I was up before 6 am. I immediately called American Airlines. I needed to send in the documentation, but I also needed to have my own miles card number. I wanted to send it in with all the other faxes. I rushed to get a number. I couldn’t figure out how to do it just looking at the site, so I called Customer service. The agent I spoke to told me I had to press the ‘join’ button on their Internet site. I couldn’t find such a button on the screen. He put me on hold. I waited and waited for him to come back on. I realized he had put me on permanent hold for being a dufus. I think the operators were overwhelmed with rescheduling due to weather-caused cancellations. I hung up and started from scratch. This time I got a really nice guy. He knew how to get to the join button. No, it was not on the first screen. The second guy guided me through it. Once I had my number, I raced off the Bikram. It was a smallish class only 8, and one was an instructor from a different class who I’m sure doesn’t pay for her classes.
After Bikram, I rinsed down and then started on my chores. I went over to the bank first to have a document notarized. I arrived around 9:30 and was told that the service was only provided between 10:00-11:30 and 1:00-2:30. I didn’t want to just stand around for an hour, so I went over to Office Max to do the faxing I could. I spent an hour faxing about 15 documents, including the one to American Airlines. I read while each one went through. The whole thing only cost me $25. The clerk saw me reading CS Lewis and asked me about the book. Apparently, he’s a big Lewis fan. Afterward, I thought I should have asked him if he was a Catholic and knew Mike.
I went back over to the shopping center where the bank is. I stopped at Long’s first to use the coupons I got the other day to buy more Lens Wipes for me and one for Yvette, who tried this brand when she was with me in Honolulu and really liked it. Also, I picked up 3 Hersey’s Milk Chocolate with whole Almond bars. The regular size, not the king-sized.
Then I went to Costco. I’m getting sick and tired of the potstickers I’ve been eating every night. I love them or used to love them, but not every night. I have to remember I don’t have to finish off one whole package of a food item before I switch to something else. I can switch back and forth. I saw Marie Calender’s chicken pot pies in the freezer section. I love chicken pot pie, but they come in a package of 8. A little too much. They didn’t have the vegetarian soup I wanted. I just got two bags of salad. Love their prepared salads.
I finally had enough clothes to run a load in the washing machine. I threw my Bikram stuff in. After I took my shower and did MELT and the Tiger Stick, I called Progressive to figure out the bill.
Wonky experience. I had asked if it would be cheaper if I paid every six months. I thought I had made that arrangement. I found out that I can’t change the plan until the plan renewal is up. It’s a little like trying to catch the brass ring. Timing is everything. Then the clerk gave me all sorts of numbers. Where the bill had been $151 a month, the last bill was $97. Why? Well, there was a change when I dropped Mike. But that still didn’t explain these numbers. The clerk didn’t know the following words, “ I don’t know.”
I finally figured out what was going on. When I first added Adam to our insurance, Progressive believed he was responsible for an accident on February 19, and we were charged accordingly. Once it was straightened out, they had to reimburse us. They did it by reducing the subsequent bill. Was that so hard?
I finally called Judy Shibley to give her my email address so she can keep me informed about the hula ministry’s practice schedule. I’m going to wait until after Easter to participate.
I called Judy Glickstein; we pretty much check on each other daily. She had a sore throat yesterday, and it was turning into a cold today. She sounded miserable, but she had a little more sense of taste. Her doctor told her to skip a chemo session because of the cold.
I did some work on the blog and showered. It started raining. Our shower has a glass door that leads right out to the back lanai. I ran out to get my Bikram stuff off the line before it got wet again. That back lanai is invisible to neighbors. I’m often out there hanging up and taking down clothes in my all -together. After my shower, I did my MELT and used the Tiger Stick. Then a little FreeCell, a little more on the blog, and then a well-deserved nap. Boy, do I love to nap.
I read a little bit of the NY Times book section before I fell asleep. There was a review of an author who publishes her journal. They quoted a line of hers, “I’m still a fool for my husband’s kisses.” Boy, do I understand that. Kissing Mike was one of my absolute favorite things in life.
I saw a picture on Facebook of a guy I knew who I think is a jerk. I felt resentful that he’s alive when my precious Mike is gone. I think I’ve started on the anger phase of the grieving process. I hope resentment doesn’t last too long. It sounds totally unproductive to me.
After walking Elsa, I started on dinner. I eat a large Costco prepared salad every night, a very large one. Then I eat something which guarantees protein. There was a good-sized container in the freezer with broccoli stuffed chicken Mike bought. I was expecting several portions. Instead, I found one stuffed chicken. It said to slice it with a sharp knife. I wasn’t prepared to slice a whole stuffed chicken with any kind of knife. My other option was to cook the entire thing. Of course, with my excellent culinary skills, I misread the instructions. It said to cook it on high for three minutes in the microwave and then cut holes in the plastic wrap. I cut the holes first. It was good enough. It was really quite tasty. Mike would have been beside himself with my presentation. I just cut off some and dumped it unceremoniously onto a plate. Mike loved cooking and presenting the food the way a professional chef might. Me, not so much. The purpose of food is nutrition. I often think of eating as comparable to filling my car with gasoline. Gas powers cars; food powers animals, in this case, human ones, in this particular case me.
I watch Murder in Suburbia while I ate, a light, fun murder mystery program and then cataloged books. I walked Elsa, washed my face, brushed my teeth, went to bed, and then said, “Goodnight, Elsa. Goodnight, Mike.”
