marshhawk

Well, good evening dailyites. I was up this morning way before the Daily starts, and gone by the time it did. DH had bloodwork in midtown, at 8, not knowing the traffic these days, we figured we should leave at 6:45, and because my stomach gets so upset from my metformin, I have to plan to be up an hour or more before I can go anywhere, so I was up at 5:15. We got home early, I paid bills and then because we never did replace the mailbox, and I needed stamps, I drove over to the post office, bought stamps (charlie brown stamps) mailed the bills and came home. Picked up todays mail there was another bill in the mail. made lunch, ate lunch walked the dog, and then went to work,. Worked 4 hours for Asheville and then now I'm in fundraising for Houston symphony until 9:30 each night except Monday and Friday. So DH got the tv tonight and is watching the umpteenth making of All quiet on the western front. Yesterday I got a call from Shari's phone. Kind of creepy-It was her sister, who is coordinating the service this weekend. I told her about my last call with Shari, and how confused she was about what she had. Well, folks , she had everything, her kidneys had failed, that apparently had been happening for a long time, she had an infection in her lung (that apparently was from the pneumonia she had last year, but while she was supposed to have a test, it didn't happen because of the failing kidneys) and she went septicemic with blood poisoning from the infection in her lungs) It's sad that with all that we pay for taxes, it does not give us any right to decent medical help. Or medical help at all in the states. What she could afford, was a joke, no one accepted her insurance, so she didn't get good docs, and she didn't get cured from anything, and each illness made the next one worse. And I cried some more. Chuck has many doctors, but three want me in the room with him, when it comes to his health. His oncologist, and his heart doctor know that I am his advocate. They also know that when Chuck fudges an answer to a question, I make a face, and they will re ask it to get the truth. They make sure I am there. His pain doctor has me sit in, because the oncologist tells her to, she aint too happy about it. While most couples know to have the other as an advocate, most young single people don't think about it. I have Theresa as an added advocate only because I think that DH might just say, pull the plug. Hugs to you all today, thanks for the photos, glad that all the cruisers are on their ships, I hope those in pain, can find the help to get through the sickness, and that @JAM37 can find a refuge in the living quarter storm she is in. Hugs.

@grapau27 Thank you for the food porn. That fish looks so good! Does anyone else think that it is too early to put up Christmas? It looks nice, but too early! @dfishThank you for the recipes. I had pumpkin soup in Jamaica, and it was fabulous. I had no idea how healthy pumpkin was for you. I guess I will have to eat more pie.😸

Happy Wednesday Morning! It is a clear and cool morning in Stone Mountain. 82 yesterday afternoon on our driveway lido deck, but by the time we got home the temps had dropped, and when I dropped into bed, I could hear and feel a strong breeze coming from the south. Now its coming from the northwest, and it is quite chilly. Temps are supposed to drop into the 30's by Friday morning, so we will have to finish the feral Fawn's winter room for her. She did spend the night on the porch but I didn't turn the heater on. This morning she was sleeping in a cat bed directly in front of the heater. I guess she really did want it on last night. I don't want to watch the TV today, as it will be political results, and I am hoping that there will be a runoff in Georgia, I just don't want to watch any more ads. Did I see that date correctly from @rafinmd--December? arghh. But I do want to know about Nicole. @HAL Sailer please be careful while you are down there, make sure you have some supplies with you. Like water and ready to eat food. To all of my friends in Florida-please stay safe! The Symphony last night was very enjoyable. The conductor was a hunk (something I would have immediately called Shari about) The musical choices were good. The violinist who played Bach was incredible. She was a professor of music at Emory University. The final piece was Tchaikovsky's 5th and it was a joy. DH said that the composer had taken a melody and beaten his audience to death with it, but I said I felt like I had been dragged across Russia several times, and dropped off in the Swiss alps. My only problem was that having perfect pitch, there was one, just one violin that was not in tune. And the absolute upside? When we left, it took us less than 3 minutes to pull into our driveway.

Not so happy with my states political results tonight. I am so glad we didn't' sit at home and watch the TV. Chuck and I agreed that our neighborhood Dekalb County Symphony Orchestra was just great! And glad that we became season ticket holders. So angels- good night.

@rafinmdYour diet for tomorrow sounds perfectly normal to me, add in some butterfingers, some Sunchips, and some wheat thins, and it's just healthy! I especially like the chocolate mint. Mint is a veggie isnt it? @ottahand7Your brother is going through Hades with this knee. I hope that he is getting better soon! @Cruising-alongYour neighbor was so lucky she was not in the room at the time that the tree decided to fall over.

