Progress!  Within 24 hours of calling my insurance and requesting their engagement I have already gotten a few calls and their claims estimator was here before 9am today.

This is one of those things I didn't want to learn about... let's talk about Pennsylvania's laws surrounding car accidents.  Apparently, not bothering to call the insurance back is a viable strategy... that's what I'm seeing.  If they don't respond they might lose their insurance, but if fault cannot be established then Pennsylvania treats it as no fault.  What does that mean?  It means I'm f'd and get to pay my deductible.  It also means that because I don't have rental coverage, I get to go without a car while repairs are going on or I get to pay for that too.

I strongly encourage you to not be at the wrong place at the wrong time when someone decides they want to abruptly be in your lane - 0/10

Let's talk about the garden.  Most everything survived the crazy hot temps while I was gone.  There was one pot of potatoes that I harvested as the plant all died away, getting way less than we should have, but still more than what was seeded.  The basil tried to flower while I was gone - as did a few of the turnips... but when I pulled the turnips most of them didn't create much of a bulb.  *shrug*

I have several sweet 100 tomatoes starting to change color.  There was a single solitary snap pea ready to be plucked and others soon to follow.  Many other tomato plants launched and have gotten to a decent size with blossoms.  I finally have a decent stalk of lettuce, not much, but I could make a salad or two.  The cukes have a few started.  The wintered over cubanelle has several peppers of decent size at this point.  The other pepper plants are still relatively small and not starting to produce.

The cauliflower and broccoli is still a fail again this year.  The pumpkin seeds are flowering, but not developing.

What really grew while I was gone?  Weeds.  I filled a decent sized dog food bag full of weeds to put to the trash today.  I also dead headed my three rose bushes which were crazy blooming earlier this summer.

We are back on dry land once again.  Avery headed out a week and a half ago - a sweet price allowed us to fly to Baltimore for our departure on Vision of the Seas for 9 nights.  With some advice from someone I know through work we sat on the right of the aircraft and had an interesting view of what remains of the Key bridge.  We were also careful to be on the port side of the ship to see the Dali as we sailed out of Baltimore (and a closer view of one side of the remains of the Key bridge.

Our sailing took us to... Bermuda (overnight, but still a relatively short stop having arrived around 2pm and leaving by 1pm the next day). Here Avery and I went to Warwick Long Bay/Jobson's Cove - my favorite pink sand as it is much more less touristy than Horseshoe.  We then rode the bus the rest of the way into Hamilton and took the Ferry back to King's Wharf.  On Sunday morning we rode with another passenger to attend mass at St Joseph's, the oldest Catholic church in Bermuda.

I had wanted to go out right in King's Wharf after church, but I had gone down in the middle of the night prior from both ends.  I feel I was food poisoned, but others kept pushing the idea of Noro.  Frankly, given how it presented and how quickly it passed (better after 24 hours) I still think it was food poisoning.  It was very overcast while we were in Bermuda and the seas were less than favorable for a few days (the Atlantic can be a bit finicky), so the temps stayed relatively dealable.

In Nassau Bahamas we got our first real taste of heat.  Again a relatively short stop.  This was my first time there since they made extensive renovations to the pier area.  We ran outside of the protected area long enough for some power shopping before we returned to meet our tour - where we boarded a pirate ship - one that Avery took over as Captain on after a mutiny.  I was very pleasantly surprised by this excursion, it was better than I expected.

Finally, we stopped in Cococay - which is always a delight.  There were passing rain storms, but a pretty darn nice day. Similar to our last visit, we stuck to the free water slides and the large pool.

This itinerary gave us several days at sea.  As I mentioned, several of those days were a bit rough, which means the rock wall and pool were closed at times. The final day had nice weather, but due to a poo accident the pool that allows the kids was closed.  Regardless, we had a wonderful, relaxing vacation.  Yes, the girl did get enough time on that rock wall to conquer the blue and orange paths.

The trip back was interesting.  I have never encountered so many Karens in one place.  Baltimore airport TSA is an interesting animal... still not as awful as Miami.  Glad to be home with the critters.  Churchie missed us a ton.  Barnabas admitted overnight he was happy we were back.  Jackson was meowing and happy to see us.  Zero didn't get worn our nearly enough at camp.  Saffy did ok and is resting back up.

