Life After Windbird, Day 43: Frustrating Day
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2016
Weather: Drastic Drop in Temperature; High 62 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio #8, Falmouth, MA
It was a frustrating day, even though it started out great. Lee, ME, and Steve arrived about 8:30 am and we headed to Heather’s house. They said their goodbyes to the Goldstones and then we were off for Logan Airport in Boston. It was wonderful having Mark’s family here with me this week and I will miss them so much. We said our farewells at the airport and then I headed home. That’s when the frustrations kicked in. I had planned a couple of shopping stops along the way. With a 20 degree drop in the temperature from yesterday to today, I was reminded that I don’t have regular shoes that fit me—only sandals. So I stopped at the South Shore Mall about 10 miles south of Boston to go to The Walking Company, the shoe store recommended by the podiatrist at Mass General. But that was a complete bust as they don’t carry shoes in wide sizes. That was the first frustration. Then I looked for a couple of other things and didn’t find those either. That was the second frustration. After three strikes, I left the mall and headed to Home Depot. I wanted to buy a big tool storage unit to put all of Mark’s tools in. But that was a bust as well as I had forgotten to measure the spot where I can put a tool storage unit and I decided eye-balling just wasn’t going to do it—third frustration. But there are two Home Depots within thirty minutes of here, so I can measure and go to one of those to get the unit. I did find the few things I was looking for at Costco (hurray) and then I was on the way home.
I had planned to spend the afternoon figuring out which bills are paid automatically through bill pay, and which ones need monthly approval. Mark did all of our finances, so I knew I would need to spend some time learning this system. What I didn’t expect to find is that I no longer have a checking account and that our entire online bill pay system has been cancelled. Heather and I spent time at the bank last week making sure this would not happen, but somehow it has. I was on the phone for a very long time as the phone representative needed to talk to her manager to see if there is any way to retrieve the information that was in the bill pay system. But after a long wait, the answer was no. She opened a new bill pay account for me. I can go ahead and try to add the information back in, but I don’t have account numbers for some things because we no longer get paper bill statements. But even if I can figure out how to get the information into Bill Pay, it will do no good at all until I have a checking account. First thing Monday morning, I will be at the bank to find out where the account and the money in it has gone. How frustrating. But I took a deep breath and headed to Olivia and Terry’s for dinner. We were celebrating Bruce Woodin’s birthday belatedly and Jane’s sister Ann’s birthday a couple of days early. Olivia cooked a great Indian dinner that was appreciated by all. So the beginning and the end of the day was great. The middle part I could have done without. But tomorrow is a new day. And hopefully one sans frustrations.
