Jennifer Apodaca's Blog, page 18

Friday Five

TGIF! No small talk, let’s get right to sharing five random things about our week:

We just learned of a fire on the mountain highway coming down into our town. It’s a 100+ degrees here so it’s not good news. It’s close enough that we’re not worried (about ourselves, we are worried about the people and animals in its path) but we’re on alert. We see a lot of air support on the fire, so that’s hopeful — sometimes they can knock it down pretty fast. And I have a friend in Canada evacuating a huge fire there — I hate fires. The week has been mostly quiet and hot. Somewhat boring, but only because the heat limits our options.Maggie is having bladder issues as in very small accidents. She gets very upset about it, but she doesn’t seem unwell. All that said, she has a vet appointment August 5th, and I’ll ask them to do an ultrasound. They’ll either do it then and make another appointment. It’s really just a precaution that I’m more than happy to pay for. I think it’s just a poor spa job (before we had her) and age, but she hides pain so I’d rather be overcautious.The baby shower for my daughter-in-law is August 3rd and its really nice to have that to think about and look forward too. The baby should be here very late August and maybe early September. Those are great distractions from dealing with getting into UCI. I think we’re making progress, but I have an appointment with my primary doctor late next week in case I need more help. On the upside, I’ve been polishing up my phone and nagging skills, bwahahaha! It’s been a long week.Tomorrow we’re going to an auto museum and winery place with Youngest and his wife. It’ll be fun to spend time with them! Wizard and I both need a day out, or at least a couple hours as it may be too hot for us to stay longer than that.

That’s my five, now I’d love to hear yours! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

The post Friday Five first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

New To You Wednesday

When I was at Trader Joe’s last week, I bought a watermelon. Then I cut it and discovered a yellow watermelon. I never knew!!! How did I get this many decades into my life and not know about yellow watermelons? Wizard and I loved it.

And that reminds me, trying new things is important. Even when it’s by accident, LOL!

So how about you? Did you know about yellow watermelons (I’m pretty sure the answer is yes and I’ve been living under a rock!). And what have you tried that’s new to you lately?

Happy Wednesday!

The post New To You Wednesday first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Weekend Roundup

It was a pretty quiet weekend overall and nice enough. But late Sunday afternoon I opened the door to get a package on the porch, immediately smelled smoke and my eyes started burning. The fire is some distance away from us, so not a concern for us directly but causing evacuations for others. I hate fires.

Aside from that, my weekend went well except for nose bleeds. I had a sudden and significant one Friday morning while getting Maggie’s breakfast. Wizard came in and finished feeding her while I went into the bathroom to take care of it. I got it to stop in about five minutes and that’s good. But then I returned to the kitchen and found blood on the floor and running down a white cupboard. Wizard surveyed it, then turned to look at me. “Don’t disappear. The cops will luminal this place and arrest me. I’ll never be able to explain all this blood!” I cracked up. He was only half kidding, and I laughed harder. Because sometimes, we just have to laugh!

Saturday I had a couple minor nosebleeds, and Sunday was blood free! I have a prescription ointment I’m usually and hopefully that helps. I’m sure the weather is aggravating it.

Otherwise, I did some cleaning, organizing for the baby shower in a couple weeks, a bit of online shopping in my endless hunt for clothes and shoes that I like and will actually wear, and I’m beginning a new sourdough starter. With the throat surgery and endless tests, I neglected my old starter and it’d died    I don’t know how I got so careless! Later in the afternoon, we went over to Youngest’s to see a stacked stone planter he’s been building in the backyard 100 degree heat. He doesn’t mind the heat as long as it’s not humid. The planter is going to be beautiful.

I forget to tell you all, one morning last week, Maggie and I were on our daily morning walk, and we were on the sidewalk by a school. Between the sidewalk and the fenced school parking lot is a slope filled with brush. An animal broke out of that brush and hauled-butt back into the hills. I was so startled, I stopped and watched and I’m pretty sure it was a bobcat. It could have been a coyote, but it moved like a cat, and had the bobcat ears from what I could see. Either way, we were lucky! It’s rare for the critters to come down to the street, but it happens. It’s part of the package of living at the base of the hills (it’s a National Forest), and it’s also a good reminder to stay alert.

I’m listening to a non-fiction book by a doctor about wide ranging topics in medicine and the medical field. That’s both interesting and a bit depressing.

How was your weekend?

