Silver Linings

 We went on a cruise up the coast with friends. The idea behind it was simply to play bridge and not have to cook or make the bed for a week. We weren’t interested in any of the ports or excursions as we’ve been there and done that many times. So we stayed onboard the whole time except we got off in Astoria, Oregon only to snap this photo and walk back.  This was one big-ass ship! Our room was close to the front, and all of the restaurants, bars, entertainment, etc., were in the back half. So we got in our walks going to and from. Except for playing bridge, it was all just meh. Granddaughter Savannah celebrated her Sweet 16. She celebrated with her friends on the weekend, but her folks threw a little family dinner on the actual day.  She has her driving license and a new car already.  Shortly after that, we celebrated Easter.  We celebrated Tom’s 80.5 birthday in Carlsbad.  It’s too cold for us old folks in December. Our dear friends Mike and Marty drove ov...

Spring is busting out all over. We had a very wet winter so there is snow on the mountains, the creeks are overflowing, and the wildflowers are showing their happy faces. They are saying that this year will be another “Superbloom.”  The orange is California golden poppy, the yellow is mustard, and the purple is blue lupine. The hills are alive… This week is Swallows Week, when the birds return to Capistrano. Great flocks of birds darken the skies as they descend upon the historic little village of San Juan Capistrano on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19.  This is a myth, of course. All the swallows are up in the Central Valley, building their disgusting mud nests on freeway overpasses and homeowners eaves. Lord help you if they decide to build a nest over your front door. Of course they are protected, so they have rights and you don’t.  But we celebrate them nonetheless, with parades and stuff.  And this beautiful angel, my stepdaughter, runs the Mercado where you go to get...

Good news! I’m turning a new page!  You may know that I had total shoulder replacement surgery in January. As I write this I am just passing the six-week mark. It was painful for a while, but that’s another milestone I have passed—I have very little pain except when I’m doing my exercises—then it hurts a lot.  So, I have spent the past six weeks in my chair, reading, texting, playing games on my iPad, and being waited on hand and foot by my wonderful husband, who has been an enormous help, doing the cooking and chores, and he is also my chauffeur to physical therapy, all while he still attends biweekly cardiac rehab from his triple bypass surgery in October. He’s doing great, by the way. I have started walking again. I just didn’t have the oomph to get outside and move. Not to mention it has been cold and raining most of the time. But yesterday I went. Just one street, and it wore me out, but I did it. It’s amazing how much energy a surgery takes to heal and, at my age, I don’...

 Where did the time go?  It has been a long and winding road.  I didn’t do much in 22-23, Jim had a bunch of health problems and I was in caregiver mode for a long time. I couldn’t do much sewing because of my neck, nor could I play much golf because of my shoulder and my extracurricular duties at home. The times were bleak, to say the least. Jim had practically every ailment known to mankind. And some that weren’t. But I think we’re beyond that now. I’m hoping that this year is better.  I started this last summer, I had to put it away when Jim had his bypass surgery. I don’t know if I will finish it.  Jim waits for triple bypass surgery.  Annnnd, he made it! He’s finally home. Now my work begins. Two months later, we finally had Christmas. We skipped everything last year. He looks pretty healthy.  Now it is my turn. After years of tolerating a painful right shoulder, which impeded both golf and quilting, I had it replaced with a brand new one. Well, t...

 

The 21st night of September?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIY   September was HOT—temperatures in the 90s and humid, thanks to Kay, a hurricane that traveled up the Baja coast of Mexico before it weakened and turned west. We didn’t get a lot of rain or wind, just clouds and oppressive humidity. And thunder, far in the distance, which rattled the windows. Thunder is rare in these parts. I am where the red dot is.  Then the weather system broke and we have been rewarded with glorious, perfect weather since. I am eager to get back to golf, but I’m not there yet.  Around here, we had railings installed on our front steps. It’s not that we need them, not yet anyway, but when we have guests for dinner, it’s dark when they leave and they may  have had a glass of wine or two. I would hate for someone to fall. Falling could be very bad. We have a wonderful young handyman, he’s very popular and very hard to get. We arranged this job in February. (Railings from...

This was my big event for the month.  Ruptured appendix, emergency surgery. All day I thought I had indigestion—by late afternoon I was in more pain than I had ever experienced. Jim said, “Let me take you to the hospital.” No. I settled on going to urgent care and they told me I needed to go to the hospital. They would call ahead for me. When I walked through the ER doors at around 7 PM, they were waiting for me with a chair. The details are fuzzy, but I had surgery at 9 and was in my room by midnight. Pretty amazing.  Now I am home and recuperating, but it is slow going. The doctors and nurses at Mission Hospital are fantastic, every last one of ‘em. Here’s an interesting gadget: It’s an infrared vein finder. The only downside is they can’t tell how deep the vein is, only that it’s there. So some probing (i.e. digging) has to happen when your veins go into hiding, as mine did.  I’m fine now, feeling good but eager to get some energy and get moving!  Well, that’s all...