Morning Walk

Decided to head downtown and walk around the beach area.  I'm still trying to understand the settings on my Ipod for when I want to play music.  Seems like no matter what I do, the same songs keep coming up, even when I set it for shuffle.  I have a lot of music on there so I'd really like to hear more of them. Guess I'll have to monkey with it some more.

Because the mountains never fail to cause me to stop and gape, I had to get a few shots.

I walked down the trail a ways and sat down to play with the Ipod settings. Realized my bench, however, was right next to scotch broom so I moved to a different spot.

There were two small raccoons hunting for food on the rocks below a bridge but my picture didn't turn out that good as they kind of blended in with the scenery.  I saw a guy sleeping on a log (obviously homeless) and I reminded myself how thankful I was to have a roof over my head.  I also saw a young couple kissing but I figured they wouldn't appreciate me snapping their picture so I walked on.

Busy Monday

Here's a picture of the first goldfinch I caught in the front and another of Jacob that Mary sent over.

Sigh......he's just too cute for words.

Noises in the Night

Saw a video on Facebook this morning and it was something I just had to share.  We had ducks when I was growing up on Kuhn Street in Port Townsend. We lived across from the swamp and  grandpa rescued a wounded duck one day. Then the carnival came to town and you could win a cute little baby duck by throwing dimes onto saucers.  I doubt you'd find that in carnivals today. Anyhow, I won a duck and other family members or neighbors or friends must have also won because pretty soon, grandpa was stringing a fence alongside one chicken barn and digging a water hole for the ducks to swim.These ducks would eat bread out of our hands and eventually we got some eggs too.  Grandpa later brought 3 large geese into the flock but I never did appreciate their company as they chased us and didn't hesitate to nip at our heels and butt if they got close enough.  I was glad to see them end up in the cooking pot.
I wish I had taken more pictures during my childhood but we didn't have cameras for a long time and getting film developed wasn't something dad wanted to include in his budget.

I do have one picture, however.  I think I had an old box camera and I remember having problems rolling the film forward for the next shot.  This particular picture is what I think  they called double exposure.   Anyhow, I've studied it a lot and tried to figure out what houses those are in the background. If you look at the top of the photo, you can just make out some of them.

There's a big ole dark cloud hanging over the neighborhood right now.  Suppose we can expect more rain. I did it coming down last night.  I do plan on going out for a walk, either way.  I grabbed my ipod and walking stick and camera and drove downtown yesterday afternoon to browse around.  Stopped at the book store to look things over and walked through the farmers market, as well.

I didn't buy anything but I did stop at Subway to get a sandwich for lunch.  I bought a cup of clam chowder too, just to see how it was.  It was okay,but nothing to spend my money on a second time.  I chose flatbread for my  sandwich this time. The lady in front of me was having that and it looked delicious.   She had the works put on hers but I could see it was going to be a tough thing to eat without everything falling out so I chose spinach, tomato, and cucumber only with my turkey and cheese.

I was able to sleep in my bed all night again but I'm still having a lot of issues that I'm trying to work out with hit and miss solutions.  My bed itself doesn't look at all inviting as you can tell from this morning shot.

The large white triangle wedge pillow is for your head but I just couldn't sleep with it so I put it at the bottom of the bed so my feet would rest on it after I put the blue pillow under my knees.  I'm still deciding if I want to go that way.  My ankles and left leg have been swollen this week and that's bothersome since it was the leg I had operated on.  At any rate, I'm cutting down on salt, exercising more, and working to keep the foot elevated whenever I sleep or sit.

The blue pillow is very comfortable and allows me to sleep on my back all night long --something I could NEVER do before as I'm a side sleeper.  I keep experimenting with pillows, trying one, then two, then the buckwheat hulls pillow, and then a combination.  I still haven't found the ideal one so I end up switching them back and forth all night long.  I found I had to cease tucking in the blanket because I couldn't get in or out of bed without struggling.  The cords under the bed are a heating pad and a long-arm electric massager.

