Moving around has a double meaning…A year ago…Inside of the 300-year-old stone house in Boveglio, Italy…

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The sky changes minute by minute with the strong winds coming in from the sea.

The walk up the steep hill outside of our house is excruciating. Each time I go it’s a little easier, making it further. Yesterday, I traveled the furthest.

This new discovery from yesterday baffles me.  Any comments?

After sitting so much while in Morocco I’m working hard to get back into shape. Although we walked a lot while in Marrakech, it was never enough when the remainder of the time we were sitting doing no cooking, household tasks, or laundry.

The vine-covered wall across from our house on the steep road.

Now busy doing everything for ourselves, I find myself feeling lighter on the feet and energized. For me, it illustrates that moving around frequently has therapeutic benefits that seniors (and younger) definitely need when it’s easy to get lost in a book or online as the hours whiz past us.

This white cat hangs out by the “snack bar” at the top of the hill.

Without a doubt, I’m deriving the most benefit from the steep walk on the road not only from a physical perspective, but also from the beauty I discover along the way. I happily take photos on the way down to avoid disturbing the beneficial flow of endorphins on the painful way up.

The season for roses is nearing its end.

From what I can tell, this neighborhood is mostly occupied by over 40’s working people. There are few children. A few of the homes are owned, managed, and maintained by Gina and her family as vacation rentals most of which are occasionally rented for one week or two, seldom longer as Gina explained. We are the rare exception, staying for two and a half months.

Are these red lilies? The flower season is soon ending from what appears on the walks.

When I walk up and down the road, I walk past several locals, mostly men, working on houses along the way, some being remodeled, others being maintained. There are a few garages where cabinets and woodworking is occurring, a seeming common occupation of the local men, not so much the women.

Judite, our cleaning person, told me this morning that this is “pera abacata” which translates to avocado.

The only time I see women is when an older woman wearing a conservative flower printed dress and a headscarf also walking on the road carrying something from here to there. They look at me more out of curiosity than as a result of my invasion into their neighborhood. I always smile. They don’t always smile back but, from the glimmer in their eyes, I feel they mean to.

Not a clue.

The garbage truck guys always wave and smile as do the other small service truck drivers seeing to the needs of the area. As I walk past the little “snack bar” which is actually a bar serving alcohol during the day and night, there are always two or three guys standing outside, throwing some comments my way.

These must be bleeding hearts. 

I have no idea what they’re saying. I smile while continuing the trek up the hill, never turning my head to look.  Good grief, I’m not delusional enough to assume they’re flirting with me. After all, I’m too old to assume that.  For whatever reasons, they always look and comment which I take in my stride staying determined to stay focused on my mission…getting up the darned hill!

These blue, sometimes purple flowers grow wild in Madeira.

Overall, the people of Madeira are friendly. But, the language barrier always prevents one from determining as to their degree of friendliness. Nothing will ever compare to the people in South Africa with whom one can become close friends in a single night in the bar or over food.  We did our share.  We miss those people.

Grapes growing in a private garden.

After the walk each day, which takes only 25 minutes round trip and feeds into my passion for HIIT (high-intensity interval training), I feel energized and refreshed. 

These appear to be hydrangeas.

Once we leave here on July 31st, we’ll be staying in hotels with health clubs for a month so I can return to my former routine. Then, we’re on to two cruises with workout rooms for another month. When we live on the four islands in Hawaii there are workout rooms at the condos.  

Variations in color of the greenery.

I can’t explain how excited I am to return to the fitness routine that I’ve dearly missed over the past year, instead, doing makeshift at-home exercises with which I have trouble disciplining myself. Sound familiar?

Tom thinks this is a water tank atop this roof.

Five years older than Tom, I realize that staying strong and fit will determine how long we can continue to travel. That motivation alone drives me on, knowing that we still have so much more world to see. As much as we’ve done over the past year and a half, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Poppies growing in a pile of vines and rubble.

Speaking of icebergs, we’ll be in Iceland in less than three months hoping to see the Northern Lights. Gosh, I’d better keep walking up that hill with vigor. There’s so much ahead of us.

By the way, we managed to stop the produce guy a few minutes ago, buying two full shopping bags of fresh produce. Need I say that we’re thrilled?
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Photo from one year ago today, June 19, 2013:

This was the larger of two bathrooms in our 300-year-old stone house in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. Although we had many modern conveniences, the old house required adjusting to with its many steep steps and uneven halls and walkways which was definitely not appropriate for anyone who wasn’t surefooted. We paid special attention each time we walked from one room to another due to the uneven steps in doorways. For details of the date, please click here.

Household hazards…Treading carefully in vacation homes…Mindfulness is the key,,,

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Standing at the low railing outside the master bedroom illustrates how one could fall over this railing to the brick floor or fountain below. Frightening!

Over the past year, we’ll have spent five and a half months living in houses 100 years old or more as here in
Marrakech and last summer in Italy, a 300-year-old property. In each of these cases, we’ve experienced a similar situation, dangerous steps, and uneven stairways. What frequently causes steps to be dangerous, in their unexpected placement and unevenness in both height and depth in a stairway.

While living in Boveglio, Italy last summer, we’d posted photos of uneven stairways, but also of unexpected steps along a long hallway, a dangerous tripping hazard. Add the fact that if one fell they could easily bang their head on the stone or brick walls or floor adding to the risk of serious or fatal injuries. For photos and details of the tripping hazards in the old house in Italy, please click here.
 
When booking Dar Aicha, the riad in Marrakech, we anticipated that there would be many steps throughout the
riad, some uneven, others unexpected. We were right. They are everywhere.

