It's not time yet but their back!


These car enthusiasts can't wait for Kool April Nites to start on the 19th, and their cars are revving to go. 

There is excitement in the air. Show-and-Shine events are everywhere in town and just outside town. Any place there is a parking lot, there is a Show-and-Shine event. You go shopping - there are classic cars in the lots. 




Some of the colors of these cars are so pretty. I like the one on the left - 
my kitchen cabinets are that color! 





Did you ever own a 66 Mustang? 

I was a Chevy gal - probably because my dad was a Chevy Man. But I did like the Mustangs. 







I call these cars - Clown Cars. So adorable. 






My husband loves the RED cars. I'm partial to the retro blues and greens. 





I came home and finally canceled our pet insurance. Our pets' combined insurance premium was $668.10 per month. 

That's $8,017.20 a year! 

I added up the vet bills and insurance paid last year and it is no longer viable for us. We probably should have canceled Susie's a couple of years ago. 





They're not spoiled - just well-loved!


We decided that it would be better to open up a savings account and put half of the insurance premium amount in it for their medical and prescriptions bills. That will be more than enough.   I had been telling my husband for some time that the insurance was becoming too expensive - Thank God he finally, agreed. 



Our homeowners went up - $300 more for this year.

I stopped into the Salvation Army and bought 2 summer tops for $8- 


Last night, for dinner, I made potato soup, and I did something my son suggested - I caramelized my onions and then threw them in the soup. Oh my my my...the soup was restaurant quality! When I was sautéing the onions though, I was thinking of a big fat juicy steak! I love caramelized onions and mushrooms on a nicely grilled steak. 

The husband is clamoring for dinner. 

More car photos coming up in the next few days. 
 







 











Sunday at Home

 

My son texted me his photo of Castle Crags - 

he was camping, and he said it snowed! He's back home and at work now. A friend asked me if I worried about him. He's 43 years old and very experienced. I trust him when he is out there. He is no longer reckless like he was 15 years ago! 

Those years after Michael passed away, I made myself a wreck by worrying about the 2 remaining sons that I have. Thankfully, through much intervention from God and other sources - I work hard to give my worries about them to God. He loves them more than I do. 

Am I free from worry? I'm free from its compulsiveness. I prefer to label it "concern."  It sounds healthier. Worry is fruitless and causes mental anguish. There is nothing good in worry, and after all, Jesus told us not to worry. 



  • Anxiety weighs down the heart,
    but a kind word cheers it up.
    Proverbs 12:25



Here in Redding, we've had rain! 

Poor Liberty - and you thought you had a bad day? 



I love the way she shelters her little ones. 


“As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings…”  Deuteronomy 32:11


There has been quite a commotion over at the nests. Firstly, Guardian brought in a live Coot and proceeded to do what Eagles do: "prepare" their food for the babies. It was gross, and you can't help but feel bad for the coot. It did fight and, at one point, escaped, but as Eagle couples do, Liberty was right there to snare the coot, and the rest is...food for the baby eagles. You never know what you will see when you watch the live feed. 




Some of their offspring have been pestering them and their nest. There are so many juvenile eagles in this area of Turtle Bay. Experts seem to believe most of them are their offspring. 





Yeah, this is me at age 70. Ugh!

It really is all downhill from here! When I found out about the eclipse in 2045, I realized I would be 91 years old, and for the FIRST TIME in my life, I wondered,

  "gosh, will I still be alive?" 

So that was a FIRST for me - a real eye-opener. 

If I don't either way, I will win. 

I'll see it either here or up in Heaven. 


I found out a next-door neighbor/friend of mine growing up in Pacifica passed away on February 7 -  she was 71. I haven't seen Anna for years, so I don't know how she passed. It does seem awfully young. Nevertheless, it does bother me when it is one of my contemporaries.  We're all starting to die off. I guess I will eventually get used to it - 







The husband has been gone this weekend during the day hours (8-5) taking a CCW class to be certified to conceal carry.  Instruction one day and today was shooting at the range. I don't have an issue with it - I just don't feel like I want to "carry". I don't know how it is where you all live, but more than half the people here carry. Just knowing that I feel like I don't need to. 



