Rain, inside and out

And the days continue to fly by. Can't believe it is the last part of November. For some reason this seems to be the fastest month of the year. 

Looks like summer is finally over. Now we are having rain. Mostly on the west side of town, so we just see clouds. Expecting 1/2 inch over the next few days. 

Came across this photo the other day. January 1978, 10 minutes after the picture was taken we were in motorhome on our way from Las Angeles to Argentina. Quite a trip. The only person in this picture that didn't go was our oldest son Dennis, he is standing to my right (I have on the white shirt.) 47 years ago. 

On a couple of the cooler mornings my friend and I managed to walk in the Wetlands. Last Wednesday these pictures were taken - I got in 11,000 steps that day. At this one pond the beavers keep trying to dam it up. And the rangers keep cleaning their work up. The beavers got quite a bit done this time. The pond was backing up. They use the reeds and mud to make the dam. 

Another one of the ponds, the machine that cuts back the reeds has been busy. This is the most we've ever been able to see of this pond. It has beavers too. There were at last count 84 beavers in the parks many ponds. We were walking between rains. 

I just liked this picture. Things are more golden than green now.

Someone's plastic pumpkin in the river. When ever it rains every thing in the streets, ditches and tunnels under Vegas used to control flooding, ends up here. 

They are so elegant looking.  He was standing right below the bridge we were on. 

Looking up North the river. Not many migrating birds yet. 

I think this is a she - On one side of the bridge.

Right across from her he was singing his heart out. 

This quilt is done and waiting to be sent to great granddaughter. I like it, the sunflower is one of my favorite flowers. 

Our son came over and took us out to breakfast on Saturday. My meal was French Toast Tacos. Had to try it. Very, very good. The French toast was put in a form to make it taco like. Had bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese in it. Yum. And the potatoes were delicious but the French toast filled me up. 

Another quilt I am working for same family, this time great grandson. It is all pinned and partly quilted. Using masking tape to make lines to follow in quilting it. 

Had to go out this morning to cardiologist office to get a heart monitor.  Luckily got there and back between the rain storms. Have to wear it until Friday. 

Discovered we had a leak from the rain. It is leaking right over the door that separates the garage from the laundry room. Some of the water ends up on laundry room floor even when door is closed. Going to have to call someone to fix it. If I dared I'd go up there and use some Flex Seal. 

Tomorrow Bill sees the laser surgery eye doctor. Hope he can get him in to laser it soon.  He can hardly see anything. Could not even see the food on his plate last night. Can't read any menus, labels on cans or boxes. Very frustrating for him. 

What a Week

Glad to see this week coming to an end.  However the weather is still beautiful. Cooling down at night and in low 80's  during the day. Perfect walking weather, but only walked a little bit on last Monday. A few ladies here in the community are try to get a walking group together. How ever they don't walk very far yet and they walk a little later in the day. I walked with them this week. But I think I and my regular walking friend will continue to try to walk in the Wetlands ourselves. Right now I have a corn on the ball of one foot that is quite uncomfortable. Need to try to get rid of it. Getting old is such fun. 

I was walking through this room early the other morning and was startled by the reflection on the wall...took me a bit to figure it out. It was the rising sun through the kitchen window with a shadow of one of the pumpkin sun catchers in the window. A perfect set of circumstances, have not seen it since. 

After my short walk on Monday Bill and I went to one of the big Mexican grocery stores here. El Super, it is amazing. Bill especially likes the bakery. We always buy more than we should. 

The cakes are tempting, but don't need one. 

He likes their freshly made, usually still warm, tortillas. 

Tuesday morning we had a spectacular sunrise.

The phone camera doesn't do it justice. But at least I was in a good mood for a while that day.

It went to heck from there. Bill had an appointment with the doctor who is supposed to do the laser surgery on his eye. Yah, that worked out well. Got to the office, stood in line then managed to get through all the check in on the kiosk. Sat and waited about 20 minutes, they called us up to the desk. The receptionist smiled and said, " You don't have an appointment."  Yes we do. "With which doctor?" I told her. Oh, he isn't in this office, he is next door in the other office. OKAY So over to next door we go. Stood in line and waited to do all the check in on the Kiosk again. Sat down waited, waited. Desk calls his name, here fill out this form. The form was strange, that should have been my first clue. It was asking about drooping eyelids ??? Gave it back filled out. Waited another 45 minutes to be called in the room. Nurse mentions drooping eyelid. We say no we're here about laser surgery. Oh, no this doctor only does drooping eyelid. You need to go next door for laser surgery !!!!!!!!?????????? Back we go. Explain mix up. Receptionist is very nice. When I called for appointment, the clerk saw Bill had seen eyelid doctor and made appointment with wrong doctor. Even though I'd told her laser surgery and they had the referral for that.  Any way, showed her copy of referral. First appointment he can get is Dec 30th. No, no, no. So she found one end of this month WAY across town. We took it. She will call us if there is a cancellation. 

A couple of pictures of the full moon, I usually don't remember to go out and look. 

