In the immediate aftermath of our "vacation" & celebrating my parents' anniversary, i didn't want to fall into the pattern of complaining about the whole thing. But it has been bugging me.
Seems like i must have written on it some, but i'm not finding it. My posts have been full of other complaints.
In a nutshell, both sisters insisted we do the food for the party ourselves, while i was holding out to have it catered. Nothing huge or fancy, but someone else minding the food so we could mind other things & visit with the family. No, no, no, my sissies insisted that we could do it ourselves, & it would cost less. Well, let me say that Duane & i paid for all the food & we could have had it catered for that price. And much, much less stress. Sis #2 in particular insisted she wanted to bake cupcakes, & do this, & do that, etc., etc. I kept telling her that one of her daughters was getting married, another was graduating HS, & that she was planning to move that summer with 5 of her 6 kids (the other one having gotten married). "You will have enough stress going on without adding this in," i kept saying. But no, she kept insisting that this is how she wanted to do it.
Well, you can guess how it turned out. Sis #3 had the foresight to order cakes in advance & say, "If we have cup cakes too, that will be fine." I wish i'd had the foresight to do the same with the catering, but i didn't know that we would end up paying for all the food. The idea had been "we" three girls would share these expenses. So i didn't feel i could insist on catering. I didn't know that we would foot the bill anyway, & if i had had any inkling it would turn out that way i would have been on the phone with caterers.
Sis #2 was to arrive on Thur evening as Duane & i did. However, she was too stressed & didn't arrive until Fri evening - with a lot of drama surrounding the whole thing. So Sis #3 & i spent Friday afternoon setting up the room, we did the decorations, & all the shopping for extras & most of the shopping for groceries. (An aunt was kind enough to do some of the grocery shopping.)
So Sis #2 arrived the night before the party stressed because of this, & this, & that. And i was peeved with her because i could see that was how it would be 4 months before the event.
The other thing that greatly irritated me was that my mother's one wish was that the "whole family" attend church together - their church of course. She stated that wish many times. Duane & i were not so comfortable with it, but my feeling was that this was one thing my mother sincerely wanted & this one time we could honor her wish. And Sis #2 was too stressed to get out of bed & go to church that Sunday morning.
Sis #3 was up at 5.30 AM to begin working for the party that began at 11. I was not up that early, but i had been up most of the night working on a project (a DVD of music & pics to be shown at the party). So Sis #2 showed up to the party (at my parents' church) 15 minutes before the party began. She flitted around & put up some enlargements of pics, & then visited with the family that arrived. While Sis #3 & i had been there since about 9.30 AM making the punch & sweet tea, putting the food in the ovens, making salads, rolls, etc. Some of the aunts & uncles pitched in as well.
Well, it is over & done. But, Duane & i funded a large part of this, & Sis #3 paid for a lot of it as well. While i helped a lot & did what i could, Sis #3 did the lion's share of the physical work. And, while Duane & i are very careful about money, the past 6 months or so have seen improvement in our finances (a year ago they were very, very tight) so that we were able to do what we did without it hurting us. But Sis #3 is single, living in a tiny apartment she can barely afford & struggling to make ends meet while she finishes counselor-training/hours to be a licensed Marriage Family Therapist. Also, her car had died about 3 weeks before this & she was looking at having to replace it. So i told her, if Sis #2 made any effort to assist in the expenses, Sis #3 was to take the money.
It had been bugging me, & i was getting ready to write Sis #2 suggesting she right this inequality. But i talked to Sis #3 first to see if anything had been done. Sis #3 doesn't remember, or states she doesn't. She said her irritation was over the fact that she & i ended up doing all the work. But again, that's water under the bridge that cannot be rectified. Done. We talked a bit & i thought i'd still write Sis #2, until Sis #3 told me that she had paid Sis #2 to borrow her car. !!!!! What the - ?
Sis #3 was going to rent a car but was freaking out over the cost it would be. She learned that Sis #2 had a car she would be able to use, & so Sis #3 offered to pay her some amount of money (less than renting a car) to use that car. Sis #2 told her she didn't have to pay anything, but Sis #3 insisted. So, she not only didn't get reimbursed for any money she spent on the party, she paid to use a car. At that point i said to myself, "Kathryn, you need to walk away from this one."
I find that (revealing my sinfulness here) i was looking forward to taking Sis #2 to task. But it became very clear to me in that conversation that i need to leave this as something between those sisters & not get involved. When it was clear cut: Sis #2 didn't help fund any of the expenses that "we" had for the party, it wasn't so hard. But throw in this other issue, nothing to do with me, & i need to leave it alone. Except to complain about the unfairness of families & how some people can be so inconsiderate. Done. Have now excised all the frustration.
________________________
I did a couple's massage (tandem, with another therapist) at a B&B today. This B&B sits right on the water between BB dam & Fawnskin & has the most gorgeous view of the lake & mountains i can imagine. It was a treat to be there, almost so much so that getting paid for the massage was simply a bonus.
For anyone who wonders how i'm able to do massage with my physical limitations, here is my answer: I'm doing what i'm "suppose" to do. I'm doing what God created me to do. I don't work many hours (probably an average of 5 a week) but when i'm working it is literally as if God opens the well springs & for that short period of time i do have energy.
However, i'm very limited about being able to do "out call" massages where i go other places & drag my table & equipment along. Honestly i could do 4 massages in my office with the energy it takes me to do one out call. So i don't do those often. Duane almost always goes along & shlups the equipment for me, but they still wear me out quickly.
But today's work was worth the price. I wish i had a picture of that view. And . . . our 5th wedding anniversary is coming up, so spending a night or two there might really be something special! Then i would get pictures.
145
11 July 2009
10 July 2009
Just a thought
After the reaction of a couple of my friends about my disappointment over the new doctor, i've come to a conclusion.
Expecting a conventional medicine man (witch doctor?) to think outside the box & utilize "unconventional treatment" is like trying to milk a horse or ride a cow. It might be done in some circumstances, but with much discomfort & displeasure to all involved.
144
Expecting a conventional medicine man (witch doctor?) to think outside the box & utilize "unconventional treatment" is like trying to milk a horse or ride a cow. It might be done in some circumstances, but with much discomfort & displeasure to all involved.
144
My office
I came across a post by someone stuck in "a cave" of an office that had no windows. Dr. Geske talked about moving me to another room that has no windows. In some ways that wouldn't be bad. The window in my office makes summer afternoons very warm. But i think i would miss the window a lot.
