marshhawk

Lunch was fantastic, it was DH and me, and my friend Debbie, who loves music like I do, and Penny, who is a wild woman and simply one of the most outspoken (sometimes speaking out about anything she knows nothing about) but very endearing woman I know. Those two were both late, and to make matters worse Penny started yelling at Debbie about where a restaurant was because she said Debbie was wrong (it is Debbie's neighborhood) so all in all, I'm pretty sure the rest of the patrons were amused. Debbie was not. Oh well....keep those two separate on my social calendar. Luckily the food was delicious. I don't usually eat dessert out, but since it was a celebration, I did. Pecan pie with extra real whipped cream. And the ravioli was spectacular. Swimming there on top of spinach in a creamy garlic sauce. And that was the meal for the day. I'll still be full later tonight. My boss Lisa was emphatic that I work all 20 hours of the campaign this week, so I came back and did an hour and half of work.. DH decided to work tonight, and he is working until 9, which gives me several more hours to do some cruise research (land portion) for Vancouver, and create a grocery list for the upcoming week. I need to clean out the freezer, so I know one night is shrimp curry, and one night is chicken and what do I eat the rest of the week?

Good Saturday Morning Dailyites! If it stormed last night, I slept right through it. However those of you on the east coast, beware of your weather! I like Jelly Belly Beans, but they don't like me at all. I was a girl scout for a a very short time. Like 2 months. And I remember the very first Earth day. We all decided to walk to school, and walk home. My BF in high school lived 12 miles away, or more, she got home very late that night, and I didn't see her again for a month. She had mono. Ravioli? I'm getting together with some friends, and I am going to order the crayfish ravioli with garlic cream. Being a diabetic, I know that pasta is not my friend, but tomorrow is my birthday,. and the friends were available today. Well I have to work this morning for a couple of hours, and then work this afternoon when I get back. And then tomorrow is off! Yeah! Have a wonderful day everyone!

@JazzyV

@Rowsby

@bennybear

@aliaschiefstay away from the covid people. The news doesn't bring us the news any more, but 1700 people a week in the USA are still dying from Covid. That's 88,400 a year at this rate. We should all remember to protect ourselves. Take care of yourself! At the concert last night, DH and I were the only two in the audience wearing our masks. All staff were wearing masks. The concert was at Emory University and Hospital center. Somehow I think that if the staff on a campus of a hospital think they should wear masks, then maybe we should still do that. @dobiemomI too am amazed at how you can sleep at all, but maybe if you have to take 3 hour naps 4 times a day, you'll still feel sleepy but you will get rest.

Good Friday Morning Dailyites! Yesterday was non stop, and I wish I could sleep late to make up for the hours I stayed up too late. But my body says GET UP at the same time each day. I know yesterday was a busy day on the Daily and I need to get back to read it. DH's oncologist is sending him back to the ENT regarding the problems with swallowing, and it turns out that his "ticks" are currently causing some of the problems with his nose. DH's cancer was on his face, and by the time that he finally addressed it, the surgeon said that if he had waited another week or two, he would have died from it. BUT while the surgeon was great at rebuilding his face, he was happy with his work, he cared nothing for the patient. And so, the cancer kept growing until I finally told DH's dermatologist that while he may have been impressed with the surgery, DH didnt have an oncologist. He got up, made a call, grabbed DH by the hand, took him downstairs and introduced him to the man who now cares for DH. And then of course the chemo started, and then the radiation, not the surgeries. So much damage was done because DH was trying to be his own primary physician, so now post fall, add in the brain damage, and now DH is rubbing his nose all the time, yes it does run, because of the damage done to the tear ducts and the nose, but even when it is not running, or his eyes are not running, it has become such a habit to rub, that he has created, by rubbing, an ulcer in his nose, he rubbed his eyes enough to create that infection, which another surgery stopped, but the only thing at this time the doctor said that would stop it, is for me to nag him not to pick, or rub. Watching someone 24/7 is a hard job. Currently the damage to the throat from the radiation is what is causing the swallowing problem. BUT it started on day about two months ago and when I asked DH about it he said he was just fooling around, but now he cant stop it. And I think that now, the really good doctor is beginning to understand the amount of brain change in DH. I did mention that while DH complains of the pain in his mouth every time he is at the docs, and they all have him on some pretty heavy medicine, that he doesnt seem to complain about the pain when he is doing something he likes. He thinks the pain, it may or may not be there. Hoping the adventures in Alaska leave him pain free for a couple of weeks. Any way, enough about what I cant control..... If you happen to see an ad for a concert with Bela Fleck this spring summer or fall, go!!!! I was not sure what to expect. He is a banjo player who has written classical music for the banjo, and I have been selling tickets for his shows for several symphonies as a telemarketer, but never heard him. He is doing a new tour this year, and WOW. It was not blue grass, or classical. He has combined his talent with three other musicians who are all giants in their own right, Zakir Hussain (tabla) Edgar Meyer (double bass) and Rakesh Chaurasia (flute), pure musical fusion. I bought the tickets as an early birthday gift to myself, and they were selling an early release of their ALBUM and CD. I bought the CD too. I hope that it makes me as happy listening to it as it was to watch these musicians. Sample

