It’s been a strange sort of vacation, with far too much time spent in doctors’ waiting rooms, hospital X-ray department, CT Scan and Bronchoscopy units. There is no part of my lungs which haven’t been minutely inspected and scrutinized. My persistent cough is apparently due to nothing more serious than chest inflammation and sensitive airways. I’m now on my third lot of antibiotics plus a course of corticosteroid tablets which actually give me nightmares. For example, last night I dreamed that I was staggering around with a fold-up bed on my back, looking for hubby who was supposed to be meeting me with the car. My cell phone wasn’t working, so I couldn’t call him. Luckily I woke up before I got too tired of lugging the bed around whilst totally lost. So many pills that I do believe were I to be shaken, I’d rattle.
On the bright side, I’ve seen quite a lot of my darling sister and a few very dear friends. We’ve had some really fun times together. Here after dinner, we had just discovered that our fingers are actually identical in length.
Today is the last day in our beach front apartment here in South Africa. Tomorrow we drive up to stay with our daughter in Johannesburg for the weekend, before flying to England on Monday to see hubby’s soon to be 104-year-old mom, Kathleen.
We have a splendid view of the Indian Ocean from our balcony and yesterday hubby took these photos of intrepid guys having fun in the surf. I think it must feel really awesome to do this. I’m not much of a water-baby myself, but I do enjoy watching them.
I may not be able to blog or comment for the next week or so until we get back home to Florida on July 4th. I wish you all a very good week and will see you again soon.
anotherdayinparadise 
Hope you have a good v
Ik hoop dat je een goede verdere vakantie mag belevenen dat je vlug volledig genezen bent.
Sylvia hope you are feeling better at this point- I came looking for you- I had somehow missed this post and was unaware of your travels and ill health. Hoping England was fun and that you are home safe now
Thanks so much, Lisa. Yes, we are back home and have since driven up to NJ to spend my birthday with son and family. Unfortunately, tomorrow I have to have macular hole repair surgery on my left eye, the same as I had on my right eye in South Africa last October. If it’s not one thing, its something else! 😦 Hopefully it will be as successful as the other one was. I’ll be back here hopefully before too long. 🙂 xx
Best of luck with the surgery Sylvia- are you still in NJ for the surgery? Hope it all works out well like last time!
Thanks, Lisa. We are back in Florida. I found a good eye surgeon here.
nice to be in SA for a while with the family I’m sure
Good one
Poor you, Sylvia. I do hope that you’ll be fully recovered soon. It’s good to see that you can still smile and enjoy yourself, despite it all. You and your sister look so alike.
Thanks so much, Sarah. Yes, one has to always look on the bright side of life and I am definitely so much better, in fact almost perfect again. 😀
That’s excellent news, Sylvia 🙂
Oh Sylvia, I am sorry to hear about corticosteroids, and I know that antibiotics aren’t fun either. Your sense of humour will get you through this. It must be a relief after so many doctors visits. xx
Oh yes, a sense of humour always helps. I’m almost perfect again. 🙂 xx
Oh Sylvia, I’m so sorry to read this, only getting on here about once a moth, I guess I’ve missed a few things? Sending some good vibes your way.. with a prAyer 🙏 or 2. . Hope your feeling your self soon!!!!
Thanks so much, Kathy. We arrived back home yesterday. I still have a few days of antibiotics left, but I think the medication worked. 😘
Dear Sylvia, I am so sorry to read about your medical travails, but so relieved that the doctors now know what has been troubling you. Always such a shame to have it happen on holiday, I hope that you are now fully recovered by the time you read this and enjoying immensly your time in England with darling MiL 🙂 ❤ Beautiful photo of you and your sister – and great shots of the windsurfers. My brother used to do it, but not me…like you, I would rather take the photos 😉 🙂 xxx
Thanks, Sherri. We are back in Florida now, and I’m almost fully recovered. One more day of antibiotics should do the trick. 🙂 xx
Hi Sylvia…just quickly checking in here as things are crazy at home, we were supposed to move this Friday but a problem at the bottom of the chain threatened to blow it all apart. Still waiting for confirmation it’s on but had to cancel the removal van and everything. Nightmare. I am trying my best to keep calm, but it’s not easy. I hope by now you are fully recovered and back to enjoying life in full and I’ll catch up with you as soon as I can 🙂 xx
Oh dear, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you that the removal goes off without any more hitches. Moving house is a very stressful experience at the best of times. Yes, all is good here, but now we are busy preparing for a few weeks away up north visiting our son and family for my 70th birthday. On our return journey, we’ll be visiting friends in N Carolina for a few days. Life is always busy, and it will be good when I can just relax for a few months and enjoy just living here. Love and hugs my special friend. Take care and try to stay calm. xx