That post made me realize i haven't posted much (at all) about my office. I took some pics long ago to put on my website, but haven't done so yet.
So here are some pics from my office in Costa Mesa. I had not realized the quality of these isn't that good. Guess i need some different ones for my website.
And here are some from the spa where i sometimes work in Big Bear Lake. I usually do "outcall" - going to a home or bed & breakfast - these days. But sometimes i still work at this little spa. Two different massage rooms, these tables are not in the same room.
143
That post made me realize i haven't posted much (at all) about my office. I took some pics long ago to put on my website, but haven't done so yet.
So here are some pics from my office in Costa Mesa. I had not realized the quality of these isn't that good. Guess i need some different ones for my website.
Our wonderful office administrator, Lori.
This is Drs. Cheri Ketner & Dean Geske.
Dr. Ketner has retired from chiropractic work since this pic was taken.
Dr. Ketner has retired from chiropractic work since this pic was taken.
And here are some from the spa where i sometimes work in Big Bear Lake. I usually do "outcall" - going to a home or bed & breakfast - these days. But sometimes i still work at this little spa. Two different massage rooms, these tables are not in the same room.
143
09 July 2009
Random thoughts
I follow a blog called The Simple Dollar written by Trent (last name???). He writes largely about finance, & has actually made a big difference in my life. I'm trying to save some (tho mostly it will probably be used for taxes & insurance on our house) & trying to be (even more) frugal.
But he sometimes covers other topics as well. One of the things he has talked about a couple of times recently has been on friendship. He doesn't say it exactly this way, but he talks about 2 levels of friendship. He says level 1 would be folks with whom you have common interests: neighbors, co-workers, children of the same age, attend the same church, etc., etc. Then there is the next level where you share interests, but you share other things as well (similar beliefs, ethics, etc.) & move to a level where you (deeply) begin to care for one another. (These two levels are what i've tended to term as "acquaintances" & "real friends.")
He said that when folks who are level 1 friends move on - change jobs, move to another house, children join different groups - that these friendships generally don't survive. And that is the way of the world. Level 2 friends survive past these superficial moves. He says there are good reasons to have both type of friends, & that the problem comes when you think or expect that level 1 friends are level 2 friends, when in fact it is just shared interests that bring you together.
This resonates with me. I've had expectations in my life of anyone i would call "friend." Or no expectations at all. I don't use the word friend very easily. But i've been blessed to have several level 2 friends in my life who have endured over time. I am so very blessed by them. But sometimes i think i tend to overlook the blessings of level 1 friends have brought to my life. And i've been hurt as people i thought were level 2 friends moved on & i found we didn't have the connection i had thought to be there.
But more, i'm finding that my relationship to Sis #2 is rather that of a level 1 friendship, & we haven't much connection beyond the chance of sharing the same parentage. I'm not quite sure what to do with this info. I guess i've been too allured by idea presented in books & movies (& by friends who have such relationships) that a sister is to be a "forever friend." Not much else to be said on that subject, but i'm certainly wondering. Not quite sure how to make this paradigm shift in my head. It certainly will change expectations.
I think friendship is a bit like this pic. We touch & intersect with others, sometimes following for a long time, sometimes just a bare touch & then we move on, fade out. But we all contribute to the whole, the picture. The friends i am blessed to have had, past & present, all add color & scope to the pic.
The image used is from this website. No name was listed for me to give credit.
142
But he sometimes covers other topics as well. One of the things he has talked about a couple of times recently has been on friendship. He doesn't say it exactly this way, but he talks about 2 levels of friendship. He says level 1 would be folks with whom you have common interests: neighbors, co-workers, children of the same age, attend the same church, etc., etc. Then there is the next level where you share interests, but you share other things as well (similar beliefs, ethics, etc.) & move to a level where you (deeply) begin to care for one another. (These two levels are what i've tended to term as "acquaintances" & "real friends.")
He said that when folks who are level 1 friends move on - change jobs, move to another house, children join different groups - that these friendships generally don't survive. And that is the way of the world. Level 2 friends survive past these superficial moves. He says there are good reasons to have both type of friends, & that the problem comes when you think or expect that level 1 friends are level 2 friends, when in fact it is just shared interests that bring you together.
This resonates with me. I've had expectations in my life of anyone i would call "friend." Or no expectations at all. I don't use the word friend very easily. But i've been blessed to have several level 2 friends in my life who have endured over time. I am so very blessed by them. But sometimes i think i tend to overlook the blessings of level 1 friends have brought to my life. And i've been hurt as people i thought were level 2 friends moved on & i found we didn't have the connection i had thought to be there.
But more, i'm finding that my relationship to Sis #2 is rather that of a level 1 friendship, & we haven't much connection beyond the chance of sharing the same parentage. I'm not quite sure what to do with this info. I guess i've been too allured by idea presented in books & movies (& by friends who have such relationships) that a sister is to be a "forever friend." Not much else to be said on that subject, but i'm certainly wondering. Not quite sure how to make this paradigm shift in my head. It certainly will change expectations.
I think friendship is a bit like this pic. We touch & intersect with others, sometimes following for a long time, sometimes just a bare touch & then we move on, fade out. But we all contribute to the whole, the picture. The friends i am blessed to have had, past & present, all add color & scope to the pic.
The image used is from this website. No name was listed for me to give credit.
142
08 July 2009
Marine Layer
Not so sure about that last post. One of the things i like about blogging is being able to journal & to interact with other folks. I mean, to actually interact with them on a level beyond just "Hi." (That kind of interaction what facebook is for! LOL.) I don't think that Linky thing yesterday encourages a deeper level of communication. I haven't gotten thru many of the 800+ yet. I do peruse the blog to see if it is something i'm interested in following. And i rarely comment unless it is something that touches me enough to speak of more than "That's a cool pic!" Usually.
It is a grey morning in OC. We don't really have these in BB unless it is going to rain. Here a layer forms out over the ocean & gets pushed inland. Marine layers & fog are white/grey. Smog has a brown/pink tinge to it. There is a difference. The post i did about "haze" a few weeks ago was mostly white. Yesterday OC had marine layer & smog. We could see the smog as we drove down the hill & it was not exciting to know that was where we were headed. I will say it is much better than pics i've seen of the 60s & 70s. It is even better now than when i first moved to CA many years ago.
