Off to the vet this morning

Yesterday turned out to be errand day. I got my walk in before Monday Morning Coffee, went to coffee, and then headed out to Dollar General, both markets and Salvation Army. I got my groceries and necessities for the week. Found three little plastic baskets for a buck each at DG for the recycling, got my smoked pork chops, carrots for the bunnies, and some other food and veggies. But it was so hot (another 102 degree day) I had to bring everything back and put it away before I could go to Sal’s. I did find a light weight summer bathrobe and a couple of tank tops, but that was about it and I need to wash them before I can use them. I will keep looking.

My neighbors out back are leaving this morning. I will miss them. Won’t see them again for six months. The park has really emptied out in the last few weeks. 

The Walmart shopping cart seems to be down this morning. I am trying to order a set of wrought iron nesting tables for the patio, but I can’t get to the cart to check out. I did get my shade cloth ordered for the back end of the patio where the new work bench will be going. That will reduce the afternoon sun. The shade sails are for the morning sun.

Today we go to the vet. She hasn’t had any meds this morning and is having tiny pee. She is also bugging the living crap out of me because she wants more food. I’m not giving her any more until we get back, hopefully with more prednisone.

This cactus has blossoms that only last one day. According to my neighbor it is an Argentine Giant. I have morning pics and afternoon pics.

First thing in the AM

From the back

At the end of the day. It has four more blossoms coming.

And this is a good sized guy that I spotted while I was walking. He was hanging out on the club house sidewalk.

Here is a closer pic

Fence reconfiguration

Not much to write about this morning. It got hot yesterday, I didn’t do a whole lot. I did get ambitious before it got too warm and cut the reed fence in half. By the time I finished installing the cut half around noon time it was 100 degrees out. We made it all the way up to 102. Supposed to be one more day of this then each day will become a bit cooler, if you can call the upper 80’s cooler.

I forgot to cut bunny holes in the reed and had to grab my nippers last night and cut one. Most of the bunnies figured it out and went around the fence, but one kept trying to push thru. I guess there are smart bunnies and some not so smart bunnies. :) I ordered two more rolls of the fencing. I was going to order the 3ft high rolls, but those were $37 each and the 6ft rolls are $39 each. WTF? I will cut them in half myself.

I need to get some cooler warm weather clothes. It is just too warm to be wearing any more than necessary, all of my shirts have sleeves. Going to hit Sal’s and see what I can come up with. Need cooler sleep wear too. I looked online, but didn't see anything I liked.

I'm in a quandary. I have limited funds and no income. My question is, do I buy the things I need to make me comfortable, or do I wait and hope that I will have the money to get what I want later? Every penny I spend brings me closer to having to get a job. This morning I ordered two patio recliners. Just like the one I had in IP. I spent a LOT of time on the patio and I want to be comfortable and I want it to look nice. It isn’t a necessity, but is important. I chose to order the chairs because of the comfort and appearance, plus, they can be used indoors or out. I can bring them in or use them indoors if I ever move. Replacing the cushions would be fairly inexpensive in comparison to buying new chairs. Not sure if I made the right choice or not, but it is done. Experience tells me if I don't get them while I have the cash, I never will have enough to buy them in the future. They weren’t exactly cheap, about a month’s worth of groceries. Sigh….the spending has to stop. And as I write this, I order two more rolls of fencing…

Kali Cat is OK. Not bad, but not as good as the last couple of days. She had her last prednisone this morning and we go see the vet tomorrow. I would take her today, but I want to do the coffee thing.

A new grandson

Yesterday morning at 9:57, Cole Phillip Marsh, was born weighing in at 7lb 9oz and 21 inches long. Jake’s sixth grandchild. All boys but one.

I really like this photo of Dylan, it reminds me so much of one of my favorite photos of Jake. They have the same look in their eyes. Jake would be so proud of Dylan, I know I am.

  

 I didn’t do a whole lot yesterday. The high temp for the day was 102 degrees. We were at 101 for most of the afternoon. It was OK. Hot, and you didn’t want to move around much, but nothing like 101 degrees in the northeast. The lower humidity makes a huge difference.

I put a thermometer in the bedroom, closed the door and blocked off the two inches under the door and the temp in there never went above 72 degrees. I have it set to 80 in the house. The AC doesn’t come on until mid afternoon as long as I close the place up shortly after the sun comes up. I spent the majority of the day out on the patio reading. Pretty much my plan for today.

Vicki, up the road, gave me an inflatable pool. She had two. I gladly accepted. I’m sure I will be using it soon. It is supposed to cool off to more seasonable temps this week, but we have another day or two of heat.

Kali Cat seems to be doing well. Other than very early in the week, we haven’t had any problems. I hope it continues. She has one more pill left and then has to go back to the vet. Hoping we get more pills, they seem to be helping a lot. 

Productive day

I got a lot done yesterday. Most of it before it got really warm. We hit 98 degrees here yesterday. Thankfully, it does cool off during the night, at least for now.

Got in my one mile around the park and then started on my projects. I finally have power in the shed. Got the solar panel hooked up and the charge controller installed. That went fairly easy. 

