The itsy bitsy spider crawled up the water spout.

It finally actually resembles winter here again. A soggy, darkish day. I'm blogging on my moring break, since I will be leaving at noon. Sick Daddy is miserable and could really use the rest. I will go home and care for Lex while he recoups.

Word(s) of the day: EXTENUATE

I would like anyone who reads this to go to Meriam-Webster online dictionary and look up the definition for that word. Oh, wait, first...think of what meaning pops into your head. I'd love a comment or two on this one. I decided to use it as word of the day yesterday when a insurance company rep used the term 'extenuating circumstances'. She said that only her supervisor would be able to review extenuating circumstances for paying a claim that was being denied inappropriately. When I looked up the definition, I realized that 90% of the time I hear or use this word, it is being used incorrectly. Odd.

Bad news: Got a bill from the hospital for my emergency room visit in December. No more penicillin for me! The hospital bill is $612.00 after insurance! hooray for deductibles, NOT! The ambulance bill is another $100 something. Now I start to wonder why my panicking self choose that mode of transport when all they did was put me on oxygen and drive along with traffic. Oh well, at least insurance paid a good chunk of it.

Lexie log: Lexie is terribly disturbed by the oversized gingerbread man in Shrek II. Mongo, yah, that's his name. She will not watch that part of the movie without someone else there to comfort her. Daddy says, "Boom boom down!" when he comes on the screen to "protect" her. Now, every time she sees something scary, she says, "boom boom down!" As far as children shows go, she loves Shrek and donkey, Whinnie the Pooh and Tiger, Harold and Lilac, Tom and Jerry, and the old Looney Toons cartoons. --- She is at a stage right now where she can't stand to have her diaper changed. I hope this is a good thing that will help her potty train soon. When she needs a change, all you have to do is say the word diaper, and she takes off out of the room. Then she kicks and screams and yells, "Icky, poo, poo!", even if it's only wet. --- Writing the "bad news" reminded me of how Grammy said Lex freaked out when they put me in the ambulance. We were in the car at the Fred Meyers parking lot. They loaded me into the ambulance, and Frank rode up front. Grammy and Lexie followed the ambulance in our car. Grammy says that when they put my on that gurny thing and put me in the ambulance, that she was howling. Makes me sad. I really thought I was going to die. The scariest thing that has ever happened to me. Anyway...---The first Friday of the month at the clinic is "Fat Friday". I stock up on oatmeal raisin cookies for Lexie. Got three for her today.

Today I am grateful for Frank and Lexie, Oregon weather, comforters, weekends, health insurance, life, and the color green.