Off to Komati for the last time before we leave in 11 days…Tom has quit smoking…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 13, 2025 with 4 Comments

This morning, we took off for Komati to pick up a few items we needed at Spar Market and quickly stopped at the pharmacy. When we returned, I got to work to finish this post and upload it as soon as possible.

Today, I need to work on our big upcoming Amazon order, rounding out supplies we’ll need over the next year until we return to the US again in May 2026 for grandson Miles’s graduation. Then, granddaughter Madighan won’t graduate until 2028, after which all four grandchildren will have graduated from high school. From there, we’ll be looking at college graduations for four of the six grandchildren.

Mongooses were scrambling for whole eggs.

God willing, we’ll still be able to travel in the future. We’re doing everything possible to stay healthy and continue our exciting world travel plans. One life-changing, health-altering move Tom has made in the past year has been to quit smoking.

With his confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis after being exposed to asbestos and multiple other chemicals, after 42½ years of working on the railroad. This past September, while we were staying in Cleveland for my medical appointments, eight months ago, he quit smoking, cold turkey.

He’s quit many times in the past, but failed repeatedly. However, the seriousness of his lung condition finally convinced him he needed to stop once and for all. The frequent coughing also reminded him of how important it was for him to quit.

We were most worried about how he’d do in South Africa, especially when we spend every Friday and Saturday evening at Jabula, where smoking is allowed at the bar, where we sit to socialize and eat dinner.

Bossy is frequently around, looking at us for pellets.

South Africans frequently smoke. Here are some stats on smoking tobacco in South Africa and other countries:

As of 2021, approximately 23.9% of South African adults aged 15 and older reported smoking cigarettes, translating to about 10.4 million individuals. This figure places South Africa among the higher-prevalence countries globally. Tobacco Control Data

Global Comparison

According to the OECD, in 2015, South Africa had a daily smoking prevalence of 19.0% among individuals aged 15 and older, ranking it fourth among the countries surveyed. This rate is notably higher than in many high-income countries. For instance: NationMasterPMC

United States: 10.7% (2019)
Canada: 11.6% (2019)
United Kingdom: 15.3% (2019)
Australia: 12.4% (2016), NationMaster

Conversely, some countries exhibit higher smoking rates: NationMaster

Turkey: 25.9% (2019)
Estonia: 20.0% (2019)
Italy: 19.3% (2019) NationMaster

These comparisons underscore the significant variation in smoking prevalence across different nations.

Gender and Age Disparities in South Africa

In South Africa, smoking prevalence is markedly higher among men (39.1%) compared to women (9.7%) as of 2021. Tobacco use is also more prevalent among middle-aged adults (25–64 years), likely due to higher disposable incomes within this demographic. Tobacco Control Data+1Tobacco Control Data+1Tobacco Control Data

Regional Context

Within the WHO African Region, South Africa ranks first in terms of the number of tobacco users, with an estimated 8.6 million individuals using tobacco products in 2022. This positions South Africa as a significant outlier in a region where many countries have lower smoking rates.Global Action to End Smoking.

No words can describe how pleased I am that he’s finally quit. He had to make this decision on his own, and there was nothing I could have said or done to convince him sooner.

Big Daddy was lounging in the garden, waiting for us to feed other animals who might stop by so he could get in on the action.

No doubt, he still struggles several times each day. I support him when he freely expresses the ongoing challenge. I didn’t write about it for fear he’d fail again. However, now, he is comfortable with me writing about it today. As hard as it’s been, he feels confident he’s on the other side and can continue in his abstinence.

I am so proud of him and feel grateful to no longer be exposed to secondhand smoke daily. Here in South Africa, it’s difficult to avoid secondhand smoke entirely. Still, at Jabula, it’s minimal, with perhaps only one person smoking at a time in the open-air bar and restaurant.

We haven’t become outspoken naysayers about others smoking. It’s each person’s personal choice, and we have no interest in criticizing others for their choices.

Tonight, we’re off to Giraffe for dinner and Quiz Night. It’s a 1960s dress-up night, but with only one suitcase each, we don’t have anything to wear for the occasion. Thus, we won’t be dressing up. Instead, we’ll focus on the lively conversation in our group and socializing with the others.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 13, 2015:

A small lagoon between Anini Beach and Ke’e Beach, in Kauai. For more photos, please click here.

