a few Sunday thoughts...

love this pic... exactly how I want my front porch to look

I've been wanting to add on to the small front porch we have for years. The thought of being able to sit out there in the morning or  evening  with a cup of coffee and watch the world go by is No. 1 on my non-existent bucket list. 

The porch is already covered, so all we need to do is extend the floor (cement or wood), add a fan and some hanging plants... and of course figure out how to landscape the area right in front (which is now covered in Nandina and holly bushes).

Just thinking about that this morning as I watch the crows and squirrels eat the peanuts we throw out for them each morning.

Oh, and we had the first box turtle eating with the kittens on the back porch this morning. The kittens were fascinated with him and followed him around for a while.

Next are 2  pics of a beautiful pink orchid and a Lego dinosaur that we came across while walking in the mall. 

They had about 2 dozen of these set in rows (all colors)... but I took a picture only of the pink one. So pretty!

I thought this Lego dinosaur was really pretty neat. Cost was $250.00 (but not that neat!).

Haven't felt too good this week, and on antibiotics again... waiting to hear from my PCP on some test... and from the Pulmonary doctor for the results of another test. And was supposed to go to a sleep clinic and be tested (again) for Sleep Apnea this past Wednesday, but had to reschedule that since I didn't feel well. Feel OK today, so hope the results come in this week with some answers.

And lastly:

Sky-diving and fly-fishing are things I've always wanted to try, but just never gotten the opportunity (certainly never wanted to be a ballerina as that pic shows... not the dancing type). But now I wonder if the time has passed for these things... 

Hugs (virtual),

Rian

(P.S: Thanks for reading. I appreciate you letting me share my thoughts with you.)

Mother's Day 2025... at the end of the day

This is what we usually eat on Mother's Day or on our Anniversaries, etc. at a favorite Italian restaurant. But this Mother's Day was a bit different. I will confess that I thought of going out to a restaurant near us for brunch, but didn't really think about it seriously until Friday - and when I tried to make a reservation, they were booked solid. 

But this was okay as I don't mind a quiet celebration at home - and this way I don't have to get dressed up or put make-up on. I have to admit that I'm not fond of make-up. It does make one look better, covers wrinkles and brown spots, etc. - but I just feel 'more like myself' without it.

Anyway, I decided to make home-made French Toast (mama called it Lost Bread) for us this morning (using sourdough bread so I could eat it too).  It was delicious! Should have taken a pic, but I forgot.

And decided on Whataburgers for supper tonight!  They are not gluten free, and I eat only a very small part of DH's.  I'm not a big burger fan... but I do like these! 

forgot to take pic - again! but found this online

And now I will show you what I did get for Mother's Day... new plants for my front windows! They're both Bromeliads and were on sale half price at the grocery for Mother's Day:

Star bromeliad

Flaming sword bromeliad

Now my front windows look like this... and I love it:

front right window

front left window

And so, Mother's Day 2025 has come and gone. It's 10 PM. Kids called, texted, or visited. Went for a lovely walk with granddaughter and DIL down to the stables. Temp today was 75 and quite pleasant. However, I heard it may get to triple digits by the middle of this week (yuck!). 

Also watched the kittens play in the backyard, had a visiting possum come by this evening, and DH saw a baby squirrel eating from the cat food dish this week. We have many squirrels, one big fat obese one... but don't see many young ones on their own.

And these Mother's Days never pass without thoughts of our own mothers (no longer with us)... and doubt if there are any that don't think of them and whisper a quiet "Happy Mother's Day, Mom" in their hearts...

Happy Mother's Day All!

Hugs (virtual), 

Rian

Update on Pulmonologist appointment... and a few ramblings

Thinking that I should post about my first Pulmonologist visit. DH and I went this morning. I liked him. He is older than I expected, but definitely younger than me. Seemed very thorough... went through and showed me CD pics of my lungs on his computer. Asked me questions. Showed me how the 'nodules' in my lungs have changed... sometimes larger, sometimes smaller over the years. That in itself seems to be the indication that it isn't cancer (hurray!).

But they could be due to a lung infection, inflammation, or even aspiration, etc. He is running some tests. I have coughed for over 20 years and was told it was probably a radiation cough (meaning the radiation I was given for my BC likely causes some irritation or scarring in my lungs). I've never been too worried about it... just accepted it as another 'inconvenience'. But lately it has gotten a bit worse as I can't talk too long (especially on the phone) without having a coughing fit. I use Luden's cough drops by the bags. They work.

So that's where we are. Said the tests may take some time. Some bacterial cultures are very slow growing. And he's also having me take a home sleep apnea test. I took one at a facility years ago, and was told that I was fine. But I still get episodes (not every night, but often enough) and my smart watch tells me almost every night that I have mild to moderate hypopnea. So, we'll see.

Now back to my currently piddling/trivial ramblings...

Feral kittens playing on back porch and in high grass. Silly squirrel trying his best to get the seeds out of the bagged finch feeder. Crows cawing for their peanuts! And now we have ducks walking across our front lawn!  That's our life and we do enjoy it. 

(Do remember to click on arrow, then small square at bottom to enlarge, then esc to get back to blog.)

We did walk at the Senior Center on Monday. Walked and stopped in the cafeteria for coffee. It has been a while since we were there. I need to either volunteer to work in the cafeteria or the plant area and/or take a watercolor doodling class offered this summer. My problem is that since the pandemic and being home so much, I'm afraid I've become a bit commitment-phobic.

Also a funny thing happened last week (twice actually). DH and I were walking out of Central Market when this woman said something to me. I didn't catch it (didn't have my ears in), so I said, "Pardon?" She then said, "Cute Couple.... are you newlyweds?" DH and I laughed and he said, "57 years". She said, "How wonderful". Well, 'that was odd', we both said when we got into the car.

Then the very next day we were checking out at Walmart's (where they check your cart and receipt) and since we use 2 baskets, I always go first and hand them the receipt and say, "we're together" as we go out. This time the checker said, "Really... how long?" And again DH said, "57 years". Then she said, "Don't see that much anymore". Again when we got into the car we looked at each other and I said, "...must be notice old folks week?"

That's about it. Will close with some memes or sayings that I like. If I've posted them before, forgive me... 

this actually works...

very true!

and...

always works for me!

Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Hugs (virtual),

Rian