Category: Initial post

I woke up today with my attitude adjusted, and am going to have a great day.

The metal works came yesterday for the pantry, and, hopefully, we will put those up today some time. It should not take very long, if we can drill deep enough into the walls.

All of the walls here, save one, are concrete, and take a bit of umph when drilling. Sometimes the bits do not want to work that hard, sometimes they do; just depends on the day. I would really like them to work today. It would sure free up some cupboard space in the pantry for me.

While I was waking up today, I was thinking about, possibly, putting one of the bars in the kitchen, underneath the knife bars. That probably will not happen; doubt he will go for it. And I am not completely convinced I would appreciate all of the cast iron hanging on that wall, in particular. Nah. Let us forget that notion.

Going to go have a cup of coffee, wake up a bit more, then, maybe, do some stairs. Nah; just coffee. It is only six thirty. Later.

Stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

After twenty years of working with computers, I accidentally dropped my brand new iPad MacBook Pro 13” computer off the front side of my TV tray. Whhhhaaatttt??

Of course the screen broke. Never before have I broken a screen. I have almost never even dropped my phone. Here is what happened. I was hoping that it was just the “screen protector”, but noooooo.

I am absolutely sick about this. It was expensive, too, a few years ago. I looked away for about a millisecond; the next thing I knew, I was watching it go over the edge of the table. I had it open, and I was “watching” Bosch, while, at the same time, I had my smaller 11” sort of resting on the front edge of it, and I was playing WordStack. As I pushed the 11” away from me a bit, it also moved the 13”; right off the table.

I cannot believe this has happened. We are, however, healthy, and we were happy. Now, we are just healthy. Bummer.

You, on the other hand, need to do the very thing. Stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

AND DO NOT DROP YOUR COMPUTER ON THE FLOOR.

Post script: yesterday the dizzy spell, today the broken computer. Hope this is not a trend. Attitude adjustment coming soon. Damn good thing I do not drink anymore.

Liz, and I, walked to the market yesterday, just to pick out a very few things. While we were walking towards the small shop selling the chicken….

I started sweating, became very nauseated, my eyes were swimming, and, it felt like I was going to defecate. Lovely!

Fortunately, there was a metal bench just within reach of where we were standing, so I went to it like a magnet. Of course, when Liz asked me if I was ok, I said that, for the most part, yes. Liar!!!! And, of course, she has a brain in her head, and could tell that I was not ok.

I asked her to finish getting the items we needed, so as not to have made the walk a complete loss, and she did. She was also good enough, over a minor protest from me, to call Jesús to come and pick us up.

No, I said, I will be ok in just a few minutes. I will be able to walk the kilometer back to the apartment. Really. Liar.

Needless to say, embarrassed as I always am when this happens in public, I accepted the assistance, got in the car, with a bit of help, went home, and spent the rest of the day in bed.

It has been awhile, close to a year, as I remember it, that a spell has gotten that far out of hand. Normally, if I do a few little magical things, I can get myself out of it, and go on about my business; no one the wiser. Not so yesterday.

I absolutely abhor the feelings that come over me; it render me so helpless. All I want to do is run away, vomit, and go to bed; it is exhausting.

Years ago, before moving here, a physician told me it was BPPV, or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. It is caused by a microscopic crystal in my inner ear that becomes loose, and floats to a part of the ear that is in charge of the brain’s feeling of stability. All of the symptoms that follow is the brain trying to “right” itself. All I can say is KNOCK IT OFF, WILL YOU?

If you know anyone that has this, it is not make believe, and, it is NOT funny. I have only vomited a handful of times, but, when one is in public, where does one go to do that? There is no where to go.

Enough of me. I am better today, though still not one hundred percent, so I am going to go lay down again. In the meantime, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

Two of them; two series finished; finally.

Of course I will watch them again; it is just what I do. When I find a series into which I put all of the time needed to finish it, it is a series that is, IMHO, worth watching.

Supernatural, and Goliath. I finally finished Supernatural, after only three years trying to get there. Then, last night, I finished season four of Goliath. Both worth watching. I have not however, been able to finish Blacklist, because we cannot get anything past season seven here yet.

