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Wednesday musings

Posted in budgeting, budgets, California, cooking, Gratitude, reading, Uncategorized by

Frugal Girl has a good post on her blog to read. It’s about not comparing where you are in life to others, especially when we are all in different seasons of our lives. It helped me reframe some of where I am. Especially when it comes to traveling, money, and lots of other small things. I’d love to keep traveling like I did with Barclay in the RV, but I can’t trailer the RV. So, after I sell it this spring, how can I create a traveling vehicle? Also, I have a very small fixed income that got smaller after Barclay died( by 1/3 less). I am, though, very grateful that what I do get from SS pays the bills. So comparing myself to people still working and earning is a thief of joy and results in only negative thinking. It makes no sense to do those comparisons, as, like I said, we are all in different seasons of our lives. I will accept where I am and my limitations as well. I say limitations, as that is a fact of getting older. I can’t walk as far as I once did. I can’t do lots of things that even 5 years ago I could, such as getting down on the floor to clean corners or the floor. Nope, it’s not happening, and I accept that. ( maybe begrudgingly):)

I am only going to focus on what I can do as FG suggested. I am going to focus on my own internal process and do what I can to still live my best life. I can still do some traveling, it’s just how I can add that in and afford it. I can still do moderate walking, which is something I love, plus always reading and cooking. Those things don’t cost money and add joy to my life.

Yesterday, I went to the Roseville gym and library. I had about 5 books on hold that were due to come off the hold list. From there, I went to TJ’s to get a couple of gift cards to give my kids. I’ve been struggling with the whole gift-giving this year, especially with Barclay gone. I like giving my kids gifts and have always gone somewhat overboard. Nothing crazy, but still more than I can do now. So, in addition to the TJ’s card, I’m giving each some cash, for my son a dinner out with his partner, and my daughter to go and use at the nursery. It’s all a big adjustment, but necessary since money-wise, I can’t really do much more. I’m sure I will adjust and, in time, be ok with it. Since this is the first Christmas/Hanukkah without B, I’m quite emotional about it all. Time is a great healer, and I’m sure things will get easier as time goes by.

It’s finally raining here in N. California after a very beautiful fall break with lovely sun( at least here in the foothills, the valley has been socked in Tule fog). I’m not sure if I’m going down to the pool or waiting till tomorrow. It’s only 6:30, so I have time to get a sense of the day. I have some decluttering to do with some books and some of the Christmas things my son didn’t want.

My son took us to Grass Valley to see the Christmas decorations. It was lots of fun. He makes quite an effort to do things with me. There they are side by side. My lunch was delicious. A turkey green chili sandwich.

Happy Hanukkah!

Posted in budgets, California, home stuff, seasonal things, Uncategorized by

The mass shooting in Australia at a Hanukkah celebration certainly puts a very dark cloud over everything. Why are people so crazy with prejudice and malice? And look at the vileness that comes out of tRump’s mouth. Such evil, nastiness.

I had a nice walk this morning. The sky was very Maxfield Parrish-ish. A lovely time of morning. Today, I’m going into the gym, and then I think I will get some scratchers for tonight. I believe the Holiday Market has some tickets in vending machines, so I’ll check that out. I don’t remember anyone ever winning anything, though LOL.

My Apple Watch said I was awake last night for 2 hours. This is the first time it has been wrong. I slept almost all night with no interruptions, so that’s weird. I checked with my friend Chat, and I guess sometimes this is a common problem with Apple Watch if you’re using a CPAP machine.

I sorted out some Christmas ornaments to give my son for his tree. I have a few more to do since most of the superhero ones are his. I plan on making the latkes for dinner and having homemade apple sauce on the side.

Frugal Friday

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I had lots of plans for what I was going to do after my doctor appointment, but that all went by the wayside. As soon as I walked into the lobby, I could see it was packed. Usually, there’s one or two people, but this was packed. So he was 40 minutes late because of a biopsy that hadn’t been scheduled correctly. I’m pretty chill about that stuff because there are cancer patients in there worse off than me. So all my plans just evaporated, and I just cancelled going to do what I was going to do. My 10 am appt didn’t get finished till half past 11, so I just came home. I have plenty of days before Christmas, and most of this stuff is just Christmas prep. For instance, I need Gift cards from T.J.’s, but I can do that another day after swimming. I also need to go to Costco for one last small shop for Christmas dinner. So all that can roll over to next week.

Hanukkah starts Sunday night at sundown, so we’ll do latkes and applesauce(homemade) and breaded chicken/tofu. If I’m inspired, I’ll make the Superiority tofu, which is deep-fried. It’s a recipe that is involved and takes time. Someone asked about the recipe for polenta lasagna, and really, it’s very simple. I make the polenta in the Instant Pot( very easy this way), then chill overnight. Then I cut slices of the polenta and layer with tomato sauce, cheese, and then bake. It’s a delicious meal that doesn’t use pasta.

