HAD TO TRAVEL to the big city today, had my physical before deer season and some flags had popped up and so now I had to go see a specialist. Besides seeing the doctor I had plans on hitting a couple of sporting goods stores, spend some money on closeout items that I could bring back to the Resort and stock on our empty pegboards in the Bait Room. Good thing I came into town early as I got caught up in traffic. Some road close and some detours and some of the detours I could not just drive through by putting on my white hard hat that I keep behind the seat. They actually made me turn back and find another way.

I arrived at the doctor's office and it was the first time I had ever been there. Lots of pamphlets hanging from wall racks and I should have known something was up when I saw two coffee pots going and a tea pot. The biggest give a way was there was no magazines but instead there were paperback books stacked on the end tables. I guess this really was a waiting room. I was looking at the herbal teas and I already had a paperback in hand when my doctors assistant game out and got me. I was kind of looking forward to sitting down with a cup of tea and maybe sampling the bowl of candy on the coffee table.

Well an hour later I was done with my exam and I had to make an appointment for a return visit in a couple of weeks, more testing to narrow the search down some. I made my way out but not till I raided the candy dish on the counter. In the past Dock Burriem would have taken care of me but now that he has retied I have to see the new guy in town and he sure does like sending people off to the city for more testing. Dock is still around to treat small cuts and do some fish hook removals but with no real office hours we have to go see the new guy.

The snow that had fallen overnight was now melting here, Puddles of dirty water were everywhere and I didn’t see a single clean car or truck. I hit two stores and quickly went through the money I had allotted for tackle. I went to the Mall for lunch and was greeted by a bell ringer, not really a bell ringer anymore as they don’t have bells but little bags with rice or something in them. They shake the bags and attract attention with them. I dropped some coins in the red kettle and made a comment about the rice bags and was informed they don’t use rice, they use bird seed, broken bags would drop rice on the pavement and that would be bad for the birds when they come and eat the rice. I nodded my head letting her know that I agreed with the reason for the birdseed and not the rice and went on my way. As I ate lunch in the food court I did have a brief thought of buying a bag of bird seed and tossing it out the window of the Tahoe at the bell ringer's feet, I didn’t do it but the thought did put a smile on my face. I left the Mall by another entrance where I had a bag of bird seed shook at me until I dropped some coins in the kettle, I guess they didn’t see me go in the other door.

I made the ride back home with the radio and on and no cigar, I had burned up the last of the stash I had in the Tahoe and had forgotten to resupply this morning. Of course one of the doctor's question was if I was smoking and I honestly told her that I had not smoked today. I went by the cabin and picked up Duncan and together we headed to the Resort. I carried in the boxes and Vic helped me put price tags on and we decorated the pegboard. Vic standing back and looking said it was almost like Christmas decorating here at Lake Iwanttobethere