The extra-long draperies kept closed to keep the sandflies out also creates a potential tripping hazard if one isn’t mindful when exiting.

From our perspective, unexpected steps are more hazardous than uneven stairways. Why? When going up and down stairways, aware of the risks, we tend to be more careful in general, holding onto a railing or wall if no railing is available while stepping gingerly.

Simply leaving one room to walk into another is often done without thought, resulting in tripping. The ultimate key to avoid tripping lies in a single word: mindfulness.

This has been a learning experience for me, the proverbial “bull in a China shop.” For Tom, having walked on uneven areas while working on the railroad for over 42 years, he has ingrained mindfulness. 

This is the stairwell from the main floor to the second floor. Although not easy to detect in this photo, the stone steps are high and shallow not fully fitting one’s shoe as each step is taken.

Luckily, I’ve had Tom at my side to “educate” me since the onset of our travels. When we walk, he always says, “step,” “two steps,” etc. ensuring I’m noticing what’s upcoming. With my camera in hand when we’re out, I’m often oblivious to uneven walkways, steps, and stairways.

In the process, I’ve become more mindful, able to easily maneuver throughout the riad, constantly aware of the possibility of tripping. Of course, this is not to say a fall is impossible or unlikely. 

One area of major concern while living in Dar Aicha has been when stepping outside of the master bedroom onto the second level balcony. The heavy drapes covering the doorway, necessary to be closed at all times to keep sandflies out, have two feet of excess material at the bottom, in itself a tripping hazard. 

There are two shallow steps to maneuver into and out of the master bedroom. 

With the two steps to navigate with a wide landing in between, required to get from the bedroom to the hallway, it’s an accident waiting to happen. From the photos we’ve posted here today, it may be difficult to determine how easily one could trip while coming out of the bedroom, either on the drapes or on either of the two steps resulting in being flung over the railing to the brick floor below in the open courtyard. Yikes! This possibility has scared us. 

Falls are the leading cause of household deaths worldwide. When adding the injuries incurred inside and outdoors one’s home from tripping and falling, it proves that even in one’s familiar surroundings the hazards are rampant. We’ve all seen the possible debilitation of a senior citizen’s health when breaking a hip from a fall, a common occurrence. 

As we’ve mentioned in the past, “Fear is a powerful motivator.” Maintaining the fear may be responsible for maintaining mindfulness.  Each time either of us steps outsides the bedroom door, we do so with the utmost of care. 

In this photo, the short distance from the two steps necessary to exit the master bedroom is evident which has prompted us both to be extremely careful.

With ten days remaining until we leave Marrakesh, we remind ourselves not to become careless by taking our newfound familiarity with the layout of the riad for granted. 

Another area of concern is when walking in the souks and in restaurants. There are dangerous steps and uneven stairways in almost every restaurant we’ve visited. Here again, we both tend to mention “step” to one another everywhere we may go, continuing to do so as we continue in our worldwide travels.

The final step is in the lower portion of this photo a short distance from the doorway, too close to the short railing.

Having the experience of being injured when the steps collapsed under our feet in Belize on the night of our anniversary on March 7, 2013, no fault of our own, we’ve upped our mindfulness. Please click here for the link to the story and photos from that date.

Please share this post with your family members and friends as a reminder to be mindful wherever they may walk and perhaps together we may prevent an injury or worse. 
                                                ________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2013:
No photos were posted on this particular date.  In this short period as we progress further into our travels, we won’t have many dates without photos taken, as we’ve become more and more diligent in taking new photos for our daily postings. 

Yesterday, we didn’t include a photo from one year ago which we’ve included below when we’d instead posted a tribute to a dear friend that we sadly lost.
                                                  ____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2013:

The Palais Longchamp in Marseilles, France which we visited on May 4, 2013.

For the link of the story and more photos when we visited Marseilles, France on May 4, 2013, please click here.

For the link of the story from May 5, 2013, please click here.

Hard realities of a vagabond lifestyle during sorrowful times…

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 As we walked outside between two souk, we spotted these newly dyed bunches of yarn hanging on this fence to dry.

In a perfect world, we could always be there for the people we love when life happens. In the past 24 hours, a daughter-in-law’s father passed away and a beloved friend has gone into hospice care in Minnesota. 

Unable to be at their side, our hearts are heavy for their sorrow. We’re so far away. 

Tassels are a commonly sold item in Morocco often used in decorating the heavy drapery found in many of the homes.

We knew that when we decided to travel the world that we wouldn’t be there for our family and friends during some of life’s painful challenges, special celebrations, and milestone birthdays as much as we’d like to be able to do so.

We purchased insurance that provides for the cost of traveling for up to $5000 in the event of the loss of an immediate family member. Tom has seven remaining siblings all older than he and I have two sisters, one older, one younger. 

Mondays are less busy in the Medina as many of the shops received boxes of merchandise in order to restock after the busy weekend. 

The insurance doesn’t cover the cost of the spouse traveling along. Nor does it cover the cost in the event of a loss of an in-law. This is never an easy topic to discuss with loved ones. Tom and I realize that we have to face the eventually of sorrowful situations occurring and how we will handle them with us so far away. 

On occasion, we review the possibility of these potential scenarios to ensure we both agree and understand how we’ll handle these dreaded circumstances to avoid stress. Also, should one of us have to leave due to these scenarios, the other will be left behind alone in a foreign land.

Often products such as these offered for sale are placed on the ground in the Big Square.

An added element of angst in a family is when a plan is not in place for last-minute decisions often resulting in unmitigated stress and disharmony among family members. We’ve all seen this happen, time and again.

