Random DIY mixing and More

[hittman]

I didn’t know that have a cut off age but I guess it makes sense. What is it?

As far as I know it's 26. My oldest is 24 now and is just getting started in life so don't really want to dump this on her right now. In about a year and a half she will have to get her own plan.

I remember that stuff from my working days. I had to choose from 6 insurance companies which each offered multiple plans and levels. Each company presented their options in different formats. If I was going to have surgery next year this plan would be good, but if I was going to need expensive meds or non-surgical treatment that plan would be no help at all. And vice versa. It was like throwing the dice knowing the only winner would be the house. And it got more expensive each year, with less benefits.

When I first got to the US in 90 I paid a fairly small amount and all treatment was free. By the time I retired I paid a huge amount with huge deductibles. A couple of years after I was diagnosed with COPD the insurance company decided to stop covering COPD meds.

I'm 70 now so I'm mostly out of the grasp of the insurance cartels. Apart from the fact that they bribe the politicians to let them charge as much as they want for meds.

We don't have the luxury of choosing from different plans. My boss uses an insurance broker and we basically get handed what he picks. It's usually a plan somewhere in the middle of a cheap plan that covers little and an expensive one that covers more. This is the first time I can remember us sticking with the same insurance company for three years in a row. Usually we get a new company every two years. It sure was nice when my wife was able to work since her company had really good insurance. However that was many years ago so I'm sure it isn't as good now but it was a big company so they got better rates than we do.

 

[Territoo]

Good morning random folks Have you any plans today?

I have my <ahem> female exam this afternoon.

 

[FranC]

Morning everyone

We watched that last night too. Entertaining.
Did I miss anything last week?

I don’t think so except……….

How was your trip.

 

[dennism]

I ordered a Smok Solus and 3 extra pods, for $14, I had to. I plan on giving it to a friend, that likes easy peasy.

 

[NolaMel]

I don’t think so except……….

How was your trip.

I was the destination, not the traveler. It was wonderful…house full of family, lots of grandbaby snuggles, too much food, got a ton of Christmas shopping done. Just enjoyed soaking it all in.

The hardest gift every year is for the 13 ladies in his office. They get a nice bonus from the company, but Himself likes to do a little something for them. I always struggle to find something neutral but useful. I found insulated 12 oz tumblers with locking lids at Academy on Black Friday. Just need to pick something to stuff inside them. We always tie an ornament to the packages, this year is a silver bell with 2021 inscribed.

 

[FranC]

One of my ice cream cakes is almost gone. I put the rest of the bottle in my tank. The chocolate one isn’t far behind.

 

[FranC]

I was the destination, not the traveler. It was wonderful…house full of family, lots of grandbaby snuggles, too much food, got a ton of Christmas shopping done. Just enjoyed soaking it all in.

The hardest gift every year is for the 13 ladies in his office. They get a nice bonus from the company, but Himself likes to do a little something for them. I always struggle to find something neutral but useful. I found insulted 12 oz tumblers with locking lids at Academy on Black Friday. Just need to pick something to stuff inside them. We always tie an ornament to the packages, this year is a silver bell with 2021 inscribed.

Very nice thing to do.

 

[FranC]

I was the destination, not the traveler. It was wonderful…house full of family, lots of grandbaby snuggles, too much food, got a ton of Christmas shopping done. Just enjoyed soaking it all in.

The hardest gift every year is for the 13 ladies in his office. They get a nice bonus from the company, but Himself likes to do a little something for them. I always struggle to find something neutral but useful. I found insulted 12 oz tumblers with locking lids at Academy on Black Friday. Just need to pick something to stuff inside them. We always tie an ornament to the packages, this year is a silver bell with 2021 inscribed.

Oh, if you look back 2 or maybe 3 days ago you will see a lot of deleted posts. Never a dull moment here…..,,

 

[charlie1465]

We are retired, starting in January 2022 out cost for medical insurance (counting Medicare which comes out of our social security) our monthly amount will be $1120. This does not take into account our cost (with insurance) for our prescriptions of about $200 per month.

That's unbelievable.....

