Maybe Next Week

I really wanted to make my meetings today. It's Thursday so I had the coffee social, I also had the appointment with the podiatrist to look at my heel. Last night Honey was so good as to put a dressing and medication on the wound site. I was kind of impressed and really. The blister didn't hurt and looked better than it had earlier in the day. I believe Honey was right the blister had ruptured.. I almost felt like I didn't need to go to the doctor but I do think if I keep pressure off the wound the wound well take care of itself. I was quite concerned when I went to bed about my butt. I really felt my butt was getting beat up by the backup chair and it's stupid cushion. I can actually feel my skin breaking down my leg. I knew that if I tried to go anywhere with the backup I would dismiss that harm to my butt. I decided I would cancel my podiatrist appointment as well as book club. I will keep an eye on my heel and if it does not seem to improve I can make an appointment after the holiday. It's good to note that I was also concerned about the batteries in the backup chair. The chair was ok getting me around the apartments but I would not want to take it further if I did not have to. I had a bit of a challenge getting up this morning, making the jump from the bed to power chair. Not only could I get my feet underneath me very well or securely but I also had a difficult time shifting my weight from the bed to the chair. I made the jump but it was challenging. I have thought about maybe going back to bed and just waiting until the wheelchair people brought my chair back but I realized all have an issue transferred back to the bed. So I spent the day trying to keep the weight off my butt as much as I could. I binged on Salvation of the decent series I been watching on Amazon Prime. I laid my chair back as much as I dared to get the weight off my buttocks which I think worked but I was pleased when the wheelchair shop called to inform me my chair was coming back soon.

I'm always amazed at how closely have been watched here at the apartments. Everything seemed to be mixed up at coffee this morning I sat at the table in the direction, and by people I never sit by. One person who I barely know, who I sat by, leaned over and asked me Why is not being as active as usual. She said I was not rolling around the property like I usually do. I was a bit startled but took the questioning in stride. I smiled and felt very alone what's been happening to me physically of late. I do not have to live on the other people's expectations but I find I like to keep folks satisfied. I know I always like to have something to tell a home care person. She always likes to know what I'll be doing over the weekend and often comments when I post something on my Facebook account particularly if I'm out and about like going to a movie. She really reinforces My activity in the community.

I kind of feel this has been the lost week. The only difference I feel I have made this last week was my attendance at the Assist, Inc. meeting. Oh well, I plan to rest my butt and in my heel and start off next week on the right foot.

New Batteries And So Much More…

Selfie of many in my backup chair next to the chair leaving for new batteries.

I'm sitting in my backup chair to me this chair feels almost identical to my regular chair with a few exceptions. The seat is wider and the cushion does not offer, supposedly, as much protection as my other question in my main chair. I am going to be in this chair at least 24 hours while my main chair get some attention and most specifically batteries. The batteries will be great However I need some desperate work done on the foot pedals. The foot pedals are getting so destroyed that is putting pressure on my feet. Yesterday I had to have a friend of mine Look at my heel. There was a black circle the size of a quarter. The black circle was a blister of course was caused by the Foot pedal pressing against my heel preventing blood to that area. We are waiting for my insurance to authorize work on the foot pedals. Until then I need to be much more careful on how my feet are sitting on those pedals.

Once again I am amazed at how lucky I am to have a backup chair. Most people are fortunate just to have the chair at all that long two. It is not like I'm going to use this chair to go anywhere significant but I'm thankful to have the device to get me by. Tomorrow I do have book club tomorrow At the library but if I careful I think this chair will give me by this might new batteries chair is not back in time for my trip down south. The only other events I have tomorrow is coffee social and that's here on the property no traveling required. Oh I forgot My home health person tonight the envelope from my New dentist or was going to be my new dentist once I get the documents and the envelope filled out and returned. Hopefully, I can do that tonight and returned the information tomorrow can set up an appointment. I have a tooth that's getting ready to go nova – – I can tell this. A couple nights at the fortified by mouth with ibuprofen. I can feel the cavity with my tongue. The cavity feels the size of a Quonset hut – – the kind of person drives into to work on the car. I noticed it right after the doctor who just retired put the crown on my rear molar. I thought the cavity was not really cavity just the cap covering the molar. I figured I would have a new dentist fill in the space. The more I worried the cavity with my times last month and the pain that's become associated with this cavity do I realize the cavity must be in the tooth next to the molar. I don't know why Drew Luke did not see this it was visible and it must've been visible. Anyway, now I'm sort of being forced to do the paperwork and formally meet the new guy. I have met him literally hhe seems like a nice guy, Mature but much younger than Drew but he is not new but somehow is comforting.I just have to get things in place and get them done.

Tomorrow is the last day of the month. I've been out on my own 10 months seems like forever I wish I could just get used to the idea.

$9.95?!!!

I'm still coping with the battery issue in my power chair. I am limited on where go and what I do buy him out our I have access to. This of course is natural and to some degree I have to accept the limitations placed on me by my failing batteries. That being said I'm still trying to prosecute a life worth living.

Tuesday morning is an Assist Inc. morning. I was careful as I motored around my apartment getting ready for my day, getting breakfast, getting dressed and getting ready for a trip downtown. I called in to David my buddy To make sure that there was a meeting today and there was. But try to minimize the amount of travel I was doing as much as I could. I want to make sure I got to where I was going back with the power that I have. I got the Rt 217 inbound to Redwood station. At Redwood station and picked up the University redline which took me all the way into Library where I got off the train. I was not worried about this point my trip because I was going to charge by got to my Assist meeting.

There's just too of us were members at the meeting today. This was good this promise to be a fast meeting and it was all things considered. I was out of that place by 11:45 AM. I should've hung around for another half hour just so I have a whole hour charge. One half hour charge does not really comfort me very much but I did what I could get in was glad to have what charge I was able to get. I should've packed my charger but it seemed too awkward for this morning and besides I was going to charge up atAssist. By the time I left assist it looked and felt like I had a decent charge and I did. I really should go straight home and try to get something accomplished at the home front but the day was so nice I figured what the heck, I should go to movie. I checked the movies out at 3300 and state there was nothing there 33^rd St. movies so I figured I would go to the Regal on Read road. I still practice conservative bussing So I took the red line down the software station Got on the 217 going inbound and got off at 5400 S. at the Regal theaters.

There is one movie starting in about 30 minutes. I figure that time to run to a fast food/grab some lunch to stick in my backpack and maybe even grab something a Harmon's. I got all that I needed done just 30 minutes. I raced back, keeping a close eye on my energy expenditures, and rushed to buy my ticket. I went through the whole process and then was Asked to pay $9.95. This stopped me cold in my tracks. I asked the cashier again how much it cost reminded her I was a senior, a senior with a disability. The cashier smiled and said $9.95 it's in the special theater. I was expecting to pay $6.95 when somehow was okay. I got all my contraband at Harmon's I.E. Milk ' Duds And flavored water = 0 cal (the flavored water Not the Milk Duds ).. Somehow though I did not pay the extra three dollars just for a movie I was only marginally interested.. Seriously, even if only really interested I would wait till the movie played in a regular theater. I said thank you backed away from the cashier box Collected my backpack full of contraband and left for the bus stop. I made it home just fine with a little power to spare.

