Happiness Monday

Today I am happy that my husband has returned to working on his septic tank installation business.

He's been off since mid-June, when he had hip replacement surgery. Today was his first day back at working with the backhoe to dig septic tank holes and ditches. He likes to play in the dirt.

I am also happy that I've been able to play my guitar a little more. I continue to have trouble with my left hand, but it is improving and that is good news.

My blood pressure is not moving quickly to better numbers, but my pulse rate is lower. I will take any improvement in that area.

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Name your favorite sport.

A. I don't really have one. I like to watch ice skating during the Olympics.

2. List a quote to live by.

A. Even dragons have their ending. -- J.R.R. Tolkien

3. Name a city in the US you would like to move to.

A. Charlottesville, VA

4. List 3 beautiful little things in your life.

A. My husband, although he's a big thing, my cellphone with its Libby app, and sugar free bubble gum.

5. What made you laugh today?

A. A meme on someone's blog.

6. Name a good deed you did today.

A. I didn't hurt anybody.

7. List activities you like to do when you are bored.

A. Read, play video games, play my guitar, clean the house - wait, I do that stuff all the time. Apparently, I am bored a lot.

8. Are you a procrastinator?

A. Let me think about it and get back to you at some point.

9. What are your thoughts about dying?

A. Everybody's gotta go. We all turn into little ant farms.

10. What superpower would you like to have?

A. Time travel.

11. What are your top 3 Netflix series?

A. I don't subscribe to Netflix.

12. List things you want to do before you die.

A. Write a book, travel to another country, fix the world.

13. What are your biggest fears?

A. That I'll end up impoverished, that I will die alone, that I will end up disabled and a burden on my husband.

14. What makes you angry?

A. Lots of things. My husband. The price of food. Other family members. The weather. Myself.

15. Do you listen to podcasts?

A. Not often. I sometimes do but I don't need to hear any more opinions.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: She's in Love with the Boy

Saturday 9: She's in Love with the Boy (1991)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song tells the story of Katie and Tommy. She waited for him to pull up in his beat-up Chevy truck. Tell us about your wheels.

A. I drive a white 2014 Toyota Camry SE. It has a spoiler in the back, a backup camera, USB ports for the phone, a radio, places to put cups, black bucket seats, a console between the front two seats, air conditioning, and an outdated GPS because I won't pay to have it upgraded since I seldom go anywhere. About six months after we purchased it in April 2014, I had a deer run into the side of the car as I was driving down Country Club Road. There's still a little dent in the door.

 

2) Katie and Tommy stay out until 12:30 AM. What time did you go to bed last night?

A. We go to bed at 10 p.m. almost every night.

3) The lyrics tell us, "What's meant to be will always find a way." Do you agree?

A. Not necessarily. Sometimes things just are. That doesn't mean they were meant to be.

4) This was the first big hit for Trisha Yearwood. While she's found her greatest success in music, she's also written top-selling cookbooks. Are you a better singer or cook?

A. I'm a better singer, or I was before I got older. I have never been a good cook. We don't starve, but neither do we eat like we live with Julia Child.

5) Trisha also appeared in six episodes of the TV drama, JAG. She played a medical examiner and forensic pathologist, which means her character had a medical degree and (at least) one year of additional training. That's (at least) five extra years of higher education. Do you enjoy taking classes?

A. I love to take classes. I have often thought of going back for a Ph.D., but that's a lot of expense for something I would be too old to use by the time I finished.

6) In real life, Trisha earned a degree in Business Administration before going into music. She uses what she learned in school, keeping a close eye on her finances and those of her superstar husband, Garth Brooks. She says she likes and trusts the people hired to their money, "but I check on them." Do you keep a careful eye on where your money goes?

A. I do, yes.

 

7) In 1991, when this song was popular, Dances with Wolves was a hit in the theaters. Have you seen it?

A. I have seen it, and it is a good movie.

8) Also in 1991, Seinfeld was a big deal on the small screen. It's still popular in syndication on cable channels and on streaming services. Do you more often watch broadcast TV or streaming/on-demand channels?

A. We have DirecTV and we mostly watch that. I have DSL internet still, and streaming is difficult (lots of buffering). Sometimes I can stream a show at my computer better than on the TV because it's connected directly with the ethernet, and it depends on the time of day as well. (Incidentally, I never liked Seinfeld, so I've only seen a few episodes.)

