Random Thoughts

December Snow

2011-12-09T17:42:00.001-06:00

2011-11-05T13:19:00.003-05:00

It seems like a perfect day. The sun isn't shining but the temps are cool, in the 60's. I'm enjoying the change of season and looking forward to the holiday season.

Gulf Shores AL 2011

2011-10-14T18:27:00.002-05:00

Herons

Ono Island

Flock of Pelicans

the best eating place

100 and climbing

2011-07-10T14:06:00.002-05:00

The heat can affect the brain.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-03T11:45:00.003-05:00

Wishing those who stumble across my blog a very Happy and Safe 4th of July!!

Another hot day

2011-06-27T14:14:00.000-05:00

It's another hot day and I'm wondering if we'll ever get rain again. I watered everything this morning - well, everything that was important. I can't water the entire five acres. How many garden hoses would I need for that?

It's a good day...

2011-06-26T12:33:00.000-05:00

It's a good day to relax and enjoy your Sunday. It may be hot outside (wherever you're located) but I intend to catch up on some reading and continue to heal. I have bronchitis and pink eye and slowly the medicine is working!

Enjoy your day! ;-)

Purple Coneflowers

2011-06-26T12:06:00.000-05:00

New Orleans

2011-06-12T21:43:00.003-05:00

It's been an enjoyable mini-vacation in New Orleans. It was hot and steamy but so what? We visited the World War II museum which was excellent. We rode on a street car through the garden district, and ate at Emeril's "Nola's. The Zydeco music festival was nice...good music and nice vendor booths. Time to go home tomorrow.

Colorful Spring - 2011

2011-04-18T14:50:00.006-05:00

Snow 2011

2011-02-05T11:28:00.005-06:00

Treasure Island, Florida

2010-09-08T13:34:00.003-05:00

Honeysuckle and Lilacs

2010-06-07T14:41:00.002-05:00

Early Spring

2010-04-03T12:00:00.001-05:00

Winter Storm 2010

2010-01-31T11:08:00.003-06:00

Verrryyyy Cold

2010-01-09T12:33:00.003-06:00

It's icey cold here. We've been below freezing for almost a week. Another night of below freezing temps. Brrr.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

2009-12-20T12:52:00.006-06:00

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not...or prefer to call it Happy Holidays, here's wishing the best to all those stumble upon my blog. I haven't posted anything in a while - since my vacation to the beach...life has kept me busy!

May you have a wonderful holiday season with family and friends and ring in the New Year with a new outlook on life. I wish you only the best and a prosperous 2010!

Gulf Shores, AL (Orange Beach) 2009

2009-09-27T15:27:00.012-05:00

Pelicans

Heron on the beach

We thought it was funny to pass through Translyvania, Louisiana.

Walking Stick

2009-08-17T18:10:00.003-05:00

That's a walking stick on the window!

Periwinkle

2009-08-17T17:57:00.003-05:00

Hostas

2009-08-17T17:37:00.004-05:00

Las Vegas

2009-06-19T11:05:00.008-05:00

We returned from our short trip to Vegas. Had a wonderful time. We had tickets to see Carlos Santana which was wonderful!! The BEST concert ever. We also saw Jersey Boys - another fabulous evening.

Hardrock Hotel

Palazzo Hotel (where we stayed)

Lobby inside the Palazzo

Waterfall inside the hotel

Yesterday - June 2, 2009

2009-06-03T12:18:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I took another walk in the neighborhood. It was quiet and all you could hear was birds chirping and dogs barking. I walked to the church and back. It was a little hot so when I got back to the house I had a cold drink of water.

The rest of the day was spent on the computer - either on Facebook or iVillage. Then I took my afternoon nap and it felt good to catch up on some zzz's. I needed the sleep. Last night I watched Chopped and a dvd.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T11:34:00.002-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I've already talked to my mother over the phone. It was a nice chat and of course I wished her a very *special* day.

Peonies

2009-05-10T11:26:00.001-05:00

Daylilies

2009-05-10T11:25:00.000-05:00

Shasta Daisies and St. Francis Statue

2009-05-10T11:03:00.011-05:00

Roses

2009-04-16T14:35:00.003-05:00

Azaleas

2009-04-16T14:30:00.004-05:00

Lilacs

2009-04-16T14:27:00.003-05:00

Red Tulip

2009-04-16T14:24:00.002-05:00

Colors of Spring

2009-03-24T15:42:00.004-05:00

First Day of Spring!

