34 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 8-23-22

  1. Good morning everyone! Surely I’m not the first one up today (well, besides AJ)? The heat and humidity has broken here and I’ve been doing some work in the garden. My goal is to strengthen my hip enough so I can go back to work by Labor Day week.

    I put up a third hummingbird feeder last week and now we have near constant hummer activity outside the kitchen window. I had never even seen a hummingbird until I put up a single feeder 2 yrs ago. Now there are sometimes 4 or 5 buzzing around. They are funny to watch. They are so fiercely territorial that it’s rare to see 2 feeding together at the same feeder. In fact, they often stop feeding when they see another and start diving at each other. At other times they appear to be dancing and playing in front of the window—almost floating. When I go out to fill the feeder they sometimes come close if I don’t stare at them. I can hear the sound of their wings—it sounds like a quiet helicopter or the deep purr of a cat.

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  2. Debra, the only place I have ever seen multiple hummingbirds feeding together was at Mumsee’s. I laughed that not only is she the Child Whisperer, she is the Hummingbird Whisperer.

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  3. Humming birds are so much fun to watch. Amazing creatures.

    Good to hear the update Debra. I still haven’t gotten up the “umph” to water the front-porch flower pots but I did go out and trim of the dead blooms and brown leaves that had gathered.

    I’m off to my first PT appointment today in a few hours, my cousin is picking me up. We’ll see how it goes, I’m thinking much of today will be assessment and probably a bit of a lecture on the importance of the exercises. I’ve felt so overall lousy that the exercises have been hard to maintain as prescribed.

    I took my first shower last night and the constipation has lifted, so I won’t need to hear the lectures about that anymore. 🙂

    I had a strange dream about being somewhere with my former gray shaggy dog Ellie — there was a Halloween party going on or something, we were outdoors — and a snake got out and wrapped itself around my arm and was biting me. I kept asking people to help me get it off but people were just laughing at me.

    I woke up just before dawn.

    Also on today’s agenda: filling out the state disability form.

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  4. My stepbrother stopped by my office to see me yesterday. He was on his way to the airport to go to New York. The receptionist came and told me there was a man in the lobby askihg to see me. I asked her if he was angry. It’s been like that recently. When I rounded the corner and say him I ran to hug him. He picked me up in a big bear hug and we both said, “I’ve been a horrible person” for not staying in touch. We visited for about 15 minutes before he had to leave. It was so good to see him. He moved home 8 years ago to take care of my stepmother. She has Parkinson’s. He said he is having to leave because she has become more and more difficult and there is a younger brother who makes the situation more difficult.
    Someone at the office asked if he had “Sugar Daddy” potential. I had to tell them no, he had already been mine. When he was selliing the properties in Key West, and kept them rented and would occassionally clear the accounts and send me money. It really was how I survived for several years.
    I have often said that the thing I wanted most in life was a big brother to take care of me. It was only yesterday that it eve occured to me that I HAD ONE!!! What I remembered yesterday on the way home was that he flew up here to visit Daddy in the hospital. I was told by my father to leave the room, he and J had some things to discuss. Now I know what it was. J must have promised to make sure I was OK.

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  5. Morning all! That critter up there is eating those pretty leaves. His cousins are here in CO enjoying my plant leaves too! 🦗

    Debra those hummingbirds are quite entertaining. The bully birds are fierce!
    The little general store in St Elmo has feeders at the front door. At times the hummers are dive bombing customer’s heads as they attempt to enter the store! But for the most part they are just trying to contend for a spot at the feeders….there will be at least twenty at a time feeding. The store owner can even get them to sit on his finger! Amazing and beautiful creation of our Lord they are.

    Autumn is peeking in here too and we are enjoying cooler temps. Now if we could just get the pesky mosquitoes to skeedaddle!

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  6. I get humming birds around several of my pants in the front yard — but the most I’ve seen in one spot was at a public park that’s a popular spot for photographers as it features one of the best lookout views of the high-rises in downtown Los Angeles and the mountains in the background. When we’ve had snow it’s the “go-to” spot for news photographers who can really get some spectacular shots.

    There’s a section of that park that is planted in a way to attract humming birds, another area for butterflies, complete with informational signs about all the critters.

    I’ll have to make my way back up there once I’m (completely) back on my feet again.

