The predicted thunderstorm did not show up last night.
And all day, today, was quiet too.
We did get rain though – but not enough to keep me indoors 😉
I’ve been awful sleepy though; deep yawns, and practically
sleeping on my feet. No joke.
ALL I want to do is sleep: this may be a result of being
stuck indoors 25 days out of 30/31 days a month … or it could be an
age-related occurrence. I’m claiming the gray clouds, overhead.
I slept in until 10 AM this morning; but I didn’t get to bed
until after 3 A.M., so I didn’t feel like a lazy peel when my eyes focused on
the digitized clock. Seven hours of sleep isn’t “wasting the day”.
I noticed that a clear and dry 2-hour window was available:
so, I got dressed, tied my hiking boots on, and planned a short 2-mile walk
before the afternoon rains arrived.
Halfway to my destination, a squirrely thought passed through
my brain – and I altered my route. I have some things that I need to get around
to dropping off at the Caring Pregnancy Center – but first, I needed to know
how the heck to get there. That squirrely thought was prompting me to figure it
out this afternoon.
So, I sprung into action 😊
I pulled over and punched the address into GPS (I’m still
learning the streets of Longview). After going down several zig-zagging
rabbit trails that included one-way streets, and four-way stops where everyone
engaged in ‘blind man’s bluff’ and ‘chicken’ maneuvers, I finally “arrived” at
the building.
Caring Pregnancy Center.
Pulling into the old Medical Strip Mall parking lot, I knew
where I was (by the surrounding landmarks), and was shaking my head and
wondering why GPS had taken me on such a convoluted zig-zag route – it would
have been much easier to lead me straight through Nichols Boulevard onto Tennant
Way, and hang a left at 11th street. That is the route I will
take next time: it is much simpler for me, and will take me right to the
building without all the overhead stop lights the GPS route weaved me through.
Landmarks are recognizable; addresses throw me.
Backtracking, and still hoping to get my walk in, my
attention was snagged again. By a vehicle in front of me – with a sentiment I
understand all too well.
A recognizable sentiment ...
Passing Safeway on Ocean Beach, I had noticed earlier that
there appeared to be intensive work happening there. Since this is the place, I
use to refuel, I thought I’d nip in there and ask what is going on (this
was a pre-planned side excursion: no squirrel involved 😉). I was told that
the Fueling Station is undergoing a replacement of the underground fuel wells;
and an upgrade on the pumps. Estimation time of completion is two weeks.
Guess I’ll be gassing up elsewhere
for the next month.
Safeway Fuel Station is getting an overhaul.
When I got back home, the rain was still holding off, so I
decided to pull my over-wintered Geraniums out of their bins and get them
prepped for display on the front steps/front porch. I had to replace six plants
– that’s why I always keep spare plants, over-wintered in the house, on hand
😊
Pulled the geraniums out of storage and got them cleaned up & set in place.
My Bunny Ear Cactus (I’d always called it a Teddy Bear)
needed repotting, too: so, I did that after the Geraniums were set in place.
I got my cactus plant when we moved back to Longview, 27
years ago. We were enjoying a Sunday drive along Westside Highway and I noticed
a Garage sale sign … so Bob pulled over and I hopped out of our 4x truck. I’m a
sucker for terra cotta pots; so, when I saw the dried-up cactus in the pot that
caught my eye (it was so dried up from neglect, it was brown and
dead-looking), I asked the woman how much she wanted for the pot. She said,
“you can have it for free: the plant’s dead.” I snapped that pot right up 😉 And, just to see what would
happen, I watered that cactus every time the soil looked like it needed a drink.
After a while I noticed life was fleshing the pads out, so I babied it back to
life.
The original cactus plant thrived, and blossomed in about a 15-year-timeframe
from the time I brought it home; a cute little yellow flower blossom 😊
My Bunny Ear Cactus blossomed; Aug. 3rd, 2009!
Bunny Ear Cactus bloom 15 years in the making - Aug. 3rd, 2009
I transplanted the cactus into a large clay pot, and
eventually it grew to be a sizable 2-foot plant, with a 4-foot spread that I
babied and hauled with a hand dolly, from the front yard to the garage every Fall
to over-winter in safety – but it never blossomed again. A few days
before we moved here, to Heron Pointe in 2017, I gifted it to the lady across
the street who asked me what I was going to do with it. She was excited to get
it. I hope it is still thriving.
But before I let her husband haul it away, I snipped a
hand-sized chunk off to bring here, with me. It has flourished these four years
here, but it has outgrown its pot … so, this afternoon, I upended it, loosened
its roots, and repotted it in a roomier pot. I hope it blooms this year.
A few pads fell off, so I potted those up, too 😉
I reshaped my Bunny Ear Cactus, and transplanted the clipped pads.
I also called Dr. Tack’s Office and asked to make an
appointment for prescription sunglasses. I was told that I didn’t need an
appointment, since they already did an eye exam for the every-day-glasses I am
now wearing. She quoted me the price of polarized lens and frames – then she
said, “if you have a specific frame you’d like to use instead, we could accommodate
that.” As soon as I heard that … I sprung on the suggestion: I knew I’d
use the glasses frame that Bob inadvertently chose for me four years ago 😊
I like them.
They fit my personality.
And I was keeping them anyway – I may as well utilize them,
instead of keeping them in a drawer 😉
Aren’t they cute?
They're colorful ... and are special to me.
Now, I’m going to head down the hallway to bed, tomorrow is
Food Distribution Day.
