I have to have a blood test. The big one. I have to fast for at least 12 hours before hand, so I'm attempting to ween myself of coffee. Why? Because if I don't, I'll get such a migraine. I don't drink a lot of coffee, just one big old latte per day. I'm down to about 1/8th tsp of coffee with milk and water, I'm almost ready to go! I realized yesterday my coffee tasted like hot water and milk. Not good. The following photos are of the garden taken in the past day or so. It's amazing how much is still in bloom.
Spanish Lavender
Nandina
Meyers Lemons
Can't recall the name for some reason...some sort of aster
Pyracathus
Rob's mom said a few days before Christmas "How beautiful...you've decorated the kitchen." I said, "...it's the same decoration from last year, I never bothered to take it down. " Apparently she didn't notice! I had a good laugh. (The kitchen isn't painted yet (eventually it will be soft butter yellow with pure white trim and moldings), what you see is just primer.)~
Got a call from my dear friend Renee in LA tonight. She's worried about this blog and about me. Thinks it's too personal and is fearful I might attract an undesireable (stalker!). Who? Someone who doesn't like roses!? God forbid. However, she did cause me to rethink this blogging thing. I'll be careful in the future, but what am I supposed to do with all my others posts and comments? Edit the ones I can and delete the ones I can't? That doesn't seem like much of an option. Her main concern is my safety at the park where I feed feral kitties. Something very scary happened there one morning a few months ago, so my friends and family are always concerned about my safety, but I refuse to stop going (if you want to know the story, go to CSI Seattle's blog to find it. I'm thinking about deleting it, so hurry). Rob actually got on the phone to reassure her I would never give away the location. I had planned to take some photos of the beautiful Sycamore trees, but now I'm afraid someone might recognize them! So I won't. (See Renee...I'm listening!!!) And to all my dear blogger friends, I know you're legitimate, but you can understand her concern. That's what good friends do...love you and often worry.
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Those of you who love 1pic as much as I do will smile at this one. When Renee read my post intitled "I Met A Fabulous Guy..." she hadn't read his blog and when she referenced it, only read the first few posts. She didn't understand and was concerned I had actually fallen in love over the internet!!! Is that the sweetest thing or what? Trying to explain 1pic and that whole thing was complicated as all you fans will agree! I told her she would only understand if she read his whole blog and as many comments as possible! She has young twins and a busy life, so I don't know how she's going to fit it in, but I hope she does because as we all know...he affects both men and women equally. I can hardly wait for the phone to ring and hear the wonderful words..."Suzanne, thank you!"
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XO Suzanne
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P.S. Yes, for those of you who read the original, I've edited this post viciously! I must have been very tired because upon rereading it this morning realized it was sloppy and disconnected. Those of you who had to endure it, please forgive me because it must have been painful!
~
Also, I had to put the little squiggles in between paragraphs because for some reason blogger wouldn't allow me to seperate them. All the paragraphs were just one big hunk of words and I couldn't allow something that ugly to post.
22 comments:
Hi Suzanne,
I thought that I would visit.
What a wonderful and uplifting site! Good Luck with your blood test, though I'm sure it will be okay. I really like your photos they are sharp and have great definitition. I can see that you are a keen gardener. My wife jo and you could be soul sisters .. you both like cats and roses!
Best wishes for the New Year.
Mark.
Hi Suzanne,
Hope all goes well with your blood test. A coffee a day is treat to be enjoyed, but I make mine a small latte. The photos from your garden look great. We won't get those colors around here until Spring. The last of your post is pretty scary. I hope everything will be alright.
helloo dear how r u... so sorry cudnt wish u for christmas... i hope it was great... iam still stuck with my dumb exams... arrgghhh!!!
i missed u n 1pic soo sooo much... i missed reading ur blogs... so much.... i hav just finished 3 of my exams 3 more to go... sad cant celebrate new yr tonight...hav to study.. just waiting to finish these exams...
