Saturday and Apartment Cleaning

I slept well last night. Only woke up once and went to the bathroom and took my med. Then I woke up a little after 4:00AM and lay in bed for awhile to see if I would go back to sleep but about 4:30AM, I just got up. I guess I will clean the apartment this morning. But first I will have my oatmeal and juice and coffee and watch the news if I have any TV this morning.

I had a huge day yesterday with all the work getting the class newsletter attached to e-mail for those with e-mail and those printed off folded, stuffed and stamped and sent out for those without e-mail. But at least I got it out before Christmas this year.

So more later....

Well, I have had my breakfast and am watching the CBS news. As soon as that is over, I will begin my cleaning. I still have about ten minutes. So more much later...

I cleaned the apartment pretty thoroughly this morning. I even wiped down the kitchen cabinets to get fingerprints off, etc.  And I washed down the shower doors. It's 10:10AM now. I need several things from the market and so I will make yet another trip out to Walmart.

So...again, more later...

Well, I manged to spend $42.  and change at Walmart.  I got everything put away and soon I will need to start my lunch. I have another 20 minutes before I eat though. I have time to go to the bank for another check register.

O.K. I got the check register and came home to fix myself a Sloppy Joe  and the rest of the shoestring potatoes and peach tea for my lunch. Very good!

Then I turned on Amazon Prime and watched an an episode of Nova from PBS.  It was about the development of the new X plane from Lockheed Martin. There was a huge competition between them and Boeing. It seems all three flying services are going to be flying the same plane and that plane was going to be the only fighter plane for America. The winner of the competition will also get all kinds of foreign sales so the winner, will make in excess of 200 billion dollars in sales overall. It must be supersonic and also have the capability of landing like a helicopter so it can land vertically on a ship's deck. It was a very interesting show. I may watch this series on Nova shows for awhile now.

It's 5:28PM now and I will eat my yogurt and prepare for watching TV before bed in an hour or so.

I hope to stay up until 9:00PM or so.

Friday and a Busy Day

This was a busy day. I got up rather early. It was before 5:00AM But then I dressed, had my breakfast and watched the Tulsa and the CBS news until mid morning. Then I worked on sending out all the Class Newsletters by attachment to e-mail for those that had e-mail.

Scott called this morning and we had a nice visit!

I got that finished and then sent Leslie the newsletter as an attachment to e-mail.  She took it over or forwarded it to their print shop there at Four County Mental Health. And in an hour, she notified me that it was finished. She was in Sedan so I had to wait until she got back in Independence before going up there to pick up the printed newsletters.

I notified John W. about the cost and that Leslie had already paid for it and we could just re-reimburse her the $24.  I would also need a $50.00 check for the stamps. I went out on Walnut Street where his office is located and picked up the two checks and stopped at the post office and bought the stamps. It only cost a little over $20.00 to have 64 of the newsletters printed off. I had already printed off the envelopes a week or so ago here at home. I provided the envelopes and I did have to buy a printer cartridge but some of my classmates had sent me donations and I had enough of that money to buy the cartridge. I usually go through two cartridges of ink printing the newsletters off myself and at $40.00 each that is expensive and hard on my little printer too. So generally it costs about $80.00 in print cartridges and $50.00 in stamps to get them in the mail. Plus all the time that takes. This was a piece of cake! It took me an hour to fold, stuff, and stamp the 64 I had printed and take them up to the post office.  And it's all done for another year.

I also stopped while I was in Independence and paid my Goody's bill and picked up Missy's ashes. They had called me yesterday and told me they could be picked up. I hadn't even thought about getting the ashes. I didn't get Slinky's ashes when I had him cremated almost six years ago. And now today in the mail I also got a nice sympathy card from Dr. Barta's staff. That's a nice gesture.

It just occurred to me that it's almost 4:00PM and I haven't eaten a thing all day. I guess I will warm up some vegetable soup or make myself some Sloppy Joes. I am hungry!

More later...

I watched some TV CBS news  and then took my bath and put my PJs on to lay on the sofa and watched some more Amazon Prime TV until 9:00PM when I went on to bed.

