With certain exceptions, I am most comfortable with women.

 

If I could have been the woman in the picture above, there would have been no stopping me.  This version of me would have been very confident in her shoes (preferably low heels) and unafraid to tackle any challenge put forward to her.

- - - - - -

As you can see, I've been playing around with ChatGPT a little to figure out what a cisgender female version of me would have looked like. This is the "should of" version of me that could not have been due to when I was born and the life is was born into.

Even as a child, I was more comfortable with women, although I received the typical male programming.  Yes, I played with wax molded "action figures" (think of wax GI Joes cast in plastic molds) when I was in lower grade school. But I was equally comfortable playing hopscotch with the girls up the street.  You can guess what would happen when puberty hit the children of my generation.  No longer would boys and girls see each others as equals - the social customs related to reproduction came into play.

If I were born with XX Chromosomes, I likely would have been a girly girl, modeled as such by my mother.  What she didn't know was that I wish I could have been born with those XX chromosomes, even with the adult knowledge of how inconvenient a female body could be.

- - - - - -

One of my friends described me as her straight gay best friend.  What she meant by that is that I have a gender preference for females, but have many of the interests of a gay male (theater, music, arts, etc.) in our culture.  (This woman is married to a stereotypical male - nice looking body, but not too much brain in the head.)  

When I present as a male, the first thing women think if I offer friendship is whether I am interested in them sexually.  I can't blame them: our culture doesn't provide well for cross-gender friendships.  It also doesn't help that male primates (save for the Bonobo apes) tend to be male dominant.)  So, presenting as a female puts me on a more equal plane with women - especially if I can blend in enough for my masculine features not to be noticed.

Life isn't always fair, but we have to make the most of it.  At least, as a transgender person I can do so as long as hateful people stay out of my way....

I'm concerned about the coming snow.

 

This is an image of children sledding at nearby Croton Gorge Park.  Not much has changed here since this picture was taken, save that tree growth has shortened the area where kids can sled down the hill.  Every time we get a "good" snow storm, my mind is drawn back to my childhood, where I had access to one run where I could sled down a hill for a distance of 1/4 mile.  Today's kids have no idea how much fun a long sled ride can be.  But then, if I were going to excel at a sport with the interests I had when young, it would have likely been the luge or skeleton.  Obviously, my life took a very different path since then.

- - - - - -

Sometime this weekend, we will get the first truly heavy snow of the season.  And I dread having to clean 12 inches (or more) of the white stuff off my car.  It will get in the way of me going outside as Marian.  It will make it impossible for me to consider going to church this Sunday.  It is just as well.  RQS and I will likely spend another weekend relaxing at home, something we both need to do.  (It's more so that RQS needs to relax.  But that's another story.)

I may end up placing another Amazon order, buying things that I can use, but don't absolutely need.  Most recently, I bought a set of 4 mouse pads, even though I needed only one.  This mouse pad fits perfectly into my armrest tray, an area which is perfect for mouse use while my laptop sits on my lap.  But I think I may do some apartment decluttering, some laundry, and make a new batch of onion soup to keep us warm on a cold winter's day.

- - - - - -

Given that I am getting older, there are just so many days left for me to be able to clear off my car and drive safely in inclement weather.  I felt that my father lost his ability to drive safely while he was in his 80's.  Considering that I am one of his two offspring, I'll have to keep this in mind as each year passes.  Further and further away is the time where I could safely sled down a hill, only stopping when the effects of gravitational acceleration are negated by friction.  Now, I have to be concerned about unplanned falls, and other situations where I may not be able to get back up as I did when I was younger.

A day at home, a dinner with Vicki

 

Last night, I was playing around with ChatGPT and asked it to generate a picture of me (face previously altered to look more feminine) standing in San Francisco on a nice summer's day.  I wish I could have been that woman in the picture in real life.  The AI version of me exudes happiness in her smile, and she projects a form of confidence that can't be ignored.

- - - - - -

This morning, I got up at my usual time and decided to cook breakfast - eggs and corned beef hash.    It's one of my quick go-to meals, as all I do is open up a can of hash, heat it up, then scramble in a couple of eggs.  It's a one skillet meal that I can make with a minimum of fuss.

