Wonderful Wednesday

[CathyS]

Forgot this visual for everyone... my work van is 7 feet high. The piles at the ends of people's driveways are higher than my van. There are mountains of snow in parking lots at the malls.

[Harmony]

Dee, Sunny, your rain storms have arrived here about 6:00. They're headed down south and we have thunderstorm warnings till 11:00 plus we were in the tornado watch box a bit ago. It's raining hard. The lights flickered once. We lost our local dish stations. But it's still better here than up north, isn't it.

Sadie, how is your son? That's awful about your insurance. But I've heard/read stuff like that happening. Do you perhaps have a small town nearby with some drs. who are taking the insurance?

I got a notice yesterday that my ins. is going up $45/month and the increase is because of O.Care. I'm already paying $366+/mth just for me and that's bare bones ins. with high high deductibles. I need to find out if I can drop it for a few months and not be penalized when I go onto a supplemental policy with medicare next summer.

Nancy, hope you get all your issues worked out.

Kathryn, that place you're staying sounds horrible. I'm afraid I'd not be so patient. Is there somewhere you can post a review of this place?

We spent the day working on that house project and aren't even half-way done. We had a damaged ceramic tile in the kitchen which needed replaced and a few more throughout which weren't set level. We have taken out 5 20" x 20" tiles, using jack hammer, grinder, chisels. I followed along in back of tools with shop vac to suck up the dust as it was made, but you can imagine the dust that escaped has the house looking like it snowed in here. All the sheets are covering up stuff, the drawers are stuffed with things, furniture all moved about. We have 4 more to remove, then we will reset new tiles level and then grout.

Every sq. inch needs cleaned now. I have wiped all the counters in kitchen (I could write a letter in the dust there). I'm going to mop floors as they are slippery. Tomorrow after DH's dr. apt. I guess we will try to do the last ones, but they are in the master bedroom and I just cleaned windows, sl glass door, curtains, valences, dust ruffle...

I did not want him working on stuff like this after he has his hip replaced. So we are trying to do it now.

Harriet, my DStepson works in your area but lives now in other state. He moved a bit last year. But he travels a lot and flies all over the place, so either way, it's not good in this weather!

[lucylee]

This may be a fast post -- dgs is napping and I didn't realize it until just a little while ago, so he may wake up anytime!

We're fine -- well, no, actually, I guess we're snowed in. It IS definitely sticking. (That's what I've always said and heard others say, too.) I went out a little while ago to take some pictures, and the patio was suddenly quite a bit more slippery than I expected! I didn't fall, but I realized quickly that I should step carefully! It is sooo pretty.
OTOH -- dh & ds HAVE "put on their stupid hats" as I believe a newscaster in Harriet's state put it. Yes... they took off for college town, and they shouldn't have much trouble until they get about 40 miles from home, on their way back. But at that point... well... I'm just saying a prayer that the Lord WILL continue to look out for fools and children.
DDIL has gone to work, as hospitals do NOT take snow days, and she probably had a sorta nerve-wracking drive in -- and may not get to come home at quitting time in the morning -- but she says that is fine; she even packed a small overnight bag and she thinks all us Southerners are crazy for complaining about this little bit of snow. I think her parents have had well over a foot already; they've been shoveling their driveway and everything, which we have NEVER had to do.
Of course -- neither they nor us have had to deal with conditions like Cathy just described! Wow!

Ddil just called to let me know she had arrived safely... ...but said the roads are horrible.

OH -- re: our state being declared in a state of emergency yesterday... that was REALLY jumping the gun, IMHO. Roads were probably icy yesterday morning, but by noon, there was not a trace of ice anywhere on the roads we traveled. And when we got there, (next town over) -- EVERYTHING was closed -- at least three restaurants we checked on, and even Chick-fil-a was closing at 2:00 pm. Our Walmart closed at 6:00, I think. And there was NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING... until about 3:00 pm today. So -- they could easily have done delayed start yesterday at school and probably a full day today. But since that last fiasco, where students & teachers in Birmingham and Atlanta were snowed in overnight, they are definitely going to err on the far, FAR side of caution around here, I'm sure.

