Monday, August 30, 2021

Randomly Happy

 Stacy hosts Random Tuesday Thoughts and Sandee hosts Happy Tuesday.

So... I had some unusual symptoms, decided to be proactive and see a doctor before they got worse.   It took over a month to get in to see him and another month to schedule a procedure.  The doctor tested positive for COVID two days before my procedure.  It's going to be another 6 weeks for rescheduling. So, by the time I have the procedure, it will have been almost four months from the time the original symptoms were noticed.  So much for being proactive.


On another note... I ran across these funny pictures that have been photoshopped by British graphic designer James Fridman.  Funny pix in a minute, because not only is Fridman a whiz at Photoshop, he has contributed to several altruistic efforts and even started his own foundation to help young people having difficulties with social issues.

Anyway... when given a request for a Photoshop edit, he tends to take the request literally and it usually ends in a hilarious result.  Here are some of them:

This cracked me up so much!


He wanted to be a boxer!

Maybe be specific next time?

Another one that made me laugh so much!

Oh, that's bad!!! 

Ask and you shall receive!

And last, but not least...

I wasn't expecting this one!

There's more and more where these came from!  He is quite the wizard at Photoshop!  Have a great week!



Saturday, August 28, 2021

Sunday Synopsis

 

The Wanted (Elvis Cole, #17; Joe Pike, #6)The Wanted by Robert Crais
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Crais is one of my favorite authors ever! I love the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike characters. In my reading of this series, I accidentally read this one out of order. I had already read the book that follows it, but since you don't have to have much backstory nor does reading one out of order ruin any storyline. I'm just usually so OCD about reading them in order. I don't know how I missed this one!

Elvis Cole is hired by 17-year old Tyson's mother to figure out where he is getting enough money to buy some designer clothes he has started wearing, multiple computers and a Rolex watch. She thinks he is dealing drugs. Cole thinks he is stealing. Cole is able to track down the owner of the Rolex which gives him a lead into some high-end robberies that are taking place... 18 robberies, to be exact. Guess who? Tyson and two of his so-called friends, Alec and Amber.

There are two hired guns trying to find the thieves for their client, and they are not above murdering to get what they want. Leaving a trail of bodies in their wake, they seem to be a step ahead of Cole and Pike at every turn, that is, until Cole and Tyson, with his computer nerd former friend, discover why the thugs are so anxious to retrieve one of the stolen laptops.

Crais has crafted a complex storyline that propels you forward with intense suspense. You will be dropped right into the action from the first to the last page. With Cole's trademark wit, Pike's superhuman skills, and some clever new characters, what you get is an amazingly entertaining read.

View all my reviews

Friday, August 27, 2021

Friendship, Fill-ins, and Fun on Friday

 


Hi Friends!  I haven't been terribly crafty lately, just doing things that have been requested such as mending seams and hemming pants.  But I did pick up a few supplies at the Dollar Tree yesterday and can't wait to use them.  Usually, I'm the one crafting for other people, but last week at my mom's senior living facility, they made these cute fall wreaths, and she gave me hers.

It's so cute, and she was so proud of herself.  I'm happy she is staying active and trying new things.  I'm linking this post with Create with Joy.



These Fill-In  questions were provided by 15 and Meowing and Four Legged Furrballs:
1. I plan to ___________________ these last few days of August.
2. I am a ________________________.
3. _________ is proving difficult these days.
4. Have I ever told you about the time that I _________?

Here are my answers:

1.  Unfortunately, I am spending 2 of the last 3 days of August preparing then having a colonoscopy. Too much information!  

2.  I am a retired teacher as of December 2019, just in time for COVID to hit.  I dodged that bullet!

3.  Losing weight is difficult.  Scratch that.  Finding the motivation to even care about it is difficult right now.

4. Not too long ago, when we were NOT riddled with COVID, my husband and I travelled to Memphis to watch our Houston Rockets play.  We had no idea we had booked the same hotel as them, so we actually rode  the elevator with some of them.  I'm not too shy, so I asked for photos.  What could they do?  Say no?  We were in an elevator!  LOL

Here's one of the pictures.  Yes, I'm short.  And yes, he's super tall!  Can you tell I'm excited?  I look like a dork!

