Combining weather and politics is tricky,

but that's what I'm going to do. Yesterday, I wrote a short post about the glorious southern California weather -- it was sort of my response to the scores of gorgeous winter snow photos and toasty fires and hearty soups that I've been reading about in many blogs -- but mostly it was because I feel enormously grateful to live here. I lived on the east coast for all but the past twelve years of my life, and I've never felt so certain that this was the best place for me to be, at least in terms of weather -- but that's enough for the weather.

The day before yesterday, I posted one of my usual diatribes about the healthcare system -- I tried to keep it light and poked fun at the ridiculous name that the Republicans in Congress have bestowed on their repeal plan (it's honestly worthy of a country in Swift's Gulliver's Travels!).

The Land of the Repealing the Job-Killing Healthcare Reform Act

Well, today, I have a terrible cold but I'm still coasting on sunshine and was interested to read the following statement by Dr. Bill Frist, former Republican Speaker of the House:

It is not the bill that [Republicans] would have written, he said. It is not the bill that I would have drafted. But it is the law of the land and it is the platform, the fundamental platform, upon which all future efforts to make that system better, for that patient, for that family, will be based.

[The bill] has many strong elements,  Frist added later. And those elements, whatever happens, need to be preserved, need to be cuddled, need to be snuggled, need to be promoted and need to be implemented. But how do you do it? How do you do a lot of what is in this law?

With the possible exception of the use of the words cuddled, and snuggled, I'm encouraged. 

When I rant and rave about The System, especially as it directly affects my own family and, particularly, my daughter, I am entirely cognizant of the fact that WE are not the whole story. I am not the whole story. We have problems and frustrations, but we are supported, well-loved, privileged. I rant and rave at The System because I know tens of thousands, if not millions of people are affected negatively far more than we are affected. I think it's an obligation to point out these problems, perhaps over and over, but more importantly, to believe in and look for solutions, to work toward solutions, to vote for those who you believe are bringing solutions, and, most importantly, to tell your story.


There appears to be no thread to this post -- weather, lemons, lemonheads, doctors and stories.


Make of it what you will.