Still a hermit, still spending to boost the economy...

 and still watching too much Big Brother.  It's been an eventful season.  One of the favorite players is a beauty queen who seems to always be in the presence of a Lay's potato chip bag, and sure enough, the local grocer had them on sale last week... they jumped in the cart.  They were good, but I don't think I need to do that again for a while.

After a weekend of hiding from the world and playing with the "apps" that purport to find you people to handle your home projects, I ended up contacting the folks that took care of my yard 20 years ago.  They remembered me, quoted their current prices for the same services (gulp!) and I hired them.

My yard looked better when they were mowing, fertilizing, and doing the grub control.  We'll see if I've let it go "too long" before hiring them back.  Meantime, I've supported a couple of young men on their way to college and military service.  And I'm grateful for the 7 years they took care of my yard... it saved me hopefully enough to handle hiring the pros again for a while.

I hauled the recyclables off to the center on the first day of public school classes.  The weather was cloudy and cooler... almost as though it were acknowledging that change of season.  That was a week and a half ago, and the heat is back by now.

Ancestry tells me I'm risk-averse, due to my DNA!  No wonder I'm a weather wimp and drive like a little old lady?  Every so often they send an update as their research finds different associations.  Gives me a bit of a chill as to how these "DNA tendencies" might be used to type-cast one for careers?  

A week ago Wednesday was my every 10 months rotation to the periodontist.  I found myself in a tiny waiting room for 15 minutes with mine the only mask.  The staff (hygienists and dentist) were all masked, but none of the waiting patients and their "support people".  In any case, I survived, and came out with clean, polished teeth.

That same day, it was nice to walk with a sister after a two week hiatus again.  We came back sweaty, even though the thermometer indicated ten degrees cooler than last week.  And we did not go fast, we just got a tiny break from the worst of the Summer heat.  Today, with the thermometer in the back yard saying it's 95℉, we staying inside to visit.

Last Friday morning I avoided more spending.  Pure luck.  I had my eye appointment.  He told me my prescription has not changed enough for new glasses to help.  See?  Saved several hundred bucks right there.  The news is that the cataracts have grown / gotten worse and the one in my right eye might actually be "ripe" enough for surgery.  I'm giving it another six months, though, and then we'll talk about evaluating surgery readiness next February.  I'm thinking give it those six months to see if they will be ready for both eyes to be "done" then.  If not, I'm probably fine with having the right eye addressed then.

On the good news front, my youngest sister has a new grandson, as of Saturday the 20th!  That is so awesome, I know this child has long been wanted.  He has two "big sisters", from his dad's first marriage, but this is my niece's firstborn child, and the first grandson in that branch of the family.

This Monday I went to the bank in person for the first time in a looooong time (pre-pandemic).  Purpose was to cash in some savings bonds that had matured and were no longer earning any interest.  Here's the funny part:  my ATM / debit card expired last October, and this was the first time I'd tried to use it since then.  Yikes!  So it took a while longer than it might have otherwise.  They are sending me a new card that should arrive within the week.  I'm pondering whether I got the new card and snipped up the wrong card?  Quite possible.

More of this disturbing kind of thing seems to happen as I age.  Sigh.  Life goes on.  But is still good.

🔥✨💖

Being left-right challenged.

 

Who can tell me what's wrong with this photo, from a FB conversation about "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey" and the use of screwdrivers?

I slept in Monday morning, 'til after 7 a.m. again.  I think I'm getting over the weekend.  Monday I did pet laundry... you know the kind:  the table cloth the cat coughed up on, the towel that lined the carrier for the last vet trip, the throws that I put on the couches to protect the upholstery...  You can only imagine how much pet hair and dryer lint combine in the trap!

I also headed over to the grocery for LeanJean6's favorites:  bananas, as well as other stuff.  The weather is giving us a break, and it was quite pleasant outdoors this morning.  The TV weather man is promising more of the same Tuesday.

Also on Monday I wished my former daughter in law a happy birthday, via instant messages.  She shared with me that after her trip to Australia (it was some time after I'd given her mom taxi service to the hospital for her procedure last Spring)... she came down with Covid-19.  She said she had a rough couple of weeks, but is better now.  Thankfully!

In any case, that made me glad that I had ordered my next set of at-home Covid tests.  I was hoping they'd arrive on a cooler day, and at least this shipment did.  Half of it came on Monday, the second part on Tuesday.

Two different brands this time, neither of which I had used before.  I opened them to see if the bits and pieces were different, too.  They are, so of course the next step is read the directions, to see how they differ.  

