marshhawk

Good Monday Morning Dailyites! I have moments when I feel well, like when I dont move, and I am snuggled in a blanket watching old Midsomer Murders....or sitting out in the sunshine, but we wont see that for a while...tomorrow will be quite stormy !, and to our friends up in the NE, stay safe this week. Today is walk the dog, go to the bank, I did get a rather small check from the insurance company for when the neighbor's tree fell on the house. I can get the balance of 64.75 from the insurance if I prove that I have finished paying for the repairs. Somehow, I think that re adjusting a window frame in a 60 year old house will cost more than 664.75. And the check has to be signed by the bank, so that's this mornings adventure. Oh, and mailing bills. When I was growing up, my mom seemed to be able to feed a family of 4 on 25-30 dollars a week. She would buy a can of Spam, put cloves in it, mustard, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar, and bake it like a baby ham. That's what I made for dinner last night. To me it is comfort food. And there are left overs for tonight. I will never figure out, how she made it, and it fed 4 of us for two meals. Those must have been thin slices.

Again late to the party today. I got up, fixed whomp biscuits and sausage , then had left over bbq on a biscuit for lunch. I even made dinner. But the time in the store was about to knock me over! I seem to be able to walk the dog but I tell her to go slow and stop often. Chuck did hit that table hard enough yesterday to bust his face, under his blind eye and it was still bleeding slightly this morning.. But we got done today what needed to get done, tomorrow is more errands, and then tuesday will be a trip to the farmers market for the thanksgiving meal. We are doing beef tenderloin, baked potatoes, corn bread pudding and creamed onions. Dessert will be a pecan pie. I wanted to get french silk, but couldnt find any, and I dont bake. Today the sky was blue- air so clean, and we are expected to get a heck of a stormy day on Tuesday. Max Verstappen is not my favorite driver by any means, but he is good. And the race was good. Interesting , not just a run away. But can someone please tell me why the race had to be in the middle of the night? I waited until this morning to watch it.

@HAL4NOW What wonderful stain glass windows, showing Jesus with the common working man.

I love apple cider. I love stopping at Cracker Barrel for breakfast and getting a cold mug of cider. I love warm cider with cinnamon. I even (gag most people) like instant Cider. Guess I like Cider. Well I worked today. It felt strange. Only did 3.75 hours, but after my near death experience (doc said) I have decided to work less, so only 30 hours a week, with a day off. Yay! If I'm getting oxygen, it wont be until Monday, as Carrie Lynn had not figured out how to order it for me by the time she left work yesterday. Chuck fell today, tripped over a chair leg, and hit is head under his right eye on the glass coffee table. Lots of blood. But he didnt want to go to the hospital. He says it hurts but not as bad as some of his headaches. We must do grocery shopping tomorrow. We have not done any shopping since we got home. It is now mandatory!

Good Saturday Morning Dailyites! I know I am late to the table so to speak, but safe travels to @smitty34877 and @Quartzsite Cruiser this week! @seagarsmoker I was very saddened by your news yesterday. I seem to have worked for companies that told me that I was expendable the day of the layoff, not two weeks before, Guess they want you to take any vacation you have earned before you leave, so that they don't have to pay that out. I live in a brick ranch which gets great sun during the day in the den. Furnando has taken to lizard watching as they warm themselves on the bricks by the windows. During the afternoon, the bricks heat up enough this time of year to create a warmth so that we can open the windows for a few hours everyday.

I know i'm late today, those hours for the Las Vegas race are to weird, so after we got a breakfast, with real sausage (something we didnt see for 25 days on the cruise ship) we arrived at the docs ( we actually got there on time, but he was north of town doing surgery, so they said go eat, and we did). This is our heart dcoc, and the one who found me the pulmonologist, but was upset when i told him that the doc is only in this part of town every 5 weeks, and has changed my appointments the last 4 times I have been there. He ordered me oxygen, but here's the weird part....no one in his office knows how to order it. We called back later in the day, and the wonderful Carrie Lynn said she would have to call the pulmonologist office to find out how to order oxygen for me. The doc did listen to my lungs, he also said he could hear me wheezing across the room, or it was the sound of the angels above trying to get his attention. In other words, I trumped Chuck on needing care. Well if anyone knows how to order oxygen, I would love to be able to tell Carrie Lynn on Monday. Pizza has just arrived, yeah! so dinner is served. Bubbly water, no wine.

