Parting is such wet sorrow

 

OK, "Wet" doesn't describe today's weather.  Yes, it drizzled most of the day.  But I can't say that I got wet.

- - - - - -

My plans for the day were to drop RQS off at the train station, and then to get new tires put on my car.  Neither of us had a good sleep the night before, as I was waking RQS up with my restless sleep.  So, both of us were tired when we got up.

I was up an hour before RQS, and could have easily fallen to sleep by the time RQS got moving - an hour later than usual for a Monday.  This was a day that I was "forced" to present as Mario, as I'd be dealing with folks at the tire store later on.   

Both of us were interested in reports of the rainfall from the Nor'easter, as we had seen a video showing that the parking lot at the local train station was flooded the day before.  Luckily, by the time we got there today, most of the flooding had subsided, and RQS was able to make it home without incident.

- - - - - -

After a brief stop home, I drove to the tire shop to buy 4 new tires and to get my wheels aligned.  I knew NOT to buy Original Factory Equipment tires, as they were both overpriced and underperforming.  The old tires may have lasted to 40k miles at most, while my new tires are rated for 80k miles.  And, the new tires were less expensive as well.  But there was 1 problem - 1 of the 4 tires in stock had a minor defect.  (The fellow behind the desk played down the nature of the defect, but the way he worded it implied that the tire might have been a problem in an accident investigation.)  So, they had to get a tire delivered from a sister store about 30 minutes away.  This meant that a store visit that should have lasted 90-120 minutes lasted an extra 90 minutes for the tire to arrive.

- - - - - -

Around 5:15, I was on my way home, and took a much needed nap.  It was a long day, yet not one where I exerted much effort doing anything.  At least, I'll be able to spend time as Marian tomorrow. 

In spite of the storm

 

On most weekends, RQS comes up on Friday afternoons.  Last weekend, she came up on Thursday so that we could go to the Dion concert together.  This weekend, she was scheduled to come up on Saturday so that she could see a friend from her former place at work for lunch on Saturday.  There is one glitch that factored into everything - the Nor'easter coming up the East Coast today.

- - - - - -

In the early afternoon, I started the day by looking at all the shoes I've accumulated over the years, and found myself creating another donation bag for a local charity. After a carbohydrate loaded lunch, I was a little sluggish, and would have liked to sleep instead of picking RQS up at the station.  Instead, I got showered, made up and dressed - ready to pick up RQS at the appointed time.

5:00 pm came, and I was off to meet RQS.  From there, we took a long drive on a rainy day, and went to one of our favorite Chinese restaurants.  The place was unusually busy with people waiting for take out orders and with Door Dashers waiting for takeaway for people who ordered their food for online delivery. As for us, we enjoyed a nice meal onsite, and then went to the ice cream shop next door for a sweet treat.

- - - - - -

Sunday came, and the storm wasn't as bad as it could have been up here.  The wind was blowing, the ground was wet, but one would never have known a Nor'easter came through the region.  Yet, if one looks at its effects on the NYC metropolitan area, and one would see a different scene.

A Tik Tok poster had a video taken at my local train station, and I was surprised to find that Commuter Train service was running.  RQS and I will see if the trains are running on Monday.

- - - - - -

We stayed in all day, and had Pasta with Mussels for dinner.  Yum.   It was a nice way to spend a gloomy day.  And we were able to schedule social engagements for the next few weeks.  Couple this with the two of us sorting through some of the clutter in my place, and I can say we accomplished things that have been postponed as well.

Monday will be a busy day for us, so it was good to have a Jammie Day today....

 

The calm before the storm

 

As I write this, a Nor'easter is heading for the East coast of the USA.  And this already has caused a baseball game to be played one day early, and for many outdoor events to be cancelled.  My plans are to hunker down at home, hopefully with RQS by my side.  

But first....

Today, I had a couple of things on my docket: 

1. An appointment with the Podiatrist
2. An appointment for a Covid shot.

I found it easier to present as Mario today, as I wanted the fewest possible headaches when I go in for the Covid shot.

- - - - - -

When I finally got dressed and out the door, I decided to take care of a couple of minor things: Lunch, Making a deposit at one bank to keep an account active, and making a withdrawal at another bank to have spending money for the week.

Once done with these tasks, it was off to the podiatrist to have her look at my feet.  There was construction going on in Ossining, so it took an extra few minutes to make it through the town and to the doctor's office.  Shortly after I arrived, the doctor came in and she pronounced that my feet were doing well and to schedule another appointment in 3 months.