9) Random question: Have you ever gone a day without laughing?

A. I would think I have, yes. I never really thought about it before. However, I tend to be a serious and sometimes dour person, so a day of no laughter seems plausible.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

Spiderweb

 

Thursday Thirteen #770

Scars

1. I have a scar on my left thumb that I received when I was 9. I was helping my grandfather cut down a tree. He had given me a saw to cut limbs with, and I sawed my thumb.

2. A scar on my right hand at the base of my thumb came from a filing cabinet in the County Clerk's Office. I hit my hand while I was doing research. I bled on some documents. Somewhere in the depths of the files that are supposed to be kept forever is a bit of my DNA.

3. I have a long scar on my chest that came from a surgery I had when I was 5. I was born with a huge mole on my chest. Doctors said it was pre-cancerous and needed to be removed. They cut it out and it left a huge scar. When I was in school, I used to tell my gym teachers I'd had heart surgery to get out of gym class. If they wanted to argue with me, I showed them the scar. They couldn't argue with that, and I don't know that any of them ever questioned my parents about it.

4. A scar under my chin is the result of a farming accident when I was 12. My father was pulling a trailer with the tractor; my brother and I were riding in it. I jumped out to open and opened the wooden gate for him. I had done this many times. This time, as my father drove through, he hit the gate, which splintered. A piece of the wood went into my face, cutting my chin open.

5. A scar on my stomach (right side) is from a laparoscopy for an endometrial cyst. It has grown over the years, like a big mole, except it's not. It is allegedly harmless, but it's gone from a dot to the size of a nickel.

6. My belly button is not exactly scarred, but it is now an innie when it used to be an outie. When the doctors performed laparoscopies, they went through the belly button, and it turned inward. There is a scar in its depths. And probably lint. 

7. A huge smiley face from hip to hip is actually three cuts - three laparotomies where the doctors went in to remove huge grapefruit-sized cysts from my ovaries while we tried to have a child. This scar is huge and thick, having been cut open so many times, I suppose. The last time they cut it open, I received a full hysterectomy.

8. There's a scar on my left knee where I fell when I was riding a bike one summer at my grandmother's. I think I picked gravel out of that place for a while, but it's just a scar now. I expect most people 50 and over have scars on their knees. I wonder if today's generation will ever know the thrilling fear of falling off a bike onto gravel?

9. I have a scar on the bottom of my left foot that looks like a dot. I ran a toothpick into my foot one snowy January when I was 18. The thing swelled immediately, and I couldn't pull it out. My parents were both at work, and I was writhing in pain. I called the neighbors, and they came over and tried to pull it out, but couldn't, and ultimately, they took me to the ER to have it removed. It left a hole. And a scar.

10. Those are my major scars. I have lots of other small places on my skin, but I don't know how I damaged myself. I bruise and cut easily, so I could have done anything to create a little scar. Sometimes they heal up and eventually the scar goes away, but often they simply scar over.

11. A scar can be a fine line or a pitted hole on the skin, or an abnormal overgrowth of tissue. A minor wound like a cut will usually heal to leave a raised line, which will gradually fade and flatten over time. This process can take up to 2 years. The scar will not disappear completely, and there will be left a visible mark or line.

12. Fine-line scars are common following a wound or after surgery. They are not usually painful, but they may be itchy for a few months.

13. There are several types of scars. Keloid scars are an overgrowth of tissue that happens when too much collagen is produced at the site of a wound. (That would be #5, I think.) The scar keeps growing, even after the wound has healed. Keloid scars are raised above the skin and can be pink, red, the same color or darker than surrounding skin. They're often itchy or painful and can restrict movement if they're tight and near a joint. Hypertrophic scars are the result of excess collagen being produced at the site of a wound. Unlike keloid scars, hypertrophic scars do not extend beyond the boundary of the original wound. They may continue to thicken for up to 6 months before gradually improving over a few years. Pitted or sunken scars are caused by skin conditions, such as acne and chickenpox. They can have a sunken or pitted appearance. Pitted scars, also known as atrophic or "icepick" scars, can also develop as a result of an injury that causes a loss of underlying fat. Scar contractures are often caused by burns. They happen when the skin "shrinks", leading to tightness and a restriction in movement.

And of course, we all have those hidden scars, the ones deep inside of us, that touch our heart and soul. Who alive hasn't been scarred? I dare say nobody.