2009-03-20T15:39:00.002-05:00

It's a beautiful first day of Spring. It's a bit cool but the sun is shining, flowers are blooming (or trying to). The dogs are outside sunning themselves - too early for Taz's bikini. ;-)

Soon I'll have pictures of all my flowers to share....

Another day of ice

2009-03-12T11:41:00.002-05:00

It's been raining for a few days. Now we have ice - again! It doesn't look as bad as the last time and the weatherman doesn't think it will cause any power outages but who knows? It might even snow.

Spring is here!

2009-03-10T11:47:00.006-05:00

Crocus

Violets

Daffodils

Saturday Surprise

2009-03-05T13:33:00.001-06:00

Saturday evening as we were going to church boy were we surpised it was snowing. It was beautiful but didn't last long!

Lent

2009-02-26T12:16:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. the beginning of Lent and occurs for 40 days. I never miss Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the priest who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on each of those present who kneel before him at the altar rail. As he does so, he recites the words: "Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T10:32:00.005-06:00

26th wonderful years!

2009-02-14T10:23:00.002-06:00

Thursday was my 26th Wedding Anniversary. It's hard to believe we've been married this long. It seems like just yesterday we had gotten married. It was 1983. Over the years we have grown and it's wonderful to look back at all the memories - some good, some bad. But all in all - I'm happy that we've come this far.

Another ice storm plagues Arkansas

2009-01-31T11:39:00.005-06:00

We were the lucky ones that didn't have a power outage. My thoughts and prayers go out to those people in my state who still do not have power!

Birthday roses and card

2009-01-31T11:32:00.002-06:00

Real or Fake?

2009-01-09T13:38:00.001-06:00

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-16T10:34:00.003-06:00

Less than 2 weeks until Christmas

2008-12-14T09:20:00.003-06:00

Where did the year go? It's hard to believe Christmas is just around the corner. Thank goodness I'm not in a rush this year.

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T13:33:00.001-06:00

Halloween earrings

2008-11-10T15:47:00.002-06:00

Barack Obama is our President!!!!!

2008-11-05T14:44:00.004-06:00

I'm overwhelmed with so many emotions. Last night was a victory. We have a first black president. We have a first black First Lady. We have a first black family.

It doesn't matter who you voted for - you voted!

Is it time for Posole?

2008-10-26T11:11:00.016-05:00

Ingredients for Posole

2 lb. Pork chops or tenderloin (cut into 1" cubes)
dried long red chile (or you may use frozen or canned chile)
2 T. salt
2 t. Oregano
2 t. garlic powder
4 cans White Hominy
1 t. cumin

Preparation: Place cubed meat in a large kettle with oil and one tablespoon of salt. Cover meat and cook over medium heat. Add all other spices and cook; then add red chile sauce and hominy. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the additional salt or more if needed for taste.

To serve, ladle the posole into bowls and serve with flour tortillas.

Bocce

2008-10-20T10:45:00.004-05:00

Sunday we played Bocce in the neighborhood.

Bocce is a precision sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire. Developed into its present form in Italy (where it is called Bocce, the plural of the italian word boccia which means "bowl"), it is played around Europe and also in overseas countries that have received Italian migrants, including Australia, North America and South America (where it is known as bochas; "bolas criollas" in Venezuela), initially amongst the migrants themselves but slowly becoming more popular with their descendants and the wider community. The game is also well-known in Serbia as boćanje (боћање) and in Croatia as boćanje, bućanje, or balote, depending on the region.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocce

A game can be contested between two players, or two teams of two, three, or four. A court match is started by a randomly chosen side being given the opportunity to throw a smaller ball, the jack (called a pallino or a boccino in some areas), from one end of the court into a zone about 5 metres in length, ending 2 metres from the far end of the court. If they miss twice, the other team is awarded the opportunity to place the jack anywhere they choose within the prescribed zone. At this time the team that attempted to put the jack into play first gets to roll the first ball.

