happy half-century, Deatre!

I'm so glad John texted me an invitation last Saturday!

That's him, in the red shirt, offering a few words of thanks to all for helping to celebrate such a milestone birthday for her.

The birthday queen, complete with gold tiara and a sash proclaiming her to be "50 and fabulous!" offered us her thanks, too, and said "Time for cake!"

Hahahaha!

But not so fast!

We all have to sing "Happy birthday" and who better to lead the chorus than their daughter, Cecelia?

The beret-clad 21-year-old gladly piped up!

(smile!)

And the cake?

Their son Aaron, a strapping young high school junior who's taller than both parents, brought me a healthy slab of the double-layer concoction!

I thought it had polka dots throughout its vanilla layer - nope!

It's called a marble cake... but Deatre got a good laugh out of my interpretation of its construction!

(smile!)

I'm glad I finally decided to go.

The party was held at a new Spanky's in Pooler, a place I'd never been... and it was over in Pooler.

That meant I would need to travel at highway speeds to get there.

Yes, the weather was blue-sky sunny, with no chance of rain, and was warm, so the only thing stopping me, really and truly, was my fear of having a dizzy spell while there.

My fear about something that might not happen, a direct offshoot of my mistrust of my heart these days.

Sigh.

Fortunately, my cousin Bonnie had posted this positive message: "Your mind will always believe everything you tell it. Feed it hope. Feed it truth. Feed it with love."

No time like the present to do that very thing.

I had told John I would be there, so that's what I was going to do.

He was so thrilled that I'd come, even an hour late, that he'd vacated his seat by Deatre so I could sit with her!

That meant I was also with their son, and his girlfriend, and his BFF, and his BFF's parents.

What a welcoming environment!

And the party was buffet style, with plenty of Spanky's famous chicken fingers and spuds, and even a bit of salad for those who partake!

(That's an inside joke, as neither Deatre nor John are vegetable eaters.)

At my table, lots of stories of kids at school abounded, as well as tales of family vacations and college plans, and jobs the kids had - fun!

Then, after the cake, when others were heading out, John came over to visit with me and tell folks about his first date with Deatre (with me and Jeff there as moral support for him) and me being the first non-family to visit in the hospital after Ceelee was born.

I reminded him that we'd known each other much longer than that! All the way back to the beer loft at the Savannah Sand Gnats baseball games! And even farther back, to the trivia games hosted by Jeff at Sam Fink's Deli... ah, good times!

Yes, indeed.

Good times back then, good times today, good times ahead...

i thank You, God.

still no bruise

I'm a bit flummoxed, really.

I still have a bruise on my right forearm from the i.v. line they put in for the April 12th cardioversion procedure.

I still have a smaller bruise near the crook of my arm from the blood draw at the Savannah VA Center on April 29th, to check my TSH levels to check my Synthroid dosage.

 

However, my left forearm, which definitely feels rough from having been sanded by the coarse concrete surface from my fall on Tuesday, is still not purple.

So why is that the blood thinner has caused bruising at the other locations, but not there?

I honestly don't know.

I'm also a bit too tired to give it a lot of thought.

I had an 8:45 AM appointment with Dr. Cobb this morning, as a followup to that cardioversion that I had almost three weeks ago.

I had not phoned them when I fell on Tuesday, as I knew I already had this appointment waiting in the wings, so to speak.

I could tell he was surprised that I had fallen and not been more damaged.

I could tell he was impressed that I have taken such good notes of my blood pressure and heart rate readings and could speak knowledgeably of the trends I'd seen.

I could tell, too, that his assistant had not told him that she had told me on April 21st to go back to the higher dosage of the anti-arrhythmia drug (Sotalol).

He has reduced the dosage of that drug to half (40 mg), but still twice daily with meals.

With luck, that should stop the dizzy spells and ward off future falls.

He hopes so, as do I.

Meanwhile, I am to return to him on June 6th for another followup.

That's fine with me.

What's also fine with me is the price I paid for gasoline.

I'd made a note to stop by the Walmart Marketplace on Abercorn on the way home.

They have an ongoing price war with the Parkers across the street, so they have the best prices in town.

Today, it was $3.47 per gallon!

That's about twenty cents less per gallon than most other gas stations, even other Parkers.

I'm glad my little Saturn still gets more than 30 miles per gallon from my little bit of driving around town.

I keep hearing folks complain about gas prices, but I haven't seen huge increases; rather, it hovers between $3.69 and $3.79, as it has for months.

Anyway, I'm tired, so I'm going to catch up with those two hours of sleep I missed.

Nighty night!

that'll leave a bruise...

So, there I was, having a pretty nice day, getting things done.

My new neighbor, Ray, is getting a new roof and he'd called in a tree man, John, to clear off the oak overhang so that task could be accomplished.

As I'd carried the laundry out to the car, John had come over to make sure the branches he'd taken down weren't in my way.

I took advantage of the situation to ask him about trimming the oak limbs above my roof as well, plus the crepe myrtle limbs draping on top of the sunroom roof.

Sure, he'd take care of it for me!

Even better, he'd only charge me $75, as he was already working at the house next door.

Oh, and he said he'd even accept a check! No trip to the bank needed!

So, off I went to the laundry in Sandfly, glad to have a task unexpectedly checked off my list!

Then I washed the two loads of laundry (towels and panties, then shirts, nightgowns, socks, face coverings, and pants), got all dried and loaded into a cart, and then got it out to, and into, my car.

Good deal!

But that's where it all went wonky.

After I got the cart back into the laundry, I took off too quickly...

and immediately got super dizzy, super fast...

and ended up flat on the concrete.

Fortunately, I immediately had a crowd of people around me, all trying to help, many of them women older than me.

I knew to roll over and onto my knees, so the strong young man who had showed up would actually have a chance at helping me up.

That worked, with me placing my hands on his shoulders and him grabbing me under my arms, me using him to help me stand as he lifted me toward him.

