Author: iagardener55

Almost 2 years since we had a bloom on the peace lilies. We’ve got one now, finally.

This plant has been through so much in the last 2 years it’s no wonder it wasn’t able to bloom.

It’s been in the North facing window, behind the washing machine for over a year now, receiving biweekly fertilizer, and is finally going to bloom for me. Only one bloom at the moment, but I’m always hopeful there will be others to join it.

Until next time friends, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

Post script: happy birthday to our daughter.

As of 4/19/24, my “exercise routine”, if one can call it that, has changed completely.

As you may recall, from a prior post, I found several exercises, on line, that help with stretching my lower back muscles, opening up my stiff hips, and strengthening my core muscles.

Well, here’s the thing. I bought a program, several years ago, before retiring actually, called Svelte, run by an RPT named Meredith Shirk. I’ve had the program, as I said, for quite some time, and open it annually.

That’s as far as I ever got.

Until the 19th. I decided that I am going to take my health concerns into my own hands, and finally get back into a decent shape. I’m 2 months shy of 69 years old, but my body feels like I’m closer to 79 years old.

Nuts to that, I say.

So, on YouTube, she has, with 2 other coaches, Gaby, and Greg, short, usually less than 10 minute doable routines that I have been not only participating in, but saving to a playlist, making them all quickly accessible.

I’ve been trying to go to bed between 10pm. and midnight, getting up between 7:30am, and 8:30am. each morning.

I get up, weigh myself, turn on the shower, take my pills, walk to the kitchen, and turn on the kettle, heating water for coffee. By the time I do all of that, the water is finally hot in the shower, so I proceed with my morning ablutions. (A word I’ve never gotten to use before. I love it.)

I have 1, or 2 cups of coffee, work a few of my word games to get the old brain limbered up, then find the latest workout to do on my computer, and do it. When I’ve done my 10 minutes, and have worked up a lovely (clean) sweat, I’m out the door to walk once around the park, or twice if I’m able.

All of the above has been having subtle changes to my large frame, though not all for the best. I’ve developed shin splints. Poor Diana.

Whilst I work through that, however, I still try to walk at least once a day, sometimes twice, and to the market, or all the way to Walmart, and back, twice weekly.

I’m putting in the distance more so on a weekly basis versus daily. At least I’m out of the chair, out of the apartment, and in the sunshine. My tan is coming along nicely with my new summer dresses, and my sandals, so it’s all good.

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

of wet dirt.

I cannot tell you how wonderful is the smell of freshly watered soil. It was the most motivating factor when tending my gardens back in the US.

Now, I have it here, in the living room.

The smell is, for me, ambrosia. Intoxicating. Sensual. Bewildering, all at the same time.

When I water the few plants that are left in the apartment, they give off the most precious, earthy, heady aroma of which I have never tired.

It is, in all actuality, an aroma, a smell that I find I cannot live without. It fulfills me. It makes me part of who I am.

It wasn’t until recently, while sitting in the living room, at my newest “office space”, having watered the plants only moments ago, that I noticed the scent of which I speak.

It is a scent that those, who have not gardened, in any form, do not know. It is a scent that I have come to love, and anticipate when it is time to water my plants here, in the apartment.

And when I do, my senses come alive. It is a smell, an aroma that can’t be imitated, or

Well, it’s probably why I kill all of my plants- from overwatering! Not funny, but probably true. Unfortunately for the plants, but so good for me.

Until next time, please, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

Before the Christmas holidays, and as we were planning on spending said holidays in Los Altos, we bought 5 kilos of instant coffee, in bulk, obviously, to give out as presents. (They drink a lotta instant coffee.)

We got sick. We didn’t go to Los Altos. We still had 5 kilos of instant coffee to give out. Yikes.

I spent some time moving the coffee granules from a large, black plastic bag, into the small plastic bowl, into the smaller plastic containers. Lovely. (We’re going to distribute the Coffee Mate as well. I have to find some used jelly jars for that.)

There are plenty of neighbors here, in the condo, or the guards at the front door, or friends of the guards at the door, or family members of our neighbors that will take free coffee, of that I have little doubt.

We just have to get it downstairs, and into their hands. And out of our kitchen.

As I said in an earlier post, we are going to heavily downsize this year. I don’t care how we do it, but we are going to do it. Ivan is in complete agreement, as well. That’s always a good thing.

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

This is one of the first copies, found in gastronomic history, of the original recipe for Indian Chicken Curry.

It is my mission to make this very recipe, maybe not exactly like the above, but as I’ve seen online, before I die.

I don’t even really know curry tastes like, but it seems to be such a well liked food, I want to try it.

The recipes I’ve seen, which are, actually, very similar to the above, don’t appear to be very complicated, and probably something I can make with moderate success.

Hope so. I’ll let you know.

YouTube videos.

I recently mentioned TrekTrendy, (I think), in one of my posts, and wanted you to know that I have successfully binge watched almost his entire list if vlogs. I didn’t spend much time on the originals as they are so different to the newer ones.

His name is Will Davis, and is someone who reviews luxury vacations, i.e. first class cruise ships, first class, and economy flights all over the world, and, more recently, train rides, again, all over the world.

He takes a flight on a particular airway one time, from, say London to New York, then gives an honest review; how much it costs normally, then how much it cost him. He also tells how he got the price he did, be it with air miles, buying extra miles, etc.

He eats different things from the menu to let you know what to expect when you fly this particular airline, going to this particular part of the world, what is included for the price you’re thinking of paying, and what isn’t.

