slidergirl

Yay!  We've kicked up the volume on the group again.  

Sherri - you're being a traveling fool!  I know you did all the visiting this summer, then a cruise, now more driving then another cruise!   Nice to see more ships coming/going out of PC.  

I'm getting more serious about doing the TA next April from San Juan to Lisbon on NCL.   A lot of you have done the TAs and I have a big question for you:  What type of cabin did you have?  I already know I cannot do an inside - I spend time in the cabin and I need natural light.  I still get my bouts of fatigue from Covid so I need space to go and rest.  I've never had anything but a balcony - I love being able to just sit out on my own private space.  I even did it in Alaska at the end of April.  Would I be OK with just an outside window for 2 weeks or is it still OK to be sitting out on the balcony all those days crossing the Atlantic?  You all know I'm not a person to go out and socialize onboard - I keep to myself.   I'd hang around Portugal for about 2 weeks to eat, drink, and sightsee.  I have to keep the "hamster wheel" on slow - no going off the tracks and adding on Spain, then "oh, I'm close to Italy..."  A month away is plenty (and plenty expensive)!!

Only 58 degrees in the house this morning.  It's supposed to warm up again this weekend to hit the mid-upper 70s.   But, my OOTD is still sweatshirt, sweatpants and my Acorn slippers.  

Cynthia - I do hope you felt a few warm and fuzzies from us.  We were worried.  If you ever need an uplift, I do believe we all will help.  

Melody - I think the MD needed to put duct tape on Les' retina!!!   There is more precip coming across so the kiddos could indeed get the "sitting in the hot tub, sipping bubbles" as the snow falls.  I just can't get behind snow yet.

I saw a teaser on TV today for some series on ABC coming soon.  Looks like it's a drama on the life of the medical staff, especially the MD, on a cruise ship...  Maybe like "ER" meets "The Love Boat" on the high seas 🙀  I don't think I'll be watching...

I did a little sleuthing on Cynthia.  She's around on a few other forums.  So, she might be busy with cruise stuff.  I was getting worried.

It's that time of year here where you start to wonder if you need to turn on the furnace.   The last 3 mornings have brought temps around 56-58 degrees INSIDE the house.  But it goes up and isn't bad in the afternoon.  It is nice sleeping temp, though.  

We had snow 2 days ago on the upper elevations of our local hills.  And our leaves up there are turning bright already.  It's about a week or so early.  

I've lost track - who is cruising where when?  I think we have a few coming up.  Lucky you's!!

OOTD:  sweatshirt, sweatpants, my acorn slippers.  A tad chilly in the house right now, 

On 9/15/2024 at 1:02 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Voyages to Antiquity's small ship kept promising transits through the canal on various cruises, but somehow they never seemed to pan out. Rockslides, work closures...  You were lucky!  I'd love to do it.

 

Not related, but:

The ladies over on Cruise Fashion & Beauty were concerned.  We hadn't heard from you for awhile.  Sounds like you're in heavy cruise prep...

Did you have Covid?  There is more documentation that one of the after-effects of Covid is hair loss.  It's taken a loooong time, but my stylist is noticing more "baby" hairs than usual, which means it's coming back. 

Also, I've always heard that some hair loss is just due to aging.  Ever notice some older women have thinner hair?  

Melody - give Les a hug for me!  He's had a tough time of it lately.  Pretty fortunate the retina issue was found right there!  

Did my quickie trip to Las Vegas.  It's still a pit.  It was still hot and was choking with all the smoke from the S. CA fires - could barely see the airport from the hotel.  It was enough to make me just stay indoors until yesterday.  There are easy walkways between the Cosmopolitan, Aria, Bellagio, Park MGM and Crystals to get a good workout from and stay cool.  

