Keep On Moving Club: June 2018

[agate]

Thanks Howie, you are pretty near. It's not that far from Danville, Va. to Raleigh, N.C. You just need to hop in Pinky and come see me. Oops! I forgot about Sam. She would tear me and my house apart. She would be on my furniture, running up and down the stairs, getting on my kitchen counters, on my dinning room table and scratching on the chairs. Maybe Danville is too far for you to come after all. You can keep me company on the internet. Unless you want to send Sam to Agate for a vacation.

That's nice of you to think of me, Virginia! I think you underestimate Sam. She'd be running your household for you, maybe doing the vacuuming and washing the windows. I'm not trying to talk anyone out of sending Sam to me--just trying to help you to see that having Sam around doesn't always mean chaos and destruction.

Peg, you're back in the saddle again? Whoopee-ti-yi-yo! Git along little dogies for you know that Wyoming will be your new home, etc.

Well, you didn't mention going to Wyoming or the little dogies either but it's just a song that came to mind.

[stillstANNding]

Virginia, my brother and his family are moving from Florida to the Greater Asheville area next year. They are planning on building.

ANN

[Sunshine]

I rode my horse tonight,., rode down to our other farm , to check the river out,, and its sad,, heavy rain coming in tomorrow, and Tuesday, our hay field will be under water,,:-{, nice ride,, but I can sure tell , its been a while since I have done this..

Best news ever that you got to ride. It must’ve been disheartening to see what has happened though...

[Sunshine]

I swam 20 minutes, 640 Yards, then grocery shopped, doc visit, and produce stand.

Last night I had one of those scary foot ankle spasms, but a brief one. But seem okay today, so I swam.

Resting for a few hours now....starting to collect hurricane supplies. Thinking we will stay this year unless it’s a monster. Trying to find the boxed up cookware (boxed for the Move) that can survive propane grill...

[Virginia]

Wonderful day for you Sunshine!

Ann, that is a nice area your brother and family are moving to.

[Sunshine]

Swam 20 minutes and 640 Yards today.

[Virginia]

Great Sunshine!

[Sunshine]

I got ambitious and swept the front steps. Then with windex, wiped up the exterior of front door in 90f heat. Half way down, my legs were truly screaming at me. So' after 8 minutes, I lay down for 45 minutes. They aren’t screaming now, just simpering.

Next time, I will sit on a chair with the windex to finish the lower half of the door and forget about sweeping.

This is new for me to do house sprucing outside. Yesterday I wiped down another exterior porch door.

I think it’s cuz I have been improving a bit that the motivation to do more increased. Is it like that for you too on better days?

Trying to find the sweet spot.

[stillstANNding]

Sunshine, when I feel better I almost always overdo. I try to catch up on things. Peter sees this and warns me. I still push it.

ANN

[Sunshine]

Good to hear you do it too. I think it feels so good to contribute.

[Howie]

I do it too. I guess it's a normal thing when you feel so exhausted almost every day, and then you have an energized day, and you do everything you been putting off, even though you know tomorrow will be a price to pay.

[agate]

Why do you need recertification? I know nothing abou that

Sorry--I just noticed this.

If you're low income and disabled and/or a senior, you can sometimes qualify for Section 8 housing. Your rent is always 30% of your income (less some allowable medical deductions).There are basically two types of Section 8 housing: you can get a voucher that entitles you to rent under Section 8 from any landlord who accepts Section 8, and "project-based Section 8," which means that you find a HUD-subsidized building or buildings that you'd like to apply for and wait until an apartment opens up.

Once you're in the apartment, you need to requalify every year. The waiting lists are so long for these units that the barriers are high, and they want to make sure that nobody is living here who shouldn't be because others are waiting.

During the annual interview the manager asks if I've ever been convicted of a felony and asks about every kind of asset anyone could possibly have. I have to submit receipts for every trip I've taken in the past year (the van tickets cost $2.50 per ride or $5 per round trip, and I have at least 20-25 appointments in a year), evidence of any health insurance premiums paid, evidence of any recurring doctor-authorized OTC expenses (I have $80-100/month in those), evidence of any payments to doctors, dentists, hospitals, labs, etc., as well as evidence of any income received. They can get my bank statements going back 6 months and they send "3rd party authorization for release of information" forms to all doctors and other medical providers, like audiologists for hearing aids, podiatrists for diabetic foot wear.

They add up all of these medical expenses and use a formula to compute the next year's monthly rent. It changes on the anniversary of the date you moved in, not on January 1--so the manager is doing these recerts for people throughout the year. The paperwork she does is formidable.

Mine may be one of the easier ones because I have only a checking account with no other assets or income other than Social Security. This year will be a bit trickier because of the $49/month I'm now getting from taking part in the technology/aging survey.

[agate]

I got ambitious and swept the front steps. Then with windex, wiped up the exterior of front door in 90f heat. Half way down, my legs were truly screaming at me. So' after 8 minutes, I lay down for 45 minutes. They aren’t screaming now, just simpering.

Next time, I will sit on a chair with the windex to finish the lower half of the door and forget about sweeping.

This is new for me to do house sprucing outside. Yesterday I wiped down another exterior porch door.

I think it’s cuz I have been improving a bit that the motivation to do more increased. Is it like that for you too on better days?

Trying to find the sweet spot.

You've nailed THE problem I have on a constant basis. An infection or fall and the whole situation changes but on ordinary days, days without those calamities, I'm always trying to get away with doing things but having to calculate just how much I can expect to be able to do.

Of course it's totally unpredictable but I have some vague idea of the kinds of activities and situations that are dicey for me--anything involving stress, or heat, for instance.

Today it's been perfect weather (about 70' and clear), and I just had to do something I've been thinking of doing for many days--moving the printer from the printer stand/file cabinet it's always sat on to another table. This turned out to be amazingly easy as both of the pieces of furniture I had to move were on WHEELS. (I LOVE wheels! Who invented them?)


I realized that some of the things I was moving hadn't been cleaned much, and I felt inspired to break out a dustcloth and some furniture polish, and while I had those out, it occurred to me that some of the wood trim and doors around here probably needed a once-over, and so I polished them up here and there, giving them a lick and a promise as my mother used to say.

After that I even felt up to taking a turn around the parking lot outside and up and down the driveway. Neighbors were out, with or without accompanying dogs, and the dogs were looking bright and full of energy. For that matter, so were the people.

Time for a nap now.

[Sunshine]

You got a lot done, and with no payback!

[Howie]

(I LOVE wheels! Who invented them?)

It was Fred Flintstone wasn't it?