The rains came again discouraging us from going to the tree farm. Tom wants two trees, one for his room and one for the living room. I went into the basement with Trevor and started digging through the boxes for the Christmas decorations. I have weeded the stuff down to a dull roar, only eight or nine big boxes full of holiday stuff. Trevor made multiple trips carrying items upstairs. The toy soldiers that stand two feet high I put in the windows.
Trevor and Riley tested the light strands only to find most had died. I cut out the wires from the garlands and had the boys put the garlands up on the stairs without light in them. They looked lovely with just the greens.
Without a fireplace I don't know where to hang the stockings. I left them in a box in the basement while we dwell on the issue. We still don't know where we will be truly celebrating the holiday since Tom wants two trees. The neighbors hung their lights out just before Thanksgiving. Our house looks grim without lights on it yet. I can see hooks in the gutters where previous owners have hung lights. I will need to buy more strands if we are to have any lights. Its not high on my priority list with my now tight budget.
I even came across some things in the basement that I wonder if the boys will remember. Do I think I can get away with re gifting the same gift. No. I could claim how much they said they liked it the first time so I thought they would want it again. Plausible.
I went on Craig's list and was surprised at how many fridges were available. I will do some research and see if I can get one cheaply then have Tom give it to me with a big bow on it. I like to get exactly what I want and need.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving came swiftly. A big rain storm was expected so I went shopping the weekend before to prepare for mud slides and flooding. Safeway was offering free turkeys 20 to 24 pounds with the purchase of $150 in food. I ended up spending $280 for my free turkey. My step mom Margaret was the only one available to come stay with us. I would pick her up and bring her back to her home the day after. I appreciated her willingness to spend the night so I wouldn't have to do the round trip drive twice in one day. I didn't want to drive after dark either. Especially with the inclinmant weather.
The turkey was frozen so I set it in the garage in a metal pot on a chair, so it would be off the floor in case there were unwanted little visitors to the garage. It took a couple of days with the cold weather, but the turkey finally bleed out. Then I had to worry about refrigeration so it didn't rot. I got the cooler out and put the turkey on ice until it was time to cook it on Thanksgiving. I added fresh ice every day for three days. That system worked well. It helped that the temperature was around 50 degrees outside.
Tom was in charge of the feast this Thanksgiving. I was going to pick up our only guest who lived over an hour away. I have been battling a cold. The day before Thanksgiving I woke with a sore throat. I could feel pressure in my sinuses, post nasal drip. I spent the day sleeping and dosing myself with all sorts of vitamins. Thursday morning, I plowed through the drive to pick up the family member, making Trevor come with me for company. I can't wait until the boys can drive so I can be the passenger in the car and not have to drive. The weather cooperated during the drive which made me feel good loaded up on Day Quil.
We stopped on the way home at a restaurant for brunch. Dinner was to be served at 4:00 pm. Trevor would never last that long without food. It took us a few stops to find a restaurant open on Thanksgiving. I liked having a break in the drive.
Tom did all the cooking this year. He loves doing the holiday cooking. I didn't feel up to it or the need to even try with Tom as the chef. Tom was in the kitchen having fun cooking. He likes to advise me about my cooking when around so I just opted out and let him take the show. It would put me on KP duty later, but well worth the peace and the good cooking.
He made Broccoli surprise which is his family's substitute version of green bean casserole. It has become a favorite in our household. I steamed some acorn squash as I knew Margaret had some food issues and this was one food she could eat. We also steamed some plain broccoli for her. There was stuffing seasoned with the innards from the turkey. Tom did have me mash the potatoes to which I added garlic for seasoning. A meal would not be complete without a can of Van Decamps Pork and Beans on the table. I bought roles, but we didn't even serve them with all the other food. The rolls made great sandwich bread for the leftovers later. It was an excess of food and fun.
Tom does tend to dirty every pot we have, so clean up took a while even with Margaret at the sink washing and washing and washing the pots and pans. I was scraping dishes and deboning the turkey, starting the stock for the tomorrow's turkey soup, and finding room in the small fridge that we have now for all the left overs. Tom cooked enough for 20 people and there were only the five of us.
Tom asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I told him a new refrigerator that matches the appliances we are going to install in stainless steel. Our last house, I had given Tom a gas range with double ovens. We had two fridges, one in the garage for back up. With the move we had brought the spare and left the nice fridge for the tenant. We both miss that nice fridge, especially since it had the ice maker in it. We miss the double ovens even more when cooking a big feast.
Once the Turkey was done, it had to be set on the counter and be covered for a half hour to stay warm, while all the other dishes went into the single oven to bake. It was time consuming and cumbersome.
Tom definitely wants the kitchen to be our next project. I thought asking for the fridge was brilliant. It will spread out the budget and get something I know we are going to buy anyway. I like getting necessary things. We pretty much have the whole kitchen planned out now. Though I am still working on Tom about the stove placement. But I think he sees the picture.
After dinner we went up to the "man cave". Tom says we can't call it the game room as that implies that the children can use it. He had Margaret pick a holiday movie for everyone to watch. She chose "It's A Wonderful Life". You have to watch the DVD. There are so many scenes cut out for commercials on TV that the first time I saw it I didn't recognize half the movie. Margaret hadn't seen it in so many years that it was almost a new movie to her.
Margaret was tired after the movie and went downstairs to unwind. I joined her while the boys watched "Joyeux Noel", another wonderful tragic holiday movie about a WWI Christmas in the trenches.
We took the plastic off the spare mattress and vacuumed the guest room to help Margaret not have an allergy attack due to our pets. She told me she slept well and easy. She had friends coming to stay the next day so we were up early to return her home. Riley went with us but he slept in the back seat most of the way. Margaret's friends were waiting for her when we arrived. I said I couldn't stay as I had a child waiting in my car. I called to Riley to come get introduced and say goodbye to Margaret. He was asleep sprawled across the the seats in the back of the car. He crawled out and stood up. The friends laughed, They thought I had been talking about a young small child when I said I had a child waiting for me in the car. Riley had been hidden from view until he climbed out, almost six feet tall and 16 years old now. He grinned also.
I came home after the drive and slept. I am still fighting that cold. Amazingly, two days later there isn't much left of the feast. The boys, myself, and Tom have made deep inroads into the leftovers.
The turkey was frozen so I set it in the garage in a metal pot on a chair, so it would be off the floor in case there were unwanted little visitors to the garage. It took a couple of days with the cold weather, but the turkey finally bleed out. Then I had to worry about refrigeration so it didn't rot. I got the cooler out and put the turkey on ice until it was time to cook it on Thanksgiving. I added fresh ice every day for three days. That system worked well. It helped that the temperature was around 50 degrees outside.
Tom was in charge of the feast this Thanksgiving. I was going to pick up our only guest who lived over an hour away. I have been battling a cold. The day before Thanksgiving I woke with a sore throat. I could feel pressure in my sinuses, post nasal drip. I spent the day sleeping and dosing myself with all sorts of vitamins. Thursday morning, I plowed through the drive to pick up the family member, making Trevor come with me for company. I can't wait until the boys can drive so I can be the passenger in the car and not have to drive. The weather cooperated during the drive which made me feel good loaded up on Day Quil.
We stopped on the way home at a restaurant for brunch. Dinner was to be served at 4:00 pm. Trevor would never last that long without food. It took us a few stops to find a restaurant open on Thanksgiving. I liked having a break in the drive.
Tom did all the cooking this year. He loves doing the holiday cooking. I didn't feel up to it or the need to even try with Tom as the chef. Tom was in the kitchen having fun cooking. He likes to advise me about my cooking when around so I just opted out and let him take the show. It would put me on KP duty later, but well worth the peace and the good cooking.
