Town

 Our usual trip to town was okay.  Two sticks this week for the weekly IV for Far Guy.    I made it to Aldi for fruit and cheese, Walmart for my pickup order and Hugos for what Walmart didn't have. (The crackers Far Guy likes for lunch and lemon pudding )  Then to the bank...finally to the parking lot to read my book until he called for me to pick him up at the door.   Town was pretty busy for mid August....the tourists are hanging on longer than usual.

The Mandevilla is looking awesome in the planter outside the front door at the Bank, the planter also has Petunias and a single Gerbera Daisy. 

We came home and unloaded groceries...cut up the watermelon that was supposed to be seedless but was not...I did some misc things and then we settled down to watch Grey's Anatomy we are in season 13.

Minnesota Weather:  High 80F or 27C Low 59F or 15C

What's Cooking?  Pizza! The homemade kind and it was really good!

Far Side

Thursday stuff

 Thursday is our busiest day of the week.  First stop to the corner of happy and healthy where a prescription was supposed to be ready but it was not...that place is so not organized.  I drop Far Guy off at his infusion where the gals take extra good care of him!

Aldi for fruit, Walmart online order pick up...sometimes I time them...yesterday it was four minutes.  To the local grocery store for "stuff" that Walmart didn't have...this week Apple Juice,  Crunchmaster Crackers and ICE Drinks (I like the Cherry) then off to the Butcher Shop!  Pick up Far Guy and head to the bank.

Home to unpack and put away groceries, have lunch (a peanut butter half a sandwich). 

Enjoy bookclub and then collapse on the couch for a nap...Far Guy woke me up when leftovers were all warmed up for supper. 

Minnesota weather: High  80F or 27C    Low was 58F or 14C

Flowers at the bank

Far Side

Hark! Back! Issue #4

 Hark! Back! Is a look back at blogs that appeared in a now defunct blogging site before I started with blogger in September of 2008.  They are in no particular order.

January 7, 2008

Mission Impossible

I don't know about the rest of you but I hate grocery shopping...first of all you have to be organized enough to make a list. In order to do that ...I have to know what I want Far guy to cook.  Have you ever stopped to think how many times groceries are handled?  #1 Take it off the shelf and put it in your cart #2 take it out of the cart and put it on the grocery store counter #3 Put it into a bag #4  Put the bag into your cart #5 Put the bag in your car #6 unload car #7  put groceries away #8 cook..finally #9 serve food # 10 leftovers and clean up # 11 clean leftovers out of the fridge #12 take out garbage.  ...so in summary you must handle something at least 12 times just to be able to cook...plus the added aggravation of having to make the list in the first place. 

Sometimes when I am feeling especially like Suzy homemaker, I insist that Far Guy and I go up and down every aisle in the grocery store. He likes a heads up on those days and will wander around the entire store looking for people to talk to. ...as I am in charge of the cart. Other times, I take half the list, he takes the other half and we meet up in the store occasionally so I can dump my stuff in his cart. When Far Guy is in charge of the cart he will try to avoid me at all costs, he thinks it is funny to watch me peer over the top of an arm full of groceries to give him the evil eye.

Years ago when we had children living at home, I would play "Mission Impossible" with them. I would brief them in the car, everyone was in charge of three or four items the "Mission" was complete only when everyone had their items and was at the check out counter...seems to me that grocery shopping and cooking is still a "Mission Impossible"...and there are only two of us to cook for.

***************

Far Guy is a great cook!  

I love ordering and picking up groceries at Walmart and other grocery stores too.  What began in 2020 with the Pandemic continues for us.  Sometimes I have the groceries delivered to our door...especially when we order water for Far Guys coffee.  ( He uses bottled water for his coffee because our water has  lime deposits.)

We make menus for two weeks with room for change here and there.  At least I know what groceries I will need for the next two weeks:) 

We usually share cooking duties especially when we make chili or gumbo with portions to be frozen that end up on the menu as "freezer". 

When we are up North for the Winter our son in law Andy likes to cook and he is really good at it!  So we enjoy any meals he cooks and are so thankful for a cooking break!

Far Side

The snow report

 About seven inches of it.

Sadie barks at these deer.  

The snowman family all sit on five gallon buckets and they are partially covered. 

The main roads are petty good however the side streets and some parking lots are still a challenge.  

