Since I left off last week, I’ve been mostly taking it easy.  I do not want any kind of permanent damage to my knees.  They have been better, but I am still feeling they aren’t 100% right.

I didn’t want that to get in the way of getting what needed doing from getting done.  I never got out to do laundry on Thursday, so that was a priority on Friday.  It didn’t take that long, I went over to the “Due Dirty Laundry” laundromat and took up 4 regular size front loaders.  Was back home in about an hour and a half.  Not too bad.

We had gotten a few of the items Bill ordered.  Having everything he needed, he set out to make our heated fresh water hose.  Some people just buy them, but you should know Bill well enough by now to know if there is a less expensive or potentially better working option available, he is all about that.  He actually enjoys this kind of stuff, now that he has the time.  He took some pic’s of the procedure.

Saturday was designated fun day.  RV-Dreamer friends of ours, Nancy & Neil and Bill & I decided to head out toward Louisville and visit a couple of KY Bourbon Trail distilleries.  We stopped first at Bulleitt, but sadly they were unexpectedly closed.  Seems in the middle of the night, there was a water main break and the Fire Marshall shut them down.  We did get our passports stamped and when we go back (if we go back) we get in for FREE!  Nice!  Will have to wait and see on that.  Next stop was the “Evan Williams Experience”, which had peaked my interest, considering the name “Evan Williams EXPERIENCE”  I mean, unless you are a bit of an expert and really understand the small differences between this process and the next, what type of experience could they offer?  Well, seems we weren’t really visiting the distillery, but rather the tour was a series of short “movies” which show Evan Williams was instrumental in bringing bourbon to Louisville and how he became wharf master, etc.  We did get a tasting, and the tour guide showed us the proper way of sniffing and tasting the bourbon.  I have to report that the Makers Mark 46 is still the front runner fav of mine.

Guess I got a bit out of order.  In between stopping at Bulleitt and Evan Williams, we were all hungry and checked TripAdvisor for the yummiest closest place for lunch.  We decided on the Bristol Bar and Grill.  It was so good!  I had a traditional Louisville Hot Brown, which is toast with turkey and tomato smothered in cheese sauce and topped with bacon.  Can I get a YUM!?  TripAdvisor does not steer you wrong!  Bill got this stir fry thing, which he let me taste – it was very good.  Nancy and Neil both ordered the pulled pork and they were both very happy!

Afterwards we just drove around the city a little bit, down my the waterfront and then made our way into Oldham County, which is where Bill and I used to live.  We wanted to show Nancy and Neil the beautiful horse farms with the paddocks that are nicer than most peoples homes.   We ended up driving by our former home and seeing the difference being away for 13 years made.  One unexpected thing was the playhouse that Bill had built with the kids, back in 1996/1997 is still there and still looks good. Bill was very happy to see that!  The beginning part of the neighborhood looks the same, but our house used to be the last one, as the street dead-ended after our driveway.   Well, there is now a HUGE subdivision there, on what used to be woods my kids used to play in.  Very strange indeed to see.

Sunday, Bill worked on repacking the wheel bearings, lubricating the self adjusters and backing plate on the brakes.  He also measured the remaining brake shoe and magnet (he thinks we still have about 60% life on the shoes), and lubricated the EZ Flex shackles.  He also inspected the shocks and bushing (he said the bushing are showing signs of wear and he will keep a close eye on them).  He also inspected the leaf springs and retaining clamps (he bent one clamp back as it looked like it opened slightly.)  Well, it took longer than he thought it would, so he only got one done.  He was glad he did as the bearing grease was pretty dirty and shackles were dry.  I am sure you all realize that I have absolutely no idea what any of this means – I’m just typing what I am told.

I went to Kroger and came home and made some Chicken Corn Noodle soup!  A BIG pot!  YUMMY!  I also made meatloaf and will be making mashed potatoes.  Can’t have meatloaf without mashed potatoes!  That is some law isn’t it?  I have decided I’ve been very neglectful of the recipe section of my blog (click the 3 lines in the top right to open the menu page – Foodies Welcome – Eating in) so I will be taking some time and giving you guys some great recipes to try.