I was there for one purpose - food.  I came, I ate, I drank (too much again).  Some food porn follows. Went to Jaleo Monday night after landing.  My favorite bartender, Kathie, was there.  She surprised me by actually remembering my by name as I sat down!!  I had a few G&Ts made with Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic instead of the FT Premium tonic.  Very good.  I'll have to buy some for home.  I had my usual endive w/ goat cheese tapa and tried the calamari this time.   I really like this place.   Tuesday night was the big meal, the reason I came here.  Bazaar Mar is the newest José Andrés restaurant in town.  It's definitely fish/seafood forward.  I was able to change my res from a table to the chef's bar when I got there.  I love being able to watch the chefs do their thing.  This time it was the pastry chef and she kept my attention all night.  We even chatted a little.  Watching all the desserts made me promise I'd keep room for one of the lovely delights.  I had 2 sangría de cava drinks - one of my faves.  I picked 2 tapas for my dinner - the raw oysters "en suquet" - a play on fisherman's stew with a tomato sauce & pureed potato on top - one of the best oyster dishes I've ever had!   6 nice meaty West Coast oysters.  The other tapa was the Ora King Salmon Carpaccio.  I had seen a photo of this and knew I had to get it.  It was bite-size chunks of salmon and leek, each wrapped in nori and then formed in a cool circle.  It was surrounded by a cold broth of yuzu/citrus.  Served with "fish crackers". Oh my!  Absolutely fantastic.   I could have had second servings of each, but I was saving for dessert.  It was a big mound of coconut "foam" (light whipped cream), slivered almonds and topped with a huge handful of frozen pineapple puree made into shave ice.  Then, a spritz of rum is sprayed on top.  One of my top desserts ever.  So very light.  Not overly sweet (remember - I'm not a sweets person that much).  So easy to eat.  At the end of the night, the pastry chef and I had been talking about the canele that I spied at the end of her counter.  It wasn't on the menu - she said they use them for special occasion desserts.  Well, she had 4 left and she asked me if I'd like one.  I can't turn that down!  She put on on a dish with some yummy whip.  A special way to end a special meal.  I can't wait to go back.

I didn't so anything special on Wednesday but made breakfast and late lunch at Eataly.  An iced latte (still hot outside) and a pastry for breakfast.   Later I had a slice of the Roman-style pizza they make there.   I went back to the hotel and fell asleep - woke up at 7pm, so I just bagged the rest of the evening.  

I had free breakfast thanks to my Amex reservation and it included the buffet.  I normally don't go near a Vegas buffet, but since it was included, I went one morning.  The buffet at the Cosmopolitan was not bad and had some interesting choices.  I ended up with the polenta with tomatoes & steak bites, shrimp & grits, then some bacon & scrambled eggs.  I know, I'm probably the only person who likes mass-made eggs.  At least these were made with creme fraiche.  

Wednesday morning I braved the line for some eggs at Eggslut.  I got the "Slut" - a mound of potato puree in a glass jar, topped with a coddled egg and served with toasted baguette slices.  A nice easy breakfast.  I hung out at the pool (in the shade) for 2 hours until I had to leave for the airport.   Man, the "C" concourse that Southwest uses there is really a pit.  No good food, just junk stuff, low ceiling and pretty dank.  But, for $39 each way, it was tolerable.  And I lucked out and didn't get a row with 3 of us packed in...

OOTD:  sweats.  Just lazing around today. 

Like the jeans!  I've got 2 pair of embroidered jeans.  But I like the embellishments on yours.

No rain here.  But we've got smoke wafting down from Idaho and Oregon...  Ugh. 

Happy Miners' Day a day late!  We call Labor Day here in our town Miners' Day in honor of all the folks who worked in our silver mines here in town from the early 1900 to the 1990s.  

