Playing Down River

Learn Before Purchasing

2009-03-04T02:15:00.001-08:00

Mandy is always surfing and searching for things she would like to be able to get for both the children here. One of her favorite spots has always been E-bay where she likes to try and track down bargains -clothing, toys, and the like for the kids.

Tonight, I was kind of playing around, just looking for various types of information too about baby items in particular but also things for children in Maya and Kurtis' age ranges as well and I came across this really interesting site. Because one of the therapists who worked with Maya and now has also been working with Kurtis is pregnant with her first child -due about a month from now -she and Mandy often exchange questions and answers about various baby items -things Mandy had given to her or that she bought before Maya was born and what items she liked, didn't like, etc.

Trying to remember all the bits and pieces of information that often gets exchanged can put your mind into a mental overload but this sight I came across is really neat in that it's not giving a sales pitch to get people to purchase a specific product or brand name, but rather, it gives information about virtually anything you might want or need to know about just about any type of baby products one could possibly think of. Cribs, playpens, car seats, baby carriers, health aids, toys, clothing -just about everything imaginable! It gives information as to the specifications required for many of these products by law, dimensions of the items, price ranges and where it can be purchased -often also there are even product reviews of many of the items as well.

You can do simple surface surfing -just to get a little information or you can do in-depth searches too. One aspect I found that I really liked was a place called "Babyzone" where many parents have given comments on the best gifts or purchases they made for their child or children as well as things they felt were perhaps the most useless gifts or purchases too. It's interesting to see what items worked for one parent and child didn't work for another child in the same family or for other families -differences of opinion abounds here but it's still a very good tool to use when one is trying to figure out what is needed for a new baby -or for a toddler or growing child -whether it be from the parents perspective or for people looking to purchase gifts too -like grandparents, aunts/uncles, family friends -for those beautiful little people that come into our lives.

Just a nifty little tool we can all put to use perhaps from time to time to educate ourselves about various products and I'm thinking the next time the speech therapist comes to work with Kurtis, I'll give her this website and she can look into it, see what she thinks she needs and get some good documentation then for herself as to what's available, the price ranges, comments too from other users -not just a bunch of sales pitches and advertisements.

Choices, Choices

2009-03-04T01:56:00.001-08:00

Many of you who read my blog know too that I am "blogger buds" with Linda, the 911 operator and she sent me an e-mail the other day about this site where you could sign up to do various surveys and earn a little bit of cash doing it in the process too. Ok, I was kind of leery at first because it sounded like a MEME type thing to me - and yes, in many ways, it is like that but with a bit of a twist to it.

These surveys will be tallied up for various research firms somewhere and then the results used for any number of reports. So, maybe in that respect, you could kind of look at it as being a blogger's version of taking part in the Nielsen TV ratings thing. Whatever, huh? Anyhoo - I decided to sign up for it and as such - here's hoping I did this correctly cause ya'll know how dense I am too about things pertaining to blogging at times - here's my first survey.

Then, after you read it, you can plug it into your blog and participate too - just link it back to me if you do (just like a MEME ya know.) Have fun with it and if you think you'd like to give this a try to be doing these surveys, let me know and I'll be happy to help sign you up too!

Take the survey by answering the questions below. Because this is a Social Survey your answers will be available to the public.

Make A choice, Any Choice

"Life is the sum of all your choices."
~ Albert Camus ~

How About That Weather?

2009-03-04T01:43:00.001-08:00

How often does the topic of the weather seem to keep cropping up in our lives these days?

Around the blogosphere, it seems like almost everyone has some comment or five or ten, about the latest weather conditions where each of us lives. And for those of us in this part of the hemisphere - North America -a lot of it seems to consist of either complaining about all the darned snow we've received, are getting or how much we hate the consequences of winter and snow, ice, sleet, freezing rain and the like -or just complaining about having good old "cabin fever!"

I have to tell you this too because I read a lot of blogs and many folks tend to refer to weather forecasters as totally out of touch individuals who they feel, based on the weather forecasts they read or see on tv, etc., that these folks don't have a clue in the world as to what their predictions really are. And, you know - just like doctors sometimes misdiagnose things, so do weather forecasters make mistakes at times.

I worked for over seven years for a private weather forecasting company. It touts itself as being the largest private weather forecasting service in the world too. And yes, from time to time their forecasts are a little off, sometimes they might be way off but they do provide an extremely valuable service overall.

