Hello to you. I hope this finds you doing well. I had a nice start to my day by going and seeing my Aunt and Uncle. My Aunt felt like I needed their company and she was right. She made me a cup of coffee and a yummy breakfast sandwich which I appreciated. I had called the VA to schedule an appointment for a follow up with my primary care provider. They didn’t have me scheduled for anything other than my talking doctor. When I called to make an appointment I couldn’t come up with the words to ask for the help I needed. It doesn’t seem like anything can be done for me. My Aunt wants me to persue the weight loss pill Wegovy as I am prediabetic and should qualify for it. My cousin who came by while I was there helped me get an appointment scheduled to talk to them. I may have to have a sleep study in order to qualify for it. I would need to get help getting to a sleep study as they do them at the Boise VA. I will see a doctor next Tuesday and we’ll see what happens. I just know I hate the way I feel right now. I really need to lose weight! We talked about how I can eat better – healthier snacks and meals. I may have to take the MOVE class through the VA which is designed to help with weight loss. I’m not good with following instructions so this whole part of my journey may be a test to change that!
What is MOVE!?
VA’s MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans can help you adopt a healthy lifestyle, meet your health goals, and manage your weight. Participating in MOVE! can increase your ability and confidence to make healthy behavior, nutrition, and physical activity changes.
If you have a higher body weight, losing 5%-10% of your weight can improve your health. Keeping a weight that is healthy for you can help you feel good and have energy to do the things you want to do.
With the help of your MOVE! care team, you can:
improve your quality of life, and even live longer
reduce health risks
prevent or reverse certain diseases
VA also offers weight management medicines and surgery. These options can be helpful when used along with lifestyle changes that are part of MOVE!. Talk with your health care team to learn more about these choices and how they can help you meet your goals.
Dear Jesus I pray that you guide my path as I am seeking relief from my health issues. I thank you for my family and friends that are trying to help me with their prayers and support. As always I ask you to be with my family and friends. I pray for your loving arms to reach out to the sick, the poor, those healing (Heidi), to the hungry, the addicted, first responders, those in harms way and victims of war. Thank you for being present through my family today, Amen.
Hello to you. Today is day two of my experiencing vertigo. When I turn a certain way I feel the spinning sensation. I haven’t taken a walk the past couple days for fear I would fall since my balance is off.
I had a doctors appointment this morning and it was for my ears and weight. I had a new provider again. I gained 5 pounds since my last visit which was very disappointing . I have been trying to walk and do Tai Chi but it isn’t enough. She changed up the allergy medicines since the stuff I’ve been taking wasn’t working to end the fullness in my ears. I have resolved to myself that I have to stop using Grub Hub – it’s too convenient to getting food that isn’t good for me. I stopped taking the Resilia oil of oregano as it wasn’t working for me. If anything it made things worse! If I can’t lose this weight we may end up getting me on a weight loss pill.
The medications I’m taking for my mental health, Depakote and Olanzapine, are notorious for weight gain. But as I have said, I’d rather be fat than crazy! I have never been this heavy before. I feel at times like I’m wearing a fat suite but I’m not giving up!
Isaiah 41:10:Â “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” [1]
Hello to you. It’s about bedtime as I write to you. I’m not tired yet and know if I try to sleep right now I will just toss and turn. So I will write to you and may be I will get tired!
I was sitting here thinking on what to write about and the word forever popped in. What is forever? As a Christian forever is what happens to us when we die. We die to our physical body and join Jesus and all of our loved ones in heaven for all of eternity – forever. I often wonder what that will be like. For me now I am flesh and bones with my eyes paying attention to my time left here on earth.
I told my therapist this last session that I can feel at times like I am starting to die. My physical health is not as good as it was just a couple years ago. All around me are people my age and younger dying. What makes me so special that I get to live? I have survived many things that take its toll on the body. Facing the end of my second marriage because of my own fault and little that was his really shattered me. Thank God for my family and friends that came to my pleas for help.
Dear Jesus I come before you with my broken self and ask for you to walk with me through what remains of my life here on earth. I love you so much. Thank you for all the earth angels you have put along my journey! Bless those who are like me on this journey. Bless all who are seeking you and may be just are a little lost. Amen.
