Miscellaneous 08-20-23

It has been a very active week and I have not had the energy to even think about my blog.  So much going on in addition to our normal schedule.  Today, as I'm sure you know, we have had heavy rain and this evening  the strong wind came up. No problems that I know of, but I do have ponds in both front and back yards. They will be gone when the rain stops.  There are adequate drains with normal rain, but when we have a deluge the water just backs up. 

Our park is being renovated to provide more activities which I hope are not too noisy.  On Friday and Saturday there were about18 guys out there pouring and  smoothing the cement which was piped in from the revolving trucks at least a 100 feet away.  I believe they were trying to get it all poured and smoothed to benefit from the rain to help set it.  They have been working on the "frames" and foundation for a couple weeks.  The green at the bottom of the image is a mesh material on the chain link fence to help control the dust.  It runs right along the top of the flood control channel.  

KoKo's friend Bun-Bun, one of three Bijons in the neighborhood, returned from the  boarding place where she stayed for a month while her family vacationed.  They were very happy to see each other and wove a net with leashes trying to smell every part of each other.  This is about the only dog KoKo tolerates.  Sam and Mary walk the dog but I have never met the mother. 

On Wednesday I drove to Claremont,CA.,for the monthly  Book Group meeting.  One of our members relocated there several years ago and she drives down for our meetings which are now at 11:30am, bring your own lunch.  So, occasionally we carpool up to her house.  The  book  was  Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell.

Yesterday, Saturday,  I  drove to San Diego for the meeting of the Art Stream  group.  Our design challenge  was Connections and because I am such a sloth these days I did not have mine finished - only about 2/3's done.  However, others were more diligent.  Please don't pass these pictures on to anyone. 

Nelda's connection is the bridge on Highway One near Big Sur.  Great piece with a gorgeous bridge and amazing sky. 12X12

Andrea didmany connections in a rich autumnal palette.

Maybe 18X20

Ellen has been experimenting with various dyeing techniques, this one is an ice dye. 

This beautiful water-looking piece is done with arashi shibori. 

  The traffic both going and returning was generally light for a Saturday on the I-5, but still a bit of a slog.  KoKo  spent the day with Nancy Ota  and  when I picked him up she and I had a cup of tea and a short visit.  He loves being with her, but when I  show up he immediately latches on to me.

He might be a tiny bit spoiled.

Today wasaday of rest, which I REALLY needed.

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Miscellaneous 07-08023

I finally went to the doctor on Thursday and she prescribed a Z-Pack and a chest X-ray.  Also gave me an inhaler unlike any I have used before.  It isn't a rescue inhaler, but one that you suck up once a day.  Something is working because I don't have the coughing spasms  and just a normal sort of cough.  I don't have much energy, which could be my age, lack of activity, or a result of whatever I have  - "The coughing sickness".  It may be bronchitis, but it is not like the bronchitis  I have   pretty regularly  every January!   Anyway, I AM better.

Caiden across the street had a birthday this past week and he always wants a  water slide to celebrate.  In this picture he is on his way up the stairs on  the right and his friend is in the pool at the center left.  They have SUCH a good time and there are always lots of girls and boys later in the day.  I think Caiden is now 10. 

The newest gardener came last week and cleared all the weeds from front and back yards.  We had agreed on once a week on Friday, but he didn't show up.  Not much growing in either yard.  There are several Feverfew plants in bloom, I guess he recognized they are not weeds, and the day lily given two years ago by friend  Verna when she thinned her flower beds has three blossom stalks with buds.  I don't know what color it is.  I do love the pure yellow ones. 

Meanwhile, KoKo and I go for our walk twice a day.  A few times we have only gone up to the corner and back around the two cul de sacs, when I am struggling to make it out the door.  But we both need the walks and the full loop is a bit less than a mile.  There are three low walls along the way that I can sit on for a few minutes if I need to.  Our goal is to walk the distance without sitting. 

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It was the usual 4th of July 07-05-23

Every year for the last decade our neighborhood has held a "parade" on the 4th.  And each year there are more children, more participants.  KoKo and I sit on a folding chair in the driveway and hoot and holler as the parade goes by.  Well, KoKo doesn't hoot or holler, he usually goes to sleep in my lap - not into parades. 

