Another Friday gone!

The weekends seem to be getting closer together now.  The next 3 days are supposed to be sunny and 77degrees.  That's getting awfully close to 80, which I consider the "hot zone" and I much prefer the 70's.  With all the rain here and snow in the mountains, the weather service is predicting another drought summer for us, whining that the snow pack is below the traditional average, and yada, yada, yada!   I have always tried to not waste water or anything else, but I sure hate them constantly beating the drum about it.  Was all that rain only good for making weeds grow?

I just cleared out some of the cookies on my computer.  I try to do it every week or two, but it has probably been 3 or 4 wks since I last deleted a bunch.  This time I deleted 380 cookies!  That is truly a bunch of crap, folks.  I hate it that companies can put something on my computer without my permission or knowledge.  In some cases they are obviously companies I do business with, but many are no doubt just advertisers on a page I visit.  My computer is running very poorly lately.

I finished lining the drawers in the kitchen, first pulling off the old sticky liner.  I used to like geese and ducks but this liner features geese with silly blue ribbons and bows around their necks.  It was a self-stick product and who knows how long it has been there, so it was difficult pulling it all up.  I managed it though and the kitchen drawers look spectacular, but I never want to see a cutesy goose again!

I had to go back to Costco this afternoon to pick up an Rx for my eye drops, and asked them about rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.  It is a mistake to buy it there because they don't just sell one of anything.  Not only were the bottles of both products in a package of two, but each bottle contains a full quart.  I had hoped to find something in a smaller quantity, so I only bought the peroxide and will look for the alcohol somewhere else.  Costco had individually wrapped alcohol soaked pads, but they were packaged 100 to a box and 4 boxes together.   It's nice if you can split the packages or bottles with someone else, which I often do.  I sure don't need 400 alcohol pads!

I have developed an infection of some sort on the arm where I was stabbed by the oleander bush.  Yesterday it became a blister and if I had alcohol to sterilize a needle I would have lanced it then.   Today it looks different and still hurts.  When I discarded all my meds and OTC's I must have gotten rid of the ointment I now need, but all those products were out of date anyway.  I hate to buy a tube of something I will use once and then let it sit in a cabinet for years.   I think a big bowl of ice cream would make me feel a lot better, but I don't have any on hand.  

I came upon a Youtube channel for a woman who cooks and bakes using alternatives to wheat and sugar.  I'm intrigued by blueberry muffins made with almond flour, although I'll have to go over to Whole Foods to find the flour.  I hate the thought of driving into their parking lot as it's not easy for me to navigate.  If I make these muffins I won't use Stevia but will probably try with a quarter-cup or half-cup of sugar, and then taste the dough to see if I need a bit more.  Hopefully it will be good  with less sugar than most muffins have.  I don't have any idea how almond flour will change the taste of the muffins, but I heard that they are pretty good.  Now to find a low-carb, low-sugar croissant or danish!

 

Walmart

I had to make another trip to the dreaded Walmart today, as I needed more of the drawer and shelf liner that I bought there last week.  I never have a good trip to Walmart, but this one was only half bad!  All the people I came into contact with were friendly, but it's irritating when I can't find what I'm looking for.  In my cleaning frenzy I threw out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and one of hydrogen peroxide, because they were years beyond their use-by dates; I've looked for replacements twice now at Walmart and don't know where they hide them.  I'll get them at Target one of these days.

I got up in a great mood today - have felt happy all day and even have joy in my heart, so I didn't let the Walmart experience bother me too much.  As I got into my car I noticed a man who probably was in his late 20's to mid-thirties, swinging a small plastic bag in one hand.  He was pretty close to my car and for some reason I knew he was going to ask for money.  He was decently dressed and didn't have that down-and-out look at all.  I drove off without even fastening my seat belt, and when I was driving up to the exit I turned and looked to see if he was still hanging around, and darned if he didn't wave at me.  The big twerp!  I just don't trust a person wandering in an aimless manner in a parking lot, never actually going anywhere, and trying to make eye contact.  That wave told me I was right on about my suspicions.  About halfway home I just laughed out loud at the scene.  (He wasn't just looking for his car, as I always park as far back in the parking lot as I can - few vehicles and I get a nice little walk to and from the store!)

