Good morning!
Keanna came to clean on Tuesday. Got a letter in the mail telling me SNAP (EBT card for food) had been overpaying me for several months, that it was their error, and I'd be getting a notice as to how much. A couple days later I get another letter telling me I owed them $12.00 and a form to fill out as to how I wanted to pay them back and when. I chose for them to take it out of June's amount. Two different envelopes mailed. Where's the government efficiency? That's the kind of efficiency I'd like to actually see addressed--lol! I'm just glad they didn't overpay me more than they did...and I found out they make you pay them back. Never happened to me before, but I know they've been understaffed for some time. For the first time I haven't even had an actual worker assigned to me for a couple of years now. I just get a random employee to deal with me. (It's because my case is easy and never changes--makes me low priority.)
Then I got a call (that I missed because this smart phone will not even ring if it is an unrecognized phone number and has some AI guy instruct them to leave a message) from the dermatologist's office to tell me that the surgeon has left Sanford. They will contact me when they have a surgeon to do the procedure. You may recall that the original guy I saw before they told me was booked up into January and they had a couple of guys helping out. So--one is done helping and that other young guy--well, I wouldn't feel comfortable with him doing it anyways. He was young, nervous, and inexperienced even just taking the sample. Meanwhile...since my face cancer is going to be around indefinitely...it's a good thing I splurged on a huge box of small band aids that weren't Band-Aid brand but do stick really well.
I started to suddenly feel better on Saturday, so I caught up on laundry, did a few things on the to-do list and even cleaned the patio door. (Keanna isn't allowed to do windows.) I don't talk about the fibromyalgia much, but it kind of rules your life in a very erratic way. I can have flares that last days or weeks or months. No control over it. I've been in a flare for a few weeks. It might be gone. Might be right back today. Never know.
For example, when I was in college back around 2001 I had an art class where we had these high stools to sit on with no backs. For some reason it set off this awful sharp pain in my tailbone. Not sciatica--only in the tailbone. I had to stand in class rather than sit in that high hard stool most of the 2 1/2 hour class twice a week. That pain lasted for TWO YEARS. (Longest specific pain flare I've ever had--knock on wood.) Back then they still made Darvocet I could take on really bad days (nothing else worked), had special pillows to sit on at home, and totally believed that was never going away. But surprise...it did.
Even my fibro issues have been altered by Keytruda so that they aren't as familiar to me and are worse than they used to be. But at least I finally feel like I am probably mostly in fibro territory again. I still have even more issues with inflammation than I ever had before, more pain, and the flares tend to last longer than they used to...but it feels like progress towards returning to my old disabled self, if that makes any sense to you. At least I hope that is what's happening. (About time!) (I'm whispering so as not to jinx myself.)
I had run out of bird seed for over a week. Had ordered a bag of something special for the Critter Cafe before I move away...but it was delayed and delayed. Finally arrived this last week. It's a bag of sunflower chips and peanuts! Allie was so excited she couldn't wait and was right up next to the screen as soon as I got some out there--lol!
Didn't take the birds too long to realize there was food here again--lol! It's perfect for this time of year because the grackles fight over the peanuts and gorge themselves on those and leave so then all the small birds can eat the sunflower chips in peace--ROFL! Just perfect!
Been so warm! It's like we skipped spring and jumped right into summer. Went from 50s to 70s in a couple days. Was 83 degrees on Sunday!
Leah said they went for Chuck's (her sister's husband's) birthday. I know they all enjoy it as much as the kids do. :)
So, that's how the week went. I hope the noticeably lower level of pain and exhaustion over the weekend sticks around for a good long while. Didn't even have a headache on Sunday. Hope I'll be feeling good enough to switch to the summer clothes. Never bothered to bring the bins to the garage last fall. Time for baby steps...baby steps...baby steps...until I finish a big project like that. Top of my to-do list for this week.
What is the weather like where you are? Any plans or projects for the week? You all brighten my days. Till next week...
21 comments:
Thank goodness it wasn’t more than $12.00. They probably spent more than that collecting it from you!
I hope this slightly better health period lasts a long time. I wonder if those female birds are in fact a couple? It does happen in birds and other animals.
I love your repertoire of shower curtains! I have a little collection of bathrobes to wear by mood.
I have a few projects that I hope to complete...and then probably start some more. Prednisone days will soon be over in a day or two. Hope to see some improvement of the crud but pain will be back by then, Can't win. Sounds like a warm week here too, unsualfor yearly May but you know it can change fast and freeze! or even snow yet. I did put my snow boots away and maybe my parka today:)
It's warm and sunny here, but we still are in the low sixties and high fifties, Nothing like you have in Fargo. I had to laugh about the shower curtains. You crack me up sometimes.
