Loved Ones & Other Strangers (and shaven ones too, I suppose)

I felt pretty lucky yesterday.  Tuesday night I was talking to a friend on the phone and telling them I was supposed to go on a senior outing to Chili's on Wednesday, but didn't think I'd make it because of these LC flare-ups.

Me & my dear gal Evvie, outside our senior center on Wednesday

Wednesday morning I was awoken by a huge thunderstorm raging outside, and thought "Well, there's no way I'm walking a mile in all that!"  But an hour later both the rains and inflammation in my face subsided, so off I went.

I was so happy when I got to the center and saw Evvie, and she told me she was going to Chili's too.  This was the first lunch we'd be having together since December!

To be honest, the lunch wore me out.  There was too many of us to sit together at the large table, so Evvie & I sat at a smaller one.  5 minutes later, Barb Wire jumped up from the other one and joined us and said "I need real conversation!  Not all that jibber-jabber behind us!  Do you agree?  Well, do you?"  Barb is 87 years old and always on a tear, I fear she is in the early stages of dementia.  She then proceeded to rant how awful everything was, and told Evvie she had to beg me to have a drink with her at our last outing (untrue) and how we had to send Dennis home in a taxi because he bought so many bags of food (also untrue).  It just went on & on.  

But when our bills came, Barb asked if I'd look at hers.  I told her "They're charging you for the side of macaroni you sent back, and for two orders of potato soup, and you only had the one, and you got that in place of the fries your burger was supposed to come with which I asked the waiter if you could substitute soup for and he said yes."  She said "I'm so confused, what do I do?"  I said I'd take care of it.  She thanked me for looking out for her so that calmed her down some.

When I got home, I was so worn out I wanted to take a nap but found a strange note on my door--more on that in a moment, here's a few pics first.

My boy Dennis who said "DOUG I AM HAPPY TO SEE YOU!  I'M ALL DAMP BECAUSE I CARRIED $500 WORTH OF HALF DOLLAR COINS TO THE BANK ON MY WAY HERE TO TRADE IN FOR SPENDING CASH!"

This is Claire, who attends all the lunch outings and is just about the sweetest person you could meet.  She was anxious to show me her Native American bag and laughed when I said I dug her papoose.  She's a dear.

Here was Evvie & my table at Chili's. A half hour after we arrived this place was packed. 

Evvie's meal--a half rack of baby back ribs, fries & street corn.  Evvie said those were some of the best fries she's ever had, and I very much agreed.

And here's my meal--Nashville Hot Chicken Crispers, Brisket Quesadillas, fries, white cheddar mac n' cheese.  I brought half of this home for dinner, and it was real tasty but needed something green.

I was shocked when I was eating, and someone came up and hugged me from behind--Candy Kim, who was there with her husband!  She used to attend these lunch outings regularly, along with my friend Mary.  She's about 7 feet tall and reminds me of Maude.

She whispered "I'm sorry I couldn't come with you guys, but my husband has health issues and I don't have the time for 5 hour lunches!"  God bless her, she's so funny.  I just love her.

And finally, when I got home I found this post-it taped to my doorknob.  "Would like you some company."  A male in his 60s, fun, clean.  Why is shaven underlined?  He's discreet and lives in the building.  Very convenient.   

        

I have a feeling I know who this is.  I was downstairs in the lobby this weekend, waiting for Amazon to arrive with a package.  This man walked into the lobby to get his mail, looked in his mid 60s, my height, a little rounder.  He smiled and nodded, got his mail, walked out.  A couple minutes later he came back and wanted to introduce himself, said his name was Bob.  I have a feeling this is him.  Oh well!

Chicken with the Dunnes, pancakes too and hoping I count

A couple days ago I walked up to Kuhn's Market, went to the deli to buy some sliced turkey for sandwiches and watched them set out a big silver pan of something sizzling. I asked "What's that" and was told they were fried chicken fillets.  They smelled delicious, so I said I'd take 3.

When I saw the price on the bag, I almost handed them back--$7.60??   The man behind the counter saw my expression and said "They're 100% seasoned breasts, if you don't like them bring 'em back."  

