Great Garter Stitch!

There's a new book out called Great Garter Stitch. The cover is pretty and interesting, and it sounds like a book I would love. Unfortunately, I can't get any information about the projects in the book, and am wondering if I really want to buy it. Or whether I can afford to buy it.

It makes the perfect expletive for a knitter, though. Just imagine a particularly surprising event. You can shout "Great garter stitch!" I really love the name.

I went to Borders today because their website said it was available from Borders. But it's not in their stores, so I can't actually see the book. I suspect it's a POD book, and that there are no printed copies until they're ordered. I'm amazed that the publisher hasn't got pictures of the contents on their website.

I'm down to the waist on the Celtic sweater. Photos of the underarm area will be coming up real soon, now.

In the meantime, I'm so drowned by forms to fill out, and lack of money that I'm really starting to be depressed. I've had anywhere from $125 to $97 removed from my Social Security each month for the months of May, June, July, and today, August. And they're going to keep doing it.

There's a woman that works at the apartment place I live in that helps people with forms and programs that are available. She keeps telling me that Medicare Part B is free. But they're taking $97 out of my Social Security, so I don't see how it's free. I keep telling her that if somebody can't show me some way that it's going to be cheaper (a whole lot cheaper) than $97, I'm going to cancel it. She's horrified. I haven't had health insurance for the vast majority of my life because it just wasn't available. It's inconceivable to her that anyone can live without health insurance.

Part B is the part that pays for you to see a doctor.

Some government agency has contacted me and let me know that they will cover the cost of my Part D, which is a prescription plan. And I'm wondering if I should let them waste their money on that. The only prescription drug I take isn't covered.

I've gone to great lengths to eliminate all prescription drugs from regular use, and it's improved my health tremendously.

But now Congress is doing their best to make truly helpful things that are available over the counter illegal. Instead, if they have their way, the things that actually promote good health will be banned, and the only thing that will be available to help with some problems I have will be things that will raise dramatically my risks for heart attack, stroke, cancer and blood clots.

There are more and more things to hate about our government every day.

And I'm constantly amazed by the things that other people say. Someone yesterday was lamenting the economy, and how bad it is. Then she said "But it'll be over soon, because people will start buying things again." I challenged this idea, and she explained that people want things and they'll start buying them again soon because they want them. Which makes no sense to me. I mean, there are lots of things that I want, and would like to buy, but with no money, I certainly can't buy them. I can't even get my tooth fixed. I foresee a lot of pain in my near future.

I'm going to quit now, and get back to you tomorrow with some photos (at least one), and a more cheerful attitude.

Have a good evening.