Father's Day

It's Father's Day once again, and we are planning to go visit Pop at the home some time today.

The last two times Dave has gone, Pop has been asleep.  The time before that I went along, and he was awake, had a big bruise from a fall, and would not get out of bed. 
I looked at books with him for a while.  His half sister had sent him some coffee table books of trains, and I am from a family of train buffs, so it was fun.

I hope he's awake today.  We're going to take him a chocolate milk shake, and I hope to show him some videos of the Union Pacific's resurrected Big Boy locomotive, the 4014.

We had more storms last night.  The sweetgum tree in the front yard next door lost some branches, but our yard is unscathed for a change.

There was a LOT of lightning in the first storm last night, so the cats and I were up, but Dave slept right through it.  The second storm was not nearly as violent, just rumbly.

We got the mowing done yesterday, thank goodness.

The forecast is for rain every day this coming week.

My petunias died because of all the rain.... *sad face*

There really isn't anything profound for me to say, haha!  That's about it!  Have a good Sunday, and a good week.

Sunday, Rainy Sunday

We had a couple of dry days Friday, and Saturday. 

Dave got the front yard mowed yesterday morning, while I did laundry and my indoor chores.  My yoga class was canceled, which was disappointing, but I made use of the time working around the house. 

Then, I had my first massage in months in the afternoon (ahhh!), and I mowed the back in the evening, after the heat of the day, and while there was shade back there.

Good thing, too, because it was thick and tall, having grown a LOT since last weekend, and we were wakened by a storm at 7:30 this morning.

We were able to get in the hot tub last night, too, which is always good after a massage.

Dave's leg is healing well.  He no longer has any swelling in his foot, just in the area where the injury is, and it's gradually going away.

Saw my doc last Monday.  He's letting me go 4 months between having my labs drawn, since I am doing so well.

Still no change in frequency of injections, or in having to take the hormone blocker.  I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Even though there are unpleasant side effects, the main "side effect" is that I'm cancer free. 

I guess I can deal with the pain, now that I am starting to get used to it.

I just wish it weren't so random.  If I knew when to expect to be in pain, that might help, but there's no pattern or relativity to it.  I can be FINE when the weather is causing others to be in pain, and I can be in pain on a clear, comfortable day.

It's getting very dark right now, as a big black storm bears down on us, so I am going to turn off my computer. 

Have a good Sunday!

Herb garden

Remember that herb garden I was going to create during our staycation back in April?

We never had time to get it dug out, then it started raining all the time, then Dave fell, and nearly broke his leg, then it kept raining.....

Well, yesterday, at last, after the violent storm of early afternoon, Dave got his boots on for the first time, and it didn't hurt, so he went out and dug out the weeds, roots, and rocks, and filled the bed with the soil we bought.

My herb bed is finally ready for me to plant!

Fortunately, the multi-level planter where I started the herbs has been housing them just fine.  It wasn't like I was going to lose the plants if they didn't get into the ground, but now, they will thrive and establish themselves so they will come back every year.

The ones that survived this past winter in pots on the patio are already in the part of the bed that Dave DID get worked for me back in April, but that was only about a third of the designated space.

SO, before the storms come today, I will hopefully get out there and move my oregano, parsley, and chives into the ground.  Yay!

I also have to weed the mint patch, and clear the area around the milkweed where wandering jew is trying to choke out my butterfly attracting milkweed.

Speaking of butterflies, I have a parsley worm on my parsley!!!  That's another name for a zebra swallowtail caterpillar!  I'm growing butterflies on my herbs!

I finally got to go back to yoga class yesterday.  Two weeks ago, it was canceled for flooding in the area, then last week, the teacher, AND the substitute, were both out of town.

The regular teacher is also my dance teacher.  She's also the director of the studio.  She's young, talented, and EXTREMELY fortunate to be making a living doing what she loves.

Right now, she is spending 2 weeks in Lebanon and Egypt studying dance and seeing wonders.  

She's traveled overseas before, and, at my age, never having been able to afford to travel, it boggles my mind that she is so young and has seen so much.

But, some people are more fortunate than others when it comes to money!

Anyway, she is having the time of her life, and I am happy for her and her travel companion, who is also a member of the studio's board of directors, and who gets PAID to travel the world and write about it.

In other news, we finally have a COSTCO in our area!  We waited a couple of weeks after it opened to go get signed up.

