I Had a Great Birthday - Flowers, Cards and a Trip to the Garden Center

Yesterday was a lovely day. We started the day out by going to the large garden center to buy plants. Of course, it being Mother's Day in the USA, everyone was out there as well, but we were plenty early and got a great parking spot. We even had open space for the first half-hour or so. But Mother's Day is their busiest day of the year, and this year was no exception. After filling our cart with multitudes of blooms, we headed for checkout and there were only two people ahead of us. Score! (They did have EVERY checkout station manned - they're not fools). 

This is one very small portion of Gerten's Garden Center. It's 
about a half-hour drive to get here, so we only come out once 
or twice a year. I was here to get a gift card for DH in December 
and was able to walk right in. Mother's Day, however, is a 
completely different story with hundreds of shoppers, all the parking 
lots filled, and the street parking also filled. I was glad we 
were there early. 

Too much money spent later, we had the plants in the back of my car and were heading back home to get everything into the garden. Now ... I've stated before that I am NOT a gardener. I appreciate the flowers and plants, but it's really not my thing. DH, on the other hand, loves to garden. His back, however, has been giving him a lot of trouble. So, instead of having both sides of the garden planted by the end of the day, he only had one side planted. The rest will have to be done tomorrow. The plants will be fine - he'll water everything as he always does every morning. But there's still a LOT of work that needs to be done - the second half of the actual garden and the many separate buckets and hangers for my tomatoes and herbs. 

Lantana flowers are my favorite flowers. I adore 
the colors and tiny blossoms they have, and they 
always brighten my day whenever I see them. 

Yesterday was also my birthday, and I received a beautiful card featuring a photo of lupine flowers from my dear friend Chickie Mama (Claire), and a much more light-hearted card from Chickie along with a Barnes & Noble gift card. They know me well - LOL. I also got a killer long-sleeved t-shirt from Sharon in Denver featuring an image of Titanic with the following words from the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown - "After being brined, salted, and pickled in mid ocean, I am now high and dry .... - Margaret Brown, 1912". I adore it!!! Molly Brown, of course, was a Colorado native and became, eventually, a renowned Denver socialite, but she always made her own rules and didn't tolerate fools. Her house is still standing in Denver and they offer tours. 

The Molly Brown House is still in Denver. It's a museum, and 
it's absolutely splendid. Look it up online to see interior 
photos. I thought about becoming one of their tour guides 
when I was in High School, but decided against it. Still, 
it's a great place and she was a truly strong woman. 

So, I'm off and running today. Mondays are always a bit hectic and I have to drop by the grocery store on my way in - I have NO lettuce! I need my nightly salad - it's an important part of my daily meals. I managed without yesterday (I made crockpot ribs for our dinner - no muss, no fuss), but I have no intention of going without salad two days in a row! LOL

Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

It's Mother's Day - I'm Childless By Choice

Hi everyone and Happy Saturday. Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and it also happens to be my birthday. I've never been fond of the date of my birth because it always intersects with Mother's Day celebrations and activities. It doesn't always fall on the exact holiday, of course, but it's always close enough that flowers are twice as expensive and meals are focused on the greater holiday. *sigh* I might be used to it, but I don't have to like it. 

Happy Mother's Day to all of my friends who are 
mothers out there in cyberspace. Enjoy your 
day of celebration - it's well deserved. 

Last year DH took me out to brunch at a local steakhouse that I enjoy, and the food was actually quite good. But we had to sit in the bar area because we were only two people, even though I had made the reservations in advance, and there wasn't any acknowledgement that it was a birthday celebration because the world (in the USA) was busy celebrating Mother's Day on that date. *sigh* Like I said, I might be used to it but I don't have to like it. 

I never wanted children. I found nothing fascinating 
in the antics of children - young or older - that was 
enough to convince me to have kids. 

Some people are childless by choice and that was always my choice. I knew from the time I was quite young that I really didn't want children. I was up front about that with every boyfriend I had over the years, and I've never changed my mind. I don't have the memories that you, as mothers, have, and I don't regret my decision at all and never have. I don't think I would have made a very good mother. I'm too self-centered and when I get into a project, I'm too directed and focused to split my time with other smaller beings. I recognized my limitations very early in my life and made my decision. I've never regretted it. 

My Mom and Dad were fine with my 
choice to be childless. Mom really wanted 
a kid, so she hunted the world over and 
finally found me. I was very lucky and had 
great parents. But I also always knew that 
kids were NOT in my own future. 

