First, we drop some serious coin getting tires, brakes and rotors for the car. Not cheap even with the resident skilled handyman performing the work.
Then second, the washer died. Dead. Can it be repaired? Sure, but at a cost greater than buying a NEW one with the sales for Black Friday going on... naturally, the company no longer makes the model that will match the dryer which still works. Expensive decisions were made... we bought an entirely new set.
Now, our precious college student son Thomas just informed us via text message that his laptop computer has died. Number Three. The dreaded third shoe dropping. Yippee. In the way that I mean NOT... I don't believe the Dallas Cowboy's cheerleaders could be coaxed into a dance line for this announcement.
And by the way, if anyone knows where the money tree is located, I'd appreciate knowing where it is so I can gather a few leaves to pay for all of this. I promise to not be greedy and take them all.
I have begun to think the defining script on my tombstone should simply be a rolling tote board indicating the level of debt that has accumulated directly and indirectly in my life. It might be interesting to watch since there will be times that it will reflect the reality that is a financial blur... see those numbers just whooshing by?
I'm thankful that we have been able to arrange financing to take care of things thus far, but I must confess there are times that I wonder what it must be like for those who are truly monetarily rich to just simply say "sure, here's the money for ____, go right ahead and buy it" without once considering what sacrifices would be needed to pay for whatever "it" is.
Thomas needs this type of technology for school... it's virtually impossible to get along without it otherwise.
I guess until we sort this out he can use the computer lab and hope for the best.
♫ Santa baby, slip a Brinks truck under the tree for meeeeeeeee ♪♫
♪♫ I've been an awful good girl, Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight...♫♪♫
November 28, 2011
November 15, 2011
Bobbing Along
I truly didn't want to get out of the pool yesterday.
My exercises and PT were long completed, but I wanted to stay in that warm water cocoon of relative peace and quiet. I realize being "pruny" from the water isn't a fashion statement, but I don't believe anyone who knows me will be all that concerned about my lack of care regarding that particular issue.
I just needed some quiet in my overly loud life.
Took Daddy to see a physionometrist yesterday. Fancy word for a doctor who specializes in telling people to go get physical therapy. I'm not sure this exercise will truly help. Lord knows if it does, I'll be happy that it improves Daddy's quality of life.
But I saw the MRI and I understand enough about anatomy and physiology to be a danger to myself and others.
The compression in his spine and the narrowing of the channels for the nerve conduction are so restricted that I'm afraid the repetitive motions will simply cause greater harm.
There are also at least TWO bone spurs which are pressing in upon the already stressed areas of the back. I for sure saw one that is pretty significant in size. But as of this instant, Daddy is NOT a surgical candidate.
Meekly, I took the prescription for the month of PT for Daddy. The folks at the rehab will HAVE to yield to my schedule on this one. With my own needs of rehabbing a still recuperating ankle, I can't supersede the PT I have to do just to get Daddy to his. And I can't keep adding things to an already overfull schedule. It's not like I have a "mini me" closet to draw from to build enough support to fill in the gaps. Sadly, I don't even have a single mini me. That would be both helpful and disconcerting at the same time.
So I spent some time after PT with my head down in the water playing dead. Not that I want to be dead, of course, but some days, it's nice to have a break from the noise outside of my head just long enough to concentrate on the noise INSIDE my head.
Think two BB's rattling around inside a box car...
I relaxed enough to just float drifting along with the current from the water jets.
Sadly, the time came which compelled me to get out of the pool. I hopped into the hot tub long enough to ease the tightness in my leg and ankle then dried off to go home.
It is a pretty good break from life. Sadly, you always have to come back and shoulder your load again, but some days, I think the trip to the pool helps me deal with things a little better.
At least that is the goal.
My exercises and PT were long completed, but I wanted to stay in that warm water cocoon of relative peace and quiet. I realize being "pruny" from the water isn't a fashion statement, but I don't believe anyone who knows me will be all that concerned about my lack of care regarding that particular issue.
I just needed some quiet in my overly loud life.
