Prepping for Tom’s birthday dinner…Here’s the menu…

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Photo of the beautiful Crocodile River taken from Marloth Park on this date in 2013. For more, please click here.

Tomorrow’s birthday dinner for Tom is the first big meal I’ve made for guests in over ten months. When deciding on the menu for his birthday dinner tomorrow, I found it necessary to consider several factors: one, the limited space in the kitchen; two, that the various dishes are easy to prepare; Tom’s taste preferences (along with our guests); and limited space for serving a variety of side dishes.

While at the market last weekend, we noticed reasonable prices on New York Strip steaks. They looked meaty with little visible fat, and although the portions are significant, everyone can take a “doggy bag” home if they’d like.

We purchased two packages of five steaks each and separated the seven we’d need for the meal, keeping three for the two of us at some point in the future and freezing all of them. Steak on its own may not be all that exciting for some, so we also purchased a bag of jumbo butterflied prawns. 

Each plate will have a steak and prawns. Thus, the menu rolled out as follows:

  • New York Strip steaks, cooked to order on the grill
  • Jumbo garlic broiled butterflied prawns
  • Baked potatoes with sour cream and fresh chives
  • Asian green beans with light spices, bacon, sauteed garlic, and onion
  • Sauteed Portabello mushrooms
  • Par 30 Salad: a delicious tossed salad from a recipe, in our old lives, from a restaurant on at a nearby golf course. Romaine lettuce, green onions, bacon, slivered almonds tossed in a slightly sweet and tangy homemade dressing
  • Garlic bread, topped with fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese
  • Tom’s favorite lemon cake, infused with vanilla pudding, crushed pineapple, and topped with Cool Whip
The items on this menu that work for me are steak, prawns, green beans, mushrooms, and salad. This is an ideal meal for me and hopefully for everyone else.

We’ll dine by 4:00 or 4:30 pm due to a Vikings game on TV starting at 6:15 pm. All of us, from Minnesota, will watch the game. We have enough chairs and seating to make this work for the seven of us. 

I’ll likely serve the cake at halftime or sooner when everyone’s ready for the final course. I’ve always loved this cake, so I have to remind myself not to lick my fingers or take a single taste.

I decided against serving any snacks or appetizers before the meal when all it does is make everyone complete before the dinner is served. It isn’t enjoyable for the cook to find guests already complete before the main meal is served. And, it’s hard for the guests who wish they had “room” to eat the main meal. 

Today, we took off for the Safeway market for a few last-minute items while drying our laundry. We were back in time by a few minutes before it was done. Returning to the house, we put all the laundry away, and I started chopping and dicing for tomorrow’s meal.

Soon, we’ll juice all the lemons for tomorrow’s Lemon Drop Martinis. We picked all the lemons from Mary and Eugene’s lemon tree in front of their property. Colleen provided a bottle of Sapphire Gin and a bottle of Absolute Vodka to use for the martinis.

After our 3:00 pm main meal today: roast chicken, salad and rice (for Tom) he’ll vacuum all the floors and I’ll wash them. This morning I did some cleaning, so we’ll be all set by the end of the day as I continue to work on the above side dishes. I’ve already finished the green beans and will continue to chop and dice for the salad.

First thing in the morning, I’ll make the cake, marinate the steaks, prep the prawns, potatoes, and garlic bread. I’m doing as much as I can today to ensure tomorrow is easy.

Hopefully, the day will be as warm and sunny as today, with a high of 72F (22C). May you have a warm and sunny day as you plan and prepare for the holiday season.

Photo from one year ago today, December 22, 2018:
The baby bushbuck took cover behind mom when she wasn’t sure what to do when she saw us. For more photos, please click here.

Pre-holiday weekend has begun…Two days until Tom’s birthday celebration!…

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On the way to Nelspruit with our driver Okee Dokee, she stopped to buy lychee nuts from this adorable girl, who was selling them on the side of the road with her mom. For more photos from this date in 2013, please click here.

It’s disappointing not being able to buy Tom a gift for his upcoming birthday. In our old lives, we always had gifts for one another for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and other special days throughout the year.

Our lifestyle prohibits buying anything that goes into our single piece of luggage. His bag is packed to the brim with recent purchases I made for him while in Minnesota. He has everything he needs and wants. 

After Christmas, he’ll need to purchase a leather belt that he wears daily to hold up his pants Christmas. I guess that’s an “old man” thing. (He won’t mind my saying this). 