I picked up our grocery order from Walmart and went to Aldi while Far Guy had his weekly Infusion then we went out for a late lunch early supper at Perkins.  Breakfast is good anytime of day!  

In the evening Jen and I went to the library for the puzzle exchange:)

Minnesota weather; High 13F or -11C Low was -7F or -22C eh!  Forecast for Friday is a Winter Weather Advisory because it may snow a bit more and it will become very windy. 

Far Side

Booties and Busy

 I have been working on booties for Baby K.  Her feet get cold.  I struggled with the size...but she is growing so the larger ones will fit sooner or later. 

I made four pair...one pair is really large:)  I wrote better instructions on my pattern this time.  

We will see how they fit Baby K. 

Busy week with Radiation for Far Guy and other medical appointments.  Yesterday he was held hostage in the Infusion Center for 2 1/2 hours...someone messed up a couple of times...they thought he was in radiation when in fact he was sitting in an Infusion Chair with his IV in and waiting and waiting...he was not a happy camper.  Our day of appointments started at 8AM and we did not get back home until 2:30 PM. Four appointments and a trip to the pharmacy was too much for one day.  Today (Friday) should be easier....only one appointment. 

I had plenty of time to pick up groceries at Wally World, go into Aldi for fresh fruit and to eventually end up in Hobby Lobby for the second time this week....AND I had a good amount of time in the car to crochet while waiting for him to get his weekly infusion.

Possibly some very soft yarn jumped into my cart.   Might be something for little girls...who knows.  Hat, ear warmers...one never knows. 

Far Side

Nice!

 It was a pretty Fall day high in the mid 40's and sunny.  Nice weather!!

Far Guy did not have to wait around for his radiation treatment yesterday.  He barely sat down and they called his name.  I went with him to wait after the really long wait for his treatment the previous day.  35 minutes and we were in and out of the Cancer Center.   Yeah us!  Three treatments down and seventeen to go. 

We picked up our grocery order from Walmart and prescriptions at the corner of happy and healthy where for once they actually had the right prescriptions.  Will wonders ever cease?

Not so nice...I had to seen at the Express Clinic.  Since I have RA other things happen from time to time.  Pleurisy,  I had it one time years ago, I am on meds for the next five days and hope it is all gone by then.  Pleurisy is pain from inflammation when your lung rubs up against your chest wall. Uffda...it is no fun but hopefully will be all better soon.  Luckily I only have the pain on my right side. Old people get the darndest stuff.

Really nice that this dog still loves us.

Far Side

Brown but sunny

 Yesterday was a sunny day, it made all the brown colors out there pop and some of the snow melt.

Far Guy had his infusion, the Zemaira makes him feel less sick and he is less short of breath...so that is a win!  

I picked up my grocery order at Walmart, went inside Aldi for fruit and into Hugo's for a few items and to the bank while Far Guy had his infusion.  I actually saw two relatives in town....I did not have time to chat just time to say hi.

We made a menu list for two weeks and I shopped accordingly.  Good to have that done and be back on track.    

Far Side

Night Visitors

 We had our second snow on late Sunday night/early Monday morning.   We now have about two inches of the white stuff.

See all those tracks in the snow?  Something was having a party around the bird feeder. 

This is a photo of the security camera.  They sure had fun and emptied out one side of the feeder.  I suspect the five squirrels that showed up enjoyed a bit of that spilled seed too. 

We made a list for errands in town and as we left the yard the smaller deer was watching us from the edge of the woods...I suppose he/she wanted a morning snack. 

Town was fine the Turkey is thawing in the fridge and the rest of the groceries were purchased for a simple meal on Thanksgiving Day.  Turkey, mashed potatoes, GF gravy, GF Green Beans with sour cream and onion potato chips on top instead of the onion rings with gluten, corn, olives, pickles and Snickers salad.  Guests are bringing GF stuffing and GF cake.  There will be more than enough food!

Far Side

Forsythia

 The Forsythia in town are all blooming. 

This one is wasted in a parking lot...

I did a mega shopping yesterday, stocked up on many things we use all the time.  Tourists will be here soon...or maybe they heard about the road construction that will begin May 13.  The road construction is between us and town, the detours will add five or six miles to our trip to town.  So we will have to leave earlier than normal.  Plus it is not supposed to be done until November.  Uffda

The new Aldi store is open now, it is located in a terrible spot for traffic.  After shopping you have to turn right instead of left because of the traffic...and then you need to go down the road a piece turn around and go back into town.  Only those high or crazy would attempt a left turn there.  

