What are you up to today? This week?

[Deb]

I had a crappy day all day and now that it's evening, I am beginning to perk up. I think I will go to bed while I feel good. Just way too much family drama this weekend as well as other things that did not go as planned while I was home alone and I had to deal with them.

Okay, so the next time you get left alone, lock the doors and don't answer the phone!!! You should have been relaxing in the back yard and resting which is what I hope that you have planned for today. Go easy on the yard work and stop often to just sit and look at things. <stern look and hands on hips> You're not to go any faster than the turtles today young lady and I mean it!

We're definitely into summer mode with the temp at 75 at 4:30 this morning and it's already heating up. We'll be in the triple digits before midmorning so I'm going to go water my plants early while I can. I never did get my transplanting done yesterday so I'll try to get that knocked out early too. Since one of the new plants is a Floating Butterfly bush that looks about ready to bloom, I want to get it in the dirt so I can enjoy those pretty little "butterflies" floating in midair. They tell me that hummingbirds are crazy about them and I'm all about making the hummers happy. I didn't get much done with the jewelry making experiment yesterday either so basically, I'm starting yesterday all over again and hoping for better results. Sometimes it's like Groundhog Day and I just attempt the same things over and over until I get it done right. Or done at all. LOL!

[Selkie]

We're definitely into summer mode with the temp at 75 at 4:30 this morning and it's already heating up. We'll be in the triple digits before midmorning so I'm going to go water my plants early while I can.

Well, I have to say, as much as we have terrible cold, ice and snow, I deal with that way better than hot and/or humid. I wilt in the heat so fast and just can't function. At least with the cold, I can layer up with cozy clothes and sit by the fire. I cannot imagine triple digits. You have my ultimate admiration for surviving in that sort of heat. wowzers!

My breathing is absolutely terrible in the humidity, regardless of the temp. Cold humid is just as bad as hot humid for that part.

Over the years I've discovered that I quite enjoy breathing, so, I'll take my shivery snow and ice so I can continue with the breathing thing. At least for now ....

[CheckMouse]

Selkie, your company sounds absolutely awful. I had company like once - parents of a coworker and I was trying to be hospitable. Horrible people! Next time take the newcomers to McDonalds and let them complain there

Our ocean-side vacation is coming to an end - have to leave here in a few hours. I was so glad I booked an extra day after my work was over. I took Mother to the beach yesterday - as in walk through the sand dunes and get to the water. Wasn't sure I would get her back to the condo! At 91 she doesn't walk much, though she doesn't need a cane or a walker - but one city block is about her limit for our afternoon walks. I realized she wouldn't make it all the way to edge of the water so I parked her on a driftwood log at the top of the dune, where she had a wonderful view of everything. I had some baggies in my pocket which I filled with tiny rocks and driftwood for my miniature landscaping. This beach has very tiny 1/4" diameter rocks, polished smooth by years in the ocean. So perfect for tiny landscapes and teacup fairy gardens. So after my beachcombing I came back to get Mother and head home. She had moved farther down the driftwood log - the sand under the log kept falling away as I stepped on it - she wasn't strong enough to scoot herself back up the log - there was nothing for her to hang onto but me. Does room service deliver to the beach? It took us awhile to get her off the log, upright, and on the more solid sand of the pathway. Of course, dissolving into fits of giggles didn't increase our strength any I kept a firm grip on her hand on the narrow trail up and over the sand dune, and got her back to the condo. She really did enjoy the experience and thanked me several times for taking her. Just glad I didn't get arrested for elder-abuse!

[L Swearengin]

Kathie B???? you were in Valdosta?????? You are breaking my heart here. My youngest daughter lives in Valdosta. She works at Books a Million. I really want to MOVE there. So warm and beautiful. Safe travels!!

