So Hot, Trying to Keep Cool and Carry On

Hi friends,

It's been incredibly hot here. Yesterday on the news they said it was the hottest day of the summer so far. But I went out yesterday (Wednesday) and today (Thursday) and I think today may have been even hotter.

When I went out to appointments and errands, I was so concerned about a homeless man in a wheelchair and a little pup on the patio of a restaurant I had to stop and make sure they both had water.

I know the man had been drinking beer as I passed him in the morning. I asked him to please try to refrain from drinking beer otherwise  they won't let him stay at the shelter where I learned he will have a bed for the night for the next two weeks. I gave him a bottle of water and a small bit of money (not enough to buy booze) and kept encouraging him to drink water. I sat and chatted with him a bit and grew even more concerned when I realized that he is a schizophrenic and also suffers from depression but hasn't been on his medications for a few weeks. I know he just got out of hospital and I'm surprised they let him go like that since he is also old. Thankfully he told me that the shelter where he will sleep for two weeks is going to help him get into an apartment.  He also had several bags on his wheelchair which I noticed had some food in it so at least he isn't hungry.  What I was most concerned about was sitting outside all day long in the heat and not having any H20.

Completed book #41 of 42

As for the cute little puppy, her owner's friend told me the little doggie had a big bowl of water just before I dropped by. The little dog was absolutely sweet and so friendly which I find is often not the case with the small lapdogs. I wanted to pick her up and bring her home. I didn't get a photo though as my camera battery was already kaput for the day and I had to get home to charge it up.

Book #42 of 42 in progress

Waiting for book #43

When I got home I put a wet washcloth in the freezer, got on some more comfortable clothing and took a little rest with the fans going before I got up to put together a salad, sweet potato and some of the BBQ chicken I had prepared last weekend. I'm so glad I did the batch cooking because it means I don't have to put on the oven or use my pressure cooker during this heat. The heat makes me lethargic and cooking is the last thing I want to do in the intense heat.  We are supposed to get some rain on the weekend right in time for my niece's visit. I hope it does rain because we really need it.  My niece and I can use those times to get cosy and watch movies. She loves nothing better than a funny or scary movie (think the Hobbit movies) and a big bag of popcorn.


I finished the book about Denys Finch Hatton. I have to say I quite enjoyed it and am amazed at what the author was able to research and put together since there are no remaining relatives of Finch Hatton and very little exists of him in history books.  I picked up another book  I'd placed on hold about Prince by his ex-wife Mayte Garcia.  I am waiting for a book called The Bookshop.  This one came on recommendation from one of the many blogs I read though now I cannot remember which one. If you happen to be reading this post, let me know it was you (please).

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If you read my last post here

you will know I've been doing some batch cooking and want to continue.

Since then I've ordered some proper containers from Amazon and

they arrived today.

 

There were 20 containers in the package. I think that will be enough.

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The heat of the last few days has taken it's toll on my little garden.

I'm hoping I can keep it going another few weeks. The forecasted rain this weekend would help a lot but last weekend rain was in the forecast and it never arrived.

I was happy to see the Black-eyed Susan flowers bloom. For awhile I wasn't sure they were going to bloom this year but they did come about just over a week or two ago.  They are not quite as healthy looking or as plentiful as in previous years.

The strawberries are nice and juicy but I only have one pot so not much of a harvest but I'm enjoying them.  Seeing strawberries growing "in the yard" brings back happy childhood memories of finding the odd strawberry when playing with siblings.  Those were in the days when we were not able to buy strawberries so readily in the supermarket.

The other morning I went out to take a photo of the sunrise. 

I was a bit late as the sun was already up.

Imagine my surprise when I captured this

 drone hovering a few feet from me. 

I hope I don't appear in the "movie" as I wasn't dressed for my cameo role, lol.

A shot of the garden after watering. I hose down the patio floor to cool it off.

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 Keep well everyone.

Enjoy the weekend ahead where ever you may be.

I'm joining in with

Skywatch Friday

and

Friday Foto Friends

A Little of This and That

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

This is just a brief update as I'm not yet back to regular blogging.

We've been having a mini heat wave here so my on-going task is to stay cool.

I had unexpected oral surgery a few days ago and am now in the process of healing. In a few weeks I'll get the stitches out. I hope just in time for my delayed hygiene appointment. As always it's been a process of dealing with insurance pre-approvals and claims as well as dentist schedules. So far so good but it keeps one busy.  The surgery itself went well but the dentist really worked hard and I worried I would feel the pain later. I didn't. So that is a good thing. Next step will be a crown but that will have to wait until 2019. In the meantime I'll get some other temporary work done to preserve the tooth.

Some of you remember I purchased a new washer-dryer just over a month ago. Well a few weeks later my new dryer had a malfunction with the steam function.  So I've been dealing with the repairman and all that entails. He had to order a part and it's finally come in. Now I have to schedule time for him to come and fix the machine. I hope it will work properly now.  The worst part of all this is having to haul everything out of the laundry closet and then return it all after each look at the connections because of course I looked at everything too before the repairman came. The good news is that the washer and dryer work just fine except for the steam function.

I've been keeping busy with various other appointments for things I seldom do (infrared sauna, body massages, foot reflexology). It's all in a bid to help me feel better in addition to trying to eat right and do a bit of exercise. Every little bit helps but when the weather is too hot mostly everything is a challenge.

My reading goal for 2018 has been surpassed. I had a goal of reading 35 or 36 books and I've now completed 37 books. My goal has been modestly increased to 42.  I may have to increase that again because I've got several books on the go that will push me over that number soon.

I'm about to start reading this book

I'm preparing for my niece to visit me in a few weeks so I've got a number of things to do around the house. I ordered a very long curtain rod and when it arrived I put it up. It was barely long enough when I put it up (I knew that when I ordered it but it was the longest one I could find). After a day the rod and curtains started to sag and I had to take it all down. Sadly my efforts were all for nothing. I managed to locate one more rod which is much longer. I'll see if I can return the first one and order the next. I want to get this task done before the Fall. I've also ordered some "snakes" to put at the bottom of the windows and doors.  Together with the curtains it should really help keep the draft out this Winter.

My garden has been struggling this summer, especially the vegetables which are currently all looking stunted. But thankfully the flowers in containers have been doing well. I hope they last through the end of summer. Here is one photo during a cooler day when rain was expected. Our daily temperatures this summer have been much higher than the norm but thankfully there have been cooler days in between.

I've got some fun things planned this weekend. I'm attending a festival on Saturday and I'm going to a bridal shower on Sunday. In between I've got appointments so I'll be keeping busy. I also want to try and see a few movies:  RBG (probably its last showing on Monday night) and Christopher Robin which will be released in early August.

Photo taken last week while at bus stop. See the large cruise ship docked downtown.

The following photos were taken earlier in the month on a day when weather turned from hot to rain.

 

These final photos were taken at a plant nursery. 

I was happy to spot a lady bug crawling on some branches.

Sadly my camera phone couldn't get a good close up.

Even though I'm not back to regular blogging I've been managing to visit some of your blogs and hope to continue doing that over the next few weeks. Until then, take care and enjoy your summer.

Joining in with

Friday Foto Friends

Skywatch Friday

and

Saturday's Critters