God's way, not mine

Good Morning!

Today is Mari's last Tuesday for this semester.  Marissa and I are seeing Marissa's counselor today.

Last night as I was driving to pick up Mari, I was complaining to myself that I had not gotten anything done, that "I" had wanted to get done, but when I looked back on the day, I had gotten things done and things that God had wanted me to do.  I had taken Rory to the VA and kept him company, which he appreciated.  I had taken Mari to school and picked her up.  I had made meals for my family and cookies for Mari for school.  I do surrender my day to God every day, but I still want to do things my way.  Today, I am going to try to remember to do things that God wants me to do and not necessarily what I want to do.  God does take care of me.  Last night as I was driving down the 133, I saw this cloud with a distinct "T" in the cloud.  Just a reminder to me!

A rose at the Huntington Library taken a couple of years ago!

Took Mari to school and then headed for Dana Point/Laguna Niguel to take a walk, which was really nice.  The weather, right now, is really weird.  I had sun while I was taking my walk and on the way home, I got rain.  From where I was, it took me about 45 minutes to get home.  Eating lunch, going to take a nap, finish a load of laundry and take Marissa to her counselor.

Good session with Marissa's counselor.  When I got up from my nap, Rory had left and decided not to leave a note.  He called on the house phone about 3:30 and said he would be back between 7 and 8.  Marissa and I are getting some quiet time and I need to start dinner.  Going to watch one show and other than that I am going to do computer stuff and things around the house.  Sometime tonight, I am going to have to go to Laguna and pick up Mari.

Mari texted me about 7:20, that she was getting out of class shortly, so I headed down to Laguna.  Got home about 9 and Rory was still not home.  I am tired and ready for bed.  Mari is done with 3 of her 4 classes.  YEA!

Good Night!  Trudi

Confidence

It has been a very busy day and I am finally writing this, when I am usually finishing my blog.

I had to take Rory to the VA for an appointment.  The VA center in Long Beach is huge and the parking is awful.  It was pouring rain when we left here and then it cleared up.  He had to go to the vascular department to see what the circulation was like in his feet, because of all the problems he has been having.  The circulation is fine.  Most of the problems are caused by his weight and his diabetes.  One of the doctor's was really trying to push weight loss surgery and I was telling them it would not work, as he is not willing to change his habits.  Out of the appointment, came a lab appointment and a bone density appointment.  He had an ultrasound appointment, but the machine was broken.  He has to go back next week for an eye appointment, where they are going to dilate his eyes, so I have to drive.  By the time we got out of there it was close to 1 and I was starving.  Rory wanted to go by Bristol Farms and pick up sandwiches, which we did and then we headed for home.

At 3:15, I had to leave to take Mari to school.  Tomorrow is Mari's last day of Tuesday classes and she is supposed to bring cookies, so I am making cookies.  Something happened after I went through the docent class and also told Rory I was not going to make his meals.  I feel like I have more confidence and I am back to enjoying cooking.  I made homemade guacamole last night.  Trader Joe's has a packet, with everything you need for guacamole and I put it together and it was good.  Even Rory liked it.  The only thing was, was that the packet was saying to me all day, that I could not do it and I did it. This has been happening with a lot of things.  It is nice to feel that I can do things.   When Mari told me that she needed cookies, I told her I would make them, so that is what I am doing.

Unless she calls me before hand, I am leaving at 8:45 and going to pick Mari up.

Good Night.  Trudi

I like people; but overall, I think I like doing things on my own!

Good Morning and Happy Cinco de Mayo!

We are supposed to get rain later today through Tuesday.  I love the rain, but I know it can cause issues on the road, especially people who think they can drive the same speed, as when it is dry.  :-(

This is my Mom and Dad on my wedding day; which is July 16.  I must have made a copy a couple of years ago.

I do really enjoy talking to other people, but when I am in the mood to take pictures, it is hard for me to be social.  I really think that is what happened yesterday.  Many of the buildings, I have seen and I really wanted to get moving and take pictures and not stand around and drink lemonade, when we had just started walking.  I believe that some of this has to do with how I was treated as a child, by others and I don't mean my parents.  I much more enjoyed the tour on my own and I am glad I did it that way. Yes, I would have enjoyed having Mari or Marissa with me.  I learned something yesterday.

Today is my normal Sunday schedule!  Starting a week's worth of laundry and making a menu for all of this week and the week following, as we are leaving on vacation the week following.  I know Mari has some things to do out for school today.  Mari has two finals on Tuesday and then she will be down to one class.

One load of laundry started, nap and menu made until we leave.  Need to make a list for errands and put clothes in the dryer.  There are some issues that Marissa has and I want to help her, but she lets me help her for awhile and then she quits.

Did a little bit of work on patio and then Mari and I went to Trader Joe's and then for a walk.  I love Map My Walk.  Came home, made guacamole, put groceries away and worked on the computer.  Need to start dinner in a little bit.

Made dinner and Mari made margaritas.  Mari colored my hair and now we are watching the end of Amazing Race.  After this going to go to bed.  Busy day tomorrow!  Concerned about Rory, as he is having some problems breathing tonight.

Good Night!  Trudi

Tis the season for home tours

Good Morning!

It is a sunny morning with some wind and much cooler temperatures.  YEA!

Today, I am taking an historic home tour in Tustin with a meet-up group.  Mari wants to get school work done and this is not Marissa's thing, plus I am leaving too early for her.  Not sure what Rory is doing.  Today is Kentucky Derby day and Mari is going to make Mint Julep's tonight.  I just have to remember to get mint.

