WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[The WE2's]

Hospital supposed to have released son this afternoon.  Haven't heard from him yet either way, so I'm thinking he went home and went straight to bed.  His aide is supposed to have taken him home, and will pick him up tomorrow to take him to the dental clinic to get the tooth pulled.

[The WE2's]

Hubby still wrestling with the shower door but has it just about whipped.  I jarred up 7 pints of chili beans.  Have a large bag of red beans that need to be taken care of.  I'll probably vacuum seal the rest in a half gallon jar.  Bought them at the Amish store so there was a LOT of picking to get rid of half beans, crinkly beans etc., but no stones.

[The WE2's]

Thank all of you for the nice comments on the new bathroom.  It's been a long time coming.  I have been gradually taking things over to the homestead and putting them in the "area" where we'll be using them.  Emptied the kitchen pantry and moved it away from the wall so hubby can re-wire the outlet.  He'll run two, one for the upright freezer and one for the gas stove.  The pantry will sit between them and would block the only outlet...and we don't want to run both of those on one receptacle.  Once that's done I'll empty and defrost the upright and he can move it to the inner corner of the kitchen, near the back door (which opens into the laundry/mud room) where it will be out of the way.  Won't be getting into it much, we use it only for storing meats.

[The WE2's]

Today was a "fuzzy pants" day.  I have a couple of fuzzy flannel pants that are so soft, fluffy and warm that I call them my "fuzzy pants"!  It's just plain cold outside.  The furnace is doing a fairly good job of keeping the house warm at 68, but we have to dress warmly during the day and at night.  I have a small ceramic heater in the living room that I turn on and face towards my chair and I slip on my heavy duty fleece jacket to enjoy my morning coffee and read my Bible and do some journaling.  Hubby usually sleeps a little longer so it's my "quiet time".  Tomorrow I need to start filling out the circuit breaker real estate tax refund.  Used to get nearly all of it back but the current Gov cut it back first thing when he took office.  He's R but truly a politician.

 

[Mt_Rider]

for WE2's son.....ack, dental issue is awful.  Won't it be nice to move into that updated house....   And KNOW that all the important stuff is DONE RIGHT!!!   

 

Well....today wasn't too good.  I woke up early but had fairly good sleep.  DH had ZERO sleep......his heart was doing what is does sometimes.  He was pretty miserable for the first 3/4ths of the day.  Late afternoon, he finally got some sleep when the heart was about back to normal. 

 

I was having a fairly good functioning day so I did the stuff he usually does - start pellet stove.  Cook breakfast.  Clean up.  Let dog out/in.  Clean pellet stove and restart tonite.  Whatever.  Try to be quiet when he could sleep finally.  He's called off work tomorrow.  These episodes really drag him down.  He's feeling kinda rung out but MUCH better. 

 

About 7pm....I started to feel like I was running a slight temperature.  Not too bad but that's unusual.    Got the CHILLS   and lay on heating pad to stay warm under blankets.  Bit of a dry throat.  The usual prelude to SOMETHING....       So went on the offensive ...again.  

 

Asked DH.....WHERE could this come from....I haven't been anywhere, literally.   He reminded me that he'd been sitting in the ER with my dad....  Oh shoot!    Commence taking all that we usually take to keep the 'critters' from multiplying in our systems.  We've kept up and now doubling that [where you can/should double].

 

MtRider     

[Homesteader]

8 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

Well....today wasn't too good.  I woke up early but had fairly good sleep.  DH had ZERO sleep......his heart was doing what is does sometimes.  He was pretty miserable for the first 3/4ths of the day.  Late afternoon, he finally got some sleep when the heart was about back to normal. 

 

 

Afib? We're starting to learn more about my mom's 'stress' triggers. The doc calls it anxiety episodes. She goes into afib and gets short of breath. When I see her on O2 I know she's bothered about something. She has been afib-free since the holidays and not so much Nitro for chest pains. Doc said that if it's only one Nitro needed to settle her down, it's probably not her heart. Nitro opens the circulatory system and helps with many problems. So many things I never knew. 

