Looking

It's not that we enjoy moving, but the Village Coop in Hutch, didn't work out well for us and our health slowed us down on the traveling and  our adorable little park model is just too small to stay in permanently. We are looking into adding on to our existing home or buying a larger park model.  All depends on which is most affordable. We want to stay in 55+ resort too. In fact we don't want to move from our currant resort, we like it here. The only upkeep we have here is our home but still have the use of a pool, library, pool hall, gym and all the other amenities and we don't have to maintain any of them. Neighbors are only around for about 5 to 6 months too. All at a nice  affordable price. Who could ask for anything more??

Each morning we go to the pool for exercise. Yes, I said we. I'm enjoying the pool more and more, mostly because it is helping me lose some much needed weight. Mark is losing weight and toning up nicely and is as dark as an Indian. Is that politically correct? I really don't care. hehehe The hard part is getting breakfast in before we go. But with diabetes one can not skip a meal. Numbers have been good so a piece of peanut butter toast is substantial and off we go.

We are enjoying our new church more and more every Sunday. And we are looking forward to being a part of Alpha again in August. We are also looking into some other groups that will start up this fall. God brought us here for a reason.

Mark is holding his breath for a job at Walmart that could start on Thursday. He is just waiting for the last of a background check to go through. The job is in the produce and meat department. It would give him something to do and some cash back into our savings account. He has been really bored this summer. It's just too hot to do anything outside and there is only so much to do on the inside.

Campers and such don't sell in the summer months around here so we still have the Montana. And as long as we have the RV we still have our Ford Dually.  This fall we may be moving the Montana to another place to get it sold. We were in a hurry to get it moved out of the park last February so we put it where we could get it in quickly. And it's not the best place for exposure to attract potential buyers.

As always, it's an adventure.

Wow

It seems like it was just last week that I asked myself, "Where did the month of May go?" And here it is the last week in July. Living in Yuma, we wish the summer away and relish the winter. In MN we wished the summer and the winter away.

It is just after 7 and 90º. They are saying we could break the record for today. Record is 117º !!!! Well we have lived through that before so we can do it again, I just didn’t have to do laundry then. It won’t be any cooler for the next few days either. I do come home after I put the laundry in the dryers and hang the sheets on the line. That helps a lot.

Besides laundry there is nothing planned although we will need milk by tomorrow so we may to go WM after dark tonight. 

Lola recovered well from her major oral surgery. She is back to her old self and most all of her treats and dry dog food. By tomorrow she should be able to chew on her treats we use for her to clean her teeth. It doesn't seem that they did much good though. But she likes them. Tomorrow is her birthday. We have doggie ice cream for her as her treat for the day. No cake since we all are watching what we eat. :)

I better get moving, it's not getting any cooler out there.

Oh, just a couple hot day projects I completed yesterday.

Blessings continue

Two weeks from my EKG, Echo and blood work, I went back to the clinic for the results. God blessed me with all good news. Everything came back normal. And I was told that I should take less of my heart medication because my heart is too slow now. God's healing hands and answered prayers? I believe so with all my heart.

Following the diabetic diet with Mark has also paid off. God has ways of making things right in so many ways. Diabetes is no blessing, but God can make it one. To start Eating healthier may  have been a  reason for the diabetes. It was God's way of saying, quit the gluttony and start taking better of your body which is My temple. Mark is losing weight, his BG numbers are down, I am losing weight and we both are feeling better.  Praise the Lord.

Miss Lola had a bad report from the vet. She had to have 15 teeth pulled. So many were abscess, jaw bone bad and many lose from the plaque build up. Otherwise she was a healthy dog. She had the surgery Wednesday and was very happy to see us when we picked her up later that same day. You never would have known what she had just been through by the way she carried on towards us. She will be on antibiotics and pain meds for 10 days. Her food is also softened in water and none of her favorite treats for a few more days. The treat part she is not happy about at all. And on top of that, tonight, while petting her I found a nasty looking sore and lump. It was a deeply imbedded tick. Mark got the body out first, it was soft and skin colored. After looking more closely we put on some alcohol and found that the head was still in the sore. Getting that out too, Mark really dowsed her with alcohol. We cleaned her up and now pray that the sore will heal well and cause no issues.

