Arlo Fam Bam

We just returned from Virginia Beach where the Bileks threw a huge birthday party for Arlo. Friday night was family and Saturday afternoon was the Fam Bam. That's a new phrase for me but very descriptive. All of Larry's family was there and almost all of Ester's family that live in the U.S. Many of Robert's buddies were there as well. Beautiful sunny weather with a constant little breeze helped make the beautiful Bilek backyard like paradise. It was so nice being with everyone.  There was an antique auto show on the boardwalk which was also fun.

1962 Fiat Jolly designed for yachts

1957 Chevy

Sim carving the roast pig

NYC

Last weekend Sim and I traveled to NYC for my uncle's memorial tribute. We drove to Maryland then took a Bolt Bus to Manhattan. We got there in time to see some shows. I saw The Audience with Helen Mirren portraying Queen Elizabeth II. It is snippets of weekly meetings with her PMs over the last 68 years or so. It was fabulous but the 2 corgis that had scenes in the second act was my favorite. I am thankful to Catharine who got me the ticket.  Saturday night we had dinner with our hosts, Mickey and Bobby at a Turkish restaurants.

The memorial on Sunday morning was very nice being held at Catharine's Second Stage theater. It was followed by a lovely buffet lunch at the Hilton.   It was great to be with John and Carol, Ned and Royal, Courtney, Catharine, Charlie, Christine, and all the Chamblee's.  We took the bus back that evening and drove home Monday morning.

Happy First Birthday, Arlo!

Had to believe that Arlo turns 1 year old today. I'm so looking forward to seeing him next weekend.

Zelda, my hero

Zelda is my hero because she accomplished that which I could not. Zoe chased a rabbit the other night while I was walking them. The reel leash flew out of my hand and followed Zoe as she ran into the woods around the ravine in front of my house. I took Zelda home and put on my wellies and went out to find her. I assumed the handle of the reel leash would get caught on something.

I searched for about an hour until it got dark then went back home. Zoe was not sitting on the porch. I went in and waited a while, going out every few minutes and calling her.  I called Patti and she insisted I go back out in the dark and the rain and find Zoe. So I went out with a flashlight, a knife, and Zelda on a lead. I let Zeda lead the way across the street into the ravine. I used the flashlight to see where to step (over limbs, under trees, around rocks) and all of a sudden, there was Zoe on her leash which was caught. I put her on my other lead and unhooked her as I could not find the handle of the leash. I went back the next day and found the leash attached about three feet high on a tree in a block of trees behind the house of a friend on the other side of the ravine. Zoe seemed no worse for wear.  I'm sure that without Zeda searching, I would not have found Zoe and she would have spent the night out in the rain.

I see I have not made an entry about the week that Lee and her family were here and when Bill and Melva visited. We had lovely visits including a Seder that Sim made for his family. Ron and Rhoda came over to see Bill and Melva. I made them Bestever and Pear and lime jello salad -very retro. We had chocolate-cherry cake for Sim's birthday.  I served tortellini with prosciutto to Lee and Richard, starting with roast shrimp. Below are pics from the Seder, my Easter eggs, and Arlo.

Playa Del Carmen

Sim and I had a lovely vacation south of Cancun, Mexico in mid-March. After I was released from the hospital, I packed and we drove the dogs to Companion Camp then off to Charlotte to spend the night with Sim's granddaughter. The next morning we flew nonstop to Cancun. This was a six-day all inclusive stay at the Wyndham Maya Riviera. I had never done one of these before but it was very pleasant:  big buffet at every meal with a few restaurants to choose from, ocean cabanas, pool with water spirits bar, nightly shows, tennis, catamarans, and a trapeze.

I have been wanting to try trapeze all my life and here was my opportunity. I was prepared to do it when they said I must remove my glasses. I chickened out because I cannot see w/o my glasses. I went every day at 4pm to watch people try. It was very entertaining. Twelve yo kids and young ladies were the most frequent users. Some even were caught by the trapeze expert on the second swing.  Most just put their knees on the swing and hung down, then got feet back down and fell into the net. When you are young you can say, "well maybe next year when I am stronger". But I know that next year I will only be less likely to do it. Very sad.  

We walked to town twice and strolled down Fifth Ave which went on forever. We could have taken the ferry to Cozumel, but decided it probably wasn't much different.  We took a half-day bus tour to the Mayan ruins in Tulum.  It was very interesting, the only ruins found next to the Sea.  They used Cocoa beans for money, but they have a short shelf life so they never saved anything.  Below are some pics from our trip.  Every night the maid would leave a different animal made from towels with little flowers on it. When we left I left her some folded dollar pajamas.

I enjoyed some of the staff we met including Jesus from Vera Cruz who worked the gym and the sports on the beach, Mollie from Sweden who worked the trapeze, and Paulio from Brazil who was the head trapeze director.  Besides  their working all day they also performed in the shows most nights.  One show was a cirque de soleil type which featured Paulio and a 1970s show where the performers lip synced the hit disco music. Jesus performed in the YMCA number wearing some Aztec costume.  They were all really very good. 

View from our room

Trapeze hopeful

Tulum

70's show (Paulio, tall man on left and Jesus, bare-chested)

Mayan folded towel

Dessert at one of the restaurants

At dinner

Hospital statistic

On Friday the 13th I had a routine colonoscopy scheduled. I did my prep like a good girl for the previous several days, then drank the rest of that solution and went off to my appt. I waited around as is often the case then went back where the doctor allowed as how I really didn't need to do this for four more years because the polyps 6 years ago that they removed were not precancerous. But since I had completed the prep I said go a head.  Wrong decision! 

During the procedure where I was under anesthesia, I evidently gagged on something that had I not been under sedation I would have coughed up. But as it was I began choking and stopped breathing. They manually breathed for me with a pump for a few minutes and of course, aborted the procedure. They explained all this after they stopped the anesthesia. After 30 minutes they let me go but advised that if I get a high fever to go to the ER.  They feared I aspirated something that could cause aspiration pneumonia or pneumonitis. 

Well of course a few hours later I have the chills, high BP, racing pulse, and 102° fever; so off I go to UNC's ER. I wait in the waiting room for three hours then get a chest X-ray and an EKG. Then back I go where they start me on antibiotics and saline via IV. They wanted to keep me overnight to observe.  That's a joke because they were too busy with trauma cases that they never looked at me again.  The admitting nurse came in and said they would move me upstairs to a 24 hour observation space. At 5am I was wheeled up and over to a bed. They took more blood and gave me more IV antibiotics. Later the attending physician wanted me to stay another night to make sure all was well. My vital signs went to normal and the tests were all negative so Sunday morning they let me out in time for me to come home and pack for my trip to Mexico that afternoon. All's well that ends well I guess.

Early March

We have had lots doing this past weekend. Yesterday, Sim's daughter Laura came over with her daughter, Nicole; granddaughter, Ellie; and future son-in-law, Justin. We had brunch, played in the playground, and went to Eric and Sandy's house for dinner.  Their children, Jonathon and Emily, were home on Spring break. It was a beautiful day and sitting on the veranda with the sun blaring was so wonderful after all this cold. 

Sadly, Margaret, who was my friend Kathy's sister, died in Raleigh Friday night. Don came down to help her with arrangements. Margaret was a sweet person who will be missed.  

Saturday afternoon was a wonderful concert by Cantari using the huge organ at Chapel of the Cross.  Below are pics of me and Arlo. See any resemblance?

Tomorrow is Patti's Bday, can Spring be far away!

                              Arlo at 10 months