We booked a hotel at Cleveland Clinic…

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A craggy shore in Madeira, Portugal.

With only 50 days until we leave for Cleveland, it was time to book something for at least our first week there. At this point, we have no idea how long all the tests will take before the surgery is scheduled or how far out the surgery will be scheduled. There may be many patients in much worse condition that will be scheduled ahead of me, of course, depending on how I am doing at the time of my first three appointments on August 28.

If I am “holding my own,” it could be two or three months until the surgery is scheduled. The question is, “Do we stay in Cleveland in case of an unforeseen event requiring immediate surgery? Or do we go somewhere else while we wait?”

Only time will tell, along with the test results determining the urgency of my case. Right now, my only obvious symptoms of valve disease are difficulty walking and occasionally being out of breath. I don’t have the classic swollen legs and chest pains, which are severe symptoms of the condition.

However, the two valves have been diagnosed by three cardiologists and echocardiograms as being “severe,” which, untreated, could result in a stroke or heart attack if left too long without treatment. There are no drugs that can prevent these potential outcomes.

In reality, regardless of how long we have to wait for surgery, we’re better off staying there than in some other city in the US. We must play it by ear and see what transpires during that first week or two.

As a result, we booked only one week at a hotel connected to the clinic with a shuttle service back and forth to the hospital. Finding an affordable hotel was a lot trickier than expected. We were willing to pay more than usual for the convenience of the first week of tests and may have to extend it if further testing is required. There again, we have no idea at this point.

This morning, we started searching online. We were particularly interested in the Intercontinental Hotel, Cleveland Clinic, since it is .2 miles from the hospital, which has a shuttle back and forth, preventing us from the necessity of renting a car for the first week. Here are the prices we encountered:

Expedia.com

InterContinental Cleveland, an IHG Hotel

$284
InterContinental Cleveland, an IHG HotelOfficial site
$329
DEAL

14% off

Hotels.com

$329
Hotels.com
Free cancellation until Sep 8

Priceline

$329
Priceline
Free cancellation until Sep 7
All options

InterContinental Cleveland, an IHG Hotel

$284
InterContinental Cleveland, an IHG HotelOfficial site

Hotels In America

$294
Hotels In America
With these high prices, most of which didn’t include taxes and fees, we searched further from Expedia on our website at the link on the right side of our page. Because we are Platinum members and use $46.00 in One Key cash, we could book the week for an average of $211 per night.
Of course, these perks may not be available to those using Expedia infrequently, but we’ve found it’s an excellent place for frequent travelers. Building relationships with various sites that provide excellent pricing for their frequent users takes time and effort.
Once we have completed the first round of tests after consulting with the doctors, we can make a plan for our future stay. We may stay a few miles from the clinic, where prices are considerably lower. We might stay further away during a waiting period and move closer once the surgery transpires. We shall see.
That’s it for today, dear readers. Thanks for all the well wishes, supportive comments, and emails regarding our Fourth of July post two days ago.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 6, 2014:

Even a cloudy day in Madeira, Portugal, has some appeal. For more photos, please click here.

It was pouring rain on the Fourth of July…We had a good time anyway…Off to Billy’s today…

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The inflorescence is a complex structure that includes the flowers that will develop into fruits. The hanging pink and yellowish protrusions are the flowers. Mother Nature is amazing! This flower grows on a banana tree, and then bananas eventually grow. We watched the progression of this bloom a few doors from us while in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal.

It was a good July 4th, after all. We had a quiet day, and around 4:00 pm, we drove over to Pizza Luce for another delightful time at the bar, sipping on happy hour drinks and fantastic meatballs, pasta sauce, and shaved parmesan cheese (no pasta). We returned to the hotel by 6:30 and settled in for a quiet evening we thoroughly enjoyed.

Today, Friday, we’re heading back to Billy’s at 3:00 pm for the usual Lyman siblings get-together. Today is Mary and Eugene’s 66th wedding anniversary, and we aren’t sure if they will be there today, but Tom suspects they will. Many of their family will arrive with happy anniversary wishes. They have five adult children and nine grandchildren. They are great-grandparents, and we do not know how many they may have.

It’s always a good time at Billy’s and a good thing to do on another rainy day. We’d imagine many Minnesotans were sorely disappointed with the rain on the Fourth of July, a day typically spent boating and engaging in outdoor activities. Many fireworks displays transpired on the night of July 3 when heavy rain was predicted all day on the 4th.

