Memorial Day

Memorial Day is behind us and many had come out to attend our local service that my VFW Post 2666 holds at our Memorial Park.
Not only was the park filled with tall flags lining the road, but all the grave sites had small flag upon them.
I am saddened that my dear friend's mother always finds her late husband's grave unflagged.
I have begun setting up my funeral as that I do not want it left to family and friends.
I have had such a fulfilling experience with the Vets I have helped at the Vietnam Traveling Wall that I now know I want to do more and will keep my eyes out for the opportunity to do so!

The Vietnam Wall Experience

I am assisting/Volunteering while Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland, OR has the Vietnam Traveling Wall displayed. It is here through Memorial Day and many have already come to visit it, leaving flowers-relics of the war and taking with them a feeling of closure or learning something more of what our country and service men and women went through during and after the war.
It is high time we welcome them home and I am proud to be part of this experience.
I have been assisting Vets and their families in locating names on the wall and many have embraced me weeping and finally having closure from the pain that has whittled them down through these thirty plus years.
There was a Vietnam Vet that drove all the way from Central Oregon. He braved the trip knowing he would finally be confronted with the names of his soldier brothers who had fallen. Once he arrived into the parking lot he couldn't muster the strength to make the trip to touch the wall.
So many family members and Vets are experiencing for the first time the good and painful passages of time.
I will never forget this experience myself and am proud to be a part of it!
I haven't felt this much alive in years!

Sometimes Getting what you want takes effort

I am ALL about having my ceiling fans, ice making fridge and garbage disposer installed!
I found yesterday that Mr. Handyman company are not licensed so beware using them for even little jobs as mine!
I have my fridge arriving this morning and the electrical contractor is due as well. He/She will mount and wire the power boxes in the ceilings for each fan and set up the plug and outlet for my garbage disposer.
Then Thursday I have the plumbing contractor coming to run the 1/4" line from a new fitting under the sink to behind the fridge!
THEN AND ONLY THEN will Mr. Handyman employee be able to mount my fans and install my garbage disposer!
Joy will be found by Friday!

Ceiling Fans, Garbage Disposer & a Fridge with an ice maker

I have a Handy Man coming tomorrow to begin work on installing my ceiling fans-I hope they arrive via UPS! Also to install a garbage disposer in the kitchen sink and run the water line under the floor to the back of the fridge wall so I can put in a new fridge with an ice maker!
I am so excited about getting these projects done because they will increase my quality of life on an everyday basis!

Saying Good Bye

The one thing we all know is that we are mortal and thus we will all leave this earth some day.
Today I am attending a funeral for a VFW post Auxiliary member who was very active and held many offices in her time.
Her daughter has become very active and is the Post Auxiliary President this year.
We will all miss Mary very much and it is important for us all to say 'Good Bye.'

Increasing my Quality of Life

I have put to good use some of my Social Security Back Pay already!
I have ordered 3 ceiling fans that are now on their way via UPS. I have contracted Mr. Handyman to install them as well as to install a garbage disposal unit in my kitchen sink and run the plumbing from my sink to the back of the Refrigerator so I can get a fridge with an ice maker set up!
I have also paid my Bros LIFE membership in the VFW and purchased new Digital cameras for myself and mailed my older unit to my sister who I know will have a ball with it!
My quality of life already seems better!
Now if they would only start broadcasting Commander-In-Chief again on TV!

It's HERE!

My Social Security Back Pay is here!!
hurray!!!

What a Hassle!

So here I am waiting and waiting for my Social security back pay. Today is the 5th day of the wait they had said would be 5-10 days until I would get it.
I bank with a bank out of state, so I generally connect online to check my electronic deposits. And wouldn't you know it the bank is having issues and problems with their system. So after a long hassle locating the right number to call to get a human being, I find the ENTIRE bank system is down and no one can tell me anything about my status if the Social Security deposit is there or not! UHG!!!
UPDATE:
Finally got online and NO the Back Pay is STILL NOT there!

One more to go

Last night was my second to last VFW Post meeting as Commander. Having been Commander for two years and this year also being District Commander keeps me very busy and I do not wish to be THAT busy all the time.
I believe I made some good changes and added new ideas. I only hope we stay on a forward moving path.

One Person CAN MAKE a Difference!

I received a voice mail from the woman helping me with this trouble of getting my Social Security back-pay & she said that there was a system in which the approval for it had to be signed by two officers and somehow my file was never sent to the second officer for signature.
She DID say that it should only be a matter of five to ten days now!
So-even in the Social Security realm-One Person CAN make a difference!

I cannot believe how slow Social Security is!

I contacted the central office of Social Security yesterday and they are NOW saying it might take another 60 days before I get my back pay!
Dang! What is up with this shit!
I got a letter from them on April 22nd saying they owe me the money and that I will get it in a Special check! What's special about it is this damned wait! The of course didn't state WHEN I would get it!
I contacted the local office and spoke to a woman that had helped me a bit before and she said she would contact them today and see what is up!
I am so tired of hanging on and I really want closure and my money!
I even Emailed my lawyer to let her know that I still hadn't received my back pay. I am still hoping this is taken care of soon, but I am not holding my breath!

I am STILL waiting for my Social Security Back Pay!

I cannot believe this!
I have been waiting for months for this back pay!
I have been getting my monthly disability now for three months and still I haven't received my back pay!
It is crazy how Gov't offices can be so different!
When I got my disability pay from the VA, the day I got the letter I went checked my account and it was already there!
Yet with the Social Security, I have waited in vain!
Well the 12th makes it an entire full month since I contacted them and they had said a full month and I should receive it. So if by the 12th, and I'm not holding my breath, it isn't here, then I am going to be calling and expecting answers!

My Friend's Retired from the Navy

I am not alone in retirement now!
My friend Jane put in her twenty years of hard life in the Navy and as of Sunday!
It is so nice to know that her life now can start being a little easier with less stress.
I sent her a Pendleton Blanket that has a lot of meaning to what she is going through right now. Pendleton has theme type designs and the design/theme blanket I got her is titled:
SPIRIT QUEST
In that she has a new life quest she is now starting and a spiritual beginning to create a life and lifestyle of her own choice.
Well, she just called me after getting this blanket in the mail. She was crying with joy and love. I am so tickled that she understood the relevance to what I felt for her and where she was in life right now.
I also like the idea of giving her something that can be passed down to others as an heirloom in the future.

Back into Fat Pants

It looks like I have gained back all that wonderful fat I worked so hard to lose.
Well...I know I haven't spent the time caring for myself as I should and plan to do so now!
I needed new fat pants since I had done what Dr. Phil said and got rid of them once they were too big for me!
Problem is is that I am a bouncer! I bounce back and forth from sizes and from now on I WILL keep a couple on hand, because it is cheaper that replacing; And I am not the type to just eat myself back into them without thinking!

My New iPod 60

That's right I out grew my 20Gig iPod, so I replaced it with a 60Gig Color yesterday. I already loaded all the TV Shows and music and also photos on it. Looks like it doesn't play the slide show of the photos, in that you have to USB up to a monitor, TV etc...to see them. Am still learning this one.
My dear friend Jane is going to acquire my 20Gig.
Now to take off some of the music on it and replace it with stuff she will enjoy more!