So sorry for my very late reply dear Sylvia. I’ve been in a bit of a fog to say the least. Our house move that was supposed to happen didn’t. On the day of exchange of contracts the entire chain collapsed (7 parties). It’s been a nightmare time. But…we are picking up the pieces and our house is back on the market and we’re hopeful we can fix this mess with both our sale and purchase. Meanwhile, I’ve been pretty absent from FB and all social media as I disabled all my apps on my phone temporarilly with all this other stuff going on as I wasn’t doing that great. But enough of that…I am using this brief lull to focus 100% on my memoir. For a while I couldn’t write at all, but I have found my flow again and this time I want to see it through to those final revisions that I’ve wanted to work on for so long. So a silver lining of sorts, because, as you know, this has been going on for so long now and I just want to write my book! It helps me cope with the awful stress, I can disappear from it all… I am so sorry for missing your posts and any updates you might have put on FB (but I did see today as I went on their via my laptop for a brief check, and so glad because I see today is your birthday and I didn’t want to miss that, so good timing for once!) I hope you have a really wonderful day my wonderful friend! Your 70th…wow! You don’t look it, far from it, you are beautiful, vibrant and youthful in looks and spirit and you inspire me to hold onto to all that’s good in life, in the blessings and love of family and friends and all that really matters. You will be away as I type this enjoying a wonderful time with your son and family and how lovely to see friends on the way back. And then, when you return, you will be able to enjoy your beautiful new home in rest and relaxation and then hopefully I will be back to catch up with you properly on your blog and here on mine and generally have more positive, brighter news. Ahhhhh…deep breath and amen to that! I am indeed doing my best to stay calm. Thank you so much my lovely friend…happy, safe travels as I always say, and again, wishing you the Happiest of Birthdays! With lots of love and special birthday hugs! Sherri 🙂 ❤ xxx
Oh, I’m so sorry the house deal fell through. What a stressful time it must have been for you. Our plans have had to change, as my left eye has now developed a macular hole, so I have to have a vitrectomy on Friday 4th August. I hope the op is as successful as the one I had on my right eye last October in South Africa. We found a really lovely eye surgeon close to home in Florida, so weighed up the cost of travelling back to get it done on medical insurance or paying for it here. We decided to have it done here as at least I can recover in the comfort of my own home. Good luck with finishing your memoir. I look forward to reading it one day. 😘
Oh Sylvia, I am so sorry to hear of your change of plans and your upcoming eye surgery. I will say a prayer for you on Friday that it goes as well as before and you will recover as quickly as possible. As you say, being in your own home, your beuatiful new home, will aid your recovery greatly. So sorry you had to cut your time with your son and family short though. As you say, plans change but we have to go with it and do what’s best at the time. It’s been such a stressful time with this house situation, as I type this, I’m waiting for ‘the’ call that the people who viewed earlier for the 2nd time are going to put an offer in. That means we get to keep our purchase, as Mum has also sold her house for the second time. I’ll keep you posted and try to pop in to FB here and there, I do need to update a few things… But more importantly, just know I’ll be thinking of you on Friday that it all goes as well as possible. And thanks for your kind words about my memoir. I would be honoured for to read it my dear friend. Love & big hugs to you… ❤ xxx
Thanks so much, Sherri. I’m not looking forward to tomorrow, but at least it will then be over and I can concentrate on recovering. I really hope that you now have some good news re your house sale. Fingers crossed for you my friend. xx 🙂
❤ ❤ ❤
So hope you’re feeling much better dear Sylvia…thinking of you… ❤ xxx
Thanks so much, Sherri. My eye looks normal again, thank goodness, but I have no vision in it. Hopefully, by next week, there may be some signs of improvement. xx
Oh, of course having your loving husband there is helpful and comforting! Hope you have a lovely time with his mother! I enjoy hearing about Kathleen’s long, memorable life! 🎂 xo
This was a sad but hopeful post, Sylvia. I had hoped the last round of meds had managed to knock the “bug” or some kind of impetus out of your system! Thank you for sharing your sister’s and your photograph! You do look like sisters, “two peas in a pod!” ❤❤
Hands are something I had not thought about comparing between siblings. . . Hope and pray you won’t come home with any more congestion or persistent cough! It must be special comfort to have your dear sister and friends close by. xo 🙏
Thanks so much, dear Robin. We’re home again now and hopefully am fully recovered. I don’t know what made me suddenly decide to see how our hands compared. Our darling Mom had such beautiful hands, even into old age. ❤ xx
I’m so glad you’re starting to feel better, Sylvia xxx And you certainly are beautiful sisters 🙂
Thanks so much. I’m feeling heaps better. 😘
what beautiful sisters! Great action shots Sylvia! Glad you are feeling better!
PS not great that is but getting around!!
Thanks so much, Cybele. Hope you are too. 😘
A post chock full of wonder. So glad your lungs are clearing. Hope you’re soon off those pills because that nightmare is a bad one! So funny how our dreams tell us our feelings. You must be feeling that you have a heavy load on your back-lungs. I love the photo of you and your sister-both beautiful women. And the photos are magnificent. Safe travels home!