When I met DH, I told him about my decision to be childless, and he said his sister had three kids (later to grow to a family of eight kids) and he didn't feel the need to have any kids either. Seth, my previous top guy (and still good friend) was also just fine with it. He has his lovely wife, his horses and his dogs and cats, and he's content. I know that most of you, my friends and readers out there, have kids and adore them (most of the time) and occasionally tear your hair out because of something stupid that they did. That's the job of a mother - to be supportive, but also to be able to view things with a critical eye when necessary. The best mothers can do both at the same time. 

If you don't want children, you shouldn't have 
to have any. If you do want them, by all means 
have them by any way open to you. You'll be 
a great Mom or Dad and you'll enjoy your family. 

For those of you with children - young or old, I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day tomorrow and that you get acknowledged and celebrated for more than a single day in the year. Motherhood is a hard but very rewarding job, and it deserves accolades and gifts much more often than a single day in May. Have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini. 

Happy Birthday to My Bestie - Sharon

It's Tuesday, it's a swimming day, but most important, today is my BFF Sharon's birthday, so Happy Birthday, Bestie! Of course, I have no card and no gift for you. I looked and looked for the perfect thing, and came up empty. If I find THE ONE THING before you come up for the State Fair, I'll buy it and send it to you. But if I don't, we'll shop at the Fair and I'll get you something there. I feel awful about not having the perfect gift, but at our age, it needs to be perfect - not just trying and not achieving the goal. 

It's Sharon's birthday today. She's a little bit younger 
than I am. I'll even let her give me a hard time about 
being older every now and again - LOL. I'll keep 
looking for the perfect gift, though. It's got to be right 
for a milestone birthday like this one. 

It's a swimming day today, so I'm back out in the 50 meter pool. Watching the swimming at the Olympics, I can only sigh. Wow, just WOW. These swimmers are so fast, they just cut through the water. I'm a good swimmer, but I've never been a speed demon. I have good endurance, but I'm always happy when my 50 minutes or so is completed and it's time to gather my stuff and go back indoors. Still, I love the water and it's what calls to me, keeping me active in my old age, just as it did when I was a kid. Swimming and the pool is one of the constants in my life - things that have been with me from as far back as I can remember. Swimming can join reading in that list, along with writing. I've always been a writer too. 

Our outdoor pool is a 50 meter pool, just like at the Olympics. 
I don't keep track of my laps, but I know I'm SLOW compared 
to these young kids who are tearing up the water. They are 
amazing and so much fun to watch. 

I hope many of you are watching the Paris Olympics too. I'm sure that the broadcasts are different for each location in the world where you are located, but isn't it all so thrilling? I do love that competitive spirit, and the fact that through sports, people who would be political enemies can be sporting friends - at least for a short time. Competitive sports is a great leveler - it's totally based upon physical capabilities, not politics or agendas. The individual athletes change from time to time, but the goal of friendly competition remains strong, and interaction (or icy acknowledgement in some cases) between the athletes actually does help with international understanding and common ground. 

So proud of the men's gymnastics team for winning 
the Bronze medal. They did great! Not perfect, but 
damned good. I do wonder how they would be placing 
if Russia was competing, but it's rather nice to not 
have Russia in the Olympics for a change. 

So, as I get ready to head to the swimming pool, after a hot and semi-sleepless night, I'll be happy to jump into the cool water and do my laps. I might not be a speed demon, but my body is always happy after a good workout, and a happy body is a happy me - LOL. I hope you all have a wonderful day ahead of you. I wrote two versions of the current writing challenge - now to sit down with them and see what can be merged into a single, final version for submission. Slava Ukraini. 

Meandering Thoughts for my Birthday - Feel Free to Disagree - LOL

Have you ever checked what happened in the year of your birth? Most of the time, I don't really care. But since today is a MAJOR birthday, I decided to look back and share with all of you. One of the benefits of getting older is being able to do retrospectives like this - LOL. 

So, in 1954, the year of my birth, the following things happened: 

The Year 1954 Major News Events 70 Years Ago

1. Senator Joseph McCarthy is censured, bringing an end to his witch hunt of Communists
2. The First Indo-China War Ends
3. The Supreme Court rules on Brown v. Board of Education, stating that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional
4. Ellis Island in New York closes as a point of Immigration
5. President Eisenhower signs into law the new social security bill funded by employers and employees
6. US "Operation Wetback" is started on 17th July to send back to Mexico almost 4 million illegal immigrants
7. Hydrogen bomb test conducted on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
8. The words "under God" are added to the United States Pledge of Allegiance
9. First sub 4 minute mile run on May 6th by Roger Bannister
10. Swanson introduces TV Dinners

I'm not sure I'd put the TV Dinners into the same category as the hydrogen bomb, but there you have it. It's a bit of a hoot, but it's far from comprehensive. What else happened in the year of my birth? 

