Yum in the Tum

A Chill Thursday Start

I went to bed at 8:30 and didn't wake until 2AM, when Ted was announcing very loudly that he had arrived onto the bed. Kev was awake and Ted knew it, which is really why he was talking. He was asking Kev what he was doing awake and on his phone at 2AM. 😂 I got up to pee and got back into a nice sleep, not getting up until 7:30. No dizziness. I dressed and enjoyed half a cuppa with puzzles before doing morning chores. I went up for island time and a little work and around 10AM I heated a Lean Cuisine, Chicken Parmesan. I finished the Hallmark movie, Forgotten Holiday and then watched Who's Coming for Christmas? It was an afternoon of calls and work. A nice balance. I took a break to blow leaves from the back decks and firepit area, mainly to stretch my legs, and back in the seat. I had some canned mandarins for snack, along with two Dove dark chocolates. 

A Kev Masterpiece

Around 3:15 the Rent-A-Center guy arrived to pick up Dad's chair, which he slept wonderfully in. That has been a true life saver being able to have that for his visit. I turned on another Hallmark holiday movie, Winter Wonderlanes, to begin the cruise through the remainder of the work day. I worked until just after 6:30 and went downstairs where the Kev had been making dinner, which smelled really good. He made enchiladas with some of the leftover pulled pork that he smoked while Dad was here. He mixed the pork with medium salsa verde and filled corn tortillas. He then made a sauce with mild salsa verde and sour cream, poured over the filled and rolled tortillas and topped with cheddar before baking. He made some yellow rice to go with and y'all. This was delicious. I will eat this anytime he wants to make it. I had a little work to do in the evening, also enjoyed a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and bed was around 10PM. 

Woozy, not Boozy

Two Breakfasts

It was around midnight before sleep began to happen. Me and Kev were watching election results and took a while to wind down from the excitement. Thrilled for Texas mostly, and let's watch for Talarico to be a Presidential candidate one of these future days, but so many other historic things happened. It was fun to witness. I woke around 6AM to pee and laid back down to doze until Kev's alarm went off at 7. I didn't linger too long since I wanted coffee and breakfast time before taking Dad to the airport. Kev brewed the coffee and I cooked up sausage and baked biscuits. Do you know how long it's been since I've had a freaking biscuit?! OMG it was so good. I picked up a bag of frozen buttermilk ones at Walmart yesterday, and it was so light and fluffy. Some butter and strawberry jam made a yummy start to the day. I got Dad to the airport around 10:45 and stopped at the grocery on the way home. Lunch at 1PM was a bowl of cereal with banana as I worked up at my desk.

 

Dinner Sammich

It was super rainy and foggy, all day long, perfect for being productive. I had my weekly client call at 5, which was split into two separate calls today about different projects and adding different folks. I was done around 6:30, wrapped up a few last items and went downstairs at about 6:45. I ate some cold green beans then made a turkey sandwich with baby dills for dinner. I then took a long hot shower, got in my jammies and couldn't wait to get into bed-as-couch. Today brought something weird and new, light dizziness. It started after I got home from taking Dad to the airport. I was at my desk doing work and got up to some dizziness. I went to fold some clothes and put them away, some dizziness and vertigo. It then was off and on throughout the afternoon. I had some woozy in the shower. I was drying my hair and it happened when I closed my eyes and put my head down. So bed it is, hopefully I'll sleep it off.

 

Last Day with Dad

A Fall Tuesday

After good sleep I woke when Kev's alarm went off at 6:30. I got up to pee but got back into bed  until around 7:45. I did puzzles and did the days puzzles, getting up just before 8. I dressed and made the bed. Kev brewed coffee and we went out back to sip our cuppas. Dad joined us and around 10 me and Dad made a run down the mountain to Walmart for a few things. We got home around 11:30 and fixed some lunch. I made he and Kev bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwiches and myself a turkey sandwich, all on the yummy Amish jalapeno cheese bread. We ate outside and the breeze had a chill to it. It was a cloudy day and gearing up for rain starting this evening, into tomorrow afternoon. When lunch dishes were cleared me and Dad settled in to watch some SILO. I paused around 1:45 for him to have a nap and I opted for one too. 

