Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon
Raindrop spotted car windows
A cloud covered sky

When I went to the garage this morning, there was a small puddle in my driveway. I did not hear the rain or thunder, but it obviously rained last night. It also rained today because when I looked out the picture window, I saw raindrops striking my car. The only thing the rain did was leave my window spotted. Before I go anywhere tomorrow, I will have to wash my windshield.

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Humidity and Temperatures in Las Vegas

Humidity up
Temperatures below normal
Thunder echoing

White Clouds

White clouds decorate
The blue sky and promise rain
A beautiful day

Rehabilitation Exercises

Pain in my left heel
Burns like nails penetrating
Walking difficult

The problem is Plantar Fasciitis and rehabilitation exercises are required. In addition, I can no longer go walk barefoot through my house. I will miss going without shoes, especially the feel of tile on a winter morning.

Spaghetti instead of macaroni and Cheese

Today’s lesson is to make sure the box of spaghetti is not open before taking it out of the Tupperware container. I have a tall Tupperware container, which is missing a lid. The container will hold three unopened packages or boxes of spaghetti or macaroni. I set it on my kitchen counter with the packages I intend to use during the month.

This afternoon, I decided to make macaroni and cheese. However, someone (probably me) had opened the box of spaghetti and placed open side down in the container. I took the spaghetti box out first and naturally, its contents spilled all over the kitchen counter, so we are having spaghetti with sauce this afternoon instead of macaroni and cheese.

I do not remember opening the spaghetti and putting the open box in the container. Normally, when I open food, I fix it the same day. I did not check in the pantry to see if I have a can of spaghetti sauce, if I do not have the sauce then I will fix spaghetti and vegetables. I would prefer the sauce, but I work with what I have on hand and it is too late in the afternoon for me to go to the grocery store.

Spaghetti with sauce
Bring back childhood memories
Mama used to cook

I remember Mom making her own spaghetti sauce instead of opening a can. I wish I could find her recipe, I think I would like to attempt making the sauce myself. I check on the web for a recipe and next time I plan to have spaghetti, I will make the sauce myself.

It is Sunday and I Am Not Giving Up!

It is Sunday. I am on the verge of tears. Mom, because of Alzheimer’s disease, had a difficult morning. Mom had an angry morning. Mom had an “Oh, No!” morning. Mom had a “Crap!” morning. I am not quoting anything else she said, because I would be repeating myself several times over.

It is Sunday. Mom has taken all of her morning medication. I think I have taken all of mine. I put Mom’s medication into pillboxes according to the day, so I know she takes all of her meds. I found two more pillboxes, so I am putting my daily medication into those, that way I know if I took all of mine.

It is Sunday and Mom is taking a short nap. This gives me a chance to take care of some writing and other things. Mom does not like me to get out of her sight, she gets upset when she cannot see or hear me. Mom also gets angry with me, but she cannot help that. The Alzheimer’s disease causes mom’s emotional issues.

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that affects the entire family, but it is especially difficult on the caregiver. I am Mom’s caregiver. On Saturday and Sunday, she stays home all day. Monday through Friday, except holiday, she goes to an adult daycare center. Therefore, the only time I am sure I can get out of the house is the days Mom goes to the daycare center.

Writing about the way Alzheimer’s effects Mom helps. I still want to cry because I remember the wonderful and kind woman Mom was before the disease began to take it toll. I am not giving up, instead I will write about the woman my mother used to be; however, that is another post for another day.

An afternoon nap

Outside it was hot
A cool eight-two inside
I dozed on the couch

I turned on the television and sit down on the couch to eat a peanut butter sandwich. I ate my sandwich and then, as I was watching the History Channel I dozed off. I am not sure what show was on, I think something about an earthquake in the Midwest or Apocalypse Island. I cannot remember what I was watching when I dozed off.

Midweek reflections on research

I have to do some research on several items in the next couple of weeks. I need to upgrade my technology, so before I go laying out the money on a laptop I have to figure out what I want. I also have to figure out if I can afford what I want.

I also need to do a little bit of research on cell phones. I may not get a new cell phone before I get a computer, but I need to know what is out there. I may have to switch providers for a cheaper rate. I did not want to downgrade the phone, but if I have a choice between a cell phone and a laptop then I will choose a less expensive provider.

I have to have the drainpipe behind my washer raised to 42”, so that the washer can drain without overflowing the pipe. I have a high capacity washing machine and when it goes into the spin cycle, the water overflows into the wall between the kitchen and the living room. The water drains from the wall into the living room; fortunately, I do not have carpet in the living room. Perhaps I can use the research or the experience in a short story.

Writing about my next edition of the fantasy newsletter

I finished this week’s writing.com fantasy newsletter yesterday evening. My edition comes out this Wednesday, July 20. I am happy with this subject, but I think I want to do something a little different and more educational for the August newsletter.

