It's sad saying goodbye to the Olympics. They've been a pleasant companion to me the past two weeks. Not that boredom is ever a problem for me, even in these months. I can find things to complain about on bad days, but boredom is never one of them. Still, the Olympics filled the afternoons and evenings with a completely different element and I will miss them...

But just about the time I am bidding the Olympics farewell, I get a little care package from Lyric with one of my recent favorite movies, The Time Traveler's Wife. I don't watch many movies more than once (Fiddler on the Roof and The Sound of Music would be about the only exceptions), but this one was such a delight that I will be watching it again soon. As in tomorrow night. She also sent a CD that I'm listening to tonight: The Canadian Tenors. Divine harmonies.

In the month that I've been home from the hospital but still confined to my room, I've been getting a stream of flowers at the rate of one arrangement a week. They come from friends all over the country and have brightened my days more than anyone knows. But it took me about three weeks to figure out that the regularity with which they were arriving smacked of some kind of benevolent orchestration. I'm not asking any questions, I'm just enjoying the color, aroma, and kindness these bouquets represent. Thank you so much to all of you who have blessed me this way!

While I have my own thoughts about who "won" and who "lost" in Thursday's health care kabuki theater, it seems the country and the pundits are rather divided on its success. Nevertheless, I don't think it got us any closer to the Dems' goal of Health Care Reform Destruction than we were on Wednesday. So have we dodged a bullet? Or will something be pulled out of a hat at the last minute to give Madame Speaker her slim majority? If I were inclined to bet, I'd be putting my money on her. And that's not a good thing.

When I'm tempted to complain about our medical insurance, I sometimes forget how much our Tricare has been worth to us in the past eight years. The bill for my 23 days of hospitalization in December/January arrived: $420. That's the total...nothing else for doctors, tests, drugs, anything. Since '02 I've had over a dozen surgeries on my hips, legs, and other places, and our contribution has been a pittance compared to what I've received. Yes, military care can be exasperating at times, but the benefits gained from The Papa's years of service turned out to be much more valuable than we ever dreamed they'd be. Thank God for His provision.

Another blessing...Dave and Kristen (our second-oldest daughter) and their children have "moved in" with us during The Papa's latest trip to Hawaii. Because I currently need a lot of care, it's so helpful to have extra hands, cooks, drivers, nurses, etc. around. Plus the fact that they're just plain good company :-) And it's good to hear the foot-patter of the elves once again. Thanks so very much, Slaughters...

It's okay for Michelle Obama to tell us all what to eat and how much to exercise, but Barack is still sneaking out the back door for a smoke.

I haven't gotten all the way through The Help yet...but it's one of those rare pieces of fiction that I'd don't want to ever be over. So I'm listening...slo-o-o-owly.

As you enter this month that is said to come "in like a lion and out like a lamb," I hope you'll enjoy the crocuses and tulips coming up through the last of the snow. As for us here in the unfrozen south, we'll be watching for the first bluebonnets. Happy March!

Labels: Books, Family, Friendship, Health, Political Observation, TV

This is why we must be vigilant, or else turn over to our children and grandchildren a country we won't even recognize:

The American political system has remained stable mainly because its political parties have remained rational over our history. That rationality has been mainly based on the accepted principle that there isn’t more to power in our system than winning elections, which can create short-sighted leadership at times, but also discourages sweeping changes to the country by a party on a political suicide mission. A party with a leadership of zealots, though, could choose to use a two-year session of Congress to fundamentally remake America if it accepted a humiliating loss of power as the necessary trade-off. [Emphasis mine]

And don't count on the next Republican Congress categorically undoing this remake. Once a majority of the electorate gets a taste of all these expensive benefits (and most of the ones who will are ones who pay little or no income tax so won't care about rising tax bills), it will be all but impossible to take the benefits away. And I use the term "benefit" rather loosely here, as none of this truly benefits any of us. Least of all our grandchildren. Try paying back $10 trillion before they pull your credit line.

Are Democrats choosing to run off a cliff with ObamaCare?

Labels: Political Observation, Social Observation

Friends, just wait. Britain R Us.

Patients were routinely neglected or left “sobbing and humiliated” by staff at an NHS trust where at least 400 deaths have been linked to appalling care.

An independent inquiry found that managers at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust stopped providing safe care because they were preoccupied with government targets and cutting costs.

The inquiry report, published yesterday by Robert Francis, QC, included proposals for tough new regulations that could lead to managers at failing NHS trusts being struck off.