Cost of Living 1954 - How Much things cost

•  Yearly Inflation Rate USA 0.32%
• Yearly Inflation Rate UK 1.9%
• Average Cost of new house $10.250.00
• Average wages per year - $4,100.00

 

• Average Cost of a new car - $1,700.00
• Average Cost of Rent $85.00 per month
• Movie Ticket - 70 cents
• Life Magazine - 20 cents

 

• The Dow Jones recovers back to pre Wall Street Crash highs of 381.17
• Cost of a gallon of Gas 21 cents
• Average House Price UK - 1,970 -

 

It looks like things were so much more affordable back then, but were they really? No, inflation has taken care of all of that. As salaries increased, the cost of goods also increased, and the ability of the "common man" to purchase his daily requirements and some luxury goods stayed, barely, within reach. The middle class struggled, and they still struggle. The poor were poor, and they still are poor. The dollar amounts are so much larger now, because the dollar is worth much less. 

My parents had to scrimp and save, like any other newer couple with a young child. They grew accustomed to the realities of parenthood - the kid sees and wants everything, and the parent simply can't afford it - so they both do the best they can with what they have. When my parents got me my first adult-sized bicycle, I was thrilled. It was a hand-me-down from my Mom's cousin, my Tante Gerty. Her daughter, my cousin Miki, had used it, but Miki was older than I by eight years or so, and she had grown out of the clunking old bike. I, however, was thrilled to have a big bike of my own, and rode that bike until I entered Middle School. I upgraded to a 10-speed when I went to college - I still have that first 10-speed, although I upgraded that one after my first year as a Graduate student. 

I've seen a lot in my 70 years. I've seen causes picked up and then put back into the closets. I've seen elections come and go - good people and horrid people elected, but the USA still stands, both in spite and despite the election results. I've seen changes in world politics, and increased suspicion between people as nations, neighborhoods, and individuals clash. I know humanity can survive, but will the governments under which they live? I'm not so sure about that. As we've moved through the ages, we've never strayed from our aggressive impulses, our territorial tendencies and our habit of striking out first and apologizing later. When you have weapons of mass destruction, that "later" may not come and we might not rebound this time. I remind myself that dinosaurs lived as a biological success for millions of years. Mankind is very young. If nature feels the need, we'll be toast and She'll be trying something else - hopefully a bit more successful. Maybe more dinosaurs. They certainly were kinder on the environment than mammals have proven to be. 

So, celebrate my birthday with me and think back on your own life. Have you had a positive impact? Have you had a negative one? Have you had ANY impact at all on those around you? Maybe it's time to change that. Have an excellent day and weekend, enjoy a piece of cake for me, and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל. 

Totality - Are You Lucky Enough to See the Eclipse?

Happy Totality Day and also Happy Birthday to my Mom who would be 112 years old, if she was still living. Of course, she died long ago, but that doesn't mean I don't think about her often with (mostly) positive thoughts. No relationship in this world is totally black and white. There are grey areas of disagreement and challenge. Some relationships grow stronger during those periods of grey, others break apart completely. The stresses felt by one pairing are going to be experienced by others, with different results. That's because we're all very individual people, and we're all going to react to events differently. 

Today is my Mom's birthday. She's been dead 
for decades, but that doesn't stop me thinking 
about her with great fondness. There certainly 
were times when we butted heads - we're very 
stubborn people. But we truly loved each other 
too, and managed to work things out every time. 
Happy 112th Birthday, Mom! 

Today is also Totality Day for the solar eclipse that's moving across a vast swath of the USA today. Unfortunately, it's looking like clouds will impact the event for much of the Northeastern states area, which will be a total bummer for my friends in that part of the country. Clouds will be a possible problem throughout the path, but that hasn't stopped people from around the world flocking to Texas and Oklahoma and other states along the pathway in hopes of seeing "Totality". The next time the USA will have any total eclipse will be on August 23, 2044, and it will only touch the far northern states of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. 

This map shows the small strip of totality viewing for 
today's eclipse. Of course, if you include the total area 
where parts of the eclipse will be visible, it takes 
over most of the continental USA. 

DH and I spent yesterday morning in the rain (fortunately a gentle rain, not a pelting down rain), collecting shrubbery, vines and weeks that he had pulled away from the fenceline. Although I set up an appointment to meet with the fence people on Tuesday, I'm going to have to reschedule because DH has a doctor appointment that we were unaware of, and it's one he can't miss and can't easily reschedule. So, I'll be calling the fencing company today to get our on-site look, estimate and quote done later this week instead. Maybe I'll get lucky and he can come by later on Tuesday. I'm hopeful, but I'm also a realist. I'm sure his schedule is tight. 