The post Weekend Roundup first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Friday Five

TGIF!!! Who is the wise witch making the weeks go faster lately? Or is that just me??? Anyhow, it’s time to share five random things about our week. Here’s mine:

 Monday I got my mammogram done. Um, it was the same as it usually was — the procedure is tolerable and quick. I had a harder time tolerating a lady in the waiting room being annoyed at everything and hassling the staff because — obviously — she had more important things to do that the rest of us did.This week was a first at the grocery store — Wizard and I were both stunned at how low our total bill was. Like…we were confused, LOL. I mean we knew it’d be a light week but are we even eating??? Oh wait, the scale says we are Anyway, those kinds of shocks are few and far between.Then I went to Trader Joes “for fun” and $75.00 dollars later….it all made sense, LOL. I filled in some things like fruit, good parmesan cheese, baking vanilla and various other items. None of that really adds up to $75.00 though…until I added in two bottles of wine (see #4 for why the wine). So why do I think Traders is fun? Because it’s not a required task, and most of what I get is stuff I want, or ingredients to cook or bake something fun and basically use a little creativity.Okay, so I’m still working on getting into UCI. I *think* I’m making progress, but man it’s been hassle. I’ve been making endless calls trying to get my referral faxed from one entity to another and finally realized my mistake. I was expecting people to do their job! Silly of me, right? So I drove across town to UPS and paid them to Fax the referral to two of UCI fax numbers I’d been given. Finally yesterday I was told they had a referral!  See what happens when I stop being lazy and do other people’s jobs for them? Now the referral needs to be “verified” and then they’ll call me with an appointment.  Before that I got bounced around between surgeons and in total, I’ve seen or talked to 5 doctors, spent a few hundred dollars and mountains of worry, and still waiting. And so…I built a documentation file (which I am prepared to use if needed) and, also, bought some wine The stress on me is expected, but the stress on Wizard is what’s really pissing me off.  So…wine for him too! Plus I’m probably making peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips because duh chocolate and peanut butter are soul mates!Oh and before I forget, Maggie met a very young puppy today. She was fine with him, but way more interested with his big brother — whom she has a crush on. That makes me smile! And the puppy was too adorable! Her son brought him home (say he found the puppy in a box), and they believe he’s a six to eight week old Miniature Rottweiler. To me, he had the markings of a Rottie, but had a slimmer build like a miniature pincher. But I am definitely not a breed expert, and it doesn’t matter anyway. I’m happy for them

I’m seeing my sister today and the rest of my weekend is nothing special so we’ll see what happens. Now it’s your turn to share five random things about your week! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

The post Friday Five first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Who’s Reading and What are You Reading?

I just haven’t been reading. There’s lots of reasons, but one thing I have been into lately is listening to trial lawyer podcasts following trials that are live streamed in real time with the lawyers commentary. Recently, I just happened to be two of the strangest trials with unexpected plot twists so I was hooked and not reading or listening to anything else I’ve loosely followed other trials too lately. Why? No idea, my interests can bounce around and I guess it keeps me learning. It’s also good to have on in the background as I’m cooking, gardening or doing projects in the house.

I miss reading and I’m going to spend some quality time searching for really good books. Catching and keeping my interest lately is pretty tough.

How about you? Are you reading? And if so, share what you’re reading!

Happy Wednesday!

The post Who’s Reading and What are You Reading? first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Weekend Roundup

While I was doing some early prep for dinner on Saturday afternoon, Wizard got a news alert on his phone. And that’s how we  learned of an attempted assassination of a presidential candidate. And just like that, my weekend filled with anger, disbelief and a bottomless sadness. I just cannot understand what drives a 20 year old kid to murder people. I just can’t.

As I write this, the latest I know (and I was gone most of the day yesterday taking a break from reality before I wrote this blog) is Former President Trump was injured, one man died and two more were critically wounded. And a LOT of people who love those victims have been terrorized and traumatized. I hope to God I am never in a crowd and forced to witness such a terrible thing like that. Ever.

I am sad at what we’ve become. It would not matter to me which of the two candidates was targeted, my feelings would remain the same. This is not how we solve problems. People who do something this heinous are the problem.

Now deep breath and let’s move on: The rest of my weekend was good. The highlight was having lunch with my friend, then we walked around an outlet center and ended  our day out with some sorbet. Friends are truly one of life’s blessings.

So that was my weekend, how was yours?

The post Weekend Roundup first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Friday Five

TGIF!! Friday keep on coming! Okay let’s jump into sharing five random things about our week.

