Car Trouble

 Tommy's legs, one especially, are in bad shape. They look red and almost burned, blisters all over. Today when I went to AFC Just before we went, I told him we were going to have the np look at his legs. He would not let me put Eucirin on them, what I was told to put on mine. Mine are almost well. She told him to use it too. I suppose he will.

We got out about 4:30 in plenty of time to get home before dark. The car would not start and had strange clicking noise. There was a notice about the emergency brake not working. So, I said to call insurance. The claim number had messages that led to a different message. Do you had Medicare and Medicaid? No. Are you over 60? No. So, they had a message about a safety id. 

Finally, Tommy got a person. I have never heard him yell into the phone. He could not hear person and was telling her to slow down, speak up, speak plainly. When I took the phone, I understood. She was in Philippines. Women on the call lines there are very hesitant to speak up, have very soft, submissive voices. 

We kept calling other numbers we could find. All calls led to these same numbers. We called 911. policewoman came, called someone to come with a starter/jumper box, but Tommy refuses to keep it ours in the car. ??? We always have a need for it here, he says. ??? So we sat for over an hour begging for agent. By the time we were on the road, it was well after dark. We arrived home safely, no thanks to our insurance. AND, we were sent overseas for help.

Eventually, we were sitting in a dark parking lot. We were only 6 miles from home, but it was unnerving. 

This was Traveler's Insurance, worst I have ever had. What insurance do you use? I need to find another company.  

This 53F weather is harsh. And, will be lower later. We did not buy this car for features. However, heated seats are nice.

Stress Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

 Last Thursday, the day started with me getting up at 9 am to get ready for the chair repair guy to replace the undercarriage of my chair. He was to come between 10 am and 2 pm. We were ready for him at 10 am. So, he came at after noon. He took over my chair and I sat in the only other chair in the house except for Tommy's. $300 for the repair.

We left about 3:30 to return the Rubaiyat to Barnes and Nobles. Well, the car would not start after we stopped to get gas. We had not gone far, so we went back to Auto Zone. The guy said he was alone in the store, so he could not come out to the car. I did not believe that for a second. I told him I would call corporate and ask why they did not have more people in the store. A bit later, I called and he said he would be right out. I had not called corporate. He tested the battery and said it just needed charging. That was strange. A battery that just needs charging does not refuse to start after going about two miles and stopping for gas. 

We went to Pep Boys. They could do nothing, so we left and went home. PB was too busy. Come back in an hour. So, we came home, ate, rested and he was ready to go back. I told him after so little sleep, I felt incapable of driving safely and could he take a cab back. He left and came home via Lyft. Pep Boys called the guy and gave them the address for the house. 

We spent some time in the yard and heat starting my car. Then, I backed it down out of the carport and scraped Tommy's metal ramp, making a huge scrape on my car. I was so tired! He then started putting air in the tire with our little air compressor. You can only run it for ten minutes and then let it rest for 25 minutes. After ten minutes, I went to bed. 

Friday morning, Tommy kept running the air  pump for ten minutes and off for 25 minutes while I was asleep. I had slept well on Thursday and for about 10 hours. He alternated between filling tires and watering. My car was so dirty from sitting with dust and pollen all over it. So, I insisted we wash it before our chore of the day. Well, the carwash was temporarily closed but with people all over on ladders inside. So, we left and came back after a chore or two. It was open again, so I made the terrifying trip through and it was washed, sort of. I could still see soap running down the windshield and dirt still at the bottom of the windshield. 

After two blocks, Tommy said the windows were dirty, too. So, we turned around and the manager happened to be out there. He said he would give us a $25 wash instead of the $16 wash I chose the first time. I have never chosen an option with wheel washing but earlier had done so. Of course, the wash was closed while they repaired it again. So, we said we could come back Saturday. 

Then, I took him to pick up his car and ran out of gas running the car to keep cool. My insurance company could only help me via text. I spent over 30 minutes sweating and calling. When Tommy came out of Pep Boys, I sat in his car. Finally, I got back in my car to wait on gas delivery while he went across the street to get his meds. $230 for a new battery and other stuff he needed done. So, AZ said it just needed charging. Poor service there. 

When the woman with gas came, she called and said she was behind Walgreen's and where was I? I had said behind Pep Boys and she assured me she was behind Pep Boys and I was not. Things were tense for a moment. Finally, she said she said Pep Boys. She did not, but she finally found me right where I said I was. It cost me $10, just the price of the gasoline because roadside service took care of the delivery. Gas is not $5/gallon, but what can you do? 

Friday evening, I froze about 5 lbs of chopped turkey in quart bags. Tommy put an inch of water into my huge stock pot and dumped a huge bag of chopped kale into it. I almost let it simmer all night! We have been eating off that for three days now. It is delicious. 

I think I slept another 7 hours on Friday night, so I felt well Saturday morning. We got to appointment in Cullman 15 minutes late. But, we finished and went to two grocery stores, finding what we could not find down here. Then, it was back here to get the free, super-duper carwash. It was still dirty afterwards. We came home exhausted. The stress of the frightening trip through the carwash on top of everything else that day just about did me in. 

We had to do no cooking, just thawing cooked meat or heat leftovers in the microwave on these three days. 

Sunday, I think I awoke at noon. At 1 pm, I went back to bed and slept until 5 pm. Altogether, I slept 16+ hours. 

Last night, I slept about 5 hours. Monday, I have managed to feel okay until I accidentally went to sleep watching a show about Nazca lines. I slept an hour, accidentally! 

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were so tiring. Sunday was just sleep. Today, Monday, we have not done things we should have all during the week. But, we are working on it, just things in the house. 

