The Daily for Monday Apr 12, 2021

[bennybear]

Good morning and special thanks to @Copper10-8 for the great library cartoons!  
......sending positive thoughts and prayers @rafinmd

.......loved the Santiago pictures Vanessa @JazzyV

the birds are continuing to amaze us!  

[bennybear]

@kazu   None of the seeds germinated that you sent for us either.  But the Atlantic seed company have!  So DH is very happy!  Now if we can just nurse them past infancy, lol! 
Thanks for all the encouragement! 

[cat shepard]

46 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I am just off the phone with the representative from the hospital.  They were considering me for trials of 2 new devices for surgical procedure.  They have heard from the first study on their list and determined that I was not a candidate.  They then submitted me for a second study and expect a decision on that study in the next 7-10 days.  We also talked briefly about what could happen if I am not accepted for the second study.  There are 2 standard treatments for a leaking Mitral valve:

 

I am not considered a suitable candidate for open heart surgery due my long standing (since age 18) lung issues which have advanced somewhat with age.  I don't think open heart surgery is an option under any circumstances.

 

The other surgery is inserting a clip in the valve which is done in a minimally invasive manner through a catheter.  I am not a good candidate for that procedure because of calcium deposits which could interfere with the valve being secured in place.  My surgical team did not suggest that and did not want to even look at it until the study possibilities were considered but if not accepted for the second study they would take an in depth look at the possibility this could be successful.

 

If there is no surgical option we will go on to consider medical treatments which could reduce the symptoms but would not be a definitive cure.

 

Roy

Thank you for sharing your update, Roy. Praying that you are picked as a candidate for the second study. 

[JazzyV]

1 hour ago, Overhead Fred said:

So here are pictures from a much warmer spot; Cholla cactus near my folk's former place in Green Valley, Arizona in 2003-

 

On a 2016 National Park driving tour, we stopped at Organ Pipe NP and pieces of cholla stuck to our clothes. We kept them (shh) and tried to grow them at home in PA. Here is mine.

 

Just planted in 2016

 

Today. It spends the summer outside.

Edited April 12, 2021 by JazzyV

[NextOne]

Kudos to our local library workers! The physical building has been closed for over a year, but the workers are still fulfilling book requests and arranging pickup appointments. Although I haven't tried, it seems they also handle research requests. Everyone is looking forward to the day when we can go inside again!

 

Roy - praying that you'll be selected for the second study!

[kazu]

26 minutes ago, bennybear said:

@kazu   None of the seeds germinated that you sent for us either.  But the Atlantic seed company have!  So DH is very happy!  Now if we can just nurse them past infancy, lol! 
Thanks for all the encouragement! 

Sorry about last year’s seeds, Brenda.  The seeds had to have been treated so that the plants that grew would not produce seeds that germinate.

Lesson learned.  I’ll just buy new seeds every year from here on in.

 

Glad the Atlantic company’s seeds have germinated and your DH is happy 😄   

You’ll be fine nursing them, I’m sure !

[Sharon in AZ]

Good morning everyone!  I just wanted to pop in and share what my daughter just texted me:

 

 

I am off to take my DM to an appointment. I’ll check back in later. 
 

Have a great day everyone!

[HAL4NOW]

Love the combination of days: My DW worked as a Children's Librarian in both a public library system and at a private school for a combined 30 years. I enjoy a good grilled cheese sandwich, but it can sometimes give me a "Big Wind".

 

We sailed out of San Antonio, Chile, on the Zaandam in 2019. We enjoyed the port for just walking around and observing the wildlife (sea lions, seals, birds, and lots of dogs). I would recommend staying at the Hotel Mellati. It is a family run hotel and they can pick you up at the Santiago airport and take you to the cruise port. The price was very reasonable and included breakfast. 

[cruzn single]

@rafinmd, wishing the best for you health wise.  Heart issues are so disconcerting.  