I decided on the subject for the August newsletter yesterday. I set up the template I use to create the newsletter. Now all I need to do is some research on the subject. I will take some notes on the research and then write the letter from the editor.

After the letter is complete, I have to finds some stories or poems for the “Editor’s Picks”. Once I have found those, I finish August the newsletter and I can print a copy for proof reading before submitting. I find it is always wise to proof read a hardcopy before submitting it.

My mother sleeps with her shoes

My mother has Alzheimer’s disease. One of the things she does is to sleep with her shoes next to her pillow. I understand why she does it, she thinks someone will steal her shoes if she leaves them on the floor. At least, now she takes them off when she goes to bed.

For a while, Mom wore them when she went to bed. I had to wait until she went to sleep and then take them off. Mom usually remained asleep when I removed her shoes, but sometimes she woke up. Fortunately, she did not get angry; Mom just wanted me to put her shoes beside her pillow. Now she removes the shoes before she goes to sleep. Later this evening I will go in to make sure, she has not put her shoes back on her feet.

The title of this entry would make a good title for a poem. I am planning a free verse poem, but the form may change. Many of the things my Mother does end up in poems because writing poetry is good therapy. Poetry absorbs the emotions I feel, when I finish a poem it contains the emotions and expresses my thoughts.

Posting every other day

I have started posting every other day instead of everyday. The problem I am encountering is finding a subject. I down at the computer to compose a post and my mind goes blank. I do not have this issue with my writing.com blog; however, this month I am participating in a 30-day blogging challenge with a daily prompt.

Maybe a prompt would help me post to this blog. Sometimes writing everyday is difficult, so a prompt would help me write every day. Another thing that would help is finding some ads to write. It has been a while since I received a request to write an ad. I know that eventually I will find copy to write, but for now, I would just like to find something to write.

Maybe I need to take a different approach. Perhaps I am stuck in a negative mindset. Perhaps I cannot find anything because I am focusing on what I am not writing rather then what I am writing. I am not sure that makes sense, but that is the thought that just came to me.

I know I do not have writers’ block because I am writing. Perhaps I am stressing because I am not posting everyday. Posting every other day is accomplishing something. I will have to pray and think about this.

Sometimes I get frustrated I want to write a rant

Sometimes I get so frustrated that I want to sit down and write a rant. I want to rant about several issues. The biggest issue is a company transferring me from one department to another when attempting to resolve an issue over the phone. Next on the list is customer service placing me on hold, even when music plays while I am holding. All though given the choice between hearing music and hearing nothing, I prefer to hear the music because it assures me I am still on hold.

This morning, I spent 33.5 minutes on hold and in the process of transferring from one person to the next. Each time I reached a person I had to give them my information all over again. You would think that with all the technically I could give my information once and the company transfer it to the next department. Oh well, I suppose that is too much to ask.

The good thing about holding is listening to the music. The music is usually instrumental and pleasant. Occasionally I encounter a business that uses recording of singers singing, but not often. I think it would make the wait more tolerable if the instrumentals were interspaced is vocals. I also suspect that is too much to ask.

A two-week Poetic Exploration break

The Poetic Exploration Challenge on writing.com is taking a two-week summer break. The break begins today, July 10, and end son July 24, 2011. This doesn’t mean a break from writing or poetry. My muse will not let me take break. True, sometimes I encounter writer’s block, but that isn’t a break. For me writer’s block is stress. It causes stress and results from stress.

During this two-week break, I will continue the 30-blog challenge. I have responded to all the blog prompts and I submitted a blog prompt to the challenge. I am satisfied with my responses; I think that is all I can hope for right now. One or two of my responses I want to expand, but I will wait until the blog challenge is finished to do that.

Clouds in the afternoon sky

Will it rain today? I did not look at the news this morning, so I do not know the weather forecast. The clouds I see now could be rain clouds or they could be humidity. Yesterday, it attempted to rain in my neighborhood. a short shower, not enough water to leave puddles in my driveway.

When I saw the rain yesterday, I went out and rolled the window up in my car. The rain felt good. The rain was cool and reminded me of summer rain in Oklahoma. My neighborhood has not experienced rain yet today. Since I have not left the house today, the windows remain rolled up, so I do not have to worry about my seats getting wet.

I do not have a working air conditioner in my car; therefore, I drive with the window down. I know this is not a good idea, but without an air conditioner, it is the best solution. The biggest problem I have is when it rains while I am driving. If I ever get another car, it will have an air conditioner that works.

Gray afternoon clouds
Suggest thunder promise rain
No wind to speak of

A Long Hot Day In Las Vegas

The heat pump went out again, this time it was the capacitor. I spent the afternoon in a hot house waiting for a technician. I went to the bank this morning, so I did not have to spend the entire day in a hot house. I almost did not want to leave the bank, but I had to come home because I was expecting a technician. As a result, of my day in the heat, I am weary and tired.