After breakfast, I decided to relax, as I was not in the mood to do any type of decluttering.  Instead, I waited for an Amazon delivery that put 2 packages by my door.  The first package contained a set of mouse pads - the thing I needed most for using my mouse while sitting on my sofa.  The other package contained a watch "repair" kit, with spring pins that could be used to connect a watch strap to the base of the watch.  (The kit didn't contain all I needed to make fixing the watch band I had an easy job.  But it had just enough stuff for me to reattach one end of the watch band to the other.)  At least I learned a little something new by doing this task myself.

Around 5 pm, I left for dinner at the local Japanese restaurant.  Vicki was there on time - I was 10 minutes late.  Today's conversation was not as intense as it could have been.  Instead, it was relaxed, in part because Vicki had just had a facial and was already relaxed.  We talked about my latest cruise, and her husband's truck.  But very little talk of a serious nature.  And that was a big relief.  Yet, the issue of how I dressed on the cruise came up.  I mentioned that I dressed as Mario, as I didn't want any possible contact with Federal Government employees while presenting as Marian, as I don't want to be hassled by the Orange Snowflake's Gestapo.

Once done with dinner, I found out that Game Night was cancelled.  So I drove to Walmart to pick up a few items, and then to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for another batch of onion soup.  By the time I got home, I wouldn't wait to take off my bra and falsies, my wig, and most of my clothes to get into something comfortable.  

Tomorrow, RQS comes here again, and I start work on another batch of onion soup....

The most important thing I did today was polishing my nails.

 

I rarely get the chance to leave polish on my nails, due to the unpredictability of when I have to present as Mario. Today, I had the chance to paint my nails, knowing that the polish would stay on for about a week.

- - - - - -

Last night, I ended up staying up late, not realizing what time it was, and realized that I wouldn't be able to do much until I fully woke up.  And I didn't have much energy to do much when I finally woke up around 10 am.  So, I wasted time during the day, and decided to do my nails in late afternoon.  

Once my nails were done, I figured that I should do some research on a minor issue - How do I remove the cover on my bathroom ceiling light fixture, so that I could replace a light bulb?  This doesn't seem that complicated, but without being the one who mounted the fixture and installed the bulb, I wanted to find out in advance of need.  So, off to YouTube I went, and I found a solution which should work for my fixture.  (Or, at least, I hope so.)

- - - - - -

This coming weekend, we're expecting at least 8 inches of snow.  Although I'm tired of shoveling the white stuff, I'm glad that I live in an area that experiences the 4 seasons.  Ideally, I'd live in a place with a covered garage where my car could stay parked in bad weather.  But until I have to move away from here, I'm stuck because of my lower cost of living - my monthly maintenance fee is less than half of what I'd have to pay in rent for a similar apartment.

 

 

PS: The YouTube idea worked!   I cleaned the cover, and put it back.

 

 

 

MLK jr. Day (it's starting to become a day for store sales)

 

Years ago, the United States made Martin Luther King Jr. day a national holiday.  There was a lot of resistance to this, given the racial history of this country.  Yet, the holiday has endured, and most people accept it as part of our yearly calendar.  Sadly, we have a president who would eliminate this holiday if he could, and return this country to the 1950's. Or worse, to Germany in the 1930's.

- - - - - -

RQS and I had two things on the docket for the day: (1) Getting her watch band resized, and (2) Going to Costco to get a second arm rest tray on which she could place her glasses and phone.  While at the jewelry store, I asked to get my watch band fixed, and found out that my watch was as good as dead.  (It didn't help that I hadn't used my automatic/self winding watch in ages.

It was nice to be out as Marian again.  And going to Costco required me to present as Marian, as my ID card has my feminine image.  So, once we left the jewelry store, it was off to the Zwilling factory outlet to shop for knives - where RQS bought some to add to her kitchen supply.  And finally, we were off to Costco.

It took a while for us to get to Yonkers, as I ended up taking the side roads to get there.  The parking lot was busy, and it took a while to find a good spot.  Well, we ended up walking all around the store, found the items we wanted, and left the store 45 minutes later.

