Two Weeks Gone By

I'm starting on week three, and not feeling homesick this time around. It's not bothering me as much to be 2500 miles away from what I call home and my family. I believe I was better able to prepare mentally by being through it previously. My family never read my blog before, I wonder if they will now, that's when I re give them the site address.

Last week was sort of busy. I've been working on my leg strength. The weather has been great for lessening my chronic pain, sunshine works wonders on relieving depression. Wednesday, I was able to walk around the perimeter of the complex without my cane. Thursday, we had a storm system move in with a huge temperature drop, humidity and high winds. Back home I was a storm barometer and it hasn't changed for down here.

Friday, was a special day as I had spoke to someone on Ravelry and we made plans to meet at The Tucson Yarn Company. The bus stop is a mile from me and I wanted to test if I could make it, then take the bus the other to the store. She offered and I accepted a ride back home. OH walked me up to the stop and we arrived just as one bus was leaving and the next was in a half hour.

We decided to browse around the Whole Foods store while waiting. Half way around the store, I can in contact with something and had a violent allergic reaction. Suddenly my sinuses were on fire and I was sneezing uncontrolably. I felt awful arriving at the yarn store sneezing, sniffling and blowing my nose like I was spread the plague. Great way to make a first impression. I made sure to let everyone know I was fine when I left house, that it was an allergic reaction.

Saturday was spent sleeping most of the day. It was supposed to be housecleaning day. However, OH did the housecleaning while contemplated the back of my eyelids and subliminal thoughts about housework. I did force myself to go for the daily walk later that evening.

This past Sunday was OH's one year anniversary for quitting smoking. He did it cold turkey from a two pack a day habit. I'm really impressed, especially since I've only been able to cut down to 4 cigarettes a day. I found out, yes, I really smoke to keep from killing people. (insert nervous laughter) To be respectful of his choice, I go outside to do it.

After dark, I met this little guy hanging out by the door light.

OH looked it up and apparently it's a desert night lizard. They are very shy and people rarely notice them. I guess, unless, they are standing outside, alone, smoking a bit of cigarette. When I first noticed him, I ran in the house and yelled, "Hon, grab the camera. Look at this." He came outside and said, "Look at what?"



"The lizard, there."



"Where?"



"Right......oh, he must have ran away."



Next time, I saw him, I quietly tip toed back in, and whispered. Yeah, like the lizard was going to hear me inside, behind a close door and down the hallway.



He saw him that time and tried to get a picture, however, the little bugger ran at the first flash. Several tries over the course of a few nights, some photo shopping and we got some pictures of shy guy.







Apparently there are two of them, I saw later. When they ran off, they hid in the crack between the light and the wall. They are hanging out waiting for bugs to come attracted to the light. I watched the bigger one spring out and gulp down a rather large moth.

The pets are all doing great. (I typed the pests at first) Bright Eyes and Butterscotch have gotten more spry and are running around acting like kittens again. It makes me wonder if at 9 and 10 years old, if they weren't feeling a bit arthritic as well.

On the way down, I spoke to a worker at an Illinois rest stop. The electric had went out and he was hanging around the info desk to make sure all the travelers found their way around in the dark. He told me when he was in college he had an 80 yr old aunt that spents winters in Arizona. She went because of her arthritis. He said that after awhile her arthritis seemed to go away and she got around much better. That gives me hope the sun will suck the aches out of me.

I read somewhere that people didn't like reading blog posts more that 500 words. I'm not going to count, though I'm sure I've past that quota by now. Promising to start posting more often, next post is dedicated to bunnies. I'll tell you all about Dammit's newest strange behavior.

Yesterday, I made it walking two miles by myself. I had to mail a package back home and luck was in my favor in that the UPS store just happened to be next TYC. I had fun sitting and chatting with one of the owners while waiting for the bus back. I did ok on the mile walk home. A blister started on my right baby toe at the half mile point. I was limping on both legs then. At the quarter mile point, let's just say, if there were snails in Tucson, they would have ran past laughing at me.

Mom, if you are reading this, notice, I did dye my hair finally.

I'll leave you with a picture of the front entrance. The brightness, that's sunshine. You might not recognize it back home.