Tired FromTrip

I didn't even think of going to exercise this morning. I didn't get to sleep until after 12:00 AM last night and I went back to bed and slept until 10:30 AM.

It was 67 degrees F. today. Some fierce storms are supposed to occur tonight while we sleep. They have caused tornadoes in stated West of us and hopefully there will be none in our storms.

Tonight is New Year's Eve. I'm not staying up to see it in. I'd rather sleep! I shredded 2-3 years of Medco material today. I cleaned it from a brown wicker square I have. I thought I would have to give it away but Dad decided to put the air cleaner in a different place and the wicker can go back against the wall where it has been all these years.

The Thrift shop up our road takes donations and I talked to the lady and told her I had some stuff I would give her. I need to put it in the back on my car so when I see her at the shop, I'll just have to stop and unload the stuff.

Trudy's birthday was yesterday and she was going coupon cashing. Forrest was on a winter camp with the Boy Scouts and Sadie and George were watching TV.

Temple Time

Today, I had an appointment with Dr Walker. The office was full when I went in and got fuller as time went by. Since I was going to the temple today, I didn't want to spend all morning in the Dr's office, so I rescheduled for next week.

I came home and got lunch for us and sat around and read the newspapers. I already have on the top I'm wearing and all I have to do to get ready to leave is to put my skirt and boots and coat on. I need to make a sandwich for after we leave the temple and that's all.

It's cold and windy and damp outside. It is supposed to rain today or tonight and really rain tomorrow night. Rain is okay but snow is not!

Whew!

I went into town to the bank and then back home. Frank wanted me to do the end of the year thing with the bill statements so I set the little card table up and began making piles. I got all the utility bills and the phone bills, etc. and etc. and stapled them together and made neat piles out of them. I hate to do this kind of work but I persevered until I had it all done. I don't remember what I did with the 2010 empty files I ended up with. Maybe tomorrow I can remember....

Trudy called to say she had dumpster dived some coupons. She is really into coupons. Mary Kate called and said Nate had gotten his birthday card and money. The roads were all clear when they came home from SC but she said Frankie had to go around the mountains because the roads in the Smokies were closed. He had to get to Knoxville via Atlanta! Well, at least they got home.

Snow In The Shadows

We still had ice on our steps this morning when I went out to buy some groceries. It was melted when I got back-Frank had put salt on it and it melted. You can still see snow on the North sides of things but the sun is out and the air is 44 degrees now at 3:30 PM. January and February will be our worst months, with March having two weeks of yuk and two weeks of Spring-like weather. If the weather behaves itself. Snow at Christmas was unusual. I think the paper said it had been 26-29 years since we had a white Christmas.

I made a big pot of taco soup and I think it'll be too salty for Frank to eat! The packages of taco and Ranch dressing gave it the sodium.  I guess I can freeze it.

Some Snow

There is some snow still around, but it's mainly gone. I didn't go to exercise today for I figured the Center wouldn't be open plus my car had a lot of snow on it and it would have been hard to get it off early in the morning. The temperature is up to 38 degrees at 2:00 PM and the wind isn't blowing so it's not that cold outside.

I washed a load of towels today but that's about all. I don't have much to do today. Frank's up but is working in his room.

I called Karen to say that I wouldn't be over today and she said she had to go to the Madison building to get all of the Primary supplies for we will began meeting at the Decatur Ward is January. We will be meeting at 1 PM again. I think that's why we're moving because meeting from 3-6 PM would put us driving home in the dark and some people can't drive at night. I think it's about the same distance in miles. Poor April-she'll have to get used to another big organ. We're getting a new organ with our new chapel but she can easily go practice on it when we get into our building again.

Sunday After Christmas

The snow was still on the ground and I thought I it was my turn to drive to Madison. I was afraid of black ice and the other Southern drivers. Church was canceled around 10:00 AM.

