Yet another cross stitch

Here is the latest finished pattern. When I pulled the picture off the camera and discovered that it was fuzzy, I was too lazy to take another one...

If you can't read the title on the right bottom, it is 'Baroque'. As in: "The kitteh baroque the bust, and took its spot."

 

This one amused me. I'm not sure what the next project will be, but I've got a bunch of choices. I went a little pattern-happy when I was looking for cross stitch patterns....

Other than that? I just came back from a 4 mile paddle - and the 2 miles up took about 3 times as long as the return trip; the water was moving pretty fast downstream, and I'm tired. Maybe I can convince Gary to have popcorn for dinner, and I can take a nap!

Not your mother's needlepoint

This is the latest finished project. I think it sums things up nicely!

 

And yes, I still need to buy an iron.... Mom and Dad - I'll probably wait until I finish another one before I send them to you for the 'full service' ironing and framing!

Same-old Same-old

I haven’t posted because, well, it’s pretty much the same-old-same-old.

We’ve been cycling, but Gary has been fighting the bubonic plague so he was sidelined today. Actually, he was pretty miserable last night, and as a precaution, I decided to go to the Pharmacy of Death ™ this morning to get a prescription for antibiotics filled (he’s had pneumonia enough times that we are able to diagnose this on our own; it wasn’t clear that he absolutely would need it, but I figured we’d be better to have it, just in case he really did go bubonic). Armed with the prescription from our family doctor, I timed it so I would get to the pharmacy right at 10am when they opened. I was there at 10:01. And the pharmacy was closed. Okay. It’s only 10:01. And I could hear voices (behind the closed counter; not the ones in my head that were telling me that only a crazy person would be at this pharmacy, expecting them to be open on time), so it was all cool. At 10:10, the pharmacy was still closed, and the store’s assistant manager came back and I could hear more voices (most of which were still not in my head). From what I could hear, there were only two employees there, and at least 2 other people had called in sick.

Nifty.

At 10:15, they finally opened the counters. The assistant manager took my prescription and told me that it would be “a while”.

A while. Yippee. Good thing I had brought my needlepoint with me.

Since I had some other prescriptions to pick up, I went to the pickup counter and the one poor harried guy finally got to me. And they only had 2 of the 4 prescriptions that I had expected to pick up (not counting the one I had just dropped off), but the poor guy didn’t have anyone to help him, so he didn’t have time to figure out why the other things weren’t ready. It wasn’t an emergency, so no biggie. But as I was waiting in line, I saw the z-pack (azythromycin) packages on the shelf – the prescription that I had just dropped off for Gary, and had been told would be a while. Since this is not the first time that he’s gotten this particular (nuclear-strength) antibiotic, I know that it is nothing that the pharmacist has to actually count out; they pick a package off the shelf, run it through the insurance and give it to you. But because they were so short staffed, this whole process was going to take a couple of hours – mostly because they had to bring in extra employees from Lake Havasu (50 miles away).

But as I was standing in line I was able to discern that the only other employee was an actual pharmacist. So after I got the couple of prescriptions they DID have for me, I went back to the drop-off counter, and the pharmacist came over. I explained to her that Gary was dying of the bubonic plague, and then I fibbed a bit (okay, I lied) and told her that I was a nurse, and knew that it was a really easy deal to do a z-pack. Much to my great surprise, the pharmacist just handed me the package, and told me that they’d “work it out later”.

Huh. Go figure. So I took the pack and ran like a thief. (I have no idea if/when they will ever figure it out, as the pharmacist made no notes whatsoever on the prescription. Not my problem.)

Luckily, it turned out that Gary didn’t need the prescription. But yet again, the Pharmacy of Death ™ did not fail to mystify.

Other than that, I’ve been out in the kayak a fair amount (again, with Gary being run-down/sick, he hasn’t had as much of a chance to get out), and Fiona is becoming a champion ball-chaser. The kids got their hair cuts, and look great (although TaiChi’s hair is a little short, and since the nights are cool, she’s been wearing her coat).


By drliz


By drliz

Other than that excitement, I’ve been needlepointing up a storm (pictures will follow as I make a bit more progress). Again, same-old-same-old here.

I can actually be pretty crafty at times!

We’ve been a bit sidelined the last couple of days, for a couple of reasons. First, our main road that we ride was taken out of commission as the area was getting ready for the Parker 425 desert race. 260 entries, each with 4 drivers, the main pit area was similar in size to the paddock at the Solo Nationals, and the spectator areas were crammed with people parking their RVs days in advance to get a good viewing spot. I really wish I had my camera out on the last day we were out there, because the number of spectators alone was quite impressive (and we only say one spectator site; there were several).

