Craziness – The Dackel Princess

What a Weird Tuesday I Had!

Tuesday found me going to see my Dermatologist at the VA. I also had to have blood drawn. The tests required that I not eat anything or drink anything until after the test. All I can say about this test is that it is cruel and unusual treatment!

The blood tests were first, and the nicest thing happened! The technician and I were talking and she asked me how old I was. I told her 62 (as I am very close to this age now) and she was startled! You do not look sixty-two! She exclaimed!

After that, I headed up to Dermatology. I was speaking with the Nurse first, and Brian was amazed at how wonderful I looked. He asked us if we wanted our Flu shots? Why yes, yes we did! So he went off and got two doses. One for Jack and one for me.

My dermatologist was also amazed at the new svelte me. It’s fun to see people’s reactions.

I had two small lesions that were burnt off. Nothing terrible and then before we knew it, we were on our way home.

Now here is where it gets weird.

As we drove along the Highway, we saw State Police everywhere. Then I noticed that they were no longer allowing new cars onto the Highway. At one point it was our lone car and a couple of dozen State Police vehicles. The center lane pull-offs were blocked with heavy State Trucks.

I asked Jack if something might have happened? Another terrorist attack? But we turned on the radio and found out that Vice President Pence was flying in for a rally and this measure was taken to stop the terrorists that have been plaguing our country.

That said, it felt very odd and this is something I hope and pray I never have to get used to.

When Covid-19 Comes to Call

It’s amazing to me that some people don’t believe that Covid-19 is real. Unfortunately, it is.

Another friend (in a faraway State) called today to tell me that she has Covid-19. They are awaiting the results for her husband and two children.

A good friend in Florida also had Covid-19 and he was very ill. So much so, that he spent time in the Intensive Care Unit.

People say I am crazy to be so compulsive about wearing a facial mask, not going to indoor restaurants, and avoiding all places I do not need to be.

I don’t want to get sick. I hate being sick! Last November when I had the Flu I was so ill I thought I would die. It was a combination of having a really bad case of Flu and the fact that it dragged on and on. I am also a bit of a Drama Queen, so give me a temperature of 102.6 for a few days, a cough that sounded like I was hacking up a lung, and my inability to breathe, and I’m convinced I had an early case of Covid-19.

Everyone says no, but I know how sick I was and nothing will convince me otherwise. See? Drama Queen.

I get my flu shot on Friday and then I hope and pray for the best. I just hate to even consider being that sick again!

Wow! Busy!

Tuesday was my big day to grocery shop. I got up early, made coffee and breakfast, and was out the door by 7:45.

It was a lovely day, so I drove the back roads to Plymouth, New Hampshire to go to Market Basket. Which, in my opinion, is the best grocery store in our area.

I arrived just after 8:00 and started my shopping. The shelves were fully stocked, and there were nearly no other shoppers in there with me! How wonderful!

I got to the Deli and got the deli-meats that Jack wanted, did all the isles, and then hit the frozen food and produce sections. I was in line to check out at 9:20 and back in Meredith by 10 AM!

I picked up the mail and then drove home. The next part of my day was just starting as I sorted through all the groceries placing some in the deep freeze, some cans on the shelves, and the rest up the cellar stairs and into the kitchen. I was done with that part by 11:15, and then I was onto making a salad for lunch.

Just as I was set to sit down and eat, Jack announced his hunger so I quickly fixed his lunch before sitting down to enjoy my own. And enjoy I did!

The rest of my day was spent doing laundry and cooking dinner before finally being done at 7:45 PM. What a long day. But, all in all, a good day too!

And The Survey Says…

I picked up the latest copy of a magazine that I really enjoy. In fact, I used to subscribe to it because I liked the news and recipes and fashion. As a subscriber, I got a reduced price and a few bonuses along the way.

Anyway, I picked up the latest issue and started to turn page after page after page. There were many nice recipes, new fashions, and of course advertisements. Then I hit page 52 and my world was shattered. The column was about what to eat in your 20s, 30s, & 40s. (No mention of your 50s, 60, 70s, etc)

In your twenties, you should be eating eggs, vegetables, chicken, coconut water, Greek yogurt, and quinoa. In your thirties, you should be eating oatmeal, nuts, tuna, edamame, avocado, and lentils. In your forties, you should be eating ginger, cherries, salmon, kale, extra virgin olive oil, and green tea.