Today is our 30th wedding anniversary…And the sightings continue…

Posted by worldwide-admin on March 7, 2025 with 0 Comment

In front of God’s Window in South Africa. Photo taken in March 2013.

Kathy and Don are on their flight from Johannesburg to Mpumalanga/Nelspruit/Kruger. They will go grocery shopping at Woolies in Nelspruit and then make their way to Marloth Park. We will likely not see them for several days so that they can rest and recover from the long journey.

I just texted Kathy that when we visit over the next few months, until they leave in May, we will bring our food, including our meat and sides, and a large salad to share. We won’t need her to make starters of side dishes, especially since we are both watching our weight. In South Africa, it’s traditional for guests to bring their drinks.

It’s been a busy past few days as we’ve unpacked and organized our stuff, done laundry and finally, opened the several bins Louise had stored for us for almost two years. It was like Christmas opening those bins filled with kitchen supplies, gadgets, and spices we’d left behind.

Also, we had a black tote filled with clothes we’d left behind, some summer and some winter. After all, we’d been here for several years, accumulating more than we ever dared to carry due to weight restrictions. Once we leave here in September, we will give Vusi and Zef and their families the overflow clothing, and we’ll give the kitchen products to Louise for her many holiday rentals.

Unloading all the containers took the better part of the day. This morning, Vusi picked up the tote of clothes to be washed, dried, and folded. Of course, I advised Vusi there was no rush. After all, we haven’t had those clothes for two years and won’t miss a thing.

This was only a part of their “band.” When we made a clicking sound, many more came into the garden.

It felt good to get everything done, and we could relax and enjoy the weekend. Tonight, we’ll head to Jabula for dinner and to celebrate our 30th anniversary among friends. Last night, again, I didn’t get much sleep, waking up at 2:30 am and never going back to sleep. I tried breathing and relaxation techniques, but nothing allowed me to drift off. Maybe a nap will be on the agenda today so I’ll be perky for our night out.

Look at them! They are on a frenzy, getting to the meat we tossed to them.

We thought it may take a few days to see a steady stream of wildlife visitors, but no more than a few hours after our arrival, they were “hoofing it” over to our veranda when they saw us. We recognized some of them, but no Norman yet. I continue to wait for his return with his family.

When they’d devoured the paloney and chicken scraps, a few came to the door, wondering where we were when we were sitting at the table on the veranda.

Tom set up the trail cam, and there were only these two blurry photos from last night when a few giraffes walked across our garden (they call it a “yard or backyard,” here a garden). Undoubtedly, one day soon, we will see them lumbering across the terrain.

No, you can’t go into the house, as tempting as that may be. We shooed them away.

We were thrilled to see the many mongooses return to hang out with us. We made our familiar clicking sound and more came running from deep in the bush ready to partake in cubes of cut paloney roll and leftover chicken bones from last night’s dinner. They are funny little critters with lots of personality and endless antics. Enjoy the photos!

Can you see the giraffe near the center of this trail cam photo?

Here is another giraffe, taken with the trail cam, in the right in this photo.

Have a wonderful weekend and be well!

Photos from ten years ago today, March 7, 2015:

Our anniversary photo from March 2013, the night we were injured on the collapsed steps in Belize. Gosh, we were tan. We don’t tan anymore. For more, please click here.

Food recall…We already ate the tainted food…Oh dear…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 11, 2024 with 0 Comment

This morning, I received an email from Whole Foods as follows:

Product Recall Alert

BrucePac, a Durant, OK establishment, is voluntarily recalling ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products, as they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection primarily affecting older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

The affected product was sold in the meat department freezer and can be identified by the UPC 73898520189 and sell-by dates of 6/19/2025 – 10/8/2025. All affected products have been removed from store shelves.

The following information can identify the affected product:

Bell & Evans Fully Cooked Boneless, Skinless Grilled Diced Chicken Breast

Product UPC: 73898520189

Sell-by date: 6/19/2025 – 10/8/2025

Well, wouldn’t you know, this is the chicken we used to make chicken pot pies, as mentioned several days ago. We made ten servings and ate three each. Using this same chicken, We froze the remaining servings for two more dinners. Oh, good grief.