While at the podiatrist, RQS texted me to say that she's trying to reschedule lunch with her former coworker for an after work get together during the week. 

- - - - - -

When I finally got to the drug store for my Covid shot, I found out that the refill of anti-fungal cream I use for my feet wouldn't be covered by my insurance.  So I ended up paying twice as much for this refill.  (At least, I didn't have the problem that RQS had with buying supplies early - my pharmacy is staffed by people who are intelligent enough to do simple jobs.)  While getting my Covid shot, I struck up a chat with the fellow giving me the shot and gave him some advice.  Hopefully, he'll take it.

And finally, I was back home.

Around 5:00, Maria called.  She needed to vent a little in regard to her daughter, her sisters, and life in general.  I won't go into Maria's issues, save that her daughter needs to grow up and be a real mother to her children.

- - - - - -

7:30 came, and it was time to do laundry.  AARGH!  I was in pain coming up the steps.  When I bring up the first of 2 loads, I'll leave a heavy bag of dried, but unfolded sheets and towels in my storage compartment.  At least, I can minimize how many times I have to climb my stairs - and have RQS give me a hand later on.

Coffee with a Co-Op board member, with Games in the evening

 

Right now, I would rather have the above team of clowns running our government than the clowns currently in charge.  At least President Firefly (Groucho Marx) could be a success when he fights a war against another country.  In the real world, our president can't win a war against Iran, and keeps trying to shut down any press agency critical of his mismanagement of our country, our military, and its resources.  And we're lucky that he still grudgingly follows the dictates of our court system when they rebuke him.

Today, I had only two things on my docket: Coffee with a co-op board member, and Game Night.  So, I set my alarms to wake me up early, in order to be at the coffee shop by 11.  We talked about many things, including her problems with the co-op.  (No, I won't go into them here.  And, no, I only gave her some ideas which she could look into to help resolve her problems.  I still have fiduciary duties to the co-op.) This board member knows that I'm a member of the LGBT community, and I noted that I'm seeking out a new doctor.  She said that though her doctor wasn't accepting new patients, she would ask for an exception for me.  I said that I'd like to find a doctor that I could visit as Marian, and add one more place that I can visit as Marian, and drop one more place where I'm stuck having to go as Mario.

After I returned home, I decided to take a nap and catch up on my sleep.  Although I could have done some laundry, I decided to leave this until tomorrow (in which I'll be stuck presenting as Mario.)  I must have needed the rest, as I was "out" for 2 hours and had a truly deep sleep for that time.

- - - - - -

6 pm came, and I ate leftovers from yesterday's lunch before driving to Yonkers.   Arriving at 7:30, I had a hard time finding a spot to park.  And then the gaming began.  It was nice to see the hostess and DS again.  Although I lost both games, it was fun.  Afterwards, I was able to talk with the hostess for a few, discussing issues that her son and I have in common.  At 10 pm, everyone was "chased" out.  That was just as well, as I needed to stop at the supermarket on the way home....

Lunch with CCS and Zooming with the girls (a short post)

 

I had 2 things on the docket today, but not much else to do.  And yet, I virtually forgot about one of them until a reminder came on my screen.

- - - - - -

Not having enough sleep last night, I knew that I'd be taking a nap sometime between lunch and my zoom call with our Texas friends.  So, around noon (after several hours in bed which I couldn't return to sleep), I got showered, made up, and dressed to see CCS in Ossining for lunch.  

CCS arrived at the pizzeria shortly before I did.  (She was walking to the pizzeria while I was waiting to pull into a parking spot.)  Our conversation flowed like we had never had a month since our last lunch.  I talked about my recent cruise, while she talked about her new house.  And then, we got to world politics - where we share a similar worldview.

All too soon, we had to go our separate ways, and I went home to rest.  I was on the computer when a pop-up appeared.  My Zoom meeting with our Texas friends was about to begin.  So it was back on with a little bit of blush and lipstick, then I got dressed for the Zoom.  Unlike other Zoom meetings, RQS and I did 95% of the talking.  Neither of us enjoyed the meeting, as our two friends had nothing to contribute to the conversation.

The Zoom meeting ended earlier than planned, and it was just as well.  Neither RQS nor I were in the mood to carry on the meeting by ourselves. 

 

Often, Transgendered Life Can Be Very Mundane - but it takes some time to get there.