My dear readers would know that I had a frozen right shoulder a few years ago.  You would also know that I'm having some loss of flexibility and pain in my left shoulder for a while now.  The knees, they hurt.  I feel bloated and uncomfortable about 50% of the time anymore.   I'm tired more often than not, but I find myself often waking up in the middle of the night and again by 5 or 6am.  My sinuses are constantly swollen and basically close up at night so I am now snoring, which I never did, and also getting woken from this issue.  I'm emotional and anxiety ridden - if I didn't know better I would think it was PMS.  I'm forgetting things and disorganized lately, which is 100% not me.

Sure, I'm overweight and that is probably a lot of it.  I'm not the type of person who would dive into hormone replacement etc, but when I asked "at what point that is advantageous" at my recent doctor's appointment it was indicated as "not needed unless I was having problems" (after I noted that I haven't been having as many hot flashes as I was there for a while).

Ok.  I felt a little dismissed, but I took that answer.

In one of my favorite communities (The Why Files if you must know) the topic of testosterone replacement was going on in a chat - and basically how doctors were offering it to several of the men in the group because their levels were slightly lowered.

Now I'm a little pissed.  Seriously?  You don't feel like getting down and dirty as often as you used to and maybe don't feel like yourself and the medical establishment jumps to solve that for you.  I, frankly, feel like shit more often than not and I'm left to trying various approaches on my own to deal with various symptoms.

I am not a "wah, I am so oppressed" type of person.  But I will point you back to the long touted "signs of a heart attack" that rarely match the typical symptoms a woman feels under similar duress and say that our medicine isn't doing right by women.  Fact is, I bet my insurance wouldn't cover those types of treatments unless we hopped through all kinds of tests and met a ton of criteria.... but if I were a dude and wanted female hormones... this world is so f'd.

I should have given an update on our foster, Jackson.  He continues to want more and more attention and loves to receive pets.  He still does not want to be picked up, but this weekend he put a paw up on my lap.  I'm calling it progress!

I also should have updated on my car issues - I called my insurance last week to ask for their assistance nudging things along as I continue to receive radio silence from the other person's insurance company.

This weekend was a complete blur.  I did wrap up my day early on Friday, so I was able to get some light cleaning activities completed - I also started pulling materials to assess my readiness for upcoming vacations.

Saturday we went to a housewarming for a friend of my favorite egg - with a little bit of shopping on the way back.  Sunday we went to visit my favorite egg's parents - also with a little bit of shopping on the way there.  I also returned from their house with several tomato plants that are further along than mine are and some chives to add to my garden pots.

Trellis I ordered to provide the clingy plants (read pumpkins and cucumbers) some purchase has arrived, as has a new mailbox, so I have some work to do in the next few days.  I have fought with my mailbox since moving here.  The back access would always flop open.  I had glued it shut numerous times.  Well, now the front is flopping open.  I'm just going to replace the whole sha-bang so my mail can stay dry.

I pulled a few radishes from a pot a few days ago both to give space to other growth and, frankly, because they were plenty large.  I can't believe I harvested something before June!  I also took a pass plucking wild strawberries from the yard.  It's nice to know they are there and doing well (and there would be more if I didn't mow for a few weeks).

I continue to struggle to get lettuce, basil, and beets going right now.   Well, except for the volunteer lettuce that has decided to grow in other pots, but it isn't enough to give me full salads.

The kid is out for summer.  Graduation was lovely.  She doesn't seem to be excited at this point, I'm not quite sure how to read on this one.  Maybe she doesn't quite get it (yet).

Still waiting for the other person's insurance company to interview them...a week later.  This is ridiculous.  I get the feeling this will drag on for a long time.  What do people do who are in accidents where their car isn't usable?  I got my first estimate for repairs.  Dang.  I know everything is expensive, but it's just overwhelming.

No!

As I tend to do lately, I ran out this morning to grab some groceries.  After I decided to grab some Starbucks.  Well, as I was leaving someone tried to switch lanes at the red light leaving the plaza into my car.  Fortunately, no one was hurt, no airbags were deployed, and she's drivable, but poor Serafina.  Of course there are mismatches with the individual, his license, the insurance, and the car -- this is probably going to be unpleasant.

