More Doctors

Well, April has started out with more doctor's appointments.  However, let's start at the beginning.

On Saturday, April 1st, I took over paying Mom's bills.  This is no April Fool's joke and it was a long time in coming.  She has been complaining about having difficulty writing her checks for some time now.  So, when I went over on Saturday I suggested that she go to the bank and let the girl there that mom likes pay her bills for her.  Well, the more we talked the more she didn't like having to go down to the bank every time a bill came in the mail.  So, finally I told her that I could pay her bills on line.  She seemed surprised, but agreed and she gave me all her "stuff".  I keep her informed of what bill has come in and how much it was and what her balance is.  I do a little sheet for her so she has everything in writing.  Now, it's only been a couple of weeks, but so far, it's working out well.  I have a key to her mailbox and I check it everyday when we get out mail.  If there is a bill I take it - but leave all her other mail.  We shall see how things progress.  Oh,  if she goes to town on the bus or buys anything she just puts it on her credit card - then I'll pay it when the bill comes in.  As I said, so far, it's been easy peasy!  Let's hope it stays that way.

Monday the third Dan and I worked in the front yard.  We had bought plants and mulch over the weekend and I wanted to get everything in the ground on Monday since we were suppose to have rain Monday night.  We worked all day, but being the bad blogger I am, I didn't take any before pictures.  But I do have some after pictures.

Everything was looking so much better.  There was still a few things that I wanted to do, but the front looked so much more inviting.

I even moved the plants that had been in the front out under the large Camilla tree that is in the front yard.  With our small garden flag and a couple of rocks and some pine straw as ground cover - things were looking up.

A couple of new plants for the front "porch".

Monday night Dan had a sleep study over in Lake City.  Of course, I stayed home with the puppy.  Well, let me tell you, the bottom dropped out Monday night.  We had a terrific thunderstorm - first one of the season - and had five and three-quarters of an inches of rain.

My nice pretty flower beds looked like this Tuesday morning.

So, while the plants loved the rain, the mulch went to the street!

So, after Dan got home and recovered from not a very good nights rest we headed into Live Oak to Lowe's  where we preceded to pick up some landscaping timbers and more mulch.  Oh, I might have picked up a few more plants that were on the clearance rack (I just can't seem to resist plants priced at $.50).

Anyway, we came home and got everything unloaded - but not much work was done on Tuesday.

Wednesday morning I volunteered at the shop.  We were actually a little busy and it did make the morning go quicker.  While I was dusting (which I do every Wednesday morning when I first get there) I saw that an artist kit in the kids section was opened.  When I looked at it there were several colored pencils and crayons missing.  I had to pull the kit and put in the office with a note to the manager.  I just don't understand why someone would steal from a non-profit organization that is only trying to help the residents.  Now, it was probably a kid, but the parent should have been watching.  Anyway, when I got home Dan had arranged all the landscaping timber - but he needed some dirt to get them level before he staked them down.  So, we went searching for dirt in the golf cart with the gorilla cart tied on the back.  We were able to find what he needed and he came home and finished up while I put out more mulch.  We even bought some solar powered lights for the bed.  I don't have any night pictures but this is what the bed looks like today.

All nice and straight

With the solar lights.

One of the hanging baskets

(gotta love those fifty cent plants)

One of the spider plants that I thought we lost in the last freeze.

Also have one of our hummingbird feeders out front.

This fern is another plant that I really thought we had lost.  We had this plant when we lived in Lake Placid on Loquat.  We brought a few ferns up with us, but really had not been taking care of them.  They were lying next to the house all last year while the renovation was going on.  I found this one and hung it up under the big Camilla bush in the back yard this winter, but really have not paid any attention to it.  Well, it is a survivor.  It is really coming out now that we are watering it and giving it some plant food.

The petunia in the background is another fifty cents plant - I bought two plants, brought them home and put them in an extra hanging basket I had in the garage.  They are doing great!

The Easter garden flag.

The front of the house from the driveway.

My April "wreath".

Wednesday night we went to our friends for dinner.  There were four couples - Neil and Carol, Dan and Kathryn, us, and the hosts Bud and Joyce.  It was a fun evening and a delicious meal!