From there I went on to deal with a bunch of smaller projects. Finally got the rolling mill bolted to the bench, and did the vise as well. This will be the first time I have a vise secured to a bench. Never had a place to bolt it down before.

I still have a lot of work to do in the shed to make it workable and organized, but am going to wait for my tool chest before I do too much more in there. If I ever get my new rig, a lot of what is in the shed will go in the rig and free up a whole lot of space.

I took the chain off the new solar chandelier and rehung it with a wrought iron hook and moved the older one to the other end of the patio and used a matching hook for that one so they are hanging at the same height. The hummer feeder is now hanging from the patio support too, and the white pole is gone.

I painted the new frames I got at Sal’s the other day and replaced that ugly one my desert print was in. It looks much better. Just a simple black frame, no frilly stuff. Matches the flower print frame now. I even got my laundry done. Definitely a productive day.

 

Late in the day I finished filling out the form to close my old mail box in IP and took that to the post office to mail. Had to buy a stamp, can’t find mine. They are here somewhere, I saw them recently. Finally got my disc cutting tool too. It had been shipped via USPS to my street address so it got sent back. Had to pay the postage the second time around. Oh well. It’s gonna happen.

My tool chest and work bench have both been shipped. They should be here next week. I will have plenty to do when they get here. I’m sure both will need assembling, and the tool chest will need to be set up with all my tools. It is starting to look like a work shop in there. My fear tho is that by the time it is finally ready to use, it will be too hot to use it. At least I will be able to run a fan out there now.

I don’t have a lot on today’s agenda. I have already done a couple of things on my list. I rolled up a towel and put it at the bottom of the bedroom door to keep the AC in. The way the bed is forces the cold air down and out under the door. The towel should prevent that and keep the cool air in. I also put a thermometer up in there to see what the difference is.

Had bees coming in the house yesterday. I think I had to deal with five of them. I finally ended up getting my bug sucker so I could catch and release. Not sure what that was all about, maybe the cooler temps. They came in thru KC’s crate on the front step. I wonder if there is some kind of repellent I can put there. Some quickie research says dryer sheets, I have some somewhere and will give that a try. Need it for the shed too, had a couple of persistent bees in there too. I don’t know if they are honey bees or not. There are also killer bees out here so you don’t want to piss them off.

Kali Cat seems to be OK. She is eating a little more now that I am mixing her food. Plus, I accidentally bought tuna in oil instead of water and she is liking that too. She is eating all that I give her in the morning with her meds in it. So I guess I will continue to the the oil instead of the water for a while. We go see the doctor on Tuesday and hopefully get some more prednisone. Her urn came yesterday, it is very nice. I am pleased with it. It matches Jake’s very well, similar engraving, same color. A good choice. For now it is still in it’s box in a cupboard in the bedroom. Out of sight. I did not show it to her. Who knows how much they understand.

Well, time for me to get moving and get my walk in while it is still cool. Gonna be a hot weekend.

Fences and fruit

One and quarter miles yesterday morning. A little later and a little warmer than I would have liked, so I took my water bottle with me. Went to the post office and salvation army after I finished my walk. My solar lights were at the post office and I wanted them so I could finish the chandelier. I did pretty good at Sal’s too. Got a metal firewood holder for the chiminea, a big bowl that I am going to use as a bird bath, a couple of picture frames, a pair of denim shorts and three rubbermaid coffee mugs. Two of the mugs will go in the new rig, and the third will be used for my Monday morning coffee. I have been using their foam cups but most people bring their own. I didn’t want to bring one of my red mugs because I was afraid I would drop it and break it. Now I have one I can use. They are blue, not my favorite color, but I can live with it.

I had to cut the stems off the bottom of the solar lights so they would fit in the chandelier cups, got that done and the light bases liquid nailed into the cups. Let that setup for a while and went on to the reed fence. 

I ended up putting up both sections, wish I had ordered at least one more, but will manage with the two. They look OK. It isn’t permanent, and I am considering options for the next time. The reed fence probably isn’t going to hold up very long because it is basically out in the open with the sun and wind without any support.

By the time I got all that done, it was after 1 and hot. That pretty much wrapped up the day. I did have someone come look at Ody, but it wasn’t big enough for the two of them. They liked her tho. Asked them to spread the word.

Today I am going to move the pole that has the old chandelier on it. Will hang the old chandelier at the other end of the patio and will hang the hummer feeder off the edge of the roof too and remove that pole completely. Will have to find a spot for my little chimes, but that is minor. Have been considering the reed fence and the shade sail, and assuming the reed doesn’t last, I just ordered two more sails on eBay. I will save one as a replacement, or use it if the colors don’t match and save the old one, but will attach one in the opposite direction from the fence so it will block the view of the 5th wheel next door, and add shade to the yard. An inexpensive solution. Cheaper than a new reed fence. I will just cut that fence down so that it still covers the chain link. Also  much cheaper than having a wall built or a fence installed. I can live with it

I got a huge bag of grapefruit and a bag of oranges yesterday. Carrol, one of my neighbors was going somewhere and she was telling me about them. For ten bucks I got 35 oranges and 20 grapefruit. She was nice enough to pick them up for me. I have already had one of each. They aren’t quite as good as the ones I got a little while back, but the season has passed and I’m lucky to get them.

