EXHAUST PIPES

Wow. Long time since last post but trip was ok minus the flight, lost luggage, etc. there (16 hours in airports, 16 hours on plane), come home to a mess with strangers in my house, ID theft (thank you life lock, bank, police, etc!), ATT outages, power outages, no water pressure and water company with line breaks making it sound like Linda Blair living in my pipes, etc. I'm exhausted and all that sucked up too much time to be able to come in here and blog about my vacation :( It has taken every bit of 2 months to straighten out bank accounts, clean up mess in house, groom the dogs (3 times now :/), deal with the water and wondering why it's $80 a month from the usual $15-25 and ripping up my gardens to check with the meter not registering for leaks anyway, time on phone with Directv who does not know why I am not bundles with ATT...the 2cd time I get their services and they STILL CAN'T and say it's not bundled but did when I ordered their service, house, etc....I just screamed at God one day stating that I WAS NOT JOB and AT MY LIMIT! Of course a minor breakdown with apologizing and regret for losing it ensued right after :l

I do know I'll never allow Carnival to handle my flights or listen to them again but the ship was really beautiful and our room was a double concierge type. You had to to through 2 private doors to get to our cabin door on the corner balcony with vista views (lol "Vista" was perfect name for ship and they have "Vista 2" already hit the water when we were aboard 1's maiden voyage!!). I can't wait to show photos and go into detail of all the places, history, photos, people, food, etc. we experienced but in a nutshell....Greece felt like home and calmed us although with the jet lag, missing luggage, breeders left 3 hours waiting past arrival, Athens on strike that day, neck stiff and feet swollen like ballons from being up 2 days had me sport a look of mental anguish on my face the first 2 days :/ Meteora was awesome, Parthenon by night and day fabulous, shopping was good, HD shop was the bomb, but the best was a killer dinner with Paros's Mum and Dad at a spectacular seafood place! And although I had an ouzo...I drank it wrong when I shot it down. When I rewatched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" when we got back...I learned where I got that from lol...plus I'm sure a couple other movies but the stuff was sooo bad....I prefer to slam it down lol! But I loved the fresh sea urchin, fried mullet (nothing like the species in the states), oysters....sooo much seafood they must have ordered everything off of their friends menu! Of course we didn't allow them to pick up the tab with their 3 hour wait at the airport while we lost our luggage, the loss of Paros's mom, and with Mother's day that just passed...it was the one thing Paros could do for them. He loves us and them so and is soooo sweet, smart, and loyal...he'd give us all the world if he could :)

Sounion Greece

We felt safe to walk the streets at night there too. I took some photos about 2 am in the morning and walked around a bit during the full blood moon. We missed out on Athens the first night because of the strike but caught the temple of Poseidon with its steely presence overlooking the sea in Sounion. The day was a bit ominous but I knew it would pass as it did and the remainder of our vacation was hot and sunny (minus the day in Livorno when we had tickets to may our way to Cinque Terre again). We absolutely fell in love with the history and tour of Turkey, along with the tour guide and her people who had the hand made Turkish rug shop. They pulled some out and I found one I loved, gave them the credit card and thought I had the souvenir of a life time until we noticed days later...nothing was taken out and upon arriving home, the issues in Istanbul was all over the news :( No planes in or out so I am assuming this is why. No rugs coming out :((( We do plan to fly over there and look more in depth if they should ever secure their borders. This country AMAZED me! The house of virgin Mary, Ephesus where apostle Paul taught and where St. John formed his crusaders "Knights Templar", how the religions both highly revere these holy spots...it requires a blog and more on its own! I didn't get my Turkish coffee or cigarette, I didn't get to pray or see a mosque and immerse myself in their culture as much as I would have liked, but what I did see was more than I ever expected. The people, stories, history, and country was astounding!