Heat wears the soul out
Wears the body down waiting
I wish it would rain

The day goes writing

When I sit down to write, read and review then time grow wings and flies. I loose track of time and my schedule disintegrates, crumbles into a thousand tiny pieces. Perhaps I need a timer, so that I can set it for twenty-five or thirty minutes. When the timer goes off then I need to get up and do something else.

I still have much to do today. I have to sort cloths and get them ready to wash. I have to decide whether I am going to the laundromat on Thursday or Friday. I have to go online and pay some bills. I have to fix me something for lunch and do the dishes. I have to take the trash out to the garage.

Yes, I have a much more to do today then write. I have much more to do every day then write. Writing is the only thing I want to do; however, I have other thing to do. Therefore, I will post this entry and find me something for lunch.

Word by word I write
Describing my world my loves
And time flies away

Five days into the 30-day Blogging Challenge

It is five days into the 30-day blogging challenge on writing.com and I have managed to respond to all the prompts. Sometimes finding an approach to the prompt is difficult; however, it is rewarding to know I have completed my response.

When I began the challenge, I decided that I would review all the writing.com blogs, as well as comment on each of the entries. I have completed reviewing the blogs, so the only thing left is to post a comment after reading each entry. This is stretching me, getting me outside of my box. I still have a few entries to read today, which I will do later this evening.

I have found that I can only read so many entries before I get tired and have to rest my eyes. I probably need a new eyeglass prescription, but that will have to wait until the end of July or August. Getting away from the computer and doing housework helps rest my eyes. It also gives me a chance to contemplate my next writing project.

Please check out my writing.com blog More Snow Melt, and while you are there read some of the other writers.

Happy Birthday U.S.A.

It is the Fourth of July. It is Independence Day. It is the birthday of the United States of America. It is the day of parades and fireworks. It is the day of picnics and grilling.

Mom and I stayed home today. We did not eat a watermelon or grill any type of meat. If I had a grill then I would have grilled hot dogs or perhaps hamburgers. However, since I did not have a grill, I fried potatoes in the electric skillet.

The neighbors put their American flag out today. I look out my living room window and I watch the flag as it waves in a slight breeze. This morning there were clouds, but this afternoon the sky is clearing. The clouds are moving west toward the mountains. The sun is shining and it illumines the flag flying across the street.

Tonight, I will go outside and see the fireworks that the hotel-casinos set off. I may turn on the television for Mom if she does not go to bed early. It is difficult for Mom to stand outside and watch the fireworks. She does have a wheelchair, but she does not like to get out of the house. In fact, Mom usually likes to go to bed early. I think I will write a poem about the Fourth of July tonight.

Sunday Writing

It is Sunday, July 03, 2011; I have completed today’s response to the 30-Day blog Challenge and this week’s entry in the Poetic Exploration Challenge. I completed them both today, so in the coming week I have only one challenge to worry about and some rewriting to accomplish. I also hope to find some blog ads to write during the week.

It has been a busy Sunday I am weary not tired. There difference between being weary and tired. I need to write a poem or story about the difference. At this point, I am having difficulty completing this entry. I think it is because of the other writing I did today.

I think I will get away from the computer for a while and watch the Twilight Zone on the science fiction channel. I hope everyone has a happy Sunday.

A Treasured Moment

Sometimes you are aware of a special memory’s creation. This happened to me this evening as I set on the couch with my Mother. Mom sat next to me as we watched The Lawrence Welk Show on Channel 10 in Las Vegas. I glanced at Mom and knew this was a memory I would treasure the rest of my life.

Treasured memories
Sitting next to my mother
Watching the Lawrence Welk Show

Mom always enjoys this show. My grandmother always enjoyed watching Lawrence Welk. Grandma would never miss a show. It has been a while since Mom sit watching the show with me, but this evening she did. It was a good evening; it brought back pleasant memories and created another. I will write this moment about, perhaps a longer poem then the one in this entry.

Day 1 of 30-Day Blogging Challenge on writing.com

Today is the first day of the 30-day blogging challenge on writing.com. The idea is to write a blog entry responding to a prompt. The prompt for today is “We are now in the mid year of 2011. Look back from the start of this year to present and share your glory days.” The individual responds to the prompt, post the response in her or his writing.com blog, and then goes to the 30-day blogging challenge forum and post the title of the response.

I posted my response before 6:00 AM today. The next thing I need to do is to read the responses of the other participants. After I read an entry then I leave a comment in the blog. I enjoy the blogging challenge because it gives me a chance to expand my creativity and learn something about the other members of writing.com. My writing.com blog is More Snow Melt.