Best Of

That was quite a haul at IKEA, Betrayal. I have been to an IKEA once, somewhere, and bought storage containers with green lids. The set has some tiny containers that occasionally come in handy. I don't remember a cafe. LOL at the "borrowed" tableware.

I, too, would hesitate to tell Sandy to "break a leg." LOL. Hope the performance is greatly enjoyed by the audience, making all the rehearsals worthwhile.

Harley, I have replaced my washing machine three times and kept the same dryer, which has been tumbling clothes for over 30 years. It has to be living on borrowed time. The next time I buy a washing machine, I will look for an old-fashioned one with an agitator. I use top loaders.

I had my hearing test at Costco yesterday and got a printed report of the results. I hear male voices but have lost some hearing in the range of women's and children's voices. Maybe I'll just talk to men for the time being. LOL. The technician didn't give me a hard sell, but suggested I would benefit from hearing aids. It's something to think about.

Before leaving the store, I went to the vision office to schedule a vision test with the optometrist. She was available, so I had her check my vision. Now I have a prescription for glasses that are slightly different from the ones I am wearing. I'll probably go back today, depending on the weather, and order new glasses. I got new glasses from Sam's Club about three years ago, with a prescription from the medical eye doctor I see every year. The glasses didn't seem to be a good prescription so I kept wearing the old ones. I will use these same newer frames. I was always doubtful about the prescription since previous glasses from Sam's Club were always good. I had to pay for the vision test yesterday, $90, since we have traditional Medicare.

The forecast is for a good chance of storms today and tonight, strong to severe. Here's hoping for rain and nothing violent. We rain the a/c last night and may have a light freeze on Monday.

Decided to make a run to IKEA yesterday afternoon to look around and get a Swedish meatball fix. The meatball meal used to be so much better when we first shopped at IKEA, when it was the meatballs, small red potatoes, gravy, lingonberry sauce and a small side salad with gorgonzola salad dressing. After many iterations over the years including a salad or soup bar, it is now meatballs, mashed potatoes, peas, gravy and lingonberry sauce. DH opted for the lemon garlic baked cod, instead of the meatballs, and we had the frozen yogurt cone on our way out.

I was just going to look, but that didn't last long. We walked through the furniture area to see the new stock as well as the artful displays they have now. Our target is usually the marketplace section where they have the kitchen, bedding, lighting, plants and organization stock. I wandered around the kitchen section and found a new cast iron grill pan to replace the one I had tossed. The old one had a nonstick coating and I decided I no longer wanted any nonstick pans, and black plastic kitchen tools given the concerns about their shedding particles. I have many cast iron frying pans from my mother and ones I have bought over the years and prefer them for cooking and baking (yes, I do my pineapple upside down cake in it). I just hadn't seen one that had the grill bumps for meats that was also deep. It is currently in the oven being "seasoned". I also picked up some new cutting boards and tossed my old ones on my return home. They no longer have the colored ones which I preferred, so I used a Sharpie to make them for meats, chicken, and vegetables/etc.

There was a plea on NextDoor from a local charity for pots and pans for those just starting a new life. I found a pot set that has 3 pots and 2 lids for a reasonable price, a mesh strainer, a cutting board, and a 34 piece food storage container set. It has 17 containers with lids and it was on sale. This will be my first charitable contribution for 2026. I can remember what it was like when I got my first apartment and had no money. My roommate and I "borrowed" flatware from the hospital cafeteria to use until we could purchase our own set. We used to laugh about how it was "engraved" with the hospital's initials and make up funny names to explain them. Our decor was all donated and would be what I would describe as early Goodwill or Salvatian Army given they were all things no one else wanted.

I also picked up some storage bags which are just the right size for blankets. A large plastic bin with a lid to replace the hyacinth grass woven basket I used for paper storage in the kitchen area. Misty was using it as a nail sharpener, in spite of the cardboard one right next to it. I need to better organize it since it contains some genealogy research I keep close by, and other resources I like to keep here, instead of in my file cabinet in the basement office. It looks like it will be too large for where I wanted it so I will have to rearrange that shelf on the baker's rack. The smaller one would not hold 8 x 11 papers. I like it has a lid that is wooden and removable. I also found some artificial plants I could use on an old 4 shelf plant stand that was my mother's. The living room doesn't get enough light to keep real ones alive. I bought 2 hanging ones and 2 others. I found what they called metal candle holders on my way to checkout and they just fit the plant pots perfectly, plus the price was right.

I bought a small rug to place at the patio slider opening to catch what's on shoes when people use this access. I need to make it smaller to fit so I have already removed the hems it came with and will reconfigure it, sew it to fit by doubling it to make it a bit thicker. So with nothing on my list when I went there, I did leave with quite a haul.

DS is sending photos of his bathroom replacement on a daily basis. He had to buy the new contents and 2 guys have stripped the old contents. They have already installed the new tub/shower combo, drywalled where needed, and installed the new flooring. They said it would take 7 days to complete. He is pleased with their work and the pace.

Chris, I hope you get some relief for your left hand. Hand pain is so difficult to deal with because of the need to use them for ADL's and creative ventures.

petite1, I hope your new neighbors are pleasant and their houses increase the value of yours. I also hope you can get a solution for your issues at your new cabin. As Gilda Radner, used to say, "It's always something".

Sandy, thanks for sharing your experience with Zepbound. I guess your doctor learned something, too. I hope your show goes well and as they say " break a leg". I admire your singing and musical abilities. I have neither and have always been in envy of those that could.

Taco, enjoy your nice weather. We have had a slew of bad weather with unseasonable temperatures, too much snow this early in the season and too many gray days.

cindyny, you are as busy as ever and seem to be in a real party mode. Lucky you.

Carole, sounds like your weather is improving and loved your feedback on the quote. I find I am using the top one for genealogy and the bottom one for sitting while I do it, so trying to do both, lol.

harley07, I like mystery novels and I think that is one attraction to genealogy, solving of the past. I found that relatives were willing to discuss happy times, but not all of life's challenges and that is all uncovered during my research. Of course, they are no longer here to ask questions of, and even those who are, are reluctant to discuss certain things. It's the mystique.

Waving "hi" to anyone I may have forgotten and hope everyone has a great day. I need to get to laundry, which I skipped yesterday.

I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.

Abraham Lincoln