I'm looking ahead to when I'm no longer driving, and though friends and Handsome Son would help, they also have a life, and in the absence of public transportation around here to get me where I need to be, I'm investigating other options, too.
I found a volunteer group who drive seniors and visually impaired people to local destinations, and amazingly, include my town. Usually these things go strictly by county.
I live very close to one county, in fact most of my activities and doctors are there, but I'm in the extreme south of another, big, county where everything happens way north of me, and where they won't cross county lines. So this service is promising. Usually the county I do most activities in won't cross county lines to service my town.
It's also overloaded and I spent time trying to get on the waiting list. Several emails explaining the basics, cost, etc, but they want a call. I explained finally the phone is difficult, that's why I'm emailing. They responded helpfully. I'm now on the waiting list. So I'm a step further on.
It's cheaper than uber, but not cheap. But when I use the service, I won't be running a car, with those expenses, so the math may math. I may be on the waiting list for a while. The plan is to try it out while I'm still driving, to see how it works.
Meanwhile I'm still driving locally. And this afternoon is taken up with hearing aids, fitting, learning how to insert, whatever that entails.
Home again, with my little shopping bag, complete with charger, case, cleaning materials and Tootsie rolls for being a good patient. One for each ear.
You can't see the hearing aids because I'm wearing them, having navigated my weird shaped ear canals. The over the ear part is tiny, and pretty much vanishes into my hair.
On the way home from the appointment, I noticed various interesting things such as: the signal on my car is not silent after all. It clicks. So do the keys on my phone.
I go back twice more to get the volume raised each time till it's normal, meanwhile I wear them all day, I read aloud to get used to my voice which is sounding weird just now, and generally discover sounds I'd forgotten about.
This is fun. It's a strange feeling having things in my ears, but I expect to get used to it. At least, that's the plan.
My bank account needs a Tootsie roll after the onslaught, but, oh well. Gary stopped over later on other business, and he sounded so loud! He's thrilled that I'm going with the aids, very happy.
After all this excitement I was still in time for Textiles and Tea with photographer turned tapestry artist Jeane Vogel. Her small, often four selvage, tapestry works all have messages and she uses a lot of Jewish symbolism and iconography. But as she says, it's meant to work as art even if you aren't familiar with the meaning.
Happy day everyone, mine was packed with good things, even Tootsie rolls, so I hope yours was, too.