When Tom dropped me at the entrance to Pizza Luce’s front door, I got soaked in the ten steps to the door. He was drenched when he entered the bar after parking the car. In no time, we both shivered a little until we dried off. Not only was it raining, but the temperature was cool.

Since we arrived in Minnesota in early May, it’s rained four or five days each week, often with thunder and lightning. We’ve spent very little time outdoors. Summers are very short in Minnesota. By September, the leaves start to change color, and the temperature drops by the end of the month.

There are many bees and hornets in August and September, and Tom and I are both allergic to them. We always carry an EpiPen with us in the event we are stung. Mosquitos are annoying and can leave big welts. I am bitten by mosquitos and insects more often than Tom, which was always the case when we were in Africa, where getting a mosquito bite is much more serious than in Minnesota, with malaria and Dengue fever being prevalent in many cases.

Since we’ve spent little time outdoors, we’ve yet to wear any repellent or been bitten. Nor have we encountered many insects here when spraying is common on hotel grounds and most public places. Most homeowners in wildlife and metro areas spray for insects, often using toxic chemicals.

That’s not to say we don’t use insect spray. In Africa, we must spray the bedroom at night a few hours before going to bed when mosquitos can be deadly, and other insects may also be venomous. Plus, the annoying sound of insects buzzing around our heads while trying to sleep is awful.

We don’t have any big plans over the weekend. We’re defrosting the Chinese stir fry we made several days ago. We had planned to eat leftovers but went out several times instead. Tom will make white rice, and I’ll make a salad to go with it. Rain is expected over the weekend, so staying in is OK with us.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 5, 2014:

This lopsided photo of a steeple in the hills in Sao Vincente evidences that I was standing on a steep hill. Certainly, I could have straightened the camera to adjust, but I was distracted by the views. For more photos, please click here.

Happy Fourth of July to all our American friends and family worldwide…Hopes of freedom for all…

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Happy Fourth of July to everyone who celebrates. Not our photo.

The above Fourth of July photo reminds us of our old lives, living on a lake and watching fireworks from our dock. Our two little dogs would sit on our laps and watch the fireworks with us, shuddering each time a boom permeated the air. Often, our kids and grandkids were with us, along with neighbors and other friends, and the festivities were many.

Tom lined our 500 feet of lakeshore with small flags placed 18″ apart, creating quite a spectacle. We also had a tall flagpole and an oversized flag that flew in the breeze. The occasion was exceptional, and we loved every moment.

But that was our life then, and this is our life now, and none of those special occasions have left us sorry or disappointed that we chose this life over that life. We’ve never regretted our decision to travel the world. We’ve loved, lost, and experienced sorrows and joys regardless of where we’ve been in the world at any given time.

Having had all of those special occasions, as time has passed with many adventures behind us and hopefully more to come, we have no need or desire to see fireworks or celebrate to any degree. My son Greg asked us to join him and Heather today but we decided to lay low.

We didn’t feel like battling traffic today when we’ll do that tomorrow when we head to Billy’s Bar & Grill, a 45-minute drive from here. Tonight, we’ll return to Pizza Luce, only .5 miles from here, for happy hour and a light dinner and be content to return to our hotel to stream a few shows we selected for today.

Last night, we watched a good movie on Netflix, “On the Basis of Sex,” about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Not only was it a fascinating movie, but it also provided an inside look into how the equality of the sexes in modern-day society came to pass with her inspiration and skill as an attorney. Very interesting.

I suppose it was an excellent movie to watch, given that today is Independence Day, the Fourth of July! It was about freedom and the rights of human beings in this country. As much chaos as there is in the US right now, of which people are aware worldwide, we are free, and that is not always the case in many countries.

Today, it’s not about fireworks, meat, and sweet corn on the grill; it’s about the American flag and the privilege of being a free people. In this context, nothing is more critical for citizens of any country. We are indeed grateful, and today reminds the two of us to celebrate that freedom.

In this crazy world, we have no idea how long we will continue to be free. That could change in a day. Peace and communication are the only means of maintaining our freedom and we can only hope and pray through our own communication and the keeping of peace to ensure that freedom as individuals or as a country, a continent, a world.

