Hi Gals, I actually have a free day today!  Imagine that.  I've seen several unusual birds at my feeders lately, a cerulean warbler, a black & white warbler, a vireo, and another warbler I'm not sure of, maybe a Magnolia warbler.  Beautiful birds. I love seeing new ones. Just wish I had an expert to sit with me and identify all of them.  I went out this morning to pull up some crab grass (or similar) that was coming up under the feeder.  I got most of it out, but my right knee grinds and pops so bad when I try to do something like that.  I had hoped the gel would stop it, but it doesn't.

Alpiner, congratulations on all the good reports and getting off the oxygen.

Sue, I need to get my hair cut but am going to try to put it off for 2 weeks so that it will be at the right length when I go to Brian's.  Your Village Friends are wonderful.  You sure chose the right place to move to from the farm. Their are so many activities and amenities in addition to Tim being fairly nearby.

Well, the baby says it's lunchtime, so I better go take care of her.  Sharon

Sharon, my hair cut turned out really well--pretty short, but it will grow out.  I have been working in my yard again today, but not as much as I should.  I took a long walk and have been reading one of the books I checked out of the library yesterday after we had lunch and did the Kroger shopping.  I just finished it and will definitely check out another by C. J. Box who writes about a forest ranger in Montana--who often finds himself in a pickle with people who are poaching, stealing, etc.  Tim introduced me to this series and I find I liked it a lot.

Good night, Every Buddy.
Sue

Sue, I've liked the C.J.Box books, too.  You also might like the books by Craig Johnson.  The TV show Longmire was based on his books.  They're about a present-day sheriff in Wyoming, and are quite good.

I played duplicate twice this week - no points either time, but not last, either.  We're looking to have several glorious spring days in a row upcoming.  The bedding plants I put out are doing well - getting them in right before a rain obviously did the job.  I've been up since 5  , so I'll probably be grabbing a snooze sometime later this morning.

Aldi here has been having avocados for $0.49 each this week.  One of the folks at the nail salon gave me two of them on Wednesday.  One was ripe enough to eat yesterday, and it was SOOOOOO good!! 

Good morning, Mary (and every Buddy looking in)!  It's a bright sunny day here and I've had a nice long, but exhausting walk.  That will be it for my exercise today.  I plan to read a book or two that I checked out of the library yesterday.  I will probably do another load of wash today, too.  There is a funeral at church this afternoon, but I have decided not to attend.  The deceased was a very popular Professor and Department head at AU and will be very crowded.  Olyne who usually takes me to church events has family here for the weekend.  So I may skip church tomorrow, too.  Ethel could probably take me, but she goes with other friends to BK every Sunday and they sit there way too long for me!

It's a beautiful sunny day here with temps going up into the high 70's.  I may do a little weeding and leaf raking, but not much else.  I have new books from the library and will probably read most of the afternoon.

Mary, thanks for the tip about the Longmire books.  I'll check them out at the library when I return these books.

Have a nice day, Buddies.
Sue

Mary, I love avocados too.  How do you eat them. I sometimes spread them on toast or in a salad, but could use other ideas too.  Glad your flowers are doing well. I am waiting for John to dump the old soil and roots, etc. out of my back pots. Then I'm going to put in my geranium, some tiny petunias, and some of the greenery from my Christmas pots that John got me.  They still don't look bad but the poinsettias have dropped some bracts and of course are completely out of season.  I just turned up my stimulator remote and took a pain pill. I hope I can get it all done today.

The bird feeders need to be refilled too. And the birdbath cleaned.  If I didn't enjoy them all so much, I sure wouldn't go to all the trouble.  John brought home new birdseed ylesterday.

Sue, I haven't heard of the Box series. They sound interesting. Will check them out some day soon. I'll also look at the Longmire books.  Glad your hair got cut.  I made an appt for 2 weeks from now, but think I better call her and move it up a week. Otherwise, I'll look like Bunny!!