[Littlesister]

WE2 hope your son is doing much better.  I know what it is like to have a toothache. Took me 4 months to get a dentist to pull it. My regular dentist doesn't do it so he sent me for a root canal that would not have worked, so he decided to send me to a dental surgeon.  Couldn't get in for 5 months. So I called affordable dentures. They pulled it and put me on antibiotics.  Hope your son had much better luck with getting his pulled. That is nothing to play around with. 

I love the bathroom. It is coming along really nice. 

 

We got a nice surprise this morning. Woke up to snow. Only an inch and i think it will melt fast as the sun is now shinning very bright. DH won't get out of bed yet, so I i opened the blinds and curtains so he can see it. That perked him up a lot.  I fear he is starting to give up a bit as he cannot do anything. I am trying to figure out things for him to do that he can just sit and do. Folding clothes and such.  When the veggies start coming in, I will have him snapping green beans shelling butter beans for me. At least he will be doing something he likes to do and can watch his cowboys and indians while he is doing it. How many reruns of gun smoke can you watch before you know them all by heart. He knows what is going to happen before it happens.

 

Got the turkey canned yesterday and the bone broth is about ready to can.  Will be doing that in a couple of hours. Also washing clothes, and a bit of house cleaning bathrooms and floor mopping while the broth is in canner.  

[Jeepers]

That picture is so beautiful. I had to laugh a little when you said you had a flashlight out looking at snow flakes. 

 

Prayers for your son We2  

 

I love your new bathroom We2. Especially that cabinet that fits perfectly between the two walls. I admit I have shower envy though. The Indy house has two bathrooms. Both have a shower/tub combo. I really wanted a walk in shower in one of them. I hate to lose a tub because it would devalue the house. Plus I'd like to get rid of the tub in my bedroom and replace it with a jetted tub. I can't extend the wall out because on the other side is the garage. Thanks for sharing your pictures!! You guys have worked so hard on it and it really shows.

[Mt_Rider]

 

 

 

Not too bad....pretty much like it was a couple weeks ago.  What?  I have sugar deficit cuz I've drastically cut back on sweets, desserts, and snack crackers?   One is supposed to get healthier with that choice.   

 

I'm not really that cranky but it does seem odd that I've had two running battles with this in 2021.  Full-on assault and lost in January of 2020.   

 

What happened to "We never get sick" ??????   

 

MtRider  ....VERY thankful it's not COVID   

[Mt_Rider]

DH has an enlarged heart valve.  He reported that yesterday it was "skipping" beats.  I'm not sure what that means. 

 

I experienced AFib during the "Supposed To Be Coming Out Of Anesthesia" episode.  Cardio later told me he thot that would be a one-time-event........unless, of course, I have to have anesthesia again.     It certainly was not pleasant...once they finally got me awake.  Got it stopped by blowing HARD thru a straw.   

 

MtRider .....beginning to wonder why DH doesn't have a cardio doc.... 

[snapshotmiki]

Glad you're feeling a little better, Mt. Rider!  Hope your DH is too!

 

I went to Walmart first thing this morning for monthly stock up.

Then Kroger for sodas for DH.

Then thrift stores.  I hit the jack pot on jar lids!  Two trash bags full of new lids, some with bands, some plain lids!  $5 total!  She says they have jars but she couldn't leave the register to get them.  I will go back Monday and see what I can get.  She said she will set some aside for me!  I almost got a case of quarts at Walmart and then didn't.  

Edited January 28, 2021 by snapshotmiki

[dogmom4]

Glad you’re feeling better Mt. Rider. We just had a huge storm roll through here with tons of ran in and 70mph winds. We lost power for 15 hours so I’m clearing out my fridge. Fortunately the stuff in the chest freezer is doing ok. Now I’m glad I keep a couple of gallon water bottles in it for situations like this.

