Author Archives: tbavendam

These are simply to fun not to share. The billboards start at least 15 miles ahead of the actual fudge factory. I am sure I probably missed some entertaining ones. Another interesting visual is driving along side a wood turbine blade. We felt like we had stepped back in time when we stopped for gasContinue reading “3 Billboards outside St. Robert Missouri”

We arrived safely at 10 PM and had a warm welcome from Susan and Dan, our host and Joyce. We had a snack, shower and are off to sleep! I can’t wait to see what it looks like in the morning. It will be great to get unloaded and to return that truck!!!!

Between St. James MO and Oklahoma City, the flags were all pretty much flying high and straight due to the wind. The base wind was about 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. It was slow going. Maps indicates our trip yesterday should take 9 hours and 19 minutes. We were in the truckContinue reading “A VERY Long Day of Driving against Gusty Winds – Craig was Fried – “over hard””

Craig is out for coffee. Our Economy Inn does not offer in room coffee – nor should it for $55/night. We were not sure how far we would be able to drive last night. Our original goal was Joplin MO. We quickly ruled that out; then set Springfield MO but then modified it to withinContinue reading “Gusty winds ahead”

The past 2 days could not have gone better. Susan had 90% of the packing done when we arrived Monday morning. We picked up the truck and were able to leave the car trailer at the rental place until today which was helpful. We loaded 90% yesterday and finished up this morning. The truck isContinue reading “Susan is in AZ; We are in St. James, MO”

I set a goal of leaving at noon today and we pulled out at 1200 PM to go to Indy to spend the night with a college friend. I have new “uppity woman” glasses following the cataract surgery. The “uppity woman” is in reference to Gloria Steinem. I am totally function near and far withoutContinue reading “The moving adventure begins”

After a week of daily exercise, sometimes feeling the effect of the drug on my appetite and sometimes feeling starved and one day of really low energy, I face my weigh in today with trepidation. If it was another week of minimal loss I would be very disheartened. Fortunately I lost 4.5# which is justContinue reading “Week 2 Wegovy”

I was on Hold for 3 hours and 33 minutes listening to muzak and messages telling me that most things can be handled on line and that I will be asked to share personal information that they can share. I cleaned out my inbox that had over 3300 items. I found 2 that I wantedContinue reading “What is your guess regarding how long I was on hold with SSA?”

I had intended to wait until I was 70 to start collection Social Security under my own number as I was eligible to collect survivor benefits from my first husband. I had NO idea this was the case until a SSA employee told me in a consultation in 2021 when I initially filed. With allContinue reading “Hard to know”

Craig’s friend Susan (and now mine as well) moved from Prescott AZ to Lafayette IN a few years ago to be near her only remaining cousins. It was a decision that made sense post Covid but it did not work out as planned for a variety of reasons. The winter weather was very isolating andContinue reading “Operation – Getting Susan back to Arizona”