Making Marks On Paper

I felt kind of weird all day. I'm not sure what's going on, I could be a bit depressed. My power chair is just wearing me out. The right foot hangar or foot pedal is so hammered the and is dragging on the ground when I'm not tilted back, forcing me to tell back If I want to go anywhere. My power chair also needs batteries Which I did resolve today by setting up an appointment to have the wheelchair shop click my chair on Wednesday night and drop it off Thursday. Hopefully this will get done before I have to go down south for bookclub. So I did get a couple things done which made me feel a little better. I went down to check the mail and saw that one of the private healthcare companies that tries to Troll For seniors here, for Home health services was doing a “presentation”. These “presentations” take on many forms sometimes like last Friday it was root beer floats Today it was blood pressure and blood sugar checks. This is actually useful to me I enjoyed hearing how well the blood pressure is as well as my air gases or whatever. I also saw the ladies were convening for their coloring session.

Monday afternoon coloring session this, clique – – not really mean I think the ladies would allow anyone wanted to participate to participate. I have wanted to join them couple weeks now but actually keep forgetting that they are meeting un less like today I'm doing something else would I pass the community room And notice they're sitting around the table. This group consists of about 3 to 4 women who sit around and color images about the size of postcards. It's kind of interesting but I wanted to join this group to do some sketching since I cannot seem to force myself to sketch do or artwork when I'm alone. The only drawback for me is my home health staff shows up about 4 o'clock. I guess I can move the time back to the later but I like to 4 o'clock hour gives me down and dressed again for the rest of my.

I felt kind of excited as I rushed back to my apartment and grabbed one of my tablets, Sketchpad's. I think I've gone on before about purchasing art equipment can never really using the art equipment. This year I've challenged myself to try to fill up at least one tablet, sketchpad or art journal book. I grabbed a couple of markers I use. Next week I wish to be a bit more prepared. I want to have my art pencil with me or other markers as well. Meeting this group like this hopefully Will be great and allow me to really focus on some serious sketching. I'm still endeavoring to get my work and to community college for an art class But I'm becoming restless hopeful that I will be doing the art class this quarter semester may be in the spring.

I don't flatter myself into thinking I am any kind of an artist – – I am not, however I need to make marks on paper more than just words. I need to use art equipment like art markers, sketch pencils and Sketch pads and the like. I want to make an alternate universe in which I'm an artist.

Black Crows

I wish I had taken my camera with me this morning when I went to the market to purchase some popsicles for the day and the coming week. It was the early morning I would say around 9 o'clock-ish. The days they'll had that early-morning quality. The sun well over the trees in the park was still casting long shadows on the concrete and pavement. I heard a commotion in the parking lot and saw a murder of crows hopping around on the pavement and flitting about cars and af ew shoppers were out to the market. There on the top of the buildings and on the top of the lights in the parking. We have parking lot lights built on a pedestal and writes about 15 to 20 feet above the ground with a square box which houses the actual lights and  a perfect perch Usually seagulls but the day they were perching ravens. Crows are ravens. I thought I knew this but it was good to see myself validated by the Internet.

At one time I think I counted 20 some crows. I stopped by motion and actually watched these hoodlums of the air for some time.. I'm sure it's no coincidence that there is a KFC and a few other fast food joints in this parking lot. I did not see any Open dumpsters or garbage cans, Brown paper bags loaded with food goodies which at one time nestled comfortably numb and dumpsters but none today littered the parking lot. But the crows were out Singing and cawing up a storm. It was interesting to see them fly from pavement to the tops of nearby buildings to the purchase of the top posts. It almost seemed at times there were two murders fighting each other. It almost seemed they were trying to establish some level of dominion over the area. I can see how murders the size would drive people to murder the murder in order to try to get extra morning sleep but once the crows start yapping and making In making the racket there will not be anybody getting any extra sleep. Wikileaks terms the style is opportunistic omnivores which is kind of a cool title. They've been around for millions of years hanging out in your in the old world then migrating couple million years ago to this hemisphere and grounds.

The crows did not bother meI just sat in the shade in the parking lot thrown by one of the buildings think it was a Wendy's. They were a little antsy did not allow me to get too close that was okay I got close enough. I could've sat and watched them all day or all morning at least. I went into the markets and got my popsicles and when I exited the market The ebony urchins were gone. I immediately missed them. I remembered I had a box of Black Crowes. I've had this this box of Black CrowesFor probably more than 15 years. Dianne bought me candy off and on casinos I like licorice she would often get me black crows from theater candy. I often put them in my desk drawers in my office and forget them. I found these couple weeks ago and never been opened and I sat quietly year after year in my bottom drawer. The licorice gumdrops are hard as rocks you have to suck on them a long time which I'm doing. This box could lasted for weeks or days depending on what I'm doing but like the real-life counterparts these black crows but not be around long.

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Saturday Night Musings

There are times when I really miss the house, I almost said “ my house”. The house on Utahna, the place where the last 20 some yearsThe Utahna house is a nice house. I like just about everything about the house.Don't get me wrong there are things about the house I don't like but most of all I like the place. I like the brick exterior, I like the hardwood floors. We exposed the floors After we moved in seems like it was a year or so. There was a dingy rug that carpeted the whole house boy that was good to get rid of. I love the accessible bathroom and shower And even the bedroom which is made for me after my stenosis operations but I can no longer go down to the master bedroom. I love the master bedroom – – I love the way we made a ramp down to two steps to the bedroom. I love the left room with a homemade grab bar and shower bench I could transfer into from my manual chair And enjoy the shower. We never got grab bars but in the shower which makes you feel bad. I miss that shower space even now. I love the storage area in the space going down to the bedroom. I loved all the cans we had stored there for many meals. There were many meals we never had from those cans. This makes you feel hollow and set for meals missed, the meals which could havve been. I love the lowered counterspace, And lowered sink– – I almost let that sink most of all except for the range, the gas range we put in for me to cook on gosh, that was great. I love the great stainless steel fridge raider freezer and the matching heavy-duty washer and dryer. I even love the storage area about the closets and master bedroom even though I cannot use them – – they may be feel rich. I loved the deck Entry which became The diseased and had cut down and the backyard. I loved the garage With my little shop and the concrete besides the garage in the back area – – like the back porch. We never did get around to build a ramp from the deck to the concrete platform but the possibility was wonderful.

It's probably 1000 more things that didn't mention that I love about the house but it's gone at least for me. I'm pleased that Dianne is still there for however long she can stay there. I just hate that Dianne has to stay there alone. However, my new life is good and I love my apartment at the end of the hall next to the exit doors which lead to parking area with a secret door (that's what I call it, it's a door that actually opens up to Redwood Road and the bus stop). I have a remote that I carry in my backpack which will open the door. I can exit and enter via that entrance or door without anybody else noticing. Not that anyone care, just makes me feel secret. I have my own van parked out it if I could get a decent price. Really, I need to get rid of that piece of junk is an albatross around my neck. It's ridiculous I have carried it this far. I have tomatoes and garden space. The Tomatoes are green, but huge by my standards.. The tomatoes ripen soon and I am excited.

I'm doing okay this Saturday night just a little melancholy and missing my old place.

Is It My Breath?

I had lunch today with my good friend Duane B. I think the last time we had lunch was back in June. I knew he was probably traveling around the country on his motorcycle or helping out his kids Which he does a lot of Because he's a nice guy. I document our history and other posts. I initially contact with Duane earlier this week when I was trying to find someone who could assist me with getting batteries in my chair. I eventually decided to have the batteries replaced by having the company come out to Chair but since We're Not Going to Lunch for Some Time I Invited Duane to meet me for lunch today.