I had to take Bunny into the vet at 8:30 this AM for them to get a urine sample before she had been out.  We were successful! They tried yesterday with no results.  They told me yesterday that her liver enzymes are rising again. Right now she is on a liver booster pill. They will check her blood again in a month. If it is worse, I'm going to ask them to put her on prednisone again.  There's no point in paying another $500 for an ultra sound when we aren't going to do surgery anyway.  I'm afraid her days are numbered though with so many health problems. We'll just try to enjoy whatever time we have with her. I dread the day though when we lose her.  She's such a funny, loving, good little dog.

Well, I better get out to work on my flowers.  Sharon

Sharon, yesterday, I ate lunch at home, and just had half an avocado in pieces on pretzel-crackers.  Then last night, they served a chicken Caesar salad (no romaine, just iceberg lettuce  ), and cut the second half up on that.  It made it extra-yummy!  When I had them at the house, I just usually made small patches of guacamole (John didn't eat them, so I just did one at a time).

Lovely day here, and I did some needed dusting this morning and have lots of laundry to do.

Sue...landscapers will have to come back to plant.  The ground is still too cold for any plants or seeds.

One restaurant has a wonderful smoked turkey, avocado, onion, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.  I ask for the creamy ITalian dressing on the side.

I like to buy small avocados which feel ripe.  I cut them in half, squirt lemon juice in the "hole", put the other half in the fridge for another time, and just enjoy them along with the rest of my meal.  Sometimes the ones I've chosen are too ripe and I have to throw them out.

I've been reading most of the afternoon, but stopped about 7:00 to watch some favorite Saturday evening programs.  I'm off to bed now to finish reading a book I started this morning.

Sleep well, Buddies.
Sue

Sue, I never buy ripe avocados - only ones that feel firm. They will ripen in a few days.  Then you can put them in the fridge until you're ready to eat them. 

Thanks for the tip, Mary.  I'll try it next time!

I'm playing hooky from church this morning.  Olyne who usually comes by and picks me up for SS and Church has company this weekend.  So I slept late, read all of the Sunday paper, finally dressed about 10:00 and took my morning walk.  I think I still have time to turn the TV on and get the church service from First Presbyterian in Montgomery.  So that will give me my church fix for this week.

It's a beautiful sunny day here and my walk was very pleasant.  I saw lots of birds that I think were nesting all over the neighborhood.  I'll probably spend the rest of the afternoon reading as I have a new stash from the library.  Tim took me by there after lunch on Thursday and Kroger shopping.  It's a perfect day to read out on my deck--not too hot, but nice and sunny.

Have a nice day, every Buddy.
Sue

A tip for an avocado  when it is still hard and you don't want to wait long: bury it in a bag of rice (uncooked!) for two/three days. It hasten the process.

Thanks for the tip, Bubble!  I didn't know that.

Thanks for all the avocado tips. Since John doesn't eat them, I end up throwing half of them away if I'm not careful to use it quickly.

Went to church and then stopped at Lowes on the way home.  Our patio chairs ripped out yesterday--not expensive ones and we'd had them several years, so we picked up 2 new ones at Lowes, along with some more flowers for my front pots.  I used some of the green plants that were planted around my poinsettia for the back pot. I don't know if they will survive or not. I added some color to it also, so we will see how it looks in a few weeks when it has a chance to grow.  I also have the 2nd load of laundry in, so now I can play for a while and maybe get the newspaper articles written for May. Our newsletter at church came out today, so I have new info.

I was so tired last night, we ordered a pizza in for dinner. Can't tell you when the last time we did that was. It really tasted good.

I hope everyone is enjoying a warm, sunshiny day like we are.  Only 68 projected as the top temp, but I'll take that.  It was pleasant planting the flowers.  Yesterday was in the mid 70's and I got really sweaty planting those in back.  Sharon

We did some work straightening up the outside storage area, and I raked off the raised bed.   That is going to be all wildflowers this summer. 

