Plumbing and pups

Mr. Jones was here about noon, and I'm back in business! The new faucet is in place and works like a dream! He got one that was a little more expensive than I wish, but it has no metal to water direct contact. That's very important.  Where I live, the water is uber hard. Ultra-uber hard. The minerals in the water are very hard on metal, depositing and eating away the metal in faucets. I have a filtration and softening system that takes care of my whole house, but think about it .... it uses salt to soften water. Well, salt is a mineral and does the same thing.

My old faucet was just gone.  The new one has lots of plastic tubing, etc., but most importantly, the faucet itself is lined so no mineral deposit will to chew it up. whew. He says this one should last me a good long time. I hope so, because the faucet and assembly cost twice what his services did!! But I'm glad that everything is like it really should be.

This afternoon, I've been doing a lot of regular household tasks off and on. In between, I've been on the couch with the dogs, either watching TV or doing something on the internet. When I left the couch, most of the time the dogs stayed put. BTW, that's another major bit of progress with them. I can actually leave the room without all/most of them following me. In the past, they have acted as if I'm leaving them forever if I walk to the next room! At least the three boys act that way. I'm wondering if it has been a good thing for me to leave them off and on, as I've done lately. Perhaps it has helped them to understand that I may go away, but I come back. I hope that's it. Anyway, it is another big step forward.

 It's like this at my house .......

Sam and Lola

Max
and Joey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jazi near my feet on the floor

 See how good life is?  :D

Wanna live at my house?

Thoughts on Tuesday

The older I get the more I don't care if I fit in with everyone else.

