YELLOW/GRAY SKIES

 Today the skies were not orange, they were yellow/gray.  It reminded people of the Terminator movie.  It was just so ominous.  So blah.  It reminded me of back East in the moments before a thunderstorm when it gets that funky color in the sky, the leaves turn over, and it gets dark.  It was like that all day without the rain.

This afternoon the smoky smell came.  It smelled like burnt tires.  Then the soot came.  Where I live there isn't a lot of ash and soot but things are starting to get covered with a layer of black soot.  I took Lucky out on the deck and my sock bottoms were black.  

It also got harder to breathe as the day went on.  We have air quality alerts and then worst alert I have ever seen is RED.  That means Unhealthy air: avoid outdoor exertion especially children and people with heart and lung disease.  Today they gave a PURPLE alert.  What is a PURPLE alert??  I have never heard of a PURPLE alert.  I think they just made that up because they didn't use it last year during the fires when businesses sent their employees home.  The PURPLE alert says Very Unhealthy air: everyone should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion especially those with heart and lung disease.  I guess they mean quarantine again, now from smoke!  

I am turning my heat off since it will draw air from outside even though since the sun has been covered, the weather has not gotten above 60 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night.  So bizarre since it was 100 degrees a few days ago.  

Today I purchased an air purifier. I used to have one years ago and I horrified with the amount of junk that it collected.  I gave up when I had two dogs because there was dandruff and fur everywhere, it was a losing battle.  Now I have only one dog and she is not a big shedding dog so it isn't as much a problem.  Plus, now there are constant fires so I thought this is the time to get a purifier for when I sleep.  If it works well, I may get another for upstairs.  Cleaning the house air filter a few days ago will help too.

I, of course, feel for the people who have lost, and will lose, their homes from the 32 fires in CA and the many fires in OR and WA.  It is a horrible situation and we need to do something about climate change.  Something is off when there are things like firenados and orange skies.  

Until tomorrow...

RED SKY APOCOLYPSE

This was 9:00 am. There is no filter on these photos! When I woke up this morning at 7:50 am, I would have thought it was 4 am.  It was so dark, I thought the clocks were wrong.  Then I went outside and this is what I saw: orange-yellow sky.  It was so weird to look at.  There was no smoke just this weird haze that covered the sky and sun.  It was so cold.  It was 58 degrees outside.  So funny since it was 100 degrees just two days ago. 

Then at 10:00 am I was on a zoom call and it got pitch black outside.  It was like it was the middle of the night.  My animals were confused: Lucky didn't want to get out of bed and Sunny the bird was sound asleep most of the day.  

What a day!  No one is allowed to say "what else can happen this year?"  I have never seen this before. The closest I have ever seen is the first year I was here was the year the Oakland Hills fire happened. I was on a ferry going to Sausalito with a visiting friend and we didn't know the Oakland Hills were on fire.  The sky was a weird yellow/orange color and we looked over and the Hills were on fire.  It was a crazy scene.  

Today the dog walker did not take Lucky because he was worried the coyotes would think it was nighttime and come out hunting in the park.  He wanted to keep Lucky safe!  

Hopefully tomorrow will be better for everyone and they get the fire(s) under control. My friend A has a fire very close to her house and has her car packed and ready to go.

Until tomorrow...

WEEK ONE OF EXERCISE HABIT COMPLETE

 Last week I accomplished my first week of working out 5 times a week.  I wouldn't say I was training for an ironman but I got up and either rode my stationary bike for 6 miles or did my inside walking DVD program where I walk 1 mile or 2 miles or I did Zumba for 30 minutes.  One day I put together my hammock and sweated more than riding my bike for 6 miles.

This week I am already at 2 days of working out.  I am trying to make this a habit.  It is easy when Lucky goes away because I can't take her in the garage yet, there are still rodent traps that she would love to nose around.  Once those are gone I can bring her out with me.  

Until tomorrow...

LABOR DAY

 On Saturday I put my new hammock together.  I got to lay on it for a little while before the hot and smokey weather came along and made it impossible.  It has been impossibly hot here.  Over 100 degrees in the upstairs and because it is so smokey I can't open the windows.  I have never looked at the weather and seen "smokey" as the forecast.  

I did take some time out on Sunday and make some curry for dinner.  I made Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry with Corn and Zucchini.  It was terrific!  Just what I needed on a hot day.

I like hot weather but it has been tough with all this smoke. My thoughts go out to those who are in such pain from these fires and fighting these fires.

Until tomorrow...

