THUNDERSTORMS HAPPEN

I grew up on the East Coast where thunder storms happened all the time. In the summer there were quick thunder storms that seemed to come and go so fast. Each place I lived had different types of rain. Some places have rain that comes down in large drops that drench you the minute you walk out the door. Other places I've lived don't have rain for months on end. It's been interesting living in different climates.

The past couple of days having so much rain, hail, and thunderstorms has been so interesting. I can't say I like it because day after day it gets very tiring.

I am still not feeling well on day two of the antibiotics. I guess it's going to take more than 2 days of antibiotics for me to feel better. I canceled my second physical therapy appointment because I didn't want to go there still not feeling well. I did get to work a little bit today so that was good. I'm hoping that antibiotics kick in tomorrow and I start to feel better.

Until tomorrow...

BROKEN RECORD

I'm beginning to sound like a broken record. Yes, I'm sick again. I did hear back from the doctor and she thinks that I have an infection. She sent a prescription for antibiotics to the pharmacy and I had them Rush delivery to me today. I've already started taking them so fingers crossed I will see some positive results in a day or two. Honestly, I'm not sure how much longer I can take this. I'm tired, hungry, and tired of eating toast, rice and applesauce.

Other than watching TV and sleeping late I did nothing all day.

Until tomorrow...

ALL THE LAB TESTS ARE IN

 I got the results on the rest of the tests from the lab today. Everything came back negative. No C-dif, no e-coli, none of the others. This doesn't help me figure out why I am still feeling bad. It has been two weeks and I am getting tired of eating toast, crackers, rice, and apples/apple sauce. 

Anyway, I spent the day doing my tax prep. 

I did take Lucky out for a quick walk between rain storms. She just hates the rain. I have to watch her because she will try to pee in the house so she doesn't have to go out in the rain. I kind of don't blame her because I wouldn't want to pee in the pouring rain so I put down pee mats so at least she will not pee on the floor.  She is an old girl.  When I get to her age, please do not make me go down two flights of stairs to go outside to pee. Ha ha. 

Until tomorrow...

WORKING ON MY TAXES

 I know I have been lax in posting. I have been not feeling well for so long. I don't want to complain. It just sucks not being able to eat without being ill. If I don't see another piece of toast again, it will be too soon. 

It is still so cold but at least it didn't rain today. 

I worked on my taxes today. I have to get them done this weekend even if I don't feel well. 

Until tomorrow...

ANOTHER PAIR OF FREE GLASSSES

 I finally went to get my glasses checked. Even though they got me new glasses when I noticed the prescription was wonky, I still feel like the prescription is weird. I feel like I have to look through the top of the lenses and in one eye I feel like I have to look to the side. It may be me but I wanted to get it checked. 

Sure enough, it wasn't me. The guy who did the positioning of where my eye looks through the glasses made a mistake and the person who data entered the info made a typo. The glasses were all wrong again! They are making me a whole new pair of glasses and sunglasses. The company is making no money off me with this purchase of two pair of glasses since this is the second pair of glasses they made me for free. At least it isn't me. I was starting to think I was crazy. 

 The electrician came to fix the electricity in the kitchen. He got most of the kitchen working again but it became clear that the backyard and kitchen issue is connected. He has to fix it all together. It will be a big project. 

I timed my trip to the eye glass place to be when I was feeling sort of okay. 

It hailed last night. It was 39 degrees this morning. Ugh. 

Until tomorrow...

THE COLD HAS ARRIVED

 It is SO cold here. The temperature hit 37 degrees here this morning. 

I am still not feeling well. It is really hard to feel not well with these invisilign braces on. I have to leave the braces on 22 hours a day but I am not feeling well. UGH. 

Until tomorrow...

TOOK THE TEST TO THE LAB

 I am still not feeling well. Last week I picked up the lab test and today I did the test and took it to the lab. It will take about a week to get the results. They are testing for C-dif and e-coli and others. I just want to get the results so I can get some medicine to fix it. 

Another big storm is coming and it is super cold here. Fun.

Until tomorrow...

SICK AGAIN TODAY

I did not go to the hospital but I do not feel that great. I spent the day on the couch, chair and bed watching TV. I emailed the doctor and she said keep her posted. 

Wish I had more exciting stuff to write but that was my day. 

Until tomorrow...

PHONE WITH MY FRIEND

I had a wonderful morning talking to my friend in the Netherlands. I suddenly looked up and we had been on the phone for two hours! I was sitting in the backyard on a sunny day and it was an easy way to pass the time. 

