BORJA, ADORE YA OR DEPLORE YA

Online I get way more attention from men as a senior citizen and asexual than I ever did at age 20 with blonde hair down to my tits! Of course I realize most are romantic scammers who are more interested in my bank account than my body. 

Facebook is the worst! Most will only communicate thru private messaging. Words that immediately get one blocked are: "I'd like to know you better." Even if I was keen on that kind of relationship I'd never take up with anyone in another state much less another continent.

LinkedIn is another place where I get hit on, though not as frequently. Around Thanksgiving, 3 guys started doing the flirtation dance. When I revealed my age, 2 instantly vanished! Despite being asexual this left me offended. Both men looked 50ish and I don't believe most women would automatically reject a man 20 years older.

However the 72 year old remained interested. And he lived in Boca Raton, a tony exclusive part of Florida about an hour south of here. The literal French translation of Boca Raton is Rat's Mouth which I find ironic.

His first name was Borja, he moved here from Spain at age 20. He was an international Realtor with an impressive business profile. I confessed that I was asexual and not attracted to men.

"But I can change your mind," he replied. "Please give me a chance! I want to treat you to fine dining, live entertainment, and travel."

"OK," I said, "you can treat me to lunch the week following Thanksgiving. I'll meet you at the restaurant."

However he claimed to be tied up in Georgia renovating an estate and wouldn't be back in Florida until after Dec.16. Also he had to Christmas shop for his 2 teenage grandsons who were living with him temporarily while his son was getting a lung transplant.  -- This procedure sounded like SYFY stuff to me, but I Googled it & it's real.

We agreed to meet during the week of Dec.16. "I think the world of you," he told me. "And I want to give you the world!"

I accused him of having a crush on a photo and said he may dislike the flesh & blood person! Even close friends tell me I'm an acquired taste. -- Also I'm not some woman who watches Hallmark movies expecting happily ever after with some man. I'm a Quentin Tarantino/George Romero gal.

"But I have a good feeling about you," he replied. "I'll take you on a vacation anywhere in the world you want to go," he promised.

I made it clear that if I went anyplace with him I'd pay my own way and we'd have separate rooms! I won't be any man's mistress! My name is not Melania Tramp!

"Oh I'm sure we can work something out," Borja replied. He then assured me (despite never have met in person) that he saw us together for the rest of our lives. If this guy was on the level, marrying him would solve all my current problems. -- However I would be exchanging them for new and different ones!

He was quite eloquent and seemed educated. Plus he wrote the most beautiful things to me always with lavish promises. We exchanged emails every day. In the AM while having coffee at his hotel he was wishing I was there beside him. In the evening he gushed about how he'd been thinking about me all day. If this guy's for real I thought, he's probably too clingy for me. I'm used to being alone, it's my happy place!

Plus it bugged me that he didn't read my emails carefully. Borja asked if I owned or rented my home. I told him I inherited it. My father bought it outright when we moved to Vero Beach. Previously in Stuart we were on the St. Lucie and the river was a mile wide behind our house. We were on a hill in the back with a magnificent view and 150 ft dock. But I didn't miss it because I was so unhappy there!

He replied: "I know you miss your previous house terribly." -- That's not what I said! I told him to go back & re-read what I wrote!

Another of several examples, I mentioned that I went to the dentist to see how my bone graft was healing, but thankfully no pain was involved.

He replied: "Sorry you are in such pain, please take medication and get some rest." -- I was beginning to think I was being catfished by someone's dementia-addled grandpa!

The week following Thanksgiving, I lunched with my friend Rose. She smelled a rat right away! Rose knew 2 victims of romantic scammers and one woman was scammed royally! "Don't be surprised if he cancels your lunch at the last moment due a family tragedy," she cautioned.

Immediately I thought of his son having the lung transplant!

Returning home another of Borja's emails awaited me. He inquired about my lunch with Rose and what I wore, then casually asked "Sweetie can you loan me $6000? I'll pay you back soon!" He claimed to be having problems with the bank in Georgia.

"NO!" I told him. I reminded him that I'm on a fixed income and added "This so-called relationship is over!!! DO NOT EMAIL ME EVER AGAIN!!!!!!"

He stated that I had misunderstood him, but he would respect my wishes and not contact me again. -- I didn't misunderstand a damn thing, buster!

The following AM came another email begging my forgiveness because he was heartbroken. -- However this one sounded as if it was written by someone else. The speech pattern was noticeably different. I've heard that romantic scammers work as a team; you're not dealing with just one person. Anyway I didn't reply!

However I phoned the headquarters of his Real Estate firm (one that is well-known with a respectable reputation) and told them he needed investigating. (I've heard nothing back!) I have our emails to prove everything I say!

Also I messaged several of our mutual female connections warning them to gird their bank accounts around this guy. If he's pulling this number on me you can bet he's doing it to other women too!

THE FRIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

It began as strange. I was about to brush my teeth when I noticed a swarm of gnats flying around the porcelain in my sink. I wondered how those bugs got inside and why didn't the drop in temperature kill them! But then, I came to realize they were in my eyes, actually just one eye. But new floaters are nothing unusual.

As the afternoon progressed I noticed bright flashes of light in that eye. I thought I was just experiencing another ocular migraine. The first time I had one I freaked out and made an emergency visit to the eye clinic only to be told it would go away by itself. I left $500 poorer. So I decided to wait this one out.

However my ocular migraine only lasted a few days and this was hanging on. I Googled this and to my horror I had every symptom of a detached retina! Since I wanted a doctor without political ambitions I phoned New Vision instead of the other clinic.

I was instructed to come in at 2:00 PM. It unfolded as a long, stressful, miserable Friday afternoon of tests with lots of just waiting around. Three hours later when I left, the lobby was vacant and even the technicians had all gone home, only the receptionist remained. Thankfully, I didn't have a detached retina!

I was diagnosed with PVD: Posterior Vitreous Attachment. That's quite a mouthful, eh. The Vitreous is gel inside the eye. Pieces become loose over time, also with eye strain. But mostly its age related.  Sometimes it takes weeks for the bright flashes to dissipate, but the floaters remain. The doctor said it bears watching. I must go back in 6 weeks. But if the eye worsens I was told to return immediately.