 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of birth pains. 

Matthew 24:6-13


I hope this Sunday finds you all rested and looking forward to the new week ahead. Now that I don't work, I always look forward to Mondays. 


Do you like Mondays? 




A Throwback Thursday Story

 

This morning I discovered the first of my poppies starting to bloom. However, I couldn't help but notice that we don't seem to have as many as we usually do. I suspect that when my husband was pulling out some of the Vinca, he might have accidentally removed some poppies as well.



I absolutely love sunflowers and California poppies. They're so easy to grow, which probably explains why I like them so much. Although to be honest, I really do like all flowers except for the Vinca-minor plant. The flowers are pretty, but they have a tendency to suffocate everything in their path. My dad was fond of them and planted them on the hill. No matter how many hours I spend pulling them up by the roots, I can never get rid of them. They thrived during the rainy season, and unfortunately, snails and slugs love them too.


It was around 8 a.m. - I love the morning sun. We still haven't cleaned up the patio. We're a bit slow moving on outside chores because we've both been busy, but it will get done sooner or later. 




You can see areas where the vinca is trying to choke out 

the Marguerite plant - and up by the fence. 




My favorite flower colors for my yard are the blues 

and the yellows and oranges. 



The pomegranate tree has leaves now - pretty how the filtered morning sun shines through. The fig tree needs some hot weather - not this 80-degree warmth! 



UPDATE 

So last night, Navy finally checked in with me. It had been almost a month since we talked with the exception of a Happy Easter text. He said he loved me and missed me and that we're going to plan to get together at their place soon. 

That pleased me. 

Then I got a text from Foodie saying he was going snowshoeing in the mountains for a week. He did not mention his brother and their one-week backpacking trip. 

I won't ask. 

If I ask, then I am involved. 

I'm good with boundaries - but when it comes to my boys, I have to stand my ground and not get sucked in. Just let them figure it all out and not allow them to "work me." 

So far, they don't - and haven't, but I have found, in dealing with others, that if you move one inch of your boundary, you might lose some ground. People are people - and if they think they can suck you into their drama they will. 




Aren't these baby mini goats adorable? In the church parking lot where I go to my Thursday Bible study, the 4-H was selling plants and baby goats. They are three weeks old. 

I'm a kisser of animals. So that little black one received a bunch of kisses from me. OMGoodness, she was such a sweetie. I wanted her and had to fight the urge to buy her and bring her home. 




I've kissed cows and horses—right on their faces! I kiss chickens, goats, and sheep—mainly farm animals when I get around them. I call them all "babies," and I swear to you, they come right to me and let me kiss them! 

I know I know, I'm weird. 




1967 
My Dad, Miss Hattie, me behind her, and my little sister, Donna. 


When I was a younger teen - around 13 we went back to Tennessee, and I met this wonderful older woman, my dad referred to her as Miss Hattie Butler. She was my grandma's first cousin. She lived out in the woods - no roads to her house. We hiked into the woods and there was this charming old house with lace curtains and flowers and birds everywhere. She would stand out in her yard, and the deer would eat from her hand and birds felt safe around her. 

I decided right then and there, I wanted to be like Miss Hattie. 

She made such an impression on me. We sat in her "parlor" and had tea sandwiches and little cookies. She wore a dress and was so feminine on the outside but tough—after all, she lived out there in those woods, all alone, and there was no electricity either! My dad was concerned for her, but she stood her ground. 

I never got to be like Miss Hattie. I was a city girl who always wanted to live in the country. She died three years after this photo was taken at age 85. 