Remember, we do not get the final season of many series until a year, or so, after it has aired in the US. Even with a subscription to Prime Video, via Amazon, or Netflix, etc., it is still some time before we can finish a series. That said, I end up having to re-watch a couple of episodes, or even a few seasons, in order to pick up where I ended.

Not to mention, as I have before, I do not always watch a series; sometimes I only listen to it, with an occasional glance while I am knitting. I am knitting again, the baby blanket for Lizbeth, so I am back to glancing.

I am also “watching” Elementary, again. It is definitely one I can knit and listen. Bull was good, to a degree; as was the Good Doctor. The latter, in the fourth season, is airing the CoVid episodes. Just glad I am no longer an active nurse.

Am open to new, used, enjoyed series suggestions. Whether I can watch them here will be a crap shoot, so bring them on.

Until then, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

We ordered a couple of metal pipe bar racks from Amazon the other day. Should be here in a couple of days.

I am hoping they will be strong enough to hold my cast iron pans. If not, Home Depot, here we come.

Galvanized pipe is what I would really like; kind of like this.

Is that the neatest thing? I do not have quite that many cast iron pans, but I do have several. And, to hang them on the wall will free up quite a bit of cupboard space that could be put to better use. Plus, it is difficult, getting the pots, and pans out of the cupboard when they are surrounded by food items. Wah, wah, wah.

I will let you know, and show you, how it turns out. As it is almost four o’clock in the morning, and my legs are dancing a jig under the table as I am trying to type this, it will be a bit before I return to my bed. Going to try a glass of water.

Stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

Post script: the glass(es) of water did nothing except ensure I needed to go to the bathroom after I laid down. I went out to the kitchen, made a pot of coffee, drank a cup while having a small plate of papaya, then went to bed and slept for a few hours. Coffee. That is crazy.

This evening, I was going to close the window in the laundry room, over the washer. It is difficult, at best, because I have some flowers on the small ledge, between the window, and the washing machine. They have a tendency to want to jump over the edge, and I am having none of it.

So…… I got to thinking about what extra piece of board, or cookie sheet, or something I could use to bridge that area, and keep the plants from their mission. Then, it came to me.

A few weeks ago, when “the guys” were going to bring the new shelves, etc., for the pantry, I had to do some moving, then, ugh, cleaning, behind the metal cart that used to occupy that space. One thing lead to another, as it usually does, and I ended up cleaning out the area where the water heater is; that space behind the glass door, next to the dryer.

While I was there, I moved a couple of white tiles, cling wrapped, that were left over from the original tile flooring installation, eons ago. Ding!!!

You know how this ends. I got those two tiles, unwrapped them, moved the w/d around a bit, and voila! A new plant shelf was in existence; at no cost to anyone. No more suicidal plants. Score!!!

Now, the violets, and the orchids get Northern exposure, and mild, indirect sun all morning, and quite a bit of the afternoon, as well. Could not be happier. Hubs thought it was a great idea, too. Of course, he did not say that exactly, but it was implied. One just needs to know how to interpret what he does say. 😉

Stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones. No one can do it for you.

We were in bed the other morning, at about one thirty, and heard this tapping coming from somewhere in the bedroom. But, where, and what was it?

Rain. It was pouring down rain outside. We had the bedroom window open, as usual, and the rain was so strong, and, at the perfect angle, to come in through the screen. It was tapping on the sill, on the inside of the window.

When I got up to close the window, it is on my side of the bed, I noticed that the “curtain”, a lightweight, but dark green blanket, was soaking wet. Damn.

Window closed.

Back to bed. Back to sleep.

Later, after we got up, I reopened the window, and, the sun was shining. I knew it would not take long for the blanket to dry, so, I left it. And, as it is raining more often than not, why bother with it? And, as we leave the windows open almost 24/7, it is bound to get wet again.

Stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

We took the Garcia’s, with their enthusiastic permission, to be examined by our dentist; Dra. Priscila Solis.

Gabi, with Jesús holding him, was the first to be seen. At four years old, and this, being the first time he has gone to a dentist, he wanted no part of said exam. Eventually, after several minutes of crying sorrowfully, she asked Jesús to go out to the waiting room, leaving Gabi in there, with her; all by himself.