I thought we had a good time for the appointment with 
the fence guys, but DH ended up with a doctor appointment 
that will make it VERY tight for him to be at the house on 
time. I'll have to get the fence guy rescheduled. 

With the exception of clearing up the fenceline and taking all of the sticks, branches and dead vines to the compost dump, we had a relaxing day. I had ribs in the crockpot for dinner (super yummy), and we only needed to make whatever side dishes we wanted to go along with the meat. I love ribs days - it's so easy to do. Just put the ribs into the crockpot with the different Bar-B-Que sauces, turn it on, and let it cook. It doesn't get a lot easier than that - LOL. 

Up here in the Frozen Northlands, we're getting a 
70%-80% view in the Twin Cities, farther north 
in the state, they're at a 60%-70% vies. Almost all 
of the continental USA will be effected by the eclipse, 
however, so be careful if you're outside and WEAR 
ECLIPSE GLASSES if you're out during the event. 
Better safe than sorry! 

So, I'm heading off to work. I'll try to catch up on some of your posts before leaving the main computer for the day. I hope all of you have a wonderful Eclipse Day, and that if you're in a position to actually see it, PUT ON YOUR SPECIALIZED GLASSES. Don't risk your vision by watching it unprotected. Effects of direct viewing often don't show up for a few days, but are irreversible damage. Be cautious and be kind to yourself. Use proper eye protection. Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.

It Was a Productive Friday and How Long Have I Been on WildFit?

I had a very productive day in the kitchen yesterday, and also managed to purchase groceries and buy two gift cards for DH. DH always gets double things - his birthday is so close to Christmas that they almost merge. It makes celebrating a birthday difficult because everyone is still hung over from the Christmas sugar rush. We'll probably head out to Target on the day after Christmas and see if they have the white cake with white frosting that he enjoys so much. I have gift cards for his birthday, but really, it's not much for a milestone birthday. *sigh*

He prefers it without the sprinkles, but he 
really likes Target's white cake with white 
frosting. He likes it better than the offerings 
at CUB or at our local grocery's bakery 
department. 

I spent the rest of the day in the kitchen, as I mentioned. First, I made my "Ogre Juice" for the upcoming week. I always give my poor blender a serious workout when it's making that for me, but as usual, it came through the test like a champ. Then I got to work on the rest of my kitchen agenda. 

I have a Wolf Professional Blender 
that was HORRIBLY expensive (and 
still is). But I had burned out three 
different blenders, two of them top-
of-the-line Ninja blenders, within three 
months of starting WildFit. I determined 
it just didn't make sense to keep buying 
new blenders every 4-6 weeks, spent 
some time in intensive research, and bought 
my Wolf. I love it. It's a workhorse and I 
take it to it's max every week. 

I roasted a butternut squash in maple syrup (SO GOOD!), then I baked up some thick-cut bacon (I am a firm believer in cooking bacon in the oven - so easy and it turns out perfectly every time). After that, I started work on what my Mother-in-Law used to call a "hot dish". It's not a casserole that others might link with the name, just a mish-mash of things thrown together. I had a pound of ground beef and some mushrooms that I wanted to use, I added a bit of this and a bit of that and a bit of the other, along with an onion and garlic and spices, mixed it with a package of my faux rice, and voila! It's REALLY tasty and I'm looking forward to eating it as soon as my stuffed peppers are finished in a couple of days. 

I like adding a strip of bacon to my nightly salad every 
day or two, and the easiest way I've ever found to 
cook my bacon perfectly is to cook it in the oven. 
It's SO easy, it works perfectly every time, and it's 
totally no-fuss. My basic recipe is found on-line at 
"How to Cook Bacon in the Oven (Easy & Crispy)" 
and I highly recommend it. 

So my side of the refrigerator is now stuffed with lovely things to eat that will keep me well fed for a week or so. Success! I always enjoy my time in the kitchen, and this time things seemed to move smoothly from one recipe to another, seamlessly. It isn't always like that - LOL. There are days when nothing I try actually works out well. Fortunately the Gods of December cooking were looking after me and everything worked.

I started the WildFit 90-Day Challenge in February of 2021. 
So, I'm in my third year of WildFit, and still just as happy 
with it as I was initially. It was a radical change of cooking 
and eating, but I haven't regretted it at all. As with anything, 
you take from it what you want and discard the rest. I found 
what worked for me, and it is a bit extreme - no dairy, no 
caffeine, no refined sugar and no gluten works for me, but 
I know it won't work for everyone. 

