Reality versus The Dream

Ah, yes, I did indeed just return from my first trip overseas, not counting the Carib and Alaska and Mexico, memories all tightly packed into my cerebellum or wherever memories go.

While putting in my contax this morning in my downstairs bathroom, I flashed to the cruiseship's bathroom. Darn. I forgot to take a picture of the tiny but ever-so-compact room. Imperative not to drop one's contax down the drain. That was no. one on the WorryList.

Best part of the trip was the food ashore. We went to plein air markets in Barcelona, Antibes, and Florence. Will I ever forget the way the strawberries tasted? They were not all bloated and spongy like American mass-produced berries. And the dates! They're sold on a sprig as they come off the tree. Never knew dat, did you?

I can't get over how beautiful my house looks. You see things afresh when you come home from vaca. I love my house. I still have Carl Yeager's photograph on the wall and a collage by Claudia McGill. I so love my artist friends. To greet me when coming home from Europe I picked some blue hydrangea and pink hydrangea from the backyard and they look so nice in the windowsill.

Leaning against the front door is a big brown packet labeled Kidney T'plant for my appt this Thursday. Both kids will accompany me but I'd prefer a cadaver transplant. Our Irish buddy Coleman Smith, from Cavan County, works in the ins. business and says they don't insure motorcyclists or scooter drivers cuz of the high fatality rate. Terrible to think that in the future one of these people might furnish me with their kidney.

My friend Denis also lost his kidney function due to lithium and he and his wife are wonderful guides as to what I might expect.

Life, for me, will become Before and After the transplant. I try to keep in as good shape as possible and will mount my stationary bike for 15 minutes later on. I did this aboard the ship while reading a Ruth Rendell mystery I got from the prison library. Oops, ship library.

After our bike ride at Lorimer Park yesterday, Scott and I were starving. BTW, he was very pleased with the SEPTA contract. The union negotiator worked very hard to ensure the workers received a 3 percent pay increase this year, no increase in amount paid for health benefits, and a continued secure pension plus audit of pension plan. The contract is for five whole years, guaranteeing peace of mind for all concerned.

So, I know you're all wondering what I made for dinner. Quite frankly, my dinner was better than anything on the cruise ship where the food was only mediocre.

POST-BIKE RIDE DINNER FOR TWO

Baked chicken - basted with olive oil and sprinkled with sodium-free Mrs Dash spice

First-time ever Broccoli Slaw - it comes in its own package, trim strips of broccoli stems and carrots. I added Craisins, chopped onion, and olive oil mayo mixed w/cider vinegar

Brown rice

For dessert I drank a glass of cranberry-raspberry juice.

"I'm out of control," I said to Scott. "I can't stop drinking the stuff."

Yes, I'm a juice-a-holic. So I poured it down the drain. Sadly.