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The pharmacist said to talk to our PCP before making a decision. There is an article from the AMA about the vaccine and who should get it. Here is a link to the article. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/rsv-vaccines-questions-patients-may-have-and-how-answer Here are two interesting paragraphs that explain who over 60 should get the vaccine, and that it should be a decision made with your physician. The other goes into it a little deeper. I would recommend reading the article in it's entirety and talking with your doctor if you haven't already gotten the vaccine. It has to be a personal decision between the patient and the doctor. What RSV vaccines are available for adults? The first ever vaccines for RSV were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May for older adults and are now recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for those 60 or older under shared clinical decision making. This means patients and their physician decide together after a discussion about the risks and benefits, based on their individual situation. One vaccine is from GSK and will be marketed under the brand name Arexvy. It contains the same adjuvant—a substance that increases the immune response to a vaccine—used in the recombinant shingles vaccine, Shingrix. The other vaccine is from Pfizer and is called ABRYSVO. It does not contain an adjuvant, but it is bivalent. These are the first-ever RSV vaccines approved for use in the U.S. Both vaccines are extremely effective at preventing serious illness from RSV infection in older adults. Which adults benefit from RSV vaccination? RSV generally causes mild upper respiratory disease in healthy adults. But for adults 60 or older with certain underlying conditions or other risk factors, RSV can cause serious illness. For example, those with chronic medical conditions such as lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurologic or neuromuscular conditions, kidney disorders, liver disorders, diabetes or moderate or severe immune compromise are good candidates for RSV vaccination, according to the CDC. Additionally, those who are of advanced age, reside in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities and have underlying medical conditions can also benefit from RSV vaccination. Lenda

Good afternoon. I survived our annual property owners meeting, but as planned I left at 11:30 in order to be home before the eclipse reached it's peek. It looked like the meeting dragged on for another hour or more judging by when we saw cars returning. I'm amazed how a simple meeting with very little on the ballot could drag on so long, and how so many seniors could argue and go over the same point for what seemed like forever. I generally skip the meetings, and give our proxy to a neighbor, but this year I wanted to hear about the plans if one measure passed. They never got to how it would work. I think I'll return to sending in my proxy in the future. 😁 It's a lot less stressful. But the free donuts were nice. 🍩 I made it home in time to see the best part of the eclipse. DH had his telescope with the solar filter out before 9:30, and we didn't bring it in until the eclipse was over. Besides viewing it through the telescope, we went out to see the peek with our solar glasses. This is DH's picture of the peek of the eclipse. He has a lot of pictures taken over the entire event. We are just over 220 miles from San Antonio which was in the path of the total eclipse, but we got a pretty good view. While it still looked sunny outside during the height of the eclipse, it was surprising how dark the interior of the house was. Karen, I was sorry Thursday was a bad day for you, but I'm glad you got out and did something enjoyable, and that the day improved as it went on. It's amazing the curative power of ice cream. 🍨 Please wish your DDIL HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. Carolyn, thanks for the picture of the trees in their fall colors. Tony, thanks for sharing your pictures of Victoria. Gerry, I'm sorry you tore your rotator cuff. With such a small tear, they may be able to repair it arthroscopically. I hope that is the case. Lenda

For meatloaf, I use my mother's recipe, but I don't put any type of tomato topping on it. It is a very simple recipe and easy to make. It calls for milk and eggs mixed with cracker crumbs as a binding ingredient. It also has chopped onion, salt, pepper and sage added to the ground beef. For several years, I tried another recipe that added chopped red and green bell peppers, with tomato sauce as a topping. DH liked it better than I did, since to me, it didn't taste like meatloaf and made lousy meatloaf sandwiches. 😉 After my pneumonia vaccine, I had a slightly sore arm but as the morning has progressed, my arm is not sore now. I had an interesting chat with the pharmacist about the RSV vaccine while getting the other shot. She has the same PCP as DH and I do. She told me she'd talked with him about the RSV vaccine, and he doesn't recommend it for seniors. He says RSV is a baby's disease, and he's never seen it in adults. She suggested we talk to him before getting the RSV vaccine, so it is on hold for now. Nancy, I'm glad the oven trick worked. Good luck finding a replacement oven. The tree is beautiful in it's fall colors. Debbie, I hope the two doctors call with appointments soon. Here it takes the doctor's office at least a week if not more to send in the referrals. Penny, I love October in Arizona and hopefully, we will be able to enjoy it next year. Thanks for letting me know the building was finished. I looked at the link, and was glad they had a picture of the original building. I would not have recognized it from the picture of the completed project. Great pictures, Laura. Thanks. Lenda

