Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Bits and Pieces

Never before have I seen a variation of the flu bug so insidious.  You think you are done with it and then it comes back just enough to sap you of your energy and keep you tired all the time.  On the up side, I am getting lots of sleep which is probably a good thing.

One result of too many daytime naps is being awake at odd hours.  The other evening, being awake at 3 AM, I looked out my living room window and noticed it had started to snow.  My street looks kind of old fashioned, with street lights made to look like the gas lights of long ago.  Combined with the big snowflakes falling, the scene was quiet and peaceful.  I watched for a time, thinking how nice it was to have an ordinary city street turned postcard pretty.  Only about two inches of snow fell, but it was lovely.

My cleaning lady is worth her weight in gold.  I have a tall, narrow shelving unit in my kitchen that holds large bottles of seasonings, canning jars full of things like mashed potato flakes, dehydrated hash browns, canning salt, pancake mix, etc.  Today she cleared out the unit, washed down all the shelves, the top and the two small cupboards it contains.  She even wiped the accumulated kitchen grunge from the bottles and jars.  In the past few weeks, she has washed down my bedroom and kitchen walls, all without being asked.  I don't think my apartment has ever looked this good!

I still plan to do some canning, but am putting it off until my energy returns.  In the meantime I am ordering what I need using my grocery delivery service and just freezing items like corn and peas and beef roast and hamburger when it is on sale.  That way I can do small batches on good days and avoid those canning marathons I used to do.

Duane brought me a bucket of ice cream and a box of ice cream cones.  Yes, I know.  It is Minnesota and it is sub-zero temps.  But here in the tundra, it is never too cold to indulge ones self with ice cream.  Which I have done.  More times than I care to admit to.

All things considered, life is still pretty darn good!

17 comments:

  1. Haha! - It's NEVER too cold for ice cream! Does your cleaning lady ever leave with some "Vicki cookin?"

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    1. Gorges...Ice cream is a real treat for me. I could order it in my grocery order, but they do the actual shopping at 9 am and I don't get the groceries delivered until after 3 pm, at which time I would have a bucket of lovely ice cream soup!!

      I was just thinking today that I need to bake some goodies to send home with her. She does such a good job.

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  2. Oops! I wasn't trying to give you ideas, I just figured that it was only a matter of time before that happened, though.

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    1. Gorges...The idea had flitted through my mind earlier. It is fun for me to share what I make. I'm thinking of sending a bag of chocolate chip cookies home with her next week.

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  3. Yeah this flu is bad bad this year! my man is sick again....makes me think it is hanging on not really leaving his system.
    Never too cold for ice cream.
    I find falling snow so peaceful in a busy world!!
    feel better...lots of rest is good! so is chicken soup...which reminds me will have to make a pot tomorrow! ;)

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    1. Mary...I think you are right. This flu just never goes completely away, but hangs on to rear its ugly head time after time. I've never seen anything like it.

      It was so nice to see a city street transformed by the snow. I loved just sitting there, watching the snow make everything pretty again.

      Luckily I have lots of chicken soup canned and on my shelves. Have been opening jars for my meals lately, rather than doing much actual cooking. Sure hope Mtn. Man gets better soon and this nasty bug stays away from you!!

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  4. Your cleaning lady sounds wonderful. Ice cream sounds good too. Glad you are feeling a bit better.

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    1. Kristina...She is wonderful. These cleaning services have a list of tasks to be completed on each visit, but she just comes in and does what needs to be done, going above and beyond what she would have to do. I hope she stays with me a good, long time.

      I am better than I was. I just wish this bug would leave the premises altogether instead of returning about the time I think I am finally over it. Nasty strain of flu, it is!!

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  5. This incarnation of the flu is evil.

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    1. Evil is the best description for this flu, BW. I don't have the worst of the symptoms any more, but about the time I think I am getting back to normal, it comes along and slaps me upside the head, just to let me know there are a few more days of tired and weak in my future. I hear that so many others are experiencing the same thing. I just wish it would go away and stay there so I can get back to being my normal, ornery self. :)

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  6. The experts now say you can get the flu twice a year. Ya think?? Just remember when we where younger we could go at things hot and heavy, now the we are more "experienced" slow and steady wins the race. I seem to nap more in winter vs summer.

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    1. Rob...The 'experts' are full of beans. I know of several folks who have been fighting this flu over and over. I have a cousin who has been sick with it all winter.

      I like that. We are not old. We are experienced!! Works for me. I usually take an afternoon nap, summer or winter, but lately that's all I want to do is sleep. I guess this flu will go away sooner or later, but I vote for sooner. :)

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  7. What a great cleaning lady!
    It is never too cold for ice cream!! Hope you're up and at em soon!

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    1. Jenn...I sure got lucky. My cleaning lady actually loves her work. Which is probably why she does such a fantastic job.

      Ice cream will cure whatever ails you, except possibly this stinking flu. I am not throwing up sick, just tired and worn down sick. It will be fine - can't last forever. :)

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  8. Ice cream is it's own food group, imho.

    So happy that the cleaning lady is working out.

    I had a great trip to California. Sunny and warm. My friend that I was visiting pampered me like crazy - all home cooked meals except one. Mostly I crashed on her couch and watched her iron! We talked for hours. What a great visit. And, her hubs was super excited to see some long lost shirts reappear in the closet. Ha!
    Picked up the dog this morning from 'camp'. He couldn't keep his eyes open for the 20 minute drive home. Guess he had a good time too.
    Cheers, SJ

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    1. SJ...So glad your trip was a good one. Nothing much better than sunshine and good friends. Sounds like the perfect vacation to me. I'm thinking that if the dog was that tired out, he likely had a good vacation, too! Welcome home!!

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  9. I like ice cream in the winter! Sometimes, in the summer I am hot and it makes my stomach hurt and worse. You can get the flu multiple times in a season.

    I first saw small batch canning when my friend's mother would can three jars at a time. She explained she could not do many at a time anymore.It seemed like a great idea to me. She was 84.

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