It's getting hot in AZ

Paul is working tonight so I'll spend a few minutes doing Post 2 today. The temperatures here in the "Valley" are starting to rise, reminding us that the triple digits of summer aren't far away. In fact, they'll be starting in April or May. Paul and I ate lunch outside and actually had to move into the Shade. It feels great, but I know what's coming.  Pool water temps almost too warm to enjoy! I suppose to any of you reading from Snowbound areas don't have much sympathy for me today :).

A Few weeks ago, Paul and I planted bare root roses and tried some fruit trees. THEY'RE BLOOMING.  Automatic Sprinklers are not Paul's thing so one of the chores I've started to help with is watering. It's a good chance to get Sabby outside playing and forces me out too.  It's amazing to see that the "Stick" we planted last month, hoping it would become a blueberry Plant?Tree? someday, start to actually show Green! Our apricot trees are beginning to bloom too.  Most of our roses are starting to show promise of buds to come. Looks like we'll have blooms even by our early Easter this year. 

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog today. Again.

Tired but Happy

We had a short but wonderful trip to Southern CA Sunday, coming home Monday.  Rain got in the way Sunday of out door pictures, so we used Lyndsey's coupons to Picture People. They know her by her first name there so we had a great Photographer who really got the kids to smile ... right on cue!  Good BOY Conner. I brought a Sucker and showed him what he'd get if he smiled. Conner is not real big on pictures.  

This was also Paul's first chance to hold Sophie. She'd spent a week in the NICU in January and Paul couldn't get in to hold her. This weekend he was able to get some Sophie / Pappys time.  

We spent so long at the Mall we were late getting home for the Academy Award show. Thank God for DVR. We turned in on and could fast forward through the songs and boring awards. Paul made his wonderful Mac and cheese.   Despite his earlier remarks, Rob DID come with Carla, Madi & Conner. Auntie Carla got Sophie time and wouldn't share with Rob.  

This kids had great fun running, screaming, laughing, fighting and making up. Conner tried to keep things tidy. :) 

Like I said, short but filled with a lot of fun; AND a Family portrait that I treasure so much.  Something special as Paul and I near our 30th year married. Not bad for a dumb young couple who'd only known each other 3.5 months when we got married. .. Thanks Mom for just knowing it was right.

Carla! You are NOT off the hook for the annual December disaster at the waterfall this year!

These last two days have been filled with um.. Rest! and the Hilary Obama Debate. Poor Paul.. He'd really rather watch Gunsmoke or NCIS.

Have a good day everyone and thanks for taking time to read my blog today. 

The Oscars

This is what I'm calling our Oscar Cake. I bought it yesterday while having dessert in Phoenix with my friend Sarah. I thought of Lyndsey when I saw it and thought it would be a perfect dessert for our "Oscar Party".
This weekend Paul and I are going to California. It's exciting because we're both going since Paul arranged two days off together. Our youngest daughter Lyndsey loves all that is Hollywood and the Oscars and Golden Globe award shows are traditions for Lyndsey and me to share. Something we can do together. Since Sophie our 5 week old Grand daughter is still too little to travel, AND I don't have to work Mondays anymore; we're going to watch the Oscars with Lyndsey, Victor, Makayla, Izabella & Little Sophie. While we're down there, we'll also see Rob, Carla, Madi & Conner. I can't repeat my son Rob's comments when he turned down the invitation to join us for the Oscars in this format, so lets just say They won't be joining us for the Show.  

We're taking Sabby with us so I'll have an opportunity to get a Picture of ALL SIX.  The walls in my house are filled with pictures. Pictures of my history; Paul's History; Our History together and now I fill them with the smiles of my six beautiful Grandchildren. 

It's raining in Buckeye today and the rain and gloom affect my mood. Fortunately the sunny days here in the "Valley of the Sun" are the norm and not the exception. And when I think of the oppressive heat we'll be getting in less than three months, I can handle a little rain.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today.

Fun at the Park

 

In keeping with my determination to be more active, and to keep my promise to her,  I took my five year old grand daughter, Sabby to the park yesterday. The Sundance Community here in Buckeye, is dotted with small parks to give  children the chance to run and climb  and their caregivers the chance to sit and enjoy the day. I did enjoy the day and watching Sabby run, climb, roll and visit with her invisible (to me anyway) friends.  Yesterday I met a neighbor. A Very nice woman from Virginia. She brings her grandson to play at the park a few days a week. Sabby played with him for over an hour while I got to know a neighbor whom I'd enjoy getting to know better. 

I also got the chance to practice taking pictures, with one of my 6 favorite subjects. The weather has been beautiful this winter and the park was a beautiful place to sit and "meditate" about my extraordinary luck these last seven months.. Well if you don't count the broken leg but even that could have served it's purpose. Instead of fighting Rush Hour Traffic, I'm sitting in the warmth of the sun watching my favorite Red Head burn off some of that energy that keeps her running circles (literally) around her Gran. 

My "goals" no longer involve monthly volume of leases funded, but I did spend each day for the past 35 years, with an eye to the team goal so over time, I've become a "goal oriented" person.  I've discovered during these last 6 months I still need goals to get up and stay active each day and I've decided to set goals each day more in keeping with this new phase of my life.  One of my goals for the rest of Winter and early Spring is to walk some each day and take Sabby to the park at least 3 days every week. Once the temperatures here in Buckeye reach the late spring and summer highs in triple digit numbers, I will find a new weekly goal.

Thank you for your time in reading my blog today.

Tuesday, February 20th

Well, here I go. I'm blogging. I wonder while I write this if ANYONE will ever read this and if so, why.

I find it amazing that here I am, a BabyBoomer, ready (not) to turn 56. Wasn't it just yesterday
that I was one of the millions of children causing overcrowding of the Public School System?
Now we Boomers are ready to put a severe strain on the Social Security System... *Hey weren't we the ones keeping it going for so long?* I'm on Medical Disability now. Looking for ways to get/stay connected to the world.

Four Years ago I had a heart attack and went from living to dying to living again in about a half an hour. I found out a year ago that my heart actually was damaged during that wild ride to the hospital that day in December 2004. I have M.S. and combined with the heart failure, I'm "medically retired".

I've wanted to "retire" for so long now. Five of my Six Grandchildren live in Southern CA, a few hours from here. I live in Buckeye AZ now, on the very far West Side of Phoenix. I wonder often what Paul and I were thinking when we sold our home in Murrieta to move to AZ.  I've wanted more time to visit my Grandchildren; and I got to be there when my youngest grand daughter, Sophie, 5 weeks old now, was born. On the other hand, living on disability makes trips to Southern CA, too expensive to make often. I'm happy to pick Sabby (my Red Head) up from School everyday and watch her play in the yard. Something I only dreamed about when her mother, aunt & uncles were young.
On the other hand, I am reminded often of the fact that I'll never be a Forensic Scientist.... That my career, which no way resembled Forensic Science, is over. My good friend Sarah used the words Next Phase and came up with the name I've chosen to give this blog. So I'm using this page, "My New Blog" to Mediate and muse on My Next Phase.

I'm also forwarding this to all my children, family and old friends. You guys have to deal with either reading my musings or deleting upon receipt.

If anyone who also finds themselves in this New Phase happens upon my blog, we can share notes on our discoveries about this phase. I hope so.

I hope I make new friends and learn much from my new blog.