But I’m in my sixties! What am I supposed to be eating? Or is it that after you turn fifty it’s all over anyway, so you might as well give up!

I thought about this for a while and actually started to feel bad, then my phone rang and it was a man doing a survey for our local electric company. Now I love my electric company, they do a good job, (the rates are bad, but heck they are bad everywhere!) and they’re very friendly when I need them. So I answered his survey. At the very end, he asked how old I was. Now, what on earth does my age have to do with the electrical current?

You know, my age never bothered me until I read the article, but today I was actually feeling old. I told him how old I was and why I was feeling bad about it. He laughed and then said, “It’s okay, that’s young! I’m 68!”

After that, I felt better and went about my day.

At least Weight Watchers has helped to give me guidelines to follow about the foods to eat to make you healthy.

But between the magazine and the electric company survey, I sort of felt tremendously over the hill!

Crazy Busy!

Forgive me, dear readers, for not being on top of things in the last week. I’ve been pretty busy, and by the time evening rolls around, all I am thinking about is climbing into my cool, comfortable, bed.

Excessive heat combined with errands and mail runs, and then laundry, groceries, and dogs. Well, heck, at 61 I admit, I’m tired!

But something happened today that hasn’t happened in a long time. I heard my cell phone ring and I was doing laundry in the basement, so I ran up the stairs. Yes, you read that right. I RAN up the stairs, and best of all, I did not collapse at the top of them!

I also had another wonderful moment today! I am now 47.4 pounds down! Now this made me pretty happy, especially when I put a picture from a year ago next to my most recent picture. I feel like I am starting to look like the Me, I feel I am.

On the left is June 2019 and on the right July 2020

I still have a ways to go in my plan for weight loss and better health, but I am really proud of what I have accomplished!

The Mouse, The Leak & The Plumber

My usual posting was interrupted yesterday by the plumber.

A few weeks ago I noticed a little puddle on the floor under the sink in the laundry room. I mentioned this to Jack and he said he’d reseat the pipe.

Unfortunately, this did not work. By Sunday we had a lot of water on the floor. And no bucket or anything was clearing it or holding it.

So on Monday, we called our Plumber. He has done odds and ends for us for years now, and he came along with his apprentice.

Next, I heard drilling. That is never a good sign. But I didn’t want to know until it was over.

We have under the floor heating, with rubber-type piping. This same kind of piping/hose goes to the sinks, washer, dishwasher, etc.

A little mouse had managed to squeeze through an infinitesimal hole around the drain pipe.

Then the little bugger was hungry and chewed a small hole in the pipe/hose. It is my greatest hope that this gave the rodent indigestion which led to his demise!

So, the leak is fixed and now we need to get a sheet rocker in here to repair the hole left by our plumber!

The joys of homeownership!

Just Another Quarantine Day

Ho-hum.

My week started with me going off to run errands. The usual, Post Office, Bank, Grocery Store, and Gas Station. Most cases were the usual things, and yes, I used protective gear everywhere I went. But I think it irks me when I see people blatantly ignoring the rules.

Maybe they think, who cares? Maybe they don’t care if they get the Virus? But wait, what if they are asymptomatic and they give the blasted thing to me, and then eventually Jack!

Case in point, we are supposed to wear at least a mask when in a public place. Grocery shopping is to be done by one family member. And the six feet of separation should be met at all times.

Well, the Post Office was fine. Local people and they are abiding the rules set out by our Governor. Bank, was a drive-through. Also good.

The Grocery Store, well, yes and no. I saw a young couple get out of their car, with Massachusetts plates. Neither of them had face coverings, or gloves or anything.

Now she was tall and skinny and had not dressed for this trip. Okay, I don’t mean to be snarky, but she had tight torn jeans on (I know they are the in style right now) and she had a jersey half shirt on.

Each time she reached up to get a box of something on the shelf, well, let’s just say there was nothing left to the imagination!

They both wandered around like they were the only two people in the store, and it was tough to stay away from them.

I had a shortlist and I was able to pop around the store tossing things into my cart. They had everything I needed, which was a first.

Today a woman I know named Julie was at the checkout, and before I know it she had my groceries checked out and packed and I was out of the store and into the parking lot.

Getting home, I brought in the food and supplies and wiped them down and then hit the shower, Oh that felt so nice!

Best of all, my wonderful eggplant was in and I was able to stock up.

My favorite lunch is a small garden salad and roasted eggplant! I guess you know what I will be eating all week!

