First Friday, What a Night!

I was talking with Marc on the phone and reading some of the recipes I get when they bring the organic vegetables and fruits every two weeks. As I was reading it, my mouth started watering. I decided to buy the ingredients I didn't have.  I made stuffed bell peppers that evening fairly late, but it was a good meal, and I had leftovers for three more days. This recipe was different in that the pepper, hamburger, onions, tomatoes and cheese were cooked before putting it together and then baking it. Really delicious. I was too full to eat the salad - butter lettuce tossed with a light oil and vinegar  then top with sliced strawberries and 2-3 ounces of crumbled feta cheese.  Delicious.  And, the final recipe, I haven't roasted cauliflower yet.  I think I will do it tonight. 

I got a call from my primary MD saying I needed to see her soon. I felt I have been seeing her.  I wonder if they increased the number of visits to twice a year.  So I saw her Thursday.  Though I don't have a bicuspid valve (which I had thought for years), I do have aortic stenosis.  She said normal was 2 mm.  Mine is 1.5 and we talk about surgery when it hits 1.0   Ugh.   Let's just call it old age and leg it go!

I also went in for my sixth month Prolia injection ( makes bones stronger) on Friday. 

I tackled too much that day and had a pretty bad backache.  It settled down after taking my pain medication. 

The Cedar Fire is very close to being contained.  The mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted.  Thank goodness!  It has been particularly bad for the people that live in those areas, and, some of them lost their homes.

I saw my pain doctor and asked him about the reaction I have when I don't take my meds- cold and hot flashes and I feel so tired I can sleep a long time!  I saw this as addiction, but he describes it as eating. "You get used to having, like a steak. The next day at that time, you'll have an urge for the steak if you don't get one."  Okay, I would call it addiction, even if I don't want to use it recreationally.  When I saw my primary doctor later in the week and told her about it.  She said "If you use it illegally, then it is an addiction.  If you are using it prescribed by a doctor, it is a dependence."   I am stuck with this pain if I don't take my pain medication.   Then I just want to stay in bed.    I am miserable and it doesn't seem like a quality life.  That is not acceptable to me, so I will continue to take my pain medication.  I am quite functional when I take my pain medication. Last summer I had cortisone injections in my back.  That helped a lot. I don't have that level of pain anymore. Now the government requires a pain doctor's evaluation every 6 months. They  said I had to have the second (and last) pneumonia shot also.  I didn't feel the injection, but where I had this injection became sore for a several days.  

Shelley, Janet and I went out for first Friday.  We were so lucky because the high was 92 degrees!  That may sound high, but it is not bad when you are having over 100 degrees most days.  We went to the bar at The Padre Hotel.  Their snacks were very good.  They had beer and I had wine.  We went to the Art Center which was jam-packed.   We wandered and  Shelley found some neat beach wear that was an incredible deal.  I found a great deal in a knit top and a red knit cap that looked fabulous.  Anyway, it was a lovely evening!  When the weather is good, this is a wonderful event!  This one classified as excellent!

By the Alley Cat, A Legend in Bakersfield

Janet and Me

Shelley and Me

Shelley in her beach scarf dress and foot decoration

We did not have art class this last week, or the week before.  But I did work on three that I had already done.  Also I did a little more on the roller skate shoe.  We will have class this Tuesday and we are going to focus on colored pencil.  So the skate I did was with no instruction.  I am really looking forward to learning about what I am doing.

Peacock Feather

Snake

Peacock

Shoe Skate

So tomorrow is Labor Day.  We are having a barbecue.  It is also Kayla's 16th birthday.  So there is a lot so celebrate.  Her mom is baking her a cake!  The rest of us are bringing different food items to the table.  We always have a good time when we get together, so it should be good.

So that was it for the week.  I'm glad I will have an art class this week.  I am looking forward to seeing how you blend it all in. This last week was a lot of medical and there will be some more this week.  That is okay.  I really am doing quite well.  I hope your week went well and I look forward to you next week.                Rachel

My Birthday - Good Medical Bills and Violence - Bad

It is really unnerving to get bills for medical services that are way beyond what you expect. I got two separate bills, one from a hospital and another from an outpatient radiology program for different services. I have coverage by Kaiser, an HMO so I would have a clearer idea of what I owe.  So I called Kaiser which worked on one and I called the hospital on the other. The woman I spoke with at the hospital said there should have been an allowance for the pharmacy which was $910.41 and is passing it up to a higher level to review. She thought it would be resolved in about a month.  So hopefully this all gets resolved.  The other bill Kaiser dealt with them and I don't owe anything.  That was a good birthday present!

