Changing my ways!

I have noticed that many of you whose blogs I read, have gone back from using a dishwasher to washing dishes by hand.  I try to be very careful of my electric usage and am seriously considering joining you.  My problem that I recall from the past, is that when I wash dishes by hand I end up letting them sit on the countertop to dry, and then when I need something I take it out of the rack, leaving the rest of the dishes there until I need something else.  In other words, I always have a cluttered countertop.   I'd like to know how you manage that:  do you let them air dry, or dry them by hand and put them away.

Another usage of electric that I wonder about is my washing machine.  I don't have a dryer, so I wash the load at home and carry it across the street to the Park's laundry center, where I use their dryers.  It usually costs me 75 cents to dry an oversize load.  I used to put most of it in the dryer for 10 minutes to remove wrinkles (25 cents) and then dry everything on the clothesline in the courtyard of the laundry building.  Since the planes are spraying whatever they are spraying every day, everywhere, I no longer use the clothesline.

To cut my electric use I also unplug things such as floor lamps, computer, etc. at night when I go to bed as they say the electric use doesn't drop to zero as long as the item is plugged in. 

I would love to hear of any utility cost saving tips you may have.  As costs are continually rising it makes sense to reduce our usage when we can.

Jeannie and family took me to Costco yesterday afternoon to return the computer and backup device; I have several things I need from Costco, but instead, Donald bought a big pizza from Costco's food service which we took to our favorite local craft brewery to go with the beer.    We had maps of the southwest and went over the possible routes to the dog breeder in Arizona in the event I decide to get a puppy after my surgery.  This trip is growing a little at a time - now we are thinking about taking the cutoff to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on the way.  

I will probably go back to Costco this afternoon to get the things on my list.

I'm still undecided about the puppy, or puppy vs. older dog.  I am looking ahead to the possibility that I might need to train (or have a trainer) work with a young dog to be an assistance dog (or god forbid, a seeing-eye dog).  I haven't made a decision yet but am examining possibilities.  I would never get another puppy if I went out a lot and had to leave it at home alone, as I did when I was still working and got my first black lab, Smoky.  But I don't go out often that I couldn't take the dog, and I have the convenience of walking across the street to the dog park should I need to.   Many establishments here allow people to bring their dogs, although common sense dictates that they need to be well trained and well behaved, and there are some places I just wouldn't take a dog.

It gives me something to think about and to argue the pros and cons in my head.  My health has been so unsteady for the past few years I just wanted to be alone, but I didn't exactly feel lonely.  Now I'm improving at a rate where I realize I am lonely, and I am going to do something about it .   Since I'm not driving it means I am mostly at home, and I'm not really a "joiner" anyway.   So having another living, breathing creature to look after seems like a grand idea!

Enjoy the last day of the weekend, and I may try to post again before surgery, but if I don't I want to thank all who send good thoughts my way.

Lots to do in the next 3 days!

Donald took me to the lab this morning to get a particular blood test required for my eye surgery.  It was quick and easy, and most of the paperwork that I need is filled out.

We came back to my house and after looking at the Dell and my Mac, he suggested I return the Dell since I am not really comfortable with it.  We boxed it all up after he cleared the machine back to its pristine shape!   It might be different in the future, but right now the screen isn't as bright as the Mac and there are several features that I just don't like.  We then tried the Seagate Drive that I bought to back up my computer and it just wouldn't work on the Mac, although it is supposed to.   It wasn't worth spending any more time on as far as I'm concerned.

Although I will keep my driver's license current, I don't intend to drive until after my surgery and until my sight returns to a better state than it's been for a long time.  So I am going to transfer the title to Jeannie and I hope we can take care of that this weekend.  I believe AAA offers DMV services at some of their locations.  I have all but stopped driving the past few months, and when I did I tried to keep within 5 miles from home or less.  I don't want to wait until someone tells me I should turn over my keys, so for now I don't have the temptation.  If the hoped-for puppy works out I will have lots of time to walk and that will be good for both of us.  Note that I'm not even sure that I will ever get another dog, but I'm keeping the option open.  

I can't believe how I'm changing back to my former self after several years of becoming a grumpy old woman.  I think a pet will do me good, and I'm even thinking about joining the dog owners across the street from time to time!   After months of complaining about the dog park, I think I might be tempted to use it once in a while in the event I get a dog.  I'm not sure what is going on with me, but I wouldn't be surprised if the cancer hasn't been working against me long before anyone realized what was happening.  I'd almost forgotten what the real "me" was like, and I'm happy to return to "me"!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Flip Flopping again

I keep changing my mind.  Donald came over this morning to drive me to get my haircut, and I told him I was definitely going to send the Dell back, for x, y, and z reasons.  When we got back to my house later he fooled around with the Dell and changed many of the things I dislike about it.   I am a little more comfortable with it, but it's nothing like an Apple!   That said, I might keep it to use as a backup until I get the Apple diagnosed and fixed, or else have to buy a new Apple.  

