7/7/2015
Today, I'm going to my doctor who is going to insert a temporary nerve stimulator in my back. The idea is that when I have pain, which is most of the time, there is a little remote thingy that I can use to send some electric (for lack of a better word) up my spine. Once that signal hits my upper back, it supposedly shuts off the pain.
Don't ask me how this works or why it works, but it's something that Saint Jude's has come up with and the DVD they sent me shows people with this device, gardening, walking and basically enjoying a pain free life. I can only hope this will be the same for me.
I will wear this temporary device for about a week. If it works, then I can have it permanently placed in my back. If it doesn't work - I've tried and am only out my copay. The way I see it is that I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
So here's hoping.
P
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Monday, July 6, 2015
It's Toast
7/6/2015
Amazon sent out my new and shiny toaster and it arrived on Sunday. With the service and variety of things you can buy, I don't know how anybody else stays in business.
The new toaster has buttons you can press for frozen, reheating and bagels. Those options pretty much cover my toasting requirements. I have for more years than I can count, always had toast and coffee for breakfast. Healthy? Probably not since I like to slather butter on my toast or bagel, but I pretty much don't care.
Yesterday, after the toaster arrived, I had to make a piece of toast. It was a quality check, nothing more (sure it was). Anyway, the toast was toasted perfectly and I deemed my new purchase a success. I had Jeff cart the old toaster to the trash - I see no reason to keep a toaster that only works on one side. I believe that when something new comes into the house, it stands to reason that something old should go out. That sounds good in theory, but it doesn't always happen.
Mind you, I haven't yet thrown out the box that the toaster arrived in. I'll wait a few weeks before I do that. There's nothing worse than trying to send something back to Amazon, or anybody else for that matter, and have no box! But since I'm not a box hoarder, the box will be out in the street probably by next week.
And speaking of toast, since our air conditioner downstairs is dead, and the heat continues to rise, it's getting a little toasty downstairs!
Stay cool.
P
Amazon sent out my new and shiny toaster and it arrived on Sunday. With the service and variety of things you can buy, I don't know how anybody else stays in business.
The new toaster has buttons you can press for frozen, reheating and bagels. Those options pretty much cover my toasting requirements. I have for more years than I can count, always had toast and coffee for breakfast. Healthy? Probably not since I like to slather butter on my toast or bagel, but I pretty much don't care.
Yesterday, after the toaster arrived, I had to make a piece of toast. It was a quality check, nothing more (sure it was). Anyway, the toast was toasted perfectly and I deemed my new purchase a success. I had Jeff cart the old toaster to the trash - I see no reason to keep a toaster that only works on one side. I believe that when something new comes into the house, it stands to reason that something old should go out. That sounds good in theory, but it doesn't always happen.
Mind you, I haven't yet thrown out the box that the toaster arrived in. I'll wait a few weeks before I do that. There's nothing worse than trying to send something back to Amazon, or anybody else for that matter, and have no box! But since I'm not a box hoarder, the box will be out in the street probably by next week.
And speaking of toast, since our air conditioner downstairs is dead, and the heat continues to rise, it's getting a little toasty downstairs!
Stay cool.
P
Sunday, July 5, 2015
The Day After the Night Before
7/5/2015
Yesterday, it didn't rain here - it poured. All I could think of was the hoards of people who were heading for DC to watch the concert and fireworks. I like fireworks, but I don't want to have to ride a crowded metro to get there, use a porta potty, and face those inevitable lines or sit on the grass.
Nope, stayed home. Had barbecue chicken for dinner and watched a little television. Every time it rains, I'm internally grateful that I don't have to go outside to water my new plants. It seems that every time I go out in the backyard, little things that I can't see, bite me! This truly isn't fair. If they were bigger then I'd stand a chance at swatting them away. Oh well.
Today will be spent doing laundry and fixing some sort of salad (tuna, chicken, etc.) for Jeff's lunch tomorrow. Laundry is boring but needs to be done eventually, otherwise you run out of clean clothes, which most of the time really only matters to women.