Now it's time for my final round of pictures. There weren't any that were different in my 2015 pictures, and only a few from 2018. The dragon boat races were being held that day, and there was a festival with performances by children from different cultures. From the festival, we walked over to Chinatown and explored it a little. We found this monument on our walk. We decided to walk down Fan Tan Alley, which was very narrow and filled with little shops. We then headed to the harbor and the dragon boat races. On the way, we passed this statue of a soldier returning home. The dragon boat races. One thing I really like when visiting our neighbors to the north is all the flowers. We also passed a building that was be completely demolished with the exception of three of the outer walls. I wonder if they ever got it finished. Lenda

We have been to Victoria on at least four BHBs, but our 2001 call on the Ryndam was in pre-digital times. We've also been there on the Amsterdam (2010 and 2012), the Statendam (2015) and the Zaandam (2018). The first time in 2010, the winds were too high to safely dock at Ogden Point These pictures are of Victoria as we sailed past that day. Some houses along the shoreline. The ferry heading back to Port Angeles, Washington. We took this ferry to Victoria in pre-digital times. In 2010, we did b2b cruises and the second time we were able to dock. After going out to lunch with cruise friends who live in Victoria, we asked them to drop us off at the Empress hotel. There was a classic boat festival in the harbor. The water taxi. In 2001 when we took our motorhome to Victoria, we took the water taxi and did the complete circle. It was a good way to take a harbor tour. In 2012, while on b2b2b cruises, on one of our calls we took the Ho-Ho. These are some of the pictures from that tour. I'm not sure I would feel safe in these small "bikes" on the busy streets. A couple of pictures from the garden's at the Empress Hotel. Lenda

Good morning from a clear, but still dark central Texas. Fall is definitely here today with a temperature of 55F that feels like 52F. The humidity is 59% with a dew point of 40F. Our high today will be 74F and tomorrow it will be 70F. On today's agenda is the annual property owners association meeting, which can drag on and on even with not much on the agenda. The eclipse will peak here about 11:55 am and will be approximately 81% of a total eclipse. If our meeting is not over by 11:30, I plan on leaving then. I have my eclipse glasses in my purse, but should be home in time for the peak. Again, DH will celebrate Bald and Free Day. We both celebrate dessert day almost every day, even if it's just a bowl of ice cream. Eggs are very versatile. I think David Letterman was mostly correct with today's quote. We just finished a meatloaf on Wednesday, so tonight it will more of the ribs from Thursday. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We have been to Victoria many times, mostly by BHB, but a couple of times by ferry. One ferry trip was with our motorhome. We spent a couple of days in Victoria visiting cruise friends, and then too the motorhome up island for a few days. The ferry fare with the motorhome was enough that it made staying longer a good idea. Today's victory by Robert the Bruce is an important day in Scotland's history. George Eastman revolutionized photography and his invention was used until the dawn of digital photography. Marcia, DH and I can relate to the trip from LA to San Diego taking longer than expected. At the end of a 2015 cruise, we rented a car to get back to SD to pick up our car. The rental car agent told DH it would take locals 1 1/2 hours, but for use about 2 hours. It turns out, it was the first nice Saturday of spring, and it took us a lot longer. Sandi, I hope Scott will improve enough to be able to move to a regular room soon. Thanks for the pictures of Dunfermline abbey. Lenda

A very late good evening. After my pneumonia vaccine, we had happy hour with our neighbors. It had been quite a while since DH felt like happy hour, so I took it as a good sign he's improving. He thinks it's going very slowly, but when I compare the last couple of days with even last week, I see a lot of improvement. The thing that will take the longest is for the feeling of pressure in his head to go away. Even with the shunt working as it should, it takes time for the body to adjust to the changes. It's only been two weeks since the shunt was implanted. Jane, please widh your son HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. I know you both are enjoying the visit. Ray, I'm glad your DW had very little pain from the start of the implants. I'm also glad you are making progress with the VA for your dental work. Thanks for the update on Barb. Vanessa, I'm sorry you are sore today. The tree people should have done a better job cleaning your yard after they worked on the neighbor's trees. Maureen, I'm glad the meetings went well. Safe travels, home tomorrow or whenever you head home. Mary Kay, I'm sorry you picked up Covid on your cruise. I hope you feel better soon. I wish your cruise had been better, too. Lenda

