Cutting the Cord

People who know me and my love of television and movies probably won't believe this, but I called to have my television cable disconnected.  Yes.  Disconnect.  Over, done with, gone.

Why did I do this, you ask?  Because I'm watching very little broadcast television these days.  Everyone is, of course, entitled to their own taste in television viewing, and I'll constantly defend your right to watch whatever you want to watch, I swear.  But as for myself, I don't like "reality" television.  I don't like dancing and vocal competitions.  I don't like shows about people who expose their children to beauty pageants and screaming dance instructors for the sake of "fame and fortune".  And I really, REALLY don't like shows that show the worst possible view of people who live in my beloved South.  (Does anyone actually think that Honey Boo-Boo and her family should be on television....honestly?)

So, a few weeks ago I kept a log of how much broadcast television I actually watched in a week.  It was very, very little.  Don't misunderstand....I watch television, but it's almost all streamed through the computer.  I subscribed to Netflix, but recently switched to Amazon Prime after I purchased a Kindle Fire.

The only thing I really watched on cable that I can't get online is local news.  So, I bought myself a $35 indoor antenna and hooked it up.  Guess what?  I get 13 channels OTA (over the air).  Included in the channels I receive are these networks: NBC, CW, CBS, ABC, FOX and TNN.  I also get a 24/7 weather channel and a couple of "retro" stations that will satisfy my need for the occasional episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

And what do these 13 channels cost me?  Nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.

I only have two regrets:

1. I'll need to learn to sit through commercials again since I can't really justify the cost of the TiVo subscription.  Oh well.  Maybe I can find another way to "pause", too.
2. I don't get a PBS station.  But, I can watch the PBS shows I like on their website.

My internet service will cost me a small bit more each month since my cable and internet were "bundled", but my net savings after giving up cable and TiVo will be about $75 a month.  Sure, $900 a year isn't going to make a huge difference, but that's $900 I can use for something I'll actually USE.

I have a second indoor antenna ordered to put on the small television I keep in the bedroom; it should be delivered tomorrow.  I wonder if the reception on that one will be as good as the one in the living room.  I hope so, but actually as long as it will pick up my local NBC affiliate so I can watch the news while I'm getting ready for work I'll be happy.

Things I Wonder About

Such a busy, busy month it's been!  My Aussie family arrived on March 28, which also happened to be my parents' 60th wedding anniversary.

My visitors were able to stay until April 19, and we had a perfectly wonderful time!  My sweet six-month-old grandson, Nio, seemed to grow daily while they were here.  In three short weeks, he cut a tooth (his second), learned to sit up unsupported, learned to scoot backward, learned that standing up is more fun than sitting down, and began to call me "Nan-Nan".  *sigh*  I sure miss them!!

I was able to take some time off and worked only 5 days during the time they were here.  Of course, I've paid dearly for that since I returned to work Monday but I'll try not to whine too much about that.  *LOL*

I'm awfully tired this evening, so this long-overdue blog entry will be regrettably brief.  Before I close, though, I find myself wondering about a few things:

1. Will Nio recognize my voice the next time I speak to him on the phone?  (maybe)
2. Will I cry if he doesn't?  (probably)
3. Is my Aussie family having fun on their trip to Fiji?  (I hope so)
4. Does every owner of a Kindle Fire love theirs as much as I do mine?  (probably)
5. Will I regret my recent decision to order a set of plum-colored luggage?  (I hope not)
6. Will I have enough hand-dyed yarn to complete the entrelec beret I'm knitting?  (I really, REALLY hope so)

Okay, enough wondering for tonight.  :-)

Not the Flu, But Still No Fun

I'd been sick all weekend....fever, chills, body aches, headache, general yuckiness.  I was still too sick to go to work yesterday.  This morning I went in for just a few hours to get one task completed and pick up some work to take home in case a predicted snowstorm actually hits us tonight.

By the time I left the office I felt so crummy that I went by the local urgent care center.  I was running a fever, so they tested me for flu.  It wasn't the flu, thank goodness, but I do have a bad sinus infection.  Antibiotics for me.  *bleah*

I went by the drugstore to pick up my medication, came home, and climbed into the recliner with knitting and watched TiVo all afternoon, catching up on stuff I hadn't felt like watching earlier.  It's raining now.....a lovely dreary steady rain.  Makes me feel all cozy and safe in my little corner of the world.

And so, I'm going to take my medicine, sip some hot soothing tea, and call it a night fairly early this evening.

Here's hoping you're all well and safe on this rainy Tuesday.

It's only TUESDAY??

This has been a long week.  A long, ugly week.  And this is only Tuesday.  *sigh*

Okay, so what's been wrong with this week?