On the way home, we chatted with TCL a bit, and came home to relax.  Before we retired for the evening, we watched the film, Operation Mincemeat - a serious take on the real life mission.

- - - - - -

Tomorrow, RQS goes home, and I go back to seeing friends for lunch and dinner.  At least, I should be able to do my nails again and keep the polish on for the better part of a week.

 

 

PS: After a few minutes of shaking the watch to recharge the internal battery, the watch started to keep time again, and I knew that all I needed was a fixed watch band. 

This was another Sunday that I didn't go to church (another short post)

 

I had originally planned to go to church today, but the snow on the ground scotched that plan.  Instead, I stayed in bed and relaxed most of the day.

- - - - - -

With the slop on the ground, I figured that going out as Marian would be overkill today.  So, I cleaned off the car, ran down to the local supermarket to pick up some goodies, and went back to the house to rest for a while.

A bit later, RQS and I got ready to go out, and then went to BJ's for a shopping tun.  $115 later, we were on the way home.  And once at home, I got back in my jammies, then prepared dinner.

As I noted in this entry's title, this is a short post.  I'll have more to say tomorrow.

Snow (a very short post)

 

The weatherman said that we wouldn't get much snow today.  So, when I heard the plows in the driveway, I knew that I'd have to move my car.  So I transferred my money and ID into my male wallet, tossed on a pair of jeans and a warm shirt, and went outside to move my car.

Once I cleaned off much of the snow from my car, I drove to the supermarket to pick up some orange juice.  And, of course, that OJ run turned into a full bag of groceries and other stuff.  RQS was wondering why it took me so long to return, and I explained how a planned $5 visit turned into a $50 visit.  RQS was cooking some lentil soup.  So I made a pastrami sandwich, then tasted her soup.  It was good, but it was missing something.

Then, I changed back into my flannel nightie, and said we were in for the evening.  As I said in this entry's title - today, would be a short post.   More news tomorrow.

The only reason for getting dressed was a supermarket run.

 

After an exhausting evening in NYC last night, RQS and I didn't have much energy to spend doing things today.  We relaxed around the house until 1:30 pm, and we went out to the supermarket around 3:00 pm.  

- - - - - -

Going outside as Marian on a cold day can be a struggle.  A smart woman keeps her legs covered by something other than a pair of stockings.  Although I own a pair of women's jeans, I rarely wear them because any top I'd wear would my natural non-feminine figure.  So, I've developed a style where I wear tunic dresses with leggings underneath when the weather is cold.

Last night, I wore a dress I've worn before with and without leggings. Today, I wore a sweatshirt dress with leggings, and I was very warm with my wig on.  Being dressed as a female takes more thought and preparation than I ever needed dressing as a male.  But I don't mind it one bit.  Even if it is to make a quick run to the bank, and then to the supermarket.

- - - - - -

At the supermarket, RQS and I bought the ingredients for 2 different soups.  I'll cook the onion soup, and she will cook the lentil soup.  Both should be tasty and filling - especially with salad and leftover chicken to go with the soup.  But not tonight....

Once at home, it was laundry time for us, 2 baskets ready to go.  One problem - of the two dryers downstairs, one of them wasn't working. This meant an extra trip downstairs, and an interruption after dinner.  At least, my body isn't protesting too much about climbing the staircases.

I'm finally coming back to the real world, and I don't like it. (a short post)

 

I came back from my cruise, and now I'm catching up on things. First, I had to pay bills. And then, I had to do some shopping.  Yet, I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to do, such as laundry.  At least, I was able to get the co-op meeting minutes done.

- - - - - -

RQS texted me to inform me about the letter she received from the tax authority.  Let's just say that our government doesn't have its act together regarding tax payments.  As for me, I received mail from the IRS telling me that there was some interest that I technically earned.  Weird.

For the most part, I did nothing but watch YouTube videos and update my cruise blog for most of the day. Yet, around 5:30, I realized that I should get showered and dressed to go out.  So, I found some clothes, and prepared to go out as Marian.  At this stage of life, living as Marian has become second nature.  This means that preparing to go out as a female is just as easy for me as going out as a male.  I only wish I could have started earlier.  But then, I may not have had a romantic life had I done so.

