Irony

 I bought these cool things that replace twist ties on bread bags.  I lose the ties on a regular basis.

Ironically,  they were tethered to the card with these:

Sleep

 

I don't sleep much.  I have a busy mind & toss & turn every night before going to sleep. Then I can sleep for a couple of hours & wake up again.  Usually at about 4am. Then hopefully asleep again by 6    Luckily I don't have to go to work anymore so it's rare that I have to be up at a specific time.  Even then, I rarely sleep past 9.  Then I go all day unrested & start over again.  So I've tried things to help.

1. Melatonin--gives me nightmares

2. OTC pill from Costco.  Bottle says take 2.  1 knocks me on my butt.  Out like a light for 12 solid hours. Won't hear phone if it rings. I wake up feeling better but  just sitting down & I'm back asleep again for a couple of hours.  I usually can sleep next night too.  Takes awhile to get through my system, obviously.  I can't take every day & function.

3. Tried CBD stuff.  I went to a local store & girl dold me I need this oil stuff that went under my tongue.  I've tried for 2 weeks.  It does clear my mind but it doesn't put me to sleep.  I actually think it might have made it worse, if that's possible. And it cost me $105.  Money down the drain,for sure.

Then yesterday, went back to store hoping for a refund but instead a new girl sold me edibles for $30, half price since the other stuff didn't work.  I was a wimp & not sure how to hande exactly (unlike me) but I took them.  Then last night I read jar & it didn't really say what it was or what it was for.  No dosage listed.  I knew to take just 1 but not the point.  So today I went back to store.

Another employee, the "manager" told me they did not do refunds but the girl yesterday sold me the wrong thing & that he knew what I needed & he'd give it to me for "free"...meaning no extra money.  I asked for a refund appeal to the manager since no one really knew what they were doing, nor do they know their product. Believe it or not, I said things more tactfully than that.  I ended up getting my refund.   

I'll bet that manager was maybe 22. He said he used to work at Home Goods.  Nice kid, seemed pretty bright. I hope he's going to school too because the snob in me hopes his future is not going to retail to retail job.  No future in that.  

Well, this post took a little turn here.

Going to talk to PCP about sleep next time I see her.  I hate taking meds but I actually think I hate not sleeping more.  

New Fall Table Arrangement

 

I've had a fall table arrangement for a few years that my former friend Donna made me.  It is pretty but not what I would have chosen.  And now that Donna has dropped me as a friend, it's a bad memory.  So I decided I wanted something new.  I donated the old one to Goodwill.  I hope someone will enjoy it.

So, I found a picture on Pinterest & today I put this together.  Well, my neighbor Leslie tied my bow It has red beans, popcorn & dried peas layered up.  

I'm very pleased...I love it!!

Ruidoso

 

This week I went to Ruidoso,NM. It's a city that's about 220 miles west of Lubbock, up in the mountains.  Cool air, trees, fresh air.  It was good.

I'd been there one time before. Many years ago my boss Elizabeth & her husband, the adorable LR, lived in an RV at a KOA park here in Lubbock but their real home was in Ruidoso.  We had a Christmas party up there one year.  I remember it being very nice.  I didn't remember much & did not drive so this trip was almost a new experience.

I found the hotel on Travelocity for a good rate & I essentially won the hotel lottery. Less than one block away was the main street of shops.  Some were closed because they mostly do weekend business but many were open.  Lots of friendly people for sure.  I made a huge deal about shopping but I really didn't buy much. I didn't think much about it but I was really just a tourist.  I bought a t shirt because I loved the color & I like wearing Ts with shorts.  I bought a mug, mostly because I loved the shape & colors.  And I bought a keyring to go with the other charms on my current ring of cities I've been to.

And I bought a bubble something or other that was coconut juice with little bubbles filled with tropical flavored coconut meat.  It was very good though very sweet. I'm glad I had it but probably don't need another.

It was a good walk for sure.

I was carrying a shopping bag with Texas Tech Basketball on it & met a guy in one of the stores who told me his dad played for Tech back in the 50s.  I looked him up.  I gave his son the bag.  I bought a bag with the NM state symbol to replace it. 

Wednesday afternoon I went to Inn of the Mountain Gods to the casino but they mugged me.  Then I had a hamburger that listed as one ingredient "government cheese" which I found humorous.  I found the burger icky tasting.

Inn of the Mountain Gods

Lake at the Inn of the Mountain Gods.

Then I drove to a city about 30 miles away called Tularosa to buy a ristra for my front porch. Along the road, I needed gas & thought they would be a station soon.  I finally got to a town called Mescalero, which is on the Mescalero Apache reservation.  Roads were closed & I managed to get lost in a town that was actually small.  Not lost exactly but I could see a gas station & couldn't figure out how to get there from the wrong side of the highway.  I stopped and asked a nice young man named Wheeler who aked for a ride over to the station.  We had only a short encounter but he was very nice.  He was tribe member.  I wanted to ask questions but not enough time.

One of the cool things on the Mescalero road is that the retaining walls was divided into panels & each one had a wonderful mural painted on it.  Not graffiti but true murals.  So much talent.

I found the ristra man easily & the ristra is gorgeous. Sadly for me, I passed a place coming out of town that had way more choices but it was closed when I went by so I'm glad I got the 1st one.  I'd come in a different way so I did not see the stand coming in.  Next time I'll know.

New Ristra

It was a long enough trip for me.  I like being there but getting there is not my favorite.  Long road trips alone wear me down & airports are even worse right now.