"I don't see why they made you come in"

We had a tiring day. 

Our first driver was late.  He had a fresh cup of coffee and a half-eaten pastry in his console, so I had a pretty good guess what took him to long.  [sigh]  I didn't say anything to him, or Ron (just you). 

We had to go downtown.  It isn't a long ride if you take the freeway.  Houston's laid out like a spiderweb, with freeways going out in "spokes" from the center, surrounded by two circular freeways, 610 and the Beltway.  It's a pretty good system and we traveled late enough that we didn't really encounter any traffic. 

We got in, checked in, and sat down.  We waited with a couple of legally blind guys, another guy in a wheelchair, a very old man on a walker, and a guy with a cane.  They called names, we were almost last.  The very old man told us some war stories about WW2.  A young black man was very impressed he had served, and made a point of coming over and thanking him. 

I put $20 on my bus card.  I am good for almost a hundred bus rides now. 

We were getting pretty close to our pickup, Ron got worried and checked with the clerk.  We were next. 

A nice lady opened the door and mangled our last name.  We smilingly corrected her and went back.  I made a point of telling her Ron couldn't go anywhere without me pushing him.  She nodded.  She sat down and went through the paperwork and we confirmed all the health problems.  She gaped at us. 

"I don't see why" she said "They made you come in". 

"He's not getting better". I said dryly.  She nodded.  I didn't bother to mention that Ron gets a little worse every couple years. 

Ron mentioned he had been promised he would get a lifetime approval this time.  She said she would work to make that happen, but it might take a couple weeks to get the approval letter. 

She took us out to the waiting area.  I ran to the deli and got some junk food, so I could take my pills. 

We had a long ride home but the driver really enjoyed us.  He said we were fun, that's nice to hear. 

When we got home I took the stopper out of the bathtub.  The pop up stopper had failed.  We have to unscrew it to get the tub to drain.  Since Ron likes baths, that's a problem. 

We went to Home Depot and got a couple of new stoppers (something will work) and a set of stainless washer hoses.  I didn't want to take a chance on the installers "forgetting" the stainless hoses. 

Apparently "everyone" is now saying to replace them every 5 years.  Boy, God really had my back because my current hoses are just about 15 years old. 

I also got some washing machine cleaner because I will need it, now that I have an HE washer.  Not really thrilled with an HE, but I don't have a choice.  I "could" "Maybe" get the old washer repaired but it would probably cost as much as my new washer, and I don't see the sense in that.  I would be particularly upset if I paid someone $200 to come out, only to find they don't make the part anymore! 

I plan to keep a jar by the washer and put in $1 every time I do a load.  By the time the washer needs replacing, I'll have enough money to pay for it.  I meant to do it with the last washer but it got folded into my emergency fund and used on things like dying cats and hospital bills. 

[sigh]  Anyway, we got all that and checked out.  Our ride home came pretty fast so we enjoyed that.  It was about 3:30 so I tried to take a nap.  I got a little rest, but Torbie came in meowing loudly and walking on me, and then #6 made some noise. 

About #6, they still have that annoying light but I have apparently gotten used to it.  To my knowledge, it's not waking me up (motion detector light, one of the lights points right at the back of my house and both my bedroom windows). 

I have had a good atmosphere for sleep but between Ron's pending operation, Ron's drinking, Ron's Dad dying, and worries about my new washer, I'm kind of a wreck these days.  I am sleeping what I would term "OK". 

Doc would be happy with that.