Yuma has presented us with some things to love and some things to hate. We had been here in Yuma two weeks ago and our dentist told Vicki she needed a root canal. Needless to say, that meant 2 weeks of worry and the coming discomfort based on past experiences. Ground hog day meant a trip into Mexico and seeing a specialist for Vicki. What was different and really impressed both of us was we did not have to go to the specialist, he came to us. Our dentist set up the whole procedure and at a cost which was not only economical but downright cheap when you compare it to being done in the states. Literally an hour later Vicki was done. She did not have pain during the procedure or after! We cannot say enough good things about the dental care we receive each time we go to Los Algodones. The only thing that was noteworthy is that winter reared its ugly head with a serious windstorm a-blowing. Had windspeeds of up to 40 mph with some gusts that were probably higher. Also, there was so much dust in the air that it caused a warning about being outside in it. Definitely an Arizona, desert thing.
Groundhog Day was a great day as we also got our Tax Refund back in less than 2 weeks. Gotta love Turbo Tax and the IRS getting refunds back so fast! Have to make another trip into Mexico to get Vicki’s permanent crown after her root canal, so may spend the day doing a bit of browsing and have a nice lunch south of the border.
The Pacific Northwest had some sunny weather and they always take advantage. Emmett had a baseball tournament and they ended up placing 3rd overall all. They got to the winners bracket in dramatic style with Emmett making the tying RBI with a walk in the final inning and then they young man behind him hit a walk off grand slam. It was so much fun listening to Josh call the game and the play on his facebook live stream.
I am sure that Vicki is going to make me redact most of this paragrah, but this needs to be said. The bureaucracy Texas Blue Cross Blue Shield has an extreme case of Cranial-Rectal inversion syndrome. The cure does not appear on the horizon anytime soon. I spent another 2+ hours on the phone on hold dealing with stubborn 1st order phone specialists when all I needed to do was speak with a supervisor so I not have to rehash my history of trying to obtain health insurance for the last 2 months. After 2 hours on hold I was finally sent up stream to a supervisor who together on a conference call spoke with the Marketplace representative who validated my entire claim and story. This is why there should be universal health care for all. I’m more than willing to increase my tax burden if it means that I don’t have to deal with insurance companies whose sole purpose in life is to make purchasing their insurance impossible. Right there in the constitution it says ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’. Life means I should be able to get to see a doctor without breaking the bank. Please explain to me why on earth are we one of the richest countries with the most expensive and least accessible health care systems. Sorry for the rant, but I’m really pissed off!
Friday we met up with Joe and Annette and went to lunch at Mi Rancho. Highly recommend this place for authentic Mexican food. Vicki had the best chili relano she’s ever eaten and I devoured two killer carne asada tacos. Muy bien!!! We then went to the Yuma flea market and moysed among the stalls for the better part of two hours. Didn’t buy anything of significance, but had a wonderful time.
Everyone says that when a jet flies out of WINAS it’s the ‘Roar of Freedom”. To heck with that, down here in Yuma it’s the thunder of the Marine Osprey making the difference here in ‘Merica!’ Being next to Marine Base Yuma we have all kinds of military aircraft in and out, but the most impressive is the marine Ospreys. When they come in to land, they fly right over the rig and with their propellers in a vertical position they definitely rattle the rig good. It is cool seeing them not only fly like a helicopter, but also as a fixed wing aircraft. I don’t care who you are, the Marines get some of the coolest equipment!
Let’s Jump in the Wayback Machine Mr. Peabody!
So let’s go back in time to November 2021 shall we. One of the most pleasurable things about retirement is finally being able to spend time reading and enjoying books. Downloaded Peril by Dave Woodward and what a revealing account of the Trump era at the end. Whether you are a Trumper or not, it is a must read and amazing what went on during these trying times. From a political standpoint it will anger you. From a historic standpoint a definite eye opener and a recommended must read. Also finished a difficult and long book on the history of the Vietnam conflict and although a bit dry, it was amazing the history of the times. The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstan is another good read especially if you’re into nonfiction like I am.
November brought some colder weather and of course that did not help the hip. As I’ve mentioned before, some time in 2022 I’m getting my left hip replaced. It can’t come soon enough as it is really started to hinder my mobility.
Another November observation while on the road across the US is the new shortage. At the beginning of the Covid 19 Pandemic it was toilet paper. Now with the Omnicron variant its chicken thighs. We searched every store in the month of November in search of the elusive thighs, be they with skin and bone or boneless. However none were to be found. Where did they go? Are chickens not making them anymore? Is Perdue stockpiling them? Are people from Arkansas hoarding them? I think 60 minutes should investigate.
Spoiler alert, the last James Bond movie came out in November. We went with our good friends Ron and Charlene and her sister Kathy and husband John. If you haven’t seen the movie, spoiler alert, stop reading and go to the next paragraph. Had nice comfy reclining seats, plenty of popcorn and a small soda. (At my age a large soda would demand 8 trips to the bathroom during the movie, not a good thing) Really enjoying the movie until the last 5 minutes. They killed James Bond! Are you FREAKIN’ KIDDING!!!! I’ll never watch another Bond movie. Why? Because they killed James Bond!!! Of course he was misogynistic, of course he killed indiscriminately, but he was James Bond. And a heads up Hollywood, you don’t KILL JAMES BOND!!!!
We celebrated Veterans Day by ‘trick or treating’ through town. We picked up all kinds of goodies from local restaurants, shops, and businesses thanking us for our service. It was fun running into other veterans and sharing our stories. It was especially gratifying to meet Viet Nam vets and welcoming them back to our fold. Several had tears in their eyes when Vicki and I as veterans said thank you for your service and welcome home. After reading the book I mentioned earlier I think that statement holds even truer today than ever.
Finally in November, we had our first experience with 1000 Trails site pirates. As I’ve mentioned before 50 amp sites are at a premium in parks. We drove about and found a site and began to settle in. Then this Karen comes up and starts screaming at Vicki about it being her site. The rules are very clear at thousand trails. You set up, then report your site to the ranger. Karen did it the opposite. Sadly, the ranger sided with Karen, so we had to move. The next day however, we found an even nicer campsite, so it wasn’t really that big a thing. My guess is Karma awarded the Karen a flat tire down the road.
So that brings you up to speed for yet another week. Look forward to your comments and hope your are enjoying our adventures half as much as we are. By the way, did I mention we are still loving retirement!
