It's Thursday

David sent this email and I had to share it.

We had a cold front slide through this morning. I was heavily medicated because I knew it was going to hurt. I'm fine except it's raining and it will be doing so most of the day. I love the rain, hate the weeds. One more thing, February always gets a bit of a small ice storm every year. We haven't gotten it yet. BUT! We have the front that came through this morning will sling-shot through here on its way back through Texas and bring temperatures down into the 30's again. So. This weekend, February may likely go out with a freezing bang.

Anywho, the past few days since we had the fridge on the front porch, a dog, yes a big ol' black and white dog has been coming round the house, sleeping on our porch and acting like we own him. Well, yesterday, we finally got rid of the refrigerator from the front porch. I can tell Cousin Eddie he can go home now, we no longer need his services. David found someone that would come and get the fridge off our porch for free. He gave me the phone number to call and I was so happy they wanted it. They strip it down for parts and safely dispose of any freon. So, yeah, it's finally gone and I can stop hiding my face when I go outside for the mail. We are no longer hillbillies as far as I know.

I'm baking today. The dough is rising for bread and I took eggs and cream cheese out to come to room temperature earlier. The graham cracker base that I baked earlier this morning is cooled. So I'll be starting on making a second cheesecake from a recipe I put together as soon as I finish here. The first cheesecake I made turned out okay but it wasn't creamy enough and it tasted too much like a cake from the flour it called for. I'm eliminating the flour and sour cream. I want it to taste like a certain vanilla flavored cheesecake I used to buy from a deli that I used to get lunch. I bought a slice of New York styled cheesecake every Friday during my lunchtime when I worked during the 1980s. Having that slice of cheesecake was heaven and I'm trying to figure out the recipe. When I finally figure it out I'll post it for everyone to try. I found out making a cheesecake is not as hard as I thought it was. Also, the trick to keeping the cheesecake from cracking on the top is to bake it, turn the oven off and then cool it down in the oven with a wooden spoon stuck between the oven door and oven. When it is completely cooled then you have to put it in the refrigerator overnight to solidify completely in the pan. You take the springform pan off after the cheesecake is cooled by running a knife around the sides and then gently opening the springform pan to release the cheesecake. Another trick is to have all ingredients come to room temperature before you put it together so that the batter is so much creamier in texture. So, we will see how this recipe turns out.

Y'all have a magical day.

Wet Dog Wednesday

Oy! What A Weekend

I am sooooooo tired. I have a sinking feeling I'm going to be worse than tired before today is over. I moved all the frozen food items out of the little freezer into the new one and literally cleaned house. I've started my spring cleaning earlier than I usually do. I made a bulleted list of things that must be cleaned. The easiest, bathroom, living room and dining room were done over this weekend. I'm actually doing the spring cleaning according to how well I feel. Then I'll recoup and when I know I can do something else on the list I'll tackle that until I get the list done. 

Anywho, I took everything out of the bathroom linen closet and checked for mold or mildew and then wiped every surface down I washed all the towels and hand towels to make sure nothing was overlooked. I opened the overhead vent and took the shop vac to it. I think I cleaned that bathroom within an inch of its life. Then I tied up some a few small lavender posies and hung them in the linen closet. It smells so nice and clean in there now. Then I tackled the living room and dining room. So yeah, I'm tired and might be hurting very soon now. I know my back is starting to kill me as I write. So I'm sitting with my back wrapped in the heating pad.

David finally moved the old dead fridge out of the kitchen on Saturday after I bitched about it long enough. It nearly took all day because he wasn't thinking. The man cut the water line that was attached to the freezer door for the water dispenser. He cut it! There is a small cuplink that you unscrew at the bottom of the door for fuck's sake. He took the doors off and then proceeded to push the thing, leaking water, through my freshly cleaned dining room and living room and out the front door onto the front porch. Our old refrigerator is sitting on the front porch like a bunch of rednecks hillbillies from Tennesse live in this house. I feel like calling someone, I don't know who, to take it away. Just get it off my fucking front porch and out of my site before somebody calls the police to report us as an eyesore. It's so demeaning. Shit, I sound like some fucking stuck-up snobbish bitch. I'm really getting pissed at David lately. The yard is a mess. We have weeds everywhere. The roof needs to be cleaned off of dead leaves and he won't do anything. It's like I have to light a fucking atom bomb under his ass to get him going. Yesterday. I was furious with him about the yard and the fridge. He refused to budge. I'm getting to think he has gotten into a lazy winter stage he always gets into about this time of year. I hate when it happens. I can't get him to do anything. I'm living in the twilight zone.

Religion in a Nutshell

This is just a documentation.

