My Daily 86 Words

  The itchy patches are my biggest issue. Better sleep after using my CBD medicine. The patch on my back has grown and I don’t know what is causing or how to fix it. Shannon called from the office and suggested hydrocortisone ointment add Hollie had some. It helps for   a while. No agenda. I did get a brief wlak around the block and will do that again but that’s all. Just rest and hope for my skin to repair from the itches. I want to feel well.

  The itchy rash that started Wednesday while I was at the museum has spared up both arms and patches on my back. It prevented me from sleeping and resting and I am tired. I need t o know what it is and get   it fixed. I had a good walk yesterday in the first really beautiful day we have had all summer. Today fog is down to the ground. I had tomatoes and cucumbers in my salad from the greenhouse. Waterd everything well. Hope for progress.

  I have hives or something itchy. Don’t know why. Oh well, one more irritant. I’m done with the church issue. I don’t care what they do. I accept that it’s what is. I had 5K steps from walking to the farmers’ market before museum duty and walking the long way home.   Felt good. I’ll walk to Walgreen’s’ to get my refill and maybe go farther down town.   Had a long talk with Rosalie and told her the church story. She listened and I felt heard.

  No walk yesterday .No nothing. Just flat and dull.   Kind of an emotional hangover from my church upset. I feel that I have worked myself through it and probably won’t go back. Better this morning. A good long sleep helps. This morning Hollie and I will walk to the farmers’ market for onions and green beans before I go to the museum for duty. I cut down most of the agapantha and exposed the root wad. Now I can dig it up and planat day lilies.

  Frustration again and I gave up and closed the lid on the computer. I just can’t figure it out by myself. I need a teacher, not a tech. Great hamburger at Megan’s. Ben is a grill master and everything tasted so good. Lively chatter and laughing. Sometime in the night I as angry about church. I need to deal with that. Had a good walk to Fifth stret. No pushing the next block. Board of Supervises meeting later. It’s damp and humid and I will walk .

  I did not go to the service at Gayle’s and felt resentment. It was not on YouTube so I couldn’t even participate that way. The distance is growing. There are so many divisions in the world right now, do we have to have one at church too? I took a brief walk bu no energy for pushing myself. Today is damp and cold outside. The crop   watering will last longer. I dug a potato and cut a squash for breakfast. I will delve into the computer.

  My mind is occupied with push-pull of church. Yes, I want to be at the service No, I want to be in church and not at Gayle’s property. If I go, I may say something about the exclusive group that is keeping the doors closed and I’m not sure I can go along to get along. The dilemma is taking up a lot of my energy. I walked yesterday and that is about all. I felt dull and un motivated. It’s okay now and then.

  Another computer session with Megan. She makes it look easy but I can’t follow. I’ll practice again and keep trying until I get it comfortably planted in my mind. I want to do this. No agenda today except the ordinary activities. Little cleaning and a lot of outside weeding and watering. Lots of produce is showing up and I love going out and picking something fresh to add to my meals. First I dig up a potato and then cut kale and squash. Good breakfast food.

  Quick in and out at the store and home by 8:15. Only way to shop is early and quick. Practiced on the computer and today I’m going to see if I can send a story to email and get it on this computer. I attained 5Kk steps and had aa longer walk in a different direction. Small changes mean a lot. Today I will repeat yesterday and feel productive and moving forward. House is presentable and maybe I’ll have a visitor. I need social contact.

  Vet trip started with a laugh fest due to JuJu making noises like a Chinese opera. Jake couldn’t stand still for his harness and Hollie and I were in stiches overt he whole   thing. The visit was uneventful. JuJu is now rabies vaxed and Jake passed his physical. Museums duty was fun. Lots of visitors and they love our collection. We are going shopping in   a minute. Must go early before the tourists get up. Then it’s   practice dictating on the computer and a bit of houses straightening.

