Happy Hallow!!

Everyone have a wicked Halloween!!!  I normally go dark, easier with the dogs and all, but for the first holiday in the new house, i did get goodies for the trickers :) see how many i get. Don't really see alot of kids in this area of town. Think we are all older, kids gone. Tomorrow is November already, it is hard to believe the days whizzing by.....
Take Care All and safe traveling to all the people going South the time of year!!

To Madras, To Madras

 To buy a red hen :)
Had a great visit! This is the chicken coop my brother built, has 3 hens and 1 rooster, the hens quit laying, don't know why.
Got the RV winterized, 'blew' out the water lines.  Had a charger on the battery for over 24 hours and it started, so was not an alternator problem, thank heavens, just low battery, new battery, but guess they don't stay charged if just sitting! Which i did not know. Learned it with my car tho, as it was deader than a doornail after sitting at home for 7 months :) Suppose all batteries are the same, and Bonnie sat there since July. She was not happy, just have to get the tire fixed now. Brother is going to move the RV over to where he works on the log truck and take off the tire and take it to get fixed or replaced. Nice brother!!!

 We use the RV for xmas eve gathering, just plug her in and start the heater! As at that time of year it is ass bitingly cold in Madras!!!

Brother Jerry also has two horses being boarded at his place, Arabian stallions, they are rather small horses. Makes his mare crazy to have them about, she is tearing all over her separate pasture.
We also viewed a dvd that a cousin made for us that had Mom & Dad on it from 1986 and 1991. They are both gone now for over 5 years, which seems impossible in itself.  It was SO good to see them and hear their voices.  We laughed and cried. Jerry said it doesn't get any better than that.  Why, oh why, did we not do that ourselves through the years.  Do the video thing. You so take it for granted we will all be together always and we are in an ethereal way. BUT it was so GOOD to see them
Take Care and God Bless All!!!!

Xmas!!

Got my 1st Xmas catalog today.... and i do love the Sundance catalog. Robt Redford always has a heartfelt little editorial in them. Like to look and dream. Have always loved getting these and dreaming, even as a little girl, if i had the money or i was that size.... the Sears Christmas Toybook, ahhhh. Supplies many hours of warm, homey memories.

Take Care and God Bless All!!!!

Bipap

Am doing really well with my bipap. Went to the inhalation therapist Tuesday and he was pleased.  After reading the directions, Yes, that does have info in it!!! U have to wash the mask every day so the plastic stays 'gooey' and will affix to your face. Then it just takes adjusting, sometimes more than a couple times during the night, to keep it where it is supposed to be, with no leaks. Luci is getting used to it :)  as am i. Have raised the humidity level double to what they had it set at and i seem to be comfortable with that.  Am waking without a sore throat and the 'fuzzy' feeling i had most all the time in the morning is gone, Yea!!!!  That was such a part of my life i thought it was normal to feel that way!
SO, this part of the whole process has been worth it. A person gets so used to feeling the way they do, that they don't think it is anything but normal. At least that is the way i was.  So, if u think things are not exactly right, my advice is to have it checked (and i know there are many, many people that do not have access to medical care.  Feel very fortunate that i do. But i did work for it, it was not thrown at my feet. Also pay almost $900 per month for it)
That is another thing, WE on Soc Sec get a raise of what? 2-3% after two years of not getting a raise, BUT health insurance payments are more than taking that away again. U can say the Lord giveth, but He also taketh away :)
We (yes browbeat the son into helping) did get the foot of leaves bagged up, will take a picture of the back of the pickup to show and tell!!! Amazingly did not take too long, overall.... and it was nice outside, even had to take my sweater off!!
Take Care all and God Bless

Wordless Wednesday

LEAVES

 Leaves fell in my yard today- LOTS of them!  It is rather bewildering, don't know what to do with all of them. Guess will have to get some of those huge black garbage bags and start bagging!

 I think Carl is bewildered too!!!
I did rake them all to one side in a huge row.  Saw him out there, walking through them, sniffing..... Probably wondering where to do his job...  :)
There are many different looking ones, thought all 4 trees were the same, they look the same, but the leaves are definitely different. Some are larger than my hand!
They just started coming off, it was like snow.  Couldn't catch with the camera what was happening.  A couple inches deep and many, many of them. Different sizes and colors, nature in it's bounty. Surely there should be something to do with them.  have used them in the flower bed as mulch and to winterize and protect from cold.

