The coming week's weather forecast. The temperatures are rising.
As always, it's a long one so happily skip when needed. I have been writing my daily journals for years, and they are indeed very detailed. I learned how to type in my teens, can do so reasonably fast even now, and still type every day. It all fits in with my detailed brain, I miss very little in everyday goings on. I can look over things ad nauseum and still find a typo, which gets corrected sometimes after publishing. I might also tweak a sentence that doesn't flow or ramble, or add things that I remember later. Everything goes in here and it's fun to look back to see what I have written - for both of us as Gregg likes reading them too, now and years down the road.
Sunday, March 1st, 2026: It was son’s day to come over and that’s always lovely. Gregg cooks breakfast, and son tells us about his week as we sit at the kitchen table. After breakfast we move into the family room until it is time for him to pick up our dear d-in-l.
I finished another iPad puzzle after he left, a lovely visual that reminds me of what is to come in the spring, seeing pups play, butterflies - and bees - dancing and spring flowers. I expect many feel the same way.
Monday, March 2nd, 2026: I had a doctor’s appointment for my yearly check-up. It was supposed to snow at 11.30 p.m. but just before we left, around 3.30 p.m., flakes started falling. We drove to the building without a problem. By the time we got there, big flakes were coming down. My appointment was the last one of the day. We were able to get a parking space not too far from the entrance and that’s unusual as we can never find one and have to drive to the multi-story parking lot across the street.
Gregg always drops me off at the door and I sit in the foyer near the elevators which will take us to the fourth floor. I usually have an appointment early morning so maybe this is the way to go from now on. On second thoughts most likely there were closer parking spaces available because people were leaving early wanting to get home before the weather got worse.
Photos from the road are below. The middle right of this collage, was taken in the waiting room, shortly after we arrived. The squirrel tried to warn us, but we paid him no mind. I had to keep that appointment today and didn’t want any delays. What’s a little snow?
Bottom left a stalwart fellow running in the snow in his shorts! "Are you mad, sir?" “No, just stalwart,” he says. You can’t tell by that photo, but big flakes were coming down. I hoped he had strong grips on his running shoes. Good news, the hospital is just around the corner. I put my maternal instincts away and wished him no slipping and sliding in his future.
Finally, after 20 minutes past my appointment time, it was my turn and the young nurse sat me down in this room at the back of the building. I got my exercise getting there. Not too far now, she told me as slowpoke followed and bless her, she slowed her pace to a snail to match mine. The corridor went on forever, with a few twists and turns. I keep forgetting how big this building is. My dear other half comes with me, and I have his arm to lean on. We both sit while the nurse asks me all appropriate questions. She is very nice and looks like she just left high school. It's a thing isn't it, that the older you get, the younger the young ones seem?
I get the cognitive test, which I absolutely loathe but necessary I suppose. As soon as I know that's coming, I can feel myself getting tense, this upon the tension I already feel. She gives me three words to remember, apple, table, beach. She took my blood pressure before all this and said it was very high, me thinking of this test no doubt as I had an idea it was coming. Gregg knows what I'm like, and suggested she take it again as usually my bp is always on the lower side. When she did that second one, it was a normal read. Okay, who has 'white coat syndrome' out there?