Good afternoon from a sunny and windy central Texas. It is 80F with a 15 mph wind. Even with the clouds earlier and the wind, I was hot and sweaty by the time I finished the yard work. The sage is cut back drastically, but not as much as last year. The iris are replanted, and I tried to keep them out of areas where the sage will put them in too much shade once they grow out next spring. Finally, one bag of mulch was enough for both flower beds to make them look a bit fresher. I thing my hard work on the yard this year paid off. It looks better than it has in several years. Our crazy fall weather has arrived. It will be 76F tomorrow and then 71F the next two days, with lows in the mid 40s. After that, our highs will range from the low 80s to the upper 70s for the next two weeks. Dressing appropriately for the weather will undoubtedly require a few changes of clothes during the day. It will be sunny all but one or two days, and there is no prediction of rain. Terry, I'm glad that Tana and the new aide are working well together. That should make it easier for Tana and the rest of you. Your gathering for Lou sounds like it will be a true Irish wake. Gerry, I'm am sorry to see that Guatemala has been removed from itineraries because of unrest. I hope the results of your x-rays and ultrasound on your shoulder do not show a major problem, but something that is easily fixed. I laughed that your DH was running out of nuts and bolts. I think my DH has some he could have shared, along with screw of all sizes and types. 😉 I bet they both have a lot of "just in case" things. Susan, I'm glad to hear that your friend now thinks the cataract surgery was easy and is not worried about the other one in two weeks. Nancy, I hope the oven cleaning resets the control panel. We had to replace ours twice early on, but once we found out what was causing the problem, it has worked well. Carolyn, I hope your DH feels better soon and the antibiotics clear up the pneumonia soon. Thanks for sharing your pictures from Corfu. I think we've been to the beach in the pictures from the hill top. Tony, thanks as always for sharing your pictures with us. Sharon, I enjoyed both your pictures and Craig's pictures. Thanks. Brenda, thanks for the great pictures. Lenda

Now for our three stops in Corfu in 2019 on Veendam. The first stop we rented a car and drove around the island. The other times we took the Ho-Ho and did one loop each time. Our drive on July 11, 2019, took us to Roda and Palaiokastraitsa and across the island. Heading out of town Roda Some cruisers stop for coffee or beer, but we stop for gelato when in Europe. Palaiokastraitsa Some random pictures from the two Ho-Ho loops. A street market There were a lot of ruins along the first loop and this is one. An old windmill For the garden club A sign on the new fort In town We wanted to go through the Achillean Palace, but when we saw the line for tickets, we got back on the Ho-Ho. Drive along the coast Lenda

We have been to Corfu seven times, all on BHBs. I'll divide the pictures into two posts. The first post will be from our Noordam III 2002 and 2004 stops and our 2016 and 2019 stops on Prinsendam. In 2019, we stopped in Corfu three times on b2b2b cruises on Veendam, and I'll share them in another post. The coast from the Noordam III in 2002 The view from a hilltop restaurant on the other side of the island in 2002 A church we saw in 2002 The old town and part fo the open area in front of the old town from various stops. The area around the old fort and the entrance to the fort. Lenda

Good morning from a warmer day in central Texas. It is 72F and feels like 72F. There is a 9mph wind with 92% humidity and a dew pint of 70F. Our high will be 82F, so fall is edging back toward summer, but will not go that far. It looks like it will be a good day to trim the Silverado Sage, replant the iris, and touch up the mulch in the flower beds. Then this afternoon, I will get my pneumonia vaccine, and this time I hope it is really the last one I'll ever need. Do I sound a bit skeptical? I was told the previous version of the vaccine was one and done. Silly Sayings can be fun. World sight day is work celebrating every day. The E. E. Cummings quote is a good one. It takes some of us a little longer to grow up than it does others. We'll pass on the meal, but tonight DH will have a different version of cod, and I'll be having salmon. BTW, the ribs turned out very well last night, and there are enough for another night or two. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds worth trying. We've been to Corfu many times over the last 20+ years, and I'll retrieve my pictures shortly. Three more good days in history to celebrate. We've visited the Prime Meridian. Bob Dylan and Simone Biles have many achievements of which to be proud. Simone is still making history with more world titles. @marshhawk I hope Annie and Chuck @catmando had a smooth flight and an easy transfer to their hotel in Rome. @rafinmd Roy, welcome home after two good cruises. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, please wish your DD and DSIL a Happy Anniversary for us. Thanks for the pictures. @mamaofami Carol, I'm sorry that Sam is back in the hospital with breathing issues. I hope he's home soon. Yikes 😱 on the smoke alarm going off at 2 am. @cat shepard Ann, I'm happy you and your sister were safe from the tornadoes yesterday. I hope your arm feels better soon. @cruising sister Lorraine, I hope you get rid of that cough soon. @Heartgrove Jack, thanks for the pictures of Corfu. @Nickelpenny Penny, I hope you get the new dryer soon. @Cruzin Terri Great pictures, Terri. Lenda