This morning, as soon as I received the message about the recall, I immediately checked online to see the incubation period for listeria monocytogenes, which is 30 days. I thought perhaps the fact that the chicken was frozen might kill the bacteria, but freezing temperatures do not kill the toxin.

Further in the message, Whole Foods said to bring the receipt to the store for a full refund. There’s no way we’d pay for an Uber to go round trip to the closest Whole Foods store after printing a copy of the receipt. Since we’d ordered through Amazon Fresh for Whole Foods, getting the receipt would be easy, but getting to the store would not be possible without a rental car. It would cost more than the value of the chicken to get an Uber there and back.

(But what would customers who may have used the chicken and didn’t save their receipt if they purchased the chicken in the store?)

Instead, I called Whole Foods, and they gave me a phone number for Amazon. After 15 minutes on the phone, we received a full refund of $29.98 for two bags of chicken, which they refunded to my credit card on file.

Tom asked, “What about the cost of the other ingredients used to make the pot pies?” I said we’d be lucky to get the refund for the chicken, let alone the other ingredients. I am glad we ordered it through Amazon rather than the store since Amazon cooperated in providing the refund in a timely fashion.

This was the first time I’d ever been refunded for a recall. In most cases, when I read a news article about a recall, I no longer had the item to verify the UPC to confirm I had the tainted item. This is most likely the case for most shoppers when recalls are often announced for meat, fresh fruits, and vegetables, especially bagged lettuce.

Of course, we won’t eat the two remaining night’s servings but will save them until the 30-day incubation period passes, just in case we get sick. They could be used to test for pathogens. No, we won’t forget and accidentally eat these remaining servings.

I posted this story to remind readers to pay attention to recalls and save grocery receipts for at least 30 days. If you haven’t used the items, you can return them to the store for a full refund. If the infected foods have been eaten, at least having a receipt will ensure you’ll receive a refund. Hopefully, none of us get sick as a result of a recall.

Recalls are often mentioned on TV news and in some online news articles. Who still reads a newspaper these days?

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 11, 2014:

We walked along the busy streets of Waikiki, seeking shade occasionally to escape the heat of the sun. For more photos, please click here.

How much are we spending to eat…Hurricane Milton left a path of destruction but our friends and family members are OK….

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 10, 2024 with 0 Comment

We browsed a few shops in Oahu but didn’t buy anything, primarily when all of the merchandise was related to home decor.

It’s been another busy morning prepping for tonight’s dinner. We cooked and seasoned six pounds of organic free-range ground beef using the oversized tin foil roaster in the oven. After draining the grease, I seasoned the meat with keto seasonings and other spices and mixed the meat thoroughly. There aren’t any large pots in this hotel room.

When done, I placed all the seasoned meat in a large mixing bowl with a lid and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, I’ll place the portion we’ll use for dinner and heat it in the microwave for our taco salads, which will include diced red onion, sliced green olives, sliced grape tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and, for me, the contents of a mini guacamole cup with Pace Picante sauce and a dollop of sour cream.

We’ll have this same meal for three dinners. I have made at least one time-consuming dish for three meals each week. On the other evenings, we eat homemade meals we’ve frozen or other meats in the freezer. It’s been working out well.

Every other week or so, we order delivered meals from our favorite restaurants, primarily Chinese food for Tom and healthy Asian bowls from Bibibop for me. It’s a good system that’s been working well for us. Lately, we’ve been ordering groceries from Whole Foods through Amazon Prime, which has better quality products and is less expensive than the other local grocery stores.

For example, at Dave’s Market, where we originally purchased groceries, Fage Greek Yogurt, 32 ounces, was $9.39, whereas it is priced as follows at Whole Foods, using Amazon Prime:

FAGE Total Greek Yogurt, 0% Nonfat, Plain, 32 oz

17% off with Prime

$5.57

That’s a huge savings when I purchase three of these each week, and similar savings are available on many other food items. Not only do I eat a bowl of this unsweetened yogurt each day, but I use it to make fresh salad dressing daily. We can buy an entire week’s groceries for well under $200 per week, which includes some grocery items from regular Amazon, such as special keto spices, almond flour, etc.

Yes, we know grocery costs have increased over the past several years, but we can still shop for about $200 a week, the same amount we spent 12 years ago In Minnesota before we left to travel the world. Buying groceries online prevents impulse buying and overstocking supplies.

