Thursday, June 3, 2021

Coffee Talk and May's Book Reviews

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Let's catch up over coffee! It's always fun to check in and hear what everyone is doing off the road. What are you having? As always, I'm drinking my Dunkin' with a scoop of GLG Collagen and a splash of half and half. 

What would you tell me over coffee?

If we were having coffee... I'd share my travel misadventures on my way to visit Holly in Alabama. Make sure your cup is full because this is a long story! 

The last time I traveled by plane was March 2020, when I flew to Florida to visit my parents. I've traveled a lot and feel pretty lucky that I have encountered very few glitches. Well, I guess it was my turn...

Upon landing in Atlanta, I walked through the terminal to the Sky Train, which would take me to the car rental center. There was a loud alarm and someone said the train was not running. After about 15 minutes of waiting around, we were told to proceed to the shuttle stand, where we would get a ride to the rental center. I was not happy to see the hundreds of travelers milling around, waiting, and no sign of any shuttle. I made my way to the taxi stand and shared a cab to the car rental center with another traveler. He paid for the cab and that made me feel like things were looking up!

I couldn't believe there was no one in line at the Avis counter--so I breezed right up to the representative and gave him my rental information. Then he asked me for the credit card that my husband had used to prepay for my rental. Since it was my husband's card, I didn't have it with me. I was told that since I didn't have the credit card used for the rental, I couldn't have the car. Even though it was reserved in my name with all my information and already paid for. Hmmm. I pulled out my credit card and asked him to put the car on that card. Same bank account. He told me that he couldn't use that card since it wasn't the one used to pay for the car. This made no sense to me. I was stunned. The attendant at the counter next to mine interjected with a 'ma'am', told me that it was a new policy to "prevent fraud", and asked did I want to see the policy? I told her no. I asked to talk to a manager and yep, she was the manager, and did I want to see the policy?

It took every ounce of self-control to keep it together--I may have used the word 'scam' and she put her hand up. "Ok," she said. At least she didn't call me Karen. I asked about a new rental using my credit card and was told it would be $1000 for the weekend. Fighting tears, a bad word may have slipped from my lips. I walked away, feeling panicked. Meanwhile, the stranded passengers were arriving from the airport and it was getting crowded. What to do? I called Holly. After some back and forth, she got me on a shuttle to Auburn. The Sky Train was working now and I headed back to the airport to wait. I was hungry but none of the restaurants were open, so I had some Lunchables. How low can a person sink? On the shuttle, our driver, Ralph, had to make a pit stop at a gas station to stock up on Monsters. When he dropped us off, he asked us to make sure we all gave him 5 stars. Ok, he was nice...

You really can't make this stuff up.

Holly and her husband were waiting for me at the shuttle office. We stopped for a late lunch and got to her house by about 5 pm. As we rocked in her porch swing, sipping on a beer, she commented that at least I got all the bad stuff out of the way. Seriously. She also suggested I stay an extra day to make up for the day lost traveling, which I did.

Planes, trains, automobiles, and a shuttle. Oh, and by the way, I haven't gotten my money back for the car rental yet...


If we were having coffee... I'd tell you that while Cocoa has completely recovered from her surgery on her ears, she has been having issues with her back. We think she was chasing a rabbit in the backyard and somehow injured herself. Another trip to the vet for a 'cold laser' treatment and a prescription for steroids, she's doing better but keeps aggravating it. I'd ask what's next but I'm afraid to find out. She still hasn't had her spring vaccines and check up...

She's just not right

If we were having coffee... I'd share that I've been having issues with my right wrist. It started about 6 weeks ago when I was doing handstands. I thought it was a ganglion cyst but even after my friend whacked it with a book, it still hurts. My rheumatologist did an ultrasound and didn't see a cyst. She's not sure what it is and wants me to go to a hand specialist. I still haven't made that appointment. Part of me wonders if there is anything that he can do besides imaging and giving me a diagnosis?


If we were having coffee... on a very sad note, I'd tell you that a few weeks ago, I found out that one of my friend's sons committed suicide. He was the same age as my youngest son and the boys went to school together since kindergarten. When I talked to my youngest son, he was shocked. Apparently, the boy had been suffering from depression over the past year, but no one knew. I still can't stop thinking about it and I can't imagine what she has been going through. I've been seeing so much teen depression in my practice at work and this really shook me up.  

If we were having coffee... I'd share my reviews of the books I read in May:

Outlawed by Anna North is a Wild West Story about a gang of women, The Hole in the Wall Gang, who were ostracised by their families, mostly for infertility. The goal of the gang is to build a safe haven for these women but to achieve their goal, they need money. It's a pretty fun read and made me want to learn more about the real Hole in the Wall Gang. 

Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie was a prerelease from Net Galley (release date is June 22) and I was really excited to read this historical fiction about a band in the 70s. This seems to be the genre of the moment and I am here for it! This story about an emerging rock band has all the goods: sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Somewhat predictable, it is ultimately the story about staying true to yourself and was a fun read!

Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen is the story of Vietnamese immigrants who settle in New Orleans. The single mom and her two sons struggle to assimilate while grieving for the father they left behind. A quietly beautiful novel with a very satisfying ending; it was my favorite read of the month.

