Category: Friday Five

I woke up this morning, looked out my window, and brushed the sleep from my eyes. Finally, our trees were changing color, reminding me that Fall was upon us. A smile came to my face!

1. This week has been full of progress. My plumber came and fixed my spigot in the greenhouse. For 25 years, I could not use it because it was installed incorrectly.
2. Then, my electrician came to fix the automatic lights in the driveway and install two spotlights in the backyard. With bobcats, bears, and whatever else roaming in the dark, I wanted light so that when I take Heidi out at night, I can see.
3. I had my car detailed. I cannot bend like I once did, so I plan to keep my nice car in good shape. He did a fantastic job!
4. I had a disaster with my hair. It got so severely overprocessed that it began to fall out. I was so upset. Then, my daughter suggested I visit her stylist for a consultation. Sure enough, at this point, I needed just to let it be—no more coloring of any type. But…I could get a pixie cut to stop the hair from breaking. One or two more haircuts and the damaged hair will be gone.
   

   

   So, I have a pixie cut for the first time since Nursery School. One thing is for sure: it is easy to do. And yes. The curls are all mine.

5. My kitchen floor is due to go in in two to three weeks. The reno is almost done!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Well, another week has gone by. This one was full of ups and downs, so here goes.

1. I was excited because I was determined to go to our local lumber company and order the last items for my renovation.
2. However, when I arrived, I discovered they do not do that kind of work. A girl named Kimmie told me that the flooring I want does not exist!
3. Then I was onto Lowes, where Brittany told me the flooring I want does not exist.
4. Yesterday, I went to a store that only deals with flooring, and yes, they do have the flooring I want.
5. When I came home, I ordered four chairs for the screened porch, but the site would not let me complete the sale. Then, my Amex Account alerted me to what they believed was a fraudulent charge. I called them, and they asked if I had ordered anything from Russia. Ah, no! So Amex is issuing me a new card. Daniel, the agent at Amex, told me to be very careful. He said that right now, fraudulent scams are at an all-time high. We will say that the entire incident just pissed me off.

So that’s my week. I am going in an hour to speak with my PCP about my Diabetes. I am not doing well figuring out the meal plans. I ordered a book but would love to talk to a nutritionist.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Here we are at the end of the month and the end of summer. I went out to get the mail, and the traffic reminded me that it was Labor Day Weekend. Having grown up on Cape Cod, I am used to seasonal tourists. So, here we go with this week’s Friday Five.

1. My carpenter finished installing the new windows on my screened porch. It is now bug-free and beautiful!

   The inside looking toward the lake.

   I need to brag a little. I stained the wood used inside the porch 25 years ago.

2. Over the last few months, I’ve been keeping track of my morning blood sugar levels. When I saw my Primary Care, I brought the readings. She took one look and called in her nurse to take my blood, check the sugar levels, and get an A1C.
   Well, much to my surprise, my A1C was 9.3! That is not a good thing at all.
3. It was determined I needed to start some medication that day. It was decided that I would start on Ozempic—a once-a-week shot. Getting old is not for the faint of heart.
4. Heidi and I are starting to recover from Lili’s death. She still sticks to me like glue, but I noticed she did well with two people who came to our house today.
   

   She was happy and friendly and did not wee. Our relationship gets deeper and deeper.

5. So, things are settling down, and Heidi and I are both doing well. Tomorrow is laundry and vacuuming day. Ugh! Oh, well, it is what it is.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

This week flew by. I got so much done and tried to catch up. I think I am finally getting there. So, here’s the news.

1. Lili is doing better with her medication.  I’ve been spending time sitting with her and doing doggy meditation.
2. I’d been waiting for my box of meals to arrive from a meal supplier. They make the meals so there isn’t a mess.
3. I was so excited! But when the box arrived, it had been opened, was waterlogged, and had a meal missing.
4. I called the company and sent them photos. They said they would refund all my money. Last night, I cooked and tasted each remaining meal. It was horrible.
5. I made an actual grocery list on Thursday, which will be delivered on Saturday. Desperate, after a year of not cooking for myself, I will prepare meals again.

As this week has passed, I feel a little stronger each day. I am still napping each day and sleeping 10-12 hours each night. Here’s a quick list of my week.

1. We’ve had an abundance of wildlife passing through the yard, including bears,
   

   groundhogs, foxes, and deer.