Also, we’ll need to buy some of those short white socks that most people wear these days instead of the older-style socks that come part-way up one’s calf.

We both prefer long socks, but we’ve adapted to the more “fashionable” style.

We prefer not to stand out as seniors who don’t know what is in style and what is not. Also, by “going with the flow,” we stand out less as typical senior tourists as we travel the world.

This morning I headed back to the Safeway Market for a few more of their spectacular deals, such as roasted chickens at $5.95 each and bacon at $.99 for a 12-ounce pack. 

We’ve begun thinking about the tasks we must tackle before we leave the US in 39 days. Gosh, the time is coming up quickly. After the holidays end, I’ll start trimming down the contents in my clothing suitcase and the “supplies” suitcase. Tom will do the same in his clothing suitcase.

Also, I am making a list of toiletries and other items to add to the “supplies” suitcase. I doubt we’ll replace many items we frequently use while in India, some of which we may find in other countries. 

Constantly making lists is a relevant aspect of our world travels. I use a few apps on my phone, including “Bring,” a grocery and shopping app I’ve been using for years, and “Google Keep,” where I can make lists for absolutely anything. 

These two apps help us stay organized, especially when we know we may not have access to shopping. We’ll be eating out all meals while in India but will forego bringing any food items.

Tom’s a little concerned about the spices in Indian food, and I’m worried that I won’t be able to get proper low-carb meals for my way of eating when so many foods are starchy. However, after doing some research, it appears most hotels have eggs, chicken, fish, and vegetables for chicken and me and rice for Tom. 

Today, Tom is watching football all day while I continue to work on financial matters. There isn’t much I can do to stay occupied in this small space, but somehow I manage to entertain myself.

Have a great start to the holidays this weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, December 21, 2018:

Last year on this date, I made Rice Crispy bars for Tom’s birthday. The humidity in Marloth Park made it difficult to harden, so I trimmed the edges, placing them in the red bowl as shown.  Tom snacked on the edges after they firmed up in the refrigerator. For more details, please click here.

And the beat goes on…Human error..

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Yesterday morning, we spotted this white mass in a tree hanging over the pool, only 15 feet, 4.5 meters from where we sit each day, waiting for visitors. It turned out to be a tree frog’s nest that magically appeared overnight. For more photos, please click here.

We can’t ever entirely relax. We must always attend to something, often centering around handling errors we discover along the way, usually made by companies and their staff.

Sure, from time to time, we make errors, and when doing so, most often, it costs us money. Whether our mistakes incur costs to us or others, we immediately get to work to resolve them. It falls in line with our philosophies and integrity in doing so.

But, when others make errors causing us to lose money or time, we won’t sit idly back and let the loss be absorbed into our lifestyle or financial scenario. We’ve chosen to stay on top of these errors as quickly as they are discovered.

On Monday, when we met Vicki and Jerry for lunch when Tom and Jerry went to pay, they discovered the restaurant’s credit card processing was down after they’d taken both of credit cards to determine the transaction wouldn’t go through in either case.

Instead, both Tom and Jerry paid cash. Shortly after we left, I received a message that a transaction for $30.30 was processed on our card. Jerry discovered the same. 

The next day, I checked online and saw the charge was in a pending status. I called the restaurant at the golf club only to be told the charge wouldn’t show up as paid and would be gone from a “pending status” in a few days.

I carefully watched the account and found that it became an actual charge yesterday when it left the “pending status.” I called the golf course again, only to be left on hold for 20 minutes. Jerry experienced the same.

This morning I checked to find a credit on our card for the $30.30. Finally, I got a live answer and asked for the name and number of the club manager. I called him directly. He profusely apologized and said it would be resolved immediately. Jerry experienced the same.

Overall, I spent no less than an hour dealing with this. How ridiculous! Also, recently we were overcharged for a rental car. We’ve spent no less than two hours attempting to resolve this issue and now must wait another ten days until it’s handled. Ridiculous!

I marked my calendar to follow up in 10 days. Why is it necessary to continue to be required to spend our time resolving issues generated by others? I bet many of you can relate to this.

We carefully watch every transaction for fear that something will be incorrect. One can’t ever be too careful, especially when we often find errors that those less diligent may have easily missed. 

