Name Three Things - 2022

[Tobermory]

Baked some chocolate shortbread cookies this morning. Went to the library, dropped off “Soul,” and checked out “Up.” We saw “Up” when it came out several years ago, but I felt like seeing again. It was so creative. I have a load of towels in the dryer that need to come out, but Iris is in my lap so the towels can wait. I’m always reluctant to make the little old lady move.

 

[Winchester]

Rick's mom is very sick. There's something going around the facility (along with Covid....again!) and she caught it. She's also miserably depressed, not sleeping, and bored out of her mind. We're not even allowed to pick up the Kindle and she relies on her Kindle books. We are more than a little worried.

• Clarence didn't need anything for inspection. He also got an oil change and his tires rotated. Going in today to pick him up. Les forgot to call me yesterday and I didn't want to hassle him in case he was really busy. We're retired. It works out. I told Rick Clarence and I are going out for a ride when I pick him up, just so I can drive him and to listen to some music. I don't care how cold it is; the moon roof will be open and the windows will be down. Time to cruise a bit.
• It was time to make the doughnuts! Since we can't visit with his mom, I'll wait until she's better and then make them. I have a gallon of oil in the pantry, waiting for me.
• My spices came late yesterday afternoon, so I'm going to bottle them up and get them organized. Got a rather large bag of cinnamon as I was running dangerously low.

 

[gilmargl]

Yesterday, my own prediction for today was:

1. Feed the ferals. Two black-and-white cats have turned up again. Since many people make use of the few days of carnival to take a short break, I am fairly certain that the owners have left their cats knowing that we will be putting down enough food so their cats won't go hungry. What can we do?
2. Buy some cheap pyjamas - my partner seems to have lost all those I left at the hospital!
3. Hope that things (my mood in particular) don't get any worse! And keep smiling!

but, today turned into an unexpected Christmas Day or birthday! Three parcels arrived meaning that my day was not just a normal (Ash) Wednesday! So, 5 things - not three!

1. First I fed the ferals as expected - only one was waiting for me both early morning and this evening. They are well-fed cats!
2. Secondly, I opened the first parcel which contained a set of 4 saucepans for my induction hob. I have had to discard some of my old pans as unsuitable - and, although I no longer do a lot of complicated cooking, I decided to replace them. I spent a long time boiling water to get rid of chemicals, washed them thoroughly and put them away.
3. Parcel number 2 consisted of cropped floral pants for me in summer and bistro curtains embroidered with tulips for the kitchen in spring.
4. Parcel number three contained tea bags,"Taste my New Zealand" and others, which I can no longer buy locally, plus wild bird seed and fat balls. So, I filled all the empty containers with fat balls and fat blocks for woodpeckers.
5. Went into the local town and bought pyjamas (as planned). They were more expensive than I'd hoped. Washed them

So it was a lovely day and I'm in a good mood!

 

[Winchester]

gilmargl It was like Christmas at your house!

Picked Clarence up at the garage yesterday. I took him (he took me?) for a long drive on the way home. Opened the roof, opened the window and I just drove for a while. Listened to Dire Straits (that shows my age). It was nice.

• Breakfast for the girls, emptied the dishwasher, and am sitting back here with my coffee.
• We just went to Target the other day to pick up prescriptions. And yesterday, I got a text that another prescription was ready for me. Darn. Back down to Target at some point today.
• Vacuum, swiffer, clean the bathroom.
• Make the bed up in the WeShed. I'm sleeping out there tonight.

 

[susanm9006]

I made a Sams Club run for coffee this morning and ended up with a number of items that I keep forgetting I need, like freezer containers and plastic cups. Afterwards I joined the exceptionally long line, forty minute wait at the car wash to get some of the winter crud off of the car. The car washes are closed when it is below zero, so most of this winter, and now that it has warmed up there are a whole lot of cars in need of a wash.

 

[Winchester]

Slept in the WeShed last night. I fell asleep around 10:30 and never budged until around 8:00 this morning. It was like a vacation. If I woke up at all last night, I don't remember it. Rick said Amber started in around 4:30, woke the other cats up. Molli went after Muffin and Muffin started screaming bloody murder. Tabby kept bouncing all over the bed. Molli kept jumping on Rick's bladder. Every time Molli got within six feet of Muffin, Muffin would start yelling. He stayed in bed until 5:30, but he said it wasn't pretty. When I came in the house a little after 8, he was crashed on the couch. Just another morning around here; usually they go after me because I'm the "easy mark". Mornings in our house aren't pretty. There's no such thing as waking up gradually. Not with these guys. Sometimes I really need a night in the WeShed. I don't sleep out there often and I only do it when it's Rick turn to get up with the girls anyway.