He made Broccoli surprise which is his family's substitute version of green bean casserole. It has become a favorite in our household. I steamed some acorn squash as I knew Margaret had some food issues and this was one food she could eat. We also steamed some plain broccoli for her. There was stuffing seasoned with the innards from the turkey. Tom did have me mash the potatoes to which I added garlic for seasoning. A meal would not be complete without a can of Van Decamps Pork and Beans on the table. I bought roles, but we didn't even serve them with all the other food. The rolls made great sandwich bread for the leftovers later. It was an excess of food and fun.
Tom does tend to dirty every pot we have, so clean up took a while even with Margaret at the sink washing and washing and washing the pots and pans. I was scraping dishes and deboning the turkey, starting the stock for the tomorrow's turkey soup, and finding room in the small fridge that we have now for all the left overs. Tom cooked enough for 20 people and there were only the five of us.
Tom asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I told him a new refrigerator that matches the appliances we are going to install in stainless steel. Our last house, I had given Tom a gas range with double ovens. We had two fridges, one in the garage for back up. With the move we had brought the spare and left the nice fridge for the tenant. We both miss that nice fridge, especially since it had the ice maker in it. We miss the double ovens even more when cooking a big feast.
Once the Turkey was done, it had to be set on the counter and be covered for a half hour to stay warm, while all the other dishes went into the single oven to bake. It was time consuming and cumbersome.
Tom definitely wants the kitchen to be our next project. I thought asking for the fridge was brilliant. It will spread out the budget and get something I know we are going to buy anyway. I like getting necessary things. We pretty much have the whole kitchen planned out now. Though I am still working on Tom about the stove placement. But I think he sees the picture.
After dinner we went up to the "man cave". Tom says we can't call it the game room as that implies that the children can use it. He had Margaret pick a holiday movie for everyone to watch. She chose "It's A Wonderful Life". You have to watch the DVD. There are so many scenes cut out for commercials on TV that the first time I saw it I didn't recognize half the movie. Margaret hadn't seen it in so many years that it was almost a new movie to her.
Margaret was tired after the movie and went downstairs to unwind. I joined her while the boys watched "Joyeux Noel", another wonderful tragic holiday movie about a WWI Christmas in the trenches.
We took the plastic off the spare mattress and vacuumed the guest room to help Margaret not have an allergy attack due to our pets. She told me she slept well and easy. She had friends coming to stay the next day so we were up early to return her home. Riley went with us but he slept in the back seat most of the way. Margaret's friends were waiting for her when we arrived. I said I couldn't stay as I had a child waiting in my car. I called to Riley to come get introduced and say goodbye to Margaret. He was asleep sprawled across the the seats in the back of the car. He crawled out and stood up. The friends laughed, They thought I had been talking about a young small child when I said I had a child waiting for me in the car. Riley had been hidden from view until he climbed out, almost six feet tall and 16 years old now. He grinned also.
I came home after the drive and slept. I am still fighting that cold. Amazingly, two days later there isn't much left of the feast. The boys, myself, and Tom have made deep inroads into the leftovers.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The trip
Yesterday, I made the trip to the coast and back. Tom made it very clear he missed his son on his 16th birthday and wanted him home. I convinced the family that Riley was staying with to relinquish their son along with Riley, so Riley could still hang with his friend, just at home so his father was happier and not feeling neglected.
The boys came home and spent the night playing x box. Tom got Riley for a 15 minute outing to go buy games for the x box. M for mature games that I will hopefully see get scratched or break sooner rather than later. Tom gent to the bedroom to watch football by himself. I guess he is happy with having Riley just in the building. What ever, it must be a guy thing.
The boys came home and spent the night playing x box. Tom got Riley for a 15 minute outing to go buy games for the x box. M for mature games that I will hopefully see get scratched or break sooner rather than later. Tom gent to the bedroom to watch football by himself. I guess he is happy with having Riley just in the building. What ever, it must be a guy thing.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Approaching the Holidays
I am a little bummed we wont have more for thanksgiving. Most of my family this year is out of town, snow birding it in warming climates. Tom's family is too far away or doesn't travel. Riley's 16th birthday is this week. He has chosen to go to the coast with his best friend and the friend's family. Tom is disappointed Riley doesn't want to have a boring 16th birthday at home with his family. I would have chosen the trip too.
I asked Tom what plans he had for Riley's birthday if Riley had been home. He facetiously said "a hooker". Hmmm, glad Riley is heading out of town.
I asked Tom what plans he had for Riley's birthday if Riley had been home. He facetiously said "a hooker". Hmmm, glad Riley is heading out of town.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Banks
I am off in an hour for more school training for the reading cadre. Meanwhile I have a little time to type. Riley and Trevor have been staying after school doing make up work and the weight training room is open for business. The coach wants to strengthen Trevor and his other football players in the off season. I would love to find a place in our house to set up our resistance training equipment still stored in the basement.
Tom and I were watching the news last night. We have been reading the books on the financial crisis that have plagued our country over the last 30 years. Den of Thieves, Too Big to Fail, The Big Short. Tom is way ahead of me but I am plugging along. These books are great reads as well as informative. The eighties with the junk bonds scandal, the recent banks bail out which still haunts us with the occupy Wall Street protesters and our government debt.
FNMA, Fannie Mae just gave it's bonuses out in excess of millions of dollars to its staff while the mortgage foreclosures continue in the market place. This was an institution that was bailed out and has yet to pay back its government.
The books all emphasized the greed and manipulation of the system. One trader was so powerful he found it was fun to manipulate stocks with his own trades causing price swings as others followed his actions. He did it for no other reason than it was fun to manipulate people.
On the news, the worry was with the inter tangling of our world markets and the European crisis, how do the governments control runs on the banks. We are talking about sovereign nations going bankrupt and not honoring their debts. Institutions like Pension Funds own these bonds. They are required to sell them out of their portfolios if the bonds are downgraded below institutional grade. Imagine if they all came at once to claim their money. This is how Lehman Brothers failed. Everyone came to claim their money and Lehman didn't have enough money to cover.
Those that bought insurance thought they were covered, but because so many had bought insurance, the insurance company AIG couldn't cover its payouts. When Lehman failed its international branches failed, it brought the whole world system to the brink of complete shut down. There is still a huge lack of trust. The financial system is still under the microscope.
Are we turning into a nation of Czars? I now read the fine print and question everything I sign. I don't trust the banks not to try to sneak something over on me. I am afraid to invest in the markets since I can't trust the CEOs of corporations. I can't trust the wealthy not to use their power to manipulate stocks. Half my friends are doing the Dave Ramsey method of life. No credit cards, no bank accounts. I took all my money and bought a house, a tangible asset, that worst case scenario will provide a roof over our heads and a safe place to live. This only exacerbates our slow economy.
Tom wrote on a financials blog, when some one asked what stocks he liked, he doesn't do stocks any more. He does ETFs and flips them quickly, not to stay in them long. The markets are so volatile, he has his bet on the night before when he goes to bed to catch the morning open and takes the bet off as needed when he gets up. The overnight activity in the international markets has become as important an influence as our own market on the world. You cant trust individual stocks. From these books I read, with millions of dollars going out to bonuses, you can't trust these big companies and their leaders. Hostile take overs that over leverage and leave a company in debt or insider trading on the knowledge.
So what do you do with your money, if you have any left? Tom said buy food. Stock up on staples. If our government doesn't step up to the table soon and I don't have much faith that they will, I am going to be ready for the worst.
As we are throwing out ideas of how we would solve the crisis, Tom suggests that it may be time to nationalize banks. Put a bureaucrat in charge at a bureaucratic wage. No more millions in bonuses. The people would have faith again in the banking system. No more reason to pull your money out. Can you imagine a nationalized bank? As I think about it I think about how slow bureaucrats work. Can you imagine going for a loan to a bureaucrat. Nope, not the answer either.
