I worked together to make pancakes. I made the batter, heated syrup and cups of coffee, set the table, etc., and Hubbie cooked the pancakes. They were very good, topped with a combination of sugar free syrup and blueberry jelly (the jelly that did not set properly).
Mother was ready to go home shortly after supper, and then Hubbie and I watched episodes of "The Tudors."
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Thursday, Jan. 16
One of those nights again...this time I couldn't fall asleep until after 2 a.m. So I was bleary-eyed when I woke up at 7:30. Skipped my exercises after breakfast, so I could get dressed and then spruce the house for a scrapbook club meeting this afternoon.
Hubbie was scheduled for a 10 a.m. Master Gardener meeting, but before he left he accompanied Mother to our house, and then went to the WDCS to pick up some snapshots for me to use in making scrapbook pages of the two most recent additions to the family.
When I was satisfied that the house looked okay for company, I began planning scrapbook pages. Selecting the photos I want to use, and then searching for matching background papers. This is usually the most time-consuming part of the project.
One of the babies is a girl, and the other is a boy, and I have lots of pink and blue baby-themed background paper. But in the photos the babies, and family members holding them, are dressed in reds and greens, which made it a challenge to choose background papers that match the clothing, but still say "baby." Finally turned up multi-colored papers that seem to be a good compromise.
It was 11:30 by the time I finished this task, so I prepared lunch. Today, since there wasn't enough of either the chicken noodle soup or the vegetable soup to serve three, I combined the two, and served them with peanut butter and crackers. Mother ate early, but I waited for Hubbie to return, which he did shortly after noon.
The ladies arrived promptly at 1 p.m. We really enjoyed seeing each other after not having met in several months, due to holidays and inclement weather. Even though we'd spent quite a while talking by phone, there was still a lot to talk about today.
We all created several scrapbook pages while we talked. At 2 p.m., I served Italian cream cheese on crackers, along with a choice of drinks.
Obviously, the ladies enjoyed being here, because they stayed until 3:30, even though our meeting time is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. I had nothing pressing to tend to this afternoon, so I was glad that they lingered.
After they left, Hubbie and I went to the library to pick up a DVD that I had placed on hold. One of the ladies at the library called this morning to alert me that the DVD was available. While we were there, we got a couple of books off the "free" rack. This is a place where people leave books for others to take. Today, I picked up a Mary Higgins Clark short-story book, and a novel by Robert Ludlum (author of "The Bourne Identity," and "The Bourne Supremacy"). This one is called "The Lazarus Vendetta."
Back home, I put leftovers in the oven for supper...meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Also heated English peas in the microwave, and gravy on the stove top. Served the meal with warm slices of Sis's homemade bread.
Funny: fortunately, I caught myself before I turned the heat on under the pan of leftover gravy, because what I had actually put in the pan was chocolate pudding.
Mother stayed around after that to watch TV with us...one hour programs that I'd recorded on DVR.
Hubbie was scheduled for a 10 a.m. Master Gardener meeting, but before he left he accompanied Mother to our house, and then went to the WDCS to pick up some snapshots for me to use in making scrapbook pages of the two most recent additions to the family.
When I was satisfied that the house looked okay for company, I began planning scrapbook pages. Selecting the photos I want to use, and then searching for matching background papers. This is usually the most time-consuming part of the project.
One of the babies is a girl, and the other is a boy, and I have lots of pink and blue baby-themed background paper. But in the photos the babies, and family members holding them, are dressed in reds and greens, which made it a challenge to choose background papers that match the clothing, but still say "baby." Finally turned up multi-colored papers that seem to be a good compromise.
It was 11:30 by the time I finished this task, so I prepared lunch. Today, since there wasn't enough of either the chicken noodle soup or the vegetable soup to serve three, I combined the two, and served them with peanut butter and crackers. Mother ate early, but I waited for Hubbie to return, which he did shortly after noon.
The ladies arrived promptly at 1 p.m. We really enjoyed seeing each other after not having met in several months, due to holidays and inclement weather. Even though we'd spent quite a while talking by phone, there was still a lot to talk about today.
