Happenings Today

 This afternoon, I called the person who was to clean last week when I was still in the doctor's office. The person who answered had an accent and seemed to have no problem understanding me. Then, she said, "Just a moment." The same voice came back without an accent--her daughter, I presume. She had no idea about the cleaning cancelled last week. I was confused. She was confused. I had used Tommy's phone last week. Maybe that is why she said she did not have the address. She will come tomorrow. 

At any rate, I had four fleas bite me last evening. I caught one and drowned it in Tommy's coffee. It was struggling to get away from me as it was trapped under my thumb nail running back and forth. The other hopped away. I was awake all night from the itch! This afternoon, I sprayed again. Tommy vacuumed some but not everywhere I sprayed. 

We finally got my meds that doctor called in. From now on, I will ask for refill when I will be out in ten days. Between primary doctor and pharmacy, I often must go without med for heart or diabetes for a week or more. That is just not right. 

I am so happy that DST will start this weekend. I am utterly sick of the short days. The tulip tree across the street has fully bloomed now, so that is something to cheer me up. 

Finally, Tommy has agreed to replace the storm door. Well, he did not agree to replacing the door. He just acted like it was his idea. I can see light all around it and around the front door, too. Maybe he will agree to replacing that or insulating it. Mosquitoes, flies, and roaches have easy access to indoors right now. I point this out often. 

I need to buy one of those plastic pieces to put on a corner where he rams his walker into it. I don't know if I can put it up, but at least I will have supplies for the person who can. I am glad I don't have any furniture he can hit. He never hits furniture anywhere else, just here! I know there is a less obvious way to protect the corner which could be done correctly with a lot more trouble. But, this will work. 

My mattress and base will be delivered this week. YAY! Sheets will be here beforehand so I can wash them.  I still need a bed. So, storm door and car shopping will commence. Before we buy cars, I need to find out the process and how much room for clearance I need for a scooter to be pulled inside. Tommy cannot lift one. Well, he could if he absolutely had to, but it is too much for him. 

Just now, I had a bowl of Greek yogurt sitting on the table by my chair. I reached for it and saw a speck in it, no larger than a speck of pepper. It was a flea! I suppose the bright light and white yogurt attracted him. 

Right now, I am boiling eggs since I have no bread and no cereal. I do need something to eat...lol--brunch or linner. We won't be shopping before morning. Tomorrow, I will bake chicken and vegetables. We had just enough for a meal tonight. I need to make more slaw and open a can of green beans. 

Today, we made a quick trip to Bessemer. We passed a man and woman starting a fire at the base of a tall tree, right against the tree on the roots of the tree which was about ten feet from the house. What on earth? We came back by and they had quit, and fire was out, I think. Rain probably caused them to stop. 

So, not much happening today. 

How about at your house? I have not seen ads yet online. Are there any good deals at your stores?

New Mattress

 Tommy woke me at 10:30, per my request, so that I could continue with the mattress search. We planned to go to Macy's if all worked out. Well, no one answered until 1 pm, then we talked as I shopped over the internet and phone. Finally, at about 8 pm, it was settled. I am getting a mattress, the base that raises head and feet, mattress pad to keep mattress clean, and set of sheets. All was on a sale that ends Sunday. Because of price of what we bought, delivery is free. I will also get a mattress pad for comfort. I really hate the feel of foam! It appears that is mostly what is available. The mattress is not flippable. It can only be rotated.

One doctor tells me to raise head of bed and another tells me to raise foot of bed. Now, I can sleep bent. When I was in the hospital for hysterectomy, it felt good to barely raise head and barely raise feet. There is a cordless remote, so I will probably lose that all the time. Well, it won't be lost, just behind the bed beyond my reach. I bought sheets, too, partially with $10 reward and 15% off. 

I knew we would not get out in rain tomorrow. So, I just did this today. I got the firmest mattress possible that was SertaPerfect Sleeper. It seemed Macy's was the best deal in mattresses. Plus, I don't think I could have slept on this mattress long enough to wait for another sale. When I find the bed I want that fits the base, I can get that, too. 

During the month of March, I plan to work with the mailbox conversion for Christmas. I need to clean it and spray paint. Hopefully there will be enough dry and 80 degree days to spray paint. There is sharp metal where the guy cut the wreath that needs a metal file used to smooth it so it will not injure me as I work on the wreath halves. I also will accelerate the vehicle hunt, hopefully having bought at least one car before April. 

It turned off cold today. We did not go anywhere. Tommy took clothes out to wash, got the mail, and took the garbage to the road. He listened to me negotiating, increasing his credit limit, and heated dinner. I hope this cold weather does not spoil trees blooming and azaleas. 

Dinner: chicken breast, slaw, one tiny carrot, two-inch red potato, slaw, broccoli. Now, we must cook again or find something cooked in the freezer. Tommy had Cuban (spicy) pot roast and the same vegetables.

Hopefully, we can now resume the vehicle search. Then, we can get it adapted to pick up a scooter and get a scooter for me. 

If you have an adjustable base for your mattress, how is that working for you? 

Do you like Serta Perfect Sleeper mattresses? It has been forty-four years since I bought one, but loved it for forty years. On each side I had two surfaces for a total of four surfaces on which to sleep. So, it worked out well for me. 

