Heading out to Fort Lauderdale

This morning we are heading to Fort Lauderdale to check into a Comfort Suites.  Then around 4:30 we will visit with Aunt Esther and Uncle Pinkie and take them out dinner.  Tomorrow we will board our favorite ship, the Celebrity Constellation for the Solivita New Year's Eve cruise to Key West and Nassau.  When everyone else leaves, we are staying onboard for another three days, which goes back to Key West and Nassau but without the sea day in between.  We just wanted a seven night cruise!

This time we booked Concierge Class on deck 8, which is a balcony room with lots of perks.  We got all of the 1-2-3Go perks that they were giving out at the time.  These are free gratuities, free drink package, and $200 onboard credit.  The value of those items was worth more than the price of upgrading to Concierge Class.  It also got us a lot more loyalty points so that at the end of these seven days we will be bumped up to Elite in their loyalty program.  THAT will give us 90 minutes of free internet EACH on all future Celebrity cruises, among other things. We thought that was worth it!

My only regret on this cruise is my weight.  This morning I am an even 280.  That is NOT a good weight for starting a seven night cruise.  I left for the 8 days on the Carnival Sunshine in October at 273 and came back at 278.  I did not lose that weight (well actually I did lose it, twice, and put it back on, twice) and now I'm actually two pounds higher than that.  Sigh....If I gain half a pound a day on this cruise like I did on the last one, I could be weighing in next Friday morning at 283 or worse.  At that weight, I will not be able to walk more than a block without back pain.  I am praying that I keep that in mind when I go to the buffet or order drinks.  Just once I went on a cruise and did not gain any weight.  I don't remember why, but it probably involved a lot of walking on the track.  There's no reason why I can't do that this cruise.  And if there was ever a time to learn to make good choices at a buffet, this is IT.

I am taking my computer, but since we won't have too much internet time, I probably won't write blogs.  Look for them to start again on January 7, the evening that we arrive home from the cruise.

Meanwhile, here are a few more pictures from Lowell and Emily's visit.

The life-sized gingerbread house in the Grand Floridian.

On the tram heading into Hollywood Studios.

Enjoying a glowing drink and waiting for the lights to start.

It's almost time for the light show.

At Seaworld watching the sea lion feeding.

One of the many adorable penguins, and yes, I was that close.

Petting the incredibly soft Pearl.

In the Manta Aquarium looking up at the mantas as they swim overhead.

One Ocean, the orca show.

Pretty decorations

Ordering dinner in the Shark Encounter restaurant.

Beautiful Sea of Trees.

Who knew penguins could ice skate?

Great visit with Lowell and Emily

We have had a wonderful time with Lowell and Emily, and there was no time to write a blog.  This will be very fast because it's late, and tomorrow we are getting up early to finish packing and get on the road by 10 a.m.  We are driving to Fort Lauderdale to have dinner with Mark's Aunt Esther and Uncle Pinkie.  Thursday we board the Celebrity Constellation for seven nights of cruising to Key West and Nassau. I will not write blogs while on the cruise, but I'll try to catch up when I return.  I will write a very short one tomorrow morning before packing up the computer.

Our Christmas Eve dinner at the Contemporary for DVC members was very elegant.

On Christmas Day we saw a double feature: Creed and The Hateful Eight.  The next day we went to Concussion and then picked the kids up at the airport and took them to the Grand Floridian for dinner and to see the decorations.

In the lobby of the DVC Villa at Grand Floridian

In the main lobby of the Grand Floridian

The next day we spent all day at Hollywood Studios, especially to see the Osborne Lights since it is their last year.

We wore our new Mickey Oriole t-shirts that Lowell and Emily gave us.

Emily didn't feel well, so a Mickey pretzel was her only lunch.

This is the closest they have come to snow so far this year.

They really enjoyed the lights.  Who doesn't?

Mark even spotted the elusive cat for the last time this year.  It's in the blue building back there.

The next day we enjoyed all that Seaward had to offer, especially our Penguin Encounter.

A little time on the lanai before heading to the park.

We all had a turn to pet Pearl, the King Penguin.  Very, VERY soft!

