Friday, April 30, 2010

Mother's Day is in May

Istiqlál (Independence), 3 Jamál (Beauty), 167 BE – Friday, April 30, 2010 about 4:30 PM Pacific Time

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9, I'm not sure what Mom and I are going to do that day. I know she wants to have her hair cut and colored, so I think next week we'll go to the beauty parlor. Then on May 9 perhaps go somewhere to eat.

I know what I'd like to get Mom for Mother's Day. I'd like to get her a hearing aid, but that's a bit out of my price range. I can scrape the money together for the down payment, however, the problem is the rest of the money after the hearing aid arrives. We're going to have to pay for it in full, which is the problem.

A hearing aid would make life so much easier, I'll just have figure something out. I may end up getting her a reconditioned hearing aid, I didn't want to do that, but I may have no other choice. The weekend is coming up, so I'll deal with the hearing aid issue on Monday.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

In Las Vegas, April is going out like a lion

Istijlál (Majesty), 2 Jamál (Beauty), 167 BE – Thursday, April 29, 2010 about 2:14 PM Pacific Time

March winds bring April
Showers that bring May flowers.
Old Saying

We had rain in January, February, and March. We had wind in March and April, the desert is blooming and the wind is blowing. March came in like a lion and went out like a lion. April is also going out like a lion.

The wind blew all night
Today the wind is blowing
White afternoon clouds

Monday, April 26, 2010

My Yardman is Back

Kamál (Perfection), 18 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Monday, April 26, 2010 about 10:14 AM Pacific Time

My yardman is back; he came by the house yesterday and knocked on th door. I have never been so happy to see anyone in my life. This is the first time I've seen him in over a year, so I'm glad he is back in town. Someone else did the yard last year in exchange for parking his vacation home in my yard, but the guy moved that.

I was afraid I couldn't find anyone to do the yard this year, at least not at a price I could afford. Money is still tight, so I have to keep as many expenses down as possible. I have my yardman back now, he did some work yesterday and will do the rest of the front yard Wednesday. I'm looking forward to a yard without any weeds.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

I give thanks at the End of the Week

Jalál (Glory), 16 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Saturday, April 24, 2010 about 2:28 PM Pacific Time

I give thanks at the end of the week,
because it is the end of the week
and tomorrow a new week begins.

Saturday is a time for reflection on the preceding six days. This week it hailed in Las Vegas and hail is something that requires thanks. I come from Oklahoma and remember hailstorms that rained baseball sized stones. The hail we received in Las Vegas was about the size of a 75 MGC tablet of prescription medication. The hail was too small to do any significant damage to cars, people or animals.

I give thanks at the end of the week
for the blessings of the preceding six days
and for the blessings of the preceding months.

Friday, April 23, 2010

My mother received a Jury Summons today

Istiqlál (Independence), 15 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Friday, April 23, 2010 about 5:35 PM Pacific Time

My mother is 89 years old; she has early Alzheimer's, difficulty hearing, and vision problems. I am her caregiver, so I called the number on the summons. I expected to talk to an operator, which was what I did the last time I received a jury summons.

The system is now automated and very user friendly. The voice asking the questions is a pleasant male voice and the answers consist of entering numbers. Since my mother is over 70 years old, she does not have to serve. I put in the date of her birth at the proper time and pressed the pound key. It is a very logical, easy to use and simple system.

I suppose I will be the next one in the family to receive a summons. I am looking forward to going through the phone system. I have served on a jury and most trial are interesting. I guess interesting is a good word for the experience, all though educational might be a better word.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

It hailed in Las Vegas on Earth Day

Istijlál (Majesty), 14 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Thursday, April 22, 2010 about 4:42 PM Pacific Time

Mom and I went to the Institute for the Blind to enroll her as a member and get her a pair of glasses. While we were there, it hailed. The hail wasn't very big, probably about the size of  buck shot or slightly larger. It fell from the sky like little white stones. The hail came down faster then snow, all though it was about the same color. I haven't witnessed hail in a long time, it was an interesting sight.

