Saturday, It was cold: to the tune of Saturday in the Park :)

Today has been a good day.  I'm grateful.  I got myself out of the house, which was a good thing -- the continuing rain and resulting off and on drip drip over my little family room window have been the source of worry even though there's no good worrying. I've been home a little bit more than usual and have missed meeting up with friends a couple of times a week due to weather, holidays, and having to miss church last Sunday.  

So, having breakfast out scheduled at a favorite little bitty local place was a good thing.  At the last minute my friend had to call off; a sudden stomach bug hit her upon awakening. I thought about it and decided to just run along and breakfast out on my own.  I was already dressed and ready, had decided what to have, and fortunately I've become very comfortable through the years eating on my own.  So, I did. When I arrived shortly after eight, I was the only customer. Breakfast ordered, I enjoyed my fully-leaded coffee (half-caff at home).  The music was country, which is fine as I like it along with most music.  But I had to laugh, it was a straight set of sad cowboy songs all the way through my time there (and I enjoyed my breakfast leisurely). A few more folks came in after I took the below picture, but none were sitting very near me,  so I hummed along to the sad songs, the waitress and I chit-chatted from time to time and I entertained myself with pictures and eating the breakfast which was delicious because:  it included bacon, eggs over easy were just right, and I did not have to cook it.  And my coffee cup was covered with cartoon drawings of dogs and the declaration:  "I am a dog person."

I do not know why my face looks so skinny in this picture.  I can assure you it is not in real life.  I think it's the hairstyle and the angle.  

After breakfast a few errands; the tire place, as the weather has changed enough that air needed to be added.  The little meat market where I picked up four pounds of pork leg meat ... chili verde is in my future; I usually make it with a pork shoulder, but this was already cut up for stew so I don't have a huge cut of meat that needs to be trimmed of the really tough skin and shredded; I'll be interested to see if it tastes as good as the larger cut on the bone.   On to Aldi for some egg whites and a couple of other items. Then the post office box which was full as I've not been there since December 23rd.  Home again, home home again feeling quite cheerful after being out and about with other people.  

Above is the Persian Lamb Stew I talked about and actually made today.  It's meant to be served over rice, so that's how I ate it.  It looked quite pretty in the bowl ... the picture doesn't capture the color just right here.  It has such a lot of fresh green produce in it (two bunches of parsley, two bunches of cilantro, two bunches of green onions, lime juice) that it's fairly green. I'll take some to my friend tomorrow after church; she enjoys lamb and experimenting with new foods so is looking forward to it.  My adult children are not fans of lamb, and in any event we cook for ourselves which works out best for us. We generally offer to share a serving if we make something the others like, though.

It is still raining off and on and predicted to do so through tomorrow.  Because it's not quite as cold as it generally is (not yet down into the 30's regularly) I now have a bumper crop of beautifully healthy green weeds in the yard. I get out there about ten minutes at a whack when it's not raining or too muddy just now and pull or hula hoe a few.

No big events in life just now, but I enjoy my family, my faith family, my girlfriends, and retirement.  I'm fortunate and blessed.

Happy Saturday! 💋💜

An Enjoyable Foggy Day

The second day of the new year and while I stayed up a bit too late last night, I made myself get within my preferred get-up window between 5:30am and 6:00am.  I'm much happier getting early to bed and early to rise ... so when I do stay up until 'all hours' I either sleep late, feeling like I've wasted my day, or get up early anyway and feel tired but happier at the end of the day.  Ten years into retirment and I still prefer a day where I am somewhat scheduled and accomplish a bit ... even if it is only a bit.  Housework. Decluttering. Prep cooking. Bible study.  Working out at home or the gym. Contacting friends and what little family remains and meeting up as we are able. Loving on the dogs.

Do I stay up late because of my fabulous and enriching social life? No, I rarely stay up late for social events, as my friends are my age.  The 'rarely' times are for the most part a concert,  other type of performance, and I never regret the tired day after. My 'usual' of late is I want to see one more episode of whatever I'm watching (currently a Korean reality show with hair and make-up makeovers), doom scrolling on FB, or reading/listening to a novel.  Do I scold and shame myself?  No.  But I do remind myself of how much more content I am when I avoid too much FB, and maintain a regular schedule. 

