Don't Mess With Me Today

What started out as a beautiful day just went south.

But before I rant, please take time to read this post over at Pondering Penguin. Karen writes so thoughtfully about Elizabeth Edwards and the recent announcement of her recurrence of cancer.

Cancer is such a hideous disease, isn't it. Vicki wrote recently of a young woman just turning 20, who is faced with needing a bone marrow transplant because of leukemia, and undergoing harvesting of eggs for future use because in all probability she would not be able to conceive after all the treatments. That's not what a 20 year old should be facing.

In our church, there is a gentleman who has just turned 70, who is battling cancer, and he's not winning. It started out in his tongue, is now in his throat, practically strangling him, and there isn't much left to be done. He and his wife have a daughter who is developmentally delayed, nearing 50 years of age, and that burden is heavy. Yes, arrangements are made, but the worry is still there.

But then there is Ben, who survived his ordeal this last year, and Anthony, who, so far, is doing well after his bone marrow transplant. While there's breath there's hope, n'est-ce pas.

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Spring training is almost over. I smiled when I read B.C. this morning.

I have a ticket for one more game this week, and then the boys of summer will be headed north to begin the regular season of baseball. The month of spring training is all too short. Along with the boys going north, will be many of the snowbirds who migrate back to their homes in the north. Some of them will be missed; some won't. Our roads will be less crowded, but the restaurants and businesses who depend on tourism will be wishing they were still here.

When my daughter was getting ready for college, we went to North Carolina to finish her registration for fall. We traveled back to Florida on Saturday, April 1. I'm so glad we were coming south. Going north on I-75 was a steady stream of cars, RV's, campers, boats. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have never believed it. It was as though the state was being evacuated, and in a way, it was. The kids and I wished them all a good trip. That migration will soon be taking place again.
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Now for my RANT. For those of us who live in Florida, homeowner's insurance is a touchy subject. I remember crying when our premium doubled to $600.00. That was many years ago.
The Allst*te pulled out of our area, saying that we were high risk, and some company took over. They got their increase, pulled out, and so on and so on. Last year I paid $2500, and I complained. My premium this year? With yet another company...$4138.00. I submitted a payment of over $1000. Just one little mistake...I left off the fifty cents after the decimal point. So today I get a notice of cancellation if they don't have their fifty cents before April 4. I'm going to pay whatever postage it takes to send it in pennies. That just makes me SO MAD.