The sun finally came out, and it is 81F with a 20mph wind from the south. No wonder I had trouble opening the storm door on the front of the house. I should be able to get out and finish the flowerbeds, replant the iris and trim the Silverado sage tomorrow morning and still make my 3pm appointment for the pneumonia vaccine. @dfish Debbie, and @JazzyV Vanessa, yes it was a little sad about the fishing car, but it was good to us for almost 30 years and gave reliable service until this summer. It's earned a good rest. And after the hail damage, cosmetic mainly, we didn't need to worry where we parked. I doubt if we could tell if there was a a new ding. Susan, I hope your friend did well with her cataract surgery. I don't like anything near my eye, but so far I haven't needed that surgery -- yet. I hope your appointment tomorrow with your PCP goes well and you get the referrals you need. The cookbook sounds like a good idea. It would be a bit of work for someone(s) to coordinate and edit. Then, there is the taste testing. Lenda

After a busy and slightly sad morning, I'm finally able to settle down and read the newer post on the Daily. I went up to the auto repair shop this morning to clean out all the stuff from our "fishing" car. It is a 1995 Volvo turbo station wagon that has given us a lot of good service. The needed parts are no longer available, and at 28 1/2 years old, the plastic used for the fuel lines are hard and brittle with parts flaking off. The plan was for either the auto shop or us to donate the car to a charity. However, that is not possible since it's against the law to donate a car with a gas leak. The only thing that kept the line from the fuel filter from rupturing was the metal panel underneath. The shop owner knows someone who will buy it for scrap which we agreed to do. It was either that or finding someone to buy it for scrap ourselves. We'll get some money out if it, but not a lot, but it's better than nothing. The sad thing is the engine is still in good shape. I think the engines in those cars are pretty indestructible. Charlene, stay safe during this bad weather. Ray, I'm glad you have a way and the patience to work around the VA. We tried last year to get the VA to pay for DH's one expensive drug. All the red tape and hassle meant he would be off the drug before any coverage was approved. It shouldn't be that hard to help our veterans. Susan, I'm glad that parts of Colorado are getting some much needed moisture. Dixie, in my case, I think I need at least a couple of months on a BHB being pampered. One can always hope. RNB, I'm glad the tornadoes did not get to you. I hope all those in Florida stay safe from the storms and tornadoes. Lenda

Dixie, I'm sorry about that. I knew your name is Dixie. I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe that is the problem -- I wasn't thinking. Lenda