The side that places the jack is given the opportunity to bowl first. Once the first bowl has taken place, the other side has the opportunity to bowl. From then on, the side which does not have the ball closest to the jack has a chance to bowl, up until one side or the other has used their four balls. At that point, the other side bowls its remaining bocce balls. The team with the closest bocce ball to the jack is the only team that can score points in any frame. The scoring team receives one point for each of their balls that is closer to the jack than the closest ball of the other team. The length of a game varies by region, but is typically played to 11, 12, or 13 points.

Players are permitted to throw the ball in the air using an underarm action. This is generally used to knock either the jack or another ball away to attain a more favourable position. Tactics can get quite complex when players have sufficient control over the bocce ball to throw or roll it accurately.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCHhYy4NoNI

Washington, D.C.

2008-10-15T18:17:00.020-05:00

Last month we traveled to Washington, D.C - my first time! We forgot the camera so we bought a disposal camera - which worked out ok.

Fairmont Hotel in Alexandria

The White House

The Capitol

National Monument

Holocaust Museum

Lincoln Memorial

Jefferson Memorial

Arlington Cemetery

Islamic Center

Union Station

Oldest House in Georgetown

The Ford Theatre

Orange Beach, Alabama

2008-09-05T15:58:00.022-05:00

Vacationing at Gulf Shores/Orange Beach (Alabama) was heavenly. Following are pictures of my vacation:

View of Gulf Shores on Perdido Beach Causeway:

View of Orange Beach from our condo:

Ono Island (across from our condo):

WindDrift Condos:

Gulfport, MS:

Biloxi, MS:

Flowers Galore

2008-08-09T13:17:00.005-05:00

Products with my name on it

2008-07-16T10:30:00.002-05:00

Mouse in the house

2008-07-01T15:07:00.006-05:00

This past week I made a horrible discovery. As I was getting ready to go out, I was out of toilet paper in the main bathroom. There is a closet across the hall that we keep pots and pans that don't fit in the kitchen and toilet paper, plastic bags and napkins. I opened the closet to get some toilet paper and whoa...the loose toilet paper rolls had been ransacked. I thought what the heck happened here? I pulled out the two drawer rolling cart that's in this closet and there was in the corner a nest a little mouse must have made. No mouse though.

Sigh, so we have a mouse in the house (that sounds like a song). I set up some poison traps to see if we can catch it. And, this explains why the fringe off my bathroom rug was eaten. Taz didn't eat it - the mouse did! I'm curious why the dogs haven't caught it yet but anyway having a mouse in the house does not make me a happy person...grrrr! We've had mice in the garage/basement but never upstairs in the main house. I just hope we catch it soon!

New photos of Jack and Taz

2008-06-15T10:25:00.005-05:00

Taz

Jack

Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

2008-06-06T12:49:00.003-05:00

It's beginning to feel like summer. It's hot and humid and the snakes are out. I don't even want to take a picture of them to share - ok, maybe later. There are traps all around the property and thank goodness for netting at Home Depot. That netting does keep the snakes away. They get in it and can't move, eventually they die. Unfortunately, the netting is also trapping the good stuff...like black (King) snakes which are good to have around. They eat poisonous snakes! And, I have found birds caught in the netting ;-( I just hate that!!

We are surviving but Jack is so curious. He wasn't the one that was bitten by a copperhead almost 4 years go. Taz, as tiny as she was, one summer night got too close to some bushes and a copperhead bit her on her little paw. We rushed her to an emergency animal hospital. She was in shock and her paw looked like a catcher's glove. Poor little thing.

It's always something...either my dogs are getting skunked or snakes present an immediate danger!

Beautiful Day!

2008-05-16T14:26:00.004-05:00

It's a beautiful Friday in May. The air is cool and crisp and the sun is very bright. I haven't posted much these days probably because I've been busy with other things and it seems allergy season is over for me. I was hibernating....had to stay indoors as much as possible. In addition to spring allergies I also have asthma, although my asthma is under control with medication. Arkansas has had some pretty bad pollen counts and with all the rain we've been getting it seems to be getting better.

We've had our flooding problems, plus a number of tornados in this area. I'm just glad the rain has stopped, at least for now. In the middle of the summer I'm sure I'll be wishing it would rain again! ;-)

Hopefully I'll be able to work in the yard this weekend. My spring flowers are almost gone and I'll be concentrating on summer flowers.

