Me and Mondays

Dear Monday,

As a day of the week, we're just not working out.  I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to X you out of my calender. It was bad enough the morning you poured the rain on me and I had to pay a fortune for a cab to go a few miles.  Then last week, with the crud and the cold sore that ate my mouth and caused me to miss two days of work.

Today, however is the final straw.  Waking up at 5am on my day off with severe in pain in my back and right side from a kidney stone, was beyond necessary.  This is it you have to go.  It's just not working out and quite frankly I'm wondering if you're out to kill me.

Sincerely yours,
The Monday Hater

I took off Thursday and Friday to get over the crud.  It was no ordinary cold sore, it took up the entire right half of my upper lip.  It was like a second degree burn.  I could barely eat or drink without pain.  A series of rinses with 50% peroxide and water, then baking soda water, followed by 50% Maalox healed it within two days.  Duane was so sweet.  Thursday night he made me a ham salad sandwich and cut it up into sixteen tiny pieces for me.

Then today, yeah, kidney stone.  I haven't had one for over a decade, but that is a pain you don't forget.  I'm consuming large doses of Vit C and drinking gallons of water, in hopes I'm better by tomorrow morning.  The State cut off my health insurance as soon as I started this job.  If I have to take tomorrow off, I will need to go to the emergency room to get a Dr. note.  Just pay them what I can every week. I have to wait until open enrollment next fall to get insurance through my job.

Yesterday, while grocery shopping I found that blue poinsettia (first picture above) and this Christmas cactus on sale.  Never saw a blue poinsettia before, so it had to come home with me.  Our little Christmas tree is blue and silver.  My mother had a Christmas cactus when I was little.  Her's was a bright pink.  They had plenty of those, but only one of this white and pale pink.  It was different, so it came along too.  That is the extent of my Christmas decorating.

I finished my Tucson socks on Friday afternoon.  You'll have to wait til this Friday to see them.  I started some socks for my mother for Christmas.  You'll have to wait for WIPW for those.

What's up with our weather down here?  When did Tucson pick up and move to New York state while I was sleeping?  I swear on Saturday, it was snowing in the valley when I walked from work to the bus home.  It didn't stick or accumulate.  It sure felt like snowflakes hitting my face.

This morning at 5am, the temperature in Tucson was 31.5F.  The temperature back home in Rochester, NY was 48.6F.  There is something seriously wrong here.  I brought all my potted plants inside and covered the ones in the planter with a sheet.

Bootsie says, "This cold stuff sucks."

Bootsie and Duane trying to keep each other warm.

I can't find my angora hat.  Saturday night I started this cowl, expanding it into a snood. I added three repeats of the pattern to make it a bit wider.  Even though I've been knitting like a mad woman all day between drinking gallons of water and making a million trips to the bathroom, it's only about 8 inches right now.  I measured from my forehead, across the top of my head and down the back and it needs to be about 20 inches.  It looks like my angora headband will have to suffice in the morning.

My mother called me this morning, just to see how I'm doing.  That threw me for a loop.  I'm the one who makes the calls.  I've been so busy and tired with work.  Thanksgiving is when I started not feeling well.  By the time I thought about calling, I knew she would be at my brother's house for dinner.

I found this SAL Wipocalypse 2012 through a blog and I'm going to sign up.  The rules are pretty liberal, so I'm hoping this is one I can follow through.  Goodness knows with all my cross stitch wips, I could use some encouragement.  Would you believe over the weekend I found another tote in my closet with even more cross stitch WIPS?  I shuttered and just quietly walked away, pretending I didn't see anything.  Nope, I don't have a problem.  Not me.

That's my update. Thanks for stopping by.

I'm So Over It

Thanks to all you who stopped by and commiserated with me over my flowers.  My motto today is, "I'm so over it."  Today was better because it was only partly cloudy.  Work was tiring.  My stats showed I had taken 310 calls by 45 minutes before I left.  I will get my actual stats tomorrow.  The cranky customers that wanted to argue with me.  "I'm so over it."

