More Bloomin' Cacti

As we wander around Valle del Oro, we are seeing more and more cacti in bloom. This Barrel Cactus is one of two in our next door neighbor's front yard. The dark spiky things are last year's blooms/fruits. The whitish lumps with brownish spikes are actually buds for this year's blooms. And, of course, the yellow flowers -- that almost look fake! -- are the blooms that are open so far.

This is the other Barrel Cactus in their yard. The buds seem to be a little bit fatter and further along. I'll try to remember to get another picture in a few days...

It was an absolutely lovely morning this morning. I took my cup of coffee, my iPad and today's copy of the Arizona Republic that had been tossed in front of Auntie Violet, and sat outside enjoying the sunshine and the bird songs.

Our neighbor across the street was pacing back and forth while he was waiting for his buddies to pick him up for a golf game. While he waited, he raked his side yard, moved his and his wife's bicycles so that they were lined up together, then wiped down the hand rail on his porch. Finally, he chatted with me a bit until his buddies finally showed up. He is from Ohio. They are planning to leave on the 10th and head home via San Antonio and Atlanta! Guess we're not the only ones planning a direct route home.

Cold and Wet

It rained off and on all night and today the clouds hung low and grey and heavy, though we only got a few drops of rain. It was one of those days that just saps all your energy.

I fixed poached eggs and toast for breakfast (served with orange juice and coffee), then made a batch of hard-boiled eggs in Sister Sherry's egg poacher. I had been hungry for deviled eggs and though I made a batch for the Block Party a couple of weeks ago, I only got to eat one -- and by the time we came through the line, it was the last one left!

So today I made another batch and that's what we had for supper. That's about as ambitious as I got today. I read the newspapers, played some Words with Friends, and read a couple of mysteries on my iPad. We thought about going for a bike/trike ride this afternoon, but it seemed like too much effort to get bundled up and go outside.

The weather forecasts seem to all agree that it will warm up and be nice again tomorrow. I have been feeling a bit sorry for the couple who were sitting by us at the ballgame yesterday. They had made reservations a couple of months ago to come to Phoenix for a sunny weekend break. She said she had really been looking forward to some chaise lounge time by the motel pool...

Almost Over...

It's hard to believe that 2012 is almost over. As I listened to the news and the weather reports this evening, I began to think that many on the East Coast will probably be very glad to see the end of it! Once again, people were attempting to keep their houses and basements from flooding. Once again, they are dealing with downed power lines and cold, cold houses. They've had to deal with hurricanes and nor'easters, tornadoes and blizzards this year. Enough, already!

I was whining a bit this morning because it was overcast and chilly (50 degrees) here in Mesa. Big deal! We got a few - very few - drops of rain, then it all cleared up. Actually been quite pleasant here this winter.

I did some laundry today and read a couple more books on my new iPad. Forry drove over to Camping World to pick up a little ice maker that was advertised in their flyer which came in our box of snail mail yesterday. Unfortunately, they were all out. They gave him a rain check that's good for a month in case they might get some more in.

I did take a look at the web-site for OdysseyO, the horse performance that is going on in Scottsdale over the holidays. We had talked about getting tickets with Juni and Tom, but after I looked at the ticket prices - even for weekdays - we decided we really didn't want to go that bad! Even tickets for Seniors were over $150 each.

The Day After...

The day after Christmas is always such a funny day. It's sort of a let-down after all of the excitement and hype around Christmas. My late Sister-in-law Pearl's birthday was the 26th of December. We tried a couple of times to have a special celebration of her birthday, but it never seemed to quite gel.

My Sister Roxy's birthday is the 15th and our Daughter Dawn's is the 16th. Because they are before Christmas, it's easier to celebrate their birthdays. As a kid I was always a bit jealous of Roxy's big birthday presents as the folks often combined her birthday and Christmas presents in one. I discovered later in life that she often felt cheated as she only got one present - albeit a big one - instead of separate birthday and Christmas ones...

Today was a quiet day for us. I was in bed last night and asleep before ten PM, but I slept around the clock! I had gotten up once very early to visit the bathroom, but went right back to sleep. I can't believe I was that tired! My knees are still excruciatingly sore, so I have not been doing much moving around.

Forry got me an iPad for Christmas and I have been playing with all of the things that it can do. I've started playing "Words With Friends" which I am really enjoying. I had tried it before on my iPhone and didn't like it at all. The game on the iPad is big enough to easily see and I'm finding it much more fun. I've also been reading more books on the iPad than on my Kindle. It's a bit lighter and easier to use.

I did spend a little time on the computer this afternoon, getting some bookwork done and ordering some medications. We mostly ate leftovers today. We had pie for breakfast, then the last of the crab cocktail, and then ham sandwiches for supper. It was a good day.