We finally got some rain - after 180 days without.

 Actually we have had rain here at the house a couple of times, but the OFFICIAL rain meter is at the airport and it hasn't had any rain until Wednesday. An intersection we always go through on our way to WalMart, just a couple of miles from the house got 3/4 of an inch of rain Thursday. In fact the mall by there lost power for three hours. And here is our rain. Not a whole lot but more drops then I wanted to count. Actually it did rain more about 10 p.m. and steady for a while. You know you live in Vegas when you go out to count the rain drops. 

Looking to the south of us towards Henderson. Some lightening and loud thunder. Guess they were getting a real storm. About 4 in the afternoon. 

About 7 p.m. I happened to look out back and see this pretty rainbow over the Wetlands east of us. 

The sky looking north was a strange orange color with the setting sun and clouds. 

One of the lantana plants in our back yard. It used to be covered with yellow flowers. The darn pidgins have been eating the flowers. They have never in all the years we've lived here done that before. Stupid birds. 

They are working on the edges of this one too. 

Yesterday afternoon got some aggravating news. a medical test of Bill's that was supposed to be done the 18th has been cancelled because doctor's office does not have approval from the insurance company yet... Got a hold of them "they who make the decisions" and was told they don't have to make a decision until the 22nd!!! So test has been rescheduled for the 25th. Sure hope all the paper work is done by then. Want to find out what is going on and if something needs to be done. If our doctor would call "they who make the decisions" they would make it sooner, but wouldn't you know doctor is on vacation. 

Bill continues to feel good and I continue to feel mean. Don't know if it is the being cooped up here or the heat or just my natural personality coming out. I feel like I want to do something different...what I don't know. Maybe because one of our sons is in Greece and the pictures are amazing.  Travel itch maybe, but with doc appts can't go any where. 

Next week we have a contractor coming to fix a couple of boards on the front of the house and one of our windows where the paint is peeling. Try to get things done before Inspection time again.  Today I walked in the house, need to do something as two of my LOST pounds seemed to have found me again. Darn them. It gets boring quick to walk in a circle around the rooms. Every once in a while I have to change directions 'cause I get dizzy. Only got in 5000 steps, but still have some time to do more before plopping on sofa to watch TV. Also started another wall hanging. Managed to cut one piece wrong three times. So stopped working on it. 

Rained in a few places in the valley yesterday, but just in the mountains today. Still hot 108+ for the next week.  

Interesting week or so.

 We've had an interesting week. Last Thursday Bill made an unexpected trip to the hospital. He wasn't feeling well - dizzy, breathing labored and weird feeling in chest. No pain in chest so he thought maybe he could walk it off. Well he couldn't, so I finally called 911. He wasn't scary uncomfortable, but better safe than sorry. And the ambulance got lost trying to find our street here in the community. And that's another story. Any way - they were concerned about his heart rate being so low even though we told him it was usually low. To make long story short they loaded him up and took him to the hospital. As I came out the door to get in the car to follow them the paramedics told me the ER would not let me in due to increases of Covid. And that before I went over there to call them to find out for sure. Well s*&%!  So waited a while wondering what was going on. Had phone in my hand when Bill called me. He'd asked doctor and was told I could come. So off I went. First thing they did was make sure he wasn't having a heart issue. Nope all enzymes were good. No heart attack. But because of low heart rate they kept him overnight. He had no serious problems, breathing regulated and dizziness went away. Just upset about not being allowed to go home. I was glad they kept him (but don't tell him that, wanted him there "in case.")  Come morning they were willing to release him. He was his chipper self. One thing we did learn, his cardiologist is one of the best in the city. Every one was impress Bill was seeing him. So that makes us feel good. 

Of course he drove home, but first made a stop at Albertson's for a few things. Was surprised when I passed the fresh chicken department. Shelves almost empty.

Got home, he continued to be fine, thank goodness. Next Monday he has CAT scan of heart and we should hear something by Friday. 

The other morning he was up early and happened to look in the back yard and saw a mother raccoon and two babies. When he went out the door with camera they climbed one of the tall pine trees in our yard. See the mother on the left. Can see paw of one of the little ones in fork of tree on right. 

They finally decided he wasn't a threat and came down. Mama first.

Then the babies. 

Good thing he didn't get wedged in there. The squirrel and cat on the right are wooden cut outs. 

There is a drainage ditch between our yard and the block wall, into it they went and took off to where ever they live, probably the wetlands. 

I had so much fun making the first wall hanging I made another one. Trying to use up material scraps. Only had to rip out a couple of seams on this one. Got a better picture. Laid it on kitchen floor and stood on a stool to take it. 

Just a little closer look at the pieces. 

Spent part of yesterday cutting a whole bunch of strips in case I want to make another on. Also started a new puzzle. And watched Bridges of Madison County in the evening. While listening to it rain. 

Just saw on the community Facebook page they are thinking about putting up a map of the community by the entry gate. Sounds like a good idea. Hope they do. 

We are still here

I have been in a bit of a downer for the last several weeks. But am now slowly snapping out of it. The last couple of months were hard. But I am plodding along. 

Summer has arrived in Las Vegas. Yesterday was 111 - at 10:30 last night it was still 104!  Bill went out to walk a little this morning at 4:30 and said he didn't go far as it was even too hot for him. Today in the area we live in the very lowest part of the valley on the far east side the high will be 115 or more. The strip will be around 112/113. If it would cool down at night it wouldn't be so bad. The AC runs day and night. The humidity is in the low teens and there has been a breeze. But in a couple of days we might get some tiny chance of rain, so it will get cooler, humidity will rise and the winds will pick up some again. I hope we will be under one of the rain clouds. Just for a change.

We are still getting visits from the bunnies and the road runner. I like to watch him running. Bill said he saw a coyote walking down the street in front of him this morning. It took off when it saw him. 

I have started sewing, making Christmas Tree wall hangings [yes hangings, plural or more.] They are challenging and fun to make. And I sure have enough Christmas material. 

this is only part of what I have 

A tree in progress. All the colored strips have to be cut out, then the white background strips in different lengths have to be cut and sewed to the colored ones. 

Then they all have to be cut at angles and then sewn together. I managed to sew about five of them together wrong...grrr...won't make that mistake again. This photo is actually the second one I am making. 

This is the first one done. I can never get a straight picture of something like this. Need to be on a step ladder to take it I guess. 

Another finished puzzle. The last one in a multi-puzzle box. The dark blue water took a while to finish. But that is the whole point of them to spend time doing them. 

So had to buy a new  box. Wish there were a few more of the bigger ones. Tho I did the small 150 piece one I have marked in red and took me a couple of days just for the part on the top that is boxed in red. The pieces were all the same color and most of them fitted into several other pieces, until I went to add a new piece and it wouldn't fit. It ended up I had one piece left and one hole for a piece but the one I had didn't fit there. I looked and looked for where I had a wrong piece in - no where. Studies the hole and the piece for a while. Then turned the piece over with picture side down and it fit the hole perfectly...go figure. Did I mention this boxed set was very cheap - only 11 dollars, guess you get what you pay for. 

Now I'm working on the 300 piece one of the muffins. I really miss being able to get out in the mornings and walk. Don't want to go to a mall, too many people there and have to use too much gas - which is still around $5.50 here. 

Been watching The Crown on Netflex. Pretty interesting. Being a princess isn't as much fun as it sounds. 

Other things going on here but will leave them for another time.