I did 4 hours of driving yesterday & didn't sleep a whole lot the night before, so i was pretty exhausted. Duane was to pick up his Aunt & Uncle at the airport last night - which was suppose to mean John Wayne, about 3 miles from his parent's home. Instead the plane was diverted & he had to drive to LAX 40 miles away. I knew he would have liked having my company on the trip, but it was past 10 PM & i was totally worn out.
The drive toward San Diego was long, but i got glimpses of the ocean at times & it was beautiful yesterday. (These ocean pics are not of yesterday, but they are all i have.) In BB we have deep blue skies. Down here the skies
are usually a pale blue but sometimes the ocean has that incredible blue that is beyond description. Yesterday was such a day. I'm much more of a mountain gal. I lived 2 miles from the beach for 15 years but rarely went there. But the ocean yesterday was just fabulous. I wondered if i had time to stop & enjoy it, but figured that i probably wouldn't appreciate it much for then i'd worry that i would be late to my appointment. The drive down was about 1 hour, & the ocean view was visible for only a very short time of that.
I've mixed emotions about the doc i saw & am rather reserved about my hopes. I DO like him. He is very personable & thorough & spends a lot of time seeking info. Because i have such a long & involved medical history, i've come to dread first sessions. However i found most of it with him not so very painful. And, if nothing else i have the medical form for my licensing done.
You see, the problem may be that i'm seeking conventional medicine to "fix" what conventional medicine has caused. Conventional medicine uses pharmaceuticals a lot & then if there are serious side effects they often pooh-pooh those side effects as having been actually caused by the pharmaceuticals - it is just a coincidence that those things happened at the same time.
I can place the time i first began feeling this fatigue to my teen years when i was given antibiotics five times without being warranted. (My younger sis had strep throat - they said - & my germ-phobic mother used a doc who gave the whole family antibiotics prophylactically because they said my sis had strep.) In those days the view about antibiotics was, "They can't hurt." I strongly disagree with this view. My current bad functioning began 2 years ago when i chose to take antibiotics when i had both respiratory & urinary infections.
The fact is i don't respond well to meds. My "allergy" sheet - meaning adverse reactions - is about as long as my arm. I cannot take: morphine, compazine, klonopin, sulfa, sulfites, erythromycin, tetracycline, voltaren, imitrex, darvocet compound, maxalt, amerge, cafergot, zomig, "low dose estrogen" birth control. Those are just the ones i can think of right now. And i had a pretty extreme response of depression after using a combo of drugs for migraine last December. I've not taken a single OTC pill or prescription Rx since, & i think i'm better off for it.
But this doc, well meaning as he is, doesn't seem to see problems with me using sleep medications if i'm not sleeping. Or even - i'm not sure if he was kidding - prescribing dilaudid for the pain i have with my cycle. (Nothing, including demerol, has touched that pain except dilaudid.) I'm more on the, "let me do what i can about this, & grin & bear the rest" rather than be fogged on meds.
First off, i don't believe sleep meds would help me function better. Yes, i might sleep, but i don't believe my functioning the following day would improve. Also, (i told him of this) in the past i have been "addicted" to sleep meds, meaning after taking them for a few days i was unable to sleep without them. It isn't a problem for me, i "detoxed" off of them rather painlessly. One time it meant a week of 2 hours a night, but when the week was over i was ok, & i never was tempted to go back to using them. They were a short term solution to a short term problem & when it was over i didn't want/need to continue with them & i didn't have a hard time giving them up.
But what he is suggesting is long term use of sleep meds & i think that is bad, bad, bad. And i pointed out to him that this is covering symptoms - poor sleep cycle - without looking for solutions - why i'm sleeping badly. I pointed out that sleeping poorly could be for a number of reasons. It could be because of thyroid or adrenal hormones, it could be sleep apnea (which i've considered before & he mentioned two or three times yesterday). There are a number of possible causes & i'd much rather find the reasons than just treat symptoms, especially long term.
I know this sounds rather awful. But he wasn't awful. What he said was, "If you know that taking a pill at night will help you sleep so you can function the next day, don't you think you would want to do that?" From his point of view it is reasonable. From mine it is not. And he is recommending a sleep study for sleep apnea. Whether the insurance i have would cover that is questionable, & if it won't this is probably quite expensive. But i appreciate that he went there.
And he didn't freak over the limitations i place. I will never have a mammogram. I think they are dangerous. There are safer ways to do screenings if a woman is at risk. I am not at risk. I have 8 aunts all over the age of 60 (a couple are near 80) & none of them have ever had breast cancer or even anything questionable. Neither has my mother. Neither of my grandmothers ever had a problem either.
I was impressed (on the website) that this particular doc does use supplements & quite a few supplements & i know they are high quality so i know he did some research in choosing them. But what i forgot was something i learned when seeing the naturopath with whom i tried to work: If the supplements are used to treat symptoms rather than causes, then they are essentially no different than drugs & conventional medicine thinking still reigns. It may be that the "box of knowledge" this thinking has is a bigger box than what most docs learn; it may just be a different box. But i have been hoping to find someone who can "think outside the box" & i'm finding that difficult.
I'm not giving up yet! I will continue with this one for a while, hoping that we can find something. If nothing else, i can fight for treating cause rather than symptom. But it may that this is an uphill fight & ultimately more than i can handle. I need someone to see "the big picture" & if they only look at that from a box of knowledge that limits their vision . . . i may not get what i want. I was pretty discouraged when i left yesterday, for my current functioning is so poor, & i'm not returning for six weeks. And i wonder how i'll manage six weeks. Also severe brain fog had set in by that point & i wasn't sure i'd be able to make the drive back.
It is certain that this is not going to have a quick or easy solution. I was thinking, "He'll just do some testing on me, tell me what foods to avoid, & oh wow! I feel better."
No one can say i'm not an optomist!
141
It is a grey morning in OC. We don't really have these in BB unless it is going to rain. Here a layer forms out over the ocean & gets pushed inland. Marine layers & fog are white/grey. Smog has a brown/pink tinge to it. There is a difference. The post i did about "haze" a few weeks ago was mostly white. Yesterday OC had marine layer & smog. We could see the smog as we drove down the hill & it was not exciting to know that was where we were headed. I will say it is much better than pics i've seen of the 60s & 70s. It is even better now than when i first moved to CA many years ago.
I did 4 hours of driving yesterday & didn't sleep a whole lot the night before, so i was pretty exhausted. Duane was to pick up his Aunt & Uncle at the airport last night - which was suppose to mean John Wayne, about 3 miles from his parent's home. Instead the plane was diverted & he had to drive to LAX 40 miles away. I knew he would have liked having my company on the trip, but it was past 10 PM & i was totally worn out.
