Monday, January 6, 2014

Trip Planning

We both almost had a heart attack the last four minutes of the 49er game and thrilled that they are now heading to North Carolina. The Panthers. Next Sunday.

Today will be the first day back at the other rehab since before Christmas. With my recent lower back pain, I didn't want to exacerbate the problem so I let it just heal itself. It feels fine now though I will not pull my eight-pound free weights yet. Maybe later this week. Tomorrow, I was going to the rehab class but mom has another doctor's appointment and yet another during Thursday's class.

This weekend, I worked for several hours on my year end files and set everything up for this year. I gathered 2013 tax information regarding medication expenses, mileage to rehab and appointments, rehab costs and premiums. We paid almost $10,000 in health insurance premiums last year. That is a lot of after-tax dollars.

I also have begun planning our road trip in May. The information from the last trip was filed away, I went through it and discovered our passports to the Bourbon Trail. Each had only one stamp - Jim Beam. So, we are planning a two day stay to allow time to visit the other five distilleries, have the passports stamped then mailed in. The reward for each passport is a t-shirt. Apparently, it is a big deal. Michael is excited.

The Bay Area is known for several things but one of the most cherished is our Sour Dough French Bread. I am trying to figure out a way to keep it fresh enough to get to friends in Ohio - our first stop about three days into our trip. Nothing tastes likes it. It is quintessential San Francisco. Michael suggested that we shrink wrap a couple loaves...we'll see.

This three-week road trip will be about visiting people rather than sightseeing as it will probably be our last trip for some time. Besides our friends in Ohio, we are planning to visit my former workmate in Raleigh, North Carolina; my uncle's wife in Tennessee; Chip and Betty near Albuquerque, New Mexico; Michael's sister in Knoxville, Tennessee; a friend in Oklahoma City and possibly Michael's mom in Orange County at the end of the trip. We might even visit a blog mate near Salt Lake City who is currently under hospice care. I would love to see her.

The good news for the day is that rain might, just might blow through this week. We are in such a drought and are rather sick of the mild weather. I know, we are the only area of the country to be able to say that but we really need the rains to begin. Highs today in the mid-60s.

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