My day shopping

Being Thursday, I went to TOPS this morning (down 1/2#... not a lot but better than a gain), then for lunch with 'the ladies'. As often happens, I also went to the Bargain Bin (2nd hand store) with some of my TOPS friends. I've been staying away from there a lot lately as I am working at getting rid of stuff, and am not wanting to bring more home!! Anyway, I've been wanting a queen size duvet cover as I was given a duvet that didn't have a cover. So guess what I found at the Bargain Bin!! Yup, a queen size duvet cover... totally new and still in it's original package!!! Regular price $186.99.... It was priced $20.00 and since all the items in that area were 1/2 price today I got it for $10.00!!!! WoHOOO!!! I love a good deal!!! I also got a pair of short leather winter boots, 2 pairs of earrings, a set of 3 small canisters (very handy for various bulk foods), a blouse, a large bed sheet that appears to be nearly new, an eagle patch (Harley style, says "Ride Free" and "Motor Cycles") I'll give to a Harley friend at Christmas.... total cost $19.00!! Not bad!! Being as I am short and my cupboards are high, I was also looking for one of those 2 step stools, and will have to continue to look. I already have the duvet into it's cover and my bed looks great. Can hardly wait to slide into it tonight.

One of Life's Concerns

A dear friend of mine has recently ended up going off work and onto disability. For now it's 'short term disability' though will likely become 'long term' as the problem will not likely be resolved by end of January. He has 4 bulging discs in his low back and thought that was why his legs, especially the left leg, has become very weak and his feet partially numb. However, when he saw a surgeon in September, he was told that the bulging discs are not the cause of the leg problems and he was referred to a neurologist. He was put on a long waiting list, then got really lucky when there was a cancellation and he was the only one available so got in in just a few weeks. The neurologist wants an MRI done, but there are several things my friend needs done before he can have an MRI because in summer of 1985 he was shot. He was standing outside a night club talking to a friend of his and they were both shot by some crazy guy with a shot gun that peppered both men with a lot of pellets. Luckily, they both survived, though still have a lot of pellets in their bodies. My friend has at least 2 pellets in his head and over 20 more in his right arm and leg. The doctors need to know where the pellets are and if they will be moved to vital organs with the magnetic pull of the MRI before they can proceed. My friend may need surgery to remove pellets before the MRI can be done, then once the cause of his leg problems is found he may have to have spinal laser surgery. With each test done he lets me know what is happening and what's up next as we wait to find out whether or not he will ever improve or just continue to deteriorate. Wish him luck!!

Blogging Goal

I used to do a LOT of blogging. I wrote many posts and visited many other people's blogs. I also participated in writing challenges as well as photographic challenges. I very much enjoyed all of that, though found eventually my life changed and I no longer had the time for all those countless hours each day to be spent on the computer. Since then, I have largely gotten away from blogging. I find that this is a sad thing, and I desire to do more blogging again. Oh, not as much as I once did as I still have much to do in my 'real' life, though still I do want to blog a bit more again than what I have been doing this last while. So, I set a goal to do at least a small blog post each day, on each of my 2 blogs... and some days to do even larger posts.

It's November 12!!

Today is November 12, 2o11 and with several Christmas ads already on TV, I have been thinking about gifts for people I care about.

I think I will be baking cookies to give to Phil... and to Ray, 2 friends of mine. Maybe I'll even give some cookies to another friend, Dan, though any time he's visiting if I offer him anything to eat he always refuses it. He loves candy so I could buy him a big bag of it, even though he is well able to buy them himself and always does. I think earrings for Joyce... not sure what I'll give to Cat as she's a new friend and I'm not yet sure what she'd like. Also there's Pat, Pauline and DJ to think about.

As for family... I gave a gift of homemade jam and Christmas motif Jam Knives all in a basket to my sister Marcy & husband Randy in October before they left to Arizona for the winter. My brother Terry & wife Alana will be up for a few days. I'm thinking of getting them some kind of dragonfly as when I was in their home in October I noticed a couple dragonfly ornaments, so I know they like this sort of thing. For Mom it's not easy to know what to give. Since she's 88 years of age, buying for her is a challenge... I guess since she's a great grandmother, it's sort of like needing grandma gift ideas, LOL. I bought Mom a nice rose broach that came with a story of the Christmas Rose. I think she'll really like that. I am thinking too that I will donate some money to the Food Bank in Mom's name and give her a copy of the receipt in a card. I've been thinking I could give one of my spinning wheels to my niece Rebecca as she just moved back to this area and into a new home. I know her mother spins, so think Becky might enjoy being able to spin too, or at least enjoy this beautiful, hand made traditional style spinning wheel as a decoration in her home. I'm not sure how many other family members will be around for Christmas. Apparently, Terry & his family will all be spending it at Alana's family's cabin in the woods. Mom doesn't want to go there as she feels it would be too hard on her to go on a rough road, even in my 4x4 and even though it's just a very short distance off the main road, so probably it will just be her and I for actual Christmas day since I can't go knowing Mom would be home alone on such a day. Someday all too soon I will be alone on Christmas day, for now I will enjoy each time I get to spend it with Mom before she 'moves on'.

My Day Today

My day today:

Planned to do: 30 minutes on treadmill.... laundry... clean chinchilla & rabbit cages.

Actually did: did 3 loads of laundry - washed/dried/folded/put away... cleaned all 3 chinchilla cages and 1 rabbit cage, gave the chins their dust baths, topped up water bottles... talked on phone to George for 4 hours while I did the laundry, talked on phone for 1 hour to Ray, talked on Messenger with Dan for undetermined time twice, thought about Mark and wondered if he'll be coming over this way any time soon and if he has bought another truck yet. (I have one I will sell him, lol)

All that is on top of 'every day stuff' like feeding birds & cat (rabbit & chinchillas get food dishes filled every few days as needed). My dog, Indaway, is inside now and just finished eating his dinner or raw turkey. Oh ya, including feeding myself, haha.

Doing dishes was something I should have done and would have done, though didn't get to. They'll still be there tomorrow. I am disappointed that I didn't get on the treadmill today, just couldn't fit it in. Guess I could have done that while on the phone, if only I had thought to do so.

So... my 'To Do' list for tomorrow will start with 30 minutes on the treadmill and do the dishes. Fold more laundry tops the list too. Then work on cleaning the kitchen.

Sharing

Yesterday I spent time with 2 different gal friends, then went to visit my Mom. They all live in a small town about 25 minutes north of where I am, so it's good to spend a whole day there and see different people. After Mom & I went for a drive and ate dinner out, we went back to her place to relax and play Tri Onimos, a game we both enjoy. While I was there, my great nephew Dustin phoned and after talking to Mom for awhile he and I had a nice phone visit. Dustin has just started a new job and was saying that this is currently a part time job and that he has also been offered a full time job at another company in another town. He has been putting resumes in at many different places in hopes of getting employment. We talked about the pros and cons of each of the jobs and how he can make the decision as to what he can do. We also talked about joining the military and I told him that if I was young again I would seriously consider joining the military so I could learn to fly a helicopter. I think it would be awesome to be a chopper pilot. It I had done that when I was young, I now would be retired with full military benefits and be working for a private company bringing in the big bucks. Another thing I would seriously consider if I had it all to do over again would be Veterinary Services Jobs. I love animals so think that working with them and helping them to be healthy would be a good career for me. I have lots of pets and often have wished I knew more thank I do about animal health care.