SUPER MOON, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, BABY ARMADILLOS

THE FIRST SUPER MOON OF THE SUMMER WAS JULY 12.

IT WAS A HUGE, BRIGHT MOON!  I  WANTED TO GET MY YEARLY CHECKUP OVER WITH BEFORE LEAVING HERE, SO TALKED TO KAT, A NURSE STAYING HERE, . SHE RECOMMENDED THE  RESIDENT'S CLINIC. DR. MENDEZ WAS VERY NICE, AND VERY HAPPY WITH MY HEALTH!! I HAD MY BLOODWORK AND  MAMMOGRAM DONE AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD!!  AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JULY,  HANNAH AND I STARTED VOLUNTEERING AT THE FOOD BANK. WE GOT INTO A ROUTINE, WE WOULD GO AT 2:00 AND HELP BAG FOOD. ON THE 18TH OF JULY, I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND THERE ARE FOUR BABY ARMADILLOS IN MY YARD.....I GUESS THE ARMADILLO I HAD BEEN SEEING WAS ACTUALLY A GIRL ARMADILLO.

 ARMADILLOS ARE NOCTURNAL...BUT YET, HERE THEY WERE OUT IN THE BROAD DAYLIGHT! THEY WERE LIVING UNDER THE OFFICE. ONE MORNING, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SEE MAMA AND THREE OF THE BABIES, HEADED OVER TO THE STATE PARK.  SHE MUST HAVE BEEN TEACHING THEM. IT WAS CUTE, WISH I HAD MY CAMERA. I PRETTY MUCH SAW THEM ON A DAILY BASIS. I WANTED TO KEEP IT A SECRET, BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO KILL THEM. SO, I WOULD LET THEM BE OUT FOR A  WHILE AND THEN I WOULD TAKE THE HOSE TO THEM. THE OLDER THEY GOT, THE MORE STUBBORN THEY GOT. THEY WERE HUNGRY AND WANTED TO EAT!!

I THOUGHT THEY WERE CUTE! I WANTED SO MUCH TO TOUCH ONE, BUT I HAD BEEN WARNED THAT  THEY COULD  CARRY DISEASE. OUR REFRIGERATOR HAD BEEN ACTING UP FOR A WHILE, AND THE TRUCK HAD A SERVICE LIGHT COME ON. FINALLY, HAD TO TAKE THE TRUCK IN TO THE SHOP. IT WAS THE  TURBO.  IT WAS AN EXPENSIVE FIX, BUT THANK GOODNESS, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL NOVEMBER.
WE RENTED A CAR FOR A WEEK. I HAD FUN DRIVING THAT LITTLE CAR AROUND FOR THE WEEK!
 DARRELL CALLED DOUG BENNETT AROUND THIS TIME TO SEE IF HE WOULD HAVE A PUMPKIN AND CHRISTMAS TREE LOT FOR US. HE SAID HE WOULD CALL US BACK, HE HAD TO CHECK ON A FEW THINGS. DOUG CALLED BACK AND SAID HE WOULD HAVE BOTH FOR US!! WE ARE GOING TO CALIFORNIA!!!.
ONE DAY HANNAH AND I WERE TALKING AND I ASKED HER IF SHE KNEW HOW TO SEW.....SHE SAID NO, BUT SHE'D LIKE TO LEARN, SO ONE AFTERNOON I TOOK MY SEWING MACHINE OVER TO HER HOUSE AND TAUGHT HER HOW TO MAKE THE TOWELS THAT I MAKE TO HANG IN THE KITCHEN. SHE WAS A NATURAL!!  I LEFT THE MACHINE WITH HER A FEW DAYS....SHE MADE QUITE A FEW TOWELS ALL  ON HER OWN.

ALL SUMMER IN THE PAPER I HAD BEEN READING ABOUT A GUIDED  KAYAK TOUR  AT THE ANTACOSA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. IT WAS 88 MILES FROM HERE, ON THIS SIDE OF SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, WHICH IS CALLED LAGUNA  MADRE.  HANNAH OFFERED TO LET THE DOGS IN AND OUT THAT DAY, SO I MADE RESERVATIONS FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 1. ALL LAST SUMMER I WANTED TO KAYAK, BUT DARRELL THOUGHT IT WAS TOO COLD IN WASHINGTON. I WAS FINALLY GONNA GET TO KAYAK!!
BY THE END OF JULY IT WAS IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS EVERY DAY. HANNAH AND I STARTED WALKING AT 7:30 INSTEAD OF 8:00 AND SOME MORNINGS IT WAS TOO HOT AT 7:30, BUT, WE DID IT EVERY OTHER DAY!!!
OUR FRIEND, BONNIE, WHO IS A DECORATIVE ARTIST SENT US A SIGN SHE MADE FOR US.....I LOVE IT!!

 SHE DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB! CAN'T GET OVER HOW MUCH THE FIFTH WHEEL LOOKS LIKE OUR FIFTH WHEEL. BONNIE IS SO CLEVER......SHE INCLUDED AN ARMADILLO BY THE SIGN!!