Dinner at the Shark Encounter restaurant.  Mighty strong resemblance here between father and son.

This morning they had breakfast at our house before we took them to the airport.  Then they had to wait an extra three hours because their flight was delayed.  Finally they got home safe and sound.  We miss them already.

Christmas Eve dinner

ICE! was very cool, literally and figuratively.  It was nine degrees in there, but the parkas they gave out plus our layers, hats, and gloves kept us warm. Here are a few pictures from the exhibit.This year's theme was the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

This morning I played Mahj and won three games.

This is L to R: Barb, Hedy, Susie, me, and Ilene.  I taught everyone there except Ilene.  I really love playing with these ladies.

This afternoon we are going over to the Contemporary Resort at WDW for the DVC Christmas Eve dinner.  Dinner is between 3:30 and 5:30, so maybe that's a late  lunch.  Not really sure!  We did it last year, and it was a lot of fun.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate tomorrow.  Mark and I are going to catch a double feature at the Disney Springs AMC 24.  In the morning we will see Creed, then have lunch at Wolfgang Puck's, and in the afternoon we will see a really LONG western called The Hateful Eight.  Saturday morning we will go back to see Concussion and then pick up Lowell and Emily at the airport for three days and three nights of non-stop fun!  There will be plenty of pictures from their visit eventually.

ICE!

Today's plan is to go see ICE! at Gaylord Palms. I have never seen it before.  Mark went with Eric and Evey a few years ago, but I was sick that day and stayed home. Mark got  a good deal on the price from Living Social, and today is the only chance we have to go.

Our anniversary celebration was spectacular with perfect weather. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera!  I took a lot of pictures on my cellphone, but currently, I have no way to get the pictures off my cellphone and into Picasa to make them usable on this blog or to share with people.  When we have a chance, and I have no idea when that will be, Mark thinks he found a work-around to the known problem that came up with my most recent upgrade on the laptop.  He hopes to teach me the work-around and then it will be no problem again.

Meanwhile, I have already laid out the camera to take lots of pictures at the ICE! show.

I did not weigh in on Monday because we were at Cabana Bay, but this morning I still weigh 280.3, which is the same as last Monday.  I guess I should be grateful that I didn't gain weight on our trip.  There was a lot of walking and playing in the pool to help.

After ICE! today we will be having dinner at Denny's and then going to the synagogue choir rehearsal.

My biggest problem currently is my lower back.  I woke up Saturday morning with what felt like muscle pain in the low back.  I thought it would resolve itself as the day went on because sometimes our old bed does that to me.  I was wrong.  Sunday I got up just as bad.  We went to the hotel, and I felt very uncomfortable. I paid a fortune to buy a small bottle of Advil at the hotel gift shop and took 800 mg with lunch in the food court.  I was sure that would take care of it.  I was wrong.  I took more at dinner.  Monday and Tuesday continued the same way.  Whenever I get up from a seated position, it is very painful to straighten up and get walking.  Once I walk about 5-10 minutes, things get a bit better.  Things get tolerable instead of hideous, but the pain does not go away.  I also walked a huge blister on my pinky toe at Universal Studios on Sunday.  This morning I am taking the morning off.  At 7 a.m. I woke up at my usual time, but my back was killing me, so I took two of the muscle relaxers that I take at bedtime.  They put me back to sleep for another two hours.  When I got up at 9, my back was still killing me.  I hobbled to the kitchen table to get on the computer. Once I sit for awhile I don't feel any pain, but I dread getting up.

So...I have no down time for a very long time.  I am not going to the doctor about this until at least the second week of January.  I am going to do a ton of walking because Lowell and Emily arrive on Saturday afternoon.  We will walk all over WDW the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday and then all over Sea World on Monday.  When we put them back on a plane on Tuesday, we are going to Magic Kingdom.  Thursday we drive to Fort Lauderdale and Friday we board a cruise ship for a week.  As I said, no down time and no time for doctors.

