A Little Cooler Today

Slept in again this morning. I wish I could get myself back into a regular walking routine, but I just don’t see to have the incentive.
Hiker and I did get out for a walk around 9:30 am. It was already 80°. If this warm weather keeps up, I will have to uncover the air conditioner and get my shorts back out again. It got pretty warm in the house yesterday but it does cool down pretty quick once the sun goes down.
Went out to play ball with Hiker after lunch. She likes to play for about 15 or 20 minutes and then she goes to the door to go in letting me know she’s done playing. I noticed that the sky was really pretty today with thin, brush-stroked clouds. Got my camera and took a few shots.
When I was uploading the photos to my computer, I noticed a black cat walking around in my back yard. The lady on the corner owns this cat and the cat loves to aggravate Hiker. It sits in my front yard and stares at Hiker through the window while Hiker has a barking fit. I just know that the cat does it on purpose. Hiker didn’t see it in her back yard but when it jumped the fence and walked past my front porch, Hiker went berserk. I always have to go out and chase the cat away because Hiker won’t stop barking until it is totally out of sight. I like the cat hanging around because it controls the rat population we have around here, but I wish it wouldn’t tease Hiker.
Once again it was in the low 90’s here but it didn’t seem as hot as it did yesterday because we had a breeze today. Yesterday the air was dead still.

Too Hot For This Time Of Year

Hiker woke me up around 6:30 so she is letting me sleep in some again. Guess she is getting used to the time change back to standard time. Laid in bed and watched TV until around 8 am then got up and had some breakfast.
Saturday us my “laundry day”, so I did that. Saturday is also me “couch potato day”, so I did that too.
So as I mentioned in my blog yesterday, I went to my eye doctor for another injection. He was very pleased with the results this time. He had planned to give me another injection in December, but instead told me that they will just take some photos of the insides of my eyes the next time I come and then he will decide where we will go from there. He said that if the steroid injection I got didn’t work, he had some other ideas up his sleeve, but then he said “guess we won’t have to go up my sleeve”. I still have the distortion from the Macular Pucker in my right eye, but at least the blood vessels have stopped swelling and seeping fluid into my eye.
Was 90° here today.

Another Eye Injection

Hiker and I had our Friday morning dog walk with Jean and her dogs.
Jean picked me up at noon to drive me to Kaiser in Panorama City for my eye injection. Have not had one since July before my doctor had to do his jury duty. I have another one the first week of December.
Doctor said my eye is doing really good and he is really happy with the results of the injections, even though I don’t see any change in my vision. That is due to the other problem I have in that eye which is a Macular Pucker, which can only be fixed with surgery.
They are having the fundraiser dinner down at our rec room tonight, so Jean and I are heading down there just before 6 pm.

Too Hot For Fall

Hiker woke me up around 5:45 am to go potty. When I let her out, I felt like I had been drugged. I was so sleepy and I just could not get my body to wake up. So we went back to bed and I fell right back to sleep until Hiker woke me up again just before 8 am.
Dragged myself out of bed and had some breakfast. I realized that I was almost out of milk and orange juice. I always buy milk, eggs and OJ when I go to Sam’s Club. I had just been there last Monday, but for some reason, I didn’t buy those three items and I could have kicked myself. So back I went to Sam’s Club to get milk, eggs and OJ.
After lunch, Hiker and I went over to New Leash On Life dog rescue shelter. This is where I adopted Hiker and I try to support them as much as possible. I had some old blankets to donate to them to keep the dogs warm this winter. Whenever I notify them that I’m coming over, they always tell me to make sure I bring Hiker so they can see how she is doing. They had her for about three months before I adopted her. She is still “famous” there. They still have an 8”x10” photo of her in their lobby and they still use her on their website to encourage adoptions.
On the way back home, we stopped at the Placerita Nature Center to roam around some, but it was 90° here today so it was too hot to be there too long. We tried to stay in the shade of the coastal oak trees.
Tomorrow afternoon (Friday), I have to go to my retinal specialist for another series of eye injections. My last series got disrupted when my doctor got called in for jury duty and could not get out of it, even though he is a surgeon. He was able to get me off of my jury duty in July because of my eye injections, but when he tried to get off, the judge became angry with him and told him to go and reschedule his patients and come back and serve. It took almost three months to get back on track with my injections.
Friday evening, Jean and I are going to our community rec room for a fundraiser dinner for a young man who was injured in a dirt bike accident.