 

Sometimes, I wonder at the wine descriptions.  Today's wine has one description with some fruits, and then the second description/review lists totally different fruits.  Glad my sense of taste/smell isn't refined enough to try to figure out some of these things.

 

I never made it here yesterday to post.  After returning home from Mass and my weekly cemetery visit, I was enthralled with watching the Masters.  I really am not a golf fan, but I love seeing the azaleas, which are one of my favorite Spring flowers!  I have something blooming in my front yard that is similar to an azalea, and hopefully I can post a picture of it.  I know by the leaves that it is not an azalea.

 

So far, no wind here today, but we have wind predicted for Wednesday.  Certainly not Mount Washington wind speeds, though.

 

Have done 1 call for Red Cross today, and another to go.  Think some of the COVID calls are winding down, as vaccines are becoming the norm.  YEAH!

 

Have a great day everyone!

[Hhagatha]

That Gnocchi recipe looks good, and I just happened to also receive today a recipe for keto gnocchi (using only egg yolks and mozzarella cheese) from a blog I follow, kirbiecravings.com.  Might have  to see if I can merge the two recipes into something for dinner!  Thanks Debbie.

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Afternoon, I got my notice from the state to book my first shot.  It’s booked for Thursday at 2:18.  

[Marmot@Sea]

Good Morning.

 

We get some really good big winds here.

 

The photos below are the results of a big wind in December 2018.

 

 

 

Val

[sailingdutchy]

Good afternoon all , happy to join you, thank you Rich and Roy and all of the Daily contributors greetings and best wishes to all from rainy SW Ontario .

 

We have not had the pleasure  to be in the Port of San Antonio near Santiago , Chili  . Hope to get there someday me being its namesake without the San that is ! 

 

Although we have left a couple of times from Valparaiso for cruises to Antarctica and another one to Vancouver , I will leave my pictures of Valparaiso until Rich selects that port but show some of my Santiago pictures where we have spend altogether about  a week .

 

We stayed near the old city centre and from there  have done a few real nice walking tours that we really enjoyed . Warning !! be careful DW had to buy a new slice proof purse after her wallet disappeared , not a lot of damage done just a few dollars and renewing of some cards ,the valuables were in the hotels safe .

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mask had a special meaning from the artist it had nothing to do with a raging Covid .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presidential palace watching a nice parade 

 

 

 

Enjoying the dancing and scenery from a terrace  until a fire broke out in the restaurant next door 

 

 

 

And of coarse when in Child one must do a lot of wine tasting ……… we love the Chilean and Argentinian wines . 

 

 

All by all we really enjoyed our stays in Santiago 

 

Tony 😀

[durangoscots]

Coming home with cholla seeds on clothes - that is why it is called "jumping cholla".

Susan.

[bennybear]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Sorry about last year’s seeds, Brenda.  The seeds had to have been treated so that the plants that grew would not produce seeds that germinate.

Lesson learned.  I’ll just buy new seeds every year from here on in.

 

Glad the Atlantic company’s seeds have germinated and your DH is happy 😄   

You’ll be fine nursing them, I’m sure !

No apologies please!  Thanks to you are enjoying a new adventure!   We so appreciated your kindness in sending us some seeds!  We may yet kill the few that are growing, but fingers crossed!  

[Suslor]

Thanks for all the information and to all who post it.

What a day! DH and I had tomato soup and grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches for lunch. 
I worked in my Queens, NY public library during high school and I was voted Queens Public High School Librarian of the Week in 1963🤪. For my college work-study program I spent my time erasing Dewey Decimal System numbers off the books so we could switch to the Library of Congress system. Great memories. 

[Seasick Sailor]

Roy, you already know you've been in my prayers for a great option on surgery and an awesome recovery. 

[highland cruiser]

Almost afternoon here!!

Thanks for the update, Roy.  Praying you get into the second trial.  

As always, Rich, your morning daily is a great read.

