Does anyone know what this plant is? It was growing in Cremona. Not a rose - different leaves and no thorns.

No clue here.

Your photos of Milan are great. It sounds like a wonderful trip.

Karen

Looks pretty but no idea what it is.

I hope you get to feeling better, Ann. Probably the worst sinus infection I ever had I got when we got home from Paris. I probably caught it on the plane. DH caught his cold earlier, so he was sick in Paris. When we went to Rome, I got a sinus infection on the way over. I was sick for several days, but DH was in his work conference so I didn't miss any vacation things. After the conference, we went and did the tourist thing and I was healed by then.

Thanks, Kelli. In this case, I was the one spreading germs on the plane.

Landing wasn't fun (two landings) and one of my ears still bothers me a bit after that, but I didn't do real damage to the ears. I think the cold is progressing as it should be. I'm gonna get my act in gear and go do some grocery shopping. Might even garden a bit, but my viola is top priority as there's an orchestra rehearsal tomorrow and I'm not in very good shape for it. Plus I'm also playing these songs in November and we start rehearsing next week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

I woke at 5:45 and my left foot was in cramp mode, then it spread up my leg to the muscle on the left side of my calf, hurt like a bugger so I tried to message it out, then it spread to my thigh above my knee, then the calf in the right leg started to cramp so I had to get out of bed and walk up and down the hallway, this is bloody ridiculous, it is pure torture, thankfully it eased off and I went back to bed for a bit, got up at 6:30. my feet are still trying to cramp up.

Margaret, I don't know what is causing your cramping, but whenever it starts happening to me, I eat a banana a day. Within a week I have no more cramps. In my case, I think I need the potassium and the banana is better than pills. I tend to forget about them, and not eat them for long periods and that's when the cramping starts up again. They really are painful!

I feel for you, Margaret. I'm still doing PT for the same. I went to the gym today but took it pretty easy, didn't do anything too stressful on the legs.

One thing the PT told me to try was to try wearing compression sleeves on my legs when I exercise, and I've been doing that.

Karen

mcash70 said:I woke at 5:45 and my left foot was in cramp mode, then it spread up my leg to the muscle on the left side of my calf, hurt like a bugger so I tried to message it out, then it spread to my thigh above my knee, then the calf in the right leg started to cramp so I had to get out of bed and walk up and down the hallway, this is bloody ridiculous, it is pure torture, thankfully it eased off and I went back to bed for a bit, got up at 6:30. my feet are still trying to cramp up.

Oh Margaret. That really is awful, so very sorry you have this going on.

Well, after trying my green drink plain in water yesterday today I decided to try the advice of many of the Amazon Customer Reviewers. Many said they mixed it in Almond Milk and added cinnamon powder. I might try Almond Milk but I have Silk Vanilla Soy Milk (for my Special K cereal) so I used that. A small amount of milk, add a sprinkling of cinnamon, add that Garden Of Life Perfect Food Raw Energizer green powder and mix with the blender. Turned out wasn't that bad this way.

Hurray for the reviews that figured out how to doctor this up to make it drinkable!!

Yesterday I did want to try it plain for the first time just to see if it was drinkable. It wasn't!!!!

Of course I am not using a scoopful. Actually only used a teaspoon. Maybe I will build up to a scoop but I think not. Using a scoop the stuff will only last a month (so the reviews say) and it costs $30.00 for the jar. Very expensive.

So I also have the raw meal. I could just do some of each and drink that or I could alternate days on the two. I guess I will be experimenting in the coming days.

Remember I also take the Garden of Life Perfect Food Raw pills and their Raw Fiber stuff. So I am really trying for healthyness!

Thanks for the sympathy guys.

I eat 1/2 a banana, with some nuts, almonds, walnuts or pecans just about every day, plus I take a multi-mineral-vitamin for seniors every day, my diet for the most part is very healthy, so I don't think it is a lack of anything like potassium. My legs and feet are mostly fine during the day, the feet start late in the evening when I am sitting and then in bed at night.

Rita, I would rather eat real food than drink that vile drink even if I am a few pounds overweight.

mcash70 said:Thanks for the sympathy guys.

I eat 1/2 a banana, with some nuts, almonds, walnuts or pecans just about every day, plus I take a multi-mineral-vitamin for seniors every day, my diet for the most part is very healthy, so I don't think it is a lack of anything like potassium. My legs and feet are mostly fine during the day, the feet start late in the evening when I am sitting and then in bed at night.

Rita, I would rather eat real food than drink that vile drink even if I am a few pounds overweight.

As too the cramping later at night, That seems to be the way it goes. If my legs are gonna cramp up it is always after I lay down in bed and stretch out.

Used to happen everynight but now it is not very frequent.

As to those green drinks, I have been taking the Perfect Food Raw in capsules for years now. Supposed to take 8 a day but I do slack off and don't always take that many. However taking it in capsules I don't have to taste it!!

I know many of us simply don't get our suggested 5 servings of veggies a day. And more would be even better. So even eating healthy I find it difficult. Plus there is nothing like those raw green energy superfood powders. They really give you all the good stuff that one needs. For me, it works.

I don't care that they don't taste good. I just want them to be good enough that one can manage to drink it down without gagging!

"I don't care that they don't taste good. I just want them to be good enough that one can manage to drink it down without gagging!"

mcash70 said:"I don't care that they don't taste good. I just want them to be good enough that one can manage to drink it down without gagging!"

Well, if you tasted yesterday raw green powder in plain water you would for sure know what I mean. It was REALLY bad.

I made it much better today. It was actually drinkable.

I'm another who would prefer to be a few pounds overweight and actually enjoy what I consume. But we walked so much in Italy that I don't think I gained any weight.

Margaret - I hope you figure out what causes those cramps. I don't get them often, but I have experienced them and they are indeed very painful.

I've finished putting up another album of pictures - this one from Firenze (Florence). https://www.facebook.com/media...

The pictures are wonderful, Ann.

Karen

I'm starting a weight loss program next week. Wish me luck. I said I have a bunch of pounds that I do NOT want to take on our Mexico vacation..................

Are you going to do that same diet that you did last time? That sounded tough!

Karen

No, this is a different one.

Margaret, I hope you get your cramp problem figured out. One time I was getting up from the floor and I got a cramp in my leg. That had to have been one of the most painful things I have ever felt.

Good luck, Anna.

We went hiking yesterday for about an hour and 45 minutes. That trail kicked my butt. It would be easy for the normal person, but I am really out of shape for hiking, even though we walk five times a week. I had to take a nap after we got home. I might post the link to the photos on Facebook after I process them. You don't have to have a Facebook account in order to see them. It was incredibly dry. If plants can suffer, most of these were suffering. I am afraid that if the drought keeps up, it will change the whole ecosystem.