The drive toward San Diego was long, but i got glimpses of the ocean at times & it was beautiful yesterday. (These ocean pics are not of yesterday, but they are all i have.) In BB we have deep blue skies. Down here the skies
are usually a pale blue but sometimes the ocean has that incredible blue that is beyond description. Yesterday was such a day. I'm much more of a mountain gal. I lived 2 miles from the beach for 15 years but rarely went there. But the ocean yesterday was just fabulous. I wondered if i had time to stop & enjoy it, but figured that i probably wouldn't appreciate it much for then i'd worry that i would be late to my appointment. The drive down was about 1 hour, & the ocean view was visible for only a very short time of that.I've mixed emotions about the doc i saw & am rather reserved about my hopes. I DO like him. He is very personable & thorough & spends a lot of time seeking info. Because i have such a long & involved medical history, i've come to dread first sessions. However i found most of it with him not so very painful. And, if nothing else i have the medical form for my licensing done.
You see, the problem may be that i'm seeking conventional medicine to "fix" what conventional medicine has caused. Conventional medicine uses pharmaceuticals a lot & then if there are serious side effects they often pooh-pooh those side effects as having been actually caused by the pharmaceuticals - it is just a coincidence that those things happened at the same time.
I can place the time i first began feeling this fatigue to my teen years when i was given antibiotics five times without being warranted. (My younger sis had strep throat - they said - & my germ-phobic mother used a doc who gave the whole family antibiotics prophylactically because they said my sis had strep.) In those days the view about antibiotics was, "They can't hurt." I strongly disagree with this view. My current bad functioning began 2 years ago when i chose to take antibiotics when i had both respiratory & urinary infections.
The fact is i don't respond well to meds. My "allergy" sheet - meaning adverse reactions - is about as long as my arm. I cannot take: morphine, compazine, klonopin, sulfa, sulfites, erythromycin, tetracycline, voltaren, imitrex, darvocet compound, maxalt, amerge, cafergot, zomig, "low dose estrogen" birth control. Those are just the ones i can think of right now. And i had a pretty extreme response of depression after using a combo of drugs for migraine last December. I've not taken a single OTC pill or prescription Rx since, & i think i'm better off for it.
But this doc, well meaning as he is, doesn't seem to see problems with me using sleep medications if i'm not sleeping. Or even - i'm not sure if he was kidding - prescribing dilaudid for the pain i have with my cycle. (Nothing, including demerol, has touched that pain except dilaudid.) I'm more on the, "let me do what i can about this, & grin & bear the rest" rather than be fogged on meds.
First off, i don't believe sleep meds would help me function better. Yes, i might sleep, but i don't believe my functioning the following day would improve. Also, (i told him of this) in the past i have been "addicted" to sleep meds, meaning after taking them for a few days i was unable to sleep without them. It isn't a problem for me, i "detoxed" off of them rather painlessly. One time it meant a week of 2 hours a night, but when the week was over i was ok, & i never was tempted to go back to using them. They were a short term solution to a short term problem & when it was over i didn't want/need to continue with them & i didn't have a hard time giving them up.
But what he is suggesting is long term use of sleep meds & i think that is bad, bad, bad. And i pointed out to him that this is covering symptoms - poor sleep cycle - without looking for solutions - why i'm sleeping badly. I pointed out that sleeping poorly could be for a number of reasons. It could be because of thyroid or adrenal hormones, it could be sleep apnea (which i've considered before & he mentioned two or three times yesterday). There are a number of possible causes & i'd much rather find the reasons than just treat symptoms, especially long term.
I know this sounds rather awful. But he wasn't awful. What he said was, "If you know that taking a pill at night will help you sleep so you can function the next day, don't you think you would want to do that?" From his point of view it is reasonable. From mine it is not. And he is recommending a sleep study for sleep apnea. Whether the insurance i have would cover that is questionable, & if it won't this is probably quite expensive. But i appreciate that he went there.
And he didn't freak over the limitations i place. I will never have a mammogram. I think they are dangerous. There are safer ways to do screenings if a woman is at risk. I am not at risk. I have 8 aunts all over the age of 60 (a couple are near 80) & none of them have ever had breast cancer or even anything questionable. Neither has my mother. Neither of my grandmothers ever had a problem either.
I was impressed (on the website) that this particular doc does use supplements & quite a few supplements & i know they are high quality so i know he did some research in choosing them. But what i forgot was something i learned when seeing the naturopath with whom i tried to work: If the supplements are used to treat symptoms rather than causes, then they are essentially no different than drugs & conventional medicine thinking still reigns. It may be that the "box of knowledge" this thinking has is a bigger box than what most docs learn; it may just be a different box. But i have been hoping to find someone who can "think outside the box" & i'm finding that difficult.
I'm not giving up yet! I will continue with this one for a while, hoping that we can find something. If nothing else, i can fight for treating cause rather than symptom. But it may that this is an uphill fight & ultimately more than i can handle. I need someone to see "the big picture" & if they only look at that from a box of knowledge that limits their vision . . . i may not get what i want. I was pretty discouraged when i left yesterday, for my current functioning is so poor, & i'm not returning for six weeks. And i wonder how i'll manage six weeks. Also severe brain fog had set in by that point & i wasn't sure i'd be able to make the drive back.
It is certain that this is not going to have a quick or easy solution. I was thinking, "He'll just do some testing on me, tell me what foods to avoid, & oh wow! I feel better."
No one can say i'm not an optomist!
141
06 July 2009
Not sure i get this . . .
Lynnette Kraft is doing a "blog hop." Have i mentioned that i'm kind of dumb & still new & clueless to blogging? I'm not sure what all is involved. I think posting my favorite pic. Anyway, hop on over to her blog & see if you can figure it out better than i! Maybe i'll figure this out eventually.
As i have over 9,000 pics currently, choosing my
favorite is a challenge. I've so many good ones, my husband is a great photographer. So here is a cool one he took on our honeymoon. He thought the clouds reflected were a good pic. Not a particularly flattering pic of me, but a cool one none the less!
I removed the McLinky. Too much info. Ok, i DIDN'T remove it. I tried.