I was going to take Lucky to the park but I felt a bit tired. I decided the park could wait and good thing, by 4 pm I had a horrible pain in my abdomen. By 6pm I was in bed. By 8pm I was asleep. I woke up a bit later to write this. Let's hope this isn't something serious. 

Just in case I got my hospital bag ready and by my bed. My hospital bag is always pre-packed with extra undies and socks, extra phone charger (you only have to be stuck in the hospital once for days with no charger to learn that lesson), money, toothbrush and tooth paste, and soap. I add in iPad and charger, kindle and charger, and water bottle. Then I am ready to spend hours in the emergency room. 

Until tomorrow...

DAY AT THE PARK

 Lucky and I woke up early and got ourselves packed up to go to the park. It is a newly renovated park and, boy, is it marvelous. I would show you pictures but I took photos with my old film camera. I thought it would be fun. Plus, nobody wants to steal an old film camera! There have been a streak of camera muggings in my area and with the dog, I am not able to pay very good attention to my surroundings. Not to mention, using my old 35mm film camera keeps me in practice. 

We walked all around the area for about an hour and stopped for a short time to give Lucky some snacks and water. I was taking some photos of some flowers and Lucky got her leash tangled around my foot. When I went to stand up, I fell backward on my butt in front of two men. How embarrassing! They were sweet and helped me up. I didn't realize it until I got home but I broke my camera neck strap when my camera fell on the ground. I already ordered a new one that should work. 

While we were on the walk, I checked my phone and it didn't have a signal. I had no cell service. I called my provider when I got home and it wasn't me exactly. I had to get through the AI (don't you hate AI) to get to a person to help me. No matter what I said, the AI kept sending me to "how to set up my new phone".  I finally kept cursing at the AI and the AI kept getting more and more angry sounding and then I got a person.  The person diagnosed that something happened when my payment didn't arrive in the mail. He said the service was not turned off but something happened that was not supposed to happen. After turning my phone on and off two times, my phone service was restored. He was super helpful. 

I had my book club this afternoon. We read Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke. It was really very good. Although if you are planning on reading it, I would read the first book in the series first. I was a little lost in the first few chapters. It was a good and lively discussion this month.  

Until tomorrow...

BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY IN MY BACKYARD

 It is a super nice and sunny day today. Guess what I did? I sat in my new backyard! I took my book out and sat in my green chairs and on my bench and read my book club book. My backyard feels so massive! I enjoyed myself so much.  

If only I had electricity. Oh, I didn't tell you? The electricity is not working in the backyard (again) and now it is not working in 1/2 my kitchen. I have no idea what is going on but I am over it all. I just want someone to fix it. I don't care anymore what is wrong. I just want it fixed. I want it to stop. There has to be someone in this world that can fix my electrical problems. 

I also had a Fed Ex package delivered and the driver dropped it at my garage door. On street level. Not at my front door. What is wrong with people? I didn't get a ring of the door bell. I didn't get a package at my door. Anyone could have taken it. It could have sat there for a day. I was lucky my neighbor saw it and let me know. I called Fed Ex and complained. This isn't the first time. What happened to the great service Fed Ex is known for? Plus it was medicine! 

I finished my book club book in plenty of time this month so I am happy. I also finished putting all the Christmas stuff away (I had to wait until the handyman lugged the boxes downstairs for me) and that makes me happy. 

Until tomorrow...

BACKYARD IS 99% DONE

The backyard is finished. Well, 99% finished. The landscaping part is finished. I still need the electric part fixed and the standing garden and bench need polyurethane or marine paint.  Here is a link to the before. 

I get to shop for furniture now.  I'm getting a table and chairs, a tiny table for drinks, two folding lounge chairs, and maybe corn hole to play. 

Lucky was not feeling well today and it turns out she swallowed a  whole treat I gave her yesterday and it did not sit well in her tummy. Once she vomited it back up she felt much better.  

I went to what was supposed to be my new doctors appointment this morning but it turns out it is next month. When the person making the appointment said the 17th, I thought they meant February not March. I was wrong. Both 17ths are on Friday. Easy mistake. But wasted morning. 

I am not feeling much better so I am going to sleep. 

Until tomorrow...

LAST BITS OF THE BACKYARD TO FINISH

 The house was buzzing. I had a landscaper and a handyman here working. The handyman was staining the standing garden and doing a few other tasks. He got the electricity working in the backyard. The landscaper was finishing up the final items on the list. He will have to come for a few hours tomorrow for a final spit-and-shine.  I tried to go in the morning to get the test from the lab but I didn't have time to drive over and get the test until the afternoon and by then, it was too late to do it since it has to be returned right away. Ugh!

