ON THE SEAS AGAIN

 Look out Captain Stubing!!!!  Here we come!!  Yup!!!!  May 6, 2023.  If we are still alive that is.  So far away.

Monte and I are going to do a two week cruise to Alaska!  Monte is quite open about the fact that he has anxiety issues with leaving his house and room.  But having a stateroom to retreat to at any time seems to make the difference for him.  Plus our room is directly under the buffet floor.  Sigh. 

I booked it this morning.  When I was in Vancouver we were down at North shore waterfront.  We were there just in time to see two cruise ships head out to Alaska.  And when you have cruised about twenty times, it kind of grabs you to see that.  And that feeling wouldn't go away.  So when I got home I broached the subject with Monte and he immediately agreed to a trip.  I thought we would be doing it this Sept. but my passport expired four days ago.  Wouldn't you know!!!!!  So I figure if I start now I should have a new one nine months from now.  If I could make a baby in that time, surely they can make me a new passport.  And I am getting a ten year...gonna be super optimistic this time round!!!

A first happened to me a few days ago.  I was opening my mail.  One of the brown envelopes was from Revcan.  My stomach automatically clenched.  For my American friends, Revcan is the equivalent of the IRS.  Although I did know my notice of assessment was due.  That is the nasty little letter and form that always states that I actually owe more than what the accountant figured I owed.  Always more.

So I trepidatiously opened it.  Suddenly Monte, who knew how anxious I was, suddenly yelled, "You got a cheque!!!!!!!!!!"  The bottom third of the letter and notice was still folded up and he could see it.  I quickly took a look and sure enough!  There was a cheque with a pretty hefty amount.  A return!!!!  For the very first time in my life I am one of those people who get a return!!!!!  On the upside....I don't owe anything, on the downside, it means I didn't earn much money this year.  I don't care.  I GOT A RETURN!!!!!!

I talked to my doctor about my tailbone, which is much much better I must say.  I still can't bend over without repercussions but it doesn't hurt nearly as much.  When she tracked my previous activities leading up to the pain, she determined it was due to slinging heavy bags of dirt around, digging with a shovel and gardening in general. So there you go.  I really dislike gardening.  It just doesn't do it for me.  And now I have a very legitimate excuse to NOT do it!!!

That being said, Ange and I are heading to the nurseries today to get six petunias.  We need one more thing to fill in the gaps and they should do it nicely.  And I think I will leave the planting to poor Ange, whose back isn't any better than mine.  Any hard stuff we shall enlist Monte.  Plus we have been kind of making a plan for landscaping next year.  Simple stuff.  Landscape roses, spirea, more annuals.  It's fun.  The planning part.  Not the execution.

I have an appointment at ten in the morning next Tuesday with the colon doctor.  I do believe he wants to do another colonoscopy.  I don't know why.  The Kamloops doctor said every three years.  This one it's every year.  Good thing I don't mind them.  The prep sucks for sure but the actual procedure is a piece of cake.  Gitter done peeps if you are over fifty.  Don't take a chance.  If that doctor hadn't insisted I do an occult blood check I would be dead now.  (and a five year passport would have been just fine)

Well I hear Ange making 'let's go' noises so I gotta bounce.  Take care, wear a respirator when you go out, if not to protect yourself, then protect us weenies who have issues, and thank you!  TTYL

'one of the few times in a man's life when he is not full of sh*t!  The morning of a colonoscopy.  Enough said.'  Jim Lawrence

MEMORIES OF MY OLD LIVING ROOM I DID UP AFTER THE HOUSE BURNT DOWN

LOOKS FUSSY, BUT IT WAS PRETTY

MY ALL TIME FAVE COUCH