Now I am plagued with floaters in BOTH eyes! I'm seeing mosquitoes, a beetle, & even a centipede along with the gnats. Bring on the summer heat and humidity then it'll be like trying to navigate in a swamp! It's bad enough reading or watching TV when my vision is more fixed. But sitting in front of a computer is downright maddening! My eyes are constantly darting about and all these bugs along with them!

Honestly, between my new dental bridge, bone graft, and eye issues I feel like my body is falling apart! And worse I know it's just the beginning.

TO TREE OR NOT TO TREE

Due to the abbreviated Christmas season I was debating with myself whether or not to bother erecting a tree. It goes fast enough as is, but this year has been shortened by a week. But then, I'm old school, the Christmas season for me doesn't start till after Thanksgiving. However this is antique thinking and another example of how our society is headed straight into the crapper.  Almost everything of value has been reduced significantly! Walking into a store in September you'd think Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas were all ONE Holiday!

Plus my summer was so miserable and outrageously expensive I was finding it harder to get into the holiday spirit this time around. Perhaps I should just go with minimal decorations as I did in 2017. My Christmas will certainly be leaner. But yet, it's still a wonderful holiday and one to be celebrated.

And best of all Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, a big holiday smack in the middle of the week! This makes it extra special! Whenever Christmas falls on a weekend I feel cheated because weekends already feel like holidays.

While shopping I spotted a 7 foot pre-lit tree at a ridiculously low price. It was a sign from the universe! I bought it. Unpacking it later, I discovered the tree stand missing. At the bottom of the box was a sheet of paper stating that if any parts were missing to call an 800 number, which I did!

The lady took down all my info and told me a tree stand would be shipped and I'd receive it in a week. I complained that the season was already abbreviated and I'd have less time to enjoy a tree. Also I told her that whoever was responsible should be fired! She said she'd have to go to China to do that.

After hanging up and seeing all my ornaments in waiting boxes I remembered that I still had a 6 foot tree out in my garage.

I needed to concentrate on the positive; for one thing I'm alone. During holidays I look outside and see cars in neighbor's driveways belonging to visiting family members. I recall going thru that particular kind of hell. The stress and aggravation involved did nothing but ruin it. But that's all in the past now! I'm free to enjoy every holiday my way! Neon fireworks and brilliant streamers of elation are going off in my head as I type!!!

Why not a tree, untangling and stringing lights was half the hassle, but I have a pre-lit ones now.  And I miss it when I don't have one. Yes, I erected a tree; it just doesn't feel like Christmas without one.

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUNBRELLA

A man on Facebook whose friendship request I'd accepted told me I sounded interesting after reading a post of mine. He wanted to meet for lunch. I told him that I wasn't attracted to men. He said we could just meet as friends so I agreed.

When I arrived at the restaurant I found him seated by a large window with the hot Florida sun blazing in. In as polite a way as possible, I insisted we move to another table. Otherwise I would have been squinting thru the entire lunch. And my Northern European skin doesn't tan, it just burns!

After we moved to an interior booth, I told him, "Do you think it's an accident that I'm nearly 70 and have skin this firm without deep lines.

He replied that I'd probably had a face lift plus botox. I took this is a compliment despite the fact it was meant as a put-down. I'm poor and can't afford any of those pricey procedures. However it became immediately clear we weren't going to click on any level.

At age 25 I asked my dermatologist if there was anything I could do to ward off wrinkles. "Take a good look at your parents," he said. "That's exactly how you're going to age."

I'm screwed, I thought! My parents weren't aging well. I asked if there was a way to combat heredity.

"With THAT skin you need to cover up, wear hats, limit sun exposure and use lots of sunscreen," he told me.

I took his advice! And since parasols are no longer available my umbrella is also sunbrella. I seldom go anywhere without one!

Watching a recent episode of Young Sheldon mirroring me I had to chuckle. But unlike Sheldon Cooper, I hated umbrellas as a child. They always bit me! Every time I pressed that thingy down to fold one it pinched my finger and it was painful! I kept leeches for pets and could handle one with ease, yet I dreaded touching an umbrella.

Nowadays either  because my fingers are bigger, or less sensitive, or they've improved umbrellas I no longer feel that painful pinch.

In Thailand and Ecuador (both extremely sunny places) it was not unusual to see women holding umbrellas to shield themselves from the blazing sun. Here in hot sunny Florida it is. The Third World ladies get it!

Of course umbrellas come in handy for that other purpose. Last decade around the holidays I was standing in a line that stretched half way around the building of a theatre to see Benjamin Button. This was an unusually cold Florida day. Suddenly it started drizzling. I was situated in the half of the line not under cover. But I reached in my handbag and pulled forth my umbrella. People in front and behind were getting wet shivering in the cold, but not me!

Also an umbrella can be used as a weapon! Besides giving a good whack, most have a pointy tip. When thrust into a sensitive area it can do plenty of damage to an attacker. Remember that ladies!

DIAMONDS FROM THE ASHES

My first grade art teacher, I don't remember her name, yet I recall HER quite well. Middle-aged, slender, and single, she was a plain and pleasant woman with tons of personality who was well liked. Entering second grade I learned the sad and terrible news. She had been killed in a traffic accident during summer vacation in Paris.

A photo of her was placed on the art department wall in memory. It saddened me every time I saw it. I imagine a bright Parisian morning with her seated outside a café enjoying a latte and croissant while conversing in French with the people around her sharing laughter and having no inkling it would be her last day of life.

I didn't know her long or well, but I still grieved her.

Not long ago, Shark Tank featured a couple marketing a process that turns the carbon from cremated ashes into diamonds as a way to remember an extraordinary person. Despite the large stream of people I've lost to death over the years, the first person who sprang to mind was my art teacher way back in the 1950's. She was an amazing person. And she died in Paris! How cool was that!

The second person I thought of was myself for no other reason than sheer vanity. Anything left from my estate would go to that, a huge diamond! My close friend Rock'n Rose often refers to me as her beautiful friend. This way, that would continue every time she extended her hand. Aside from putting my gigantic ego in check, it dawned on me that I'm probably going to outlive my money.