@Quartzsite Cruiser Sending prayers your way.

Happy Tuesday Morning! Not much happening here today, going to vote, going to work, and then going to the County symphony! @Cruzin TerriI hope you are feeling better. Was this booster, 1 -2 or 3? I was feeling just like you are with booster 2. My friend Penny was feeling the same way on booster 3. My neighbor who I dog walk for, well, let me say that it is a small world. Long before I met Chuck (DH), I lived in a duplex in Decatur GA. The people next door were Tricia, her kids, and a hubby I didn't much care for, and across the street were Brad and Judy. Our zydeco music friends. This was back in the early 90's. One day not long after I moved in here, in 2003, I saw Judy over at my neighbors house, turns out they were besties, and so I kept up with the old neighbor hood through my new neighbor. Well Brad passed away two months ago, and Tricia passed away this past Friday, she was in the same hospital in the same unit as Shari was, but she died from Covid. Chuck didn't know these folks, but they were very much a part of my life from 90-93, and I have been doing some of that soul searching over the last few days. @4966and556 I am so happy the adoption went through, what is your new Furbaby's name? and we want pictures please!

I did not hug a bear today, I ate a bear paw from Panera, and it will hug my hips later. Actually I bought a build a bear on our last cruise-to help St. Jude's . Because we have been naming everything these days after Formula 1 drivers, we ended up with an F3 driver's name-Ollie Bearman. Or is he F2, think F3, but I have been sleeping with said bear since the cruise, and oddly enough I cough less. Went back to work today too, but we didn't get back from DH's appointment until 4:20, so I worked 4:30 to 8:30. Our mail man is still driving around at 9:14 at night. There is something so wrong with this. Guess I'll check the box. Tomorrow night we are going to our first local County symphony. We became subscribers this year, and will be attending our first one.

Good Monday Morning! Unlike @StLouisCruisers we do not have fog, but dark clouds. Looks like it's going to rain, and that isnt in the forecast. My BIL pointed out to me this past week, that being a weatherman would not be a bad job, you can still keep your job even when you are wrong 50% of the time. DH has a dr's appt in midtown today, in the middle of the day, so I will go back to work this evening. I found out Saturday night that my next campaign will be fund raising. I'm pretty good at selling tickets, but not very good asking for money. The music feeds the soul, and the I know that you want to have your symphony continue into the next generation, were good attempts 10 years ago, but with all the bogus calls folks get these days, asking for financial support gets harder and harder.

@dfishIt was @superoma who did the recipe this time. She too did not want us to starve. I did not starve tonight, I made salmon teriyaki, spinach and from my yankee blood, I made creamed onions. Something that I can make a large amount to be served with tomorrow's dinner of pork chops. Thank you all for the hugs regarding Shari. She and I loved disaster movies, I think we watched Twister about 15 times, her at her place, me at mine, but our favorite was The Day After Tomorrow and we would talk about the movies afterwards. We were both food lovers, cant really say foodies, but she was a great cook. We were both diagnosed as diabetic the same year. My theory was I can take better care of myself (which i try but dont do well at all) her theory was there are drugs for that. And within the last two years as a type 2 diabetic she was using insulin. I dont like needles so I am putting off the inevitable as long as I can. I met her when I interviewed for a job. Her boss had been a student of mine when I taught pond building, and he set me up with an interview with her. She was sitting at her desk eating Cheetos (my favorite snack food) and there was a Cheeto sitting on her rather large bosom.. At the end of the interview, I said excuse me, took it off her sweater and ate it. She told me I had the job. She loved Anime, while I loved rom coms. I got her hooked on Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, and she got me hooked on cooking shows. Our last conversation we had when she was making any sense at all, was why I hadnt told her about Somebody Feed Phil. I laughed, I thought she had found that one. She cruised with me several times, along with Barbara, we created great memories. There were times we didn't get along, too much friend not enough boss, but we worked it out over the years. I am glad that my last call to her, ended with I love you, take care of yourself. We kept each other sober. We were both in AA but worked so many hours a day, we both stopped going, we tried a few meetings together and ended up just relying on each other. She had a good sponsor, who got long Covid, and dropped out of her life, and so the last year we had each other, we picked up our "birthday chips" last November. I started going back when she became more and more ill, but neither Barbara nor I knew what was wrong with her. I will miss her. Our hour long conversations, and the food chats, always trying to add something to our recipes to make it better. Losing our jobs at the same time was so bad for her, and I basically just retired. For two weeks , and then i went back to work-she finally found her dream job, which lasted until Covid closed their office. And it just snow balled from there. She will always be in my heart.