I had thought I was in year 3 of WildFit, but DH said I was only in my second year, so I grabbed my workbook for WildFit this morning and double-checked dates. He was wrong - I'll be starting year four in February of next year. I'm really close, and just as happy with it now as I was initially. I'm comfortable with what and how I eat these days. I'm really not missing dairy, refined sugar or gluten, and I feel fabulous, am active, and am pushing my way toward retirement. 

Many of my holiday cards have already been 
received, and people are emailing or Facebooking 
(if that's a word at all) images to me of happy, 
colored-in, Gnomes. I'm delighted. So many 
different ways people are coloring them in for 
me. It's interactive cards - LOL. 

One weird thing, however. One of my holiday cards, for a local friend, was returned to me yesterday telling me that I was $3.73 short of postage on it. NO, I'm not short on postage. I know. I took one of my domestic pieces to the Post Office and had them weigh it to tell me how much postage I needed on them. But, I'll have to print out another envelope since this one is trashed, and mail it again. I know cards have been received, I've been getting comments, thank-you's and photos of colored gnomes for several days now. It's been GREAT! I love seeing what people have done with this year's card. 

Time to wrap this up and head out for my day. I hope your 
day is fabulous and filled with positive interactions 
and things to view. The only way to keep the negatives 
in the world at bay is to remember the positives - the 
smile of a child, the sun on a flower, the hug of a 
loved one, the adoration of a puppy or kitten. 

Anyway, I'm going to wrap this up and start my day. I hope you have a truly wonderful Saturday. Tomorrow is my final open Sunday and I'm torn between hoping I'm busy and hating the fact that I'm working on a Sunday. But, it's my last one, so I'll tough it out. Enjoy your weekend and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini and חיים לישראל.

Swimming, Work and the State Fair - Sharon Is Coming Back Again! Whoot!!

It's a good thing it's a swimming day today because I really need some water time. Yesterday went OK, but not great. Still, it could have been worse, and I did get some work done. I had some fun customers too, which really is the whole reason I'm in business. DH and I were wrangling about his business quotation problems at the same time, but had to leave things unresolved until we were back home. Then, to top the day off, I had to go back to the shop one more time because an essential code to get everything DH needed operational could be sent to his business phone, so I drove over and got the code. I think we finally have everything operating properly so that he can send items out for possible purchase. He'll probably try a test run today. 

Time for a test run. I think DH will be sending some 
information to a specific company today to see if 
they might be interested in purchase. Hopefully they 
will be. It would make all of the work worth while. 

Meanwhile, it's 3:40 am and he's already awake and moving around upstairs. That can be a problem when I'm trying to get my blog posted and out, so this one may be a short one. *sigh* 

I hope Sharon will have a cake for her birthday. I'll 
send her some virtual cakes just because I can - LOL. 
Like this Cappuccino cake - looks very yummy, and 
no calories! LOL

It's Sharon's birthday at the end of the week, and I'm really at a total loss for a gift. Often I purchase a gift months in advance when I see the perfect thing. I haven't seen the perfect thing this time *sigh*. I've got her card sitting on my desk, and I'll at least get that into the mail today, and I did arrange for something to be delivered on her birthday, but I wish it was a bit more personal of a gift. Still, maybe she'll see something at the State Fair that she wants. She did send me her flight schedule yesterday, so we're all set for late August/early September. Bring it on!!! Whoot! 

The MN State Fair changes the banner above the main gate 
immediately after the current fair closes, to reflect the dates 
for the next year's Fair. I drive by this gate every day, 2X a 
day, although I often take alternative routes while the Fair
is in session because the traffic is horrid. 

So I'm wrapping this up. I'm going to hit the pool with a vengeance today and get all of this frustration out of my system. Tomorrow will be the harder day. I'll have to do my laundry tomorrow, DH's laundry on Thursday, and I'll skip the bed linens for one week. Not happy about that, but necessary. Have a wonderful Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

Happy Birthday, Happy Garden and a New Crockpot

Happy Birthday to a great friend of many years, one of my "sisters from a different mother" friends - Aearwen. We met over Tolkien fan-fiction when she used to run a board of prompt-based tales. I wrote for it, as did others we both knew. We started messaging back and forth, and for more than five years now, we've been chatting for an hour every Wednesday. We don't see eye-to-eye on everything - life would be so boring if we did, and we're very different people. But we have mutual respect, and a true friendship, and that's beyond wonderful. So if you know her, send her a message or comment here to send her a birthday wish. If you don't know her, thank someone else for being a great friend to you. It'll be the best birthday gift I could give to her - a bit more peace and happiness in the world. 

