Hooray, my addiction to Diet Coke is over (hopefully)

 Hi there

Well, it's been been five months since I decided to give up my addiction to Diet Coke.  I have tried many times to get rid of this monkey on my back, but the first three weeks of any stopping has always been hell.   Just ask my dentist -

"Lorraine, do not ever - ever - come to get a tooth fixed when you're trying to stay off Diet Coke.  I cannot put up with your grumpiness.  I do not want to hear anymore about how you compare dentists to the worst humans on the planet-"  

And I have never succeeded to break my habit.  For something like thirty years I have been addicted.

 Until now.  Five months free of that addiction.  Repeat, five months.  I hope my four readers appreciate the enormity of this.

But it's been hell trying to find an alternative to Diet Coke.  I don't drink tea or coffee.  Water is so-so, there's no kick to water.  But I do drink it not because I want to but because it's supposed to be, you know, healthy and good for you.

I am trying other drinks -

I'm trying orange juice.  Boring.  But most cafes and restaurants have orange juice in stock.  As they do any type of Coca Cola..

I'm trying diet ginger ale from supermarkets.  Okay.  But no cafes and restaurants have the diet brand in stock.

I'm trying Zero Sugar L&P from supermarkets. Okay.  But no cafes and restaurants have this in stock either. 

I know that if I so much as take a sip of Diet Coke again, I will finish off the bottle. I will once again become an addict. It will be my slippery slope of hell...

d

Catch Me If You Can - the musical

 Hi there

Yesterday my friend and I went to the Gryphon Theatre in Wellington and saw the local Kauri Theatre production of "Catch Me if You Can - the musical".  It was the stage musical version of the popular book and movie about the young teen guy who robs, forges, steals identities.  While still young he impersonated and lived for a time as an airline pilot, a lawyer, and a hospital doctor. His arch enemy is an FBI detective intent on catching him.

 Leonardo De Caprio starred in the movie version.  I had read the book years before the movie came out, and enjoyed it.

I did have reservations over whether the movie/book could be turned into a good musical. I figured it would be difficult to do.... But the show worked. I loved it. 

All the actors, singers, dancers, musicians, stage lighters, the band, the director couldn't be faulted. The songs fitted into the plotline perfectly. The static set worked like a dream, and the stage size suited the dozen spirited dancers without anyone stepping on toes

 And I do love local productions because the performers always enthusiastically perform their hearts out.

 As we customers entered the building, we were greeted by a plane stewardess who exchanged our theatre tickets for a boarding pass. The foyer in parts resembled an airport-

My face had a wide grin upon it during the entire show. 

My Driving Licence ... Again .... (Sigh)

 Hi there

Well, the doctor signed off on my driving licence.  So did  optomotrist.

Everything was ok to renew my licence.  

I took in the form to the Automobile Association who were handling things on behalf of the Transport Department.

"Oh," said the young woman behind the counter, and looking at the optomotrist's form.  "It says here that you need to be checked out again in a year..."

Uh-oh, she's obviously remembering about the two-year thing...

"When you're ... your age ... Oh, no, she thinks  I'm ancient... driving licences are given out every two years.," she pointed out.

"Yes."

"And for you, your optomotrist says 'one year'"  

"Yes."

'And no night driving'."

Uh-huh."  I had glaucoma, and I'd helpfully written that down too.

"I'll have to ring up the Transport Department," the AA woman said.  And she did.  Some guy at the other end apparently pulled up my info.  There was a discussion, of which I could only hear one side.  It didn't sound too good,

So ... now I was on the Transport Department's watch list?  Great.

And that's how things stand, as of today.  She'd dated the form, signed it and said I'd hear whether I was accepted by Transport for a renewal of my driving licence....

***

At the optomotrist's office I found Tui, the optomotrist's guide-dog-in-training, a Labrador.  Oooh, I went all gooey inside, Tui was one gorgeous doggie.  And I bought a $20 charity 'guide-dog-in-training' plush puppy -