This morning we went to breakfast, and then I went outside and sat on a bench and read the paper. I couldn't decide whether or not to go to the water exercise, but when the sun finally came out I decided to go. I went back upstairs and put on my suit and went to the pool. The class was half over, but I went in anyway, and that was enough exercise for me anyway. When I got back to the apartment and had my shower, I didn't really want to go to lunch. So, I had half a left-over ham sandwich and half of a food bar. Chris wasn't hungry, either. I spent the afternoon reading in two different books, Patty Briggs' new book Kaye had sent me, and the memoir of the woman here in Las Villas. They were so different, it was an interesting experience. Later we went to dinner and met a new lady, who lives across the hall, next to Harry Richardson, whom we had met earlier in the month. She was nervous and talkative, hopes to be here only two weeks. But she had a care giver with her when she came in and when she left, so it may be longer, if she doesn't get better enough to leave.

This morning we had a quick breakfast of doughnuts and hot chocolate, and then we drove to Oceanside to the Church. We were a little early, so we met outside with Karen and also the Kellers. Darlene is a lady who is struggling with cancer in her leg. She just turned 71, and she is conducting a great fight; she got cured once, but it has started up again. She is using a walker now, and is still cheerful. She and her husband both gave good sermons at Sacrament Meeting a few weeks ago. The talks this morning were good ones, also. I forgot my hearing aid, but Chris got me one, as well as one for himself, from the Church Library, before we went into the chapel. We came home after the one meeting, and we spent the time until lunch read the paper. After lunch I read a little more in Nancy Denov's memoir. Karen came over about 4:30 and had dinner with us. She stayed a little while longer, until dark, really, with us in the apartment. She and Chris worked with transferring pictures from the camera she gave him to the computer. I haven't seen these yet, but I assume they got there successfully.

This morning I went to the beauty shop on the plaza shopping area and had my hair done by my usual lady. While I was there Chris bought new eye medicine for me. We were both tired when we met afterwards, so we just came back to the apartment for lunch. After a rest I started reading a book written by a woman I met in the dining room. It's a memoir, and she surely can remember a lot of detail about her childhood. I read 50 pages of it, and I will finish the book later. After dinner in the evening we watched our usual Brit shows on TV.

This morning I followed all the instructions for my medical test, and then Karen came over, and she drove us to San Marcos Kaiser Clinic. I was several minutes early, but I was called immediately. After changing into two hospital gowns, one for the front and one for the back, I was put on the table for the scans. It took about 30 minutes to do all the views they wanted, and then I got dressed again, and joined Chris and Karen once more. We drove to a fast food place and had delicious hamburgers. Mine probably wouldn't have tasted as good if I wasn't starved for something in my stomach! We came back to the apartment, and I called our family and reported. It seems I am low again on blood. We will wait until after the next scans, I guess, to get the final results and recommendations. We talked to Bianca and Brittany, and they seemed to be doing well. Also Kaye and Carla.

The Wednesday water exercise was postponed to Thursday (today) so we went there, arriving about 15 minutes late. The water was a little higher than usual, but that was easy to compensate for. After the class, we came back to the apartment,showered and then went to lunch, or dinner I should call it. It is the largest meal they serve each day. We came back here and had a little nap, and then I helped Chris cut off his hair, all of half an inch, where it does grow. I wish he would let it grow out, but he says he gets a rash when he does. I got out my instructions to follow before I go to the radiology lab for tests tomorrow. No food after 7:30, no water until 10.20, when I take 16 oz. of water, and report for the exam at 11:20. Makes you wonder just what the CT urogram is. We went to supper about 5:20, and sat with an interesting man using oxygen, and friend of a friend in Oceanside. He told about his travels over the world, and Verla, a neighbor, ordered her food OK, but then she dozed as she ate. I worried about her , but left with Chris to call Bianca. Later the waitress told me she got back to her apartment OK, and Bianca called back later and she's all right, too.

We did our usual thing, got up a little after 7 a.m. and went to breakfast. There was no water exercise this morning, so we just read the paper and then Chris went for a walk. I got out my information on appointments for tests, and verified the times and the orders for fasting. The fasting is just for one appointment, so I can handle that. I just wrote Ha, without thinking! It seems I do a lot of eating, and have gained back 12 lbs. I have only 3 more to go to be back where I was before the pneumonia. I meant to stop after gaining only 10! My desk is in a mess, papers all mixed up. I have managed today to sort out the medical stuff and the cards and letters we got the last four months. I'll have to get to answering them, but it will be hard, unless I use the computer and then print them out. Since my recent illness I haven't been able to write very well; I don't know why that happened. It has been another lovely day, and I did go for a walk around the grounds here. Chris goes all the way around the "block" but I didn't feel up to that yet.

