Can you relate?

I was sent by my doctor to get a lumbar MRI. Have you ever had one?

I was very reluctant at first, because I had this lingering memory of an MRI I had to have done years ago that was over $1,000.00, I was quite happy to find out that if you pay cash... it cost about 85% less.  Yeah, explain that to me...  So I get there early enough to do the routine paperwork and sit down to wait my turn...


Oh, and while waiting, I finally passed level 147 on candy crush!!  That will change my life dramatically... not.

When my turn comes up, a very nice tech takes me to the back and goes over the drill. I am given scrubs to change into... no metal allowed... and no, when they turn on the machine everything metal in the room does not suddenly and with great force and speed fly to the machine, of course it would be cool if it did.

So, I lay on this table that looked to be less than two feet wide, knees slung over a wedge shaped pillow, head phones for music, eyes covered to restrict vision so you don't freak out, light weight blanket for comfort, and emergency call button. The tech reminds me that this is going to take about 30 to 40 minutes and I have to stay perfectly still.  You have the picture, especially if you have done this.

The tech starts the process by sending the table and, me into this large tube which is a huge cylindrical magnet with a hole in the middle...

As the table is moving me into the magnet, my brain starts to wander... without all the distractions of doing the daily, I guess that would be the only logical thing it has to do.  My mind runs down the list of items that the tech went over, no,I don't have any metal implants, no, I don't have any pump or pacemaker implants, no, I don't have use the rest room... or do I, welp too late now. As the table moves inward, I feel my elbows rub on the side wall and I am distracted from the list, as I try to relax, I wonder how really, really, big people fit in these machines. 

Have you every laid really still and tried to focus on something other then what was going on around you at that very moment. Like breathing, I move when I breath, how does that effect the images, should and suddenly my breathing automatically becomes shallow. I focus on trying to breath normal and as the machine went about it's task, I tried to focus on anything but the load grinding and jack hammer type sounds that were going on around me... maybe I really can fall asleep anywhere...

and then it happened...

my nose...

it started to get that little tickle, you know the one, were it feels like it wants to start a drip, that little itchy tickle, the one you would normally rub away. Oh crud, don't move, can't move, hands are twitching, focus on the music... hey wait, I wonder what happens if I press this button...  will she ask if everything is okay, of course she will, so I will say yes, but I have an itch on my nose, I will then rub my nose and she will have to start the series of images again... I will press the button... this could be fun... wait maybe not because she will get pissed and I will be stuck here even longer... not a good idea...music... these headphones sux...

What do scratching your nose and a splinter in the tip of your finger have in common... everyday you instinctively scratch your nose, you might do this fifty times in a day and not even think about it... until someone tells you that you can't. You touch stuff with your finger tips thousands of times a day... just like I am typing right now... and you never think twice about it... until you have a splinter in your finger and everything you touch hurts. 

It is amazing what the images look like...

The inside of a sore back... Sad isn't it.

I see wall art in mine!  I know what your thinking...don't even go there, you all know that I am a little off balance... in a good way! 


Well, the radiologist report will be done by Wed. afternoon, so I will probably know on Friday how much damage I have done...

Wish me luck :D

Until next time...

 Life is simple, enjoy the journey!

Everything pumpkin... and bacon!

My kid have this thing for Bacon... and Pumpkin (seems they have like for things before they become a trend).

While surfing the internet, I found a recipe for a pumpkin pie with a bacon crust...
If you try it let us know how it turns out! We already have too many pies scheduled for Thanksgiving...



Ingredients:

1 12 oz pack of bacon
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or 1 can
3 eggs
1/4 cup walnut butter (or any nut butter or cheese if you choose to eat it, or leave it out completely, whatever)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp anise seed

(or you can substitute canned pumpkin pie filling)

Line pie plate with bacon. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and drain off excess bacon grease.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add all the other ingredients. beat together then put in pie crust or just put the canned pie filling in.

Place extra bacon on the top... why, because more bacon is better!

Bake at 400 for approximately 45 minutes, then broil until bacon on top is crispy (for 5-10 mins).
Let cool a bit then drain extra bacon grease.

Enjoy.
Recipe curtsey of Caught some where in thyme blogspot

Everybody Poops

Everybody poops, but no one wants to talk about it.  Most don't even want to discuss it with their physician.  But one thing we all know is that poop stinks. So here is a new product you may want to consider investing in...

So what do you think... Real or Fake? 

 

Life is simple... Enjoy the journey!...

and laugh along the way.

Sometimes... I am my mom

And sometimes it scares me!










I miss my mom, she was a great lady.  I loved her with all my heart and there was probably not a thing, I would not have done for her.  Her last day on this earth was August 12, 2009 or that is what it says on her DC.  In her last few years she put some distance between us and it was not until recently that I figured out why.

Like I said, I would have done pretty much anything for my mom.  She gave me life, raised me, disciplined me, had my back when I was right, and was always there when I needed an answer. She was the type of mom I hope I was and am to my kids.