I think real life can somehow write their own comedy skits, in our world anyway, as one of us had a right chuckle about it and told at least three people that day and the next. I was asked to draw a circle where I had to insert numbers as you would in a clock. I've done it before. I didn’t like it then either. This time I was a bit haphazard and drew the fastest circle I have ever done, without thinking much about it, about 8 inches in diameter, because all I wanted to do was get through this and get out of there. When I looked at this dear nurse studying my circle, I saw an interesting look on her face. Gregg saw it too and he got up out of his chair to take a look. I'm thinking, well I want to get out of there and why are we sitting looking at a flipping circle? Let me draw the clock already. But no, we had to discuss it a little longer. She said that was about as perfect a circle as I've seen anyone draw, ever. She looked at me and said, "No really, I'm not kidding." “She's an artist” Gregg said, and I said to myself in what world would that be? I might have been a tad grumpy but trying not to be. She was such a dear. Next, she said “I’ve seen a lot of circles and that’s about as perfect as anyone has ever drawn one”, this as they looked at each other, then both looked at me like I was ready for the exhibit. The three of us were by this time looking at the circle. I felt I was in a never-ending time loop talking about the circle. There were no ends, no overlapping lines, perfectly round. “Huh!” she said. It could have been drawn by a compass. I said to myself, to heck with this, I still had to draw the numbers within the circle and would be told to put the hands showing 10 to 10. She said, "Put the hands at 10 to 11." Tricky! Take my blood pressure now I thought! Done, done and done!
She left and a few moments later my doctor came in. I really lucked out on this medical team. I have felt very comfortable with her since day one, once the ball gets rolling, and the medical staff have always been excellent. Even though I was the last person to see, the doctor made time to chat and not just about the medical questions.
She has a little girl and I asked about her, how was she? With a big beaming smile she said she now has a little sister, and would I like to see a photo of them? They were absolutely precious. Sadly, my doctor is moving to Minnesota to be closer to her in-laws. She seemed very happy about it all and we were very happy for her, though I will be sorry to see her go. She's been my doctor for the last three-and-a-half years. She's also a young-one.
When we left the office, everyone had gone home. No one was in reception, the emergency lighting was on but very dark, and it felt Stephen King eerie. I was supposed to get a blood test done and was told to go down to the ground floor to see if they could fit me in before they left for the night. We got there with 10 minutes to spare. It became apparent that I would be keeping them past their leaving time so I said quick as a flash, "Oh no problem, I can come back next week. I don't need an appointment do I? No? I can just walk in? I'll be back next Wednesday!" I practically raced Gregg to the door, I was out of there lickety-split. I got the usual slow down reminder from the keeper of my safety because my brain was racing faster than my feet, as sometimes happens.
It was still snowing outside, and the light had faded. I was glad Gregg didn’t have far to go for the car. He left me at my seat and soon picked me up at the door. We went to our chicken place for dinner. He had his chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. I had a grilled chicken sandwich and waffle fries. A treat after a doctor's appointment. It will be back to salads tomorrow.
We had poached eggs on toast for breakfast and those were our two meals for the day.
In the evening I started watching a new show (to me) called Bookish, a British detective drama series, set in 1946 London. It's on Amazon Prime. The story is about an eccentric bookshop owner solving crimes and has six episodes in the series. It looks very promising. I really enjoyed the first episode as the acting is outstanding and believable. I am looking forward to another tonight.
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2026: looking out the window the snow is 95% gone. The current temperature is 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). The rain helped a lot.
Nothing morning or afternoon of note.
Breakfast turned out to be a bagel with cream cheese and I added blueberries on the side.
It was a late breakfast and we didn't eat again until well after dinnertime. No salad but a healthy chicken and vegetable stir fry, and that is all for today.
Wednesday, March 4th, 2026: I woke up at 6.00 a.m. and read for a while, slowly easing into the day. Breakfast was Weetabix with warmed milk, and the rest of the blueberries, plus handful of chopped walnuts and chopped dates. Dear other half went out with his shopping list, and I dare say he will treat himself to breakfast while out.
He had a fancy for hot dogs and also bought hot dog buns with a can of Hormel’s chili with no beans for dinner - one of us isn’t too fond of beans. The hotdogs were very good, especially as they were rather small. We have not had them in a long time.
It’s rainy, a dull day but warmer than it has been, 55 degrees F. (13 degrees C.)
I finished another jigsaw puzzle on my iPad. Hopefully we have seen the last of the snow.
The following image shows how it looks towards the end, a bit of a jumble. I have it set at over 400 puzzle pieces. I have one in a box and am hoping to start a thousand puzzle piece soon. It will have to be set up on the dining room table as I don't have one of those convenient roll-ups.
