Tuesday

I went to bed early Monday night, so I woke up at 4:30 AM on Tuesday. I tossed and turned but could not fall back asleep. So, I got up in disgust at 4:30 AM. I filled in the Blog entry and posted it.

Then I did some on-line bill paying (always fun!), started a load of laundry and took the garbage out to the road. I shaved and showered, then went to my 8:00 AM rehab appointment.

I never realized how much different it would be to do those exercises that early! But, I persevered and by 9:30, I was back at home.

Then, I got to work. Now, I have to tell you, it was damn chilly outside, so I put on my heavy leather jacket and a watch cap (I should have used my Canadian toque in honor of their Thanksgiving, I suppose but whenever I wear it, I get strange looks. I think my neighbors believe I'm a die-hard hockey fan or something).

So, I went out and swept the garage (it needed it). Then I got my blower out and blasted the leaves and (more importantly) all the damn black walnuts off the porch, the garage apron and the entire driveway. It got much more intense near the end and I had to use my garden rake to pull the heavier stuff off the drive and into the lawn.

Why is this so different this year? Well, in years past, I would pick up the nuts and heave them into the field next door (so the squirrels could still find them). But, without a working right arm this year, it got left undone. I suppose I could have used my left arm, and I did try that but, as a lefty, I throw like a girl!

Back inside to warm up, I heated up the last of the pasta for my lunch. I ate that watching the noon news (I admit I am becoming quite the news junkie, but I don't always like what I see). After that I watched an old movie I'd taped, hoping to take a nap and fall asleep. But, alas, no nap!

So, I eventually gave up and got back up. I grabbed the line trimmer (I always want to say "Weedwacker" but I know that's a brand name, not the product name). I took it out back and trimmed all around the patio. I also got the grass growing up between the cements expansion strips.

I left the extension cord out there and took back in the line trimmer. I grabbed the blower and blew the patio bare. Oh, I know it will be covered with leaves again in a few days, but I wanted to verify I had done the job right.

I put everything away and walked out front to retrieve the mail. I sorted through it (always more junk than mail) and then started warming up dinner.

I put the four-cup container of leftover split pea and ham soup in a pan and added a cup or so more water to thin it out some. This particular soup (as well as beef barley) always seems to thicken up once chilled. While it was heating up, I made a small salad from iceberg lettuce, leaf lettuce, some fresh spinach and my ranch dressing.

I ate the salad (the dressing has a bit more garlic than I'd prefer) and then a bowl of the soup, mopping the last up with a chunk of the rustic bread. Once it had cooled, I put the rest of the soup back in the fridge, tidied up the kitchen and quit for the night.