Lamb shoulder cut for stew, thawing.  Tomorrow is the day I'll make Persian Stew with the lamb.  The recipe beef or lamb would work equally well, and I enjoy lamb. The 'kids' don't, so I'll share part of it with my friend, Cindy.  I've not made it before and hope I like it.  The recipe calls for fresh cilantro, dill, parsley, and whole dried limes among other things.  So, off to the grocery store at 6:30am.

 

The morning is foggy, hooray!  Most folks would not say hooray, but I live in a mountain valley desert and fog is very rare here.  Sunshine is the norm, even in the cold winter. I grew up down at a lower elevation near the coast and spent several years of my young adulthood there; fog was very common. Like rain or snow or any other particular weather, fog has its own feeling, loveliness and atmosphere. As with rain, it takes some extra care to drive in, but I learned to drive in it, so the fog itself doesn't worry me.  The other drivers not used to it concern me.  The picture in the store parking lot is my favorite of the bunch, and the line of trees fading into the fog near the park is my second favorite.  It's pretty convenient that phone pictures have improved to the point that they take pretty decent shots.

Breakfast, yum!  I had to eat a banana and some glucose before my trip to the grocery store, as my sugar was too low to wait.  When I got the groceries put away, I made a quick omelet to use up some fresh spinach and feta. As almost always, one edge stuck!!! The whole eggs were a treat; I usually eat egg whites only.  But I need to go to the 'other' grocery store to buy more egg whites another day. I've gotten into the habit of shopping at more than one place for groceries ... for price, for availability of products I want, and to support some of the smaller businesses. I recently started purchasing some of my meats at a small independently owned butcher/carniceria, which is where I found the lovely lamb shoulder.   For years I've popped into a locally owned Asian market where I can get plain noodles, good kimchi and some amazing mushrooms along with experimenting with new spices.  My newest place is recently opened and has all things Mediterranean.  They make their own Turkish Delight, and I purchased a small sampler to try; it's unusual and quite sticky but delicious.  I bought a spice mix that is all-purpose and will be trying some chicken and vegetables seasoned with it.  (Zaatar, Lebanese version ... there were five or six specific to countries, so I just chose one.) 

Now time has been flying, and I need to get onto my Bible study time.  

Happy second day of the new year!

💋💚

2025 End Mishmash

My goodness, here it is almost the end of the year. Some days seemed to drag on and others positively zipped by.  2025 has been overall a very good year.  As always, there have been hard things, but I'm glad to have lived it.

I think the above photo is from the spring or summer based on my hair and what I'm wearing ... I've been ever so slowly been growing my hair longer.  Going from a pixie cut to what will be just about shoulder length or a bit longer takes a while, especially as my hair grows more slowly now.  That aging brings wrinkles and the streaks of grey were not a surprise, but my hair growing more slowly was a thing I didn't realize is a 'thing.' As I recall, spring and summer meant getting adjusted to the regular gym, working with a trainer, making new friends intentionally in Bible study and meeting up for coffees, frozen yogurts, and breakfasts.  And early morning watering and weeding work to beat the hot sun.

I think this was late summer or early Autumn, and I'm too lazy to look at the calendar.  A friend of many years from my teaching days and I went to the Hollywood Bowl to see Jesus Christ, Superstar.  She's fifteen years younger, so wasn't of an age to remember when the album came out.  I hadn't been there since I was a teenager, and attended Easter Sunrise with my church youth group.  It was quite powerful, and a good experience. But I'd just as soon not attend a sold out performance there again ... 17,000 seats, so you can imagine the logistics of getting in and seated then out again.  Thankfully we parked in a transit lot and took a dedicated bus to the venue; traffic was unimaginable with police directing traffic.

Also in the spring, May I believe, I went with my friend Lynn to Fresno for quick stay, just two days.  We went to the Forestiere Underground Gardens, an amazing place.  Built by an Italian immigrant years ago, it's an underground home he built and cultivated trees and plants above and below ground.  Pictures are online ... I took very few; it's become my practice these past few years to simply be in the moment rather than taking lots of pictures. We stayed in an older hotel adjacent to the Gardens, and on part of the original acreage. The grounds of the hotel were filled with fruit trees, probably from the originals; lots of citrus along with cherry, apricot, and I'm not positive what else.  Both mornings, the owner gave us bags filled with tangerines, oranges, grapefruit and tangelos picked earlier that morning. Delicious!!  While there we visited the Japanese Gardens; quite lovely with the arched bridges, maintenance buildings in the Japanese architectural style, and in the very middle a bonsai tree collection which was ranked eighth in the world.  

