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Caterpillar 1 - oldest, largest |
This blog is meant to be a documentation of our journey into the world of retirement. I know the title should be "Older, but wiser". However, I really didn't know if that would be accurate. The "Older, but better...?" title could also be misleading. The 5 cats in the above pics are: Molly, Rose, Tux, Julie, and Ghost. (I have tried to make this collage smaller, but with no luck...)
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Caterpillar 1 - oldest, largest |
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baby bunnies on daughter's bed |
If you enlarge the pic and look carefully, you will see 6 baby bunnies; 3 white (one hiding under front black bunny) a salt & pepper bunny in the middle, and 2 black...
DH and I will both be 77 next month. And they say that 'wisdom comes with age'. I'm going to say that apparently this is not always true. There are some things that have happened over the last few years that I never thought would happen.
Katrina was the first of many... growing up in New Orleans and living through many a hurricane (we never evacuated), Katrina was an unexpected blow to my mind. Granted it wasn't the hurricane itself that was the problem, but the levee breaks and the failure of the pumps... but Katrina was the cause.
Next was Trump winning that Presidential election. That really blew my mind. How could that happen? But it did....
And then came the Pandemic! Wow! It shouldn't have been a surprise (we'd been warned of this possibility for years), but it was... and we're still living with the consequences.
And the January 6th attack!
Then Russia invading the Ukraine! Really? In this day and age, I still find it hard to believe that a country would take this action.
Then the school shootings!
Now Row vs Wade overturned!!
What is happening to our country? Someone wrote somewhere that the inmates were now running the Asylum... I hate to say it, but this may be true.
I don't know the answers... and even if I did, probably half the country wouldn't agree. This is such a sad state of affairs for the U.S. ...and for the world.
What happened to 'United we stand, divided we fall'?
The 4th of July is just around the corner. We should celebrate... but instead, I fear it's coming. I fear that some misguided and misinformed individuals will use this date to do something stupid.
I hope I'm wrong.
Sorry for this uninspiring post. It wasn't planned. I hoped to post more baby bunny pics and other simple joys of life (like my garden's progress) ...but somehow my mind went bonkers. Forgive me.
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
This last week has been one thing after another. I'm not going to mention everything, but it seems like we keep experiencing or hearing about things that tend to be not uplifting.
It started last weekend when DH woke up with the left side of his face drooping. He had had a strange ear-ache the night before, but it wasn't bad and we didn't think much about it. But with the drooping, we worried that it could possibly be a mild stroke (tia?), so we went to the doctor's Monday. He diagnosed Bell's Palsy and put him on steroids and an ointment for his left eye.
We also tape up his left eye at night as it doesn't close completely. I've heard of this before, but have never known anyone who had it. They think it's caused by a virus. One of my daughter-in-laws (nurse) said that they have been seeing more of this (Bell's Palsy) lately... and some research is being done on whether it's related in any way to Covid. It hasn't gotten any worse... and may be a bit better... but we're supposed to see an ENT sometime this week.
Another friend lost her daughter to breast cancer recently and her sister just fell (83) in her home and hit her head. She has a brain bleed and is in the trauma center in New Orleans. Then our daughter called last night to say that her best friend's mom was ill with what they thought was the flu when she passed out and started having seizures. She was rushed to the hospital.
I'm like... what is happening? I know we're all old, but does everything happen at once?
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I'm writing this on Father's Day (Sunday), but will probably not post it until Tuesday. I have more to say, but oldest son and his wife are coming in for a visit and I have things to do. Monday our granddaughter is spending the day, so blogging is probably not on the horizon until Tuesday... or later.
Now Tuesday:
We had a wonderful visit with oldest son and his wife Sunday. Ate, talked, ... and talked and talked! They also brought Winston, their Golden Doodle... who would get excited when he saw the ferals in the backyard through the kitchen door. The ferals didn't pay much attention to him - since they were outside and he was inside.
Yesterday we had our granddaughter for the day. Spent some time outside, then walked in the mall, then home to play games, eat lunch, and watch a movie. I'd never played Jenga... built a pretty high tower too before it fell.
That's it folks! The strange, the fun, and the cute! Life seems to be bringing it all... Guess we'll take it, enjoy what we can, and get through the rest as best we can.
I hope you all had a nice Father's Day - either with your fathers or with the memory. My dad was a wonderful man. Loved him dearly... and still miss him today. But I know he's still around (and not only in my heart).
Closing with this pic I came across on Pinterest. Loved it!
Thanks for reading this jumble of a post... and if I haven't commented much on posts lately, it's just been that sort of a week (or weeks).
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
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Moose napping |
Daughter's Great Dane napping on the sofa... most likely daughter is napping on the other end.
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Winston and Huno |
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Cadbury |
Cadbury is adorable, but I worry that he is a bit delicate looking for Winston to play with... he might need a more substantial bunny like those in my daughter's yard... (which by the way, she sent another video of them running around. This one is easier to see.)
