There is only so much I can do.

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Today was another busy day. Getting up at 8:15, after sort of being slow off the starting line in even hearing the alarm, and then trying to ignore it a bit, while debating another hour in bed or not. I did not get ready to go, though, until about 11:45, so I also did not make it to city hall. I called my friend to check on him, but no one answered. I called all day and did not reach him. He called after I had returned home. They added two pints of blood last night, but let him go home (my phone was in the Xterra, so I did not get the call last night). Then, today, they had him back in to add 3 more pints of blood. Further, next week, they will be adding iron through injections all week long. They can only add one unit of that (whatever a unit is, though not the same volume as blood) a day. He really wanted me to come back in to town to take him out to eat, but I was not doing that.

I went into Lowe's and Sears to look over some items. The Lowe's employee did not know about this, or that, or, really... anything. He did not lead me to anyone. He would not even go over the purchases, and track them, or check deals. I added the goods and installation costs and came to roughly $2,000 before taxes. Financing I asked? Up at the front desk. I stopped there. One woman was talking to her boyfriend, two were working on one checkout, one seemed legitimately talking on the phone for business, and one was doing something in and out of the office... After waiting a bit, I looked around, found a brochure on their card, and left. I suppose, if you know what you need, Lowe's might be fine. If not, you may still need to go but do not expect much help.

So, I drove to Sears, expecting about the same. A new guy, of course, was the guy helping me. What he did not know, he found out or had someone else find out, what he did know was good enough. We looked through a box or two to find more information. He grabbed an actual pad on which to write numbers, prices, and such. When we were through looking at the items, he checked for deals (or his boss did, he is just learning). The only thing they did not have priced on tap was installation. They have a guy who does that. After we ran the numbers and came to a bottom line, they called his number and guess what, he answered and had his price right there. $1,650, with installation, tax, and help. Uhrm, what about financing? Currently, if you qualify, I am told, 12 months no interest. Can I apply here and now? Yes, so we begin. It takes a bit longer as I put in a fraud claim a year or so ago and that seems to be making credit applications much more time consuming and difficult. Fine by me, actually. I had to answer about 5 multiple choice questions about where I have lived. I had to really think about some of them. For example, I could not remember the number to the U of I housing, but I knew the street was right, so just went with that one. All said and done, plenty of credit was available. Too much, but, that is how it goes. I almost considered a riding lawnmower, but my lawn simply is not that big! Perhaps for a tiller, if I end up doing my own acreage, maybe... Though I will be looking for a better solution to be honest. But no. I stuck with my plan.

What is the difference? One company just made a tidy little deal, the other simply could not compete. I have a line of credit with a company, so even if I pay cash for things, I may still go with them. But if I cannot pay cash, I have an emergency repair and installation allowance. This will work from tools to whatever as well. Lowe's just blew a new homeowner off. Maybe they do not need my business? They really, as I said, might be more for contractors. Do they realize that contractors are, well, hurting? Do they realize homeowners will own their homes for many years if not the rest of their lives? No skin off my nose, just saying.

After that, I went to my appointment. It is hitting well into the 90's F now. I spoke with my doc again, about the food area. I had looked for it earlier in the day but had no luck. It seems I was on the wrong side of main. He may have told me right or wrong and I might have messed it up with a preconceived and incorrect 'visual image' of where I thought the place was. So, he offered me better instructions, corrected instructions, or whatever. I did drive by and found the place today, but I was simply bushed. To home, I will compare prices and shop if needed at my leisure now that I know. Oh, but I made one last stop, to a place I know and knew what I was getting. At Wal-Mart, I picked up an all-in-one printer. They only had one which also had a fax. I may set that up tonight, or wait. I am bone weary.

I also asked about the cost of training. He could not be specific, as it is not his program, but he thought $50 an hour tops, with some scalability for usage and maybe other things. I am definitely considering this, though honestly not for the long run. I merely want to break through the rust with a trainer, if it is possible, then get on the road to more function, and then go on my own. I am thinking more along the lines of doing this in the cooler weather, when my life might slow down a bit anyway.

I am about to call the man who suggested he would help me move the rest of my stuff. He may have forgotten all about it, I will find out shortly. Finishing that will allow me to close out of that contract and begin setting my house up more fully as well. I know I can carry more than before by a lot, but I am still a bit gimped if mostly at this point from having a really weak hand and some limits to mobility added with muscles problems with that finger still. I can only try, I suppose, and do what I can. At least we do not have to carry the weights up stairs, or even very far. I am thinking they will go in the garage for now.

Very tired. Long hot day. Some things accomplished, some things yet to do, and more planning as some things fall off the list. Now that I have a mower, I will need to get a gas can, fill it, and do that. Monday? Tuesday? Yes, probably. I need the weekend. Tomorrow I may visit my friend, watch a movie, and then hopefully go out for a hike. I will be looking at some maps and the book to try and locate the trail head before I go to sleep. I may also see if I can set up the wheat device tonight, and soak some beans beside that for supper tomorrow (and for a while to come). And that phone call. Oh, I might even toss in a load of laundry, and if I track that well, dry it and put my last load of laundry into the wash while the first load dries. Which reminds me, I need to figure out how to get 4 lines up outside for air drying. Ugh, no, really.

Later, or good night, or... something.