We feasted on duck, dressing and cranberry sauce again for lunch. I decided to us the Vitamix and make an apple cake. I guess I'm now initiated in the use of the machine and next will make a loaf of whole wheat bread. The apple cake turned out a bit too sweet. It had 1/2 cup of honey and 1 cup of raisins and it was a bit sweet even for the great sweet lover, me!  I'll use less honey next time I make it.

Mary Kate and Richard and family are in Duram, NC. They have about 6" of snow. Frankie and family are in SC with the same amount of snow. Hope everyone gets home safely.

I don't know if the Senior Center will be open tomorrow or not. I'll call before I go. The road may be clear but it just looks bad with all the snow still on the ground and on the cars.

Christmas Day

I got up at 8 AM and there was snow on the ground and it was falling quickly! A white Christmas after all. The paper had predicted it but you just don't believe until you see it! It was 36 degrees the entire time it was snowing so after it stopped snowing, it started melting off the trees.

The duck had thawed and I got it ready to bake by 8:30 AM. It was ready by 11:30 AM and boy, did it smell good! Frank had been sick this morning but was up and ready to eat when I got the duck out. It's all dark meat and really tastes good. We had duck, stuffing, corn, and cranberry sauce. I think this will be a tradition for Dad and me. We don't have any presents to unwrap but we can look forward to a good meal! We always get presents through out December and don't bother to wait to unwrap, or wrap, what we get. All in all, it has been a good day. Sandy S. called to wish us a Merry Christmas.

Day Before Christmas

I went to Walmart around 9:30 AM and it was just starting to get crazy with people. I just needed some Smart Balance and bananas and cabbage and cauliflower and a few other things. Came home and fixed the veggies. The weather was in the 40's and not too cold. It could snow tonight as a cold front is coming in.

When I went to get the mail, it was dark. Frank wanted me to take a light but it's usually light enough to not need one. But tonight, it was very dark. As I was rounding the corner of the road, I tripped and fell on the ground! I got a large raspberry on my right knee and a little bump on my right hand where I skid on the rocks. I'll be taking a light when I go out in the dark now. 

Play Day

I got to Trudy's house at 10 AM. They were just getting up. Trudy showed me all the things she had bought with her coupons and there was a load of food which she paid little for! This girl has got the coupon shopping down good! We hung around the house until 12:30 PM and then we went to town to shop. I wanted to stop at Sear's to get Dad a fancy screw driver he wanted  and then I wanted to look for a pair of black leather boots. Sear's had some but they wanted $69.00 for them and Trudy suggested we look at The Shoe Dept. I found a pair there for $40.00 plus we found some shoes that could be house shoes for $13.00 and I got a pair of those. Everything was on sale. Trudy got Forrest and George some tennis shoes and a pair of house shoes for herself. We got a cookie and a drink and sat at a table to eat and replenish our strength. Then we walked back through the Mall to exit Sear's to where the car was parked. We couldn't find the car! There were a lot more parked there than when we first parked and we couldn't remember where we were! Finally, Trudy found the car and we drove back to Hobby Lobby where she had parked her car. We sat about 30 minutes and talked. It was such a fun day and I got my boots!  Sadie called to say that Forrest had taken her to town to get a gift for a friend and he drove safely through all the traffic. He is a good driver.  The traffic was very heavy since it was two days before Christmas. I need to go to Walmart tomorrow to get a few groceries and I had better go early so I will miss the traffic on the day before Christmas! Frank got his present tonight and was very happy! We'll have nothing to open Christmas day! We will be eating duck and dressing and cranberry sauce and shall be well fed.

Huntsville Trip

We stopped off to see Dr Gantt's nurse first and then ate lunch at Wendy's. From there, we drove to Madison to see Dr Morgan. Then we drove to Athens and I stopped by Lou's but she had already dropped off a "form" at Dr Walker's office, which is closed on Wednesdays. I got my order I had placed from Lou's and then we went by the pharmacy and then on home.

