Our weather broke today...umm... that would be yesterday, seeing as how this will auto-publish at midnite on Thursday. Ever the pedant, we are. So, suffering as we were from a minor case of cabin fever, we got out and about and got a few things done yesterday.
First on our list was a major re-supply run. We haven't been out to Cannon Airplane Patch in a long, long time...opting instead to do our shopping at Wally-World these past six weeks or so. Which has meant a significant reduction in our choices where comestibles and beer are concerned, coupled with a modest increase in the prices we pay for the reduced selection. That negativity is offset by savings in time and distance, Wally-World being about 30 less miles there and back than Cannon. And we are lazy. Our reluctance to drive an extra 30 miles is also medium strange, as we have infinitely more time than money these days, in addition to a taste for better beer, among other things.
So... off we went and back we came, all without issue. The larder is restocked with goodies unavailable at Wally-World, stuff like big-ass shrimp (40-count; WW only sells the itty-bitty bait kind), Cajun microwavable dishes, lettuce other than iceberg or romaine, brie, Haagen Dazs... the list goes on. The fridge also has been restocked, the latter being more important than the former in the grand scheme of things (more about which below). Which means we now have at least a two week supply of 2 Below and Mothership Wit.
We accomplished one other chore while out at Cannon and that particular exercise left me a little... no, a LOT... cold. First: a lil background. I'll be turning 65 in March and aside from reaching an age that officially qualifies me for geezerhood (I'm merely an apprentice geezer at the moment) I will also be going on Medicare.
The Department of Defense took note of this impending event and sent me a love-letter last month, informing me that I must sign up for Medicare in order to qualify for Tri-Care For Life, which is the gub'mint program that kinda-sorta fulfills promises made to me in the way-back. Promises made by re-enlistment NCOs and officers over the course of my career... to the effect of "re-up, sign here, and you'll get the Big Bucks retirement check every month upon completion of 20 years service... and FREE medical care for the rest of your natural life!" Well, that certainly sounded like a good deal, right?
Not so much anymore. I was briefed on Tri-Care For Life yesterday... it seems like all the squares have been filled, the appropriate boxes checked, and all we have to do is monitor the process to ensure things flow smoothly. But I am NOT pleased. Medicare will become my principal medical insurance once I turn 65. I will no longer have an Air Force Primary Care Manager and I will only qualify for medical services out at the base (or any base) on a Space-Available basis, which is a kind way of saying "cold day in Hell," given the current manning situation at military medical facilities. Tri-Care For Life becomes my secondary provider, which means they pick up the 20 percent of medical bills Medicare doesn't pay... assuming I can find a doctor in the area that will take new Medicare patients. I haven't yet begun that search, but the stuff I'm reading in the news and seeing on my teevee isn't exactly confidence inspiring, yanno? My trepidation also includes the half-trillion dollar cuts being proposed to Medicare, of course. (sigh) Timing is everything in life, ain't it?
Well, there is good news... SN3's medical coverage will be unaffected and I'll still be able to fill prescriptions at the base pharmacy (for free), too. I suppose we should count our blessings, but I have a bone to pick with those re-enlistment "counselors." More so with my congress-critters, actually. They're theones bastards that screwed the pooch... the re-enlistment guys were just salesmen, and they were selling something that existed at the point of sale but changed in the fullness of time. I'm rather pissed off about it and I'm not alone, either.
―:☺:―
Leave us not end on a down note. Remember I told ya Google loves me? Well, we went googling for an image of the Cannon Airplane Patch commissary to illustrate this post... and this was our result:
OK... EIP gets the first 19/21 images for that search? That's just ridiculous. But I like it. (insert smiley-face thingie here)
First on our list was a major re-supply run. We haven't been out to Cannon Airplane Patch in a long, long time...opting instead to do our shopping at Wally-World these past six weeks or so. Which has meant a significant reduction in our choices where comestibles and beer are concerned, coupled with a modest increase in the prices we pay for the reduced selection. That negativity is offset by savings in time and distance, Wally-World being about 30 less miles there and back than Cannon. And we are lazy. Our reluctance to drive an extra 30 miles is also medium strange, as we have infinitely more time than money these days, in addition to a taste for better beer, among other things.So... off we went and back we came, all without issue. The larder is restocked with goodies unavailable at Wally-World, stuff like big-ass shrimp (40-count; WW only sells the itty-bitty bait kind), Cajun microwavable dishes, lettuce other than iceberg or romaine, brie, Haagen Dazs... the list goes on. The fridge also has been restocked, the latter being more important than the former in the grand scheme of things (more about which below). Which means we now have at least a two week supply of 2 Below and Mothership Wit.
We accomplished one other chore while out at Cannon and that particular exercise left me a little... no, a LOT... cold. First: a lil background. I'll be turning 65 in March and aside from reaching an age that officially qualifies me for geezerhood (I'm merely an apprentice geezer at the moment) I will also be going on Medicare.
The Department of Defense took note of this impending event and sent me a love-letter last month, informing me that I must sign up for Medicare in order to qualify for Tri-Care For Life, which is the gub'mint program that kinda-sorta fulfills promises made to me in the way-back. Promises made by re-enlistment NCOs and officers over the course of my career... to the effect of "re-up, sign here, and you'll get the Big Bucks retirement check every month upon completion of 20 years service... and FREE medical care for the rest of your natural life!" Well, that certainly sounded like a good deal, right?
Not so much anymore. I was briefed on Tri-Care For Life yesterday... it seems like all the squares have been filled, the appropriate boxes checked, and all we have to do is monitor the process to ensure things flow smoothly. But I am NOT pleased. Medicare will become my principal medical insurance once I turn 65. I will no longer have an Air Force Primary Care Manager and I will only qualify for medical services out at the base (or any base) on a Space-Available basis, which is a kind way of saying "cold day in Hell," given the current manning situation at military medical facilities. Tri-Care For Life becomes my secondary provider, which means they pick up the 20 percent of medical bills Medicare doesn't pay... assuming I can find a doctor in the area that will take new Medicare patients. I haven't yet begun that search, but the stuff I'm reading in the news and seeing on my teevee isn't exactly confidence inspiring, yanno? My trepidation also includes the half-trillion dollar cuts being proposed to Medicare, of course. (sigh) Timing is everything in life, ain't it?Well, there is good news... SN3's medical coverage will be unaffected and I'll still be able to fill prescriptions at the base pharmacy (for free), too. I suppose we should count our blessings, but I have a bone to pick with those re-enlistment "counselors." More so with my congress-critters, actually. They're the
―:☺:―
Leave us not end on a down note. Remember I told ya Google loves me? Well, we went googling for an image of the Cannon Airplane Patch commissary to illustrate this post... and this was our result:
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