In Search of Eagles

We took a four hour drive searching for eagles this weekend. Our friends found a nesting pair on the west side of Utah Lake so we went out to see them ourselves. In all, we drove about 150 miles around the west desert through Vernon and into Saratoga Springs. We saw one eagle soaring through the skies just before entering the small town of Eureka. Sadly we didn't find the nesting pair, but we did find their nest in the tree our friends sent us coordinates to. It was a clear day and the mountains were beautiful in the distance. While we didn't get any pictures of eagles, we did snag a photo of large hawk on a power pole. The hawk didn't like us. He kept flying down the road from pole to pole and he'd fly away just when we were about to snap photos. I took this photo from a long distance- an entire power pole away from where we had last stopped. I zoomed in the best I could, but I wasn't able to get the picture as clear as I would have liked.

 Hawk On A Pole

 The Power & The Sun

 View from the West Side of Utah Lake

 Utah Lake View

 Utah Lake View

Eagle Nest

A Ghost Town Kind of Day

We headed to the west desert in search of bald eagles on Saturday (2/5/2017) and decided to check out this little town in Tooele County called Ophir.  It's a little ghost town about 54 miles west of Salt Lake City. The town is nestled in a canyon. Not much there, really. While it looked to have some full-time residents (only three homes looked to be shoveled after the last snow storm), the only road through this little town was noticeably empty. In fact, we tried making our way up the canyon road, but they stopped plowing the road after a stretch making it difficult to continue in the slushy snow. While some of the buildings have been torn down and replaced with new homes, it looked like some of the older buildings were being restored. And I believe you can schedule tours at a mining museum, too, during the spring and summer. Something I would like to do another weekend.

Ophir is pretty. And quiet. Perhaps a little creepy. But I would love it if they turned some of the older little one room shacks into rentals where people could spend the weekend ghost hunting. That would be pretty cool.

Sadly we didn't see any bald eagles. 

 Ophir, Utah - Population 40 as of 2013

 View on our way down the canyon

 The cemetery sits on a steep hill on your way into town

This was taken at the edge of the cemetery overlooking a cliff

2013

Our highlights included Bob going hiking in the mountains with his former family.

Bob getting 9 teeth pulled due to severe periodontal disease. Poor little guy only wanted to sit on the cool green grass when he got home.

 Bob figuring out how to open the pantry door.  Notice only the lid to the food bucket is left?

Sadly, we were forced to put a lock on it  ... 

something I promised I'd never do to my kids.

And when the pantry wasn't available to him,  Bob managed to ignite the gas stove *sigh* more than once while trying to get food from the counter. 

So now we have this...

Dora was healthy and happy this year... she's a cutie. She loves to snuggle and 

take naps wrapped in her blanket.

So, 2013 was the year of the Beagle in our house. And a marvelous year at that. We can only hope your year was just as wonderful. Happy New Year to all of you. May much love and happiness come your way in 2014!

It Was Time

As many of you know, we took Copper in to be put down last week. A difficult decision. A difficult time. But we both have no doubt that it was time.  We had both promised Copper that we'd keep him around until his quality of life was diminished... not a moment before then. He had a really bad night... one that made us both think we'd lose him by morning. But then he woke up and seemed back to his old self.  A couple weeks later he was starting to show more and more signs of slowing down and by last weekend, he pretty much only wanted to sleep. By Monday, well, as much as he wanted to stick around just a little longer, he seemed ready to go... and we knew it was time.

They let Copper rest his head on my lap as he passed. It was so fast... and painless. In fact, when it was over his eyes seemed a little brighter and the coloring in his hair had a glorious shine. He was beautiful. And he was at peace... probably already running in the green fields with his beautiful sister, Macy.

Copper came to us from the Wyoming countryside. Richard found him while working in Jackson Hole on the Four Seasons Resort. He was a perfect match for our family and we're better people and beagle parents for having had him in our lives. He loved long walks, treats at 7PM, wrestling with his sisters, playing with toys, and barking at the door when he'd see Papa come home from work.  Our home is noticeably quieter at treat time...

We miss his bark. We miss the way he'd wiggle his bum and talk to us when he'd greet us at the door.  We miss his love for meal time. We miss his snoring. We miss him.

 Copper with his sister Macy

 Copper at the Vet

Copper sleeping with his baby sister Dora

Thanksgiving Day 2012

Copper loved being in the front yard

Many thanks to Dr. Carpenter and the wonderful staff at Cottonwood Animal Hospital.  They've worked with Copper for many years and we're so thankful for all of their love and support these last few weeks. 

I Will Wait

 

I Will Wait by Mumford & Sons

I heard this song on the radio the other day and I fell in love with it.  Honestly, I'm not sure how this group has managed to stay off my radar for so long. They're pretty amazing and they happened to come along at just the right time for me. Funny how music can take on a different meaning to you depending on where you are at or what you are doing in your life.   

 

Well, as soon as it started to play my thoughts immediately turned to my father.  He's a good man... and I love him. But more recently I've started to sing it to Copper these last couple days as is health has diminished and the cancer throughout his body has started to take over... *heavy sigh*  He's still hanging on, though... and being torn between letting him die on his own terms or taking him to the vet to be put down, this song seems to bring me comfort for some reason. Maybe it brings him peace, too. At least he doesn't seem to mind my off-key melody and often made up words when I forget the lyrics. That's a dog for you... always forgiving.