[Mandystar]

I've never had rhubarb sauce -- or rhubarb, for that matter -- but you can invite me to dinner any time and I promise to be good! With a hostess such as yourself, how can anyone help but be good? I cannot fathom such actions and that only reinforces my believe in the fact that no good deed goes unpunished! Usually, the harder you try, the hard you fall. How's that for a really pessimistic outlook? Oh, well, time for another oxycodone. That'll help a lot ;~)!

Deb, if it's 75 degrees at 4:30 in the morning and triple digits during the day, what are you gonna do come summer? And you're pushing Maricopa as a great place to live? Selkie is right... it's lots easier to warm up with extra layers than it is to cool down (less expensive, too, if you're not running the AC around the clock!).

Can you post a picture of the Floating Butterfly bush? I've never seen one, and I love anything/everything with butterflies!

[Deb]

It's 10:30 and we're up to 98 now with a forecast of 110 by noon. The ten day forecast is pretty much the same as it will be until late September now. But as a native desert rat, I never have minded the heat here. Because it's dry and arid, I can actually breathe again which is probably the biggest impact the move has had on my health. I left my oxygen concentrator and inhalers and all that stuff in Denver and haven't needed it even once since then. My oxygen saturation has gone from 75% with assisted breathing up to 90^% on my own consistently now.

Sandy, I wasn't exactly pushing Maricopa to everyone because it takes a certain kind of person to live here........but Nutti lives in Phoenix just 30 miles away and this is nothing new to her. I realize that Maricopa may not sound like much to someone who doesn't love the desert, but it is *my* home and I'm quite fond of it. However, a lot of people have misconceptions about the quality of life in the desert and it's not nearly as horrid as they think. Because it is dry. when you perspire the moisture evaporates immediately which keeps your body temp moderated even if you're outdoors (my 110 with 10% humidity feels cooler than your 90 with 80% humidity). As long as you stay out of the sunlight in the hottest part of the day, all you have to do is stay hydrated and monitor how your body is feeling if you're being physically active---when you start feeling sluggish, it's time to get back into the a/c. State law requires air conditioning in all buildings, both residential and commercial, so most people only feel the heat going between their car a/c and the door to the store or office. We don't exactly have a lot of wood for construction and nature's way is the best anyhow, so our houses are built from modern adobe.........ie: concrete and stucco. That keeps the heat out quite nicely and even my huge house costs less to run the a/c 24/7 than it did for me to run the heater in a mild autumn month in Colorado for a house half this size. So we desert rats are smart about how to live in harmony with our land and while I'd never deny that it's a harsh climate in the summer, I'd still never trade it for anything. Most people don't see the beauty in a cactus either but I'd rather hug a saguaro than fight with kudzu. LOL!!! It's all a matter of what kind of environment works best for an individual and their own needs. For my neuro problems, breathing issues and arthritis and DDD, etc., this is the perfect place for me all year 'round. I wouldn't presume to encourage someone to move here who wasn't comfortable in the desert........but for those who are, my little town is a slice of heaven.

My new alien cacti are all planted and looking good now so I've accomplished most of my goals for the day.

[chesterfieldzoo]

I am much better today. Got the waterfalls going on the big pond. Picked up a bunch of clutter left over from the clean out. Dug up a dead bush and was fiddling with some new ones and deciding where to plant them when an awesome thunderstorm rolled in. So now I am on the computer.

[Mandystar]

Deb, my post came across all wrong -- from the way I meant it! My apologies, please! I KNOW you aren't really pushing Maricopa except to Nutti, who already lives relatively nearby, and I do know how living in a dry climate makes the heat not only bearable, but pleasant. It automatically brought to mind southeast Florida where I lived before coming here to TN less than 2 years ago, where it was like trying to breathe in a bowl of soup! Getting from the house to the car meant arriving in a sheen of sweat at the very least. Not pleasant at all.

Not that it's much better here, as it turns out -- living in the valley in what's supposedly the allergy capital of the world (Chattanooga). How much easier in a dry climate. I'm not doing all that well physically with this end-stage COPD and just the thought of the triple digits set me off!!! I don't know how Maricopa and its surrounds compares to Flagstaff, where I visited (Grand Canyon, et al) and absolutely loved it -- once I got used to the altitude! And I was there in July and the nights were cool and delicious. If that's what you're enjoying, I'd move in a minute. In fact, with the dry climate, my breathing might actually improve as it did for you!