We boarded the Zaandam in January 2018 for our Antarctica cruise.  We were scheduled to board in Valparaiso but the port was changed at the last minute.  A group of us stayed at a small family run hotel (10 rooms I think) overlooking the port and the shopping mall.  We were lucky to find that place.  The owners even took us to the port the morning of embarkation.  We have March 2022 booked from San Antonio thru the Panama canal ending in For Lauderdale on the Westerdam.  Interesting port.  But there was a food court at the mall where we got a decent Chilean sandwich and did find wine to purchase for our trip.  

Windy here this morning.  Blowing the white blossoms off the trees.  Looks like it is snowing!!

Take care everyone.  Wear those masks.  Congrats to those getting their shots or have appointments.  Stay safe and well.

 

[kazu]

56 minutes ago, bennybear said:

No apologies please!  Thanks to you are enjoying a new adventure!   We so appreciated your kindness in sending us some seeds!  We may yet kill the few that are growing, but fingers crossed!  

 

I wish we were closer.  I have a TON of plants growing.  5 different varieties and way too many 😱 

Shared some with a few people but most don’t want the work - just the crop 😂 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Good morning, all! I had grilled cheese a couple of days ago, and really enjoyed it. Sometimes the simple things are the best! We had a few very big winds this year. On salt Spring, it brought down enough wood to supply the woodstove next year, and enough old mans beard lichen to dye a decent amount of fabric. I salute all library workers, especially the volunteers. The last library I went to was on the Amsterdam last year.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and DH gets his jab today! It’s a wonderful world!

 

DH’s comment for today.😁

 

Todays port is one we’ve been to on last years World Cruise. I even have pictures! We had finally hit warm weather, and took a tour out to a winery in the hills and Pablo Neruda’s house. (I don’t know why, but the internet gremlins would NOT let me upload pictures today. It took over an hour!)

Scenes from Pablo Neruda’s house, Isla Negra.

 

Casa Marin winery up in the dry hills, but still affected by the salt air sweeping i. from the coast.

 

Indoor production.

 

Courtyard detail.

 

Indoor tasting room.

 

Outdoor tasting room.

 

A vineyard worker trims the vines.

 

Gewerstraminer grapes on the vine, sweet and flavourful.

 

 

Scenes driving out from the container port where we docked. Not much close by.

 

And of course, Happy Monday!

 

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Horizon chaser 1957

[1ANGELCAT]

Afternoon all, I came back from my 2nd dose and fell asleep for several hours. 
      Was very windy last night and today.

Blessings and prayers to all on our lists.

[Vict0riann]

Good afternoon, lots of reading to do to catch up!  Roy, @rafinmd, I do hope they figure out the best thing to do, and then do it!  I will say a prayer.

 

I volunteered (more fool me!) to help out in the HS band office when our youngest DD was in the marching band - and was given the job of librarian.  The band director was a complete slob and when the band members would hand back the sheets of music they had been using, he would just stick everything in a pile in the corner.  I don't read music, at least there were usually a few words on the pages, but I had to clear out the whole room and organize all the music back into folders, I think in the past he just had to buy new music.  Took me a few years!  I do appreciate librarians, reading has been a great joy.  Music, not so much...

 

We have been to a few spots in Chile, too, but not San Antonio.

 

[HAL4NOW]

6 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I’ll have the grilled cheese paired with tomato soup. 

Grilled cheese and tomato soup always go together. Certain flavors blend well.

This does remind me of a quote about knowledge and wisdom.

"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in your fruit salad!"

 

[bobpatj]

I am looking at my photo/scrapbook of our January, 2005, South America/Antarctica cruise on the Amsterdam.  We flew to Santiago and stayed overnight at the Santiago Sheraton.  The next morning, we took a HAL tour through wine country to board the ship in Valparaiso, so we missed today’s port of the day.  I hope HAL still continues to take this itinerary as it’s outstanding!

[HAL4NOW]

8 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

I think that might have been a shopping mall in the above photo. 

 

Yes, that building was a multi-story shopping mall with a very large food court and a play center that included trampolines in padded rooms.