Ticking items off the list

It is headed for 3 below tonight. Getting things done for departure is taking precedence. I had Delores print off Dr. Cohn's forms. My printer was on the fritz. Nice little visit with her and others at my old office. Took said forms to my Primary doc. I got a prescription for an Oxygen Concentrator but the one I thought I wanted I didn't want after talking to the vendor. I went to Lincare- my oxygen vendor. The blue behemoth I have is their portable model and can go with me.  Maybe I will wait awhile. I have some appointments for blood draws and an appointment with Cardiologists in Casper on Friday. Between now and then I hope to have many other details taken care of: mail forwarding, automatic payments for electricity, insurance, etc.

The Droid replacement arrived-it was here on Friday but my regular UPS guy wasn't, so the substitute slapped a notice on my Van! Bill brought it today. Wonder of wonders, Google had all my apps remembered  and the thing is completely restored. That is kind of creepy but convenient.

Crummy news is rolling in. Great Aunt Eleanore Bosco passed peacefully at age 92. That is not so sad-that is the way of all flesh though it is sad to say goodbye. Our friend Rene in Quebec is backsliding on his brain tumor. We had been so hopeful that he would get another Florida season. Canadians have to get permission from their health care insurance to travel to the U.S. because our costs are so much higher. Anybody with pre-existing conditions can get slapped with a huge deductible-like $20,000. We are all feeling bad about this.

Jeanne said the gossip at the campground is that I had a pacemaker installed. Criminetly! Makes me want to hide or change campgrounds (like there is a choice!) Maybe I'll rent a walker and have some fun with them.

White Christmas

It is snowing, cars are creeping down the highway, PBS has Andre Bocelli and other stars singing David Foster's over the top Christmas arrangements, warm and toasty in here. The music is working its magic-banishing the "bah humbugs" momentarily. I'll enjoy the mood tonight and hope it goes away by the morning.

I have Cardio Rehab in the morning and I would like to go if the roads are not too slick. I feel like I have been making good progress on my own but I would like the benchmarks to be noted. I also have a few questions for Rita, R.N. Not worth going in the ditch, however.

Just talked to Daryne to warn him the roads are slick. He has been driving their semi today so he knows. Macey is 16 and has been driving the kids to school and I was worried about that. Kristi will drive. My work as a fussbudget is now over.

Jason sent some hilarious pictures. Lori's mom's Christmas Tree toppled. A Christmas card was born.

Nuke 'em, Danno

A new Emerson microwave fit exactly into the spot the Carousel came from. It is a little lower power than the old one but it has some nice features for $54.00. It is more quiet. Heats water for tea and coffee and those are the biggies. Unfortunately it makes the rest of my stuff look shabbier.

I have been freezing all day, except when in the Van. It is 21 degrees and the humidity is 64% out there. I took quite a bit of exercise today (walking). I got winded twice but it doesn't take too long for me to catch up. The doggies tried escaping several times but the electronic collars brought them back. Honey has gotten chummy with a dog across the street- my worst nightmare. We need to get on the road to Florida! David's big party is the 11th and I want to be there to take pictures. That is one of my most popular albums on the web. Last year some pictures got 225 viewings.

One of those days!

I was looking forward to a quiet day. The Droid was supposed to come (but didn't) and I was looking forward to programming and piddling with it. In deference to the UPS man (Bill) I brought the dogs in for the middle of the day. They were like kids-running and wrestling in the house which amuses me but when I let them out they disappeared. I called and called, whistled, used the electronic collar pagers, got in the Van to search, told Daryne, and he went looking-borrow pits for bodies, asking other neighbors, and all. Eventually he called. He spotted them a couple of pastures over-having a ball in the wetlands. I made eye contact and called them. Daryne's cattle and the guard llamas saw them too and gave chase. It served the naughty dogs right and it was pretty funny to watch. They know they did wrong but I don't think the lesson will last. I was hoofing it and moving right along. I am definitely on the mend but I was vexed and worried. I do not need that.

I decided to heat some water for tea and my microwave bade me farewell with an impressive flash. I don't understand. It has worked perfectly for 20 years. I will replace it tomorrow if I can find something to go in the same space. Microwaves have come down a great deal in cost. 

I started getting a little superstitious- is the Universe sending me a message? Chaos and wearing things out.hmmm.