However I have stormy-weather friends who are plenty worthy of becoming diamonds! Two passed away last decade, Pat and Margaret. They still shine brightly in my memory with a radiant brilliance that will never fade long as I am alive.

Cat and dog ashes are turned into diamonds as well! Every animal companion of mine was also worthy of one.

Diamonds are pretty, but similar in appearance. It's the cut and setting that makes them stand out. I would like to see more essence of spirit shining thru from these funeral trinkets.

For example, Margaret's would have been showy to reflect her taste and Pat's would display a classic yet distinctive cut and setting that would immediately catch the eye.

The same applies to animals. My cat Tasha was a Russian Blue with the heart of a lioness. Dogs over five times her size ran when she charged them. My dog Coco was impish and mischievous. Had she been born a person, I'm sure she would have been a practical jokester.

I would need to see a dash of those characteristics in the design; otherwise it would be just another piece of jewelry.

NUMBER NINE

I receive lots of compliments on my smile. And I must agree it's quite impressive. But it didn't come cheaply or easily, much less naturally. The inside of my mouth is a varied assortment of bridges, crowns, and an implant. I probably would have saved myself tons of money had I just gotten dentures at some previous point in the past, say the 8th Grade. However at this stage of my life I'd rather not go that route.

Last week I finally had my bad tooth extracted. After a terrible summer of numerous big out-of-the blue expenses it was the soonest I could afford it. Also I required a bone graft which will take several months to heal before a permanent bridge can be done.

This is my third bridge. And my ninth tooth extracted during my lifetime.

I may be nearing 70 but I take my looks as seriously as any 16 year old out there!

At age 12 I was scheduled to get braces but my parents backed out accusing the orthodontist of gouging.This was due to the fact he had one set price for the procedure. They thought my teeth weren't all that crooked to start. As I got older I discovered they turned down a bargain! Due to the fact my bite doesn't come together in the normal way I've had all manner of problems and expense with my teeth.

The last time I experienced a tooth extraction I was so heavily medicated that I needed a neighbor to almost carry me out to the car afterward. This time I was just heavily numbed.

My friend Marie offered to go with me. But since I was capable of driving myself home I saw no reason for inconveniencing her and wasting her entire morning.

Later in the day Marie came over bringing a big chocolate brownie chock full of delicious looking pecans. Unfortunately, I couldn't eat it. Nuts are on my Verboten List, at least for the time being. I wrapped it up and put it in my garage freezer. I can enjoy it next spring after the bone graft heals. Cakes, cookies, most pastries freeze well. Ironically the only dessert that doesn't is ice cream! Once opened it forms icky ice crystals that make it taste yucky.

I was prescribed nothing for pain, just an antibiotic to prevent infection. I bought extra strength Tylenol but didn't need it. After the numbness wore off there was only mild, but tolerable discomfort. I experienced more agony last summer when I injured my foot, but just suffered thru it and I survived.

The morning after surgery I felt fine. It was surprising how little pain was involved in the entire procedure. Perhaps it gets easier each time. After all this was number nine, hardly my first rodeo.

I brought the tooth home in my purse. I told friends I'd show it to them the next time we met for lunch. And if they were really good, I'd let them hold it.

YIPPEEE, HALLELUJAH, & YAY

Eastern Standard Time is back and it's dark by 6:00 PM just as it should be! I wish it was this way year round! We get way too much nasty noxious sunshine as it is especially here in Florida. Almost everyone has been brainwashed into believing sunshine is healthy for humans when in fact it's just the opposite.

I'd move to someplace in Alaska where it's dark for days on end if it weren't for the temperatures (I like it cool not freezing!), also there's the high prices, and the politics. -- Hey Sarah Palin, I've actually been to Russia and even strolled in Red Square. And you would fit in perfectly there as a citizen!

But Eastern Standard Time is back at long last now and this works out perfectly! At 6:00 PM I settle in to watch the news. I need darkness around me to fully enjoy TV! And I have just enough time beforehand to fix myself a mug of Bustelo coffee combined with a disk of Abuelita Mexican Drinking Chocolate. The perfect cup of hot mocho! Bring on the dark!

Of course there is an adjustment period. For over a week or more I'll be getting up at 4:30 AM and going to bed at 9:30 PM with plenty of naps in-between. But that's OK.

I keep reading about all those fools who want to make Daylight Savings Time permanent. Really! What are they thinking? Eastern Standard Time is perfect! I say get rid of Daylight Savings Time forever!!!

I look forward to that magic day when I can finally open my windows and let the free air-conditioning flow inside, always a blessed occasion that I celebrate with a breakfast of hot buttermilk biscuits, orange marmalade and Scottish Tea.

Before Global Warming got a foothold October and November were not summer months as they are now. 80 plus temperatures in November were unheard of when I was growing up. Ugh! Soon I'll be running my air-conditioner year round!

I just hope any chill hangs around long enough to bring out my winter wardrobe. I have so many gorgeous coats, sweaters, boots, & scarves that I seldom get to wear anymore! Curse you Climate Change! You are not only destroying the planet but my style as well!

This past summer was overlong, miserable, and expensive. And now, thankfully Hurricane season is over too, at long last, (at least until next June) another reason to celebrate!

And the most festive and wonderful holidays will soon be upon us. Hurray!!!

The best time of the year has arrived!!!  

SCARIER THAN GHOSTS

A perfect night for Netflix and a pizza delivery, read the post on Facebook.  --  For me, that would be a movie from Redbox and a frozen pizza. I'm not complaining, I can transform a frozen pizza into an epicurean delicacy! My fridge and pantry are filled with delicious ingredients and I am far more generous with toppings than pizza parlors.

And this is October, Halloween month! Even though I no longer dress up or hand out candy I still celebrate with indoor decorations. Also I put black sheets on my bed and am now using my black china set along with my pumpkin-shaped teapot. Plus I can wear my October shoes, the high-heeled, black lace-up ones with the high purple fins in the back that I purchased from the Pyramid Collection.

Scary movies during Halloween week are the perfect combo! And I have plenty from which to choose! Except I'm never really frightened by them. But I came across one DVD last May which actually did and just from the title alone!

In a Thrift Store I found it, package intact, unopened titled: September's Fury 2004 Hurricane Documentary. That year was one for the history books. Florida was hit by 4 hurricanes!!! Here on the Treasure Coast we were hit by 2: Frances & Jeanne 3 weeks apart to the day.