Friday evening, 2/22/2019. I had a really bad attack of Raynaud's in the fingertips of my hands. My toes followed but not as bad. It only lasted in my toes for a little bit because I was walking around at the time. I thought about that so I tried to bring my fingers back to normal by putting them under warm and then hot water. It didn't work. So I took a hot shower to get my blood warm and circulating. That didn't work. So I started to wring my hands and open and close my hands into clenched fists. That seemed to work although my fingers were still cold and deathly white. I finally got my fingers back to normal in color but they still hurt like hell. I also noticed my whole body started to feel cold. I just took my usual night time meds and went to sleep earlier than I usually do. I also wore wool sox on my hands and feet. It seemed to work. I'll have to remember that. Right now, there is some pain if I grab anything like my coffee mug and my fingers are slightly cold.  

Info on Raynaud's, when the fingers and/or toes get really ice cold and turn alarmingly white then blue then sometimes purple and then back to their normal color. It feels like if you are outside on an icy cold day and frostbite is setting in on your fingers. There is also a great deal of pain in the fingers and the pain travels up the arms or legs if toes are involved. Cold, icy tingling feeling. Lots of pain involved. When I had my first attack I thought it was brought on from smoking. I used to get this problem all the time when I was in my mid 30's. Noting I must have started my MCTD when I was in my mid 30's. Had many problems with Raynaud's in my hands, tiredness, joint pains, back pain, etc. most likely from Lupus. Was never diagnosed until 64 years of age.

Raynaud's is caused when the blood flow to the fingertips or toes is either cut off completely or is partially blocked by constricting (vasospasm) blood vessels. It hurts because they are very cold and almost nothing I can do will stop it from happening. It just know the cold is one trigger so far. I will have to be more aware of other triggers in the future. I do know what to do to get my digits back to normal now and what to do if I feel like an attack is coming on. Clinching the hands and toes seems to force better circulation. Then there is wearing of wool socks on my hands and feet during the cold weather. It will keep the cold air from triggering another attack. It's just the pain afterward that I hate the most. I can't seem to get rid of it. It travels right up my arms and legs and the pain stays in my hands.

Raynaud's is a syndrome in itself or it can be part of Lupus (MCTD). It can be caused by high blood pressure, Sclaraderma, arthritis, smoking, cold weather, stress, etc. Check here for info via Mayo Clinic.

First Responder Friday

Just a Short Mess of Words

Well, the repair guy came to check the refrigerator on Tuesday and he said there was a small leak in the coils and it was leaking freon. He showed me that the coils in the freezer back panel should be covered in frost. It was only 1/3 covered in frost. the bottom part was frostless. it would cost us between $400 to $500 just to replace the freon coils. Maybe another $200 for labor and the freon replacement. Well, Fuckit. The fridge is close to 15 years old. We bought it at Sears in the spring of the year after we were married. It's a Kenmore and it lasted longer than we figured it would. So David went and bought another Kenmore at the Sears web site and it will be delivered here sometime around 3pm., we hope. This one is a freezer on the top and fridge on the bottom. Old school style the way I like it. More room. I hate side-by-side refrigerator-freezers. So dinky in the room area on the fridge side. The old fridge is still working but it's slowly dying. As long as we keep the doors closed and keep activity into it down, the thing will keep the butter, cheese, and milk cold. 

David is home today. He has 2 different doctors appointments and then hopefully we will get that text from Sears for the new fridge. He said he will pick it up on his way home if he is at the doctor's office. So not much going on right now. It's awkward for Lucy because she isn't used to David being home in the middle of the week. I'm guessing she thinks it's Saturday. The poor little puppy is so confused. She is sleeping next to me on the sofa while I'm blogging right now. I can hear her little snores from under the blanket. She sounds like a congested baby sleeping.

Well, I have some laundry to get to. It isn't gonna wash itself. Y'all have a magical day.

Weird Animal Wednesday

It's a Shitty Day in The Neighborhood

Today is a dreary wet day. It's cold and drizzling. I really didn't want to get out of bed but I have to do it. David FINALLY called a repairman to come and fix the refrigerator this morning. The repair guy will be by sometime between 2 and 4pm or earlier if someone cancels. 

Sunday evening I noticed the freezer side wasn't freezing anymore. I took off the front grill and actually cleaned underneath the fridge. It was clean, no dust bunnies or buildup. David said I was imagining things and that the freezer side was working just fine. Yeah, like I imagine chicken breasts that I newly freezer bagged ain't freezing or butter that I keep in there is going soft.  Right. So I moved everything into the little freezer that I keep for bodies like my husband's and began cleaning the inside, which needed to be done anyway. I haven't cleaned the inside of it since I had my first knee surgery back in 2011. I left a used plastic bottle with a little bit of water inside the freezer to check if it was working or not. I checked the bottle an hour later and it was just cooled water nothing more. So, that is what is going on now. I'm just waiting for the repair guy to call and listening to the rain falling.

