Summersgate - (Egg Shell)

Summer. Doodle art.

The cool temps at night are continuing. We are having the most perfect summer weather right now. I did some more weed-wacking yesterday and have all the woods trails fixed up for now. Next I want to get out the clippers and snip off the jagger bushes that overhang the edges of the lawn so Dave doesn't get scratched while he mows. I go to see the PA in the afternoon for a follow up on the anaplasmosis. I think I can say I'm all better from that now. Though I'm going to discuss a place on my nose that constantly has a tiny scab on it. If I was to rub it too hard it would bleed, so I don't ever rub it. Still it never heals.

The cardiologist appointment this morning went well. I like Dr. Kedarnath, a super friendly fellow with an Indian accent (which I loved listening to). I met him when I was in the hospital last fall and he remembered me but I hadn't been to his office till now. If I could have him as a PCP I would. I feel like bedside manner is almost what will get and keep me well. If I feel liked and loved I can thrive no matter what's wrong with me! He asked if I'm an active person, do I go to the Y? I said no to the Y but I do go hiking a couple times a week, but right now with all the snow I mainly only get outside to do chicken chores. So then we got into a very long discussion with him asking all kinds of questions about the kind of care chickens get, how old my chickens are, how many eggs a day, what do they eat, what kind of building do they live in. I asked do you want to have chickens? No, he doesn't - he's just interested in it. So I think his plan was to keep me talking, while he was reading my chart on his computer. When we were done he thanked me for coming in to see him. I don't think I've ever been thanked by my doctor before.

Dave and I went shopping at Walmart after that and got a few things. When I got home I made ravioli and then took a long nap in the afternoon. The last part of the dream I was having had me going for a walk with mom (she seemed extra small like a child) through a college campus. The young people were friendly and helpful but I still kept losing my way through the buildings. It reminded me of the dream the other day where all the hallways and streets were dead ends and there was debris and junk piled up so we couldn't get through. At one point we were at a standstill and didn't know which way to go. The door to get out and the lawn outside was right there but we couldn't get through to it. A female teacher, a black woman who was very handsome and kind wanted to know if she could help. She pointed to an easier way to get through. I got down over some stairs that were full of rubble and then reached up and pulled mom down towards me, kind of like the way you would pivot someone into a wheelchair with a hug. The teacher then was asking me all kinds of questions about mom, how old was she (100), who does she live with, how old are dad and John, what happened to John? Mom and I were standing down on the lawn and talking to the teacher who was up in the doorway above. It was beautiful afternoon in the dream with summer sun slanting across the green lawn. All we had left to do was walk home across the lawn when I woke up.

In the afternoon Dave and I took Andy for a walk to the creek. Rainy didn't want to go. Here's a few pictures of things you've seen before - but with different amounts of ice and snow than other times:( Read more... )

For dinner tonight Dave fried the fish that he had caught on Monday. He got one walleye and 2 perch. I made corn bread and he heated up some baked beans. There's nothing better than Dave's fried fish.

I was watching some youtube videos today with tips about sewing amigurumis together. I feel like I learned a lot of things that I needed to learn! I had no idea. One of the first tips was to use a bent darning style needle. I could definitely see how that would help the process. And there were so many other things that I could improve on. The books I've been using have cute patterns but don't tell much about HOW to construct the dolls. The monkey I made last week was a mess.

I certainly have fallen behind with posting everyday here. The last I wrote was on Sunday.


Fall Out. I started this a few days ago and finished it this morning.