 

What is it about being transgender that most of us wish we could have?  The answer to that question is relatively simple: We wish to live our lives and be perceived as the gender in which we identify.  

- - - - - -

Let's say one chooses to live life in the gender opposite to which as one was identified as belonging to at birth.  One would then have to navigate a maze of challenges in order to be accepted in one's "New" identity and not stand out as Transgender:

• Presentation.
  - Dressing appropriately for each situation.
  - Makeup (Where, When, and How Much?)
  - Development of vocal traits appropriate to one's gender.
  - Surgeries (if needed) to live in one's authentic gender
• Social Skills.
  - Learning behaviors appropriate for one's "New" Gender.
  - Learning verbal language skills appropriate to one's "New" Gender.
  - Learning non-verbal language skills (body language) appropriate to one's "New" Gender.
•  Legal Issues.
  - Name changes on legal documents (Birth Certificate, Driver's License, etc.).
  - Financial Arrangements (updated name on bank accounts, insurance policies, etc.)
• Medical Issues.
  - Treatment for body parts part of "New" gender.
  - Treatment for body parts remaining from "Old" gender.
  - Choosing new doctors (as needed)
• Social Life.
  - Building up friendships with others of your "New" gender
  - Development of interests of your "New" gender to share common interests.

The above is not a complete list of these challenges, nor will all of them apply to every transgender person.  For example, many transgender people live in the role of their "New" gender without any intent to undergo Gender Correction Surgeries.  Others may consider this step necessary for their unique journeys. I feel that my journey depended on learning how to speak as a female, and I underwent voice training to help my voice sound more feminine.  

- - - - - -

Often, one has to ask a very important question:

How "Passable" do I need to become? 

This might be the most important question a transgender person needs to ask.  Ideally, I'd like to be able to have Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS), Breast Augmentation, and Hair Restoration (I hate wearing wigs!) When it comes to bottom surgery (a.k.a. Gender Correction Surgery - GCS), I can take it or leave it.  To me, the only benefit from GCS would be the ability to go into a woman's locker room and not have to hide my private parts.  Since I don't go to a gym, it's not a big deal for me.  But this could be a problem for other trans people.

Some trans people do not have a need to pass.  Instead, they simply want to blend in as much as possible, or they don't mind being seen as part of the "Queer Community".  One trans woman I know has no desire to have bottom surgery, as she feels she could lose her ability to have an orgasm.  Her voice still sounds masculine, and the nose on her face is the only visual feature that would identify her as a M2F trans woman.  Yet, she's happy with her presentation.  She participates in local women's groups, and persues her dreams in retirement.

Not all trans people can become "passable".  One trans woman I've met stands 6'6".  The lack of feminine curves combined with her height gives her away as being transgender.  Another trans woman I know still have the physical appearance of being a linebacker.  For these trans women, "Blending In" is the best that they can do.  And, hopefully, this will be enough for these trans women.

The issue of "Passing" is not unique to trans women.  I have also met trans men who are very short, and still have their feminine curves.  At work, one of these trans men (when I was last in contact with him) had to present as a Butch Lesbian at work, instead of being outed as transgender at work.  (He worked in an environment where being a Butch Lesbian did not affect "her" social standing, but being transgender would have caused people to discriminate against him.)

- - - - - -

Eventually, most of us are able to find a new normal in life.  Our existence becomes much more mundane, filled with activities in which cisgender people would be involved.  Their transgender identities become less and less a factor in their lives.   They have navigated through their mazes, and found ways to live within the boundaries of objective reality.  The mundane has finally become a new normal.  And, hopefully, the transgender person can live the full life s/he hoped for with a minimum of hassles.

RQS had to go home, and I needed to rest a little

 

This morning, I let RQS sleep a little late.  She'd be rushing around for part of the week, and I figured that her last morning here should be restful.

- - - - - -

Around 10 am, the weekday alarms sounded, and RQS finally got up after a long sleep.  As for me, I was up earlier, and knew I'd need to rest sometime during the day.

Unlike most Mondays, where I'd get her to the station by noon, I got her to the station in mid-afternoon.  Things I have planned to take care of today got put off, such as scheduling an appointment for physical therapy, touching base with medicare in regard to the GLP-1 Bridge program, and doing another load of laundry.  (I could have done the laundry, but I was too tired to bother with it.)

It was nice to get out in a summery dress again, as I know that within a couple of weeks that I'll be wearing my autumn wardrobe.  There are new dresses I want to buy, but I have to limit myself - every dress I buy means that another goes into a donation bag for a charity.