Last night, I read the rest of yesterday's Daily, but was too tired to do anything but write that yesterday was a good day with DH getting good reports from both appointments. I went back this morning to try to comment on all I wanted to say last night. I'm very happy your DH has recovered from pneumonia. Lorraine, I'm sorry you will need surgery on your hand before your cruise. I hope you can get it moved to an earlier date. Thanks for the information about the Ocean Bar. I hope that is a sign of other changes with HAL entertainment. I hope they return to some of the entertainment that was successful in the past. Jack, thanks for you pictures of Lubeck. It looks better when it's not raining. Charlene, my suggestion is to get the Shingles vaccine separately. It was one of the few that have given me a reaction. The pharmacist suggested that if I had a reaction to the first shot, to wait as close as possible to the six month mark to get the second one. I got it about the 5 to 5 //12 month time, and the reaction was not quite as bad. Any reaction is better than getting shingles. Vanessa, I hope the epidural injection will help with your pain. DH also had spinal stenosis, but had pain in his hip area near the bursa, but no back pain. Steroid shots into the bursa on both hips worked for years, but finally he needed the back surgery. He has been free of the pain from the back ever since. Ray. I hope Sara's dental surgery goes well, and she is not in too much pain afterwards. The pain to the wallet is another story. DH finally gave up on the VA since they are so hard to work with. It is enough to drive one to drink. Terri, I'm glad the HVAC guy showed up early, and that you had a good night's sleep Tuesday night. I hope last night was equally as good if not better. Annie, I've been sleeping with a pillow between my knees for several months, and it takes some getting used to. I do it because the knee I hurt last year can still cause problems at night. Denise, I agree about everyone in the ER being part of the team. DH has had great care in the ER on too many occasions this past 18 months. They also took care of me. @dfish Debbie and @JazzyV I second the idea that sometimes surgery is the only answer. We've had several neighbors have back surgery in the last year. Some have had the regular spinal fusion using the rods and screws, and others have had the surgery DH had. DH also did not want surgery and put it off as long as possible and until the pain got really bad. Sometimes, you can put it off too long, and you have some damage that cannot be overcome. Surgery is always the last resort, but please don't put if off too long. For the radiating pain down the legs from spinal stenosis, a laminectomy will relieve the pressure of the stenosis on the nerves. If and/or when it comes time for surgery, I suggest you also check out the Karma system of spinal fusion. It uses polymer ties and cage instead of metal. The spinal is usually completely fused at 10 months. Ultimately, only you and your doctor can decide what is best for you. I just wanted to give you an idea of the options available. Here is a link to one of many articles and videos of the karma system. It was approved in 2021, IIRC. https://spinalelements.com/company/newsroom/karma-mis-first-case-press-release/ Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It is cloudy (according to the weather app) and 65F which feels like 65F. Sunrise won't be until 7:30. We have an 11mph wind, 98%humidity and a dew point of 63F. It looks like we won't reach the 70s until about 11 am, and the high will be 83F this afternoon. The clouds are supposed to give way to the sun by mid afternoon. Depending on the weather and whether or not I get an appointment for the pneumonia vaccine, I'll either replant the iris bulbs this afternoon or tomorrow. For years, I collected cookbooks, but would usually use only one of two recipes. I finally put the ones I use on the computer to add to my personal "cookbook" and took most of the cookbooks to the used book store. I still have a few cookbooks that I used from time to time. I also made cookbooks for the DDs when they got their first apartments. We try to save some each month, and to not live beyond our means. I'll salute old farmers, and we still have my great-grandfather's farm. Since we do not live near the farm, my father left it in trust to me. An interesting quote by Luis Bunuel. Sometimes age does matter. The meal sounds interesting, and I'll check out the recipes Debbie @dfish finds for us. Tonight we'll be having babyback ribs which I'll smoke this afternoon. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. While we have spend time both on land and at sea in Quintana Roo, we have not been to Costa Maya. Today we can celebrate Christopher Columbus landing on a Caribbean island. Just think what would have changed in history, if he'd had made it to Asia. It's interesting that the first modern submarine was commissioned by the Navy in 1900. @summer slope Carolyn, I hope your arms improve without the Tylenol. I read a few years ago, the fewer pain relivers taken for a day or to after a vaccine, the more effective it will be. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm glad you have a realtor and a date to start showing your place. It may seem daunting, but working a little each day, you will get the place ready pretty soon. Safe travels today, and I hope your meeting tomorrow is all that is needed. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for your pictures from Costa Maya. @cat shepard Ann, I hope the watch does not become a warning. @smitty34877 Terri, thanks for the good wishes for DH's continued recovery. @Haljo1935 I hope your DH will heed the warnings, and keep his pocket's free from anything he doesn't want to lose. We've been to Italy and Rome many times, and only once in Rome, on the Metro, did DH feel someone trying to picket his pocket. It also happened on a bus in Palermo, but they didn't get anything. All he keeps in that pocket is hard candy and tissues. We each have a travel bag with locks on the zippers and wires in the strap to prevent someone from cutting them. There is also wire mesh under the tough cloth to prevent someone from cutting into the bags. I use mine as a crossbody bag. In addition, we have pouches that go on a belt and then are tucked inside our pants. The main thing is to always be aware of your surroundings and the people near you. @marshhawk Annie, I hope you have a safe, hassle free, on time flight today, and that your luggage has the same flight. As far as safety in Rome, please see what I told @Haljo1935. If people see you are aware of what is going on around you, and you look like a difficult target, they will try for the easier targets. I know you will have a wonderful time in Rome, and a great time on your cruise. @Smmessineo I hope you stay safe from the tornados. Lenda

