Second Bloom

The first time this cactus flower bloomed I shot it straight on and people seemed to really like it.  It bloomed again today and was just as spectacular as the first.  There are, amazingly, two more buds of different sizes still on this very small cactus so I will have to continue to be creative in my presentation.  I wish they would all bloom on Fridays!

Very busy day.  It began with taking mom for a blood test.  It was a fasting test and the appointment was at 11:00.  When they called her she stumbled and people were able to catch her before she fell.  When I got her home I immediately gave her some OJ (I knew it was a combination of dehydration and low blood sugar) and made her scrambled eggs, ham and toast.  She felt much better after that. 

I met up with my former Democratic women's club Board of Directors.  Today was an anniversary of sorts.  It was five years ago this month that we had to dissolve the organization.  We have gotten together every month since then.  It was also a sad gathering because Denise, the youngest of the group (2 yrs my junior) is moving to Oregon.   So, we started as seven.  One already moved to Washington state, one is in a memory care facility and now D.  Two other members of the group are over 80 with questionable memories so I don't know how much longer we'll survive as a tight knit group of old friends.

It was a sensational clear day.  Warm (mid-80's) with a hint of a breeze. I stopped for lunch, then had the car washed.  The nice thing about the new color is that you can't really tell how much dust is covering it...until a few raindrops fall.

I came home and worked outside like a little beaver, scrubbing the seed feeder, all three water dishes, watering my baby plants and generally working up quite a sweat in that sun. But the air was so fresh that I didn't cough or sneeze at all.

The strangest thing happened while mom and I were sitting on the patio later. I  put peanuts on the wall because there was no wind. Suddenly a humongous raven landed on the wall and tried to pick up a peanut.  Then his buddy joined him, picked up two and they both took off, peanuts in bills.  Then one piggy raven came back for more.  We couldn't believe our eyes.

I fixed mom a bite then continued my sweat quest by sweeping out the front entrance and garage.  That was it.  I told mom I was cooked and she could stick a fork in me.  I took a nice, cool shower and put my PJ's on.  I wasn't going anyplace after that.  It gets to be around 10 pm and I tell her I'm going to bed, just so I can to some photo processing and posting.  Most people her age in Green Valley are in bed by 8:30.  If she had her way, it would be midnight every night.  Midnight here now so time to find a funny then get some Zzzzs.

Found one:
A man in Scotland calls his son in London the day before Christmas Eve and says,“ I hate to ruin your day but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.”  'Dad, what are you talking about?' the son screams. “We can't stand the sight of each other any longer” the father says. “We're sick of each other and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Leeds and tell her.” Frantically, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. “Like hell they're getting divorced!” she shouts, “I'll take care of this!” She calls Scotland immediately, and screams at her father “You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” and hangs up.
The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. 'Sorted! They're coming for Christmas - and they're paying their own way.'