- - - - - -

When I was home for the night, I rested for a while and watched the Vidiot box.  It keeps me occupied without having to think much.  Eventually, I made something to eat.  Nothing memorable, and that's a compliment to the dish.  I just needed calories, and I got them in the quickest way possible.

RO contacted me to say that our lunch was off for tomorrow.  I didn't mind this, but I did mind not getting a response from her afterward.  Could something be wrong?  I'll have to try and touch base with her tomorrow to be sure.  At least, this gives me time to take care of some of the things I didn't take care of today. 

A couple of nice days out as Marian (a short post)

 

Both RQS and I took it slowly on Friday, not just because my legs were misbehaving, but because RQS was aroused by an unexpected phone call.  The person she was supposed to visit at the end of the month would be unavailable due to health reasons.  And that would mean we have more time together.  We're both glad that I didn't book a 5-day cruise to Bermuda as I once planned over a month ago.

I got moving slowly, and we had a bite to eat before visiting the book store.  It took a while to get there, as I didn't want to go to the store nearest me.  Instead, we drove down to Hartsdale, and RQS found the magazines she wanted to buy.  Then, it was back to the house to rest.

It was not much of a day.  But after the day before's rush to take care of things, it was nice to spend a day without a schedule.

- - - - - -

Saturday came, and it was time for us to see the legal case of the millennium: 

Coyote vs. Acme

Although the opening says the film is based on a real story, this is pure fiction and inspired by a story in a magazine. It is a fun film, and well worth seeing.  Most of the major Looney Tunes characters appear in the film in one form or another - including Bugs Bunny leaking information to Coyote's attorney. The film is a David vs. Goliath story, and an indirect indictment of the corporate structure that caused this film to get shelved for tax purposes.

We went to a mid-afternoon showing of the film, and we noticed that half of the multiplex was being torn apart.  Modern seating was being installed, and it appeared as if the multiplex was being reconfigured for these seats.  There were only a handful of people in the theater, and it made me wonder - will people return to the multiplex when the renovation is finished?  I'm not sure.

The weekend started early with a visit to the theater

 

I'm not sure how many of us will recognize the lead performer in this picture.  He has told the story about The Day the Music died (February 3, 1959), and has had an active career since then.  He still makes records today with musicians such as Eric Clapton, Marc Knopfler, and Paul Simon.  If you haven't guessed his name by now, this is Dion Di Mucci, the singer of such hits as "The Wanderer", "Runaround Sue". and more.  And in his mid 80's, he still puts on one heck of a show!

But first....

It's a Thursday, and RQS was scheduled to come up a day early for tonight's concert,. Our plan was for me to visit my doctor in the morning, to change into Marian Mode, and pick her up at the train station 3 hours later.  

First, I went to my GP/Internist, and he hectored me about my weight, while checking out my leg problems.  He was much more focused on my weight as if it were a moral problem, never having recommended a dietician to help me plan my food intake.  Yes, he did check out my muscle responses with his rubber hammer.  But I felt I got much more out of last week's visit to the podiatrist, with recommendations for physical therapy (for lower body strengthening) and to an Orthopedist (to check for Spinal Stenosis).  Needless to say, that if a foot doctor is giving me a better path for dealing with the problems I'm having with walking, then it's time I start looking for another GP/Internist.

Next, I went home and took care of some minor cleaning up I had to do (my place had become a pig sty due to my leg issues), then picked RQS up at the station.  Stopping to pick up food for the weekend, I met someone with whom I worked at the census.  We had a nice chat, and then it was back to my place to put the groceries in the fridge, and to rest before going to dinner. and the theater.

Around 5:30, we left for the theater, and I was very glad to have prepaid parking across the street from the theater.  (There was no way I wanted to hunt for a parking spot in Port Chester, NY on a dreary day.)  Then we found a nice restaurant across the street, Inca Gaucho, were we both feasted on seafood.  Around 7:30, we walked over to the theater, climbed up 3+ flights of stairs to reach our seats in the nosebleed section.

The show started at 8:15, with Chazz Palminteri talking about the music heard in his Bronx neighborhood - Dion and the Belmonts.  (BTW: Chazz would be performing his one man show the next evening.) And then Dion came on stage. Dion put on a solid performance, opening up with some of his newer music (great and mature stuff) before transitioning to his hits.  He closed with "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer", where people were either standing up or dancing in the aisle.  For a man in his mid 80's to get an audience rocking this way, it's a miracle.  But then, so is much of Dion's life. 

