Month: November 2009

  • One More Day Ticked Off.....

    It's really funny how the days just fly by sometimes.  Other times they drag but those are usually when you are anticipating a visit or waiting for a package.  I find that since we *retired*, the days kind of melt together.  I truly have to check and see what day of the week it is or what the date is, especially when paying bills. 

    Today was really kind of a nice day.  The Beast had to do a bit of shopping for his trip up to his brothers homes.  Some canned dog food and a small bag of the dry stuff we feed him so he doesn't (meaning Baron) get the farts or diarrhea.   Since you will be reading this on Tuesday, I will be packing up his clothes and other things he needs to take with him because he is leaving on Wednesday.  And, as usual, I have procrastinated on my shopping BUT....it works out well because we got a bill we weren't expecting so I will just shop for stuff for ME while he is gone.  Like I said, I like a lot of things HE doesn't so I can eat it to my heart's content.  He claims he will be gone for *at least a week* but I have heard that before.  I am not going to hold my breath.  I will be looking for him after about five days.  But, even so, it will be nice for me. 

    Does everyone enjoy their time without their other half like I do?  Is it just because we are retired and forced to be together 24/7?  Inquiring minds want to know.  I'd hate to think it's just me.  I won't and don't feel bad about it.  No guilt here because I am good to him even when he is an ass, as all men can be.  Bratfink calls me the *nice one* because she thinks I put up with a lot more than she would but that's not true.  Look at all she's put up with for eleven years around the Weirds and the Boy.  But he IS good to her and I love him like a brother.  No, better than a brother 'cause I have one that I would happily give away but that's another story......

    I was a slug today.  I admit it.  I just stayed in my jammies all day (although I did run out to bring in the mail in them.....I can do that around here).  We ate hot dogs and I even cut up tomatoes and onions.  I got the Beast to try some of the jalapenos I use on my hot dogs and he admitted they added some *zing* to it and he liked it.    I know!  It's almost as amazing as his complimenting my cooking and not having bought something.  He's very stingy with his compliments to me at times.  He gets very vocal around the holidays, however, because I cook so much of his favorite things.  Actually, some of those *favorite* things I make are ones I introduced to him.  He claims them as his own now.  TFF! 

    I am going to finally get all the winter stuff out while the Beast is gone.  I have two of the bins down and ready to be freshened and hung up or put in drawers.  I really and truly hate this shit.  It was so much easier in Florida.  You pretty much wore the same things all year round.  Just add a sweater or two, a sweatsuit and a light jacket and you were set for what passed for winter.  *Sigh*  THAT part of Florida I miss....and the fresh seafood......and the sand.....and the fishing......our house.....and my sister, Cinderella and our times together. 

    I wouldn't move back to Florida, however.  No way.  It's just too expensive plus I really DO like the people here a lot more.  Alabamians are just more friendly, down-to-earth and guileless.  They don't seem to have any hidden agendas.  No one-up-manship about things.  I really like that and it took some getting used to, trust me. 

    The Beast gave me his computer chair today.  It must mean he's found one more comfortable that he plans on buying in the future.  I know he won't get it any time soon since we have the taxes on the properties due in December.  It comes to almost $1200 for all three...oh wow...that wouldn't even have paid for our homeowners insurance in Florida, let alone three pieces of property.  The land tax for the open lot next to us was a whole $30.    Can you believe it?  OMG...we should have bought more than one.  It just fries me that the one I would have loved to own was sold already.  I guess it wasn't meant to be.  The lot the Beast wanted (next to the only nasty neighbors we had in this area) sold, too.  I'm glad of that.  I sure didn't want to be next to them and he was thinking of our putting up a shell house on it for us.  I'm kind of glad he gave up that idea.  We are just not up to it physically.  We have the knowledge, just not the strength any more.

    I told the Beast I would try out his chair but I wasn't sure if it would work for me.  Right now I am pretty sure it won't.  With my bad back, it doesn't have the adjustment like the secretary's chair does and it's not made for real comfort that way.  I'll give it a try while he's gone so I can say I did try.  Who knows?  I might learn to like it.  I DO like the arms on it.  It would be great if I had an ergonomic keyboard with them. 