SHE RENTS SHEETS! and What I Found

I am seventy-one-years old and did not know you can rents sheets. Where have I been?

Too late for me to do anything about it, I learned she needs pillows and sheets so she won't have to rent them again. They pay $20 a week for two pillows, set of sheets, and one blanket. That is just outrageous.

When they rented the room, they spent the night there. I wondered if they slept on the mattress. ewww. But, I did not ask.

Today, I called her. I have two pillows they can have. They were pillows I bought in about 1977 or a bit later, not sure. I think I used them until a few years ago. They are flat, need washing and have drool stains. I am going to wash these for her and dry them and hang in the sun to finish drying.

She can borrow the old top sheet that covers my plant, and I will wash that, too.

But, I gave her ideas for living with no bedding at all, or at least no pillows. Fold up some of the really large pieces of fabric I gave her. Sleep in more clothes. Cover herself with some of the really large pieces of fabric and her coats. It ain't pretty, but it also saves $20 each week.

She told me that in jail she had used rolls of tp for a pillow or folded up her towel. So, she has seen the ugly.

They were so eager to have "their own place" that they put down a $20 for bedding to do so. Did they not consider all this as they made plans for 13 months to move out?????

The plan come here Tuesday morning. Actually, have her bf to drop her off at the library and wait about an hour until I am ready. THEN:

sign up at one food bank
go to place that will give her some of this stuff she needs
go to one of the lunches
go back to 1st food bank where we will be in line by signing in
get food for both of us
get sheets if not gotten at first one
try to stuff all our freezer stuff in my half-full freezer
put the rest of refrigerated stuff in one of my crispers
take her to free clinic (more later in post)

Whew! I will be dead.

The surprise is that she will help me around here for the help I have given her. There is always something to do that I cannot manage. Besides, bf cannot get her until 5:30.

While she was pulling out the electric skillet, she pulled out a vintage popcorn maker--Mirro, aluminum. I will sell that. There is also a deviled egg plate, new. I bought it because it was dirt cheap on clearance and Easter cute! There is another vintage serving piece, a bunny or something, holding corn on a plate with three round serving dishes around that. Maybe it is a burro. It looks perfect for cinco de mayo. Maybe I forgot what it looks like...lol.

When I talked to her today, she surprised me. Yesterday, I had corn meal I was not using and knew it would spoil. I asked her if she could use it. She was thrilled, saying now she could make cornbread. She asked if it was possible to make it in a crockpot. I knew it could be done but had no recipe. Today, she said she made cornbread in the crockpot and it was perfect.

She is a good cook. At least, she lets nothing deter her and is willing to try different things to make a meal. She is going to open a can of beans and eat it with cornbread. Bf cannot stand beans but will eat the juice over the cornbread. He prefers grocery shopping for what he wants at the moment.

I think she has native intelligence. But, gumption is missing some times. I know it is her rotten meth teeth that partly hold her back because she said Saturday that she is so ashamed of her appearance. I have made suggestions about that. But, Tuesday, I am going to make her go in the free clinic, get papers to fill out, and watch her do it whether she wants to or not. You have to qualify to go to the free clinic. The first visit takes about two weeks to come about.

I am going to encourage her to buy a set of sheets with the $20. Years ago, someone said a set of sheets was $10 at Dollar General. I am not willing to do much driving and searching. DG is about four blocks from my house. Well, I suppose there is a DG close by most places. Well, we can go to the thrift store, first. She may not find any to be gotten for free.

Lest you assume I am pushy, let me assure you I am. When I taught GED, I called people long after they dropped out of my class "just to see how you are doing and did you get your GED?" One brother and sister did get a GED and told me it was because I kept encouraging them. She thanked me profusely for continuing to show I cared. Oh, I told these people I called/haunted that they did not have to come to my class if they preferred another teacher. No ego involved, just genuine concern.

Read the post just before this about--Are Old People Sleeping Wrong? I posted this just a few hours after posting it.

Your turn
Did you know a person could rents sheets, blankets?

Saturday Yard Sales

This yard sale was in a poor part of town and unadvertised. I'm not sure why I stopped. But, it turned out well. Everything I picked up, I bought. Nothing was priced! He priced it as I asked.

$2 items:
*A set of white, 100% cotton king-sized sheets with embroidery on pillow cases and top sheet. If If  never have another king-sized bed, these can be cut down, even the fitted sheet.
*Colander new with stickers still on, porcelain over steel, the pedestal and bowl are one piece, not welded. I wonder what this costs and what it would bring on eBay. ???
*Green colander, looks old, but has stickers still on
* pair of size 12 Rockport men's shoes for someone who needs shoes.
* two journal type books
* king-sized top sheet 100% with pink flowers, "Vintage Victorian" on the label. I would love to have this on a bed, but making aprons would work, too.


$1 item:
picture frame with labels, new

The king sheets in the plastic bag they came in and both the colanders will probably be sold. That was my Saturday.

We have had 55 days without rain! Yard sales abound this late!

Your turn
What is your latest yard sale haul? Or any yard sale haul? How did your Saturday go?