Warm, Windy, Wednesday

Up at 7 am this morning because I needed to go do my grocery shopping. After breakfast, I headed over to Stater Brothers. I like to shop early when there are not a lot of people.
Did some housework today and then took Hiker down to the park for a little while. It was warm and windy. Temps in the mid-80s and we are under a fire watch alert because of the wind and high temps. I wish it would cool back down to the weather we had last week.

Out All Day

Hiker actually slept longer this morning, but she still tried to wake me up around 5:30 am. Maybe she is finally getting used to the time.
Went to my grief support group today. A lot of people didn’t show up today. We had two college interns visiting our group today.
Went to lunch with Linda Clark and Carol Blackstone. Had a nice time.
Weather was beautiful. I would have walked this afternoon if I had not been at group all day.

Beautiful Weather On A Monday

Hope it doesn’t take Hiker too long to get used to the time change. She woke me up at 5 am again this morning. She was pulling the covers off of me with her front paws and burrowing her nose into my neck and licking me.
We went on our Monday dog walk with Jean and her dogs. It was 38° when we started out. Wore a light jacket, but by the time we were heading back, I was starting to sweat some. Was 75° by noon and a little breezy. They say we might get some strong Santa Ana Winds.
I went over to Wal-Mart and picked up a bunch of stuff for making fudge, lemon bars and pumpkin bread. I like to get it early because if you wait too long, they run out before the holidays get here.
After lunch, Hiker and I went over to Central Park for a nice afternoon walk in the beautiful weather. It was about 70° and a little windy. Hiker loves walking around Central Park because she does not have to worry about bicycles or skateboards there and I put her on her extension leash so she can wander around more freely. Not too many people in the park today.

Beautiful Sunday

Hiker is so used to getting up at a specific time to go outside to potty in the morning. We changed back to Standard Time early this morning, so Hiker thinks she is supposed to go outside at 5 am instead of 6 am. The time change has her all mixed up. She kept jumping on me, pawing at the covers, whining, licking me and pushing at the mattress with her nose, but I ignored her. Told her she has to get used to the time change, so she didn’t get to go outside until 6 am. Don’t remember how long it took her to make the transformation last time.
Because of the time change, I was wide awake by 6:30 am so I turned on the TV in the bedroom and watched “Sunday Morning” then we got up and I made some eggs for breakfast.
Changed the sheets on my bed and washed the ones that were on it, plus washed the comforter and put a different comforter on the bed. I have a couple of older comforters that I’m going to take over to New Leash On Life, the rescue shelter where I got Hiker from. They can always use blankets when the cooler weather comes, so I sent them a message on Facebook to see if I can bring them over this Thursday. They always want me to bring Hiker over to visit.
It was so beautiful outside today. After we have a rain, the next day is so fresh and clean. I wanted to get out for a walk or a hike, but my stomach felt upset. I think it was due to the fried eggs I had for breakfast. I can eat poached eggs, but fried eggs seem to mess me up.
Watched one of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies. It’s called “The Christmas Card”. I think I like is so much because it was filmed in Nevada City, CA where Ben’s sister Donna used to live. Ben and I visited there once many years ago and I loved the little town. Always wanted to go back again but never got to. Ben’s sister now lives in Las Vegas.

Cloudy and Cool

Got home from the community Halloween party around 8:30 last night. Hiker must have been scared by the sounds of the “haunted house” up the street and the kids roaming the streets. When I walked in the door, she was so excited to see me that she tried to jump into my arms and once I got inside, she was shaking like she was frightened. I had to hurry and let her outside before she peed in the house.
Didn’t get to sleep until around midnight then I woke up around 2 am from the sound of the pouring rain. It was coming down really hard. We really needed that rain and we need a lot more of it.
Fired up the heater for the first time since last winter. Most people don’t like that smell you get when the heater has not been used for a long time, but I do like it. Smells warm and toasty to me.
Jean came by at 9 am and picked me up. She wanted to go over to the Dollar Tree and Big Lots. We were only out for about an hour. We were still both pooped from decorating and the party last night.
I decided I was going to be a couch potato today and just sit and watch TV, but I did do a load of laundry.