"She doth protest too much, me thinks," you're saying? Well, you'd be right, because I spoke (typed) without thinking it through.

[Selkie]

... But as a native desert rat, I never have minded the heat here. Because it's dry and arid, I can actually breathe again which is probably the biggest impact the move has had on my health. I left my oxygen concentrator and inhalers and all that stuff in Denver and haven't needed it even once since then. My oxygen saturation has gone from 75% with assisted breathing up to 90^% on my own consistently now.

...So we desert rats are smart about how to live in harmony with our land and while I'd never deny that it's a harsh climate in the summer, I'd still never trade it for anything. .... .but for those who are, my little town is a slice of heaven.

I'm SO glad you (Deb) are getting healthy and are so happy again. You've found just the right spot for you. It's about time the universe smiled on you and gave you exactly what you need. I love hearing about your gardens and your wildlife. It's interesting to learn about new (to me) places.

My sister would join you there in a heartbeat if she had her choice. She loves the heat and the desert. She has terrible allergies and says it's way better for her. When she visits me, she hates it. She can't breathe at all at my house.

Isn't it great that we have so many choices of where to live and we can find what suits our bodies and lifestyles? Plus isn't great that every place looks different so we have SO much more beauty to share in? I think every spot has it's beauty and most all of it is free for the looking.

[morgansmith]

Umm...Sandy...I felt the same as you. And Selkie can't stand the heat either. The thought of triple digits stresses me out terribly. But, it's all about the fact we can chat about our likes and dislikes in a fun manner It's all good! Please Sandy, say what you want. It's fine

[Mandystar]

The difference between Flagstaff and Maricopa is 30 degrees Fahrenheit -- forget the miles. If AZ beckons, I'll wind up in Flagstaff, but it's awfully pricey to live there. Now I know why!

Morgan, I guess I did! Sent you a PM.

[kat57]

I hear what y'all are saying about the heat and the humidity,as I am sitting here on an oak filled lot in South West Alabama-about 3-5 miles to the coastline-if I could manage to get through the woods and probably swampland...Can you say,bugs and snakes!?!lol

I lived in Sacramento County,Calif., for most of my childhood and remember how nice the dry heat was. But,I am sorry,I am NOT going to complain about the heat or bugs,just yet. The older I get I physically hurt sooo much when it's cold,even in our comparatively mild winters (Although we did get ICE storms this year!),and am unable to think straight or be happy about anything when it's like that. I HATE the world for those several months,to be honest! And this is in a mild climate-I would die up North!!

Because of my low income I don't run the heat or air until it's just totally unbearable,and you'd be surprised what the human body can take when you can't afford the bills!! I do understand health limitations,and hope I never have to deal with COPD or other respiratory ailments-the fact that I am a former smoker ups my chances,unfortunately. So,I do feel for y'all,but I am just going to enjoy the warmth,because for me,it's painless and I have smiled so much more these last few HOT weeks!

Sorry to be the oddball,as always,but the differences in us are what make the world go round!;)

[KathieB]

Kathie B???? you were in Valdosta?????? You are breaking my heart here. My youngest daughter lives in Valdosta. She works at Books a Million. I really want to MOVE there. So warm and beautiful. Safe travels!!

One of Lloyd's cousins lives in Valdosta. He gave us a little tour of the town ... very nice. Seems like a very comfortable place to live.

Today we visited with Jeremy and his family in Gainsville, Fl. Lloyd and Liam, the 3-year-old are kindred spirits. I have a great snapshot to share when I get it out of my phone. My goodness, the energy in those chilluns! :lol: Seeing the Tudor in person was a real treat. So many magnificent details ... hopefully once they get moved, he'll be able to work on it again.