I didn't sleep well last night, then my cat Bright Eyes woke me up holding road races on the bed, 15 minutes before the alarm was to go off. Over it.

Came home and Duane was asleep, because he's still not sleeping at night.  Not sleeping well during the day either.  I had to make my own coffee.  Over it.

That's the view I saw of the mountains to the north when I left work tonight at 5:15.  Within ten minutes it's getting dark on my walk.

Simply breath taking the short few minutes it lasted.

I don't know if it was the kids who took my flowers.  It's all circumstantial evidence.  No sense in saying anything to anyone anyway.  If they cared, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.  It's why Cookie and I are comrades in hating people.  Umm, still not over it.  If I ever catch someone messing with my plants, I'm going to go all Rochester on them.  (You would understand if you're from Rochester, NY or personally know someone from Rochester.)

I made it through my second Wednesday.  I'm over it.  Two more days to go then I get two days to be equally as busy at home.  Over it.

Having pot pie for dinner, then I think I work a little on the granny ripple afghan.  Put the damn cats in straight jackets and hope for a good nights sleep.

Happy Thursday, I mean Tuesday everyone.  Yeah, I forget what day of the week it's supposed to be.  I'm so over it.

Monday Really Sucks

Like the song I posted yesterday, Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day.

The mountain I see when I step out into the street.  So pretty with the winter clouds.  That's if I were turning around and heading back to bed.  Instead, I went on to work.  It was colder than predicted last night.

When I got off my second bus and ran to the gas station.  What is it with bladders and cold temperatures?   I bought my coffee, I asked the attendant if they sold umbrellas.  It had started sprinkling when I got off the bus.  He told me to go a mile east to Walgreens.  I told him I was walking two miles west.  

I stepped outside and it had started raining harder.  I said, "Oh hell no."  Turned around and bought a danish so I could get money out to call a cab.  I arrived at work just a few minutes not to spare.  We get a quarter point for being a minute late.  I arrived at an empty desk and logged in just in time. 

I felt bad knowing that Duane used to walk in that and arrive at work soaked.  Not so bad that I was about to do it myself, in suffrage. Would you believe they had the ac blowing?  I kept going outside on my breaks to warm up, then back inside to go back to work and warm up from outside. Nope, no warmth to be found.  I couldn't figure out which was colder, in or out. 

The rain stopped an hour later, but it was cold.  The high today ended up being 55F.  Brrrr.  At 3:15 on my last break I stopped by the scheduler desk.  

Me:  I know I said I wouldn't ask again.  I'm not asking, I'm just saying if there is VGH, wink, wink. 

SCH: I told you, you would be back.

Me: It's just that it's cold out and I would like to take that walk while the sun is still shining. 

SCH: What does the sun have to do with it?

Me: I don't have a coat. 

SCH:  You don't have a coat?  Why not?

Me: I was a housewife last year and I just didn't go out when it was cold. I was going to get one, but I didn't think it would get cold this soon. 

SCH: (Pulls out a sticky pad)  I need to write myself a note.

Me: What for?  To remind yourself, Denise really IS a doofus. 

SCH: No, I have an extra coat I was going to give to Goodwill.  I will bring it to you tomorrow.  What time would you like to leave? 

I started the cardi when I got home, well, I cast on.  Love all the ones, I've been trying to knit for, but this lady needs to wrap herself in some sheep.  Like a herd or two. 

The forecast isn't looking any better.  Notice Monday.  Yeah, it's a week away, it better straighten itself out.  I'm not into deja vu.  That's late December weather you see there.  We went from Hell hot to cold, no fall temps. What happened to fall?  I didn't move here for this.  Two years ago, it was in the 80's and the natives were complaining about when will it cool off.  Two years ago, I was sweating baking Thanksgiving pies with the ac blasting.  That's what I moved here for. 

Just have to freeze through tomorrow.  That dressing up crap for the client visit.  Then two days off.  Not that I will get to rest.  I need to clean, shop for groceries and meet with Duane's new case manager.  The latter insures that I have to clean. Speed knitting will be fit in when I can. 