That was the first time someone in the supermarket offered me a guarantee, so I thanked him and brought them home.

They were bigger than I thought, I had half of one for dinner that night on a soft roll with mayonnaise and pickle slices, it was delicious.  I do my share of cooking, but shy away from frying chicken in my little cubbyhole of a kitchen.

Here's what I had the next night for dinner, and the night after that. 

Chicken fillet with roasted little potatoes & green peppers, and a good honey mustard sauce I made with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and honey

The next night, I assembled this "fried chicken salad" Pittsburgh style (french fries on top).  It was pretty tasty, but I had trouble eating it because of an LC flare-up. 

As long as I'm at it, here's some pancakes I made for breakfast this morning.  They're not exactly perfect, but they're big and crispy on the edges and perfectly delicious.

Hmm... these photos looked a lot better when I was starving and getting ready to eat!

Do you remember Griffin Dunne?  He's the son of famed crime writer Dominick Dunne, and co-starred with David Naughton in 1981's An American Werewolf in London.  I haven't seen that horror flick in decades, but it had a huge impact on my 19 year old self with its gallows humor and cutting edge special effects.

He is also known for his younger sister Dominique Dunne, who played the older daughter in the first Poltergeist film, the one who screamed "What's happening!!!"   She was strangled on the front lawn of her apartment building by her deranged ex-boyfriend on October 30, 1982.  She was only 22.

Anyway, the reason I mention him is because of a memoir he wrote about his family, "The Friday Afternoon Club".  Something compelled me to buy it (which I'm surprised I did as I swore off celebrity bios a few years ago).

In fact, I totally forgot I owned this until I was reviewing last year's Visa purchases.  The book was still sitting in my bedroom closet, in it's cardboard box with some moth traps I bought from Amazon.

I've been spending the last week or so reading it, and do you ever come across something so good that you force yourself to ration it, to make it last?  I've been doing just that with this book, that's how great it is.  Exceptionally well written and a fascinating read of a somewhat famous family rocked by dysfunction, fame and tragedy.

Born in 1955, Griffin sort of "coasted" into the entertainment industry, mostly because of where he grew up.  His best friend was Carrie Fisher, and they lived together in the 1970s while both got small acting jobs here & there.

He says in 1977 when Carrie landed the part of Princess Leia in Star Wars, she would call him or her mother Debbie Reynolds nightly and joke about the corny film and it's dumb title, and prayed no one ever saw it.  Debbie would remind her that good or bad, it still came with a weekly paycheck.  Six months later the movie premiered and changed Carrie's life forever.  

I'm in the final third of the book now, about his sister Dominique.  Her murderer only got a 6 1/2 year sentence, and then only served 2 1/2 years before being released.  He even went back to work as a sous chef at the same LA restaurant he worked at before--until the Dunnes set up camp there and handed fliers out to patrons detailing who would be preparing their food.  The killer (John Sweeney) changed his name and moved to another state.

Speaking of cries for justice, look what I got the day before yesterday.  After seeing those recent "Trump promos" funded by the US government I pray more than anything my vote counts for something.  

Dear DOUGLAS EDWIN MORRIS,

ALLEGHENY County received your ballot and securely stored it for processing on election day. Ballots cannot be opened before election day.

To find information on your ballot, and to check to make sure it was counted after election day, you can click here: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx.

Reverend Doug and his blessed trip to Cracker Barrel

Yesterday (Wednesday) I was blessed with a reduction in long covid symptoms, so I figured it was safe to venture out and go on that senior lunch outing to Cracker Barrel, in Cranberry Township.  

It may not have been as picturesque as last weeks Narcisi Winery, the food wasn't as fancy, but it was still a joyous trip. The day was cool but sunny, the ride was shorter and more fun, my lunch pals Paul & Dennis were there and always make things more enjoyable.

Something strange happened on my way to the senior center and then again inside the place.  About halfway there, a woman passed me on the street and said "Good morning Reverend."

Wait, did she just call me Reverend?  She was gone before I could say good morning back or bless her, so I just kept going.  

