My brother in law

 

Today, July 13, 2023, my brother-in-law Dewey, died in a Sacramento Hospital of lymphoma.

He graduated from UC Davis, but he liked being a farmer.

He enjoyed working in his orchard, growing walnuts and pecans. 

He loved his older brother Marvin, his sisters Mary and Bettie, his nephews and nieces

and his dogs.

I will miss his weekly phone calls

Asking me, how's the weather?

Telling me about his tomato crop

Always saying things were fine

(even when they weren't)

We always said I love you at the end of the calls.

Rest in peace, Dewey

I love you2

June Recap

Arboretum 

June has been a cool month with not a lot of sunshine, but very pleasant. I did some gardening, and planted tomatoes and peppers, and flowers. 

My friend N came to visit on June 11 and brought me a very nice pillow, then we had some delicious Pho.

 L and I went shopping for carpet and decided to get a room rug instead, we both like it a lot. And Lulu.

Our financial guy came by the house June 12,  and it was all good news :)

We had an evening stroll at the Fullerton Arboretum. It was very nice and the weather was great.

We went out to eat several times, and I ended the month by having a great lunch at Amor y Tacos. Probably one of the best meals I had lately.

Unfortunately, there's been many health problems in the family. My brother-in-law in Sweden had to go to hospital, and also my brother-in-law is in ICU. My sister-in-law also had to go to hospital but is now at home. My thoughts are with all of them and I hope and pray for a good recovery.

BOOKS I'VE READ IN JUNE

MOVIES I'VE WATCHED IN JUNE

The Month of May

 I didn't post in May because I was too busy preparing for our trip to Europe. Packing, having my hair done, getting euros etc.

We left on Saturday May 6,  from LAX to CDG. We stayed at the Mayfair Hotel, right in the heart of Paris. Lizzie wrote about the trip in her blog and she and Sandy posted lots of pictures on FB and IG. So I will just post a few. It was rainy in Paris a couple of the days we were there, but we had a fun time anyway (with some unwelcome health problems for me, plus I also had the beginning of a blister from walking more than I am used to, but it was fixed as soon as it started)

We left Paris May 10, from the Gare de Lyon, and took the speed train to Girona. Very nice trip. Sonia was waiting for us. We went to her house to meet Ninu the dog, went to the cemetery to remember my parents. Then to Hotel Planamar. Later we met the family at Llevant Restaurant, and it was loud and fun, meeting my sister Nuri and nieces.

                                                                   anchovies for dinner

With Nuri and tisana de Cava

We met again the next day for lunch, and later Sonia drove us to Barcelona (my birth place!)

We stayed at the Hotel Petit Boqueria Palace, right off the Ramblas and in the Barri Gotic. Great location. We walked all over el Barri Gotic and el Born.  We went to the Palau de la Musica Catalana, , Palace Guell, Tibidabo, Sagrada Familia, Paseo de Gracia, Boqueria, Museo Picasso, and much more, including the touristic bus. We ate and drank and just enjoyed all the time we spend in the city. Also Nuri and Sonia came June 15, and we went out to eat and walk around Plaza Real and had a good time.

                                                                     Los Caracoles

I also had a great lunch for Mother's Day: canalones, calamares a la romana and crema catalana, and a bottle of good Cava. Thanks, Lizzie and Sandy for a lovely day!

                                                                   Can Culleretas

And then, all good things come to an end. Sonia took us to the airport May 20, to go from Barcelona to Paris. I had a terrible time at the CDG airport, I hated the place! Maybe some other day I'll write the story.  We left on AF/Delta Economy Premium, which was Great!!! and we got back to the USA the night of May 20th.

Sandy left to Utah on Sunday and on Monday we went to pick up a very happy Lulu!

On Tuesday I felt ill, probably the flu, and spent the rest of the week in bed, not eating,coughing and with fever. I lost a few pounds and rested. I felt better the next week.

Lizzie went to San Diego on May 31st

It was a great trip!

I'll be back.....

