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April 25-26
Apr. 27th, 2020 02:57 pmSaturday, April 25
As soon as I got up, I swept my living room area, bedroom, and bathroom. Then I scrubbed the floors in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. I was sweating like a pig by the time I was done. My shoulder was hurting horribly from the scrubbing, and I figured that was about the extent of what I could do that day. But, I rallied enough to take two bags of garbage to the outside garbage bins out and the little bit of recycling that I had accumulated to the outside recyling bin.
Then I caught up on my Dreamwidth journal. I keep trying to stay on top of it, but I keep falling behind.
I went into the kitchen to heat up some of my leftover tator tot hot dish for my lunch and discovered there was a small puddle of water by the refrigerator. I thought it was just left over water from scrubbing that I had somehow missed. So, I wiped that up and didn't think anything about it.
Later, I went back into the kitchen and there was another puddle of water there. It was much bigger than the previous puddle. I checked to be sure the freezer door was shut, thinking that maybe it was ajar and the things in the freezer were thawing and sending melting liquid down to the floor. But everything in the freezer was frozen solid. I wiped that water up and laid down some towels to soak up the water. I figured I wouldn't be able to get it taken care of till Monday since the appliance store doesn't have a number to call for weekend service.
I called my mother and told her about the water leaking. I decided that if there was something really wrong with the fridge, I was just going to have them bring me a new one. It's needed service calls three times in the last year, and I am getting tired of it.
Mom told me that Kim had been at her house and had gone through some boxes of stuff that she has stored at Mom's in the garage and 3-season porch. They sat on lawn chairs in the garage, six feet apart, while Kim sorted through her stuff (mainly garbage). She has tote after tote filled with magazines, some of which are from the 1970s. They are nasty and musty and gross, yet she will not throw them in the recycling.
I am a little annoyed that mom is letting her store that worthless, dirty, moldy crap in her house, but when I had my stuff there, she gave away both of my doll houses which were in perfect shape. Both were clean and perfect. One was a vintage Barbie house that goes for hundreds of dollars on line. I got it for $10 at an auction years ago. The other belonged to a lady I knew when I lived in West Concord. Her husband (deceased) had built it for her only daughter when she was a child. Her daughter died of a horrible cancer in her twenties. She had treasured her doll house and barbie collection. The lady couldn't bear the thought of throwing her daughter's beloved dolls and doll house, lovingly made by her husband, into the garbage. She heard I was a doll loving collector and asked if I'd like them. So, I paid her $80 or so for her daughter's collection. I cherished it mainly due to the great deal of love that was invested in them.
My mother gave both of those doll houses away--the vintage Barbie one to snotty little Ella B who is a spoiled, selfish little brat. She immediately destroyed it and gave the remains away to some kid I do not know. The other, the homemade one, she gave to Cynthia, whom I dearly love. But in a few years, Cynthia no longer played with dolls and gave my lovely doll house to her nieces who are also horrible, destructive little brats who have probably destroyed it.
My mother's reason was that she "couldn't stand all that mess." Those doll houses were not messy or dirty. They were perfect, and they were MINE. However, Kim's stuff is all filthy, covered in mold and mildew, stinky, and just gross. And worthless. Those magazines are absolutely worthless. But she constantly tells me how they are Kim's "treasures." Filthy, nasty, musty magazines are "treasures," but my beautiful vintage and handcrafted doll houses were "junk" that she "couldn't stand to look at."
It hurts.
I had planned to make a birthday cake for my mother's birthday tomorrow, but my shoulder and hip and lower back were just agonizing after my marathon of cleaning. And I just couldn't bring myself to bake. However, I remembered I had a Schwann's frozen pie in the freezer, so I will bring that instead of a birthday cake.
Sunday, April 26
Today is my mother's 86th birthday. As soon as I was fully awake, I called her and sang happy birthday to her.
I got up and took my pills, read my morning devotional, and filled my pill caddy before getting dressed. I took my bathroom rugs out of the dryer and laid them down in the bathroom. Now the bathroom is done and beautifully clean.
