The great outdoors!

My foot was feeling better and I really needed to get out of the house, the last time I was out was last Friday.  So we went to Panera for bagels.  It isn't a very long walk from handicap parking to an inside booth.  Of course someone had the handicap parking spot which is the most convenient but I made do.  It was good to see something besides the inside of our house.

From there we went to Walmart.  I toyed with the idea of using one of their electric scooters but I really didn't need anything so decided just to let Don go in for the few groceries we needed.

Don made dinner, a first.  We had salad, garlic rolls (the kind you bake in our oven) and boneless chicken wings (from a bag of frozen ones).  It all was good.

We got a little small hail in the evening as a quick storm passed through.

Disaster debate

 My foot is a bit better, I can walk a little without a lot of pain.  I can't walk on hard floors, even with slippers on.  The cellulitis has gotten some better thanks the my leftover antibiotics.  

For dinner we brought in tacos.  I have lost my appetite probably due to the antibiotics or maybe from getting so little exercise.  

We watched the presidential debate (if you can call it a debate, more accurate to call it a trump screaming match).  It was very frustrating and annoying to think our president could act so childish.  He was like a 2 year old who wants all the attention.  Whatever gets into his brain comes out his mouth with no filters.  Once we were leaders in the world and now the world is laughing at us thanks to trump.

No podiatrist available

 I tried to get my foot into the podiatrist, any podiatrist, but they had no appointment times until a week from Wednesday.  I did make an appointment.  The person on the phone told me to go to the hospital emergency room, I told her no way.  The emergency room is a funnel to the hospital and I am not going to the hospital.  Also worried about it being Coved 19 hot spot.  I guess I will have to tough it out.  I found some left over antibiotics from a round of cellulitis and started taking them.

Don did some vacuuming and cleaned the bathrooms, I can't tolerate being on my foot any more than I have to be.  We got a pizza for dinner and finally watched Hidden Figures.  It has been a pay for movie on Prime for a long time but was free on Disney.  Good movie about how a group of black women were responsible for getting men in space and also how they won the respect of the astronauts, their bosses and the people they with whom they worked.

More foot pain

 My foot hurt so bad I decided I could not go out for breakfast like we always do on Sunday.  Don brought in breakfast from Dennys - pancakes, eggs and bacon.  We read the Sunday Newspapers and watched the news shows.

Sheila came over for a visit.  Good to see her again.

Don grilled some pork chops for dinner, I was not hungry and couldn't eat all my dinner.

We watched the end of the Challenger (Space Shuttle) documentary in the evening.

Stupid sore foot

 My foot is hurting much worse today so decided to just stay home.

We got dinner from Panera and watched some TV.  Super slow day!

Eating out

 We went to Panera for a bagel and coffee and then to HyVee.  Didn't need much at HyVee.  

Our granddaughter is feeling somewhat better today, hope she doesn't have any of the siver symptoms of Coved.

The displaced bone in my foot has started major hurting today, time to see the doctor again.

In the evening we went to Cracker Barrel for dinner.  Had been since last February in Florida that we had eaten dinner at Cracker Barrel.  It was their night for the fish special which is always good.

Coved 19 and our granddaughter

 A good day to stay at home.  I continued to read a book and do stuff around the house.  We found out our granddaughter has Coved 19.  Her family saw her a week ago but had tests anyway.

For dinner we had mushroom ravioli (that was purchased frozen) with spaghetti sauce.  

Perkins, Walmart, KFC

 We went to Perkins for potato pancakes this morning and then to Walmart for "a few things" and left $50 later.  Another nice day and good to be out and about.

For dinner we picked up KFC - a huge chicken breast, coleslaw and biscuit - and ate at home.

I won!

 Another stay at home day.  Don decided he was going to change the oil in our car over my objections.  He has almost always changed the oil in the cars we have owned so he has earned a break.  He got all ready to do the job only to discover he didn't have the right tool to take off the oil filter.  So he called Honda and made an appointment for the oil change.   I won!

Meanwhile I made a tuna salad for dinner and did some catching up on the computer.

So we did have tuna salad for dinner and enough leftover for lunch tomorrow!

"Creek"

 Didn't clean the house today like we do every Monday because we have been gone a week and the house generally wasn't in need of cleaning.  We did do a lot of little things around the house. 

I'm still tired from the trip so a nap felt good.  It was a nice cool day so good to have the windows open.  We had camper eggs for dinner - scrambled eggs with pepperoni, mushrooms and cheese.  Also had cinnamon rolls from a can.

There was actually a new TV show on last night, first one and hope there are more.  A show we had watched last summer "Creek" won many Emmy awards.  Best actors and supporting actors and more.  I knew it was a good show if a little on the weird side.  I hope they make more shows.

RIP RBG

 We were still tired today so took it easy.  I got the last of the suitcase stuff put away and Don got the suitcases put away.  Our daughters came over for a visit, always good to see them!

One Sunday we did not go out for breakfast!  We read the Sunday newspapers and watched news shows.  Don made a quick grocery store trip for some pork chops to put on the grill.  Also had a salad and potato.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a leader among

leaders.  She will be missed.