Love At First by Kate Clayborn was my 'palate cleanser' and it served the purpose of being light and fluffy. A predictable rom-com, I knew how it was going to go and it went. It just went on too long...

Too Good to Be True by Carola Loverling was too good to put down! Woah. The story is told in alternating narratives by the 3 main characters: a husband and wife who set out to deceive a wealthy young sweet single woman. I don't want to give much away but I will say it is a wild ride!

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb is the story of a lonely suburban wife who longs to be part of the popular crowd. Only these women like to live on the edge...kinda made me squirm and it reminds me that some women never outgrow high school. Super trashy with a twist I didn't see coming. Unputdownable!


Sorry for the long post, but it's been A LONG MONTH! What would you tell me over coffee? Any travel adventures? Are you reluctant to go to the doctor when you're minorly injured? Have you read any good books lately?

I'm linking up with Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date and with the ladies of Fit Five Friday:  DarleneMichelleReneeJenn, and Zenaida.


46 comments :

  1. I am so sorry about your son's friend. That's so sad. It's been such a tough time for everyone.

    And also sorry about your travel woes. Wow. We have definitely had our share of those, including having to stay overnight at airports quite a few times (luckily on the airline's dime) -- so it could actually have been worse! I've never heard of that though.

    Good luck with Cocoa! While Lola was generally healthy, she did have arthritis in her back. Which is why she saw the holistic vet -- often -- and got adjusted & laser. It helped but it was a lot of money (not to mention my time taking her, especially fun during the Pandemic when I couldn't go inside).

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    1. I’ve been considering looking for a place to take Cocoa for massage. I’m really going all in , I guess!

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  2. Sorry about the travel woes. Car rental prices and availability have been tough. Having the credit card issue on top of it all really sucks. Poor Cocoa. Healing hugs to her!

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  3. So sorry about your son's friend, that's just awful. These things do come a bit out of the blue and it's such a shock. I'm glad he can talk to you.

    And good that you saw Holly but what a nightmare. I remember trying to extract a hire car where I had a credit card and my friend the driving licence - argh!

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    1. It truly amazes me how much the car rental companies want to take advantage of the consumer!

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  4. Oh my goodness, Wendy, that car rental story!
    Something similar happened to us a long time ago, in 90s. It was at Newark airport.
    I had booked and paid for a car at Avis. We arrived at the rental office and Kai showed his driver's license because he was the driver. I didn't have mine with me.
    They refused to rent us the car because I had booked but Kai was driving. I guess this has some legal implications if we have an accident. In any case, after a very long discussion they finally gave us the car. That was the last time I booked a rental car.
    I hope you get that refund!

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    1. Yeah, they weren’t budging. Glad you were able to work it out!

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  5. Yikes on all those travel woes. Rental cars are ridiculous this summer. I do hope you get that refund. Glad it didn’t spoil your visit with Holly.

    Thanks for the book recs. Those last two sound like good choices right now.

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  6. oh wow that's a lot! I had a similar car rental situation once and had to rebook in my name. Thankfully they never charged my husband's card and gave me the same rate. Crazy rules! Glad you still ended up having a great time w Holly. How do you have time to read so many books? I have a pile of summer reads sitting here!

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    1. Everyone asks me that! I just read.. I go to bed really early, so maybe that’s how?

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  7. That story with the rental car -- there is nothing that frustrates me more than that kind of "service". I've had similar incidents (not car-related) but where I've just stood there and thought (okay maybe said), "You can't be serious". SO sorry you had to go through that but so glad you extended your stay and that as Holly said, you got all the bad stuff out of the way. As for the suicide... heart-breaking and sadly we have so many incidents of that here too. Just a few weeks ago my friend lost her nephew. And on the surface, he had everything to live for, he was excelling at everything, seemed happy and driven, only 21 years old. And it just shocked everyone. We just never know what's simmering beneath the surface. Awful.

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    1. This boy was also 21. Really really sad and hit me hard. I’m always hugging my boys when I see them and hoping they are doing ok.

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  8. Ugh!! I've had travel woes as well but not as bad as yours. Getting stuck overnight several times and had to pay $$$ myself for a hotel plus missing work. My last rental car issues was computer failure and then power failure...cost me a lot of valuable vacation time. Glad you had fun with Holly.

    A few years ago, my friend's son committed suicide. The parents will never ever get over it.

    Thanks for the book recommendations. I'm heading to the library today. I only read real books. I know. Crazy.

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    1. I can’t imagine ever getting over something like that. Ever.

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  9. That is total BS about the car rental! There is no reason they couldn't call your husband to verify the card or cancel that card and use yours for the same rate;. I would 've been so pissed.
    So sorry about your sons friend. That is so sad. You really never know what someone else is going through. I've had the talk with my girls several times.
    I am continually amazed at how many books you can read in a month!

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    1. Oh I was so upset. Being treated like that is just uncalled for. Imagine if that is how we treated our patients!

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  10. Rental car agencies are really sticking it to travelers right now. $1,000 a day in Hawaii. I guess they're trying to recoup from last year's losses, like no one else suffered.

