We made it to Lake Las Vegas…Total expenses for almost five days on the road…

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Snow-capped mountains as we entered Nevada.
No words can express how thrilled we are to be in Lake Las Vegas while being unpacked with groceries ordered, coming tomorrow, and finding everything in the fabulous condo precisely as we remembered it a year ago. We couldn’t be more content.

The four-and-a-half-day road trip was a breeze. Tom moved along at a good clip, pushing the limits of the posted speed limits and making good time each day. The latest we ever arrived at the hotel for the night was 4:00 pm, giving us plenty of time to get settled for the evening with various plans for dinner.

The lobby at Little America Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona.

We arrived in Las Vegas earlier than planned, at 11:30 am. The condo was being cleaned after the last guests moved out yesterday morning. With the cleaner coming and the owner needing to change the code on the door, we couldn’t check in until 2:00 pm.

We took advantage of the three hours we had to kill and headed to our mailing service to collect our mail after Tom got an excellent haircut at Great Clips. We stopped at a liquor store for wine for me and beer and brandy for Tom. We grocery-shopped for a few items to get us through two nights of breakfast and dinner until our Albertson’s delivery arrives tomorrow morning between 9:00 and 11:00 am. The extra time worked out well.

The beautiful hotel room’s bathrooms had two separate sink areas.

It’s comforting that we are entirely unpacked, and everything is in order, with the luggage tucked away in closets and no clutter except for various electrical cords for our devices in a few easily accessible areas.

This morning, we headed to Dollar Tree for a few household items and made a quick trip to the bank. Once back at the condo, I got back to work on this post and compiled our expenses from the road trip, which I will share with you today at the end of this post.

We dined at the Silver Pine Restaurant at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff.

We thought sharing what we spent during the almost five-day road trip would be fun for our readers, considering that we may have used reward points in some cases. As we list our expenses, we will include the costs after credits from the reward points.

Tom has Chicken Alfredo, which is reminiscent of the dinners he ate for ten months while we were in lockdown in India in a hotel room during the pandemic.

Fuel: $192.77

Hotels: $205.69 + various rewards points for hotels. (One hotel was $7.17 with tax after using points; others were $0 using points)

Food: $266.66 (We used rewards points for the last meal in Flagstaff, also covering the room charge at a charming resort).

Rental car for seven days: $803.31

Total Trips Cost (out of pocket): $1468.43 (includes two extra days for the rental car after we arrived)

Average cost per day: $293.69 

My salmon dinner is reminiscent of the dinners I ate for ten months while we were in lockdown in India in a hotel room during the pandemic. We laughed over the irony.

Tomorrow, my much-needed pedicure downstairs at a salon in the Village is at 11:00 am, and Tom will return the rental car at noon.

We won’t have a car for the next 73 days, but we’re sure we’ll be fine using Uber or Lyft as needed to join son Richard for dinners or go out for any other reason.

The salad was served with my salmon instead of potatoes or rice.

Stay tuned for more folks. Thanks for all of the thoughtful wishes we received along the way.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, December 19, 2014:

With lave flowing in Pahoa, Big Island, toward the shopping center where this salon was located, the boys decided to get haircuts before it closed. Tom is on the far left. TJ is in the middle, and Jayden is on the far right after they decide they also need haircuts. Three generations of Lymans were having their haircuts simultaneously. Too cute! For more photos, please click here.

One day and counting…Will we post during the road trip?…

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A pretty drive on the Big Island.

Finally, we’ll be on our way tomorrow! The packing is almost done except for a few items we’ll use tonight and in the morning. Soon, Tom will leave to pick up the rental car while I continue working on the odds and ends that require packing.

I’ve been contemplating whether we’ll post each day while on the road trip and have decided to do a short blurb without photos of where we are each day, with weather updates and our mileage progression. If we see something interesting, we’ll take pictures and post them.

We expect it will take us five days since our condo in Nevada won’t be ready until the 18th. This way, we can take our time and not feel rushed. By doing so, we’ll have five days requiring that we drive about 460 miles each day. Since we’ll be heading south to avoid snowy weather, it will take us longer than if we took the direct route.

