what monday brings

sewed a few more wool diaper covers from old sweaters

patterns at katrinassqs.blogspot.com/

crocheted this hat (don't mind the yawning model!)

It took me about 20 minutes. That's how thick the yarn is :) But I kind of like the goofy-chunky look of it.

Baked this bread and finally dried and crushed the rest of all my sage and parsley from the garden. That's what those little jars are full of. The bread was delicious this time--one was a mix of white, wheat, and buckwheat flour. And on the other I drizzled honey and cinnamon on the top. Mmmm . . .

But I still didn't rake any leaves . . .

Ehh, it's okay.


Tonight at the library I found a new bluegrass band I really like. Uncle Earl.

I recommend it. Nice blog-updating music.

I've been trying to decide what to say about the health care bill. This weekend it narrowly made it through the House, with 39 democrats voting against it. NPR did a pretty informative breakdown of those 39 here.  I'm sure if you keep reading this blog in the future, you'll find out where I stand on a lot of political issues. For the most part, I'm a freshman trying to understand a lot of views. But, while inexperienced in most arenas of politics, I am experienced in being uninsured, Medicaid insured, and gouging-our-already-pitiful-wallets insured. My husband and I are both educated, trying to do our part in our communities. And while we should never put aside our principals, I can say it sucks to not have health insurance. And to be struggling to make ends meet as a new family starting out in life, I will take all the help I can get. Seriously. Because we're doing everything we can think of, and there have been times when it still hasn't been enough to get by.

It seems like a lot of the protestations over health care reform are based on principles. No one likes the idea of more taxes or of more government spending. Many are against any government involvement in what has up to now been a mostly private sector. And some are especially wary of government-run health care. But, along with principles, I think we need to think about what people need. Now. America will never be the Soviet Union. Those 39 democrats and all but 1 of the republican members of Congress proved that representatives are trying to listen to their constituents. And, heck, all the members who voted yes to the bill proved it too. At least it seems that way to me. I'm glad the bill passed. I'm glad government money won't be used for abortions. I would love to see competition in the insurance market. I don't know if that will happen or not, but I think tort reform could help.

I'm still confused about a lot of it, and I want to hear every opinion from every side. I try my best to hear what some conservatives are trying to say through all the frustrated, contention they yell. And I watch Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and try to hear what they're not saying as they smile and nod. So I don't know much. But, like I said, I do know how it feels to be in really scary financial situations, to feel like a lot of that has to do with inflated costs of health insurance, and to see a bill like this one succeeding makes me feel like our little family isn't alone. Obviously there are a few more little families out there that would love to not  see all the money they've worked so hard to save and earn thrown to insurance companies. I'm okay paying for health care and insurance. But I don't want to feel like I'm wasting money because things have gotten out of hand. And, no, I didn't live through communist scares, but I'm also okay letting the government regulate these things a little. We'll see.