November 23rd, 2008

We flew from Cusco Peru and landed in Juliaca Peru. From there we drove to the town of Pumo on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca and stayed the night. There's something un-nerving about a five star hotel surronded by an electrified fence. Lake Titicaca is huge, 113 miles by 58 miles accross. Peru and Bolivia share the lake and it is major area for drug trafficing. We left Puno at 6:00 in the morning and made the Bolivian border by 10:00. We met our new guide and he walked us accross to Bolivian immigration and we cleared in 90 seconds, our guide was thrilled as it usually takes Americans 45 minutes to get cleared as they like to hassle us. We then proceeded to Cococabanna and then boarded a hydrofoil and sailed of to Sun Island. Sun Island is one of the nicest places I´ve ever visited. Beautiful vistas and beautiful people. Magda and I suspect that this island might be a place where cocaine money is laundered as there aren´t many tourists there. As a matter of fact, we haven´t seen a single American in Bolivia. From Sun Island we made our way slowly to La Paz. La Paz is a vertical city which is set over 13,000 elev. Breathing is hard, sleeping is hard with head pressure. I finally gave in and took the altitude pills my doctor gave me before I left and that did the trick. This morning, a man from our hotel was attcked down the street by three robbers, one choked him from behind while the other two went through his pockets and took his credit cards , wallet, watch and passport. He was very upset to say the least. Today when we toured we had no ID and I carried my credit cards and American money in my shoes-we left all of our jewelry in the US. We really liked our guide Antonio, he has about 15 drinks a day and smokes a joint before he goes to bed. He likes us because we don´t care about his drinking and he can do it in front of us. We cracked up at lunch when he let it slip that he didn´t drink that much after he put away 5 drinks right before our eyes. Tomorrow we take an early flight to Rio and we get a new guide. All the photos attached are from Bolivia. We absolutely adore this country and it´s people.

All is well and bye for now

November 20th, 2008

Machu Picchu was a very pleasant surprise. It was all that I expected and then some. It takes awhile to get there, 3 hour train ride and then 20 minutes by bus and then a 20 minute hike up the hill. When you get to the top you see a beautiful plateau framed by 4 very steep cliffs nestled in the clouds. The Incas abandoned it as they feared that the Spanish would come and kill them and they fled to the Amazon-the Spanish killed them anyway. By the time the Spanish discovered Muchu Picchu, it was over grown and they really didn´t notice it. Our guide mentioned that he thought that they probably would have built another cathederal there. Many of the Peruvians we have met have had it with the catholic church and they are moving toward regaining the Inca traditions. The Incas had no jails, if you were lazy, stole, murdered, lied etc, the women were pushed of a cliff and the men were casterated. I had nightmares because M says that I´m very lazy and I realized that I would suffer a fate worse than death if I were an Inca. M is having a very hard time with the food here as it´s all carne, queso and heuveos. We are having quite a time at the restaurants trying to get her point accross. This afternoon we´re on to Bolivia.

All is well and bye for now

November 15, 2008

We finally made it to Peru after a little delay in Miami. Our flight from Dallas to Miami left late and as we were landing our flight to Lima was taking off. The captain simply said, there are no connections. American Airlines was nice enough to put us up in a roach motel called the Blue Chateau. Things worked out well in the long run as we got to go to lunch in South Beach and then we flew out at 4 30 and landed in Lima at 10 pm. We changed hotels and stayed in the airport and hopped on a 10am flight to Cuzco. I was so relaxed that I totally forgot to get on the plane when it was time and we just made the door closing. I still have some residual brain fog or else Im experiencing the onset of alzhiemers. Tomorrow we head to the Sacred Valley and the next day we take a train and we stay overnight in Machu Picchu. After that its Lake Titticacca and then on to Bolivia. The US State Department has lifted its travel warnings as of last week so were good to go. The people of Peru are really quite lovely after all the hounding we experienced in India. They ask you to buy something once or twice and then they say OK, maybe tomorrow.

All is well and bye for now

November 8th, 2008

I've been a lazy blogger lately with the election and all of the traveling. We are off to South America for a month on Thursday, visiting Peru, Bolivia (gulp!), Brazil, Argentina, Patagonia and Chile. We'll be back on the 10th in time for the holidays.

Believe it or not, I'm still working on the painting (oil on canvas) of my loft in SF. It's all done except for the lights in the ceiling and the lady in the chair. I'll be glad when it's done as it has taken way too long.