We are in for some very hot days once again. But we have gotten used to it. And we have to now. As of yesterday we are both officially Yuma residents. I got the address on my drivers license changed and registered to vote. We are no longer Minnesotans, but are now Yumans. LOL

One of those weeks.

Monday was our last Alpha session and it was so great. After the video we sat and chatted with everyone. Well mostly with Pastor Scott and Christopher at first. Many hugs all around and believe it or not I didn't cry. Everyone was ready for me  though. hehehe We will miss seeing those wonderful people every week.

This morning Lola goes in to the vet for a tooth extraction. It can no longer be put off, poor baby has such an infected tooth that the under part of her eye swells. No treats for her last night or this morning and water was limited. She can not understand what is up with that.

Yesterday we had to get Mark a computer, after 10 years his died. He decided on an HP Chromebook and so far is very happy with it. So with all that and the tests on my heart, it has been a very expensive month that will take some time to recoop the costs. When it rains it pours. But God will provide.

Monsoon season here in Yuma. Last night we got a thunderstorm  and another one right now. It's been a long time since Lola has heard thunder and it's really upsetting her. With the monsoon comes strong winds and it can really rattle the hinges. Humidity also comes with these rains, but not as humid as in MN. And it doesn't last nearly as long either. After the 18 year drought this rain is a true blessing.

For a couple days last week I went to the pool with Mark. Not my favorite thing in the world, but he is making the time in the water fun for me. There aren't many people here in the summer so the time in the pool is spent all alone. Alone in the pool is not a good thing, hence my going along. Mark is an excellent swimmer, but anything can happen. I'm can't swim but I can scream really loud and make a phone call if need be. hehehe Sadly there is very poor cell service here.

Speaking of cell service I may start looking into a land line. We need a reliable phone in case of emergencies and our cell service is NOT reliable to say the least. We should also look into a different cell provider. Here in the foothills T-Mobile is very poor at best. It's affordable, but not when it doesn't work half the time.

Raining cats and dogs right now along with the thunder. And I'm loving the sound. I love the sound of thunder and rain. Gods power displayed. :)

There are times we learn slowly

Well I wondered how long it would take. Sadly Mark found out the hard way that diabetes is nothing to sneeze at, and that "my rules" as he called them aren't my rules but the ways he has to eat to stay healthy.  Instead of having a thin crust pizza at our more favorite pizza place, we ate lunch at the Golden Corral. To make a long story short Mark ate many wrong foods and was sick the whole rest of the day and night. But he learned that what I say isn't me being mean but the truth of the decease and he needs to follow the diet. After this tough lesson I don't think he will  argue with me on this matter for some time to come, maybe never. Something like the way he felt/feels won't leave his mind quickly. 

No church this morning, Mark is still feeling poorly and he knows he has to eat breakfast, ready or not. I'm staying home to keep an eye on him. No plans for today, except I would like to make some muffins for my coffee in the morning. Moderation, just one muffin with my coffee. 

Cloudy and very warm this morning with very little breeze. We are so ready for winter in AZ again. There are things we would like to get done outside but too hot to do anything other than swim and then only in the morning. Winters in AZ are wonderful. No wonder half of Canada comes down here for the winter.

Well I think I figured out what my be causing my heart to beat so rapidly. I started taking Soy and Black Cohosh for night sweats and hot flashes. But I was an idiot and didn’t follow my own rules about everything, and that is to research first. I found out that black Cohosh doesn’t play nice with heart medications or blood pressure meds. So my heart pills are being null and void by the Cohosh. I tossed them right away. Last night I felt much better, not perfect yet, but better. It will take a day or two for it to leave my system completely.. Last time I took them was years ago, before I was on any heart medication. Always research before making ANY decision about anything. Good rule to follow and not just for health reasons.