My friend Margaret who lived in the center of the state was hit by all 4! Unlike here, Margaret's electricity never went out once!

"You missed out," she told me, "because you couldn't watch the storm or the aftermath on TV."

I replied that all I had to do was look out my window or drive around to see the damage left behind!

The memory remains vivid and horrifying to me because I know it could have been far worse, especially with Cat 4 & 5 storms becoming the new normal.

I debated with myself whether or not to purchase that DVD, hurricane season would be starting in just days. I decided to buy it, but vowed not to watch it until December after the end of the season.

October also marks the anniversary of 2 major deaths in my life. My father passed Oct 16, 2001 and my mother Oct. 17, 1987. Both died of colon cancer that spread into the liver. And I've had visits from both afterward along with others. If you're familiar with my blog you know this and also that I had a strained relationship with my parents. Death hasn't changed that.

In all honestly, I haven't seen them, but they let me know they were around. Here is just one example: I was preparing dinner and placed a cookie bar on a plate. I walked away and when I turned, the cookie bar was standing on its end. As I stepped toward it, it dropped back onto the plate.

I told myself, "No, I didn't really see that!" Yet I did! Then I tried to position the cookie bar as I'd seen it, but found that impossible. And I've been physically touched a number of times. I can give you plenty of other examples of strange occurrences as well.  

My friend Margaret once told me that her parents, both university graduates and devout Christians used to entertain guests by placing their fingers on tables and making the tables dance. She said one woman fled in horror accusing them of consorting with spirits.

Over the years, a number spirits (not just my parents) have tried to consort with me. I assure you that I am no more psychic than the average person. However, other average people have confided to me of paranormal experiences after I'd shared mine. Others swore they'd never tell anyone for fear of the reaction. I can well understand that!

Someone told me that single people in particular are targets of ghosts. I replied that people alone are targets period! Plenty of the live ones target us too!  With the latter, you must always keep your guard up. As for ghosts, treat them as you would a bully. Stand your ground and you take away more of their power each time.

Unfortunately with hurricanes your fate is determined by the whim of the wind. You have little control beyond boarding up or fleeing. Hurricanes as with many other forces of nature possess a catastrophic power, one that could take you life or destroy it forever, a distinct possibility and one that's chillingly terrifying!!!

AND THE BEET GOES ON

October 1978 I was riding in the back seat of the car. I was 27 years old and we were passing thru Georgia on our way north to see the leaves change color. Just weeks before I had returned from an amazing 3 week grand tour of Europe and was in high spirits.

In the middle of busy traffic I happened to gaze to my left, beside me was a truck filled with cattle going to market. All were crammed tighter together than a bag of grapes. Many of them were making eye contact with me.

Not long before, I learned of the typical slaughter house practices: a nail gun to the head or the sledge hammer between the eyes. I felt sick. It was that moment I decided I wasn't going to be any part of this. I gave up eating all mammals for good!

Yes, I still eat seafood & chicken because I am not a fish or a fowl! But I am a mammal! And my diet these days is mostly vegetarian.

In some countries, dogs and cats are commonly eaten. I see little if any difference between eating one of those than any other mammal. These are all thinking, feeling creatures with emotions similar to ours.

When veggie burgers came out a few decades back, I was thrilled although I'll admit they needed lots of condiments and doctoring to taste good. Thankfully, nowadays they are much improved!

My last dog used to go crazy whenever I ate a Boca Burger. To shut her up, I always ended up nuking one for her, too. Ditto for veggie frankfurters! She would have never believed that she wasn't eating meat!

A previous dog we'd raised from a puppy loved a product made of soy that looked like chunks of red meat. This was his favorite food! Dad used to laugh that he'd cut a piece of steak or a pork chop for him and the dog would stand there and sniff it for 10 minutes as if he was trying to poison him. And then do a dance of joy when I brought out the bag of soy cuts. He'd quickly gobble those down.

In my family, dogs & cats were never denied anything from our table. I've known people who do and it's cruel! Animals enjoy variety just as we do.

I was eager to try Burger King's Impossible Burger. It tasted just OK to me. I'd order it again if I happened to be at a Burger King, but I wouldn't drive out of my way for one, again.

Recently, I purchased Maika Beet Burgers. Now I hate beets, but we taste with our eyes and I loved the burgundy color. Besides, I thought it would contain other ingredients to mask that awful beet taste. I was wrong! However I hate to waste food so I just add lots of condiments & cheese to make it palatable.

A friend raved about Beyond Burgers! But they're a little too much like the real thing for my taste. For one thing, they're greasy! And another, one burger is 250 calories with 160 from fat! Eeeewww! I felt as if I was eating glorified junk food.

My favorite is Field Roast Burgers! They are delicious and made from barley, carrots, & celery. They're moist and tasty without being greasy. Also you get 4 rather than 2, plus they don't come packaged in that space-hogging, planet-killing plastic container that Beyond Burgers do.

I would still buy the Beyond Burger if I happened to come upon a great coupon. However I'd be sure to eat a healthy salad with it! And that unnecessary and needlessly wide plastic container will go straight into my recycling bin!

ANOTHER BRIDGE IS GOING UP

My third, to be exact! The good news is that I don't need a dental implant, but I still require a tooth extraction and bone graft.

The specialist gave me a different diagnosis than the dental clinic. In fact, it was one that gave me chills! He said that due to trauma in that area, my mouth no longer recognized the tooth as part of my body and was eating it!

HORRORS!!! That sounds like a cheesy science fiction movie, something with a stupid title such as The Face From Outer Space That Feeds On Flesh & Bone.

I recall my shock a few years back when I overheard a hygienist telling the dentist that I had a "Torn Eye" in my mouth! -- That's a slang term for an abnormality of the inner lower gum line.

As to any severe trauma in that area, the only one I recall is an injury I experienced as a 3 year old. As a result, my bite doesn't line up properly. This has been the cause of many problems with my teeth. More than one dentist has asked who punched me in the mouth as a child. Actually, what happened was that I fell off a rocking chair!