Living in a hotel, we don’t purchase paper products or cleaning supplies, saving about $30 a week. Thus, although we’re paying about 20% more to live in a residence-type hotel than we’d spend for a vacation/holiday home, overall, we are spending less to live, especially without a rental car, and here, the added costs for parking fees.

With plenty of time available in Cleveland, it’s more convenient to do a cost analysis to ensure we get the best possible prices on everything we purchase. We purchase non-food items directly from Amazon but occasionally find better prices at Walmart or Target. We consider shipping costs when buying outside of Amazon, where we get free shipping.

As for Hurricane Milton, we have been hearing from friends and family that they are safe and have sustained minimal damage to their homes from this second major storm of the season. With the news on in the background, we can see the devastation but don’t as yet have any details on the loss of life. The evacuations may have saved many lives. Our love and prayers continue for all the victims of these horrible storms and their loved ones.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 10, 2014:

The prior night’s sunset was at 6:15 pm at Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. For more photos, please click here.

We’re back after a medical ordeal…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 28, 2024 with 6 Comments

A lovely scene of a beach in Madeira while on a road trip.

It all started on Thursday morning. I went for a short walk, and we headed to the bank’s ATM for some cash and then to Aldi. I had only been to one Aldi in the UK, but I was curious about what a US store was about. Upon entering the store, within a few minutes, I saw it wasn’t for me.

I had no idea about the “off-brand” products and wouldn’t have time to use them to determine their quality. Plus, it mainly was packaged, processed foods that we don’t eat. After grabbing the four spices we needed, I headed to check out. It was at this time that I began to feel light-headed and shaky,

From there, we drove to the Cub Market to pick up our awaiting grocery order, which I had placed earlier in the day. Once we returned to the hotel, Tom carried in the groceries I put away. I still felt light-headed, shaky, and dizzy. I sat down, hoping the awful feeling would pass. But ten minutes later, I felt worse.

Thinking that it might be a breakthrough Afib and possibly an increase in blood pressure, I took my blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is roughly 120/80. Mine was 240/142, outrageously and dangerously high. I took the reading three times, and it didn’t budge. I told Tom we needed to call 911.

Within minutes, help arrived with police and firefighters, and shortly after that, paramedics with the ambulance. The 20-minute ride in the ambulance was bumpy and unsettling. Still, before I knew it, we arrived at Methodist Hospital, and I was rushed into a room in the emergency department where I was hooked up to lots of equipment and given nitroglycerin, and blood tests were done.

Heart and valve problems definitely impact blood pressure. Blood tests were taken, and it was determined that I hadn’t had a heart attack but had what is called malignant blood pressure, described as follows from the Cleveland Clinic:

“Malignant Hypertension

Malignant hypertension occurs when a sudden spike in blood pressure puts you at risk for organ damage. It often happens in people with a history of high blood pressure. But it can also occur in people with normal blood pressure. The condition is a medical emergency that requires immediate care.”

We both felt I was in good hands. Once I was stabilized, the doctor suggested I stay overnight for some tests. I explained that I had scheduled appointments at the Cleveland Clinic beginning on August 28 after leaving Minnesota on August 25. I explained that my objective was to determine if it was safe for me to wait for treatment for the upcoming appointments in Cleveland and that nothing was going on that required we leave sooner.

By 10:00 pm, after six hours in the emergency department, I was escorted to a spacious private room on the cardiac floor. During the night, I had scans and didn’t get much sleep.

After the tests during the night and more the next day, it was determined I was safe to wait for the month until we’d get to Cleveland. Still, if I had another episode of malignant hypertension, I’d need to return to the hospital for treatment.

Two days later, I was released with no new drugs or prescription changes, and yesterday afternoon, we returned to the hotel by 2:00 pm. I certainly didn’t feel like going out to dinner, but instead, based on the items we purchased from Cub, I could slice the vegetables for us to put together our desired bread-less subway-type sandwiches.

It was so good to be back at the hotel, albeit slightly tentative, feeling weak and exhausted after lying in bed for two days and nights. But I am attempting to walk a little every 30 minutes.

Thanks to our readers who wrote about our well-being. We appreciate all of you!

Be well.

Photos from ten years ago today, June 28, 2014:

Late blooming Bird of Paradise, aptly named in Madeira. For more photos, please click here.

