Monday, February 21, 2022

A beautiful days has begun in St. Pete beach. Blue sky, sun, gentle breeze... The beach beckons.

It is not a beautiful day for our dear son. He called us yesterday to tell us his girlfriend broke up with him. He said he didn't see it coming, and is devastated. We just saw them a few weeks ago, and they were talking about buying a house when their leases were up in November. We were resigned to the fact they would probably get married. I'm not sad that she is gone from our lives, she was a very difficult person. I am so sad for my son's broken heart though...

Not much planned for today except breakfast and then on to the beach. I read The Glass Castle yesterday, and I have another book to start today.

You beat me to it - I pressed Submit and your post was here! So sorry for your son, though it sounds like it was for the best. I am sure he will eventually see that too.

The Grand Canyon is breathtaking but so is the wind and cold this morning. It is 40 with wind gusting to about 25. First lesson of Grand Canyon as least during these times: BRING YOUR OWN FOOD! We do have a refrigerator but not a microwave so I need to buy something that doesn't have to be heated today. The wait for breakfast is 1/2 hour either standing in line or to sit down (and in the latter case you need another hour to get food). At dinner we were on the wait list for 1.5 hours which didn't really matter but the cost of food is the level of a high-end place for mediocre food. I kind of expected that but thought I could at least get coffee and something in the morning without a lot of grief.

We are off on a bus tour after which I will be famished and will probably have to eat something totally unsatisfying after a long wait. The guides we read on going to the Grand Canyon should have talked about this issue.

You can tell I am crabby right now. Hopefully this bus tour will be worth it.

Have a safe and healthy Monday!

Ugh! If you do find some food, you can make a temporary cooler with ice in a bag in your sink. No coffee maker in your room? I am finding the service crunch is disruptive for vacation zen. We went to 3 restaurants last night before we found a place to eat: take out on our deck!!! I hope your tour stops at some tourist trap gift shop where you can buy an overpriced snack.

Hangry !

Yep! We know how to be that way don't we???

Busy day today. Out at 7:30 to go pick up my friend's dog for the day. She's moving and didn't want her underfoot. Going to get my hair done, and I have a conference call as soon as I get home from that. At some point have to give the dog back (hoping they drive to my house to get her!). I also need to find a new electrician as the first one has gone MIA and I'm still in the dark in that room on day 4.

I'm just generally feeling overwhelmed! It's not a lot in the scheme of life, but to go from zero to this in less than 2 weeks is a lot. Like running a marathon, you have to work up to these things!

Food/weight gain overwhelm is also part of what I'm feeling. I need to snap out of it because I know I will feel less stress when I do, but stopping is hard. Since I'm in analogy mode, it's a bit like jumping off a fast moving merry-go-round that is making you nauseous. You'll feel better on solid ground, but the dismount is painful.

I don't mind working hard, but I don't like having things thrown into my lap, I like planning how and when ill accomplish tasks. I'd be feeling overwhelmed too.

Good analogy about the merry go round. Coming back to solid ground is often jarring.

I am feeling better (aka less crabby) after a great bus tour. It included most of the viewing points on the South Rim with a very good tour guide and stops from 1/2-1 hour in length. The canyon is awe-inspiring though I think the pictures may not show the differentials. I hope we get some great ones to blow up though! At one of the stops I bought small cheese packets, peanuts and power bars so I was able to nibble something and feel more prepared for tomorrow. We sat at the bar here when we returned and had some very tasty chili and chatted with an interesting bartender. So a rough start but a good day.

The wind is unbelievable though - you almost have to worry about being blown into the canyon. Gusts to 40+ miles per hour. Thank goodness we had the foresight to pack down jackets, hats, heavy gloves, etc. I may ship that stuff home when we return to Florida, but we REALLY needed it here today.

I've used heavy duty winter clothes here. When you need it you NEED it.

Greetings all

We are getting rain and cold today. I did have to go out for allergy pills and some grocery stuff plus a stop at the studio. Almost no where to park there. So different from the ghost town it was two years ago. We still require masks there as its essentially a recreational place. I am concerned about the lifted mask mandates as I think covid is not finished. Our gallery is following the state rules which lift mask rules for the vaccinated but who can tell. We get mostly tourists and they are from all over. Oh well, I will worry about that later.

Speaking of pills, I don't yet have a pill box but I only take 3 per day plus vitamins. Does anyone else hate swallowing calcium horse pills? Gotta admit to being delinquent about it and I can hear Dr. Cirangle scolding me.. I do find that I have to get out the three pills and set them down or I will forget if I took the small ones. Guess I do need a pill calendar box.

Dogs tracked in a huge amount of mud today. Tesla is digging a tunnel to China I think.

Store had some nice looking rib eye steaks so thats dinner tonight. One steak feeds both of us. One habit that has stuck with me since VSG is using small plates. Our dinner plates are salad plate sized. A dinner plate seems absurd.

later

dianes