Slow Week

Wednesday - Worked on Hawaii grocery lists, sent Ted for two $50 Walmart gift cards for Giving Tree at church, did laundry, helped Eileen find plane tickets for an upcoming trip, watched Survivor.  That leaves out the things you do everyday related to cooking and eating, making beds, paying bills, etc.  

I forgot to mention that Monday I bought a plane ticket to Cincinnati to attend a 60th wedding anniversary dinner for Karen and Ron.  Because we will be in the valley, I have to fly from McAllen to Houston to Cincinnati.  This will be in February so when Ted said to stay a few days if I wanted I told him no because it will be cold!  I will rent a car because I don't want anyone to have to make two trips to the airport in two days.  That gives me the freedom to visit someone else if a quick visit opportunity pops up.  I hope the weather cooperates!  

Thursday Ted took my car for an oil change and then went to shoot with John.  I stayed behind to work again on my Hawaii grocery list, send out the neighborhood ladies luncheon invitation, notify my BFF since 1951 that I will be in Cincinnati in February and made a lunch date, designed and ordered our Christmas cards and gathered and wrapped my gifts for the seniors, the luncheon, and a friend.  I guess you never really have an entire holiday season with no gifts to purchase.  

Friday Ted had to work an outing at the gun club.  I went to weigh in, 3 lbs. below goal, and then had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes by myself since I assumed Ted would eat lunch provided for shooters.  It was after 2:00 when I arrived home and Ted was there.  I had things done before I left so there wasn't much to do.  I paid some bills and that's about it.  It was warm and we turned the AC back on!

Saturday was church and dinner.  Irene stopped by to return our blow up bed she borrowed over Thanksgiving.  Sunday was football and hemming a pair of jeans and moving buttons on the sleeves of a blouse and not much else.  Slow week was an understatement for a title!!  

More going on next week!

November is Ending. Oh My!

Where has 2018 gone?  We stayed home more than usual this year but that didn't change the speed with which the year has come and gone.  Each year is a smaller percentage of our entire life so I guess it will just continue at break neck speed from now on.  

We have had a relatively quiet weekend, staying home Friday to avoid the shopping hordes.  Saturday we drove to Carmine TX to have lunch with my former boss, and Michigan neighbor, from my time at Celanese.  They have retired to Thornton CO and are visiting their son in Austin.  We had a great visit and meal before they had to return their son's car.  We went through Magnolia going out and the traffic for the Renaissance Festival had the town in standstill gridlock.  We took the Grand Parkway home to avoid the problem again.  It was a bit longer, and costly, but well worth it.  We were in time for church at 5:00 but didn't go out to eat afterwards because we weren't hungry.  

Sunday my major accomplishment was getting my jewelry in order.  I have a new hanging carrier and it allowed me to put sets together so I don't have to go rooting around looking here and there for what I want.  It is just costume jewelry but it gave me a sense of accomplishment.  

I used the Instant Pot to make ribs.  Remove membrane, cover with rub, cut into 3 rib pieces, set them up in a semi circle around the pan edge, pour in a can of Coke, the real thing, and set for 25 minutes on the Meat setting.  I left it naturally release for 10 minutes, then pushed the valve to finish it.  I placed them on a cookie sheet, brushed them with BBQ sauce and placed them under the broiler for 3 minutes.  Voila!  Fall off the bone delicious.   

The girls and I are trying to come up with a grocery list for our time in Hawaii.  We are in the two condos for 10 days times 11 people!  That equals a whole lot of food!  I think we will shop for just 5 days and then make another smaller run as we determine what, if anything, is left to get and just what we need to finish out our time without over buying.  After cooking for two for so long, making something starting with a 5# chub of ground beef seems daunting!   We will need at least four pork tenderloins and several pounds of chicken breasts.  Then on to all the side dishes!  And snacks.  We can't forget them.  And drinks. There are supposed to be some basic supplies in the condos so we will have to check out what is there before we leave for Costco.  

I worked at the thrift shop on Tuesday and didn't buy a thing!  I never even went into the store and worked my whole shift at the children's clothes table.  I wasn't feeling great and it felt like the afternoon would never end.  I drank a Coke as soon as I got home and felt better quickly.

Ted went to his shooting league and I finished the Hawaii menu.  Just three weeks to Aloha!

Enough With the Rain!

It continued to rain on Sunday. Ted was texting all morning trying to get a consensus from his buddies on whether it would stop at some time so they could shoot.  He finally left and they did get in half a round.  I just putzed around and made beef stew in my Instant Pot in 47 minutes start to finish when he came home.  And that was using raw beef and fresh vegetables.  Delicious!

