A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

Hi, Carol, and glad you enjoyed Wind River.

The lack of compiling statistics for missing Native American women and girls cannot be accidental, in my opinion, and is a sad state of affairs in 21st century United States.

We will travel, I feel certain, but it will be abbreviated, and I don’t know yet just when we will get out of here.

I tell myself I can’t expect to do everything as I have always done it, right?

I am glad to still be able to go and do, at all, as many cannot for whatever reason.

We have a rather small, extended family thing on Saturday, for which I am going to try a new recipe…another from the Washington Post, which have all been excellent.

If it is, I’ll post it here.

We are due to have a mix of rain and snow later today and tomorrow, so I’ve made a run to the store, have firewood in, walked Lily and tucked the Toyota in the garage for the next couple of days.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I finished last night “The Nature of Fragile Things”, by Susan Meissner, and it was very good.

https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Fragil...3771663&sr=8-1

Historical fiction, set primarily in and around San Francisco before, during, and after the earthquake and subsequent fires of 1906.

I have to admit that I read a lot of books that are variations on a theme , particularly those set during WWI and WWII, and it is a nice vacation for my mind to read something like this one and Surviving Savannah.

[sfranklin]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Hi, Carol, and glad you enjoyed Wind River.

The lack of compiling statistics for missing Native American women and girls cannot be accidental, in my opinion, and is a sad state of affairs in 21st century United States.

This is a very timely comment. I just watched that movie a few days ago and thought to myself with all the ways we are tracked, phones, phone apps, cars, watches, etc, how in this day an age can an entire group be unknown, moreover, if a police report is done, how an entire category, knowingly can be omitted from statistics. Perhaps I'm just oversimplifying it, but it just seems that in the 21st century, without trying to start a conspiracy, how something like this could be identified and still continue to this very day is possible.

[Lily&Me]

Yes.

It can only be quite deliberate, and systemically so.

IMHO.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It is now 2024, and when you’re told as a young person that as you get older the years just fly by…that is absolutely the truth. Yikes.

Holidays are over and today we have sunshine all day for the first time in longer than I can remember.

It’s cold, but the sun is shining, so that is a good thing.

The holidays have felt very busy, to me, but maybe that is just in comparison to my usual, rather hermit-like life.

I watched Wind River once more last week, as it is now off of Netflix, and it was every bit as good the 5th time or so…with more subtleties picked up every time I watch it.

I may have to purchase that movie.


I am usually on the road by now, but am looking at being home at least through most of January to be sure medical issues have calmed sufficiently to allow a four week period between seeing a provider.

Have made an appointment for Jon @ Don Owen Tire to do a thorough road check on the Interstate in a few weeks, and talked with my insurance company this morning about seeing a specialist in the southeast while gone.

So that I don’t have to simply make a mad dash to Edisto and back.

Which I can do, and they promptly emailed me a list of in network providers, so I have begun to work on that.

Fairly simple, it seems, and the Dr. I chose was unsurprised at someone needing only seasonal medical care and monitoring, so this may not be at all unusual.

Pivot and punt, right?

Not much going on here, just checking in.

Hope everyone had good holidays and has amazing adventures planned for 2024.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I like lots of light in the little house, and the big, paired windows in the living room and directly opposite in what is now my “sitting room” only have valances on them.

So, lots of light unless the west facing ones have blinds dropped due to the heat of the summer sun, and, accordingly, I keep them and the full view glass doors front and back clean so that I can enjoy the light and whatever the weather is doing.

With a Windex’d, microfiber cloth this morning, I am touching them all up and in particular cleaning off spots where birds have flown into them or squirrels…nuts in mouth…have tried to hurl themselves through them, looking for a new and special place to stash away winter dinners.

I have seen both these events with my own eyes, more than once, so know that’s where the spots have come from.

On occasion a bird has temporarily knocked itself out, from flying into my windows or doors, but otherwise no fowl nor fur have met their demise due to my clean windows.


We’re heading into serious winter here in central Illinois, with some flurries overnight and what could become a real snowstorm set to arrive on Tuesday…when I have labs and a Dr. appointment.

I have YakTrax grippers for my shoes…very effective, even on ice…located and at the ready, and sweet son on standby to drive me to/from my appointment if we are in major storm status.

It could diminish, come later in the day, move north or south, but he has a bigger, heavier vehicle and can drop me off/pick me up at the door.


We do not want to fall, as older people, as that can be the end of things rather quickly, and my goal every day is not to fall.

One of my daughters friends’ mother, about my age, fell on a stairs on Christmas Eve, broke 9 ribs, punctured a lung and spent 3 days in the ICU.

Sigh. We get older or we die, I remind myself.

Firewood is in, Toyota in the garage, little house cleaned, so we are ready for the weekend and whatever storms are headed our way.

[Lily&Me]

We had our first measurable snowfall of the year overnight, about 2”, and it is a soft snow that will have youngsters out playing in it.

We had an early walk, I’ve baked a loaf of bread that I started yesterday, and our day is off to a good start.

