December 3, 2014

A Foggy Start to Another Day

December 3, 2014

This is being written early Thursday morning because I was too tired last night to get it done.  The main reason is that I had to open the office yesterday since Ron had a doctor's appointment, so I was up early.  As I left for the office it was a foggy morning.  It is interesting when we have fog, because the fog is different thicknesses in different parts of town.  It is usually fairly thick around our house and fairly light the closer we get to the office.  The north side of town can get very thick with fog.  Yesterday seemed to be an exception since the foggy seemed to be about the same everywhere.  It was not hazardous for driving.  In fact, it was pretty.

Once I got to the office and got things ready to open, the first hour was pretty slow.  Then the next couple of hours seemed to be filled with frustrating customers.  They were people who buy imported products of poor quality and then want us to "fix" them.  Another man had a lock part that was about 50 years old and he had broken it and wanted a replacement.  We did not have it and can't get it.  Then another had imported locks and they had come without cylinders (the part with the key hole) and wanted us to supply that.  Sometimes a "bargain" is not really a bargain if you can't get parts or extra keys.

It was after 11:00 before Ron arrived.  His doctor visit had been about some shoulder pain he had been having and was a follow up.  They had done x-rays during his last visit and the x-rays showed no major problem - no break, etc., but they said he has some arthritis in it.  As he described the pain they agreed it was more muscle pain.  They gave him a cream to use on it to hopefully relieve the pain.  They weren't very busy and he was pleased that they had time to talk to him.  "They" were the nurse practitioner and a nurse (who is actually a doctor in Mexico but his license isn't good here, so he became a nurse).  The nurse is very good and I saw him last time I was there.  In fact, I saw them both. 

Things picked up once Ron returned to the office and he stayed busy with customers while I stayed busy with end of the month reports.  I finished the reports and now I am just waiting for the bank statement so I can be finished with all of that job.  I did not get around to my Christmas letter as I had hoped, but maybe soon.  I am thinking about it.

White Ibis near Mom's house

After lunch Ron left on a job and was out for a couple of hours.  When he returned, I went by Mom's house and worked on the decks and the pot plants.  The front deck is being taken over by a plant and I cleared a good path across the deck for Mom.  The yardman needs to trim the plant off of the deck, but I never see him when he is there.  He should be there soon as the grass is tall.  When you look at yards around town, you wonder how it can be December.  They all still need mowing and trimming.  (Note the grass in the photo above.)

Going and coming from Mom's I encountered a flock of White Ibises that live in that area.  They wander through the neighborhood digging in the ground as they look for food.  They are interesting birds.  In the photo below, you see them ALL with their heads down, digging.

Back at the office I needed to renew the virus protection on my computer.  I did that and after it loaded, the computer locked up.  I tried a variety of solutions and finally gave up.  Ron said he would return after supper and take care of it.

Our Sunday school class is having a party Friday night so after work we met for supper with the friends who we usually meet on Friday nights.  They will be at the party, but we won't have time to visit.  For supper we were in a room that the restaurant calls "the party room".  It is not too large and can be closed off for private parties.  There was only one other table in use.  When we went in there was one lady at a table, but in a bit, two more ladies arrived to join her with 3 little boys.  They were noisy, undisciplined, rude, and dangerous.  They were throwing small metal cars, laying on the floor making it hard for the waitress to serve us and their noise was really loud when amplified by my Cochlear Implant and the hearing aid worn by the other man at our table.

We finally picked up our things and went to another room.  The women never tried to quiet the boys or in any way correct their behavior.  One came to my table and nudged me out of the way so he could see something on the window next to me.  We apologized to the waitress that we were getting another table dirty and she said she understood.  It was not long until a youngster at the table next to us started screaming so it was time for us to leave!  A screaming child to a person with a Cochlear Implant, is a headache in the making.

We went outside and visited for a while.  It was a beautiful evening with a very comfortable temperature.  The husbands were chatting in one area and the wives in another.  A lady friend joined my friend and me and we had a wonderful visit with her.  She had been a member of our church for most of her life, but recently moved her membership to Harlingen to be with family.  I think that is important since she was attending alone here in town and there she has several family members and they spend the rest of the day together.  I do miss her a lot at our church, but know she misses her sister's family and nieces and nephews.  We had a long visit while she waited for a friend who was joining her for a late supper.

At home, it was not long before I was asleep.  Ron had several errands to run after supper so it was late when he got home.  It was a good day and a relaxing evening except for some noisy children.