May peace and harmony fill our lives as we move through trying times in an uncertain world.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 4, 2014:

When we spotted this group of tourists crossing this footbridge, we noticed a tour bus. They were most likely touring from a cruise ship that had arrived in Funchal, a popular port of call. For more photos, please click here.

Meet my son Greg…Lunch at a unique location…

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My youngest son, Greg, 54, and I had lunch yesterday at Asia Mall in Eden Prairie and, as always, had a great time together.

I am rushing today since we’re off to lunch with our friend Connie, whose husband Jeff passed away at our holiday home in Marloth Park in 2022. We’re meeting her at noon at Maynard’s in Excelsior with some shopping and errands after lunch.

As for mine and Greg’s lunch, yesterday reminded us of all the fun times he and I had years ago, frequently having lunch together at a now-closed Vietnamese restaurant in uptown Minneapolis, Kinhdo. Many restaurants in the Minneapolis area closed when looting, fires, and vandalism occurred in 2020.

My huge bowl, referred to as a small size, was delicious. I hadn’t had Pho this good since Vietnam and Cambodia in 2016.

Whenever we went to Kinhdo, Greg and I ordered Pho, which is pronounced “foh” in the US but in Vietnam and Cambodia was referred to as follows:

“Pho,” which first appeared in print in English in 1935, was borrowed from a Vietnamese word which was spelled “phở.” English speakers replaced the vowel with “o” but preserved the pronunciation as “fuh,” rather than “foh.” 

The uptown area is no longer considered safe, and COVID has also significantly caused the failure of many businesses in many areas of Minneapolis. Many areas are rundown and unsafe, and we avoid those areas at all costs.

I gave Greg my rice noodles (I don’t eat rice due to the starch), but I added the beans sprouts, and basil to my bowl of Pho.

As for yesterday, the Asia Mall is about one mile from our hotel. Greg picked me up, and we arrived in no time at all. I was pleasantly surprised by this attractive ethnic mall. Based on the fact that I often cook Asian dishes, as I did only a few days ago, I now know where to purchase the necessary ingredients rather than at a grocery store with limited options.

The Asia Mall is all about Asian food, dining, and shopping. It has a full-sized grocery store, bakery, and a few Asain restaurants.

If you’ve never had Pho, you can experience this delicious soup in most Vietnamese restaurants worldwide, or if you prefer, you can make Pho at home. Here is a link to any easy-to-make Pho recipe. In our old lives, I used to make wonton soup, which I can’t eat now due to the flour used to make the wontons.

Typically, Pho is made with rice noodles but may be served with wide flour-based noodles, which they served at Kinhdo years ago. In Vietnam, rice noodles are used in most restaurants. While there, during our Mekong River cruise, I had Pho at least once a day and loved trying it at different restaurants. All were delicious, with a few variations here and there.

It would be fun to browse the stores, but Greg had time crunch, and before we knew it, it was time to go.

Greg and I decided to have lunch there again when we get together again during our remaining time in Eden Prairie. We leave in 53 days. The conversations with Greg and I are always thought-provoking and entertaining. We love being together. Most often, the kids are with us, but we were on our own this time, which was nice too.

Tom and I will return there soon since he wants to try a few of the items on the menu.

It’s time to head out to meet Connie for lunch. It was great to take some photos to add to today’s post. We will make an effort to take more pictures in the future.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 3, 2014:

Pinch me! These are the alpacas that live on the farm we rented in New Zealand. We arrived at the time of the year when the babies were born. Could this be more fun? The owner explained that they are very friendly and will hang out with us as they freely roam about the farm. For more photos, please click here.

Fun day for each of us, separately, that is…Do we go camping?…

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While touring Madeira, we encountered this waterfall that landed on the car. How unusual.

Last night, we had a great time. We went out for happy hour and dinner at Pizza Luce, close to our hotel. We were surprised by how few patrons were there when we entered but figured it was due to the upcoming 4th of July holiday and people being busy preparing for the long holiday weekend or having already left town for the festivities.

We had a great dinner of their gluten-free meatballs with sugar-free pasta sauce, topped with shaved mozzarella without added pasta. I had two small glasses of red wine, and Tom had two bottles of beer, each for $5.00. Our total bill with taxes and tips was $41.79, which isn’t much more than buying groceries for one night’s dinner.

