Friday - a week well done

[Cowinkie]

Okay...I have an insulated bag that I bought from QVC or some place like that. It is amazing...holds all my cold food until I get home. And if I pack it right or have enough cold stuff I can even make a stop before I go home. I gave one to my mom...she always kept a cooler in the back of her car and this takes up way less space, and she just loves hers too.

When we bought this house several years ago, we visited another community with homes the our builders had built. At that point our community was just a bunch of dirt. It was July 4th and 112* that day. Since we figured there wouldn't be a sale person on site we took Sadie TWD with us. We had been all over the valley that weekend looking at homes...if I remember correctly we drove 645 miles...and it was after 4 when we drove up to the site. Much to our surprise there was a sales person there...and a model home that was under roof. The doors and windows were in place and the sheet rock was up. The first thing we noticed when we went inside was how cool it was...around 93* and this was without ventilation or fans running. That in its self was the best selling point of the house....and in the desert good insulation is very important.

I have to admit that even with the thermostat set at 79* it is very comfortable in my house. I do have most of the shutters closed, but still I am pleased considering it is 117* outside. Sweetie tells me that the record high for this area is 122*. Believe it or not when the temps are that high the planes can not fly...something to do with the wings and the performance of the plane.

Break time is over.... cy'all later

[BookSaver]

What should have been a quick errand to the library took a long time because the power went out while I was there. They cannot check out any materials when the power is out. I wanted to bring home the DVD for Argo because DH wants to see it, and there's been a waiting list on it since March so I was surprised to find it on the shelf. The building was nice and cool, though, so not a bad place to be delayed.

I've been making DPCs and answering Emails since I got home. And sipping iced latte, because it's a hot one out there!

No idea why the power went out, we've had sun and blue sky all day. Maybe overload from so many people trying to use their a/c? or cumulative effects of storms and flash floods causing problems with the grid?

[Twins' Mom]

Oooooh. I just need to do a big vent here. Even so, I'm not sure that will get it out of my system.

I was able to meet this morning and basically had a chance to vent and the (excellent) advice that all the involved parties should meet face to face. So that's a meeting to try to set up and will be week after next before all parties are in town, about the time I need to be ferrying dd home from camp and back again. Keep adding stuff back to my to-do lists.

After that, went to dmom's and I'm getting quite uneasy with her memory and cognitive skills. I was there last Thursday and had refilled her weekly meds tray - today there were a.m. meds for three days still in the tray. I tried to explain to her why I was alarmed and she just can't get her head around it. Told me she had refilled the meds at one point, but that doesn't explain why there were meds for random days still in the tray. Also told me that she knows she always takes her meds - not always in the a.m. but "when she remembers" during the day.

She also insists that she's checking her BP (said she checked it yesterday!) but there isn't a reading on the monitor since last Dec. I got it all adjusted, she took BP and it was ok for now. Was high last week at one of the doctor appts we went to.

She asked me twice about glasses from her eye appt last week (she declined to order new lenses while she was there) and twice about her appointment with her general practitioner in August. Very confused about what doctor does what, also. So I'm needing to do some research - how do you know it's time for a nursing home?

Third issue is also temple - we have a wall fronting our street that has been leaning for years - the police dept put up a barricade and tape there late last week (didn't know about that until I was at the temple on Monday.) A certified letter came from the city at some point this week and our office manager/secretary met with the guy from the city and then told us about the letter and the meeting!

I started this hours ago I think and never got it posted. I may just go to bed now and write the day off, but the ddogs probably won't allow it.

Where's Lucylee to console me? After all, tomorrow is another day...

[Elizabeth]

Hi everyone! I almost completed the steering wheel cover last night. It will be nice because it is hot here. The place I ate gives out chocolate mints that I bring back to my officemate (I can't stand chocolate). Within less than 5 minutes, with AC on, the chocolate had melted and it had to go in the fridge in the office. I also picked up the library books, one of which is a crochet pattern book, like I really need more patterns. However, I saw one of them actually made and loved it, and I like this designer. I guess the sweater will go in the queue: finish steering wheel cover, finish DD11's stuffed dragon, DD's friend's bear, THEN sweater. I have had people suggest selling my work, but WHEN would I have the chance to produce for that?

Normally on Friday, I go to a knit/crochet group, but tonight have dinner with friends from church. I am still stuffed from lunch! Bloated, in fact (gastroparesis symptom). Tonight's list: clear out job search email account, pay bills, update Quicken, transfer money, LOL, maybe some filing, find an appropriately sized doll for an art project, and do some cleaning/decluttering.

DFosterKittens have become door darters, not good.