Springtime!

2008-04-14T16:12:00.004-05:00

Dodged another bullet

2008-04-10T14:56:00.002-05:00

Tornados and thunderstorms roared through Arkansas again. This time it was concentrated north and south of Little Rock. The storm traveled fast northeast of the state. It's too soon to tell if there is any damage or injuries...and again it bypassed us.

Praying for those who were injured and sustained damage to their homes....

My babies

2008-04-10T14:45:00.002-05:00

Taz.....

Jack...

Toy Fox Terrier picture frame

2008-04-06T11:43:00.002-05:00

Picture frame for Toy Fox Terriers. That's little Taz in the picture - not sure if you can tell.

Sick Dog

2008-04-05T13:56:00.003-05:00

Jack, my oldest Toy Fox Terrier, is not feeling well today. For a few days now he's been eating grass...a sign his tummy is hurting. A lot of people think that when dogs eat grass that means that something is odd...it's perfectly normal for a dog to eat grass. In fact, some dogs like to "graze". Like a cow! They like the taste of grass but when a dog loses his/her appetite and favors chewing on grass...that's a sign the tummy is aching.

Normally, I'm not concerned and I had already cooked some white rice for him to eat. But he ate his kibble food and he seems to be fine now. I'll save the rice for later in case his tummy acts up again. My best guess is that he ate a bird or something that didn't agree with him. Very normal for Jack to eat birds.

Just the other day I noticed both Jack and Taz were visiting a certain area of the property. So I walked over there to see what was up. What looked like part of a bird had been chewed. I picked it up with two sticks and threw it over the fence so someone else could eat it ...like a hawk or vulture (which we have plenty around looking for something to prey on). But I guess I missed another bird because from the kitchen window I could see Jack eating another bird! Sigh, I couldn't get out there fast enough to get it from him. Then, on the other side of the property we've already trapped a snake. A King Snake which is good to have around since they eat poisonous snakes. I just hate the thought of trapping good snakes instead of the copperheads!

Jack is now sleeping soundly with his little sister, Taz. All is well...

Another tornado

2008-04-05T13:20:00.002-05:00

Well, it seems my state suffered another tornado and flooding is an all time high. This time the tornado came through Little Rock and hit not only an affluent neighborhood but surrounding towns. We were safe though...we live too high up.

The damage is unimaginable:

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=63532

Tornados

2008-02-07T11:36:00.001-06:00

Tornados hit my area on Tuesday. There were 11 deaths in the state of Arkansas and more in other states like Tennessee and Kentucky. It was very close to us but thank god the tornados missed us. It was quite a scary evening. I am just grateful we are alright and I send prayers to those who lost their lives and to the survivors who lost their homes. May God look over them.

The day the tornados started it was a normal day in Arkansas except it was exceptionally warm...like 75 degrees, a good indication tornados would be looming. Normally we should be in the 50's. After Tuesday as the evening wore on...the temps started dropping and then it became very cold...as it is now. This morning it was 25 degrees when Jack and Taz got their walk in. We walk every morning..whether it's cold or hot...dark or light out. That's one thing my babies love is their daily walk. We walk first thing in the morning (usually about 6:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.)

That's all for now...if anyone is reading this...thanks so much for stopping by. Feel free to leave me a comment, if you like. ;-)

Baptismal

2008-01-27T10:04:00.000-06:00

Saturday evening, after church, we attended a baptismal. It had been a while since I've been to one and I always wonder what is an appropriate gift. But in the end I gave a beautiful cross for the child.

The ceremony was part of the Mass. Afterwards there was a nice dinner (the father of the child is a chef). Since this is an Italian community the meal was Italian --pasta and meatballs with a nice sweet sauce, salad and plenty of garlic bread to go around. As it turns out the gardnfather of the child had a birthday Friday so they surprised him with cake. Wow, two cakes...I was happy!

Baptismals are always a joyous time. It's like a new phase in life ;-)

Where did my nails go?

2008-01-13T11:20:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been neglecting my nails. I guess it was before the holidays I had them painted red but since the holidays I just do a quick file and maybe top them off with a clear topcoat.