    ~unknown   

~~~~

Yeah, I'm kinda thinking I mighta said that and someone quoted me. LOL! No, I don't really take credit for that quote, but it could be straight outta my mouth. However, it seems to fit me pretty well.

I'm actually not antisocial. I love to hang out with people, and I like it when people like me. The difference, as I've aged, is that I no longer need for people to like me. I don't feel a need to fit in. Most of all, I don't adjust me to fit someone else's idea of who I am. Or who they want me to be.

I used to do that to some degree, and I'm guessing that it would depend on who is asked as to how much I have flexed in the past. I know some people think I've gone overboard, but others know the difference between "overboard" and "survival." I think I've survived. Now I'm living.

It's all about Christmas

I was tagged on this over on F*cebook, but I decided to respond to it here.You're tagged, if you want to be, but if you don't want to be tagged, you're not! It's that simple!


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Gift bags when possible. Wrapping paper as a backup. Newspaper when all else fails!

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial. With our forests disappearing, what other choice is there? If I had a real tree, it would be potted so I could plant in the ground afterward, and those are outrageously expensive. Besides, who wants to clean up the mess of pine needles from the murdered trees?

3. When do you put up the tree?
Whenever I get around to it. Really! Never before Thanksgiving. Never after 12/24.

4. When do you take the tree down?
Anytime the week after Christmas. Once I kept putting it off though, and I think it was about mid-January. blush.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Ohhhhh, yeah! With or without!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Probably the bike when I was 8 years old. It was the super-duper model with every bell and whistle known to man, er, child! It had a horn, speedometer, passenger seat, basket, handle grip tassels, spoke protectors, everything!

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My son and son-in-law. What do you buy for boys who have everything that is under $500???

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Grandkids. They are happy with anything, but they are especially pleased with gift cards for book stores. How can you not like that?

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Several. My favorite is probably the little First Nation Nativity. It is very special.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
 If I send them, it is mostly email, then snail mail to the few who don’t have email. But honestly, I usually think of it about Christmas Eve. Then I procrastinate, because .... well, because I’m who I am. sigh.
 
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Hmmmm. I honestly can’t think of a bad gift. No, really!!! I can’t!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
 I really don’t like those movies. I really don’t like schmaltzy stuff. I don’t like to cry (I’ve done enough in my life already), and they all induce tears. I will say I’ve watched It’s a Wonderful Life enough times that I don’t cry anymore, so I guess that would have to be a favorite.

13. Better to give or receive?
Give, give, give! I won’t turn away gifts to me, of course, but it is so fun to watch people’s faces, even if they are struggling to cover disappointment! LOL!

14. Favorite Christmas Food?
Homemade traditional family favorites: my Gramma’s Egg Tarts (absolutely sinful), Lace Cookies, Forget’em Cookies. Mmmmmmmmmm. Dang, now I’m going to have to make some!

15. Favorite Christmas tradition?
Since I’ve been alone, most of the traditions are gone. I used to love Christmas Eve church services; the family hiding little gifts in everyone else’s stockings; making holiday treats as a family.

16. Colored lights on the tree or all clear?
Colors! Lots of colors!!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Silent night, O Holy Night, Here Comes Santa Claus (takes be back to my own childhood).

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
 I don’t care. I love being with family or friends, but I love being in my own little nest, too. It’s about the people, not the place for me.  Even when I’m home alone for Christmas, it’s OK, too, ‘cause I have the furry faces to snuggle with. Life is good.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
 Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
 Angel. Star? Who puts a star on the tree? Do people really do that?


21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning?
We used to do one gift Christmas Eve and the rest in the morning. As the kids grew up and moved away, we didn’t have them all home at the same time, so sometimes we had present opening several times. The latest I remember was about mid-January!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
a. Christmas stuff being on the shelves loooooong before “the season.”
b. By the time Christmas gets here, I’m sick of hearing piped music in the stores. It spoils it for the real season, IMO.
c. Commercials!!!!!!!!!!

23. Favorite Ornament theme or color?
 I love my tree these days. When the kids were small, we made ornaments, and I continued to put them on the tree forever. I still put a few on the tree. My tree is definitely a reflection of me, or should I say, the many facets of me. Along with the homemade ornaments I have some Southwestern touches; there are many frilly, lacy ornaments and fragile ones that appeal to the “girl” in me; I have a collection of balls decorated with the name of every person who has spent a Christmas in my house; and now, I recently brought a couple Hawai’ian ornaments back, so those will go on, too. All that sounds messy, but it really is a pretty and eclectic tree.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
 Something that doesn’t take a lot of prep. I want to spend the day with the family and friends. I actually like to have snacks available with some sandwich makings and let everyone fend for themselves. And if they love me, they do the dishes, too.  :D

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
 Happiness for everyone I love and peace. Seriously, that is really what I want.

And with that, this list comes to a close.
Cheering and screams of thanks are heard across the land...

Miracle on Lynilu Street!!

For those of you who know my dogs, this will be a big deal ....

The plumber is here putting in the shut off valves, and the dogs are all sitting on the couch with me.
.
.
.
.
If that doesn't make you say "Wow!" then you obviously don't know about my dogs!  Perhaps you're new to my blog. Trust me .... this is a really big thing!

Yes, they barked at him when he first arrived, but stopped within a minute. I shooed them from the kitchen so they wouldn't be under foot, and THEY STAYED OUT! Then I came to sit on the couch and called them here with me, and THEY ARE STAYING HERE!! Sam is emitting a tiny little growl occasionally; Max tries to slip to the kitchen occasionally, but he comes back as soon as I tell him; and they are leaving the man alone while he works! EEEEEEE HAAAAWWWWW and HALLELUJAH!!!! My rescue dogs are CIVILIZED!!!!!!

Happy dance, happy dance, happy little Snoopy dance!!!!!!

Water, water!

What an interesting weekend I've had. Is that a "good" interesting weekend? Is that a "bad" interesting weekend? Well.

Sometime early afternoon on Saturday my stepson called me. He wanted to ask my advice on something, and then we talked for probably 45 minutes. Great conversation. During the conversation I reached under the kitchen sink for something (I was doing some cleaning tasks while we talked) and found several things had a little moisture on them. I kinda went "Hmmm," and continued with our conversation.

A few minutes later I returned to that cabinet, and as I looked, there was a definite leak somewhere. I looked at the bottom of the sinks, the drains, and it didn't seem to be from there. Then I saw a teeny spray of water coming from under the faucet. Aha! I wasn't too worried, because it was tiny. I got a bucket and put it under the leak, but since it was spraying, not merely dripping, that wasn't sufficient. I created a block with paper towels and an aluminum foil funnel into the bucket. There! All secure.

Next I called the plumber who has done off-the-clock work for me before. I couldn't reach him, but did get his brother who said he would give him my phone number.

Through the evening, I kept checking the leak, and it was clearly getting worse. I quickly showered, filled several containers with drinking water, and walked down to the well house to turn off the water to the house. Why turn off the water to the whole house? Well, there are not turnoff valves under the kitchen sink! The plumber and I talked about putting them in, but I never called him to do it. I don't know about you, but I don't think of those things when I don't have a problem. duh. But I thought being without running water for a few hours was not a big deal. An inconvenience, but not a disaster. Oh, and I carried a couple three gallon buckets of water up the hill from the well house. It is unfiltered water, and I wouldn't drink it, but I needed it to flush the toilet. All set for the duration!

Sunday morning came and I still had not heard from the plumber. Hmmm. Well, I figured that his drinking had finally taken it's toll. Too bad, 'cause I really liked him. I knew from rumor that he drank, but he was always efficient, affordable and very pleasant. But I waited until around 1:00, just in case he is just running behind, waking up, even attending church. No one was answering. I tried again about 2:00, incase they stopped for lunch after church. (Boy! Talk about giving a person a mile of rope!) So I called friend to see who he would recommend. Trouble is, we didn't connect for a number of reasons until late in the afternoon, and I decided to wait till this morning to call a new plumber. At that point, why pay weekend prices?

This morning I gave one of the numbers a call, and talked with Mr. Jones (Yeah, really!!) who will be out early this afternoon. He asked if I could wait that long, as he had a couple other calls that were from people without heat. Well, yeah, of course! It was just 20° out, and I can't imagine being without heat! He is going to put in the valves to shut off the kitchen sink so I can have water in the rest of the house if necessary to shut it off again. If the faucet needs to be replaced, he will come back to install it, so I can get one like I want. Good deal.

Have you had to live without running water for nearly 48 hours? Other than camping? Pain in the tushie!! Not the end of the world, as I said, but sheesh! I've been living with Huggies wipes, antiseptic hand cleaners, paper towels, etc., followed by hand lotion, hand lotion, hand lotion! gah! I can't really clean up after a meal other than with kitchen wipes (and hand lotion), and although I tried to fix foods that are as un-messy as possible, it happens.

And here's the kicker .... before I discovered the leak, here is what I had planned for the weekend:

• bathe the dogs (water!)
• I took a whole set of crystal out of a cabinet to wash it and pack it away since I don't use them (water!)
• laundry (water!)
• clean tile floors (water!)
• make homemade dogfood (water!)(for clean up)
• water plants (water!)
• have a life (water!)

Oh, well! It's Monday and the plumber cometh!!

A new look

I was getting bored with the look of my blog, and the template was too springy/summery for this time of year, anyway. So what'dya think? I like it. At least, I think so. I'll live with it a few days and see.

It's Saturday. I'm retired, and I can do anything I want on any day of the week. Well, except for buying booze on Sunday. But I really need to do some housework, and I don't want to do it. My house is unbelievably cluttered with things relating to unpacking and getting back to normal. But without the back to normal part. I've unpacked, but I haven't put everything where it belongs. The clothes, I did; the miscellaneous is still rattling around. And BTW, "The Box" is finally home. It arrived yesterday.

Then there are the things that are daily use and just don't get put away if, ahem, the user doesn't put them away. I did some cabinet rearranging the other day, and I have some things I left out to find a different place for them. Then I walked away. I need to walk back .... and make some decisions.

Then there are the things I'm planning to take to the thrift shop. I have most of it in the totes to transport, but I have more that is in several stacks to be deposited or packaged in some way.

Getting the picture? Clutter, clutter, I'm a-sputter. Sooo, what am I doing? Playing on the computer. Maybe later. LOL! After all, one doesn't want to rush into things, right? Sure!

"The Box."  I was really glad to see it. I carried some of my favorite lotions and potions. I've been using substitutes for the past five-plus weeks. It arrives yesterday, and I opened it this morning. Most of it is put away, but then, as you see from the above ramblings, naturally I didn't put everything in it's place. Hmmm, I'm detecting a pattern here. Are you seeing it?

I had a little scare yesterday with Lolita. That girl will chew on anything. A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Toys, paper, cardboard, leaves, etc. I had just bathed her and brushed her out most of the way, and she darted loose. She hates being brushed, clipped, trimmed, anything that means someone is holding her still. So when she sees a chance, she bolts. Rather than chase her down, I decided I'd simply finish later. I went on to the next dog, and started brushing.

A few minutes later, she came in the house with a stick. She began chewing it up, so I started to get up to take it away from her, and she swallowed a piece. I took the remainder of the stick, and just then she began gagging, coughing, gagging, coughing. Keeerap. She couldn't get it up OR down. For the next hour she would repeat the gag/cough every few minutes and alternately, I was running my finger down her throat trying to dislodge the stick. Nothing was working, and there were tiny flecks of blood in the spittle that was on my finger, so I knew it was lodged and hurting her.

I fed her Vaseline in hopes that it would help the stick to dislodge and slide down, then pass without incident. Thank goodness she gobbled it right down, but it didn't seem to relieve the problem. Lola was simply not herself. She typically runs and plays all day long, but she was "laying low." She was finding corners to lay down, and I had to keep moving her or me so I could watch her and be sure she wasn't in further distress.  After a while, she fell asleep, and I hoped the relaxation of muscles would allow the stick to move.

When she woke, she began the gagging/coughing again. I picked up the phone to call the vet. He was off for the weekend, but was taking calls, so I decided I'd better call him before it got worse. As I was punching the number, Lolita did another huge gag/cough and shook her head a few times. I went over and looked, but could find no stick. However, it seemed to have cleared it. She settled down with a huge sigh to the floor. The remainder of the day, she was fine, but rested more than usual. I was so relieved that there was no more gagging, and she ate her dinner without hesitation. I'm so relieved that it has passed. Today she is back to her normal, active self. Thank goodness!!

I guess I should do something productive. Oh! I can eat!  LOL!!

Thanksgving thought

I meant to post this yesterday. Oops! Oh well, it's Thanksgiving WEEKEND, right?  :)

~~~~

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.  

Have you used one to say “thank you”?      

~William A. Ward

Blessings and peace to each of you.

Thanksgiving

Yesterday was a nice, nice day. I talked to both my daughter and son in the morning as they were beginning on their own holiday plans. The rest of the morning was filled with just hanging out with The Furry Kids. Very lazy and peaceful morning. Then I showered and got dressed to go out.