Thursday and Another Good Night's Sleep

I slept well last night again. I got up shortly before 5:00AM.  I have dressed, made the bed and got myself ready for the day.  I still need to get my breakfast and see if I can watch the news. I had the Chronicle in the e-mail and forwarded it on to my group I share it with.

I don't have a plan for today. I may vacuum again. Now that Missy is gone I want to eventually get rid of the cat hair I always get when I vacuum. Cyndi had surgery on her foot yesterday so I can't count on her doing it for me now. I hope that surgery went well.

I'll get my breakfast and get back to this later...

I had my oatmeal and coffee and watched the news for awhile. Then I decided to go to Bartlesville to pass the time away today. I had a $10.00 gift certificate for Goodys but I didn't see anything I needed so I still have it. I did receive the second half of my daughter's Christmas gift today. So I got it wrapped and ready for Christmas and it is now under my tree. I will wrap my last two gifts and get them under my tree too. I took all the other gifts out to John and Leslie's the day of the cookie exchange. They put them under their tree.  We will open gifts after dinner on Christmas Day. Then Jeromy, my grandson, and his family have to make a flying trip to Topeka to be with the other grandparents and Marlene's family too. They will have a busy Christmas...that's for sure.

I stopped at Caney and ate lunch at Eggberts there. I like the tuna salad and  muffin they serve with fruit.  It is also cheap!

I will run over to Dollar General and see if I can find a small box for Jeff's gift. Then I will wrap Cyndi's and his.   More later...

I found a small box in my storage closet so I used it and I wrapped his and Cyndi's gifts.  That was easy! Now I am truly finished.

The mail came and I had a gift from Scott and Ginger. I will save it until Christmas. I put it under my tree with the other three gifts.  The day after Christmas I will take down all my Christmas decorations and put them away. They have been up since the day after Thanksgiving. I will take one room at a time and try to keep them organized and labeled as I go.

I have been doing the crossword puzzle in the Reporter and am now finished with it. I will take the paper over to Marilyn. More later...it is 3:15PM now.

I watched Amazon Prime TV and also had some yogurt for supper and then watched some more Amazon Prime TV before taking my bath and later going to bed at 9:00PM.

Wednesday and Another Night of Decent Sleep

I slept well again last night. I got up at 5:00AM but had gone to bed at 9:00PM so I had plenty of sleep.

I dressed and had my breakfast right after that.  I sure miss Missy though.

I have spotty TV again this morning. It's off and on. I probably need a stronger antenna but I will make do with what I have. I am mostly interested in the news on TV. My entertainment is mostly the programs on Amazon Prime.

I don't really have a plan for today. My shopping is finished and all I have to do Christmas morning is make up my two dishes for Christmas dinner. My gifts are already out under John and Leslie's tree. I took them out the day of the cookie exchange on Sunday afternoon.

I got my Cox Communications bill today and scheduled it to be paid tomorrow. All I owe now is my life insurance and my Blue Cross/Blue Shield supplement.  Then I will begin thinking about the rent for January. At least January's social security comes in on the 8th.

More later....

We have dense fog today therefore I have little to no TV.  That's just the problem with an antenna that is evidently not quite strong enough.

Oh well, I can get the news from the computer.

More later...

I went to Independence and while there bought a new ink cartridge for my printer and a bottle of descaler for my Keurig coffeemaker. When I got home, I descaled the coffeemaker and fixed some frozen lasagna for my lunch. Then I watched some Amazon Prime TV. I have evidently seen all of Dr. Henry Lee's episodes. It repeated the last one and I have seen that one twice now.

In about 30 minutes I will leave to go to Asbury Village for bunco. It will last from 2:00PM until 4:00PM. That will use up my afternoon.

So, more later...

I went to Asbury Village for bunco and had a good time. Afterward I came home to find the mail. A couple of my classmates sent money to use toward the stamps I will need  to mail the class newsletter. That was good of them!

I turned on the TV and I had a good picture. Evidently after the fog lifted the TV improved. I watched some more Amazon Prime TV this evening. I took my bath and got myself ready for bed and then at 9:30PM, I went on to bed.

Tuesday and Good Sleep

I slept well this morning and didn't even get up until after 6:00AM. While I was just laying there thinking about the events of yesterday, Bob A. texted me to see if I was awake. I was but had not got up. I had an 8:30AM hair appointment  so I knew I need to get up and get with it.  I even  put in a load of laundry before I left for the hair appointment.

