Happy Hump Day Wednesday the Last Week of January

 So, on my only day off I managed to get up at 5:30am and get my hiking clothes on and drive 30 min to meet my friend who rode with me the rest of the 2 hour drive to the hike Sunday.  At 5:30am it was 29 degrees...brrrrrrr!

We stopped on our way to the mountain at this pretty lake and took a couple of photos, but did not stay long as we were eager to get to the visitor center and a bathroom!

We had a nice turnout, about 17 gals and one gal hiked carrying her 4 year old son in a backpack set-up.  She is a rock star.  I spoke with her briefly during the hike and learned that she is a newly widowed single mother of one.  Her son turned 4 the very next day after the hike.  I did not ask her for details about her husband's passing, but my heart went out to her.  I told her I also was a widow - at age 26.  

Anyway, I was very impressed that she was out and doing the hike and meeting people.  Go moms!

I think I have posted about Mount Magazine before.  It is the highest mountain, not only in Arkansas, but between the Mississippi and the Rockies.  At least I think that is what the visitor center guy told us.  Anyway, feel free to google.

The first part of the trail is just a nice walk in the woods, as my friend S described it.  Surprisingly, she has WAAAAAYYYYY more hiking experience than I, but she had not hiked Mt Magazine yet, and I had.  This was the first time with this group - it is a group I found on Facebook.  

Toward the end of the hike (after we hiked to Signal Hill to see the sign at the "top" and the geological medallion) we started to see the beautiful vistas!  

These are some of us gals taking it in.  

After that, we all went to the lodge and had a nice lunch.  It was a great day.  

Some of them stayed for the sunset, which I REALLY wanted to do, but I had 2.5 hours to drive home down the mountain and I had to work Monday early.  Also I knew S was getting up to drive 3 hours east to do some hikes in the Buffalo River Area (so jealous).  So I stole some of the girls sunset photos they posted.  

Hope you enjoy the pictures!  Have a great rest of your week.  After work, we are having breakfast for dinner.  Always a treat.  

We Had Freezing Rain Today

 Yay, it was fun.  Well, at least since I work at home.  I was safe and warm inside my home.  The bug guy came to spray today, so that was chaos.  We have 4 dogs and 2 of them are chihuahua's so, they bark and bark and bark non stop.  We have to put them all outside while he sprays inside, then we put them inside while he sprays outside.  They were making some weird noises, it was cold out there!  So, it spurred me to say to the guy, "well, we better get going - they are freezing out there"!  He is a talker!

We did mention to him since he is from this area and knows a lot more people than we do...we would love to find our big baby girl a home - it is just too much having 4 dogs and DH health is not great, so I think we have a lot on our plate right now.  We just took them all 4 to the vet and bought their heart worm and flea/tick meds...over $600 for all!  The vet should be ok for rest of the year, but the meds are just 12 weeks for the heart worm prevention and 6 months for the flea/tick.  Well, not totally true - we need to set another appointment for the male chihuahua as he needs his teeth cleaned, that will be another $200-$300.  

I was let off work early friday as our system was giving us issues, so they let us leave 2 hours early.  I was due to drive up to the lake to see my cousins and spend a couple nights with my aunt - one of my cousins has cancer, so I try to be supportive to them.  They have a big family and a lot of support.  My aunt is special to me, she has been such an important person in my life, alway has!  Especially after my mom (her sister) died in 1991.  She means a lot to my sister and me. 

My sister could not go, she and her husband were recovering from covid - said it was very mild.  I was not sure if the weather was going to cooperate with me, was supposed to get bad late Fri night or Sat - so when I was let off work 2 hours early I checked the forecast and was likely to outrun the bad weather - so I did.  Thank goodness the bad weather came Saturday in Mid Missouri.  I worked from the lake that day and they let us log off a half day early - as our computer system was down still.  Yay.  

