Food

Whenever I'm trying to drop some weight by eating healthier foods and eating less and trying to exercise a bit more (notice I don't say the word "diet" outright) all I can think about pretty much is FOOD.  Which is obviously why I have a weight issue in the first place.  On that note, I'll share food pictures. 

I made some bran muffins the other day so I'll have one of those for breakfast in place of toast. Once they're gone, though, I'll probably go buy bread again.  But it will be bread that is healthy. Actually, now that I type those words, I realize I'd probably make more headway if I avoided breads altogether. We'll see...that's an iffy one.

These muffins are really tasty -- and easy to make. It's the All Bran Cereal recipe although I added a few blueberries and walnuts this time.

For dinner last night I cooked corn on the cob.  Had to go searching for that video on YouTube again to make sure how to cook it where the husk covering falls off easily. (4 minutes)  Yesterday afternoon I made up salads for the next five days. I'm more apt to have a salad if it's already made up and waiting for me.

I put a little effort into this batch. Added chicken, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, apple, green peas, broccoli, carrots, and lettuce.

I was sitting at the kitchen table yesterday working on tying my quilt when I heard this sound that I thought was a large bird.  Figured out it was a frog and when I quietly went out on the porch to hunt for it (I thought it was in one of my potted flower plants), the croaking stopped. I think he must have seen me standing there.  I gave up and went back inside.

(Yes, my blog is down to discussing frogs on my porch now)

Sure was heart-warming to see JP Patches, the local TV clown from yesteryears getting so much attention.  He deserved it.  I streamed in Breaking Bad Saturday (cost me $2) because I couldn't find it anywhere online.  It left me sitting there wondering....the brother-in-law found some kind of records in a book but darned if I know what the book revealed.  I may have to go on the website to read the comments. Surely I'm not the only one who didn't get it.

I spent a little time yesterday updating my password list. It seems to get longer all the time.  I may work on cleaning up computer files today.  Everytime I think I've got a handle on things, I notice little odds and ends cluttering up my documents and my external harddrive.

I asked her if I could share her picture and name on my blog and she was agreeable so I'd like to introduce my latest sister, Marian, born in 1966 and living in NC.

My mother had ten kids--3 boys and 7 girls. Marian is the youngest.  Her and her brother were put up for adoption by my mother back in the 60's and they were adopted by the same family. My half sisters in Pennsylvania asked me in 2003 when I visited if I could try to locate the two adopted kids.
Following what clues they had, I eventually connected with Marian on Facebook.

She is married, has three adult children, one grandson, and works as an ICU nurse.  I think she resembles Kathleen, another sister back there. We've talked on Skype once and are getting to know each other via emails. I sent her a copy of my book 'The Alphabet of my Life' so she could learn more about me and her other half siblings in Washington.

I just finished breakfast and the day looms ahead.  I made the mistake of looking up the side effects of the prescription I'm taking for my foot and leg cramps. Gabapentin.  I have to try and remember that ALL drugs list SEVERAL side effects.  I have had relief from the cramps but of course, there's still a bit left from time to time.  Not foot or toe cramps as much as a weird, almost numbing like sensation on the outside of both legs near the ankle area and just above.

I've got this other pain (had it for months) that sometimes seems to go along with it so I assume it's related.  It's on the upper inside  thigh up high and when I googled it, I found a page where dozens of people wrote about the exact same thing.  Many went through xrays, MRIs, chiroprators, and several other tests by their doctor to try and get to the bottom of it. Nothing was ever pinpointed although a few thought it was nerve entrapment.  One guy said to look up "Pudendal nerve entrapment" and "Femural nerve entrapment."  I intend to do that today.  Some of the folks writing in were in agony with terrible cramps and pain but thankfully, mine haven't progressed to that.

Guess I'll go pour a second cup of coffee and maybe even take the dog for a quick walk around the neighborhood.  I've got to get this morning fog shaken out of my head and fresh air seems the best solution.  Gonna clean up some computer files today, do some writing, and think I'll post another question on my Leader blog.

