Always something to do

Whether I want to or not, there is always something to do. Right now I need a plumber, a carpenter, an electrician and a "pond someone" and assistance from Cox? maybe. The pond definitely has a problem...hopefully an easy fix. At the moment it is empty of water and there is expected rains coming the beginning of the week so it will remain off to the dismay of several birds who thought their pond was back. This includes the bunny too. The kitchen light is not responding to the yard stick taps so I have half lighting. The last time I attempted to climb the step ladder to "fix" this I almost landed on the stove top. Happily there was nothing cooking. I see there is a ?shut off valve under the sink on the water dispenser, but will that be enough for me to try to disconnect the system??? I really do not need water running everywhere. The cable went out again yesterday as did my bathroom lights! Once I reset the lights at the electrical box the cable returned??!! Cox  was as confused as I was. So far cable is working today but I am still having them come out later today to discuss this issue. At least I was not the only customer  in the area calling them the last 2 days. As I was Swiffing around the TV in my bedroom yesterday I found

this frayed HDMI cable...you didn't know that I knew what it is called, right? I learned a lot from My Denny. Of course there was a replacement in the garage! Yes, he always had extras of this or that, remember the 4 drills??? It was an easy fix.
Thank goodness for going to lunch with Glenda yesterday to break the craziness around here.
I began putting together the beaded Rose Star and hope to share that over the weekend, but I will show you these.....

A gift from Lisa...lovely wire wrapped "beach glass" earrings....we both love the color purple/lavender! the picture does not do them justice but I think you can see they are delicate in style. She also gave me

A beautiful wrap bracelet....a silver formed piece with a piece of turquoise and silver beads....I love it. Thank you Lisa for being so thoughtful. The washer is swishing and I will walk the Bissell soon. Then back to trying to do nothing. At some point I should make breakfast and another cup of coffee. Glad you had time to visit with me.... thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. DebbieB if you are able to read this I hope you are enjoying yourself.... talk with you soon! Honey, AKA Keith, hope you are feeling good after your shoulder surgery. I am feeling better today, thank you Glenda for the special chat. Let's have a good day everyone.

Feeling emotional

Please bear with me today......
I can not lie and say everyday is a good day for me. I try to be optimistic and live happy as My Denny told me to do. So many days I just tear up or do cry... sometimes it is over absolutely nothing or yes, a thought, a song or something I see. The post today that I thought I would write is on hold.
This morning when I went out to clean the pond and sweep the garden I saw this .....

and sat down to cry. This is the Lantana that My Denny lectured me everyday that he was in the hospital to take care of. This is the plant that just about died several times. I moved it to this spot a few months after he passed and told Don that this was it. If it did not make it would have to go. I did not need a plant stressing me out. Slowly it began to look better and even got leaves and then it even turned green! It made it! Today it is in full bloom to my surprise. I needed this today.....yesterday I returned to the jeweler to pick up my bracelets.

You may remember them, I bought them after My Denny passed in his memory. One says Live a Happy Life...words he spoke to me and the other a lighthouse in support of Lymphoma from which he died. I decided to have the dates engraved on the back side

5-24-17 for the day he said those words and 6-21-17 the day he passed. Very emotional morning yesterday when I got them back. You see I am a tough cookie to some (on the outside) but I really am a very sensitive gal. It is tiring to put on the happy face all the time.
Not to end on a heavy note, also in the garden is my Plumeria plant from Hawaii that Dianna brought for me last October.

It is getting ready to bloom...well not for some time, but it survived the winter and the planting. Dianna tells me that  now I must mist it and water it daily. Once it is established better I will need to correct the growth as it is tilting for some reason. A lovely day all around the garden.
I still have to climb to adjust the lanai lights, still have to get the bedroom rug and get to Jo-Ann's for the fabric, but today is take a break day as my hand is once again swollen from yesterday chores. Oh and the Cox guy arrived right on time. My TV was set incorrectly!? Have not a clue as to how that happened. And to my surprise, he was making adjustments without the control. I asked him how he was doing that and he showed me....there are controls along the edge of the TV! He laughed at my total surprise especially since I told him, no...the TV was not new but instead a few years old. He checked the other set and even my computer and now all is well. Never mind a physical rest for me I need a mental one today! It seems to me that this afternoon will be a glass of wine day! How about Arizona weather? Yesterday  tied the temp for the day with 98 then almost as fast hit 100. The first triple digit day of the year. HOT indeed and today will be 99. So, inside with the air and that glass of wine.
If you are still reading this, thank you for being here ..thank you for the kind words and all the caring words this past year and most of all your friendship. It truly has helped me get though many days.

