Time For A Change

 "Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained." (Marie Curie)

 

Hello, my lovely friends! 

 

    It has been a while since I’ve done this and I’m truly sorry to you all for that. There was a time the other week that I thought about stopping the blog after ten+ years of doing this. But then I thought about all the things you have been there with me for. My dad, grand parents, uncles, and Bella’s deaths. My health problems with the lumps I found. My mom’s issues, things with Scooter, and my sister. You all sharing things with all of us and us supporting each other as much as we can. How can I let that go? Simply, I can’t and I’m not going to. This little place we have together has been such a safe haven for me that I would miss you all too much. So, I’m not going anywhere. 

 

     It's been a really tough few months, and I feel completely overwhelmed. My mom's health struggles continue, and honestly, Kaiser hasn't been much help. It's incredibly frustrating and heartbreaking to see her in so much pain, a shadow of her former self. She has very limited mobility, and while I encourage her to try and do things for herself so she doesn't feel helpless, her efforts often create more work for me.

 

    Thankfully, she's finally scheduled to get some back injections at the end of this month. I'm really hoping there are no further postponements. On top of that, she's decided to look for new healthcare insurance, as Kaiser simply isn't meeting her needs.

 

     I trust everyone who celebrated the Fourth of July had a fantastic time. For us, the celebration was intense, lasting well into the next day. Our community is known for its widespread fireworks, and this year was no different—it felt like a thousand massive fireworks exploded within just three hours on the Fourth. My mom was particularly anxious, and with good reason. We've had close calls before, including a house in our community that burned down a few years ago. This year, a house in the neighboring community also went up in flames. We did everything we could to keep the little man safe and comfortable: sealing the windows, blasting the A/C, and turning up the TV volume.

 

 The morning after the Fourth of July, I woke up and went through my usual routine. I fed Scooter, but he just sniffed his food and walked away. Sometimes he does that, preferring to graze later, so I didn't think much of it. But then Saturday came and went with no interest in food or water. By Sunday, he still hadn't eaten or had a drink, and worse, he started having bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. Despite this, the strange thing was he was still acting like his normal, energetic self — barking at squirrels and tearing around the yard.

 

    Sunday night was rough. Scooter's symptoms worsened, and I decided then and there that an emergency vet visit was necessary first thing Monday morning. A wave of dread washed over me as I remembered our last ER trip, waiting for hours for anal gland issues. This time, however, the waiting room was empty. They took Scooter in right away.

 

    The veterinary team ran a battery of tests: blood work, an ultrasound, and they even cleared his anal glands. We waited anxiously, but to our immense relief, all the results came back clear. A perfectly healthy dog, according to the tests. So, what was going on?

 

    The vet, after hearing our story, asked about the Fourth of July fireworks. I hadn't considered them a factor, but then it clicked: that was the last time Scooter had eaten or drunk anything. She theorized that the fireworks had completely freaked him out, causing him to shut down. They gave him some fluids and anti-nausea medication, and after a few hours, we took him home with prescriptions to stimulate his appetite and ease his stomach.

 

    Monday was much the same, with Scooter still not quite himself. But by Tuesday, there was a noticeable improvement. He was a bit weak from the lack of food and water, but he finally started eating and drinking again. Now, a week later, Scooter is back to his old self, full of energy and enjoying his meals. It was an expensive trip just to confirm he had a bad case of the jitters, but knowing he's otherwise healthy makes every penny worth it.

 

     That was everything in a nutshell. A crazy week with my mom and Scoots. I missed you all so much and will now be back into the swing of things here. Love you all! 

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

It Has Been Raining For Days

 "Practice the pause. Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you're about to react harshly and you'll avoid doing and saying things you'll later regret." (Lori Deschene)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!  

    If you're anything like me, you've been looking out your window this past week wondering if the calendar suddenly flipped back to February. Here in Colorado, we've been experiencing a wild stretch of weather, with daily rain showers since Friday. And get this: some areas in the mountains received a foot of fresh snow!

 

    That's right, a foot of snow in late May. Naturally, the ski resorts still open were absolutely thrilled, extending their seasons and giving powder hounds one last hurrah.

 

    The consistent rain means I can probably hold off on watering the lawn until the weekend, which is a nice perk. But the real kicker? Waking up to a genuine chill in the air. So much so that I had to turn the heater on this morning. Yes, in late May, I was cranking up the heat because it felt like winter inside the house!

 

    Out went the shorts and t-shirts, replaced by warm winter clothes. Even my little guy was bundled up in his fleece shirt. It truly felt like a mid-winter day rather than the cusp of summer.

 

    It seems like the long-awaited moisture has finally arrived and decided to stick around for a bit! And honestly, what a relief it is. One of the best perks of this cooler weather is how absolutely wonderful it makes working outdoors. That cool breeze? Pure bliss.

 

    It looks like we're in for a few more days of these fantastic conditions, and we plan to make the most of them. We'll be tidying up the rest of the backyard and finally bringing out all those pots and bags of dirt that have been waiting patiently.

 

    Our goal is to have the yard completely prepped and more things planted into containers by the end of next week. Here's to productive days ahead, enjoying every moment of this perfect outdoor working weather!

 

 A huge thank you for your lovely visit! Sending you all the cozy and delightful vibes for your morning/afternoon/evening. Until our stars align again!

 

 

What a Week

 "If the door closes, quit banging on it! Whatever was behind it, wasn't meant for you. Consider the fact that maybe the door was closed because you were worth so much more than what was on the other side." (Author Unknown)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!  

    Hope you all had a really wonderful week. And for Mother's Day, however you celebrated (or just spent the day!), I hope it was lovely for you.

 

    Mother's Day this year was a little different than usual! Instead of the typical brunch or whatnot, we hit the theater to see "The Book of Mormon." You know, that hilarious musical from the guys who created South Park? Yep, that's the one!