I knew it would be a bit overwhelming for Dave, any way you put it, but the opening weekend would have been WAY too much for him.

As it was, it was still extremely busy.  Way too many people!  But we took our time, and I advised him to not get impatient or upset with people being in the way or whatever, and he did fine.

We got some of the same things I used to get there when I was single:  Big packages of paper towels, tissues, toilet paper, toothbrushes, and soap.   

I had a storage locker and a big closet with shelves in my condo back home, so it was easy for me to keep big stuff like the paper towels and tp.

We also found some of my favorite food items, but didn't buy much.  I wanted to focus on the necessaries, and get Dave out of there!

The next time we go, which will be in several months, most likely, we will try NOT to go on a Saturday.  Saturdays see people from churches lining up to get stuff for their fellowship hours, as well as your average folk, and entire families, who like to, or have to shop on Saturdays when they have time.

We didn't even see half of the stock available.  Dave was pretty amazed to see that there is clothing, and electronics, and books, and furniture... 

You have to be careful, and use your technology to make sure you're actually getting a good deal on something.

I just whipped out my phone and went to the Target website to look up their prices on these items, and used my phone's handy dandy calculator.  Smart shopping is key in a place so overwhelming.

For example, the multipack of our toothpaste was the same price per tube that we pay at Target.  BUT, the big container of dishwasher detergent worked out to being about $8 less if we were to purchase the same quantity at Target.  PLUS, now we don't have to buy dishwasher detergent again until next year.

We both refuse to support the Walton empire, so no Sam's Club for us.... 

I've been waiting for this Costco since I moved down here.  Now that it's legal for them to sell beer and wine, they have opened at last.

There had been rumors of Costco coming to OKC for almost a decade....but I think they were waiting for the Oklahoma liquor laws to come a little closer to the 20th century....maybe eventually into the 21st.

Same with Trader Joe's.

Right now, it's beautiful outside, with sunshine, and birds singing, and a soft breeze.  I'd best get my day going so that I can get my work done before the rain.

It's been a very wet spring in OKC, with more rain predicted every day of the coming week.

Happy Sunday to you!

Tornado season

I had been awake since 3:30 yesterday morning (no reason, just couldn't sleep), had done errands, and mowed the lawn, so I had been tired. 

We went to bed pretty early, only to be awakened by the storm...and the sirens.

It was 11 pm.

The sirens go off when there is a tornado ANYWHERE in the county, so we got up and turned on the tv. 

It's pretty rare for a tornado to come through Oklahoma City, so I wasn't overly concerned, but then, the climate IS changing. 

There was a little one a mile from us a few years ago, when Annabel was a baby,  that blew the roofs off of some structures at the fair grounds.  That one MIGHT have only been a microburst.  We never heard for sure that it was actually a tornado.

Anyway, within minutes of getting up last night, it seemed like the violence of the storm got stronger....close lightening, thunder that made the house shake.  The power flashed off and on again.

Then we shook off the sleep fog, and connected with what was being said on the news...

This tornado had been in our area. 

The frantic weather man was talking about 10th street (we live on 15th).  He was talking about 23rd street (that's part of our regular travels to do errands, and so forth).

The twister turned out to actually be about 2 miles away by the time we tuned in (it was moving VERY fast), closer to the state capitol area, and it was moving further away-- at about 40 miles per hour. 

It lifted a few minutes later, and the tornado warning was canceled.

HOWEVER, we found out this morning that, while we were being awakened by the sirens, our tornado had been near the fair grounds (a mile away, as previously mentioned--10th street), then to around 23rd and Villa (which is somewhat less than a 1/2 a mile away), then lifted, then dropped again near the Paseo district (where there is an art festival this weekend), before moving on toward the zoo, and the capitol.

So, before we even woke up, it had had the potential of being RIGHT over our heads.

Our twister was small, so the damage it caused was relatively minimal, with no injuries or fatalities reported this morning.  They're calling it an EF2.

The art festival is underway this morning, with the artists cleaning up their booths, assessing lost artworks, putting their tents back up,  and getting ready for the crowd.

We might go later.  We try to go every year.

There are areas of mild to moderate damage around us, and all along the storm's path across the state, but our neighborhood is fine.

UNFORTUNATELY, the same storm created multiple tornadoes... some were what they call "spin up" tornadoes, that are typically short-lived, but can be devastating. 