M and I getting married has been well received by most but a couple of our friends have been surprised to the point of disappointment. Some because we didn't include them and others because they don't approve.. Oh well, it's none of their business anyway, we couldn't be happier.

I'm so happy we have a new president, I've never been political but I worked very hard for Obama. Hopefully he can deliver. Anyone is better than the Bush, Chaney, McCain, Palin quartet.

All is well and bye for now



48"x60"

October 22nd, 2008

Live from Jaipur

Time passes quickly when you're having fun. I never knew there were so many people in the world until I came here. It seems as though India exists in a bubble of loosly constructed chaos. How anyone can drive here is beyond me. We went on a safari and we saw a tiger take down a spotted dear. Our guide said that was only the second time in 13 years that he saw that happen. Mick Jagger of the rolling stones is here and he has yet to see a tiger after several tries. They say he is avoiding every one everywhere he goes. We are ready to come home on the 27th as we are both sick of India food and we are tired of being constantly catered to. We have decided that neither one of would make it as royals as we can't stand everyone trying so hard to please us.

All is well and bye for now

October 16th, 2008

Live from Rishkish India

Arrived safe and sound from Dubai and fell right into culture shock. Magda is in heaven as the foo is all vegaterian and she doesn't have to ask any questions about meat or eggs or anything, the real deal. In Delhi we went to the sacred temple of Krishna, and wouldn't you know it, we were cheated in the gift shop. We bought a tee shirt and 2 boxes of tea and when we got back to the room we only had one box of tea. Just goes to show that there is no honor among theives.
We left Delhi and arrived at Rishikish, India's holy land. It turns out that the guru that Magda wanted to visit with is on the lamb as he has been ripping so many people off. To make up for it, we have a wonderful guide who told us the ins and outs of guruism. We both really like this guy.
Next, we went to the Himalayan Hide away which was our hotel and it was wonderful. The next day we went white water river rafting down the sacred Ganges and it was way cool. The best I have ever experienced with many 6 foot waves. Next, of to the Himalyas for trekking. The road was one lane with 2 way traffic for six long hours, trucks everywhere. The drop is a 1000 feet and they loose a bus full of people about every 2 months. We got to the source of the Ganges where 2 rivers join to form the Ganges. We went to the temple at the junction of the rivers and had our marriage blessed. We paid the high end of what our guide suggested and we almost started a riot-all the priests wanted money and it was really quite upsetting, I really thought they were going to rob us. We were out of there didi. Now for the trek. unknown to me, a trek is a cross between hiking and mountain climbing. We made it to 14,000 feet and I'm glad we ran out of mountain as I was about done. When we were at the top, we met a 93 year old monk who has done the climb every day for 70 years-talk about breaking my legs! M was told to cover up as it seems she was showing a little too much womanhood. Our camp had no toilet and was freezing cold at night. All in all, we really loved most of it. We all said a prayer before we started the drive down and we made it in one piece. Now we're of to points unknown-stay tuned!

Extra, Extra, Read All About it!

Thursday, October 2nd, 2008

Today we're off to SF for 2 days and then we fly away for a month to Dubai and India. Given the state of the economy, I think it's a great time to go. I will try to post pictures while on the road.

All is well and bye for now

Sunday, September 28th, 2008

Hi ya all, since it's 6 months post treatment and I have gotten the good news that I am cured and for all intents and purposes it seems my Hep C adventure has come to an end. I'm too lazy to change the name so I'll just continue posting to the blog for the sake of ease and familiarity. The heading will be the days date.

Big haps in the neighborhood yesterday. An irate McCain supporter tore down 2 Obama signs on our block and left neo-nazi, neo-conservative literature in their place. One of the signs was mine. As I was walking out my door in the morning the sheriff pulled up and said he'd like to make a report. I asked who called and he said a pedestrian walking by made the call. I did the police report and was on my way. Last night, when I turned on the news, there was my sign and my house and my neighbor's house and 2 of my neighbors being interviewed. We were a featured story(slow news day?) What a surprise!

This is the link to the news story:

http://cbs13.com/local/carmichael.obama.campaign.2.827465.html

I responded to the incident by putting the sign back up along with a sign of my own. I suspect that it was someone in the neighborhood as this is really an "out of the way place" and very few people wander by here.

M and I go to SF on Thursday for a special event on Friday and then on Saturday we're off to Dubai and India.

