Movement Restricted Monday

So, I am a little troubled lately by the aches and pains that seem to be increasing in my life.  I am having a lot of pain in my back, knees and hips lately.  I do have an autoimmune condition that I have dealt with for many years, i am wondering if this is something related.  If so, perhaps my new-found commitment to cut out some sloppy eating will see results in my aches and pains.  I know before when i am in an autoimmune flare, i have a lot of general soreness and fatigue that is helped by multi facted approach (rest, meditation, movement, nutrition, supplements and yes, sometimes medicine).  I also know that since i am up about 15 pounds, that could be a big factor, so that might also benefit from my diet.  That being said, i am approaching mid 50's, so i am told - get used to it by several people!

We are having some overcast skies and a little bit of relief in this hot weather.  We have chances for rain every day this week - we have our fingers crossed - so dry here!  Saturday we took 2 large chests from my guest room i am redoing - my neice decided she just couldn't find time/room to get the furniture, so we took it to my sister in law's consignment/2nd hand store.  I have also recently sold 3 golf clubs, a motorcycle seat back rest and some Harley Davidson luggage.  Here is a picture of the backpack i sold for $100!

This back rest we sold for $175!  

I ordered the 2 cubes from Ikea that will be replacing all the large, heavy and dark wood furniture that came out of the guest room.  Pictures to come - it will take a month to get the pieces delivered and another few days to put it all together!  LOL

DH and my anniversary is tomorrow.  DH let's me buy whatever i want for the house.  One year we got a windchime.  One year a tree, etc.  This year i got 2 new crepe myrtles - the fragrant white Nachez crepe myrtle.  I planted them Saturday in the late afternoon heat and it was hot digging holes for them!  The ground is so dry and hard here, i was worried i would not be able to dig deep enough!

This is what they will look like.

I also took my potted geraniums and planted them out in my raised beds.  I got these geraniums from friend so i hate to lose them, but they are sort of boring little blooms and not a great pink, just a pastel - sort of boring.  I also moved some portulaca (i had to look up how to spell that!) that was growing in a pot.  I am trying to move as many of my perennials from pots to beds so i don't have to winter so many pots in the house this winter!  The advantage is, i had a lot of pretty greens that i wintered inside to provide color and interest in my deck pots and only bought a 6 pack of petunias and a 6 pack of impatiens to spread out with the greenery (vinca, asparagus fern, airplane plant, mother-of-millions and purple heart).  Next year i am going to do the same thing - focusing on these plants that do well and buy a few pretty flowers to add pretty color.  I am looking for a couple of the cool iron planters to add some height at the corners of my deck.  I saw some beautiful ones at the nursery Saturday but they were $100+ each!  I also planted a hyacinth vine that i started from a seed - it is already way bigger than 2 clematis i bought - but clematis are sort of slow to get started - and the hyacinth vine is an annual.  But they grow really fast - so i am going to try to plant several from seeds next year really early, like late winter.  I also see that some of my lettuce has gone to seed and i am going to see if i can get a little lettuce from seed next year.

I am such a garden nerd, that i have big plans that inspire me that involve design and seeds.  LOL.  My DH thinks i am making the yard way more complicated, but i really do have a 2 year, 5 year and 10 year plan.  My plan is to get many areas of my garden/yard so that i can do as much or as little as i want from year to year (i.e. raised beds, bushes and mostly potted flowers).  But i really do enjoy creating it a lot.  I intend to get to a point where i am just maintaining...wonder if i am kidding myself?!  LOL

I know much of my plans will be evolving and from trial basis - what i learn and adjust.  For example, in out front yard it is very sunny so i have English ivy (don't worry, it is contained to a small area) and cactus and i am increasing the cactus and succulents to reduce how much i have to water out front.  Right now we are watering even the bushes and shrubs, do to this dry summer we are having.  The important thing is 1)  i enjoy it and 2)  i hope it makes the house look nice and someday 3)  increase selling time/value.

This little cactus my friends from Florida mailed me a piece and i am going to keep it going/repot it.

What is your summer plans looking like where you are?  

Monday before Holiday

I had a nice quiet weekend at retirement country home with DH.  We relaxed because of the heat.  In the 90's which is not too bad, but the humidity was 94%!  I got home mid day Friday and caught up with my DH, my dogs and my laundry.  Then we sat in the shade and read.  I watered my plants real well once it cooled off a bit.  Then light quick trip to store, dinner and watching TV.  

Saturday I took my pup for early walk, she was still panting heavily even though it had not reached 80 yet.  The humidity is just oppressive!  I watered everything again and did about 30 min of weeding in my flower garden box.  My sister came over and we took a ride in the new convertible and went to the farmers market and had smoothies.  I got a late in season box of blueberries.  They were good!

Then mid day she had to get home and DH and I got a little sun before it got too terrible and then I read while he napped.  We had baked potatoes and chips and salsa/guacamole.  No meat.  I forgot to thaw anything out.  But DH had picked out a really good watermelon and we had that for dessert.  I am on week 2 of no sugar (except for fruit).  I felt sort of like I was detoxing all weekend (stomach issues - but not nearly as bad as last week!).  Then, by Sunday, I felt pretty good! 

