I HAVE A WASHER AGAIN

Happi is having a hard time again today.  She is still crying and whining.  Poor baby.

I went for my breast cancer doctor appointment today.  I got my mammogram results: I am clear.  Everything is good.  Yay!

In the afternoon the washing machine tech arrived.  I have been waiting almost a month to be able to wash clothes.  I am on my last pair of underwear.  To recap the washer has been not smelling as fresh and the clothes have been coming out wet despite running the spin cycle twice.  It was starting to make a banging noise.

The tech ran a the washer and of course it didn't make the banging noise.  Isn't that always the way?  But then he found the problem.  The hose where the water goes into the sewer line was pushed into the the sewer line.  It was supposed to be only about 4" into the sewer line.  Instead it was really into the line.  I am thinking that when my handyman was doing some work over there a few months ago, he may have accidentally knocked the line since this problem has only been going on for a short period of time. 

The hose was flushing out the dirty washer water and the dirty washer water was flushing back into the washer causing the laundry to not smell so fresh and stay wet.  That caused the washer to bang.

So now it is fixed.  I spent the next 48 hours washing the stacks of laundry from my trip, my sheets from being sick, my dog sitters sheets and towels, and various other items that needed to be washed from a month without a washer.

Until tomorrow... 

HAPPI HAD A TOOTH REMOVED

Today Happi had to go to the dentist.  She has had a hard time for a few weeks with a toothache.  I have been giving her pain killers.  She was a little anxious I was told when I picked her up.

Her tooth was so rotted that the dentist said he didn't have to dig it out, it just popped out.  Poor baby! That means it has been painful for a long time.  But it is out now and the rest of her teeth are very good.  Sparkly clean.

The dentist said she had a really hard time coming out of the anesthesia.  She was really groggy when I picked her up.  Different then Lucky is when I pick her up.  Happi was crying.  She cried all night long.  For hours.

I will see how she is tomorrow.

While Happi was at the dentist, I went to get my pulmonology test.  I thought I would be breathing into something but it was very different.  I was in a CT scanner and I had to hold my breath while scans were taken.  It went pretty quick.  

Until tomorrow...

PREP FOR HAPPI DENTAL

Today is the prep for Happi to get her teeth done.  Tomorrow at 7 am Happi has to be at the dentist.  She is in so much pain.  She is doing this weird thing where her teeth chatter.  It is so weird and scary.  I am hoping that removing any bad teeth will make her better.

Until tomorrow...

NEED A DOG WALKER

I got a new gig and I contacted my regular dog walker and she is going on a month long vacation.  What to do?  I spent the day contacting doggie day cares.  I have to find a place to take care of the dogs while I work.

Happi is always a difficult situation since she has to rest a lot and can't rough house.

Until tomorrow...

REALLY LAZY DAY

Today was a lazy day.  My last day before my gig starts.  I finished laundry, decorated some more, and cleaned up some more.  I binge watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon.  It was really good.  I highly recommend it.

Until tomorrow...

TREE TRIMMING

I woke up and looked out the window at the neighbor's chickens.  I thought I saw them out of their coop.  I texted the neighbor to let him know.  He was sweet and thanked me and said he would check them.  He did and they were fine.

 Then the tree guy (or guys) came today to trim my white birch.  It really needed to be trimmed and shrunk down.  They cut it in a way that it shrinks its size without "topping" it.  Topping is when the trimmer cuts the top off the tree.  You are not supposed to do that in my area.  It is not good for the tree.  Instead you can shrink a tree by cutting branches.  The tree looks great.  Bare right now but it will look great next spring.  I have had this done before.  It is a birch and if you don't thin it it gets top heavy and very thick.  It is not happy.  This thinning makes it happy.

When the guys were here, they had their big truck.  It was too big to fit in my driveway and went into my neighbor's driveway.  I rang their doorbell to ask if it was okay.  They didn't answer so I figured they were not home.  It was only going to take about 30 minutes so I figured it was okay.  The guys said they would move the truck if they needed them too.

In my area people frequently park blocking our driveways for deliveries and to drop things off, so I didn't think it would be a problem.

I monitored the truck and the guys.  All of a sudden I noticed the truck was moved.  I went to the neighbor's home and rang the bell.  A man I didn't know answered and I introduced myself.  He said he was upset the truck was there and I apologized.  I said I didn't think anyone was home so I didn't think it was a problem.  He said it was a problem.  He didn't like that the workers didn't speak English and he was going to call the police.  I said he didn't have to do that.  I was here and the truck was moved.  I knew his daughter-in-law and son and we were friendly.  There was no ill intent.  After a few minutes I talked him down.  He said where he lived people didn't block people's driveways and if they did they called the police.  I guess he didn't live in a city.  He also said where he lived, the people spoke English.  OH.  I see.  Not sure where he lives but welcome to the West Coast.  I ended the conversation at that point.

