Errands and stuff

Been a week since I blogged. Partly because I don't get out and about much and sharing my aches and pains and disgust with my body bores even me a lot of the time. Ha!  Sure is nice out today. I've got five windows open and spent a few minutes this morning rummaging through the large bin of summer clothes in the closet to see what might still fit for the next few weeks.  Just hate it that I've gained weight. Seems to be the story of my senior years.  I made up three salads yesterday and they'll be my dinner for a few days. Once they're prepared and in the fridge, I'm fine with having them as dinner, especially when I have yummy stuff to throw in the bowl.

Yesterday was busy for me and I crashed at the end of the day.  Drove into Sequim at 10:15 (traffic heavy both ways) and met up with Mary Norton for lunch at Hwy 101. Seems like it's hard to find a small place to eat that doesn't charge $11+ for a simple burger --(outside of fast food -which I pretty much like most of the time anyhow).

Mary accompanied me on my errands so it was nice to hang out.  I stopped at Home Depot to buy a large plastic flower pot liner.  Put it in an upside down garbage lid in the backyard for birds to bath or drink.

From there I went to Karen's sewing machine shop to put my machine in for maintenance and repair. Had been told they were really backed up so it could be anywhere from 5 to 10 days.  Much to my delight, I had a message on my phone when I finished my doctor appt that it was ready for pickup.  The booklet said "this machine needs no oiling."  Yet --- twice it would stop running like it was clogged up.  I'd take apart what plates I could to clean out lint and fuzz and blow air in and drop a couple oil drops here and there.  Seems to work although it still clunked every time I took my foot off the pressure foot.  I never have had work done on it and they do recommend yearly maintenance so I decided to bite the bullet and pay the $75.  Ugh!

She not only adjusted the tensions and cleaned everything up but she fixed my bobbin winder which hadn't worked for months. I had bought a bobbin winder separately but it's never been that satisfactory, just getting me by.  Anyhow, come to find out, my machine actually did not need oiling and that the reason it quit working was because threads were wound around the motor.  Yikes!  She also told me to NOT use an air can to blow out dust and lint because all that does is push more lint back into the innards of the machine where you can't get at it to clean.  Suggested I buy a little attachment for my vacuum that will get down in there and suck the junk out.  Going to look into that.

I went to the discount mattress store to see if they had memory foam toppers but the lady said "No, we like to sell people actual beds that are better for them." Yeah. If you can afford one!  I went to Costco (had a $100 gift card from Mary from Mothers Day) and luckily, found beds in a box. Another couple were buying one too and were familiar with them. He put mine in the my grocery cart and I happily wheeled myself to checkout.  Gift card paid for half of it and I had my fingers crossed that my ongoing hip issue each night that had me transferring from bed to bed to recliner might be fixed.

As I got to the door of Costco, the guy told me to pull my car up to the orange cones and they'd load it.  So what did I do?  Push my cart halfway to the car before I realized I was supposed to leave the cart at the cones.  What a dummy!  The guy was kind of a lazy sort, I suspect, as he let a younger girl struggle to get the box in my car. I wish I had said something to him.

The neighbor lady helped me pack the box into the house and pull the double mattress from my bed to the garage.  I posted it on the free website of Clallam County and I think a lady is coming to get it tonight.  My biggest challenge was getting the damn bed OUT OF THE BOX.  Once it was out, it took me a half hour to get the heavy plastic cut off.  I was exhausted!  On the plus side, the bed is GLORIOUS!  I still woke up a couple times with hip pain but I managed to stretch and stay put without moving to the recliner. Glory be!

It's 8" high and sits on the box spring.

My doctor appt was to evaluate if she thought a sleep study overnight was necessary. I knew she would but at least she was willing to let me do an overnight at home with a small machine.  If it indicates sleep apnea may be an issue, then I'll have to go in for an overnight.  (something that I'm not wild about doing)  Anyhow, I have to go pick up the machine July 25 and take it back July 26 and then go again if I decide to sleep over. I'm still thinking about that option.  I don't see why I can't just get a cpap machine (or whatever it's called) if the home test indicates I need one.  I'll ask about that option.  At least Medicare pays for the damn thing!'

On the other hand, from what I've read about Cpap machines, they're only a tool that helps. The main thing suggested is weight loss and that is stressed over and over again.
Of course.  Everything is because of obesity.  Losing weight is no easy thing, of course. Most people who deal with obesity know that.  Still...if I can avoid wearing a mask to bed by dropping weight, it's something that might motivate me to try harder.

It just seems to be one thing after another, the longer you live.  I've got arthritis attacking my right thumb and wrist now and that's interring with my typing and needlework --and lots of other things too!   My upper left arm aches to the point that I can barely raise my arm over my head (bursitis?)  Who knows.   I could go on about my hips, low back, earaches, but what's the use?  It is what it is and everyone seems to have some ailment or another they're dealing with.  It's no walk in the park being a senior.

This Friday, the 8 houses across the street are having an open house on the street inviting neighbors to come and meet them and have cake.  I sent in a bunch of reprints to Walgreens this morning and intend to give each homeowner a card with a picture of their house and prints of the area I took through the year as the building was going on.  Especially like the ones showing scotch broom occupying the entire block and the ones of workers carrying on in the snow.

I've only met a couple of them so far.  One older couple across the street and one guy who knows Tim Goodrich in PT.  He drives a motorcycle and his name is Willie.  Seems like a real personable chap. Here's a few of the progressive pics:

Mary and Andy take Hunter to Phoenix tomorrow so he can check out the college.  I plan on heading to the sewing room pretty soon.  Haven't tried out my machine yet and I'm anxious to see how it runs.  Here's a cute cartoon I saw on my Facebook looking back memory.