i bursted out into laughter when i read wat ur friend said abt 1pic... lol i cant even imagine him as "tat" lol.... but can understand ur friend's concern :)
i missed u soo much... have to share this wit u...while writing my exams wen some answers dint click to me... i used to end up dreamin abt u n 1pic...used to wonder wat u guys wud be doing... n i always imagined u in the garden amidst roses!!! lol how much i missed reading his posts...n his photographs... i managed to read all the way from where i missed... he is just fantastic...i lik the progress he's making :)
have a wonderful year ahead dear... may all your dreams come true...
love you
kisses :-*
n dear wats wit the blood test.. ?i hope it will be okay... iam sure it will be... take care dear....
Hi Suzanne,
Just a quick one. Good luck with the blood test - I'm waiting on some results early in the new year. Have a wonderful new year and I'll be back on here in a few days.
Take care,
Peter xx
Hi Suzanne!
Thank you for your comment on my blog. I have been reading yours for a few weeks but as I said in reply to your comment I have not left a message before as I did feel it was a personal site mainly for invited friends and family. I felt like I was intruding! I don't know what your friend said to you, as I have read your site this evening after your deletion, but I think we should all be aware of the the information we share on a public site. I didn't realise before that if you google some of the usernames you get the text of their comments coming up on the google search engine! This is why I have chosen not to use my real name. On the other hand, it is nice to chat to a 'real' person and the warmth of your personality oozes through on your site. Maybe your friend is just worried that you may be leaving yourself vulnerable? I suppose it is possible to make the site open only to invited people- but then you lose the amazing, mind-blowing possibilities of communicating with people from all corners of the planet!
I love your photos, it must be very warm in Ca for the lavender to be in bloom- I cut mine back 2 months ago.
Wishing you all the best for 2008, Happy New Year!
Cinnamon
BTW- I LOVE the photo of the cup and saucer!
Cinnamon X
haha... Now I want to read the "original" post. Your photos are lovely. The garden is amaizing... so full of beautiful flowers in Dec. Here in the north, all I see is frost and white stuff on my otherwise beautiful garden. I just can't wait for Spring... but in the mean time, blessings to you and yours during 2008, my dear Suzanne.
Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. ~Hal Borland.
Cielo
Hi again!
Happy New Year. Yes, much clearer now. Your "close encounter" was pretty scary reading. I'm glad that you came through that expereince without being physically harmed. Also that you are still doing the activities you enjoy. The feral kitties don't have alot going for them and a helping hand is really helps. Here in my part of Oklahoma, we've just started a program that spays/neuters feral kitties and puts them back into the environment where they were captured. The idea is that by having the niche filled by a kitty that won't reproduce will mitigate the environmental impact of the feral kitties. It's controversial because we do both - capture wild kitties and euthanize them, as well as trying this spay/neuter with reintroduction approach. I'm not sure if it's working out for the best because I don't know the official statistics and environmental impact results of all of this. I just know that seeing these unadoptable animals at the pound is just about as awful as seeing what they do to the birds down at our pond.
Be safe and thanks for helping out the feral kitties.
haha, good one! nevertheless, it is not a bad thing to be cautious. really!
cheers 1pic
'54bomber ~ Thanks for your comment. The blood test will be fine, I'm sure. It's just getting off coffee that's difficult! I'm going to take the blood test next week then decide if I want to start drinking coffee again. It's been over two months since my doctor called for the test, so I'm convinced she's pretty annoyed, but hasn't said a thing.
It sounds like your wife and I would really enjoy one another's company in the garden as well with the kitties! Kitties and rose...perfection. Has she seen my blog? I'd love to hear from her.
My husband came into my office just now and he's watching the Family Guy (you probably get it in the UK because you get The Simpson's). Peter, the father in the Family Guy was being questioned by and INS official as to whether he was a true American. He was asked to complete the following sentence: "The land of the free and the home of the _____." He paused for a moments and said "Whopper?"
