Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Not much going on of interest here.

Interesting couple of weeks. Some good and bad, but mostly all taken care of. I got a letter from the community management  that they were going to do a 4 sided inspection last Monday. LUCKILY on last Saturday we had the contractor scheduled to come over and take care of some things outside the house. Like painting the window boxes and the metal railing around the front porch. Also the fix and paint the facia boards, they were getting a little shabby looking. Also repaint all the skirting around the house as the old paint didn't match the walls - more than few shades off. Also some rocks to replace the ones washed away from the flood. All that got done and things look good. On Sunday I went out on the patio and brought in my two planters with the artificial flowers in them. Waited with baited breath for my letter, it came  on Wednesday. It said Congratulations, your home passed inspection.  Well bless their hearts!  Flowers are back out on patio. 

Also on Monday we took the Jeep to be smogged - didn't pass. Because the battery had been disconnected all the sensors failed inspection. Lovely. But we were on the way to mechanic to get the air conditioning fixed any way.  So now AC is working, all sensors are working and the mechanic smogged it. So all three vehicles are done and legal to be driven. I thought - yesterday I got a letter from the DMV saying they had no proof of insurance for the RV. WHAT!!!  But I could go on line to fix it. Turns out the insurance company left out one letter in the Vin number. Called insurance and had them fix it. But still had to get corrections to DMV - Then I checked my proof of insurance card and it wasn't  complete - I had an effective date  but the expiration date was "Temporary". I don't think the DMV would like that. Went on line to the insurance site, to ID Cards..Still Temporary... So called them. TWICE - They said they would send me an email with the corrected ID card. NOPE still wasn't right. Called again. This morning got another email with ID Cards for all three vehicles - now they all say Temporary. UGHHHHH. So another call today. 

Tomorrow we go to the eye doctor for Bill's eye shot. This one seems to be working pretty good. And last shot was two months ago. He has had 10 good days in a row, hope that keeps up. 

We haven't been doing too much. Only groceries, mechanic and...well I guess that is it.

When I walk I can see the Sphere way downtown, but too far away to see what it is doing. I stole these off line. Pretty amazing. 


Been trying to walk three days a week, not always making it. And it is getting hot even at 8:30 in the morning. Did get out yesterday and there was a lot of water in the river, running really fast. 

He was sitting really still watching for something to go swimming by. No idea what type a bird he is. 
We did see several bunnies - they are finally coming back. Also stopped to check out the baby owls, They are getting bigger. Still three of them in the nest. Been getting in close to 3 miles a walk. 
And continue working on my lap quilt. It is already to be quilted now. Will work on it some today. 
Son has been sending his maids every week, so not much housework to do. Still working on my last Diamond bead painting, almost done with it. They are fun to do but don't know what to do with them when they are finished. So probably won't be doing any more. Maybe if we have a couple of cool days we can take a short road trip. 

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Lots to see and enjoy in The Wetlands.

About time I got around to posting. We are having more weird weather. Super hot for a few days, then cooling down again. Still cooling down a little at night thank goodness. 

Have been out walking in The Wetlands. The best part of our walks lately are trying to see the baby horned owls in their nest. There were four of them - now only three.  They are super hard to get a decent picture of. The leaves on the tree keep moving and messing with the focus of the camera. But here are a couple of pictures. They are still quite fuzzy with real feather just on their backs.


Very hard to see but one of them is trying to climb up a branch on the left. 
Out by the river is a big tree that at one time was burnt. In the last few days some one decided to hang a cross and some flowers on it. No idea why. 
Looking down into the river. I took the picture of the bigger turtle, never saw the smaller one until I looked at this photo. 
A couple of weekends ago there was a classic car show here at our community. Oh my gosh, so many memories. Beautiful cars. Really liked this one, it was pulling a tear drop trailer. 
Interesting paint job. Depended on how the sun was hitting it if you could see the stripes or not. 
My favorite. What a shame there aren't any pretty cars any more. They all look like mad bugs now. 
Have decided I want to make a rainbow quilt. Just a small one, using the same pattern as the flower on I just finished. I think I have the colors picked out. But keep changing my mind. 
Not a good picture but finished another diamond dot painting/picture. I like the sayings on them, but no idea what I'll do with them. They are fun to do. 
We had a bunch of work done on the outside of the house yesterday. Parts of it were looking a little shabby. Also added some rocks to the yard where they'd been washed away by the flood waters. 
We still have to take the Jeep to a mechanic for the air conditioning but Bill had a really rough week with the long covid. Lasted a long time over four days days before he was feeling almost normal. 