This week, three days of over 100F is projected. We have things to do out and about, so no staying indoors for us. I told Tommy we would take two bottles of water each day. Usually, he just drinks out of a bottle he keeps in the car all week. He might take a sip in 8 hours. The rest of the time, he drinks caffeine in coffee and diet Pepsi. The other day, I lectured him and he drank two inches of water.

Other things may have happened that were stressful, but I cannot remember those things. 

Are you having hot weather this week? 

Bad weather this weekend? 

One of the Reasons I Love Commercials

 Yes, I love commercials. But, I can only tell you one reason right now as I feel too awful to write much. 

I was listening to a commercial as I was doing something else, not really giving it my full attention. However, I heard something about the price of insulin being capped at $35. I think that was the price. Well, Tommy had just gotten his a few days before, and I asked him how much it cost--something like $90. 

Immediately, I asked him again. So, I told him what was on the commercial. The next day he called his pharmacy while I was in a store. It appears he has been overcharged for at least three months. He should be due about $200 when he gets this resolved. He had to file a grievance. 

Okay, that is just one reason I love commercials. Tomorrow, I may feel like giving you more reasons. We went to Cullman today after I slept about two hours. Then, I slept another two hours taking a nap. Monday, I will begin the ordeal of getting my thyroid condition assessed and fixed. I cannot believe the ENT is taking the initiative when two family doctors have sort of said, hmmm, and gone on to something else. 

Do you know someone who takes insulin that might need to review their costs with the insurance company? I think this cost is even for those without insurance. 

Cancel the Insurance and See What Happens

 I canceled my dental insurance since it was worthless and the next day, I got a terrific toothache, the kind that is here to stay. That's okay about the insurance, though. 

This insurance was $38/month. Then, I was supposed to let them know if I wanted the $42 insurance with better benefits. I could not find the papers after my house was gone, so I called. The guy told me I could not renew or get better benefits until they had it in writing. He was so rude. He left me with the impression if I did not get in touch with them in writing, they could not cover me. 

Well, I canceled the cleaning at my dentist just before this conversation. So, I assumed I was not covered after talking to him. Since all the covid mess, I did not want to take my mask off. Then, I had to cancel the next one due to coughing so much and sneezing. The dental office was probably glad I canceled. Then, the next one I scheduled, I had a fever.  So, for several months I made a lot of appointments and canceled. 

Finally, two weeks ago, I think, I had my teeth cleaned and learned I was still covered at the $42 rate. I was furious. For 14 months I had paid $42/month and never used it, paying $588 and got nothing! After having my teeth cleaned and paying nothing, I then canceled. 

The next day, I was hurting. But, I am not sorry I canceled the dental insurance. 

We have not used the heat at all except to take the chill off of the air for thirty minutes and turn it back off. Last night, the thermostat read 61F at 2:30 am, so Tommy turned the heat to 63F because his face was freezing. I just pull the cover over my head! 

Today, I had a doctor appointment out of town. When I awoke, I was so happy I was going to be gone and have other things to think about besides the voting today. It helped to keep me from fretting. 

Now, I have to go fix something for dinner! 

How has this election day been for you?

Thursday and Friday

We had to be in Cullman at 9 am on Thursday. ugh So, we left here at 7 am. Of course, he had to have a sausage and biscuit and coffee. okay. It is a huge habit, but I say nothing  because I do not want his blood sugar dropping. Then, he announced he had to get gas! That could have been done the day before. So, I have to question him about gas from now on! GAH

I packed a lunch--chicken sandwiches and a halo. He also had orange juice and pb crackers for the wait. I was in the hospital for about 1.5 hours. He had eaten the crackers and oj when I returned. We went to the lake in town to eat lunch. It was a glorious day and the setting was perfect.

Last week, I wanted a chocolate ice cream cone from DQ. They do not have chocolate! So, on Thursday we stopped at the DQ in Cullman and found they had chocolate. We told the manager who gave us our cone that the one we went  had no chocolate. She said she had heard that there were only four DQs in AL that carried chocolate ice cream. What?

We won't have another cone until the price comes down to $1 for a cone. The only thing we bought at the grocery store was Duncan Hines cake mixes.

I have not handled paper money in over a month. I have one place I pay cash because they charge me over three dollars to use my card. I am right there in the town, so it pays to make payments with cash.

When I took the money from the bank Thursday, I did not touch it...well, just the ends to count it in the bank envelope. I wiped the envelope with a Lysol Wipe and got it just wet and nasty. So, I pulled the bills out and held them with a wipe. I told the lady that the wetness was only a Lysol Wipe. She said they had been wiping down everything all day. The whole building had only four people working as opposed to their usual twenty or so. She was inside, just pushing out a window for people to place payment.

I take advantage of paying on the phone or online every chance I get, which is always, except for the one bill I paid today.

The grocery store was stocked with tp. There were few people there. There were no wipes, hand sanitizer or Dial Soft Soap.

Friday, I called my car insurance company and found out a 15% refund will be applied back to the credit card used to pay my insurance. This will be once for April and once for May. YAY! This is because of the coronavirus and lack of driving. The same will happen with Tommy's insurance.

Today, I not only watered my garden, I put poison on the back and front of each leaf. This chore was back pain intensive. This poison supplied to me is supposed to not be dangerous. Why was there a caution to wash hands if you got it on your hands? Today, I am getting the hot peppers I need for my own non-toxic bug spray.

I wanted to get a couple of hot peppers and forgot why I wanted to go to Publix! Shoot! I told Tommy I did not need to go to Publix when were out. I went to Dollar General to look for elastic.