Category Archives: anxiety

What About Troubled Water?

Posted on by
44

I took this photo of our pool. I got in and kicked because it was too hot for even a short walk!

I had a shocker the other day. The utility bill came in and it was higher then normal. I mean really high. Our utilities include trash and water. It’s normally under $150 per month. This bill was close to $800!

I called the city and asked if they could access my water meter from their office. This was something we had in Palm Springs. The nice clerk said, “No, Smart Water hasn’t reached your area yet. But we did send out a meter reader because your bill was so high. He said your meter wasn’t moving.”

“We had a shower that sprayed out the handle when it was turned on,” I said. “But we hired a plumber and got that fixed. What date did the meter reader come out?”

We figured out that the meter reader came out a day after the plumber fixed the leak.

The nice lady told me to send in the plumber’s bill and proof of payment. We would get a $550 credit to our bill. But she warned me it was a once every five years credit. Did I want to use it?

“YES!”

I talked to a few friends in the neighborhood and others had extraordinary bills, too. Not quite as high as ours, but high. I gave one friend the email and phone number to call and get her credit. She wasn’t offered one, because your bill has to be four times the average bill. Hers was just under that.

Anyway, I learned about FLUME, a device that connects to your water meter and has an app on your phone. It lets you know if you have a leak or if something unusual is happening with your water.

It’s a “smart” app which means it gets better with the more data it collects. The first two days I was ready to throw my phone in the pool with all the leak alerts I was getting. I was freaking out that we had leaks. But it was turning on the dishwasher or taking a shower that would spark an alert. Now it gets it and I’m not getting alerts.

I am nervous to see the next month’s bill. Maybe there’s something we’re missing like a leak in the pool (which has autofill when the water gets low). Or our gardener is over watering our yard. Only time will tell.

When have you had unusual bills? Were you able to solve the issue?

All this talk about water reminded me of this song from when I was a child:

A Few New Friends

Posted on by
44

This beauty is a Western Tanager. I’ve seen them a few times, but I haven’t been able to get a photo until this weekend. He stopped by to drink from our bird bath.

I love the way the light goes through the Cottontail’s ears. We have an abundance of bunnies this year all around the neighborhood.

This Roadrunner loves our planter that has water in it. So do bunnies and doves. I spotted the roadrunner in the tree outside the casita, but as I reached for my camera, he flew down and ran through the fence. Then I spotted him in a tree outside the fence in the wash. But I couldn’t get a good view of him. I was thrilled to spot him back in the yard. I got a second chance at photos!

No day is complete without a few Red sightings. He sang his heart out up in our tree!

I have a busier than normal week ahead. Physical therapy, an HOA board meeting to attend for my newsletter, friends in town, a wedding in Northern California in a Redwood Forest. After getting used to a quiet, healing pace, I’m trying not to get too stressed out!

Do you have a slow or busy week ahead? What activities do you have planned?

Trouble in iphone land

Posted on by
39

I snapped this photo of Red in a tree. I’m happy with it, especially the background, which I have no clue how it turned out this way!

I have noticed now I’m driving myself to Physical Therapy, that the maps app on my phone doesn’t work. Yes, I know the way there, but I like to check for traffic and the best route.

Then I turned on my Hallow App for the drive — and guess what? It didn’t work either!

My phone kept trying to connect with the car. Too much tech for me. So I turned off WiFi on my phone and thought it would use cellular data — and I’d get maps and Hallow. No luck. My phone is a brick when I leave the comforts of home.

Yesterday morning I left the house for a walk, listening to a podcast and the phone went dead once I was out of home WiFi range. I went through settings a million times and finally noticed my SIM was turned off. I entered what I thought was my SIM code. Next message said SIM locked. Enter PUK. What? What’s a PUK?

I called the customer service carrier number and my call failed. My phone was worthless.

What’s a PUK?

A PUK code, or Personal Unblocking Key, is an eight-digit security code that unlocks a SIM card when the PIN has been entered incorrectly too many times.

