Happy Ground Hog Day!!

February 2, 2016

Good morning.  Woo Hoo!!!  Punxsutawney Phil says that Spring is right around the corner.  Yeaaaah!!  Let's give a big cheer for this fabulous Ground Hog!  I borrowed this photo of Phil from the web.

Did you know that Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip?  Here's a little more information about him.  He weights 20 pounds and is 22 inches long.  This is his 130th year predicting the weather. 

Every summer Phil drinks a magic punch that gives him seven more years of life.  The last time he predicted an early Spring was back in 2013.  He has an accuracy rating of 40%.  That makes him about the same as most all the other weather forecasters.

Lately I haven't been working on my afghans because I'm just not loving how the new yarn is looking with the main colors.  I can't give something away as a gift unless I'm happy with it.  Unfortunately, I can only buy the colors that the local stores decide to stock.  Walmart is the closest store, but their yarn department is really sucky!  It's always messy, and not re-stocked very often. 

Speaking of Walmart, Here's a photo I borrowed from the web.  I find this to be a sad reflection on what we are willing to tolerate from the people who live here.

I think it should be mandatory for everyone wanting to live here to at least learn to read and write the English language.  Signs like the one shown here should not be necessary.  I also read on Facebook that some schools are going to stop teaching cursive.  I don't know how accurate this report is, but I think it's a really day for our people when they stop learning how to write and read English.

How many of you found all the words hidden in yesterday's puzzle image?    These are the words that were hidden:  mirror, tiles, straw, cord, couch, cat.  If you found all the words, congratulations.  Now if I could just find a whole book of these puzzles I'd buy it!  It's good to make the brain work a bit each day.

I read an article in our local newspaper that says:  "A new study published shows that drug shortages in emergency rooms across the United States increased more than 400 percent between 2001 and 2014.  There was a huge increase in the shortage between 2008 and 2014.  More than half of the shortages were of life saving drugs, and 10 percent affected drugs with no substitutes.  The more common drugs on shortage are used to treat infectious deseases, relieve pain, and treat patients who have been poisoned. 

The shortages are real, they're happening, and they're getting worse, even though Emergency Rooms are implementing things like providing posters with quick alternative drug options.  (WHAT ARE THESE?)   The primary reasons given for shortages were manufactiuring delays (25.6%), supply and demand (14.9%), availability of raw materials (4.4 %).  Pharmaceutical companies listed "business decisions" as the reason for a shortage 2.1% of the time.  For more than 46% of the shortages, no reason was given at all."  (all info taken from the Patriot Ledger)

I find this information appalling.  I can't prove it, but I sincerely believe that these shortages of drugs in the ER's has something to do with the government and the insurance companies trying to make it more difficult for young people taking the drugs and over-dosing.    

I also don't understand why a lot of us folks are being denied drugs that we need to keep up our quality of life?  There is no shortage of drugs on the street.  So, obviously it is not our drugs that is feeding the street addicts.  Somehow, I do believe that if there really is a drug shortage, then it is a planned shortage.

Little by little, a lot of us are noticing that it is getting more difficult to fill some of our prescriptions now.  Doctors don't want to prescribe, and pharmacists don't want to fill.   Drugs that I need have been replaced with inefficient drugs.  I have to learn to deal with more pain and more spasms, and yet the addicts are still od-ing. 

I have not figured out the logic of all of this yet.  If you know it, please explain it to me.  I'm not alone.  I know of many other folks in the same situation with their meds.  ( NOTE:  everyone I know with this same problem is over 55, with most of us over 65.)

Enough of my babble.  Before I leave you today, let me share a beautiful scrap layout that Beth made for Pogo.  Thanks Beth.  We love it!  Pogo sends you and Cisco woofs and a big lick!

Now I'm off to see what kind of fun mischief I can get into today.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.