Far Guy is doing okay...he is pretty much pain free! The scan he had only showed one stone...so he should be good for now!

Far Side

Butter Butts

 The little Butter Butts ( Yellow-rumped Warblers) are here another sure sign of Spring.  They brought lots of their friends. 

Pretty little things with their splashes of yellow...yes they have yellow butts too.

They prefer the black sunflower seeds. 

Yesterday was Far Guy's infusion day.  I dropped him off and ran errands, Walmart pick up twice because they forgot my bag with the butter and cheese...they called me when I was at the bank.  So Far Guy had to wait for me in the car while I went to the meat market, grocery store for fresh fruit and the pharmacy. 

So much for the excitement yesterday. 

Far Side

Another Thursday

 Another Thursday is in the books.  Far Guy had his infusion and I went grocery shopping.  It rained and the wind blew more leaves around and out of the trees.  At home we put away groceries and had a nap. I slept through some movie...I saw the beginning and the end.  

Our weather has turned cool.  We had temperatures in the 90's a few days ago and now we are in the 50's....what happened to the 70's or even the 60's???  Mother Nature is not fair.   Our high yesterday was 52 F or 12 C eh!  Some weather person mentioned the S word too...said it could S in the upper atmosphere but it would melt if it hit the ground...lovely.

Far Side

Old and First Snow

 It was my Mothers 93rd birthday yesterday.  She was having a hard time with my Dad.  We were supposed to go out to lunch but since they had a bad night and morning we stopped by to see how they were doing.   Dad was asleep, sometimes I think he has his days and nights mixed up just like a baby.  He woke up and had lunch, later in the afternoon he was moved into the nursing home next to the assisted living apartments.  Mom can walk over there to visit him.

And so it goes.  

Far Guy and I got the high dose flu vaccinations yesterday.  So cross that off our list.  The gals at the Infusion Center where Far Guy goes for his weekly infusion take good care of us. 

Grocery pickup was mostly uneventful.  The peanut butter shortage must be over!   Town was busy.

And it snowed.  In some spots the ground was white.  So we have officially had our first snow.   Early in the morning we knew something was up as our yard was full of Robins and Juncos.  I think the Robins were just stopping by on their way south.

Far Side

Experiments with food

 The Covid numbers are still up in our area.  I ordered groceries online.  It rained on our way into town...it is surprising how fast brown dry grass can turn green!  I just had one substitution on my grocery order.  

We picked up sweet corn from a roadside stand and a box of Colorado peaches that the local Lion's Club sells this time of year.  We will peal the peaches slice them up and put some fruit fresh and sugar on them and then vacuum seal the bags and put them in the freezer.

  We are doing an experiment with the sweet corn ...Far Guy took off a few of the husks and cut the top and bottom off of the corn and we used our vacuum sealing machine to suck the air out and put them in the freezer.   We will see if it tastes like fresh sweetcorn after a few weeks in the freezer!

I read about Pineapple "tea" ...soak and wash your pineapple.  Cut the top and bottom off and discard.  Then cut up your pineapple as you usually do...saving the scraps and the core...chop them all up and put in a pot with water I used 10 cups of water and a splash of lemon juice. Bring to a boil and let it cook a while...cool and strain.  Mix with equal parts 7 Up...it isn't too bad.   It is supposed to help people with breathing problems.   You can add a bunch of other stuff...cinnamon and honey etc...Far Guy says he wants his straight from now on...no 7 Up for him. 

Today Far Guy is making Jambalya following a video by the Cajun Ninja.  This is his first attempt at Jambalya...he enjoyed Floyd and Jessica's recipe so much earlier this summer he had to give it a try!  Floyd and Jessica live in Louisiana.

Our vacuum sealer is just one from Wally World ...Food Saver is the brand.  So far we have used it on meat and cheese.  ( We buy a large chunk of cheese and vacuum seal portions for the fridge.)  The rolls of bags are a bit expensive but so is freezer burned meat or spoiled cheese. 

Canoe and boat at the shores of Spirit Lake.

