Best Of

Jackie, the improvement to my night vision within a week after my first cataract surgery was dramatic! The week Three months earlier I had to drive home from Madison, WI late at night after a gig; and the onramps to the Beltline and then to I-39/90 were unlit (still are). Had to use my brights all the way, and it was still scary. A week after the surgery (when I stopped seeing "starbursts" around lights), I made the trip again and it was as if I were driving on a completely different road!

Another set of sheets arrived today—this time different mfr., from Bed, Bath & Beyond. But same stink! Googled it and found out that it is definitely a "thing." Not just the chemicals used in dyes and sizing, but also the heavy zippered plastic bags in which the sets are packed. (A different set from Macy's, in conventional plastic wrap, was odorless). California Design Den's website explains that it is absolutely necessary to wash new sheets, for that reason; and a number of other sites agree. Those sites (including several Reddits) mention the odor as resembling stale vomit. So since I have a Rinse subscription and several prepaid bags remaining this cycle, I bundled up the two sets (Macy's & B,B&B—teal & sage) and had them picked up tonight for return tomorrow. They will let me know if the sheets require a second wash. Meanwhile, a third set, white, is in its packaging and I will wash it once my washer & dryer are redelivered & installed tomorrow. (I normally don't use scented laundry products, but I bought a bottle of Downy Rinse & Refresh and I intend to add it to the washer).

And my dinette set was delivered today. The upholstery does have a faint odor of grassy linen cloth mixed with the stain-repellent treatment, so I will Febreze it and see what happens. Tomorrow will be an ordeal, and I doubt I'll be home for dinner. (All the two-piece china cabinets & bookcase need reassembly, the TVs need to be placed on their stands, the stove & dryer connected to gas (and the gas to the grill turned back on), and the refrigerators connected not just to power but the one in the kitchen connected to the water line. Have to wait 36 hrs to see if they work, before we can start moving food back into the freezer compartments. Of course, not looking forward to mountains of boxes to unpack and sort out. Ugh. Not just that, but a couple of closets that had been clean after the fire but before the demo & rebuild are now full of paint & drywall schmutz—and I can't donate the clothes in there until they've been dry-cleaned. And the earliest visiting vet appointment I could get is Aug. 7. Therefore, I had to pay August's rent, and to be on the safe side will give notice that we won't be fully out of Lincolnwood till 8/31, since there will be much to do here to bring the place back to the condition in which we found it. (I fear that our $3500 pet deposit may not cover having to clean the felt on the pool table and some of the scratching on an edge or two of the sectional sofa that the cats managed to push aside the throws and standing cardboard scratchers covering them).

Jackie - glad to hear today’s appointment for the pacemaker went well. Sorry to hear about the cataract affecting your vision. If the DMV places a restriction on night driving, do you think you could ask to be retested in 6-12 months once surgery is complete?

Reader - sorry to hear about your kitty. Pets are family members and hurts to lose them.

Cindy - wow! That lake looks so good. I’m sorry you can’t be in the water but I could happily sit there all day.

Petite - nice to hear your cholesterol is normal (I’m envious).

Went to the DMV to renew my drivers license and take the vision test. It is now required to make an appointment and I was in and out in 25 minutes.

Then went to the gym and got in a good workout. So now that I feel good about myself I will head to the GYN Onc tomorrow for an appointment to get yelled at for all the things I should be doing that I’m not doing (ie. I need a referral to a GI for follow up on a pancreatic cyst that was an incidental finding on a CT last year). The cyst was stable on the most recent CT so there should be nothing of concern. Next week I have an appointment with the MO and I expect I will be discharged from her care since my blood counts have returned to normal. Then I am hoping no more appointments for awhile.

Hi, Ladies. I am so behind, again. May cholesterol is normal. Finally!

harley, love the Harley. I use to ride on the back with dh. That was many years ago, but it was a lot of fun.

canary, beautiful fruitcake!!

Chris, I like your haircut. I have been growing the Pixie out, but it sure takes a lot of work to style my longer hair

hello to all that I missed - Cindy, Sandy, Jackie, Carole, betrayal, Christine, reader

Ah Cindy — just a bit of vacation. Sad about the swimming as the water looks so mightily inviting and then you can't get in the lake. Hopefully, though if close with iced drinks and a whiff of a breeze.

We finished up today fairly quickly. My pacemaker was fine and I didn't need any adjustment to it at all. So, will be a yr. for the next check on it. I also made an eye appt. but likely will have to do some finagling at the DMV or accept having night driving curtailed. No one has said but I have a feeling my vision issues for the most part are due to a cataract — and as things stand it is not likely I could get it dealt with before my birthday. The lady at the vision dept. told me that they wait till a month after cataract surgery to retest you — for glasses so since I can't even get the first eye appt. till August and my birthday is in Sept. I couldn't possibly make it thru a surgery and the month wait after. Guess I might as well take the stipulation of no night driving anyway and just move on.

I can't tell you when the last time was that I drove at night for sure. It usually has only happened on rare occasion when we go to the store late afternoon and dawdle around after getting there. Still I think there's a Murphy's Law thing that says something about you will only need to drive after dark or even want to after you have been given a restriction on it by the DMV. Well, I likely will go and ask them about it and see what they have to say.

We were both a bit exhausted ty the time we got home as neither of us slept well so needed a nap. This happens to me almost always when I HAVE to do something the next day requiring that I be on time. Today was 10 a.m. It started to rain when we were ready to leave Marion (those few big drops that begin the rainfall) and were 30 feet from the car. Stayed dry, but boy could you feel the big drops when one landed on you. It poured a little just as we were halfway through town ( Marion) and by the time we were leaving it has lessened to intermittent wiper use. We then outran any rain and that was it all the way home.

The rest of the month is clear — no long drives or even Doc appts. Despite having to have a couple of appts. and a couple more coming up — it has been pretty good to have little if any medical appts. at all. It sure seemed earlier like I was seeing some medical personnel all the time almost. Great to have a nice break. I think I was caught in some cycles where you have to be tested a lot —- for 5 yrs.

Looking like we are about to get the downpours that we had in Marion here now. It is quite dark out — so getting ready for another good dousing. Had one yesterday a little later than it seems this will be. Hope you have all have a really good day.