Rust ~ Post No. 15

This poor old truck is the last of Jane's contributions, but she's been to New Mexico so there may be more. If not, I have a few of my own to post. After that, I need to drive around the countryside to look for more. A fun project to get me out of the house.

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OK, I put this post and the next one up a while ago. Now I need to give a status report on my health:

First of all, I have Type 1 diabetes. The kind also known as Juvenile diabetes. It's an autoimmune disease, where your body turns on itself, which mine decided to do when I was 49 years old. In Type 1, the body no longer produces insulin. None. In Type 2, the body becomes resistant to insulin, but still produces it. I'm immensely grateful that I didn't get this when I was young. That would have really cramped my style, as the saying goes. Mine is called 'adult onset' Type 1 and is very rare. 

It took almost a week, then yesterday a full-fledged cold set in. I'm glad, because I didn't feel good about the constant cough. Now that I'm sneezing, and blowing my nose, I feel sort of relieved. At least I know what it is.

Thanks for your cleaning help comments. I think my problem is mostly when I get ill and can't do it myself. Or when a big holiday, like Christmas, approaches with so many other things to do. So I would wish for a cleaning service that could be trusted to just come in whenever there's a need and just clean house. Living this isolated, it may be difficult. Many of the service people in town won't come out here. Or that's what I hear. But I haven't investigated it myself. I will do that when I get better. 

My new vacuum cleaner works well and is light and easy on the new floors. I also bought a whole Swiffer set up and that works well too. The floors are dark, so the fur Faith constantly sheds doesn't show. Seeing the new dark floors,  Samson must have decided that his pretty white fur would decorate it nicely. So he decided to shed -  his overcoat (?), before winter (?). Usually they shed their undercoats in the spring. He hasn't done that since he was about five. Dogs!

Finally, my friend Carol told me they ordered a special crush for gravel that would be comfortable for their large dog to walk on. They now have it in their yard and it works great, she said. She will find out the name of it and that, plus a few large indoor/outdoor rugs, may solve the problem of all the sand the dogs drag in. 

I just have to remember that a lot has gotten done and the rest will get done too. And that patience is a virtue.....

Getting Sick This Time Of Year

is really a drag. 

Not feeling well has brought the issue of needing help with house cleaning to the forefront of my mind. This is the season, after all, to enjoy the glitter of Christmas decorations in a clean and shining house.

Most of my girlfriends have help with cleaning their homes, starting this when they were busy working, busy moms, and so on. I've had help occasionally, but while enjoying the results, never really liked having someone in my house. 

As I'm growing old, I wonder about this. I want to manage everything for as long as I can. I also think it's good to maintain my strength, as best I can, by doing things, lifting, bending, cleaning, and so on. Actually, I have been sweeping my new porch a lot and that's a good workout. And with two dogs, who show their love for their new doggie door by running in and out, in and out, dropping the dirt stuck in their paws on my new floors, there's plenty for me to do. 

And so my thoughts go, as I'm wondering what may be wrong with me now. This has been going on for almost a week, low grade fever, cough, high blood sugars, which make me so tired. 

I have drapes to iron, floors to polish, laundry to do, and so on. Guests are coming and I want to have a pretty house, a clean house, for the holidays. 

My not so clean house right now.

Ack, yes, I do know this is minor, but sometimes kvetching a bit and getting some feedback, really helps. 

I did get one load of laundry done and hung on the line today. A bee landed on my pink sweatshirt, mistaking it for a flower, no doubt. Thanksgiving came with 80 degree weather, today it must be at least 75, tomorrow is predicted in the mid to high 40s. Poor bee, I thought, and all the rest of the critters who must be so confused by this weather. 

Samson Says: Isn't it time to sing: Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow now? (His tear duct problem causes the brown stuff to leak from his eyes. Looks awful, but he doesn't seem to suffer.)



Faith Disagrees: No, no, let the sun shine and the temps rise to keep me warm. 

So life goes on, the house gets clean, windows washed, drapes hung, furniture polished, and friends come by and put things in perspective as to what really matters. 

Giving Thanks

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. 

~ Rachel Carson

Today, I am grateful for still being able to hike and enjoy a beautiful morning in the canyon.

I am grateful for my 30 years with Errol. I miss you more now.......

I am grateful for my family and friends here in the US, in Sweden, and other places around the world. And, of course, I am grateful for you, my blogger friends, who have been so supportive and kind throughout the years.

I am so very grateful for Samson and Faith.  

They keep me going, they get me up in the mornings, they make me play, they take me for walks and hikes, whether I want to or not. 

I am grateful for nature, for living close to it, where it's still relatively unhurt by humans.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

Samson Goes Visiting And Climbs A Mountain (No, A Steep Hill)

Samson Says: Felt like a mountain to me!

When I drove Samson to the vet for what turned out to be his unsuccessful eye surgery, I promised him that the next time we went somewhere in the Jeep it would be for something fun.

