Another sweltering day!

After a couple of fairly decent days (under 100 degrees), the temps are going back up.  I might have a heart attack when I see my utility bill this month!  I would like to just use a fan to move the air in the room that I'm using, but it's probably better to just turn on the a/c.  I don't want Rocky to suffer either.  He doesn't even want to go outdoors during the day once it gets really hot.

Jeannie sent me a photo she took of the building status.  I think I recently published a photo of the foundation, and now it looks like walls are up for the first level.  There is still a long way to go just to finish the build, and then the interior has to be finished.  I really wish it would be ready to move in before the promised date of Dec. 21, but they've only begun and a lot more work will have to go into such a large house.

I'm glad to see the air looks a bit more clear today.  I went outside yesterday and couldn't believe how thick the smoke was, or whatever was in the air that looked smoky.  I didn't smell smoke, but many older folks lose their sense of smell, and mine is just about gone!  Today doesn't look too bad, but it's still early afternoon.

 

An Outing for me!

Two days ago I went to Costco with Jeannie & Donald and it was so good to be out among people, even though everyone takes care to stay socially distanced and masked.  While I was one of the first eligible groups to be vaccinated, I still wear a mask around others.  I was vaccinated in Jan/Feb, so I'm anticipating notice that I can get a booster shot.  Thankfully, Jeannie, Donald, and their two girls also got their first vaccination, and it will be a relief when they are fully protected as well.  I was concerned about Jeannie and the vaccine because of all her autoimmune issues, but she had no problems with the first shot.  I hope her second dose goes as well as mine did.

With Autumn and Arianna here, my coffee table is stacked with their books.  They   remind me of myself when I was their age, and even as an adult when I could see well enough to enjoy reading.  That is one thing I truly miss about getting old and with waning eyesight.  I have been advised by many folks to try audio books, but I tried those once and my mind wanders because they are so tedious.  I've always been a fast reader, and the reader of an audio books speaks much more slowly and with great expression.  I just read fast with no expression (internally) that I can tell.  I listened to a part of an audio book and could have fallen asleep, it was so tedious and boring.  I then actually read the book which I found to be very interesting.

Steve, Meg, and their 2 kids are going to be gone next week, and asked Jeannie to stay at their house and take care of their two dogs.  It will be very quiet around here while they are away, especially for Rocky.  I may try to walk him a bit in the evenings.  So far I haven't walked any further than the mailbox!  I will have to constantly look where I place my feet, and try to avoid/be careful of cracks in the pavement, uneven pavement, etc.  We are in for another hot week of temps in the triple digits, so the walk will have to be done either very early in the morning or early evening.  I will be so glad when fall weather arrives.  Summer has never been my favorite season - I always loved spring, which we didn't get much of this year.  As my kids were fond of saying when they were younger, "You take what you get, and you don't pitch a fit!"  Speaking of walking, I walked a half mile on my treadmill last night.  I have doing way too much sitting with no exercise, so my legs hurt enough that I stopped at the half-mile mark.  I'll try to increase that today and then walk every single day (with a day off during the week for good behavior).

Washington, DC

My oldest grandson, Joshua, who is Mike's oldest son, is finishing up a week in Washington, DC  where he has been attending the National Youth Leadership Forum.   Mike is a graduate of George Washington University in DC, so  he knows the city well.  The family will meet up with Josh after his completion of the forum and they will visit some of the many monuments and memorials.  (Actually there is only one monument, I believe, and that is the Washington Monument; the rest are all memorials.)   

When I lived in Falls Church, VA, across the Potomac from DC, I loved getting up early on a Saturday and driving into the city.  I had my choice of parking spaces along Constitution Ave., which were free on weekends. and I loved spending the day there exploring the sites and especially going through the Smithsonian buildings.   I always visited the Vietnam Memorial and have always been touched by its power, for all its simplicity.  The design is brilliant and the experience is so moving,  for all the crap the designer of the memorial had to endure.  I think the designer was a woman of Vietnamese descent, which could explain some of the original animosity towards her, but you can't get away without shedding a tear.