I emailed his daughter-in-law and apologized for upsetting her father-in-law and blocking the drive way.  She emailed right back and said he never said a word and I can block her driveway any time.

I went to see my neighbor's K and N for a short visit and to give them a small item I brought them from Sedona.  It was good to catch up.

Then my friends H and M came over to bring me a vegan pumpkin pie.  It was so sweet.  It was also DELICIOUS!   It was good to hang out.

Until tomorrow...



 

YEARLY MAMMOGRAM

I spent the morning with my friend's foster son decorating the house.  We just got a small start but it was a big help having a teenager lugging the boxes up and down the stairs for me.

Then I went to get my yearly mammogram.  Yes, I wore my tiara.  I am hoping the Power of the Tiara will protect me and keep me safe.  I was in and out fairly quickly since the whole hospital administration was closed.  There is no rest for the mammogram office.

I get the results next week.

I also ate some more solid food.  I think it is over!

Until tomorrow...

THANKSGIVING DAY

I spent Thanksgiving talking to family and going to the movies.  I went to see Three Billboards.  It was really good.  It was funny and moving.  I would say that if bad language bothers you, you may want to take a pass on this movie.  Every cuss word is used in this movie. 

Before and after the movie I just took it easy.  I had a little more solid food.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Until tomorrow...

CANCELLED THANKSGIVING

I am feeling better but I am still not able to eat a whole meal.  I am weak and tired.  I made a meal of boiled potatoes, tofu and peas just to have some food.

I cancelled my Thanksgiving plans.  I didn't want to spread the disease and be around any food. 

I hope to feel better in a few days.

Until tomorrow...

WENT TO INTERVIEW

Even though I felt horrible, I went to the interview.  I told them I would not shake hands since I didn't want to spread it.  One of the participants was out also and she was conferencing in.  I went to the meeting then to the market and came home.  I needed to buy a few items since I was running out of food.

I got back in bed and went to sleep. 

Until tomorrow...

SICK AGAIN

Well, I think I ate solid food too soon.  I got sick as a dog again last night.  I am unable to eat again.  Oh, it is ugly.  I have that job interview again tomorrow.  I had to postpone it since I was sick last week.  Now I am sick again.

I had the plumber come today to check out my shower drain.  They found some goop in the drain and poured some stuff down the drain to clear it out.  While they were there, I had them clear out my outside drain too.  It has been years since I had it cleared out.  Let's hope it is the problem.  

Until tomorrow...

JUSTICE LEAGUE

I felt well enough to go see Justice League this afternoon.  I thought I was on the mend.  The movie was okay.  The beginning was kind of slow.

Then I came home and ate some real food.  For the first time. I thought I would try it.  I was so hungry for real food.

Until tomorrow...

BINGE WATCHING

I am missing so many things.  A birthday party, a poetry slam.  Ergh.

I have been binge watching Daredevil on Netflix.  Two seasons and 13 episodes one hour long.  Lots to watch.

I have lots of time to spend in bed recovering.

Until tomorrow...

STILL SICK

Yesterday I was supposed to go to a job interview and had to cancel I was so ill.  I have the stomach flu.  It is ugly.  Today I went to a doctor appointment but only because it had a 24 hour cancellation policy.  I should not have gone.  I needed to stay in bed.

So sick...

Until tomorrow...

SO SICK

I am so sick...

Until tomorrow...

ANNIVERSARY

I moved into my home 13 years ago.  It is hard to believe.  Time goes by so fast.

I am writing this early because I am not feeling too well.  My stomach is upset.

Until tomorrow...

PRIMARY DOCTOR VISIT

I am home from Sedona, AZ and I have an appointment with my primary doctor.  I need my flu shot and a check up.

He gave me a slip for my pulmonology test.  I have not been able to find a pulmonologist who will see me on my insurance plan.  My doctor decided that he can send me for the test.  He solved the problem.

Until tomorrow...

GOING HOME

View from the hotel

View from the hotel

I got up at the crack of dawn, ate some food, finished packing and got in the car.  I had an hour drive to get to the airport.  I also needed to get gasoline for the rental car.  I got to the airport and there was not one gas station along the way.  I had to go on a search for gasoline.  I finally found a station and filled up.  Then back to the airport and turned in the rental car.  I lugged my luggage to check in.  That is where the waiting began.  It is such a small airport that only one airline flies to it and it closes until the first flight takes off.  So I waited. And waited.  And waited.  I also found out the only bathroom is outside the TSA checkpoint so be sure you pee before you go through TSA.  The dilemma is how do you pee when you can’t leave your luggage alone or leave it with a stranger.  We asked the TSA agent what to do and he said “leave it with someone to watch.”  I am sure the TSA Director would love to hear that piece of information.  Finally they opened the desk and checked people in and took their luggage.  I could go pee and then go through TSA.  Both of my carry-on bags were pulled aside for further examination.  Turns out that protein bars show up on the x-ray machine as something that could possibly be an explosive.