Since our downstairs a/c unit is dead and we haven't received an update on when we will get the new unit, I'm grateful that it's not super hot and humid at the moment. Looks like it will heat up early next week (yeah). I have joked with Jeff that one solution to no a/c is to get in my car and drive around and around! I don't believe he thought that was such a good idea. :)
I'm also trying to think of what I can fix for dinner that doesn't involve the oven. Seems silly when it's hot in the house, to turn the oven on. I could achieve the same results if I threw the meat out on the sidewalk - but for health reasons - I don't/won't do that. I have standards after all.
It's time for me to get my hinny in gear and get working on more chores.
P
Yesterday, it didn't rain here - it poured. All I could think of was the hoards of people who were heading for DC to watch the concert and fireworks. I like fireworks, but I don't want to have to ride a crowded metro to get there, use a porta potty, and face those inevitable lines or sit on the grass.
Nope, stayed home. Had barbecue chicken for dinner and watched a little television. Every time it rains, I'm internally grateful that I don't have to go outside to water my new plants. It seems that every time I go out in the backyard, little things that I can't see, bite me! This truly isn't fair. If they were bigger then I'd stand a chance at swatting them away. Oh well.
Today will be spent doing laundry and fixing some sort of salad (tuna, chicken, etc.) for Jeff's lunch tomorrow. Laundry is boring but needs to be done eventually, otherwise you run out of clean clothes, which most of the time really only matters to women.
Since our downstairs a/c unit is dead and we haven't received an update on when we will get the new unit, I'm grateful that it's not super hot and humid at the moment. Looks like it will heat up early next week (yeah). I have joked with Jeff that one solution to no a/c is to get in my car and drive around and around! I don't believe he thought that was such a good idea. :)
I'm also trying to think of what I can fix for dinner that doesn't involve the oven. Seems silly when it's hot in the house, to turn the oven on. I could achieve the same results if I threw the meat out on the sidewalk - but for health reasons - I don't/won't do that. I have standards after all.
It's time for me to get my hinny in gear and get working on more chores.
P
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Replacing Old Appliances
7/4/2015
Jeff and I are of the mindset, and perhaps even the generation of people who see no reason to change out appliances as long as they are working. Since we don't give much of a thought about artistic decorating, we don't care if our stove and refrigerator match, for instance. Are they both working? Yes - well that's good enough.
This week our so far very reliable, and much used, toaster decided it would only toast two slices of bread, not the usual four. We've had the toaster a long time, but we want a four toaster. Off I go to the best shopping spot ever - Amazon - and search for a toaster that has high reviews and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
By the way, this wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. There are still the under $30.00 toasters, made of plastic, that would probably do the job, but I want a toaster made with something besides plastic. I was surprised at the price of some of the toasters, paying over a $100 for a toaster sounds ridiculous to me. I found a toaster with high reviews (4 stars) for $40.00. One good thing about Amazon is the easy return policy. You don't like it - you send it back.
I have an older washing machine the kind with the agitator in the middle. Now when this machine breaks, it might prove challenging to find a machine with an agitator like the one I have now. But, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Laundry isn't much of a big deal in our house anymore. With the boys gone, there are generally only two loads of laundry each week: whites and coloreds.
Since we have had to purchase a new furnace and air conditioning unit this week, my hopes of a new reclining sofa are dwindling. I like the sofa, just sometimes I have trouble getting this old body out of it!
It's a wet 4th of July here, so there's no need for me to go out and water my new plants. If we want to watch fireworks, we'll see them on television.
P
Jeff and I are of the mindset, and perhaps even the generation of people who see no reason to change out appliances as long as they are working. Since we don't give much of a thought about artistic decorating, we don't care if our stove and refrigerator match, for instance. Are they both working? Yes - well that's good enough.
This week our so far very reliable, and much used, toaster decided it would only toast two slices of bread, not the usual four. We've had the toaster a long time, but we want a four toaster. Off I go to the best shopping spot ever - Amazon - and search for a toaster that has high reviews and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
By the way, this wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. There are still the under $30.00 toasters, made of plastic, that would probably do the job, but I want a toaster made with something besides plastic. I was surprised at the price of some of the toasters, paying over a $100 for a toaster sounds ridiculous to me. I found a toaster with high reviews (4 stars) for $40.00. One good thing about Amazon is the easy return policy. You don't like it - you send it back.
I have an older washing machine the kind with the agitator in the middle. Now when this machine breaks, it might prove challenging to find a machine with an agitator like the one I have now. But, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Laundry isn't much of a big deal in our house anymore. With the boys gone, there are generally only two loads of laundry each week: whites and coloreds.
