"Lady Blue" and Other News

Lady Blue is back home today. The guy at the transmission shop told me that wherever I had had it serviced (I am thinking it was west TX, on the way home) they put the wrong gasket on the oil pan and had dinged the pan in and that was the cause of my leak. He kept it there an extra day just to make sure of no leaks. Said it drove and shifted like it should. I am very thankful thats all that was wrong.

 

My brother and SIL left their home in Tuscon, Arizona today to make their way here to PA in their motorhome. Their kids and grands are anxious to see them. What a reunion that will be!

 

I have been making some progress as to getting back to a realistic meals/snacks plan, and as a result I have been starting to feel better. I have been able to do more yard work and have been enjoying it. I decided that some of these overgrown flowerbeds are just going to have to be totally pulled out and re-done. I did find a good natural weed killer on-line. Would you believe white vinegar???? Full strength in your sprayer. Well if it doesn't rain I will be trying it tomorrow and will take before and after pictures to post.

 

My electrician grandson came Sunday afternoon and put up 3 ceiling fans for me! I was so glad to get this done. I had bought them last year. This year is already warm and quite humid. 

 

A week ago I "inherited" a couple of my grandmother's paintings, as my 3 cousins were settling my uncle's estate. He had passed away in Dec of last year. These are now hanging over my loveseat in the room where I paint.Great inspiration for me.

 

 

Memorial Day weekend will find my family gathered at my son Robert's home for a picnic, as he is still in a wheel chair. So we are bringing the picnic to him! He has been a trooper with very little (in his eyes) advancement and his wife has been very faithful and consistant in his care. She has been a jewel! It will be good to have us all together in one place at the same time.

 

Hope you all enjoy your Memorial Day celebrations. I am sure we will all be remembering those who have given their lives for our freedom.

 



Another project finished

Its been rainy and cold the last few days. Even had some snow which didn't stay around, but it was snow. Haven't been outside. Just huddled in my great-room with my fake fireplace on, and finished these......

My first attempt at knitting cables. I am pretty happy with them, so happy I am wearing them today!

 

I attempted to take some pictures of birds at my feeders this morning. Yes, that is an oriole on the wire of the seedfeeder. He's looking at the empty hummingbird feeder on the tree beside them. Flickers are fun to watch

as well as the downy woodpeckers and little goldfinches here.

I also had male and female cardinals visit, but the pictures did not turn out at all. The bluejays left before I could even grab my camera. Yesterday I snapped this photo of the little hummer outside my window.

 

and the jay up in the treetop

Supposed to start clearing and warming up today. Good day for a walk...

 

What now?

"The Old Road...."

 

I have been "home" a month now. I have planted one raised bed of my garden, and the asparagus and rhubarb are up strong. I considered getting some chickens to put in the coop, maybe a few turkeys to raise for thanksgiving meals. I even fell in love with a couple goat kids listed on craigs*list,

and my bees are flying.

 

I got a parakeet to put into my birdcage I got last fall, well 2 of them...

I've worked on my yard and flower beds.... some. I have my chiminea set up near my outdoor swing.

I have visited with my kids and grands, and even some cousins .......

 

For some reason, I am just not getting into this "home-body" thing. I feel restless... I have been experiencing anxiety feelings again, and anger feelings because my 'whatever' wants to cry; and I, well I just want to get on with my life.....

 

My motorhome sits with a tran-y leak til next Monday when it goes to the repair shop to see whats wrong. Otherwise I'd probably be outta here.

 

My plans were to stay in PA til just after Christmas next year. Why can I not be content for very long??? Why can't I feel settled?? Will life never be normal again? I know.... normal is a figment of the imagination....

No need for comments. Just had to get this out.

 

 

Good-bye Arizona!

Time has come to head back east.

 

I will be taking a vacation from blogging and facebook for a while.

I will be reading all your blogs from time to time, just won't be posting.
I am thankful for the ones I have met while here and for the places I have been able to see.
I just need a break to get back to my "roots" and review my goals and life directions.

 

May you all be safe on your journeys.

 



Another trip to Mexico

Saturday morning we decided to make a run to Mexico so I could get some of my medicines. Soon as we walked out of the parking lot, we go down this ramp and through a building walkway to the right, through a gate, into the Mexican side of Nogales.

As soon as we got to street level we saw all the taxi's lined up, both sides of the street, to take visitors wherever they would wish to go.

Drivers stood calling out, "Taxi, taxi, you need a taxi??" The wall on the right where the taxis are lined up, is the border between the states and Mexico.

 My brother was getting some stitches removed at the dentist office where he had had some work done recently. I like the intricate detailed street lights. The pace here is slow and people take time to sit or stand and chat. There are benches made from metal at various places along the streets.

I was delighted to see these "dancers" coming down the street. I had never known of this before.

They had goat-like hats on their heads with horns and droopy ears, and masks on their faces.

One carried a box for donations, one a drum, others with maracas...

They wore belts of shot-gun shells, made to add to the music as they did their dance,

And legging-like things made from soda cans into hundreds of little bells that tinkled in time to the music. Oh what fun this was to watch them as they imitated the goats and did a dance much as you would see in the movie "Dances With Wolves". That was the highlight of my day!! 

Here is a picture of some of their wares that I hadn't seen last time. Lots of neat metalwork.

When I saw this blanket I could not pass it up. This was just made for on my sofa at home in my den! It is made from Alpaca wool. More than I wanted to pay (even after bargaining him down to half)

but well worth it. It is beautiful and soft!

We finished off with getting a fantastic meal at a restaurant called "Lee's", recommended by a local person. It was beautiful inside, and the food was excellent!

Oh, yes.... I drove the RAV4 for the trip there and decided I like it VERY much!

 

Later this week, we leave for a camping trip to the Dragoon Mountains. It will be My brother's and s-i-l's first RV trip.  We are planning to have a great time!



Snow in Tucson

WhenRon and Carol went to town this morning I opted to stay "home", as I needed to contact my insurance agency and had a few other online and phone chores. I told him they could take the RAV if they wanted as I knew he's been itching to drive it, but he said no. A while later I was glad he didn't.

Snow started to come down, or rather side-ways, and it turned into blizzard-like conditions for a while. I could hardly believe my eyes...

Must be because of Global warming ....

It clung to the ground...

and clung to the trees...and even the cacti looked silly wearing their snow bonnets!

And there was snow all over my pretty new blue RAV

Then it stopped almost as quickly as it had started and went away. No snowman building today!

Tonight it started up again and came down even heavier. Brother said he hadn't seen anything like it since moving to Arizona several years ago. If there is still snow tomorrow I am building me a snowman!!!

 

Keep warm out there!

Tomorrow... Lady Blue's new Matey!

Been planning, been researching, been waiting, been looking, and praying;

There is was, right in front of my eyes!

What I had hoped for...

What I had pondered and prayed about...

My new (to me) Toad!  "98 Toyota RAV4

AND IT'S BLUE!!

 

4-W drive, 117k easy miles (14 yrs old), cloth seats, great condition inside, outside, and underneath; 20-24 mpg, one owner, carfax, like new tires, tow-ready, manual tranny so I don't have to jump through hoops to tow it! ...... and at a price much less than I expected to have to pay for a vehicle for my needs and purposes!

 

Yay! Desert backroads here we come! Enough room for pups and paint!

For visiting relatives on my travels without having to camp in their yard!

Now I am ready to apply for volunteer work. These "things" are only a means by which we are able to accomplish our goals or missions in life.  There is more for me to do in my remaining years.

 (more on that later)!

 

Jeremiah 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.'