View from the sky

Both flights we fine and I got home.  The dogs were happy to see me.  It was raining.  I was so happy to be home.  

Until tomorrow...

HIKING DAY

Today was hiking day.  I booked a 2 hour hike with a guide.  I was most looking forward to this.  No talking about anything.  The guide took me to a valley and we walked and looked up to the red rocks.  The strangest thing is that there is no wildlife (come to my house!)  He says at night there is tons of wildlife because they are nocturnal.  We talked about the fauna, geology, history, life and other stuff. After an hour hike in the valley, we hiked up to a lookout point and saw the whole rim of the red rocks (we call them mountains) around Sedona.  

 

 I went to Uptown to finish my shopping.  I went back to the hotel and walked to Whole Foods and got a sandwich.  That Whole Foods deli is awesome.  

My reiki guide ended up being my medicine wheel guide in the afternoon because the other guy quit.  So we already knew each other.  A medicine wheel is how they close out the whole weekend.  It is where you set your intentions for moving forward.  A medicine wheel is an Indian tradition.  The rocks symbolize the different time of a life.  You think about your intentions while you walk around the wheel.   I also walked the labyrinth that was there.  

Medicine Wheel

 I treated myself to a dinner at another restaurant that had good vegan food in another part of town called Tlaquepaque then I went home to pack.

Until tomorrow...

NO I CAN'T BE HYPNOTIZED

Today there is no hiking.  Today was all about my head.  The morning session was using Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. (The treatment is focused on supporting the health of the whole being, especially the nervous system.)  I lay on a table and the healer held my ankles.  I was supposed to relax.  One of the running themes this whole weekend was that I am unable to relax.  I need to find a way to relax.  I am aging myself by not being able to relax.  It is also not healthy being "on" all the time.  I found the therapy quite interesting.

Then I had another break and I went in search of food and shopping.  I had made a plan to buy certain items while I was there.  Unfortunately, Uptown has a lack of vegan food so I had to settle for a salad and French fries.  Not too nutritious.  

Snoopy Rock Uptown Sedona

 

Uptown

The afternoon session was a bit of a bust.  The lady was a hypnotherapist.  I found out I cannot be hypnotized.  She had set the scene and was doing her thing.  I was feeling nothing and about 25 minutes in I interrupted her and said I am not feeling anything.  I thought she would be, maybe not happy I said something but interested.  But no, she had an annoyed/mad tone in her voice that I stopped her.  She said "now I have to start over".  I said just start where you left off.  She started up again.  She went for 15 minutes more and said “you see the tree right?”  I said NO.  She said What?  I said this is doing nothing for me.  She seemed annoyed again but recovered quickly.  She started doing another thing and it ended nicely.  So much for that.

I went to a great restaurant that had a ton of vegan food.  I got three items and the waitress said “are you sure you can eat that much?”  I said don’t worry about me.  I went back to my room and went to bed.

Until tomorrow...

YES, THAT WAS A MOUNTAIN LION

Okay, you may think I am crazy but a mountain lion was captured less than a mile from my home on Thursday night.  I know what I heard.  That growl was fierce.  I think he was after my neighbor’s chickens.  Yes, you heard right coyotes, mountain lions, chickens.  A regular zoo.  Thank goodness Happi is okay.  

I woke up early here in Sedona to go to the continental breakfast.  I didn’t eat it but I used their facility.  I brought my food.  At 8 am the retreat guide came to pick me up.  My first two sessions were explaining the vortex experience and teaching me about my chakras up in the red rocks.  It was a short hike up Cathedral rock. The guide asked me why I was there and what I wanted to accomplish.  He talked about my soul and spirituality.  Then we began to open up my chakras.  At first I was unable but then I figured it out and voila!  

Joy getting her Chakras read

I had a break and I went to Uptown and did a little shopping and ate a burger and then to the room to take a short nap.  I was still pretty tired.  After my nap, I had my next session which was another short hike up the red rocks where I had reiki.  I had originally cancelled this session but then called back and rescheduled it.  Reiki is where a reiki master or healer, puts their hands on you and transfers their energy.  It was interesting and I am glad I did it.  

Joy getting Reiki

  When I got back from Reiki I took a bath in the hotel bathtub and put on my pajamas and fell asleep after watching some TV.  The time is all messed up in Arizona.  Each county is on a different time zone and CBS and NBC start night time TV at 7pm but ABC and other channels start at 8pm so it is impossible to figure out what to watch on the TV.  

Until tomorrow…