I just ordered the tool chest for the workshop and a work bench for the patio so I can work outside when the shed gets too warm. It will also serve as a potting bench and whatever else I will need it for. I will have to find a new spot for the scooter tho. 

Kali Cat had a restful day yesterday. Good output in the litter box. I’ll take it. :) She came in the bedroom again last night for some snuggling which she hasn’t done other than once or twice since we moved in here. And she was bugging me for food at 3:30 this morning.

Today’s agenda is digging a hole and getting the new bird/bunny bath setup, moving the chandelier and hummer feeder, solar for the shed, and a few other smaller projects. It is going to be hot so I don’t know how much I will get done. And laundry...

Well, gotta walk this morning so I am going to get going. I picked up a smaller stainless steel water bottle at Sal’s yesterday, this one has a wide enough mouth that I can put ice in it. Not quite as small as I wanted, but we will see how it works out. Think I will walk the park this morning instead of the bigger blocks. Much prettier. 

More things to do

Got myself up and out relatively early yesterday. Got in a 1.6 mile walk. I hadn’t planned on walking that far, but forgot that there is no access between C and B streets at the other end, and ended up walking D street for the second time, then back to B. Oh well. With the number of times I have eaten out this week, I needed it. I also need to get in a good walk this morning, I got my burger and fries at lunch time yesterday. And it was good! 

Georgia was having more work done on her rig, so I went off to do errands. I stopped at the hardware store and got the bolts I need to bolt the mill to the bench and also bought a new vise. Mine is a suction vise and won’t work on this work bench. The new one will get bolted to the bench. Bought the bolts I need for that too. Then went to the post office expecting some packages, but the only thing there was a book on needle basketry that I had ordered in preparation for the class that I will hopefully be taking this summer.

Once I got all that done, I went and hung out with Georgia while they were finishing up the work on her rig. Looked at the beads she was getting rid of, picked out a few. And while we were there, I finally bought the deep cycle marine battery so I can get the solar working in the shed. When they finished with her rig, we parked it and hopped into my car and came back here for a little while, then went back to the Grubstake for lunch. That is where I had my burger and fries. It was much better than the fish I had the night before.

After lunch, Georgia decided to head to her next destination so I dropped her off and went to DG to pick up a few things.  I was going to stop at Salvation Army, but they were closed by the time I went by. Will try again today. I need to find something to use as a bird bath for the bunnies. For now I have a plastic dish with a rock in it, but it is ugly. Need to find something I don’t mind looking at. I probably won’t find a real bird bath, but hopefully something that will hold water for them. I will dig it into the ground for extra wind deflection. 

Today’s projects are many and varied. I don’t know if I will get them all done, but the two big ones I would like to do. The first being the reed fence. That came late yesterday in huge boxes. I wrestled with the cardboard and got that over to the cardboard dumpster. It was windy and I just didn’t feel like chasing it down so I dealt with it right away. The other project is to get the solar working in the shed. The two smaller projects is bolting the mill and the vise to the bench. I got bolts and wing nuts for the mill so I can easily remove it if I need to, and bolts for the vise, that will be a permanent install. I will have to drill for the mill. It isn’t a difficult project, but if it is hot, I might not get to it.

I have to get in a good walk this morning. Hoping to start early. I slept until 4:30 this morning. Yay! And that was after falling asleep in front of the TV for a while too. Yesterday was a long day with no nap, so I needed it.

Kali Cat is OK. No episodes for the last couple of days, but she doesn’t do anything but sleep now. Having problems getting her to eat. I have started mixing some of the less expensive food with the expensive stuff and she seems to be eating that, for now. Still throwing out a lot tho. Good production in the box. But she is loosing weight again. Just a tough position to be in. Keeping her as happy as I can, for as long as I can. But it is very restrictive. I can’t make any plans, go anywhere or do anything. 

Bunny fight under the shed yesterday. They had been chasing each other around the yard, and then there was some banging and clanging in the shed so I went to check it out. Thought maybe one of them got closed inside, but they were under it. They came out like a rocket and one of them had fur in it’s mouth. They are very territorial. 

Supposed to be in the upper 90’s here this weekend. They say it has been unseasonably warm this spring. Hoping it isn’t a sign of things to come for the summer. I will be shut up inside the house if it is. Instead of avoiding the cold, I will be avoiding the heat. At least it isn’t six months long. They say the worst of it is August. Gonna be interesting. :)

Well, if I am going to get my walk in early and get my other projects done, I need to get in the shower and get myself moving. Still trying to start earlier in the day. Doing better with that. I was done walking by 8:30 yesterday. Not sure if I will manage that today, but am going to try. :)

Just another day....

Not much new here. Got in a 1 mile walk, puttered around, cleaned house, and went to dinner with Georgia. Another new restaurant. So far, every time I have eaten out, it has been a different restaurant. There are still some I haven’t been to yet. We went to the Grubstake and it was OK. I had the fish and chips. Not a lot of flavor and the fries were spiced. So far I have not been impressed by any of the restaurants here in Q.