Then Ambar at the laundry brought me some water and I sat at the table outside while a former nurse checked my pulse ("Is it always this low?"; "Yes, I'm on Sotalol.") and I looked at the damage to myself.

Wonder of wonders, only my left arm had been involved, but it's gonna hurt tomorrow.

I've washed it with soap and water, then washed it twice more with saline solution.

It's also spent some time getting chilled to help bring down any swelling.

i thank You, God, that the scrape against the concrete didn't break the skin.

Even so, I'm going to have a monster bruise all over my forearm.

Right now, I have Dermaplast sprayed on it to help soothe it, and it's wrapped lightly in gauze to help give it a bit of protection.

I'm a bit concerned about what the cardiologist is going to say when I see him on Friday morning.

It was to be a simple follow-up appointment to the April 12th cardioversion; now, I have to wonder what he'll do about these dizzy spells.

It isn't like that was the first one I've had on the new anti-arrhythmia drug.

But, usually, I feel them coming on and have time to grab something and just STOP.

And, usually, I know immediately that I took off too fast or stood too fast, so taking a moment to just STOP and stand in place, leaning on something for support, does the trick.

Today, I felt the dizziness coming, but couldn't get to the pillar in time.

i thank You, God, that there were so many around to help me.

Let that be a reminder to myself to t-a-k-e m-y t-i-m-e.

No one expects me to move fast, except me, and I need to get over it.

Sigh.

At least when I got home the oak limbs were no longer scraping at my new roof's Golden Cedar shingles.

Nor were the dead, Spanish-moss clad fingers of the crepe myrtle clawing at the flat surface of the sunroom roof.

Not only that, but the tree man had broken down the branches to the size required by the city for pick up, stacking them nicely down by the street.

Tomorrow, with luck, they'll be hauled off, but I suspect that will actually happen next week.

It's going to take the claw truck to get those up!

Still, what a relief to have that 6-foot to 7-foot canopy over my house, as promised by the tree surgeon.

I do hope he'll come by tomorrow so I can pay him.

(smile!)

And I do hope my left arm will be better than expected tomorrow.

Good thing I have dense bones.

she said, he said - say what?

Clearly they were hearing the same words, just interpreting them differently.

How often does that happen?

He'd asked the contestant to describe her "perfect date."

Her reply was priceless!

"That's a tough one. I'd have to say April 25th. Because it's not too hot and not too cold. All you need is a light jacket."

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

Silly things like that always remind me of a conversation between my husband and my youngest brother with "egg salad" on both their faces!

Or, even more recently, between my middle brother and myself, over song lyrics.

Oh, yeah... good times!

world premiere of children's musical!

I really love that little giraffe splayed out there on the set - a toy, left in readiness for another play date, in a child's rush to go to school.

The child is an 11-year-old boy, going to middle school for the first time and concerned about being with the older kids there.

His dad comes to his emotional rescue!

He gives his son a "Backpack of Power", the same one his dad had given him, and that the boy's great-grandpa had given to the boy's grandpa.

The Backpack can sing and dance as well as being packed with good advice, all very helpful for getting a not-yet-teen's attention and holding it!

And just what advice did it have?

"Be powerful, be strong, be bold, and be brave!

Speak up when something wrong is happening!

Speak out when someone is wrongly accused!

Speak with respect to all you meet!"

Hey, that's good advice to advocate for diversity at any age!

Written by Kendra Norwood Brown, a teacher at Savannah Children's Theatre, the musical is to begin touring at middle schools after its two-weekend run.

I liked its flexible nature, allowing kids of any color to be cast as the protagonist.

I liked its fair depiction of black-on-black assumptions, not just the typical white-on-black or black-on-white prejudices.

I'd like it to see it with Hispanic Americans (like my nephews Sebastian and Gabriel) and Asian Americans (like my nephew Kobe), as they need to be able to visualize themselves and their faces in this helpful context and to know it's perfectly fine - no, it's absolutely vital - that they use their voices to help cause a positive change.

They have a choice to be part of the change toward a better life for all.

Be powerful be strong, be bold, and be brave!

Afterward, I felt a need to celebrate this outing with a meal I didn't have to prepare.

I was all dressed up, after all, and this was still the weekend.

(smile!)

The question was: what did I feel like eating?

Well, I had not been to a restaurant of any kind for a meal since I was out with Christina and her family. 

That left menu options wide open, like the space on this dance floor.

Did I have any gift cards on me?

I did not.

But, what's this?

My car, with it's almost 21-year-old mind of its own, had continued driving down Skidaway Road.

It was on a mission, apparently.

The Universe knew how much I had been craving Mexican food, especially Shrimp Ceviche...

and my dear Saturn, being of the Universe, took me to the Jalapenos in Sandfly!

Hallelujah!

I even got two orders of that delectable dish - one for tonight's dinner and the second tin full for tomorrow's lunch!

They even gave me a huge bag of chips and cup of salsa to make the "to go" meal complete!

Yes, this was the medicine my heart needed and my soul needed and my mind needed!

Thank you, my little car, and thank You, God, for a day spent where I needed to be.

(smile!)

out of the closet, 1 in 3

"Um, whatcha doin' with those clothes hangers, g'friend?"

Well, it's spring and that means time to go through the stuff hidden away.

"Sure, sure, I follow you. You've been doing that for a few years, ever since you lost Daddy and your friend Blaxstone Sam in April of 2009."

Yeah, this time of year puts me in mind of things left behind, things not used or even wanted any more, just stuff that someone has to plow through. Honestly, that goes back a little farther, to April of 2007 when Mother Pat died.

"That makes sense, in a sad kind of way."