Home again

 Time to head home.  We did the trip in one day - about 10 hours with just three stops.  We were tired (and crabby) when we got home but still glad to be home.  The trip went well, as usual there was a lot of wind crossing the state of South Dakota.  Some trucks and RV's were having trouble staying on their side of the highway.  Reminded us of the days we drove a big motorhome across the state!

We got home about 7 PM. We stopped for a couple sandwiches to take home for dinner, then unloaded the car and relaxed awhile.  It was a fun trip to the Black Hills, beautiful scenery.  Good to visit with family as well.

Black Hills high, wine and pie:

Spearfish Canyon and The Needles

 Back to Panera's for a bagel and coffee and then off to Spearfish Canyon.  The trees are starting to turn their Fall colors.  Still some water coming down Bridal Veil Falls.  We drove from there to Lead and took the Strawberry Hill road to Hill City.  We stopped at Prairie Berry Winery and purchased a bottle of their new wine - Rose Ass.  Then on to the Needles highway, always a beautiful drive.  We stopped at an overlook, we could see smoke hanging in the mountains below.  From there to Custer and the Crazy Horse road back to Rapid City.  Lots of people out touring today.

We had dinner with my family - Lisa, Bill, Jay, Jodi, Heather, Kayla and Mike.  Sat around and we all talked at once.  Good to see everyone!

Custer State Park

 Breakfast at Paneras this and then off to South Dakota's Custer State Park.  (On the way we stopped at Happy Holiday RV park to see if our friends Fritz and Susan were available for a visit.  Fritz was right by the entrance and did a double take when we drove in.  We had a good visit.)  We drove the pigtail bridges and hairpin curves and narrow one way roads of the Iron Mountain Road.  Then on to the Wildlife Loop.  We first saw a white tail deer, then some burrows and then probably over 200 bison (buffalo) they decided to cross the road and move along so we were blocked for awhile.  A big old bull stopped right in front of our car and kept looking at us, probably to see if we were worth getting upset over.  Finally he moved off the road.  At the end of the loop we saw some prairie dogs.

It was about 1:30 and we hadn't had lunch so went into Custer to the Purple Pie House for strawberry rhubarb pie with ice cream.  Very good.  Headed back to Rapid City from there.  After a well deserved nap we went for dinner at the Texas Road House.  We had good meals.

We aren't accustomed to so much action so are very tired.

To Rapid City via the Badlands

 On to Rapid City today.  We went through Badlands National Park on the way and stopped at Wall Drug for lunch.  Don bought me a late birthday or early Christmas gift.  Black Hills Gold butterfly earrings!

More road construction after Chamberlain, slowed traffic.

We were early getting to our hotel but they let us move in anyway.  It is a new place and very nice, very modern.  We have a big room with king bed and a sofa etc.

For dinner we went to Powder House up in the Black Hills.  It has been a favorite place of ours for years.  We had prime rib for which they are famous.  They had built on a covered and heated patio where we sat.  They were very busy!

Made it to Chamberlain

 There was no hurry to get going today.  We watched some of the Today Show and drank our coffee and then got the last minute stuff in the car and got the house ready for us to be gone.  Left about 10 AM.  It was a good trip, got to Chamberlain, South Dakota about 4PM.  There was some road construction both sides of Mitchell, but not a big slow down.

Our Chamberlain Motel was good, will need a refurbishing in a couple years.  We ate at Al's Oasis, had Indian Tacos.  

Don and his Indian Taco:

Busy Monday

 Cleaned the house, did wash in the morning.  Packed for our trip in the afternoon.  Seems like we are taking a lot of stuff for a few days.

Had leftover Chinese food for dinner.

Alligator that is taking up residence in our park in Florida.  

Sunday in Apple Valley

 We had breakfast at Hy Vee's restaurant this morning, always good food!  Came home to start reading the newspapers.  Our daughters came over in the morning, good to visit with them.

Finished the newspapers in the afternoon and the political shows in the evening.

We had salad, steak and corn-on-the-cob for dinner.

Chinese and Jedis

 Cold this morning but already warmer than yesterday by mid morning.  It rained last night, some much needed moisture for our lawn.  We did things around the house today, always something!

We brought home Chinese food for dinner, have enough leftover for another meal.  Afterward we watched a Star Wars movie that we had not see before "The Last Jedi".  It was good as are all Star Wars movies!

9/11

 We went to Panera for bagels this morning.  Not many people there today.  Then on to HyVee for a very few groceries.  It was another cold day, rained later in the afternoon.  

For dinner we had leftovers from yesterday and fresh green beans that Sheila had brought us.  Easy meal.

Today is the 19th anniversary of the airplanes slamming into the two towers in New York.  

Never Forget!

 

Files

 A big job but had to do it sometime:  I went through our personal files to clear out the old stuff and there was a lot of it.  Sometimes hard to know what to save and what to toss so I end up keeping it another year and then another year.  There was a lot of old stuff!