There are credit unions now. I am moving my money to a credit union. I have more faith in the small local credit union. I am not afraid of being manipulated on an international scale. If the CU ends up being poorly managed, a credit union going under will not bankrupt the insurance company that has to pay out.
My preference would, and I hate to say this, but more regulation. Put the rules back in place that were instituted after the Great Depression. Banks should not be loaning out 30% to 40% of their assets. They should be conservative with conservative returns. We should not be expecting to make 10%, 12%, 20% returns. Natural growth is 3% to 4%. It is healthy at that level.
Banks used to be allowed to loan out less than 10%. They made their money in fees, the fees we are all throwing such a stink about. Over drafts, ATM charges, those were the traditional areas that banks made their money. Then regulations weakened, banks were allowed to loan more of our money, leverage more.
I should not be able to get a car loan probably for three times the value of my car if I tried to sell it, giving it to a woman without a job.Of course I am taking advantage of it. To me it is like a personal loan of trust, I will honor my obligation. Would I return the favor? Absolutely not.
The markets are getting to a big turning point. Which way? up or down? I can't help being pessimistic with so much debt and sovereign debt and the same mistakes going on and on with no corrections.
Individual companies are punished for making good choices. They pay higher taxes than the maga big international companies that can find the loop holes and hide profits and get bailed out on losses. You tax the rich and they move away. New Jersey and Maryland tried the Sir tax on their millionaires. The result was the wealthy just up and left the state. They lost a significant population of wealthy families. I don't blame them. Tom and I did the same thing. We purposefully moved to a state without income tax. We would rather pay sales tax. Why should we be punished with higher taxes for making good and healthy choices.
Businesses have become too big to fail, so intertwined with each other as trading partners. Spreading the risk, but then not taking the fall, putting the losses onto the government and the tax payer.
The other side of the coin, though, is to compete on the international markets and get the huge billion dollar projects they have to be big and international. I can't wait until some think tank comes up with a solution. Until then I am hunkering down with a survivalist instinct, stocking food like the Mormons and preparing for a long siege.
Tom and I were watching the news last night. We have been reading the books on the financial crisis that have plagued our country over the last 30 years. Den of Thieves, Too Big to Fail, The Big Short. Tom is way ahead of me but I am plugging along. These books are great reads as well as informative. The eighties with the junk bonds scandal, the recent banks bail out which still haunts us with the occupy Wall Street protesters and our government debt.
FNMA, Fannie Mae just gave it's bonuses out in excess of millions of dollars to its staff while the mortgage foreclosures continue in the market place. This was an institution that was bailed out and has yet to pay back its government.
The books all emphasized the greed and manipulation of the system. One trader was so powerful he found it was fun to manipulate stocks with his own trades causing price swings as others followed his actions. He did it for no other reason than it was fun to manipulate people.
On the news, the worry was with the inter tangling of our world markets and the European crisis, how do the governments control runs on the banks. We are talking about sovereign nations going bankrupt and not honoring their debts. Institutions like Pension Funds own these bonds. They are required to sell them out of their portfolios if the bonds are downgraded below institutional grade. Imagine if they all came at once to claim their money. This is how Lehman Brothers failed. Everyone came to claim their money and Lehman didn't have enough money to cover.
Those that bought insurance thought they were covered, but because so many had bought insurance, the insurance company AIG couldn't cover its payouts. When Lehman failed its international branches failed, it brought the whole world system to the brink of complete shut down. There is still a huge lack of trust. The financial system is still under the microscope.
Are we turning into a nation of Czars? I now read the fine print and question everything I sign. I don't trust the banks not to try to sneak something over on me. I am afraid to invest in the markets since I can't trust the CEOs of corporations. I can't trust the wealthy not to use their power to manipulate stocks. Half my friends are doing the Dave Ramsey method of life. No credit cards, no bank accounts. I took all my money and bought a house, a tangible asset, that worst case scenario will provide a roof over our heads and a safe place to live. This only exacerbates our slow economy.
Tom wrote on a financials blog, when some one asked what stocks he liked, he doesn't do stocks any more. He does ETFs and flips them quickly, not to stay in them long. The markets are so volatile, he has his bet on the night before when he goes to bed to catch the morning open and takes the bet off as needed when he gets up. The overnight activity in the international markets has become as important an influence as our own market on the world. You cant trust individual stocks. From these books I read, with millions of dollars going out to bonuses, you can't trust these big companies and their leaders. Hostile take overs that over leverage and leave a company in debt or insider trading on the knowledge.
So what do you do with your money, if you have any left? Tom said buy food. Stock up on staples. If our government doesn't step up to the table soon and I don't have much faith that they will, I am going to be ready for the worst.
As we are throwing out ideas of how we would solve the crisis, Tom suggests that it may be time to nationalize banks. Put a bureaucrat in charge at a bureaucratic wage. No more millions in bonuses. The people would have faith again in the banking system. No more reason to pull your money out. Can you imagine a nationalized bank? As I think about it I think about how slow bureaucrats work. Can you imagine going for a loan to a bureaucrat. Nope, not the answer either.
There are credit unions now. I am moving my money to a credit union. I have more faith in the small local credit union. I am not afraid of being manipulated on an international scale. If the CU ends up being poorly managed, a credit union going under will not bankrupt the insurance company that has to pay out.
My preference would, and I hate to say this, but more regulation. Put the rules back in place that were instituted after the Great Depression. Banks should not be loaning out 30% to 40% of their assets. They should be conservative with conservative returns. We should not be expecting to make 10%, 12%, 20% returns. Natural growth is 3% to 4%. It is healthy at that level.
Banks used to be allowed to loan out less than 10%. They made their money in fees, the fees we are all throwing such a stink about. Over drafts, ATM charges, those were the traditional areas that banks made their money. Then regulations weakened, banks were allowed to loan more of our money, leverage more.
I should not be able to get a car loan probably for three times the value of my car if I tried to sell it, giving it to a woman without a job.Of course I am taking advantage of it. To me it is like a personal loan of trust, I will honor my obligation. Would I return the favor? Absolutely not.
The markets are getting to a big turning point. Which way? up or down? I can't help being pessimistic with so much debt and sovereign debt and the same mistakes going on and on with no corrections.
Individual companies are punished for making good choices. They pay higher taxes than the maga big international companies that can find the loop holes and hide profits and get bailed out on losses. You tax the rich and they move away. New Jersey and Maryland tried the Sir tax on their millionaires. The result was the wealthy just up and left the state. They lost a significant population of wealthy families. I don't blame them. Tom and I did the same thing. We purposefully moved to a state without income tax. We would rather pay sales tax. Why should we be punished with higher taxes for making good and healthy choices.
Businesses have become too big to fail, so intertwined with each other as trading partners. Spreading the risk, but then not taking the fall, putting the losses onto the government and the tax payer.
The other side of the coin, though, is to compete on the international markets and get the huge billion dollar projects they have to be big and international. I can't wait until some think tank comes up with a solution. Until then I am hunkering down with a survivalist instinct, stocking food like the Mormons and preparing for a long siege.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
November rains
The rain has been coming down heavy the last few days. I was invited to a chick party with three different vendors of stuff. I could only do two of the vendors. I had brought two checks that night so I invited the third vendor to come to my house so I could take my time going through the catalogues. There had been so much to see and try out. The first vendor did Miche purses. I bought a couple of clutch bags for my credit cards. The second vendor was Tastefully delicious, easy to prepare foods and seasonings. I ordered quite a bit from her. I like the just add water dinners that taste delicious. There were also jars of jams and chutneys and salsas that were worth ordering also.
