Wednesday Choices

[lucylee]

Happy birthday, Timid!!!

[Harriet]

Aw, lucylee, you'll be thoughtful some more another time!

Timid's posts are missed!

helia, I can tell you that we sometimes notice green algae growth when cleaning our waterer. When you think of algae growing naturally in ponds, it is hard to believe that it would hurt birds. However, in a natural situation the birds also have free choice to drink where they choose, and ours don't. So I do try to clean it right away. If the waterer is not metal and you happen to have some apple cider vinegar (not clear vinegar), you can add a little and it will inhibit algae and not bother the chickens a bit. Frankly, I just never remember to do it.

After a good school run that included being up and out the door earlier than usual, I returned home to notice the dishwasher never started last night. Sigh. So that was a delay but not so bad. As soon as it finished I could shower. Trash and recyclables are out to the cans. Missed the mail with a letter so will likely try going by the P.O. today.

The mail did include dsonil's bday gift of a humorous (I hope?) Breaking Bad "I AM the danger" silhouette tee. So I have quickly checked to make sure that's the right size and wrapped it. One thing done. Spent a little more than I have in past years, but this will be a conversation piece with HRH and dstepson, and frankly, spending more time trying to find something cheaper is what would be wasteful!

More general pick-up is needed around here, also living areas need to be dusted further. The front bathroom requires an additional spif.

This evening I'll be attending a play with dd. Her English teacher is anxious for students to see it, and it's not really a problem, so we figured why not.

[Nancy]

I want to wishlist Timid a happy birthday! have done errands today.

The store run done the had to honor a soup sale sign was still up on special even though it was over? I am glad as I needed some. Plus I got pie dough for making more hand pies here.

We made envelopes yesterday with wrapping paper just for fun a great craft project for dgd. She made her 1st loaf of bread and the had it with dinner last night. The kids ate up the cookies I told h. He did get to complain
bc he had hand pies in his lunch.

2nd half of property taxes are paid now.
I am watering it's been so dry.
Hens are still in the run.
Neighbors are having a yd. Sale so the hens needto be in more and the grass needs some recovery time as well.

Dgson is doing safty patrol the rest of the week it is cutting into his home work time but there is nothing I can do about that. He said all the kids are having home work now and not just him.

I dumped trash and made the bed sinks are empty, back to doing ten minutes. In each room and then some exercise.

[Sadie]

Hello Dear Ladies,

Happy Birthday Timid!

Up early this morning to take Dbrother for check up, blood test and flu shot. DH went with us too, was supposed to get a blood test but didn't drink enough yesterday(was at job site so didn't want to drink a lot). so couldn't find a vein. DH and dbrother got pneumonia shots. DH is 60 and Dbrother is 66 so doctor said it was a good time for both of them.

Was finally able to get through the Obamacare web site. Spent many hours looking over plans but it is going to take awhile to choose the right one for DH. None so far offer what his present insurance does. Found a couple that looked good to me but DH says he wants to wait awhile to see what else might be available. We have some time so I need to just chill on it for now.

My left shoulder and arm have been hurting a lot. DH told me to rest it as much as I can. The heating pad feels good on it.
The house is slipping back to not looking so well. Oh well, better days are coming.

Work day for me. Grateful I have a job that isn't too physical.

Great day to all!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Ivy: In the photos I'm the one with the black top with the sequined neck line.

Helia: Yes they go to our church. CM (church musician) is the one with dh and I in the photo of 3 people.

I spent the morning on the basement. Packed up a box of stuff for dd. Organized my preaching files (they were all nicely organized in a filing cabinet drawer but I've given up that drawer so found a box where I can still access them from.) Went over the 'manuals' box and divided up the manuals. Things that are staying with the house when we sell have their manuals in a small box. Things that will move with us have their manuals in a binder. Upstairs I have the receipts for things so will have to divide those up some day.

Ds's last two boxes of things for me to get rid of were also worked on. I'm actually making the decision that one bin of things will be kept. The other bin, mainly computer stuff, has been sorted with a box to the computer program at the school (along with two computers) and a box of cables that we'll keep, but they are organized. Hopefully that means we can find them in a hurry when we need them.

We actually have a tower of plastic drawers that contain cables but they are really badly organized so we have to do something about that. But that will be another day.

This afternoon, I might rest for a little bit. I suspect I'll be trying to write tonight.

[Elizabeth]

Good morning! I am back from the podiatrist who re-examined the x-rays, did some more, and decided that I DO have a broken foot. ACK!!! My party is on Saturday, am I done preparing the house? Nooooo. Tonight was to be put sewing room back together, move cat box from guest bath to sewing room, clean guest bath and hallway. Well, putting back the sewing room is going to have to wait until I am better. If I simply sweep up the insulation from the attic, I can still push the cat box across the hall. I can have a friend move the table in place for me.