I have a brain that gets a thought, and loses it immediately, but then it comes back, so @kochleffel before I forget again, it's about the orange cat. I have read that most orange cats are male. And that they choose you, you dont choose them. There was a film called A cat named Bob, that my DH and I saw shortly after his brain injury. It's about a young man going through drug withdrawals and getting straight. DH was very impressed with this cat in the movie. The next week after the movie, we were sitting outside, and a large orange kitten appeared. I called him over, and he came to me, I patted my lap and he jumped up, curled up, and fell asleep. I looked at DH and asked if we could keep him, and he said if I named him Bob I could keep him. He is much more than a Bob, he's a Boba gingee. He is the most loving cat. But he is definitely mine. I take a nap, and he is next to me like glue. I sit and watch TV, and he is right next to me. If I go to bed early, he is right next to me, but when DH comes in the room, he runs off. He will sit with DH on the sofa, but he wants my attention. And now, back to my normal fuzzy brain....

@cat shepardMy birthday is the 23rd, Sunday. When I was growing up, it was the day my Dad's mom died, and the day, my Mom's Dad died, and we never had much of a celebration. In fact my neighbors gave me my sweet 16 party. Now that I am an orphan, I remember my grandparents with love, but I have also learned to celebrate my life. (actually now it's the being alive). I learned to re create the holidays, that make them happy.😸

Just stopping for before we run around all day. We never know the traffic pattern anymore, so we allow for an hour to get into downtown Atlanta. DH has a dr's appointment. I have been trying to figure out what drug I can take to help with the COPD that I can actually afford. The Trelegy works but at $560, I cant afford it. The insurance company says that another drug is what they will approve, but it is actually cheaper without using the insurance. I called that in to my doctor, but my nurse, Danny said, that he would provide me with free samples of the Trelegy as long as he can, because the other drug is not that great for you. I love my nurse! So we are doing a drive by at their office today. Then we eat lunch, walk dog, work, and then go to see Bela Fleck tonight in concert. Except for ordering some Canadian money from the bank, we are done with the running around until after our cruise. Oh, and a vet appointment for Irving. Who is very old, and will eat most anything now except cat food. Who can no longer sit, who flinches when you pet him, and except for being with DH, wants nothing to do with anyone else.

Good Wednesday Morning Dailyites. Every year for my birthday I ask DH for a solar powered clothes dryer. There is something about the smell of sheets on the bed that have been dried in the sun and wind. However, I never get one. And now that we are bird feeders, I am not so sure that the sheets would actually come back in to the house very clean... DH ended his training for Walt Disney Concert Hall. He starts today, and of course the minimum hours he can work for them is 20, and since the week is half over, he is trying to pack in as many hours as he can. Turns out that I am the only one on the Arizona campaign, and I have to work 20 hours for them and since we started with just one hour on Monday, and we have plans for Thursday, like dr's and a concert, and we have lunch plans on Saturday so between events, my bosses want me to add in work hours on the days I had scheduled off. So much for days off. Which brings me to garlic....I told DH that for my birthday I wanted to break all the diet rules and order a meal that he orders at a Cajun Restaurant. It's crayfish ravioli in a creamy garlic sauce. It is so good! But I also want to have my friends with me, so Saturday would have to be the day, as Penny leaves on Sunday. So I work Saturday morning for NY and go have a nice lunch, and when I get back make up the rest of the hours with Arizona. What fun! @grapau27Great bicycle story, wonder what ever happened to Albert Hoffman.... @kazuIvan is very cute, his face shows intelligence, but he looks like a snuggle bunny,

DH needs the computer to do his end of day. The small lung spot got smaller, the large one, got larger, and it does not show as cancer, SO CT scans every 4 months for a year, then every 6 months. but if it continues to grow they will do a biopsy. Alaska here I come. He said (the doc) this was good news, but could be a false negative. BUt he will take what he knows, and I'm good to go. Follow up scheduled, and CT scan to be scheduled. Thanks for the well wishes and prayers.

@kazuI am hoping that you have a great visit with your new friend. He is a very handsome furry man. I am hoping that a nice long relationship happens. @Mr. BostonMy heart and prayers are going out to you today. Safe travels. @cruising sisterI feel for you and your friend. Her being a hoarder is not healthy. I hope that you can advise her to talk with someone and get her into a grief support system.