Took Daddy to see a physionometrist yesterday. Fancy word for a doctor who specializes in telling people to go get physical therapy. I'm not sure this exercise will truly help. Lord knows if it does, I'll be happy that it improves Daddy's quality of life.
But I saw the MRI and I understand enough about anatomy and physiology to be a danger to myself and others.
The compression in his spine and the narrowing of the channels for the nerve conduction are so restricted that I'm afraid the repetitive motions will simply cause greater harm.
There are also at least TWO bone spurs which are pressing in upon the already stressed areas of the back. I for sure saw one that is pretty significant in size. But as of this instant, Daddy is NOT a surgical candidate.
Meekly, I took the prescription for the month of PT for Daddy. The folks at the rehab will HAVE to yield to my schedule on this one. With my own needs of rehabbing a still recuperating ankle, I can't supersede the PT I have to do just to get Daddy to his. And I can't keep adding things to an already overfull schedule. It's not like I have a "mini me" closet to draw from to build enough support to fill in the gaps. Sadly, I don't even have a single mini me. That would be both helpful and disconcerting at the same time.
So I spent some time after PT with my head down in the water playing dead. Not that I want to be dead, of course, but some days, it's nice to have a break from the noise outside of my head just long enough to concentrate on the noise INSIDE my head.
Think two BB's rattling around inside a box car...
I relaxed enough to just float drifting along with the current from the water jets.
Sadly, the time came which compelled me to get out of the pool. I hopped into the hot tub long enough to ease the tightness in my leg and ankle then dried off to go home.
It is a pretty good break from life. Sadly, you always have to come back and shoulder your load again, but some days, I think the trip to the pool helps me deal with things a little better.
At least that is the goal.
November 8, 2011
The Peppered Eye
Pepper is a wonderful thing!
It creates a little spark of fire in the throat and a tingle on the tongue when properly applied. It can mean all the difference between a salad that is just okay, and a salad that is amazing. Pepper is great with eggs and bacon, adds a touch of class to a humble homemade hash and turns a bowl of stew into something worth eating.
But one thing pepper does NOT enhance. . . my eyeball.
I feel like half of my skull is on fire and the flames are licking out of my right eye socket.
HOLY FLAMING CAT SNOT AND FIERY DEATH!!! OOOOOOOOOHHHHH!! This is a pain that should be inflicted on some of the bad people of our world!!
Based on the suffering I am having to endure at my own hand, I'm not sure my love affair with pepper will last much longer if this inferno doesn't get extinguished soon.
Is it possible to go blind by accidental peppering of the eyeball? Can you die from it? Right now, both questions are up for grabs. Can someone PLEASE hose off my eye? I can't possibly be the only one who sees these vivid flames curling up from under my eyelids!!
The sad tale of woe that brought us to this point isn't monumental, unless we are measuring stupidity. Confessing that while I am not more than a modest home cooking kind of gal, I do humbly state that I enjoy cooking most of the time. I like making things that my family will actually want to eat. To that end, I have a little Ziploc bag with some fresh, coarsely ground pepper in it. My supply is dwindling by the day. But ham and navy bean soup needs a bit of pepper to help it cook along, right? A little of the supply must be sacrificed for the soup to have the taste that it needs.
Plunging my clean hand into the bag, I gathered up a couple of pinches of pepper... enough to season not to scorch. After extending the sprinkling of the vital grains over the beans in the Crock pot, I washed my hands. You can't be too careful.
Careful. HA!
I laugh at myself through my tears.
Apparently, one tiny, minuscule hardly even worth mentioning let alone seeing grain of pepper was chameleon-like in its skill and ability to camouflage itself against my finger into flesh tones with a cunning that the military would love to possess. The tenacity with which it clung to my skin even through the washing and drying process would give Velcro a run for its money.
Innocent in my understanding of the tragedy about to befall me, I went to go about my daily morning activities. While sitting at my desk, I casually rubbed my eye.
With fire.
Does the fact that it was completely unintentional matter?
At this point, I am certain that my right eye will never be on speaking terms with me again.