Good Thursday Morning Dailyites! I slept all day yesterday, woke up to eat lunch, and then back to bed. Got up later, ate some crackers and a ginger ale, and then back to bed, I have been waking up at 3:30 every morning since i was so doped up on the ship, and that has not changed. And then back to sleep, slept until 7 this morning, made coffee ate a frozen sausage biscuit, sat, walked the dog at 10, came back opened the windows it's sunny and I really like the fresh air, but it is only 63. DH has an appointment with his heart doc tomorrow, I am going to sneak in, and see if he can see me also. Blood pressure is low in morning and rises quickly, and with all that sleeping and not much eating, I am now down another 4 pounds. The lung doc called and cancelled my appointment on 12/8, he is only in that office every 5 weeks, not sure I want to wait that long. Feels like i am low on oxygen. And while I didnt quit smoking, I have cut way way down. I know I need to quit. It is happening. @grapau27so nice to see your posts. and food porn.🙂 It does make me hungry. I ignore all rants on threads these days, this is the nicest place I know, and this is the only place I go. @StLouisCruisers The recommendation is for RomeCabs. We thoroughly loved the service. We took them to the port. While in Rome we did make it to almost everything except the Coliseum, and when the driver picked us up, I asked if we went past the Colosseum, and he said he would make it happen, found the perfect spot for DH to take his picture! What a wonderful service!

Good Wednesday Morning Dailyites.! I was supposed to drive DH to his appointment today, but with no sleep, and a serious coughing jag, I never made it out the door. I don't remember my grandparents in VT watching anything but Hee Haw on Saturday night. Not sure if they even got more than one channel. My grandparents in Cambridge MA, only had morning shows on. Does anyone remember Ted Mack's original amatuer Hour? Well, off to try and nap. I am sure if I can get some sleep, I will feel better.

Good Tuesday Afternoon Dailyites! I fell asleep on the sofa last night at 9, and slept until 6. Of course getting up several times, but I got to snuggle with my two red kitties, and Chuck got t o sleep with Tazi in the bed, and she did not pee on him last night. when i was diagnosed at the ship medical center it was pulmonary failure. What ever was going on, crossed with my COPD, and I could not breathe on my own. I am less congested today, but while DH and I had tickets for our favorite symphony tonight, we are staying home. And my lung doc, cancelled my next appointment, so when Chuck goes in the see the heart doc on Friday, I will ask him to give my chest a listen too (he is my heart doc too) We discussed Thanksgiving meal today, steak, baked potato, creamed onions, and corn bread souffle. If i get a strong urge for turkey, i'll go to the deli, and get some, and make turkey club sandwiches. Well, off to sit in the sun for a few minutes, it is helping! Hugs to you all. Thank you for the prayers. I hope that everyone is having an easier day today.

Good Monday afternoon. I am currently thinking about food. Doesn't mean I will eat any, there is really nothing to eat in the house, but soup. Perhaps if i can find a can of something mild. Two things about my trip. That will be the last time I will cruise Carnival, and that was the worst food for 25 days straight. By the end of the third week, I would put 4 thing from the buffet on my plate, take one bite from each, and toss it. I lost more than 10 pounds, and my scale says i am 154. Which while they might be a lot for most of you, I have not weighed this little since 1973. Customer Service was terrible, management was very rude, both at guest services and at the restaurant. I ended up with pulmonary failure. In other words, I could not breathe. I spent one full day in the ships hospital, then the next two days for part of the day, with iv, that they had to leave in, they took out on the 4th day. I had oxygen for 5 days, I didnt have to strength to fight this one at all. 20 percent of the ship the first part of the back to back had this and would not go to see the doc. And after I got the bill I know why, but I did not see an option. And both the doc and I agreed, that I was at the end of the road. I had more antibiotics than i have ever had, and of course that affected me too. Day 6 and 7 I was much better, and then rapidly started going backwards. Most of the cruisers reminded me of characters from the film Wall-E over fed, over drinking- gluttony at it's worst. there were several heart attacks the last two days.... Last night in the middle of the night, Tazi cat, peed on Chuck's head. I think she wanted to express her anger at being left alone with the two orange cats. He was not happy. OK. and now the good parts, Rome, the churches the museums, the Pantheon. Pizza, salads, lasagna, the trevi fountain at 7 a.m., walking to the river and seeing the vatican down river, Turkey-how beautiful! And we met some wonderful people, with great life stories to tell. I'm sure we will get those pictures loaded by next week. There was a couple on the cruise,. the gentleman reminded me of Graham, nice enough wife, but he was so sweet....never judge a book by it's cover, they were escorted off the ship, by security. lol.