I wanted to let Sadie know ds/ddil are facing the same thing w/dgs's insurance. When they signed on for O bama care (to avoid going bankrupt, I guess, paying the premium they were quoted to stay as they were) they were told that dgs could not go on their BCBS policies, but would have to be on the state medicaid (I think) program that is specifically for children. Fine. EXCEPT -- after ds lined this all up at least a month in advance of dgs' January checkup, and was ASSURED that his card would be sent in time for that doctor's appt... THEN it came time for the appt and still no card. So ds called them back -- and they have no record of his application. So he had to start all over again, and just hopes they will be reimbursed for that office visit.
PLUS... after ddil went for her checkup, she was billed for the appt b/c doctor's office sent in the paperwork w/the old policy # (which has expired.)
* sheesh *
So now they are out TWO office visits, at over $100 each, and dgs still has NO insurance.
I wish we had never heard of "affordable care." * sheesh *

I've talked to dmom & dmil today; they are fine... so dgs and I will be safe and snug as long as we have electricity. That is the only real problem we could face before this all starts to thaw Friday, I guess. Just got to get these two crazy men home.

Awww... that is so sweet -- gifts & balloons for dd & family, Dee! I love Disney!

(((Kathryn))) So glad you like TGF!!!

Btw, next time you describe a fall to us, could you kinda eeeaaase into it, please. None of this "even before I fell" stuff. We have to grab our chairs and everything.

Yes -- Harriet is right, Kathryn.

Lots more I'd like to say, but I better get the bgs out for the moment. Y'all stay safe!

[Lilac]

Kathryn, is TGF, the girl that your ds met after arriving in Australia? I am assuming that but thought I would ask. Inquiring minds want to know.

Dd2 and I delivered more finished pieces that were never picked up at her store. We want to deliver all the local ones and will try to deliver the out of town ones, at some point.

Dd2, dgd17, her boyfriend and the 2 little girls are headed to the big city on Saturday to shop for a prom dress. They plan to spend the night. Dd2 will get 2 hotel rooms, so the boyfriend can have his own room. He is very helpful with the 2 little girls. The 2 little girls have been asking to take a vacation, so I told her to tell them that they were going on a mini-vacation. The little girls love to shop.

It is suppose to be 69 here on Saturday. Dh is planning to take a 3-4 hour bike trip on Saturday. Sunday afternoon we will wash the SUV and dh will grill something for supper.

We leave for our Vegas vacation 3 weeks from tomorrow.

Stay safe and warm, everybody.

[Ivy]

Dee, You got in a LOT of steps!

Sadie, I'm happy that your DS is okay and hoping the ins. co. situation gets ironed out, too. It doesn't sound fair!

I'm still under the weather. I took 2 naps today, but only about 50 min. each. This is a quick CUOP. Our delivery men for our new TV was supposed to be 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., we'd gotten up around 8:45 a.m. and they called at 9:10 a.m. how they were almost HERE! I was in my nightgown, robe, we had the worst storm last night, so DH left to check out the 1/4-mile driveway for branches, then ran into the men, at the cul-de-sac about 1/3 mile away on the lane, so he flagged them down to follow him home. In the meantime, I'd freshened up real good, fast, and dressed! They were wonderful! The TV doesn't work because our cable box is too old, so cable guy comes out between 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. on Friday. Then, tomorrow, DH leaves by 8:40 a.m. so a dr. appt. at 9 a.m. So this is the plan: I get d2s, then later in the day, I'll s2s! For these 3 days in a row. Dgrson, teenager, emailed a lovely email, so I got tears in my eyes, was so touched, and he's a writer, too, and a wonderful young man. He made me feel so good. ♥

I wrote a new pen pal, who's last name is my maiden name, but not my blood name, as "Dad" adopted me when he married Dmom when I was 18 months old. So I still consider myself in that family, but need to remind myself by blood, I'm actually related to a different father. But it's nice to have a new pal with my maiden name. Even my Dsis kept her maiden name hyphenated with her new married name, in honor of her natural father. ♥ It's kind of neat, I think, she was able to honor him like this.

