that package in the mail is on its way to you.

It got here today!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! It is now living on the fireplace mantel with the other Oz-themed snowglobes and some camels. Can never have too many of either, IMHO.

Seriously, thank you so much.

If you'd like another officiant's input, I'd be happy to offer some of the cool stuff I've been able to use in ceremonies.

Thanks! I may do that.

but I haven't felt right about how to communicate the two goals of the letter.

I think maybe the problem is that the issues you are addressing should really be in two separate letters. One, you need to set up a plan to pay. Two, you have problems with your treatment there. I'd think these would be handled by two different departments.

I had to set up a payment plan w/ Hopkins to pay for the stuff my insurance didn't pay when I was a patient there a few years ago. It was not a big deal at all. I just called the financial office and was able to set up a payment plan through a website. I don't know if that's standard or what.

My experience has been that the billing departments of hospitals are very used to folks with sudden, debilitating financial burdens. The insurance company accountants should be staked out over red ant hills, but I've never run into anyone other than considerate, helpful people in the billing department itself.

It's true that the offices I've called about payment plans have been lovely and patient. That isn't my current problem.

I do see the point that there are two different issues but honestly feel that one informs the other. I need Hospital 1 to help with the expenses incurred at Hospital 2 which were incurred as a result of incompetence at Hospital 1. I don't know how to explain that need/expectation without going into the details of the poor care.

And, the longer I struggle with the lasting effects of the pneumonia, the angrier I get.

Eh. Maybe I need to ask an attorney to write the letter for me. Perhaps dispassion would be more effective.

Maybe I need to ask an attorney to write the letter for me. Perhaps dispassion would be more effective.

This is probably a good idea. Good luck!

I think having a lawyer write a letter is best, bonny. I don't think it's standard policy for a hospital to admit incompetence regarding patient care, so getting them to pony up to pay for hospital #2 is unlikely without legal help.

Dinner tonight - before leaving for work, put a pork roast in the crock pot - roast had been seared with s&p and thyme. In searing pan, threw in some onions and ground ginger. Deglazed with some water added the water and two eighthed honeycrisp apples. It's been cooking since this morning. The pork is falling apart and there is a lovely chunky apple-y sauce. In the oven are some potatoes tossed with s&p, lemon oil, fresh rosemary and wild onion (courtesy of my across the street neighbor). When the potatoes are done roasting, I'm going to be a happy girl.

I can't find a copy center that can copy my 5 1/2 and 8 1/2 wedding announcements. "Our old machines could do that, but the new ones can't. t panicking

Congratulations, Barb!

Happy birthday, Ginger!

I hope things fall into place for you, sj.

I am tired like an tired thing that is tired and being REtired to the glue factory. Woke up at 7:30. Went to find a tarp in the garage. No dice. Took a canvas drop cloth instead. Got the shovel and the gloves. Then went with my dad to a construction site about 2 blocks away to get some of their fill dirt. My dad did the shoveling and heavy lifting but I did physical stuff too. Probably past my boundaries. It took us 3 trips to get enough because the pickup hit its weight limit before it hit its volume limit. On our 3rd trip, a nice construction guy came up to us and offered to use the trench digger attachment on the bulldozer to get the rest of the soil for us. Swell guy. I had already given the construction foreman 2 bags of cookies. I felt bad I wasn't prepared with more to hand out.

Then I went to buy manure and pick up some things from the store.

Then when I was done with that I cleaned the kitchen because that's my chore this week.

A lot of my exhaustion is from physical stuff but there was also a LOT of stress today due to the dysfunctional family circus. I wish I could just let it roll off my back but I'm very bad at that.

Now to take an early bath or shower because I smell like a stevedore.