Murine Plus drops, generic store brand drops, water right out of the sink... all have been applied in a liberal deluge to my deeply offended eye and its mucous membranes. They are reporting with great accuracy that the savage attack has left them both irritated beyond all measure for polite society, but that they are now planning some kind of retribution that will involve me having blurred vision for quite some time today.
It is open war.
My protestations that the offending particle of pepper have now been most assuredly washed from the battlefield of topical violence does nothing to sway the eyeball. It has its mind made up. I will now be compelled to walk through this morning with a blurry reminder that the peppered eye is not what's for dinner.
The sting is down to a dull roar now. I have this odd slimy feeling on my eyeball that tells me the mucous membranes surrounding my eye have indeed gone into full battle mode and applied riot gear as they slime coat all the surfaces of the eye to continue forcing the contaminant and the effects of same to retreat from the battle.
It seems to be working.
Perhaps in due time, my eye will forgive me.
But I have the sinking feeling that the next time I reach for my little bag of pepper, my right eye will involuntarily slam shut and refuse to assist in the cooking until the all clear has been sounded by the left eye.
Who knew plain old table top cooking pepper was such a deadly weapon?
Perhaps the stores need to sell it by permit only.
Hmm. Yet another governmental intervention for the perpetually stupid.
*SIGH*
Someone really needs to save me from myself.
It creates a little spark of fire in the throat and a tingle on the tongue when properly applied. It can mean all the difference between a salad that is just okay, and a salad that is amazing. Pepper is great with eggs and bacon, adds a touch of class to a humble homemade hash and turns a bowl of stew into something worth eating.
But one thing pepper does NOT enhance. . . my eyeball.
I feel like half of my skull is on fire and the flames are licking out of my right eye socket.
HOLY FLAMING CAT SNOT AND FIERY DEATH!!! OOOOOOOOOHHHHH!! This is a pain that should be inflicted on some of the bad people of our world!!
Based on the suffering I am having to endure at my own hand, I'm not sure my love affair with pepper will last much longer if this inferno doesn't get extinguished soon.
Is it possible to go blind by accidental peppering of the eyeball? Can you die from it? Right now, both questions are up for grabs. Can someone PLEASE hose off my eye? I can't possibly be the only one who sees these vivid flames curling up from under my eyelids!!
The sad tale of woe that brought us to this point isn't monumental, unless we are measuring stupidity. Confessing that while I am not more than a modest home cooking kind of gal, I do humbly state that I enjoy cooking most of the time. I like making things that my family will actually want to eat. To that end, I have a little Ziploc bag with some fresh, coarsely ground pepper in it. My supply is dwindling by the day. But ham and navy bean soup needs a bit of pepper to help it cook along, right? A little of the supply must be sacrificed for the soup to have the taste that it needs.
Plunging my clean hand into the bag, I gathered up a couple of pinches of pepper... enough to season not to scorch. After extending the sprinkling of the vital grains over the beans in the Crock pot, I washed my hands. You can't be too careful.
Careful. HA!
I laugh at myself through my tears.
Apparently, one tiny, minuscule hardly even worth mentioning let alone seeing grain of pepper was chameleon-like in its skill and ability to camouflage itself against my finger into flesh tones with a cunning that the military would love to possess. The tenacity with which it clung to my skin even through the washing and drying process would give Velcro a run for its money.
Innocent in my understanding of the tragedy about to befall me, I went to go about my daily morning activities. While sitting at my desk, I casually rubbed my eye.
With fire.
Does the fact that it was completely unintentional matter?
At this point, I am certain that my right eye will never be on speaking terms with me again.
Murine Plus drops, generic store brand drops, water right out of the sink... all have been applied in a liberal deluge to my deeply offended eye and its mucous membranes. They are reporting with great accuracy that the savage attack has left them both irritated beyond all measure for polite society, but that they are now planning some kind of retribution that will involve me having blurred vision for quite some time today.
It is open war.
My protestations that the offending particle of pepper have now been most assuredly washed from the battlefield of topical violence does nothing to sway the eyeball. It has its mind made up. I will now be compelled to walk through this morning with a blurry reminder that the peppered eye is not what's for dinner.
