Exciting Times--Way Too Exciting

Yesterday was a very busy and occasionally exciting day for us. Some of the excitement was not so good, and some was.

First, I called my eye doctor to report "floaters" in my left eye, and flashes of light. Before you could say floater, Ray was home and we were off to the clinic in Totem Lake. My regular doc didn't have an appointment available until Wednesday and the nurse was not taking Wednesday for an answer. So we went to Totem Lake, that being a more sensible choice than Renton. (Believe me, no one wants to go to Renton anyway)

It was feared that I was having a retinal detachment, but after thorough examination the doc declared that it was only a vitreous detachment. It is not dangerous unless it pulls the retina away as it detaches. If I get thru the next 4-6 weeks without a detached retina then I am home free. For that eye. In the meantime, I have to try to look around the big ol floater and not stress the eye too much. (no heavy coughing, no heavy lifting, no heavy exercise) O, well that doc does not know me well enough to know that heavy exercising and I are not sympatico.

While there, I tried to have my heavy-duty cough syrup refilled so I'd not explode my retina, but was informed that since it is a "controlled substance" that I could transfer the prescription to Totem Lake but would have to leave it there as controlled substances can't be shifted from pharmacy to pharmacy but once only. Did not want to travel to Totem Lake for refills, so I declined the opportunity.

We decided to stick to our original plan for the afternoon, which was to get my military ID renewed. This was accomplished with some amount of hassle and I think the only reason for the hassle was because the person behind the desk could hassle us. Ray, you may imagine, did not take kindly to that and was staring daggers at the impudent wretch behind the counter, so she yielded and the ID was (at a snail's pace) renewed and the picture makes me look like a minor criminal instead of ax axe murderer, so I'm happy.

But I see it's for only 3 and a half years instead of 5, so we ask the hassler in chief why that's so, and she says they only renew IDs for 4 years these days. But, I say, this is for 3 and a half years, why is that? I get a blank look and the impression she'd rather we crawled away into a storm drain never to be heard from again. Luckily, the lesser hassler behind the desk asked me how old I was and when I replied 62, she said, "that's why it's only 3 and a half years. It's because of Medicare. Everything changes then". Yes, I think to myself, I am beginning to get that. So in a mere 3 and one half years, when I am officially old, we get to get hassled again. For an ID I've had for decades and which they will renew. I have to live to 72 before they will give me a permanent ID. I guess they don't think I'll make it. Aargh.

Then we dashed down to Northgate to get the controlled substance in question refilled before the pharmacy closed.

And yesterday evening was our annual caroling party. We only had visited one house and were gathering at the second house when one of our group of 34 was struck by a car. She was going fast enough that he was flung up on the hood of the car. When she slammed on the brakes, he was flung to the ground in front of the car and when all came to a complete stop, he was wedged under her bumper right up against the wheels of the car. His hearing aids were thrown 10 feet away and his cap ended up behind the car, his glasses about 6 feet away. Just like in the movies and in those horrid videos we used to watch in driver's training. There were many witnesses and we all know she was going much faster than the 10 mph she claimed to the nice policeman who came. EMTs also came and took our friend away in the ambulance on a back board.

This is a multigenerational group that's been caroling for 28 years. Tis the first time there's been any sort of mishap. But the doctors scoured him for damages and despite deploying every kind of test and machine they could think of from x-rays to mris and cat scans, they could find nothing beyond serious painful bruising. They declared it a miracle he was not seriously injured. I think they are right.

Having had the stuffing scared right out of us, all but the victim, his wife and one friend went back to the host's house to wait for udpates and eat all the good food we'd all brought. Nobody felt like singing cheerful Christmas Carols. Bob is madder about missing out on the food than he is about getting hit by a car. But then, he's doped up on his own controlled substances, so you can't trust him to make a good decision. (grin)

Ray was wearing a santa hat, and with his whitening beard, one of the bunch of grandkids decided he was close enough to Santa for her and she wanted to sit on his lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas and she was scared of "Santa" too. Scared won out. Poor Santa!

Doctor Day

Today we both go to our respective doctors.

I came home with more medications, to try and kick this hack attack business to the curb at last.

Ray goes to the eye specialist this afternoon. He may need another eye-stick, which is why I need to go too. Downtown traffic! One of my favorite things. (Not!)

Then for supper, we're going with our Family Home Evening Group to Applebee's for Christmas Dinner. Yeah, I know. Eating AGAIN.

It's cold for here, staying below freezing all day long. I left the kitchen and bathroom cabinets open overnight so the pipes wouldn't freeze solid.

Time to unhook the motorhome and move south. If only we had a motorhome.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Home once more. It wasn't easy getting back though. Friday afternoon traffic was hideous all the way from the Nisqually Delta through to Everett. Sitting in traffic in Tacoma (took an hour to get thru Tacoma!) we decided to get off I 5 at the airport exit and take the back road. we were glad we did. We left Newport at 10:30 and rolled into Shoreline at 6:35. We decided to stop and try the new Philipino restaurant on highway 99 and so got home late, but it was worth the stop to try the food. We were both frazzled and ready to be fed. The lumpia was good, but not as good as mine. Ray had pork adobo which he said was tender. The sauce was spicy hot, but the meat was mild. I had Spamsilong, which is Spam breakfast. It is grilled Spam, of course, with 2 fried eggs and some garlic rice. Very tasty.

Back in Newport on Wednesday evening we drove into town and chose Abby's Legendary Pizza. It pretty well is, in fact, legendary. It was the first time I've ever seen a pizza packed from rim to rim with sausage meatballs. We also had mushrooms and onion put on it, so with all that it was a pretty heavy slice. The crust was spectacular, thin and crispy on the bottom but not crackery, nice and bready tasting. We plan on going back to Abby's. It's only failing was a shortage of cheese, so next time, double cheese.

Thursday night we opted for Kum Lum chinese. It was ok but very bland, even Ray's mongolian beef. There are 2 other chinese restaurants in town and one noodle stand, so maybe we'll find a good one next trip. More restaurants are open Thursday-Sunday in the winter time, but not on Thanksgiving weekend. Too busy being thankful one hopes.

Thursday's sunset was nothing short of spectacular. I think it was the best one of the entire trip. A full moon rising to the east and a blue and orange cloud free sunset to the west. Breathtaking beautiful.

And Friday we toiled home. Yik, that was a nasty trip. The only good thing was the sunny weather. Today it's cold, cold, cold with Arctic air. The weather guy says it's going to be sunny and ccccccold until at least Wednesday. At least it feels like Christmas more than rain does.

My brother seems to feel that I left out something or someone in my Thankful list. And he's right. So I'll add I'm very, very Thankful for my Illinois and Minnesota, Arizona and North Dakota families too! I love my sibs dearly and am grateful for how they care for our Mom when I am so far away and can't help. I love them for far more than reading my blog!