All is well and bye for now

Post tx-week 24 Thursday

I had my 6 months blood drawn today and I got the nurse to run a rush test. I got the results on line and ALT is 21 and AST is 26.


I'm cured! I'm cured! I'm cured! I'm cured! I'm cured! I'm cured!

Post tx-week 23 Saturday

We got back from NYC on Tuesday and we had a great time. The apartment we rented was in Midtown near Time Square on the 59th floor of a brand new, all glass high rise. It had a bedroom, kitchen, living room and a view of the City and the East River that was abfab. We went and saw the play "The Jersey Boys" and it was the best play/musical either of us has ever seen. We described our trip as walking from restaurant to restaurant in search of the next meal. Our favorite eateries sadly disappointed us but we found a new one to replace them. The flight home was dreadful as we were seated in the row in front of the exit row which means the seats wont tilt back for safety reasons. We each take an aisle seat in the same row and I was seated next to 2 huge fattypies who were bigger than me and the flight was very uncomfortable. It was so uncomfortable that it has prompted me to go on a diet. It's not really a diet, I'm just eating less every day so that I can get rid of my fat tummy.

M is off to North Carolina in the morning to see her ex mother in law who has had a massive stroke. Her ex husband TVB is already there...we are a very progressive couple. M comes home the following Sunday and then on the 4th, we're off to Dubai and India for a month.

I go for my 6 month post tx blood test and I'm a little nervous as I have been tired the last month. I hope I get the results before we leave.

All is well and bye for now

Post tx-week 22 Monday

SF was a lot of fun as usual, beach walking with Jimmy and David, Peet’s coffee, and time with Magda’s parents. We came home on Sunday and now we’re getting ready to fly off to NYC tomorrow morning. I rented an apartment in a high rise on VRBO (vacation rentals by owner) and we’ll see how it goes. It looked very nice in the photos. Wednesday we go out to dinner at our favorite restaurant and Thursday we go to see the “Jersey Boys”. Friday we take the train to Chatham New Jersey to visit with my brother and his family. Saturday, Laurie and Jimmy come to town from Hazelton Pennsylvania to spend the night. UC, we would love to see you. We are going to try to get together with Starwitch, aka Teah, Sunday and Monday are free days. Home on Tuesday. TVB is in North Carolina as his mother is very, very ill so our friend Cheryl is stepping in to care for our dogs.

I have my 6 month PCR on the 26th, cross your fingers

All is well and bye for now

Post tx-week 21 Monday

We're back from Alaska and we had a blast with our wilderness company "Alaska Outdoors". We were there 10 days camping in the wilderness covering about 800 miles and hitting 4 national parks. Alaska is every bit as pretty as Hawaii, only it's not as hot. We traveled on a tour with a group of 10 plus a guide. Lots of cold and rain while sleeping in tents with a shower every other day. Our guide drove and cooked and everyone we were with were really nice and fun too. We had a young couple from Ireland, an older couple from England, 2 single women from the midwest, one with a PHD in geology and the other with a PHD in psychology, and a couple of psychologists from North Carolina.

Here's my fishing story. I asked the guide where we could fish while we were in Kanai national park. He said he'd drop us (the North Carolina peps & I) near a trail and we could walk in about 1.5 miles to a spot where a creek meets the lake, he swore there were fish there. He dropped us off and about a mile in we came to a fork in the road. There was a post but the sign was gone and someone had carved creek with an arrow pointing to the left and beer with an arrow pointing to the right. This would come to haunt us later. We hiked the 1/2 mile to the creek and sure enough there were big coho salmon everywhere. We also to great glee in the fact that there were fresh bear tracks
on our shore, we commented on how cute they were. The fish wouldn't bite on anything but there were so many that we could snag them with empty hooks, they would wiggle off because our hooks were too small and they were too big but it was a lot of fun. We looked up the river about 200 feet and there was a 500 pound grizzly bear swimming accross the creek. He stopped in midstream and stood up on his back legs and ate a salmon, holding it with his front paws and eating it like a piece of corn. After he finished, he went on the island across from us and we thought he was gone. Two minutes later, we hear a big splash about 60 feet away and to our dismay, he is swimming right to us and starring at us intently. We slowly back out of there and head about a quarter mile away and we hide out on a beach about 20 feet off the trail for 1/2 and hour. We decide that that was such a great spot to fish and we decide to go back as the bear must surely be gone by now. As we hit the trail, we notice a new bear poop which wasn't there 1/2 an hour ago. We walk along shouting "hey bear" so we don't surprise a bear and after about 2 minutes I see the bush about 10 feet ahead of me having an earthquake and soon I see two bear cups climbing a tree, the mother is holding her ground and this is a black bear. We are out of there before you know it and we are heading for the road as this place is wall to wall bears, no wonder the fishing was so good. It seems the "hey bear" probably saved us from an attack. We get to the post and we notice that the carved sign post actually read "death creek". As we head to the road, we meet a guide from another tour company and he has a huge cannister of bear mace. We mention that he should stay away from where we were and he mentions, "Oh, we don't let anybody go down there". When we were picked up by our guide Mark we told him our tale and he mentioned that the locals wouldn't go down there without a shotgun.....Thanks Mark!

