View From My Window

Saturday, August 1, 2020–It’s hard to accept that we’re 3/4th through this year, but it’s true. Time is really fascinating. The same 24 hour day that I live through now vs. the 24 hours I used to live through seem to be unequal as all get out. I wonder what alters our sense of time to make our days go faster, the older we get? Time to slow down and smell those roses!

Robert’s on a second medication for his Alzheimer’s and seems to be tolerating it well. Next week, we’ll bump the dosage up and he’ll take one twice a day opposed to once each evening as it is now. He had a bit of a problem (once more) with his evening meds the other night. When he went to take them, the slot was empty, but the morning pills were still there. Apparently, he’d taken the evening pills in the morning, rather than the morning ones. I could see a time when I’d have to take a tighter rein on his medications.

Meanwhile, I had a bit of a taste of forgetfulness when I went for my primary doctor’s appointment on Thursday. The dr. came into the exam room and I didn’t recognize him at all. I asked him if I wasn’t going to see the primary doctor, presuming him to be a physician’s assistant, rather than the doctor. He laughed and said he was in fact, the doctor, and had been since receiving his degree. I was disconcerted and a bit embarrassed, but afterwards, I realized I’d really only ever seen him in person one time this year and he was masked to the hilt, with full protective gear on. The other times I’d been ‘seen’ was via a phone conference and one visit to his office where I was seen by his nurse practitioner. Looking at it that way, over an 8 month period, only having seen him in person one time, didn’t make it all that bad.

I received a call from my long-arm quilting friend who announced that she’d finished my two quilts and I could pick them up at any time. I had another one ready to be dropped off, so that was good. She didn’t want to charge me for her efforts, but I insisted. The quilts we make together will go to the local hospital, where they will be given to those in need.

I do wish this heat spell would end. I’ve said it before–I don’t ‘do’ heat well at all. There was a bit of conflict last night when Robert got ready for bed. I’d shut the a/c off earlier because we had an a/c power shut-down (we allow the utility to shut down our a/c when they need more power and we receive a healthy discount on our electric bill in turn). I can’t sleep in warm weather, and as I went to turn the a/c back on, Robert turned it back off and went into the bedroom and opened up the windows. I didn’t argue, I just said if he was going to open the windows, I’d leave the a/c off and stay up for a bit. I wound up going downstairs where it was a good 15 deg. cooler (probably more, but who’s counting?) sat in a chair and read my Kindle until I nodded off. It was just 11:30 p.m. as I trudged back up the stairs. I took my evening pills, shut my office down, and headed for the bedroom. I stopped by the thermostat and checked the temperature–82 deg. and I knew I wasn’t going to be sleeping at that temperature, so I went ahead and turned on the a/c. I went into the bedroom and quietly shut the windows. I laid in bed for the better part of an hour, trying to sleep and finally adjourned to the couch in the living room. At least I have options for seeking a cool place to sleep; many others don’t and I’m more than grateful for what I have in my life.

Be safe, take care of yourself and those you love. Remember to tell those you love that you love them.

View From My Window

Wednesday, July 29, 2020 — It was so good to be back home Sunday evening. Even without the threat of COVID-19, we are uncomfortable with the amount of traffic we encounter in our trips to San Diego. Phenomenally crowded anymore, and it’s quite the adjustment after being in slow-paced Tehachapi.

So much had changed since we were there last. The good news is we were able to get all of Robert’s trains running, and got to see most of our family. No one was ill and we came back healthy, which is a real blessing.

Not much else to report so will close with blessings to all. Be safe, take care of yourself and be sure to tell those you love that you love them. If you go outside your home, please wear a face covering. Face masks are such a small thing to do for yourself and others.

View From My Window

This is a picture of the valley below our home, taken at approximately 3:30 a.m. this morning. It was knocked down very quickly by our fire department. It was so strange to see the fire in what appeared to be a rectangular shape, burning in an area quite a ways away from the train tracks. You can see an eastbound train’s headlights on the right side of the photo.

Here’s what it looked like in the light of day:

Needless to say, I woke Robert and got him up. I figured if we were threatened in any way, I’d need him up and out of bed to help. The fire department kept the fire tightly controlled, which was a real relief for us. Our youngest son happened to catch the photo online and wrote to Mike & Cheryl (aka Lugnut and ‘the Boss’) and Mike replied that ‘the parents’ were o.k. Nice to have an extension of the family that watches out for us. You can see the raw edges of the fire’s burnt area and see what I mean when I say it was in the shape of a rectangle. To my way of thinking, this was a deliberate act of arson. Natural fires don’t burn in rectangular shapes, they burn in cirles or straight lines, depending on the wind that drives them.

We dragged most of today, but got the CT done this a.m. and then went to the neurologist’s appointment in the afternoon. After discussing Robert’s episodes with the dr., the dr. stated he’d add another medication to his regimen, which is what I anticipated would happen. The medication he’s prescribed is the same one that others in my caregiver’s support group have mentioned — Memantine HCL, or Namenda. When we mentioned that Robert’s balance was deteriorating, the dr. suggested physical therapy and I agreed, as it will hopefully strengthen his core/balance. Hopefully, we can get the referral for Terrio Fitness, which is here in town.