The sting is down to a dull roar now. I have this odd slimy feeling on my eyeball that tells me the mucous membranes surrounding my eye have indeed gone into full battle mode and applied riot gear as they slime coat all the surfaces of the eye to continue forcing the contaminant and the effects of same to retreat from the battle.
It seems to be working.
Perhaps in due time, my eye will forgive me.
But I have the sinking feeling that the next time I reach for my little bag of pepper, my right eye will involuntarily slam shut and refuse to assist in the cooking until the all clear has been sounded by the left eye.
Who knew plain old table top cooking pepper was such a deadly weapon?
Perhaps the stores need to sell it by permit only.
Hmm. Yet another governmental intervention for the perpetually stupid.
*SIGH*
Someone really needs to save me from myself.
October 29, 2011
Legally Blond
I have never claimed to understand the inner workings of the process of law.
It is beyond me how giblety Latin phrases can bring help or harm depending upon how they are used and which application they bring to bear.
But I do know that there are a great body of lawyers who fit the Bible's and Book of Mormon's description of them really well.
Matthew 22:35 talks about a slick man whom I am SURE would have advertised on television in a sharkskin suit if only either were available in ancient Jerusalem. He tempted Christ to say something that the Pharisees could twist into a blasphemy or legal corruption with which to justify slaying him. He asked which was the greatest of the laws. Jesus Christ not only told him the answer to the greatest law, but also to the second greatest and thus changed the flow of human endeavor in the holy writ by specifically outlining our personal conduct: we are to love the Lord and our fellowmen and esteem our fellows as ourselves.
In Luke 10:25, we read about a lawyer who attempted to use his assumed brilliance to make the Savior say something he could press a suit against him for uttering. Didn't work out so well. He was treated to a lesson on taking care of the wounded instead of fleecing them for their loot.
Alma 10 shares a scathing rebuke from Amulek to the legal profession who was trying their best to enforce their will through corruption. In verse 17, Amulek shares this opinion of the Book of Mormon lawyers... and it ain't good. "O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the foundations of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God."
OUCH.
Lawyers and hypocrites.
Yet when you see the modern day advertisements telling people "GET WHAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO! GET MONEY TODAY FOR YOUR PAIN AND SUFFERING! CALL ME AND I'LL WORK FOR YOU!", it sort of makes it sound like one phone call can change everything from crap to honey, sunshine and roses.
Money can't fix everything. And in truth, most people do not possess the good sense that God intended them to use when money is involved. They see dollar signs and go hog wild and then wonder where their loot went when their are nothing but moths left in their wallet after the end of the Vegas bender.
Because we were told that we needed to get some specific paperwork in place RIGHT NOW DO NOT DELAY LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE FOR JARED, I was calling various legal firms to seek vital information regarding the specifics and the cost of this 'essential' paperwork. The level of panic in me was rising to a fever pitch in the belief that we would not be able to ask for the things Jared needed for lack of a simple piece of legal paper.
Turns out, after talking to a very well informed lawyer who is neither a viper or a hypocrite, that there isn't such a huge rush after all. Since he has YEARS worth of experience in handling these types of cases, not only was he well versed in what to do, but also kindly enough to tell us that there are state laws that cover us and our son. Yes, we are protected to make medical and financial decisions for our disabled son. No, we do not need to bankrupt ourselves to get the paperwork in order by noon tomorrow or risk forfeiture of all that we know. He said that he also recommended that "we get a lawyer across from your courthouse who knows the judge". He said that way, they can handle it quickly and without any undue expense or fuss when the time comes. The lawyer also assured me that there are a great number of people willing to do any kind of legal work for money, but it isn't all necessary nor is it always helpful.
In the due course of time, and when we have the funds saved, we will indeed get the paperwork done to ensure that we have a legal recourse for Jared's long term needs and a conservatorship for his financial issues. The lawyer indicated, however, that most people whom he sees are over 70 years old and have one foot in the grave and are concerned for the adult "child" they will be leaving behind.
We aren't there quite yet...
