So, 2 years since my last post...so much has happened...  

At my last post I had just gotten my present job.  I was so excited to be back on my career track.  It is a stressful industry, but I had a good run my first 15 years in, so I wanted to get back to it thinking I could probably do 5 - 10 years remote and then either retire, or get a part time job and ease my way into retirement.  

100% virtual learning remotely was a real challenging learning curve, but I kept at it, had a great boss, worked hard/long hours, got more comfortable about 6 months in and was doing fine.  I was even thriving in some ways and getting great performance evaluations.  So thankful for my job, especially being all at home working remotely.

About a year ago, I realized that with all my working and with DH continued health challenges we were ready to downsize again.  So we did.  This time we moved from our acre country home with a huge yard and tons of storage to a new brick home with a little tiny yard.  I will talk about that in a future post, because it was very challenging and strategic and worked out like a charm executed.  I went from a place that was remote and had very little delivery options to a place where I can get more support.

When I am not working, I am usually hiking or kayaking or enjoying my lake condo so I did not want to be tied down to a bunch of yard work.  Looking back hindsight...I am SOOOOOO grateful I had this push telling me this needed to happen, which will become more evident when I explain what happened right after...

So, we have been in our new home for a year and 2 months.  We just really have enjoyed removing the weight of the bigger older home and large yard.  The new house is very light and bright, we have everything unpacked and laid out just the way we liked and would use it and then bam...

At literally one year enjoying our new home, my husband had multiple strokes and was rushed to the hospital.  I will also post more on strokes and caregiving, as I need to work through all that too...It was a very scary experience.

He was in hospital and rehab hospital 3 weeks and home for about a week when he had another stoke.  He was back in the hospital for a few nights then back home.  He is back to walking and can dress himself, but is showing cognitive and memory decline and so no executive function.  That means no driving, no calendar, no financial, can't use his phone except to answer a call and I do all shopping, cooking, cleaning, help him shower and all his medication (and it's a LOT).  With all his conditions, I have had to learn so much.  

I needed to come back here and be able to connect to a community more than ever.  I am already 2 months in and feel very isolated.  I have only left my house in 2 months to visit him in the hospital, shop or go to the pharmacy.  Also I am failing miserably at trying to journal.  I am so busy working full time and doing all the stuff at home - that journaling is the last thing I make time for.  So, this will be outlet for that.  

I want to emphasize that I am so very grateful that I still have my husband for however long I have him.  I am just trying to live in the moment and just be.  I may be looking at early forced retirement - but not today, I may have to sell things or change my financial plans, but not today.  

Just get through today - sometimes an hour at a time.  Pray and know that God has a plan and breathe and try to find beauty in the little things I can, take care of myself so that I can take care of DH.

Thank you for reading.

Hiking Trip!

 Well I guess once a month is not terrible.  

But I have a fun post about my trip.

Last week on Sunday before Labor Day, I drove with 5 other hiking ladies in a van to Utah.  We stopped over in Santa Rosa NM and then on to Zion by late Monday evening.

We stayed in a nice Air BNB in LaVerkin.  It was about 30 miles from Zion.

We hiked Zion Tues and Wed.  It was beautiful.  A bit warm, but not terrible.  Tues we did the River walk, Emerald Pools and Canyon Overlook.  Then we drove the drive out the scene route 9 through the tunnel East.  We did Canyon Overlook in the afternoon, so it was a bit hot.  The drive in the AC van was nice.

Wed it was hot too, but not as bad especially doing the Narrows Wed, the water stays cool around 62 degrees.  After the Narrows we all went home to rest and one of my friends agreed to do the Watchman trail at sunset.  It was still pretty warm, but worth it.  I was too chicken to stay until really dark so we missed the dark sky Milkway.  But we had pretty views, a breeze and some Big Horn sheep to enjoy.

Thursday we drove about 2 hours to Bryce.  We did the 3 mile Sunset to Sunrise Points, then Navajo Loop and the Queens Garden offshoot.  It was beautiful too. 

Still very nice weather considering it was still summer.  After that we had a picnic lunch and then drove to Paige AZ where we had 2 nights at a hotel there.

Friday we saw upper Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend (Page AZ city park) and then enjoyed a boat ride on Lake Powell.

Sat we got up and started back home.  I drove 11 hours of the leg on Sat.  I was happy to arrive for the evening in Tucumcari and we were recommended a really good Mexican restaurant called La Cita in Tucumcari.  

