Monday, October 5, 2026

I'm now a Durangatanger!

I finally found some people who'd lived here since the 90s, and they said they were sometimes called Durangatangers. Cute.

From the internet, near Silverton CO

The Senior Center lunchroom, before everyone arrives. From 11- 12 there's salad and drinks and just socialization!

Lots of space, colorful decorations!

Each table has a photo of an antique toy...I loved being at the roller skate table. The first day I met

"PBB & J" - Patrick, Betty, Barb and Jim...at our table. Melinda (Food Service Manager) helped me feel comfortable too and volunteers helped with drinks and answers to questions.

My beginning to visit the Senior programs was timed as unfortunately as possible. They are closing for renovations for a month, so Wednesday was the last lunch to be served till Nov. 9. No classes either.

I am not sure I'll want to go to chair yoga, which was the only class I was interested in, after the first free class. After that it's $6.50 per class. I'm used to free classes back at the Lakeview Center in Black Mountain. Lunch itself was $1.50 in NC, and here it's $5. Yep, life is more costly here.

I'm still working on the process to get a CO drivers license. I've got an appointment, and hope all my documents are adequate to prove I live here. By the time this is posted, I had the appointment, and they didn't like my non-certified birth certificate which was made at the hospital when I was born. La la, no fun now to get a new certified one.

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We need movements rooted in love right now, movements powered not by difference and exclusion and punishment, but by common ground, compassion, humility, healthy boundaries, patience and healing.

ADRIENNE MAREE BROWN

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Yes, I went to the fiber fair at the fairgrounds yesterday. I'm really bushed. But I do have some cute photos!

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Tacos to quiche (plus good news)

After my son had attended a Saturday seminar all day, he met me at Zia's Taquiria for some tacos. There are 2 locations, and this one had steady customers at 5 pm.

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But first the good news!

Yesterday I had received another warning email from the Human Services people that my inactive/denied application for medicaid was due Aug. 28, and they had not yet received my financial information. I called yesterday and left a message that I'd received the request on Aug 14, and electronically sent all my bank statements on that date.

And later in the day I had a call from a case worker working out of her home, thus a unavailable phone number. Fortunately I'm now answering those calls. She said yes, they had received all my financial information. She said my application is in a que to be entered digitally into the system, and Sept. 1 is the date that I will become eligible for Colorado medicaid. So even if it hasn't been worked by then, it will be retroactive.

For me that benefit covers the cost of my monthly medicare premium. So if it's taken out of my Social Security check, it will be reimbursed. It is also the coverage which pays for my drugs, part B or D of medicare, I think. So these benefits have helped immensely, though I only started getting them a few years ago. The plan is called "Extra Help." I really appreciated it, as my medications were one of my highest annual expenditures.

I told the case worker that this relieved a lot of my anxiety. As I mentioned yesterday, I've lived without insurance several times (when unemployed) in my life. But that was before my heart and lungs became problems!

Tai is behind me placing his order. I think I ordered 2 Wha-Wha tacos...something like Mai Mai. They were delicious fish tacos. They use local produce for the two restaurants by this name, and the other one named Sage.

You order all the ingredients you want on your tacos as they are made.

I liked having rice and black beans at the bottom of the tacos. The chunks of fried fish were good to run into behind the salad stuff. Good flavor and not too hot.

Tai added a lot of hot sauce to his burrito.

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And a few days later...

I finally made my crustless quiche...or tomato, spinach and cheese pie.

This time the cheddar cheese was quite dominant on top, forming a hard layer (compared to my cheese bread the week before where there was little flavor from it at all!)

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My personal goals moving to Durango were to:

1. be closer to my son and his wife

2. be able to breathe better, thus able to do more on a daily basis and be healthier.

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So far I have seen Tai and Kendra each weekend. That may not continue, but I do have texts more often. I continue to have the fulcrum of wondering if I'm becoming a burden, at least taking more time in their lives, and trying to be "a gift" as my friend Suzanne suggested. I'm definitely having trouble believing the latter.

I'm am breathing better, coughing less. This week I have a couple of doctor visits and a pulmonary test. They will help me considerably in knowing if there is real progress.

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A new star is shining in the sky, as the spirit of Dolly Parton sails free of suffering and her time on earth. What a woman. She gave so much to the community. All the people in the southeast US are aware of her impact, and are sad that she has died at 80.

My Rogers family came from Sevier County TN, near Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. The Rev. Elijah Rogers couldn't read, according to stories passed down through the generations. He had memorized the Bible in order to preach. Dolly Parton made a big difference in children's literacy, giving away books by the millions.