Yard Looking Pretty Good

If you remember, I was out cleaning up my flower bed last Saturday morning before I pulled something in my back and before my jaw pain put me down for the count. Didn't go for my walk this morning because I still do not feel up to par, but went out and looked at the yard to see how things are looking.

The front yard is looking pretty good:

The flower bed is a cleaned up now:

The back yard looks great:

The side yard passes:

And even Marmie (Marmalade) our neighbor's cat

gives his approval:

Feeling Somewhat Better Today

The throbbing pain in my jaw has gone away. Must be the Ibuprofen working. Feels like some of the swelling has gone down too. Jaw and gums are still pretty sore though. I'm really surprised that it's improved this much in just a few hours, but I sure am glad it has.

Home From Two Dentists

Went to my regular dentist at 1:00 pm. He took an x-ray but could not see anything wrong. He did the "hit the teeth with a small hammer" test to see if the tooth nerves were OK. No problem there. He didn't know what to do next, so he sent me to a Endodontist. The Endodontist looked at the x-ray I took to him, then he too did the "hammer" test. Nothing. Next he sprayed C02 on each tooth in the area to see if the nerves reacted. Well they did! The Endodontist said that this meant that the nerves were not dead and that I did not seem to need a root canal. He felt the swelling near my jaw bone and said that he thought it is possibly just inflammation of the muscle that runs from the lower jaw to the pivot of the jaw just in front of the ear. He said that there are so many muscles and ligaments in the face that it could be just about anything. He gave me a prescription for Amoxicillin (an anti-biotic) and told me to take three Ibuprofen (an anti-inflammatory) every 4 to 6 hours as needed. He said even though they tell you to take only one Ibuprofen every 4 to 6 hours, that three is the prescription strength.
He said if I'm still having throbbing pain by Friday, to call him back to come in and see what else he can do. Otherwise, he said the anti-biotic should make the pain go away within seven days.
Hope he's right.

Dentist Day

We went and did our "monthly" grocery shopping this morning, but I sure was not in the mood to do it. The pain in my jaw is just "killing" me this morning. My dentist appointment is at 1:00 pm and I sure hope that he can figure out what is causing the pain. I don't know how much more of this I can take. I've been taking Tylenol but it doesn't seem to be helping any.

Hiking Video

Put together a slideshow video with some of my hiking photographs.

Pain, Pain, Go Away

Well, my back is a little better today. Didn't feel that way when I first got up this morning, but as the day has progressed, the pain has subsided some, but I still have to get up slowly and turn slowly.
I also have pain in my right bottom jaw. I have an appointment with my dentist tomorrow at 1:00 pm to have him take a look at it and see if he can figure out what is causing the pain. I've been researching on the Internet and I think it might be TMJ. Below is a link describing what that is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporomandibular_joint_disorder

I'm hoping that is all that it is, but hopefully, after he takes some x-rays, he'll be able to figure it out and prescribe something for it. I've had popping and clicking in my right jaw for years, but all of a sudden, I've started having this pain.

Seems like the close I get to age 60, the more I'm falling apart (LOL).

Butte County, CA

I made this slideshow video from photos I have taken while visiting the Paradise, CA area.

My Back Went Out

Well I guess working in the flower garden yesterday did me in. My back has gone out on me and I'm "listing" to the left. The pain is at the bottom of my back just above my hips.
I have had this kind of trouble with my back for about 20 years now. For no reason, it just goes out. I'll go to bed one night and the next morning, I can't get out of bed.
I am a little more limber now than I was this morning.

Beautiful Northern California

Created this slideshow movie with a bunch of photos I have taken of Northern California through the years.

Keeping Busy On A Saturday

This was Ben's Saturday to work at the Auto Parts Delivery place. I was trying to figure out what to do with myself all day. Decided to go out and clean up my front flower bed as my glads have all died and I needed to cut out the dead stalks. Also cut back the 2 rose bushes I have in that bed. In the Spring, the flower bed looks so pretty, but by mid-summer, it looks like a jungle.
Finished that chore and came in to have breakfast, then decided to take a drive over to the Placerita Nature Center. Did go to hike this time. Just wanted to be outside in the beautiful weather. I walked along the Heritage Trail over to The Oak Of The Golden Dream and then back to the picnic area under the grove of oak trees. Sat on the bench and watched a few squirrels and then just walked around the grounds of the nature center.