Sunday we finished the push back to NW Arkansas and I worked yesterday.  Other than some blisters on my toes from all the downhill hiking, I am pretty good considering I did close to 30 miles in those four days!  I am looking forward to sitting all this week at work!

Hope fall is coming, we really need rain here!

Update

Eye update...my condition posterior vitreous detachment has now completed (tuesday) the pulling from the retina of my left eye.  My right eye was march 2023. Both eyes resulted in retinal tears which is unusual.  Both eyes have now been laser (spot welded) so the tears will not develop into detached retinas.

Basically, this timing is good, because the danger of detached retinas happening was at its highest while the pulling was going on and before the laser procedures.  

So, now my risk for detached retina is low unless I require vitrectomy in either eye.  That could be needed due to my floaters getting worse or if my other condition macular pucker worsens.   I also have that degenerate condition in both eyes.  

I have seen two retinal specialists who tell me my eyes may stay the same and never get worse...I am going to stay in that positive mind set and not worry because they tell me there is really nothing I can do.

Happy Birthday America

So we spent some time at the lake end of June and then home for quiet 4th.  I prefer to avoid the crowds for the actual holiday and like to be home because our dog is very traumatized by the fireworks and we can't really walk her outside when people are setting off fireworks.  

She just trembles she is so scared.  I am always glad when the 4th is behind us although it means summer is basically halfway over as well.

So the last part of June was really HOT and dry.  We got a little bit of relief and couple minor showers, but still really dry here in the Ozarks where I live and play.  

I have a friend in Utah this week at several of the National Parks and one that just got home from an Alaska cruise and our lake friends from Florida are going on Alaska cruise in August.  Gives me serious FOMO.  Enjoy looking at their photos.  Maybe someday - I would def like to take the train ride to Denali.

I am going to Utah, Zion and Bryce Canyon in September with 5 other hiking gals.  Can't wait!

Here are some of my photos of my week at the lake.  Enjoyed friends, lake days, pool time, great food and relaxation...Hope y

ou are enjoying your summer!

May Day late

 How is it May already?!

I have been really busy working, when I'm not working...doing some work in my yard for spring.

Trying to streamline a little bit more, make it a little easier to maintain, less trimming, watering, etc 

So far enough rain, I shouldn't have too much trouble with my new and  moved plants.

When we moved here 2014 part time, we had lived in a no maintenance patio home 7 years, so my plans for the acre yard here were a bit ambitious. 

Plus, we took out a large deck that was a huge feature of our smaller fenced in backyard AND we bought a lake condo 4 hours away which requires my energies.

First I removed my decorative stepping stones.  They looked cool in theory,  but grass did not stay nice here, so it just got dusty and didn't look well all year.

Then we hired help to remove and haul away the deck.

The grass is filling in nice in the back yard where the deck was.

I wanted to get patios all around existing old patio, but my husband told me that was going to be like $10,000.  We toyed with adding on and enclosing the patio...of course that would be much more.

Our 3 - 7 year goal will probably involve selling this house, so want to be very careful about putting any more money in it.

We love it here, just lack a lot of the conveniences we will require as we age as we are in less developed area (I know, that is good except when DH aging, needs lots of doctors and I worry about my vision).

Plus, we do want smaller yard eventually. 

In my front yard I had bricks stacked bordering my landscaping, but DH kept hitting them when he mowed, so I turned them from horizontal to vertical and slightly buried them so he can mow up to/over them

Looks nice.

I also took advantage of the Ground being soft from rain to extend out gate path out further where the dogs beat down the grass leaving a muddy mess when wet and dust when dry.

I know we will enjoy these changes.

What type of spring yard stuff are you doing?

March Buffalo kayak

Well, I did my 2nd cold weather kayak Saturday.   I did another one on the fall with my friend in Southern Missouri.  We really enjoyed the peace and quiet.  Not many other people on the river.

Well, I did my 2nd cold weather kayak Saturday.   I did another one on the fall with my friend in Southern Missouri.  We really enjoyed the peace and quiet.  Not many other people on the river.

We joined a group of gals from Western Tennessee.   It was nice.  It was about 50 to 55 degrees then, overcast.

Saturday it was 40 degrees when we got to the Buffalo.   About 44 by the time we shoved off from Steele Creek.  But brilliant sunny day right after we got going.

4 of us showed up.  

1 experienced, me and my friend P much less experienced and one of us a first timer!

Well, bless his heart A went over 3 times the last mile and we really freezing! More on that in a minute. 

