Friday, April 24, 2009

April 24: 2009: A WOW-WOW Day......

Oh yeah.....this was a two WOW day.....pretty, warm, spring-like, and a busy day!

The 1st Lady and I had a health insurance meeting at 9:30 this morning at the F'town High School. We both have health insurance through the school district....mine being a secondary policy for Medicare...and hers being the primary/only one that she has. Well....long story short....the district is changing insurance providers and so we needed to attend this meeting to TRY to learn more about this change and what it would mean for the both of us. For one....I am NOT happy about this.....it will make about a $20 increase in the cost of my monthly meds...and I am not happy about that....($240 per year). Also.....the St. Francis Hospital in Cape G. is not a network hospital....so, that will cost us more, should we have to use it. Soooo, I am going on Monday to discuss a different policy with a local insurance man...a friend of mine.

From the 1.5 hour meeting, we then left for STL, as we had packed and put our luggage in the car prior to the meeting when we left the stick and brick. We stopped in Festus at the Panera/StL Bread Company for lunch. Mine? Just ok.....not as good as the last time we ate at one of these great places.....perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing???? Anyway....it was the hot panini....chicken with bacon and then a small Greek Salad(THIS was GREAT). It was the sandwich I was disappointed in......hmmm, believe that might be the first time I have used that word for anything at this establishment!!!! Oh well......

On in to STL we went........and the first stop was at a Kitchen and Bath design shop.......as we are going to remodel our older bathroom......a complete make-over. Obviously, it won't be before we leave the 1st week of June....but when we do return late this summer we hope to get it done!???
We didn't really see anything there that was exactly like what we have in mind....as were looking at showers, jacuzzi tubs, vanities, sinks, etc., etc. Not really that much on display there!!

On down Manchester Rd we went...west...as had great hopes for spending some time at EXPO....the incredible high-end store owned by Home Depot which has fabulous kitchens, baths, drapes, flooring of all kinds, hardware for cabinets, etc., etc., etc. We have purchased many items there: drapes, our kitchen cabinet handles, knobs, etc., pillows, lighting,.....just too many modern and gorgeous items to mention. BUT.......OMG!!!!!! The place is out of business!!!!! Yep....the entire HUGE store is closed!!!!! We are both just sick about this!!!!!! This is our FAVORITE store in STL.......and now it is gone.....obviously a by-product of the down turn in the economy. I am actually quite surprised as this store is, as I said, a high-end store....and caters to those people in STL who build those HUGE homes.....and I am surprised that it is closed because they would normally be expected to have the clientele who keep it in business. Guess you never know what this recession will bring......

Leaving there....going further west on Manchester, we headed to Bova....the very modern/contemporary furniture store where we have purchased some furnishings for our home. WELL.....DAMN!!!!! It, too, is closed and out of business!!!!!! Sooooo, that leaves very few, if any, exceptional home decor businesses in STL which stock only contemporary/modern furnishings.....and the ones that I can remember...well, they may also be out of business....!

Fighting the rush hour traffic, we continued on west to the Washington-New Haven countryside where Dr. Jeni/Darrel and their three children reside. With Ava and Rachel....two of our granddaughters celebrating their birthdays tomorrow we decided to spend the weekend up here. This evening the LARGE home was full of small children running excitedly around the house....as Ava's other grandmother and three grandchildren arrived from Branson.....so there is MUCH going on tonight.

And soooooo.....a Two-WOW day, even with the disappointment over two of our favorite stores no longer in business........and, as always......

LIFE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

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