And So It Goes ......

...... life, that is.

Son #3 and I got home Sunday night.  The warmth and humidity smacked us in the face as we stepped off of the plane and onto the jetway.
Ahhhh, the feeling of stickiness and heat ...... nothing else really says "Welcome Home" like Houston's humidity.

And then there's the pollen.
Oh.
My.
Word.
We came home to find everything outside of our home covered in its yearly coat of that yellow-green crud.
And I do mean everything.

If we leave the dogs out longer than 10 minutes they each come back in looking a little green in the gills.
Which isn't a good thing for a dog.

Is this an amazing world or what?
One day you're up north, in the season of winter, where the temperature is in the 20's.
And in less than 6 hours, you're down south, where the heat and humidity blend together to make a lovely temperature of 86 degrees.
At 6:00 p.m.
Not to mention the even lovelier greenish hue.
I kept thinking I needed to adjust my TV set.
When was the last time you heard the phrase, "TV set"?
Yes, I'm that old.

On Tuesday mornings I get to hang out with a young man who's in the 4th grade at one of our local schools.  We sit and talk and play Connect Four (his most favorite game in all of the world) and generally solve the world's problems in less than 45 minutes.
Which is how long he has for lunch and recess.
We waste no time.

This past Tuesday we talked about our spring break escapades.
I told him that I had been in NY.
Where it snowed.

He paused from his perusing of the Connect Four grid, squinted his eyes, and looked at me as if I'd just said, "I flew to the moon this week."
He looked pretty incredulous.
After a slight pause he said, "Snow?  But it's spring!"

Yes, the children of Houston think that there are only 2 seasons.
Summer ...... and spring.
And spring is only here for one week of the year.
You think I'm kidding, don't you?

I had to explain to him that it really wasn't spring ...... yet.
Winter was still here for a couple of days ...... in most of the country.
And that some states experience cold temperatures ...... and even snow (Ye gods!) into the month of April.
I don't think he bought it.

In other news ...... I came home on Monday to find a letter from my health insurance company.
That's rarely a good thing.
And this was no exception.

This letter was dated March 6th.  You know.  As in ...... 6 days after the end of February.
It was a pretty short letter, as far as letters go.
Here's what it said, in a nutshell:  "Hi Janine.  We're writing to inform you that your health insurance coverage will end on February 28th.  Thanks for your business and for being a good customer. See ya!"

OK, it didn't say, "See ya!".
But I'm trying to put a positive spin on something really, really crappy.
That's OK, I'm not buying it either.

So yeah, some woman in St. Louis, MO sat at her desk and signed a letter to me on March 6th, telling me that my coverage WOULD end on February 28.  Two thousand, thirteen.
As in, 6 days before she signed said letter.
Aren't people wonderful?
And people who work for insurance companies even more wonderful?

That was my only notification.
No warning.
No heads up a month, or even a week, before.
Just a letter, written after the fact.

Now I knew when I re-upped with this "company" that I was getting coverage for 15 months.
But that was 15 months ago.
And I failed to circle that date on my calendar.  Heck, I didn't even have a 2013 calendar at the time.
So I had no idea that the end was nigh.
Or really ...... past nigh.

So now I, and four of my children, are without health insurance.
Which meant that I had to cancel my 6 month dental exam for today.
And which also means that I will have to stop the Remicade infusions for my rheumatoid arthritis.
And which, in all likelihood, means that I won't be able to obtain health insurance now.  Because in spite of all of the rumors swirling around, "Obama-care" did nothing to make insurance companies cover you, in spite of whatever health conditions you have.  No company has to accept my application.
And none probably will.
But yet ...... I'm "required" to have health insurance.
Tell me, Mr. President, how does one break through that crazy circle of madness?
I have R.A. so no insurance company will cover me.  And yet I'm required to purchase coverage.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Part 2.

In other, other news, my friend Mel is coming from California!!  This weekend!  With her significant other and her beautiful baby girl!  There's going to be a baby in the house!  Happy sigh ......
One bummer, though ...... her oh, so cool son, Reece, will be staying behind in CA.
He was my buddy when I visited them last summer.
But yes, it's easier to travel without a 5 year old, than to travel with one.

So I've been busy getting things ready.
In between looking for health insurance.
And playing tennis.
And spending time with friends.
(Great Circle tonight, ladies!!)

Thank goodness Son #3's around for me to bribe ask for help.
Between the two of us, we should have this house ready for a baby by Saturday morning.

Or at least ready for the parents of a baby.
Babies are usually more difficult to impress.

Happy Thursday, Peeps.
:)