My kitchen is beautiful - counters are clear and clean, stove and sink are clean and so is the floor. Even the refrigerator is cleaned from last week. No stash and dash either! The only thing out of place is a box on one counter containing party supplies. These items will be put out during the party. I just realized something awful - I can't get the Halloween boxes out of the shed! How on earth am I going to deal with that?

Tonight, I am going to Bible study, then I need to pay bills and balance the checkbook. Fortunately, all sitting down things. Then, I will do what cleaning I can. The guest bath is very small, so I can get it cleaned up without problems. What in blazes am I to do about the boxes of decorations?

Fluffy is a very nice looking snake. My family only had one pet snake. It turned out to be a baby rattlesnake (no rattles yet) and bit my brother. Three days in the hospital that was. He got it from a friend, who found it in his yard. It did not leave me with a general fear of snakes, only a fear of snakes of unknown species. If DD11 ever wants one, it will be from a reputable source!

Happy Birthday Timid!

I am going to hobble off to lunch now. Obviously my buffet plan is OUT.

[OKay]

Sadie - Glad you were able to get into the insurance website.

I checked on our health insurance yesterday and from what I read it appears there is not big change being implemented next year. The cost of non-generic prescription continues to rise - it will increase to $90 for mail order prescription (cost more if purchased in pharmacy). DH takes one med that has no generic equivalent so we will be adsorbing that increase. But after hearing the choices some are being offered, I was pleased after reviewing our current health insurance.

I made myself lay down for 30 minutes. Listened to a podcast and I might have drifted off a few minutes. But the last 5 minutes and 57 seconds found me staring at the timer waiting for it to reach 0 so I could get up.

Next up - harvesting all the peppers from the garden and pulling the pepper plants up.

[helia]

x phone calls made. First 2 moms seem happy to help out today.
x switched laundry, load of towels #2 going
x put fraud alert back on my credit reports; I'd let it lapse while I was applying for jobs. I'm going to reinstate it; something weird happened with dh's cell phone acct. w/ Verizon a couple weeks ago. He had a low priced upgrade available to him and someone else took it. We don't know who. Very odd. But my SSN is not linked to that account. Still. . . who knows.
x requested copies of my credit report. Am not allowed to look at it online, maybe b/c of the history with fraud alerts?
x paid dh's toll charge w/ rental car on one of his trips online
x paid cc bill online

I'm debating rushing to the PO box to get things in the mail (by 3 pm) - or just waiting until tomorrow. I think I'll not panic and just wait.

Next:
- get crockpot going w/ chili
- rest for a bit
- switch laundry

Later:
- go to gym; I think I'm going to say it is too chilly for a jog outside.
- review Westminster Confession for class tonight
- finish making dinner

This sat here for a while. . .

I've asked dh and he says we don't have to do anything about insurance. We'll continue our coverage with the U, which is very good, imho.

[lucylee]

I am VERY concerned about ds/ddil's insurance. Since she is part-time, no benefits @ hospital, and ds is self-employed, so no benefits there. They are already paying waaay too much for insurance through BCBS, and would probably qualify for tax subsidy (sp?) if they signed up through the O b ama care Exchange -- which is also through BCBS here -- BUT... I told ds this morning, I would make a call to our family doctor and make sure this would not create any problems w/their care. Doctor does not accept Medicaid patients, so would he accept O b ama care patients? All this c*r*a*p about "keeping your plan" is so frustrating. Yeah... maybe you can keep your plan if you have an endless supply of money.
* sheesh *
Didn't mean to get political. Just found out ddil is going to have well over $1600 worth of dental expenses in the next six months or so, also, and that is not covered by insurance to begin with... so I'm just irritated about all things related to insurance.

Happier thoughts... I walked 2 miles pushing dgs in stroller, then let him out and followed him around the yard for about thirty minutes or more. Him patting things, me naming things. "Show me the truck" -- he very happily obliged. We swung in the porch swing for a while. Came in, he had his bananas, is now happily playing in playpen again.

Talked to dmil twice. Each time she called to see if ds was here, & to tell me to tell him she forgot to pay for pizza last night.

Told ds yes, he needs to take dgs w/them tomorrow to eat dinner w/my dmom. Dmom needs to spend time w/dgs. DS doesn't want hassle of changing carseat, and doesn't want to go separately. (Hmmm... maybe this will help dmom see how desperately ds needs a larger vehicle.)

I have DPC to make... need to call insurance agent and see how much this dratted speeding ticket is going to impact our auto insurance. DBIL said I might be able to take an online driving school class and have it dropped from insurance record. Don't know if that's worth the trouble... but $182 is a good chunk of cash, isn't it?

Hmmm... that IS interesting about the Verizon bill, helia. Hope you get that straightened out soon.

(((Elizabeth))) OUCH! I am so sorry about your foot!!!

[Nancy]

Back from a walk. Heading to the home stretch of baby duty.
H. Had a good say yesterday got to haul a load out gof town to bring in the stuff the use to make concrete with.