But back to Tuesday. After we were home for a while, I used the facilities in my bathroom. Heard some gurgles and up came the water in the bathtub. Well not really water... So checked our home warranty, they would not cover drainage problems that involve cleanouts or pulling toilet. So called plumber we've used before. He was here in a couple of hours. Could not clear the problem Said he might have to pull toilet, but first would check to see if there was a cleanout in the back of the house. We had no idea. So out he goes, comes back in smiling yep there is a cleanout under the house in the back. He said it looks like it has never been cleaned out, so he would come back the next day with the big equipment and do it. Okay.

Mean while I finished this quilt. Two down three to go. 

Plumbers came back the next day and everything is working fine now. Thank goodness. 

This is a different one. 

So now another week. And I'm  working on another quilt. 

Going to doctors, using Uber and sewing.

 Couldn't resist posting this one.  They have been doing spooky ones all month. This one makes me shiver. I can't imagine looking out the window of any of those buildings and seeing this. 

Cute ones.

The weather is finally beautiful. Gets down into the low 60's at night and to mid 80's during the day. Almost perfect.  Going to be from mid 70's to mid 80's for next ten days, with lots of sun. 

A couple of days we've had clouds. Makes for beautiful sunsets. I should have gone out a couple of minutes earlier to get the full beauty of it.

Our youngest son came across this picture and sent me a copy. Oh my, that was a LONG time ago. 

Have my Halloween decorations up. Almost time to take them down and put up Thanksgiving ones. Another day or two and I'll do it. Stained glass in kitchen window. 

Table place mats and a fall theme runner. 

My pillow covers that I made last year. 

It seems like the only thing we've been doing lately is going to doctors. Bill has been to the eye injection three times this month. Had problems after the injection. And then that doctor discovered he now has a membrane over the cornea of his injection eye - that is his Good Eye. So we go Tuesday to ophthalmologist who we hope will schedule an appointment with the laser surgeon ASAP. He also saw the urologist last week. Good news no cancer, just some things that come with aging. And saw our primary doctor Thursday. We are both doing fine. I got the flu shot. See you in six months. And had to take Uber to all of them cause Jeep needed new battery and we just didn't make it to garage to get it changed. Finally did that yesterday. 

I got in over 10200 steps yesterday. There is a new walking group here in community. They walk Mondays and Fridays at 9 a.m. So I went to meet them. They meet at one of the club houses - the one at the furthest end of where we live. I thought about taking Jeep, but didn't want to not have it start back up so walked there. No one showed UP! So walked home then we went to WalMart to get battery. Walked all around in there. Then to Albertsons and walked around in there. My legs were really yelling at me by evening. Also been doing a lot of sewing and I am on my feet a lot what with cutting, ironing and back and forth to sewing machine. I have finished this one. 

And still working on this one. They will go to a couple of our great granddaughters. It is a family of 5 great greats 3 girls and 2 boys so will be busy for a while. 

November already, where did this year go. In a few days I'll turn 87! Where did all the years go? 

More clouds and a beautiful sunrise over the Wetlands. 

Not doing any walking in Wetlands, it is all torn up where they are still working on the new sewer lines. Also walking partner has been on vacation.

Nothing else exciting going on. 

Been a busy few weeks

 Busy but not the really fun kind of busy. Every week this month are doctor appointments sometimes two a week. Also busy finishing another quilt - that was fun. I like the way it turned out. Front, got to use my embroidery machine a lot. Kind of have a love/hate relationship with it. Not as easy to use as my old machine. 

The back of it. Did manage to use up quite a bit of material. 

Last week we went to lab for blood work. Still waiting for some of the results.  We are having nicer weather now. Gets really cool at night, in fact had to turn the furnace on for first  time yesterday morning. At first it didn't want to come on. But finally started working. All is fine now. It's getting down to mid 50's at night. And Bill is still getting up in the middle of the night so it needs to be a littler warmer in here then.  We had some heavy winds and the mountains got snow. Pretty early for that, but it will melt fast as they days now are back to low 80's. 

Parts of Vegas did get pretty heavy rain. Especially along  The Strip.

The days it was raining we had a couple of interesting sunrises. 

The work continues on the new county sewer line right behind us in the Wetlands. A couple of times the house has shook from their machinery. Lots of noise. But I kind of enjoy watching what the equipment can do. But it is now impossible to get into the Wetlands to walk, unless we drive up to the Nature Center. It will be a few more days before they reopen the trails and walkways in this area. 