Because it's the holidays, the garbage pick-up is a day earlier.  I called Bobby to let him know but he already knew and said if we got our garbage together, he would send the boys over to take it out to the road. They've already gotten it out to the road. I really appreciate this service.

Tomorrow, I'm going to Trudy's house for the day. I'm looking forward to it. If we go shopping, I hope to find a pair of boots. Trudy says the Sadie wants a pair too. Maybe we'll both be lucky!

Luc's

After Frank went back to bed, I went to town. I needed to drop a request off at Dr Walker's and then over to see Luc's to tell her I had dropped off my request. After that, I went by Kari's to get my hair cut. She did a good job. I thought about letting it grow longer but I can't stand hair on the back of my neck and I don't know how to fix longer hair that curls. So, I guess I can be happy with it cut short.

Kari is going to close her shop and is going to work at a place that's near the Sherwin-Williams paint store. I haven't gotten the name of the place down yet, but she will only work four days, I think.

Got home and Dad was up and feeling better so we had lunch. After lunch, we installed some speakers for the TV. I got to be a carpenter's helper. After he took some hardware off the wall near the TV, I now have no use for a plant stand that had a can of flowers on it to hide the hardware. I'll take it downstairs and put it some where.

I've enjoyed my Christmas decorations but will be glad to put them up. Gert hasn't been out of his cage since I put them up and I think he will come out after all the trees and Santa's are put up for another year. Tomorrow, we have two Dr appointments and will have to go by the pharmacy too. It will be a busy day.

No Exercise Day

Frank had a Dr appointment at 10:45 AM so I asked Jan to substitute for me in leading the exercise class. We were there almost an hour before we saw the Dr, but he is nice and gave us lots of time. It was Dr Thomas, the lung Dr. He prescribed an inhaler for Frank and a nebulizer. The pharmacy had us to fill out papers in order to get the nebulizer. Frank will have to figure out how to use it. The pharmacist was supposed to show him how to use it, but he was busy on the phone, and Frank didn't feel like waiting so we came on home.

When we came home, the mail had already come and we had some packages in it. I got my Vita Mix cookbook. I know how to make whole wheat bread so I won't have any excuse not to make some. I bought 9 packages of yeast so I am ready. Now to wait until the spirit moves me! Ha-ha! I also got a car seat cushion and an alarm clock from Carol Wright's Gifts.

It's going to warm up into the 50's tomorrow and rain. It wasn't too cold today. I had on a long sleeve white shirt and a red Christmas sweat shirt and some bell earrings. I was too cool!

Lazy Saturday

We spent the day installing some electronic equipment into the TV cabinet. We had to run the cables and then Frank had to figure out what cable went too what. We finally got it all done. Then we gave the birds a spray. Gert, who has not been out of his cage since I put up the Christmas decorations up, came out for a spray and then zipped back into his cage. I may put the Christmas decorations up early to see if that's what's bothering him. The other two birds had no problem getting baths. I bet the mail has come by now! It's 4:40 PM and it should be there. And the mail was there.

Slacker

Didn't go to exercise class today-slept in. It was about 37 degrees when we went out this afternoon.

Dad got some paper about the house in FL and we had to go to the bank too get some papers notarized. We went to Compass Bank and a nice lady helped us. The bank wasn't busy at the time and we got right in to do our business.

We came home and had our snacks and Dad worked on cleaning the bird cages. I ordered a food storage cook book from Amazon. There were a lot of good reviews and I thought it would be good to have to incorporate what we have in our every day meals. It may or may not happen. We eat pretty scrawny now and we're set in our ways. Who knows? (only the Shadow knows...)   

No Thawing Out

The weather warmed up during the night and the cars had no ice on them, if fact, it was 50 degrees this morning. We got to the hospital alright and Frank had his lung test. I believe the Dr will find nothing wrong with his lungs. Maybe we can go to an allergist next.

