I need a break

‘Idál (Justice), 13 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Wednesday, May 29, 2013 about 11:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time

I need to take a short break and fix myself something to eat. I spent the morning reviewing on writing.com, I am attempting to earn enough Gift Points to purchase another one-month premium membership. I suppose it would be easier if I purchased a years upgraded membership, but then I would have to remove several stories from my portfolio.

I am not as tired as yesterday at this time, but if I do not get me something to eat it will affect my performance later today and tomorrow. There was a time when I could work without worrying about whether or not I ate lunch. I could skip breakfast and lunch without it effecting my performance, but not anymore. Now I have to have at least two meals a day or I am wore out the next day.

I think I will fix me a a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches today.   I have not ate a grilled cheese this week and the cheese will give me energy. A grilled cheese sandwich is also filling, I know there are a lot of calories in this type of sandwich. I do not worry about calories any more and eat whatever I want in moderation. I believe moderation is the key to a good diet, as long as I do not eat too much of a food then I can eat whatever I want.

Monday Epiphany

Kamál (Perfection), 11 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Monday, May 27, 2013 about 11:36 AM Pacific Daylight Time

The chocolate cake I baked yesterday is too big for just one person. I will be eating cake for a week and by the time Friday comes the cake will be dry. I will have to our coffee or milk on the cake so that I can eat it. I like having coffee with my cake, but I prefer to have a cup of coffee rather then the coffee poured over my cake.

All right, this is my own fault. When I bought the cake mix I did not think about the cooking for one issue.  It is difficult to cook for one person when you have spent most of your life cooking for two. However, I am going to have to learn to cook for one, especially when it comes to deserts like cake.

After thinking about this situation over breakfast, which was a slice of cake and a cup of coffee, I have decided to it is best for me to eat cake in a restaurant. In a restaurant I can order one slice of cake with ice cream and not have to worry about any leftovers. As much as I enjoy cooking a cake in a microwave, I will have to stop fixing cake at home.

I do not mind leftovers of pasta or other items, but cake is different. If I have leftover cake in the house I will eat too much and this means I cannot have cake or any type of desert (fruit excluded) for a month. Oh well, life always has something to teach and sometimes the lesson is one I teach myself.

Sunday epiphany

Jamál (Beauty), 10 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Sunday, May 26, 2013 about 2:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time

I baked a chocolate cake in the microwave today. I mixed the cake according to the directions on the box and then put it into a microwavable casserole dish because I don't have anything else to use for cakes when I put them in the microwave. It took the cake nine minutes to bake and I'm waiting for it to cool enough to ice.

When I smelled the cake baking, I realized that I don't want to bake cakes any other way. The cake smelled the same as it would in a conventional oven, but I could smell the cake sooner in the microwave. I like baking cakes in microwaves, especially in summer when I don't want to use a regular oven. I also like baking in a microwave in winter because I don't have to wait as long for the item to bake.

microwavable
casserole dishes waiting
for me to make lunch

nine minutes to bake
a dark chocolate fudge cake
what more can I ask

I found the answer to Friday's problem

Jalál (Glory), 9 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Saturday, May 25, 2013 about 9:17 AM Pacific Daylight Time

This morning I figured out what caused my stomach pain yesterday. The problem was caused by drinking coffee without eating anything all morning. I have a bad habit of not eating breakfast before 10:00 or 11:00 AM, which means that often I go out without any food in my stomach. I drink coffee, but I do not eat. On Friday, that is what caused the pain in my stomach.

I figured that out this morning because I drink a cup of coffee without eating anything. The pain in my stomach started again. After the pain started, I fixed myself a couple of eggs with buttered toast. Once I ate the pain went away. When I was younger things like this did not bother me, but now that I am over 60 it gives me problems.

This afternoon I will mix some powdered milk so that I can have cereal with my morning coffee. That should take care of part of the problem with my stomach. The only thing I have to figure out now concerns the specific food or foods that I eat which causes me issues. I suspect the culprit is foods that hove cooked tomatoes in them. Unfortunately, there is not very much I can do about that because I receive canned tomatoes and pasta sauce with my senior food allotment.

I can limit myself to one can of pasta sauce or diced tomatoes a week, but I cannot eliminate them all together. I can also add other ingredients to the pasta dishes to help dilute the pasta sauce. The last thing I can do is make sure I take the prescription for my stomach problems everyday. Taking all those steps will allow me to eat the foods I like without dealing with the pain that those foods cause. If the pain gets worse or occurs more then once every two or three months then I will have to talk to my doctor about other solutions or other problems.

