Yesterday, after I posted, I did some knitting (making a new scarf with some leftover yarn from the stash), and spoke with my cousin who called. In the afternoon, I went for a walk around the block and put water to the front garden. Later, I did a load of dishes and a load of laundry, which I hung up to dry overnight. I read on-line that it costs between 15 to 33 cents to dry a load of laundry in a gas dryer. Assuming it cost 33 cents per load (my dryer is old and so probably not the most energy efficient appliance), and I do an average of 3 loads a week, I saved just under $51.50 this past year, hanging all my laundry to dry. Of course I am not hanging up the laundry with the sole intention of saving money - I do it mostly because my dryer isn't heating and I still haven't got my dryer repaired! I don't mind hanging the clothes up to dry, so it's not a hardship. But it does take a little more time and effort than tossing them in the dryer. Still, it is nice to know that I am being a little bit frugal, saving energy and thus, environmentally friendly, by not using my dryer.
Also yesterday, my aunt who hosts an annual New Year's Day open house/lunch, sent a plate of food for for us, through one of my cousins, so we were blessed with dinner!
Today, I took down and folded the clothes had had hung up overnight to dry. Then, I spoke on the phone with a friend who called and with my half-sister who called. Sister had been on a river cruise in Europe over the Christmas holidays, so we hadn't spoken over the holidays.
Later in the afternoon, daughter went shopping for some gifts for some of her friends (she's getting together with them tomorrow evening), for the last of the holiday gifts I had wanted for people on my list (a T-shirt for my cousin's son, gift cards to the book store for my nieces' children), and to buy herself some new clothing items with the money I had given to her as her Christmas gift.
While daughter was out, I busied myself vacuuming the house. It's been awhile since the house was last vacuumed as I have a canister vacuum and my daughter doesn't like to vacuum with it! Neither does my cousin who sometimes comes to help nor my friend. They will sweep, but they don't like my vacuum cleaner! And while I appreciate their help, I don't think sweeping picks up as much dust, etc., as the vacuum. I vacuumed the living room and dining area, the hallway, kitchen and daughter's bathroom. And then, I got tired and had to stop. It used to be that I could vacuum the whole house in about 30 minutes, but today, I didn't have the energy to do the bedrooms, family room, and my bathroom. So, those areas will have to be done tomorrow.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Aunt sending over dinner, yesterday
- Phone calls from sister and a friend
- Daughter going shopping for me
- Getting part of the house vacuumed
- Drying my clothes in a frugal and environmentally friendly way
How was your second day of the new year?
Proud you accomplished so much.. And proud you stopped when you got tired..Your body will let you know, when to stop. Hope you have a good week.will be praying for your upcoming doctors visits and your next chemo.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Judy. It's amazing how quickly I tire! Hope you are feeling better. Have a lovely week.
DeleteHappy New Year The discussions about using dryers often talk about how hard it is on clothes. I don't put lingerie, quality clothes or bright colored garments in the dryer as an effort to have them last longer. In my view, it's easier to put clothes on 'fat' hangers to dry on a pull out style clothes-line in the laundry/utility rm. I 'air fluff' quilts to keep them 'fresh' as it's minus 15, snow to calf, to problematic to even shake outside.
ReplyDeleteOn another theme, are you getting vitamin shots or tablets for support during this period of chemo? How many treatments do they suggest completes this course? Does the blood work give any evidence of escaped cancer cells? Does your oncologist continue to believe all traces were captured?
I'm so pleased you have started a new quilt. Thrilled you are continuing to work as the activities force your focus elsewhere and positive thoughts are somehow healing.
Happy New Year to you, too, Hon. I am taking vitamin C pills, per my primary care physician's recommendation. And the blood work is to monitor my white blood cell count after each treatment. There are 4 total chemo treatments for this session, followed by 12 more of a different type, followed by radiation. As for the rest of it - escaped cancer cells and capturing all traces - I don't know. I suppose, at the end of treatment, they will check, but I wouldn't know how. Good questions to ask when I next see the oncologist, though. Thank you for suggesting them. :)
DeleteI hang my laundry to dry too. Not necessarily to be frugal, but because I haven't had one in months. There is an issue with wiring where the dryer was so it has to be moved elsewhere. I know it is an unnecessary convenience, but I do miss it!
ReplyDeleteJess, my sympathies for being without a dryer when you have a little one around. They can generate a lot of laundry! A dryer becomes almost a necessity, under those circumstances! Hope you can get the wiring issues resolved and have your dryer working, again, soon. By the way, is Little Wolf feeling better now?
DeleteHe's good, thanks for asking. Today was the first day his nose hasn't been running non-stop. He's feeling way better.
DeleteOh, I am glad to hear that, Jess. It's so hard when little ones are sick. Hope he continues to feel better until he's quite well again.
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