This isn’t exclusive to the US. We’ve found such issues all over the world. Ironically, since we’ve been in the US, it appears there have been more than usual. Is it that we’ve had a little more time to be diligent or…the “nature of the beast?” Lots of transactions…lots of errors.

Believe me, we don’t like to focus on the negative, nor do we like writing about it here. But, for those who travel, frequently making credit card purchases, it’s imperative to be diligent and suspiciously search for errors.

I always remind Tom to get a receipt, regardless of whether it’s a cash or credit card transaction. One can later go over a cash receipt and find we were charged for an item we never ordered. A more straightforward step is to review the receipt before ever leaving the premises carefully.

We’re attempting to get all of these situations behind us in the next 40 days before we leave for India. It’s a lot easier handling issues while here than it will be with sketchy WiFi and long-distance calling.

This morning, I finished grocery shopping for Tom’s birthday dinner and the side dishes we’re bringing to Mary and Eugene’s for Christmas Day dinner. It’s a good thing I shopped today when the market wasn’t overly busy yet. Most likely, it would have been crowded by tomorrow.

Have a fantastic Friday evening!

Photo from one year ago today, December 20, 2018:

Yesterday, it was hot at 42C, 108F, and “Little” needed to cool off. The water in the cement pond was most likely hot as well but cooler than the air temperature.  It was after it had cooled down that he lumbered out of the pool and then, only then, was he looking for a good meal. We complied with pellets, ice-cold diced carrots, and diced apples.  He took one last dunk before he left for the evening. For more photos, please click here.

Planning Tom’s birthday party on the 23rd and holiday festivities…

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Photo from this date in 2013: Of nine members of this warthog family, there are two moms; one with four babies and three babies.  From watching this family almost daily over 18 days, we believe the mom shown above is the mom of the three babies, which, if you look closely, are all nursing. (It’s hard to see the third).  Thus, the baby on which she is resting her chin belongs to the other nearby mom and seems comfortable with this situation.  We couldn’t have laughed more when the fourth baby provided this neck resting spot, whether hers or not. For more photos from this date, please click here.

With Tom’s birthday party in only four days, we’ve begun planning how we’ll seat seven people for dinner in our tiny house. We have four chairs inside, two at the dining table, and four chairs outside, which we can bring in as needed. 

The outdoor table has a glass top, and it would be impossible to bring it inside. If the weather isn’t too cold, we could eat early outdoors, getting the inside table and chairs outdoors. 

The weather forecast predicts 69F (21C) on Monday. Usually, it’s warmest here between 3:00 and 4:00 pm. With the Minnesota Vikings game on at 6:15 pm, it should work well if we eat around 4:00 pm and have “birthday cake” during halftime. 

An easy dinner is planned to avoid spending too much time in the tiny kitchen. Tom will cook on the gas grill while I wrap up the sides indoors. We only have six plates and salad bowls, so we’ll borrow one more of each from the sisters to round it out to the seven of us.

Today, we’ll walk down to Mary and Eugene’s place to pick lemons off of her overflowing lemon tree to make lemon drop martinis as we’d made last year at his birthday party, hosted by Rita and Gerhard. We’ll borrow a blender from Mary and a juicer from Margie as well.

My grocery list is complete, and we’ve already purchased the meat and ingredients for the dessert. A quick trip to the market will wrap it up, which I’ll do over the weekend or perhaps tomorrow to avoid some of the Christmas rushes.

On Christmas Day, Mary and Eugene are having a traditional turkey dinner. I will make the side vegetables and possibly a few pies. No doubt, the festivities will be delicious and festive.

Christmas is less about gifts, decorating, or a Christmas tree, which we haven’t done since we began traveling. It’s never made sense living all over the world, nor would be willing to accumulate “stuff.” We send gifts to the grandkids but had mutually agreed long ago not to purchase gifts for the adult kids.

We aren’t particular about Christmas Eve yet. Typically the family goes to a local establishment for drinks and light meals. Surely, we’ll join them this year. And, we’re planning to go to Christmas Eve Mass at a nearby church which starts at 8:00 pm, instead of midnight.

There are many seniors in this area, and Midnight Mass would probably be poorly attended. Let’s face it; most seniors go to bed reasonably early, making midnight a little late for most of us.

Yesterday, at 4:00 pm, we attended the pot luck mulled wine party at the clubhouse. I’d make a double batch of artichoke dip with Club crackers. We had no idea how many would attend, so I assumed a doubt batch would be best. 