I tried out my rolling mill finally. I used a couple of screws to somewhat secure it to the bench, I will need to bolt it down to be able to really use it tho. That is one of the reasons I haven’t tried it up til now. Watching the video on youtube really helped. I flattened a piece of copper wire and I guess I am going to make some rings out of it. Will try braising them instead of soldering. I also straightened out the work bench itself, but I am thinking I need to get a tool chest. I’m having problems finding tools and putting them back when I am done. Not quite sure where to put them, so I have just been putting them on the bench, which creates a mess, and I still can’t find them when I need them. I have found one online I might order, but am going to sit on it for a couple of days. They aren’t cheap. But it certainly would go a long way towards organizing the workshop. Never had room for one before and tool storage is always an issue. I bought a couple of plastic storage boxes, but they just aren’t big enough for my tools.

Took the little trunk off the scooter yesterday and put a milk crate on the back. It looks so much cooler with the trunk, but the crate is much more useful. Dropped my bag of garbage in and took it to the dumpsters. Went around the block a couple of times while I was at it. 

Kali Cat woke me up around 2:30 this morning. :( I did fall asleep in front of the TV last night, so I guess I can’t complain too much. Got up and went to bed a little after 9. No nap yesterday. She had an OK day, slept thru it. So far, so good this morning. She, of course, turned up her nose at the very expensive food again, so I mixed it with some of the Wellness canned food I still have left and she ate most of it. At this point, I guess it doesn’t really matter what she eats, as long as she eats.

The reed fencing is supposed to be here today. Looking forward to that. Shouldn’t be too hard to put up. Wondering how well it will hold up to wind and rain. Monsoon season is coming. It isn’t expensive, so if I have to replace it, it won’t be too bad. I will keep my eyes open for some real fencing tho.

Today is chore day. But I cleaned yesterday, and did a load of laundry on Sunday, so I don’t need to do either of those. I do need to go to the post office, and should go to the store. But other than the post office, nothing necessary on the agenda.

Nice and cool this morning

Kali Cat slept the day away. She is pretty low energy these days. She is having issues this morning, but isn’t crying, and if her pattern plays out, she should be better in a few hours. She slept in again this morning, and I appreciate it. I’m wondering if she isn’t the main cause of my lack of sleep.

I had good intentions to walk yesterday. I actually got myself and my water bottle out there, but I kept running in to people and stopping to chat, so I lost my motivation. I only went around A & B streets. It ended up being a half mile, so it wasn’t a total loss. I had forgotten Monday Morning Coffee, again. Vicky reminded me. I need to set a reminder for every Monday morning. I did manage to make it, although a few minutes late. For the most part, I am liking the social aspect of living in this community.

I started a Facebook group for the park. I have six people added so far. Everyone I talked to seemed to like the idea.

I didn’t do much after walking and chatting yesterday. Read a book, found a nice little sun catcher in my stash to give to the birthday girl when we went for pizza later in the day. Got that wrapped and ready to go. Then Silly Al’s for pizza at 4. I dropped $20 on a small pizza and an iced tea. I think that was a very expensive pizza and it wasn’t all that good. People have raved about their pizza, but I wasn’t impressed. And I’m out twenty bucks. For that kind of money I could have had a steak dinner.

I’m probably going to have dinner with Georgia tonight. She is coming back to Q to get something in her rig serviced and asked if I wanted to. Yes! :) I am tired of being stuck at home and not being able to do anything except a quick run to the store. I just don’t feel like I can leave KC any longer than that. 

The baby bunny was back. It was sitting there watching the big bunnies and the birds eat. Later when I looked out, the big bunnies were gone and baby was getting some of the leftover pellets. I will have to make sure to put a few out late each day. He/she is the cutest little thing. I did see one of the older bunnies taking leaves off the bottom of the grapefruit tree tho, and they are still trying to get drinks from the bubbler on the watering system. That probably explains what looked like a tooth mark on the damaged section that I had to cut out. Will have to keep an eye on that. Might have to put some PVC over the exposed line.

I’m planning on getting an early start this morning and walking while it is still quite cool. I need to deal with the garbage today, between the cat littler and the food I throw away it gets pretty smelly, and I should vacuum and dust as I might have company. Georgia hasn’t seen the place since I showed it to her before I moved in. Granted, it isn’t dirty, but I have been slacking on my housekeeping…sort of. Seems like I do a ton of dishes every day and I can’t understand where they come from, it isn’t like I do much cooking and I wash my dinner dishes at night. KC generates quite a few dishes, so that must be it.

Well, if I am going to get an early start, I need to start early. 

Bunnies

I slept fairly well last night, Kali Cat didn’t get me up until 4:30 this morning. That is late for her. She has been slow on meal times lately. We don’t go back to the vet until a week from today or tomorrow, but I don’t know if she will still be here then. We’ll see. She isn’t eating much now. I throw away more food that she asks for and just doesn’t eat. It isn’t looking promising.

Was a quiet day yesterday. I didn’t bother to walk since it was already warm by the time I got showered and dressed. Putting Kali Cat in the bathroom really screws with my morning routine. I can’t shower when she is in there. Once she settled down, she slept all day. 