Well the good news is I had some chocolate chip cookies in my freezer! Just what I needed this week!The frustrating news is my ENT office told me late Wednesday they will not do my surgery. Oh did I say told? Sorry I meant sent me an email. Thankfully it was just in time to cancel my preop appointment.A huge thank you to another doctor’s assistant who spotted the shenanigans going on with my case. That assistant worked behind the scenes to get me a referral to UCI (a very good University hospital system). That same assistant called me last week I think to let me know the referral was there if I needed it. I suspect she knew I would need it. I’m now in the process of getting a consultation set up there. It’ll take time to get the referral authorization into their system, then we’ll need start over with a new specialist. But I should get better care for my specific situation. The moral of this story is that many times really good people are stepping up and quietly helping even when they have no real skin in the game. I so appreciate that assistant.More good news, I should be able to go to my daughter in law’s shower now! I’m so looking forward to that, and since I’m one of the hostesses it’s good that I’ll be there Even more fun, I’m getting to know my daughter in law’s mom more as we plan the shower and she’s so nice! Truly a bright spot to have all this going on. And just because I’m thinking about it, my daughter in law called just to see how I’m doing and I love her for that. So lot’s of bright spots that make me happy.I’m meeting a friend on Sunday for lunch and I’m very happy about that. Wizard is going racing too, which I’m also pleased about. He needs to get out, see his friends and have fun too.

That’s my week, now it’s your turn! I really hope everyone has a great weekend!

The post Friday Five first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Just when I think the fireworks are over, some moron set ...

Just when I think the fireworks are over, some moron set one off last night and terrified my dog. We were all in bed, Maggie was sound asleep in the the front room, and after that mortar blast, she was afraid to go back to that bed.

Add in the heat that’s keep Wizard in the house…all day…I’m over it.

But at least there hasn’t been any bad news or new problems this week, so that’s a win!

How your Wednesday going?

The post first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

Weekend Roundup

I missed posting on Friday! Sorry! The 4th of July threw off my schedule. Feel free to include anything that would have been in your Friday Five in a comment on this post if you like. For me, let’s recap a few things in a Friday Five fashion:

We had a mostly good Fourth of July. Wizard and I went to an early dinner, then made sure we were home way before the fireworks started. We did our best to help manage her fear, and she did pretty well. She didn’t shake, pant or pace, and mostly just stayed close to me or Wizard. Still I hate that Maggie gets scared because she can’t understand the booming firecrakers. But overall, I’m proud of her, and us for helping her manage her fear better this year.I made a gluten and dairy free version of thin mint cookies. They are a softer, bigger version, but they work for most chocolate and mint lovers I’m going my best to stay busy while dealing with fatigue and other symptoms (like sudden, dramatic and gross, one-sided nose bleeds as I wait for surgery).Sunday, we went to a little pool party at youngest’s and had a blast. Turbo was there, and so was Daughter in law’s nephew who is a few years older than Turbo. Those two, plus Oldest and Youngest son, had more fun than should be legal splashing all of us, and other assorted pool antics.  Food was great. As a bonus: I made a bruschetta I was happy with, and used basil and tomatoes from my mini garden Maggie had a bath last week and I tried to take pictures of her. The first two attempts she refused to look at me or the camera phone. Then I went over and sat on the wall to contemplate my life choices in getting a dog. Maggie saw me, came over and reluctantly agreed to one picture. Then she made the third pic look like a scared hostage photo. Yet two minutes before that, she was running all over the backyard terrorizing lizards and looking half her age. This week is working on Daughter in law’s baby shower (that’s fun stuff), a hair appointment, pre-op appointment, seeing Biker Witch and trying to stay out of the worst of the heat. Also…I’m thinking lemon shortbread cookies. We’ll see.

Now it’s your turn to share about your weekend and last week if you like! Happy Monday!

The post Weekend Roundup first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.

You know that sick feeling when you realized you screwed ...

You know that sick feeling when you realized you screwed up? I had that moment this week.

So we are moving along, planning my daughter-in-law’s baby shower, and I was thinking I’m on top of things? Then…

I suddenly realized I left someone important off the guest list! The invitations already went out, and she would be aware of that.

Yeah…I did that. I literally felt sick when I realized it! I called the friend and apologized, and she was super gracious and wouldn’t even let me grovel. Even better, she immediately accepted both my apology and the invitation to join us.

She’s awesome and I’m…still a work in progress??? LOLOL!!

It’s all good. I think she really did understand I didn’t intend that exclude her! That’s the important thing.

But I’m clearly not on top of things in case anyone was wondering

Anyone else every get that sick realization? And were you lucky enough to have someone gracious and understanding like I did?

Happy Wednesday!

The post first appeared on Jennifer Lyon.