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Photo Wednesday

 Penguins! 
They were moving around quite a bit!

Birdseye view (Get it?)
For more photo fun visit Image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday.

Happy Random Tuesday

 Stacy hosts Random Tuesday Thoughts and Sandee hosts Happy Tuesday.

As mom settles in to her new living arrangement, she clearly has a favorite activity... bingo.  Even when she was younger, she enjoyed bingo, as do I.  It made me wonder why we usually associate it with "little, old, blue-haired ladies."  Apparently, the demographic has changed.


Would you believe that among Canada, the United States, and Mexico there are over 50,000 bingo halls?  It's also a fact that more people visit bingo halls than NFL and NBA games combined! In the last five years, more men have started playing bingo.  They comprise 30% of the bingo market.  The average age of a female bingo player is 53, and male is 48.   One down side is that over half of them smoke cigarettes. (More info.)

But even though it's changed, our older population still loves it, and there are benefits of a good ol' game of bingo.  First of all, you can't really play bingo alone, and the socialization is important for seniors.  It often offers then a chance to interact with other adults not exactly in their peer group.  Playing bingo has cognitive benefits for older adults such as keeping their focus, mental speed, and memory sharp.  It also offers a way to retain hand/eye coordination. (More info.)


It's no wonder senior citizens (and others) love bingo!  And a little healthy competition and the possibility of winning a prize make it an even more attractive outing.  Just don't start singing, "There was a farmer had a dog and bingo was his name-o B-I-N-G-O..."  You'll get it stuck in your head!

And this being a random post...


Do you have any idea how time-consuming it is to change the address of someone who has lived in the same home for half a century?  I don't want her junk mail forwarded (that's a long story), so I can't just give the notice to the post office.  Plus, she needs it reflected on social security, Medicare, private insurance, financial advisor, bank, pension, and so many other things that a forwarding notice won't cover.  It's daunting!

And now...




Is it terrible that this made me laugh?

 

No one could be THAT stupid!  Right?


And last, but not least...

That's me!!!!!
Have a great week!



Saturday, August 21, 2021

Sunday Synopsis

 

Criss Cross (Alex Cross, #27)Criss Cross by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not much of a Patterson fan anymore, but I still enjoy the books in the Alex Cross series. I have read them all. This book was foreshadowed in the previous book when Alex received a note signed, "M."

Alex and fellow detective/long-time buddy John Sampson attend the execution of a man who claimed he was framed by Cross. Upon leaving the execution, they are called in to an investigation which is a copy-cat of the dead killer's crimes. Except, this time, "M" leaves notes for Alex. It's obviously a personal vendetta.

As they continue to investigate crimes, the killer continues to taunt Cross. Some of the crimes look like those of the murderer whose death he witness, and others look like the murders Kyle Craig committed, but he has long since been dead. Is it possible he didn't really die in the fire?

While Alex is hot on the trail of "M," Jannie has a set-back in her athletic hopes due to a case of mono. Ali has become obsessed with mountain biking. Then Ali is kidnapped by the crazed killer who has plans to kill both him and his father.

This book is the perfect wild ride full of intense suspense, action, and creativity. Cross is still the man we've come to know and love, even 26 books after he was created. Patterson drops both clues and red herrings that will have you guessing who the Mastermind is until the end.

View all my reviews

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Thursday Thirteen - Sleep

 


Sleep.  Peaceful, restorative, blissful sleep.  I have no idea what that is!  It is elusive, meaning I have difficulty falling asleep, and even when I do sleep, it's often fitful leaving me groggy in the morning.  I'm technically not an expert, but I have done a lot of research on how to achieve restful sleep.  Not all of them work for me, but here we go.

