Pains, Drains, and Auto Machines

One of the funniest movies I have ever watched was Planes, Trains, and Automobiles about a man trying to travel home in time for Thanksgiving and everything that can go wrong - does!




By the time it got to the part where they are driving in a burned out car frame, I had tears running down my face from laughing so hard.





Kind of feels like my week - everything that could go wrong - did - only I am not laughing:

Pains - Includes the normal aches and pains from Parkinson's, but add to it a yucky summer cold - and some family pains in the ... umm... neck!!

Drains - One of ours stopped - draining that is.  My efforts to clear it out on my own so that I didn't have to call a plumber, resulted in a broken pipe .... and a call to the plumber!

Auto Machines - (That's auto for automatic)  For months now our dryer timer has been broken, but, hey - the dryer still works - we just have to remember to turn it off (and hope we don't burn down the house when we forget and leave it running for several hours.)  This week our wash machine decided to start stopping in the middle of cycles.  It also still runs - if we go down and turn it back on.   So we now have a dryer that won't turn off and a wash machine that won't stay turned on!   Got to love machines!!!  

Not a fun week!  But - life is still good!  It isn't always pretty though!

Denied - Long Term Care Insurance

Hubby and I both applied for Long Term Care Insurance.  I told him it was a waste of time for me to apply and I was right.  Not at all surprising, I was denied and he was accepted.

This insurance company is not very smart though.  Here are 3 simple facts they should have considered instead of just the fact that I have Parkinson's and Hubby is healthy (on paper).

1.  I am way healthier than Hubby overall, and my health habits are way better than Hubby's are.   I may have Parkinson's but Hubby is currently on the track for a whole realm of other bad health stuff, including diabetes, strokes, heart problems, joint problems, etc. etc.   If I were a betting woman (apparently I am as I applied for insurance) I would wager that Hubby's overall health will decline way before mine.  

2.  Hubby has a kind, nurturing, caretaker kind of personality.  If I need a caretaker, he will take care of me until he drops for as long as he can.  He will not put me in long term care until someone forces him too.  It's his personality - it's just the way he is!

3.  I, on the other hand, will put Hubby in long term care as soon as it even appears that I might have to take on the caretaker role.  I will be supportive and loving and visit him regularly and even occasionally help his long term caretakers - but I do not have a kind, nurturing, caretaker bone in my body!  (Sorry Hubby, but you married me this way!!)

Perhaps Long Term Care Insurance Companies should use different criteria on who they accept and who they don't.  I am pretty sure they chose poorly in our case!  

(Just in case you haven't figured it out - this is a satire and I am not serious about anything I wrote... except the part that I do not have a caretaker personality.  That part, I was totally serious about... Oh... and also the part about Hubby having a caretaker personality.  That part, I was totally serious about... Oh  yeah... and also the part about me being the healthy one and Hubby not being the healthy one.  That part, I was totally serious about... And...uumm... also the part about the Insurance company choosing poorly.  That part, I was totally serious about too...  The rest was satire!)

Sunshine makes me happy!

Today I am grateful for sunshine.  Beautiful, bright, glowing, glorious, warm, wonderful sunshine!  I love the way it feels on my very sunshine needy body.  Almost makes we want to take all my clothes off to soak up all the rays!  I said ALMOST!   I will spare my neighbors that experience.  However if I lived out in the country with no-one around... 

Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy - very happy!

The movie "Son of God" and CeeLo Green - Mary Did You Know (The Bible)

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We went to see the movie "Son of God" tonight!  I thought it was very well done, but if you go take lots of tissues! 



I am so grateful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - for His example and teachings, for His sacrifice, and for His resurrection.  I just wish I were a better follower.  Sadly, I have too many traits that keep me from following Him the way I should.  As I watched the movie tonight - I realized some of His disciples had the same traits - fear, doubts, lack of understanding, questions, and even fearful denial.  Yet - He kept teaching them, and helping them to grow in faith, line upon line, precept upon precept - and He does the same with me and all of us - ever so patiently and lovingly. 



Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) - and He is "the light of the world" (John 8:12).  What a blessing His light is too us -  as we try to find the right path in this very dark world! 

CM - Where are you???

Oh where Oh where has the blogger gone,

Oh where Oh where can she be?

She sets up a blog, and says we'll have fun

Oh where Oh where can she be?

Bet you are wondering what happened to me - aren't you?
Yeah? - well me too!!

But I survived it all - wasn't sure I was going to, but I did! 

What is "it all" - you ask? 

How long do you have to read?  Not long you say?

Well then - I will give you the shortened version of the highlights! 
Here "it all" is  - the good and the bad!

Good - Got to be labor coach for the birth of grandchild # 18.

Bad - Missed the actual birth of grandchild #18 - cause the doctor said it would be another hour so we went to the cafeteria to grab a quick bite - and not even 5 minutes after we left - the impatient little grandson literally flew into the world before we could rush back after getting the text he was on his way!!! 

Bad - My almost brand new (3 months, 3000 miles) Subaru Outback that I had fallen in love with - tangled with a semi and lost!  (I have decided this was a message from God to not fall in love with material things!!!) - No one was hurt - but it took almost 2 months for them to fix the damage - and we all know the Subaru will never be the same.  :(

Good - Hubby changed jobs - which gave him a raise - solved all of our health care and retirement concerns (see this post - http://cmfalling.blogspot.com/2013/09/money-or-time-qestions-decisions-and.html ) - reduced his stress level, and blessed him with the extra time needed to deal with a bunch of stuff (like car repairs, baby births, and mortgage refinance screw ups!)

Bad - Hubby had to leave a job he absolutely loved, but the new job miraculously dropped into his lap and they made him an offer he could not refuse! (see above).  Hopefully he will come to love this job too!!

Good - We were able to refinance our mortgage and got an amazing rate saving us a bunch of money.

Bad - We had to navigate through a horrible mortgage refinance screw up (caused by a loan officer's incompetency) which caused us weeks of hassles, and numerous phone calls to get the mess fixed and transferred to a competent loan officer who helped us finally get back on track - and accomplish what should have been a very short and simple process to begin with - all during the Christmas holiday!!

Good -  I got another chance to be the birth coach for the birth of grandchild #19.  Unlike the previous grandchild who was in a big hurry - this one came into the world slowly and reluctantly.  And she was not happy about it either!!  But I got to witness the amazing miracle of birth and she is adorable and adjusting to the cold harsh reality of this world!  As are her brothers!

So all in all - I am still here and alive and kicking (and sometimes shaking)!  And most importantly, I can say I survived!  (Barely)