Above is where I stopped for lunch in Seligman, Arizona on my way home.  The food was good, and the place was filled with photo-op spots around the property.  

 

I took 'regular' for the past few years trip to Albuquerque in October, stopping in Flagstaff, AZ both ways. I spent my time with family there for several days.  My aunt and uncle are in assisted living now, so it was bittersweet. Unlike most years, I didn't go to Tulsa or Montrose, Colorado.  My budget is tighter due to dental work, and my friend in Colorado was having severe health issues and felt next year would be better.  I'll fly back to see my Tulsa friend, hopefully during 2026 if the airline craziness calms down; I only spend a day or two due to her dementia and no longer being able to take her out of town for safety reasons.   

This Monday was a cooking day.  I made a batch of chicken with a new recipe ... Greek spices, lemon juice and zest, chicken thighs and Yukon potatoes diced.  It turned out very well, and I'll make it again. Next time I'll bake thin-sliced lemon with it, as recommended.  I'm curious to see how they taste.  I also made small batch of beef stew, which hit the spot.  So, twelve meals in all.  It can be frozen, but I don't like the texture of the vegetables after freezing. The chicken has been put two by two into the freezer, and I'm eating one serving per day of the stew ... four servings in all. I recently bought lamb shoulder to try a Persian stew recipe I saw ... it involves whole dried limes among the spices.  Hopefully I'll like it; it looked delicious when I watched an online cook prepare it.

This is me feet up in my little family room a few days before Christmas. Today only the wreathe remains of the Christmas items.  I'll take it down today.  I went pretty minimal on the decorating this year, feeling a bit tired and during the season. I'm bouncing back, and have regained my energy. We had our Christmas on Monday of the week, as it was the day both kids were off together.  We had one friend over to join us.  I made homemade lasagne, and a nice salad. The 'kids' handled garlic cheesy bread and two Costco-bought desserts: creme brulee layered cake and apple pie (my daughter's favorite pie). Both were good, but the creme brulee cake was my favorite of the two.  

Today it is raining, and I'm waiting to see if the roof will leak over the window to the right.  It leaked last year and was fixed, was fine through the following months.  But, we had heavier than normal winter rains for several days along with wind with the storm that traveled down the California coast last week.  It is raining again today and is predicted to rain off and on for the next week.  No drips yet, and no strong winds, so we will wait and see ... I have set up the drip containment and moved my great grandmothers' rocker to be safe.  The roofer's been called by the landlord, but with the damage and flooding we had in the area I'm sure it will be some time before he contacts me.

It has been a good year overall.  Some sad things, some hard things.  But some pretty wonderful things, many blessings, new friends and lots of laughter.  

Here's to a wonderful new year for us all. 

💗💋

This is today ... you can barely tell because of my sweatshirt, but my hair in the back is almost to my shoulders ... short shag right now, but will grow it several inches past my shoulders ... it's taking forever, but I like it.

Meandering Mind

We had our Thanksgiving dinner on Monday due to my daughter's work schedule. It was a lovely day, but I was tired out by the half-way point.  I've limited the number of dishes I make over the past several years, with my children picking up the responsibility for more ... a good plan I think. We had eight people for the day, including the three of us.  After my folks died in 2018 (Mom) and 2019 (Dad), suddenly we went from a group that varied between ten and twenty, with me doing ninety-five percent of the cooking, to the three of us.  The first couple of years we had a simple day of the meal and a movie at home.  I was so worn out and heartsick over the losses and exhaustion of caring for my parents, the trust,  and the drama of now-estranged family members that it was a good transition time.  More recently, I have 'the kids' invite a small number of friends who could use a seat at our table.  It works well for us, and there are generally games played after a leisurely meal.  I exit stage right pretty quickly to put my feet up and be quiet.  It's nice hearing the muffled conversation and laughter.

Thank goodness the leftovers are gone or in the freezer. I went to the grocery store yesterday, figuring it would be sparse as most would be eating leftovers ... nope! It was quite crowded. I picked up just a few staples ... potatoes, fruit, fresh veg.  My reward after putting away groceries was a nice hot bowl of soup; I save my poultry carcasses to make nice stock-base. I put in six ounces of white wine and onions roasted with the chicken with the carcass to make a nice stock. Then I  throw celery, onions, carrots, and whatever other veg I need to use up.  It was a delicious and  simple meal during this season when all the meals and treats are delicious but rich.  (The placemat is from my favorite artists' collective in Flagstaff.)