@cruising sister Lorraine, I hope you have a wonderful birthday, and that you have many more to come. Lenda

Good evening. It's been a long day, and I'm really tired. It's taken this long to unwind enough to post. DH got good reports at both visits. The spine doctor was very pleased, and that was the last visit, unless another problem arises. The nurse practioner at UTSW was also pleased. The staples are out and the incision looks good. DH still can't drive for two more weeks, until the doctor sees him. If all goes well at that visit, they won't need to see him for a year. 🫰 DH did very well today. It was the longest he's been up since I don't know when. By the time we got home out not so smoth highways and streets had shaken his head, but the results weren't as bad as he expected. BTW, the convertible ran well. There was not as much traffic today, and I noticed most of the drivers were ignoring the speed limit and driving like crazy people. There is a lot I want to comment on, but I'm out of energy tonight. Tomorrow, I'll try to comment on some of today's post before getting to the new ones tomorrow. I hope it doesn't confuse people. Lenda

Good morning from a now cloudy and windy central Texas. It is not warming up as fast as predicted. I may have to break down and put jeans on before we head to the doctors appointments. We got the car back earlier and it is running well. It is a lot easier to drive now. It turns out, they only replaced one CV joint. They put the motor mount in today, test drove the car. When it did not make any difference, they put the old motor mount back in and are returning the new one for credit. They did not charge us for that, not even for the labor. Katherine, I hope you have some time before you have to decided about the cruise. Whatever you decided, will be the right decision for you. Penny, I'm sorry we missed your birthday yesterday. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY! Annie, I hope the card comes on time. I also hope DH got to his infusion safely, and is home soon. Safe travels tomorrow. Ann, that is good news about the urologist appointment and that the next appointment will be in May. Safe travels to Bellingham, and enjoy Macy's and Olive Garden. Lenda

The first time we went through the Kiel Canal on Prinsendam was June 9, 2011, after an overnight in Hamburg. On August 2, 2016, again on the Prinsendam, we left the Baltic and headed to Hamburg through the Kiel Canal. The pictures are a complication from both cruises. Because the Kiel Canal cuts through a varied landscape in Germany, I have enjoyed both passages through the canal. These pictures are from 2011 as we entered the first lock, and the lock looking behind the ship. I believe this is the administrative building for the lock. A town along the canal On our first time through the canal we passed this barge with the bow of a ship being built somewhere. Further along, we passed a ship builder who looked to be building mega yachts. Besides several bridges crossing the canal there are two types of ferries. Fist a traditional ferry loading cars. Then the ferry where someone was thinking outside the box. It was a good thing the Prinsendam's mast could be laid down, or she would not have fit under the low bridges. Some locals enjoying the waters of the canal. Some of the lovely countryside along the canal. In 2011, Prinsendam had a deck barbecue featuring sausages of all types. There was also a local band to entertain us. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where it is clear and 66F that feels like 66F. The humidity is 93% with a dew point of 64F. Our predicted high will be 78F and 78F in Dallas this afternoon. Keeping my fingers crossed 🤞 that the car will be ready this morning in time for us to head to DH's doctor appointments If not, we'll borrow our neighbors car. As a girl child who had two girls, I will definitely celebrate the day. Not sure if a party will be in the plans for today, but I'll salute emergency nurses. We had some wonderful nurses take care of DH in emergency rooms a few times over the past year or so. The Marcus Aurelius quote is good, since you can plan for the future, but never know what it will hold. We'll pass on the meal, coconut and curry. We'll also pass on the drink and the wine. We have not been to Kiel, Germany, but have been through the Kiel Canal twice on the Prinsendam. We have sailed the canal in both directions. I'll post my pictures of the canal in a bit. I'll save the pictures from Hamburg until it is the port of the day. Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council changed the Catholic church and brought it more into the 20th century. @Haljo1935 I hope the Chiro visit today helps with your shoulder. When we are in Europe, we either use a credit card with no foreign money fee or get Euros from an ATM at a bank. @Heartgrove Jack, I'll be thinking of you today as you remember your brother. Thanks for the video of the Prinsendam as she looks now as Amera. @RMLincoln Maureen, the things needed to be done for your move seem to be moving right along. Safe travels tomorrow. I hope the meetings go well Friday. I know you will enjoy seeing the family on Saturday. Lenda