Anyway, there was the desert race prep, so we hit the river with the kayaks for two days. Which was great fun. I’m so thrilled with the kayaks!

By drliz

But 80 degree days can only last so long. It started raining on Friday evening, and has been raining on and off ever since. And for some unrelated reason, I had decided a week or two ago that I’d like to do a little cross-stitch. I get on a cross-stitch kick every once in a while (I think it is the only thing that stuck with me from my 150 years as a Girl Scout). It’s one of those ‘crafty’ things that I actually enjoy. As an aside, several years ago when I was on another cross-stitch kick, I was early for a meeting at work, and whipped out the pattern I was working on at the time, and the next person to come into the room was a very devout Mormon woman who only knew me as a ski racing, gun-toting tomboy. Her eyes bugged out of her head as I placidly stitched away before she finally stammered, “I wouldn’t have ever expected you to do hand-work.” Hand-work? Okay. I just smiled and told her that it was my deep, dark secret. I forever after that she kept looking at me for horns on my head.

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a cross-stitch kit from eBay. One of those things that comes with everything, including a needle. Well, except for a hoop, which you need to keep the material taut so that you can make even stitches. So I ordered one of those, as well. And a pair of little scissors. Because of course, all of my cross-stitch stuff is in Park City, as I didn’t anticipate this whim striking me. And everything arrived just around the time the kayaks did.

So when it started raining, I started cross-stitching. And when it was all said and done, even Gary was impressed (he’s seen me mending things, so I think he was a little skeptical when I started…)

In hindsight, a white dog on a white background meant a lot of white stitches. After several hours of trying to actually see the stitches that I had put down, I finally admitted defeat and stitched the outline of the body before I continued with the white. Of course, this didn’t dawn on me until after I had done the head…. But in the future, I’m going to pay a little more attention to the colors of the stitches and the background material. Another after-thought: I would have liked to have had a reddish/bronze-ish color thread for the dog – it would have been a lot easier to see, and it would have ended up looking more like Fiona… I have since ordered a few skeins of ‘basic’ colors so that I’m not ever stuck in a white-on-white fiasco again.

So here is the fruit of my labors.


By drliz

Yes, I need to find an iron before I frame the thing…. Or maybe I’ll send it to my parents and let them handle that part of things! ;-D

And yeah, I’m actually going to start another one. (And yes, it will be another dog-themed pattern. Because the cat patterned kits that I have ordered aren’t here yet!)

On the water

Day Two with the Kayaks.

 

You can't tell from this, but there was a pretty stiff south wind, so on the way back, we were getting some nice bow splashing going on!

Gary, quickly mastering the whole kayaking thing.

 

Notice that we got the carts for the kayaks, making it a whole lot easier to get the boats down to the river!

 

Me, a very happy camper!

 

I'm exhausted.

I'm exhausted. Happy, but exhausted.

We started off with a 24 mile bike ride (we finally made it to the end of the road. They are doing a desert race this weekend, and it's amazing to see the number of spectators that are staged to watch this 425 mile spectacle. Kicks self for not having camera in the backpack. It was perfect weather (80 degrees), and a great ride. Did I mention that I LOVE this weather?

After the bike ride, we decided to take the kayaks out.

 

This would be my kayak behind the motorhome. I've got to figure out how to take the camera along to get some 'on-the-water' shots. I think a Ziploc bag may help...

It's about a half mile from the motorhome to the water (that would be by NOT cutting through peoples' patios), and the kayaks are pretty heavy; 45 lbs each. Gary carried the front ends, and I carried the rear ends of the boats. Uff da! But we made it to the beach with only minor destruction (an outdoor light might have possibly found itself on the casualty list). And we both got in the water with no issues. We paddled about two miles upstream, and then headed back. And carried the kayaks back to the motorhome.

It was fantastic to get out on the water; the water itself is clear, and fairly warm. And I just love the feeling of flotaing along. I've got to adjust my seat to get a little more power with the paddling (oh, and I guess probably actually find some technique...), but it was a blast! I'm so glad that we got the kayaks.

And I'm so glad that ordered carts to help us transport the kayaks. Because the suckers are heavy.

And after the kayaking? Fiona had to go on a walk, so I took her out on a mile walk. It was actually sort of cute; she picked up a stick about 500 yards into the walk and carried it all the way up the road and back, dropping it off at one of the palm trees inside the RV park. It was her stick, and she wasn't letting go of it for nothin'!

After all of that, it was dinner on the grill so that there would be minimal dishes. And now? I'm ready to collapse.