We met at Dee's family restaurant, a Utah chain not far from my apartment easy rolling distance in my chair even now failing batteries. We had a great lunch , at least the time together was great lunch was quite challenging and unremarkable except for how weird the situation was. I really wanted a good corned beef sandwich The restaurant did not have corn beef but I set out take pastrami. The sandwich appeared open faced with the pastrami on one side And lettuce, tomatoes on the other. All the ingredients were sitting on some pretty dry rye. I specifically told our waitress, “rye” and maybe she thought I said “dry”. As I suffered through my “corned beef/pastrami” sandwich I mentioned to Duane This was not the waitresses all it was mine. I told him it just sort of makes sense of what had happened to me all week long. The bizarreness at the community college, the weird Experience with the soup Nazi and a very strange experience with service station across the street which was the subject of yesterday's blog. Oh yes this is totally bizarre experience I am feeling about trying to get the batteries in my power chair changed. I just shared with Duane that had to be me, I am doing something that is is affecting my communication or something because all these people to treat me weird. Duane of course tried to circumvent the conversation If not that a more positive twist on what I reported. But he had to admit these are some pretty strange things that I had experienced. On the surface I agree with Duane and basically I do On a deeper level however I'm beginning to wonder.

But I told Duane that I didn't care anymore. What was going to happen is going to happen and maybe it's all test for me to get through. Something to make me better than I am. Perhaps this is God's last-ditch attempt to save the lost soul rolling through life with a little help from His friends Duane once again but my lunch and volunteered to help me anyway that he could especially if I needed assistance with registering by vehicle next week or whenever.

Soup Nazi

I was having a fairly decent day. Well, I didn't sleep well. I didn't get any long-term sleep to speak up but that's just the way it is right now so I'm okay. The coffee social was good. I was more amusing than usual. I was feeling so well that I was energized to the point that I made a decision to go across the street and have that little service station do the garden and safety inspections to allow me to register My vehicle. I have been driving my my feet now four weeks the whole process just seems so complicated Since I let the registration lapse.

Little place across the street does not even have a name on the building which is okay by me as long as they do good work. As spoken with my buddy Jimmy here the apartments who does a lot of mechanical type work if you'd ever been there and he said yes he had and they do good work. I asked if I could trust him-the owner-and jimmy said, “Oh sure. He's a great guy”. I still felt insecure and worried about getting taken for a ride but today at least I thought I would give it a shot and knows maybe I'll be surprised and have a great relationship develop.

The vans is as dead as a doornail. The van has sat there for at least six months without being cranked over. We charged the van and got the vehicle running a couple months ago when Jimmy's kin with a disability said he wanted the vehicle. That did not work out in the van has sat every sense. The service station is a rather older design there is like an 18 inch step or maybe 12 inch step one has to negotiate to get in to the office so, guess who's not going to the office. I can't the guys attention and he directed me to this other fellow who definitely was the owner. Right off the guy reminded me of the soup Nazi on an old Seinfeld episode. The guys Middle Eastern, serious as a heart attack grading in the beard and temples. The guy to be a foreign diplomat he has that Bearing. I explained to the guy that I needed to have my vehicle safety inspected to get it registered. I explained to him that my vehicle was across the street at the apartment complex and pointed the vehicle will and out to him. I explained to him the battery was dead because I thought my ex was going to take it but she gave it back and I no longer have a license and so I didn't use it much in the battery went dead in the registration expired.

I was not sure how this is supposed to work. I did not know if he was going to send one of his guys over with a charger to charge up the battery then drive my van over or maybe you have a magic box and that he would come over but the magic box on the battery and start the vehicle then drive it back to the shop for inspection. He came over and looked at my van and the first thing he asked was that I want to sell the vehicle because he knew somebody wanted that kind of vehicle – – those are his words. I said “no” and then I sort have became invisible. Significant the magic box to the terminals on the battery and basically cranked the motor Until the vehicle started. The service station and then disengages charger got in his truck and left driving back to the shop. I was just sitting there the vehicle ran for the next hour and half in the whole is generated some charge the battery. I got worried about the vehicle just running and asked Jimmy to reach in and turn the vehicle off which Jimmy did. I don't know what happened to have not seen the owner again. I guess next I will call mycousin Scott a similar shop . I believe I've written before about how I feel at one of my welcome with my relative but that's When I was married maybe things will be different now. I do feel a little uncomfortable though. It seems he was not happy working with me before but we shall see. Now also I'm tempted to find out how much the service station owners person would pay for a vehicle like mine. Right now I just want to get this registration ordeal behind me. Selling the beast really maybe my best option but I don't know if you want to deal with the soup Nazi.

Mythology Of Youth

I was conflicted today greatly so. I was supposed to go to a board meeting at DRAC. DRAC you will recall is that group of people disabilities actively working to bring about a better reality for those with disabilities not only on the local level but it the national level as well. This is the same group that I went to two meetings earlier this month and there was no one else in attendance. In fact on Tuesday, yesterday there was supposedly an action that I went to and it had been canceled. Luckily one of the members of DRAC was there to let me know. I appreciate that Dick did take any effort To let me know. He also let me know how much you want me to attend the board meeting this afternoon. I told him I would try but I have company coming in from out of town meeting with me at 3 PM and so the meeting was at 1:15 PM. I just didn't know how it's going to get the meeting still make it back to the apartment to be with my friend when he arrived. And there's still the issue of a set of batteries that is holding a charge less and less.

Midmorning I make decision to blow off my board meeting. I felt justified in being stood up twice in the same month. My friend is is most likely the only time I will visit with him in person this year or who knows when ever. I felt better immediately. I sidestepped a whole bucket load stress. Now I stressed Over what to tell my home health aide who generally does my Wednesday program at about 4 o'clock. I was not sure where I was going to be at 4 o'clock. Fortunately, Dennis, my friend, called about 130 me know that he was in the area and was going to find my apartment. Almost an hour ahead of schedule by the comfort and feeling we would be done well before 6 o'clock when my home health professional told me she needed to be done with me. Everything was turning out fine.

Dennis is a friend I've had since my early days in Boise. He and I were in the same ecclesiastical unit: ward. Have not seen him for more than 20 years I thought it was longer but he corrected. He was a nerd and I was a nerd and we tend to hang out with other nerds in Boise in the mid-60s. I had my wreck and Dennis got drafted among otherwise shattering events and we lost contact with each other as things go. We linked up again a couple months ago Thanks to Facebook, of course. I was totally surprised the other day when he called out the blue let me know is coming through Salt Lake today.

We had a meeting of nearly an hour and a half. I'm sure we could have easily gone longer maybe maybe we will.I do not know how long is an area but I think he has to get back to his world soon. We had a good visit we enjoy each other's company and enjoy debunking various myths of our youth and adolescence. It was great to be with someone who could validate my youth.

Bite The Bullet

I cannot believe the last time I wrote about batteries was 2011! Surely I must've written but has issues since then but I can't find any mention with searches to the blog. So, I think I'm due. The first noticed a couple days ago maybe the last week that all of a sudden the range I could go to an get on a charge was beginning to significantly shorten. On a full charge I used to be able to go down to the bus stop hop on the 47 train Down the second self spends time at the library checking things out with my assistant meeting and still have power to spare – – maybe just shopping, go down to the bakery the German bakery maybe see Claire. Maybe even see a movie on the way back. Now, if I get to the Assist meeting With the battery Indicators still intact I think I'm doing okay. Now however it can only do one thing and then I need to shag back to the apartment . Once I met the apartment I must plug-in in charge. If I have to write that works especially if I have to do a couple hours worked or I can always call a movie off of Amazon prime and watch the third hour or so or maybe two for a good charge. Either way it sucks Not having the power that I need.

