slidergirl

When did the start the one-way? Just curious. When my 2BFFs and I did it way back in 2010 we started in Riomaggiore and finished in Monteroso. That was a long, hard day!

REI is having their Anniversary Sale now! 25-40% off some good items for travel stuff and clothes and outerwear. Lots of Sherpani bags! If you are sniffing around for some goodies, check it out. I got a collapsible hiking staff (has a cane handle so it can be used as a cane, too, if you shorten), some miscellany little things. Used up my $70 dividend. For some reason, no clothes called my name this time. OOTD: warmer today (up to maybe 70) and sunny, so another pair of capri leggings and a Woolx sleeveless shirt.

If you need any layers, rain gear, binoculars, headlamps (I pack one for EVERY trip I take!!): REI is having their annual Anniversary Sale right now. 25-40% off on many, many items. Even on daybacks, rolling luggage, sling bags. I spent a bit last year just replenishing things for my Alaska trip and got back a $70 dividend for this year (membership is cool!). Just used it to pick up some miscellaneous items (hiking staff, new small lamp (very useful on the balcony at night)). I say headlamp because: frees your hands in case of emergency, easy to slip on to use to read if your partner wants to sleep, quick to use to walk to the bathroom. I used to be a small flashlight person, but I was converted to the headlamp after walking my dog when I got home from work at 11:30pm and also having to use unlit portapotties in some campgrounds.

I know many women who do that. If you do a search for "under dress shorts" you will find plenty of spots to look at.

No - just about hip length like a regular shirt, Just to put on to cover arms, I always wear pants or an appropriate length skirt or dress. if I'm going to visit a church/Vatican Museums or somewhere that has a modesty code.

I know these aren't "espadrilles", but, if you were looking for a rope-sided-wedge, look at the Kork-Ease Myrna Classic or Myrna 2.0. They have cork sides instead of rope. I picked up a pair on a lucky chance of a sale back in 2019. If anyone likes organic cotton when they travel, Pact (wearpact.com) has some A-line basic tank dresses for $38. At that price, one would even be good as a beach/pool coverup. I don't have a Pact dress, but I have several T and tank shirts and undies from them. Love them. Oh - I made the TJ's sous vide chicken thighs last night - very juicy and tasty! I just followed the microwave instructions. Another good and quick meal option! just add a veggie or starch of your choice. OOTD: my old floral capri leggings and a blue Woolx Bella sleeveless Tshirt. It's sunny and going up to 67, so ditching the long sleeve T.

I did a Rhone Canal barge cruise 2 years ago with CrosiEurope, on the Anne Marie. It was a charter through Adventure Women - 12 of us. Definitely not a luxury cruise from a hard product standpoint, but an excellent relaxing cruise that made me feel I was living in luxury. All crew, regardless of nationality, spoke English. The breakfast was buffet, but the lunches and dinners were plated no choice. I have to say the food was fantastic! How Chef made such good meals in that tiny galley was a wonder to see. One of the women was GF and Chef accommodated her at every meal. Excursions - we had one per day as a group and some were tailored to go to women-owned business or discuss history from the women's POV.

Hi all! Finally had a nice, warm, sunny day up here. My cough is better, but not gone. Ventured out and about. Coffee and an egg&cheese croissant at a little place up the road where there is lots of outdoor seating in their garden (it's part of a nursery). Drove down the mountain to the Valley. Stopped at REI first. I have a $70 dividend so went looking for a pair of pants I wanted, but they didn't have my size or color. The REI anniversary sale starts next weekend so maybe I can find something then. Then drove downtown to the Italian/Med grocery. Found the sherry vinegar and 2 kinds of paprika I wanted. Salivated at all the meats & cheeses. Finally, stopped at TJ's to grab some things - the spanish tortilla, $1.99 spaghetti sauce, spicy mango lemonade, the sous vide turkey & chicken. A nice day out. If anyone is looking around for some outerwear, Cotopaxi has a 50% off sale going on some of their things. Today is laundry and dishes day. Ugh. My travel "hamster wheel" is trying to spin up but I'm resisting the urge. I am trying to vacation vicariously through you all!! OOTD: warm enough (65) so it's jean shorts and a Tshirt.

