Thursday, June 19, 2025

Yesterday was one of those busy retirement days you all told me about. We did our workout, ran an errand to the Post Office, stopped at the grocery store to buy ingredients for stuffed pasta shells, bought some mulch at the hardware store, and tried to cut down a significant part of a tree next to our hot tub!

The tree is half dead, and needs to go, but it's tricky, because if DH just cuts off massive sections it will land on the hot tub or fence. So he's cutting it down piece by piece. It involves ropes, ladders, chainsaws on telescoping poles... So far so good, but the possibility of something going wrong or DH getting hurt certainly makes one live in the moment! He is very careful and methodical thank goodness. We were out there until about 7pm. My job is mostly to hold ropes and pray.

I am committed to making a few nice meals this week, to show myself I can I guess and to thank DH for all the cooking over the last 2 years. There will be no frozen pizzas for a good while.

Today more tree work and a concert in the park. The weather looks fabulous. Dinner will be food trucks. Celebrating the Solstice!

Summer might be here at last for all of us?

Tree work makes me very nervous. My DH might attempt to do it himself too but I would try to insist on hiring someone.

Definitely hire someone if you can. DH pretty much said, it will cost a trip to Egypt to hire it out, but even so, if he didn't want to cut it himself, I would support hiring help. But he is determined : )

A trip to Egypt! Clearly, he's not looked into the cost of that trip!

LOL. We are looking at a bare bones tour that costs around $2500 per person, including airfare. It includes 4 days (or maybe 3) river cruise. DH says we're probably sleeping on deck under mosquito netting. The reviews are good though, so we'll probably take a chance. It cost about $2000 - 3,000 to have a tree taken down here :)

Greetings from the Danube. Little hiccup in our schedule today due to a rapidly decreasing water level in a specific part of the river. The boat moved on while we were on a tour of Regensberg. We had a 30 minute bus ride to get back to the boat, which had traveled several kilometers east to pick us up. Then we hit the river again. Those on the afternoon tours will have to ride busses to where ever it is we stop to meet them around dinner time. The weather continues to be perfect.

Regensberg is OLD. In the Altstadt there are buildings built on Roman stone foundations. The cathedral there is medieval. It is simple and understated inside and breathtaking.

I am not too worried about weight, but I do have to keep eating disorder behavior in check to stay balanced. Otherwise it's too easy to jump into binge mode, which is always followed by guilt and mental persecution.

We are being lazy today. I dozed a little after lunch. I'm feeling a little bored, but unmotivated this afternoon. Maybe it's just a lull after 10 days of intense travel. Tomorrow I booked us a trip to Salzburg. I went there in my early 20s and have fond memories. I hope the long bus ride is worth it to Ron and my brother.

Shot day today.... Mustn't forget! My new meds should be delivered by the time I get home. I must really try to get that last 12-15 pounds off once I get home. I figure it'll probably take me the rest of the year to manage that. But maybe after this wonderful trip I shall be properly motivated. BTW, Liz, I am still 41 pounds over "healthy BMI" at my last weighing. Your DH shouldn't even think about that number! If he looks good, feels good and is healthy, all is fine, IMO.

More after Salzburg!

Interesting that some compounding pharmacies are still prescribing though HenryMeds has shut it down. But they were targeted in a suit by Lilly.

124.something. Can't remember exactly.

Meeting with Bible study ladies was good. There were only 4 of us, so we mostly just chatted. My lavender latte was delicious!

Made sliced beets with goat cheese and honey for lunch. Just my kind of fare! I also made DH Orange chicken from Costco. Their sauce is a bit too vinegary for me. Not sure what dinner will be, something simple though!

Plan to take a walk with DH in about an hour. Nice warm sunny day. Summer has indeed arrived (at least for now). The heat index will be over 100 this weekend so not sure how much outside time we will have but friends did invite us over to their condo association's pool. I think it might be a bit crowded though!

Liz, good that DH was able to lose (or at least maintain) on vacation. Peps is right about the BMI numbers. If DH feels good where he is at, no need to get to said number!

Ann, good job on your PT progress. I'm proud to hear that you plan to continue with your exercises. Most people do not! Also good news on the shower and being able to move back in! Would love to see pics of your reno!

DD, glad you are getting summer weather too. And yes, summer solstice in the upper Midwest is a big deal! Those 4:30 sunsets in the winter are killers!

CC, you are still in AZ correct? When do you make your summer trek to MI?

Peps, thanks for sharing your trip adventures with us and the pics on TT too. We can experience a little of it vicariously through you!

July 3rd! Late this year...

My go to restaurant has an appetizer with goat cheese and beets, and its my fave. The goat cheese is breaded and fried, and the beets are in a salad. Unfortunately, the name of it is: Goat Cheese Balls. I feel like a middle schooler when I order them. Really delicious though, served with a side of balsamic glaze for dipping.