I didn't have much of  a signal on TV this morning. I tried everything they suggested but finally just figured Tulsa had not increased their signal for the daytime hours yet and went on the the beauty shop. When I got back home, I had a good signal so I imagine I was correct in my assessment.

More later..I want to catch the last few moments of the CBS news.

I went out to Walmart and bought $42.00 worth of groceries. When I got home I opened a can of tomato basil soup and heated it up in the microwave. I cut up the rest of my cheddar cheese  and also ate the rest of my crackers with that. It was a good lunch. I got all those groceries put away.

I had TV off and on all morning. I think the difference is weather conditions. My antenna was just where it was supposed to be. I also had a ton of leaves on my carport and even more in the back. After Christmas, if it's still nice, I will get some large bags and bag them up and leave them for the trash people to pick up. I hate having everything buried in leaves. That should be good exercise for me.

I laid down after my lunch and watched some more Amazon Prime TV...got a short nap too. I still miss Missy a lot and catch myself looking for her. I will eventually get over her loss. I knew it was just a matter of time at her age. I probably have another ten years myself. As I always say, none of us are going to get out of this life alive.

I got another copy of Connections and with it a large free copy from Westar's Fourth R, their newsletter. It would cost me $30 a year to subscribe to it and I think they only send it out 4 times a year. I'll think about it.

It's 8:35 PM now and I will watch some more Amazon Prime before I go to bed. I have had my bath and my PJs are on and I am ready for bed. 

Monday and a Griefstricken Day

I am up at 4:00AM again but have had my sleep out and feel fine. I really don't have anything going today. Tomorrow I will have my hair done at 8:30AM. I took my gifts out to John and Leslie's yesterday afternoon...all but Leslie's. I am still looking for the rest of her gift to come in the mail. It may come on December 19th. I hope so. Otherwise I may just have to try to wrap it to take it to her.

Maybe I will do some cleaning today...who knows.

I will get dressed now and get ready for my day. I will feed Missy and myself and watch the news. When Missy sees me up and getting around, she may get up.

I do need to get stamps today to get the newsletters in the mail.

More later...

I fed myself and Missy and have been watching the Tulsa news.  The CBS news doesn't come on until 9:00AM. That's what I'm really interested in watching. Since I haven't nothing else going today, I will go to post office today and buy my stamps and get my cards and letter in the mail. Maybe I will get the ingredients for the Christmas dinner. I am waiting until the post office opens because I want to get some more Christmas stamps to get the letters in the mail.

Bob Avery texted me this morning that they were having a brunch at the senior center for those born in December and asked me to come join them since my birthday was December 2nd. So I went up there. When I got home I found that Missy had been very sick and thrown up a couple of times. I cleaned that up and then loaded her up in the carrier to take her to Dr. Barta. She gagged all the way up there. He thought she might have a growth or obstruction of some sort in her throat.  She was 15 years old and would be 16 in March and had lost many of her teeth so we decided maybe it was time.

So I had her put down. I cried all the way home just as I did when I had Slinky, Scott's Shar Pei, put down. This time I simply could not go in while he put her down. She had been a lot of company and like a member of my family. We lay down together every evening and watched TV. She slept on my bed with me and cuddled up next to my back. I will miss her terribly. I cried for an hour or so.

She was grandfathered in this apartment but I am not to have another cat or pet now that she is gone and at my age that probably is smart.

I am going to watch the 5:00PM CBS News and it is going to seem very strange not to have my Missy Kitty lay down next to me to watch TV.

Maybe I will eventually get used to it.....

I lay down by myself this evening for the first time in 15+ years. It felt strange.  At 9:30PM, I went on to bed. I awoke at 2:15 and got up, went to the bathroom and took my med and a Bynadril for my drainage then went back to sleep. I was so upset today I guess between the Bynadril and having cried most of the afternoon, I slept well.

Sunday and Coffeecake and a Cookie Exchange Party

I woke up at nearly 4:00AM this morning. Once again, I had slept through the night.

