Welcome to Wednesday…and to my somewhat late, but still applicable, Share Four Somethings for March. For those observant readers, you probably noticed that I missed not only Friday’s post (again) but also this past Monday. Missing my posts totally upsets my apple cart and, sadly, it seems to be happening frequently. Although my reasons are valid and quite real, I am not exactly sure what to do about it. Is it time for a blogging break? Maybe. Or perhaps I need to readjust my schedule. All things I am considering but, in the meantime, I truly do appreciate all those who stick around and continue to visit. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, I will completely get my act together. Enough of that. Let’s move on with today’s post – Share Four Somethings hosted by my friend, Jennifer.
Something I Loved
Bible study this month has been extra special. There has been thought-provoking studies and such great fellowship. The ladies who invest their time during the week to complete the homework and then gather as a group to share what God has shown them are such an encouragement and blessing to me each Tuesday. We finished up a study by Jen Wilkin called God of Deliverance, a study of the first half of Exodus. I believe she does have the second half of the book in a study (I’m not positive) but we will be starting a new study after the Easter break. As much as I love the study, I will be most excited to gather with my Bible study friends again!
Something I Read
Last month I mentioned reading a lot of consent forms. Fun. Well, it doesn’t get much better this month. I have spent (and continue to spend) an exorbitant amount of time reading bills, insurance EOBs and reconciling the two. It is necessary but tedious. My file runneth over. I am beyond grateful for insurance and, having long since met our deductible, seeing those “you owe 0.00” lines on the EOBs is a tremendous blessing, but I still gape at the dollar amounts in the other columns! Completely amazed. The amounts that the hospitals, surgeons and other doctors charge to the insurance company is staggering. The contracted amounts (that they must accept as payment) are often barely ten percent of that amount. Why do they even send in the crazy inflated charges? And that is only one question (of many!) I have as I read these things. Mind you, I’m not complaining. Again, I’m grateful for our insurance but this whole medical industry is mind-boggling. mind-numbing and a good bit aggravating.
In other news and a totally random side note, the hospital is going mask free as of Monday. As in no.more.masks. I won’t elaborate and I’m sincerely not trying to ruffle anyone’s feathers but, yes, insert here a photo of me doing a happy dance! (If there was a photo of me doing a happy dance. And there is not). Covid is over.
Something I Learned
A few random truths learned (or relearned) this month: 1 – you never outgrown the allure (and immense temptation) of Cadbury eggs. This pleasure started for me in college and, today, while I am marginally better at resisting the temptation, I still find myself standing in front of the seasonal display trying to convince myself “just one never hurt anyone.” But is there is “just one”?? 2- some flavors just do not need to be found in peeps. Really…some of the flavors now are just too much. And too gross. 3 – there is a new Oreo….or at least new to me. A soft cookies and cream (called The Most Oreo Oreo) that I really had hoped I would not like. Oh, but I do. Very much! 4 – allergy season is no joke. I am so grateful that I have never suffered with allergies. The rest of my family is not so fortunate. My son is suffering for the first time ever. They just seem to come out of nowhere. So many around here are miserable. 5 – the body is an amazing thing….especially with its ability to heal, bounce back and regain strength. Truly, I never cease to be amazed and never want to take that truth for granted. 6 – spring makes me a different person. Truly. I suppose I learned this one years ago (of course) but every year, as soon as the forsythia bloom and the flowering trees do their thing, I am reminded of this very real fact. I’m happier. More relaxed yet more energized. More patient, more joyful, more amazing – ok, maybe not, but you get the idea. I heart spring!!
Something I Ate
Again, if you remember last month’s SFS (and I’m sure you do), my brother had been cooking well for us after my surgery. Well, he was here again just this past weekend. We had hoped to use the grill for the first time this year but it was not a grilling weekend. But, we still ate well, to be sure. He made the best fajitas on Saturday. We had both chicken fajitas (for the carnivores among us) and shrimp fajitas. The pan grilled veggies were amazing. Actually, all of it was amazing. And I don’t think I will ever really enjoy restaurant fajitas again. Sorry, Uncle Julio’s. By the way, those are not our fajitas (an Unsplash photo) but I surely do need some of those skillets to serve fajitas here at home!
The weather did improve shortly before he had to catch the train home and we were able to have dinner at a local restaurant and had the perfect evening to eat on the patio. The weather is perfection. Loads of sunshine. Slight breeze. No bugs. And great service. I had an impossible burger. Yum! Impossible burgers are a favorite of mine….just so you know:)
I would love to know what you have had yummy to eat lately. Have you been able to fire up the grill yet? Is it grilling season in your neck of the woods? My brother loves to try new recipes – especially copycat type recipes – when he comes out. Any good suggestions? Let me know in the comments. And, again, thanks for stopping by. Visit the rest of the link-up here…and check back on Friday. I am trying my very best to have a post!! Fingers crossed!
