My Funny Orchids - Years In The Making

A few years ago in 2019 around Valentines Day, I posted a story about orchids the girls gave me. Here is a link to that post. 

I share in that post about getting a really small orchid in 2017 from Princess Three and how it was the size of my little finger. Then for Valentines Day in 2019, I got a super tall orchid which barely fit in the kitchen window! 

I was really happy to have the larger of the two orchids sending out a flowering shoot recenlty. The smaller of the two was not growing much this past year or so. In fact, the orchid is not much bigger considering it has been in my home for five years. 

I admit I am not the biggest Orchid guru, but I have been able to keep them alive all these years. They have even bloomed a few times. One had a root shoot coming out and I put it in moist moss for a week or two and it started growing roots and sending a shoot out so today I planted it in some moss in a small solo mini cup to see if I can get it to grow into a plant. 

Today, I also planted the five year old small one into a clear cup as it was getting over watered in the container I had it in and it started getting fruit flies from some Walmart fruit. 

I was excited to see that something was sprouting out of the top of the root I sprouted and planted today. I hope they all do well. It will be fun to see the tall one bloom soon! 

Have a blessed day!

Happy Mother's Day To You and A Stranger

I had a weird experience this week. I was at a store and had an issue with a phone app in the store as the reception in that store is so horrible. There has been issues for years as the store has other stores in it and none of the apps can be used due to the lack of reception. You can't even use the stores own app in the store as it won't load! 

I am not sure why I went to the customer service on this particular day to suggest that they get a booster for the store to help with the signal. I went and mentioned to the workers that it is always so frustrating that I can't use their own app in store for many years now and have to ask for the discount or coupon as I can't get the app to load due to the bad signal in the store. I told them I would be willing to talk to management or corporate and let them know how frustrating it has been having this situation. 

They took my name and number saying they would pass the information to management. The female worker said she would get into my account and put the coupon in for my shop but she had a hard time getting it to go in so while I was standing there for a few minutes, I mentioned how beautiful the roses were they had for sale. She mentioned that she wanted the white ones as she wanted to put food coloring in them and see if they would change colors. 

I felt a little inspiration telling me to buy her the roses. In the course of the conversation as we were talking I told her I would like to buy her the roses. Of course, she want to accept them, but I told her I felt like I would like to get them for her for Mothers day, and she told me that Monday was her Birthday. I told her that was even more of a reason for me to get them for her. 

She gave me the tag off them to buy them for her but then I thought about it and the roses were in water and open already and figured out that they probably wouldn't take up water since they were already open. I then went looking for a bunch that were white but not opened yet. I was able to find them.

I had just washed a vase I had at home as a kind soul ordered me a flower arrangement and I ended up with 2 as there was a second accidental delivery as the florist in town is changing names and there was a mix up.  

I took the roses home, put a ribbon on the vase, put the flowers in the vase and filled it in with greens and wrote a card and felt to put some money in the card. 

I think the woman was dealing with heath issues as well as in our conversation I mentioned her "dew rag" and how she was rocking it. She said her hair was almost grown enough now to be able to go without it and you could see stubble / regrowth around the ear. 

I took the guy working there a candy treat as I didn't want him to feel like I didn't appreciate him but just felt like God wanted me to get the flowers for this woman. 

I dropped them off and she was very grateful. I didn't wait for her to open the card but asked if I could take a photos and I looked horrible from working in the trees and my face was bruised and puffy from my fall earlier in the week. 

I figured that God doesn't wait for you to look your best when he asks you to do something for others, so even though I had been working in the yard and ran to the store for a few items, I figured that I went when I did as God wanted someone to let her know she mattered or God cared. 

I had also been praying for a way to "pay it forward" as a kind person gave me some money recently and I got flowers recently as well, so I used some of the money I was given to buy the roses and put in the card! I have always found that if I pay tithes on anything I am given and pay some of it forward, I am blessed more! 

I am so blessed to have five amazing daughters that support me and always remember me on Mother's Day. Some other moms are not so blessed. When I was a single mom and my kids were young, I know that kids can't get things for Mother's Day with no funds etc, but they always did service, giving foot rubs etc. This woman mentioned a son and younger in age so I don't know if she had anyone to buy her a mothers day gift or not, but I felt blessed to be able to do something for her birthday and Mother's Day for her. 

I am grateful to my friends who gave me money when I was low on funds, and I am grateful that God allowed me to find someone to pay it forward to who may need it! I am blessed! 

I hope you had a great Mother's Day! Have a blessed day! 