Happenings

 This is my house this morning, the 4 trees in the backyard get more beautiful as the days go by. Think i am going to get tired of picking up all those leaves tho :)  They are even more golden than than they were this morning!

 Sunday i had brunch with a bunch (7) ladies at one of their houses.  We eat and then play dominoes, talk and talk.  We do this at a different person's house every month.  The summer time we take off.  But it is a fun get together and catch up time.

 These were just trees along the road, aren't they pretty?  I swear this year we have an abundance of beauty around Redmond, Oregon!

 Here is my niece, JeriMay.  We went to Madras to visit her parents today.  Stopped at Crooked River Gorge and bridge on the way.  I like to stop every now and then, walk out on the old bridge halfway and spit!  We are always driving by and decided to take a break and walk a bit and look. Luci stayed in the car.   It is a pretty dangerous place, many dogs have been let out of their car, off leash and jumped right on over, not knowing there is nothing on the other side of the waist high rock wall, then a 200 foot drop, straight down, whooeee!!!

Here am i with the railroad bridge in the background.  There is the railroad bridge, the OLD bridge, which i can't believe we drove over for years and years, it is so narrow, and the new, wonderful, WIDE bridge...  This is Peter Skene Ogden Wayside, named after an very early explorer of the area.
It is awesome to see.  It was soooo cold today.  Worked on the RV. I need to get an RV blowout valve or fitting for the freshwater inlet (?) rather than put the rv antifreeze stuff in there. Still working on the battery/alternator thing, AND NOW i have a flat tire on the inside rear passenger side, geez!!!  Does it not ever end?
Take Care All!!!

Seal?

Could NOT get a seal on the face mask last night, i appear to huff 'n puff while sleeping with my mouth open. Am sure it is a sight to see! It was miserable. Will have to read the directions to see if there is something to be done.  Took it off about 2:30a!

Wow

Wow, this cpap thing is cool, i don't feel 'fuzzy' at all today.  Took me awhile to get accustomed to the thing and breathing, they gave a couple sleeping pills to relax me, and i just slept right thru and woke up about 8:30a fairly ready to go, more ready than i have been in quite some time.  Luci thought it was rather weird at times, when air escapes at the side of the mask making weird noises, but all in all it was a good night.  Can't tell u the difference in the bipap and cpap, except this is the one the doctor ordered based on the sleep study and it has to do with air, in and out. :)
Racked leaves and planted bulbs today.
Take Care and God Bless

A Day

Well, got my bipap as it is called, we will see, it is a weird thing... Went to a stamp club meeting with the ladies and had a good time.  Run to Costco, got socks and a book,  'The Dovekeepers' By Alice Hoffman about Masada, which looks and reads really good....
Take Care all!!!

Wordless Wednesday

 Across the street!

Tomatoes on I-5

Procedure

 Today i had an EGD (which is a scope down the throat, the name of which is really long) Everything looked, or so i was told, was really loopy and sleepy until about 5pm.  Have a hyiatal (sp) hernia, which they will fix when i have the surgery.  Still have to loose 10# and this last week did not go towards helping that! Altho i feel i made good choices, there were tiny lapses here and there. But am back on track now...

Also have sleep apnea, which am going to get the equipment for on Friday.  Geez, am i falling apart?  they say tho after the surgery and significant weight loss, this will go away... Feel that will be a good thing.
It is good being home and getting everything in order again, everything where it belongs.
Still have to get the car washed, it is REALLY buggy!! And go to the grocery, have no bananas...
Take care all and God Bless

Back Home!

My niece fixed us breakfast and we left at 9a and got home at 12:30a Monday morn. and this is about all we saw. Got thru L.A. in just an hour and a half, that has got to be some record!! Got dark about Red Bluff, just when the interesting stuff comes!! They were harvesting roma tomatoes, saw LOTS of trucks with them in.  Luci is stuck to my side and overcome with joy.... it is great to be so loved!!

Halloween Prep

Look at the cutey Lady-Bug!!!
She had some professional pictures taken and i  butted in on the set-up :) No feet, but still cute!!

Happy Family!! at the Pumpkin Patch!

AND this is the only way to carve pumpkins!!!!
Don't know how long it has been since i have been involved in that!!

Take Care and God Bless all
Back on the road tomorrow for home.....