These 2 (BunBun and Mr. Chocolatte) already have a set of 4 baby bunnies about 6 weeks old and just delivered another batch. Daughter doesn't know yet how many, but she can see little pink bodies in a nest. She is beginning to understand the term "breeding like rabbits". (Remember to click several times to get video to play)
Now for some updates:
White Face's 2 kittens seem to be holding their own... still eating and hiding out on the side of the house.
Some other black feral mama recently brought her 3 kittens (maybe 6-8 weeks old) to the front to eat the other evening. She had 2 blacks and one little gray (reminded us of our Ghost) with her.
AND SURPRISE!
DH and I spent last weekend in the Pearland area (close to Houston, TX) visiting his brother and wife. Hadn't seen them in over 2 years. It was so nice to sit and talk after all this time. We had a really nice visit... even went out to a few restaurants to eat. (We went early and really enjoyed ourselves... just hope we didn't screw things up by doing this). They are vaxed and double boostered. We are vaxed, and single boostered... so we felt relatively safe.
And lastly, we spent yesterday with our 9 year old granddaughter. She's out of school now and will be coming by more often since the summer is here. I had to laugh as she is a 'talker'... had to tell her once while we were grocery shopping to "Please stop talking for a minute... I have to think". She said OK... (and it really was only for a minute). She also brought a bunch of games with her - and we played every one of them. Here is a pic of her setting up one:
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Setting up game called "Cat Crimes" |
Well, that's my news - thanks for reading - nothing terribly earth-shattering, just life around here. BTW, the garden is doing well... added 2 more herbs (thyme and oregano) that I picked up in Houston. We also brought home some cuttings of their beautiful Night Blooming Cereus in exchange for some cuttings our our Spearmint. (Spearmint has almost covered our front lawn. It smells wonderful and DH uses it in his Sweet Tea - he makes fantastic sweet tea!)
Tomorrow is Friday, so wishing you all a wonderful relaxing weekend! It will probably be hot - they're saying we will be hitting triple digits here. So stay inside out of the heat - and put out water for any critters outside that may need it...
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
White Face and 2 of her 3 kittens |
She may have lost a second one this past Sunday night when a coyote attacked in the yard and more than likely she was defending her kitten. But she was killed in the process. It was quick as we only heard her scream once. But she was such a good little mother. I like to think that she is now joined again with her little lost white kitten somewhere.
We searched and searched for the other kittens all day Monday, with no luck. But this evening we saw 2 of them poke their heads out of the bushes on the side of the house. So we added some food and water there... and hope that will give them some nourishment. The bushes are thick and deep, so they should be safe for tonight. If we can get hold of them, we will take them to the safety of the Animal Adoption Room at our local shelter.
Thanks for all your kind comments. White Face has been hanging around since her mama first brought her when she was about 6 weeks old. This was her first litter and despite it all, she was a very good little mother. She never would let us get too close to her, but she knew to come to the door if she wanted cream or a treat.
And although we have several ferals that come and go, she, Squeaky, and One Eye were buddies and often lay around or played in the yard together. She will be missed.
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
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The hobbit's cat's cat tree? |
For those of you who are interested in stories or essays about stories, this is something I wrote for myself years ago. I came across it and it reminded me of all the stories and characters from the past that still occasionally speak to me (inside my head).
It is an odd piece, so if you want to skip it, that's perfectly fine with me. I just thought I'd share it as some of you will recognize Annie from "Time After Time" (and in the soon to come sequel "Carrick Cove"). She spoke up in this piece along with several others.
Main
Characters converse with writer…
OK, it’s a fact. I love to write. Why? I don’t know.
Perhaps because it uses my imagination and possibly extends the joy of youth…
when imagination rules a good portion of our lives. I can well remember the feeling
of being immersed in a world of my own when I was a child. Then again, writing
is psychologically therapeutic. Putting down one’s thoughts on paper is
liberating… clears the mind and organizes thoughts.
So... the question I’m tossing around in my head this
morning is just who are the characters that pop up in our heads when
writing a story? Are they another form
of ourselves? Are they a conglomeration of people we’ve known, met, loved,
hated… people we’d like to be, people we’d like to know, etc.
Today I’m going to invite these characters to give me
their thoughts. I want them to express what it’s like to be a character in a
story. Do they enjoy it… like actors in a play? Or do they not like being
manipulated by the writer? And more importantly, do they sometimes take over
and do their own thing? I feel that my
characters definitely do this on occasion… and to be honest, I enjoy it when
they do… because they may do or say something unexpected… something I wasn’t
aware was even in my mind (or in theirs)… thus, giving the story an
unforeseen turn.
Anyone out there or ‘in there’ (pertaining to
inside my head) that would like to speak up?