I have a friend who I am concerned about.  We, mainly text back and forth and the last time I talked to her on Monday, she told me she was hating her life.  Much of what we talked about, we have talked about many times.  I texted her on Wednesday and did not hear back and I texted her yesterday morning and emailed her last night and have not heard anything, so far.  Her name is Chris.  Please pray for her and I will keep you posted.  She texted me this morning and she is fine!  YEA!  I

I left about 9:15 and headed for Tustin.  I was in my photography mode and not in my being social mode and the group frustrated me, so I took off and did the tour on my own.  There are day I can be in both.  I did enjoy the homes and the gardens and I walked quite a bit.  On the way home stopped and got a salad at Chipotle.  YUM!  Rory has taken off for the day, Marissa went to a movie with a friend, Mari was doing school and I took a nap and then finished laundry.  After we get back from vacation, I really want to start doing some container gardening.  Did some reading on that, worked on my pictures and now I need to get dinner going.  Mari is going to make Mint Juleps.

Dinner was easy and good.  Mint Juleps were a little strong, so we added some 7-up.  Watched TV for awhile and now we are just hanging out.  Rory called and had been in San Diego for the day.  I wish I could believe him with what he says he does.  When he calls, he has to know what the mail is.  I usually put his mail on his chair in our bedroom.  I told him he could look at it when he gets home.  He has to know and I just told him, it was mostly ads, which it was.  Argh!

Going to do some writing on a blog, make Rory's TV dinner and spend some time upstairs, before I go to bed at 10.

Good night!  Trudi

Garden tour in Laguna

Good Morning!

It's Friday and Mari and I are off to Laguna Beach to a gate and garden tour.   Tomorrow, I am going with a group to an historic home tour in Tustin.  It is fun going to these tours and seeing other people's gardens and historic homes.  The three girls of us are going to get our hair cut and we will run some other errands.

I got a load of laundry put in the dryer and took a nap.  I made a loaf of apple cinnamon bread before Mari and I left for Laguna.  We stopped at Jersey Mike's and got a sandwich on the way to Laguna.  Finding parking in Laguna is very difficult, but fortunately we found a place to park.  The group ran the tour very well and it was very enjoyable.  Took lots of pictures and learned a lot!  There were 8 houses, but we only did 7.  Walked back to the car and did a couple of errands and then came by and got Marissa and went out to get our hair cut.  After that went to Target and then came home.  Made dinner and watched TV.  Having quiet time and going to bed at 10.

Good Night!  Trudi

Wind and heat

Good Morning!

We had fog during the night and that has gone away and now it is getting warm.  It is supposed to be windy and we have had some.  I have a tour this morning and then I have some other things to do today.  Continuing to fine tune our trip!

Fullerton Amtrak station!

Got some organizing done this morning, which I enjoy doing and left the house about 10 to head for the Mission.  I am working on a challenge  to get seven things out of the house per week day.  Most of the seven things are going to be books that I have in our bedroom, that we have not touched in months or possibly even years.  These books are going to the Goodwill!  I, now, read a Kindle and Rory, very rarely reads books.  Our tour got to the Mission on time and the tour went well.  I had bought a sandwich with me and ate it on the way home, plus stopped at a Persian market to get some veges.  Came home and took a nap.  Worked on some laundry and then the girls and I went to the storage unit, then to Petsmart, then to the gas station and lastly to Yogurtland.  It is about 93 degrees today!  Ugh!  I really do not like the heat.

Doing my 365 project!  Need to make dinner.  Made dinner and watched the rest of the Lincoln DVD we had.  Doing stuff on the computer.  After we give Sweet Pea her shot, I am going upstairs and wind down.

When we get this heat and wind, it concerns me, as we have had fire scares about 6 years ago.  So far we are ok.  I know there are some fires around us.

Good Night!  Trudi

Sweet Pea looking out from under one of my sweaters.

Happiness and joy among the negative

Good Morning!

 I am going to enjoy the coolness of today, because starting tomorrow for the next couple of days we are getting a heat wave and wind; which to us, is called a Santa Ana.

Mari has her first final today.

I am really learning that I do enjoy my life.  I am so blessed to have learned what I really enjoy!  I love my daughters and are very blessed.  I have learned that I enjoy variety and I love to get out and take pictures and share them with others.  Editing and video is something I am going to work with Mari on, over the summer.  I love history and I am very thankful that I can be a docent at the Mission.  I am enjoying writing about the history in different parts of Southern California.  I am hoping I can expand this.  I am so thankful for my health.  Yes, Rory does frustrate me to no end, but I am learning that his frustration is becoming a minor part of my life and I am really trying to keep it that way.  I have lost 26 pounds since July 20, 2012 and I have to be thankful to the many people I have met in my groups.  I have not followed a food plan or exercise plan, but have tried to eat healthy and get out and walk.

Took Mari to school and then headed for a shopping center, where there was a Starbucks and I could check my "Map My Walk" for a walk near there.  I knew I did not have a whole lot of time, so I made it a short walk and then went back to pick up Mari.  One class down.  We went to Sprouts and got sandwiches and then headed home.  Ate half my sandwich and Mari had gotten chocolate chip cookies and I had one and then took a nap.  Wanted to get a nap before the cleaning crew came.  Got some financial stuff done and my picture of the day edited.  Marissa is having some nausea issues and Mari is taking a nap, so Sweet Pea and I are having quiet time in the living room, after the cleaning crew left.  It is so nice to have a clean house.    Found out today that the hop on, hop off tour in Seattle, that we were going to take, was cancelled.  They did refer us to another tour company, which I booked a city tour, as it was going to most of the places we wanted to see.

This is a view across the valley from Laguna Hills, looking up towards the foothills.

Made dinner and Mari and I sat and ate dinner and watched a DVD on Abraham Lincoln.  Having non-TV time until 9, when we are going to watch Haunted Collector.  Rory has been out most of the day.  He does not like being here when the cleaning people are here.  He went to see two movies.

Time to say good night.  Trudi