Quartzsite Cruiser

Great pictures, Tony. Lenda

When we still has our two Dachshunds, we were very lucky. They had been as much the DDs dogs as ours. The girls, mainly older DD, would take care of them. We'd take the dogs to Austin, which they loved. We knew the were in good, loving hands, and we didn't worry about the DDs or the dogs. Lenda

Good afternoon. I'm having to use my phone as our internet is down. 😒 The phone company has been burying fiber optic cable in the area. We suspect they either cut something or are in the process of hooking something up. At least, the cell phone is working. Our pharmacist told me about needing a prescription. The Medicare site listed it under Part D. I think some of the states might have added restrictions. Even GoodRx had something about it being administered in medical settings and no price listed. It always seems confusing when new vaccines roll out. Paul, I totally agree. One cruise, since the three couples at the table were from Arizona and Texas, one woman thought politics and religion would be safe topics. While both states were considered red at the time, both have several blue areas. The first and last night were tense. Fortunately, the other nights we stayed with safe topics. Jacqui, I'm happy you arrived safely, and in one piece. Enjoy Amsterdam. Lenda

Good morning again. The rain gauge says we received 1.42 inches of much needed rain. My rain gauge says close to 2 inches, but since I hadn't emptied it since Sunday, part of what's in there is from the sprinkler. After such a big rain, I could turn off the sprinkler for a day or two. Denise, I'm glad Fancy is feeling better. Bruce, the painter made quick work on those bathrooms. I'm glad they picked up the old mirrors. Gerry, we're rethinking getting the RSV vaccine, too. In the US it is by prescription only. Medicare Part D (drug plan) covers it, but not the Plan B that covers the flu, pneumonia and Covid vaccines. Since we have not needed expensive drugs, yet, we don't have Part D. That would be a big out of pocket expense. I was told about $200 per shot and saw up to $295 a shot. Annie, if you are very good friends with the cat sitter and his wife, I would hope they would get over the switch in cat sitters, and remain friends. It might take a while for that to happen though. I'm glad Donna volunteered to cat sit for you. Congratulations on the Compassionate Leader nomination. Bruce, after I realized that I couldn't remember if I'd posted a meme or just seen it many times in the file of memes to be posted, I moved the memes I posted to a file of posted memes. That way, I can check if it's been posted. Let's face it, sometimes I need all the help I can get. 😉 Susan, I'm glad the dogs are fully recovered. Sometimes shopping can be therapeutic, but if you can't find what you want, then it's a chore. Good luck with the shopping. Karen, safe travels today. Enjoy your visit with your DM. @rafinmd Roy, I'm glad you are at the Crystal terminal, and that the transfer was not terribly difficult. Lenda

Along with two cruising friends, and to celebrate the birthday of one friend, we did b2b cruises on Marco Polo. On August 21, 2005, we docked in Tromso on a wet and rainy day. Even with the less than desirable weather, DH and I saw quite a bit of Tromso and enjoyed our day. Unfortunately, on the rest of our Norway cruises, Tromso was not on the itinerary. I'm hoping to get back there sometime. Tromso from the Marco Polo MS Polstjerna is Norway's best preserved sealing ship. It is owned by the Tromso University Museum. This building is Polaria, an artic adventure center. Tromso Kunsfforening is the oldest art institution in Northern Norway. One of many streets in Tromso The traditionally built wooden town hall The Mariner statue with the Artic Cathedral in the background across the water. There was a display of old steam powered vehicles, and DH wanted a closer look. The view from the Artic Cathedral side. By the time we made it to the Cathedral, it was locked, so we only got to look through a window in the door. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It is mostly cloudy, 69F and feels like 69F. The sun is just now rising, so it is still fairly dark out. The humidity is 100% with a dew point of 69F, so it looks like another day without a walk. It looks like our overnight rain has ended, and it was raining pretty hard between 10:30 and 11:30 last night, but I haven't checked the amount of rain we received yet. Our predicted high will be a pleasant 83F. Depending on the rain situation I may make a quick run to the grocery store. Otherwise, I'll be taking DH to get his Covid and pneumonia shots and a back x-ray. The x-ray is in preparation for his 12 month and final visit with the spine surgeon on Wednesday. So far, I'm doing all right from my flu and covid shots yesterday. I got them both in the same arm, and only the site where the flu shot was administered is sore, but nothing I can't live with. I try to do something nice every day, but I'm not that much into random acts of poetry. The good teachers, which are most teachers, deserve their day. The W.H. Auden quote is interesting. We'll pass on the food, drink (I prefer the regular smores) and the wine. We spent a wet day enjoying Tromso in 2005 on the old Marco Polo. I'll post my pictures next. Today in history was a busy day, with three days to celebrate and a sad day in India with the horrific loss of life. The Beatles first song, "Love Me Do". made me a life long fan. @seagarsmoker I'm glad you had no side effects. As I said, I can live with the sore arm for a day or two. @puppycanducruise Melanie, I'm glad Benadryl and AfterBite helped with whatever bit you. @rafinmd Roy, I hope the transition from Queen Mary 2 to Crystal Serenity goes smoothly. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for your pictures from Tromso. It looks at least once you had the same weather we had. @smitty34877 Terry, we are all hoping it works out with the new aide. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope they have the new Covid vaccines in and that your DH's phone consult goes well. It seems you are making good progress toward the move to NJ. Lenda