Pruning A Tree - Took All Day

I woke sore from my fall and tired trying to continue getting over the illness of past weeks. 

It took me most of the day to get my act together. I finally just drank a few glasses of coke and forced myself to go out and finish pruning. 

I had already started that tree and it took me hours to finish one tree. I had to go inside and cool down every so often to not overheat. I was glad to at least get one thing done even though it did take so long. 

Hopefully, tomorrow I can finish the other front tree. I have a few in the back that need to be done as well. It would be nice to get something finished. There are many things I need to finish in the yard but I have realized I will need to be patient with myself as things just take longer than they used to take. 

Have a blessed day!

An Up and Down Day

I was so tired this morning that I laid in bed for several hours trying to get enough energy and motivation to go out and prune the front trees. 

I finally dragged myself out of bed and went out to work in the yard and it was so cold and I was so tired and weak that I just couldn't do it. I had to mail something, but I wanted to deliver something to a few friends for mothers day, so I got those little gifts ready to deliver and went to the post office just before closing as I also needed to go to the bank as well. 

I then ran those errands and had a few phone calls that I needed to return from my crazy busy week last week. I sat in my car talking to those people as I wanted to visit with the friends where I was dropping off the gifts, checking in on a sick friend. 

I rushed out of the car and ran up the stairs and misjudged the height of the stairs and clipped the top stair and went flying forward and my mind ran in slow motion as I flew forward catching myself with my right hand, but with the forward momentum I hit at an angle and was freaking out as I knew I was going to hit hard and thought I was going to break my hand for sure knowing I was falling forward enough that my fingers were going to flip back. 

I laughed and cried out at the same time as I knew I had to look silly rolling over myself and I pictured a pug puppy flipping forward hitting its face on the ground. I did just that. I hit my shoulder hard and my right cheek hard. There was a woman walking across the street and I was embarrassed that I fell and hoped she didn't notice. I sat up and knew I had hurt my right hand. The last two fingers on my right hand I have broken in the past 2 times. I worried I had broken them again. I also could tell that my cheek and shoulder were going to bruise, but I figured that it was going to take a few days to show as they were deep. 

I was able to get up and was a bit in shock, but as the night went on, I was able to move my hand and decided I didn't think it was broken and that even if there were a hairline fracture, they would just splint it. I could feel a welt on my right cheek and as the night went on, my ear and jaw / head was popping and hurting. I think it will be fine, but it was a scary thing. 

Earlier in the day, when I stopped to run errands, I found $.46 at a store and was reminded that even though I have been sick having a rough week, I can trust in Him that things will be OK. So when I fell, I was getting into the shower with my sore body and I pulled those coins out of my pocket and smiled being reminded that everything would be OK. 

I feel blessed that I am reminded to trust in Him just when I need it. I am grateful for that! 

Have a blessed day!

TuTu Turns 100 - Huge Birthday Reunion

My Step-Grandmother turned 100 last week! My father married my step-mother over 25 years ago and I think him marrying her was one of the best choices in his life! 

I always tell him he sure knows how to pick women! My Step-mother is such a blessing in our world. I love her like a mother and I love my mother. I appreciate that she has never made us feel like there had to be a choice between them. She always welcomed my mother to all the activities for our family that she hosted. 

A BONUS to having my stepmother, is her mother. Tutu is the word for Grandparent in Hawaiian. They are from Hawaii and both were born there. Tutu lived with my dad and his wife for over 15 years. She is such a kind and wonderful person. She made my girls baby slippers. She remembers each girls name and where they are in the world and what they are doing. Even at 100, she knows my grandchildren's names. 

She has been blind for many years but her mind is better than mine! She really is amazing. For her 100 birthday, they wanted to have a reunion and there were many people coming from Hawaii, the south, and north west states. 

My step-brother got to see his new grandson for the first time who is 2 months old and I loved that I got to be there to take some photos of that event. Since I took a bunch of photos at her 99th birthday, they asked me to take photos of this big day! 

I enjoyed taking photos and meeting new relations. Of course, the highlight of the day was getting to see my adorable grand-children. I was taking photos most of the party, but I did get to play with them as I brought some puzzle cars, so that was a fun moment. 

I am half Tutu's age and my memory is not as sharp as hers. I hope that I can be the kind of grandmother and great-grandmother that she is! 

Happy 100 years TUTU! 

Have a blessed day!

My First NBA Playoff Game and His First NBA Game

 

My friend Matt came to visit me after not having contact for about 34 years. I was friends with his father for several years and we would have their family over for dinner or activities. 