I'm glad all of you liked the Monty Python "Bigus Dickus" skit from Life of Brian. I know my brother loves it when I play anything on my blog that is MP. I'm also guessing that Debra and I were on the same wavelength yesterday because she posted the Brain Hurt short from MP. Brilliant minds do think alike.

OMG! I want to go back to bed but I have things to do. I feel like warmed over shit. Please don't imagine that. It isn't pretty. I feel as if every muscle in my body is screaming for a vacation in the Bahamas. Oh, that would be so nice but I can't expose my skin to the sun. FUCKIT! I hate this disease! Anyone know of a body repair shop that makes house calls? I need a replacement from the head down.

Well, Y'all have a magical day.

Because I Don't Feel Like It Today

Religion in a Nutshell

First Responder Friday

Happy Valentine's Day Massacre, Y'all

This morning I sent this to David 

He sent me this one back

I think we're in love!

Yes, we've been hit!

Wet Cat Wednesday

A Semi Cold Front Came Through and Other Shit

Yeah. Around 4am this morning a strange little cold front came through our neck of the woods bringing a warm sun and chasing the wet dreary cold weather away. The temps for us here in south central Texas will be in the 60's to 70's during the day and 50's at night, well except for Wednesday morning. Yes, Wednesday morning will be the only morning during this whole week that will be close to 33 degrees. Yeah, mother nature is off her meds again. If you happen to see her, use extreme caution.

Yesterday I really didn't feel much like typing. My fingers were just not wanting to move much. So, I laid on the sofa with Lucy and watched The Walking Dead on the DVR. It was interesting but I'm starting to get to the point that I'm getting too bored with it. The good stuff is over with and now everyone is settling in and just having to fight with each other over whose word is law. They are getting into the Whisperers phase but that will end like Negan did. Like I said it's all predictable and boring. 

Lately, I've been binge watching Victorian period TV shows from PBS. What is it with watching this shit. After a while, I start speaking like the characters. I can be away from watching this stuff and as soon as I watch another British show I'm back to speaking like them. Even David notices. If he takes notice then it has gotten really bad. I need to get out more. 

David has been putting the CBD Relief cream on my back for me. I can get my shoulders and everything else but my arms aren't able to reach around to my back. It hurts too much to even try. So he lubes my lower back for me and I do the rest and I'm good to go. The CBD Relief cream works almost as fast as Aspercreme.  The CBD cream lasts longer and is a lot stronger when it comes to stopping the pain. I know that when David applies it on my back, I will be able to do more. It lasts for about 4 to 6 hours. That's pretty damned good. The cream was part of the CBD care package that we got so I could try everything out. I think I will try another cream before we settle on one. But for now, HempWorx looks like a winner brand. I have 2 more brands to try out and then I will make my choice. 

Religion in a Nutshell

First Responder Friday

It's Thursday, Ewwwww. Just Eeewwww.

I tried the CBD oil from the care package that David brought home on Monday. It had the peppermint flavoring so it wasn't so bad. I only put 6 drops in a spoon and took it that way. I feel pretty good. A little surprised because a cold front came through here around an hour after I took the oil. I had some mild pain in my back and my right leg did go stiff but now I feel pretty damned good. I'm thinking maybe I'll try some more of the oil tonight before bedtime and see if it stops my pain then. I do have constant pain, really.  And so far I've tried only 2 different brands of CBD oils. I'm still going to try other brands on the market but not with THC. I don't want to fail a piss test. I found out that if my pain doctor asks for a random urine test on me and I fail it because of THC he can legally drop me. It sucks but that's how it is.

My new food processor came Tuesday afternoon. I'm so happy! I already started working it to death. I made blondies and some cheesecake minis. When my mixing bowls get here today, I'll have to find a place to hide them so David doesn't steal them. The new bowls are because David used my old plastic ones to do outside and household chores. I was not happy or impressed with the results of his ventures when I found out the whereabouts and condition of my old plastic mixing bowls. So I made him order a new set. Not cheap either. So, now I will be able to mix stuff up in the kitchen in large batches.
Well, I have laundry to start. I do something like one or 2 loads on Thursdays and Fridays so David and I can have the weekends to ourselves. I hate not being able to go anywhere or enjoying time with friends and family on the weekends and know that I have to get laundry or clean the house. So I do this on the days before the weekend. So, all y'all have a magical day.