   
   I used to jump up and try to take a picture. Now, I stand still, and I enjoy the moment!

2. The weather has been a bit nicer—cooler and drier. I will say that this July has been an odd month. The start was so hot, and we had an actual heat wave, and now it is so much nicer.
3. After a year of not making coffee (Jack was the big coffee drinker), I finally stored my 14-cup coffee maker. I’ve been drinking instant coffee, but I’m much happier drinking tea.
4. Now, I need to rearrange my kitchen shelves. I know that sounds easy, but I need to make it all workable.
5. I have been streaming Grey’s Anatomy. I never watched it early on, but I do love it. It has excellent writing, great acting, and great characters.

It looks like our weekend will be a good one. I hope you all find some time to kick back and enjoy!

Time is passing rather slowly right now. I have been down and out since I returned from my trip. I was first diagnosed with pneumonia and then Covid. I ran a fever from June 12 – July 15.

It has not been fun. But…here’s what has been happening.

1. Heidi has been my nurse all of this time. She sits in my lap. Perhaps because it’s been nice and warm there.
2. I did lose the sense of taste. This made it tough to eat or stay hydrated. But I made it and I think the worst of that is over.
3. Now I’ve been sleeping a lot. My favorite things these day are my afternoon naps. I have to laugh about this because I remember hating naps as a child. Now it’s best part of my day.
4. I have planned to get my screen porch reworked. I decided to enclose it with real windows. Thus it will become a three-season room.
5. I have also been streaming Grey’s Aatomy. Having never watched it I have been able to watch episode after episode and really enjoyed it.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Good morning to you all. I am finally feeling a bit better from pneumonia. I am still coughing and still tired, but I am so much better. Nevertheless, here is this week’s Friday Five.

1. My carpenter has now ordered new windows for the screened porch. When we built the house, someone made windows you could pull up and hook to the ceiling. After 24 years, they are falling apart, and since I am not tall, I need standard windows. This will help me make this a three-season porch.
2. Lili and Heidi are going to be groomed on Sunday. Poor Lili has about three coats of fur, so my house is full of her fur! Heidi looks like a ragga muffin and will also be washed and groomed.
3. I am planning a short trip to the grocery store today. I finally have an appetite and need some good, healthy food.
4. Today would have been my Mom’s 95th birthday. Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom.

   

5. Lastly, it is nice to feel better. When I take my next trip, I will also take extra vitamins to keep myself healthy.

Have a great weekend!

The last week slipped right on by. It went fast for me because I fell ill with pneumonia on Saturday afternoon. I felt I was running a fever and had a small one. I decided to go to the walk-in clinic.

1. The doctor listened to my congested lungs. She ordered a chest X-ray, and since I had bloodwork done a few days before, she looked those over as well.
2. I was ordered antibiotics and a nebulizer. I was told to go home and drink copious amounts of juice and water.
3. My neighbor was kind enough to get my prescription, and I got straight into my pajamas, grabbed my blanket, and fell asleep on the recliner.
4. The next few days found me asleep most of the time. The coughing was terrible, and my fever spiked up to 102.7 at one point. I promised myself that if it hit 103, I would call for help.
5. When I woke up on Wednesday, my fever had broken. Although I still feel weak and tired, I am on the upswing.

So that was my week. I am glad it is nearly over, and I am starting to feel better.

Happy Weekend!

Life seems to be speeding by right now. A trip I planned last December will begin on Wednesday, and I am sure that too will go by quickly. So here are the things I am thinking about this morning.

1. The first part of my trip involves flying from Boston to Heathrow Airport. When I clear customs, I expect a handsome British man to greet me and drive me to Southampton.
2. I will meet Jessica, my stepdaughter, at MacDonald Botley Grange and Spa. It’s a lovely hotel with a British pub and a restaurant where we can have tea.
3. They also have a spa where one can have their nails done or swim. But best of all, I will be seeing Jessica again.
4. So, now on to packing. I am attempting to bring only two carry-ons. I’m using packing cubes, which seem to be doing their job of compacting my clothes so far. The killer is traveling with my medications in their original containers. Having those at the top of your carry-on is also advised.
5. Since my hair is very short (and appears not to be growing back), I will not carry my blow dryer. My hair is naturally curly, so I will do a lot of scrunching.

That’s it for today. I will try to write while I am gone. Pictures too. I can hardly wait.