We all created several scrapbook pages while we talked. At 2 p.m., I served Italian cream cheese on crackers, along with a choice of drinks.
Obviously, the ladies enjoyed being here, because they stayed until 3:30, even though our meeting time is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. I had nothing pressing to tend to this afternoon, so I was glad that they lingered.
After they left, Hubbie and I went to the library to pick up a DVD that I had placed on hold. One of the ladies at the library called this morning to alert me that the DVD was available. While we were there, we got a couple of books off the "free" rack. This is a place where people leave books for others to take. Today, I picked up a Mary Higgins Clark short-story book, and a novel by Robert Ludlum (author of "The Bourne Identity," and "The Bourne Supremacy"). This one is called "The Lazarus Vendetta."
Back home, I put leftovers in the oven for supper...meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Also heated English peas in the microwave, and gravy on the stove top. Served the meal with warm slices of Sis's homemade bread.
Funny: fortunately, I caught myself before I turned the heat on under the pan of leftover gravy, because what I had actually put in the pan was chocolate pudding.
Mother stayed around after that to watch TV with us...one hour programs that I'd recorded on DVR.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Wednesday, Jan. 15
Up at 7:30, after sleeping through the night without waking at 4:30. Did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30.
Hubbie began vacuuming the downstairs rooms, but received a call from his dermatologist's office saying that there was an opening this morning at 11:15, if he chose to go on in instead of waiting for his February appointment. He opted to do so, and hurried to shower and dress.
Hubbie has been having trouble with recurring rash on his face, and general itchy skin. He has been using the same shampoo/body wash as Mother, and applying hydrocordisone. We also purchased a humidifier recently. So for the past few days, his symptoms have eased. He hated to go to the doctor, since his skin condition has cleared up. But I felt the doctor could possibly give him more information on how to avoid future flareups.
While he was gone, Mother and I put together meatloaf...she diced onions and bell pepper, and I gathered all the other ingredients. I seasoned the meat with pepper, no salt seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and basil, and then she added oatmeal, egg substitute, and tomato sauce.
I put the meatloaf in the refrigerator until time to cook it later. Then Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, and I scoured the kitchen in anticipation of hosting the scrapbook club tomorrow.
At 11:30, I heated vegetable soup left from last night's supper, and served a bowl of it to Mother, along with crackers and peanut butter, and a Little Cutie for dessert. I waited a while to have my lunch, thinking Hubbie would return presently. When he still wasn't here by 12:30, I went ahead and ate.
He returned a few minutes later. The dermatologist did not name his condition (which is probably dermatitis), but suggested ways to alleviate it...bathe every other day, use moisturizer, wash his clothes in All, apply hydrocortisone, and use bath soup without lanolin and alcohol. A humidifier is also helpful.
I had already suggested getting a humidifier, and changing his shampoo/body wash. I also suggested he not soap and scrub his whole body every time he showers, particularly in the winter, when he is not sweating from yard work.
After lunch, I finally went upstairs to shower and dress. Downstairs, I put a folding table in the living room, and searched out materials Mother and I will need for making scrapbook pages tomorrow. My goal is to do pages featuring the two newest great-grandchildren. First, though, I had to order prints from the WDCS. It would have been good if I'd thought to do this earlier in the week, but I didn't.
Later, Hubbie scrubbed potatoes for the oven, and then went in search of green beans I'd cooked and put in the freezer last summer. He's the one who put them away, but for some reason, when he puts anything away, he's unable to record an image in his mind of where he puts it. So he spends a lot of time searching for things he puts away. He finally located the beans in the freezer unit of Mother's refrigerator. I'm not sure why he stored them there to begin with.
The meatloaf, baked potatoes, and green beans, served with hot buttered slices of Sis's homemade bread was really good. Afterward, Mother opted to stay at our house to supposedly watch TV...though she dozed most of the time.
Around 8 p.m., I decided to whip up some instant chocolate pudding for a snack. Around 8:30, Mother roused, and I served the pudding with whipped topping. Afterward, she promptly nodded off again. It was after 10 p.m., before she was ready to be escorted home.