Far Side

Groceries and stuff

 We are still ordering and picking up groceries.  Since I have been so tired it is easier that way, then I go into one grocery store to pick out fruit.  There is still a Skippy Peanut Butter shortage and sometimes the Lime Outshine Bars are sold out.  Seems like it varies from week to week...oranges are just pathetic this summer.  Sweet corn is being sold and ranges in price from $5 a dozen to $14 a dozen.

I am still very tired but I think I am slowly getting better.  I am tolerating the medication and will be happy when my 30 days is up ( I am on day 15 now).  Most days I am tired and my left leg hurts and my right arm, sometimes my ear hurts and sometimes my neck and my glands are still swollen....all normal with Lymes. It may take up to six months before I feel "normal."  Far Guy is doing okay....he is taking good care of me.  He supervises my nap time ...of course as soon as my head hits the pillow I am out like a light. 

This is the blank that this years woodcarving starts with.   Far Guy carves just about every day. 

Far Side

Grocery Day

 Grocery Day was a day early this week.   Far Guy and I went to a Wally World that is a bit out of town ( there are two in the area) and is not as busy.  You can socially distance easily and we wore masks.  Heinz 57 Steak Sauce was not on the shelves,  or heavy cream so Far Guy got the half and half.  He rode a cart throughout the store...I didn't feel guilty at all sending him off for items.  It was his first day out of the house since last Thursday. 

We got home, disinfected everything, washed fruit and then we made soup.  This weeks soup was Italian Sausage, Chicken Broth and Potatoes, you brown the sausage, add the broth and the diced potatoes and let it cook in a slow cooker all afternoon.  Shortly before serving you add about a cup of half and half and a big handful of baby spinach...yummy. After you ladle it into bowls you add bacon bits. There are left overs in the fridge.  You can add other stuff..onion...celery...but I do not. 

We don't spend any time in this rocking chair.  The kitty Phoebe and Little Elvis like our company during the day!  Some nights Little Elvis sleeps with us...sometimes not..it all depends on who his favorite person is at the moment! 

Far Side

Grocery Day and Mosaic Crochet

 Grocery Day was eventful, now they are substituting when I requested no substitutions.  Buggers...this is at the "other" grocery store in town...not at Wally World where I would expect some shenanigans.  Wally World seems to have their poop in a pile for a change. 

I got the booster shot for Covid...the booster is 50 % of the normal shot.  They would not give me the third full strength vaccination.  

We had a bunch of errands to do in town.  On a good note Ranger Blue is back at home after its first service call.  

I am going to Bingo with my Dad and hope I get home before I feel rotten from the shot. 

  It snowed during the night Wednesday night then it turned to rain and it rained most of the day on Thursday.

I finished a bit more on my Mosaic Crochet CAL (Crochet A Long)

Week Three

Week Four..it is getting more colorful every week!  The mustard color was a stretch...but after the next part I think it will all make sense...or not.

Onto week five out of seven while I am waiting for the yarn to arrive for my next project! 

Update:  Back from Bingo safely, we are getting rain and snow and the roads are getting slippery.    I had one bingo for 24$  ...no Bingos for Dad but he was one number away many times.   Shot report..my arm is sore and I am tired.  

Far Side

Grocery Day

 Moldy bread was in our grocery order.  I called and complained...especially since I ordered two loaves of bread ...only got one and it was moldy.  At least they didn't send out oranges that they knew were wrong...you know that spot where the customer can write notes...well I give them lots of input.

There is some flat bread in the freezer and I can bake bread if needed. 

The wallyworld order was almost perfect they had to sub a larger size of multivitamins. Give me more for the same price all day long. 

Far Guy and I looked at mowers....at least there were some to look at.  We picked one out and it will be delivered next week...it was the only one of the 2022 models that they had on hand. The mulching kit for it won't be released until next Spring....we requested that a mulching kit and blades be installed before delivery...they called and said that the 2021 kit doesn't fit the 2022.   Bummer.   Oh well it is what it is.  

Went to Bingo with my Dad and baby brother...we did not win.

