Home Again and Hot Buttered Rum

So I made it home from the last big trip.  If you remember from an October post I am due for hip replacement, and getting home was a welcome relief from traveling.  We had scheduled my surgery for Nov. 16, right after I returned, and knew that I had several months to recover before the big Spring Travel Push that starts in February.

I was sitting in my hotel in Kansas City and my cell phone rings.  It is the surgeon's office calling to let me know he is "in network with an exception" and they wanted me to give them $8,000 right then.  What?  I was so dumbfounded that I said, "I have to call my husband!  I'll call you back."

I called my husband, I said I wasn't going to pay that much, I am double covered.  I cried, I cussed, and then I called the office back and said we would find a surgeon in network.  The next couple hours was talking to the insurance company, the new surgeon's office, crying and cussing, and winding down to hiccups and a bad night's sleep.

So, in hind sight, it isn't that bad.  They did call us before, and not lay that bill on us after the surgery was done and we had no choice but to pay it.  This is not a life threatening issue.  We are meeting the new surgeon on Thursday and hopefully will be able to schedule in December (or I will have to wait until May), I am almost 75K with Alaska Airlines and this just might tip me over the edge (awesome for upgrades when I travel for work).  The downside is, I'll be in Seattle instead of Alaska (although I will get to see the curly haired boy and the DIL) and Dave will be stuck in a hotel for at least a week instead of the three days in Anchorage.  So, if you are reading this on the 16th, I would be in surgery right now - or finished if it is later in the day....nope.

So, that is my sob story.

Fairbanks is in full winter mode.  It is dark when I get home from work, it is cold and snowy outside.  Inside we warm up with a fire in the wood stove and I'm drinking a nice, steamy hot buttered rum.  It is the best thing to wash those pain pills down with.

Hot Buttered Rum Freezer Mix

1 lb. butter
1 lb. brown sugar
1 lb confectioners' sugar
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Rum

Melt butter over low heat, add brown sugar and confectioners' sugar, stir until mixed well.  Remove from heat, add ice cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir to mix completely.  Pour into plastic container and seal.  Store in freezer.

To make 1 serving:
Place one heaping scoop of ice cream mixture into mug.  Add 2 oz. rum and 6-8 oz. of very hot water.  Stir and enjoy.


1 year ago:   Stuffed Port Loin
2 years ago: Pumpkin Muffins and a Skewed View of the World
3 years ago: Pretzel Turtles and the Start of the Season of Eating
4 years ago: Roasted Tomatoes

November 16, 2015   Sunrise 9:30 am  Sunset 3:41 pm  Temp. H -18/ L -26°F