HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The day started out with an emergency trip to the vet for Happi.  Poor Happi has been licking her lips for weeks now.  At first I thought it was from the medicine she was taking but she does it all night long and drives me crazy.  She has been begging for her medicine.

She has also been having shaky legs during her walks.  I know she is getting older and things are going to happen.  I saw a doctor a month or so ago and he said he thought it was just her back pain.

Today I went to see the doctor that she has seen for years at the same practice.  He knows her well.  I told him she is getting older now and he said she is in such good health she has many years ahead.  He said he thinks it may be her teeth.  She has had such good teeth she has never had to have them cleaned but just recently they have looked not so good.  The other doctor said he would not clean them.  Her regular doctor said of course he would clean them and tried to get her in today as an emergency cleaning.  They could not but they are going to try to fit her in as soon as possible.  He thinks maybe her teeth are bothering her.  She could have an infection that we can't see and that is why she is licking her lips.  Also why she wants more medicine at night.

So the plan is to 1) give her some pepcid to see if it is a tummy issue for a week.  2) get a teeth cleaning as soon as possible. 3) after the pepcid give her some more painkillers as needed.  That should get her fixed up.

Halloween was not as busy as I expected.  I put a sign at the end of the block pointing kids down the block so they would come down and get candy.  I bought three bags and gave away 1.75 bags.  I bought 1 bag too many.

Until tomorrow... 

READY FOR HALLOWEEN

I have the candy, I have the decorations, I am ready.  I was going to dress up as Mary Poppins but now I am not sure.  I am not going anywhere and I am just giving out candy.

Since I am only one of six houses on my street I sometimes have to coax the kids to come down the street.  The street has 1 house that doesn't give out candy and turns their lights out, 1 abandoned house, 1 rental so I don't know what they will do, 1 house with an older couple who goes to spend it with their grand kids, 1 house that sometimes gives out candy and ME. The only holiday spirit.

Until tomorrow...

BOOK REVIEW

My local library has a program where they choose a book each quarter and toward the end of the quarter they have the author(s) come and talk about their book.  This quarter the book was Black Against the Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party by Joshua Bloom and Waldo E. Martin, Jr.  I haven't had a chance to read the whole 500 page book yet but I wanted to go hear the author's speak.

The talk was so interesting.  I knew a fair bit about the Black Panthers from during my activist work and today I learned a bit more.  There were Black Panthers in attendance who gave their perspective.

If you have any interest in the history of the Black Panthers, this book comes highly recommended.

Until tomorrow...

VICTORIA AND ABDUL

My friend S and I went to see Victoria and Abdul.  It was fantastic.  It was funny.  I enjoyed it very much.   Judi Dench was fabulous as always.  Ali Fazal was great and very handsome. 

Until tomorrow...

HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS

I spent some time today decorating for Halloween.  I put up the big spider and the light up spider web.  This year I got some icicle lights that have spiders on them to hang on my banister. I live on a short street and I seem to be the only house that gives out candy so it is important that I entice the kids to come down the street.

I have a bunch of candy and I want it all to go.

Until tomorrow...

POLICE COMMUNITY MEETING

Today I went to our local police community meeting.  It was our opportunity to meet our new police captain.  This is our third police captain in 6 months.  There has been a bit of reorganizing at the police department lately.

The new captain seems nice.  I am hoping he will deal with some of the on going issues in the neighborhood.  It is really good to be connected to your community.

Until tomorrow...

SALAD WITH A FRIEND

It is hot today.  I mean hot.  It is almost November and it is almost 90 degrees at 1 pm.

It is only going to get hotter today.  Those are the inside and outside temperatures.  It is SO hot in the house I am sweating.

I decided to go get a salad for lunch with my friend H.  It was so hot I just needed a cold lunch and cold iced tea.  I walked home and had a iced cold protein shake.

By the way, the black cat appeared in the backyard today.  I didn't see it hiding in the backyard but Happi did!  She chased that interloper out of her space!  Then she barked "And don't come back!"

Until tomorrow...

AN INVADER IN THE YARD

Today I looked in the backyard and there was a black cat lounging on my bridge.  It was a pure black cat (just in time for Halloween).  It was full out asleep splayed out like it owned the place.