The Blue Screen of Death!

On Wednesday, in the middle of an online WW Meeting, suddenly, and without warning, I got The Blue Screen of Death on my brand new laptop! It would not shut down, told me, using a sad face emoji that there was a problem, and I waited and waited until finally, it shut down.

I turned it back on. All was well. Well, sort of. I looked up The Blue Screen of Death and I was told that if possible, I should wipe the hard drive and start again, as it could be that there was a conflict with a program that had been installed.

I looked at my files and I realized that One Drive had gone berserk and downloaded files from the cloud, over and over again.

Taking charge, I backed up the files I wanted on the laptop after the wipe, and then, after crossing my fingers and holding my breath, I did a full system wipe and cleaning. The laptop was like it had been when it first arrived.

Systematically I went through the procedure of reloading it. Which included shutting off all access to One Drive!

I have just two things left to do, download a file from Dell and then install the one program that caused me a lot of grief before, Adobe Elements 2018. A favorite program, but a real bear to install!

On the bright side, I have continued to learn and relearn all sorts of computer programming tricks. Connecting via Wifi, my printers, was easy, as was getting my computer back into our home network. This is all big for me. I think it means that I am not so old that my brain is unable to retain new things.

So today I will finish up the installs and enjoy going to another online WW Meeting. I just hope that The Blue Screen of Death does not join me again!

Life of a Social Hermit

I’m feeling a tad frustrated right now. I really don’t enjoy this social distancing thing.

When I go out to the grocery store, I actually enjoy smiling at people. My grandmother told me to smile at people. After all, it might be the only smile they see all day. This has been something I have done since I was a little girl. Somehow, it doesn’t work when wearing a mask.

I’ve never been a big ‘go out to eat’ girl. That being said, I do enjoy going out for celebrations. Anniversaries, birthdays, etc. Our 32nd Anniversary, we stayed home and I cooked. That is just wrong, wrong, wrong!

I have now lost over 32 pounds! I am so excited. I’m able to wear clothes that I have not worn in almost two years! I am really starting to look like myself again. And there is no one to see! Imagine Jack’s confusion the other day when he looked out the window to the driveway and there I was taking off my coat and apron and standing there in the driveway in a tada position!

The story is, my neighbor was on her porch and I was hollering with her (social distancing, you know) and took off the outer layer of clothes so she could see my shape!

At no time was I naked, just in my leggings and form-fitting top! And people, I am looking good, just no one is seeing me!

Anneliese is better. I knew that once the antibiotics kicked in she would start feeling like herself. I’ve had her outside and running around and I can see she has more spring in her step. She is also eating well, and slept through the night last night.

I was working on dinner tonight and I was taking inventory of the foods on hand. I’m happy to say I will not need to go out until mid-week next week! Yay!

Have a great day today and very soon, we will all be able to be together again.

Bears, Coyotes & Raccoons

I find it amazingly surprising that my Easter Eve and Easter morning were consumed with a little bit of fear.

You see on Saturday night my neighbor called to tell me that the bears were out. Oh, crikey I thought, my bird feeders are still out!

I struggled with the idea of how I would go and get them without being eaten by wild bears. Humor me. After being locked away, feeling paranoid about Covid-19, I just knew the bears would ultimately get me!

Jack told me to bring Lili with me. She would protect me. But wouldn’t the bears get Lili?

After a few minutes Jack, Lili and I went out to get the feeders. Lili shot right up the hill towards the bears, but when I called her back, she was a good girl and came!

I felt relieved that I had gotten the bird feeders in when all of a sudden Lili began making a terrible ruckus at the back sliding glass doors. I turned on the light and I could just make out a creature I thought at first was a Fox. Upon further reflection, I realized it was a Coyote!

That thing did not move. It stared at me as if challenging me to come and get him.

I admit that this Coyote scared me more than the bears. You see, they will grab small dogs and run off with them. Ending their days on this earth in an awful way. A Coyote will fight with a dog of similar size and Lili is just slightly larger. Coyotes are bad.

This morning, as I was outside walking my little ones and Lili, Lili and Arnie took off as there was a Raccoon near our driveway. There I was, in my pajamas, running through my yard, yelling at the dogs to come back. Eventually, they did, but Lili was covered in mud, and I had to drag out the hose and wash her off. All before my first cup of coffee!

I’m still very concerned about the Coyote and will need to leash walk the two dackels at night. For a while anyway. At least until I know he has moved on.