Friday afternoon in Las Vegas

Istiqlál (Independence), 8 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Friday, May 24, 2013 about 7:29 PM Pacific Time

I can't say this was a normal Friday afternoon because I spent most of it asleep on the couch. This morning I picked up a loaf of free day old bread and my senior food allotment and then came home. When I arrived back at the house, I put the milk and the cheese in the refrigerator, warmed up a cup of leftover coffee in the microwave, and then sit down at the computer to do some blog entries and other writing.

I opened two little packages of cookies to go with my coffee. I managed to complete the a blog entry in my writing.com blog before my stomach began hurting. My stomach does this every so often and the only thing I can do for it is say the Long Healing Prayer and lay down for a nap. I don't know why my stomach began hurting today because I have taken the medication everyday for  the past week. The problem is either something I eat or didn't eat.

I feel better now, but I doubt I can sleep tonight. Therefore, I will either do some housework or write. I could wash and dry a load of clothes while I'm writing. I could also pack up some of Mom's clothes to give away. The place I pick up free bread also gives away food and clothes, so I could take Mom's clothes to that place.

I have to pick up another loaf of bread next week sometimes, so I'll take a couple of bags of clothes when I go to pick up the bread. I have several other things to do next week as well and at least two of them are in the same direction as the place I pick up the free bread.

Change is in the Air

Istijlál (Majesty), 7 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Thursday, May 23, 2013 about 10:41 AM Pacific Daylight Time

I don't know why I feel that change is in the air. Maybe I'm just tired of living in this house and I want to move as soon as I can find a place I can afford. Maybe it has to do with the dream I had about Mom yesterday or was it the day before. I'm not going to write the entire dream because I put it in my dream journal, Dreams of Snow, which I store in my writing.com port.

The more I think about the dream, the more I realize that it was telling me to let go of the past. I suspect there was more to the dream then simply telling me to let go. There were a couple of symbols in the dream that I didn't understand, but eventually I will figure out those symbols. I prefer to interpret my own dreams.

Sometimes I will look up the meaning of a dream symbol on the internet, but normally I like to do a timed free write about the symbol. Perhaps that's what I should do with the symbols I can't figure out in my last dream. The symbol that is bothering me the most was the antique gas stove. I can't figure out where the symbol came from and what it means.

Eventually figure out meaning of the stove. In the mean time, I will do my best to let go of the worry and the fear of the change that is occurring in my life. I'm looking forward to finding a new place and finishing some writing projects I have going. Maybe that's what the stove referred to the projects I've put on the back burner.

Late Afternoon in Las Vegas

Fiḍál (Grace), 5 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Tuesday, May 21, 2013 about 7:15 PM Pacific Daylight Time

It's late afternoon in Las Vegas, the sky is partly cloudy and the wind is blowing. The high today was 94 degrees and the low tonight is supposed to be 70 degrees. I have had my afternoon nap, so I'm rested and ready for my evening at home.

partly cloudy sky
the wind caresses tree limbs
a nice desert day

As I look out the window, I see that my neighbors across the street have taken out their trash. Tomorrow is trash collection day in my neighborhood, so the trashcans have to be at the curb by 6:30 AM. Sometimes the garbage trucks pick up the trash close to 7:00 AM and sometimes they don't get to this street until afternoon. I will wait until morning to roll the trash to the curb.

The wind is still blowing in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 4 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Monday, May 20, 2013 about 1:58 PM Pacific Time

The wind is still blowing in Las Vegas. It seems as if we have had more windy day  this month then normal; however, that may just me my opinion. I look out the living room window and watch the limbs of the olive tree across the street wave. The tree seems to be waving good-by to spring because we have begun encountering triple digit days.

triple digit days
cast warm shadows over May
the wind is blowing

I don't like getting out of the house on triple digit days, but often I have no other choice. I just checked the temperature for Las Vegas on weather.com. According to weather.com the temperature right now is 81 degrees, but it feels like 79 degrees; I guess that is because the wind is blowing. The high today is supposed to be 84 degrees. I like those temperatures better then the triple digit temperatures we've experienced for the past few days.

I like getting out of the house better in 80 degree temperatures rather then 100 degree temperatures. I think that's because the air in my car doesn't work properly. I usually plan my trips to the store and every place else in the morning or the evening. Sometime I have to get out during the hottest part of the day, but I don't like doing that.