Tomorrow we're off to Orlando and Ron's Dollhouse shop and Miniature Museum. Can't wait!

[Mandystar]

Kathie, you sure do have a treat awaiting you! Remember, do plan on spending some time at Ron's. Even the aisles are chock full of goodies! Take some pictures, please, so I can see it again through your eyes! We will all understand if you spend the $ for the rest of the trip in one afternoon tomorrow! Come back home the same way so I can see all the goodies!!!

[sparklepuppies]

Kathie B???? you were in Valdosta?????? You are breaking my heart here. My youngest daughter lives in Valdosta. She works at Books a Million. I really want to MOVE there. So warm and beautiful. Safe travels!!

My daughter also lives in Valdosta! She does like it there, but plans to move back here when she graduates. And it is quite warm there. And humid.

I would love to visit AZ or somewhere warm with no humidity. Here in Atlanta we get close to triple digits with crazy humidity!

[Deb]

I really don't care if anyone likes where I live or not because we all have the choice to not go to places where we don't want to be. I'm just saying there's no reason to be disrespectful when you talk about my home just because it's not to your taste. I realize that you may not have intended it to sound that way Sandy, but your comment of:

And you're pushing Maricopa as a great place to live?

was indeed as offensive as if I had said the same thing about your home. A simple, "That's too hot for me" would have made the point that this part of the country is not to your liking. All I'm asking for is the same respect that I show to other people and the same respect that we at Greenleaf have always expected........and received........here in the Greenleaf community. It's probably best that we don't say anything more about it, but I have to admit that I'm disappointed that the aggressive reactions to my casual comments about where I live are making me feel like not talking much anymore.

On to other topics if we may. We watched "Monument Men" tonight and enjoyed it quite a lot. It's the true story of a group of historians and museum curators who went to Europe to retrieve the art stolen by the Germans during the Occupation before it could be shipped to Germany or Russia. George Clooney, John Goodman, Matt Damon, and Bill Murray are all excellent in it. If you're a lover of classical art, it will move you to tears in some places.

[GirlPiper]

I've bounced around the four corners of the country, lived warm, hot, cold, middling, and find every region has assets and liabilities. I like the four seasons changing so there's always something to look forward to. Liked the desert; liked the forests; liked the beaches. I try to find the best part of where I am, and remember where the movers packed your pots & pans, and the bed linens. It all shakes down pretty fast.

[KathieB]

My daughter also lives in Valdosta! She does like it there, but plans to move back here when she graduates. And it is quite warm there. And humid.

I would love to visit AZ or somewhere warm with no humidity. Here in Atlanta we get close to triple digits with crazy humidity!

Tracy. I had to laugh when I read your daughter's complaint about the heat and humidity in Valdosta. Cousin Kevin grew up & lived in New Orleans for many years, and has now been in Valdosta for about 9 years. He says he never quite understood why people complained about the obnoxious humidity in NOLA until he went back for a visit. He'd become used to the drier climate in Valdosta and was very uncomfortable in New Orleans! I think that just goes to show that we humans are a resilient lot and can live in all kinds of climates -- and everything is relative!.

[L Swearengin]

I'll take the desert ANY DAY!!! I love it. If I could live in Mojave Desert or AZ, NM I would be a totally happy camper. My spouse would never live there. Don't know why, he hates snow and cold as much as I do. I have a real problem with A/C most of the time. Grew up in Orange County CA and never had A/C, gives me a sinus headache. I am hoping when he retires we will leave Misery and move to FL or GA since he won't think about AZ. IF my youngest son buys a house in AZ, I told him to get one with a casita, then I could move out there HAHA, like that's gonna ever happen.

[Deb]

I try to find the best part of where I am, and remember where the movers packed your pots & pans, and the bed linens

<chuckling> That made me laugh because you've obviously done your fair share of moving. After the first time you come to the end of a long day of moving and can't find the bed linens, soap, towels, and toilet paper, you make sure it never happens again. In this last move our stuff was divided between the bulk that was shipped in PODS and the stuff we'd need within the first few days that went into the u-haul with us. I used green frog tape to wrap around every box destined for the u-haul and threatened the movers with their lives if they put a green taped box into one of the PODS. I must have been scary about that because it's the only thing they got right. LOL!!!