1. Work stuff that I'll refrain from discussing on the internet, since Big Brother may be watching (for those of you who do not understand that reference, please read the excellent book "1984" by George Orwell).
2. Sinus problems that have been dragging on for weeks.
3. Exhaustion caused by items 1 and 2 above.
4. Nothing tastes right; probably caused by item 2 above.
5. I've had a sudden attack of "I hate my hair" syndrome.  Not unusual.  This happens from time to time.
6. I need a snow day.....really, really, REALLY need a snow day.  And the best we're going to get are a few snow showers Thursday.  Phooey.

Now, what's been right with this week?

1. Louise has been in the hospital, but is improving and will hopefully be home very soon.
2. Daddy's improving a little more each day.
3. I finished knitting a scarf for Mom on Sunday.
4. I learned how to crochet one of those Sashay scarves last night from a YouTube video (I've already knitted several, but hadn't learned to crochet one).
5. It's been a gray, rainy day.  I love gray, rainy days.
6. Dessert tonight will be a pear.
7. I'm close to finishing another pair of socks.  I've nearly finished the heel, and the rest of it is just knitting my way up the leg until I run out of yarn.  Good television knitting.

Okay, good outweighs bad, as it usually does.  Sometimes it's just a little difficult to see until you actually make a list.

Maybe it won't be such a bad week after all.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Adios, Taco Bell

I used to enjoy Taco Bell.  I never really considered it to be "Mexican food", but it was okay for fast food.  For years I was a fan of their steak taco salad.

Then they started putting rice in their taco salads.  Don't get me wrong; I actually LIKE rice.  But I don't like rice in Mexican dishes.  I especially don't like it when rice is used as a filler.  I learned that I could order a taco salad and request that the rice be omitted.  I got along with that pretty well for awhile.

Then I developed an aversion to meat.  This was a real shock to me, because I'd always loved beef.  I mean really loved it.  Anything from filet mignon to ground round.  Loved it.  But a health issue that caused me to be in severe pain for several months robbed me of my joy of meat.  Not just beef; I couldn't eat chicken any more either.  I'd been allergic to seafood for years, so I found myself depending on peanut butter and legumes to get my protein.

You'd be amazed how difficult it is to find fast food that doesn't involve either meat, chicken, or fish.  Taco Bell's bean burrito became my go-to fast food.  This afternoon I went through the drive-thru to get myself a bean burrito after a particularly rough day.  I wanted a treat.

I was happy to see a black bean burrito on the menu.  I really like black beans, and thought this sounded wonderful.  When I got home I unwrapped the paper from the burrito and took a big bite.....of mexican rice.  *bleah*

And so after years of enjoying quasi-Mexican fast food, I bid farewell to Taco Bell.

I'll miss you, Taco Bell.....it was fun while it lasted.

Update on Daddy

Night before last, Daddy had the worst pain he's had since injuring his back.  I suspect that if he'd been taking pain meds regularly after his surgery, this wouldn't have happened.  He began taking them on a regular schedule yesterday, and today he was much, much better.

I went to visit him and Mom today and had the opportunity to see his two tiny incisions.  Each has one tiny stitch; if the stitches weren't there, I'd have had trouble finding the incisions!  I'm always amazed  by the advances in medicine.

He's still tired, of course, but his pain level seems to have subsided appreciably.  I'm very grateful.

Quite a Week

It's been a very busy, tense week in my little world.  On Tuesday, Daddy finally had his long-awaited much-needed back surgery.  He had a repair of a compression fracture, and all seems to have gone very well, thank goodness.

The hospital visit, though, was less than stellar.  Don't get me wrong; he received excellent care.  But he'd been told to arrive on the morning of his surgery at 11:00 a.m. with surgery to begin at 1:00 p.m.  As usual, we arrived a little early, around 10:30 a.m.  They took him back to the short-stay surgery area right away and put him in a hospital gown.  Then they left him on the gurney in a curtained area until AFTER 4:00 P.M.!

Keep in mind that he'd been admitted for back surgery.  Then left ON HIS BACK on a gurney for nearly SIX HOURS.  Not good.  He was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty before they even got him to surgery.

The procedure went beautifully, but because it was so late in the day when they finished it was decided that he should stay overnight for observation.  We learned that "overnight" is a relative term.  By the time he was released and we'd picked up a prescription for an antibiotic that he was given, it was 2:00 p.m. before we got him home.  Nearly a full day after we expected to be able to get him home.

He was tired, irritated, and suffering from nicotine withdrawal by the time we got him out of the hospital, but luckily his pain level was not as severe as he expected.

This afternoon he was doing better, still having a little post-op pain, but much better than yesterday.  I can already see an improvement in the way he holds his body, so I'm hopeful that the procedure has actually helped his problem.

What a week.  I'm glad tomorrow is Friday!