In Yucaipa, CA

 My Sister-In-Law and i went to Calif to see her grandbaby, my grand-niece!!!  Drove 16 1/2 hrs to get here, whew, it was a LONG drive and it kicked both our butts, but only have so much time and did not want to spend most of it traveling, wanted 2 full days with the little family!!  This is Mt Shasta in the morning light.  We left at 3:30am!!  By now u should know how i feel about getting up early :)  HA!! But we wanted to get there early enough to not bother Sacia,  my niece, as she had to go to work the next day, she is a 1st grade teacher....

 AND here is little Chloe, Isn't she the most darling, little thing??? We are having a great time, got to watch baby for most of the day today, then go watch her have  pictures taken in her Halloween costume, she is a lady-bug!!! and so darn cute, pictures to follow...

 Here is a Calif flower, bird of paradise, can't put a blog out w/o the flower picture :)

Here is mommy and baby, both so happy, it is really GOOD thing to see!

It is in the 90's here, and i showed up with WOOL socks on!

Take Care All, safe travels and God Bless

no glasses

I have 'discovered' greek yogurt.  It is good for u!  More protein too.  BUT this morning i had breakfast prior to putting my glasses on.  Thought i was eating cherry yogurt, doesn't that look like a cherry on the front? At a quick glance? w/o glasses on? And i kept getting 'pitts'-- how disgusting, did they not take out the pitts or strain the fruit or something before putting it in the yogurt?  geez i am going to have to write a letter to Chobani people this is disgusting.  Then after awhile and holding the container closer to my eyes to SEE what was going on, this is weird!!!  Discovered it was pomegranate!!  What?? Who would buy such a thing?  Me?  I don't even like pomegranates, they are so disappointing, all those seeds and hardly any fruit.  We used to always want these when i was a kid, loved to spit the seeds at my little brothers.  BUT not in my yogurt and not in the morning. (I don't like too many upsetting things, decisions, awkwardness first thing in the morning) Do NOT like green eggs and ham, no siree!!!! Whoever bought this, it was a BAD decision. Do NOT like seeds in my yogurt!!!! No, Not in the morning....I am pretty sure not ever!
What a way to start the day!
Have a good morning all, take care.....

Sleep Study

Just look at this, and then the thing was not in my nose yet! And halfway thru the night they hooked me up to a CPAP. That thing just rushed air into me, i was so bloated!!  Belching and (farting)  it was awful, they did not leave it on me all the rest of the night even, BUT i did feel more rested and wide awake, at 8am!!!
But they glue all these things on your head and legs and an ET finger, then say 'have a good night's sleep', right, but took the Ambien and was down for the night. Don't you love the wings in my hair, may try for that look all the time! Think it makes me look perky!! We can all use a dose of perk....
Nice room and good bed tho. And one more step out of the way.
Sleep well all :)

New and Old

Got this at a garage sale Thursday for $10!!  I was wanting something like this here in this space, which is a little hall thing coming from the garage.   Think it brings some light into the space or at least reflects light from the kitchen window. AND it gives me a place to set more "stuff"

Here is friend DeeDee with her new dog, Ryan!  He is two years old, his former owner could not keep him at her apartment as he tends to bark alot.  She also got a new car, in the background.  A Kia Sorrento, midnight blue, nice car!!!

And this is on the back road that i take from Redmond to Bend.  Have been wanting to stop and get a picture of it for quite awhile and today i finally did!!!!  Rather than just speed by.  It is neat where people all over the country find places to 'fly the flag' and show patriotism.  I find it very heartening.
Take Care all!!!!

Harvest Faire

 Harvest Faire was in Sisters this week end, so left early and was there the better part of the day waiting for people to show up,  visiting with my niece at the Sno-Cap where she works. Sitting in the sun reading.  Just generally looking at things.  There is not too much of a "Harvest" about it, really, more artists with their wares.  Got some cool light switch covers, little gifties for xmas gifts and a hat, which i will model for a future blog :)  This is my friend DeeDee who has lost a TON of weight with the gastric by-pass, looks good huh?  Also note the cute trailer bird houses!!!

 There were also these bird houses.  they always want SO much for these and how hard can they be to make, I ask u??  Was not to take pictures, they even had a sign up to NOT do that, which i noticed afterwards, oops....

Then there was this interesting booth with things made out of silver and utensils,  Interesting, but what to do with them? Hang in the window in the kitchen maybe??

And you have my lovely Three Sisters photo, you can see the new snow, sort of, but too many days like this one and that will melt off.  It was weird, I got cold in the shade and started to sweat in the sun. Did have a heavier coat/jacket on.
Dogs were glad to see me come home.
Take Care all!!