Good evening. Finally, I think I've caught up with all I let slide the past week. Hopefully, tomorrow will be an easier day. A few calm, relaxing days would be nice. One can always hope. Jake, I'm sorry you don’t feel well, and I hope you feel better soon. I know you're disappointed to,have to cancel your trip, but peotecting your DM's health is vital. I hope the table turns out nicely. Tony, thanks for the additional pictures. We haven't been to those medieval villages. Debbie, some of the things I cook are too much for the two of us. When that happens, I freeze two portion servings so we have an easy meal(s) later on. Smart move. I despise autocorrect, snd have it turned off wherever passible. It often causes more errors than my typos. Lenda

Joy, that is getting beyond ridiculous. I hope they can make another change and get you seated together, without a stranger between you two. Paul, perish the thought of pumpkin-spiced kale. Both are bad enough alone. The deviled eggs called for pumpkin puree. If I say anything else, I could get in trouble. Lenda

At least in some respects things are looking up. When I went to get my flu shot, I also got the new Covid vaccine. It came in after I made the appointment yesterday morning. I guess I'll have a fairly sore arm for a few days since I wanted both shots in the same arm. While I was there, I made an appointment tor tomorrow for DH to get the Covid shot and an updated pneumonia shot. I'll get the pneumonia shot next week. Two are enough for one day. I got a booklet in the mail from our local grocery store with some Halloween recipes. Pumpkin spice in many things is already too much, but pumpkin deviled eggs. 🎃 😈 🥚 I think not. 😝 But then, I do not care for pumpkin. Carolyn, I'm not good at tennis or softball either. Congratulations on getting your Aus. and NZ visas uploaded. Susan, in 2020 when the lockdown started I was really into cooking and that lasted until sometime last year. Now, it's usually really easy meals with an occasional more involved meal. Sandi, that is good news. I hope Scott surprises them all and recovers quickly. Baby steps are still steps in the right direction. Debbie, I'm convert to Aspercreme. For years I didn't think it would work since Salonpas did work when it first came out. I tried Aspercreme when I hurt my knee last year, and I'm a convert. Penny, I'm glad the cruise is going well, but no hot water until today -- YIKES! 😱 I'm glad the weather is better. Susan, our 7 lb. mini dachshund had bad teeth too. Had 7 pulled at one time, poor baby. I hope your little ones feel better soon. Lenda

Looking back through my pictures, I found some pictures of Nice from our first European cruise on Golden Princess in 2001. I also found three pictures from our 2004 Noordam III cruise when we were bussed to Villefranche after Captain John Scott had to move the ship to safer waters as a storm was approaching. The pictures of Nice were taken during our brief stop there on our 2001 tour to Cannes from Monaco. I know we took the train there in 2002 from Monaco. That time we did the Ho-Ho, but I can't find those pictures. The open air market in the original old town. The building in the back ground is the Palais de la Préfecture, a government building. The rocky "beach" that was not at all inviting. We were surprised to see people on the beach. An old Quai An inviting fountain and a garden These pictures of Villefranche were taken from the Noordam III. Lenda

We have been to Cannes four times while on cruises that anchored in Monte Carlo or St. Tropez. The first pictures are of the nice beach in Cannes. Unlike the rock beach in Nice, Cannes beach is sand. The beach is also a topless beach, but I better not share DH's picture to prove it. 😉 These pictures of the beach were taken during the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 and 2004. The white tents were used during the festival. This is the restaurant where we had lunch in 2001 while on a tour. Some street scenes of Cannes from 2001 and 2002. These last pictures were taken in 2004, and show some of the signs advertising that year's movies. The main auditorium used during the festival. We passed this living statue in 2004. Lenda