Hubbie began vacuuming the downstairs rooms, but received a call from his dermatologist's office saying that there was an opening this morning at 11:15, if he chose to go on in instead of waiting for his February appointment. He opted to do so, and hurried to shower and dress.
Hubbie has been having trouble with recurring rash on his face, and general itchy skin. He has been using the same shampoo/body wash as Mother, and applying hydrocordisone. We also purchased a humidifier recently. So for the past few days, his symptoms have eased. He hated to go to the doctor, since his skin condition has cleared up. But I felt the doctor could possibly give him more information on how to avoid future flareups.
While he was gone, Mother and I put together meatloaf...she diced onions and bell pepper, and I gathered all the other ingredients. I seasoned the meat with pepper, no salt seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and basil, and then she added oatmeal, egg substitute, and tomato sauce.
I put the meatloaf in the refrigerator until time to cook it later. Then Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, and I scoured the kitchen in anticipation of hosting the scrapbook club tomorrow.
At 11:30, I heated vegetable soup left from last night's supper, and served a bowl of it to Mother, along with crackers and peanut butter, and a Little Cutie for dessert. I waited a while to have my lunch, thinking Hubbie would return presently. When he still wasn't here by 12:30, I went ahead and ate.
He returned a few minutes later. The dermatologist did not name his condition (which is probably dermatitis), but suggested ways to alleviate it...bathe every other day, use moisturizer, wash his clothes in All, apply hydrocortisone, and use bath soup without lanolin and alcohol. A humidifier is also helpful.
I had already suggested getting a humidifier, and changing his shampoo/body wash. I also suggested he not soap and scrub his whole body every time he showers, particularly in the winter, when he is not sweating from yard work.
After lunch, I finally went upstairs to shower and dress. Downstairs, I put a folding table in the living room, and searched out materials Mother and I will need for making scrapbook pages tomorrow. My goal is to do pages featuring the two newest great-grandchildren. First, though, I had to order prints from the WDCS. It would have been good if I'd thought to do this earlier in the week, but I didn't.
Later, Hubbie scrubbed potatoes for the oven, and then went in search of green beans I'd cooked and put in the freezer last summer. He's the one who put them away, but for some reason, when he puts anything away, he's unable to record an image in his mind of where he puts it. So he spends a lot of time searching for things he puts away. He finally located the beans in the freezer unit of Mother's refrigerator. I'm not sure why he stored them there to begin with.
The meatloaf, baked potatoes, and green beans, served with hot buttered slices of Sis's homemade bread was really good. Afterward, Mother opted to stay at our house to supposedly watch TV...though she dozed most of the time.
Around 8 p.m., I decided to whip up some instant chocolate pudding for a snack. Around 8:30, Mother roused, and I served the pudding with whipped topping. Afterward, she promptly nodded off again. It was after 10 p.m., before she was ready to be escorted home.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Tuesday, Jan. 14
I don't know what's up with me waking up around 4:30 in the morning, and then having trouble going back to sleep. But I did it again this morning.
Later, Hubbie was up before me, around 7:30, but I snoozed until about 8:30 a.m. Skipped my exercises so I could get ready to go for a haircut appointment at 11:30. I certainly didn't need that much time to dress, but I wanted to search again for the beauty shop gift cards I gave to Mother for Christmas. She said yesterday that she'd given them to me to keep track of, though I didn't remember her handing to me.
I didn't find the cards, so when Hubbie accompanied her to our house around 9:30, I asked if she'd checked her purse, as I suggested she do last night. She said she had, but they weren't there. However, they were in a pouch in her bedroom. When she found them, she remembered she'd put them there. Today, I did put the cards in my purse so I can keep track of them.
This morning, I noticed our black cat who was hit by a car and now has a gimpy hip was having difficulty using the litter box. I figured she was constipated and brought it to Hubbie's attention. He called the vet's office, and was told to bring the cat in around noon. He did that while we were at the beauty shop.