 I still am eating basically nothing but I made myself toast turned around to do something and Lucky jumped up and grabbed my toast. Lucky has not been one to do this in her senior years so I was surprised. I got most of it away from her without incident. 

I went to make more toast and there was mold on the bread. I guess Lucky saved me from eating bad bread. I hope it doesn't make her sick. 

Until tomorrow...

CALLED THE DOCTOR

 I am feeling worse. I still have the gastrointestinal issue and today I had chills. I am subsisting on toast and tea. Between the invisilign and this I am loosing weight like crazy. 

The backyard landscaping is 98% done. I didn't feel well enough to take a photo today. The only things left to do is moving a rock, digging up a piece of concrete, filling the hole and laying the pavers. He is going to clean the pavers. Then it will be done. 

My handyman is coming to stain the standing veggie garden and talk to me about the electrical issue. 

I called the doctor today for both me and Lucky. Lucky to check on her medication. Me to see what I can do about this issue. She called me back and I have to go get a test done to see if I have an infection. The fun never ends. If that is what it is I will be put on antibiotics so I think I will skip the Orencia tonight also just in case. 

Until tomorrow...

STILL NOT WELL

 I am still not well. My gastrointestinal issue is still a problem. How long does food poisoning last? I wonder, since I am immunocompromised if that could cause a problem. I was supposed to take my Orencia but I think I am going to hold off and see how this goes. 

It is Valentine's Day and this is a fun way to spend Valentine's Day. 

I took another COVID test just to see. Still negative. 

Until tomorrow...

QUITE UNWELL

 I woke up yesterday with a gastrointestinal issue. I won't go into details but I didn't feel well which is why I didn't get much done. I thought it was a one-off. It was not. I think it is food poisoning. 

Why, you might ask? I was at an early physical therapy appointment and it struck again. I had to leave the appointment right in the middle. 

I haven't eaten anything but toast for two days now but I keep having issues. 

I did a COVID test yesterday and it came out negative.  I checked because I was at the dentist on Friday and obviously unmasked.

I am going to sleep early. 

Until tomorrow...

SUPERBOWL

 I had big plans for today but none of them happened. I was going to finish going through the box of Christmas stuff but I had enough of it yesterday. I was going to invoice clients but I got sidetracked. I was going to start my taxes, well that did not happen. Instead I walked Lucky and visited with my neighbor. I looked for new outdoor furniture for the backyard, did some laundry, talked to a good friend, and updated my calendar. All good things but not the items on my to-do list. 

The Superbowl was exciting to watch. I missed most of the commercials (which is my favorite part) and I was less than interested in the half time show. 

Until tomorrow...

LANDSCAPER UPDATE

 The landscaper showed up today and he really worked very hard. He planted all the plants and did some other work. There is about one days work left and the whole project will be complete. I am very excited to have it all done. 

The photo is not great with the plastic chairs and the plastic bag but you get the idea of the plants. 

Until tomorrow...

INVISILIGN

 I had my dental appointment today. I got my invisilign retainers for my uppers and lowers. I learned all the ins and outs to the retainer system. I wear each retainer for 2 weeks for 22 hours per day. I can't eat or drink (except cold water) anything with them in and have to brush my teeth after eating. I have found I don't snack as much since it means I have to take the retainers out to eat. 

At the appointment, the dentist put a semi permanent dot on one of my teeth that hold the bottom retainer on my teeth.  The dentist filed down my teeth a bit to make space for my teeth to move. 

Suddenly I felt 16 all over again with long hair, glasses and braces. I had such flashbacks. 

To celebrate I got some Mexican tamales for dinner. 

Until tomorrow...

PLANTS ARRIVED

 It is so late and I wish I had time to write more. It was a super busy day that started with me waking up early to get the dog some medicine at the early hours. Then I worked all day. The landscapers boss stopped by because the landscaper didn't show up. Then the landscaper showed up unexpectedly with plants. I was in meetings through the whole thing. 

I will have time to look at the plants tomorrow. I need to breathe. 

Until tomorrow...

PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRESSING

I had physical therapy this morning and it went well. I received more exercises to do. I have been told I am progressing well. 

I took Lucky on a long walk again today. She is really doing well on her walks. 

I am so busy at work!! 

I spoke to my friend tonight. It was so good to hear from her. It's been a month since we spoke. 

Until tomorrow...