And do it all again tomorrow. Because today was great!

Monday Morning Observations

1) The commercials sucked.

2) Surprisingly, the game wasn't too bad.

3) Especially since I was watching Boston Legal on DVD at the same time.

4.5) Even though the Cardinals lost.

4) Putting refills in the 'Busy Ball' that the kids got for Christmas resulted in the dogs deciding that 4:15am was the perfect time to start playing with it (on the bed, of course):

 

5) There are a lot of stars in the sky when:

a) you live in the middle of nowhere

b) there are no lights on outside, other than the flashlight needed to keep an eye on whichever dog happens to be outside at the time

c) you are out at 4am with said aforementioned dogs

6) Fiona NEEDS to get some exercise. She's been on bedrest because of her spaying last week, and she's starting to (literally) bounce off the walls. 42 feet of motorhome starts to get small with a 45 lb dog racing around, flying off the couch, the dog beds, and the people bed.

7) I'd really like to get on a bicycle ride.

8) And I'd really like my kayaks to show up sooner rather than later.

The ads are the best part....

Yes, we'll be watching the Superbowl today. Luckily, the actual game starts late enough that we can (hopefully) get a bike ride in, first. And being in Arizona and all, we're sort of morally obligated to root for the the Cardinals. (Except that I've always had a soft spot for the Steelers because I've actually seen them play at Three Rivers stadium. For Mom and Dad, who are now scratching their heads wondering when that happened, it was in high school - it was considered a 'cultural event' - it took us a million hours to get there in those school vans, but I remember having a good time.)

In truth, I really only care about the commercials. Particularly the Budweiser ones, because it's always interesting to see what the Clydesdales are up to. But occasionally someone else runs one that's good. So I'll pay close attention to the first half, when the commercials are generally better.

But speaking of commercials.... Who remembers this one? (Have I just dated myself?) And before you see the end of the ad, do you have ANY idea who the ad is for. After seeing the ad, do you have any idea who the commercial is for?!? Still my favorite tv ad of all time.

And yes, as my Great Uncle Paul would say (have said) "too much TV"....

A lazy, windy day

I’m feeling lazy today. I finally broke down and went grocery shopping (when we run out of the essentials – juice, coffee, and dog cookies – it’s time to go to the store). I meant to fill the truck up, but I could only find 1 gas station remotely close to the store that had diesel. This is the land of 5th wheels and motorhomes. How can there be no diesel? I know of places on the other side of town (a whopping 5 minutes away, but did I mention that I was feeling lazy? Besides, we’ve still got a quarter tank of gas. Which, with the truck, should get us about 5 miles. In truth, it’s a little better than that on gas, but nothing like the Saturn, which has a 12 gallon gas tank, and seems to run forever. It’s just a good thing we don’t drive very far, or very often.), but none on the main north-south freeway from the bridge crossing to California up to Lake Havasu City. And given that gas is WAY cheaper here than in California, I just don’t understand the lack of diesel pumps.

Yes, I spent a better part of the drive home pondering the paucity of gas stations with diesel pumps. Did I mention that my iPod was being funky, and so it was contemplating the fueling options between Parker and Parker Dam, or listening to Hank Williams (senior). And I just wasn’t up for Hank today.

I was going to go for a jog today, after the grocery thing, but by the time I got back home a wicked north wind kicked up. Wicked enough that my baseball hat won’t stay on my head. And that’s pretty much my barometer of when it is Too Windy To Jog. Because at the speed I go, I’ll get blown backward on the way out… And Fiona is still on the Injured Reserve list; she’s not supposed to do anything more strenuous than ‘very short walks’ for another 3 days. Yes, she’s going stir-crazy. I actually resorted to giving her a little valium yesterday to keep her from bouncing off the walls. She seems to be a little better today… And since I don’t have the excuse of needing to exercise the dog, I’m going to take the day off. Hopefully we’ll be able to get out and ride tomorrow (it’s not supposed to be as windy. I think.).

In case you care, here’s today’s forecast: Sunny and breezy. Highs 71 to 76. North wind 10 to 20 mph. Gusts to 30 mph in the afternoon. I think we’ve hit the gusty part of the day. Being in a fancy-schmancy motorhome, our main awning is automated; we’ve got an anemometer on the top of the coach, and when the winds hit a certain speed, the awning automatically comes in, so it doesn’t get ripped off. We usually pull the awning in before the automatic system does, but it’s still sort of handy.. Tomorrow looks better: Sunny. Highs 72 to 77. North wind 10 to 15 mph. That wind shouldn’t be too bad. Especially if we get out early.