Tom’s new laptop is ready to use…Another fun evening of playing cards…

Posted by worldwide-admin on April 16, 2024 with 0 Comment

It was pleasant to see so many flowers blooming in the desert.

Tom’s laptop is done. Since he didn’t want to carry over “junk” from his last laptop, I loaded every item separately without using Google’s transfer tool. Over the years, he decided he didn’t want to keep many old and useless files that invariably get carried over using any transfer tool.

That’s why I took so long to give him a clean start. He wanted to save some items, but they are on two clouds, Dropbox and Google Drive. This way, his Windows desktop is uncluttered and easy to manage with a fresh start. This allows his device to operate more efficiently and gives him ease of use.

Overall, it took me about eight hours to complete the process while he helped by sending links to website pages he uses regularly. Now, as needed, he can add folders that will automatically save on Google Drive.

Windows includes a browser that neither of us cares to use, Microsoft Edge. Removing this browser from the laptop is difficult when we prefer to use Google Chrome. Microsoft has made it nearly impossible to eliminate Edge, so we make Google Chrome the default browser. At times, Edge seems to pop up. It’s Microsoft’s way of ensuring its Windows users also use their browser to make more money.

Undoubtedly, Google Chrome is a money maker for Google, but since we can choose our preferred browser, we operate with the one we like, regardless of who’s making money from our use. All browsers are money-makers for companies. Who are we to complain when we also have advertisers on our site? It’s the nature of the beast. We’re “small potatoes” in the realm of things.

We don’t make much from our ads on our site and YouTube. Why? We haven’t promoted our advertisers since that’s a job we didn’t want to include in our life of world travels. Nor did we hound our readers to use the links on our site. However, we kindly ask that you consider using some of our advertisers when making purchases.

By using our advertisers, we make enough money to cover the costs associated with the operation and management of our website. The links have the same products and services as you’d find if you go directly to the sites from your browser. It costs you no more, and small amounts of revenue are sent our way to cover our costs. Thank you to our readers who use our advertisers! It’s so appreciated!

Last night, we sliced some ham and cheese and brought it to Colleen’s unit for snacking while playing cards. Tom had gone to lunch and wasn’t ready to eat a full dinner before we headed to her place. I had nibbled on a few healthy items during the day and was fine without making dinner.

Today, I’m bringing a huge batch of chicken salad and a green salad to one of the sister’s park model when we gather again this afternoon. Another family member, brother-in-law Tom (Rita’s husband), arrived late last night. Now, there are eight of us for the next few days until Mary and Eugene head back to Minnesota for a funeral, where they’ll stay for the summer, returning to Apache Junction late next fall.

We don’t know how they can keep up two houses, as many retirees do, to get away from cold winter weather up north and other areas in the US with inclement weather in the winter months. We love not having the upkeep on one house, let alone two or more. It provides us with so much freedom.

Have a great Tuesday!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 16, 2014:

At the Terrasses des Espices Restaurant in Morocco, we were served this black olive Tapenade, which I could eat along with a basket of bread for Tom. Notice the ashtray on the table. Smoking is allowed in restaurants. For more photos, please click here.

We made it to Arizona…

Posted by worldwide-admin on April 2, 2024 with 0 Comment

We were out the door in Lake Las Vegas by 9:00 am. Tom got The Ford Expedition rental from Budget as a free upgrade. We had food and lots of miscellaneous items that we’ll haul to Cleveland in the next 90 days.

The drive was pleasant and uneventful, although it rained intermittently. We stopped for a restroom break at the only rest stop in the last hour of the five hours, but they had no restroom. Weird. Nor did we stop to eat when the only restaurants we passed were fast food.

By 2:00 pm, we pulled into Robert’s Resort in Apache Junction and checked in at the office. There was a long queue, resulting in about 45 minutes to check in, and finally, we made our way to our unit, a short distance from the three homes of Tom’s three sisters. Tom unloaded the vehicle while I got to work putting everything away.

We had more “stuff” this time than we’d had in years, but it wasn’t an issue when we’ll be on road trips. When the time comes for us to fly again, whenever that is, we’ll have lightened our load considerably, back to a maximum of one bag of clothes for each of us and one bag with supplies.