- - - - - -

Right now, I'm trying to think of ways to be able to take a 4th cruise this year, and still be able to get to Hawaii next year.  Sadly, this might not be possible.  RQS may not have the money to keep up with me. And, more importantly, she may not be able to deal with being on a plane for 11 hours.

I wish I could have stayed on the cruise ship for another few days...

Florida/Bahamas Cruise 2025 - Final Preparation (01/03/26)

Right now, we're making final preparations for our upcoming cruise.  Last minute packing, double checking documents, and figuring out when we must leave to make it to the cruise ship on time are among the things we have to deal with today.

One of the things I have to take care of is picking up a prescription at the drug store.  This forces me to be in Mario mode for the day - and for once, it's not a bad thing.  I expect some very minor annoyances when I tell the pharmacist that I only want the blood pressure medication my doctor prescribed, and that I want the prescription transferred to the mail order pharmacy.  But first, I will have to transfer both money and legal ID into Mario's wallet.

A last laundry basket has to be done - if only because I don't want to come back to an overflowing hamper. This is something that forces me to get off my ass when I don't want to do so.  More importantly, this is a task I prefer to do when RQS is not around, as I fold and store my clothing differently than she does. Finally, we have to clean out the perishables from the refrigerator.  Milk and other things get dumped, and then we take the last trash bags to the dumpster.  

Yet, there was an unplanned wrinkle to my day - I lost a set of keys when I was out to dinner last night, and I had to replace them before we went away.  So, after I picked up my pills at the drug store, I drove to Home Depot to get my keys cut.  The fellow at the key cutter couldn't find one of the blanks needed for me, so I had 3 or 4 of the keys I needed.  This meant that I needed to go to a hardware store for the last key.  And even there, they had a problem finding the right key.  But they found it.  Now, I had a set of 4 keys that I can again keep with my handbag. 

- - - - - -

By the time you read this, we'll be back from our cruise - and I'll be writing much more while I'm on the cruise.

The weekend ended early for us

 

I've gotten so used to having RQS around, that it always feels a little strange when she has to go home.  Today was the last Sunday of 2025, and it was an early end of a weekend for us due to New Year coming on a Thursday this coming week.  And it feels stranger today, as she will be back here in 2 days.

- - - - - - 

On Sundays, if I wake up early enough at my home, I have the option of going to church.  It's partially a running joke with us that I will turn over and go back to sleep for another 2 hours or so, instead of going to church.  Although I was up at 8 am, I decided to stay inside and watch videos while RQS slept.

Around 9:30 am, RQS got up, and we relaxed a little more before showering and getting dressed.  This is when I started work on the co-op meeting minutes for December, so that they can be reviewed and corrected before the end of the year.  (I usually try to keep myself occupied when RQS is showering and getting ready for the day.)  We were both ready by 1 pm, and I dropped her off at the station 30 minutes later. What I didn't mention so far is that I decided to go out as Mario for one reason only: I had to return the watch I bought as a Christmas gift for RQS, and I expected to need to present as Mario for this trip.  (If I put off the return for another day, I could have enjoyed a day out as Marian. 

Once I was done with returning the watch, it was back home to rest a little.  Sometime around 6 pm, I decided to replace my CPAP mask, and I fell asleep while trying it out.  (I must have both needed sleep and to replace the mask.)  By the time I woke up, it was late, and I'll bet that RQS wondered why I didn't call.  So I shot her a message to tell her that she could call me - if she was still awake when she read the message.

Tomorrow (weather permitting), it will be a Marian day for the rest of the week.  What better a way to spend New Year's Eve, than to be out as Marian.... 

I'm tired of talking politics, and I hope that the new year is better than this one.

 

Today will not be an excuse for a political rant.  I am thankful that the year is almost over, even though I have a few chores left to take care of before baby new year comes a calling.

- - - - - -

I'm very thankful that I've been able to take 5 different cruises this year.  It's nice to have someone to share experiences with.  After being widowed for 29 years, it feels a little strange to be with someone I can trust to be there when I need her.  (She feels the same about me.)  It's a blessing to have someone in my life who can accept me both as Marian and as Mario.  Unlike former relationships, I don't have to hide the feminine side of me from her.

