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 My blog was filled up. I'm too lazy to clean it out. So I started a new one. |
| Anyone who read a few of my blog entries knows I am a TV addict. Hard to believe, as a young adult, I didn't even own a TV. I guess I am making up for lost time, since I mostly watch reruns. I have to see Zorro whenever I can. It was a Disney show that my brothers and I watched as children. We only knew he always won and made a Z with his sword. Now I see that there is an ongoing theme. I record them so that I don't miss any episodes when I am out and about. Then I binge watch! I don't know how I missed Guy Williams all these years. He was so handsome and genteel. He has passed away, but had two mega hits, Zorro and Lost In Space. He retired to Argentina after the second show, saying he had made enough income from two successful shows that he and his family could live happily the rest of his life. I had to research him, and discovered he was an excellent horseman and swordsman, perfect for Zorro. He couldn't sing though. Disney uses music from time to time, and there are some cute songs on the show. After the first time Zorro sang, they never let him do it again. He took guitar lessons from a world famous guitarist, but his singing was done by one of the men singing the theme song. Zorro means fox. I was inspired to read a book written decades after the Disney version by Allende, a South American. It was very interesting and gave more of the history of California, throwing in a little history of Spain, and New Orleans. It is not a book for children, too much violence and horror. Disney apparently got their idea from a novel titled The Prisoner of Capistrano. |
| This is a movie starring Willie Nelson. I have never been impressed with his acting, but he's a good ol' boy who can sing and write songs. So I watched it, but found it very entertaining. It also starred a lot of older actors, once star attractions. There they were with white hair, extra weight, wrinkles and double chins. I had fun identifying stars as they appeared, then had to keep them straight throughout the film. Chuck Conners was very handsome and athletic during his career, but at the time of this film, he was still lean, though worn out looking. Some of the appearance was costuming and make-up, but all of them had seen better days. Richard Widmark was always a fine dramatic actor in my book, and his part in it was the main reason I decided to give it a try. Included was Stuart Whitman, Jack Elam, Royal Dano, Richard Widmark, Dub Taylor, Ken Curtis, and Harry Carey Jr. Angie Dickinson appeared only briefly in a few blurry memories, then made an entrance at the end, The movie was made in 1988, and although it had a serious plot, there were many comical elements. Near the end, they actually stood in a line together so you could see the whole line-up. If you don't like westerns, this one won't win you over. However, if you love old movies and seeing older stars, this is your film. For the slightly younger adult, Shaun Cassidy, who was not unattractive when he grew up, plays the only real "bad guy" in this film about crime and going straight in your twilight years. |
| when I was still commuting to work, every Monday morning I would make my bed and think, "Another work week lies ahead." It would seem like I already did that scenario only a few minutes before. A whole week condensed to mere minutes of monotony. Now it's grocery shopping or running errands, Wasn't I just at the store or gas station or bank? And everyday you have to worry about what to fix for dinner, especially since I'm trying to be healthier and not flying with the mood of the moment. And dust keeps collecting where I know I just cleaned. Laundry never ends. This unending repetition and monotonous chores hit me while I was cleaning the patio and pulling weeds. A flower bed is never weed-free. I will never reach a day when I can sit back and say my yard is done for the week. I might be done, but the yard is constantly growing and changing. Morning glory and ivy will not go away. No one is immune from taking out the garbage on a regular basis for pick up or cleaning or car washing. When you become obsessed with it or feel overwhelmed, is that a sign you need a vacation? No, can't leave the dust and the grass alone that long. |
| I am quite willing to try new things. Many I never repeat. I don't bake much any more, so I'm not trying those type recipes. I am into making my own salad dressings. I have found a formula for putting one together that allows a lot of different ingredients to be tried. I've also gotten into making up my own soups and salads. All are without added salt, of course. I might start out with a recipe, then take off on my own. It's amazing what you can do with the versatile tomato. And fruit! Since I've learned to poach fish, I use fruit with that. Great combinations. All you need is a little flair, a slight knowledge of what is bad for you, and fresh produce. You also need a willingness to consume whatever you cook up, even if you never cook it again. |
