Buying tickets for a "Last Minute" cruise on the cheap can be confusing.

 

I had "written off" a cruise because my passport might not arrive by the time we had to depart for the cruise.  My passport was issued within 2 weeks of my application for renewal, and many options became open to me.  The cruise I just booked was one of those I thought wouldn't be open to me due to the time it might take to renew my passport.

- - - - - -

Both RQS and I had an itch to take another cruise, and I had already planned to treat her to a cruise once the family homestead was sold.  Well, the house was sold, and it was "put up or shut up" time.  So, with RQS talking about other cruises, I saw the cruise we're going to take and suggested it.  She loved the idea!  So, I booked that cruise today, paid the bill, and now had to deal with the logistics of getting a wardrobe down to RQS's place before the cruise.

For some reason, I always have a problem with entering data for this cruise line.  I may have the wrong email address on file for my account with the line - who knows?  But I finally figured things out and got into my booking.  Yes, there is a problem which may require some data entry from RQS.  We'll find out when she starts entering in personal data.

- - - - - -

The cabin we chose is one of several with a view of the main atrium.  This is not a liability, as the atrium is rarely used for loud events.  (This cruise line has an "elegant" clientele which still dresses up for formal nights.)  We will be in the center of the ship, and I'll be writing more about the cruise as the time comes near. 

I feel like a stuffed goose! (a short post)

 

This was a weekend spent as Mario.  But I had good reason - two dinners which required Mario's presence.  The first was with my brother, and the other was with RQS's cousin, daughter, and granddaughter.  There would be a lot of food on the menu, and not enough time to digest it all.

- - - - - -

Saturday came, and my brother was supposed to pick us up around 4 pm.  From RQS's place, we would then drive to the Rockaways and dine at an Italian restaurant I had seen in an online ad years ago.  Rocco's is just off a main drag, around the corner from a subway station.  Yet, it's a pain in the ass for us to get to without a car.  So, we only have gone there when my brother drives us.

This would be the last time we'd be able to eat and charge it to our business, as the house was sold in August.  But we made the most of it.  The food was yummy, and we were quite full when we left the place. It's too bad that we didn't order the Cannoli to go, as we were craving a sweet dish later in the evening.

- - - - - -

Sunday was our day to meet up with RQS's cousin (and her family).  We took the subway into Manhattan and got to the restaurant on time.  However, her cousin was late.  But that was OK.  The Dim Sum house wasn't busy when we were seated, but was very busy by the time we had finished eating.  Our conversations flowed like water, and we all wished we had more time.

RQS's cousin is allergic to shellfish.  So, I made sure that everything we ordered had no trace of shellfish in its making.  For example, there would not be any "Beef with Oyster Sauce" type dishes.  And, we had to ask the waitress to help us insure that there was no seafood related ingredients in the dishes.  Yet, I still had concerns when the Wonton Soup was delivered - there was a piece of seaweed as a garnish.  RQS's cousin said this was not a problem, and we had a tasty and filling meal acceptable to all.

Sadly, we all had to go home two hours later.  RQS's cousin went back to her hotel, while RQS and I went back to Queens.  Hopefully, I didn't gain too much weight over the weekend.... 

Lunch with MSJ, and a useless drive to New Jersey

 

The above was not today's lunch.  Something like this would mean eating indoors.  And on the last warm day of the season, MSJ and I decided to eat under the gazebo in a nearby park.

But first....

I woke up around 9 am, and proceeded to plant myself in front of my computer taking care of completing a blog entry, then starting on the meeting minutes for the co-op board meeting.  By noon, I had to shift gears, so that I could meet MSJ by 1 pm.  So, I rushed to the shower, quickly applied my makeup, then put on one of the last summer dresses I had in my closet before rushing to the deli for a sandwich.  Only then could I go to meet MSJ, albeit several minutes later than planned.

Even though I did my fair share of talking, MSJ's needs dominated the conversation.  She soon will travel upstate to pick her son up from college.  But this means leaving her disabled husband alone with her other son.  What bothers her is that the demands of her life do not allow her to recharge her emotional batteries.  I said that if we lived in a different universe (if I were a cisgender female or post-op transgender female, and we both were unattached), I'd be taking her somewhere on a "Girls Trip".  I then noted that she has the worst of many worlds.  If her husband died, she'd have had a period of grief, and then found ways to move forward with life.  But, she has to keep taking care of him as well as taking care of her sons, not being able to nurture herself.