Having issues with my Medicare right now and it's pis$ing me off.  I had been paying it myself since I turned eligible for it.  Then, I activated my Social Security in May, which automatically deducts the Medicare (supposedly).  My bill for my annual Wellness check showed up last week - $600+ instead of nothing as it had in the past.  My medical center says I my Part B coverage was discontinued.  *****?????  I could see it deducted for sure on my last SS statement.  Spent 4 hours today waiting for the callback from SS.  The agent wasn't all that helpful - yes, I have Part B but I do have to pay the 20% (I had to remind her about the Wellness check).  So I have to go back to the medical center accounting to tell them to be sure it is coded correctly, resubmit it and deal with Medicare if it doesn't work.  I'm sure not going to pay that bill!!!!  

OOTD:  capri sweatpants and my old hippie Zion NP tshirt.  

Woah.  Almost a week and no one else has posted.  We must be busy!

Today I installed a new showerhead on my shower.  My old one I installed when I moved in back in 2009.  It somehow started leaking very badly in the past few weeks so I did have to replace.  The new one, a Kohler hand-held, was very easy to install, no tools needed.  The connector is metal instead of the hard plastic of the last one (which cracked).  A little sealer tape around the main pipe thread and just turn it to tighten.  Test of the shower and NO LEAKS!  

The vacation hamster wheel was spinning particularly fast the last few days.  I was going to take a midweek weekend trip up to Boise - it's a 5-6 hour drive.  Some interesting food places up there - it has a decent Basque presence.  But then Southwest came out with the $49 fare sale and I gave a look.  Too expensive to Boise, but it had the cheap fare to Las Vegas.  Jose Andrés just opened another restaurant there.  And it would be a hour flight vs 5-6 hours to Boise and wear and tear on the car + gas.  So, I booked for 9/10 for 2 nights.   Easy.  THEN I started thinking about next Spring or Fall again.  Spain and Portugal still entices me.  THEN I thought of doing the transatlantic cruise for one leg instead of flying both ways.  But, it would have to be a no-balcony cruise just due to the cost.  There are several which use Barcelona as the start/end so that would let me do my land travels for a few weeks and then fly home.  It's sounding pretty fun.  Still thinking but that hamster wheel is going so fast that it may bounce off it's stand!!!

OOTD: a bad sweatshirt & sweatpants since I played plumber. And it's cooling down at night to get the house nice and cool all day long even when it gets up to 80 - it's the time of the 40 degree temperature differentials.

I know a few people like Les - no matter what you tell them, they just can't do nothing.  At least he had eye protection and a hat on!  

I went to my hair stylist today.  We decided to break out of the brown with wine colored highlights and go really light.  Apparently this summer's thing is "strawberry brunette" for us brownies.  We took it farther and it looks like I spent every hour of the summer so far out in the sun.  We hadn't done something like this for ages!  Just having fun.  

OOTD:  my denim shorts, my Tshirt with the big blue heart in the middle, blue earrings and short blue lace socks with my hi-tops and my mini pearls necklace.  A quiet statement.

Purple - it sounds like you had one wet July!!  I wish some of it could have been sent to us out here in UT - day as a bone, even with the rain the last 2 days.   Hiking in SMNP should be lovely.  I drove through there one weekend after a business trip.  Beautiful mountains!  Reminds me of my town and area where my family lives in PA.  

We're good out here fire & smoke-wise.  The winds of the last week chased it out of here from CA.  A few small fires started around here but quickly dispatched by the fire depts.  Fingers crossed that we're good for the season now.

Ah, the cough.  Are you on Lisinopril?  It's infamous for it's cough-inducing side effect.  I hated it.  Fortunately my BP is good enough now that I don't take it.  

Melody - I'll keep thinking good thoughts for Les.  It has to be incredibly frustrating and probably depressing to be dealing with all those eye issues.  

The thunderstorm last evening was a good one.  Dropped some rain on us.  Have you ever had one of those instances where it seemed like the lightning came through your window at the same time you got a huge, LOUD thunderclap?  Scared the cr@p outta me!!!  Haven't had one of those in a long time.  

OOTD:  shorts and a Tshirt.  Watching more Premier League Soccer and then some housework.

Lois - plenty of us have "Olympics withdrawal" 😉  I'm just happy that English Premier League Soccer is back on Saturdays.  I'm in the middle of watching game #2 now.  