I've not started yet but I'm seriously considering packing a charger with me. Fortunately for me a couple of years ago I dropped a charger off it Assist, Inc. for this very reason and today I charged for an hour while we were doing the meeting. Again, if I had my way I would have charges deployed all the way around city for anyone could stop in charge when they needed a quick boost. Ideally movie houses would would either have charging stations at the accessible areas are have chargers you can either check our rent out when At the movies and you need a quick movies. I feel he should be able to check chargers out like books from your local library especially when you're at the library.

This is where I'm at now. Safely, I can do one event that they too will live on the edge. I can stuff one of my Chargers into a pack and begin carrying it around with me and charging any time I have stopped that's going to be more than 30 minutes. This will give me security and range for most of what I need to do. I did call the boys at UCAT and spoke with Tom. Tom indicated that when I have the chair worked on in April they did not put new batteries in The chair then – –I think we even talked about doing so and I felt I didn't want to right then. Now I must revisit that conversation. A new set of batteries would cost me about $350 installed. I should do this but I sure don't want to right now. I think I might wait a couple weeks and see if they direct deposit changes taking place and if so how traumatic new batteries would be. It's not like I have a choice unless I want to drag a charger around with me. I will do some more checking on battery prices. My cousin by the local find me some less expensive cores. Either way it's going to hurt either way I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and swallow the medicine.

Total Eclipse Of The Sun

I really could not understand what all the big hype around the eclipse has been. Seriously I cannot figure out what this big to do was all about except for pushing another gimmick on the American people as an way for private industry to make more money. I'm sorry to be so jaded But that's what is so obvious most of the time whether it's holidays, any kind of national event or anything to wring a few more bucks out of our wallets. I was even making an effort to consciously not be pulled into this astronomical event.

I had a difficult time sleeping. I actually woke up around 2:00 AM and never really got back to sleep. I kind of slept 4- 7 AM but but that sleep was intermittent at best. A drug myself up around 8 o'clock made some coffee got dressed and continued my task of trying to find medical records to submit for rent reduction. Everything is a mess. In the process of my searching I found the Xfinity Invoice. I decided I was going to send my payment in by check. I had touched my checks over the weekend so I knew they were close by I just couldn't put my hands on them. This was just enough incentive to suit up and head out down the college where my credit union has a branch that I love to use. It was during this time that I noticed I was in the middle of the eclipse.

I was astounded. The light everywhere had dimmed. Of course it was obvious something was going on but it was just difficult for me to figure out exactly what it was even though I knew we're in the eclipse process. Everybody was out side the buildings of the college I got off the bus. Small clumps of people gathered together some wearing funky sunglasses looking like a cross between those weird shades one gets when they go to optometrist and he dilutes your eyes and the 3-D glasses one gets at the movies. Some nimrods were directly looking at the sun and small glances. Still stupid. All of a sudden I wanted to be part of the whole thing. I want to be one stupid people looking at the eclipse one way or another. There was definitely a feeling in the air I don't know quite how to ask exWillplain but it was an excitement, awe and coming together with other people on the plaza. I wanted to figure out away to safely see the eclipse. I wondered if I could give an image of the event on the camera up myself . I did not think I could but I was going to try. I ended up with an image not so good of the eclipse but a great image of the sun I called it a selfi of me and the eclipse. Actually I like the image.

Reading all the reports And hearing many of the reports as well as on YouTube and local media. Am somewhat envious of those that make the track where they would be able to see the totality of the eclipse. It would be great with to have felt their sensations and It felt some of the things what the temperature drop. To experience those things would have been fascinating. I doubt I will ever be witness to such event again but I am certainly pleased and thankful that I saw this one.

To eat or not to eat…

I did it! A couple weeks ago I was seriously looking for righteous watermelons. I have learned the only place I can find righteous melon is that the Murray Park farmers market. Again, if you search my blog you will see probably numerous comments regarding the Dragon Lady and green something watermelons. I had been over to the park and I was a little bit early for the farmers market which was to begin the following week. Across from the farmers market is the Murray Costco. In other months and years Dianne and I had memberships to Costco or more specifically we shared a membership and Dianne pretty much did the shopping which is okay by me. I had a difficult time being that facility just because the proportion size of items at this place is so huge and to see the products stack from floor to ceiling in this warehouse is just appalling and seems what people are purchasing in the quantity in which they are purchasing just totally depressed me. However, on this day I rolled into Costco and once again overwhelmed at the quantity of the delicious offerings this place made available to people like me. Then it hit me I am quite these people and I could be one of them. Often, I would sit through Costco and look at but it never purchased because it was not a member. That changed.

I am now card-carrying, photo ID member of Costco. I have not yet purchased anything. It's funny after I purchased my memberships I felt like I was coming home. I rolled around looking at everything and thinking to myself “I can buy you, I can buy you or I could buy you” what a rush.

This morning I was over at the market across the street from my apartment complex. I specifically went over to purchase a loaf of light the bread– – Brand that consists of 60 cal per slice. I was gunning for 45 cal per slice but I couldn't find it.. This loaf is mostly air but the loaf fools me into thinking I can still eat to lose weight. This loaf of “bread” also makes me think I'm eating food.While I was roaming the aisles of the market I ran into my neighbor across the hall was also shopping and we had quite a discussion about shopping and food that we could eat or Should eat are two different things. My neighbor is still ambulatory however she also has a pretty bad heart possible kidneys which are failing and who knows what else. She's going in for another major operation in a week or so but today she was shopping for food to get her byUntil she has her surgery. She was bummed out at the cost of everything And what she currently could not eat. I thought about offering sharing meals with her but I did not bring that up because want to go down that path you could be cooking all time.I did suggest we should combine our resources And shop at Costco. She agreed but the conversation went no further perhaps it's best. But I still am concerned for many of the residents of this apartment complex about being able to eat what they want to eat when they want to eat and having everything the affordable.

Interestingly I wonder if Shakespeare were to write his play today with poor Hamlet the saying “To eat or not to eat… That is the question”

Washington In September?

Barbara Toomer called me a couple days ago I saw on my cell phone and she actually left a message. Barbara wanted to know if I was going to be participating in the Washington DC action which is coming up the latter part of September. But I heard this inquiry I sort of chuckled to myself trying to envision me in Washington DC on a national strike. I almost immediately shrugged off the vision I had as non-doable. It seemed I had a handful of excuses which would prohibit my involvement in this action. However I must admit the thought is somewhat intoxicating to be in DC again, in the fall going up against the federal police. I had other things on my mind and quickly the thought and request vacated my brain.

Today was not much of the exciting day. I messed around the apartment for a bit. I got to bed way late and did not even get up to about 8 o'clock. I rented two movies Yesterday. I was going to watch them yesterday afternoon or evening but Lori Brock texted me and wanted to get together. Lori sounded a little insistent So I figured why not? Did now have a whole lot else going on Friday night except the rented videos.

By the time I got back from the bus stop where I was waiting with Lori for her bus to go home the time was nearly 10 o'clock. I watched one of the movies anyway which by the time the movie was completed and I got to bed it was nearly 2 o'clock in the morning! I felt drugged out this morning. I felt I was moving in slow motion. However I did manage some breakfast and got over to the markets to drop off of the videos – – I watched the second movie this morning. I had planned to go over to a wood pallet To pick up a few pieces of what delighted used to brace of my tomatoes. I was amazed at how little running around I did this morning and had been treated by battery was. I got what I needed and return home it is when my phone rang or vibrated. It showed a local number but no name. That's even warning about for me not to take the call but I did anyway and was mildly surprised to find it was Barbara Toomer following up on her phone call earlier in the week. Happily she did not bring up the obvious snub that I did not return her call but she was following up just the same as I going to Washington?