I have been preoccupied with this stupid bradycardia issue. On Monday I was busy with getting the house ready to have company here for Jules' and Dave's birthday dinner etc. On Tuesday I worked in the nursing home gift shop in the morning. I mentioned that Hazel was here and that Jules and I'd be driving her home later. The lady I was training with said you should go home and be with her. She was okay being alone in the gift shop and it's not that often that a person gets to spend time with a granddaughter. So I left. Hazel and I shopped and hung out till it was time to leave for Pittsburgh. On Wednesday I tried to hike with Candy at Two Mile but I had to stop numerous times because I felt so terrible. When I got home I contacted the doctor's office on their portal but didn't get an answer back till the next day. Thursday I got an appointment and went to the doctor. They still didn't have the results from the heart monitor that I was wearing. I sent it in last Saturday. They said it can take 2 to 3 weeks to get that information. Which is stupid. I guess (according to the doctor) the bradycardia is caused by taking metoprolol. I've been taking metoprolol since 2017 but all of a sudden my body has developed a reaction to it. So I'm off it for now. I hope that is what was causing the bradycardia. That would be an easy fix. Today is my first day without it and I'm supposed to take my BP and heart rate now and then all day to keep an eye on it.

I picked up my new glasses yesterday. I love having trifocals again. I love having that intermediate distance. Bifocals just don't do it for me. But the prescription must be different enough that wearing the new glasses caused a headache (eye-ache). It was terrible last night. It's still there this morning but not nearly as bad. The new glasses have transition lenses and I'm looking forward to trying them out in the sun today. Since I got the cataracts fixed the sun seems too bright now.

I have a free day today. Waiting for the weather to warm up a bit more and then my plan is to spend most all day in my shed working on mosaic. I still have 17 more mirrors to glue stained glass tessera on.

Parts.

Yesterday was Dave's and today I have my own doctor appointment in the afternoon. Just a check up with the PA. I don't even know why. I have to keep proving to them over and over that I have white coat syndrome and my blood pressure can get very high in certain instances. But it's not high all the time. I think it might be a follow up on that. Or it might be my annual and I should be ready for something more intrusive. Then next Tuesday the nurse from aetna comes and does their home visit. So stupid. But it just seems easier to go along with it.

Thinking about Trump. My god, the US has chosen a person who bankrupted his businesses 6 times to be the person who manages our trade dealings with other countries. More tariffs is just more taxes to be paid but instead of taxes on income (which would be taxing the rich more), it is taxes on the goods that everyone, including the poor need. I could go on and on but I won't because I don't think I'm that good of a writer or political thinker. I will let others who know more about it go on and on but I feel the need to express myself. I'm aghast. I guess I should be glad I am alive in such an interesting and dramatic time. Since I signed on to be here on earth, I'm part of earth, and this is what's happening to earth right now. The humans are going crazy.


One, Three and Thirteen. 

A cold rainy day today, all day. After I got back from my doctor's appointment this morning I felt tired and achy and went back to bed. I think it's the rain. I was a little disappointed in the doctor. She didn't ask me anything about how the PT for my shoulder went last fall. That was the main issue I talked to her about back then. I would have told her that my shoulder doesn't feel better but I feel better about my shoulder. Now that I understand what's causing the pain in there I can accept it and I'm willing to use it more. My arm is much stronger than it was 6 months ago. My blood pressure was high today. It's always high when I go to the doctor. That's what she focused on. That and eating better - less salt and fat. She wants me to take my BP at home for the next month and show the PA next time I come in. Blaa.


When I don't know what to do with myself I can always get out a camera and see if I see something.




Trying out all the colors in the new acrylic paint set this afternoon.

Even the chickens are feeling a little blaa today. When I opened the door to let them out in the afternoon Little Comfort wasn't with the 3 young ones. I found her sitting in the nest box making little purring sounds so I left her alone. I certainly wouldn't blame her for wanting to stay in a warm dry place today. Later I looked outside and she was making the rounds with the other chickens in the rain. They really don't seem to mind the wet. Feathers keep birds surprisingly dry. They act like an insulating waterproof shell around them. It's kind of amazing. There were lots of worms coming out of the saturated ground today. Chickens like to eat worms, just like robins do, so that was keeping them busy.