    I'm so sorry about your friend's son.

    Yes, I'm reluctant about going to the doctor for minor injuries. I went in April because I had strep throat and told my doctor about a fall I had last November. He just stared at me like, "Why didn't you get checked?" I'm fine now.

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    1. Lol I hear stories like yours all the time! I always wonder why people come in when they are feeling better too!

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  11. Thank You For The Coffee Date And Thankful The Pup Is Comfortable Again - Well Done Human - Very Entertaining Post - Car Rentals, Hilarious - And You Are So Right, Just Cant Make That SH*T Up - Enjoy The Weekend With The tribe

    Cheers

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  12. What a travel nightmare! I hope you get your refund.

    It hurts my heart to hear about your friend's son. There are so many young people hurting - it's just every parent's worse nightmare.

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    1. Already today at work, I’ve had 2 patients score high on the depression screen. I wish I had a magic wand to make everything better.

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  13. You did have a lot going on this month! That's absolutely terrible about your friend's son. I can't even wrap my head around how she must feel, and how she's going to get through this. So sad.
    I'll take your rental car story as a cautionary tale- I could absolutely see that happening to me, and will be careful about which credit cards are used in the future!

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    1. I feel like the car rental places are always one step ahead of us!

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  14. Your travel story has left me truly speechless - what a nightmare! The rental car policy sounds really ridiculous. I don't know if I could have kept my cool so kudos to you!

    I am so sorry to hear about your son's friend - it makes me so sad that he was suffering from depression. I know that speaking about mental health has been taboo in the past but I hope that the more openly we discuss it, the more people will comfortable to come forward and seek treatment to help.

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  15. So sad about your son's friend. Stuff like that really hits close to home. I was a basket case last week, after the Mollie Tibbetts murder trial/verdict. I don't know how a parent (or sibling) could get beyond such a tragedy...

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  16. Car rental companies were always bad and now they are getting worse. Bill and I just booked a trip to Alaska. At first there were no rental cars available for the week we will be there. None. From any company. Then I got an email from one company stating that we could have a car for $1950. For a week. They got to pick the car - we didn't get to choose. You are kidding, right? We finally rented from a private car company (kind of like VRBO, only for cars). I'll let you know how it turns out.

    I am so sorry about your friend's son. What a terrible tragedy.

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    1. Holly told me about Turo, a carshare company. It's definitely an option I'll be looking into in the future.

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  17. Rental cars are really the next thing that's going to fall apart. We had a huge problem with a pickup a few years ago, and my husband can't drive by that particular company without spouting off. I'm so glad it all worked out.

    Cocoa! Sweet thing!

    I'm so sorry about your son's friend. I am deathly afraid of what we will see in terms of suicide after this pandemic year. I think we are all so fragile and how to cope. :(

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    1. I fear that we are only seeing the beginning of the fallout from the pandemic, mental health-wise. I'm spending so much time at work doing behavioral health management, something i definitely didn't sign up for.

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  18. I miss travel but not the BS like that! I can't believe with the same name and pre-paid. I would have been really pissed, too. Poor form on Avis' part. Rental cars are in short supply and are $$$

    I just read two good books that were both novels of crimes that happened ~10 years passed and where investigations were re-opened b/c of podcasts. One set in England and one set in Washington State. I liked both Possession by Katie Lowe and Beneath Devil's Bridge by Loreth Anne White.

    I'm so sorry about your son's friend. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on mental health for all ages - but especially young people.

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    1. Thank you for the book recs! I'm always looking for good reads!

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  19. I am so sorry to hear about your friend's son. I can't imagine. I pray for his parents.

    What a terrible travel experience that must have been. I don't understand why they couldn't check with your husband and then use your card to charge the car on. So weird. Hopefully the rest of trip made up for it.

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    1. Still mystified by the whole rental experience! I did get my refund yesterday, so I can move on. Thankfully the trip was amazing!

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  20. That travel experience is unbelievable! I'm sorry it was so stressful but I'm glad you got there safely and spent an extra day visiting Holly.
    That is so sad about your son's friend. So many young people (and people of all ages) are really struggling with mental health right now.

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    1. I keep wishing I had a magic wand at work so I could make my sad patients feel better...

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  21. Oh my goodness, who would have thought that using a different card number on the same account would cause such an issue with your car rental. Here's hoping you get your refund without too much trouble. I bet you and Holly had so much fun together and that it was worth the hassle!

    I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's son.

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  22. I would have cursed and cried too. That is an awful experience. Have you disputed the credit card charge? I am glad that you still had fun on your trip! I am sorry to hear about your son's friend. It is awful and cannot imagine what his parents are going through.

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    1. I finally got the refund, so I can put that whole incident behind me!

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  23. I'm so sorry that you had to deal with all that at the car rental! I'm glad Cocoa has recovered from her surgery and hope her back feels better soon. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's son too. That's so awful.

    I need to read Things We Lost to the Water sometime! Will add it to my to-read list!

    I'm definitely very reluctant to go to the doctor, hahaha. I'm very much a minimizer and only go if it's absolutely necessary.

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    1. They say that medical providers are the worst patients, lol!

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