Since we have had to purchase a new furnace and air conditioning unit this week, my hopes of a new reclining sofa are dwindling. I like the sofa, just sometimes I have trouble getting this old body out of it!
It's a wet 4th of July here, so there's no need for me to go out and water my new plants. If we want to watch fireworks, we'll see them on television.
P
Friday, July 3, 2015
Air Conditioner Troubles
7/3/2014
When I last left you, Jeff was talking to the technicians about the sorry state of one of our air conditioners. Since the technicians disabled the downstairs unit, we are staying "comfy" (more or less) with the use of fans. Luckily, the upstairs unit is working perfectly, and the bedroom is nice and cool/cold when it's time for bed.
The salesman came to the house and he and Jeff talked numbers, product options, etc. Manly stuff. I stayed out of the discussion, because I really didn't have anything to add to the conversation. All I knew was that I wanted a new a/c - the when, how, etc. was above my "pay" (ha ha) grade!
Jeff and the salesman came up with a new a/c, thermostat and probably some other stuff that I don't know or care about. The only thing I care about is the when - as in when will they be able to install the new unit. Oh, and this unit is coming with snow legs, which lifts the outdoors unit up a few inches which should prevent old Sam from peeing on it! Here's hoping anyway. Sam has never met a flat surface that he didn't believe wouldn't benefit from him marking his territory! Note to self: I'm never going to have another male dog!
So while we're cooling the downstairs with fans, where we spend the majority of our time, I'm not going to add to the heat by turning the oven on. Food either cooks in the microwave or on the barbecue or eaten cold.
Whatever you do today, stay cool.
P
When I last left you, Jeff was talking to the technicians about the sorry state of one of our air conditioners. Since the technicians disabled the downstairs unit, we are staying "comfy" (more or less) with the use of fans. Luckily, the upstairs unit is working perfectly, and the bedroom is nice and cool/cold when it's time for bed.
The salesman came to the house and he and Jeff talked numbers, product options, etc. Manly stuff. I stayed out of the discussion, because I really didn't have anything to add to the conversation. All I knew was that I wanted a new a/c - the when, how, etc. was above my "pay" (ha ha) grade!
Jeff and the salesman came up with a new a/c, thermostat and probably some other stuff that I don't know or care about. The only thing I care about is the when - as in when will they be able to install the new unit. Oh, and this unit is coming with snow legs, which lifts the outdoors unit up a few inches which should prevent old Sam from peeing on it! Here's hoping anyway. Sam has never met a flat surface that he didn't believe wouldn't benefit from him marking his territory! Note to self: I'm never going to have another male dog!
So while we're cooling the downstairs with fans, where we spend the majority of our time, I'm not going to add to the heat by turning the oven on. Food either cooks in the microwave or on the barbecue or eaten cold.
Whatever you do today, stay cool.
P
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Lawn Chair Gardening
7/2/2015
I know you're probably scratching your head to try and figure out what I'm talking about. Trust me, I'll put you out of your misery!
Those of you who know me also know that my legs and back give me trouble when standing or walking. But, I didn't let a little thing like pain keep me from planting my two new plants. I pulled over a plastic Adirondack chair (much cheaper to own and doesn't ever need painting) to where I wanted the new plants.
The new plants are small, especially picked because of their size. To dig a large hole is a lot of work, but a small hole I can manage. I grab my shovel which was made for children, but is ideal for me. I do stand to start the hole. But after I've got some depth to the hole, I sit in my chair and use my little shovel to dig out more dirt. Really this is easy to do with a little shovel, would be probably impossible with a "real" shovel.
Once I've got the hole deep enough, more or less, I take my new plant and plop it into the hole. Once the plant is in the hole I know immediately whether I need to dig a deeper hole. If the plant fits, the rest of the work is a piece of cake.
Still sitting in my chair, I start pulling the discarded dirt from the hole, back to cover up the new plant. Once I'm satisfied that I've adequately covered up the plant with dirt, I then stand up and press down on the new plant before watering.
After I'm finished watering the new plants, I return both my tiny shovel and plastic chair to the patio, so that they'll be ready for the next time!