Azure Window

But for now, with windows 10 offer GONE I am in hopes to update my computer and at least glad I can make ANY kind of post until later :) One thing I learned was that this vacation was more of a journey of self discovery than one of relaxation and thrills. We did have a blast in Malta, loved Italy as usual, fell deeper in love with France, astounded by Turkey, and between Greece and Paros...they own my heart! I've also resolved rid inept people and services like the black plaque. If you can't bundle it...stay away. If you can't get pressure or fix this mess with a warning of water contamination or issues...I will hire a third party to evaluate everything from my house to the water companies pumps...then get a well,

I also know I sobbed like a baby when we had to board the beautiful Carnival Vista. I really felt a connection of some sort there. And when everyone on board would ask where I am from...anywhere but here lol :D Although I was born in Tennessee and was Miss Memphis 1st alternate...I haven't lived there since puberty so normally I just say New Orleans. Both Jim and I have more years there than anywhere but since we are both children in the wind...we've decide to just say "God and our Mama's" ;)

Leaving my heart in Greece

Till then...we may hit New Orleans for our birthdays with the dogs, and then take another week vacation this fall to continue renovating. Maybe we can go back to Louisiana.



HOLY ROCKS and HARLEYS TOO!

Once again we are blessed to embark on my holy land journey but with all the trouble in Egypt and such, they dropped Turkey from the itinerary :( My orginal plan since my early 20's was to start in Athens Greece, then Santorini, Turkey, Isreal, Petra Jordan, and ending at Port Said in Egypt. Our route this trip is the same as last but with the addition of Athens and Rhodes Greece, and Malta. So much for Turkey but I'm excited about seeing the Azure Window on the island of Gozo next to Malta where we dock (photo here along with Meteora Greece from Wikipedia...photographers credited by photos).

Old holey rocks

And I think that is what inspires me to see other places in the world; photos of places that move me. When I see a shot someone has taken (mainly National Geographic), I am compelled to stand in the spot that photographer stood and see through their eyes the scenery that moved them and myself as well. Like Meteora...a bunch of towering rock that were awesome enough for monks to build their monasteries away from civilization bringing them closer to God. Both are UNESCO world heritage sites. We will pass another along the way, the Blue Grotto in Malta, and also see the Fraglioni rocks and blue grotto of Capri Italy once again (my pics of that here...although some not so good). We just laugh about our 'quest for rocks' :D (and volcanoes, jungles, mountains...anything of nature that spiritually moved mankind for millions
of years like the Theopetra cave in Meteora where both neanderthals and homo sapiens lived). Can't really say why we've added the Harley Shops of the world to our list.

New Holy rocks!

I hope my computer and internet holds out. Lately AT&T had issues and crashed my computer. Funny thing is that after I called them...they were back up before I got off the phone! And after 8 months of PLEADING to them to get our bank information out of their computer systems, Jim had to take a day off of work to set up a secondary 'main' account we transfer money from. We kept the old one just to pay bills from because why give AT&T a new account number? They'd just screw up and save that information too! The crazy thing about the whole mess is that about 2 weeks later...'poof'...all of my information was gone from their system! So I had to tell the robotic man all of my numbers all over again :/ I think the women at my bank maybe had something to do with this? Maybe AT&T's disease spread from me to them and since their voice is stronger...AT&T remove my info (wooo hooo!!! :D ). I deliriously laughed soooo hard that it took 3 times calling them to pay my bill because I was not coherent to the robotic voice!!



Little bro always good!

As for my health...it's ok so far. I wouldn't say I graduated from the ear therapy dizzy class thing but I didn't flunk nor was expelled :) I think it was a stand off :l She got my calves built up and a lot of pressure from my ear to where I am sure footed and not woozying around as much but I did develop a constant ringing in my ears since Easter weekend and the whole left side of my body is like on another planet and doesn't co-operate with the rest of me. Every once in a while the disc and pressing on that side of my head and neck lets me 'feel' parts on that side. Or maybe it's the nerves growing, or maybe nerves being pressed...who the hell knows...I'm just going about life and very blessed and happy I may be out of the liver danger zone thing with the impending 'death sentence' imposed on me by the nurse who kept saying there's hope and I was just hoping to see a doctor for over 2 years while one lesion multiplied into several...etc., etc. I have a doctor now and I'm living my life the best I can until told otherwise...and that comes from our father in heaven so :P lols :D!

