OT April Chit Chat

[agate]

Your friend must have appreciated a chance to bask in the sun there and leave the 40-below temperatures behind for a while! You're a gracious hostess, I'm sure.

I recognize some of the Leafwatchers names but no longer have contact with any of them though Steve L is a Facebook friend. I don't remember a TammyR as specialtomeatz but I do know of a Tammy R who used to be Jingle here. She's another Facebook friend. Maybe she was specialtomeatz before I joined here.
w.

[Howie]

Remember Kate from Egypt? I loved reading her posts. They were like reading an adventure short story. So well written. She returned to England, and we never heard from her again.

So many have come and gone.

[stillstANNding]

Bubblesperson! I also loved Kate's posts.
ANN

[Virginia]

I think we all waited on Kate to post. She was well liked. I am not sure if anyone knows what happened to her. I remember everyone waiting and waiting and worrying because there was a lot going on in the part of the world she was in. She went back to England and then I seem to recall someone saying she went to Germany with her parents, but I don't recall seeing her back on.

I missed a lot on the forum during those years because I was working 3 days a week and going out two nights on the week-end and keeping up the house without any help and also keeping up work clothes. It was stressful. I can't remember the name I was posting under, but I was posting enough to get to know some of the people that were on then. I might have been posting under the initials VMJ, but I am certainly not sure of that.

Jeanie, glad your visit with your friend went well. I know she would have enjoyed it. 40 degrees below zero? Seriously? Is there weather like that at this time? She can keep that. We don't want it. Even though it would have been nice to have someone around for awhile, I bet you are kind of glad to be back on your own. You have been for so long and just able to do as you wish - like Agate and me and Howie and some others on here.

[Howie]

Able to do as I wish? Well okay, the thong is coming off....Wheeeeeeeeeeee...I'm free!!!

[agate]

Able to do as I wish? Well okay, the thong is coming off....Wheeeeeeeeeeee...I'm free!!!

Howie's cats have gone into hiding.

[Frog42]

Wheeeeeeeeeeee...I'm free!!!

Or at least cheap!

[Pegakafarmgirl]

well April is going out with a "winter storm warning, up to 8 inches of snow forecasted for our area Sunday into Monday, with high winds",, lets see if this happens,,

[Catdancer]

Jeanie, before you plan anything you might want to see who might be even able to come there: I know I couldn't, for sure, because of health issues, starting with the basics: without a lift I can't get in/ out of bed, need a special mattress, etc. Others have financial issues which mean they barely make it the the month at home, much less planning a vacation. I'd hate for you to plan something, and have no one come!

I do have one idea though. I would have to investigate it more, but there is a site called livestream. There's,a free program you download. Then you can set up a meeting time. Everyone who wanted to participate would have to also download the free program. Then at the appointed time (adjusted for your time zone), you log in, and you can be seen and heard, live! Only one person at a time can talk, but everyone can be seen. You can mute your sound if you need to, or cut off your picture. If for some reason you can't get logged in, you can phone in, although that's not as effective and could cost you, depending on your phone rates.

I think I've mentioned before that I belong to a virtual church. We use livestream a lot for various classes and small groups. Downloading is quick, and after just a bit of practice, it's pretty user friendly. While we couldn't see local attractions we could see and hear each other, and see each other's immediate surroundings. Last week, for example, I showed off one of my dolhouses to my church covenant group -- creativity was the theme of the month. Occasionally one of my cats has jumped into my lap and "greeted" the group.

So if the intent of leafwatchers was to get to know each other "live", this might be a workable substitute. There'd be no travel involved, no hotel cost, no meals, only a bit of effort for a host to figure out the program, a computer download, a time set.....and Howie would definitely have to wear more than his thong.....

[Catdancer]

Talking about utilities: around here, the utilities have a budgeting plan that can help, especially if you've lived in the same place for more than a year. They'll total up your yearly cost, divide by twelve, and that's what you pay each month. Then on the last month you're notified about any balance or credit due, if it's a credit, that can be rolled into the next year, or refunded. This won't necessarily save you anything over the year, but at least you'll know for sure how much to set aside for each bill.

The electric company also has a discount available for low income people. I don't qualify so I've not checked details,, but supposedly all I have to do to get started is to call them directly.