Monday, Bill and I packed our lunches and off to Amazon we went!  I made it 2 hours, thankfully my scanner didn’t want to send me upstairs, nor all over the building, before VTO was offered.  I took it.  My knees are better, but I am so nervous to have them hurt anymore, I figured it was best not to push it.  I saw Kelly (from HR) in the cafeteria before I left and asked him about moving to a different department.  He told me about going to a doc and getting the restrictions on paper.  UGH!

I went in Tuesday and went to see Kelly in HR again.  I told him that I wanted to go see a doc and get moved to a different position, one that does not involve so much walking.   He took me over to AmCare, which is like the nurse’s office, only it is staffed with EMT’s and paramedics.  They “interviewed” me about my knees, and determined that this was a workers comp case.  So, they first sent me to an Occupational Therapist, which I agreed to b/c the office was right in town, only about 3 miles up the road.  The doc is all the way in Elizabethtown (E-town to locals), which is about 50 miles away.  What he didn’t tell me, and I found out when I brought back the paper with her advice (continued Aleve/Advil and ice every 2 to 3 hours, even during work hours and being moved to a job with less walking), is that they aren’t allowed to restrict my job based on her advice, only a doc.  I was so annoyed, asking then why send me there at all?  Bill told me later that it’s b/c if I only see her and not a doc, they don’t have to officially open a workers comp claim.  Sneaky little buggers.  He was right though b/c as soon as I said I wanted to see the doc then, a whole lot more papers came out to be explained and signed.

Wednesday I got up and out early to drive the 50 miles each way to E-Town.  I waited an hour to see the doc.  Once he finally came in, at least he was nice.  He did a pretty thorough exam on my knees and determined that I have the beginnings of arthritis and what I am experiencing now is a flare-up due to overuse.  He gave me a prescription, after freaking out a bit about how much Aleve/Advil I’ve been taking.  He agreed that using ice throughout the day was a good idea.

I went home, changed into my “work” clothes and down the street to Amazon I go.  Short version of a much longer story is this:  they cannot accommodate my restrictions, so I am not able to go back to work until at least after I see the doc again next week.  I am so disappointed, annoyed, upset, angry – all these crazy things all at once.  I came here to work, not sit home.  I have plans for that money – remember I told you about the day I did (tried to do) calculations in my head for how many miles I earned toward Alaska for every hour I worked?  I don’t remember the numbers right now, I was way off anyway, but the point is, that is literally (at least in part) how I see this whole Amazon thing – it is a way to make it easier for us to get to Alaska next summer.  So, I am not very happy with myself at this time.  I realize, logically, that I didn’t “do” this and it just is what it is, but I am so disappointed that it isn’t going the way I had hoped.

Bill is still doing very well.  He is actually really liking it.  I’m not surprised, he has a way of keeping himself occupied, even when there is nothing to keep oneself busy with.  My son is the same way.  I truly don’t understand people like that.  Guess it takes all kinds, right?  I’m just happy for him that he is doing so well, at least one of us is.  In the last 4 days at work he walked 120,863 steps or 57.2 miles!

Speaking of AK, we have had another interview with another CG and hope to hear back from them early next week.  We also have another one tomorrow.  We really like the location of either one of these two, one is strictly a work for a site deal (3 – 6 hour days per couple), the other is 15 hours per week per couple for the site with extra hours available at an hourly rate.  We told them we would like an additional 20 – 25 hours per week per couple, so +/- 20 hours a week each, preferably done in 3, maybe 4 days.  I’ll keep you posted.  It is my hope that by this time next week, we have something in writing and I can relax about it.  Well,  you know me by now -maybe relax isn’t the right word, but I can focus more on planning our winter/spring route for after we leave FL and reading the Milepost book.

I will leave you on a good note.  One of the packages we received was the RV screen door handle.  I had been wanting one forever and Bill had finally ordered us one and it finally arrived.  Bill had installed it the day I wen to see the doc in E-Town.  Made me smile when I got home!