We came home and I did some cooking and after lunch I began gathering the trash. We had a lot of trash in the basement from our cleaning out and I had three large black bags full of heavy stuff. I hope the boys bring their Grandfather's truck over to take the garbage to the road. I still have some more cleaning and organizing to do down by the washing machine. The extra bedroom needs some organizing too

We folded and stapled some papers for Gert's cage. We have a new receiver to put under the TV but we took a break and will probably do it after supper.

Cold Day

I went to the Senior Center for exercise and the Center wasn't open! It was open, but it was closed. No chairs had been set up for us and there were only two other ladies besides me there. It guess the weather was a deciding factor. We were going to get sleet and freezing rain sometime today. I went to the PO and mailed two packages and then went to Walmart for a few groceries. It hasn't gotten over 33 degrees today and when I went out to get the mail at 3:30 PM, both cars were iced over and the mail box had a sheet of ice on it and icicles hanging off of it.

We have to be at the hospital tomorrow at 10 AM and we will probably have to thaw the car out. Frank is getting a lung test. His chest X-ray was fine. After this test, we will see the Dr again and see if Frank's lungs are alright. I think we should have gone to an allergist to see what he is allergic to but maybe we'll do it next. Maybe the children will believe he really has a problem is a Dr says so.

David B. is here fixing something on the new heat pump. His helper didn't do a professional job and Frank was disturbed about it. David's been here all day. He's a nice young man and he has a nice family. He married Amy Broadhurst and they have two young boys.

Heat Pump Day

We had a new heat pump installed today. Our old one was getting undependable and we wanted a good one to take us into the cold weather ahead. It was putting out 127 degree heat at one point today! It just took 1/2 a day to get it done.

After the heat pump was done, Frank and I were in the basement and I had discovered what looked like orange oil in my washing machine. What had happened was an old jug of Amway carpet cleaner had busted and dripped down into the washing machine. Frank got to cleaning the mess up and he took down all of the stuff that was on the shelves over the washer and dusted with a wet cloth. Some of the stuff had been up there 25 years or so. One box has some kitchen things that I can donate to the Salvation Army and the rest is old washing machine soap that has a scent. I don't know if it is any good or not. I guess I can donate it too.

Ann and I are going out tonight to visit Sis Hansen. I looked for her house today and have a vague idea where it is. I hope we don't get lost too badly.

Exercise and More

It was so cold that we only had 6 people at exercise today. It wasn't up to freezing when I went out to the mail box today and it was cold this morning. After exercise, I dropped the two packages off at the PO and then went to Karen's for study. The Pearl of Great Price discussions go so fast that I miss out on a lot of things, but it is there to read.

I came home, had lunch, and did some laundry. I was afraid I had too many clothes for one load so I washed two smaller ones. I had a red sweat shirt is one pile and I hoped it wouldn' fade on the other clothes. It didn't.

I packaged up the art supplies I was going to give Luke at Thanksgiving, and then he didn't come. I'll mail them Wednesday. I also wrote a letter to Frankie and sent three Christmas cards or got them ready to mail tomorrow. Kayla's birthday is the 18th so I got a card and wrote in it. Now I'm waiting for Dad to write in it and get a check for it so it can be mailed.

Snow?

A Canadian cold front has moved through here and we had snow showers today! On the way to church, the snow was blowing on the road. After church, I noticed a little snow had collected on the roof of the building. The snow came mainly off and on so none collected. It was cold enough for it to stick if it had been heavy snow. Looking forward to Spring!

Our Home Teachers came over tonight and we had a good visit. We both got blessings.

Tomorrow, I lead the exercise class and then go for scripture study. Before that, I'll have to stop by the PO and mail the Christmas presents to Frankie and Mary Kate. I'll give Trudy's the day we get together, Dec. 24th, I think.

Tuesday, Mr. Boston is coming over to install a new heat pump for us. He'll be through the same day. I just asked Frank if the house would get cold, but he said we could turn up the gas stove downstairs and the bird's heaters would still be working. I was concerned about them.

