May 23, 2022 Monday--10:45am

 Good morning!

We had some gorgeous days...

...where I could have the patio door wide open all day.

I do love all the beautiful clouds showing up again.  All winter they appear to be just a big gray blanket the majority of the time. 

Most of the week we had chilly days, though...or wet.  Not sitting out on the patio days.  They'll come.  Today is one maybe.

That broken coleus shriveled up to nothing.

We got down into the 30s and had frost warnings this week.  So the matching coleus in the other planter has started to collapse, get brown on the leaves, and shrivel up.  Did not like the cold wind.

I think that particular coleus is more fragile.  The other coleus...

...and all the rest of the plants are doing well.

Leah said she is going to Baker Nursery today so I asked her to get me a different pair of coleus.  Those were unusual and pretty--but not hardy.  The wind here is a killer of fragile plants, too.

I don't remember which day these came.

Two of us tied to win Connie's yearly contest as to guessing the date her biggest snowbank (named June) would finally melt.  She sent me a lovely hand-crocheted pouch with a zipper and that hand-made square paper cover folds around post-it notes!  She is so talented!  Love all the color!  Thanks so much, Connie.  You can visit her in Minnesota here.

Tuesday

I did a load of laundry and got it all put away right off.  When I watered the plants I also had a rag with me and scrubbed off the residual bird poop from my chair as best I could.  Was a puttery day where I got a lot done but nothing to really show for it, if you know what I mean--LOL!

Wednesday

I finished watching the final season of Ozark.  (Had a strange, yet appropriate, ending.)  Was a very tired day but a good one.  My legs are doing better than they were--so I thought it was time to do some testing--of them and my strength, too.  Actually brought trash to the dumpster for the first time since last fall!  The dumpster height comes to my neck so I have to be able to heave the bags head-high or higher--and I did!  TaDa!

Thursday

I guess it is just plain better that I isolate myself.  Probably for the summer.  As long as the numbers are down here McFamily can do a lot more in the summertime.  They have been visiting family and friends, catching up with dentist appointments, chiropractor visits, and are able to go to parks and the Zoo, etc.  Dagan's been back working at the office and is now going golfing when he can.  

So we decided that instead of Craft Nite Leah and I would do a video call on Thursday nights.  (Dagan often will pop in on those.)  I already do a video call over dinner with the boys on Wednesday nights.  But I won't be seeing much of them in person and if I do we will be masked, keeping our distance, and making it brief.

Now that Leah is sending food over I can use any energy that would have gone toward cooking for other things.  I haven't used my vacuum for so long I quite literally forgot how to work it--LOL!  Leah has the same Dyson so she emailed me instructions.  I need to tackle that this week.  I also want to try using the sauna--finally!  I may be draggy tired but my legs feel a little more dependable. Leah also sent instructions for how to use the sauna, too. 

I won't know how long these legs can last until I try longer, harder things.  Yes, they have just kind of failed me--but at least if I am at home I can just stop whatever I am doing.  Was it in February when I last visited at McFamily's and had to go home early because I suddenly could barely get out of a chair?  Anyways, I am aware of that possibility and will pay attention--and make sure I have the phone with me.  If I can do the vacuuming and bring out the trash again...and manage a step stool (haven't tried that yet)...then Dagan or Leah won't have to make weekly trips over for the helper visits unless something in particular comes up I need help with.  

For example, Leah is going to bring the summer clothes bins from my garage over to the front door for me in her car so that I can come out to the parking lot and haul them inside on my cart.  (My idea.)  I didn't want to push it that far right out of the gate by trekking back and forth to the garage.  So if it's not raining we will do that when she drops off the coleus.  

And I plan to later haul the winter clothes bins out to the garage myself.  I can always make one trip one day and another trip another day--and can sit and rest in the garage. too, if I need to.  I have been able (on a good legs day) to make it down to the office and back without having to sit down on one of the benches in the hallway to rest my weird, wonky legs.  :)  And I can pick a good-legs day to make it to the garage.  No time limits on that.  

Anyways, back to the week.

Friday

Dagan dropped off food for me at the patio door.  I had made a bookcard for Liam to thank him for making the Mother's Day card so I sent that home with Dagan along with a few other things.

The kids were almost ready for bed when Dagan got back home.  Liam had finished eating dinner and was watching his favorite TV show...but when he found out he had a letter from Gramma (his first just for him) he wanted to have Daddy read it to him right away.

Leah said Ian had been finishing his dessert and was excitedly running back and forth to the table to finish it up.

