Friday, April 13, 2012

Bennie Joe Casten

Bennie Joe is our 6 year old dachshund, born December 17, 2005. My niece P. found him for DH because DH was grieving so much over his dog, Dina, that had to be put to sleep because of health issues. Dina was a sweetie - half Jack Russell Terrier and half German Shepherd. She looked like a miniature German Shepherd. Anyway, P., who was a doxie breeder, did not have any puppies at the time, but she volunteered to find one for DH because we wanted a good one. She called and told me about him...he was 4.5 weeks old, weighed less than a pound, was a full-blood with no papers, his mother had pushed him off. She kept him a day and overnight to be sure he was ok and then the next day met me at DH's office with him. DH at first didn't want anything to do with him, but after being persuaded to hold him it was a done deal.

For the next 6 months BJ went to work with Daddy every day, stayed in his office, slept in his small kennel. He was too little and too young to stay home with the other crittters. So DH and BJ became firmly bonded. After 6 months BJ retired from the work life and stayed home with Maggie the cocker.

BJ was always active -- we are campers and the dogs like to go on the walks. But the last couple of years have been tough healthwise for Ken and me and you can tell it by our physical decline. We need to get MOVING.

Today BJ went for his annual checkup. Overall, he checks out, but he needs to lose FIFTEEN POUNDS!!! He also has to have his teeth cleaned and he has a fibrous tumor on his belly. So, we have to have him seen about. And, we ALL have to start walking.

Grocery Shopping Disaster

We were almost completely out of food. Definitely needed to go grocery shopping. And, we had one roll of toilet paper left so shopping was a necessity! I made out a list thinking Ken would go by himself. He added a few things to the list and sent it back to me. Then he asked me when WE were going. I told him I wasn't planning to go. He didn't want to go either. So, we cut the grocery list in half and headed to Walmart. We go to Walmart because if we go to Albertson's we end up having to go to WM anyway because A. does not have everything we need.

Of course there were NO mobility scooters, which meant I had to walk and push a basket. I don't walk so well, and can't walk distances and duration. To top it off, with this bronchial problem I've had for the last 3.5 weeks I can hardly breathe with exertion of even minimal level. But, go after it we did. Ken got his finished up, telephoned me and met me in the toilet paper aisle. From there we finished the shopping and headed to the cashiers. Of course, out of all the dang available cashier stands in WM there were ONLY TWO operating!!! And both had lines out to the aisles.

Ken hates WM...and that's putting it mildly. By the time we made it to loading our stuff on the counter belt, he was fit to be tied. We had waited while one lady had to put things back because she didn't have the money to pay for things; had a couple of ladies who were piddling; and the usual things that happen in line at WM. By this time I'm concerned about the dang ice cream. Last time we bought groceries we had to throw the ice cream away when we got home because it had melted all over the place because we had waited in line for so long. I could see the boxes getting soft. By the time we were checked out I told Ken to tell her to take the ice cream off the bill - it was too soft to take home. She told us she couldn't do that - we had to go to the service desk to get our money back. Ken came unglued. He threw a fit, was rude, nasty, hateful. All I wanted was to get the money back and get out. I took the receipt and the melted ice cream to the service desk where I was told how rude and awful Ken was. I agreed, said to please pray for him, that I have been praying for him and about him for years and it hasn't changed anything. She told me to pray harder. I told her I had considered other things as well. The lady next to me told me not to do anything - it would backfire.

Got the money, we left, by this time I could hardly walk. I was about to pass out. I had to sit down on one of the benches close to the exit door. Finally made it to the car, let Ken load the groceries, and when we got home I went to bed for a few minutes. Ken unloaded and put away everything.

Note: I really wish I had a grocery basket as an aid in walking. I find it much easier to walk pushing a grocery cart than using my walker with wheels. The wheels on the walker are to close together or something and I'm always tripping on them. And I also want my crutches back. When all of this first happened, the plastic surgeon told me to walk as much as I can and when I have difficulty to walk but use the crutches - not to swing myself, but to help steady myself. DH decided I didn't need the crutches so they went to the GW. I think I'm going to GW to find an adjustable pair with good padding to use.

Auto Insurance

Got an email from our auto insurer with a form for us to sign rejecting PIP and uninsured motorist on the motorhome. Wow - I didn't know we weren't carrying those! We called, and I discovered that at present we do not have PIP - apparently years ago I decided I didn't want it. Now what this means is I rejected it because my health insurance will cover my medical...but of course it will not cover injuries of others riding in the car! So without PIP we need to make sure anyone riding in the car except us has health insurance -- please show me your health insurance card before climbing into my car!!! So, we are electing to add PIP. We're not too concerned about the uninsured motorist because we carry collision coverage. The whole insurance fiasco just confuses the heck out of me! What mind was I in if I waived PIP???? My gosh, my friends and grandchildren and children have ridden in my car. I thought I was fully covered!!!

That's All Folks

Gotta go...Miss Luci is ready for bed. And I want to work a row or two on great niece Katie's afghan. I'm starving, but even after grocery shopping I see no instant food!!! Seems everything needs to be prepared!

Take care, God bless, and we'll see what mischief happens in the future.