Tuesday I rode my motorcycle to the Shatner Ride for American Legion Legacy Fund awareness along Route 66. That didn't happen. Apparently they never left Chicago and the crew was going to haul all vehicles to St Louis to catch up on schedule.
After that I did an escort from Springfield to Jacksonville for the "Vietnam Wall That Heals". On the way to the staging area at a rest stop, I passed the airport. At the stop light, I got a honk regarding the black covers over my flag poles. A couple of airmen asked about the occasion and I told them. They gave me a thumbs up. My bike, "Buck", waiting for the escort.
Wjvo/Wjil
I filled my tank and then rode home for a quick change into my period dress for the retreat ceremony at the Lincoln Tomb. I saw a real light traveler this evening in the parking lot at the Lincoln Tomb.
Then I let Sean's dog out afterward since he told me he'd be in late.
Wednesday's phone call:
Telemarketer: I understand your vehicle has under 200K miles and may qualify for an extended maintenance policy.
ME: Yes.
Telemarketer: I just need to verify the make and model.
ME: You said my warranty is expired so you should know.
Telemarketer: I do. I just need to verify the make and model of your truck.
ME: I don't have a truck.
NEVER EVER BUY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. If you ask to be removed from their list (this goes for mail too), another will call and another will call. The "list" has been sold too many times to too many callers. The truck was totaled in 2008!
Wednesday afternoon I attended a fourth town hall meeting conducted by the VA Illini Health System. The meeting got pretty heated. These are the notes that I took:
4th town hall.
Dianna Carrenza
VA Town Hall Meeting June 24th 2PM
Shut down the therapeutic pool. Sent those patients out to the community.
New claims take priority over appeals!
1)
Poor notification of meeting. Posters, FB, Media. Next meeting will be at W. Lafayette, IN.
2)
Phone complaints. Springfield calls redirected
to Danville. Redirected back o
Springfield
3)
Renewal medicine. MyHealtyVet system.
4)
Choice program. Live outside 40 miles of clinic
you are not eligible for the Choice program.
Wait greater than 30 days.
Special care = Choice First (Health Net)
Dr Bomeke gave 30 days notice but wasn’t replaced for 7
months. Dr from Springfield Clinic bid
for position here and another location looking for best deal.
Springfield VA clinic seems to only be capable of BP and
urine test.
Applied for disability pension the cost of 13K/Mo can
reduces a $75k annual income.
25% VA employees are veterans. High turnover of staff.
Mark Patterson said the VA is not your enemy.
Tony says take personal responsibility for care.
VA is not in business of land and hospitals so they rent.
Chicago backlog has been going on for 40 years. 1k of 300k fired but then Bonuses for
cheating. 125days defined by Sec Shinseki.
She gave a pledge to help.
She asked her navy cf what to do about Viet Vet with PTSD and he told
her “Oh, he’ll get over it”. It’s not right then and it’s not right now.
My review is that the VA is bragging about the 90% backlog reduction on NEW CLAIMS. Appeals are another story. However, these are probably appeals from Korean and Vietnam veterans whom are older and put on the back burner. And what about those new units that were recently added on the list of Agent Orange that couldn't file earlier? It seems to me that the VA is reducing the backlog like Dave Ramsey's BABY STEP 2 where debt looks good in small ways and is motivating. Health issues are are not debt snowballs. VA expects them to be on Obamacare by now so it's no biggie.
Wednesday night I left my car window on the passenger side overnight when it rained. Ug! So after exercise, I pulled it into my tight garage and let the windows down to dry out. Note that I cannot close my garage door.
I started to walk Sophie but I heard the thunder and didn't think I'd make it around the block and turned back. I tried on this coat that I got at a yard sale. Not as nice as the rain coat that fit the cocker spaniels and covered more area and had a hood.
Gad, it's pouring and the man across the street is mowing...oh he just walked into the garage now and staring out at the rain.
Friday I went to the Old State Capitol. The highlight was presenting Heather from the "Looking For Lincoln" office a box of Lincoln Logs that I got at the Goodwill on Wednesday. She was so excited because she needs them for the booth at the state fair and they are hard to find.
It looks official. My name is on the board for the Lincoln Monument Association.
http://www.lincolntomb.org/lma_board.php
I broke my table lamp that I used to sew by in my bedroom so I stopped by a resale shop and found a nice one on a stand. Saturday we had a respite from the rain so in the afternoon, when the lawn dried up, I got a chance to mow. Then I got hot and rode the little cycle to Edgar's coffee shop for some honey lemon ice cream. Afterward I painted the new steps that the neighbor built for my back porch. Sophie got paint on her paws. I had to trim the red fur off.
Sunday Fr Mariadas sang a nice song in his native language from India because he is leaving as temporary pastor. He told us the meaning before he sang and it was beautiful. The word that we were familiar with was "Alleluia". In the afternoon I went to a walk through salute for Jean Goretski who has been active in the veteran community. I also attended her funeral at Camp Butler. Jean has been so full of life and had been a member of the Interveterans Burial Detail of Sangamon County.
Monday I stood with the veterans as we saluted Jean's casket. Her brother played a song on his harmonica "Gather at the River".
Afterward I went to Dianne's retirement gathering and got there in time for the last piece of cake. On the way home a saw a dirigible flying over Springfield.
I drove to get a close up but that thing went faster than I did.
Sophie and I went to dog training at 2:30. We're getting there and Sarah noticed. Today we learned that when another distraction is present, like Sarah and her dog, I must wait till Sophie focuses on me. It's called "choose me" training. We are weaning the reward from immediate to I have to get it from the table while she waits. There will be no treats allowed during her test on August 1st.
I made neck coolers for my adopted soldier this week.
Well, next post will be in July. My how time flies.
Friday I went to the Old State Capitol. The highlight was presenting Heather from the "Looking For Lincoln" office a box of Lincoln Logs that I got at the Goodwill on Wednesday. She was so excited because she needs them for the booth at the state fair and they are hard to find.
It looks official. My name is on the board for the Lincoln Monument Association.
http://www.lincolntomb.org/lma_board.php
I broke my table lamp that I used to sew by in my bedroom so I stopped by a resale shop and found a nice one on a stand. Saturday we had a respite from the rain so in the afternoon, when the lawn dried up, I got a chance to mow. Then I got hot and rode the little cycle to Edgar's coffee shop for some honey lemon ice cream. Afterward I painted the new steps that the neighbor built for my back porch. Sophie got paint on her paws. I had to trim the red fur off.
Sunday Fr Mariadas sang a nice song in his native language from India because he is leaving as temporary pastor. He told us the meaning before he sang and it was beautiful. The word that we were familiar with was "Alleluia". In the afternoon I went to a walk through salute for Jean Goretski who has been active in the veteran community. I also attended her funeral at Camp Butler. Jean has been so full of life and had been a member of the Interveterans Burial Detail of Sangamon County.
Monday I stood with the veterans as we saluted Jean's casket. Her brother played a song on his harmonica "Gather at the River".
Afterward I went to Dianne's retirement gathering and got there in time for the last piece of cake. On the way home a saw a dirigible flying over Springfield.
Sophie and I went to dog training at 2:30. We're getting there and Sarah noticed. Today we learned that when another distraction is present, like Sarah and her dog, I must wait till Sophie focuses on me. It's called "choose me" training. We are weaning the reward from immediate to I have to get it from the table while she waits. There will be no treats allowed during her test on August 1st.
I made neck coolers for my adopted soldier this week.
Well, next post will be in July. My how time flies.
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