Day 57 of 365

Kumquats

Remembering when I ate so many of these

delicious little fruit until the acid started 

annoying my teeth. I still love them, but

can only eat a couple. 

Yummy!

So happy I said something to Jun about the air conditioning motors. I can barely hear them now. Maybe, just maybe, I'll get some good rest tonight. What a miracle that will be. I was so tired last night that I just had no energy at all to get on the computer. Still, I could not go to sleep until around 1 am, then I woke up, and had the worst, horrible, cramp in my left leg. I hope it will be better tonight. I want to watch the last few minutes of that movie on Kanopy. Good movie. :)

Day 56 of 365

Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia beautiful woman in the sky,

lend to me your colors and light.

I want to understand you, yet

I am so minute where you are immense

Where you are now, I may never be

but can I touch you with my eyes

and feel you in my heart,

so that we can be sisters 

from an incredible distance.

Okay, this is a poem. Yeah. 

I had intended to get into Pasadena to take photos and go to Kabuki. Then I decided I needed to change the sheets - because often when I do, I sleep better. And if I did the sheets, then I had to do the spraying. After that, I swept the floor and then mopped it a bit to get rid of some dust. Then my tummy didn't feel well, so I rested nude after my shower. How relaxing. I guess I needed to do today what I did. Yeah, it felt great. 💖💜😜😸

Day 55 of 365

My mind is blank, don't know what to say.

I've had so many thoughts running through my brain

both good and not-so-good, yet I do my best

to focus on the better ones. 

Exercise! Exercise! 

I know I need to do it. It will help the pain,

yet I'm always lazy about doing it.

Lazy Bones!

Okay, after I finish this blog, I'll do some exercise. This way I'll feel better tomorrow when I want to walk around Old Towne Pasadena and go for a birthday lunch at Kabuki. Not sure why, but I feel like eating all kinds of things I normally don't eat. Last night I even ate some of "Sasha's" cheese. And that coconut sugar - I must not eat any more - it upsets my tummy and I have an after taste if I just spoon it in my mouth. Feeling kinda funky today, yet I also feel so blessed. Strange combination. Put more books on hold at lapl. I'm just a book junky...definitely. Das all.. 👅💖💜💜💜💜💜💜😅

Day 54 of 365

Cats, dogs, rats, and birds.

Of all of these I have never

had a bird of my own, then again

although I've lived with dogs,

they've always been someone

else's. That's okay, because I get my

furkid fill. Face it, I love animals,

and I'm glad I can work with kittens

and have two chihuahua neighbors,

and have an amazingly wonderful 

thirteen-year-old cat to whom I am 

a human. 

Wow...here it is 9:30 pm and I'm still sweating like mad. Did I say I liked summer? WHO ME? This summer has been miserable. Very humid...too humid. I did sleep better last night after taking the melatonin. Okay, I still woke up at 12 a.m. when the motor went off. I must be conditioned to it, but I went right back to sleep. Still, I woke up feeling sort of okay except for the muscle pain in the back of my neck. It's not a headache. My sweet Sasha comes on the bed and wakes me up. Then lays with me for awhile. Still not certain about when I want to go into Pasadena - tomorrow or Monday to go to Kabuki and wander around and take some photos. I guess I'll know when I wake up.  

Day 53 of 365

Finally, I got some decent shots of butterflies.

No, not the greatest, but better. 

It's late and I'm tired, but I didn't want to go to bed without writing this blog. Wow! I had $21 today and then bought some things and now I have $4 left to last until Friday. One thing I bought was Melatonin. I desperately need to get a good night's sleep. I'll make it with the money I have until Friday. Here it is nearly 11 pm and I'm still sweating! YIKES! The itch on the back of my head - itched once more. Not sure why this happens. Also, still having trouble with neck stiffness - will have to email Dr. G-F about this. It only started happening when I started taking Cymbalta. Okay...off to sleep soon. I hope the Melatonin helps. 😛👀 

Day 52 of 365

Flowers come in all shapes, colors, and patterns

These, felt a bit straw-like, but I don't remember

where I took these photos. Just like animals,

so many different ones. Humans, sometimes 

the worst of any kind. I'm a human, but I do my best

not to be like mean people who hurt others - animals

and other people. I pray for those who are hurt

by cruel, heartless people. I hope these people - no matter

who they are - get their just reward or punishment.