Anyhoo, I think I’m going to sit on the couch with the doggies and watch Boston Legal episodes (I bought myself the first 4 seasons on DVD as my Christmas present to myself).

Iacta alea est

Yes, the die is cast. And the Mastercard charged, but I don't know the Latin for that...

I bit the bullet and bought the kayaks (and PFDs and paddles and spray skirts and paddle leashes) tonight. I wasn't REALLY sure that I wanted to spend the money, because while I'm perfectly happy repeatedly spending $50-75 on Amazon, or on discounted clothes, once I hit the 4 digit mark I get a little nervous. But, it was sort of a now-or-never; if I wait too long, the river will be full of drunk spring breakers on jet skis and we won't get much use out of them. And, if I wait too long, I'll hesitate myself into inaction.

So. The kayaks are on their way (or they will be tomorrow). Bright yellow for Gary, and red for me (we got different colors so once we set them up, we'll be able to tell whose is whose).

I'm actually QUITE excited. I haven't been in a kayak in 20 years, and that was all whitewater stuff, so it should be very interesting (read: amazing at how clueless I'll be). But I'm looking at this like biking - it can be a great workout with great scenery, or it can be a very casual cruise with great scenery. Can't lose, either way!

And in other news, Fiona is now officially spayed (yes, I paid attention to Bob Barker for 1,000 years). And is quite sleepy. She's still a little dopey from the anesthesia, so she's in a diaper for the night in case of accidents, and sleeping like a log. She's got a quiet week ahead of her, I think.

Of Fiona and Things

 

Fiona, with her head poking out the bedroom window of the motorhome. Of course she’s supervised, but she loves hanging her head out the bedroom window to watch the world and catch the breezes. In truth, I don’t know if she does this in the car or not, as I really haven’t taken her in the car other than for vet visits and to go to the groomer; we pretty much only drive if we are going to our starting point for a bike ride, or if I’m going to the store (and I’m not going to leave her in the car while I go shopping, or spend unmentionable amounts of time at the Pharmacy of Death ™).

And speaking of Fi (and when are we not?) our little girl is no longer a little girl. Well, she’s not been a little girl for a while…. 45+ lbs is not exactly little… But she’s 6 months old, and goes in tomorrow to get spayed. It’s amazing that she’s 6 months old already… It seems like only yesterday she was just a little pup at the Solo Nationals.

 

She’s still going to get taller, and fill out quite a bit more, but she’s really starting to look like a dog, and less like a puppy. Of course, she still acts like a goofy puppy, so there’s no mistaking her for a more distinguished dog…. Right now she’s tall enough that when she stands up, TaiChi can walk right under her. Fiona definitely gets her legs from her mother (the poodle).

---

Today was yet another gorgeous day; mid-70s and not a cloud in the sky. Because we have been riding steadily, we had planned on taking a day off, and I had planned on spending part of the day reading in the sun.

But alas, no. We had a little dog accident that required me to wash all the sheets and blankets on the bed. In all fairness, it had to be done soon anyway, and this was a good impetus to do so. Still, my dreams of basking in the sun didn’t happen. Oh well. Lots more days like this ahead.

And I’ve finally made the kayak choice. I’m going with a package, because, frankly, we don’t need super-high tech stuff. I’m actually getting slightly better boats than I had first planned on.




Mostly because these have better seats that have more adjustments – and I’m worried that if Gary has a seat that he can’t adjust until he’s comfortable, he won’t go out much. And with his back, more adjustment is better. So, I’m spending a little more than I had planned on, but I think it will be well worth it. Especially since we’ll be able to use these on the reservoirs in Utah, and in the lakes in Idaho (as well as anywhere else we might go). They are flat-water boats – we’re not tackling rapids in these things – but there should be plenty of places for us to use them, and it will be good fun to get out on the water.

Hopefully I’ll be able to order them tomorrow, and within a week or two, we’ll be hitting the river! (And yes, there is enough room in the cockpit that Fiona could come along, but she doesn’t seem to be so excited about water, and I’m not sure how much she’ll ‘rock the boat’, so to speak!)

Another day, another 20 miles.

Another fantastic ride today. Moreso because I really wasn’t in the mood to go on a ride. I didn’t sleep well last night (our 50lb puppy is convinced that she is a pillow puppy, and ends up kicking me (and Gary) in the head, taking over all of my pillow, and generally making it really difficult to sleep; oh, and our 17 year old miniature poodle has to go out about every 5-6 hours, so, if I go to be about 10:30…. Yeah… I’m always up at least once during the night, and lately I’ve been having a hard time falling back to sleep once I take them out – because of course the puppy wants to go out, when the old lady does…), it was overcast, and I was still tired.