Hey, it's all part of my loss adjustment methodology at this point. In April, I get rid of stuff so no one else will have to deal with it. On a positive note, it has been a huge help in clearing out stuff I've not even looked at in years. For instance, I had a suede leather coat that I know darn well I had not worn in better than twenty years, primarily because it was way too small. It also had a torn pocket and sleeve that made it look pretty shabby. Then there's the cloth jacket I once loved, pastel multicolor blocks with fireman's clasps for closure. I bought it while I was going to school at FSU, so it was more than thirty years old. As I'd worn it frequently, the cloth had taken a beating and was frayed and torn and, quite literally, rotting from overuse. Both of those went into the trash can outside.

"Well, that's a start at least."

 Oh, that's not all. The hall closet no longer has any hanging items in it. Like, at all. That makes two closets empty now of clothing. Mind, I still have three closets that do have clothes: in the bedroom, in the Ocean Room, and in the living room. But all winter items have been moved out of the bedroom and into the Ocean Room. Next up will be the 'gift closet', aka living room closet, to clear out stuff bought for kids no longer the right age. Someone at Goodwill shall receive them instead.

"That sounds like a good project. Still, though, you have not addressed the hangers."

Oh, yes, my train did jump off to a side track, didn't it? I actually have several of those satin-covered dress hangers, a gift from Mama many, many years ago. Most of them are still in good shape, like the purple one. As for the green one, it's clearly seen better days and that split cover will find its way into the trash. Then it will look just like the bare wood hanger. That means it'll be perfect for back scratching!

"Oh, that's a Jim Dandy of an idea!"

Oh, you betcha! I would have lost my mind in February if I hadn't stumbled upon that notion. You see, that first DCC had aggravated my left shoulder blade, where one of the huge electric shock pads had been placed. My first night home, I'd woken up going mad from an itch I couldn't reach and rubbing up against the door jamb wasn't cutting it. Then I remembered that bare wood hanger... and it's stayed on my night stand ever since.

"Very good!"

You're telling me. It's been a real sanity saver!

"So your post title refers to that lone hanger being out of the closet, whereas the other two have gone back in?"

You got it! Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to watch "Sue Thomas, F. B. Eye". I really like its plots and the fact that it stars a deaf woman. Very cool! I may even be picking up bits and pieces of ASL from it!

"Yeah, it is really good. So, later, chica!"

Hasta luego!

not just for grown-ups, y'all

"West Side Story" has been my favorite of the AARP Movies For Grownups series.

Yes, I already saw it at the cinema - twice - but that didn't stop me from watching it again tonight.

It isn't the love story that draws me in - oh, no, especially as Tony and Maria knew each other just a little over 24 hours.

That isn't love, it's lust, especially when talking of a twenty-something and a teen.

No, I'm there for the dance numbers and the clever songs and the rumbles and interactions between two groups of guys fighting each other, and the police, senselessly over derelict property that's to be torn down in weeks.

Early on, the detective told the Jets they were the "last of the 'can't make it' Caucasians" and the guys didn't even bat an eyelash over the insult.

Then, later, at the dance, when the person in charge tells the crowd that they're part of "a social experiment" and they're "the guinea pigs", rather than be chagrined the guys snort back at him as those animals would have done.

Squabbling over dirt was what they knew and all they wanted.

Not so for those who were part of the Sharks; they were proud to have jobs and to be heading toward a better tomorrow, even though that might not happen when the projects were torn down and preppy lofts were constructed in their stead.

So, since I've seen this movie so often over the years, why was I there tonight?

Well, I really like the changes to three of the songs in this new version.

It isn't the words that have been altered, it's the settings, and those are much better!

Take "Gee, Officer Krupke", one of my absolute favorites.
In the 1961 movie, the song was performed in the streets, but for this 50th anniversary film the boys are actually at the police station, left to their own devices after the cops all have to leave for some emergency.

The funniest part was the hooker there with them locked herself into the holding cell rather than be in the midst of these boys gone wild.

(smile!)

The next song that pleased me with its changes was "Cool", which featured an argument between Tony and Riff over a gun the latter planned to take to a rumble. 

In the 1961 movie, Tony was not even there in the warehouse when this number was sung, nor was Riff as he had died earlier; those are big changes.

I also like that this newer version had them on a dilapidated bridge pockmarked with holes in its wooden floor; perhaps an extension on the holes in the relationship of these two who had once been closer than brothers?

(smile!)

The final song favorite was, of course, "I Feel Pretty" (which I can hardly think about these days without picturing Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson singing with such glee!). 

In the 1961 movie, the tune was performed in the cramped apartment she shared with her brother Bernardo and his girlfriend Anita.

I really liked that it was given a dressed up opportunity to shine as Maria took advantage of her job in a fancy department store to ham it up as only an 18-year-old girl can, with her fellow employees catching her enthusiasm and joining in.

That was such fun!

(smile!)

I'd like to see this movie used in middle-school classrooms, I truly would.

History, diversity, values, economics, social studies... so many different areas that could be taught using lessons from this story, as a more modern "Romeo And Juliet" (which was its basis) with more approachable language for today's youth.

Seriously, the time for these lessons is when their critical thinking skills are being forged, before they hit their teens.

This is not just for adults.

everything morbius father!

Yes, I feel a bit giddy!

I have finally managed to complete my A*List trio for the first time in months!

Hard to believe... though, perhaps not, given my recent medical history.

Good thing I had little recovery time after that latest bout of anesthesia!

That meant I could drive after just a couple of days, so that helped.

I'm still not driving at night... but maybe I'll try that this week, see how it goes.

Mi amigas Barbara y Sandy preferamente las peliculas despues de siete.

However, as they have been so good about trying to get me to join them for an evening movie, even offering to come and fetch me and return me home, then I want to at least try to go out on a weekday evening and see how the lights of the the traffic effect me.

 

Speaking of them, Sandy joined me for a matinee screening of "Father Stu" yesterday!

That's the new Mark Wahlberg film, based on the true story of a boxer cum priest.

(I didn't realize until I read about the real guy that his middle name - Ignatius - was the same as my stepdad's, a man who considered becoming a monk after his first wife died.