Much to my surprise, the mulled wine was delicious and made without sugar. As it turned out, the huge hot pan of the dip was consumed in no time at all, along with all the dishes others had brought along. With the chilly weather, it was a welcomed treat to stay warm.

Unfortunately, we’d forgotten to bring a camera or phone with us for photos. It would have been great to share photos with at least a few hundred people in attendance and live music. Sorry about that!

In any case, Tom’s birthday and the holidays will be meaningful and fun while we’re here in Apache Junction. May all of our readers who celebrate have an excellent time planning their holiday festivities.

Photo from one year ago today, December 19, 2018:

This is one of our favorite pairs of warthogs, Mike and Joe, named after two US vice presidents, non-partisan of course, Mike Pence (current) and Joe Biden (last presidency).  Tom always says, “The VPs are here.” For more photos, please click here.

On the move again…Off to Arizona…Last night’s Vegas Golden Knights game…

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On our way to the Vegas Golden Knights game.

We’ll be leaving Richard‘s home in Henderson, Nevada, to begin the five-hour drive to Apache Junction, Arizona, in a few hours. Tom still is under the weather, but it’s time to move on. We’ve spent 11 days here, accomplishing everything we needed to and spending quality time with Richard and my sister Susan.

This morning after a decent night’s sleep, I bolted out of bed, knowing it was time to pack. We hadn’t packed a thing the past few days, and the entire job was ahead of us.

As I started gathering my belongings and toiletries, leaving enough out for Tom after his shower, I realized how quickly we could pack when weight is not an issue. Having purchased some new clothing while in the US made me realize how much more “thinning” I need to do in my clothing suitcase to comply with upcoming airline baggage restrictions in India.

Our seats were ideal in the center, about 20 rows back from the ice.

Since we’ll be in Arizona for almost seven weeks, I’ll be able to unpack everything and redefine exactly what I want to keep. For some odd reason, I am hanging onto some old clothing I no longer wear. That mentality doesn’t work in this lifestyle.

Our last full day in Nevada was good. We watched the winning Minnesota Vikings game with utter glee. A few hours later, we were on our way to T-Mobile Arena on the Strip to watch yet another sporting event, the Vegas Golden Knights hockey game. I’d say Richard is a super fan with his excellent season tickets.

He’d arranged for an additional two seats for us, next to him, and we couldn’t have been more pleased. Our mouths were agape as we entered the area of the arena. The music, the Christmas lights, the hoopla, and the enthusiasm were palpable.

Disappointingly, his team lost, but we were entrenched in the “show” the group puts on during the games to keep their fans well entertained. There was never a dull moment.

After the game, we made our way to an old favorite restaurant of mine from years past when we’ve visited him. (He’s been in Las Vegas for the past 30 years). The familiar smells and the energy in the California Pizza Kitchen create a pleasing and memorable ambiance.

The service was slow when many others had the same idea after the game. But we entertained ourselves in idle chatter, with leaving the next day on my mind. Of course, it’s been hard to say goodbye to family members whom we may not see again for another two or more years.

Back at the house, we wrapped up the evening as we both took a dose of Nyquil to keep the coughing under control during the night and aid in us getting a decent night’s sleep. I did better than usual. Tom, not so much.

This morning I focused on getting all the small stuff packed, leaving Tom with only his clothing. The sheets are in the washer, and once they are dried, we’ll remake the bed and be on our way.

This next phase of our travels, these weeks in Arizona, should be easy. It will be a short walk to Tom’s sister’s home, and we won’t have to be driving long distances to see family. Our days and nights should be uncomplicated and accessible over the Christmas season. 

This schedule will provide both of us time to recover from the coughs and prepare ourselves for the next leg of our journey. The only long drive we have ahead of us is to return the rental car to the Phoenix Airport in two days, which should be around a two-hour turnaround. We appreciate that Tom’s sister Margie’s kindly offered her vehicle to us while we were there. 

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more, a new experience, living in a senior RV Park in Apache Junction, Arizona. Of course, photos will follow!

Have a great Monday!

Photo from one year ago today, December 9, 2018:

Traffic jam on the paved road in Marloth Park. Delightful! For more photos, please click here.

In a rush today…

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It was five years ago today that Tom was checking out the views from one of the two houses we rented in Pahoa, Big Island, Hawaii. Only days later our family began to arrive for the holiday. For more, please click here.