The new trellis. After he got done transplanting the two 
flats of plants he had raised, the full length is totally 
filled and ready to start climbing. He'll grab those tendrils 
as they start seeing, and train them to the trellis. It should 
be quite lovely for the rest of the summer. 

Yesterday was rather droopy - it wasn't "raining" but it wasn't dry either. DH had spent part of Saturday making a new trellis and getting it placed into the ground. He's been raising morning glory plants from seed, and they were ready to be planted. But morning glories love to climb. We don't want the stucco of the basement walls harmed, and they can be very damaging - thus, the trellis. He must have learned something from the beans trellis he made last year, because this one went together much easier. So, on Sunday morning, he separated and planted the morning glories behind my lantanas. They should do well there. 

The new crockpot works extremely well. It is much 
larger than my old one, and that's not a problem for 
me at all. I don't think I need to upgrade to the next 
model, I think this one will do just fine for what I cook 
in a crockpot. The ribs turned out spectacular, each 
side with it's own type of BBQ sauce. 

I, on the other hand, got the ribs into the new crockpot and started them cooking. I made my aluminum foil wall, then put int a roasting bag (I'll switch to a plastic variety of cooking bag after these are used up - they're a bit of overkill). I made sure that each side had plenty of room for the ribs, got them positioned, added the appropriate bar-b-que sauce for each side (his VERY sweet one, and my own home-made one) and turned it on. DH was quite upset that I had purchased a new crock pot - still insisting that the old one would have been large enough. No. And when he growled about finding a place to put it, I opened the cabinet, said "it fits fine right here, where I've got it, and the old one is here too". Everything worked out splendidly and the ribs were delicious. I ADORE my barbecue sauce and I'll make this again. But I still have a good portion left, so I can think about other dishes to use it in. Yum! 

As you can tell, I have lillies almost ready to bloom. 
That's a spot of color in the garden that we need - 
we're between blooms right now, so there's a lot of 
green, but not a lot of color. The bees and hummingbirds 
like color, so I'll be quite happy once these start to 
bloom. 

One group of our lillies are about to pop. Probably within the next few days. A bit of sunshine will do it, and we'll have some spectacular color in the garden once again. Right now, the first blooms of things have died down, and we're back to a lot of green and not a lot of color. That will be changed quite soon and I can hardly wait. I'm sure the bees will be happy too. 

Happy Birthday, Aearwen. The best thing about 
a long-distance birthday is you don't have to 
worry about the gluten, you can just enjoy these 
lovely cupcakes from afar - LOL. 

So, I'm out of here. Have an excellent Monday and Happy Birthday, Aearwen! Slava Ukraini. 

Rushed Today But That's OK Once in a While

Today is my friend and fellow swimmer, Rosemary's, birthday. I won't ask her age, she's older than I am and I'm old - LOL - but she's a spitfire. Not much gets her down. She's in the swimming pool five days a week, Monday-Friday. When I was first relearning how to swim and didn't have much stamina, I swam in the lane next to her and she was my inspiration. Now we've been friends, swimming in adjacent lanes for several years and she's still an inspiration. 

He planted a row of Celosia near where he planted my 
four Lantana plants. We should have a wonderful spurt 
of color in that flowerbed this year. 

As with many of us, age isn't kind. She's slowed down a bit, and has been dealing with joint issues that have moved her away from full motion swimming into using a kickboard and kicking her way through her 40 minutes. But that's hard to do. I have a terrible time just kicking my way through two laps. I'm very slow as a kicker. She gets some decent speed up without using flippers to increase her propulsion, and does it for a long time. I think her doctor finally gave her the go-ahead to start S L O W L Y increasing her arm movements, but I suspect she's a bit shy about that. Once bitten by pain, it's avoided when possible. 

He planted two Dahlias - a red and orange one, and one 
in the purples. We haven't had these before, but I think 
they'll be outstanding. 

I thought I'd sent a bunch of photos to my main computer so that I could share the garden with all of you, but I'm not seeing them, so I'll have to send them again later today, and perhaps tomorrow I can give you beginning shots of our garden after DH finished planting the many plants we purchased on Mother's Day. I know it will be spectacular, if the deer don't eat the blossoms (as they sometimes do). It's lovely to see a garden of green things and deep, dark dirt, and the occasional bright pop of color. It was a very long winter - turning into the third snowiest winter in the history of the Frozen Northlands. A total "Ick", but one that I'm glad to see behind me. I'll try and get some photos together tonight, and maybe tomorrow my post will once again be peppered by pretty things. 

