November 19, 2023

Yesteryear
One year ago today: November 19, 2022, it was muffin city.
Five years ago today: November 19, 2018, Mojave sunrise.
Nine years ago today: November 19, 2014, $9,000 per day.
Random years ago today: November 19, 2016, see that tractor?

           Once again, be patient. I'm doing caregiver things I just don't know. I can do the baking and make the tea, here's a photo of me trimming away the crust of the my banana apple squares for the Reb. Also in the pic are the fluffy non-dairy gluten-free pancakes. But the rest I'm hardly good for. Like, to bathe, we had to wrap her cast in plastic. Nothing to it, but I'm saying this is all new enough for me to be bloggable without question. I'm willing and able but no what can I master what this is going to take. The last time I broke a bone I was out of commission for six weeks just for basics. I believe I detailed all that at the time, how my painkillers were to be taken every eight hours. If I was late five minutes, the pain was unbearable. If I could not keep ahead of myself, what use will I be for the Reb?
           So, we have a plan. She knows people on the other side of the mountain. If she stays with them at least a week, that will give her time and experience on what she can manage for herself. She's a tough and independent gal and we will reassess how she feels about heading home after that. I sure recall how weak my broken wrist made my entire being drained to a level of bare mobility. We've decided that is work a try if only because (and I've admitted this often before) I hesitate to climb stairs unless I have to. Since she got home, I've been upstairs something like twenty times.

           To be at the ready [if she calls], I don't have much I can do except read. How about we recap what I found attention-worthy so far this Sunday? Remember the good old days when it was so rare for airlines to not fly on schedule? They got a penalty from the authorities for late flights. Now, we have diversity. Feds have re-defined the new normal to be 31% arrival on time. I hope you equality people get totally screwed over that. How about Costco selling gold, and no, they don't BOGO. The charge full price which is pushign $2,000 an ounce these days. Limit two to a customer. I must laugh because most people who buy gold think if the price goes up, it is an easy matter to sell it back. Give it a try, but heed my warning to not sell over $10,000 worth at once, or more than five ounces at a time. Live and learn.

           Now, Medicaid. Recipients almost universally fail to recognize this is government-subsidized welfare medical insurance. What the government gives, they can take away. Medicaid fraud is so rampant nobody knows the extent. So, and this is rumor only (but I like it), many States are not auto-renewing coverage. They are requiring that people re-apply and are using the move to make changes in eligibility. Good.
           That's a potential 30 million people who could lose coverage. And we know how long it takes to get an application through the government offices. My point of view is that it would cause drug and treatment prices to drop significantly, and put a dent in moral hazard costs. The local paper made a big deal of some lady who lost her coverage, but my viewpoint is why the hell am I paying taxes for some single 31-year-old woman having her third illegitimate kid? I'm by no means saying she should not have coverage, I'm saying it is unfair that I should pay it. I did not say it was wrong, I said it was unfair. Nobody should have more children than they can personally afford.