I took pictures of the bunnies and the birds. I had a decent sized lizard here yesterday, but didn’t get a picture of him. He was too fast. I will keep an eye out for him. That makes three that I am aware of. Three different sizes. I did get a couple of pics of the medium sized one.

Seems like the larger they are, the more color they have . This little guy was over by the shed.

I spotted a baby bunny late in the day. It was very skittish compared to the older bunnies. This is by the shed walk way.

 This is the oldest, or at least looks like the oldest. I’m calling him Chester. He’s sitting by the grapefruit tree.

The rest of the pictures are here…  https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6129248862237831505

That is about all I have this morning. This afternoon is a birthday party for Bea, one of the neighbors, at Silly Al’s Pizza. I haven’t been there yet. Assuming KC is OK, I plan on going. I do need to find a little something to give Bea as a gift. Not sure what yet. I just can’t make any plans. 

Another bad morning for KC

Another bad morning for Kali Cat. She has blood in her stool now too. My guess is that her mass has metastasized. She is still in the bathroom at the moment, but the spell seems to have passed thankfully and she is resting now. I will check on her again in a little while. This is so much like taking care of Jake in his last weeks. :( Similar issues. But at least he could tell me what was wrong. I hadn’t planned on doing laundry, but Kali Cat got up on the back of the couch and and had an accident on my cow pattern throw, and also got some on the couch cover, so those are all washed and hung out to dry. I haven’t been able to find any spots on the carpet, so I think we are good on that for now. This sucks so very much. I hate seeing her in pain, but when she isn’t, she is herself. She hasn’t lost massive amounts of weight, is eating, still has all her faculties, and is still Kali Cat. I’m still hoping she will just go to sleep and not wake up. She is getting extra loving. Can’t leave her for more than an hour or so at a time and I am constantly checking on her, checking her box, it is a full time job. 

So far the birds at the feeders consist of mourning doves and finches. Nothing unusual. There is a woodpecker across the street that I haven’t managed to get a picture of yet. I’m hoping there are other birds native to the area that I haven’t seen yet.

I didn’t do much of anything yesterday. Took the garbage to the dumpster with the scooter, visited with one of my neighbors for a little while on the way back, read, walked, and that was about it. We hit 93ish in the shade yesterday. I stayed out most of that time. Trying to get acclimated. It isn’t too bad if you aren’t moving around a lot. The house stays fairly comfortable until mid to late afternoon, then the AC kicks in. Once the sun goes down, normally it cools off fairly quickly. Last night was a little slower so I didn’t get to open the windows until bed time.

I slept in until 4:30 this morning. Went to bed around 10:30 after snoozing in the chair in front of the TV. So a decent night considering.

Nothing on the agenda for today. Spend some time with Kali Cat, get in a walk if I can get myself moving before it warms up (doubtful), and that is about it. I can’t leave her for any length of time, so I can’t do anything or make any plans. So I guess it will be more reading.

Just spent some time looking for something to cover the chain link fence with. I think I am going to go with reed fencing. Seems to be the least expensive and easiest to install. Two rolls should cover that whole side. Then I won’t have to look at the fence, the old red truck and the fifth wheel next door, and should be good for taking photos. As a temporary measure.

A fairly quiet Friday

Another beautiful sunny morning here. I don’t think I could ever get tired of that, but we’ll see in a month or so. Kali Cat had an OK day yesterday. Not as much output as I would like and it seems to have reduced some over night, but we will see how today goes. No crying other than her feed me cry.

I got quite a bit done yesterday. Got the chandelier painted. I went with black since all the others I painted were black. I can always add color later. It looks so much better already and I can’t wait for the solar lights to arrive. It should light up the patio nicely. 

I also painted one of the hair clips I have. I have been wanting a black one for a while and since I had the paint out, I got it done. 

I got most of the addresses changed on my accounts, but forgot to ask about closing the mail box itself in VT when I went to the post office yesterday. Should have stuck a post it to my forehead. Oh well, it isn’t going anywhere. I talked with the title company too, I don’t have to do anything about that except wait. It is in process.

So glad I canceled the brand new recliner. KC has taken to using this one as a scratching post. I would rather have her do that to a used chair than a new one.

Saved the post office for later in the day. I had ordered some k-cups and was hoping they would come in, they did. I also went to DG and did a little shopping, and was looking for something to hang the new one dollar bird feeder from. Ended up going to Herb’s Ace Hardware and buying a pole, seed, seed block and bunny food. $72 later I was setup to feed the birds and bunnies. That will teach me to think I am getting a great deal when I find a one dollar bird feeder. But I should be good for a while now. I got the feeders and seed block setup before it got dark and it has already had some business. Too bad the scenery behind the pole is the neighbors 5th wheel, not good for photos. Will have to come up with some sort of fence or blind so I can get some decent pictures.

