Too Many Miles - Same Destination

A few days ago a notice from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (ADFA) arrived via U. S. Postal Service (USPS), notifying us of impending license plate expiration.

Renewal is accomplished by USPS mail or secure Internet site, if there is no other need to go to a local ADFA office, like driver license renewal. We checked our driver's licenses -- no impending expiration.

When I emptied all contents of my rat-packed purse on the kitchen counter island, I checked other expiration cards. YIKES! My military ID card had expired July 13!

Bad news! this ID is required along with my Medicare card for medical services. The military ID identifies me as a qualified recipient of TriCare for Life, a medical, secondary, supplemental medical insurance to Medicare for retired military persons.

Further I saw a physician July 21 ....I may have to pay the balance of that visit.

My August schedule includes an appointment Aug. 8. OOPS!

Phone calls with pleas to send my marriage license, my husband's DD214 and my driver's license by USPS landed on deaf ears. I offered to have the materials, notarized, certified, anything to avoid another trip. No wonder USPS is going broke; apparently nobody uses or trusts 'em!

I am required to make an appearance at an approved military ID issuance office, the nearest of which is at the Naval Reserve Training Center, Springfield, MO!

Today I set out alone at 7:30 a.m. with a single mission and arrived home at 1:30 p.m. It would have been record time if I had not stopped for a couple of breaks, photos and gas. This trip was the third trip in three weeks to Springfield, MO. I hope I don't see the Springfield city limit sign again until October when I return for another physician's appointment!!!

Besides a photographic interest in cemeteries, I love rows of old and/or colorful mailboxes. I saw this row along a busy highway between Springfield and Mansfield MO. I had to backtrack and find a safe place to park and take these photos, all the same with very slight changes in perspective and no editing.

At one rest stop I ate a Fiber One bar while cows ate their own version of fiber!

The rest stop had interesting rock formations. This photo, which has some nice lines leading the eye out of the picture, is a rocky ledge overhang under which adults can easily stand.

Little Things Sometimes Bring Joy

Wednesday, husband (H) and best-nearly a sister-friend (BF) went shopping in Springfield, MO. We all had different objectives.

H was big-time looking at a new pick-up, Toyota Tacoma. Although he did not buy, we will be returning in early June, if both of us clear our 6-month health exams.

BF wanted pots for her water lily plants. Despite several stops at nurseries, she came up empty. She will pursue the search on the Internet.

I had two objectives, a 6-quart stockpot ( Dutch oven) and baby bok choy (BBC). I found the pot at Target and the BBC at an Asian food market. [Not acquainted with BBC? Check out Farm Fresh: Grilled Baby Bok Choy]

The baby bok choy was highlight of my day - above Target (stockpot, two hats), above Red Lobster, above Kohl's, above Sam's Club, above all else!

When one decides to diet [my definition: long term food deprivation, controlled starvation], especially Weight Watchers (WW), a truce with vegetables is mandated. The current WW diet is based on a point principle. The dieter is assigned a daily point allowance based on weight at any given time. As weight declines, so do points on which to dine. Most vegetables are ZERO points; e.g. eat all you want all day long! That is enticing to a member of Foodaholics Anonymous!

I intensely dislike most vegetables, especially strong smelling, tasting ones - turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts -YUCK! YUCK !YUCKO! I have passing acquaintances with green beans, shelled beans, peas, corn, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, iceberg and Romaine lettuce, sweet peppers. I can tolerate some items on the Yucko list, if slathered with melted cheeses, or concealed with southern-style gravies or rich sauces.

To counter boredom, the bane of dieting, variety in food selection within the boundaries of most diets is required. A few years ago Wal-Mart was selling an interesting Chinese cabbage called BBC, 3/package, which appeared identical to its larger namesake. A simple little recipe on the packaging lured me to try the somewhat pricey babies.

I knew my husband would snub it. If it isn't corn or potatoes, he's not interested. I LOVED it - no strong odors, relatively easy to chop, can be eaten raw, stir fries in a few minutes, stores for long periods of time in refrigerator.

For the rest of that year, I regularly purchased my new-found love, but, come next spring, it was no where to be found in my rural area of Arkansas. Now that I am again participated in controlled starvation, I searched, without success, for BBC at available food supplies within a 50-mi. radius.

I began to think BBC was a Chinese import, banned, when melamine food and drug contamination reared its ugly head. By the way, melamine is in fertilizers used in US agriculture-consider the ramification of that fact.

Eureka! Wednesday was my lucky day! I bought six BBCs and have the hope of future purchases, since H and I will be traipsing to Springfield in pursuit of his dream truck. I am searching for ways to freeze it...maybe blanching, freezing and my food sealer process.

Amazing how little things, like baby bok choy, can elicit joy.