Tom is preparing our iced tea for the trip, putting it into empty 23.5-ounce bottles I saved from my drinking water so we won’t have to stop to buy bottled water. We don’t snack in the car on road trips since neither of us is into snacking between meals.  We’ll stop for breakfast and find a restaurant for dinner near our hotel after we check in for the night.

We’ll only bring our single clothing bag into the hotel each evening, along with my small wheeling bag with medications, the cloth bag with a few toiletries, and the computer bag. That way, packing and unpacking each evening will be a breeze.

Gosh, we’ve done this many times and are good at it. After showering and dressing for the day, we can pack and be out the door in about ten minutes, only carrying the small carry-on-type bags we brought into the room. Neither of us Is pokey at getting ready to head out the door. We rarely need to set an alarm since we both wake up early each morning, although I tend to lounge in bed, reading the news and watching funny videos on my phone.

While on the road trip, I’ll bolt out of bed as soon as I’m awake and get ready for the day. We won’t drink coffee on road trips to avoid stopping so often for bathroom breaks. We’ll stop at rest stops and petrol stations as needed, get out, and walk around.

We won’t need to use the wheelchair at the rest stops this time. I will be able to walk to the distant buildings. That’s a far cry from where I was in August when we drove from Minneapolis to Cleveland. It’s been a long 3½ months, and we’re thrilled to be on our way.

That’s it for today, folks. Tomorrow afternoon, we’ll update you on our progress after our first day of travel. A special thanks to our readers for sticking with us during this dry spell of limited activity with no new photos. Just think—in 2½ months, we’ll be back in Africa, sharing the joy of life in the wild. Please continue sticking with us during our quiet time in Nevada, where we will share any photo ops as they occur.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, December 13, 2014:

A perfect Hibiscus begs for a photo. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Flying with pets…Three days and counting…

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View from the living room of the first house we rented on the Big Island for the Christmas family gathering in 2014.

Today’s story is about flying with pets, a topic we’ve never covered in past posts, from what I can recall. More and more travelers are hesitant about boarding their beloved pets in the luggage hold where the conditions are not conducive to the health and safety of the animal. Countless pets have died while in less-than-desirable conditions.

As a result, fewer and fewer passengers were willing to place their pets in the luggage hold and began booking extra seats for the larger dogs that wouldn’t fit in an animal carrier that fit under the seat.  Soon, more and more airlines accepted this reality, and pets were allowed in the cabin if the passenger purchased an adjoining seat or seats, as needed, based on the size of the pets.

Here is more information about flying with pets:

“Flying with Pets: A Journey of Patience, Preparation, and Unwavering Love

Traveling with pets is a unique adventure, blending meticulous preparation with heartfelt companionship. Whether you’re relocating, vacationing, or chasing a dream of nomadic life, bringing your furry, feathered, or scaly friend on the journey adds complexity and joy. Flying with pets can be nerve-wracking and rewarding, requiring patience, adaptability, and lots of love.

The Emotional Undertow

Flying with pets is a commitment to care and connection. Our animals are not just passengers; they’re family. Their welfare takes center stage, and with it comes a flurry of emotions: the excitement of shared experiences, the anxiety of keeping them safe, and the satisfaction of seeing their curious eyes light up in a new environment.

For many pet parents, the stress of flying is magnified by the responsibility of ensuring their companion’s comfort. Are they warm enough? Cool enough? Will they feel scared or disoriented? The weight of their trust can be humbling, but it’s also what makes these shared journeys so meaningful. They rely on you to make decisions in their best interest, giving you unconditional companionship in return.

The Practicalities of Preparation

Flying with pets begins long before takeoff. Researching airline policies is essential, as regulations vary widely. Some airlines allow small pets to fly in the cabin if they can fit under the seat in front of you, while others may require pets to travel as cargo. The maze of vaccinations, health certificates, and customs forms can be overwhelming for international flights.

Choosing the right travel crate is equally crucial. It needs to be comfortable, well-ventilated, and meet airline standards. Many pet owners opt to acclimate their companions to the crate weeks ahead, turning it into a safe space filled with familiar smells and soft bedding. This small preparation can make a huge difference in reducing their travel anxiety.