Once we got back home in the cool of the house, Robert stated that from henceforth, no more appointments in Bakersfield in the summertime. It just takes too much out of you, physically. I agreed. I’ve also decided to cancel the sleep study appt. I made the other day. For one thing, I don’t see well at night, and I would have to drive to Bakersfield at 8:30 p.m., sleep there in the lab, and drive back home at 6:00 a.m. When I discussed it with Robert, I could tell he wasn’t keen on being left alone by himself at night, so I’ll call tomorrow and cancel–the appointment was for September 1, 2020, so I’m giving them plenty of notice. When I told him I was going to cancel the study appointment, he said, “Good. You can tell them you’ll call again if it gets worse.” Well, I don’t have a problem sleeping, per se, I have a problem with a small bladder, and insomnia, which isn’t sleep apnea. The insomnia isn’t all of the time and I deal with it fairly well on my own. Thankfully, I’m retired and can nap during the day if necessary.

Nothing else to share, so will close this and offer my blessings to you all. Be safe, take care of yourself and those you love, and remember to tell those you love that you love them. Keep the faith and keep safe!!!

View From My Window

Wednesday, July 15, 2020 — Tomorrow is a big day; Robert’s scheduled for a CT scan of his remaining kidney and pelvic region. I’m kind of glad he’s having it done because he’s had some pains in that area and the scan will possibly show if there’s anything to be concerned about. Later in the day, he’s scheduled to see his neurologist and I’ll be able to discuss the changes I’m seeing in Robert’s memory and behavior.

I’ll need to print out his medication list for the nurse to put in his file. I forgot to replace my own list after giving it to the nurse at the hospital when I went in for the angiogram, so when I saw my cardiologist for the follow-up appt. I only had the previous list on me, and it was incomplete. Needless to say, the cardiologist caught me unawares and the list didn’t have the right dosages nor all of the medications, so he added another one!! LOL

But, I have one and a half masks left to make for the cardiologist’s staff. They’ve gone really well this time, though the instructions I printed out from a new web site were incorrect and I had to scramble to find more of the primary fabric to make more ties. But it all worked out and I’m almost done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert has already headed to clean up and head to bed. I’ll have to go in and set the alarm clock so will close this with blessings to all. I know not everyone believes in wearing a mask these days. That’s o.k. Your choice, but I pray you stay safe and don’t ever have the opportunity to regret your decision.

Be safe, take care of yourself and those you love, and be sure to tell those you love that you love them.

 

 

 

View From My Window

Monday evening — July 13, 2020 — I just double-checked Robert’s pill box. Monday evening’s pills were still there. When I took them over to him, he looked at them and said “Didn’t I already take them?” We went back and I looked at his pill box. I’d just filled it Sunday evening, so it was easy to see what he’d taken. The pills for Tuesday PM were missing. I’d removed Monday PM’s pills, so apparently, he took Tuesday’s pills by mistake.

Earlier, he’d come into the office where I was playing games on the computer and looked out at the view. I commented that the bird suet feeder was getting some hits and it would be time to replace the suet block before long. He then said something about “that place that has all the junk…” He didn’t elaborate, so I sat there thinking of houses in our neighborhood that had a lot of junk in their front yards, or stores in town that had a lot of junk. I replied, “you mean that place behind the Depot??” He mumbled, no and started walking away. Fifteen minutes later, I hear him calling out from his chair in the living room. I walk in and he mumbles something. I have to get about a foot away before I can understand him. He’s saying “Harbor Freight.” I say, “Yes, they have a lot of stuff.” Were you thinking about going there when you go for your doctor’s appointment on Thursday? Noooo, he says. He’s totally lost whatever comment he’d wanted to make about the place. I suggested that in looking out the window he’d seen the lights in the layout (we’d purchased them at Harbor Freight) and did he want to buy more? He said, “No, we have 4.” O.k… I said, “Well, if you change your mind, let me know.”

Onward and upward, day by day. I told him I was glad he was seeing the neurologist because he’s been very tired lately, more than usual, and his mental state really drops in the afternoon or early evening. He’s more tired after taking his shower than he is at any other time in the day. It really takes it out of him and he becomes withdrawn, tired sounding and confused. I’ve suggested he take his showers in the morning, but he’s showered at night for so many years, it’s ingrained and he can’t change the urge/routine. So strange to have him be o.k. one minute and vacant the next. It’s 8:30 p.m. and I usually go in around 9 p.m. and take control of the t.v., bringing up a movie for us to watch. I usually pick things he’s interested in (WWII, airplanes, etc.) and he manages to stay awake most times.

Be safe, call your loved ones if they don’t live with you, and tell them you love them… Life is precious…

Vie From My Window

Monday, July 13, 2020 — A bit of a rant on the virus …

I should be sewing face masks for the staff at my cardiologist’s office. I’d worn a mask that I’d made that morning and it had 1/4″ elastic to hook onto the ears. I was only wearing it when I was outside the car, but by 1:00 p.m., my ears were hurting like mad and I had a slight headache from the tension. I commented to the receptionists as I stood there making my follow-up appointment: “How in the world do you tolerate the elastic on these masks??” One woman (maskless at that particular moment) said she’d considered giving up her job because the mask was so painful. I told them I would make them some masks with ties and they said, “You make masks?” I replied that I had made the one I was wearing, just that morning before heading out the door to come for my appointment.

Being confined to the house as we are, has subconsciously affected me. I really didn’t think it was affecting me at all since we’re retired, and since we’d usually be inside most of the time anyway, but the feeling is different. Strange… I’ve been trying to lose weight to ease the stress on my heart. But I keep losing and gaining the same 5 lbs. over and over again. I drop a pound or so every time, so the bar is being lowered, ever so slowly, but to see it in black and white (I keep a logbook of my weight and blood pressure), is depressing. It’s something I do for myself, but at the same time I want to be able to ignore it and just BE. But with the virus just outside our door, we can no longer be that carefree and open. We have to be aware and consider the consequences of our actions. I think of how responsible we are being and how irresponsible others are.