Didn't write last night. I remembered after I was off the computer. I sure wasn't going to get back on it, since I was ready to go to sleep, although it took me so long to get to sleep. I figured out some ways to hear less of that a/c motor. I don't hear it as loudly - it's muffled a bit - which helps. 

Sasha threw up this morning, but then I kept feeding her small amounts all day long. She's okay now. What a silly cat she is sometimes. I love Sasha so very much. I'm so happy the way we've grown closer over the years. Not that I don't miss all my other Kitty Angels - I do. Very much. And I miss my guinea pig angels. I know if I had a larger place and was in better health, I'd have more animals. But for now, my darling Sasha will be enough for me. I have a feeling I'll have her for a few more years. 

Day 51 of 365

Not my photo but one of trees I think are amazing - Baobabs. Don't feel like writing too much tonight, but wanted to keep consistent. The book I began reading is better than I thought it would be - Kitty Cornered by Bob Tarte. Not too bad. But I think I'll go to the library tomorrow and get some other books and return the one about a cat in Paris. 

That's all. I want to get off the computer. 

Day 50 of 365

Abandoned Kitty-brella

yes, that's what I sometimes

feel like - left behind. 

I'm not depressed, but just

sensing some down-ness.

Thankfully, I have my sweet

kitty Sasha, aka my Sasha-sushi,

Tatsi-noogens, carondalet kitty,

Sashiki kitty, and so many more

loving names for her. 

I went to the library and then Trader Joe's. Spent too much money at TJ's So...I will have to see if Jun will help me out with some money. I thought the Safer Soap from Home Depot would be here by now. Can't understand why they have to ship it from across the country. Too bad I didn't have the money to buy 2 of them. But then again, Jun will pay for it. The sheets feel better tonight - now I'm out of it. Hopefully, the noise from the a/c motor will stop at midnight. I can only hope. Oh Sure...

Day 49 of 365

That's my little darling begging for food

It's okay, I'll feed her as much as she wants

This kitty means so much to me – 13 years

we've been together and we've grown 

accustomed to one another. Of course,

Sasha Sushi Kat can still show me

what a brat she is. My little furbomb, 

and all the other names I give her.

Mommy Loves You Sashsiki Snooshka!

Getting into a bad habit of sitting in bed too much. One of the reasons is that this laptop gets so hot if I use it at the desk. Since I don't want to buy a cooler – they are worthless – I use the ice packs and they work very well, but then I can't use my laptop at the desk. No problem. One other habit I must get out of Immediately is to stop eating noodle salad - it's become too much of a bad habit. Once again I need to get up earlier. If that stupid motor - for an air conditioner? - would turn off earlier, I'd get better sleep. The cotton in my ears does help. I remember nights when I could go to sleep at 10:30 pm. Not any more. Oh well...

Day 48 of 365

Crow in the palm tree

three, four, then five

Got them on film

Wish one would land

on my arm. 

Love these birds SO!

Short one tonight. Nearly forgot. Watched a good movie on Kanopy - Storm Boy. Really good. My left shoulder and arm hurt so much this morning. I didn't get to Pasadena. Boo Hoo... Sasha kept me company the whole day. She's starving again. I'm off to bed soon. Remember to stuff my ears with cotton. The only way I can mute that continual sound. grrrrrrr! 

Day 47 of 365

A photo of my Sweet Sasha Kat

from 2011. She will always be my sweet kat.

No matter what she does and yes, she does 

enough to let me know she wants to be boss sometimes.

Still, it's been over 13 years since I adopted her,

more than I had any of my other beloved cats – 

Tana and Squirt were only around 10 years with me,

and then they died in Sunland. I so miss them, but 

I've got my Sweet Sasha Kat now. 