Hi Jennifer! So much to say about the medical field. Insurance is an interesting entity. We definitely need a better system.
Having a brother who will come over and cook for you is amazing! I think we fired up the grill once so far, for some burgers. We aren’t crazy grillers, but I love it when other people grill 🙂
I’m kind of in a cooking slump right now. Not feeling it for some reason 🙂
Hope you’re feeling better these days!
Hi Debbie….need a better system. You said it! And a brother who cooks? It is pretty sweet:) Having been spoiled lately, I’m rather uninspired myself to personally cook anything original. Or at all:)
I enjoyed your Share Four Somethings post. Medical bills are the worse. I have a tendency to sometimes just set them aside and deal with it later…but I’m realizing it is better to just dive in and get it over. But again, it’s a work in progress. lol
We’re in our spring Bible Studies and I so love to be with everyone again. We’re doing Amos, by Jennifer Rothschild and I highly recommend it.
My sister loves Cadbury eggs, but I’ve never cared for them. And it’s a good thing too, because there are enough other kinds of Easter candy I love and don’t do very good to resist. Such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. lol
Oh my – those Reese’s PB eggs are quite the temptation as well!! Glad you stopped by, Cathy!!
Hi Jennifer! I don’t think it’s your schedule for blogging that is the problem, all that paperwork is stealing your time! I hope you are done with it soon and able to move on to reading better things! Yay for insurance and meeting your deductible, a blessing for sure. Yes, more hospitals have moved to no masks, so I think the “scary” part of Covid is over, not sure how to say that, but Covid is still here. Last night in Bible Study several ladies were talking about how the original strain was here and “everybody” seems to have it. I wish it was over. I pray that you continue to heal and grow stronger. Have a great week!
Paperwork is for sure and for certain stealing my time! Ugh. But, yes, there are many blessings seen while doing it as well. Thanks for stopping by…and for your kind encouragement! Hope your week is going well!
How wonderful that you have a great of Bible study friends that you meet regularly with. I’ve not read any Jen Wilkin’s books, but I hear good things from those who have.
Oh, Cadbury eggs! They’re my temptor every spring. 🙂 I have a friend who gives me a 5-pack as soon as they come out each year. I have to ration myself with them. I still have one left, and now that I’m thinking about it, maybe tonight I’ll eat it. 🙂
Oh boy. Friends who give you annual Cadbury eggs….what a wonderful friend!!:)
Good to hear from you again! I would not worry about your blog schedule. Write and post whenever it makes sense to you to do. The last thing you’d want is for writing your blog to cause you stress. Hospital bills are the worst. We have terrible health insurance- it is super costly and the coverage is terrible- a double whammy. I’m glad you don’t have to worry about payments anymore. And yes, agree with you about the costs being outrageous. Glad to hear no masks anymore. There are still a few places around here that have, quite frankly, abandoned science and insist that masks be worn. I went into an office the other day that required them and I just didn’t wear one. I don’t like to be difficult but at some point, common sense and taking a stand is more important, in my opinion. I’m not going to pass the Covid that I don’t have to anybody and I have antibodies from having it in the past so I’m not worried about getting Covid. And if either of the two statements in the preceding sentence weren’t true, wearing a paper or fabric mask would do nothing to prevent transmission. Almost every study has determined their uselessness, so, yeah, no for me. Sorry for that tangent- I hope you continue to feel better and be blessed by Bible study and friendships and good food ;).
No apology for “the tangent.” Check, check and totally agree:) Thanks for continuing to stop by…and for being encouraging. Trying not to stress but, yes, not quite ready to throw in the towel just yet!
No worries about scheduling blog posts, friend! However you can give yourself plenty of grace and space to write when you can is the best gift of all …
I skipped a post this week too; I just haven’t been having the time or inclination to work on my blog nearly as much and while that often upsets me I kept reminding myself that this isn’t my job and I’m not getting paid and that my readers will be back when I have new things to share and say.
Sadly many doctors will charge that for people who don’t have insurance (my nephew needed a blood test to rule out what nuts he was and was not allergic to and they were warned it would cost $1200 without insurance– they decided to just avoid all nuts for now). I remember when my son was really little he had a blood panel done that they charged $40,000 for– thankfully our insurance covered the whole thing. We had amazing insurance then that usually covered just about everything. Yay for mask free! I don’t think any of our hospitals or doctor’s offices have done that here yet.
It’s always grilling season here! LOL. Even with the crazy cold nights and snow my husband will pull the grill up under the deck right off the walk out basement and cook on the grill in nearly all weather (it can’t be too cold and windy!) and watch the food through the window; only going outside to check on it and flip whatever he’s grilling. However, I can’t wait until it wil be warm enough to both grill and eat outside.