MAKING A HOLIDAY OUT OF GOING TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT

SEEING THE COUNTRYSIDE WHILE TRAVELING MAKES LIVING IN THE FLINT HILLS A PLEASANT THING.  WITH WIDE OPEN SPACES, I do my best to enjoy the sights while driving the car.  Seeing the Kansas landscape soothes my soul.  I don't see enough of this even though I live here.  I believe I need to find a spot where I can just sit in the out of doors admiring the country scenery.

The countryside is beautiful and I need beautiful as I travel along.  Staying focused on the interstate takes some doing as the traffic is rather hectic at times.  I have to concentrate as I drive.  

I'd rather be in the wide open spaces than amongst huge crowds of people or driving amongst heavy traffic.  Dealing with traffic isn't one of my favorite things to do especially when the drivers are extremely aggressive.  Getting honked at from a car behind mine while passing a vehicle on the right doesn't make much sense as I am driving the speed limit going around someone.  When they flash their headlights, I sigh.  The vehicle behind me can just wait until I've made my way around the car I'm passing.  It's as if I am going too slow to appease them as they drive well over the speed limit.  If I'm taking too long to pass a car or in their way, I know that I can not personally know what their grievances are.  Just get out of their way.   

It helps to not get bothered by the honker.  They can speed on down the road after I get back into the right lane and perhaps a Highway Patrol will ticket them.

LIVING LIKE I MEAN IT.  I decided if we were going to have expenses going to Kansas City that I didn't want to drive there and back in one day.  We'd spend the night and do something fun afterwards.  We made ourselves a mini-vacay after having a Kansas City medical appointment.

I had some tension from driving in the KC traffic making me a tad bit uptight.  We were blessed to have no accidents as there were some who drove way too fast and way too close to my car even as they darted in and out of traffic from the right lane into the left lane as I'm in the left lane passing the vehicle in front of me. 

Arriving early for Hubby's appointment came in handy as we had to find the medical building and office where his appointment was.  The paperwork took more time than his Scan.  Driving 2 hours to get there, park the car and walk to the office to fill out papers and then the actual appointment took place.  

I waited in the lobby while he had his scan.  10 minutes later he was done.  I blinked my eyes and couldn't believe he was finished.  Now we wait for the results.  We left the place and went for lunch at an Italian Restaurant in the Country Club Plaza.  BUCA di BEPPO.  

I had never heard of this restaurant, but come to find out it is quite a franchise that went bankrupt in August of 2024 and sold for $27 million in November.

It was so very quaint and quiet as we missed the lunch rush and were early before the evening crowd.  Both of us have been craving spaghetti.  The presentation was beautiful and the next time I fix spaghetti with meatballs I will remember to fix the plates as close to theirs as I can.  The salad was delicious.  The olive oil with balsamic was absolutely delicious for dipping the sour dough bread in.  These features were wonderful.  The spaghetti was alright, but I'd have to get use to the taste of the large meatball on top of the spaghetti pasta.  I drank water.  The meatball was a large one balanced on top of the pile of spaghetti which tasted like something was missing in the meatball.  I couldn't decide which spice was missing.

Not sure what it was, but I was slightly disappointed.  The parmesan cheese did not help to cover the unusual taste.  Perhaps I am just not use to authentic Italian 🍝 food.  

Once again I ate too much bread.  
Only ate half my pasta.  Still, I had dessert.

This mini-vacay was FOOD CRAZY.

The music was wonderful for setting a special mood.  All of it was older tunes from days gone by. I truly liked the mood that was created.  The house blend salad dressing was something to brag about.  It was really good.  AND the bread dipped in extra virgin olive oil with the balsamic was outstanding.  I'd do this again.

We split an Italian Cream dessert with homemade whipped cream which was so good. Truthfully, I could have just ate the homemade whipped cream and been contented.  Less calories that way and if I like it, all the better.  A great way to cut calories.  I remember when my Hubby was told he was hypoglycemic and the doc told him if he wanted a sweet to eat a Tbsp. of whipped cream instead of sweets.  I should have followed this practice years ago.  Just eat a Tbsp. of whipped cream when having a craving for sweets.  Perhaps it's not too late to do this.

We dined well then went to the fancy HILTON HOTEL to check into our suite that was decorated in light grays and beiges.  Calming and peaceful.   Tour the Suite on the fifth floor over looking the city.  

