Another Frigid Frigging Friday! We are keeping inside as much as possible this week as the daily high temperature all week has been 9ºF. Thursday's afternoon high was 5º and Friday dawned at -5ºF and the expected high is to hit 2ºF and there is a forecast of another 1-2 inches of snow. It certainly is white around our house this month.
We have been out of the house twice this past week. Mark was up and out to a dermatology appointment first thing Monday morning. As he had some skin cancer issues about eight years ago, he is very conscious of any unusual skin growths. Some little spots started to appear on the top of his scalp, so off to the Doctor he goes. These were little AK precancerous spots, so a couple of quick shots with liquid Nitrogen to freeze them off and he was back home within 40 minutes. As cold as it has been, he probably could have just stood outside without his hat for a few hours and frozen them off that way. The office visit was much quicker.
The second trip was not so quick. That would be our weekly shopping trip, this time on Wednesday. We started with the Goodwill donation site. As we have written before, we are slowly unpacking the remaining boxes and clearing stuff left over from our move to this address five years ago this summer. We are trying to get the one remaining basement room cleared for new walls and paint so are constantly dropping stuff at the Goodwill. Next stop was the U.S. Post Office to send off some international packages destined for Abigail’s knitting friends and then on to four grocery stores. After loading up with groceries, Deb wanted to stop and drop off the Christmas presents (Kitchen Table gift cards) for her friends at Pegasus. All three agents were in and it was so good to see them! We then drove to Abigail and Darcy’s house to drop off some of the groceries, do a little shoveling on the front walk and (after a quick stop at Duggan’s to drop off some interesting, we hope, items) back home in time for Deb’s Zoom Cocktail hour.
We received a surprise on Thursday when we received a Valentine’s Day treat from our friends Marsha & Ted. A beautiful box of hand dipped chocolates! Mark was wondering what they sent Deb, but was told it was a joint gift and he will have to share.
Thursday was more basement clean-out and then a visit from the carpenter for him to measure up for the framing and drywall to be installed. Also on Thursday, Mark was able to re-experience the efficiency of the federal government. He has been urged by friends and then by his two sons, to sign up for VA benefits, both as to health and for numerous commercial discounts offered to veterans. He visited VA.gov and learned of all the information he would need to sign up. He collected his DD214 military separation form, a copy of his current passport, social security number, Medicare card, BCBS insurance card and his most recent 2019 Federal Tax Return. All of these items would be required, according to the instruction.
He made it as far as logging into the site and successfully creating a log-in and password. Then, Bureaucracy struck. The site kept telling him that they were unable to confirm his service information and to phone for help. So he did. Three hours later, and two helpful VA employees later, he, in theory, is now a “Pending” VA Beneficiary. He mailed his DD214 form off to Atlanta, to await final confirmation in 10-15 days. In the meantime he should be able to sign up for a VA ID card. Neither of the two helpful people could successfully break through the computer loop in the VA site that keeps instructing to press the green button to proceed. The last lady finally gave him the number of a help desk that could sort things out.
After an hour of hitting all the various number options on the phone and getting the same instructions to go to VA.gov to sign up, this veteran surrendered and hung up the phone. He will wait the 10-15 days for his DD214 report to be received and then they should let him know that he is beyond the pending stage. Of course he still has to complete the forms, and, as to Tax Return info, they only will now accept 2020 Tax info. According to the information heard on NPR, the IRS will start processing 2020 tax returns on February 12, 2021. Score one for the Bureaucracy, 0 for the hapless veteran.
Friday is a baking day. Deb is making banana nut bread and oatmeal cookies. Mark is baking some French baguettes and together we are making some Shepard’s Pie from a recipe from a Poldark themed cookbook with some additions from Glenda. This should be a weekend to stay in and keep warm. Have a great Valentine’s Day on Sunday, enjoy President’s Day on Monday, and by all means, keep washing your hands, practicing safe distancing and keep your masks in place. Next week is vaccine week for us!!