Party

The baby shower was fun. There were a lot of people there, most of whom I didn't know. It was held at Susan's house with Mary Lou and Sis Thunderburg all helping. They were already opening presents when we got there. We stopped opening presents and had lunch and then went back into the basement to unwrap some more. Susan's house is really nice. The basement had carpet and real furniture in it! No slouch this house. It had started to rain when we got out but it wasn't bad. I think a cold front is moving in tonight and it will probably rain all night. It was 50 degrees today and will probably be in the 30's tomorrow.

Frank had a bad morning but felt better this afternoon.

Exercise & VT

I expected Jan to be at exercise class but she wasn't. She had called Betty C. and asked her to do it. She did a good job. Many of the usual people weren't there. Afterwards, I went by the PO and got some large and medium flat rate boxes. I meant to mail the two boxes I had for the children, but I went off without them. After I got home, I left to go VT to the Decker's. Ann had brought some Christmas things she had made for them and I gave them to them. It was a very nice visit. Karen had her daughter and daughter-in-law with her and I enjoyed their presence and then when I left, I left alone. It felt weird.

I went grocery shopping after lunch. Walmart didn't have any insoles that Dad wanted so I went to CVS but they didn't have any either. I then went to Big Lots for the yearly supply of batteries. I bought over $50.00 worth of different sizes of batteries!

Tomorrow is the luncheon-baby shower for Sis Herwig. I got a  baby book for the baby. It's a boy and I got a Disney baby book. Hope no one  else gets her a baby book!

Safe Trip

It seems like as the older I get, the less confident I am of my driving. Or it may be that I'm afraid of hurting my "new" car. It is so nice that I would cry if I got a dent in it or worse. Driving the same car for 19 years kinda makes you that way.

We had a nice trip to the temple. It was good to get back since we only went once last month. I'll ride down with the Decker's the fourth Thursday of this month. They are temple workers and I ride on down with them and do two sessions.

Jan called and said she was able to do the exercise class today. Barbara was sick and couldn't do it. I'm glad she's better. She said she would be able to lead Friday. I will enjoy going and just exercising instead of leading.

Vet Visit

Got the birds to the vet okay. They are all in good health and just got wings and nails and Rikki got her bill trimmed. I always get a hug from Dr Jan and that's always good. We had a safe journey down and back.

Got a pot of beans on the stove right now and can't go to bed until they're done. They'll be done before I'm ready to go to sleep. Going to the temple tomorrow and will get up at 5:30 AM to shower and wash my hair. It's too late tonight and the birds were stressed with their trip and I don't want to have any commotion going on at 7 PM.

Exercise Went Well

There weren't many people at exercise today but it went well. I had my notes. There was lots of outside interference going on, with other people and workers wandering around. I wasn't nervous though and I even had the wrong side of the music on. I used up the time without the chicken dance. Frank wanted me to to come home and be here if the Home Health people came. They didn't come and I used the time to read the Bill O'Riley book that Frank bought me and I tidied up my room a bit and dusted parts of it.

Frank had an appointment with the lung Dr today. We were there two hours. He got an X-ray and some blood drawn and has an appointment to go by the hospital and blow into a lung machine to test his breathing or something. The Dr asked about the birds. Frank could be allergic to the birds. I hope not, for our house would be very lonely without the birds.

It was cold today but without the wind blowing it wasn't too bad. Tomorrow, I take the birds to the Vet for trims. Their nails are a bit long and we have been keeping their wings clipped but Rikki needs to have her bill trimmed so it won't be too long.

Fast and Testimony Day

We have a new chorister in Primary, Joy...can't think of her last name. She's a mature lady, probably not as old as me, but not a young chick. Our other chorister is 30 and is about to have her 5th baby. Joy had to do singing time today at the spur of the moment and she did well. She's been a Primary chorister before, years ago.