Neither Mom nor I have left our houses to be exposed to any virus, so I told her I would come to her house so she wouldn't be alone on her birthday. I brought my Schwann's Chicken Kiev and a Chocolate Cream Pie that I had bought some time ago for some holiday--don't remember which one, but I never attended most holidays last year since I was in the hospital and desperately sick almost all the year. And this year, the pandemic has kept the family from celebrating. I also brought the movie Mr. Rogers, starring Tom Hanks. I had not watched it yet, so I figured she and I could watch it together.
When I got to my mom's house, she told me that my brother and his family had just left. I was not real happy to discover they had been in the house--my brother works at the Federal Women's Prison in Waseca, and he is constantly out shopping and taking their cars to mechanics, and going to get pizza and all kinds of stuff. Who knows what he has been exposed to.
She defended it, saying they didn't stay long, and they stayed 6 feet apart. But, they were in the house, sitting on the furniture, and breathing the same air. Hopefully none of them are infected with anything because if my mother gets it, I have no doubt it will kill her.
They brought her 2 big cans of nuts as she loves nuts as well as a hanging basket of pansies which they hung on her shepherd's hook outside.
We made the chicken kiev, baked potatoes, and squash for lunch. We were just settling in to watch Mr. Rogers when my sister Joni called and said that she and Jeff were coming over with Mom's birthday gift and a "care package." Jeff was furious that Mom had let Jack and his family into the house. They stood in the garage and talked. They gave her a big pot of daffodils--very cheerful and beautiful--as well as a bag full of tomatoes, another container of fudge, and some other canned goods from Joni's stash. Mom gave me one of the large tomatoes and the fudge as she doesn't like fudge. I like fudge, so I was happy to have it.
Jeff repaired her little wren house and hung it up for her so she could provide housing for a little wren family.
After they left, we watched Mr. Rogers, which was good but not at all what I expected. I need to look up this movie and see if it is a true story or not. It was very touching, whether it was true or not. I found myself wanting to cry through the whole thing.
Mojo was delighted to see me and spent a lot of time in my arms, snuggling, rubbing his face against mine, and meowing lovingly to me. He never forgets me. I can't believe what a big fat fatty he has turned into. I could hardly lift him.
I pull my car right into my mom's garage, and her evil resident cardinal came in and fought his reflection in my side view mirror all day and shit all over my car. Rotten little bastard!
I headed back home again at about 6 pm. I picked up my mail on my way home. It is going to sit a couple of days before I go through it, just in case. There was water all over my kitchen floor when I got home. Ugh. So I laid down fresh towels to soak it up as it leaks out. In the morning, I will call Sorenson's to see if it can be repaired. If it is too expensive, I will just buy a new fridge.
My nephew Caleb stopped over while I was at Mom's and took my garbage and recycling to the curb. Both bins desperately needed to go out as they were both really full. I had broken down a lot of cardboard boxes and that took up most of the bin. I had a lot of cans and bottles too. I am glad to get rid of all that stuff.
After the garbage and recycling go this time, it will probably be at least 3 weeks before it needs to go again.
Peaches was very glad when I got home again. This is the first time she has been left alone for several hours since Stewie has been gone. One of my former students has two one-year old calico cats that she has to rehome as they are moving and cannot take their cats with them. I am beginning to wonder if I should take these cats in rather than getting the kittens. The owners of the kittens have decided I cannot have the gray and white kitten--only the two black ones. I am sure the kittens would still find a wonderful home as kittens are always adorable. The calico cats are likely already neutered and calmer so that they might not be as annoying to Peaches as kittens might be. And they should already know not to claw furniture or climb curtains. The adult cats already have names. One is Willa. I don't remember the other. I really wanted to name the kittens Norman and Lulu, but I am a little annoyed that they told me I could have first choice and now don't want to give me the gray one. :(
Ah, well. I will have to make up my mind. I do love a calico cat....