The Erskine Fire was 100% contained on July 11. It burned 48,019 acres. We have had other fired around us, but not as bad as this one.  These fires are very frightening and it is still early in the fire season, so there is still a possibility of it destroying more here. 

I had my birthday this week with several celebrations. What a good week.  I've enjoyed celebrating it multiple days. Well one of my friends sent me this fabulously birthday song. I think it is so good that I thought many of you might want to send it to special people in your life. Here it is!

https://youtu.be/L4kFFMdVjl0

My step-mom Kate came here.  We went out for lunch at Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and then had dessert back at the house. We went to the Bakersfield Art Center where I take art classes and where I have three pictures on the wall. Kate, my step-mom and my teacher Carol know each other from taking art classes in the Los Angeles area way before I met Carol.  So I thought it was nice for them to see each other.  Even though it was warm, it wasn't as hot as it usually gets. Kate is not comfortable driving the distance she did to visit with her eyesight not doing as well as it used to.  I do understand that and I really like going to her home because there is much more to do there.  Kate was telling me about a man in a white pickup offering to paint her car where the scratches were when she was in a parking lot.   Well, I had the same thing happen. It was not a professional job, but I no longer have to look at the scrapes on my car. I had to go to an ATM machine to pay him. Kate did too. We wondered if it was the same man,but we live 125 miles apart. It was such a parallel on experiences that we were both laughing. 

I had my art class in the morning  on the day that Kate came. Another student, Linda was also there. We worked on doing the feathers of a peacock.  I did several pictures at home.  We have another week doing peacocks, so I will try another picture.This is what I came up with finally:

My Peacock would be much better in color!

I finally got together with Cathy, a fellow social worker I worked with.  It had been several months.  We met at Mama Roomba.  Very tasty food. She retired a year ago and does not miss work (neither do I!). Her oldest daughter is marrying later this year.  Her father had died since I last saw her, so she has been through a lot.  We did lots of catch up.  She found out she was pre diabetic. My step-mom also found out as well as me this year. It is hard to believe Kate is because she eats very well. Cathy was given a tip for controlling her blood sugar level.  She said she eats 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and chases it with water. She actually checks her blood sugar level and takes this just before she goes to sleep at night. When she checks her blood sugar in the morning, it is in the normal range. She believed that of all the things she does to control her blood sugar, this is the most effective. I keep thinking we will meet sooner, but each of us has a lot going on which makes seeing each other more often, may not be possible.  Cathy said she was talking to someone where we used to work saying she would meet with me.  This person said, "I thought she was dead."  Cathy assured this person I was still around.  So that is a first of hearing someone thinking I was already dead.

I went to get my hair cut and when I was walking in, this man was washing people's cars and asked if I was interested. I agreed to have mine done. Wow!  It looked great!  I don't think it has been this clean since soon after I bought this car.  I might do this every time I get my hair cut. That way he could get more business and at least every five weeks, my car will look great. 

I met Janet at Sandrini's for dinner on my birthday.  That was a lovely evening. Though we were talking about the terrorist attack in Nice, France. From a very young age, my mother would tell me "All of France is celebrating your birthday. I took this for granted until I was 7 or 8 years old.  Then I asked my mother, "how do they know me?  How come I don't know them?"  Then she explained the holiday Bastille Day falling on my birthday. I feel a connection to the French people because of this. Much later, my husband Paul and I went to Paris. My brother Ben met us there. I have wonderful memories of that time. I feel for the French people with the losses they are now experiencing. They hardly have a chance to recover from one terrorist attack before they are dealing with another. I stand with the French people!   The other thing we discussed was as there are more and more killings, people are becoming more and more desensitized which is not good to us.  It is the norm!  This is becoming a part of life so that people don't become as horrified as they did. But I also think it is a way people cope with this so they aren't falling apart with each incident. Then the following day was an attempted coup in Turkey.  I have been there twice.  I thought the people were very nice and the setting is unbelievable.  Then the food is so fantastic - Especially the vegetables.  Why don't we do it like they do it?!  I want this violence to stop.  I think most people do.  Life is hard enough without having events like these!