I'm glad he didn't, as he would have missed sixteen years of marriage with Mama.)

Barbara is to join me for a matinee tomorrow, so that will be very nice!

Now, if only Carolyn would get well enough to be able to go to movies again.

She had almost recovered from getting COVID in early March, then someone recommended she try CBD products for her sciatica pain... and that landed her right in the hospital.

The doctor told her to stay away from those in the future, as they may contain a wide variety of other substances, and are not regulated like THC products are.

Good to know, right?

So, what about the other two movies?

Well, first of all, they were both science fiction.

"Morbius" was a variation on Batman, honestly, though he never claimed that title.

He did, at one point, tell someone "I... am... Venom!", but I'm not sure why, as that space alien (so well portrayed by Tom Hardy) has nothing in common with Central American vampire bats, nor with this character portrayed by Jared Leto.

I started out very much enjoying this scientist who was working so hard to help others who were ill while always hoping to find a cure for the disease he and his best friend had.

I had liked it even more when, after finding that the cure was temporary and caused vampirism, he had decided to take terminal action on himself and his friend, to prevent any more slaughter of anyone in their paths.

Best intentions don't always work out, though, especially when a girl enters the picture.

Still, I fully agree with my fellow blogger Thomas Houston.

He said, "It's the best movie of the year. Unfortunately, the year was 1991."

That had everything to do with its use of motion capture technology, I do believe.

In any case, it was an enjoyable movie, especially as it wasn't overly long.

That brings me to the first movie, which was excellent, for sure, but too long.

That said, it did have a good pace, so it didn't feel like I was in the seat almost three hours.

It was also good science fiction that was not tied to a Marvel universe or any graphic novel.

I very much liked that aspect.

Timing is everything, and having it's release tie in with income tax season was perfect!

Evelyn and her husband live above the laundry they run and the IRS agent (played with panache by a big-bellied Jamie Lee Curtis) has audited them for their slipshod box of questionable deductions.

Then there's the daughter, Joy, who is not anything at all like her name, and who has a very fractious relationship with her mom.

In fact, everyone seems to have a fractious relationship with Evelyn: her daughter, her husband, and her father, with all of them living together above the laundromat.

Add to the mix a series of alternate universes, all with mother-daughter, wife-husband, daughter-father issues, and a psychotic government agent trying to take them down.

Very imaginative and quite funny, with lots of adult humor!

But you know what my favorite part was?

The inside joke about the overly-long movie title and the lead character's name.

Of course, I might have overthought this... but I don't think so.

Consider this: if the first two letters of the words following the first are strung together, they phonetically spell the name of Michelle Yeoh's character.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" works out to be "Everything Ev-al-on"...

which is remarkably apt for this Evelyn-centric film!

Don't we each look at the world as evolving through our eyes, as a result of our actions?

What better embodiment of that concept than this movie!

 

I'm glad I had it to break the ten-day lack of cinema outings I'd had.

Before seeing that one on April 18th, I'd not been at a silver screen since April 8th.

On that occasion, I'd watched "The Lost City" yet again, and, as I've already waxed rhapsodic about it enough, I'll say bye for now.

Bye for now!

(smile!)

sweet and salty, just like me!

"What you talkin' 'bout?" 

These treats that were waiting for me after the blood draw!

"Now, you know you can't be giving blood on that Eliquis, right?"

Of course I know that. I find it a bit sad, too, as I was working on gallon 15 with the Red Cross, but maybe one day I'll be able to go back to that.

"So, just why did you have blood drawn?"

As you know, every six months I have to get tested to see if my Synthroid dosage needs to be changed. That means today was the day to have that done at the Savannah VA.

"Well, good work, then. So how did you end up with those snacks?"

Beats me! I guess someone had bought a surplus of the Boy Scouts' White Cheddar Popcorn and the Girl Scouts' Thin Mints and donated them for us veterans! All I know is these treats were piled up at the front desk and when I asked about them, I was told they were free. So I took one of each!

"How very kind of them! Something that benefited those two groups for kids as well as military folks!"

And me, too! 

"Yes, dear, and you, too."

(smile!)

random thoughts as 4:20 nears

How do you like these little pot heads?

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

As I told folks on fb, this made me laugh out loud, and I'm sure Mama would have laughed at it, too.

Here's the difference, though.

I lifted the photo from outlaw Melinda's sister's page and reposted it as my cover photo.

End of story.

Mama would have gathered the goods together to recreate the scene, most likely in a kitchen window.

I sure do miss her.

Maybe she would have had some helpful advice about dancing these days.
I had posted this image of the girl dancing with the Sandra Bullock quote ("The rule is you have to dance a little bit in the morning before you leave the house because it changes the way you walk out in the world.") as my fb profile pic back in February.

That's me, right?

At least, that's been me for most of my life, with my heart rate in the 60's.

And I could dance to anything and everything because I knew there were several choices for pacing: at tempo, at half-tempo, or at double tempo.

Choice is so important!

But how does one dance at 2/3 tempo???

That's what I'm faced with now, as my heart rate still hovers in the forties even though the anti-arrhythmia drug dosage has been halved.

Perhaps my head is overthinking my heart.

My body seems to be figuring it out on its own.

Basically, I just need to sit back and allow it to continue to do so.

I need to not take off at a gallop when I exit my car or walk through a door or head into a cinema or store or anywhere.

As long as I take my time and walk like a regular person, I do just fine and am able to go from hither to yon with no pauses in between.

Slow and steady, like the tortoise in its race against the hare.

Sigh.

Here's a funny sidebar!
When I said "adjusting to the low forties" yesterday, I had overlooked that it's spring here at Latitude 32 North.
What does that mean?
That the weather is all over the place!
Yesterday, the high was 70 F, but at night it dipped right back into... the low forties!
Hahahaha!
Just a few days of that nonsense, though, and we'll be back into the 80's for highs and the 60's for lows.