Sunday Blessings

Jamál (Beauty), 3 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Sunday, May 19, 2013 about 10:20 AM Pacific Time

It is a beautiful Sunday morning in Las Vegas. These are some of the blessings God granted me this morning

1. A cloudless blue sky
2. Wind blowing through the olive and oak trees
3. Bright sunshine casting dark shadows across the front yard
4. A fresh carafe of rich dark coffee
5. Birds singing when I went out to pick up the newspaper
6. Cold cuts and eggs in the refrigerator
7. Ice cubes in the freezer
8. A joyful mood
9. A talk with one of my brothers
10. The sound of jets flying overhead

Fifteen Minutes of Laughter

Istiqlál (Independence), 1 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 170 BE - Friday, May 17, 2013 about 3:07 PM Pacific Time

I am in a blog competition at writing.com and the prompt for Friday always has something to do with humor. This morning the question was "Have you laughed today?" Since I planned to go to the grocery store, I thought I would get that entry written and posted early, but I had not laughed. As I was looking for something to make me laugh, I came across a YouTube video about a study concerning laughter and the heart.

According to the doctor on the video fifteen minutes of laughter a day is good for a person's heart. Apparently, laughter has something to do with opening up the blood vessels or something like that. I thought that was interesting, I also discovered something else while I was researching the entry. I found out that, at least with me, laughter is contagious.

I realized that laughter was contagious while I was watching a video (on YouTube) of someone laughing. I could not stop laughing while the person on the video was laughing. Since I find laughing contagious, I should not have any difficulty laughing for fifteen minutes a day as long a I watch a video of someone laughing; it is worth a try anyway.

Nature is Wonderful

Istijlál (Majesty), 19 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Thursday, May 16, 2013 about 11:05 AM Pacific Time

Nature is wonderful. Nature is beautiful. The birds are singing and have been for several days. For the past week, a white butterfly has flitted past my living room window and through my yard. I think the butterfly is attracted to the weeds in my front yard. In addition, to these beautiful creatures, I saw a white dove fly past my window yesterday. It is a joy to wake up, look outside, or stand on my front porch and listen.

a white butterfly
is flitting from weed to weed
a nightingale sings

A Lonely Afternoon in Las Vegas

Fiḍál (Grace), 17 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Tuesday, May 14, 2013 about 1:16 PM Pacific Time

Another lonely afternoon,
watching the wind blow through a neighbor's olive tree,
watching thin scattered clouds move across the blue sky,
and watching cars drive past.

Another lonely afternoon,
listening to the area fan blow
and feeling its cool air on my arms.

Another lonely afternoon,
missing my mother
and writing poetry.

Mother's Day 2013

Jamál (Beauty), 15 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Sunday, May 12, 2013 about 1:05 PM Pacific Time

It is Mother's Day. It is my first Mother's Day without my mother. I visited her grave this morning and said a prayer for the departed. I miss Mama so much that I want to cry, but instead I write.

I looked down at Mama's headstone, it is a reddish stone with a rose engraved on one side. Mom's favorite color was red. Mom's favorite flowers were roses.

I looked down at Mama's headstone, I placed my purse on the ground and removed my prayer book. As I stood looking down, I read a prayer for the departed.

I looked down at Mama's headstone and I listened to the birds singing in the trees. Mama love to listen to the birds.

I looked down at Mama's headstone and I inhaled the fragrance of spring in the air. Mama like spring, she like listening to the birds sing in spring.

I looked down at Mama's headstone and I know she would like the spot where her bones rest.

Moving into the twenty-first century

Istiqlál (Independence), 13 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Friday, May 10, 2013 about 2:25 PM Pacific Time

I finally did it, I finally deposited a check at the ATM outside my bank. I received a check through the mail yesterday, so this morning I went to the bank and ask one of the associates to assist me in the process. Depositing the check at the ATM is easy and I can receive a receipt with a picture of the check. The next time I will deposit the check myself without asking for assistance. I am moving into the twenty-first century.

After stopping at the bank, I went to the grocery story. I went through the self-checkout with assistance form on of the employees, but I think the next time I go to the grocery store I will do it by myself. If I do need help then there is an employee close by to ask assistance. Modern technology is wonder and I am moving into the twenty-first century.

Thankful Thursday: May 9, 2013

Istijlál (Majesty), 12 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Thursday, May 9, 2013 about 9:33 AM Pacific Time

Today I am Thankful

1. for the zoom feature on my computer because I can increase the screen image from 100% to 125% to make the information easier to read
2. for he new look of writing.com  
3. for the rice dark coffee I brewed this morning
4. for the beautiful cloudy day we are experiencing in Las Vegas
5. that I have an electric clothes dryer because my towels are softer then when I dry them on the line or spread them over furniture
6. for the little bit of sleep I got last night, it took me two or three hours to go to sleep
7. that the people who pick up the trash finally picked up the limbs that were at the curb
8. for the sun that randomly shines through the cloud cover
9. for the chicken I have left in the refrigerator
10. that I got the trashcan rolled to the curb yesterday before trash collection time

Midweek Reflections: I need to get out of the house

‘Idál (Justice), 11 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Wednesday, May 8, 2013 about 2:30 PM Pacific Time

I think I need to get out of the house for more the a few minutes at a time. I need to go somewhere besides to the garage. Last week I went out of the house twice, both times before I completely recovered from being ill. I am feeling better today, so tomorrow I will get out of the house and go to the store or the gas station.