With grocery inflation, we can easily spend $280 a week if we cook every night. Thus, eating out for around $41.79 wasn’t much more. However, that was the exception, not the rule. We often spend about $70 to dine out at a mid range restaurant. Most weeks, we dine out at least two times, maybe three.

Even fast food is expensive. Tom spent $25 at McDonald’s when he stopped for a meal, only for himself. I don’t eat at Mcdonald’s or most fast food establishments, except Chipotle, or rarely at Jimmy Johns for an “unwich,” which we now avoid when the cost for two sandwiches is over $40. Unbelievable!

At this point, we still don’t have any plans for the holiday, but we’re fine staying at the hotel if that’s how it rolls out. We’re used to spending holidays on our own while traveling worldwide, often barely noticing that it’s a specific US-celebrated holiday.

In South Africa, we’ve spent Christmas and New Year with friends, but here in the US, we’ve received few invitations from family or friends to partake in their planned activities. We prefer not to invite ourselves. Often, our kids and grandkids are out of town camping or planning to watch fireworks displays.

We aren’t much for camping, but that’s not to say we wouldn’t go. Buying a tent and all the necessary equipment makes no sense when we have nowhere to store it and may never use it again. When our kids were young, we camped occasionally and had everything we needed. But not now. Plus, I don’t think we would sleep well on the ground.

Today, we’re each going out separately. Tom heads to Mary and Eugene’s house in Andover at noon to play Buck Euchre. His nephew Kevin is in town from Florida. The card game is for four players, but there will be five players there without me, requiring one to sit out every few games.

Since they have enough players without me, I am not joining them since I’d already committed to lunch at the Asia Mall with my son Greg and grandson Miles today at 12:30. I didn’t want to cancel on Greg and Miles to do something else. Plus, I enjoy getting together with them whenever possible and would never cancel unless I was sick.

Most likely, I’ll be back at the hotel by 2:30 and spend the rest of the day chatting with friends and watching a few movies. When Tom plays Buck euchre with his family, they rarely get done until 1:00 or 2:00 am. Also, I have trouble staying up that late.

In any case, it will be a good day for each of us, and we’ll be happy to see each other after a short break when we are together all the time.

That’s it for today.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 2, 2014:

An outdoor lawn ornament store in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal. For more, please click here.

Exploring July 1 throughout the years…

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July 4, 2012: Excelsior, Minnesota (still in the USA). Here’s the link to the post.

Our favorite spot on our lawn, where we lounge in “comfy” outdoor chairs at our old home in Minnesota.

We thought it would be fun to review the first day of July over the years of our world travels, beginning with our first year of posting in 2012. If there wasn’t a post on July 1, we’ll add it for the next closest post, including a photo. Enjoy!

July 1, 2013: Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. Here’s the link to the post.

Our enchanting neighborhood was far removed from neighborhoods in the US and many other countries. Our temporary home was next door to the clock tower in the upper right. It was fun to see it from this vantage point.

July 1, 2014: Campanario, Madeira, Portugal. Here’s the link to the post.

There are some areas where flowers continue to bloom. Although, we’ve noticed a decline in the number of summertime blooms.

July 1, 2015: Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia. Here’s the link to the post.

We selected a filet from this batch. Remember, for those reading from countries not using the metric system, AUD 32.50 per kilo translates to 2.2 pounds, which would be US $14.77 per pound, not too bad for fresh (never frozen) wild-caught fish. We purchased about one pound, of which Tom had 9 ounces, and I had approximately 7 ounces.

July 1, 2016: Singapore. Here’s the link to the post here.

Tom likes these “wienie wraps in Singapore, a food haven!” They are SGD 1, or US $.74.

July 1, 2017: Minnesota, family visit. Here’s the link to the post.

While visiting family in Minnesota, we stopped at a few favorite spots—boats at one of many marinas on Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata.

July 1, 2018: Marloth Park, South Africa. Here’s the link to the post.

We were at the Marloth Park, South Africa Honorary Rangers Winter Fair entrance.

July 1, 2019: While still in Marloth Park, South Africa, we booked our trip to India for 2020. Here’s the link to the post with the upcoming itinerary.