Thursday, March 5th, 2026: It rained all day and as I am writing this in bed at 11.04 p.m. it still is. I had a lazy start to the day too as Gregg met up with his old navy buddy for lunch and has been gone since 9.30 a.m. He got home around five this afternoon. These two have known each other since they were stationed on their first ship. I first met his wife when she lived in one of those big old buildings in Washington DC. I hadn't been in the States more than a few months. I remember the three of us - with Gregg’s friend - walking up to her apartment on a higher floor and was amazed looking out at the city. They were girlfriend and boyfriend at that time. A lovely couple I am happy we have kept in touch for all these years. Gregg enjoys driving so the time on the road is never a problem. It takes him two hours to get there and two hours to get back, depending on the traffic, and they usually meet up once every couple of months or so, depending on what we are all doing.
As for me, I enjoyed my day. I pottered again, doing a few chores, playing on the laptop, doing a little creating, looked outside to see the birds. Only a few Juncos and Mourning Doves turned up in the late afternoon. The weather kept them away probably. I have to get a new water bowl for them. There is a crack in the bluebird one. I forgot to empty it and the water froze, expanded and there you go, there's a hole in the bucket so to speak.
No breakfast today. I didn’t feel like eating anything early.
For lunch I popped a sweet potato into the oven, and ‘fried’ an egg in our small non-stick frying pan, to go on top of the potato after taking it out and splitting it. I come from the food philosophy that an egg in any shape or form is good on 99 percent of things, and rarely sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar on a sweet potato.
Dinner was a Thomas’ Corn Toast.R.Cakes. They were also from the last shopping trip, picked up on a whim. I told the man they can be a permanent fixture, at least until we need a change (I see a pairing of a poached egg next time). I am not doing this to give them any advertising, but it’s for me to remember, and maybe you would like to try them too. Has anyone had them? They are delicious and come in a resealable tray. I didn’t feel the need to add butter or cream cheese, just toasted and they come out nice and crispy on the outside, and are lovely and fluffy on the inside.
I added a couple of dates, the last of the blueberries and a few chopped walnuts on the side. For a thrown together meal, it was very satisfying. My dear other half is not a fan of them, they are too sweet for him. He's a savory man.
The day went fast, as they always seem to do.
Friday, March 6th, 2026: our son and sweet daughter-in-law popped over today, and we all had a lovely chat. They told us about a new bagel place they enjoyed. It is now on our rotation. Are we foodies? We might be, especially at this stage of our lives. Here are some photos they shared with us.
Later we had a FaceTime with brother-in-law in Germany. We all had our inputs, sent each other photos, chatted about everything under the sun and after an hour-and-a-half with no gaps or pauses, it was time to go. I swear, we could have gone on for another hour. I have said it before but he is more like a brother than a brother-in-law.
So, lots of chatting today.
We had a late lunch/early dinner at our pasty shop, a car picnic in their parking lot, more chatting ensued and then took our purchases home (bangers, bacon, a few Cadbury’s chocolates, and Cadbury’s drinking chocolate).
It didn’t rain but there was no blue sky, and clouds were pretty much socked in.
That was Friday!
Saturday, March 6th, 2026: my dear other half took the car in for an inspection. He waited an hour plus to be seen, they were very busy. Eventually, when the car was checked, they told him he needed work on both rear brakes, an alignment, besides the oil change, and probably a few other things. They couldn't get all the work done that day. He was given a ride home. Tomorrow they will pick him up again when everything is done.
No car but plenty to do around here.
I had some playtime today and came up with the lady logo below. I asked for dangly earrings in the shape of owls, and socks that had an owl design on them. I like her hairdo. Her outfit is really nice and I would love to have all of it in my wardrobe.
Thanks for sticking with me to the end of this epistle. Always appreciate it.
I hope you have a great Sunday,
and a wonderful week ahead.