As we continue on, we are faced with the loss of family and friends for which we have no insurance enabling us to be at their side during sorrowful times. With the high cost of last-minute flights and the additional costs, this could result in expenses easily into the $5000 to $8000 range or more. 

Yesterday, it was pleasant to walking through the uncrowded Big Square to a pharmacy to buy shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and contact lens solution for US $11.20, MAD 91.

Wherever one may live, those we love may be living across the country or in our case across the world, leaving us unable to be at their side during difficult times. Few pensioners have the means and many don’t possess good health to be able to travel during these times.

In our hearts and minds, we feel and share in their sadness and sorrow wherever we may be, as they strive to ease their way through the grief laden times, hoping in time they’ll come out on the other side filled with wonderful memories and peace.
                                                 _____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, April 29, 2013, was not available. We’d posted at night in the dark as we traveled through the Straits of Gibraltar. This photo was taken the prior day:

This boat delivered what is referred to as a “pilot” to navigate the ship to the pier in Madeira Portugal, where we docked for the day. For details of the story without photos on April 29, 2013, please click here.

Is having household support, adding to our lounging time?…No excues needed…

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Without a major amount of vegetation in the Medina, other than in the small park near the main entrance and that which shops and restaurants has on their premises, it’s pleasurable to see flowers blooming.

Yesterday, Adil explained in French (he speaks little English) that Madame Zahra is ill and wouldn’t be able to come to the house or to make dinner. He seemed concerned that this was a problem for us which of course, it wasn’t, as we reassured him. Our only concern was for Madame returning to good health. 

Having full-time household help would not be on my list of “must have’s” if we won the lottery. In South Africa, at Khaya Umdani, Zef arrived at 7:30 every morning to do the last night’s dinner dishes, make the bed and clean the house. 

There’s a kindly shop owner working in this area that often stops and visits with us.

Of course, we appreciated his hard work as we do the staff at Dar Aicha, equally diligent and hardworking who are here from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm on the days that Madame Zahra cooks our dinner. On the days we dine out, they leave in the afternoon after tending to the house and the laundry.

For us, the lack of privacy would prevent us from desiring full-time help. In the future, should we settle for longer periods outside the US, most likely, we’d only want a biweekly house cleaner for a few hours each visit.

Overlooking the souk from the restaurant.

Without the responsibility of household tasks we can easily spend too much time lounging, something I have little interest in, never have. Tom, on the other hand, doesn’t mind sitting all day, tending to his online “hobbies” such as Ancestry.com, our investments, listening to his favorite radio show, Garage Logic from Minnesota, researching future travels, and communicating with family and friends via Facebook.

Luckily, the first half of my days are spent researching, writing, and managing photos. During the remainder of our time indoors, I manage our finances and budget, research future travels, spending a little time on Facebook communicating with family and friends, and responding to email. 

Another pretty rose in the restaurant’s rooftop garden.

Although, we’re out almost every day walking the Medina and the souk, often discovering new photo ops, there are only so many hours one can spend walking. Dining out no less than four times a week, the walk to the restaurants is often over an hour round trip, depending upon the density of the crowds. The walk to our preferred ATM is almost an hour round trip. 

At the Terrasses des Espices Restaurant, we were served this black olive Tapenade which I’m able to eat along with a basket of bread for Tom. Notice the ashtray on the table. Smoking is allowed in restaurants.

On occasion, we venture outside the Medina to the busy road, a location better spent inside a vehicle than on foot with the fast-moving traffic darting in and out at a frenzied pace which is not particularly safe area for walking. When needing to grab a petit taxi to a restaurant, it’s necessary to walk outside the walls of the Medina to the nearby taxi stand where it’s fairly easy to find a driver willing to negotiate for a reasonable fee.

It took time for me to become comfortable with staying indoors in Morocco a few days a week. Shouldn’t we be out taking advantage of our location? But, in reality, we’re not on a vacation/holiday. We’re living our lives.  Anyway, who goes sightseeing every day while living their day to day lives? 

Tom’s usual dinner. Fries and meat. By the time we leave Morocco, he may have had his fill of fries.

Today, with Madame Zahra still under the weather, we’ll head out when we get hungry preferring not to pick a time earlier in the day. Only a few restaurants are open during the day resulting in few options. Most often, the French and Italian restaurants we’ve found don’t open for dinner until 7:30 pm. Considering at least 40 minutes from opening time before the food arrives, dining is too late for our liking. 

We’ve found in all of our travels that most tourists from European countries tend to dine late, stay up late, and starting their day late. Usually in bed by midnight, we both are early risers, preferring to dine by 6:30 or 7:00 pm.

My dinner was delicious. The yellow stick has seasoned chicken resulting in yellow color. The white vegetable is fennel, not potatoes, a commonly served vegetable in Morocco.

Sure, we could adapt our ways to the traveling masses. However, we prefer to maintain some of the familiar routines which invariably add to our sense of feeling grounded. Stuck in our ways? Perhaps, to some degree.  But, then part of the magic of being “free” of certain responsibilities, allows us to decide how we prefer to spend our time.

Isn’t that what retirement is supposed to be like anyway? Yep.

                                                ______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, April 16, 2013:

We dined in one of the specialty restaurants on the Carnival Liberty which much to our surprise was one of the best meals we’ve had since embarking on our travels. This plate of meat was presented to us from which we selected our entrées. For detail of this amazing meal and our outing when our ship docked in St. Thomas, US Virgin Island where I had an opportunity to see an old friend, please click here.

Less safety precautions in many countries…How do we protect ourselves?…

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The contrast of the satellite dishes again the backdrop of the setting sun is odd to see.