[Littlesister]

Wow, Ann, How did I miss that picture. It is beautiful.  Love the mountains. The mountains are calling me and I can't go. Rats. Or DH called me and I forgot about it and saw it this morning. O well, my mind is doing to much thinking and I stay to busy.  Time for that break now. But I do love that picture.

 

Miki, that was a great find.  You really got lucky.

 

Mt. Rider, start now checking around for a cardiac doctor for DH.   And enlarged mitral valve may not right now may not be to much of an issue other than a skipping heart beat at times. The heart has 4 chambers, Mitral, aortic, pulmonary, and aortic valves.  usually the issue will be the mitral valve. They all open and close like a gate letting blood flow from other chambers in one direction. Valves prevent back flow of blood into the chambers. From what you say, his sounds mild if heart is just skipping a beat now and again. But that is a sign of a heart problem and should be addressed now rather than later. One of the valve chambers, usually the mitral valve could be sticking and not fully closing off causing the skipped beats.  Hope this gives you a bit of an idea about it. They call it Cardiomegaly when that happens and could be a sign of other heart conditions such as a weak heart muscle. i would get him into a heart doctor to be checked out while it is not bad.  Could be an easy fix.

 

Got the bone broth from all the turkey bones and such done. It cooked for two days in slow cooker. Turned out really good. So two 12 pound turkeys for under $7.00 got me 10 pints of turkey meat and six pints of bone broth. Not bad at all.   Got clothes washed and kitchen almost cleaned up. Just a bit to do after dinner and mop floor. DH has been sleeping off and on all day. Which means I may be up half the night. So I called the orthro doc. He has an appt. on the 4th and he is going. They are going to see about getting phy. therapy in home for him instead of his going to them for it. 

 

 

 

 

[Midnightmom]

On 1/28/2021 at 1:10 PM, Littlesister said:

Got the bone broth from all the turkey bones and such done. It cooked for two days in slow cooker. Turned out really good. So two 12 pound turkeys for under $7.00 got me 10 pints of turkey meat and six pints of bone broth.

 

I am curious as to how your cooked the turkeys: did you use the 2 hour method?

[Littlesister]

Midnightmom, I  raw packed the turkey and canned it.  I am going back tomorrow to get 2 more turkeys. One for freezer for Thanksgiving as the dates on these turkeys are through Aug. 2022.  And going to get a second one to cook following the above recipe. I am really wanting to try that method. 

 

Had a lot of things planned for today, but DH would not get out of the bed nor get his bath. So did not get to change the sheets on bed today. He is in trouble. Told him he will get his butt out of that bed in the morning, get his bath and go to the den so I can clean the bedroom and change the sheets. I did not want to do that on a Sat. So my plans for tomorrow will be what I planned for today. But that's ok. I called the orthropedic doctor and he sees him on the 4th and back into therapy he goes.  Mess up my schedule and I put you back in therapy. I have to get some type of schedule going if I am to get this house cleaned back up and get things organized.  I need to get the taxes done as things are coming in for that now. I can't do things like that and keep running back and forth to the bedroom for things he wants. He will get out of that bed. Starting to wish I never got that new TV. He thinks he can now stay in there to watch TV as the old one would go out on him and then he would go to the den. 

 

We got about an inch of snow yesterday and it is about all gone now. Roads were never effected.  But they are calling for it again on Sunday and this time we could get close to 2 inches. I don't have to go anywhere, so let it snow. I'm good for it. I like watching it coming down.

[Mt_Rider]

I actually walked dog today.  Not far but it was WINDY!  Glad I didn't get far and then realize the work to come back against that WIND.  DH wasn't up to walking or much else today.  He was up and down with how he was feeling.  Obviously didn't go to work.  He's going to decide pretty soon, I'm predicting, that he'll go to the doc.  ......And we say that I dither about going to doctors!  He's just as bad.

