It was so nippy, my heater was running! See, the space heater in the snake room isn't working right. I think the thermostat has gone bad. It warms up, but doesn't shut off when it gets to the set temperature, and just keeps getting hotter and hotter. I don't trust the thing, and having no wish to burn my house down, I've unplugged it. Until I can get a replacement, I'm keeping the central heat set at 65'. Oh, the snakes will be OK, as long as it doesn't get below freezing in the house, but I want them to be somewhat comfortable. Yes, I spoil my snakes.
Speaking of snakes, I came home from work Wednesday, and there was a rather large box sitting in my car port. I got all excited for a moment, thinking someone had sent me a birthday present. Then I remembered. I'd ordered more snake food. Sigh...
But I digress....
Knowing it was going to be cold this weekend, I got out yesterday and and split a bunch of firewood. Well, not a bunch, but enough to last a few days. Look what they're predicting for Tuesday! Kind of makes me wish I had another day off on the books. But no, I've got to go back to work.
Ever since I started taking all these days off this fall, I've been saying I'm going to get up and go get new glasses. However, when my day off would roll around, I found I just couldn't get moving in the mornings. Maybe next week, I'd tell myself. And so it went for the last two months.
This week rolled around, and same thing -- I had already said maybe next week, and settled in to watch cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies. However, found myself getting bored and restless. I couldn't watch TV. I couldn't knit. I couldn't play any of my instruments. I just couldn't sit down. I figured it was God's way of telling me to go get my glasses. And that's exactly what I did.
I went to the eye clinic next to Wal-mart, because they take walk-ins, and you know how I hate making phone calls. I went inside and started filling out the forms. The receptionist asks me what insurance I have, and I tell her VSP -- which is what we've had for years. She looks me up in the system and can't find me. I tell her I'd better be in there, because they're taking money out of my paycheck for it. She asks where I work, and I tell her. "Oh, they switched to EyeMed, and we don't take that insurance." And that's how I discovered my work had changed insurance companies. They used to have meetings to explain these things, but they don't any more. Thanks a lot, place of employment.
I briefly considered just having my eyes checked and paying for it, but quickly decided against it. I'm paying all this money for vision insurance, and by golly, I'm going to use it. I went back to my car, and while I was sitting there stewing, I figured if I'm going to have to make an appointment, I might as well go to my regular eye doctor. They were able to get me in for yesterday (Friday) morning.
Even though it's been five years, my eyes haven't changed that much. I told the doctor (Dr. Kevin Braswell, for you local folks) I was having trouble seeing my piano music, and he made a slight alteration to my prescription which should help with that.
When I went to pick out my frames, these are the ones that jumped right out at me.
I don't know how well you can see, but the top of the frames are purple. I decided against them, however, as I couldn't see myself wearing them every day. I chose a much more subdued pair, and they should be here in about a week.
By the way, that's what you get when you ask an INTJ to smile. I'm convinced Mona List was also an INTJ -- or at least an I. Well, and the lighting in there was pretty harsh, as well.
Now for a bit of good news: Cody is going to get to come for Thanksgiving. I can at least plan the meals ahead of time! While I was sitting there in the Walmart parking lot Thursday, stewing over my insurance troubles, I said to myself, "Self, while you're here, might as well go in and get the shopping done." And that's exactly what I did.
Y'all would be proud of me. I walked down the Christmas candy aisle, and --get this-- I didn't buy anything!! I was sorely tempted by the cherry cordial kisses, but I managed to resist. I did start picking up the stuff I'll need for Thanksgiving dinner, so I won't have to buy it all at once. I'll have two more paychecks to get the rest.
The plant is giving us a turkey again, but I'm going to cook the one that's still in my deep freeze from last year -- you know, when I thought Cody wouldn't be able to come, so I just cooked some chicken. I was going to save it for Christmas, but then Cody wanted to cook gumbo. I kept saying I was going to thaw and cook it sometime during the year, but I never did. Anyway.... I'm going be slow cooking it again this year. I did it last year, and the turkey turned out so tender. I'll never go back to hot cooking it.
In knitting knews --he he, see what I did there? I finally got all my new yarn knit into my sock yarn blanket, and as promised, here is the updated photo.
Cody's bed is a double, so you can kind of get an idea of the size of it. The original plan was to make it 12 squares by 24 squares, but laying it out like this makes me think I won't need to make it quite that big. It's only supposed to be a throw, after all.
In the midst of all that knitting, I made a few more Zoom Loom squares.
I reckon I'd better stop for now, before this post becomes a full length novel.
Laters....
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