Saturday, February 29, 2020

Turks & Caicos
21.45.631N
72.13.429W

I’m back!!!  And there’s nothing you can do about it.  

For the past 2 weeks we were in Texas again trying to help family.  Without going into details (because that would be airing my family’s dirty laundry and family dynamics are difficult enough as it is without doing something as public as that), I feel I’ve done what I could and can now return with less guilt and less divided attention to what can be a dangerous hobby if you’re not 100% focused.  So now I’m 89% focused and Dale feels he has a chance of survival with whatever might come our way.  

While in Texas, we had the opportunity to once again take on Social Security/Medicare/TriCare for Life and the attending Deers computer system for military benefits and learned some useful information.  As in--last year, we thought we had completed the entire process and could leave with benefits in place.  Not so fast, apparently.  Each year, for the next 2 years, we need to complete and file the same paperwork to keep said benefits.  In straightening Social Security out, Dale’s Medicare benefits were no longer being reported to the Deers system, so his TriCare benefits now had to be straightened out.  He’s still trying to get that back in place.  In other words, it’s a domino effect that we get to do all over again at the end of this year (and there are those who think we should all be on this system).  

Dale taking time off 

from his vacation!

One bright point was that we did go visit with our daughter’s family in Houston for a long weekend.  As soon as the decision was made to return to Texas, we had our mail forwarded to her and Dale took the opportunity to have the next component to the faulty water maker sent too.  We returned the favor by lending a hand for a couple of days in laying new flooring in their house.  I did demo, so I guess you could say, I had the most fun.  We had hoped to get 3 bedrooms and the hallway done but only completed 2 bedrooms and the hallway.  At least it’s a start and the knowledge is in place to finish the project.  Our daughter and granddaughter turned around and surprised us with a visit to Ft. Worth the day before we left, when Houston had a huge watermain break and the company she worked for closed for the day.  Although brief, and I did put her to work with me, it was good to see them before we had to return.  

Our flight back from Dallas into Ft. Lauderdale was a little interesting.  Years ago, I was on a fun flight that had to circle until a tornado passed by but neither Dale nor I, in our many trips have been on a commercial flight that was waved off.  Our 1^st attempt into Ft. Lauderdale was clearly being blown to the left as we landed and the decision was made to go around and land on a different runway without mishap.  In fact, if you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t have known it had even happened as the touch down and take off  was that smooth; as opposed to the tornado flight that came down so fast, steep and hard you had to hang on; however, it was the fire trucks with flashing lights years ago that left the lasting impression.  

Another observation over the past 2 weeks was with regard to the coronavirus.  Although I’ve read the articles associated with the computer headlines about it when I first boot up, I didn’t realize the global obsession this has become until I was inundated with information on it from every point of view possible.  TV’s, radios and monitors surround you everywhere you go back home and this was the topic of conversation everywhere.  We were asked health questions in regard to the virus as we entered the US 2 weeks ago but when we returned to the Turks & Caicos, we were just given an additional health form to fill out about the virus.  With Dale being well versed in the medical field, we simply smiled at the fact that the forms were handed out, dutifully completed and turned back in, but no one was reading them in real time.  If someone had been exposed and dutifully acknowledged that they may have been exposed (like the lady in the next lane), they wouldn’t be stopped at the entry point but instead had to be contacted at whatever destination they put on their forms.  By that time, who knows how many people would have been exposed.  As I always come down with a cold 10 days after I fly, I tried not to cough in their faces as we passed through but it does make you think. 

We're the catamaran 

on the right side of the dock.

Within a couple of hours after landing, we had emptied our bags, squirreled away our Bucky nuggets, and resumed our life on the boat.   Our spur of the moment trip home now seemed almost surreal.  Dale dug out his weather software and returned to the routine of weather watching.  It appears that there may be a 2-3 day window coming up at the end of this week in which to move farther south and east.  We sent an e-mail to our Aussie friends warning them that we may be on our way for real.  We know that they have company at the moment, so they won’t be able to escape quite so quick as they might have hoped. 

Finally, as I know you are all wondering just what happened, the splint has been taken off my finger and replaced with a bandaid.  Nothing ever turned black.  It appears I have good circulation in the tip as it is pinker than the rest of the finger, particularly when I try to exercise it but I most likely will lose the nail.  Right now, it looks very well attached and even growing but the nail bed itself is white and there is an eighth of an inch gap to where it needs to be; thus the bandaid to keep from accidently snagging it on anything.  Obviously, that is where the freezer hit and cut through the finger.  The tip does move ever so slightly, so I think the tendon is still attached but there is a sensitive knot to the side of the tip that I think may be part of the bone that isn’t healing straight.  Nothing to do about it now and considering my age, probably not worth doing anything about in the future.  So there you have it.  I have survived yet another attempt by fate to ruin my day. 

We hope you all have a good day as well and can sidestep any misfortune fate may throw in your direction.