Today, I am in a bit of a rush. I have to leave the house at 10:45 am to drive to Las Vegas to see Susan and to join her for lunch in her new assisted living facility located 45 minutes from here.


I’ll stay a few hours and then stop at Smith’s Market on the way back to Richard‘s home for a few items for tonight’s dinner and then rush back to begin preparing dinner. Richard only eats chicken so as his mom, I try to be inventive and produce another good chicken recipe.


As for the coughs…Tom is in the worst of it now while I am slowly beginning to turn the corner. If it weren’t for Nyquil Cough, we wouldn’t be able to sleep at all. Both of us have fits of coughing at all hours but especially during the night. For some reason, everything seems worse at night.


We’d hoped to go to a movie with Richard while here but there’s no way we would be able to get through a two-hour period without hacking and disturbing everyone. We’ll see how it goes. We’re leaving in eight days.


Why this cough has lasted so long has baffled us. It started slowly on the cruise over a month ago. Tom had a bit of a tickle in his throat and I had a small pointless cough. I spent one night’s dinner in the cabin when I was feeling dizzy and out of sorts not knowing what was wrong.


But, the dizzyness was the beginning of this dreadful virus when only the next day the cough exacerbated. Also, one of the symptoms we have both experienced has been a feeling of utter exhaustion. 


I am past that stage right now but Tom has been going through it over the past two weeks, worsening the past three days. Please, let this be over soon so we can return to our usual enthusiastic selves, especially now that we know we can move forward with travel plans.


Speaking of which…we booked our flights to India on British Airways at a great price as follows (for both of us):

Total price: USD $1675.16
Trip Protection:      117.26

Total:                $1792.42
 
We used a flight booking company (after reading lots of reviews) we’d never used Hop2.com for the best possible pricing. The flight leaves Phoenix on January 29 and ends on January 30, 2020. 
 
There are two over nine-hour flights with an eight-hour layover in London in between. It will be a long 27 hours. This leaves us a few days in Mumbai to refresh and recover before we begin the exciting six night-train excursion on the Maharajah Express.
 
As always, we’ll manage OK on these long flights although neither of us is able to sleep on the plane. It’s funny. I can fall asleep sitting upright on a sofa while watching a show but I can’t sleep for five minutes on a plane in a similar position. Go figure.
 
Tonight’s a big sports night here at Richard’s…the Vegas Golden Knights will play on TV along with the Minnesota Vikings. I plan to get back early enough to make the dinner so we can all settle in and somehow watch the games simultaneously. 
 
Tom can bring up the football on his laptop via NFL GamePass and the Vegas Golden Knights can be playing on the TV. We’ll see how it goes.
 
Thanksgiving weekend is over in the US and life is back to normal also after “Black Friday” shopping frenzy has ended. We’d intended to go to renew our driver’s licenses today but as mentioned, this is supposedly the DMV’s busiest day of the year. Forget that!
Unfortunately, no new photos to share but check out last year’s photo below! It still makes us laugh!

Be well. Be happy.

_________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, December 2, 2018:
Little decided to check out the inside of the house.  I was in the kitchen chopping vegetables when he entered and looked up to see this! We both couldn’t stop laughing. I yelled out, “Little, is that you?” (I knew it was him). He shook his head a bit like he often did when I spoke to him. He climbed up six very slippery tile steps to get to me, difficult in those “high heeled shoes.” For more photos, please click here.

A much needed restful night in…Using Google Pixel 4XL phone for photos?…

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Richard was a Vegas Golden Knight’s superfan when he painted this mural on a wall in his backyard pool area. We’re looking forward to attending a game with him on December 8th.

Yesterday, I baked seven pumpkin pies. When Tom and Richard enjoyed their miniature pumpkin pies topped with whipped cream while out to dinner on Thanksgiving night, I decided I needed to bake a few pies. 

Two of the pies are low carb, and the remainder is traditional. I made an extra for my sister Susan which I’ll bring when I visit her tomorrow at lunchtime. Richard often has a low-carb way of eating, but when he saw how different the low-carb pies looked, he decided on the regular pie instead. 

I guess I’ll have to figure out how to eat two pies over the next several days. I’ll likely freeze one, and we’ll take it to Arizona when we make the drive on or about December 10th or 11th.To make all these pies and dinner for the next several nights yesterday morning, I grocery shop by myself for the first time in over nine months. I was a bit slow-moving in Smith’s Market in Henderson due to another bad night’s sleep with both of us coughing, but I managed to get it done.