This one takes 20 minutes to give results, as opposed to the 15 minutes the ones I've had before did.  

This set has an expiration date of next May.  I only test when I have something people-y coming up.  

The second brand is a 15 minute results window and has an expiration date of December 14th this year.  Guess they will be next up in the collection for use, after the one remaining test on hand.  

This "ClearDetect" test has yet a fourth configuration of testing equipment / instructions.

All of them are rapid antigen tests, all with nasal swabs, just the method of mixing with the testing fluid and reading the results slightly differ.  In any case, I am now equipped to continue being "careful" whatever turns the virus takes heading into the cooler seasons.

Tuesday also brought the first of two days "checking in" on my elder sisters kitties, while she's off in Kansas to help out with the start of the school year for her two grandsons there.  They greeted me, quite vocally, when I arrived to give them their breakfast this morning.

I came home and changed before my noonish workout with the trainer.  In the afternoon sun, the lawn mowing kid came and provided the last mow before he heads off to college tomorrow.  Now I have to figure out whether to ask his dad to carry on, acquire a mower and such and do it myself, or hire a lawn service company.  All three options have different advantages and disadvantages, obviously, and while I knew this decision date was coming, I still haven't made up my mind.  Guess I'll sleep on it.  Better decisions usually come in the morning, for me.

Meanwhile... here's hoping my former-Spark buds are still out there, still working at healthy habits for us all.  In the heat we think first of hydration, but of course all of the self-care things we do count.  Remember to breathe.

On tap for Wednesday:  the permanent crown install, and another visit with sister's kitties, for me.  

Life is good.  Spark on!🔥✨💖

Hiding from the world week

I think this Summer has worn me out.  The past two years I've had Covid precautions to blame, but let's be serious, this happens whenever I get myself "overscheduled".  The overscheduled, as opposed to "overpeopled" was something my brother tipped me off to.  I just need that alone assimilation time.

After last week's doctor appointment followed by the "emergency" dental thing... which is on the heels of what seems like it's been a busy Summer.  Between the fence, the dog, the A/C breaking and having to be replaced... no wonder I'm wiped out.

Good morning, Prisoner

I seem to want to sink into the online streaming of Big Brother, and binge-watching episodes of "Under The Dome".  Horror (Stephen King) is not my usual genre, but science fiction does tend to be, so this is a bit of a cross-over.  The TV series got darker with each passing season.  I'm into Season 3 now, and stalled.

I conserved my energy through this week, because I knew I had this social event coming up with my friend Geri and the financial firm I deal with.  They host "A night at the ballpark" every year, with one of the minor league teams (farm club for KC Royals).  

I drove us, picking Geri up at her place and tackling the interstate highway for 39 miles up the road to the ball park.  The company provides bus service if you want it, but back when I booked this evening, I didn't want to second guess the infamous virus waves.

At the time we started our journey, the phone said it was 101℉!  Despite driving in an air conditioned car, my t-shirt had sweat spots by the time we got to the ball park.  Sprayed on sun block, and proceeded to the picnic supper provided.  I was careful because of the temporary crown... so skipped the fresh made potato chips.  Geri had them and pronounced them as good as I had promised.

We took a walking lap around the ball park before settling down in our seats which were great, along the first base line, 3rd row.  But it was still 100℉ when the first pitch was thrown at 7:05 p.m.

Good game, but the home team lost... 😟😢  Still it fostered good memories of ball games  from earlier decades in our lives.  By the 7th inning stretch it had "cooled down" to 90℉ and there was a light breeze, and between sweat evaporation and good hydration, we were feeling comfortable.  Hot summer nights were made for baseball, back when very few had central air in their homes.

Pretty sunset clouds...
can you spot the spectator on his perch?

Under the lights...
note we were spread out in the open air.

And of course proof of presence!

The drive home was reminiscent of my childhood when we were driving home from my dad's mother's place in Omaha... with the moon shining down in the Summer sky.  I dropped Geri off, safe home, showered to take the sunscreen and sweat off, then slept in Sunday morning, didn't get up 'til after 7 a.m.

Back to hiding from the world today... conserving energy for the week ahead, getting laundry done.  The permanent crown is to be put in on Wednesday.  I have a couple of "kitty watch" days for my sister, and a couple of workouts with the trainer.

Anybody else in the midst of heat waves... hydration makes it better, even if you choose to go out and about.  Treat yourselves gently, and appreciate each day as it comes.  It's OK to not do it ALL!

Life is good.  Spark on!

🔥✨💖