My insurance company thinks it is likely I will have to file through them, but we're trying - so here I sit on hold for the insurance company provided.  Unfun.

Saffy's eye doesn't look horrific anymore, but you can tell there is a difference there.  Medication continues and she still otherwise seems to be herself, that is a blessing.  I got another Mother's day with her.  Anyone who doesn't believe in Momming or Dadding for the 4 legged kids can keep walking.  Is it different?  Yes, but my love for her is still quite strong.

Avery brought home a cute little hand decorated clay pot with a flower in it from school.  Her Daddy made sure that she had a card and tulips, and took us for Mexican and ice cream this evening - but only after I got myself a nice nap on the couch.  It was a good day.

The prognosis is depressing.  We got into the vet this morning.  The terramycin was a good action to have taken, but not one that changed our path.  I saw a tinge of red in the weeping/goo today - but it was less goo, so I had hoped for better.  Our vet is not an optimological specialist, but she indicated a corneal perforation - basically an eye rupture.

We could gone to emergency care as it would be a long time to get into specialists, but nothing would help her sight in the right eye at this point.  At nearly 16 1/2 and 34 lbs anything they would try to do would likely involve anesthesia which is just too much for her.  We will instead treat for pain (although she seems to be reasonably comfortable other than it being easy to tell she cannot see on that side) and inflammation, ensure we don't have infection, and allow for healing of the active issue.

What caused it is unknown - it could have been an injury (I'm thinking Zero being a doof and catching her with his teeth as he does on us sometimes) or bumping into something and honestly I'm hoping that's the case, because it could also be a growth behind the eye causing pressure.  Not the near mother's day gift I wanted.

I should also note that we learned that my brother's memorial will be happening on the 9th in Nevada.

It's almost like she can read and saw me type that "Saffy was doing well". Today (go figure it's a Sunday) we woke to a very goopy eye.  Yesterday we noted her giving some hard blinks after stepping outside into the rain - definitely not showing any infection at that point.  Fortunately I have some terramycin here from the cat rescue, which I immediately deployed to get us through until tomorrow.  I will gladly replace with a full tube and this serves as a good reminder to keep what you can for critter first aid too.

Time continues to fly.  I think it is officially safe to put the tomatoes outside, so I can get them into larger pots this weekend (I hope).  Since my last post I have put in more potatoes, beets, lettuce, turnips, white onions, onion starters, asparagus, watermelon and pumpkin, and cukes.  Some things have sprouted quickly.  Other things I have already re-seeded once and don't seem to be taking off (like my beets and lettuce).  The broccoli and cauliflower have barely grown since moving them to the larger pots.  It's already so stinking hot out I don't have high hopes for them this year either.

Avery has another playdate tomorrow, so I need to get some cleaning done this afternoon/evening.  I really need to get back with a cleaning person to keep myself caught up.

Yesterday we celebrated Barnabas' first birthday (or at least the guestimate of when he was born).  I need to get some new good pictures of our foster, Jackson for his listing.  He has become much more comfortable.  Other than not wanting to be picked up he is lovey and enjoys me rubbing his belly.  I finally got a few of his nails trimmed, but he's reluctant (but gentle when I try) to let me trim the front.  Not to be left out of the conversation is Church, who has become more needy - inserting himself between me and the keyboard even as I write this.

Saffy is doing well.  She's had a few days where you can tell it hurts a bit to come up the stairs, but she's been a trooper.  Zero is still 110% Zero.  Our four baby robins under the deck will be 2 weeks old come Sunday or Monday, so it's time to start taking him outside on leash to protect them when they leave the nest.  Oh!  ...and I spotted my hummingbird.  <3

Avery just finished another round of swimming lessons.  Remind me to not spend my money on more there.  There was one kid who couldn't listen and wasted the instructor's time trying to keep him contained when it wasn't his turn.  3 more weeks of school and I will have a first grader.  We're getting a bit of summer-itis, but she has been willing to press on when I remind her time for school work is short.

After that... it's count down to cruises!  It really looks like Baltimore is on track to be opened back up in time for our sailing.  Fingers crossed.  I guess I need to book a pre-cruise hotel w/ a guarantee.