Woke up feeling in quite a bit of pain today, so I didn't go to Kitten Rescue. I'm not sure if the pain or not being able to see the kittens made me feel depressed. Or, not being able to get in in such a long time to take photos. Maybe a combination of the 3 or any one of them at all. Sasha sure ate like a little piggy today. Not sure why, but she did. And I went a bit (oh...only a bit?) hog wild on the coconut sugar. I can't buy it anymore, I'll have to go back to buying honey - I don't binge on it as much. In the last (less than) a week, I've managed to read 4 of the 5 books I got from the library. Now, I'm reading the last one and will most likely finish it before or by Monday. I once binged on watching movies or tv shows, but now it's reading. Maybe tonight I'll watch a movie on Kanopy after I take a shower. I feel quite filthy. Yuck! Will go on fb a bit, but I'm so losing interest in it. I guess I need a break from it, but then again, I've cut down my time on it fairly well most days. Off to get slippery when wet. 👅😑💟💗👍😊😻😺🙏

Day 46 of 365

The universe is so immense

I'm just one tiny blip in it

Yet, God loves me

as if I was as big as the whole

of the universe. WOW!

Amazing.

When I went to Ralphs before I made an incredible choice. I decided not to get ice cream and to stick with the avocados I picked up. My eating has been much better and I feel more comfortable about it. The only problem I have is when I go to Trader Joe's and buy the Sunflower Butter cups. Hmmm...a problem to be worked on. I can't do it alone, but my Amazing God can help me. Yes, He can. "Faith is not knowing that God can; it's knowing that He will." Please help me to solve this problem God. Most other foods I've done okay with deleting or cutting down on. Hmmm...I didn't intend to write about this subject, but I guess I needed to do it. 

Day 45 of 365

Great Blue Heron

Blue heron, baby, most likely

I'm so happy I got your picture

I like your breed and 

how you look as adults

That slightly angry look

Sometimes the way I feel

but hold it inside or take it out

some other way. You catch fish

in your big beak and swallow 

them whole and alive. I can't imagine 

how it feels to end life that way.

So, today I got a number of tasks done – 2 loads of laundry - washed, dried, folded, and put away. Cleaned off the cork board and got rid of it. Did my exercises, since my leg and knee were feeling really miserable. Ate a very good but late dinner, including a good-sized salad. I'm doing very well with keeping up this blog. It's working - I'm writing a bit and doing some poetry. Very Good Michelle! 👍💗😃

Day 44 of 365

Beautiful Koi

I'm not sure why I fell in love with these fish

Carp, but Koi. Their colors are amazing – look

what God created, among so many other wondrous

creations on this earth. Not everything is ugly, not

all people, events, or situations. I've learned to search

out the beauty and positive and disregard

the negative and ugly.

I was a bit disappointed with Luis today, but in a way, I'm glad he didn't want to make it. I did okay. I went at my pace. I know not to depend on people, since I've been let down too much by them too many times. In my life I depend only on God, on Jesus - They Never Fail me!

Now, if I could only get some good sleep at night. That air conditioner is SO noisy!! Thankfully it will cool down later this week. Thankfully I also feel better so that I can make it to Kitten Rescue to see the kittens. I not only help them and Dawn - they help me – my spirit, my emotions. They make me happy. 

Got quite a bit done today - not only the shopping and the library for books, but cooked Sasha's chicken. I feel accomplished. :)

Day 43 of 365

Spanish Moss from a long ago trip to the Arboretum

Mercury in Retrograde...PAH!

Just a silly notion to blame things 

on something else - I don't believe it!

Things go right or wrong as they will

not because of something happening

to the planets. 

Got some laundry done today - 1 load - 3 sets of sheets. Felt really good, but still have more laundry to do. I think I feel a little better, but when I go to Trader Joe's I'll get some Airborne. This humidity is miserable, but this is SoCal and I like living here. 