Of course I was standing backwards on the armrests rocking wildly; yahoooo!  Rid'em cowboy! And the chair tumbled backwards and I landed on my chin unconscious. My parents rushed me to the doctor! Stitches were taken and I still have the scar under my chin to this day.

However the D.M.D. said the trauma had to be more recent. The only recent one was to my foot and I didn't land on my face when I fell. Also my jaw was hurting before that!

Perhaps I was teleported aboard a UFO for one of those notorious medical exams and an alien punched me in the jaw to stop me from screaming! Afterward, my memory was erased. Those space aliens can do that, you know!

Or I could have fallen into a portal to another dimension and had to fight off a scaly, horned beast! The experience was probably so traumatic that my mind blocked it! Gadzooks! Anything is possible!

Hmmn, I do recall something that happened late last spring. I was eating mushrooms I'd sautéed in garlic butter over veggie pasta when suddenly it felt as if I'd bitten into a stone. My entire lower right jaw began to ache! However I had washed and scrubbed those mushrooms with my bare hands and not one felt petrified. Also the pasta was soft! I doubt this was the cause of the problem, just the effect.

Well I am certainly no stranger to dental surgery. I've had work done galore, far more than bridges! Whenever anyone complements my smile, I always say it should be nothing less than gorgeous for what I paid!

I recovered well from the majority of previous work with little distress. The most excruciating pain that I've ever experienced was in 1979 when my wisdom teeth were removed. I was in dire agony for a month afterward. I'm allergic to codeine (learned that the hard way) and aspirin didn't do a damn thing! One tooth was impacted (never broken the surface) and the roots of another were wrapped around my jaw bone.

The maxillofacial surgeon actually told me that my mouth had given him nightmares. Knowing what I do now, I'd say he had good reason. Since his fingers weren't part of my body he's darn lucky my mouth didn't start eating them!

GOOD BYE SUMMER 2019, YOU SUCKED

Soon it will be over and can't happen fast enough; this was one of the worst! Usually summer zooms by, but this miserable one just seemed to drag on and on.

UGH!!! I will always remember it as one of INJURY (foot) PHYSICAL PAIN, (foot & tooth) STRESS (major hurricane threat) ENORMOUS OUT-OF-THE-BLUE EXPENSES (dental work, hurricane boarding, & 2 plumbing emergencies), and a bad haircut to boot!  Also included was much frustration and angst in trying to publish a book I ghostwrote after an unfortunate 2 year delay, along with numerous other things that I never blogged about. Be grateful I spared you!

However you may not always be so fortunate, this is my place to vent, so if this annoys you, stop reading right now and go away!

My idea of a wonderful summer is a quiet, serene, uneventful one without people noise or drama. I've already experienced enough of the latter for 10 life times! I prefer being alone cocooning in the air conditioning. When the weather cools, if ever (this is Florida & there's global warming) I'll feel like going out again. But even then, I can only stand people in small doses.

I love summer nights at home enjoying engrossing and sometimes just gross movies, occasionally with popcorn or ice-cream. But now, I remember why I stopped recording stuff on network TV after I got the Starz/Showtime package. I had it for a decade and lost it last spring when it became too expensive. After all the commercials are zapped, a two & a half hour movie often becomes 90 minutes! I'm constantly reaching for the remote. And worse, I hate staring at an advertisement during an entire film! It's distracting and irritating.

Thanks to a generous friend, I now have a DVD player and rent movies from Redbox. I'm glad it's an option.

Every morning, it seems I wake at 4:00 AM and am unable to get back to sleep. Then at 5:30 AM I get up and nap throughout the day.

I should be grateful at least the hurricane swerved east and missed. But it's still peak season and early.

However I am proud of myself for losing my Hurricane Dorian weight. It came off fast, too! I was expecting the power to go out, so I ate as much as possible from my fridge & garage freezer. Otherwise it would all end up on the curb. Huge breakfasts and enormous dinners were the norm for a week. Afterward, clothes weren't fitting.

But now they do. I'm back to a size 8 my fighting weight! Yay!!!

I miss my days of exotic foreign travel, it's always fun visiting other countries in distant far away continents, but the way things are going, any future ones will be under the Medical Tourism category.

I'm constantly cutting back, while the price of everything keeps going up! I may come to regret not expatriating. However it's not off the table! But if it comes to that, it will be tantamount to a shotgun marriage. After my exploratory trips, I learned that the Third World isn't the paradise for retirees on a fixed income those international living publications make it out to be.

Fall will be full of expensive dental appointments including a tooth extraction and implant. And I'm living in a dark boarded-up house until November.

Despite everything, I'm mostly happy. I must keep reminding myself of the way things used to be, all those many years when I wasn't.

MAYOR, YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR ME

My oh my, our current mayor has gone national by publicly attacking San Francisco on its stance against the National Rifle Association. According to our delusional mayor the NRA is "an extraordinary defender of America's constitutional civil rights" his words. Never mind it has repeatedly proven to be a domestic terrorist organization that must be ended.

Needless to say, our mayor is a member of the NRA!

Now I am not against anyone owning guns. One in the house for protection is a good idea. I'm not even against hunting rifles although I abhor the practice. However no one needs a military assault type weapon unless they are up to no good! And the idea of arming teachers is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard! I picture more innocent people being killed in the crossfire.

Our mayor used official city letter head in his criticism, as if all of Vero Beach is behind him! A San Francisco Examiner columnist cleverly upbraided our mayor and rightly so. However due to the letter head he also had some not-so-nice things to say about Vero Beach, my hometown of the last 20 years.

Ok, I'll admit Vero Beach is a Trump turd stronghold! Many people here think Trump walks on water when he's actually more like a fat chunk of excrement floating in a sewer!

I know there are many others in Vero Beach who feel as I do! I've marched in protests with them against Trump's policies. We received numerous honks of support as well as the one finger salute.

Our mayor is also an ophthalmologist, in fact, the same one who performed cataract surgery in both of my eyes.

Because I am alone, I needed their shuttle to pick me up and drive me home after the surgeries. During my second trip the driver praised Trump all the way to the Eye Institute. I told him that for the sake of our country, I hoped someone would shoot Trump! Which I'm sure didn't endear me to him. Fortunately, coming home I was assigned a different driver.  Politics were never discussed.

