While You're Waiting, Part 2 .............

I posted my last entry around 2:00  yesterday afternoon. Since then, some things have changed.

About 2:30, I got a call from the Director of the Woodbridge Health Department. She apologized for keeping me waiting, but she hadn't got all of the answers until just now.  They just got the pneumonia vaccine in, but the price is now $80 and it doesn't look like my insurance will cover any part of it. I thanked her for the call and hung up.

 There wasn't any reason to go into the misinformation on the flyer I had or the fact that a simple "I'm sorry but I don't have any information for you." return call on Friday would have been nice. I could tell from her voice that it wouldn't register.
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While I was online researching something else, I decided to check the bookseller's site which has my recent order. I'd gotten an email on Sunday that the book had been shipped, but I've been burnt on this already.

Surprise!

I now have a USPS shipping number on the package that can be tracked from it's origin point in Flagstaff, Arizona. It's coming regular mail so I don't expect it until next week, still ... it's good to know.
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I was up early today. It was a kind of chilly morning, but the sun was up and I was feeling good.

I had nothing in particular to do, so I decided to treat myself to a breakfast at Perkin's. But first, I had a few things to do.

I headed up to Avenel. I wanted to check out a Laundromat there. I've been using one near my local Shoprite, but I'm not happy with it. This other place is not as convenient but I needed a change and I wanted to see what they charge. I stopped in quickly, checked it out, and got back in my car. As I was backing up, I saw this guy working on his truck.

 
The people in the Laundromat weren't paying attention to what was going on outside. The sun was bright enough to hide what I was going to do.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove to Perkin's and enjoyed my breakfast.

Still enjoying the day, I headed up into Iselin along Chain-of-Hills Road. This is a winding road and, in one section, has trees that cover the roadway. That's when I cm up behind this guy.

Sunlight filtering through the trees and no one else around.

Point, press, Flash.

I had no particular place to go, so I turned up Wood Avenue to Iselin.

I had my windows down, slightly, now. It was still crisp out, and sunny - just the kind of day I love. I was feeling great. Turning up one street at random, I saw this guy up ahead, standing in the street.

I had no idea what he was doing or why he was standing there. All I knew was that we were the only one's out here at the time.

Point, press, Flash.

I decided that I would swing back to Shoprite and pick up some New England Clam Chowder for supper.

It was gonna be another couple of days before my book would be delivered and ....

... you have to do something while you're waiting.

While You're Waiting..........

One of the things you can count on in life is that you wind up - more often then not - waiting for things.

 Most of the time, it's no big deal. Like Saturday, for example. I had a lunch date with my daughter and I had to wait in Red Robin a little longer then usual. Not a big deal because they sat me in a booth facing the door and I ordered our drinks. Plus, I had time to really look through the menu.

Sometimes, however, it becomes a big deal, and I've been trying to work my way through two situations that are taking more time then they should. Let me explain ...
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Recently, I came across an article that Ian Mckellen would be playing an older Sherlock Holmes in an adaptation of Mitch Cullin's book "A Slight Trick of The Mind". I am a big Holmes fan and I immediately logged onto a discount on-line bookseller that I use. I found a Trade Paperback of the book and ordered it. Later that day I got the email confirm of my request and they charged my account. The next day, I got another email that they couldn't fill the order after all and was issuing me a credit.

At least I didn't have to wait.

I logged into another discount bookseller that same day, found the book and ordered it. Again I got the email acknowledgement and they charged my account. Two days later I got an email that my order had been shipped. I thought, "Hey, alright. This is gonna work."

Now, I had to wait.

 Not for long. Four days later they emailed me again. They apologized, but they couldn't fill the order. They refunded the purchase price, and gave me a credit to use towards a future purchase.

Now I'm in over a week, and I still don't know if I'm gonna get the book.

I logged into a popular on-line site, found the book, and ordered it. Like before, they acknowledged my order and charged my account. Again, two days later (which was yesterday) , I got an email that said my book had shipped.

Now I wait again.
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The second situation is health related. This is the time of year that I start looking into getting a Flu shot. Also, this year, I need to get the Pneumonia shot. I live in Woodbridge and the Health Department usually holds a couple of clinics where they offer these at a discount. Basically, they would  bill my insurance for the Flu shot, but I wasn't sure what the process was for the Pneumonia one. So I drove over last Tuesday and asked. After about 1/2 an hour, no one could come up with an answer and they weren't even sure that they had the vaccine so they gave me a phone number and asked if I would call back in 2 or 3 days.

I waited until day 3 (Friday) to call. The woman who answered the phone remembered me but said that the Director would be out of the office for a couple of hours. She took my name and number and told me I'd hear back later in the day.

I waited.

No one called.
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This morning, I woke up early still waiting on these two situations.

I had some errands to run and didn't get a chance to call the Health Department until about 9:30. The same woman answered. She figured out pretty quickly that I hadn't gotten a call back. She really didn't have any information but she took my name and number again.

Now I'm still waiting and I'm frustrated.

I drove up through Avenel and into Colonia. Along Chain-of-Hills Road, I came up behind this guy.

My windows were up due to the chill, but I had the time to lower them. This is a quiet stretch of road, and there was no one else around.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove on.

I was heading towards the Post Office on Middlesex Turnpike, and then intended to drive to Target. Just past the MetroPark Train Station there are a few small apartment developments. On a whim, I drove through.

Having made a left onto one of the back roads, I suddenly came up behind this guy.

I didn't have a lot of time, I just reacted.

Point, press, Flash.

I skipped Target, and headed up to the thrift shop in South Plainfield. It was one of their sale days and I was looking for some sweat shirts. I actually picked up four, and headed down Plainfield Avenue towards the library in Metuchen. I made a left on Smithfield, and saw this guy standing on the corner just up ahead.

I was ready. I made the right at that corner so he'd be on my passenger side.

Point, press, Flash.

It took me a few extra minutes to get back on track and I stopped at the library. I didn't find anything interesting there so I decided to head for home.

Everything is still open. But, I am feeling calmer.

I guess you have to have something to do ..

.. while you're waiting.