Talked to Mina today and we had a great conversation. She read me some stories she wrote - they are good! It gave me some encouragement to get further into writing my poetry. Also got an email telling me that 2 of my haiku (after editing) were accepted. Nice!

Nearly done with Stand Firm - the study from Philippians by Dave Branon. It's such a good study. It's one of the first books from Our Daily Bread that I've managed to read all the way through. Amazing!

Day 42 of 365

After - she came back from the groomer. :)

Before - the job I did. :(

What a sweet kitty I have. Sasha is my baby, no doubt about it.
She and I have grown closer through the years.
And I am learning to understand her more. 

I am so happy today that my sweet Sasha looks and feels better. She's not as crabby, and neither am I.  From now on, I have to get her accustomed to being brushed, since this way it will help her not to get the hair mats that will hurt her. I'm trying to do my best to take care of my 13 year old Sasha. I may not have much money, but I do what I can. 

I will never forget Jonathan, that sweet kitty and how Sandy thought the mats were cool. She killed her poor Jonathan!

Put more books on hold at the library and have a small list of books that are in the library that I can take out.  Now, I want to make a list of what I want to get at Trader Joe's so that I'll be in and out of there faster. Well, sometimes it works. 😏  

Day 41 of 365

Signing petitions highlights the cruelty of humans.

Still, I know the petitions help. 

Yet, seeing what sick humans do to animals

and people, makes me want to vomit!

Sometimes I wonder why God doesn't

destroy horrible humans like this. 

Needed to do this tonight, but I think I signed too many petitions before I did. Now I am slightly depressed. This is all I can write tonight. I hope I sleep better and my tummy feels better tomorrow. 

😢👎

Day 40 of 365

Sasha looks so pretty

with getting her fur shaved

and a bath to clean her up

plus getting her claws clipped

I love my kitty and I'm glad 

I was able to do this for her

My sweet Sasha feels better,

Her mommy just knows it.

A fairly restful day after not sleeping well all night. The trips to the pet store got me a bit tired, plus I sweated a whole lot. Finished Where the Blind Horse Sings - excellent book. Started Cleo, which I'm enjoying so much. I'm tired so I may not go to any of the events this Saturday. I want to start going to church again - I've been feeling the tug to get there. Also, just really need to take a break from fb. I feel bored whenever I go on there lately - like I need to get away from there and regroup & regain control of my mind. Let think about that, but I'm positive I need it. Maybe I can accomplish some writing. Wishing I can get my printer working again - oh yeah...now I need another print cartridge. sigh...

Day 39 of 365

Dragons attack lives with fiery breathe

A life feels burnt to a crisp by life's battles

Hiding is out of the question

Their shadows overwhelm vast areas

Yet, I'd love to ride on the back of one

and allow it to be my pet.

Forgot - last night - to do my blog. I remembered too late, so I decided to get off fb earlier. I completely revised the poem I wrote at the workshop - deleted the whole thing - and began again from the quote. Now my DAMNED printer won't work! Or, I'm not doing something right. Sasha sits by my side in bed. I love this skinny cat so very much. Mommy's little beast! Yes, right now she gave me the "Feed Me Slave" signal. Okay, I don't want to be on the computer much longer. I'd rather be reading. Seems, at least for awhile, I've lost my desire for tv shows and movies. I am glad, though, I gave up on Netflix and BritBox. 

Day 38 of 365

Sinatra, Braden, & Kedi

I don't know what made me fall in love with cats

Maybe it was because when I was a child

any of the cats we had would not get close to me

Going to miss Sinatra and Braden. 

Weird day. Went to Union Station to find a group and an event and couldn't find either. Came home, rested, did some shopping at Ralphs, then came home and fell asleep for 3+/- hours. Yeah, I guess I was tired. Still, it was a good day. 😗😺🙌🙏

Day 37 of 365

Coco & Michelle at Catalina Public Library

New friends are always exciting to meet

And this lady is such a wonderful one

I knew I'd like her when I met her, since

I already liked her from communicating with her

online. I may not have much, but she is struggling

with so much more, so I decided to give her a gift.

