Pretty in Pink

All I have today is the picture. It's a beautiful pink tree that I photographed when we were at the Temecula Creek Inn for lunch.

Both me and him are feeling our age today. My arthritis is chronic - can't lift my arms! Grr. His back is painful from the bone cancer. He also has pulled a muscle in his leg. Oh dear - poor old things we are!

Stormy Weather?

After many weeks of cloudless blue skies, we finally saw some clouds yesterday afternoon and although they didn't hold any rain, today looks more promising in the moisture department - Ah! One can dream!

Mr. Indi forgot to do his "grab a handful of belly and stab myself with a very sharp needle" routine yesterday. Not that it matters - he'll do it today. Overall, he's feeling pretty good but glad that the weekend is here after working all 5 days this week.

This is the Labor Day weekend and we won't be straying far from the house - too many people on the road for driving to be enjoyable. Mr. Indi will continue with his model making and I shall be knitting. What a boring old pair of wrinklies! Still, we both woke up this morning - and we're happy with that!

Baby Blanket

Here, by popular demand - OK, per the request of my friend, Granny Williams - is a picture of the heart motif baby blanket. If I don't get an address to send it to soon, it will go to the highest bidder - OR - it will go in the bin! BTW - the pattern for this blanket can be found on the web at:

http://www.knittingonthenet.com/

Some really good patterns there - FREE!. American instructions but easy to convert to English if you've got half a brain. Or, if you don't - drop me a line and I will help you!

Cor - I just realized that the hearts are upside down - Doh! Now I'll have to redo the whole thing!

Glug Glug Glug!

The prime rib was delicious and the Bailey's on the rocks was pretty good too! We had a nice visit with J and L - exploring one of the antique shops in Old Town, Temecula, before having dinner at Penfold's. The shops all close at 5 p.m. during the week so we didn't get to see too many of them but have made a date to do more antiquing in the future.

This summertime weather is starting to get very old. We shall both be very happy to see some cooler temperatures which are promised next week. Mr. Indi suffers badly in the heat as his hot flashes - brought on by the drug Lupron - seem to intensify when the temperature goes over 90F. And so, with this in mind, I have made reservations for us to go away to the beach on the 5th September for a couple of days and to soak up some lovely cool ocean breezes. I can't wait!

I got my hair done yesterday and it turned into a disaster - No - not my hair but the visit to the beauty shop. I had put a bottle of water into my handbag and I didn't have the cap screwed on properly. Arghhhhh! Everything in my bag was floating including Mr. Indi's wallet and all the $1 bills therein! When he came home from work, the money was all set out on the counter to dry - money laundering! Duh!

I took the picture in Temecula in July.

Old Socks and Mooooooo!

Yesterday was a quiet day - well, for the most part! Mr. Indi is having chemo gas problems again! Oy Oy Oy! But he is feeling better. The nausea is fading away and food is tasting more or less normal. He should be feeling quite perky by the weekend.

We have been eating red meat every day for 5 days now - Mooooooo! Last night was London Broil (top sirloin steak)cooked rare on the BBQ, sliced thin on the diagonal and served with garlic potatoes (they were a bit over the top with the garlic - I would rename them old socks potatoes) and salad with avocado. I really fancy a bit of chicken but today will probably be red meat again! Mr. Indi's blood count should be very good!

Today will be red meat no doubt, because we are going down to Temecula this afternoon, after his Lordship gets home from work, to meet J and L, who have been staying down there for a few days. I expect we shall go to Penfold's for an early dinner - and Penfolds has prime rib to die for. Mooooooooo!

I have finished the baby blanket and it is ready to put in the post to England. I am waiting for an address to send it to. Oy - You out there! Yoo Hoo! Anybody - send me the address for G and S. Ta very much!

The picture is a pretty flower growing in Prospect Park, Redlands.

Clifton and Frederick - A Combination

People have asked me why Mr. Indi keeps on working when his prognosis is terminal and he is struggling with the side effects of chemo and all the other drugs that he must take. Well, I have asked him the same thing myself - many times - and the answer is that if he quits work, it will be giving up on a big part of his life. And he will not give up.

He loves his job - the actual work - the problem solving and decision making. He loves the people he works with. He calls them his "Little United Nations" with folks from Cuba, Guatemala, Russia, Armenia, India, Viet Nam and beyond. He loves the interaction and learning about each person's culture. So, while he doesn't much care for the 45 mile commute each way, he will not consider giving up his job. He won't give up! And, anyway - who would keep the candy dish filled up with salt water taffy if he leaves? Huh? Answer me that!

Yesterday we had a funny conversation about our favorite music. Mr. Indi's faves are Zydeco and Chopin! Well, it suits him perfectly!If you don't know Zydeco just search for it on YouTube. Clifton Chenier is the King of the Bayou and he does Zydeco! Now, if you don't know Chopin - Oh dear!

Today's picture is of the grounds of the Asistencia in Redlands. The trees along the back wall are pomegranate trees and they were loaded with fruit.

We're Just Kids!

Yesterday afternoon, the temperature reached 107F (42C) in my backyard and so we went down to the pizza parlor for an hour. It feels good to use someone else's air conditioning while sipping a cold beer.

I love the pizza parlor for a couple of reasons; a) The beer is cheaper than most places and the glasses are always clean! b) I love Brian. Brian is the owner of the Lamppost Pizza and Brewhouse and he is one of the nicest guys on the planet. After being absent from the pizza joint for several years, we started visiting again once or twice a week and are always happy to see Brian's lovely smile and twinkly eyes! There we go, me - old enough to be Brian's mother -hobbling along with my arthritis all flared up because of the heat and his Lordship - in all his white headed glory - weaving in and out of the benches as he struggles with his nausea and vertigo and Brian pops his head out from behind the counter and yells. "Hi Kids." I can't help but smile!

Mr. Indi is starting to come out of his chemo funk - the tummy is starting to quiet down and he has started to enjoy his food again. I BBQ'd steak last night (he needs red meat) and it was delish. He needs to go in for more blood tests next Tuesday and so we shall probably be having liver for our Labor Day dinner on Monday - hmm - I wonder if I could BBQ it and shove it in a bun and pretend it's hot dogs? Any suggestions?

Today's picture is of some beautiful oleanders in Temecula.