One year ago today: December 20, 2023, until you close it.
Five years ago today: December 20, 2019, the perpetual Florida flat.
Nine years ago today: December 20, 2015, the ZIP code ploy.
Random years ago today: December 20, 2002, 5:30AM, Miami.
8:38AM In the van, heading for Miami. Time for my physical and refills. These are pretty much constants for me and I don‘t mind the 370 mile round trip. A late start due to fog. The preferred route these days is over to Bartow, then south along 17 to Arcadia, Immokalee, and then high speed east on Alligator Alley.
9:38AM Staying under the speed limit gets me to Wachaula, the last place to get a decent coffee, but I stayed on driving. Dumb move, I really need my coffee. Nothing but politics on the airwaves and I discovered I am completely out of audiobooks. It’s supposed to be a cold spell, but near Bremont I reached the winter thermocline and after that it was a warm day.
10:38AM I finally stopped for coffee even though all they had was leftover from this rnorrning. It was better than some I’ve had, and I grabbed what I thought was an empanada in La Belle. Argh, it as one of those dry Spanish cottage cheese stuffings. I could not finish it. But what a nice day, rolled down the window and took a new route south of town, avoiding the subdivisions.
11:38AM Reaching Immokalee, I pulled into the library, that’s the one that used to house a church. Wow, have they done a nice job on the interior. New shelves, great décor, climate control. That could become a stopover. They had four audiobooks in the sale section. When I decided on all four, they gave them as an Xmas present. Thumb’s up for Immokalee.
12:38PM Fighting the traffic all the way from the Hwy 27 crossover, I stopped for gas and took all my old shortcuts to the clinic. It was ye olde annual checkup and the results are neutral for my age. All vital signs normal but cancel the nose treatment. The problem is dry passages and, they say, there is not permanent cure. I’m to begin using a moisturizer. Great, another regimen in my life, what else have I got to do with my time? It’s a disappointment as is my back treatment. This will not get underway until nearly May next year. It has begun to slow me down quite a lot.
In all it was a great morning for a trip. I’ve decided not to visit or I’ll be driving home in the dark. They ran a few extra tests and I appear to be okay except for some normal old-age complaints. I’m fine with that but they want me back before long. I have a hear murmur but it has not changed in years. I got in the van and opted for a high speed run back.
You have noticed I missed y’day’s post. I had some turmoil over losing JeePee and needed a major rest. It caught up with me and I pretty much slept thought until this morning. I only awoke a couple times for most of the day. Same symptoms as jet lag.
Dalby Forest, England.
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1:38PM Still in Miami. They sent in a second doctor to check my arm and leg reflexes. I did some pushing and pulling, after which they kind of nodded that I’m okay. But the new doctor asked if I have a living will. It’s likely nothing because this clinic does not sugar-coat things. It’s just the first time I’ve been asked so directly. No, I don’t. The only person I can rely on is too far away.
2:38PM No visiting, I’m broke and it’s too near rush hour. I heading back on Alligator Alley to the Weston interchange and struck north along Hwy 27. Did I choose a weird audiobook from this morning. This guy throws a bachelor party for his kid brother and the strippers show up with Russian bodyguards. One of the gals gets a knife from the kitchen and kills one bodyguard, stealing his gun, and shooting the other. It’s a tale of the upset in these men’s lives, but also various chapters of how these pretty Russian gals are forced into sexual slavery. There is a bit too much drama with the guy’s wife and the kid brother is a jerk.
3:38PM I stopped for a snack. That makes $18 for coffee and a couple sandwiches, roughly double the cost from two years ago. I can see I’ll have to start packing lunches again.
4:38PM A quick stop in Clewiston
5:38PM Dark
6:38PM Sebring traffic.
7:38PM Sound asleep or about to be.
ADDENDUM
I did not win the MegaMillions, but take a closer look. Four of the five numbers were consecutive. And just one day after my post about random number sequences. Freaky. The numbers were 66, 67, 68, and 69.
