What Have I Been Up To?????

I have been one busy quilter! First---I finished UFO #6 completely!!!!!! I quilted it AND put the binding on!!!! I now just need to hand stitch it down, which I have already begun. The quilting really turned out nicely---don't you think? I though see one mistake I made. I normally quilt with pale grey thread, and I automatically kept it in the needle when I began to put the blocks together. I did change to a white but didn't take the other seams out---I didn't think you would see them. I do see a couple of seams that are sewn with grey thread. I am NOT going to take them out, clearly, but hope when I wash the quilt, the crinkle will make the seam less noticeable. If not, oh well---I will just keep it for myself and make another quilt to gift.

I also have been making bread--doesn't that loaf look good? It tasted pretty good as well. I do love this machine! A couple of loaves I made fell, but I have figured out the problem. I was using Walmart brand bread flour--I got the name brand and haven't had the same problem. Don't know if it was the flour or something I was doing wrong. Hope that never happens again, it is so sad to go through all that, have the house smell wonderful, just to get a loaf that is sunken in the middle.

Now, I normally don't "get on my soap box" very often, but since this is my blog, I figure I can "rank and rave" about something a little. If you don't want to read about it--it is okay, you can "disconnect", if you read on, just like good friends do, it isn't necessary to comment---just listen. So-------Because I am a nurse, I take prevention very seriously. As a result, I try to get my annual exam every year to make sure "all is well". Since I am getting a "little long in the tooth", there were more invasive tests I had to take. Now I thought I had good health insurance, I pay almost $500 per month for coverage for my husband and I. The plan and company changed this year and my husband and I looked over the plan and chose one (we thought) that didn't have a high deductible since we knew that statistically we would be using it more given our age. I went in to get my test and the physician's office said I would have to pay out of pocket for the test---almost $1000 because my deductable was $1500. What I said! There is a mistake! I went immediately to the HR dept. to point out the mistake. Ha! I was the one that was mistaken. I have a $1500 deductible (it seems that is the lowest this insurance company has), and even when that is met, I am still responsible for 20%---and remember I am still paying almost $500 a month. Since I couldn't afford all the test, I elected to only take the one that I could afford since I had to write a check.

Now at the same time Coal got sick. He went in to have his teeth cleaned and ended up with IV's etc. Now he has health insurance as well (he is high maintenance) and his hospital procedures costs more than my test. Guess what his deductable is-----$20. Now what is wrong with this picture! Of course, I have to have more tests because there was a abnormal result--so more money. I have such mixed feeling, the more test I have to take, the quicker I will get my deductible met, but also that means something is wrong.

4 inches of snow is expected tonight. Maybe I will have an extra day to sew! I am suppose to go to have follow-up test tomorrow, so if I don't go, that means I will have extra money to buy fabric---oops, no I will not. I have to meet that deductible!

xoxo