I checked my e-mail right after I got out of bed. I had not had any additional news from my classmates but one couple offered to print off and mail the 62 that have to go out in snail mail. That was wonderful of them! If I had not already had Leslie offer to get that done at Four County, I would probably let them do that. But I also had all the envelopes already printed. I thanked them warmly but explained the situation to them. If I ever get to the place where I can no longer do the letter, I will turn it over to Dennis and Trini.

Over 21 years ago Shirley Gottschalk Bartlett turned it over to me.  I had it a few years before that but designed the letterhead and format a little later. John Wade came up with the name "The Coffee Grinder". At that time I began numbering them on the letterhead. This year's letter is number 21 but I had it several years before that and just sent it off as an ordinary Christmas letter at that time. And for several years the printing was done at a print shop but that got way too expensive.

Today I will bake my coffeecake and take that to church for the Church School class. After church we will probably eat out somewhere and then I will come back home and pick up my cookies at about 2:30PM and head out to John and Leslie's. I plan to take my Christmas gifts out to them at that time and put them under their huge tree. But I am also thinking of having a small get together Christmas Eve here at the apartment like I did last year. I could serve eggnog and cider and make a cranberry bread to serve. I will approach Leslie about that at church today. Also sometime Christmas Eve day, I will need to pick up my pie at Tyro.

Christmas morning I will put together Bob's fruit salad and a casserole dish. Cyndi says she is doing a green bean dish so it may be corn casserole instead of green bean casserole. I will take those as well as the pie out to John and Leslie's for Christmas dinner there. It is nine days until Christmas now. I sent out a bunch of Christmas cards with my own Christmas letter inside most of them yesterday. I actually got a lot done yesterday and even found time to take Missy out a couple of times.

I even thought about trying to get all those leaves bagged up for the trash people but then I thought about my arm and decided against it. Besides, I had an awful lot to do yesterday without raking and bagging up leaves. Sometimes I forget about my 83 years. 😀

Bob A. is taking his girlfriend and her daughter out to eat Christmas  at "Just Us". Kay will be having another Christmas dinner just like she did on Thanksgiving. 

More later...It's nearly 5:00AM and I need to get dressed and eat breakfast...and, oh yes, feed that cat.

Got all that done and even have the coffeecake baked. As soon as it's cooled, I will ice it.

Bob A. is going to drive himself to church. He is leaving church early to help Joanne bake cookies for the cookie exchange at John and Leslie's this afternoon at 3:00PM.  I will attempt to get Phyllis to let me drive since I have the coffeecake. She may insist she drives. I will see.

No, Phyllis let me drive but insisted she would drive next week. 

I will need to make a list of ingredients for the Christmas dinner part I am doing. I will need chopped apples, halved grapes, chopped pecans, chopped celery, and raisins.  I toss all that with mayonnaise. That's how my Bob always did it. If I make corn casserole too I will need eggs, butter, a pkg of dry cornbread mix, a can of whole kennel corn and a can of creamed corn, sugar and sour cream.

I will check with Leslie about the corn casserole.

If I do Christmas Eve, I will need the cranberry cake mix, and cider and  Braums eggnog.

More later..I need to ice the coffee cake.

After church Karan and Phyllis and I went over to "Just Us" to eat lunch. Afterward I took the girls home and said I would be back at 2:40PM to pick them up to take them to John and Leslie's cookie exchange party. On the way home, Scott called. He was at a movie that upset him and he just needed to talk to me. I think he just realized from the movie how tenuous life really is. I will not go see that movie. I am well aware of how tenuous life really is. That becomes apparent the older we get. I am so blessed to have my good health.

Probably a dozen people showed up at the cookie exchange and we all had a good visit. About 5:00PM or so, I suggested we leave and Phyllis and Karan and I gathered up our boxes of cookies in the exchange and said our goodbyes. I was very tired and I think Phyllis was too.

I got home in time to feed Missy her soft food and treats and I took my bath and got my PJ's on about 6:30PM and Missy and I watched 60 Minutes on TV before I turned to Amazon Prime and watched some more episodes of Dr. Henry's Lees career of being the foremost blood splatter expert and also a genius at using the evidence for a reenactment of the crime to discover how that evidence leads up to arrests. Those episodes are very interesting.

About 9:30PM, Missy and I went to bed. It was another of those huge days.