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| Pom Pom Chrysanthemums at the Japanese Garden |
Thank you, everyone, for your very kind comments about my visit to the botanical gardens. Visiting a public garden had been on my Fall/Autumn Joyful Activities List and I am so happy that I was able to do so on my birthday, thanks to my gardener friend M who gifted me with the tickets. He had been very keen for me to visit the Descanso Botanical Gardens for years, but, I wasn't ready to go until now. It was a very big deal for me, especially since I generally tend to stay home.
I needed to take it easy for the rest of the week because I was quite tired after that outing! First, my left knee complained about the walking (the fact that I had dropped a large glass jar on my left foot a day or two prior to the trip and bruised my second toe didn't help). Then, my hips protested for a couple of days.
On Wednesday, M came to tend to the garden and I was able to show him some of the pictures I took at the Gardens and thanked him again for the tickets. He brought several bags of potting soil I had requested him to buy for me and we planted some herbs and cool weather vegetables such as celery, kale, and carrots. Later on Wednesday, I had a chat with my friend from university days. and, afterwards, I went to the pharmacy to pick up some medication refills. We had leftover egg salad sandwiches for brunch and leftover Thai food for dinner. We applied the vet prescribed flea treatment to Dancer and he seemed to tolerate it.
On Thursday, I had a follow up appointment with the dermatologist. It rained just a little bit on my way to the dermatologist's and it rained again on my way back. I stopped for gas on my way home; gas has gone up, again ($4.69/gal. at the cheapest station in my neighborhood). Later in the night, it started to rain in earnest - mostly light showers in my area, but, it rained throughout the night. I was happy we were getting some rain because the garden really needed it.
On Friday, it rained all day and all night! Once again, mostly light rain in my area, but, every now and then, it rained more heavily. The garden received a good watering. I didn't expect M to tend to the garden on Friday, but, he still showed up, moved some of the potted plants out from under the awning in the back and set them out to get watered by the rain, checked on the garden, and left early because I told him to go home. I didn't want him working in the rain.
Saturday was another rainy day! Daughter vacuumed most of the house and I vacuumed my bedroom. Then, I started on the laundry - my daughter's bed sheets and quilts, the sofa dust sheets, and our clothes, etc. There's extra laundry getting done because Dancer is still battling the fleas. I've been flea combing him, daily, too, and sometimes, twice daily. I think we are making some progress, but, it's an on-going battle.
The rain paused for the day on Sunday. Daughter helped me order some groceries and I picked up the items in the early evening (I will do a separate post about the groceries). Afterwards, I drove over to friend R's apartment to hand over a package she had ordered (she gets them delivered to my address because I'm home to receive them).
Daughter tried a new recipe and baked some scones made with olive oil instead of butter and we both enjoyed the scones with butter and jam or cream cheese and jam.
We are supposed to get more rain on Monday. We need all the rain we can get, but, there have been floods and mudslides in certain areas.
As this week ends and another one begins, I am grateful for:
- Living to be 70
- M's gift of tickets to the botanical garden
- A lovely day at the botanical garden
- M's gift of tickets to the botanical garden
- A lovely day at the botanical garden
- Access to medical appointments and prescriptions
- The rain we've received
- The rain we've received
My joyful activities have included a visit to the botanical gardens, planting cool weather plants in my own garden, knitting, and spending time with my daughter.
How was your week and weekend? What are your plans for Monday?
You've been to the beach and the botanical gardens. What's your next big outing?
ReplyDeleteNothing more has been planned for the rest of this year, June. But, I will plan a return visit to the botanical garden in the spring. It will be something to look forward to. :)
DeleteWet weekend here, but joy at being still here to appreciate life in our 70s.
ReplyDeleteSounds like we are both having similar weather in our different parts of the world, Angela. It's a very wet day here and I'm humming the song, "Rainy Days and Mondays" by The Carpenters! :D
DeleteThose pink Pom Pom Chrysanthemums are very pretty. I was thinking that a walker would have been ideal for touring a huge garden environment, because it is easier to walk with support and also it is possible to put brakes on and turn one around to sit on it for a rest. Wouldn't it be nice if they provided a few for seniors to use?
ReplyDeleteThey are very pretty, aren't they? One could borrow a wheel chair from the Visitor Center, free of charge, on a first come, first serve basis. But, I didn't want my daughter to have to push me around (only a few main paths were paved). I didn't see any walkers available to borrow, though.
DeleteYou sure have been getting a lot of rain. I'm sure your garden is very happy right now. I'm sorry to hear your knee and hip gave you a hard time after the daytrip to the botanical gardens. I hope you are feeling better now. Have a great week and try to stay dry. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, we are getting a lot of rain! In fact, it is raining today, too! And more rain in the forecast! The garden (and the weeds) are going to thrive! My aches and pains are much better, today, thank you. I'm not very physically fit these days, but, I'm going to work on it!
DeleteIt sounds like you've had a good weekend, busy after walking so much at the garden, but worth it! The garden is impressive and if I'm ev
ReplyDeleteI did have a good weekend, Celie, and got a few things done. It's always good to pace myself, but, sometimes, I tend to get carried away and overdo things!
DeleteOops, I hit publish mid sentence!! Clumsy fingers! I was just adding that I'd live to visit the garden if I ever get out to LA! Those chrysanthemums are pretty.
ReplyDeleteI've done that so many times! Hit publish before I had finished writing! This botanical garden is well worth a visit if you ever come down to LA. And the Huntington Gardens and Library is worth a visit, too. :)
DeleteI saw you were getting some rain in southern California and was happy for you.
ReplyDeleteGlad you took it easy to recover from your outing. Sometimes it's good to relax a bit.
How are you doing with the rash? I hope it is much improved.
We are getting even more rain, today, and there's more in the forecast for the rest of the week, too! Every drop helps, of course.
DeleteThe rash is much improved, Debra; it has responded very well to the medicated creams I was given. It is definitely stress related as I found myself stressed about Dancer's fleas and found myself getting a new rash! However, I had the creams on hand to apply right away, so, "nipped it in the bud" so to speak. :)
The garden will be glad of the rain, but the threat of mudslides must be a constant worry.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything went well for you at the dermatologist. X
The garden will thrive with all the recent rains! People living in mudslide prone areas have been issued an evacuation warning; fortunately, I'm not in such an area, so I don't worry too much about mudslides. I do worry about the big eucalyptus tree in my front garden as they tend to have shallow roots and I don't want it toppling over!
DeleteThe dermatologist appointment went well, thank you.