One blog I read daily, the writer there was taking the weather folks to task almost daily a month ago because his area had received almost daily forecasts of impending snow storms that never materialized to the extent the weather people had said they might be. And this is upsetting him? Ranting that he could do a better job than weather forecasters because of their inaccuracy in calling the shots that Mother Nature is really the one who says what is going to go on ya know!

But then, in the last week or two, he was going on about the weather forecasts for lots of snow that actually came about in his area but this time, he was upset because they got a little bit more snow than the forecasters had apparently predicted!

I don't know about you but I'd much rather hear that these people, educated (highly educated I might add) who do occasionally see readings in their "tea leaves" (translated -radar screens) that look ominous to them and could dump different types of precipitation on a particular area, have over estimated the storm potential. I'd rather have an inkling that this might just happen here and be somewhat prepared and then happy if a sudden change in the atmosphere blows that forecast apart.

Having worked around many people who do the weather forecasting (world-wide forecasting as a matter of fact) and seeing how dedicated they are to trying to interpret the information available to them on a minute-by-minute basis sometimes, I know, understand and appreciate their efforts to give us as much information as they can possibly give us at any point in time.

Yes, I have on occasion teased some of those folks too that I know how they REALLY determine what's happening with the weather by just stepping outside the back door and holding a finger up in the air to see if the wind is blowing, is it raining, is the sun shining, etc., etc.

But deep down inside, I'm really darned happy these people have chosen to learn about weather, the various things that can and do come together to slap us with snowfalls that require chiropractic services later after trying to shovel out all the white fluff or warning us of the potential hazard of freezing rains or tornados that may be the conditions are ripe for them to form -or hurricanes, typhoons or just letting me know that today will be sunny, warmer than normal perhaps, maybe even hot as Hades too. Whatever the forecast is, take it and consider yourself perhaps forewarned that this CAN happen today or tomorrow but not necessarily that it always WILL happen the way it may appear to a forecaster that particular day.

It is a science for sure but it is also one that is not a controlled science so as such, conditions can change -and often do - but I really do like it when the forecaster says, "Sunny, clear -warmer weather ahead today!

Don't you?

Out of Control

2009-03-04T01:35:00.001-08:00

I'm quite sure I'm not the only one -or our family is far from alone right now -facing the ever increasing rise in gas and fuel prices. This is quickly eating away at our household expenses and creating total havoc in trying to set up and maintain any semblance of a budget for us.

My son-in-law, daughter and I each have a vehicle of our own -all of which, thankfully, are paid for too. Of course, that also means each vehicle is far from being new too and that means they may not be the best for fuel economy. But, when trying to balance having the number of vehicles we need against the disposable income available, buying used cars of questionable fuel economy is a luxury we can't afford.

And at the rate gas prices are rising, getting to and from work is liable to become a luxury that is unaffordable too in the near future.

Just running the furnace to keep the house at a warm -barely - temperature and providing hot water for bathing purposes is rapidly becoming very much of a luxury as well. Our fuel tank for the furnace here, which heats the house and our hot water simultaneously, has not had more than 100 gallons put into it at a click in close to two years now simply because we have not been able to afford to fill the tank and pay for that all at the same time. Even at that rate, getting a delivery of 100 gallons at a time has meant the cash outlay of over $300 each time we've ordered fuel.

This week, Mandy and Bill got their tax refund check and since we need to have more oil delivered, when she called yesterday to order oil, she thought perhaps she could get the tank filled completely for a change. That is, until she found out how much it would cost to have it filled. The price to fill the tank to capacity -about 275 gallons I believe -would have cost her over $800. And that, she decided was more than she wanted to use of their tax refund at this point in time. Getting a delivery of 100 gallons will take us through now till probably the end of May, provided April and May aren't too harsh, temperature-wise.

But this expense is absolutely obscene!

As much as we struggle to buy the fuel for the furnace and have enough left to put gas in the vehicles so Mandy and Bill can get back and forth to work, how on earth can those who have only one income and who are at the very bottom of the pay scales be expected to cover the cost of the roof over their heads -rent or a meager mortgage (if such a thing does in fact even exist today)- and then cover heating their homes and manage to get back and forth to a job -if that job even stays in existence with the ever increasing fuel prices today?