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As i have over 9,000 pics currently, choosing my
favorite is a challenge. I've so many good ones, my husband is a great photographer. So here is a cool one he took on our honeymoon. He thought the clouds reflected were a good pic. Not a particularly flattering pic of me, but a cool one none the less!I removed the McLinky. Too much info. Ok, i DIDN'T remove it. I tried.
140
05 July 2009
Post 4th of July #2
We have been living in Big Bear for 2-1/2 years now.
For the past 2 years 4th of July was the hottest day of the year, 91 F in 2007, 90 F in 2008. This year the high so far has been 80.9 F on 28 June. Yesterday's high was 78 F & last night the low was 40 F. I'm almost afraid to guess what to expect.
Most of Southern California has its hottest weather in August & September. Not BB. That we've experienced so far, anyway. Last year there were a couple of nights in July that didn't cool down much, & a couple of times i ran a fan at night. Our bedrooms are upstairs where it does get warmer than downstairs. But even so, the two Augusts we have been here have begun to have a chill in the evening reminiscent of fall. We have a very short growing season here.
But i'm wondering about the rest of our summer. Will we actually have a couple of hot days, or will this summer just slide by? Pleasantly, i might add. I love days that stay in the 70s. :)
______________________
Duane's parents did some remodeling not long ago. They replaced many of their windows & we got the old ones. It has been our plan to build a greenhouse with those windows to extend our short growing season. Duane & i were outside today, measuring & planning. Don't know how this will all work out.
_______________________
We didn't attend our regular church today (Shepherd in the Pines/SITP) but instead visited the ELCA church here. I've been wanting to do that for some time now. Our pastor has indicated that he doesn't believe this church serves the Lord & has made several statements i didn't quite believe. I wasn't going to interrogate anyone, & we didn't tell anyone we were from SITP. I was just curious.
This church came about soon after our current pastor came. The church split over differences, tho i don't know the whole story. After having attended SITP for some time i can entirely understand how this could come about. This (ELCA) church meets in the building owned by the Seventh Day Adventists. I have to say that this church building has a spectacular view of Sugarloaf mountain. It is stunning.
The folks there were very friendly & welcoming. The folks at our church are too, so i'm not praising one or the other. However, very quickly i was uncomfortable, & i don't know exactly what it was.
In conversation with Duane later, he was very critical of their service (it was a "4th of July - let's honor our country" service) & he saw it as a "social club."
I don't see that so very much, it wasn't my perspective. I don't really appreciate these particular services all that much & prefer for the homily to stick to the scripture read. But the pastor said several things that indicate that his opinions are more closely aligned with mine than are those of our pastor at SITP. And yet, i was uncomfortable.
I wish SITP was more ecumenical. We don't align with other churches at all. We don't pray for other churches at all (except a veiled indication they should "repent"). We do not do any joint anything. It bothers me. And our church has the barely disguised opinion that we are "right" everyone else is "wrong" & they need to change their minds. I did, in the past, ask one of our members whom i respect the difference between SITP & the ELCA church, & her response was "They don't love Jesus & try to follow the word of God."
Our pastor has said that to have any joint activity with another church indicates that we approve of them & their doctrine/theology. And as long as they are "wrong," well, of course we can't do that!
I can't help but wonder if God is not hurting at seeing this infighting among his children. Some of the things being fought over are not worth fighting over. There are many differences of opinions on theology & interpretation. As long as a church holds to the basics, essentially those outlined in the creeds, i believe that other differences are not of vast importance. So i loved it today when this church prayed for another - a Methodist church - that had just gotten a new pastor. Today was his first day & they prayed for this new pastor & the congregation. Lovely.
It may very well be that my discomfort with this church came from something in the bulletin that indicates this church is considering building a church together with the Episcopal Church in BB. What that would involve i do not know. But i do know that i'm very uncomfortable with the Episcopal Church in BB. I have visited it & am of the opinion that they are not concerned with honoring the word of God any longer.
Anyway, the result of today's visit is that i'm more comfortable/content with our church. It helped me to appreciate it more. Yes, i disagree with our pastor often & his opinions are often contrary to mine. But he does listen when i speak to him about concerns & he truly has the desire to serve our Lord Jesus. And, it occurs to me that to sit & listen to someone's opinions that are very close to my own (as the pastor today seemed to do) may not stretch & grow me. Our pastor challenges me to reflect & examine what i believe. Sometimes he challenges me more than i want. But the Bible does say that such things "sharpen" us.
______________________
Oh, Duane was surprised that i was eating the cho. chip cookies. He thought they were ones i'd bought at the store in the refridgerator case - he thought they were made with regular flour. That is a triumph!!! :)
139
For the past 2 years 4th of July was the hottest day of the year, 91 F in 2007, 90 F in 2008. This year the high so far has been 80.9 F on 28 June. Yesterday's high was 78 F & last night the low was 40 F. I'm almost afraid to guess what to expect.
Most of Southern California has its hottest weather in August & September. Not BB. That we've experienced so far, anyway. Last year there were a couple of nights in July that didn't cool down much, & a couple of times i ran a fan at night. Our bedrooms are upstairs where it does get warmer than downstairs. But even so, the two Augusts we have been here have begun to have a chill in the evening reminiscent of fall. We have a very short growing season here.
But i'm wondering about the rest of our summer. Will we actually have a couple of hot days, or will this summer just slide by? Pleasantly, i might add. I love days that stay in the 70s. :)
______________________
Duane's parents did some remodeling not long ago. They replaced many of their windows & we got the old ones. It has been our plan to build a greenhouse with those windows to extend our short growing season. Duane & i were outside today, measuring & planning. Don't know how this will all work out.
_______________________
We didn't attend our regular church today (Shepherd in the Pines/SITP) but instead visited the ELCA church here. I've been wanting to do that for some time now. Our pastor has indicated that he doesn't believe this church serves the Lord & has made several statements i didn't quite believe. I wasn't going to interrogate anyone, & we didn't tell anyone we were from SITP. I was just curious.
This church came about soon after our current pastor came. The church split over differences, tho i don't know the whole story. After having attended SITP for some time i can entirely understand how this could come about. This (ELCA) church meets in the building owned by the Seventh Day Adventists. I have to say that this church building has a spectacular view of Sugarloaf mountain. It is stunning.
The folks there were very friendly & welcoming. The folks at our church are too, so i'm not praising one or the other. However, very quickly i was uncomfortable, & i don't know exactly what it was.
In conversation with Duane later, he was very critical of their service (it was a "4th of July - let's honor our country" service) & he saw it as a "social club."
