Alive and Kickin' It - Thursday, February 19, 2015

Yes, we're here. Busy as all get out.

Plus, I've been having computer issues. Seems as though some type of malware attacked my computer. It is now excruciatingly slow, I'm getting strange error messages: "rejected handshakes...error_inappropriate_fallback_alert," etc. Norton Antivirus originally caught the nasty bug. I've used Malwarebytes which has found and corrected some bad stuff after Norton found and quarantined the malware, Spybot Search & Destroy, CCleaner, but still having trouble.

Then I got bogged down on one blog. I forgot my camera and took photos with my cell phone. Had to transfer all those photos to my computer. [Faye and Dave, I haven't forgotten about our walk together, but I finally have all your photos and mine loaded into my computer.] As soon as we are not so busy, I will write that blog which is next on my list.

A great big THANK YOU to my mom, who made a charm necklace for me. She knows how much I love Volksmarching so she put on the following charms: camera, hiking boots with walking stick, water bottle, roadrunner (I'm in the Randolph Roadrunners Volksmarch Club), a backpack, and one that says "never, never give up!" She saw a photo of a charm necklace made by one of our Volksmarchers, Susan Ives, and thought I'd love one too. Yep, I love it!

"Charm"ing necklace

Since I have your attention, here's an update on our jobs and health. The travel blogs will continue in a few days.

Bob has a new job as Controller with the third largest electrical contractor in San Antonio. He is on the Board of Directors. Bob couldn't be happier. The job is challenging and he loves it. When he was hired on a Friday, he was supposed to be part time. He planned his life around that and had another employer for whom he was working 20 hours per week, and a few accounting clients as well.

When he went into work the next Monday at his new job, the General Manager called him into his office. Bob was told they wanted him full time and he would need to leave the other company, and give up his accounting clients. Bob likes the new company very much, but he needed time to think about it.

We talked it over Friday night and over the weekend. Monday, he agreed to the full-time position. Since then, he has felt part of the team and likes the corporate culture. He has health, dental and vision insurance through his new company, and will be eligible for 401(k) after he's been there a year.

As you know, I started full-time at the RV park late last year. This week, our company rolled out benefits. Starting March 1, I have health, vision and dental insurance. My contribution to the insurance is half of what I was paying on my own. In addition, I am contributing to a 401(k) that has a 4% match and I signed up already. It starts March 1 and I'm fully invested at that time!! Woo hoo.

Tuesday of next week, Bob will have Mohs' surgery for basal cell carcinoma in his neck. He had had an area frozen in Hawaii about five years ago. In the past few months, one of the areas he had treated started bleeding and would not heal. His dermatologist said the skin cancer was too deep for him to treat and referred him to a specialist who does Mohs' surgery.

In Mohs' surgery, the area that has cancer is expanded outward and down with small cuts. Each section of skin that is taken is then sectioned, put under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If any cancer cells are found, those sections are noted and more tissue is taken from those areas until the edges are clear of cancer cells. With this procedure, there is a 95% success rate getting rid of cancer in the area. The procedure will take a minimum of four hours. One complication in Bob's case is a nerve that runs next to his surgical area. The nerve controls your ability to shrug your shoulders. Is that specific or what?

Other than that, all is well. We've been taking day trips in Texas, hiking, birding and meeting friends. Watch for more about our activities soon.

Just for the "awwww" factor, here are the fur-kids, Sunnie and Bowie...

"Oh how we love lying in the sun!" Bowie and Sunnie

Safe travels to you all, especially those of you in the grips of the "Siberian air" hitting the East Coast and Southeast parts of our country.

Travel Bug out.