Well...until then...GO HILARY!, Paros had to be clipped for his 3rd time because of my arm, I will be able to ride the Indian now and pick up on renovations here at the house but concerning the trip...I have to tweak the security system, Jim hit a turkey and knocking out his windshield on the way to Atlanta (Co-workers said it looked like he 'posed' it for CSI lol :D),  find drivers for Rome where to rome .com is having website issues :/) and Greece, hit 2 doctors, and find another house sitter as well as making reservations to board the dogs :/ Our friend in Louisiana may spread the word and help us here.



What a drama queen!

As for the 'good stuff' I think I failed to mention since Christmas...we visited friends, one is the oldest living sons of silence and Germany Chapter brothers went to visit him too. My daughter moved a lot of stuff out of the house including her bedroom furniture (took a trailer load :/), my stepfather is loving Florida so I don't worry and hang out 'on standby' lol, and a family in drug court is recovering beautifully (I also heard the news about Peter Murphy and hope he recovers from his troubles). And I LOVE my bank!! SERVICE with LAUGHS so lots to be blessed for :)))Seems it's just the little nuisance stuff like Jim hitting the turkey that knocked out his windshield, delay in renovations, daughter getting divorced, youngest daughter moved to address unknown and I don't hear from the grandkids, etc....but we are all alive, in good spirits...and semi good health ;)

To my Mother...Happy Mother's Day :}

 



RECALCULATING

Last month brought about EXCELLENT news with the cure of liver infection and  I have only had one small issue with it since December's bad feta cheese at the local grocery. I still have to make sure I didn't go into stage 4 of liver failure (because there is no return from that...it's all a countdown from there). Last I know of was the test showing stage 3 from the beginning of last summer so I was surprised to read the November letter of rejection from my insurance because my liver wasn't bad enough and/or I needed to be off drugs for at least 30 days. WHAT?!? EXCUSE ME?!?? I don't even take the aspirin the hospital told me to take everyday! I don't even eat enough poppy seeds on my lemon cakes or hamburger buns to register anything either so the nurse I saw for a year and a half (when I went to see a DOCTOR...and it took the insurance 6 months to find that one for crying out loud!!!). Ohhhh ...I did grab anything I could find; a left over expired Xanax a family member left that was about 2 years old lol...and it worked for me! You try having to suffer 2 hours with your hand detached from your body because one bone in your arm is broken and the other is shattered :/ OW!

I was hoping the cloudy headedness would go with the liver ailment but no. Seems to have been from the first fall about 6 years ago that involved my neck (ruptured disc). I was told it was ok by another UHC network doc (actually a nurse who said she was a doc..omg...I SWEAR!!). But that is all behind me now and I've been soooo excited about moving on and the EENT doc sent me to therapy to rid the dizziness! The pressure has diminished from around my ear (same side the head injury, neck injury from first fall, shattered wrist from other serious fall, then a few months later followed my the 5 tick bites on THE SAME SIDE OF THE DANG HEAD Mana brought me from the woods, then a few months later around Christmas came the skin infliction...SAME DANG SIDE!!! WTH?!? It's like getting pinched on your arm and you want to pinch the other side to feel 'balanced' but helllll no....I've seemed to get EVERYTHING on this on side :/ I'm wanting to dig up the photo of me when I came out of the hospital here the first week I moved into this house when I had the piece of wood stuck in my foot to see which foot it was. Somehow I came home with a bandaged foot I couldn't walk on for two months along with a bandaged hand...I can't remember what they did to it but I was in shock with the mold under all the sinks...the woozy feeling from whatever IV for tetnus they gave me so it must have been bandaged like a mummy from that. Who the heck knows.

