Early Morning.... Shopping for OBX

I had my alarm st for 6:15 AM!!  I am retired!  Good Grief.  The strange thing is that I was up about 20 minutes BEFORE the alarm went off.  Sad, really.

No food, no coffee.  I had a fasting blood test this morning.  I did not worry about a urine test (I was not told there would be one), so I did use my facilities here at home.  Luckily, my kidneys did their job as the nurse asked for a sample as soon as I was called into a cubicle.  Ordinarily I would have said 'no way' as I have never been good at peeing on command.  But today, in addition to being another spectacular day temperature wise, was an exception to my normal so I was able to provide what they needed.  Yippee??!!

After letting the vampire lady do her thing... she was very good as my veins usually roll... but she said she went to a deeper one.  She got what she needed and I headed out to the desk.  The doctor I had been seeing had informed me on my last visit that she was leaving the practice I was going to as they were not able to alter her schedule to allow her more time home with her young children.  She had found one that did and was leaving the end of August.  I had gotten a flyer from the practice this week introducing 2 new docs and a Nurse Practitioner.  I made an appointment with a new doc who does family and women.  I will see her this Wednesday to go over the tests and get a couple of vaccines.

I left the office and headed to Dutchway Family Restaurant for their breakfast buffet.  It is the first time I have wandered into a restaurant by myself.  It was a really big step for me.  I had my Pistol Handbook, so I nibbled on some lovely breakfast items... fresh biscuits, creamed chip beef, bacon, scrambled eggs and a couple of potato dishes.  A couple cups of coffee finished the meal.  I was amazed at the number of seniors who were there as well as some red neck business meetings (tee shirts and flannel plaid) that were happening.  But I got through some of the gun basics on both types that we are dealing with before heading home.

I gave Molly some lap time before heading out again.  I went back to the Consignment Shop but this time as a shopper.  I went through a store full of 'meh' junk.  I have never been one to find old stuff pretty unless I was looking for something specific.  Today I was looking for small bottles or items for button flowers.  I found a fairly large bud vase, two common, glass salt shakers like I had found at Good's and a beautiful purple bottle with a very thin neck.  All but the purple one have gone into the OBX box.  The purple one will stay here with me.

I then headed back to Gap, filled up my van with the cheapest area gas and stopped at the Dollar Tree.  I went nuts.  I did find a couple cool vases for the button flowers, but I also found some really fun things that the OBX ladies will be getting upon our arrival in Kitty Hawk.  I will not list them here in case some of the ladies are reading the blog.  I doubt it.  I do not have a big following.  I basically just enjoy doing this to remember my days.

I did enjoy talking to my brother, Andy, this morning.  He called to find out why I had been up so early.  He checks my cameras almost daily and had noted my early rising.  He is finally beginning to feel retired.  I am not sure that he or his wife are comfortable with it.  As usually happens, the things they thought were in place, are no longer in line.  Typical for life but scary when you are finding yourself on a fixed income.  Andy was to work on an embroidery job that they had lined up.  He had been tweaking the design over the weekend and was going into production mode today.  I do not know, yet, if he got them done.  His internet, phone and cable are down, so they are in the dark, technologically.  

Tomorrow, I may head out to Phoenixville.  French Creek Outfitters is there.  It is a sporting goods store that sells firearms and also has a gun range.  I just want to see prices and how they treat me.  Gun shops are notorious for being arrogant when it comes to women.  So I will see how they are and what they have in stock.

So, another adventure tomorrow.  I will let you know how it goes.