Saturday, September 24, 2022

Warm Fall Days

Dancer Collage

A blog reader once commented that I need to have photos in my posts; that they hate to read a long post with only text.  After I wrote this blog post, I realized that it was all text and no photos, so, I tried to find some photos I still have in my phone to create a collage, since I didn't take any new photos, today (well, I took one, but, that is for later!)

We are having a mini heatwave with highs in the mid 90s(F), yesterday and today.  Warmer temperatures are in the forecast for early next week.  Needless to say, I am loving it!

Yesterday (Friday) started with a phone call from my half-sister.  It was mid-morning when she called, but, I was still waking up, having gone to sleep after 4:00 a.m.  It was not an urgent, emergency type of call, just checking to see how I was doing, so I let it go to the answering machine.  I called her back later in the afternoon and it was my turn to leave a message on her answering machine!

In the afternoon, I went to pick up my groceries.  I used the key to open the car door (the remote didn't work) and the car started without any problem.  I drove to the grocery store and my favorite store worker, Jennifer saw me pull in to the special parking spots they have set aside for curbside pick up.  I guess she was helping another customer.  I didn't see her and started to call the store to notify them that I was there when she called out that she'll be with me in a minute!  I didn't even complete the call to the store!  Jennifer brought the groceries to me and told me that it was lovely to see me (her words), and that she feels happy when she sees my name on the order when it comes in because she knows she'll get to see one of her favorite customers!  Now isn't that lovely?  I told her it was great to see her, too; she is so bubbly and exuberant.  No discounts, this time around, but, I wasn't expecting one and I was happy that I received all the items I had ordered.

After I came home and put the groceries away, I called friend R to see if she was home because I wanted to take a piece of cake over to her.  I asked her if she wanted anything else and she asked for some curry leaves and lemons.  Just before I left the house to take the cake and other items to R, I just tried my car key remote to see if it would work and, guess what?  It worked!  I guess being in the ignition while I drove to the grocery store and back (and the short wait at the store parking lot when I had the car engine idling while I waited), must have recharged the battery?  I had wondered if that would do it and I guess it did!  

Friend R lives about a 15-20 minutes drive away; I stayed in the car (masked) while I handed the bag with the container of cake, the curry leaves, and lemons to R (who was also masked) through the open car window; the engine was running during our less than 5 minutes visit.  Then, I drove home and yes, locked the car doors with the now functioning key fob!  I will be making it a point to not only start the car for a few minutes every few days, but, to drive it around for a little bit, too.  

Later in the evening, M arrived to tend to the garden and he enjoyed a slice of cake, too.  He put away the window a/c unit that we had taken down earlier in the month when we had that rain shower; he had left it in the family room in case I wanted it up, again, but, I don't think it will get warm enough for that (even if we are supposed to go up to 100F next week).  So, the a/c unit is now back in the garage, waiting to be called into service again, next summer.

Still later, I cooked one of the trays of chicken thighs I had bought.  I made a curry with it and once it had cooled, I portioned it (two pieces per package) and froze it.  There were 10 chicken thighs in the package and now, there are 5 packages of frozen chicken curry in the freezer.  I am planning to do the same with the second pack of chicken thighs (I kept it to marinate in the fridge and am cooking it, tonight).  I guess you could say this is my version of batch cooking!

My daughter had another migraine headache, yesterday.  She was fine in the morning, but, the headache started in the afternoon and she had to take the afternoon off from work.  She took the Excedrin for migraine that her doctor had told her to take and the headache eventually wore off, but, she was still feeling a bit heavy-headed this morning, she said.  However, she felt better in the afternoon and did her grocery shopping and bought her monthly bus pass, etc.  Chicken has been priced at $2.89/lb. in her area and she had been holding off on buying any; but, today, she found some drumsticks for $1.99/lb. and bought a small pack of them, she said.  I am thinking that I will buy another tray of chicken when it goes on sale for $.99/lb. next (if it does), closer to daughter's next planned visit home (for Thanksgiving) and cook and freeze it for her to take back with her!  

Today (Saturday) has been a relatively relaxed day.  I guess yesterday's activities wore me out!  LOL!

I am grateful for:
- My daughter is feeling better after her migraine
- Driving around for a bit seems to have recharged my key fob battery!
- Being able to order groceries online and pick up, curbside
- A short visit with friend R
- M helping me with the garden and taking the a/c unit to the garage

Joyful activities have included in-person chats with Jennifer, friend R, and gardener M!  

How is your weekend coming along?

22 comments:

  1. Always great to see Dancer pics! Cats are just the best! I’m glad your daughter is feeling better. Migraines are certainly painful and no fun. Sounds like you’ve had a very productive weekend. Take care!

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    1. Thank you, Mandy. Yes, my daughter is feeling better and I'm glad. I did have a productive day, yesterday; today was not quite as productive, but, I did some batch cooking. :)
      I hope all is well with you and hope you have a restful Sunday.

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  2. Mandy is right, migraines are no fun. Glad your daughter is better. I have a busy day today, my turn to do the children's group at church. Friday I had my covid booster and yesterday I felt as if a horse had kicked my arm. It was hard to do anything physical.

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    1. Thank you, Angela. Glad you had your booster shot, but, sorry to hear the arm hurt. Hope you feel better, today, and up to running the children's group at church!

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  3. I agree a blog post needs a photo and you have your Dancer and I have my Tilly so we'll never be stuck for a photo or two :) That's so lovely to be told you are a favourite customer and Jennifer sounds a lovely lady. I'm glad your daughter recovered fairly quickly from her migraine.