The weather is hot again today, and I will be so happy when the temperatures drop a bit - down to 90 would be fine with me.  In the 80's would be better!   I finally gave in and turned on the A/C and closed the windows.  It's a shame because it's breezy outside, but breezy hot air isn't very pleasant!  It's a shame that so many areas of the world are flooding, while we are dry as a bone and extremely susceptible to fires.

 National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): National Security - Diplomacy, Intelligence & Defense

Pros and Cons

There are always pros and cons to every situation, decision, etc.  The pros and cons pertaining to my upcoming move go through my head constantly, but the cons always jump out at me!

I won't be able to walk to anything.  To get to a store, vet, etc., in my present location is about a mile & a quarter, a 25 or30 minute walk (and the same when I walk back home).  That doesn't seem like much, but in my present condition and state of health it is a lot, although it would probably be the best thing I could do for my health!  Walking for my health (and of course, Rocky's health) will be the only kind of walking I will be doing in the new location.

I love the idea of living with/close to my daughter, but perhaps I'd be better off in a community of seniors where I'd have company of people who I might be more compatible with.

I was born in November of 1940, and those of you within 5 or 10 years either way of my age, will understand that we are entirely different from those who came along after us.  A 50 or 60 year old probably has no clue - and I'm not being judgmental - a person 40 years old or younger wouldn't have a clue about the 50-60 year-olds!  We all have lived through different times, different governments and world situations, different economic times as well as different economic levels in society.  My being born in 1940 has shaped and defined who I am, and there is no getting around it - I'm different than most generations alive today.   There are also differences in liberal/conservative thinking, and you can probably guess where I fall in this category, if you have read most of my posts over the years.  I'm wildly liberal, but can get along with wildly conservative folks who are open minded and agree to disagree.  I confuse a lot of people, including my children and younger siblings, because I'm socially ultra liberal but personally ultra conservative.  I hate to waste anything, although I don't feel like I was deprived as a child - and all my friends were mostly in the same boat.  My mother-in-law was fond of saying that we are "going to hell in a hand-basket"!  And we probably are.

I'm sure some of you will find that you and I are very similar in our backgrounds and our thinking, and some of you have had entirely different experiences in your lives.  In the blogger world, however, we can find common ground or we probably wouldn't be reading each others' blogs!

Enough philosophizing!   Our life spans get shorter each day, and we cannot do a thing about it except to make the best of and enjoy every minute of every day.  I hope I've mostly done that, and I can honestly say I've had an extraordinarily wonderful life and family.  I'm also grateful for the few, close friends I've had over the years.  Also for the many wonderful acquaintances who go in and out of our lives.

I find that as I get older I become more appreciative of life, friends, acquaintances, and opportunities.  I'd love to hear how you feel about this.

Happy Birthday, Donald!

Anyone who is familiar with my posts knows that Donald is my wonderful son-in-law, and today is his birthday.  He is good to all he meets, and I don't think I've ever heard a cross word from him.  He treats everyone as he wants to be treated.  I wish him happiness today and every day!

On another note, Arianna has brought in a large tub with 7 or 8 potted plants she is growing.  I think I have found a gardening partner!  We will have to cultivate a small plot and go over garden catalogues to plan next year's crop at our new place.  We both grow a lot of house plants, but I'm hoping we can also get into the fruit and vegetable category.  There is a certain joy in going through gardening catalogues, and having someone to share the joy is going to be a special treat for me.  I'm pleased to find things to be happy about in regard to the move.  Moving isn't a pleasant experience for me, but I think this one will be good and I hold out lots of hope!

Moving is a pain!

Jeannie & Donald sold their house a while back, and as I mentioned, Jeannie lives with me and Donald is staying at his Mom's house.  The girls go back and forth.  Jeannie had to move a lot of stuff from their house and garage because they sold their house so quickly, so my carport and house are full to the brim.  Little by little she is selling and giving away items they don't want to keep, but there is still a lot in my carport and living room.  Luckily I don't mind living in chaos for a while.  I can dispose of my extra items a bit later since we won't be moving into the new place until just before Christmas.