My friend Barbara and I went to the Vietnamese restaurant called Saigon. I don't go here very often, but they have very tasty food at a reasonable price. Then we went to see The Secret Life of Pets.  Cute and lots of fun. 

So I had a full week celebrating my birthday several times. Shelley and I will do our birthdays together at the end of the  month. I look forward to that. 

I have several things going on this next week. I hope this last week was good for you and that your next week will go well.   I will see you next Sunday. 

Rachel

Father's Day, Happy and Sad Memories

Carol liked my toad. Even though there was some work to do on it, she felt he had character. I agree.   I had done a couple other toads. It was so strange that I had used a green colored pencil for the dark areas on one of my drawings. I thought it was the darkest black graphite I had when I was drawing him!  So I was trying to think "did I draw in the dark?"  I don't think so, but I don't understand how I did part colored pencil.  So I tried to work on that one coloring black over the green, though it didn't seem to work.  I'm working on a rhinoceros now.  I'll have it done next week.

I seem to  like making them older!
Much more character!

Made the water going over splash more, worked on the
variation in shading

Worked on the shading more

Worked on more details.

Worked on features, though back front
leg isn't showing so well

My friend Jo and I had lunch at Jin Sushi. I've only been there  one other time.  I like sushi. Too much food. I made another meal out of it.  I enjoy Jo's company.  She is one of my Red Hat ladies.  She is a realtor and is willing to give my daughter Shelley some advice in going this direction.

I saw my oncologist this week before chemotherapy.  He told me the ejection fraction on the MUGA Scan was 80%.  He has not had anyone with that high a number. He ordered an echo cardiogram to see if I have a leak in my heart.  I have a bicuspid aortic valve. Normal is tricuspid. The doctor who diagnosed this years back said that this valve could wear out faster because it is working harder. I got a call the same day to schedule the echo cardiogram which will be in July.  We'll see.

My fellow Red Hat friend Pamela was willing to buy our tickets to see Hamilton in Los Angeles. We understood the prices to be about $120 to $180 per ticket, which was high, but we thought that was less expensive than flying to New York, until she responded to us when getting down to business:

"I am so sorry.  I know my eyes are getting bad again, but I didn't think they were that bad.  I totally missed the ea under the price and therefore thought the price was the total for four tickets.  It wasn't, it was $439.00 each ticket.  I haven't ordered them as I am not sure I am even willing to go that high.  That was directly from Pantages too.  Let me know what you think though."  I cancelled. I don't think I want to pay this much!

Janet and I met at Mexicali's for Margaritas and a Mexican dinner our favorite haunt because of the Margaritas. Janet gave me this clear stuff to put on my eyelashes which are very short now. It is supposed to allow eyelashes to grow out. Mine have become very short. Always enjoy getting together with Janet.  We are talking about going to the beach for the day sometime this summer.  I hope we do it.

I had forgotten to mention that last week Barbara and I got together about three weeks after she returned home from a three week vacation visiting Britain, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. I wanted to do this trip, but I was feeling chronically tired and didn't want to go thinking I wouldn't enjoy myself.  Her birthday was the day she got back but we celebrated much later when we did this outing to Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and to the Maya Theater to see "Me Before You", a very unusual love story, but it was good.   When we were eating, I had lots of questions and she brought pictures she printed.  It was a wonderful trip for her.  I think she liked making contact with a cousin she found on the internet the most exciting, but she loved the whole trip. It was good to see her. I missed her after seven weeks!

Today is Fathers Day.  I miss my father. He was a wise and loving man.  When I needed to figure out things, I would call him.  After he died, I found myself picking up the phone to call him. It took quite a long time before I stopped that. Then I would think, "what would dad say?"  I could hear his voice and I think I accurately got what he would say. This helped me a lot.  

My husband Paul loved his children very much.  He was there for them when needed and when they needed to talk, he would listen and let them know what he thought. I miss him too and can think of what he would say when I imagine his voice.  His voice was very deep and sonorous. I loved it.  His voice really helped me too even when it was just in my head.

Paul and I when we married

I took this picture of Shelley with her
father at Shelley's wedding

One of my sisters' sons, Obie was murdered when he was seventeen. My sister was divorced at the time. My other sister sent me information on Obie's father. He became a minister and wrote a book about sin. I could imagine him doing this. Losing his only child was such a loss.  I think he was attempting to make sense of all this. I wonder if he remarried and had children. He would be a good father, because he was with his son Obie.    I ordered his book. 