When I got to the senior center, Paul was there, engaged in a conversation with a new member, a man I met a week ago.  Paul came up to me and said "I told Bob you're our new pastor."  I think my white collar was giving people the wrong idea or something?  Anyway, here's a few boring pics of the day.

After we arrived at Cracker Barrel in Cranberry Township; pardon my blurry finger

While the women piled into the gift shop,  Paul ordered some wine, Dennis a beer and I got this new Fall item, "Granny's Apple Tea".  Very appley, very sweet.  

Here's one of Pearl, back from the gift shop.  It's strange, we live in the same apartment building, on the same floor.  Yet this is only the second time I've seen her since last December.

Here's one of the wall above Paul's head, I was trying to get a closer look at those curious baskets.  EDIT: Snowshoes!  Duh!  Thank you Kimba & Bobi!

My meal--fried chicken tenders and a "loaded" baked potato.  I've had better loaded potatoes, but loved those green onions and gobbled it down.  Those chicken tenders were juicy and seasoned just right, the best chicken I've had in a long time.  They were also bigger than you think, after two of them I was stuffed!  

I got a box to take the rest of my chicken home, and as long as I was there I bought a $5.00 TakeHome dinner for tomorrow.  Actually, we all did--everyone got meatloaf except for me, only because I had meatloaf this past weekend.

When our server brought out mine, she included a bag of hot corn muffins and told me my apple tea was on the house.  When I asked why, she said "Just because" and smiled at me.  Honestly, I don't know why.

After everyone was finished, Paul told Dennis "We've got an hour before our shuttle returns, there's a cantina across the highway, you up for some margaritas?"  Dennis handed me his food bag and off they went.

(I had to text them when Access arrived 10 minutes early--"Get back here or we're leaving without you!"  I swear to God, Dennis was so tipsy he was blurry!)

I sat outside on one of Cracker Barrel's rocking chairs and chatted with Rose and Claire for a good hour, what kind, funny ladies.  My LC symptoms started up again around 8pm, I think there was too much activity earlier, oh well.  All I know is, for the day at least, I felt blessed.

The End of the Dive-Bombers, I hope: taking the good from the bad

I think I've finally found an answer to my fruit fly problem--which was growing progressively worse these past couple weeks.

When this all began, I set out mason jars of apple cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap in both the kitchen and bathroom, where I got attacked the most.  A couple people recommended pouring Arm & Hammer Baking Soda down the drains, followed by white vinegar--I loved the fizzy action, but I think the bugs did too.  

The mason jars only collected 3-4 bugs a day, and it got to the point where the bugs were LITERALLY lined up on the top of my refrigerator door, dancing back and forth like it was Radio City Music Hall and they were the Rockettes!  Why, why??

If you knew me in the real world, I am a very, very clean person.  I wipe down everything with hot soapy water and Clorox wipes daily--including my appliances.

I noticed the bugs weren't getting near my food, but did kamikaze flights into whatever I was drinking.  I wound up buying a sippy cup for my coffee, tea, ginger ale--everything.

I also noticed they were attracted to light.  If I was in bed with my tablet, they bounced off the screen.  If I was in the living room on my laptop (where I need my eyeglasses) they would dive-bomb my face, over and over!  The reflection of the screen on my spectacles, I'm guessing.

That's when I remembered a bug light I bought 7-8 years ago when I first moved in here and discovered I had a gnat problem.  It was like a mini merry go round, with a strong light underneath and a sticky white base.  Thankfully I found it in the back of my apt's storage locker, the bulb still worked and included an unopened pack of those sticky bases.

I decided to put it on the bookcase that separates my kitchen and dining room from my living room.  Maybe those mini-monsters would take a detour from the kitchen before attacking me on the couch!

I decided to leave it on 24-7, and after the first night there were 48 buggos in there the next morning

And the morning after that, this pad had an additional 50 victims, nearly 100 total.  I swapped it out for a new one, and began pouring pots of boiling water down both drains and closing them off when not in use.  When I got up this morning, the sticky pad had only 5-6 dive bombers.  I'm going to keep on until there's zero.