Is it cabin fever?
I look at the clouds covering the sky,
I want to do something
besides house work.

I need to get out of the house more. I need to do something out of the ordinary, at least once a month. Perhaps I need to go out to eat, I have not been to a restaurant in two or three months. The only problems is deciding which restaurant I want to go for lunch or dinner. Maybe I will go out on Mother's Day, after I visit Mom's grave.

Thinking about Mother's Day

Fiḍál (Grace), 10 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Tuesday, May 7, 2013 about 3:43 PM Pacific Time

All day I have watched the wind blow through the boughs of the trees in my neighborhood. All day I have watch the clouds gather in the sky. This afternoon it is mostly cloudy, with patches of blue sky showing through. Sunday is Mother's Day, the first Mother's Day I will spend without Mom. The first Mother's Day I will not have a gift for her.

All day I have watched the clouds and the wind. All day I have though about Mom and Mother's Day. I will go to the cemetery to visit her grave. I will take my prayer book and read a prayer for the departed. I will not put flowers on her grave because I do not have enough money to purchase her a bouquet  of her favorite flowers. I will say a prayer for the departed, but I cannot put a bouquet of red roses on her grave. How I would love to purchase a bouquet of roses for Mama for Mother's Day, but I do not have enough money in my bank account.

A Beautiful Partly Cloudy Day in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 9 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Monday, May 6, 2013 about 2:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time

I suppose I could gripe, but not about the weather. It is a beautiful partly or mostly cloudy day in Las Vegas. I hear the echoes of thunder earlier; however, that does not mean it is going to rain. I might rain somewhere in Las Vegas, but not in my neighborhood. This is all right with me because I do not like to carry newspapers or anything else to the garage in the rain.

I was sick for five days out of seven last week, so I did not get the recyclables or the trash to the curb on Saturday. I did not get much of anything accomplished on Saturday except sleep. I did learn one thing about myself. I do not like being by myself when I am sick any more then I like dealing with other human beings when I am ill.  I know that sound strange but it is true.

When I am sick, I want a pet. Unfortunately, when I move I will probably move into a complex that does not allow pets because I cannot afford anything else. This entry sounds like it could become a rant and it is much to nice outside to gripe about anything.

A Beautiful Friday in Las Vegas

Istiqlál (Independence), 6 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Friday, May 3, 2013 about 5:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time

It's Friday and the technician came to check the heat pump today. He turned on the cool air and set the thermostat to 83 degrees. I cannot stand to live in a house where the temperature gets higher the 83 degree or lower the 80 degrees. If the temperature is lower then 80, I will be cold all the time and I do not like feeling cold. I do not like shivering.

It's a beautiful day in Las Vegas. The sun is shining, the birds are singing or they were singing this morning. This afternoon the birds are silent. I do not hear them chirping or singing. I do not see them flying from tree to tree. Still it's a beautiful Friday in Las Vegas.

The reason I do not like being sick

‘Idál (Justice), 4 Jamál (Beauty), 170 BE - Wednesday, May 1, 2013 about 11:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time

April was National Poetry Month and I managed to write 28 poems. That was almost a poem a day, unfortunately because I was ill for about three days I missed two poems. I should not complain because despite being sick for three day, I managed to review enough items on writing.com so that I earned enough Gift Points to renew my premium membership for another month. My membership now expires on May 31, 2013.

The problems was my concentration, I could only concentrate for about an hour at a time before I started to fall asleep at the keyboard. It is not a good idea for me to fall asleep at my computer keyboard because I fall out of my chair when I drop off to sleep while working online. When I catch myself starting to doze off, I have to get up and go lay down on the couch for a short nap. When I am sick, my naps last for three or four hours at a time, which makes it difficult to get anything accomplished online.

I do not like being sick because it puts me behind on almost everything. I do not like being ill because it interferes with writing poetry or anything else. I missed two whole days of blog entries. I missed completing a poem a day during National Poetry Month. I missed my coffee because the only thing I wanted to drink was water. I missed meals because I could no eat more then three bites at a time. I missed doing laundry because I did not want to put clothes in the washer that would sit for a couple of day before I could dry them.