My grandson Billy has 6 children he is responsible for. He works full time and is going to school to advance his career. I hear he is doing very well in school.  I don't know how he does it, but I think his wife Meagan is very encouraging to him. I'm so proud of Billy and wish him a Happy Fathers Day!

This is almost a year old, but a very good
picture of the children.

Billy, Meagan and Kason, the youngest

In less than two weeks is the Art Show at the Bakersfield Art Center. July 1, 2016 from 5-9 PM. I will have three of my drawings up then. If you are coming, the downtown restaurants need a reservation. First Friday is a very popular event. I tried to walk into Sandrini's on First Friday and was told  "Oh no, you must have a reservation."  I didn't expect that!  

So that is it for this week. I hope your week went well and your Fathers Day is good.  I hope this next week is good for you.   I have some nice events coming up. See you next Sunday.           Rachel

Memorial Weekend and Paul's Birthday

Pepper went immediately under my bed when I brought her in after catching her. She made it clear to Daisy and me to keep our distance. We did. What is interesting is that Daisy became more independent while Pepper was gone. First Daisy would wait until Pepper came out before she would come out. For the first 3 or 4 days after Pepper was gone, Daisy did not come out. Then she started coming out and then started coming out earlier and earlier than when Pepper was here.  Then Daisy started posing on the arm of my armchair like Pepper did. So funny. I had no idea that adult cats learn from each other.

Pepper gradually started coming out.  She leapt onto my bed Monday night, but upon meeting Daisy, she hissed at her and headed back under the  bed. The next day I saw her by the litter box.  So since I'm not  in there all day long, I think she was getting out more. At night there has been a cat outside which I think has been trying to contact Pepper. Maybe she did develop a relationship and she now missed this other cat.  Pepper jumped in my lap Tuesday night. She was still keeping her distance from Daisy. Daisy had been crying a lot feeling not accepted by Pepper.  Pepper is coming around because they each will get in their beds which are on my bed.  And Daisy isn't crying like she was.

Pepper sat on my hip when I was in bed

This was my husband Paul's birthday week. I had been thinking of him all week. I didn't get teary which I will give credit to Paxil and I appreciate it. I know that people would say that is not what an antidepressant is for, but really I so overreact to these situations without Paxil.  I'm sad but not devastated now.  He would have been 75 years. So much has happened in the world since he died. I wonder what he would have thought.  A very smart and caring man. I'm a Democrat and he was a Republican. As much we were different parties we felt similar about people. I still miss him, and probably always will.

My box of Hopeful Harvest came. I got broccoli, cabbage, cameo apples, strawberries and a cantaloupe. Recipes include Sautéed Cabbage, Broccoli Tomato Salad and Penne with Garlicky Broccoli. They all sound good!  I'm glad I'm getting this.

I called my step-mom Kate along with several others to let them know the good news  of Pepper being back in case they hadn't read my blog yet. And, while calling Kate,  I asked her what she thought of my pictures and she said "elephants have knees. You have the legs like there are no joints". I didn't notice that, so I watched videos per Kate's suggestion and many pictures. She also felt the back leg of the toad looked off. The problem was that the picture of the toad had the leg cut off, so I was imagining the foot was tucked under to push off.  I can imagine the leg tucked under. So I did work on the elephant.   I put in the knees/elbows and ankle/wrist joints.  I also put in more wrinkles and did more shading. I did not work on the toad.  When I see Carol Tuesday, she will probably have ideas on what to do.

More Detail on Mom and Baby

Memorial Day gathering was nice. Kayla helped me with some housekeeping and some food preparation which we kept simple. I wanted to go to the cemetery, but I was tuckered out. I will go later.  It has been in the 100's, so I think I will have to do this early

 My grandchildren - Heather, Alyssa, Christopher, and
Kevin.  I rarely see Christopher, so this was a treat.

Shelley, my daughter and me

Kevin with his Mom Shelley

Alyssa with Heather trying to feel her
baby.

I met my new neighbor Teddy, short for Theodora. They were doing major cutting in the backyard and wanted to pull the truck up in my driveway because it made it easier to get the cuttings they were doing. She told me that they will take three weeks working on their new home before moving in.  The previous owner, Celeste planted rose bushes and gave them loving care. Teddy and her husband cut them down.  I one time looked over the fence from an old neighbor I used to have to find everything I planted was removed.  You just have to let go and recognize we don't all have the same taste.

