Julie Hulse
A Day of My Life
February 4, 2018
12:05 It’s Sunday February 4! Wish I was sleepy, but can’t seem to unwind. It frustrates me when I can’t sleep. Need to keep the bedroom light off, so am browsing different sites on my tablet. I know I could make it easy and go into another room, but staying in bed makes me think I might actually go to sleep soon. Looking at quilt sites, some news. Not really into these things right now but it is something to do until I get sleepy.
1:07 Turn off tablet and slide between the sheets. Gracie (the dog) is already under the covers and snoozing. Same for Hubby.
1:15 Last look at the clock, aiming for sleep.
8:00 Open eyes, pit stop for me then down the stairs and to the back door so the dog can do the same. She hates the cold and shivers quite pathetically.
8:15 Clean myself up, get dressed – my usual jeans and white shirt – and prop myself up on the bed. Our 19- year- old cat comes in wanting some attention so she gets a head and face rub and then the jealous dog wants the same.
8:21 Read my book – – by Michael Connally.
9:00 I am so spoiled! Hubby brings me breakfast and the newspaper and I very luxuriously partake of both. Breakfast is good, but the news not so much. The news in and about Muncie is very discouraging and sad – government, schools, crime. I suppose it isn’t much different than other cities, but still . . . Hubby sits on bed too, and we share opinions as we read the paper.
9:50 Breakfast over and time for my morning Bible reading. Worship sustains me. Today I am continuing to read the Psalms and am starting at Psalm 38.
10:10 Ended this morning’s reading with Psalm 47.
I probably need to get moving into my day but I don’t have an agenda so the time in front of me looks a bit colorless. I thought being retired would be the best thing ever, and it could be, but it is easy to be like me and spend too much time doing nothing of any use.
Straighten the bed.
10:20 I look in the mirror and am not happy with my hair (I’ve heard this comment from every woman I know). My solution? Get out the scissors and start trimming. Over the last two days the length of my hair has become considerably shorter and I will no longer be able to pull in into a pony tail on lazy days. I think it looks much better. I am happy – at least for now.
10:55 Head downstairs and wrap dog in a blanket. I decide some pasta salad would taste good later this afternoon.
11:00 Head to kitchen, gather ingredients from fridge and pantry and start chopping, cooking and mixing. I love how colorful pasta salad looks with black olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and other yummy stuff in a range of colors. Pretty food tastes so much better.
11:40 Finished with the salad – 40 minutes from start to finish – not bad.
Back in living room continuing to read my current mystery. It is still raining/snowing and doesn’t look like a good day for a walk. Another day of gray skies.
12:00 Phone call to sister
12:09 Conversation with Hubby. We decide to run some errands, exciting things like grocery and pharmacy. Wal Mart is first stop. We chat with some friends, then I head to the gardening section. I have a house plant that needs to be transplanted to a bigger pot but, alas, Walmart has no flower pots for sale since it is winter. That doesn’t make much sense to me. Poked around in the toy department trying to find a stuffed kitty for a little girl. Finally found the perfect (and only) kitty and it purrs and meow’s when you rub its head. She will love it. Finally hit the grocery section for just a few items.
1:30 Check out at Wal Mart
1:37 Back out to cold car where I turn on the car seat warmer, buckle up and drive on to another grocery for some things Wal Mart doesn’t carry.
Had encouraging and uplifting talk with a stranger. He had both legs in medical boots and was using crutches. All he could talk about was how thankful he was to finally be standing and walking again. He had been through a long ordeal. Made the pain in my leg feel pretty insignificant.
At both stores I notice shopping carts bulging with snack food and drinks. Super Bowl is a money maker for the food industry.
1:59 Heading home. I know Hubby will watch super bowl later, but it is of zero interest to me. A Bah Humbug event.
2:20 Home again. I agree with Dorothy “there’s no place like home.”
Add a couple of things to the pasta salad and eat while I continue reading.
3:15 Salad is very good. Now to finish putting the last few groceries away.
3:23 Making ro-tel cheese dip. I haven’t made it in a few years but I have to say advertising did its job. I saw the ingredients prominently displayed and I couldn’t resist. Not exactly a healthy snack but I figure Hubby will like it while he watches football.
3:33 Dishes are clean and the cheese dip is finished. I had to sample the dip – just to make sure it was safe for Hubby to eat. The first bite tasted really good, but the second just tasted too rich and heavy. I probably won’t eat any more of it. That’s what happens with impulse buying – it is not always what it is heralded to be.
3:45 Trying to read again, but my Gracie doesn’t act like she feels good today. She has made no attempt to play ball, which is her favorite game. She is not eating either, just lying under her blanket. I’ll watch her and see what she is like tomorrow. Back to my book.
4:30 Thought I was home for the day but have decided to go to the fabric store. One of these days I need to start on a baby quilt for a great niece. Just want to get some ideas.
Bought two boxes of girl scout cookies, Thin Mints, yum. Best fabric shop purchase ever! Once upon a time I was a girl scout.
Decide the baby quilt could wait a little longer but that I need fabric to make a drawstring bag to put the stuffed kitty in. I like useful bags rather than throw away paper. I think pink flannel will work nicely.
5:10 Pay for purchases and head outside. Yikes – the rain mix has turned to ice and the parking lot is very slippery. So, coming out wasn’t one of my brighter ideas but I did get what I needed.
5:24 Once again I say that I am back home. Called daughter in Chattanooga while eating several Thin Mints. Need to stop this junk food craze.
6:00 Phone call ends. Super Bowl coverage begins and I willingly relinquishing the family room to Hubby. He can watch the game while I go upstairs to my office – – my nice quiet office – – and read the evening away. I hear the chimes in the backyard ringing and assume the wind has picked up. The chimes make a beautiful musical sound. Once again both pets are snuggled close to me. I talk about my dog all the time but she is really my baby. Gracie means so much to me.
6:10 Pets are fed and I am browsing the news on my tablet. The news is so maddening and difficult to read. Our politicians, across party lines, act like terribly misbehaved and petulant children – – stomping their feet and absolutely demanding they get their own way. On second thought, that analogy isn’t fair to kids – – kids are better than that.
6:21 Eleven minutes of news and I am sure my blood pressure is on the rise. I have no idea what I could do to make things different so I will retreat back to my peaceful and calm world with my pets and Hubby. Back to my book of murder and mayhem – so much calmer than listening to world political news.
7:07 Receive phone call from youngest daughter who resides in Denver.
7:29 Sitting for a few minutes thinking about my far away family and missing them.
7:33 Reading yet again.
8:03 Gracie brought me her ball and I continue throwing it down the hall. It is a good thing, as she must be feeling better. Between ball throws I am brushing Miss Kitty.
8:33 Playing computer Mah Jongg. It is nothing at all like the real game. I used to play with a group before I moved back to Muncie. Computer Mah Jongg is rather mindless and I tell myself it relaxes me. Hopefully I can sleep better tonight.
9:32 Have my night time worship
9:55 The impossible is happening – I think I am getting sleepy. My Gracie has abandoned me, which is a rare thing. She is watching the super bowl with Hubby and I am pretty sure she is receiving too many cheesy treats.
10:09 Last look at clock – – zzzzz
Editor’s Note: The diarist Julie Hulse wrote this entry, and requested that her name be attached to it.