After some minor chitchat we got down to the bone to the call and I just told her I didn't see how I could go without attendant care to not only assist me in toileting but to get in and out bed or whatever. I was a bit let downpretty much left that response go and suggested that I consider the May action instead. I should try to get all my ducks in a row by them. And I mildly surprised by some even further by asking her to follow-up on a comment she made to find out how much It would cost or what was available for home healthcare in the DC area, but I might go if something was reasonable. Then I realized that would go if something was available and reasonable. I don't know how I would get in and out of bed or how I would toilet myself but maybe we can work something out. Can't believe I'm thinking like this but who knows a trip to Washington DC and all it might be fun.

Waiten For Dave

Currently Thursdays are busy for me. I have the weekly Coffee Social followed later in the day with the reading group out in South Jordan library. Both events sadly, to some degree, are the high points of my week. So much so that I think I have a difficult time sleeping Wednesday night with anticipation of these events. Today I was even more blessed with a busy Thursday when I was called by my old friend and boss Dave who was passing through the state going up to visit family and home stomping grounds Blackfoot Idaho. David's timing was perfect. I have this huge break from the end of the coffee social to When I have to travel south to South Jordan in the library. Truth be told, I did have a difficult time sleeping or should I say going back to sleep after I woke this morning around 4 AM. I just have to used to the idea that I need to stay up later so I sleep tonight. In truth I was going to actually think about laying down for an hour to before the event at the library but of course that was not to be Dave's coming to town.

It was great seeing Dave looked good. I thought they looked much better than last time I saw him. He was up and had color the cloud of depression that seemed to hover over him last visit was gone which gave me hope. I'm still so impressed that he'd been to Europe since last we spoke specifically France specifically Paris. That would be a great trip. And Paris was a great trip for David. Dave of course showed me the number of images Taken during the trip it was great especially the Eiffel Tower. I Have never really thought about Paris except the last couple years watching the Bourne movie offerings were much of the film was taken in Paris or Berlin. And then with Dave going to Europe makes me think That if you're If ever given the opportunity I would do Paris.

Now bear in mind one of the other things I had planned to do After coffee social was to charge the battery on my power chair for an hour or so to make sure I had ample power to make the trip to South Jordan. I believe I lamented in the past recently that my batteries do not seem to keep their charge as they once did which irritates me to no end but I guess I've had these cores go to in here for now Over two years and maybe it's time to consider new batteries. Casey my occupational therapist and I planned this if we get authorization to do the rehabilitation to my power chair. So now I'm doomed to carry my battery charger why the chains of Scrooge. This is okay I have carried the charger before.

By the time I got to the library I was showing less than half the charge but that it was still short green in it. But by the time the read a long started The battery got yellow and that's a good sign. We finished the days reading and I headed out straightforward the bus stop. The battery was still somewhat visible but still short yellow by the time I got the bus stop. Fortunately, this is Route 217 headed north wind starts immediately in front of my backdoor almost just a matter of going to the gate and even if the battery went to red I would have more than enough juice to make it to the apartment– –Which I did the very social yellow. It was nearly 4 o'clock time for my daily work out on Saratoga Silver. I work out for an hour and a plug-in as soon as I got to the Saratoga pretty much the end of a pretty great day. This so good to see a friend it was so good to see David.

Costanza

I don't order a lot of fried food anymore just because I'm trying to lose weight and a hamburger is not good way to lose weight. I love a good hamburger either log McDonald's hamburgers not the big Fat multi-Patty,goopy monstrosities but McDonald's entry-level burger which used to cost $.15 now costs almost a dollar. But I wish burger Fast food joints would do with me to serve the entrée with just a handful of fries. So many times when I order my burger and and asked if I want to help out with fries or onion rings I would love to say yeah sure. The price is not to prevent me from ordering these carbohydrate wonders taste and little nourishment It seems the fried delicacy is served In the bushel basket size portion. It's not even like he can take the quarter fries home with you need later because everyone knows cold fries can be reheated and just does not cut it once the cold and old.

Once or twice when I've gone to pick my order up at the window I've been blessed with somebody who had dropped a couple fries off their order when they picked it up and had not been cleaned up from the counter. These 2or 3 Fries just enough To complement the better. I even asked the server if she could just throw in a couple fries She just smiles at me like I have a deficiency of some sort. After all there in the business to sell food and lots of it. I just want to taste that's all.

Yesterday I was downtown for my regular Assist meeting and I have to go to Fourth South to catch the red line home. In doing so I had to pass the Apollo burger Joint downtown. They make great burgers, flame broiled in the bigger than what I need but I figured what the heck. I went in wrestled with the size of the burger, 1/3 pound and took in the aroma of everyone's food. I even asked the person taking my order if they made a smaller burger she smiled and shook her head no. I was going to have to order one of the big guys and I did. I ordered the mushroom burger. I really wanted to order the pastrami burger but I did not dare not that would have made a whole lot of difference in the end. I just cannot bring myself to order that much enjoyment. The girl smiled at me And I asked, “is that all Sir?” Would you like onions or fries to go with your order? I smiled forlornly in saying no and take my number to the table.

I'm looking for a table When I noticed a half filled drink and what's left of it order of the table next to the table I was considering. On the tray with the half a drink was the usual waded up napkins covering what was left out the meal and to the side was the cardboard container  fries camewere five or six residuals resting in the container, and I have a convoluted idea , If George Costanza can retrieve a half a doughnut from the dumpster I can certainly grab these couple of tries from the table and I did it. I looked around no one was paying attention and I reached over and snatched the french fries. It was perfect, it was exactly what I wanted just a taste of fries.

I don't know if I ever plan to do this again – – snatch some dead fries but I tell you what I am certainly going to consider the possibility if I'm given the opportunity again. It's the only way to fry.

A Cold Wind Blows…

Now I love a summer storm. I've written about summer storms in my affection for them and even included link to a great piece of music in the past about summer storms. But this week we've been having some summer storms which are kind of odd for this time of year. Usually we get a few storms in the afternoon but usually it's hot and dry the very kind of days that the “dog days of summer” are so named. However, the storms that came in the all kinds of moisture/water on the area which is not a problem, which is actually kind of nice but whatever brought in the storms also brought in lower temperatures. Though I did not freeze last night with my window open, after a storm came through, I was cold and and I feel cold. I didn't sleep well tonight woke up this morning around 3 AM and never got back to sleep. It felt good to be wrapped up against the early morning chill. This early-morning chill is new and I think odd. This is a definite change in the weather and with the weather looks the temperature is going to be cooler For the remainder of the week. We'll be lucky if the mercury climbs inside.