Just after we got back from Breakfast this morning, Karen called, and said she would come over and meet us outside. When she got here, she told us about their trip to Denver. Then she drove us to the public library, which has been remodeled. It's a nice library, and we can get there on the Villas' tour bus whenever they go there, about every two weeks. We will probably do it. When we got home, we had a big lunch, and then we went to see the podiatrist that comes here once a month. He charged $25 to cut toenails. Hereafter I will have Amy do mine when I get my hair done; she charges only $15, and puts polish on the toenails. I rounded up the dirty clothing and took it down to the washing place and put it in the washers. Then I went back upstairs, and we went to dinner. We didn't eat much, just a fruit salad and a hard boiled egg. Then we took some cake back to the apartment and ate it with strawberries that Karen had given us this morning. Oh yes, I did finish the laundry, too.

This morning we had breakfast, and then I called the Kaiser clinic in San Marcos, because I forgot which of my two appointments required that I fast before going. It was the first one, on the 28th. Then we got ready and went, both of us, to the water exercise class. It was a younger instructor today, and she went through the routines faster than the other one. We both got tired and were glad to get out when it was over. Later after lunch we went separately for a walk, after resting a while. Chris went around the block, and I just went around the building we live in, and then once more down to the lobby. The puzzle on the coffee table there is progressing nicely; everyone is free to try to fit the pieces in to make up the picture of a boy and a dog asleep on a scatter rug. Chris worked on our expenses on the computer and I straightened up the rooms. Then we had dinner. As we came out of the dining room we were met by our granddaughter, Bianca! She is on her way to San Diego to take her big final test (9 hours) on first two years of medical school. She had dinner here, and drove on to a hotel in San Diego. Our prayers go with her.

This morning we had a hurried breakfast and then went to Sacrament Meeting. It was a good one, I wish Karen had been here to hear it. Then we came back to the apartment, read the Sunday paper, then went back to the dining room for dinner. Later we had a short nap, and then we drove to the beach. Chris was sure we couldn't get a parking place, because it was the warmest day of the year. But we were just plain lucky and got one at Tamarack Beach, where we like to walk. It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed the ocean and blue sky and everything. We came back to the Villas and had our supper. I have always had lunch at noon and dinner at night, and I have a hard time switching the meals around. I eat too much junk, like the desserts. We are going to watch a couple of TV shows tonight, so I'll sign off now.

I had my hair done just last Tuesday, so I didn't have it done again today. Instead we had breakfast and then went shopping at Wal-Mart. Chris bought new swim swim trunks, so he can join the water exercise class with me. We got some vitamins and some other things in the Pharmacy Dept. and looked over the store generally. Then we had a soda at the McDonald's section, and came back to the Villas. We were just in time for lunch, so we went in dining room and had some. Our newspaper was delivered to Harry across the hall, and his was shoved under our door. We took his and put in front of his door, but didn't disturb him before leaving this morning. We saw him at lunch and explained what had happened, and he had read in both papers, and mixed them up. But when we got back after lunch, he brought both ours and his over here. He takes the San Diego Union, and we the Tri-City Times. I spent the afternoon reading in both of them. After dinner we watched our usual Saturday night Brit shows. We talked to all three daughters, and that was the highlight of our day.

This morning I called Kaiser to make appointments for the two final tests Dr. Donahoe wants me to have. Fortunately I can have them both done at San Marcos, but unfortunately not in even the same month; one is on Aug. 28, and the other on Oct. 19. I was supposed to make these appointments on Tuesday, and here it's Friday before I remembered to do it. I went to the pool for the exercise class after that, but I was half an hour late getting out there. Everything went well, and I didn't get too tired the last part of it, partly because the last bit of the time was in the hot tub. I went to lunch by myself, because Chris had lunch on some bread Karen had made. He toasted it, and burned part of it, and the apartment was still smelling of it when I got back. It has aired out now with the windows open and the air conditioners on. At 3:30 we went to a popcorn treat and a guitar player playing and singing in the lobby downstairs. He was not very good, and soon almost all the people left. I was sorry for him, but it may be the incentive he needs to learn to do it better.