Packing for your pet feels a bit like preparing for a toddler. Snacks, toys, collapsible water bowls, and cleanup supplies are essential. But there’s also a deeper layer: the familiar blanket that smells like home, the calming pheromone spray, or their favorite chew toy can provide reassurance in the chaos of travel.

In the Air

Flying with pets can be nerve-wracking, especially during security checks and boarding. For those traveling with pets in the cabin, navigating TSA screening requires removing the animal from its carrier while the crate goes through the X-ray machine. This moment can be particularly stressful, especially if your pet is skittish.

Once aboard, the sounds and vibrations of the plane can be unsettling. A calm demeanor and soothing voice can help reassure your companion. Some pet parents use natural calming aids, like CBD treats or vet-recommended sedatives, but it’s vital to consult a veterinarian before making this choice.

For pets traveling as cargo, the experience is more detached but less emotional for the owner. Seeing your pet’s crate being whisked away can feel like a test of faith. Many airlines have improved their pet travel services, offering temperature-controlled holds and direct communication about their status, but it’s still a leap of trust.

The Reward

After the flight, seeing your pet bounding out of the crate or peeking from their carrier is a moment of pure joy. Their wagging tails, soft purrs, or curious chirps remind us why we undertake this effort. The opportunity to explore new places strengthens the bond between humans and animals, turning every layover or destination into a shared adventure.

Flying with pets isn’t always easy, but it’s a labor of love. The challenges teach us patience, resilience, and the importance of preparation. And in return, we get to share our world with the creatures who bring us comfort and joy. The rewards far outweigh the hurdles for those who embark on this journey. After all, home isn’t just a place—it’s the companionship of those who journey with passengers.”

In tomorrow’s post, we’ll cover what to do when your pet has to go to the bathroom during a flight, a significant source of concern for the pet owner.

Of course, as world travelers, we don’t and never will have pets. We get all the “animal fixes” we need as we travel.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, December 11, 2014:

TJ enjoyed swimming in a tide pool on the Big Island. He and the kids mentioned they spotted tiny fish through their swim goggles while swimming in the pool that had entered through the opening to the ocean. For more photos, please click here.

Bookings for the near future..How much has it cost for us to be in Cleveland?…

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We were waiting to take this boat out to sea for whale watching in Maui.

Yesterday, we began booking our upcoming road trip to Lake Las Vegas in 36 days. Need I say I am counting the days? I look forward to leaving for Nevada on December 14 and then on to Africa in 113 days from today. Wow! It’s almost hard to believe we’ll finally be on our way.

As a result, yesterday, we booked an SUV at Costco Travel, which we’ll drop off at the Las Vegas Airport two days after we arrive on December 18. During those two days, while we still have the rental car, we’ll do any necessary shopping, stop at our mailing service to pick up any remaining mail, and perhaps meet family for dinner.

From that date on, as mentioned, we’ll use Uber or Lyft for anything we want to do outside of the Village. The Village is within walking distance from our condo building in Lake Las Vegas, where shops and restaurants are plentiful. Most likely, due to the convenience of our location, we’ll probably dine out twice a week.

What prompts us to use Costco for travel needs and venues? As Costoco members, we receive special discounts and credits toward our annual rebate check and shop cards, which we can use at any Costco store in the country. They can be saved and used well into the future if we won’t be in the US for quite a while.

The annual rebate more than pays for our yearly membership and then some. We use our Costco Visa credit card for more points and petrol credits. Using Costco becomes a trifecta of perks, and the prices for cars, hotels, flights, and other travel-related purchases are hard to beat.

Today, we’re ordering takeaway for dinner. We’re ordering enough to last three nights. The total cost for both of us for the three dinners is $32.17 for Tom’s Chinese food and $35.57 for my healthy Bibibop Asian bowls, for a total of $67.74. Divided by three nights’ dinners, the avergae daily cost is $22.58. These prices include delivery and tips.