I much prefer that!

So do the spiderwort and dandelions.

All the rain we've had has made them only too happy to pop their colorful little heads out of the soil!

That's okay, as Smitty came to the rescue with his riding mower!

I bet it only took him about thirty minutes to set right the front yard, the side yards, and the back yard!

No more purple and yellow randomly dotting the green!

And just why had he come on this day instead of yesterday?

Well, that's because today is April 20th, aka 4/20, which makes it the last day to file the state sales tax report for March.

What... you expected me to say something else?

 

That reminds me: I need to take care of that for him, sooner rather than later today.

Breakfast is over and done, and boy howdy!

It was good!

I'd cut up three artichoke hearts and used those with my eggs.

Half of that omelet went onto an English muffin, was topped with a slice of lovely Gouda, then topped with the rest of the egg.

Yep, pretty good, and has an Egg McMuffin beat!

Now, to get those sales taxes done!

(smile!)

adjusting to the low forties

Yesterday, I went to the cinema for a movie.

That was my first time there in ten days.

Seriously... me, not at a movie, since 8 April.

That one, by the way, which seems so long ago, was a fourth - or maybe a fifth - viewing of "The Lost City".

I do so enjoy that hopeful-romantic / adventure / comedy!

And had I noticed something else special to that one?

There's a real-life Dash ("Jack", played by Brad Pitt) ...

and a dream-fake Dash (Alan, played by Channing Tatum), 

and they're both in this photograph, rescuing the novel writer!

What a great image, right?

I was very fortunate to have run into Carolyn for that viewing, as she was, by sheer happenstance, there to have herself a double-feature.

I was not able to stay for the second one though.

Partly, it's my medication schedule, and staying for another movie would have impacted that.

Partly, I couldn't stay because I would have had to drive in the dark.

I'm still not driving at night, so that's seriously impacted time with mi amigas.

Sandy and Barbara rarely make a matinee, doing most of their movie-watching after 7 PM.

The day will come when I'll be able to do that, but... baby steps for now.

But I've been getting out during daylight hours and there's plenty of afternoon films!

Hooray!

So, which movie did I see yesterday, and what did I watch today?

Well, stay tuned and I'll let you know - but not until my A*List is complete!

(smile!)

Meanwhile, how am I getting some exercise into my days?

I grab a buggy and push it around in a store for about thirty minutes, several times a week.

Now, lest you think I'm spending money like it was just paper, let me tell you my method.

When I enter the store, I always have one or two items that I need - milk, cheese, cereal, toilet paper, et al.

So, I go ahead to the part of the store with those items and I grab them and put them in the buggy, so it's no longer empty.

That's the key: with merchandise already in the buggy, I'm not inclined to randomly put other stuff in there.

That keeps me from spending money I don't want to spend and from cluttering up the house with stuff I don't need.

I told Paul about this 'exercise' routine and he wants me to get Cathy in on it!

Hey, I can try, but so many women are raised to gather, gather, gather!

Growing up poor, in a family with four kids, window shopping was all I could afford until I joined the Navy.

That's okay, though - I still like window shopping!

It's free!

(smile!)

I like good bargains, too, especially for items I need.

Take toilet paper, something I like to have on hand, especially since the madness of the early pandemic.

I'm not saying I stuff a closet with it, but once I've opened a package I keep an eye on it, and I try to make sure I've bought another when it gets half-empty.

Well, thanks to CVS for rewarding me with a 40% off coupon for 1 item almost every week, and thanks to Omron for rewarding me with $10 in Extra Bucks for buying my blood pressure monitor, today I purchased an 8-pack of Charmin Ultra Strong (but with the CVS brand on it) for the grand price of only $3.24, down from almost $12.

Woot woot!!!

Thanks, CVS, and thanks, Omron!

As for the rationale for CVS gifting me regularly with forty percent discounts, I think it's related to my regularly providing them feedback on the store surveys.

I was a mystery shopper for a group about ten or so years ago.

They would send me to gas stations, restaurants, clothing stores, and other places to check on how the staff treated customers, how the place looked, stuff like that.

I think the store surveys serve the same function, only now I'm getting 'paid' with discounted shopping at the store.

That works for me!

Now, it's time for dinner, which will be a toasted high-fiber English muffin topped with a mixture of black beans, diced tomatoes, and a dibble of shredded cheddar, all spiced Southwest-style.

After dinner is when I'll be taking the evening dose of Sotalol for maintaining my heart rate.

That rate has been hanging out in the low forties, but it's steady, and the little Omron hasn't been seeing irregular beats - and that's a relief!

The machine will keep count up to a three off-beats, and that area on the monitor has been blessedly clear for several days now.

What a relief!

i thank You, God!

reminder: talk to your doctor

(posted on facebook on 15 April 2022)
On Tuesday, April 12, I had a second direct current cardioversion. 

That's a good thing, as my heart rate was back in the 100's. 

Another good thing is that I had contacted the doctor about an issue with a new medication he'd prescribed after the ablation. 

On that office visit to talk about an alternative Rx he found my heart rate to be unacceptable and had scheduled the DCC.
Now, my heart rate is in the 40's, which is a little slow, but far easier on my organs than one that's far too fast. 

I'm also on a different anti-arrhythmia drug - Sotalol - that's easier on me, too, but is still doing its job of fending off A-fib.
All to the good!
Moral of the story: don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions about your treatment. 

You are the one who best knows your body.

---------------
Hallie Henry Allgood
You are so right! You have to be in charge of your own health. Good for you!❤️

JinHi Soucy Rand
I am so glad you are speaking up, and that your doctors are working with you to figure it out. Sending you big hugs. ❤️

Shavon Peacock
We are glad you are doing better now Tina! Hang in there!

Christina Smith
So glad to her you are improving! Love my Aunt Tina!

Susan Carlile
🧡love you Tina!