___________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 770th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Happiness Wednesday

Today I am happy that the postal delivery woman brought my package to the house instead of leaving it at the mailbox.

Sometimes they leave things at the mailbox, and I don't know they're down there (I live about 1/8 of a mile or so from the road and can't see the mailbox).

I'm also happy that it's a pretty day and my husband can work in the hayfield. We really need to get that hay up.

Additionally, I'm happy my blood pressure is starting to come down a little. Not a lot, but it's down enough to make me think my medication is finally kicking in.

Also, I've had some email correspondence with a friend that I've missed and not been in touch with much, and I'm very happy about that.

I hope the day is bringing you something to be happy about, too!

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*

Happiness Monday

Happiness for today -

I had a nice phone call with my brother. He's a good fellow and I'm lucky I have him. No one gets me like he does.

A visit from a long-long-long-distance cousin of my husband's yielded a book about some of his lineage going back to the 1600s! Wow. It lists the ship the pater familias came over on in 1744.

A friend's daughter married over the weekend, and the celebration went off well. Momma was tired when I spoke to her this morning to check on her, but very happy.

Life goes on.

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1.   I am currently obsessed with: trying to lower my blood pressure.

   

2.  Today I am happy because: the sun is shining, and the hay is drying.

3.  The age I am is: 59 and the age I feel is: 22 in my head, 159 in my body. 

 

4.  My favorite place is: in my house.

5.  Something I have been procrastinating is: doing the bookkeeping for the farm and household expenses.

6.  The last thing I purchased was: a new vacuum brush that I bought online Saturday morning.

7.  The thing I love most about my home is: it's location and size.

8.  My most prized possession: my wedding ring.

9.  If I could be one age for the rest of my life, I would want to be: 39.

10.  My outlook on life: I'm a pessimist.

11.  If you want to annoy me: then talk to me like I'm stupid.

12.  I am completely defenseless when it comes: to my husband's kisses.

13. The bravest thing I’ve ever done was: stand up to someone bigger than me.

14. Something that keeps me awake at night is: whether or not we're going to remain a democracy in the USA.

15. My favorite meal in the entire world is: an egg sandwich with Baked Lays Potato Chips.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Jack and Diane

Saturday 9: Jack and Diane (1982)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

It's a little ditty!

1) The video for this song features lots of snapshots. Do you have many physical photo albums? Or do you store your pictures digitally?

A. Most of my photos are digital these days, but I do have a few albums from pre-digital times.

 

2) This song tells the story of "two American kids growing up in the heartland." Young Jack dreams of being a football star. When you were in high school, did you fantasize about stardom? If yes, what were you going to be famous for?

A. I was going to be a famous writer and a rock star. I am neither.

3) Diane wears Bobbie Brooks slacks (at least briefly). Bobbie Brooks is a popular brand at Walmart. If you had a $50 gift card for Walmart, would you be more likely to use it toward groceries, clothes, household items, or electronics?

A. Household items.

4) They go to the Tasty Freeze. If you were to run out for fast food right now, where would you go?

A. Wendy's. I haven't seen a Tasty Freeze in years. We are supposedly getting a new Dairy Queen down the road a ways in the near future. If it is as bad as the one I ate it some years ago in Pennsylvania, I won't be frequenting it.

5) When John Mellencamp made this record, he was known professionally as "John Cougar," a stage name suggested by his manager. He has said that adopting a stage name is something he regrets. Looking over your life, if you could take a "do over," what one thing would you like to do differently?

A. I would have gone on to Hollins out of high school. I wanted to and had been accepted, but it was expensive (it's a private liberal arts college), I didn't qualify for any scholarships, and my parents didn't want to pay for it. My parents were not in favor of my chosen major of English, either. They agreed to pay for me to go to a college in Tennessee to major in music, but I chose not to do that. (I never understood why music was ok but English wasn't; I guess it was the cost of the school, when it comes down to it.) I went to work instead and started going to the local community college, and eventually transferred to Hollins as an older student. It was hard to be an older student, and I missed out on a lot by doing it that way. 

 

6) Even though he suffered a heart attack, John Mellencamp continues to smoke, admitting that nicotine is something he simply can't kick. Do you have a habit you wish you could break?

A. I still like to eat. Unfortunately, it's not a habit one can completely do away with, as food is a necessity. I don't bite my nails anymore, though. I did up until 2020. It took a pandemic to stop me, but I don't bite them now.