| If there is a shrub you can't destroy or harm, this is it. It has a lovely flower and comes in several colors. I only have one. But they reproduce faster than rabbits. The pods fall off or get blown by the wind and grow where ever they land. You can prune it back severely without hurting it or stunting its growth. I spent the afternoon on my creaky old knees pulling up new seedlings from its base. I don't need a thicket of them. They do attract birds and butterflies and bees. They grow tall and will intertwine with other trees or shrubs. They take almost as much time and energy as the more exotic flowers. At least the deer don't eat these. Last year I had a big pot near one of these shrubs. I planted zinnia seeds in it. They were old seeds, so I didn't expect to see them come up. When I got these tall plants, I knew they were zinnias, but I didn't know what they were. Finally, a guest looked it up on her phone ap and told me. So my niece is going to take them. I don't need more. That was a learning experience for me. I had never seen them do that before. I think my Dad just hoed up that flower bed as usual and took out all the seedlings without knowing it, or at lest he didn't tell me about it. Grow them if you think they're pretty, but be prepared to keep them under control or let them go wild and take over. |
| I was tired of looking at it and passing by. Today, I put on the gloves and pulled up poison oak all around my peonies and azaleas. The gloves are going in the laundry and I washed my hands up to my elbows. I believe it was even choking out one of the azalea bushes. I thought it was my brother who over-trimmed it in a crowded flower bed. But he cut others and they look fine. Only this one with the invading species choking it out looks bedraggled. I'm starting my annual war with ants, several species, who try to invade my space regularly. Bees and mosquitoes will descend on my later. Meanwhile, Creeping Charlie is trying to take over flowerbeds and the lawn. There is a little weed with an ivy shape leaf with a pretty violet flower in the spring, However, it is ugly the rest of the year and grows prolifically where you don't want them. They attach themselves to iris bulbs or any root to choke them out. They have little bulbs or tubers like a potato, so you can't pull them up. They have to be dug up very carefully. When you finally finish one little spot in the yard or a flowerbed and move to something else, they come back just to spite you. Did I mention dandelions? If only I could get kids to pick the yellow flowers to make dandelion wine. They don't drink wine, and I know from experience it is hard work and requires a lot of expensive sugar. I had a friend who once had her students picking dandelions without telling them why. A mother came early and wanted to know. So she lied that it was for a recipe for dandelion cake. Wouldn't you know it? The mother wanted the recipe. So my friend studied her cookbooks and made up a recipe using dandelion petals. If you see me working in the yard, I am not making wine. My cardiologist won't let me. |
| I've had allergy trouble, not so bad now, migraines, no sign of relenting. So I am using this as an excuse to be a little lazy this Easter. No Good Friday service at church for me; I have rehab that day and have to keep exercising. I only got out of the hospital a month ago, so no Sunrise service either. I am sticking to basics. I will go to church an sing with the tiny choir. I will go to my second niece's house, who lives much closer to me, for lunch and what she promises is a massive egg hunt. She will have everyone from her side of the family and the husband's. Fortunately, we all get along great. And she always has fun stuff for the kids to do .I enjoy watching all the laughter and antics. I've been doing yard work with a mask on to keep pollen intake low. I fell backwards Saturday; my back yard is on a slant, and I was bending over to pull weeds when I lost my balance. I fell on my butt, taking some iris leaves with me. But the momentum didn't stop. I went all the way to bang my head on the ground. It's fragile enough; I rattled some thinking abilities I am sure. Yesterday, I found a dead rabbit, a small gray bunny, under the back fence. Yes, I screamed and ran the other way. Then I remembered my brother was talking about playing a trick on the kids. They had dug a hole and had sticks poking in it. He wanted a stuffed animal to put in there and cover it up, so that when they come back, they'll get a surprise. Then, I thought he played a trick on me. I went back and looked one more time. It had ears and perfect eyes and was very small. It hadn't moved, and it looked real, but fresh. I was afraid to