Regardless, give it a listen. 

And I came home
Like a stone
And I fell heavy into your arms
These days of darkness
Which we've known
Will blow away with this new sun

And I'll kneel down
Wait for now
And I'll kneel down
Know my ground

And I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you

So break my step
And relent
You forgave and I won't forget
Know what we've seen
And him with less
Now in some way
Shake the excess

But I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you

So I'll be bold
As well as strong
And use my head alongside my heart
So tame my flesh
And fix my eyes
That tethered mind free from the lies

But I'll kneel down
Wait for now
I'll kneel down
Know my ground

Raise my hands
Paint my spirit gold
And bow my head
Keep my heart slow

Cause I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you
And I will wait, I will wait for you

Much love... Sabrina.

I Didn't Get the Memo

I've been having some medical problems the last couple weeks and after multiple tests and hundreds of dollars in medical costs I chose to skip the final procedure they were requesting and decided to let my Lupus specialist handle the issue since I had my regular Lupus appointment scheduled for today, anyway. Seemed simple at the time. *rolls eyes*

I arrived at my appointment at the scheduled time and was immediately told that I had a balance that had been sent to collections. My first response was panic. I mean, I'm a girl that's all about credit perfection... just ask my twitter friends how damaged I was when I found out I had missed a scheduled payment to a credit card when I misjudge the arrival time on my credit union's automatic payment plan.

It. Was. Awful.

I'd never had a late payment before. Well, I had a few once... in 2000 when my sister died. I sent all the payments on time (long before the online payment thing was ever around), but I sent them through the mail without a stamp. GASP!  But it was back in the day when companies actually had compassion on the menu for success.  Back in the day when you could call up a service representative and actually speak to a person, and without getting into an argument, you could explain the situation calmly and have your late fee reversed. REVERSED!

Anyway... where was I?

Oh yeah... I went to my scheduled appointment and was told I had an outstanding balance that was sent to collections. The offending amount?  $1.44.  *shakes head*

I've never received a bill for $1.44. I've never been notified by a billing agency or a collection agency about an outstanding debt. But today? Today I have a bill for $1.44 in collections... Or so they thought?

I went to pay the offending amount at the time I paid my copayment for the appointment, but... they wouldn't take the money. I was told the payment had to be made with the collection company, which happened to be in the basement of the hospital. So, after my appointment I went to the billing department that they told me about and... they didn't have an outstanding bill for me.  What? This led me back to the doctor's office where I again inquired about the outstanding debt and offered once again to pay it. But, again... I was told that I didn't have an outstanding debt in collection. Instead... I had a credit???

Such confusion.  A supervisor was called and I was given the number of a billing agency to call wherein I was told...

"You do have an outstanding bill of $1.44, but our office policy prohibits us from sending a statement for anything under $5.00.  While you had an outstanding debt at the time of check-in your copayment wiped out the debt, and now you have a credit of $33.56. However, once the bill is processed, the $1.44 debt will come back because you've met your deductible for the year. So, until we have another bill to attach the small amount to, you'll always have a debt of $1.44."

They did tell me that it isn't with collections. It will never go to collections. It'll just sit in the loop until I have a bill that they can attach it to. That will happen when my insurance starts over on April 1, 2013.

That probably doesn't sound like a big deal, right? I mean, really, what's the harm of having an outstanding debt forever stuck in the system for a lousy $1.44?  Well, for starters, new office policy prohibits the office receptionists from making appointments with physicians if the patient has an outstanding debt.

I have an outstanding debt.

At the time I left my appointment I didn't have an outstanding debt, though. This allowed me to schedule a 6 month Lupus appointment for July. My problem will be when my knee swells with fluid and I have to go in to see my doctor before July and I won't be able to get an appointment because I have an outstanding debt of $1.44 that no one will let me pay... and this problem will force me to go to the ER the next time I have a knee issue, costing me more money... requiring more tests because I have LUPUS and they'll want to make sure the knee swelling isn't being caused by a more serious problem.  *sigh*

Tomorrow I start my petition to allow me to pay my $1.44 debt. It will be my goal to have it paid by the end of next week.  Heads will roll, people. Heads. Will Roll.

But that wasn't my only problem at the doctor's office today.  My appointment was for a Lupus check-up... and I had the audacity to want the doctor to follow-up with all the medical things from the last two weeks since the other doctors were never able to find the cause of my chest pains.  For this... I was told I would be billed for two office visits. Two? Why?

For the love of all things HOLY... I'm angry.  Turns out my problem that wasn't originally a part of my visit ended up being Lupus related, but depending on how the doctor marks the form I may be paying for two visits thanks to this new asinine policy created to suck every last cent from us unsuspecting, medically needy citizens. For me, my deductible is paid for the year, so at the most I'm only stuck with a bill for $35.00 IF they bill for two office visits. Or, $36.44, since they'll have another bill to attach that outstanding debt to. Hmmmmm... maybe this is just a way to collect all the loose change they have stuck in collections.  Regardless... it sucks and should be illegal.

I don't know how anyone with common sense can read that sign and not become angry at the blatant abuse of power within the medical community. Next time the doctor asks if there's anything else you want to discuss... think twice.  Heaven forbid the doctor actually treat more than one ailment in one office visit for the price of ONE office visit.

This Year...

My friend Kelli Whipple shared this with us today at church.

"This year... mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express you gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak you love and then speak it again."
   
A quote from Howard W. Hunter