Our weather is still making the transition from autumn to winter. This week the predicted highs/lows are in the 60s/30s. The last two or three weeks brought quite a bit of rain, wind, and snow (snow to the surrounding mountains, not our high desert valley). We had temperature variations ... some days cold enough for snow, others both highs and lows were in the forties.

I've been having a lazy day; stayed up much too late last night. I operate better with early to bed and early to rise. I'm aware that a certain amount of anxiety mixed with procrastination leads to this late-night followed by slow-moving behavior, so am praying about it and taking my learned practical steps to deal with it.  I'm so much happier when I feel productive in my days.

Happy Saturday. 💋💕

Thursday, November 20, 2025

 Finally, the last few days it's become cold autumn and I'm enjoying it.  Our summer is desert hot, naturally, and lasts into October.  Generally we can count on it being non-sweaty by Halloween.  This year it cooled down but remained in the 70's low 80's a little past.  The rainstorms we're having now have cooled it right on down. Today the lows and highs were both in the 40's. I enjoy all the seasons, having spent the first nineteen years of my life growing up where there were two ... cool and warm/hot.   I can only recall one time during that time-span having frost on the window of my car and was positively in a tizzy at the craziness of that.

I lived in a few places between nineteen and thirty? thirty-one?  I came to enjoy having four distinct seasons.  I find that I'm always glad for the new season, but then ready for it to end before it does.  (Kinda like my marriages.  😐)

I've been in this high desert mountain valley for thirty-nine or forty years now ... I'd have to think harder than I want to just this minute to be positive which.  The area is no longer primarily rural, and I miss that small-town feel, but any small town can become big over time; particularly when the property prices are significantly lower than the larger cities 'down the hill.'

Today was gym day, and after the workout I snapped these shots as I snarfed down protein and carbs at Cafe' Car in the parking lot. The view of the mountain is only the top portion, the rest being obscured by clouds. The mountains have gotten a bit of snow, but none has fallen here in the valley. It's quite something on warm clear sunny mornings to watch the clouds slowly roll up over the top of the mountains and down the side while the sky is the bluest blue and the sun is bright.  I never tire of it. (It makes me think sometimes of Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. It's been years since I read it, but I remember passages about the sky and clouds in juxtaposition to the landscapes of New Mexico, so different from France where the archbishop grew up. I'd go back and read some of those passages but donated most of my books several years ago as the print was too small to read anymore.)  Today was rainy and cold, so the light was subdued and the sky all clouds.

Concerning the gym, I've been working out with a trainer for about four months give or take, and it's a good thing.  While I enjoyed the senior-focused gym, and it was a good starting place after decades out of any gym, I am gaining more at this larger gym.  I'm building muscle safely for functional fitness.  The trainer teaches me how to be safe while I do it, factoring in my previous injuries and arthritis. He helps push me just that little bit more than maybe I'd push myself.  I still ride my seated elliptical bike at home, and complete PT moves for my shoulders and knees, but I work out a little harder. Going to the gym in person was the impetus needed to get me re-motivated to work out.  I have purchased a several new sets of dumbells for home as I progressed up weights.  The serendipitous thing about my trainer:  I was his seventh grade English teacher and we attend the same church. We discovered this when he was my assigned trainer at the new gym. He recognized me vaguely, then checked his yearbook and brought it in to show me.  He is in his forties now, and it is delightful to have a friendship with a former student ... we talk through the workouts and I tease him some Sundays about how sad it is for a church brother to try and kill me in the gym.  I did tell him that I'm glad I was a teacher he liked, or as my trainer he could really hurt me for life.  

It's time to get off this screen and move or I'll be stiff.

Happy Thursday evening!  💋💕

November and Thankful

 It's been a little minute ... I bought a new computer a while back and changed my search engine choice.  That resulted in not being able to find this place for a variety of reasons.

At first it was frustrating, but the good thing that's come out of it is I've cut down on my screen time and pushed a little harder on my real life time which has beneficial for me.

Not a lot has changed in my life on the surface, but some things have been going on that I'm grateful for. 