I forgot to take pictures of the bookcard but I picked one with gardening pictures on the cover because I also thanked him for being a helper with my planter boxes.  I cut and pasted some things inside, too.  I think he liked it.  I sent over two empty bookcards for the boys, too, to do whatever they want with them.  

Dagan and Leah finally got the school room/gaming room mostly finished.  They had to wait quite a long time for items to get back in stock at IKEA...and some parts of the bookcases are still not in stock (hence the "mostly" done).  She sent me pictures and a video of the big reveal to the boys.

The big reveal video.

They seem to love the new space for school and all their art & craft supplies are stored in there now, too.  They got their new IKEA paint sets out.

Learning Chinese Checkers.

I asked Leah what was Ian sewing?

Some kind of dividers for her brother, Aaron.

Anyways, I'm glad they have a dedicated space for school.  I'm sure that helps with focus, you know?

Speaking of school.  Liam has suddenly gotten interested in drawing a couple months ago so that is why he's improved.  Used to be just jagged scribbles--LOL!

Saturday

It was Leah's birthday and the boys made these for Mama.  They made pictures, folded them up, wrapped them in red paper, and drew a bow on top.

Ian drew a farmer with a humungous pig--with a note that the farmer could get 1,000,000 strips of bacon from that pig--LOL!

As one of the gifts Ian also made wavy strips of bacon from red and white paper--but Leah said a drink got spilled on them and she didn't get a picture--LOL!  (Bacon cheeseburgers are a family favorite...with me, too.)

Liam made his pictures on the red paper.  Copying Ian he made a farmer and a pink pig.  Hard to see the pink pig on red paper--LOL!

This one is a farmer and a pink pig and a cow.  I guess the cow has the black spots, eh?

Then he drew their house...from the front...

...and from the side with the front steps and the back deck.

My guess is all the lines are to show the siding.

Anyways, Leah said she had a great birthday!

I did another load of laundry and we had frost warnings that night.

Sunday

Another busy, puttery day.  Got the rest of the laundry put away.  Worked on getting winter clothes out of the closet--just piling them on the table in the bedroom.  Been procrastinating about cutting and filing my nails--got that done.  (Does anyone else put that off, too?)  

Today 

I had to be up early because the Federal Housing guy was coming this morning...and he is always early, too.  He didn't have a mask so I gave him a paper one.  He said he should have one in his pocket all the time.  That he did in his winter clothes but is forgetting now with the summer clothes.  

[Note: He has never worn a mask during the entire pandemic--LOL!  Maybe he figures he is in and out so fast and never stops moving?  But at least he was very nice about wearing a mask for me.  And yes, it gets into the 50s and people here get out their summer clothes...heck!...upper 40s will do--LOL!  In the fall--same temps--people are complaining they are too cold.]

I am still renting DVDs of Inspector Lewis.  Have two more seasons to go.  A lot harder to binge watch when it's on DVDs in the mail--LOL!  I've started watching the latest season of Outlander.  Still scattering in Death In Paradise episodes.  Didn't realize I was a season behind!  Speaking of seasons behind--I think I am only on season seven of Call The Midwife!  I am way behind on that one.  Too many good shows to watch, eh?  

Well, this week I will hopefully be seasonally switching clothes again.  Don't want to be as far behind as I was last fall.  Good grief--half the winter was gone before I got them switched, I think--LOL!  The donation bag is pretty full already.  Need to start another one.  I'll have donation bags to cart out to the garage, too.

  The garage IS something I need help with...speaking of donations.  But I doubt Dagan and Leah will be able to come and help me with it this summer because I think they are finally going to start finishing off the basement!  Took them a few years to get the patios poured, garden beds in, grass in, deck done, and yard landscaped.  Time to move on to the basement.  :) :)

All I got done last week on the bookcards was search out some older paper to use for the bookcard signatures.  So I hope to do some more with those.  I never make promises these days...not even to myself--LOL!  When you have limited control over your days...your body...it is too frustrating to have much on your to-do lists.  ;)  I still make them...but they are often just transferred--unfinished--untouched--to a new list.  Such is my life.  But things are truly going well and Annie is still doing okay...life is good.  I even have flowers on the patio--whoohoo!! 

Be interesting to see how it goes with Dr. Kobrossy on Friday...and will my bloodwork still be okay enough to get my infusion?  Fingers crossed all of it goes well.  I am still taking all the extra vitamins and supplements.  Leah is coming with me this time.  Wish me luck!  And see you next week! 

P.S.

I love that Leah asked me to save her some coffee grounds (they don't drink coffee) and when I asked her why she sent me this.

Now I am really saying goodbye...

love and hugs from Fargo