I read this fascinating book called The Violet Hour: Great Writers at the End by Katie Roiphe, who had a near death experience herself at age twelve. She had done research and interviewing of family, friends and others who had close contact with one of these five writers at the end of each of their lives. I found it fascinating in that they also struggled with mortality, death and dying as I and I would assume most people have or will, especially when our own lives or the lives of those we are close to are threatened. Since these people were accomplished writers and dealt with feelings, we get to read it from each of their perspectives.  The author of this book is also very accomplished and her style brings it all together quite well.  I did not have all the same reactions as these writers, but people do have different ways of looking at mortality (though we also have much in common) that I found it reassuring that we are all going to go through this. 

I also read a very short one, called Gratitude by Oliver Sacks, MD who shared how his life experiences colored how he dealt with death and dying.  He was an excellent writer, so I knew I would enjoy this one too.  His is a very positive approach.

A wonderful response from an online advice column. This particular question was on dealing with grief.  The initial question was, "My friend died and I don't know what to do."  It is a very touching response!

http://www.thatericalper.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/boatsh.jpg

The Red Hats met at Mama Roomba this week.  I love meeting these women!  They are strong, warm and supportive. Shelley likes this restaurant the best. I agree with her. Such great food and the sauces they put on dishes are delicious at this restaurant!  Yum!  Paul and I used to be a part of a dinner group which Stephanie, her husband John and three other couples were in. I broke away from them because my man husband and they still had theirs.   Well, I'm coming along and I would like to meet them again. Stephanie will see about the women getting together.  I would love that. 

From the closest on the left, doing a U shape  _
Judie, Shelley, Me, Julie (Stephanie's granddaughter), Stephanie
Evelyn, or queen, Pamela (got her in a bad position!) and Jo

My fiend Cheri Sperl had an open house at Dagney's Coffee Company on 20th and Eye Streets at the First Friday for June. We used to worked at Memorial Hospital years ago, she as a Dietitian and me as a Social Worker.  We made contact maybe a year ago at the Bakersfield Art Center.  She is an outstanding artist and her show last night was all cats. She plans to have a future show of all dogs.  What I found so striking is that she got the essence of cat. I'm mesmerized looking at them. I bought all her cards.  I can't afford a painting.  Her paintings will be up for the month of June if you would like to see them. It's a real treat!  Here are just four of them.  I love them!

I slept a lot this week.  I'm glad I had energy to get up today.  I don't think it is the heat, because I keep the temperature in a cool range.  Anyway, I don't mind sleeping.  It is just that I was going to do things around the house that I didn't do.  Still, it was a good week and I think next week will be too!.  I hope your week was good and this next one works for you.  I will see you next Sunday.                           Rachel

Pepper is Back!!!!!

This morning I stayed in bed until quite late.   I then thought that I should check the trap even if I didn't hear anything happen.  Wow!!!!!  There was Pepper in the trap just lying there.  She ate the sardines and skipped the dry food.  I was too excited to take a picture.  I brought the cage in to let her out since now I was worried she would go out again.  She hissed at me but ran back under my bed.  Daisy was already there.  Now Pepper is growling at her and I hear some hissing.  I'd like to take her to the vet, but last time she bit me puncturing a blood vessel in my hand which swelled badly and I needed to see a doctor.  So I'm going to just stay away from her and let her decide when she wants to come out.  Thanks to everybody for your ideas and support not to give up.  I took it to heart!

The Havahart trap that caught Daisy

This is a picture of Pepper taken two
weeks before she got out.

So generally, other than the above, this week has not been so exciting. I had my class with Carol who still had recommendations on the pictures I'm working on. Also, I could not find the watercolor pictures I have done.  I thought I had all my pictures together, but evidently not. They are around, but I am disorganized and have some work to locate them. So it will be my drawings which will be on displayed instead  of watercolors for First Friday July 1. There will be several students who's work will be displayed.  Two other of her students met Friday to select which pictures will go up and which ones are back up depending on space. One of the students is advanced in her skills. It was impressive. The other woman had picture that weren't realistic but had such a nice feel of playfulness and character. It was nice meeting them and I will be seeing them again. I did more work on some drawings I had. They do get better each time I work on them. I get excited seeing that. The picture I will be doing will be of a toad. What I'm working on is the warty texture of the skin. 