As a result of the expenses for the first two vendors, I wanted to put off the third vendor a couple of days and enjoy ordering from her separately. She was also the daughter of our hostess for the evening so I didn't want to miss ordering from her. There were multiple catalogues from Avon. She is coming over today for an hour. Avon is inexpensive and good. She has lots of gift type items in her collection and some things I thought my boys might like; colognes and shampoos and such. We are definitely going through all that we have in good smelling manly senses and deodorants now that Trevor is in high school. I have to make sure that their father's stash of manly senses doesn't get raided.
Trev has been having his best friend come over for sleep overs almost every weekend. He is so loving being back in our old town. He is settling in easily. Riley's best friend, who does not live nearby, was in the area this weekend. We invited his family over and I agreed to let the friend have a sleep over as long as I didn't have to drive him home, which is two hours away now. They have moved out to the country to a farm. I am hoping to go visit them on a weekend soon, perhaps over winter break. Being in Washington we have less vacations from school than in Oregon, less time to travel.
I didn't hear anything on my job interview, no yes and no no either. I thought at least they would send me an e-mail one way or another. I will give it until Monday. In my interview, I was told that I had to be fully available and mark on the application I was fully available. I had not done that. I had put my wish list of hours off for bridge and golf, just a couple of hours on a couple of days. I had hoped that by saying I was available weekends and holidays that would offset those other hours during the week. I did say in the interview that those requests were more of a wish list than an absolute, but I think it hurt my chances none the less. I am now dusting off my resume and going to drop it off at some other locations. This time I will tell them from the beginning I am fully available. I will work towards my wish list of hours once I am hired, if possible. One of my friends told me had I been hired I would have spent more money than I made shopping in the store. Tom made the same comment. It still would have been fun.
I bought new ink for the printer, the old printer. Never could get the new printer working. I am going to take the whole thing in to the store where I bought it. It is a desk top computer but I am tired of not getting the new printer to work with it. I stopped in to inquire about the best hours to come for help. They said that between 11:00am and 3:00 pm were their busy time so to come before or after those times to get the most help. They open at 8:00 am.
I can hear the boys laughing and shrieking with glee as they play the x-box in my bedroom. Tom kicked them out of his man cave and the big TV for weekend football. I was kicked out of my bedroom this morning so they could play on the TV in my bedroom. I could have said no, but they would have nagged me to death until I caved, so I picked up my book I was reading and got dressed and found another corner of the house where I would not be interrupted.
I did check the boys grades this morning. Nothing like getting kicked out of your own room to make you go looking for trouble. The grades needed checking. It is amazing how quickly they can go from great to missing assignments and not so great. I brought them each to the computer one at a time so they could see their teacher's postings and absorb the implications. Riley still has a tone of make up to do. He just has to get it done. Weight training will be easier now though, as the coach is having after school training for the football players also. Trevor will be attending which will make it easier for Riley to want to stay after school and do his make ups. Riley had better be quick or the semester will come to an end and these grades will be permanent record.
Trevor is working very hard at band. He is trying to get a letter in band if he can. He is volunteering at every event available.
Tom was sick with a cold on Thursday. The weather was sunny that day, of course. Friday, Veterans day, he went golfing and it rained. He is enjoying the slow pace of a football weekend today. I made fried eggs and bacon for him which is the only time he has come out of hiding from his man cave.
I am working on boxes today. I get to fold up and crush two more big boxes in the basement. Kind of cheating as they were almost empty to begin with but I didn't have any scissors with me to cut the boxes and fold them. My mom would like all our boxes. I am more than willing to have her store them at her house until the next move, who ever that might be.
As a result of the expenses for the first two vendors, I wanted to put off the third vendor a couple of days and enjoy ordering from her separately. She was also the daughter of our hostess for the evening so I didn't want to miss ordering from her. There were multiple catalogues from Avon. She is coming over today for an hour. Avon is inexpensive and good. She has lots of gift type items in her collection and some things I thought my boys might like; colognes and shampoos and such. We are definitely going through all that we have in good smelling manly senses and deodorants now that Trevor is in high school. I have to make sure that their father's stash of manly senses doesn't get raided.
Trev has been having his best friend come over for sleep overs almost every weekend. He is so loving being back in our old town. He is settling in easily. Riley's best friend, who does not live nearby, was in the area this weekend. We invited his family over and I agreed to let the friend have a sleep over as long as I didn't have to drive him home, which is two hours away now. They have moved out to the country to a farm. I am hoping to go visit them on a weekend soon, perhaps over winter break. Being in Washington we have less vacations from school than in Oregon, less time to travel.
I didn't hear anything on my job interview, no yes and no no either. I thought at least they would send me an e-mail one way or another. I will give it until Monday. In my interview, I was told that I had to be fully available and mark on the application I was fully available. I had not done that. I had put my wish list of hours off for bridge and golf, just a couple of hours on a couple of days. I had hoped that by saying I was available weekends and holidays that would offset those other hours during the week. I did say in the interview that those requests were more of a wish list than an absolute, but I think it hurt my chances none the less. I am now dusting off my resume and going to drop it off at some other locations. This time I will tell them from the beginning I am fully available. I will work towards my wish list of hours once I am hired, if possible. One of my friends told me had I been hired I would have spent more money than I made shopping in the store. Tom made the same comment. It still would have been fun.
I bought new ink for the printer, the old printer. Never could get the new printer working. I am going to take the whole thing in to the store where I bought it. It is a desk top computer but I am tired of not getting the new printer to work with it. I stopped in to inquire about the best hours to come for help. They said that between 11:00am and 3:00 pm were their busy time so to come before or after those times to get the most help. They open at 8:00 am.
I can hear the boys laughing and shrieking with glee as they play the x-box in my bedroom. Tom kicked them out of his man cave and the big TV for weekend football. I was kicked out of my bedroom this morning so they could play on the TV in my bedroom. I could have said no, but they would have nagged me to death until I caved, so I picked up my book I was reading and got dressed and found another corner of the house where I would not be interrupted.
I did check the boys grades this morning. Nothing like getting kicked out of your own room to make you go looking for trouble. The grades needed checking. It is amazing how quickly they can go from great to missing assignments and not so great. I brought them each to the computer one at a time so they could see their teacher's postings and absorb the implications. Riley still has a tone of make up to do. He just has to get it done. Weight training will be easier now though, as the coach is having after school training for the football players also. Trevor will be attending which will make it easier for Riley to want to stay after school and do his make ups. Riley had better be quick or the semester will come to an end and these grades will be permanent record.
Trevor is working very hard at band. He is trying to get a letter in band if he can. He is volunteering at every event available.
Tom was sick with a cold on Thursday. The weather was sunny that day, of course. Friday, Veterans day, he went golfing and it rained. He is enjoying the slow pace of a football weekend today. I made fried eggs and bacon for him which is the only time he has come out of hiding from his man cave.
I am working on boxes today. I get to fold up and crush two more big boxes in the basement. Kind of cheating as they were almost empty to begin with but I didn't have any scissors with me to cut the boxes and fold them. My mom would like all our boxes. I am more than willing to have her store them at her house until the next move, who ever that might be.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
More thoughts
I thought about it some more, the car loan. It does dawn on me that with a car loan if a person defaults the company gets the car and they still come after you for the difference owed. A judgement is placed on your credit history. It is leveraging the collateral to loan more than the car is worth. Interesting.
This is why I like talking to people on the phone. You can hang up on the hard sales press. Think about your options. Not leap at the first offer. I oopsed on the flexible interest rate. It was a spur of the moment decision. I was in the credit union opening up a new account leaving the big national bank behind for a local company. Not that the loan is even a big deal as it is really just an open line of credit, revolving credit. I don't have to use the money at all. Keep it for an emergency. I want to find a fixed rate and better than 8%, better than 6%. I know now I can find it. Its out there. It is worth shopping around. Lovely.