Another late good morning from central Texas. I was all set to post abut 7:30 when DH asked me to take the convertible up to an auto repair shop to see if they could find the cause of the vibration when we accelerate. It could still be the sparkplugs and coils, but there are some other possibilities that are beyond my "capabilities" and that DH is not in shape to handle now. I was there before 8:30, and the first appointment they have to work on the car is a week from Friday. Naturally, we need the car Tuesday to go to the first post-op appointment at UTSW to get the staples removed. At least, they will look at the car today to see what they think needs to be done. After breakfast and a couple of chores, I am finally back here. It is 83F and feels like 91F with 79% humidity and a dew point of 75F. It looks like I won't get my walk in today. Our predicted high is 92F. We are alternating between cloudy and partly cloudy. There is a strong chance of rain overnight with isolated thunderstorms. The rain is supposed to end a couple of hours before DH's x-ray appointment tomorrow morning. I'm glad I made it for 11:45 and not 9 am. I checked with our PCP's off and the spine surgeon's office actually faxed the orders yesterday. 👏 Today, I'm still playing catch up with the things that didn't get done the last several days. I'll also get my flu shot this afternoon. DH played golf in the early 1970s, but I was a miserable failure at golf. Just think of the memes about bad, really bad, golfers. Still, I'm glad that those who enjoy the game have their day. Someone else can enjoy my frappe while I celebrate the animals of the world. The quote sounds like Edgar Allan Poe, and that's all I'm going to say about it. The creamy tortellini soup with sausage sounds good, and it could be made vegetarian by omitting the sausage. It will be saved for another day, since we'll be having chicken fajitas tonight. I have some chicken that needs to be eaten. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds nice. We have not docked or tendered at Villefranche, but did tender back to Noordam III once when the captain had to move the ship from Monte Carlo to Villefranche during the day due to bad weather. They provided a bus from Monte Carlo to Villefranche. We have visited Nice, Cannes and even Genoa from Monaco. I'll look for appropriate pictures soon. We wanted to take the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul, but never did. I'm sure the calendar change in 1582 was disconcerting to everyone. @0106 Tina, safe travels to Amsterdam today. I'm glad after the two hour delay that you got flights and could still get premium seats with Delta. Enjoy your cruise. @St Pete Cruiser Safe flights today and hopefully, without any of the drama others have faced recently. Enjoy your cruise. @Smmessineo Welcome to the Daily. It was good to see your second post, and we hope you will join us often. Unlike some of the other CC threads we don't "bite". 😉 @marshhawk Annie, what DH calls a headache is really the pressure from the NPH, and while the CT Scan Monday showed the ventricles were normal size compared to the CT Scan pre-op, it will probably take more time for the feeling to completely disappear. He is doing better, but still taking it very easy. Annie, enjoy your tacos today. @AroundWithMAPTravels Welcome to the Daily. I hope you visit often. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad the new aide is a lovely young woman, who probably knows how to handle "cranky" patients who are not feeling their best. She must be very nice if the dogs approve. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope your DH doesn't have any surprises at the dentist today. Enjoy your anniversary dinner. You both deserve a nice, relaxing meal out. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I hope your back improves quickly. We've found Aspercreme works very well. I hope we both get some very much needed rain overnight. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad Scott is showing signs of improvement. If the problem is an "electrical" problem with the heart, he might be placed on Metoprolol, which helps regulate the heart beat. Whatever they find, I hope it can be fixed easily. @luvtoride I'm glad you are not having a reaction to the flu and covid vaccines. @Haljo1935 I'm sorry the URI is still hanging on, and I hope it goes away soon. I hope the three appointments go well, and you can get help with the hip. I hope the surgeon is pleased with the shoulder progress. I hope your DH's stress test shows he does not need more stents. @RMLincoln Maureen, it must be a big relief to get the trust documents and the wills signed. Thank you to all who continue sending good wishes to DH for a good recovery. It helps to know so many people care about us just as we care about all of you. I expect many of you shop on Amazon and have noticed how they are trying to use lighter, smaller boxes and strong paper shipping packs. I was surprised today when my new curling iron arrived. It came in a box that was 16 1/4 x 2 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches. That box was in a box that was 16 x 8 x 11 1/2 inches and stuffed with "a ton" brown paper. I thought it was a little over kill. 😁 Lenda

@Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope you and your DH have a wonderful day on your 42nd anniversary. Lenda

@JazzyV Vanessa, I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Is your BFF taking you out to dinner? Lenda

Today has been a long day, but I got a lot of things scheduled or rescheduled. Maybe tomorrow, I can get to some of what I intended to do the last several days. The dentist appointment had one surprise. Last spring, when I bit down on a peanut piece, a tooth broke loose a bit. Now, as part of the effort to save the tooth I need a deep cleaning. Hopefully, the root is all right and the tooth will be all right. Otherwise, I'll get an implant. @JazzyV Vanessa, it's more an annoyance, and not worth being on the care list. @Durango Sandy Welcome to the Daily. I hope you'll join us often. @JazzyV Vanessa, I hope you can get the epidural shots in your back and that they give you some relief. The flower is lovely. Too bad the don't last longer. @1ANGELCAT I hope the follow up blood test shows better results. Arby’s out of roast beef? What next? @kochleffel Paul, we like balconies, but don't get them on an Alaska cruise. Yes the scenery is wonderful, but often, between the weather and the temperature, balconies are not usesble enough to be worthwhile in our opinion. The right cabin is what is right for you. Lenda

A very late, but a very good morning from central Texas. The good news is DH's BP is down to an acceptable range, and we both slept last night. When I got back from my longer than usual walk, DH was already up and waiting for breakfast. He's now trying to catch up on the lost sleep from the last few days. The weather was just about perfect for my walk, cool with sunny skies It is now 84F and feels like 88F. The humidity is low, 59% with a dew point of 68F. Our high will be 91F, not bad. Today, turned into laundry day, plus I've been trying to schedule and reschedule appointments this morning. It will be a busy week. My canceled dentist appointment is now this afternoon at 4 pm, and I'll get my flu shot tomorrow afternoon. The pharmacy still has not received the new Covid vaccine, and they do not have a waiting list. After explaining all that's gone on lately and how long it's been since our last boosters, she said she'd put a note up that we needed them boosters asap. I don't know if that will help, but it was worth a try. I made an appointment for DH to get his final back x-ray Thursday morning, and left a message with the spine surgeon's office to fax the orders to our PCP's office asap. They now have their phone set up where you have to leave a message and hope they call you back. It's always been a struggle getting the orders sent in time. Finally, Friday morning, I will get a much needed haircut. I'm glad my "boyfriend" and resident techie is doing better with a brighter future. Children's health is always important. The quote today has me scratching my head, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. The meal sounds good, but I don't want to tackle a complicated meat for a while. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We have not been to Shimizu. The reunification of Germany was a milestone day for both West and East Germany. Hats off to the New Zealand Natives playing rugby in England in 1888. @kazu Safe travels today, Jacqui. @RMLincoln Maureen, it seems like you are making steady progress toward your move. I hope your DH's appointment with the MD Anderson oncologist Thursday goes well. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope the more difficult days become less frequent and only bring back good memories. A great picture of you, your DH and the grand kids. @luvtoride Welcome to the Fleet Report and Daily, Brian. We hope you will join us often. We lived in northern NJ in Dover for about two years when DH was at Picatinny Arsenal. We had a good time, but as native Texans we came back to Texas. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I'm glad you had your back checked out at the clinic. I hope it feels better soon. @0106 Tina, I hope you have a safe, on time and uneventful flight to Amsterdam tomorrow. @sailingdutchy Tony, thanks for all the pictures from Shimizu. The kids are so cute. @bennybear Brenda, loved the great pictures from Japan. Thanks. I guess I'll go fold the first load of clothes now. Lenda

I made it through the Daily, and I know I'll forget to comment on some things. First, thank you for all the well wishes for DH today. They are much appreciated. I won't name manes as I know I would miss some. @JazzyV Vanessa, I think and hope this was just a bump in the road to recovery, and I don't think he needs to be on the care list again. @Seasick Sailor Joy, last year I called the paramedics when DH fell and when I needed help getting him into or out of the car. In our case, they did bring the ambulance, but were more than willing to help. One even gave us a concert on our grand piano. Even this morning when it turned out I'd be taking DH to UTSW instead of them, they stayed until DH was in the car. They kept an eye on him as I got everything ready to go. I'm another who liked the quote, but not the man. I only named one car, the 56 Plymouth I drove in high school. It was built like a tank and had several quirks. I'm not sure if it was me or one of my friends who named it The Bomb. Terry, I'm glad you have a new aide starting Wednesday. I hope she works out well and gives you much needed relief during the week. Debbie, thanks for the picture of the new light. It looks very nice. From your description, I think the old one was past its prime. Vanessa, I'm glad the new doctor had some suggestions. I hope the pain management doctors can give you some relief. Susan, I'm glad you got some much needed rain. Carolyn, I hope your friend gets better soon. Debbie, I hope your doctor can find what is causing the growth, and that there is a simple fix. Karen, I'm glad you got some donations for the local fire department. Now, I'm going to get in bed and read until I fall asleep. Lenda

