Random Politics and Company

I woke up in the middle of the night last night to take Motrin. Grant came in to sleep in our bed, but I was so tired I didn't get up. Abbie came, too. I was rediculously uncomfortable. When Josh got up to take his shower, he found out why. He laughed at me. I was "sleeping" on a transformer.

The other day I ended up having political discussions in my living room. We were exploring the concept of socialized medicine with our neighbor. He is a Democrat. I am...me. Josh claims to be a Centralist. We had three different perspectives, naturally. But here's the thing that got me. Josh seems to think that the ruling power owes to each of its people a clean bill of health. WHAT? How can that be? Some people are just going to be sick. You can't expect the government to make everyone well. Kirk was surprised. He said, "Man, I thought you two would be the oposite. Rosemary, you don't want a clean bill of health?"

"No. I plan to die of something."

Josh wants to live forever. When his pieces and parts go, he wants them replaced. I think he is amused at the thought of being part robot. Not I. If I were going to ask for something, I'd ask to be physically 19 years old for an extra decade. That, however, they are not offering. Being ancient and in constant moderate discomfort for even longer holds absolutely no attraction for me. And we all know what I think of the body outliving the mind. I am repulsed by it. I would hate to have my family live through that with me, after having lived through it with my...mom's family.

All that aside, though, I'm still only an advocate for socializing the ER (and vaccinations). I don't relish the thought of paying for the hypocondriac's 20 monthly trips to his M.D. and I also don't see how it should be required of a government. Josh thinks everyone's health care should be free, like when we were military. Yeah? Well, you get what you pay for. Those doctors SUCKED. Military doctors are the ones that are either too inexperienced or too crappy to make it in the civilian sector. When I was a military wife, I went through 3 doctors on base. One was decent, although he gave me the creeps. Then he was deployed. The next one didn't know as much as I did. The third one accused me of having an STD every time I walked in the door. No, I'm not kidding. I know that military couples get reputations for being unfaithful to each other, especially Marines, but please allow me to volunteer that that is NOT the case in my marriage. So, I didn't dig the whole, "Are you sure you don't have herpies?" thing all the time. Then I told him of my back troubles and told him I wanted to get strong before I tried to have kids. He sent me to the gym on base. No recommendations. Nothing. (I might add, he never even did the x-ray to see what he was dealing with, THAT was my doctor in Rolla.) Then, when I did get pregnant, they got the due date wrong by 2 months. Hmm. I would feel so much better if that's what we could all expect. Uh - no.

Enough health care talk.

Yesterday, my mother came over. Very last minute. She was in St. Louis, and called to see if she could come over and play on her way home. So, she stopped by after lunch, bringing milkshakes for the kids, and three huge bags of my grandfather's shirts. I went through them, and picked 3 or 4 for Grant and one or two for me, and when Josh came home, he tried them on and ended up with a few, too. I always gave special attention to the ones with coffee stains. They were the ones that were loved the most.

Josh had his meeting at work yesterday. Actually, he had to stay late for it. They are thinking of offering Josh the same manager job they trained him for and didn't give him last year. Scott, the owner, asked Josh to consider it and come back with any potential concerns. No actual offer has been made. Josh told me, and I tried not to be upset. Eventually it came out, though. I'm upset. Josh's schedule would change. He wouldn't leave work until 6:00. First of all, he would lose that time on his class days when he does his homework. So, he'd be doing it here in the mornings. That means we'd all have to stay out of his way. It also means that I'd have to take my kids to his mom's house every Tuesday and Thursday on my way to taiko. We did a budget, too. Josh is making $2.00/hr less that we need, just to cover our bills. No wonder I felt so broke, huh? This is to maintain our current life, where we are dirt poor and I have no health insurance. More would be needed for an actual improvement of our life condition. And they probably don't even have the $2.

Why can't we ever have something happen that is only good? We're due. Am I being punished for my past wrongs? Because I see nice things happening to horrible people and it just makes my head sizzle. Life is just not fair.

Oh, well.

Today, I hope to go to the grocery store, since I didn't get to yesterday. Maybe while we're out, we can go to the library, too. I have new and exciting (we hope) book recommendations to explore. Then, I get to take the kids to Josh's mom's house tonight. Missy is home, and Josh chose this morning to tell me that they are all expecting the kids. Gotta love advanced notice. And it seems Josh forgot all about my broken truck.

So far nobody is availible to come to the zoo with us Saturday. Oh, well. We can go by ourselves. Guess I don't have to wonder if I should bring cupcakes. At taiko, I told Eddie we would wave at their plane when it flew off to Japan, but it turns out they are leaving very early in the morning. Sorry. I'll still be at home at that point. But I will be thinking of them all and wishing them pleasant journey! Although, I remember flying to Japan as excruciating.

It's supposed to rain today. I'm sort of looking forward to it. And while I'm thinking about it, I think I'll make some tea.