Monday was more rain and I did my minimalist Christmas decorating.  I put our manger on the sideboard, a centerpiece and place mats/napkins on the table and my Texas Christmas tree on the counter.  Friday I will take 5 minutes to do the front porch and door so the neighbors won't know Scrooge lives here!

I was tired of staying in with the cool weather and rain so I went to work at the thrift shop.  I had to try on several pairs of my navy pants before I found one that fit.  The Paralyzed Veterans collection bag continues to get refilled.  Three brand new pairs of Chico's khakis came in the store and that is another color I am allowed to work in, so I bought one of them.  I also bought a small Christmas arrangement for my sunflower table on the porch.  Grand total $12 for both.  I spent the whole shift putting clothes out on the floor.  

Initially the clothes are pulled from bags, looked over and kept or tossed.  Tossed ones are sold to recycle firms that do bundles to be shipped to third world countries or even sold for the fibers to be used in fine papers and probably lots of other things in between.  That's why you will see a child in a photo in Ethiopia wearing an Astros T shirt!  

Second inspection is done looking for tears, stains, dirt, missing buttons, broken zippers, etc.  Third inspection is one more look when the neck labels are given a colored plastic tag to help with moving inventory.  Once a month, everything with a colored tag from two months ago is put on the bag sale rack.  Fill a bag, pay one price.

Fourth inspection is right before they go on the floor.  Once they are OKd by store personnel they are moved to racks by type, sex, size, sleeve length, athletic wear, holiday wear, etc. and then by color.  That was my job Tuesday.  

Housewares is another area but there are other people that do that.  We do have a Forum member who comes in regularly and stages the store showcasing available merchandise.  Right now it is holiday wear and Christmas decorations.  This is my favorite place to work.  Second is the senior lunches at the Episcopalian church where I am as old as, or older, than the attendees.  Ted calls it "being on the right side of the bingo card."  I consider it a blessing to be able to serve these folks.  

I got my hair cut really short on Wednesday and didn't do much else.  I did make the cranberry jello salad to take to Irene's on Thursday.

Thanksgiving morning Ted and I peeled a bag of sweet potatoes and I made the sauce that goes in the baking dish with them.  I told Alexa to set an alarm so I wouldn't forget to put them in at the right time! We took our two dishes and a bottle of wine to Irene's where we had dinner with her son and his family and his mother-in-law, all in from Dallas.  The food was delicious and the company great.  

All but two of Irene's newly upholstered chairs had been delivered and her new rugs were down.  It looked amazing.  Her big tree in the foyer was all decorated in blue and silver and set off the new colors we had chosen.  We did good!

Well That Was A Short Fall

Wednesday morning was right around freezing depending on your location, a little above and some a little below.  My begonias made it through the night.  We stayed home most of the day but then the sun came out and it warmed a bit so Ted took my car and his truck to be washed.  I did laundry

It was just at freezing Thursday morning.  The begonias are ok but you can see a bit of frostbite on some edges.  It warmed up so we took a walk twice around the neighborhood.  They are promising 70s again for next week but a terrific rainstorm on Wednsday just to keep Thanksgiving travel interesting!   They were predicting temps above freezing Friday morning and there was no frost and 40 degrees.

We are going to Irene and John's for Thanksgiving so we will be fine whatever the weather.  I am making sweet potatoes and cranberry salad and offered a pumpkin pie but she insisted she has it covered.  Our pies from last Thanksgiving that Kara and I made.

It was Ladies Shanghai cards day Thursday. I try to keep my recurring activities spaced out but with Thanksgiving coming they get moved around and I ended up with four in one week!  And I won again.  I got good cards and lots of wild cards that really helped.  My dime purse is overflowing and there are $5 and $1 bills in there too!

Ted got a haircut Friday while I waited for the furnace yearly inspection guy.  When I followed him up into the garage attic because he couldn't find the light switch, I saw evidence of some critter activity.  A blue bag was chewed to pieces and my Christmas garland had balls, bows and cones pulled off it, probably the glue holding them was eaten.  I called Ted and told him to stop for Decon!  We put it upstairs since we have no kids or pets to worry about.  

Ted received a gift card and this medal in the mail on Saturday.  It is for his third place finish in Seniors during the Sporting Clay Nationals.  

He watched football and I ironed my clothes for Hawaii.  I am pretty well ready with clothes because with these cooler temps, I won't be wearing those clothes here any time soon!

We went to church and then Spring Creek BBQ for dinner.  

Fall Is Here!

Wednesday morning we received a call from the Ford dealer that my car was ready.  The bill was half of what they estimated because they only needed one piece, not two.  Labor was cheaper and Ted had a 15% off service coupon he received in the mail.  My seat works again!!

