Parallel Lines - Springtime

This is an update on a previous post, I think!!!!
My poor old blog is playing tricks with me, probably

 because I'm not here often these days! 

Life doesn't always remain on the straight and narrow.
Curves are thrown.
Corners insist on making turns.
Lines spread wider, or narrower.  
Collisions occur.
Predictions don't always come true.
Life is not always how you want it.
Youth is precious.
Aging is not always fun.
There's no place like home.

Growing old takes courage. A lot of courage. Older adults can be overwhelmed by uncertainties.The future sometimes looks bleak. 'Live and let live' is not easy when all around seems to be falling apart and one feels that the end is perhaps nearer than once thought. It may be you, your spouse or partner, a family member, your best friend or neighbor. Eventually we each are faced with circumstances that we may feel unable to manage. We may struggle to adapt and move forward. We help in many different ways best we can. We don't lose hope. We encourage with words and deeds. We smile, laugh, pray.........and sometimes cry when nobody can see us. Life is so unpredictable. We don't plan to get old. We have to learn to adapt, to live one day at a time, and be grateful for kind family and friends. We do what we are still able to do no matter how insignificant those small things are, or how different they may be from what we were used to doing in those magical younger years.

The sun came up this morning and the first thing I noticed was its warmth and welcome in the upstairs hall. I took this photo, came down to my laptop, flipped open the cover, grabbed a cup of coffee and knew this was the day I would at last come back here.

Sadly, it's been far too long since I posted here but as my eighteenth year of blogging popped up recently I'm doing this quick post before this becomes another crazy day and the laptop remains closed down.

Update on Bob:  Bob's health issues continue. He completed the 2.5 months of chemo following major surgery, but the follow up scans show the cancer has reared its ugly head and spread. Following another mini-surgery we are now several weeks into a new treatment plan, immunotherapy. Two weeks on for infusions with one week off between. Lots of labs - he had a chest port inserted as his arm/hand veins are shot. Oncologist and assistant meetings are often. This will continue through early June followed again by CT scans and exploratory surgery.  The cancer center has become our second home. Appointments eat into our time and prevent any travel but we are grateful that the medical staff are welcoming and kind. We will continue to fight together in hopes we can beat this damn cancer.......and continue with gratitude for any years yet to come.

Please keep Bob in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you dear friends and readers. I'll try posting a more upbeat story soon.......on flowers, trees, blooms, the usual springtime notes bustling with garden stories.  We've been busy outdoors with re-painting projects, pruning and tidying up. Some paid help required but we don't mind as long as the garden looks lovely..........we spend a lot of time out there now!

Time Will Tell --------

If you don't follow me on Instagram, and are wondering where I've been hiding as I've been missing from here, forgive me!

I have several reasons for not writing or sharing photos and life over the past month. One is being totally worn out at the end of the day after of weeks of home projects. How people live in their homes when doing complete restorations is unimaginable to me. Just getting through the days without going insane when all seems to be falling apart around me is taking its toll. Why do I still post on Instagram you may ask. Because it's quick and I can collapse in a chair or my bed and write a few words along with a few photos, usually something snapped that day and from the garden mostly as I haven't gone far lately. Let's be honest, sitting at the computer and composing a neat and tidy, well-written (hopefully) blog post, usually with photos, takes more of an effort and a lot more time. . . . . . . and having strangers working, coming and going, and just being there in your house or garden, disrupts everyday normal living.

That said, when I did get out more recently, the week before this one, it was mostly back and forth to the hospital.  My lovely Bob took a middle of the night ambulance ride when he became very ill. Because of his pain, and a temperature of 105 degrees, the EMS had him down the steps on that gurney in no time and he was gone in the flashing of lights but thankfully no sirens. I won't go into details other than to say a blood infection can be a scary, dangerous thing. . . . . . he had so many tests, scopes, scans and such, and 6 days of IV's and antibiotics. Great care from the doctors, nurses, technicians, and all the workers who help make a hospital run, such as the housekeeping lady from Peru taking care of his linens, to the be-bopping musician with the 'dreads' pushing his bed along the hallways to the MRI's and CT scans etc. So many great people that it's impossible to thank everyone. Our hospital is in the top 20 list of hospitals across the USA. We feel blessed.