But, when Gary asked me if we were going for a ride, the only possible answer was yes. So, off we went. And the first 5 miles sucked. We had a wicked headwind, and we were both struggling. However, at about 7 miles, it all seemed to get better, and we agreed to ride 10 and then turn around. The road we ride on is uphill on the way out, with a headwind, making it downhill with a tailwind on the way back, so we figured that coming back wouldn’t be too bad. And it wasn’t. While we were going 10-12 mph out, we were going 20 most of the way in, and up to 34mph in spots. (Which is kinda fast on a bicycle…)

We didn’t get any rain (well, we got sprinkled on a little bit, but that doesn’t really count, and given that it was in the mid 70s, it felt pretty good), but we were keeping an eye on the mountains; there are some ‘Flood Area’ sections on the road, and we are in the land of flash floods. However, there wasn’t any significant rain in the mountains (you can tell by the clouds), and so we didn’t have to worry about that (the flood areas aren’t that wide, but it would still suck to hear a flood coming…).

So, another 20 miles; looks like we’ll get 70+ in for the week, which isn’t a lot, but we’ll work our way up to 150+/ a week in not too long.

And it seems like the combination of diet and exercise is starting to work. The numbers on the scale are still somewhat frightening, but they are going to right direction, and, more importantly, clothes are starting to fit better, and the mirror is kinder to me. So I’m feeling pretty good about all of that. And I’m really enjoying the riding. Especially rides where I expect to struggle the whole time, and finish feeling good.

I think I’ve also nailed down the kayaks that we are going to get. I just have to figure out the finances (it’s the end of the month, so I’m not sure I can swing them quite yet, but I’m getting close). And I’m very excited about it; I’d really like to get out on the river.

And as a total aside, Fiona is going nuts in the motorhome with her squeaky ball; she’s running around, dropping it, pouncing on it, grabbing it, making it squeak, and doing the whole thing all over again. She amuses herself quite well. Although this is also a hint that she’d REALLY like to go outside and play…. Unfortunately, the sun has already set, so she’ll have to be content to play inside…

If you're in southern Arizona, watch out - I'm on the road!

Heh. I am a truck drivin’ woman again. Larry took the Saturn Vue back to Park City, leaving us with the Corvette and the Ford F-350. And here in The Land of Many 5th Wheels, I have no issues with Truck Envy. Because a crew cab, full-sized bed F-350 is pretty much on the top of the heap. There is some philosophical debate about whether a dualie is Better; they look cooler, but they have some issues. Regardless, we are Up There. Particularly since we’ve had the truck souped-up, and can crank up the HP to the point of blowing black smoke out the exhaust if I so desire. Anyhoo, if I was driving around in a F-150 (or equivalent), I’d feel a little under-endowed. As it is, I have complete confidence in the size of my truck.

That last part didn’t come out right. But I have too much to do tonight to try to re-phrase that.

However, having a Big Truck means that I have to actually DRIVE a Big Truck. Let’s just say that it took me a few miles to feel that I could actually manage to stay in my lane without having to check the little towing mirrors on the bottom of the side mirrors. And, hey, I didn’t kill myself, or anyone else. Nor did I get pulled over for reckless driving, so it’s all good.

Because I guess I actually have to make sure I can drive the truck before I can even think about learning to tow anything with it. Let me re-phrase that; I’d prefer to have complete command of the truck before I learn to tow stuff.

So yeah. I’m a truck driving chick again. And I’ve even got a CD of Hank Williams Jr., Johnny Cash, and other country greats in the CD player. Yep. I’m going native!

And in other excitement, 20 miles on the bike today. We’ve got this great road on an Indian Reservation that has very little traffic on it, has a very slight uphill grade on the way out (and a headwind), making for a slight downhill and tailwind on the way back. The road supposedly goes out 13 miles, but we’ve only been out 10 – we’ll keep riding it until we hit the end. But, it is such an empty road that I’ve actually started bringing along my iPod (well, the Shuffle), and listening to music (one ear bud in – the other left out so I can hear the odd car). I’ve always ridden around traffic before, so this is the first time I’ve been able to do this, and it does enhance the experience.

Of course, the 70 degree weather and clear blue skies also enhances the experience. Gods, it feels good to be back on a road bike, and laying down some miles.

Oh, and I might have figured out a way to swing the kayaks. We’ll see. But I’d be very happy if I could add some paddling to the whole thing.

Life is good

Mmm… I made the tastiest turkey burgers EVER for dinner. Kinda Greek-y, and REALLY tasty.