• We didn't go to Target for the meds yesterday, so we have to go today. We don't go out on weekends if we can help it because it's just crazy with people. I just got another text about the meds, so we'll go today. Maybe we'll hit Aldi, too, while we're out. I need tequila, too, at the liquor store.
• I have the first of two loads of bed sheets in the washer: one from the WeShed and I changed the sheets on our bed this morning. I may do a load of kitty stuff while I'm doing laundry.
• Continue with Barefoot Contessa tonight.

 

[gilmargl]

After celebrating Christmas on Wednesday, Thursday was a bit of a let down. But, in spite of feeling pretty low, I did manage to:

1. vacuum the carpets to get rid of cat hairs. Woolly Bear is shedding huge tufts of long white fur but the vacuum cleaner is full of short black hairs. (Well, with 2 black cats and a tabby, it's hardly surprising!)
2. pick up my younger daughter from work and do the weekly shopping. We are both at a bit of a loss - I, being suddenly on my own, don't need to buy very much at all and her elder son has just moved into a flat with his girlfriend. DD has only just found out how much food he was consuming.
3. .... as always feed 4 cats, scoop 6 litter boxes, and did my best NOT to break another dining room chair! I am not heavy (< 50 kg or 108 pounds) but since I've become exceptionally nervous, I sit on the edge of a chair and swivel when one or two cats want to join me. Crunch - I've forced another wooden joint apart!

Today, my nervousness increased 10 fold. I knew that, either today or tomorrow, I had to visit the hospital and the drive alone worries me - in case I land up stuck in the wrong lane of traffic and finish up in Belgium or Cologne! I would also need a Corona test to be allowed in. The surgery was closed on Monday, my normal working day, and the thought of work piling up and me doing nothing about it, sends me into a panic. Saturday is a full-day's training (hospice work).
So I told myself to calm down and take one thing at a time:

1. This morning I worked for 4 hours at the surgery
2. After lunch I drove to the hospital, had the corona-test and
3. Visited my partner and drove home

I'm still alive, feeling a lot better, and drinking hot chocolate (made with milk!). My partner is slowly becoming resigned to the fact that he needs full-time care. The checklist left on his bedside table left little doubt about that. But he still insists that he's able to look after himself and he will make his own decisions about whether or not to go for medical check-ups in future. But, I now feel more certain that it won't be me trying to force him to get out of bed, get him dressed, get him into the car and drive him to his appointments. His family have become very quiet. Perhaps they are worried that all his money will be spent on a care home. I didn't say that, did I? NEVER!!! (It was a joke!)

 

[gilmargl]

Yesterday was spent at home:

1. Full day video tuition which was very interesting but left me rather tired
2. Washed the bags of washing I'd bought back from the hospital - having thrown some things out - too disgusting to bother washing. I'm not even sure they belonged to my partner anyway and I didn't want to look too closely.
3. Fell asleep on the couch!

Today:

1. Did my own laundry and rewashed stuff from the hospital
2. Put clean sheets on the bed and fresh towels in the bathrooms
3. Cut the new kitchen curtain in half, stitched the seams and ironed them.

Tomorrow:

1. Plan to work not more than half a day at the surgery
2. Clean the kitchen window and put up the curtains
3. Write a to-do list for correspondence (cancellations and reclamations) and search for addresses and documents,

It would be nice to get everything out of the way.

 

[Winchester]

Signed up for Paramount+. Three months for $1 a month. Did it to watch the second season of Evil. I also want to watch Picard. I started watching Ghosts last night; it was OK, I guess.

• Breakfast for the girls, emptied the dishwasher, and am sitting back here with my coffee. Molli went to bed with Rick, but decided she'd rather be on the cat tree back here with me. She started fussing, so I opened the bedroom door and she sauntered out. She's sound asleep in the cube on the tree.
• Two loads of laundry at some point today.
• Getting my Prevnar 20 shot this morning. Never had a pneumonia shot before so I'm not sure what to expect for side effects. In the last year, I've had my two shingles shots, a ProLia shot, three Covid shots, and a flu shot. Now the pneumonia shot. I am not amused. Oh, and I have to call my ortho-weenie for my second ProLia shot, too.
• I think we're going to grab groceries after my shot. I'd like to get a case of Smirnoff Ice, too.

Rick's mom is a little better. She anxious for something sweet. Rick told her that I was waiting for her to feel better before baking anything. She asked for sticky buns. I was surprised as I thought she would want donuts. Nope. Sticky buns. That works. Rick was very happy.

