Bruce's Journal

[Bruce]

Related to Jan's exceptionally eventful trip ... DD1 and BF were going to come up Wednesday night for DW's aunts burial and service Saturday but got a stone on the windshield that cracked it bad. Only place they could find with that windshield AND an appointment was in Richmond on Thursday. Spent the day doing that, the "appointment" was "first come first served".

Thursday night they start up, got into Maryland and all the brake warning lights on the dash came on. They went back to BF's parent's in Fairfax since Dad has a reader. Code said right rear speed sensor, figured that wasn't too bad, no ABS, just drive carefully. Apparently that also affects the regenerative braking (not sure why) but they left in the morning and got here about 10 PM Friday night.

Fortunately the local mechanic in town we started going to after Bill retired last June had a cancellation Monday morning. They are really busy since 4 other mechanics retired last year! Charles said the speed sensor failure is usually a magnet in the bearing breaking off so the whole thing needs to be replaced. It was replaced under warranty in Canada in March, prior part installed a year earlier! DD1 will have to contact the Canadian mechanic to get the warranty coverage.

We dropped the car off Sunday night. Mid afternoon they called and said the left rear caliper was leaking and ... falling apart! Good thing the mechanic had the cancellation because they wouldn't have gotten far on the way back to VA before the brakes failed entirely!!!!

 

[Bruce]

And ....
After the cemetery and church service with food after pretty much the entire extended family went to the summer place that has (mostly) been in DW's family for well over a century. 30 or more people.

Tuesday I went outside about 1 PM after lunch and DW's car was here. This is not normal unless she had a medical appointment which she didn't. Felt like crap, sleeping in the bed. Tested yesterday morning and yep she has Covid. I was on my way to the PO to mail the estimated taxes, her text said "wear your mask".

Not absolutely sure she got it from a non symptomatic person on Saturday but given she does nothing besides working and staying home I find it likely. O2 is staying up so hopefully the 4 vaccine shots will keep it from getting bad. But no meds for her RA until a week after symptoms and a negative test. NOT FUN for her as it also means she won't be able to take her Humira next Wednesday. She's supposed to get some Paxlovid today, waiting for the Hannaford pharmacy to call.

 

[Baymule]

Why does car trouble always seem to happen when away from home ? I consider a 100 mile radius still close to home, if nothing else you can always get a wrecker to drag you home. Well, maybe not now since fuel costs are stupid high. At least they could rely on the BF's father for help, and once they got to your house, you had a mechanic for them to go to.

I'm so sorry that your DW now has Covid. It doesn't play around. Finding something she will eat will be a challenge. For some strange reason, I only wanted orange juice and toaster waffles. Normally I wouldn't touch a toaster waffle. Yuck. Keep plenty of fluids, juice and whatever she wants. I know you will take good care of her. And she can't take her other medication? That's going to be rough.

 

[Bruce]

She's been interested in chicken based (no not ours though maybe Daisy the egg eater would like to volunteer) soup. And her regular cereal for breakfast.

She's in trouble if she wants toaster waffles, I don't think we've ever had those in the freezer the entire 33 years we've been together.

 

[Baymule]

She's been interested in chicken based (no not ours though maybe Daisy the egg eater would like to volunteer) soup. And her regular cereal for breakfast.

She's in trouble if she wants toaster waffles, I don't think we've ever had those in the freezer the entire 33 years we've been together.

I can send you a big box of toaster waffles. Somehow I seem to have lost my taste for them. Not responsible for their condition when they arrive.

 

[Bruce]

I suppose with enough real maple syrup they could be choked down.

 

[farmerjan]

Oh @Bruce ... I can feel for your DD and her BF.... all this electronic stuff on these cars is enough to give anyone a nightmare/headache. Glad they could get the windshield fixed and at least get there... the brake stuff... YEP.... ALWAYS something... I guess the saving grace of it all is that we all were safe and no accidents resulting from it.

 

[murphysranch]

My niece gives herself a shot of Humira every Sunday. She's has ulcerative colitis. There is nothing else that helps/keeps her alive. Its expensive but luckily she's on Medicaid.

 

[Bruce]

VERY expensive without insurance. DW has to keep working for 5 years to make P.O. retirement and Medicare. She does every other week. WAY back when she started on Enbrel it was twice a week. She's getting rather tired of sticking herself after over 20 years of doing it.

 

[Baymule]

Another 5 years, I bet she is counting down the time! Meanwhile, ol' Bruce is the retired House Husband!