I decided against doing the tailgater this morning. It is so late in the season I figured it wouldn’t be worth the effort. Next season I will try to hit them all. I still need to buy a table anyway, keeping my eyes open for that. Actually, I want two of the smaller ones instead of the one big one, easier to handle and move around. Plus, I really didn’t want to leave KC alone for that amount of time. Her condition changes so fast, that I really can’t leave her for more than an hour or so at a time.

I need to walk. Doesn’t take much of an excuse to prevent me from doing that. If it gets warm too fast, I tell myself I will walk after the sun goes down, but I never do. Time to start carrying a water bottle when I walk too. I need to find a smaller one tho. Something I can put in a pocket. I have been looking for a while, but just haven’t found one that meets my needs. But I haven’t given up on finding the perfect bottle.

I don’t have anything on the agenda for this weekend. A few chores and that is about it. Not much going on around here now. Maybe I can get some good bunny pictures. 

Blimps aren't something we saw in the northeast, so when one goes over, it gets my attention. This one went over late in the day yesterday.

Updating addresses

I didn’t do a whole lot yesterday. It didn’t stop raining until almost noon, I wasn’t in any hurry to get showered and dressed. I did get the old light fixture stripped down and ready to paint. I am turning it into a solar chandelier. Even found some solar lights that I think will fit and got them ordered. I might actually get the fixture painted today. Depending upon how the solar lights I ordered fit, I may or may not use the glass globes. If I don't, I will find another use for them.

This morning I have been doing the dreaded task of updating my address on my accounts. Ugh! What a pain in the ass. I just figured out how to get my mail forwarded, but haven’t figured out how to close out the old box yet. I don’t think I can do that online. Wonder if I can do it from the post office here. I still have a few cards/bills to go, and the rest will get changed as I use them, but the bulk of them are done. Have been in contact with the bank to get that changed too. Now I have to make the time and follow up on the title I am supposed to have for my home. I haven’t seen that yet, and I don’t remember any instructions on getting it. Since it is technically a mobile home, there is a title instead of a deed.

Kali Cat had a good day yesterday. We had some lovin in the morning, a couple of times, she had her motor running off and on all day, and she actually came in and snuggled with me at bed time. She hasn’t done that since we moved in here. Today she seems to be OK. Not as much pee in the box as I would like, but better than Wednesday. Her new thing is bugging the living crap out of me for my dinner. She has gotten a few people treats and now thinks it is all hers. Spoiled kitty. 

And last but not least, I want to wish my brother Mike a wonderful birthday! I love you!

A better start to the day

Kali Cat was much better by 10 AM yesterday, so no trip to the vet and it wasn’t “the” day. Thankfully. This morning she seems to be quite happy. We had some lovins on the floor a little while ago and she was purring and offering her belly. 

Yesterday was another productive day in spite of the bad start. I didn’t get to walk, it was hot and humid by the time I managed to get showered and dressed, and by the time it cooled off at the end of the day we were getting thunderstorms which have turned into rain. The temps are in the 60’s and it is only supposed to get in the 70’s today. A nice little break. It is supposed to clear off by mid day and I can walk then. I still haven’t gotten my rain gauge out, so I don’t know how much rain we got. Figured there wasn’t any rush. Oops..At least the rain should have washed all the bird poop off the cars. The tracker was especially bad as I had it parked near the eucalyptus tree. Mourning doves poop a LOT!

I got the shelves for the laundry area up. I got lucky, got studs on all eight screws so I didn’t have to use the sheetrock anchors and I don’t have to worry about the shelves coming down. They look pretty good if I do say so myself. Although I need to get some paint or something to cover the screws. I ended up having to use deck screws as the ones that came with the shelves kept stripping out. The shelves are perfect for that spot. 

I also did two loads of laundry and got them hung out, went and got a few groceries which included some more smoked pork chops (I love those things!), and hit the Salvation Army on the way back. Yesterday’s find was a home made bird feeder and a red plastic charger plate that I put under the plate I got at a yard sale last week. 

I finished putting together the chiminea too. 

I wasn’t sure about the laundry, it was cloudy and a 20% chance of rain, but they got washed, dried and put away before the water fell from the sky. Even dealt with all the cardboard from my deliveries and got rid of the garbage.

I have two blossoms on the grapefruit tree! That means two grapefruit…with any luck. I am still hoping for more.

I think I am going to have to replace the controller for the irrigation system because it is letting water through and I don’t imagine constant wet is good for the tree. I should probably replace the whole system. I have calcium deposits showing up in the yard which probably means the line is leaking. I would like to get some more crushed rock for the yard too, there are places where it is pretty thin, and it should be built up around the shed walk before I twist an ankle.

Bad morning for Kali Cat

Bad kitty morning. She had one yesterday too, but it wasn’t bad enough to close her in the bathroom, this morning it is. We haven’t had one of those for a while. I’m afraid that the end is very near, just hoping I don’t have to do it today. :(

Yesterday was an ok day. I did get the light fixture installed. It wasn’t as simple as just swapping out the fixture, the whole thing was different. It gave me some trouble, but I got it up and working. The first LED bulb I put in the fixture wasn’t dimmable, so I swapped it out with one of the little table lamp bulbs. It looks so much better than the big monstrosity that was there.

