Guy Fawkes Day. British time-honored traditional burning of a politician in effigy. I could get behind that. Fireworks are also involved.
This will be long, so feel free to skim. First, I got two pieces of mail from Cigna, my Part D provider. The first said, “Exciting news!” They’re changing their name to Healthspring, but not to worry, coverage won’t change, and I don’t have to do a thing. The second said that they’re no longer offering Part D coverage in Washington state. They kindly sent a long list of alternatives, listed by county. One was their new name. I called. They admitted they screwed up in the list. The Medicare site has their new name, too, for Part D.
So far, this has consumed huge chunks of time. When I originally signed up for a Medicare supplement 4 years ago, I called SHIBA, Washington state’s incarnation of SHIP. They’re trained and certified volunteers out of the senior center. I left a VM, and by the time they called me back, I already had a good idea of what I was doing. (They thought I was a broker.) Maybe I’ll have better luck this time, though if Cigna is ditching us, they’re probably extra busy.
What I’m most concerned about are the injections I give myself every 2 weeks. Without coverage, they’re $11,000 a month. With insurance, they’re a lot less, but now I’ll have to pay a few thou before insurance will cover them completely. Ugh.
In other frownie-face news, I never got a call from the ortho clinic about scheduling an MRI. This often takes several weeks, so I didn’t call until the other day. Oops! They forgot to order one! So NOW I’ll wait at least 4-6 weeks to actually get the MRI.
And here’s where things get embarrassing. I was having agonizingly painful pains in the glutes. No reason I could pinpoint, either. I think now that they’re related to the back issue. Yes, it’s a real pain in the butt.
However, today I got the pain shots in my back. Last time, I got 3 full days of no pain due to the anesthetic. Not so today. I’m still hoping I’ll get some relief when the steroid kicks in, even though it didn’t help before. I decided to walk to the grocery store this afternoon because walking is supposed to be good for arthritis. (Hah.) Gee, it seemed awfully dark for 2:00 pm. Then WHOOSH! A cloudburst. It reminded me to water the balcony plants, which lifted themselves off the soggy soil long enough to say, “Are you effin’ kidding us?” Some actually needed watering, though.
In happy news, both kids and their spouses are coming for Thanksgiving! Yay! WHEN they’re coming is up in the air. Thursday? Friday? They’re going to discuss and let me know.
Onto yous guys…I never get to respond to everyone I want to, but I do read everything and send hugs.
Swampy, have a good time! Or is fun forbidden when you’re supposed to be conferancing? No, wait, that’s us Catholics.
Cookie, that pet fee stuff is a racket. I think it’s a $500 refundable fee here, too, but the pet rent is $100 a month per pet. My friend with two cats paid $200/month. However, a LOT of tenants get notes from doctors saying their pets are emotional support animals and pay no pet rent. I hope management doesn’t catch your subterfuge. It was a smart move.
doggio, I thought of you when I read about the UPS plane crash. I thought it might have hit you kind of hard. What a terrible thing.
The last time I heard “The Chicken Dance” was when I was advisor for the National Honor Society at my school, and we had a dance with the folks at the extended care center. It was such a hit, we did it again. Both times, we did “The Chicken Dance.” Subsequently I forbade my own kids from even saying the name, as I get instant ear worm from it. Right now I’m frantically humming, “Joanne” by the First National Band to keep the chickens from dancing.
Sticky, I hope you don’t get chewed out about the IEPs coming in late. It’s a brutal schedule.
Sounds like it’s worthy of a celebration to me!
And if it rains gravy, which melts the shoe glue, he might have to MacGyver some duds out of 3 hymnals and a pudding cup.
Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave. It’s 53 degrees Ferret Height(11.7 Centipedes). Spot has gone post-Full Moon cray cray.
No we can fun, we just have to feel guilt about it.
Yay!
The whole assorted medical thing is a pain in the glutes, though.
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 13c/56f with a predicted high of 16c/60f and cloudy. Weather app says “How fucking typical. Another fucking shitty, overcast day.”. Well, it was sunny when I got to campus, there’s blue sky and not much cloud out there.
Me too, and I would totally be the person who dropped something down myself!
What does a pet fee cover? If you have a cat, it’s inside your apartment and not wandering the communal areas so what is management trying to charge you for?
You have always been on the list of Good People….
We had fireworks over two or three nights for Diwali, then “official” fireworks last weekend for Guy Fawkes, then fireworks last night for proper Guy Fawkes’ Night…and since fireworks have been on sale for a while, we’ll probably get them regularly between now and new year.
Public transport was running a little late on my way home last night and I would have had to wait about 10 minutes for a bus so I decided to walk home. It was a pleasant walk but starting to get dark so this week will most likely be the last time I’m able to walk back through the park near home.
