Monday, July 05, 2021

July 5, 2021 Monday--9:45am

Good morning!
Our cooler (more normal) temperatures disappeared again and we were back in the 90s. 
Supposed to get back to the 70s again tomorrow and possibly some welcome rain.

My hands were not cooperative all week.  Gradually the knuckles and left thumb were less painful, but the right thumb is hanging in there...more stressful to me than the cancer--LOL!  When I can hardly even write a letter...yup!  High on the annoyance list for me.

But I did have a nice week.  Finished watching the dark and twisted Wire In The Blood.  Went back to watch more of angry, hostile Dalziel and his long suffering partner Pascoe--another British detective show.  Also slipped in some miniseries and movies.  Lots of time to watch this past week.  So grateful for so many interesting choices these days.  :)

Thursday Leah came for Craft Nite but we didn't do any crafting this time again.  Had a wonderful visit.  :)

Friday I had my eyedoctor appointment.  No macular degeneration (Mom had).  No glaucoma (Dad had and Dagan has).  But--surprise!  I now have a macular pucker in my left eye, too.  The old pucker is not quite as high, but more ripley.  They are both puckered in different ways so they fight each other and do not exactly cooperate--LOL!  No wonder I have had so much harder time focusing on print and reading gives me headaches.  Handwriting is easier--less straight lines for my eyes to bend--and with actual writing I have decades of muscle memory--ROFL!  ;)

Anyways, I needed a new prescription, too, so I ordered new lenses.  I like my glasses and they are in good shape.  So when the lenses come we can just have the lenses popped in--easy peasy!

On Saturday McFamily came over here for Ian's birthday.  

Liam helped Mama water my planters.
We hung out, had dinner, and then cake that Leah brought.
Half of it was devoured...
...in no time.  :)
Then Ian opened presents.  He kind of got sharing-with-Liam presents this year.  A big water bucket for painting and oversized brushes they can use with water outside to draw disappearing stuff on the cement, etc.

Snippet video I can't figure out how to embed anymore.

Ian also got three I Spy books--more for him to read with Liam (and be in charge).  There's a short video Leah took where I'm showing them the sample page but nothing works that used to work for me from youtube or their new direct way on Blogger to embed it.  Anyways, the pictures do have more things on them--actual photos.  And all of us had fun picking out our own things on the pages to say, "I spy..."  

Anyways, Ian has so many art and craft supplies from Gramma already that he hasn't gotten to play around with for so long due to the pandemic--went simpler this year with things both the boys could enjoy together.

And Leah sent me pics of them painting (with water) furniture on the patio! 

They can draw disappearing pictures on the driveway or the deck, etc.
And we'll have some more Gramma Days this summer--hopefully for Liam, too.
Ian is getting older and more careful so that he will be able to use some of Gramma's supplies, too.  (I ordered a couple things for us to use with mandalas!)
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I want to say thank you to all the new people who came by from Beatrice's blog post.  All those prayers and good wishes were just what I needed.  Thanks so much! 
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And David you were right!  The purple flowers in my planters are mini calbrachoa...which I googled.  Didn't realize were actually mini petunias.  :)  Why didn't they just say that.  Easier to remember--LOL!
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We have got this guy in our building who has taken to almost accosting people on the sidewalk.  I don't know if the isolation from covid has made him so lonely or what it is, but he approaches anyone with kids or dogs.  He has come up to Ian and Liam to try to give them candy before when they're on their way to my patio door with Leah...and followed them right over to my patio door.  (That's the way McFamily comes over since covid.)  I've seen him stop ladies and men with strollers...and last week...this poor woman was trying to walk her two dogs.

He wanted to pet the great dane (gorgeous dog) but the dog was afraid of him and his big walking stick.

He kept insisting and the more he walked around her the more the great dane hid behind her.  They went around in circles...and her with two leashes!


The little yorkie didn't want to be near him, either.

Animals know.

This poor old guy is becoming a real pest.  It's been too hot to sit out on my patio but when it cools off if he comes over to pester me and doesn't take the hint to leave (which he probably won't)...then I will, as politely as possible, go back inside.  He may be very lonely, but he has no boundaries or social skills.  I feel badly for him...but I sure don't want to get friendly!  He'd never leave you alone, you know?!  Sad.

I'm sure there are people who walk their dogs or push their strollers elsewhere now.  I would.  Which means I probably won't get to see that gorgeous great dane saunter by again any time soon--LOL!
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I have wondered if the small hawk got the baby partridges.  Even though I haven't seen it this year, we have had a hawk go after the sparrows in the past.  The partridge babies would have been easy pickins for hungry hawk babies, I suppose.  Circle of life.  :(
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Well, that's it from here for this Monday.  I don't know how long I will still be getting email to notify me of new posts.  Going to be an adjustment that will take a lot of eyes and hands time.  The two things I have tried so far haven't been working well.  Have to try something else, I guess.  Wish me luck!  Oh, spell check still isn't working and I do hope the font size and centering works this time.  Especially the font size has been shifting on me even when it looks perfectly uniform in the preview.  Maybe I'll be lucky this time.  
Always the optimist, eh?  lol!  
Till next week.  :) :)

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"What will matter is the good we did, not the good we expected others to do."
Elizabeth Lesser

23 comments:

Rita said...

And the font size remained okay!! TADA! :)

Anvilcloud said...