I've made some new girlfriends, which is always a good thing.  It's my habit to get out of house to socialize a time or two a week, which is good for my soul.  Coffee, a meal out, a walk. 

I think this one is new ... I switched gyms from the 'starter' senior gym, and am working with a trainer once a week.  I'm building muscle and feel comfortable walking into the gym. My functional fitness is the main goal, but there have been other benefits as well.  More about this another time.

I continue to be active at church, and have stepped up a little.  As needed, I cover for my Bible study teacher when she has to be gone.  It's been a little minute since I've taught an adult Bible study, but it's gone well and is good for me to stretch some muscles I've not used for a bit. Most  Sundays I take care of the first time visitors, and that's generally pretty fun; people can always use welcoming smiles and encouragement.  And, praise God my daughter, who was badly hurt by a church she loved a few years ago is attending and active with me at church these past couple of months.  (I did NOT nag her; that never ends well.  I just prayed and waited.) So grateful.

I went on my annual October road trip, with a bit of a difference this year.  I hit New Mexico for a week, came home and went to Utah for a shorter stay.  I didn't go to Tulsa, OK or Colorado this year ... my budget and the health issues of my friends living in those places helped me make the decision. Hopefully when the crazy flying stuff calms down and my bank account is ready I'll see them in person. 

Weather here in my high desert mountain valley ... rain, rain, and more rain.  Lows in the 40's, highs in the 50's today.

Happy Saturday!💋

Saved

 

Saved

 

As a shy high school junior, I stumbled into the warmth of CYF (Christian Youth Fellowship) at the local Disciples of Christ church. That warmth was dearly needed for several reasons, most pressingly in that moment after moving (again) from a small-town church and high school to a large city to enter my junior year of high school a month late.  I was welcomed, accepted by a circle who came to know me, to extend love and belonging to me.  I experienced a safe place to go in a new world that had no time for someone shy and unsure.  Able to come out of my shell a bit within the group, I started to value myself and to realize other people liked me even when I was just being myself.

          As a group we were diverse – but from jocks to geeks we shared the assurance that we were loved for our good points with our foibles tolerated.  Squabbles and hurt feelings happened from time to time, but deliberate meanness was the only way to be shunned by the group until real apologies and time mended the fracture.

          One summer day found us on the beach under the supervision of Gary, our youth pastor, sprawled close together, our beach towels a patchwork quilt on the hot sand.  I recall lying face up, the sun pressing on my eyelids while snatches of conversation swooped and darted about my ears.  “Let’s go to the liquor store and get somw cokes.”  “I can’t. I don’t have any money.”  “I do. What do you want?”  In the nonchalant way of teenagers, we gave or received as needed.

          Many of us participated in romance. More than one couple broke up and (driven by hormones and teenage culture) rapidly searched out new sweethearts. Long term animosity was uncommon between ex-couples. Ex-steadies were, after all, included in the folks Jesus said to forgive.

          Once, we painted the outside of an elder parishioner’s house. The workday was punctuated by laughter, snacks and paint fights.  The sight of Katie’s face covered in white enamel exterior paint remains vivid enough to bring a smile and echoes of our young laughter through the years.  When we were done the house had paint on it. (It was a close call whether more paint was on bodies or walls.) Cramming into cars to head for home, we were excited to have done a good work. I’m sure, for most of us, it was a first experience and lesson in helping others as a part of living our faith.  Imperfect, but valuable.

          One recent Sunday I sat in the evening service at church, slightly ruffled by the boisterous actions of our crowd of teenagers, I reminded myself that sixteen or so years ago the adults watched my friends and me in affectionate tolerance as we formed our intimate community within the larger body. A few moments later one teen went to the altar rail to pray; the others came to kneel alongside her. Together they knelt before the Father offering up prayers and tears.  I sat in my pew watching and remembered when I was like them. Glad for them. Grateful on behalf of the girl I was.

          Looking back, I realize the difference those particular two years of CYF made in my life.  I was too callow to internalize many of the finer doctrinal points of Christianity, but the seeds of a mature faith life in the corporate body were planted. We were taught Christ’s love by the activities, group interactions and the generous adults who mentored us. It was the first time I felt truly part of a whole; not just a beggar looking in, afraid to rap on the window.

          Those years and all but one of those people are gone from my life. That it was a place I was accepted in ways I desperately needed, but had not previously experienced, saved me.