If the airline is good, but the amenities are crap, he tells you so. If the plane is outstanding, the food the best he’s had in the air, but the bedding is hard to sleep on, he tells you.

It’s an addictive channel as he flies frequently, and I do mean that. He has hundreds of videos flying, sometimes, to, and from the same cities, but on different airlines, to show you what each airline has to offer, not to mention the difference frying this type of airplane, or that one.

The bulk of his vlogs are 10-20 minutes, 10 being more the norm, but he flies almost weekly, and the bulk of those are transcontinental. Those are the most costly flights, and if you’ve never flown that particular airline, or on that type of plane, you may not know what to expect.

He also finds out, especially flying first class, or business, what first class lounges you have available to you, included with your ticket. Not all airlines inform their clients of these features.

Anyway, it’s an amazing time, flying all around the world, in first class. Or taking a cruise, or train, all over the world. They are all places I doubt I will ever see, but can through this channel.

Give it a shot. Let me know what you think.

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

Post script: it’s probably a difficult job but someone has to do it. 🙂

I realized, just recently, why a family member, who passed away a number of years ago, always had a box full of medications from México.

It’s because so many meds are sold over the counter, (which are only sold via a prescription in the US), that a pharmacist, or even a pharmacy assistant, never put their hands on except to put them in a bag, and ring them up at the register.

I would imagine that prescribed meds are put in actual bottles. If they are bought, as I indicated, OTC, they are left in the boxes in which they were received by the pharmacy, as in the above photo.

Each box of Ivan’s Metoprolol is enough for 20 days, and cost us $30MXN/box; the above 5ish month supply of his B/P meds costing us $240MXN, or $13.93USD. And, my 6 month supply of the Lisinopril, which I am just now finding in Walmart, was $438MXN, or $25.41USD.

This past October of 2023, I purchased 15 boxes of Hydrochlorothiazide, (sold in sets of 3 boxes for $89MXN) for a total of $445MXN, or $25.82USD, which will last us for just over 5 months. Not bad, heh?

I feel that the cost is so much less because no one is having to process the meds; you do it yourself, at home, when you open the boxes yourself. You buy what you need, you take it home, and you do with it whatever you wish. Cutting out all of the middle men keeps the cost to a minimum.

Not much else to impart tonite so I’ll see you again in a couple of days.

Until then, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

So many changes have taken place for me in the past few weeks.

I have started wearing summer dresses with spaghetti straps that are just above the knee, 90% polyester, 10% spandex. They are so comfortable, lightweight, cool, nice sizing, and fairly inexpensive.

I have bought several in pretty, bright colors, and patterns, and wear one every day. They allow me to get plenty of sunshine while walking daily. I have also been walking twice a day, most days. I walk, usually, when I can get the most amount of sun, for now. It’s only April.

Here are 2 examples of the dresses I’m wearing this summer. I have 3 more coming. They are similar in touch to a nice tee shirt. Very soft!

I have also restarted exercising, however now I am doing something morning, as well as evening. I am stretching more, especially in the morning, so I am able to walk with a bit less discomfort, and, hopefully, a bit longer. Even after the very first exercise revisit, I felt better having done it.

Having sat in front of my computer for 2 years, using CoVid as an excuse for not going outside, I have become caged in my hips, and lower back. When walking, my lower back muscles feel like they have become rocks. I have to stop, and stretch about every 500 ft. It helps, but this will be better.

Well, that’s all I have to report for now. Kombucha is going well, sourdough starter is sleeping in the fridge, the freezer is full of meat, and the fridge is full of fruits, and veg. All’s right with our world.

Hope yours is too. Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

The other night, we were each watching different things on our computers, Ivan in the big spare bedroom across the hall, (I call it “your room”), and me in our bedroom.

Now, mind you, I have been blowing my runny nose about a gazillion times a day for the past century, when, out of the blue he calls over to me, “is your nose running”?

“Of course”, I said.

“Well, you’d better go get it”, he said.

We both laughed for about 5 minutes.

When was the last time you asked someone that?

Do it when they least expect it. See their reaction.

For me, it was completely unexpected. For us, it was hilarious.

Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

Post script: I retired 5 years ago, as of yesterday. Best decision made that year. Best decision EVER; other than marrying a man my parents didn’t like. Hahaha.

Have you ever heard of such a thing?

My iPhone started acting up the other day, the screen hopping around, changing from one page to another without me doing anything.

I even called my SIL without touching a button. (Fortunately she was able to talk for a few minutes, and, I hope, didn’t think I was too crazed.)

When I Googled “my iPhone is possessed”, low, and behold, up came hundreds of different results regarding possessed phones, and what to do about them.

Evidently, one of the main causes of phones that are demonically possessed is not charging your phone with sanctioned Apple charging equipment, and next is your screen protector.

I restarted my phone, twice; nothing. The ghost lives.

I took off the screen protector; better, but still twitchy. Still changing pages on me without being requested to do so.

After that, I did a quick systems update, and am waiting for that to finish.

Removing the screen protector, for whatever reason, seemed to make a significant difference.

I’ll let you know if the update plays any part.

Until then, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.

Post script: same day.

Conclusion: The ghost is gone for now. The phone is fully charged on the sanctioned Apple charging equipment that I always use, but I have not replaced the screen protector yet. There have been no changing pages, or ghostly phone calls to the US, so thank you Google responses.

Post post script: WRONG. The phone is no longer of any use. The ghost is alive, and well. Now I have to save up a few hundred dollars for a new phone. This one of Ivan’s is too old to perform as needed. No snobbery, just that it has to be efficient enough to be my mobile office.