The stairs are done. I fixed the dings on the wall caused by the install. I am grateful the matching paint is in the garage, left by the previous owner. I like her color choices. I will be keeping them for a while.
The renter has been paying her rent very late every month. Last month she paid on the 21st. There is a late penalty she has to pay each time. We are still waiting for this month , which again is now officially late. The lawn is mowed. That is a good sign in my book. I am going to ask my property manager to do an interior walk through the house, make sure the dog she has now is not tearing the place apart.
This is why I like talking to people on the phone. You can hang up on the hard sales press. Think about your options. Not leap at the first offer. I oopsed on the flexible interest rate. It was a spur of the moment decision. I was in the credit union opening up a new account leaving the big national bank behind for a local company. Not that the loan is even a big deal as it is really just an open line of credit, revolving credit. I don't have to use the money at all. Keep it for an emergency. I want to find a fixed rate and better than 8%, better than 6%. I know now I can find it. Its out there. It is worth shopping around. Lovely.
The stairs are done. I fixed the dings on the wall caused by the install. I am grateful the matching paint is in the garage, left by the previous owner. I like her color choices. I will be keeping them for a while.
The renter has been paying her rent very late every month. Last month she paid on the 21st. There is a late penalty she has to pay each time. We are still waiting for this month , which again is now officially late. The lawn is mowed. That is a good sign in my book. I am going to ask my property manager to do an interior walk through the house, make sure the dog she has now is not tearing the place apart.
2.5%
Trevor was in his swim class yesterday afternoon when he felt the need to vomit. He quickly climbed out of the pool and raced for the boy's locker room. He barely made it to the toilets before he barfed. he had heard the teacher yelling at him for running at the pool, but she stopped when she heard him barfing. Moments later an announcement on the school's mike told teachers to check their e-mail boxes. An unscheduled emergency fire drill was being called.
Trevor was in the locker room getting dressed. He wasn't going back in the pool. He was the lucky swimmer it turned out. The rest of the swimmers had to go outside in just their wet suits and towels. He at least was dry even though he felt miserable. The teachers wouldn't let him use his phone during the emergency to call me to come get him.
After the drill, which turned out to be a bomb threat note in the main building boy's bathroom, Trevor was allowed to go to the office and have them call me. The office assistant I spoke to said Trevor looked miserable. I told her I would be down in 10 minutes to pick him up. It takes about two minutes to get my stuff together and get the car out of the drive. I found Trevor sitting on the concrete in front of the school. He did look miserable. I asked him what he had for lunch. He said the usual, two chicken patties with a hamburger and cheese pattie in the middle.
When we got home it was a half hour before regular release. Trevor crawled into my bed and asked for the remote. I told him when you are sick and miss school there is no TV. Rest and sleep and maybe something to drink but no TV. He pouted a little then took a nap.
Riley came home and filled me in on the fire drill. He said he knew it was a bomb threat because two of the boys in one of his classes had seen the note.
I told Riley to stay away from his brother just in case Trevor has something contagious. Trevor made an appearance around 7:00 pm saying it must have been something he ate as he was feeling better and wanted to know what was for dinner. I offered eggs, soft food to make sure that if he throws up again it is easy. Trevor opts for making himself some hamburger taco filling and have a burrito.
My girlfriend comes over to hang with me for a while. Her daughter is in drivers ed just down the hill from us. We discuss how to make ham and bean soup for dinner the next night. I have beans that need soaking overnight. She pulls the ingredients together for me. My crock pot is barely big enough.
This morning I could only fit half the beans into the crock pot. I am now on the hunt for one of the big sized ones. Both boys went to school.
My other project yesterday was consolidating my credit cards. With the big project of the game room almost finished, I found that I want to pay off all my expenses and quickly. There are so many low interest rates being advertised, I want to see if I can get lower than the ones I have on my credit card. 9.9% on one card, 6% on another card. A credit line at 8% variable which I don't like at all. Fixed is always the way to go.
I called my car insurance company because I got a letter from them. They want to check our account. Riley is reaching the age of 16 and they want to know if he is driving yet. I inform them that he hasn't even gotten his permit yet. Just as well as his grades, due to being sick, are not the best at the moment. Two classes are really hurting him. His weight training grades on attendance. Riley has 10 days to make up. I told him to start staying after school and making those days up. Show the teacher you care. Spanish is also giving him trouble with two missed tests that still need to be made up.
The Insurance company asks if I want to talk to one of their finance people. I do have questions on interest rates, trying to finesse as low as I can go on my credit card. What is being offered these days? 6% is as low as the credit card can go, though, With my impeccable credit history I can get a loan on one of my used cars as collateral for 2.5%. Not only that but I paid $11,000 for the car I am thinking of using on Craigs list. I have done about $2500 in repairs and maintenance over the last two years on the car. They will loan me $17,000 on that car, my Jeep, at 2.5% for three years, $500 a month, total interest paid over three years would be $500. Since I don't have a source of income, yet, Tom would have to sign also. Tom is dwelling on it. Having been burned once on a co sign, now he thinks about it more carefully. I just smile and am glad he is thinking first. I can't believe that I can get a loan on a used car for $6000 more than I paid for it. The world is still messed up. The banks are still throwing money at people. Of course I did know I was getting a good deal on my car when I bought it.
To me that amount covers everything: the move, the remodel, getting the rental ready, getting our new house ready. I spent a lot of money at Ace and Home Depot and Lowes over the last three months, not to mention the lovely new hardwood floor from Simple floors. It even leaves enough to dwell on my next project. For an extra $300 insurance policy, if the car gets totalled in the next three years, the loan is paid off. With teen drivers I am considering it. I already have comprehensive on my regular insurance. It almost seems like double dipping, which it is. The car gets totalled, I get a new car on one policy and the loan gets paid off by another.
The world works on trust. I just finished reading the book Too Big To Fail, about the Lehman and AIG crisis. People lost faith in the financial sector. They started pulling their money out of the banks. The banks couldn't cover because they had leveraged out way beyond where they should have. Mortgages were defaulting, money wasn't coming in as fast as it was going out. Nothing has changed much. No lessons have been learned, no rules have been reinstated. Banks are still leveraging way beyond where they should. To loan me 30% more than I paid on a used vehicle is insane, except for the excellent credit score that tells them I am an honorable person who pays her debts. It is nice that a good credit score still gets you something. A good credit score is still worth having. Maybe I am a rare bread and that is why every time I go into a credit union or a bank these days, they seem to be throwing money at me, begging me to go into debt. It's a little bit creepy slimy feeling.
2.5%
Trevor was in the locker room getting dressed. He wasn't going back in the pool. He was the lucky swimmer it turned out. The rest of the swimmers had to go outside in just their wet suits and towels. He at least was dry even though he felt miserable. The teachers wouldn't let him use his phone during the emergency to call me to come get him.
After the drill, which turned out to be a bomb threat note in the main building boy's bathroom, Trevor was allowed to go to the office and have them call me. The office assistant I spoke to said Trevor looked miserable. I told her I would be down in 10 minutes to pick him up. It takes about two minutes to get my stuff together and get the car out of the drive. I found Trevor sitting on the concrete in front of the school. He did look miserable. I asked him what he had for lunch. He said the usual, two chicken patties with a hamburger and cheese pattie in the middle.
When we got home it was a half hour before regular release. Trevor crawled into my bed and asked for the remote. I told him when you are sick and miss school there is no TV. Rest and sleep and maybe something to drink but no TV. He pouted a little then took a nap.
Riley came home and filled me in on the fire drill. He said he knew it was a bomb threat because two of the boys in one of his classes had seen the note.