Years ago, while visiting Richard, I’d signed up for the Smith’s rewards card. I’d disposed of the card long ago, but I was able to remember my old phone number, which worked in place of actually having the plastic card in my possession. 

As a result, when I was checking out after spending $300 on groceries, I saved over $34 from recalling the old phone number. Wow! That was a thrill. I purchased all the ingredients for the seven pies, two glass pie pans which we’ll take with us (Richard doesn’t bake pies), lots of Keurig coffee pods (so we don’t deplete Richard’s entire supply), and enough food for four or five dinners.

Last night we had carry-out from Cheesecake Factory. I was too pooped to make dinner after making all the pies. Carryout was perfect. Today, I’m making dinner, enough to last for two nights but made fresh daily.

Today, I’m making boneless skinless chicken breasts stuffed with sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic butter, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese wrapped in hickory-smoked bacon. On the side; cauliflower mash, steamed asparagus, jasmine rice, and homemade coleslaw.

After we devoured our Cheesecake Factory dinners, we began watching a movie that had recently been released on Netflix, “The Irishman,” which is over three hours long. Of course, I fell asleep on the comfy sofa, ultimately dozing off and on during the movie.

About an hour into the movie, we took a break for pumpkin pie. Each of us could choose a pie of our own without having to share. This is a great way to savor a pie at one’s own pace without worrying about sharing it with others. We’ve often done it this way with my former passion for baking, which has diminished since we’ve been traveling over the years.

By 11:00 pm, the movie ended, and we were off to bed, each chugging the little plastic cupful of Nyquil Cough, hoping we wouldn’t disturb each other’s sleep. It was a useless expectation. We each awakened many times from our own and each other’s coughing. Tom is where I was two weeks ago, and I still have a long way to go to be free of this virus. 

In case you haven’t noticed, I have been posting photos taken with my phone. This is something I’d been adamantly opposed to for a long time, preferring to use a camera. Now, with this new phone, I am amazed by the quality of the photos, as seen in the above photo.

This doesn’t mean we won’t keep using a camera. One of our two cameras “died” while in my carry-on bag on Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Minneapolis, Minnesota. How? I don’t know. Now, we’re left with one camera and will use it for most sightseeing. For now, it sure is fun using my new phone.

When I take photos with the phone, they are automatically on my laptop through Google within seconds. This saves me so much time. Having these many features is astounding to us, having been so far removed from the most current digital equipment for so long.

Our phones work like Amazon’s Alexa. We can ask anything at all by voice and get an instantaneous response within seconds. This is quite fun for me, but Tom doesn’t seem as interested in using voice commands.

That’s it for today, folks. We hope each of you has a peaceful and restful day as well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 1, 2018:

This is our boy Wildebeest Willie, who stops by most afternoons for pellets and several naps.  He waits for other wildlife to appear then gets up to join in on the pellet frenzy. He isn’t interested in carrots, celery tops, apples, or pears.  He responds enthusiastically to his name and most likely responds to terms other residents have given him. Smart guy, that Willie! For more, please click here.

Visited my sister for first time in over two years…The Las Vegas Strip for dinner…Food photos…

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Chase, Susan’s adorable Yorkie.

Yesterday afternoon, I drove to Summerlin, Nevada, to see my sister Susan, who moved into an assisted living facility on November 1st. This move was long overdue when she required quite a bit of help in her day-to-day activities. I hope she’ll be able to manage there when she no longer has as much support staff as she had in her apartment.

My sister has been bedridden for approximately 14 years, from what I recall. She suffers from numerous health conditions, including COPD and pain syndrome, which requires constant oxygen, many medications, and frequent doctor visits.
Seafood salad.

Her spirits are good and always have been. She’s accepted her limitations with dignity and grace. As my older sister by four years, she’s always been an inspiration to me. How dare I ever complain when I am up and around traveling the world while she lingers in a bed around the clock?

But, as we know, everything is relative. When we suffer, regardless of the cause, thinking of the suffering of others doesn’t necessarily bring us comfort. It may for a few moments when we contemplate the suffering of others but rarely does it make us become pillars of strength and resiliency. It’s the nature of the human spirit.

Fried chicken.

As I sat there with her for three hours, hacking and coughing, she was more concerned for me than for herself. I dismissed the annoying cough as a mere inconvenience that eventually would go away. 