i am back. I loved Rome, and our haunted hotel room, i loved our day at Delos, our Day at Ephesus, i started feeling weird in Santorini and ended up in the ship hospital by day two of the part two of the back to back. I will catch up tomorrow, or at least try, as I have not had more than two hours sleep together in the last 15 days. I missed you all! Hugs, Annie

Good Thursday Morning Dailyites, ! A ton of little things to do, bills to pay, mail to mail and bank for, well, money! I will miss you all! Best of luck for the next 30 days! Love and Hugs, annie

@cruising sister

When DH's hip was really painful, it was suggested that he sleep with a pillow between his knees. It make work but he did not like the pillow between his knees. @StLouisCruisers Thank you. I copied and printed, and will take with me!

I have a question about tipping the cab drivers in Italy-was is customary? I have read that a cab from the airport to the hotel will run between 70-80 Euros. What do we tip? Any answers would be helpful.

The card arrived at 11:30, I walked the dog, so now we have the cash, and the card, and we have a few more errands to run, train Donna, eat BBQ and watch midsomer murders. We have made it as far as season 9 when Jones joins the show. That will be tonights entertainment, a last load of laundry, a last walk through, print our flight tickets, and then tomorrow morning print our boarding passes for the second part of the cruise, and then we are done! I will be a bundle of nerves until we land in Rome. Well make that until we check into our hotel. Make that until we get on board the ship next week. ARghh! @TbayWe are planning on attending Mass at the Pantheon on Sunday, our hotel is just two blocks from there. I bought a purse with locks on all the openings, and when in Rome, the passports will stay in the safe in the room. I will make a copy of the information and keep that in my bag. couldnt get a limo from the airport, we will do a cab, and I have a novel of receipts and instructions, and information and confirmations. Split into three groups, the getting there, cruise 1, and then cruise 2. All my ducks are now in a row, and the ones that aren't are packed and ready to be hid on a Carnival ship. I love finding them, but I love seeing other people find ours more.

I am still in the sit and wait party. It's my party, and I can cry if I want to. I am loving the funny memes today, one was a spit out coffee meme. (SOCM) One of my co workers has spent the morning texting me about the dangerous countries we are going to.. Fear Monger. I didn't get a chance yesterday to post much, so on Fear. I am afraid of snakes. I know they have a place in the world, but did we all learn to hate them because bad people are called snake? When the pump in the little ponds works, we seem to get an abundance of water moccasins. On the porch. Which is screened in. No pump this year, and no snakes seen. They are probably lurking in the woodlands behind the house. I'm not too good with spiders, after having been bit by a brown recluse the first year I lived in GA. At Six Flags, while sitting on the porcelain throne, and watched as my skin dissolved on my arm. I was very sick for days. So I give spiders there space. They are amazing creatures. So snakes, and spiders, I can deal with by giving them a wide berth. But heights? I don't do well with at all. I don't do well even watching someone who is climbing. My palms sweat when I see King Kong climb the Empire State building. When Dad would drive in the Alps I would hide on the floor, not to see the view. And that's the problem, I like the view. I just don't like to be moving with the view. Or too close to the edge of the view. DH loves heights. He loves to fly. He comes from an Air Force family, and he was Air Force during Vietnam. (not a pilot) He always wants the window seat on the plane. I'm fine looking at the floor. I hate takeoffs and landings, and I pretty much eat all the cookies they can hand out. So, while snakes and spiders come and go as they choose, I can choose not to put myself in a situation involving heights. I noticed yesterday that all the butterflies have pretty much moved on. They are usually covering my lantana plants in the warmth of the afternoon sun, and there were none. I tied up the other plants and brushed against the lantana releasing it's scent, and one stray butterfly showed up. The bird feeders are empty because I decided two weeks ago to take them down, as I will not be here to fill them. I will restock when we get back however so that the ones who hang out during the winter months will be fed . Well off to send some emails to my bosses, and the complaining whining "friend" who has called me every day this week, and I have not answered. Nor will I. I'm not mean, I swear. I just dont want to have him ask me one more time for medical advice, and he do nothing. Last night I told DH that he had to go to bed early because of his appointment today. He asked what appointment? I told him he would have to drive himself ( I had earlier offered to get Penny to drive him, and he ignored me). He then asked why I couldn't go, and I reminded him that someone had to be here for the bank card delivery. What card? This is not a good sign. He is like this when he is tired. And I know that he will be tired when we land in ITaly on Friday. So prayers please for DH and his driving today. He has not texted that he was there. and he has been gone two hours.