We've been told there are various reasons why the gas and heating oil is increasing this way - the war, OPEC, gas-guzzler vehicles, people just wasting gas by not car pooling or using public transportation and not controlling the heat levels too in their homes. We've also been told that some of the fault for these increases too lies in the oil refineries that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. All plausible excuses, I suppose.

However, what I don't understand is this: how can the oil companies keep increasing the costs to the consumers and still be reporting record profits at the same time? To my way of thinking and understanding, if the oil companies are struggling to keep afloat due to increased costs by OPEC or because of expenses in rebuilding from Katrina, then why are they reporting also these record profits too?

If I have "x" number of expenses that MUST be paid out each month, and something happens to break down in the house -requiring a large outlay to make the repairs, those repairs must be paid for out of what income is available or a loan must be secured to cover the expense. If that leaves less money available then -which of course it will -to cover other expenses such as clothing or medical bills or just general operating expenses, the majority of us will forgo purchasing anything that is not considered to be an absolute necessity, for openers. Plus, very few people have the luxury of being able to turn to their employer and request an increase in wages every time the oil companies raise the prices of gas and fuel oil.

But that doesn't seem to be an issue for the oil companies who keep telling us the rise in the fuel prices is due to OPEC or repairs needed because of Katrina. It sure doesn't seem to have them tightening their budgets and certainly is not apparently affecting their bottom line -that good old profit to their stockholders, does it?

How long can the country, the people here, continue to be held hostage by the oil companies?

At the rate we are going now, the incessant rise in gas prices is going to keep increasing food costs, housing costs, manufacturing costs and to cover those expenses, people or businesses are going to cut back more and more and more until there is nothing left to cut back, and what happens then?

I don't know how others feel about this -especially about the incongruity between gas prices to the consumer and the record profits oil companies are showing -but unless something drastic takes place -and very soon - I really fear this country is heading towards a major financial disaster and possibly even a total collapse of our economy.

What are your thoughts about this issue? Take the poll below, comment on it or even post it on your blog for others to register their opinions on this very important topic in our society today.

Springtime

2009-03-04T01:32:00.001-08:00

Check out this lovely little "springtime" survey, will ya?

As much as I do like spring, I'm not so sure I understand or am a good party to be trying to give comparisons to how much certain products and stuff reminds me of spring. For me, that aspect isn't part and parcel of what spring represents. I think of it more in terms of a spiritual renewal -the beginning of new things, a freshness in the air, warmth -or warming, at least.

But be that as it may, take this little survey and then, let's hear thoughts from anyone who gets inspired to "Think Spring!"

A Long Day Ahead

2009-03-04T01:29:00.000-08:00

Oh Brother! It's going to be a long day here -probably filled with a lot of crying, moaning, whining and wailing. Most of it will be coming from Maya but you might find me off, sitting in a corner someplace, pulling my hair out, one strand at a time and whimpering.

Why?

Because Mandy left for work this morning before Maya was up and moving around. That was the game plan as she thought it might work easier for me to manage her that way.

You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men though, don't 'cha? Well, Maya happened to be awake, upstairs, and just happened to see out the window in her room as Mandy's car pulled away from the house and started off up the street on her way to work. I was still half-asleep but I heard her upstairs and the crying had begun.

It took a good hour -close to 90 minutes actually - of her crying, screaming, some kicking was involved too here and there as well as a couple of times when she was hitting at my while I was trying to hold her, get her soothed, calmed down a bit, before she finally quieted and agreed to have some breakfast.

I let her choose her special pink princess cereal bowl, as well as what type of cereal she wanted - "Special K" was the item du jour -and she was very sweet, cooperative -got the milk out of the fridge for me -sat down at the table and chowed all the cereal I'd given her. I asked her when she finished if she'd like a banana and she happily agreed to that too. Peeled it and gave it to her and now, full belly and all ya know, well now, she full of piss and vinegar, chasing Jorge the cat around the house.

The little guy is also awake now - quiet, watching cartoons and commercials on tv for the moment -but shortly I'm sure, he'll realize there's a gnawing in his tummy and will be hollering for some food!

And I'm gonna try to work on the next "autism awareness" installment I have written but haven't done any photo selections for it as yet plus trying to get completely caught up - if I'm lucky -on reading blogs. I'm a little bit behind right now on that job.