My aunt spent time at the condo (more about this later!) while her sons were able to spend time at my cousin's house.  We gave them time together and she and I ate frozen pizza, granola bars and microwave popcorn (that's all we had in the condo!).  By Sunday it was at least sunny again (cold!) so we did not have any bad roads to deal with.  Sunday my cousin who is well came over and saw the condo and we went out for breakfast, then we went back over to see my cousin who is fighting cancer.  He went to bed really early Sat night and stayed in bed all day Sunday.  We were all really worried that he would not be able to take his chemo yesterday, but he did.  it was only his 4th dose and I think he has like 8 or 10 planned and he is already feeling so bad!  I HATE it for him.

Anyway, just finishing up with dinner here and i go to bed early on work nights!  Wed night we listen to music and read.  Enjoy your week!

Heifer International

 At Thanksgiving, we were tallying up and settling up the receipts/money for the feast we had.  We try to share the cost as a family on DH side.  We were standing around and I was feeling like I did not want money for what I purchased toward the family...but feeling like if my elderly mother and father paid more then I did not want them to feel like they always have to feed all of us.  They are elderly and fixed income for a lot longer than any of the rest of us!

Anyway, DH mother was saying how she wanted to send money to Heifer International (look them up - a great charity, based out of Little Rock!).  She really wanted to be able to afford to send them enough to get a family a goat and was reading off all the virtues of having a goat, all the products they can consume, milk, cheese, more goats...  So the family all decided that any money traded that day over our feast groceries should go toward Heifer International.  

Evidently she got her wish - and I think I remember her telling us at Christmas...but Mother in Law sent in enough from all of us to buy a goat for a needy family in a poor country.  And that makes me happy.  I think maybe that is a tradition we should continue.

Do you have any traditions that you love that you are making sure to continue?  

I hope you are all staying well out there.  Has been nice and pretty and mild outside, and I am stuck inside working.  But I have several family members in my sister's family and my cousin's family that are dealing with Covid right now.  Seems to be mostly mild so far.  My fear is DH getting it, with all his health issues...and my in laws, they are in their 80's.

Also, I have an uncle with bladder cancer and my cousin (who is my age) - he has stage 3 colon cancer, right smack dab in full-blown chemo right now.  Would hate to "give" it to one of them.  

My yoga class had a member get it and i am shocked I did not get it, but don't think i was ever closer to 6 feet from her except coming into or leaving class.  So, for near future, we are back to zoom yoga while we are all at home.  I will enjoy the advantages of that (don't have to drive the 12 miles in narrow winding, dark road and spend money on gas) and deal with the negatives...my mind does tend to wander during yoga nidra.  The wind - down, meditative portion at the end.  I will try to focus.  What are you focusing on tonight?  

Sunny Tuesday sometime in January

I had a post on FB by a friend that asked for you to post the last picture on your phone.  I posted a picture and then posted the post to my page.  It was fun seeing my FB friends posting their pictures.  My girlfriend I grew up with who is building a home in the small town where she and I grew up/went to school...she posted a pretty picture of a rock with their last name and a light on it.  She said she got it for her husband's Christmas gift.  I said, huh, great minds think alike...as I had just admired and posted a picture of my rocks framing our driveway.  These we made ourselves, using silicone adhesive to glue on the numbers/letter and solar spot lights.  

These pictures right after we "installed" the rocks.  It was actually one big rock that broke in half - otherwise, DH and I would not have been able to get them into our truck!  You can see the small bushes that are next to each, they are growing nicely and we have since planted some decorative grass behind them as well.  This is them the other night.

We think they turned out nice.  Enjoy making the yard look pretty.  What projects are you working on?  I need to clean all my blinds.  Maybe next month or so I will start doing a room at a time, lol.  I actually cleaned my windows last spring and noted that by mid summer they were already needing washed again!

Speaking of quilt...I wish I could quilt...maybe I will learn that after I slow down hiking, lol.  But I do crochet.  I have 2 hand crocheted afgans on my Poshmark closet for sale...the green and burgundy one is 35 x 58 inches and the red, white and blue one is large...52 x 60.  This gal offered me $22 for them both, plus a blanket scarf I have listed!  I was like, not only no...but I immediately raised the price on both.  Geez.  Last fall I sold this sunflower one for $35.  That is more reasonable.  There are hours involved in making a nice afgan.  Come on, people!?