Bob is home and still on antibiotics for a few more days. He's feeling better but requires a follow up exploratory procedure very soon. The surgeon was very pleasant when we met this week, explained everything in detail, and said this will all be done ASAP.  In all honesty we are both tired and praying things will go well. So many of you know Bob personally which is why I'm sharing this here. I feel bad that I haven't been leaving comments on your blogs and hope to catch up soon.

Now our new back deck is being built. The guys are two brothers and they are doing perfect work. Reliable, timely, polite, pleasant, and truly interested in pleasing us and doing what we want. . . . . . . . . . .and they call their mom in Honduras every morning!!!  I'll share photos of the deck soon.

The garden has again offered respite lately. I'm behind with a lot of things - such as sewing seeds. This spring seems to be so lush all around when one steps outside. The jasmine vines are massive and perfume the air, especially in the evenings when we've made use of the gazebo prior to the deck work. Pink and purple roses, peonies and clematis are lovely, and now the blue hydrangeas are opening.  But for me it's also the greens, so many shades painted on the shrubs and trees, fresh and clean prior to the oppresive heat and humidity of summer when all will sizzle and call out for water.

A few garden scenes and flowers captured recently - enjoy!

......and a special surprise the day I brought Bob home from the hospital,

Mrs. Cardinal had built a nest in the candolier on the front porch!

This is a first - usually we have finches in the hanging Boston ferns but

they've stayed away this spring.

This weekend I plan to get a ladder and look in the nest - I know she

must have eggs as she stays constantly, only leaving for a minute or

 two when we go out the front door.

Happy weekend. . . . . . a wet one forecast here but I hope to catch

 up with gardening, need to plant seeds and do some serious weeding.

We English grew up gardening in the rain so it will be like the 

good old days!

 

Sun on my face . . . and short hair!

This week, like last week, has been quite busy.  

I tried to take it easy while waiting for the steroid injection of last

 Friday for my back/leg pain to literally kick in, and sheltered indoors

 due to the continuing heatwave.  I did manage to get out for an

 afternoon tea with a dear friend. We had much to catch up on as we

 had both been across the pond since our last meeting, she to Paris and

 Provence, me to England. We both had a wonderful time and there

 was so much to chat about.

I also had to get my hair cut as I was two weeks overdue and beginning

 to appear a bit shaggy . . . . . . and yes it's really short for this hot spell

 which isn't promising to end any time soon.  Summer in the south is

 always like this so not such a surprise for us.

~ A few more notes for the week gone by ~

• The figs are now ripening fast on the monster tree!
• I made my first Roasted Feta Pasta dish - it was great.
• Baby rabbit sticking close to the house nibbling mostly grass and growing big.
• Robins, dozens of them, eating the figs high in the tree along with ones falling beneath.
• Hydrangeas fading BUT a few new blue ones opening.
• Rain yesterday, just a shower, but heavy and the garden soaked it up.
• Cat sitting Ms. Nala - she's warming up to me this second week as always.
• An 'ant attack' in the kitchen, coming through the electrical outlets, yikes!
• Cleaning countertops and putting out bait - think they've gone as of today.

Oh yes, the spinal injection seems to have worked this time (first one in

 Jan. didn't help) and I'm so thankful. Have tucked the big bottle of Tylenol

 away for now in hopes I won't be needing it.

Stay cool, those of you in your unusual overly hot locations.

Water bottles, lemonade, iced tea/coffee, extra chilled wine if that's

 your thing - I put my wineglass in the freezer for a little while, makes

 a difference to a great rosé or white on a hot evening!

"Cheers" to a good weekend.

A busy week........and postage!

Eastgate Park in Autumn

Right now I wish I could throw caution to the wind and just head over to this restful spot in the neighborhood!  There I would sit on the one bench, waiting for the Canada geese to arrive hoping for crumbs - which I no longer take as feeding them is outlawed - and hopefully a few of the white ducks would appear as in other years.  I would soak up the fall colors reflected in the oily water, enjoy the turtles sunbathing on the broken branches along the shoreline, walk on crisp and crackly leaves, look up at the Carolina blue sky. . . . . . . and just breathe. The weather is perfect.