This song has been with me for many years now. Like Enigma, there is a timelessness to this band:
I awakened in the city to utter darkness. I was running for hours and hours through deserted streets. between all those towers, there was only rain — only the rain.
I went through doors, I scoured the alleys. in the rain I climbed ridges. I walked over bridges, but there was no one there. I felt deaf, although my hearing was fair.
but there was only silence. not even the rain…
there must be more. I need you to quell my fears. I’ve felt it before. I need you to shed my tears.
the things I adore. I need you to feel my pain. I’m trapped like before. I need you to stop the rain.
I’ve cast myself into a prison, with bonds near impossible to break. I thought my life is built on reason, but now I know I’ve got to escape.
I’ve depraved myself of all I had, and thought I need to for my own sake. I didn’t think I would be so sad, but without you I cannot escape. not even the rain…
deep in my heart, I want you to pull me back. I’ve kept us apart, I want you to fix my wreck.
awake with a start, I want you to enter my mind. to re-cast my part, I want you to follow me blind.
I’ve cast myself into a prison, with bonds near impossible to break. I thought my life is built on reason, but now I know I’ve got to escape.
I’ve depraved myself of all I had, and thought I need to for my own sake. I didn’t think I would be so sad, but without you I cannot escape.
Hello to you in your now. How are you doing? I am writing to you from my favorite spot – the couch with my panda boy Link. I remembered my phone for the first walk today and was rewarded with roses in bloom everywhere!
Now is a time of roses in the neighborhood I love this picture with his Momma Tippie. He is almost all gray and white now. You can see why we called him panda boy!
I started the new higher dose of olanzapine today. I haven’t really noticed a difference yet – it takes some time for the body to adjust. I am still having the weeble wobble stuff going on with my ears. May be the doctor I will be getting will have new ideas from the doctor I just had!
I asked the internet for positive news about roses and this is what came up as an answer:
Modern rose breeding has successfully solved the historical trade-off between stunning petal colors and deep fragrance. Geneticists have identified the specific pathways that allow new cultivars to produce vibrant blooms without sacrificing their signature scent, while also creating highly resilient, heat-tolerant varieties that require far less maintenance.
Exciting Developments in the Rose World
Stronger Fragrance & Genetics: Molecular researchers have mapped the complex DNA of modern roses. They have isolated the genes responsible for prolonged, repeat blooming and are finding ways to bring back robust fragrance without losing bold, vibrant colors.
Ultra-Resilient Cultivars: Modern varieties are increasingly engineered for heat tolerance, meaning they can thrive in challenging climates without needing constant chemical interventions. Disease-resistant shrub and groundcover roses are now widely available for home gardens.
True Blue Blooms: After years of botanical research, horticulturalists have successfully cultivated and refined “true blue” roses using natural pigment engineering—a color that was previously considered botanically impossible.
Where to Find & Explore the Best Roses
Whether you are looking to plant a low-maintenance garden or just want to admire award-winning blooms, these trusted platforms can help:
American Rose Society: Access official care guides, find local rose societies in Idaho, and browse the latest award-winning rose introductions.
Heirloom Roses: Shop a massive collection of own-root roses that are known for their vigor, fragrance, and disease resistance.
David Austin Roses: Browse the iconic, heavily fragrant English roses that combine classic, old-world charm with hardy, modern disease resistance.
Have you ever noticed how most roses you buy in the store have no smell? I hope that will change.
Dear Jesus I thank you for this day.  I thank you for all the beauty in this world and my being able to get out and enjoy it. Please continue to be with my cousin Heidi on her healing journey. I pray for your presence with the elderly, the sick, the unhoused, the poor, the hungry, the addicted, neglected and abused. Amen.
Hello to you. How are you? I just had my appointment with my therapist and she shared this video with me when she asked if I make my bed in the morning – my answer was yes:
Such a seemingly simple thing to do really isn’t. When people sink into deep depression they can barely get out of bed much less make it. With the stuff I have going on with my ears and energy levels mornings are very tough for me.