In January, we will be meeting at 2:30 PM 'til 5:30 PM! I guess they rotate the wards that meet in that building. It will be really strange at that time, but the second or third week-end is Stake Conference and we believe we will be back into our Athens building at the end of January. Then we will be meeting at 9:30 AM like usual.

Bro Garbett called Dad tonight and asked him if he would help with some computer work they are doing and he said he would. It's good to be needed. (Joy's last name if Hansen!)(slow but sure...).

I called Jan to check on how she was doing with her ear problems and she said she was some better. She had gotten a blessing and felt it had helped. That's why she wasn't at exercise last week. I lead tomorrow and Dad has an appointment with the lung Dr at 1:30 PM.

Saturday of Leisure

I was going out to the P.O. but Dad figured out how much the postage was and we put stamps on the two big letters I was sending the girls and I mailed them at the road.

I cooked tacos for lunch but I didn't have any salsa or tomatoes. The off-season tomatoes taste so nasty that I didn't want to get any. I had the cheese and the sour cream and the taco mix. The shells were crunchy. Dad stood up to eat his, for to try to eat them lying down would have been a disaster!

Later on, I went through the bills for the year and got the old envelopes out and put the folders back in the container. Soon we'll have to go through and separate the bank statements and organize them. I hate paper work!

We had Omaha steak burgers for supper. They are nice to have once in a while. A bit greasy to eat every day. We have them for a treat now and then.

It has been in the 60's all day. I think it's going to turn cold tonight. We are so spoiled with the nice weather. It gets nasty in January and February and half of March and then Spring comes! Yeah!

Surprise!

I got up at 6:30 AM to shower and wash my hair before exercise class. I got there and was enjoying walking and talking to the ladies when the time to start approached. It was Jan's time to lead but she didn't come so I led the group. I had taken my notes out of the car so I could re-do them and get the exercises organized so I had to lead without any notes! The class members helped me when I forgot what to do next. When we got to the stick and ball, I knew what to do. It was fun even though I didn't have my notes!

On my way home, I stopped by the Dollar General store to take back the things I bought yesterday. They all smelled of the perfume the entire store smells like and Frank couldn't handle it. They can't give cash back for an item bought without a receipt and I had one item like that. I found an Alabama mug for $5.00 that I got. It holds a can of cola and is pretty neat. I got cash back on the items I had a receipt for.

I came home and started cooking a pot of beans, a cabbage and a cauliflower. Then I found a wheat grinder in the Emergency Essentials catalog that I liked and was a decent price. Frank told me to look on-line for wheat grinders and I found the same one on Amazon for the same price! I ordered it. The majority of our food is whole wheat and that's a lot of grinding for a Vita Mix.

Changed My Mind

I went into town to buy some groceries. I walked around Walmart and bought a sweater and two pull overs that the neck might be too low. I'll have to wash them and see if they shrink up any. I was very happy buying at Walmart! 

I bought gas for the car then went next door to Dollar General to look at the Christmas trees. I bought a small one for $5.00 and a string of 100 lights. Well, when I got home and put the tree together, 100 lights would have swamped the tree! So I went back to the Dollar store and ended up with less lights and a few other things. When I got home, I found the tree and the box on the front porch. The perfume from the store was too strong for Frank and he had to put the tree and box outside. That meant the other things I had just bought had to go back too. Boo Hoo! I just glad the other little tree I found could be used or I wouldn't have a tree at all. Frank did find a pretty fiber optic tree on line but they were all sold out! Next October we will have to order a Christmas tree on-line.

Day of Rest and Other Things

After having a busy day Monday and Tuesday, I decided not to go to exercise class today and went back to bed instead. I've swept the floors and fixed lunch. We were going to pay bills, but we didn't have all the payments. Some will come in the mail today, no doubt. The birds need a shower and we will do that after a while.

I think I've decided not to buy another Christmas tree. The one I have is very small but it doesn't take up much room. I ordered the kids Christmas games and they should come in by next week.

Dad had me get some Dominos and a checker game so he could play with Nate and Sophia but they didn't get to come over.