Have a wonderful evening, Everyone. Take care and hope your Wednesday was wonderful.

[Harriet]

Sadie, I was so happy to hear your older dson had good news from the doctor. Btw, how is the son whose foot had been hurt?

HRH was sorry he insisted I put in so much sugar for first batch of snow cream, so we had to make another! LOL! One little person very delighted was Tobias, who was allowed a spoonful.

lucylee, my ddil, although employed at a hospital, has weekend shifts mostly, including Mondays, so she was very blessed with schedule this time around, I believe. I hope your ddil will exercise caution and even stay at hospital a while if she needs to.

I had complained in Cardfile Central about misplacing a bday card I just bought. Sigh. Anyway, this points out to me that I am living hand-to-mouth for bday cards so I've shopped for some on ebay, putting in exact description of what I wish I could find and am very pleased to have some smart buys, several at a time, which are also what I really wanted. All in all, I'd have to say ebay is a bright way to do card shopping rather than standing in a card aisle on and on.

Replacement order of clothes arrived from catalog shopping. Looks like only one item is an obvious return this time, and I must admit I bought two different sizes of that item to make sure I knew which I needed, so it's still a success. Yes, I'll return, but because I found out my best size I'll probably order more from them in the future. So, a win-win.

Extra laundry done today.

We'll be completely socked in with a good layer of ice covering 4-5 inches of snow on all ground surfaces tomorrow morning (thankfully power lines are better). I can envision breaking the ice on the steps with the handle end of a broom, which is what I did last ice storm. That will let me go check on the chickens if I need to, stepping from steps to ground and bypassing walkway. Grateful we truly have nothing on the schedule to drive to and can stay warm indoors.

[Harmony]

Watching the skiers on tv tonight. Envious of the zamboni, going around so smoothly, leaving everything behind it perfectly meticulously clean. I just got done mopping kitchen, hallways (2) family room, living room, laundry room. I'm sure it's not perfectly meticulously clean, but it looks pretty good. Multiple stops to vacuum piles of little tiny pieces of rock that escaped us today.

It was like getting shrapnel in the face today working with DH. Even with the vac hose I kept getting tiny stones sprayed upon me. Once they got into my eyes, behind the safety glasses somehow and I couldn't open my lids. Somehow managed to get into bathroom where I flushed them and put wash of 'tears' drops in till I could open them. Scary.

We did 5 squares today. Tomorrow we have 7 to do but a couple of them are in a row. It takes about 45 minutes to do one.

Washed a couple end tables, shook out throw rugs and a couple sheets. Stacked up all the tools in one spot. Still so much to do.

Tomorrow DH says we will try his zip wall poles to close off one hallway & bedroom so I won't have to do this over. Where we were working today we couldn't use them.

[Nancy]

Oh that's what I want a kitchen zamboni! Hens are happy snow is gone here except for the bottoms of the snow men.

I took dgson to bb practice got a couple things at the store on the way back home.
Last load of laundry should be done.
I am going to do a few min. On the gazelle while I am downstairs my lower back has been nurting and that seems to help.

H is watching one of the transformers movies. I wish you the Olympics were on earlier.

[lucylee]

I am really wishing my dh and ds had chosen NOT to put on their "stupid hats" and gone across the length of this state to watch our college team lose a basketball game in this blizzard. * sigh * Going to be a long, long night. They are both determined to trudge on ahead, against all warnings & pleas from weathermen to STAY PUT; DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. * sigh *

We have about 4" on the patio.

So far no loss of electricity, so dgs and I are fine.

Ddil sounds like she will be fine with the idea of staying over at the hospital, Harriet, so that's good. I think she even carried a change of clothes with her, "just in case."

(((Harmony))) OUCH! Hope your eyes don't give you any more trouble. That sounds horrible.

I should make snow cream. I'm stuffed right now w/pizza and Cracker Jacks though.

I got all my laundry done, too! Hooray! -- Well -- not ironing -- but we won't speak of that.

(((Ivy))) Hope you're feeling better soon!

Editing... 2:00 a.m. --
My boys are closer to home... but still probably an hour away, in good weather. * sigh *