One good thing came from this; I like having a light on that bookcase, a normally dark area in my place.  I ordered a small bookcase lamp to place on an upper shelf.  I also discovered I prefer my coffee in that thermal mug.  I normally reheat my coffee several times in the microwave to keep it hot, now I don't have to.

Meanwhile, it's doubtful I'll be going on the next senior lunch outing this Wednesday unless there's a big turnaround.  The day I went last week to the Winery, my pain number (from the long covid) was at a 2-3.  Uncomfortable, but didn't hold me back.

It remained the same the next day, and dropped down to a solid 2 on Friday.  When it's a 1-2, I start feeling hopeful.  However, by midday Saturday it had gone up to a 4, and by Sunday morning a 4-5.  I spent the morning sucking on Riccola lemon lozenges and holding ice packs to my face and side of my head.  It's 10 times more stubborn than these damn fruit fleas.

Anyway as long as I'm bugging I mean blogging, here's a photo of Sunday dinner.  I marinated a couple chicken thighs overnight, cooked 'em in my junior air fryer for 22 minutes.  I just love that contraption.  And for the record, those red mashed potatoes are the real deal.

It was a lonnnnng day at Narcisi Winery, but what else do I have to do?

Well, today was my third outing this year, and while I can't say I was having a great day long covid wise (a lot of inflammation is in my lower jaw right now) it wasn't a terrible day either.  

I still debated going, I've already been there twice before.  Plus, I knew my gals Mary & Evvie wouldn't be attending. But it's a lovely place to visit about 15 miles north of the city, and I'd be able to go for a nice walk after lunch.

I will admit it wasn't as fun this time as my last 2 visits.  I had difficulty eating the pizza I'd ordered and our Access shuttle was over 2 hours late returning to get us.  Also, a recent newbie to the center kept giving me grief and I came very close to telling her to shut up.  (More on that later.)

But I still enjoyed going and getting out for the day.  So on that note, here's some boring pics (no people) of the day.

Here's a view of the Winery when we pull into the place

You have to walk thru the gift shop to get to the restaurant

After we were all seated, and they took everybody's drink orders, they got to me last.  I asked "Do you still make those black raspberry wine slushies you sold last year?"  Our excellent waiter said they sure did so I said I'd take one.  TEN other people shouted "I want to change my order to that too!"  It is blistering cold, very fruity--and very, very potent.  My head was swimming after a few sips.

Here was my salad which was just excellent.  (It came covered in giant warmed walnuts with a cream jalapeno dressing.)  When I told the waiter my salad was exceptional, Daria (a newbie to the center who feels the need to put everything down) said "It really isn't, I eat salads like that all the time."  I said "WELL I DON'T."  She said "You really need to get out more!"   This was all in front of the waiter.

My main course, a Calbrese pizza.  I loved the hot mini tomatoes, honey sauce and spicy sausage but could only eat one slice because of my jaw. I brought the rest home to fiddle with.

After lunch, I took a walk on the grounds--here's the view right outside the restaurant

I was sorry my pal Dennis couldn't make it, he had a last minute dental appointment.  But hopefully I'll get to see him next week if my long covid behaves and he doesn't have another emergency. We're supposed to go to Cracker Barrel and I'm anxious to try one of their Campfire Suppers.

And here's a final pic of their outside bar & grill.  I think next time I'll sit out there!

The older I get, the stranger some things from long ago seem

This is me, October 31, 1981.  It was my 20th birthday.  (My mom always got me a Halloween-themed birthday cake.)   I have a good memory of this day.  No longer a teenager, I got a pretty short haircut and Mom told me I looked like a man.  It really meant a lot to hear that.

I was dating someone my age named Charlotte who I really, REALLY cared about.  She took me to dinner at Pizza Hut, and then we went to see a movie.  Two pictures were playing:  Arthur with Dudley Moore, and Only When I Laugh with Marsha Mason & Kristy McNichol.

Charlotte wanted to see Arthur, I didn't.  I saw the trailer and didn't think there was anything funny about someone who was drunk all the time.  (45 years later, I've still never seen it.)   I remember telling Charlie "C'mon, Marsha Mason is great!  I loved her in The Goodbye Girl!"  