Still slowly purging and selling, little by little.  Have several "home goods" things listed, but they are very slow to sell.  Still mostly selling clothes I don't wear anymore.  I.e. dressy work clothes.  I have spent a couple years hiking, deciding what gear I need.  I just bought my warm mid layer coat, a used Patagonia...set me back $140!  Used!  Bought a new with tags day pack on Poshmark, for $80, would have been $120+ at the store.  Love to hear stories of what you are saving up, planning for.  

I was able to go on an impromptu "hike" with some of the women in the club Sunday.  It was in Bella Vista and was mostly on pavement, but I had not explored this area yet, and it was a pretty sunny (albeit windy) day, so I was grateful to get to go on a Sunday, since that is my only day off.

We walked under the new by-pass that goes north on I-49 and connects Arkansas to Missouri, going around Bella Vista.  That was pretty wild.  

I find the concept of through-trails fascinating, and perhaps this can be an area I explore more of as I retire, second time around - God willing.  God willing, that I am still healthy and able to do some through-trail walking.  I always toyed with the idea of backpacking, but I am afraid that ship has sailed.  You really need to be able to carry 30-35 pounds and do 10-15 miles a day.  We shall see, I guess.  Also, the problem of finding someone willing and able to go with me!

My DH is not terribly well, health-wise.  Although, he did have a televisit with his nephrologist today, his kidneys/related lab counts are looking good.  2 years ago he was feared to be Stage 4 kidney disease (probably diabetes related), but that was later adjusted to Stage 3.  Stage 5 is dialysis.  DH diabetes is currently being treated and responding well to medication.  

So nephrologist was very encouraged and happy today, so that makes us happy.  DH needs to be more active, but he gets angry if I push too much.  On the other hand, if he plans anything or finds someone to walk with, he forgets.  Our big concern right now, is his memory - he is forgetting everything and it is scaring us both.  More on that in the future...

Eventually I want to walk the entire 30+ miles Razorback Greenway from Fayetteville to Bella Vista.  I will do section at a time!  

Have a great evening!

Puttering

 Yesterday my DH was out on the side of the house that I don't visit much in the winter (north side).  He says that green bushy plant thing has buds on it...I was like, what plant is he talking about...?  On my north side I have ferns, hydrangea and hostas up by my house.  Then I have a walkway in between that and my raised beds.  

This house had 2 raised beds, approx 3 by 5 feet.  They were full of nothing buy wild onions, which thrive here.  I cleaned them up and had my DH build me one more.  They now have iris, daffodil, lillies, salvia, and hopefully my hardy hibiscus will come back.  In the fall, I just rake bunch of leaves on it all and sort of insulate everything.  Oh, and my lenten rose is on the side of the ferns and hostas. 

I went and checked it.  Sure enough, it is getting ready.  I always thought of the crocus or daffodils as the early bloomers, but maybe my lenten rose will be first.  Wikipedia said end of February.  

I love decluttering and organizing this time of year.  Sort of making my space more comfortable and enjoyable since I am inside so much, I guess.  Makes sense.  I like making simple little changes all year, that I enjoy from one season to the next.  For example, we moved our big bird feeder into the small fenced part of our yard, so it is easier to get to and see the birds.  

It used to be out on the right side of our maple in the center of the picture - on the other side of the fence.  Around the bottom of that tree, the roots were bunched up and weird, I finally (after 6 years) moved some extra concrete blocks around it and added in dirt to even the ground out and surround the visible roots.  As I was adding dirt, I put in some Alum bulbs round the center and then Crocus bulbs around the perimeter.  I can't wait to se what blooms this spring.  I may have waited too late.  I was not planning to finish it this fall/winter - as I am pretty much stuck inside working.  Well, on the 30th, we got off work early plus my friend had given me some bulbs packages she got on sale, so I had the not-self-impossed deadlines to prompt me to get it done!  I am glad I did it last thursday, because by Sat evening, it had dropped from the 60's down into the 20's!

Here it is after I planted the bulbs, before it snowed.

Around this time, I was also killing a little bit of time and finally got out the step ladder and trimmed/trained my wisterida.  I was inspired by my DH and my projects to move the bird feeder and our big wind chime.  They are both hanging pretty high up in our 2 backyard oak trees.  Now the windchime is over closer to our bedroom, which I like because I can hear it faintly at night and I love it.  

