Things getting done.

Gardeners came on last Thursday to clean up the tree mess. This is how it used to look - in the spring. 

This is how it looks now. At least the bushes under it will get a lot of sunshine now. 

While they were working we got hit with a sudden unexpected rain storm. The gardeners are waiting it out on the patio.

Just after the storm the water is about four or five inches deep in the drainage channel. Makes me nervous when it gets high and running fast. 

More rain out over the desert. 

A very short video of our rain storm. Sure was loud and heavy while it lasted. Turn on you sound. 

It continues to be pretty warm here  If we do have to go somewhere we go out by 7:30 while it is only in the 90's! So I've been working on another diamond dotz painting.  It is finished now, just have to frame it.  Nicer looking than the picture shows. My camera is starting to give me problems. One of them being not showing colors they way it should. 

And I am still sewing some. Working on my third "fall theme" throw pillow covering. All the leaves are the same size and I still have/want to make one more. Then I'll need to figure out how to use them to make the cover. I have to sew early in the day as that room gets the afternoon sun and really heats up. 

We are getting no relief at all this year. Been over 100 since the end of May. Been over 110 most of that time. And a week of over 115. It is not cooling down at night. So AC comes on before 7 in the morning. Getting tired of it. 

That is it for now. More to share but will do that later. 

Worst summer we've had since we've lived here.

The weather continues to be the topic of every one's conversations. Have never seen the heat as bad as this year. Granted we are usually over 100 but NOT over 110 for weeks on end. This week is cooler - relatively that is  - instead of 115 to 120 it is now only 110 to 115. Notice one day of maybe rain coming. Some forecasters day maybe two days. WOW! But that means humidity - ugh!  If it would only cool down at night. AC runs day and night now and we have it set at 79. But every day during high energy usage the energy company raises the thermostat by 4 degrees for a couple of hours. So that is up to 82/83. Bill loves it, I can only sit and read or work on diamond art. For sure no cooking on those days. 

And then we got a WIND STORM. There was Monsoon weather around us, we didn't get rain just the wind. This is from the Internet -  "Ten days of record heat came to a possible end when a rare weather phenomenon blew through Las Vegas on Friday evening — a haboob, also known as a big dust cloud or storm." I lifted the picture from the Internet too. In fact we were/are keeping our blinds to the back yard closed to help with the heat so we didn't see it come through. I did notice it seemed darker for a little while, but then forgot about it. 

Later Bill went to look out the window at the back yard. He said, We have a problem in the back yard."  What?  "The Palo Verde tree is down." WHAT?! Yep half of our beautiful tree was laying on the ground with part of it in the neighbors yard too. Lovely. Guess I should have looked out when the wind came through. But glad I didn't. And it was the fullest and prettiest side of the tree. 

Broke off right at the bottom. 

Luckily we have friendly neighbors. And nothing was damaged in their yard. 

So called the gardener - who had told us last year the tree needed to be trimmed out. He reminded me of that when he came over to cut it up. So her iat is all piled in yard. He will take it away tomorrow and trim up the part of the three that is left.  Yes those are pigeons laying in the shade.

Speaking of pigeons - when we went out to look at the downed tree there were pigeon guts and feathers all over the back yard. Guess a visit from a coyote or very big cat  happened over night. ICK

I am still dealing with the home warranty company about our air conditioning unit. The unit itself is fine but we were told by AC technician that he thinks the pipe going under tst house to who knows where (that is my thought, not his) is leaking and that is why we have to keep getting the gas replaced every year. That gas is EXPENSIVE. In fact while I've been typing this I am on hold with a representative of the warranty company who is trying to find someone to come out and check the pipe. I have spoke to representatives working from South Africa and the Philippines, don't know where this one is from, but intend to ask. ( She too is from Phillippines and she has submitted a work order to a company, so I should be hearing from them soon. I hope.)

Put out my summer decorations the other day. The throw pillow covers I made. 

Table decorations I've had for a long time. Made the place mats. 

And of course summer stained glass. These pieces I made about 20 years ago. But still like them. 

Haven't done any sewing lately but have been working on a couple of diamond dotz paintings. Finished this one. Need to get a frame for it. It is 12 x 12. Looks prettier in real life than the photo. 

Well, unexpected things happen. We were sitting and watching TV last night when all the power suddenly went out. It was a big power outage  from North Las Vegas to Henderson, with us right in the middle. Energy company was on the ball though, got it fixed after about 1 1/2 hours. Sure glad as it was starting to get hot inside. Glad I had an ebook, just read while it was out. 