I was devastated when she died.  It was weeks before I could do more then put one foot in front of the other and it took me months to get through the grief and regain a sense of normal.  I can hardly  begin imagine how much worse it would have been without the emotional distance. So, as angry as I was when she pushed me away and hardly spoke to me, I now understand.

During the last couple of years, mom would only allow me to come and see her once a week. On that last day, after a short visit, I sat down on the sofa next to her to say goodbye, I sensed something different,  I asked "Mom, are you okay?, Do you need me to call the doctor?" Her response was "I have a bruise on my leg", She showed me the bruise and I said, "watch it for a couple of days and if it doesn't get better maybe you should call the doctor", then, in a casual tone, I said, "I love you, I'll see you next week".  I remember, at that moment, mom did something unusual, something she had not done in several years, she kissed me softly on the cheek and quietly whispered, " I Love You" and I remember the look of pure love in mom's eyes. That look spoke volumes in seconds, and at that moment, something inside me knew, something inside me didn't want to know and something inside me put it in a box so my heart wouldn't break right then and there so it would be safe and I could deal with trying to understand in time. It was a look of love so deep, so full and so innocent. At that moment, I was connected, I knew everything there was to know, but could put none of it in words. In words, that don't even come close, it was, I love you I'm sorry Don't cry It's time Thank you Your beautiful I'm okay You will be okay  I will always be here for you I will see you soon Don't worry and so much more. It is not something that one can ever explain to another, it has to be experienced to be understood.

Looking back now, I remember the flash of feelings, that never really registered in my conscious mind, the ones that told me mom was going to die and this was the last time I would see her. I understood it, all of it, even though my brain denied it. In a second, I knew everything there is to know... and in that same second, it slipped through my fingers, because you just can't hold onto it in the realm of time and space, in the here and now. My mom shared it with me, she showed it to me... all of it.

I know that I now know, and when I get there... it will be like going home.  In the mean time, I will strive to cherish the flashes of the pure love from the universe when ever I can.

It's true...

Life is simple... enjoy the journey!

More everything pumpkin...

I needed a little break from all the political nonsense so here is a something more for the season...

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread - (lightened up)

Yields 8 mini loaves or 2 regular

A lightened up Pumpkin Cream Cheese bread that everyone will love!!

Prep Time - 20 min
Cook Time - 25 min
Total Time - 1 hr

 

Pumpkin Bread

2 cups canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 egg whites
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 t baking soda
2 t pumpkin pie spice


Cream Cheese filling
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese (room temperature or softened slightly)
4 tbsp sugar
1 egg
2 tsp flour
1 tsp vanilla


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare one mini loaf pan (it should hold 8 loaves) or 2 9x5 loaf pans with nonstick spray.


For Bread Layers

In the bowl of your stand mixer or hand mixer combine pumpkin, eggs and egg white until smooth

In a separate medium bowl whisk together flour, sugars, baking soda & pumpkin pie spice

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixing until just smooth, set aside


For Cream Cheese Layer

In another bowl either for your stand mixer or hand mixer combine all ingredients until smooth


Bread Assembly

Pour or spoon half of the pumpkin bread mixture into the bottom of the mini loaf pan or the large loaf pan

Evenly divide the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin bread mixture and smooth out using the back of a spoon

Pour the remaining pumpkin bread mixture over the cream cheese mixture, covering as much as you can

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

Let cool for about 10-15 minutes and then remove from the pans


Notes

Each mini loaf is 9 WW+ points, so divide as needed based on how many slices you get from the loaf


Nutritional Info

Calories: 324 Total Fat: 2.8 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 85.2 mg
Sodium: 397.4 mg Total Carbs: 65.2 g Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g Sugars: 42.7 g Protein: 10.4 g

The blame game... Cut, Cap and Balance, lets try to be adults.

It's not the Democrats. It's not the Republicans. It's not your side or my side. It's the crap that we don't know about. We need to stand together to defeat the monster known as "Pork Barrel".

I read examples of government waste on the internet, things like 2.6 Million dollars to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly, or a million dollar soccer field for detainees held at Guantanamo bay, 70 million dollars in bonuses being paid to IRS employees, 7 billion (with a B) dollars worth of military equipment being left behind in Afghanistan. But where does the general public find the evidence of this. Where do we see the appropriations bills. This is the crazy stuff that has to stop.

7 billion dollars worth of military equipment... that will have to eventually be replaced?! Where is the sense in this?