This week is crazy with mostly health issues taking up my precious time. Two PT appointments, a visit to my doctor in order to get scheduled for a lumbar spine MRI, and tomorrow that procedure being done late afternoon.  In between I've continued my home exercises for the painful leg issue, and am moving a little easier. 

Yesterday we shopped at World Market for a few British food items for Christmas before they're all gone. Shipments from Europe, like everywhere on the planet, are way behind, and much holiday stuff won't be here in time. We then proceeded to the post office to get postage stamps for mailing holiday greetings. OMG, what a palaver!  Let me just say this, if you don't want to re-mortgage your house, or send your retired husband to take a part-time job as a Walmart greeter. . . . . . . don't buy square cards of any dimension!  Regular postage with its increases is bad enough, but dealing with non-machinable surcharges is abominable!  It's so complicated in fact that you just about give up and angrily stick a row of International, Forever, Non-machinable stamps across the envelope, not caring how much it costs, whether it will 'cross the pond' safely, or just get tossed into the Atlantic or Pacific ocean depending to which continent it's addressed!  Parcel postage, both domestic and overseas, is another issue and I won't even go there, a nightmare! Just know I'm not mailing any packages this year - if Santa himself doesn't deliver yours I apologize in advance because I'm not going to either.

Hopefully your card will arrive though!

Knit one, pearl one. . . .

Purchased on my way to Antarctica ~ January 2013

Do you knit?

With cooler air flowing - here still only after sunset as days are still in

 the 80's - the click clack of knitting needles can be heard in my head.

 Now I just need to get my fingers loosened up.

I have to admit I'm just not up for big projects such as a really chunky, cozy

sweater or cardigan.  Following a pattern, usually printed in smallish type, is 

too hard on the eyes now. 

Store-bought, or an online purchase if you prefer, is much easier and much

 quicker.  A garment such as these can take a long time!  Winter would

 definitely be over by the time I completed something similar. . . .I'd be

 pulling the summer linen tops back out of storage. . . . .the ones I'm

 busy putting away this week!

As for cost, good quality yarn is not cheap. 

Buying a readymade sweater can be expensive if you're leaning toward

 good quality cashmere (my favorite), smooth, classic Merino wool, or silky, 

soft Alpaca, also a favorite. However, if you shop around there are some

 wonderful sweaters out there at more reasonable price points in blends

 of wool, acrylic, polyester, cotton, even yak fiber.

Way back in my teens I was quite a good knitter, making many sweaters

 and cardigans. Nowadays I'm knitting only scarves and neck cowls, usually

 while watching TV in the evenings. I can do this without having to bother

 with any patterns - plus I feel like I'm staying busy creating something rather

 than just wasting time staring at another screen - you know what I mean.

In all honesty, right now sitting at the computer, or in a chair with a heating pad

 is all I'm truly up for! Tomorrow I start physiotherapy which I hope will help

 with the pain in my right lower back/hip/leg. It's a month now since something

 went wrong and walking/bending has just become more painful, sleeping

 harder, and feeling good has been missing from daily life.

Yesterday Bob and I received our COVID booster - #3 Pfizer - at a local

 hospital. No side effects other than warmth and a slight ache at the injection site. 

We still go away from the house masked at all times - mandatory here indoors

 in public places, and we even keep them on when passing people outdoors.

After the hospital yesterday we headed to the mall to run a couple of

 errands - before my Tylenol wore off!  Amazed at how many, mostly young

people, were not wearing masks in the shops, even though all store 

personnel were!

Leaving you with something pretty. . . . . . . this lovely pumpkin/fireplace

 setting. Not mine but I do need to start doing something soon to make mine

 look more seasonal.  I'm hoping to make it to the pumpkin farm this weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend - it's almost here.

Yesterday - in the shadows. . . . . .

