Happy Halloween 2019

I am sitting around in my room in Portsmouth. It is cloudy but not rainy out right now so hopefully that will hold. Unfortunately I seem to be coming down with some illness as I am stuffed up and my throat hurts. It is the second time in a month after not having a cold for more than a couple of years. I can't help but wonder if it is the aftermath of getting to stop being a caretaker. I remember years ago when I went to college and grad school at night. Invariably I would get sick during the semester break right after finals.

It was a mixed day yesterday. The old friend who I hadn't seen for 40 years turned out to be a bore. He talked constantly about all the wonderful accomplishments in his life and how important he was. I was so glad when lunch was over! I had dinner in a nice place on the river which I have been to a few times in the past. I ate at the beautiful wooden bar with a bunch of regulars. Great scallops wrapped in bacon!

Interesting factoid about Portsmouth: They always have trick or treating on October 30, then a Halloween parade on October 31.

I am meeting a former co-worker for lunch today. He is retired as well and I haven't seen him since I left work two years ago. I anticipate a much more enjoyable time - We worked together in one capacity or another for over 35 years and always got along well.

I'll get back to Cape Cod around dinner time so will probably meet SIL somewhere as I don't have anything to give out for Halloween.

Have a haunting Halloween!

Picture of DH with robotic cat:

Great picture

Looks like hes enjoying the cat :)

I love those robotic cat thingies. Such smart inventions.

A quick note to let everyone I'm back home ... but I am having a terrible time making the time adjustment after three weeks in a 7-hours-different time zone. My friends are telling me that the older we get the harder this adjustment is. Last night I stayed up late (for the first time****il around eleven o'clock. But slept only three hours. Ugh. I know this will pass, but it is wearing me out!

But if you were following me on FB while I was gone you know I had a WONDERFUL time! I didn't post pix from Paris, because it began to feel a bit neener-neener (I'm getting more conscious of not wanting to photobomb FB friends and relatives with all my travel pix) and also didn't feel I needed to show everyone yet one more time what Paris looks like.

Am also dealing with a dental crown situation (had an appointment early Tuesday morning -- yowzah!). Have book club tonight but haven't finished the book yet. Ah, life's homework is never over, although I do love this book and will try to fini**** this afternoon if I can keep my eyes open.

It is good to be home. But boy, did I have a good time. One of the best things about the trip is that my French really did come through -- not that I spoke it well, but I really felt comfortable speaking it badly. I definitely feel my NOLA French study goals were accomplished: (1) I'm comfortable speaking "tourist French" in France and (2) I definitely know enough French now to feel comfortable studying French in France sometime in the future. Not sure when that will happen, but it's on the bucket list.

I haven't weighed yet (haven't had the courage). For now, my main attention is on resting and sleeping better.

Hugs to everyone!

Ann

Welcome home! Good luck getting time adjusted: It sure isn't easy.

Welcome back Ann x Good to hear your voice

Melatonin can help with jetlag

Greetings Spooks

Trick or Treat! Have a good time everyone. We are preparing for the onslaught of 400 kids here in our tract home neighborhood. Looks like the weather will be great. I have about a bathtub full of candy and ingredients for soups and finger food. These days I get sort of panicky about entertaining because my hands don't work so well. So I made a list of things to do with timing and it makes me much calmer.

Everyone is hereby given special dispensation by fearless leader to eat one piece of Halloween candy. But after tonight its candy lockdown. I will take what I have left to the studio or senior center.

Liz sorry your lunch was a bore but its interesting to find out how people progress in life (or not). Hope the later event was fun. Love the pic of DH with the robot cat. Hope he liked it as much as he appears.

Ann, welcome back. We love seeing your pictures on FB and want to hear all about it. Bet you don't get kids coming to your house for candy so I hope you get to lounge about.

Peps and DD good luck in the sugar gauntlet at school. Hint to mothers: bring grapes and cheese cubes to school rather than cookies.

Shirley I am ignorant - is Halloween a big deal in Australia? Hope so as its a fun holiday. Lots of local chatter here about people whose kids eat only organic and should they insist on that for their kids - getting rid or the ordinary candy and replacing it. Too politically correct for me. I bet most of those kids go eat junk every chance they get.

Grateful for friends and for electricity. Thank you Niccola Tesla. Diane S

Good Morning - Well Halloween is over here in Australia. I had chocolate frogs ready in case we got any trick or treaters but did not see a soul. I think other areas that posted on Facebook etc faired better. Our area is very hilly so I think that puts a lot of the parents off. I might give the frogs to the girls next door.

Diane - to answer your question. Halloween isnt huge over here. There is participation but not the level of the States.

Im sipping my first cup of tea, washing is on and Im finally feeling like I am organised again. We head to the farm tonight - my mum is coming so that will be nice.

I was called back to the drs yesterday for a review - ahead of the apt I had booked for this morning - that always gets you worried that they dont want to wait that extra time!. I started coming up with what looked like bites during the funeral/burial time. I ignored it - putting it down to stress etc. Well then I developed a boil on the back of my leg - again I thought ok I am exhausted and my body is showing me just how. Then I developed a blistering sore on my shin - that became red and angry overnight. I went to the dr - he burst it and sent a sample off to the lab. Well the results are in - I have a Staph infection - joy !!! They started me on a course of antibotics till the lab results came back - which are resistant. So I am now on a second lot. Coming up in more spots daily and feeling a bit miserable but hoping the strength of the antibotics will knock this fast as I believe it can be hard to shift. So for now I have 2 x benadryl at night to stop me scratching in my sleep and keep the wound on my leg covered. Iodine and antibacterial ointment are my friends

The agenda today is just packing for the farm and putting the guest room back together while I wait for DH to get home. Then we will drive up in 2 cars. I have to take mums as she cant get into our truck. The well installation has been deffered as we are expecting a lot of rain sat & sun and it wouldnt be safe. So we will likely put it off for a month as DH is travelling for 2 1/2 weeks mid november.

Well I best go get organised. Happy Halloween to you all

S

Oh my goodness! That sounds concerning. Glad your doctors are on top of it and following up.