Day 809

I wonder how poppies got their names? I think it might be because the pods are closed one day and it seems like just the next day they've started to pop.

The plain red poppies are popping out. I went with two views of the same one. A regular view and a very close up view.

Day 808

What does Alejandra's call the meal that includes two tacos, two enchiladas, two chile rellenos, a tostada, a tamale, a zope, beans, and rice? They call it Happy Family.

I call it Too Much Food for Two People.

Can you believe all of it only cost $14.99?

Day 807

Recently I was thinking about stopping my blog at Day 1000. I was getting tired, I felt like my pictures were getting old, my writing getting stale, my life getting boring.

But then this lung thing happened. And then I realized how much of a gift this blog has been to me. Only by looking back on my last 800 days can I truly appreciate my life. While appreciating what I've done is great and all, I'm not done living. I want to live and I want it to be big.

I know sitting with my feet up might not seem like it would contribute to living big, but knowing they're up while I'm sitting through my infusion makes it so.

Day 806

As I sit here typing in my recliner with my feet up, a thought occurs to me. Is there anything cuter or more peaceful than a sleeping baby?

Yep. A sleeping cat that keeps changing positions every few minutes or so.

Day 805

It could be one of those how many _______ does it take to change a lightbulb? kind of jokes. But it's my life and it's not funny. But it was a hoop I had to jump through to get the insurance to pay for oxygen.

How many wires attached to Deb's head, all night long, does it take to determine her breathing patterns?

A lot.

Day 804

While my pictures are changing every day, there is one scene that reappears every single day. And not just once. Dozens of times.

Here's how it works...
I'm sitting somewhere - at my desk, my chair, or maybe my dining room table. Minding my business, doing my thing. At some point I need something from another room. Maybe a folder, a glass of water, maybe I need to go to the bathroom. I jump up, feeling great (still no pain), and head to where ever that other thing might be. Once I get to that other room is when it happens. The same conversation with myself. (FYI- the H-H-H in the conversation is me panting and gasping for air.)

Oh my H-H-H goodness H-H-H why H-H-H can't I H-H-H remember H-H-H to H-H-H move H-H-H slowly H-H-H?

Every single time.

The doctor told me to do everything very, very slowly. But geez whiz, I feel great and I want to move. So I keep forgetting. Again and again and again. Guess I'm going to have to take my time if I'm wanting to live deliberately to suck all the marrow out of life.

But I'll be letting someone else worry about the bulbs, strawberries, daisies, and peonies. Just today I sent out the all-call for folks from work to come and dig what they want out of my garden. I gotta keep a few of my peonies, but there are plenty to go around.

Day 803

I am so embarrassed about my rose garden. My untended, neglected, sorry-looking rose garden. The poor thing. The only time I stepped into the garden this year was to count rose bushes that needed to be dug up because of the too-cold winter temperatures.

Until today. I first took this picture. Embarrassing.

But thanks to my daughter and her boyfriend it looked like this by day's end. Not embarrassing.

The pile of rosebushes and weeds, stuffed in boxes and bags and trash cans. 16 rosebushes had to be dug out in all. Sad.

Then tonight, something sort of embarrassing. An award for me at the school board meeting. It's nice to hear nice things said about you. It was also nice to have hubby and daughter and her boyfriend along for the presentation. My boss took a picture and told me it could be the picture for the blog. Me, in a picture?

Nah, don't think so. But thanks to everyone I work with for making me feel so appreciated!