I add a few cups of romaine lettuce at the bottom of my plate to extend my double order to three nights. I ordered double portions of the spicy chicken for three nights’ dinners. Tom’s double order of sweet and sour pork is easily three large servings, so his two orders work perfectly.

The above-mentioned daily cost is less than we pay for groceries, so financially, it makes sense to place such orders once a week, knowing the food is good and enjoying the convenience and break from cooking. Mine is exceptionally healthy, while Tom’s is not as much. Then again, Tom wants what he wants and doesn’t strive for healthy dinners when we dine out.

I won’t order groceries again until Monday when I cook dinner again. We each are on our own for breakfast when Tom goes downstairs to the restaurant for the included breakfast while I have eggs or a Greek yogurt bowl with ground flaxseeds. Although breakfast at the hotel is included, I don’t care to eat processed scrambled eggs and their deep-fried bacon or sausages. Once we arrive in Nevada, I’ll make breakfast for both of us each day, usually bacon and eggs, certainly not processed or deep fried.

For more bookings, we contacted Marriott Bonvoy yesterday to extend our stay at the hotel from December 2 to December 14, the day we leave. We checked all other hotel booking sites for price comparison, but the cost was best through the Bonvoy rewards program.

We could easily have paid as much as $200 per night by booking it on our own, but we could have paid $2083 for the 12 extra nights, averaging $173.58 per night, including taxes and fees. However, this is much higher than we usually pay for hotel rooms because this location is only a few blocks from Cleveland Clinic, which results in higher prices.

Imagine we’ve had to pay this amount for 111 nights, by the time we leave here for $19,267.38. However, we will receive a credit when we check out on December 14, which will be around $1200 based on Cleveland’s 6.5% hotel tax. It’s a good thing we haven’t had a rental car while here, considering the parking fees and rental car costs, which would have been over $100 per day.

Most people come to Cleveland Clinic and spend a week or two at most. Based on our circumstances, it was an extended period.

Once we arrive in Las Vegas, our expenses will be considerably less when we received an excellent price for the condo, and we won’t need a car. We’ll share those costs later.

Well, that’s it for today, folks.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 8, 2014:

Like many other tropical islands, the Hawaiian Islands are an ever-changing weather phenomenon. For more photos, please click here.

Happy Easter to those who observe…One day and counting…

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Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates.

We had a fun time last night. We’d made a reservation at Luna Rossa. With a 100% chance of rain, we canceled the reservation early in the day. It made sense to go down the one flight of stairs to The Pub to avoid getting soaked on the longer walk to Luna Rossa.

We got good seats at the bar; we didn’t bother moving to a table to order and eat dinner. Maybe subconsciously, we ate at the bar to be reminded us of Jabula in Marloth Park so many times in the past. Although it was not as entertaining with other patrons and hosts, we had a great time chatting, laughing, and discussing the future, although much is unknown at this time.

We discussed a plan if we get called to Cleveland Clinic sooner than three months, and both of us have accepted the reality of that possibility. With two of my four valves considered to be “severe,” the mitral and tricuspid, they may try to get me in sooner. I’m hoping so. It’s a bit scary right now with the severity of this situation.

Easter is special to us for its spiritual aspect and the opportunity to speak to family members once again today. There will be no special dinner, dessert, Easter baskets, candy, or colorful decorations. We’ll make bacon, onion, and cheese omelets tonight with a slab of ham on the side.

Tomorrow, we’ll stop somewhere along the highway for breakfast. We won’t be rushing to make the five-hour drive to Apache Junction. It should be a relatively easy drive.

Shortly, Tom will order an Uber to take him to the airport to pick up the rental car and return shortly after that. Today, we should be able to load some of the bags into the car since it will be secure in the secure parking garage.

I have the last two loads of laundry going and will head to the building’s laundry room to put them in the dryer. I will have used all the money I loaded into the laundry app except for $2. They don’t provide refunds of balances.

Last night was a fitful night, although I managed to sleep for seven hours. I was awake during the night for 2½ hours and did a little worrying, which always seems worse in the middle of the night, as opposed to during the day when it seems easy not to worry.