 

[gilmargl]

I didn't quite manage what I'd planned for today

1. Spent more than half a day at work and so
2. I missed a phone call (land line) from the hospital - not a number I knew - no answer when I called back.
3. Did not clean the windows in the kitchen - I cleaned the old radiator parts instead. SIL wants to fit it back up temporarily. He's worried that someone will come flying into the kitchen, throw open the door which will hit the radiator valve and start a fountain of dirty heating water squirting all over the new kitchen. In summer, when the heating is turned off, he will put in 2 new doors, move the heating pipes and install a more modern radiator.

My daughter went into hospital this morning - it was an operation or divorce! SIL cannot put up with her snoring any longer. There's no guarantee that the operation will help matters. Perhaps her being 4 nights away from home will make his heart grow a little bit fonder.

 

[maggiedemi]

Sticky buns

What do those taste like? They look like cinnamon rolls, but a little different topping.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

Today I had therapy, I made an elephant figurine with clay for my niece, and started crocheting my niece's favorite Pokemon that she requested I make her. If either of my nieces request I make something for them, Auntie absolutely has to come through.

Here's a picture of the elephant and also the penguin I made for my younger niece.

 

[Tobermory]

Today I had therapy, I made an elephant figurine with clay for my niece, and started crocheting my niece's favorite Pokemon that she requested I make her. If either of my nieces request I make something for them, Auntie absolutely has to come through.

Here's a picture of the elephant and also the penguin I made for my younger niece.

View attachment 412991 View attachment 412992

Wow! Those are great! I see some personality emerging from the clay.

 

[catapault]

Cute penguin reminds me of "Kilroy was here" from WW II

Today I need to

go to Lowes and Walmart to look for 6 plastic wastepaper baskets. Longish explanation - I put 3 sturdy white wire chafing dish supports and assorted unused heavy aluminum inserts on Freecycle. Someone wanted them, never showed, did not reply to my "where are you / what happened" query. Put them down on the street with a Free sign. Inserts were taken, stands were not. Brought them up to the garage until next garbage pickup. Thought about it, tried a wastepaper basker for siaze and yes, they'll fit, two in each container. Himself is - by now - experienced in drilling drain holes in a diversity of not-intended-as-plant-pot containers for me.

Transfer a load of laundry from washer to dryer before I go

Make a list of what else I should get as long as I am in the stores

Fill up with gas even though I'm less than half a tank down - US going to ban Russian oil and it is already over $4 / gallon

 

[Winchester]

M maggiedemi Sticky buns are a yeast dough rolled out, slathered with butter, cinnamon, and lots of brown sugar, rolled up and sliced. The slices go into a pan with a syrup of more butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and some Karo syrup. And some toasted pecans, which are optional. Risen, then baked. If you have a hankering for sweets, this will take care of it. Rick's mom taught me how to make sticky buns decades ago. Mine never look the best, but they're really good. They're cinnamony, brown sugary, and just plain good.

Tobermory I love your elephant and penguin!

No serious side effects from my pneumonia shot. A sore arm and a bit of a headache. Nothing really bad. I was tired last night and went to sleep around 11:00 or so.

• Expecting a phone call about Clarence. I took him to get my pneumonia shot yesterday. Got back to the bottom of the driveway and the clutch died. Called AAA, they sent a tow truck to pick him up and took him to the garage. Now, I just had a new clutch put in back in 2013 and, although that is quite a few years ago, I only really drive him during the summer anymore. I'm thinking that critters got into him (again) and chewed some wires or cables. We'll see once the garage calls me. Since it's Clarence and he's mine, I told Rick I'd pay for him, so it doesn't come out of our budget. (I have funds set aside for Clarence when he needs work done. He is now 21 years old and I refuse to get rid of him. Our auto budget pays for inspections and routine maintenance, but when something happens, I pay for it.)
• We didn't make it for groceries yesterday (waiting on the truck to come for Clarence), we're heading out in a few minutes today.

And I think that's pretty much it.

 

[artiemom]

Tobermory Thanks for the info about the iPhone.. I saw that setting, but did not touch it.. I will, as soon as my phone is done charging...

Also, love your animals!!

 

[maggiedemi]

They're cinnamony, brown sugary, and just plain good.

Thanks. Do they taste better cold or warm up in microwave? Walmart has some I might get.

 

[Tobermory]

I love your elephant and penguin!

Also, love your animals!!

They’re pretty cute, but they’re not mine! MonaLyssa33 made them!

 

[Winchester]

Thanks. Do they taste better cold or warm up in microwave? Walmart has some I might get.

You know, that's one thing we don't like warmed up in the microwave. Rick will either gobble them down while they're freshly warm or wrap them in foil and throw them in the oven. You can try it and see if you like it that way. If you buy them from WM, just open the container and dig in.

 

[Winchester]

MonaLyssa33 Oh crap! I am sorry. The animals are really cute. And Tobermory , thank you.