I've tried to keep in touch with people, but some of them have fallen by the wayside.  One friend is assumed to have died, or he is unable to keep in touch.  Another friend is doing OK, and we have to find time to get together during the new year.  Yet, unlike most cisgender females, I do not have a typical woman's network of friends.  This is the price a transgender person pays for being assigned male at birth.

In spite of what is going on in the Orange Snowflake's mind, I have been able to live most of my life untouched by his evil nature.  Yes, I get angry when I hear his voice.  But I know to change the channel and catch up on the news in ways where I don't have to hear evil words come out of his hateful voice. Yet, I still have faith that things will get better sooner than later.  However, I know that I have an exit plan underway, just in case things get really bad.

When I look at things going on with my co-op, I worry about things that could cause our complex to fail financially.  Luckily, I have a voice in things, and use it as much as possible,  I publish the co-op's website, as well as manage the co-op's zoom presence.  (Zoom is nothing much to talk about.  But I handle all technology issues for the co-op.)  There are some accounts that are in arrears, and I am looking to get these shareholders to pay up, so that others don't have to carry them.  Hopefully, 2026 will be a better year for the co-op, as I don't want to take on any more responsibility than I have now.

After a year of having no tenants in the family homestead, it looks like we will have some soon.  This year, 2025, the house became a money pit for my brother and I, and neither of us expected that we would sink as much money into the house as we did without rent coming in to pay the expenses.  Assuming we get someone good to rent the place, I'm hoping that we will sell the place 5 years from now, as I expect I'll need a cash infusion by then.

So, I'll close this entry with a simple wish - have a joyful and prosperous new year!

 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #1 (11/27/25)

 

Thanksgiving - will they have a different menu for us Americans on the ship?  By mid-afternoon, I've seen no mention of turkey anywhere, and that's just as well.

- - - - - -

We thought of going for breakfast in the dining room, but we ended up in the buffet for both breakfast and lunch.  However, neither of us wanted to get up until 9:30, so we ended up in the buffet instead.  It was a dreary day outside, and we were glad to be indoors as the rains came in.

After lunch, RQS went off to an art class, while I stayed in the room resting.   I knew I would have to change clothes for "Gala Night".  And I wanted to wait until the last minute, which I did.  (I'll bet it's related to a GI Tract issue I have, details I won't go into now.)   This would be the first time that RQS would see me in a suit with traditional white shirt and tie (I'd have rather presented as Marian on this trip), and I looked halfway decent for presenting as Mario.

We had a scare that Cunard's computer system dropped our reservations for dinner.  So, we walked over the main dining room to check on things, and again - Cunard's wonky computer system got in our way.  We just learned NOT to trust their system, but to trust the people in charge of the venues to get things right. Dinner was good.  I enjoyed the Chateaubriand, while RQS enjoyed the Thanksgiving Turkey. However, we encountered a miss with dessert - the Pear and Ginger cake needed some kind of sweet drizzle over it to make the dish work. 

After a brief stop in our room, we went to the ship's theater to see a stage show.  Since I'm not a great fan of dance shows, I knew I'd be underwhelmed.  But these performers were competent, and I enjoyed a couple of songs performed by the singers. 

I'm starting to pack for my upcoming cruise

 

I miss being able to cruise as Marian.  The Orange Snowflake is out to erase transgenders from the earth, claiming "it is all in our heads."  One problem - it is easier to change the body than to rewire the brain.  And even if it could be done, should it be done?  When the person who holds the presidency has no morality, no sense of justice, and no respect for others, then how can anyone cis or trans feel safe?

Safety for us trans people is important.  For those like me, we can go stealth and not worry much - but we still have our worries.  When presenting as a male, my whiteness helps keep me safe from the ICE raids going on in neighboring towns.  So, if I have to make contact with anyone from the Federal Government, I've decided to do so as a white male and assert my "privilege". This is not real safety.  I've been hassled by a TSA Officer before flying to London, simply because he had a bug up his ass.  Could you imagine what he'd have been like if I were presenting as a female for an international flight?

I remind people that Cisgender people are not safe.  The husband of one of my friends is an immigrant from the Philippines. He is not white, but he is a male US Citizen who has communications issues.  He lives in a town which has suffered ICE raids, and my friend (his wife) fears what could happen if he goes out during one of these raids. He could not advocate effectively for himself.  Given that we have deported US citizens caught in one of these ICE roundups, do you think he'd be safe.

RQS is a fair skinned black, somewhere in the mocha shade of skin tone.  She'd likely be tolerably safe, as she has an "American" accent. And that relative safety would likely extend to many "American Blacks" who speak with an "American" accent familiar to many ICE agents.  But that doesn't extend to their initial treatment by these "authorities", as there has been a different standard of justice for whites and blacks in America. I must note that Asian Americans may have similar treatment to American Blacks, but would be subject to similar risk factors.  Yet, even if I were a second or third generation Chinese American, would I feel safe if ICE was raiding a Chinatown neighborhood as they recently did in New York City?

The promise of the Orange Snowflake was to round up the criminals who were in the US illegally and deport them first.  Instead, he is aiming for quantity over quality, scooping up law abiding people (here legally or illegally) to make artificial quotas.  So, a wise gender nonconforming person can not feel safe in a society where every touch point with the Federal Government puts her/him at risk.

So, I've started my packing, and I'm disappointed that I won't be able to wear my summer dresses again. But, I still wouldn't do so on this cruise, as many of the islands in the Caribbean have similar backwards attitudes as our president.  I'll still be relatively comfortable and safe, but I won't be as happy as if I could present as my true self. 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon, I'll be going on a cruise ...again.

 

 

This year, I'll have spent over a month of my time at sea.  My last cruise for the year is coming up soon, and I'll be on a "new" ship (for us) with RQS.   Unlike all of the other ships we've been on, the Queen Mary 2 sails for a cruise line known for its formality.  It'll be a new cruise experience for us, and I hope we'll enjoy it.

- - - - - -

As I write this, it is close to freezing outside.  I'm not sure if I want to bother getting dressed and taking care of errands.  The temperature will be lower than normal for the rest of the week, and I have things booked towards the weekend.  This means that I'll be looking for all my cold weather clothing, and hoping that I have enough of it available when I need it.

It'll be relatively easy for me to pack for my upcoming cruise, as I will be presenting as Mario while on the cruise.  It's simpler for me to dress as Mario, as the only thing that changes will be the number of layers I need to wear.  But I wish I could have gone on this cruise as Marian.  Even if we had sane politics in the US right now, I'd be in the Caribbean where cultural norms aren't as progressive as they are in the US.

I'm thinking of giving RQS a winter cruise for Xmas.  Although we'd sail several weeks later, I'd want it to be a surprise.  One catch: As much as I don't like the itinerary, it'd be the last chance I'd get to sail on an MSC ship before they abandon the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal for a new home port in Florida.  Hopefully, we'll see MSC return some day, as well as seeing the terminal expand to handle two ships at the same time.

- - - - - -

If all goes right, the year 2026 will have us taking 3 cruises.  But, as soon as we're done with our last cruise, I'll start the process of both renewing my passport and my global entry registration (Trusted Traveler ID), so that I can take my 2027 cruises without worrying if there is enough time on my passport to schedule a cruise.

Ideally, I'd be able to travel as Marian, with a passport that identifies me as Marian.  But that is not likely to happen soon.  RQS still wants Mario as a partner (even though she's comfortable with me presenting as Marian.)  And in today's political climate, it makes sense for me to stay in stealth mode when I have to deal with any employee of the Federal Government.  

Since I rant about the Orange Snowflake and his fascist regime too often, I'll stay away from politics today, save for the "in passing" references in this entry. I'm more concerned about how I'll dress when I get home from my next cruise, as we will want to take the ferry from Red Hook to either the Atlantic Avenue or Williamsburg ferry stops before summoning an Uber.  I maintain my sanity by maintaining my freedom to travel - by any means necessary.  Hopefully, I'll be able to complete the process of getting an EU passport (I won't say which country yet) before this time next year, as this will be my "Get Out of Jail Free" card if I need one.

 

I finally got my nails done!

 

I finally had the chance to get my nails done.  It's something I've wanted to do for several weeks, but the need to go out as Mario has gotten in the way.  Seeing my brother, having a doctor's appointment, and having to go to the bank for the co-op has all made it impossible for me to have at least 7 days (or more) in female mode.  As a result, it didn't make sense to have polished nails.

RQS was scheduled to arrive in Croton at 5 pm.  So I had just enough time after I got dressed to get my nails done, have a little snack and get to the station.  When I arrived at the nail salon, they knew me enough to ask whether I was there for a mani-pedi or just a manicure.  Since I was there for just a manicure, I sat down at the manicure station and proceeded to have my nails done.  While there I struck up a conversation with a recently widowed woman, and got into talking about cruising and the lines we preferred.  (Later, I mentioned to RQS that I wish I could have befriended this woman as Marian.  But this was not likely, as this woman was visiting family in Croton, but lives on Long Island - a very inconvenient place for me to visit.)

Once my nails were done, I had time to kill.  So I filled up the car, then drove to the station to relax until RQS arrived.  She didn't see me at first, but after a few honks, she saw me and my car, and we were off to have dinner.  The first stop was at the new Thai restaurant in town.  They couldn't accommodate us until 8:30, so we drove to a Mexican restaurant nearby.  I had the paella, while RQS had some tacos.  Both were yummy.  But my dish had enough food in it to feed two people  So I had leftovers to eat sometime over the next day or two.

And then it was time to go home.... 

It was Mario's day out. (A short post)

 

A financial issue with the co-op forced me to go out as Mario this afternoon (Wednesday).  I was asked to move a small amount of money from our savings account and wire it to our operating account.  This would allow us to make a payment from the operating account that had to take place by the end of the week. Unlike most days, I didn't mind so much going out as Mario, as I had several errands of my own to take care of as Mario.  So, when the president of the co-op called me while she was away, I used this essential excursion to the bank as Mario to also pick up a suit from the cleaners and a blazer from the tailor. 

My first stop was at the bank, where I performed the wire transfer.  And then, it was off to the cleaners to pick up my suit.  This stop took more time than expected, as my car had just downloaded an update to its software, and I had to give it 10 minutes to complete after the download.  So, this was a perfect excuse to have a slice of pizza before picking up the suit.  Fifteen minutes later, I was back in the car (with my suit), and off to the tailors to pick up my blazer.

Once I had everything in hand, I drove to BJ's for a shopping expedition.  Although there may have been 1 or 2 items that I might not have needed right now, I figured that I'll eventually use these paper plates as my old stash runs out.

I could have gone apple picking. Instead, I picked an apple pie.

 

When we got up, we had one thing to do: Pick up 2 of RQS's dresses at the cleaners.  So, we had a lot of time to relax before we got moving.

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Often, our weekend routine has us relaxing, watching TV (or Youtube videos) until noon or so. Neither of us has much energy when we get up, so we're lucky to be retired and have the freedom to get up when we please.

As usual, this would me a day that I'd present as Marian.  When the weather chills down, I find it hard to dress in an obviously feminine way, and not look out of place. One thing I tend to do is wear dresses as tunics, and leggings underneath them,  If I feel like being a little more dressy, I'll wear a dress with stockings or tights underneath. In many ways, this is a compromise I make to avoid looking more like a female then a person who has the body of a typical overweight male.

When we finally got moving, it was 2 pm, and we didn't have much sunlight left.  Our first stop was at the cleaners, and RQS got her dresses.  I had forgotten to give her the receipt for the suit I dropped off the previous day, so I'll have to pick it up next week.  After a brief stop back at the house to pick up my cell phone, it was off to the North for some residual leaf peeping.  Sadly, as expected, the colors were muted, as many of the leaves had already fallen.  But it was enough to make the drive worthwhile. My GI tract was telling me that it was mildly upset at me, so I knew not to go too far from modern plumbing.  So, I decided to make my turnaround when I reached Fishkill.  

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Years ago, I became familiar with the Fishkill area when I moved to Croton.  During the American Revolution, the Fishkill Supply Depot was one of the largest encampments during the war.  However, like much of America's history, it has been mostly plowed under in the name of progress.  When I moved here, there was a small mall nearby that has also been plowed under, being replaced by a Home Depot, a campus of the local community college, and some derelict buildings. 

Since my stomach had stopped bothering me, I figured that we'd make it to Fishkill Farms to pick up an apple pie.  I remembered this place from the time I dated Patty, my ex-girlfriend of 25 years ago. The place was mobbed, as many people were going there for the corn maze and for some apple picking.  As for me, I knew I could get a good apple pie here, as well as some other farm fresh food to eat. 

I was glad that my stomach had settled down, as RQS had to use the facilities at Fishkill Farms.  Who ever wants to use a port-a-potty?  It was time to head home so that I could take my bio break.  But first, it would be a stop at Trader Joe's.  After navigating the roads from the farms, we got on the highway and headed home.  TJ's was busy, but we got out of there relatively quickly. And we were home for the night just before dark.

PS: The Apple Pie was just as good as I remembered, and worth the drive to get it.

Game night - This time, I just kibitzed.

 

This was a half and half day, where I started out as Mario and bought a lightweight blazer for my upcoming cruise, took it to the tailor to get altered, then took a business suit to the cleaners to be fresh in time for the cruise.  The other half of the day was spent in Marian mode, so that I could have dinner with MAR, then play games in Yonkers.

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I got out of the house late, and dropped off my suit at the cleaners.  The place looked almost empty, as if the owner wasn't getting enough business to stay open.  So I'll be sure to get my suit out of there as early as possible, maybe this Saturday, as I doubt the shop will remain open to the end of the year.  (RQS's dresses are in the shop, having been hemmed last weekend.)  Next, I drove down to DXL to buy a blazer, and $225 later, it was hanging in my car and on its way to a tailor I could trust.

There is a dry cleaning shop in the heart of Croton that does its cleaning on premises AND has a dedicated tailor on site.  This was the shop I wanted to take up the cuffs on my blazer.  $40 later, I was out the door, and able to pick up the blazer next week.  So, by 2:30 pm, I was ready to change into Marian mode and prepare for dinner with MAR.  One problem - she was hurting badly (cramps), and wanted to postpone dinner (again).  I suggested rescheduling dinner, and she jumped at it.

At this point, I had a couple of hours to kill before going to game night.  Just as I was about to put my makeup on, my brother called.  This caused me to get out of the house late, and arrive too late to participate in the one game being played tonight.  Just as well.  I was more in the mood to hang out, and kibitz a little.  (Note: "Kibitz" is meant as idle conversation, and not as providing unwanted advice.)  Even though I didn't play any games, it was a nice evening. 

I didn't bother getting out of my jammies today.

 

I only wish I could have looked like the woman in the picture above.  She is in the prime of young adulthood, she is pretty, and she looks good in whatever lingerie she models.  Instead, at best, I look like a frumpy old woman with a non-conforming body.  At least, I now feel comfortable in wearing the clothing I want to wear, and I am accepted as a woman by many people I meet.

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With the above being said, I stayed in the slip I slept in and then hung around the house all day.  Yes, I did reload my bookcase with the books I took out in preparation for a visit from the cable company's service technician.  Although I have read 90% of the books in the bookcase, there are still some I have to get around to reading when I have (or make) the time to do so.

Once I was done with reloading the bookcase, I went into the other room to work on the co-op's web page.  First, I had to make sure that the current edition of the newsletter was properly inserted into its page, and then I had to make a blog entry which contained some of the items from the page.  Soon, I will discuss an idea I have for the blog: putting less "sensitive" from our meeting minutes into entries we can publish on a monthly basis.  It'll be nice to be able to publish things on a monthly basis, instead of the sporadic basis we now publish entries on the blog. 

Tomorrow may have me venture out in Mario mode for a while, only to bring a suit to the cleaners for pressing and to shop for a lightweight blue blazer, both of which I will wear on an upcoming cruise.  RQS asks me whether I have my dress shirts yet, and I keep telling her that I have two of them somewhere in the house.  (I ordered them from J.C.Penney's a while back, and now have to find where my pooka has put them.)  Given that I have a dinner date, and then game night, I will be out of the house, no matter what.