Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Time for some catching up!

This isn’t a bad day in Maine. The temperature in my little spot in the state is up to 65 at this mid-morning. But it is a cool 65. The sun is shining right now. My lawn is extremely wet with dew leftover from an overnight fog. When I drove to my exercise facility this morning, there were places where the visibility was only a few feet in front of the car. By the time I left an hour later, the sun was shining and the fog had dissipated.

But the lawn remains dew covered this morning. I’m hoping the sun will dry it out enough to be able to mow. It needs mowing. I mow with a lawn tractor and usually bag the cuttings. When the grass is wet, or even damp, the clippings tend clog up the chute and I have to stop every few feet to dump it out. The other choice I have is to mow without the bagger, but that usually leaves clumps of wet grass. So, I’ll just hope the sun has a successful morning drying the grass so that around noontime I can head out.

Yesterday I mentioned I was in a waiting mode, a condition I don’t take very well. If you read later, you already know that I was left in the lurch by the water district which had scheduled this date months ago to change my meter. The district even called last Friday to remind me they were coming yesterday. Yesterday morning it called again to tell me it had to reschedule in June.

Now the district wants to inconvenience me twice. Yesterday when they said they were coming and didn’t and now another day in June. Their scheduling really ruins a whole day even though they give a four hour window to do the job. It’s difficult to make plans or go anywhere. I would imagine that many non-retired people have to go to great trouble to schedule their day for this visit. At least my being retired only made yesterday a frustrating one for me.

They’ve scheduled me for the early hours next month so perhaps the whole day won’t be ruined. I know I’m not the only affected by yesterday’s action. My neighbors have their meter at the end of the long driveway as I do. The district had said it would change both of our meters at the same visit. So my neighbor was also inconvenienced. Probably many others were, too.

I also mentioned yesterday that I had my by-monthly blood draw to test how Coumadin was controlling my blood. I had had a setback a few weeks ago when I had a great garden salad. The greens things in such salads contain vitamin K which causes a war with the blood thinner. What had been blood visits every four weeks were down to two while my blood was being brought back under control. Yesterday’s visit, however, showed progress. My next draw is now scheduled for three weeks.

The lead physical therapist where I do my exercising and one of my fellow attendees had a fascinating discussion this morning. Both are ardent hockey fans with the Philadelphia born PT cheering for the Flyers and the Canadian born senior citizen cheering for the Habs. The talked about various elements in last Saturday’s final series game where the Flyers ousted Montreal from the playoffs. No excuses, no chest thumping, just good conversation about many of what apparently were good plays in the game.

Finally, over the weekend I mentioned that a group had submitted a plan to the Maine Secretary of State’s office to initiate a People’s Veto of a huge tax increase enacted late at night by the Democrats and two Republicans with no public input or even knowledge the action was being taken. That new tax has infuriated a large number, perhaps the majority, of Mainers. If the group can collect 60-thousand or so valid signatures by mid July, the taxes will be put on hold until the citizens decide in November at the ballot box.

I will at least sign the petition when it becomes available. I’m even trying to think of a way I might help. My limited mobility and standing ability is a handicap in the kind of action they need, though. Nevertheless, there probability will be some way I can contribute.

GiM

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