Fire in El Dorado County!

I am not sure how close our new house site is to the terrible fire burning in the county.  I don't think it is in our area - my son, Steve, and his family live close to where we are building, and he told me the fire is moving in the opposite direction.  I'm not familiar enough with the area to be able to say one way or another.  It's a horrible loss of property, forest, and wildlife, but so far I haven't heard that there have been human casualties.  Fires are to be expected in  northern California in the summer, and I think it will be worse for the next few years due to the predicted drought.  I am currently in a safe place, but it is terrible to hear the planes flying over constantly, no doubt to get water to drop on the fire.  I haven't heard many today but the past 2 or 3 days there has been a constant run of them.  I'm not sure where they are getting the water as every source is currently lower than usual, and I doubt if they would use ocean water - it seems the salt water would kill every bit of foliage and wildlife it comes in contact with, and the fire is doing just that.  The flames have consumed an area we have always looked to for recreation, boating and camping.

Today has turned out to be a beautiful day here in Sacramento - temps this week are predicted to be in the 90's which will be comfortable as opposed to the triple digits we've had lately, and will probably return to before winter arrives.

I had to have blood drawn this morning for a couple of my doctors, including the cardiologist and the oncologist.  The results all look normal except for one that is a little outside of the normal range.  The woman who drew blood did an excellent job and I only have a tiny red spot where the needle went in.  I haven't heard anything yet about a booster for the Covid vaccine, but I've reached the six-month point and I hope to renew the protection for the next six.

My life has been so boring since the first of this year, and the highlight of this week will be a trip to Costco this evening.  I always enjoy walking through Costco even when I don't need or buy much.   

Spring Planting

I get so excited this time of year as I look over mail from flower & bulb growers, and try to decide what I'd like to plant this coming year.  It may be tricky because while were supposed to be in the new house before Christmas, the delays associated with the pandemic might push the date back a bit.  Most of the bulbs and plants I'm looking forward to growing will need to be in by early January.  I want to try some new things this year - as well as the tried and true daffodils and tulips.   My daughter-in-law, Steve's wife Megan, has offered to help me out.  She has done absolutely wonders with gardening this past year, including things I've never thought of as far as where to plant.  She has the standard garden, but also uses other available spaces that normally wouldn't have flowers and vegetables growing in them.  I think she's a genius, and I look forward to her helping me.

I've been getting mail and suggestions from Spring Hill Nurseries, and think I will go to them for all my plants and seeds.  Their selection and variety is astounding, and they guarantee everything they sell.  I wrote them a few weeks ago to ask some questions about their selection, planting times, etc., and they responded immediately.

  https://www.springhillnursery.com/ 

I just hope I have the initiative and energy to do a garden this coming winter 

Fire Danger

 I would estimate that I live about 35 or more miles from the area where the fires are actively burning.  The smoke makes things hazy, and because it cuts off direct sunlight it is a bit cooler than it would normally be.  Planes are flying overhead every 10 or 15 minutes, no doubt carrying water and/or fire retardant.  

I could cry when I think of all the poor animals and reptiles that can't escape it.  I haven't heard of any loss of human life as of yet, and hope those who need to will all evacuate safely.  Jeannie smells the smoke although I can't because I've lost most of my sense of smell.   

We are in the first stages of a predicted five-year drought, and can only hope that there will be a break in weather patterns that will allow us to get some much needed rain.  I have also recently read that there will no doubt be water rationing in our future.  I have always tried to be frugal with finite resources, but I don't think my kids got the message.  Those of you who are close to my age probably experience the same - kids today have no understanding of what life was like before telephones in every house, or cars in every garage.  No television, videos, or electronic devices of just about any kind.  We played outside nearly the entire day, and had to come inside when the street lights came on!  In a way, it's a different life for each generation.  I'm glad for the experiences as well as the deprivations I had though.

 

 

 

Better than I Thought!

I just had a phone visit with my oncologist and it looks like I'm doing better than I thought.  I guess I'm not ready to "check out" just yet!  Sometimes how you feel depends on how you think you are doing, and I wasn't holding out much hope.  I'm going to do an "attitude adjustment" and see if I can get myself to a more positive outlook.  I have a lot to live for, but have to just keep my "eye on the prize"!

