Night blooming cereus, wonderful poster, and Uncle Wiggily...

Night blooming cereus

I so love these flowers. They are so 'unearthly' (maybe ethereal is the right word). My mother-in-law always had them in Louisiana... and my brother and sister-in-law have them now. 

We did have one for a few years, but lost it one cold winter here in North Texas. They not only look ethereal, but the aroma is beyond wonderful. Even our cats would gather round them when they bloomed and released their scent. And they bloom in the night and die by morning. Sad, but beautiful... (the other weird thing - maybe not weird, but notable - about this plant is that the plant itself is ugly, but it's blooms are beyond beautiful)

Our night bloomer never made more than a one or two blooms each year... (which we eagerly awaited) but my brother-in-law's plant in Houston makes as many as 15 on one bush in one night! Unbelievable!

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Found this on Pinterest... and loved it!

My little red headed grand daughter who is no longer little has her 19th birthday this week. 

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old Uncle Wiggily book

When I was growing up, my brother used to read Uncle Wiggily to me. This wasn't the one he read from... mine was simply "Uncle Wiggily" as far as I knew and the book itself was red.  I actually thought I had it here someplace, but somehow over the many many years, it can no longer be found.

But my youngest son and his wife found this one somewhere and bought it for me.  It must have belonged to this person who signed the inside back in 1932. 

I can only imagine they enjoyed it as a child as much as I did...

Hope you are enjoying this Fall weather and staying safe during this pandemic. And whatever your views are, I urge you to get out and vote - by mail or in person. If ever there was a time when every vote counted, it is NOW.  

Hugs,

Rian

update on a few things...

First of all, I will say that apparently I had the wrong 'view' (that pencil sketch on the far left) set up on the new blogger. When I got on to do a new post, it was in the html mode, not  the compose mode - so there was no big T little t available at the top, and no normal signs that I've been used to. 

You would think that being retired, we'd have all the time in the world... (more or less - if we don't conk off unexpectedly one day). But what seems to happen (at least with me lately) is what is pictured in this cat poster... "Ah, so much to do! So little desire to do it!"

There are things that I do that need doing every day and are done... like cooking, cleaning, maybe texting or talking with friends or family. But there are some things that have been needing doing for a very long time... sorting, filing, throwing away... that I can't seem to make myself do. I plan to, sometimes start, but never finish. Why is this?

We get the basics done, even some of the 'needed for some time' things like having the tree men come and cut down the large dead tree that had fallen some time ago out back. They did this this morning (cost $$$). 

But I have to find a way to get motivated to get all this paperwork that accumulates, sort through the mail, and file... as well as throw away stuff we no longer need.  How to do this? 

I had to call this morning to find out why I've never received my absentee voter's ballot when DH received his last week... and we mailed in our requests together. 

Then the Sleep Clinic called to say that I don't have to return this week as apparently I don't have Sleep Apnea (good news!). But they want me to keep my online appointment with the doctor to discuss possible other issues???

I still get up occasionally (did early this morning) and have tea with Ghost in the kitchen... at about 5 or 6 am. Ghost is no longer with us in person, but she is certainly still around in spirit. 💖

Going to close this now. Just wanted to update those who might be interested.  Hope you all have a wonderful week.  Wish you could all have tea in the kitchen with me and Ghost...

Hugs,

Rian

(Oh, and I made an old fashioned custard pie yesterday. I love custard pie - well, I love custard anything pretty much.) 

So here's a pic:

some favorite posters... and continued difficulty with new blogger

Having difficulty with these pictures. Can't seem to set them up the way I'd like... so just posting them as the new blogger does. Really confusing! My pictures show as gibberish on my screen, but show Ok on preview. Can't find where I used to make my type larger... so leaving this as is. But anyway, these are some posters I found on Pinterest that I really like. If this difficulty continues, I may switch over to word press. Hugs, Rian

Rabbit Rabbit! White Rabbit! Oct. 1st...

Rabbit Rabbit!  White Rabbit!

 

Just wanted to say Hi on October 1st!  I know that I haven't been posting much, but  getting some testing done. Did the sleep clinic testing this week. Waiting on the results.

Otherwise, we are fine. Watched the debate... not going to say anything about that. Guess it was what we expected. They do have to have a better way to get the debaters to stop interrupting when it isn't their turn to talk. 