 

7) John's daughter Teddi was one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She went on to join the cast of Big Brother. Do you watch any reality shows?

A. We watch Survivor, but I don't know why. Habit, I guess, since we've watched it from the very beginning. My husband watches reality car shows and hunting shows, but I don't. Occasionally I've caught an episode of Naked & Afraid, but I don't make a habit of it. I watch Deadliest Catch, which I would call a reality show, but that's about it. Oh, we recently started watching The Voice during the pandemic. Forgot about that one.

8) In 1982, when this song was popular, William Windsor was born. He's better known by his job title. Without looking it up, do you know who he is?

A. I'm going to guess Prince William.

 

9) Random question: What do you do when you can't sleep?

A. I count my breaths and try to go back to sleep. If I can't go back to sleep, I get up and read a while and then try again.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

Happiness Friday

Today I am happy that:

• I picked up my higher dose of my blood pressure medication at the grocery store/pharmacy.

• The clerk didn't freak out when I irreverently told her I shouldn't need a damn digital coupon to get the advertised sale price on grapes, and instead sold me the grapes for the sale price. I try not to curse in public and that one slipped out. (And really, why should I need to go to the website to download coupons? They're just bilking people. If they can afford to sell the grapes for $0.99 a pound, then sell them for that.)

• I didn't run over the older person who appeared out of nowhere behind my car as I began to back up to leave the store. (Literally, there were no cars to my right at all, and I'd looked, and my backup camera didn't go beep beep, so where did she come from?)

In response to a comment yesterday from Kwizgiver, my hand is doing better. It's still swelling, and I have some pain in it, but it's improving. I did not mention it to my doctor yesterday because we were focused on the blood pressure issue, but if it is still troubling me when I see her soon, I will be sure to have her look at it. Thank you for caring and remembering it is bothersome!

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*

Thursday Thirteen

1. I almost broke my Thursday Thirteen streak! That would have been awful, to break it at 769 weeks straight.

2. So I am happy I remembered it was Thursday!

3. This morning, I had a teledoc conference with my physician. She assured me I'm not dying simply because my blood pressure has gone wonky. She changed up my blood pressure meds and I'll see her in two weeks for a follow up. Whew!

4. My husband suggested I meditate. His mantra? Ummm soybean. 

5. I started feeling a little strange driving to the grocery store a while ago when I remembered it was Thursday and I hadn't done a Thursday 13, so I started going, Ummm soybean. It made me laugh.

6. Duke's mayo was on sale for $2.99. That's a pre-pandemic regular price!

7. I was the only person in the store with a mask on. My county is listed as High on the CDC site. I know the guv'ment ain't the best, but it's all I have to go by, that and the number of people I know who have Covid (which is a fair number), so I am masking up. I am happy that I am taking care of myself.

8. Oh rats, it's raining, and we have hay down on the ground, trying to dry. I will have a hard time being happy about that. Umm soybean!

9. One thing I immediately did to try to keep my calm was to stop looking at the crazy on social media. There is a *lot* of crazy there. I'm happy I have made that decision.

10. In looking over the groceries I purchased and the items in the cabinets already, I find that generally speaking, most things are low in sodium. I'm doing ok there. Yay me!

11. I broke down and bought myself some Tic-Tacs. I like Tic-Tacs but hadn't had any for a while because they've gone up to $1.49 for a little box. But they have no sodium and they satisfy my need to have something in my mouth. I'm worth $1.49, right? Dang right!

12. My brother called me today, and I was glad to hear from him. It would have been nice to have had a conversation, but he had another call and that was that. I can't remember the last time I had a conversation with him that wasn't interrupted by something. Maybe we should go to lunch in the park and leave our cellphones in the car.

13. My friend called me early this morning to see how I was feeling. I'm happy that folks care about me. I'm fortunate to have friends.

*Doing the August happiness thing with my Thursday 13!*

___________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 769th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Happiness Challenge

I have high blood pressure. I've had it for 20 years or more. It has been controlled with medication (and a little by diet). 

Now, though, it's messed up. I'd noted the last few times I was in my doctor's office that it seemed to be running high. Not super high, more like 146/88 high instead of 124/78. And my beats per minute are always over 80. Thump thump thump. My husband's beats per minute are like beat - wait 10 minutes - beat. Well, it's not that bad, but his is about 45 beats per minute. Half of mine.