I was planning to work on the kitchen drawers and cabinets this afternoon, but have wasted so much time that I need to start cooking dinner.  I've cooked chicken which I'll save half of in the freezer, including the broth, for another meal.   Chicken vegetable soup it's going to be, and I think I'll throw some rotini in for good measure.  I don't eat pasta anymore because of the high carb content, but I think a few rotini in a soup that should last me three meals won't amount to many carbs.

I almost forgot that I bought two bottles of red wine at Costco, so I think I'll open one and have a small glass, "to help me cook".

Still battling weeds!

When I went to pay my April rent this morning I told the Park manager that I was trying to keep up with weed & grass removal, but that I planned a complete redo of the yard later on in the summer.  I worked at the library this morning, and when I came home I went to pull some weeds on one side of the house - Leslie, the mgr. drove up in her cart and comiserated with me on the weed problem, so I guess I can just keep pulling until I leave for NY.  I divide my yard into 3 main sections, and by the time I'm back at the first, the weeds & grass have taken over again.

I worked out at the gym last night and am just now beginning to feel the soreness in my shoulders.  It's a "good ache" though.

You may remember that two months or so ago I commented that the sun wasn't setting in the place it normally set.  I've been reading that many people have noticed that the sky and moon don't look right, and don't seem to be in the right place.  The answer was that the planet has tilted just enough to make it noticeable.  Whether that's entirely accurate or not, it makes me feel that I'm not imagining things.  The sky doesn't look right, nor the movement of sun and moon.  

Maybe the earthquakes happening in places that they never used to occur have changed things.  With all the fracking wells, some in unimaginable places (middle of commercial orchards for example), plus the preponderance of fracking wells, I wonder why the states are still allowing it.  I wouldn't want to live in Oklahoma these days - I believe I heard a few months back that OK topped the list of all 50 states for earthquakes in one month.  They also have wells everywhere they can drill them.

Oh well, I didn't mean to get into a controversial subject, but of all natural disasters, I worry about earthquakes the most, followed by volcano eruptions.  Even some long dormant volcanos are becoming active.  You can run but you can't hide from all this scary stuff.

Shopping Trip

Steve, his sidekick Liam, and I went to Home Depot and Lowe's yesterday.  I made all my selections, not too difficult for me because I don't like things elaborate but prefer simplicity.  We brought home the wall tile, mostly white with some marbling, and floor tiles, brown with lots of mottling and other colors splashed in.  Since I'm doing everything with white fixtures and will use a light paint color on the walls, I hope the darker floor tiles sort of anchor everything.  The tub, toilet, shower fixtures, and vanity top plus incidentals will be picked up when Steve can borrow his friend's truck.  

I decided to keep the vanity base I have and just get a new top (the old one is difficult to keep clean and feels dirty even after scrubbing).  I've reduced and reorganized the items I keep in the vanity itself, so I don't want a larger one or anything fancy.  It is a wonderful feeling not to have to be concerned with always getting more storage units and using every bit of space available.  

I'm coming along with the decluttering although it still looks like a yard sale inside my house.  After walking on the treadmill this morning I went shopping for a few small items and bought some liner for the kitchen drawers.  Now I have to take everything out of the drawers, remove the old liners and scrub everything clean, and then I'll be ready to call that job finished.  I've reorganized most of the upper cabinets, but will have to take everything out to clean them properly.  If I sound like a cleaning freak, I'm not.  Once it is all cleaned I won't obsess about it at all.

All this work and exercise keeps me hungry!

Looking back

I love to plan, and I especially love to plan a trip.  I have to give myself a pat on the back because I do a helluva great job on it!  I went through my maps and brochures today, took a deep breath, and probably discarded well over 50 or 60 maps.  You may wonder how and where I could keep that many, but let me tell you the organization of them was a work of art.

I saved a few from surrounding states; I know I won't be driving to the east coast again (but I should never say "never"), but something hit me in the gut and I decided I'm not finished, not by a long shot!  

I have two 3 ring binders with information tabbed by site I planned to visit, campground info, attractions, etc.  The trip started off well except that I had just started taking a statin drug to lower my cholesterol, and by the time I reached Lake Superior I was really ill.  I recovered after sleeping close to 18 hrs. and throwing the damned statins away, but cut the drive a bit short.  On the way back to the west I had plans to visit all the southwestern National Parks, and that was the year the government shut down and closed the parks.  I can't bring myself to throw the binder and all that info away, so I'm keeping it just in case I get a spurt of energy and an overwhelming desire to see those parks.  If that doesn't work out then I plan to do something closer to home, maybe in N. CA.  I wasn't born being strong-willed and hard-headed for no reason, and I ain't giving up now!  (I'll just slow down a little and make slightly less ambitious plans.)