Here is my wisteria.

This side of my house looks so wintery and sleeping right now.  I love when it comes alive in the spring and look forward to posting lots of pictures.  

Have a great evening!

A couple pretty shots of the golf course.  

Today it is still cold, but at least it is above 32 and sunny.  So, I talked DH in to a brisk walk at 5:30 when I log out.  He agreed.  I am trying to encourage and be supportive, but not push him into walking or trying to be healthy.  He has to decide to do it.  

During the last year I was not blogging, his health was OK, nothing earth shattering...but he has deteriorated in terms of his back pain.  Other areas he seems to be improving, or doing ok, but his back bothers him and makes him depressed.  

For me, when I get depressed, part of my therapy is exercise.  Including yoga.  But DH is older than I, so I cannot imagine how hard constant pain must be.  I do know one thing, though, whether it is constant physical pain or mental pain/sadness, one way to alleviate that is to get our mind on other things.  Even as minor as meditation.  But for me, walking, esp outside is helpful.  If I walk alone, I listen to music or book or podcast.  If I walk on my treadmill, I watch TV.  But my preference is out hiking a beautiful trail.

I am so grateful for my yoga instructor.  She continued to keep our yoga class going each week during the pandemic - on zoom.  So, I adjusted to doing yoga in my spare room twice a week, alone on zoom and I got really used to it and looked forward to it.  We did this for a year and a half!  We just started back in class in October.  So crazy.  I go Mondays and Thursdays after work.  I have just enough time with my current schedule, to log off and run out the door - but it works out.

Well, we are having left over vegetable beef soup for dinner after our walk.  Have a great Tuesday night!

 

Happy New Year 2022

Well, I have missed writing to put down thoughts on paper.  

I am still teleworking mandatory 60 hours per week.  Very few days off granted right now, but I did just come off of 2 3-day weekends in a row, so that was amazing.  Now, apparently back to the grind.

I just popped in to write a quick post and see if it is something I can keep up with this year.  We shall see...

I feel like all I am doing is working, but as I reflect back on 2021 I do feel some things have changed and maybe those things will give me content for posts to share later.  But for now, just wanted to reflect on my holidays and my time off.  I enjoyed several family meals and I enjoyed playing golf twice and did a hike on the 1st.  We got a good bit of rain here in NW Arkansas, so we postponed the annual New Year's Day hike from 9am to 1:00pm, so the rain would hopefully let up and it did!  When I left my house for the 40 min drive, it was 47.  I got to the place to hike and it was falling to the low 40's and during our walk it got down to 35ish.  Wind was starting to blow so it felt colder.  Then I drove to Cabela's to see if they still had the fleece lined pants I saw when I was shopping there at Christmas - they only had a pair of jeans fleece lined.  I was hoping for more of a hiking pant on the outside (more water resistant and harder to rip on brambles, etc).  I am also having a hard time finding a really warm hat, but I do have a few warm headbands, so I will just keep looking.  

I continue to sell my work clothes on Poshmark and in turn buy more comfortable/warm clothing in return and I have also picked up a few golf and hiking pieces.  I sold quite a few things this past week (you can now sell household items on PM) and I have sold quite a bit of extra kitchen stuff, dishes, linens and even a few afgans I crocheted.  I managed today to buy a pair of fleece lined hiking pants from PM for $10!  Score.  

Well, I am exchanging my day off (Sunday) for Saturdays to be my day off this year.  I miss all the hiking and getting out and it has made me pretty depressed at times being stuck in my house working all the time and not being able to get out on organized hikes.  And I probably will never be a sole hiker, I just do not think it is safe.  I know some people do that - that is their choice, but mine is to hike with others.  

I heard a good word to pick for 2022 - "remain".  I am going to remain steady in my commitments for 2022, including being a good partner for my husband, good dog mom to our motley crew and a good friend and to be still for times that I need to be.  I tend to jump to action as a default setting, but sometimes I need to be quiet and think/listen.  

Have a great week!