I'm still laughing.
All the best to you and you family in 2008! Hope to hear from you soon.
XO Suzanne
Skeeter ~
You made me laugh. When I wrote the original post and reread it the following morning, I nearly died! Too bad you weren't my editor that evening! It was just too awful! It was like fingernails on a chalk board. I can't tell you how many times my husband has had to wake me up at the computer and say "Honey, let's go to bed." And I'll say "Oh, but I can't just yet, I have a few more things to take care of, I'm fine." He always says "No Honey, you're sleeping, it's time to go to bed." Yikes. Apparently he right.
Thanks for your kind words about my photos. All my blogging friends are so encouraging and kind with their comments and I really appreciate it.
I just looked at your blog again and read about the ice storm and the chain saw and had a good laugh. I felt sorry for the trees because you know how I love nature, but understood having to buy a chain saw. Your journey to secure one was hilarious as was your story about your neighbor and the ducks. I called my hubby into my office to read along with me. We were both laughing. And believe it or not, as much as I dislike Wal-Mart, I may enter to buy that chainsaw. We need one because we're always borrowing Rob's mom's. Thanks for our review!
About the park and my "interesting" experience. I too am so grateful to be alive and healthy. It was eye opening. As aware as I am, I realize I made so many classic mistakes in an effort to appear calm and relaxed. I'll never make them again. It was a valuable lesson. I needed to learn more and I did. I know now my instinct is impeccable and my best guide. I learned to NEVER worry about looking stupid, insecure, crazy, nervous, etc., because I'd rather be alive. I learned that to save my life, or at least protect it, I must always remember that knowlege is my best weapon...and so is my car. I had no time to lock the doors, if either one of them had opened the passenger door, would I have used my car to injure or kill them? I know I would have. As sad as that makes me, I would have. It would have broken my heart, but I'd be alive.
I think the most valuable lesson I learned was to be a relentless observer and thinker. If something doesn't feel right, don't do what you normally do. I wasted probably 2 or 3 minutes of valuable time changing from my sneakers to my flip flops and going to the passenger side of the car to drop off my bag, etc. in an effort to appear calm. If I'd just followed my instinct, gone directly to the car, thrown the bag in, not worried about my flip flops or how scared I was, I would have been out of the park before they even walked off the bike path. What I enjoy most is I'm here to tell this story and have learned a lesson.
About the spay and neuter issue with ferals and the feral issue in general, I plan to post about it because I want desperately to start a non-profit sanctuary. I hope to work towards that goal in 2008. I appreciate what you wrote and took the time to write it more than you know. I'm very passionate about the plight of abused and abandoned animals and about ferals. I'm happy to hear your community is doing TNR rather than euthanizing all ferals because that is simply a tragedy.
Thanks for your support and kindness. I enjoy hearing from you! Stay in touch.
XO Suzanne
Hidden Tears ~
Hi sweetie. Thank you so much for your comment. It's so nice to hear from you. I can't believe they're making you take exams over the holidays. How absolutely unfair and unkind! Hang in there honey. It'll be over soon and then you can actually enjoy 2008.
It was heart warming to hear that you thought about me and 1pic while taking your exams! That was simply delicious! Unfortunately, the reality is, I wasn't in the garden because we've had a lot of frost and the weather has been unkind to my darling roses, and to me (too cold), but it sounds, to me, as if 1pic's doing really well. He's getting off his meds, making changes in his life and moving, what seems like, full steam ahead. He sound more content and that it a wonderful thing. I can't believe how we think about him everyday and worry about his welfare! I'm still amazed by that. It's as if he's our treasured brother and we're all concerned. I like that. It's a wonderful community of genuine love and care.
I love you too my dear. Good luck with your exams and know that I'm thinking about you. I think 2008 looks wonderful for all of us. I just have a feeling. May all your dreams come true too.
XO Suzanne :)
To all of you concerned about the blood test. No need to worry. I'm sure it will be fine. If not, you'll know soon enough!!!