 

Another visit to my doctor (a short post)

 

This is going to be a short post, as I am frustrated for understandable reasons.  I went to my doctor today, and got some more hectoring about my weight.  

Normally, I will fluctuate within a range of two or three pounds at any given time.  Today, I was at the upper range of my weight when I went to see him.  He asked me about the GLP-1 drugs, and then said that his office doesn't have the time to track things down.  Yet, later on, chatting to one of his staffers, the staffer said that she had received information that I had been approved for the bridge program, and that I am not alone in people from his office that she has been working on paperwork for these people.  

In short, it looks like my doctor is starting to check out of much effort needed for his practice.  (I could be very wrong on this.)

It's frustrating to find out that a foot doctor, someone who casually saw me less than a week ago, gave me a script for physical therapy and a recommendation to see an orthopedist, and then to find out that my GP didn't even ask me about the visit to the other doctor.  

So, the big question is:  When do I make my move to another GP?  

Politics - I hate all the ads

 

Not many of us would recognize the above snapshot from a political ad from the 1960's.  It only aired once, and its impact was devastating.  This ad implied that if Barry Goldwater was elected, we'd have World War 3. It was one of the best ads to air only once, as it scared people into NOT voting for Goldwater.  And, in many ways, it led to many of the scare tactic / "vote against" ads we see today.

Lately, my TV has been bombarded with ads for the Democratic and Republican candidates for Congress in NY-17.  The incumbent, a Republican, does very little for our district, and his only accomplishment is to have increased the SALT (state & local  tax) deduction  to $40k for the next 3 years.  At the same time, he voted to gut much of the federal government safety net that takes care of many of America's poor and unemployed.  His opponent will get my vote, simply because she is Anti-Trump, where the incumbent is solidly Pro-Trump.

Although this is a mid-term election, it is as important as most presidential elections, as it may give the Democratic party the power to check our current president.  I'm hoping for this, as I'm tired of our Orange Monster blaming all of his failures on everyone else.  Given that we're in an illegal war with Iran, our president needs to stop the monster before he goes completely bonkers (if one could say he hasn't done so already).

I expect that in 2 years, our presidential election ads will make it impossible to watch TV without getting disgusted by the ads.  The Democrats will bet everything to regain the presidency when the monster is supposed to leave office, and the Republicans will be fighting to retain the presidency.  Given that virtually no one in the Republican party was willing to check the monster when they could, I expect that they will continue the culture wars that the monster made part of his toolkit.  

It'll take a lot of money, time and effort to undo the damage our president has done to our country and the world.  I hope that this mid-term election becomes America's start to undo the harm the Orange Monster has visited on all of us. 

Finally, a day out as Marian. (a short post.)

 

 

I had only one "Must Do" on my task list for today - Lunch with Vicki.  And this was the only reason I had to go outside today.

 

Vicki and I haven't had the chance to get together since before my recent cruise, and I'm almost always dressed as Marian when we get together.  So, around 11:00, I got dressed, and went to a local diner to have lunch with Vicki.

 

- - - - - -

 

Vicki has lost a lot of weight over the past few years, and she has what they call "Ozempic Face".  There's a certain lack of fat in her face which normally thin women don't have.  Assuming that I eventually get my GLP-1 drug prescription fulled under the Medicare Bridge program, I'm willing to suffer that change.  (Of course, if I'd keep the weight off for several years, I'd get skin reductions to look "normal."

 

But I digress....

 

For the most part, I was the one doing most of the talking over lunch.  I had stories to tell, and Vicki was in a listening mood.  Both of us ordered the same dish for lunch - a mango steak wrap that dripped juice.  The dripping was the big problem with the dish - it ruined the wrap, and we both were eating the contents of the wrap without the wrapper.  We enjoyed the taste, and might order it again - if there wasn't a juice puddle below the wrapper.

 

Around 2:15, we left the diner and went on our ways.  I proceeded to the supermarket to get food to last me a day or so, as RQS will be up here for a concert in Port Chester tomowwo night. 

 

 

I just met a notary named Maria.

