October 9 – “Stormy”

I said something yesterday about it being stormy.  Oh, no.  Yesterday was fine.  Today was stormy.  Mom and I had appointments today in Houston with our audiologist.  Neither of our hearing aids is working very well.  Actually, mine isn't working at all.  So I took off from school and we all headed up to Houston.   We both had hearing checks done again, since the last one we had was in 2003.  My hearing was definitely worse.  Mom's stayed about the same.  She wins.  She has two hearing aids already, and one of them was fine.  The other was getting weak.  It was over the five year limit for hearing aids, but was still strong enough that a repair job would most likely take care of it.  $250.  She wins again.  I now need hearing aids in both ears.  And the one that I have is not worth even trying to repair.  I haven't worn it since the storm, so I had no idea.  So I need two hearings aids now.  Technology has advanced quite a bit since 2003.  Looks like they can be more specific in which sounds they amplify and which they allow to be influenced at all.  They have a "louder" switch and a mode switch that includes such classics as "restaurant mode."  They now fit over the ear with a small wire that fits inside instead of clogging the whole ear.  And they are  considerably more expensive than they were six years ago.  For the two I need we'll have to pay $4500.  They did have a new program where you can get a 12 month no interest loan to cover it.  We applied.  After my "wonderful" conversation with their computer, we were approved … then only approved for $3300 … then denied completely.  All before I could push the next button.  The audiologist had never heard that before, so she had a secretary track down a human being to talk to.  They finally said they would loan us the $3300.  Where that figure came from, I have no idea.  But it means we have to come up with $1200 for a down payment in about two weeks when the hearing aids come in.  I guess we'll have to use some of the house insurance money we haven't spent yet.  Not that it is not already spoken for.  The due dates just haven't arrived yet.  Put it on the list.  Chris says this is more important than getting our pecan tree trimmed and the magnolia tree cut down.   My secretary put out some fires at the school today, and I had a few of my own to work on.  Some parents were intervening in squabbles between their respective kids.  I think those will be worked out in due time.  The one I had to deal with is long term, though.  Our science teacher resigned and is moving to Abilene tomorrow.  His situation certainly warrants it, and I wish him the best, but it sure leaves us in a bind.  I emailed one of the board members and asked her to see if her husband wants the job.  He is a former chiropractor who has been working construction, so he's certainly qualified for the sciences.    Oh, and did I mention that we had to drive through the cold front that was hitting today as well?  Pretty hard rain and wind.  It knocked over our picnic table in the back yard.  That would be the one we are going to throw away because it is rusting through so bad Chris put her hand through the top of it.   Colossians 3:12-14 says, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."   Father, show me ways to communicate spiritual truths like these to Clark in particular and all our kids in general.  Amen.