Our mayor called the San Francisco Examiner columnist's response "elitist". I could say the same about him! I found this ophthalmologist more than a bit arrogant. For my next eye exam, I will be taking my business elsewhere!

A CLOSE BRUSH WITH A MONSTER

A monster out to destroy me, others, and everything we own. Like nearly every other denizen of the Treasure Coast I was in a constant state of panic mingled with exhaustion. For what seemed like a week every meteorologist showed a Cat 5 Hurricane Dorian coming ashore over Vero Beach on their chart!

Out of habit I began stocking my storm pantry back in June, little was left to buy. Also around that time I purchased the Bell & Howell Light Bar to add to my hurricane lamp collection which is good to have anyway. Even under perfect conditions, I've never lived in a place that experiences as many power outages as Vero Beach!

Always, it's a problem finding someone to board me up. However this time a neighborhood Realtor emailed the name of a man willing to do it. But yikes, the cost was $600.! -- I paid $40 back in 2004!!! Unfortunately I had no choice. Now I plan to stay boarded until November! It's only the start of peak hurricane season and I can't afford to keep repeating this!

The expense could not have happened at a worse time! Just the week before, I learned I need a dental implant among other work and I'm going to be out $1000's. I waited months for an appointment at the sliding scale clinic; I desperately need that 15 per cent discount. Unfortunately the clinic doesn't do implants. UGH!!!

But that had to wait until after the hurricane.

I moved everything of value downstairs and packed several suitcases in the event my house became unlivable. It's devastating to think of everything I've accumulated over the years being destroyed. I own few things of monetary value. However each of my possessions has a memory attached making every one a treasure.

Dorian a slow moving storm, was now forecast to hit us on Wednesday. Hopefully, it would strike during daytime. I would be able to see well enough to do damage control. Also I could sleep in my own bed the night before rather than the floor of my downstairs bathroom which is my safe room.

Marie, my snowbird friend in Connecticut said she'd call every day until the power went out along with my landline. She was true to her word! And my friend Rose said she'd drive over to check on me after the storm passed. Both are wonderful friends!

Sunday night I watched a movie titled Between Heaven and Earth, a true story about a Vietnamese woman. As a child, her village was burned to the ground. During her teens she was raped, beaten, tortured with electricity, also staked to a pole near an ant hill, her legs coated with honey, and for added measure a snake was dropped down her blouse! And there's more that I won't go into. Watching this, made me feel like a wimp for freaking out over a hurricane!

Then I remembered the photos of Mexico Beach from last year's one. It looked like a bomb blast!!! My fears were valid!!! And Dorian was now doing likewise to the Bahamas.

Almost everyone living in Florida has been to the Bahamas at least once. The man who boarded my house said he had been there 50 times or more. The thought of the destruction, death, and shattered lives there is wrenching.

Cat 5 and 4 hurricanes used to be a rarity. Sadly, with global warming (which fools deny) they are becoming common. It's anyone's guess exactly where a hurricane will come ashore.

An arrogant, argumentative man on Facebook (whom I've since unfriended) claimed that no hurricane dared to hit since he moved here and no one should worry. Then came Irma in 2017 projected to hit us as a Cat 5 or 4. This guy ran like a scared rabbit to the center of the state! The hurricane shifted farther west at the last moment striking his hotel, another example of a man's big mouth  biting him in the butt!

As fate would have it, all of us here on the Treasure Coast were fortunate again this time. Dorian just skirted us. Not once did I lose power which was a miracle in itself.  Air-conditioning in a boarded up house is a blessing.

Thursday the hurricane had passed, mail & newspaper delivery resumed. I stepped onto my driveway to sweep debris. The heat & humidity were so heavy it felt as if someone had dropped a blanket over me. But my home remained intact, that was most important.

However, next time the result could be quite different. All you can do is prepare for the worst as best you can.

OH NOOOOO!!!

According to every chart I've seen Hurricane Dorian is projected to hit Vero Beach directly as a Cat 4 on Labor Day!!!

I must drop everything & prepare!!!
 

JUROR #395

Well it happened again! I don't believe there's a person alive who's been summoned for Jury Duty more than I have. I've actually lost count! I've read they draw names from the Dept. of Motor Vehicles. However I didn't have a Driver's License until almost the year 2000. So they must take them from Voter Registration as well.

Unlike most people, I look forward to Jury Duty. It pays money! Perhaps not a whole lot, but its $15 or $30 that I didn't have before. And if I get an interesting case its double bingo! Plus it's an opportunity to make friends -- or not. But it's still a welcome diversion.

Also I realize it's an important job, one I take seriously. I watch body language and my radar is tuned for attorney trickery. I think PROFESSIONAL JUROR should be an occupation! These people should be specifically trained to spot lawyer lies, exaggeration, and misdirection. It's a job I'd love! Of course those are exactly the kind of people they DON'T want!!!

For all my times summoned, I've only been selected twice. And this was back in my previous hometown. Usually I'm dismissed due to this bad habit I have of following the news. And since I'm a non-drinker I'm the last person a defense attorney wants on a drunken driving case!

Something I've discovered is that guilty people almost always want trials where as the innocent plea bargain.

I've been living in Vero Beach for 20 years now and this is the 4th time I've been summoned here. The first, I was unable to serve. My father had suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He was unable to use the bathroom without help.

The next 2 times, my number was so far down the list I was instructed by phone not to report. I wasn't needed. This time I was almost Juror #400 out of a pool of 450. But you never can tell, so I had to be ready.

I received my summons around the middle of July for Aug. 12. My biggest concern was my shoes, due to an injury in June (I blogged about this!) I'd been living in flip-flops and I know they are forbidden in court.

My left foot was shrinking, but was still noticeably larger than the other. It didn't hurt, just felt stiff, heavy, & itched like crazy. So I purchased a few cute pairs of sandals at Kmart that might pass muster with the court (fingers crossed) also they were comfortable enough for me to wear all day if necessary.

However my left leg still had a cankle. So dresses and even my comfortable trousers with the slits up the sides could not be worn. Fortunately, I had plenty of other clothes to rely on!

Fast forward to the week before I was scheduled to report, my left foot was now back to normal size and my cankle was gone! I dug out the alarm clock I hadn't needed since Thailand in 2016 & installed a fresh battery. Now I was all set to do my duty and serve!