That's fabulous news! Let's hope it lasts a loooong time. Those boys are adorable. Oh, yes they are. Down here in the Twin Cities we are having the same weather as you are up there.
I like that shower curtain!!
So glad you are feeling better. Makes me happy for you.
Allie seems to enjoy the birds as much as you. LOVE your new shower curtain. It is beautiful. Your tablecloth is pretty, too. Looks like spring.
The bird feeders the boys made were adorable. I hope they use them. Grandma's influence will help, too.
It's been awhile since I saw the Empire Strikes Back. Seems like the old theater isn't as great as the one with plush seats. Loved the photos of McFamily and their Star Wars tee shirts.
Hope you have a good week, Rita.
We are getting some much needed rain... and no strong storm with it... but weirdly we still lost power... It flickered alot so i managed to squeeze in my morning coffee... priorities ya know...lol Hugs! deb
Good morning! It sounds like you've had quite an eventful week. I can definitely relate to the frustration of dealing with government inefficiencies; it’s crazy how disorganized things can get sometimes. At least they didn’t overpay you too much, but still, it’s a hassle to have to deal with all that paperwork.
I also hear you on the fibromyalgia – it really can take over your life in unpredictable ways. It's good that you're starting to feel better, though. And I'm glad you got some tasks checked off your list and even had a little energy for cleaning! I hope the flare stays away for a while.
And as for the Critter Cafe, Allie must’ve been so happy when the new bird seed arrived! It’s always nice to have those little joys in life, especially when things feel a bit out of control.
By the way, if you're looking for more inspiration or a quick read, check out my latest blog post: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2025/05/body-confident-you-body-confident-kid-book-review.html
Glad you're feeling better! Our difficulties dealing with various entities are only going to get worse, I'm afraid. Getting a doctor's appointment can be tough and months out. :(
Yeah getting a letter telling you that you were overpaid by no fault of yours and them wanting the money back and it only being $12 makes me wonder how much it cost for them to contact you by mail requesting it.
Having to stand for 2 1/2 hours would suck but at least you were younger back then.
I enjoy feeding the birds here which I do twice a day. Lastly you do like buying shower curtains.
I am very happy you are feeling better Rita :) I will keep my fingers crossed for you that this lasts a long, long time. On that letter, it has me shaking my head and rolling my eyes. Those boys are so cute. We are Star Wars fans here.
I'm glad you're feeling a little better, and hurray for baby steps!
Hi Rita! So glad that you are feeling better. Wow, it looks like Dagan and family had fun at Home Depot and at Star Wars! I hope that you can find a surgeon to take care of the skin cancer soon. It is pouring rain here tonight, but at least that is good for the new little garden plants we put in over the weekend. It's always good to hear how you are doing. Have a great week.
That's sort of a shame that they make you pay back something that was their mistake. Glad it wasn't a huge amount.
I like your new shower curtain. It's really pretty.
Those grackles can be real pests. My yard used to be covered in them when I was filling the feeders. They always scared off all the other birds.
We're in the rain zone. You go with the flow. I'm so glad to hear you are feeling much better. It's been such a long haul for you and that's huge. Even though you're still dealing with the fibro, it's still one less thing now that you're perking up from the virus. Serious bummer with the overpayment. I hope they get their act together. I love how Allie knows that the seed means some action outside and takes her position. And I had no idea Home Depot has Saturdays for kids. I'll have to see if they do that here.
So glad to read that you are feeling better! Your partridge pictures are so much better than mine. Jealous!
OMGosh $12.00 heaven forbid. While the "thing" in the white house is going to have a birthday that costs tens of millions of dollars. Errrggggg. Our snap is figured every 2 years we will see what happens there. I'm glad you are talking about the fibro. It's important that people know about it. I really like the shower curtain. I can't believe how big the kids are getting. With everything sounds like a good week.
If you want rainy weather, Rita, then you can come to nashua because that's been the forecast since the weekend. It's much of the same until this coming Sunday! Temperatures have really dropped to the 50s overnight and barely in the 60s daytime. Glad that the SNAP overpayment was rather low, but it made me wonder, why not deduct it from a future payment. The new shower curtain looks nice and so does the new table cloth, so I was sort of correct in thinking you might buy a few? Glad you have been feeling better, good news.
Hope you continue to feel better and enjoy the warmer weather. We are having cooler weather now in Sth Australia after a very hot summer. We are also getting a few showers but have been in drought for most of the year, it really is devastating for farmers. I do like your new shower curtain, might try and do a similar painting.
Nice Home Depot bird house projects. We had a lot of rain today, but we needed it. It's supposed to continue, though. I'll let you know if Lake Junebug opens upt. It's great you felt well enough to accomplish so much. The shower curtain is another good addition to the house. I like the idea of changing table cloths, too. How ridiculous to send letters about $12!
Love,
Janie
Happy Mother's Day Rita!
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