In looking at a chipped nail or two...I think why can't I just take a few minutes to do them? LOL! There's always something going on at my house and you would think I would stop to at least give myself a pedicure and manicure. My favorite words are "ok, I'll do them on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon"....Last night we went out to dinner. When we came home we watched a few dvd's and played cards. Why didn't I do them then? Sunday is here so I have no excuse!

We shall see ;-)

Tornado

2008-01-08T15:11:00.000-06:00

So unexpected but we had a tornado warning this morning. Not one to be totally scared - I waited until it got really bad which it really never did. But, I watched from the windows to see what I should do next. All we got was a dark, green-like sky, rain, some wind (no hail, thank god).

The dogs were scared but most dogs are scared of loud thunder. I always find it hard not to comfort them because that only renforces their fear. Instead, I ignore them. We never had to got to the basement so all is well. ;-)

Saturday

2008-01-06T17:29:00.000-06:00

It was nice to have a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast and clean up. The Christmas tree was put away as well as any lingering Christmas decorations. The rest of the day was spent relaxing - more like goofing around on the computer.

Church was @ 5:00 p.m., then we drove into the city for dinner. We ate at a local Italian restaurant "The Villa". I had a glass of red wine, veal parmagiana, plenty of bread and spaghetti was on the side. I like Saturdays like this - a nice evening out with the Hubs!

I'm still having sinus headaches which make me feel grouchy. One of these days I'll put up the humidifier and remember to use the breathe strips when I go to sleep ;-)

Friday, January 4

2008-01-06T17:21:00.000-06:00

Friday was a busy, busy day for me. We rented a carpet shampooer. Yes, think of carpeting where dogs can mess up - puke and diarrhea. It happens when you have pets in the house. I'll never forget that day when "Jack" apparently was bitten by something (we still don't know what but the Vet thinks it was a fire ant) and he couldn't help himself - there was no time to run out the door and there he had diarrhea on my carpeting...sigh. You just can't get mad but feel sorry for him.

Then, I took down all the Christmas decorations. It seemed to take all day! By the evening I was sore (standing is not good for my back). I was so busy I didn't get a chance to lie down and take a nap. Usually that's the time I can stretch and feel better.

This & That

2008-01-03T15:56:00.000-06:00

This morning was another cold one. I think it was 14 degrees when I walked my dogs. The sun is shining today but it still feels very cold. It hardly warmed up today. No snow in sight though, darn it! ;-)

I spent most of the day posting on iVillage, cleaning up my files and worked on the church bulletin. Yep, I am a church secretary. Tomorrow we will shampoo the carpeting - well, some of it. This weekend we hope to remove all the Christmas decorations. I think it's about time!!

I was named Community Leader of the Month on iVillage which of course is an honor. This is my 4th time.

Welcome 2008!

2008-01-01T13:34:00.000-06:00

Today is January 1, 2008 - the first day of the year. This year I hope to workout more, stretch (like I'm supposed to) and take better care of myself - whether it be balancing my life (work & play) or taking time to "smell the roses".

Maybe it's also time for a "makeover" I don't wear a lot of makeup nor am I a "fashionista." So, maybe this year will be different. At any case, I hope the new year will be one that I strive to take stock and better myself.

Today I am resting, catching up on emails and posts, and whatever comes across my plate. Perhaps we'll play cards (Phase 10) and watch movies. There is a Monk marathon on today.

To those who pass by my blog - I wish you a prosperous New Year. Here's to 2008!

Ta-Ta...until later ;-)

Posole

2007-12-31T12:18:00.000-06:00

At holiday time people throughout the world honor traditions, and New Mexico is no exception. One tradition many here look forward to on Christmas Eve is a steaming bowl of posole (po-SO-lay), a spicy corn stew that is known as the ceremonial dish for celebrating life's blessings.

New Mexicans have been enjoying posole for centuries. The cuisine here springs from three cultures: Native American, Mexican, and European. The Rio Grande Pueblo Indians, and their ancestors, the “Anasazi,” or "ancient ones,” relied on corn, beans, squash, and chiles for sustenance. These early crops became firmly entrenched in the culture, forming the foundation of New Mexican cuisine even before the Spanish arrived.

Corn has been and is the major food plant of the Native Americans. Red, yellow, and blue corn are cultivated in New Mexico. The corn is ground into meal and flour for use in breads and tortillas, and it is processed into posole corn.