Interesting thing.  Someone came to my blog with the Google search, Happy Birthday Duane.  It's seems there's quite a few videos on You Tube with that title.  Wish I knew before hand.  I would have posted this video to his FB page. 

Happy Tuesday everyone.

Two Year Anniversary Late

Last Sunday was our two year anniversary since arriving in this weird desert town.  I forgot to write about it, because well, I've been kinda busy and it slipped my mind.

Whoa, we didn't move down here for this.  Those are late December temperatures!  Not early November temperatures.  I want my 80's back.  The temps not the decade.  Lord not that decade, it was rather rough on me.

A storm blew in last night with Monsoon type winds.  My poor little garden was tossed about.  It started up as I made my long walk to the first bus stop.  I was walking into the wind and felt rather like little piglet on a blustery day.

I did manage to get rid of my headache on my walk to work, yesterday morning.  There was an old man at the second bus stop, smoking cheap smelly cigarettes and marinating in cheap smelly cologne.  Every time the time wind blew and I got a whiff of him, I worried about being trapped on the long bus ride with this sinus offender.  I let him board first, so I could find an appropriate seat as far away as possible.  Only to have another marinating offender to sit right behind me.  It was so bad, my lungs seized up and I went into a coughing fit.  So sure I was that my migraine would be throbbing and I would yack all over my desk by noon. Thankfully the semi-fresh air from the long walk cleared it all out.

There's supposed snow on that mountain top this morning. 

Thursday evening before I left work, I had my first evaluation with my team leader.  No, that's not what gave me the headache.  It was already throbbing by then.  My scores for October are that of someone who has been there for months.  I'm doing the best from my training class on her team.  There are a few others, I know, that are doing better than me, but, thankfully they are on other teams.  So long as I don't miss another day this month, and improve my scores by just a tiny bit, I'm on track to get a bonus for the month.

I got my schedule for the next two weeks after we did a shift bid.  I'm on the earlier schedule.  I love my new hours.  No more walking in the dark to take the bus home, then sit and wait a half hour for my second bus.  Not until the day of no daylight in December.

No, I'm not loving my new job.  It's a call center for crying out loud.  My stats show I answer over 250 calls a shift. It's no wonder, I have a headache some days.  It's at most an acceptable situation. My team leader is very nice.

The scheduler is wonderful.  Every night that I've had to take the bus, I ask her if I can VGH (voluntary go home, when the calls get slow. No points for leaving early.) an hour early to take the earlier bus home. She's always been very accommodating for me. Last night I didn't want to be nuisance, so I sat and waited for them to come around and start sending people home early.

At 6:10, no one was coming around.  I logged off my phone for a minute and wandered up to her desk.

Me: "This will be the last time I ask."

SCH: "This will NOT be the last time you ask."

Me: "Yes, I love my new schedule."

SCH: "This will NOT be the last time you ask."

Me: "Ok, we'll go with that.  Can I VGH now, just fifteen minutes early so I don't have to run for the bus?"

SCH: looks at the clock. "Don't you prefer to take the 6:15 bus?  Why didn't you come to me earlier so I could sneak you out of here?"

Me: "Because I'm silly dufus."

SCH: "Ok, we'll go with that. Now get out of here."

The job isn't the greatest, but there are people on my project that make it more bearable.

It's been two years of pure hell sometimes.  There were days I would have headed back to NY, except I didn't have the money to come home.  Fortunately, things seem to finally be looking up for us.  Here's to things continuing to getting better.

Tonight my friend from Phoenix is coming down for a visit.  Duane was going to cook, except I didn't feel like going shopping this morning.  Instead, we are going out for Mexican and try a new restaurant.  The old guy deserves a treat, he puts up with me and my zoo.  (Can I say that now that he's 50? *grin*)

By the way, please send a warm winter coat.  I'm going to need it.

My Butt's A Draggin

Using this just for a nice picture.  Not like I can post a picture of work, or it will all end in tears.  Really it will.

