Adventure Day

Today I will take the bus downtown to get my paycheck. Normally, I have direct deposit, but since my contract expires/was renewed at the end of July, for some reason, it didn't go through and I got a check instead. I'm going to pack my laptop and go downtown and drink coffee in an internet cafe and pretend to be a tourist. Before that I'll swing by work and get my check, go to one bank and cash it and my bank and deposit it.
Also I need to swing by the airport and send a fax from work.

bah

This is starting my last week of vacation, counting my sick time for my surgery, I've taken almost a month off.
My anger about all my stuff missing is turning into I-don't-know-what. I don't want to fill out forms and try to get a check from the airline. I want my suitcase!
I'm trying to fill out a list of what was in there and it just seems impossible.
I guess you're getting tired about hearing about it too. Unless I get my stuff back, this will be all I write about the subject.

pissed and more pissed

Yesterday, I called my Mom and asked her to try to get through to Spirit Air. She was able, and actually talked to a person.
Talking to her made me realize how upset I am about this whole thing. I mean, I don't even have any shoes, the only shoes I have are the ones I wore on the plane.
I went to the airport to look again yesterday. They're telling me it doesn't look good. Since I haven't been able to get through to Spirit Air, I haven't been able to get the paperwork I need to file a claim. However, last night, somebody at Cayman Air gave me a copy of Spirits paperwork that I needed. Cayman Air has been more than helpful. They've been calling and haven't gotten through either.
The tone of the Spirit Air paperwork is insulting, demanding receipts for everything and etcera. It has warnings of mail fraud and if they suspect anything, they may not consider my claim at all. It really pissed me off. They charged a fee specifically for my luggage, thereby assuming responsibility. I think they should be more hat-in-hand, trying to remedy the situation, instead of threatening me because of their screwup.
I'm really upset. Maybe my Dear 'Ol Mom can fix it.

Saturday

It's Saturday, I still haven't gotten through to Spirit Air. I think it's not looking too good.

OI Girl's working and I'm probably going to the beach with the Dawg.

Great Day

Yesterday the OI Girls Brother came to visit on a cruise ship with his wife and family. We went diving. I just snorkeled because I can't dive yet from my surgery, but I can go just as deep as they did! We then went and had a great sushi lunch. It was a fantastic day Still no luggage, still no answer at Spirit Air.

Nobody works at Spirit Air

They still haven't found my luggage, and OI Girl and I have been calling a lot to talk to a human at Spirit Air. Nobody works at Spirit Air in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Airways people have been helping us out.
If I don't get my luggage tonight, I'm going to call the credit card company and withdrawal the payment and see if I can get a human that way.

Home

I'm home from vacation, OI Girl is a work already, I'm going back Monday.
We got back yesterday afternoon, Spirit Air lost my suitcase. I had a lot of stuff in it. Apparently, no humans work at Spirit Air.
Hopefully I'll get my suitcase back someday.

Pictures

My Grandfathers old farm, a cousin lives there now
Memories in the barn
My old wagon, still there and old old old!

My grandfathers 1954 tractor, now owned by a neighbor
Cemetery

Wilmington, Ohio

I am in Wilmington, Ohio, my Moms hometown. I think the last time I was here was 25 or 30 years ago. Last night we had pizza with my cousin, his wife and son. The cousin I've known all my life, the wife and son I met for the first time last night. Today I ought to see my other cousin, who is closest to my age. (My Moms sister has 3 sons, my Mom had one brother and one sister, both have passed). Today we'll see my Grandfathers old farm, and visit with some of his friends.
We went to Wal-Mart last night, and there's a Taco Bell within walking distance of out hotel. And yes, we did stop at Taco Bell once already. It was just as wonderful as I remembered!
Today I rekkon I'll start taking some pics. I've taken a few so far.

PA

I'm in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, it's COLD up here, (high 50's).

Today we're meeting the OI Girls friends and tomorrow we're heading for Ohio. the OI Girl was an exchange student in High School and we're visiting the family she lived with. this is the same people she went up for the wedding for a couple of months ago.

Somethings wrong with my new computer, It can't connect to the internet. It connects to the wireless network, just can't load any pages. It seems I always have a problem with a new computer.

PS It's not hard to type with the Treo.

I'm at my Mothers house, typing this on my phone. Hopefully I can email it.
Arriving in the US was like landing in a third world country. Fort
Lauderdale airport was very disappointing. We went thru security to make
our connection and the terminal was dirty, overcowded and had totally
insufficent food and seating facilities. There was only one "food stand", a
Nathans Hot Dogs, and it was filthy. The coffee was full of "floaties"
(cockroach shit?) I took it back. A teeny bag of french fries weighed
(seriously) about two pounds from the grease. Poison. That bag was like
holding a 2 pound scuba weight. The vents on the Coke mchine were clogged
with dust and the employees bad attitudes were self evident. Horrible.
Intolerable. That's Terminal H at Fort Lauderdale Airport. Beware!
Arriving in DC has been an improvement. We usually use Baltimore, but this
time we landed at Washington National (the people from here will never call
it Reagan National). BWI is better, but this was OK. It was way past my
bedtime when we finally got to my Moms. I got some funny looks because the
OI Girl was handling the luggage, while I just stood there, a cripple.
Yesterday my Mom took us all over. Shopping. The OI Girl bought a new
purse, a cool hat and clothes.
I bought a new laptop, (but I'm typing this from my phone, in bed.) It is a
sweet laptop, another Toshiba, dual core Intel processor, 13.3 inch screen
with a fingerprint reader and webcam all built in. It has Windows Vista,
which will take a little getting used to. But I really like it.
Today is the unvieling of my Fathers tombstone, then the OI Girl and my Mom
will tour DC a little while I go see an old Navy buddy of mine. One of my
oldest friends. We've been outta touch for over 10 years. Its going to be
great!
Yesterday I threw away my bandage and had my first real shower in a week. I
haven't shown the OI Girl my scar yet. I'm afraid she's going to be shocked.
Tomorrow we head to Ohio.
___
***