Thanks so much, Pamela. My dreams have subsided, so I must be getting better. 🙂 xx
Good news!
Sylvia I am so sorry to hear how unwell you have been. Well that hardly seems fair when on vacation. Do take care my friend and enjoy your next couple of weeks.
Thanks so much, Sue. I’m actually much improved now. Hopefully by the time I’ve finished the medication, I’ll be as good as new. 😘
I hope the adventures and family help you heal even faster, Sylvia.
Thanks so much, Jet. I’m feeling much better now. 😘
Hope you’ll be feeling a lot better soon. A persistent cough must be really annoying, and as for those nightmares… I tried surfing once, and it was a lot harder than it looks!
Thanks, Elaine. I’m improving every day. You’re very brave to try surfing. I’m not a swimmer, so just wouldn’t. 😅
Swimming used to be my main sport, and anything to do with water I loved, so trying surfing seemed like a good idea at the time (about 30 years ago!). 🙂
I’m going to echo what everyone else has said. A persistent cough is very frustrating and I hope that whatever is causing it is resolved soon.
Thanks so much, Joanne. I’d had it for a few months already, so it was really time to get it investigated.
hope you’re feeling better now, Sylvia. great captures of surfers. such a lovely photo with your sister! safe travels 🙂
Thanks so much for the well wishes, dear Lola. 😘
Hope you are back to feeling well soon. I like your windsurfing photos, looks a bit rough out there though.
Hope you will feel better soon! Enjoy your visit in Johannesburg too!
I hope you feel better soon sweet friend. We can’t have you sick 😦 Be safe on your travels. XOXO – Bacon
Hope you feel very much better soon. Xx
Your faces are pretty similar, too. Get rid of that cough soon.
Hope that you will be feeling much better soon Sylvia and enjoy the rest of your stay here in South Africa and safe travels!
Take care and regards,
GAIL
Thanks so much, Gail. 😘
Have a fantastic time and safe travels Sylvia!
Good to read you are on the mend Sylvia, you couldn’t go around carrying that bed much longer…..some dreams are exhausting! Enjoy catching up with your daughter. You and your sister are very alike.
It is good to learn that some medicines can cause nightmare. I think it could be worst than nightmare. I can imaging that you did not have good rest with the nightmare you had. I am glad your conditions are getting better.
These are cool shots of the windsurfing!
Reassuring about the cough – but still annoying to have it. Hope you shake it off soon.
I hope you will soon get well – leaving that cough behind. Have a great time in England and return safely back again!
Hope you get well soon, Sylvia. Lovely images today.
Get well soon Sylvia. The photos are so fantastic!
Sometime we can feel like we live at the doctors’ but it must have been worth to find out there’s nothing too serious wrong with your lungs. I hope you start to feel better soon and can stop the meds. Enjoy the rest of your trip.
So sorry you’ve had these uncomfortable tests and ill health. I pray these preventions work wonders. I know you’ll be back to your joyful-self soon. Blessings 🙏🏻
Your hubby’s Mom is a testement to a the wonders of longevity. May she continue to bring joy to you both. HAPPY 104TH BIRTHDAY KATHLEEN … much health and love. 🎂 Have a safe flight back to the shunshine state (secret: it’s been raining everyday for the last 2 weeks).
Toodles,
Issy 😎
I hope you feel better soon so you can get off the nightmare-inducing drugs & enjoy the rest of your trip!
Your MIL is some gal!!!
Being ill is so annoying isn’t it, I do hope you manage to shake off that cough soon. Have a lovely weekend with your daughter and a safe flight to the UK. Sending birthday wishes to Kathleen, hope she is still fighting fit 🙂
Hope you feel well know and have a funny trip the rest of your holidays
I am so sorry that you are experiencing this health issue. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Take good care of yourself. Hugs!
Thanks so much, dear Rebecca. 😘
Get well soon and do take it easy until you feel better 🙂
Thanks, Andy. I’m getting there. 😃
Cheers to that! ☺️
Health is quickly missed when lost. Friends and family always make things better.
Be well and safe travels. x
It’s rather humid here so I hope that won’t irritate you, have a lovely time with M-in-L!
I’m a looker, not a do-er, when it comes to water, too, Ad. I do hope you can shake this off! You must need a dose of English weather 🙂 🙂 God speed!
It’s a good thing you took care of that and feeling much better.
I hope you’re feeling better soon, Sylvia. Aw…I hope you’ll share some photos of your visit with Kathleen. She’s so sweet and such an inspiration. Be safe!
Veilig reis. Hoop jy voel gou beter
Hope you’ll soon be back to your old self, Sylvia, and that the rest of your holiday will be memorable for the best of reasons!