On Thursday Jan and I hiked the Tsunga Trail and the Beaver Run Trail at Erie Wildlife Refuge. This is the one picture I took that day - from the long bridge that goes over the marsh. There was lots of great scenery on both trails but I wasn't in the mood so much to get pictures that day. Afterwards we ate at a place that is one of my favorite places - the Parkside in Cochranton. But they didn't have my usual (fish sandwich) so I got an egg salad sandwich instead. The worst egg salad sandwich I'd ever eaten. It was like they removed the yellow and then used a knife to cut the white up into big chunks and then slathered that with mayo. So tasteless and bland. I couldn't even eat it. Blaa. Brought most of it home for the chickens. Though I was in a bad way anyway with stomach upsets so that might have been part of not being able to eat it. I got home and had stomach cramps off and on all evening. We took the dogs for a walk to the lake just before dark. Pictures here:( Read more... )

Friday was my doctor appointment and I wasn't sure if I was even going to be able to go - terrible constipation and I couldn't get out of the bathroom. Finally about 15 minutes before I was supposed to leave I did get that resolved, thank goodness. I was very encouraged with my new doctor. I did expect that she'd be Indian from her name but I didn't expect she'd be so young and naturally beautiful. I blurted out when she came into the room, "Wow, I did not expect someone so young and beautiful!". It was kind of embarrassing after I said it. She took it well though and we went on from there. I told her about my stomach problems lately and she suggested I use probiotics. And I told her about my chronic right shoulder pain and loss of motion there and she ordered an x-ray (finally! an x-ray!). She suspected that PT would be all I'd need but wanted an x-ray to make sure. Now I need to get myself signed up for PT and then onward with that. It felt like the world had opened up and a cloud had lifted. After I drove up to the hospital and got the x-ray I went to Walmart to shop for the probiotics and it seemed like everyone was smiling at me. I usually make it my mission to smile and make eye contact with people in stores. Just something I like to do but it seemed like EVERYone was smiling back at me that day. Very different from my usual reception.

Yesterday (Saturday) we canned green tomato relish and then walked to the lake in the evening. Some pictures from the lake:( Read more... )


This morning. 10 pints of green tomato relish finished and ready to go to the basement. This is the second batch of green tomato relish we made this summer. I like this recipe better than the first we tried. So simple. 20 pints will be enough to last a year for us.

We're planning to soon walk the dogs somewhere over by Kossuth so Dave can get the SD cards from his trail cams. Need to get ready for that...

Yesterday we took the dogs for a walk to the lake. We hadn't had them out for a while because of all the recent rain. We went a different way back around the lake than we usually do and came across this big Common Mullein. Next year when it sends up its flower stalk it'll be huge. I was trying to remember it's name later and instead Flannel Plant came to mind as something to call it. Looked it up later to see if anyone calls it Flannel Plant and they do. They also call it Bunny Ears. I like the common names for things. Verbascum Thapsus is its Latin name.


Dave had a doctor appointment yesterday morning and I went with him to that. Waited in the truck. Spent time drawing in a new little sketch journal I made that fits into my purse. So many times I find myself waiting in the car or truck and wish I had something small to write and draw in so I made one. I used to carry something like this all the time but got out of the habit - it seemed like my cell phone could do EVERYthing but it can't. It can't be a sketchbook. After the appointment we went to the restaurant I wrote about yesterday - Smoke Cantina. The food was fancy and very good. Nice to have another place in our little town to eat well besides Bella Cucina. I should have taken a picture of the food. The presentation was very nice. I ordered seared tuna to share with Dave and then I had a tomato and cheese salad. I'm calling the foods those names but the names on the menu were very different and the food was very different - kind of like using Latin names for rare plants.

When we had gotten back from our walk to the lake yesterday Dave laid down on our bed and then Andy did too. But Andy was soaking wet from swimming in the lake during our walk so my side of the bed was all wet. So I had a really good impetus to get the room vacuumed and change all the bedding too. There is so much more I could do in that room (sort through clothes and get rid of stuff) but at least the carpet is clean now where it can be reached.

Today. First of all drive Roswell to work. Then? It looks like it'll be dry but overcast today so that opens up outdoor activities. Not sure what I want to do yet...

