Summer's Last Hurrah?

As I write this at 2 pm on Monday, it's 106 in the shade on my patio and 114 at Joyce's house. I hope this is summer's last hurrah as far as heat goes. 

I swear, I will not buy any more stuff until Chrismas! I've just had a need to spoil myself and my dogs, but too much online shopping equals too many cardboard boxes that you then need to dispose of. I'm driving away from the dump's recycle place in the photo, which I took the other day.  

I'm wearing a mask because of the smoke.

 This is our road, Joyce's and mine.

Today, the smoke is better and my mind is on my relatives in New Orleans, Errol's aunt and uncle, now both close to 90 years old. The uncle is suffering with Parkinson's. As hurricane Ida  approached, I'm sure they evacuated to their daughter's house in Houston, but still, at their age. But good they have a place to go. 

I'm supposed to take care of some business relating to my trust today. I need to call a woman in Bakersfield to find out if she will be the backup trustee for my living trust. The trustee is onboard, but a backup is also needed. 

I will do it tomorrow, Tuesday. Even when I'm inside the house with the portable a/c unit blasting cool air, the heat still seems to affect me. Lazy typing for my blog seems to be all I can manage today. 

The other day, sitting in my bed, I had quite the scare: Something was moving under my bed. Something pretty big. Then this head popped out:

Usually, my dogs have just put their heads underneath the bed to escape the heat. I guess Faith figured a whole-body experience would be more beneficial. 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Meet My New "Assistants"

Memory Assistant

 

General Subject Notebook

As I'm ageing, I find that I have no problem remembering things when I pay attention. And I mean not just the kind of attention I got away with in my younger years, but really serious attention. 

But when I don't, I may forget. I've forgotten several small things lately. Not appointments, but the name of a teller at the bank, someone I may need to contact again. This after I specifically asked for her name. I forgot about an e-mail from a friend with some important information, things like that. Nothing major, but still things I should remember. Would always have remembered.  

So, instead of being depressed about these things, I ordered the two notebooks, pictured above. 

Designed by Vera Bradley, one of my favorite purse and tote bag designers, I found these on Amazon. I wanted them to be pretty and cheer me up and her stuff always does. 

Getting old can be scary. So far, I'm not scared, but I don't like the fact that I can't remember things as well as I used to. So now I hope my new little memory assistant will help me.

I don't know how I will use it yet, but it feels like a fun thing to try.

Do I carry it around with me? 

I have to think about that. 

Maybe in time I will, right now I think I'm OK. 

I will use the larger book for various things: Record my blood sugar values when my diabetes goes bonkers. I usually keep records for a day or two and then my sugars usually get back to where they need to be. 

I will use it to note the hours Mark works when he comes to help me, and what I paid him. And for whatever else may come up. I love to have a large notebook to write in. It's so much easier than the smaller ones. 

Looking at their cheerful covers, these two notebooks will always make me smile. 

Thank you, Vera Bradley, you are the best.

Sunday Morning Reflections

 

As the moon rises over a smoky landscape, it's clear that we are beginning to pay the price for how we have lived our lives. Careless with cars, plastic, air travels, and all the rest. Probably just a small price now, but arriving sooner than we thought. Only to grow in size and consequence in years to come.

Many of us are doing better, some of you are fantastic when it comes to protecting our earth through your daily life actions.

I'm not that good, but I'm a work in progress. 

We should all aim to be at least that.

Wordless Wednesday

Before sunrise.

Uninspired

Feeling about as uninspired as Aretha when she looked out on the morning rain, in one of my favorite songs of the day, I looked through my recent photos to see if I could find something of interest to blog about. 

I recently stopped on my way home and took this picture. Not sure why, I probably liked the tall lamp posts framing the picture. Or just to see what the sun would do.

 

A semi is parked down the road. Love's and that J one, Flying J, have been added to our landscape on the way to town to take care of truckers who need to spend the night. Some still seem to prefer to stay by themselves. I'm sure I would too, if I were one of them.

Then I took this picture, facing north. The railroad tracks go by the side of the road. As you know, I love the trains and having them as a part of my life here.

 

I also love my car, absolutely love it. I still don't take the freeway when I go to town, just the road that goes parallel to it, a 55 mph road. I started out getting about 31 plus miles per gallon and after catching on that I could work on my driving and my car would show me how well I did, I'm now getting 32 plus mpg. I don't remember exactly how much over 32. 

At the end of each drive, you get a score, little stems pop up with leaves, the more leaves the better you did, environmentally. And the screen also lets you know how many miles are left until your tank is empty. I think it starts at 450 miles. This car is so much fun and so amazing. 

I still have a lot to learn. 

For anyone thinking about buying a new car, but not wanting to go fully electric, I strongly recommend getting a hybrid. 

The end of my uninspired post. 

Just kidding, I know I found some inspiration along the way.

Conversations With Faith

Me: I bet I know what you want.

Faith: Please.

Me: Oh, Faith, please don't look at me like that.

Faith: I see what's on your feet.

Me: Hiking boots, I know. 

Faith: So are we going hiking?

Me: No, but we'll walk on the road. 

Faith: Yippee!

Me: You sound like a cowboy!

Faith: What's a cowboy, I thought all cows were girls?

Me: They are.

Faith: People are so strange...