Month: March 2022

Spring Cleaning (I Live on a Dirt Road)

Yesterday I spent a sweaty day getting my house together after the short winter season in Southern Arizona. Cleaning behind, under, and in all the furniture. I wiped surfaces and straightened cluttered areas; sorting and putting things in their places.

I’m very lucky because my home is in Catalina AZ which is north of Tucson, and when we came out in 1991 it felt very rural. We bought an unimproved acre and I love to say that every tree, but two mesquites were planted by hubby. Also the roses, and honeysuckle were his work as well.

Thanks to my German ‘Shedder’ Millie contributing to the dustiness the dirt road deposits in my house, every surface gets a coating of fine dust. When the wind blows the doors are closed to help keep the dust down. Also her fur collects in corners and under the coffee table. One swipe through the house with the dust broom and it looks like I skinned a small animal.

Spring cleaning is all well and good, all that work is worth it, except in my case the dusting. One day later and I’ve noticed surfaces are already starting to get covered and I’ve picked up handfuls of fur.

Arrggh!

So the dust cloth is out, and even after spring cleaning I still have to dust every few days.

Cheers!

-N

Expanding My Skills

I thought I had a remote job writing copy for a health and wellness magazine. A very exciting direction, and a challenge I was looking forward to, especially the prospect of research and writing.

However, once the man doing the hiring understood my writing experience was with my blog and my fiction writing – well his enthusiasm for my skills waned considerably and he said they wanted someone with actual copywriting experience.

As someone who loves words, enjoys writing and research, I was confident I could gel with this project. Perhaps my age factored into it as does happen often.

Question: Any of you fine readers out there do copywriting? If so how to you get into it and any suggestions on understanding the process? I won’t stop my other writing outlets, but I would definitely like to try this avenue.

Cheers!

-N

At My Age

This past week I have struggled with shaking off flu like symptoms which in the past, with lots of sleep, plenty of water, and vitamin C, I would have kicked out the door by this time.  I even took the obligatory Covid test (negative) and have done everything I usually do but this thing is hanging on tenaciously.

Expressly a deep, nasty cough.

Yikes

Somethings are a bit different this time. Because of a heavy post nasal drip my throat is coated and the cough is not as productive as usual. I’ve never been one to have a cough hang on, nor have I had a tendency to bronchitis. I’ve spent many restless nights sleeping propped up – water, cough drops, and tissues on the table next to my bed – when this cough gets going and I can’t catch my breath.

Then my head begins to throb. That’s new.

I ran low grade fever off and on all week, although now that has finally stopped occurring.

 

 

My point, after this descriptive beginning: I feel this issue may be due to my age. I won’t tell you how old I am, but lets just say as an elementary age kid I watched the Beatles live on Ed Sullivan.

I am noticing things that are different for me as I am living through these years and one of them is my ability to overcome illness. I’m a person with a mega strong immune system. My sisters and I weren’t taken to the doctor for an antibiotic at the first sniffle so my body fought things off.

As I said, if ever I started to feel poorly: I sleep, drink plenty of water and before long I was right as rain.

Also, my energy after I am well takes time to build back up. So here I sit, still dealing with this cough, praying I can sing next weekend and hoping I am completely finished with this crap.

Cheers!

-N

That’s a bummer!

I have discovered, to my dismay, I have probably developed an allergy to incense. No! I love incense and I am pretty particular about what I burn.

I usually use incense in concert with candles creating a nice welcoming vibe. 🕯

Saturday after hubby left for work (he works night shift) I lit two candles and burned a stick my most favorite incense. I’d made a yummy fish dinner and you know how the fish smell  hangs out, so I figured some candle flames and the gentle incense would freshen the rooms. The ceiling fans were moving the air so I did the dishes and settled into the evening to watch the University of Arizona Wildcats beat yUCLA in basketball.

With in a couple of hours I noticed some congestion building, and I was starting to cough – things got worse.

By the time I got in bed I was having typical allergy symptoms: running nose, watery eyes, cough, sneezing, it was awful. I ruled out the candles since I had been using them nearly every day, but the incense was the difference.

So now what? My body got busy clearing it out by pumping my head with histamines, and my sinuses have been overflowing with the yucky mucous stuff. Oh man it’s a drag. No headache, fever or sore throat, thank goodness. Tonight is a Navage before bed and cough medicine with a decongestant.

Anyone need some incense?

Cheers!

-N

Two Weeks of Love and a conflict

I had a two week trip to Apopka FL (near Orlando) in January to meet my second grandson.

Nannie and Jackson

Let me say I am in love.

He was two months old and just yummy. He is a sweetheart and I spent every chance I got holding him, feeding him, and doing all the other baby things. It was my pleasure to help my son and daughter-in-law with the multiple tasks, giving them a well deserve break. I remember one afternoon saying, “Why don’t you guys have a date night?” which was met with enthusiasm. Anytime there was a comment about running to the store or going for coffee I piped up with a “go ahead I’ve got him,” with a big smile on my face. I loved my solo time with my wee fella.

Well, we are going back next month – lets just say I am ready to snuggle that boy again. This time he will get to meet his Poppa (grandfather) since hubby was sick and had to cancel last time. I am excited to see hubby with the baby grandson.

Now I come to the conflict referenced above. My kids have managed to live across the country from each other! One is in Phoenix, one is in Orlando. Could they have made it any harder on me? Although I will say my daughter moving from So Cal to Phoenix helped the dilemma a bit. Still it’s 2000+ miles to the others.

I told hubby when he retires I want to move halfway between them, which according to google maps is Rexville TX. Ready…its a ghost town! A crossroads location with about four houses.

Uh, no.

Charlie dressed to dance

So I’m here and keeping the credit cards paid off so I can travel, and taking every opportunity to see my Phoenix grandson. Yep, two grandsons.

Cheers!

-N