Mother and I arrived at the beauty shop around 11:15, and since both of our hairdressers were ready for us, we got our haircuts in short order. The talk today was about the prevalence of flu in the state, and the fact that it's disproportionately hitting young people between 20 and 50. About half of the deaths from the illness have been from that demographic. This is also a group that seems disinclined to get a flu vaccination.
The young hairdressers at the shop expressed that they don't want to put chemicals in their bodies. I'm willing to risk the chemicals in an attempt to avoid this deadly strain of flu. I know the vaccination is not 100% effective, but it is a hedge against it. I feel I have less of a chance of contracting it, or if I do get it, it could be a milder case.
It is said that those of us who lived in the 1940s and '50s have a greater immunity to the H1N1 strain, because we lived through a period when it was also prevalent. I remember getting a terrible case of flu while I was in high school, but have no idea if it was that particular strain. At that time, there was no flu vaccine, and we were unaware of what strain of flu we got.
Flu seems to be the major topic of conversation everywhere. It was a topic that came up when I talked to the scrapbook ladies, too. One of them said she really wished her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson would consider getting the vaccine, but they stubbornly refuse.
My hairdresser, who turned 50 last weekend (Jan. 11), refuses to get vaccinated, saying she has only been sick with flu one time in her life, so she feels she's healthy enough to avoid it or survive it if she gets it. But this strain of flu is hitting the healthy ones like her the hardest.
While I was putting Mother's walker in the van after we'd gotten our haircuts, I accidentally hit the panic button on the key I was holding in my hand. I quickly disengaged it, but when I looked in the windows of the beauty shop, I noticed the ladies were laughing at me.
Back home, I put noodles in the broth from the chicken I cooked yesterday, but since it was already noon, Mother didn't want to wait for the soup and opted instead to have Ramen noodle soup, with a side of tuna salad and crackers.
The soup was ready by the time Hubbie came back from the vet's office. He reported that the vet gave the cat a laxative and wanted to wait to see if it worked before he irrigated her. Hubbie also took our other black cat to the vet, because he is somehow losing all the hair on his underside and up his back legs. The vet said he thinks the cat is pulling his own hair out, though he doesn't know why. He gave the cat some medication to see if it stopped him from doing this.
After lunch, Mother and I worked on making a vegetable soup for supper. Mother sliced zucchini squash and potatoes, and diced carrots, celery, and bell pepper, and then I put the soup together to cook. The recipe calls for yellow squash, too, which I took from the freezer. It had been in there for a long time and needed to be used.
The soup also uses canned diced tomatoes, and two quarts of chicken broth, as well as spices (basil and oregano) and garlic. It also calls for cayenne and tobasco sauce, neither of which I used. Instead, I used a little chili powder, regular pepper, no salt seasoning, and paprika.
Spent the rest of the afternoon stowing things in the upstairs bathroom and doing other nit-picky things.
Later, I served the soup with slices of Sis's homemade bread that I'd stored in the freezer and then heated for supper. It was a very satisfying meal.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then at 7 p.m., he and I went to the college to watch a basketball game. Our team won handily.
I was amused at Niece's 18-month-old baby, who is learning to talk. It's obvious she's a member of a basketball family (her dad being the coach at the college). She yelled "De-fense, de-fense, de-fense!" And, "Dunk it!" Or, "Miss it!" Of course, sometimes she was cheering the wrong team, but it was cute anyway.
Back home around 9 p.m., we watched our favorite state college basketball team, as they played to a nail-biter win in overtime, after seventeen ties. I'd recorded the game on DVR.
Later, Hubbie was up before me, around 7:30, but I snoozed until about 8:30 a.m. Skipped my exercises so I could get ready to go for a haircut appointment at 11:30. I certainly didn't need that much time to dress, but I wanted to search again for the beauty shop gift cards I gave to Mother for Christmas. She said yesterday that she'd given them to me to keep track of, though I didn't remember her handing to me.
I didn't find the cards, so when Hubbie accompanied her to our house around 9:30, I asked if she'd checked her purse, as I suggested she do last night. She said she had, but they weren't there. However, they were in a pouch in her bedroom. When she found them, she remembered she'd put them there. Today, I did put the cards in my purse so I can keep track of them.