Technology ....

A lovely morning except for my telephone conversation with Cox Communications. Last evening the TV in my bedroom displayed "no signal" and resetting the cable box and unplugging/plugging did nothing to fix the issue. So I called them this morning. First I wanted to give them my new phone number then I wanted the box reset. Cox conversation: "you do not have phone service with us"....yes, I know but this is the number to associate with the account. "There will be a $25.00 charge to change your number"....no, because I do not have phone service with you but do have a cell number to use for the account information. "Okay, there will be no charge." I am showing you have no cable service to your home"....no, I do have cable service in my living  room just not the bedroom. "Well I am showing no connections at all" I will send someone out to you". So, that is how I have started the morning.
The temp is nice at mid 60s but the plan is for a hot mid to high 90s and yes, the air was on yesterday for a short time as the inside temp was hitting 85.
So many like the Bottle Brush Tree that I thought I would show you a closer look...

Each brush is about 5 inches long and very fluffy. They are also very sticky when they start to fall off the tree. The pink blooms separate from the branch.

I love the intricate bloom! I have sent blooms/seeds to a few friends but no one has let me know if they are able to seed them to grow. The birds like the tree and the blooms look pretty swaying in the breeze from the ends of the long branches.

The Sweet Memory is in bloom again cascading over the wall. One of my favorites...actually I have lots of favorites in the garden.
I was back at the stash clearing yesterday.....seems like this will take forever. I will get this accomplished!
Thank you for the concern regarding me and the rug and the lights....I do plan on asking for help with both projects....well at least with the rug. The lights I can do and will be extra careful with the task. Right now I think breakfast is next on my to do list and another cup of coffee. Then the garden to be swept. then there is a new footstool in the house that needs some TLC.
Glad you stopped by today. I hope to have some stitching and tatting to show tomorrow. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

****special note for LisaW....I will get out for the horse fabric tomorrow.... this is going to be a fun project!

What next ? ! ?

I  decided to work in the garden yesterday

and this was the result of trying for 1 hour to connect 2 drip lines. Lots of bad words seemed to float around the yard. Thank goodness for Don who came over and in 15 minutes had both lines attached.
Then it was to finish my tatting

The snowflake is finished, not perfect but complete and needs a bit of blocking. I had hoped to make another one today....we shall see if the hand is healed enough. Then the rains came....yes indeed they did. Of course almost always at night and they did not disappoint.

It pored, the wind blew everything, the chimes sang merrily  and look at the metal plant hanger over the pond how it moved! The Fountain Grass which stands 5 feet is a flattened mess and the pond is filled to the brim. Water everywhere. Good news is that the new gutters work just perfectly. The plants that I worried about yesterday did not need to have a drip line yet! The bad news? Well I have no electricity to either of the 2 bathrooms. No lights...also the outdoor backyard flood lights do not work. Oh and the cable....that is not working either. I tried to re-boot the boxes myself ( at 3 AM) but that did not work. I went on line for Cox support, she could not re-boot them. So today, the A/C guy---Brent---is supposed to come to put a new part in the 7 month old unit to stop the noises (it works just fine otherwise) and then Cox will be out here in the late afternoon to "fix" my cable problem. The bathroom electricity? Well, I am not comfortable trying to play with the switches. The electric box is outside and I have no clue what to click. Just had new master switch put in this past March. Sleep...I have not been to bed yet! I was up at 3 AM yesterday and here it is almost 8 AM and still awake.  So my friends I am not in a happy mood! I am sure things could be worse. It is what it is. Just other issues to deal with. I guess I might as well try to get the electrician out here today to check the electrical box situation. Why not, we could have an all day fix it party. I have the wine cooling....
Hope your evening went well and your day is better than mine.

UPDATE

At 8:30, neighbors Robyn and Dave who live across the courtyard read my blog and Dave came over. He showed me how to re-set the electrical switch and there is electricity in the bathrooms! Then he re-set the cable boxes and now there is Perry Mason! I am so lucky to have Robyn and Dave as friends. So, things are looking a little "brighter " just waiting for the A/C guy and due to the weather he may cancel. Guess I will cancel Cox's visit.