Hello on Thursday Morning

Dear Friends,

I finally went ice-fishing yesterday. There was only two people on Laurel Lake, and I was one of them. I was all set up by 10 AM, which is late for me. The wind howled all day long.The temperature was lower than what the weather forecasters predicted. It never reached 20 degrees all day long. Luckily, I could sit in my car to watch and wait for a little action.
I had one tip-up, and I caught one fish, It was a small and scrawny Chain Pickerel. Good thing that I had a set of pliers deigned to get a hook out of a fish after he swallowed the bait. I returned the fish back to the lake. I forgot to take my camera so that there really is no evidence that I caught a fish. I will have my camera with me today.

I also took home a table top Charcoal grill which someone left at Laurel Lake. The small , two person grill was in pretty good shape. I think someone let the grill cool off, but forgot to pack it when they left the ice over the weekend.

Linda had a mostly fun day alone until I arrived home near 5 PM. I actually picked up, and left the ice at three PM, and went to visit my mother at the nursing home which is located across the street. Mom is not eating. She is having trouble swallowing her food, and keeping it down. I went to the nursing station, and the nurse said that she would have the kitchen serve her food like soup, and jello so that she wouldn't get dehydration.

We will doing a repeat performance of yesterday except that Linda will be playing Mah Jongg from 11:30 AM until 3:30 PM.

Politics -- Well the people who didn't think Caroline Kennedy was qualified to take Hillary's Senate seat in New York don't have to worry. I am betting that the Democratic machine sat her down, and explained to her the facts of life.

Health Care -- After going to the nursing home for these past few weeks, I have a different view of our health care system. Under medicare, the ill person is allowed 20 days of coverage in a nursing home/ rehab center. My mother's 20 days run out on Friday. After that, the family has to pick up the daily bills. As I walk around this place, and see people being taken care of, I know that these people don't have any kind of funds to pay for their health care. If you are poor, you really have no problems at all. If you have a modest nest egg, the nursing home will reduce it to nothing. Maybe if we can't do a complete health care overhaul to help everyone, how about a system which will help say seniors over 85?

Well, I have to get ready for ice-fishing. I am leaving before Linda wakes up.
Have a great Thursday. The Curley Lad