I had no activities for the rest of the day because I couldn't plan on having my car.  But don't ask me what I did.  I don't remember, so obviously nothing Important. 

Thursday was overeating day.  My neighborhood ladies birthday lunch was at a nearby Mexican restaurant followed later in the day by dinner at a high end steak restaurant as guests of John and Irene to thank me for the time, gas and tolls during our three trips to downtown.  We would have been happy at Culver's but they chose the steakhouse, a favorite of ours but one we save for special occasions.  Ted had their famous pork chop and I chose the smallest filet which was plenty for me.  The food was outstanding.

We woke to rain on Friday and Ted's Exxon Mobil gun outing was canceled.  I had a follow up doctor appointment and lab work early in the day.  When I came home, Ted received a phone call saying the outing was back on.  So he went there and I went to the nail salon.  The temperature really dropped so we just stayed in that evening.

Saturday was still rainy and cold.  Once again, the outing was short pullers so Ted agreed to go but said he needed to leave for us to attend church.  He called on his way home, brought Subway sandwiches, but it was too rushed and we decided to attend Mass on Sunday.

We were playing cards at 7:00 but were invited to join everyone around the firepit at 6:00.  I stood up from the couch to leave and turned my ankle completely over and down I went.  I had a huge lump and we immediately put ice on it and stayed home until we needed to leave for the 7:00 card game.  It didn't hurt but was tender walking on it.  Jane put a stool under the table so I could keep it elevated and offered me an ice bag which I declined.  I had a pain pill with me just in case but never needed it.  I slept fine with no pain but minimal tenderness when I walked on it.  We decided I would stay home Sunday to keep it iced and elevated so Ted went to church alone.

And I won at cards.  There were some really high scores (that you don't want) but mine was the least of them.  Ted finished out of the money.

Monday was the day to play Canasta.  I ended up in the middle which is par for the course in this group.  The weather turned cold and it sprinkled off and on most of the day.  I canceled going to the Newcomers Happy Hour because being out in dark, cold, rain didn't sound too inviting.  It was a good night for a chili dinner.  

There were snow flurries when I left for the doctor Tuesday morning.  In November!  

My cancer spot was scraped (or something) and bandaged with instructions to pick up a script for an ointment and keep it bandaged.  I played a new card game Tuesday and came in 3rd out of six by just one point!  Not a bad start.  It was too cold to do anything but head for home but I needed to stop for my script. They said it wasn't ready but would have "them" in 15 minutes.  When I talked to Ted I found out why.

With my weight loss and 20 mg. of cholesterol medicine, my number was 131, with 10 mg. it was 138.  So we tried with no meds and it went to 226!!  The third time the doctor called, Ted told him he could talk to him about my results (HIPPA).  He ordered 10 mg. again and it seems that my high number is tied to my own liver production and not just my diet.  I am eating the same, have not gained anything in almost 3 months so we will see how this goes.  I was shocked and then disappointed but it is not a big deal to take one pill a day that only costs $1.66 for 90 pills.  

The sun is finally shining but it was 32 this morning.  Hope my Texas weather comes home soon!

Fall is Flitting In and Out

The weather has been crazy.  Lots and lots of rain.  Temps in the 80s and then in the 60s.  I can't decide if I need the AC or the furnace!  And then we got the time change.  It is hard to stay on an even keel.  But my begonias look as good as ever.  They have been amazing.  Soon they will be replaced with pansies.

We watched lots of football on Saturday before going to church and dinner.  I attended a wedding shower on Sunday with about a dozen ladies from Forum.  We all showed up in flowered dresses with no consultation!  

Since it was at a yacht club in Kemah, five of us met up and rode together for the hour's drive.  That made coming and going lots of fun.  None of us were too familiar with just where we were but we could see the Kemah Boardwalk to the left when we turned right to reach the club.  It was almost dark when we arrived home because of the time change.  I brought Ted a bag of goodies from the candy/dessert table.  

Monday I readied all my bags of things for Texas Paralyzed Veterans and in the evening put them out on the porch.  While doing that I pulled together the shorts and capris that fit to start putting my Hawaii things together.  With a laundry in both condos there isn't as much need for too many clothes. Then I hit the office to order the wedding present and return the response card and sent a sympathy card to a relative of my son-in-law.  

Ted told me to renew our Haulin' Hitchhiker dues despite we now haul a Mobile Suite so I did that.  He went to the grocery, put gas in my car and made an appointment for a repair to my car seat.  The wrap around molded piece at the bottom has come loose and the seat isn't responding to my key or the button.  I know my next car will definitely have the seat response too because it takes me a long time to manually get everything set to drive after Ted and it is getting old quick!

