Some Clouds, Some Sun

That’s been the week. Today rain was predicted, not just clouds, which we really do need.

Another rainy day pose.

Not much to report this week health-wise.  I went in for lab work on Monday. The doctor’s office called to report that my sodium had fallen into the “low” range. Drat! So the oncologist tells me to resume taking the antibiotic/supposed-to-help-maintain-sodium drug which he had suspended two weeks earlier. 

No complaints about taking the drug. It goes down easily, doesn’t leave an unpleasant aftertaste and from previous experience it does the job. Having paid virtually nothing for all the treatments, hospitalization, etc., since last August I shouldn’t complain about paying for a prescription. I have to pay because it is “off-label.” In other words the reason it’s prescribed for me is because it has been found to  help the low sodium condition. Because that is not the condition for which the Feds  have approved it no insurance will pay for it. Using the Good ℞ app which I downloaded at the advice of my health POA, I did find that the price varies by about $200 depending on the pharmacy from which one orders. And these stores are across the street from each other! Good call I’d say. It pays to shop around.

The yard and gardens are in pretty good shape. The rabbits, once again, are busy sampling the small, young hosta shoots poking up out of the ground. They do try out the leaves of the larger hostas but those are evidently not as tasty as and the tender young shoots. So that part of the garden is full of circular fences protecting the youngsters. It does take away the beauty of the garden. Actually it makes it rather ugly.  I will hope to be able to remove the fences once the leaves grow larger but that’s a dicey situation. I had one plant with large leaves that I felt was safe. I went out to the garden one day and it was gone.  Mr. or Mrs. Rabbit, as the case may be, had decimated the whole plant.  I had to look carefully to find the stubs.  One would think that there is enough to eat when everything is leafed out but evidently not. Several others have told me that rabbits never bother their hostas, only the deer. I don’t have the deer and I’ve seen the suspects devouring the plants. So I know who they are!

Deer in the city? Yes, we do have deer in the city.  A few blocks south of me there is an area called “the old orchard.” Obviously it was one earlier but since has been turned into a housing development. Nearly every commodius lot has one or more apple trees. 

I prefer the deck as in this previous year's photo.

Deer love apples. We have many deer in the city, so many that the city has the police assassinate several deer per year. All the dear deer have to do is run down the hillside to the river to get their water, plus the park provides pasture for more grazing. It’s a perfect until the homeowners notice what is going on and start complaining.  As my mother would say, “who was here first?” 

And this (ignore the hose). 

The clay pots have returned to the deck and are very ugly because they are empty. Soon I must go to the greenhouses and do some shopping and return home and plant.  I miss the flowers.

This week brought forth some nice notes and cards, some more food, phone calls and visits from friends. Every year the Avera Health Foundation sponsors a Race for the Cure.  One my friends from church ran the race in my honor this year. The race used to be for breast cancer patients but now is for all sufferers from the disease.  All of this assures me of the prayers that are going forth on my behalf continually.  I’m so grateful.  Thank you so very much.