Got back to the house, fed the cats and changed the litter trays, then pottered about doing a couple of things before making an evening sandwich. I am glad I didn’t go out, the cats were not happy about all the fireworks and both the girlies wanted to be in the same room with me. Muffin was over by the bookcase, I stopped in to fuss her every time I went upstairs too, just so she didn’t feel left out.
Today I am trying to get to grips with Power Automate and workflows for our assessment tracking stuff. We’re all confused by it and the only guidance comes from the ADHD Squirrel so that’s more trouble than it’s worth.
Blah.
IEP meeting today with the person who had that interesting email address that I mentioned awhile back. After that I think I have my weekly meeting with my boss. Not sure what to say to her about everything.
Some good news, I did have a victory. The student showed up and we engaged for about 25 minutes. I did my best to be lighthearted and kind. Somewhere near the end they said, “I’m just beginning to see what a dork you are!” Later on I asked the guardian if she thought I should do anything different. She said that she thought it went well and even that the student liked me. We have another meeting set up today.
Otherwise, read and did not retain. Just like everything else lately.
Although I was thinking that @susan hasn’t been around lately. Hope that she and her lovely wife are doing well.
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 48 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 78 and sunny. The high in Statesboro will be 77 and sunny. Should I take a Winter coat? The big item on today’s agenda is the 147 mile drive to Statesboro, checkin’ in the hotel, and havin’ dinner with Baby Priest, his family, and the other delegate. The big fun starts at nine a.m. tomorrow. I should add packin’ to the agenda I suppose.
BBBoo both of you get equal credit. A backup pants and shirt is a good idea. It’s like always pack extra underwear. Whiskypalians are allowed to have fun as long as we don’t get carried away. I guarantee that the reception tomorrow night after convention Eucharist will have wine, to include champagne. Custom also dictates that an equally attractive nonalcoholic beverage will be served as well. This usually includes sparklin’ grape juice and for reasons unknown, strawberry lemonade. Plus heavy hors’ d’oeuvres. Fancy ones even. The church ladies of Trinity Statesboro have, no doubt, been plannin’ for weeks for this.
Nellie sorry your butt is bein’ a PITA. Hooray for the kids comin’ for Turkey Day!
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, purtification and packin’ shall commence!
I shall check in as possible whilst away. My Ipad is comin’ with me so I can do so. Also I will use the online convention book cause I am all techie like that.
Happy Thursday Y’all!
I also used Cigna for my Part D for 2025. The pharmacy where my card was good is a block and a half from my front door. I was very happy. The change to Healthspring boosted my premium from about twenty dollars a month to over a hundred dollars a month.
I am changing to Humana
When we went for sushi the other night, I dripped soy sauce on my turtleneck. I did remember to spray it when we got home, so maybe it won’t stain (she said, not believing a word she spoke…)
Possible pet damage - like having to replace the carpet or patch holes in the wall - little stuff like that.
Unless you get a walking stick and channel JtC!!
Wasn’t she going on an adventure? I can’t recall.
I woke stoopit early (about 4) and played tablet games till 5-ish. Then amazingly, I fell back to sleep till just after 7!! So I’m fairly well-rested. Huzzah!!
Today is trash and recycle day. I’ve got about 2 hours to clean myself, dress, gather and load the household garbage - I’ll have a truckful today. It’s just creeping up on 8 and the center doesn’t open til; 9:30 (not that I have to be there when it opens.)
FCD is going to the boat to do something. I’m going to attempt to get some iris and lilies into the ground. My new sprinklers come today, and they’ll be set up and run. No telling what else is in store.
For now, tho, more computer reading.
Happy Thursday!!
When I rented and had a cat, I was never charged a fee. It was an unwritten rule that I’d be responsible for repairing any pet damage, or else I’d lose my deposit.
Hereabouts, if it’s not written, it won’t happen. What - were you expecting common sense??
Must be annoying for you , like having multiple fussing naggy spouses.
Now, since you’ll have spares, go ahead and slosh champagne and cocktail sauce on your shirt at the reception. It’ll give us geezers some party cred. Just don’t give your room key away. Not that much cred!
Too much to ask?!
Now I’m hungry.
Actually, I had a biscuit cutter that I used when making charcuterie boards. They really do insure that the boards will never come apart and that they are perfectly aligned. I always used Titebond III glue, which is water resistant and really tough. Nothing I’ve made over the years has ever come apart.
It’s only 37F this morning. I think breakfast burritos are in order. We’re supposed to get down into the 20s over the weekend.
filbert, perhaps the scraping noise sounds more “predator” like than the other noises.
re: years starting with 1, i’ve been refreshing my asl, and the way i sign “who” is considered “old”, from the 1980’s. same with “when”. seriously! dead languages are soooo much easier.
got the compost to the bin! stainless steel rat, the bins are all in the ground floor of the condo. they all get emptied daily except for compost, which is m.w.f.. i usually do compost on monday, but forgot. having all clear bins in the house is cause for celebration! i had a well deserved chocolate milk last night.
