So we can rest assured were paying top dollar for mediocre outcomes.

It's sort of like shopping at Best Buy.

{{{bonny}}}

Ride in Daniel's new (to us) van. DONE

I must gush about the van. It was left to my mom by her boyfriend Ray when he died. She had put it in storage when I mentioned that my truck was sucking down gas at an appalling rate.

So now it's mine. Sort of on permanent loan, for now.

It's a 2000 Chevy Venture minivan with the Warner Brothers package.

It has a drop down LCD screen behind the front seats so passengers can watch videos.

The part that made me laugh today was when I realized they didn't have a DVD player. It has a VHS player in the center console.

All that wiring and Chevy couldn't spring for DVD in 1999?

That's kind of hysterical. Did we have DVDs in 99?

Yay for the van, Daniel!

Smonster, you're killing on that list.

Bonny, as everyone else has said, you and B-boy were soulmates, right for each other. You supported and loved each other without reservation, and it fell out to be you who had to see him off and live without him, and not the other way around. I know he thought he was the luckiest dog, ever, and I also know he actually was, pretty much. He done good. So did you.

We have no insurance. We need no insurance. We accept whatever percentage off they give us for low admin for self-pay. And if the day comes we can't afford to self-pay, we'll refuse treatment other than palliative, and get on with things. In our case, it's a decision we made, and we're comfortable with it.

I had a bourbon vanilla creme brulee donut. I think this may be one of the best things I've ever eaten.

Oh, man, want.

StW picked up sushi, and we ate yummy sushi while watching Justified. He's getting the cold I had , poor boo.

Everything's done except packing gifts in suitcase. I'm not checking a bag, but might need to bring an extra.

Can't believe this time tomorrow I'll be in NC with a belly full of latkes!

Beverly, that was lovely. I love the way this community has with wise and loving words.

I'm in a shitty mood. I need a couple more days before I have to be ready for Christmas. I had a bad dream in which I was violent towards our style manual (a dream which needs no deep interpretation, yo). My hip hurts, not the hip I injured rock climbing, no, inexplicably, the other one.

Payroll cancelled direct deposit to my old checking account, but they need a couple weeks to start direct deposit to the new checking account. Why? I don't know. So I'll be getting a paper check this week. When? I don't know. How much money do I have right now? Not enough, if that check doesn't come tomorrow. Is this the worst possible time of the year for money screw-ups? Of course it is. I am angry.

All this puts me in danger of stress-shopping.

However, today I wrote an actual, physical, paper check, and it made me feel good. Like I actually DID something. That was weird.

Aimee, that's very exciting news.

And sorry Gar, that's crappy news. I'm glad you can get coverage, but it makes me angry that you have to scramble like this for health care coverage.

My hip hurts, not the hip I injured rock climbing, no, inexplicably, the other one.

I don't know enough about muscles to explain it, but I know my stretch teacher would say that this is common. Something about the uninjured side trying to compensate and therefore straining itself. Hope it all heals soon.