nudge it, so I left it. After dark, it occurred to me that a coyote or cuy-wolf* or one of the many cats in my area would get it by morning. My brother texted me that he didn't play any tricks on me. Noon today, I went out behind the shed, and it was gone. I did not imagine it. Some other animal got it. I hate the idea of cleaning up the ivy, etc, back there now. The work has got to be done, so I might find more surprises. I'd rather stick to planting flower seeds and watching them grow. *We have an animal in the vicinity that looks like a coyote. They tell us, however, that it is a cross between a coyote and a wolf. A decade or more ago, in a severe drought the coyotes came across the Mississippi and mated with wolves. It is in between the size of a coyote and a wolf. |
| My niece with 5 kids asked about Easter. She has to be at her Mother-in-law's for dinner, but wants to see her father's family for lunch. The kids will show off their new Easter clothes and hunt plastic eggs. There is another niece with 3 kids, and my brother with a wife and kid in the same age group. I have stopped cooking normal food in favor of plant-friendly, heart healthy food. Obviously, I cook in smaller quantities now. My everyday cooking is no longer for company. And the Easter bunny will not be leaving chocolates or Skittles at my house this year. He doesn't go to the grandmothers' homes, why should he come to mine? I guess it started because I moved in with my father, the great grandfather, to be his caretaker after my divorce. He wanted to lavish things on the kids. They are still coming to the house even though he's gone now. I have put up a few decorations just for myself, before I knew anyone planned to be here. I can throw something together since they will be having a second meal later that day. I don't heave to cook fish or quinoa for them. I'll come up with something that doesn't gross them out, but won't leave me with inedible leftovers.( I am not using salt these days.) If the weather holds out, we'll take the annual photo of the kids with a tree out front that may be in its own twilight time. It's hard to get the kids to stand still that long. And they are taller now and don't fit the poses or branches that they did years ago. It needs to be less about the food and more about togetherness and fun. One year, maybe 8 years ago, they all sat out in the yard looking for four leaf clovers. That is a wonderful memory. |
| Just finished my 8 hour online safe driving course, which might save me a little on my insurance bill. It is for anyone over 50. The point they drive home is that everything changes: we change/get older, the roadways change, vehicles change, laws change. The driver needs to be more alert and flexible than ever before. There are actually recommended exercises and stretches to keep ankles, feet, shoulders and neck moving properly for driving, parking, and backing up. Vision and hearing are two common areas that people tend to ignore as they age and continue driving. We know that our reaction times slow down, but many of us don't want to adjust our driving habits to accommodate this delay in reaction time. Going to the doctor and checking our vision and hearing is a way of taking care of ourselves and keeping us in the driver's seat. After age 75, a collision is more likely to be fatal than we are in our 50's. Our bones are brittle and we might have other health problems. It is not a free course, so I'm hoping the insurance deduction will be greater than the expense. At any rate, I feel better about brushing up on laws and other vehicles on the roadways, like scooters, ATV's, bikes, motorcycles. Driving is one of our ways of feeling independent and self-reliant. It's hard to give up the keys, but they make a good case for how it might be cheaper to pay for the taxi instead of all those taxes and insurances. |
| I had washed all the winter weight sweaters and put away long sleeve shirts. I've been running ceiling fans to avoid AC. But today, it was cold! I put on a long sleeve turtle neck and a sweater and wore a jacket when I left home. Fortunately, I did not leave any plants outside over night. I have taken a few out just for the day recently, but returned them before dark. Today, they stayed inside. I didn't do any yard work because of my headache, the pollen, and the temperature. I keep my gardening gloves and a few hand tools handy, the hoe and the rake just outside the back door. I even bought potting soil yesterday. I guess I was anticipating a little too soon. I enjoy seeing the budding trees and the blossoms blowing in the wind. If only the pollen did not affect breathing and watery eyes. Oh, well, beauty of the earth comes with a small price. For tonight, here at home I am sitting by a small space heater, and I am wearing a fleece jacket. Is there such a thing as an Indian Spring? |
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