Thursday, December 22, 2022

Mike is getting nudgy having all the open time this week. Not too bad for me with all my appointments but he is a little stir-crazy. Lesson learned for the future - make plans for more activities with Mike.

We did take a long walk on the Cape Cod Canal yesterday: 4.5 miles. Then last night we ate out at an Italian place downtown. Today I get my hair cut/highlighted, then we are meeting a friend of Mikes for lunch. We will watch Topgun Maverick on the TV tonight. Tomorrow he will be nudgy again as it will be windy and rainy. I have a doctor appointment, wrapping and cookie making to do but he has nothing. If it weren't going to be so nasty out he would probably drive the hour to his place and blow the fall leaves out of the bushes but that won't work with the weather.

Speaking of which, the single bathroom in his house is being redone from the studs starting 12/29. It will likely take a couple of months but will have a beautiful walk-in shower, tile floor, etc. when done. The ex-wife has to move out for at least that time period so he is hoping she will look for an apartment. Not likely: she was gone for over 2 months this summer but just stayed at her daughters even though her commute to work was about 90 minutes (though it is the same from the Cape house). Mike doesn't understand why she keeps doing that commute for the type of job she has (nurse). But most everyone else does: she wants to retire to the Cape house even though she gave it up during the divorce 17 years ago. Sigh. Not my problem. He was planning on telling her she has to leave the house for 5 months this summer instead of the 2 this past summer. That would mean 7 months elsewhere for her.

On another note, we are planning our travels around our Tahiti honeymoon in April. We may tack on New Zealand, Australia, and a few days in Hawaii. Six weeks on the go seems like a lot to me though we did travel for 3 months early this year.

Time to get more coffee. Have a thinking Thursday!

Ooh, definitely New Zealand. One of the most beautiful places on the planet! We did the South Island.

Or Melbourne and you can see Shirley!

Good morning! Woke up at 6am and made a trip to the bathroom and then I was able to fall back asleep until 8:30am. Glorious!!! Read the paper, drank tea, and puttered around. Now I have Boz Skaggs on the CD player (yes I'm old) and the pasta shell factory is open. 4 pans. Better get started!!

Greetings all

All is well in earthquake land. There have been aftershocks but we have not felt any. I have noticed around the room some pictures are crooked. We have friends who live down in the Eel river valley and are relieved to hear they are well. They live in this hippy sort of house on a hill in the woods so I was kind of worried. But power is back and they are fine. Peps, this is the breeder of my dogs.

Liz you are making me want to travel again. Tahiti sound great as does NZ. Wish they were closer. And how do you pack for 6 weeks? Some cruise ships have beauty salons though not sure I would trust color to them. I had a facial/spa treatment on a cruise ship once and it was rather lame. Hope the ex exits gracefully so the bathroom can get done and she can get her own life. Sounds like Mike needs a hobby.

DH is off to the dentist for the appointment that was supposed to have been on earthquake day. Meanwhile I decided to order a mixed case of wine as a gift to our friends who lost the chimney and 10 bottles of wine to the earthquake. Least I can do. I bought ground beef and ground pork for a meatloaf tonight. My cooking project for the week. Somehow a bag of potato chips made it into my cart at the health food store. They have just as much junk food as other stores but it's organic and more expensive.

CC any more balloons? Seems odd that people would do that in the winter but lucky for you that you get to see them.

Peps hope your dad is settled without too much drama. And hope that Ron's scan is good. Does your dad's place allow pets or pet visitors? Once my niece brought her dog to see my mom and everyone was begging her to bring the dog to see other residents.

DD old music is the best. Bring on them shells!

Diane S

Seems like every sunny, non-windy day there are at least 4!

Dad is settling in very well. His place allows pets and there are many residents with dogs. It's really nice to see them walking their dogs around the grounds.

Today was a trip to get my windshield replaced in Prescott. All done! My "stepmom" went with me and we walked to the town square and all around it, but none of the stores opened until 11. Weird. So we walked back, my car was done and we went to the Safeway up there. I'm so jealous! It was so nice and HUGE compared to Sedona's Safeay. We did the big Christmas shop and 3 nights of dinners, plus some breakfast odds and ends and alcohol for the folks.

You know what is nowhere to be found in AZ? Heavy cream. So weird. I finally found some at Whole Foods and got the next to last carton.

Off to make salmon and salad for dinner...

What no whipping cream.,,!,,not cool, prices are sure up but really? Hope you find what you need

ds

The weather here is so brutal. I'm sad DS probably can't come home until Saturday. Maybe he can try tomorrow, we'll see. Being stranded is not an inconvenience, it becomes a matter of life and death in some situations. So, I'd rather he wait, and be safe, than get stuck in a blizzard tomorrow...

Anyhow, it looks like this storm is having a huge impact around the country. So good that CCs folks are already safe and sound in Arizona.

My big accomplishment was putting together 4 pans of stuffed pasta shells. I didn't feel like I got much done, but in retrospect, I cleaned the kitchen twice, rearranged the freezer, took out the trash twice and the recycling once, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher and made dinner, so I guess it was more than just the shells. My energy is still not all the way back to normal. I'm hoping extra sleep during break is going to give me more zip. Thanksgiving break helped.

Best that DS and everyone is safe. We are lucky that we are mostly just having high winds and some rain (but not a lot).