Favorites for July

It has been awhile since a 'favorites post' so here we go. Some of my favorites this month:

Of course my most favorite thing of the month has been Charlie:

This little guy (and he is little, only weighs 6 pounds and stands about 7 inches from floor to top of his back) He is such a sweet and good doggie. He likes to sleep with me but isn't really much of a lap sitter.

My favorite pet products for the month is this little car seat. I got it off Amazon at Devoted Doggy. Bailey was able to sit on my lap and see out the window, but Charlie is just too little. And this, not only lifts him up, but keeps him safe with a strap that keeps him safely in place. The lining can be taken out and washed too. Another plus. So far we have only gone on a couple of rides but he seems to like it. 

When I lost Bailey at the beginning of the month Paige made me my very own Build-A-Bear to snuggle. I have loved it. I can press it's little paw and get this message in her voice:
"I love you granny. Have a nice day"

There is nothing like a cool, blue drink to freshen up your summer, is there? This brings back memories of a favorite club Richard and I used to hang out in back in the 80's called The Islander Club. The drink is a Blue Hawaiian and here are the ingredients:

• 1 ounce Blue Curacao
• 1 ounce white rum
• 3 ounces pineapple juice
• 1 ounce sweetened coconut cream

You can add ice and blend it in the blender for a frozen delight! 

A new breakfast favorite this month has been sauteed zucchini and cherry tomatoes. I have this several times a week with toast. Wish I was still growing my own zucchini! 

What is your favorite summer foods?

My most used essential oil this month has been Frankincense. I had gout starting in my big toe again and I really, really wanted to head that off. So I studied up and found that if Frank is rubbed topically on the toe and you drink plenty of cherry juice you would help. I tried it and 'viola' it helped. A little soreness still there but nothing like I have had in the past. Frankincense oil comes from the resin of the Boswellia Tree.

Bet you didn't know that, did you? It is known to relieve inflammation and can also be used for minor skin ailments like wrinkles, acne and dry skin. It once was burned during  funeral preparations (long, long ago)to decrease the odors of decay. We have probably all heard of Frankincense and Myrrh from the Bible, haven't we? I am a new 'oiler' so this is part of my education. Ha! Ha! Cherry juice is known to help reduce uric acid which is what causes gout when it builds up in your body. 

My favorite body scrub and loofah this summer comes from Grove Collaborative. I order from them about every three months so I can replace my loofah that often. And since it is only me here my body wash will last that long too. They have several kinds but this has been my favorite for summer. The fragrance is citrus and ginger. Nice!! And the loofah is made from recycled plastic if you are into that. I love Grove Collaborative. 

I think that is about it for the month. What have been some of your favorites for July! Care to Share. 

Currently.....

Outside my window...

We are getting a break from the heat. Today is currently 86* with little humidity. We are supposed to be only in the upper 80's the rest of this week. And even though we had so much rain in the spring, we are really needing some rain now. My grass is starting to get brown in spots. We've been a bit on the windy side. They have scheduled spraying for mosquitoes from a low-flying airplane and have had to cancel the last 4 nights because of wind speeds being too high. The mosquitoes here are bad because of the all the rain. How are they in your neck of the woods?


Good News...

Look at my new roomie. His name is Charlie Jaxon. I got him from a rescue and he came to live with me yesterday. We are still getting acquainted but I will admit he has already stolen my heart. Here is a bit of his story....he was found about 6 weeks ago, in a carrier, left on the side of the road. He wasn't in the best of health when found. They thought he might have testicular cancer because of the size of his testicles. And he had elevated liver enzymes. He is on medication for the liver problem and we do not yet know if that will continue for the rest of his life. He takes it really well. He was neutered last Monday and a tumor was found but the vet thinks he is cancer-free. They think he is somewhere between 7-8 years old. I wrestled with the desire to adopt him or not because of his health problems and the fact I had just lost Bailey and was a bit devastated by that. But once I heard his story, how could I say no. He is here to stay. And to be treated like a Prince!!


Watching...

I haven't really been watching anything special this summer. The news has not been great. Donald Trump continues to act like an ass. I am sure he is wanting to deflect as much attention away from something that makes him look bad. Which is how he looks every time he opens his mouth. In my opinion. 


Reading...

I just finished a really good book. I read/listened to it. It was free from my Kindle Unlimited app. The book is Winter Loon by Susan Bernhard. It is her first book. The writing is amazing. So much imagery. The story is about a young boy who lives with his mom and dad and they sound like a very dysfunctional family. Then he watches as his mother falls through the ice of a lake and dies. His father leaves him with his maternal grandparents. He learns much about her life he did not know. When his dad never returns to get him he sets out to find him. Very hauntingly beautiful book. I hope she will write many more. 


Learning...

All of my learning has been centered around Charlie and his needs. 


Planning....

I am planning to purchase some doggie steps so this little guy can get up on the couch. He is smaller in height than Bailey was and just cannot jump up that far. Do any of you who have little doggies have any suggestions for me? He weighs about 6.5 pounds. Very small. 


Drinking....

Have you ever tried a Henry's? It is a HARD sparkling water. Zero sugar. Comes in flavors like Blueberry Lemon, Strawberry Kiwi, Lemon-Lime. I find it refreshing. Tastes beer-like to me. 





A quote to share...

A final thought...