When you set up a PIN for your SIM card, it acts as a password to protect your phone’s cellular services (calls, texts, data). If you enter the wrong PIN too many times (usually three), your SIM card will lock, and you’ll need the PUK code to unlock it.  From AI Overview

I used my husband’s home office phone and got a PUK from the carrier. I reset my SIM code. So far so good. I’ll find out when I’m out and about if my phone is more than a brick. At least the camera works!

What tech issues have you had lately? Do they make you crazy too?

Chipmunks like the birdseed, too. They especially like corn.

What an email!

Posted on by
50

During the weekend, one of my neighbors sent me a snippet from our Nature’s Preserve across the street. We are directly north of the preserve, with a street separating us.

I clicked on the link “Living with Mountain Lions” and this is what it said:

Mountain lions are predators capable of seriously injuring or killing humans. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is committed to helping people learn how to behave responsibly and live safely in proximity to mountain lions, and to removing animals that are a potential threat to the public.

The risk of attack by a mountain lion is small, but real; children are most at risk. Mountain lions may return repeatedly if food, water, or shelter are available. If food, water, and shelter are not available, mountain lions generally move on to other areas more quickly. If you live or recreate in mountain lion country, remain aware of your surroundings and minimize risks to yourself, your family, and pets by following the recommendations referenced on this page.

if you encounter a mountain lion

  • Do not approach the animal. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
  • Stay calm and speak loudly and firmly.
  • Do not run from a mountain lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase.
  • Stand and face the mountain lion. Make eye contact.
  • Appear larger by raising your arms or opening your jacket if you are wearing one. Throw stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly. The idea is to convince the mountain lion that you are not easy prey and that you may be a danger to it.
  • Maintain eye contact and slowly back away toward a building, vehicle, or busy area.
  • Protect small children so they won’t panic and run.
  • Fight back if attacked. Many potential victims have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools, their bare hands, and even mountain bikes. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the animal.

Report all mountain lion attacks to 911. All mountain lion encounters and attacks, sightings in urban areas, property damage due to mountain lions or possession of a live mountain lion should also be reported to Arizona Game and Fish Department Dispatch 623 236-7201.  Dispatcher is available for your call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Living with Mountain Lions

I will confess while I was sitting outside in my backyard, writing my morning pages, I kept looking over my shoulder. I felt a little nervous, knowing that the fence would not keep a mountain lion out.

While I was putting together this post, I got another email. This one from our HOA president, passing on the same info about numerous Mountain Lion sightings. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not able to go for walks right now.

Then, I opened the front door to check for an Amazon package and this guy ran away!

What surprising emails have you gotten lately?

Do you have Mountain Lions in your area?

A Few Things Happening

Posted on by
51

I managed to get an in focus photo of a Harris’s Hawk who made a landing in our tree and immediately took off into the desert.

Today, my husband comes home. I had three days to myself while he traveled for a class. I was apprehensive about his trip and realized it was due to our last long weekend “trip” that turned into a disaster with me falling and breaking my ankle on our first hike! I was also a little worried about how I’d get along, but my husband stocked the fridge and freezer like I’d be eating for a month, not three days.

I had two friends take me out for lunch. We used to work together 30 years ago! They are both graphic designers and I was the PR person who hired them for brochures, ads and billboards. We get together about once a month after not seeing each other for 15 years. That’s when they both left Palm Springs for Arizona. We live a few miles apart now and it’s been wonderful to rekindle our friendships.

My surgeon told me I should start getting out of the house and I’d feel much better. So lunch was a good idea — as well as my mornings outside getting sun and enjoying nature.

Then I quit the board where I was in charge of communications. It’s a woman’s group where we fundraised to support victims of sex trafficking. A post of Wynne Leon’s of Surprised by Joy this week about leadership made me realize exactly why I made this decision. You can read her post HERE called How to Share Direction. A new year began for our group and we have a new leader.

Our group is very small, around 30, and in March we held a fundraiser, a casino night. Literally five of us pulled it off with a silent auction, prizes, menu planning, and me doing communications. I spent the better part of three months working on the program, fliers, invitations, press releases, public service announcements and contacting newspapers, magazines, radio and TV.