 

    This was actually our second time seeing it – it was my pick, obviously! The first time it came through Denver was super cool because it kicked off the tour right here after Tony Awards. We lucked out with front-row seats this time, which was PERFECT, especially since we're both on the shorter side and sometimes struggle to see over folks!

 

    I was totally joking beforehand about it being the perfect Mother's Day show, right? But honestly, it really was perfect, especially for my mom. You guys know how tough things have been and the whole emotional roller-coaster she's been on. Seeing her just genuinely laugh throughout the entire show? Man, that was exactly what she needed.

 

After the show, we headed back and dug into some enchiladas I'd made the night before, followed by some yummy coconut cream pie. It wasn't your traditional Mother's Day, but it was definitely a good one!

 

    So, the rest of the week? Yeah, it was... well, okay, I guess.

 

    You won't believe what happened one morning at breakfast, though. Crunch! Mom actually broke a tooth. Turns out it was one they'd already planned on doing a root canal on anyway. She called them right away, and thankfully they got her in a few days later. The thing is, they still really want to do that root canal, but she'd much rather just have them pull it. As you can probably guess, she was not happy about that whole situation.

 

    But honestly, the bigger thing is her pain. It's really been getting worse. She can barely stand up for maybe five minutes now, sometimes even less. It's just heartbreaking for her because she feels so... helpless, you know? Like she can't do anything. My mom always used to be, constantly up and doing things? Now, something as simple as trying to do a load of laundry hurts and just completely wears her out in no time. So, she's been focusing on things she can do sitting down, like folding clothes. It's just really tough to see her struggling with things that used to be so easy.

 

    So, you know how they say you shouldn't plant around here until after Mother's Day? Well, it's been a week since then, and honestly, I haven't gotten anything done in the yard yet! It's been a mix of being super busy on some days and then, of course, getting hit with rain on the others. We definitely need the rain, don't get me wrong, but I am itching to get out there and just clean everything up!

 

    The good news is, after one more appointment, my schedule is clear the rest of the week, so I can finally get outside. I think I'm going to start by planting some lettuce this week and get that going.

 

    Oh, and my mom got some beautiful flowers from my aunt for her birthday! I was originally thinking of putting them in the front containers, but since she can't get out much, I decided it would be better to plant them in the back instead. That way, she can see them every day!

 

    How about you guys? Have any of you managed to start your gardens yet? I'm planning to swing by the garden center soon to grab some tomato plants and other veggies once I get those containers cleaned out. At least I'm starting earlier than last year – I feel like I was barely getting things in the ground in the middle of June! 

 

    So, that's pretty much the scoop on what's been happening over here this past week. It's definitely been a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, honestly, just trying to take everything in. Especially tough dealing with everything going on with my mom and her pain and feelings.

 

    But hey, the weather's finally warming up, which is a lifesaver! I'm really looking forward to getting outside and finding some quiet peace in the yard, just pottering around by myself.

 

    Anyway, I hope you guys are all having a really good weekend and feeling refreshed and ready for a fantastic week ahead!

 

 A huge thank you for your lovely visit! Sending you all the cozy and delightful vibes for your morning/afternoon/evening. Until our stars align again!

 

 

Beautiful Time of Year

 "Just because I laugh a lot, doesn't mean my life is easy. Just because I have a smile on my face every day, doesn't mean that something is not bothering me. I just choose to move on, and not dwell on all the negatives in my life. Every new moment gives me the chance to renew anew. I choose to be that." (Author Unknown)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

     Alright, weekend vibes are practically here! But hey, let's be real, doesn't it feel like every day's a mini-vacation sometimes? Anyone else been soaking up all this sunshine lately? It's been absolutely dreamy! Buuuut, hold onto your hats, folks, because it sounds like Jack Frost decided to clock in for some overtime. Yep, snow's making a surprise guest appearance tomorrow! Guess winter's determined to squeeze every last snowflake out.

    

    The good news is, my mom's pain seems to be finally easing up! She's definitely using way less of the pain meds and gummies, which is fantastic. I still give her a nighttime gummy, and honestly, it's been a game-changer. For the past month, she's been sleeping all night long! Seriously, she used to be up and down constantly, so this is a huge win. 

 

    She chatted with her doctor about the pain last week, and they're keeping an eye on her A1C levels, which are a bit high. Of course, with all the stress, pain, and meds, it's understandable. She's working hard to get those numbers down so she can explore some treatment options. 

    I've been encouraging her to try physical therapy and some gentle stretching. She doesn't move around much during the day, and I think that's really contributing to her discomfort. We're hoping some movement will make a big difference! 

 

     Alright, sunshine lovers! Next week's forecast is looking absolutely glorious, which means... it's officially yard-spruce-up season! Time to dust off those gardening gloves and get ready to make some magic happen.

 

    I'm super pumped to dive into my garden this year, especially after a few… ahem… learning experiences last season. (Let's just say my tomatoes decided black spots were the latest fashion trend, and some lettuce containers threw a full-on no-show party.)  So, operation "Revamp the Garden" is in full swing!

 

    First on the to-do list: fresh potting soil! It's been a few years, and I think my plants deserve a spa day for their roots. Then, it's seed-sorting time! I'm already dreaming of all the delicious veggies we'll be growing. And guess what? Those garden tables I bought ages ago? They're finally getting assembled! More space for more veggies! Woot!

 

    I'm feeling a real buzz about growing my own food this year. It feels like more and more of us are rediscovering the joy of getting our hands dirty and watching things grow. Let's make this year's garden the best one yet! What are you all planning to plant?

 

 Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope your morning/afternoon/evening is extra cozy and delightful. Until our paths cross again!