 

[Skeebo]

I'm 70 now so I'm mostly out of the grasp of the insurance cartels. Apart from the fact that they bribe the politicians to let them charge as much as they want for meds.

The United States is one of only two countries that allow drug manufacturers to advertise to their consumers. I don't know, it just seems wrong. The doctors seem like their in on it too (high prices). I've been on 5 different drug regimens over the last 23 years. As soon as the drug patent expires and a generic version of the regimen I am on becomes available, all of a sudden my physician starts saying, "we have to get you off XYZ, it's toxic to your system".

And, I can't count the number of times there is a rep from the drug manufacturers sitting in the waiting room. What's that all about?

My current regimen is $2295 a month. I have been on some that have been upwards of $7k a month. What's aggravating is the same medicine is much cheaper in other countries.

 

[Skeebo]

Did I miss anything last week?

Nope, everyone has been getting along really well. I even made new friends.

 

[charlie1465]

Another recipe that's worth posting IMO.

Spicy sponge cream cake.

1.25% Biscuit (Speculoos) (CSC)
1.00% Cake (Sponge Cake) (CSC)
1.50% Pudding Base (VTA)
0.50% Vienna Cream (FA)
1.50% Whipped Cream (Panna Montata) (FA)
Flavor total: 5.75%

For anyone that likes spéculoos this is for you. It's like a sticky sponge pudding with a spéculoos flavour. The spéculoos flavour is buried in the mix and comes through on the exhale nicely. If you prefer more of the famous biscuit then you could drop the pudding base to 1% and push the spéculoos up to 1.75%. All in all I'm happy with where it is but as always YMMV.

Steep for a minimum of four weeks....longer even better.

@Zazie please can you add to the blog. Thank you X

Just to add for non lovers of spice....this is still worth trying. I think you'll like it

 

[NolaMel]

Very nice thing to do.

He knows very well that they’re the ones who keep everything humming. There’s too many to do anything big, but he wants them to know how much he appreciates how hard they work.

Trying to decide what to mix today. That and laundry are all I *plan* on doing. I’m in holiday recovery mode lol

 

[NolaMel]

Oh, if you look back 2 or maybe 3 days ago you will see a lot of deleted posts. Never a dull moment here…..,,

Oh, lordie lol. We’re not missing anyone now (“moved on”) ??

 

[charlie1465]

The United States is one of only two countries that allow drug manufacturers to advertise to their consumers. I don't know, it just seems wrong. The doctors seem like their in on it too (high prices). I've been on 5 different drug regimens over the last 23 years. As soon as the drug patent expires and a generic version of the regimen I am on becomes available, all of a sudden my physician starts saying, "we have to get you off XYZ, it's toxic to your system".

And, I can't count the number of times there is a rep from the drug manufacturers sitting in the waiting room. What's that all about?

My current regimen is $2295 a month. I have been on some that have been upwards of $7k a month. What's aggravating is the same medicine is much cheaper in other countries.

Your system seems to allow the drug manufacturers to push their prices up and up because it's completely driven by private insurance so there's no insentive to keep prices lower. It's completely market/profit driven.

 

[FranC]

Oh, lordie lol. We’re not missing anyone now (“moved on”) ??

No one moved on.

 

[FranC]

I have a Custard Croissant in a Dvarw so I may have another recipe to post. Right now it’s in an extra tank til one of my ice cream cakes is gone.

 

[NolaMel]

Oh, if you look back 2 or maybe 3 days ago you will see a lot of deleted posts. Never a dull moment here…..,,

Glad I missed the hoopla. I think I missed 60 or so pages, too much to catch up

 

[FranC]

Glad I missed the hoopla. I think I missed 60 or so pages, too much to catch up

I think you might have missed a couple recipes in that many pages. @Zazie is magic finding that stuff. Maybe she can pick them out for you.

 

[NolaMel]

No one moved on.

That’s good. We’ve had it happen a couple times. It pains me when we can’t all play nice. Holiday stress can bring out the snap in people sometimes. Glad I came back to peace and kumbaya (too tired to spell check that, just sound it out lol)