Getting dressed was .... interesting. In the last two weeks I put summer clothes away and got all my winter things unpacked and washed. It has definitely cooled off to winter temps, and I've been wearing sweaters and long pants. However, I had not worn any of my dress clothes. I've been wearing jeans and sweats, etc. So yesterday I got out a pair of slacks and a sweater and put them on. To my dismay .... and delight .... the pants were huge! I haven't worn any of these since my weight loss, and I was so surprised at first. I went through about five outfits before I found something that worked.I'm thrilled about the obvious weight loss, but dismayed about the lack of wardrobe!  I definitely can't afford to buy a whole new selection of slacks. My jeans still fit, probably because of washing and the shrinkage that goes on over time. I've been wearing them most of the summer, so they've shrunk with me, apparently.

As I was dressing I noticed it was snowing! Really snowing! Huge flakes, and a fairly heavy downfall was coming down. It was really pretty. Nothing was sticking, despite the 30° temperature, but I enjoyed watching it.

I left and picked up Zoë. We drove to the casino where we met our friends. There were six of us for dinner. OMG, was dinner wonderful! I love doing this because I'm not crazy about the traditional turkey dinner. I love turkey, cold in sandwiches, or in the occasional hot turkey sandwich. I like the cranberry relish I make, and I like sweet potato pie. That's about it. So going to a buffet makes me happy, as I can have what I want.  Here was my FB entry when I came home:

"Back from dinner, and I'm proud to say I ate no turkey! But I had my fill of shrimp, crab legs, rabbit, caramelized Brussel sprouts, yams, lobster bisque, salmon, fine cheeses, artisan breads, salads, green beans with gruyere, raspberry torte, pecan pie, cream puffs, petit fours, and a ginger cookie! Mimosa to wash it ...down and coffee at the end. Mmmmmmmmmmm. So full, and so happy!"

I had more little tidbits of things to sample than I can even remember. It was all very good! I was so full when we left there, but not uncomfortable. I did really well at not taking too much of anything, and I didn't leave much on my plate. Er, make that "plates." 

How cute are these?

They had the cutest cookies-on-a-stick as part of the decorations. The waitress said we were welcome to take as many as we wanted. She said that they usually have lots of them left over. So we did! She even brought us plastic bags to transport them in, and since I was looking at the ginger cookies, thinking one would be nice later, she stuck one in a bag for me, too. How 'bout that? A buffet that encourages you to take things home! And the ginger cookie was my "supper," as I was still full from earlier.

After dinner (two and a half hours of it) we left. We drove home, chatting along the way, and after dropping Zoë, I came home, put on sweats (well, duh!) and snuggled in with the four-leggers for the night. 

Today I was scheduled to meet up with Cyndi at Alamogordo. Cyndi is a blogging and FB friend. She and her husband have been visiting family for the holidays, and were traveling through this area. However, this morning, I woke with a horrible sinus headache and aching all over, probably fibromyalgia. I hated to do it, but I called her and told her I just couldn't make that drive. I've taken medication, and I'm a little better, but I'm still hurting. I really hate that I've missed meeting her (you know how I am about meeting my blogging friends), but the thought of driving a little over an hour each way just overwhelmed me. I told her I hope next time she visits, we can work out a meeting, or if I go visit a cousin in her state, I will get in touch with her to meet somewhere there.

So today I'm gonna lay low. I'm out of bed, but covered up with a comforter on the couch. It's cold outside, and I see no reason to leave the comfort of the house. A good excuse for being decadently lazy!

An interesting aside .... I've been having digestive problems for several months. more than fifteen years ago, I had acid reflux. I was put on a medication that helped it and after several years, I weaned myself off the medication. The medication I was able to take was very expensive and not covered by insurance.  The insurance company wanted me to take some other, cheaper ones, but they all had very unpleasant side effects. 

I've done well since then without any meds, however, this recent flare up was miserable. (I think it might have been caused by stress over the surgery I had early in the year. That was very stressful for me.)  I've tried many OTC meds, which helped a little, and was about to go back to the doctor to get a medication that I couldn't afford. I put it off and put it off. Then earlier this week, I was in a health food store to buy something else, and I asked about anything that might help the acid. The young woman helping me directed me to some stomach enzymes, and I decided it was worth a try. It's a lot less expensive than the prescriptions. I began taking it that evening, and I HAVE HAD ZERO ACID BUILDUP!!!! I'm thrilled!  I am so glad to have found something that isn't "medication," and in general, follows a healthy approach to helping my body heal itself. Whew!

So life is good.  Life is very good. In fact ....

.... Life is beautiful!!!!

How to live life

~~~~

So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. 

Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.

Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. 

Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. 

Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. 

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. 

Show respect to all people and bow to none. 

When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. 

If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. 

Abuse no one and no living thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. 

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a like a hero going home.

    

~Chief Tecumseh of the Shawnee tribe   

~~~~

Peace and joy in your life, and thankfulness for what you have.

Home

I saw this grass along side the road, and I thought it would make a neat picture.

And tonight there was a beautiful reflection of the sunset on the mountains in the north and east of me.

I noticed this Ponderosa pine is getting big enough that it will probably obstruct some of the view one day. I wonder if I will still be here when it does.

Gosh, those colors were just beautiful tonight. Velvety and dusky, deep.

I love this place.

Thoughts on Tuesday

A good marriage is one that allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.

Pearl Buck

~~~~

Thinking about my request for prayers. Marriage is such a sensitive balance, isn't it? But an important piece of it is that we must allow each other the room to be individuals; individuals who are stuck together for life, of course, and who grow more alike with every year, but individuals.   

~~~~

A person's character is what it is. It's a little like a marriage-- only without the option of divorce. You can work on it and try to make it better, but basically you have to take the bitter with the sweet.

Henrick Hertzberg    

~~~~

  When we marry, we think we know everything about that person, don't we? But we don't. You don't know who another person is, through and through, until you live with them. That's when you learn about the character of your partner. When you've been together long enough, the true character emerges, and .... well, sometimes it is as good or better than what you expected, but sometimes it's not. Character is a better foundation for marriage than love is. Love can be learned. It can come and go and come back again. But character .... that rarely changes.

~~~~ 

It is not lack of love but lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) German philosopher

~~~~

Being friends in a marriage is the greatest thing that can happen. We don't always like each other, whether friends or lovers, but friendship plus love equals something beyond definition. The most successful marriages are those where people describe their mate as their best friend. It seems wise to work on liking each other and being friends .... love will follow.

~~~~

Kindness is the life’s blood, the elixir of marriage.  Kindness makes the difference between passion and caring.  Kindness is tenderness. Kindness is love, but perhaps greater than love.  ...  Kindness is good will.  Kindness says, “I want you to be happy.”  Kindness comes very close to the benevolence of God. 

Randolph Ray   

~~~~

Kindness. I don't think a marriage can survive without kindness. Wanting your lover to feel the best of everything should be an integral part of the relationship. I mean, really, why would anyone want anything else for the person they love? In a Hedonistic world of "me, me, me" I'm afraid it happens all too often that we don't pay attention to what really makes that other person happy. Some people are really good about giving gifts to their special other, but often the gifts are chosen based on my wishes, not yours. We don't listen. We don't even know what would make that person happy. And sometimes what makes you happy isn't at the top of my list. But ya know what? I'm more interested in making your life happy, being thoughtful about you, in being kind. Then .... then I'm happy.

~~~~

All marriages are happy. It’s the living together afterward that cause all the trouble.