Since it was my birthday, she said okay.  Afterwards she said something along the lines that it was a lame movie and I remember thinking she was right.  

The reason I'm sharing this is because a few days ago I came across the movie on The Roku Channel, and realized I hadn't seen it since the night of my birthday, almost 45 years ago.  I couldn't even remember what it was about, so I put it on.

In a nutshell, Marsha Mason is a stage actor who is coming home from a 3 month rehab stay for alcoholism, and her estranged daughter (Kristy McNichol) wants to move in with her for her senior year of high school.

Without giving away the ending, it's a pretty tough film and doesn't have a "happily ever after" ending--but it does have a bittersweet, very honest one.

So the whole time I sat here watching it in the present... our culture was so different then.  I wasn't feeling any sense of nostalgia.  More like a sense of wonder.

In the opening scene, Marsha is leaving an upscale rehab clinic in upstate New York.  She fumbles out a cigarette and lights it, and will begin every scene in the movie lighting a cigarette or smoking a cigarette.  Every single one.  No exceptions.  She kisses the row of white doctors and thanks them, hugs the row of white nurses and thanks them, waves goodbye to the row of black housekeepers and shouts "Thanks for smuggling in that rumcake for me, girls!"   

She's so madcap! 😏 Her upper East Side, wealthy best friend Joan Hackett is waiting to take her back to the city.  (Sadly, Joan died of ovarian cancer just 2 years after making this picture.)   

While driving her Cadillac in Marsha's neighborhood, Joan sees kids playing in the street and says "Why must you live someplace with all these children?"  Madcap Marsha puffs on her cigarette and says "Because I've got a 2 bedroom sublet for $300 a month from Mary Todd Lincoln that I'm keeping till the day I die!"  

Marsha is so funny.. and wow, 300 bucks for a 2 bedroom apartment in the city.

Meanwhile, Marsha's best gay friend James Coco is arranging flowers in her apartment and fluffing pillows, when a smirking Latino grocery boy delivers 2 paper sacks of groceries.  In one bag you see a one liter bottle of TAB Cola and red carton of Marlboro cigarettes.  The delivery boy tells James Coco it's $14.28.  James is shocked--for two bags of groceries??

James Coco put out bagels and cream cheese for Marsha's triumphant return

I forgot to mention that while in rehab, Marsha lost 35 pounds.  When James opens the door and hugs her, he yells "Where is your ass--WHERE IS YOUR ASS!!"  Madcap Marsha flings her luggage down and says "I packed it away in one of my suitcases just for you, I knew you'd miss it!" 

Anyway, in the days that follow Marsha meets up with estranged daughter Kristy McNichol and is talked into letting Kristy move in with her.  Kristy is not madcap, in fact she's quite the opposite.  

"Someday when I grow up" Marsha tells her daughter "I want to be just like you."  Not exactly what a kid wants to hear from their mother.

That first night, Kristy comes into Marsha's bedroom and asks if they can have a mother daughter chat.  Marsha takes off her reading glasses, puts down the script she was reading and invites her into her bed.  

You can't see it in the photo above, but when Kristy begins talking, Marsha reaches over on her nightstand for her pack of Marlboros and lights one up.  Smoking in bed?  Yep, we all did.  With your kid right beside you breathing that secondhand smoke?  Yep, we all did.

I don't want to give away the rest of the picture, but in one scene where Marsha falls asleep on her living room sofa during the late show, she wakes up and fumbles around, looking for something.  "Where's my cigarettes?"   She slips on her shoes and exits the building and looks for an open business but can only find a bar.  Ducking down, she enters and puts 55 cents into the cigarette machine and pulls the knob--nothing comes out.  She yells "GIMME MY CIGARETTES!" and pounds the top of the vending machine.

The bartender says "Lady, stop beating on my machine!  How much money did you put in there?"  She yells back "TWELVE DOLLARS!"  The bar patrons erupt in laughter.  

A pack of Marlboros in New York will now run you $18.00.

The Laddie in Red and a trip to Carmody's Grille

Today was my second senior outing since last September, a restaurant trip to Carmody's Grille on Neville Island.  