One of the many excursions on the Maharajas Express train includes visiting the Taj Mahal. (Not our photo)

July 1, 2020: Mumbai, India, during the ten-month lockdown in a hotel room. With no photo ops, we share older posts, including photos from a past post. Here’s the link to the post.

We’d never seen scallops in the shell. We can imagine a plate of six of these covered in almond flour and Parmesan-crusted buttery topping. Tom likes scallops, so this will be a no-brainer.

July 1, 2021: Frankfurt, Germany, from South Africa, during a layover on our way to the US to visit family. Here’s the link to the post.

We spotted elephants in Kruger National Park only a few days before leaving South Africa.

July 1, 2022: Marloth Park, South Africa. Here’s the link to the post.

Venomous processionary caterpillars next to the house. The locals refer to them as “Satan.”

July 1, 2023: The Villages, Florida. Here’s the link to the post.

We got a booth at a fun restaurant in The Villages. As always, we had a great time chatting.

July 1, 2024: Residence Inn by Marriott, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA. Click the link in the address bar for today’s post.

The Residence Inn by Marriott is comparable to an apartment complex, although it is a hotel. The rooms are all suites, large with kitchens and comfortable. This is a good spot for us while we wait for the Cleveland Clinic.

We hope you enjoyed the review of these 13 past posts, mainly on July 1.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 1, 2014:

The rose blooming season in Madeira was almost over. Yet, when I walked in the neighborhood, I continued to find a few new blooms. For more photos, please click here.

What a fine evening with friends… Busy day chopping and dicing…

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Our long-time friends Maury and Peggy joined us for dinner last night at Houlihan’s in Chanhassen. It was great seeing them, and it was a lovely evening. The three hours we spent together flew by in the blink of an eye.

No words can express how enjoyable it is to see old friends during this extended period in the US. Last evening, we met old friends Peggy and Maury. We knew Peggy in 1991 when she married the now-deceased Lane, a friend we’ve surely missed. But, a year later, Peggy met Maury, and their union and eventual marriage were ideal.

Both enjoy traveling, and they particularly love traveling in the Midwest. We often see photos of them on Facebook in quaint little towns, seeing the sites and dining in historic restaurants and establishments. Although we travel outside the US, they’ve made retirement as enjoyable for themselves as it has been for us.

By 8:30, we were back at the hotel. We changed our clothes, got comfortable, and watched a movie, which ended around 10:15 when I was off to bed, reading the news on my phone. I had another fitful night’s sleep but finally, around 6:00 am, fell back to sleep for another 90 minutes.

For tonight’s dinner with leftovers for Monday and Tuesday, yesterday we picked up groceries from Cub Foods to make a beef stir-fry with peanuts. This morning, I began chopping all of the ingredients, including:

  • Red, green, and yellow bell peppers
  • Celery
  • Onions, yellow
  • Portobello mushrooms
  • Green onions to top each serving when served, including one ounce of dry roasted peanuts
  • Sirloin steak slices
  • Fresh minced garlic
  • Fresh minced ginger

Tom will use white rice as a base for the stir fry, while I will use riced cauliflower. We’re also adding various Asian sauces, such as wheat-free soy sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, and various spices, such as pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sesame oil, and salt.

I made a marinade for the meat using the above seasonings. After cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces, I placed it along with the vegetables in the refrigerator. I’ll cook them later, just before dinner. I will first sauteed the garlic, ginger, celery, yellow onions, and mushrooms in sesame oil until al dente and then add the meat.

When the meat is medium rare, I’ll add the remaining ingredients, including the bell peppers, which, again, I won’t cook until tender to ensure a bit of crunch, along with the green onions and peanuts topping. It will be a tasty dinner that we’ll savor for a few days.

It’s a relief to have all the chopping and dicing done. The remainder of my day will be easy and relaxing. It is a sunny day, and soon, I’ll get outside to walk. We hope you have a pleasant and relaxing day.

Be well.

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

We know this is a banana farm when we see these blue bags on the banana trees. They don’t use pesticides; instead, they use these blue bags to keep insects off the bananas. The first time we saw the blue bags was the day we arrived in Belize, many moons ago. For more photos, please click here.

Last night’s fantastic surprise at Billy’s Bar & Grill!…

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Tom and his long-time friend Tommy, whom he worked with for 42 years on the railroad. Tommy, a long-time reader of our posts, saw in yesterday’s post that we’d be at Billy’s and decided to stop by and see us! What a wonderful surprise!