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Drama in the wetlands

 Been a busy week. And weather wise - I guess you could call it interesting.  One day it was sunny and almost 80 - the next WINDY and 57 as the high. Today the wind has let up and supposed to be around 60. Easter is over so those decorations put away and Spring table runner out. Also flower suncatchers in kitchen window. 

We've managed to get a couple of walks in the wetlands. And saw a little drama out there. A nice pond that we always stop at. That day the Canadian Geese were there along with a couple of coots and a mallard duck. Notice the posture of the geese. A couple of minutes before I took this picture another couple of geese had flown over. Lots of honking from all four of them. Thought that was the end of it. But notice in upper right corner - here come the interlopers towards the pond,. 

Really got the attention of the two on land. Coming in for a landing. 
The two on land were honking there toenails out,. And looking very aggressive. 
As soon as the new lones landed the two on land jumped in the water and headed for them. Notice the one behind the reeds with the wings spread way out. 
WOW - did they ever go after each other. 
And kept at it. Lots of wing flapping and twisting of long necks. 
Then the two females got into it also.   GOOSE FIGHT  or would that be GEESE FIGHT !!!
The original two finally ran off the other two. He/she is watching them fly a ways away. 
Peace has settled in again. 
He is still looking around and being a little aggressive looking.
LOOK! I finally have my ducks in a row. 
Finished my quilt. Now I don't know what to do with it. Hung it over the back of the love seat for now. 
We finally made it over to the Ford dealership to get the fuse for the RV. Actually had to make two trips (they had to have them brought from  another dealership, so picked them up the next day) and got two fuses - total $6  - cost more in gas then the they cost. Gas here is now pushing five dollars a gallons. Have 13 days to beg ask son to come over and help install fuse - Bill can't see and my hands shake too much to get it in the slot - then jump it to start it and get it smogged. Also found out yesterday that two RV in same lot were broken into a day or two ago. Not ours thank goodness. We store it in a lot withing the community where we live. 

Monday, April 1, 2024

Last couple of weeks of March

 Mostly I haven't written because I've been tired. No reason just feeling lazy. Been doing a lot of reading. I like Johnathon Kellerman books so have gone back to the beginning of the Alex Delaware series and reading them. He started writing them in the late 1980's. So much has changed since then - the main character spends a lot of time hunting for pay phones. doing research in the library - no real use of computer databases' then. 

I've been walking in The Wetlands a few times since last blog. The warmer weather has really brought out the green out  there. Looking so much prettier than during the winter. 

Even some pink flowers on this bush. 
One day we were hoping to finish our walk before this cloud moved over us. Got lucky, it went over the western side of town. We stayed dry.
They are doing a lot of work trying to replace a lot of the dirt washed away by the flood.
Our ocotillo is starting to bloom. It gets bright red flowers on the end of each branch.  No green leaves yet though. 
Bill has had quite a few not so good days this month. When he gets the extreme fatigue it bothers his eye, It bothered him so much this time we got an emergency appointment with the retina doctor. Luckily it wasn't a busy day so the doctor spent quite a bit of time talking to him and showing him  pictures of his last appointment and this appointment. There was no difference in the eye. And he said Bill shouldn't go blind, but things won't get better. Next shot is in a month. Also when he got his energy back, his eye worked better again. 
Here he is watching TV on his new computer monitor. A 40 inch Roku TV. All set up for computer, Roku and Dish. So he is happier with the larger screen. No more magnifying glass to read.
A couple of pictures from one walk. People need to respect nature!
The reason for the sign. 
I've been working on a lap quilt. Here it is all pinned up getting for quilting
Just starting the quilting. 
Today I sewed the binding on. All hand work left now. 
Finally got all my pictures hung up again. The small one is of me in a NASCAR - years ago I took a ride around the track in Las Vegas. Notice I said Ride not Drive. I'd like to do it again. The big wood sunflower Bill made for me. The other three are Diamond Paintings I've done.
And finally got my curtains up. Bill did it for me. They are sunflowers and writing that says Live, Love and Laugh. 
Some more Diamond Paintings. Bought a set of six on Amazon for $20. All with flowers, birds and sayings. Also bought the frames on Amazon, three for $20 
A closer look at one of them. Not enough light on them to make them sparkle in this picture. 
Lots of things I need to do but putting off  Oh - filled up my car a couple of weeks ago $3.88 a gallon, now same gas station $4.70 a gallon. Glad it is full. We have to get the RV running as it needs to be smogged before it can be registered. Same with Jeep. I did change our vehicle insurance. We've had Progressive for years. This year prices went sky high so checked around. Settled on Hartford AARP. Saved over three thousand dollars by switching for same coverage and same deductible $500.