I've been dealing with some oral inflammation these last couple weeks, but had to get out and be with people.  So I filled my pocket with Ricola Mouth Lozenges and off I went.

When I got to the center, they were taking votes on future restaurant outings.  I was excited to vote on a couple places like PF Changs & Mister Lee's, only to see them get shot down in favor of Chili's and Cracker Barrel.  I don't know if I'll be going, these older people are in the majority and keep opting for the same tired places.  

My votes never count, and darn it I'm craving some Chinese!

Anyway, today's lunch was nothing spectacular but the company is always great, it's a nice group of people.  I even had a fun, friendly conversation with "Barb Wire", a short-tempered woman I wrote about on here a year ago.  

Not much to share here, just a few photos.

On my way to the Senior Center, I saw they got a pretty groovy electronic sign out front.  Nice!

Here's Carmody's Grille, on Neville Island.  It's a pretty bleak area but nice inside

My boy Dennis told the waitress  "I want an order of cheese balls, an order of lemon pepper chicken wings, an order of garlic parmesan chicken wings, I want onion rings, a double Bloody Mary, an Alabama Slammer, a Reuben sandwich with french fries, a Hot Sausage sandwich with fries and slaw, a bowl of your famous Turtle Soup for here, and a bowl to take home!"  

Here he is getting started with his soup and appetizers, before they bring his entrees

Here was my Reuben & Coke.  The fries weren't great, but the sandwich was very, very hot (just the way I like it) and very fresh

My bill came to $16.00 and Dennis was $173.00!  (His drinks alone were $40.00.)  I also have to say we had the kindest waitress I've ever met.  She asked each of our names at the start, and remembered them throughout.  

On our way out I told her how much I appreciated her great service and she said "Thank you I'm finally getting the hang of this place--I just started my 40th year here a week ago!"  

Goodbye Pennie, Hello Neighbor & Lesson Learned

Can I get something off my chest?  When I applied for Medicare Advantage a couple weeks ago, I was told when the card arrives to call Pennie (Pa Health Insurance Marketplace) and disenroll from my current Insurance plan, but ensure it lasts until Sept 30.  Medicare doesn't begin until October 1.

I got my updated Advantage card yesterday, so I called Pennie.  I spent the next 11 minutes identifying myself by answering 'Yes', 'No' or punching various numbers on my phone.  It was trying my patience, but I get it--they REALLY want to ensure someone isn't posing as me.  I finally get a computer voice saying "The next agent will respond to your call.  There is a current wait time of 7 minutes."

Cue the godawful wait music.  TWENTY TWO MINUTES LATER, Abu from 'The Simpsons' says (in the heaviest Hindi accent possible) "Hlu entarrour fooro dodos if yor su-chill shoity."  

I said "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?  I can't understand you."  He repeated it.  I repeat myself.  I get the same nonsensical response.  I said "This isn't working, can I speak to someone else?"  I hear more gobbledygook.  I said "I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude but I CANNOT UNDERSTAND YOU."   He begins speaking in tongues again.  I sadly hang up.

I realize we all need to eat, we all need to live, most of us need to work.  But for a customer service line for Pennsylvanians who pretty much speak English only, why must they outsource it to people with the heaviest accents this side of Bangladesh?  I worked with several people from India in my career, have had several doctors too.  They all had accents, but spoke well and were easy to talk to.   

I called Pennie back a couple hours later, went thru the same 10 minutes of AI prompts, was told there was a 1 hour wait time, would I like to be called back, I said yes.  AI said "Great, you will be called back within one hour."   No one called back.  I eventually figured out what to do on the Pennie website.  SO GLAD I AM DONE WITH PENNIE.

A couple mornings ago, I was sitting here watching tv when I began hearing chainsaws outside.  I looked out my living room window and saw one of those white trucks with a giant arm on the back, stretched up to the sky.  Someone was cutting the top branches off the tree across the street.

I've lived in my apartment 8 1/2 years and have never seen the second house across the street from me.  It had giant hedges that separated the houses, and a tremendous tree in front that hid the house and went way above the rooftop.

