Hi, Everyone. Well, the snow seems to be winding down but the wind is gusting so the drifts will pile up. Our landlords have a good crew working to clear the sidewalks and the parking areas. We will go out later and get our patio and the car clear. The news said that a small earthquake hit just west of Chicago. No, I didn't feel it. A lot of other people from Wisconsin to Tennessee and from Iowa to Ohio did. No damage so far and no injuries.

I have spent most of the morning, so far, unsewing the latest quilt top. The arrangement looked good on the wall but just didn't look good when sewn. So I am trying to come up with something that will go together well.

Robert Reich has a good post about that abortion named Anthem that just announced a 39% increase in individual insurance rates in California. I agree with him until he speculates about joining the Tea Party movement. I am sorry but a group that says it is speaking for right-to-lifers, right wing Christianists, those who want government to keep its hands off their Medicare, and disgruntled liberals is rather like the product of a mating between an elephant and a whale. There isn't anything coherent about it. I also notice that the rates for groups aren't going up. Is that because individuals are more vulnerable? After all, if a group composed of a large number of people, like a union, walks away the loose a lot of business all at once. Another reason why those who see unions as a major problem are full of s**t, unless they have a lot of Anthem stock.

I did get some good news. I am officially retired and the Social Security will start coming next month. We can breath somewhat easier now. We have been managing but the margin was very narrow. At least now we can indulge in a little treat every now and then.