I am reminded of an article I saw recently about the Britains and how they survived WWII. Every night they covered their windows, extinguished lights and hid below ground so the Germans couldn’t make out their streets and buildings, thus making it hard for the Germans to hit specific targets. Their food was restricted, their movements were restricted–yet they persevered. They worked together to help one another survive. We must do the same…we must take precautions to protect one another from COVID-19.

Stay positive-minded and test negative! We will beat this virus. We will persevere. Be sure to tell those you love that you love them. Take care of yourself. Be aware of what you touch, wherever you go outside the home.

View From My Window

sunday, July 12, 2020 — It’s been a while since I’ve posted. My angiogram proved to be empty of any blockages. The cardiologist has added a medication to lower my cholesterol, so that’s on its way here. For now my major complaint is leg cramps. Oh my word—morning, noon and night. I have no peace from them. I’ve been relying on Hyland’s Leg Cramp pills and they do work miracles, but I’d rather I didn’t have the cramps at all. I go back to the cardiologist in 2 months, so we shall see…

Meanwhile, Robert has had an episode of aphasia–and will be seeing his neurologist this next week. I’m hoping he’s able to tweak Robert’s meds and keep the dementia at bay.

Not much else going on here–we’re just hanging in there and trying to keep it together. Be safe, be well, and take good care of one another. Be sure to tell those you love that you love them and take care.

View From My Window

Tuesday, June 30, 2020 — Amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it. I knew in my heart that I needed to let go of some of my fabric stash. I have a small wood bookcase that was loaded with plastic bins of fabric pieces–all cut to size. I felt if I could get rid of some of the fabric in my cupboard, I could put those bins away out of sight.

On top of all the bins, I had stacks of folded fabrics! Multiply the photo below by six and you get an idea of what I had in my stash. Whew!

And now for the ‘after’ photos. Tammy showed up at 9:00 a.m. as expected and we got right to work. She sews, as does my niece, so I started pulling fabrics out and divied them up between the two of them. In two hours, we finished and what a relief that was. Amazingly refreshing and lifting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I can find another use for these plastic bins!!

On to other topics — my visit with the cardiologist yesterday came out a bit differently than I had hoped. I wanted to reduce the number of medications and instead, the dr. doubled one of them! Aaaack! LOL I have to laugh — I should have left well enough alone, but he had told me to come back in a month, so I don’t know but what he would have doubled the medication anyway. I told him about the vertigo and digestive upsets and he said it wasn’t the medications and to go back to my primary dr. I must have some sort of infection. Hmmmm. He may be right on that.

Meanwhile, I’m finishing up another quilt top and feeling really good at reducing my fabric stash. And, I have a bookcase that can be put elsewhere or given away.

Be safe, be well (USE those face masks, and if you need more, please just leave me a message below!). Take good care of yourself and be sure to tell those you love that you love them. Blessings to you and yours…

View From My Window

Monday, June 29, 2020 — I have an appointment with the cardiologist today. The big question is what time. I have an appointment card with a time of 11:00 a.m. but have received two verification phone calls on my answering machine that tell me my appointment is for 3:00 p.m. Hmmm… I’ve had this happen before — doctors staff will move your appointment without asking and then put the new time in the confirmation phone call. If you question it, they’ll just insist that they’re right and you must have got it wrong somehow. Well, that’s o.k. for the most part, but we’re an hour away so it does make a difference. I called the cardiologist’s office and left a message with the answering service. We shall see…

Meanwhile, the weather has thankfully cooled down so going to Bakersfield won’t be as bad as I had expected it to be. Grateful, is all I can say.

Meanwhile, be safe, take good care of yourself and remind those you love that you love them.

View From My Window

Tuesday, June 23, 3020 — This is my first post in a couple of weeks. The friend who had been battling cancer passed two days after my last post and I just haven’t felt well enough to write.

I think I wrote about the increase in my medications. That’s been a real issue for me. I don’t feel good taking all of these medications, though I’m realizing that for the most part I am physically better than before I was put on them. Still, they make me terribly sleepy during the day and I get horrific cramps in my body in the evenings. I see my primary dr. tomorrow and will discuss this with him. Hard to know if I should complain or not. LOL

Meanwhile, I’ve been sewing scraps, scraps and more scraps!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have 14 of these 12″x12″ scrappy blocks made and plan to add a narrow white border around each one. I haven’t heard from my friend with the long arm, so figure I’ll have a couple of quilts ready for her by the time she gets done quilting the two she has.

It’s nice to have my housekeeper back after being away during the pandemic lock down. She cleaned the house today, and I gave her basic instructions on my next large project, which is to organize and downsize my fabric stash. She’s going to work on the stash with me every other week, and on the alternate weeks she’ll clean the house for me. I look forward to having a much freer looking work area with the fabrics I’m looking for easy to find. After we finish with the fabric, I want to go through my cookbook collection. I gave her a couple of cases of books today. They’re from my metaphysical book collection.