Yesterday, we posted a photo of a horse we’d seen in the Big Square with a bloodied neck most likely as a result from the constant rubbing of a heavier harness he normally wore when pulling the carriage, day after day.

Reposting it on Facebook as I often do, we received many horrified comments. One in particular caught my eye, prompting the content of today’s post, written by our niece Kari, “Wish laws were in place to prevent animal abuse like it is in the USA. Poor thing!”

The mosque, lighted at sunset.

Oh, do we wish the same, not only for animals but, also for the safety of people, both locals, and travelers? As we began our travels visiting more and more countries, we were surprised at times by the lack of regulations in place for the safety and well being of the public, all so familiar to us in our lives in the US. 

Now, we are no longer surprised, having learned to carefully assess situations, adapting our behavior to comply with the conditions on hand to ensure our own safety.

The orange juice vendor is ready for the evening rush as the crowds begin to fill the Medina at night on the weekend.

In a few cases, we’ve been happy to see a lack of laws such as in South Africa, where it is not illegal to park one’s car on the shoulder of the highway in order to pee discretely in the bushes on the side of the road. 

In the US, one could be arrested for “indecent exposure” possibly resulting in a criminal record as a “sexual offender.” Good grief, what does one do when stuck in traffic for hours?  Let’s face it! We’re a growing generation of baby boomers and senior citizens who may not be able to hold it for hours. 

As one perceives about Morocco, lighting is a big factor in creating an inviting ambiance both at home and in public places.

I won’t get into a discussion over the fact that they are too many laws in the US in an effort for the government to rule our lives. I won’t get out the soapbox for this potentially heated topic. But, I will say that there are many laws and regulations in place in the US and many other developed countries that, without a doubt, protect us from harm from ourselves and others.

Here are some of the general areas which we’ve taken for granted in our own countries, which may not be available in other countries as one travels:
1.  Provisions or adaptations available for the disabled.
2.  Considerations made available for seniors.
3.  Even steeps and pavement in both private and public places with appropriate handrails.
4.  Sanitary conditions in public areas.
5.  Restrooms in public areas.
6.  Safe-to-consume foods in most restaurants.
7.  Traffic safety, including roads being patrolled, proper signage, and warnings when necessary. Seatbelt and child seats and restraints requirements.
8.  Inspection requirements when building and remodeling properties, including regulations for rental properties. (continued below photo)

Many of the structures were built over 500 years ago.

9.   Water consumption safety. The public water may not be potable for visitors in many countries.
10.  Alternate electrical plugs for which travelers may not be prepared resulting in shock, injury, or death.
11.  Rapid emergency medical response. Availability of quality medical care.
12.  Easy availability of a means by which to refill a lost of forgotten prescription or medical devices.
13.  Readily available access to phone and Internet services.
14.  Language barriers making communication impossible in emergency situations.
15.  Adequate police visibility and protection in high-risk areas and situations.
16.  Laws and regulations applicable to the care of animals, both wild and domestic. Emergency veterinary services.

Early in the day, the souks aren’t crowded, an ideal time to get out for a walk.

Well, I could go on and on with the differences we encounter in our travels. In many countries, there are no laws regulating many of the above items. As a result, we take it upon ourselves to carefully examine the risks before traveling to determine if our willing adaptation will suffice to ensure a safe, healthy, and memorable experience.

Each day, as we head out, wherever we may live, we take the responsibility to examine our surroundings, assessing the necessary measures we must take for our protection. 

The further and further away from the most popular areas, the less the crowds, although one must carefully watch for fast-moving motorbikes and carts with donkeys.

If unsure of one’s ability to freely adapt to these possible differences, traveling in pre-arranged tour groups or to more modern environments may be more suitable.

Today, as we head out for the afternoon, we put our bodies and minds on high alert as we look forward to yet another enjoyable day.
                                                 _____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, April 7, 2013:

This palm tree tipped into the sea after a storm during the night as we took our last walk on the beach before leaving Belize two days later. For the full story from that date, please click here.

Dental care traveling the world…What are our options?…

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These Brushpicks have been instrumental in reducing tooth decay.


Although this looks too large to fit between teeth, it actually is the size of a toothpick, easily maneuvered in between each tooth providing a clean feeling after each use.

The last time we had our teeth cleaned was in Henderson, Nevada in December, eight months ago. Having always had our teeth cleaned frequently due to a propensity to excessive tartar build-up, I can’t seem to brush my teeth enough to rid myself of the reminder that the time has come.

Up until arriving in Italy, we had a bottle of unrefined organic coconut oil in our possession, used daily, as a 20-minute mouth wash that helped reduce tarter. Having to toss it when packing for our first flight from Dubai to Barcelona in June, I anticipated we’d have no trouble finding coconut oil in Italy.

Not the case. There is no coconut oil in any of the grocery stores we’ve visited thus far and I doubt we’ll be able to find it in Kenya. I need a dentist. 

Looking online I found a dentist in Pescia on Facebook to whom I wrote a message inquiring as to availability and pricing. A half-hour drive from Boveglio, with an appointment prior to grocery shopping, we’d be killing two birds with one stone.

Hopefully, they see my message. If no response within a few days, I’ll call on Skype with Google Translate up and running. Most likely, they don’t speak English.

Fortunately, we both had all of our major dental concerns addressed before we left the US with the final laser cleaning fine-tuning those results. What I’d give right now for that amazing dentist in Henderson, Nevada, a referral from son Richard. We’d immediately made an appointment at Dr.Patrick Simone’s office once we’d arranged to spend Christmas in Henderson, having the best cleaning in our lives.