And while doing that, I have to try to figure something out to fix for supper, do a little more work on a baby blanket I'm crocheting (have it about half finished now) and maybe, just maybe, I'll even manage to finish reading the new book I got this week - the latest one out by Jodi Picoult - "Change of Heart." Anyone else had a chance to read it yet? I'm within reach of completely it today - only have about 10-15 pages at most left to read. (Terri-Terri - have you read it yet?)

I have a check her too for another person who has agreed to walk with us next Saturday in the Penn State 3K Walk and 5K Race over in State College to benefit Autism Speaks as well as a very nice donation that was dropped off at the house yesterday from a couple who are old school days friends of mine. Our donations have been running very good -we reached our first goal of $500 to qualify us for a matching grant from Thrivent last week -so between our donations and that grant, we actually have a little over $1,900 for our team. Only need another $150 now to match what we accumulated last year and I'd really love to go over that goal between now and next Saturday -if it is at all possible.

If you'd like to help us surpass our goal, here's the link to the website where you can make a donation to our team online -or you can mail it in directly to Autism Speaks too if that works better for you. Just click on the link here below and once that page opens, scroll to the bottom of the page and on the right hand side, click on the link that says "Search for a Team." Go to page 2 on the team listing site and our team -"WE ARE for Kurt and Maya" is the second one from the bottom of that page. Simply click on the word "View" by our team name and it will take you directly to the area where you can make a donation online. Thanks to many of my blogger friends, who have donated to our team, we are as far ahead this year as we are already. It's fantastic, truly it is, to see the support so many of you have given to us! If you'd like to help us more, just spread the word by copying this paragraph and the url and post it to your blog -give us a plug that way -or e-mail it to other friends and family of yours too. Every little bit we get sure will help us now and will help provide funds for research into the cause of autism as well as helping find better ways to enable parents and educators to assist people with autism to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to lead a successful and happy life.

http://events.autismspeaks.org/site/c.jvKSL7MTIwG/b.3884743/

And now, have some fun with this little survey here too while you start your day as well. Copy it to your blog and see what responses you get from it then. And I'll probably be around -either visiting many bloggers this afternoon and then, eventually, getting my next Autism post up too!

We Interrupt This Program

2009-03-04T01:26:00.001-08:00

Here's another little survey for you. How did you feel about the Writer's Strike and how did affect your television viewing?

I really hated not being able to see new stories on my favorites - THE OFFICE, Law and Order and Two Men and a Boy and I missed not having the daily humor I enjoy when watching either Leno or Letterman and then Craig Ferguson too.

Granted I survived and also, I supported the Writers in their efforts to get what they believed was a fair wage, a fair share, for their work as well. I happen to believe strongly in unions. It didn't change my viewing habits overall as I didn't go searching for new programs or anything. But I did miss my favorites during the strike -no two ways about that.

Take the little survey if you have a few minutes and why not post it on your blog too. Be interesting to see what affect, if any, the strike had on any other bloggers.

Trying Something Again

2009-03-04T01:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a little survey for you -one of those things I was doing fairly frequently back during the winter months and I decided to give it a shot again.

It's set up now that when you participate in one of these surveys, you also have to post a question or initiate a conversation of some type then in your post.

I chose to ask a question about thoughts on autism.

Give me Your Tired

2009-03-04T01:19:00.001-08:00

With all the talk so often today about the immigration problems in this country, when this survey came up today, I decided to voice my opinions on this topic.

I do not believe that people who want to immigrate here should be charged a fee -by the United States -for the privilege of immigrating here. I do believe they should be prepared to pay the costs though for them to leave their homeland -and to move here.

If they are immigrating here legally, many of them would already have to do that though -plane fare, or by boat, whatever. Those who are able to walk across the border too should have paid for the necessary paperwork for a passport that then allows them to LEGALLY enter this country. Enough of wading across rivers or struggling to sneak through deserts -just come through the gates -the legal gates that is -with papers in hand.

Then, if you are coming here as an immigrant, a student, or just someone who wants to come here for work for a while and move back to the homeland, be prepared to abide by the rules, regulations, laws of this land -like everyone of the rest of is expected to do too!

And also, please be prepared to learn our language too!