Yesterday was one of those days - you know, those days when things just don't feel quite right. It could have been the weather, dull, dreary, dark, with threatening rain which didn't come until the afternoon, then drizzled for a while, then poured for a good half hour and watered the garden which of course was good. 

Yesterday I also received bad news from France where my brother was playing in a tennis tournament, reached the finals, and then badly injured a knee - has to wait almost a week for an MRI - and is hardly able to move with a lot of pain! 

Meanwhile, Bob went for his annual physical - it seems all is good despite his recent AFib diagnosis and having to take a blood thinner from hereon out.  He looks amazing and will turn 81 on July 5 - following the fireworks displays of July 4th which his mother always said were in honor of his impending arrival!!!  

I didn't do much of interest yesterday. . . . . . . but was happy when the postman delivered another long overdue UK Country Living magazine, this being the April issue! They are so late arriving due to shipping now by sea rather than air from England since COVID arrived. This is my favorite magazine and keeps me up to date with all I need to know about my far away home. Even after traveling the world there really is "no place like home."  I usually don't stop and literally put my feet up much during the day. . . . . .yesterday I did!

. . . . . .and today?  The sun is trying its best to come out this morning but it's obviously struggling. More showers later, then a five day spell of very hot, dry weather which will require time back in the garden to keep things in check.

Summer in the south is not easy to deal with but somehow we manage.  Would I like to live somewhere else? In all honesty, yes I would, but it's not going to happen this late in life. I used to dream of returning to an English village and living in a pretty 'chocolate-box cottage' ~ now and then a seaport town in New England calls ~ or, if we'd gone wild and moved to the French village some years back, I would at least be there to help my sister-in-law care for my brother.  As active as he is I'm betting he's currently a force to be reckoned with!

Winter days -

The chilly grey days of winter are actually a favorite of mine.

These weeks after the busyness of the holiday season

are always a time of longing, planning, for mulling over

 changes perhaps required in one's life, for decluttering

 not only the home but also the mind.  

On what should I focus?

Of course this year is different in so many ways

already. Coming into it dragging the heavy baggage

of a world pandemic is very hard. Daily numbers keep 

climbing - illness, treatment, and sadly death, make 

each new day a struggle.

Procrastination seems to have taken over.

Do this or do that today?  Does it matter? Who knows

about the dust bunnies under the bed, or if a shower was 

skipped on a cold morning. Just splashing water on the face

 and pulling on the comfy clothing seems enough when

nobody comes to the door anymore.

I see signs, and I love many of them.

This one cheers me up. 

Perhaps embracing each day as part of the wonderful year, 

no matter the forces trying to pull us down in so many ways,

is the secret.

A Child's Garden of Verses

Robert Louis Stevenson

Illustrated by : Charles Robinson

Books, especially picture story-books mentioned in this verse,

are always a delight, taking us back to childhood when life was

 good, people were kind, words were gentle, and smiles were

 not blocked by masks. I have several books with pictures

and love looking through them on a winter day.

The holidays have gone now, they are a memory which will remain

 clouded by a time when the world was different and dangerous.

Our children and grandchildren will remember clearly, our great

 grandchildren hardly.  

For those of us now hoping for a vaccination preventing us from an

 illness which could take us to the brink, even fling us over the cliff edge, 

but which will give us more time to make up for what was lost last

 year. . . . . .our fingers are crossed, tightly.

Yearning to travel, see far flung family and friends again, walk in

beautiful places in the world, all is so missed.

Meanwhile the garden visitors bring joy. . . . . . 

. . . . . . . along with the precious warmth of home comfort whilst awaiting

 what will hopefully come later this year. . . . . . 

Let's chat about our necklines . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oh to have that neckline again!

The smooth and wrinkle-free throat of youth.

How we took such things for granted back then. Aging happened to 

our grandmothers, our aunties, even our mothers, but did we ever really

 think it would be our swan-like necks, lined and creased, reflected in the mirror?

During our formative years we girls were bombarded by the media, 

the magazines, and told we were not as perfect as we should be, could be.

Many of us struggled through our teens wondering if we would ever

 make the grade when it came to looks, shape, clear skin.