This morning, I noticed our black cat who was hit by a car and now has a gimpy hip was having difficulty using the litter box. I figured she was constipated and brought it to Hubbie's attention. He called the vet's office, and was told to bring the cat in around noon. He did that while we were at the beauty shop.
Mother and I arrived at the beauty shop around 11:15, and since both of our hairdressers were ready for us, we got our haircuts in short order. The talk today was about the prevalence of flu in the state, and the fact that it's disproportionately hitting young people between 20 and 50. About half of the deaths from the illness have been from that demographic. This is also a group that seems disinclined to get a flu vaccination.
The young hairdressers at the shop expressed that they don't want to put chemicals in their bodies. I'm willing to risk the chemicals in an attempt to avoid this deadly strain of flu. I know the vaccination is not 100% effective, but it is a hedge against it. I feel I have less of a chance of contracting it, or if I do get it, it could be a milder case.
It is said that those of us who lived in the 1940s and '50s have a greater immunity to the H1N1 strain, because we lived through a period when it was also prevalent. I remember getting a terrible case of flu while I was in high school, but have no idea if it was that particular strain. At that time, there was no flu vaccine, and we were unaware of what strain of flu we got.
Flu seems to be the major topic of conversation everywhere. It was a topic that came up when I talked to the scrapbook ladies, too. One of them said she really wished her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson would consider getting the vaccine, but they stubbornly refuse.
My hairdresser, who turned 50 last weekend (Jan. 11), refuses to get vaccinated, saying she has only been sick with flu one time in her life, so she feels she's healthy enough to avoid it or survive it if she gets it. But this strain of flu is hitting the healthy ones like her the hardest.
While I was putting Mother's walker in the van after we'd gotten our haircuts, I accidentally hit the panic button on the key I was holding in my hand. I quickly disengaged it, but when I looked in the windows of the beauty shop, I noticed the ladies were laughing at me.
Back home, I put noodles in the broth from the chicken I cooked yesterday, but since it was already noon, Mother didn't want to wait for the soup and opted instead to have Ramen noodle soup, with a side of tuna salad and crackers.
The soup was ready by the time Hubbie came back from the vet's office. He reported that the vet gave the cat a laxative and wanted to wait to see if it worked before he irrigated her. Hubbie also took our other black cat to the vet, because he is somehow losing all the hair on his underside and up his back legs. The vet said he thinks the cat is pulling his own hair out, though he doesn't know why. He gave the cat some medication to see if it stopped him from doing this.
After lunch, Mother and I worked on making a vegetable soup for supper. Mother sliced zucchini squash and potatoes, and diced carrots, celery, and bell pepper, and then I put the soup together to cook. The recipe calls for yellow squash, too, which I took from the freezer. It had been in there for a long time and needed to be used.
The soup also uses canned diced tomatoes, and two quarts of chicken broth, as well as spices (basil and oregano) and garlic. It also calls for cayenne and tobasco sauce, neither of which I used. Instead, I used a little chili powder, regular pepper, no salt seasoning, and paprika.
Spent the rest of the afternoon stowing things in the upstairs bathroom and doing other nit-picky things.
Later, I served the soup with slices of Sis's homemade bread that I'd stored in the freezer and then heated for supper. It was a very satisfying meal.
Hubbie accompanied Mother home afterward, and then at 7 p.m., he and I went to the college to watch a basketball game. Our team won handily.
I was amused at Niece's 18-month-old baby, who is learning to talk. It's obvious she's a member of a basketball family (her dad being the coach at the college). She yelled "De-fense, de-fense, de-fense!" And, "Dunk it!" Or, "Miss it!" Of course, sometimes she was cheering the wrong team, but it was cute anyway.
Back home around 9 p.m., we watched our favorite state college basketball team, as they played to a nail-biter win in overtime, after seventeen ties. I'd recorded the game on DVR.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Monday, Jan. 13
Woke up around 4:30 this morning, and couldn't go back to sleep until about 5:30. I couldn't seem to turn my mind off, because I was trying to plan meals for this week. It seems to get harder and harder thinking up menu ideas that aren't repetitive.