Posole corn is prepared by soaking hard kernels of field corn (traditionally white, although blue is sometimes used now) in powdered lime and water - a method thought to mimic the ancient preservation of corn in limestone caves. After several hours, when the corn kernels have swollen, the liquid is allowed to evaporate and the kernels to dry.

Posole is different from hominy, another kind of processed corn, which tends to be softer and more bland. Compared to hominy, posole’s flavor is intense and earthy, its consistency more robust. Since posole corn can be difficult to find, hominy is often used as a substitute in posole stew.

The variations for posole are many. Some make it with chicken rather than pork; some prefer to use vegetable protein rather than meat. While posole in Southern New Mexico is always made with red chile, it is not uncommon to find Northern New Mexico posole made with green chile.

Ingredients for Posole

2 lb. Pork chops or tenderloin (cut into 1" cubes)
dried long red chile (or you may use frozen or canned chile)
2 T. salt
2 t. Oregano
2 t. garlic powder
4 cans White Hominy
1 t. cumin

Preparation

Place cubed meat in a large kettle with oil and one tablespoon of salt. Cover meat and cook over medium heat. Add all other spices and cook; then add red chile sauce and hominy. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the additional salt or more if needed for taste.

To serve, ladle the posole into bowls and serve with flour tortillas.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T11:59:00.000-06:00

Today is New Year's Eve and I am making the traditional Mexican "posole" which is like a red chile soup. It is always made on New Year's Eve and is supposed to bring luck for the new year. It's make with red chile, white hominy and pork. It's very yummy and pepper hot.

Here's hoping the new year brings much joy, happiness and good health. I'm speaking about my "back" issues. Thanks to all who ventured to my blog and read what I had to say. Hopefully next year I'll be blogging more than I have!

One more thing to buy

2007-12-19T08:31:00.000-06:00

As Christmas approaches, I find myself thankful this holiday season isn't stressful for me. Afterall, the reason for the season is the birth of Jesus.

Today I have one last gift to get and then I am done. It's nice to just sit back and look at the Chirstmas tree, the decorations, the presents and everything else that goes with this holiday season. And the weather will be great today...in the 60's.

Now I didn't say anything about what the traffic will be like!! ;-)

Cold Sunday Morning

2007-12-16T09:03:00.000-06:00

The rains are gone and I'm glad. Since AT&T worked on burying fiber optics in our neighborhood they made a royal mess of our driveway. Most of the gravel (at the end of the drive) is gone and they recovered it with what seems to be this "clay dirt" so now we have a muddy drive. I just wish they had done a better job. So anytime I walk out there with the dogs I ended up tracking mud in the house - no matter how well I clean my shoes! grrr

It was about 29 degrees when I got out of bed and it's slowly warming up. We should be about 45 today so that's not too bad. Don't get me wrong I LOVE cold weather...after the hot summer we had it's a welcome change ;-)

Skunked!

2007-11-15T10:13:00.000-06:00

This whole concept is new to me. Have you ever had a skunk spray your yard...then your dog rolls in the stink? Well that's what happened to my dog, Jack. It's been a month, I think, but I think what happened is this: A skunk was exploring our back yard. The motion detector light came on...he/she got scared and sprayed the yard.

Then...my dog smelled and rolled in it. Funny how my female dog didn't roll in it. Anyway, then Jack comes into the house (my dogs are mostly indoor dogs) and rolled on the carpet, his favorite rug, some of the dog beds...oh great!! It took me all day to wash everything (including Jack). No dice! So I call the Vet and I'm given a recipe to de-skunk him. It's perioxide, baking soda and dishwashing soap. It didn't seem to work. I did everything possible! The only stink he has left is around his head/neck and when he gets wet it starts stinking again. I've been told it will take time for the stink to go away...but when??

Oh well, such is the life of living in the country where wild animals do their thing ;-(

Maintenance

2007-11-15T10:05:00.000-06:00

Finally finished physical therapy (September) and now I'm doing the monthly maintenance thing. I must admit I miss working out at the gym with the trainer on a weekly basis but I'm still working out monthly. Not that I'm not working out totally...I'm still walking 3-4 miles a day, using weights...but it's more fun at the gym!