[Twins' Mom]

Also tonight:

Dneighbors' mom will be next door for the next week with her dog while dneighbors go on vacation. Tonight the mom forgot to leash "Casper" and he came into our yard, where Macs apparently had him by the tuchas. Got a message earlier that Casper was unharmed, but she will remember to use the leash.

And....dMacs appears to have consumed a bag of HB buns and a bag of HD buns while Moe and I were walking another lap or two. Silly me didn't put them away after stopping at grocery this afternoon. I suspect there will be a much deserved bellyache tonight.

A very old dfriend of ds' called tonight and was in town, so he is visiting for the evening. He and his family lived near us and were very dfriends until they moved to Colombia in 2001 or 2002. We visited them there in 2003, they came here for B'nai mitzvah in 2005 and we've seen them sporadically over the years since then. The family lives in the Chicago area now and ds' friend is in St. Paul in college now. It's fun listening to them talking upstairs and playing games again.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dh and I ran the errands very efficiently. There was a lineup for the express oil change but I left dh in it and walked over to the Cost co. We agreed to meet by the bbq tank refill place. I took forever at the store and dh walked in just as I was leaving. He was worried that I had been waiting ages for him! He refilled the tank while I loaded the car and then we headed on to a grocery store.

By that time I was hungry so we stopped for chili and then did the groceries and picked up the mail. I have to go out tomorrow because I couldn't face paying the prices at store we were at (but had picked that store due to cheap beef tenderloin.)

Came home and vegged all afternoon because I was tired. My hip worked its way out but my insides just don't feel right yet.

At 6 all three of us started cooking. Ds made up his stir fry, I made up stuffed pork chops and dh made up shepherd's pie. We ate the pork chops, have the shepherd's pie for Sunday night and ds has his stir fry for dinner at work tonight and tomorrow night (except for a half serving for me.) Somehow, dh ate my extra half serving of meat so I'll have to make up a salmon fillet tomorrow to have with leftover potatoes.

We also froze the rest of the pork chops (labeling their weight since they range up to 1 lb each) and made up burgers with the remaining ground beef. That leaves the tenderloin to butcher and freeze but that will wait until tomorrow because I'm too tired to tackle that job tonight. I need to start the dishwasher now and empty the garbage.

With all the cooking and freezing, a lot was accomplished today but it still feels like not near enough. I'm having a hard time being patient with my recovery.

Twins: did Macs eat the plastic bag too? (A neighbour's dog let himself into another home's kitchen and ate the buns without removing them from the bag. It was all good in the long run but still an anxious time while waiting for things to run their course.)

[Twins' Mom]

Kathryn, yes, the plastic bags were mostly gone too. Some small pieces I collected. He's always had what the vet calls a "garbage gut" that can handle anything but we will watch this carefully. He's resting well but I'll ck w vet tomorrow if needed. He also has PT tomorrow.

Kathryn, I'm thinking you recovery is going very well. You are doing a lot, even tho it may not feel that way.

[Harriet]

BookSaver, you and I both mentioned that book, just minutes apart. I was posting in H and F and linked, if anyone wants to see. It immediately starts me thinking, could it work if you chose different meals on different days, like a big traditional breakfast sometimes. Interesting to consider. Uneven ground can really cause a problem for knees. I usually think about T-Tapp posture/technique for the grocery (palms under the cart handle so shoulders roll back) just as I am leaving the grocery , so I'm impressed you remembered some during your walk.

Shoes - I need to replace a slimmer-lined (more running than workout type) pair of Sketchers, which is evidently discontinued. Sigh. Really like them because they are in solid black and work for a lot of needs. Looks like now the closest will be their GOWalk series. But I'll probably have to search them out and try them on. Fudge. I hate it when a good shoe I could have just ordered is discontinued and I have to start thinking again.

Sadie, great job to your dh taking house responsibility before the guy arrives.

Weather has been as big a deal for us as for others here. We had to shut down computers as a massive storm came through. Flooding all over the place, they say. Spectacular lightning. I suppose there's something to be grateful for, in that the rain does reduce the temperature some.

I'm sitting here with a wet head after showering after exercising. About time to put my hair in a scrunchie and hit the hay.

[Harmony]

(Twins) you certainly had a day. I guess each case is different in deciding when to use nursing home. I suppose when the person is a danger to herself or needs constant medical supervision or care.

Kathryn, I think you're doing great too. I probably couldn't do all that you're doing right now.

Well, the bank called me back some more and more things emailed to them. Later we got the call that we were approved at their lowest rate. Yay! Now we'll be locked in at the low rate, and we've lobbed 15 years off the loan. Just have to come up with extra each month and fortunately we have a plan for that. I have to go in on Monday morning and sign more papers.

Wow, the heat is really something. It's about normal here for us. At least my LOL dried outside today.