The mainstream media talks about the stuff that they know scares us.  Medicare, Medicaid, SSI, Veterans benefits etc etc.  I don't want to hear about that until you tell me why we are spending 384,949 to study Sexual Conflict, Social Behavior and the Evolution of Waterfowl Genitalia. Do I really need to know how a birds dick has evolved and how it decides to have sex with another bird?!?! Or wait here is a good one, how about the $60,000.00 spent by the IRS for a parody film of Star Trek and a parody film of Gilligan's Island that stared IRS employees. My daughter, Andrea, is a stage actress, can I get $60k for her to do a film... I think not. Let's see then there was $1.5 Million to Brigham and Women's Hospital to study why 3/4 of lesbians in the US are overweight and most gay males are not or 2.7 million to study why lesbians have more vulnerability to hazardous drinking.  Don't misunderstand, I have nothing against gay and lesbian people, I have dear friends of both.  The question is why do we need to study this shit, or spend $505,000.00 to promote specialty hair and beauty products for CATS AND DOGS! But my favorite, $10,000.00 for... wait for it...your gunna love this one... talking urinal cakes. Yes, that is correct, TALKING URINAL CAKES! Oh, that might not count because it was in 2012.   Go check it out some of these for yourself.



 Not only do we need to limit congressional compensation and benefits we need to cut the pork... Congress needs to stop acting like toddlers, stop playing games to get their way and start acting like adults. Things like spending more money shutting down the open air memorial than it costs to leave it open and telling fisherman that they can't fish in the open water of the Everglades National park until the government opens back up is stupid and childish.  Get a grip congress... or we will have to start a movement to convene a 5th amendment convention and oust all of you!

Remember when...

Life was Simple ... we enjoyed the journey.

The Fox is Guarding the Hen House! - warning strong language.

The more I read the more I understand the conspiracy theorists, preppers and occupy movement.  Don't misunderstand me... I am not going down their path, but I can see why they are on it.

As I said yesterday, I am not a political aficionado, hell, I can't even spell it without spell check. I do the daily just like most of America.  With all the BS that has been flying since Obama took office, I have been trying to make the time to better understand what is going on in our government. I find it to be very "heavy stuff".  It could easily become a full time job to read, sort and understand all of the information that is available.

So, my main focus these past couple of days has been understanding the federal budget, the government shut down and the waste in our government.

Right now, it is my opinion that, if we cut government waste, we can truly lower taxes. I believe that most Americans feel the same way, but, like me, don't know where the waste really is. I also feel that, cutting waste will cause a chain reaction, both good and bad.

The pros, if we cut waste and lower taxes, individuals and small business will have more money. More money equals more spending and more spending equals more jobs and a better economy.  The cons, if we cut out all the BS spending for things like, oh let me see here...2.6 million dollars to teach Chinese hookers to drink responsibly or $175,587 dollars to determine if cocaine makes Japanese quail engage is sexually risky behavior (WTF, yes you read it right), someone will lose a job and some politician will be pissed off because he promised his buddy that he would get it passed if only his buddy would vote on HB 123. This is the bull shit that most Americans don't know about and that we don't need.

Sorry about your luck if you are the ones teaching the Chinese hookers (oh wait, that should say prostitutes) about drinking, your going to have to get a real job.

We have to feel the pain. Yes, I know that is harsh, I know more people will lose jobs. But, when you have already lost your job because the financial system, the one that you trusted, fucked up and the company you worked for ended up shutting down and no one would hire you because you're a female in a male-dominated industry, who is over prime age for the workforce... so you start your own company because there wasn't an unemployment extension,(not that it was enough anyway), and the unemployment you were receiving ran out... then you're told, by the government, that you didn't work your ass off to build your company in the worst economic time since the great depression, the government did... ya, I am a little harsh!

 I AM A TRUE AMERICAN, I AM MAKING IT WITHOUT A HAND-OUT FROM THE GOVERNMENT!

Oh, and I have a budget!

So, as my painter Nick would say, Kiss my ass!

Back to the point, I downloaded a copy of the 2013 proposed budget (you can too, just click the link). It is 256 pages long and not really an easy read (so far I am on pg 6)... but I will read on. There appear to be several supplements to read when I am done with the budget. Somewhere along the line I hope to find all the junk spending, the stuff that really does not benefit the American people.  When I do, I will make a list for all of you who are doing the daily! 

Maybe we should get together and write a budget... or move to the mountains in Utah and prepare for the end of life as we know it. 

On another note, from the Washington Examiner...

--At the World War II Memorial on The Mall in Washington, where veterans have been staging protests to keep it open, Washington Examiner's Charlie Spiering reports that at least seven officials were dispatched Wednesday morning to set up a ring of barricades to block tourists from the memorial. That is two more than the State Department had in Benghazi a year ago on the night of the terrorist attack that killed four, including the U.S. ambassador.

and...

-- National Park Officials closed down the educational Claude Moore Colonial Farm near the CIA in McLean, Va., even though the federal government doesn't fund or staff the park popular with children and schools. Just because the privately-operated park is on Park Service land, making the federal government simply its landlord, the agency decided to close it.

I add this, The WWII Memorial is a 24-hour open air memorial. The Claude Moore Colonial Farm has been operated for 32 yrs after it was cut from the budget in 1980...

I think our government is playing games with us.  I still believe...

Life is simple... enjoy the journey!

Hope and Change... Where Do We Start, Procol Harum

Hope and Change... 