Halloween 2014

Up early to do our Friday dog walk with Jean and her dogs. Was very cloudy and cool while we were out this morning. Let the dogs have a little play time in the back yard.
At 10 am, Jean and I headed over to our community rec room to help get things ready for the Halloween Party tonight. Chris, our neighbor and manager of the community, had most of the decorating done, so we helped her with getting the treats ready. Decorated cookies, made “mummy dogs” and popcorn, etc.
We will head back over there around 4:30 pm to get any food that needs to be warmed up done and make sure everything is ready. The party starts at 5:30. The costume judging starts early, so we have to be there to check out all of the kids.
I will have to watch “Y&R” online tonight since I didn’t see it this morning and I probably won’t be home until after TVGN shows it. Although, if I’m still awake at 12 midnight, TVGN shows it again.

Busy Thursday

Well today started out “weird” for me. Hiker did not wake me up around 6 am as normal. I woke up and it was already well after 6 am so I jumped out of bed and found her in the living room. I let her outside. When she came back in we went back to bed. I was exhausted because I had trouble going to sleep last night due to the fact that my muscles were aching. Don’t know if it is because of my Crestor or because I’ve been walking more again.
I fell back to sleep almost immediately and I started to dream. First I was dreaming that my brother Keith and I had been on a trip and I had purchased a huge painting. Don’t know what the painting was but supposedly it was very expensive and I got it for a steal. I decided to try to sell it at an auction house. When I bought it, the canvas was in the frame, but when I was at the auction house, they were separate. They were looking at the frame to put a value on it and Keith got the canvas but it was torn and they were telling me that it needed to be repaired before they could make me an offer on it.
That dream went away and then I was dreaming that I was home, but it looked like the first home where Ben and I had lived. My mom who passed away 16 years ago was there with me and so was Hiker. Ben was not in the dream. I saw my neighbor Valerie who had just rented a room to some young people. They were making all kinds of noise and she was apologizing to me about it. Hiker was digging under a bush and I kept telling her to stop. Then it was no longer Hiker, it was a baby elephant. Seems I had planted pumpkins and the elephant was eating them. There was this one really big pumpkin that I picked up but I noticed it was very light in weight. Someone told me it was because I had watered it too much.
I woke up with a start and it was almost 8:30 am. Hiker came running into my bedroom from the front of the house and I accused her of letting me over sleep.
Got up and headed out to Sam’s Club. Wanted to take advantage of several paperless coupons they had.
Hiker and I did not go for a walk today because I had to check out my Emergency Kit to be sure all of my flashlights were working and that all of my batteries are good, plus check on the dates on the canned foods I have in it. Also had to do my vacuuming. Couldn’t do it tomorrow because most of the day I will be at our community rec room helping decorating it for tomorrow night’s Halloween Party. I’ll be judging the kids’ costumes tomorrow evening.

Hump Day

So today is my day for staying in bed until 8 am. Doesn’t always mean I will sleep until then. Sometimes I’m watching TV and other times Hiker wants to play.
She and I had breakfast and then I put her in the car to head over to the local post office so I could put my Kaiser Medicare enrollment package in the mail. It was around 9:30 am when we got there only to find out that the post office does not open until 10 am. What the heck is that all about? So we headed over to the main post office in Valencia so I could post the package inside to assure it will get out today.
Some things I mail in my cluster box mail slot, but because our mailman has lost mail before, and often puts my neighbor’s mail in my box instead of theirs, I don’t trust him with important stuff. My address is 27833 and I often get my neighbor’s mail whose address is 27838. Also I get mail for my neighbor Michelle Wagner. My last name is spelled Waggoner. This guy has been our mailman for years, so I don’t know what his problem is.
When we got back home, I mopped my kitchen floor and then because they are saying we have rain coming in late Friday night, I made sure my rain gutters were clear of leaves and branches. They are pretty sure that we really are going to get rain this time. I sure hope so.
After lunch, I took Hiker over to Valencia Heritage Park for an afternoon walk. I was going to vacuum the carpet when we got home, but I was too tired so it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Do you think Hiker knows that there is a gigantic soccer ball sneaking up behind her?