Of course I have to deal with everybody from the old ladies. Apartment complex to bus drivers would have to comment on how great it is to have cool weather this really in August. Whenever the bus driver say that it hit me that this is late September whether that we are having it makes me wonder if we are in for a brutal winter.. A brutal winter would not surprise me. I hate like hell to say goodbye to summer but it feels as of summer is gone. What good whether we get from here on out will be like crumbs from the cake when  the cake is gone. 

i almost wished I had either worn a long sleeved shirt Or had my hoody wrapped around my neck this morning ,the morning was so chilly. I got up at the early this morning to make sure I caught an early bus going further south on Redwood Road. Yesterday when making an appointment for the podiatrist, the scheduler got me an appointment this morning at 7:45 AM! So I got up around 6 AM and felt great, except for the lack of sleep, I felt like the old days when I got up early every morning to go into work. Actually, by appointment was for 8:15 AM but I wanted to be sure to be at the office earlier than 15 minutes before my appointment so I can check them and since this was my first time I had to go through all that rigmarole of filling out paperwork. I bet it took the podiatrist less than 15 minutes to cut and  my toes or toenails the toes had grown to to be monstrous. The reason I went to this podiatrist was because one of my neighbors gave me his card and said he is really good. Essentially, the folks here at Plymouth View are sick and tired A look at my feet since I don't wear shoes in the summer.

I cannot believe how adult I felt after I finished. He even answered questions I had regarding worries I have about my feet specially dark spots on the sides which he said is basically normal. He said everything about my feet were normal for my age and situation. Was not really sure what that meant that sounded good to me. I have meetings today with their my usual Tuesday morning rituals. Getting up early and getting out the door as well as important today. For a split second I felt the rush of early-morning productivity which I really missed.

Floor Art

Sometimes I get a little bit overwhelmed. I hate to admit to such distress that is true. Lately I have been getting those feelings of Being overwhelmed in regard to my apartment. The cleanliness and order my apartment gets out of control. I wish I were better and I wish the apartment itself was laid out better for a person with a disability – – even though it is supposed to be for a person in a wheelchair. I am not naïve enough to really believe that this unit was speced out for a person in a wheelchair specifically. I mean generally it basically is accessible but when you get into fine points of living in a wheelchair in this unit the place leaves a bit to be desired. One of the main issues I struggle with daily is there just is not any counterspace. The coverage is so low that anything with any altitude all that are height can't get out of the cupboards so they are at the front of my encounters. Of course the microwave takes up a whole 18 inches at least on one side of the sink in the coffee maker takes up a good 8 inches on the other side and then there's my little oven that's next to my refrigerator. In between that is the electric range and so the really isn't much room left to put things like the copy and the sweetener and such so I end up dropping stuff.

The image I have chosen today is some artwork and done on the floor of my kitchen. Yesterday's edition was a half a cup of coffee that left out of the cup when I was trying to pour a cup last evening. I've been over the side of my chair to look where the coffee had landed (much like the old guy seen from 2001 when he drops the coffee cup on the tile floor in the last scenes of the movie”) and was enamored by the size of the splash and design of the splash. It was only then I noticed there are some other artistic events going on the floor meaning that I need to spend some time with them on soon with a mop and bucket of hot water.

I have to a degree some form of chaos going all over the apartment. I have paper chaos on my desk as well as my computer work surface. I recently went through all my files to find some purchases I have made this last year. Which means I have to pull all the files out of my little file keeper and The file folders are still all over my desk's. That's just a matter of picking up and putting folders back in the container. The point being I just have to do it.

I do not know about just giving up the chaos or I'm just getting myself exhausted during the day and then the task seems greater than it is. Sometimes I feel I am overthinking the issue I should just pull up my pants stop boobing clean up the damn apartment.

Just Charge It

I have spent the day trying to see if I can get the charger for my Arjo Maximove patient left operational. Sometime last week I had taken the battery out of my left but in the charger so I'll be ready for my home help people and accidentally pushed the charger from the chair to the floor. The floors are in the drop is less than what but something happened and the lights on the charger went out. This kind of freaked me out but as trying to gather some information for my manager here at the apartments as well as trying to redirect my direct deposits but I sort of the Anjo charger on the back burner. Well, not altogether true because the day after I dropped the charger I found another eBay and ordered the charger which is still to be here the 21^st which is still a week away.

The week went by and soon I was feeling the pressure but should be doing something regarding the maximum. I finally ordered Jimmy The Fixit guy here at departments. I kept missing and finally to their remarkable and grabbed him. He came in and we were done nothing for about an hour. I was hoping that it should be simple but once we got into the charger a loose wire or connection. When we first got the maxi-mov there's was a of cable and the plug that was fiercely wrapped with black electricians Choose tape. Jimmy aggressively undertake and found some questionable connections. He knew what he was doing, he quickly cut wires, exposed wire wrap around otherwise and then All. It Looked like He was in Command and he was.It look like a professional job. He pushed the plug into the wall and nothing. Jimmy's scratched his head then his beard. Jimmy had other things to do today and I'll just leave he spent time with me he did. I have not seen Mark for some days so, I put a text into Mark to see if he was coming this way today. He was.

I am so pleased with Mark Anthony, he does everything I cannot do – – I suspect even if I was able-bodied but would not be able to do the things he is able to do. I think it's from his mother's side that he has this get things done attitude and does it. Since the wire in a plot seemed to be okay we went into the charger itself. I really thought that once we open the charger there just be a wire dangling there and be a matter of soldering it back home. But no that was not the case. There is all kinds of stuff diodes and transistors and all kinds of things electrical. Way out of my league. Mark was not daunted however. Mark pulled out his voltage meterAnd began touching all the ends of the wires and getting readings. I was impressed as always. We worked on this project for at least an hour maybe longer. We had the success. Unless it is something like a blown fuse to be very simple to fix we can figure out why the car was not going from the blog to the battery charger to the battery. I finally Turned Mark loose.

I figure I have two days that I have to use the left before the eBay charger gets hhere. It's not like we use a lot of energy when we use the left just like a30 second burst to get me from the chair to the commode and then the commode back to my chair that's it. I may have a lot of days left but I don't want to push it. I just want to get showered is that too much to ask?

Quick Drain Pain

I woke up this mornin a bit discouraged. When I've gone to bed felt a wound on the left buttocks. Every night after I will some kind of oxide cream, but, both cheeks. I'm totally convinced his practices reduced incidence of skin breakdown On my rear end. I don't know if it's just keeping the skin moisturized or what but I know I felt better since I started using this lotion. In fact upon rising in transferring into my chair but in the field pain on my rear that I felt on going to bed. This not feeling the pain makes believe the wound has healed At least to the point I can carry out my daily activities which I did.

It's Saturday morning and there's a farmers market in Murray and I promised myself couple weeks now that I was going to go to the market. I really want a decent watermelon. I've had a couple this year from the market which really deficient in flavor. There is this one corner of the Murray farmers market that is inhabited by the Dragon Lady. I'm sure) the years of this blog. And sure enough she and her crew were there again this year. They sell and not call Green River and they are the best melons I believeI have ever tasted and they seem to be consistently good.

Granted, by the time I got to Murray Park and the farmers market all the smaller melons were gone. Seriously, what was left – – there were a great many melons left – – huge round beautiful fruits. Even if I could have somehow got the melon onto my lap or backpack I would not have been able to get it home on public transit. The next issue was she was charging $.40 a pound! I actually saw her way the watermelon which I think came out to 30 pounds! I did the math quickly in my head I think that would've been $12 for watermelon?! When I pointed this out to the individual purchasing the melon the Dragon Lady indicated they work a deal and knock a little off the price. I doubt that she wouldn't let that melon go for less than 10 bucks. I ended up purchasing a couple of small green globes that she guaranteed me they were sweet we shall see. These guys are a lot easier to carry it for sure. I got a couple other vegetables tomatoes cucumbers green peppers. They were not especially deals except for purchased at the farmers market. However, I was ready to go home but I was also a little worried. I had only gone to the bus stop and from the bus stop to the 200 bus and then off in front of Murray park. It seemed to me the battery was draining quickly. I was down the half battery still have a fair distance to go.