And it will. This morning I noticed a slight improvement. On the other hand, Tom is in the throes of the worst of it, behind me by about two weeks. Hopefully, soon with his robust constitution, he’ll be on the mend. It’s unlike him to become ill.

Chicken Piccata.

I will return to see my sister on Monday, joining her for lunch at the facility. They allow visitors to have meals with residents for a $9 fee. I noticed they had a salad on Monday that will work for me. The food is irrelevant. It’s the interaction that bespeaks it all. I will be able to dine with her.

When I returned to the house, we drove to New York, New York Hotel and Casino and walked through the casino to the Venetian Hotel to a restaurant Richard suggested, The Grand Lux Cafe.

Guess who ordered the beef pot roast with mashed potatoes?

The offerings were primarily American fare which Tom prefers the most, and we all had an excellent meal. Once again, I had salad, seafood salad, but that is always the easy go-to for me.
Today will be low-key. Soon, I am going to Smith’s Market to buy some groceries. Today, I am making pumpkin pies, both regular and low carb, which we all missed over the Thanksgiving period. It will be wonderful to have a slice of low-carb pie topped with natural whipped cream.

Most likely tonight, we’ll dine out, and then tomorrow, I’ll do some cooking for a few days. Richard only eats chicken, so it will surely be a “chicken fest” while attempting to make a few favorite chicken recipes. I haven’t cooked a meal in almost a month.

May you have a spectacular weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, November 30, 2018:

Bushbuck baby, maybe dad and mom often stop at the bottom of the steps for their pellets.  For more, please click here.

Another difficult travel day in the US…

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Five years ago, we’d seen photos of this car, a 1959 Cadillac convertible (woody) hanging from the ceiling at Hard Rock Café in Lahaina. On our return drive from Kaanapali Beach, we stopped to take a few photos of our own, as shown. For more photos, please click here.

This may sound awful to say as proud American citizens, but we’re are disappointed with the service at airports in the US. Questions go unanswered, the staff appears disinterested in traveler’s needs, and we discovered somewhat of a blase attitude of many airport employees.

Of course, there are many exceptions but these past two flights, one from Fort Lauderdale to Minnesota and yesterday’s flight from Minnesota to Nevada, left us wondering if the average worker is dissatisfied with their job.

No, I won’t get into all the potential reasons why we may have experienced these inconsistencies. Nonetheless, we were grateful to arrive safely on somewhat of an uneventful flight, barring some turbulence as we approached Las Vegas, where it was raining.

It is cool here, but we don’t mind. It’s certainly not as cold as it was in Minnesota. Today’s high is expected to be 45F (7.2C), cool enough to require we dress warmly. The sun is shining today after a few days of rain.

It was wonderful to see my son Richard after two years and four months. Once we arrived at his home, we dropped off our luggage, piled into his Escalade, and headed right back out the door to go to Thanksgiving dinner. 

The restaurant he selected located across the road at Green Valley Ranch was perfect. Tom and Richard ordered the traditional Thanksgiving dinner while I had a Cobb salad. The turkey dinner had too many items I couldn’t eat, and the salad was filling and satisfying. 

As I’d mentioned, Tom’s cough has exacerbated, and last night after returning after dinner, he went directly to bed. I am still coughing but am now convinced it’s a virus, not a bacterial infection, and there is nothing we can do to make it go away. Not antibiotics, not steroids…just time.

This gives me pause when considering upcoming cruises. What can we do to prevent catching the dreaded cruise cough? I can only surmise that avoiding the buffet, restrooms, and elevators when we can maybe the only way to ramp up our avoidance of catching these awful bugs.

We’d hoped that today we would go to the DMV to renew our driver’s licenses. We’ve heard stories of people waiting all day to be called for their renewal. We have no interest in waiting in a queue for hours. Richard suggested we wait until next Tuesday when it won’t be as busy. 

Soon, I’ll take off to visit my sister Susan at her new home in Las Vegas, a beautiful assisted living facility, about 30 minutes from here. I can hardly wait to see her.

Tonight, we’ll all head out for dinner at a favorite spot of Richard‘s on the strip. Many new hotels and restaurants have been built in the past few years. We’ll enjoy having an opportunity to see the new properties and dine at one of the restaurants.

