Thanks Larke. When "the Village" steps up and pays for food for my kids or clothes or college, I'll be more than glad to listen to their unsolicited advice on how I should parent my kids. Until that time though, I really don't need someone I don't even know and have never spoken to in my life, asking me "what kind of person leaves their kids alone" when A) she doesn't even know my kids' names or ages or B) if in fact they're even in there. (in fact I had gotten out of the car with one of my kids at my side!!) It's one thing if someone hears crying or yelling or some sign of distress and steps in. Questioning a total stranger over his parenting skills when there is zero reason for concern seems extreme and useless to me. I'm sure I'd win many friends if I (for example), out of the blue, spoke up to mothers in the grocery store and asked why they were buying this or that child's food or toy or whatever. "You're buying your kids that unhealthy, fattening chocolate chip ice cream? What kind of mother are you anyway?" Try it next time you're in the grocery store Larke and see how it goes over and please let us know. Try it with a few mothers, please. I'm sure all the mothers will thank you and say to you "oh thank you lady for watching how I feed my kids". What a wonderful and happy Village, indeed.

DH and I have both had Advantage plans since we were eligible for Medicare. Here's how it works in our state: We still pay the Part B Medicare premium (about $100 per month) which is deducted from our SS checks. Then we each pay another $59 for Advantage, which is also deducted (we had a choice to pay it separately or have it deducted). We have co-pays for almost everything (except certain preventive procedures and a physical each year), with a cap of $3,400 each year. Some Advantage plans have dental and vision included. The benefits are often more than what is offered by Medicare Part B. A couple of years ago, we were thinking of moving 65 miles away and the very same Advantage plan would have cost us another $70 per month, each, just living in another county. Some years we have had a $0 co-pays. Then that company stopped offering Advantage plans. Our first year, we were in a plan with no cap and DH had unexpected surgeries, MRSA, and we had co-pays of well over $4,000. So, I learned to check out whether there was a cap and how high it was. We have always subscribed to plans where we could go to whatever doctor we chose (a very few refuse Medicare patients and one year, doctors refused the plan - that had $0 monthly premium and $0 co-pays - so I ended up enrolling, within 90 days of when the plan started, in a different plan that doctors would accept). It's very complicated as it takes several hours each year, online, of comparing plans for what we think will work best for us. Part D is even worse as DH takes over 10 meds. But, overall, it's much, much better than any health insurance we had before reaching age 65 (we had to enroll in private plans for about 6 years before being eligible for Medicare).

I think you have to give them a chance to repair but if you put it on a credit card you may be able to dispute the charge because you did not get a working machine and this might give you leverage to get them to replace it. This is very time sensitive as you can only do this for so many days after it is billed. If you paid cash, you may have to let them fix it. You are really on the second repair and some lemon laws allow 3 repairs but they vary. It is so time consuming if you have to take time off for the diagnostic call and then repair call and so much time in between. I would keep calling SQ and let them know you are unhappy with the dealer. Also try to speak with the owner of the appliance store. I would leave detailed online reviews.

I dislike commercials in general as a nuisance. But a few stand out. Recently, the ones from big companies such as Amazon and Frito Lay who buy ad space just to tell everyone about the great things they are doing and how much money they have invested in feel good projects annoy me the most. The insurance one with the homeowners association busybody grated my nerves, only because i know people like that, and dislike them intensely. I hate the very idea of homeowners associations. I know its meant to be funny, but its not to me. The abused animal ones make me want to physically hurt people, so i don't like those either. Not good for my overall well being to want to hurt people. Any ad for things like the Mirror or the other one, i cant remember the name. Oh, Tonal. Only because i feel like the products themselves are so dumb. Just stream a workout to your TV! And why is it after every workout some kid comes running up and jumping into their arms?