I stopped in at Best Buy and use the bathroom that one of the hill and across the street and wait for the 200 in front of Costco.But the time it got to the train station and battery indicators and yellow and from experience I found was on yellow goes to read really quickly. Rather than taking a 47 I decided to take the 54. Route 54 would me off at Redwood Road 5400 S. once I got the bus stop I could sit there until the bus came which would take me right to the beginning of the apartment complex. It would be safer than trying to push my chair or battery from the graveyard to the apartments.I caught the 54 dropping me off directly by the apartments and got home safe and sound I was so relieved. So now I have to deal with a quick draining battery on top of everything else.

SSA

I really would like to write these posts in the morning, soon after rising, but in fact I have been just too busy. I know that sounds pretty presumptuous but it's been true the last week or so and it looks like it's going to be this way for some time to come. Yesterday I did URS as the blog states. Today, was kind of more of the same. It seems I can only do one major item a day particularly if have to do that in person. Most of my day is spent in waiting and travel time and that's cool what else may going to do?

I really want to be able to do this over the phone Using“MySSA or something like that. Of course when you go to the website you don't get a human being you get some just the program with the voice that sort of auction through the system if you have a username and password, which I do and then I don't. I do not remember but at one time I have made contact with Social Security Administration and set myself up with a password and a username. But for the life of the air cannot remember it now, the system does but the system is not going to tell me. I tried and I tried to get a human being who could actually help me through the cyber maze or to get the system to send me an encrypted message with what I need to do to get into My Social Security. The system kind of sets up your account and will actually send you what you need to set up a new password and username but it's not a quick email to your email account it's a hard copy letter that will be mailed to you the next 5 to 10 days and if you're sweating bullets trying to get into your system right now and you've triggered this whole name replacement sequence You don't have time to wait days for snail mail to crawl into your mailbox. You need to get going now. So with my frustration level high because if I don't get this done by the 15^th the federal government's ability to dump money into my checking account will be moved back one month. And I really want to get my SSA funding and my state funding synced and I want to have them to begin doing this as of September's payment. I figure the only way I was going to bring this about was to go in to SSA and look pathetic enough they will do what it takes to get rid of me.

I of course went to RIDEUTA.com and dutifully put in my ending point AND starting point and hit return. The Internet then barfed up aSolution which was almost an anti-solution. I would actually have to go to the IHC station And take the big train ( Front Runner) get off at the next stop then roll to SSA.

I do not fear not Being able to find this building, I do really poorly at directions and following them. I don't have faith The Person or thing Who put the directions together. What I truly fear is not having enough power in my chair to do all I needed to do. But today I have the power and the well. Today I did exactly what the printed document I had my consent to do and soon I was at SSA. I went and got a number and waited and waited. This is okay you expected to wait At Social Security.There's a whole room waiting and I was no better than anyone Of them. I started getting little uneasy however when I started seeing people arrived after me being served and leaving. But in the process you have to fill out information on a computer when you get there and somehow it assigned due to whoever assists you.

You can imagine chagrin when I was finally called and found myself in a room with my agent, who was totally blind. She had a sister device in the form of a woman. Again I'm not saying that one person couldn't do my case I was just saying I sure want to make sure that my payments got deposited to the right place. But some I have full faith in my blind SSA agent. Not only did she Redirect my direct deposit to my checking account but she also started me on the process to access my My SSA.com account. It was a great experience—granted a little long but I got what I needed done.

So today was a good day, and today ended a good week. I got two of the major issues which it is freaking me out. Next week begins a whole new challenge.

Just And other Day

Today I had success.I took the document that I had filled out for Utah Retirement Services,, URS and hand-delivered the document to URS in downtown Salt Lake. I did not have to do this. I could've dropped the signed document in the mail and possibly and probably the document would've gotten to URS by the 15^th which is the dropdead date for the next month..

I have been under a great deal of stress this week trying to get this project done, the project of redirecting my direct deposit from our shared account to our individual accounts. We continued to deposit money to the shared account for repair work done on the house and other health-related things we had to keep going or have to keep going until we sell. Well, we now have enough in the account to cover what we needed to have done and there is no longer need to have any more funds deposited. This will be good for me. I have been using my savings to live on for the past eight or nine months and I was beginning to get nervous. So now that I'm changing the direct deposit should be okay knock on wood. Actually the state of Utah retirement was much more simple than I had anticipated. Still I hand-delivered just because I did not want to leave such an important decision to the whims of the postal service– – Not that I don't believe in them it's just I don't believe in them enough to risk something like this. So at least I have that base covered now it's on to SSA which I think is a whole different ballgame.Doing battle with SSA is like moving up to the majors. They're are national Their People are professionals in messing you up or your case. I just want to be able to go online and make the changes to my direct deposit. That should not be so hard but if I can't even get someone to answer the phone to let them know that I cannot get online I've lost before I've even began the project. But if I go to sleep now and get a good nights sleep tomorrow I'll go at it again and maybe have some positive outcomes.

Today was a lost day with coffee social this morning and then URS and bookclub this afternoon it was well after five when I finally dragged into the apartments. I worked out the best I could, visited with somebody who dropped by and dropped off some flashlights and then try to write my blog. The best part of the evening was a surprise texting from Dianne. It was good to hear from her even though painful in many ways as she continues to heal from her recent operations really bad ones. I wish I could quit my fingers and she would be instantly better I wish that's how things worked but they don't. I wish her the best in her rehabilitation and her ongoing life.So I have just a few more things to do before our role in the bed and call it a day

Going Crazy

I swear I'm going crazy. I believe we spoke about the things I need to be doing, that I have to be doing in order to continue with my lifestyle. One is to redirect my direct deposit from my shared account with my ex-wife Dianne are joint account to my Checking account.. That means I have to work with Utah State retirement which I talked about in yesterday's blog as well as going up against SSA,, an organization that is so huge that you don't even have to coded in the year wordprocessor, wordprocessor knows to do all the caps for Social Security Administration. This afternoon I was on hold for SSA for 53 minutes waiting for the “Agent” to get online and help me. After incalculable prompts for different programs that Social Security administrates and also incalculable apologies that a computerized voice made about how sorry it was that I had to wait so long interspersed with poor music only to have at the end and agent named Hug (I swear he is making believe he could not hear me) eventually hang up on me because I did not respond. The whole time I was screaming for Hugo to pick up yes I'm here, don't hang up, don't hang up I'm really really here but in the end, you know it Hugo, hung up on me. By that point in time as “about my phone time or battery time and I had to make a call to my home health person to rectify some major problems on this months bill. I'm still kind of amazed at how well I took the hangup. A short my shoulders and almost called back, actually I did call back. The first time I called they gave me the option of choosing the option to have the computer, you back in about an hour. I should've taken that instead of hanging online for 53 minutes. I had the bright idea that I would choose to have the computer call me when it was ready. Then I could put the phone on the charger And get my device back into the safe zone. Of course that didn't happen they just shoved me into the wait mode And I could not handle that so of course now I'm going to have it on my agenda for Thursday or Friday. Again am under the pressure to have this done by the 15^th of the month so I will start getting direct deposit to my checking account. The worst case is that this is not happen in a timely manner and my Social Security while go back to the joint account and messy as it might be then I would secure the funding back then. I still have enough in the lump sum I've been operating off of since October to allow me to pull this off – – I know I can do this.