The other day when we were at WM I saw a kitchen valance that went perfect with the coffee theme of my little kitchen. I wish there was some red in it since that is the color of my gadgets and such. But I love them and so happy I found them.

Clinic

Yesterday I finally went to the doctor about my heart. For a month now my heart has not been responding to my medication. Many times during the day and night it pounds so hard it feels like it’s coming through my chest. While there I had an EKG and have appointments for an ultra sound and blood work. No news on the EKG so it may not have showed anything too bad. I’m not one to go to the doctor unless I am concerned, very concerned about an issue. And when it comes to the heart, that is cause for concern in anyone.

Last night at Alpha I went to the other room and asked for prayers.  You see some of the leaders go to another room and pray for all of us, and we are invited to go and ask for prayers. Last night I felt I needed more prayers and help praying for healing.  All placed their hands on me and Kelly placed her hand on my malfunctioning heart. They prayed and asked  the holy spirit to come and heal my heart. The sensation I felt was so profound. After much time they removed their hands and quieted. I could still feel a prayer. Off to the side and behind me  “someone” was still silently praying. Pastor Scott asked how I was feeling. I explained a sensation going up through my legs and my feeling of relaxed exhaustion.  Then that “someone” asked about my heart, how was it feeling now?. At that time I put my fingers to my neck to check my heart beat, which is what I do when it’s racing. My heart beat was more normal than it has been in months. I felt a strong sense of calming and relief once again.

After we got home through a wicked sand and thunder storm, I noticed that my heart still had not acted up. Every evening and during the day my heart has pounded through my chest for a month. Scaring me. Which is why I went to the doctor yesterday. But all night last night and this morning, my heart rhythm was very normal and not pounding as hard as it had been. Praise the Lord.

 PTL for another blessing of healing. It's so nice not having my heart pounding so terribly hard. What a Good Good Father we have. It’s who He is. And I am loved by Him. We all are loved by Him. All Glory be to God.

Hot hot hot

The temp around here has been around 10º over the average with today being the hottest day so far.... Right now at 12:30 it is 116º on our porch. The high today is predicted to reach as high as 120º today. Thankfully the sun is under more than it is shinning and the wind is really blowing. PTL for those gifts of grace.

This morning while it was still a tad under 100, I ran to the $ Tree for some more craft items. I have an order to complete and I was out of that specific ribbon. Of course as any crafter can tell you, you don't do near craft items and only come out with the one or two items you went in for. LOL But I'm sure I'll sell the wreaths before too long. They have been popular so far.

After I got home I just had to try my hand at a couple wreaths while Mark was at the pool. Plus the one that I have to mail out soon. I've an idea for another one later today. Too hot to go anywhere so why not craft the day away. :)

God bless American

Happy Fourth of July from Yuma AZ. Where the sun is bright and the grills are fried up all around.

Time to be more secure.

After some deliberation we decided to get a security system. Not that we have valuables but to feel more secure. Mark did the installation and tested it all as well. It works very well. The camera goes right to our phones, so we too can monitor what goes on when we are out and about or just down the block.

My new hobby of making deco wreaths really are hard on my arthritic left hand and arm, but so much fun. I need to have something to do besides cleaning and watching tv. This hobby takes up less room than making cards. But storing them until a craft sale, is a real dilemma. We have so little storage space and I don't want the wreaths smashed. They are a lot of work.

  Our Alpha classes are coming to an end. I believe that we have just 4 more sessions to go. Oh how we have enjoyed the class, the people and the inspiration and guidance.  Not to mention the meals that were provided. It was nice not having to plan a supper one day of the week. hehehe  Alpha has been the only social activity we have had, other than Mark meeting a few people at the pool from time to time. We hope that by next summer we will have made some friends that live here full time. But for now we are reacquainting ourselves with each other. Remembering why we fell in love in the first place. 💑