There won’t be a post tomorrow, but we’ll be back, posting from Arizona on Tuesday. Happy Easter to all!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 31, 2014:

Bead and jewelry-making supplies in the souk in Marrakesh. For more photos, please click here.

Big dent in packing…Easy from here…Two days and counting…

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Beautiful wild flowers in South Africa.

Dinner out tonight at Luna Rossa for the last time will be a pleasant treat after many tasks over the past several days. Yesterday, I received a notification from Cleveland Clinic that they set up a file for me which I construed as a good sign that I will get an appointment and have been accepted as a patient.

After another great night’s sleep with no awakening during the night, this morning, I got up early. I started packing the nonperishables in a box, using our cloth grocery bags for the overflow. We’re asked for a full-sized car that Tom is picking up tomorrow morning, and we’ll start loading it right away. Hopefully, everything will fit.

Since we were here for 3½ months and are driving to Arizona, we can pack the nonperishables and cleaning supplies we accumulated during this extended stay. We usually leave unused items to the cleaner, manager, or owner. It feels good not to be concerned about the weight of our bags since we aren’t flying anywhere in the next few months. We’ll drive to Cleveland when the time comes.

It’s a good feeling to be this organized two days before departing. All we have left to do before we leave is pack the laptops and digital equipment, the clothes we’ve been wearing, and the clean laundry, which we’ll wash, dry, and fold tomorrow morning using the remainder of the money left on the laundry app for the laundry room in the condo complex.

I wrote to the owner this morning, asking him to send a link to review this property. We have only wonderful things to say and will give it a five-star rating. As we’ve mentioned over the past 3½ months, we have loved this location and property. Surely, whenever we return to Las Vegas, we’ll plan to see if we can rent this vacation/holiday home again.

Over the past 15 months, I’ve been alternating wearing the same two identical pairs of jeans when we arrived in Minnesota in November 2022. Our bags were lost when we arrived, and we headed to Target to buy clothes. I purchased those two pairs of Lee jeans without trying them on. Surprisingly, they fit, although they were too short for me. At that point, I couldn’t be picky.

Nonetheless, I’ve worn those two pairs of jeans repeatedly. In the meantime, I lost over 20 pounds (9 kg), and the jeans didn’t fit well. A few days ago, I ordered two pairs of Lee jeans from Amazon that were on sale for $26.95 each. I ordered them in three sizes smaller than the jeans I had ordered in 2022, taking a chance.

They fit perfectly, and since I could order “extra long,” they are a good fit and long enough. I am thrilled. I may not be fashionable, but I don’t like those “highwater” pants and refuse to wear them. The only other jeans I have is a pair of white jeans I wore for “White Night” on the Azamara cruise in August. I doubt they will fit now, but I packed them anyway.

Our Easter day won’t be very exciting when we use leftovers from the refrigerator to make sliced ham and omelets tomorrow night. We hope those who celebrate have a lovely Easter Day with those you love, whether family, friends, or pets.

That’s it for today, dear readers, and thank you again for all the warm and supportive messages.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 30, 2014:

Once inside the restaurant, closing off the door to their courtyard, we warmed up enough to remove our jackets while we had dinner. For more photos, please click here.

We’ve started to prepare to leave Nevada in three days…

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Tom, walking on the beach in Placencia, Belize, in February 2013.

This morning, I managed to pack my clothes and miscellaneous supplies. Tom will pack his clothes and all the digital equipment in the next few days on Monday before we depart. Tomorrow, I will pack the food supplies and miscellaneous kitchen tools we purchased while here.

We’ve accumulated a lot of non-perishable items while here but knew we’d be driving to Arizona and able to bring them with us. We have several spices and unopened cans, such as tomato sauce, coconut cream, and Mexican and Chinese sauces and flavorings frequently.

It felt good to be packed when I’d anticipated it would take longer than it did. Of course, I have been getting up much earlier each day, and now I am sleeping through the night. My new sleeping plan worked, and I am no longer awake for hours at night. I still have trouble falling asleep, usually not nodding off until midnight or later.