Let's start with change... Hope is for things you can't change, like 7 lost sailors at sea.  You can hope, you can help, but you can not change the fact that they are lost.

I hear people talking about what should and should not change.  I hear people complaining about the congressional system. I hear people complaining about society and gun control and kids out of control and debt out of control...  Then there was the sequestration and now the government shut down. So, let's start with the change... Oh, by the way, remember how they (the infamous they again) tried to scare us with the sequestration.  It just vanished out of the news media... on to the next topic to scare the masses into submission.

I don't know how to start the process of change... like most, I have ideas on what I think should be done, but I am by no means a political aficionado. I am like the masses who wake up every morning, go to work, make a living... doing the daily. Why should I even talk about this, what qualifies me you ask... nothing really, well other than being an American and having been a single mom raising four children on $950.00 a month, paying a mortgage and a car payment with no welfare, and still managed to have a savings account. Yea that might qualify me to voice an opinion... 

You wonder how I did that, it was called a budget. If it was not in the budget, it was not, PERIOD. If it needed to be, the budget got adjusted... NOT INCREASED. 

I wonder how many Americans know that this country has not had a real federal budget since 1997.  That's correct 1997 and we wonder why we are in such a mess. Some may call me out on this but is seems the "Budget" that was passed in 2009 was nothing more than a spending bill full of earmark projects. The following year... no budget because it was a midterm election year and a budget might have a negative impact on the election. On and on the excuses go... I mean reasons.

So, how have we continued to run this county with out a budget? Easy, with a whole lot of continuing resolutions and printing more money... and disaster looms...

Oh, change, that's right we were talking about change.  Let's start by changing the congressional compensation package.  Take a look at the congressional salaries and allowances as published by the Congressional Research Service (bet they are paid by the government too!). 

Look closely.  For example the MRA benefit, Members' representational allowance. For 2011 the MRA range was from $1,356,975 to $1,671,596, with an average of $1,446,009.00 each. Almost a million and a half dollars, EACH! And that is just one of the benefits.

I think we should go back to congress being a service and not a career. Let's stop paying them, $174K a year (plus all these benefits). Their salary is almost three and a half times what the average American family earns, at a median household income of $51K a year.  Let's start paying them what our combat soldiers are paid, with the same benefits. Better yet, pay them on the same scale as the Military Reservist are paid for their part time service.  Then require that they only be in session one weekend a month and two weeks over the summer. Let them use their "summer vacation" like our reservists do to serve our county. Then they can go back to their regular jobs and work like the rest of us, pay for their own healthcare and retirement.  Maybe then we can get people into office who really want to serve this great country and cut out all the BULL SHIT!  

And for those who do not know, most combat soldiers with a family (the guys who fight for our freedoms), qualify for food stamps and our housed in what is termed "Sub-standard Housing".

Let's start there... then let's look at the budget and start trimming the fat. 

I leave you with the lyrics to a song... read them carefully.

I know if I'd been wiser this would never have occurred
but I wallowed in my blindness so it's plain that I deserve
for the sin of self-indulgence when the truth was writ quite clear
I must spend my life amongst the dead who spend their lives in fear
of a death that they're not sure of, of a life they can't control

It's all so simple really if you just look to your soul

Some say that I'm a wise man, some think that I'm a fool
It doesn't matter either way: I'll be a wise man's fool

For the lesson lies in learning and by teaching I'll be taught
for there's nothing hidden anywhere, it's all there to be sought
And so if you know anything look closely at the time
at others who remain untrue and don't commit that crime

~Procol Harum, Shine On Brightly

I want government to go back to being like life...

Life is simple... enjoy the journey.

Government, Shut it down...We Are A Great People!

From Being American by GO- Facebook page

Yes I can, and according to a vast number of people who commented on the Facebook page where I found this photo a lot of people feel the same way.

I love my Country... I am not happy with my government!  

So what exactly will happen if the government shuts down?  Well I can tell you this, the world will not stop turning and I, like many of you will still get up and go to work on Oct. 1st. and so will many of those who work for the government. 

Contrary to what the propaganda wants you to believe, there will be little effect on our everyday lives as all essential services will continue. Your mail will still be delivered, garbage will still be picked up (unless you live in Washington DC), the court houses will still hold trials, the jails will still hold prisoners and the military will still protect us. The government will continue to collect taxes. Because these are either essential services or they are funded by a stream of money that will not be effected.

Again I ask, what exactly will happen if the government shuts down? Well, lets see, non essential services... some federal employees will be furloughed (think of it as they get an extra holiday). If you remember the last shut down, they were paid retroactively after everything settled down. Furlough = paid holiday. 3/4 or about 1,265 of the presidents 1,701 member staff will be sent home. By the way... the president and vice president are exempt from furlough but of the 90 people who maintain the president's family living quarters, only 15 will continue working to provide minimum maintenance and support.  Yes, the president has a staff of 90 just to maintain the family living quarters. I think he can get by just fine with 15 for a while since most of us don't even have ONE! Oh and the National Parks will close. Remember the sequestration... that already cut white house tours.