@lindaler Linda, this is a little late, but BON VOYAGE. I hope you have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

A late good evening from central Texas. We were back home by 7:30, but it's taken this long to get the car unloaded, showers, supper, and a few chores. Someone was looking out for me today. The traffic going into Dallas was the best we've had in the last year or so, still not what I would like, but not nearly as nerve wracking. We left during rush hour, but by taking a local street past the worst of the back ups, it wasn't that bad a drive. We went in because when DH called this morning about his very high blood pressure, they said call 911. While the paramedics were here, the BP meds began working, finally. Still they wanted to see him in the UTSW ER. Once we were there, the doctor and the resident were not worried about the BP. They both said that mainly the problem with high BP causing strokes was not a spike, but long term very high blood pressure. They would be worried if it was 250+ over 150+, which it wasn't. The doctors still wanted to make sure there was not problem in the brain like a bleed. According to the resident the CT scan showed no damage and that the ventricles were now normal size. So the shunt is working. They also took a chest x-ray which was clear and one that followed the shunt tubing from his head to his abdomen, and that was good. Of course, there were a lot of blood tests, which were done three times at certain intervals. When DH walked out of the ER, he was walking very well, but after the car ride, not so well. The ride on our not so smooth roads shook his head and made him dizzy. It didn't help that neither of us had anything to eat or drink all day. He's gone to bed now, and I'll follow soon. We're hoping a good night's sleep will help. When we first saw the doctors, the resident told me that DH looked very good for someone who had just had a shunt put in. That was good news too. I haven't read the Daily yet, but will try to read some of it. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I read about what happened to your DH, and that you hurt your back getting him back in his chair. I hope it's better in the morning, if not, please have it looked at. If you need help getting your DH up, don't hesitate to call 911. Our EMTs are very good about helping with things like that. Lenda

This will be quick since my phone battery is low. We are in the ER at UTSW. Yesterday and this morning his BP was very high. The meds would bring it down but not for long. We had the paramedics out. The BP was coming down but it was decided we needed to come here. They are running tests. The ER doctor said he looks good this soon after the surgery. They want to check for problems in his head though. He says he feel really bad. That's all I know. Lenda

Sending positive thoughts that Stephanie's surgery goes as planned tomorrow, and that she has an easy and quick recovery. Debbie, I like your label of experienced. Elderly always makes me think of feeble and decrepit. Old doesn’t even convey those terms. Annie, for the record, I was not offended yesterday. I find your honesty and being true to yourself refreshing. I can relate to Atlanta shutting down for a week with an inch of snow. When we lived in Wilmington, NC, we had a snow and ice storm and the entire area came to a screeching halt for a week. Lenda

