Al right.
I have a feeling that there's a thing or two in Smidgy's post concerning me that has more than a few of you slightly confused, so I guess it's time to finally come completely clean, as they say.
So here it is, the straight dope, the real skinny, the "yes way, Jose", no foolin, whole truth and nuttin but....
Here's the facts, Jack!
I tried to keep most downer type stuff from interfering in the reports, but since this is mainly in between trips right now, probably should get this out of the way, I just never wanted to turn this into a sort of Facebook type thread.
Anyway:
My company closed for good after I worked there for 27 hyears back in Aug. of 07'.
We werent too concerned at the time, fools that we were, thought I'd find something in a reasonable amount of time, even had a possible job in Florida, Lakeland area.
Not to be.
And time slipped by, slowly at first, then it went in hyper mode, with things looking dimmer by the day.
I had a few temp jobs in my field, but I had become a very specialized machinist over the years, and my forte was now being done over seas, there's only a couple companies in the USA left that still make multiple spindle drill heads.
I also didn't do good interviews, this was pre hearing aid time. What I also hadn't really realized, was how much over the years I had crafted my work areas at my job to compliment my vision problems. In other words,,,,, I was good at what I did,,,,, THERE!
I went on a couple of interviews where I walked out because there was not way I could work in that "dungeon".
Then, in March of '09, I got a call from Bob.
Bob is the older brother of my buddy John whom I've known since kindergarten, Bob was also my life insurance agent.
Bob is also blind, and is well aware of my vision problems after all these years.
He suggested I try for disability, nothing to lose and he knows people with less problems than I have that have gotten it.
Well, I applied, looked inot it and found out it usually takes an average of 3 years to get approved, and that's after you have to appeal two times, if you get accepted at all.
What the heck, if it meant saving the house, why not?
I told them about my eyes, my ears, and about the 5 foot operations, I was spraying to all fields.
I even mentioned that my wife used to be a Cubsfan, anything to get sympathy!
Social security's disability team then sent me to see THEIR foot specialist, THEIR ear specialist and THEIR eye doctor.
THen I got a letter from them saying they want me to see another of THEIR eye specialists. Apparently they didn't believe the first doctor's findings.
Just over 3 months later I got another letter form SSD.
Concerning my ears, that doesn't prevent me from finding employment.
They also don't see why I can't find "light" work that wouldn't be a problem for my foot, disablility request denied there too.
And concerning my eyes they can't believe I am not walking into the wall every time I go to the bathroom.
So, as of June of '09 I became officially "disabled".
And, the way the system works, two years after the month you were officially declared "disabled", you are then eligible for Medicare.
Which is now in 3 weeks, that's what Smidgy is referring to.
Well, since I've yakked this much, let's talk about the recent trips I've just written about.
Specifically, the last day of the July trip.
I was going to mention this if I didn't do a December "add on" trip report, but when I stuck with doing the December report, I left out my thoughts cuz it would have just killed the mood.
Our last day in July we were staying at Music, and the day before I had just gotten even with Smidgy by concocting the brilliant water balloon prank, and on the last day we w3ent for EMH at Magic Kingdom.
And I got CREAMED by a careless woman running full speed in a stroller.
It was actually a time when I didn't exaggerate at all, I even downplayed it some in the report, but she really creamed me. I never saw her coming in the dark, and i kept waiting for it to happen again.
An unsettling feeling.
I was also noticing that some of the dark rides that i wait to see until night now aren't coming through so well at night either, and to be honest, I was really bummed.
Bummed to the point that I didn't really see a reason to come back anymore, I almost said something that night to Smidgy about it, but decided to sleep on it.
The next morning, with the sun out, not being tired, your perspective changes.
Ok, I thought, it's July, EMH is packed, Brazilians are everywhere and fraying people's nerves, we've never been here in July before.
I also told myself I rather see some of Disney than none of Disney after a while, I'm sure.
And I really wanted to redeem the whole "night' thing for me at Disney when we came back in December, that's why I was so ticked off with the cold pretty much ruining that trip.
The night we were at MK during EMH between my back and the cold we were back in the room before 8.
And that's pretty much it.
No, not the way I planned on retireing, believe me.
I was kind of hoping that I would have a say in when I retire, not my eyes. Sure is nice of them to prove just how right the Social Security Commitee that grants the disability cases are though!
Ok, with that said, it's all out there and over, and I don't want to make an issue of it.
I will continue to write the reports the way I always have, and thiough I may get ticked off now and then, I've never like the "poor me" attitude in a report. Well, unless I can get some good laughs out of it.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
But one thing I really want to say........
Congratulations MONICA! on getting all A's!!
Nebo ~ YOU MADE ME DO IT...I'm a loooooong time lurker and decided to say hello since DH and I will be there a few of the same days as you and smiggy (haha). You don't know what we look like, but I do know what you and smiggy look like!! I will be sure to say hey if we see you!!
We're an "older" couple like you and Smidgy.
Well, hello Frosty's Femme.
I hadn't quite realized that both Smidgy and myself were in the "older" couple category!
And, praytell, just what age qualifies for "older"?
Reminds me of a temporary job I had not too long ago.
The owner told me he's 63, (I was 54 at the time), and he said he might hire this other guy, "Al", whom I'd get along with well.
Fine, I thought to myself.
He then went on to say, "Yeah, Al's 65, you know, our age."
No, he wasn't trying to be funny.
Ok,,,,,, once again,,,,,,,,"See you, in September,,,,,,"
Thanks for all the well wishes, your caring always makes me smile. 
I have laughed outloud many times reading your reports.
). 