I’ve given up on beef for hamburgers and have been using turkey. I’ve also added more fish to our diet, and tons of veggies. And I’ve actually discovered that cauliflower can be eaten WITHOUT cheese. No. Really. It can be. I’m not so sure about broccoli. I think broccoli still requires cheese for it to be edible. But cauliflower is quite tasty. And squash. Good stuff. Anyhoo, I’m quite pleased with the general changes I’m making in our diet.

And while I’m not super excited about my weight (okay, I’ve been doing the weight watchers thing for what? A week and a half? I could really pass on the whole weighing myself thing – because that part is a little depressing – other than that at least the numbers seem to be going to right direction – but they’re still numbers that I’d really rather not see at all), I’m already starting to fit better into clothes that I wasn’t fitting so well into before. Definitely the diet thing is helping, as is the cycling 70 miles a week – and that number will bump up to about 100 or so in time.

I’ve also started back to jogging with the puppy. I’d really like to be able to ride 20-30 miles, and then take the dog on a 2 mile jog. And then, I’d actually like to add a paddle along with that.

See, we’re 400 yards from the Colorado River. And I’m just dying to get a kayak and get out and paddle around. True, I haven’t been in a kayak in 15 years, but this is flat water. And the water is just calling to me. Especially on the days when it is just glassy.

So, I’ve been investigating recreational kayaks. The only way we can get them back to Park City is in the back of the truck (Oh, did I mention that our buddy Larry brought down the truck and the trailer with the Corvette in it? He took the Saturn Vue back to Park City – too bad, as I was really getting into the manual transmission thing – and we’ve got the truck as our vehicle. The Corvette will stay trailered except for races.) Which limits us on length, so I’ve been looking at 10’ introductory kayaks. L.L. Bean has a good deal on a nice looking kayak package that would suit our needs nicely. I think I can get everything we need for about $1100. And I’d really like to get out on the river. Gary’s been buying guitars, so I’m not sure I want to spend $1100 right now, but it is really tempting. Especially with the upper body/core workout it would give us – a great contrast to the cycling and the jogging.

And it is especially tempting since the weather has been in the 70s, and although there will be some cooler days, we are pretty much out of ‘winter’ here.

We’ll see.

BUT…. I’m feeling good; I’m really enjoying the cycling, now that I’ve got a better water-bottle-carrying system, I like the jogging with the puppy more (and she’s getting better, so that makes it a little easier, too), and I’m feeling good about how we are eating. And all of this is cool. And exactly what I was hoping for when we moved down here.

Another Great Ride

 

I was going to gush about what a great ride we had today, and how much I love cycling, and how happy I am that we are in a part of the country where it is 70 degrees during the day, and high 40s at night.

BUT....

A large cup of vegetable juice met a violent farewell in the bedroom, and there was a flurry of towels, the use of the Bissel, a changing of the sheets on the bed, and another load of laundry to do. And the dinner dishes are still waiting to be washed. So, all you get is a photoshopped picture of the two of us (the road we were on today is VERY devoid of cars - which makes it a great riding road - but also no one around to get a picture of us together, so we just 'created' one!).

Toodles. I'm off to wash dishes.

Pharmacy of Death, Part 271

Yes, we all know that I should actually listen to my father’s advice. But where would be the fun in that, eh? However, this time, I might actually pay attention.

This all gets back to The Pharmacy of Death ™. And yes, Dad, I really should check out mail-order pharmacies. (Alas, no Costco or Walmart around here. I’m beginning to see why many of the old fogeys drive the 130 miles south to Mexico to go pick up their prescriptions. I’m not quite ready to do that yet, though…. A bit of a trek for me, and I can’t see Gary going with me, nor can I see him being too thrilled about me going alone. So, that option is out.)

Anyhoo. One of our doctors in Utah called a new prescription in for Gary, to the Pharmacy of Death ™. He did this on Monday. And confirmed via email that he had done this (because he’s a tad anal – which, in a doctor, is a good thing). Knowing that PoD would not have the prescription ready on Monday, I waited until Tuesday. That would be yesterday, for those of you without a score card. I called in at 11am, figuring that that would give the incompetent morons over-worked employees a chance to actually get the prescription filled.

Me: “Hi, I’m calling about a prescription that was phone in for my husband. Last name is spelled….”

IM (incompetent moron) #1: Silence. Then: “Has he had any prescriptions filled here before?”

Me: “Yes. Several.” About 173, to be exact. “Maybe you didn’t spell the name right. Last name is spelled…”

IM1: “Oh. Here it is. I’ve got a refill that was filled on Sunday. It’s ready to be picked up.”

