Sweet potatoes, it’s time for the Currently 07.2021 link up. As always, on the first Wednesday of the month, I am joining my friend Anne at In Residence for this series. For this edition we are sharing what we are currently: eating, feeling, going, ordering, and realizing. If we are new friends, welcome!! And you can read last month’s Currently post, here.
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CURRENTLY 07.2021
I am currently caught up on laundry and ironing. Never happens. And the spring cleaning is finished upstairs. Now to start in on the downstairs. Have my 4th of July red, white and blue to pack away and replace with my summer decorations this week. Have 2 appointments with the cardiologist and will be helping with the girls the rest of the week. So it is a good thing I am currently kind of ahead of the game around the house. What else? Well, I am currently…
Eating…
at several new to us small restaurants. Thankful that these little places have been able to hold on during the long year of Covid restrictions. We are visiting restaurants that have no doubt struggled to stay afloat. Over the weekend we hit up Tsunami Sushi, just a mile from home, for Saturday date night and PC’s first sushi. Then Monday, when PC was off, we had a late lunch at Salata, where they have delicious build-it-yourself salads.
Feeling…
heart broken for the families and first responders effected by the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida. Have been a little concerned about staying at a similar beachside condo later this month at South Padre Island. Also reading The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of September 11, 2001 by Garrett M. Graff. Between the horrors of 9-11 and the catastrophe in Florida, I am having trouble sleeping. Which means I am also feeling sleepy.
Going…
to have a cardiac stress test and some additional heart tests in the next couple of weeks. Have been feeling especially tired, with some muscle cramping and lightheadedness. Pretty sure there is nothing to it but at 63, and with my family’s cardiac history, it is good to have this baseline for the future.
I received a continuous ambulatory cardiac monitoring or holter monitor in the mail. Wasn’t sure if I was supposed to put it on here at home or take it to the cardiologist to be hooked up to it. Decided I don’t have the medical degree I sometimes pretend I have. Will let them put it on me.
Ordering…
bathing suits for our trip to South Padre. I ordered this high neck wrap swimdress from Swimsuits for All in the blue Hawaiian color choice. Really like it. Ordered 2 sizes larger than my standard dress size for a very comfortable fit. But PC made the command decision that I should be showing a little more skin (remember, he doesn’t wear glasses when we swim). He picked out this Contessa halter two piece suit in blue and asked me to order it. This bathing suit hasn’t arrived yet…thank goodness, because I have gained about 3 pounds in the last couple of weeks. Time to get back to Weight Watchers tracking.
Realizing…
there’s been an update to WordPress that has many in a stir. So far…knocking on wood…so good for my blog and me as we haven’t had any issues. Yet, anyway. But I subscribe to a WordPress forum and judging from the emails crying out for help, many users have not been as lucky. Fingers crossed I don’t encounter troubles around the corner.
In good news, the update makes changing font color much easier, without having to add HTML. Same with applying a strikethrough to a word, or adding a special symbol like the ñ in jalapeños!!
Hodgepodge
Hawaii Anyone?
1. July 5th is National Hawaii Day…have you ever been to Hawaii? Any desire to visit or make a return trip? Pineapple, mango, or guava…what’s your pleasure? Have never been to Hawaii but would like to go in order to visit Pearl Harbor. I love the beach but Hawaii is a long way to go just for the beach. There are equally beautiful beaches much closer to home. Of the 3 fruits, I prefer pineapple. Although, I am learning to like mango in my smoothies.
Deep End
2. Last time you were ‘thrown in at the deep end’? Explain. It has probably been awhile since I was thrown in at the deep end…thank goodness. As a little girl, I literally jumped into the deep end of a hotel pool and my younger sister followed right behind me. Neither of us could swim. My father had to try to rescue us both. My first shift as a waitress, I was thrown into the private dining room area to take the orders of a hungry after-evening church service crowd who had been waiting a long time for someone to wait on them. After college graduation, I was hired to work with a mag card computer after fudging that I knew how to operate one during the interview for the position. Being a new, first time mom feels like you are thrown in at the deep end…or did for me.
3. Sun, sea, sand, salt…your favorite when it comes to summer? Sea, please. I get plenty of sun, sand and salt right here at home. A dose of sea is a real treat.
Like Sands Through The Hourglass
4. Bury your head in the sand, the sands of time, draw a line in the sand, pound sand, shifting sands…pick one and tell us how the phrase currently relates to your life in some way. Have never been one to bury my head in the sand. And any lines I draw in the sand often get blurred. The sands of time – I get a visual of the hourglass on the opening of “The Days of Our Lives” soap opera – is probably most fitting for this chapter of life. Seems like day, weeks and months are just slipping away.