Not much else going on — Robert’s been cutting wood for the eldest to take away. Eventually, he’ll have his garage cleared out enough to build his HO gauge railroad.  Be safe, take care of yourself and those you love, and be sure to tell those you love that you love them. Blessings to all…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View From My Window

One of the blogs I follow is called Memory for Two and it’s written by a woman who is caring for her husband, who has Alzheimer’s. She’s been really good about sharing her world. Her husband is further along than my own husband, but I can learn from her and follow her suggestions for caring for those with dementia.

On a sad note, a dear friend, F.M., from the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum’s Tuesday crew is dying. He’s fought cancer in a couple of places for the past several years and is now in Hospice care. His wife called a fellow member of the Tuesday crew the other day and said her husband was very ill and if he would like to come visit, now would be a good time. He went down yesterday with his wife, and on his return back home reported to the leader of the Tuesday crew, D.S., that our dear friend had quit eating. He said he didn’t know if he’d been heard because it appeared that F.M. was asleep. I called F.M.’s wife a bit ago to extend my sincere sympathy for the pending loss of her husband. F.M. and I had worked together on the board of directors for the museum, and had a special friendship. We got along really well, and I will miss him. His wife said he was blessed because he was comfortable and not in severe pain as others have been in his situation. I told her I would continue to pray for him and her.

It’s a fact of life, that each of us will one day face leaving this world and the ones we love. Until that time, we should embrace our life, making as much of it as we possibly can. Be faithful and true to yourself. Take care of yourself and be safe. Tell those you love that you love them. Simplify your life and enjoy the beauty of each day. Blessings to all…

View From My Window

Sunday, June 7, 2020 — Ahhhchoo! Sniff! Sniff! My allergies are driving me nuts. I just had an Ah hah! moment — the wind has been blowing fiercely for two days now, so anything with pollen has been shaken to its core. Allergy alert!! LOL I wondered why I was sneezing so profusely and violently. Ah me… the nose knows!

But, I’ve been keeping busy and have two more lap quilts ready to be quilted. Well, actually, I have one fully ready and the backing fabric laid out on my ironing board for the second quilt. Both quilts measure out at 42″x58″, which is just wide enough and long enough to cover an adult’s lap. This is the quilt top I inadvertently found while digging through my stash the other day. It was way too big for a lap quilt, so I measured and divided, pulled stitches, and re-sewed until I had two nice-sized quilt tops. Then back to the cupboard for backing fabrics.

When I get them finished, I’ll take photos and share them here.

My ongoing saga about Ruby has a new episode. I’ve been denying her entry to the house, but have gone out on the deck and sat with her when she comes to visit. Day before yesterday she was really attentive–I’d put a throw rug down on our storage bench and sat there, giving her rubs behind her ears and under her chin. Suddenly, she turned around and lay down right beside me, so close you couldn’t have snuck a piece of paper in between. Hmmm! Interesting, I said to myself. We sat there for the better part of a half hour, just watching the Hummingbirds and the Ravens flying about. Then, I announced that I had to go in. She promptly jumps down and heads for the door. Nope, not gonna happen–you’re not coming in. Fast forward to the next morning and I walk by my office door on the way to greet Robert at the computer — Aaaack! What is that mess on the throw rug outside the door??? I spy a bit of mouse tail and entrails. Arrrrgh… she’s showing her love again. Oh my word… Robert apologizes and says he meant to clean it up before I saw it but got caught up playing Spider Solitaire on the computer. I told him to just pitch the rug because it was just a carpet sample. Haven’t seen hide nor hair of the little bugger since day before yesterday, but with the cold and the wind, I doubt she’s been out of the neighbor’s house all day. Hard to hate someone that loves you THAT much! LOL

Be safe, take good care of yourself, and know that you are loved. Be grateful for your blessings and be sure to tell those you love that you love them.

View From My Window

Thursday, June 5, 2020 — This morning, I don’t know what started the exchange, but Robert said with great emphasis, “Just let me know when I do something wrong!” I surprised myself when I responded, “Please don’t do that to me. I love you and I don’t want to argue with you. I think you’re getting worse and it worries me.” He promptly replied with, “I know I’m getting worse. Don’t you think I don’t know when I do something stupid or realize I can’t do something I should be able to do? I know I’m getting worse.” He went to sit in his chair and I walked over and hugged him, telling him that I loved him and would always be there for him.

I went back to my sewing in my office and he followed me, standing in the doorway and softly saying, “I’ll try to do better. I love you more…” I took this to mean he would try to not be so angry. I told him I didn’t know if he was aware that he was changing and he said, yes. There’s not much can be done about it, other than considering setting up an appt. with his neurologist and having the dr. increase his Aricept dosage. My problem is I don’t know what to say when the dr. asks what signs I’m seeing that tell me his condition is changing. How do you put into words all of the little things you observe, day after day?

Later on, I thanked him for the conversation about his dementia. I told him I didn’t know what was going on in his mind and appreciated that we could discuss what was going on in an open manner. He said that we had always been able to discuss things with one another, which is true.

So, the elephant in the room is now out in the open. I’ll call his neurologist next week and see if I’m right about his follow-up appt. for next month. If he doesn’t have one, I’ll set one. It’s obviously time to review his condition.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words of support; for being here for me and for Robert. Greatly appreciated, as always. Be safe, be well, and be sure to tell those you love that you love them. We never know what life will present to us so we do what we can for the moment.

View From My Window

Thursday, June 4, 2020 — A not-so-quick trip to the local office supply store so my EIN form could be faxed to the IRS. They tried twice to get it through but each time there was a problem with the other end. They didn’t charge me for the tries, so after a good 20+ min. wait, I left with the form and my cover letter and returned home to put said form into a #10 envelope, address it and apply a stamp. It will get mailed tomorrow. All things in their own good time–especially when it’s the IRS or other govermental entity.