And I will have a garage, which I am happily planning to use for things other than a car.  My treadmill will go there as well as a few other things Jeannie won't want in the house.  I will have a very small space for myself, which will suit me fine, if I can use my garage space to my advantage.  My art table will also go into the garage - all the younger children love that desk/table, and I'm sure it will get a lot of use for years to come.

I know there are going to be lots of things I won't be able to move, but will face getting my possessions pared down during the next few months.   Right now Jeannie is placing ads for items she no longer wants, so I will wait until a bit later to try to dispose of my unnecessary things.  And I really don't like getting rid of things I've used and enjoyed.

I've been here for about two years now, and it has suited me very well.  I won't miss it when I'm gone, though.  The only place I've ever lived that I wouldn't mind going back to is my mobile home.  It suited Rocky and me perfectly, and the mobile home park was ideal for dog walking and friend-making.  But you can't go back, and I'm ready to go forward, probably for the last time.  It will no doubt take some adjusting on my part, but I am very positive about the move.

One thing I won't have and will miss is my fireplace.  I think there is a fire pit in the back yard area - don't know how it works or what it burns (wood, or ?), but it will be nice in the cool evenings.  So far we have only been able to view last year's model home, and I think this year's is pretty much the same except for being a bit larger.  I'm anxious to go back and see it again, and maybe take measurements.  And I will try to keep my mouth shut and not complain about anything!

 

Doggie Manicure

I am taking Rocky to get his nails clipped this afternoon.  He absolutely hates anyone touching his paws, so he has to be sedated in order to get the trim.  I feel so sorry for him as he looks drugged up and doesn't know what's going on.  His nails are totally black so the "blood line" isn't visible, which means they won't cut very much off.  I'll have to take him back in 3 or 4 weeks for another trim, which by then, won't show much of a difference.  Not driving makes it so difficult to go anywhere or do anything!  Cherish your eyesight while you have it!

I still haven't turned my a/c on but it won't be much longer until I need to.  The greatest thing about Sacramento summers is that it gets very cool overnight and the cool lasts until at least mid-day.  Usually.  The grass looks like yellow-brown straw, unless you water it daily.  I have concerns about water in what is predicted to be a drought year, so I don't water anything except my house plants and my tomato plants.  Most of the tomato plants are a bit "iffy", but I'll probably get a few to pick.  

Speaking of the a/c, it came on at 1:30pm.  And that's all for my exciting life today!

Noisy morning!

All morning I have heard noisy jet planes flying over my house at low altitude and wondered what was happening.  A quick search on the internet answered my question.

As you might be aware, there are a lot of wildfires burning in California right now.  Lack of rain for so long and the hot dry weather makes for a tinderbox, so it seems that planes are coming in from all areas to help drop retardant on the flames. 

Now I feel guilty that I was so upset about the noise,  but my attitude adjustment results in welcoming all the fire fighting planes that we can get!  Bring on the noise!

This is going to be a long, hot summer! 

A Boring Day!

Today was in the high 90's and I didn't do much because I'm not feeling all that well.  But it was sooooo boring, and I hope tomorrow will be better.

 My daughter is staying with me and this evening she is going through boxes and closets and wanting to get rid of things I won't be taking with me.  I'm not really ready to let go of some things, although a lot of it can be tossed or donated.  But I want to make the decision in my own time.  Some of you may feel the same as I do - you have to be able to say goodbye to some items that have been with you for a while and have served you well.  At least that's how I feel about it, but I guess I can't be sentimental at this stage of my life.  And thankfully, my new space will be private and will have a separate entrance; the patio will be separate from my daughter's, although they both lead out to the same back yard space.  They will have a two story living space, so they will also have a private balcony off their bedroom.  It will really be very nice and I will try to post photos when they are available. 

Not being able to drive is slowly driving me crazy.  It wouldn't be quite as bad if I was in an area within walking distance to something.  It's about a mile and a quarter to the nearest stores, as well as to the place where I get Rocky's nails trimmed.  Since he has to be mildly sedated to let them touch his paws, I wouldn't even think of making him walk that far under any kind of sedation.  So we sit and wait for someone to take us somewhere we need to go.