 

Maria and I have been having problems in getting together as of late.  Her daughter is planning to move out of state with her kids, and Maria can't wait.  She's at that stage of life where she's raised her 2 daughters, and is now helping her daughter to raise the next brood of kids.  Maria deserves her freedom, having been both divorced and widowed in the years I've known her.  She deserves the chance to have an unfettered love life with a nice fellow without having to worry about her children and grandchildren.  But the demands put on her by her daughter has made this impossible as of late.  So, when Maria and I scheduled a short session to get my remaining foreign birth registration paperwork taken care of (papers notarized), it was something that carved out precious time that was being called on by her daughter. 

 

I was awake early, and didn't start to get moving until 10:15.  I was out the door by 11:00, and met Maria at noon.  It took some time to make sure that everything was notarized/stamped properly (Foreign Birth Registry form, Grandmother's marriage certificate, Copy of  my US passport photo page, and 4 passport photos, 2 of them with notary stamps.  We were done within 30 minutes, and I went to Walmart while she went on an errand for her daughter.  (That's more than enough about Maria's life for a long while.)  By 4:00, I had mailed off the paperwork, and was ready for the next thing scheduled for the day - a co-op board meeting.

- - - - - -

The co-op board meeting went smoothly. We now have a full complement of board members, and we're getting close to the light at the end of our tunnel.  Hopefully, these new members will have a lot to contribute when they get accustomed to how the board does things.

 

Cruising while En-Femme - Something I'd like to do again.

 

I haven't risked cruising as Marian since before our current president was elected.  His Anti-Transgender policies are meant to push us back into the closet so far, that we will never find our way out of it.  With his failure to govern effectively, competently, or predictably, his reputation has gone into the dumpster.  And if the Democratic party retakes the House of Representatives this fall, we may finally see a check and balance on this evil man's antics.

Although my first 2 cruises were in the late 1990's, I didn't start cruising again until the early 2000's with my former cruise partner (FCP).  And all of the cruises I took after that were in Marian mode, with one exception - a cruise with XGFJ.  When cruising restarted after Covid-19, my first cruise was in Marian mode.  Once I met RQS, half my cruises were taken as Mario, and the other half as Marian.  Unfortunately, the 2024 election changed things for us transwomen.

I'm lucky, when I present as Mario, the image and data on my passport matches my gender presentation. So, I have no problems dealing with US Government "Security" personnel (CBP, TSA, ICE) due to my gender presentation.  But what would happen if I present as Marian?  I don't know.

Unfortunately, due to health problems, I was unable to schedule a 5-day cruise to Bermuda in which I'd have risked traveling as Marian.  And the next cruise I'm likely to take will have me traveling as Mario again, as I'd be traveling to several Caribbean islands where being a member of the LGBT community is a crime.

So, when will I cruise as Marian again?

Assuming that the Democrats retake the House (and, hopefully, the Senate), I want to find an inexpensive New York <--> Bermuda cruise to take in the spring. Bermuda has no problems with my presentation, as I've asked people there about this before a cruise I took as Marian.  Let's hope I can do this sooner than later.

A quick fix for a problem originating elsewhere.

 

About a week ago, I started to have problems connecting to femulate.org.  Stana's blog has been around for many years now, and I doubted that anything she did would be causing problems for me.  When I tried to connect to her site with Firefox, I got the following message.

I never had problems connecting to this site before, so I emailed Stana, and she gave me the following fix:

Although this fixed the problem, it is a patch for something going wrong elsewhere.  Normally, most of the blogs I link to are updated on a daily basis.  Yet, none of these blogs have been listed as being updated for several days now:

 

All of these sites have been updated during the past week.  So, I wonder if there is a problem within one of Google's sites, specifically in blogger.com/blogspot.com, where this issue might originate.  Yet, it still might be elsewhere, as my site displays this same information in the chrome browser. 

So what could be causing this problem?  It's obviously related to Firefox and Blogger.  It is subtle, and I bet it will be fixed eventually.  Until then, I'll have to use workarounds. 

- - - - - -

Recently, Femulate.org reported on the same problem from a different angle.  Stana reports:

I received several emails reporting that My Blog List in the blog’s sidebar was broken. Instead of displaying the latest posts from the blogs on the list, it was displaying posts more than a week old.

I checked my blog’s settings, but nothing seemed amiss. Then I visited other blogs in the Blogger universe and, lo and behold, their blog lists were not updating either.

It turns out that other users have brought the problem to Blogger’s attention. However, at the time of this writing, the blog lists are still not updating.