Usually the leader is Mr. Rohr in his little Jeep, fessooned with balloons and streamers.  But this year he and wife are on vacation so the fire truck moved up to first place.  I don't know how we rate a fire truck AND a Placentia PD car, don't know of any neighbors who are either firemen or policemen.  (Or women!)

 

There seemed to be fewer decorations on the bikes, scooters, skate boards this year.  Economics or perhaps just laziness!  I know that I will be picking up debris for several days.

The adult who usually shows up in a weird costume was not walking this year.  Maybe he is also on vacation.  There were plenty of kids and quite a few parents walking, waving, and yelling Happy 4th of July.  Didn't notice any MAGA hats this year, even though this is a heavily Conservative area.

At the very end were this couple with their poodle mix dog.  He always gives us a tentative bark when we walk by his house, but he has learned my voice so i tell him what a good dog he is and he stops barking.  LOTS of dogs and children in our neighborhood.   These pictures show what i see out my front windows.  I do hate those motor homes reflecting the hot sun back to me.  The law says we cannot park them where they are seen from the street, but these have been parked in the driveways for decades.  It is just a small irritation, not worth losing good neighbors  over something so small.   But it still bugs me!!

I am still coughing until sometimes I think I will choke!  Still doing the "croup tent" which helps for a short time and I'm trying to not talk because that will set me off.  I have an appointment with my new primary in the morning, maybe she has an answer.  To me it is odd that it is so hard to be sick now.  All the years I had bronchitis every winter I knew what to do, but wearing a mask seems to have protected me from sickness these past three years and i have forgotten how to be sick! 

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Miscellaneous + Food 02-27-23

A mostly sunny day today, but still too cold - 55F - 41F.   There were a few showers that we managed to miss on our morning and evening walks.  Some neighbors took advantage of a little sunshine to walk their dogs in the park.  This seemed like an organized group so maybe there is such in the patio homes behind us.  There are quite a few regular dog walkers off and on all day, some just walk, others throw balls or frisbees.  It is more than a block from the busy Palm Drive to this end of the park and the dogs seem to stay with their people.  KoKo, I think, finds the park boring because there are only grass and tall trees, no small bushes he can smell and water.  We rarely go there, but walk on the sidewalks in the loop around our tract.  

From the lower right, our low back wall, our slope and iron fence, beyond which you can see the flood control channel, the chain link fence around the park and halfway up is the block wall around the patio home complex.  It is a nice view and usually it is deserted and quiet. 

Food

I do eat some unusual meals.  Mostly depending on what I have in the frig or the fruit/veggie bowl.  Tonight I had no bread, but a ripe avocado.  So, instead of avocado toast I had avocado frozen waffles!  Very tasty, perhaps better than avocado toast.  Just plain avocado with a little salt and a sprinkle of pepper.  I'll put this on my rotating menu.   By-the-way, I prefer Trader Joe's frozen waffles, they are gluten free, but much tastier than the super market brands.  

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Well, Santa is done for another year.  I hung a wreath on my door and that was it for Christmas at this house.  Fortunately my friends and neighbors are caring and thought of me.  Best of all, friend Liz brought me some of their prime rib dinner and it was delicious.  The friends in the cul de sac brought me some of their Indian meal which I will have tomorrow.  I talked and text-ed with other friends and, of course, KoKo and I went for our two walks, which we managed between rain showers.  I think it was a lovely day.

We have had heavy rain, wind, and cold over the past week and trees are now almost bare.  The leaves make a gorgeous covering - these are mostly from the crape myrtle trees.

KoKo usually stops to see if the two big dogs that live at this house are out .  They rarely are, especially not when it is wet. 

Then it is "come on, I wanna go, stop with the pictures, already." 

He is a good walker, but gets impatient when I stop to visit or take pictures. 

