Happy Birthday, Brief!

Have a good day!

A Poem

This poem is from I Could Pee on This by Francesco Marciuliano.  The small book is full of cat poems and cute pictures.

GIVE

You can't hold someone who

     wants to leave

You can't clutch a memory

     as if it were today

You can't take an insult

     close to heart

You can't grasp for glory

     from your chair

You can't seize life

     thinking only of loss

And you can't grab a laser pointer dot

    on the wall

No matter how much you try.

These hard-earned truths I give to you.

Baby Kealani.  She was sweet and her life was too short.

Stay safe!

Some Relief!

We've been sweltering around here with heat advisories and warnings due to high temperatures and even higher humidity.  But what a surprise this morning!  It was only 80 and there was a breeze.  There was still humidity, but the breeze helped.  So I took advantage of the pleasant weather today and did yard work.  I had been putting it off because honestly, I just simply did not want to be out in that heat.  Also, I've been just a little "under the weather".  Almost two weeks ago I was bitten by something.  Did not feel getting bit or even know I had been until I started itching and saw at least ten large, hot, red, extremely itchy spots on me.  About that same time my digestive system started being just a bit "off".  I think all of that was reaction to the bites.  After using a lot of Neosporin and Bendryl the bites are almost all gone.  I am feeling better.  Hence the yard work today.

There was a lot to be done - weeding, pruning, sweeping, cleaning spider webs down, picking up another bushel of pine cones, and sadly, lamenting the state of the rhododendrons in the newest landscaped area.  They are DEAD.  Branches are brittle and breaking off, leaves are brown and dry.  They never did bloom.  They had a short warranty of six months and I had mentioned to the landscaper that they weren't looking good a couple months ago.  We've never had rhododendrons before, and I read all the directions and followed all the care instructions.  They've had appropriate watering and been fertilized as instructed.  I talked  nicely to them and gave them encouragement.  Did not make a bit of difference.  They are very DEAD!  I will keep you posted.  I do not want more of them.  If the landscaper won't or can't replace them with something else I want him to dig their carcasses out and take them away.  Golfer and I will get some Encore azaleas and put in the holes.

Other than that, the yard is doing pretty well.  The heat and lack of rain when we need it is hard on things. But they have perked up after the thunderstorms the last couple nights.

Tomorrow Kirk goes in for service and Golfer and I go out for breakfast after we drop him off.

Stay safe!

How Things Have Changed

This was on today's calendar.

Stay safe!

Happy Birthday, BeyB!

Love you! xo

Excuse Me? Can You Repeat That?

So.  I have added yet another thing to the joys of getting older.  I am not complaining, just informing.  You have to consider the alternative to getting older if you are a complainer.  My friends and I often say that getting older is not for sissies and whiners.

On Monday I went to an ENT doctor for a complete hearing evaluation.  I had been thinking about it for a while.  My Mom and Sister both had hearing aids.  And I have been having some varying levels of "noise" in my ears. Almost every evening I have to ask Golfer to turn the sound up when we are watching TV.  Although I do think that part of the problem hearing TV shows is the way-too-loud background noise and music on a lot of them.  

I saw a very nice doctor.  We talked a little about aging and what to expect. Most of what he said I already knew.  He checked my ears and said a lot of people have issues with ear wax build-up and there is no way to successfully remove it by ourselves.  I already knew I had a history of this problem.  This buildup can be one of the causes of tinnitus. So he took care of that, the tinnitus immediately lessened.  Did not go away completely, but is much less annoying now.  Then he passed me on to the audiologist who did the testing.

I do have some hearing loss, but not to the point of talking about hearing aids yet.  The loss is pretty much equal on both sides.  The test results will be my baseline and I will go every year for testing in the future.  The doctor also said too many people get out of the habit of facing people and talking to them.  Keep that in mind, please.

Last week I saw my orthopedic doctor for my annual check-up.  He said all is well, looks good, come back in two years ------- unless something else happens.  Dr. A is a nice young man and has done all my surgeries. When we have had to discuss my options in the past I have asked him what he would recommend if I was his mother.  He always laughs and is always willing to take the time to talk to me.

August will bring the laser eye surgery to remove scar tissue from the cataract surgery.  Then my vision will be tested again.  And then later in the month I see our dentist for my regular six month visit.  

While I am going to appointments and trying to keep up with everything, Golfer will be busy most of the month with jury duty.  He just can't wait. (that is a joke, folks)  I am hoping they won't need him all month every day.

We are having yet another heat advisory day, so I will not be working in the yard.  The clean-up out there can wait.

Stay safe!

Beyond!

Golfer and I just got home from seeing Star Trek Beyond.  Excellent movie!  We can't wait to watch it again!

It is still hot and humid here.  Kirk's thermometer said 122 when we got in.  The parking lot is in the sun, no shade.  It is actually in the 90's and the heat index is 105.   We have no other outside plans for the day.  :)

Stay safe!