Had my annual Medicare wellness exam Thursday.  I actually passed the mental acuity test!  Trying to remember the 3 things while making the clock and then repeating those 3 back always worries me.  I've always had horrible instant recall.   I got my message from my NP today - said my labs were all "excellent" (never heard that from her before) except my B12 is a little low. I still think she's a little miffed at me for my strong advocacy for myself in insisting I get referred to an endocrinologist and not just take her advice to do insulin.  Just the way she said "it looks like the endo clinic is going well for you" was a little offputting.  I think I'm her first client who challenged her about diabetes treatment and new drugs.  

We're starting our monsoon season now, I guess.  Finally supposed to get rain and rain and rain.  Good thing - it's looking awfully brown around here.  Instead of just hot, it's going to be hot and muggy for a week.  My hair actually had some volume to it yesterday, a rarity up here in our low humidity.  

OOTD:  Shorts and a Tshirt.  Not doing anything but watching soccer and then going out to get some takeout for dinner. 

Sherri - I hope you have the most wonderful cruise.  At least you start in a major city (Amsterdam) so the hubs can pick up what he forgot!!

Both BB games were exciting.  The World has caught up to us!   I have to say - in the men's game, the last 3-pointer Steph Curry put up put me on the floor!!  Off of one leg, falling away.  Woah!

It's still good that the kid got his Olympic experience, even if it was the prelims.  I couldn't fathom keeping my composure at that young, on the world stage with the best in the world.  He still gets a medal since he did the prelims.  Now he can go home and get his drivers license. 

I did my TJ's run yesterday.  Got a lot of my staples and a few fun things.  Mango Cream popcicles.  Those and the Root Beer ones are a nice cool off when it's 80 degrees in the house.  They had fresh figs so I had to grab some - the season for figs is so short.  

OOTD:  light joggers and a Tshirt.  Settling in to watch the end of the Olympics!  

That soccer match was hard to watch.  Brazil had a firm grip on the ball and the US just looked tired.  They thankfully came alive in the 2nd.  

The kid in the 4x400 relay just finished his sophomore year in HS!  I had read about him in the DC/VA section of the Washington Post earlier this summer.  He should improve and improve as his gets older and matures.  It'll be fun to watch him.

Not sure what was going on with the Men's BB team.  I think it's just the rest of the world has absolutely caught up to them.  The game against France should be a barnburner.  France has it's share of NBA All Stars, too.

I'm finally feeling "normal" again.  It was a bi@ch of a week and so.  I'm starting to think it was an inner ear infection, the whole right side of my head and ear have felt "stuck up" and I still have what I call "white noise" in my ear.   I've got an appt with my NP this week so I'll ask about it. 

I'm heading down the hill today - the fridge is empty and TJ's is calling...  

OOTD:  my light brown sleeveless tank maxi dress and my white high tops.   Tired of wearing my denim shorts.

6 hours ago, awhfy said:

We finally had some rain yesterday, 3.92” in under an hour!  Flash flooding all around us. We’re fortunate that we have a flood runoff just south of us. I’d rather have 2 days of gentle rain!  Monsoon season is here!!  

loving the track & field events!  Fabulous men’s 100!!  They’ll be showing that finish for years!!!!!

 

school starts here next week 

We had lots of thunder all day, but just a spit of rain.  Excessive heat warning again today...

Lois - thank goodness it was just a lot of rain for you.  My relatives in Charleston and Beaufort are all tucked in and waiting for Debby.

That was an awesome 100m!   Then, did you see men's pole vault???  A little over 20 ft!!!  2 stories!!  

I started feeling better yesterday.  Not totally, but I can at least stand without getting dizzy.  I did wake up a couple of times overnight and I saw the room spin a little.  I did a little self-Eppley on the bed and it does help.  