It took her only a very few minutes to get his attention, calm him down, then look at his teeth. When he came out to the waiting room, he brought a new friend; Ratón.

Next went Jesús. He survived his ordeal as well, then, Liz went in. She was in there for about fifteen minutes, all told. Their plans for her have to wait, however, until she is further along in her pregnancy, as doctor wants X-rays of both her teeth, and those of Jesús. His we can get this coming weekend, but hers will have to wait until at least December.

Not a bad morning, if you were not Gabi. His morning improved greatly, after meeting his new friend.

Stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

There has been little going on these past few days; we went to the store, but that is not exciting.

I drowned my favorite plant, the Aeonium Kiwi. You knew I would so do not act so surprised.

I did, however, recover quite a few of the leaves, and am trying to see if they will reproduce. If not, well, then, I will have to beg an offshoot from one of the ladies to which I gave them earlier. Hopefully, one of them will take pity on me.

I am, also, acclimating all of the survivors to the changing temperature here by opening the windows, just a bit, when I first get up in the morning. At that hour, it is, usually, about fifty eight degrees, getting up to the low seventies by mid afternoon. It does not stay that warm for long, however; not in our apartment that is. About four o’clock in the afternoon, or five, it starts to cool down. Works for me.

Liz is definitely with child, and has gone with Jesús, and Gabi, for her first ultrasound. She is quite a bit bigger than her three months would indicate, but we shall see when they get back. We are praying all is going well this time.

I keep telling Liz that I am going to make a batch of white bread, but I keep putting it off. I cannot say why, because I do not know myself. I think I will say that it is because we bought a bag full of beautiful small homemade buns from Costco the other day. They smell divine, and taste as fresh as if they had just come from the oven.

You may be interested to know that I got quite a bit of sleep last night. How, you ask? Ibuprofen 400 mg.; that is how. We broke down, and bought a box at Costco. Kripes. It was about the same price as a pair of trainers I posted awhile ago. (I just realized that we bought Advil, not Ibuprofen. They did not have the generic, or, maybe I just did not see it.)

Not quite. That was a bit of an exaggeration. They are gel caps, because that was all they had, 400mg., and cost $11 for 40 of the buggers. Last month, I bought two big mega containers of 200mg Ibuprofen tablets, from Amazon in the US, that went to my SIL’s house, and are, hopefully, on their way here. The Tylenol just does not stop the jumpy legs like Ibuprofen.

Ibuprofen, and ten minutes of my back stretching, seems to be the magic combo. That video, from Daily OM, has made all of the difference in my legs relaxing, or not. I have used it enough times that I have the workout, short and sweet, memorized. Therefore, I no longer need to take my iPad out to the living room with me. Or find, and use, my ear buds. Yay. At least I can remember something. 😉

Stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones. Please.

Here is the first photo of the new baby that belongs to the Garcia’s. They just returned from having their first ultrasound, and both said I could post it.

I am calling the baby “she” because it is wishful thinking. The baby that died was female, Lupita is her name, so I think they need to have another girl.

It was so cute. Jesús held up the ultrasound, and I took the photo, with the window covering in the background. I showed the photo to Gabi, and asked him if he knew what that was. He shook his head, so I told him it was a baby, in his mother’s belly. He looked at the photo, then went over to Liz, and put his hand on her belly, and smiled. The memory of it makes me smile, too.

Then, I told him it was either a new brother, or sister; which did he prefer? Of course, he wants a brother. The rest of us just want a healthy baby, born when he/she is supposed to be born, and with all of the requisites necessary for a long, and happy life; in the time of CoVid. *(note below)

Of course, I will keep you updated on their progress through the next months. I do not believe Liz had prenatal vitamins, and good prenatal care like she does now, so we are all praying that this will help with this baby’s development, and prognosis. More later.

Until then, continue to stay happy, and healthy, and safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

* This is a reference to the book, Love in the Time of Cholera (Spanish: El amor en los tiempos del cólera) a novel by Colombian Nobel prize winning author Gabriel García Márquez. The novel was first published in Spanish in 1985. Alfred A. Knopf published an English translation in 1988. I always thought the title interesting.