Since I have short week at work, I stayed at home until early Monday and got up at 4am and drove 3 hours to the city.  I told my aunt not to expect me until today.  Was fun seeing the sun come up.  No traffic till about 30 miles out of the city.  Now I sit here waiting for an assignment. 

Poor DH is growing weary of this working out of town.  I am too, obviously.  But he is lonely, I can tell.  We had some really good talks.  Some plans.  Some suggestions.  But we are in it as a team.

I hope you have a short week too! 

16 Days

This is a picture my girlfriend took of me driving us back to the city Sunday.  Yes, I am one of those people.  At least when DH is not in the car with me and can take our little female on his lap. 

Fall is in the air here in the Midwest.  And we have 16 more days.  I was thinking about the changing of the seasons and realize as we are going into fall this year, we are sort of going into the "fall" of our lives. 

I lived in Arizona for a couple years.  I missed the seasons there.  It was relentlessly hot.  Danerously hot.  Unforgivingly hot.  The scenery is mostly brown.  Lots of rocks and small shrubs dot the desert as you drive into town. 

It was 1999 and I drove into town with my dog and cat.  My significant other drove me out from Little Rock and stayed.  I had transferred with my job, so the movers would deliver my stuff.  I just had to unpack.  My convertible was brought out on a car carrier.  I rented a duplex.  It was weird having rocks for a yard.  I had grass in the back with olive and eucalyptus trees.  It smelled different.  There were also these large brown birds that sang weird songs that was really different from anything I experienced in the Midwest. 

I had a stressful job.  On weekends I liked to explore the area for relaxation.  Once I hiked with my boyfriend at South Mountain park.  We both took water and had sunscreen, hats, etc.  But how naïve we were.  We also had my dog with us.  My beautiful Golden Retriever.  My second Golden.  

We started out in the morning.  They trail we chose was downhill and back up.  I started to dread the hike back up.  Boyfriend decided he would give me the last of the water and I would go back to car with the dog and pick him up at bottom.  Thinking back I am not sure why we split up that day.  It does not sound like my idea.  He was a little impulsive and immature - that was the reason we broke up not long after.  I don't blame him for this day, I was stupid and unprepared too.

Anyway, I start back to the car.  It was just over the rise, I thought.  Water was running low, it was getting hotter.  My dog crept along and kept sticking his head in the shadows of the large boulders and small bushes that make up South Mountain landscape.  I thought to myself how awful I felt putting my dog through this.

I kept walking.  I started to wonder if I was lost.  The scenery all looked the same.  I kept topping each hill and more hills stretched out before me.  My had started feeling too small and I was feeling the sun burning my shoulders.  My sunglasses were sweaty and I had to keep pushing them up.  My mind started racing.

Pretty soon I started to feel panic creep in.  I wondered if I could carry my dog the rest of the way.  He was panting and seemed very focused on any shade he could put his head in.  I alternated thinking how stupid I was and how scared I was.  I could not believe what was happening.  I had never been lost before.  I grew up in the woods in the Midwest, where trees are tall and there are landmarks.

About the time I was wondering what to do and was on the verge of complete hopelessness, I topped a rise and spotted the parking lot and my car!  I never felt so much relief.  There was a while cinderblock building that contained bathrooms.  I ran in but there was no water coming out of the faucets.

I got in the car and blasted the ac to cool my dog down.  I retraced the drive we had taken into the park.  I saw boyfriend and picked him up.  He too had been hot and worried at the end.  He was quick to laugh and dismiss. 

I will never forget that day.  It was in late May, which is late to hike in Phoenix.  I also heard many times in the years I lived there that many people from back east/Midwest who are not accustomed to the heat/landscape die making mistakes like we made. 

I am so grateful that was not my fate that day.

I'm Back!

Back to city.  To RH to oversee new kitchen/utility room floors and plumber.  Did laundry.  Expensive here at hotel.  Golf today.  Was in the 80s fir nice respite,  was great being outside.  Sunday...then back to work. While I was at RH, I got some painting (porch ceilings and rear exterior wall), some shrubs trimmed and watered.  Have a great Sat night!

Weekend Work

Friday we brought big load lots of miscellaneous stuff.  Plus truck bed full of metal such as hall tree, more little tables, DH antique fan collection, etc.  We think we have one more large load and then one after that of ladder, vacuum, cleaning supplies,  etc.  It was hot friday and my SIL came by just in time to finish unloading.   I worked putting stuff away till 11pm Friday night.  Then I drove over and saw a movie and had lunch with my sister Sat.  DH worked on hooking up 2 stereos and wired speakers, unpacked his shoes and organized his shop.  we did a lot of organizing and decorating when I got back from lunch.  Whew we are tired.  Today is Sunday  and we will drive back and do as least as poss.  I will walk...maybe with my friend T.  Its hot though (90s) so we may do it later, like 6 or so.  we are coming with the last load next weekend and we have 5 people coming to get various items we gave them, which helps us and helps them.   It is getting close!  And retirement house is looking cute (full but cute).  Have a nice Sunday!