I needed to pick up a 90-day refill for my old man pills.

[MineralMan]

So, I went to the pharmacy at my supermarket, which had automatically refilled them. Co-Pay? $5 for all three. The supermarket pharmacy is a preferred provider for my Advantage plan.

I noticed nobody sitting in the chairs waiting to get their flu or Covid shot, so I got my super-geezer-extra-high-dose Fluzone flu shot in my left arm while I was there.

Then I picked up the stuff on my wife's list at the supermarket, checked out, and went home.

Things are more convenient and easier these days than they have ever been. While there's a lot to be stressed out about in politics, climate, and other areas of our lives, there are some things that have become easier to access while saving energy by visiting just one destination. I like that.

[Ocelot II]

1. Depends on where you live.

In a big city you can do those things. I can run all my errands quickly because I, too, live in a large metropolitan area (same as yours, though in the city and not the 'burbs) where everything I need is nearby. If I lived in a rural area it wouldn't be so simple, and maybe that's one of many reasons why there seem to be so many crabby, hostile people out there.

[MineralMan]

4. That's true, for sure.

It's one of the reasons I live in a metro area. Where I am now, everything I could possible need is within 5 minutes in my car. Heck, my health care clinic is right across the street from my supermarket.

I've lived in pretty rural areas at different times in my life, but never in a place where there wasn't a supermarket nearby. As a doddering old geezer, it's important to have all those things nearby, just in case, you know. My wife and I are still eating at a new restaurant every week near our new home. I don't know if we will ever run out of new places to try. That's new to us, living near a regional shopping Mecca. Shocking! Traffic's a little stiff, but if you time your trips, it's not too bad. For example, it's a little hard to get out on the main thoroughfare near our development when it's time for Mass at the Catholic Church across the road or at rush hour. So, we don't go anywhere then.

[Ocelot II]

8. If it's the church with the bell tower I know exactly where that is.

And yes, it's a very busy area, probably even busier than my neighborhood in town, but with all the conveniences one would need. I've thought it would be nice to have a quiet place in the country but I'm too damn old. A friend my age has a very nice cottage in the woods way Up North, not far from Red Lake, and he'd considering having the place winterized and moving there full-time. But it's up a long dirt road that would be impassible in the winter until the plows get around to it, 10 miles from any sort of store or medical facility, and at least 30 miles from a real supermarket and a real hospital. I told him, dude, you're too damn old to live in the woods. Better stay right here with the stores and buses and doctors and drugstores, even if there are airplanes overhead on final approach every three minutes. When you're old, some things are more than mere conveniences.

[MineralMan]

11. Yup. That's the one.

When we first moved here, the bells weren't working. Imagine my surprise when they suddenly started ringing every Noon and before every mass. I don't mind, though.

We have a deck that looks out over that busy arterial street. I installed a rail-high bar on the deck with a couple of stools so I can watch the parade of cars go by with a gin and tonic in my hand. Wave when you pass by.

We were a little skeptical at first about the traffic. But, the traffic signals are well-synchronized, so there are regular and frequent gaps in the traffic, making exiting the development very easy. Too many ambulances, though.

[marie999]

9. Then you don't know anything about the rural area I live in.

The people in my small town are neither crabby nor hostile.

[Ocelot II]

13. That was intended as a dig on Trumpers, who tend more rural,

and who are definitely crabby and hostile or they wouldn’t be Trumpers.

[Hortensis]

12. :) Otoh, 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart. Horrible

as that thought is in some real ways, they do try to fulfill close to 100% of the demand for everyday needs.

[Ocelot II]

14. Kind of like the fact that no matter where you are in the world

you are always no more than six feet away from a spider.

[Hortensis]

16. Here in GA that's 3 spiders. :)

[MineralMan]

20. LOL!

But no black widows or brown recluse spiders in Minnesota. When we moved here, I found a black widow under a recliner. I offed it and an egg sack right away.

[viva la]

2. I finally figured out that there's the same co-pay on my insurance

for 30-day and 90-day supplies.

$20 either way.

[MineralMan]

5. I'm lucky that all of my old man pills are generics in Tier 1 of the formulary.

Once a year, my doctor adjusts the doses, if needed. So far, so good, but at 76, changes are probably in my future.

[True Blue American]

3. I made an appointment a day ago.

Kroger clinic. Vaccine in one arm, flu shot in the other. All done. Bought a couple of items, all done.over the counter drugs, $240 a year. This year $50 worth of groceries a month. Next year box of various staples every month. Life Alert system replaced every 2 years, monthly payment made.

Doctor transportation, 60 trips a year. I feel like I should pay them.

[MineralMan]

6. There you go!

[True Blue American]

7. Smile

[viva la]

15. I'm going to get a flu shot too

The CVS is actually paying $5. LOL. I don't want to say i'd do anything for $5, but I will get a shot that I would have gotten anyway.

[True Blue American]

17. Why not?

Spend it at CVS.

They are giving Scholarships to kids!

[Hortensis]

10. What a coincidence -- that's our life. Except our medications are delivered. :)

[5X]

18. Which pills make you old cause I think I'm on the same ones?

[MineralMan]

19. Couple of blood pressure meds and a statin.

I don't think they make you old, but they help you stay old.