The End of Summer. Or is it?
Tuesday, 2 September 2014

As the day closes on just another day for me, I recognize that this is a major milestone for everyone else, as school has started for kids and college students, and winter is looming around the next corner. Possibly sooner here in Ohio where the weather is well known for having a mind of its own.

Aside from pretty consistent rainfall this summer, or rather the extended Spring we have endured, the weather has been mild. I speak of course from an entire adulthood working outside, and the last year being forced to travel afoot. I have to anticipate the weather to dress accordingly, and not get too saturated.

Currently, my USGI issue surplus ECWCs Gore-Tex Parka is being employed as a rain cover for Denny and my laundry in the bed of his pick up truck.

I travel nowadays sans jacket with the hot or less than hot temps, and find that with my blood thinners that I am taking for my stroke and congestive heart failure, that I am especially susceptible to both heat and chill. My comfort zone is roughly 75-82 degrees Fahrenheit, and I must compensate outside that zone otherwise I shiver quickly in the cold, and sweat profusely in the hot.

Unlike my years in construction where I dressed according to the demands of the job at hand and the weather, I am now limited to Wrangler jeans, a cotton t shirt or knit golf/polo shirt, and cotton sock with lightweight athletic shoes with soft soles. I have blown out the sides of my Columbia River hikers that I have been wearing daily for almost 20 months. I am holding those in reserve for snow, at least until I can replace them with a like pair of quality hikers with a sturdy tread.

I walk everywhere, even though I have limited stamina, walk with a limp, staggering like a drunk, and have to rest frequently, my 2 mile trip to the Posy Office to check my PO box and visit the library, is at the extreme limit of my endurance. My ankles are still swollen, as are my feet, and my right knee still gives out regularly.

If not for the constant wet weather aggravating my arthritic joints, I might be able to push a bit further. But I have found my limits. Thank goodness I am no longer traveling everywhere with ALL of my possessions as I was from February until late June (I estimate between 75-100#s of bags with clothes, food, laptop, and cane), or I would have keeled over by July!

I am pacing myself, but with the new backpack case that my sister, Sandra, gave me, I can survive the trek to the PO Box, the Library, the Get-Go, and the truck. Occasionally, my friend Albert (also on SSD) will offer a ride as he did when Denny and I did laundry on Sunday. He gave us a ride back to the truck, after we walked 2 miles to the laundromat carrying bags of laundry in a downpour!

Still no word from my attorney or the paralegal on my Social Security Appeal, so my status is still in Limbo, with no income other than the EBT Card that renews on 10 September (I only have 25 cents left on the card until next Wednesday) that can only be used for groceries (but not ice, hygiene supplies, hot or prepared food, or hot meals).

We are eating, not well, but we are eating. Sadly, the Food Stamp Program (and all of the other benefits I am battling for) are not designed for Homeless folks. (I prefer the term, Housing Challenged!) Even the Food Pantry that Denny and I go to once a month, is set up for folks who have a refrigerator and a means to cook. So have to settle for cold cereal, bread and canned sandwich meats, PB&J, and sometimes they have canned chili or baked beans that we can eat cold.

My buddy Matt fixed me up with a West German Bund surplus GI Esbit Stove and fuel, but it is barely enough to heat hot dogs or a can of beans. I have some other cooking items in Canton that came from the box trailer I sold last January that housed the Field Kitchen I assembled for OVC use, but we have no room to store anything up here, nor do we have a protected place to use the propane stoves, or charcoal grills. Well, we will see what we set up for this winter.

Denny has a line on a job that will pay him under the table, hopefully enough to get his truck running, renew his tags and driver license, and reinstate his insurance. Then we can change venues from time to time, and hopefully make use of the supplies and cookware I have down in Canton.

So much depends on the circumstances we have yet to encounter, so I am unable to predict or even suggest what our options might be at this time.

There is good news, I finally received my Medicaid Card (Molinacare of Ohio) after a wait of more than a month after being advised I was approved! I had to call and get my primary physician changed to Dr. Mahlies, who has been my PCP since 2008, and the reason i signed with Molinacare. He has to reissue my meds though, so that the pharmacy Plan will cover them.

I lose my dentist with this MCP, but can keep my hospital, doctor, ophthalmologist, optometrist, and pharmacy.

So, now I can get my blood work done, get an eye exam, get new glasses, and finally get some teeth to chew with!

I will end here, only to say "Thank You", to all of my friends and family who have so graciously extended their hands to help in many ways, both large and small!

So "Thank You!"

Until next time my friends, health and happiness to you all!