As we unloaded the vehicle, Tom’s three sisters, Margi, Colleen, and Mary (and husband Eugene), stopped by to say hello. I had already started unpacking, but I chatted with them in between. We planned to come to one of their three homes once we were done and had something to eat. We hadn’t eaten all day.

It was a pleasant drive through the Lake Mead area.

With only eggs and cheese on hand, which neither of us felt like eating, we decided to forgo having dinner. We munched on snacks at Mary and Eugene’s place. When we returned to our place around 8:30 pm, I ate a protein bar from the batch I’d purchased at Walgreens. Tom didn’t have a thing but felt it wouldn’t hurt him to fast for a day.

The TV here is so small that we won’t be able to broadcast our streamed shows. We’ll use my laptop to stream anything when we have time. In the next week or so, we’ll buy Tom a new laptop with an outlet for our HDMI cord. His computer is three years old. and is due to be replaced. He’s happy with the Chromebook concept and a small 14′ monitor. When we can’t use a TV monitor for streaming, we will always use my larger laptop.

The bed was comfortable, more than the memory foam bed we slept on in the condo in Lake Las Vegas. It is very soft but enabled us each to get a good night’s sleep. I never awoke during the night, but I awoke early and bolted out of bed, ready to start the day.

While at Mary Ellen’s house last night, I prepared an online grocery order. It arrived at 7:00 am when I’d scheduled it from 10:00 to 11:00 am. Go figure. I have decided to use a different grocery store for future orders since I was disappointed with the small sizes of many items. I may not have better luck with a different market. With all the retirees leaving this area for spring and summer, they only offer petite sizes of most products.

As an example, Tom suggested that this may be because most seniors don’t purchase one-pound blocks of aged sharp cheddar cheese or large packages of romaine lettuce. While we still had the Expedition this morning, we headed to the market to fill in some items and purchase bottled water. The tap water here is not safe to drink.

In total, we spent over $250 on groceries, which is about $100 more than we’d been spending in Las Vegas. We have enough food to last for one week. Prices are very high here.

At this point, we are entirely settled. We unpacked the items we’ll use while here, and somehow, we managed to make space for everything in this small place.

We’ll be fine. It’s not my ideal vacation home scenario, but it’s fun to visit with Tom’s sisters and Eugene. As always, we’ll make the best of it while always enjoying being together, regardless of where we are.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 2, 2014:

I tried to get a photo of all of the Seven Pillars that represent the original builders of the city of Marrakech. In the fast-moving traffic, this was all I could capture. For more photos, please click here.

A very weird thing happened last night…It was a first for us…

Posted by worldwide-admin on February 8, 2024 with 0 Comment

We’d never seen soap bubbles overflowing in a toilet. The toilet has an attached bidet, but we don’t use it since the water is cold.

Last night, while streaming an engaging series on Amazon Prime, “The Chosen,” we were both startled when we heard loud gurgling sounds coming from all the condo’s plumbing pipes. We both jumped up simultaneously, looking for an issue, and we were shocked when we entered the ensuite bathroom in our bedroom.

The bathroom toilet was just about ready to overflow with soap bubbles! What! We’d never seen such a thing! Why were there soap bubbles in the toilet? We ran back into the kitchen, and Tom turned off the dishwasher. Apparently, the soap was coming from the dishwasher! Go figure.

Now, the dishwasher and bathroom are not close to one another. This is a good-sized condo. We checked the bathroom at the other end of the condo, and that toilet was fine. After the bubbles went down a little, we tried plunging, but the toilet wasn’t plugged. It was just filled with bubbles.

Immediately, I texted the owner to let him know we’d need a plumber in the morning, but not immediately. We were fine for the night and would use the other bathroom’s toilet in the interim. With my UTI not completely resolved after less than three days on a ten-day course of antibiotics, I knew I’d lose sleep when walking back and forth to the more distant bathroom during the night.

Before I started taking the antibiotics, I had to get up four times during the night. I am down to once per night, which is a good sign. Before this UTI, I never had to get up during the night. Fortunately, last night, I fell back to sleep quickly.

As I write this, the plumber is due to arrive before noon, and it’s 11:45 now. We’ve heard that these days, various workers don’t necessarily arrive on time in Las Vegas. Whether this is true or not, we shall see. We aren’t going anywhere today, so it won’t be a problem if he’s late. However, I’d like to get in the kitchen to prep for tonight’s dinner.

