Calendar Towels

Can you believe the 70's were fifty years ago? I cannot. For several years we received these towels from New Jersey at Christmas. Everything has faded except the embroidery of our name. This year we received many calendars from companies and they were appreciated. We had them hanging in three rooms so last month I knew we didn't need the surplus so I recycled about four "extras." Suddenly two of the ones on display disappeared! Now we are short places to record appointments!

Easy come, easy go. (Lee thinks he took them down and threw them out.) I should use the calendar on my phone!

A First for Me

Today I had an appointment with "infectious control." This happens every six months unless I have a problem. I got a phone call early from that office asking me if I had a cell phone and what version it is (model? type? etc.?) I wish I knew these things. We got it figured out and I was facing the nurse! They would be calling about 9:00.

History was made when I was called into an appointment with a doctor EARLY. About twenty minutes till nine my phone rang. We connected on their app and I was interviewed. We reviewed prescriptions, weight, conditions etc. It was quite nice. I think if a patient is having no symptoms, this is the future of routine check-ups. Of course, if you need to see someone, that should be arranged .

Welcome to the future.

Sunday Sleeping

I am so blessed to have a husband who understands when I don't feel well, Maybe it's because he has those days too.

I believe I ate a combination of food Saturday night that was not good for my digestion.  I slept all morning and then all afternoon and evening.

I feel almost normal today - whatever that is!

The Phone

We have had problems with our house phone. When it rained, there was only static. It was reported and checked several times by technicians. No problem was found. Last week we weren't getting any calls - political or otherwise - so I knew something must be wrong again. It was not raining.

Another nice gentleman came out checked it out and got it to work. Yesterday, no calls. Today it rang once and stopped. The person knew our cell number so he called it. He said your phone rang once and disconnected.

So I tried it. Same thing. I called our provider, asking to just disconnect our phone and leave us with the internet and television! He apologized for the problems and then told me what the bill would be without the "bundle." The amount went down. Yes! Contrary to what I had been told by every other employee, it did not go up. I do hope he is correct. Now I can't wait for the next bill to see if he knows his stuff! 

About five hours later, I decided to call the house phone to see if I get a disconnect message. It rang through perfectly, the answering machine answered and I am now aware that if you want it fixed, just tell them to cancel.

Car Disaster

The car in yesterday's blog was a 1953 Ford Custom - the 50th year Ford had manufactured cars.

We bought it and my salary at the phone company just covered the payments of $93.00 per month.

I don't remember how long that went on but I claimed it must be MY car.

One week after we bought it, we met another car at an unmarked intersection. We were almost through the intersection and she approached and hit us, ruining both doors on the  passenger side.

This proved to the officer that we were not at fault (!) and no ticket was given to us. 

As for the other woman driver, when I saw her, she was looking back over her shoulder. I sat down on the curb and cried. My dear sweet husband said, "Don't cry. People will think you are hurt." I'm sure  he was as upset and frustrated as I was.

The doors were replaced but they never fit tightly. Later, during a windy dust storm near Russell, Ks, where this happened, dust sifted in around those doors.

No seat belts then and we were not hurt. I guess she wasn't injured either but that is her car in the lower photo.

Speaking of Large Buttons -

I loved that coat.

Shopping for clothes to go away to college was such a big deal. I had already gone to a junior college locally and was ready to go about one hundred miles up the road to Emporia State Teachers College.

My dad actually was with my mom and me looking for a coat. There were several others there that were cheaper. I Loved this one but thought I should pick one of the less expensive one. I guess my dad could tell. He said if that's the one I wanted, let's get it. It was $75.00, long and full and a gorgeous raspberry  deep red shade.

This picture was taken shortly after we were married and starting my senior year. I met Lee at the end of my junior year in April. Three and a half months later we got married. I'm sure there was talk and calendars marked to see how long THAT was going to last. Or when the first child arrived. (That was seven years later.)

I don't remember what happened to it. Coats don't last forever but I wish I had kept it.

A Ring

I am always surprised how lovely things were

made for simple uses. This is a napkin ring for my dad to use when he was a young boy. He was born in 1898. There are no chips on it. I remember my mom telling to take care of my things. Plastic was just coming into use when I was a kid - at least it was new to me! Celluloid was the big thing and I think it was flammable!

Groceries

Another pick-up of groceries at 7:15 a.m.  We were the only ones there. I had a lot of coupons and saved about $10. Sometimes I wonder why they just don't lower the price but I guess they want us to put out some effort in return for a lower price.

It's hot but rain is in the future - I hope the weather people are correct!

Also another day to make stew. Somebody sure likes it! Wish I had those helpers like the cooks on tv do and they would cut up all the five cups of veggies "off camera" and bring them to me. Cabbage, celery, carrots, onion, tomatoes and beef which we let the butcher cube.

A Failed Trip

Today someone wanted to go to the store to pick up a sale item. I think he forgot it was Saturday.

There were no "riding carts."

We returned home and I ordered online. Pick up is our choice and I chose between  7 and 8 a.m.

And so far, no nap today but I did watch an old film noir from 1944. Dick Powell's first real role as a serious actor instead of a young singer in a musical comedy. After this one, he made several more and then changed to directing and producing many tv shows. (I like to hear those details on TCM.)

May some crocheting will happen before bed time but I wouldn't bet on it.

A Few Errors

About ten after one we traveled to Micky D's to get two large cokes for Lee. They have two lanes which merge, mostly successfully. I had exact change and moved on to the other window. The clerk tried to give me a large sack of food. I explained our order. "Please drive forward and we will bring them out."