Thankful

I've just partaken of the generous "dividend" Janet fixed me on my way out the door from their Thanksgiving Feast. I asked for one of her homemade rolls which I couldn't get around on the first go-around. Got way more than that. I had great calls earlier in the day, a laidback excellent feast at 1:00, a good visit with old friends and new and they had their woodstove cooking so I had a fire to back up to on this cold day-one of life's real pleasures.

Turkey and dressing, salad, cranberries, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, cheesecake with blueberry sauce. Earthly Delights!

Max said, "This is how you are supposed to look after Thanksgiving Dinner."

Backing up to the fireplace after a tour of the unfinished parts of the house. Their guests from Kinnear turned out to be friends of Mike and Diana who had also asked me for Thanksgiving. They are building also. They were interested in the house.

I needed a nap after we got home and I fed the doggies. Had a nice long chat with each of my boys this evening. A great day. Lots to be thankful for this year (and every year).

Minus 9 degrees

The day started cold and got a little better. Layering up? Try 5 layers. I stayed comfortable as I trotted around. My  Droid was supposed to arrive but the UPS tracking thing was goofy so I went to town to check the UPS place. (The phone was delivered)  I did my Wal-Mart Cardio. Pushed a cart through the obstacle courses at a good clip. Black Friday fever is besetting the Natives. Bought some coffee and some hostess offerings Ghirardelli chocolate, a Good Housekeeping apple clove candle, and fresh flowers for tomorrow's table at Guy and Janet's. I delivered them today thinking the flowers would fare better at Janet's than here.

I was excited about the Droid but I had forgotten about the micro-SD memory card which was necessary to restore all my applications. Off to town again to buy one. I settled for a smaller card than that I had in the old Droid. I can live with only twenty or thirty hours of music. The new Droid would not accept the card-the phone slot was screwed up. Gnashing of teeth! Asurion got a call. They dispatched a replacement of the replacement. Due in Friday. We will see.

Eve called. A get-well call. We had a nice visit. I still marvel at how two people can have such completely different "takes" on the same events. The Florida kids bought her a first class ticket for 8 days in Florida for Christmas. We had a nice time last year when we coincided. I will look forward to the same. She is having nine guests/carry in food folks for Thanksgiving. Mostly members from her "Dream Group." It sounds like a very interesting time. Son Matt is going to give this a pass and be with friends.

Brother Rich is putting Valerie on the plane for a "girls time" with her daughters in Sedona, AZ for Thanksgiving. Spa time. Rich will go to his daughter and Tom's for the truly gourmet feast they put on. He will enjoy that and I think he may may even enjoy a little "down time" though he does not do awfully well alone. We will talk I am sure.

The current is fluctuating here tonight for the second time. I called High Plains Power and put the screws to them: "What about my oxygen if the power goes out?"  Heh, heh.  The power has been interrupted a lot in the past few months. If the power goes out I will waste no time getting in the van. I will freeze before I draw my last gasp. They need to do better. If it hadn't been better for the past 25 years, they might be able to get away with it. I am turning into a Senior Screamer! Condo commando next.

Maintenance

I was due for a coumadin level test and about 9:30 was the midpoint of the active life of the dose so I loaded the pups and we were off to the hospital. I still have impressive needle marks from the whole ordeal but this draw went well. I noticed walking through the blustery wind into the hospital that I had decent energy and felt pretty darn well-the happy hormones were coursing. And that is the way the morning progressed. Took my Cardio-Lab report card to Dr. Hedgecock and she wanted to see me. My  BP was 128/78- a record low to my knowledge. While I was there my coumadin report came in and I was given a prescription for .1  mg more.  She had received the fat Cardiology report from Casper. We visited. She said, subject to Dr. Pickrell's agreement she saw no problem with my driving to Florida. She wants a coumadin related medicalert bracelet. She said her mother carried on for thirty years after her atrial fibrillation was diagnosed.  I had an appointment in Casper with Dr.Pickrell and company tomorrow but just had a feeling I should check to see what the agenda was and if, indeed, I had an appointment that they remembered. The doctors were, in fact, to be elsewhere so we skipped this appointment "with a mid-level practitioner" and I will keep the one on the 2nd of December.Their report intimates they may want to try to straighten out my arrythmia with drugs or electricity. We shall see. A positive morning feeling good.  

In my enthusiasm I overdid a little this day. Got way tired and had to take two rests. 

I called Verizon to see about replacing my Droid. The customer service person was a fun black lady of a certain age. We visited away. Told her I had lost the phone after my heart attack and we relived some of the better shticks of "Sanford and Son."  She told me I was insured! My new phone is on its way. The old one will probably surface now.