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?  

Almost Christmas!

 I am off 2 days in a row, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I am very excited.  I haven't had more than Sunday off since mid October!  Then I work Sat and am off Sunday.  

I am so lucky that DH went to Aldi's today for our Christmas Day dinner.  We are going to have roast pork loin and potatoes and carrots.  I am going to roast some broccoli in the over too.  We are just going to stop by and give his folks a little something for Christmas - I got them a basket of goodies to eat.  Just favorite treats and snacks, I am also going to make cookies tomorrow.  Other than that, just DH and I.  

A close family member that got covid and died in 3 weeks made me convinced more than ever that we need to be very careful around DH folks - they are 84 and 85.  Our family member on my side that passed away was a very healthy and active 81 year old, with no underlying health problems.  So, no chances for us.

Tonight after work, i am going to make a healthy batch of brownies (got the Paleo Sweets cookbook earlier this year).  For me to watch my sugar (trying to lose this 15 I have gained since "retiring" and keep DH sugar low - as he is diabetic).  And I have a casserole I threw together today that we will have tonight.  Tomorrow, we will eat pretty clean, so we can enjoy a couple of cookies.  DH also got us a bit of fruit, so we can feel like that is a treat too.  I have been juicing about 2 bunches of celery a week, and it is not too bad at all!

I hope everyone out there has a wonderful Christmas.  It might not resemble Christmases we are used to, or envisioned for ourselves and our families, but sometimes that happens.  Blessings I wish on you all out there!

Just Working

 Feel pretty isolated and working a lot.  60 hours a week mandatory seems not so bad considering I work telecommute, but it really is turning out to be a lot.  At least on my breaks, I can fix something healthy to eat or put a load of laundry in the machine.  But, I am hanging in there.  Just have production goals and have no time to blog.  

I am hoping I can blog more after things calm down and I get more used to this schedule.  I have lots of news about my family, etc.  We have a cousin who is 81 and fighting for his life, got covid.  Was otherwise healthy, was put on a ventilator yesterday, we are very worried.

We got about 6 inches of snow Sunday and it has been so cold here it has stayed on the ground, which is pretty unusual for this part of the south.  

I hope you are staying healthy and warm out there. 

OK and TX trip

 I had a whirlwind trip to see my cousin in Southern OK.  Left at 3pm Friday and got there 7:30pm.  Just starting to get dark and a little cool.  I drove our convertible and had such a nice drive to and from.  Cousin and her husband have been very careful getting out too much and being in crowds since the Covid 19 virus, as have DH and myself.  But we decided to go ahead with this little visit, because she and I both needed it.  This time of year she usually comes to NW Arkansas and my aunts come south and we all do the War Eagle craft fair.  This is the first year we have missed this women's weekend since 1995 when we started.  So, cousin and I decided just she and I would visit...I just saw one aunt last weekend and saw my sister when we moved my Granny.

Friday night we caught up and had wonderful late salad meal and went to bed pretty early after I got the tour of her home she shares with her delightful husband B.  They have a view of the south over the Red River, into North Texas that is about 15 miles.  I should have photographed it.  They also have 3 barn kitties, a big dog a little dog and 10 new chickens and a rooster.  She and I both enjoy gardening and so i took her a kalanchoe and a mother of thousands plant (both succulents).  Earlier this summer I mailed her a banana plant start off my plant my friend from Florida mailed me last year.  In this year of Covid, i have mailed and received seeds/plants from a few friends - it makes me smile.  I have also mailed a few care packages and that makes me smile too.  Food, cards, candles, blankets, etc.

Sat morning cousin and I got up and went to the Dallas Arboretum to see all the pretty fall pumpkins and gourds and we had such a nice time.  It was beautiful there!

 

Sat evening we went to Sam Moon and Bucees, because...well it is Texas!  Sam Moon and Bucees were busy, but we felt comfortable wearing our masks like everyone else and keeping our distance.  We got to go food from the Cheesecake Factory in Lakeview (?) which was crowded!  That was the only time we sort of felt uncomfortable, but again, we just kept masks on and washed our hands frequently.  We ate in her car!

Sunday morning we visited more (non stop gabbing for us, lol) and talked about books and podcasts we recommended to each other.  I recommended the Bible Recap podcast to her and told her i recently had listened to Sally Field, Demi Moore and Jessica Simpson memoirs and she told me some of her book picks, including this Crazy Sexy Diet book and I ordered it on the spot from Ebay, along with one of her favorite books, Steering by Starlight, by Martha Beck.  I was lucky to find these 2 books used for $3 and $4 dollars, buy 3 get shippin free on Ebay!  I also got a couple more of my husband's fave authors (Nelson DeMille and Harlen Coben).  I have many of our favorite authors in hardback displayed in our library/dining room and I have all the ones we have in a digital file so when i find used book deals shopping, i can look to see if we have the particular title.  I use Inkpad app and i can share my notes among diff formats (laptop, cell phone) and i can share the notes with DH if he does the grocery shopping.

I am working this afternoon and enjoying my candle I got at Bucees.  We both smelled about 40 and decided this one was our favorite.  DH even likes it.

Do you have a favorite candle that you enjoy?  This one smells sort of masculine, with hint of cinnamon maybe.  I also liked My Dear Watson from Scentsy, but i am not sure if they still make it.  

I like this mug my cousin had, trying to stay positive in this uncertain time of Covid and leading into an election...yuck I don't like discord and confrontation.  I avoid political talk then feel guilty like i should get better at discussing and hearing diff views.  Uggggh.  Well, i did have a great discussion with cousin and her husband about politics, beliefs, even religion and spirituality.  We can all discuss with respect - that is what is missing from social media today - the respect.  Like the disrespect i felt from a former friend the last year and a half which made me ask for distance from her - she tells you her beliefs and how they differ from yours and makes you feel like you are wrong and i don't need it!  Plenty of people in my life who make me feel inspired and energized, not defective and broken!  Stay away from people like that!

Well, back on the healthy eating bandwagon.  I splurged way too much the last 2 weeks, so i made some squash and zucchini soup and will have that tonight.  Had a nice salad today for lunch.  I walked yesterday (my zoom yoga cancelled yesterday, my yoga instructor is on a meditation training).  I will walk another 4 today and tomorrow going on a challenging hike -5 miles, so that will be good for me.  But, it is supposed to be 84 tomorrow!  Whew.

What are you doing to enjoy the fall?  

See you soon

More Summer Stuff and Some Sad News

 We found out last week my DH uncle had passed away in his home alone and the town police force called to let DH mom know.  She and my sister in law went over and took care of his affairs and made his arrangements.  They are this Friday.  He was a veteran, so he will have military burial.  He was a very nice man, funny, enjoyed talking to him.  I am sorry he died alone.  I am even more sorry he was an active alcoholic and did not have a relationship with God.

I also heard about a woman in my hiking group, losing her son suddenly to a heart attack.  He was only 50.  Then, my DH brother's wife lost her mom.  She had fought a long battle with Alzheimers.  Something else troubling me is how quickly my dear Granny is declining.  She continues to have falls and mentally is just not doing well after nearly 6 months of isolation.  

DH and i boarded 2 dogs and took 2 dogs with us to see our friends at the lake.  My friend, J i have known since grade school.  He inhereted his mom's lake home couple years ago, even thought they still live full time in Florida.  The lake has become even more busy than ever due to the Covid 19.  We stayed just one night, had a nice visit. Swam Saturday and took a boat ride Sunday, then drove home.  

We took this girl with us and she was a big hit.  She stayed right close to the house and everyone loved her.  She does not want to get in the water though.  I tried for 30 min and she was not having it!

During our boat ride, we saw this huge flag and i thought it was really neat looking, so i took a photo.

At our friend's lake house, we had the downstairs bedroom which looks directly out at the lake and when we woke up Sunday morning, it was really foggy on the water because it is cooling off in the evenings, but still pretty hot during the day.  This week was supposed to cool off, but is still pretty warm today.  I like the cooler evenings, but i am not ready for summer to end yet.

DH and i have become curious about having a place at the lake, so we are exploring that.  We have pretty much accepted that I will have to be back to work indefinitely to wisely afford a 2nd place, so i have began exploring that too.  My current team leader has indicated we might have a few years on this project and she has told me about a full time position - that is more of a long shot, because i am sure there will be a LOT of competition for each position.  I have also reached out to my old boss in the city to see if i can now work for them again remote, since everyone currently is remote - he sounded positive about the possibility...so we shall see.

Have not sold much, but i did finally sell a jean jacket of DH that he bought and decided was too short.  So that's good.  And we agreed we are going to possibly go camping next month, so we are going to go through our equipment and keep what we will use and well what we don't want.  So, that will be really the last area of our stuff that we haven't cleared out.  September as it cools down will be a good time to clear out and organize the shop (3rd garage).  

