A couple of noteworthy items

First, the good news: I received the date for my motorcycle endorsement exam - September 18. Yahoo! I am looking forward to getting it over with as I hate being limited to daytime hours for riding. And, the second bit of good news is I am contracting with the Department of Health and Human Services as a consultant for the Behavioral Health Managed Care Request For Proposal! That means I will finally be recompensed for all the work I have been doing to make sure the Managed Care system doesn't negatively impact consumers.

The bit of bad news is that I installed the saddlebags on my motorcycle and everything was fine for a few days, but yesterday that all changed. I was riding back from a meeting and somehow one of the bags got too close to the exhaust and melted. Of course, it didn't melt all the way, but it is too damaged to be saved. I took both bags off the bike when I got home and put the good one behind the backrest. It seems to be okay, but I am still without the needed space for all the paperwork I have to carry back and forth to the meetings I attend. I guess I will have to bite the bullet and buy the supports and the bags made especially for my bike.

As my pal Vera would say, "oh, well..."

Speaking of Vera, the surgery went well and she is home. The medication is keeping her mostly pain free, but has the side effect of making her weepy. She has never taken narcotics before this and so doesn't understand the problems associated with them. I try to be patient, but every now and then, I need to go outside and just be alone for a while. David is away at a faculty retreat and will be home later today. I look forward to the much needed break from caretaking. Of course, it goes without saying that I would take care of Vera for however long she needs, but it is especially nice to be able to share the load with her husband. I honestly don't know how my Grandmother took care of Grandpa for so long without running from the house screaming. Every day I learn more about her, through this experience, that tells me I didn't know her at all, and now it is probably too late to tell her. She has alzheimer's and wouldn't remember it if I did explain how amazed I am.