I told Riley to stay away from his brother just in case Trevor has something contagious. Trevor made an appearance around 7:00 pm saying it must have been something he ate as he was feeling better and wanted to know what was for dinner. I offered eggs, soft food to make sure that if he throws up again it is easy. Trevor opts for making himself some hamburger taco filling and have a burrito.
My girlfriend comes over to hang with me for a while. Her daughter is in drivers ed just down the hill from us. We discuss how to make ham and bean soup for dinner the next night. I have beans that need soaking overnight. She pulls the ingredients together for me. My crock pot is barely big enough.
This morning I could only fit half the beans into the crock pot. I am now on the hunt for one of the big sized ones. Both boys went to school.
My other project yesterday was consolidating my credit cards. With the big project of the game room almost finished, I found that I want to pay off all my expenses and quickly. There are so many low interest rates being advertised, I want to see if I can get lower than the ones I have on my credit card. 9.9% on one card, 6% on another card. A credit line at 8% variable which I don't like at all. Fixed is always the way to go.
I called my car insurance company because I got a letter from them. They want to check our account. Riley is reaching the age of 16 and they want to know if he is driving yet. I inform them that he hasn't even gotten his permit yet. Just as well as his grades, due to being sick, are not the best at the moment. Two classes are really hurting him. His weight training grades on attendance. Riley has 10 days to make up. I told him to start staying after school and making those days up. Show the teacher you care. Spanish is also giving him trouble with two missed tests that still need to be made up.
The Insurance company asks if I want to talk to one of their finance people. I do have questions on interest rates, trying to finesse as low as I can go on my credit card. What is being offered these days? 6% is as low as the credit card can go, though, With my impeccable credit history I can get a loan on one of my used cars as collateral for 2.5%. Not only that but I paid $11,000 for the car I am thinking of using on Craigs list. I have done about $2500 in repairs and maintenance over the last two years on the car. They will loan me $17,000 on that car, my Jeep, at 2.5% for three years, $500 a month, total interest paid over three years would be $500. Since I don't have a source of income, yet, Tom would have to sign also. Tom is dwelling on it. Having been burned once on a co sign, now he thinks about it more carefully. I just smile and am glad he is thinking first. I can't believe that I can get a loan on a used car for $6000 more than I paid for it. The world is still messed up. The banks are still throwing money at people. Of course I did know I was getting a good deal on my car when I bought it.
To me that amount covers everything: the move, the remodel, getting the rental ready, getting our new house ready. I spent a lot of money at Ace and Home Depot and Lowes over the last three months, not to mention the lovely new hardwood floor from Simple floors. It even leaves enough to dwell on my next project. For an extra $300 insurance policy, if the car gets totalled in the next three years, the loan is paid off. With teen drivers I am considering it. I already have comprehensive on my regular insurance. It almost seems like double dipping, which it is. The car gets totalled, I get a new car on one policy and the loan gets paid off by another.
The world works on trust. I just finished reading the book Too Big To Fail, about the Lehman and AIG crisis. People lost faith in the financial sector. They started pulling their money out of the banks. The banks couldn't cover because they had leveraged out way beyond where they should have. Mortgages were defaulting, money wasn't coming in as fast as it was going out. Nothing has changed much. No lessons have been learned, no rules have been reinstated. Banks are still leveraging way beyond where they should. To loan me 30% more than I paid on a used vehicle is insane, except for the excellent credit score that tells them I am an honorable person who pays her debts. It is nice that a good credit score still gets you something. A good credit score is still worth having. Maybe I am a rare bread and that is why every time I go into a credit union or a bank these days, they seem to be throwing money at me, begging me to go into debt. It's a little bit creepy slimy feeling.
2.5%
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Friday night
Went up to the club to play Bridge yesterday. Afterwards, I stayed for a cocktail. Tom was on the golf course in this cold weather. When he came into the club house his face was chilly when he kissed me. Trevor had called and wanted us to go bowling. I had told Trevor after seven. He took the initiative and set up for a play date with his best friend to come over for a sleep over and go bowling with us.
At seven we go to retrieve the boys and head to the bowling alley. Problem is it is league night and the alley is packed. No lanes available until 9:00 pm. What to do with boys ready to bowl and no alley, easy, you feed them. I had them go to the restaurant and order a late dinner on me. Trevor splits a pizza with his friend. Riley orders a french dip and Tom gets a burger. I figure with the cooking time and the eating time, we could easily kill 45 minutes or so. One dollar each bought them some arcade time and a lane came open at 8:30.
We played two games. Tom bought himself one more at the end so he could have three. We rolled into the house late with everyone happy.
Today I go to a girlfriend's house at 10:00 am to have my roots fixed. I was going to have them done by another friend but I decided with the interview I was just going to keep the do simple and conservative. After I get the job then I can go for the fun and striped look. (I chickened out)This friend I am seeing today wont do bold stripes. She cuts a very conservative hair. I am not going to go for a hair change until after the interview. I will curl it and set it so it looks finished. I know how to do my hair now. If I had a new do, I wouldn't want to be stressing on how to do it and make it look right the day of the interview. I don't like to fuss. Tom did ask me to go blonder so I might do that, go a little lighter in color.
I saw a couple of other stores were also hiring. The store I chose is a little dressier. I like to dress up. An athletic store had a sign in the window. I am not that athletic anymore, though I have put my hand at a lot of sports. I could sell in that store. It will be a good experience for me regardless. I feel good about just getting out and doing something productive.
The boys are still sleeping. Tom left to go to the Oregon State game. He was picked up at 7:00am. Wont be back until evening. I am off to have coffee and play at my girlfriend's house. I will let you know if my gray roots get covered. If I could do the gray roots myself I would, but when ever I do the over the counter boxes of color, they never quite cover the gray roots enough.
At seven we go to retrieve the boys and head to the bowling alley. Problem is it is league night and the alley is packed. No lanes available until 9:00 pm. What to do with boys ready to bowl and no alley, easy, you feed them. I had them go to the restaurant and order a late dinner on me. Trevor splits a pizza with his friend. Riley orders a french dip and Tom gets a burger. I figure with the cooking time and the eating time, we could easily kill 45 minutes or so. One dollar each bought them some arcade time and a lane came open at 8:30.
We played two games. Tom bought himself one more at the end so he could have three. We rolled into the house late with everyone happy.
Today I go to a girlfriend's house at 10:00 am to have my roots fixed. I was going to have them done by another friend but I decided with the interview I was just going to keep the do simple and conservative. After I get the job then I can go for the fun and striped look. (I chickened out)This friend I am seeing today wont do bold stripes. She cuts a very conservative hair. I am not going to go for a hair change until after the interview. I will curl it and set it so it looks finished. I know how to do my hair now. If I had a new do, I wouldn't want to be stressing on how to do it and make it look right the day of the interview. I don't like to fuss. Tom did ask me to go blonder so I might do that, go a little lighter in color.
I saw a couple of other stores were also hiring. The store I chose is a little dressier. I like to dress up. An athletic store had a sign in the window. I am not that athletic anymore, though I have put my hand at a lot of sports. I could sell in that store. It will be a good experience for me regardless. I feel good about just getting out and doing something productive.
The boys are still sleeping. Tom left to go to the Oregon State game. He was picked up at 7:00am. Wont be back until evening. I am off to have coffee and play at my girlfriend's house. I will let you know if my gray roots get covered. If I could do the gray roots myself I would, but when ever I do the over the counter boxes of color, they never quite cover the gray roots enough.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Antsy
Finished the third coat of stain on the last of the stair treads. They will have five coats total including the final polyurethane to give them a glossy finish and protective finish. I spent yesterday hand cutting and gluing the most difficult stair. The stair at the top is triangular and bigger than standard. I had to build out the back of a tread, gluing a triangular piece from scrap, then cut at an angle the right fit for the stair and tread.