It felt good to get out again after being sick for over a week. We made the 45-minute drive in traffic to Billy’s Bar & Grill in Anoka and were delighted to see some of Tom’s siblings and nieces once again. Sisters Margie, Colleen, Mary (and BIL Eugene), and Patty attended, as did nieces Jean and Kathy.

Happy hour began at 3:30, and we could all take advantage of special pricing on drinks. Since I hadn’t had a drink in two weeks, I ordered a small serving of Cabernet Sauvignon and an unsweetened iced tea to sip back and forth between the two. As it turned out, I had several glasses of tea (free refills), and the wine lasted the entire time.

Shortly after our beverages arrived, I noticed a man come up behind Tom and began massaging his shoulders. I didn’t recognize him for a second, but after another moment, I knew who it was and was delighted to see Tom’s (our) old friend Tommy, whom we hadn’t seen in several years.

Over the years of our world travels, both Toms have stayed in touch, but often, he and his dear wife Carrie were in Arizona, where they spend part of each winter to escape Minnesota’s cold and snowy climate, as is the case for many Minnesotans. The winter travelers are often referred to as “snowbirds.”

Tom, Tommy, and BIL Eugene had a lively conversation. As you can see, Tom used his hands to talk, which always made me smile.

Moments after he and Tom exchanged warm greetings, Tommy meandered his way over to the opposite side of the large round table where I was seated, and he and I chatted for quite a while. I knew Tom was choppin’ at the bit to talk to him, so finally, I encouraged him to return to the other side of the table. Tom pulled up a chair for him, and the lively and animated conversations began.

As shown in the above photo, Tom was so happy to see him. His hands were talking, and so was his voice, a habit I find adorable. I can almost tell what he’s talking about by watching his hands, although they do not resemble sign language. I couldn’t tell what they were talking about from my place at the table, but I could tell they were having a great time.

The evening flew by in a blur, and after we said our goodbyes to Tommy, we engaged with the family, and before too long, we were on our way back to the hotel, arriving by about 8:00 pm. We settled in for the night, streamed a few shows, and headed to bed by 11:00 pm.

It was a fitful night, but we’re doing well. Tom left a while ago to swap out the rental car for another and will return shortly. At 2:00 pm, we’ll drive less than a mile to Cub Food to pick up our week’s groceries from an order I placed this morning. I will make a beef stir fry tomorrow, enough to last a few nights.

Today at 4:40, we’ll drive to Chanhassen to meet Peggy and Maury for dinner at Houlihans, which has an excellent menu suitable for my way of eating. It will be another good day.

Be well.

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

This is a view of the living room in the house we booked for Australia in the coming months. For more photos, please click here.

The social calendar is filling in once again…Feeling unmotivated…33 years and counting…

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The veranda in the house we booked in Fiji. What a view!

Now that we’re feeling better, our social calendar has been filled with fun get-togethers with friends and family. Staying busy is the best thing we can do right now. It makes the waiting all the more bearable until we leave on August 25. Plus, looking forward to fun events is almost as exciting as the event itself! Well, maybe not quite as much!

Instead, when I got up, showered, and dressed for the day, I decided to do my nails in preparation for two social events this upcoming weekend: one, going to Billy’s Bar and Grill tonight with Tom’s siblings and two, out to dinner tomorrow night to Houlihan’s with old friends, Peggy and Maury whom we haven’t seen in quite a few years.

Last night, I slept well, never awakening during the night. I awoke feeling refreshed and ready for a new day, but for some odd reason, I felt unmotivated to go outside and walk. What’s the deal? The walking is tedious, especially when I can hear the sounds of the nearby freeway, and the scenery around the hotel grounds is boring and commercial. I need a nature and wildlife fix!

In my usual way, I would have done the walking anyway, hardly ever giving myself a break from obligations. Walking by myself is not fun, especially in this mundane location.

It is odd for me to feel unmotivated. I’ve always been a person of considerable self-discipline, although occasionally, I give myself a break, and instead of doing what I should do, I do what I feel like doing, and today is one of those days. I think, in part, I find the walking difficult, and I dread the painful process.