Raymond Hull

 ~~~~

OK, that's kinda tongue in cheek to end this post. But it is true. Marriage is work and many people don't want to work as hard as is often necessary. Living together is sometimes a bitch! That's too bad, because after you work on it, that's when the best of all comes to you. The peace of marriage. The fun of marriage. The real marriage.

A couple requests

I'm comin' askin' today.

First is a request for prayers for someone very dear to me who is experiencing a painful period in the marriage. I would simply ask that you include this anonymous person in your prayers, thoughts and meditations. Don't worry .... the prayers don't need a name; I think the Big Guy knows. And thank you so much.

Secondly, I don't know if any of you read Nick's Bytes, but I love this blog, particularly the TBIM (Too Bad It's Monday) jokes and humor. That starts my week right every week. Nick has been through a lot, including ongoing medical issues, financial debacles on the part of IRS and his bank (it was eventually straightened out), recently moving to a different apartment to ease his budget, and then his computer totally crashed. Nick is essentially housebound. He is able to get out a little, but not much or for long. His "social life" is his computer and us, his friends on the internet. Being without the computer has been very difficult for him.

As of today, he has a new computer. He was able to get one, but it had to be "built" and the charge for the technician to do that is pretty high. Nick is financially strapped. He really doesn't have the money he will need to pay the guy in the next month, so I thought I would just ask if anyone could help him out with a little donation. I'll be sending a little in a week or so, and another of his friends has send a check, too. Between the two of us, I doubt we've covered 1/4 of the cost (about $400). So .... If there is any way you can help Nick with a little bit of the fee, please do so. If you are interested, contact me here or at and I'll put you in touch with Nick. He's a really nice person (retired minister, military chaplain, and social worker) who has struggled a lot recently, and I'm hoping we can collectively put him out of harm's way financially. The computer is his connection with the outside world. I'm not even nearly as limited in mobility or finances, but I know how devastating it is to lose that connection. Thanks you for anything you can do to help. Let this be your Christmas good deed, OK?

That being said, I will scoot outta here for now and be back with a different post later or tomorrow. Hey! Thanksgiving is almost here! Yay!

Enjoying the pups

I've been watching the dogs play. I just love how Sammy plays with his siblings. Or perhaps I should say how Sam lets his sibs maul him.

He loves to just sprawl out in the middle of the living room, then he waits for one of the others to notice. If it's Lolita, she usually grabs him by the collar and drags him around the floor. If it's Jazi, she jumps all over him, trying to get him to chase her, then sometimes she buries her nose in his side and rolls him over to the other side. If it's Joey, he runs around Sam several times, and at that point, Sammy can't stand it, and he begins chasing him. If it's Max .... anything can happen. Those two either love each other and play rambunctiously or begin growling. 

And when Max and Lola play, Max cracks me up. He lunges at her with a little growl, then spins around and does the lunge/growl bit again. He may do that eight or ten times, and eventually she pounces on him. This commonly leads to a full-bore chase around the house, inside and out!

Joey sometimes just begins spontaneously playing with a toy by himself. He will grab it and run around a few moments, drop it and run around some more, then pick it up and run some more. Sometimes he kinda flips it up in the air and runs away as if it were going to get him.

When Lola feels ignored, she sits in the middle of the living room, and begins lunging and barking at me or at one of the other pups. Unless one of us pays attention, she will keep it up. Thankfully, all it takes is one "Shhhh" from me and she settles down.

When Sam feels ignored, he sits down and stares at me. If I don't pay attention, he does a funny little bark that sounds like a snort, and when he does it, his whole body jerks off the ground! Sometimes I "snort" back at him [oh, yeah, I do, and I can't believe I'm admitting it] and the "conversation" may go on for eight to ten snorts. He is such a funny little man.

They are all a delight to have around. I'm so glad I have them to keep me smiling.  :)

.... Life is beautiful!!!!

Sluggish start to my day

I got up this morning, and I couldn't get started.  Nothing was wrong, I just seemed draggy. So I didn't do anything other than a couple loads of laundry.

Then about noon, I decided to finish packing away the summer clothes. It was almost all done, but I had a few items that I gathered after most of it was done. I got that done, then went through my shoes and pulled out a bunch to give to the thrift shop. While I was doing that, I also went through the closet again and pulled out another dozen items to donate, as well. And finally, I went through my coat closet and pulled out a half dozen coast, sweaters and jackets to donate.

With the tubs packed, I moved them under the house in the storage area and put the two of donations in the truck. While I was there at the truck, I looked at my garden and it was pretty dry. I decided to water it. It is still not terribly cold, and in fact, the temperature was in the mid 60s, so I thought it would be a good idea.

After that was done, I drained the hoses. I haven't put them away yet, in case I use them again before a serious temperature drop, but I do drain them so the water doesn't freeze in them. Then I noticed that one of my small run-off ditches near the well house had flattened out and was allowing the water to run across the driveway and causing a rut in it. I got a hoe and a spade and cleaned it out and made it deeper to contain the run-off. It didn't take very long, but I worked up a good sweat, nonetheless. I hope it is deep enough to last the winter. I don't want to have to try to do it again when the ground is frozen! Then I filled a couple buckets and brought them to the house to water my houseplants.

Since the living room floor was clear again, I vacuumed the whole house and straighten a little. I still have more to do in that area, but it looks a lot better. I unloaded the dishwasher,  and washed several more loads of clothes.

I wish I didn't get such a slow start to the day.

giggle!

So, I've been a little lazy about posting recently. I think I'll blame it on jet lag. You buying that?

Getting back into the home routine has kept me busy. In fact, it has me overwhelmed right now. I'm trying to meet my usual routines, like cleaning house (It is a mess after me being away from home for essentially 5 weeks) and my obligations, including the obligation to myself to have fun, and doing some of those necessary evils that come up on occasion, like the summer/winter clothing switch.

My living room is a clutter of storage tubs and clothing right now. I'm almost finished, but other things keep popping up that have prevented me from finishing the job. This task always takes me several days, because while I'm doing it, I also try to cull out the things I haven't worn and take them to the thrift shop. I have one tub filled with castoffs. Yay! But I still have a chair full of items to consider. Tomorrow and the weekend will be a good time to finish this up and haul everything to the thrift shop. And I still have too many clothes. I guess I will need to go back through the closet this winter with a more critical eye. For now, I just need to get the mess out of my living room!

Last night we had a potluck. Oh .... my .... gawd. The food was simply amazing! I took a salad that was super, a new recipe. I'll put it at the end of this post. It was very easy and was a smash. When you read the ingredients, you'll probably raise an eyebrow, but lawdy it was excellent! I also took a dish of candied dills and one of my cranberry relish with jalepeños and tequila. Yeah, really! Both of those are so good. There were so many good dishes on the table last night, and I ate more than usual, but it was worth it! The funniest thing is that two of us almost always bring a dessert, and last night we didn't! The only dessert was brought by a couple who were out of town all day and stopped to get a store bought (but delicious) dessert!

We had a guest couple at the dinner last night. I knew the woman's face, but couldn't remember where I'd met her. After a while I asked a friend who they were, and when I heard the names I was astounded! They are the couple who created the platter I was thrilled to get at the thrift shop a few weeks ago. It came in as a donation in a huge box of odds and ends, As I unpacked the box, putting items in stacks for the area of the store they were to go to, at the bottom of the box was a bright, colorful platter. I instantly fell in love with it. I can and do set prices for items, but when something is unpriced or in new and I want it, I'm not comfortable with setting the price. It just seems wrong. So I waited till the next person came in for her shift and asked her what price we should put on it. She said $5. I almost squealed and said, "Great! I'm taking it home!"

Isn't this just fun?

Then she asked if I knew what it was. No, other than a piece I really liked. She said "I'm pretty sure it is 'Animalia.' Have you checked the bottom?" So I flipped it over and sure enough, it was a signed piece, "Anamalia, 1999, Shelby & Pritchett." She said it was likely worth at least $50. Really??

Once home, I checked online, and it appears that a platter of that size would go for between $50 and $150! WOW!! It was crusted with years of grime, probably collected while sitting, unused, in someone's kitchen. I presume the young couple who brought it in were cleaning out Grandma's house and didn't know what it was or just didn't want it. It took me a couple hours of soaking and scrubbing to clean it up, but it was well worth it.

And standing before me at the home of a friend last night were the two people who made it. What a thrill! I'd met her before, and she reminded me that she had met me at a friends shop and then again at the thrift shop. Well, yes, of course! But I had no idea who she was! Then as we talked, I realized I'd admired some of their work before. They have a home here, in Capitàn, although they live most of the time in Columbia, MO. When  first moved here, I was enchanted with the artwork in the yard of the house here.

Aren't those great? I smile every time I drive by the house.

Today was my day for a shift at the thrift shop. It was very slow today, but to  my delight, about 2:00, guess who walked in? Yep, Todd Shelby and Karen Pritchard! we talked a while and I got their email address. They asked me for one of my recipes from last night, the pickles, and I failed to get a way of contacting them. Good! Now I can complete that task.

Isn't life interesting? I never cease to be amazed with the surprises and fun it brings to me!