I still cant see what vital services that Americans depend on will be shut down.  Oh, there is one, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be effected. So that gun permit you applied for... it will take a little longer then anticipated.  Ha, since Obama scared everyone with gun control, if you are a proponent of the 2nd amendment, you already have you CCW.   Never mind.  Social Security checks your ask, during the last shut down SSI checks were still sent, although there may be a delay in processing new applications. I think we can deal with that considering they have waited this long to even qualify.

Think back to the Clinton years and when the government shut down. Nothing but a big scare tactic for political maneuvering. The BIGGEST concern I can find is, according to a recent CNN/opinion research poll, 51% of Americans will blame the Republicans if the government closes its doors. This, perhaps, sets up a scenario for influencing the next election.

By the way did you know we have not really had a budget since 2009. You heard me correctly, NO BUDGET PASSED .  The only thing this administration has done is continue to pass appropriation bills to raise the debt ceiling to keep spending money and Obamacare... that goes into effect even if the government shuts down.

Oh, by the way, sorry about your trip to Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, your going to have to figure out a plan B vacation. We need to stop the blame game and feel a little pain if we are going to get things back on the right track.

Lets get back to...

Life is Simple... Enjoy the journey!

Tomorrow... more pumpkin, it's that time of year!

Amendment Number 28... Obamacare and More Pumpkin.

I did say in the title... disjointed ramblings of an old lady...

 Amendment 28

Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States .

GOT YA!...      There is no 28th Amendment...

  

   But I want to know the who, what, when, where, and why of Obamacare...

How is any average working American going to read and understand all of the BS to make an educated healthcare insurance choice. 

 We're not...  As Sweet Brown would say "Ain't nobody got time for that". 

We are doing the daily, making ends meet, paying bills and raising families so we are going to depend on the mis-information, half truths, propaganda and lies that are spun by 1) The media 2) The health care industry 3) The politicians that are promoting it. We are doing exactly what the government wants us to be doing...

But if you find time... (maybe bathroom reading material) here are the links to the full text and reconciliation.  

I will warn you ahead of time, the certified reconciliation Act is 55 pages and the certified version of the affordable Care Act is 2409 pages.  

Read the Full Text of the Affordable Care Act

• Full Text of the Affordable Care Act and Reconciliation Act (PDF – 2.6 MB)
• Certified Full-Text Version: Affordable Care Act (PDF – 4.27 MB)
• Certified Full-Text Version: Reconciliation Act (PDF – 282 KB)

Now when you are done reading that...

If you go to the Web site for the Federal Register and search "Affordable Care Act"  you will find the following related articles by type: 

• Rule 5,662
• Notice 3,282
• Proposed Rule 2,463
• Presidential Document 116 

They want me to believe that healthcare will be affordable for everyone.

The following Quotes are from: (http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-health-insurance-exchange.php):

Quote: Part of the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is focused on providing "affordable" health care. This means that those who can pay more do, but most of us will qualify for discounts to help pay for health insurance premiums. While most Americans will pay less, some will not. However, the Affordable Health Care Act doesn't promise "cheaper insurance for everyone." It promises "Affordable, quality health care for everyone."

I say, since all the rhetoric about Obamacare our insurance premium has increased close to $300.00 per month, on a policy we have had for 5 yrs. We now pay almost $800.00 a month for insurance that has a $5,000.00 deductible for each of us. Then pays 80/20 until an OOP (out of pocket) of $15,000.00.  Oh, and neither one of us has any health issues or take any prescription medications.  I have heard from people that are paying over twice this amount who do have health issues. 

Two things occur to me, it appears that, they (it's always the infamous they) think we are part of the ones who can afford to pay more, and the insurance industry is already trying to subsidize this health care act. Maybe they know something we don't...

I can get health care coverage on an exchange. 

Quote: If you make between $11,505 to $46,021 you can buy subsidized private insurance in the state-based online marketplaces. If you make less than $15,302 you may qualify for Medicaid.
You may qualify for discounts to help pay for premiums if your income is from $15,302 to $46,021 for an individual and $31,155 to $93,700 for a family of four.

Wait... read that again...  if you make between $11,505 to $46,021 you can buy subsidized private insurance; and if you make less than $15,302 you may qualify for Medicaid. So which is it?!?!?! And, why, if I qualify for medicaid would I purchase the insurance...and what about families of two and  three or five and six? Do I divide the family of four income or do I subtract the individual amount from the family of four and then divide by three and then add that back on to see what my income needs to be...
Lets see, then that is 93,700/4=24,425  then the individual amount of 46021+24425=70446 if I am at the top of the income bracket. Now how much of a discount will that give me?  Crap I did it wrong... I need to take 93700-46021=47679 47679/3=15893 add that to the individual max amount of 46021+15893=61914 and that gets me a discount of how much? 


Hang on there should be a note here somewhere about the paperwork reduction act and how much time this should take to figure out...