Oddly, as mentioned in the post of December 20, 2012, his receptionist handed us a giant apple pie as we walked out the door. Tom ate the entire “Costco sized” pie in a few days. Piglet.

Over the past few years, both Tom and I have used these little plastic tooth cleaners we found at CVS Pharmacy and online.  After their regular daily use, our dentist commented on a major improvement in both of our periodontal issues.

Years ago, both of us had to have those awful appointments with the periodontal dentist for extreme cleaning.  Now, using these little sticks, we’ve been able to avoid any further procedures. Making a point of using them after each meal has became an easy habit. With aging, there appear to be more spaces between teeth inviting decay and tarter. 

Also, using baking soda in addition to toothpaste twice a day seems to keep my teeth white, but doesn’t appear to have the ability to reduce the tarter. 

We shall see if we can get a dental appointment before we leave Italy in a month.  If not, there are a few options in Diani Beach, Kenya that we’ll contact once we arrive.

The day to day concerns we took for granted in the US become challenging as we travel the world. Whether a doctor, a dentist, a haircut, or a grocery store, it becomes far removed from the reality we’ve experienced in the past. 

For us, it becomes a part of the adventure, more living outside the box, stretching ourselves to try “the new” and “the unfamiliar” that which we so much resisted in the past that we now welcome into our future.

Prescriptions are on the way…Best pricing ever!…Gift from Santina, with photo…

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Santina cleaned our house this morning, bringing this fabulous plate of “torte” she’d made. How thoughtful she is! With the pie crusts made with flour,  I won’t be able to take a taste, but Tom will definitely try all three of these.  There’s no doubt they are delicious.  I will savor them via my eyes, otherwise known as being a “food voyeur.”

It’s hard to believe that almost a year ago that we purchased a year’s supply of prescriptions, the few we take, to get us through the first year of our travels. By the end of this month, we’ll have been gone for nine months.


Realizing months ago that getting mail in Kenya was going to be sketchy at best, we knew we’d have no choice but to order our prescriptions while still in Italy. 

Keeping in mind that the only way we’ve received mail thus far has been through our mailing service in Nevada (with similar such mailing services all over the US).

Luckily, we were able to make arrangements with the owners of our house here in Boveglio, Italy as to how we’d receive the multiple packages being sent to us from the mail-order pharmacy.  By using our address in Boveglio and the owner’s name on the packages, we were assured the package will arrive at our door.

While posting when still living in the US, we made many references as to how we’d receive a year’s worth of prescriptions.  Our doctor wrote the prescriptions for one year, leaving it up to us to pay for the upcoming full year out of our pockets without using insurance.  The insurance company wouldn’t approve more than three months at a time.

Ironically, the cost of the full year’s of medications was actually less than a full year of co-pays we’d paid for the same prescriptions, each of the prior two years. Hum…

As we priced, our prescriptions using this “new to us” online pharmacy, we were shocked that their prices were $200 a year less than the amazing deal we received from our local pharmacy in the US almost a year ago.  Our local pharmacy had agreed to beat any of the local prices we found at the time, including Walmart. Now, at less yet, we’re thrilled.

For those of you wanting to use this online pharmacy, you need only produce copies of your prescriptions that you may either snail mail or email to the company.  You can do it for one month to three months.  They allowed the 12 months of prescriptions for us, due to our travel schedule which we provided.  They ship free anywhere in the world with a $20 extra fee for the expedited per package. Their customer service is excellent with them quick to respond to email inquiries. I never had to speak to them on Skype.

If one is paying too much for prescriptions, it is certainly worth a few minutes to check their online pricing. Also, this company made the process so easy.  If one doesn’t have the actual prescriptions, they will accept photos of the prescription bottles. This company is approved by the Better Business Bureau and others.

The only hitch for us, we need to be here when they arrive since they’ll be left outside the door.  The anticipated arrival time for us in our remote location could be up to 21 days, which we’re counting off on the calendar.  If ordered in the US, the package(s) will arrive in a few days. Outside the US, it may be a few weeks, requiring one to order well in advance of running out. 

Their website allows for automatic refills which we didn’t do since we’ll need to figure out a new mailing address next summer while in Madeira, Portugal, or Marrakesh, Morocco. 

So often, I’ve talked to seniors frustrated over the cost of their medications. We don’t have to sit back, a captive audience for the prescription plans we are familiar with. It’s imperative in these tough economic times that we reach out for other options to save as much as possible along with convenience.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to post comments or email me directly at jessicablyman@gmail.com. I’m happy to help. Their website is user friendly, so easy to use, even if you aren’t an avid online shopper.

Another consideration at this time is the fact that we’ve yet to hear about what happens with the rental car that we’ve been informed has been sold. We’ve been told to “stand by” for instructions as to when and where the car will be swapped out. 

This definitely limits our previously arranged and later canceled plans to travel for a few days. If they say they are coming to Boveglio on a certain day and we’re staying in a hotel in another remote location, this creates undue stress for us.  The language barrier further adds to the complexity of this situation.

Plus, the six prescriptions we’ve ordered (including more Malaria pills and antibiotics after I’d used a Z-Pak in Dubai needing to replace it) will arrive in six separate packages, possibly on separate days beginning in two weeks. At the moment we feel we must stay put.

Actually, we don’t mind staying put for now. We have much travel ahead of us. The pleasant and fulfilling routine, we’ve established in Boveglio, is all we could ask for at the moment.

We spend most of each day outdoors on the shaded veranda with expansive views in front of us.  Our evenings are full and rewarding. Sleep is comfortable in our bug-free bedroom with the fan quietly cooling us as we languish in the comfortable bed and covers. Our meals are fabulous, mostly easy to prepare. Plus, Tom does the dishes.

