The End Of An Era

Yesterday we moved the Winnebago to the storage area here at our little manufactured home community, and Terry and I both found ourselves getting misty eyed. Even though we’ve been living in our house for almost three weeks now, I think storing the motorhome finally made it hit home to us that after over 17 years of wandering the country with no home base, we are not fulltime RVers anymore. For us, it was the right decision to make, and the right time to do it, but it’s still the end of an era.

I know that RVs are inanimate objects, just a collection of rubber and metal and fiberglass, but to us our faithful home on wheels had a personality of its own, and we both felt guilty leaving it in the storage yard after all of the miles it has carried us safely along our country’s highways and byways. But I promised it, and we promised each other, that there are a lot more places we want to go and see, a lot we want to return to again, and many more RV adventures in store for us.

To further reinforce our new status, we now own a barbecue grill. We had a small portable unit in one of the bays of the motorhome that we used when we were traveling, but we wanted something bigger. So now we have this big stainless steel Char-Broil that can cook up a bunch of burgers or steaks all at once. Party at Nick’s house!

We had looked at grills at Home Depot in New Smyrna Beach and in Port Orange, and almost bought one, but I get frustrated dealing with the orange store. Some Home Depot stores give veterans a 10% discount, others only do it on Veterans Day and Memorial Day, some only give the discount to active duty military and those with service-connected disabilities, and it often depends on who is checking you out. I have had some clerks give it to me and others say no, and a couple of employees at the New Smyrna Beach store were downright snotty about it. I don’t go around expecting something for nothing just because I’m a vet, but if a company has a policy of offering a discount to veterans, whatever the policy is, it should be exercised consistently all of the time at every location.

I had mentioned this to a friend of mine, and he said that Lowes gives anybody with a VA card, a retired military card, or active duty a 10% discount every day of the year, with no hassle. Yesterday we drove down to Titusville to run a couple of errands, and since there was a Lowes there I thought I would stop and ask about it. And sure enough, the person at the customer service counter said any vet with a VA card or some other proof of service is entitled to a 10% discount all the time. So we bought the grill, a couple of heavy-duty storage racks for the garage, and a few other things, and the clerk happily gave me the discount and thanked me for my service. You can bet that’s where we will be doing our shopping from now on!

Today is sort of an anniversary for me, but not necessarily a good one. A year ago today I was in the hospital in Temecula, California experiencing some of the worst pain I have ever in felt in my life, due to an attack of acute pancreatitis. I spent four or five days in the hospital and I never want to go back again.

Before this happened my drug of choice was Pepsi, and I was as addicted to it as any junkie was to cocaine or heroin. I always drank two or three cans a day, and many times more than that. And not Diet Pepsi; that stuff is for sissies and wimps. I drank the full strength version. But I have not had a Pepsi, or any other kind of soda, since the day before I went into the hospital. And to be honest, I don’t miss it. I tried to kick the soda habit many times before, and once made it almost six months before I relapsed and was right back where I started. But I figure if I can make it this long, there’s no reason to start drinking it again.

Now, can I say that I have kept off all the weight I lost after I got sick? I could, but I’d be lying to you. I haven’t put it all back on, but I have a lot more than I care to admit. Although, all the work of moving into the house, and just wandering around this big old place, has given both of us plenty of exercise, and we’ve noticed it when we step on the scale! See, you don’t need a gym membership, just go buy a big old house and walk around calling “Marco” and head in the direction of whoever answers “Polo.”

Thought For The Day – If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees.

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