My phone, internet and cable television is a "bundle" through the phone company, and so is consistent, too. My l.p. gas could be bought by the month or quarter, but after living here for a couple of years I figured out about how many gallons we use each year, so I now pay annually, saving money. It means a huge bill in August when I sign the contract, but I just set aside a portion each month to cover it.

I'm not afraid to play the "elderly and disabled" card for a lot of things. But there are times when it turns out to be more trouble than it's worth....

[Howie]

But Cat, I bought a brand new thong just for this event.

I had my last cup of coffee this morning. Not because I'm giving it up, but because I simply have no more. I think I have 3 dollars to my name, and don't think they sell coffee in THAT small of a package.

But I have food to eat, and even have a six pack of beer, then I'll be out of that too. (Howie breaks into a sad song) How dry I am......

It's going for 87* today. But it's cool in here, and I don't plan to go anywhere until payday. That is unless I can get myself inspired to carry out the boxes of torn up beer boxes I made this week.

Everyone enjoy your weekend.

[agate]

Howie, it's hard to enjoy one's weekend if one knows Howie is going hungry. A few days ago I was going to suggest that you set aside a few dollars in case you run out of funds at the end of the month but that sounds like one of those mother-hen ideas of mine that can be tiresome, and so I didn't. You could put that money somewhere, off by itself, and not ever touch it until you or the cats are getting too low on basic necessities. Then you dip into it, trying not to use it all up, and the next month when money rolls in, you set aside another emergency fund for the end of that month.

No matter what, you wouldn't touch that money unless it's getting to the end of the month and you're in a tight spot. Just my two cents, and two cents won't get you very far these days.


Cat, that budget plan you described for the electric bill is the type of plan I'm on. It's much easier to know how much that bill is going to be every month. Once a year I get fidgety when it's recalculation time because the averaged monthly bill can turn out to be much lower or much higher than it was, but I usually have a general idea what it will do. If it's been a very cold winter or a very hot summer, my electric bill will go up and still stay that way for a year, but that's weather for you.

There isn't any discount for seniors or low-income people but the HUD housing I'm in provides a built-in discount on the electricity. This gets recomputed every year when we have to submit our account numbers so that the usage for the entire building can be figured up, and based on that, we get about $20 off our rent amount. It varies from time to time by a few dollars but that change happens only every few years.

[Howie]

Agate, I could use a good mother hen. Slow roasted, mashed potatoes and gravy........

I just called CVS, and I'm going to start Lyrica again.

I didn't like how it was making me sleepy, but have laid down several times today anyway, but never fall asleep. And there were so many side effects listed that I have from MS anyway.

My doctor started me on it because I was having so much pain, and was taking WAY too much Ibuprofen to try and stop it. So he started me on it for that, and it worked, but I talked myself out of taking it.

So when CVS calls me back, I'm going to go pick it up. Wish me luck!

[Virginia]

Howie, I do wish you luck, but I am concerned about you being on Lyrica. It is one of those medications that I personally think is just way too dangerous to risk. Be careful or you will start falling and also it can cause your thinking to not be exactly right.

I think Agate's suggestion about hiding away a few dollars every months for the end of the month is a good idea.

I am one of those who lets the electric company average my monthly bill based on the prior year. I just do it because I like having a good idea of what I am going to pay out on regular bills during the month. I do not see how anyone lives without some kind of budget to go by even if they know they are going to have enough. I think most people want to have a good idea of what is going to be left over. At least I do.

Peg, I thought you would be through with snow by now. This is getting mighty late in the year to be talking about snow.

I have been totally useless today. I guess it was my outing yesterday. I have been so tired, I haven't even cared if I read or not. This is another reason I could no longer attend a Leaf Watchers. I tire so easily that I would not be any good. But also the travel would not be possible for me now.

[Howie]

Well, so much for that. I had to call CVS if my Lyrica was ready, and it was, and I asked how much it would be, and she said $8.65. I simply don't have it. So I said I would pick it up Wednesday with the rest of my meds.

I had scraped together $4 and some change, and that's all I have to my name. So it will be Ibuprofen and the last of my beer tonight.

What I'm calling pain is a burning sensation that runs from the side of my face, my right shoulder, and my right side over my ribs.

I wonder if I have any BBQ sauce?