Wednesday Ramble

 And at last it comes. You hear a patter... you see a leaf here and there bob and blink about you; you feel a spot on your face, on your hand. And then the gracious rain comes, gathering its forces—steady, close, abundant. Lean out of window, and watch, and listen. How delicious!... the verandah beneath losing its scattered spots in a sheet of luminous wet; and, never pausing, the close, heavy, soft-rushing noise... 

John Richard Vernon,

Good morning on this not so springlike day. Actually, it seems almost like winter out.  Yesterday it was pretty darn cold, and today the  rain is coming down and torrents. No way am I stepping outdoors today.  No need to.  Retirement brings choices, and I choose to stay in my jammies and watch the rain from my window. 

Women's group no longer holds my interest as it once did, and I don't see much sense in getting drenched to play an hour of Bingo.  It's not like I ever win.  I've been attending the Center for about a year now, and I can count on my right hand the number of times I won.  I am not very lucky in Bingo, but I don't care.  It just gives me something to do.

But yesterday Lady Luck hit me in another way. When I got home I found my bank statement in the mail, and boy, was I ever in for a surprise.  The first thing I always check is the deposits to make sure Social Security and my pension have been credited. I was also anxious to check on my federal refund as each time I tried to check online I was told to try back again.  I was beginning to get anxious.  That was not a very good sign.  Well, it turns out it had already been deposited.  The reason I couldn't find it online was because you have to enter the exact amount. I had entered what I thought I was getting back--$628.  Instead, my refund was $613. The tax preparer had gotten it wrong.

But that was not the only thing he got wrong.  If you remember, I posted my disappointment that I owed the State and how unfair it was that I was on Social Security but had to pay.  You can imagine how surprised I was to find that the state had deposited a $421 refund into my account.  They had reimbursed me and then some.  Wow!!!  Wasn't expecting that.  Needless to say, I will not return to that place if I have to do taxes next year.

I spent the whole evening last night watching a marathan of the entire season of Vikings.  I could watch these shows over and over again.  It is history.  I think that's why I love it so much.  I learn something new every time I re-watch something.  Sad that tomorrow night is the season finale and will be anxiously waiting for the new episodes.

Yesterday was a busy day at the Center, and I didn't get there early enough to get a seat as my usual table so I was seated at the table just behind it.  That was okay.  I was close enough to talk to my friends, and I got a chance to meet some new people.  Oh, we'd known each other enough to say hello, but that was about it.  Well, I always say that everything happens for a reason.  There was an elder gentlemen seated with us, and he began talking about the muscle spasms he has at night.  I mentioned that I had the same thing and asked if he was on blood pressure medication.  Indeed he was.  Then, another lady at the table spoke up and said that she used to struggle with spasms but began drinking some tonic water with added quinine at night, and it has been stopping her spasms.  

I came home and, of course, did some research.  I never take anything, even something so seemingly harmless, without doing some investigation.  Indeed, quinine does cure muscle cramps, but has been banned by the FDA because some people have had side effects.  However, the amount in tonic water does the job and is relatively harmless. 

On an added note, I found that when your foot or calve muscles spasm, press on your upper lip.  I tried it last night, and it actually works.  Who would have thought?

Off now to prepare something to eat.   Wishing you all a great Tuesday.