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Friday Food 12-17-21

Yes, it is a glass of orange juice!   This evening about 6pm someone knocked at my door, not something that happens very often.  When I answered there was a young woman and two children greeting me.  The woman had this glass of orange juice in her hand.  She explained that she is a neighbor in the next cul de sac and she had squeezed a lot of oranges from their backyard tree and added a little honey.  She was just bringing it as a gift, would I like to have it?   I was speechless.  The little boy explained that they live in the house with the gingerbread couple and the most fantastic lights anywhere.  I recovered enough to say thank you and tried to remember if I had ever even seen this lady before.  She went on to say that KoKo and I walk by their house all the time, she lives next to Pam.  Ah-ha, now I knew who she is.  We talked for just a few minutes and she left with the children.  I'm not sure how gracious I was because I was so dumbfounded I couldn't think.  I will have to write a little note and maybe find a couple small gifts for the children.   

The orange juice is very good.  Kindness is alive and well in my neighborhood!

And my all time favorite Christmas cartoon.

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Party time! 07-10-21

Caiden had a great birthday party today, I think he is 8 or maybe 9.  They moved into this house about a year ago and are very social.  I think he invited every child in the neighborhood and me too!  But I just went over for a little while and took these pictures.  Not only am I old, I am not used to being with a crowd of people, especially very happy, active children.  

This is the view from my front porch of the inflated water slide which seemed to be about two stories high.  It was delivered around 11:30 last night, but only inflated this morning. 

The water is recirculated, but with all the splashing there was quite a bit running down the street.  It is a very clever set up with a sprinkler head at the top to keep the plastic wet.  It waters just the right half and here it is hidden behind the street tree. 

 

This is Immanuel, one of the boys I took to school in 2019 and occasionally for ice cream adventures.  Not since the pandemic though. 

And the younger brother, Julian.  I'm sure all of the kids are sleeping well tonight.  Such an expenditure of energy and voices.  

See the crowd going up the steps on the left.  They had to wait while dads and the birthday boy made adjustments to the splash pool at the bottom. The kids had to be reminded to not go down the slide when someone was in the splash pool.  Too many flying arms and legs and heads!  I think they were pretty obedient - with reminders!  

I am fond of palm trees.  This is a sort of Disney style.  Cute, but not very realistic.

There were cupcakes instead of a regular sheet cake and Caiden brought me one.  Chocolate cake with a marshmallow frosting and a tiny Oreo on the top.  Tasty.  Such a nice boy, he always waves and says "Hello" when KoKo and I are walking. 

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Flowers 06-04-21

 

We have half a dozen new neighbors in the past eighteen months.  Unfortunately they all seem to have their own ideas about landscaping and the first thing they do is cut down trees.  My most hated noise is a chainsaw!  Where two streets divide there is a large sort of pie shaped lot with a large house with 60 year old sycamore and eucalyptus trees and landscaping gone wild.  After a year of thinking about it the new owners are working on the yard.  Cutting trees and pulling bushes and chopping up perennials.   Along the sidewalk they took out about ten feet of a morning glory hedge and it looks like they are going to put a wall up right against the sidewalk.  Sad.  So, here are my last morning glory pictures.  

As the sun comes up the morning glory flowers open a lovely deep blue with a pinkish center. 

The lobed leaves are thick and interesting. 

As the day goes on the blossoms fade to pink and wither during the night.   Fresh flowers appear in the morning again. 

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A medical event 02-12-21

On Sunday morning (02-07-21) when I got up I couldn't see out of the left side of my left eye!  And I was a little disoriented.  I've read enough about strokes to know that I must call 911.  The paramedics came and hauled me to St. Joseph's in Orange where I spent the day in the ER and the doctor convinced me I should spend the night in the hospital and not be home alone.  So, I agreed and spent a miserable night.  I haven't been admitted to a hospital in probably 40 years and I did find all the new technologies and practices very interesting.  There were both female and male nurses, all about 14 years old!   And they were in and out of my room contantly.  I felt very "observed".  The doctor's decided I had experienced a TIA, gave me prescriptions for Plavix, Lipator, and Amlodipine, and let me come home on Monday afternoon.  I am very tired, which may be from the meds, and a bit wobbly, but am otherwise feeling okay.  I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday.  And a fat file of things to read about exercise, diet, medications, etc.  I'll just keep on keeping on!