I did use the hook I got at the yardsale over the weekend instead of a ceiling hook. Much more secure and it put the light just where I wanted it.

I did a few other things too, but can’t think of them off the top of my head. Oh, my fans came, the screens for Kali Cat’s door, and the shelves for over the washing machine. I got the screens in, the fans out and working. Saving the shelves for a morning project. It hit 95 yesterday and was just too warm to be fighting with shelving. 

I took the scooter to the ice cream social, was too hot to walk up there. No ice cream for me, just the social. And from there I went to the Mountain Quail Cafe around the corner. The ladies wanted their corned beef and cabbage, but the cafe had already sold out by 4, so off they all went to a different restaurant. I just came home since I had the scooter. Had meatballs and sauce with melted cheese instead.

My chiminea came late yesterday, around 6:30 or so. I started assembling that, but ran out of daylight. I need to finish that up today. And if we don’t end up going to the vet, I will also do the shelves and a whole list of other things. She has stopped crying, so maybe we won’t have to go today. The bathroom is a real mess tho and it is going to take a bit to clean it up. I can’t get a shower until she has a decent sized clump in the litter box and I can let her out of the bathroom, but there are other things I can do in the meantime. So I guess I will get to it. Start by getting the laundry going and maybe hanging the shelves, then finish putting the chiminea together. Maybe by then I can let her out and clean up that mess and get a shower. It is cloudy today and isn’t supposed to hit 90, so I should be able to walk any time. Tomorrow is supposed to be even cooler. Nice little break, then it starts warming up again and back in the 90’s by Monday.

She wasn't 100% last night, so no lap time, but we did get some chair time in. Something is better than nothing. Might have been too warm for lap time, it stayed warm quite late yesterday.

Happy St Patricks Day

Was pretty warm yesterday, so I didn’t do a whole lot past 11 AM. I remembered the clubhouse Monday morning coffee meet just as I was getting ready to go for my walk, so I did that first. Then I walked the neighborhood getting in my mile. Hoping to start earlier this morning and getting that done while it is still cool. I spend as much time outdoors as I can hoping to get somewhat acclimated. Thankfully my patio is on the east side, and after noon, the whole thing is in the shade.

I had wanted to go to the garden club meeting at 4:30, but that is a bad time of day for me. That is when KC is getting her dinner, and it was over 90 degrees, so I ended up not going. It would have been good since the topic was growing citrus trees. Maybe next month.

Kali Cat seemed to get better as the day went on, but this morning she peed in the shower. So I am keeping a close eye on her again. I don’t know how much longer we can do this, it isn’t good for either of us. For now, she has settled under the table, one of her favorite spots. She doesn’t spend much time in the bedroom any more, which is a good thing. I like having her out where I can keep an eye on her.

This morning I need to go to the hardware store. My new light fixture came yesterday, but I need a longer chain. The one that came with it is only about three feet, and I need double that. It is much bigger than I expected, but I think it will look nice when I get it installed. Again, was too warm to do much of anything in the afternoon yesterday, so I want to get that done this morning. I have the AC set at 80, which is pretty much where it will stay. I have gradually moved it up from the mid 70’s to keep it from coming on too often.

This afternoon there is an ice cream social at 3, and then at 4 a bunch of residents are going to the Quail Run Cafe for corned beef and cabbage. I want to go to that as well. The cafe is just around the corner, so I should be able to do both. I can’t have the ice cream, but I can do the social part of it. Thinking of taking the scooter. It will be too warm to walk.

Well, if I am going to get an early walk, I need to get in the shower and get dressed. 

Hi Jolly and Celia's Rainbow Garden

Was quite a full day yesterday. Since it was already warm by the time I got myself dressed and out of the house, I took the scooter and rode over to the Hi Jolly monument and cemetery. That got me out for about 45 minutes or so, then came back and plugged the scooter in for it’s first full charge. Will be interesting to see if the performance is any better. At noon I met some friends at the park for the Celia’s Garden Benefit Barbecue. It was by donation, there was music, raffles and food. 

That was kind of fun, and the food was good. It is the first music I have heard or gone to since I have been here, and it is something that happens on a regular basis. Photos here...  https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6126848763243771089

Here is a link to the info about the Hi Jolly monument/tomb… 

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11284  I’m not a history buff, so I only glanced thru it. And my photos are here... 

https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6126847577990182113

Was quite warm by the time I got back and it was almost three, so I settled in with an iced tea and read for a while. I am pleased that I finally know where Celia’s Garden is, I had looked online, but there was no address for it. And it wasn’t just me, Lois said the same thing. So I will be going back early some morning so I can walk the whole thing. It is quite large and it was too warm to stay out in the sun yesterday. I did get a few pictures of the garden, the party and the monument. I have managed to get them off the cameras and on to my computer, but haven’t gone thru them yet.

One of the performers yesterday was Paul Winer, otherwise known as the naked bookseller or Sweet Pie. You can read about him here… http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2010-12-16/music/the-odd-life-of-nude-piano-man-sweet-pie/full/  I have not been in his bookstore, I just don’t think I could deal with it. :) But we have our very own celebrity. He is also Celia’s dad. The garden is in memoriam.

