All of our company has left. We have had non-stop company since March 1 and we have enjoyed every bit of it...however, it has taken it's toll. The washer and dryer haven't stopped for two days....and I haven't even had time to clean the house...but I am getting ahead of myself.
After Billie and Dan left, we had a day to get ready for the next round of company. This time it was son Mike and wife Bev from St. Louis and good friends Rowland and Kathy Brasch from Seattle area. They all arrived within an hour of each other on the 6th. I had made a killer Emerile Lagasse sausage and chicken gumbo for dinner that night. We all got to just sit and visit and the weather, I might add, that Bev had ordered, (warm, hot, warm) was cooperating. The evenings are so nice to sit on the deck and enjoy our view. Anyway, that was the first night.
Next day, Mike starts working around our house on the yard, cutting back some cactus and weeds....some vacation, huh? Bev and I putz around, doing a little shopping...remember, I still have a broken ankle, but I am not letting it slow me down much. We all had lunch with Jude and Roger Hubbell today at their club in Saddlebrooke. Tonight for dinner we join Bruce, Holly and Cortney at Benihana's for dinner. For some reason, Benihana's wasn't as good as I was expecting.
Thursday - Rowland and Kathy take off to go to Tubac and Nogales Mexico for the day. Mike is still working in the yard...he says he loves it, but I have to wonder...these plants we have BITE! Bev and I do a little more shopping. Tonight for dinner we also have Jude and Roger Hubbell and Pat and Patti Voss for dinner. Mike and Al do a standing rib roast on the grill and it was sooooo good. Weather is still great.
Friday - Big day for us. First off, the guys cook breakfast for us. What a treat.
Rowland, Mike, Al
After we clean up the kitchen Kathy, Bev and I go to the new shopping mall, La Encantada, very up scale to do some looking. We had lunch at a restaurant called Firefox....must remember to bring Al here...it was great. After we cruised through places like Coach, Louis Vitton, etc. we decided this mall was out of our league. They do have a cute pet store "Muttropolis" there, for the very, very, very spoiled pet in your life. Tonight our friends from California roll in (they are staying in a hotel) Bill and Eva Davey and Donna and Gary Bearden. We were really happy to see them and get to visit a bit. They were here for dinner along with friends Dona and Bill Bender and Jack and Suzie Waddick. The Brasch's are staying with the Benders tonight and Jack and Suzie move into our other spare guest room. Are you still with me here? Mike and Bev basically did dinner tonight...French Dip Sandwiches, I madea pasta salad, potato chips and great toffee bars that Bev did. I must add here that Bev and Kathy have really been a big help for me...and Rowland keeps telling me to sit down and get off my sore ankle...right, as if I will listen!
Donna & Gary Bearden
Eva Davey and Gary Bearden
Jack & Sue Waddick
Bill Davey and Sue Waddick
The wonderful Kitchen Helpers....Kathy and Bev
Saturday...The California crowd goes off to do some exploring for the day. Mike, Bev and Al went to the Mesa Swap meet for the day. I am alone!!! I took Jose into the vet with a sore tail....yes, another vet trip. I should get a frequent visitor card for the vet! Jose has a cut on his tail that is infected....when will it end with the pets in this house???????
Tonight is the Santa Maria Barbecue here. Al grilled tri tips and I made a big pot of pinquito beans. Pinquito beans are native to the Santa Maria valley in California...they are a small pinto like bean. I did the traditional Santa Maria recipe for the beans and boy were they ever good. Bev made a killer chocolate cake and we all celebrated Jack's birthday (I won't give away his age). The California crowd was here....still need to visit more with them and I am feeling bad because we didn't have a lot of time to visit with them. Too much company. The weather has been absolutely fabulous all week...in the mid to high 80's -- just perfect for me. We have spent a lot of time on the deck enjoying the weather and our great view of the mountains.
Sunday...Mike and Bev leave. We both hated to see them leave. We really enjoyed their visit. All of a sudden, the house is quiet. Jack and Sue are at the craft fair, so we are all alone. I want to insert at this point, our dogs, have been played with by everyone...so now I am left with two dogs who EXPECT to be played with all of the time. Tonight we (Al and I, Jack and Suzie) met the Californians at Carrabba's for dinner. We had never been there, but we will go back...it was good. We didn't know that Carrabba's was part of the Outback chain, or I should say part of the same corporation that owns Outback, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Chili's, Macaroni Grill and many other restaurants. We say goodbye to the California crowd....hope to see them again soon.
Monday. Jack and Sue leave early this morning. I take Al to the doctor this morning for a follow up appointment for his blood pressure. However, last night Al said his legs were "weeping" or seeping water. Huh??? What's that all about? And he has had a dry, hacking cough for over a week and has had trouble breathing when laying down flat in bed. He blamed the breathing on his C-Pap, but he also has a very dry mouth. Sooooo...I mention all of the above to the doctor, who gets a frown on his face and starts going over Al with a fine tooth comb. Al has gained 17 pounds in the last 3 weeks as well. Yup, he is retaining fluid. Doctor puts him on mega doses of lasic's and potassium, sends him for a chest X-ray and orders a echo cardiogram asap. We got the chest xray done today and the echo cardiogram scheduled for tomorrow. AL is not feeling to well today, however, he said he felt fine while all the company was here and he was pretty active while everyone was around to keep him busy. I am scared spit less.
ALSO, tonight on the news, the word is out...SNAKES ARE AWAKE!!! The warm weather have woken up the snakes and they are hungry...many people have found them in their yards in the last few days. SWELL.....now I don't want to go outside!
Tuesday
Okay, back to the snakes. I dreamed about snakes all night. I would wake up and my heart would be pitter patting along at a rapid pace... I tell you ...I am scared spit less of snakes.
Al had the echo cardiogram today and I got to watch. Interesting to watch his heart beat....and kinda' scary. His heart rate is at 40, not very good. He is weak, tired and very dizzy, which we think might be from the lasic's and potassium, at least we hope it is. Hopefully we will hear some news on the results of this test soon. I will keep you all posted in my next blog...but we sure could use your prayers for him.
More later..........
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