First day went ok, kinda boring even though the trainer tried to make it fun.  Seriously, she must have had a serious caffeine overdose at some point in her life and has yet to come back down.

I think my trip to work might be more interesting than those eight and half hours of corporate brainwashing.  I don't think I mentioned this before, but that Thursday when I went in to do the paperwork and drug test, I met a classmate that lives on my side of town, only way far out.  I had mentioned I took the bus there, so when we left for the drug test she asked if she could give me a ride.  She's only lived here a few months, and was glad for some help to find the lab and I was glad for a ride.  I asked her if she would mind bringing me home at night so I wouldn't have to pay a cab and I would pitch in for gas.  Anyway, she gave her number but when I tried calling it I got a fast busy signal.  So, I hoped she would be there last night.

I don't know why I was so nervous about starting this job.  It got worse the closer the time came.  By the time I was sitting at the second bus stop, I was literally trembling like a dog sitting in the vets office.  It was twenty minutes til the next bus, so I knit and tried to figure it out.  Most of my jobs have been temp agency jobs because I liked it that way.  It couldn't be that it's a new situation. Agency work is all new situations, all the time.

Maybe it's because there have been so many changes this year, I feel like I'm spinning round and round. First Duane's changing work schedule, then the him in the hospital, then nursing home, finally back home, then the boarder, then no boarder, now a job with a changing schedule. Whew.  Did you see that? I just went spinning across the room like a top.

I looked at the time and it was a minute before the bus was to arrive, so I put the knitting away.  Checked the time again, a minute after.  Then I worried I was so deep in thought, did the bus pass right by me and I didn't notice?  So here I am checking time every 30 seconds, worrying about the bus.  It did finally show up seven minutes late.

When I got off the bus across town, I notice dark purple clouds with lightening over the mountains not far away.  We are surrounding by mountains.  Tucson is basically a basin.  A friend of friend is a pilot and I was told that he said when he lands in Tucson, he feels like he's being sucked into a black hole.  Not too far off, there buddy.

I wished I had the camera with me to take a picture of the rain coming down on the mountain. Very pretty when in a bus, on standing on my patio.  Except, I have to walk a little over a mile and I was worried about a downpour on me. Then having to sit soaking wet in the cold air conditioning for the next eight hours.  It's mostly open dessert on that side of town.   A sandstorm had kicked up which happens just before a rainstorm.  I had sand all blowing in my face during this long walk in the hot sun. But, I made it there, a little sandblasted and windblown but all parts were mostly dry and intact.  We could hear the downpour above about fifteen minutes after we were in the classroom.  Duane got tons of rain, a few hours later.

My new friend was there and she said she would give me a ride home.  Then the rest of the night was pretty much boring.  As I said, the trainer was over-enthusiastic.  Should she ever need a career change, I think she would make a great high impact aerobics instructor.  Even so, by nine I was yawning my head off.  By ten, I had a bad headache and my neck was getting painful.

The funniest part was when we were leaving.  As I mentioned, it's all open desert over there.  Duane has mentioned seeing critters, especially coming home at night or sundown.  I've always walked looking down at the ground, a good habit to have.  My new friend almost stepped on a snake walking through the parking lot. Within inches.  It was a little one, about two feet long.  I didn't hear any rattling, so I'm pretty sure it was a safe one.

I said, "Damn woman, you almost stepped on that snake."

She hadn't even noticed it and started screaming, "No, no!!!"

"Yes, you did. It's right there."

She's still screaming, "No, no!! I don't do snakes!! I hate this desert!!"

Then I said, "Damn, wish I had my camera with me.  A picture of that snake would have made great blog fodder."

She officially thinks I'm off my rocker.

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help laughing.  It was like that Richard Pryor skit with snake.



I'm sure you know how RP is, so if you're sensitive to strong language don't play it.

Duane has lectured me about the critters down here, so I know to look for and expect them.  Besides, if you freak out and scream, that only alerts them to the fact you are there.

Tonight is going to be rough.  I woke up at 7:30 this morning to my bedroom ceiling leaking.  It's not like before.  But damn, I don't need this crap.  I called the manager and he's away from the complex for a few hours before he can get here.  He's concerned about what's going on up there, because as of Monday he gave the lady above until October 1st to find a new place to live.