[pdlnpeabody]

Kathie,

It was so nice to have you and Lloyd over! I wish you could have stayed for dinner, but I know you guys needed your rest. The kids sure were excited about seeing you again too. By the way, Liam doesn't like everyone he encounters, but he sure does like Lloyd.

I'll take the desert ANY DAY!!! I love it. If I could live in Mojave Desert or AZ, NM I would be a totally happy camper. My spouse would never live there. Don't know why, he hates snow and cold as much as I do. I have a real problem with A/C most of the time. Grew up in Orange County CA and never had A/C, gives me a sinus headache. I am hoping when he retires we will leave Misery and move to FL or GA since he won't think about AZ. IF my youngest son buys a house in AZ, I told him to get one with a casita, then I could move out there HAHA, like that's gonna ever happen.

Florida heat is completely different than dry, California (or anywhere west) heat. Deb is right- without the humidity, triple-digit temps really aren't that bad if you stay hydrated. Florida, on the other hand, is like America's largest outdoor sauna. you're usually dripping wet from the 20 ft. walk between your front door and your car. I ride a motorcycle, so shorts and other light, thin clothing aren't an option when I go out, but if I'm not riding, I stay in the A/C as much as possible 10 months of the year. Mini work also has to stay in the A/C. The lumber will curl up within a few hours in the heat down here, so converting a garage or shed into a workshop isn't an option unless you can keep it cool and dry.

My only gripe with Arizona is the lack of forests and beaches like we have here in Florida. My first time in AZ I was surprised by how comfortable 118 was (we didn't turn on the A/C in the car or hotel room the entire week) and the amount of vegetation that grows in the desert, but most of it grows at shoulder height or lower, so shade was hard to find.

[CheckMouse]

I've lived in a very hot and dry climate, but it was in South America and there was no a/c to escape to. I found it very difficult. But the humidity is also very hard to live with. I guess I'm just happy with climate-controlled houses and public buildings If I don't like the outside weather I can just stay indoors.

Jeremy, your comment about shade got me to laughing over an incident not too long ago. We were traveling across South Dakota and had a picnic lunch along. We wanted to stop someplace to eat it, but couldn't find just the "right spot". I had DH pull into one place - no good - back out onto the highway, and we somehow got the attention of a policeman. Turns out the speed limit had just changed while we were looking elsewhere. My DH explained the situation and apologized for going 8 miles over the limit. The policeman let us off without a ticket, then said, "There is no shade in South Dakota, so just stop anywhere to eat!" Funny!

[havanaholly]

Our week in the Wetumpka/ Montgomery area was lots of fun, although both DH & I were into withdrawl without any internet all week! Ft Toulouse/ Jackson is a facility similar to the one at Blakely, and is run by the state historical people. Both the French & US forts have been partly restored, as well as a few of the native American structures from the town that used to be there. The park is located where the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers flow together to form the Alabama River.

The Smithsonian traveling exhibit we went to see was mostly archival photographs and focussed mostly on urban industrial and World War Defense jobs. At City Hall the second floor is art galleries and they had a companiion exhibit detailing Alabama's more agricultural jobs. We learned that for many years most of Alabama's public high schools offered agricultural curricula. In addition to one nice sized thrift store we found several lovely places to eat, and we didn't cross the river into the newer part of town.

There is a scientific research center being built on the site of a former rest area for the Wetumpka Crater, with tours planned for later in the year, so we despaired of getting to see any of it; so coming home from a day at Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum we were thrillled to realize that the verge was actually part of the crater rim, and we pulled over to the right and slowed 'way down and saw bits of the bottom.

