December 22 - 30, 2025

Kansas City, MO, - San Carlos, CA – Sonoma, CA

There has been silence for the past eight days or so. It has not been due to the Christmas Holiday or anything exciting. It has been due to the fact that influenza has hit the Kansas City Falks. Harry IV took Rochelle to emergency care and it was officially diagnosed as having influenza. On the 22nd I started coughing and just couldn’t stop.

So, on the night of the 23d, Harry IV and Mary, took me to the emergency clinic. They tested me for both influenza and COVID. Fortunately, no COVID, just influenza. Yes, we are good travelers and both Mary and I have had the COVID booster and annual influenza shots. Apparently doing so doesn’t prevent you from getting sick, but, supposedly, it reduces the severity of the attack.

Like the clinic did for Rochelle, they prescribed Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) for me. We went to CVS and picked up the prescription and then headed back to the hotel. I was there for the next several days. I skipped Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I was simply in no shape to do anything.

On Saturday the 27th I held myself as much together as possible and managed to get on the plane for Oakland. Mary, correctly so, insisted that I get a wheel chair when we got to the airport. I doubt I could have made it to the gate without. My ears didn’t adjust to the pressure due to my preexisting congestion, but we made it to Oakland. And, as it was par for the course, one of the bags turned up missing. After all the other bags had been delivered, we were still missing one.

We were able to trace the bag on the Southwest App, and it indicated it has arrived in Oakland. The baggage person was very nice and after about a half hour they located the bag and brought it to us. We had a car service arranged to pick us up and take us to the Hyatt in San Carlos. It had gone 22:00 by the time we reached the hotel. All I could do was fall into bed. Still not sleeping well, but I just couldn’t do more.

Sunday was supposed to be a quite relaxing day. Going through the mail from the past two months, and what ever medications there were here to pickup. Mary went and pickup the car, mail and packages from the office. I stayed in bed.

We had breakfast in the breakfast room of the hotel. Not every good, but not below par for a place with breakfast included. They were able to make cappuccini for us. They weren’t bad, just tasted a little burnt. Probably the influenza and not their fault.

We went to CVS and picked up what was there. Managed to get some sandwiches from Bianchini’s and head back to the hotel. Still not feeling anything like doing much of anything.

Monday, we headed out to Sonoma. I am feeling better today, but not by much. Traffic was light. There was construction on 19th Avenue in San Francisco. There was also the bridge construction on 121 after Angelos and before the big bend where it meets 116. Should have remembered and gone down Lakeville Road and entered from the west. We got to Sonoma just before it went noon. Unloaded the car. Started separating our clothing for the change over. What will go to Italy, what will be needed in Jordan and Egypt, and dirty laundry.

We went to Sonoma Market and got a few things, like milk and eggs. No reason to by much, Wednesday we leave. This is a very quick turnaround, even for us. That afternoon I had an appointment with the Urgent Care and Telehealth on West Napa Street across from Safeway. My ears were still “clogged” from the flight and hurt, not a lot, but Wednesday we leave for Italy, etc.

Still coughing, sinuses were still draining, not temperature, just feeling lousy. The doctor had that there was some “red” in my ears, but that they were otherwise clear. She suggested taking Amoxicillin for week to clear it up, just in case. That is fine, it won’t help the influenza but it may help the ears.

Tuesday wasn’t much better, but at least a little bit. The day was spent packing and and repacking. Taylor brought one of the other large suitcases from storage. Sounds like a lot, but we have to contend with very cold winter conditions in Torino, and less severe winter conditions in Jordan and Egypt. Then back to Italy for February. We also have a a little shopping assignment from Serra and Pietro.

Before we finally went to bed, all the clothes were washed, everything that could be packed was, medicines being the exception, and we were as ready was we will be for the 09:30 pick up in the morning. Like I said, one very quick turnaround. Probably would have been ok if I had been feeling well.

Buonanotte e ciao

Enrico e Maria