Jeannie just showed me an old apron the kids had given me years ago.  It had a pitcher of kool-aid on it, and I think they had to send in so many empty packets to get the apron.  She took a photo of me with it on, and I nearly died when I saw the photo.  I haven't lost any weight - maybe 2 or 3 pounds at most - but I look terrible in the picture.  I look like I'm ill!

I guess that's enough for today!  See ya soon!

July 14th

Today is Bastille Day, commemorating the storming of the Bastille which led to the French Revolution in 1789.  In my limited knowledge of French history, the Bastille was a fortress for political prisoners.  I wish the French  a happy holiday today.

I am feeling a lot better lately, one day at a time!  My legs hurt after 4 straight days of walking a mile on my treadmill, and I'm considering taking a break from it today.  I'll probably feel more like walking later this afternoon. and will likely be back on the treadmill.  It's the easiest exercise I can do, and probably as good as anything else.

After the awful heat wave we recently endured, it looks like we're in for a week or so of temps under 100 degrees.  I stay inside mostly, so I won't suffer the heat, but my electric bill is going to be hard on my heart!

Have a great day, everyone out there!

 

Finally, some decent news!

I heard from my cardiologist today about the results of wearing the Holter heart monitor.  Evidently I'm fine and don't need any more tests.  There had been suggestions that I might have a stress test, which I had about 20 years ago and which is not pleasant to undergo.  I recall being left in a room on a treadmill that sped up at intervals, as well as tilted so it was like walking uphill.  I also have an irregular heartbeat which goes back to my earliest memories - it's a regular beat and then an extra beat slipped in there, or a missing beat.  I explained to the doctor that I've had it as long as I can remember.  I really appreciate the fact that this doctor listens to what I have to say, and I trust her to not bombard me with every test in the book, "just to make sure".  

I survived the heat wave and enjoyed a day in the mid-90's today.  I looked at my tomato plants this afternoon and I think they are just about done for.  One plant (out of  6 left) has quite a few green tomatoes, but I'm not getting my hopes up.  Next year, depending on what our new place has available, I might buy a couple of tomato plants.  But I think I've had it with starting them from seed and after all the nurturing, the weather ruins them.   I just loved watching them grow from seed though.

 

 

Still in the Game!

I decided I should get back on my treadmill, especially since I have a stress test coming up in a week or so.  I did my normal treadmill walk, 1 mile @ 3mph.  I did fine, and think next time I might up the speed a little bit.  I haven't walked for some time so I was surprised I got through the mile with no problems at all.  I'm not sure if I should up the speed, or walk a little bit longer.  I'm going to fly through that stress test!  It's been quite some time since I've taken one of those tests, and they probably do it differently now (everything changes, just to be changed, in my estimation) but I'm going to be ready for it!

 I sure have enough stress in my life!  My living room is filled with boxes and items from Jeannie's house, and it's difficult to walk through.  There are two big rocking chairs, one of which is mine, and I'm going to reclaim it when we move.  I got it when Jeannie was a baby, and rocked all my kids in it over the years.  My sister Julie was baby-sitting for me one evening and told me later than she rocked each one of the kids to sleep.  She then sat down in the rocker to see the dog looking up at her, expectantly.  So she said, "Oh well, come on up and i'll rock you too."   She was just a teen-ager then but so responsible and loving, especially to children and pets.  I could never have raised my kids without her!

Today and tomorrow are going to be miserably hot, and then it looks like the rest of the week will be in the 90's  (which is hot enough but will feel like a cold spell!).  To make matters worse, I think I read we are beginning a 5 year (or more) drought.  And I hate to see my electric bill for this past month, with the a/c running from dawn to dusk!

So if I sound like I'm always complaining about something, I probably am.  But things are going to change.  When I get through this stress test coming up, I'm going to refuse any and all tests from then on.  I just hate to have them hanging over my head, and hate going to a doctor for any reason.  I will not spend the future I have left worrying about my health and running to doctors to be tested for anything.  And I'm not going to do anything that doesn't please me!