Kali Cat is having a hard time this morning. I may have to close her in the bathroom for a while. And here I was thinking I might be able to make a trip to Yuma in the next few days. Sigh…I guess not. I’m hoping I won’t have to put her in the bathroom because I really want my shower this morning. So far she has gone to the box every time. She has cried a couple of times, but no howling yet. Poor baby. 

The grapefruit tree is looking pretty good now. It just needed some TLC.

Well, that is about it. Whatever I had on my list of things to do today will have to wait since KC is having a bad day. I need to keep an eye on her. 

Yard sailing is a very popular past time here.

Someone posted about a yard sale on FB yesterday morning, so off I went to find that. Hit another spot or two. I ended up getting some flower prints in a frame, a red and white plate, some chili pepper salt and pepper shakers and a black metal hook. I may use the hook to hang the new light fixture instead of the ceiling hook, we’ll see how it works out when the time comes.

Also got a couple of long sleeve pullover shirts for fifty cents apiece. Then I went to DG, since I was practically there already and picked up a few things I needed. They actually had the cat litter I like, so I bought two boxes of it.  

When I got back, I pulled the covers off the couch and the chair and the pillows and tossed them in and washed them. They were starting to gather fur, lint, etc., so it was time. Got those hung out. Tried to get a nap, I think I managed about a half hour.

I then pulled the new prints out of the frame and spray painted that black, along with my footstool and the brass candle holder I picked up earlier in the week. Things dry pretty fast here, so I put all the covers back on in the living room and got the new prints hung on the wall.

Now I have to find a new spot for the clock, but I think I have that figured out. The rest of the day I read. It was hot. I think we hit about 93. I switched over from iced tea and iced coffee to ice water. I need to start drinking more water again. 

Today there is a party in the park. I’m thinking I might take the scooter out later and go. We’ll see. Or maybe the tracker. I have driven the tracker the last couple of days to get it out there where it can be seen, and because it just sat for several weeks and needed the exercise. I need to plug in the scooter and make sure it is fully charged.

I have baby plants coming up in the two pots I planted the other day. Not sure what is what, but I think it is lettuce and turnip that are up. :) Hoping to get some good production from them.

Struck out.

Got a 1 mile walk in yesterday morning, but really should have gotten an earlier start, it was almost too warm. Will have to start carrying water when I walk. I only did the park because of the hour and the warmth. After that, I hopped in the tracker and went off to do errands. Struck out on pretty much everything. The hardware store doesn’t have the screens to fill in the sliding door over the kitty kennel, the rock club has pretty much shut down for the season so no more classes or orientations, nothing at the post office. I did buy a vase at one yard sale I stopped at. And that is about it.

Spent more money online this morning, a box fan for the living room window so I can bring in the fresh air at night, screens for the door, skin lotion, and an additional vornado fan. I don’t think there is going to be any such thing as too many fans this summer even with AC. And my little clip on fans, unless they are right on top of you, are pretty much useless. I should be good after this. I probably could have found one for less at DG, but remembering to look would be an issue.

I spent the afternoon and evening reading. Finished one book and then read another. I also flushed out the controller for the irrigation line for the grapefruit tree as it wasn’t completely shutting off. That fixed that. I think I might have to replace the whole line. I am seeing calcium crust on the rocks in the yard, and they come from the water. Must be a leak somewhere. There is also a soft spot over by the fence and I am wondering if that isn’t leak related too. But I am not going to stress about it. As long as the tree is getting water, all is good.

Since there are no more rock club classes, I am planning on taking a pine needle coiled basket course. I need to learn something new. :) I know the lady that teaches the class, so I will know when she gets it going.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pamela+caskey+baskets&espv=2&biw=1351&bih=646&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=QFEEVdHWF8z1oATJ7IDICA&ved=0CCUQsAQ

I spent about five minutes with the rolling mill yesterday, long enough to realize it needs to be bolted to the counter. But I haven’t organized enough out there yet to figure out where it will live permanently. So I really need to spend some time out there. But I haven’t felt motivated enough yet. It will come. Sometime.

Had a little excitement about 4:30 this morning. The local PD was here. A neighbor called saying someone had yelled and was wandering around. I never heard or saw anything, but did get to speak to the officers. Saw them drive around the neighborhood a few times after too. I have seen them drive thru several times since I have been here. Nice to know there is a presence. If there was someone around, they could have been anywhere. Sound carries here. There are dogs outside the park that sound like they are next door. 

Today I would like to wash the furniture and pillow covers, spray paint a few things, and definitely get a walk in. Looks like it is going to be another short one due to a late start. At some point I need to make a lanyard for my rock club membership tag as it won’t stay on the little clippy thing. I’d rather have it around my neck than clipped to my clothing anyway. I don’t need it until next Saturday, the last pancake breakfast and tailgater for the season. The new season starts up in November. Will be a long wait.

The cacti are blooming, they are so pretty. And I finally got a decent picture of one of the neighborhood bunnies. I never think to bring my camera out, so getting a decent shot with my phone has been challenging.

The back fence of the MVR (Mountain View Resort)

Bottletree

Wild bunny