XO Suzanne
Hey Peter,
Hope you're having a good holiday and YES, I do look forward to your return.
XO Suzanne
P.S. Thanks for the kind words of support.
Cinnamon,
YOU ARE NOT INTRUDING!!! That comment was so precious. I haven't heard from my "family" at all on this blog. In fact, I think they're too shy to comment and all my "friends" are mostly from 1pic and L.A., and you know they aren't shy at all!!! So please, come on in!
Yes, my dear friend from Los Angeles is concerned I'm exposing myself too much, but I loved when you wrote "it's nice to chat with a real person." And it is. I don't want to close my blog to simply invited guest because that means I would never have met all the wonderful people I have, including you. I would have missed all this beauty. I would rather have one idiot and all of you, than none of you. So I've decided to just continue as I am, but be more careful.
It's not that warm in Northern CA, we've had many frost and one hard freeze and believe it or not the Spanish Lavender just keeps going. We usually don't cut our lavender back until early spring, just so it survives the colder temps. Apparently, if left untouched, it has a better survival rate. I lost a few French and English Lavenders last year to heavy frost and cold, so this year I'm determined to keep every single one. If you think about it, frost and freezes affect the top of the plant, so if you leave the lavender in full growth, the theory is it will only affect the top growth and you'll still have, at least, the bottom growth to regenerate in spring. Sounds good to me. I'll let you know what happens!
I'm glad you enjoy my photos and please stop back any time. I wish you were here with me right now for a good hot cup of tea and a scone or shortbread. Yum.
Talk to you soon and Happy 2008!
XO Suzanne
Hi Cielo!
What a beautiful comment. Thank you. I always love to hear from you. We're so different, yet so similar. I'm not religious, but you are. I swear, and you don't, yet here you are, reading my blog, alot and I read yours, alot! I find that remarkable and beautiful.
Thank you for writing and for the wonderful quote. How true.
All the best to you and your family in 2008. And of course...to your roses!!!
XO Suzanne :)
1pic ~
I intend to be cautious. Thought I was, learned I was not. And yes, funny.
XO Suzanne
i simply loveed your garden!it's my dream to get my mom a house that has a nice garden, she's so fond of gardening, and rose plants are her fav..we have potted plants all over our house - in the balconies..sometimes it's a mess but it's endearing to watch her take care of 'em all.
and u know wot..my mum had 4 kittens when she was young, they would sit at the window sill awaiting her return form school..and they would sleep,curled around her legs and by her feet..
Dear Suzanne,
My first ever blogger account and post. I waited so long to reply, and that was good because it gave me a chance to see everyone's comments, and your replies Suzanne.
I am so glad Suzanne has a fun place to hang out and places to visit. I am so glad you will continue and be careful too.
Today I had a man run through my side yard in the middle of the day. He kept running to the back, and I got my kids out to the car quick(thank you Suzanne!)
The police were cruising looking for this person - he had ditched his car in our neighbors yard. I flagged them down and then was "rescued" by a neighbor who took us in for lunch and play while police and helicopters scurried.
So on this day, all I can say, is thank you Suzanne for passing along teachings learned easily and hard.
On my next post I hope I have something wonderful to say about cats or the garden. We have a cat named Fuzzy Duzzy Wuzzy, and I'll leave off his last name just to play it cautious.
I think peach tea is yummy - I'll have to check if it's caffeine free. Thinking healthy thoughts for you Suzanne. I'll have to tell you what the pediatrician said to ME on the 31st!
Gotta leave you some suspense.
With love and raindrops, Renee
Renee is my dear friend from L.A. And here she is. How did I ever deserve you? Really? How. I'm on the verge of tears because I know what it took to get you here. I'm sobbing and can barely write. How did I deserve you? I love you sweetie. With all my heart. I'm crying and so grateful. Here you are honey. I love you. Don't forget to come back! XO Suzanne (aka Aunt Suzy).
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