2012 March 08

Thursday:  This is not normally a day to babysit.  However, Nathan worked a double shift yesterday as well as working on our truck, Rudolf.  This is his day off and he wanted a chance to sleep-in.  So, we got up at 5:45 and drove to Ankeny.

The good news is … we got to spend extra time with Charlotte and Lorelia (oh yeah, and a little with Nathan).  We didn’t stay as long as we usually do on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ella has been having trouble with keeping her phone charged.  Or more accurately with getting it to charge.  The connector port on the phone is loose and not making a good connection.  So, we headed to Verizon in Des Moines after we left Ankeny. 

We arrived about a half hour before opening time.  So, we went next door to McDonalds for coffee (and a sausage, egg McMuffin for Ella).  I hadn’t taken my morning pills and needed some coffee to wash them down.  We sat there and drank coffee and I worked on the crossword of the day.  Some days, like today, the puzzle seems very easy.  Other days, I just stare blankly at the questions.

Verizon opened their doors and we went back to get the phone serviced.  They just ordered a replacement phone, which should be here tomorrow.  

While we were there I wanted to look at the new Razor Max phone.  It is supposed to have a much longer battery life.  It is also 4G as opposed to our current 3G Droid Xs.  We were told that we could transport all  our current programs and files directly to the Razor.  They offered us a good deal on a pair of them … so we bought a pair.  They weren’t in stock but should arrive tomorrow or the next day.  Now we wanted to cancel the exchange on Ella’s defective Droid X for the replacement Droid X.  They couldn’t cancel the replacement.  So, tomorrow we should receive the new Droid X but we will not activate it.  We’ll keep it and send in the old one as an exchange.  Once the Razors arrive, we’ll take them to the Verizon store and have them activated.  It’s amazing how such a simple thing as getting a phone serviced could turn into something so convoluted. 

We stopped by the campground office on our way home.  I wanted to sign up for workcamping this summer.  I also wanted to ask about when we were supposed to have the skirting insulation removed from around our RV.  We were told that it will be removed by the first of April.  This will help us determine when we will move the Hitch Hiker off of our seasonal site and when to bring the Excel home and put it on the site.  The dealer wants at least a week’s notice to get all the systems checked and all the prep work done.  They are also going to install a rear ladder.

By now, it was almost time for me to leave for Emeritus to lead the Bible study.  Ella decided to do our laundry while I was away.  We loaded the laundry into the truck and drove to the clubhouse (where the washer / dryers are).  After unloading laundry and wife, I went to Emeritus.

At Emeritus I did a very short Bible reading and devotional and then we sang songs.  Read that as I sang songs and they moved their lips or just listened.  My throat is still a little rough from the cold I’m just getting over.  As usual we sang “Jesus Loves Me” several times.  I don’t know if ANY of them realize that we just sang it a couple of minutes ago.  Their Alzheimer’s and dementia makes it hard for me to know I make a difference in their lives or not.

I returned home just in time to help Ella fold the last of our clothes.  Now while she is putting clothes away, I am updating the blogs.