Two Simple Tasks

Yesterday I spent a good portion of my morning doing two things. I had to deposit a check at the bank and mail a letter at the post office. I went to the West Beaumont branch of the Bank of America. The repair work is still in progress. Yellow hazard warning tape prevented me from entering the parking lot. I parked a considerable distance away and walked back. The tent was still there but was empty. The mobile bank was there and a group of men were standing in front of it. There was a sign on the front of the bank that said the West Beaumont branch was closed out of consideration for the safety of the customers, and customers should go to the Broadway bank for banking services. I talked to the security guard about when I could get into my safe deposit box. He said there was a phone number on the door that I could call to make an appointment to be escorted to my box. I may do that next week. I do not really need any thing from the box but would like to check it out for my peace of mind.

I then drove to the Broadway banking center. This is Bank of America’s big bank in the area. The lobby and ATM are operating. I am not familiar with this location. I had only been inside once before, and a couple of times in past years I had tried to find the ATM and could not. Well this time I parked my car. They had cardboard signs up that pointed to the ATM and lobby. I deposited my check in the ATM and got a receipt. It felt rather good to be able to do my normal type of banking even though I had fought my way through the horrid traffic to get there.

I then drove back to West Beaumont. I hate to drive around. I am watching one of my new tires. I am not sure if I have picked up a nail. I could not tell if it is a nail or just a little rock in the tread. Flat tires are a real hazard. The nails that held shingles and siding in place blew off during the hurricane are everywhere. I think back to June when my new fence and roof were installed. Both contractors had rolling magnets that they ran through my yard after they completed their work. I think that is an extra touch that is not being performed by the current crop of workers.

I made my way to the post office and mailed my letter. I have a birthday coming up in a few weeks and will be going on Medicare. I was mailing the application to my former employer to enroll in the Medicare supplemental policy. I wanted to make sure that letter reaches them.

I did not hear from the insurance adjuster yesterday. Late in the afternoon I called. He was still attempting to get the report from the contract adjuster. He did not call me back. He said if he cannot get the report he will be out today and collect the information again. I would like to get this over. I want to go ahead and have the sheetrock repaired and then resume using the front two bedrooms. I use one as the den where I watch TV and the other is the library where I like to sit and read. I have stayed out of those two rooms since I returned from the evacuation. I want to get back to normal.

What I have written is full of complaints. It sounds like I am whining. I am trying to keep a positive attitude and be grateful that my problems are so minor, but it wears on me to see things so messed up. The piles of rubble in my neighborhood are still growing. The paper said that Jefferson County has been granted air pollution waivers so that they can burn the debris.