Good afternoon from a cloudy central Texas. It is 90F and feels like 90F. It wasn't too bad out this morning when I had my Frugal Fun (?) mowing the yard. At least, I was outside and getting some exercise. I guess the best frugal fun we had since it was frugal and fun was in 2018 when we were in Hong Kong. We went to Disneyland, and with the senior price, the entrance fee was the equivalent of $12/pp. The most interesting ride was the Jungle Cruise which was the same, but with a Chinese guide. I'm late this afternoon because it has been a busy day. After I showered when I finished the yard, I took the golf cart and three gas cans up to our local station to get gas. It's no fun to run out of gas which has happened a couple of times. We like to keep some gas handy in case that happens, or so we can top off the tank before we are in danger of running out of gas. DH is still walking better, but otherwise it is not as good a day as yesterday, but then we can't expect everyday to be a good day. The main problem is the muscle relaxer and the BP medicine can cause dizziness, but they are needed now. He was up for a couple of hours and got part of his walking in even with being dizzy. He is more alert which is good. I think slow, baby steps as long as they are an improvement are what we can hope for. If there are bigger improvements they will be a bonus. I will not be posting daily updates if everything is going well and we're experiencing baby steps. Terry, I'm sorry that Tana is having problems breathing at times even with more oxygen. That is such a nasty disease. I hope the prospective aide works out, and you get some help soon. It is good news that you were spared major water damage from the rain. I smiled at your "clean up" because when we first moved into this house, it was the Thursday before Thanksgiving. By the next Tuesday, we were still unpacking boxes, but our DDs were coming for Thanksgiving, one on that Tuesday. While I was at the grocery store, DH tidied the house. It looked good, but we could barely get into the walk in closet. That is where he stashed all the unopened moving boxes. Linda, I guess better late than never. i hope your flight to San Diego was uneventful, and that you enjoy SD before you board your ship tomorrow. Thanks, Joy. Any steps forward, tiny, baby or whatever are what we are hoping will continue to happen. BTW, the good news is I saw very few black crickets when I was mowing , and I haven't seen any in the house for a week. I hope I didn't just jinx us. I'm glad you like the article, and I was glad it was in layman's language for those of us non-medical people. I was surprised at how bright the light was, but I guess that was necessary. Congratulations on the upgrade. I'm glad the walnuts are all right even with thin skins. They are predicting a colder than normal winter here too. Last winter was cold enough for us. Karen, I'm glad you had a good time with your DSIL and DBIL with the bonus of getting crab. Another bonus was the sunset. Vanessa, I'm sorry you had another bad night. I hope your eye is better with the drops and that the Physiatrist has some answers to handle the pain and to relieve it. Any steps forward are what we want. I understand what you meant about the reaction to light when one eye is patched. I cut my left eye about 50 years ago, and had to patch the eye. It would get irritated on occasion every few years until about 20 years ago, and I'd have to patch it again. Not fun. Melisa, I wish your DH's condition was much better by now. I hope the tests today can pinpoint the problem(s), and the doctors can begin to get your DH headed in the right direction. You both are in our thoughts as you go through this crisis. Sending positive thoughts for a good outcome. ((((((HUGS)))))) I'm sorry you are feeling so bad. I agree with the others that the sooner you see a doctor and get some medicine the better. I hope you feel better soon, and can make you appointment on Wednesday. Sandi, thanks for the good wishes. Elliott Rose is as cute as ever. I love the look on her face in the picture of her in the suitcase. When we took a short trip when older DD was about 7 months old, she crawled into the suitcase so we wouldn't leave her behind. Penny, I'm happy you are safely aboard the Noordam. Have a great cruise. I like your story about the shinny penny. The flower arrangement is simple yet beautiful. Lorraine, it sounds like the Cider Fest was a hit even if it was hot. Dixie, I'm sorry you were diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, but I'm glad it's not life threatening. If I tried to describe how I feel about the word elderly, this post would be removed if it ever even was posted. Let's just say, while my driver's license says I'm considered old, my mind say that's not true and is even shocked when it remembers my age. 😁Some days my body agrees with the driver's license and others with my mind. Most day's the body feels somewhere in between. There is an old saying, "You're only as old as you feel". Maybe, I'm not old at all yet. Lenda

I thought there might be some on the Daily interested in a study and a device UTSW uses when someone has an operation on their brain, has a stroke or a concussion. It checks the speed the pupils in each eye reacts to light. They used the device on DH before his surgery and several times in recovery. It was one of several neurological tests they preformed pre and post op on DH to see if the shunt had caused any damage, which it hadn't. Here is a link to the article. Since UTSW is a medical school and a teaching hospital, they are doing a lot of research in many fields. https://utswmed.org/medblog/neuroptic-pupillometer-concussion/ Lenda

We were in Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles, on the Ides of March in 2000. I have a few pictures that DH took with his new digital camera, but since he was driving the rental car, the pictures are from a couple of stops along the road. I'll check to see if any of my old fashioned pictures are worth scanning. In the meantime, here are some of DH's pictures. We walked into town before deciding to rent a car. A nice looking beach. We were looking for a place to go snorkeling, but did not find one where we could park the car for a while and go in the water. There is a nearby island with good snorkeling, that several people we knew took the ferry to and spent the day at the beach. We stopped at a hotel for something to drink and to look around. There was an enclosure where we found these guys. The loved to have the underside of their necks rubbed and scratched. One even followed me to the gate when we left so he could get more neck rubs. I was surprised at how fast he would walk. The views from the hotel A beach on the other side of the island From our balcony as we sailed toward Durban, SA. Lenda

@Live4cruises Robin, I hope you and Nickolas have a great cruise. I also hope we can meet again on another BHB. Lenda