This morning, I headed up one flight to the lobby level and then outdoors to the mailboxes. A few packages arrived from Amazon sellers that send their products via the US Postal Service instead of through Amazon, which we prefer since they come directly to our door.

Once I arrived at the mailbox with the key the owner had left, I opened the box to find dozens of pieces of mail for the owner and a few small packages for me. Inside the mailbox was a key to a larger mailbox in the same area that I had to open. For the life of me, I couldn’t open that larger mailbox.

I had to ask one of the staff members at the reception desk if he could help. He explained that many tenants also struggle to open larger boxes. He fiddled with it for a few minutes and finally got it open. I left the key in the larger box’s lock so the mailperson could use it again.

Moments later, I was back on the elevator, my hands full of my few packages and tons of the owner’s mail, and continued to our floor. Once I exited, I couldn’t get into the corridor on which our condo was located. The two doors to the corridor were locked. I was stranded in the elevator access area. I headed back to the lobby, one floor up, and asked them to help.

The cleaning person was vacuuming and accidentally locked the two doors. When I returned to our floor, the doors were unlocked, and I could proceed to our unit.

The plumber has arrived and is working on the issue. Hopefully, he can get it resolved today. These situations remind us of how happy we are that we don’t own a house and have regular everyday maintenance issues most homeowners encounter. We love that it’s not our problem.

That’s my news for today. I hope we’re not boring you with our little daily snippets!

Be well.

After looking up our photos from the Maasai Mara, I couldn’t resist posting another previously shown hippo photo. This was one of the first wildlife sightings we experienced only minutes after arriving at the Masai Mara airport in 2013. Love it! For more photos, please click here.

What???…No rental car???…How are we managing that?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 16, 2024 with 0 Comment

Beautiful scenery on the Big Island, Hawaii, in January 2015.

When Tom returned from Chicago, Illinois, on January 10, he didn’t pick up another rental car. Instead, he took an Uber back to the condo in Lake Las Vegas. Before he left, we did some cost comparisons, considering traveling to Henderson for dinner with Richard, shopping, and any other trips we may need to make using Uber instead of renting a vehicle at the airport.

At an average total cost for 28 days of $800. The daily cost, including taxes and fees, plus fuel, is $29 per day. For the sake of ease, let’s say a rental car’s total daily cost is $30. The average round trip cost using Uber (including tax and tip) for anywhere we’d go is $60.

Most likely, with all the shops and restaurants down one flight of stairs from the corridor on our floor, it’s unlikely we’d go anywhere more than once a week, thus incurring a cost of $60 each time. Using Uber once a week for four weeks is $240 instead of the $800 rental fee, saving us $560 every four weeks.

With almost 12 weeks remaining since he dropped off the car on January 9, considering three four-week periods, we’ll save $1680 when we leave here on March 31, 2024. When we had a car for the first few weeks, it sat in the parking ramp, mostly unused.

Buying all of our groceries online from Smith’s Marketplace (using Instacart Boost shipping) and any other items we need online, and with the availability of the wonderful Season’s Market down those steps with a three-minute walk, we certainly don’t need a car for shopping.

Plus, the many restaurants within walking distance, one of which we’ll visit this weekend, located at the bottom of the steps, the only times we’ll need to go out is to join Richard and his significant other for dinner at another location. In those cases, if the restaurant is further away from his home, we’ll Uber to his home and ride with them. We don’t expect them to pick us up at this location; it’s about 20 minutes each way.

When we choose not to rent a car, we don’t do so, expecting others to “cart us around.” We always prefer to be as independent as possible, wherever we may be.

Yesterday, while working out in the fitness center down the corridor, I noticed my Sketchers shoes weren’t providing as much support as needed, as I’ve quickly increased my time on the treadmill. Once back at the condo, I ordered a brand of workout shoes from Amazon; I know from experience that they work for me. I ordered them using a no-cost feature they offer, allowing me to try them on and return them if they don’t work for me.

The shoes will work for me when I try them today when they arrive in a few hours. We are Amazon Prime members and get free overnight shipping. Between Smith’s and Amazon, we can receive anything we need. The only time we visited a pharmacy was when Tom needed a few medications when he went to Urgent Care with bronchitis. There’s an example of when we’d now use Uber, both for a visit to the clinic and then to Target Pharmacy for the prescriptions. We had a car at that time.