Hello to you today. I hope this finds you well. My thoughts today turn to water. This is what the internet had to say about current conditions:
Water shortages in the US are reaching critical levels, driven by climate change, aging infrastructure, and aquifer depletion, with New Mexico, California, Arizona, and the Colorado River Basin facing severe risks. Roughly 2.2 million Americans lack running water, and 44 million face water system quality issues. Groundwater, particularly the Ogallala aquifer, is rapidly declining. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Water Shortage Areas and Drivers
The West and Southwest: The Colorado River, which supplies water for seven states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming), is severely overallocated. Major reservoirs like Lake Mead and Lake Powell have experienced critically low levels.
Groundwater Depletion: Nearly 45% of water wells across the US have seen significant water level declines since 1980.
Infrastructure Issues: Aging infrastructure and failed septic systems are causing water insecurity, particularly impacting Latino, Black, and Indigenous communities.
The Ogallala Aquifer: This major agricultural water source is draining faster than it can replenish. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Impacted RegionsHighest Risk: New Mexico is classified as having “extremely high” water stress.
High Risk States: California, Arizona, Colorado, and Nebraska face high water stress.
Widespread Risk: Future projections suggest that by 2071, nearly half of the 204 freshwater basins in the US may not be able to meet monthly water demands. [1, 2]
Solutions and OutlookLong-Term Strategies: Solutions include enhanced conservation efforts, water recycling, and desalination.
Infrastructure Investment: Increased funding for water infrastructure is considered crucial.
Agricultural Changes: Agricultural practices are expected to change significantly to reduce water consumption, as irrigation accounts for a large portion of water use. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Recent DevelopmentsAs of May 2026, widespread “severe to exceptional” drought continues in parts of the country.Renegotiations are underway for the Colorado River’s management, with key agreements set to expire.USGS released a comprehensive assessment on water resources in January 2025 to monitor these risks
All this is going on and yet they want to build huge data centers. Here is what the internet had to say about them in regards to water usage:
Data centers consume significant water, often 1–5 million gallons daily for large, hyperscale facilities to cool servers, roughly equivalent to a town of 10,000–50,000 people. As AI grows, this usage is rising, with AI-related data centers in the U.S. projected to require up to 32 billion gallons annually by 2028. [1, 2, 3]
Key Water Usage Facts & Figures (2026):
Daily Consumption: Medium-sized data centers can use roughly 300,000 to 500,000 gallons daily, while large, hyperscale facilities can hit 1–5 million gallons, especially during hot weather.
AI Impact:Â An AI chat session of roughly 20-50 queries can consume up to a 500ml bottle of water.
Aggregate Impact: U.S. data centers combined consumed about 17 billion gallons of on-site water in 2023. While significant locally, this accounts for roughly 0.3–0.4% of total U.S. daily water withdrawals, much less than agriculture.
Cooling Methods: Most high-usage data centers use evaporative cooling, which evaporates water to keep servers cool, making it a high-consumption, low-return process. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Environmental and Local Impact:Local Strain: Data centers can strain local water resources, with some studies showing that 31% of freshwater withdrawals by major companies like Google in 2023 were from medium-to-high water-stressed regions.
Contamination Risks: Cooling systems can introduce biocides (to prevent bacterial growth), corrosion inhibitors, and heavy metals into local water systems.
Water Management: Operators are increasingly using “closed-loop” systems to reduce consumption and exploring alternatives to freshwater, though saltwater is generally not feasible due to mineral buildup. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Future Outlook: Water withdrawals for AI-related operations in Texas alone could grow from 0.75% of state demand in 2025 to over 9% by 2040. Solutions like direct-to-chip and immersion cooling are being implemented to reduce, but not eliminate, the need for water. [1, 2]
I feel bad for the people of Utah:
A massive 40,000-acre “Stratos” AI data center project, backed by Kevin O’Leary and Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), was approved in Box Elder County, Utah, in May 2026. The project intends to support national AI capabilities with 9 gigawatts of power, though it faces intense scrutiny for high water usage and potential environmental impacts. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Details of the Utah AI Data Center Projects (as of May 2026)Stratos / Wonder Valley (Box Elder County)
Project Size: A massive 40,000-acre campus on unincorporated land in northwest Utah.
Developer: Backed by Kevin O’Leary (O’Leary Digital) in partnership with West GenCo and MIDA.
