08/26/2021

Texas

Today was just a little different for me but only because I had to get up early at least by my standards as I had a Doctors appointment with my Dermatologist back in Austin. I have been going to this particular Specialist for many years. She is the one with the magic bottle of freezing cold spray that she wields with wild abandonment and I truly believe, with much glee as she treats whatever parts of my anatomy she deems has had too much sun and is likely to develop into something worse. Sometimes, she will administer a shot to deaden an area when she needs to take a biopsy to send off for further examination. If the results that come back show that further cutting and removal treatment is required, she will either do it herself or depending on the location, send me off to a specialist. All in all, a messy but not too painful an occurrence. The truth is that without her services, I would probably have developed skin cancer years ago with my being out in the sun so much.

I had a friend that very much followed my lifestyle with his own as we both were very active Soccer Referees. Here in Texas, the sun is a big factor as it shines most of the time and both Pepe and myself were sticklers for the rules which, as it happens, do not include a cap or hat as a part of the soccer referees uniform. We were trying to progress and as many games were evaluated by State Referee Evaluators, chose to leave our heads uncovered. I paid regular visits to my skin doctor. Pepe, not so much and he died a very painful death a few years later from skin cancer and all of it’s nasty side effects.

I learned today, that my Doctor was not sure what the future holds for her practice which she has had for many years in the same office building. The Hospital located next door, has apparently bought her building not for the building itself but for the land on which it stands so that they can expand. Her building is large with many different Doctors Offices which of course will affect them all. So it appears that the appointment that I have set up for December when I plan on being back in Henly, may well be the very last one if she chooses to retire. One by one, I am outliving my Doctors and Specialists which I suppose is a good thing. Not that they are passing on but because they are retiring, which, like me, they worked for all of their lives.

Following the Doctor’s visit, I met with my friend and Realtor, Barb for a cup of coffee. Another reason for coming into town was to bring her three of the Shepherds Crook bird feeder poles along with several feeders that I decided I do not really have a use for. When I first moved here several months ago, I brought them with me from the house and set them up surrounding the RV but could not figure out why they emptied so quickly overnight. I was talking to my next door camping neighbor and he cheerfully pointed out that I was not feeding birds but was in fact feeding the deer. He and his family come home late several times a week after dark and he said he has seen the deer feeding from them. He watched them tip the feeders sideways so that the seed flows out then eat it off the ground, At that point, I stopped filling the seed feeders and only filled the humming bird feeders which apparently the deer either do not have a taste for or haven’t figured a way to get enough out the feeders to make it worth while. Besides, as I no longer have a truck with a bed to carry poles in, my only recourse is to carry them inside the RV which could turn them into flying projectiles if I got into an accident. I have kept one for myself with four hooks that I will put up at the next campsites. I can carry that one in the Jeep. I spent an hour or so drinking coffee and talking to Barb as this is the last time I will see her for a while. It’s nice to have friends and she did a very good job as my Realtor.

Before driving home, I sat and thought if I needed anything else while I was still in Austin but as I had made the trip two days before, couldn’t think of anything of which I was in immediate need and so, made the forty five minute drive back to what is now my home albeit for just a few more days. Which got me wondering whether the RV, wherever it is parked is my home or is it the location where the same RV is set up? Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Back at the RV, the first order of business was to take the dogs for a walk to stretch their little legs and do their business before settling down to writing about todays events. This will be followed by yet another walk later in the evening, finding something to eat and then watching either a football (soccer) game on TV or a horror movie accompanied by a glass of wine. Then to bed and hope that I sleep the sleep of the innocent and don’t dream about those same things that were in the horror movie.

It’s a tough life…

Written 08/28/2021

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