Tonight at 9:00 pm, we’ll walk to the “square’ for the weekly gathering at Bar Ferrari making our way back home a few hours later, uphill all the way. The locals, used to the climb, don’t seem to huff and puff as they maneuver the hills. I hope before we leave here in less than six weeks, that we’ve built enough stamina to do the same.

Perceptions of an easy life in retirement…Play Gin..

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Clouds rolling in this morning for yet another rainy day. Once the weather improves we’ll head down the mountain to explore a few more villages and grocery shops.

It is never our intent to imply that life as nomads is easy and that each day is comparable to a vacation day.  Nor is it our intent to portray retirement, in itself, as a means of a sense of total freedom. There’s no free lunch.

Another sitting area the vines will soon overtake.

How early we are presented with this lesson in life varies from individual to individual. How quickly we actually learn it, putting it to use, for many of us doesn’t come until the realities of life in retirement slap us in the face.

Those realities? That our life is moving fast into perhaps, our last 20 years on this earth as we know it. That’s the money we have access to could literally fade into oblivion in the precarious financial world in which we live. 

That our health, regardless of efforts, we have or haven’t made, hangs in the balance of a combination of factors, over which we may have little control.  That the person(s) we love with whom we spend each day may suddenly be snapped from us or may fall into a state of poor health, leaving our own last years as an exhausted caregiver. 

Our sloping yard as the clouds roll in.

Depressing? Yes. Immobilizing? Emphatically, not for some. Sadly, yes for others. And then, for those trapped in the uncertain middle, there are good days and bad.

For those that choose to be immobilized, we have little to offer other than our love, attention when possible, care as needed.  Inspiration is tough to render. It’s all a part of who we are, who we have become after a lifetime of shaping our psyche.

But, for those of us, who chose to “master” retirement, striving for happiness, fulfillment, purpose, and joy, it’s a daunting task, almost as if it was a job, the very state of being we abhorred in our last working years. 

Is there no escaping responsibility? Not really. Is there no escaping the planning of the very things we must task upon ourselves to ensure we stay busy, fulfilled, and happy? No.

Never much of a gardener, I think these are hydrangeas.

It all translates to “how” we do it?  Not so much as “what” we do. 

If it’s reading mindless novels languishing in a familiar comfy chair by the window, overlooking one’s less than perfectly manicured lawn while waiting for the grandchildren to arrive or, it’s jumping out of airplanes at 90 years old. Whatever it may be matters if we can find the peace, the acceptance, and the purpose to our remaining time as we feverishly grasp at the morsels of significance which ultimately give us joy.

Several of our readers have written to us, asking if we are lonely or bored, perched atop these hills, in a land of no English, no coconut oil, no movie theatres, no nearby restaurant in which to pop in for breakfast for a three-egg omelet, a side of bacon, and a slice of avocado. We’re not lonely. We’re not bored. 

The lovely spot where we occasionally sit enjoying nature. 

We spend each day doing the things that those of you have chosen to “master” retirement.  We laugh.  We eat.  We read books we love.  We watch shows on our computer.  We get up early to savor each moment of the day.  And most recently, we began playing the card game, Gin, another version of mindless drivel as we continue our “job” each day, simply, for being happy.

Nuances, annoyances and obstacles of living in a 300 year old house…5.2 eathquake hit today while writing at 12:33 PM!!

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The issues receiving the automatic email each day as mentioned yesterday have been resolved by our web designer.  No later than tomorrow, you will begin to receive the daily posts in your inbox. 

Also, we’d planned to discuss the upcoming flight to Kenya today.  However, as today’s post became so lengthy, we decided to hold off until tomorrow.

Halfway through writing our blog today, we experienced a 5.2 earthquake as we sat on the veranda. Having grown up in southern California, this was a familiar sensation for me although  it was Tom’s first experience. 

We reminded ourselves as we ran for cover, that we are in an over 300 year old stone house, most likely the safest place to be.  Wow! The adventures never cease to amaze us!

Last night as we crawled into bed at 9:30, early for both of us, we hauled our laptops into the bedroom to watch a few familiar news programs, some of which we’re able to access from afar.

No more than a moment after getting settled a giant flying thing buzzed my monitor causing me to scream and flail my arms wildly killing it.  Jumping out of bed to examine and remove it remains, Tom bolted out of bed to quickly shut the screen-less windows grumbling all the while about the lack of screens. 

As a cool breezy night, we’d hoped we could sleep with all the windows opened. Its like camping.  We don’t camp. In my automatic response to scream, a quick thought ran through my mind…soon, we’ll be in Africa. Talk about bugs!  (Those who know me, feel free to laugh).

A window in the long hallway that we keep open during the day allowing a variety of flying insects inside.  At night we have no choice but to close most of them to avoid bugs flying around our heads during the night.

Overall, I’ve overcome the sight of a flying or crawling creature having lived in a nature area in Minnesota for decades. But when they land on me or my stuff, I scream, involuntarily of course. 

Another screen-less window in the kitchen.  There was a huge geranium plant in the window box, constantly attracting bees some of which we’re both are allergic. Tom removed the flowers placing them outside enabling us to enjoy the view and the breeze while cooking and dining.

The single most annoying aspect to living in this 17th century stone villa is the lack of screens. You The remainder…we’ve adapted to quite well. 