But still, if we’d used Uber for all of that, the most we’d have paid for the trip to the clinic, Target, and back to the condo would have been a total of $60 since they are only five miles from here, only the cost of two days of a rental car.

In any case, being frugal like this probably saves us thousands of dollars each year, allowing us to spend more on those things that mean more to us: nice hotels, holiday homes, and good food. Also, we can choose quality products and brand names when buying something, if preferred. At this point, we don’t feel trapped at all in this ideal location. If we change our minds, we can rent a car.

Last night, the low-carb enchiladas were excellent. I forgot to take a photo when we both were hungry and preoccupied with eating our lovely dinner. We’ll eat it again tonight and I wrapped the remainder for the freezer for two more nights. It’s always good to have pre-made meals in the freezer for those unexpected occasions when we prefer not to cook.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, January 16, 2014:

The Guineafowl parent gathered all their chicks together as we slowly drove by while in Kruger National Park. For more photos, please click here.

Slowly but surely…We’re getting better….

Posted by worldwide-admin on January 7, 2024 with 0 Comment

Octomom and seven of her eight piglets, one of which was off to the side. We hope to see them when we return in June.

Today, I am rushing through the post so we can use my laptop to broadcast the last Minnesota Vikings game of the season on the TV monitor using the HDMI cord. After another night of coughing, I notice that my cough is finally breaking up, meaning it’s on its way to being over. Today, Tom said he feels the best since this all started about 12 days ago. I was about three days behind him when I didn’t get it immediately.

This time, I didn’t take any over-the-counter medications I’d used in the past other than Hall’s sugar-free cough drops and the saline nasal rinse. I didn’t even take Tylenol and noticed no difference in getting better. Those products may temporarily relieve symptoms but have no impact on shortening the duration of the virus.

Tom took Vitamin C, zinc, Zyrtec, Tylenol, antibiotics, and a prescription cough pill. We’ll both have had symptoms for the exact number of days. It was an experiment on my part to see what helps and what doesn’t. With Tom’s asbestos-caused lung problem, he needed to take antibiotics so the cough didn’t turn into pneumonia.

We don’t advocate one method of treatment over another to our readers. If you become sick, please see your medical professional to determine what’s best for you. I wasn’t ill enough to see a doctor, but Tom was, and thus, our visit to Urgent Care six days ago. We’re both grateful to be on the mend.

Last night’s Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie dinner was delicious, and we’re looking forward to repeating it tonight and tomorrow. This week, I’ll make another favorite low-carb dish, a copycat recipe for a low-carb version of Costco’s famous chicken loaves. This dish is another favorite of ours.

I make smaller portions of these special dishes for me so I can stay on my diet. I am stuck right now, but I continue to work on losing the last six pounds. I never have a cheat day, and I stick to the macros I’ve chosen for losing weight, which consist of fat, carbs, and calories, all of which matter. Over the years, I have found that there is no such diet as “all you can eat.” But, based on my macros, I am seldom overly hungry. I use a free app, Cronometer, to track every morsel I put in my mouth.

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to go to the fitness center to spend a little time on the exercise bike. I had been doing well when I stopped after I got sick, but now, after many days, it’s time to start getting back into it. I did 60% of what I’d reached before I stopped, and between today and tomorrow, I should be back to 100%. Soon, as my legs strengthen, I’ll start doing resistance training.

Last night, based on a suggestion from our dear friends Marylin and Gary (long-time readers we met in Marloth Park and will see again when we return), we started watching The Gilded Age on Max (formerly HBO). We signed up for a one-month free trial and will have it watched long before the month’s end, at which point we’ll cancel the service.

Today, I have to do laundry, make a salad, and work out when Tom takes his 2:00 pm nap. Dinner will be easy when I pop two more mini pot pies in the oven about 30 minutes before we dine. It’s an easy day, which I appreciate at this point.

That’s it for today, folks. We will listen to a podcast about the economy and start watching the Minnesota Vikings game on DZN (formerly NFL Game Pass). We don’t have much hope for them winning or even having a chance at the play offs, but we can hope, can’t we?

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, January 7, 2014: