Ah, good.

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I received the dehydrator, extra sheets, and a surprise.  The two extra plates (what you might set the sheets on) won't be in until tomorrow.  Next month I will finish off the set.  Since the plates, and various sheets that go in them, are sold in pairs, I'll end up with an extra of each.  I washed what I have.  Next I need to find out which sheet type most use for making jerky.  Some will go one way, others another, and some will choose to not use a sheet, simply using the tray.  Hopefully a few people have tried each way and can offer more than just an opinion based on nothing but an untested preference.  You know?  I have turned and worked the meat several times already, and will continue doing that throughout the day.  Everything is ready for the first load this evening, otherwise.  Might take a day or two to work.  Hmm... I ought to see how low my oven will go.  I wouldn't want to run that in the day, mind you.  I ought to look over instructions for that too.  Depending on how low my oven will go, perhaps there is a way to... cook the books on getting it done.  But if faster, might start that... soon.  *cough*

What arrived that was a bit of a surprise is something I have been hankering for many years.  Let me see, the one I had before was broken with my second base woman, first long term if... for reasons other than choice.  Let me see...  I was with her... in the 90's.  Early 90's.  Okay, so I have been wanting this since at least '95, so twenty years.  Imagine wanting something for so long, but between moves, and other priorities, poor health, and more moves, and confusion, and sickness, and moving, never getting it.  (Yeah, repetitive, intentional... gives the flavor of the words to the sentence.)  A stein.  A perfect size, the right type, two handles, and...  No, it isn't the old one.  But it will do nicely.  A two litter, two handed, German, stoneware, stein.  It holds a six pack, plus tomato juice if I want that.  At my standard pace, it doesn't get cold before I am done.  Not even close, even in these days of weakness.  Plus, on my second most wicked of nights of drought quenching, I can keep it to two... as per doctors' orders (recommendations).  On my most thirsty of sippings, I can still keep it to four, at least of beer.  Considering volumetric size, fifths don't count.  Tis but a thimbleful.  If I am a good boy the rest of the week, I just might have a beer this weekend, or two.  I'd like to have another, just in case.  I don't want to be without for another couple of decades.  It's grinning at me, beside it's double sized sister, whispering... ain't I petite?  Yes, baby, yes you are.  *wink*

Funny...  Packaging usually arrives in pristine condition.  I knew, somehow, that ordering this would... be discouraged.  And it was.  The package, in spite of "FRAGILE" written all over, top to bottom and on the sides, looked like they had used it for punting practice.  Oh, I knew.  Luckily, at least this time, the folks who sent it knew where it would be going and packaged it for such.  Oh, I don't hate.  I understand.  Just, if you live here or there, know what the score is, and take your chances.  Sometimes you'll win, sometimes not.  No hate, or even anger.  Just...  I know.  *chuckles*

While waiting for shipments today, I hit the grip exercises.  My right hand can now do four, and almost five, two hundred pound squeezes.  The goal is to get to ten, in each hand.  After I do the 200, I then hit the 250, then the 150, and then the 200 again.  By the time I am done squishing each, then flipping, then moving on, I am pretty worn.  It's not like I get tired, it's just that grip strength is gone.  It'll be at least a month before I hit 250 as my primary focus.  But it's moving along.

I also called the V.A. about my medicine.  I did get into a minor snit.  Something about:  Me, I didn't receive enough medication. ; Her,Yes, but we sent enough. ; Me, Well, but... no.  I have the only bottle of the stuff I have in my hand.  I don't use extra, if anything I miss from time to time, probably once a week though less lately. ; Her  Yes, but we sent enough. ;  Me  How did you send enough if I don't have enough? ; Her  I don't know, but we sent enough.  Was not going well.  She said she would send a note to my primary, letting them know I was out, asking if they would refill "early".  Problem is, my primary doesn't prescribe these meds.  I didn't think of that at first, still a little focused on snit.  I told her to go ahead with the note, but asked if I could talk to her supervisor.  I was put on hold, then disconnected.  I tried to call back in, had to wait, was talking to someone else about the situation, was put on hold, and just hung up.

To my surprise, I received a call back.  It was the first woman I had been speaking with.  Her supervisor was allowing her to send the medication, and she asked if I still wanted a note put in.  I did.  But by this time I had time to realize that my primary couldn't help.  So I mentioned this.  But she can't get a note to the heart transplant clinic, as that's a bit... off note grid.  I just told her to do what she could, and thanked her for calling back and sorting this out.  Snit happens.  I have worked so hard to stay on medication.  Water pills are a vital part of the program.  No... I didn't "win"... I just attempted to keep my medication on track.  Nothing personal, not a "win", no dig.  And I don't mind if she has pride, and believes in her employer.  That's good, especially if she does her level honest best.  Which she did in this case.  Just happens medicine is coming, but that isn't a loss to any.

I will say this though.  I will keep going on medications and exercise, and the rest.  I had hoped for some assistance, in the form of a specific medication.  Then I was going to time down all medication.  As it turns, I seem to be doing... at least partially, what that medicine would have helped me to do.  If I continue as I am, in two years I will begin timing down medication.  If I am not healthy enough, at that point, to survive without it, then I will simply have to die.  *tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-????*  Later.
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Okay... my (new?) primary doc called, to check on things.  I explained exactly what I explained here.  Their fault, my fault, the shipper's fault, nobody's fault?  Doesn't matter.  Running out of medication, right as I am hitting a major health stride, that matters.  He was just checking.  Cool.  Appreciated.  No blame needed, and I won't worry.  I just want to keep doing what seems to be working.  I don't need a scapegoat, a whipping boy, sympathy, or empathy.  Been those, mistakenly created those, even done that as correctly as possible and rightly... never changed a thing.  Who knows, maybe it was me, somehow.  Fair.  Just don't want to run out of medication.  Not yet.  Soon, but... not... today.  Or in a week, really.