April recap

 

 This month has been all about my upcoming trip back home, and also seeing Paris, with my daughters.

Spring in California is beautiful. The flowers and the trees are putting up a beautiful display of leaves and flowers. I love my garden. I'm asking my gardener to water my plants while I'm gone.

I have gone to my doctor and I seem to be doing fine :).The scars from my skin cancer are healing nicely. My blood pressure is good, my blood sugar is good, and I've even lost a couple of pounds. My feet are a bit of a problem, but went I when to my podiatrist on the 28th, and he said they were ready for walking :)

Here's my data for future reference: Wt 174lbs, blood sugar 101, blood pressure 127/64

Lizzie and I have gone out to eat a few times (Slapfish, La Huasteca, Reventaco etc) and I have cooked a bit too, mainly empanadas, croquetas, puff pastry things, spaghetti...

Lizzie spent the weekend of April 14 in San Diego. We didn' do much for Easter, had a Blue Apron meal. Norbert is back to calling daily.

I spent way too much time deciding what clothes, shoes, luggage  and so on to take on my trip, I keep on changing my mind. It seems it will be raining for the 3 days we spend in Paris. Quelle dommage! I'm borrowing a rain jacket from Sandy.

BOOKS I'VE READ IN APRIL

MOVIES I'VE WATCHED IN APRIL

Looking very much forward to my trip to Europe on Saturday :)

Next Recap I will write about our Trip to Paris and Barcelona !!!

March Recap

                                                      It seems to me like March just flew by. 

                                                               Spring flowers in my garden

The weather has been windy, rainy and cold. With lots of snow in the mountains.

1st WEEK : The month started with my kitchen sink not draining, had to have it fixed. 

 I had some lab work at Kaiser. Lizzie went to Santa Ana for a poetry reading. She started tennis and Yoga.

2nd WEEK:  Had 3 skin biopsies in Garden Grove, shoulder, hand and face. Then Greek  restaurant.

Kaiser called, need to have some b&s on my shoulder and hand.

3rd WEEK:  Watching the Oscars. Lots of rain. N came to fix my back gate. Black Bear dinner.

4th WEEK:  Tristan turned 25!!!! San Jose. First day of Spring, my birds  left the Bird Motel :)

I colored my hair.

Lulu had a haircut

5th WEEK: I have been doing puff pastry things :) Went to have my burn and scrape. Sore and headache.

MOVIES I WATCHED IN MARCH

BOOKS I READ IN MARCH

IT'S SPRING

The birds

I think because we had so much rain and it's been pretty cold, some birds have found a little haven in the awning by the dining room. Lizzie calls it our B&B for birds. We had one for a long time, but lately, there's been two of them, one next to the other. 

My neighbor Amy gave me a little birdhouse that we put outside and birds love it. We also put a bird feeder on the crepe myrtle tree and is fun to see all the birds eating and flying around. Even doves.

The birds are finches, the male has a red head and chest, and the female is just plain. At first I thought it was a sparrow, but now I'm sure our guests are female finches.

window feeder

                                                               B&B but hard to see

                                                                          tree feeder

I wonder if they'll still hang around when the weather is warmer.

February Recap

Rainy, cold month 

Carlos, the gardener, finished the front garden. It looks good. The red mulch makes the area look nice 

1st week -Moises came by to talk about taxes, got them done by Feb 13.

2nd week - Get my 5th Covid booster. Dr Chopra. Eat at The Gaucho Grill. Terrible earthquakes in Turkey.

3rd week - Superbowl KC 38-Eagles 35. Lizzie to poetry tertulia.

 To Dr Noda, refer to dermatology. Make palmiers. Feed the roses. Mia back at hospital.

4th week - Feb 19, would have been 58th anniversary. Norbert 67 birthday. La casa del cocinero.Windy, lots of rain, cold. L colonoscopy, took Lyft, VCA opens in LM. Lots of snow and rain. It snowed in Barcelona too!

BOOKS I'VE READ IN FEBRUARY

MOVIES I'VE WATCHED IN FEBRUARY

Some more snow