Power & Output: Expected to generate and use roughly 9 gigawatts of power, which is more than double the current electricity consumption of the entire state of Utah.
Environmental Concerns: Critics cite significant potential air pollution, noise, and water consumption, estimated at 16.6 billion gallons per year, potentially affecting the Great Salt Lake.
Purpose: Touted by supporters as a critical AI infrastructure project to enhance US security against global competitors.
Unfortunately Idaho is not immune to the data centers and apparently has AI data centers under construction:
Idaho Conservation League:
🚧🤖 Idaho’s first AI data center is under construction– and another is on the way. More and more tech companies are eying Idaho for new data centers because of our relatively low electricity rates, abundance of land, existing tax breaks for these facilities, and our generally anti-regulation state government. This is likely just the beginning of the data center boom in Idaho.⚡️
🔋With electricity rates already increasing as a result of population growth and large industrial customers, we need to make sure that residential customers don’t subsidize infrastructure and energy costs related to these facilities. As we enter the brave new world of AI mega data centers, we should strive to be as prepared as possible to handle the increased strain they will put on our electric grid and water supply. 💧
Hello to you on this beautiful Mothers Day Sunday. I went to church and got lots of hugs as I wasn’t there last Sunday. I sat with my friend Jeannie which was really nice. We fill empty spaces for eachother. She her daughter and me my Mom. I love her very much and am so grateful for her friendship.
As Pastor Jason says, Jesus answers prayers with a yes, no or not yet. I have been praying for healing for my cousin Heidi as well as for other members of my family, friends and even myself. Seeing my cousin this weekend was evidence of Gods healing power and a definite YES! I had a praise today as my back didn’t hurt for the first day in weeks. The stuff going on with my ears is still there but wasn’t as bad today. I will take any relief!
I was going to have breakfast at the Sunrise after church but when I got there even the little tables I sit at were full and people were waiting to be seated. So I went home and had one of my breakfast sandwiches. Link was happy to see me even if I didn’t have his bacon! Lol!
Hello there! Hope this finds you well. I am home from an early Mother’s Day brunch with my cousins and Aunt and Uncle. This was the first time seeing my cousin Heidi after her four brain surgeries. She is doing so good! You can hardly tell anything has happened to her. She is living proof of God answering prayers. Her hair is short but growing out. She described herself as a browning banana with all her bruises! We thought that was so funny! I think all of us feel like yellowing and bruised bananas these days!
There were a lot of grateful tears shed today. Hearing how grateful Heidi is to God for pulling her through everything really touched all our hearts. She is so brave!
My Aunt put together beautiful spread with charcuterie boards of meat, cheese and fruit. The boys went out and got us ladies bouquets of flowers. So beautiful!
Charcuterie board brunchBeautiful bouquet from Uncle John and Brody
Hello there! How are you? I am just from a walk. I forced myself to go and I’m glad I did. This morning I stayed home from Thursday prayer because I had a sore throat when I woke up and was afraid I was coming down with something. False alarm!
On the walk this evening I had the privilege of seeing flowers in particular purple flowers:
Dear Jesus I thank you for this day. I ask that you wrap your loving arms around all who need you. Please guide leaders at all levels of government to do your will and not just their own. Please be, through us your vessels, with the sick, poor, weary, healing, angry, addicted and hungry. Let your presence be the balm that ends all wars and “isms” of this world. Amen.
Hello to you. How are you doing today? I hope well. The main event of my day today was going to the ladies coffee this morning. I wasn’t sure if I was going but my body made its mind up for me. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately and my ears have really been bothering me. The nasal spray and antihistamine don’t seem to be helping like I had hoped they would.
There was a good turn out. Missy lead us by reading the Daily Bread for 1 May and we went around the room for prayer intentions. We put together gifts and treats for the ladies at The Cottages assisted living home in town for Mothers Day. Terry made sun catchers and other ladies brought cookies they baked. The sun catchers were really nice. I signed some cards and helped assemble a few bags with the sun catchers. I left before everything was done as my ears were really bothering me. When they flare up my head feels so tight – very uncomfortable! I’m glad I went though the ladies are so kind and understanding.
To be 