So today I am happy that I have a doctor I can email numbers to and say, hey, my new blood pressure monitor is scaring me a little with numbers of 168/105. My question wasn't "what do I do," it was, "can this wait until my scheduled appointment with you in two weeks?" To which she responded I could wait so long as I wasn't having any issues.

I am scratching my head a little as to what issues I could be having other than the ones I have, but since she said I could wait and I didn't see anything that indicated alarm on her part, I guess I am in a sort-of-ok-for-the-moment range. I think if she'd thought that something needed immediate attention she'd have called in a drug or told me to double on a medication or had me come in.

Just to be safe, I did tai chi a while ago as I know that has in the past brought my numbers down a little. And I will avoid salt if I can. It's hard to know what has salt in it. It shows up in the strangest places.

Anyway, I am happy I'm still able to write this, though I do feel a bit of concern. And since my doctor is aware of the problem, hopefully when I do see her, she'll have looked over my medications and determined what the next steps should be if she wants to add another blood pressure medication to my mix.

Happiness Challenge

This doesn't necessarily make me happy, but it needs to be done -

I worked on the bookkeeping for the farm and my husband's septic installation business today. I'd gotten behind, mostly because I dislike doing it, but I'm catching it up this week.

So good for me for being responsible!

Also, my friend brought me chocolate covered rice cakes for absolutely no reason at all! That does make me happy, because I am loved, and because, well, chocolate!

(My husband gave me a big smooch this afternoon, too!)

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*

Happiness Challenge

I am happy today that I talked on the phone with a friend and had a good laugh.

I am also happy because I received a letter.

Additionally, I had a take-out sandwich and didn't have to fix my own sandwich for a change.

Plus, I had a haircut today!

All good happy things. Yay!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What’s the best beach or lake day you can remember?

A. Back in the 1990s, we went to Myrtle Beach, and we spent a day at the go cart track racing "NASCAR" like cars. My husband had a blast, and I was happy because he was happy.

2. Describe your ideal picnic lunch.

A. A ham sandwich, potato chips, ginger ale, and watermelon.

3. What flowers are in your bouquet?

A. Roses

4. Silly ways to pass the time during a snowstorm.

A. Bake cookies, read, watch TV, measure the snow depth, sleep, talk to a friend. Although I'm not sure those are silly.

5. The most beautiful house you’ve ever visited.

A. Probably the Biltmore in Asheville, NC. It had some lovely rooms.

6. Best place you ever dined.

A. I don't know the name of it, but when I was a teenager, my parents took me to China Town in New York City, and I had the best sweet and sour shrimp on the planet there.

7. How many layers to your ice cream sandwich?

A. One, I guess.

8. Pretty things which are faux patent leather.

A. Shoes, pocketbooks, couches, and I honestly have no idea how to answer this question.

9. What is the best way to eat chocolate?

A. Slowly.

10. Describe your unicorn’s special magic.

A. She can fly, sense when people are evil, and she vanishes.

11. All the fruits in your fruit salad.

A. White grapes. That's pretty much it. I'm allergic to most citrus.

12. Describe the soil, grass, trees, flowers and rocks in your magical forest.

A. The soil is dark and smells of forest. The grass is a deep hunter green and when the wind blows, it moves like waves in the seas. The flowers are of all colors and shapes, growing along the meadow's edges and in patches everywhere the sun shines through. The rocks are moss-covered and grumble at you when you walk by.

13. The lyrics which move you the most are:

A. And when no hope was left in sight, on that starry, starry night, you took your life as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Vincent, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.

14. What are the best sauces in the world?

A. Sweet and sour sauce. Is mayonnaise a sauce?

15. Write a haiku about nature.

The air smells of hay

Raccoons march in formation

Evening falls, full moon.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: W.O.L.D.

Saturday 9: W.O.L.D. (1973)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song tells the story of a man who has made a career in radio.  How many professions have you worked in?

A. I have worked in the machine parts industry, the legal profession, journalism, photography, and internet stuff, meaning I've done some web design and I write this blog and know enough about what I'm doing to be dangerous but not good.

2) He describes himself as "45 going on 15." This morning, do you feel older or younger than your years?

A. In my head I am still young almost always, like 23 years old (except wiser). My body is another story. It doesn't feel quite as old as it is, though.

3) He estimates that he's traveled thousands of miles, from town to city, as disc jockey at various stations. Have you ever relocated for a job?