Waterfall done lightly

Waterfall with more contrast.

Kern River Flowing Over Rocks

Mama and Baby Elephant
Improving a lot!

Amargosa Toad
Done in Colored Pencils

My daughter Shelley painted her main bathroom and redecorated it.  She did a beach scene with surf boards and added this to what she did.  I think it turned out very nice!

Shelley Schmitt's Beach Scene

I was going to visit my nieces this weekend, however, they all got bad colds and I do not want to get what they have. Kerri will be heading home to Washington soon and I will miss this chance. However, we will find another time to get together. I really enjoy getting together with them. 

Since this was canceled, I was able to take advantage of a terrific sale at Columbia at the outlet mall in Tejon and see my Granddaughter-in-Law Meagan who works in sales there. And, I got an additional 30% off because of her employee discount.  She and my grandson Billy and I believe at least the two boys they had, my great-grandsons were leaving about 3:30 Saturday morning to see Billy's father and step-mother in Texas. They will be gone about 1 1/2 weeks. 

Billy and Meagan on Their
Way to Texas

My granddaughter Hailey who is going by her middle name Kathryn (so for now on I will call her Kathryn) left for Texas by air on Saturday to stay with her grandmother there and get together with her dad.  I felt sorry for my daughter,  Ronda, who found a great deal on airfare through Spirit Airlines but very late that there was a charge for carry-on luggage of $70 for a round trip and, because she spoke with someone by phone instead of handling it by computer, she was charged $10 for a live talk.  She would lose her money to cancel. She was angry because she would have had a better deal with a well known airline if she had selected them. We all have to read the small print.  I don't always do that too. 

This week I had my colonoscopy. This was a longer ordeal than I have had before.  My doctor had me start two days ahead drinking a 10 ounce bottle of magnesium citrate and taking four Ducolax before bed. Then the day before, drink only fluids and drink a gallon of Golytely (terrible stuff).  Then that evening, I had to take four more Ducolax. So the morning of the procedure, two hours before arriving I had to do a large Fleets enema and the a half hour later, I had to do that again. Now, have any of you had to do that much?!  Now, I will not argue about doing this. They did find two polyps which were removed. So that is a very good thing. My father died of colon cancer and I don't want that to be another problem I'm dealing with. When I woke up, I didn't realize it was all done. I felt more alert than I have before and told my friend Janet I wanted to have lunch and water. Well this turned out to be by quite what I needed. I ordered a quiche and a salad at Marie Callender's.  I used to loved their quiches. Not any more. The egg was on the bottom half and the cheese and other stuff they used to mix in it was as a topping. Ugh!  Definitely not my style. I make a far better quiche than that. Next time I'll get the Fettuccini Alfredo.  I think that is safe.  When I got home, I went to bed immediately around 1:30 pm, waking up two or three times having the oddest dreams until I was up at seven in the morning. Then I went for chemo. I'm glad that is behind me.  

My neighbor Celeste finally sold her home and the people asked to get the Keys this weekend because they are stripping out all the carpet and will refinish the wood floors themselves. They are a couple in their 20's, no children at this time and a rescue pit bull mix. They are excited and will not move in for two weeks while they work on their home.  Celeste and I and my friend Janet have gotten together for dinner at The Renegade Room. We've enjoyed getting together with her. She was a Docent at the California Living Museum (CALM) and will return to this in the Fall to an indoor exhibit.  Celeste and I have had some health issues and have commiserated when in the middle of issues. But, both of us prefer to stay active where and as we can. 

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. My husband, my father and his three brothers served in the Armed Services. I support people who have been put in harms way for us and feel they need much more support as veterans than they get. I don't think they should be homeless, get inadequate medical care or make so little money that they must have food stamps to make ends meet. This just seems so wrong with all that they have done for us.  After a typical barbecue of hamburgers with all the fixings, coleslaw, pasta salad, potato salad  and watermelon, I hope we can go to the cemetery to see Paul in memoriam of him, other family and all of those who have lost their lives during and after war.  

That is my week. I hope yours went well and I will see you next week.          Rachel

Still No Pepper!!

