I'd Like to Knit Medicare into a Corner

Blue Ocean is coming along.  A bit slowly though.  Since taking this picture I've added a 3rd color and believe it's about 6 inches wide and about 55 inches long...forgot to write it down after I measured it.  I've been knitting a little here and there, but not making as much progress as I would like.    

Dad has fallen for the 3rd time in the last couple of years, so we've spent more time at the hospital, talking to doctors, making phone calls, trying to follow up on a medicare nightmare.

Did you know, you can be an inpatient at the hospital for several days, but medicare deems you not an inpatient, but an outpatient.  EVEN if you were admitted through the ER, and got to the ER via an ambulance at 3 in the morning!!!  Are you familiar with being admitted as an outpatient for observation?  If not, you really need to read the tiny print on your medicare book.  My Dad is to be 93 in a few weeks, fell, the squad took him to the hospital.  They ruled out breaks with xrays and scans, and were concerned about his heart, and did some things to his pacemaker....3 days later while in a hospital bed........being seen by only hospital doctors........they tell us he is not really admitted.  Now his actually hospital bills, may still get paid (too soon to tell yet if there's an issue with that), but..........since he wasn't really admitted, no follow up care in a skilled nursing facility for physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy etc will be covered.  Apparently this relatively new "thing" has created lots of problems and huge numbers of law suits nationally.  Seems a crime to me you pay for medicare for YEARS, and then when you get old and need it........poof!

After talking to everyone under the sun to try and get this reversed, we were contacted by a Rehab Hospital...not a skilled facility, but a hospital where he was admitted and received intense therapy that is covered and this stay will qualify for him for the follow up care he needs at a skilled nursing facility for awhile before he goes onto Assited Care.  He's been living alone, and just really can't any longer.

While I don't think the mess about the wall on the boarder is at all funny...this made me smile.  And I believe would be just as effective as donnie john's big beautiful wall that Mexico was going to pay for..........perhaps more effective, though you could die from laughter watching.

Anyone using a dry brush?  A friend of mine got me doing this.  It feels good and is suppose to be helpful with improving dry skin...and has some other benefits.  I've not been able to be consistent yet with using it, as I've been rushing in and out of the shower to get to the various care facilities for Dad, but...hope to eventually.

There's actually a chart to show you  how to dry brush your body.

Fire's Provide Warmth, even on TV

Cleaning out photo's on the phone and sending them to my computer and came across a few I thought I'd share.  Not sure if I have before?

This was a gift we bought ourselves some time back and we've really enjoyed it.  And oh, how I wish we could sit outside now and enjoy our cocktails.  But, not until Spring, way too cold here in Central Ohio for that now.  Still though, looking at the fire, the nice warm fire makes me smile.  That's hubby's hand showing you his perfect Martini....I only make perfect ones you know!

This is our Christmas present to us.  The large tv and cabinet.  We had to clean out the entertainment center that I loved, just simply couldn't get a bigger tv, which we needed, as neither of us can read the print without getting up from the chair.  AND the new smart tv's...so much easier to use.  Who knew you could have a fire place with lovely music on the tv...I didn't until my youngest nephew's wife, Heather showed me.  We enjoyed this throughout the Christmas visit when our darling daughter was home visiting!

Christmas morning traditional brunch includes cinnamon rolls, Mandarin oranges, egg casserole and of course Champagne.  I make egg casseroles for everyone in the family so they can take it home on Christmas Eve and have for their breakfast in the morning.  Long standing tradition, and when Mom was alive she made homemade rolls to go with it.  In recent years, I've found out Mama Mimi's (take and bake pizza) makes homemade cinnamon rolls twice a year so we order a pan for everyone to go with their eggs.  Hubby and Darling Daughter always go out to the deck when opening the champagne to see how far they can get the cork to fly, lol

Absolutely terrible picture hubby took last night, but I thought I'd share anyway.  No sure why my hair looks so bad..........eh.  The purpose though of the picture is to show you my new light...see the thing around my neck?  It's a very light weight and flexible light to help with knitting and crocheting.  I ordered this Minger light from Amazon at the suggestion of Sandie P (check out her blog).  I made a comment a few days ago the difficulty with some yarn and some colors working at night and Sandie told me she used one of these lights and it really helped.  I followed the link she sent to Amazon and order pronto!  They have both one you put batteries in and one that you can re-charge.  I opted for the re-chargeable one, which I believe is what she also has.  Not that you can see much, but the item in my hand is a new afghan.  It's a knitted ripple and I'm currently using a blue variegated.  I'm fighting a bit when trying to K2tog, even though I don't knit tightly, the yarn is quite course, but hopefully it will solften with working with it and when it's laundered and blocked.  Looked last night in my stash for a brown variegated I thought I had to strip with it, but couldn't find it; so will have to look again.........if no luck....will pull out some other colors.  Stay tuned.