I don't see that so very much, it wasn't my perspective. I don't really appreciate these particular services all that much & prefer for the homily to stick to the scripture read. But the pastor said several things that indicate that his opinions are more closely aligned with mine than are those of our pastor at SITP. And yet, i was uncomfortable.
I wish SITP was more ecumenical. We don't align with other churches at all. We don't pray for other churches at all (except a veiled indication they should "repent"). We do not do any joint anything. It bothers me. And our church has the barely disguised opinion that we are "right" everyone else is "wrong" & they need to change their minds. I did, in the past, ask one of our members whom i respect the difference between SITP & the ELCA church, & her response was "They don't love Jesus & try to follow the word of God."
Our pastor has said that to have any joint activity with another church indicates that we approve of them & their doctrine/theology. And as long as they are "wrong," well, of course we can't do that!
I can't help but wonder if God is not hurting at seeing this infighting among his children. Some of the things being fought over are not worth fighting over. There are many differences of opinions on theology & interpretation. As long as a church holds to the basics, essentially those outlined in the creeds, i believe that other differences are not of vast importance. So i loved it today when this church prayed for another - a Methodist church - that had just gotten a new pastor. Today was his first day & they prayed for this new pastor & the congregation. Lovely.
It may very well be that my discomfort with this church came from something in the bulletin that indicates this church is considering building a church together with the Episcopal Church in BB. What that would involve i do not know. But i do know that i'm very uncomfortable with the Episcopal Church in BB. I have visited it & am of the opinion that they are not concerned with honoring the word of God any longer.
Anyway, the result of today's visit is that i'm more comfortable/content with our church. It helped me to appreciate it more. Yes, i disagree with our pastor often & his opinions are often contrary to mine. But he does listen when i speak to him about concerns & he truly has the desire to serve our Lord Jesus. And, it occurs to me that to sit & listen to someone's opinions that are very close to my own (as the pastor today seemed to do) may not stretch & grow me. Our pastor challenges me to reflect & examine what i believe. Sometimes he challenges me more than i want. But the Bible does say that such things "sharpen" us.
______________________
Oh, Duane was surprised that i was eating the cho. chip cookies. He thought they were ones i'd bought at the store in the refridgerator case - he thought they were made with regular flour. That is a triumph!!! :)
139
Post 4th of July
Well, our friends didn't make it to see us. Disappointment reigns.
I did make the cookies! Duane loves them. You can find the recipe here at Gluten-free Easily. The changes i made are surprisingly few. Her recipe calls for 2 C flour, 1-1/4 fine white rice, 3/4 cornstarch. And she emphasizes that this is important & that many other flour mixes (particularly Bob's Red Mill Mix, which is a primary ingredient in my flour mix) will not work. So i did 1 cup that was 3/4 (roughly) fine white rice, the rest of the C some sweet rice, & a little amaranth & teff. The other cup i did primarily cornstarch, & the rest was tapioca starch & coconut flour. (I LOVE coconut flour! Smells sooooo good! And it has a good flavor.)
When we first moved to Sugarbear i had a hard time telling the squirrels apart. They all looked about the same. I joked to Duane that i was going to paint numbers on them: 1, 2, 3, etc., so that i could tell them apart. I'm finding now that i CAN tell them apart, but it makes me sad. One little guy has pulled most of the hair off his tail. I watched him do it one day. Another has a croggled ear. Another has a hole in his ear from fighting. Another has scars on his face & tail problems. And another has his face all torn apart from fighting with the other squirrels.
A lot of folks up here hate squirrels. They'd just as soon see them wiped off the face of the earth. "Rats with (bushy) tails" i hear often. But Duane & i enjoy the little guys. I've even read up on what i could find about the squirrels. Evidently there hasn't been much study done on squirrels. I have read that a diet of sunflower seeds & peanuts is not good for them. Raw peanuts especially are not good & will make them ill; if you are going to feed peanuts they should be roasted. I do give the squirrels these things, 'cause we can't afford much more. But i also add in pumpkin seeds, & nuts (if i buy mixed nuts, however, Kathryn takes the pecans!). We just can't afford to feed too many nuts. I've done pine/pinion a few times, but those are very expensive.
I just wish our little guys wouldn't fight so.
________________________
I'm so glad i made the doctor appointment for next week (Tuesday). Making those cookies took everything i had, tho i tried very hard to balance pacing myself & pushing myself. I spent most of the rest of the day resting.
I'm a little afraid of that appointment because i know some folks have a lot of stuff removed from their diets. I don't do a lot of baking, but if he removes many of my flours i'll be even more limited. I'm afraid of having nightshades taken away - i love tomatoes! (I don't like peppers. If i slice them up they are ok, but i've never really learned to like them. I keep buying them because i hear they are so healthy, but then i have a hard time making myself eat them.) What if he takes away corn, or raw milk, or . . . ??? I know i need to do what i can to be healthier, but it feels i already have so many limitations on my diet, i'm dreading having more added.
Ok, i'm being a glass half empty girl here, & usually i think of myself as a gal who sees the glass half full. If it turns out i do have more food allergies & things i should not eat, i will learn it! And then i will know the things to avoid to help me feel better! Even if it means a diet of eggs, carrots, spinach, & water for a while, if it helps me recover my energy to live it will be worth it! And i will KNOW why i can't lose weight & am so utterly exhausted much of the time. And so it WILL be worth it to avoid certain foods.
_______________________
I'm finding i love our new schedule so much, already. I'm surprised to learn how much i had been dreading Mondays, following Sundays. This gives me the feeling of having more time to get things done & not feeling rushed on Sundays. Also, i need to do some banking tomorrow (i have an account at a Mountain Bank up here that i can't access from anywhere else). If we were going down tomorrow it would have to wait until Thursday to get done. We probably won't make the Farmer's market this week, however. I will have to be in OC by about 10.30, & so won't have the time this week to add it in. I bought a watermelon last week that was simply to die for. Best watermelon i've had this year. Also some peaches & apricots that were wonderful.
This image is just 'cause i found it & i love Snoopy!
Mr. Pulled-the-Hair-out-of-His-Tail Squirrel is outside looking for goodies. I'm going to give him some.