Pain is minimal...as long as I stretch twice a week...if only I can remember that ;-)

How hot is it going to get?

2007-08-22T11:15:00.000-05:00

For over a month rain has not been present in my neck of the woods. I do remember back in May or June we had the wettest two months and then all of a sudden no rain! What gives? It does happen that we have a drought in the middle of summer. Well....it's August now and August is always a hot month.

So, I'm having to water almost everyday. I don't have just one or two...but 10 big flower beds. My flowers are important to me...especially the Purple Coneflowers. I grow them as a crop. Yes, they can withstand the heat and drought but not all my flowers can. And, container flowers require a lot more watering.

I have too much property to water everything. It would take all day if not a few days so I water only what is required. I guess time will only tell how much I will lose due to this heat and dry spell.

Sigh, when will this end? I'm hoping and praying for rain. Rain, Rain, Rain!!!

4 more weeks!!

2007-08-10T15:12:00.000-05:00

That's what the doctors say. I have 4 more weeks of physical therapy. This week I lifted 85 pounds on my back. My goal is 100. Woohooo!

My workouts are great!! I love working on the machines and the dumbells. My back is doing a lot better. I still have my bad and good days but overall I have improved. ;-)

5th Week

2007-07-21T13:03:00.000-05:00

I completed my 5th week of physical therapy and everything seems to be going ok. I'm hoping I won't have to do the full 12 weeks. We'll see. The personal trainer is great. He's a little friendlier now. Sometimes I'm afraid of him...well, not afraid - it's just sometimes I feel I'm in the Army!!!

A weird episode happened on Thursday. Apparently I was bitten by a fire ant which left me red and sore on my left bicep. Sure, I thought maybe I had overworked my muscle and for the life of me I could not figure what bit me. My friends thought maybe a wolf spider which I do have around my house (outside of course!). But, wouldn't I know if a spider was on me? Afterall I do have arachnophobia -)

Today the ant bite is much better. It's not as red, sore and itching.

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Little Taz

2007-07-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe only a few days ago my Little Taz was sick. It's not like her to be morose, lethargic and weak. Who knows what made her sick. Although, her Vet think it was a bird or lizard but I tend to think she had some sort of obstruction in her intestines which caused an infection...thus a high fever.

She's still taking her antibiotics but she's back to feeling normal. So normal...her loud bark is a welcome noise for us. She's rolling on the floor with her big brother Jack...bossing him around and she's back to the Taz we know!

Thanks goodness for modern medicine because I don't know what I would do if I ever lost my Little Taz!

Physical Therapy

2007-07-09T16:51:00.000-05:00

This will be my 4th week of physical therapy. Almost a month ago my slipped disc or what some people call a “herniated disc” went wacko! I don’t know what I did but the pain was severe enough it was hard to walk, get out of bed and function on a daily basis. Taking narcotics for the rest of my life wasn’t my idea of a *fix*.

How did I get a slipped disc? It happened about 10 years ago. I was walking downstairs in my favorite huarache shoes. Yes, they were old and worn down but I still loved them. I was carrying a cup of coffee in one hand and I was in a hurry. Before I knew it I went flying down the stairs, bounced on my tailbone and not a drop of that coffee spilled!! It’s true!! A year later I learned I had a slipped disc.

Normally, I don’t let something like that drag me down. I continued with my workouts and stretching really helped. That was 4 years ago. With my busy lifestyle it wasn’t always easy to fit in exercise in my daily routine. I guess I’m paying for that now.

Physical therapy has helped and I have a wonderful personal trainer who is helping me get back on my feet…so to speak. We’ll see…I’ve been told I won’t have rehab for the full 12 week period but instead possibly less since I’m already in good shape.

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About Me

2007-07-09T16:46:00.000-05:00

This blog is all about me, what I care about, what I believe, what I may not believe but most of all my inner thoughts about life, in general…and my varied interests.

I’m originally from New Mexico and have lived in Arkansas since 1983. I love gardening, music, home crafts, working out and raising my two dogs. During the summer months you can find me in my garden. I grow Purple Coneflowers as well as other native plants.

I collect Indian Pottery and teapots, writing (short stories) and reading Mexican-American literature, building webpages….and looking at the moon (when it’s full). I’m mesmirized by the moon.

Any questions or comments…are welcome!

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