As soon as I got up, I swept my living room area, bedroom, and bathroom. Then I scrubbed the floors in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. I was sweating like a pig by the time I was done. My shoulder was hurting horribly from the scrubbing, and I figured that was about the extent of what I could do that day. But, I rallied enough to take two bags of garbage to the outside garbage bins out and the little bit of recycling that I had accumulated to the outside recyling bin.
Then I caught up on my Dreamwidth journal. I keep trying to stay on top of it, but I keep falling behind.
I went into the kitchen to heat up some of my leftover tator tot hot dish for my lunch and discovered there was a small puddle of water by the refrigerator. I thought it was just left over water from scrubbing that I had somehow missed. So, I wiped that up and didn't think anything about it.
Later, I went back into the kitchen and there was another puddle of water there. It was much bigger than the previous puddle. I checked to be sure the freezer door was shut, thinking that maybe it was ajar and the things in the freezer were thawing and sending melting liquid down to the floor. But everything in the freezer was frozen solid. I wiped that water up and laid down some towels to soak up the water. I figured I wouldn't be able to get it taken care of till Monday since the appliance store doesn't have a number to call for weekend service.
I called my mother and told her about the water leaking. I decided that if there was something really wrong with the fridge, I was just going to have them bring me a new one. It's needed service calls three times in the last year, and I am getting tired of it.
Mom told me that Kim had been at her house and had gone through some boxes of stuff that she has stored at Mom's in the garage and 3-season porch. They sat on lawn chairs in the garage, six feet apart, while Kim sorted through her stuff (mainly garbage). She has tote after tote filled with magazines, some of which are from the 1970s. They are nasty and musty and gross, yet she will not throw them in the recycling.
I am a little annoyed that mom is letting her store that worthless, dirty, moldy crap in her house, but when I had my stuff there, she gave away both of my doll houses which were in perfect shape. Both were clean and perfect. One was a vintage Barbie house that goes for hundreds of dollars on line. I got it for $10 at an auction years ago. The other belonged to a lady I knew when I lived in West Concord. Her husband (deceased) had built it for her only daughter when she was a child. Her daughter died of a horrible cancer in her twenties. She had treasured her doll house and barbie collection. The lady couldn't bear the thought of throwing her daughter's beloved dolls and doll house, lovingly made by her husband, into the garbage. She heard I was a doll loving collector and asked if I'd like them. So, I paid her $80 or so for her daughter's collection. I cherished it mainly due to the great deal of love that was invested in them.
My mother gave both of those doll houses away--the vintage Barbie one to snotty little Ella B who is a spoiled, selfish little brat. She immediately destroyed it and gave the remains away to some kid I do not know. The other, the homemade one, she gave to Cynthia, whom I dearly love. But in a few years, Cynthia no longer played with dolls and gave my lovely doll house to her nieces who are also horrible, destructive little brats who have probably destroyed it.
My mother's reason was that she "couldn't stand all that mess." Those doll houses were not messy or dirty. They were perfect, and they were MINE. However, Kim's stuff is all filthy, covered in mold and mildew, stinky, and just gross. And worthless. Those magazines are absolutely worthless. But she constantly tells me how they are Kim's "treasures." Filthy, nasty, musty magazines are "treasures," but my beautiful vintage and handcrafted doll houses were "junk" that she "couldn't stand to look at."
It hurts.
I had planned to make a birthday cake for my mother's birthday tomorrow, but my shoulder and hip and lower back were just agonizing after my marathon of cleaning. And I just couldn't bring myself to bake. However, I remembered I had a Schwann's frozen pie in the freezer, so I will bring that instead of a birthday cake.
Sunday, April 26
Today is my mother's 86th birthday. As soon as I was fully awake, I called her and sang happy birthday to her.
I got up and took my pills, read my morning devotional, and filled my pill caddy before getting dressed. I took my bathroom rugs out of the dryer and laid them down in the bathroom. Now the bathroom is done and beautifully clean.