I still have not found my cat Pepper.  I ordered a Havahart, an animal trap. My step-mom told me about that. All animal shelters and vets check for a chip and she has one. She will hide from people. I don't know if she would shy from other animals. I spoke with several neighbors and checked the backyards of the ones next to me.  I'm going to continue looking. My cat Daisy seems to miss her as I do.  This is what I put up.

A Wanted Poster for Pepper

Shannon and Kerri, my nieces came by with three teenagers after being up north. Shannon helped me in finding Pepper, but with no luck. It was good seeing them. I always enjoy our visits. I meant to take pictures, but I forgot.  I think that worrying about Pepper has put me and my other cat Daisy off our feed.

My class with Carol Bradshaw went well. She recommended putting my elephants in a puddle of water. So I have redone my elephants which she thought I had done well. She also had suggestions for my water and rock pictures which I've redone.  She also suggested I do some coloring in adult, nature type pictures for relaxing in the evening even if I have the television on. I had been having bouts of depression which were diffused., nothing specific, which occurred at night but the increase in Paxil helped that. I have been doing coloring, 5 so far, also at night and I believe that helps. That was Carol's idea.  I also worked more on my rock pictures.   This week I'll be selecting which three or four pictures to go on exhibit July1 at the Bakersfield Art Center.  Carol is having her students select three or four pictures which will go up that evening.  Then they will stay on display for a month.   If anyone is interested in coming, I would love to have you.  The historic Padre Hotel is one block away and has a nice restaurant and bar.  The regular price for a room here is $199, but for today (obviously you don't want today but to show you the price can change), it is $109,  There are many hotels here that are much less and okay hotels.  If you are interested, look under booking.com,  and if you are interested in The Padre Hotel, you need to do it early because it fills up. The showing is on First Friday, July 1 from 6 pm to 9 pm.  We will have food and I believe  we will also have wine.

Mom and Baby in a Puddle

Rocks in Kern River with Water Flowing Over Them

Pile of Rocks
I'll probably make a picture of the right side.

Waterfall 1
Darker version

Waterfall 2
Lighter version

Adult Coloring Book on Insects
Done while watching television.  Relaxing.

A friend of mine Kimberly sent me an invitation to come to the open house of the Stuart Peace Garden located behind the Center for Spiritual Living at 222 Eureka Street in Bakersfield. It was very peaceful and nicely designed.  Beautiful!  This garden is now open to the public. A wedding would be very special here. This is a Zen garden in memory of Pat Stuart wife of Jack Stuart, two important people of this church.   Jack has since died also. The reverend of the church is Barbara White, who was very kind.

I met my friend Marc at the Riverview Restaurant close to the entry of Sequoia National Park. Enjoyed lunch and seeing Marc again. He really looks good. He has been going to the gym 5 days a week.  The restaurant had a covering over the outside patio which looked like parachute material. The water was rushing down the stream. We only saw a couple of ducks there because they would have to back peddle to keep from going down stream. The temperature was 88 but with the covering and a nice wind going across the stream, it was idyllic.  Afterward we went to get a senior pass for the national forests. Only $10 for life. Then we went to the visitor center where I bought some interesting books/guides on trees, butterflies, first aid and problem solving in the wilds. Also I picked up things my grandchildren might like. I figure adding a little learning is a good thing.  I'm hoping my friends who I worked with would be open to another dinner at The Vintage Press in Visalia. I enjoy staying at the Marriott, using their pool besides trying other restaurants while we are there.  Here are four pictures I took from the patio.  Marc says the flow of the river will slow down later.  I remember a lot of ducks there the last time we were there

This is the river coming out of the Sequoia National Park
by the Riverview Restaurant
There are five forks to the Kaweah River and there
is a lake in Three Rivers created by making a dam.
Too bad I didn't get these pictures earlier for my
water and rocks art pictures!

I mentioned previously about getting organic produce delivered to my door from Hopeful Harvest for $30.  The foods I got this time were different than last time. This time I got tomatoes, white nectarines, broccolini, red seedless grapes, fingerling potatoes and romaine hearts. There was information on storing, when some would be ripe and the nutritional value of all this. They even had a couple of recipes.  I'm glad I did this. Last time I shared some with my daughter Shelley. 

Well that was my week. I liked part of it.   I will also continue looking for Pepper.  This week I will have some good things but I have the colonoscopy and the part I dislike the most is the preparation. Well, I'll just bite the bullet and do what has to be done. I hope your week went well and this next week is good for you.  See you Sunday.            Rachel