I don't have much to say this week but I am trying to keep my writing alive. Be kind to each other. Kindness is free. Give it away!!

Richard's Refrigerator Pickles

Summertime always brought out the refrigerator pickles. Richard made a gallon of these every summer. We kept them until the next summer when a fresh batch took up residence. One of the main reasons he grew cucumbers in our garden was to make these pickles. I will share his recipe:

Refrigerator Pickles

3 cups sugar

3 cups white vinegar

1/3 cup salt
1 T. mustard seed 

1 T. celery seed

1 t. turmeric

1 gallon sliced cucumbers

1 large onion

Place cucumbers and onions in layers in large gallon jug. Mix remainder of ingredients together and pour over the cucumbers. Place in refrigerator, turning jar frequently, for at least 48 hours before eating. These are so good. 

I Am Still Dreaming at 68!

When I was a younger person I used to dream about my future life. Don't we all do that? My mom used to tell me to quit wishing my life away and it turns out she was right. Aren't moms always right?? Anyhow when I was young this is what I dreamed.

I dreamed there would be that handsome prince who whisked me away on that big, striking horse. The horse was always white with the longest and fluffiest of tales. And the prince always resembled Elvis in some manner. That is just how I rolled back then. A handsome man with the darkest and slickest of hair. One who was gentle and loving and could sing to me. Ha! Ha! Sounds somewhat silly now, doesn't it? As I grew older I began to realize, as most of us do, that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. My first husband was tall and handsome. But now if you saw him you would think: What was she thinking?? I think that too. He did not age well. And he didn't turn out to be much of a prince either. But my second (and last) husband was shorter than me. He had a belly and was mostly bald. But he was the kindest and most gentle man I ever met. Truly, he was my prince. 

Now back to my dreaming....I dreamed of the perfect little family. Two kids and a dog. There would be a boy and girl. Boy first. Because boys always protect their little sisters. Right? And the perfect little house. More like a cottage really. With the white picket fence. OF COURSE. 

Now back to reality...I never really had that cottage with the picket fence. I would still like to have one. As I go about down-sizing I am keeping my eye open for the perfect cottage. I want it to be SMALL. Like maybe less than 1000 square feet. There is only me after all. But it has to have a yard. Not a big yard mind you. I can happily sell the lawn tractor. A little flower/herb garden is a must. Although, I don't have either right now.

I did have my two kids. They are both boys. There was a baby girl in between who was stillborn. They are not perfect kids. Nothing like in my dreams. Is there any such thing as perfect kids? No where in my dreams did I even seen grand kids. Just not something a young girl dreams about.

What I have noticed about young people today (some, not all) is their dreams are much richer. They want everything NOW that took their parents all their life to achieve. They want that big house, all new furniture, the nicest cars. But they don't want to work 9-5, 5 days a week. And horrors if that work week  includes weekends or holidays. Are you crazy? I need time off to spend with my friends!! 

Now, for what I have learned. It's okay to dream. But I have learned to love imperfection. You will fail if you expect perfection. Right? I am learning to not beat myself up for mistakes, failure, or fatigue. I am still planning for my future. But I am going to remember the Yiddish saying:

Currently.....

Outside my window...

Blue skies and a bright, hot sun. We are having summer in Kansas. It is hot and humid. Today will be in the upper 90's. The A/C is running and so is the electric meter. If you know what I mean. 


Pondering..

I've been pondering getting another dog companion. My little Yorkie, Beetle Bailey died a week ago. My heart is broken. I am one of those people who never really understood how people could become so attached to a dog. Ha! Ha! That little guy stole my heart and he took a big chunk with him when he left me. He was only sick a couple of days and I really thought he would get better. But, alas, he did not. He was 13 1/2 years old and I guess just ready to go see if he could find my brother Fred (his first owner) and romp with him in the clouds. Enjoy a few pics of him.

Watching...

I have been watching a lot of You Tube videos and some of my favorites on TV like: Naked and Afraid, 90 Day Fiance and the news. The news is so depressing to know there is so much evidence against Trump and no one seems to care. What the hell happened to America??

Reading...

 I have been reading/listening to a new 2-book series by Gregg Olsen. The first book is The Sound of Rain and the one I am currently on is called The Weight of Evidence. The books are about a female police detective who has a gambling addiction. Very good, suspense-filled books. Both free to read/listen on my Kindle Unlimited membership.  

 
Planning....

Nothing really in the planning area. I haven't used my Bullet Journal since January, so I need to get back into that. I miss it but I just don't have the desire to pick it up right now. You ever feel that way. 


Loving...

It is salad season and that is my favorite thing to eat. Right now I am very much enjoying this Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad from Life In The Lofthouse. I love everything she makes.

 

Drinking....

I'm also loving iced coffee this summer. I make it from this: It is a concentrate. So I use a cup of the concentrate, a cup of 2% milk and a 1/4 cup of French Vanilla Cream. Tastes so good!! 








A quote to share...

A final thought...

I have really missed all of you. Maybe I will be better about writing here and catching up with everything that is going on in your lives. I have had to moderate my comments because I have had some very ugly comments left by people who do not like my speaking out about Trump. I won't change how I feel about him. If you feel like it is directed towards you when I type my feeling then that says more about you than it does about me. We can support different candidates and still be friends, but if you sink to Trump's level when you comment then your comment won't be allowed on my blog. Hope everyone is having a great summer.