This morning we did the usual things, had breakfast in the dining hall, then went back to the apartment to straighten things up and get ready for Charles and Mabel and Linda's visit. (The main thing we did was to clean up the balcony; we have neglected it this last month.) They arrived about 11:15 and we met them in the lobby of this building. From there we came up to the apartment and showed it to them. At noon we had lunch at the dining room here.Then we went on a tour of the area, going from this building B to the large patio in back, where we could see all 4 buildings in the compound. Then we went to see the outdoor pool, and hot tub, and then came back around to the main entrance and to the coffee shop with its little retail shop, and back to the lobby. Linda took pictures of us, and then one of the staff here offered to take pictures of us all. After they left for Downey we had a rest and then dinner, and then watched the news on TV. We talked to Carla, and then Karen called to say they arrived in Denver. Kaye called and we talked about the house they are planning to build.

This is Wednesday, and I went to the pool exercise class, and we had our three meals here, and that was about all. Karen came over briefly to say goodbye. She and Terry are going to Denver to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Kaye just told me just tonight that was the reason for their going now. Also, Kaye said she would be down next month for a 4- day visit;we will be glad for that, too. Brittany called, and she is busy 2 days at the golf course, 3 days at Disneyland, and classes starting next week at the university in Fullerton.

Tuesday was a very busy day for us, and I didn't ever get to writing in my blog. First of all, we went to Vista where I saw Dr. Schannon and got a refill of my prescription of prozac, which had been lost somewhere during our move. Dr. Schannon has been made head of all the Kaiser Psychiatry in the county, so he will be busy. But he said he would still be available some of the time, and if not, he could get someone else in the office in Vista to see me if necessary. Next, I went my old hair stylist in Oceanside, who did my hair. Then Russ and I had lunch at Taco Bell. Then in the evening Karen came over and we went to the Stake Center for our interviews with a Stake officer to get our Temple Recommends renewed.

This morning I went to the pool and spent 20 minutes exercising. Another man joined the group, and so now there are 5 women and 2 men in the class. I moved to the other end of the pool, where there weren't so many. It's a small pool, especially when the instructor gets in, too. When I got out I showered, and then we met Karen at the front door, and we got sandwiches and drinks, and went to the beach to consume them as we watched the blue water and white waves, and some swimmers. We even thought we saw three dolphins. Back at the apartment I cleaned up some spots on our almost white carpeting. Charles, Mabel and Linda will be here in a couple of days, to see us, and our present living conditions. That includes lunch--I hope it will be a good one. It will be nice to see them. Kaye will be coming down for a few days next month, and that will be nice, too.

It has been a long day. We got up early, but we didn't get to breakfast. We went to Sacrament Meeting, and it was a good one. Then we came back to Carlsbad and to the old train station and bought a map of Carlsbad. At home again we had lunch, and then I studied the route to take to go to the AXO summer meeting at Linda Sheldone's house. It's not far from here, and Russ (Chris) agreed that I could drive myself. Well, I did, and I was the oldest member there, in the whole alumnae chapter, in fact. It was a nice oriental meal, and we talked, and we also met some of the active members from U.C. at San Marcos. Back at the apartment later, we talked to Kaye, then Carla, then Karen. Cell phones are so good to have, and always handy, when I remember to charge the battery.

I can't get the new floor plan to come up on the computer, so I will just do my blog and then get Russ to "Make it go". After breakfast we went to the 2nd floor and checked on the laundry room. The washers were standing empty, but the driers were busy drying somebodies' clothes. We went back to our apartment and rounded up our dirty clothes, and took them down and put them in the washers. I sat there reading in the French book, and fell asleep. I woke up when the washers stopped. I went back to the apartment for hangers, and went back to the laundry. The owneer of the clothes in the driers was there, taking out his clothes. He was John, 90 years old, who married a second wife to take care of him in his old age, but she is not able to do much now , can't walk without a walker. He takes care of her! We had lunch while our clothes dried, and then got them back to the apartment. We had another nap, and put the clothes away. I couldn't get the new floorplan up, so Russ will do it for me now, after I close this.

This morning Chris (Russ) wasn't feeling up to going to breakfast, so I went to the dining room alone and had mine. When I got back I found he had had his, from food Karen had given us, toast, cheese, and some decaf he had bought. I went downstairs and got the mail, and there was a note from the newspaper about Marilyn Henley's death. When I got back Russ was asleep. I guess our yesterday was too busy and tired us both out. I almost didn't go to the aquacise class, but I did go late and left early, doing just the 20 minutes Dr. Donahoe had suggested. I spent a few minutes in the jacusie (Sp?) and then went back to the apartment and a bath. For lunch I brought two fish dinners back to the apartment, and then we had a nap. After that, and reading the paper, we both had a little nap and then went to supper at the dining room. It was a lost day in a way, neither of us did anything really useful. But tomorrow is another day.