6 hours ago, awhfy said:

Kat, vertigo is terrible. I had it so badly several years ago that I went to a pt that did vestibular realignment. I was fortunate, it worked immediately.  Have you taken your bp? Sometimes low or high can affect vertigo. I haven’t tried the liquid IV, is it packets?  I usually get the Gatorade packets, but don’t like the taste. Melody

I do need to get that Epley maneuver done - I have to see if I can get in somewhere tomorrow.  I don't have a cuff for my BP.  my pulse and O2 are good.  My morning blood sugar has been OK except for my really bad day and it was 152 instead of in the low 00s.   The liquid IV is in packets.  I hate it, but gotta do what I gotta do with what I have at home.  I have several hydration samples from my outdoor subscription boxes.    I remembered last night that I had some ginger chews in my daypack so I dug them out and started using them.  It has helped the nausea.  I'm still feeling a bit queasy and a little dizzy today.  I'm getting tired eating rice, though, but that and the plain bagels are nice on my stomach.  I had some yogurt this morning and my stomach didn't really approve.

Florida ladies:  I hope you are all set for Debby's visit.  Stay safe!

OOTD:  denim shorts & Woolx Tshirt.  It's worked OK so far in couch surfing.

2 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi Kat, oh my goodness........I hope you start feeling better soon!!!

Thanks Lois.  It really messes with daily life.  

the post above was supposed to be for yesterday.  I guess I forgot to "submit".

Lois - that soccer match was darn good.  The US needs to get more cohesive on the offense, I think.  I bet they get Canada in the semis.    Watched US-Montenegro men's water polo - not much of  match, but I still love watching water polo.

Oh - the guy who won bronze in the 10,000 meters is from my town!  He moved here to be able to train at altitude.  My little town now has 2 medallists - women's mountain bike and men's 10,000.  Not bad for a little town that is famous for winter sport Olympians!

Well, no rodeo today, either.  I'm still dealing with vertigo, but not as bad as the other day/night.  We're still in the heat/smoke cycle, so I'm just going to hang out again and watch Olympics.  

OOTD:  denim shorts and a sleeveless Tshirt.

Melody - I was lucky to get fast-tracked to an international official license when we hosted the Olympic Winter Games.  Worked every bobsled and skeleton event we had from 1998 until 2002.  Took the training and passed the test.  I was the first women to be Chief of Finish for all bobsled and skeleton for the Olympics for 2002.  Huge thrill. 

Definitely not going to the rodeo today.  I had a horrible 2 days.  I came down with the worst case of vertigo since 3 years ago when I fell and cracked my head and went to the ER.  I don't know why it showed up.  Ended up just laying flat in bed for 36 hours - I did have to run to the toilet to vomit a few times, just so absoutely dizzy.   I at least listened/watched the Olympics from the bed last night.  I can at least get up and walk around today.  I drove to the new bagel place (took over my favorite coffee place) and picked up a couple bagels to nibble on today.  Lots of water with Liquid IV in it.   

OOTD:  denim shorts and a Woolx short sleeve Tshirt.  They are nice in the heat.  Up to the 90s today with the smoke still hanging around.  

Melody - I hope she keeps moving up the ref ranks!!!  I have to say, it is a major rush to be an official in an Olympic Games.  

Noticed that the men's US-Guinea soccer match had a female ref.  I don't believe I've seen a female ref in that high of a men's FIFA game before.  

Feeling old again today.  I was a student at UCLA watching Steve Kerr play basketball for Arizona.   Now, he's an old guy coaching the USA team!!!  

The women's USA-Serbia volleyball game was a major barnburner!   It was supposed to be kind of easy for Serbia, but...

Our weather sucks big time today.  Not quite as hot, but still red flag warning.  The smoke is really bad - I can barely see the mountains that are a mile away.  I think I have a smoke-induced headache.  If it stays this bad the rest of the week, I may not go to the rodeo.  

OOTD:  running shorts and a tank top.  Just trying to endure...