At the moment, I’m seated in his comfy living room with a great cup of Dunkin’ Donuts Decaf Keurig coffee. At some point today or tomorrow, I’ll grocery shop to make a meal in the next few days. We’ve been eating out almost every day (except for a few fabulous dinners Karen made) since we arrived in the US on November 8th.

A home-cooked meal may be just what the doctor ordered. Settling in here in this low-key environment is also on the list of healing properties, a little more leisurely pace than we had in Minnesota.

We wish our friends in the US a fruitful “Black Friday.” the big sale after Thanksgiving each year. We prefer not to partake in the festivities! We hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving had a fabulous meal with quality time spent with family and friends.

Photo from one year ago today, November 29, 2018:
Many species visited our garden in the early mornings;  kudus, bushbucks, warthogs, helmeted guineafowl, and duikers. What a great start to the day! For more photos, please click here.

Report from cardiology appointment at Minneapolis Heart Institute….On the move again…Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

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Upon arriving in Mombasa on Thanksgiving Day in 2013, we took this photo from the ferry as another ferry took off. Notice the crowds. For more photos from that day, please click here.

For the past few weeks, amid this awful continuing cough (which Tom has also), I’ve felt apprehensive about my upcoming cardiology appointment. After leaving South Africa, I had a final exam by the cardiothoracic surgeon who performed the triple bypass surgery. That very day he arranged for me to be readmitted to the hospital for the infections in both of my legs.

This third admission resulted in two more surgeries on both of my legs, days apart, from which I’ve only recovered in the past two months, especially after stopping three heart medications that impeded my ability to walk without pain.

As time has passed after stopping the three drugs, I’ve begun to feel like myself again, although I may be inclined to call it a “new normal,” as the saying goes. Then, while on this most recent transatlantic cruise, both Tom and I contracted a horrible cough, his only exacerbating in the past few weeks, mine continuing with enthusiasm even after treatment with cortisone and antibiotics.

The coughing has continued, albeit not as frequently and without the intensity of a few weeks ago. I believe I’m on the mend. But this ailment became of little importance when I met with cardiologist Dr. Ash at Minneapolis Heart Institute yesterday morning.

Instead, the conversation and exam centered entirely on the condition of my heart, arteries, and recovery from the bypass surgery on February 12th, nine and a half months ago.

An EKG (aka ECG) was done, and I was thoroughly examined by both the PA and the doctor ending up spending an hour with the doctor. I was shocked and pleased by the amount of time he spent with me in that exam room. 

He was very thorough in his assessment, reading all of the medical reports page-by-page to ensure he didn’t miss a thing. My pulse and blood pressure were slightly elevated from sheer terror for the results. Still, later everything returned to excellent readings as the appointment continued especially when I got good news.

Result: I am good to go!!! We’re thankful beyond words.

He freely expressed how impressed he was by our ongoing world travels, including the period we continued after leaving South Africa in May. Not only did my EKG look normal, but he also assured me that the very best thing I could do for my health was to continue to be happy. 

Happiness is good for the heart, along with exercise, management of diet, and good sleep. I’m right on track. 

He didn’t object to my getting off the two evil FDA Black Box drugs, Amiodarone and Bisoproplol, but as expected, he did push a little on statins which I refused to take when they caused me to feel extreme pain in my extremities. That’s not for me. 

He understood my hesitancy, but doctors can’t help themselves in pushing statins for all practical purposes. They may be beneficial for those who don’t have side effects, but the quality of life is the name of the game for me, especially with this lifestyle we lead with hopes to continue.

I promised to return for another appointment and a few more tests when we next returned to Minnesota. But, for now, he didn’t see any reason for a myriad of unnecessary tests when all looks good. 

Yes, I have severe arterial disease, which didn’t go away with the surgery, but I will no longer live my life in fear of some dreadful heart event. I have peace of mind, which is golden as we continue.

In a few hours, we’ll head to Greg’s home to say goodbye to Camille and the grandchildren, and at 2:00 pm, he’ll drive us to the airport. Our bags are packed, weighed, and paid for, and ready to be loaded into the minivan, which Greg will use to drive us to Terminal 2, only 20 minutes from his house.

So, that’s it for Minnesota folks! Thanks for “hanging in there” with us during this seeming uneventful, mundane, not-necessarily-entertaining period in our travels. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate this popular US holiday, and we’ll be back with you soon. Eat well!

Photo from one year ago today, November 28, 2018:

The five lions in the pride. All were adult females. For more photos, please click here.