~~~~~~

Here's the salad recipe. I found it in an AARP email recently. My own notes are in red.

Chopped Salad with Feta, Chickpeas, and Pita Croutons
from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

Total Time: Under 30 Minutes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost: Moderate

Maybe it’s just because I’m a girl, but I love almost any kind of salad—and the more ingredients, the better. “Chopped salad,” a catchall for any salad boasting a rich variety of chopped vegetables, is my favorite.

This recipe was inspired by a low-fat dish I first encountered several years ago in Gourmet. Created by Chef Ed Brown of New York’s Sea Grill Restaurant, its most interesting ingredients were chickpeas and diced dill pickles. As a big fan of crunch, I transported those two items to my everyday chopped salad and then, for good measure, piled on some feta cheese and pita croutons.
If you find feta cheese too strong or too salty, substitute ricotta salata, an aged ricotta cheese that has a texture similar to feta but a notch or two less sharpness. As for the pita croutons, use them in any salad, as a garnish for soup, or as a partner to a dip.

Yield: Serves 6 (Trust me, this serves a lot more than 6)

INGREDIENTS
    •    ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
    •    1½ teaspoons ground cumin
    •    ½ teaspoons sweet or hot paprika
    •    Three 6-inch pita breads with pockets (I didn't have pita pockets on hand; I had multigrain pita chips, so I used those)
    •    Kosher salt to taste
    •    3 tablespoons sherry vinegar (Didn't have this on hand, but used wine vinegar)
    •    1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
    •    Freshly ground black pepper to taste
    •    6 cups loosely packed arugula (I couldn't find arugula in this podunk community, so I just used the mesclun, and it was fine. I love arugula, and I'm sure it would add interest to the salad)
    •    6 cups loosely packed mesclun
    •    2 large red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
    •    2 large yellow bell peppers, coarsely chopped
    •    1 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered
    •    1½ cups cooked or drained, rinsed, and dried canned chickpeas
    •    1½ cups crumbled feta cheese
    •    1½ cups diced dill pickle

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix ¼ cup of the olive oil with the cumin and paprika in a small bowl. Split each pita bread horizontally into 2 rounds and brush the rough sides with equal amounts of the oil mixture. Cut the rounds into small triangles or l-inch pieces and arrange in one flat layer on a large baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt when just out of the oven. (I mixed the oil and seasonings, put them in a ziplock bag, added the multigrain pita chips, and tossed everything in the bag, then baked them a bit lower, 350°, about 3 minutes. It was just enough to penetrate the flavors into the chips)
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large serving bowl until blended. Slowly pour in the remaining olive oil, whisking to form a smooth dressing.

Just before serving, pile the arugula and mesclun in the center of the bowl on top of the dressing. Surround with the peppers, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, and pickles. Add the pita croutons, toss, and serve. Enjoy!!

Mangè! Mangè!!

Thoughts on Tuesday

At the end of our life, we ought to be able to look back 
over it from our deathbed and know somehow the world is a 
better place because we lived, we loved, we were other- 
centered, other-focused.    

~Joe Erhmann, Football coach

I've been pensive since my sister's death. A pretty normal response, I think, as losing someone close to us unsettles our lives and causes us to find new footing in the path. Without that person, the balance of weight in our vehicle of life is different, and if we don't re-balance, chances are we will crash.

One of the things that has played over in my mind is reflected in the above quote. It is important that we live our lives so that our mark left behind is the one we wish to be representative of our lives. I've pondered for many years about what my legacy would be for those left here when I pass on. I hoped it would be that I would be remembered for my kindness and wisdom. Why those?

I value kindness in people around me, and, of course, I know I can't expect to be treated with kindness if I'm not right in there with them, so I've tried to be as kind as possible to others through my life. I haven't always succeeded, sometimes because I plain ol' screw up and am thoughtless. Sometimes I've lashed out in anger. Sometimes I've not understood a person or situation and wasn't kind because of sheer ignorance. It happens. But I've tried really hard, and I've tried to pass that on to my children. I believe in teaching children by example.

I accept people for who they are until they prove to me that they are operating from behind a façade, from behind a mask. "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, you're outta my life." I can forgive human error; we all make mistakes. I can't forgive someone who plays on my trusting nature. Up until someone stomps on my heart, my ethics, my beliefs while knowing what they are doing, I'll be that person's best defender and protector. When I know they know they are abusing my kind nature, it's over.

I believe everyone should have the right to their own thoughts and beliefs, and if we disagree, I'll just avoid going to that area of disagreement. Once I see people don't have the same respect for me, I will put distance between us. Believe it or not, this is not usually done with anger or malice. I do it so I don't have to be less of the kind person I think .... I know .... I am. Living in dissonance hurts the part of me that is kind, and I consider that my essence.

As for wisdom, I don't mean I want people to remember me as "smart." Wisdom goes beyond intelligence, in my opinion. Smartness is something you learn from books, not a bad thing at all, but it isn't what is most important to me. When I talk about leaving a legacy of wisdom, I'm referring to the ability to learn from and put to use the practical lessons of life. What I've learned about life, about people, while using my kindness to relate to others is what is important. Smart is knowing it is 20° outside; wise is knowing I have too many coats to wear, so I give one to the woman who is trying to get by with a sweater and a jacket. Intelligence gives me the facts; wisdom helps me use those facts in a way that makes the world better for people, myself included. Brain power brings me facts; combine that with empathy for others and it is something useful and legacy-worthy.

To me, wisdom is paying attention to surroundings and events, and learning what works and what doesn't, then using that knowledge to apply to my daily interactions with others. It means not repeating behaviors that are damaging. It means being the best person I am capable of being, as consistently as possible. It means living in a way that makes my relationships with others as good as possible. It means modeling for others what I've learned.