Thursday was the Executive Committee Meeting.

Friday was Dan's cardiologist appointment.  I really think he was dreading going to this appointment since the last time we were there the doctor put it to him straight - he didn't sugar coat things.  Anyway, Dan has lost almost 15 pounds and has had all the tests the doctor wanted him to have.  While everything wasn't perfect with his visit things were better.  The doctor liked the amount of weight he had lost (he still has about 30 more to go) and the results of his tests were not bad.  His heart efficiency is about the same as it was the last time he had the stress test (about five years ago), but it isn't where the doctor would like to see it.  His stent is working fine.  The doctor did change up his medicine to see if we can have some better results - he said he wanted to get his blood pressure to around 110/60 instead of his normal 150/90.

Also, Dan does have sleep apena but he will NOT consent to the C-PAC machine.  The doctor is pretty sure that with the weight loss and exercise the sleep apena will go away.  Right now, we are trying elevating his upper body since he does not have the problem when "napping" in his recliner.  I have ordered a wedge for him to use and we will see how that works.

Well, the doctor ordered his medicine and after a little mix up at the pharmacy he started taking it Friday night.  Sunday I took his blood pressure and it was 113/60 and has been between 110/60 to the high of 115/63.  Dan says he can feel the difference and he says he feels better.  

Before we left Lake City we went by the new Hobby Lobby store that has just been open for about a week.  It was a really nice store and I picked up a couple of things for the house and for the girls Easter baskets that I would be mailing.

We had planned on going down to Lakeland from the doctor's office to see the girls play in their first soccer game, but we had to have some duct work done in the attic and it was suppose to be cool on Saturday morning.  So, instead of seeing my girls play, we had the A/C man here replacing about 20 feet of duct work, taping and mudding seams, and hanging the "new" duct work that was put in over the new family room.  The other A/C guy had left the duct work lying on the ceiling instead of strapping it to the rafters.  The new guy did all that on Saturday.  So, we should not have any more issues!  We can really tell the difference in the output of air - so that should help with the electric bill this summer.

Sunday I finally got the house and porch clean!  It was something that just kept being pushed to the back of the burner when other things came up.

I have never shown you pictures of the back patio area after we got all the dirt spread and some of the mulch down.  We still have a lot of work to do in the back but it looks so much better than it did and we sure enjoy using this area now.

Some of the plants

(The plant on the left is another 50 cent plant - give it a couple of weeks and see if it will come back)

This was a hollow log Dan found back in the woods that he brought home and we cut it different sizes and planted some plants in them.

Our other hummingbird feeder.

I also wanted to share some pictures of the back porch.

I have shared some on Facebook and I think on the blog, but only from one prespective.  I thought I'd do a better job and show you the whole porch.

sitting area

Dining

I love our little $5.00 pillow from WalMart.

I saw similar ones at Lowes for $30

I'm still looking for coffee mugs for this area.  We want to host some "Coffee On the Back Porch" soon for the neighbors.

My little bit of Easter decorations.

Which brings us to this week.

Yesterday I took mom to Gainesville for her doctors appointment.  It did not go well again.  She just seems to be angry with the world and nothing pleases her.  She is having some real problems being civil to anyone.  I'm not sure what to do about it.  I do have an appointment for her with another doctor in June - I guess I'll have to wait and see what that one says.

After I got home from Gainesville, Dan and I walked to the end of the cul-de-sac and back.  Then I power walked around the block.  (We are just getting Dan into this exercise thing -so it's baby steps). 

Today, I went to yoga and Dan went to the pool.  We was able to swim and exercise some without putting pressure on his knees.  We plan on walking three days a week and then going to yoga/pool two days a week and both of us going to the pool on Saturday (when we are home).  If we can continue to watch our diet and then add in the exercise, we should be able to lose the weight the doctor wants.  (BTW, I've lost another .8 pounds)

Well, that catches you up with all that has been going on so far this month.  The next couple of weeks don't look as busy right now, but who knows what they will fill up with.

Hope you enjoyed all the pictures.