My weird little plant keeps growing.

 A perfect beautiful day here in La Vegas. No smoke in air and temperatures in low 90's.

Remember my strange little plant we bought in Mazatlan. It was smaller than this when we got it in 2017 - this picture was from 2018 a year later. He traveled back and forth with us for three years.

But he has grown too much so will have to spend the winter here in Vegas.

In fact he has outgrown his pot. 

Bill carefully getting him out of the pot - without breaking the pot.

Success, now he has enough room to really grow, if he makes it through the winter. [notice the little palm tree coming up in the middle of the flowers.]

I didn't feel like cooking and Bill was hungry so he made dinner. 

Such a fancy and delicious feast he made. Potato salad, green salad with tomatoes and strawberries, and chicken milenese with caramelized onions and mushrooms. I could get spoiled real easy. 

This morning it was perfect outside. No smoke in the air and temperatures in low 80's so I went for a long, for me, walk. Over two miles! Just liked these trees against the very blue sky. Was hot by time I got home. Still need to get out a little earlier for the coolness.

And today we can see the mountains clearly. 

Bill's eye continues to bother him. Picking up some prescribed eye drops for him today. Called the eye doctor yesterday morning and told them he was having trouble with his eye, said they would tell doctor and call back. Never heard from them. Just like they never called on Friday! So contacted a doctor on line to get some eye drops. Hope they work. 

Guess I moved again - or so Facebook seems to think. Notice the state. So that is three different states Facebook thinks I should register in. 

Make Sure You're Registered to Vote

Register to vote, or check to make sure your registration is correct and up to date.

To register by mail in Texas, your registration must be postmarked by Oct 5. To register in person, the deadline is Oct 5.

Source: State of Texas via Ballotpedia

Register to Vote

Check Voter Registration

Mother Nature's surprise.

Have had some interesting times since I last wrote. Bill has taken the Jeep out of the back yard. Washed the poor thing and put air in its tires. Think he is anxious to get on the road?

I continue to do jigsaw puzzles. This one is 500 pieces, I thought it would be mildly hard. I was mistaken it went really fast. Had to force myself to stop working on it. So it could amuse me for a couple of days. I have one 100 piece and one 500 piece puzzles left from the box. And have ordered another 10 puzzles box. 

Bill pointed out to me that my ocotillo is really starting to come back. Getting a few new branches and lots and lots of leaves. I thought it was a goner when we had the gardener cut off all the dead branches. 

And here sits Willie in the front, waiting to go somewhere. 

Just took this because of the colors and shadows and lines. 

Went out front last evening to see how the sunset was going. He popped across the street in front of me. I jumped straight up until I realized it was a bunny. Then he stopped and looked back at me as if to say "ha ha - made you jump!"

The sunset was not what I expected, so thought I'd come out to look too late. 

Went back inside and happened to look out again about five minutes later. Grabbed camera and ran out. Beautiful. Of course, some of it is from all the smoke in the air.

It got really red before fading. 

Reflection on the hood of the Jeep. 

Trip to the eye doctor was not a good experience. We got there at 2:15 for a 2:30 appointment. There were four people already in waiting room. Also as we walked in we could hear SCREAMING coming from the examination rooms. "Open your eyes, keep breathing, look at me, breath." Etc. Someone had had some kind of seizure, heart attack or something. This continued for 20 minutes until the paramedics arrived. By 3:15 they were gone. More people in waiting room. About 3:30 they started calling in people. Finally around 4 they called Bill. Examined by a nurse then taken to ANOTHER waiting room. Where there sat the same four people PLUS about five more people. The waiting room was FREEZING! I was cold so Bill was frozen. Another hour before his time to see doctor. Back and forth about treatment. Shot in eye. Decided to do it. He handed me the keys to the car as he came out of the treatment room. Oh, oh. So I drove and promptly got lost. Forgot I had to go to main street and instead turned one street to soon. In a few blocks, I realized I didn't know where we were...So decided if I kept the setting sun to my left we'd eventually come to something I'd recognize. And we did and it was actually a better way home. We got home at 6:35 While we were still there the nurse was trying to appease us by saying, "Oh yes, all our appointments run at least two hours long. Our patients bring their books and sweaters and some even bring SNACKS."  Snacks? you've got to be kidding. "No, they bring snacks." Didn't make any points with either of us.  They also told us someone would call us the next day to see how Bill was doing. No one called. And he was having quite a bit of pain in that eye from the shot. Don't think we'll be returning there. Eye is still sore and treatment involves at least two more shots in eye...spaced six weeks apart. Enough of that. 

Today we will be watching a soccer game and a Cup NASCAR race. Might or might not fix dinner.

Finally cooked dinner

 And it was delicious, if I do say so myself. Bill said it was one of the best meals he's had. Salad with strawberries, grapes and walnuts with balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing. Cauliflower rice with chopped green onion and lemon zest. Surprised how good it was. [cooked in microwave.] Salmon, marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and lemon - then cooked in air fryer. Topped with honey and chopped green onion and chia seeds.  The round thing are zucchini spirals - first cooked in microwave then when drained and cool coated with flour, Italian seasoning and one eggs. Then rolled into balls and coated with panko then cooked in air fryer. We both cleaned our plates and were too full. Total prep and cooking time about 30 minutes. 

Might try something different tonight. Maybe. 

This is one of those things that kind of makes one go HUMMMM? Came on my Facebook time line every day for a week.  A couple of weeks ago I got same message except it said Nevada. I wonder where I'll live next?

Off to the doctor's office again this morning. Just vampire time. Why do you want coffee so bad when you can't have it. And I'm never hungry first thing in the morning. This morning my stomach was growling!

Eye doctor in the afternoon...

OMG...OMG...OMG...

 Yes, yesterday was a three OMG kind of day. 

This is just a pretty picture, no more, no less.

Went to see the eye doctor for Bill. He has to go to a retina specialist on Thursday. Then we will know more about what is going on. Not good news, but the doctor he saw was quiet sure there is something can be done about it and his sight will improve. Wait and see.  

Then in the afternoon I had to go for my last test. I thought it was a stress test that takes over an hour. Turns out it was a CT scan with iodine and took only 10 minutes. Got to doctor's office at 1:30 were in car on the way home by 2:10! OMG

As we were driving home noticed some dark clouds over the south end of the valley - rain? 

 An hour or so later I noticed it was getting really dark out. So grabbed trusty camera and rushed outside to check. Oh my! Really dark clouds almost over us. 

And then I felt it - rain drops on my head! Didn't last long though. This is all we got. But where my girl friend lives in the south valley it poured and thunder and lightening. OMG 

Later noticed there was a pink tint to the sky so out again. Strange this was looking south - not west.

And this was looking east out behind our home.  No color at all to the west. 

The rain moving over the desert to the east. The official rain gauge for Las Vegas is at the airport and it didn't register any rain yesterday. So officially we have had 156 days without "measurable" rain. 

And the biggest OMG - The Raiders actually won their first game in the new stadium here in town. Against the Saints! Now that is a real OMG!

Still haven't cooked dinner. Maybe tonight. 

Thank goodness for puzzles

 Aarrrgg....I can't have any more coffee or tea for 24 hours. Today will be okay but tomorrow morning is going to be hard. Having a CT Angiography tomorrow afternoon. We also have to go to Bill's eye doctor early tomorrow morning. And maybe stop and visit our son who works a couple of blocks from doctor's office. A busy day.

Watched the NASCAR race yesterday, my driver almost won, but almost doesn't count. At least he finally had a fast and well handling car. Next Sunday the race will be here in Las Vegas and our governor will not let the track have fans. Even if they allowed 20 thousand fans they could be spaced 30 feet apart - outside! Oh well.

Here is a 300 piece puzzle I did. Thought it would take forever as it was just waves of colors.

I finished it in about one hour, one of the easiest puzzles I've ever done. Only hard part was the bit of red, red-orange and orange right in the middle. 

The last blog I mentioned I was thinking about cooking dinner. Well I did. Potatoes and breaded chicken filets were cooked in the air fryer. Did asparagus in micro and made mushroom and shallot sauce for over the chicken in a frying pan. [does any one know how to get caked off grease off the bottom and outside of one of those copper chef frying pans?] Very good meal. Everything cooked perfect in air fryer at same time. 

This morning I breaded and cooked the remaining chicken filets. Bill will use them in sandwiches. 

Got grocery order this morning, only one thing substituted. Arrived at 8 a.m. right on time. 

Also did laundry and dusted house. That's it for today. Going to get out another small puzzle. 

Also watching a soccer game, their season in Spain is just beginning.

Debating cooking again. Salmon and breaded zucchini spirals. Will see if I'm still enthused by dinner time. 

P.S. Nope no cooking tonight. Maybe tomorrow. 

Exciting times

 It is pretty bad when "exciting times" are trips to doctor's offices. Two in the last two days. Had to wear a heart monitor, so got it Wednesday and had to return it yesterday. There is something exciting about it - I drove both days - by myself. It is very seldom that I go any where alone so Bill is usually the driver. 

The smoke has been so bad here that it is really bothering Bill. One of his lungs was damaged badly when he was in his early 20's, so if there are a lot of pollutants in the air he has problems. He was laying down and I got thinking about getting an air purifier. So went to WalMart web site and found one that had great reviews. Its a Honeywell HPA series 200. Thought about it for a few minutes then ordered it. It was delivered within the hour. Bill was up so we got it set up and running. Within 40 minutes he was breathing better and feeling much better. Why did we wait so long to get one? We can set it to run all the time or in hour increments. Right now it is running all the time. It is also very quiet. Lots of smoke here again and will be for a few more days. Also going back up into the low 100's for a few days. 

Bored yesterday morning so fixed breakfast. A scrambled egg, ham, green onion, mild salsa and cheese mixture in pie crust. I made it before but messed it up first time. Can't put hot eggs on pie crust they dissolve the crust. Al;so have to let the pie crust sit a room temperature for a bit. And this time I put in more of the salsa. Was very good.  Oh, I cooked it in the air fryer [cooked eggs in pan first]

We were both full for hours. Again I drove myself to the doctor. Forgot how much I enjoy driving my mustang. In and out and home in just a few minutes over an hour. 

Another puzzle from same box. This one 300 pieces. Sure is a pretty looking place. Coast of Italy.

I thought about going out for a walk this morning, but after looking at the air  smoke decided not to. Also it was warming up quickly this morning. 

Not much else going on. Watched a couple of NASCAR races on TV. Today is one of the big races for the cup cars in Bristol. Four of the drivers will be eliminated from the championship run after this race. 

Hope the #18 gets to move on. Tomorrow soccer begins again. 

Thinking about cooking an early dinner in the air fryer - potatoes and breaded chicken. Just thinking about it...

Bill's fancy drone.

 A few things going on the last few days. Bill got the wrap for one of his drones, so it is now pretty fancy.

The entire drone is wrapped. Here it is up in the air out back of our house. 

I've been trying to get out mornings for walks now that it is a little cooler. Came around the corner and saw this guy. Not one of the bunnies I usually see - my what long ears it has. When he took off the long back legs gave him away. First time I've seen a jack rabbit around here.

As I walk by the storage area I always check the RV. Here it is with its new wheel lock and also a steering wheel lock. I think I mentioned an RV was stolen from the other lot here in  the community a couple of weeks ago. It was recovered but had been stripped. So taking no chances. The bankie is covering the mural on the hood. It really is getting faded, the blanket not the mural. 

Got started in the new box of puzzles - already finished one - took about 35 minutes to do. Only 100 pieces. I have to pace myself or will soon be out of puzzles again. Of the 8 puzzles in box four are only 100 pieces.

Yesterday I didn't get out to walk. Bill had to go to eye doctor for laser surgery on his one eye. Since the cataract surgery it had become hazy and blurry. The laser didn't take long and SHOULD have taken care of the problem. But today Bill says it is as bad as it was before laser. So will call doctor's office as soon as they open to see what now?

This morning's sunrise. Again lots of smoke in the air. And more on the way.

I managed to do 1.4 miles in 33 minutes today. Used to be able to do 3 miles in an hour. But these old legs and feet are complaining about just sitting around for four months. Little by little I'll go further and faster - I hope. 

Just got off phone with eye doctor, will see him next Monday. But it might be another problem, won't know till then. 

Just got our grocery order from WalMart - Every week I try to order a couple of things that haven't been available for months and today we got a couple of them. A softsoap refill and YEAST! Hooray. But now I don't want/need it cause we can buy all kinds of bread. 

I have two doctor appointments this week, one to get a heart monitor to wear, for a day, I guess. That should be annoying. 

Fixed an empanada for breakfast this morning. Scrambled eggs cooked with ham, let cool. Put on pie dough add salsa and Mexican blend cheeses - fold over dough to make empanada then put in air fryer for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese for last two minutes. Very good and VERY filling. Wow it is 12:30 and the air conditioning JUST came on. 

Fall is almost here.

Got to love these temperatures. Maybe? Thursday will be our last 100+ day for the year. But probably not. At least it is cooling down at night, that makes a big difference. And we aren't going to have any winds for a few days. Maybe Bill can get his new drone up in the air - after he gets his eye fixed. 

Been as busy week. I had a doctor appointment Wednesday - which has lead to 3 more appointments for tests and heart monitor. Well actually four more appts, cause of course have to go back for all results. For now just increased dosage of one of my meds. Bill had two tests on Friday. Still has to go back for results. At least he got in and out of office in record time.

On Monday he goes in for laser work on one of his eyes. Not a minute too soon as he says has lost almost all sight out of that eye. Seems like our doctor dance card gets fuller each year. 

I did manage to get some fall decorations up. Forgot I had them, happened to open a cupboard and there they were. Stained glass in the kitchen window. 

Made them when we were in Indiana. 

Made these place mats in Indiana too. Used embroidery machine for the center sections. And the fruit basket we bought at a craft fair some where in the mid west a long time ago. 

Still playing with the air fryer. These turned out pretty good. Wonton wrappers lined the silicone muffin cups. Inside was canned albacore tuna in water, minced shallots and garlic and chopped artichoke hearts [in water drained] cream cheese, white wine vinegar - never knew there was such a thing. Lemon juice, coriander and nutmeg. Very good. Will make them again. 

The last puzzle in the box - 750 pieces, took a couple of days. Now on to my new box of 8 - but three of them are only 100 pieces.

The temperatures have been down but the smoke from all the fires in surrounding states continues. The gray above the lighter sky is all smoke. 

Again a smoke red sunset. 

Finally it was cool enough when I got up to take a walk. Did almost two miles in 45 minutes. Used to be faster than that but...I've only seen these flowers growing wild but these were in a front yard. 

I always feel so much better after a walk. Just being outside and saying Hi and smiling at neighbors. Besides I've got to get rid of some of the pandemic laziness and weight. 

We heard from our friend Rafael, the singer, who we always love to listen to in Mazatlan. He is playing in the Plazuela Machado again. Doing fine, no problems with the virus. 

Did some house cleaning and watching two NASCAR races today.