I can blame my weight.  I have gained almost all of it back, so there is no reason to think that the extra weight is not the reason.  I want to blame the weight and my muscles, because I don't want it to be spinal or disc related.  I have no pain in my legs or feet, so I think I'm right.  I bet it all goes away as soon as I lose even as little as ten pounds.  I hope that is some incentive to me to make good choices at the restaurants we will be in with Lowell and Emily and on the cruise.

Happy Anniversary Tomorrow

I was so thrilled to get an anniversary card from Evey and Eric in the mail yesterday. That was so sweet.  They said that forty years was quite an accomplishment and a good example.  Thank you SO MUCH, Evey and Eric.  That meant a lot to me, and I got a little teary reading it and thinking of the two of you.  May you also make at least forty years and many, many more.

To celebrate, Mark and I are heading over to Universal's new Cabana Bay Resort.  They sent us a Florida resident (or maybe it was annual pass holder) deal that we couldn't refuse, $104 a night for a family suite that sleeps six.  The pool looks amazing and even has a lazy river.  We booked two nights! There will not be another blog for a few days because I'm not taking my laptop to the hotel.

Today we will check in and then spend the afternoon in the two Universal parks.  Our tradition the last four years has been to see the How the Grinch Stole Christmas musical in Islands of Adventure and then watch the Macy's parade and listen to Mannheim Steamroller in the evening in the Universal park.  It's going to be a lot of fun, and even though it's a bit cool today, it's not at all as cold as it has been some of the previous years.  It will be in the mid-70s today and only into the mid-60s in the evening as we listen to the concert.

Tomorrow it should be nearly 80 degrees, and our plan is to spend almost all day at the resort and in the pools.  There is even a bowling alley in this resort.  Maybe I should pack my bowling shoes!  Around 5 p.m. we are heading to WDW's Animal Kingdom to have our anniversary dinner at Tusker House, one of our favorite buffets.  It's going to be a lovely way to celebrate forty years together.

Sometimes we get on each other's nerves, but what married couple doesn't.  Sometimes we fight over stupid stuff, but we always make up.  There is no one in the entire world that I would rather have spent my life with than my beloved husband and best friend, Mark.  He has made my life so much better than I could have ever imagined.  Happy Anniversary, my love!  And may we have many, many more years together.

This is a picture from last year's anniversary, which happened to coincide with the Shalom Club's Hanukkah Ball.  I will post some pictures from this year's celebration later in the week.

Medical Oncologist results

The main take-away from this morning's appointment is that all is well.  All my blood work is normal.  I was hoping to be released from seeing her every six months to seeing her annually, but that didn't happen.  The reason is one more test and my oral medication, the generic version of Arimidex. She put me on the Arimidex as of Feb. 14, 2011, so I am coming up on the five year mark in just a few months.  When I started it, five years was the goal.  During that time, there has beensome new evidence that suggests that in some cases, ten years is better.  Since my cancer was estrogen positive and Stage Two, I might be in that situation.  She is having another test done on the tumor, which is apparently hanging around somewhere.  Who knew?  This test is called a breast cancer index and is similar to gene testing.  Now I have an appointment for March 1 to discuss the results of that test.  At that point she will tell me if I should stop the Arimidex or continue for another five years.

I don't mind continuing because it's a cheap generic, and I have no bad side effects from it.  The main side effect was hot flashes.  Those were horrible and unrelenting for the first six months to a year, but at this point they are so occasional that when I get one now, every few weeks, it takes me by surprise. They are no big deal.  The other possible big side effect is bone loss.  For that I had a baseline DEXA scan in 2011 as i started the drug.  It showed my bones were so dense that they were off the chart!  Thanks, Mother and Dad, for that good gene.   Two years later my scan showed that I had lost 10% of my bone density, bringing me down into the upper levels of normal.  The doctor was not concerned.  The next scan showed no more loss, which she said meant there probably would be no more loss.  I am due for another one next year, especially if I stay on the Arimidex.  Some women experience severe joint pain or aches all over from the drug, but I never had any of that.  So if another five years on the drug is in my future, I am fine with that.

Last night was the big Cove Singers Holiday Concert at Lakeside Restaurant.  It went very well.  We had a packed house and the choir did a wonderful job.  The sound system SUCKED, so not everyone could hear what we were doing.  With a full house, eating dinner, waiters serving and taking orders, and people talking....no wonder half the house complained they couldn't hear anything.  Whatever....