Let's face facts -unless you are reading this and your ancestors were native Americans, then your ancestors -like mine -no doubt arrived here with very little education and most had no knowledge either of the English language. But our ancestors realized they had left the "old country" and the ways of that land behind for the opportunity afforded them here and as new citizens, most of them adapted to our language, to our laws and became outstanding members of society in these United States. (Ok, a few here and there maybe didn't learn the language all that well, some didn't comprehend some of our rules either perhaps for a time, but the overwhelming majority of them did change to the American ways.

I have no problem trying to help anyone who wants to come here to live -who is willing to adapt to this new and great land, to our Constitution, our laws, our ways.

I have no problem either with immigrants carrying on some of the traditions from their homeland either. I rather like the idea of learning more about other countries -their traditions, their foods, dress, and many other things about their particular homeland.

But, if someone has opted to move here, then that person -or group of people -should not expect that we are going to change our language, our laws, our educational process, taxing systems -you name it -for each person from each ethnic group who lands here!

If I were to leave here and move to another continent -Europe, Asia, Africa, South America -who do you think is going to be the one who will, who should, learn the rules, the traditions, the language of that new country -me or the people who have always lived there? We all know the answer to that without even thinking, don't we? It sure as heck isn't going to be all the people in some foreign country who are all going to revamp their ways just because I decided to move there and make their country my home. Right?

Be prepared to adapt if you intend to adopt another nation as your homeland I think should be the rule there! Whether it would be someone from here moving to another land or someone coming here, to me, that's just common sense and not discriminatory.

To move to another country and expect that group of people to provide all kinds of assistance -when the move is a volunatary one to begin with -is just ludicrous. That doesn't mean I don't think we here, can't do whatever we can to help people get their footing, to show them common courtesy, to share what we can -knowledge, food, other things as each has available to provide, but don't expect the government here to provide every single thing for you if you come here either. That's just pushing the envelope a hair too much in my opinion anyway.

If you come here to our country, please remember to give the respect that is due -respect our flag, respect those in authority -the police, for openers. Learn our laws and abide by them. Respect that we are an open country pertaining to religious beliefs especially and you are free to worship however you please but don't expect us to take your religion as ours either. (But then, there are those who have been born and raised here who don't always want to adhere to that principle so maybe that one isn't as easy to learn and remember as I may think it is.)

On this survey, I didn't really approve of the initial question -"Would I sell my citizenship and for how much money?" I answered that with a zero -as I would never sell my citizenship here for any amount of money. The freedoms I enjoy, appreciate here are absolutely priceless -therefore, how could I place a monetary value on them?

I think if someone wants to immigrate here, they should apply for papers to come here through our embassy in their homeland. Kind of like applying for a credit card or something to that effect. The application should be subject to approval based on their reasons for coming here and their willingness to adopt honoring our laws and methods. And those papers should not be something controlled by people from their country and subject to the potential for falsification, bribery and fees that are just wrong!

The immigration process should be one that is accessible to anyone -to keep the motto on the Statue of Liberty intact that way -but no one should be subjected to having to pay exhorbitant fees either in their homeland or here if they want to come and join us in life in America!

Just a desire to share in the freedoms we enjoy and to participate by learning, working, adapting and adopting the tenents of this most wonderful, gloriously beautiful land!

And now -what's your theory?

Car talk

2009-03-04T01:00:00.001-08:00

How do you feel about buying cars? Personally, I hate it when the time comes that I HAVE to go car shopping. I avoid it like the plague and tend to run cars I've had until they are falling apart -literally, in some cases.

In the past, any time I had to take the plunge, with one exception, I always went to a new car dealership, usually the one where my ex-husband had worked a long time ago because I knew the owner, the general manager and still knew a couple of the mechanics there. I always felt that because they knew me, they looked out for me a little bit. The only exception I made was when my 1979 Chevette seemed to be on the verge of falling apart on me with close to 150,000 miles on the odometer, I ended up buying a used Ford Fairlane from the guy who was my boss at the time and who had a little used car lot on the side. I still had to finance it for a year and ran it for about 15 months before it started giving me fits that even my ex-brother-in-law, who is one of the best mechanics I know, couldn't figure out what to do with the darned thing to get it to run properly. So I traded it in on one of those "drive or drag it in" offers the new car dealership I'd always dealt with was having and bought myself a new Subaru Justy.