I took Rainy to Two Mile yesterday morning. We came down from the big hill by the dam. Climbing back up is a steep long haul so I don't go that way very often. I saw that they've changed some of the horse trails in that area so next time I go the plan is to explore more there. Here's some pictures: ( Read more... )

I have my semi-annual checkup with my doctor this afternoon. Wondering what to bring up with him. It came to my attention recently to think about fascia. My mother always had a problem with tight and painful fascia. I think that was the source of her "traveling pains". I have traveling pains too. More so recently. The other day I did some stretches and boy, did I have tightness and soreness afterwards, in places that I thought had good mobility. It was like stretching the problem places brought pain to my good limbs. Which would make sense if fascia is all connected. I certainly don't know that much about it - just what I've been reading on the internet so it might be a good topic for discussion with him. He's retiring in December so this is the last I'll be seeing him. I'm wondering what the new doctor in the practice will be like. I hope she will have as good of bedside manner as old Doctor David does.

Wouldn't it be nice?

Sebby and I played music together again last night. It is fun, encouraging and discouraging all at the same time. It's fun to be able to do something with someone else. It's encouraging to be getting better as we go along. It is discouraging because it reminds me how terrible I am at music. I have moments of just wanting to give up because I know I will never be a natural at it. Sebby is very understanding and non-judgmental. All the harsh judgments come from me. We taped ourselves a couple times just to figure out what was going wrong and I sound so OFF rhythm. But yes, getting better as time goes on. I wish it came naturally to me.

Being a Natural. Sebby is a natural with music. He has connections in his brain that I don't naturally have. I'm a natural at other things. Making things with my hands has always come easy for me. My eye hand connection is good. My ear hand connection isn't very good. The only way to become a natural at music for me is to hope that reincarnation is a real thing and to get a new body. This body won't ever be doing it. So what do I do with that thought? Maybe if I get ready (musically) in this life for it I can reach into the next life in a better way? And in any case it can make me more appreciative of musicians in this life. They are here and they are DOING it. Celebrate them!

If I could come back in a chosen way? The things I want: To give up eating and using other animals. To be able to fly! To make beautiful music. So I guess I will be a fruit eating songbird next time. Yeah! That could do it all.

Other things? Dave and I go to our doctor for check ups this morning. We have started getting our appointments on the same day. Easier that way. And in the afternoon I'm going to take a couple pin looms to Candy's house and be a weaving teacher. Wearing masks of course.

It got down to 3F last night. Not looking forward to going outside for morning chicken chore time.

Question:
7 Which art movement best describes you today (e.g. surrealism, dada, impressionism, etc.)?
Probably Expressionism. I've always wanted my art to express something - tell something - express how I feel.

I didn't get to sleep till about 3 am last night. Which was strange. Just couldn't fall asleep. I watched netflix on my phone till about 1 in bed and then went out to the living room and continued watching while I drank a Sleepytime tea. I've been watching Shtisel. It really speaks to me about how families, and others, try to control us. In some cases others, as they look on from the outside really can see what might be best for us and we are too stubborn to see it. We are blind to it. And then there are times when others are seeing what would be best for them and they are trying to push that on us. It seems so right to them. But they don't really know us. Constant push pull. Push = outright trying to control. Pull = trying to slyly coerce others without them realizing it. I try to not do that push pull but I still catch myself doing it. Or I'm resenting others doing it to me. It must be built into us as social animals.

Today our annual GP check up appointments for both Dave and me. They cancelled them back in April when the covid started. I'm not concerned about anything. It seems an inconvenience to have to go at all. Both Dave and I lost our slips for blood work so we will have to do the blood work after the appointments. There might not be much to discuss during the appointment without that.

It's only supposed to get up to 91F in the early afternoon today and then the temps will be coming down with possible thunderstorms. Good. It was stifling around here yesterday. This house gets very hot and muggy with only one small AC window unit in the kitchen.