My Fitbit records sleep; I currently get between seven and eight hours. As soon as I wake up, I jump out of bed to begin my day. Getting enough quality sleep feels excellent, although I get a little sleepy around 3:00 pm. Yesterday, I dozed off for about 15 minutes, and wow, that feels good! A short nap is such a refresher!

It also feels good that I sent in my package of documents for Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. It will arrive on Tuesday, and then the clock begins ticking for an answer to my appointment date, which I’ll know within two weeks. That will help us make plans for the next several months.

Yesterday, I perused some vacation/holiday rentals in Cleveland, near the hospital, at VRBO. Countless lovely properties are available within one to three miles, perfect for our needs. The hotels are more expensive than the rentals, and it would be better for us to stay in a house with full facilities.

Oddly, I am at peace, not worrying and feeling hopeful for the future. I was more stressed when I didn’t know my fate. I have accepted this reality and will proceed with optimism and confidence that I will be in good hands.

No words can explain how grateful we are for all the beautiful messages from our readers/family/friends. I spent the first hour when I sat down to do the post, answering many messages we received, primarily email and many online comments. Because we’re getting ready to leave, I won’t be able to reply to everyone.

But I want you to know I have read every single message and will continue to do so. How thoughtful and kind of all of you. Our readers are the best in the world. No doubt, your messages are uplifting.

Dinner is prepped for tonight, and I don’t have much to do today besides walking and exercising. I’m glad I got an early start on the packing. All is good.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 29, 2014:

Before we began planning to travel the world, I had a vague recollection of where many countries were located. On the other hand, Tom, a history and geography buff, was much more knowledgeable. As we’ve continued, we’ve significantly enhanced our geographical knowledge of the world, but we still have more to learn. Many of our readers commented that they were surprised that we were still in Africa while living in Morocco. How often does one take the time to look at a world map to be reminded of that which we learned in grade school? Not often. For more photos, please click here.

We’re back…News on test results…What does the future hold?…Four days and counting…

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An ornate mirror in the master bedroom of the riad in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Yesterday, when I returned three hours after the cardiology appointment after I had another echocardiogram, the third in a year, I couldn’t bring myself to write the post. I needed to talk to Tom, devise a plan, and get to work on implementing a plan to ease our minds.

No, the results were not good. The status of my mitral and tricuspid valves had worsened progressively in the three echocardiograms I had in the past year. The state of the valves progressed from “moderate” to “severe” in less than a year, indicating that I need surgery, according to the cardiologist, the second such cardiologist making this diagnosis since November 2023.

My hope would have been that I could have the easy repair done through the groin with a few devices, but I am not a candidate for that procedure based on my prior open heart surgery in February 2019. Here we go again, another open heart surgery which, last time, took me a year to recover.

I had plenty of time to prepare myself for this eventuality and wasn’t shocked when the doctor told me yesterday that it was too risky to wait. Sure, I might get lucky, and it wouldn’t get worse. But leaving it, when it doesn’t heal by itself, would put an end to our ability to travel again and could result in a fatal heart attack or severe damage to my heart from which there would be no coming back.

At this point, my heart is healthy. However, the valves pumping blood through my system have caused serious regurgitation. Most seniors have some degree of regurgitation, a normal aspect of aging, but mine is far beyond that safe zone.

Even if we didn’t travel, there are too many risks to either ignore or postpone this scenario. I could have a fatal heart attack wherever we may be at any given time. I’ve thought about my age at 76; maybe my life expectancy isn’t very long anyway. Living with this and worrying about it is not my style. I want to be active and able to tackle whatever we do in whatever upcoming years we may have left.

I have faced this reality over the past year since I was diagnosed with Afib (the bad valves are causing the Afib) and researched options if I did need surgery as to where I’d have it done. Ultimately, I chose the Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Mark Gillinov, the top valve surgeon in the US, if not worldwide.

The question would be, could I get a timely appointment with him in Cleveland, Ohio, to address this situation? Yesterday, after Tom and I had discussed the problem at length, I decided I’d get to work to get an appointment with Dr. Gillinov, knowing he’s booked months in advance.