In the Insert Video button up top, there is a separate choice for YT clips.

Or you can grab the embed code form YT and paste it into the html tab as opposed to the compose tab. Access html by clicking the little pencil icon top left below the title. Once pasted, shift back to the compose mode. I seem to grasp this method better.

DJan said...

It all looks good, Rita. And that guy is a little scary. I don't know what I would do in your situation, but he's bad news. It's hard to believe that Ian is already 7! How times flies, eh?

Far Side of Fifty said...

Hi Rita, You are right that old guy is most likely lonely. Sad isn't it. It has been a tough year for many older folk.
Macular pucker...again if it isn't one thing it is another.
Keep smiling!! Happy Belated birthday to your Ian!

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi Rita. Such cute pictures of your and your sweet grandsons. I am glad you were able to get together for the birthday celebration! The cake looks really good. That is very sad about the older man in your complex. I love that quote at the end of your post. So true. Take care. I will see you again soon.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Wow, the birthday boy looks very happy. Leah's choice of cake must have been a winner. Liam looks like he had fun helping water the plants, too.

So sad about the poor man who is probably very lonely.

I've never heard of macular pucker. I'll have to look it up. Hope you had a great 4th.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

The birthday boy looks happy and the cake looked oh so nice, I hope you had a good 4th

Janie Junebug said...

The man might be lonely and/or have dementia so he's not behaving as he should. I hope he has someone who checks on him. Does management look in on anyone? Liam looks so happy watering the flowers. The cake was beautiful and I'm sure it was delicious. Disappearing paint is a great idea. To get to the blogs you follow, have you tried clicking on them in the blog roll to the right of your post? I've used that to visit some of the bloggers you follow. I've been having a terrible time putting videos on my blog. Occasionally they go right on when I click on videos and select one, but lately with the videos I create, and sometimes even the photos to which I add special effects, I have to upload them to my YouTube channel and then click on that link to put them on my blog. And I never know which way will work when I start out. It wears me out so I kind of know how you feel. Anyway, when emails stop going out to alert you to new posts, I'll send emails to you, and I bet other people will, too, if you let them know. We all have our areas of frustration with blogger.

Love,
Janie

Bonnie said...

I'm sorry to hear you have a macular pucker in your other eye too now. I have one in one of my eyes they are keeping a watch on. That old man sounds very sad and lonely. He needs to find some other lonely men in the complex that he can make friends with and talk to.

How nice that Ian celebrated his birthday at your place! That must have been fun for everyone. Those boys sure are growing up fast!

Take care Rita!

CrystalChick said...

I haven't tried putting a video up in a while. Blogger gives me enough trouble as it is. Yesterday's post took a ridiculous amount of time on my iPad.
I enjoyed watching your video! I Spy is very cool. I'm sure your grandsons will have fun with them, and disappearing pictures! I have done many crafts with my grands over the years.
It's to be mid-nineties here today and tomorrow. Bleh. I'll be misting plants and myself with the hose.
~Mary

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It's quite remarkable that you retain such good humour in the face of all the hurdles you have to deal with. Bravo! As for the old man, he sounds creepy to tell you the truth.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

You are an inspiration maintaining your happy disposition and a role model for all us "vintage" people -- I'm never complaining about my little aches and pains again. Instead I'll think of you!

Stevenson Q said...

You are an inspiration and I thank Beatrice's Blog for leading us to you! Sending Birthday hugs to Ian!

Divers and Sundry said...

Where'd my comment go?! :( Let's see if I can remember what I said... I have actually seen Wire in the Blood but just haven't remembered. I should re-watch Dalziel and Pascoe. I remember enjoying that show.

It looks like y'all had a fun birthday gathering :) Someone should address the man's behavior before he gets bitten by one of the dogs.

Your planters are doing great! So pretty :)

DVArtist said...

Rita I am so sorry for all of the health issues. It is tough getting old. Ian's party looked like a lot of fun. Ohhh Great Danes. My daughter has 3. I think it is their nature to dislike men. I am glad you have a friend to come over to visit with you. Take it easy and thank you for all the nice comments you leave me.

kestrel said...

What a busy time. But you have got yourself a free gardener! I can see he is very efficient and carrying out his duty well. The planters are looking good with the purple flowers. I didn't know there were so many different eye disorders. Learnt something knew from your post about painting on cement with big brushes. Such a brilliant project for kids. You have such a happy outlook to life, cheers.

Edna B said...

I feel really bad for that old man who is lonely. There must be someone there who can help him. Maybe get him into a circle with other folks. You take it easy and have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

Jeanie said...

Hi Rita, how lovely that you can celebrate with the young ones! I bet they were just thrilled. And I get the deal with hands and eyes. For those of us who make art and craft things, our hands and eyes are essential operating equipment. I hope it all straightens out soon.

Rajani Rehana said...

Mind blowing post

Rita said...

Those are the two methods I tried. :(

My Tata's Cottage said...

Your photos are excellent. I love hearing your stories. I am so far behind catching up. ALways so much to do. Have a great weekend.

My Tata's Cottage said...

Your photos are wonderful. I get sad when I r=hear someone has no circle of friends or phamily. Many lonely people in the world. I always feel very blessed.

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

I had never heard of a macular pucker until I read that you have one. Hope it isn't causing you too many problems. The Great Dane is beautiful.