I found out on Thursday when I had a follow-up for a report on blood tests and a few other reasons to visit my GP that I’m a walking candidate for heart problems.  Yes, me and myself did know that but it got drilled in a little more with the latest report on my cholesterol.

It’s over the moon BTW. Here’s the problem as I see it, I’ve tried almost every cholesterol fighting cure there is on the market, and I can’t handle them.  Statins are brutal, my one and only kidney hates them (and so do other muscle groups) so what’s the answer?  Stop trying to curb it and simply die of a heart attack or have a stroke, or take them and die of kidney failure?

I don’t care for either option if you want my opinion.

I’m going to give it a shot with 10mg Crestor — chopped into 4 pieces, taken over the course of my day — and cross my fingers.  I’m also changing up my low carb diet to try and cut out the fat clogging, artery choking greezinezz that seems to go along with it.  I’m having a horrible time trying to even find something for a meal that sounds good (that’s been going on for about a month now) and I don’t know how to get around it.  I did find a steamed head of cauliflower and broccoli to be semi-appealing after dribbling honey djon salad dressing over it though…but that won’t last forever.

All kinds of weirdness and horrible going on with some of my family right now but no one’s dead or physically maimed which means there’s a positive note in the air. For some bizarre reason, out of nowhere, Mr. Riot has been calling me every day and talking, talking, talking — momparental can be heard in the background now and then but appears not to care that he’s talking to me.  That’s a positive in my book and way bizarre after the last incident.

I expect to have four of my grandkids this coming weekend (for the weekend) unless something goes haywire and plans get skewed. It will be my first real encounter and ‘get to know’ my youngest granddaughter, Macy.  She’s about 1 year and a half now, it should be interesting.  Riot, Breck, Kate, and Macy, all wound up and ready to blow the roof off my desert digs…WHEE!  I’m super looking forward to it.  I will try to clear my weekend of any ‘must-dos’ and just concentrate on the little bundle of screamers.

Sylvia Hart, Carmen and Daniel Bates, and I hit Cathedral Canyon on Monday and then ventured to the China Date Farm.  We were there at the wrong time of year to be able to view the clothing hanging around the bundles of dates in the tree, that must be a fall thing.  But it was a ton of fun.

We went down the side of the canyon wall going into Cathedral, walked through its emptiness that I’m sure was spectacular at one time, and then followed a road created by partygoers and others that may have come to explore, obviously it was uphill but an easy walk out.

We were meeting at the Tecopa cutoff on Highway 160, Sylvia texted me to bring wine.  OK! They made it down the side of the canyon wall (years ago there were steps going down) without spilling their wine — nice move ladies!

Carmen had been at the canyon years before when it was fully operational.  I’m jealous.  There’s a video of what it used to look like in this post, and pictures.

Miss Sylvia being her cute little self by the headless Christ of the Andes — with wine, of course.

After we hit the China Date farm Daniel stopped for a picture.

We took a stroll up the small stream that gurgles its way down through the canyon and then headed out through the date trees and the canyon where it opens up into an uninhabited area that does have some old rusted car bodies lying around in different places. The sign says Amargosa River Trail.

The girls turned in their wine glasses for a date-milkshake. Note the green tree to their right – standing out from the drab background, it’s the next shot.

 

I want to go take a look at the canyon that is behind the tree in the shot above.  Perhaps this fall I’ll make it out there.

We ended the fun by heading back to Pahrump through Shoshone — even stopped so the girls could get a good look at the California Dodder that was growing along the road on some of the creosote bushes — and had food at the China Wok before they headed for home.  It was a full afternoon, very fun, and they had plans to stop at the Biker Bar at the top of The-Hump before heading home.  Go girls go!

Laters…kids…