A suburb to the west of us was hit hard by a spin up about a half hour before the storm came our way. 

People died.

That tornado was only on the ground for about a mile, but in that mile were trailer parks, businesses.... and a motel.

They're saying it came out of the sky like a drill bit. No warning.



We dodged a weather bullet. 

Change of plans for today

Last weekend, Dave fell off of the step ladder because it was set on soggy ground.

He refused to go to the e/r then, and kept saying it was fine.

Now, a week later, he can't stand the pain. SO... I am getting in the shower and we are going to the e/r.

Sunday is shot!
Wish us luck.

ADDENDUM.... so... it only took an HOUR at the e/r!  That's never happened to either of us before!

$300 out the freaking window....good GOD.

The leg is not broken, which we didn't really think it was.  He had a bad bone bruise.  Doc said to just keep doing what we've been doing (what *I* have had him doing), and it will get better by and by.

SO, we came home and I mowed with the power mower, and I really liked it.  Then I split up the succulent plant basket that I got for my birthday into different pots.  The plants don't all want the same amount of water or light, so I separated them.

Some are in the house where the cats can't get to them.

Smoking a pork shoulder in the Weber for dinner, and making broccoli slaw, the first time this year.  The pork smells great!

We got stuff done around the house, and had time for naps this afternoon.

Dave feels a LOT better just knowing that there's no crack in the bone.  It will hurt for a while, but it's not going to get worse.

The new dishwasher got installed yesterday.  It wasn't the one we ordered, because the one we ordered DIDN'T FIT the space.  UGH.

YES, Dave measured, but NO, Dave didn't realize that the measurement he took, even though it was 33 1/2 and the dishwasher was listed as 33 1/2 that, in reality, 33 1/2 actually MEANS that the washer is 34.

But we got some money back, because the only one that WOULD fit (32 1/2) is cheaper.  And noisier. And not as nice as the one we wanted...but what the fuck ever.

It's done.

I am so tired of being bled of money.  First the clothes washer, then the dishwasher, then the need for a lawn mower, and then the effing emergency room, and THEN, I got $1700 in medical bills this past week.

My nurse is helping me get assistance.  Hopefully it will work like it always has.  It's just weird that I got NO BILLS for January, February, or March, and suddenly...April is $1000 and May is $700.

Just freaking great.

Dancing queen?

Waiting to go on .....

Yesterday was International Shimmy Mob day.

Belly dance teams all around the world danced to the same song, doing the same choreography, wearing the same basic outfit (the official t shirt, black leggings, and a hip scarf of your choice), on the same day, to raise awareness about domestic violence, and to raise funds for local charities in each participating city.

Unfortunately, it was chilly and threatening rain here in OKC, so there were hardly any people for us to surprise at our location, which is usually bustling with activity on pretty Saturdays....

Then, last night, we had a fund raiser show to benefit our charity (I think most teams around the world did this too), at a local restaurant where our dance studio's "club dancers" perform regularly.

I did my first OKC solo in the fund raiser show.

It was great fun, and even though the turn out was somewhat smaller than expected, it was still a good night.

I got a surprisingly loud cheer for my performance, and total strangers spoke to me, and told me that I danced beautifully.  "Sass and class" was one of the compliments I got.  It did my heart SO much good!

I have to say, that cheering crowd gave me a little bit of my lost soul back. 

I don't have any performance pictures yet, but there were two photographers there last night, so I am sure some will surface eventually.

It will be nice to take a little break after all of the extra rehearsal time lately.  I'm experiencing a new pain/swelling in the underside of the ball of my left foot.  It started after the wedding on 4/20 where I stood on gravel literally all day.

I am hoping it will go away with a little rest.

Today should be an easy day....I will have time to do all of the chores I didn't do yesterday because of two dance events within several hours.

There are bills to pay and receipts to enter into the check book.  Yes, I am old school.  Oh, the first car payment is due.

SIGH.

The sun is finally out, and Dave is looking forward to mowing with our new power mower.  The grass is so thick and lush from all of the rain, and the gild is still on the new mower lily for now!  Haha!

The new dishwasher comes next weekend.  I am still not sure why our Lowe's store website showed that the item was IN STOCK, but we had to wait 3 weeks for it.  Perhaps their installation team is that far behind.  In the meantime, when we run the dying dishwasher, we just lay towels on the floor to soak up the water it is leaking.