LOUD BANG

Not a very exciting day. I took Lucky for a walk and ran into a neighbor. He used to be a nice and funny guy to run into. His roommate/partner (I never knew they were involved) recently passed away. He seems to be grieving. He was very angry when we ran into him today. Yelling and blaming everyone for everything, even blaming me. I tried to help but soon realized it was wasted energy. He wanted to complain and wanted someone to rescue him because he was left alone. I can't fix that. It made me a bit sad. 

Last night there was a loud bang. I looked all through the house but could not find any thing that fell. This morning when I took Lucky out, I saw what fell. It was my neighbors fence. Months ago, my neighbors fence fell apart during a windstorm with a loud bang.  Last night the loud bang was two slats of the fence fell down on my side. I texted them and they said they would fix it and they are replacing the fence shortly. 

Until tomorrow...

TOO BUSY TO BLOG

It is such a busy day today I don't have time to write much. I took Lucky on a really long walk and she did great. I worked a lot. 

Until tomorrow...

DROVE TO THE PARK

 I decided to get up this morning and take Lucky on a drive to a park. We waited for the rain to stop and we jumped in the car and drove for 20 minutes and went to a place where there is an open area with grass and some historical buildings to look at. She had fun on the grass even if it was a bit soggy. I enjoyed looking at the buildings. We walked around for about 30 or 40 minutes and then we went home. Lucky fell right to sleep. 

I relaxed for a bit and did some laundry and then I started invoicing clients again. I am trying to keep up each month. That is my resolution this year. 

I have been watching the Grammy's and just saw Bonnie Raitt win. I met Bonnie Raitt once and she was so nice. She did a concert to raise money for a client I was in a photo (part of a group) with her. 

Until tomorrow...

DAY TWO OF RAIN THIS TIME AROUND

Today was day two of rain. Lucky was having none of it. I had a hard time getting her out of bed. 

We did take a quick walk but she did not like getting wet. I wore my new yellow raincoat and I stayed dry. I'm thinking of buying a yellow rain bucket hat to match. I did check my drain. 

It was not an exciting day. I invoiced clients. I'm trying to stay on top of it each month. 

I made another batch of ramen for dinner. I'm going to try another type of ramen tomorrow if my groceries arrive. 

That's the whole boring day. 

Until tomorrow...

I MADE SHOYO RAMEN

I had another physical therapy appointment today. He couldn't do much because my ankle is a bit sprained. He put this tape on my ankle to stabilize it. It isn't an ace bandage or sports tape. It is a type of Kinesiology Tape that is stuck on me for days. It is making my ankle feel better. 

Then I took Lucky to the pet store. I needed bird food and I want to get Lucky used to being in the car more. I want to take Lucky on a longer car ride. She did great. 

In the evening I made Shoyo ramen. I used the dashi stock that I made overnight to make the broth. Then I boiled some noodles and cut up some tofu and veggies. It was delicious! 

I'm hoping I sleep good tonight.

Until tomorrow...

MAKING RAMEN

As you have probably noticed, I have not been doing much cooking or baking lately. Taking care of my dog Lucky is taking up a lot of my time and energy. 

Today I am changing that. I decided it is going to rain for a few days and what tastes better in the rain but ramen! Tonight I made dashi which is the base of ramen. To make dashi, I had to leave the mushrooms, seaweed and water soaking overnight. Tomorrow it will be the base for ramen. I made a double batch so I can have a few nights of ramen. I'm going to make danden ramen, miso ramen, and shoyu ramen. Fun! 

I decided not to make my own noodles this time. It was fun the first time but I can buy good noodles and they are almost as good. Plus, it doesn't take forever to make them. I'll save making them for a special occasion. 

Until tomorrow...

LESS EXCITING FEBRUARY

February is starting out less exciting than January ended. I got up super early today and got to the veterinarian office before the vet. I had the doctor look Lucky over, he said her eye should heal okay and the rest of her seemed fine. "There is a reason her name is Lucky." 

I kept a close eye on her the rest of the day. We went on a walk late in the day and she seemed fine. 

There has been no movement on the backyard for over a week. Tomorrow is the day to start work again. I got a call from the landscapers boss asking if he could skip tomorrow. I said fine and we worked out another day. I took the opportunity to give the boss some feedback in a coaching way. I did not give the feedback in a negative way. I think a boss and mentor should hear if things are not going well this way they can fix them. People don't grow if they don't hear the honest feedback. The boss was happy to hear it and is excited to help me choose my plants. 

I am exhausted from waking up so early. 

Until tomorrow...