Four-thirty in the morning is no time to tax my mind, though, so I was drowsy when we got up at 7:30. And besides, I only managed to think of what to serve for lunch and supper today. The rest of the week waited until I was up and around.
I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast, and then I made tuna salad for lunch. After that, Hubbie put color in my hair in anticipation of a haircut appointment tomorrow.
By the time I was ready for the day, it was time for lunch. Mother, who loves fish of any kind, relished her tuna salad sandwich, but I was less pleased. I'm not a real fish fan, and I'm especially not fond of canned tuna. I can tolerate the tuna in a pouch, but the canned kind has too much of a fishy taste. Despite my efforts to disguise its taste with onions, dill pickles, boiled egg, sliced almonds, pecans, Craisins, and salad dressing, it still wasn't palatable to me.
After lunch, Mother (Hubbie had accompanied to our house this morning) diced onions, carrots, and celery for stewing chicken. She also sliced mushrooms to be sauteed and put in the freezer. Then she went to her jigsaw puzzle.
I did this and that around the house for the rest of the afternoon, including planning meals for the rest of week, and downloading a John Grisham novel to our e-readers.
I also called our scrapbook club members to remind them of our monthly meeting on Thursday. Due to the holidays and wintry weather, we haven't met in a few months. Whenever I call these two ladies, who are widows, I can expect to be on the phone quite a while, and today was no exception. Talked about 30 minutes with each lady. Well, I say I talked...actually, I listened.
For supper I served the stewed chicken with mashed potatoes (Hubbie had peeled and cut them up, and I boiled them and mashed them), gravy, and English peas. It was a bit healthier food following restaurant meals over the weekend.
Mother chose to stay around and watch TV this evening. I had cut a slice of coconut cream pie for her to take home, but since she stayed here, she just enjoyed it when we had ours.
Four-thirty in the morning is no time to tax my mind, though, so I was drowsy when we got up at 7:30. And besides, I only managed to think of what to serve for lunch and supper today. The rest of the week waited until I was up and around.
I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast, and then I made tuna salad for lunch. After that, Hubbie put color in my hair in anticipation of a haircut appointment tomorrow.
By the time I was ready for the day, it was time for lunch. Mother, who loves fish of any kind, relished her tuna salad sandwich, but I was less pleased. I'm not a real fish fan, and I'm especially not fond of canned tuna. I can tolerate the tuna in a pouch, but the canned kind has too much of a fishy taste. Despite my efforts to disguise its taste with onions, dill pickles, boiled egg, sliced almonds, pecans, Craisins, and salad dressing, it still wasn't palatable to me.
After lunch, Mother (Hubbie had accompanied to our house this morning) diced onions, carrots, and celery for stewing chicken. She also sliced mushrooms to be sauteed and put in the freezer. Then she went to her jigsaw puzzle.
I did this and that around the house for the rest of the afternoon, including planning meals for the rest of week, and downloading a John Grisham novel to our e-readers.
I also called our scrapbook club members to remind them of our monthly meeting on Thursday. Due to the holidays and wintry weather, we haven't met in a few months. Whenever I call these two ladies, who are widows, I can expect to be on the phone quite a while, and today was no exception. Talked about 30 minutes with each lady. Well, I say I talked...actually, I listened.
For supper I served the stewed chicken with mashed potatoes (Hubbie had peeled and cut them up, and I boiled them and mashed them), gravy, and English peas. It was a bit healthier food following restaurant meals over the weekend.
Mother chose to stay around and watch TV this evening. I had cut a slice of coconut cream pie for her to take home, but since she stayed here, she just enjoyed it when we had ours.
Sunday, Jan. 12
Up around 7:30 to get ready for a trip to a restaurant about 45 minutes away. The purpose of the trip was to celebrate my birthday with family. The town where the restaurant is located is a halfway point for gathering, since family from south are about 45 minutes away from the town, too.