So far...the neck has been ok. I keep care of it largely in part to "My Pillow" (even though I still love my goose downs...they don't support as well though :/), plus these exercises my therapist has me do. Dizziness still there...with eyes open or not and pressure comes back but I know the moves to decrease it. If I could go around the house with my head cocked to the side I'd be ok but it's hard to do this (I've tried :/). The main thing is my prayers were heard and are being answered. Not so much to spare my life...if God has me down to go...then that is how it will be. No. I just prayed to be under professional care so I won't feel alone or abandoned, know what is going on and what alternatives I have to make it better if that is possible. Today I concluded with the tenderness/soreness on the top back side of my skull will always be there, reasoning or comprehending things will always be a bit slow (I still stop in the middle of stuff and have to ask myself this round of questions to get myself through chores or what was I doing, what was I going to do, what am I doing...yada yada). Most of my family don't take my quirkiness so seriously anymore. They know the way I was...and now we just 'roll' or joke about it all ("Oh...her peculiarity is a part of her charm".....yeah....right. Whatever :/ Epic save though ;) ).

I guess that's just how it goes though. At least all the insurance/network doctor hell in the beginning got my mind and hate off of AT&T for having me zoom around trying to fix the internet for 4 years around here. I know I can't really groom the dogs well, tool leather or play the guitar and will always have issues with this hand. Now I know I will always have this hard to comprehend things so maybe it's good Jim has me in this big box in the woods lol :D I do get excited when I come out and think things will be taken care of but I know what I started (to get my site online and continue my crafts, leather etc.) won't happen. Even the internet has changed in all this time (Over 7 years now). I just hate when others say "Well, Jim takes care of you and makes sure your happy and comfortable". The life of bon bons, video gaming, and spacing around isn't happiness or comfortable. Nor do I find it stylish. It is for quiters, losers, and now I know...the disabled to get their minds off of the permanent problems they now have to live with. I think my biggest regret is failing Paros, myself, and my breeder. I will also not be able to have that shot of ouzo or dance the sirtaki past the slow bit (which only lasts a moment :/) when I go to Greece :((( Maybe instead of cultural immersion...I can have a driver take me to visit Meteora :)

So in honor of an admired friend that has undergone similar (but worse) health dilemmas as me this past year (lung cancer...chemo/radiation shrunk it...now she is waiting to see the next step from there)...being given a death sentence doesn't necessarily mean that is what we will die from or that we should allow depression to take over. We could be hit by lightning, traffic accident, etc. A positive spirit rules not only the day...but life and beyond :) So the ear worms since January have been "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons, "Ten Years Gone" by Led Zepplin, "Cuts You Up" by Peter Murphy (which ironically is playing at the House of Blues in New Orleans April 26th and I am going to Turkey where he moved to at the time of the album I had just given away in hopes to replace it with a CD lol but they no longer have seating since the mid 90's at HOB :((( Hate to miss it but glad to immerse myself with the Islamic culture. I think their religion is beautiful and love reading the Quran on occasion). And always of course...Dave Matthews band. #41. Thank heavens for his music that always keep my spirit moving! Jim has long ago tagged "Crash" as 'our song' and ironically enough...I had gone to see his "Crash" album debut with MTV filming it at the State Palace Theatre on Canal in New Orleans French Quarter. THE BUILDING ROCKED...I mean LITERALLY SHAKED!!! :))) So I may forget the day to day little things...but not the big ;)

As for the pics...I put some of my old favorites here because I got stoked when I heard Netflix was hiring 3 people to travel and take pictures for 2 weeks. I thought I had an edge over others because they wouldn't have to pay for my travel since I was already going over to Turkey, Greece, all over Italy, Spain, Malta, France, etc. Then I read further and seen you have to instagram your 3 pictures by mid March :l It may take all that time to learn how to work the app with all I have going on :/

The other one of me in docs office with Jim. He put my turtle neck up over my mouth. They just say "Help...she's talking and can't shut up" lol :D I don't really think it's funny but guess it's just how it's going to be...no brakes and never quite normal (God Bless the women who laughed with me in therapy when I said "You know I ain't right" with the response of "Since the first day" by my therapist lolol :D I just love her anyway and I feel she knows I'm ok...even though I ain't  :( :/ :l :P

Trevi Fountain; Jim's favorite :)

For my prayers requesting direction...I believe God reminded me of 2 things. His serenity prayer...and to remain hopeful for as long as I have hands and a mind. I can always make lemonade when given lemons ;)

 

The Serenity Prayer

 

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

                                              

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely 
happy with Him forever in the next.
 

                                             

 

 

  Ciao ciao...fino ad allora ;)