That was until Lucky caught sight of it.  Then the cat jumped up and sauntered across the yard and jumped over the fence.  Lucky was going nuts.  Once the cat was gone, I let Lucky out and she ran around sniffing every inch of the yard.  She was not happy the enemy invaded her space.  Not to mention the cat was about the same size as Lucky.  That cat better think twice before coming back.  Lucky has chased a raccoon out of the yard, I think a cat is child's play.

Until tomorrow...

NEW CARDIOLOGIST PLAN

I went to see my cardiologist today.  I stopped taking the medicine about a month ago that was supposed to stop the  racing heart beat.  Atrial Tachycardia.  The medicine didn't seem to be doing anything but making it hard to sleep and making my blood pressure drop to a scary level.

The doctor and I spoke about it and we decided that I would stay off all medicines since all the medicines make my blood pressure drop to super low levels.  The plan is to just leave it be.  I have had this racing heart for as long as I can remember and I have been fine.  The doctor says it isn't dangerous unless the racing heart goes on for 5-10 minutes.  Then I should go to a hospital or call an ambulance.  Meanwhile I am on a 6 month plan.  Every 6 months I get put on a monitor to see if anything changes and then go see her to get checked.  The monitor this time will only be 2 weeks and not the month long like last time. It sounds like an excellent plan.

Until tomorrow...

TREE GUY BLEW ME OFF

I had an appointment with a tree guy to come look at my white birch today.  I got up early so I was all ready and he didn't show. He didn't call.  Radio silence.  After a little while I called and got a voicemail and left a message.  I was very nice.

I am disappointed.   I really want to get the tree thinned before the winter sets in.  This tree can only get trimmed in the fall and spring before it starts blooming.  If I do it in the summer, there are bugs that can kill it.

I sure hope nothing happened to him.

Until tomorrow...

GOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD FOOD

My friends foster child came over to walk Lucky this morning.  Lucky was SO happy.  Once he came back with Lucky, I took him out to breakfast.  He is a sweet kid.

I dropped him off and took my shirt back to get the right size.  I am almost done buying all my stuff for the trip.

I went by the post office and picked up my hiking shoes.  They are really cute and fit well.

In the evening I met the kid and his parents at a Mexican vegan restaurant.  It was so good.  Other friends have been bugging me to go to this restaurant for a long time.  Now I can't wait to go back.  Yum.

Until tomorrow...

NEW CLOTHES

I went shopping for some clothes for my upcoming trip.  I got some soft, yoga gear.

I also stuck with a color scheme.  The packing experts say that is the best way to pack for a trip.  Pack main pieces in a solid neutral color and then accessorize with color.  I think these look good and will be very functional.

Until tomorrow...

ANNIVERSARY

This is the 13th anniversary of when I got the keys to my house. I was just thinking back to the day and how excited and scared I was.  All the papers I had to sign, I felt like I was signing my life away.

Then I was handed keys to a whole house.  Suddenly I was in charge of property taxes, electric bills, fixing the plumbing, buying a new garbage disposal, and everything else.  I remember thinking "What am I doing?"  "I am not ready for this."  "What was I thinking?"  "What do I know about owning a house?"

But I owned a house. Now I have had it for 13 years and I wouldn't give it up.  I know I complain sometimes about the smell from the garbage disposal and the vines that grow too fast and the plumbing problems but I wouldn't trade it in.  I love my house with all the issues.

Until tomorrow...

#METOO

The #metoo campaign has been going strong.  The #metoo twitter campaign is a place where people (mostly women) who have been sexually harassed or raped are writing to say they have been a victim.  Some folks are just writing #metoo and others are writing their story in140 characters or less.  
I had to learn how to send a twitter in order to add my story to the campaign. I have a twitter account that I had for a long time but I have never sent a twitter.  I replied to a twitter but I never just sent one.  Tonight my brother helped me figure out my hold up. It turns out my problem was not that I didn't know how to send it, the problem was that I had typed more than 140 characters.  Once I got rid of a bunch of characters, I was able to send my first tweet!

Until tomorrow...

CONNECTING WITH AN OLD FRIEND

I had a long phone call with a long time friend.  K and I have been friends for 28 years.  Oh, my.  That is a long time.  We used to live near each other and used to see each other all the time.  Then I moved away and now we rarely see each other.  We are the kind of friends that when we see each other, it is like no time has passed at all.  We stayed on the phone for over 2 hours.

I am not the kind of person who was super popular and has a million friends from my childhood.  So when I have a friend for 28 years I cherish it.  I am super excited because K is planning on coming to visit soon.  It will be great to hang out and go have some fun.

Until tomorrow...

MORE AIR

Some of the fires are being extinguished and new fires are popping up.  The air goes between red alert to yellow alert.  Red alert is like Beijing.  It is hard to breathe.  Yellow alert is clearer air but it is still hard to breathe if you have asthma.

The view is so smokey that I can't see very far.  It is just icky outside.  When you walk outside in the morning it smells like you just had a campfire.  There is a haze that hangs in the sky.  I immediately start coughing from the air.  Both dogs start sneezing.

As the day goes on the smokey smell dissipates but the haze stays.  The air seems clearer but I know it is still hard to breathe.  I wear a mask if I go outside.  If I don't I begin to cough.

It is supposed to rain in a few days and I hope it clears the air a bit more.

Until tomorrow...

STAYING INSIDE

The air quality is getting better but I am still coughing after I go outside.  I am wearing the mask and I am taking the medicine.  The air is just so polluted.

I stayed inside and watched some movies.  I watched a Netflix movie The Meyerowitz Stories.  It was pretty good.  It stars Adam Sandler, Dustin Hoffman, and Ben Stiller.  It is a story about an estranged family that gathers to celebrate the artistic work of their father.

Then I watched Sully.  I have held off watching Sully because it scared me watching a plane go down.  Today I was in the mood to watch it.  It was pretty good.  They managed to make it not scary.

I know this sounds a bit whiny but I am tired of staying inside.  So are the dogs.  I am grateful I have a home to stay in.

Until tomorrow...

INHALER

I finally got the asthma medicine.  The doctor called in a prescription on Monday and I was told they didn't have it in stock.  Tuesday I was told they ordered it too late on Monday and they won't get it in until Wednesday.  Wednesday I was told they needed a special approval.  I offered to buy it for cash and was told it cost $299.  I called the doctor's office for approval.  The insurance company would not give approval.  The doctor called in another medicine on Thursday.  It was available on Friday and I picked it up on Saturday morning.   Amazing that it takes almost a week to get an inhaler.  I heard that this whole area is sold out of inhalers and face masks.  No one can breathe.

I took my first two applications today and I don't see a difference yet.

Until tomorrow...

HEALTH CARE

I just got a mailer from the insurance-company-that-must-not-be-named.  Seems that my PPO plan is being discontinued and I have to pick another plan.  The plan is changing to a HMO plan.  I have to get on the website and see what the plans are and what I will do.

Then the announcement was made on the news that the ACA is being picked apart.  Well, that sucks for me.  As a person that has a pre-existing condition, I could be screwed.  Being put in a high risk pool would suck.  I was almost put in that pool once but was saved by the ACA.

I just have to be patient and wait to see how this all shakes out.  My mailer from the insurance company says they can't give me any information until the government makes decisions and even then, things may change at any time in 2018.  Wonderful.

Until tomorrow...

AIR QUALITY

The air quality has gotten so bad from the fires. Today it was a Red Flag day. That means the air quality is as bad as it is in Beijing. The officials recommended that everyone wear a mask.

I went in search of a better mask but everywhere is sold out.  Not a good mask to be found in the area.  I hear there are no air purifiers either.

We just stay inside all day. The only time I really go outside is to walk the dogs.  They are so unhappy they can not sunbathe during the day.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like it will get better soon.

Until tomorrow...

FOSTER/ADOPT TRAINING

Tonight was a foster/adopt training about the school system.  It taught us about how to navigate the school system with our foster kids.

It was an informative training although one I wish I had had before I had my foster son. Much of the information she taught, I had to learn on my own through trial and error. Mostly many trials.

I took the training for the information and the training credits.

Until tomorrow...

DISTRICT ATTORNEY CALLED

Today out of the blue the District  Attorney's office called me to see if I would be interested in testifying in the case against the guy who has been harassing our neighborhood.  If you read this blog consistently, you might remember back in June I was a witness to the guy breaking into the house across the street.  I did a citizen's arrest.  I was so anti-climatic.  I called the police to say I saw him enter a vacant home and since the police were not there I was able to do a citizen's arrest when they showed up.  I didn't have to do anything but say I was doing a citizen's arrest.  I didn't think anything would come of it since he tried to break into the next door neighbor's home, then he tried to break into my home.  It seemed like the police's arms were tied and the DA was not doing anything about it.

Then I got the call.  The office had not put all the police reports together from this street.  I gave them all the information about all of them.  Now they are building a bigger case against the guy.  I am hoping they can get him some help and not just throw him in jail.  He has serious mental health and substance abuse issues.  He needs help and not to be just thrown behind bars.  I know I am an idealist but putting him in jail for 6 months means he becomes our problem again when he comes out.  He is delusional and thinks he owns the homes in our neighborhood. Six months in jail is not going to change that.

Now I am waiting for the phone call for my court date to testify.

Until tomorrow...

BURNING

The fires on the West Coast are horrible.  Houses burnt to the ground.  Businesses gone.  People killed.  Whole neighborhoods gone.  It looks like a bomb has gone off.  An apocalypse.

The smoke is so bad even miles away, I had to stay indoors and wear a mask most of the day.  My very slight asthma made it hard to breathe.  Normally my asthma doesn't bother me but today with the horrible smokey air, I was coughing and my chest hurt.  Once I got the mask, I felt much better.  We all stayed in the house and kept the windows and doors closed.

Hopefully tomorrow the fires will be put out and the air will be better.

Until tomorrow...

ETIQUETTE QUESTION

I went to a brunch at a friend's home today.  It was a very nice affair.  I was invited to the brunch during a party a few weeks ago.  The couple insisted I attend their brunch.  They gave me the time and date and made me promise to attend.  They said I would get a follow up email.  This provided a very interesting etiquette dilemma for me.

I never got an email.  So do I go or not?  I sent a text that morning asking if it was still on.  No response.  I decided that I would go.  I took a bottle of booze and hiked up the hill.  I figure if it was cancelled, I would apologize.  If I was late, I would just blame my dogs.

What would you do?  What do the etiquette books say to do?  I have no idea.  It was a nice day and I wanted to go.

Half of the way to their home, I got a phone call from one of the hosts apologizing for not sending me an invite.  He said he knew he invited another person but could not remember who it was.  He said I showed initiative by coming.  He liked that.  I got there and had a fantastic time.  There was good food (actually some thing I could eat) and fun people.

Until tomorrow...

SWEET VERSUS SAVORY

My friend S came over to have a late breakfast coffee with me.  She brought all these awesome vegan/gluten free items to munch on while we talked.  We had these amazing chocolate and coconut tarts.  These little cookies that tasted like macaroons.  Then some sesame cookies.  These were kind of weird tasting.  The sesames tasted smoked or roasted so instead of the cookie being sweet it was savory.  With the other snacks being so sweet it was weird eating something savory. 

It was so nice catching up with S.  We do not see each other enough but we are both busy.

Until tomorrow...

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

Today was a busy day.  I put too many activities in this day.

I got up early to be at my doctor's office bright and early.  Everything is fine.

Then I decided to go to a concert in the park.  It is a free concert and I decided that since it is a Friday, it might not be too crowded during the day.  I packed myself a picnic lunch, took my Kindle and a blanket and went to the park.  For about 3 hours I had a good time sitting or laying on my blanket in the park.  It was not crowded for most of the time.  The later it got, the more crowded it got.  The vibe changed and people got more ugly.  During the day the crowd was mostly older folk and mom's with kids (sort of hippie types who home school).  They were all mellow.  As the day went on the park filled up with a younger crowd who came from work.  They were rude and pushy.  That was when I left.