I have never seen a fold down bench in the shower stall for sitting while bathing like this one.  Wanted a picture as I may copy this at our small COTTAGE.  It was convenient and I used it while shaving my old legs.  

I took a short nap as we rested from the long drive combined with the stress of traffic and tension from a medical appointment.  After we napped for a spell we talked, watched a movie and rested some more before ordering ROOM SERVICE.  

ROOM SERVICE.  Something we NEVER DO until today.  FOOD served in our room on real china covered with a metal dome.  Black napkins and silverware.  All so very fancy for a couple of hicks out of nowhere.  Who says you cannot treat yourself?  After years of scrimping on everything, it felt right to have ROOM SERVICE this time.

We slept on a fluffy mattress with pillows.  I took that SPA SHOWER that I had been hoping for. First, I sat on a fold down bench inside the tub to shave my legs and then I took a long shower where I shampooed my hair with CRABTREE SHAMPOO and bathed with special bath gel.  All was lovely and unrushed.  I allowed my hair to air dry before checking out of the suite.  

Skipping breakfast off we went to the CHEESECAKE FACTORY at the Country Club Plaza for lunch before heading HOME.  I had a large salad with some chicken while HUBS had the meatloaf.  I skipped dessert as I was too full.  

HOT TEA for me.

The large salad I had at the Cheesecake Factory.

Meatloaf for Hubby.  I sampled it and had wished that I had ordered it instead of the Salad.  Next time I will.

I was too tired to go to the ART MUSEUM like we had planned.  I think this traveling thing is harder on my old body than I can remember.  It takes more out of me than I like.  We had a nice time, but I was ready to be HOME.  SO ready.  Just too tired.  

Seeing the country landscape on the way HOME was enjoyed and that's what I needed as I traveled the distance HOME. 

I took another NAP.  Can you believe it?  This time it was a long one where I didn't want to wake up.  I think I had better get my TSH checked again as I am taking too many naps indicating I am way too tired.  

We had popcorn for supper and I drank my water like a pro.  Watched a show.  

Our mini-vacay went entirely too quick.  I believe one of these days we will have to take a REAL VACATION that's longer than a day and a half. 

❤  I guess I had better take a HOLIDAY when I can get it.

It's a wrap.  Country drive to KC.  
Medical appointment.
Quiet lunch at Buca di Beppo with spaghetti meal, dessert and music.
Checked in at the Hilton.
Valet parking.
Nap.
Talk.
Movie.
Room service.
Comfortable sleep.
SPA time.
Lunch at Cheesecake Factory.
Drive over to Lenexa for furnace part.
Long drive HOME across the countryside.
Safely HOME.
Nap time to unwind.
Vacation ends.

We ate well and slept well.

BACK AT HOME, I have just about caught completely up on the LAUNDRY that has haunted me.  Maybe 3 more loads and I'll be finished to where I can look at the bottom of the laundry basket.  Won't that be a wonderful thing.  

It rained this Friday morning.  Temps are to be in the 50s and I'd like to take a slow paced walk since it's been a couple of weeks since I walked steady covering a mile.  We had so much snow that I was housebound.  Over the next 5 days or so, the weather is suppose to be mild.  That will allow me to prioritize some walks.  Praise the LORD.  

I think I'll drop some mail off as I take a different route to walk my mile.

~d

JUST SOME NICE PICTURES

NOT SURE IF YOU HIT A SLUMP DURING THE COLD WEATHER, but I have had a couple of episodes that are tide back to being inside too much.

I get a bit grumpy and irritated.

Good mental health tells me to get outside and see a change of scenery besides what needs done in order to have a clean HOUSE.

HOME is where the heart is, but sometimes I need a break from HOUSEWORK attached to my HOME.

I will swoon over the pics and go ahhhh...aint dat nice.

~d

 

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷🌷🌸🌷

SPRING IS 49 days away!  

That makes me feel better.

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REALITY HITS AND I HAVE TO EXTEND GRACE

A LOT OF DRIVING IN THE CAR TAKES PLACE WHEN RUNNING ERRANDS.  It's a good thing I like driving.  

