Dear Reader,
I actually feel like I've turned a corner in the house at last. Slowly, but surely, I see, to be starting to make sense of everything. I've got several more Salvation Army boxes packed up and ready to go. And my study is pulling together. It's going to be heavenly!
I had the new cleaners out today. I picked them because I was very impressed by the young woman who owns the business. She lives in my village and has several clients in my neighborhood. I was pleased with the job they did, too. Three very pleasant women came out and cleaned a house the way it's supposed to be cleaned. They started by dusting off the door and window frames in each room. I meant to point out an a/c vent that needed dusting but forgot to. But I see that they got it. They use "green" products, which don't mean that I won't react to them. I suggested that they use them in only one bathroom so I could see if I would have a problem. At one point I walked up to the room as the lady was cleaning in it, and the fragrance hit me hard and I started coughing. Within just a few minutes I started itching on my neck and then, within a short while, just felt "sick" and had to sit down for a while. So, they'll be limited to using the few cleaners that I don't react to. I've been reading about vinegar, but the one time a housekeeper tried using it, the smell made me really sick. Not in an allergic way, just in an, "Oh, my gosh! That smells disgusting!" Sort of way. The supervisor come out with them and walked them through the house, and then, another woman came over after they left to inspect their work! I am very happy about them! A solid weekly cleaning will be a HUGE relief for me!
I bought a Bissell vac for $49 that is supposed to be great for dog hair, so I can use that the rest of the week. I have a swiffer thing to return to bed, bath & beyond and a 20% off coupon and am hoping to pick up an inexpensive steam mop tomorrow. This will be primarily for spot cleaning behind my Jack Russell as she urinates with abandon throughout the house! The diapers are too expensive to use all the time, plus she starts itching if I use them too much. The legs of doggie diapers are designed to be loose so that their poop falls out of the diaper. Doesn't sound like a good idea, does it? But, the alternative would be for the poor dog to sit on her poopee until you got her out and then washed her behind! So, I wake up each morning to my dog having an enormously full diaper, and poop droppings on the floor. It's great fun! I get to begin each day doing poop patrol! These steam mops clean and sterilize the floor and are supposed to be way easier to use than getting out your mop and mop bucket, mopping, then cleaning your mop and emptying your bucket and putting it all away. The only problem is ... I spent a fair amount of time in bed researching the steam mops and picking out the four that I liked the best. Then I went to the bed, bath & being site and they didn't have a single one of them!!
So. Here's the big question of the evening. This pain in my shoulder and bicep ... could it be cancer?? There is a lump on the outside of my arm which could be any number of things. But what if it's cancer? I wanted to go ahead and put this out here and not be superstitious about saying the word "cancer"! I mean, we all fear it, don't we? Or maybe that's just me? Anyway, I'm not being totally paranoid because my mother had a large tumor in her arm that was cancerous and was causing this same sort of pain. I doubt seriously that that is what is messing up my arm. But it's on my mind a lot. I see my new doctor tomorrow and will talk to her about it.
Oh, news flash. I have another body lotion that I can smell now! I was so excited.
And, double news flash. I HAVE LOST FIVE POUNDS!!! I guess being sick of eating has had an effect.
I decided to look into easy French recipes and try making them and see if I can regain ANY interest in cooking again. So tonight I made a version of a (don't fail me now, spell check!) nicoise salad. (Spellcheck says that is misspelled, but I beg to differ!). My version had no hard-boiled egg (extremely allergic and husband hated) and no tuna (way high levels of mercury) and no artichokes because I didn't notice them in the ingredients and didn't buy them. I had the anchovies but forgot to out them on my salad (husband hates them). I made the dressing with olive oil, tarragon vinegar, fresh garlic, a dab of mustard, and salt and pepper; it was very good. Then I made Trout Amandine, except that what I actually made was Tilapia Amandine because trout was $14.99 a pound and tilapia was $7.99 a pound! It was just delicious! I also roasted some thin carrots that still had the roots and leaves on when I bought them. I drizzled olive oil, salt and pepper on them and they were delicious, too. I included a couple of gluten-free ciabatta rolls also. It made a really nice dinner and I enjoyed making it.
My husband got a text this evening from a woman in our home town who is nominating him for this yearly award our high school gives out. So thats pretty exciting.
Hmmm ... maybe I lost that five pounds because my stress level is less than it used to be and so my body is being able to start working on that. Wouldn't that be lovely?
Well, here's to a great day for us all tomorrow!
Lisa
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