On the way home, I glanced at the clock on the car’s dashboard and realized I’d missed taking my 2:00 p.m. pill — yet another change to my medicine talking regimen. Now I take pills inbetween morning and evening! I had to open the gallon size zippered plastic bag that I store all my meds in to find the one that was to be taken at 2:00 p.m. because I thought I knew which one it was, but wasn’t positive, so needed to re-verify that it was the mustard colored one. Horrible to have to look at the pills remaining in the bottle to see what it is you’re supposed to be taking.

Afternoon coffee and my 2:00 p.m. pill taken, albeit late, I could be sewing, but instead, I’m here, writing again. As I came from the office towards the bedroom, I noticed that the front door was ajar — so I pushed it closed and turned the deadbolt. When I came back from the bedroom and passed Robert in his chair, he said, “Where are you going?” I said, ‘Nowhere…I noticed that the front door was ajar so pushed it closed and locked it.’ It occurred to me that he asks me that a lot–it’s as though he’s lost track of me and needs to know where I am all of the time. It goes beyond just love and liking being with me. In the evening, he’ll be sitting next to me on the couch and suddenly look to his left and then back to the right with a surprised look on his face. He says he ‘feels’ me sitting next to him on his left but when he looks to speak to me, I’m not there. I haven’t moved — I am always on his right side because I sit at the very end of the couch, next to the end table with the light (I’m usually doing some kind of sewing or handwork there).

Ruby has taken to coming to visit in the late afternoon. She comes up to my office window and stares in at me until I notice her. Then she brightens and her ears go out like rudders on an airplane. She’s so funny to watch. When I get up, she does a double take and then jumps down and rushes to the next set of windows, jumps up into the chair there and checks to make sure I’m coming. When I get to the door, she’s primed and ready to make her blazing attack to get in before I can get out and close the door on her. LOL So we do our little daily dance and she gets her chin strokes and rubs and I get my love fix from a cat. I got a bonus from her yesterday — she’d picked up a sand flea from somewhere and it climbed on me and had a bit of a snack from my lower leg. Ahhh, ’tis the season! Fleas and allergies.

Anyway, I’m almost through my day — I’ll sit and do a bit more sewing on the next scrappy quilt top and then perhaps look at the photos of the quilts I had planned to make that are easy-peasy designs.

Be safe, be careful where you go and what you touch when you’re away from your own home. I was nervous the entire time I was at the office supply store — being very careful to not touch anything. They had a sign offering all sorts of things for sale — N5 masks — 5/$25 was first up in the list. Amazing… $5 apiece… and disinfectant wipes $16.95 for a package of 25. Horribly inflated prices. Part of me feels they’re having to make up for the time when they were closed and another part thinks it’s low of them to try to take advantage of their customers in this difficult time.

Blessings to all… so glad you’re here and I can talk to you here on this page.

View From My Window

Thursday, June 4, 2020 — Another warm day–we have the a/c on and set to 77 deg. I’ve made banana bread with the too-ripe bananas and have given a loaf to the next door neighbor. I’ve asked them in the past whether they ever tire of my sharing banana bread with them and they laughed and said, “NEVER!” LOL I do get tired of it and wish I had something other than banana bread or banana bars to use the over-ripe bananas for.

I’m typing this and listening to the elevator music provided by the IRS. I called to ask for help obtaining an EIN (Employer’s Identity Number) for our trust. Back in March, pre-pandemic, I went to the credit union where we do our banking and as advised by our trust attorney, asked to open a checking account for the Trust. They informed me that I had to have a separate EIN number for the account. I thanked them, went home and didn’t do anything about it for the next day or so and then the pandemic hit and we were SOL (Sorely Out of Luck) until now. I went to our tax preparer yesterday (H&R Block) yesterday since I’d tried to obtain the EIN online but ran into a problem. The representative at H&R Block tried to complete the application for me while I was there and she ran into the same problem, so I had her note the troubleshooting phone number on the back of the application and decicded I would call them today.

I have one pad of checks left before I’m completely out and I had wanted to get this done before I ran out of checks. We shall see if I can get this done today. If I do, I’ll feel like this has been a very good day.

I’ve noticed small changes in Robert’s behaviour lately, and they worry me. I looked at the signs for the middle state of Alzheimer’s and a couple of them were recognizable as being part of his daily behaviours now. He’s still taking the Aricept and it has kept things from progressing, but I realize too, that things are bound to change–that’s the nature of the disease.

One day at a time, and even one moment at a time–always trying to remember to think before I speak and to look at the situation from his viewpoint. Hard to do sometimes because there are times when I’m caught up in my own world and feel an irritation when I’m disturbed. But I love him so much, I will endure and will hold true to my faith that I can do this. I discovered that my cardiologist put me on two new pills, not just one. <sigh> It’s mind-boggling, and incredibly tiring to take this many drugs. I’m still walking on the treadmill each and every day — a minimum of 15 min. or more each time.

