A Dog Guest

We are dogsitting for my sister's golden retriever.  Addie is 10 years old, the same age as Maui, our mini dachsund and Pudge the puggle.  Perhaps they met once years ago, but yesterday was the first time they had seen each other in a long while and Addie  has never stayed at our house.  She was whining when her family left her.  Calmed down after a half hour or so.  We have AJ a huge tabby and Mickey a skinny little cat that adopted us a few years ago.  He is young and an instigator. He decided to hop onto the table and stick his claws in Addie. This morning I heard Addie bark at Mickey.  I'm not sure what happened, but I put Mickey outside. When I get home I will take Pudge and Addie for a walk. 

Yoga

Although my blood pressure is under control with medication, I feel that I am not centered. I had a hard night the evening of my birthday.  I missed my dad--it was my first birthday without him.  I also feel that I need to get away and regroup.  I am hoping to have a couple days by myself in October and November when my daughter goes on maternity leave and is home with her babies.  In the meantime, I signed up for a yoga class.  It begins tomorrow.  I bought a new yoga mat and brick and some yoga pants. I haven't attended a yoga class in years.  I tried to find one more suitable for my age, but had a conflict.  So I enrolled with people 16 years old and older.  I feel in balance with work, babysitting my granddaughter, riding, training my mini horse, walking my two dogs, reading and yoga.  I fit household chores in between.

Tiny houses

Back in 2012, mother and dad, their dog Rosa, my brother and I went camping at a State Park.   I drove the van and pulled the popup.  My brother, who owns a popup, had it set up in 10 minutes.  I set it up as a tiny house--the dinette table up, windows open, sheets on the bed. The pantry of food was in the back of the van.  This trip became important because it started my fascination with tiny homes.  I was content in my neat little house!  I am interested to see how this fascination develops.  I have been researching small trailers--Runaways, Hikers, Little Guys, Sunrays and others. The idea was to purchase one and use it for my solo camping.  Not going to happen because my husband feels that there is no place to store it.

Bad Idea

Well I had one of those ideas that came back to bite me.  The pharmacy near my house is situated in a mall that has a terribly busy parking lot. So I thought to myself, why not call it in to the pharmacy by the flower shop.  Terrible idea.  First, the flower shop opens at 9 am; the pharmacy at 10 am.  And both close at 6. So I taped a sign on the door and  ran down the hill but the prescription wasn't ready.  I thought I had noted when the pharmacy was closed for lunch, but got there and discovered that it was closed.  And when I tried to unlock the flower shop door realized that I didn't have the keys; they were sitting on the desk as was my cell phone.  I headed to the muffler shop where my friend let me use her phone to call our delivery manager.  He had to drive across town in college football traffic.  First football game of the season.  While I was waiting, I tried again, but the prescription was still not ready. I discovered that the pharmacy was slammed because of a buy out of another area pharmacy!  Bad bad idea.

Celebrating My Birthday

I have much to be grateful for.  In March, I found I couldn't cope with the stress of unraveling my dad's house and selling  it without blood pressure meds. I also have a bit of a heart murmur due to narrowing of the the arterial valve. However, the nurse told me not to worry to keep moving.  I took lisinipril and am one of the few people who cough as a side effect.  I had just renewed the prescription and tried to tough it out, but with 14 tablets left called and asked for a different med.  I couldn't handle the violent cough that disturbed my sleep, my work and caused several other problems.  Now I am taking chlorthalidone and after 2 weeks the cough is mostly gone. And the chlorthalidone works better, my blood pressure is lower.   I enjoy working with Dory, the mini horse I lease and I ride Hope, my mare on Tuesday mornings.  I get together with friends on Wednesday for dinner.  My granddaughter is the sunshine of my life and we have happy adventures.  I like to walk my two dogs although they are ten years old and have slowed down.  I enjoy working at the flower shop.  I do need some time away by myself and am looking forward to a vacation in October and November (by myself).  I am celebrating my birthday with a cookout at the house.  My son, daughter and her family will be coming.  Happy happy birthday to me!

Need Some Alone Time

My daughter is expecting a baby boy in early October.  She will be on maternity leave but when she goes back to work, I will babysit my two year old granddaughter and my newborn grandson.  I have been working in his room to get it ready.  However, there are photos from my dad's house in the room, and I have yet to decide what to do with them.  Probably the best plan would be to digitally scan them, but then I have to figure out how to identify them.  I am storing photo equipment in the garage--a reel to reel projector, a movie screen, old film, and my grandmother's geneaology.  I hurried to remove these items from my dad's house, but now they are stuck in limbo at my house.  Trying to get an idea about my outside plants too.  My friend suggested to let them go and buy new next year.  Seriously considering this idea as the house has little winter sun and the plants will probably die anyway.  Perhaps a small greenhouse? Husband won't be too happy about a greenhouse killing his grass.  I seriously need a gramcation (a vacation for grammie).  It looks like I will take the Escape and sleep in the back.  I would like a small teardrop or box trailer that I can use without help.  My palomino pony popup is wonderful but I can't hitch it myself nor can I set it up easily.  Planning my vacations in October and November.

Vacation

Our family reunion was the last weekend in July. 14 of us--my husband, children, spouses, partners friends, granddaughter and granddog gathered at one of our state's beautiful parks.  Sadly, every time I plan a vacation, someone dies.  This year my mother's sister, our favorite aunt died.  Her funeral was Friday, the day we planned to arrive at the state park.  My husband and I hurry scurried to get packed and ready to leave Thursday after work.  Fortunately my aunt's funeral was in a city 200 miles north and on the way to the state park.  After my aunt's funeral, we enjoyed a delicious meal and visited with my uncle and cousins.  We then headed 60 miles north to the state park.  As I waited to check in, my son and two friends arrived from Chicago.  Rain poured on the tents the first evening, but a nice wind picked up Saturday, drying out clothes and sleeping bags.  We waded in Lake Huron and floated on inner tubes.  In the evening, we sat around a fire roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.  My son, daughter and I attended church on Sunday and were warmly welcomed.  Some family members left for home on Sunday.  The rest of us packed on Monday and headed for home.  A storm system made the drive unpleasant and we were glad to arrive home safely. We unloaded the pop up but had to dry it out on Tuesday.  After settling my dad's estate (mostly) and selling Dad's house, I really needed the time away.  I didn't realize it until I was driving around Tuesday and felt the difference.  I was so much more relaxed.