Leftover Burger, Fresh Beans

I woke to a crash outside and a yelp from Kev. I got up to check on him and my sweet terra cotta painted sun had fallen from the wall and broken into many pieces. 😢 Dad and I watched some SILO and I did a little work. It rained and got windy, blowing plenty of leaves, officially thrusting us into leaf blowing season. I put on some cozy music, one of the YouTube channels with Ai generated cozy scenes, and light, jazz music. That stayed on until around 6PM when I started getting hungry. I wanted green beans so got up to cook them. Me and Kev had the beans with leftover burger patties while Dad chose leftover pulled pork with cole slaw. After dinner dishes were done I brushed my teeth and washed my face before settling back on t he couch for SILO continuation. 

Daytrippin'

On the Road and Back at Home

I got up before 7 to start the day. Fed kitties, got dressed, fixed my hair, packed a quick bag. I skipped coffee today so right around 8AM Dad and I left for a day trip to Birmingham to visit his old friend from college. We arrived at his house right around 10AM and their catching up began. I brought my Word Search book and my computer, and finished my daily puzzles. We went up the road a ways to a little Chinese restaurant for lunch specials. We visited until around 2PM and then headed out, back towards home. We didn't get to visit his other friend due to a death in their family but hopefully will have that visit another time. We were sent with two chocolate chip cookies, which we ate on the highway, and listened to good tunes along the way. We made it home around 7ish and I unpacked my bag and then made half a turkey sandwich, which I had with a few Dot's Parmesan Garlic pretzels and a Babybel. We watched SILO until bed around 10:30.

Rainy Sunday

Drizzly Sunday Morning

Another good sleep. Woke just before 7 to pee and crawled back into bed until almost 8. I got dressed and fed the kitties. Kev made our coffee and I made Dad's...the dueling coffees. After sipping I cut up apple and put it onto boil with some raisins, going on to make some yummy oatmeal. This is how Dad always made it when I was a kid. I remember his weekends usually included this oatmeal, always with fresh apple and raisins. When done I added in butter, brown sugar and a TBSP of Irish whiskey. Around 11 Kev took us on a little toodle loop drive, to get us out for a little while on a nice drizzly day. Dad is disappointed that there isn't a ton of  fall color but I see plenty and think it's beautiful. 

Cozy Mexican Dinner

We stopped at a little Amish-like fruit and veggie stand on the other side of the mountain, picking up fresh okra, squash and jalapeno cheddar bread. We got home around 1PM and I made a slice of toast with that bread, it's so perfect for a mid day snack. Kev ate some lunch and went down the mountain for an afternoon at the aquarium, followed by a climbing movie at the IMAX. Me and Dad were supposed to be heading to Birmingham today to visit one of Dad's friends, but he had to cancel today due to a family member's passing. We will make the drive tomorrow to visit another of Dad's friends and may or may not make the other connection in the later afternoon. We will wait to hear tomorrow. I had a shower mid afternoon and settled on the couch while Dad watched NFL football. We went over to our little Mexican restaurant around 5PM for dinner while Kev was out. Me and Dad had the restaurant to ourselves. I had the usual, delicious chicken dish. We got home before 6:30 and settled in for SILO watching.

Halloween and Birthday

Egg Face

Happy Birthday to my Kev today! 💖 and Happy Halloween! 🎃

I woke at 3AM to pee and was wide awake. I did all my puzzles and browsed Instagram until after 5, and then dozed off. I woke next just after 8 and lounged until 8:30. I got dressed and sipped my cuppa out back. Dad joined us and around 9 I made eggs, bacon and English muffins for breakfast. The guys got football on the TV and I went up to do October invoicing. There was, of course, island time as well. Me and Kev made a quick run to the post office, to fill up Sterling, and to dump compost and I pulled weeds when we got back. It was a perfect temperature day and I had to be outside some. 

Fresh off the Smoker

Mid afternoon I made a coleslaw that Dad loves, and a batch of too-runny deviled eggs, Ma's recipe but added too much liquid, but they were super tasty. Kev got the pork off The Chug and let it rest almost two hours before pulling the meat off the bone. I heated some buns and I poured on some of this yummy Seed Ranch BBQ sauce. It was a delicious meal. After dinner Kev built a fire in the firepit and we sat outside until it burned low. We went in and watched The Fantastic Four, which was a little hokey but still entertaining. Bed was around 10ish.

