Wednesday

Solar Powered Illumination Jar

For Good Luck!

M gifted me this solar powered illuminated Good Luck jar a couple of weeks ago; we have it hanging from a cut branch near the moringa tree.  It lights up at night and stays lit for a few hours, depending on how much sunlight it received during the day.  My cell phone camera doesn't take good night time pictures, though.  

I'm going to need some good luck because the new furnace is doing what the old furnace used to do!  Delayed ignition is the term the gas company technician called it when he red tagged the old furnace.  Last night, when I switched on the furnace, I could hear the gas flowing, but, it took a few seconds for the furnace to ignite and it did so with a big whoosh and a burst of yellow flames, before it settled down to a steady blue flame.  I was not happy.  After the house warmed up and the furnace turned itself off, I lowered the thermostat and went to bed, but couldn't fall asleep for a long time (the last time I looked at the clock it was 4:30 a.m.); I was worried about the furnace.  Today, daughter turned it on and it did the same thing!  She said she could see the yellow flames.  I can't remember if it did the same thing when the technician from the furnace company turned it on to show me that it works - maybe the flame wasn't so noticeable during the day; also, I was standing near the thermostat and not near the furnace where I could see the flame then.   So, tomorrow, I need to call both the furnace people and the gas company, too, to have a technician come out to check.  Fortunately, we are having a couple of warm days, so, we can manage to be without the heater until they can come and check it.  But, it's one more thing to worry about!  Especially after spending so much money on the new furnace!

As if that wasn't enough to worry about, yesterday, my daughter got bitten on her right hand by a mosquito or some other insect and her hand swelled up!  She said it was aching as well as itchy.  I had her put an ice pack on it and apply some antibiotic cream.  She also took an antihistamine.  Her hand was still somewhat swollen, today, too.  I applied some aloe vera gel on the raised bump where she was stung, and she took another antihistamine, too.  She says it's much better now, but, I was concerned because I had recently seen a report that mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus were increasing in numbers in my area!  

I took it easy in the morning.  Then, M arrived to tend to the garden and he watered the plants and did some more pruning.  

After he left, I took a container of soup and a few groceries to friend R; she was experiencing a few aches and pains from receiving the booster shot, yesterday.  

I spent the rest of the afternoon watching some videos, online.  They were a good distraction from worrying about the furnace, etc.!  Cousin V called and I chatted with her for a bit and texted with cousin N.  

Later, in the evening, I cooked a packet of ground turkey I had in the freezer (made a curry with it) and a pot of rice for dinner.  I had some of the raspberries I bought, yesterday, for dessert; they weren't that good, though, and starting to spoil, already.

I also practiced the piano for half an hour or so in the evening.    

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter's hand is better
- M tending to the garden for me
- A safe drive to R's and back
- Keeping in touch with family and friends
- The sunny, warm day

Today's joyful activity was taking some homemade soup and a few other items to friend R.

Plans for tomorrow include some phone calls and waiting for a package (or two) to be delivered. 

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for tomorrow?