[Lily&Me]

A really good movie, featuring the amazing Zahn McClarnon from Longmire, is “The Silencing”.

McClarnon, in real life, is Lakota and Irish.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7149730/

My BookBub offerings on Friday included a “Longmire” volume I had not yet read, and I pounced on it like Lily does her fleece blankie in cold weather.

I loved this passage, and, while not dissing men and their personal strengths, I think it is so.

[Lily&Me]

Public Service Announcement #1:

Remember that Social Security payments received, say, in March, are actually for the month prior.

When Doug died in March 2014, my bank a week or so later unceremoniously returned his SS check to the SSA, choosing not to follow the rule that such checks received in the month a person dies can be kept.

When I went into SSA to formally report his death and apply for widows benefits, I told the young man who processed my application that this check had been returned, he told me I was entitled to it, he would take care of it and have a check to me in a couple of weeks.

But, unbeknownst to me, what I received was my first payment as a widow, the returned check was not part of that and never resubmitted.

In a crisis, unfamiliar with such things, I didn’t know it was owed to me.

Fast forward 9 years, 9 months later, an extra SS check suddenly direct deposits, and on the same day a letter is received from the SSA stating this is for benefits owed to him.

When I reached a person on the phone at the SSA, they advised that an internal audit earlier in 2023 had revealed the returned check from 2014 which had not been resubmitted to me.

The woman said this happens all the time, that banks know SS benefits received in one month are for the prior month, but can choose to follow Treasury rules to not accept payment in the month a person dies.

She said widows/survivors need to carefully monitor bank accounts, and promptly submit claims for returned SS checks.

Public Service Announcement #2:

Over the past several years, many major insurance companies (including mine) have transitioned payment for vaccines to pharmacies, no longer allowing medical providers to even submit billing for immunizations.

And so, the dpt booster my PCP offered in November at my annual wellness physical resulted in a denied claim and resultant charges to me of $371.94.

For something I could have gotten for free at my pharmacy or our county health department.

Numerous calls to billing and health insurance have gotten this addressed and insurance has submitted the charges for payment thru my Medicare Part D, but thankfully I had the sense to question it.

My medical social worker daughter said she deals with these bills for clients all the time, and that many people just pay them.

And so, be aware.


We’ve gotten a couple inches of snow, but temps are above freezing and my road has already been plowed, so I have called my son off for transport to the Dr. today and am going to go by myself.

More snow to come, and bitter cold, but I have plenty of firewood.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Labs were good, all levels stable or even slightly improved since last month, so I am now medically cleared to head south!

Not for a couple of weeks, as I have done no prep and have a couple of things scheduled, but I will then see my “winter Doctor” in February and March.

When I made the February appointment, the young lady in this office said “we get a lot of snowbirds”.

Who knew???

Will see this Doctor at home again in April, at which time we will talk about cutting back the frequency of contact.

I went several months doing labs/being seen weekly or every two weeks, so I am grateful, at this point.

If I can get a few more years of travel, I will be a happy girl.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I have made this One Dish Kitchen recipe several times, adding a handful of fresh cranberries this morning because I had them in my freezer.

https://onedishkitchen.com/apple-cobbler-recipe/

I use two large apples, basically increasing the fruit quantity, and using this little baker I found at TJMaxx a couple of years ago, so it is easily 2-3 servings.

Using Splenda Brown in the filling, and with the very light topping, it is a guilt free dessert.

I love her website, and the delicious, small quantity meals she works up.

[Lily&Me]

We are in between storms here in central Illinois, before days of bitter cold, and I have cleaned the little house/done laundry…it’s Friday, ya know …and stocked extra firewood into the house and garage so that I have no need to be out there in the -33 wind chill that is predicted on Sunday.

Sweet son is going to come with his new reciprocating saw tomorrow morning to cut back some too-large pieces for me.

I could bemoan not already being on the road in the Interstate, but then I might have been fleeing the severe weather and tornadoes that have gone thru the south.

Just hope the Interstate is sheltered enough between the big rigs at storage that it doesn’t freeze solid by next weekend, when I need to pick it up for a road check appointment on the 22nd.


Mixed up this pizza dough and let it rise while choring this morning, and it is just out of the oven…with Italian turkey sausage and black olives, because that’s what I had.

https://onedishkitchen.com/pizza-dough-recipe/

Yes, still a lot of pizza for just one person, but it was an excuse to have the oven on and will feed me three times.

[Lily&Me]

Brrrr, and it’s going to be -12 tonight.

I have not left the house all day, Lily only to quickly do her business and get back inside.

Toyota is in the garage and my son has cut a pile of too-long pieces of firewood back for me this afternoon.

We have plenty of dry wood and are in hunker-down mode.

[Lily&Me]

But for taking the garbage bin to the curb and back yesterday, I haven’t been out of the house since Wednesday of last week when I made a quick run to WalMart for dog food and a few other things.

Seriously, if we haven’t had snow with freezing rain, it has been dangerously cold here in Central Illinois, and I have been in microfleece, neck to toe, 24 hours a day.

