June 13 - 21

From a warmish, muggy MO,

We have had so much rain, but at least not staggering amounts at any one time. Typically we have had a little over one inch with each downpour, so I guess I should not complain as some areas have had 5 or 6 inches at a time.

On the 16th I had my third CT scan (had been three months) and this time I had the enjoyment of drinking barium prior to the scan. It wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated - certainly a lot better than the phospate prior to a colonoscopy. I had hoped to know my the 19th the results, but am still waiting. If I don't hear tomorrow, I will call and see if they have them - guess I am just not the patient sort of person I should be.

Jim is getting items ready for his yearly trip to Canada. The guys will leave early on the 25th and will go to Fargo, ND the first day, then will have an easy drive to Winnipeg and on to Crowduck. There is a particular diner in Winnipeg that they always stop and have a delicious breakfast. They will start the return trip early on the morning of July 3 - usually getting back to Chillicothe between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m.

Jim sees Dr. Kozminski on the 24th for what should be a routine visit. Jim had bloodwork done this past week for his PSA.

I am not sure what I have done to keep busy - haven't read, have done little housework (we did use the steam cleaner this past week), only cook in the evenings and that is not a big meal, and still I seem to be tired.

We have decided that when Jim gets back from Canada, that both of us need to resume going to the Y to walk several times a week. Jim has promised me he won't return to the 4 plus miles a day routine when he was getting so many Meniere's flare-ups, and hopefully it won't take me long to get back to one mile each trip to the Y.

One of my cousin's who has been the active one in getting the Jobson reunions started again, e-mailed me the other day to see if I can help on mailing labels, etc. again. I have a small box next to the computer that I "drop" items in as I come across them - new addresses, births, deaths, items I have come across, etc. It won't take me long to get a new "rough" draft.

Be safe.
B.

(To put the following in perspective. We mailed an insured, etc. birthday box to Dara on Feb. 11, 2009. It was delivered on Feb. 13 - and signed for my an illegible signature. Within a few days we realized it had not been received by Doug and Dara and we were soon on the phone to postal employees at Pflugerville, TX. Jim filed an initial claim which was turned down because they had a signature. We then filed an official claim and it was also turned down because the post office had a signature - needless to say - not of Doug or Dara.)

Today we received an explanation?? from the postal consumer advocate - located in Washington, DC.

"I am pleased to inform you, in view of the circumstances surrounding your case, I am making a one-time exception and asking the Saint Louis Accounting Service Center to process your claim for payment of $382.38. This includes $375.28 for the article and $7.10 for postage. The St. Louis Accounting Service Center will certify payment and issue you a check at the above address within 7 to 10 working days. I regret any delays and inconvenience this matter may have caused. This office is the final level of postal authority concerning claim appeals."

We have learned several things from this experience that took four months to "resolve."
1) Anyone can sign for a package that is insured - and the post office feels they are in the clear.
2) Persistence pays off as I think most people would have not kept trying to get the negligence resolved.
3) It is important to keep all receipts - we had the one for the piece of jewelry and the last mailing, but I did not have a receipt for the musical birthday card, and no way to verify the mailing of Doug's book on CD.
4) I am sure that enough people are deceitful, that businesses have to treat all people as deceitful.
5) Would you like to take bets as to the next time we use the USPO as a means of mailing a package?

B.

June 11 - second post

My old mind doesn't function well.

I meant to include in the previous post that we finally had a check from the US Post Office today - $382+ - not quite the full amount of $400, but then I didn't have the receipt for the musical birthday card or verification of the amount for the book on CD that Doug had loaned us. I had included various postal receipts on money spent in doing the first claim as well as this second claim - so evidently that helped.

I still find it irritating that the lost box had not been taken care of on our initial claim, but I think they just thought I would quit fighting them. Of course maybe, sending letters to the two senators from Texas and the two senators from Missouri also helped.

It really irritates me as well that anyone can sign for an issured box and the Pflugerville post office seemed to think they had done all that was needed. Of course the signature was illegible as well.

B.

May 27 - June 11

From a sunny day (first out of several rainy) day in MO,

It seems as if we have been active since I was last on. On May 30, we left a little before 7:00 to head to Jefferson City to the state track meet. As we headed towards Columbia, it appeared more and more likelihood that rain might be in our day so we made a quick stop at WalMart to get large trash bags to protect us.

The girls vaulted first and Samantha Figg ended up fifth. She really looked good and although I know she would have liked to go higher - cleared 9-6, I was really proud of her. The boys began at 1:00 and by then the sun had come out and it was warming up rapidly. This was Clint Dysart's first experience with a state track meet and he handled it like a trouper. He ended up clearing 13-6 (personal best for the year) and ended up 11th. Again I was so proud of him.

It takes us longer to rest up after a big day so we didn't accomplish much in the next few days - other than just what had to be done.

Jim began tackling our garage this week. So far he has filled 4 - 30 gallon - trash bags and has taken 4 or 5 large boxes of duplicates or items that we no longer need (from previous vehicles) to the Salvation Army store. I am sure the garbage men weren't too happy to stop in front of our house today. He has really made big inroads, but I am guessing that before he is done, another 2 or 3 bags will be filled along with another trip to the Salvation Army store.

We have had large groups at our last two Thursday morning breakfasts. We must have had a dozen there today.

I have been fighting nausea - never actually to get sick, but just a rolling stomach. This is a daily occurence and at first I thought maybe my vision had changed. I went to see our optometrist Tuesday and he determined that my vision hadn't changed enough to warrant new glasses - unless I just wanted to spend the money. I came home from breakfast this morning really nauseous and spent the next three hours in bed.

The ladies today told me that the directions I had been given for taking the Barium was not what they were familiar with. I will call the doctor's head nurse on Monday to verify what I wrote down. I sure don't want to drink two of those containers and discover I had done it at the wrong time.

Jim is beginning to pull things out for Canada. He joined Dr. Eden and John W. at the former's country place last evening for a cookout and to make final plans. The fourth one on this outing will be one of Dr. Eden's grandsons. The men leave early the morning of June 25 and return late the evening of July 3.

Tuesday I have an appointment in St. Joseph to get a third CT - am guessing to see if there has been any change from the early March CTs. I might rest easier when I find out the results.

Be safe.
B.