Melody - glad to hear Les' surgery went well.  Hope it's the last of it!

Loved the ending of men's gymnastic team comp.  My one niece is a Penn State "auntie" - she gets to know so many of the athlete there.  She was the first to tell me to keep an eye on Stephen Nedoroscik.  Outstanding gymnast and an BSEE!   

I couldn't watch all of the women's gymnastic team comp, but I'd pop in once in awhile.  It was nice to see Jade Carey looking better today after being sick all week.  A little more color in her face.  I almost want to say I bet she had the 'vid because it's all over the place.

I got to see the last bit of the women's rugby 7s to see the US score that amazing goal at the literal end of the game to win bronze.  BTW - it was a woman from Utah who scored!

Watching US-Romania in men's water polo now.

We've got high temps, wind, and low humidity - making for a red-flag warning.  I sure hope no more fires pop up in the area.  Between those and the wind blowing smoke in from CA, it's just nasty.  Like Melody, I'm hanging inside and watching the Olympics.   OOTD: my hoodie mini dress.

Lois - yep, happy to see the women have choices now in what they wear.  BUT, the one US women's team was wearing bottoms closer to a thong than a bikini bottom 🙀

I was made to feel old again today.  Watched the women's volleyball game vs China.  I caught a look at the US coach - Karch Kiraly!!!  I went to UCLA at the same time.  He hung out with one of the guys on our dorm floor, another VB player (Joe Mica).  Young, tan (he got into beach VB with another teammate, Singin Smith) and sun-bleached blonde hair.  Now, leathered skin and buzzed grey hair.  Sigh.  Time passes. 

We have some more little fires in the area now.  Fire dept doing their best and some helicopters are helping with water drops.  With those and the winds blowing smoke in from CA, the air is rated "unhealthy" today.  No outdoor activities on tap today.  

OOTD:  denim shorts and gray Woolx short sleeve T.  I had to run out this morning to get my coffee fix - I was out of cream.

I always thought it was a bit sexist to require women to wear a bikini when men could wear board shorts with a tank/Tshirt...

I do love a shipload (notice I worked in cruising 😸) of sports too.  There are certain sports that I just can't watch on TV because the commentary rubs me the wrong way (gymnastics, diving, ice skating).  Swimming is always fun to watch, especially with Rowdy Gaines does color.  I'd love to see him and Michael Phelps do color on a race together.  

The France/Greece men's BB game was totally fun to watch yesterday.   Found out this morning on FB that a young woman from Park City won silver in women's mountain biking.   Saw that Argentina lost their first soccer game - didn't see that coming.  

We've got a lot of smoke in the air today.  Nasty.  OOTS is running shorts and a Tshirt.  Not going anywhere and it's still hot.   

Cynthia - my heart goes out to your mother and you.  I cannot fathom what your mother is going through.  I've not had a person with dementia in my family to know the issues.  I can only send you my love.

Lois - I grew up in sports.  I had school mates, a teacher, and teammates participate in various Summer Olympics.  Swimming and water polo were my things.  I still love to watch them, but I've added some of those other sports.  Watched Men's Rugby Sevens games this morning.  I'll watch soccer when it's on - it'll be like the World Cup all over again.  One of my dorm floor friends was a volleyball player and did both court and beach.  I do like watching all the volleyball, too.  I just saw the US men decimate Australia in the 4x100 free relay - it was supposed to be tight, but it wasn't close.  Now, I'm watching women's beach volleyball.  So nice to see the women are now allowed to wear legging instead of just a bikini bottom.  Never understood why that was in the rules.

Still too hot for me.  My ceiling fans and my new (thanks Prime Day) floor pedestal fan are working hard to keep me just hot, not boiling.  I'm running out of sparkling water, so I'll have to switch to tap water with some Just Lemon/Lime/Grapefruit in it.

Best line I've seen so far on Olympics:  "Snoop Dogg carried the blunt, I mean torch"  when someone commented on Snoop's leg of the torch run.