 

I've been getting some things in bedroom organized....one square foot at a time!  Today I got close enough to be able to reach the sconce light fixture up on the wall with the shelving-cabinets.  ONLY light in the room except for the lamp on side table.  I've suddenly realized...while trying to do Hawaiian lessons....that I CAN'T SEE!  There was a 60w bulb in there and only one window.  So the goal was achieved: 75 w bulb now.  I was able to reach from a very sturdy chair while DH held the vacuum.  Always have to vacuum out the dead flies  and with the sconce cupped upwards, it's an awful reach to get the right angle.  Mission accomplished.  Wish we'd had a white bulb...this is soft yellow which I don't prefer.  I want to SEE!

 

I tried on all my jeans, sweats, etc....  Now have divided into piles by estimation of what I'd weight when this pile or that pile fits.  I change so much that I keep them all.  But now nicely organized in bottom drawer.  Even have labels on the piles cuz....I'd forget.   

 

     Did ya see......I'M ORGANIZING!     

 

I'm one of the strange ones who LOVES the process as well as the result.  Given ENERGY, I could do that for a living.  .....expecting energy to take a drop here soon.     But I can smile at three more feet of cleared floor space in this tiny cabin!

 

MtRider  ....think I've chased that "cold" or whatever bug got me, out too.   

[Ambergris]

Glad to see you feeling better, Mt Rider.

 

I would definitely get that TV out of there, LittleSister.  Make him get up and move himself around, and when he parks, park somewhere that doesn't run you pillar to post all day.

 

I swear by those frozen water bottles Dogmom.  Freeze the water half a gallon at a time to keep from splitting the plastic, and they're good to go.

 

That was one huge jackpot, Miki!  They don't come without you looking hard, though.

[out_of_the_ordinary]

We're supposed to get a snowstorm.  The birds sure know--lots of activity at the feeders today. 

 

I'm glad you're feeling better, MtRider.   One square foot at at time is how I need to do the rest of our organizing for awhile.   House is back in shape.   Several little places to sort through/organize here, but it is much more manageable.    DH had to go to several thrift stores to be able to donate our items...everyone must have "cleaned out" while stuck at home, not had yard sales, so several of the thrift stores were "full " and weren't accepting donations.

Edited January 30, 2021 by out_of_the_ordinary

[Littlesister]

Mt. Rider glad to know you are feeling much better and getting organized. I keep trying to do that but I am still stuck in the office that I thought I would have been done in by now. Will try to finish it next week. 

DH got his bath this morning and is in the den for the day. I was able to get things done in bedroom and washed the sheets though I will have to make the bed back up soon. Didn't make it up as I didn't want DH going back to bed today.  He has gotten out of breath quite a bit and feet and ankles are a bit swollen. But swelling in face has gone down.  Calling his heart doctor on Monday to get him an early appt. He cannot stand on the scales to weigh him daily like I need to do. He is to much of a fall risk. So will see about what the doctor says.  

Got up this morning and got DH's breakfast and meds and set him down to eat and then I made me some coffee and read Bible before I got him a bath and stripped the bed. Felt good to be able to just sit for once and drink coffee and read. So I am going to do that again tomorrow so while he eats, I can have a bit of alone time with my Bible. Seems hard to do, but that is why I need some organization around here. That schedule helps a lot. And I am going to force a schedule on him. Maybe then I can get things done around here. 

Have been looking into the garden of Eden gardening. I think I can do that as I won't have to keep going out to weed it. No weeding with this one. Just plant and wait till harvest time. I can get Dh outside when time to harvest in the wheelchair and let him watch. i will put him to work snapping green beans and shelling butter beans. That will give him something to do later in the summer and hopefully will give him a since of helping out. I will be finding small things he can sit and do as spring comes. And yes I am over this cold weather. hasn't gotten out of the 30's here and more snow again tonight and tomorrow morning. Not sure about Church service as everyone still sits in their cars in parking lot and our pasture has everything set up outside. Thinking it will be to cold and most of our church members are elderly and won't drive in snow. i watch our service on face book. But not sure if there will be one to watch yet or not. Haven't heard anything as of yet. 