We voted at a recent board meeting to focus on growing membership and that a fundraiser like casino night is too much work for us at this point. It was a unanimous vote. Our new leader at a meeting I missed because of my ankle surgery made the unilateral decision that casino night was a piece of cake and we’d have one next March. She told another member to “book it.” That was it for me. No vote was taken. The board also decided to no longer fundraise for sex-trafficked victims because some members find it to be distasteful. Out again for a second time!

Meanwhile my laptop that is only three years old suddenly died. I have a MacBook Air and it’s my second one dying in six years. I remember when my Mac computers lived for 10 years or more. I was sitting on the sofa with my leg iced and elevated with the laptop on my sundress, when the laptop went black. I went to Apple’s website to figure out what to do. It turns out that it said not to use a MacBook Air on fabric, bed or on clothing. Who knew! It overheated and went kaput. According to my daughter, I needed to get a sturdier, more solid laptop, so I did and I’m back in business.

So that’s my week in a post plus a surprise photo I managed to get of Red and Mrs. together!

What are your plans for the weekend?

I’ll be doing my PT and trying to get though the food my husband left me.

Put on the spot

Posted on by
38

What a surprise to see this cactus in full bloom! I had to get photos in the morning light.

I was at a board meeting for the charity group that I volunteer for that raises funds for sex-trafficked victims. Unfortunately, the board decided to no longer fundraise for this worthy cause. The reason why? The subject matter is too tough. It upsets the sensibilities of many women. They don’t want to hear about it and deep down they are turned off by it.

Our new year for the group starts in September. I’ve been on the fence on whether or not I want to continue on the board. I brought this up a month ago to our current president who is stepping down from that demanding position and continuing with her role as treasurer (yes she was doing both!) She said, “Oh no! You have to be on the board.”

My job is communications which means internal communication with members as well as outreach to the community. It’s a lot of work. Yes, it’s satisfying, but lately feels like something I have to do rather than something I’m passionate about.

With my new interest in photography and the advanced workshop I was invited to join beginning in September, I’m leaning more towards not being on the board.

At the end of our board meeting the other night, I was put on the spot. The incoming president said, “I need to ask each of you a question. I need to know if you are continuing on the board.”

I really wanted to discuss my decision with the outgoing president before bringing it up in public. But here I was. I was honest. I think being put on the spot does that to me. I can’t come up with an excuse or a nice lie to get through the moment. I could see a few board members visibly upset with me. I explained about my new commitment to the photography workshop and not knowing how much time it will take. I told them I was still thinking it through and couldn’t commit to being on the board.

I drove home feeling guilty for not having this conversation with the outgoing president before a public announcement.

Have you been put on the spot? If so, how did you handle it?

Up on the roof!

Posted on by
28

I came back from my morning walk yesterday and spotted the tiles on our roof. This is turning out to be a bigger project than I had previously imagined.

When we had solar installed, they broke roof tiles and put holes in our roof. First big rain (it poured for several days) we had water damage on the inside.

I called the solar company and sent a letter with photos of the damage to Costco (we bought the solar through them.) A Costco manager called me back as soon as he got the letter. Unfortunately, the solar company no longer works through Costco and they moved out of Arizona. But still the manager gave me a number to call and file a complaint and he said he would, too.

Nothing has happened on that end, but we needed to move forward with fixing our roof and the interior of the house. We got a roofer over and our handyman said he’d do the inside repairs once the roof is fixed.

The roofer said we needed to hire a solar company to remove the panels and supports. And then replace them when he was done with the roof repair. That was the hard part. It took more than three weeks to find a solar company who would do the job. They are too busy selling and installing complete home solar systems and not interested in a small maintenance job. We called people we found online as well as referrals from friends and neighbors. The referrals never returned our calls! Isn’t that something?

I’m glad we found a roofer, a solar company and have our handyman — who is the best.

This is our roof a few hours after the first photo was taken! Yes, I’m thankful. Solar gets reinstalled Monday. Then the handyman comes to repair the damage inside.

A bright flower on a small Beavertail Cactus. All photos were taken with my new phone.

Happy Mother’s Day to all my mom friends.

What are your plans to celebrate or enjoy the weekend?