  The lesson was productive. Danette fixed my e-mail to Outpost so I can dictate there too. I learned some rules and now it’s’ up to me to practice until I get it down. I enjoy her expertise and patience. She left instructions and Hollie listened and is prepared to help me. Then I had a 5K walk and didn’t get tired for the first time in weeks. It felt so good to push and succeed. Today is museum duty. Jake and JuJu go to the vet.

  Story group was its usual amazing self. I love being part of it. I wish one of the others would take over leadership but there I am doing it. No walk and I suffered without it. Just couldn’t do it. Hollie saved me from starvation as I came home from group hungry and there was pork teriyaki. So good and brightened me up. Today Working Mouse is coming to give me a lesson. I want to learn to use the computer’s options. I still have stories to share.

I actually forgot to turn on church. Never happened before. I realized it about noon. I walked to the post office but didn’t  distance stretch at all. Just no energy for pushing. Restless sleep. I kept worrying about telling my story to the computer. Lots of memories kept flying by and I have lots of experience to share in stories. Later I dreamed that I was trying to explain what’s happened to my left arm and nobody would listen. Mostly snacked and way too many blueberries

  I didn’t make much progress with the dictate option. Just don’t’ know what to do. I looked at the format and it isn’t familiar like the old word I’m using here. I did get 5K steps and that was a victory. Now if I can repeat it again. Church is YouTube and I may watch if it’s in real time. I won’t do it later. Garden is wwatered and some pruning happened. Lots of fixing needed with the fuchsias and roses at the end of the sunporch.

  I promise to open the computer and learn something new. I put it off and that doesn’t help my quest for using it for stories. Yesterday I had a good walk but did not push the extra blocks. Maybe today I can get 5K steps. It would bolster my confidence. The   trip to Walmart was quick and we filled our lists in an almost empty store. Best time to shop is early. Megan came for family night and we had snacks and conversation. I gave her 5K$

  Hollie and I will do the quick step through Walmart this morning.. I have a list and so does she. We are a team. Later I will explore the other word program and find out if it’s a touch screen or is the cursor can edit. Danette is coming   next Tuesday for a tutorial. I walked well yesterday and   will build on it today.   I want to walk faster and farther and feel like I used to feel. Walking is important to me and I want confidence.

  JuJu has medicine for her allergy condition and she is more relaxed already. She spent all morning in the office and was tired when she was home. The museum was busy with interesting visitors and I enjoy being there. I had a good walk by leaving   early and going the ATM on the way. Karen Wert called and wants me to go to Gayle’s when the bishop comes. Showing up would imply approval and I don’t approve of the exclusive group. I want church in church.

  Two phone conversations with long time friends that were interesting and important. Cillay called first from Kentucky and relayed her conversation with Margie. She has been a friend since Jr. High. Later Jackie called and it was wonderful to talk with her. We are the four survivors of our “gang”.   We need to keep   in touch as octogenarians. Later JuJu goes to the vest for her itching problem. Then off to the museum for duty. I’m looking forward to going. The garden is all watered for the day.          

Feeling tired and old after a long restless night. Thankfully I have a small agenda: BOS on the computer and a visit with  Rosalie this afternoon. Hope to recover enough to walk around the block. I pushed yesterday and will admit that the last couple of blocks were tiring. I shuffle when I get to that point. Only way to gain strength is to keep moving. Early texting with  Ellen. She sounds lonely and we will visit soon. She is a difficult friend but I have patience

  Wonderful afternoon with Megan and Ben as they hosted a barbecue. Lots of laughing and tons of food.   Their yard is a mess of weeds. Too much property for easy care. I did a load of weeds from the side of my sunporch and I want to plant grass up close. The roses are doing a great job of brightening my yard. I had a longer walk and it felt great to push. Again today I will get myself going toward easier walking. Hello Monday morning.

  I did not push the walking. Happy to do the block and get home. No energy for extra exertion. Cleaned out the house closet and made choices about what to keep and how to move the other items. I have room now and I like the convenience. May watch church if it works today. I’m not interested in watching later when it replays. I’m waiting for real church and the 25 th is the date when the bishop is coming. Lots of weeds are calling for atattention.