@Quartzsite Cruiser Yes, Chuck and I will be at the service, along with one of my current bosses who worked with Shari on the computer issues with the symphony over several years.

@rafinmdIf you get a chance, you can remove Shari from the list. She passed away on Monday, but Barbara didn't find out until Tuesday night, and since I was gone, I didn't find out until this afternoon. When I finally listened to the messages. I spent the afternoon trying to reach our mutual friends to let them know about the service on the 12th in Fayetteville. Both Chuck and I are very sad about her death, she was only 57 years old. Major organ shut down. Her dog was placed in a foster home through one of her neighbors, and since Keba is such a gentle giant of a dog, they ended up adopting him. He is an old dog, and he hated being alone. I am sure that he is a grateful puppy. Thank you all for your prayers for my friend.

Happy Sunday Morning! @grapau27 Thank you for giving us Father David. @rafinmdYour adventures are sounding fun, and what joy to have a cat find you! It probably wants food. 🙀 I have been thinking of all of you who have been moving recently. I really need to make a decision to start downsizing. I look at all the STUFF I have accumulated over the years, that is just STUFF, and when I am gone, who would want it? I am going off to the farmers market today, after eating out every meal when we were in Arkansas, my diet needs a reboot. Have a wonderful day!

to my friends who are Astro fans, congratulations to your team.🤗

I am not cheering about the Astros. Standing independently from my family I cheered for the Phillies, I am a Jersey girl after all. But when you live in Jersey, you don't root for the Phillies. LOL. Last night was our last night with DH's family. And it was an evening we all shared while under a tornado watch/warning/watch depending in what county each family member was in. DH and I went downstairs to the guest room, watched Netflix British Baking Show, and finally heard the rain, coming down in buckets. Last night it was 72 degrees, this morning it was in the mid 40's. My BIL drove us to the Little Rock airport, we went through thorough scrutiny at the airport. Several of our bags went through the x ray machine twice... and flying back to Atlanta was one bumpy trip as we fly through the storm that went over us last night. They stopped serving coffee half way through the plane, and then the stewardesses were told to sit down and the back of the plane got no coffee or biscuits (cookies). We got to Atlanta safely, got to the train, and had to wait for the train to leave. Got to our stop , there was one gypsy cab, who drove us home for 15.00 bucks, and we headed out to dinner, not Chinese, but Vietnamese (our usual Saturday night meal.) The cats finally came out of hiding, and DH watched the World Series, and I was trying to catch up with the daily, and clear out 5 days of emails. Besides my sweet MIL starting dementia, which means that she forgets to put her hearing aids in, and DH is hard of hearing, and I am deaf in one ear, so not only the women in the house are loved, but really no one understood anything of what anyone said.

Good Thursday Morning. I am in Hot Springs Village staying with my MIL this week. Her memory is going, rapidly, and thought while she was at a dr's office. I would check in and see what was happening with you all. @HAL SailerI am so sorry to read that your DSIL is having more problems on top of her problems. I am glad that the docs found the clot. I hope the meds help. My days here have been quiet. The house is on a small lake, and the back deck faces the water. There is a drought here, and the lake is half empty. I have a view of water in the distance and a mud flat up close. Still the reflection of the fall colors in the water is very pretty during the day, and at night the doc lights across the lake reflect in the water. Early in the mornings fog rises and sweeps down the lake towards us, and then it clears up. Last night 5 deer walked from the springs to the left of the house, and crossed in dark about 15 feet from me. DH has been going through his Dad's old things (he passed in 2003), and yesterday I was pretty much left on my own. My MIL gets hundreds of calls a day, which interupts her from doing the things she started doing, and by mid day, nothing was done, she'd lost her glasses, misplaced two cats, and asked DH more than 20 times if he was ready to eat, when he had already eaten. Just checking, I miss you all!

Good Tuesday Morning ! Off to see my mother in law today. I'm pretty sure she will let me use her computer to check in, but I've packed a Randy Wayne White book, and Word search games. I'll miss you! @kazuI hope your foot feels better soon, I was so sorry to see you were injured. It's hard after a week to get back and read a weeks worth- so everyone have a great week!