[Mt_Rider]

Now that some square footage on the floor is cleared, I cleared a shelf today.     None of this has been planned.    Today I pulled down about half of the disorganized mess on the shelf with stamps, return address labels and greeting cards....AND miscellaneous...so that I could find ONE one card!  My friend's mother is turning 106 years old soon.  I'm sending a card.  Yes, I did find a nice one. 

 

But I also sorted and tossed and organized the whole shelf.  Had to move some of it....now sorted in a large shoe box.  It's now on an accessible shelf.  I could barely REACH that shelf so I couldn't keep the organization.  [Miki can tell you I'm short! LOL ]  So I just shoved whatever in where it would stay and not fall down.    THAT is not organization.....that's survival.  I'd like to bring us up out of sheer survival mode. 

 

Only I can do that.  DH does not have a creative-organizing cell in his brain.  But he will follow my system once I get it.  He likes my systems.  I used to organize his office and then he'd maintain it.  Wooo, it sure has fallen apart here tho. 

 

Not really sure where this energy is coming from tho....     Perhaps it's adrenaline?  Perhaps I can build up better stamina now that my foot is working well and I've recovered from staying with my folks for 3 wks, caring for them?  I don't know.  I definitely try not to use adrenaline....cuz there is a high price to pay.   Example: caring for my folks.  I willingly spend adrenaline for those emergencies.  This.....should not be adrenaline.  So I'm watching/waiting.....    I'll be able to tell soon.  

 

OH...and DH felt normal today....except a bit wiped out from previous days.     He even did our taxes...but then, he was a tax person for years so not hard for him.

 

MtRider     Finished 5 days on Hawaiian too! 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Mt_Rider

[Jeepers]

I plan to go do some errands today. My plans are usually a day or two late though. Anyway, I want to go to Michael's for a few more few shirts. They are nice and cheap. I'm a spiller (can't have anything nice) So they suit me fine. Nice colors too. 

 

I may stop in Wal-Mart on the way. Or Home Depot and look for some more seeds. Depends on my energy level. I have some stinky trash that needs flung in dumpster too. I also have to go to the Dollar Tree. I got some nice little note books there not long ago. They are about 3x5. Well, two nights ago I spilled a bunch of sweet tea all over them. And the bed. Sigh. So now I need some more. Yes, I'm the reason I can't have nice things around here. 

 

We are expecting some snow and really cold weather starting this evening. While I'm out I might pick up a couple more bundles of firewood. I have some but...just in case. 

 

I talked to son tonight. He is teaching G'son the pledge of allegiance. He just needs a little prompting. I'm proud of both of them. I guess they are probably considered subversive now. 

[Littlesister]

Jeepers I know how it is being a day or two late. Seems my plans get put off way to often.  Glad you are getting things done now that you are feeling better and got all that energy.

 

I finally got our bedroom cleaned up.  Moved bed and dusted under it as the bed is like a hospital bed. Feet and head goes up and down, so lots of bars under it to dust.  Got down on floor and under it to clean it all up. Then moved bed back after vacuuming the floor. Then got everything else dusted, vacuumed and stuff put away. Got the last of the medicines I had been going though out of the closet and put that in the office to finish going through. Almost ready to get that put into it's new location in an order that I can find what I need without having to dig through a box to find what I need. 

 

Still want to move the 2 book cases out of office and put in the small makeshift pantry since I use those for food and move the double bed from that small bedroom into the office. I am working on plans for that but still trying to get the office cleaned up and get rid of stuff.  Filled the trashcan up last week and going to fill it up again this week. This mess has been piling up for way to long and time to go.  I have been wanting to take those wire type shelving out of closet in office and put in wood shelving.  Those work better for me than the wire type. And I don't like the way it is set up in there. So will be working on that sometime later in the year. 

 

Granddaughter is coming over tomorrow to bring an algae and something else for my DD fish tank. DD told GD to go buy them and bring it over. Though I think we need to clean the tank out. Before putting in anything else. It's not bad but just needs cleaning up some. 