Good Day

Went to my support group today. Ed was on a roll today. I think he talked at least 40 minutes of our 2 hour session. He didn’t talk all at once, but when he got started, he’d ramble on for about 5 to 10 minutes before we could move on. We had a college intern in our session today. She is studying to be a social worker. Had a few new people come to the meeting today. One was a man who lost his wife last week. He was in the caregiver support group at the senior center. His wife had a stroke about 15 years ago and was living in a facility when she passed. The other new people was a couple, I’m assuming husband and wife, but we never did get to hear from them.
Four of us ladies went out for pizza after the session.
When I got home, Hiker and I did our normal thing…put the trash out by the curb and go up to the mailbox. I went online and signed up with Lockheed for my Kaiser Medicare supplement plan. Tomorrow I need to get the enrollment form from Kaiser in the mail. Kaiser said I have until December 31st to get it back to them, but I want to make sure it gets here since it took so long for me to get the form from them to fill out.
Was chilly here this morning but got into the mid-80s by the afternoon.

Somewhat Busy Day

Had our “every Monday” dog walk with Jean and her dogs. It was only 42° and I actually had to wear a sweater. I love it!
After lunch I took Hiker over to the South Fort Trail to do a 2 mile walk. It still gets a little warm in the afternoons, but nothing like it was during the summer months.
When I got home I found that my Kaiser Medicare paperwork had finally shown up in my mailbox. They claimed they had sent the package to me the end of September and I never got it, so I called them about 2 weeks ago and told them, so they said they sent me another one. I called them Friday to ask a couple of questions and they told me the package had been sent out on October 22nd. Well, today I don’t get just one package, I get two identical packages. The postmark on one was October 23rd and the other was postmarked October 24th. But at least I finally got it.
So I spent the afternoon filling the forms out and tomorrow I have to go online to the Lockheed website and enroll online with them for my Medicare supplemental insurance.
Covered up my air conditioner this afternoon. As I said, it is still warm in the afternoons but not warm enough to run the A/C.

Out And About With Neighbor Jean Today

Stayed up late last night watching a movie on the Hallmark Channel. Hike and I went to bed around 11:30 pm.
Hiker then woke me up just after 5:30 am to go outside this morning. She’s been off her schedule ever since we got back from our trip up north.
Got up around 7 am and had breakfast. Jean came around 9:30 am and picked me up to go to the Crafty Ladies fall craft fair over in Northridge, CA. I only go because it gives me something to do. I think I’ve only bought something there once.
We left there and headed back over to the Santa Clarita Valley. Jean told me she was taking me to lunch because I had helped her with hooking up her cable box, Tivo and TV last week. She wanted to try a new place that one of her friends had told her about over in Stevenson Ranch called Urbane Café. I wasn’t really into going there because it was all “gourmet” sandwiches and salads, but I figured since she was buying, I would not object. I’m not a gourmet kind of girl. I like plain old food like burgers, fries, pizza, etc. I will admit that the sandwich was not bad, but I didn’t care for the salad that came with it. It’s not a place that I would go back to.
We also stopped by a few stores, but I didn’t buy anything.
The weather was fantastic today. It was about 75°, clear and breezy. My favorite kind of weather. Took Hiker out for an afternoon walk.

TV Day

Slept in this morning. It was cloudy when Hiker and I got up but the sun finally came through even though it was still “partly cloudy” most of the day.
Got an email from my brother Ron saying that it was raining up in Paradise, CA. Sure wish some of it would come down here.
Even though the weather outside was beautiful today, I spend the entire day sitting on my sofa watching “The Good Witch Marathon” on the Hallmark Channel.
Hiker slept most of the day.

