M'Week That Was

Happy Independence Day weekend, friends!

Since my days have been (comfortably) Predictable for a few years now, I thought I'd share a few blips from my week that was.

OK?  Okay!

* * *

"Hon, I'm seeing red."
This, from DH a couple of weeks ago ... his overly casual tone belying the words.   

Struggling to comprehend, I made him promise to call his doctor the next morning.

... Which resulted in our sitting, waiting to see a retinal specialist early Monday morning.   Thankfully(!), his diagnosis wasn't nearly as dastardly as the results of my clandestine Google searches. Nevertheless, Tom will require surgery later this month.  Dr. Reddy says the procedure's totally routine, but will "definitely" result in a cataract.  

Deep breaths.  One thing at a time, right?

* * *

When the alarm sounded at 3 o'clock the next morning I was already awake ... trying to quell my nerves and saying a prayer I wouldn't die later that morning up on South Mountain.

You see, the Big Corporation for which I work is keen on community outreach ... giving back.   

Me, not so much when it involves working out of doors in June.

Donning my best pair of parachute pants ala-Goodwill, I traded these ...

for these

... grabbed a shop towel, swallowed a couple of baby aspirin and headed out the door.   

4:45AM.  My phone announced it was presently 97-degrees and 37% humidity.

6:00AM.  A dozen or so of us gathered under a swollen sky to get our marching orders.   

"Watch your footsteps ... the snakes are out."  The first time Ranger Romo spoke, my boss and I traded uneasy glances.  When she mentioned rattlers for a third time, everyone began studying the ground.  The thought of a coronary incident didn't seem so far-fetched. :)   Then and there, I decided to stick close to my AGM, a former firefighter/paramedic.

Fortunately, there was a nice steady breeze up at the top.  Maybe my eyebrows wouldn't melt off, after all. 

UNfortunately, spotting all the food wrappers, cigarette butts and broken glass, I concluded (some) folks are Thoughtless Pigs.

  

Isn't this a pretty view of the city?
Except my grabber looks like a white cane!

By the time my second bucket was near full, a little voice in my head advised me to grab a water bottle and sit a spell. Except, scrabbling for purchase up the incline I came too close to a low-lying jumping cholla.  (OK, I blindly plowed through it.)  

Yep it was kind of embarrassing having to sit still while two park rangers used needle-nose pliers to extract the needles from my pants legs and shoes.   

No harm, no foul!  In retrospect, I discovered a new-found camaraderie with a couple fellows ... who even had the grace to chuckle at my rendition of "The Bear Went Over The Mountain."

At least we didn't have to wear orange jumpsuits ...

* * *

Wednesday involved more community outreach ... this time, I volunteered to help deep-clean the kitchen facilities at our adopted charity.  (Can you say, air-conditioned!)
The majority of our team represented the housekeeping department -- and wow, what an example they set!  

Not being familiar with industrial kitchens, I was a bit in awe ... happy to take their direction and tackle the baked on greasy oven racks.  

You know, for the second time in as many days, what I fretted over never materialized.  (Yay.)  Though I don't understand Spanish, several of the ladies and men and I were able to communicate and best of all, laugh:   Twice, the cleaning solution ate through the thumbs of my rubber gloves, my t-shirt's a goner ... but it was a good day. 

* * *

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the neatest part of the week  -- having an opportunity to enjoy lunch at Cheesecake Factory yesterday with blog-friend Betty and her funny, congenial hubby.  (Bloggers are the best!)

White chocolate, caramel, macadamia nut ...  

a consolation prize from me to me for having survived South Mountain!

Say, thanks for reading along all this way!  
Personally, this old lady's looking forward to a more predictable week behind her desk.  :)
  

Whatever's on your agenda, I hope your holiday is safe and especially yummy!  

Let's chat soon!