Me: “No. He has another prescription that his doctor called in yesterday. Has that one been filled yet?”

IM1: “Let me check.” Minutes go by.

IM1: “Ma’am? We’ve got it here. It will be ready by about 5 or 6 pm.”

Me: Keep in mind that this is 11am. “5 or 6pm? It was called in yesterday afternoon. How can it take that long to fill a prescription?” I tried really hard not to get irate, but really. More than 24 hours to fill a prescription? My pharmacy at home would have the thing done in 10 minutes.

IM1: Puts me on hold without another word.

IM2: “Hello. Can I help you?”

Me: Heavy sigh. “I’m trying to find out how long it will take to get a prescription filled for my husband. Last name is spelled…..”

IM2: “We have a prescription here for him that has already been filled. It was filled on Sunday.”

Me: “No. His doctor phoned this one in yesterday.”

IM2: “Let me check.” Minutes pass.

IM2: “I’m sorry. I have looked through all the prescriptions, and we have nothing here for him.”

Me: Becoming a bit more irate now. “Wait a minute. The last person I spoke to told me that she had the prescription, but that it wasn’t going to be filled until this evening. Now you’re telling me you don’t have it at all?”

IM2: “No. I looked through the computer and all the piles of prescriptions called in and there is nothing.”

Me: “Fine. Someone is lying to me; either the person I just spoke to, or you. I KNOW the prescription has been called in. I just need to pick it up this afternoon.”

IM2: Hangs up phone.

Me: about an hour later, after I have somewhat calmed down, because I REALLY HATE IT when people hang up on because they don’t want to talk to me anymore. “Hi, can I speak to a supervisor?”

IM3: “Maybe I can help you.”

Me: “Nope. I need to speak to a supervisor.”

Supervisor: After similar conversations above. “Your prescription will be ready in about an hour.”

Me: “Great. Thanks!”

Knowing that there is no way in hell they will have the prescription ready in an hour, I decide to give them 2 and a half hours. The vet (who makes house calls!) was going to be by the motorhome around 4:30 or so, so I figured I’d have plenty of time to go pick up the prescription and go grocery shopping (and get home) before the vet arrived. I went to the pharmacy, first. And get in the ‘prescription pick-up’ line; about 12 people long, and like the post-office, they’ve got one person working the front desk.

Finally I get up to the counter and am told that they’ve got one prescription for me. The prescription that was called in on Sunday. I tell her that I had called two and half hours ago, and was told it would be ready in an hour. She stares blankly at me, and then tells me that I need to talk to the people at ‘prescription drop-off’ and I can pick up both prescriptions when they are ready. Like a dumbass, I agree, and don’t pick up the one prescription the woman has in her hands.

I stand in line at the ‘prescription drop-off counter’ for about 20 minutes, and finally talk to someone who has the phoned in prescription paper in her hand. Yes. In her hand. It hasn’t been entered into the computer yet. She’s very nice about it all, and enters it into the computer while I am standing there. She assures me that it will be about 20 minutes.

I nod, and go to wander the store. Because if, god forbid, you actually LEAVE the store, you have consigned your prescription to walking the banks of the River Styx for all eternity. About 20 minutes later, I get back in the now-15-person-long line to pick up prescriptions. And wait. And get a panicked call from Gary that I won’t be back in time for the vet, as it is now 3:45, and it takes about 20 minutes to get home.

And I finally get back to the front of the line. And to the same lady that I saw before. Now, the prescription that had been called in by the doctor is ready. Cool. But the prescription that has been at the pharmacy for a couple of days? The one that I should have picked up at my first visit to the counter for the day? Nowhere to be seen. And the helpful counter clerk? “I don’t know where it is. I only have one thing here.” Not that she actually went to the shelf to possibly find the other prescription, or anything. She had the one prescription in her hand, and that’s all I was getting.

Luckily it was the prescription that I really wanted to pick up; the other one wasn’t an emergency. But c’mon! You can’t find the thing that you had in your hands 45 minutes earlier? I mean, this is almost comic.

Almost.

***
However, in a complete turnaround today. I got the prescription the lady couldn’t find yesterday (the same counter clerk, BTW – I think she saw me coming, and saw the look of fire in my eyes), as well as a prescription that I had called in for a refill a mere 2 hours before (and didn’t actually expect to pick up until Friday). So, go figure. And the pharmacy is having a ‘case lot’ sale on wine. I wonder why.

***
All of that aside, yesterday was 70 degrees. Today was 75. Clear blue skies, palm trees, and warm. We went on a road bike ride today, and I have to say, I could very well get used to this snowbird lifestyle. I really like palm trees. And sun. And it’s beautiful. I’ll bring the camera tomorrow.

