Well now. No net, no wings. If it weren't for occasional updrafts I might already have hit bottom, but so far only a few bumps against the cliff on the way.
1) Two days after last post, I was visiting my daughter in New Hampshire, and while on a hike down Mt. Major (beautiful view of Lake Winnepesaukee from the top!) slipped on some some loose gravel and broke my left arm. Had to hike about another two miles to get to the car, drove 45 minutes to the hospital, x-rays, pizza in the examination room, and "your arm is broken. See an orthopedist when you get home; they'll set it and cast it." First day of plumbing class three days later, I can't do any of the hands-on learning, and the teacher tells me we'll discuss options after I see the orthopedist. Dr. Andrew tells me the next day, "We need to do surgery to put in a plate; from the x-ray it looks like there are several different fractures, and since too much time has passed, setting it is not an option." Surgery on Friday, and he recommends dropping the course as I will need at least 6 to 10 weeks to recover. Teacher agrees, so Plumbing School is on hold. Plumbing 01 not offered again until next fall.
2) Went to Morgantown, WV for Labor Day "weekend" to visit with parents. Mom is now in Hospice (congestive heart failure, kidney failure, two falls which leave her with bruised ribs and a broken pelvis) and it turns out they need more help than it seemed from a distance. So I end up spending a week up there, helping Dad get everything in order (identify the meds Mom says she doesn't need, one of which is the pain medication, take the door off the bathroom and install a curtain so she doesn't get stuck in there, re-engineer the wheels on her walker so she can get through all of their narrow doorways. Thank you Charlie for that one.)
3) Sign up for COBRA. I had been searching for cheaper medical insurance, but hadn't signed up yet as I figured I had time -- I hadn't been sick for 2-1/2 years, so I should be fine! Ha. Two days after the last post was also two days after my previous insurance ended, along with my previous job. I had to wait for them to send me the forms, and they to receive my check for $338.00/month before any of my bills could be processed. So now I'm stuck with COBRA for the foreseeable future, and a best-case scenario calculation looks like at the minimum I will pay about $4,000 (on top of the $338/month) for having my broken arm repaired. Which leads to
4) I hadn't calculated major medical expenses into my decision to take the time off to go back to school, so now I am starting a part-time job next week, at Hancock Fabrics. Twenty hours per week at minimum wage (and for readers not in NC, here that often means Federal minimum -- $7.25 per hour). That should just about cover my COBRA payment. Looking for full-time but of course so is everyone.
So, step back and re-group. Perhaps the broken arm is the universe's way of telling me, "NO! Not that plan!" A good friend suggests that I am being told to stop and listen to what I really need to be doing, and so that is what I'm about. I'm excited to get back into the sewing world for a while, and hopefully will be able to do some at home to supplement minimum wage (pillows, window treatments, alterations, custom sewing -- if you need any of that, let me know!) Will continue here, though, and keep the blog name -- it works in so many ways, and we'll see what happens until the net appears. Stay tuned.