What i have been doing...i made 3 desserts to take to the lake for our potluck - they were all a big hit.  Choc cake, lemon bars and home made apple pie.  Or course, i had to at least sample all 3, lol.  But i have been doing really well not eating sweets otherwise and have decided that intermittant fasting is something i want to try.  I am doing 6 - 7 hours of eating and fasting the rest of the 17 - 18 hours.  I will let you know how that goes for me.  I don't need breakfast, so i wait for late lunch 1.30 or 2 and that way i can still eat after yoga at 7.30 or 8.

I have planted some grass in 3 areas of my yard - so that next spring the grass will be mature enough that i can weed and feed.  This area is going to be my fountain area, eventually.  

Between all the pavers i am getting grass going, so i still just mow right over it, but it looks interesting and minimizes the difficulty i have getting a lush grass area because of the traffic and because of the lack of sun all day there.  Plus, i can put a fountain in the center and minimize the trimming around the bottom.  More on that soon!

I have also transplanted a few cactus and succulents to simplify my pots outside and have planted some things in my raised beds sort of late in the season, but so that i can simplify how much i will have to bring in for the winter in pots.  My west wide of my house is the front, but i am going to get it as low maintenance as possible, focusing on cactus and drought tolerant plants, since they get so much sun.  Here is my Florida cactus i potted in a bigger pot.

When we got home from the lake yesterday, i took a nice leisurely walk while it was barely still light outside and when i got home DH was in the process of watering a bunch of my plants and it made me so happy because he is starting to enjoy the plants also and i did not even ask him for help.  So, maybe he will get hooked like me!

Hope you are enjoying these last weeks of summer and taking time to make your daily lives better.  Bye for now.

I like this picture.  It makes my smile.

So I have put in my first 40 hours of work.  It was a grueling week - I will explain in a second.  Other than learning complex computer systems and complicated legal documents that I will need to understand...all learning from computer only.  Tiny screen on my laptop the government agency sent me...I got through it.  I officially finished my first week!

Now back to the week I have had...Week before last, DH was complaining about headache and muscle soreness.  No other pain or symptoms.  But he was getting more and more fatigued.  By the end of last week he was sleeping a LOT.  Then Sat he started having problems focusing and mild fever on and off and was sort of acting weird, like he was not understanding...Sun was worse.  By Monday he was having really shallow breathing but no throat soreness, no coughing...no chest pain.  By Tuesday he was having chest pain and higher fever - we went for Covid19 test (I took a long lunch).  Nurse listened to DH lungs - said they sounded "good".  She did point out low oxygen saturation - 89.  Said we might want to buy one of the finger monitors if we could find one (good luck with that - I can't even find a thermometer).  We get a call next day - negative for Covid.  By Wed he was sleeping all day and really declining.  He was out of it and fever got up to 102 despite Tylenol.  So to the ER we went.

As we know from first hand or have heard - we cannot go into hospital with our loved ones.  So, he is in and out delirious.  I take him to entrance and I have to go wait in my car.  Nurse calls and I go through all his medications with her.  By now it is 9pm.  She tells me that DH has pneumonia and they are keeping him all night.  I was sort of relieved.

Next morning another nurse tells me that DH had received IV antibiotics.  I asked her if they tested for Covid 19 again?  She said no.  I ask if they cultured to see what type of pneumonia - she said no.  Since his white blood count (13?) was high - they assume bacteria.  So gave antibiotics.  He responded favorably (was down to 10 now) - so by deduction - they go with bacterial in origin.  No idea why he was delirious, but I guess that could be fever or low oxygen?

Crazy.  He was in hospital 2 nights.  I picked him up Friday.  He seems better, but still very tired, no appetite and sort of flat in affect.  Sort of slow and shaky.  

What a week.  I spent Sat mowing and food shopping.  Today I had to go to furniture store to see if I could find a good office chair.  After sitting in my dining room chair for 40 hours last week I had sciatic pain so bad in was going down both legs and around front of my left knee and my back was on fire.  I can't keep doing that.  The furniture salesman sort of laughed and said "we were not planning on the entire country working at home!"  Well that makes sense I guess.  LOL

Anyway.  I hope DH continues to be well.  And I hope all you out there stay well.  Sitting here watching a movie with DH relaxing before back to work tomorrow!