138
I did make the cookies! Duane loves them. You can find the recipe here at Gluten-free Easily. The changes i made are surprisingly few. Her recipe calls for 2 C flour, 1-1/4 fine white rice, 3/4 cornstarch. And she emphasizes that this is important & that many other flour mixes (particularly Bob's Red Mill Mix, which is a primary ingredient in my flour mix) will not work. So i did 1 cup that was 3/4 (roughly) fine white rice, the rest of the C some sweet rice, & a little amaranth & teff. The other cup i did primarily cornstarch, & the rest was tapioca starch & coconut flour. (I LOVE coconut flour! Smells sooooo good! And it has a good flavor.)
Other than that, i stuck to the recipe pretty closely. I did a little more than 1-1/2 C of packed brown sugar so that i could finish off the bag. And the granulated stuff i used to fill the rest to 2 C is an odd, large-granule, brown sugar. But it came out great, & Duane likes them, especially fresh out of the oven. I baked 2 dozen (& they are all about gone, now) & the rest i rolled in parchment paper & put in the fridge to bake at a later time. Probably tonight since Duane likes them so. I used Dagobah semi-sweet chocolate drops. I will say that the bittersweet of this particular chocolate is VERY apparent in the cookie. I used just over 1 cup. Next time i would probably use just a little less.
_______________________When we first moved to Sugarbear i had a hard time telling the squirrels apart. They all looked about the same. I joked to Duane that i was going to paint numbers on them: 1, 2, 3, etc., so that i could tell them apart. I'm finding now that i CAN tell them apart, but it makes me sad. One little guy has pulled most of the hair off his tail. I watched him do it one day. Another has a croggled ear. Another has a hole in his ear from fighting. Another has scars on his face & tail problems. And another has his face all torn apart from fighting with the other squirrels.
A lot of folks up here hate squirrels. They'd just as soon see them wiped off the face of the earth. "Rats with (bushy) tails" i hear often. But Duane & i enjoy the little guys. I've even read up on what i could find about the squirrels. Evidently there hasn't been much study done on squirrels. I have read that a diet of sunflower seeds & peanuts is not good for them. Raw peanuts especially are not good & will make them ill; if you are going to feed peanuts they should be roasted. I do give the squirrels these things, 'cause we can't afford much more. But i also add in pumpkin seeds, & nuts (if i buy mixed nuts, however, Kathryn takes the pecans!). We just can't afford to feed too many nuts. I've done pine/pinion a few times, but those are very expensive.
I just wish our little guys wouldn't fight so.
________________________
I'm so glad i made the doctor appointment for next week (Tuesday). Making those cookies took everything i had, tho i tried very hard to balance pacing myself & pushing myself. I spent most of the rest of the day resting.
I'm a little afraid of that appointment because i know some folks have a lot of stuff removed from their diets. I don't do a lot of baking, but if he removes many of my flours i'll be even more limited. I'm afraid of having nightshades taken away - i love tomatoes! (I don't like peppers. If i slice them up they are ok, but i've never really learned to like them. I keep buying them because i hear they are so healthy, but then i have a hard time making myself eat them.) What if he takes away corn, or raw milk, or . . . ??? I know i need to do what i can to be healthier, but it feels i already have so many limitations on my diet, i'm dreading having more added.
Ok, i'm being a glass half empty girl here, & usually i think of myself as a gal who sees the glass half full. If it turns out i do have more food allergies & things i should not eat, i will learn it! And then i will know the things to avoid to help me feel better! Even if it means a diet of eggs, carrots, spinach, & water for a while, if it helps me recover my energy to live it will be worth it! And i will KNOW why i can't lose weight & am so utterly exhausted much of the time. And so it WILL be worth it to avoid certain foods.
_______________________
I'm finding i love our new schedule so much, already. I'm surprised to learn how much i had been dreading Mondays, following Sundays. This gives me the feeling of having more time to get things done & not feeling rushed on Sundays. Also, i need to do some banking tomorrow (i have an account at a Mountain Bank up here that i can't access from anywhere else). If we were going down tomorrow it would have to wait until Thursday to get done. We probably won't make the Farmer's market this week, however. I will have to be in OC by about 10.30, & so won't have the time this week to add it in. I bought a watermelon last week that was simply to die for. Best watermelon i've had this year. Also some peaches & apricots that were wonderful.
This image is just 'cause i found it & i love Snoopy!
Mr. Pulled-the-Hair-out-of-His-Tail Squirrel is outside looking for goodies. I'm going to give him some.
138
03 July 2009
What should i title this?
We've friends coming up for the day tomorrow & we are so excited! Think i'll bake some cookies!
Duane got home last night & i'm so glad!!! I have to say i was surprised at how deeply & intensely i missed him!
______________________________
I am not a particularly patriotic person if your definition of patriotism is blindly following our country's leaders. I didn't like Bush & i don't like Obama nor the direction either was/is taking.
I do love this country, its people, the ideals on which it was founded & the original intent of the founding fathers & the constitution. We have drifted so far from that. I am patriotic to the country as it was intended, not what it has become.
I am NOT a "God Bless America" person. I AM a person who advocates "America Honor God." There is a difference.
Regardless, i hope everyone is able to enjoy our weekend of celebrating the birthday of our country. Happy 4th of July! Happy birthday America! America honor God!
:)
Pics from Duane's camera, last 2 years. BB has one of the best light shows in So Cal.
_________________________
I wrote this part first, but it is long, & rather boring. About my search for a doc & frustration. You can skip it if you want.
Today i was reading the blog By His Grace Alone. She's a lot going on in her life right now, & she spoke of wanting just to be quiet. That was a thought that really resonated with me.
I've not done much the past few days. There is no reason i wasn't writing. I ALWAYS have plenty going on in my head. But somehow the just being quiet has been appropriate.
I'm still struggling with feeling myself lazy, & often i am. Once i've been not doing anything for a while it seems hard to motivate myself to be up doing. And, i'm still discouraged over knowing what i can do.
Think i mentioned this before, but by the time i realize i've pushed myself too hard it is too late. I really wish there was a line somewhere that i would know, "I can go this far but no farther," & it would be clear to me. But that is not how it works. Sometimes i think i'm not pushing myself hard enough, & what??? the next thing i know i've gone too far. It is the balance thing, but i've always had a hard time with balance.
But i AM doing something . . . I left "conventional" medicine as it is practiced by most American M.D.s about 3 years ago. I've worked with a number of alternative practices, but i'm finding "alternative" medicine is a very hit or miss thing. I've had really good results from a couple of things, mostly CranioSacral Therapy (from which i no longer need meds for migraines) & acupuncture (which did improve my energy levels, some). And of course Chiropractic. The Chiropractor i work with (professionally & for my own health) is outstanding. Still, there is no one looking at the big picture here, except me. And sometimes when you are too close to something it is hard to see the big picture.