The Boy Scouts put these bird houses up to attract the native birds of the area.

The beginning of the Canyon Trail.

Window of the Walker Cabin.

Walker Cabin.

Walker Cabin.
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God's Oak Trees

Afternoon Drive

We went for a drive up into San Francisquito Canyon this afternoon. Along the way, we saw this unusual windmill. Neither of us had ever seen one like it before so we stopped so I could take a few photos of it.

Lunch

Had a great lunch out with my retired girlfriends. We met at the Hometown Buffet and naturally, we all made "pigs" of ourselves. We get together about 3 or 4 times a year and our lunches last about 2 or 3 hours. We just sit there and talk and laugh and remember old times. We ask about others that some of us see and other's don't.
These are ladies that I have known for many many years. One of them I have known for 41 years and they others I've known for over 35 years.
It's so nice to have friends like these.

Girl's Day Out

Today I am driving up to Palmdale, CA to have lunch with some of my retired girlfriends from Lockheed. We try to get together at least 3 or 4 times a year. Should be fun.

Running Late With Today's Blog

I need to order some new filters for our evaporative humidifier. It's warm at night but we don't like to sleep with the A/C running, so we run our fans in the bedroom. However, they dry us out so bad that we also have to run the humidifier. I've been searching the Internet for a place to buy them. The cheapest I've found are $7.99 each. About 3 or 4 years ago, I ordered 4 of them and I know that they did NOT cost $7.99 each at that time. I think they were about $4.99 or so back then. Problem is, they need to be replaced in about 30 to 90 days, so it gets a little expensive replacing them after awhile.
I'm a little miffed at "hubby" this afternoon. I know that he needs to have his eyes examined and probably needs glasses, but he keeps insisting that he "can see just fine". But yet he'll ask me what something is that he cannot see very well, or he'll ask what time it is because he cannot see the clock on the TV Cable Box. But he just keeps being stubborn and will not go to the eye doctor. He drives for a living and I'm afraid that he cannot see as well as he should out on the road. His drivers license comes due next year, so if he has to go into the DMV, he may not pass their eye exam.

Getting Warmer Again

We had some nice cool days last week. It was so nice, felt more like Fall than summer, but now our hot weather is on it's way back. This is the thermometer on our patio.

I did get out for my morning walk. It was nice a cool out at 7:30 a.m. There was even a dampness in the air, but that's gone now.

Love Music?

If you are a music lover and you liked the first 25 years of Rock & Roll, don't forget to check out my blog "Boomer Songs". It is nothing but Billboard's #1 songs from that era. I have uploaded some videos from YouTube there and will be adding more as days go by. Maybe you will find your favorite "oldie" or your favorite singer from a time gone by. Stop by and leave me a comment to let me know what you think.

http://boomersongs.blogspot.com/

Monday Again

Got up and went for a 1.5 walk this morning, had breakfast and then headed over to the mall. I just cannot find the bras I like. I like the Fruit Of The Loom wireless T-shirt bras. I used to be able to find them at my WalMart, but they don't have anything but the ones with the wires anymore. I checked Kohl's, Target, KMart, Sears and JCPenney. Ended up buying some Haines wireless ones at KMart. They were on sale, so I guess that's good.

Ben At The Wheel

New Music Blog

Check out my new "Oldies Music Blog" at:

http://boomersongs.blogspot.com/

Hope you will start following this blog.

Drive In The Country

The weather has been so cool and nice the past 2 or 3 days, it's almost "Fall-like". Ben and I decided to take a drive in the country. Drove up SR126 through Fillmore, CA and Santa Paula, CA and over to Somis, CA and back.


Orange groves along SR126 near Fillmore, CA

More citrus groves

A barn in Somis, CA