I should be excited about the upcoming move, but I'm not.  We are scheduled to move Dec. 21, which is still a long way off.  There are other houses being built in the area of our lot, but it remains to be seen how friendly the other folks will be, and if there are any of them even close to my age.  I think I miss my mobile home and wish I'd stayed there, to tell the truth.  As the old saying goes, "Hindsight is better than.....!

I don't know if I mentioned that I will have a garage of my own in our new place.  I don't have a car to park in it, but I'm going to put my treadmill there,  as well as some storage shelves.  I think I'll enjoy my space, but there are still a lot of items I need to deal with.  For one thing (and please forgive me if I mentioned it in a previous post), I will have to get Rocky vaccinated against rattlesnakes.  I will also look into the kind of fencing that goes up about 3 feet and is supposedly rattlesnake proof, and can sit inside (or outside) my regular fence.  I sure don't want to kill anything, including rattlesnakes.  I just want them to find a safe place far away from me!  With several new homes being built in the area, I hope the snakes move on to a less populated place.

Am I Making a Big Mistake?

I'm getting cold feet about moving.  I'm isolated as it is where I live now, and wish I had stayed in the mobile home park.  Everyone was pretty friendly, and it was easy for me to walk Rocky as there was little or no traffic there.  This is nice and I have way more space, but while I have people I wave to when I'm out, I have no real friends here.  There are four separate houses (all rentals) off of this driveway, two on each side, and I'm in the rear.  Getting old is really difficult because people (and family) like to tell you what to do.  For pete's sake, I'm old but I'm not mentally incompetent.  I may be a bit physically challenged, but can still get around.  Not driving was the worst thing that ever happened to me.

I think there are three lots in the new place, of which we are the first, and as I mentioned previously, there won't be anything built to one side as there is a space where a protected oak tree is situated.  And I don't know if I wrote about it before now, but two houses over from ours is also a "NextGen" house, meaning there is the main house plus a small suite of rooms for a parent.  So I can only hope there will be someone compatible that I can relate to.

I don't know how high the temperature actually reached today, but it was probably at or over 110F, and that is HOT!  The evening is approaching although it is still like an oven out there and I don't even like to open the door.  I think we won't be cooling off until the latter part of next week, so I'm definitely stuck inside.

I'd like to write at least one item that is positive in nature, but there isn't much these days.  Rocky is one of the positives for me though.  He's sleeping on the couch where I'm sitting - he wants to stretch out behind me so he gets me to scoot up to sit on the edge of the sofa!  Not so comfortable for me, but he's snoring away right now so he must be very comfortable! 

New Foundation!

We visited our new house site yesterday and took some "before" photos.  The foundation is in, and the building will be complete for our move-in date of December 21.

 

In the right foreground will be my garage, and my living  space will be in back of that, all along that side.
 

This area will be next to my side of the house, and the trees are a protected species (I believe they are oaks).  For all of you non-West Coast readers, the grass in California dries up in the summer and looks like straw, unless it is watered daily.  In the winter, we normally have a lot of rain which turns all the grass the most beautiful shade of green!

These are all the pictures I will post today.  The property goes back to the trees, and the photo doesn't give you a good sense of how much distance between the house & trees.  There will be two houses to the the other side of our place.  I'm sure we will keep track of the progress being made on the building of the house, and I'll try to post photos as progress is made.  It is really difficult to imagine the spaciousness of this model when you only see the foundation.

Jeannie & Donald will have two stories of living space, and it is going to be spectacular!  I wouldn't know what to do with the amount of square feet they will have, but I'm sure a family of four will be able to enjoy it.  I feel like I'm the luckiest woman in the world!

Now We're Getting Somewhere!

We still have a long way to go, but at least it's a start.  Jeannie & Donald decided on the model of house they want and have placed an order.  If all goes well, it should be ready to move in by December 21!  That will be an exciting week - I don't get excited over Christmas any more, but I'll certainly be excited this year.  Knowing Jeannie, she will manage to move in and get decorations up  quickly.