Chicken Provolone Ingredients 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each) 1/4 teaspoon pepper 8 fresh basil leaves 4 thin slices prosciutto or deli ham 4 slices provolone cheese Directions Sprinkle chicken with pepper. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat until a thermometer reads 165°, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet; top with the basil, prosciutto and cheese. Broil 6-8 in. from the heat until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes. I didn't want anyone to starve today.

Happy Monday Halloween! What does a southern ghost say? Boo ya'll! Usually we have a pumpkin carved, but not this year. DH really enjoys it. I like doing it, but we both have different ideas on what to carve, he goes for the scary face and I go for the more elaborate designs from the pumpkin carving book. So to save about 30 bucks, we didn't buy or carve anything. Currently raining. The last time kids celebrated Halloween-pre covid, we had several little ones, early, and then someone drove a bus around with kids too old to be trick or treating. We have candy, but not enough for a ton of teen agers. And our lights go out at 9. Our neighbors to the left of us dont speak english, and wont be home, and the puppy's mom, puts up a rope and cones, and blocks her driveway. We live on a steep drive, so the kids really have to want to get up herel The office cat has finally, after a year, decided that if I am not going to be at my work computer on Sunday, she will come out to the den and sit at the personal computer. I am currently sharing half a chair with Neko. I finally bought the new vacuum, and I have vacuumed the den and the dining room, still need to do the living room (work room), but it looks so much better!! DH said, you know that this vacuum doesn't have all the bells and whistles that the old one did. I said that my be true, but it works. It turns on and off, it's easy to dump, and I didn't marry it, i just wanted something to vacuum with. I cant think of one appliance that is made these days, that will last as long as the ones our parents purchased. Everything is cheaper, because after about a year, it becomes disposable.

@ger_77 Let go, and Let God. And then kick some ass! (can I say that?) Sorry if I offended anyone.

Happy Sunday Morning! When I was little I always wanted to go out on Mischief night, one year my dad asked me what would I go out and do, and I said Chalk the sidewalks. He gave me a piece of chalk and told me to "go to town" as long as I don't leave my own yard. My senior year of college, I toilet papered the campus. I didn't feel any better about myself by doing these actions. My weekend Manager from my old job, loves candy corn. She always had a hidden container from September til Christmas. I love it too, but DH does not. And im not supposed to eat it anyway..grr...

@StLouisCruisersA travel mate with a husband and granddaughter with her from AZ..

This morning I was working, I was on my last call of the day. I told the woman who i was, and asked why she hadn't renewed. Her husband had died last year, but she wanted to come back. The problem was that she was going on a BIG LONG trip and really didnt want to do anything until January. I asked her where the trip was going. She said the Amazon. I told her that I had good friends that were about to go to the Amazon, on Holland. Yup. I asked how the planning was going and she said fine except that she had to get a Yellow Fever Vaccine! I told her that several of my friends were doing the same thing. I told her about cruise critic, and she said that the woman she was going to travel with (different cabins) from AZ? might be on CC, she was on several sites. I told my new friend Lucy to drop on in here, that she would never in her life meet such a nice bunch of people. So you who are about to board for that Amazon cruise, if you meet a lovely lady from Louisville,, who's name is Lucy, say Hi! It really is a tiny world......

Good Saturday Morning! I woke up too early to stay up, and when I got up again, the sky was blue and clear and what clouds there were , were taking on a pink glow. Red sky in the morning sailors take warning, and now the sky is gray and cloudy. @lindalerAt least the witches are not riding their brooms. Of course they could sweep the streets clean, combine the ride with a city wide clean up. From what I have seen of Mobile though, it is pretty clean. A very pretty city. @ger_77Bon Voyage, I hope you have a great time, and I am glad to see that the "mail" box is being used correctly. One of the campaigns I have been working on is Louisville Orchestra. (that's the one that is ending today). The conductor of the orchestra is interested in new music, so he has 3 new composers on staff, artists in residence. I called a patron several weeks ago and asked him what he was interested in as far as music, and he said new composers. I told him about the program that Teddy Abrahms had started, well it turns out he is a composer, and he contacted the conductor, had an interview, and was getting hired! His second interview was this past week. Since I wont be able to call him back on the 9th, I got my boss to change my call back to today so that I can wish my new friend good luck in his new life! I hope the second interview went well.