Starting December

My Dracaena

Here we are - the last month of the year!  Can you believe it's December, already?

Today, I took daughter to the airport in the morning, and then, went to the office.  During my lunch break, I went to the pharmacy to stock up on the vitamin C tablets my doctor recommended (buy 1 get 1 free sale!) and to buy a digital blood pressure monitor.  I used to have a manual blood pressure monitor, several years ago, but it stopped working properly after some time and would give me an error reading all the time.  The new one I bought today is automatic and I hope will give me accurate readings.  It cost $65.99 and I used a $5 "extra bucks" rewards coupon and paid $66.48 with tax.  But I also received another $10 "extra bucks" rewards coupon upon purchase.  I shall redeem that for something else, tomorrow.  Perhaps on something I can give as a holiday gift to someone on my list!

When I left the office for the day, I brought home my office plant, pictured above.  This plant is about 17 years old; maybe even older.  I bought it as a tiny plant, no more than 8 inches tall, to keep on my desk at work.  Over the years, it grew, turning this way and that to reach the light.  Each time I noticed the branches reaching in one direction, I'd turn it around and the branches would go another direction.  When it grew tall and almost reached the ceiling, the one branch arched over!  Eventually it became top heavy, and toppled over, and then, I set it on the floor, where it felt its way around the bookcase and the coat rack.  Two of my colleagues had been watering it for me during the weeks I've been home recovering from surgery, etc.  But I thought it would be too much to ask them to care for it for the 6 months of chemo therapy.  Besides, it desperately needs to be repotted and given some new soil.  Probably needs to be pruned, too!  Those spindly branches are liable to break off for the weight of the leaves at their ends!  But it almost looks sculptural, doesn't it?  Unfortunately, dracaena is toxic to cats, so I have to be careful that Dancer doesn't try to eat it.  So, after I took the picture, I put it in the spare bedroom and closed the door.

Later in the evening, I cooked the almost 5 lbs. of beef I had bought - I cut it in strips and sauted with sliced onions, Worchestershire sauce and a little black pepper, since I've been told not to eat spicy food!

Beef  for the Freezer

I will package it up and freeze it for when I need it, later, during my chemo treatment period.  I can add some vegetables to it when I am ready to eat it.

This evening, I had phone calls from two cousins, informing me that an aunt had fallen and was hospitalized.  Aunt will be 90 in January, so, falls, etc. are worrying.

And now, it is after midnight and I am tired.  Tomorrow is a working day, again, and I have to get up early.  So, I'll post this, put the cooked beef in the fridge (to be packaged up and frozen tomorrow), clean the cat's litter box and head off to bed.

today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter had a safe flight back
- I had a safe drive to the office and back
- Another couple of errands run
- Coupons and sales
- Meals for the freezer.

Hope you had a good start to your December.  Have you thought of holiday gifts, yet?