Now that it can be shown that the problem originates with blogger.com, I now have an explanation for why this blog (and others) have had a reduction in visitors.  Hopefully, this problem will be resolved soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Another weekend with RQS (a short post)

 

It was the first weekend in New York after returning from our cruise, and I wasn't sure if my legs would hold up.  If I were sure of when I'd be meeting Maria to notarize my FBR paperwork, I'd have gone to RQS's house as Marian.  But, as is often the case with Maria, I couldn't count on her schedule to work as planned.  Since I'd possibly be driving to Maria's on Monday, I decided to present as Mario through the weekend for convenience.

- - - - - -

On Friday, I had a visit with the foot doctor, and that scotched the idea of me driving to RQS's place on Friday.  Instead, I planned to leave on Saturday morning.  But first, I had to stop at the bank and change my account relationship from "private banking" to "generic customer".  This would allow me to free up money I have in the bank, so it can be moved to my investment account at another institution.  Although the banker I dealt with made the change (or so he claimed), the private banking relationship still showed up on my account later on.  (It's something that may have to be fixed with another visit to the bank.)

Once done with the bank, I drove down to RQS's place.  There was virtually no traffic, and I made it to RQS's place in roughly an hour and a half.  Since I was up early that morning, I took a nap on arrival.  Sadly, one of our favorite places for dinner was closed (probably permanently)  so we were stuck with ordering a pizza for dinner.  Now, this is not much of an event, but the quality of person who does delivery these days leaves a lot to be desired.  In this case, the person was trying to deliver the pizza to an apartment across the street from RQS's place.  (We got that fixed.)  All too often, many of the last mile delivery services/personnel screws up delivery - the gig economy attracts the lowest skilled workers and pays them what they're worth - almost nothing.  One gets what one pays for.

- - - - - -

Sunday came, and we stayed in our Jammies all day.  The only reason I bothered showering was because I had to apply an ointment to my feet twice each day.  So, if I have to clean my feet, then I might as well clean the rest of me too.  (I certainly sound like an old geezer saying this.)  I did make it outside, only to do two things: (1) Make sure that there were no temporary no-parking signs on the street which would force me to leave early, and (2) to pick up a 12-pack of soda that I could drink on my next visit.

- - - - - -

Monday was a day of movement.  After showering and treating my feet, I loaded my car with my heavy suitcase (left at RQS's place following my cruise), then drove RQS to a donation center where she could drop off some stuff.

On my way home, I got a call from our co-op's site manager.  She needed copies of two months' of meeting minutes, so that she could be fully prepared for a lawsuit in which we were involved in landlord/tenant court. The woman affected by this dispute has been a problem to the co-op and its residents.  In April, she disrupted our yearly shareholders' meeting, and I wanted for the co-op to be rid of this person as soon as possible. (Where is the fictional Don Corleone when a friend needs a favor?😃) Although I couldn't get the paperwork to our site manager in a timely manner, it appears that we will be able to win our case by this time next week.   

 

 

A visit to the foot doctor, with more medical appointments to come.

 

Sometimes, I feel like the old lady pictured above.  I had one main thing on the docket for today, and I made sure to visit the foot doctor on schedule.

But first....

Although I'm feeling better than I have been feeling for the past few weeks, I know I'm operating at 50%. I've only had one opportunity to go out as Marian, and I'll likely be more limited in my outings due to appointments that have to be scheduled.

I started getting ready to visit the foot doctor around 1:00, and accidentally cut my big toe on a disposable razor.  AARGH!.  But if I was going to do some damage to my foot, this was the day to have it happen.  So, after a quick lunch at a local diner, I drove to the doctor's office.  And I couldn't find the office, as it was in a corner of the building that I hadn't been in before.

After checking in, I met with the doctor.  She told me that I might have spinal stenosis (based on other information I've given her) and said that I should see an Orthopedist. And whe prescribed a regimen of physical therapy to strengthen my muscles.  For my feet, she prescribed an antifungal, and scheduled an appointment for two weeks from now.  (I showed her a picture of me as Marian, and told her not to be surprised if she sees me this way next time.)   I'll discuss this and more when I see my GP next week.

This left me with a free afternoon.  I didn't feel like running off to the bank to change my account status.  I can do that tomorrow before I go to RQS's place for the weekend.  If I'm up to it, I'll do some laundry tonight. 

I'm back in the USA, and wish I were still in the UK. (A short post)

 

Both RQS and I have been devoid of energy since we came back from the UK.  And though it's been a few days, I wish I could go back there tomorrow. There are tasks I have to do, people I have to see, and places I need to be.  And yet, I didn't do anything today other than folding laundry left sitting in a basket from before I went on my cruise.  In short, I needed another Jammie Day, and today was it.