@Nickelpenny I hope you can party the rest of the week!

Good Wednesday Morning Dailyites! Because of the fraud debacle DH has to drive himself to his infusion today, and I get to stay home and wait for the replacement bank card. They said it would be expedited within 24 hours. So it should be here by 10:30, but his appointment is at 10, and it takes an hour to get there. And so I sit. And because someone has to be at the house the whole time, I have to walk the dog EARLY! There are 4 eggs, half a loaf of bologna and half an onion in the fridge. Bologna and egg sandwich for breakfast tomorrow, Oh, and two apples, that will be our snack today. Told DH I wanted BBQ for tonight, as I'm going without the Q for 30 days! Today I pay bills, find some Theraworks in a cream not foam, go to my bank, and sit and wait for that darn card! Well since I started this we had breakfast, I went over to walk the dog, and couldnt wake her up, came home, DH left and I've done the breakfast dishes. Now to tidy up, and wait for the card delivery.

@Haljo1935 Flying Delta-we get to the part where they want your passport information, OK, then the part about the Visa, that we dont need, then the part about where we are going how long we are staying, when we are leaving and how are we leaving, and we fill in all the info and it just sits there, tells us to high light the https info to our email, i did and when I go there to that address, it says nothing is there. After 30 minutes DH and I threw our hands in the air...and gave up. What ship are you on, I'll wave if I see you! We are on the Pride, and we are in port on the 18th,. and the 28th. After the 28th we are in Spain, the Portugal, the Azores and then 5 days at sea, then Grand Turk, then Tampa on Nov 12th.. After the chat person at the bank told DH that they will not mail to the bank for less than 1k, Chuck stopped up there today, and his money was there. Phew. Two more sleeps....

Good Tuesday Morning Dailyites! DH and I are having all sorts of conundrums. Last week DH went to the bank and ordered Euros in exchange for dollars. The bank said he could pick them up at the bank, and they would call when they arrived. Yesterday DH got a text from the post office, that something was wrong with the address, and they could not deliver the money. Turns out that anything less than 1k is sent via the USPS. So this morning we got up early, and we tried to complete our passport info for the flight to Italy, and for the life of us, and I mean both of us, we could not figure out how to complete the forms. We submitted the Passport info, but they wanted more info, and there was no way to close the page. Then DH headed to the post office, with his phone, and the text. They said in the text that in order to complete getting it delivered, he owed them 35 cents...I thought this is a total scam. And he tried to charge 35 cents to his CC, and then they texted back that the numbers were not correct. He is blind in one eye, and I am legally blind and run around with my grandfathers magnifying glass to read those little numbers on credit cards, and account numbers on bills, etc. but the numbers looked right to me. So DH is doing battle with the post office, and then he will do battle with the bank, because how could they not know that anything less than 1k wouldn't come to them. And he just got home, and the post office informed him that the text was a scam. Now to contact CC companies. Donna said she would come over yesterday to get trained on the cat sitting, and she took off and was gone all afternoon. And she has pool tonight, so that wont work, and tomorrow DH has an infusion, so that wont work either. OMG!! Way too much is happening right now! Only two more sleeps until we leave!

@Smmessineo South Woodstock VT.

Good Monday Morning Dailyites! Had to run out at 7:15 to get DH to his eye doc, who immediately started in about having another surgery. before she leaves her post with Emory. Nope, we leave in 4 days, not going to happen! Sorry to see here leave, but maybe a bit money hungry??? All is good, previous scarring from his cancer was holding up drainage, so one eye is still swollen. I have to run to Dollar Tree, and DH is doing laundry and packing as it dries. He is off today, I am not, so another late night in CA. And when I get back from Dollar Tree, I need to set up a ride from the Atlanta airport back home. I still dont want to take the train with all our luggage. Spoil me one last time please. I think when Leif got here, he brought some druids. My dads farm where he grew up has a place where stones were set up for the solstice. That part of the property got sold to Steve McQueen, and later to Michael J. Fox, so going up there I always felt like we were trespassing. My dad believed that since he grew up on that farm, no matter who owned it, it was his in his heart.

@Cruising-along I think this should solve the pumpkin problems