Our friends in Montgomery finally came out to visit us at the campground Monday; she has recently had back surgery and is in agony, and had gobbled a Percocet and made her husband bring her out to visit. We went out to lunch and sent her home as soon as we could; and we met him in town on Tuesday for lunch and a longer visit and a promise to return. We also went to the Montgomery Zoo on Sunday.

We got home this afternoon and whilst DH was parking the RV next to the hookups by the workshop I went inside and finished cutting Washinton's stair treads and began to glue them up; so next I can start cutting the risers.

Coming back to read all the comments aabout regional climates and weather was a bit unexpected. We have lived in a number of different places. I think year 'round I suffered worst in SE OH than anywhere else. The last winter we were there I made God a promise that if we could get back to FL I'd never again complain about how hot it got in the summertime, and the following August we were in jacksonville, FL; and no matter how stinking hot the temp or how high the humidity I'm comfortable! because I'm not freezing, and the heat and humidity are no worse than what we had in OH.

[Deb]

We learned that for many years most of Alabama's public high schools offered agricultural curricula.

In the schools here where I grew up, VoAg was as much a part of the curricula as science or math. The biggest event of the school year wasn't prom or homecoming, it was the annual FFA banquet. That was in the late 60s/early 70s when only boys were allowed to take wood shop or VoAg and girls were assigned Home Ec. I was blissfully unaware of that code because my dad always said I could do anything a boy could do and since I already knew how to cook and sew, I signed up for VoAg in 8th grade. The principle immediately trotted down the hall to my Dad's classroom to "straighten it out" and was surprised at my Dad's chuckling response and his refusal to forbid me from doing it. Since that avenue didn't work, it ended up going to a vote with the school board about whether or not girls would be allowed into the VoAg classes. I still didn't realize it was a big deal until much later, but they let me in and I ended up being the first female in the state to take VoAg. (I suspect it had something to do with the fact that my Dad was a charter member of the FFA.) The teacher did NOT want me in there and he was determined (or instructed) to make me as miserable as possible and the boys sure echoed those sentiments......but within the first two weeks I'd gotten into a fist fight with a boy and cleaned his clock so things settled down. It was one of those experiences that I'd call life shaping coz instead of cooking a roast in Home Ec, I was out in a corral learning how to dehorn and castrate the roast before it even knew it was destined for a dinner plate. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that VoAg is still offered in most of the schools here, especially since UofA has so much experimental land and a HUGE Agricultural department dedicated to research and development. Right now the focus is on using reclaimed water for irrigation while maintaining the delicate ph balance in our caliche dominant soil.

Holly, your trip sounds like a lot of fun. I always love hearing about your travels and what you've seen and done along the way. You and your DH definitely know how to make the most of any trip and do things that constantly teach you something new. It's one of the characteristics I love most about you.

My plans for doing laundry yesterday went awry when the washing machine made a loud grinding noise and sent a puff of smoke from behind the control panels. It was dead to the world on the spot. Fortunately, we were able to get it arranged to have a new washer delivered today so that's what I'll be doing. They'll be calling around ten to let me know when they'll be in town to deliver it. I was able to bail out most of the water from the old washer after wringing out the entire load by hand. My hands are in soooooo much pain today but I'm trying to keep typing to stop them from stiffening up too much. I was up all night with muscle spasms in them and I should take a vicodin, but I don't want to be fuzzy headed when the delivery guy is here. <pausing to look at them> Yep, they kinda look like a combination of curled dinosaur claws and swollen Mickey Mouse gloves. I'm just hoping that they get here early enough in the day for me to rewash the load that was in the washer and get my wet blue jeans out of the bathtub.

[CheckMouse]

Sorry about the washing machine, Deb! Why can't these appliances just come with a black flag that pops up and says - I'll be Dead Tomorrow Afternoon at 3:00!- so we don't get them loaded and ready to go before we know they won't go??? Like the microwave that dies just as you're getting something ready for a meal - the washing machine full of water and clothes - the dryer full of wet laundry. Without Grandma's clothesline, what do you do with a pile of wet clothes??