Neither Mom nor I have left our houses to be exposed to any virus, so I told her I would come to her house so she wouldn't be alone on her birthday. I brought my Schwann's Chicken Kiev and a Chocolate Cream Pie that I had bought some time ago for some holiday--don't remember which one, but I never attended most holidays last year since I was in the hospital and desperately sick almost all the year. And this year, the pandemic has kept the family from celebrating. I also brought the movie Mr. Rogers, starring Tom Hanks. I had not watched it yet, so I figured she and I could watch it together.
When I got to my mom's house, she told me that my brother and his family had just left. I was not real happy to discover they had been in the house--my brother works at the Federal Women's Prison in Waseca, and he is constantly out shopping and taking their cars to mechanics, and going to get pizza and all kinds of stuff. Who knows what he has been exposed to.
She defended it, saying they didn't stay long, and they stayed 6 feet apart. But, they were in the house, sitting on the furniture, and breathing the same air. Hopefully none of them are infected with anything because if my mother gets it, I have no doubt it will kill her.
They brought her 2 big cans of nuts as she loves nuts as well as a hanging basket of pansies which they hung on her shepherd's hook outside.
We made the chicken kiev, baked potatoes, and squash for lunch. We were just settling in to watch Mr. Rogers when my sister Joni called and said that she and Jeff were coming over with Mom's birthday gift and a "care package." Jeff was furious that Mom had let Jack and his family into the house. They stood in the garage and talked. They gave her a big pot of daffodils--very cheerful and beautiful--as well as a bag full of tomatoes, another container of fudge, and some other canned goods from Joni's stash. Mom gave me one of the large tomatoes and the fudge as she doesn't like fudge. I like fudge, so I was happy to have it.
Jeff repaired her little wren house and hung it up for her so she could provide housing for a little wren family.
After they left, we watched Mr. Rogers, which was good but not at all what I expected. I need to look up this movie and see if it is a true story or not. It was very touching, whether it was true or not. I found myself wanting to cry through the whole thing.
Mojo was delighted to see me and spent a lot of time in my arms, snuggling, rubbing his face against mine, and meowing lovingly to me. He never forgets me. I can't believe what a big fat fatty he has turned into. I could hardly lift him.
I pull my car right into my mom's garage, and her evil resident cardinal came in and fought his reflection in my side view mirror all day and shit all over my car. Rotten little bastard!
I headed back home again at about 6 pm. I picked up my mail on my way home. It is going to sit a couple of days before I go through it, just in case. There was water all over my kitchen floor when I got home. Ugh. So I laid down fresh towels to soak it up as it leaks out. In the morning, I will call Sorenson's to see if it can be repaired. If it is too expensive, I will just buy a new fridge.
My nephew Caleb stopped over while I was at Mom's and took my garbage and recycling to the curb. Both bins desperately needed to go out as they were both really full. I had broken down a lot of cardboard boxes and that took up most of the bin. I had a lot of cans and bottles too. I am glad to get rid of all that stuff.
After the garbage and recycling go this time, it will probably be at least 3 weeks before it needs to go again.
Peaches was very glad when I got home again. This is the first time she has been left alone for several hours since Stewie has been gone. One of my former students has two one-year old calico cats that she has to rehome as they are moving and cannot take their cats with them. I am beginning to wonder if I should take these cats in rather than getting the kittens. The owners of the kittens have decided I cannot have the gray and white kitten--only the two black ones. I am sure the kittens would still find a wonderful home as kittens are always adorable. The calico cats are likely already neutered and calmer so that they might not be as annoying to Peaches as kittens might be. And they should already know not to claw furniture or climb curtains. The adult cats already have names. One is Willa. I don't remember the other. I really wanted to name the kittens Norman and Lulu, but I am a little annoyed that they told me I could have first choice and now don't want to give me the gray one. :(
Ah, well. I will have to make up my mind. I do love a calico cat....