The Friday before I phoned for instructions and was told not to report Monday, but to call Monday after 5:00 PM concerning Tuesday. I was gnashing my teeth! I only want suspense in books & movies. I prefer knowing one way or the other!

As it turned out, once again I didn't have to report. This was a disappointment, also a lot of bother and worry for nothing! However at the same time I understood why. This way, they didn't have to pay me for sitting around days waiting to be interviewed by the attorneys.

I went thru that in the early 90's back in my previous hometown. This particular case was so well publicized in Florida that I'm surprised they didn't move the trial to another state.

I sat for 2 days amongst an enormous crowd of potential jurors. Late in the afternoon of the first day I was interviewed. At the end of the second, the jury was selected. A heavy-set man bragged constantly that he couldn't understand why he was there. He swore he would never be picked due to who he was. This guy was the first juror chosen! There were lots of smirks and chuckles.

But I was dismissed.

GOING GREEN, SUMMER SALADS WITH COLOR

Honestly, I've never been a salad person! To my mind, it was tantamount to chomping down on yard clippings! I could live happily on pasta & pizza. Unfortunately I had a health scare a few years back that forced me to dramatically alter my diet. I've since learned that as with pasta & pizza there's a variety of toppings that can make salad both healthy and delicious.

With the exception of red oak & radicchio; one thing you will rarely find in a salad of mine is lettuce! It may be healthy, but I can decipher no taste whatsoever.

Below are 2 of my favorites:  

 

      

                        DIANNE'S FRUITY DINNER SALAD

I always start with a base of fresh leafy kale & baby spinach on a dinner plate with high raised sides.

Generously add lots of seedless grapes, raspberries, & blueberries.

Sporadically scatter chopped walnuts.

Top with grilled chicken strips.

Lightly SPRINKLE, (NEVER soak a salad in dressing or oil!) raspberry or pear salad dressing.

On the side add a wedge or 2 of goat cheese or Swiss.

Best served with raspberry, apricot, peach, or mixed berry tea.

  

 

                                   DIANNE'S GREEK SALAD

The day before, slice cucumbers & soak them in lemon juice in the refrigerator overnight.

Again, start with the kale & spinach base.

Add a little radicchio lettuce for color.

Top with the sliced cucumbers

Add halved cherry tomatoes, sliced miniature sweet peppers, & chopped black olives.

Top with cooked shrimp.

Liberally scatter crumbled Feta cheese!

Then LIGHTLY sprinkle Greek dressing.

Best served with orange & cinnamon spice tea, or lemon ginger tea.

 

Note:  The last salad above should come with a warning, but only if you have Acid Reflux issues like me. Volcanic pain in the chest along with a fiery lava sensation in the throat, needless to say is no fun.

However, I've found that I don't have a problem if followed immediately by over the counter medication. Also milk in the tea helps!

MIDSOMMAR SCARES, NAH!

I love a good fright movie!!! One that shoots icy tingles thru your body as the hair on your arms and the back of your neck stand at attention riveting you to your seat while your nails claw deep into the armrests leaving you a quivering bundle of nerves afterward! 

I read online that Midsommar was probably the scariest movie ever made. I knew I must see it! Well don't believe everything you read online! For the first half hour I thought I was watching a tedious relationship drama about a dysfunctional couple. Had I been watching this on DVD or my DVR I would have fast-forwarded right thru this part. The plot was so slow to unfold it made me want a nap.

Scary is the last word I'd use to describe this film. It was just weird, violent, and lewd! There was lots of full-frontal nudity which I found interesting. -- I don't see a lot of this in my regular everyday life! However, I would never shell out money just to see naked people. I want a gripping plot, too!

The story centers on a colorful floral, traditional Swedish festival that seems innocent when in fact it's anything but. Here's a joke: How many of these Swedish festival goers does it take to screw in a light bulb? Answer: One to do it and the entire village to revel in the experience! Oh this film pushes the phrase "It takes a village" to a whole different level! These Swedish cultists reminded me of the pod-people from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, a truly frightening movie, at least for 10 year old me. The later remake not so much, but then I was no longer 10.

The original Night of the Living Dead actually terrified me when I saw it in my early 20's along with my future stepmother who watched the entire film with her eyes closed. "Next time I chose the movie, Dianne!" she declared as we left the theater.

The remake several decades later was equally as horrifying, (I LOVED it!) if not more so! As with the original, it stayed with me long after I departed the theater. I found myself avoiding dark rooms in my own home. However during the past decade there's been such a plethora of zombies in the movies & on TV that now I can sit in a dark house alone watching, go to bed afterward and sleep peacefully.

Perhaps as I age it's just becoming harder for me to buy into fantasy fiction. Either way, Midsommar was a mid-summer disappointment.

WHAT'S OLD IS NEW

Forget the Joneses; I'm still trying to keep up with the Flintstones! I just got a new DVD player. This was a thoughtful and generous gift from a dear friend. I am delighted to have it!

I love watching TV in the evening! And I record everything! Movies are a favorite, I watch as many of those as TV shows, sometimes more. I seldom go out after dark and I get too sleepy reading at night. With my DVR I just hit pause, cat-nap and then pick right up where I left off. It's wonderful! But now, I must make adjustments.

ATT hiked my cable bill so high that I was forced to give up the Starz-Showtime package I loved. And I don't want a satellite for reasons I mentioned in a previous post. For a decade, I was able to enjoy this bundle at a price I could afford. In fact, 2 years ago I got a special deal in which HBO was included for 6 months.

Actually I like Starz-Showtime better than HBO; they run more the type of movies & series I enjoy. Now it's no more OUTLANDER or my new favorite THE SPANISH PRINCESS which continues in 2020.

However I've been losing interest in Outlander for awhile now. The series jumped the shark for me when Claire went thru the stones into the past a second time. I realize that a fantasy is supposed and even expected to vault over all manner of mythical creatures. But my suspended belief is faltering. As far as I'm concerned, Claire may as well have leapt over the Loch Ness monster! If this series was based on reality rather than fantasy, upon her return 20 years later, Claire would have found her strapping hulk of a Scotsman now fat, balding, with missing teeth, and married to a girl their daughter's age! And no sane person would deliberately time travel back to live under the conditions of that period.

