I threatened to do the beach thang today. Lost my nerve when I looked at the beachfront conditions. Water temp is FINALLY at 80 deg. and that's a GOOD thing but I didn't like the color, the waviness, and, as always, the wind. Much as it costs to go down there and get back, these days I will have to be a little more picky about when I go.
I felt rotten by 8:00 AM because I chickened out. So, the decision made and the day too far along to go for it, I determined to make the best of the day. I have been thinking for some time now that I wanted to drop by the Texas DPS drivers license office and see if I could pass the eye test. I have been on the border line since I was 16 years old. One time I'd pass, the next time I'd fail. Till about 10 years ago I failed it 2 or 3 times in a row. Now here is where it gets weird! My optomitrist told me once that as I got older and my close-up vision went away, that my distance vision might likely improve slightly. I've been noticing for about a year that I can see better, far off, without my glasses than with them.
So this morning I went flouncin' in there and told the lady I wanted to take the eye test to see if I could get the restriction taken off my license. She asked me if I had had the surgery and I said no but that I wanted to take the test. I explained about what my eye doc had told me. Well, she starts giving me a lot of guff and I held up my hand and said, "Can I get the eye test, yes or no? She pulled a face and said between clenched teeth and pursed lips, "Read line 5 for me". Man, those letters looked like they were a foot high! I whipped through line five in a breeze and she looked at me and said, "Well, sir, those glasses are history...that'll be $10.00" I gave her my current license, a 10 spot and my biggest smile. She cut off the bottom of my license and gave the part with my picture on it back to me with my temporary license. I may now invest in some CDMs.
So now, All my drawers full of glasses; trifocal, bifocals, etc, (ala Fred Sanford) are gonners and I'm free to see like a bird in a tree! WHOOP!
Still feeling great after my little victory, I went to Academy to see about a few things for the beach thang on 6/12. While I was in there I went by the tents and I was suddenly over come with inspiration. Wound up going to Wally World and got a great 10X12 2-room tent for $49.87. I set it up out in the back yard to see if it was all there and not damaged. The pics below are:
#1 Lookin' in the front door
#2 A little zipper pouch for keeping my comb and brush in
#3 A "gear loft" for storage
The directions said that setting it up was a job for two adults but I never saw a tent that one good Marine couldn't put up all by his lonesome!
It went right up, no problemo. BUT...if it is as windy on the beach as it was last time I MIGHT need another Marine or two to help me, we'll see about that.
Now I don't have to use Pams car and I don't have to spend 9 to 10 hours cleaning it up the next day. Looks like every body comes out ahead on the tent deal. I have been thinking about getting a tent for some time now but have just been putting it off.
I te'ya, it feels good that I didn't waste the day and I took care of a couple of things that have been eating on me lately.
Life is good!