On this months bill from my home health provider there were two major discrepancies. I was charged for services that weren't really rendered because of the inexperience of the home health provider they sent out – – because my regular person was ill. That was one hour at $23 an hour the second was I was charged for an hour that didn't transpire. Because of the Utah holiday 24^th of July which I was slated to get my home health night that night but would cost me holiday pay. I elected to have my shower and toileting done the day before. For some reason I was charged two h.ours when I should have been charged for one. In fact rarely do I use a whole hour of the providers time. I was a little worried about having to be assertive and demand my right and not pay this 46 bucks. I was going to try to make my stand but in the back my mind realize I would probably lose but to my surprise and enlightenment, Joe the owner of the company (who really is a nice guy) really worked with me and we negotiated those two hours away. I was totally delighted.

I received my change of direct deposit today from URS. I filled out the document, called make sure I had the document filled out right And decided that I would go downtown anyway tomorrow and drop the document offSpace in person. And I wrestled with the owner of the home healthcare provider and survived and got my needs met. This is just enough to keep me going and hopefully get a lot more these pressure points eradicated.

Like Grease Through A Duck

I did housing in this town for more than 20 years, actually in some sense I'm still doing housing. I did HUD housing Or Federal low-income housing which most people with disabilities are qualified.So technically I knew the rules and qualifications. tthe rationale and need Never really sunk in and made sense until now. Now that I'm living in HUD subsidized housing.

The manager here, Jennifer, announced a couple weeks ago that we were going into the season of re-authorization. I did not pay much attention to the whole concept until earlier last week when she pulled me aside and said she needed all my medical expenses to see how low/high direct would be for the next year. On top of that I also got a notification that the joint account I still share with Dianne needs to be adjusted. We need to cancel the direct deposit status and redirect those monthly funds and our own checking accounts. So all these requests need attention and some sooner than others. So I'm stressing over acquiring this information and get that data to the right sources. It's driving me crazy it's like term papers are due, monthly reports, year-end reports all rolled into one. I hate it. But I'm focused on trying to focus to get the job done. Luckily this morning I had a gift of time when my friend and associate David From Assessed Incorporated called to let me know that today's advisory board has been canceled.

All weekend I've been working on accumulating the medical expenses and trying to arrange those expenses in some sort of readable format which makes sense. However when it presented this to the manager, Jennifer, this morning she needed more information. She needed the records of the people I present money to medically speaking to afford me their printouts of billing and paid accounts. I wish I had known this earlier. However, Jennifer assures me I have time to gather this information. She just desperate for this year's award letter from my pension people. I was able to get that information sent out to me. I was also able to get that documentation I will need to redirect my direct deposit information. If I can't do this by the 15^th of this month direct deposit should begin with Septembers payout.The State pension folks at sample forms out to me to fill out that I need to send back to them for them to make the changes. I intend to get the paperwork filled out and then hand carried the document to their office. Now I have to do the same with my Social Security which I anticipate to be a lot more work. But we'll see maybe the redirection of my federal money well just slide through like grease through a duck.

I'm hoping by September 15 I can look back on this time and wonder why I stressed out to the level I did. And move on to the next challenge of my post divorce life.

Waiting Always Waiting

Today is turning out to be one of those days. I was contacted early on my usual night staff – – who is just perfect– – and she is again ill and will not be able to provide the services tonight. Honey my regular staff is just perfect we get along great together. So when she notifies me that she is ill I begin to get nervous. Today she called I immediately called service and and over problems I had last time Honey was sick. I reiterated, slowly and as clearly as I could to the person on the phone exactly what I needed and skills that would be necessary. She ended up giving me the name I was not familiar with which spooked me.I texted Honey, to reassure this new person could do the job. I'm sitting here nude waiting for this person is now almost an hour and a half late and once again I am beginning to worry.

In the meantime the result of drama going on. I was called soon after Honey called by the ramrod of the local private nonprofit direct action group that I've been working with for the last year, DRAC. DRAC is beginning to frustrate the past couple of months. See the last couple of blog posts. It seems we have it one meeting after another and that's not necessarily bad. It's what she wrote to the meetings with no one else there that my frustration grows. So I was not all that happy to hear another meeting today especially when I had so much other nonsense on my plate to deal with. I'm having to go through my records and pull out all my medical expenses I have incurred by a living at the apartments. I also have secure al document from the state retirement system authenticating my award of income. I also have to contact state retirement systems as well as Social Security to have payments redirected from one account to another, direct deposit. These tasks seem so minimal or minor but have just mushroomed out of control.I can sensibly make these changes online but cannot because I'm locked out of my accounts because I have forgotten passwords and usernames. When I go online to get customer supportI find myself in the telephone wasteland of “Hold” waiting forever with that music. I was actually hoping I could stop by the retirement system offices and do everything a person to make sure it was done right I went to the meeting and when the meeting was finished I realized I didn't have enough time to go to retirement systems and get home in time for my night staff. So I came on home as quick as I could. I was hoping to get some phone time in which the government offices before staff got here but by the time I called the state everyone got home and all I got the answering machine.

So here I sit blogging in the nude as my evening continues to evaporate, I will not be able to work out as planned listening to my favorite radio programs. So this has turned out to be one of those days. On the good side i found a lamp on the sharing shelf this morning so maybe the dar wan't so bad after all..  

Blanket Page

There's nothing more intimidating to a writer than a blank piece of paper – – there I go again calling Myself a writer. But look!This is no longer a blank page, this page has something written on it I'm writing! I'm really really writing. Is that the mark of a writer being able just to fill up space? Maybe so. I have to confess that I looked at this blank page for a good while before I started writing this bit of nothingness. Before that had spent about an hour up front in the lobby of the apartment complex I live in watching drama across the street from our building. There is no less than seven police cars and an emergency vehicle parked in the cluster and about 20 uniforms milling about. Two individuals were handcuffed sitting on the curb and this seemed a lot of nothing going on.

An hour before this happened I had gone across the street to the market. Had rented two red box movies last night and I needed to get them back to the red mothership that lives in my market.Of course as soon as I got the market I forgot all about the red box movies and got an item or two which I had forgotten last night and forgot to download the movies. So of course I get home and get to work then in a blinding flash realized I had not returned the red box movies. So I grab my backpack once again and take off for the market. When I get back I come through the lobby of my complex and there seems to be a gathering of people at the window of the front door. Out across the parking area seems to be half the police department of Taylorsville. Seven vehicles some of lights flashing some doors open and lots of officers milling about. And yes with two suspects down. Great drama for a Sunday afternoon. What is extra sad is that one of the suspects belongs to one of the residents in our apartment. I doubt this will have any significant impact on this lady but I'm sure the lady will feel self-conscious knowing that department knows that something happened across the street and it involved her offspring. Whereas with the gaggle of residents nobody knew for sure what it happened except for the suspect in the blue T-shirt and jeans had something in his mouth that he would not spit out at the command of the law enforcement personnel. In fact he resisted quite significantly anything law enforcement demanded of him as did the other suspect. It was learned that the suspect in the blue T-shirt had drugs in his mouth that he would not spit out. I watched the drama play out for a little bit but decided local law enforcement did not need our ratings on this particular episode of “Bad Boys Bad Boys”.

I often comment I live in Bullet Ville but I do so kiddingly. Yet there is a steel fence which basically surrounds our building we are gated and that's okay with me. Any given night I hear many sirens running up and down Redwood Road which is right next to our building. I've not heard much gunfire at least I don't think so It's been July which is basically firecracker season are gunshots take your pick kind of all the same here.