These ideas are nothing new with me. They've been part of who I am since I was a child. Well, not that I thought about them, especially the wisdom part, as a kid, but because my mother was who she was and modeled these things, I internalized them from an early age. That's what I've tried to do for my kids. I didn't always succeed. My son and I have some "issues" to work out, but I know because of his response to certain things in our lives, that he "gets" it at a base level and is just struggling with how it applies and plays out in our relationship.

I know these practices have been in play in my life because as I've encountered people I knew earlier, they often say to me that they remember me as being one of the kindest people they ever knew. I treasure that. And when I talk to people I've worked with, I often hear how much they learned from me, how much they trusted my directives, and how watching me or listening to me has helped them to perform their own tasks in their careers. Those things make me know I've accomplished my goals pretty well, so far.

A while back I was talking with a friend who is a psychic. In the course of the conversation I asked her what my legacy would be. She was thoughtful for a few seconds and replied, "Goals, change, wisdom." I like that.

What do you think your legacy will be? How do you hope to be remembered?

How it went

I though I'd mention what the experience of "living with" a man after all these years. And BTW, why is it that ....

co·hab·it  (k-hbt)

intr.v. co·hab·it·ed, co·hab·it·ing, co·hab·its

1. To live together in a sexual relationship, especially when not legally married.

2. To coexist, as animals of different species.

.... if humans "cohabit" it includes sex; but animals "coexist"  when they "cohabit"??? Just wondering.

Anyway .... 

The last time I lived in the same house with a man, it was for six months while I looked for my own home. I was living in the home of my stepson. That's not like living with most men, because he isn't like most men. Yeah, I said what I meant. Allan is a quiet, neat person who doesn't expect others to pick up after him. He shares cooking and housecleaning. He is just a great roommate. That was four years ago, and I've realized I might not do well living in the same house with any man. I no longer have the tolerance I had at one time for the average man who has expectations of me. I know that sounds bad, but I like living by myself, and I realize that I might be a difficult roommate for most men and they for me.

Dell and I talked about it, and he, also, questioned how well it might work while I was there. He's also been without a female companion for a long time. He told me he might have to remember to not pick his nose. He's used to walking around the house nude. We knew it might be a challenge for us both.

However, it went well. He wore clothes and didn't pick his nose. Beyond that, it was nice to be around a man who is used to doing everything for himself and didn't expect anything greater than sharing activities and responsibilities. We shared cooking and doing dishes, each did our own laundry and took turns washing linens. We took turns on the computer. It was a comfortable routine.

I enjoyed that Dell is one of those guys who is who he is. He doesn't put on airs.  I was impressed that he watched The View and Oprah, at least part of the time. He prefers movies that aren't violent and isn't afraid to watch romantic comedies. He talks about his emotions, and when he speaks of his son and his friends, he doesn't mask his affection for anyone in his life. When we found the horses that were in need of care, he was the one who said it needed to be reported. I was going to do so, but I didn't have to, as he began making calls as soon as we were back at the house. He has a kind heart and isn't afraid to let anyone know it. Yeah, there are such men left in the world! Thank goodness!

Dell was courteous without being condescending. He made me feel comfortable in his home right off the bat and it stayed that way. I really enjoyed my time with him. The idea of spending two weeks in the home of a man I hadn't seen in 50 years, 3300 or so miles from home was a huge undertaking. If it hadn't worked out so well, it could have been such a miserable situation for us both. He was a wonderful host.  It was great.

Random stuff

A couple days ago, I woke to this:

Not exactly "a snow," but it was more than frost. "Snost"???

Winter is nigh, but then if you live in some parts of the US, you're already laughing about that statement, aren't you?

Saturday I was in Ruidoso to have the bad tire replaced on the truck, and while I was there, I did a little shopping and stopped at the Ruidoso Christmas Jubilee. It's an event that happens each year around this time where local artists exhibit and sell their works. I had some friends there, and spent time visiting with them. I ate at the food court while I was there. I sat across a table from two women, and we struck up a conversation. After 15 minutes of chatting, I learned that the older one, the 80 year old mother, used to live in Andrews, TX, and I commented that my late husband's cousins lived there. She asked their names, and before I could finish the first name, she squealed! Turns out she was best friends with that cousin for all the years she lived there! Isn't it a small world?

After leaving there I stopped at the framer's shop to pick up the last two pieces I was having framed. Two missions done by a friend are now hanging on my wall, and complemented by the collection of crosses I've acquired. I like the way they work together.

On the left is "San Francisco De Asis" in Rancho de Taos, NM; on the right is "Santa Cruz De La Cañada" in Santa Cruz, NM.

It is comforting to have four good tires on the ground under the truck again. I had the blown tire replaced, of course, and decided to replace the other rear one, too. It was under 50% remaining tread, and with winter coming, I thought it was a good idea. I would have had to replace it by spring, anyway, and now I feel better about going into winter with good tread. I hated to spent the money ($500 for the two), but it was inevitable, so ....

On another good note, my taxes got paid. When I got home from Hawai'i, there was a message on the answering machine from the mortgage company saying that both years (2009 and 2010) were paid. And in the mail I had a receipt from the county showing everything caught up to date. I love living where people actually remember things like this. The county is small enough that the county treasurer apparently remembered my conversation with her (and probably my frustration with the mortgage company) a few days before leaving, and she sent me the receipt. They don't normally send out receipts to the home owner like that, so it was a nice gesture on her part.

Another case of "advantages to living in a small community" has to do with the dishwasher. The repairman came out Friday morning to fix the dishwasher. Remember it wouldn't drain a few days before I left? Well, he got here and turned it on, and .... wanna guess? Yes, of course! It was working perfectly! He filled it and drained it several times, and there was no glitch. Sheesh. He said that it was probably something in the drain line or the aeration line that was plugging it, but not being used for three weeks allowed whatever it was to dry up and simply wash out when he turned it on.

He told me to use it over the weekend, and he would call me today to check with me. He said that if there were further problems, he would come back out today and there would be only one service call charge. If it wasn't necessary to come out, he would send a bill for the call on Friday. He left with no payment in hand. Now, I ask you, when is the last time you had a service call for anything, and you weren't asked for payment on the spot or a credit card number on file at the office? It wouldn't happen in Kansas City while I was living there. Today he called me and since the dishwasher is working fine, I'll get a bill and can wait till next month to pay. I love this place!

I'm going to have to go into town again today or tomorrow. I have a few things to pick up for a dish I'm making for a potluck on Wednesday night, and I also have to get some electrical wire. I'm having to rewire a lamp. It's a long story, but I have to rewire because I'm changing the top, adding a harp for a new lamp shade, and the old wiring isn't long enough to accommodate. I'm going to have to ask a friend who is an electrician help me with some of the wires, because in taking it apart, a couple came loose, and I'm not sure how to run them correctly. I don't want it to blow up in my face! LOL! No, it wouldn't do that, but I could damage the lamp if it isn't right.

Finally, do you remember me complaining about smashing my thumbs while moving big rocks in the spring or early in the summer? After the soreness went away, I didn't think much more about it, but in about August, I noticed that both thumb nails were pitted. I apparently damaged the nail bed under the skin. I had large "dents" on the nails, and as they have grown out, I knew I would have a big problem at some point. About a month ago those pits were very near the end of the thumbs, and the nails were splitting. I used some super glue to sorta hold them together so they wouldn't split into the nail bed. I knew that would be painful. I was able to trim the ends of the nails over the weekend, enough to get rid of most of the damaged nails. They are trimmed down to the quick, but at least I think I can quit worrying about the unhealthy parts of the nails. Next summer .... I'm gonna be more careful!

