The Evening Rambler for December 27, 2015

A belated Merry Christmas, and an early Happy New Year to you!

As always in recent years, the high point of this season, for me, is having all of my children and my two granddaughters here to celebrate.  Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were good days, indeed.

Now, let me tell you about my day today.  You might say, it's been a roller coaster.

The high points...

Church was good.  Around mid afternoon, my second daughter walked into the kitchen, said "Hey dad", and introduced me to her boyfriend.

Boyfriend?  I'm often the last to know what's going on, but that's okay.  We shook hands and only talked for a short time, but my first impressions were good ones.

Later on, the third high point, noticing that my youngest granddaughter was sound asleep on the couch.  Very peaceful.  What is it about little kids sleeping?  It's just powerfully sweet.

Fourth high point, maybe an hour ago, my son-in-law made popcorn the old fashioned way, cooked in a pan on the stove.  Very tasty!

Now, about the other thing that happened between highlights three and four.  I decided I ought to go grocery shopping before the winter storm hits us tonight; get out while the roads are still good.  So I put on two hooded sweatshirts, got into the car and made the rounds of Aldi's and Price Chopper.  I got everything on my mental shopping list, so that part was a success.

Understand that I was using the hoods out in the cold wind, bringing them down in the stores, and putting the hoods back up for protection while walking back through the parking lots to the car.

I didn't notice what was wrong until I was driving away from my last stop, less than two miles from home.  I'm not exactly sure what prompted this, I guess I could feel something was amiss.  Anyway, I put my right hand up to my right ear.

No hearing aid on the right side.

I got home, unloaded the groceries, and to make a long story somewhat shorter, I went back out and retraced my steps.  I thought, well maybe the hearing aid had gone down into my hood, so I checked that.  I also looked on the floor where I walked, and out to the driveway, and in the car.  Not there.

So I returned to both stores, looked in the parking lots, inside along the aisles where I'd walked, and I asked at both stores after their lost and found.  The ladies I talked to at Price Chopper were especially helpful, and took down my name and phone number, just in case someone turns it in in the next few days.  I told them how much I appreciated that.

But, I really think it's gone.  By now, someone's either picked it up and made off with it, who knows why.  Or it's been driven over.  Or it's still somewhere outside and I just didn't see it.  If it's the last, it will be ruined by the freezing rain they're calling for tonight.

Being half deaf, I have to have hearing aids; I have no choice.  And while I haven't priced new ones recently, they've got to be every bit of $2,000 each.

And since these are at least seven years old, and weren't working as well as when they were new, I'd already decided to replace them this year anyway.  I'd hoped to wait until Summer, but that's not to be.

So, $2,000 X 2 = $4,000.  Not sure how that will happen yet.

Oh, and did I mention that eight days ago I was called for jury duty at the end of January?  I'm going to try to get excused from it with a note from my audiologist.  I called their office a few days ago and the lady who answered the phone said the audiologist would be glad to write a medical note describing my hearing loss.  But...not to expect much.  This is Jackson County, Missouri after all.  They don't grant many excuses for jury duty.

Not that I mind serving, I've done it before - when I had more of my hearing.  I'm just really concerned that I'll s***w up by misunderstanding the testamonies in the court room.

So I'll send the medical note in anyway, and we'll see what happens.  Way to go Bob, start 2016 by blowing four grand.