I realized as I prepared, I have done this same section of the Buffalo another time...30 years ago!  Do we get more cautious and consider danger more as we mature?  It would seem so, as I had a healthy apprehension about preparing Saturday.   While 30 years ago, I barely gave it a thought.

Anyway, I realized we were doing same section when my friend said we would stop about 2/3 of the way through to Kyle's Landing and hike to the waterfall at Hemmed in Hollow.

In 1994 I did this same stretch of the River and hike with a guy I worked with, his wife and their friend.  The friend was experienced and we shared a canoe back then.  

I do t remember much about that trip except the hike - very cool waterfall...tallest between Appalachians and Rockies...and seeing elk on our drive to and from...oh, and we dumped back in 1994...stupid rock!  I remember it was cold, but not THAT cold.  Maybe it was April or later?  Not sure.

But lately, last I don't know how long...you pretty much have to go in early spring to the upper Buffalo, or the water is too low.  Climate change?  Drought?  Not sure, but the change is real.

So, Sat my friend S and I wore were suits.  Our other 2 friends, not so much and the one who tipped...well the last part of his day was tough.

He ended up VERY cold and we hurried and got out and got him to some kind stranger's camp fire.  My other friend had mistakenly left his keys back at Steele Creek, so that was another wrinkle.  Otherwise, the day was perfect and fun.  

Just so you know, in my dry bag on my yak I also had a change of dry clothes and 2 beach towels, one which I lost because I gave them both to the pre-hypothermic friend in need!  Older and more cautious...and PREPARED.  

And boy did I enjoy crocheting on the couch Sunday!

Happy Easter!

March Already

My cute little star magnolia bush is blooming, it starts even before the forsythia.

I gave up some medicine I have been taking long term for years to help with insomnia and depression.  I tapered off in December.  I had read that this medication may contribute to weight gain, thinking if I went off of it, maybe it would help me lose a few pounds.

I think it did help a little but I was worried about the insomnia.  It came back worse than I ever remember it being before I started taking this medicine years ago.  Perhaps that is a function of aging also.

Well, one of my hiking friends the other day said try melatonin, which I have, but not 10 mg try 5 mg.  I think it might be helping, or I am just getting used to being without the other medication finally.  I feel my sleep slowly improving this past week.  Then it will be time for the time change anyway and once it gets hot outside, I can't sleep then either.  Oh well.  

I went on a couple nice hikes that past few weeks.  I have been in my current job position for about a year and a half now and I am finally feeling more comfortable with the workload and technology and feeling more comfortable to take a day off here and there to get a hike in once in a while.  

First hike I did after my New Years hike was more like a walk on a concrete path through the woods and a couple of fields to the Illinois River done by the Walton family.  It goes to WOKA whitewater park in Oklahoma on the Arkansas border near Siloam Springs.  I did not even take a photo until the end, but it is a pretty area.  You can kayak down the Illinois River and detour through this whitewater park and learn skills and they have events there to teach kayaking.  Its a great feature for that little section of the state/s.

After our "walk" we had lunch at a quaint little cafe in downtown Siloam and it was worth taking a day off.  

The next hike was on super bowl Sunday, it is an area called Smith Creek Preserve.  It is a really beautiful valley with a pretty stream and some pretty water falls.  The impression I always get from this area is the beautiful vibrant green moss everywhere.  There was not as much water this time, depends on the time of year.  

We also just did Alum Cove (again - did it in November) and  Glory Holy Waterfall.  Two of our friends had not been here, so that was fun sharing these cool features with them.  The Alum Cove is a natural bridge rock formation and Glory Hole Waterfall is a giant hole formed on top of a karst rock formation that channels water down a rock stream and into this hole and down.  You can climb down around the huge opening of the karst/cave-type rock formation and see it from underneath as well as on top.  It is a real geologic marvel.  Since it was a Saturday (my friends regularly do Sat hikes so I can go more often) there was a lot of people there.  Including a woman carrying her baby in a pack on her chest - she was getting a workout!

Well, hope you all have a wonderful spring weekend!  It feels like spring today so I am going to do some plant moving and raking.  

I haven't done a look-what-i-have-sold post lately, so show and tell time!  My sister and I every couple of months check out the thrift stores.  I found a pair of Sorel boots for $20 and sole them for $80 on Poshmark!  Score.

Here are a couple of my most recent afgans.  I have about 12 or 14 listed on my ebay page now.  Haven't sold one yet.  Maybe I have them too high.  I wish people realized how expensive yarn is now!

Here is a funny meme bringing my love for the Chiefs with my love for yarn.  

Have a great day!