Once we were done with lunch, I decided to drive to Lane Bryant in Paramus.  One problem - they had closed this store.  Since there was no way I was going to drive to Clifton, I decided to take the long road back home via Bear Mountain.  (Too bad that RQS was not with me - the leaves are just starting to change.)  It was a nice drive home, and I was in for the night.  

Ending a long weekend and starting a short week (A short post)

 

It's Tuesday, and RQS finally had to go home.  She had her usual Tuesday routine to take care of, and I had lunch with DS on the schedule.  It could be a busy day or a relaxed day, all depending on what I planned to do with it.

- - - - - -

RQS and I got up early for us, and I dropped her off at the station at 10:30. But I had time to kill, as DS and I weren't scheduled to eat until 12:30.  So, I drove to Walmart to replace a pair of broken sunglasses. This killed enough time.  Once I got to Yonkers, I would not wait long.  So  off to Yonkers I drove.

I had never stopped in this area of Yonkers before - it was a safe area, but a confusing trip on local streets once off the parkway.  Several minutes after I arrived, DS arrived, and we placed our orders.  Since I've been having way too much Chicken lately, I ordered a Cheeseburger - and it was yummy,  We were there for 2 1/2 hours, and then it was time to leave.  

My next stop was at Lidl, a quick run to pick up some more vanilla nougats.  And then it was home for the night.  My legs were hurting, so I couldn't do laundry.  Even if I wanted to do so, I couldn't, as they were refinishing the laundry room floors.  So I was finally in for the night.

Another Jammie Day (a short post)

 

RQS and I fell asleep shortly after SNL ended, and woke up at 9:30 this morning.  With the continuous rain outside, there was no way we'd be going out today.

- - - - - -

We ended up watching YouTube videos for much of the day.  Did we bother getting dressed and doing laundry?  No.  Did we do anything to clean up the apartment?  No.  We needed a day of relaxation, and we had one.

My brother called towards the afternoon, and we chatted for a while before he had to run off.  Now that I have my new passport, RQS started salivating at the idea of using her credit card points to buy tickets for another cruise.  I had to explain that chasing credit card points is a foolish thing, as the hidden cost of those points (in higher prices) is a foolish game. (Don't get me on the subject of excessive American credit card interchange fees and point accumulation - Europeans don't have this nonsense, and they are better off for it.)  When she realized that she couldn't buy a cruise, she looked into buying a restaurant gift card.  What I haven't noted is that I'm looking at paying for a cruise for the two of us, using a combination of my points (I rarely ever redeem them) and cash.  I have no problems paying with cash, if there is a cash discount, and with plastic if there is no discount.

By the time we were ready for dinner, we were hungry.  Luckily, we had enough food in the house to have a tasty meal without having to go to the supermarket.  But this made us decide to do some apartment cleanup and some laundry tomorrow.

Introducing RQS to another friend

 

I've known DPV since the early days of the post-Covid reopening of society.  We dated once, realized that we'd make better friends than lovers - and stayed friends.  I have driven her to a hotel prior to her going into a hospital for an operation.  (I won't say much about this, save that she has recovered acceptably well.)  And I wanted to make sure that DPV knew that RQS and I are an item, and that RQS knew about our friendship.  So, we finally scheduled a dinner at DPV's place for RQS and DPV to get to know each other.

DPV knows that I am TG, so wearing a dress (with tights to keep my legs warm) wouldn't be an issue.  So, the one question I had to ask was: What should we bring up for dinner?  DPV said we could bring up whatever wine we wanted, but I'm glad we didn't do so for reasons we found out later.  In the end, we decided on bringing up a cheesecake - a perfect choice.  Google Maps gave us a route that got us to DPV's place in under 90 minutes.  But it was through roads we'd never take again at night - there were way too many curves and blind spots to risk driving home on those rural roads.  As a result, we were near her house 30 minutes early, and stopped at a Mickey D's for a snack and to kill time.  

This dinner almost didn't come off.  DPV's house had no heat because there was no oil in the tank.  Why she didn't get her delivery a month ago, no one knows.  But she needed an emergency delivery today, and it hadn't come by the time we were there.  So, we had to dress warmly and deal with the chill inside the house.  When we arrived, DPV wanted us to hear this Kazakh singer which captivated DPV, but had no effect on us.  It took a while for dinner to be ready, so we were very glad that we had our snack before arriving. 

When dinner was served, DPV told us a little about her life story.  We found out that DPV had been in recovery for a long time (albeit with a rare lapse or two).  We talked about how a GLP-1 drug helped her lose weight, although she has another 100-150 pounds to go.  (This was my reason for not having a romance with her.  Me being a TG was hers.)  And, we eventually talked about cruising, specifically the cruise she is taking next year.  So, I made sure to give her the link to my cruise web page.  

All too soon, it was time to leave.  We wanted to get home in time for SNL's cold open.  And we were home with 15 minutes to spare.  It was a long day, but a good one. 

If you knew Sushi like I know Sushi....

 

I've been working on a gradual cleanup of the mess in my place.  For every 2 steps forward, I end up taking one step backward.  So, I had made a little bit of a mess in cleaning up a mess.

- - - - - -

This morning, I awakened at 9:00, my first memory being that I couldn't get MS-Now on my TV.  It seems like I had to go through the monthly ritual of renewing my access based on my cable TV subscription.  Realizing what I had to do, I woke up and started the day's routines.  

One of the things I needed to do is straighten up some of the mess in one corner of my bedroom, finding a place for the things I wanted to keep, and tossing out the stuff I didn't find worth keeping.  But this took some time.  And, by the time I was most of the way through the task, I had to take my shower and get ready to pick RQS up at the station.

RQS got an earlier train than originally planned, and I barely made it to the station on time.  I suggested that we go to the Sushi joint in Yonkers/Scarsdale, and she said yes.  So, it was off to the Sushi place, where we feasted on nutritious dishes of little raw fishes.  And then, it was back to my place for the evening.

- - - - - -

When I didn't mention was that this was the first time I wore my corduroy dress with a white, long-sleeved T-Shirt as a base layer.  It was too warm for the time I picked RQS up, but perfect for when we left for home.  I must have looked like a teacher on a date, not having changed into a "date night" dress before going out.  But I was comfortable, and found that this will be one of my winter staples when the weather cools off.

PS: My renewed passport arrived today!  Now, I can plan my future cruises.

Finally, a good night's sleep!

 

Last night, I was running on empty.  Not having good sleeps for several nights, I was very tired by the time it came for my nightly phone call with RQS.  Since I planned to get up and take care of a couple of things before sleeping, I decided to get comfortable on my bed for the nightly call.  And shortly after the call, I fell asleep.  Did I get in my jammies?  No.  Did I apply cream to my feet?  No.  Did I do any of the things in my normal post phone call routine before going to sleep?  No!  I simply passed out with my phone on my chest.  Boy, the waking up at 6 am had me feeling fully refreshed for a change.

- - - - - -

One of the projects I've been working on is to extract a Linux distribution, load it to a thumb drive, and then install it on a 10 year old laptop.  And for some unknown reason, I have been unable to do this.  It'd be nice to be able to play with Linux on my machine before I toss it out.  Sadly, none of the software I have works properly on this machine, and I can't figure out what I'm (likely) doing wrong.

At this point, I'll likely trash this machine because it's too slow for my purposes.  Given the age of this machine, its weight, etc., I'll wipe the hard drive and then send it to E-Waste processing.  I find it amazing how much E-Waste there is, considering that almost everything we buy now days has some form of computing chip (programmable controllers to CPU's) in its design.  (Who'd have thought 30 years ago that we'd have programmable toasters, light bulbs, and microwave ovens, among other devices.)

- - - - - -

Going to game night was a little awkward - in getting out of the apartment.  I had piled 5 garbage bags by the door, and could only take 4 of them out.  And that was a minor problem for me. But once the garbage was in the dumpster, I was able to get to Yonkers in a reasonable amount of time and play a game.  As usual, I lost.  But I go there to have fun, and not to be competitive.

  

 

Now to make Thanksgiving Dinner Reservations (a short post)

 

No, I am not that bad with my eating.  Yet, there are some foods which will trigger me overeating.  So, I try not to keep them in the house.  When I went home from RQS's place, she sent me back home with a couple of chocolate donuts - so she wouldn't be tempted to eat them

And this got me to thinking.  Where will we eat on Thanksgiving? And, what do I want to wear to dinner?

One of the things that can frustrate a trans woman is that most women's clothing is geared to highlight curves that trans women don't have.  I'm lucky to have found a few of those dresses and have kept them in my closet.  So, I'm not worried about this.  But I am a little concerned that I am interested in buying a gown meant only for weddings and for formal nights on the Queen Mary 2 - even though it has been marked down from $100 to $20.  Since I intend to make a transatlantic crossing on the QM2 one day, this might end up being up a good investment after all.

But, back to Thanksgiving....

I like dining at a place which will set me back less than $300 on the holiday. Dining out can get very expensive, and I like saving money whenever possible.  Right now, my favorite place hasn't yet posted its Thanksgiving menu.  As a fallback, I have some standbys I can choose from, even though at least one is in a fancy restaurant serving a buffet.

A weekend with RQS in Queens

 

Since we had no plans to see anyone needing for me to be in Mario Mode, I planned to present as Marian all weekend.  So I packed a bag with three changes of clothes (all dresses) and drove to RQS's place for the weekend.

Now, it usually takes roughly 2 hours for me to reach RQS's place from my place.  And this past Friday was more of the same, save that traffic jams (I should say, avoiding traffic jams) kept me on-time.  For example, traffic jams prevented me from shifting to the Hutchinson River Parkway and getting stuck waiting for a draw bridge to reopen.  In short, everything that went wrong ended up helping me. When I reached RQS's place, I got there late in the afternoon, and was lucky to find a parking spot that I did not need to wake up early on a Monday morning to vacate.  Then, I carted my bag to RQS's building, then up the stairs to her apartment. 

- - - - - -

An unfortunate thing about living in RQS's area is that delivery people often screw up deliveries for some unknown reason. RQS lives at an address which should be easy to find, such as "12-34 1234 Street".  Often, the lummox that is doing the delivery will either deliver to the wrong street or the wrong address on her street.  In one case, a post office delivery was made to a house 1/2 mile away.  She was lucky that the person who received her package delivered the package to RQS - even though she didn't have to do so.

Why is this important?

RQS often has expensive things delivered to my place.  But we can't control food delivery.  We ordered some Halal food (I love Chicken and Lamb combos from NYC Halal carts), and it was dropped off at some unknown apartment nearby.  As a result, we ended up having Pizza - something that RQS was not in the mood to eat that day.

- - - - - -

Saturday came, and we ended up going to a movie called "Bad Apples".  It is a story about a teacher and an extremely disruptive young boy.  In the process of trying to get his dad to do the minimum to help his son, the situation escalates to a point where the teacher kidnaps the boy and keeps him imprisoned in her basement, while she (and the rest of her students) blossoms in her classroom.  Do I recommend this film?  Wholeheartedly!  Yet, I'd have made one change - I'd have allowed the movie to have some closure that it doesn't have.  (I'm not giving away the ending, but I'd have cut out the final scene.) 

When we got home from the movie, RQS cooked some salmon.  I wish I could have had more.  But she buys human portions...  

- - - - - -

Sunday was a day doing much of nothing - it was raining out, and the last thing we wanted to do was go out to the bodega down the street in the rain. It was a day where we watched old movies on Amazon Prime, and I introduced her to a pleasant movie I found online - "Saving Grace".  Since I never got dressed, I still had to figure out a way to make sure that my car was parked on the correct side of the street to not be ticketed.  So, I went to Google Maps' Street view and look at the photographed street signs.  And, I was both lucky and right - I could stay parked until Tuesday at 8 am.

It's nice to be able to sleep late when I'm at RQS's place for the weekend.  

Now that I can't go on an impromptu cruise, now what?

 

Now that I do not have a valid passport, how do I sate my need for novelty?  After 25+ cruises, one would think that I'd be finding cruise life a bit mundane.  Yet, the break from my everyday routines always makes me apprehensive at first, then recharges me once I'm on a ship.  In many ways, it's like going into NYC for a museum run or to the theater - a little bit of a headache to start, and then wonderfully rewarding.

- - - - - -

As I write this, I have a YouTube video on in the background: Emma (from Emma Cruises) reviewing her most recent cruise on Virgin Voyages.  This is reminding me of a cruise I could have taken this weekend, but didn't feel healthy enough to have booked at the time.  It is also reminding me that I won't be able to take any cruises while my passport renewal application is being processed.  

So, how will I sate my craving to break out of my normal routines?

Tonight, I am going with my friend Vicki to attend a concert by a fellow performing tunes by Paul Simon, Jim Croce, and James Taylor. Although I have never heard of Tom Glynn before, I immediately became interested in this performer because of a snippet of a Jim Croce song.  He is the first person I've heard who can do justice to Jim's songs (other then the late Jim Croce) in a long while - and that includes Jim's son, A.J. Croce.

Over the next few weeks, RQS will be going to dinners with a few of our friends.  But that's not enough to sate my cravings for travel.  So, I might try to squeeze in a trip between the holidays - just to get away from the humdrum routines of everyday life.  But where would I go?  It's too cold to bother with Chicago.  Boston and Philadelphia are places I'd want to visit in the Spring, and DC is off limits until our dysfunctional regime is ousted from power via the ballot box.  All of my travels must be domestic for now, and I don't see this changing until December.

 

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.

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. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

 

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.