I made taco soup for dinner and watched Dancing with the Stars.  There are several terrific dancers in the semi finals and two who must have big fan bases because they should have left long before some others.  

Talking about voting, Tuesday was Election Day.  I sent our ballots in awhile ago and was chastised on FB for using the mail because it costs $30 to process.  It is the difference between voting by mail or not voting because of our frequent absences.  Since $30 is about .001 of the total tax bill this household pays, I will continue in my wild ways.  

Irene and I made our fifth trip to the upholstery/rug area to return the second rug and get a third one.  We stopped at the carpeting place near home and picked out carpeting for the stairs based on the area rug we chose.  When we put it all together at her house it looked great.  I just hope she thinks so tomorrow.  

I talked to the flooring fellow about using wood for our DR, office and sitting area but Ted wants to go with carpeting again. It will be Spring though before we make the move.  We are still recovering from the bathroom chaos.  

When I arrived home we took my car to the Ford dealer.  It should be ready tomorrow since they have the parts.  I poked around the Explorer and Escape while there.  Again, I think this will be a spring project!

I guess we will watch Hallmark tonight since everything else is election results.  I have had enough!  Let the chips fall where they may.  

Wet and Windy Halloween

Tuesday was a dermatologist appointment to take a look at all these things that are appearing here, there and everywhere.  She removed a large skin tag that just sprouted out of nowhere and was driving me crazy with jewelry getting caught on it.  Then there was a small sore on my arm that just wasn't healing.  It had developed a small cone shaped scab and eventually that fell off but it was still a sore.  She biopsied that, said it was deep and I will hear back from them.  If it is something, there will be follow up.  If not, I only need to return on an as needed basis.  Getting old sucks!

I dropped a package off at the post office and then went to the mall to check out slacks at Chico's.  They are moving to another location in the mall and neither was open and no date was indicated when it would be!  Bummer.

Ted attended his last skeet league night followed by a banquet so I had the remote all to myself!  He was very pleased to have won "Best Overall" and "First" in the Senior Class too.  Sort of takes the sting out of the Sporting Clay scores the previous week in San Antonio.  There were many class divisions in San Antonio because there were 2100 shooters so his second place in Seniors was actually a good showing.  

On Wednesday Irene wanted to return one of her rugs down near the upholsterer.  She asked if I would take her because the 8 ft rug would fit in my Expedition.  We drove in rain all the way down but caught a lull upon arrival and the rug was removed easily.  She exchanged the foyer rug that John picked out in red and gold for the royal blue and gray one.  John's choice just didn't match anything else we had chosen for the furniture upholstery.  Since we were in the area we met her old neighbor for lunch and then went to the Chico's nearby.  I ordered one pair of slacks but that was the only one of four colors I was looking for that was available.

We arrived home just before the downpours started in earnest.  Because it was All Saints Day, we attended Mass in the evening, we could hear the rain pounding on the roof.  Even with big umbrellas and with the wind blowing, it was impossible to get to the car without getting wet.  I wanted to go through a drive thru for dinner and take it home but Ted chose Denny's.  My jacket was soaked when I got inside.  I had breakfast for dinner and he had pot roast.  We both cleaned our plates!  

Not a single trick or treater was seen anywhere in our travels.  In 15 years we have not had a single one but the family neighborhoods can get around 200, but not this year.  I hope many went to the mall but I don't stay abreast of those types of things so I am not even sure if that was available.  I imagine there was much disappointment in the kitchens around town with Snow Whites and Darth Vaders all dressed up and no place to go.

I went to WW on Thursday for my monthly weigh in,  I was 2.6 lbs. below goal.  Better that than 2.6 above!  That would cost me money until I lost the excess.  I am good until December now for another weigh-in.  I get on my WW digital scale every morning so I can keep myself on the right path.

I returned and readied myself for the Great Government Lottery for tickets to the Arizona memorial in December.  They went on sale at 7:00 am Hawaii time (noon here) so both Bill and I were poised and ready.  I got through first and ordered 6 tickets with narrated headphones for the Sunday afternoon we leave Kona and fly back to Honolulu.  After one night there in the Embassy Suites we will move to Disney's timeshare resort Aluani for New Year's Eve and Day (2 nights).  Then head back home after 2  weeks in paradise.

I cleaned the entire house Friday while Ted hosted four Exxon Mobile groups having outings at the gun club.  I usually clean in segments but I went full court press this time.  It certainly needed it!

 The sore on my arm was squamous cell cancer.  I have to return to have it scraped and burned.  And Irene doesn't like how dark the rug is so we are going back - again - to exchange it.