My new friend insisted on picking up on her way in, so no long bus ride and walk.  We have five days classroom time, then five days training out on the floor.  Then I will get my semi-regular schedule, which should start any where from ten to noon and I will have to transition to getting up about six am.  I think it's pretty stupid to have training so late in the day, when people are winding down and getting tired.

Thanks for stopping by and all your encouraging comments.

WIP Wednesday

Yikes, I didn't even open my laptop until 9pm tonight.  D knew I wasn't feeling well when I told him, I hadn't even cracked open the laptop all day.  He said it's from the cold weather, well, cold for Tucson that is.  I had to cover my pansies with pillowcases.  Hope the neighbors don't steal them.  The pillowcases that is.

It rained on Monday.  Before you northerners yawn.  It rains so rare this year, that it is an event worth noting.  Last time it rained was around New Years and before that sometime in October.

Current knitting is still my handspun merino/angora/silk cardi.  I'm going to do a half ribbing at the waist, then look for a lace pattern for the body.

I wish you could feel how soft this is.  Can't seem to capture the fuzzy halo from the angora, but it's there.

Wish that is was finished so I could wear it.

Finally, got a picture of the guy next door wearing his cowl.  He's so cold he's wearing it indoors.  He says the  guys at his job are jealous and asked him where he got it.

Three and Four are identical twins.  I guess I really need to have a naming contest.  There really is no way to tell who is who.

Hard to get a good picture of them.  When they come out of the box, Huey chases them around and makes them scream.  He's back to being the bully bird he was before eggs.  Herbie doesn't take crap from his Dad and gives it right back to him.  Huey used to push Mr. Bird backwards on the perch with his foot and make Mr. Bird cry.  He tried that with Herbie and Herbie leaned forward and bit his leg.  Huey hasn't tried that again with Herbie.

I don't know what the prize is, or I can't decide.  I have a tote full of handspun and sock yarn I dyed so I'll let the winners choose.  Post will come up tomorrow afternoon, as I'm pre-writing that next then will schedule post it.  Then I'm headed back to bed with my roll of TP.  Ran out of my Puffs Plus today and my delicate nose is being rubbed raw with Quilted Northern.  Soft for tushes not for noses.

For probably more exciting posts, you can head over to Tami's and see what others are up to.

Saturday Stitching

Last week


This week I mostly worked on my Cirque des Cercles.  I think it's because it took the most concentration without many thread color changes is why it attracted my attention.

I made pretty good progress on it since last week, I think.  Maybe this one will be finished this year.

I've been trying to get some organizing done this week.  My cross stitch WIP pile of actual started projects is a sad state of affairs.  I believe I'm SABLE just in started projects.  My goal is to finish at least one or two this year.  They are all really big pictures of course.

I don't know what I was thinking that year with all the startitis.  That's just it, I wasn't thinking.  It was as though I was trying to find the picture that would make my sciatica pain go away.  Too my defense the Dr. did have me on a ton of drugs.

Those of you who are into cross stitch might know of this blog, Our Friends' HAED SAL.  The progress pictures just amaze me.  I of course, have several HAED patterns, two of which are started, about a tenth of way.  The top four pages.  I ran across three patterns that I really wanted to start, thankfully I stopped myself.

Isn't that just adorable?

This one too.

I love the colors in this one.

This is the first HAED, I fell in love with.  I don't consider this one started as I only did a couple squares on 28 count and didn't like how it was turning it out.  Jo-Ann Fabrics that year sent me a bolt of 22 count in mistake as I ordered 28 count but I didn't throw a fit as I had ordered a bunch of HAED's that year.  Of course when I went to re-order the 28 count they discontinued at the price it was, very cheap.

This one I have the top four pages completed.  It was supposed to be for my youngest's graduation present two years ago. Oooops.  My daughter is also doing this for her father and informed me she's almost finished.  She makes me look like such a slacker.