Staff shortages at Stafford Hospital meant that patients went unwashed for weeks, were left without food or drink and were even unable to get to the lavatory. Some lay in soiled sheets that relatives had to take home to wash, others developed infections or had falls, occasionally fatal. Many staff did their best but the attitude of some nurses “left a lot to be desired”.

Ya think?

Read the rest here. And pray that Thursday's booby trap for the GOP fails. Otherwise, prepare to wash your own sheets.

Labels: Health, Political Observation

This situation speaks for itself in answer to those who believe Canada has the model health care system. Danny Williams, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, needed a specialized heart procedure and needed it immediately. He wasn't going to the back of any line; neither would it have been publicly acceptable for him to go to the head of a very long line, free or not. He went to Miami instead and paid his own bill.

'My heart, my choice,' Williams says, defending decision for U.S. heart surgery

Labels: Health

Today it feels like spring in south Texas...not that I've been outside to enjoy it, but the chill is gone from my room and I know that spring is not far behind. But I'm in no hurry...I'm looking forward to a couple more cold snaps before our inexorable march toward heat and humidity.

I've now seen my original target date for being through with the antibiotic treatment come and go and I'm still waiting. I'm still hoping for a surgery date by at least mid-March but that is looking less likely with each day that passes. The wait is hard, though I've become used to the routine and I've found plenty of things to keep me busy. My days consist of: reading, both books and on my Kindle (which I can also access on my computer and it's easier reading that way); enjoying audio books, currently listening to The Help; working puzzles in my book of Brain Games; helping the kids with schoolwork; doing a little work and other writing projects; and devising creative strategies to keep lunch down. Sometimes the latter takes precedence over everything else, and I find that sleep is about my only weapon when the nausea is bad. But at least I have lots to keep me busy in the in-between times :-)

As if that's not enough to keep me busy, I'm poring over The Teaching Company's catalog, trying to decide which course to "take" next. I'm leaning toward something in the American literature area, perhaps one on the American short story. If you haven't ever considered this route of expanding your knowledge in some field, you should. These courses are terrific! (Just make sure you never buy anything that's not on sale. Every course goes on sale every year, and you just need to wait for the ones you want to come around!)

I'm fascinated by the current duel between those who say that the ObamaCare strategy to destroy health care is "dead" and those who are still saying it will be rammed (or "Rahm'ed) through within 60 days. I still think that something will be passed; I can only hope that whatever it is a mere skeleton of what the Left wanted and that the harmful parts will be repealed by the next Congress before enough people get sucked in by dependence on government coffers. It's really hard to vote no on something once you've gotten a check. (And I include myself in that. I would hate to give up my mortgage credit on our income tax, and yet I believe that the government should not give such credits. If anything we should be encouraging saving, not borrowing. But then that's a whole other argument.)

As predicted, the Olympics has been such good company for me in these waiting days and I'll be sad to see them end. I don't necessarily enjoy every event (watching hockey as I write, and it's certainly not my favorite), but I've kept it on no matter what the event. I'm proud that USA is, at least now, far ahead in the medal count and representing us well!

Another distraction: Tim Challies has a project this year of reading every New York Times bestseller and reviewing them on a blog he calls 10 Million Words. How this guy can manage to fit in reading all these books into his already crazy-busy life is part of the attraction for me. Whether or not I ever read anything he's reviewing, it's a very interesting blog to follow. And then again, there are a few books that have caught my attention that I might never have thought to read without his recommendation, such as The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Put this blog on your Google Reader or Bloglines and follow a fascinating project.

I must buy a new computer. I must buy a new computer. I must buy a new computer. I would rather endure bamboo shoots under my nails. And it has little to do with the expense. It's just such a headache. Not only the choice, but the transfer of everything in my life to a new machine is more than I can bear. So this one limps along.

I'm having fun helping Shelley plan her senior piano recital. She's working hard on the music and I and some good friends are working on the reception. This will be the first time we've ever done this, and I'm really excited about displaying and honoring all her hard work at the keyboard!

Snip, snip, that's all, folks!

Labels: Books, Health, Political Observation, TV, Weather

I've received a lot of flowers in the past few weeks, and I treasure them so much...they make me smile.

But so far, these are my very favorite, made by granddaughter Molly:



Thank you so much, Molly! These are keepers!

Labels: Grandkids

The many faces of my beautiful daughter #4...Happy 23rd, CJ!

Labels: Kids

Labels: Political Action

Labels: Political Humor, Political Observation

...there are a few bright spots. And isn't it about time we didn't have to put up with these little things anymore?

(Although I admit to being surprised that the government didn't mandate it sooner.)

Heinz revamps ketchup packets

Labels: Food, Fun