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  7. Good morning. I have been finishing my Bible study lesson for group time in a bit. I do group by phone and may have to be in listen only mode while I shop for an item I need after surgery that I found out about last night when reading the surgery packet: a front closing sports bra.

    Funny news story this morning said that a recent opening, maybe in Portland, is a ladies sports bar that only shows televised women’s sports. The name, of course, The Sports Bra. How clever, Not.

    More local news told of two school bus drivers in a nearby rural county who were arrested for drunk driving while on bus duty.😳

    Another story, in town, that seems very tragic is that two twin brothers, age 17, were playing around with a gun in their bedroom, and one shot the other in the face and he died. The shooter claimed they did not know the gun was loaded.? He has been arrested for manslaughter. I can’t imagine their parent’s and loved ones’ grief.

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  8. Debra,

    You should send me a picture. I’ve grown to love them too, and never saw one in the wild until a few years back.

    They’re easy to mistake for dragonflies when you have bad eyesight.

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  9. I agree that is not a good name, Janice. There is a tobacco store in a town not too far away called Dick Heads and I cringe every time we hit the main street and see it. It is just off main street. We have become such a crude country from t-shirts to billboards and all the media–just plain crude.

    So sad about the shooting accident. 😦 I was saddened to hear about a little nine-year-old shot while riding her bike. That was in Minneapolis. What a shame that children cannot just enjoy riding a bike without that concern. I have lived long enough to know that things can change and get better, though. I hope that will happen.

    We have a beautiful morning for the old door to come out and the new one to be put in place. The back one just has some trim to put around it. It will be nice to have doors where I don’t have to jiggle the locks. The back one has a shade enclosed between the glass, which is nice because that is the south side and gets a lot of sunlight at certain times of the year.

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  10. I was thinking about you this morning Janice, praying, too, for your upcoming surgery. So much to do, it feels like.

    I’ve always kept sports bras around, great option for weekend wear.

    I’m watering Charlie Brown 2 — have neglected that daily watering here and there I’m afraid.

    And I have clothes running in the dryer to wear to PT today.

    English muffin is in the toaster.

    Ice pack is wrapped around the knee.

    The day, such as it is, has begun.

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  11. A few weeks ago a woman posted in a What’s Happening In….. group on FB. She is getting married in December and asking for Christmas trees people no longer need. She will be coming this afternoon to pick up 2. That will leave me one skinny one. Sad, but somehow liberating as well.

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  12. Jo, that is the main reason we are thinking of discontinuing guardianship, it is just too complicated and husband is an expert at figuring out bureaucracy.

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  13. So, I thought that I had made my decision. Then the gal mentioned the high deductible plan. Which would save me 1000 a year. I have the money to set aside for the deductible and I rarely get sick. Medicare would still pay all that it pays. hmmm…. Any thoughts??

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  14. Paperwork, taxes, medical forms . . . all too much for a person with poor eyesight.

    I got my sports bra. Of all the locations where I could have found one in Atlanta, there is an unknown to me shop, Pretty Please, about five minutes from here in the shopping center for our small neighborhood Publix that sells mastectomy supplies. Thank You, God. I listened to my Bible study group on low speaker for some of my short time in the shop.

    I had no selection of color as all they had was black. Like it or lump it 😀 Lump no more, thank you! I will like it!

    I said, “I guess it goes with white.” I’m thinking,it works for Miss Bosley.

    $50.00 on Visa, and I had to bring out my ID to prove I am qualified to use that card. Stacey Abrams might get after them for requiring IDs.

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  15. You rarely get sick, Jo, but we’re all getting older and it starts to happen. And medical expenses are no joke.

    A broker or agent can be very helpful, mine met up with me and went over all my doctors, prescriptions; key for me was no surprise medical bills, not a lot of out-of-pocket expenses as I could not afford such things. I am able, for now (because I’m still working) to afford the better PPO plan which I love as you can go anywhere without a referral and don’t have to wait forever for an appointment as a result.

    I also wanted to keep my doctors.

    I will likely have to switch to the HMO after I retire, but for now the $300+ or so a month is affordable with a full-time paycheck.

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  16. Sports bras are also plentiful on Amazon.

    PT went OK — good, actually, as young therapist, Eric, said he was impressed with our “starting out” point, good range of motion, able to hold leg pretty much straight in a leg lift, etc.