Poor Les! When it rains, it pours. I can't imagine having edema in the eyes. But, he sure wants to get it taken care of before flying - I would think the pressure would be painful. Surprised you only get 1 postponement in CO. I thought that if you could show you had the previous scheduled vacation you could get a postponement, regardless of how many you had. speaking of eyes - off to my ophthalmologist in 3 hours. thankfully, my right eye has been feeling OK the past few months. It's a little irritated from allergy right now, but no "broken glass shard" feeling that I get when the infection shows up. I want to stay off the Valtrex and Prednisone drops for awhile! OOTD: just jeans and a long sleeve Tshirt for the jaunt to the appointment and a stop at the market. Partly cloudy and 50 degrees.

Cynthia - those canale are definitely yummy with a café au lait! I didn't have any macarons there as I really tried hard to restrict my carbs & sweets and that canale took up the space for it. There hasn't been a carb that hasn't called my name like a sweet siren call, but I try my best to resist. Sometimes I do give in 😉 I've been watching my friend Squirrel the past few days. He cracks me up. He'll climb down the screen door (it's a sturdy one I put in after my dog Slider decimated the first one), go grab some snack from the "snack tray" and crawl back up partway on the screen. Then, he hangs upside down and eats his snack. He repeats this a few times. I need to try to get it on video!! I'm into reading José Andrés' "Vegetables Unleashed" book/cookbook. Really interesting stories and recipes. The recipes seem pretty easy and accessible to an average cook. I wanted to do more cooking this summer and wanted interesting veggie dishes. The recipes for my 2 favorite tapas from my time at Jaleo the other week are in there, so I'm happy. Also some good drinks, including his sangria base. Now, I just have to get myself into cooking mode - haven't been there for awhile. OOTD: joggers and a ophthalmologist. I'll put something decent on tomorrow when I go to my ophthalmologist for my 6 month checkup.

For traditional Roman cuisine, I'd recommend Armando al Pantheon. It's a small place, well-loved and a hard reservation to get. I've been in there when small groups have been celebrating - it's not noisy. Go to their website, look at the menu. Make the reservation as soon as it opens.

I'd start searching for 3rd party vendors to see The Last Supper. It'll be a premium, but your son will appreciate it. A quick 'net search showed the usual 3rd party vendors advertising.

Bumping this one up as I didn't want to make a new thread... I just started getting notes on FaceB... about Olay facial cleanser sheets. Never heard of them before. But, they sound like a great thing to have stashed in the toiletries bag in case the soap your ship or hotel or AirBnB offers. They are tiny, maybe an inch square. Work like the other soap sleeves - put under water, rub hands, wash face.

Welcome home, World Traveler! I liked Arcachon - a fun day trip from Bordeaux. I love oysters so it was fun to get some straight from the water. Did you have that canale for me? 😉 I think the "April showers" have spilled over into May this year. I know you made it a relaxing time. Wow - so many people getting their cruises on! It's going to be a fun summer reading/seeing everyone's cruise reviews and photos! I'm sooo over the snow!!! Had more yesterday. Fortunately, I think it's gone for the foreseeable future. It's just going to be cloudy. It's high 30s/low 40s today, gradually moving up the temp scale daily. TJ's update: I forgot to mention the Tortilla Española in the frozen section. It was excellent. Would go well with that sous vide turkey or Chicken. Good, basic potato tortilla. Add whatever sauce/etc you want if you desire to spruce it up - I loved it as-is. I may have to buy extras next time to keep on hand. OOTD: Sweaty Betty leopard leggings and a long sleeved Tshirt.

I've always had cough issues, ever since I was a kid. I'm always wary of my coughs. I ran over to Urgent Care just now to chat with one of the PAs. My lungs are clear - that was a concern of mine. So, we got into how to attack the cough. We're trying a 4-pronged approach. First, a big dose of a steroid. Then, the strongest dosage of those Tessalon pearls available (apparently the lower dose is the standard for all, but there is a bigger one available). Then, a swig of codeine cough syrup (NOT hyrdocodone, though). And, take a couple of puffs of my Abuterol inhaler. And, I'll take my antihistimine to keep any possible allergies - things are starting to bloom and the winter mold is around - at bay and not add to the mix. I hope this works!! OOTD edited: my green cherry blossom print pants from Free People and a Woolx Tshirt.

Thanks Terri for the suggestion. It took me 2 years to get rid of my Covid cough, trying different things, different suggestions from different doctors, getting thrush from some of it. I know what I DON'T want to try this time. When I used to get bronchitis every winter, my MDs/NPs would try all sorts of things to get rid of the never-ending cough. I keep looking for something new. I'm getting tired of having to wear leakage pads now. Melody - cool hardware!! I love looking at x-rays. It looks like it sits lower than I thought it would in the shoulder. Question - you're the one who had issues with the metal in your mouth, right? What is the socket made from? The hydrocodone is the only oxy I've ever used. I'm very diligent about the dosage. Our skeleton team doctor gave some to me in Germany back in 2003 (flu that converted to bronchitis) and it's been my go-to since. OOTD: joggers and Tshirt. low 50s and sunny today. BUT, Monday and Tuesday have highs in the 30s and snow in the forecast. Those 30-40 degree temp changes in one day are so hard to dress for. Welcome to May in Utah!!