I'm so anxious to get this surgery over with.  My sight is worse today than it was yesterday, and yesterday was worse than the day before.  I hate to think of what it will be like by next Tuesday!

The heat here is awful - 101, and on its way up to 106.  The swamp cooler just can't do much of a cooling job above 90.  I've been thinking about getting a small window a/c but it would drive my electric bills sky high.  I just keep thinking about Cincinnati summers when we had no a/c.  Even the first office I worked in had no a/c!  (That was with humidity, but hot is hot and dry heat just causes one to shrivel up like a prune!

The day has flown by, and I hate to see them go so fast!  Take care, y'all and I will try to do the same.

Decision Made

I think I've come to a conclusion about the Dell laptop, but I'll believe it when I actually do it!  I'm going to box it up and return it.  I don't have the patience it takes to get up and running with it, obviously.  That means I need to get to Best Buy very soon and have the Geek Squad diagnose what all is wrong with my MacBookPro and have it fixed (which is what I prefer), or get a new Mac.

I spent the morning cleaning the house where I left off yesterday, doing a bit of yard work, etc.   Now I need to declutter the end tables, coffee table, etc.  I don't know how I accumulate such a mess in such a short time.

I'm getting a much needed haircut tomorrow - Donald is going to drive me and maybe we can return the computer to Costco as well.

I am very ready for the surgery as I am l deteriorating rapidly now.  Just a few more days.  This may be the last post I make until after surgery as I am going to have this  computer looked at and hopefully salvaged as soon as I can.

Take care and I'll be back before you know it!

Getting back into life tires me out!

As if all the shopping didn't wear me out, I set out this morning to get my laundry as well as some cleaning done.  I'm not finished with the cleaning by any means, but I've reached my saturation point for today and will just take it up again tomorrow.

I started reading the book I bought for Windows 10, and I can't say I've learned much yet, although it's too soon to tell.   I'm trying to find a way to show some things in list form rather than pictures or tiles, such as the "Apps list".  That is just another way of saying the "Directory" which would make more sense to me than Apps list, but people today evidently like to talk about "Apps".  I don't want a screen with a bunch of Tiles/Logos cluttering my view, and it would be much easier to find what program I'm looking for in an old-fashioned list of titles/words.  I just happen to be a "word person" rather than a "picture person".  There must not be enough of us to matter to developers of new systems and programs.

I hate to sound grumpy but I just don't like the fact that if you stop to take  a breath of fresh air, everything has changed a bit since you exhaled!

I need to spend less time on the computer, obviously.   And the heat is getting to me.  I hope you all are having an easier day than I am :-)

A "Shop til you Drop Day"

No, I didn't actually do much shopping but accompanied Jeannie who did quite a bit.  Actually, she looked a lot, tried on quite a few, but actually  bought just a few things.  I helped carry packages and stood or sat around waiting for her to try clothes on and decide what to buy.

We stopped for a meal at Chipotle, and that is one of the few eateries that I enjoy going to.  The food and service are always superb.

I also bought a book, "Windows 10 for Seniors" (followed by the word "Dummies").  That is a ridiculous way to title a book in my opinion - does anyone enjoy being called a dummy, or reading a book for dummies?   But if I ignore that word and just read the book I think it will maybe help me with my new computer.  So far I haven't had the nerve to do much with it because the whole operating system is so foreign, and the screen seems to be so cluttered.  I'll eventually get it to my liking, I hope.

I need a nap after walking around all day, but if I can do without it another hour or two I'll just go to bed early for the night.  I hope everyone has a peaceful and restful night.

 

Weekend, Again!

I stayed with Jeannie's girls last night while she and Donald went out with friends.  I took tubes of acrylic paint and a couple of canvases, and they spent the evening painting some beautiful pictures.  They were perfect angels!

Today we took bottles & cans to a recycling center, and when we got back were debating when to go back to the Mall where Jeannie needs to exchange shoes she bought last week.  Then the girls started fighting with each other and I've never seen anything like it!  It kind of put a damper on doing anything, so I came on home and maybe we will run our errands at the Mall tomorrow.  I also want to see if Barnes & Noble carries some kind of book that explains Windows 10.  So far I just can't even get started with it.

My house had started to get hot from being closed up since yesterday afternoon, but I have the swamp cooler and a fan running and it should be ok in a short time.  I really do NOT like the heat!

I hope you all are staying cool (or warm wherever you live).  I'm told we are going into an ice age but it looks like California isn't going to be involved.  Wouldn't you just know it.