What if you don't get health insurance?  

 

Quotes from: http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-individual-mandate.php

Quote: The individual mandate goes into effect January 1st, 2014. The penalty will be applied to your taxable income for each month you don't have health insurance. The fee is 1% to 2.5% of your taxable income or a set amount, whichever is greater.

So now my government... the men and women who I have elected to office are telling me I have to get health insurance or they are going to fine me, and... they can't even tell me how much the fine is!
Wait, Wait, Wait a minute... here it is... it is not a fine, it is a "Tax".

• The "mandate" to have insurance is officially a tax as declared by the supreme court on June 28, 2012. 

Oh wait, or is it a "FEE"?

Your tax penalty (shared responsibility fee) for not having insurance is paid on your taxes at the end of the year. If your taxable income is below 133% of the FPL you are exempt from this tax.

2014 = $95 per person per year or 1% of your Income
2015 = $325 per person per year or 2% of your Income
2016 = $695 per person per year or 2.5% of your Income
2017 = Tax Penalty will increase by the rate of inflation going forward, or 2.5% of your Income. The total penalty for the taxable year cannot exceed the national average of the annual premiums of a bronze-level health insurance plan offered through the health insurance marketplaces.

But didn't it say I would be "Taxed" for each month I didn't have insurance and this says per year... Which is it?!?!? Okay, let's see if we can be exempt... to be exempt, the FPL (Federal poverty level) for an individual is $11,490 *133% = $15281.17

Hum, that amount seems awfully close to the threshold for medicaid.

This is only a fraction of what needs to be considered with individual healthcare insurance. We haven't even looked at what the changes in coverage will be and if you own your own business and have employees... good luck figuring that one out! 

Maybe they should just shut down the government till we can all figure this out or better yet... we can all quit our jobs go on food stamps, medicaid, let the government support us and not worry about it.

My head hurts...

Here is some more fun with Everything pumpkin!

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good

Ingredients

• 1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/4 pound cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2–4 garlic cloves (to taste), split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped
• 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped (my addition)
• About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions (my addition)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (my addition)
• About 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment, or find a Dutch oven with a diameter that's just a tiny bit larger than your pumpkin. If you bake the pumpkin in a casserole, it will keep its shape, but it might stick to the casserole, so you'll have to serve it from the pot—which is an appealingly homey way to serve it. If you bake it on a baking sheet, you can present it freestanding, but maneuvering a heavy stuffed pumpkin with a softened shell isn't so easy. However, since I love the way the unencumbered pumpkin looks in the center of the table, I've always taken my chances with the baked-on-a-sheet method, and so far, I've been lucky.

Using a very sturdy knife—and caution—cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (think Halloween Jack-o-Lantern). It's easiest to work your knife around the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle. You want to cut off enough of the top to make it easy for you to work inside the pumpkin. Clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper, and put it on the baking sheet or in the pot.

Toss the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, and herbs together in a bowl. Season with pepper—you probably have enough salt from the bacon and cheese, but taste to be sure—and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled—you might have a little too much filling, or you might need to add to it. Stir the cream with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper and pour it into the pumpkin. Again, you might have too much or too little—you don’t want the ingredients to swim in cream, but you do want them nicely moistened. (It's hard to go wrong here.)

Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours—check after 90 minutes—or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Because the pumpkin will have exuded liquid, I like to remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little.

When the pumpkin is ready, carefully, very carefully—it's heavy, hot, and wobbly—bring it to the table or transfer it to a platter that you'll bring to the table.

Serving
You have a choice—you can either spoon out portions of the filling, making sure to get a generous amount of pumpkin into the spoonful, or you can dig into the pumpkin with a big spoon, pull the pumpkin meat into the filling, and then mix everything up. I'm a fan of the pull-and-mix option. Served in hearty portions followed by a salad, the pumpkin is a perfect cold-weather main course; served in generous spoonfuls, it's just right alongside the Thanksgiving turkey.

Storing
It's really best to eat this as soon as it's ready. However, if you’ve got leftovers, you can scoop them out of the pumpkin, mix them up, cover, and chill them; reheat them the next day.

Bonne Idée
There are many ways to vary this arts-and-crafts project. Instead of bread, I've filled the pumpkin with cooked rice—when it's baked, it's almost risotto-like. And, with either bread or rice, on different occasions I've added cooked spinach, kale, chard, or peas (the peas came straight from the freezer). I’ve made it without bacon (a wonderful vegetarian dish), and I’ve also made it and loved, loved, loved it with cooked sausage meat; cubes of ham are also a good idea. Nuts are a great addition, as are chunks of apple or pear or pieces of chestnut.

Reprinted courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.

Everything pumpkin... it's that time of year!

Ahh, it's fall or autumn, depending on where you live.  The "holiday season" is upon us, which I never quite understood. It implies that Valentines day, St. Patrick's day, Independence day and any number of other "Days" are not holidays...
 