Rhonda S. Curby
I’m so glad they were able to help you sort that out. Keep on taking care of you my friend.

Fae Hill Kameron
Absolutely. Wendell had a heart cath in Sept. He was told that he had a 30% blockage in the “widow maker” artery and that they would keep an eye on it. He continued to have pain in his chest & down his arm. He stayed on top of it and requested another heart cath that took place on Mar 30th. The blockage was at 80% & he received two stents at that time. 

Carolyn Maggi
Great work on your proactive conversations with your doctors. So glad you are doing so much better. Now if l could just stay out of the hospital, we could get back to terrorizing the city!!!

Margaret Clay
Wow! What a journey! I’m glad you have good doctors and that you are asking questions!

Sandra Cherise Karlin
Glad to know you've found a medication that works better for you! Hope you continue to improve more and more each day! Love you!

Sharon Frain Novinger
Sending you much love!!💕

Sandra Voelker
That’s wonderful, that they are able to get you back to your fabulous self!

Michelle Davidson
Glad you are doing better!❤️

Lynn Engler
Cheers to you!!

Venita Johnson
So glad you are doing good.

Linda Combs
Take care and sending
prayers.

Jim Reed
Faustina, I was unaware of your health challenges and hospital stays, and am so sorry to hear you have been going through all of this -- but i am glad to hear that it sounds like you have a responsive, caring team of doctors!
Looking forward to seeing you again sooner rather than later, and I hope your recovery and stabilization continues as smoothly and fully as possible!

Stephen S Gerard
You are right Tina. Hope to see you at Grayson Stadium this season.

Marcia Ford
Sorry you was feeling bad. Hope you are feeling much better. Love you. Happy Easter

Sue Kosokowsky
Holy!!! Hope it's better soon!! As my two would say to me "No Sicky" kick it to the curb!!

Martin Johnson
Hey Tina, I'm glad you're asking all the right questions & the doctors are doing all they can and you're feeling better. Just for kicks & giggles, they did this thingy for Tony Stark on Iron Man where they put this thing on his chest that glows, I was thinking...nvm, just kidding! I'm glad you're doing better, stay healthy 🥰

Faustina Smith (not me)
Great advice! Glad to hear that things are better. Be well, be safe. 

- - - - -

So blessed to have so much love in my life!

i thank You, God!

siblings day? nah, spring break!

As is my norm several days during the week, I watch a little "The Price Is Right" with breakfast.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that Yodelly Guy has a sister!

At first I thought it might be Siblings Day, as all the contestants this morning were kids... but that was April 10.

So, it must be that it's spring break time!

I know that for Michael and the twins, in Effingham County, that was last week.

However, for Christina and her girls, this week in Liberty County is that time of year!

Good thing she also teaches Headstart in that county!

C J wasn't able to go to Virginia with them, though, as his school was not on spring break.

So complicated, right?

But here's Christina, Miyah, and Chloe, waving from the Wave Pool at the Great Wolf Lodge water park!

Well, she said they were waving... but I do't see any hands in the air!

Hey, as long as they're having fun, that's the main thing!

I do hope I'll be able to travel with them this summer.

I look forward to being back to myself again!

jellybean-pooping bunny!

Hey, I'm talkin' for real!

See him, just to the right of the water bottle?

C'mon, it's a big blue rabbit, hopping along the bunny trail on the counter!

Mary is even pointing to the colorful jellybeans left in its wake (after Smitty primed it and wound it up)!

Yeah the photo is a bit blurry, but I had to shoot fast to catch it!

That bunny can really go, go, GO!

And just who had Pop and Grammy bought that toy?

Kobe, of course, because what middle-school boy doesn't love a pooping rabbit?

Zach has really worked wonders with his son, who has become quite a little chatterbox after all these years - hooray!

We'd all convened over at the Dutch Island home at noon for the Easter feast.

Mary even made banana pudding from scratch - no pudding mix at all!

I had a bit and it was pretty good!

Afterward, we all bopped out to the back yard - us four, as well as Christy and Caitlyn.

Such lovely weather for this gathering!

With a high in the low 80's, it was definitely dress-worthy!

That meant my new birthday dress from 2021 was my garment of choice - bright, summery, and... with pockets!

And my very favorite part today?

Hugs from all when I arrived...

and hugs from all when we departed!

Even Kobe gave me a hug!

(smile!)

thanks, penny, for getting me lunch and dinner today!

Yeah, she's in Tallahassee, but she sent me the Jason's Deli card, so that certainly counts!

I had never had Shelley's Deli Chick croissant and found it's cool chicken salad, with pineapple and almonds, to be a very nice change of pace for lunch.

For dinner, I'll be having the Club Royale, which promises to be a savory meat delight with its bacon, ham, and smoked turkey.

One thing's for sure: I'm so grateful to not have to look in the pantry and the fridge to try to decide what to make.

What a definite treat from the task of adulting!

The photo above is not of those sandwiches, but was lifted from fb.

Dan Baisden, one of those who periodically would be at Drinking Liberally, is the poster of the classic conundrum.

You know, the whole "which came first" question posed about chicken and eggs.

As for the one on the left, New Jersey guy Gene Perrone offered it.

Poor Bob must have used up the prescription in those glasses, if he's mistaking the microwave for the television!

(That line about the Rx is an inside joke for Mama!)

He's lucky to have such a helpful wife, right?

And here's a tongue-twister from Danny Beam.

I haven't been seeing many of his posts, since fb has decided to lose him from my feed, but I'm glad I caught this.
True, it's from two months ago, but still funny!

Anyone who ever looked at the word "Worcestershire" and then stumbled around trying to say it would agree.

Sure, "Rooster sooster" is just wrong, wrong, wrong...

but "Warsha chester sire" at least gets props for trying.

And that "Worst sister shire" sounds like something my brother Ronnie would have come up with.

For real!

In fact, I can just hear him now in this one, too, gleaned from Jay Sinclair's page.