This one I have started for D.  I think I have the first two or three pages completed.  Not sure, I haven't looked at it in awhile.

I think I maybe hopeless.

Yesterday, I stopped at Home Depot on the way to Target and bought a pack of pansies and petunias, I've been looking at for awhile.

My pathetic looking planter, missing the upstairs people's cigarette butts.  All I had was a tablespoon to dig with, so I just planted four and a blister started.  The French lady across the way noticed my plants and knocked on my door to ask me about them.  She is thrilled I finally have some plants.  She loaned me use of her gardening tools to finish.  By the time I finished and we talked for awhile, it was too late to get another picture.  This is my winter garden.  Sorry to all of you buried in snow.  This should give hopes of spring to come.  That's when I'll be sweating down here.

Today, I had to go back up for dry cat food. Don't you know they ate the whole bowl full overnight that should have lasted them til Sunday. On the way back, I had two blisters starting from my sandals. Crossing one of the side streets, a car came barreling down pretty fast, so I waited for him to go by. He stopped dead at the corner and waved me to cross. Not so odd for around here. As I'm crossing, he yells out the window, "Hey, your really beautiful." I think he may need glasses. This old lady hasn't had a guy yell to her almost a decade.

After I crossed, he calls out the other side window, "Can I give you my phone number?" He had to be in his late 20's, not the most handsome, but not ugly either.

I answered, "No, thank you. I'm married." I kinda wanted to give that boy a dollar. *chuckles*

Monday, I will have the bird naming contest. D was busy on his days off and we didn't get pictures of three and four. Tomorrow, I will make my way into the closet and dig through my yarn bins.

WIP Wednesday

It's that day again, the busiest blog day of the week. When I get to go check out what everyone is making on Tami's blog.

From Knitting Kitties

with flash on

I made a little headway on the hat, it wasn't for lack of trying.  Yesterday, I had the worst Fibro flare that I've had in a long while.  I think incredible fatigue is worse than all the body aches. This really bothers me because I don't know what precipitated it.  I fear it may be some allergens I ran into on my walk Tuesday.  The bad thing about the desert this time of year is all the desert pollens that I seem to be quite allergic to.  I've considered getting one of those blue face masks for my walks.  Then I will have a very strange face tan with white around my mouth where the mask is.  *laughs* As my grandmother would say, I can't win for losing.

  Today, my sciatic nerve is inflamed and it hurts just to touch my left butt cheek. That was how I woke up, Bright Eyes put her paw on the nerve and I dreamed a horse kicked me in the backside.  However, I will plod on with the knitting.  Will be skeining up and dying some red later today for the last hat.  Me thinks there maybe much crying and gnashing of teeth this weekend while I try to finish up for mail on Monday.  Tuesday morning at the latest.  I think if I sent Priority Mail Tuesday morning it should still get to NY by Friday.

From Knitting Kitties

flash off

For those of you who may not have been following my hat chronicles these past weeks.  I'm knitting three of these for my guys back in NY.  I'm using superwash merino that I dyed.  This one is for my youngest son who has more of a square head, so I'm going to knit the crown using Jared Flood's Turn A Square method.

Thank you in advance for any comments of encouragement, it's really getting to be crunch time here.  The cats are biting their nails wondering if I make the deadline.

From Knitting Kitties

Butterscotch says, "I trying to make Mama feel better with my cute."

*Forgot to switch the setting off landscape when taking this photo.  Too damn cute not to share.

Random Monday- Weekend Report

It's me, reporting from Hat Hell.  Progress isn't going very well. Yeah, you knew it, FB games.  I did figure out what the attraction is for me. As you may know, I suffer from anxiety and PTSD.  With the stress of finishing stuff and it being that time of year, my anxiety levels are going through the roof.  Playing those games, I can kinda zone out for a bit, except it causes more stress as I'm getting farther and farther behind schedule.

From Knitting Kitties

The blue is a shade darker than the photo.  More like a bright royal blue.  I really need to buckle down and just finish already.

