Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Another Monday and we are happy to celebrate the day!
I did the math; this morning begins the 4,191st week since I came into this world. Mary is a piker; it has been only 3,803 weeks since May 26, 1952. I plan to celebrate my 5,000th week with my bride on October 13, 2040! I am 388 weeks her senior ( 7 1/2 years).
Scout was again pesty at 5:00 am, so I let him out, locked the door, and returned to bed! More sleep was needed since we had to face the gym this morning.
At 7:00 am, we were up and getting ready for the onslaught of physical abuse! We decided to proceed with the appointment even though we had to stop at 9:00 am to attempt an appointment with Dr. Cobb, our heart doctor.
I began my exercises with a warning to the instructor!
Because of the visit to the ER this weekend, I was told to visit the heart doctor ASAP on Monday!
Mary pulled out her Doctor’s Card, and we got a 10:15 am appointment, so we departed the gym early. As we entered the car, our physical abusers (commonly known as instructors/trainers) were charging across the parking lot, yelling, “We are NOT done with you two yet; come back! We will get you and your little dog Scout also!”
We went to the 6th floor and checked in with Dr. Cobb.
As we were sitting there, everyone’s iPhones went off simultaneously! I sounded like the inside of a birdcage. We quickly read the flash banner, which said, “Standby, earthquake detected.” I thought, “Oh boy, another false alarm,” but within 10-30 seconds, the building began to move. The new technology worked, and within a few minutes the waiting room TV announced the San Diego earthquake. Wow!
He had the report from this weekend’s stay at the St. Joseph’s Emergency Room and asked me how I felt.
After we answered everything, he suggested I stop a particular medication for two weeks and come back so he could run some tests to verify that I was NOT still in “congestive heart failure.”
Dr. Mary and D. Cobb enjoy each other’s company during our visits. He is a good guy!
CHF is a chronic condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. Heart failure can occur if the heart cannot adequately pump (systolic) or fill (diastolic). Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, swollen legs, and rapid heartbeat. Treatments include eating less salt, limiting fluid intake, and taking prescription medications. In some cases, a defibrillator or pacemaker may be implanted.
Of course, everything was normal while at the office!
We made the appointments and were off and running—like a bunch of toddlers at a candy store.
As we walked down the hallway to the car, Mary’s brakes went on, her tail lights flashed, and she screeched to a halt right in front of the gift store. The smell of burning leather permeated the hallway, and several people ran out with fire extinguishers, hoping to save the building.
Mary did well, only circling the store twice and finding only a salt and pepper shaker that might go home with us. She turned the bunny upside down, and I thought she was checking whether it was a boy or a girl, but she was really checking the price.
Dollar signs appeared in her eyes as they rolled back in her head; she carefully put the little critter back on the shelf, mumbling something about $29 and highway robbery!
We found our car easily since I left breadcrumbs on the way into the building. We were headed home when I suggested Mama Lu’s as a potential for lunch. Mary’s eyes twitched, and I got a mile-wide smile; we were off.
It is located on the right, 25% of an old grocery store on 17th and Prospect!
The restaurant or, more appropriately, “Dumpling House” was open for business! As their welcoming message says:
Welcome to MAMA LU’S DUMPLING, where we craft delicious dishes with the freshest ingredients, blending tradition and creativity. Our mission is to provide a warm, inviting atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy great food with friends and family. Every meal is prepared carefully and passionately, ensuring a delightful dining experience. We take pride in our exceptional service and attention to detail. Thank you for choosing MAMA LU’S DUMPLING —we look forward to serving you!
We came in for their vegetable fried rice but ended up with a selection of goodies! We brought home half the meal with us and then packaged some of the lunch for Jeff, our neighbor.
Mama Lu’s was as good as we remembered.
Finally, we were home with our tummies full. I wanted to walk the yard to see if the shortness of breath was still happening, and it was NOT! I admired Mary’s potted hanging plants, which were enjoying the Spring weather.
Our hanging pots are doing well.
The strawberry search is mandatory, so we get the berries before the birds do. With Scout on duty, birds are terrified! His snoring sounds keep them at bay!
On the search for strawberries.
While near the patio, I checked our fruit trees, and they are beginning to get loaded with future fruit. This tree is an apricot, plum, nectarine, and peach tree all in one! We call it a fruit salad tree.
The peaches/plumbs are emerging.
Speaking about the ferocious guard dog, he was on his 2:30 p.m. patrol when I captured him mid-stride. Every fifteen minutes, he makes a complete circuit of the yard (including the vineyard and under the trees), looking for those pesky elephants.
We are always afraid he might spot an elephant and pass out from fright!
Scout on the hunt for elephants.
The lemon tree just got its wake-up dose of iron after a long winter’s nap, and it responded by producing a mess of blossoms. We’ll have so many lemons later this summer that I’m pretty sure I’ll need to start a lemonade stand—to keep my sanity! At this rate, I might even have enough to open a lemon-themed amusement park. Get ready for rides like “The Citrus Twister” and “Lemon Drop Falls!”
The lemon tree is coming out of its winter shock.
Rounding the garden, we saw the corn forest. These little puppies have grown a foot in the past two weeks, and with the warm weather beginning, they will be eight feet tall in about 60 days! Corn on the cob is our favorite!
The corn is not quite as high as an elephant’s eye yet!
The mislabeled peas will be left in place this season. They add color and aroma to the garden! They remind me of the poem,
“Mary had a little pea
The pea was pink as snow
and everywhere that Mary went
her peas were sure to go!”
Indeed, everywhere we go, Mary brings sweet peas that are so aromatic they brighten the surroundings.
Sweetpeas by the bushel
We returned inside for a quick nap; the large Chinese lunch was working well!
At 5:30 a.m., we departed for the Orange Art Association meeting, which was held on Tustin Blvd at the Orange Community Church. The demo artist was Denise Busony (denisebusony.com). Denise is an award-winning artist who will demonstrate techniques for oil painting colorful skies.
We went to the Orange Art Association for a demo.
Mary sat in the front so she could see, while I occupied a chair in the back to allow the other artists a better view of the demo.
Not too bad from a distance.
Oils often need some distance before the entirety of the painting can be appreciated!
The closeup is not pretty.
We returned home and watched two additional episodes of Everwood before hitting the sack.
By the way, Jeff gave me a wearable ring that provides a blood-oxygen content reading as well as a pulse measurement. He uses it because of his condition, and I thought I might like it, even though I have a different condition. I love it, especially when it reads 97%, and my heart rate is 70 bpm.