Ray was very unsteady on his feet this morning.  He grabbed his cane when I drove us out to get wildflower seeds.  He slept several hours this afternoon, anad said he feels better.  When he’s tired, his essential tremors are always worse.

Jane

Regarding avocados...
I just ripened 3 very hard ones..
by just putting them in any old brown
paper bag and left them out on the counter
for 2 or 3 days....   Just the bag.    And they
came back nice and soft and ready to eat.   

Avocados are very good for us.

I love avocados...yummy...Darlene

Here we don't see those brown bags any more...

Bubble....they have made somewhat of a resurgence here in towns where the city has forbidden the use of plastic bags for ecological reasons.  So, where we winter in Texas, you always get a brown bag if you haven't brought your own.  Some stores charge for the brown bag or a reuseable bag if that's what they use.  There were so many of the light plastic bags floating around the desert and getting tangled up on the cactus...and, of course, in the Gulf with the sea turtles and various fish.

It's a beautiful Monday, and Ray's has gone to take a load of trash to the landfill near CR.  We no longer have a "dump" here in this county, so must go to the ones in other counties.

I'm working on a mountain of laundry, and need to make a quick trip to WalMart, and then come home and start on the spring cleaning of the dining room.   

Have a good last day of April!

jane

Good morning, Every Buddy.  Thanks for the avocado tips.  I'm going to try all of them! 

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Auburn.  I haven't walked yet as Tim usually comes by on Monday morning to check on me.  I've read the paper and cleaned up my breakfast things.  I need to do some laundry today and later on do some leaf raking.  My trash was picked up this morning before I was dressed, so after I dressed I went down to the curb and brought the recycle tubs and the trash barrel up to put away. 

I need to do some laundry today but will probably do more outside as it is not too warm.  Tim just came by for his Monday morning "Mom check" and he filled my bird feeder and we went over some paper work that needed attention.  He's off now to tend to his own business. 

My sister Anne called last night.  We had a good chat as usual.  She is fine as is her hubby, Richard.  Nothing much new down there in their neighborhood.  We did talk about a book both of us had read and enjoyed recently.

I'm off now to walk in my neighborhood.

Have a nice day!
Sue

Great tips on Ripening Avocados. I haven't bought any in quite a while. They are so hard, Now I will  get some and try out the tips.

Quiet here today at least for this morning, Thi8s afternoon UI have Tai chi and then music practice at 4:30.

Good morning buddies...cloudy here..fixing to go walk...wanted to ask...do any of you take.Amlodipine for B/P ?..I have been taking it..5mg a day for a year now..and think it's giving me side effects..flushing..fatigue. Etc?  I have Dr appt this month am going to talk to him about switching to something else..my readings are good...but don't like the way it makes me feel...not on any other med..so think it's that one...have a good Tuesday..Darlene

Darlene, definitely talk to your doctor about other options. There are lots of different BP meds on the market, so he needs to work with you to find one that works without side effects.  Lucky you that you only take one med.  Wish I were so lucky, but I need them & I'm thankful they are available.

I didn't get to sleep till about 2:30 last night. Just couldn't get my brain to turn off.  Grrrr!

My cleaning girls are here today, so that makes me happy. I'll have nice clean windows. I was afraid the landscaper would be here early to put in the new plants under my bedroom windows, so I had her start there and they are all done and the landscaper still hasn't shown up.  With all the rain we had last week, he's having a time getting caught up.

Nothing else going on here.  Sharon

Darlene....my husband is on Amlodipine and has been for quite some time.  He is on quite a few meds, so don't know that this one is responsible for his fatigue, etc.  Do ask your doc.

We finally have some rain and it's much needed, but my body isn't happy.  My fingers are really bothered, so this will be short.


jane

Good morning, Buddies.  It's a bright, sunny day here in Auburn.  I didn't wake up until almost 8:30 this morning.  I took my time with the morning paper (there was a movie premier here yesterday--can't remember the title or the star, but AU students won a contest to get the premier here in a theater in Opelika).  So most of the front page was about that and not much else. 