After so many days and weeks of extremely hot weather, it looks like we have a week in the 90's ahead.  That will feel a bit like a cool spell.   You  have to keep in mind that with so little humidity, the 90's can be tolerable!  But your skin dries up like a prune if you don't take good care of it.  I have always hated smearing oily and greasy lotions all over my skin since I was a teen, and I'm paying the price now for years of neglect!

 I just decided to take Rocky for a walk before it gets too hot.  I set the broom I was using against the wall, got Rocky ready, and picked up my hiking staff which was right next to the broom.  Of course you can tell what I did - I was out the door and halfway up the driveway before realizing I was carrying the broom instead of the hiking stick!   I often give myself plenty to laugh about.  Imagine someone seeing an old lady walking up the street holding her broom in one hand and her dog's leash in the other.  We had a nice walk and I need a short rest.  Rocky is already on the couch in his favorite spot.

I wish you all a good day today.

Heat wave!

I'm sitting here in the pleasant morning drinking my coffee, but I realize the day is going to get hot.  I went to a weather website to check it out and nearly fell over!  The temperature for the next week, starting today, will be:

109, 110, 105, 102, 102, 103 and 104!   Then we will revert to a cool and more comfortable stretch of days in the upper 90's.  Probably not quite hot as hell, but close!  And it's dry as a bone.

Yesterday Donald drove us all up to see the new house in progress.  My son, Steve, his wife, Meg, and their two kids met us there and it was a nice get-together.  Their house is fairly close to where ours is, which will be nice.  The house looks huge to me, and it is large; I am going to love my space!  I couldn't take photos because Arianna is using my phone until her new one is fully activated.  How times have changed.  When I was her age we had one wall phone in the kitchen area.  It was opposite the stairway to the basement, and my parents got so mad at me because I would stretch the cord so that I could sit on the stairs and close the door for some privacy.  I'm sure I messed up more than one phone cord.  Now, everyone in a family has his or her own phone, with no cords attached!

New House Coming Along!

We went out to see the new house today, and I can actually see so much progress and look ahead to how it's going to be when we are ready to move in.   My space is absolutely perfect, and I couldn't be happier about it.  Just enough for Rocky and me, and not too much.  The kitchen space will be a great adjustment to make - it's actually just adequate to be functional, and without excess.  I think it will be all I need, and plenty at that.  I didn't take any photos but hope to get some from Donald or Jeannie, and by my next visit - hopefully one week from now, I will take many pictures.  We drove around the adjacent streets and I am really looking forward to moving in and meeting our neighbors.  There will be enough "Next-Gen" models that I hope to meet at least a few compatible folks.

I have been depressed lately at how my life is going - the cancer returning makes me a bit anxious.  But seeing the new place makes me determined to start feeling well again and get some enjoyment out of life at the new house.

Planning is Half the Fun!

I've been looking at gardening websites and can barely hold myself back from ordering plants, seeds, bulbs, etc.  I discovered that if I order bulbs which will be delivered in November, I can keep them in the freezer until I am ready to plant, which would probably be January, the month after we move into our new place.  There are so many gorgeous iris, as well as tulips, daffodils, etc., that I want to buy.  I will include Arianna in the planning and planting, as she will likely be the one to care for them when I can no longer do so or am not around.   I would also like to plant some flower seeds, as well as a few veggies.  But I will be moving to someone else's house, and I will be subject to their ideas about what they want in their yard!  I sort of wish I had my own place where I can do as I choose, but that time of my life is over!  I will have my own patio, but growing plants in the ground is my first choice - I cannot imagine a potted tomato plant!

The kids have started school and I think they are all happy to finally be able to go back to the classroom.  They also love being with their friends again - they did visit back and forth with a couple of them during the past year, but I'm sure they are happy to be back in a structured environment for a change.  Of course they wear masks while in school, and many of them keep their masks on whenever they are away from home.  I can't imagine what the past year must have been like for the kids - their whole world was altered.  Mine too!

I would love to see some rain for a change, but it seems that we are in the beginning of an approximate 5-year drought!  I've given up on gardening for the rest of this year - the tomatoes that I planted aren't the tastiest, nor did they grow to their full size.  The sun is way too hot for them as well and many of the plants didn't survive early summer.

I'm not giving up on anything, but will have to look at alternate ways of doing things in the future!