She appreciated it and I knew that God helped me

make the right decision. I'm thankful I have

a Loving Savior, Christ Jesus.

Today, I was able to pay forward all the times friends helped me out. If I'd thought about it, I might have given the smaller amount, but this month, today, I'm doing well. I have enough money and Jay and Sue sent me another birthday present. SURPRISE! I cut quite a bit from Sasha's fur today - no, she doesn't like it, but I'm getting the fur blobs from her body, so that it will grow in better. Little by little, I'm trying to even it out. It's probably not near as good as a groomer can do, but as I'm doing well financially this month I want to keep it that way. It was nice being at the Poetry Writing Workshop at Catalina Library today. This week, I'll work on revising this poem. I don't know how much of it I'll keep or discard. That's it for one night. I want to go to the event at Union Station tomorrow, so I should get some sleep. ;)

36 of 365

Flowers shaking on the quaking earth

Earthquakes shaking shaking shaking

no damage here, but there must be someplace

one was strong 7.1 on the Richter scale...WOW!

There will probably be aftershocks all night long

but I'm so tired I may not feel them.

Great day today – my 70th birthday. I had a great time at Kitten Rescue, did my chores and played with the kittens - they were all so very cute. Braden and Sinatra got adopted. I'm glad, but a bit sad. I can sleep a bit later tomorrow, I have an easy day. It was quite busy today, but I felt more energy than I have had in a while. Felt it when I picked up the vacuum today - had a bit more strength.  

Day 35 of 365

Chocolate Flower

I am like a flower

a creation of God

each day my body 

blooms and my mind

focuses more on my

Creator. What can I do

to get closer to him?

How can I stop obsessing

on chocolate so much?

God, help me.

I am a beautiful creation. God's child, yet there's too much of me. God loves me anyway. I am thankful I did this blog first thing in the morning. I did it. It's done. Help me my Creator to keep being creative. Yes, my creativity is a gift from you. Thank you. For this I am grateful. I'm grateful for  Sasha, my sweet kitty. I want to do what I can to make her life more comfortable. She shows me love and I want to show her how much I love her. Thank you God for my wonderful Sasha. 

💖💖💖💖💖💖

Today Mom would have been 99 years old. Happy Birthday Mom; I miss you so much. Thirteen years you've been gone and I miss you so much each day. I so often wish I could pick up the phone

and call you. 

💔

Day 34 of 365

💖💖Sweet Sasha, My Baby 💖💖

Fur blobs on my loving cat
She got mad at me but she's over being mad
Sasha knows how much I love her
and I try not to do anything to hurt her
unfortunately she's a Crabby Little Old Lady –
every thing appears to hurt her.
She threw up this morning,
but I've fed her lightly the rest of the day.
She's sitting by me after hiding on the shelf
most of the day.
What a sweet cat...do I love her?
YEP!

Not sure what's going on, but I can't get it to align left, so I'l just leave it like this. I've had a good day, except I have to replace the water filter which didn't go to green, it started on red. grrrrr! So, I'll wait until Sunday, that will give m time to rest and time to maybe go to the poetry writing workshop in Pasadena. Or, I might go to Long Beach and go to the vegan festival. That might be fun. I'll just have to see how much energy I have on Saturday and what I want to do. Will decide on Friday, I think.

Day 33 of 365

Blueberries on a vine, or maybe they are grapes

I don't know if they are edible or poison,

so I'm not going to try them and live another day

I just like the colors in this photo

whether these purple fruit are edible or not

Today was a much better day. I got to TJ's for some bananas, prunes, and a couple of my favorite sunflower seed chocolate cups...yummy! Maybe with the prunes, my system will get back to normal. I'm just trying to eat as lightly as possible. Just don't feel like eating and packing more in my system. Also, drinking more water. It helps some. 👸 Yes, this is me...A Princess. Both Sasha and I are princesses. I love her and wish I could get all the hair globs off her. sigh...

Good day, I've got to get myself out more, even if it's just for a walk around the block. Got it? 😛