More of the Same

Well, it's been an eventful last few days.  Let's start with the heart surgery.  Three stents installed through the right wrist (how cool is that?) and three more blockages found that will need to be dealt with in the next year or so.  Genetics coupled with Agent Orange exposure equals a short time left.  Not many options here except to try and enjoy what time I have left.

The Honda outboard repairs went well and it ran perfectly, for about five minutes.  Then the Exciter Coil and Ignition Coil burnt up.  That's another few hundred dollars that I just don't have.  I have the shop manual on this motor and it has all the specs for all the parts.  A multimeter and the manual allowed me to test the electronic parts.  This is real frustrating.  Do I spend money I don't have to try and repair this motor?  I've a feeling that more is going to break soon. 

It's a 1984 4 stroke 7.5 hp long shaft.  To replace it is nearly $2200.00.  I don't have that kind of money and I rather doubt that I ever will.  Another option is to use an electric trolling motor.  A Minn Kota 80# thrust trolling motor is enough to move this boat at about 4.5 knots.  That's plenty.  Two deep cell batteries for 24v DC and the trolling motor comes in at just below $1000.00.  A small gas generator for charging the batteries comes in at just over $150.00  Happy days!   I don't have that kind of money either.

I did an overdraft this morning to pay my rent.  I gave the marina $500.00 leaving a negative balance for rent at just under $1200.00 and a negative balance of $400.00 in the bank..  Once I gave the marina the money I was informed that I have two weeks to catch up or leave.  I should have kept the money and used it for survival.  Instead I decided to play straight with the marina.  Seems like it might be time to either go outlaw or eat my shotgun.  At the moment I'm leaning toward the shotgun, but things can change.  Playing by the rules benefits only those who make the rules.  I knew that already but early life lessons die hard.

While swimming in the Gulf a few days ago some things fell out of my pockets.  One of them was my driver's license.  Now I have to prove that I am a citizen to get my license back.  Birth certificate, social security card, several pieces of mail from my address and a picture ID.  This could be interesting. 

I'm still waiting for a check from Skipper's Smoke House for a playing job I did for them nearly two months ago.  I've a feeling I'm going to get stiffed.  There was no contract.  As far as the VA is concerned; well, I went to a disability review and it sounded promising.  I was informed that I would hear about the results in 4 to 6 weeks.  I've a feeling if anything at all happens, it will happen after I have made my survival (or non survival) moves.  Time is running out.

If I was someone I knew as a friend, I would try to distance myself from that friend while wishing them the best of luck.  The problem with trying to rescue a drowning man is that the one who is drowning can also drown the rescuer.  No hard feelings.  I understand that this is the way of the world.  Some one near and dear to me once told me that "some are meant to live and some aren't.  Good luck".  It's true.  Not everyone can survive.  Guess I'll just have to wait and see how the next few weeks play out.

I'm not going to just sit on my butt and let it happen.  There are things I can do to at least learn about my status at VA, and maybe speed things up a little.  I also have feelers out for jobs, "real" jobs working for a pay check.  They may not show up in time if at all.  Over 50 white guys are not a commodity.  With the previous heart condition it was difficult to muster the energy to do anything.  Now that I have the energy, it may be too late.  Life is funny like that.

If anything changes I'll write more. 

No one gets out of here alive, so live it like ya mean it.