Strict Much??
5. On a scale of 1-10 (1 = make your own rules and 10=like a warden), how strict were your parents? If you’re a parent where on the scale do you land? My parents were pretty strict. Of course I grew up in the ’60s and ’70s. Life was different. The world was different. Maybe strict isn’t exactly the right word. My parents had high expectations. And were somewhat controlling. I asked my daughters if I was strict and they said I was a 5 or 6. They remembered that we would talk about things, compromise and that they really never gave me much reason to have to be strict.
Randomness
6. Insert your own random thought here. The 4th of July was hard on the animals in our neighborhood. Fireworks are illegal in El Paso residential areas. Can only be set off by certain establishments. Our church, for instance. Or the triple A ball club. And for good reason. It is so dry here 99% of the year. But this year, because we have had a little rain, everybody and their uncle shot off fireworks. So many pets became anxious and upset. So many dogs ran away from home trying to escape the noise. Heart-breaking.
Spring Goals Update & Summer Goals
Had to look back at last month’s Currently post to see where I left off on my spring goals. Actually, I have done pretty well. Spring cleaning is finished upstairs. Now to begin work downstairs. Completed my mosaic in May. And we have decided to postpone work on the side yard walkway. Going to try to grow grass again. Here’s where we stand with that.
Our recent rain washed some of the seed and topsoil into the corner of the yard by the wall. But we are still hopeful the rest will sprout.
Have not given summer goals any consideration until just now as I am typing them. Not sure what my fingers are even going to type. So for summer…
- Finish the spring cleaning – downstairs, garage, freezer in the garage, and the storage shed.
- Write at least 2 blog posts on my original life after retirement theme – have moved away from my original direction and intent for blogging, time to get back on track
- Run the equivalent of a marathon – keeping track of how much I run these days, want to run 26.2 miles by summer’s end
The Squares Challenge: Trees
Have made a few new blogging friends lately. One of them is Becky at The Life of B who is hosting The Squares (Photo) Challenge. She has invited friends to share photographs of this month’s theme – trees. Becky explains that “the only absolute rule for joining in with Squares is that your photograph must be square in shape.” Will try to continue to play along with Becky and add this challenge to the others I am already participating in. You can check out my recent the World Through My Lens post, here, if you missed it.
The subject of my square is the wish tree I created for the neighborhood park in the fall of last year. The idea came from the children’s book Wish Tree by Katherine Applegate. I hung a basket with yarn on one of the branches of the tree and invited neighbors to tie yarn wishes about the tree. And they did!!
Your Turn
What’s going on in your life currently? What would your responses be to this month’s prompts? If you have a currently post, be sure to link it up with everyone else’s over at Anne’s. Click here to be whisked away to her blog and link up party.
Had my cardiac stress test today. Was tickled when the technician had to keep increasing the incline and speed on the treadmill to further tax my heart. And then asked me if I work out everyday!! Wore my new Under Armour skort and a Reebok top and Nike tennies so a lot of the big name active wear companies were along to cheer me on. Wearing a holter monitor now for a few days and have additional tests scheduled for later this week and next. But my muscle cramping and fluttery feelings seem to be better.
Thank you for stopping by. Hope all is well in your world.
Hugs and kisses,

Great news that it sounds as if you are fitter than you thought you are – I hope you said yes when they asked if you work out every day! Hope all the other testing goes well.
Both those swimsuits are so pretty, maybe it will be fate if the bikini doesn’t arrive in the post before you leave 😉 Then you can eat and drink as much as you like while you are on holiday!
Yay for eating and drinking what I like on holiday. Let the games begin!!
The condo collapse was very scary. We know people who know people who were there too, like our friend’s cousin. I hope this leads to further checking on other similar locations.
I am so sorry you know people who were there in the condo collapse. I am furious with our pool situation – yeah, that again – because the rebar has popped through the plaster and is rusting. Ruining the plaster and letting water seep behind the plaster onto the rebar. Afraid we could potentially have an issue similar to the condo collapse where water is weakening our foundation.
I am excited about your trip and I cannot wait to hear how you like that swimsuit. I love wearing a swim skirt or board shorts – it looks like a great print and I think you will be a bathing beauty!!
xo,
Kellyann
You always make me smile. I am scared to bare myself in my two piece for all of South Padre Island to see but here goes!!
Oh, I am praying that your heart issues get sorted out. That’s concerning. And yes, the condo collapse has been very much on my mind. I loved The Only Plane In The Sky but it is also heartbreaking.