 

DD and SIL are waiting on a home inspection on a house they found. Hoping they can get this one. Over 2 1/2 acres.  Farmland.  She does wild animal rescue and tends to them till they are ready to be set back out in the wild. She will have the property to do that with this house. She should be finished with school by mid summer.  Plus she is still working medical billing for Smithfield foods.  

 

DH's surgical wound is starting to look much better. I decided to use my methods for getting it to heal up. Late last night DH woke me up to take bandages off because it was itching so bad.  As they say, when it itches you know it is healing. I got some sterile saline wound flush to clean it out with. Doctor's nurse said to use dove soap to clean it but it didn't look any better. But the wound flush has made a big difference. Going to keep doing that for a while till I see some big improvement. Still using peroxide around edges along with the betadine after that. Then I ball a gauze pad different from what the doctor showed me as I watched a video on wound care on how that should be done. Then to keep it from sticking to the wound, I put Neosporin on the gauze and put into the hole to keep it from sticking and help it to heal from inside out. Seems to be working so far.

[snapshotmiki]

I'm glad folks here seem to be feeling and doing better!  

 

Yesterday, had Church then made egg salad. Also hamburgers for DH and chicken patties for me and sugar free pudding and jello.
Did 2 exercise videos.

 

Today will do a video shortly.
Go to thrift shop to see about jars where I got all the lids from.
Dollar Tree for frozen fruit and salmon pieces.
St Andrews mission to see if I can volunteer for anything.
Home and walk dogs.
Take eBay photos.
Not much else today.

 

Have a good day everyone!

[Littlesister]

GD came over today and bought 2 new fish for DD fish tank. Said they needed a couple of algae eaters.  So took care of that and then started on the taxes. Seems like forever getting all that mess together. Our taxes are complicated and we also have a trust that I am trustee of. So have that to deal with as well. Still waiting for some tax things to come in. Wish they would hurry up and get here. I can't file without those. 

 

Need to get back to that office and get it all cleaned up. I put a pile of papers in a box to go through later. I think most of it will be trashed. 

DH has done better today though he stayed in the bed all day again. But at least I got him out of it for 2 days. He sees the othropedic doctor on Thursday and I am hoping they can have phy. therapy come to house. Would be so much easier on me than trying to get him in and out of the car and having to take wheelchair in and out of car as well.  

My shoulder has been hurting and I think I pulled something and not a muscle.  I had frozen shoulder before that came from my neck before I found out how bad the disk had collasped.  Hoping I didn't do any damage pulling and lifting on DH. He is aware of what is going on with my shoulder and trying to pull himself up as much as he can. But he gets so out of breath. But he is trying a bit more. 

[Mt_Rider]

Praying for all of you in your struggles.....

 

Today.....     ...ya just can't make this stuff up!    This morning I was at the sink and twisted top half of my torso around, avoiding inhalation of a cleaner smell.  Aauugh....back muscle spasm.  Wha...?????  You're kidding.  I walked around a bit, waiting for it to ease up.....  By now, it's nearly 9 at night and it has not eased up.  Ice periodically has felt good.  SO glad for hospital bed....adjusts head/feet up and down.  I can pull myself up and walk gingerly.  But whatever happened is still quite painful.  

 

Yanno?  I take the most spectacular falls......regularly.  And. I. don't. get. injured!!!  What is THIS???    

 

So I was staying very low key for a couple days to see if I was using adrenaline on my clutter-clearing projects.  From the time I could test, doesn't seem like I was      But now this....   

 

I DID manage my laptop and big notebook on bed enough to complete today's Hawaiian lesson....but it began to hurt toward the end.  DuoLingo says they are 5 minute lessons......bah!  These reviews are taking me an hour!  I don't type very fast in Hawaiian cuz of the special letter marks that you have to point/click on the screen.  But I didn't miss today... 

 

MtRider