1.  Routine.  Going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time every day.  This one is difficult for me.  I'd love to hear your story if it's worked for you.

2.  Decreased Exposure to Blue Light.  Blue light, the kind that you're exposed to on electronics like your phone or computer, supposedly mimics daytime light which prevents your body from producing melatonin.  Wearing blue light blocking glasses at night is supposed to help, but I haven't tried them.  Have you?

3.  Meditation or relaxation.  There are a dozen or so apps out there to help with meditation.  I downloaded one and used it once.  I know.  If I don't use it, how will I know if it works or not?

4.  Quiet.  The noises in your home or outside your windows could possibly keep you awake.  I have a white noise machine that prevents those noises from interfering with my sleep, and I do think it helps.

5.  Temperature.  It's difficult to sleep if you're too hot.  My husband turns the AC way down at night, so my room is always cool.

6.  Dark.  I used to like a nightlight on, and there was a time when I slept with the TV on every night, but as I've gotten older, I need a dark room to sleep well.  My daughter has used a sleep mask for years.

7.  Exercise.  Just don't exercise too late in the day.  Exercise gives you an initial burst of alertness and energy, but it also contributes to more restful sleep.  Kind of ironic.

8.  No naps.  Self-explanatory.  This one is sometimes difficult for me.

9.  Aromatherapy.  Lavender is said to induce relaxation, particularly when the essential oil is diffused into the room.  There is a variety of lavender products available:  lotions, bubble bath, body spray, pillow mist.  Other essential oils can aid in relaxation such as bergamot, chamomile, and cedarwood.

10. Melatonin supplements.  Melatonin is a hormone the body produces that helps control your sleep-wake cycle. These can be taken in tablet form, melts, or chewables.  

11. Reduce caffeine intake.  I try to limit myself to one soda's worth of caffeine a day, and I try not to have any past the afternoon.  I think it helps.

12. No eating or watching TV in bed.  Use the bed for sleep (and if this were a different kind of blog... well, you know.)

13. Medication.  According to drugs.com, there are about 74 medications that are used to aid with sleeping, some over-the-counter, some prescription.  The ones I know of are Ambien, Lunesta, Diphenhydramine, and Sonota, but clearly, I haven't experienced all of them.


I hope you get a good night's sleep tonight, but if you're awake and need something to do, visit Thursday Thirteen for more fun lists!

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Photo Wednesday

 Sunset/Moonrise

Both of these photos were taken at the same time on July 20.



Visit Image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday for more photos.

Randomly Happy

 Stacy hosts Random Tuesday Thoughts and Sandee hosts Happy Tuesday.  Give them a visit!

I can't believe another week has gone by.  Mom is assimilating at her new assisted living facility, and all would be well except we had another medical incident; this time, an abscess on the back of her neck.  We have no idea how it started, but it grew quickly.  She had it drained yesterday and will be on antibiotics for about ten days.  Praying it doesn't come back!  She is enjoying the activities and making new friends.


Her favorite activity is Bingo!  No surprise there!  When I picked her up from the hospital, she was disappointed she had missed it.

And speaking of the hospital, I wasn't allowed inside due to Covid, which was fine with me.  They had created a makeshift waiting room in a hallway between the 2 entrances.  I was also told that it's a good thing mom didn't have to stay because they actually have no beds available, and people are having to wait in the ER for a day or two until one opens up.  Crazy!  How are things where you are?

One of my Facebook groups was having a debate about whether or not it's polite to say "Ma'am" or "Sir."  It seems like people from many other countries find it rude or sarcastic.  Here in Texas, it's considered polite to address people as "Ma'am" and "Sir." What say you?

Now this...

As a cat mom, there is some truth in this cartoon.



This really cracked me up!


100% applies to me!




There is some truth in this.





And last, but not least...


Awwwww.
Have a great week!



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