I will have my own "in-law" quarters, which consists of a bedroom that opens up to a private patio, and a spacious living area with a kitchenette and dining table in one part of it. I'll have a private entrance and a spacious garage (think - treadmill, storage, etc!).  It is probably the smallest place I will ever have lived in, but maybe that will help me curb my tendency to acquire and keep things I really don't need.

My current place looks like a disaster right now!  The kids sold their house and Donald and Autumn are staying with Martha (his mom), and Jeannie and Arianna are here with me.  Actually, the kids will probably move back and forth between their parents.  

You can only imagine how excited Rocky is about this!  My large spare room and also my living room and dining areas are filled with items from their house, and I think Martha's house is filled to the brim as well.  While I don't exactly like clutter, I have always refused to let it bother me too much.  Coming from a family of 8 kids, to raising 4 children of my own, I have always lived in clutter and noise, and I would sort of miss it if it all went away now.

So life takes on new meaning from time to time, and I certainly need a jolt of new meaning at this stage of my life!

 

Things I should worry about

Of all the things I should think about when looking for a new place to live, I never thought I should worry about snakes!  But evidently I'll be moving into rattlesnake country, with a dog whose curiosity is stronger than his brain, sometimes!

I'm not too worried for myself because I really don't put my hands into unknown places, and rarely do much gardening these days.  But evidently, I need to think about it.  There is something the vet can give to dogs (and other pets, I suppose) that will protect them from lethal doses of venom.  They can get quite ill from a snake bite and will need to be rushed to a vet for treatment, but hopefully they won't die!  What a thing to think about.   Labrador retrievers are curious about everything, and would never understand that anything would want to harm them.  And of course my eyesight is deteriorating daily, but I'm not likely to be puttering around in high grass or weeds, although that's not a passport to be safe from snakes!  I'm probably worrying needlessly, but I should worry about Rocky and Tito.

 My house is filling up fast.  Donald and Steve brought a small truckload of furniture belonging to Jeannie to store in my house until we move.  One item that brought back memories is a rocking chair that Bill (my ex husband and father of all my kids) bought for me when Jeannie was born.   I always loved a rocking chair, especially when caring for babies.  Jeannie rocked her babies in it as well, so it has beautiful memories to me.  It's now sitting in my living room and I should be holding a baby right now!  I think most moms would agree that raising children can be a stressful time of life, but rocking babies is one of the most beautiful experiences. 

He just came back with a second load, and I'm beginning to wonder where I will put everything!  Now he's off for the third!  Rocky loves all the excitement.

A Bit of Relief!

After 100+ temperatures for a while, I think we will return to more tolerable 90's for the next week or so, at least.  

I've stayed inside most of today and just rested.  Yesterday I visited my cardiologist and ran a number of errands, including Costco.  My oldest son, Mike, and his two sons are here for a week, so he took me to the doctor as well as Costco.  They are managing to see some of the sights, including to the mountains tomorrow.  Rocky loves having them here, of course, and when Jeannie and Arianna move in tomorrow he will love it as well.  I believe she turns over the keys to her house tomorrow so she is there this evening to finish up cleaning and getting it ready for the new owners.  Between my spare bedroom and the large bonus room, I think she will be able to get their belongings in.  She is going to buy all new furniture for the new house, so she has already gotten rid of most of the old stuff.  

She has her name in for one of the next houses that will be built.  It's a very nice and very large model, with a good "in-law suite" that I will have to downsize to fit into, but I can manage with everything I need to bring along.  

I think I've reached the end of a long road of moves throughout my life!  I've enjoyed every one of them, but am ready to just stay in one place and enjoy a bit of leisure.  I don't know how much leisure I will have, with Rocky and Tito being next door to each other (Tito is Jeannie and Donald's dog.)  From the photos of the area Jeanne is looking into, I think we are going to love it.  When we move I will take lots of pictures to post, but I don't want to jinx anything now by showing them prematurely!