Do you ever feel like this. I do once in a while. 

Enough for now. 

HOT HOT HOT AND HOTTER

 Las Vegas is outdoing itself!  Broke  all highest records yesterday.. This is from the OFFICIAL thermometer for the city. I imagine it was hotter in some areas.  

And this is the forecast for the next week. Such fun. On Wednesday Bill has an eye doctor

 appointment at one o'clock in the afternoon. Sure glad the AC in the Jeep was fixed a couple of months ago. 

While taking pictures off the TV I got a snap of this one. This is going on about four blocks from us. SWAT team and Metro and Sheriffs all out there. No information about what is going on yet. But glad we don't have to go any where as Tropicana is completely blocked off. 

One of my sons posted this picture the other day. Long, long, long time ago. Paul in the back, John and Gil in middle and Randy and Dennis in front. 

And I finally finished this "fall" pillow cover. Turned out kind of pretty. Colorful any way. 

And that is all that is going on around here. Watching the soccer games,  So far Argentina is doing good. 

 HAPPY   4TH OF JULY

Just a quick post to let every one know we have not finished roasting yet but it will be iffy for the next week. At least the humidity is low. 

Went to heart doctor yesterday - only 113 outside - he told us we are both boring. All tests are good, blood pressure is good, all is well come back next year. Always glad to hear that. 
Not doing much except trying to stay cool. These older manufactured homes aren't built for the kind of heat we are getting. June only had two days below one hundred. Most were close to or over 110. July is starting out worse. UGH!!!

In my last post I put in  a picture of the highway from Chili to Argentina that was taken recently by someone. Well here is a picture of it I took in 1978. Hasn't changed much since then.

Keeping busy with a new diamond dotz picture and finishing up my 2nd "fall" pillow cover. Also doing a lot of ready. Too warm to do anything else. 

All over the place blog.

Hello from HE!! - probably cooler there!. All of June has been over 100, except for the two days I had my driving lessons, was only 97 those days. The TV forecasters are saying a couple of days next week will be up to 115!!!  Also we've had a lot of wind - 30/40 miles an hour. Not nice to go out in. Last year our first 100 degree days was June 30th. 

This picture was taken at 7:30 in the morning. Did not cool down below 90 at night for several days. And of course our house AC started acting up. Was low on gas again. Third year in a row. All techs say it shouldn't be loosing gas. So this one said the pipe under the house might have a slow leak. But of course his company doesn't go under houses but they would let the warranty company know . I doubt they will cover that, but have to call them today. It is working good now .

I haven't been doing much around the house, luckily our son continues to send the maids once a week. Not much for them to do except dust, mop and vacuum. But I am glad for them. Too hot for me to clean. 

Our neighbors got this puzzle as a gift. So they asked me if I wanted to do it for them. 1000 pieces. This was the easy part. He wants to glue it and frame it. I enjoy doing puzzles so it was okay with me. A couple of years ago they had me do one and offered to pay me for it. I don't think so. 

Took me about four days, the sky was challenging. But fun.

This map of the highway from Alaska to Argentina showed up on my Face book page. Reminded me of our trip from Los Angeles to Argentina in 1978. In our 24 foot motorhome with five kids. In 2005 we drove from Las Vegas up to Fairbanks Alaska. So we have gone almost the whole route. Where the red line is in Alaska  is as far north as we went to Fairbanks. And the red line in Argentina is as far south as we went to Mar Del Plata. The other red route is a trip we took while there up to northern Argentina, to Paraguay then on to Brazil to Rio de Janeiro then back down through Uruguay in the RV.  We flew from Panama to Columbia and the RV went on a cargo ship. 

This is the road we took from Chili to Argentina. This is a recent picture, it hasn't changed a bit. This picture also just showed up on my Facebook page. 

All of us, well just half of me and Gil, in the campground in Mar del Plata. 

The campground, spent the summer there. Paul and Gil on the pony. 

I am still working on "fall" themed   throw pillow covers. Making one now that will somewhat like this table place mat. 

Some of the material. Have two of the squares made. 

Had three made when I realized I didn't have enough of the blue cloudy material to finish them. 

That is all I had left, but got creative and managed to finish the fourth one. But really needed more to complete the blocks. So thinking about what I am going to do. 

I also made this diamond dotz painting of Monument Valley. Something to do sitting down by an AC vent. 

