Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group

You’re making great progress, Ginger! That has to be very encouraging for you. Baby steps. ☺️ Walking poles are great. My daughter got a pair for me when I walk on sand. Initially it was for stability. Now I use them because they’re great for upper arm toning! Win/win! And they’re fashionable...all we cool kids use ‘em on hikes. Hehe. Keep up the good work!

@artist01 I’m so glad you liked the quote! We have sponsored foreign students and just regular students for years. We started about 40years ago with visiting army officers from the Philippines and Guinea. Then, in Boston, we sponsored students from India, Poland, China and Chile. Most were graduate students. We loved it!! The young man on Sunday is a young man from Pune, India, who we sponsored when he was a grad student at CU a few years ago. He works in California but did just return from India where his parents are doctors. Said the situation is terrible!
On a better note, here are my geraniums

@becsbuddy, Hahaha, Becky. Love your geraniums!!

@loribmt I changed up my walk path to be level ground only, instead of including a short very steep hill [up/down] Good news is the guard dog at end of the street no longer races out to face me down, protecting his property ;)) I try for twice a day, and remember I am always halfway home, in case energy/discomfort calls for me to turn around before desired.
Ginger

Hello, Becky. You're sounding good.....worried about the geraniums, tho! are they ok? Blessings to you and your geraniums. elizabeth

My geraniums you ask? Here’s. a picture!

Ginger, you are one smart lady! Hills are not the best things for us. Luckily, I live in a flat neighborhood. Just got a short walk this morning. Took some books up to my friend’s house and turned around. We’re trying to pack to head East where we’ll have heat and cicadas. Quite a change from snow and cold! Take care, Becky

Hello, everyone. There is a lot of activity at the moment, so I'm not spending much time on the connect groups. I miss you all and your pictures of nature. I do promise to contribute some of my own soon.

Added a couple more feeders, even got a corn/seed cake for the squirrels. I began to feel sorry for the little fellows the last few days since they can't get to the feeders I have now, no plastic allowed! Those little buggers chewed through several fairly nicer feeders, so I tossed them and have only steel, metal, heavy wire, glass and also have them situated so the rodents can't hang down to get the food.

Got another fountain for the patio. I may not keep it, but may. That's a tomorrow project. My current fountain I put together sort of and plan ti get a new pump to set it up, if it'll work ok. We'll see. I need flowing water.....aquarius and very much need water nearby.

I'm still under the weather a bit with what may be mold toxicity. The plumbing situation is still in flux, as the condo association manager just emailed me they will not cover any of the repair/replacement of the cast iron sewage pipe from the upstairs guest bath down the wall, ceiling, wall in LR and DR. I'm calling the plumber to chat tomorrow, then the manager and may contact an attorney to see if I can get help. We'll see. Don't normally do these types of things, but can't allow myself to be bullied, which has been the case in the past by 2 of the male board members. We'll see.....

Have zoom meeting with my PCP tomorrow re the symptoms and issues still having, since last Thursday. The mold in walls/ceilings was disturbed on Tuesday when the ceiling/walls were opened, so the cracked/moldy pipe is exposed. The wall board was black with mold, so my severe allergy to mold makes sense. Asthma has become one of the worst issues now, and Ventolin inhaler helps some but I have bunch of adverse symptoms.

Had ferrous/iron blood test today and chest x-ray today at Mayo. Chest is related to all the stuff I'm dealing with now. ferrous is interesting...low iron often causes restless leg syndrome. I have both. My grandfather died with pernicious anemia. I have very low B12, give myself shots and take supplements, take iron +C supplements. Iron rose into normal range last November. Today it's back down to 29, from the high of 73 - still low normal. So, I'm going backwards and something is going on. I'll share this with you.....this has me concerned. I haven't felt well for a bit, tired, etc, have multiple and growing gastric/esophageal/intestinal issues. All can be related to pernicious anemia. There is something not working properly, this is an autoimmune disease and I have a couple already. So, I suppose, here we go.....

Rob is finding some ongoing symptoms from the klonopin sudden withdrawal by his previous doctor. He was close to dying, if I hadn't walked in to ck on him when I did, finding him on the kitchen floor, unconscious and having seizure, not related to epilepsy. So, we chatting and thinking we need to get this doctor away from patients. She caused him enormous damage and a couple of months of fright/fear and horror. We are beginning a search for the best lawyer to take a look at this case, as we have all the documentation from both his PCP and from 3 ED visits and admissions to Mayo Hospital in the last 2 months.

A lot happening. A lot to think about. I will speak with docs at Mayo tomorrow re my iron deficiency. I'm fearful and must get that under control. I'm already wired into the best place and pros to find the answers, so I just am working on my mental/thinking state.

Keep us in your thoughts, please.

I've identified some new birds: several mourning doves, one who got into a spat with one of the older fellows over food, maybe a love spat. Also, thrusher. several different swallows, finch, and still looking to identify a beautiful reddish/rustyish slender bird with black beak, black legs. Beautiful.

Well, will stop now. I wandered a bit from walking, but did fill you in on what's outside the window! Consider it on that site, too.

Bless you all....elizabeth
@becsbuddy, @loribmt, @gingerw, @johnbishop, @colleenyoung, @sueinmn, @artscaping, @artist01, @jude07, @jakedduck1 and all...

Elizabeth, sure hope your Mayo appointment goes well tomorrow.

I found this beauty growing in a ditch on my walk today. I have walked this path many times before at this time of year, however never saw a magnolia tree.
It sure lifted my spirits on a grey, cloudy day!

But I thought you are in Duluth??? Is there more climate change than I realized, or is it "lake effect" - supposedly they can grow here in the Twin Cities, but I don't have a protected spot...
I'll walk today between (very welcome) rain showers - too warm and humid to put on a rain jacket.
Sue