Finding someone who can manage my unusual outlook is something else entirely. I've had a number of wonderful, caring, Christian M.D.s over the years. But one thing i found almost universal was that the more time they had been in practice the more paternal & condescending they became. I did not appreciate that at all, because as i learn more i believe very strongly that it is important to make responsible decisions based on the info i have & NOT place my care blindly in someone else's hands. Not even the best doctor out there. I believe this to be a universal need & that much of the problem we have with health care these days is that folks want a quick fix & are willing to put total control in someone else's hands. I've come to believe that most M.D.s do not see the big picture, either. They are very limited by the small box of "conventional medicine" of which they have been taught.
Another problem with finding someone is that many of the practitioners, even in alternative medicine, have "specialized" so that they only deal with a small portion or issue. Sis #3 has seen a doc she loves very much & trusts very much as well. And i've looked at her info many times. But she doesn't do "primary care," & she is very expensive.
So i would pay out of pocket something like $600 to see her a couple of times & STILL have to find a doc that does general care. (At this point i've not had a PAP since just after i lost Kaylee. Three & a half years. I'm not big on a lot of screenings, but that is one i should do occasionally.) It would irritate me greatly to spend that amount of money to see this doc my sis loves & then have to pay $150 out of pocket to see some other doc (that i would still have to find) to get that PAP done.
And over the past year or so i've done many online searches trying to find someone with whom i'd feel comfortable. Usually i get discouraged & walk away from it. However, i've been at a plateau of functioning for a long time now, i'm very discouraged, & need something to help facilitate me to improve.
I learned about something called "concierge" doctors. There is actually a TV program on right now about such a doctor, tho i do not believe what the program presents is accurate. Like most TV shows. Anyway, i looked as several different ones. In general, they charge a specific amount of money per month/per quarter/or per year & they treat you for that amount. With some of the docs that amount of money is high, but you then have the option to see them as often as you feel you need to. With others, the fee is lower, but then you do pay an amount for cost of service.
In a way, this replaces insurance & you are contracting directly with the doc. These docs recommend that you still have some insurance in place for emergency situations. The doc in turn promises not to contract with so many people that it is difficult to see him/her or have time to discuss your issue. In general a HMO doc is contracted to cover between 3,000 & 5,000 patients. Is it any wonder it is hard to get an appointment? A concierge doc by contrast usually covers about 500 folks.
There is a doc not far from my ILs who does this kind of medicine, but she is on the high end of the scale. Her fee, for a year, for one person is $1800, but that grants you unlimited contact with her. This doesn't fit well for me. That amount of money actually encourages folks to see her frequently. I don't see docs all that often & would be hard pushed to justify this amount of money.
There is another one in the desert, a drive for me, but i'm willing to drive, occasionally, for good service/advice/care. His site lost me immediately when he began justifying vaccines & stating that flu shots will be available in his office this fall. He obviously still makes a profit from the pharmacia.
But i have located one i think i will like. He is quite a drive, not in San Diego, but in San Diego County. But his site lists supplements often recommended by him, & they are high quality ones, as well. The very fact that a M.D. would recommend supplements is a big deal. He answers his phone directly, or sometimes his daughter. He does not have a big office. He does not double/triple/quadruple book. And his fee is $600/year plus cost for the time actually spent. This works for me well, because beyond seeing him a few times early on to give history, get general screenings, & creating a "game plan" for my care, i don't think i'll be seeing him very often.
By comparison, i figured that when i was on HMO insurance thru Duane's work & that i never used we were paying $3000 per year for my coverage. I do still have insurance that will cover me in case of something emergent, but i don't use it as a rule. It doesn't cover the type of care that i seek.
I've an appointment to see him next week. One of the things he mentioned right off was food allergies. I know many of these doctors focus on that (dear friend Cindy is seeing one that is helping her, but that doc takes insurance - just not the kind i have). I'm hopeful that this can be another step in moving toward higher functioning. :)
_____________________________
Another thing that i've been doing these past few days is looking, again, at all the children in our country that want a home & are in foster care. But, i've many, many thoughts on this & this post is already long. Save it for another time.
137
01 July 2009
Walking on Wednesday
Lynnette Kraft always has this opportunity on Wednesdays to share whatever memories are on your heart. Pop over to share & visit. :)
I'm kind of having a hard day, but i want to do this. I'm just going to share some random old pics from my *ahem* 9,000+ on my iphoto.
This (middle child) is the son of a friend & i thought this pic hilarious & precious.
Duane would love to do this if we could afford it.
When we first started looking for houses, Duane fell in love with this little thing (largely because of the garage & the price was under $100,000). I was so relieved when we learned it was already in escrow!!!
Duane & i at the Schultz Museum, fall 2006.
Jazz, a couple of kitten pics (fall 2006).
(See my painted pinky fingernail? I've been doing that for many years. One out of the 10.
I never wore jewelry before we were married
- often don't now since i have to take it off to work -
so i paint that one & it is my "jewelry." I had it a pale, baby blue for our wedding
& it was my "something blue.")
Mac wasn't too happy the first week or so after Jazz's arrival.
But they eventually worked it out.
Once again, most of these pics are taken by my wonderful husband Duane.
My next post has a bunch of floral pics he took at the Getty Museum.
136
I'm kind of having a hard day, but i want to do this. I'm just going to share some random old pics from my *ahem* 9,000+ on my iphoto.
This was Duane & me (2003) a week or two before we got engaged.
This (middle child) is the son of a friend & i thought this pic hilarious & precious.
Duane would love to do this if we could afford it.
When we first started looking for houses, Duane fell in love with this little thing (largely because of the garage & the price was under $100,000). I was so relieved when we learned it was already in escrow!!!
Duane & i at the Schultz Museum, fall 2006.
Jazz, a couple of kitten pics (fall 2006).
(See my painted pinky fingernail? I've been doing that for many years. One out of the 10.
I never wore jewelry before we were married
- often don't now since i have to take it off to work -
so i paint that one & it is my "jewelry." I had it a pale, baby blue for our wedding
& it was my "something blue.")
Mac wasn't too happy the first week or so after Jazz's arrival.
But they eventually worked it out.
Once again, most of these pics are taken by my wonderful husband Duane.
My next post has a bunch of floral pics he took at the Getty Museum.
136
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