About age 14, his family life changed dramatically and Matt was no longer around. Over the years, I would contact his father and ask how Matt was doing. 

A few years back, I got an email through my YouTube account. It was Matt asking if I was the person he knew from the East Coast. I was thrilled to hear from him as I worried about him over the years getting updates on his situation from his father. I couldn't believe that he randomly found my channel looking up "toenail fungus" of all things! Since I have cured myself of a bad case of fungus, I made a video years ago about how I cured it, and Matt happened to see that video!

He asked if I would be OK with him calling me sometime to visit. I wrote back giving him my phone number and telling him to call anytime. 

I didn't hear back from him for almost a year. He said my reply had gone to junk email or something and when he was cleaning out, he found it and got into contact with me again. 

We started talking around the new year and he asked if I would be OK with him coming for a visit as he had never visited the west coast before. 

I gave him a few dates that I thought would work and he booked his tickets. I told him things we could do in many western states that I thought could be fun. I mentioned the Jazz as they are the only major sports team other than AZ, LA and Denver. I don't follow sports much. 

He asked if I would like to go to a Jazz game as I was planning stops in three different states. I told him that I thought we could make that work on our schedule of driving. 

He bought tickets for one of the playoff games and I have never seen the Jazz play, and he had never seen an NBA game before. I have seen the Celtics play in Boston many years ago when Larry Bird was playing for them. 

Matt and I had a great time cheering for the Jazz, but I think we had more fun watching the fans sitting around us. The guy right next to me gave me a dirty look when I cheered on the wrong team at the beginning as the Jazz usually wear white with purple logos, but they were wearing black uniforms for some reason, so the first play, I got confused and everyone around us got upset when I clapped for the opposite team making a basket. Ha ha

I back tracked and ended up finding out that the guy next to me had never been to a Jazz game either and we visited back and forth. His friend however went out and in and out an in and had 9, YES NINE, Beers! He was loaded by the end of the game. I asked if they were driving later as they were all drinking, but he said they had a hotel locally they would walk to after the game. 

The man sitting next to Matt was eating constantly. He and his female companion were out and in constantly eating one thing after the next. At one point I smelled baked bread and look over and he was eating square doughnut looking things covered in powdered sugar. He coughed as he inhaled some powder as they were inhaling the food, and when he did so, a huge plume of white powder came out of his nose and mouth and covered Matt with a fine coat of sugar. It looked like the man was breathing out smoke! 

His friend was laughing so hard she could hardly speak and they both kept apologizing to Matt for his new "grey" look! The man looked a bit shocked and left abruptly coughing and came back with a drink to sooth the throat I guess and offered Matt a stack of napkins. It was funny but not so funny. That same man also was yelling negative things to the other team and I forgot to share that the drunk guy was swearing up a storm and standing the entire time swearing at the other team. 

It was interesting but the Jazz were down all night so the entertaining crowds made it much more enjoyable. 

It was a fun evening and I will share more about his visit tomorrow! Have a blessed day!

Still Sick and a Great Video Chat

I can't believe how long this illness has been lingering. It started a few weeks back. I really think it is another bought or type of Covid. 

I had a horrible sore throat on one side, and it started to feel better. I had someone coming to visit for a week and wasn't sure if I should call and warn him that I wasn't feeling well, but since I started feeling better, I figured I was on the mend. 

My friend comes to visit after 30+ years of not seeing him, and we start a three state tour, and then my right side of my throat starts hurting. Then after a few days of that, my sinuses started pouring. 

Driving all day every day for a week and hiking in between the driving, didn't do much for my exhaustion and health. My throat burned while hiking and I have been home for days now and I spent most of the day in bed today feeling horrible. 

I found out from my friend who went home on Wednesday evening that he started coming down with the same symptoms a few days after getting home and has most of the symptoms now. 

I feel sorry that I shared the illness with him and worry he will give it to his girlfriend. I also found out that there are several neighbors who are having the same symptoms and are struggling as well. The mucus is so thick and gunky and I can't get rid of it! 

I had so much fun on our trip, but felt so horrible that it really was stressful driving so much. I think my body is in shock. I also think we got some food poisoning from some bad meet someone gave us, so I hope he can get over it quickly and pray I recover soon. It has been a rough few weeks. 

The highlight of my day was a video chat that started with one daughter and slowly, all my girls got on and it was the first time in a long time that we were all on the chat! I was in bed so was in the dark, but the girls were all lined up on my phone and it was so cute to see them all together on the screen. It was also nice to get to chat with the grandchildren as well! 

I hope you are all staying healthy! Have a blessed day!