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    1. I agree, Eileen, photos do liven up a blog post! I just have to remember to take them! :D It made my day to be told that I was a favorite customer! Thank you, Eileen, I, too, am glad my daughter recovered fairly quickly from her migraine. I haven't heard from her, yet, today (it is early afternoon), but, I'm hoping that she is feeling well, today, too. :)

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  4. We are definitely into autumn here now, as it feels chilly early in the morning. I'm glad your daughter is feeling better now. Xx

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    1. We will have high temperatures next week, too, according to the forecast! I am not complaining! :D Thank you, Jules; I don't like the fact that my daughter is getting migraines and neither she nor her doctors can actually pinpoint a cause!

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  5. I love that photo of Dancer yawning (or is he singing?). How agreeable it is to have pleasant store personnel. I'm often thankful for those in our town. I do hope your daughter feels better soon.

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    1. That's a good photo of him, isn't it? It makes me smile when I see it!
      It's lovely to have friendly store personnel, especially when they greet you by name, etc. They personify customer service!
      Thank you, Bushlady; I haven't heard from my daughter, yet, today, but, I hope she is feeling OK. I'll call her in another hour or so if I don't hear from her just to check on her.

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  6. I'm sorry to hear that your daughter has had another migraine. They're no fun at the best of time but even less so when you live alone. Hopefully the meds continue to work for her. Is Thanksgiving the next time she will be home with you? That's not too long to wait if it is.

    That was a lovely greeting from Jennifer and it's good your car started properly and that the key fob is working again ... that must be a relief.

    Are the Covid numbers still high in your area? I saw today that they are starting to rise again in the UK but I haven't seen any data for this area yet. My only consolation is that, at least during the colder months, I won't be wanting to go out too often so won't be taking as many risks!

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    1. Thank you, Eileen; I told her that if she was at home, I could at least fuss over her! Yes, Thanksgiving is when she will be visiting next. I'm looking forward to the visit! :)

      The trip to the grocery store went very well! I didn't expect Jennifer to be there because I went in the afternoon and she usually works in the morning. But, it was lovely to be greeted in such a friendly way and I was happy that the car started. I don't know if driving helped to recharge the key fob - from what I read online, the battery is not rechargeable, but, it worked, again! I don't know if it will work next week - we shall see. If it doesn't, then, I will just use the key as a regular key until I can get a replacement battery.

      The Covid numbers have been going down very slightly and they were between 1,000 and 2,000, daily, last week, with the testing positivity rate for the week coming down to 4.63% from a high of nearly 16% in mid-July. Friday's number of new cases was 1,641 (no new numbers are reported during the weekend). I am resigned to the fact that this is about as good as it will get! I will get the next booster in October and then, I guess I will mask up and venture out, occasionally!

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  7. Meeting Jennifer is one of the silver linings that has come from the pandemic. She sounds like a special person.

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    1. Yes, meeting her has been one of the silver linings to come from the pandemic! :) She is such a pleasant person to interact with.

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  8. I don't mind about lots of reading ... in fact I am in awe of your ability to post every day and always have something to say! I would never have the patience ... or the stickability! Dancer is certainly quite expressive!

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    1. Ha, ha, got to get my two cents in! I enjoy writing, probably more than talking. :D I might not have much to say, but, I can write a paragraph about it! :D

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  9. You can add as many photos of Dancer to your posts as you please! I really like seeing the photos of him. He sounds like he has such character!

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    1. He is quite a character, Sharon. Spoilt, too! :D

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  10. I'm glad your daughter's migraine has gone and she is feeling better.
    Has the frequency changed? I don't recall you mentioning them as often in the past. I hope she and her doctor can figure out if there's a trigger for her getting them.
    And how good that her waiting on the chicken price paid off.
    .99 cents a pound is great.
    That was so nice of Jennifer to say what she did. I would imagine in her job, she often will deal with difficult people so you must be a pleasure to service.
    It was nice of you to give some of the lemon cake to friends R and M. Is there any left? ;)
    I agree with Lady Ella and am impressed with how you do a daily post. I always look forward to seeing what your days have been like.
    Yes for pictures and always yes for Dancer pictures.

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    1. Thank you, Debra. My daughter hardly ever had any migraines before this. She had a total of two when she was in high school and they were rather random, But, all of a sudden, she's been getting them every 2 or 3 weeks since June. She hasn't eaten anything unusual to think they are triggered by a food allergy. They might be hormone-related, although she isn't sure of that. The past couple of times seems to have been after sleeping in, so, now, she is making sure that she sets an alarm, even on the weekends, to prevent herself for sleeping more than 9 hours! I used to get migraines when I was in my late 20s/early 30s, and, apparently, migraines can be hereditary! (Although, I think mine were mostly due to undiagnosed high blood pressure; they've since gone away, although I still get the occasional eye auras without the accompanying headache!)
      Jennifer is sweet, but, she did say that I am very easy going. I guess I don't yell at them if something is missing from my order, etc. :)
      Ha, ha, yes, there is still some cake left! :D I made a bundt cake, so there was plenty to go around. :)
      Thank you! I enjoy writing about my rather uneventful days! And Dancer is usually willing to pose! :D

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  11. Photos are always nice in a blog post, but not absolutely necessary. I do find it easier to blog though if I have been taking pics. And who can resist an photographic update on Dancer.

    How nice that the gal at the grocery knows you on sight. I have to say that is one of the things I miss about our old grocery store, I knew most of the checkers there. On the bright side, during the pandemic I got more acquainted with the checkers in the new store, as it seemed a lot of the newer ones did not work -- just the older ladies who had little choice.

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    1. I try to have a photo or two that relates to the post, but, I can always ask Dancer to pose for one when I don't! :D
      It is nice to be known in person, at the store, etc., isn't it? Grocery shopping at the stores here seem to be such an impersonal experience, these days, with self-checkout machines, etc. I'm glad I can continue to order and pick up.

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