It is now so cold outside that when I went to check on yesterday's staining, I found the boards still sticky and damp. I set up my card tables in the laundry area and brought the treads inside for the third coat. Hopefully my laundry room is warm enough to let them dry. I will put number four coat on this evening. I have to decide if I want to go darker with one more coat of the red mahogany or another coat of the lighter cherry. Either way the stairs will look stunning. I am really happy with the work.
Riley says he still feels a little lingering headache. Not much we can do. It is a wait and see kind of deal. His last numbers were not low enough to indicate that he should be getting headaches. I think the headaches are just stress related. We don't want blood transfusions and they wouldn't give them unless the numbers were really bad, which they are not thank goodness. He goes to school and is working hard at making up missing work. Quarter end is today. I don't think he got caught up enough, but that is the way it goes. Missing all that school hurt his grades.
I am all a twitter over the job interview next week. I look forward to working again and being able to replenish my clothes collection. I am going to wear my interview suit to the club today and see what the women think. I went to the mall to buy something new but couldn't find anything I liked better than what I have and that wouldn't break the bank financially before I am even hired. I have a few new pieces of jewelry I bought at a friend's party to dress up my attire.
I am warned my hours will be horrible for the next two months, because I am working the holiday rush. I look forward to the stimulus.
It is now so cold outside that when I went to check on yesterday's staining, I found the boards still sticky and damp. I set up my card tables in the laundry area and brought the treads inside for the third coat. Hopefully my laundry room is warm enough to let them dry. I will put number four coat on this evening. I have to decide if I want to go darker with one more coat of the red mahogany or another coat of the lighter cherry. Either way the stairs will look stunning. I am really happy with the work.
Riley says he still feels a little lingering headache. Not much we can do. It is a wait and see kind of deal. His last numbers were not low enough to indicate that he should be getting headaches. I think the headaches are just stress related. We don't want blood transfusions and they wouldn't give them unless the numbers were really bad, which they are not thank goodness. He goes to school and is working hard at making up missing work. Quarter end is today. I don't think he got caught up enough, but that is the way it goes. Missing all that school hurt his grades.
I am all a twitter over the job interview next week. I look forward to working again and being able to replenish my clothes collection. I am going to wear my interview suit to the club today and see what the women think. I went to the mall to buy something new but couldn't find anything I liked better than what I have and that wouldn't break the bank financially before I am even hired. I have a few new pieces of jewelry I bought at a friend's party to dress up my attire.
I am warned my hours will be horrible for the next two months, because I am working the holiday rush. I look forward to the stimulus.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Halloween
Trevor wore his business suit with a white tie. He and his best friend took his best friend's little five year old sister out with another brother trick or treating. I felt the boy was much too big to be trick or treating but since he was really escorting a small child I didn't stop him. It was more a babysitting gig with a friend.
Riley opted to stay home. I did not buy candy. I had one dollar bills to give out. I didn't anticipate many trick or treaters. The neighborhood houses weren't that decorated and many driveways are long and uninviting. The best neighborhoods are densely housed so the children can walk fewer steps for more candy.
I ended up with maybe 15 costumed people. Many looked to be middle school students. Not too many small children. I figured they must be neighborhood kids whose parents didn't want to put up a fuss. Riley recognized one group from the school bus.
I was pleased to hear one child shout to his mother "MOM! SHE GAVE ME A DOLLAR!" It made me feel better about giving out money as Tom had given me a hard time about it and said we would get egged for not having candy. Tom hid and watched football.
I stuck a pumpkin mask on the door and a couple of cute stuffed fuzzy snakes the boys had into the hanging planters by the door. We didn't even have pumpkins this year as I usually plant my own in the yard. With Trevor so busy and Riley not into the gooey carving, neither one pushed me to get pumpkins.
One of my girlfriends stopped by to hang out while she waited for her daughters to finish what they were doing. She wanted to play a game with the kids. Put change, more than a dollar in one hand, and offer them a choice, the dollar bill or the change. No children came by while she was here so she never got the chance. I kept the lights on until 9:00pm. It was an easy night. I will do the money again. I spent less doing the dollars than I would have buying candy and having to eat the left overs.
Of course, another friend posted they had 300 children come by their house, which is more centrally located. I wouldn't be able to give out that kind of money. I can barely imagine how much candy they must have had to buy in preparation. I just loved not having a tone of candy left over.
Trevor came home with a small bag of candy. It will be gone in a couple of days and there wasn't much that I liked in the bucket. He charged me for each piece. It helped keep me from gorging on sugar.
It was a school night and a Monday night so bed time was called with an order for everyone to brush their teeth well. The lights were turned off, the trick or treaters were already long gone.
Riley opted to stay home. I did not buy candy. I had one dollar bills to give out. I didn't anticipate many trick or treaters. The neighborhood houses weren't that decorated and many driveways are long and uninviting. The best neighborhoods are densely housed so the children can walk fewer steps for more candy.
I ended up with maybe 15 costumed people. Many looked to be middle school students. Not too many small children. I figured they must be neighborhood kids whose parents didn't want to put up a fuss. Riley recognized one group from the school bus.
I was pleased to hear one child shout to his mother "MOM! SHE GAVE ME A DOLLAR!" It made me feel better about giving out money as Tom had given me a hard time about it and said we would get egged for not having candy. Tom hid and watched football.
I stuck a pumpkin mask on the door and a couple of cute stuffed fuzzy snakes the boys had into the hanging planters by the door. We didn't even have pumpkins this year as I usually plant my own in the yard. With Trevor so busy and Riley not into the gooey carving, neither one pushed me to get pumpkins.
One of my girlfriends stopped by to hang out while she waited for her daughters to finish what they were doing. She wanted to play a game with the kids. Put change, more than a dollar in one hand, and offer them a choice, the dollar bill or the change. No children came by while she was here so she never got the chance. I kept the lights on until 9:00pm. It was an easy night. I will do the money again. I spent less doing the dollars than I would have buying candy and having to eat the left overs.
Of course, another friend posted they had 300 children come by their house, which is more centrally located. I wouldn't be able to give out that kind of money. I can barely imagine how much candy they must have had to buy in preparation. I just loved not having a tone of candy left over.
Trevor came home with a small bag of candy. It will be gone in a couple of days and there wasn't much that I liked in the bucket. He charged me for each piece. It helped keep me from gorging on sugar.
It was a school night and a Monday night so bed time was called with an order for everyone to brush their teeth well. The lights were turned off, the trick or treaters were already long gone.
Riley had a Headache
Riley said he had a low grade headache all day yesterday. It stayed with him. He tried to call me after school for a lift home but I was playing bridge at the club and didn't pick up. He called his father but Tom was over an hour away. Riley walked home. Trevor called me an hour later and I did pick up. I told him I was playing bridge and to walk home like his brother. I hadn't heard yet that Riley was having a headache.
Tom gave Riley some Ibuprofen when he got home from work. Riley slept all evening. When I got home an hour later, I went in to check on him in his room, only to find the bed empty. I looked in my bed and there he was sprawled out in the middle. He mentioned the other day he wanted a bigger bed. Maybe that is what I will give him for his birthday, a double bed. I could set up the twin beds as guest beds in the basement. If only the basement were finished. This house has project after project. I just keep telling myself that the neighborhood has big houses pricing at over half a million dollars. We wont lose money. Besides we use every inch of space this house provides. There isn't a room that doesn't get full use.
Riley woke this morning saying he could still feel very faintly the headache. I told him his option was to go to school or go to the doctor for a blood draw. He chose going to school. I sent him to school with two Ibuprofen in his pocket, if he needs them. They look like tic tacs. I will stay close to my phone today.
I have been having a hard time getting up out of bed myself. Yesterday, I took vitamins in the morning and another in the evening. Today, I was able to get up out of bed at a reasonable time. I think I just need to stay on top of my vitamins these days. A friend told me she had been having a similar problem and went to the doctor to be told she was anemic. I feel so much better on vitamins. I am going to buy Riley some fresh vitamins also. He still does the chewable. They get hard and dried out over time. He wont take them if they are hard. Makes me a little cranky since they get hard when the lid is left off the bottle. Trevor will eat them. He eats everything.
I should say Trevor eats everything but my cooking when I try something new. I bought some different pasta , penne pasta. I over cooked the noodles and everyone hated the dinner. Tom has given me strict orders to cook something he likes for dinner tonight, no leftovers. I feed the left overs to the dog. He doesn't thumb his nose at my cooking.
Trevor is loving the free lunches at school with working in the kitchen. He says the staff loves him. He is quite the character. He brightens up a room when he is involved. He has invented a new sandwich for himself, two baked chicken patties with a beef patti in the middle with a slice of cheese, no bread, just high protein meats. I told him it probably wouldn't fly for the rest of the school as meat is the expensive part of the lunch meal. I am so grateful I don't have to pay for that lunch meal.
Trevor is even getting As in English. His teacher says she loves having him in her class. He participates these days. The teacher emphasises writing skills, which, other than spelling, Trevor excels at story telling. The computer class is turning him into a faster type. He is allowed to type his homework from English in his typing class as long as he uses the proper techniques. As a result he is up on his homework in both classes. His typing speed is growing by leaps and bounds. I am not helping at all in any of his class work. He is doing his own typing and spell check.
Trevor let me read his latest paper. It was wonderful, about a skier crashing in the woods. He used something in his own life to build the story. I just did a proof read for him, taking out a few "ands" and "buts" to tighten it up. I can't wait to see how the class and the teacher like it. Another student is also going to do a proof read. Having others read the paper for proofing was part of the assignment. I would love for his old English teachers to see how well he is doing. Let them know that he has built on what they taught him and is finally flourishing. He is working hard to achieve these goals. I was impressed that he would miss practices to go work on classwork to maintain his grade and eligibility to play football. I hope he continues to motivate after football ends. I wish they continued after school conditioning all year.
Trevor has been invited to join his best friend at his Boy scout meeting. Trevor is so far behind though, if he decides to rejoin Boy Scouts. His friend already has his star and will probably make Eagle on time at 16. Trevor would be starting over. He hasn't done scouts for five years. He would love it though, regardless.
Trevor needs some sort of winter activity. I wonder if I can find ski boots that would fit Trevor. One of the reasons he switched to snow boarding was the boots didn't pinch his feet as much. He is so big now, he wont bounce as well when he falls. I worry about serious injuries, but skiing would be a great winter conditioning sport for Trevor. I will check it out, see if there is a bus.
Meanwhile, we check Riley, looking for signs, one way or another, that he is healing. I am tempted to try the glutine free diet on him but I know he would fight me. The food is so different from what we are used to eating. If he doesn't do it voluntarily there is no point. He would have access all the time to regular food. He had great numbers when he was staying with friends on that diet this summer.
I just feel like I take a moment to enjoy myself, and the other shoe falls. My job interview is next week. If I get the job, it is at a retail store, I will get paid to be out of the house. I am liking that thought. The hours will probably be awful, as it is holiday temping. It is a foot in the door, and a good start. I am off to buy a dinner my family will like, steak and potatoes.
Tom gave Riley some Ibuprofen when he got home from work. Riley slept all evening. When I got home an hour later, I went in to check on him in his room, only to find the bed empty. I looked in my bed and there he was sprawled out in the middle. He mentioned the other day he wanted a bigger bed. Maybe that is what I will give him for his birthday, a double bed. I could set up the twin beds as guest beds in the basement. If only the basement were finished. This house has project after project. I just keep telling myself that the neighborhood has big houses pricing at over half a million dollars. We wont lose money. Besides we use every inch of space this house provides. There isn't a room that doesn't get full use.
Riley woke this morning saying he could still feel very faintly the headache. I told him his option was to go to school or go to the doctor for a blood draw. He chose going to school. I sent him to school with two Ibuprofen in his pocket, if he needs them. They look like tic tacs. I will stay close to my phone today.
I have been having a hard time getting up out of bed myself. Yesterday, I took vitamins in the morning and another in the evening. Today, I was able to get up out of bed at a reasonable time. I think I just need to stay on top of my vitamins these days. A friend told me she had been having a similar problem and went to the doctor to be told she was anemic. I feel so much better on vitamins. I am going to buy Riley some fresh vitamins also. He still does the chewable. They get hard and dried out over time. He wont take them if they are hard. Makes me a little cranky since they get hard when the lid is left off the bottle. Trevor will eat them. He eats everything.
I should say Trevor eats everything but my cooking when I try something new. I bought some different pasta , penne pasta. I over cooked the noodles and everyone hated the dinner. Tom has given me strict orders to cook something he likes for dinner tonight, no leftovers. I feed the left overs to the dog. He doesn't thumb his nose at my cooking.
Trevor is loving the free lunches at school with working in the kitchen. He says the staff loves him. He is quite the character. He brightens up a room when he is involved. He has invented a new sandwich for himself, two baked chicken patties with a beef patti in the middle with a slice of cheese, no bread, just high protein meats. I told him it probably wouldn't fly for the rest of the school as meat is the expensive part of the lunch meal. I am so grateful I don't have to pay for that lunch meal.
Trevor is even getting As in English. His teacher says she loves having him in her class. He participates these days. The teacher emphasises writing skills, which, other than spelling, Trevor excels at story telling. The computer class is turning him into a faster type. He is allowed to type his homework from English in his typing class as long as he uses the proper techniques. As a result he is up on his homework in both classes. His typing speed is growing by leaps and bounds. I am not helping at all in any of his class work. He is doing his own typing and spell check.
Trevor let me read his latest paper. It was wonderful, about a skier crashing in the woods. He used something in his own life to build the story. I just did a proof read for him, taking out a few "ands" and "buts" to tighten it up. I can't wait to see how the class and the teacher like it. Another student is also going to do a proof read. Having others read the paper for proofing was part of the assignment. I would love for his old English teachers to see how well he is doing. Let them know that he has built on what they taught him and is finally flourishing. He is working hard to achieve these goals. I was impressed that he would miss practices to go work on classwork to maintain his grade and eligibility to play football. I hope he continues to motivate after football ends. I wish they continued after school conditioning all year.
Trevor has been invited to join his best friend at his Boy scout meeting. Trevor is so far behind though, if he decides to rejoin Boy Scouts. His friend already has his star and will probably make Eagle on time at 16. Trevor would be starting over. He hasn't done scouts for five years. He would love it though, regardless.
Trevor needs some sort of winter activity. I wonder if I can find ski boots that would fit Trevor. One of the reasons he switched to snow boarding was the boots didn't pinch his feet as much. He is so big now, he wont bounce as well when he falls. I worry about serious injuries, but skiing would be a great winter conditioning sport for Trevor. I will check it out, see if there is a bus.
Meanwhile, we check Riley, looking for signs, one way or another, that he is healing. I am tempted to try the glutine free diet on him but I know he would fight me. The food is so different from what we are used to eating. If he doesn't do it voluntarily there is no point. He would have access all the time to regular food. He had great numbers when he was staying with friends on that diet this summer.
I just feel like I take a moment to enjoy myself, and the other shoe falls. My job interview is next week. If I get the job, it is at a retail store, I will get paid to be out of the house. I am liking that thought. The hours will probably be awful, as it is holiday temping. It is a foot in the door, and a good start. I am off to buy a dinner my family will like, steak and potatoes.
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