“I
would! And I’m not happy!”
OK, why not?
“Because
you created my character years ago in a story for Nanowrimo. We were together
for months developing the storyline… then you just abandoned me… in the middle
of the jungle searching for answers to my brother’s murder. “
Oh, I do remember that story. “My Brother’s Keeper”, I
believe.
“Yep,
and I’m still out here waiting…”
Oh dear, well I did/do intend to get back to it at
some point. Please be patient.
Silence.
Anyone else?
“Yes…
I’d like to say something.”
Please do.
“I
was the young girl who was kidnapped by the man trying to influence my father’s
vote on the environmental issue. I escaped and had quite an adventure finding
my way home.”
My, that was a long time ago. I actually don’t remember the name of the
story… “A long way home” maybe? But I do remember you, Claire. You were very
brave.
“Yes,
and I wanted to say that I loved being in that story.”
If I remember correctly, you grew up a lot on that
journey and learned a lot about yourself in the process.
Anyone else?
“OK,
Annie here from ‘A Time for Kindness’. Just wanted to put my 2 cents in. I did
find myself to be an extension of you, the writer… perhaps the person you think
you might become under the same circumstances?”
That’s a distinct possibility, Anne. I do love Maine
and that’s where I put you in the story.
“And
you’re doing it again in what you are writing now.”
Is this still Annie?
“No,
this is Gladys from “The Gift of Time and Money”.
Oh, but your story is still being developed.
“Yes,
and it’s been on hold since November. I was left in Ireland where I’d just
inherited a small cottage in the little town of Cong which apparently was where
John Wayne’s movie ‘The Quiet Man’ was filmed. I do feel like my character who finds
herself the recipient of a vast inheritance in her later years a bit of wishful
thinking on the writer’s part. But I’m enjoying being part of the story,
especially after spending time in that lovely London flat and that darling
cottage in the Cotswold’s. But I do
wonder if you will be coming back to us any time soon. “
Yes, well, sorry for that abrupt departure. The
holidays and family did take me away for a bit. I do hope to be back soon and
we’ll explore more of the area around Cong, Ireland before moving on to the
manor house in Scotland.
Guess I’d better cut this short or I may be inundated
with other previous characters wanting their say. For the most part, I’ve learned
that the characters do seem to enjoy being part of the story but don’t relish
being left too long on hold. Perhaps I’ll continue this line of thought at
another time… and give more characters a chance to weigh in.
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Having written this a few years back, I’m
going to say that of all these characters having their say, Annie is the one
that can no longer complain - as I went back and completed her story in “Time After Time” and in
the sequel “Carrick Cove” (which although completed had not been sent to Amazon
for publication yet).
The others are stories still on the back
burner, some completed, some not. But
whether or not they will ever be published isn’t important. What is important
is the pleasure these characters gave me in cooperating with me to bring about
their existence and their stories (if only in my imagination).
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If you’ve read this far, thank you. I didn’t expect you to. But I like
communicating with the characters I’ve created over the years. Feels a little
like Schitzophrenia as in some ways they may be a part of my own psychological
make-up. Anyway, I wanted to share their thoughts here. They all made valuable
points and deserved to be heard. (And
over the years, there’s a possibility that I might have shared this before… if
so, forgive me as my memory does have its days.)
Hugs,
Rian
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veg trug with dirt |
There's bell peppers (yellow) in the back along with zucchini and yellow squash. Then in the front there's curly parsley, basil, and dill.
I wanted to plant lettuce and spinach, but need to wait till August to do this as apparently they are fall veggies. Anyway, we shall see how they do.
If my selection or spacing is questionable, I would appreciate any comments as I haven't planted anything in years (except for some hanging herbs on the porch)
Debbie (It's all about Purple blog), I know you use a trug as your blog is where I first saw it... so if you have any comments, your experience will be a big help. Also, thanks for the recommendation of the water bottles. We did do this. (and I love the pics of that carousel on your last post! It's gorgeous!)
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Also, our oldest son and his wife are in Hawaii
deserted beach on Maui |
waterfall on Maui |
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Nothing else going on. I have tried almond milk and cashew milk so far... both are ok, but not like real whole milk. I bought some Mootopia Lactose free milk this week as recommended by Annie (Hootin Anni). It is good! Since I'm not sure if lactose is part of my problem, I don't know how it will do. But I'm liking it... so, we'll see.
I also bought 2 types of yogurt recently. I don't normally do yogurt as it was on my 'no-go for migraines' list. But thought it might help my 'gut'. So I'm trying just a few tablespoons a day to see what happens. These are the 2 I bought:
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Yoplait and Brown Cow yogurt |
Guess that's it for today... nothing terribly exciting, but in today's world, I'm thankful for that. If I don't post again over the weekend, I hope you all have a great weekend! It's been in the 90's this week, but the weatherman says it's going to be lower next week... with some possible thunderstorms (we do need the rain). Take care, and as always thanks for dropping by.