Mary and Andy just got back from a weekend vacation at Whistler. Here's a couple of pictures they posted on FB.

 

Oh....and thanks for the comments about Fort Worden.  I think my cousin in Tacoma is going to try and get a handicapped placard for her folks this week. If she has that, we can go to the Fort Worden office and get a free pass for the day.

Crabs,Grasshoppers & Penquins

Got these three little bus ads video from Bill Koepke in Hawaii.  I thought they were terrific.

It's 11 a.m. and I just finished 40 minutes (about)of bike riding up and down the street and around the block and down the alley.  There's a short dead end street a half block from my house where no building has gone on yet and it's become a dumping ground for litter bugs and stupid lazy pigs!

 This piece of carpet appeared a couple days ago and this morning, a couch showed up to keep it company. A woman down the street usually calls the garbage company and they pick it up. Good thing too because the other end of this road is more isolated yet with tall trees and people throw out all kinds of large furniture.

 I watched two pretty good movies last night. 'The Missing' was on TV starring Tommy Lee Jones (who I adore) and Cate Blanchett.  It was pretty violent in places but sometimes I'm in the mood for blood and guts.  Ha ha  It was a 2003 movie filmed in NM and had scenes of Spanish, English, and Apache spoken.

'The Way' was directed by Emilio Estevez and starred his dad, Martin Sheen. It was a 2010 movie filmed in Calif, France, and Spain.  You got to see lots of good European scenery and local culture. Held my interest all the way through.

And  that's about all I have for now.  Gonna continue to work on tying my quilt at the kitchen table and huntin' for pieces of my Wizard of Oz jigsaw puzzle.  I did finish a book yesterday by Melissa Anderson (Mary on Little House). I thought it was going to be better than it was. I ended up skimming through most of it as it was just page after page of what happened on certain episodes.  I already know all the episodes and was wanting to know more dirt.  I know.  I'm bad.

Starting to cloud up a bit and I can feel fall in the air. HOORAY!  I love fall.
Oh.... and does anybody know.....do I need a pass to get into Fort Worden?  I want to drive my cousins through next Saturday and maybe stop at the beach to eat sandwiches.

Dealing with Gadgets

One thing I've noticed about my new Smart Phone is that I'm not the boss in this relationship. At least not yet!  There's so much to learn. More than once I've heard someone talking to me, picked it up, tried to make the volume louder so I could hear what was being said, and then turned it off in disgust!
I'm thinking perhaps I need to always hit the off button at the top when I've completed a call or any other thing I've done on it. The phantom call this morning, I think, was Jenni's bank telling me there was no such extension as 222 or something.....

I spent a good deal of time this morning trying to transfer pictures from the phone to my computer. Finally remembered I had to send them to Picasa. Went looking for my Picasa album and discovered I may have two or three of them. None of the phone pictures were there. I'm suspecting they just didn't make it. Period.

Last night as I sat in my recliner, I thought I'd experiment with taking pictures.  I was trying to get the quilts up on the wall (may have managed one) but mostly I got my lap.  And there's nothing quite so scary as picking up your phone to look at the settings and realize you've got the camera setting staring at your face--at a most unbecoming angle.  Especially after you've finished a round of bike riding and your hair looks extra awful, your complexion is beet red and ruddy and your chin is ENORMOUS! Sigh..... I think my phone is making fun of me.

I did a little work on the quilt yesterday and really got into the audio tape of 'The Good Earth.' I remember reading it years ago, maybe in the 60's or 70's.  I knew there was a movie version so I hunted on Amazon and video streamed it in last night for $2.99.  No where close to being as good as the book although it did get an oscar for best actress and best cinematography.  It was also nominated for best director and best movie (1937). They probably should have used more Chinese but I guess in the 30's they did things a little different.