I wish. Those Tessalon pearl have never helped me. I'm not sure what the deal is with me - honestly hydrocodone is the only thing that has ever worked. I'm just afraid this this is morphing into maybe pneumonia as the cough is mucus-y and wheezy and my lung hurt. Lois -good to see your MD has an idea of what is causing the stones. I really hope that there some goodies on that food list!! It's hard to change what you've eaten all your life - trust me. Melody - yay for the post-op review!!! My one rec is to always have your sling with you on your trip! There were times when my shoulder would get tired and start hurting with my arm hanging down - put on the sling to take the pressure off. One of the reasons I bought my lightweight "skulls and roses" sling - if I was going to wear it I wanted it to be different from the black one we all wear. Toblerone - losing AirPods is frustrating!! I wish I had another solution than FMA since that isn't working. Were the Pods in the case? I find a good number of Pod-less cases at my Lodge, rarely the Pods. Wishing successful hunting! OOTD: It snowed overnight and stayed a little chilly today (upper 30s/low40s). Wearing my joggers and a sweatshirt. Tomorrow it's supposed to get up in the upper60s/low70s tomorrow. Welcome to Spring in Utah!

Lois - the microwave did not dry it out. It's cut into chunks already and it's not nuked for that long. I did it for 3 meals and it was still moist. Melody - I kind of figured you'd get one of the ones I mentioned. I remember I had a one shoulder bag way back when I had my first surgery and it was a lifesaver. I used it for a long time even after I was healed. I wish I still had it around. Anyone have any good "cures" for a nasty, mucus-y cough outside of water? I've been forcing myself to drink a gallon of water and it's not helping except making me go to the bathroom more. Problem is the mucus is nasty enough that it makes every drink taste nasty. I tried Mucinex but it has always made me feel loopy stupid for hours. I'd go back to Urgent Care, but they'd probably think I was just a drug seeker if I ask for some Hydrocodone. The "tuss" syrup and pills have never done anything for me. OOTD: It's in the low 40s today and windy. I'm hanging out in leggings and a long sleeve T. Not going out today.

Melody - I meant to ask you: have you found a good "one shoulder" bag to use yet? Nice ones available from the usual suspects - Cotopaxi, Sherpani, etc. One thing to check for: which shoulder is slings on! Some have a changeable strap and some are hard-wired to one side. The freakin' cough left from the flu is really upsetting me!! It's supposed to go away any day now... Food front: ATTENTION TJ SHOPPERS: I found some new goodies there last week. Sous Vide Turkey breast and Sous Vide Chicken Thighs. I got the turkey. Really good and easy for a couple of meal proteins. Tender & juicy and a nice seasoning. All you do is microwave it. Spicy Mango Lemonade. It's back. Good as-is, blended with ice, or mixed with rum or vodka. Banana Pudding Ice Cream. For you Southern women 😸 It did taste like banana pudding, with little pieces of vanilla wafer cookies. Just a nice little dessert. OOTD: sweats and a Tshirt. Going to the market later and I'll put on jeans and a Tshirt.

I have a serious bag addiction. So many different bags for using, not nearly enough time and travel to use them all! I'll say to go and take a look at the Cotopaxi bags. Very lightweight. Different ones have padded sections for your electronics, places for a water bottle. And, very brightly colored so that you can pick it out quickly!!

Nice new clothes! You're all set for the cruise. Alternate between the 2 pairs of pants and the shirts, add in a little sweater! I was trying on some of my summer tops and shorts pre-Vegas. It's crazy how things are just big on me now. I used to be able to wear the same things year after year because my body size didn't change that much. Now, even tops that I got last year look too big. Good and bad. I think the Women's Shelter here in town will be getting a donation. Melody - I had that problem with my hair stylist a few years ago when she had a wrist issue. I asked her for a recommendation of someone she thought I'd trust. See what your stylist thinks. OOTD: It's a little cool (mid 40s) and rainy today. Just going to be lazy today so just wearing a pair of leggings and a Tshirt. Oh, the turtleneck in the photo from Vegas -it's from Woolx. Light, and comfy. Even comfortable in the Vegas heat. Just thought I'd toss that out if anyone is looking for a nice Tneck for year-round, casual and dressy piece.