Two things that were mentioned worry me, but perhaps that was what they were intended to do.  One was having people "show up to watch the voters vote" (what is that about?) And the other is no promise for a peaceful transition whatever the outcome (seriously???)

That's all I have to say today. Will update you when I get my sleep testing results. Thanks for visiting. Made a killer broccoli and cauliflower casserole the other day. Delicious! 

before cooking

Thinking about playing around with my watercolors again soon too. We'll see... 

Hugs,

Rian

This and that...

 

I've been looking for puzzles to order online lately. So, while also planning to post a few pics taken recently, I came across this picture that my daughter took of her Great Dane, "Moose" on their porch... and thought that this would actually make a good puzzle.

This one wouldn't be too bad a puzzle either... just one I snapped as I lay on the sofa across from the fireplace. 

Then I saw this puzzle somewhere - and DH and I both liked it, but can't find it now...

Update: 

My bp problem seems to be doing OK these days. Haven't scheduled the sleep apnea test yet. I have an appointment to see my Oncologist for my annual next week. May go over it all with him and see if he has any input... 

New Grandpuppy! 

French Bulldog...  2.4 lbs, 8 weeks old

And lastly, I'm curious as to what kind of bee this is. If anyone knows I'd like to find out. They are usually hanging around my front windows.

That's it! I hope you have a good weekend. Thanks for visiting! 

Hugs (virtual), 

Rian

***Still fighting with this new Blogger format... ***

Anxious, really??

 "Are you anxious about anything"

NOW THAT'S A QUESTION THESE DAYS?"

"Only with the state of the world:

global pandemic, 

hateful politics, 

states on fire, 

back to back hurricanes,

lost my cat..."

So I answer: "not especially". 

This was one of the many questions asked me during my doctor appointment yesterday. Lucky me! I got to see both the nurse practitioner as well as our family physician. She (NP) asked him to come in after the exam, EKG, blood work, etc. And they agreed to give me a Rx to take at night to keep my bp and heart rate from spiking. And they also want me to be tested for sleep apnea.

So now we wait to see what the tests show. Guess they will take a week or so...

Told them that I wouldn't go to the ER last Friday when all this started  because I didn't think I was having a heart attack. (Luckily I was right) However I did tell DH that if I passed out at home, he could call 911.

Something strange is going on and it does involve my heart and bp, so it is scary. I don't want a repeat of these last 4 days.

It's Tuesday noon now and DH just went to pick up the Rx (it had to be ordered). Not feeling great this am... weak and a bit headachy... but no spike during the night last night so I was able to sleep. 

Drinking a little black Irish tea - in case I'm headachy missing the caffeine. 

My EKG  is always a bit strange and was again yesterday, but has been that way for years and was checked out by a Cardiologist about 5 years ago. At that time he said my heart was fine. But now if this Rx and/or sleep apnea test doesn't give results, they may send me back to a Cardiologist. Guess we'll see.

Oh, the fun and games of aging...

stranger things...

 2020 just keeps getting better, doesn't  it?  Besides the continuing saga of the Pandemic,  losing Ghost this week, the awful fires in California & Oregon, my cousin told me this morning about Tropical Storm Mary that may be developing into a hurricane and heading toward New Orleans. My good friend here in Texas just texted me that she  has a detached retina and just had emergency surgery, and I've been 'weird' for the last 3 nights...

I'll ask any of you if you are familiar with these symptoms. I have always suspected that I have sleep apnea - but ignored it. Over the years I have woken up with my heart pounding, headache, and bp high. But after I got up, walked around a bit, and had a cup of tea, it would all go away. (Normally my bp is low - about 120/70... sometimes as low as 105/59.)

But during these episodes my bp goes up to 170-199/100. It happens either late at night or early in the am, lasts for hours, and returns to normal sometime late morning. This has happened 3 nights now. Last night DH stayed up with me while I sat up on the sofa... heart pounding. 

My SIL is a nurse and she says it sounds more like nocturnal hypertension...??? Since I didn't go to sleep and the bp still rose, I'm thinking - maybe not sleep apnea? I've been told to go to the emergency room, but I'm trying to hold out to see my doctor Monday and have him or his nurse practitioner  listen to my heart and bp... and possibly tell me what's going on. 

This world is turning into a strange place...

Sorry this wasn't an uplifting post. I'll try to do better next time.

Hugs,

Rian