I've been moving but slowly this morning.  Some days are just like that for me, although I did get outside already for my longish walk in my neighborhood.  I'll probably read some more after I fix and eat lunch.

Jane, do you have arthritis in your fingers?  I have a really big lump on my right forefinger--and can't use it for much.  When I first came to Auburn after Bob died, a doctor I was seeing for varicose veins told me that the knots on my fingers were arthritic and could cause pain.  Most of the fingers are OK, but the right forefinger is misshapen and painful.  I have little knots on every finger and a really big one on the right forefinger.  Sometimes I take an aspirin and that helps.

Sharon, I'm sorry about the sleep problem last night.  I usually sleep pretty well at night, but if I stay up later to finish a mystery, it sometimes keeps me awake and I hate that.  I hope you have a better night this evening.

Darlene, I don't have high BP, so don't take a med for that.  Perhaps your doctor will be able to find another medication that will be helpful.  I hope so and soon!

Marilyn, it sounds like you were pretty busy yesterday.  What's on your agenda today?

I need to start thinking about making my lunch.  I usually try to eat my largest meal around noon.  Have a nice day, Every Buddy.

GinnyAnn, I'm still hoping to see a post from you and Alpiner!

Sue

Cottoncandy  I also take Amlodipine , my dosage is  10mg . a day  .  I am tired too but have attributed it to other factors .  I'm also taking Anastrozole from my cancer dr. & hot flashes are one of the side affects , along with aching .  One dr. told me I get tired from breathing ( asthma , COPD ) .

The landscapers have been here and replaced the encore azaleas that died this winter and also mulched 2 beds and put pinestraw on the back garden. Looks so much better.  Now if only the mowers would come.

I spent half the afternoon yesterday sceduling all kinds of service appts.  The first is a check-up of our A/C today. Bunny goes to the groomer tomorrow and we have a phone conference scheduled with our financial guy after that + groceries later of course!  Friday, I have to take the car in for a 35,000 mile check up and then a guy is coming to clean out our dryer vent. O aur laundry is so tiny, we can't move the dryer ourselves to get to the back of it and things aren't drying quite right.

It's supposed to reach 80 or so today. Very sunny and nice.  The PGA tournament is in Charlotte this week and it looks like it will have good weather except maybe for Sun AM.

Sharon

Good morning, Buddies.  I didn't wake up this morning until 8:30 and I'm still sitting here in my p.j.'s!  I did stay up later than usual reading a Mrs. Jefferies mystery, so I know it's all my fault.  I need to get dressed and out for a walk!

My plan for the day is to try to rake up all the rest of the oak leaves that are down in my back yard.  I'll take them down to the curb so the trash pick up can take them away on Monday.  It's supposed to be sunny for the next several days and might reach 80* each day--with rain coming on the weekend.

Sharon, you have a busy day planned.  Is John playing bridge today?  It sounds like your yard is coming along now that you have some warmer weather.  My laundry room is small, but the dryer vents directly out to my back yard so I'm expecting (hoping) for quite a few more years from the dryer and washer.  I have a local guy who comes to set up my AC and furnace and will also adjust the washer and dryer if needed.

Hello to Every Buddy looking in--and a happy May morning to you all!
Sue

Bridge today, and cards were mediocre.  Storms firing up now...lots of thunder and lightning.



Jane

jane, hope there's no bad stuff in your area (or anywhere, for that matter).

I don't think I posted yesterday.  It's so quiet around here.  Lovely weather, and nothing exciting going on.  After all our rain, it's been totally dry all week.  I've had to water the plants in my railing planters.  I thought we did pretty well at duplicate Monday night - but lots of others did much better. 

Happy Thursday, Buddies!

Thunder and lightning and rain last night, and lots of fog this morning. 

Nothing much planned for today.

Jane