Shooting the Messenger

I've been have a shoot the messenger kind of week.  I'm not proud of it, either.  I've had several run-ins with the administrators of our new health care HSA.  I'm probably not smart enough to be managing all of this, frankly, and I'd like to abdicate if anyone's willing.

First you have to contribute.  Then you have to call the number on the card once you get it in the mail.

Then you have to try to use the card for various and expensive pharmaceuticals only to get it declined.

Then you have to try to transfer funds into it so you have enough money to cover the expensive pharmaceuticals.  Then you have to wait on the phone for awhile and talk to someone about why you can't transfer money only to have the nice lady tell you that you have plenty of money in your HSA to cover said expensive pharmaceuticals.  

Then you have to open an account on line with the bank holding the HSA credit card so that you can wait several days for them to transfer $.41 into your checking account to assure themselves of your identity.

Then you can use the card.  

Because all of that is easier and cheaper than just handing someone your insurance card -- the possession of which I am fully aware is a huge blessing.  Blerg.  First world problem.

Also, for some reason, my knee swelled up to about the size of a grapefruit this week and I've been on the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) regimen.  Not my favorite regimen.  But the knee's better, and the HSA card worked when I got an x-ray yesterday to make sure it's nothing to do with the hip -- the titanium one -- on that side.  Just a random injury, one I'm not aware of having gotten.

Just venting.  I've done remarkably well in not shooting any of the messengers this week, I think.

The windstorm we had here yesterday knocked power out all over the area.  Luckily, I just had all of the leaves from the common ground to the west of my patio blown up onto it and piled up around the house.

Lot's of leaves and trash blown around here yesterday.

At least the sky is blue and clear today.

So, I'm sitting in my sunny great room, with my knee propped up, and working on a few things today:

 

This is a crochet afghan using the Catherine wheel motif.  I thought Catherine wheels were fireworks and I love the graphic nature of this pattern done in high contrast colors.  The Cascade Pacific yarn colors are perfect in the room, aren't they?  Turns out that Catherine wheels, the fireworks, are named for Catherine wheels, the torture device used to punish and execute St. Catherine of Alexandria.  Yuck. While I still love and will finish the afghan (it's about 30 inches wide and 4 feet tall at this point, on its way to 6 feet tall), I won't make it for, say, a baby.  Or a wedding gift.  

And Pumpkin Ale is about 85% complete.  Here, a roll of paper towels models the top-down, seamless, set-in sleeve.

It's a trick of the light and the different directions of the knitting -- the color of the sleeve is not so different from the rest of the piece in person.  

Nice, though, huh? This second picture is a better representation of color.  

I would have to say, though, that I don't mind sewing in sleeves.  At least I mind sewing in sleeves less than I mind flipping an entire sweater around over and over in order to knit a sleeve onto it seamlessly.  

Now, I have to go.  Monte wants to come inside for his nap.  

** Listening today:  Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Call Me Irresistible.

** Watching today:  Season 2, House of Cards

Comments

[Carole]

Is HSA like FSA here? A flexible spending account? We use it and I love it because it's pre-taxed but it was better when we could actually buy over the counter medicine - which we can't now.

[Ruth Brooks]

Ann,

Love the colors in the afghan you are making -- I'm a sucker for most things that are lavender and you did so well combining this with olive green and straw-colored yarns. This is one of the prettiest creations I have ever seen. Thanks for sharing it.

Hope you feel better soon and will not have to deal with health insurance people . . .

Ruth Brooks

[Sarah @ Beauty School Dropout]

That sweater is looking GORGEOUS. And I love the crocheted blanket. I think it's me missing my grandma, but I've really been feeling like I want to start crocheting lately.