Chiton friends

The tide was way out when I went to the beach the other day. I don’t know if the snails and barnacles are friends or foes of the chiton or who gets eaten.

And lots of birds were very happy with the tides so far out.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: chiton.

Winner

This tree was on the beach below Chezemoka park this week.

How can I say it is a winner? Someone had sawed through one end. This tree had a long life judging by the number of rings. Now it has fallen and probably gone down a river to land on the beach. It might be there tomorrow or the tide may carry it off again.

How do trees judge winning?

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: winner. https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2023/03/15/rdp-wednesday-winner/

Imprecation

imprecation

damnation

what a nation

what a notion

needs some lotion

or a potion

to awake

not be baked

by booze or sun

just no fun

we’re on the run

after the clock

time in hock

where are our socks?

get up woke

or you’ll get a poke

job loss no joke

worry re banks

sink or sank?

money there give thanks

worry heaps

til back asleep

falling deep

imprecation

what a nation

__________________

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: imprecation.

__________________

I was looking for a song with imprecation. I did not find one, but there is an infernal Texas horde (aka a band) named Imprecation. The band’s new album, Damnatio Ad Bestias will be the first since 2013’s Satanae Tenebris. Here:

I did listen to a little. Maybe Elwha or Sol Duc is into infernal Texas death metal. Now, is Sol Duc begging me to keep it on or turn it off in the photograph?

The pinch

I am Elwha.

Mother has relented, a little. I could feel the pinch of hunger in my belly. She seemed to be ignoring the offerings in my bowl. My sister has helped. She is able to climb up and get the gloves with the delicious animal smell. I do not know what the animal is, but it makes me more hungry than ever. She brought me a glove from high on the shelf and added it to the bowl after we had our sparse morning feeding! I was starting to feel as if my belly was pressed against my ribs! My sister is still rounded. She is smaller and doesn’t have my needs.

Yesterday I talked to mother all day and she finally relented and gave us extra food! We were out in the bird watching box for a good half hour. My sister talks about zippers but she is not able to manipulate them to let us out. We would very much like to eat one of those birds! Or four. Or more. Some, the gold ones, are very small. It is cold out and the sky wets on us, so I am more hungry than ever!

My sister would run out of the bird watching box in a moment. I would catch a bird, but then go back in. Those cars and trucks going by terrify me! Especially the recycling one and the buses. They want to devour me, I know it. Mother does not seem to fear them.

I feel better with the extra food. I hope that mother continues to give it to us. At least until we catch those birds.

_______________

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: pinch.

As I was going to Washington, DC

As I was going to Washington, DC

I met insurance CEOs who said “Whee”!

500 Insurance CEOs said Weeee!

Have ten insurance plans EEEEEach!

Every plan has it’s own website!

Every plan is different, password for each site!

Every plan refuses coverage for different treatments, right?

Every plan demands prior authorization, doctor’s office up all night

If they refuse chemotherapy the doctor has to fight?

Prior auths, treatments, passwords, plans

Insurance companies, all those demands

As I was going to DC

How many passwords will I need?

______________________

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: snail.

I was pricing health insurance in case I get well enough to work more. I can get an $800 a month with a $8000 deductible or a $1435 a month with a $2000 deductible. I would very much like to work part time treating Long Covid. But, ironically enough, looks like I can’t afford health insurance. It costs more than the malpractice would. Ironic, huh? It’s not like we need doctors. (I do not have a medical release yet anyhow, but time to do research. It’s making me gloomy.)

You know, if we do get Artificial Intelligence, it will take one look at the United States Medical non-system, decide we are insane, and wipe us out.

And honestly, when I was working for the hospital clinics, I thought the most brilliant person in our office was the woman who could extract a prior authorization from so many insurance companies. I would send the referral to print and half the time she would have it authorized by the time the patient got to the front desk. And why do we waste all that brilliance on giving health insurance companies a profit of 20 cents out of every dollar? That is $20,000,000 out of $100,000,000. Looks worse with bigger numbers, doesn’t it?

Physicians for a National Healthcare Program: https://pnhp.org/.