✅POST OFFICE FOR MAIL.
✅Visit to Bank.
✅Fuel the car.
✅Run the car through the car wash.
✅Too cold to vacuum car out.  Will wait on this until it's warmer out.
✅Hardware Store stop.
✅Drive over to Manhattan.
✅Donation drop.
✅Eat Salad at McAlisters. (DATE NIGHT with Hubs.)
✅HOME.
✅Laundry continued.  For only two people living under our roof, we sure have a lot of dirty laundry.  (This is getting exciting for me as I have whittled down the piles and am at one basket full of dirty laundry now instead of umpteen of them.  Am getting to the bottom of the last basket!). A cheap thrill.
✅Continue organizing the Master Closet. 
✅Start packing for out of town medical appointment in Kansas City.
✅Rest.
✅Make arrangements for an over night stay ahead of time.
✅Check the car over.
✅Air up the tires.

💔Soon we will go to Hubby's medical appointment in Kansas City and hopefully find out more about his heart.  He had a stress test back in June which indicated something not quite right needing additional testing.  We have waited 5 months for special CT scan.  I thought it had been 4 months, but rechecked his paper work and it has been 5.  With all the medical appointments we have had between the two of us, so much of this is a blur.  Waiting 5 months for a test is more in lines with third world countries.  The test cost $60.oo out of pocket instead of $500 and up.  Medicare will not pay for this test so we chose the $60 one and have to wait.  

I am concerned about my Husband's health.  After he has this CT scan, we will see what it means to have an abnormal heart scan and what can be done to make things better if possible.  I watched him walk the other day and he is showing his age.  Slightly slumped over as he walks. Thankful he can walk because last year he couldn't walk without a great deal of pain due to foot injury.  At 70, he isn't so young anymore.  Aches and pains are part of the aging process.  What can we do about this?  

Last week he had two medical appointments out of town.  Glad these are out of the way.  Still, it requires going out of town and time away from HOME.  What needs done around the house has to wait so I do my best to enjoy what we are doing when gone and not get worked up that things are not getting taken care of at HOME.  Sometimes the medical appointments are more important than doing another load of laundry and cleaning the toilet.  

Came across this and thought hummmm maybe I should do more smoothies.

I'm sure they meant spinach and not sipinach

Our furnace decided to go on the fritz.  Hubs worked on it and it ran for another day then went kaput.  We're having a heat wave this week with the temps in the 40s and soon to be in the 50s. A good time to tear into this after he gets the part.  It may be time to replace the furnace.  We bought the COTTAGE 12 years ago so the furnace is about 32 years old.  That seems old to me.  If we can limp along perhaps we will get a new furnace and air conditioning this Spring.  With having the roof shingled, the out of pocket money is expensive.  New roof, new furnace, air and possibly new carpet takes a chunk of change.

The reality of it all is...owning a house contributes to spending money that I don't really want to spend.  Thankful to have a place to call HOME, but it does require upkeep.  

ONE DAY CLOSER TO SPRING.  We are suppose to get warmer weather this week-end coming. Only a few days away.  Lord willing, I will go walking out doors.  I believe I should walk a different route and see some sights instead of walking around the football track.  A nice change of scenery.

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷 OKAY, waiting for SPRING.  50 days out.  Think I'll make a chart stating the numbers of days until SPRING.  50 and counting.  Getting some ideas for a small garden. 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷 

I need to take the faux greenery down off the dining room furniture and out of the kitchen.  The greenery above the Living room windows will stay a week or so longer as I love it there.  Since we're almost to the month of February, I think the greenery looks alright.  I won't be decorating indoors for VALENTINE'S DAY.  Not sure I will hang wreaths either.  Instead, I bought greeting cards that I will fill out and get into the mail the first full week of February.  

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I will make up a goody box for my dear Mom and get this in the mail.  Maybe I'll make some cookies and chocolate covered pretzels for her.  Getting these made up would be just about right the first week of the month since VALENTINE's DAY is mid month.

            💝💓💕💖💗💘💞💝💓💕💖💗💘💞💝

I sure hope the Master Closet will be tidied by the end of the month.  This will be my goal for the month with working on the front bedroom as well.  Somewhere in here I need to clear out the pantry and tidy it.  I thought it would be done by now, but being real you have to be HOME to do these things and I seem to be on the go too much.  When HOME, I'm resting from not being HOME.  It seems like I am forever working at catching up on something.  Extend some GRACE to myself and not care that the chores are not done?  Hope I can do this.

Look outside the box and be contented,

~d