Wishing you a lovely week!

Oops

Last Sunday, my birthday, was so hectic, that I forgot to post my usual Sunday blog entry.

Staycation synopsis:
Friday: Scans, pedicures, wedding rehearsal in Shawnee.
Saturday: Yoga, wedding in Shawnee, hung out with the neighbors.
Sunday: Errands, grocery shopping, mowing, started container garden, watched Game of Thrones.
Monday: More mowing, more working with plants, watched episode 2 again.  Annabel had a visit with the house-call vet, and got a steroid shot to treat her limp and her over-grooming.  Both cats got started on flea treatment again.
Tuesday: RAIN, so we worked inside on the conversion of my office to a guest room--mission accomplished.
Wednesday: Antiquing, found some really cool juice glasses.  Then, went to the car dealer and got my title transfer packet.  Then, got my car's tag, had a friend over for a cooking lesson, and hot tubbing that night.
Thursday: Dave took car back to the dealer for a few minor warranty items, and I learned a dance via video. Went to a rehearsal for that dance in the evening.I'll be taking part in a flash mob in OKC next weekend!
Friday: Errands, grocery shopping, more mowing, cooking projects, Dave changed the lights on front porch, and he worked more on digging out what will be the herb garden.
Saturday: Yoga, usual Saturday chores, then another dance rehearsal. Dave got his tattoo. Then, he worked a little more on digging out the herb bed, and finally, we went out for an early birthday dinner.
Sunday, my BIRTHDAY: Eric and Ricky came over, and helped Dave blow insulation into the attic, I went to lunch with a friend to escape the chaos, and got a REALLY bad sun burn sitting by the lake.  The lake trip was unexpected, so I had no sun screen. Then, I made a home made birthday dinner (hasselback chicken and brownies for dessert), and we watched Game of Thrones.

The herb garden never got completed.  The digging part was pretty tough, and is still only about half way done. The plants will just have to deal with still being in pots.

The insulation project was a huge mess, took many hours longer than anticipated, and there is still pink fluff embedded in the front lawn, and falling out of shoes when they come out of the closet where the attic hatch is.

The bonus is that Dave overestimated the amount of insulation needed, so he returned enough to get money back that will allow us to also buy a new dishwasher, since ours is suddenly leaking all over the floor now!

That's a new clothes washer AND a new dishwasher that we have had to buy in the past few weeks.  Ugh!!  Hopefully, we're finished replacing appliances.

Also, with all of the rain, we bit the bullet and bought a power lawn mower.  There was enough of Dave's bonus left to cover that.  SIGH..... this has been an expensive year so far.

Anyway, we don't want to have to pay someone to mow the lawn anymore when it rains so much that our reel mower can't deal with it.

I will still like to use the reel mower when we can keep up with the mowing, but given the fact that Jose raised his rates, and buying a lawn mower would be far less expensive than having to call him to come mow every couple of weeks, it was a good investment.

Plus, it's Cubbie blue!

Dave got it put together and charged up yesterday, and he voluntarily mowed the back yard.  WOW!!

More yoga and flash mob rehearsal yesterday, plus errands and a friend over for dinner again....

Today, Dave will go visit his dad, we are meeting other friends for lunch, and at some point I have to do my chores, and I HAVE TO PRACTICE DANCE!!!!!

Along with the flash mob, there is a fund raiser show that night at a restaurant/club.  I am finally going to perform my first solo dance routine in the city of Oklahoma City.

I danced in a show down in the southwestern corner of the state several years ago (was invited and paid, to perform two solo dance numbers in that show), but I have never done a solo dance for Aalim Dance studio before.  I've only ever done the bi-annual recital shows.

This is  because one of the "higher ups" at the studio said something snarky to me all those years ago after she saw pictures from my show down in Lawton.  I've allowed her unkind words to keep me from dancing for all of these years.

The director of the studio asked me to perform at the fund raiser, and she said such kind and encouraging things to me that I decided to say "screw you" to the person who insulted me, and take the stage!!

I also told the director the reason why I had never done anything but the recitals, and she was right pissed about it.  I am glad I told her.  It felt good to get that off my chest.

Oh, and I did NOT actually see my doc on Thursday.  That was just a visit for my injection.  I will see him in June.

On that note, I need to get my day started.