Travel
As I always do before a trip, I'm getting excited. It's a feeling like I'm outside of myself and watching things go by as time draws near to leaving. There is so much I need to do but just can't get started.
My sister Julie, who just got married, was hospitalized with very high blood pressure and chest pains two nights ago. She's just been released and will have to see a cardiologist soon. They just bought a house but I don't know how much remodeling or redecorating they were going to do before moving in. Julie has had similar heart and blood pressure problems in the past 6 or 8 years, and I'm hoping she will be able to overcome this scary situation. She just turned 55, which is way too young for something like this, although I know it happens.
I was closing the sliding glass door to allow for an opening of about 8" of ventilation before turning on the swamp cooler, and found this little guy on the edge of the door. In trying to zoom in as close as I could get I ended up with a fuzzy picture, but he's visible anyway.
I tried cropping the photo to get a slightly larger picture but it got even fuzzier so I went back to the original. Please click to enlarge.
I took my binoculars out to the back yard last night to see if I could see the Pleiades (sp?). Even with the moon being so bright and lights from the industrial bldgs across the trail in back, I could still see quite a few bright stars with the naked eye. But when I raised the binoculars I couldn't believe how many more I could see. I don't think I ever could make out the Pleiades, but I sure got an eyeful of other stars.
Trying to stand and look up through binoculars while trying to not lose balance and topple over, makes for wavy stars! I tried leaning against the house in an effort to keep my arms still but it didn't help much. I think I need my lounge chair so I can lay back and maybe rest my arms on the chair to keep them from moving so much. The sky is so beautiful even with the wavy stars and I wish I lived somewhere out in dark sky country. I will always remember Ireland winters with the sky so full of stars it was mind-boggling. I heard from some of the fishermen that it is even better out on the sea and completely out of sight of land. I can't imagine it.
Meals are getting problematic as I'm trying to eat food that I have on hand and not buy anything else until I return from NY. I have been trying to use up the bacon I had on hand and today was the 2nd day of bacon & egg sandwiches for lunch. I fried the remaining few slices of bacon and put them in the fridge - maybe I'll crumble a couple of slices and scramble with an egg for tomorrow's lunch. I have one egg left! I'll probably have to spend a fortune restocking when I return.
UPDATE:
I just got my mail in and found an offer to renew my subscription to Backpacker magazine and get a second subscription free. My current subscription to Backpacker expires in June 2016! I think I will let everything expire and then quit reading any magazines as they all send renewal notices way early. What are they teaching in Marketing classes these days?
- It's A Great Life!
I'm feeling on top of the world today, no doubt from last night's gym workout and this morning's treadmill walk. I set the treadmill for "rolling hills" - it doesn't actually roll but the resistance makes it feel like rolling. ...
- A Day With Liam
I had Liam today - Steve had to drive to a meeting in San Francisco, and Meg had to work. Steve hasn't been feeling well and Meg went home early because of being sick. I spoke with Jeannie and she sounds really bad too. We all have...
- Just Sitting Around On Saturday
I woke up about 4 a.m. and got my binoculars to look out the window to see the stars. Without turning on the light I picked up a notebook and pencil and drew circles from left to right to represent the bright stars I saw - when I looked at the drawing...
- Today Is Much Better
I didn't even need to turn on the swamp cooler today as the fan kept the air moving and there was a nice breeze all day long outside. I think we'll have two more nice days like this before it climbs into the 90's. I shopped for my granddaughter's...
- Last Soccer Game Of Season
Okay, you turn this way! If I cover my face then I won't have to go for the ball! No one on the green team is watching! Ah, the joys of little kids' sports. At least they don't keep score at this level. There was an end-of-season...
Travel
Getting excited
As I always do before a trip, I'm getting excited. It's a feeling like I'm outside of myself and watching things go by as time draws near to leaving. There is so much I need to do but just can't get started.
My sister Julie, who just got married, was hospitalized with very high blood pressure and chest pains two nights ago. She's just been released and will have to see a cardiologist soon. They just bought a house but I don't know how much remodeling or redecorating they were going to do before moving in. Julie has had similar heart and blood pressure problems in the past 6 or 8 years, and I'm hoping she will be able to overcome this scary situation. She just turned 55, which is way too young for something like this, although I know it happens.
I was closing the sliding glass door to allow for an opening of about 8" of ventilation before turning on the swamp cooler, and found this little guy on the edge of the door. In trying to zoom in as close as I could get I ended up with a fuzzy picture, but he's visible anyway.
I tried cropping the photo to get a slightly larger picture but it got even fuzzier so I went back to the original. Please click to enlarge.
I took my binoculars out to the back yard last night to see if I could see the Pleiades (sp?). Even with the moon being so bright and lights from the industrial bldgs across the trail in back, I could still see quite a few bright stars with the naked eye. But when I raised the binoculars I couldn't believe how many more I could see. I don't think I ever could make out the Pleiades, but I sure got an eyeful of other stars.
Trying to stand and look up through binoculars while trying to not lose balance and topple over, makes for wavy stars! I tried leaning against the house in an effort to keep my arms still but it didn't help much. I think I need my lounge chair so I can lay back and maybe rest my arms on the chair to keep them from moving so much. The sky is so beautiful even with the wavy stars and I wish I lived somewhere out in dark sky country. I will always remember Ireland winters with the sky so full of stars it was mind-boggling. I heard from some of the fishermen that it is even better out on the sea and completely out of sight of land. I can't imagine it.
Meals are getting problematic as I'm trying to eat food that I have on hand and not buy anything else until I return from NY. I have been trying to use up the bacon I had on hand and today was the 2nd day of bacon & egg sandwiches for lunch. I fried the remaining few slices of bacon and put them in the fridge - maybe I'll crumble a couple of slices and scramble with an egg for tomorrow's lunch. I have one egg left! I'll probably have to spend a fortune restocking when I return.
UPDATE:
I just got my mail in and found an offer to renew my subscription to Backpacker magazine and get a second subscription free. My current subscription to Backpacker expires in June 2016! I think I will let everything expire and then quit reading any magazines as they all send renewal notices way early. What are they teaching in Marketing classes these days?
- It's A Great Life!
I'm feeling on top of the world today, no doubt from last night's gym workout and this morning's treadmill walk. I set the treadmill for "rolling hills" - it doesn't actually roll but the resistance makes it feel like rolling. ...
- A Day With Liam
I had Liam today - Steve had to drive to a meeting in San Francisco, and Meg had to work. Steve hasn't been feeling well and Meg went home early because of being sick. I spoke with Jeannie and she sounds really bad too. We all have...
- Just Sitting Around On Saturday
I woke up about 4 a.m. and got my binoculars to look out the window to see the stars. Without turning on the light I picked up a notebook and pencil and drew circles from left to right to represent the bright stars I saw - when I looked at the drawing...
- Today Is Much Better
I didn't even need to turn on the swamp cooler today as the fan kept the air moving and there was a nice breeze all day long outside. I think we'll have two more nice days like this before it climbs into the 90's. I shopped for my granddaughter's...
- Last Soccer Game Of Season
Okay, you turn this way! If I cover my face then I won't have to go for the ball! No one on the green team is watching! Ah, the joys of little kids' sports. At least they don't keep score at this level. There was an end-of-season...