RUFFLES DELIVERY

 I finally got a delivery of chips that includes Ruffles.  Ruffles have always been my favorite chip.  I love Ruffles and dip.  Now that I don't really eat sour cream, I occasionally make dip from dairy-free "sour cream" or I buy a "cream cheese" dairy-free dip.  I just love it when I have it so I have to buy it sparingly. I will eat almost the whole thing!  No, not really but I eat more than the recommended serving size.  

I bought two bags of Ruffles.  I kept it civilized and only bought two bags.  I was afraid if I bought more I would eat too many since I have not had a Ruffle chip since about March.  I have been eating them sparingly.  

 Until tomorrow...

KENTUCKY DERBY

 Wow! What a Kentucky Derby this year! Horses dropping out and one of the top horses (Thousand Words) and the Assistant Trainer getting hurt right before the race starts. Then the biggest post favorite in 30 years, Tiz the Law, doesn't win and placed in second place.  Authentic won in 1-1/4 lengths.  It was a blow out for the Derby.  John Velazquez won his third derby!  Authentic paid $18.80, $6.00 and $5.00.  As I explained to my foster son, if you bet one dollar, you got back $18.80 dollars if you picked Authentic to win.  

It was an exciting two minutes and I look forward to it every year.  Next up the Preakness.  

Until tomorrow...

DELIVERY MISHAP #2

 I went to eat some ice cream and much to my surprise, the pint of ice cream was real ice cream not vegan ice cream.  I found out three spoonfuls in.  Yuck!  Ben & Jerry's regular ice cream and vegan ice cream packaging is quite similar so I didn't notice it when it arrived.  I just checked to see if I got the number when it arrived.  Two of my pints are regular ice cream.

I called the market and let them know and then gave me my money back.  I will be more careful to check in the future.  It is hard when someone is doing your shopping for you.  

Until tomorrow...

DELIVERY MISHAP

 After painstakingly getting the lock changed on the gate and having the alarm company come and getting the lock box, do you think the fruit and veggie delivery guy put the fruit and veggie box inside the gate last night? The answer is a resounding NO.   

Luckily I was awake when he delivered it early (I thank them for that) at around midnight.  I heard the thump when he dropped the box down.  I looked through my camera and saw the box and went upstairs to see if he was still there (in my pajamas). He was in his truck organizing the rest of his boxes.  I called out to him and asked him if he had instructions telling him to use the lock box on this gate to put the box inside the gate.  He looked and said YEAH.  So, why didn't you???  I didn't see them.  Oh, okay.

I took the box inside and darn it, I didn't get my cauliflower.  I think it was the full moon.

This morning I emailed the company and got a call back almost immediately asking me for more information.  The very nice person wanted to hear the whole story (I couldn't write it all in the complaint because they only allowed 300 characters) and was annoyed that the person "had no common sense" considering the lock box was in the photo he took when he dropped off the box.  She was also annoyed he was not wearing a mask this week or last week against company protocol. Last week he came within 6 feet of me also against company protocol.  Just to be clear, I had my back to him installing the lock box on the gate and he walked up on me and before I could get inside, he was too close to me. The Rep said she would have his supervisor talk with him. I also got a refund for the cauliflower that was missing.  Oh, well.  What can I do? 

Until tomorrow...

UPHOLDER

 Years ago I did a project called the Happiness Project.  It was from a book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  She has written other books and recently I heard her speak on a video from Yale University.  I checked out her webpage and podcast.  I also took a quiz to see what type of person I am.  I usually don't like to take these types of personality tests but this one was not a personality test per se and was super easy and fast.

I found out I am an Upholder. An upholder is held accountable by themselves or by others, meets deadlines, and keeps their word. The types are questioner, rebel and obliger.  It was interesting to read about the types.  

Keeping a positive attitude is part of my goals for the near future.

Until tomorrow...

ROCKETBOOK PANDA PLANNER

Today starts my new plan.  I have been working for weeks on my new Rocketbook Panda Planer.  Basically it is a combination of a Rocketbook (a reusable writing tablet) and a Panda Planner (a unique planner that helps to balance motivation, inspiration, system—or whatever it is that you need—to set aside your stress and challenges, start living a fulfilling life, and crush your goals).  

It works in 3 month increments to set goals and then in 3 months see where you are with those goals and readjust if you need to.  Since the Rocketbook is reusable, just erase the pages you need to and rewrite them.  

I set some goals for the time we are in Covid-19.  I have the first 3 month goals set out with priorities and habits.  I am ready to go.  I made an agreement with myself to do my best to complete the goals. 

My goals are to exercise, keep in contact with friends and keep a positive attitude.  Attainable goals.  I will check in periodically.

 Until tomorrow...