Our RV Adventures

I have ordered stuff for pickup from WalMart four or five times over the last year, and only once has it gone smoothly. And today did not change that tally.

I ordered some storage bins and some vitamins this morning to be picked up at the Texas City WalMart on my way home. But when I got there and drove around to the side to the pickup area, they had no idea who I was or why I was there.

And after I had waited for 45 minutes past my appointed pickup time, they finally discovered that my order had been unceremoniously canceled, and for no discernible reason, saying only this . . . because of unusually high demand. Slot availability, staffing, and inventory are still fluctuating daily.

Now the pickup crew had never seen this message before and couldn’t explain it. But they suggested I reorder for tomorrow. So I ordered again, but to be picked up at a different store. So I guess we’ll see tomorrow.

Toilet Saturday is now going to be Prep For Toilet Sunday. I want to double-check that I have all the right tools and wrench/socket sizes. If everything goes smoothly the changeout should only take me a couple of hours. But everything seldom goes smoothly, now does it.

As a follow-up to some things I posted a while back.

If someone in your household has COVID-19, there’s only a 1-in-10 chance you’ll catch it too.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital write in this study, published in JAMA Open Network. 

This follows up with my personal experience when I had CoVid last February, but Jan never even got the sniffles. And then Christmas Eve Jan and I dropped off a Christmas gift for my client’s wife and got big hugs and a pan of her homemade cinnamon rolls. Then on Monday when she came by the office, I thanked her for the cinnamon rolls and got another big hug. 

Then on Saturday, she was diagnosed with CoVid after showing mild symptoms and finding out a couple of people at the church had it. And this was confirmed by both the Rapid Test, and the slower, more accurate test.

However, Jan and I never showed any symptoms at all.

But then there are some friends of ours who only left the house for groceries and doctor appointments, and always wore masks and gloves. Plus all groceries AND mail were wiped down the disinfectant before they were brought into the house.

However they went to a family member’s funeral in August, still wearing masks and gloves, and social distancing the entire time. Then a couple of days later, they heard that someone at the funeral had been diagnosed with CoVid, a person they never even met or got near, and about a week later they both came down with it.

We also hear about ‘superspreader’ events where one person supposedly infects dozens or more other people. So once again, what are these people doing at these events that a husband and wife aren’t?

Thought For The Day:

Jan and I headed out about 1pm for Jan’s 2:45 doctor’s appointment, early because we wanted to have lunch first. And since it was right on our route, we decided to check out the new Eggcellence that just opened in the old Steak and Shake right on I-45, actually right door to Twin Peaks.

They weren’t very busy, which I hope isn’t indicative of their long-term success. It’s a very visible location, but not exactly easy to get to with the all the I-45 construction in that area.

Jan went with what she comes in for, the Greek Omelet.

She said it’s the best one she’s found in this area, and pretty much why we come here when Jan doesn’t want her Bravocado Toast from Snooze.

I got the Texas Sampler once again, with eggs over medium, bacon, ham, and sausage, and fruit instead of the normal hashbrowns and pancakes.

Then it was on to Jan’s appointment, which was right next door to Clear Lake Regional Medical Center where she used to work before we started RV’ing.

And since this appointment was just to go over some test results, Jan was in and out fairly quickly, and after a quick stop at the Clear Lake HEB for a couple of things, it was on down Hwy 3 to the WalMart on 646 for a few more things, before heading home, with a stop at the Santa Fe PO along the way.

And as we were coming along NASA Rd 1 heading over to Hwy 3, we noticed a new restaurant hat opened across from the IHOP. Called Texas Huddle Grill, it looked intriguing, so when we got home this evening, I checked them out online.

Texas Huddle Grille 

Looking over the menu, I found some of the usual suspects, salads, wings, pizzas, tacos, and burgers. And one particular burger caught my eye.

It was their PB&J Bacon Cheeseburger –

One or two sizzling all-beef patties covered with pepper jack cheese and bacon. Topped with creamy peanut butter and raspberry jelly, then sandwiched between a buttery brioche bun..

They had me at PB&J.

A Hidden Van Gogh

Regular readers know what big Vincent Van Gogh fans Jan and I are, having seen Van Gogh exhibits in Paris, London, New York City, and here in Houston.

Well, a lost painting by Vincent Van Gogh, hidden in a private collection and not seen in public for over a century, is going on the auction block next month in Paris and is expected to garner as much as $10 million.

Entitled “Street scene in Montmartre”, it was painted in 1887, about 3 years  before Vah Gogh’s death.

Unfortunately it will only be exhibited in Amsterdam and Hong Kong before returning to Paris. Too bad it’s not coming through Houston.

Thought For The Day:

I’m still trying to figure out if I really believe that given a chance, most people are usually good, with my noticing that most of the time people are generally A-Holes.