Looking at the menu, one old lady says "I'm really in the mood for a Quickie!"

Yeah, that would have had Ronnie's interest, right there!

Maybe she should have had her glasses, but she had the next best thing: a friend to help her pronounce "quiche"!

My Boomer pal, Karen Sherman, now moved off to Florida, would certainly have appreciated it, too.

This one about fast food orders dates back to February, as did the previous one.

So, here we have a frazzled parent - notice, it could be a mom or a dad! - trying to get a "kids meal with the leg" and go on home, and instead of saying 'sure', the clerk asks, "Which side?"

Trust me, having been in the car with my first niece's girls often enough, I can certainly appreciate the stumble that caused amid all the conversations in the car.

Even so, "I guess the right side" was a response that surely brightened the clerk's day!

How very nice, then, of clerk to regain their composure and to not try to embarrass the parent, but to gently lead them to a more correct response to the query, "Which side?"

And, now to finish with one from sister-in-law Mary's sister in Louisiana, Hallie, whose page I always look to for a chuckle.

While out shopping, the guy pulls out a piece of paper and goes over his list.

"Cream, bread, cake, meatloaf, black-eyed peas..."

Just a minute, he thinks to himself, did I grab the right piece of paper?

Then he realizes his mistake.

"Wait! This isn't my grocery list... 

it's my music playlist."

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

And, yeah, I know all of those bands, so that makes it even funnier to me!

I'd be willing to bet my ex, the Deejay, knows all of them, too, even though I doubt he's ever played "Cream" or "Bread" at any of the stations - those would have been too old, going back to my youth!

LMC film festival

Xfinity has been trying to do right by me, offering me all manner of rewards for being a customer for so long.

I'm a Diamond, don't ya know!

Back in March, one of those freebies was 30 days of the Lifetime Movie Channel.

Sure, it wasn't a premium channel I'd sought out, but, hey, free movies are fine by me!

Then, when I checked yesterday to see if I could watch one more, the channel only allowed me to see them if I subscribed... nope, not gonna do that!

So, just what movies of true romance / true crime / based on true events did I see?

""Harry And Meghan: A Royal Romance" (2018) - I thought, why not? It might be helpful during a trivia night someday!

"Babysitter's Black Book" (2015) - This is what happens when a high school babysitting & tutoring project decides to help out the dads with stress relief, nudge nudge, wink wink!

"The Bling Ring" (2011) - Zach's dad is the CPA for celebrities, so he has their addresses... and Zach uses those as his way to get the girls at the new high school to like him. But the girls want to keep the clothes, not just play 'dress up' and soon they're all in hot water.

"Love Notes" (2021) - Really like the pun in this one's name! What do you get when you mix a classical music reviewer with a hotshot country singer? Duh, you get a baby! D'oh!

"Lust: A Seven Deadly Sins Story" (2021) - Tiffany and Damon were on the way to the altar when his buddy Trey is released from jail... and Tiffany falls under his spell of strange.

"Honor Student" (2014) - Teresa takes a writing class in prison and shares an idea for a book with the teacher, only to get out and find he wrote the book and made a lot of money. Now, she's out to get her cut, as well as make him take her on as a co-author.

"Beyond The Headlines: The Kamiyah Mobley Story" (2020) - Stolen as a baby and raised as the woman's daughter for 18 years, Kamiyah suddenly finds out about her real parents, who have been searching for her all those years. But she doesn't know them... and she likes that she has siblings now... but what about the imprisoned woman she knows as "Mom"?

"The Wrong Coach" (2020) - Widower dad moves him and his daughter to a new town, where he tries to make sure she will still be a cheerleader for her senior year. That meant he hired the assistant coach to tutor her... but that coach is more interested in marrying him. Why Vivica A. Fox was in this as the head coach I'll never know.

"Sorority Wars" (2009) - This was really funny! Mom thought her daughter would pledge her old sorority, but the girl pledges another and suddenly all the Mom's sorority sisters are all up in her face about it. Then the frat brothers get involved and it's game on! :-)

"Ten: Murder Island" (2017) - Reminiscent of "And Then There Were None", this has only teens, all on the island for a party at a friend's house, though she never shows up. Rather tame for a horror film; more of a mystery-comedy.

"William And Kate" (2011) - Well, I had watched the one about the younger prince's romance, why not that of the older prince? I certainly had paid scant attention to either when the events were current, so it was pretty fresh for me, and certainly likable.

"Harry And Meghan: Becoming Royal" (2019) - Since William's tale ended with them married, I thought I'd see this for the wedding of these two. Seriously, that was my rationale. :-)

"Lethal Love Letter" (2021) - When Amelia gets a letter from the dying wife of her college sweetheart, Mark, she's only too glad to return to him. But Mark is a control freak, determined to not let her leave him again. This got a bit scary!

"Murder On Trial In Italy" (2011) - Amanda goes from a small rural town where she's an outcast to university in Italy, acquiring a British roommate and Italian boyfriend in no time at all. Things seem idyllic for her until the roommate turns up dead, with her as the suspect. I'm pretty sure this story is the basis of "Stillwater", a Matt Damon movie last year.

"The Color Of Love" (2021) - A sister and brother caught in a broken foster system repeat a cycle of running away, getting caught, going to a temporary home with Monica and her two kids, going to potential adoptive parents, running away, etc. Monica decides she will adopt them, but race becomes an issue. Good story.

"Appointment For A Killing" (2003) - Now, this was more like it! Corbin Bernsen, Kelsey Grammer, Markie Post! Corbin is a dentist (think Steve Martin's version in "Little Shop Of Horrors") with a taste for killing and a penchant for adultery. Definitely a dark comedy!

"A Daughter's Conviction" (2006) - Kate Jackson is the alcoholic accused of killing her boyfriend during a blackout drunk, but her daughter, home from college, is sure her mom didn't do it, and sets out with a friend to prove it.