Ornament count is now 80.  I can see clearly now...another ear worm for you...you are welcome:)

Far Side

Grocery Day Report

 They were out of Milky Way Dark minis...so I had to sub the regular Milky Way minis.   I also had a substitution on my wax paper.  I use lots of wax paper when I am painting ornaments....and baking cookies...but there are no cookies being cooled lately...just painting.   I ordered Cara Cara Oranges to see if they had them...they substituted a South Africa Orange called Midknight...I have not tried it yet.  I marked my Cara Caras  "no substitutions" and you can bet if it is not up to my rigorous orange standards...I will complain. 

We have been slowly stocking up on bath soap, laundry soap, toothpaste, shampoo and lotion. AND we have a good supply of toilet paper!  Next on my list is to check our supply of flour, yeast and sugar....and Pumpkin...because the Grands are already asking for Pumpkin Bread.  

I took my Dad to Bingo, I  got a bingo...so it was a free night out for both of us!  Dad said he had fun.  He was a bit unsteady...and almost fell once...I was able to grab him and keep him  upright.   Scary for sure. 

Far Guy took off on Ranger Blue when I left for Bingo....the other day there was "this trail"  it was narrow and rocky and I decided it was not a great trail and backed out before I got too far....it was sketchy...well guess who HAD to try it?   Far Guy reports it is just as narrow and rocky as we thought...but it also has many steep hills up and down ...he said there are huge gullies and I wouldn't have liked the trail at all.  So he had an adventure without me.

I did not get 6 Christmas Ornaments done yesterday...perhaps I can make up for it today.  The car has an oil change appointment and our electrician is stopping by to install a smart thermostat and to do some other work....so it will be another busy day. 

It froze hard enough that the Impatiens looked sick in the morning and by late afternoon they were brown and shrunken...the blooms are now only a memory. 

Far Side

Busy Days

 No big surprises with grocery pickup.  I even got some Apples at Wallyworld. 

I ran errands in town and stopped by my parents to wish them a happy anniversary in person!   Mom had Mohs surgery on a cancerous spot on her face on Tuesday...she has a few stitches but she looks pretty good. 

I had book club in the afternoon, the book was Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton a vampire/horror book.  I give it a 3 out of 10...I would not read it again. 

I mulched leaves ... again... 6 1/2 out of 10 times.  I might even be able to stop at 9 this year we will see.  It is supposed to rain and I didn't want the dry leaves to get wet.

In the evening I made ice cream cakes with the help of my baby brothers bride and visiting Cindy. 

Far Guy finished all the woodcarvings for Christmas Ornaments...I have to do some final sanding before we declare that part finished...but the end is in sight!

 Today (Friday) is potato salad day...in preparation for a party at my baby brothers lake place for my parents on Saturday afternoon.

So the days are busy around here!  I look forward to some calmer days next week....we get our flu shots next Thursday....I scheduled it for a few days that I could set aside to just be sick....and if I am lucky enough to not be sick I can find some things to do! 

Far Side

October

 The Rail Road Bridge across Fish Hook River is gone. 

Yesterday after picking up groceries I had a few minutes so I went over to what is now known as Red Bridge Park.

You can see the yellow floats out there where the bridge used to be...and the guy in the boat was doing something...sounded like he was sucking up stuff.  The bridge had not been used as a Rail Road bridge for years...they said it was "unsafe"  and had to come down...it was a great place to take photos.  Progress...not so much.

Grocery Adventures yielded a bag of rotten oranges, no apples and no wild rice...good thing I have a bunch of cooked rice in the freezer.  I called and complained about the oranges...they gave me a refund.  No apples...who woulda thunk it? 

Leaf Mulching Day 2 1/2  was a success...about 20 percent of the leaves have fallen in our yard.  My mower is working great and may actually make it through the Fall mulching...knock on wood.  I can use my brothers mower if mine fails...because I am sure the wait to get a new mower is mighty long...maybe years...a goat would be faster.

 No rain yet but they say it is coming.   Good thing too as after supper I went out to water the tomato plants and pick our daily couple of tomatoes and I smelled smoke...smoke had filled the yard....I went to investigate...just a stupid a$$ lake person that had raked his leaves into a pile on his driveway and lit them on fire.  I drove by slow and gave him the evil eye...turned around again and gave him more of the evil eye...I was tempted to stop and ask him if he had a permit to burn and a real brain but I kept driving toward home.  The woods are still DRY and a fire waiting to happen...I would bet he had no water hose nearby either. Dumb A$$.

Goodbye September hello October.  Yes I might be a tad cranky. 

Far Side