My new favorite is based on reality. (OK loosely!) And Yes, yes, yes, everyone who has been to school (or the movies or has watched TV) knows how this plays out. Catherine of Aragon marries King Henry VIII, the marriage is happy until Catherine while growing older, fails to produce a male heir. Henry has a roving eye and his gaze falls upon saucy silver-tongued Anne Boleyn who plays him like a mandolin. Catherine is discarded like yesterday's porridge, but unlike Anne Boleyn gets to keep her head.  -- I would still enjoy seeing this all unfold on my TV screen!

The price of my current lesser bundle expires next spring. -- I wasn't even given a full year! I've decided that when the time arrives unless ATT offers me a honking amazing deal at a great price I'm returning to Comcast. I would have done this already except I'd lose all of my recordings! There are plenty of movies I still want to see.

A decade ago I was thrilled to be rid of Comcast, however I've experienced equally as many issues with ATT. However ATT's saving grace was a movie package I could actually afford. Now  that's no longer the case, so there's no reason to keep them longer than I have to.

I've looked into streaming, but don't like what I've learned. Plus its alien technology to me!!! I've been told by several that you can't have both a DVR and stream. And I must give up TV shows I enjoy, as well as be unable to fast-forward thru programs. This sucks!!! Frequently, I fast-forward thru car chases, boring dialogue, & sex scenes. -- Unless there's nudity, then I hit pause. I've actually fast-forwarded thru entire movies!

With the exception of Online & On Demand, I haven't sat thru a commercial in almost 30 years and I hate the thought of going back to that! Also zapping out advertisements is a big time saver, at my age, I don't have that much time left!

My first thought upon losing Starz-Showtime was that I'll be going back to movie-hopping every weekend, again.

However with my new DVD player I can rent movies from Red Box. I've also been told there's a second- hand place in town that sells used DVDs for a dollar & 50 cents on sale. I'm planning on becoming a regular customer.

My new DVD player is a most welcome gift! Thank you again, Rose!

THE 4TH & AFTER

The 4th of July has become the worst night of the year as far as I'm concerned! Starting late afternoon the racket begins! And speaking of rackets, I refused to watch that political spectacle in our nation's capitol disguised as a patriotic parade. Geez, President Pussy Grabber's ego knows no bounds. How can this cowardly draft dodger even dare throw himself a military parade! Bone spurs doesn't care spit about our country. All he's concerned about is massaging his ego and enriching himself! No bigger con-artist ever drew breath inside the U.S.!

Everyone should be alarmed that Trump considers himself above the law. And anytime a leader, or rather a misleader declares the press to be "An enemy of the people!" You are dealing with a dictator or someone who aspires to be one. This should be a no-brainer! I'm thrilled his parade got rained on. Too bad HE along with all of his sucker-supporters there weren't struck by lightning!

Unfortunately, there was no rain here, just lots of illegal fireworks. And I don't mean the little pop-pop kind, these sounded like blasting cannons! During the evening of the 4th, I watched an old war movie with Victor Mature & Anthony Newley so that all the blasts & booms around me would better fit in.

There are plenty of places to go see fireworks! There is no excuse for this.

One reason, I don't want another dog or cat is the 4th of July! My last dog was elderly and half deaf, yet every July 4th she'd shake in my arms or lap the entire holiday and after. Some of these fools around here don't know when to call it quits! She was scared to go outside for 2 weeks after and I was constantly cleaning up her messes in the house.

This year, after dark on the 4th I noticed my yard light had burned out. I went outside to change the bulb and was almost knocked off my feet by the booms! I could actually feel the earth move beneath me. The man in the house directly behind mine is the worst offender. I've actually seen sparks land on my roof. My house is wood; also this is a wooded neighborhood. This man also has a penchant for bonfires. And I'll bet you anything this jerk is a Trump supporter! He displays all the earmarks.

For weeks I enjoyed watching a group of rabbits (probably from the same litter) scampering around my yard. Sadly, each July my yard becomes devoid of all wild animal life after the 4th! I prefer seeing the squirrels & rabbits to fireworks.

I consider it noise pollution. There should be a law! -- Oh wait, there IS one! So, why is it never enforced!?

JUST A MEMORY OR TWO

During the autumn of 1969 I would walk to the Rexall drugstore to catch the bus to Community College 20 miles to the north. There was a bench in front of the store. Usually there were only a small handful of students. This was my freshman year. 

One morning, I was the only student there. An old man came and sat down beside me. He wore walking shorts with a faded jacket the kind you typically wear with a suit. On his feet were socks & sandals. The toe of each sock had a hole. I've seen this before and since on others. I've always found it simultaneously sad and disturbing.     

We chatted; I told him that I was a new student at the college.

"I'm a graduate of the University of Heidelberg," he said with pride.

This was the university of Student Prince fame. I loved the movie with Edward Purdom & Ann Blythe! I figured he must have been a student during the 1920's since Hitler came to power in 1933 and it wouldn't have been a good place for an American.

Looking at him I wondered what terrible thing must have befallen him. A graduate of such a famous university should not end up on a bench looking like a hobo.

Soon, 2 other students appeared and our conversation ceased. The bus arrived shortly after.

Fast-forward 9 years, I was in Heidelberg myself. This is where I caught the ferry for the Rhine-Neckar river cruise; one that would pass the infamous Lorelei cliff where sailors were lured to their doom by a siren. I was already familiar with the story.

During my last year of Junior High, everyone in English class was required to memorize a poem and recite it. I chose The Lorelei by Heinrich Heine. In the days following, several classmates approached to ask where I found such a beautiful poem. Actually it was right inside our English textbook amongst many others! They had just overlooked it.

Years later, I learned there are several different translations of this Heinrich Heine poem. However the one in my English textbook is by far the most haunting.

In Heidelberg, I thought of that old man I met briefly nearly a decade before. And I thought of him again as I passed the Lorelei rock and began reciting the poem in my mind: "I cannot tell why this imagined sorrow has fallen upon me, the ghost of an unburied legend that will not let me be."

Life is filled with twists and turns, sometimes your entire world can be pulled out from under you without warning.