Reader's Digest came yesterday and the cover story was '50 things your surgeon won't tell you'.  My, but that was a depressing read.  Made me pray I never need surgery.  There were so many things they suggested you ask your surgeon and so many topics to research ahead of time, I don't see how anyone could remember them all.  Or have the nerve to even ask the surgeon in the first place!  Which is part of the problem.  One thing they suggested was to ask hospital personnel that work on the floors who they think is the best surgeon.  Like that's gonna be an easy task.  I was completely disgusted with the whole thing. You can't trust anyone these days and that's just sad!

Hunter helped me clean out a corner of the garage yesterday. I wanted to go through this large box of sports equipment and toys that have been gathering dust as they've gotten older.  We filled one box for the thrift shop and gave another small box of the better stuff to a couple of little boys two houses down.  While there, the mom took Hunter's phone number so she could use him for babysitting now and then.  Maddie too.  It's nice that Gramma is next door as they start this new part of their life.

Well, the sprinkler is running in the front yard and it's just about time to move it to another section for 20-30 minutes more. Gotta run to Safeway and buy salad fixings as I'm out of everything except a few carrots and the tomatoes I grew on the back deck.  I got in 30 minutes of bike riding early and will spend the rest of the day on that quilt...and maybe on my Wizard of Oz jigsaw puzzle too.

Was pleased to see I had over 300 hits on my new blog on the Leader website. Need to get more people to comment, though.  Perhaps with time.  Have a fun Saturday. Mine will be quiet but next Saturday will be fun as I go to Port Townsend to visit cousins.  Hoping the weather cooperates as we're thinking Subway sandwiches on the beach would be a fun lunch.

A New Blog on the Leader & Around the house

I decided to make a new blog on the Leader website yesterday. Figured the answers to the questions I'll probably post twice a week might be more interesting if I had a bigger audience. Thanks to those half dozen folks who've already signed in.  You can participate easily too. Website is www.ptleader.com    Click on blogs/What Do You Say -- And then comment at the bottom.

Looks like another nice summer day. Will probably heat up a bit in late afternoon but I've got my fans ready and may even sit out front in my recliner lawn chair to read. Too hot on the deck in the afternoon and I've put away my lawn table and chairs in readiness for rainy weather. The chairs are in the garage but I decided to put the round table in the back bedroom as I can always use another table around here.  There's just a single bed in there now so there was enough room. Wayne helped me maneuver it through three doors to get it in.

I've been experimenting with my coffee. Not the brand but the way I drink it from a cup.  I like the french vanilla liquid creamer from Safeway but the price keeps going up and I needed to try something else.  I don't go to drive-thru coffee windows as my budget won't allow that and lotto tickets too.  Ha!  Anyhow, I found that a 1/2 tsp. of Splenda and 1 tsp. of the powdered french vanilla wasn't making my coffee the light brown color I prefer.  I had to keep using more powder and figured I was defeating the purpose.  I happened to have a leftover can of evaporated milk in the fridge so I poured in a little bit of that with the other two dry ingredients and WA-LAAA  I've got a tasty creamy
sweet coffee to my liking.  Evaporated milk is cheaper than coffee creamer I'm pretty sure.  I just never could get my taste buds to accept black coffee...although I am okay with black tea.

I've been trying to eat healthy these past few years.  I need to try harder as my weight continues to climb.  I am taking steps to fix that, though, and FINALLY this morning the scale reflected a little loss.  Not a lot but enough to let me know the little things I'm doing are working.  Like riding my bike more.  I went out early this morning as I knew it was going to warm up today and I can't tolerate riding in the heat.  I did close to 40 minutes just up and down my street.

If I ride from my house three blocks down to Yvonne's, it's a pretty easy ride as it's got a downhill slant.  Coming back is a little harder but my goal is to be able to ride back without feeling like death is at my door.  Ha Ha  Most of the time I just ride the long block in front of my place back and forth as it's more level.  I've noticed some of the neighbors have started to do the same thing.

I picked up a stylus pen at Walmart yesterday to use on my Smart phone.  My fingers just can't text that easily yet.  I had two pens around here but I think I gave one to Maddie and the other one "got lost."  They cost $14 a piece. I stood there trying to decide if I wanted to pay that much. Knew I had to have one if I wanted to get anywhere on my phone so I threw it in my cart muttering under my breath about what a ripoff it was.

I fixed scrambled eggs, toast, and hash browns for breakfast.  Bought a few sweet potatoes as they're supposed to be full of potassium.  Thought I'd see how one fried up and it was pretty tasty. I've been adding tumeric to a lot of my cooked dishes. (another foot cramp remedy)

This particular plate was one of those kits that you decorate and then send off to have the design implanted.  I've never been able to draw worth a darn so I opted to use favorite movie sayings recorded around the plate. Stuff like:  I'm walkin' here! What a Dump! Well that'll be the day! Oil me! Thank you, Thank you very much! You Talkin' to me?! What we have here is a failure to communicate! Fasten your seatbelts; It's going to be a bumpy ride! Go ahead..Make my day!

I'm just about ready to start another journal. I've got two diaries to transcribe now and I know it's going to take me a while. I was surprised to find that the two books covered SEVEN YEARS!

The pink/green diary is 3 years (2005-2008) and the white one is 2008 to today. I've got past years (1970-2005) transcribed and on disk but unfortunately a couple years or more are missing and my daily entries are mostly STUPID STUFF that make no sense.  I really need to go into more detail when I'm yakking about my day. 

I sent for a couple of books on half.com. Lent 'Memories of a Prairie Bitch' to Jenni and I'm reading 'The Way I see it' by Melissa Anderson. (Mary on Little House on the Prairie)  Interesting stuff but then you'd have to be a fan to appreciate it.  I guess I knew it but had forgotten that Nellie's brother on the show (Willie) is Melissa Gilbert's (Laura) real life brother.

Okay. Time to get busy on that quilt on my kitchen table.  I never did get to it yesterday because cleaning out my closets and drawers took all afternoon.  What a hard job it is to decide to donate old clothes.  I ended up filling a medium sized bin with a lot of things I just wasn't ready to give away yet.  Like my t-shirts of The Sopranos and Officer and a Gentleman.  I did throw close to 20 items into the black giveaway bag, however, and half a dozen pairs of shoes.

I went into the back bedroom closet to see what I could thin from that area but I wasn't too successful.
I had a dozen sweat shirts but since our weather is cold around here a lot of the year, I figured I needed those.  Probably could have donated three or four but I wasn't ready.  I also had a few coats too many but I'll try again another day.  In the back of the closet are a few pretty dresses (that don't fit and haven't fit for some time) but I can't part with them yet.  They're too new looking...even if they are polyester, the material that makes my grandkids laugh.

I've got some polyester pants (colors are purple, green, blue, black) with a crease down the center that are totally comfortable and totally out of style. But I don't care.  I'm old and I can wear whatever I want--even if the kids do laugh.

I watched a good flick on Netflix last night. 'Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont.' About an old lady living in this hotel in England with other seniors who waits patiently for her grandson to come visit. Good story line. 

Off to the kitchen now.  One of my goals is to eat less bread.  To me, that means better bake up some breakfast muffins then.  And since I have some All Bran cereal and yogurt and berries onhand, I think that's just what I'm going to do.

And here's a song I'm dedicating to my new car.....

Ahhh...It's still Summer

I've got a quilt waiting for me on the kitchen table that I put together before I left for the ocean.  I'm at the hard part of sewing the three layers together and finishing the hems. My goal for today is to get that done and out of my hair.  I think I'm going to tie this one because it's faster.

When the dermatologist burned (or iced?) a spot on my finger yesterday, she didn't mention that it would puff up and blister.  How alarming to see it later in the day. I called the office and the receptionist instructed me to not pop it if I can possibly keep from doing so because then it could get infected.  Going to be difficult since it's on my pointing finger.  Would have been nice to have had this information while I was in there.

I didn't get too much done yesterday.  Trimmed a bush outside my window, made a large batch of bean soup, and posted on my Leader blog.

Today I'm quilting and listening to The Good Earth on tape.  Maybe I'll set up my tape player and see about getting those cassettes of Andy's made into CDs.  I wonder if each tape needs one CD.  I never can figure out stuff like that.  Maybe I'll run over to Walmart and buy some disks.  I could use a stylus for my smart phone too as I can't find the one I had.  I think I have half a dozen other items on my shopping list, as well.

Nothing on my calendar until Sept. 15th.  I'm picking up cousins at Fat Smitty's in Discovery Bay and take them into PT so we can ride around and see the sights.  May go to lunch with other cousins too--Lee & Elaine Arey.

Here's a short video I shot at Moclips....  (It's like most of my videos....cornbally)




Here's another video I found on YouTube of the house we stayed in.




Sure is looking nice outside.  I'd better add "ride my bike" to my to-do list.   Playing with the idea of heading across town to Walmart too.

I edited my Leader blog this morning. Took out the part about adding a "question" every day. Figured that might be too much. Perhaps I'll post the questions here instead. Well, coffee is done so I'm off.

Wednesday at home

Another morning of NO FOOT CRAMPS!  I am sooooo happy about that.  Just got back from seeing the dermatologist.  Everything looked okay although she thought this one little sore on my finger could be precancer so she burned it.  Well, iced it is more like it.  I forget what the ingredient was in that blow torch but it sure hurt.  Finger still feels uncomfortable.  But....at least I'm done with that chore that was on my list. I have to go buy some sunscreen lotion. I've never used it and I'm overdue.

I mowed the front lawn yesterday. It was mostly tall dandelions. Little grass. I have decided to start watering out there to see if I can't bring back a little green color instead of the yellow/brown.  I run the sprinkler for 30 minutes and then pull it to another part of the lawn for another half hour.  I vacuumed out my car yesterday but then decided I wasn't in the mood to wash it. Drove downtown to a carwash where you go through the mops and brushes. Much easier although I've only done that once before and I was a little apprehensive about getting my tires on the pull-through gliders.  I'm still trying to get comfortable with how the car handles and my parking is sometimes a little off the mark.

After that, I went across town to Bargain Warehouse to see about buying a new recliner.  My old one was screwed up and wouldn't recline back to the sleeping position.  I look forward to naps in that chair and I was upset I couldn't sleep sitting up that well.  Besides, it's almost my birthday and I needed a good present.  I gave Jenni and Wayne my old one.

I saw my son-in-law's beach pictures on Facebook this morning and had to share some.  Other peoples' pictures always appeal to me more than mine. My granddaughter, Catie, took some great shots as well. I'll have to go back and find them.  Here's Andy's.....

                                        Andy's bird kite really looked neat

                                   the trail to our back deck

I soaked some beans overnight and plan to make up a big pot of bean soup with ham hocks.  Yesterday I made this salmon loaf (from a can) and it sure was good. I may use leftovers for sandwiches.  I was having a hard time getting it thick enough to form a loaf but once I added a few oatmeal flakes, a piece of bread crust cut up, a tablespoon of flour, onion, celery, garlic, and an egg, it all came together.  I also cooked up a sweet potato and had mashed potatoes.  Yum!

Well, my stove timer is going off so guess I'll go move the sprinkler to another spot.
Here's some of Catie's photos:

                                    the sand castle at sunset

                                      Sammy, Hunter, & Jenni off for a stroll on the beach

Mary brought several games to the beach and one of them was this box of cards with questions on it. Simple subjects yet they made you think. (TableTopics) I'm playing with the idea of using them for my Leader blog. Right now I only post every couple of weeks but with this game, I could write everyday.  I've already got my subject in mind for today, though. Thinking of writing about family vacations.

Happy birthday yesterday to Carol Rustad Musial in Bremerton and George Orth in Port Townsend.
Tomorrow is the birthday of two aunts--both gone now but not forgotten.

Elva Arey, one of my dad's two older sisters

                                                 
                                        Lorraine Blankenship, wife of my dad's brother, George

Labor Day Fun

I've discovered that Facebook is easier to post pictures on as I can do several at once instead of one at a time on my blog.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3612831879063.2134425.1221762068&type=3

I think I'll sign off for a minute and see if this cut and paste link I tried worked. Yep! That did the trick.  I guess I'll just rattle on with whatever comes to mind today.....

Here's a post card I bought when Mary, Andy, and I ran into Ocean Shores on Saturday.  It was full of tourists everywhere streaming in and out of the local shops.  I went into a pharmacy and bought a couple of birthday cards, some salt water taffy for Hunter, and two writing tablets for Maddie & Catie.

The most interesting thing I saw was this teenage boy with a skateboard who walked by on the sidewalk as I sat in the car people-watching.  His ear lobes were like big hoop earrings. Actually large enough holes so that you could put a folded napkin through them.  I'm getting used to seeing people with tattoos all over their body (well, almost used to it) but it's going to take a while to get used to seeing boys with ears hanging down with big gapping holes in them.

Who the hell talked him into that and why aren't his parents parenting I wonder?  Andy says it's getting to be the latest fad as he's seen it before.  Oh my! Those poor misguided young boys. If they live to be old, they'll regret their days of glory I bet.  Especially if they live to be really old. I've seen a lot of "old man ears" and they kind of take on a life of their own and enlarge over time.  Kind of like my boobs have done this past decade.  ha ha

Jenni, Wayne, and I went down to the Quinault Casino for an hour on Sunday.  I was disappointed that like 7 Cedars, they didn't have Keno games. I also didn't find any non-smoking areas so I was ready to leave before our hour was up.  I did manage to leave with about $5 more than I started with.
Jenni & Wayne also left with more. About $20.  It was kind of fun. I'd been there back in 2000 I think it was.  I took this picture before going inside...

Besides the relaxation and time with the kids and grandkids, I enjoyed just sitting on the deck to watch the waves, flying kites on the beach, getting in the hot tub, and having my meals fixed for me.
Jenni prepared white turkey chili on Sat. night and Mary fixed lasagna and garlic bread on Sunday.
Catie made a great salad and I made cherry cheesecake tarts.

The large rental would probably sleep 14. Mary and Andy had the master bedroom with bath downstairs and I had another room downstairs that adjoined the main bathroom.  The loft had two rooms on each side and one large middle room. There were two twin beds, two double beds, two couches and a dinette set up there.

I did get in the hot tub on Saturday.  Hadn't been in one for twenty years. Hunter kept directing me to a little built-in seat so I could get in up to my neck and let my legs float upward.  Well, I couldn't get the hang of that and then I couldn't get my footing to rearrange myself on a little higher ledge. The squawking and flailing I did to try and "right myself" was just too much entertainment for onlookers up above. Mary and Jenni almost wet their pants trying to take pictures and video.  Course that made us all laugh more.  One of those "had to be there moments."

Pets weren't allowed at the place but we took Sammy anyhow. His kennel was on the deck and he stayed outside except at bedtime when he slept with Wayne and Jenni.  The upper deck had see-thru
plexiglass all around the edges and I don't think Sammy was comfortable with the height or something?  After he was brought back up the stairs and unhooked from his leash, he would stand in one point and shake afraid to walk towards the door.  Once he was picked up and placed by his bed near the door, he would stay in that area. Never did look over the side.

Jenni did unleash him once they got down to the beach and he was in heaven!  Ran and chased birds and visited other dogs. There were dogs everywhere.  One very LARGE dog came up to him and Sammy had to stand on two legs to smell his butt!  Wish I'd been there. What a picture that would have been.

I hadn't flown kites since I was a kid. Can't even hardly remember if I did then but I must have. Andy brought a couple of neat kites. One was 3-D and one was a large bird. I brought a black teeth one.

Mary brought me a new Smart phone.  I'm relying on the kids to help me learn how to use it. I'm at the stage now where I'm kind of intimidated by it but I suppose I'll get over that.  I went through these same emotions when we got a VCR for the first time, then a DVD player, then a computer, then my digital camera, then a scanner....the list goes on.  I'm determined to become a  whiz on my phone as it does SO MUCH!  Maddie uploaded an app that lets you use it as a flashlight.  All the kids play a ton of games on it and I'm able to check my email, Facebook, and other websites I like.  You can also upload a GPS so you can figure out where you're going.

It's sitting here beside me, and every now and then, it makes a burping zippy noise like I've got a message or something?  I never can find out why.  Yesterday I picked it up and I heard a voice asking me "What city are you looking for?"  I said "HUH?  Who is that?"  Apparently I had hit 411. I told her sorry and hung up quickly.

To set it up, Mary needed my passwords on Facebook and Gmail and Hotmail.  I had changed them a while back and couldn't really remember any of them.  That was aggravating.  We had to change all my passwords and that was only possible because I think I hit on one of them.  Anyhow, this morning I had to go in and make new passwords.  Catie says I have to make new Passwords on my phone as well because it won't recognize the passwords I made this morning on the computer.  TOO MUCH FOR MY BRAIN SOMETIMES!

We had a fun time Sunday night sitting by the bonfire that Hunter built.  He had earnestly hunted down driftwood on the beach and in the tall grass and accumulated it for the fire.  Mary says he jumped up and down with joy as it got bigger. (just like a boy)  There was shore patrol riding up and down the beach with their red lights flashing and Jenni & Wayne started teasing Hunter that they were coming for him.

He was pretty sure they were kidding but he wasn't entirely sure.  There were other fires going besides ours and fireworks.  When everyone finished and came back to the house, the fire was still burning.  That's when the fire patrol guys move in with their equipment and put it out. They don't want the wind changing and sending embers into the grass.  I was in bed by this time but Jenni told me they watched from the windows as the fire patrol moved in towards our fire and Hunter watched them from the bathroom which was back and away from exposure from the large window.  I suspect they were teasing him again that the patrol would probably come up to the house next.

When we left Friday evening, I drove from here to Forks. Didn't want to navigate those winding roads in the dark so Wayne took over.  I did drive all the way back,though. We pretty much had the highway to ourself the whole time. Took about 3-1/2 hours but we stopped twice to get snacks and stretch our legs and let the dog out to pee.  Moclips is about 20 miles north of Ocean Shores.

The first thing I did when I got home was open the windows to air the place out a bit, turn on my computer, water flowers, and feed the fish.  I guess they don't need to be fed daily as they were both still going strong.  I was on empty so I went downtown to get gas. Safeway was backed up with tourists filling up so I drove a few miles uptown to use Rhino gas station. I think it was probably a little cheaper anyhow. 

I may move the car onto the lawn to give it a good washing today. I naturally picked up a ton of bugs. Need to vacuum out the inside too.  I woke up this morning full of energy and got a lot done before sitting down to surf the net and do a little blogging.  I had a heck of a time all weekend with terrible foot and leg cramps at night so it curtailed my beach walking and other activities I might have put more energy into.  I didn't take my prescription with me because I wasn't entirely sure it was doing any good anyhow. 

Last night I took 4 of the pills and I woke up symptom free. No cramps.  I was IN HEAVEN!  Which means I'm going to take those dang pills faithfully now.  I know I'm probably not immune from more cramps but I've got my fingers crossed. Am also back on drinking vinegar twice a day and taking Vit E.

Since my household chores are done, I think I'll see about downsizing clothes and shoes in my closet.
Not looking forward to it but I need to at least make the effort.

Andy gave me about 10 cassette tapes he'd like made into CDs so I've got to hook up my tape player and get back to that project too. I've got a couple hundred tapes to convert but I'd put it on the back burner as it was a slow process and I wasn't entirely satisfied with the sound quality. I may have more settings to figure out how to adjust.  I'll practice on mine before I do his.

Well, that's it for today.  Time for lunch.