I often put off going to bed because I don't want the battle I know is going to commence.  I woke up this morning with a sore neck and shoulders but I think with exercise I can work out the kinks.  At least the pain is at a level where I can still do ordinary tasks and that's an improvement.  If I really wanted to "over-share" I could audio tape the noises coming from my bedroom during the night.  Lots of swear words, grunts, and moans.  All because I can't get comfortable.  Ha Ha

I made a small pot of stew yesterday so that will be supper again tonight. I have the ironing board set up in the living room so I can press a few blouses while listening to my latest audio book.  (The Viagra Dairies)  It's pretty good.

I almost boxed up my Noah's Ark jigsaw puzzle yesterday because I just couldn't find pieces fast enough to please me.  I looked at the picture on the box, however, and decided to stick with it as it's so dang cute.  It's a shaped puzzle so it doesn't have an easy border and the pieces are really weird.

A family of quail just made their way to the area under my window to feast on the bird seeds that have fallen from above.

I hope the cats don't come calling.  Yesterday, one of them was on my back porch and actually stuck her head halfway in the door to see if I wanted her to come on it. Grrrrr...

Well, time to work my Yahoo crossword puzzle.

Good Friday

I could hardly believe it when I woke up this morning.  I was able to sleep in my bed all night and my back isn't killing me and my shoulders and neck are hugely improved.  Was it the pills I took or maybe the "under the knees" pillow I used?  Or the ice pack? Whatever...I'm not taking this break from pain for granted.  My mood improved so much as I found I was able to cut up boxes and haul them out to recycle, hammer a nail in a board on the gate, and do other simple chores that had been off my list because it hurt too much.  Oh, how I hope I've gone around the corner.

I had on my happy face all day long.

Speaking of happy face...here's the latest from Andy and Mary with the boy.....

Tomorrow is their 6th wedding anniversary.   Congrats you two!

Hunter stopped in to mow my grass after his track practice this afternoon.  I love him!

Getting my oil changed Monday morning but that's all I have written on my calendar for the whole week. At least I don't have any doctor appointments.  Have a good weekend.

Thursday

I saw my first goldfinch arrive today.  Been watching for hours off and on to see if any return so I can get a picture.  Also notice the yellow scotch broom is filling in across the street.

My knee pillow arrived today and I'm looking forward to using it tonight.  I haven't been all that pleased with the wedge triangle pillow but I'll try it a while and see if I can adapt.

I got very little accomplished today.   Just remembered that the laundry is waiting for me on my bed so I'd best get it done and over with.

Made an appt to get my oil changed on Monday and see an ENT doctor on May 6 -- am seeing the orthopedic guy in the morning in Sequim and the ear guy in the afternoon in PA.  Yeah, it's an exciting life I'm leading these days.

I scanned in the newspaper picture of Hunter but I probably should have hooked up my old computer and scanner to do it as my new one doesn't reproduce as well.

 And here's a picture of  Jacob who turned 4 months old yesterday.

Cat Fight

The neighbor next door has three cats.  The oldest one, a big black scruffy looking thing has been engaging an ongoing battle with me about where she sits to stalk my birds.  First thing in the morning I peek out the window of this room (the only window that looks out to the front and the street) to see if she's positioned herself under the bush near the porch to await the birds who come in to feed.

I open the door, she runs off and stands in her driveway as if to say "Catch me if you can!" The whole block across the street is bushes and scotch broom and weeds and trees.  A huge area she can hunt to her hearts' content.  Yesterday I saw her walking home with a big ole snake in her mouth that she had captured over there.  The grass is tall and I'm betting she doesn't want to get wet which is why she prefers the easy hunt of my yard.

Well, I got tired of this game long ago so today I gathered up "stuff" and set it around under the bush to discourage nesting there.

Looks cluttered and not at all professional but I'm at war here and have to use whatever ammo I can find.  I really need to get out there and pull weeds and weedeat.  I moved a couple bird feeders in the area this morning but I'll need to move them to the porch when I go to bed at night so the deer don't come feasting. Course I have to be real careful as this is how I managed to fall last July.  At least now I can just stand on the porch to move the feeders and I don't have to walk around out there.