These are the latest A-Z Genealogy posts 


J - Iwo Jima

I for Infidelity

H - Hasenstab




Car Shows, Jury Duty, Adult ADHD, and the Next total Eclipse


We are approaching the time of year when the air is filled with toxic car exhaust. Hotels are fully booked, restaurants are crowded with diners, and there are numerous "show and shines" on the corner of every strip mall. 

It's called Kool April Nites. 

It can be hella hot, raining, or freezing cold. Usually all in the same week. 
The big event is in 9 days.



Still waiting around to be called for Jury Duty...

Before I get all indignant about waiting or being on call,  I remembered how things used to be. We would all have to sit in one big room for hours on end. Nowadays, at least we can call in and wait at home. Maybe some can go back to work as long as they can get to the courthouse. Today I was able to attend my bible study and a luncheon, which I wouldn't have been able to do years ago. So it's not that bad. 

UPDATE.UPDATE.UPDATE

Your group number has been completed as served. You do not need to report. Being on standby counts the same as reporting for service. You will not have to serve for at least the next 12 months. Thank you for your service.





We've been having some gorgeous spring weather with lots of sunshine. Today, it's 84 degrees outside. Yesterday morning, I sat in the sun for some color... I always feel much better mentally when I'm in the sun; it energizes me. Since we had so much rain during the rainy season, I need to get my energy level back. 


Adult ADHD 


Yesterday, I had to order two more Tiles for our car key/fobs. My husband misplaced his key again, and after an hour and a half of searching, I finally found it without the TILE tracker. I had to look for it manually. I checked the app to see if I could locate the key using the Tile tracker, but it showed that the Tile needed a new battery, probably because my husband left it outside somewhere. The other two new Tile trackers will be for our van key and the KIA. My husband misplaces the keys all the time, and he has not yet settled on a designated place for the things like his wallet and the key fobs. Sometimes, he leaves them on his dresser, sometimes on a bookshelf, or sometimes in coat pockets. This situation is frustrating for me, especially since the Tiles aren't cheap. However, I can't get too mad at him since he has ADHD. 

Adult ADHD symptoms may include: 

Impulsiveness 
Disorganization and problems prioritizing 
Poor time management skills 
Problems focusing on a task 
Trouble multitasking 
Excessive activity or restlessness 
Poor planning 
Low frustration tolerance 
Frequent mood swings 
Problems following through and completing tasks 
Hot temper
 Trouble coping with stress


It could be worse. He tries so hard to "organize," but his brain thinks differently than mine, and I cannot, for the life of me, figure out his way. Then I get all mixed up. I spend a lot of time trying to re-organize his organized system since I do the bills and paperwork stuff. Mostly, I have everything online, so that is good. The excessive activity and restlessness is really him. The man doesn't know how to relax. He go-go-goes constantly. I can't keep up with him. He has to always be busy and while I can be like that too, there is a big difference between what is normal and what is ADHD! 



 
My two sons seem to be having some issues with each other lately. This is really unlike them as they have always been best friends. It seems that Navy is going through some tough times right now but I'm not sure what it is. He's been distancing himself from me as well. I could act like my mom and call him up in my most unpleasant voice and say, 

"What the hell is going on with you?"
"SNAP OUT OF IT"



Or I can give him the space he needs. I do know Navy is hurting because he and his wife cannot have children. While he wants to adopt, she does not. This has been a difficult situation for their marriage, and I can only pray for them. Although I have come to terms with the fact that I may not have grandchildren, it breaks my heart to see my son suffer. He would make a wonderful father, and it's hard for him to let go of that dream. He is 39. 

Then there is Foodie - he has been feeling lonely after some failed relationships with the wrong women. He says he has given up on finding love. He is 43 years old.

I hope that before I exit this world, that my sons find peace in their lives.




Speaking of Exiting this world...



I discovered that the next solar eclipse will happen on August 12, 2045, which means I will be 91 years old. Redding will be 100% total Eclipse. How cool is that? 

I plan to stick around for this one.