That was the fun of the sammy. It looked like a little Peanut Butter sammy from childhood. The "bread" was meringue cut and burned to look like bread and the "PB" was fois gras. Fun to look at, really good to eat!

oops. I forgot the photos of me on Monday night and then on Tuesday night. Rare photos of me. And, the "golden ticket" we each received to use to get into the dining room. Kinda cool. The glass of cava was a birthday gift from my favorite bartender -she had the sommelier bring it to me. It was a nice surprise. The necklace was grey pearls and Murano cane glass that I made years ago. The skirt is from River & Sky, the same place I got the blue tie dye dress for my grand niece's wedding 2 years ago. Yes, I did wear my black booties & white lace socks! The Monday shirt I picked up from the Sundance catalog - I needed a new white shirt that wasn't too big on me now.

Sherri - have a good trip with the kiddos! Christy - I loved just wandering around Bordeaux. I don't speak a lick of French, but I managed OK. Wandering around I've always found a good meal! Melody - good to hear you're getting by now. Hair washing is a PIA. I just ended up doing hat hair and then going to the local quick cuts place and saying "please just wash my hair" and letting it dry. Maybe your stylist could do a similar deal for you. I'm happy to hear that the replacement wasn't as "bad" as the rotator cuff surgery. I understand. OK. Las Vegas. A totally lazy couple of days. Vegas is pretty "dive-y" now, more than I remember it to be. With all the new high-end hotels around I expected it nicer. And, the clothes people were wearing - oh my. I mean, I dress casual but I keep my butt cheeks and midriff covered!!! Some of the logo'd Tshirts were not meant to be wearing in public... I guess Park City is a sheltered town 😸 I didn't even stop and look at a craps table, just no interest. OK with me this time. I really liked my balcony so I made like I was on a cruise ship and just hung out there. There was a nice comfy sofa to nap on in the shade. The temperature was good (low 90s) and I just totally relaxed. I ended up spending my evenings at the bar at Jaleo, the José Andres tapas restaurant (it was in the hotel, so no problem getting home!). One of the bartenders, Kathy, and I became friendly and chatted all the evenings. Found a new favorite drink - sangría de cava: cava, vermouth, gin, and a muddle of fruits. Dang! It was surprisingly sweet but not overly so. Two of those over 2 hours and I was done! I did have a big bottle of water, too (always drink water when I drink). I had different tapas each night, mostly veggie-based except for one dish of grilled octopus. If you are ever in a town that has a Jaleo, go! Now, my big dinner at "é": Oh my. It was just fantastic. There were only 7 of us in the private dining room. The Jaleo Executive chef and 5 cooks catered to us making the bites in front of us. The sommelier had several different wines, vermouth, dessert wine for us to pair. It was a meal of 22 different tapas. A little molecular gastronomy. A little playfulness. So freakin' good. And, at the end I had my first Gin & Tonic ever. It was darn good. I took some photos of the food, but I'm not happy with them, the lights just wasn't right. My favorite was the "Wonder Bread". It looked like a slider-side sandwich. But, it was meringue cut square and the edges burned to look like crust. The filling was a mousse of fois gras. It was fun to take that first bite! I could have eaten those sandwiches all night long. There were mussels with tiny olive oil/basil "caviar" pearls the melted in the mouth. A big marble-size globe of sangria de cava that you just put in your mouth and bit it and let that sangria out. "Stones" of cheese interspersed between actual stones. A "twig" made out of olive and black rice standing in a bowl of almonds with one of the "almonds" being a luscious taste of food. Lovely dessert bits at the end. A wonderful 2.5 hours of food and good fun between all of us. I wobbled back to my room and went to bed. Got my flight back home the next day. It was all in all a little relaxation and another "notch" on my food bucket list. Some photos - I think I cleaned up well for the bar Monday night and then the Tuesday dinner... The rice twig and "almond"

Wow. we're all a mess, aren't we??? kidneys, protein, heart, shoulder, eyes, flu... What did we do to deserve all this? We need some major healing vibes sent down from above! I desperately want to get rid of the hideous cough that the flu brought back. I'm drinking water like a camel to try to dissolve all the mucus. I mean, it too me years to get rid of the long covid cough and now the cough is back... Last day of work!!!! All I have to do today is put on a little wine & cheese time for our newest owner. He just closed on the condo a week ago. Waiting patiently to fly out to Las Vegas tomorrow! I'll be sure to post some food porn. OOTD: my black onsie.