A. No.

4) This song is written as though he's reached out to an ex. Is there someone from your past who is on your mind this morning?

A. Not exactly, but for some reason I found myself wondering this morning about a former player in my city building video game fellowship. She came across as quite depressed, saying things like, "I can't lose at this game, too, I lose at everything else," and then she dropped out. As best I can tell, she never came back to the game, and I've always wondered if she was ok. I guess I'll never know.

5) Tell us about a radio personality you grew up listening to.

A. I was a big fan of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. I had cassettes all over the place from taping those shows. I have no idea what happened to them, but I would like to hear them now. He had a smooth voice and didn't make snide commentary. The hits from coast to coast!

6) This week's featured artist, Harry Chapin, was an Oscar nominee. Before he became a musician, he wrote and directed a documentary about boxing called Legendary Champions. When you sit down to watch a movie, would you prefer action, comedy, drama, fantasy, horror, mystery, romance, thriller or documentary?

A. It depends on my mood, but I like comedy, drama, fantasy, romance, or documentaries. I am not a fan of horror, thriller, or big blow 'em up films. I will watch the latter sometimes with my husband but neither of us like horror.

7) Today Harry Chapin is fondly remembered for his philanthropy. He filled his calendar with benefit concerts that supported local food banks all around the country. How would you like to be remembered?

A. I would like to be remembered for my work for the newspaper and my efforts to keep my fellow citizens informed. Obviously, they didn't take it in, nor did it make much impact since most don't seem to understand how government works despite my efforts to teach that in my articles. But I tried.

8) In 1973, when this song was popular, one of the top-selling toys was a Curious George book packaged with a plush Curious George. Can you recall a favorite book from your childhood?

A. Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery, and Miss Osborne the Mop, by Wilson Gage.

9) Random question: Here's $100. What will you spend it on?

A. Do I have to spend it on myself? If I can give it away, I would do that, making a donation to a favorite charity or the American Heart Association. If I have to spend it on myself, I would buy clothes.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.  

Happiness Challenge

 

Today I am happy because of things that happened yesterday.

I saw the chiropractor and she put my back straight.

A trip to Kroger yielded a pork roast for the weekend, and my husband's Diet Dr. Pepper was on sale.

A friend agreed to help me alter a pair of pants I bought that doesn't fit.

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*

Thursday Thirteen

Here are some things that people do that generally aren't mentioned in novels. Or if they are mentioned, they aren't dwelled upon, unless they're some kind of defining habit. Of course, I'm sure somebody can tell me a book that every single one of these things are mentioned in. But still, novels tend to overlook the mundane day-to-day things of life, right?

1. Go to the bathroom.

2. Clip their nails.

3. Pick or blow their nose.

4. Sleep.

5. Read a magazine/newspaper, etc.

6. Mess around with a mole/skin tag or some other weird thing growing on them

7. Brush their teeth.

8. Make note of whether the character is right or left-handed, or ambidextrous.

9. Make note of little white lies to friends in mundane conversations.

10. Gossip.

11. Go in one room and forget what they're in there for.

12. Boredom/staring out the window/ etc.

13. Scratching an itch.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 768th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Happiness Challenge

 

The happiness update:

I had a healthy lunch! Yay for salad!

I've had two long chats with people I care about (so far, it's only 2 p.m.!).

I was able to play the guitar a little bit last night. It wasn't great but at least the swelling in my left hand has gone down enough that I felt like I could give it a try.

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*

Happy (and Clean) House

I have someone who comes to clean my house once a month.

It is money well spent.

We started this in 2014, after it became painfully obvious that I couldn't keep up the housework, still try to work, and deal with constant chronic pain all at the same time. We went through a few people before the young woman who cleans for me now took the job. She's been cleaning for me for about seven years.

The house always feels nice after she's been here. I clean and do chores throughout the month, of course, but it's good to have it all done at one time.

When my husband was recuperating from his hip surgery, I asked her if she could swing by and simply run the vacuum for me weekly so we could keep the dust down. Hip surgeries can become infected easily, so I wanted to keep the house as clean as possible for the first weeks of his recovery. She was happy to oblige, running by on her way to another person's house to spend 20 minutes with my vacuum. It took a load off of me to know that she would help me out.

Today was house cleaning day, and my house smells fresh and the floors sparkle.

That makes me happy!

*I am participating in the August Happiness Challenge hosted by One Gal's Musings.*