Last year there were only 7 singers in the group.  This year there were 15!  All the singers seemed to enjoy me directing them.  I've been asked to do it next year, too, so I will. And they have asked me to continue in January with rehearsals that perhaps lead to a spring concert in April.  We'll see.

More disappointments

Yesterday I said that sometimes plans fail.  Today I could write the same thing.  We met Ed and Barb at Epcot yesterday to go to the DVC Merry Member Mixer, but when we got there, we learned that they had changed the date to Monday.  We were all pretty mad about it, but the fine print on their website says the dates could change without notice.  Thank you so much, DVC people.  Every date for the mixer is on a Tuesday, except the one we picked.  So we had some time to relax and catch a few of the Holidays  Around the World presentations, went through the museum in the Japan pavilion, and ate our Tokyo Dining dinner about 40 minutes early.  We even got the best seat in the house, next to the windows overlooking the lake.

When we first arrived, we went to the Mexican boat ride to see these figures that had been recently added to the end of the attraction.

We listened to the Canadian singers right before we learned the Member Mixer was not happening.

We killed time to our dinner reservation listening to the story of Hanukkah.

We also went through this exhibit in the Japan pavilion.

She showed us to our perfect table.

What a view!

Ed and Barb

Our server poured Mark's sake.

Tokyo Dining could now become our favorite sit down restaurant in Epcot.  It far exceeded our expectations.  Mark ordered a spicy sushi roll of salmon and tuna.  There were 8 pieces and I actually ate two of them.  I NEVER eat sushi because usually the vinegar in the rice coating is too noxious for me.  This one did not taste of vinegar at all and the idea of eating raw fish wasn't that bad along with the nice spices mixed in.  I don't think I'm going to become a big fan of sushi or ever order it on my own, but if we go back to this restaurant, I'm sure Mark and I will share the appetizer again.  I ordered the Miso Soup as my appetizer, and it was outstanding.  Our entree of grilled salmon with veggies and steamed rice were also perfect.

When we left, about 6:30, we walked back to the entrance of World Showcase all together, but then Ed and Barb split off from us to do some shopping.  Mark and I stopped at the bathrooms by Spaceship Earth, like we usually do, and I discovered I had left my Minnie Mouse ball cap back in the restaurant.  I was willing to try to get it at the Lost and Found today, but my hero husband walked ALL the way back to Japan to retrieve it.  Above and beyond the call of duty, for sure.

This morning we are taking Mark's car to Jiffy Lube, picking up his weekly comics at Coliseum of Comics, and then heading to the Beach Club at WDW.  We are joining friends from the Solivita Disney Fan Club today at 3:30 for a tour of the Christmas decorations at the resorts around the lake there, which includes Yacht and Beach Club, Boardwalk, and the Swan and Dolphin.  At 5 we are all having dinner at the Cape May Buffet.  This is an outstanding buffet that we have enjoyed many times since we moved down here.  I had better do a lot of walking first to account for overeating at the buffet later.  LOL!

Tomorrow will be insane.  Here's the schedule:
9:30 to noonish  Host Mah Jongg in my house
1:30-4  Set up and rehearse with Cove Singers in Lakeside for the performance later
4-6 Meet and Greet for Solivita/Cove members in Scuttlebutts
6-7:30  Direct Cove Singers Holiday concert in Lakeside
7:30  Sit down for dinner and collapse

Because of that insane schedule, I do not plan to write a blog tomorrow.  LOL!

Here are some pictures from Hanukkah and the Klezmer Band from Friday and Saturday nights.

Sixth night of Hanukkah candles

Mark got me this beautiful Shabbat tablecloth for Hanukkah.  We used it Friday night to host our friends for appetizers as part of our progressive dinner.

Saturday night we had dinner at Olive Garden as a party of ten.  Then 8 of us went to Disney Springs to listen to the Klezmer band again.  They are really great!

Mark, Susie, Judi, Valerie, and Mike listening to the Klezmer band,