The Insurance Company

Remember the perfect storm last week?  When it was far below zero and our snowbanks were ice covered and I pulled into the parking lot at the Y and bumped a snowbank, shattering my front bumper?  Try explaining that to an insurance company called "California Casualty" based in Phoenix, Arizona!

"So, m'am, you had an accident."

"No, I was parking the car."

"So you slid into a snowbank."

"No, I was barely moving, parking the car."

"Did you hit another driver?"

"No, I was parking the car.  I bumped the snowbank.  It's rock solid."

"So what did you hit?"

"Darla, how cold is it outside where you are right now?"

"Sixty-five degrees."

And that it explains it all, right, fellow Minnesotans!?!  No clue, no concept, but covered!

 

To Shower or Not Shower!?!

It wasn't even a question yesterday!  With blood rolling down my leg, of course I was going to shower and fix my bedhead before we went to urgent care!  I drew the line at make-up, though - not necessary!

The Horizontal Mattress

The horizontal mattress, in case you're wondering, is the name of a knot that doctor's use to suture wounds on your body that will strain.  They are far more secure than a regular suture.  How do I know?  I got two this morning, along with two regular sutures!

Today, being three weeks after Christmas, I thought it about time to pack away the Christmas dishes.  Everything was clean, no one else was in the kitchen - duty called!  

Unfortunately, when I went to grab the falling mug, I must have hit a plate that hit the floor and came back up and sliced my calf.  One look was all it took and I knew where I was spending my morning - the emergency room!  

Fortunately, I was wrong.  The urgent care around the corner was open and they did sutures.  Micah drove me over and in we went.

Unfortunately, the physician's assistant who first looked at me wasn't quite sure her sutures would hold.

Fortunately, the doctor on duty had no qualms and she was ready to perform her "horizontal mattresses."  Two horizontal mattresses (which count for a total of four sutures) and two regular sutures later, I was on my way home.

Unfortunately, I get to wear the good doctor's handiwork for fourteen days instead of the normal ten . . .    

Today's Algebraic Equation:  

(2 horizontal mattresses)(2) + 2 regular sutures = 6 stitches

Thankful Thursday!

I am thankful that . . .

• I could help a dear friend get her vehicle from the repair shop yesterday;
• This year I can tell my twins apart in Thursday morning swimming lessons;
• That Sam brought Matt to get his new tatt last night and I could stay home;
• That we could have an interesting discussion at dinner last night about the meaning of Matt's new tattoo before he got it;
• That Micah came so excited from youth group last night because she had prayed out loud!

To God be the glory! 

Absolutely Amazing!

Christmas morning I dreamt I was back at the Presbyterian Camp on Lake Okoboji putting in a zip line!  Helping me with it was Brian Amundson.  We had been campers, counselors and friends at camp over the years.  But as I told Sam, I had not thought of or seen Brian in over 35 years!  Sam said, "Google."  

I found a Brian that looked like Camp Brian on LinkedIn and sent him a note.  Today I heard back from him.  Are you sitting down?

When his father died, his family donated money to the camp.  That money was used to put in a climbing wall with a zip line attached!

  

The Perfect Storm

Sadly, last Thursday can only be labeled as "The Perfect Storm".  The temps were the coldest they had been all winter that morning.  The snow was coated in ice and rock solid.  I pulled into the Y parking lot and my bumper hit the snow bank - normally never a problem.  Due to the "perfect" conditions, my front bumper "shattered" to the tune of a $1300.00 repair!

Absolutely Appalling . . .

Matt worked at the front desk of the Y yesterday and while he was there, a man came in and said someone had fallen in the parking lot.  Note:  this man did not bother to stop and help the fallen man.  He went inside the Y to report it.  

Matt went running out and sure enough, there was an older man down.  Only the story gets better.  The only person trying to help him get up was James, also an older man who is in a wheelchair.  And James couldn't do it.  Matt did.  When he did, the ex-marine used extremely colorful language to tell Matt all about the number of people who had walked by.  But only James offered help, until Matt came. 

And that, my friends, is what I find utterly appalling . . . It reminds me of a story Jesus shared.  We know it as the good Samaritan.