Ho Hum, Not Much Going On!

We had our neighborhood birthday lunch this past week.  Only Gail and I had birthdays this month but Jeanette made a carrot cake from scratch for all of us.  I even brought a piece home for Ted.  I got my haircut over the weekend before we went to church and that was about it through the weekend.

I am stressing over the kitchen cabinet refinishing.  I have had a dozen samples but I still have not zeroed in!  But I think I am getting close, down to about four.

The fence guy is still coming back after exams about landscaping the two back corners.  I guess the delay worked well for us though because the second internet company is in our neighborhood laying cable.  The box was put next door but cable will be laid in front of our new fence.  

I had a GYN appt and found out Dr L. who received my mammogram results last year and brought us in to give us the news, had heard nothing else from MDA.  It probably was because after the original hospital jerked me around for six weeks, I jumped ship to MDA and they just assumed my follow up care!  I will see if I can get him listed on my team.  It is best to keep everyone in the loop.  Even though MDA will take over my bi-yearly mammogram, there is still things for Dr. L to oversee.  

My second Doc Talk was canceled because the doctor presenter was ill.  That ruined my plans for attending and having lunch with Nancy!

Ted is in San Antonio shooting in Nationals with friends Tal and Gary.  The Ohio people didn’t come this year.  My brother had surgery and can’t shoot for six weeks, so the free Air BnB disappeared and one golf cart.  It got too costly with fuel too and they bailed.  Ted, Tal and Gary split the rented golf cart charge, stayed at Fairfield Inn and they are enjoying themselves.  

We are expecting Keith and Steve on Thursday when their ship docks in Galveston.  I have some things planned so maybe my next blog will be more interesting.  

Stay tuned!

An Amazing Visit

 

The house as we approached.  I think they said it was 20,000 sq. ft.  I did not take photos of the personal baths and bedrooms but they were exquisite.  

It 

The back “porch”,  pool and outdoor kitchen.  

The upstairs media room.

The downstairs rooms. 

A beautiful mural depicting Daniel in the lions’ den.  There were antique Stations of the Cross in large paintings from France flanking the upstairs hallway.  Several of them appear in our group photo.

We were treated like royalty from the time we arrived.

 

A view from the front steps of the beautiful grounds.

I did not take photos at the country club where we enjoyed a delightful lunch.  It is on the grounds of the old Tenneco valve and pipe location where they had a recreational park for employees until it was turned into a country club.  There was a bunker built in 1962 during the Bay of Pigs era which is now a wine cellar and event center.  We were able to tour it too.

All in all, a fabulous day!  We were bussed there on Harris County buses available to seniors so our day involved only buying our own lunch.  The owner of the home worked side by side with us ladies for 10 years as well as serving as president of CWJF for one year.  We serve seniors, children and families in the community, hoping to make a difference in their lives.  

 

Aching Has Started

One of the side effects of my endocrine therapy is joint pain.  My hips and back have started just that.  It is not like an excruciating nerve pinched pain, but rather a stiffness, sore muscle type.  It mostly bothers me when I drop something.  I stop to consider “do I really need to pick that up” and getting off the couch.  I am like an origami unfolding itself.  Once up and moving I am ok.  I will try to deal with this with Tylenol Arthritis pills and Ted’s Voltaren back cream.  I have an appointment for a mammogram and dr visit the end of November and hopefully I can deal with this until then.  I think Dr. O may want to try one of the other pills.  I think there are about 5.  I HAVE to take them for 5 years so there is plenty of time to keep trying different things.  

I did go to the dermatologist to have the clogged cyst removed that two different nurses noticed on my back.  Dr. W said I have a lot of “normal” things but none are cancer.  Come back in a year.  I think retirement is just a transition to becoming a professional patient!

My birthday fell on our regularly scheduled Shanghai card game and dinner at the country club.  My total (you want low) for games 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 was 5 points.  My total from not getting down in game 5 was 134!  Victory snatched from the hands of the birthday girl!

I visited with a friend who had surgery on Wednesday while her husband attended to some business things.  Thursday was my last class in Legacy and Estate Planning.  I came home with a whole sheet of follow up I hadn’t even thought about!  I reached out to the lawyer who spoke to us and agreed to drop off our 20 year old legal documents for her perusal.  The biggest thing is appointing a Successor Trustee.  One  is mentioned, but no one was named.  All the information for us and the children was out of date.  One marriage, one divorce and a whole lot of moving around needs info updated.  