Lily has been outside just long enough to take care of business, and the lack of walks has upset her routine enough that she is getting me up in the night to go outside. Lovely.

Today is predicted to be the last of this spell…up into the 20’s tomorrow, so we are going to take a good walk, I will make a run to the store and take care of a few small errands.

Been gathering and sorting clothing and things for the leaving next week, and just cross my fingers the Interstate will start on Sunday when sweet son takes me to pick it up.

Have my GooLoo fully charged and ready for use if it doesn’t.

I have never used that to jump a battery, but that’s what it’s for, my son knows how to connect it and is going to show me how if we need it…another one of those things I haven’t wanted to learn.

And if that doesn’t do it, there is always AAA.

We’re going to have a break in the weather next week that should get us all the way south…”Buddha smiles”, Doug would say…and that will be quite welcome.


In between gathering and sorting, I of course been crocheting, and found this new free cowl pattern that is easy and is making up very nicely.

https://www.anniedesigncrochet.com/c...armer-pattern/

I’ve done a lot of women’s cowls for donation this year, because I personally prefer them to a scarf…no tails to manage and tuck in, and a cowl is just so instantly snuggly warm around your neck.

I do a hat to match, and hope that is working out for whoever gets them.

Next sack full will be dropped off at a shelter in the south somewhere.

[Lily&Me]

Snow overnight the last two nights, tho not a lot of accumulation it is still decidedly wintry out there.

We had a good walk in it yesterday, but temps have plummeted again and so we are back into hunker-down mode for the next couple of days.

Little house is cleaned, laundry finishing up and this loaf of bread…pictured on the right…is just out of the oven.

Has about 1/2 cup cooked, steel cut oats in it.

Good, and good for you.

No need to spend $6 or more for artisan bread at the grocer when you can so easily turn one out yourself…with no preservatives nor other added stuff you don’t want nor need to consume.

The loaf on the left is a picture from a friend of mine of hers from yesterday afternoon…Dutch Oven Bread, something of a thing these days.

And a good thing.

[Nelson428]

One of my favorites, I’m a big fan of fresh bread …… any fresh bread and butter…..so good

[Lily&Me]

Hi, Nelson, and it was delicious.

Sliced it up for the freezer yesterday morning.

Picking up the RV this afternoon…hoping it is not frozen solid and I can get it started.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

And, it groaned a bit, but on the third try the Interstate started right up.

Whew, tho I do have AAA it is always a relief when systems do what they’re supposed to.

Sent the GooLoo home with my son, as Young Wizard’s car would not start this morning and he had to drive Dad’s to church…needing to be there early, as he is one of the musicians.

It has been crazy cold here, but a warm-up is due, and we are heading out of here in a few days.

I am grateful.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

After I scraped a good 1/4” of ice off the windshield at 7am this morning, Jon and the good folks at Don Owen Tire in Bloomington gave the Interstate a good going over today, and pronounced her ready to travel.

These people have been a gift from the universe to me, I’ve decided…steady, competent, reliable, taking a personal interest in sending me off on the road in as good of condition as reasonably possible.

And having been indoors most of the past two weeks, the positive, supportive and friendly approach from these people was especially welcomed today.

I needed that, was my thought as I pulled out of there.

Jon is working on a bus conversion he bought last year that had been sitting for 20 years, and is hoping to do some camping in it next summer.

He has a young granddaughter and another on the way…many good times ahead for them all.

We are embracing a break in the weather, snow and sleet turning to rain tomorrow and temps in the 40’s by Wednesday …time to get the —— out of Dodge, Doug would say.

We’re ready to start packing tomorrow.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

And, we are on the road.

Loaded the frig and freezer this morning, ran the vacuum and tidied the little house …in which young wizard will practice independent living while we are gone …then before we hit the road got my hair trimmed up by my hairdresser of 30 years or so.

Another fabric of my life relationship.

Most items still sitting in the Interstate in bags, we only drove about 5 hours south…so Lily is resting and I have now put almost all of the bagged items away.

Getting ready to leave is a BIG, BIG job, and as I tell myself there will come a time when I cannot do this, I am also thinking good for my aging brain, the travel and all that entails.


It will be 10 years in March since Doug died, and for many reasons I don’t feel like the same person I was back then, tho I am, of course, fundamentally.

Difficult to explain here, and I’m not even going to try, but certainly I have grown and learned and processed and better understand many things.

Grief, as with so many things in life, is a process and not an event.


This rig lacking a sound system, but for the TV and the radio in the dash, I bought myself a small “boom box” that runs on electricity or it’s internal battery.

Has a very good sound, similar to our Bose at home, with simply a CD player and FM radio…all that I need.

Yes, I listen to the radio a lot, while driving and at home, don’t download it from anywhere and listen thru little thingies in my ears.

I brought a dozen or so CD’s with me, all but one of them from the before, and am going to listen to them this trip, celebrate our time together and do my best to move past the wave of emotion that has previously overtaken my listening to “our” music.

It seems like time, right?

I am nearly giddy at being able to get on the road, and looking forward to this trip.

Maggie