Tomorrow Steve and I are going shopping for some of the items to remodel my bathroom.  Ceramic tile will replace the ugly formica wall board, a new tub and fixtures will be installed, a new toilet - one that is a bit higher rather than the kindergarten sized one that most builders like to use - new floor tiles, sink and vanity base.  I will also paint the walls a very light color, and oh, I almost forgot, Steve is going to install a new, slightly larger window.  My house tends to be dark (which also keeps the summer sun at bay), so the larger window will be a plus for letting in more light and air, while the sun is blocked by the house next to me.  I can't wait to get started.  I'm not sure I'm courageous enough to show a "before" photo, but I'll certainly show an "after"!

The Gypsy may be on the road again one of these days!

Volunteering

I worked for a bit at the library this morning and was thinking on the way home about my oldest son.  In going through my house trying to tidy up I found several letters from organizations and people who complimented me on my son's volunteerism.  He worked at charitable events even before high school.  I'm going to give him the letters when I get to NY, and hope he is inspired to encourage his two sons to eventually do volunteer work.  It was a bit different in the old days when everything was close enough for a kid to rid their bike or walk to most events.  Now they have to be driven everywhere - for distance as well as safety reasons.

I've been working on the kitchen, although technically I'm supposed to be purging and tidying up paper.  My brain works differently and doesn't do well when required to go in long sequences.  I can't believe how a little bit of discipine in throwing things out, plus a reorganization of what is left, has given me empty drawers in every room, including the kitchen!  

Even with all the progress that has been made, it is only visible behind closet and cabinet doors and in drawers, but in general it still looks like my house had a collision with a train!  It will all come together eventually, and I am feeling really good about myself in the meantime.

My 3rd (out of 5) brother, his wife, their daughter and baby grandson are here on their way from a trip to L.A. back home in the north.  My niece's husband flew because he couldn't take the time off work to do all the stopping and visiting along the way.  We had dinner at Jeannie's last night - Donald made chateubriand, baked potatos, asparagus, french bread (toasted with cheese and seasonings), and a wonderful blueberry cobbler with whipped cream topping.  I think he could easily get into catering in addition to his baking business.  What an absolute genius the man is!  Tonight we will see the visitors one last time at Steve's house.  I thought I wouldn't go, but since I don't see my brother that often I feel like I shouldn't miss the chance.  They are in the Seattle area, which is too far for me to drive.  It was fun holding a baby again, and fun to hand him back!

I need to get ready as I'm going to catch a ride with Jeanne and Donald across town to Steve's.  I've driven there before, but as it requires driving the freeway through town I just can't bring myself to do it any more.  I have done a pretty good job of driving home from Jeannie's in the dark the past few times I've been over there.  There is hardly any traffic after the rush hour subsides.  

Stayed home today

I had thought I'd run some errands but when it gets to the 2nd half of the month I try to not spend any more money than necessary, so I stay home and avoid temptation!

I did get into some of the papers today.  I searched the retention of tax returns and found they should be kept for 7 years.  I am playing it safe and keeping 10 years' worth, although I might go back and shred a couple more years.  I took a bag of shredded paper out to the recycling bin, along with a whole lot of paper that didn't need shredding.

I have a huge number of 3 ring binders with genealogical info and papers, and I don't know who will ever be interested in it, or even understand it all.  I'll leave it intact for someone to take care of after I'm gone

I have several plastic bins with maps for every state and region of the country, and I'm going to toss them all!  I might keep the Northern CA map but that's it.  I also have a lot of National Forest/Park/BLM/etc maps, which I hope Steve will be interested in.  I got the state maps free from AAA, but paid for the National Forest and other federal land maps.

The green St. Pat's milkshakes went over pretty well, so fast that I didn't get a chance to take photos.  The corned beef and cabbage was superb, as is everything Donald cooks.  Someone made adult shakes containing various liquors but I didn't try them.  I drank two bottles of beer in 6 hrs., and even drove home in the dark.  There wasn't a whole lot of traffic out, but enough to keep me alert.  I wish I had a beer now!