Good Tuesday Morning Dailyites! It's 42 degrees right now, and I hope @StLouisCruisers is right about the temperature going up. You know they say when you pack for Alaska, to remember to dress in layers, these days, no matter where you are, you just need to dress in layers, and put summer clothes out for some time later in the day. Feral Fawn is so funny, she had been staying snuggled up with Bubbles at night outside the porch, and the minute I go out in the morning to feed them, she gets up and sits in front of the heater that is on the porch. Last night she got on the porch and snuggled up in her bed, and slept there because Bubbles had gone a wandering. Years ago a friend told me that the armadillos were traveling north at about 5 miles per year. He was right, as about 8 years ago, they appeared in our cruise friends yard just 5 miles north of Highway 20 and tried to burrow under their house. They had them trapped and taken away, not sure if they were re assigned new turf further south. The friends live about 20 miles south of us. Yesterday on the way home I saw a deceased armadillo by the side of the road, a mile north of us, so the armadillos are here. Great...... The dr's office called yesterday, I took the message off the machine after i got off from work. The message said, this is blah blah from Dr. Wu's office, I don't mean to scare you, but could you please call me at ,,,,, and of course it was too late to call back, and their office doesn't open until 9, my appointment is at 10:15. So I am waiting for 9 to call back and find out why I shouldn't be scared. @Cruzin Terri I had an ingrown toenail, they removed the nail, and said it would not grow back, and it did, of course it did, and within 5 years, I had another ingrown toe nail, but they did not take out the nail. They did a cut down the middle of the nail. I feel for you, as @dfish said, elevate the foot, it takes the pressure off the toe, and take it easy for a couple of days. My new glasses should be ready by May 1st. We leave on the 3rd, so I hope they are ready. I added glare proof to the glasses, because I have such a hard time driving at night. The doctor had written the prescription for bifocals, and I told him I just wanted the distance part done. I can see the computer without glasses, I just cant read things like the number on my credit card....

I know I missed a lot, caught back up except for the first page. My day, breakfast with the girls monthly breakfast at Pastries a Go Go. Took DH. Terry is heading off to sail the rivers and canals of Scotland next month in a narrow boat, Penny and Jesse are heading to Steenahatchee (?)FL next week, to place Jesse's dad's ashes out to sea where he used to fish. And DH and I left early because we needed to order our glasses, so we headed off and while I was driving my phone rang. Chuck saw that it was Lisa (new boss) and I called her before we went in to order our glasses, it was a buy one, get one, so I did. Lisa told me last week that I would start on Tuesday or Wednesday which is why our day was so full today, but she wanted me to start today. I said, well after the glasses we had one more chore to do and I would call when I got home. We drove north of the city to the Bass Pro shop, Chuck had to try a zillion hiking boots on (not that many, but felt like it) and we got home at 4, called lisa, did a short overall training of the screen, for an hour, she wanted me to make a couple of calls to see how it was going, and and within 10 minutes I had a sale. Got off work at 8:30 two jobs in one day, and now it's time to take my pills and go to bed because tomorrow I go back to the pulmonologist. And find out what is going on. Hugs to you all!

@Mr. Boston

@kazu @ger_77 @aliaschief @rafinmd A big hug from me to you!

One more question , well at least for now. The first Saturday of May is the Kentucky Derby. Watched by many Americans, do my friends north of the border watch it? I dont want to miss it, but I wont be home.

Question from me, where do I see the sail away Future Cruise listing?

Question time....DH wants to know How important is it to have Canadian dollars when we land in Vancouver? Should we get some before we go? Would a cab driver take American dollars? Would a restaurant? 5 out of 7 ports of call are American, two are Canadian trying to figure out how many Canadian dollars I need to bring. I also need to figure out what coffee costs in Alaska, as my goal is to try coffee in every port. We did not go shopping today, we will do breakfast with "the girls" tomorrow then choose frames for glasses, then walk the dog, then go to Bas Pro shops. And then go to work. Chuck works W, TH and Friday nights, I work M-Th nights. And my hours got cut (I may have already said that today) (sorry).