About the only time we go out is to breakfast and to the grocery store, Always before 7 a.m.  Next two weeks we have appointments at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. UGH  Need to remember to use my shirt over my hand to open the car door. 

Why is the RV in front of the house?

The heat continues here in Vegas, except for yesterday and today. Yesterday it was only 95 and today only100. However tomorrow it starts going up again up, up to 110 plus for at least until the end of the month. Thank goodness for the last two days...

So why is the RV in front of the house. Had to have our son come over and put the piece back in the engine so it would start and of course jump it again. And he drove it to the house. That was all early yesterday morning. 

And why am I sitting in the driver's seat looking frozen...Well because I bit the bullet and hired a trainer to come over and teach me how to drive the RV.  Yes, a professional RV teacher. Why, cause I didn't want a divorce or to do bodily harm to my son. Both Bill and Gil offered to teach me. NOPE!  Needed someone with no feelings in the game. 

All ready to go. First he had me drive around in our community to get used to turning right and left without any traffic around. Oly just barely ran over a curb with back wheels once. Then he took me out on the roads more or less around where we live. Busy roads!!! Little by little I got less nervous and felt more confident.  But one time when I changed lanes there was a little  "OOO!OOO" from the instructor. Very nicely he reminded me that I had a lot of long vehicle out on my right side and I needed to be a little further away from vehicle I was going around. Managed to get home in one piece. End of lesson for day. But then Bill and I did have to take Jeep out and buy new battery for RV as once stopped it didn't want to start again. 

Second lesson was today. Got a little more daring. Drove down Boulder Highway a ways, busy street then got on Freeway and drove into Arizona. Crossing over the Colorado River. At end of first half of journey we had to stop and get gas. Yes I pulled it up to the pump and even had to back up a little. Then on home same way. About 113 miles round trip. I do tend to go into the rumble strip a bit more than I should. Need to work on that. I feel that is better than drifting into the left lane where there is traffic. Changed lanes to pass a truck - going uphill. Heart in throat all the time. But did it. 

Home safe and sound. End of lessons.  It took me a lot of time to finally decide to do it. Was really unsure if I could. But I did! Kind of proud of this old broad. So now have to take the RV back to the storage lot and park it between two other RVs. Piece of cake - Can I close my eyes while I do it? Of course I have not driven it while towing the jeep. Will eventually have to try that. Then maybe we can take a short trip somewhere. Emphases on SHORT! and MAYBE
So that is my excitement for a few days. The way I felt (and probably looked) getting behind the wheel. 

Tomorrow back to normal events. Starting a new "fall" pillow cover. More on that later.

Heat wave continues for rest of month.

 Still not doing any walking - way to hot even at 7 o'clock. And looks like it isn't going to let up. Except for tomorrow, it is only supposed to be 95 - wow, need to get a sweater out. Humidity is in single digits. Yesterday it was 7%.  I am not looking forward to getting our electricity bill, might have to take a loan out to pay it. 

Needless to say we are not going outside much. Had to go to cartologist office for yearly tests a couple of days ago. Luckily our appointment was at 8 a.m. But still when we got back in car around 9 the steering wheel was too hot to hold on to. We went to breakfast and store on the way home. Our big excursion for the week. 

Yesterday, Father's Day, we went out to breakfast at 8 o'clock and to grocery store then spent rest of day home. Our son came over and spent part of the day with us. So it was a nice day. Heard from our other two sons. They are doing fine.

Have some visiting wildlife in backyard. Lots of bunnies and a strange bird. I'm glad to see the bunnies back, had none for a while after the flood. 

The bunnie and the bird checking each other out. 

Haven't seen this guy before, looks like a pigeon but doesn't hang out with the other regular looking pigeon. So not sure what he is. 

Finished my "fall" rooster pillow. turned out to be more work then I'd planned on. But was fun. Here I have the background done and have cut out most of the material for the rooster and have started to just lay the pieces on the background. 

Have most of it laid out but haven't attached the pieces yet. I have to iron them in place as they have a sticky back to them. Added the tree and fall leaves to ad the "fall" flavor look to it. 

After ironing them down I also then stitch over everything to make sure it all stays attached when using it. 

The finished pillow. Oh, nuts, realized I only stitched down one leg and foot. So had to very carefully move the backing and do the other leg /foot. Also forgot to do the small yellow middle piece of the wing so carefully did that too. Need to pay more attention I guess. 

Already have figured out what I am going to do next, need to keep busy some how. 

And that is all the excitement in our life here in  Sin City.