I called Mary and asked if we could come for a visit. She agreed, so off we went. It's not far, a couple of miles, but nature at Mary's place is totally different with scrub oaks and many other kinds of trees replacing the junipers that dot my hillsides. 

And the views are magnificent. Mary lives on top of one steep hill and below another, with deep canyons on each side. So gorgeous! We went for a hike and climbed to the top of the hill above her house.

Samson: What's this? I didn't expect to find a surfboard on a mountain top. Mary: It belonged to my son, would you like to step up on it? 

Samson: Not sure, auntie Mary, I think I'll just walk around it. 

But Mary was determined to get Samson to pose on it. 

She was very patient and kind. Samson to himself: OK, if this is what she wants, I'll do it. Humans have some strange ideas every now and then, us dogs know this and just play along.......

Thanks, Samson, I got a nice picture of the two of you to share. 

And there's nothing, well maybe food, that Samson likes better than to climb a mountain. As in the John Muir quote below, it truly kindles his enthusiasm and makes his every nerve quiver. He drags me uphill, so full of happiness. This is just what I wanted for him. And I'm grateful to Mary for making it happen. 


We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.

~ John Muir

Rust ~ Post No. 14

An old firetruck - another priceless contribution by my friend Jane. Note the red light on the fender. I bet this old truck has some tales to tell.

Samson Update

Samson went in for his tear duct surgery yesterday. Unfortunately, it didn't work. The vet said he couldn't even get the catheter in far enough to take the X-rays he'd hoped to send to the veterinary opthalmologist. 

He said, though, that Samson's eyes looked better than last time. We got a new medicine then that the vet mixed himself and I give to Samson twice a day. Then the NeoPolyDex three times a day. The brown stuff that leaks out of Samson's eyes is a protein and I learned that it's better brown than yellow, which it was earlier. 

We left it that I will continue with the eye drops and the warm washcloths for another month, then evaluate again. My understanding is that Samson will eventually need to see the ophalmologist, who's somewhere on Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles. That somewhere could be pretty close or far away as Sepulveda is one of those really, really long L.A. streets. 

I will find out where this place is located and  compile a list of questions for this vet, then call to find out what's involved. I imagine several visits would be needed. Before surgery, surgery, after surgery, then there's Samson's liver issues, apparently something special had to be done  yesterday because of that. Then a new place, a long drive, oh well....... I will need help. 

I feel so bad for Samson who is such a trooper when it comes to going to the hospital. As we drove there, I promised him that I would take him on a much better ride in the Jeep. To a fun place, maybe auntie Mary's house, where we could visit the horses that stay in her barn. I feel so bad for him right now and I just want him to have some fun. 

The pictures here are all old. This is one of my favorites.  It shows how sweet he is. He is the kindest and the only totally unselfish dog I have ever known. 

Samson Says: That's easy mommy, all you have to do is give me some more food, or some of those good smelling little treats you got. 

My Mom ~ Gone Now For 31 Years

I love to see you, young and carefree, in photos before life brought you so much sadness. 

For me, you were the best mom, you were the mom I was meant to have. I always knew this, I always appreciated it, felt so blessed because of it. You never judged the choices I made in life. You gave me moral standards to live by and you gave me strength to deal with life's difficulties. From you, I learned that to love someone is to set them free. You did this for me. You helped me to move all the way here, thousands of miles away, when you figured out, long before I did, that I needed to leave. I was fragile then, but never again, thanks to you. 

So mom, you live in my heart and I will always love you. 

Just A Quick Note

to thank you for your comments and to let you know that we are OK.

Samson is feeling great and that's such a joy. I attribute it to the change in food we put him on during the summer. It's called Wellness and Chewy's have it. The vet also recommended Zukes for treats. These tiny tidbits smell so great, your dog thinks he got a steak. Samson will have surgery on the 10th. His vet has never done this surgery before, but I trust him. Instead of the cannula he inserted into Samson's tear ducts without success, he now will insert a catheter that will enable him to take X-rays that can be forwarded to the veterinary ophamologist in Los Angeles. But one day and one thing at a time and right now Samson is so happy and feeling so good and that's all that matters.

Faith had her wellness exam and weighed in at 61 pounds of sheer muscle. The vet left this comment on the receipt: "Continue excellent care." This made me feel good even though I don't really do anything for her, except throw balls and let her run around.

I'm feeling good too and will take some time to visit all of you and also prepare a proper post to update with pictures of the floors and house. All that's needed on the house is a second coat on the top of the east side of the house and paint on the front door. Then both the pump house and the dog house need roofing material added, which Glenn may do tomorrow since rain is predicted for the weekend. The rest of the renovation work will be done in the spring. I'm very happy with the colors I picked for the house and it feels great to have come this far.

And, yes, I do love trains and many, many come through here each day.  The cement plant, not so much, but it's been here for a very long time and provides employment for locals.