Good evening. Today did go as planned, but what else is new? After two very busy and tiring days, I just didn't feel like yard work. It can wait another day or two. Instead, I got a few small chores done. As expected, the convertible wasn't ready this afternoon. DH had suspected there was a bad motor mount. After replacing the other front CV joint, they found a bad motor mount. They got the part today, and promise it will be ready by 10 am in the morning. If not, our wonderful neighbors are letting us borrow one of their cars. Either way, we'll get to the final appointment with the spine surgeon. It is appropriately on the one year anniversary of DH's first spine surgery. Then we'll head to UTSW for the first post op visit. He will get the 16 staples removed from his scalp. . Vanessa, I'm happy you could an appointment with the pain management doctors for tomorrow. I hope they can help with the pain. I know I missed a lot I wanted to comment on. It's been a long day, and tomorrow will be longer. Lenda

Good afternoon. It is getting cloudy, which will be better when I work on the flower beds. It looks like we'll be getting the convertible back later this afternoon. While they have it, they are also going to check the motor mounts, as the firewood and the pothole could have damaged or broken them. The news on the "fishing" car is not good. It probably could be fixed, but since there is a lot to repair, it would cost more than the car is worth. It is a 1995 Volvo turbo station wagon that was totaled by the insurance company in 2011 because of hail damage. Until the problem with the gas line, fuel filter and tank, it still ran well and from a distance looked good. It is what we used when we needed to haul big, heavy loads. Lorraine, I was really hoping there would be better news about Murphy. I feel so bad for her and the family. I'm still hoping for a miracle. Terri, I'm glad the aide is working out, and that you have some time to get out of the house. Annie, I'm sorry about the scam email, and I hope you get everything straighten out before you leave. Even if I recognize the site on the email, I go to their official site and do not open any links in the email, unless I know it's from a verifiable source and is needed to finish something on the site. We all just have to be so careful with emails, texts and phone calls now days. Terri, I hope you can get some sleep tonight. I also hope the HVAC guy and the flooring guy show up when they are supposed to, and that everything is fixed before you leave in two weeks. Jacqui, I'm glad the cruise is going well. Thanks for the pictures from Portland. Thanks for the pictures. Sandi, I'm glad you both got the flue and RSV shots. Lenda

Good morning from a clear and warmer central Texas. It is 63F and feels like 63F. it's a bit humid at 88% with a dew point of 59F. The humidity should decrease and it warms up to 82F this afternoon. I need to make a quick grocery run and then replant the iris I wanted to move Sunday when I ran out of time and energy. That will be this morning so I will have time to pick up the convertible this afternoon, whether or not the other CB joint has been replaced. Ada Lovelace was a pioneer in mathematics and for women. My biggest fear is heights, and I faced it when I climbed the leaning tower of Pisa. Even when I reached the bells, I could not make my self climb the final set of steps to the narrow walkway at the very top. However, since then, I am a bit better facing heights. Somethings in medics I can translate into our measurements, but others take the help of the conversion app. An interesting quote form Raymond Chandler. The meal might be good for another day. The drink sounds interesting, and I hope I remember it next time I'm on a BHB. The wine also sounds nice, but unobtainable. We have not been to Wellington, but it is on the bucket list. I'll honor Isaac R. Johnson's patent of the bicycle frame in 1899. The 1780 hurricane must have been a monster to kill so many in the Caribbean. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm sorry Scott is having so many ups and downs. I hope the procedure and a pacemaker will stabilize his heart. Thanks for the pictures from Wellington. @Mr. Boston Welcome home. @mamaofami Carol, I hope Sam was released from the hospital yesterday, and is either at home or in a rehab facility that will help him complete his recovery. Lenda

The repair shop just called. They replaced the right CB joint and it made a difference in how the car handles, but it did not completely solve the problem We were surprised it was the right CV joint, since the firewood incident involved the left from tire. The right side was the one that hit the pothole in March. Now, they are going to replace the lift CV joint, and hope to have it in and fixed by tomorrow afternoon. If not, I'll pick the car up tomorrow, drive it to Dallas and back, and then take it back to the shop on Thursday. We're still really surprised the right one was so bad. The fall and broken ribs and cut knee just added insult to injury for your friend. Terry, I'm sorry there is more work and expense involved. At least, you have heat. Lenda