Silver Linings.

 The thing that I didn't tell you all is that when I went for my bloodwork the day before yesterday, I couldn't get it done. She had no orders on file. 

This morning, I got up once again and headed over to the hospital to get those darned labs done. I took the two papers I'd been given from the doctor's office. (Yes, Andrew, I was nicely dressed, wearing makeup, and my hair was neatly styled.) I signed in once again, and I ironically got the same registrar that I had the last time. I handed her the paperwork from the doctor. She said, "Well...these aren't orders. Either the patient has the orders, or the doctor puts them into our system. We don't have anything in the system." She got up. "Let me check one more place." I said, "You checked there two days ago, and I wasn't there either." She said, "I did, didn't I?" I said, "Well, I will have to call the doctor's office and find out what's going on. This needs to get straightened out. I have skipped coffee twice this week." She made a horrified sympathetic face. I said, "Well, fortunately, everyone has lived." She laughed and said, "THAT'S good news." I told her I'd see her next time, and off I went. 

Tim was waiting in the car with coffee, the good man.

By the way, remember that nicely dressed woman who seemingly jumped line? I figured it out today. The fourth registrar is for appointments. When you sign in to the kiosk, you list whether you are there for labs, imaging, or appointments. The appointments are handled at the fourth window. So that's one curiosity solved. I don't know whether anyone has bought the used lipstick though. 

Anyways, I called the doctor's office as we drove to Erie for Tim's appointment. The office person explained to me that the orders were in the system and all I had to do was come into the hospital, and the registrar would see them. "But that's my point," I said. "I went there on Tuesday, and they had nothing. I went back today carrying the instructions from the doctor that said what needed to be done. She said that she needed the actual orders and there is nothing in the system." 

Long pause. I was put on hold. 

He came back on and said that apparently my orders had been "lost", and that he would resubmit them. 

So. Tomorrow, I will skip breakfast and coffee once again. 

But every cloud has a silver lining. Because I did not have the blood work done, we ended up getting to Erie about a hour early. Tim asked what we should do until then. I suggested checking out a thrift store. He wasn't enthusiastic but he went with along with it. We walked in the door and after a quick look around, he said, "They don't have anything. I'll just sit here and wait." 

I had a look around and I found a banana hanger. Tim eats one half a banana on his cornflakes every morning, and the bananas sit in a bowl. This might help them last longer. So I picked it up.

I found two ghost stories for William, and the boy does love a good ghost story, so I picked them up as well. I walked on and saw this: 

The thing did not appear to have ever been used. The plastic cap was still over the prongs of the cord. The manuals were all there. We have two small airfryers, but this would allow me to cook a whole meal at once instead of batches. It was $9.99. 

I don't think that Tim was too impressed really, but we bought it. Just to use it, we had homemade frenchfries and I made fish sandwiches to go with. He was happy with supper. He was happier yet when he came out to price them on line. They run, new, from $149.99 to $299.99 (the high price is the price on the NuWave site.) 

"Holy cow!" he said, "you really have an eye for this stuff! I don't know how you do it!" He laughed all the way out to the livingroom. It made his day.