It’s hard to motivate oneself to do something that causes pain and discomfort, even when we know it’s good for us. After I have the surgery, I will need to walk several times a day to speed up the healing process. I’d better prepare myself for this eventuality and push forward. I’ll see if I can muster the determination to do what I must.

Today, it is 33 years since Tom and I met in 1991. it’s hard to believe so much time has passed. Despite our differences, we are very fortunate that we are still very attracted to one another and thoroughly enjoy each other’s company, especially when we spend so much time together.

Even during the difficult recovery period we experienced after my last open-heart surgery, we have done so well. Now, facing another such period, I find comfort in knowing what a great caregiver Tom is and that we’ll breeze through it once again, hoping to come out on the other side and be able to continue our world travels.

That eventuality is up in the air right now. I’m five years older and not as fit as I was then. That fact alone should motivate me to get outside and do the walking.

OK, I’ve talked myself into it. I will put on my shoes and head outdoors on this cloudy day to walk. We’ll see how I do.

Have a fantastic weekend, and be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 28, 2014

We booked three months in Fiji. We lived on the island of Vanua Levu in the village of Savusavu, which is situated north of the main island of Fiji, away from the bulk of the tourist hubbub on the main island of Fiji. For more photos, please click here.

Traveling, but love to listen to music without paying?…

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There are endless rows of terraced gardens on the island of Madeira.

Over the past week or so, we’ve been posting some products and services we’ve been using that have added to the enjoyment of our worldwide travels over the past 12 years. An integral part of that enjoyment has been listening to music, especially at the end of the day when we’re sitting outdoors on a veranda or patio.

We’d often partake in a cocktail (for Tom) and a light wine (for me), making the simple activity seem like a night in the town. Dinner will have been prepped and ready for cooking to add to the pleasant evening as it progressed and the sun disappeared on the horizon.

While we are in the US right now, without a veranda or patio and in a public location where we can’t make noise, we’ve had to forgo this pleasant pastime. Once we can be on the move again, we’ll undoubtedly begin again, hopefully next year in South Africa.

Over the past several years, we have listened to music on our phones using a Bluetooth speaker with such clarity and sound quality that it’s been astounding. Recently, we had to replace a JBL speaker that stopped working (they wear out after intended use), but we found another for only $39.99 on Amazon at this link. Following is a photo of our new speaker:

Portable Speaker, Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, IPX7 Waterproof, 25W Loud Stereo Sound, Bassboom Technology, TWS Pairing, Built-in Mic, 16H Playtime with Lights for Home Outdoor – Black

When we made the above purchase, we wondered if it would be as high quality as the JBL speaker we had, based on the price. But the quality was equally good; we couldn’t imagine it would have been better. Since Tom is hard of hearing (his hearing aid appointment is coming up on August 1), having a speaker has been necessary for listening to music, podcasts, and streaming shows using our laptop as the broadcasting device.

When we’re streaming to the TV monitor, it’s easy to increase the sound using the remote, which is suitable for his hearing ability. But if we’re streaming a show on my laptop at the table during dinner, the laptop’s sound doesn’t get high enough or clear enough to use it exclusively.

Right now, during this waiting period, we are listening to or watching something for most days and nights: streaming podcasts during the day and streaming services in the evening. Of course, when we’re feeling better, we are out several evenings each week, such as this upcoming Friday and Saturday nights when we’ll be out with family and friends.

Undoubtedly, it helps our state of mind to stay distracted with interesting morsels in podcasts, movies, and series. In between listening, I head outdoors to walk, and so far this morning, I walked for 15 minutes in one session, which was the first since my legs hadn’t been working so well.

To avoid “paying for music,” we often use YouTube, not YouTube Music, which requires a membership. Type in the name of a favorite song, and you can play it for free. Eventually, your smartphone will remember the songs you picked, and your list of favorites will be readily available—there is no need to pay. In the worst case, if your list doesn’t build automatically, you can type in your favorites and hit “save.”

Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member, as we are, we have access to 100 million songs ad-free, the largest catalog of ad-free podcasts, and thousands of playlists and stations included with Prime at no additional costs.

Of course, there are many other music streaming services, some free and some with monthly or annual fees. By searching online you can find many different options you may prefer.

If any of this is unclear to you, please don’t hesitate to ask, and we’ll post the answers to our questions here.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 27, 2014:

These unusual flowers hung from a short tree. For more photos, please click here.