Ten minutes later I used my phone and called, explained, accepted her apology and waited. A young man appeared and tried to give me a sack of food. "Two large cokes, only, please." He said, "They just hand them to me and say take care of it!"  What a concept. They are really busy at lunch time which Lee thought was over by noon.

I wonder how they keep the straight at all!

IV Day

Today I sneak out for the first time in several weeks to go into another building. Every eight weeks I get some "stuff" to help my immune system fight off bugs - germs. This is done at the regional medical center (it's not just a hospital anymore.)

There are some cases of coronavirus in the local hospital but I'm sure they are isolated.

So now that the county requires a mask when outside and inside, we'll see how the Reno countians are responding. Eight weeks ago there were still people going in without their faces covered.

Temperature will be taken. Questions will be asked. No to all. The only thing is, I have had all those symptoms for the last forty-five plus years. Nothing new to see here; move along.

Oh My Goodness

I  glanced over to where the mesh laundry bag had fallen over after I had propped against the table. And at the top of the bag was this dead looking creature. I knew it wasn't one of the squirrels which drive the dogs crazy. It looked more like a rat. I can't believe either dog would bring something like that inside. Maybe a cat would but all the cats that Lee feeds are in the garage!

So I leaned over, looked further and saw that Jill was in her favorite spot under that table and this creature was one of her hind feet.

New glasses needed?

No New News

I seem to have something to say only every other day! Yesterday was no nap day so I went to bed very early last night.

I do like the main (large) meal at noon. Someone else seems to like it at night. This noon we had soup so tonight it will be spaghetti and salad. 

Our van has had no A/C for a long time. Our two sons, separated by many miles (one in the South and one in the Northwest) coordinated to get cool air for us. What a deal! The garage picked up the vehicle, fixed it and returned it. We are so grateful to one of their friends for recommending a repair shop. It is nice to find out there are places who still do good work and are good people! 

Grocery Pick Up

Yesterday was the day to pick up groceries. We got everything but olives. Hmmmm. The total was $84.84. I think we are spending  much less by doing this ordering by computer!

After hauling them home and putting them away, I as ready for a nap. It was a short one - two hours.

So this morning, nothing was on the calendar except a mechanic coming between nine and eleven to pick up the car.

For lunch I made the Jiffy corn bread casserole that we usually have at Christmas. It's so easy The main reason I did it was that when I ordered cottage cheese online, I accidentally clicked on a carton of sour cream. Looking at pictures instead of reading will cause an error. The corn bread and corn was delicious and a nice side dish for a change. Google has several versions of the recipe. I picked the simplest one.

No nap so far today. Yay!

Friends on Line

For the second day in a row I have spent half an hour or more with two technical people from our service provider for the television.

Lee was watching his GIANT tv and it just stopped showing any picture.

After all the rigmarole* of verifying who I was, they were very nice and helped me by sending a signal to the cable into the television to restart the dang thing. Success both days but frustration also. It seemed to take much longer than it actually did! 

Who remembers bringing home the tv, taking it out of the box, plugging it in, adjusting the "rabbit ears" and watching the three magic channels? 

I do.

*I had always pronounced this word rigamarole but Webster's 1988 Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary says that is a variation of rigmarole. 

Let Your Little Light Shine

Can you see the small purple lighter among the double crochet stitches? Lee spotted something reflecting light in the lower part of a chair. Our older son and his wife gave us the couch and chair when we moved to Texas in 2006. Honestly, I have used the vacuum on that chair more than once. My excuse is the lighter was wedged in the lower part between the cushion and the wooden arm. How Lee happened to see it, is really amazing. (He has very sharp eyes.) It is about one fourth full of fluid. No leaking and thank goodness no fire. Maybe it fell out of someone's pocket. Lee and I don't smoke. A doctor who was treating me for bronchitis and allergies in Dodge City about sixty-five years ago asked me if I smoked. When I answered, "No." He said, "Good thing. You wouldn't be alive much longer if you did." 

Don't you love an honest doctor? 

So we are lucky to have found the lost lighter after fourteen years. I may put it on the knick-knack shelf.

Oh. The afghan is one huge Granny Square with all the colors I had left over and a few new ones.

Planes

Only one channel carried the fly overs in Washington D.C. I know. Everybody has seen airplanes but this was quite a collection from before WWII to the present.

I thought all the news channels would carry the event. Not so. I enjoyed seeing and hearing the facts about the different planes - especially one called A-10. They forgot to mention it's nickname: Warthog.

Happy Fourth of July!

How Can It Be Friday?

Well, because after some stuff to do yesterday, I took a nap. How does sleeping from 1:00 p.m. till just after 9:00 p.m. sound? My husband is so understanding. "You need to rest when you can."

So the reason it is Friday is that I slept half of Thursday. Today was another day for a couple of errands. We got an adjustment on escrow so a deposit was made. And then, the huge cable bill arrived with an almost thirty dollar increase per month. I got on the phone "chat" with their employee. Many years ago they mentioned bundles. That term must have gone away. An offer was made to take away channels we don't watch. That's what I had been hollering about for a long time. Well, I said YES. That knocked it down $42 and he said it would never go up again. He most likely realizes that I have his name and the number. 

It it is raised, they will hear from me!

Wrong Date

I had an appointment at the clinic today. On one calendar it said 11:45 and on the other it said 9:45. Somehow I picked the wrong one and missed the early time.

The nice clerk rescheduled me for 3:45 p.m. We were out early  at 8:00 a.m. to pick up animal food and it was cool. Not so nice in the afternoon. It was a hot 92.

This the second time in a week that I have had the time wrong. Right on the calendar and  wrong in my head. I told Lee I need a helper and it is him! We are both going to double check dates and time. So embarrassing and IRRITATING! Along with leaving the water on, I think I need a Keeper - not a helper!