For those like my granddaughter in law Dani, (that just sounds wrong) who LOVE candy corn, my daughter Andrea and son Chris, with their various pumpkin fetishes this is the best time of year!

Me, I miss living in our old house this time of year. We had such fun decorating for Holidays, especially Halloween. I still have boxes and boxes of stuff in the attic. Spider webs made of rope, torches, head stones, over sized rats, misc. body parts, grim reaper outfits, fog and echo machines. Back then we even had a full size coffin.

Lone Grave-Col. James C. Vanderipe

The best part was having a grave right across the street, the huge old oak trees and the nearest street light was a block away. We would set up a spot light to reflect off the branches of the old oak tree, Andrea would dress up in my wedding dress dance around the grave to spooky music.



 
 I wish now that we had video cameras set up.  It was such fun. Year after year the same people would come back to see what we had added. Even people who moved out of the neighborhood would come back to visit us. Over the years as the kids grew up they would come back with there kids.

But alas...the ebb and flow,  life moves on, things change. Where we live now, no one trick or treats. It may be that the houses are two far apart or that there are many other places that have events like trunk or treat.

I wonder, does anyone participate in Halloween like we used to, by going door to door? 

For Andrea and Chris... Everything pumpkin...   

Pumpkin Bread

 Life is simple... enjoy the journey!

100 days+... the search continues.

1928 racing schooner Niña

The 85-year-old staysail racing schooner Niña, left port on May 29 bound for Newcastle, Australia. The Capt., David Dyche and crew including, his wife and son, Rosemary Dyche and David Dyche IV, Evi Nemeth, Kyle Jackson, Danielle Wright, and Matthew Wootton were on board. They were last heard from on June 4th 2013 after weathering two storms.



Yesterday I watched a trailer from the new Robert Redford Movie, All is Lost, and it made a lump raise up in my throat.  ALL is NOT lost...






It has been over 100 days since the sailing schooner Niña has gone missing in the Tasman sea. 100 days is a long time... but not the record.  There has been no evidence that the vessel sank suddenly, no wreckage, floatsom, nothing.

The search continues...  family and friends know the captain and crew are survivors. ( read about the top 10 Sea Survivors here.)

Image of Life raft found on Tomnod

As I understand it there are over 8,000 people who are or who have searched on Tomnod to find what looks like either a boat or life raft. There was what appeared to be a life raft that was found, and we are trying to locate it on newer images.  Current images were posted from Sept. 9th. We need more eyes to help the search.

If you can spare a few minutes, please help us search these Tomnod images.



There is also a petition to have the government use the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) to acquire, and analyze, satellite imagery of the appropriate areas to detect a small boat or life raft.  This is equipment our government already has and it sounds like it would be a rather small matter for them if they would do it.  I understand that it would be a huge asset in finding the Nina!

Please take a moment and Sign The Petition



We need to keep the Niña in the forefront of the media and on google until something is found.


Join the search at  Holding Hope for the Niña,

Follow the progress at Bringing Home the Niña and Her Crew.

Or

Texas Equuinsearch Nina Updates page

Donations can be made at the following: Donate to Search for the Niña

If you do nothing else, share this post and any other information you see about the Nina and her crew and those of you who have tweeter, please tweet the hash tag  #ninarescue.

PS. IF Any one knows Robert Redford, or the director J.C. Chandor or anyone else related to the production of the movie All is Lost... please forward this to them directly.  Thanks!


and please think about this, while you are taking a hot shower, drinking your morning coffee or eating your Friday night pizza...  the 7 lost at sea can't... until we find them.

Life is simple... enjoy the journey!

I know how to fix the problems...

 I know how to fix the problems.

Yes, all of them, all of the problems, every single issue we have.

Not just the ones here in the U.S., all of them, the world over.

It will stop all war, all big government, all corporate greed, murders, home invasions, and any other violent act.

It will solve the problems with Social Security, welfare, health care, homelessness, jobs, education, inflation and taxes.

There will be no more need for  NSA, Homeland security, or the military.

We won't have to worry about racism, illegal immigration or human trafficking.

It will stop pollution and the depletion of the natural resources.

By Damn it will save the earth!

Every concern, every issue, every debate,  every, every thing.

If you can name, this solution will fix it.

And when I tell you, your going to hit yourself in the head and say " I should have had a V8"...

There are draw backs...


It will not be easy, will likely take a while and...

will take a tremendous amount of self control from all of human kind (which we do not seem to have).

It is so simple I am surprised that the liberals have not demanded it.


Oh wait,

Damn,

... like everything else, someone already thought of it, never mind, I'm about 22 yrs behind the time.

It appears we as humans can't handle a solution this drastic.

It really was a brilliant idea though, it really will fix everything.

Maybe, when we are ready for it, it will catch on.

I hope it won't be to late...

Life is simple, enjoy the journey!

Civic duty... a different view of the world

Yesterday was jury duty day. So, I spent the day downtown doing my civic duty. This to some may seem like a burden, but to me, it is part of what makes this a great country, and I am honored to have the opportunity.