Friday night D finally gave in and got me Netflix.  They don't tell you, or maybe they do. In the fine print, half way down the page, right at the point your eyes started to glaze over and the words become blurry.  They bill your card or bank account two weeks after sign up, not 30 days like the front page implies.  This doesn't work well with our budget.  So I will call, see if I can cancel then sign up again two weeks later when it will be better for us.

I'm really enjoying the streaming video aspect.  I just wish they had more available online vs. DVD. It really makes sense as far as expense for them with the postage. I'm sure it has to do with contracts and the copyright owners.

From Knitting Kitties

Saturday, I broke out of Hat Hell and took a walk in a different direction up to the Dollar Tree and Wal-mart.  This is my little piece of the NE.  There are three huge sugar maples in front of this church.  Every time I walk by, I wander into the grass and wave my arms in the air at the trees.  Deciduous trees can be grown down here if their trunks are coated with a special latex like material when they are young to prevent the trunks from drying out and splitting.  That and constant watering.

From Knitting Kitties

The leaves are starting to change from that cold snap we had right after Thanksgiving. However, we've been enjoying warmer than normal temps and supposed to have a record high in the 80's today.  Which will be nice when I take my walk for cat food later. This is what we moved down here for.

From Knitting Kitties

Here is a closer view of the mountains I see from outside my apartment. These pictures were taken from the back of the plaza.

From Knitting Kitties

Well, I have ton of cleaning and knitting to do.  Need to try to ignore all the distractions of the traffic going back in forth in front of my window, and the neighbors shouting to each other.  Makes me hate Mondays.

From Knitting Kitties

Butterscotch says, Mom is so hyper today, I can't bear to watch.

A Sunny Walk

This post is for Lucy of Attic 24. A short while back she posted about her trip to Spain and was amazed by the cactus almost as big as the house.  She inspired to do this post, as I see cactus taller than houses all the time. So yesterday when I took my walk to the store, I brought my camera along.  I took the pictures in stealth mode as I'm still quite unfamiliar with the culture down here and didn't want anyone coming out hollering at me for taking a picture of their yard.

From Knitting Kitties

The houses and landscape are still very unfamiliar to what I'm used to back in Western New York. The total lack of green grass makes me think of new construction houses, or the very bad ghetto where they trample any grass before it has a chance to grow.

From Knitting Kitties

From Knitting Kitties

Being able to grow citrus and prickly pear cactus in your own yard has me intrigued.  D has promised me when we buy a house, I can have citrus trees and send the fruit up north to my family.  Just the thought sending a box of oranges up to my granddaughter with a note saying, Grandma grew these just for you, makes me happy.

I'm told the prickly pear fruits make good jelly, candy, syrup and margaritas. The few I found at a store didn't look so good for me buy.  The ones growing in people's yards and growing wild get picked the very second they become ripe. Not that I would steal someone's fruit out of their yard, but it does have me wondering if others do, for when I have my very own prickly pear.

From Knitting Kitties

This was very creative with rock formations.

From Knitting Kitties

This house creatively put a Santa hat on a Saguaro cactus. I took this picture just in time, as I was hiding my camera back in my purse the homeowner came out to check her mail.  Saguaro is native to the Sonoran Desert only, you won't find them growing wild in any other the desert.  I'm told Tucson has a law that you have to get permission to move a Saguaro even if it's growing on your very own property.

From Knitting Kitties

I took this picture using Google Earth and scribbled out their address to protect their privacy.  As you can see they are taller than the house.  Many of the Saguaro are pretty beat up and rough looking as the birds and other creatures make holes and homes in them.



This is the largest known Saguaro of 46 feet tall and is found in Maricopa County, Arizona.

From Knitting Kitties

The car dealership along my way always has lovely flower beds to look at.

From Knitting Kitties

I figured all of you covered with snow and barren trees might enjoy a bit of pretty flowers.

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All your bees are having a fine time down here.

From Knitting Kitties

Back home again, I noticed the snow on the mountain tops has melted before I got a chance to get a picture.  That's ok, next month they will be wearing their white hats for a few months to come.