But this didn't mean my mind wasn't active.  Part of me was looking for a way where I could go on another cruise, this time as Marian.  Until I talk with my doctor, I still won't even consider booking another cruise until I know I'm safe to book the cruise.  And I don't want to take the risk of buying a cruise, and then not being able to go on the cruise.

My plan for the rest of the day was to cook something for dinner, and I realized that I didn't have much to eat.  So, I looked at a tub of soup, and found that it expired a week ago.  Luckily, I had bought a tub of Lobster Bisque - and that was my dinner. 

As you can see - not much to say today.  I'll have something more to say tomorrow. 

 

 

Catching up on things

 

There were many things I had to take care of when I got home from my recent cruise. Some of these things were:

• Paying outstanding bills.
• Picking up a prescription at the drug store 
  (and complaining to my doctor for misdirecting my prescription).
• Updating the relationship status with a bank, so that I can move money without penalties.
• Notarizing paperwork to be sent to a Foreign Birth Registry, needed for a second citizenship (as well as sending this paperwork off to the registry.)
• Seeing a foot doctor for an issue brought up by my GP.
• Giving a souvenir teddy bear to the 1 1/2 y/o son of my next door neighbors. 
• Unpacking luggage.

Getting back to "normal" after a cruise isn't always easy.  But when one is having mobility issues, it can be troublesome.  If I hadn't done laundry before I left for my cruise, I would have a large laundry basket that would be an effort to bring down and up my stairs.

 - - - - - -

Yesterday, I was exhausted when I got home, and I only had the energy to go out for a quick Chinese dinner and to make a grocery run at Trader Joe's to restock my refrigerator.  Today, I had only one thing on my docket - lunch with MSJ.  And we met at the Gazebo in a nearby park for lunch.

Lunch was unspectacular, but the conversation was different.  We both had stories to tell, me with my mobility issues, and MSJ with her trip back from upstate New York.  And then we got talking about family issues.  (I won't go into her issues, save to say that a parent-child role was involved.)

All too soon, lunch had to end, and I took a long drive before going home.  I knew that once I was in my apartment, I was in for the night.  And I was right - the day effectively ended when I got home, and I was glad of that, as I had little energy left in the tank for anything else. 

 

  

British Isles Cruise 2026 - Reflections (09/08/26)

A little over two weeks ago, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to go on my cruise.  It'd have been a great shame if I had not done so.  In it's own way, this cruise opened up my eyes a bit more in seeing the world.

- - - - - -

When I went off to take this cruise, I was not sure if my legs and back would hold out through the cruise and get me home.  While on the cruise, my leg/back problem was always on my mind.  I'd get up in the morning and wonder whether I'd be able to make it to breakfast, not even sure if I'd have the ability to go on any of the upcoming shore excursions.  And I had good reason for doubt.  

In Cobh (the port for Cork), I could barely move.  It was a long walk from the ship to the Cobh Heritage Center, and I was constantly looking for places to sit while touring the museum.  Would I be able to make it on other shore excursions we had already paid for?  Dublin would prove that with a little help, I could make it through a long day's shore excursion, as I was able to tour Malahide Castle by using a portable collapsing stool provided by the castle.

Now that I had proof that I could deal with the pain, Liverpool may have been the worst pain I had to deal with before things got easier for me.  We had scheduled a walking tour of Beatles' Liverpool, and knew we couldn't keep up the pace.  We still walked over to the Beatles Museum on Mathew Street (about 1 km away), and got a little lost going back to the ship.  When I looked at the fitness tracker on my phone, we had walked about 2 miles that day.

Things started to become easier for me when we went to the Giant's Causeway and to Skara Brae.  Walking a distance wasn't that bad, as long as I found places where I could take a rest now and then.  By the time we were ready to go home, I could have walked a couple of miles and survived the effort.

- - - - - -

Strangely enough, on our trip home, RQS had arranged for us to get mobility assistance from the airline, getting us from the check-in counter, through Heathrow security, to the Handicapped persons' waiting room, and then to the gate.  And in New York, the same assistance was provided getting us from the plane to customs, luggage pickup, and to the ride share pickup.

In short, I found that I was capable of much more than I thought I was capable of doing. And by taking on the challenge of this trip, I enjoyed experiences I never would have enjoyed had I given in.