Thank you, sweet friend. The doctor determined that I am having venous insufficiency. Will return in 3 months for further evaluation. Not very worried about that.
I am having to read The Only Plane in small doses. I dream about it and it has made me very sad.
What a fun life update from you! I think that 2 piece will be really cute on you! I think I need to look into the wordpress update because I haven’t noticed anything different. Don’t know if that is good or bad!
I am now the modest owner of 2 two-piece bathing suits. Not sure if that’s good or bad!! Will find out when we go to the beach on Thursday!!
I love that they asked if you worked out everyday; that’s how you know it’s working! I feel like I am never caught up on laundry or cleaning. This week we have really been on the go and the house has been neglected. I really feel like I need to clean the whole thing before we head out though as my mother in law is coming to stay (not that she would say anything if the house was a mess but I would feel bad!).
Yes, loved that the cardiologist thought I seemed fairly fit. Did my old heart good!! I got the house cleaned up pretty well for a change on Friday and then the kids came over today and it only takes a 5 and a 1 year old a few minutes to get things turned on end.
Hope all turns out to be well with the tests. And in the meantime, yay for getting ready for a vacation! I am living vicariously through everyone else’s this summer, but at least I live near Lake Michigan with easy access to it 🙂
Thank you, sweets. Cannot wait to get on the plane tomorrow for vacay.
Both of those swimsuits are very cute but boy will you have sunburns in different places lol. Hoping for a good outcome or at least some good answers to why you are having health problems.
Didn’t think about sunburns in different places with my two different bathing suits. Haha!! We’ll see how that works.
Praying as you have your appts! Having a baseline will certainly be a good idea. Will look forward to hearing about your trip….maybe start tracking those WW points after the trip:) Hooray for all the ironing done!! Celebrate with a cookie!!:)
You are so wise. Will give myself some grace on the Weight Watchers until we get back home from trip. Ironing is piling up again. On the agenda for tomorrow!
Praying you get good results from your heart tests. Cannot wait to see and read about your South Padre trip. That was my favorite place when I was growing up.
Thank you!! Cannot wait for a little beach time with those I love most.
Hopefully all is well, but it is good to get a baseline. 🙂 Your trip sounds wonderful, as do your nights out. We still haven’t visited any restaurants but we are hoping too soon! (minus the little guy even!)
That condo collapse is heartbreaking.
Thank you!! Glad to have the cardiac tests behind me and to know what is going on. Hope you can soon enjoy some date nights, just the two of you.
I really enjoy your Currently posts, Leslie – Sending warm thoughts your way for good results on your heart test.
As to the strictness scale my parents were probably a 6. I would reate mysself as a 6 (maybe 7) as well…but who knows what my son would say! 😀
I was so surprised that my kids don’t remember (so they say) as being as strict as I thought I was!! Hmmm! Thank you, Donna.
Hey Bathing Beauty! Keep me posted on that sweet heart of yours. Love you!
Thank you, doll!! Love you and your generous heart.
Loved your post. Will be thinking of you and praying for you as you go through your tests. Sounds like you have a fun trip coming up. I need to get around and visit everyone from the posts I’ve linked to, but man, things have been busy and I’ve hardly had a chance.
Thank you, dear friend. Have come out the other side of all the cardiac tests. Have venous insufficiency. Now to learn more about that. It is hard to get around to everyone’s posts, write your own posts and respond to comments left on your posts. We all do the best we can. XO
Hi Leslie!
Always good to hear from you! I love to read these to see what is going on in life. My sister, brother and dad all have/had A-fib, and my mom did a stress test a year ago. It sounds like you are taking the right steps. Wishing you the best with it! Good to hear some of your symptoms are subsitding. I love to try new or out of the way restaurants, and sushi and fresh salads are two of my favorites!
I enjoyed seeing the suits you ordered for your upcoming trip! I know we all need a vacation this year! It is funny when you mentioned your hubby not wearing glasses, that is what I had to do on the paddleboard. Blind paddleboarding! a new sport! I was able to wear glasses on the kayak, but it killed my back/shoulders, so paddleboarding it is.
Have a great week!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
I looked into the paddleboarding at South Padre because you made it look so much fun. Hoping I will be able to try my hand at it next week. I had promised myself I would eat well and lose a few pounds before our trip but that hasn’t happened. To the contrary, I want to snack more than ever. Oh well!!
Thank you for the encouragement about my cardiology appointments. It seems I have venous insufficiency so will be learning how to treat that. Glad to just know what is going on.
Thank you for the kind words and the visit.