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
Quiet, but nice Mother's Day! Kids texted or called. DH made me waffles and bacon! (yum!) And got these cute pop-up cards from oldest son and his wife.
pop-up Mother's Day cards |
Oh... and White Face brought one of her tiny babies to the back porch for us to see. She left him there for a few hours and then took him/her back with her. The kitten is a little black and white and should be about 2-3 weeks old. She's the one who had the 4 kittens and moved them from the side fence to the porch during the storm... and somehow lost the white one. We haven't seen them since she took them off the porch and moved them elsewhere, so we were excited to see this one. I'd been telling her that she needed to let us know that the kittens were alright. I guess this was her way to let us know.
Oldest son and his wife are in Maui, Hawaii today. They used to live on Oahu, but moved back here to Texas at the beginning of the pandemic. She is a traveling nurse... so they will move again soon. But they loved Hawaii and are spending some time there this week. I will share any pics I get. When we visited them in 2019, it was the first time I'd ever been to Hawaii... and I loved it too... especially all the deserted lava beaches (and all the green)!
DH and I have been 'treating' ourselves a little this week. We ordered take-out from Cheddars yesterday (bar-b-que ribs and chicken tenders with Italian green beans and a honey-butter croisant) So-oo good! I have been cooking almost 24/7 these last 2 years... so it is great to eat delicious food someone else has cooked (not that I mind cooking as I don't, but still...) And we ordered a slice of cheesecake to share with coffee today!
Next are a few questions... and forgive me if I've asked them before (my memory isn't great). But lately I've been on a little bit of a health boost - and have started drinking almond and cashew milk as well as chicken bone broth. The bone broth is supposed to be good for aching joints and bones. A dear friend said she finds it helps her, so I thought, why not? When I googled it, it said it was good for digestion and gut health and may support immune function.
Question 1: Have or do any of you use this bone broth and what is your opinion?
The almond and cashew milk are simply to lower my use of dairy products. I love whole milk, but sometimes I think I may be lactose intolerant or possibly just on occasion? So I thought I'd add these other dairy free milks to my diet.
Question 2: Have or do any of you use these alternative milks and what is your opinion?
...and lastly, I haven't used this yet, but my doctor recommended me trying an over-the-counter B-12 supplement since my B-12 was very low on our last well check visit. So I bought these which are supposed to be taken one a day and dissolve under your tongue...
Question 3: Any one take or have taken these?
I'm not a pill taker. Except for Tylenol when needed for a headache (do get ocular migraines), the only pills I take are a daily D-3 (again low occasionally on blood tests) and a daily (Macuhealth) for my eyes (recommended by my Eye Doctor). The reason for this is that I simply feel that unless one has a severe problem that is life-threatening (in which case meds are definitely necessary), eating well for the most part should be enough (IMO).
That's it for me. I'd love to hear your comments if you have any concerning my questions. If not, that's OK too...
And I have to share one other thing with you before I go. I got the wordle in 2 yesterday! First time to ever get it in 2!!
It takes so little these days to amaze me...
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
Question: How many of you still iron? This morning I decided to go through some of my old summer shirts that I generally don't wear in the winter... but although they had been washed, I had folded them up un-ironed. So I took them out and started ironing a few, thinking that I hadn't ironed anything (but quilt fabric) in ages. Some of the newer fabrics don't need ironing, but these old 100% cotton ones still do (and 100% cotton is still my 'go to' for hot Texas summers).
And to be honest, I don't really mind ironing. It's a bit relaxing as long as there's no rush involved. What do you think? Do you enjoy it? Hate it? Or just don't do it anymore?
And I'm sorry to bring up such a mundane subject when the world seems to be having such serious problems (pandemic, war, the economy, politics, etc.) But it's my way of coping... concentrate on the things that I have control of... in my little corner of the world.
This post will be short, but just wondered about this. Has ironing gone away with the times - like so many other things?
I will post the recipe for Garlic Chicken Fried Rice here as it is really a good easy recipe that anyone could make... and not expensive.
Garlic Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
8oz cooked chicken strips (cut up)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups 'cooked' rice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 cup peas
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in skillet. Add peppers and onion. Cook and stir until onion is clear (5 mins.), then add garlic and chicken. Remove to another dish for now.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in same skillet. Add the rice, cook and stir until heated through. Stir soy sauce into rice, then add rice vinegar, and peas.
Return the chicken mixture to skillet and blend together, heat through. (here I add one scrambled egg and some Dash 'garlic-herb' seasoning). Then serve!
Note: I make half this recipe for the 3 of us. You can make it all, but you will have leftovers.
Closing this with another pic of Mr. Chocolatte... in the chicken pen!
Hugs (virtual),
Rian