Bill had an appointment with the eye shot doctor on Wednesday at 8:30 in the morning, I decided we should leave early because of the morning traffic. Well I went out to start the car and just got bzzzzzzzzzz, click, bzzzzzzzzzz. Oh Oh. So called an Uber they couldn't get to house until too late to make it to doctor. Luckily our jiffy charge was charged so connected it to battery and car started. Kept fingers crossed we'd make it. We did checked in at 8:31! Phew. Then we sat in office for 2 and 1/2 hours before he saw doctor. Grrrr. Never going to make a morning appt again. We got home and we ate and he went in to lay down for a while. Seemed okay when he got up. Yesterday morning his lower eyelid was swollen and RED. And the whole area was hurting. And he had a tiny blister on the rim of the lower lid. So tried calling the doctors office. Could not get through to any one. No matter what number I pushed no one answered just gave me more buttons to push which no one answered. So finally called the ophthalmology office where he had his cataracts done. We know the receptionist there. She managed to get ahold of the shot doctor and got him an appointment for yesterday afternoon at 3. Okay. Sometimes you can be there a LONG time so I didn't want to drive. It might be dark and traffic would be horrid. So another Uber ride. He finally got to see the doctor at 4:30. Doctor was flustered - the other doctor hadn't shown up for work so he was the only one there seeing every one. Any way he was glad Bill had come in. He gave him steroid ointment to put on lower lid 3 times a day. Checked everything really well. No infections but he did notice membrane is covering part of eye - after effect of cataract surgery. So Bill has to go back to see him next wednesday - afternoon appointment - Doctor at that time will call cataract surgeon to set up laser treatment for membrane. He also said to come back in if eye still bothers him.

Lots of Halloween Spheres lately. Wouldn't want to look out my hotel window and see that. 

Next week he goes back to eye doctor and the week after he has one appointment and we have to go to our primary. So that is all our excitement. Going to grocery store and doctors. I know this is getting long, but I want to share this cute poem. Love the ending.

 A POEM FOR HUSBANDS…

She learned to quilt on Monday.

Her stitches all were very fine.

She forgot to thaw out dinner.

So, we went out to dine.

 

She quilted miniatures on Tuesday.

She says they are a must.

They really were quite lovely.

But she forgot to dust.

 

On Wednesday, it was a sampler.

She says stippling's fun.

What highlights! What Shadows!

But the laundry wasn't done.

 

Nine patches were on Thursday -

Green, yellow, blue and red.

I guess she really was engrossed;

She never made the bed.

 

It was wall hangings on Friday,

In colors she adores.

It never bothered her at all,

That crumbs were on the floors.

 

I found a maid on Saturday,

My week is now complete.

My wife can quilt the hours away;

The house will still be neat.

 

Well, now it's only Sunday,

I think I'm about to wilt.

I’m at my wits' end, I raved, I ranted,

Cause the MAID has learned to QUILT!

Disclaimer: (That's Not My Home and I didn't write it)

 

Walking Wetlands finally

Well here I am back again. All kinds of things going on around here. Lately I've been seeing more wildlife here in our backyard than in the Wetlands. A covey of quail. There were about four more of them but couldn't get all in the picture. They are funny the way they run around. 

One of our sunset during the monsoon days last week. 

Another day, we thought we were really going to get a storm. Henderson got poured on but we didn't get a drop. Just heavy winds.

I have started another quilt. It is much prettier than this picture. The materials are beautiful. Not sure how it will turn out. I might put some embroidery on it or some applique. Haven't decided.

Went walking again Monday and Wednesday. Managed 2.5 miles each day. But it wore me out. Not sure if it is because of my hospital episode or the fact that we haven't really walked since the middle of June. I was out of breath and tired. Have called the cardiologist and left a message. Lucky to be able to do that. Hard office to get ahold of. And we'll be seeing our Primary Care doctor the end of the month. He at least has sent for the hospital records. I've actually been feeling good otherwise.

We heard this guy before we saw him. He is cutting back some of the reeds that have overtaken this pond. He has a saw like thing on the front and the claw to pick them up after cutting them. 

Now that looks like a fun job. And there are plenty of ponds that need clearing out. 

I guess there is a machine for any job needed. 

Not many water birds here yet, migration has just started. Seen some geese flying overhead but none in the park. This heron hangs around all year long. People have named him Harry.

Because of the sewer line going through the park and the rains we've had to stay on the concrete trails, which just go through boring parts of the park. Will be glad when all the construction is done. Must be 50 dump trucks a day going right behind our house, been going on for over a week. Some come in emty and go out full, others come in full of dirt and go out empty. The person holding the slow/stop sign said they are "exchanging" the dirt. OKAY... Also the bigger equipment that is going further into the park has to go right behind us too. 

Well, the gardener came to trim the offending bushes. I told him they had to be trimmed away from the house and the big bush had to be trimmed shorter. He nodded okay. Trimmed the lantanas that were overflowing into the next yard. Cleaned them up and left. ... I hope he was just not sure how to trim the other ones and the owner will come later to do them. Otherwise I'll get written up again tomorrow at the re-inspection. Oh well.

Bill went to the neurologist yesterday he was supposed to get two tests on his face and neck. I guess to gage how widespread the myasthenia gravis is - if it has spread beyond his eyelid. First test was kind of a shocker - literally they shocked parts of his face. The next test was to be sticking needles in his face. Thankfully the first test told the doctor all he needed to know. No spreading. I couldn't have watched the needle thing. 

The Sphere - this reminds me of when we went to Area 15. The whole inside looked like this. 

We are going to be having daily temperatures of mid 80's next week. Might have to turn the heat on. Made some great roast vegetables the other night. Potatoes baby ones, carrots and zucchini sliced and covered with olive oil and italian spices. Yum!