This morning after breakfast we went to the Kaiser building to pick up refills, and while we were there, I went to the part where Dr. Donahoe works, and asked them to ask him how much of the water exercise I should do. Well, he had a few minutes at noon, so they scheduled me in to see him. In the meantime we went to Sears, and I bought a new swim suit. Back at Kaiser I saw Dr. Donahoe, and he said only 20 minutes of water exercise instead of an hour, and he ordered blood tests. Then about 3:30 the nurse called to tell me to change my orders to a kidney ultra sound instead of the ct scan, in San Marcos. I wait three days, then call for an appointment. Now it was 4 p.m., and I hurried downstairs to meet Chris and Karen to go to the Luau out by the pool. It was a very nice dinner and a program, a Hawaiian family doing singing and hulas. When the Villas put on a big dinner and show, they really go all out.

Today after breakfast and an hour's wait I got ready and went to the pool exercise. The instructor was a little late, but all 5 of us got in the pool and started the routine exercises lead by one stooped older lady. Then the instructor came and finished them. After that I went back to the apartment for my shower, but there was no hot water, so I skipped it and got dressed. Then we had been invited to Karen's, where she and Margie Rempel had cooked two versions of chicken Parmesan as a trial dish for a dinner (for 3oo women in Carlsbad Stake Relief Society), accompanied with fresh fruit and veggies. Both versions were nice, but then they started talking about making quiche instead. By this time I was getting sleepy, and it showed. Karen insisted we go home and rest. We did. I can't imagine cooking for 300 people. Tonight we weren't hungry, so we had just fruit, and I had soup, for supper. We meant to go to the Kaiser Pharmacy for refills, but we had waited too long. That's a job for tomorrow.

The little movies of Caden are precious! I can understand, Kaye, why you like so much to have him there with you now. And it is great that his mother shares him with you. We have had another quiet day, breakfast, work on the books, lunch, and an afternoon sewing and computing, and then dinner. It is really good for us to be here, where all meals are cooked by someone else , and there are programs of various kinds, not that we have found time to go to all of them yet. But I'm sure we will eventually. I really like the water exercise, and I've been trying to get Chris to go with me, but so far he isn't interested. I made appointments for us to go to Vista to the eye doctor, to see what can be done on that score. Chris is reluctant to go back to San Diego, because the doctor there told him that the treatment he has for macular degeneration would be very dangerous. We sat with an older couple at dinner tonight, and he has had 5 treatments at Tri City Hospital, and he is 98, and still can see. That's great. We will have to investigate that.

Caden August 9

And if that isn't cute enough... And the ever popular slinky

I got up a little earlier today, because I wanted to get to the pool on time. We had breakfast as usual, and I was able to read the paper and still get to the pool on time. It was a young girl directing the exercises, but they were almost duplicates of what the older woman teaches. I got back to the apartment afterward and showered the dressed. We went to lunch, and we had just got back to the apartment when Karen called. She said she would come over and take us down to the beach for a while. She explained why the traffic was so heavy in Carlsbad yesterday; there was a display of fine artwork covering about six blocks of the roadway, if you count the traffic that couldn't use the 3 blocks that were filled with tents holding the paintings that were there and on sale to the public. Of course a lot of people were downtown to get to the ocean to swim or picnic, also. We came back to the apartment, and I napped for two hours, I was that tired. We had dinner, and then watched a little TV and measured the furniture to maybe move it around a little. I'm tired again, so I'll stop here and get ready for bed.

This morning we went to Church, for Sacrament Meeting, and then we went to Uncle Al's to take him a birthday card. Fortunately he was home and invited us up to his apartment. We sat and visited over an hour. He is feeling better, and he is swimming again and walking a little more. After we left there, we ran into lots of traffic on Carlsbad Drive, and we had to go three blocks out of our way to get back to Carlsbad Village Drive and on to our apartment. We had lunch, and then went to hear from our home teacher, who said he would come visit us. Well, he didn't come, so we read the paper, and finally he called, and came over. He stayed over an hour. He was tired, they just got back from a trip to Utah and back in three days. And they drove all the way back yesterday, and he got up early to get to the church for a meeting, before the regular services. After he left here we went to dinner, came back and watched an old movie with Cary Grant and Gina Lolabridgeta (sp.?). That was our day.