  I’ve been working on the closet. Finally have a plan. Every time I make a move it solidifies my permanent moving in. Lots of sorting and purging of loved clothing that I know I’ll never put on again. I’ll bring it all from the house closest and drape it around while I enjoy memories of other times. I had a walk yesterday that resulted in a hug with Debbie Stover. I like her a lot. I’ll walk again later and push a bit more blocks.

  Still no access to the vet so Hollie is calling Town and Country and we may get an appointment sooner there. I want the poor critter to be comfortable and not have to scratch and dig at   herself. The shopping trip was successful and I found a   couple of closet organizing pieces. I put one together myself and am waiting for help with the larger cube piece. I walked a bit and it was a chore rather than a pleasure. I’ll have another go at it later.

  Boo to Gordi Bros. Not good service and mediocre food and the price was out of sight. It’s always fun to spend time with Michele and I enjoyed the tour of her little house and yard. Tons of flowers plus trees and walks. It was also good to see Tom and look at his current   paintings. Huge canvasses and action and color. This morning Hollie and I are going ato Brookings to shop for necessities and a look around for closest organizers. JuJu’s eye looks worse. Call vet again.

  Yesterday Hollie explored and found the dictation voice ap and we played with it. It’s great and does punctuation too. Megan is coming this afternoon and I hope she can connect the pad to the printer. I want to investigate more but not today. First is museum duty. I’m looking forward to finding out how we did at the pie social. It sure was busy. Later, Michele will pick me up for lunch at Gordi Brothers for Mexican food. Fun to have parts to write about.

  Good sleep! Feel caught up after the exhaustion from the Fourth noises. Tea and stories was wonderful as always. Lisa fit right in. I gave the code and the security job to Michele. I don’t want the responsibility. Hollie and I are going to explore 365 and see if it has a voice ap that would allow me to write without writing. I have avoided learning it and the time has come to embrace the dreaded learning curve. It’s time to feed the roses too.

  Exhausted by a long noisy night and a terrified dog. There is no soothing and it is just plain heartbreaking that thoughtless folk keep up the shooting of guns and illegal fireworks until after 2 AM. The pie social was successful and the three of us were front and center. Meg took money, Hollie was pie and utility and I poured coffee and water. .Lots of quick catch up conversations and a few hugs. Today is tea and stories and I am not prepared witth paper.

  Foggy and calm.   It’s better for our pie duty than wind. Some years the wind has blown away table cloths and napkins. JuJu had a bad night of shivering from the fireworks. Nothing soothes her. She was curled up under my chin and alerted every boom. Buddy was so traumatized and Minnie too. Poor animals have primal fear and people just can’t   help. Nothing else going on. I am not walking with the dems any longer. Just not up to it. So much for Fourth of July.

  Day 128 Drippy wet out so the watering will last longer. So happy that we have this coastal weather. No 100s here. I had a nice long walk yesterday that   included two trips to Walgreens’ because of their stupid hours. No customer service there. I’m stuck because of insurance preference but it is surely not mine. I want to work in the closet again. Hollie found some organizing units at Freddies’s and we will pursue them next week after the fourth. Looking forward to museum coffee duty tomorrow.

    No visit with Cerise but Ellen brought a bag of vegetables and it was welcome as that is the basis of my food plan. Hollie feels better so we may go shopping for the close organizers. I’ll wait a while to be sure she is well enough. I took the longest walk that I   have had in weeks and it felt wonderful. I watered vegetables and roses and today the roses will get food too. July’s fog is welcome but the humidity is way too much.

  Yesterday was the best one in a long time because it was peoply. Museum duty was chatty and interesting and having Michele was a bonus. I need people for   stimulation and acknowledgment.   I like using my resources and I like to be useful. Hollie isn’t feeling well so no shopping trip for closet items yet. I want her to take care of herself. An open day and there are always yard chores plus walking. Might see   Cerise Brown again. She might bring tuna and salmon.