Lotions and potions were purchased, lined up on the vanity or dresser, 

tried for a while then tossed aside when a newer supposedly better

 one came along. The drug store became a regular stomping ground, we 

spent time and spending money on the less expensive brands until, guess

 what, we earned salaries and were able to graduate to the high priced

 cosmetic counters.

In fancy department stores we were ambushed by slick salespeople the

 moment we stepped inside the doors - thank you Mr. Selfridge - each wanting

 to spray us, dab us, sit us down on a high stool at their counter and make us

 into their version of a women with the perfect skin, the lined and shadowed eye,

 the sexy lip.

We often succumbed as we'd been brainwashed by those magazines

and television ads. We weren't yet 'perfect' and we required a make over!

The few times I agreed to sit on that stool I came away feeling ridiculous and

 looking like someone I was not. I couldn't wait to get home and wash it all off. 

I admit I purchased a few of those high priced lotions and potions with

 the fancy names and over the top packaging. Whether they made much

 difference in the big scheme of things and the aging game, who truly knows.

I still have a wrinkled neck like most women in their seventies!

So, I still enjoy quietly browsing around a drugstore, nobody bothers me

 trying to sell me high priced creams and cosmetics. I sometimes try a new

 affordable product, but then leave with enough cash leftover for a nice

 bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine!

I do buy some excellent products from one company with a department

 store counter. They are very good, not high priced, their salespeople

 are well-trained, helpful and never pushy. I am even using

them on my throat where I now have a fading scar from my recent 

thyroid surgery, and am very satisfied with the healing.

 Although I'll never have a smooth neckline again, I'm thankful for what

 I do have and I'm just going to make the most of it! 

Take a seat. . . . .

You're sitting comfortably I hope, so I'll tell you what's happening in

my world. I understand if you don't like reading about health issues, medical 

procedures, the downside of aging etc. . . . . especially when it involves someone 

you may not know well, have never even met in person, or really don't care

to know personal things about. I don't blame you, that's a normal reaction, and 

if you don't wish to know and are leaving this page right now, believe you me 

I quite understand. However, don't want to alarm you here so be assured 
the news is good!

That said however, over my almost eight long years of blogging I have made

many wonderful friends around the world. Some of you might want to know what's 

going on, especially if I was to go missing for a bit. Quite a few of you I've met 

on my travels. For the great pleasure of meeting you I've sometimes made changes 

in my itinerary, or direction, just so I could get to see you, hug you, and spend 

some time with you. . . . and it has truly always been worthwhile. 

Well there is news!  Good news and better news! 

 I do not require a hip replacement or any hip surgery whatsoever right now. 

I'm still in a lot of pain and having difficulty sitting, bending, lying down. Getting out 

of bed and moving in the morning finds me at my worst, but once moving for an 

hour or so, I can walk/stand almost pain-free, for that I am very grateful.

After more tests, including a second MRI, we now know the pain is emanating 

from my lower back, not my hip. Yes, these aging lumbar vertebrae are playing 

havoc with my spine and compressing the nerves going through my left hip, thigh, 

all the way to my ankle. 

Historically arthritis in all its miserable forms has hit most members of

my family on my mother's side, so my diagnosis is not a huge surprise.

I was scheduled for major spinal surgery Thursday of this coming week. I will

save you the gory details of the procedure, but admit I was more than scared!

Having already missed the trip to Kenya this month, but with a still busy year planned 

with many things to do and places to go, I was also concerned there was not enough 

time for the weeks required for recuperation between a surgery and a trip. On Monday 

my primary care physician insisted I get a second opinion from a neurosurgeon.

Yesterday I did just that and, lo and behold, surgery is now on the back burner, 

instead I'll be trying a more conservative approach with an injection and physiotherapy.

Now that I feel a huge burden has been lifted, I already have more energy and am 

ready to do what I can. Gardening, lifting and other 'back breaking' chores will not be

in my plans, but I will also be walking more, eating better, hopefully lose a few 

pounds ready for Spring, and in April taking an exciting international trip with 

hubby and friends.