Early Morning

Now, i know that 9:30a is not early for some, BUT i had to be up, ready and on the road to Bend That early for the dental appt! And the light is really good that early, bet it is even better even earlier!!!  Saw these sun flowers and had to try to get some pics of them.. Have seen them in other places and they were, well...over the hill, these were still just up and perky and pretty!!! Unlike me! HA!!!
We are just having lovely Central Oregon days, cool and crisp mornings and warmer afternoons. There is even a dusting of snow on the mountains, those were pretty hidden this morning tho, could just see the foothills.
Take Care and God Bless, stay perky and pretty!!!!  :)

Squabble Over Beds

<---This is a poor picture, but is just to show size, all around!

Did not get the furniture back exactly right after cleaning yesterday and Carl "found" Luci's bed, SHE was not to happy.  Have got the chair back where it's supposed to be so he can't get in there  :)
He had to go to vet again today, has a bad ear infection and getting a skin rash, so he needs a bath tomorrow... So he gets to ride with me to Bend for my dental appt, try to kill 2 birds u know, and don't have to drive the 20 miles twice...
He is surely scrunched up to fit in that bed!!!
(don't u LOVE those floors?)
Take Care all and God Bless.....

Wordless Wednesday

What is it?

What is it with the dogs?  Huh???  Carl has got to follow me around when ever i go to another room. And i jump (well move, don't know how much jumping is going on around here :) up alot to go get something or do something or other,  and i forget what i was going to do or wanted to do then remember and i mean u can see from one end of the place to the other, it is a rather small house.  It is like he thinks i am going to sneak out a window or be doing something interesting.  I feel like i disappoint him alot, i mean alot!!!!  As he shambles along behind and watches. No, no food this time. Nothing new here.  Luci at least will stay in the chair or her bed and watch me and see if i am going to come back or not, before she will move to another place. Little lazy girl, that one. He just has to be there, where ever i am.  Right at the moment. At least when Brian is home i get some relief, as Carl is following him around, Ha!!!
I know i have addressed this before, in the RV with Luci and her following me from one end to the other. But she usually waits a bit even there to see if i will come back or not. AND that is a straight shot, she would just have to lean a little and she could see where i went to and what i was doing. But she did not want to get left behind.  Guess i still have not figured it out. :)

Prineville

Went to Prineville today to visit a friend. Took Luci with me for the ride.  It was a nice little trip.  Rained a little, but that just brings out the color in the wood and trees!  They have 4 acres just out of town and a nice little garden.  I worked with her for all of my 30 years with the State, so we always have LOTS to talk about and have a good time.
Weirdly, I had never been to the viewpoint just before Prineville, so went there and it was a neat place, lots to see.  Did NOT take a picture of the extensive roofs of Les Schwab that sits just below.  But there is also a golf course, which was interesting from up there. AND liked the rock wall, of which there are rocks in abundance around here!!!!

 Also went to a quilt store called the Quilt Shack, they had LOTS of cool things, going to make this little cute quilt for my grand, niece!!!  Can't wait to get started, maybe this will be the boast i need to get started creating again!!!


And saw this neat mailbox and fence!!! on the back way back home,  fence made out of old irrigation wheel and pipes!!!  what a neat idea to reuse something no longer needed or functioning, re=purpose at its best!!! AND it would keep things in and out, don't u think, It went on for a ways too, lots of work there.

Have a good day all, even in rain!!   Take Care and God Bless........

Tumalo

 Which one is Wilber?  They ran over really fast, sort of scary :) Probably expecting some food..

 These people were all decorated and ready for Fall.  They had a freezer in a little lean to by the fence/road and prices of meats available and a drop box for the money. Some expensive cuts of meat too!!

Love pictures of churches. And this one was a little community church, looks fairly older.  Tumalo is a small farming community NW of Bend on the Deschutes River, by Tumalo State Prk.  There is the Tumalo Feed Company there too, they have great steak dinner and cowboy fare,  baked beans and what not.  Good, family place to eat. Set up like family dining with Oak tables and chairs, the waitresses used to wear period dresses of the early 1900's, but don't think they do anymore.  Had many birthday dinners there.  Went to Tumalo today for a Saturday Mkt but could not find it. BUT there was a cute antique store that had LOTS of older linens and a little country store where i got some squash to cook and another farm tomato!!