Be safe, be well, and take care of yourself and those you love. Be sure to say “I love you!” and to look at life from the other person’s point of view. Be tolerant and be grateful for what you receive in life. Blessings to all…

View From My Window

Tuesday, June 2, 2020 — POLITICAL RANT COMING UP:

I feel helpless here. I like to think I’m not racist, but I see signs that say “White silence = violence” and it makes me think I should be doing something to stop the racism and mistreatment of ALL people. I often wonder what goes through people’s minds when they are taking another person’s life–what was that cop thinking as he held Floyd down to the ground with enough pressure to kill him? Did he not care that Floyd might die at his hands? What happened to make him get off Floyd’s neck??? Once he realized Floyd wasn’t breathing?? What about the other officers that were witness to the crime?? Why did they just stand there watching? Why haven’t they been arrested and charged with accessory to murder? And the bystanders–why didn’t they step up to the plate and protest?? Someone could have smacked that cop and got him off of Floyd before he died–but they didn’t. The big three letter question is WHY?

Another WHY is why are people burning buildings and destroying things? What purpose does that serve? It mjust be a release of some kind for their frustration, but couldn’t they channel that frustration into something positive rather than negative?? How will burning and looting (stealing) help erase the fact that Floyd died needlessly at the hands of someone who had sworn to protect people?

If you have answers to these questions, please reply and share them with me. I really want to know what I as an individual can do to help make this situation right, and perhaps see to it that it doesn’t happen again.

View From My Window

Tuesday, June 2, 2020 — Perseverance is key to achieving any goal. I finished my latest quilt last night and will deliver it to the Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley Hospital today. This is my contribution to the Hands2Help 2020 Challenge, which ended yesterday. Nothing like working right up to the deadline! LOL But it looks really good and I know it will be enjoyed by someone.

I have another quilt in the making–I happened to be going through my fabric stash and came across a plastic bag with a quilt top half-finished. Groan… It’s a variation of the Three Rail Fence pattern. I’ll post photos of it when it’s finished.

Meanwhile, it’ll be a busy day today. I’m going to have lunch with my friend from the Caregiver’s Support Group. We haven’t had our bi-weekly lunch for a couple of months and are really missing our gab fests. Plus, she’s sold her home here in Tehachapi and will be moving away very soon, so this may be our last lunch date. I’ll miss her as she has been my first “go-to” person for all of my dementia/Alzheimer’s questions.

Be safe; take care of yourself and be grateful for each and every day. Remember to tell those you love that you love them.

 

 

View From My Window

Monday, May 25, 2020 — A beautiful morning with the sun shining (not too hot yet), and the sky all clear. Perfect growing weather for flowers, and we have several new ones.

The other day we went to Home Depot and purchased plants for the garden railroad. We wanted to add more trees, but also put a bit more color into the layout. Over the winter, some of the plants failed to survive the cold so had to be replaced. Here’s a couple of photos of the new flowers (and some of the older ones that did survive the cold).

We purchased a few six-packs of Vinca’s, and I’m hoping they don’t get too big. Eventually, there’s going to be a highway right alongside this row of plants.

 

 

 

I don’t recall the name  of these plants, but have used them before on the layout and they do o.k.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the plants that survived the winter months are looking really good–the Wooly Thyme and Creeping Thyme are both in flower — tiny purple flowers that the bees dearly love.

We were a bit concerned about some of our miniature trees — the Japanese Maple and the Pomegranate, specifically, as they hadn’t shown any signs of coming out of winter hybernation. But they’re leafing out just fine.

 

This is the Japanese Maple. You wouldn’t believe how tiny it was when we first bought it. It’s really grown, although still very small in comparison to the Boxwood trees.

 

 

And the Pomegranate is also doing well, though it needs a good pruning of the dead branches. In the background you can see the Dianthus plants that were put in last Fall. They wintered just fine and are blooming like crazy, as is the Allysum (in white and purple!). It dies back, re-seeds itself and grows like crazy, all over the place. To the right of the Pomegranate is one of several Boxwood trees. It’s also in need of some serious pruning.

We also purchased four solor powered LED landscaping lights — we should have bought three times as many because they look really nice at night.

I’ve noticed more memory problems in Robert lately. It seems something comes up every day now. My confidence that the Aricept would keep all of the Alzheimer’s at bay forever has been shaken. It’s not bad, but it’s definitely an increase and it makes me remember that changes are to be expected and accepted.

Blessings to each of you — be safe, be patient, be kind to yourself and to others. Be sure to tell those you love that you love them.

View From My Window

Monday, May 18, 2020 — Most of you know I live with chronic depression. I’m doing o.k., but I’ve seen that a couple of friends aren’t doing that well. It appears they’re experiencing an exacerbation of their depression because of the CORVID-19 pandemic. The isolation is getting to them. I feel for them; I understand fully what they’re going through, but all I can do is commiserate with them. I can’t reach into their minds and relieve their depression. Only they can do that. I admitted to them that I can feel the stress that the pandemic is putting on my world, but what bothers me the most is Trump. The risk that he will get re-elected just makes me sick.

So I try not to think about it. I go about my day and I keep busy sewing. I’ve finished the face mask project once again, and have returned to working on the quilt for the Hands2Help Charity sew along. The quilting is 50% done and I’m seeing that the top is skewed. <sigh> Nothing to do about it at this point–I’ll have to trim and square it up after all of the quilting is finished. This happens because I don’t have a space large enough to adequately pin the layers together and they shift as I’m sewing. I had tried to get in touch with my quilting friend that has a long arm and will usually quilt my quilts for me on the long arm, but after waiting over a week, I decided she was probably on a trip somewhere (she was) and so began quilting it myself. She did respond when she got back in town but said she’d been on a quilting retreat and had been very sick, running a fever and everything. I wondered to her whether she might have had the CORVID-19 virus. She said she didn’t know. I told her I hoped she hadn’t and was glad to know she was o.k. again. I told her I’d wait for her after the next quilt. She thanked me and said she’d be happy to help.