KoKo went to stay with Cherie and JIm, who are fond of him and such good caretakers, but he came home on Tuesday afternoon.  We have walked every day, twice a day, but not always all the way around the loop.   I go slowly and use my cane.  KoKo is very patient and avoids tripping me up.  On Sunday friend Dick took care of KoKo and delivered him to Cherie, along with Froggy, bed, and food.  Dick is a treasure!.  

One very nice thing that came out of this...   Before they closed the ambulance doors I looked out and could see 7 or 8 neighbors out there.  They were concerned and wanted to help.  I don't know many of their names, but see them when we are walking.  I always make a point of saying hello or waving, even if they don't acknowledge me.  And I keep doing it regardless.  Since Sunday I have met many of those I hadn't actually met before; they came to our door or stopped us to speak when we are walking.  I have some new phone numbers on my cell and know that I can call on them if I need help for anything.  I am surprised and gratified by all this neighborliness.  It is great.  

I may not blog much.  I will rest and not over do anything, so I won't have much to share. 

Be safe.  Keep well.  Love, Del and KoKo

A Flock of Flamingos 07-26-20

Blogger would not allow me to post last night, so tonight I am posting what I had prepared. 

This morning when we went for our walk we discovered a flock of flamingos in a yard down the street.  I haven't seen one of these for a couple years and, as always, they made me laugh and brightened my day.   In the past the flocks have come from organizations that raise money for good deeds.  This flock is from the National Charity League in Yorba Linda, CA.

https://www.nationalcharityleague.org/

Some of the plastic birds wear Leis or hats.

 

KoKo was not interested.

This is a small flock, I have seen yards that are so full of flamingos you could hardly see the grass.  

It will make me smile whenever I walk past this house. 

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Neighborhood sights 06-25-20

Sometimes I want to stop, knock on a door, and ask people what something is about.  Like this little umbrella in the space between the curb and sidewalk.  

Looks like the plant is already a goner.

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In the neighbrohood 06-14-20

I don't know if this is a "thing" elsewhere, but there are two houses in my neighborhood where the families show movies on the outside of their garage doors.  I posted once before about the showings in the cul de sac across the street from our house.  The other night when we were walking after the sun went down and the temperature dropped below 80F we saw another house on Brian Street with a moving going,  along with a campfire! 

There are three adults sitting in chairs where the driveway meets the street and several children stretched out close to the garage door.  The fire is in a brazier between the adults.  

I can't find the picture I posted previously of the movies in the cul de sac.  What did I label them?  Movies?  Neighbors?  Garage door?  Outdoor movies?  Nope, none of those.  

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Bird Watching 06-08-20

I don't go bird watching these days, mostly because I can't stand for long.  And bird watching requires being silent and very still.   I do watch from my car and I was amazed today when I backed out of my driveway and saw an egret walking along the bushes in a yard across the street.  I have seen them in yards and gardens, but not recently.  Since there was no traffic I just followed him as he walked and flew across the street to a more enticing yard.  At one point he found a snack and swallowed it whole, and, I presume, alive.  I imagine it was a sunbathing lizard.  

He is almost on the front porch at Donna's house. 

He strode along stretching his neck into the Lily-of-the-Nile. 

This is a video, but I don't know how to make it move.  Sorry. 

I had my cell phone camera on and set it for video, but when I looked later I only had three seconds of video and a bunch of still images.   Guess it is time for me to take some "how to use your phone camera" classes.  In case he comes back. 

By-The-Way:  Today was Ruth B. McDowell's birthday.  Hope it was a special day, Ruth.  

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In the neighborhood 03-31-20

Many more people walking, riding bikes, pushing strollers, etc., in our neighborhood.  Last Sunday, as I reported, they had the kids looking for shamrocks in the windows.  I understand the highest count was 50, not bad.  So, this weekend they put up signs to put teddy bears in windows and I did, cutting out a red teddy for the front hall window and putting my handmade bear back up in the front bedroom window.   And this time, people used chalk to put both bears and bear paws on the sidewalk.  Pretty cool.    

Big boy KoKo walking on a bear!

This bear paw is about the same size at the bear. 

Cute KoKo standing on his chair.  

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