If you have never been through the process it is quite interesting. It has changed since the last time I served, and not only is it now in the new judicial center,  the court also picks all jury's for the week on Monday. As it turns out, if you are not selected by the end of the day then you have done your duty until you are summoned again.

I was going to write a long diatribe about the whole process, but decided it was going to be to boring. I am sure it would be more fun to tell you about the people watching and the yellow shoes, but I will save those for another day too.

I will however, tell you about the few things I learned.

I learned the term- Voir Dire. As explained by the judge who swore the group of us in, it means to speak the truth, and in lay terms, jurors are sworn to truthfully answer all questions that they are asked during the selection process. Trust me... there were some answers that had a whole lot more detail then the court probably needed!

I learned that without a reasonable doubt only applies to criminal cases, unlike a criminal case, preponderance of evidence is the standard of proof that must be meet in a civil case.

I learned that only 7 people are selected to sit on a jury unless it is a capital case, then they will select 12.

...and I learned that hypothetically you can have a criminal trial without a defense.

Because the defendant is innocent until proven guilty, the state must prove first that a crime has been committed and then prove that the defendant committed the crime...

The defense is there to create reasonable doubt...

Looking East on SR 64

...but most of all I learned that the city I live in looks a whole lot different from the 6th floor of the county judicial center. 

Looking across the Manatee River over the Post office

I spent a few minutes in the present and was in awe of how different our once small town looked.  It gave me a different perspective of Bradenton, if only for that moment.




...and as I looked around at the other people, who like me were waiting, some were texting, others talking on their phones, a few playing games... I wanted to scream...

HEY! look up, look out the window... look at the beautiful sky... did you know there are water towers out east... look out at the town we live in... look out at the world!

This morning as I sit here writing, I wonder, how many other people took the time to look out the window while they were waiting on the 6th floor...and how many people noticed the yellow shoes...

Life is simple... enjoy the journey!

These are the good ole' days and jury duty.

You wonder what these two things have in common...
well actually nothing at all.









It just so happens that I have been called for jury duty, yet again. Don't get me wrong, I believe in civic duty, I just wonder how they "randomly" pick the people who are selected to appear for duty. 


You see in the last 15 yrs I have been summoned for jury duty four (4) times. Once I spent two days at the court house and when questioned, was dismissed because I had a teenage son and the case was a statutory rape case. The second time I was picked to sit on a jury for an domestic assault case. The third time, I called the night before and was dismissed without having to show up. Today is my fourth summons.  Bill, on the other hand, has never received a jury summons while living in Florida.

So, how random is random...  I guess I should be the one picking the Lotto numbers!

The other title topic...



Think about it, these are the good ole' days. Why you might ask, because we are making the memories today, that we will cherish tomorrow.

Yesterday, I took Bill by the hand, we went outside and danced naked in the rain...

Damn it was cold rain too!


 
The places we go, the friends we spend time with... these are what make the memories that become the good ole' days.  Cherish today... make the memories for tomorrow.

Yeah and you thought today was just another day...

Life is simple... enjoy the journey!

The Lost Bounce

Bounce... bounce... bounce , I have lost my bounce

Because that's what Tiggers do!

 I told Bill that I had lost my bounce, you know like Tigger has a bounce because that's what tiggers do. Tiggers are very passionate about their bounce too!
I have had different bounces, I had bounce when I was a mom raising a terrific family, being involved with the PTA, school and sports stuff, I had bounce when I worked in the fire safety industry, I had bounce building houses, I bounced all over, ask anyone who has worked with me. I never remember losing the bounce. I just bounced right on to the next thing to bounce to. But this time, I feel like I have lost that bounce, yes it is true, I have lost it. I tried to find it, I looked here, there and a few other places, but it has been eluding me. Bill even tried to help find my bounce, but as you must know with bounces, no one else can find yours, only you can.

Bill understands, he misplaced his bounce once.  He bounced all over the pharmacy he owned, and then one day he realized his bounce was gone. So, he sold his pharmacy and moved to Florida looking for his new bounce.  You know what... he found it, and when he lost that bounce he found another one and along the way he also found me! I think that is a wonderful thing.

Don, my first husband had bounce.  He had his bounce for a very long time! Sometimes he bounced higher than others, but he stuck with his bounce for 3 decades and that is a long time to do the same type of bounce.  But alas, "they" won't let him bounce that bounce anymore... I guess he is looking for a new bounce too.

So, for now my bounce seems to be gone. Oh, I still try to bounce, just not as high and not as far, and my heart just isn't in it. When you realize that you have lost your bounce, it can be a very sad thing.  I am going to find a new bounce, I know I will, one that will help me bounce higher. I don't know where or when I will find it, but if I keep trying and keep looking... I will find it!  Because tiggers have to bounce, that's what tiggers do! 

The wonderful thing about Tiggers
Is Tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, FUN!
But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is I'm the only one
I'm the only me!