When did it become okay to sit on someone else's blanket without asking?  I had a guy hit me in the head and when I told him his answer was not "gosh I'm sorry." it was "how did that happen?"  My answer to him was "How would I know how it happened?  You should be saying, I apologize for hitting you in the head."  They left the area soon afterward.  I think I harshed their mellow.  I say learn some manners!

I came home from the park and took a nap because I was going to the movies to see Blade Runner 2049.  I would love to give you a thorough review of Blade Runner but sadly I fell asleep.  It was the 10:45pm showing and I had a very busy day.  Even with a nap, I nodded off.  I even brought crunchy snacks but even that didn't help.  It was a super long, slow moving movie.  I would not have fallen asleep during Furious Five but Blade Runner was too cerebral for me at midnight.  I will watch it on DVD.

As you can see a busy day.  I did have a very nice 20 year old gentleman hold the elevator for me at the movies, so I know not all of the younger crowd has lost their manners.  His mother brought him up right.  Also my movie buddies are all chivalrous.

Until tomorrow...

HAPPI IS GETTING HER GROOVE BACK

Happi has been doing much better. All of a sudden today she wanted to go for a walk and dragged me out the door and down the street.  We got about 1.5 blocks and she wanted to keep going.  I made her turn around and head home.  Lately she would be laying down by this point and I would have to start carrying her home.  Not today.  She was moving slower but she walked the whole way home.

It was exciting that she seems to be getting better.  I guess the doctor was right, she just needed to rest and take painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications.  My baby is getting her groove back.

Until tomorrow... 

WHAT A MORNING

I woke up early because my alarm company technician was coming to make the beeping stop on my alarm system. He arrived on time and showed me how to fix it myself.  I realize that four years from now I will need another tech to come do it again. Who remembers these things?  He also reinstalled it back on the wall.

Then he tested the alarm. The loud blaring made the dogs howl and run away.  The tech left now that the alarm was working again.

Not five minutes later my doorbell rang. I thought he returned because he forgot something. No, it was the police asking me if I was okay. My panic button went off and there were three police cars out front.  The alarm tech forgot to put the system in test mode to test it and instead he set off the panic button which alerted the police.  I apologized and told them it was the alarm tech that did it. I thanked them for their quick response.

Once they left I called the alarm company and gave them hell. They wasted police resources of an already strapped police department and a false alarm could cost me a fine. If you get two you have to pay. Well this one was not my fault.  They marked it in my "file" that it was their fault and if I get a fine they will pay it.

About 1.5 hours later I was working and boom, the electricity goes out.  For almost 2 hours I had no electricity. No internet. No TV. Ergh. Since I had no idea how long it would be out, I had to conserve. Last time it was out for almost 4 hours.

After lunch the world got back to normal.

Until tomorrow...

REIKI - YES OR NO

I have never done reiki.  I have heard about it but I have always been a cynic.   Reiki is a non-physical healing energy made up of life force energy that is guided by the Higher Intelligence, or spiritually guided life force energy.  It is a non-invasive, completely benign healing technique.

I have been advised by many people that I should get some reiki.  It is wonderful they say. Life changing they say.  Healing they say.  

After hearing all these accolades, I think I will put aside my cynicism and give it a serious try.  

Until tomorrow...

TERRIBLE DAY

What a terrible day. So scary to hear about the shooter in Las Vegas.  Those concert goers just wanting to hear music and instead they are running for their lives.

My thoughts are with them and their families.

Until tomorrow..

ROLLER COASTER OF A DAY

Today was another street fair.  I went with my friend M.  We hung out on a beautiful sunny day.  I got some ice cream while I waited for him to arrive.

I have become a person who just does what I want to do the older I get.  I danced with an older gentleman who was dancing by himself at the country dance floor.  I danced a line dance.  I don't care what other people think.  I guess next I will be part of the Red Hat Society.  Who knows?!

Then I came home and watched TV and there was an Emergency Alert.  There was a mass shooting in Las Vegas.  Horrible.  There isn't much information tonight except that many people are killed and injured.  Condolences.

Until tomorrow...