We always have a variety of Day Lillies, no 
matter what. We have them in our front yard 
and in the garden area. We keep trying to get some 
that are a different color than the orange ones 
we have most of. I think we have at least one 
that's more maroon. 

Today I'm just showing a few of the types of plants DH planted this year. It should be a good year for blooms, and he also planted me three tomatoes and three varieties of hot peppers. Yippee! So, on that note, I'm gathering my stuff and heading to the swimming pool. Have an excellent day and Slava Ukraini. 

It's a Rushed Friday - But It's a "Day Off"

As I said in the title, I'm a bit rushed today. Fridays are usually a bit more laid-back, but since the pool was unexpectedly closed on Wednesday, I'm heading out there in a half-hour so that I can get my third swim of the week in. There's nothing like a "messed up" schedule first think in the morning - LOL. 

While looking for a picture for a "messed up 
schedule" I came across this. It just seemed so 
perfect in so many aspects, and I was laughing 
at it. I just had to share. Is it a messed up 
schedule? No. But it's totally messed up - LOL. 

Thanks to all for the kind wishes on my birthday yesterday. DH bought me a truly lovely card, and some sashimi for my dinner - YUM! That was a treat! He also bought me a container of my favorite non-dairy "ice cream" as a treat while we watched "Inspector Morse" on TV. All in all, it was a delightful evening. 

Sashimi is sushi without the rice (that's a rather simplified 
explanation, but it's accurate). My sashimi last night was 
tuna and salmon and was very tasty. It was a lovely 
birthday meal. 

But I'm under a bit of a time crunch today - at least this morning. I will make this relatively short and sweet. OH ... I'm putting a call-out for a bit of help. I'm trying to locate a "friend" who has dropped off my radar. Perhaps you can help. She was a fellow LJ Idol writer, and lives in Minneapolis. She was married to a Native American man named Frank, who passed a few years ago. She had a dear friend or relative living in Florida whom she would visit every now and again. For a while there, she was commenting on most of my posts, and I was reading and commenting on hers. She seems to have dropped out of sight over the past month or six weeks, and I'm concerned. I just want to make sure she's OK, but I'm not even seeing a name in my "friends list" that's ringing a bell for me. Do you remember/know her? Could you message me her user name and maybe her contact information? I just want to make sure she's OK, and apologize if I angered her in some way. Thanks! 

There certainly have been on-line friends I've made and 
lost over the years, but there's usually been a reason - 
something I said that angered the other person, or a 
general growing apart which also sometimes occurs. 
This was quite sudden, from hot to cold, and I'm trying 
to find out if I owe her an apology, or if life just got 
in the way. 

So, as I said above, I'm heading out to the pool. My next surgery isn't until the 24th, so I'm going to take full advantage of the pool while I can. Once I have my other eye done, I'll be out of the water for a week again, and the outdoor pool opens on the 27th. I can hardly wait, but I'll have to. I won't be allowed into a pool until sometime during Week 2 of the outdoor pool. In the meantime, have a truly fabulous Friday and I'll be here again tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

Happy Birthday to Me - Another Year Completed and Starting

Happy birthday to me. I'm going to celebrate getting back into the swimming pool. Yesterday's plan of swimming, then getting my car done, and then doing my various errands hit a wall when the pool chemicals were out of balance and it was going to be closed for an hour. So, my swimming this week has shifted over a day and I'll be swimming today and Friday instead of my usual days. 

Time is fluid, and yesterday's challenges can look 
like today's successes. I'll just move my swimming 
days over by a day this week, and swim today 
and tomorrow instead. 

Having the pool closed yesterday was rather amusing. There is a small crowd of people who gather at the doors of the YMCA, waiting for them to be unlocked at 5:00 am. Meg, Rosemary and I are usually the first three people, and who is first varies - yesterday it was me. Behind us are a group of others, almost all also pool people. I estimate that up to 20 people are early morning pool people - not all swimming laps. There's a large group of water exercise/aerobic people too. 

As one, we all turned our backs on the gym 
doors and headed back to our cars. There was 
Meg, Rosemary and I, Mark, Connie and Karen, 
and Gail, who had just closed her car door, 
just turned around in her parking space and 
re-entered her car, preparing to drive East to the 
White Bear Lake YMCA instead (she swims 
every day no matter what). 

It was amusing, though, when Beth, our lifeguard, came to the doors and said that the pool chemicals were out of balance and opening would be delayed. I'm not sure there was anyone left who was interested in the gym! It was a small cadre of people who turned around and headed back to their cars - LOL. Of course, I could have taken my shower, but it was just as easy to go home and do it here. So, that's what I did. 