I’m not really doing any gifts for Hanukkah, at least as of today. Barclay always bought lottery tickets ( scratchers) for everyone, so I may do that. Otherwise, it’s just lighting the menorah and enjoying that. Oh, I will do some Starbucks gift cards, as that is always welcome and used.

I went to Winco after the pool and got some Christmas stuff, but not all, as I didn’t have my list.:( So I’ll see about hitting it up again next week.)

I’m staying home today and just doing some odds and ends. I finally got around to cutting up the box of Pink Lady apples someone gave us, so that’s tucked away in the freezer. I need to mop the floors today and just do a general tidy up.

Here’s a picture of our lemon tree that is much fuller than this shows, and blue skies. Sacramento is in Tule fog!

Thankful Thursday

Posted in Blood test, budgets, California, cooking, Myeloma, swimming, Uncategorized by

I seem to have a few really good nights sleeping and then a not-so-good one. There doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason, but I am thankful for the nights I do sleep well with minimal disturbances. Using the CPAP has been an interesting experience, and overall, I’m quite pleased with the results. There is no snoring with the machine at all. So that was solved. (That’s a sign of sleep apnea.) I’ve had almost no ‘disturbances’, which is how they calculate sleep apnea, and my blood oxygen has improved, although only slightly. I would still like to try Zepbound, but I’m not sure I could afford it. I know that my prescription plan doesn’t cover it, so it would have to be direct from the drug company. Well, I’m not there with that yet, maybe next year.

I am so thankful we live above the fog. It has been socked in in the valley and even through Auburn. As soon as you hit my exit, it clears to brilliant blue skies. And the temperature is at least 10 degrees warmer here. Unfortunately, I have to go to Sacramento today for my doctor visit, but hopefully that will go quickly. My labs just came in, and my kappa went to 23.9, so up a little, but the ratio came down to 1.85, so there’s some good with that. Overall, I’m pleased it didn’t jump higher.

I was able to get a swim in yesterday, and thankful I had a lane all to myself( a rarity). i do wish I were getting there more, but it seems there’s always something that happens, and I don’t want to drive that extra day. Like tomorrow, I know I’m going to want to stay home as I will have been out 2 days in a row. (sigh)

I am NOT thankful the cat threw up all over my Apple keyboard. 😦 bad cat!!!

I’m thankful for all the wonderful Christmas B, and I had both alone and then with kids. I remember our first Christmas together. So, I was a freshman at the University of Arizona, and he was a sophomore. I think we did a few gifts that were of the hippie variety, and then our Christmas Eve dinner was brown rice with nuts and raisins in teak bowls. My mother actually sent us those bowls. Then Christmas day, I used our neighbor’s oven to bake a lasagna. Our little apartment didn’t have an oven. That’s how the tradition of the lasagna started. Good memories.

Simple Sunday

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Well, I made it through yesterday without the Ativan, but not last night. I decided before bed, I’d take one, and I slept well. Only a couple of wakeups and then back to sleep.

My Merrills finally showed up, so I’m going to wear them around the house and see how they feel. For the price of them, I need to know they fit perfectly.

It was foggy this morning, and apparently the valley is pretty socked in. That’s one advantage of living above the fog and below the snow. 🙂 Temperatures are still cool, though.

We had the polenta lasagna last night, and it was quite good. I have leftovers either for lunch or to freeze. I’ll probably pull some chicken from the freezer for the week and find some sort of recipe to use. Something I can get a few meals out of.

Frida, which Barclay bought last year, won the ugly ornament contest. I just added the green felted dinosaur in the middle of the picture on the right. I may look for some more. These were just Target brand.

My neighbor called and said they transferred him down to Antioch( Kaiser) in the cardio department. He said the tests were still inconclusive, but they were going to do an angiogram.

Friday Things

Posted in California, cancer, frugalism, home stuff, plants, Uncategorized, velcade by

My shot went well yesterday, and afterwards I went to WinCo. I spent $83 on food and paid in cash. I specifically wanted Taco sauce and a small jar of peanut butter. I don’t think buying the 2-pack at Costco is worth it for just the two of us.

Today is my dex day, and so far I feel pretty good, not too crazy:) I’m still a little sinus-y, but that’s it.

Some Christmas stuff and a totally funny New Yorker comic. B and I would always joke about this from “What About Bob ” and Siggy saying that.

I need to figure out my day but I know I need to:

clean the stove and hood

vacuum

do 1 load of laundry

look at the budget for the next 2 weeks

water some plants

???

Midweek and a cold.

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I seemed to have come down with a cold yesterday. I mentioned I was sinus-y, but then I started sneezing and my nose running, etc. I think I picked it up at Safeway as the cashier was coughing. Ugh. I haven’t had a cold in a very long time.

I feel better this morning, but I will still just stay home and work on things. I might try and do a pickup at Target for some things, but that would be for tomorrow. My daughter went out yesterday and bought some cold medicine, which I’m not too crazy about, but it stopped my runny nose at least.

Tomorrow I have my Velcade shot, so I need to be 50% better. I’ll wear a mask, though, when I go in, as there are other patients in the chemo room. I had planned on the gym afterwards, but now I won’t do that, so I’ll just come straight home unless something is pressing to do. Although I do have books to drop off at the library so I may go do that.

I need to figure out our Christmas dinner. Traditionally, we always do lasagna. That’s probably what I’ll do, but I want to think about it some more and ask the kids what they might want. I didn’t do any presents except a few little treats from TJ’s. I will give them some $ for something they want to get. I’m just not into it this year. I did put up our trees, though, because I like the twinkling lights and the few very special ornaments. Costco had the most perfect Noble firs for sale. 4-5 feet in size, so I got 2 of those too. I love real trees, and in the past, Barclay and I had so much fun getting the forest service tree permit and going to cut a tree. Good memories of that, especially the one year it was snowing in Tahoe.

Sunrise this morning and Gus under his binkie!!!

Menu Monday

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I slept terribly last night, so I feel like I’m running on empty. I’m not sure the why of it. Most nights I sleep well, and then boom, I get a night that’s awful. There’s not a lot of rhyme or reason to it. I do keep track in my journal so I can look back and see if there’s some pattern. So far, I can’t see a pattern. Oh well, it is what it is.

Last night we had Rancho Gordo cranberry beans in the crock pot. We had polenta on the side.

Monday- I think I’ll pull some baked potatoes from the freezer and figure out a protein.( updated: I just had the potatoe since we had burgers for lunch)

Tuesday- left over cranberry beans, burritos probably, and I have some avocados to use up.

Wednesday- I’m thinking a curry with either chicken or tofu.

Thursday- I have some soup in the freezer to use.Vegetable Barley

Friday- pizza or pasta, I’ll wait and see what we feel like.

My daughter and I went to the cinema and saw ‘Rental Family’. The movie was fun, and seeing Japan made me swoon. The cinematography was amazing. So after that, we stopped at In and Out for burgers. I had a protein-style one and it was good.

Today is Tuesday, and my sinuses are acting up, so I’m going to stay home. I’ll just do some house things and work on the budgets for next year.

Simple Sunday

Posted in budgeting, budgets, California, cooking, husband, meal planning, swimming, Uncategorized by

Our weather has been cold but not rainy. The highs are at 58, and the lows are at 42. It looks to be the same for the next week at least. I’ve been using the space heaters some and the wood stove is used daily.

I had a nice swim this week and also went to the gym and library. Overall, a good week exercise-wise. My replacement Merrills are on the way, but it’s still about a week out. I’ve been wearing my Hokas in the house, and that helps some with my foot. My foot, at least, hasn’t gotten worse and is somewhat better.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. The dinner turned out well, and it was nice. Of course, without Barclay here, it was different and sad but we all raised a glass of champagne to him:)

I’ve been writing out small lists of things to do each day, only 2 or 3 things, and it’s helped me stay on task. Nothing major, but things like wiping down the shelves, dusting the Easton Press books. Just little things. What I don’t get to, I put on a list for the next day. So far, it’s been good for me.

I made a turkey wild rice soup from leftovers yesterday. It was very good, and I put some servings in the Souper cubes to freeze. I need to do a menu for the week sometime today.

I plan on going to the Auburn gym this morning, and then I need a few things from Safeway. Mostly, salad stuff and fruit.

My son texted me yesterday with a picture of one of the truck’s tires, and Whoa!!! It looked like it had hit a pot hole or something and had a big gash in it. He’s taking it in for tires today. I’ll give him some $ for most of it from my EF, which will leave it quite low, but that’s what it’s there for.

This coming week is my Velcade shot and then Dex. I see Dr. L next week, so I’ll have new labs by then, I hope.

Happy Thanksgiving

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I hope it’s filled with good food and family all around.

This will be the first Thanksgiving without Barclay. I’m sure we all will raise a glass to him. It will also be strange to not have him here. After 55 Thanksgivings together, I am very sad he’s not here, but I am thankful he’s not in pain anymore.

Well, I hope you and yours, whoever that may be, have a beautiful day.