Next day we did white water rafting, fabulous but very cold, and a few days later we went ocean kayaking to a glacier. We ended up in Seward for an all day wildlife cruise
and then back to Achorage and the flight home last night.

M's parents are here from Chicago for a week so tomorrow, were of to SF for a few days and then on the 9th we're of to NYC for 6 days.

All is well and bye for now

Post tx-week 19 Wednesday

Last week was busy for M and I. My daughter had a beautiful baby girl and she named her Jessica. She is really cute, aren't all the babies, and she is mother and child are doing great. We went to see her on Saturday and we ran out of gas on the way back to Carmichael from Martinez. How does one run out of gas in a Prius one asks? Well, they are notorius for doing this as they have a diaphram in the gas tank which expands and contracts. You either get 550 miles on 11.9 gallons(tank) or, in our case, you get 478 with 1.2 gallons left in the tank(based on refill amount). So, when it gets on the low side don't take any chances.

TVB came back from Thailand and he is building me a new paint studio space while we're gone. He is also taking care of the house, the garden and the dogs. We have all fallen in love with Lola.

My storage shed came on Monday and I had noend to the problems I encountered with Tuff-Shed. True idiots, the shed is done and it looks great and will do us well. They still owe me a 10 foot shelf and I have my doubts about my ever getting it.

M and I are off to Alaska today for 10 days of wilderness camping. It's ironic in that the clothes and the back packs and the luggage cost more than the whole friggin trip. We come back on the 31st and on September 9th we go to NYC for a week..Any takers for lunch?

All is well and bye for now.

Post tx-week 18 Thursday

The beat goes on. M and I have been in SF for the last few days and we have been having fun, taking the dogs to the beach, eating and going to the movies. Tomorrow we pick up TVB from the airport as he flies in from Thailand for 4 months. He will baby sit the dogs and the house while we're on our trips. I've been getting the SF loft ready so that we can do short term rentals starting in January.

I have a tough-shed being built in Carmichael and they deliver it on Monday and assemble it onsite. The extra storage will give me room in the garage to make an art studio in one of the parking bays. All I will need is a skylight, 2 flouescents, and some ventilation and I will be ready to work on large canvases for school in the spring.

Tomorrow, after we pick up TVB, it's back to Carmichael for a week and then we are off to Alaska for 10 days of wilderness camping.

All is well and bye for now

Magda with Tony Saprano and Company

Post tx-week 17 Wednesday

We just finished our trip to pick up our new puppy and it was a lot of fun. We left last Wednesday and drove to the Oregon border and we spent the night on my friend Jesse's land. He has 360 acres which has been in his family since they homesteaded it back in the 1880's. The land has no running water or electricity and it has bears and rattlesnakes. Billy and Magda were not happy campers and Billy went and waited by the car at 5 in the morning and M was right behind him at 6. Strange behavior from M as she has always told me what a whoosh I was for not liking to camp. While we were there, my friend and his buddy got really shit housed and we all took turns shooting his pistol. I'm glad I got that out of my system.

The next day we were off to Eugene Oregon with a stop at the Starbuck's in Ashland along the way. We got to Eugene and had a nice hotel and we washed up and went over to Linda's house to pick up our new puppy Lola. What a cutie, so small. Billy is not happy but getting better every day.

The next day we drove to the Oregon coast and had a beautiful hike along the way. We spent the night in Coos Bay, a real shit hole, skip it if you ever head that way.

The next day we headed to Eureka with several stops at really beautiful beaches along the way. The hotel in Eureka was quite nice and the town has a real Starbuck's so it as the TL seal of approval.

