May Wrap-Up

The weather—what can I say? Last week it was 88° and too hot to sit outside. One week later it was 62° and too cold to sit outside. But today it is beautiful, 72° and sunny. 

We had our landscaping redone last winter and it’s looking great now. We love this cheery little corner. 

Over in the other corner, the bougainvillea is going gangbusters. It was almost a goner a couple of years ago, some bugs ate it, but we nursed it back to health. I see it from my bedroom window every morning and the color makes me happy. 

We had our neighbors, Cliff & Barbara, over for happy hour. Here’s Cliff and Jim looking at something in the atlas. An atlas!—How quaintly old-fashioned. I have no idea what they’re looking at, but aren’t they cute?

Jim had been having chest pains, which alarmed him (understatement), so I suggested we go to the ER. We didn’t feel like we needed to call 911 as he’d had these pains for a week, so I drove him. Because of Covid, you can’t go in the ER waiting room, you have to stay outside, but there was one chair and I spent several hours there, watching the comings and goings. It was a busy day.

He finally got into a room (ER exam room, not admitted) and I was allowed to go in. He doesn’t look too sick, does he. The cardiologist could find nothing wrong with him, so they sent him home. Cutting to the chase, he has inflammation of the chest wall, and the Rx is exercise and ice. His heart is fine. Good to know. 

I have been doing my own physical therapy. I’ve got quite the little setup in my former art studio, and I do the exercises almost every day. It’s helping a lot. I am enjoying freedom from neck pain, but the muse is scratching at my edges. I wish I had quilting pictures to show you, I want to sew so badly, but I don’t want that excruciating pain to return—I’m conflicted. 

At least I’m golfing again, and pretty much pain-free. Here is a shot of the prickly pear cactus next to the par-3 14th green. My tee shot went into the arroyo, as it always does, so I’m waiting for my friends to finish the hole. Looks like a couple of players hooked their shots, as evidenced by the two ball-sized holes in the nopales.

Here’s the golf course we play—Tijeras Creek—it’s wicked. Granted, this picture is from the tips and we play from the reds (circled), but still…

The chest pain/hospital scenario caused us to miss Mothers Day. Michelle and Savannah brought us love and cupcakes. Savannah (14) is quite the baker. They shared pictures of the cakes she has made and all I can say is “wow!” And I hinted that my birthday is in July.

She’s taller than me…

Did you see the lunar eclipse? We watched it through the window as it was f-f-f-freezing outside. We got a twofer here, the ISS went overhead just as the eclipse was getting underway. I got some photos but they were disappointing, so I stole this one from the internet. I even got out my big DSLR camera, but I must’ve forgotten how to use it as all the pics were black. 

We met dear friends for dinner at a local Italian joint. It’s so wonderful to be able to just casually get together again! When all is said and done, it’s friends and family that put the sparkles and sprinkles onto the cakes that are our lives.

From the Oddments File: I cook—exuberantly—breakfast and dinner seven days a week and I get grease spatters on my clothes. I have aprons but I never think to don one. I have used spot spray for years and I know that it will take two or three washings before the stain is totally gone. Out of curiosity, I tried Dawn dishwashing liquid on the stain. If it can get crude oil out of ducks, it should get grease out of clothes. Well, the stain was completely gone in one washing—it’s my go-to now. Hey, just trying to help.

Thanks for spending time with me—see you next month! 

Meanwhile, let’s honor those who gave all.