HBD!

It's my birthday! I forgot till the OI Girl told me this morning! It's also Anduins Bday, go tell her HBD too!
Soon We go to the airport, I'm sneaking this post while the OI Girl is in the other room!

one blue ball

Today is the last day before we Travel to the US. I feel fit enough, I was worried I wouldn't. I have to pack, I'm taking my biggest suitcase, at the The OI Girl's request, so she has room to put the stuff she buys. It will be almost empty on the way up.

I really want a new laptop. And Taco Bell.

I saw my new scar for the first time yesterday. It is much bigger than I thought. I took a pic with my cell phone camera. What you see in the pic is my right hip, my legs are to the left and my you-know-what is under the blue cloth. My skin is kind of wrinkly from the old bandage they just took off. And bruised. And I have one blue ball, which I won't show you. The doc says it looks good, and I'm inclined to beleive him. I feel better than I expected.

(they shaved me before the operation.)

I want to get in the SEA!

Today I have an appointment to have my dressing changed. It will be the first time seeing my new scar. Since I can't drive, I'm taking the bus, which on this island, is a mini van. How I'm going to get from the bus to the hospital is anybodies guess, I rekkon the OI Girl could leave work and take me. What a hassle this no driving stuff is. I guess I could walk the hundred million miles from the bus to the hospital. Can't drive, but it's OK to walk a hundred million miles!
Also the doctor told me I can't get my wound wet for a week. That means crappy showers. Hoseoffs, really. Once I can get it wet, I'm getting in the SEA! I can't wait for that.
I'm really glad I got the operation done right away. I have a friend who's got a similar thing and is putting it off.
Also, I notice in the car, when the OI Girl is driving, I'm very sensitive to bumps and sharp turns and stuff. I think that if we were all more sensitive in this way, we'd all be better drivers. With this thing on my side, I think a crash would hurt like hell, I realize that even without this thing on my side, a crash'd still hurt like hell, but I don't seem as aware of it usually.
Very interesting!

The OI Girl Stole my Dawg!

I'm home, it went better than I thought! Now, instead of feeling like I was kicked in the nuts, I feel like I was punched in the stomach! A vast improvement! And it's getting better fast!

Next tragedy, I think found out I have high blood pressure!

And, I think the OI Girl stole my dawg. We had a thunderstorm this morning, and guess whose side of the bed he went to, to vocally vent his concerns and seek assurance? It wasn't mine! Drat!

I'll be glad when it's over.

Here it is, my last day at work for about a month. It sounds good but it isn't. Tomorrow is my operation. I'll be glad when it's over.
Yesterday I met with the anesthesiologist. I didn't know I would be on a breathing machine.
I'll just be glad when it's over.

a fool and his money

I got my house blueprints yesterday afternoon. They look pretty good, I have to make one change that I see off the top. Not much to say today. I didn't sleep much last night, I feel OK though. I bought the OI Girl a new phone, a Treo 680. She likes it. Ibought myself one too, I don't really like it because it is too much like my old one, a Treo 650. It has twice the memory but I can't really justify it to myself. I was planning on getting her one as soon as they got them in, but I impulsed one for me too. Mine is all beat to hell though.

blood, breakfast and coffee.

Not necessarily in that order.
I'm at work right now, but I'm getting ready to run to the hospital for a blood test. I haven't had breakfast or coffee. I want my coffee.
Yesterday was a good day, I went to the beach all day. First it rained when I got there, but I waited it out and it got sunny. I have a few red parts today!
Well, I'm off!

Constitution Day

I'm wondering what to post today. It's Monday, a holiday. The OI Girl gets back this afternoon. Today I should be doing laundry and I need to do some grocery shopping. But I am going to the beach and leaving the house wreck as it is. I wanted to post a picture today, but don't really have one, but here's a picture of a rainstorm I took last week. It's nice and sunny where I am, but you can tell it's raining "over there".And some fins

click to enlarge

Happy July

Yesterday turned out a lot better than it started. I went to the beach, and went to the Sea Swim. I got 2nd place in my age group and 28th overall out of (I think) 96 swimmers. Then I came home and got cleaned up and went on a mini grocery run, (Express lane, 10 items or less) and came home and ate half a chicken and watched a movie. Here's a couple of pics, for no reason, one's is a piece of wood that has a fence growing through it, the others are an ancient trash can that has been grown around by a tree, the contents of the trash can seem to be stuck in there permanently.