 The window in my bathroom is kept open during the day.  We found a good spot for our the trusty travel scale which Tom is using often as he quickly loses the weight he gained on our past eight cruises.  (It converts to kilogram necessary for weighing our bags for flying).  Together we are enjoying our low carb, gluten free, grain free, sugar free and starch free diet since we arrived, dining on the freshest meats, cheeses and organic vegetables we purchased only a few days ago.
The third bedroom that sleep four, has a window we keep open during the days for the added breeze.  We’ve yet to be uncomfortable during the day although the daytime temperature raises well into the 80’s. After months of air conditioning, the clean, humid air is refreshing.

Yesterday, the owner’s mom delivered us a regular coffee pot as opposed to this one in the photo below that we’ve tried to use that only makes a one cup portion and is too hot to handle immediately to make another. Avoiding injury is of our utmost concern. We can tolerate the inconvenience.

Remember these old fashioned percolator?  Its must smaller than it looks here, making only one large cup at a time.  We tried to make it work to no avail. Kindly asking the owner for an alternative, within hours we had a regular plug in drip coffee pot that makes 12 cups at a time.  We’re couldn’t have appreciated it more, making our first batch this morning.  It required a little experimenting with the strong Italian coffee.
These are the smaller versions for tea and the smallest for espresso which most Italians seem to prefer over regular coffee.  When we grocery shopped earlier in the week we stopped in a café hoping for a plain cup of coffee and cream to discover they didn’t serve such a product, only espresso which neither of us care to drink.

The owners, living nearby, are a lovely young couple.  Her parents maintain the property by stopping by each few days to water and tend to the gardens and make any necessary repairs.  None of them speak English but with the help of Google Translate, we can easily communicate by email.

Surprisingly, we’re learning enough Italian to decipher most conversations by picking up on a few select words, Tom included. Since arriving here last Sunday, we’ve yet to share a sentence with an English speaking person.

I wish we’d had this when our little dogs had “poopie butts” in the cold Minnesota winters!
The sun shines in my bathroom from the open windows most of the day, highlighting this practical accoutrement, mostly ignored in the US.
Tom’s tiny en suite bathroom window stays open during the night seemingly attracting less bugs than other windows in our bedroom.
Another aspect of this house, is the extremely long hallway from the master bedroom to the kitchen with several inconsistent steps along the way, a real hazard for old timers.
Its difficult to tell the length of this hallway from this photo but we expect its no less than 45 feet based on measuring using Tom’s 3 foot stride.
Plus the angled ceilings are low requiring Tom, four inches taller than I, to duck.  He has hit his head on several occasions getting better each day. If I walk to close to the one side, I, too could hit my head, having had a few “brushes” so far.
Also, climbing on the larger patio is tricky, requiring one to pull themselves onto it from the stone stairwell. Subsequently, we use this patio less frequently but have found it ideal for hanging wet laundry to dry outdoors.  The barbeque is located on this patio which we may not use as much as we’d like due to the tricky access. 
The patio is through the doorway on the left in this photo.  Can you see how tricky entering here may be for us older folks?  We enter together carefully, me first while he hold up the rear down a few step and then with me offering him a firm helping hand as he climbs up.
This is Tom’s “closet” in the master bedroom, not everything he has, just what he’ll wear while here.  To the right is a large four drawer dresser he’s using.  It all works for us.

If we were 20 years old, it would be no issue. In the advertisements for this house the owners clearly stated, it was unsuitable for the “old or infirmed.” Cocky that we were, not considering ourselves neither “old or infirmed” we signed up.  Now that we’ve figured easy ways to maneuver these challenges, we’re more at ease.

Our assumptions that houses have closets and lots of hangers is often based on our past experiences. We’ve found, after months on ships, that we can easily adapt to limited closet space.  Maybe I’m not as tidy as I used to be, stuffing everything into the spaces available.  Wrinkle free clothing is not so important to us anymore. I threw away the clothes steamer in Dubai when trying to lighten our load. 
This is my closet in the second guest bedroom, a piece of furniture not a built in closet. Hey, folks, these are all the clothes I own in the world, except for our Africa clothing which we haven’t unpacked.  Not too bad, after years of four closets in four bedrooms, filled with decades of clothing. How I can possibly trim this down to further reduce our weight baffles me.
As much as a retired person may think that watches and clocks are a thing of the past, we find ourselves checking the time several times a day as a normal part of life.Tea time?  Happy hour? Its getting late, we should eat.  Of course, we have the medieval clock tower next door that  clangs close to the half hour and twice close to the hour, 24 hours a day. Strangely, as loud as it is, we sleep through the night.

The very old living room sofa, dating back to the early 1900’s is worn and covered with this cloth.  Unfortunately, it is rather uncomfortable. Plus, we prefer to sit outdoors on the veranda most of our time, day and evening until bed. Its hard to take our eyes off of the breathtaking views, sounds and smells.

Although this farm sink is great for washing large pots and pans, in our authentic Tuscan kitchen it is close to the end wall, making it impossible for two to do dishes together. As  result, Tom washes alone and for the first time in my life, I allow dishes to “air dry” removing them to use the day for new meals.  This makes Tom happy.  If his happiness is achieved this easily, I’ll comply.
This is the opposite end wall in the kitchen.  Note the radiator toward the bottom right. Luckily, no stones were damaged during the earthquake we experienced only minutes ago.
Living in Minnesota, I’d often seen these food covers to protect food from insects although I’d never used one.  Now, as we prepare meals in our kitchen without screens, this is the first item we grab. 
Tomorrow, we’ll share our Kenya flight details and the history of the village in which we are currently living which dates back to 700 AD.  Hopefully, we won’t have anymore earthquakes!

This tiny freezer with our stock of meats and two ice cube trays fits our needs.  In our old life we had a giant stand alone freezer plus more. We do adapt, don’t we?