Maybe tomorrow I'll get going on the weeds.

 this is how I decorate.....  Course those damn dandelions don't it justice.  Ha ha

Had an aid call near the house this morning.  Saw a fire engine and ambulance go by and they stopped over near the area where the wood choppers are working.  I half think it might have been my neighbor down the street who walks by every day with her dog, Cody.  Only reason I think that is because I heard a dog barking the whole time the ambulance was stopped.  The guy living next door to her had walked by earlier so maybe it was him.  I'll find out eventually.

Going to the doctor tomorrow morning.  Not my regular as I can seldom get in to see her on a timely basis.  I like this guy, though; I've been to him before.  Want to get my left leg/ankle checked out because I've noticed some edema.  Not a lot but enough that I noticed it was bigger than the right leg.

My poor body is just having a hell of a time with this aging process.  I really need to step it up and get some weight off.  And I wonder how many times I've said that through the years!

Just talked on the phone with Rennie Bergstrom who told me the story of his wife's family --the Blankenships. I'm going to research them a little but they were from Montana and Texas so I don't think it my line.  He had some interesting stories, though.

Went over to Phyllis Johnson Kendall's shop called Filbygolly that is a few blocks over.  She has nice stuff and has a sale a few times a year.  Does well too.  The place was busy with browsers.  Saw
Sharon Wiley working  there. Her and Phyl are friends from when Phyllis worked at the theatre in town.

Carpet Cleaning & Pillow Wedges

I got my carpets cleaned yesterday morning thanks to Mary and it looks soooooo nice.

Hunter got his picture in the PA paper on Sunday. Along with several others, he talked in front of the Rotary at a special breakfast for top students.  Maddie was there too as they both carry 4.0 grade averages.

Easter

Just a short one tonight 'cause "Call the midwives" is coming on in less than an hour.
I went over to Jenni's for supper. Man, I love eating food other people have fixed. Always tastes so much better.  We had turkey tacos and one of the ingredients inside was this cucumber type salad with salsa.  Delicious! I had a beer and that tasted great too!

Decided I wanted to get a couple pictures of me wearing my wig (that doesn't fit that good) and then another not wearing the wig.  Both look like hell.  Gotta buy another wig.

I had Jenni take a picture of me and Maddie's hands as we each had a charm bracelet on.  What a stupid plan that was!  Like I needed a visual reminder that my hands look old and well....ugly!

After I got home, I realized I had left my camera so I had to go back.  Hunter used the opportunity to take 25  pictures with my camera before I got there.  Stupid pictures!  I deleted them all except two that I'm keeping to remind him of how he was at age 13.  One is giving me the finger with a very purple tongue sticking out.  The other has him mooning me!  Good Lord!  13-year-old boys are so gross.   I should post the moon picture anyhow just to teach him a lesson.  But I won't. Here's one of his more entertaining shots. (and this from a kid who gets straight A's!)

Here's a picture of a log design him and his girlfriend made last summer.  I think it's kinda neat.

I rode around town for a few minutes to take some pictures here and there. I'm going to have to invest in a better camera soon.  I've got dirt inside the lens and often get a big black spot where I don't want it.

Here's a large tree on 8th St that I often pass on my way downtown.

Here's the bowling alley (same place I bowled when I was in college in 1961) and the bank nearby that is where Jenni works now.

This last picture was taken on "Jenni's side" of the tree area they're clearing.  You can see the roofs of my neighborhood now.

Gotta give the house a good vacuuming now. Carpet cleaners are coming at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Earth Day

Andy, Mary, and Jake just finished a 5-K at Alki Beach in Seattle.  And I just finished grocery shopping.

Stopped at Red Box to get Philomena. Stopped at Albertsons to get a Hawaiian pizza.  Rains have started but I don't care.

