Thursday, March 14, 2024

This and That ...

Greetings, friends! No, I am still not emotionally ready to discuss the events of the last few months yet as it is far too painful and difficult. However, I will update you on the current situation. My mom is back at Mifflin Center after several bad falls and TRYING to rehab there. She had no choice but to change her current Medicare third party insurance (Geisinger Gold Advantage Plan) to regular Medicare because Geisinger would not approve her stay at Mifflin Center until April to continue her rehab! And at $400-some dollars per day, she can NOT afford it! I HATE insurance! Especially when it is so damned complicated and confusing thanks to our Government!! I have no freaking idea WHAT I am doing I feel so lost. I spent four hours at Mifflin Center yesterday making phone calls with my mom lying in a bed aside of me because even as a legal P.O.A., there are some things I can do to help my mom and some things I can NOT - dealing with changing my mom's address with Social Security (and the million questions they ask of an 84 year old woman) is one of them, and, dealing with the IRS and taking care of her taxes is another! Both the State of Pennsylvania AND the IRS DO NOT recognize a legal document such as a Power of Attorney. In fact, the IRS has their own way of doing things and require you to fill out all kinds of ridiculous forms in order to accept you and your legal P.O.A.  In other words, my mom's bank and her insurance honor it, but the IRS and State do not. My mom owed money this year and after contacting the IRS via telephone, I was advised to pay her Federal taxes owed from her modest annuity by cashier's check. Oh God how I hate taking on my mom's responsibilities. It scares me TO DEATH! There is A LOT more to this story , but I will spare you the ugly details. I swear I am losing my mind!!!!!!

In other news, while I was getting ready for work on Tuesday, I received an IM via Facebook from The Mint Leaf that I won a bunch of tulips. It was a rather nice surprise ...

Have a good everyone.

Saturday, March 02, 2024

Odds 'n' ends ...

Greetings everyone. Well, it is a miserable rainy Saturday here in Reading, PA and it is supposed to rain the rest of the weekend. I had a lot of running around to do this morning regardless. Among the endless list of responsibilities bestowed upon me (most of which are my mother's), I had to run to my mom's bank to get two cashier's checks for her income taxes which I am a NERVOUS WRECK over (another horror story in itself)), and I also had to drop off my husbands and I's income taxes to be done by our usual tax preparer service - more about that at a later time. 

On top of everything else, I have been fighting a blood clot in my left leg for weeks now - been to St. Joseph's/Penn State Hospital TWICE in the last two weeks. It was diagnosed at a superficial blood clot, but it hurts and burns like hell. I am following the ER doctor's orders, but if it does not go away soon I will have no choice but to either see my family doctor or a specialist ...

Change of subject. Here are some more birthday pics from last weekend. My seester Aurora Skye gave me these wonderful gifts ...


Magnetic page markers, a pair of pretty earrings, a large Yankee Candle (not shown), and a lovely card. 💗

She also treated me to a nice birthday lunch at Flanagan's Pub ...

Later that evening, my husband and I had a relaxing dinner at the Sinking Spring VFW ...

A rare photo op posing with our favorite bartender at the VFW, Steve! Steve is also a MAJOR Led Zeppelin fan like me.

One of our many friends at VFW, Walt. Walt is also my dance buddy. He enjoys dancing to the music of Motown as do I.
THIS song really hit home after having to have my mom's income taxes done for her - (more about that at a later time) ...

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

If you drive a car, car (I'll tax the street)
If you try to sit, sit (I'll tax your seat)
If you get too cold, cold (I'll tax the heat)
If you take a walk, walk (I'll tax your feet
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

Don't ask me what I want it for
(Taxman, Mr. Major)
If you don't want to pay some more
(Taxman, Mr. Hеath)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm thе taxman
If I reduce it, can you see?
(Taxman, Boris Yeltzin)
Get back more with the V.A.T
(Taxman, Mr. Bush)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman

(If you get a hat-hat) I'll tax your hat
(If you get a pet-pet) I'll tax your cat
(If you wipe your feet-feet) I'll tax the mat
(If you're overweight) I'll tax your fat

Now my advice to those who die
(Taxman!)
Declare the pennies on your eyes
(Taxman!)
Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me (Taxman!)
The way things are going perhaps The Beatles were right?!? This video is a cover of "Revolution" performed by the late Scott Weiland of the group Stone Temple Pilots.

Friday, March 01, 2024

Happy Saturday from Miss Ginger!


This video was taken by my husband a couple of years ago from his camera. I have tried several times to upload it here on Blogger but it kept telling me that it was not supported (Hell, even Facebook allowed me to post it!). At any rate, I finally figured out how to at least create a YouTube account which was the ONLY way I was able to post this video on Blogger ...