5 minute tidy continues to work. i’m actually able to take a step or 2 into the walk in closet!
i always thought it would be fun to have the chicken dance as “first dance” at my wedding. this could explain why i am “self partnered”. i am amazed at the amount of people who get well into adulthood without hearing or seeing the chicken dance. when attending church dances there were many non partnered, i guess you would call them line dances. alley cat, ny-ny, chicken, hokey pokey, bunny hop, bristol stop…so many.
Good morning.
It’s 50°F and raining. We are expected to receive rain, at times very heavy, throughout the day with an anticipated high of 57°F. There may even be thunder, wind, lightning, and hail.
Nellie, so good to see you pop in. Yay for the kiddos coming for Thanksgiving. I’m sorry to read about the Part D problems and your pain. I hope the steroid kicks in soon.
Sticky, yay for the student you were worried about liking you, and even engaging!
Swampy, I hope you have fun. Now that you have extra clothes, you won’t spill!
Red, I hope your tummy is doing better today.
I loved this dog and also followed. I was very sad when he died, too.
Our e-bikes and other stuff were finally delivered to the bike shop yesterday. They’ve been out on out for delivery on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, but somehow never seem to make it to the shop until after it closed! Anyway, hopefully, all arrived in good shape and we’ll hear soon about pick-up. I’m half thinking about renting a cargo van to pick everything up because there isn’t a parking lot for this shop, and I don’t want to be trying to install a bike rack on a busy thoroughfare. The other alternative is to go down early, pick up the bike rack, and install it ourselves at home, where we can take our time.
I ended up running errands yesterday, and even went to Costco. I spent more than I wanted, yet somehow felt rushed because my husband was with me. In fact, he was rushing me until I told him to stop, and he did.
Things like that make me disinclined to take him anywhere with me because he’s always in a hurry to get back home.
Today will probably include rollsucking, and that’s about it. I’ll probably dust again, too.
Well, that’s about it for now from the extra soggy PNW. You all take care.
Good morning all. Stayed in the sack until nearly 8am, when the melodious sounds of the garbage truck picking up the bins got me in motion. Have put said bin in the garage and had my morning apple, so all is well. Nothing on the agenda for today after several fairly active (well, active for me) days so we’ll see what happens. I noticed that the little cubbyhole in my back fence (where there is a sewer junction or something like that) has been overgrown by some sort of vine, so may head out with clippers and weed-killer to clean it up. And that’s about as ambitious as I’m likely to get, outside of the nearly-rote visit to the gym.
Taters, my Mom and dad were like that when shopping, Mom always wanted to browse and check things, Dad knew what they had on the list and wanted to get just that and then go home…needless to say, Mom got her way and Dad did not go shopping with her that often…
Boo, thanks for reminding me, it apparently slipped past my three surviving brain cells.
Nellie, I hope you can get something arranged. And $11,000 a month!! That would be out of nearly anyone’s range, hope you can get the necessary coverage. Hope the aches and pains are better today.
Sticky Buns, hooray for the good start with troubled student. Hopefully they’ll learn to trust you even more.
swampy, safe travels and good eatin’ and drinkin’.
FCM, happy planting time.
rocky, sounds like a good system, but keeping that all separate in the house prior to taking it to the bin would drive me crazy.
As for the Chicken Dance, I’ve never done it, in fast I’ve never danced at all (save for a formal-type dancing class in 7th grade which apparently was a thing in 1967), which may be among the reasons I’m a single gentleman. Just never had the desire to do it or learn how to.
And that is all for the morning report, need to check my Thorsday webcomics and browse the rest of the SDMB, then onward into the day. Have a good one all.
We had a LOT of trash and recycling!! But it’s all been dispatched, and the ride helped blow all the leaves out of the bed of the truck. Now what?? I need to find something to do.
Have you ever had Suzanne Vega’s Tom’s Diner stuck in your head?
Howdy Y’all! I am all packed and shevelled. In about half an hour I will load up and get on the road. I want to take my time. Plus also if that good bbq place in large and in charge Soperton, Jawja is still open, I want to eat lunch there. I should be at that exit on I16 by around one p.m. Back in the day that was one of three exits off I16 that had a place to eat and a restroom. There’s a lot more now, but that one is nostalgic.
Catch y’all later!
Up, caffeinating and had some toast and yogurt for breakfast. Sis will be by in a bit with a care package of ginger ale, pepto and a can of lysol to get the stench out of the bathroom. I’ll be glad when this is over.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!