Good Sunday Morning Dailyites! It was sunny when I woke up at 9 !!!! But an hour later, the clouds rolled in, the temps dropped and I guess we might get those storms that the weather people have threatened us with all week. I ended my time "at the bowl" with a sale. Yay! And found out this morning that Lincoln Center is cutting our hours( a good thing since I stink at fund raising) but Arizona Opera isn't ready until maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. The upside? I don't have to be at any job until 5:30 tomorrow. The downside? really small pay. DH and I need to go shop for new glasses. He wants to go up to the Bass Pro Shop and get some good hiking shoes. However, there are times when getting him organized is like herding cats. But last night he gave me another scare. We had left dinner, and when pulling out of the parking lot, at a light that goes left or right I got in the lane to turn left to pick up groceries. He asked me why I wasn't turning right to go get ice cream. Where am I going to get ice cream I asked. He said at the Dairy Queen. Where is the Dairy Queen I asked. He said across the street to the right. I looked across the street, at the now parking lot, that was the garden center where I worked 20 years ago, that was a Dairy Queen 30 years ago. I pointed out to him that the Dairy Queen was long gone. Then he said he was confused, and thought we were in another town. He has a doctors appointment with his oncologist this week, but this doc has taken over being his primary physician. Someone that we can both talk to, and because DH seems to have a problem swallowing this is another thing that needs to be brought up. Indy race today, so we will be home this afternoon. I am making roasted Obrien potatoes, he will cook two small tenderloins, and we will have salad. @ger_77Your dinner last night sounds wonderful! I think your new "family" make a wonderful addition your family. @cruising sisterNot only is it nice to do what you have done for your friend, but you have removed a lot of stress for your friend, which is wonderful. Something that she may not have thought about has been taken care of allowing her to grieve. @grapau27Thank you for bringing us Father David. When I see his face, and put my mouse on the play button, it's like opening a gift every Sunday. Like opening a book, and finding love, compassion, knowledge and friendship. @StLouisCruisersRen did great yesterday! What a final score! And best birthday wishes to Kai.! I am loving the pictures of Whittier. And wondering how much snow I will see this May, and should I pack my boots.... here comes the sun again....

@aliaschiefWas it supposed to be that long? and did they feed you?

@Denise T Welcome! I will "test drive" the Nieuw Amsterdam a few weeks before you. My last day at "the bowl" and in the last 15 minutes of my schedule for today, I got a sale. I was 4th in line to get a bonus today, and the boss invited me to work more hours, but after 7 and a half sitting on my butt, with not break, I chose to "go home". Which for the last two years meant, I got up from the living room, and went to the den. I'm glad every one got to their ship! and since this if the first minute I have had to myself since 9 this morning, I am going to eat an ice cream sandwich, and just chill. I am tired and tomorrow is another adventure. I am actually hoping foir storms, so I can stay home and sleep.

Good Saturday Morning Dailyites! I have to be at work in 30 minutes, gosh, and it's still morning. We stopped at Sarah Donuts yesterday, and I got a sausage roll for todays breakfast, so I didn't have to get up and cook something. I love the pictures of Venice, the masks were beautiful. Today is a lovely sunny day, and tomorrow is supposed to be doom and gloom. My grandpa the farmer always said, the bluer the sky the worse the storm. He was right. When the air is changing to create a storm, it starts taking the humidity from part A and massing it in part B. And voila. A storm. DH is off today, but he is a bit upset that after he was told to report to Disney concert hall, and did the training, on line of course, that no one has gotten back to him about when he starts. I do appreciate my hubby. He is an excellent house cleaner. He does laundry. He even folds fitted sheets...why... I dont know, but they are always folded into a square perfectly when I take them out to change sheets and make the bed. He also is a good cook, but he is not so good at being organized. This Saturday is a long work day for me. The last of the long work Saturdays, as Arizona Opera is only wanting me for 18-20 hours a week M-F 12-4, and Lincoln center only wants 18 hours a week 5-8:30,. Fridays off, and 3 hours on Saturday. And of course, I have the Annie and Chuck doctor schedule, which for some reason is busy this week, but not next week, and then we leave for Alaska! And I am taking off on Thursday this week, I bought tickets for Bela Fleck, and his new group. Banjo integrated with Mideastern music. Should be interesting. Well off to get dressed and go to work, have a great day everyone!

Wow! Reading the last two pages was like an action movie. Had to laugh at Rovers name. @ger_77 @JazzyV @kazu I am no where near saint hood. I do this because I am not very good with money -2 didnt marry money- 3 I love to cruise. Cruising is an addiction for me, the absolute best vacation, where once I am on board, I have no worries, no cares, no chores, no jobs, and my self centered side takes over. I'm the queen of the seas. And I spend most of my time people watching or sea watching, or food watching. I could have gotten addicted to motor cycle riding.....and had a garage full of bikes. ( I already have a room full of guitars). I have been in customer service for a very long time, or as I call it "cussed out service", and my greatest joy is when I can make a jerk happy. He will walk away, and then come back and buy again, but I have never met a larger dweeb than the one last night. And the sad part was, he was right about me not knowing much about Friends of Lincoln Center. When the bosses have all worked it for years, they simply pull from past history of the place, I haven't lived in the tri state area since 1979, and back then I was more interested in walking in the woods, than dancing under a disco ball in the middle of a city. And I am still the same way. So I need to understand exactly what we do, not draw from "during covid" or back in the 1990's....Luckily, I didnt have to work that "gig" today, but will be back tomorrow morning with them. I worked my second to last day at the bowl, and talked to one person. Who I helped, but didn't sell to. And that is still OK, because, like a gardener, I "Planted a seed".