We arrived at the restaurant first, and Hubbie went in to arrange a room for us to meet in. We were taking a chance that a room would be available, but luckily there was one.
Family arrived within minutes of our arrival, and we all went in to pay for buffet meals. That is, we all went in except for Hubbie and Daughter. I couldn't figure out what was delaying them, but after a few minutes, I decided to check.
I found Daughter on her hands and knees looking under a vehicle. What was going on? Hubbie said that she was looking for a $20 bill that she'd had in her hand minutes before, but which suddenly disappeared. Hubbie said that the two of them had searched everywhere for the bill and were mystified at how it could have been lost.
There was a wind today, so looked around to see if I could spy the money. Sure enough, way over to the side of the restaurant, close to a fenced off trash can area, I saw the wrinkled bill scooting along in the breeze. I pointed it out to Hubbie, who dashed over and retrieved it.
Everything went smoothly after that. Fourteen of us enjoyed the buffet meal and dessert, after which a host of waitresses paraded in, clapping and singing the Happy Birthday song. Daughter set that one up.
Then my three kids presented me with beautiful cards (including a musical card), and gifts of cash, gift cards, and a hyacinth plant (from Daughter). When I protested that being treated to lunch was quite enough gift, my younger son melted my heart with a speech of gratitude for my sacrifices as a mother, saying that nothing he ever did for me could be enough. Of course, my children just being my children is enough.
When we finished our celebration, we left the restaurant, but not the parking lot, where we continued to visit until around 3 p.m. Then we all headed home.
At home, Mother came into our house and watched TV with us. Around 6:30, we were ready to have a bite for supper and decided on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Only thing was, we didn't have any bread.
Since we didn't have any milk, either, Hubbie went to a grocery store. It was after 7 p.m. before we had our meal. Mother continued to stay at our house until around 9 p.m., when she finally decided to go home. Mostly she'd spent the evening nodding off. Hubbie accompanied her home when she roused enough to walk. I guess the day was tiring for her, even though she sat the whole time...in the van, in her wheelchair, and on a chair at the restaurant.
We arrived at the restaurant first, and Hubbie went in to arrange a room for us to meet in. We were taking a chance that a room would be available, but luckily there was one.
Family arrived within minutes of our arrival, and we all went in to pay for buffet meals. That is, we all went in except for Hubbie and Daughter. I couldn't figure out what was delaying them, but after a few minutes, I decided to check.
I found Daughter on her hands and knees looking under a vehicle. What was going on? Hubbie said that she was looking for a $20 bill that she'd had in her hand minutes before, but which suddenly disappeared. Hubbie said that the two of them had searched everywhere for the bill and were mystified at how it could have been lost.
There was a wind today, so looked around to see if I could spy the money. Sure enough, way over to the side of the restaurant, close to a fenced off trash can area, I saw the wrinkled bill scooting along in the breeze. I pointed it out to Hubbie, who dashed over and retrieved it.
Everything went smoothly after that. Fourteen of us enjoyed the buffet meal and dessert, after which a host of waitresses paraded in, clapping and singing the Happy Birthday song. Daughter set that one up.
Then my three kids presented me with beautiful cards (including a musical card), and gifts of cash, gift cards, and a hyacinth plant (from Daughter). When I protested that being treated to lunch was quite enough gift, my younger son melted my heart with a speech of gratitude for my sacrifices as a mother, saying that nothing he ever did for me could be enough. Of course, my children just being my children is enough.
When we finished our celebration, we left the restaurant, but not the parking lot, where we continued to visit until around 3 p.m. Then we all headed home.
At home, Mother came into our house and watched TV with us. Around 6:30, we were ready to have a bite for supper and decided on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Only thing was, we didn't have any bread.
Since we didn't have any milk, either, Hubbie went to a grocery store. It was after 7 p.m. before we had our meal. Mother continued to stay at our house until around 9 p.m., when she finally decided to go home. Mostly she'd spent the evening nodding off. Hubbie accompanied her home when she roused enough to walk. I guess the day was tiring for her, even though she sat the whole time...in the van, in her wheelchair, and on a chair at the restaurant.
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