Saturday Morning in April

It's 7:45 a.m. and I've been up for an hour and a half already.  Dishes are soaking in the sink (just couldn't get  in the mood last night to clean the kitchen) and now I'm sitting here at the kitchen table looking out the window and wondering how long before the rains arrive.  It sure got nice outside yesterday.  I finally gave in and decided to go out and start weeding a bit.  Figured if I went slow and didn't try to do too much, I'd be fine.  And I was -- sorta.   I have a couple of shower stools that have become my garden stools.  One is higher than the other so the short one is a little hard to get up from -- but I've managed so far.  Sometimes I have the higher stool nearby to hold onto.

Aggravates me to be reminded of just how out of shape I am.  I never cared all that much for gardening in my younger years (bingo halls beckoned) but now I love getting out there to play in the dirt but my body is remembering the gambling days  instead and won't cooperate with the bending and stooping involved.  I'm glad I can't video myself because I realize my movements about the yard are pretty indicative of an old lady!   I have to hold onto something to go up and down steps and I have to pay attention to how and where I'm stepping.  I want the spring back in my step but I suppose I'm going to have to settle for a shuffle.  Hmmm....that sounds like a Town Kid blog idea.  I'll have to think on that some more.

Anyhow, I did go into the back yard to work along the fence yesterday.   I could have made better progress had I been able to get down on all fours and really go at it but that wasn't going to happen so I grunted along with my stools and clippers, moaning whenever I had to change position.  Sigh....

I didn't get a lot done but I was determined to give myself a time limit.  As it was, my back gave up and insisted we go inside.  Disheartening to see my before and after pictures of my tulips from last year and today.

                    I did one fence section yesterday but it still doesn't look all that great.

Last year my tulips looked so pretty along the fence.  I'm guessing the slugs got 'em. (even though I used slug bait)

 My beautiful tulip beds of last year and the year before.  So nice.

This year they're all puny looking and hardly any came up at all.  I guess I'll dig up all the bulbs and plant some other flowers.  I assume my bulbs will stay good until I plant them again. Right? I had to spray my two trees again this morning as the caterpillars continue to make nests.  Little buggers!

Here's a picture I took in the alley towards the wooded area they're clearing out. The logs are really stacking up.

And here are four pictures I got in an email or saw on Facebook....

                                                             I just adore this one!

And speaking of adoring....ahhhh...here's one of the cute guys in my life right now.

And here's five pictures I took off Elaine Arey's Facebook page.  Her and Lee are in South Dakota.

I was thinking about taking in a matinee this afternoon as the previews for Noah looked interesting. After reading a couple reviews, though, I guess I'll save my money and wait for it to come out on video.
I'm going to Jenni's for Easter dinner tomorrow.  Told her I'd bring dessert but I'm already not feeling much like cooking so I guess I'll do it the modern way and go to Safeway to buy it already fixed.  I never used to but things change.

Mary ordered carpet cleaners to come on Monday morning so I've got to see if the twins will come over tomorrow afternoon to help me move some of the furniture.

Here's a picture I saw on Facebook that my niece posted for me.  My mother lives with her in Penn.   She's shorter than me. Has more hair too.  I gave in and got mine cut a couple days ago.  Going to look into finding a wig, I think.  I just know I'd be a knockout if I had some hair.  Ha!

                                                                                  at age 25 & 88                   

Well, I just made up some fresh hummingbird nectar so I think I'll fill their feeders and get my grocery shopping done early. 

Happy Birthday to Sharon Sofie!  Here we are side by side in the second row of third grade.  I'm still in touch with many of these folks.

front row: Dick Pitschka, Betty Green, Marlene Dudleston, Bobby Comas, Sharon Mustatia, Faye Radley, Dave Brown

2nd row:  Gary Henry, me, Sharon, Dorothy Headley, Sandra Tucker, Rich Addie, Bob Barber, Joe Kenney

3rd row: Joyce Cozad, Sharon Lindsey, Georgia?, Allen Bailey, Lew Morello, Dave Brooling, Harry?

4th row: Sherman(Buddy) Good, Virginia Anglin, Linda Scott, Patty Grenbemer, Clarence Potterf, (?), Linda Wilson, (?)

Wouldn't mind having the IDs of the ? people if you have a clue.