Wednesdays walk.

On Wednesday we returned to the Wetlands to walk. Got in 8700 steps on the walk. I had to cut it short as once the sun gets up a ways it just get too hot for me to be out.  The air temperature was in the low 80's but the sun was HOT. 

This was dinner on Tuesday night. No I don't cook like this all the time, just when I feel like it. Salmon, scalloped potatoes and asparagus with roasted almonds and cherry tomatoes. It was very good. Haven't cooked since, but do plan to tonight.

More pictures from the wet lands, it seems to change every time we go there walking. More and more plants growing. 

And more and more trails to explore.

And more signs being put up. We still manage to get lost off and on. But always find our way home eventually. Just some walks are longer than others. 

That is an owls nest. There are young ones in it but haven't seen them. 

We followed this one and it just went in a circle. 

More water in the river that day, it was moving quite fast. 

I like the bridge reflection. 

More trees getting blooms. 

Interesting sign about the water.  And reminding people not to throw trash in the streets as it goes directly into the storm drains which flow to the lake. 

I'm working on another puzzle - this one 1000 pieces. More difficult then I thought it would be. Not getting it done very fast. The way it will look when done. 

The way it looks now after working on it off and on for three days. Not getting very far. I can't even get the bottom border done right. Too many pieces fit into the wrong piece. 

We finally, just last night, got Bill's pills. What a mess. The pharmacy kept telling me they had ordered them, will be in tomorrow. Well on the tomorrows I'd call them and get, "They aren't here, or your insurance won't cover them." so would let them know, yes the insurance will cover them, you need to put them in as an override. Okay, well they will be here in two days. Called again in two days, "Oh they aren't here. Insurance won't cover them." But they have been ordered twice and they were supposed to be in pharmacy Tuesday - then Thursday. When I called Friday was told they didn't have them, insurance won't cover them. I will not repeat my conversation with them. Turns out the pills were there - the person talked to insurance while I was on phone and order went through ins. - he said they would be ready in an hour. Okay. Five minutes later I got a text the pills were ready to be picked up. We went right over and got them before they disappeared.

I also went to foot doctor. Nothing medically to do but need an ankle brace with straps to keep my foot in alignment and metatarsal pads to keep a nerve in the bottom of the foot from being inflamed. He also suggested getting some Oofo sandals to wear around the house. The stupid foot hasn't hurt since I made the appointment. Even after over 10,000 steps Friday. Do have the pads and ankle brace so will use them. The shoes not sure about.

Did go to the DMV Kiosk and got the registration sticker (that must have gotten lost in the mail) for my car - duplicates are now $8.00! And that's about all that has been going on here. NASCAR this weekend on TV. 

Why do easy things have to become complicated?

So where was I? Oh yes, Friday in the wetlands. Back to our walk after excitement was finished. There are going to be a whole bunch of new signs in the park. Here are a couple of them. Lots of info about the flora in the area. 

And another. Hum? Hidden Pond - had top check it out. 

On the way there we came across this big Thunderbird. No explanation. Maybe we should get a drum group together...

Heard water running so went through the bush to check it out. 

Ah Ha - the hidden Pond, and it was hidden, would not have ever known about it without the sign. (I mentioned before that it was a windy overcast about ready to rain day, so pictures aren't as bright and colorful as usual.)

Heading towards town we passed the new play ground that is under construction. Looks like it will be a fun place. That's a big bumble bee with a couple of spiders (?) maybe behind him. 

Looking across the really green meadow towards Sunrise Mountain. This is the mountain we can see from the kitchen window when the dust isn't blowing. 

Another playground - different park animals etched in the concrete. 

Kids can climb on this beaver. There are supposed to be lots of beavers in the park too. Haven't seen any though. 

Also haven't seen or heard any frogs. 

And glad to say haven't run into any snakes either, except for this big one. 

Well have seen a few of these and hear them at night all the time. 

More frogs. 

Then on home. It did sprinkle a very little bit over the house. 

Saturday and Sunday I watched the NASCAR races. Well Saturday I slept though most of it and Sunday I read through most of it. Boring except for the wrecks - not very many - and the last couple of laps. Also finished this puzzle. Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. And got a few more pieces of my stained glass cut and placed. 

This morning we had an early primary doctor's appointment clear across town. (Any thing the other side of the Strip is across town.) I was wondering why there was a beet by the Lady. Turns out it is an apple. Still looks like a beet to me. 

All was well at doctor. Both of us need a couple of more tests. Bill to see if a new iron med will work and me for my bones and the Lupus thing (which neither of us think I really have.) So will take care of that in a few months. See foot doctor this week. 

We registered all three vehicles the beginning of this month. So far have not received sticker for the Mustang. One on it expires in six days so have to go to a DMV Kiosko to get one. And they have the nerve to charge us another $5. Oh well. 

Then we had to refill all our meds. One of mine and two of Bill's have gone up $40 each for a three month supply! No substitute for two of them. So bite the bullet I guess. There is a generic for one Bill takes. They just came out with it. Well he tried it. Almost ended up in the hospital. So that was a mess to take care of. Doctor had to write a letter saying he couldn't take the generic - okay. Drug insurance, no problem. But because we had filled the generic for 90 days we couldn't refill the brand name. So had to do a work around. Had to order it as a Vacation Over Ride. Okay that went through. Then they didn't have it on hand. Will get it in a couple of days. Don't know what will happen if we do go some where for the winter as we usually get vacation over rides then for the time well be gone. Worry about it then I guess. Then I tried to refill mine on line. Website refused to let me. So had to call pharmacy - where we'd just been -to refill them. Old age has taken some a lot of my patience away. 

Strange few days

So where to begin. I guess with Thursday. In the afternoon we both had eye doctor appointments. Bill needed new glasses as his last ones broke. No problem. He will have them in a week. As for me - after checking my eyes the doctor told me it wasn't worth my money to get new glasses as they wouldn't help. Just go to drug store and buy some cheap readers. WHAT? Well the problem is my cataracts - they are really bad. I know that but was ignoring the problem. Well he finally convinced me to go to see about having them removed. (I am not afraid of the operation I just CANNOT make my self put drops in my eyes, never been able to. Also I shake so bad they would probably end up in my nose or ears.) So any way in two weeks I have an appointment for consultation. Bill says he will put the drops in my eyes. We will see. 

On to Friday.  It was going to be an exciting day - doesn't take much to excite me - as we were going to get our new TV installed. This first picture is just of a lantana plant. I love the way one plant will produce several different colored flowers. At 8:30 met up with the walkers, only two other people that day. First we were just going to walk around the community but ended up going into the Wetlands instead. The weather as you can see from the pictures was quite cool, very windy and threatening to rain.  Pictures are of landscapes that just caught my eye. The new growth is so green. Looking kind of towards Henderson. 

We can hear the geese honking long before we see them. 

Just more scenery. Some blue sky in this one. 

We were just wandering the dirt paths in a direction we haven't gone before. A pond, bridge and small water fall I've never seen. Also some darker clouds forming. 

More scenery

Just after I'd taken this picture we were talking about what we were seeing when we heard very faintly, "Help, help, I've broken my leg." WHAT? Was some one trying to lure us into the brush? Or was someone hurt? There were three of us so we hollered back "Where are you, keep talking." Well she did and we followed the sound. Found a young woman laying on the ground in pain. She was far enough in the brush that we would never have seen her. She had fallen off this ledge into the river. She pulled herself back up towards the trails. Don't know how she managed that. Any way we called 9ll and tried to explain where we were. Luckily a couple of the people who are docents came by and heard us. They went back to the Nature Center and waited for the ambulance.

A couple of young men also came by and they went down by the river to try to find her purse and cell phone, never found them but did find her jacket. We stayed there with the other people until the EMTs got there. 

Actually I'd never seen this river here before. The area is called by the park 
The Grand Canyon area." I am sure glad we decided to walk in the Wetlands and were talking as we passed her. 

We continued walking, watching the weather closely. It was getting windier but still no rain. Looking across at Sunrise Mountain. 

A creek we hadn't seen before. They are hidden all over the area. 

The root system of a fallen over tree. 

A pair of ducks ignoring us. 

Took some more pictures but will leave them for the next blog. By the time I got home Bill was beginning to wonder - said he was getting ready to call me. He had heard the ambulance coming and going.  We went to grocery store right away and a few minutes after we got home from there my Fitbit went off - had gotten in over 10k, steps and it was only eleven a.m. Ended the day with over 12,500 steps. Most I've ever done. 

The guys with the TV showed up about 1:00 and got everything up and running quickly. Nice to be able to watch a big screen, same size as we had, in the living room. Later that day I also called a foot doctor, my foot is finally bothering me enough to get it checked out. 

Yesterday I worked some on my stained glass. Today staying in, cool and still windy out. And watching the NASCAR demolition derby at Talladaga. 

Not much going on around here.

 Like I said not much going on around here, but that is probably a good thing. We have had high winds for what seems like weeks now. They will stop for a day then back again for a couple of days. And I mean really high winds. Sustained in the 30's to 40's with gusts up to 60. Dust in the air is terrible. And the temps go for 90+ and then in a day or two back down to highs of 60's. And we might get some rain tomorrow.

Tomorrow our new TV gets delivered and installed. I never paid attention to how much I watched it. It is not like we don't have TV it is just weird for one of us to be in sewing room and other to be in bedroom watching different programs. In this day and age with all of the mess in the world I should be embarrassed to complain, but I'm not. 

Spring is here and flowers and trees are  blooming faster than the wind can blow them away. Here is Bill's jasmine. Full of flowers, we can smell it even with the doors closed. Just wish it would last longer.

My Mexican cactus didn't do too well over the winter. He is getting lots of TLC now though so hope he continues to improve. I'm going to find out if we can remove the dead part without doing more damage. He is getting some new sprouts. 

The Palo Verde trees are blooming. Full of little yellow flowers. 

Such a pretty little flower. 

I'm still out and walking three mornings a week, but unless we can start earlier I'll have to stop soon. The sun is just too hot and wears me out quick. Next couple of pictures are from neighbors yards. Pretty Iris. I forgot they would grow here. Might get some if I can figure out where to put them. 

Another new piece of landscaping at another neighbors. Love this piece of wood. I see a colt laying down. 

We've been walking here in the community and the Wetlands. Just a few pictures from there. One thing I really like about living here is that one can see forever. 

We saw a couple of quail, but they are quick, had to get pictures of. 

And just the tranquil pond. Lots of carp swimming around in it, but they don't show up in the picture. 

Only got in about 8000 steps before the sun got to me.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a cool day so maybe can do better. 

Watched the NASCAR race on Sunday, at Bristol on the dirt. At least there was some racing going on. I really liked the end when my favorite driver won. Also still plodding away on my stained glass window.