Visiting the Dentist

When I retired last year, I gave up my Delta Dental plan, figuring I could go to Mexico for dental care and it would likely be more economical than the premiums and co-pays of continuing the insurance plan under COBRA. So it had been about a year since my last checkup and cleaning.

When I went to Quartzsite in January, my plan was to drive down to Yuma for a few days and visit the dentist in Mexico while I was there.When that trip was cut short due to Mom's health, I didn't make it to the dentist. I wanted to go back to Yuma in my Minnie and spend a few days camped near Richard, Dianna and Dale out near Imperial Dam. But the heat wave that hit at the end of February burned off all the appeal of that. In fact, Richard & Dianna moved to the RV park at the Yuma Proving Grounds (which R's Veteran status allows) and Dale moved north to the Prescott National Forest. So I decided to just drive my car over from Mesa, spend the night on the spare bed in R & D's rig, and go into Los Algodones the next morning, then home that afternoon. That's exactly what I did.

The dentist said my teeth looked good; even the one crown I was concerned about only needed polishing near the gum line, not re-sealing. The only glitch we ran into was after she cleaned my teeth with that gritty tooth polish they use, she flossed each one, and the dental floss and grit mixture got stuck between two molars (that don't usually have any problems). It was caught so tight, she actually had to put a spacer in between them and drill a tiny bit to get it loose. She said that has never happened before and I told her it had never happened to me either! Anyway, all is well that ends well, and we were on our way to a cute outdoor restaurant for some delicious lunch before walking back across the border.

We made a quick stop at the Purple Pharmacy on our way to the border gate to pick up a Z-Pack and some antibiotics to keep on hand. The line at the border took about an hour and a half, but it was shaded and we talked to pass the time, and before we knew it we were back in our cars headed our separate ways; R & D back to the RV park and me back to Mesa.

Thanks go to Brian and Carrie for keeping Hanna overnight and to Richard and Dianna for their hospitality.

Quartzsite, the Big Tent Sale, and a sad goodbye

I realized I never posted an update on my latest RV trip. A lot happened the last week of January / first of February, so it's not surprising I forgot.

On January 21st, I drove over to Quartzsite and into the LTVA area where Dale was camped. I bought a two week pass, with the intention of staying about nine or ten days there and then driving down to Yuma and spending a few days parked near Richard and Dianna in the LTVA out at Imperial Dam. My main focus was attending the Big Tent Sale at Q and then a visit to the dentist in Los Algodones for my annual check up. (I lost my dental insurance when I retired, so it's the Mexican dentists for me!)

The week turned out to be cold, rainy and very windy. It was so nasty, we sat inside our motor homes most of the time and listened to the wind howl outside. Richard and Dianna drove up a few days later to go to the tent sale with us. We wandered through the main exhibits, purchasing a few tidbits, and perused a few of the booths along Kuehn Road. It was a bit of a disappointment that there weren't more RV specific gadgets and deals, but it was enjoyable and now I can say I've been there and not waste my time going again. The next day, Dale and I drove up to Plomosa Rd to visit with Barbara (Me and My Dog) and Kim (Kimbopolo), two bloggers that I've been following for several years. We sat and chatted with them for a few hours, and made our way back to the LTVA. I got my things packed up with plans to head back to Mesa the next morning. Two things prompted this decision. One was the weather, which continued to be nasty and limited any outdoor activities. The other was Mom.

Our mother's health had been failing for several months, and we had recently put her on Hospice care. We thought she was doing fairly well, but it began to appear she was declining faster than we thought. I knew I had better head home and spend what little time she had left with her. Richard, Dianna and Dale agreed, and headed that direction shortly after. It was a good decision, because Mom passed away on February 3. I'm so glad we all got back to town in time for her to know we were there and visit with her a few days before she slipped away. She loved that we kids have the RVing spirit, and enjoy traveling and camping so much. It was Dad and her who inspired that in us. I know we are fulfilling her hopes and dreams for us by exploring this great big world and appreciating the wonders of nature as much as we do. Rest in peace, Mom. I'll keep you in my heart always.