Yet another picture of Fiona

 

Yep. More pictures of Fiona... This was taken on our jog yesterday, during a water break. That's the Colorado River behind us....And palm trees. I love palm trees. And 70 degree days. And this no-snow winter thing.

Because it really is ALL ABOUT FIONA

Here's a video I slapped together (okay, it took me forever, for a variety of reasons, not limited to the fact that I'm not video-savvy, I get frustrated easily, and I really expected to only spend about 30 minutes on this project - which, of course, added to the frustration...) of Fiona out chasing the community squeaky ball.

The cool thing is that she's not on a leash (she's got a short training line on) for any of this. And yep, our little girl is becoming a dog. Neither her poodle mother nor her golden retriever father were particularly big, but I think we've got Dogzilla on our hands. Her. Feet. Just. Don't. Stop. Growing!

More from the 'You Cannot Be Serious' Files

When I was at The Pharmacy From Hell ™ for TWO FREAKIN’ HOURS today *ahem, I saw this:


By drliz

Maybe it’s just me, but ‘Alzheimers for Dummies’ seems a little insensitive.

I won't talk about food all the time, I promise!

I promise to not turn this into a ‘diet diary’ because frankly, I generally find them boring (i.e. : today I ate blah, blah, blah; I exercised blah, blah, blah, and I feel blah, blah, blah), unless you are dieting, or know the person and are just interested in what’s important to them, they are really not very interesting.

Hush. No comments from the peanut gallery about being interesting!

That said, today was a Weight Watchers focused day. Sort of. I spent a better part of yesterday searching through recipes to find stuff new and interesting, and feasible. (I love the motorhome, and while I’ve got a great Weber grill, a gas range and a small toaster over, I have no regular oven. So I’m a bit limited in what I can cook.) After discovering that you can basically eat vegetables until your eyes turn green (or orange), I made a list of every single possible vegetable that I can coax Gary to eat, figured out some menus, and made a shopping list.

Last night was a rough night; Gary didn’t sleep well (meaning: not at all; he’s got some big business stuff going on and was a little stressed); the dogs were up every 3 hours, and when I did get into bed, Fiona (lovable puppy that she is, is about 40 lbs – possibly more – and about 35 of those pounds are big gangly poodle legs) decided that she is STILL a pillow dog, and spent the night alternately kicking me and Gary, stepping on us, and (at various points) sleeping using my head as a pillow.

Yeah, so after the LAST trip outside of the night (at 5:53am), I went to bed, and slept until 10am. (Gary, who didn’t fall asleep until 5am, slept until 1pm…)

Did I mention that it was a rough night?

With a 4pm conference call, we decided that this would be a great day to recover from the riding/jogging. Besides, Gary had tons of business stuff to do, and I wanted to get to the store. I found most everything on my list, and am feeling optimistic.

And full. Tonight was turkey burgers (on whole wheat buns with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles) with broccoli and cauliflower with a wee bit of low fat cheese on the veggies. (I didn’t bother to tell Gary that the cheese was low fat, and he didn’t notice it. What he doesn’t know won’t make him fat!) and that was PLENTY of food. I’m sure I’ll get the munchies tonight before bed, but I’m all prepared with popcorn (and ‘points’ left to eat it, I might add).

Yesterday we scoped out some of the longer potential bicycle rides in the area, and I think that once Gary’s business starts to ease off a bit, we’ll be able to get out for more than an hour (which has been our usual thing). When we ride regularly, we can put in 20 miles on the mountain bikes, or 30-50 on the road bikes. There isn’t a lot of road bike riding here that is close (there are some 25 mile loops about 20 minutes away, and some longer loops about a half hour away), but plenty of mountain bike riding about 10 minutes away. So…. I’m really looking forward to getting some longer rides in.

As part of the recon trip, we crossed over Parker Dam (the thing that holds back Lake Havasu). Frankly, it doesn’t look like a very big dam, given the size of the lake that it holds back, but what do I know? I’ll get some pictures the next time we are there. Needless to say, you can’t stop on the dam, and they don’t allow pedestrians on it, but there are a few ‘view’ sites where I should be able to get some good pictures. I’ll also take my camera along on the next trip because we also came across wild burros. We had Fiona with us in the car, and when she noticed the burros, she started to bark. And then promptly shut up; I think she decided that they were maybe bigger ‘dogs’ than what she was expecting. But since there are wild burros all over the California side of the river, I’ll get pictures the next time we are out.

And now, kids, it’s time for me to wash dishes and take out the trash.