I'll be back later today or tomorrow for one last post about the trip. I've had some miscellaneous thoughts about a few things, so I'll post on those and then move on.  So, till then ....

Eat That Frog

this is a very cool, inspirational message, and it only takes about 90 seconds to watch it. So .... DO IT!

Eat That Frog

Bittersweet birthday

I just wished my big brother, my eldest sibling, a happy birthday. Today is his 79th birthday. What a great thing, living to 79 and still be as active as he is. This is a very recent photo; hard to believe he is 79, isn't it?

Happy Birthday, Leo, big brother and friend.

The bittersweet of the story is that five weeks ago today we lost our sister, his twin. She and I were close, but I don't know if I could miss her more than he does. Twins share a special bond. She talked about that a lot. Whatever, we are both missing her on this day.

Happy Birthday, Cleo. We miss you, sissy.

More trip stuff

OK, Part 2.    Here is a little more about the particulars of the trip.

Eating was an experience during my stay. We didn't eat out often because of financial constraints, but we ate well!!  One dining out experience was while we were on the run one day, and Dell pulled into a casual restaurant. We had fish sandwiches made on Portuguese bread. They were wonderful! Portuguese bread is similar to a bread we can buy here on the Mainland called "King's Hawai'ian Bread." When the Portuguese came to Hawai'i in the 1800s, particularly in the last half of that century to work the sugar cane fields, they brought with them their wonderful breads that were adopted by the locals. Those breads are a little less sweet and are firmer like a homemade bread, rather than the cake-like qualities of the one we buy here. It is delicious.  It was a fabulous complement to the fish in the sandwich, and we used some of that type from a loaf at the house to make French toast. Yum!

Another time was a stop at Café Pesto at Kawaihae Harbor. The food was a.m.a.z.i.n.g! And it wasn't expensive. We had an appetizer of calamari. These were the biggest chunks of calamari I've ever seen! I seriously forgot what we'd ordered when they came to the table, as they looked like cheese sticks! They were as big as my thumb and twice as long! I immediately thought, "Oh no, it's gonna be tough and rubbery," but absolutely not.

 "Coconut Crusted Calamari
 Set on a slaw of arugula, won bok and pickled ginger, accented with
 a honey mustard-mango dipping sauce"

OMG! It was scrumptious! In addtion to that, we had a small pizza that was excellent, too, but that calamari was unbelievable!

The third dining experience was a lunch in Waimea. We'd been out shopping and sight-seeing and realized it was nearly 2:00 and we were hungry. We didn't want to wait to get home, so we stopped in a pizza place. Everything there was handmade at the time of the order, so it took a while to be served, but it was yummy. We split a calzone with Italian sausage, artichokes and olives and a pizza of artichokes, olives, spinach and other veggies. Soooo good!

When we were out, I always enjoyed the various teas that were available. I was relieved that they don't sweeten their teas, because I don't care for sweetening in a cold tea at all and only occasionally in a hot tea. Sorry, you folks from the South, but that's me! I'm afraid I'll never be a sweet tea person! In the Islands, however, they often add fresh squeezed juice from various fruits, mango, passionfruit, etc., and they are fabulous! The juices give a bit of sweetness, but it's not  sugary, and the fruit flavor is very good. I really liked them. It was interesting to notice that the fresh juices make the tea cloudy and often you found small bits of pulp in the drink. Mmmmm!

We both cooked part of the time at the house. Dell usually fixed breakfast, mostly because he gets hungry earlier than I do. Here at home, I get up and have a couple cups of coffee or tea and after an hour or more, I'll fix something to eat. Breakfast fare was pretty common, probably things you make, too. We bought some veggie patties at Costco, and he fixed those for breakfast several mornings with an egg and toast. He often made that dish that everyone does but it is called a dozen different names. A piece of toast with a hole cut out in the center, an egg cooked in that hole and the cut out piece on top like a hat. Some days we had oatmeal or cream of rice, etc. And always a cup of ginger tea with honey! Delicious! Later in the day we frequently had a glass of ginger tea over ice. It's good either way, and we kept a pan on the stove with fresh ginger tea every day.

Dell's eating habits are similar to mine. When he is hungry, he just begins throwing things together and then either gobble it up or choke down the result! It's almost always the former! We bought a huge jar of kalamata olives and one of marinated artichokes, and we used those in dishes every day. A slice of Italian bread, toasted with olive oil and garlic in a skillet, then topped with shredded chicken, olives, artichokes, chopped tomatoes, green onions and some feta cheese .... OMG! What a great lunch! My mouth is watering right now!! A pasta with shrimp, olives, artichokes, garlic, onions with a hard bread to dip in olive oil .... drool! Shrimp and pasta with Thai spices and the kitchen sink thrown in .... yummmmmm! We ate well, casually, and I enjoyed it every single bit. Or should that be every single bite? Whatever, it was good!

Sometimes while we were cooking or washing dishes after a meal, Dell would surprise me as we met in the middle of the kitchen, and he would put his arms around me, begin singing or humming and dance me around a few minutes before resuming our work!  What fun! I loved the spontaneity of it all. One afternoon we were on the deck and he took my hand and said, "Come on." He lead me, barefooted, through grass, wet after an earlier rain, and we just walked and looked at various plants, flower and fruits for a few minutes. I'm not used to a man being so uninhibited and willing to do something just off the cuff. What a wonderful delight that was! It reminded me of what my daddy used to do at times when we would be driving down the road and Dell would suddenly swerve to the shoulder to show me something or to get out and take a shout walk to see something. Daddy used to do that, always willing to stop for every historical marker or to see the biggest ball of string in the world. I loved that and I loved the reliving of that with Dell.

Dell's life is very simple. I've mentioned that he owns only two blankets. That's all he needs. Well, most of the time. He has three plates and a couple shallow pie plates that could serve as plates if he needed them. Four cups. A small sauce pan, a larger one and a skillet (I suggested to him that one more sauce pan and a small skillet would have helped a couple times, so he is going to look into those). Three or four glasses. Two wine glasses (although we bought four more at the thrift shop as he realized when we had another friend over for wine that he needed more). If he doesn't need it, he doesn't have it! I enjoyed the uncomplicated living, well, except for the few times that another pan or glass would have been helpful. But outside those times, the lack of foofarah was a welcome change.

On the plane on the way home I sat next to a delightful lady between Honolulu and Los Angeles. It was the long leg of the trip, a five hour flight, so being next to someone who doesn't repulse you is a bonus! She seemed very nice, an older woman with an accent, although at first she said little and I wasn't sure what accent it was. In the first hour she dug around in her purse off and on, elbowing me lightly a couple times, and I was beginning to think, "Oh no, she's gonna rattle and rumble in her purse the whole way!" Then she found what she wanted and put her purse down and began reading The Watchtower and highlighting a study guide. This time I thought "OMG, she's better not start talking to me about  Jehovah's Witness stuff or I'll lose it!" She didn't. Later we talked a while and I learned she had been to Hawai'i to visit her son and his family, that she lives in LA, and that she was originally from Italy, or actually Sicily. A sweet lady.