    But after he left, someone else came in to apply nerve stimulants and I was in an awkward position lying on the (very hard) table, my head a bit lower than the rest of me, so I developed a very quick headache until she straightened me out. It helped, but the headache stayed. And the nerve stimulation wasn’t very pleasant, but I suppose I’ll adjust to it.

    Knee has been stiff and painful today and I found myself feeling short with my cousin — who’s very “put-together” and rather prim, unlike her more haphazard cousin. 🙂 I dismissed her rather quickly when we got back to the house, said I really just needed to sit down and chill for a while.

    The outing, I guess, was rather exhausting, it’s the first time I’d been out since the day of the surgery almost a week ago now.

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  17. PT is covered fully by my Medicare plan, as (I was assured) will be the surgery itself which would be several thousands of dollars, 5 or 6 figures most likely.

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  18. Of course, the good thing about Medicare is you can change it out every year for a different plan if you don’t like the one you picked. So it’s not something you’re stuck with. Sometimes it’s hard gauge until you’ve been on a plan for a while.

    But I rarely had any medical problems until this knee and a couple other things, age-related mainly, since that have popped up. And I’ve seen enough friends go through the increasing health problems as they get older, so it can and does happen to most any of us.

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  19. I just saw photos of my friend K’s 94 y/o mom on FB. K is not well enough to see her. Her mom may be in better health than K in her sixties. Bittersweet to see the photos.

    So glad you are getting around like that Dj. Keep up the hard work and you will receive a good reward.

    Jo, I am not a good one to give advice right now on insurance. We have Medicare Advantage with Aetna which Art researched and found was best for him a few years back. I went to a broker presentation and he represents a lot but showed us the card from his own wallet and it was what Art had selected. But it’s different in different states.

    When I went with a high deductible I tended to avoid seeing the doctor unless I felt a critical need. At our age that could be unwise. Would you do that? That is one thing I’d weigh the risk on.

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  20. Janice, I would do that lol (avoid the doctor w/high deductibles).

    I do hope Medicare gets some better options for vision & dental coverage, I still keep my work-provided plans for those as broker told me I’d never find that good a coverage (for that cheap) through Medicare right now (which was a few years ago now). But when I quit working, that’ll be gone for me, too.

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  21. With Aetna Medicare Advantage, it covers eye exam and a new pair of glasses as well as routine dental checkup and hygiene, but claims have to be filed on that. We also get some coverage for things one might get over-the-counter at CVS (CVS now owns Aetna). Also we get Silver Sneakers membership for an exercise program along with other wellness helps. We get one annual no co-pay wellness doc visit. Did I just do an ad for Aetna Medicare Advantage?

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  22. Medicare is a beast to navigate. I even went to a seminar at the local Senior Center before signing up and left more confused than ever. We decided to go with only plan A and B. We pay for my Premarin out of pocket…the pills are close to 8 dollars a pill and I take them every other day.
    We get an annual physical with our Primary and my yearly GYN physical is paid for as well. My mammogram will be paid for but the Cardiologist appt will be 80/20 after my deductible is met which I believe it is after my recent visits at my primary.
    When husband went in for all his tests we really didn’t have to pay much. Medicare adjusts the charges they allow a Doctor to charge. Looking at the biopsy charges for husband the amount was reduced greatly due to his being on Medicare.

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  23. I’m trying to file my state disability claim today and that may just be worse than dealing with Medicare. It’s close.

    Horrible wording on questions that allow only limited answers, it won’t recognize my employer’s name (so I’m stuck and can’t go any further). HR in Denver is trying to get back to me to help, but it’s later in the day there so I suspect it won’t be until tomorrow.

    I can’t figure out who comes up with these “forms” to fill out, they’re incomprehensible.

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  24. When I turned 65 in May I just got Medicare A&B. I also have Christian Health Care ministries for other insurance. Together it’s about $300/month for both me and Mrs L combined.

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  25. My husband racked up a million-dollar bill when he had his radiation for his cancer. We have Medicare and a supplemental policy from Aetna also. I don’t believe it pays for dental, however, or glasses. It will pay for a limited selection of eyeglasses after he had his cataract surgery. We did still have some payments for that, the radiation therapy and doctor’s visits. However, it is nothing like it would be without the Medicare and supplemental. After seventy it seems there can be a lot of health issues.

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