Our tiny old fashioned refrigerator is stuffed with enough food to last for two weeks while we dine out twice a week.

Barcelona, Part 1…Security scare!!!..OMG!!!…

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Please stop back tomorrow for the remaining photos of our visit to Barcelona including our visit to Segrada Familia.

The Port of Barcelona.

Before we describe our visit to the bustling historic city of Barcelona, Spain, let’s get the scary story out of the way. Thus, this is the end of the story described in the beginning.

The bridge over the bay by the pier.
On this back-to-back cruise, we were given priority sticky badges to wear when we return to the ship, to avoid the lines with new passengers boarding. On our last back-to-back on Carnival, this process was literally seamless, taking only minutes to board as we were graciously pushed through the lines.
The long dock we observed from the Garden Café early this morning.

As a precaution today, Tom wore two pairs of pants. The inside pair was cargo shorts with multiple pockets closing with Velcro. Over those shorts, he wore a pair of jogging pants with an elastic waistband. 

An animated “headless” man, hoping money will be tossed into his container.

The purpose of the abundant attire was to protect those items from pickpockets for which we have been well-warned by many travelers. It would have required the pickpockets taking Tom’s pants off to get to the stuff. 

An artist’s rendition of the colors of Barcelona.

Ironically, as we departed the ship we noticed most passengers carrying backpacks, purses, wallets with straps and various other bags and containers, all fodder for pickpockets. Barcelona has a reputation for a high risk of being pick pocketed, in many cases rather aggressively. We were prepared. No such incident occurred.

A vendor shop along the boulevard attracting tourists.

Returning as back-to-back passengers, Norwegian Epic’s process was cumbersome and annoying. Returning from Barcelona after the hectic rush of traffic, zillions of tourists in a mad frenzy to see the myriad sites, we were anxious to get back on the ship.

At the entry point, we were steered into a lengthy line with hundreds of passengers of all ages, rolling their carry on luggage and talking while paying little attention to the movement of the line. 

Tom is not the most patient person on the planet, easily annoyed by lines.  Hopefully, as our travels continue, he’ll become more patient. He’s trying. In no time at all, he gets over it and the grumbling ceases. I tend to ignore his fussing. 

This afternoon, around 2:00 pm when we returned to the ship, his patience was wearing thin as 30 minutes or more crawled by as we waited in the long line. Finally, we reached the security checkpoint.

I was a little anxious as we approached security, since while in Barcelona, we stopped at a “Pharmacia” to purchase more contact lens solution. I’d already gone through the small $12.50 bottle we’d purchased on the Carnival Liberty. The Epic’s little shop doesn’t carry contact lens solution. Quite odd, actually.

Security checkpoints do not allow bringing any obvious liquids aboard the ships as prohibited when flying. Along a shelf, I noticed numerous partially used bottles of various liquids, soda, water, iced tea and lemonade. 

Oh, oh. Were they going to confiscate my contact lens solution? (When we originally boarded the Epic on April 20th, we learned this lesson when we had to forfeit our liter bottle filled with Crystal Lite Ice Tea).

As we approached the security area during the mad rush, we decided to share a white plastic bin with the items from our pockets: the camera, one RFID passport holder containing both of our passports, Tom’s plastic pocket comb, my metal tube of  lipstick, a holder for our cabin key cards, a small amount of Euros we’d purchased when we got off the ship and Tom’s jacket. That’s all we had on us.

Pushing the items through the scanner we each walked through the metal detector, one by one, without incident. As we reached the end of the table,  preparing to grab our stuff as our white plastic bin came through, suddenly a bevy of Spanish security guards surrounded us. 

A breath caught in my throat. Tom and I glanced at each other, panic in our eyes. What was wrong? The seated security guard pointed to an item on his scanner, shouting, “What is this?”

Tom and I both crooked our necks to see an item on the screen neither of us recognized. I suggested it was my camera, my heart beating in my throat. Tom was baffled. Obvious confusion was in his eyes. 

The guards surrounding us started taking the items out of the bin, one by one, to discover a closed 4″ BLACK HANDLED BUCK KNIFE!!!!

This was the type of knife in our bin, but with a 4-4.5 inch blade.

Shocked, I looked at Tom wondering if he had brought such a knife, dismissing it instantly, knowing he’d never be so foolish. At exactly the same moment we both protested, panic in our voices,”This is not ours.” It wasn’t ours. 

Someone had placed the knife in our white plastic bin! How were we going to get out of this pickle? Were we going to jail? Oh, good grief! Were they trying to get us to pay some exorbitant fine? Why? Why? Why, had this happened?

We both protested loudly, desperately trying to communicate with the Spanish speaking guards. We kept saying, over and again, “No, no, no.  This is not our knife! We have no knife with us! We are returning passengers to the ship. Take the knife! It is not ours!!!”

The guard talked in muffled tones among themselves. The seated guard looks up at us and says, “Go, go, go.  Not your knife!”

Baffled by the experience, hearts still pounding, we couldn’t walk away quickly enough. As we raced through the walkways toward the ship, we barely spoke, still reeling over the incident.

How did that knife get there? Tom suspects that it was a standard test put upon the security guards by the upper echelon to see if the guards would, in fact, “catch” the knife on their scanner as it came through. I’m not so sure. I suspect that another passenger realizing they had the knife on them, wanting to avoid being arrested, tossed it into our bin.

We’ll never know.  Lesson learned? One of us holds onto the bin as it goes into the scanner while the other waits on the other side for it to come through.  Anyone have any suggestions? Please, do tell.

My contact lens solution went through without incident.