I got to the car dealership without issue, and was out 
of there by 8:30 am. All in all, despite the YMCA's 
pool closure, it was a successful morning and I was 
finished with my errands and multitudes of grocery 
stores before 10:00 am. Success! 

I got to the car dealership with plenty of time, and it turns out I didn't need new tires (yet). We'll look at that again in the Fall. I did need some essential things, though, including a new drive band. According to the video, there was a large crack down the center of my drive band. That could have been very bad if it snapped while I was going hither and yon. So, I'm still out a few hundred $, but I now have a car that's in great shape with a few new filters and a brand new drive band. Whoot! 

My local grocery store sent me an e-coupon for a 
free cupcake for my birthday. I'll have to ask DH 
what flavor he would like and get it for him on 
Friday. Their cupcakes are wonderful, but I refuse 
to eat them any more. He'll enjoy it on my behalf. 

So, today I'll celebrate getting one more year older (Bleh!) and one more year better (a bit less Bleh!), and I'll laugh with all of you as I look another year in the face and tell it "I'll conquer you too." Have a wonderful Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow before I head to the pool on an "off day" to catch up on my cancelled swim. I'll get my three days in, one way or another - LOL. Slava Ukraini. 

Vision, Eyeglasses and Brunch - A Nice Week All Around

Good morning to all of you, my friends near and far. It's a beautiful Spring day, although it will be a wet one with rain on and off all day. Today's choice of eyeglasses are an older set of trifocals that I haven't worn in quite a few years. Right now, it seems to be working best for the computer screen, and close-up vision. 

Today's older set of eyeglasses are a set 
of trifocal lenses from 8-10 years ago. I 
really love these glasses, and the focal 
lengths I'm getting with them are exactly 
what I'm needed today. Tomorrow? Well, 
tomorrow is another day and my eye is 
still healing and changing all the time. 

I guess I'm rather lucky. I've bought some wonderful eyeglass frames over the years and rather than getting new eyeglasses from Zenni (or whatever other inexpensive firm is out there), I've had them re-lensed. I've only purchased totally new inexpensive eyeglasses from Zenni and other firms over the past 2-3 years. I held on to three sets of eyeglasses I loved, thinking to get them re-lensed at a later date. When my eye surgeries are complete and my eyes have settled down into their new "normal", I'll send these off for new lenses, one set at a time. If I don't need a new prescription, I'll have them lensed with clear glass. I think I look better with eyeglasses than without. 

I've used LensRX for replacement lenses in 
my favorite eyeglass frames for decades now. 
They do a great job and I'll be giving them my 
business again, one set of frames at a time. 
I have three sets I want updated when my eyes 
have settled into their "new normal". 

Although I had progressive lenses in my most recent set, I really am not fond of progressives, and I think I'll go back to standard trifocal lenses instead. My lens replacement people in New York state do a great job, and I won't hesitate to send my frames to them for updating. I know it will take a while for my eyes to settle after their surgery, though. Today is a bit harder - my clarity isn't quite as good, but it improved a great deal once I put on this set of glasses. 

It was so unexpected and kind of the surgical 
staff of my eye doctor to send a Thank You 
card to me. I'm sure they do it for all of their 
patients (and they see a LOT of people), but 
that it was personalized for me specifically, 
was really special. 

I have to say one more thing about this surgery, just because it caught me so off guard. I received a card in the mail yesterday, and upon opening it, found a "Thank You" card signed by my eye doctor and the nursing staff who had taken care of me during my surgery. That was really awesome. There were little personal notes and it caught me quite off-guard. What a lovely touch. 

I'm really looking forward to my brunch at Balmoral. DH 
wanted it early, so we're there at 10:30 am. I usually don't 
get to celebrate my birthday by going out because the date 
is so close to Mother's Day (rather like DH doesn't get 
to celebrate his because it's so close to Christmas Day). 
This will be a nice treat! 

Tomorrow I get my special early birthday brunch at Balmoral and I can hardly wait. I know it will be absolutely awesome, and I'm super looking forward to it. I'm at the upper part of my weight range now, though, so I'll have to eat very carefully today and choose appropriately tomorrow. It's a good thing meat is always a good thing to eat, because Balmoral has superb meat. I'll let DH indulge in the desserts - LOL. He has the calories to spare after working hard in the yard on Thursday, getting everything cleaned up for another year. Our trees are getting leaves and our plants are starting to poke their heads above the ground. Spring is springing and summer is on the threshold. On that note, I'm finishing my tea and heading to the shop. Have an excellent weekend and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini.