Crossword Puzzles - a short post, but a long solution

 

Years ago, I used to do the NY Times crossword puzzle almost every day.  Monday's puzzle was usually the easiest, progressing in difficulty until Sunday was reached.  On Monday, the cycle would start again.  This week, I tried to do Monday's puzzle, and was able to get it done in a couple of hours,  I guess the skill I honed many years ago is still there - fill in the blanks as best I could, then revise my answers when one clue proves another answer was wrong, repeating as needed.

One of the best puzzles I saw was a marriage proposal, where both future husband and wife were puzzle aficionados, and the Times' staff took pains to help this man surprise his future fiancee.  I loved seeing it, as it was a one of a kind special request that showed that the Times isn't as stuffy as it could be.  Another puzzle had the names of three US Presidents whose images adorned US paper currency. (As a former employee of a bank, I could relate to this puzzle!)  Most of the time, I didn't get all of the clues or answers.  But I had fun trying to find the solution.

Now that I'm retired, I have the time to get back into this pastime.  I'll let you know if I find a fun puzzle with entertainingly quirky clues and answers....

Zooming with friends - a short post

 

I don't have too much to say today....

This morning I got up for a morning appointment, then went home for a nap.  By the time I was conscious again, it was 3 pm and I had to get ready for a zoom meeting with my friends from Texas.

Now, I really wasn't in the mood to talk much today, as my mind is preoccupied by my upcoming cruise.  So, I stalled in getting ready, but got dressed as Marian a little before 6 pm, and went down to the local pizzeria to get something good to eat.  On the way down, I refreshed my money supply, so that I'd have extra spending money for the week.  While driving, I called LK to confirm tomorrow's lunch - and this ended up being a no-go.  She is (as expected) occupied by her children, and unable to handle visitors.  I was a little disappointed, but not enough to be depressed.  LK tends to let life get in the way of her plans, and I guess she will always be doing this.  (At least, she has a life....)

Once done with dinner, I went back to the house to start the zoom meeting with my friends from Texas.  Both my friends came on, as well as RQS - our usual foursome.  It was nice to chat with everyone again.  But I know I was flagging, as I'm still dealing with my lack of sleep last night.  Hopefully, I'll be able to get up early tomorrow, so that I can get a lot of tasks done to prepare for the cruise.

I was supposed to get a Liver Scan but....

 

When I last went to my doctor, he wanted to have me get a liver scan.  Today was supposed to be the day.  However, events conspired against this from happening as planned....

- - - - - -

The last time the doctor gave me a script for a liver scan, I was hesitant in doing so.  There is a part of me that avoids doctors, and it took me a bit of time to get in the habit of letting a doctor monitor my health.  As I've said before, part of the reason I don't like doctors' visits is that I know that I'm not in the best of shape, and I haven't been willing to make the sacrifices needed to get into better shape.  (Round is still a shape, isn't it? 😀)  It's so much harder to do so in my middle 60's than it was in my early 40's.  But it can be done.  I just haven't done so.

To prepare for this test is simple - just avoid ingesting any fluids or solids between midnight and the morning of the test.  This is what I did.  My alarms woke me up after 3-4 hours of sleep, and I was at the clinic by 9 am.  Shortly after I arrived, the Ultrasound technician called me in and told me there was a problem with the script.  I was not the only one that had this problem.  Doctors are asking for a Fibre Scan, and the technician said that her group does not do this test.  Nor do they have anyone in the larger group that does this.  Something was wrong, and my doctor's office wasn't answering the phone.  So I was sent on my way with a simple question on my mind - what did my doctor really want done, and where could I get this done?  I figure that I'll let the doctor answer this question when I see him next week.

My morning was shot, as I had already gone out as Mario when it wasn't needed.  But there was one saving grace.  I could finally get some breakfast....

RQS went home, and I got keys made - a quick post

 

One of the problems with going about as a female is that almost everything one carries around during a typical day is carried in a handbag.  My problem concerns the headache of carrying around a key fob for my car which weighs more than the key that it replaced, then pulling my keys out of my handbag when I wanted to open my front door.

But first....

It was time for RQS to go home today, so we hung out as long as we could before going out for a quick lunch.  As has been my habit all weekend, I put on a comfortable dress and drove to the nearest Mickey D's for some takeout.  By the time we got there, school had let out and we realized that we'd have to run back to the station before eating our food if she were to make her train on time.

We got to the station in time for RQS's train, and I stopped for a few minutes to finish my lunch.  And then, I decided to make a run to Walmart to get a key chain and to get some keys cut.  Well, I picked up the key chain in the above picture - it's certainly something no cisgender male would have for himself.  Yet, I still had another store to visit.  Walmart's key cutting machine claimed that one of my keys was an uncommon key which required cutting off site for $7.00 - so, I cancelled my order and decided to go to the Home Depot nearby.  Once in the store, I had to wait for service, as two other ladies were in front of me waiting to get their keys cut.  Fifteen minutes later, I had the four keys on the ring and I was ready to go home.  Arriving at home, I found that all four keys worked as expected.  I was able to more easily find these keys in my bag.  So, I hooked my car's key fob into my bag where I couldn't lose it (or the original keys attached to it).  Now, it'll be much easier for me to open up my front door when I get home.

My refrigerator door was open for an undetermined period yesterday, and I wouldn't trust the perishables inside the refrigerator compartment.  Given my upcoming trip, I won't replace these perishables until I return.  So, I decided to go out to eat.  It was nice to be addressed as a female again, as I entered the restaurant.  As much as I could have eaten a more inexpensive dinner if I cooked it myself, I enjoyed what I ate.  It was a nice way to end the day....

Starting a weekend with RQS - a quick post

 

Unless something is otherwise said, I try to wear dresses as much as possible during the summer months.  I find them much more comfortable than trouser like garments, and as a T-gal, I feel it a privilege to finally be able to wear them.  Yet, I am getting comfortable with the idea of wearing some trouser like garments when cisgender women will be found doing the same thing.  Hopefully, I will soon get some use out of all the garments I purchased at the Flax barn sale in the near future.

So, when Friday came around, I made sure to put on a nice dress and meet RQS at the station before taking a nice drive to the store to pick up some things I needed - such as a new set of jumper cables for the car.  Once we got back home, I prepared dinner, and we were in for the evening.

Saturday started off as another relaxing day.  But we both were interested in seeing the movie "Summer Camp", a tale of 3 women who became friends at a summer camp, and then attended a reunion 50 years later.  So, around 4 pm, we went to Pleasantville, NY and caught the movie there.  Was it a great movie?  Far from it.  But it you liked a movie such as "Book Club", you'll likely enjoy this film.  

When we got home, we found that the refrigerator door was open a crack and that food wasn't as cold as it should be.  (The door stop holding the door shut wasn't in tight enough.  I guess I'll have to call Frigidare service when I get back home.)  Luckily, most of the stuff in the ice box is non perishable, and the freezer compartment was still ice cold.  This is one more thing I have to be aware of before my next trip....

We're not sure of what we plan to do tomorrow.  So I'll write more later on....

I can hardly believe it! 34 counts - all guilty!!!!

 

I wish I could have been in the courtroom to see the verdict delivered.  For some, it's a happy day because Trump got his comeuppance. For others, it's a sad day because their cult leader has been chastised.  To me, it's a good day because: (1) The justice system finally prevailed against Trump after all of these years, and (2) karma has "bitch slapped" a bully - the latter being something that made me happy.

Sadly, this is only the conclusion of act one.  We're likely to see a long intermission between act two (the Georgia case), act three (the January 6th case), and act four (the Mar a Lago case).  Although sentencing should take place on July eleventh, I doubt that Trump will be made to serve his sentence until after the election - if we're lucky.

America is so divided these days, in part because of Trump, that objective facts no longer exist for members of his cult.  Lunatics are making death threats against people who dare to do their jobs in our polarized political climate.  The 12 jurors + 6 alternate jurors may be free to talk with the press, but they have been instructed not to do so for their own safety.  Heck, even the jury that convicted Al Capone didn't have to worry about repercussions from his mob.  But this jury has to worry about repercussions from MAGA loons for years.  This is not right.

So now, we have to see what both the appeals process brings and what happens when the US Supreme Court makes its rulings in regard to the January 6th case and the Georgia case.  (I have no hope for a good result in the Mar a Lago case, due to the corrupt judge in charge of the case.  Even though I don't expect any progress on the 3 remaining cases before Election Day, I hope to see progress before it's too late....

An early dinner with a friend

 

Last night, I mentioned to Pat that I wish I could have been born a cisgender female who looked like this when younger.  If I were younger and in better health, I'd consider plastic surgery to make my face look more like this.  Today, I had lunch with a friend who has no idea that I am not a cisgender female.

- - - - - -

MAR is 36 years old, and doesn't have a good career.  I'm not really sure of how she got her bachelor's degree, as I think that this must have been a struggle for her.  But I digress.   

We met at the local pizzeria around 5:00 pm, just as the Trump verdicts were coming in.  The conversation we had was pleasant, focusing on things like getting a new job.  The last time we met, I mentioned that New York State was on a hiring spree, and that she should take the civil service tests to try to get a job with benefits.  Did she do this?  No.  So, I mentioned that the post office is looking for people and that she should apply at their open house to be held next week.  Do I think she'll do this?  Probably not.  But one can hope.

Before we left the restaurant, the waiter took $100 in $20's from us, and we asked for change of the extra $20.  He thought we had given him $80, and got confused.  Luckily, this didn't become a problem for us, as he gave us $20 from his own pocket - from which we gave him $15 back in a tip.

- - - - - -

My next destination was to Yonkers to pick up the lost earring - the hostess of game night found it, and was ready for me when I got there.  Sadly "Murder Mouth" (as she calls her dog - it can't be trusted around visitors) wouldn't relax, and that meant I couldn't stay and chat.  So, it was back home for the evening and to the basket of laundry that needed folding....