The next day we headed to Mendocino and spent the night there. For some reason, the town is over run with hippies who are really just dope addict bums.

Next day, it was of to SF for an over night and the next day we drove home.

We walked in to our newly painted home and it looks really nice. M actually apologized for being so nasty before she ever saw it. She loves it!

All is well and bye for now.

Post tx-week 16 Tuesday

I tell you, there's no justice in this world. Over the last week I rode my bike 24 miles a day for 5 days, that's 120 miles, to the point that I think I am crippled. Guess how much weight the big T lost for all of this effort?......Zero(0), zilch, nada, not one fucking pound!

Magda is out of school and she is a whirling dervish, the yard looks great and she's a whole lot of fun. Sometimes it's hard for my sorry old 60 year old ass to keep up with her.

I am still trying to adapt to internet banking and every day it's another surprise. Your money will be transferred into our bank on the 29th, except that it's 10:00pm and it ain't happening. I finally got Equifax to lift my credit freeze and I now have it set up so that I can put it on or off in 15 minutes. That was an ordeal..I have their phone number where you get a real person if you ever need it.

I bought a new apple computer and the change over from the old one was flawless, an unbelievable surprise.

Tomorrow we drive off to Oregon to pick up the new puppy. M has finally decided to name her Lola which I think is really cute. Tomorrow we go North as far as Mount Shasta and we spend the night on Jesse's ranch, no shower, no toilet, no nothing. Sounds like a blast, no more four seasons for me, I'm starting at the bottom and working my way back.

Our friend will be house sitting while we are away and we are having the house painted. The process leading up to the paint job has been difficult and painful as M likes the darks and I like the lights. We settled on a red bed room and light walls in the living, dining, and family room.

The painting is heading to a finish, this has taken a long time and I'm happy to see it coming to a close, maybe 10 more hours left.

All is well and bye for now

Post TX-week 15 Monday

I finally, after 3 weeks got my 3 month viral load test results.........UNDECTECTABLE!!

Things are starting to pick-up in terms of having to get ready for the many trips we're getting ready to go on. Visa's, flight changes, special clothes etc. In the next 4 months we're going to Oregon, Alaska, NYC, Dubai, India, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Patagonia, & Chile. In January, we both start back a Sac State to finish our degrees, Magda in Psychology and me in Studio Art. When I'm done, I don't know if I'll actually be an artist but it won't be from lack of trying if I'm not.

The treatment for the Hep C really changed me for the better, I feel a little stupider but I feel a lot better and I haven't a care in the world.

I'm still trying to break up my bank accounts. This has really got me feeling old. I mean, I worried about a run on the bank, except, I'm supposed to worry since we just had one. I froze my credit with the credit bureaus and the bank's all use Equifax.

It used to go like this, "Hi, I'd like to deposit $ in your bank" They would say, "Yes sir! Mister Lee! Now it's, "Hi, I'd like to deposit $ in your bank" They say, "sorry, your application has be declined as we can't identify you." So now we're all terrorists until proven otherwise. Talk about big brother. I'd love to see what kind of contract Homeland Security has with Equifax.

OK, enough whining, I could have worse problems.

All is well and bye for now.

Post TX-week 14 Tuesday

We went to SF last weekend and had a blast. On Sunday we went with David and Jimmy for a ride down the coast. SF to Santa Cruz, about 50 Miles. The 20 mile stretch right in the middle has fabulous beaches and very few people. We stopped in the tiny town of Pescadero and had a great breakfast at a locals hangout. Saloon with ranchers and farmers and a restaurant connected to it. It was funky but I was still able to order an egg white omelet. On to Santa Cruz where we encountered a massive traffic jam trying to get to the beach. We drove through and went on to Capitola, another beach town. On the way back we stopped in Downtown Santa Cruz and had a dinner at a side
walk cafe and we admired all the freaky people walking by. If you ever wondered where all the hippies from the 60's went, think Santa Cruz.

We came home Sunday and did our chores and errands and we're back to SF tomorrow as the air is so bad from all the fires. We'll come back on Saturday for a few days and then we're off to Oregon for a week to get the puppy. Busy, busy, busy! This retirement is hard work.

How about the 2nd annual Hep C breakfast in NYC on September 12th. All welcome but special invites to UC, Laurie, and Starwitch. Stay tuned

All is well and bye for now

The new puppy is the one on the attack



Terry, Jimmy & David