Pat's Adventures in Dialysis: The "Smelling the Prickly Pears", edition.

Good morning! Life's been good. We're still painting. Brian has branched off into oils. I passed. I'm still happy with water colors and acrylics. He's pretty good. We can actually see our progress and are understanding concepts. Let me tell ya, there should be a class just learning how to mix colors! We're also learning how to different brush strokes. And different brushes. And techniques. We've accumulated quite a portfolio. And no, I really am not going to attempt to out my nose anywhere near that formidible looking cactus! Lol.

We can also see improvement in water fitness. Our instructor has us swimming laps. The first time I swam the laps, I was breathing hard when I finished. It's much better now that he has increased the number of laps during the session. The class is titled aqua power hour. Lol. And we get a work out.

Got the haircuts yesterday. When we first started going last year, there was construction going on in and around the barber shop. The barber shop is in an area called East Fremont. It's kinda like Roayl Oak and Ferndale. It swings towards young and hip. The barber shop is around the corner from Container Park, a mall like area made up of containers you find on semi trucks. Lots of independent vendors, artists and restaurants there. Kitty corner from the barbershop is a restaurant named Eat. You may have seen it and it's owner in an American Express commercial. Yes we've been there. At least it was before the commercial aired. And yes, the food was delicious!

So where am I going with this? The barbershop has weathered the gentrification of the east Fremont area and is now flanked by 2 new restaurants. I had my last hair cut in early May and neither restaurant was open. Yesterday, I saw the barbershop was flanked by a Cajun restaurant and a vegetarian restaurant. And the barbershop was as busy as ever. 7 chairs, 5 barbers taking care of Black men, Black women, White men, Asian men, kids, waxing eyebrows, and shaving the guys with the straightedge razor. It's a busy place. And of course, Brian and I both looked good leaving the barbershop. After we left, headed to the car, then doubled back to the Cajun restaurant, Zydecos. Best poboy since I left New Orleans. Shrimp was falling out of the sandwich! Brian had a sausage poboy. Sausage made on the premises. We'll be back to try the gumbo. Well save the vegetarian restaurant for Shawn and her friends. :-)

Nothing special on the dialysis front. I was taking medication for low hemoglobin. The med was administered though my needles just prior to hooking up the machine. Well, my hemoglobin has stabilized, so one less med for me! Yay. I've stopped using Purel and the skin on the back of my hands is getting better. But it looks horrible while the scars heal. I guess I need to get some cocoa butter. I'll be seeing a dermatologist in July. Hooray for HMOs (not).

Dad is doing good. He got a new car. This one has an automatic starter. He's still trying to figure it out. He's still Suave Dave. :) The 5th of July dinner was great. My seniors are now officially spoiled. They expect their carry out packages. Lol. We get the containers and bags from the dollar store. We purchase the recyclable grocery bags. They're only $1.00. And my seniors are getting in the habit of bringing back their bags to refill after the new dinner. Lol.

Finally I took a photo of one of the cactus on the grounds of the condo. It's prickly pear. And yes, I had to look it up. Please don't ask me about the different type of palm trees out here. I count at least 10. And some have figs? Lol. Anyway, the prickly pear started sprouting ...flowers?...after the rain. It's monsoon season out here (snicker). And roads flood. And people drive in flooded roads. And get stranded. I don't understand. Lol. Anyway. The prickly pear is just so beautiful. Enjoy!

Prickly pear.