Finally for tonight, remember the package? You know, the package of my toiltries and a few little gifts for Dell that I mailed a week before I left? The package for which we were checking the post office daily? Yeah, that package. Well.  It arrived. Wednesday. Yeah, I know. Dell opened it and took out the gifts, and he is mailing back my stuff. Woopde-doo. Keep in mind .... "parcel post" to Hawai'i goes by ship, not by plane. Jes' sayin'.

Later, gaters!

A bit about the trip

Alrighty. I'm back, and I'm on the road to Catch Up, that little town that all of us keep pursuing. I have a huge piece of road to cover before I actually get there, but I will.

It is very good to be home. You know how it is .... vacation is wonderful, but coming home is also terrific. My bed felt good last night, but I woke about 3:00 and didn't go back to sleep. I think it was just tiredness mixed with the excitement of being home, and probably some time zone wonkiness. Anyway, I was a little tired today, but not bad. I also woke congested and feared I was getting a cold. I do that when I'm at the end of a run of stress, and this has been a doozy. Planning for the Hawai'i trip was a good stress as was the trip itself, but even "good" stress can be taxing. Then add my sister's death a month ago, and all the little irritations that were popping up in my face, and ..... well, you know. As the day wore on, the cold symptoms went away. I think it was probably more allergic in nature (airplane air?), and the effects of altitude and climactic change.

The pups were ecstatic to see me! Last night they ALL had to be touching me in bed! I couldn't turn over! Hmmm. That might have been a factor in my sleeping, too, doncha think? It was so good to see them! I did miss the little stinkers. Max has been especially clingy to me. Now that he is settling down and doing a better job of "fitting in," he relies on me to keep him grounded, I think. Linda said he did well while she was here. Jazi also wants to be next to me. She is decidedly "my dog." She doesn't mind the others being around, but she wants to be front and center, preferably in my lap! And the famous Lola .... she "talked" to me incessantly for at least a couple hours after I got here. I think she was telling me I can't leave again! Sam and Joe were actually pretty laid back. They both wanted to get their fair share of petting and cuddles, but they are both more relaxed about it. Joe is probably better adjusted, and Sam .... well, Sam is Sam! He loves to be near me, but he takes the sharing in stride very well.

Tomorrow morning the dishwasher repair dude will be out here shortly after 8:00. I'm hoping he doesn't have to order parts, but since he knows what is wrong, I'm hoping he will have the right stuff with him. I'd really like to get that back in order, although my dishes are all done.

After he is gone, I will call Big O and see if they can get me in tomorrow to get a new tire. If not, probably Saturday will work out. They rarely have more than a day delay. It will feel good to have a safe tire on the truck again.

I'm happy to report I had a message on my answering machine from the mortgage company saying that they paid TWO YEARS of taxes on my place. Whew. I also had a receipt from the county in the mail, so all is well again, and I can quit sweating the security of my home. Man, am I relieved!

Also, the latest hiccup, the one I mentioned just before coming home, has been figured out and will be resolved tomorrow or Monday. Too much detail to go into, but trust me, it is a huge load off my mind. It was another big dollar mistake, not mine, that is being handled right now. Again ..... whew.

So you can see, all is moving back to a better place already.

Now about the trip. I will probably tell about part of it over a couple days, mostly because I'm tired and don't want to be too tied up with all of it tonight. Let me start with this ....

I sincerely enjoyed my trip. It was very good to see my friend, to spend time, to visit and catch up on each other's lives. I am sad that his health is not good. There are many things wrong, and none seem to be well controlled, some are not even properly diagnosed. I helped him to organize some papers and write some letters to try to get some medical attention for better coordination of his health care and hopefully even a bit more financial reimbursement on his disability. That would make his life easier, I think. I knew he was very ill, but being there, seeing it, really made an impact on me. Not an easy thing to see.

I loved the kind of tourism I experienced. He took me to see some of the big sights, but we didn't spend a lot of time at most of those. Rather, he took me to see the out of the way places that most tourists won't know about or stumble upon. We had to limit our trips to areas that were fairly accessible for him, but he did a pretty good job of keeping up with me. I enjoyed all the sights, the shopping and the food. It was all great!

As most of you know from my posts while I was there, the weather was less than ideal. It rained a LOT. There were good periods of sunshine, too, and believe me, I soaked them up! It rained often enough and in amounts enough that the air was often carrying 100% humidity. The temperatures were good. A couple times it was in the 80s and I was feeling the heat/humidity combo I hate so much, but most times the temps were in the low 70s or upper 60s. Now 68° is pretty comfortable; but link that with 100% humidity after the sun has set, and it is very uncomfortable.  Dell had only two blankets, so one for each of us. I put a couple sarongs and my ruana on top of my blanket to help keep me warm, and I wore socks to bed to keep my toesies warm!. And several times we turned on a space heater (most houses don't have heat) to warm us a little in the evening or early morning, and to dry out the air in the house. I was chilly a good part of the time I was there. Me! Chilly!

Hawaii is a beautiful place. The flora is amazing. The ocean is amazing-er. Although I'm not crazy about swimming in the ocean, the surf draws me. I love walking in the water and the sand, taking pictures, looking at shells and stones. The sky, when t isn't raining, is gorgeous. I already talked a little about the different climatic zones, so you know there is a little of everything there. I really enjoyed my time on the Island. However, I know it would not be a place I'd want to live. The weather, especially the humidity, makes it uncomfortable for me. I suppose I would adjust, at least to a degree, but I don't know if it would be enough. I hate, hate, hate humidity. I love, love, love the climate here in New Mexico. Nope, I'm home.

More tomorrow, OK?

I'm home!!!!!

Back tomorrow!

Goin' home

Well, time is here. I'll probably check here a couple more times before I go to bed, but I won't be doing much on the Net tonight after this. I will be totally out of the loop tomorrow and most of Wednesday, too.

At the moment I'm tired. I'm packed and essentially ready to go, which is good. But I've had an emotionally stressful afternoon. I have another crappy situation to deal with when I get home. It may not be a disaster, but at this moment, my hands are tied and it just feels icky. sigh. I'll certainly be glad when this negative trend I've been going through turns around and begins mending. It is just wearing me out.

It will be good to be home and get back to a routine that feels normal. :'|

It has been a superb trip. I have no regrets about it, for sure. I have lots of great memories and pictures. And in spite of my current funk ....

.... Life is beautiful!!!!

Random thoughts all over the place

Some random things that have crossed my mind tonight:

• I've noticed the humidity is benefiting me in several ways. This two weeks has freshened my skin like you wouldn't believe! Oh yeah, I still have wrinkles, but they are softer and smoother. Nice!
  
• My nails have strengthened in the time I've been here. They have grown an unreal amount and are not chipping. I'm not sure what that is about, but I'm guessing it is helping to have humidity to keep them more viable. Whatever, I like it. Oh, I guess part of the good for the nails might be that I'm not moving rocks and smashing my fingertips.
  
• My love/hate relationship with USPS is still on. I talked to the post office person here, and she told me that how I was advised to send my little box is "parcel post," which means it sill be here in, oh, four to six weeks. Uh, yeah. there is very slim chance that it might come in this week, BUT I LEAVE TUESDAY MORNING AT 6:13 AM!!! ratzer-frassers.

• It is interesting being in a house with no heater. Absolutely none! We've used a little space heater a few times to take a chill of the room, to dry it out a little, but that's it. Unimaginable!
  
• I had a wonderfully hot shower tonight! A day of sunshine works wonders on the solar heating of the water! 

And I'm tired. I think I should go to bed. Yep, sounds right. Night!