    One of my *kids* (the ones that grew up hanging around my house with my kids) just sent me an email.  Her daughter's school (K is 5 now) is putting together a cookbook from recipes donated and she's asked me to send her one of mine to add to it. It happens to be one that I made that she loved.  Since she's in charge of the project, I guess she wants to make what she thinks is a good showing.  I was truly flattered that she would ask.  Since it's one that *I* got from an aunt of the Beast's, I guess I will do that and email it back to her tomorrow.  She said she would send me a copy of it when it's all done.  That's a deal I can go for, for sure!

    Time to get this sent down the wire before I start getting IM's since it's late.  Love you all.  Have a great day and stay healthy.  Remember a good laugh every day is better than an apple for your health.  But have the apple, too.

  • Tomatoes, Jalapenos and Salsa

    The Princess and Chewlee showed up bright and early today with tomatoes in tow.  I could tell the Princess definitely had a yen for my homemade salsa because she stayed to help make it up and even waited for them to finish being canned.  She went home with four and a half quarts.  I got to keep ONE but that's okay. 

    She was actually a huge help today.  She helped peel and dice up the tomatoes, cut up the onion and even cut up the celery.  She also diced up one of the jalapenos I put in and didn't rub her eye once.    And, yes, I put celery in my salsa but only in the stuff I can.  Fresh doesn't get it.  It's from an old recipe for salsa that I found a long time ago and I liked it.  It comes out really nice and not a drippy type salsa.  It's nice and chunky and HOT....just the way we like it.  The baby loves hot, spicy things to eat, too. 

    I'm starting to get really pissed off at how Xanga is screwing up.  The font and color keep changing on me and it shouldn't.  Figures since they got money from me for upgrading for the year ahead.  Take the money and run.  Let the editor screw up like crazy.  Figures!

    Chewlee was in rare form today.  She just kept wandering all over, chatting with Papa, then got insistent with me that I HAD to go into my room.  I was trying to get some stuff done for the salsa and she either wanted me sitting down in MY ROOM or to pick her up so she could see.  Figures she wanted to watch when I had the step stool sitting in the garage.

    When I finally DID get a chance to go sit down and have a smoke, she then grabbed my ace bandage, handed it to me and told me to *put it on my boo-boo*.  I had to laugh.  She had seen the *bump* from the fluid and knew I should have it on.  She then stood right by me until I got it wrapped up and fastened.  She patted it and said, *Good*.

    When I finally packed the (still hot) salsa in a cloth bag for the Princess, she went to put it in her car before she was going to gather up Chewlee to go home.  Chewlee, thinking her mother was leaving, went to the door, told her *bye-bye* and shut the door.  She then did this funny little happy walk and came into my room where she patted my chair so I would sit down and then wanted up in my lap.  She leaned back happily because she thought she was going to stay with me.

    That changed when her mother came back and held up her furry jacket for her to put on.  She just LOVES that jacket.  The Princess told me that Day Care made her take it home because when it's left there, Chewlee doesn't want to take it off.  If they get it off her, she sneaks over to put it back on and has a fit if they try to take it off.  Rather than fight with her, they make the Princess take it with her. 

    I was going to try out my salsa (it was great even NOT cooked) but realized that I didn't have any tortilla chips.  Oh well, add that to my list of groceries needed......LOL.  That list is getting really long.  I do have to get it done before the Beast leaves for Centralia though.  I'll need stuff for the baby and I to eat while she's here with me.  We like things that he doesn't.  I'm almost embarrassed to admit but... we love spaghetti-o's and cut up hot dogs.  I know...I know...it's a leftover from my childhood but I can't help it.  I just don't get to indulge myself that often.  I could actually but I hate to make something just for ME.  You know how that is.  Then you have to make TWO meals.  Plus, he happens to like bigger meals than just a can of 'sketti-o's and a hot dog.    We also like the Michelina entrees (cheap, too). 

    I am going to get this posted now.  I doubt anything exciting is going to happen.  Although...I just found out the Beast said his throat is bothering him and he wants some Nyquil.  Guess we are out of it.  *sigh*  Looks like tomorrow will have to be grocery day.  Otherwise I will be putting it off until the very day before he leaves.  I would rather take the car than the truck any day.  No good place to put a bunch of groceries except the bed of it and then it slides all over. 

    Love you all.  Take care and have a great day.  I'll let you know if anything exciting happens but, please, don't hold your breath.  Oh, I will have an update picture of Baron and Chewlee in tomorrow's post, too.  Just thought you might like to see how much he's grown.

  • Doing The Happy Dance!

