Well, it never slows down here. I was supposed to be off this week, and resting? But my Daddy always said there was “no rest for the wicked” and I guess I must have been pretty bad at some point. Shame I don’t really remember being bad.
We got home last night and this morning I had to turn around and get back to OKC by 9:00 AM for an appointment. I had to go pick up my replaced Bluetooth unit for my hearing aides. Yes I am near deaf from too much noise at work and not those rock concerts that I never went to… My new hearing aids have an add-on Bluetooth mic/sender that I wear and it links to my cell phone or anything else with Bluetooth so I can hear it through the hearing aids… really a nice addition. You see, I lost the one I got (after only 2 months). Stupid me, ii lost it when I had not closed my “dump-it-in-bag” when I got on the plane in Laredo going back to Houston a few weeks ago.
You see, I have a small carry on for the limited necessary items when I travel(fly) that I can dump everything into as we approach security check-ins. It speeds things up and after 20 years of travel I just seem to want to be ready when I get to the front and not have to hold the line up while I take off my belt, empty my pockets, check for loose change, remove my watch, etc. etc. etc.… So with the small bag I can have all that done well before I hit the trays. Once there, I can dump the shoes, pull the laptop, and shove them and the bag through in just a minute… I sure hate getting behind someone that makes multiple trips back and forth to get things they forgot out and put them in trays then still get the “magic-wand” check on the other side. They slow the operations to a crawl because they are not ready. I guess that is one of my pet-peeves. Be ready when you know what is coming. Do not wait to the last minute to start getting ready.
Somehow, on the plane as best I can determine, after I put the bag in the overhead it fell out. I had not zipped it fully closed after having to pull out my Bose headphones and then the next person tipped it over to shove their stuff on top and when I got ready to get off the plane I didn’t check to make sure I had not let something fall out. Fortunately that was the only thing I have found missing. Unfortunately it was expensive to replace. I had insurance for replacement but the deductible was about half the price of replacement.
Back to my day, I was up and out and on the road by shortly after 7:00 AM. There was not a lot of traffic as I expected since it was just about rush hour when I hit the city. Guess everyone was on vacation? I made it to the appointment pretty early – like about 8:10. Since I had stopped on the way through yesterday to see if, by chance, I could get it done yesterday evening but no luck on that so they had said they had an open time at 8:30. Not know if I could get there that early I stayed on the 9:00 am but hoped the 8:30 would be still open when I got there. No such luck, someone else had filled that one so I till after 9:00 to get t my shot. Once in we got the hearing aids cleaned, new filters, adjusted, and the Bluetooth programed to match my aids, etc.… then linked to my phone and I was out of there… Back in business for the time being.
I then went to Academy to check out some rolling lockers to use for a suitcase but they didn’t have what I was looking for. But I did get a new belt and spent a little time drooling over some fishing reels and other neat toys. From there I stopped at the main office of the Communication Credit Union, where we bank, to make a deposit. (Great rates, great service, nice people). For the new year they were giving out cans of “black-eyed-peas”.
Yes, that old saying that for good luck in the new year you should eat “black-eyed-peas”. So far it has never helped me one way of the other and I truly do not like Black-eyed Peas but I got a can and will most likely give it to my Dad, He eats them. But the can was pretty neat anyway.
I then made a run for home. Nothing else to stop me in the city as I might run into spending money, and I sure do not need to do that. One the way home I counted m ore RV’s headed south than we had the day before. Seems that a lot of the “Winter Texans” had waited out Christmas and were now making the run for the border. I can’t say that I blame them as it is getting cold and that chance of seeing 70’s every day sure looks appealing to me but alas, I have to work for a couple more years. Some day I will be one of those South-bound RVers. Looking for warming weather, you know shorts sandals and t-shirt stuff. I saw big RV’s, small ones and trailers, motor homes, all kinds like this big bus –
Anyway not all of them were having good luck. I know the picture is not too clear but this poor guy was being towed south.
Look close there is a dually pickup hooked to a 5th wheel trailer and that is being towed by the big read tow truck.
Yesterday from Denton to OKC it appears that maybe 15% or more of the traffic was RV’s going south. I just wanted to be one of them.
Once home we had a few errands to run, like fill the car up with gas as I had driven 390 miles since filling it up, get lunch, pay the city our yearly fee for having a security system and other misc. I did notice on the form that in 2 years I will not have to pay that fee anymore, it becomes free for seniors over the age of 62. I would guess by then they will figure out how to change that so they can charge me? One more senior benefit that I have 5 years to wait for is the property tax freeze. At the rate the economy is going I may even be able to argue that my property is worth less and get my tax lowered to a lower freeze level? NO, I am sure that is wishful thinking.
The rest of the day was spent doing small things, piddle things and oh, moving my few tools form the old plastic tool box I have had for over 20years to the new one my kids got me for Christmas.
Mine is black…
They all think the old heavy plastic one that the draws won’t open on and the lid is warped out of shape needs to be thrown away. The new tool chest sure is nice but I now don’t have enough tools to fill it????? ha! like I am going to do some serious work and need a lot of tools now… Anyway the new chest is nice and I now have most of the tools better split and should be easier to find… I hope… I guess they don’t know I still have the old Craftsman I got 45 years ago and it is in the motor home filled with the essentials I need there.
Mine is the old original gray version. I have carried that with me everywhere. Has been a great tool box.
Well , was the extend of my day. Didn’t get to do any Ham Radio today but did turn it on for a few minutes this evening, but I was intent on getting some DVD’s converted so I and play them on my tablet when I travel… Another of my Christmas presents was a DVD with 3 of the Louis L’amour movies on it. Hidden away I have a collection of his paperback books. Think I only lack a few of his books as I used to write down the ones I didn’t have and always look for the missing to add. I have never counted them but it was several shelves full at one time. It was a nice day today. We had nice weather, for late December, and I got a few things done with many more yet to work on but that is ok with me. – WD0AJG