The process has started. This morning, we headed to the UPS store to make copies and mail all the documents I’ve gathered and questions I’ve answered according to their requests on a comprehensive checklist. Once he receives the documents and reviews my situation, he’ll determine when he can see me and when the surgery is likely to occur. After a lengthy conversation, his assistant Tina assured me yesterday that July might be the soonest I can get in.

That’s only three months away. If I started having bad symptoms, they’d get me in sooner on an emergency basis. The symptoms are being tired and having swollen legs and ankles. I have neither of these symptoms now. They can occur in a day or gradually over time.

Here’s our plan. We will continue to travel in the US to see family, starting in four days when we depart Lake Las Vegas. When we hear from Dr. Gillinov, we’ll drop everything and head to Cleveland, Ohio. It could be in a month or, as mentioned above, in three months, most likely not later.

Last night, I called Louise to tell her we are postponing our trip to Marloth Park after I have been cleared to travel on the long flight and feel well enough to tackle it. I told her to hang on to our deposit. As always, she was always wonderful and supportive. The house on Ratel will be waiting for us once we know when we can get there.

As travelers, it’s easy for us to find a place in Cleveland where we’ll stay for the surgery and subsequent recovery. Also, the clinic has accommodations for reasonable rents, and it would be comforting to be close to the hospital after this extensive surgery.

How do I feel? I’m ok, not depressed or feeling hopeless at all. I’m anxious to get this over with, but I will enjoy our family members and friends during our travels in the US in the interim. Tom is always supportive and will do everything he can to help me during this process.

I know we’ll lose many of our readers over the next six months, and I fully understand your reluctance to continue reading our posts until we’re on the move again. Please start checking back with the news of when we’ll return to Africa.

For those of you who will continue to read our posts through all this mundane news, I will continue to do a daily post and update you on the surgery dates, during which I may not post for about two weeks.

We’ll be back with more tomorrow. I guess it’s time to start packing.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 28, 2014:

Today, we’re posting the 17 mirrors in Dar Aicha, Marrakesh, Morocco, which we believe may enhance the appearance of the narrow sizes of some of the rooms surrounding the central courtyard. For more photos, please click here.

Six days and counting until we depart Lake Las Vegas…

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Beans, jarred fruits, and vegetables are readily available in the souks of Marrakesh, Morocco.

The past 24 hours flew by in a flash. We had a great day, following our usual routine with pleasure and smiles on our faces. The six-pound roasted chicken came out perfectly after being in the oven for three hours. It was much tastier and healthier than the pre-roasted rotisserie chickens found in most grocery stores.

In years past, we’d buy rotisserie chickens from markets, but the list of the most unhealthy ingredients has steered us away from this “convenience food.” Many of these chickens contain wheat and starches that may not be suitable for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Also, the inclusion of countless chemicals to enhance flavor and preservatives is alarming.

Prepping the chicken for the oven took me no more than 10 minutes, and most of that time was spent slicing white onions into chunks, cleaning whole portabella mushrooms, and peeling carrots to add to the roasting pan. Then, I seasoned everything in the pan with fresh garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, coarse ground pepper, and mixed barbecue spice seasoning.

I set the timer on my phone to preheat the oven and start the chicken cooking three hours before eating. As expected, the chicken was so large that tonight, we’ll have the other half for dinner. We’ll repeat this meal Sunday for Easter dinner using the second, much smaller chicken since that will be our last homemade meal at the condo since we’re leaving Monday morning.

I thought I’d begin packing this morning, but I’m not ready to start the process. Once tomorrow’s cardiac ultrasound and subsequent doctor appointment with the results from the test are done and I have a verdict on whether I need another open heart surgery, I’ll be committed to begin packing.

I don’t know why it is necessary for me to be motivated to begin packing, but this idea stuck in my mind when the appointment was made three weeks ago. It’s been a long wait, and I’m anxious to get this over with. The waiting has been awful since we were in Ecuador, and the cardiologist told me I needed surgery on my valves in the next few months. That was in November, and at that time, I became motivated to get signed up for Medicare with a good supplement plan.