I went online last night and did a search for a Facebook (FB) group for my new Singer 401a sewing machine (it’s the one that belonged to my quilting friend who moved to the coast — she gave me the machine and cabinet that belonged to her grandmother as she didn’t want to take it with her when she moved.) It had a knee pedal that I was totally uncomfortable with and I e-mailed and called various sewing machine repair/sales places for the past week, trying to find someone to tell me if the machine could be converted to a foot pedal driven machine.

Well, I found two FB groups and joined both of them. In reviewing the posts on the first group, I found a link to a series of YouTube videos made by a guy who restores Singer 401a machines! He showed how to take the machine apart, adjust things and put it back together again. I sent him an e-mail, asking about the foot pedal conversion and how to get a stuck pattern cam removed from the top of the machine. By the evenings end, I not only had the top of the machine off, but had successfully removed the cam and replaced the top of the machine. Kudos to me!!! Today, I received his e-mail replay and from his instructions managed to remove the foot pedal from inside the cabinet and place it on the floor. I even sewed the remaining face mask with the foot pedal!! Progress all over the place!

Being able to use the Internet to get answers to life’s problems is certainly a bonus. I think about how my grandmother would have dealt with things back in the 20’s and 30’s and I’m fairly sure she’d have to find someone who knew how to repair sewing machines from their home rather than take it in to a shop.

We could allow the pandemic to frighten us and bring on unwanted depression, but we need to stop before that happens and take a moment to be grateful for the things we do have in this life. If we dwell on the negative, it will only bring about sadness, despair and emotional pain. Not good.

Be safe, be well — keep your distance and wear your face mask! Wash your hands carefully and frequently. Know that you are loved and that you are special. There is  only one YOU and you cannot be replaced. Remind those you love that you love them. Be good to yourself — you deserve it and more.

View From My Window

Saturday, May 16, 2020 — My husband’s maternal uncle passed away yesterday. He was the last member of that level of family. We’ve moved up to the position of ‘elder’ with only two members at this level–my husband and his older brother. The pandemic will keep us from traveling , but it also is keeping any kind of funeral from occurring for the immediate future. A Celebration of Life will be held eventually, date to be determined.

And speaking of not being able to travel, the high school reunion we’d been planning on attending has been rescheduled for 2021. We have no idea what our lives will be like at that time, so I’m going to ask for a refund of our deposit. I spoke with my brother-in-law the other day when he called to let us know that Robert’s uncle was close to passing. He said he totally understood that we would not be able to come back for a visit any time soon. Perhaps in 2021. We shall see…

Meanwhile, we continue to live the new, shelter in place lifestyle. I ventured out to the post office and the grocery store yesterday. I wore a mask and was careful to keep my distance from others. There appeared to be more products available, but it could be that the things I didn’t need weren’t there so I didn’t miss them.

One day at a time… with blessings to all. Be safe, take care of yourself and those you love. Be sure to tell those you love that you love them. If the pandemic has taught us nothing else, it’s reminded us of the value of life itself and the things that money can’t buy.

View From My Window

Sunday, May 10, 2020 — I’ve reclaimed my blog title. A few weeks ago, I came across a Facebook site with that name and felt I might be infringing on someone’s rights so began just putting the date as a title. But my niece remarked that the name/title came into being long after I’d begun using it here, so here I am… talking about the view from my window, and life in general.

I’ve had an excellent Mother’s Day today. Both of our sons have checked in with Mother’s Day wishes, and no cards or gifts, as requested. I really don’t need anything other than to have them be safe, sound and happy, which they are. Robert went out and cut me two of the most beautiful Iris blooms — huge and beautiful!

I love that the Irises take care of themselves — I don’t even water them anymore, and they come up every Spring, bloom and then die back, until the following Spring. Lovely!

We went to Bakersfield this past Friday for an appointment with my new cardiologist. I like him. He said I needed to double-check my blood pressure monitor because there was a huge difference between what I’d told the nurse my blood pressure was this morning versus what it was when she took it. I might have to invest in a new meter. We shall see. He’s also ordered an ultrasound of my heart; he says I look and sound too good to have my heart be as bad as I’ve been told. I laughed and told him I totally agree, as my only complaint has been shortness of breath, and my nebulizer takes care of that as long as I use it faithfully. I go back on the 27th… so we shall see what we shall see.

Meanwhile, the skies here are clear as a bell and we have Orioles who have begun frequenting our hummingbird feeders, which is wonderful. They’re such gorgeous creatures with their striking orange, yellow, black and white coloring. That said, I think this one is most likely a young male since the female of the species is all brown.

Not much else going on so I will close with blessings to all. Please continue to be safe; wear your face mask if you go out, and take care to wash your hands thoroughly upon returning home. Be sure to tell those you love that you love them.

 

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

The Lilacs are in bloom all over the place. Our one neighbor has huge purple Lilac shrubs and every Spring he invites me to come over and cut whatever I want from his shrubs. These shrubs are well over 12′ in height and are just draping purple blossoms. Sadly, I’ve discovered this year that I can’t tolerate the scent if the blooms are too close. I had to move the vase (actually just a water glass) to another room because the scent was making me feel ill.

I used to think I wanted to plant Lilac bushes — now I think not! LOL I’ll enjoy their beauty from a distance and keep my head and sinuses clear.