The morning sky here:

Not So Busy Day

Up early for our every Friday dog walk with Jean. It was actually a little chilly out this morning. Jean commented that she wished she had worn a sweat shirt instead of a t-shirt.
Most of the day I spent on the sofa watching TV, but after lunch, I put Hiker in the car and we headed up to Vasquez Rocks for a hike. Was still pretty warm up there.
When I got home I found my Lockheed Health Insurance package for my enrollment. Now I just have to sit down, figure out the numbers and decide if I want to stay with Kaiser through Lockheed or get Kaiser on my own.

Had A Good Day

Hiker woke me up around 6:15 am. We went back to bed after she came back inside and I fell asleep and didn’t wake up for another hour and 45 minutes. Had some breakfast and then Hiker and I went to get my lottery tickets for Saturday and then drove over to Central Park in Saugus and did a nice morning walk. I’m trying to get myself back into shape. There were a lot of people there this morning walking with dogs or walking alone. I had several people stop me to ask me what kind of dog Hiker was. There were a couple of ladies who knew and they were surprised when I told them she came from a rescue shelter. Three young men were there to play Frisbee Golf and one of they said Hiker looks like someone took the head of one kind of dog and put it on the body of another kind of dog. I’ve had people tell me that before.
Watched my soap and had lunch and then decided to clean my master bathroom. Had a bunch of Windows Updates I had to put on my laptops.
We actually hit 90° here today, but this time of year, 90° does not feel as hot as it does in the summer.

Semi-relaxing Day

Hiker woke me up at her usual 6 am to go outside. Only went back to bed for a little while. Got up and made some poached eggs for me and Hiker and then I headed over to Stater Brothers to do my grocery shopping. I was good because I bought a bunch of fresh veggies.
Watched my soap and had lunch and thought about taking Hiker out for a walk this afternoon, but decided I really needed to vacuum and clean a little. Took me almost an hour to do so I figured that was my exercise for today. I’ll probably take her out for a walk tomorrow.
Didn’t do much else the rest of the day. Messed around on my computer some and watched a little TV.

Good Day At Group

Up at 7 am to get ready to go to my grief support group today. It was good to be back with my friends in the group. We had a really good session today. Most of the “old” regulars were there. We had two new people come in. One woman and one man. The woman didn’t say anything while she was there but we got the guy to talk. He lost his wife of 45 years in March and his kids made him sell his house and all of his belongings and then they passed him from his daughter’s home to his son’s home and he said he just feels so alone and left out of everything. He is thinking about getting an apartment so we all gave him information about the senior apartments in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Edwin didn’t show up and neither did Paul. Five of us ladies went to lunch and had a fun time as we always do. For a bunch of “old ladies” we act like a bunch of teen-aged girls when we are together.
Nice weather here today, in the low to mid 80s.
I finally got into the Social Security website this morning. If you recall, they had sent me an email telling me that my “annual statement” was online and ready to view. Well when I looked at it, it didn’t look any different than it did the last time I looked at it.
I’ve made the decision that if Lockheed does not offer the Kaiser Senior Advantage health insurance plan to me when I get my packet from them, that I am going to go ahead and sign up with Kaiser on my own, since I’m already a member of Kaiser and just tell Lockheed to “go pound sand”. I looked at the individual plan that Kaiser offers for seniors and it actually looks like it might be cheaper for me to just go with them on my own than to go with them through Lockheed, so I will just wait and see what happens when I get my enrollment packet from Lockheed.
I bought a new microwave last week. My old one was one that Ben and I bought way back in the late 1980s or early 1990s. The old one was not cooking the middle of my food anymore. It still worked but not as well as it should. Here in our community, we have a work crew who takes care of the grounds and other things and if we put items out by the curb with a free sign on it, they will usually take it and repair it or scrap it out for money. I had the old microwave out all day yesterday and no one ever took it, but I put it out again this morning and it was gone when I got home from group. I’m glad because I thought I was going to have to take it over to Best Buy so they could recycle it.
Hiker is all stretched out in her usual spot on the sofa. I think the trip to my brother’s wore here out – LOL.