I think hail on Earth Day is appropriate because it reminds us about nature and the Earth. I know this sounds odd, but I enjoyed watching the hail. Of course, at the time I wasn't driving in it, so that made a difference because I could watch the hail without worrying about it or the traffic.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The First Day of Ridvan

‘Idál (Justice), 13 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Wednesday, April 21, 2010 about 11:51 AM Pacific Time

It is Wednesday, April 21, the First Day of Ridvan, which is the twelve-day celebration of Baha'u'llah's declaration. We celebrate Ridvan between April 21 and May 2, with the first, nineth, and twelfth days commemorated as Holy Days. This afternoon, my mother and I are attending a pot luck dinner at the Baha'i Center in Las Vegas.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

My mother has Alzheimer’s disease

Fidál (Grace), 12 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Tuesday, April 20, 2010 about 7:02 AM Pacific Time

My mother has Alzheimer's disease, mornings and cloudy days are more difficult for her. She takes meds for the Alzheimer's, but the meds can only do so much. Mom doesn't realize she has Alzheimer's, which may or may not be a blessing for her.

At present, Mom is worried about her eyesight. She had cataract surgery a couple of weeks ago and the doctor told us she could get glasses in thirty days. Mom broke her old glasses a few weeks before the surgery and she is worried she won't get glasses before her sight is lost. Actually, Mom is convinced she won't get glasses because of the short-term memory and other symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's is a devastating disease, which affects both the person suffering from it and the family caring for patient. I can still care for Mom, therefore she can stay in her own home; I know eventually I will have to find a place that specializes in Alzheimer's for, however, that is in the future. At this point, I need to focus on caring for Mom and myself. Please remember us in your prayers.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Another nice day in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 11 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Monday, April 19, 2010 about 7:25 PM Pacific Time

It's another nice day in Las Vegas. The temperatures were in the 80s without any wind until about an hour ago. I looked out the window and saw the limbs of the olive tree swaying. I like temperatures in the 80s because it isn't too hot or too cold and I don't have to have the air conditioner running. I think I'm going to have to turn it on Sunday or Monday, but that will be next week.

Tomorrow the temperatures are supposed to be in the 80s and then we're expecting a cool down. I'm not looking forward to triple digits, but I know they will arrive in the next few weeks. I'll turn the cool air on Monday and set the temperature at 79 or 80 degrees. Probably 79 because I think that is the recommendaed temperature for indoors.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

We had desert first today

Jamál (Beauty), 10 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Sunday, April 18, 2010 about 4:56 PM Pacific Time

Mom and I went to a fundraiser this afternoon. There was food, face painting, a silent auction and all sorts of fun things to do. Before getting in line for the main course, I bought Mom and I each a chocolate cupcake, which we ate before getting in line for the main course. The main course consisted of chicken or beef kabobs with rice and salad.

Mom and I had the combo plate that contained both the beef and chicken kabobs. I ate all of mine, but Mom did not eat all of her rice so we brought it home. I am glade we had desert first because Mom could not have ate a cupcake after the meal. I think we are going to have desert first when we go out because Mom likes desert and a meal. If we get desert first Mom can have her desert and we can bring her meal home if she cannot eat everything.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Midweek reflection April 14, 2010

‘Idál (Justice), 6 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Wednesday, April 14, 2010 about 7:50 AM Pacific Time

Three have past
and there are three days left,
the week is half-gone:
Where did it go?

It is Wednesday, hump day and the rest of the week is down hill. I hear the trash collection trucks as they make their midweek rounds. The noise of the garbage trucks is a comforting sound; it is a pleasant sound. Trash is collected twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday, and recyclable every other week on Saturday.

The week is half-gone:
Where did it go?
Please answer my question
because I am not sure I know.

The week is half over and my browser seems to get more stuborn all the time. I do not know the problem; I do not know how to solve the problem. I have to find a solution because it is difficult working on line with a slow browser. I suspect most of the past three days slipped away while I dealt with the slow browser.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Just an ordinary Monday in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 4 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Monday, April 12, 2010 about 5:43 PM Pacific Time

The birds are singing.
The wind is blowing.
The clouds are moving across the sky.