"Death Of A Vegas Showgirl" (2016) - Based on the real story of a dancer who falls for a bad-hearted charmer and womanizer, losing her dream to be a lead dancer on the very night she was to star in a production.

"Confessions Of A Go-Go Girl" (2008) - Corbin Bernsen again, this time as the owner of a tame Go-Go club, where the girls dance, but don't strip. He even helps Jane develop her routine, acting as a mentor, to help her earn money to be an actress. But her roommate pushes her to go for more money at a strip club... on the night her dad, brother, and boyfriend show up. Oops!

"Texas Cheerleader Scandal" (2008) - Take five "Heathers" clones, add a new cheerleading assistant coach determined to go by the rules, and shake well! Of course it's in TX!

"The Clark Sisters: First Ladies Of Gospel" (2020) - I guess I needed a palate cleanser after all that other stuff, and this certainly did the trick. Five sisters, one of which was from a different father, are molded into a singing sensation by their determined mother. 

"Love By The 10th Date" (2017) - An advice columnist suggested that men don't think they're in a relationship until the tenth date, regardless of how much sex is going on, so if a woman wants to get the man, she needs to cool her emotional jets until then. Next thing you know, the entire office is trying to help a coworker land her man! Rather funny!

*****

Those last two were good notes to end on!

Thanks, Xfinity-Comcast, for that 22-movie film festival!

(smile!)

nightmare

Last night, I was in bed before midnight.

That's very unusual for me, but I was exhausted.

Anesthesia has that effect on me, but I think my fatigue was also due to the delay in getting this second cardioversion over and done.

The procedure had been scheduled for 10 AM, but did not actually take place until more than an hour later, due to someone else's surgery taking too long.

I had passed the time talking with Laura - yes, the same one from the ablation - who, like me, is the oldest of four.

Unlike me, her siblings are all girls.

She's actually a traveling nurse, as I found out later.

Anyway, so there I was in the operating room, with its icy air, and me all covered in warmed blankets that were losing their battle against the chill.

Then Dr. Cobb was there, asking me how I was.

"Lovely," I replied, "how about you?"

Yeah, I don't think he's accustomed to that kind of banter from patients, but that is a usual reply I give to such a question.

After the shock to my heart and my awakening from twilight sleep, I was sent back to my second-floor room to recover; the time was just before noon.

Joy told me the doctor wanted me to have bed rest for four hours, rather than the usual two hours, as he was wanting to be sure my heart was keeping a beat, not still in atrial flutter.

Resting was fine with me; I found "Sex And The City" on one of the channels and was good.

Surprisingly, a little after 1 PM I was told we were back to the 2-hour bed rest, so then it was a matter of getting together paperwork and contacting Smitty about the change.

She was the one to call him, as T-mobile, with all their bragging 

about their vast network, has been useless to me at St. Joseph's 

Hospital, right here in Savannah.

Joy even ordered a lunch for me, to tide me over from the mandated lack of breakfast that morning.
I'm so glad she did!

Lemon chicken with egg noodles - very nice!

Steamed squash and mandarin orange slices - yes!

When she asked how I liked it, I told her "any meal I don't have to shop for, prepare, cook, and clean after is a good one!"

She understood completely.

By the time I'd finished, she had the discharge papers, as well as a surprise for me: Jessica Hellman to wheel me down!

What a treat for both of us!

Smitty enjoyed meeting her, too.

(smile!)

Then, he whisked me home and I was on my own, as usual.

That was fine with me.

And, truly, all seemed well... until I decided to go to bed early to make up for lost sleep.

I don't know why the nightmare came upon me, but it laid siege to my mind the moment my head hit the pillow, making me think my heart was in serious fibrillation!

It wasn't... I knew it wasn't, as I'd taken my blood pressure and heart rate readings not even thirty minutes earlier... but I completely lost my breath and had to sit back up.

I tried to lie down again... nope, nope, not working!

Then I remembered an article that said sleeping on the left side was better to minimize fibrillation effects. 

(As it turns out, I had that wrong. Sleeping on the left tends to increase episodes of nocturnal atrial fibrillation, especially in overweight people, like me. I should have turned over to sleep on my right side.)

But every time my head went toward the pillow, I would find myself in a panic, feeling like I couldn't breathe.

Eventually, I put both pillows on top of each other and tried to sleep.

That was marginally successfully.

I still kept finding myself in a panic, convinced that my heart was about to stop, convinced that I was going to stop breathing.

I was in such an emotional state that I almost - almost! - called 9-1-1 several times during the night, but I didn't know how they would get into the house.

I would need to get to the front door and unbolt it, at least...

and I didn't think I'd be able to do that without collapsing.

So, I stayed in bed, going through the nightmare of thinking my heart would stop or my breathing would, until finally the dawn had come.

That's when I gave thanks to God for getting me through the night.

I was aware that I must have slept, off and on, but I was exhausted from the ordeal.

But here's the good thing: as soon as the morning light was illuminating the side window in the bedroom, I knew I was out of the woods and would be okay.

i thank You, God.

During breakfast, I called Dr. Cobb's office to ask if the Sotalol dosage could be changed.

Paige called me back around noon and was surprised to find me in bed.

I explained about the nightmare I'd had and that I was trying to get some rest.

She had spoken to Dr. Cobb and he still wanted me to stay on the antiarrhythmia drug, but told me I could split the pills and take only 80 mg daily, instead of 160 mg.

In addition, she will call on Monday and see how that worked for me.

I told her that was wonderful news, and I would continue monitoring my heart rate three times a day, using that as a guide should I need to return to the original dose.

That was satisfactory to the cardiology office.

Just what is my heart rate, post cardioversion?

Well it had been running in the low 100's.

Now, it's in the mid- to upper-40's.

Better, but not in the 60's just yet, the readings I usually have when I'm able to dance.

Hopefully, those days are getting closer for me.

i thank You, God.