Shoe Shopping

Friday Scenes

After good sleep I woke at around 6Am to pee and back to sleep until 7, when Kev's alarm went off first. The second at 7:30 and we slowly got moving. I fed kitties and got dressed. I woke up hungry so made a bowl of cereal with banana before sipping coffee out back with Dad. I did my puzzles and enjoyed a slow morning, being off of work. We walked down the lane to get the trash bin but the trash hadn't come, so we went back. Dad and I hit the road around 11 to the mall side of town to find Dad some new shoes. We went to DSW where he purchased some nice ones, a stop at Trader Joes, then the grocery before home. We sat out back to enjoy the afternoon and he eventually went in for a nap. Me and Kev went to the track for a walk, he wanted to test the foot, which did well. We got in just over a mile, went home and I got tots in the oven. Kev grilled burgers and we enjoyed dinner outside. We then kicked off Kev's birthday weekend with a slice of Mom K's chocolate pie, which Kev requested, and I made this afternoon. He also requested chocolate chip cookies, which I will make tomorrow. 😂💖 We watched SILO until bed.

Shawarma Night

Thursday 

Sleep was good. No waking for me in the night. I got up at 7 and showered. Kev left early for his orthopedic doctor appointment and I got the kitties fed. I made coffee and sipped in the reading room doing puzzles while Dad slept. I went up to my office early to get going on the push of projects I needed to get done before taking a few days off so had quick island time and got to it. Kev returned from the dr, yay he can remove the boot but still no climbing. I sat outside with Dad off and on and at 11:30 we made turkey sandwiches for lunch. I had a few of his Jalapeno Ruffles with my sandwich and then went back up for the afternoon. I'd take short breaks to check in on Dad and shut things down just after 5PM. Around 6 we went down the mountain to the Shawarma place for dinner. We parked, opened the door and a stray dog jumped in! She (Ava) was super sweet and had apparently gotten out of her yard, but came to me immediately. Kev had some emergency rope in Sterling so he tied her to a tree so she wouldn't get into traffic. Thankfully she had a tag with phone number on it and Kev called. The owners lived across the street and came to get her fairly quickly. I had the Shawarma plate with chicken, rice, grape leaves and hummus and it was good, but not as good as the first try, when it was lunch fresh. We got home and I did some work on the couch after getting in my jammies. 

Wednesday Arrival

Brunch

After good sleep I got up just before 7:30. Fed kitties, dressed, sipped a little coffee while doing puzzles. Did some extended morning chores before making it over to the chiropractor where I got a nice hip and jaw adjustment. I got home, made a bowl of cereal with banana, had quick island time and got going on a project. I had a call at noon, completed a draft of a project and got it sent for review. In the background I turned on a Hallmark movie, today was Forgotten Holiday, which has the guy I loved from When Calls the Heart. 

Parm Chicken Night

I had a lot to do in the afternoon and saw that Dad's flight would land earlier than stated. I hurried to send off some files, turned off my monitor, put on shoes and hit the road at 2:15. There was no parking near the terminal so I went out to the cell lot where I stayed until Dad was landed and bag in hand. I scooped him up and we made a stop at the mountain grocery for essentials before getting back to the house. I had my weekly client team call at 5 so Kev made Parm chicken, green beans and mashed potatoes, which was fabulous. We all enjoyed our meal and spent the evening watching SILO, and me working on the couch. Me and Dad stayed up until after 11 watching some episodes and bed was around 11:30.

Head Down

Tuesday

I woke just after 6AM, to the lovely sound of a cat about to hork, and this time it was ON the bed, which has never happened. I got up to get the Envirocloth and thankfully it was just a little clear-ish spit. There was no getting back to sleep so I piddled on the phone, lounging until 7:15. I fed the boys and then got dressed. Kev made coffee. We both had some cereal and then sipped in the reading room while I did puzzles. I got on up to my office since there was plenty to do. I had island time and then turned on the latest Hallmark movie, What if Christmas, which played in the background. At 11:30 I made a turkey sandwich and scarfed it down just before hopping onto a noon client call. The afternoon raced by and I barely got up to pee. I'm trying to get as much done as I can before Dad arrives tomorrow afternoon. I am taking a few days off starting Friday and have projects already stacked up, waiting on my return. At 6:30 me and Kev had a video meeting with the couple that will be staying here with the kitties at Christmas. When that call was done I heated my favorite frozen dinner and followed it up with canned mandarins, which I can't get enough of. After dinner I walked a mile on the trek pad, listening to my book. I took a shower, got in PJs, brushed my teeth and got into bed-as-couch.