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jaylach
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 9:46 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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I have to make a 200+ mile round trip Friday to see an eye doctor. I'm trying to get an increase in my military disability pension that would make almost a $450.00 increase in my monthly income. I really don't understand why I have to make the trip but when the government is involved... I mean the local Veteran's Admin. has all the needed records. Still I may make a profit on the trip. A few years ago I had to take ~600 mile round trip for a knee issue and it cost me $60.00 round trip in gas and I got $260.00 in travel pay.
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sboots
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:56 pm |
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Site Admin |
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Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm Posts: 2946 Location: New Jersey
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good luck!
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
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JoanA
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 11:11 am |
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Moderator |
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Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:25 pm Posts: 1916 Location: Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK
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Hope it all goes well for you Jay, enjoy the journey.
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bbarry
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 1:02 pm |
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welcoming committee |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am Posts: 2399 Location: North Central Arkansas
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Jay, I just saw on the Weather Channel where Wyoming is getting blasted with winter weather....snow, wind, and cold.
Is any of that affecting you? And what will your forecast be for Friday?
Stay safe....…..
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jaylach
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 2:13 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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We had a snow storm a few days ago but it is mostly melted. Friday is supposed to be 39 and sunny.
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jaylach
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Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:06 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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I am SO mad! I drove 201 miles for nothing. I got there only to be informed that the V.A. canceled the appointment. You would think that they would let me know. On the bright side this is the first time I've taken my 2002 Mercury Sable for any distance on the highway. I set the cruise control at 70 MPH and left it there. I got 29.77 MPG.
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sboots
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Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:58 pm |
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Site Admin |
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Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm Posts: 2946 Location: New Jersey
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Wow! That really stinks!
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
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jaylach
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Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:19 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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Ya, it does Steve. The funny thing is that when I got home I checked my mail and there was a letter confirming the appointment. I'll probably get the cancellation notice Monday, three days after the appointment. I DO think that the V.A. still owes me travel pay as I went on good faith. The travel pay won't be that much but more than I spent in gas. It really isn't the money but the principle. They sent me there and I went in good faith. Still I liked the gas mileage. A few years ago I had to drive to Cheyenne WY to see an orthopedic surgeon due to a knee issue. It was about 600 Miles round trip. At the time I was driving a 2000 little Dodge Neon and got 27 or 28 miles per gallon. I actually got better mileage with my current 2002 Mercury Sable LS. I think a lot of that is that the Mercury has cruise control. Here the interstates are 75 and 80 MPH. Since the car has 156,000 miles plus on it I set the cruise control to 70 MPH and left it there. There was one good point on going to the clinic. The doctor even came out and talked to me saying they were sorry even though it was not their fault. He asked me what was going on and I outlined. He said that, once things are straightened out, I should have no problem getting my disability increase.
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jaylach
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Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 10:04 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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Off to a repeat of the 200 mile round trip tomorrow (Wednesday) but am going to call the clinic first to be sure that the appointment is still active. I bet dollars to donuts that I exceed 30 MPG this trip. Last time I topped off the air in the front tires as they tend to lose air but did not check the back tires. Just got done doing so and both back tires were close to 5 pounds low. Topped them off and I bet that puts me over 30 MPG. It still amazes me that this Sable with a 3.0 liter 260 HP SHO engine gets better highway mileage than my old Dodge Neon 2.0 Liter 132 HP. My thought was the Sable having cruise control but a car freak friend says it is probably due to the Sable being more aerodynamic. It is also possible that the Neon, being only 138 HP, had to work harder. BTW, the 'SHO' on the Sable engine stands for 'Super High Output' which gives 260 HP instead of the standard 200 HP. That and the tranny overdrive works out that I do 70 MPH at around 2800-2900 RPM. LOL! I don't really know if I'll actually top off the tank before I go and check the mileage again as I've only drove a few blocks since last filled. I'd probably be embarrassed topping off the tank for 50 cents. Still I might as I want to pick up a quart of oil just to be safe in case... Sorry about going on about this but, being blind in one eye, I'm not happy about driving interstates. I get nervous and tend to tense up. On last Friday's trip I found that I had to consciously make my legs relax due to being tense even though I was using cruise control and didn't even need to have my foot on the gas pedal.
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bbarry
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Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:05 am |
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welcoming committee |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am Posts: 2399 Location: North Central Arkansas
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Stay safe and have a good trip. I hope you get your disability increase.
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jaylach
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Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:29 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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Thanks BB.
Sigh, I'm beginning to wonder if this is ever going to happen. Last Friday when the V.A. canceled the appointment it was in Gillette WY so I assumed this one was the same. Turns out this one was in Casper WY. By the time I realized the difference it was too late for me to make it as Casper is further away. Will be trying again Monday...
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jaylach
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 9:23 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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YEA! Today's appointment went as planned.
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sboots
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 10:46 pm |
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Site Admin |
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Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm Posts: 2946 Location: New Jersey
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Finally! Excellent!
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
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jaylach
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 11:10 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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LOL! I DID have a scare on the trip back. A red light came on on my dash and I was worried it was oil and I was like 70 miles away from a service station. Since my eye had been dilated I was fine to drive but could not really make out the warning light. When I finally got to a gas station to grab some oil they were closed except for card payment at the pumps. Dawned on me to put on my reading glasses so I could actually see the warning light. Turned out to be nothing but my brakes. Sounds serious but is not. You see I have ABS brakes and one of the wheel sensors gets flaky now and then and trips a brake warning. Shut the car off and start again and the sensor is reset and fine. That was the case this time and all ended well. I will admit to being worried though. The thing DOES use a bit of oil but not a lot. I mean I've had the thing for 2.5 years and have added a total of 3 quarts of oil. I know that I should probably get a newer car, and could, but I REALLY like this beast. Since it gives me 30 and a touch MPG on the Interstate at 70 MPH I can put up with the few quirks it happens to have. Also, here in Wyoming, we get a lot of high winds on the Interstates. The 'curb weight' of the thing is 3,366 lbs which is a pretty heavy sedan. Gives a lot of stability in winds. I just LOVE this car! You have to understand the winds here. There are times when the Interstates are closed just due to winds.
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jaylach
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Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 10:19 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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I have to chuckle a little. I got a FedEx package from the outfit that handles the disability review, LHI, that told me to go to an emergency facility immediately. The thing is that the pressure within my right eye is VERY high which is normal for me. Normal internal eye pressure is 20 MM of mercury, measured just like a weather barometer. My left eye is great at only 18 MM but my right eye averages 45-50 MM. In the case of my exam it was right at 50 MM. This is caused by glaucoma caused by trauma. Actually this SHOULD cause extreme pain and used to do so. The thing with pain is that it can be controlled. If you burn your finger the finger SEEMS to hurt but really does not. The pain is all felt in the brain and made to feel like it is in the finger. This can be controlled and 'turned off'. It is just a matter of training your brain to ignore the signal from the finger. It is the same with my eye. I conditioned my brain to ignore the signal. Sounds off the wall but it is real and works. LOL! At least I think that I got their attention.
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bbarry
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 8:31 am |
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welcoming committee |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am Posts: 2399 Location: North Central Arkansas
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Did you get your disability increase, or is that still to come?
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jaylach
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 11:36 am |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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It will probably be a while before I get the results.
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jaylach
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Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:19 am |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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I love travel pay! I just got a check in the mail for a bit over $121.00 for my drive to Casper WY and back. The trip cost me a bit under $25.00.
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