P
I know you're probably scratching your head to try and figure out what I'm talking about. Trust me, I'll put you out of your misery!
Those of you who know me also know that my legs and back give me trouble when standing or walking. But, I didn't let a little thing like pain keep me from planting my two new plants. I pulled over a plastic Adirondack chair (much cheaper to own and doesn't ever need painting) to where I wanted the new plants.
The new plants are small, especially picked because of their size. To dig a large hole is a lot of work, but a small hole I can manage. I grab my shovel which was made for children, but is ideal for me. I do stand to start the hole. But after I've got some depth to the hole, I sit in my chair and use my little shovel to dig out more dirt. Really this is easy to do with a little shovel, would be probably impossible with a "real" shovel.
Once I've got the hole deep enough, more or less, I take my new plant and plop it into the hole. Once the plant is in the hole I know immediately whether I need to dig a deeper hole. If the plant fits, the rest of the work is a piece of cake.
Still sitting in my chair, I start pulling the discarded dirt from the hole, back to cover up the new plant. Once I'm satisfied that I've adequately covered up the plant with dirt, I then stand up and press down on the new plant before watering.
After I'm finished watering the new plants, I return both my tiny shovel and plastic chair to the patio, so that they'll be ready for the next time!
P
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
The Bassetts versus the Air Conditioner
7/1/2015
I don't even have to ask how many of you already know the outcome of this scenario. The a/c won - of course.
Yesterday, the a/c company sent out their "A" team technicians who finally on the third visit in less than a month, determined the actual problem. And, like all things, the news wasn't good. The cheapest diagnostic test that could be performed would be around $600. And, no that wouldn't actually fix anything. We'd be out $600 and then still have to perform some sort of life-saving procedure on a very old air conditioner.
The technicians thought that due to its advanced age (1993 model), that it might be cheaper to replace the old unit with a brand new more efficient unit. I told the technicians that anything beyond the actual service call was beyond my authorization (kidding) and that they would have to talk to Jeff.
As luck would have it, Jeff pulled into the driveway while the technicians were still here. They explained that the downstairs unit was "DOA" and any life support they could do would be expensive. The technicians actually disabled the unit, so we now only have air conditioning upstairs, which I think is a good thing. I like a cool/cold bedroom and even though the downstairs was hot, it was blissfully cool when I went to bed. Thank you for small favors.
The salesman is going to call Jeff and then they can talk about our options in replacing the old and broken down one. If you install a high energy efficient one, the electric company throws in a rebate of around $1800. The rebate will help, but Jeff and I both know that a new unit will cost some number with a comma!
Since I'm home all day, I have several fans blowing air around, which makes things a little cooler - or is that just in my mind? Regardless, the fans are on high and if I leave them on long enough, who knows maybe they'll blow the dust off the coffee table!
Stay cool where you are.
P
I don't even have to ask how many of you already know the outcome of this scenario. The a/c won - of course.
Yesterday, the a/c company sent out their "A" team technicians who finally on the third visit in less than a month, determined the actual problem. And, like all things, the news wasn't good. The cheapest diagnostic test that could be performed would be around $600. And, no that wouldn't actually fix anything. We'd be out $600 and then still have to perform some sort of life-saving procedure on a very old air conditioner.
The technicians thought that due to its advanced age (1993 model), that it might be cheaper to replace the old unit with a brand new more efficient unit. I told the technicians that anything beyond the actual service call was beyond my authorization (kidding) and that they would have to talk to Jeff.
As luck would have it, Jeff pulled into the driveway while the technicians were still here. They explained that the downstairs unit was "DOA" and any life support they could do would be expensive. The technicians actually disabled the unit, so we now only have air conditioning upstairs, which I think is a good thing. I like a cool/cold bedroom and even though the downstairs was hot, it was blissfully cool when I went to bed. Thank you for small favors.
The salesman is going to call Jeff and then they can talk about our options in replacing the old and broken down one. If you install a high energy efficient one, the electric company throws in a rebate of around $1800. The rebate will help, but Jeff and I both know that a new unit will cost some number with a comma!
Since I'm home all day, I have several fans blowing air around, which makes things a little cooler - or is that just in my mind? Regardless, the fans are on high and if I leave them on long enough, who knows maybe they'll blow the dust off the coffee table!
Stay cool where you are.
P
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