We got our new fence on Friday.  This young man is a glowing example of an entrepreneur!  He is just approaching graduation from A&M and has an efficiently run business already.  He stayed in contact with me every step of the way.  He had the gas, electric and cable people out to mark the yard before I even knew it.  And right behind them came the workers and the boards!  He ground the stump from the tree we had cut down and will return to talk landscaping for the two corners of the yard!  

Up next is the kitchen cabinets decision on what to do if anything.  Apparently red oak is passé and dates your decor.  They are 20 years old and can be colored to blend better with the floor so we will see.  They look fine so it is not something I am totally sold on.  

Our weekend was quiet, nothing special going on.  Monday was Canasta and because we played 5 individuals instead of partners, we didn’t keep score so no one won.  We mostly talked a lot though.

Tuesday was 3-13 and Shirley won.  Out of 20 rounds, she knocked 11 times, several times right out of the chute!  That means she had 0 points and we had whatever was left in our hands.  We play 3 to king, then reverse back to 3.  We try to time lunch in the middle.  We were all the way back to 5 or 6 when we ate and were out the door while the other tables were just making the turn.  

The Astros are in the playoffs and the first game started off lousy!  By the time the Mariners were a good bit ahead we turned it off.  Imagine our surprise when after dinner we learned they won in a walk off home run!   

Wednesday I went on a CWJF Sustainers Outing.  We are those who served 10 years and no longer have “work” requirements but want to continue the camaraderie we built over that decade.  We were touring the house and grounds of a member then lunched at the country club where they are part owners.  Certainly a day of how the other half lives!  I will start a new page of just photos!

Birthday Weeks

Ted’s birthday was last Tuesday.  He turned 78!  That beautiful young boy I met in 1960 has turned into an elderly, polite gentleman I am so proud to be married to.  It will be 58 years next April.  We chose to go to Saltgrass for dinner because we have a Landry’s card and the birthday reward is only good for a set period.

On Monday we had a fence builder over on a friend’s recommendation and he will be replacing our back fence but not the two extensions that reach our neighbor’s corners.  The owner of the house for sale was adamant he didn’t want to do anything to the  “good neighbor fence” and the other side said do whatever and let me know what I owe.  Zack said from a strength standpoint, both sides are still sturdy.  The back is rotting after 20 years so it is time.  He will get back to us when he is ready to start.  

Wednesday I was glued to The Weather Channel.  Our daughter Kristin lives in Orlando, my sister in Punta Gorda, a brother with a winter place in Fort Myers and friends we just spent time with in Alabama who also live in Fort Myers.  My sister has a tree through her roof, my brother’s car was floating on the ground floor below his condo, Kristin had wind and rain with some flooding in the streets but she did not even lose power.  I have been unable to reach our friends and am getting terribly worried.

Being up most of the night I was tired and not feeling well so skipped my class.  I tried to join the Zoom Class but you need to get the password to join beforehand.  I was bummed.  I really wanted to hear the lecture and what the second lawyer had to say.  I should get a copy of the lecture via email.

I am working on what we will do while Steve and Keith are here.  They arrive in Galveston at the end of the month by cruise ship.  They will be with us from Thursday until Tuesday morning when they will fly out of IAH for home in Connecticut.  It has been several years since they have been here when we docked in Galveston after a trans Atlantic 16 day cruise. 

We did hear from our Fort Myers friends.  They were unable to get to her sister because of the water surge.  They had no water inside but lots of trees down.  They were without power and cell service.  Their motorhome was locked in outside storage, got flooded, and is “trashed.”  Their daughter and family are coming to help them clean up.  Luckier than most!  Prayers answered!

We had to skip Communion for our neighbors as they entered their second week of Covid.  He is 90 and slipping.  She is late 70s and does fine.  Their son came from NC to visit and I am sure to assess the situation.

We went to Maggiano’s with Tommy and Susan for a late lunch for her and my birthday on Monday.  Then later on we went to Minute Maid park to see the Astros LOSE!  We did get Dusty Baker AL championship rings.  Wish I had grandsons who would like them.  One real one was given away.