However, I believe in being prepare in all things insofar as possible, so we will diligently save up the money (and it ain't cheap, folks!!) so that we can pay CASH at the time of the services rendered to have it done. That way, it can be done both in WISDOM and IN ORDER. My heart isn't pounding so loudly in my ears anymore.
And now, I actually feel calm. I think this says it all. "The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace." Psalms 29:11.
I also thank God that not all lawyers are only in it for the sharkskin suits and the money.
It is beyond me how giblety Latin phrases can bring help or harm depending upon how they are used and which application they bring to bear.
But I do know that there are a great body of lawyers who fit the Bible's and Book of Mormon's description of them really well.
Matthew 22:35 talks about a slick man whom I am SURE would have advertised on television in a sharkskin suit if only either were available in ancient Jerusalem. He tempted Christ to say something that the Pharisees could twist into a blasphemy or legal corruption with which to justify slaying him. He asked which was the greatest of the laws. Jesus Christ not only told him the answer to the greatest law, but also to the second greatest and thus changed the flow of human endeavor in the holy writ by specifically outlining our personal conduct: we are to love the Lord and our fellowmen and esteem our fellows as ourselves.
In Luke 10:25, we read about a lawyer who attempted to use his assumed brilliance to make the Savior say something he could press a suit against him for uttering. Didn't work out so well. He was treated to a lesson on taking care of the wounded instead of fleecing them for their loot.
Alma 10 shares a scathing rebuke from Amulek to the legal profession who was trying their best to enforce their will through corruption. In verse 17, Amulek shares this opinion of the Book of Mormon lawyers... and it ain't good. "O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the foundations of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God."
OUCH.
Lawyers and hypocrites.
Yet when you see the modern day advertisements telling people "GET WHAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO! GET MONEY TODAY FOR YOUR PAIN AND SUFFERING! CALL ME AND I'LL WORK FOR YOU!", it sort of makes it sound like one phone call can change everything from crap to honey, sunshine and roses.
Money can't fix everything. And in truth, most people do not possess the good sense that God intended them to use when money is involved. They see dollar signs and go hog wild and then wonder where their loot went when their are nothing but moths left in their wallet after the end of the Vegas bender.
Because we were told that we needed to get some specific paperwork in place RIGHT NOW DO NOT DELAY LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE FOR JARED, I was calling various legal firms to seek vital information regarding the specifics and the cost of this 'essential' paperwork. The level of panic in me was rising to a fever pitch in the belief that we would not be able to ask for the things Jared needed for lack of a simple piece of legal paper.
Turns out, after talking to a very well informed lawyer who is neither a viper or a hypocrite, that there isn't such a huge rush after all. Since he has YEARS worth of experience in handling these types of cases, not only was he well versed in what to do, but also kindly enough to tell us that there are state laws that cover us and our son. Yes, we are protected to make medical and financial decisions for our disabled son. No, we do not need to bankrupt ourselves to get the paperwork in order by noon tomorrow or risk forfeiture of all that we know. He said that he also recommended that "we get a lawyer across from your courthouse who knows the judge". He said that way, they can handle it quickly and without any undue expense or fuss when the time comes. The lawyer also assured me that there are a great number of people willing to do any kind of legal work for money, but it isn't all necessary nor is it always helpful.
In the due course of time, and when we have the funds saved, we will indeed get the paperwork done to ensure that we have a legal recourse for Jared's long term needs and a conservatorship for his financial issues. The lawyer indicated, however, that most people whom he sees are over 70 years old and have one foot in the grave and are concerned for the adult "child" they will be leaving behind.
We aren't there quite yet...
However, I believe in being prepare in all things insofar as possible, so we will diligently save up the money (and it ain't cheap, folks!!) so that we can pay CASH at the time of the services rendered to have it done. That way, it can be done both in WISDOM and IN ORDER. My heart isn't pounding so loudly in my ears anymore.
And now, I actually feel calm. I think this says it all. "The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace." Psalms 29:11.
I also thank God that not all lawyers are only in it for the sharkskin suits and the money.
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