It is really unnerving to get bills for medical services that are way beyond what you expect. I got two separate bills, one from a hospital and another from an outpatient radiology program for different services. I have coverage by Kaiser, an HMO so I would have a clearer idea of what I owe. So I called Kaiser which worked on one and I called the hospital on the other. The woman I spoke with at the hospital said there should have been an allowance for the pharmacy which was $910.41 and is passing it up to a higher level to review. She thought it would be resolved in about a month. So hopefully this all gets resolved. The other bill Kaiser dealt with them and I don't owe anything. That was a good birthday present!
The Erskine Fire was 100% contained on July 11. It burned 48,019 acres. We have had other fired around us, but not as bad as this one. These fires are very frightening and it is still early in the fire season, so there is still a possibility of it destroying more here.
I had my birthday this week with several celebrations. What a good week. I've enjoyed celebrating it multiple days. Well one of my friends sent me this fabulously birthday song. I think it is so good that I thought many of you might want to send it to special people in your life. Here it is!
My step-mom Kate came here. We went out for lunch at Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and then had dessert back at the house. We went to the Bakersfield Art Center where I take art classes and where I have three pictures on the wall. Kate, my step-mom and my teacher Carol know each other from taking art classes in the Los Angeles area way before I met Carol. So I thought it was nice for them to see each other. Even though it was warm, it wasn't as hot as it usually gets. Kate is not comfortable driving the distance she did to visit with her eyesight not doing as well as it used to. I do understand that and I really like going to her home because there is much more to do there. Kate was telling me about a man in a white pickup offering to paint her car where the scratches were when she was in a parking lot. Well, I had the same thing happen. It was not a professional job, but I no longer have to look at the scrapes on my car. I had to go to an ATM machine to pay him. Kate did too. We wondered if it was the same man,but we live 125 miles apart. It was such a parallel on experiences that we were both laughing.
I had my art class in the morning on the day that Kate came. Another student, Linda was also there. We worked on doing the feathers of a peacock. I did several pictures at home. We have another week doing peacocks, so I will try another picture.This is what I came up with finally:
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| My Peacock would be much better in color! |
I finally got together with Cathy, a fellow social worker I worked with. It had been several months. We met at Mama Roomba. Very tasty food. She retired a year ago and does not miss work (neither do I!). Her oldest daughter is marrying later this year. Her father had died since I last saw her, so she has been through a lot. We did lots of catch up. She found out she was pre diabetic. My step-mom also found out as well as me this year. It is hard to believe Kate is because she eats very well. Cathy was given a tip for controlling her blood sugar level. She said she eats 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and chases it with water. She actually checks her blood sugar level and takes this just before she goes to sleep at night. When she checks her blood sugar in the morning, it is in the normal range. She believed that of all the things she does to control her blood sugar, this is the most effective. I keep thinking we will meet sooner, but each of us has a lot going on which makes seeing each other more often, may not be possible. Cathy said she was talking to someone where we used to work saying she would meet with me. This person said, "I thought she was dead." Cathy assured this person I was still around. So that is a first of hearing someone thinking I was already dead.
I went to get my hair cut and when I was walking in, this man was washing people's cars and asked if I was interested. I agreed to have mine done. Wow! It looked great! I don't think it has been this clean since soon after I bought this car. I might do this every time I get my hair cut. That way he could get more business and at least every five weeks, my car will look great.
I met Janet at Sandrini's for dinner on my birthday. That was a lovely evening. Though we were talking about the terrorist attack in Nice, France. From a very young age, my mother would tell me "All of France is celebrating your birthday. I took this for granted until I was 7 or 8 years old. Then I asked my mother, "how do they know me? How come I don't know them?" Then she explained the holiday Bastille Day falling on my birthday. I feel a connection to the French people because of this. Much later, my husband Paul and I went to Paris. My brother Ben met us there. I have wonderful memories of that time. I feel for the French people with the losses they are now experiencing. They hardly have a chance to recover from one terrorist attack before they are dealing with another. I stand with the French people! The other thing we discussed was as there are more and more killings, people are becoming more and more desensitized which is not good to us. It is the norm! This is becoming a part of life so that people don't become as horrified as they did. But I also think it is a way people cope with this so they aren't falling apart with each incident. Then the following day was an attempted coup in Turkey. I have been there twice. I thought the people were very nice and the setting is unbelievable. Then the food is so fantastic - Especially the vegetables. Why don't we do it like they do it?! I want this violence to stop. I think most people do. Life is hard enough without having events like these!
My friend Barbara and I went to the Vietnamese restaurant called Saigon. I don't go here very often, but they have very tasty food at a reasonable price. Then we went to see The Secret Life of Pets. Cute and lots of fun.
So I had a full week celebrating my birthday several times. Shelley and I will do our birthdays together at the end of the month. I look forward to that.
I have several things going on this next week. I hope this last week was good for you and that your next week will go well. I will see you next Sunday.
Rachel
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