It took 9 hours to chop everything down.  (They returned the next day and got rid of that remaining trunk and pile of wood.)  

I realize this isn't a good picture, it's reflecting my vertical blind.  I should've taken one of the sidewalk below while it was going on.  It was lined with people in my neighborhood, all holding their phones out, taking pictures.

Last night when I was taking my trash downstairs, I ran into the transgender person who lives in the first floor apartment across from that house.  He was standing outside smoking and asked me if I noticed the trees were gone.  Er... yes.  

He wasn't happy.  He pointed behind us and said "That's my window.  I hope they enjoy the view."  😐

Finally, I recently saw a story where a man was found dead, face down on his kitchen floor.  When they rolled him over, they discovered a kitchen knife and a box of (thawed) frozen hamburger patties.  

Apparently he'd been trying to pry one free, only to force his knife too hard and pushed the blade into his chest.  I'm sorry, I know this was a grisly thing to share but it was a real wake up call.  I'm a big fan of these frozen hamburgers, and often do the same thing.  I've learned my lesson.

Gallbladder Chili, hope for nicotine & a couple other things

I know they've been around awhile, but aren't freezers remarkable things?  Back on Sunday, June 7 I made a small pot of chili for dinner.  But while it was bubbling away, I was fast losing my appetite and didn't know why.

I wound up letting the chili cool, pouring it into a container and putting it in the freezer.  3 hours later, I was in an ambulance, headed to the hospital for a blocked bile duct and emergency gallbladder surgery.

It's been hidden in the back of my freezer ever since, along with a frozen Italian roll.  I'd forgotten about them until last night when I was trying to make some room in there.  And seeing as how it's Thursday, and Soup Day in the Teepee... I wonder how it will taste.

Okay, it's delicious.  I just keep thinking, when I made this chili I had a gallbladder.  Ah well!

Yesterday my sister texted me and said she'd recently learned that GLP-1 drugs have been helping people with long covid.  I contacted my doctor's office and left a message, a couple hours later they returned my call and said Dr. Cole would discuss it with me early Thursday morning.  

Last week I had 2 relatively good days, Tues & Wed.  I was able to attend that Senior outing for lunch at the Old Sewickley Hotel.  But since then, the symptoms returned with a lot of inflammation in my temples and around my eyes, and pain in the jaw & mouth.

Dr. Cole is a young doctor, but honest and knowledgeable.  He told me he would not prescribe a GLP-1 for me for long covid symptoms.  He asked me if I'd gained a lot of weight since my last visit (last Sept) and I said I'd lost almost 20 lbs. since last summer.  He said "You probably have a high BMI but not enough to qualify.  Douglas, you have a history of issues with your pancreas, kidneys & liver.  Those GLP drugs put you at a higher risk for further complications."  

I told him about NHS studies of low-grade nicotine patches helping some with their long covid symptoms and he said "Can't you try upping your dosage of acetaminophen?  Those patches are for smokers and can adversely affect people with hypertension.  If you want to try them it's up to you, but you'll need to monitor your blood pressure."  Will do.

After I got off the phone with him, I put my first patch on my left underarm.  Here goes nothing.

It just occurred to me, today is my dad's birthday.  He died nearly 27 years ago and would've turned 90 today.  It's hard to believe he's been gone so long.

Finally, have you seen the movie "Obsession" that was released earlier this year?  Made on a shoestring budget of $725,000 it earned over $400 million at the box office.  I said awhile back I was done with horror movies, but saw the film was playing on Peacock this past weekend and curiosity got the best of me.

The movie is about a young man who has a secret crush on his friend & co-worker Nikki.  One day he buys a "One Wish Willow" stick at a novelty shop and wishes Nikki loved him more than anyone else in the world.  So what happens when his wish is granted?  It both is and isn't what you'd expect, but I found it brilliant as it was horrific.  

The next day, my niece Sophia texted me and said she'd heard I seen it, and would I recommend it.  Her boyfriend Luke wanted her to see it.  I warned her it was very good but wasn't pretty.  She told me later she did like it, but covered her eyes a couple times.

Speaking of pretty, here she is with her young man Luke.  All I can say is... my goodness.