My Goodness!

This month is nearly over!  Time flies when your having fun...or it drags on when you're not feeling so hot.

About a month ago I started having pain in my left hip.  Hoping it was just poor posture and a saggy bottomed chair I just lived with it.  On the 15th I (we) spent the afternoon at the VA clinic in Mission. I haven't been seen by anyone there so it took a bit to get in their system and then I had to wait for the 'next available' Doctor (which I didn't see!).

Everything was done through a nurse...you know, all the questions, evaluations etc, ect, ect.  While he kept consulting with the doctor I never actually saw her.  She just approved everything.  Any way, they took xrays of my hip and pelvis and there is a gap in there...Not exactly sure what that means except pain for me.

I was given some medication (otc) for the pain and told if it didn't improve in 7-10 days to come back.  It hasn't improved.  So I'm heading back to hopefully find out what my options are.  Because I take the medication 2 times a day I do have a few hours where the pain is workable and I'm sure it has helped me sleep.  I'm finding it difficult to sit for any length of time and standing (like in the kitchen).  I have tried to get in a slow stroll everyday but it isn't comfortable

And I'm learning how to walk, stand and rise differently!  This getting older sucks!

On Tuesday we went on a pontoon boat ride with friends.  Our Resort has this activity three times a week for a fee.  It can take eight passengers plus the Captain and First Mate.  The cost is $10 a person...but work campers get one free trip.

Anne and Scotty had friends visiting, Kathy and Roger from Vermont so Anne arranged for a group of eight to go out. Thank goodness the weather was very nice.  I didn't take many pictures

Steve our intrepid Captain.  His job is to keep us in the middle of the river so the Mexican authorities don't come after us!  LOL

Scotty and Pat doing their best to stay in the shade

Anne, Jim and Catherine.  Catherine is the wife of Steve and makes an excellent First Mate, she kept everyone informed and entertained

Roger and Kathy with the lovely Miss Anne and Jim's legs

Vern!  Who shares his life with Miss Pat

Mexicans like to live on the edge of water too!  The Rio Grande River is dammed and the flow is controlled.  But on occasion it will flood so I'm sure these folks could tell a few stories.

The trip up and down this section was interesting.  A lot of illegals cross here and you never know what you'll see.  There were three official boats that zoomed past us and that was the only excitement as they created awake we could ride over.  We saw some beautiful parks and homes on the Mexican side, some cows, horses and goats along the waters edge.

My Boo Baby

All is right in our world!

Tomatillo Salsa

Do you like chips and dip?  

What kind of chips?  

What Kind of salsa?

A favorite around here is Guacamole but pico de gallo comes a pretty good second, especially if it's made by me!  My daughter brought this delectable dish to our attention several years ago and it's quite easy to make.  A bunch of Roma tomatoes, red onion, jalepeno pepper, lime juice and a dash or two of chipotle pepper sauce.  I like mine with cilantro, Jim does not.. Just chop all the tomatoes, onion and pepper as big or as small as you like.  Enjoy

I also like a good tomatillo salsa.  But I don't make it, I buy it.  Salsa Verde is made by everyone!  Just do a search and the recipes will pop up....here are a couple:

Tomatillo Salsa Verde at All Recipes

Another one by Rick Bayless, Salsa Verde

Our day started early with a visit to see Jim's dermatologist.  It was a follow up for his pre cancerous skin lesions....Whew that's a mouthful.  Anyway the cream medicine he used cleared up all that was targeted.  She froze a couple spot on his head which look painful and will take a few days to heal up.  He also has to go back for a biopsy on a mole.

Then it was off to the mall for a brisk walk.  The heat is back and it was already warming up to the 90 it reached today.  

After our stroll we headed to Tony Roma's for lunch.  We left stuffed!  We each had soup, salad and half sandwich and a draft beer.  The beers were some we'd never had before, mine was good but nothing I need to repeat.  Jim had a porter that he enjoyed.

After lunch we headed to the McAllen Library on Nolana that used to be a Walmart!  Wonderful use of the building.  I liked the way it was set up with both English and Spanish sections.  Of course it has books but also magazines, videos etc.  Media Rooms and places for folks to sit and read, study rooms and internet.

Back home we changed into comfy clothes and relaxed a bit.  Around 1600 we headed to a party with a bunch of our friends and some strangers!  We had a good time and though neither of us was very hungry Jim managed to try quite a few tasty dishes and I had some chips...with and without salsa.  Jim brought some wine but I had water.  Though I did manage to down a few tequila shots.

CBS is our choice for TV viewing on Tuesday.  NCIS, Bull and NCIS: New Orleans

All is right in our world

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge

It's been a busy day for me.  Once Jim got up this morning I dressed and went for a walk.  You see, the last three days we worked and I didn't get much walking done.  So far today I've gotten in almost 7000 steps!

Laundry, cooking and dishes occupied some of my time and I spent time this afternoon folding and delivering our weekly resort calendar (which helped with my steps!).

Jim cleaned up the bird feeding station.  Not sure what messed up the suet feeder but it was really messy and of course that means the water dish was yucky.  We get Green Jays, Kiskadees, thrashers, Altamira Orioles, wrens and a little yellow-green warbler?  Doves and grackles are a given and a squirrel or two.  We both enjoy the birds that visit!  We've even had javalinas visit

The other day we went to Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge  The day was nice, just cool enough to be comfortable in jeans.  Unfortunately we didn't see much wildlife, just a few water birds.  My main reason for going was to get my National Park Pass.  Currently they are $10 but sometime this year the price is going up to $80...This is a bargain!  This little card gets you into all of our counties National Parks!

From the website...

The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series 

A pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees (day use fees) at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A pass covers entrance, standard amenity fees and day use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person). Children age 15 or under are admitted free.

Run don't walk to your nearest Park and get your pass before the price goes up!  The website will show you the nearest one to you

The day was a bit overcast so I didn't take many pictures.  The one above has the most color and it's just some fungi

No matter where you go in the south you'll find Spanish Moss

Not a lot of green to be seen this time of year

At first glance this tree looks dead....but it's not!  It has some leaves starting to come out

This Great Kiskadee stuck around long enough for this shot

This Harris's Hawk was not in the right place for a good shot

We're both spending time reading, especially when the weather turns cool.  Oh, I think I forgot to mention the truck....after the first repair job which fixed the issues at that time we had it back about three days.  Had driven it a couple times with not problem.  Then we left to go out to lunch one day and wouldn't you know the durn thing died!  Just died, engine quit and would not restart.  Jim called road service and they towed it away.  Not sure how many days that took but they replaced the fuel injection module (?).  Seems to be doing just fine now but still has an oil leak.  Another job for in the future.

All is right in our world!