I am doing my taxes
and I will mail them off on Tuesday.
I will put the form in an envelop,
then I will go to the post office,
buy a stamp
and mail the form.
I am not waiting until the last minute
because Tuesday is April 13
not April 15.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

My mother had cataract surgery Thursday

Jalál (Glory), 2 Jalál (Glory), 167 BE – Saturday, April 10, 2010 about 1:35 PM Pacific Time

Mom had cataract surgery on her left eye Thursday afternoon. On Friday morning we went to the surgeon's office for an after surgery consultation. The doctor said that Mom would probably get glasses in about a month. Mom was a bit disappointed because she wanted glasses right away.

Mom and I have discussed glasses several times over the past year. Last year the doctor removed the cataract from her right eye. Last year Mom still had her old glasses, but she broke them early this year. Ever since she broke her old glasses Mom has wanted new glasses, but with the cataract surgery on her left eye, coming this year there was no getting new glasses. I just have to keep encouraging her until she gets the new glasses.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

I applied to be a Census taker

‘Idál (Justice), 18 Bahá (Splendor), 167 BE – Wednesday, April 7, 2010 about 6:58 PM Pacific Time

I applied for Census work today. In 2000, I did this job and I enjoyed the experience. I also got a lot of exercise, so I applied again this year. Today I took the test and I will know my score within a week to ten days. I will call the number in ten days to get my score.

Being a Census taker is an interesting experience because I meet all sorts of people. I am out in the fresh air and I get to walk more then I normally would. Before they call me, I have to make sure I have plenty of water, so I am going to see if my portable ice chest will fit in my trunk. If it does not, then I will have to put it in the backseat of my car.

Monday, April 05, 2010

My Internet browser is slow

Kamál (Perfection), 16 Bahá (Splendor), 167 BE – Monday, April 5, 2010 about 1:01 PM Pacific Time

Suborn bullheaded persistence does not work with my browser. It is slow accessing website, the message says “waiting”, but there is never an answer because it continues to wait.

Patience does not work with my browser because it does not do anything except wait. If I press the “enter” key enough times it eventually takes me to the website, gives me an error messages or say the gate the gate has timed out. Of course, the gate timed out it took the browser long enough to get there.

Now that I have had my rant for the day, I am going to copy and past this into the blog entry and hope, I am able to post it. There is a good chance that my browsers snails pace with cause the gate or something else to time out.

I would prefer to enter the entry directly into the blog, but with my browser, acting up I am going to do the entry this way today. I am almost as frustrated with the browser as I was with a normal phone line hook-up to the Internet. I am sure the issue is my browser and not my DSL connection.

Sunday, April 04, 2010

I Wore an Easter Bonnet Once


Jamál (Beauty), 15 Bahá (Splendor), 167 BE – Sunday, April 4, 2010 about sunset Pacific Time
This is a picture of me in my Easter bonnet. I am not sure of the color the dress or the bonnet. I suspect it may have been yellow or green. I think that is a toy duck in my arms so the dress and bonnet probably matched the color of the toy. The picture was taken a long time ago about Easter time.




Saturday, April 03, 2010

Lost my supper on Good Friday 2010

Jalál (Glory), 14 Bahá (Splendor), 167 BE – Saturday, April 3, 2010 about 7:55 AM Pacific Time

I think the problem is the hyperacidity issues I have. I just can't figure out what I at to cause the hyperacidity to act up last night. I didn't eat anything yesterday that I haven't eaten before. I know when the issues is occurring or going to occur because I get a pain in my stomach or excessive heartburn and last night I had both.

I'm feeling better this morning. I do have some heartburn, but I think that will clear up as the day progresses and I get more to eat. I'm simply going to have to watch the foods I eat and learn to relax instead of stressing.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Happy April Fools Day

Istijlál (Majesty), 12 Bahá (Splendor), 167 BE – Thursday, April 1, 2010 about 6:26 PM Pacific Time

The sky is cloudy
Tree limbs waving in the breeze
I need a gardener

Green April Fools' Day
Beautiful afternoon clouds
The sun is setting