It was foggy when we got up but it cleared and the sun came out.  It didn't freeze last night like was forecast so the plants live to see another day.  Don put a couple of the nicest ones in the garage to protect them.

I made a casserole from the past.  It was a big pan so we have leftovers for awhile!

Wearing my new highbred sweatshirt Brenda gave me - sweatshirt/cape:

Potato Pancakes

 We went to Perkins for breakfast this morning.  We had, as always, potato pancakes.  The place had a lot of inside business and saw a lot of carry-out.  Then we went to Walmart for a few things.  It was starting to rain when we came out of Walmart.  Still cold.

I was going to made a casserole for dinner, I thought the ground beef was in the refrigator but it was in the freezer.  SO we got pizza for dinner, good choice anyway.

A friend sent me this old picture, neither one of us remembers it being taken or why.  I am the one in the middle with the barretts in my hair.

Cold and damp

 It is a pain, but we got our hair cuts today.  I like the way one can sign-in online and get a time slot so no waiting (or very little) in the shop.  Good to get that job done!

We stopped by McDonald's for hamburgers for lunch to take home of course as inside dining is not open.

It is a cold and damp day.  Hasn't been this cold since early last spring.  It was hot and all the sudden cold so it feels even worse.  We had French toast for dinner with bacon.  Good meal on a cold night.

Labor Day Holiday

 Labor Day Holiday but we cleaned the house anyway.  Just want to get it done for the week.  Guess that is our way of doing Labor on Labor Day.

Sheila came over in the afternoon.  We had smoked pork chops, corn-on-the-cob and a big salad for dinner.

Sunday

 We ate breakfast at Denny's and made a stop at Menards.  Came home and watched Meet the Press and read the Sunday newspaper.  Usual Sunday.

Brenda along with her dog Java came for a visit in the afternoon.  I forgot to defrost something for dinner so we had leftover Chinese dinners.  

Dinner and a movie - at home of course

 Don need a run to Harbor Freight for some tool.  We picked up coffee on the way home, I got iced coffee!  otherwise we didn't do much during the day.  We got Chinese food for dinner.  

In the evening we watched "Toy Story 4", it was a good show.

40%

 We had breakfast at HyVee and then did our grocery shopping.  I found one thing I had been looking for:  Waffle Mix.  Who would think that would be out of stock in two stores for two weeks.  Still have a couple more things on my list.

Don had an appointment with the hearing-aid man in the afternoon.  He made some minor adjustments, all is going well.

Yet another nice day, we have had the windows open during the day for several days.  Arby's sent an email for 40% off an order so we went to Arby's drive thru.  When we went to pay the man at the window knew nothing about the email.  He asked a co-worker who also had no clue who asked the manager who knew nothing about it but gave us the 40% off acting like it was out of the goodness of his heart.  By this time many cars were behind us and surely they too had the email, at least some of them.

More Dish

 Nice weather, cool and a little breeze.  Unfortunately we know this will not last! 

I had my second encounter with Dish Satellite service.  I called and went through their multi-layer phone choices.  I finally got to a person who it seemed couldn't hear me so she hung up.  Disgusted that I had to go through the whole phone thing again, I decided to try to look at my account on the computer.  I easily got to my account but could not find an answer.  A "chat" icon popped us so I gave it a try and that person told me my Dish service would not start until March 2021 unless I called for an earlier start.  Good news.  I know to save anything from Dish and they had an option to email me a copy of the chat, which I did.  The email XXXXXXX'd out the date of March 2021, the most important part.  I still had the "chat" up on my computer so copied and saved the conversation.  Then I printed it and attached to my every growing pile of Dish information.  Just let them change their minds!!!!

We had leftovers for dinner.  Sheila came with vegetables in the evening and for a visit.

Dish

 We had breakfast at Panera and then went to Walmart.  Several things I wanted at Walmart were out of stock.  I did get the dishwasher detergent tabs that I had to look all over for the last time.  Now I need to remember to get the out of stock things next week or I could make a list -----

Dish satellite network had sent me a strange letter saying they were going to turn back on our service in Florida because of a "commitment" we had with them.  It is always something with Dish although they have gotten better.  I had called them in March when we left Florida to but our service on "pause" until I called them.  Our "commitment" with them had long passed so that was an issue.  So today I called Dish and easily straighten things out or so I thought.  Then I got two emails from them sent at the same time.  One said our service was on pause until I let them know and the other said they were immediately turning on our Dish service.  Now I have to call again.  

We had the second meal we bought from Olive Garden, 5 Cheese Ziti.  It was very good and just the right amount for us.

On TV this morning they said the secret to long life is having beans every day:

September 1, 2020

 Windows open again, nice to have fresh air even though the mowers are making a lot of noise.  Slow day which I appreciate now and again.  

The meteorologists say it is the first day of Fall, I will hold onto Summer until the calendar date of 9/20 as being the first day of Fall.

I made a casserole that I hadn't made for a long time "Impossible cheeseburger pie" it turned out good and tasted better than I remember!  We have leftovers for another meal which is always good.