Signing up for Medicare while we were in the US was imperative, as it required signing documents and sending them by snail mail. Now that both Part B Medicare and Aflac’s Plan G supplement are in place and effective since March 1, I have peace of mind knowing this is now in place.

Also, I wanted a second opinion from a US cardiologist to determine if, in fact, I needed more heart surgery, which I dread with more angst than I can describe.

As for tomorrow’s post, since I am leaving for the test and doctor’s appointment at 7:30 am, I will prepare the post when I return to the condo. I haven’t asked Tom to go with me. There was no point in him sitting around for two hours and making the Uber ride up and back with me. I am fine going on my own.

Regardless of the outcome, I will post it tomorrow, but it may not be available online until a few hours later than usual. Of course, I will share the outcome with all of you.

Thanks for all the positive thoughts and prayers from many of our readers and friends. You all mean the world to us.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 26, 2014:

This camel mom didn’t seem to mind that we were taking photos of her youngster. For more photos, please click here.

Finally getting some sleep..Only two days left until my cardiac test…Seven days and counting…

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Lily pond at the botanical garden in Marrakesh in March 2014.

We’ve both been working on getting more sleep over the past week. I never knew how much control we could have after we’d exhausted most of the suggestions we’d read online. Our last resort was to change our sleeping and rising patterns to adjust our biological clocks, which had been off for the past two months.

In a way, it was comparable to jet lag without the unusual daytime symptoms. Only our sleep was impacted. Could spending so much time in the US after being away for so long have precipitated this peculiar situation? It’s not perfect yet since we need to awaken a lot earlier than we are, but making the change of allowing ourselves to get ample sleep in the mornings has lessened the middle of the night-awakenings.

Last night, we both slept eight hours, with only a short awakening at around 2:00 am and 3:00 am, respectively. We feel so much more alert today as this process has progressed in the last week. Hopefully, we can continue on this path when we move along a week from today, heading to Arizona.

Arizona’s weather is similar to the weather in the deserts of Nevada. We’ll be traveling from one desert to another. Although I apply lots of moisturizers daily, I can feel the dryness on my skin. I’ve never had a problem with dry skin other than when we stayed in and around Las Vegas. There will be no relief until we get to Minnesota in about two months, which is known for its humidity.

Early this morning, while still in bed, I noticed a call on my phone reminding me of my ultrasound on Wednesday morning at 8:15. I didn’t answer since I didn’t want to awaken Tom, who’s usually up and about by 6:00 am. Once up, I returned the call to confirm I would be there on time. I didn’t want to assume they’d think I wasn’t keeping the appointment. Confirmed, I had peace of mind.

On Wednesday morning,  I’ll set my phone’s alarm to 6:30 so I won’t be rushed getting showered and ready for the day. Getting up so early and being on my way in the Uber by 7:30 will be challenging. Plus, I don’t know how long it will take for Uber to pick me up. I’ll likely contact Uber at about 7:10 since Lake Las Vegas is a less popular pickup location than rides closer to Las Vegas.

When our groceries arrived yesterday, we received the two chickens I ordered. I planned to make one today and the second one on Easter for some semblance of an Easter dinner: roasted chicken with vegetables, rice, and salad. Oddly, I noticed the two chickens were utterly different sizes; one was a little over three pounds, and the other was over six pounds.

With all our meals accounted for this upcoming week, with one night out to dinner at Luna Rossa, this large chicken will result in two meals instead of the one night we’d factored for each of the two chickens. Tom eats white meat while I eat dark meat, which usually results in a tiny chicken for one night’s meal. This upsets our calculations for the week, but we’ll figure out a way to finish the larger chicken.

Sorry for the trivialities of our daily lives. We realize they’re not very interesting at times, and we surely appreciate our loyal readership, every one of you. Also, we appreciate all the positive feedback. We seldom receive “hater’s” comments, making these days of mindless drivel easier to write. Sure, we’d prefer an endless stream of fantastic photos and stories, but this is life for most of us…it’s not always an adventure.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 25, 2014:

A guide offered to take our photo in this sunny spot at Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden in Marrakesh, Morocco. For more photos, please click here.