The latest quilt is under the walking foot, and the first few rows have been quilted. It’s not the weather for quilts, but this will eventually grace someone’s lap and they’ll appreciate its warmth.

Yesterday’s mail brought another thank you card from a post office manager. The face masks that I sent north to my author friend were passed on to one of the post office branches in Fortuna, CA. I returned the thank you card with an invitation for more masks if they were needed. It feels especially good to know that what I create is of help to others.

I can’t begin to understand people yelling at one another, displaying guns and raging against one another in our government buildings. And for what? How does this violent reaction solve anything? It for sure won’t get life back to what it was before the pandemic. What purpose does violence serve? I wonder at how easily some people can take the life of another. What kind of upbringing/home life taught them to take another’s life at the least perceived slight? Fear of the pandemic evoked the hoarding of toilet tissue and food. I have to wonder what emotion brought on the killing of another in retaliation for insisting on the wearing of a protective face mask.

Off my soap box once more — please be careful. Be safe and remember to tell those you love that you love them. Trust your own judgment when it comes to venturing out and about. Just because the government says it’s alright to reopen stores, does not mean it’s actually safe.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

One quilt top is ready for border and backing while I rummaged through my stash for the next up in quilts to be made up. It feels good to be back creating quilts again. Making the face masks for others made me feel good, they also went very quickly and didn’t require a whole lot of creative thought. Once I got the pattern down, I could almost make them in my sleep!

I still have quite a bit of railroad themed fabric that I purchased–along with the shirt pattern I bought to make Robert a shirt (which I have yet to do). I’m thinking some nice small lap quilts with the railroad theme will be a good project for me.

The “Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge 2020” (see the updated logo on the right side of my page) has begun and today I followed up on my desire to begin donating quilts to the local hospital, rather than to a hospital out of our area. I’ll begin with the blue patchwork strip quilt that’s in one of the photos above. From there, I’ll move on to the rest of the fabric bundles, making quilt tops according to the fabric and what speaks to me, creation-wise.

I continue to feel better about the new ‘normal’ lifestyle. I still have Tammy (my housekeeper) do errands for me on Tuesdays, rather than come into the house to clean. This provides a very necessary income (however small) for her, and it enables me to continue to make things for others and ship them out. She picks up our groceries after I order them online, and that’s a big help to me. Life does go on and we adjust accordingly.

Be safe–remember to take precautions if you have to venture outside your home. We’re not out of the woods just yet and you are a very important part of my world. Remember to tell those you love that you love them. Life is precious — find a way to take a moment and spend it in gratitude. Blessings to all…

Monday, April 27, 2020

This is the purse I made for our daughter-in-law, Diane. I tried to take a photo of the inside, but the battery died on my camera just as I was taking the photo. I am pleased with the way it turned out. Love the colors and putting the zippers in wasn’t as difficult as I expected it to be.

The inside has pockets on the one side and a credit card holder on the opposite side.

Now that the face mask demand has slowed and I’ve finished Diane’s purse, I can return to working on my charity quilts. I’m thinking of donating to the local hospital rather than shipping to a hospital up north. We shall see. I have to contact the hospital to see what their needs are.

Meanwhile, we’re hunkered down and still healthy (after a fashion). I’m working with our insurance company to monitor my heart condition as well as my breathing issues.

Be safe and stay isolated as much as possible. Be sure to tell those you love that you love them. I had given up FaceBook, but decided to go online last night just to see if anyone was sending messages requesting face masks. What I discovered made me realize that being a part of FaceBook was important when I can’t keep in touch with all of my friends on a regular basis. I learned that a friend’s brother who had been battling cancer had passed away, and a friend from my secretarial business days (in the late 80’s) had lost her husband. I resolved that I would be stronger when it came to scrolling past negative postings. Stay positive… blessings to all.

Friday, April 24, 2020

I have my latest set of 12 masks all set to be mailed out in the morning. I haven’t kept track of how many masks I’ve sewn–I just keep making and mailing or putting them in a grocery bag with a tag on the front with the recipient’s name on it. The bag goes in the yellow plastic bin on my front porch. I call or e-mail the recipient to let them know their masks are out for pick-up and I go back to my sewing machine. I have 3 machines, one of which is still working–well, two are working, but the second one is vintage and was given to me. It needs to go into the shop along with my Bernina that has something broken in it because the fly wheel does just that — it flies — but the needle doesn’t go up and down. Thinking about it as I type this, I need to double check that somehow the wheel didn’t get loosened — that would keep the needle from moving. May be a duh! moment for me! And save me $75+ and an agonizing wait for the repair shop to get the all-clear to reopen. You never know when Murphy is playing with your mind! (Murphy’s Law, that is…)

My next sewing project is a double zippered purse for my daughter-in-law. I have the basic purse cut out but there’s a special lining that has slots in it for credit cards and I need to cut that out and get it ready to sew in place. It’s going to be a neat gift when I get it done. I don’t have any new requests for face masks, so will divert my time and attention to this purse.

Continue to stay safe, and take care of yourself. I had a bad night last night — woke myself up in the wee hours by moaning. Once I was awake, I realized I was in pain so got up and took my regular dose of 2 extra strength acetaminophen. After 30 min. or so on the computer, I laid down on the couch and fell asleep. The next thing I knew it was 11:15 a.m. I guess I was tired AND in pain! I hope tonight is better. Please remember to tell those you love that you love them. This will eventually pass, and I pray it never happens again.