    I got the baby after all today.  I wish the Princess was giving me her ACTUAL days off for the month (since SHE gets them all at once on a MONTHLY basis....HINT....HINT!).  Then I wouldn't misunderstand her allusions to the *first two Saturdays* because I thought today (yesterday) was actually the first.  Color me red here.

    So I get the baby (sorry for the change in type but the damn Xanga editor keeps screwing up lately) this morning, as usual on a Saturday.  I should have known since I did know it was the END of October because of Halloween.  DUH!

    She was so funny because the very first thing she wanted was to eat.  She tells me *cereal......with MILK!*  Like I would pour water or juice all over it.  She not only ate it all (and I gave her quite a lot) but she asked for more!    I know!  It surprised me, too.    When she was done, she insisted I had to clean off the tray before she got out (which I did) and then she ran into my room and waited for me.  When I came in, she patted the seat on my recliner so I sat down and she climbed in with me so we could watch her *Spongebob* on TV.  I can't believe how she loved that show.  It IS cute. 

    Later on, we sat at the computer and I played *spooky slots* on Pogo.  She loved the bats and the spiders on the reels and the pumpkin that showed up on occasion.  I tried to get her to click the mouse and make the reels go 'round but she just LOVES to watch the arrow move all over the place.  When I finally got the mouse back, then she wanted to type.  It's adorable to watch her spread her fingers like she sees everyone do but she doesn't really get it yet.  The one key she discovered she can push and it does something is the windows key.  That side panel pops up and it just tickles her even though she looks at me with this guilty look and says, *Ut oh!* 

    At lunch, she just wanted to eat lunchmeat (bologna...the good stuff) and she wanted me to roll it up for her.  Don't ask me where she got THAT from 'cause I sure haven't done it for her.  I am assuming the Princess has done it for her once or twice.  She also wanted cheese (which she got) and after she had eaten a few rolled up pieces of baloney and two pieces of cheese, we had some apple slices.  She tried to put some of the caramel dip that I have on it but ended up using the strawberry yogurt instead.  It holds on better. 

    She really fought me not to go lay down in the bedroom (it WAS a bit cold in there) and tried to tell me she wasn't tired.  But after I turned off the lights in here, she put her head down and fell asleep in no time.  I just covered her up and let her stay there. 

    After she woke up, I changed her out of the clothes she had on (come on, Princess....pedal pushers and a short sleeve top on a cold day?  Sheesh) and put her in long pants and a long sleeve top I had here.  Also some sock (she came with NO SOCKS and NO SHOES).  *mad face inserted here* Although the Princess said that Chewlee wouldn't have any part of them.  I STILL would have brought them with her, don't you think?  No wonder some grandparents keep duplicates of everything at their house....it's JUST IN CASE.

    She had fun clomping around the house in my sneakers, first and then she found my sandals.  She loved going out of the room and shutting the door, then knocking and waiting for me to tell her to *come in*.

    She saw me wrapping up my elbow with an ace bandage (fluid on the elbow again) and got so concerned because I had a *boo-boo*.  She had to kiss it to make it feel better and ask me if it hurt.  I had to assure her it didn't hurt me before she would finally stop bothering me over it. 

    Her potty training seems to be coming along nicely except for the fact that she still won't poop in the pot.  But...she DOES tell you when she's pooped in the diaper she still has to have.  She does UN-do it when she wants to pee on the potty, however.  She wants to drop it in the wastebasket even though it's dry and poop-free.    Oh, and she has the toilet paper part down pat!  She reminds me of the baby bear in the TV commercials, however.  She wants a LOT of it.  I keep having to rewind a lot of it back on the roll.

    I didn't get to work on the pajamas I have cut out and ready to sew together, for obvious reasons, so that has to be tomorrow's chore.  I'm almost afraid to sew that material for fear I will have to yank it out from under the feeder plate again.  *sigh*  I'll get over it.  It's nice material and I want to see it done and ready for when I have the baby next weekend.

    Gotta go now.  The Princess is probably going to be dropping off a bunch of tomatoes tomorrow because she's asked me to make her some of my salsa since she's been craving it.  She wants a couple jars of it so I told her I need a couple dozen large ones minimum.   I have a few more here that I can throw into the mix so I will be busy.

    Love you all.  Have a great day.  Hope you had a great Halloween and lots of candy for any trick-or-treaters that came by.  If you didn't get any...oh well!  Make the sacrifice and eat it all yourself. 
    ALERT!  ALERT!  ALERT!  Tonight you turn back your clocks one hour.  Don't forget or you will be WAAAAY too early for everything.