Caden August 7 2009

Friday, August 7, 2009

This morning we got up early, had a quick breakfast, and went to the lobby. Chris got our mail, and then we sat down to wait for Karen to come pick us up. She came quickly, and then she drove us to San Marcos Kaiser clinic. Karen stayed in the car to keep her toe up, and we went inside . First of all, Chris went to the lab and got a protime test taken, and then we went to the cardiac section. We were there only a few minutes until Chris was called into the exam room for pacemakers. I settled down in a chair to read the paper. I didn't get it read before he was back, with the news his battery should last at least two more years! However, he was told to come back next April for another checkup on it. We met Karen in front of the building, and she drove us back to the apartment. We were back in time for me to get into my swim suit and go out to the pool. I got there for at least half of the class. Afterwards we had lunch and now are finishing up on our daily schedule; a little more reading, a nap, talking to daughters, dinner, and the same as before, plus TV.

This morning after having breakfast we came back to the apartment and read the paper. Then we drove to the Kaiser Clinic here in Carlsbad and I picked up a refilled prescription. The sun was out and the ocean looked beautiful. So, on our way back to the apartment we stopped at the beach at Tamarack and found a parking place about half way down the beach row. We got out and walked along the seawall, about 2\3 of the way to the next life guard station. I had to rest a couple of times, because I came with just a cane to help me walk. The waves were good, and the surfers were really having a ball. The beach sand was dotted with people sunning and children playing in the sand. It was great to see, reminding me of other times when we watched you,our own children, playing at the beach and learning to handle yourselves in the water. We got home in time for lunch, and then we spent the afternoon in the apartment. At dinner we meet a new woman , who was formerly in the army and was a driver for General Eisenhower (sp?) during the war. This lady is tall , straight and thin, she must have been a real beauty then. Maybe we can talk to her again sometime.

Today has been pretty much routine. We went to breakfast, and then I went to the water exercise class and Chris went for a walk. Then we had lunch, and hurried back to the apartment, because my visiting teacher, Peggy Plylor was coming over at 1 p.m. When Peggy didn't get here by 1: 20, I went down to the lobby to wait for her. She got here by 1:30, having stopped on her way at the Health center here to visit Loraine Pepper, who fell at the Fair, just as she had got over her surgery last month. The health center is the second building east of ours in this complex. After her visit I read a while in the first book in French of Patty Briggs' that Kaye sent to me. Then we went to dinner. Back at the apartment again, I looked up what my current medications are for, and Chris worked at the new computer with the new yellow keyboard that Kaye sent. It is just like the other one. Now, though, he is playing Free Sell on the old computer. Kaye is now at their writing group meeting. I'm glad Patty is back, and they have these meetings again.

I just noticed that I hadn't written anything yesterday. I guess it was that that I couldn't get settled into doing it. It was Fast Day, so it started off well, with our skipping the breakfast here and going to the Church. It was a good service, with several fine testaments. One person was Steve Yamani, a former member of the Fallbrook 1st Ward. He always was in good spirits, and had a sweet wife, and two teenage children. They seemed to be perfectly happy, but she evidently wasn't. She locked herself in the trunk of the car; it didn't work the first time, but she tried it again, and killed herself. He hasn't remarried, but seems to have recovered his good spirits. After the meeting we came back to Las Villas, and later had a banana split. Naps, dinner and TV took up the rest of the day. Today we had our breakfast as usual, and then I went to the water exercise class. While I was gone the new yellow keyboard for the computer arrived. Chris hooked it up after lunch, while Karen and I went to visit teach Lorraine Pepper, who is in the Care Center here. She had just had sucesful back surgery early last spring, and this summer she went to the Fair with her walker, and a wheel stuck in a hole, and she fell and cracked her hip. She is much better now, walked to the door with us as we left her room.

A satisfactory day

We just looked at the two cute pictures of Caden that Kaye put on this blog. He looks so intelligent, and you can't see the scars from his surgery anywhere on that little chest. He is doing so well, we are happy anytime to get the pictures. Today I went to get my hair cut and set. But I got chicken and didn't get more than just about 1/2 inch cut off. I'll try it this way for a few weeks and see how I get along in the pool exercise classes. Maybe later I'll have it cut higher in the back. After the hair-do we went shopping at J.C Penny for a swim suit, and since they didn't have any one-piece suits to fit me, I shopped for a black bra to go under the suit I already have. I couldn't find a suitable one for that, either. I'll try again next week, or perhaps use the e-mail addresses Kaye gave me. We came back to the Villas, had lunch, and then Karen came over and we drove to the beach. The sun came out, and it was a lovely sight, blue water with white waves, and surfers and swimmers.

Jumping