That car was great in all respects except one -rust! It rusted out so bad that a few months after I'd finally gotten it paid off -60 months financing ya know -the hood "skin" actually lifted right off the car as I was driving down the highway, and flew up over the car and then, off to the side of the road where it then rolled down into the woods. That was it. Time to shop for another car and back I went to the dealership and bought myself another new Subaru Justy but this one, I made darned sure I had it rust-proofed in the purchase.

Here's a nifty little survey I took and I thought maybe some of you might be interested in participating in this too. You can see my answers -now lets see or hear yours!

Planning Ahead

2009-03-04T00:43:00.001-08:00

When I think back about various things my mother, my grandparents taught me, one topic that comes to mind is that of life insurance. Although many people opt not to even think about this subject, much less bother to purchase it, this was something my grandparents and Mom were adamant about - make sure you have it! That was their theory and they firmly believed even if all you purchased was the least expensive policy you could get, you were better off for having done that much.

Back then, for openers, there weren't oodles and oodles of insurance companies floating around, all over the place so finding a company wasn't all that difficult. Then - as now - the hardest part was always being able to have the money to cover the cost of a policy from month to month, but there again, I was taught it was extremely important so somehow, you manage to find the funds.

But in today's world, finding a company, one that is reputable, provides the best insurance for the lowest rates possible can be a daunting affair. However, why not let your internet connection do the research work of locating an insurance company to start with.

Here's an excellent example I've found on line through Advantage Life Insurance. For openers, this company offers virtually any type of insurance imaginable - universal, term, whole life -even employer group policies if you have your own company and wish to look at ways to provide an added benefit for your employees.

With their easy to use form, you can request information about coverage, the cheapest premium companies, get quotes on insurance rates -everything you would ever want to know with respect to selecting a plan that best fits your needs as well as your pocketbook.

Although some folks will tell you that "you can never have too much insurance" there are others who will advise to be careful that you don't become "insurance poor" too -meaning you may have insurance but, is it the most economical for what you are purchasing. Both are very important things to consider though when you think about how necessary it is to have a good policy in effect to care for your final expenses as well as to allow something that will provide assistance to your spouse, your children in the event of your death.

Granted, no one likes to think about that aspect but unfortunately, another old adage comes to mind - "Only two things in life are certain - death and taxes" and we all know there isn't much we can do about the taxes, but with respect to the other, we can -and should - prepare to have that situation completely covered.

It does provide a good sense of relief knowing there will be insurance available for those end-of-life expenses and it also makes life much less stressful, overall, when you eliminate one worry, knowing your family won't be saddled with those expenses on their own.

Check out their Insurance Quoting Service, the many plans available, get a good understanding that way of how much insurance you can purchase and for what price. Through their site, you can also do comparison shopping to at least 25 other insurance companies, nationwide, to be assured you are looking at comparable plans and costs.

You - and your family -won't regret your having had this foresight.

Health Insurance Confusion?

2009-03-04T00:11:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest issues facing just about everyone today is the problem of Health Insurance. The politicians are all talking in circles about how something has to be done so more folks have insurance in the event of illness or accidents and the like with each one having a different opinion on what should be done to assure folks they can get affordable health insurance.

I know when I was employed, having some type of medical insurance available through an employer was something I always wanted but many of the employers where I worked never offered it for their help and my wages were never high enough to be able to afford to purchase it on my own. If there was insurance available that I could have purchased, there was also no means to get good valid information about various companies and plans and the costs for them to be able to do any comparison shopping then either.

However, I recently found a website where you can get the answers to the questions I had back then and then some! This site provides information on virtually ALL types of health insurance - whether you are self-employed or not, group or individual plans, for smokers or non-smokers - and a means to compare costs through various companies.

I wish something like this had been available for me to research about health insurance -availability and whether or not it was affordable too - when I needed help finding insurance. It certainly would been a way for me to find out if there were any plans that my budget could have covered then.

If you don't have health insurance through your employer and you know how important it is to have the means to be able to visit a doctor, get emergency room treatment - whatever -I would really recommend you look at Advantage Medical Quotes and see what programs are available that could possibly suit your needs.

Knowing you can possibly secure good coverage at a reasonable rate might possibly remove one worry from your life cause we all know very few people can afford the costs of medical care today without some form of insurance.

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Ride The Big Wave

2009-03-04T00:08:00.000-08:00

There's a big wave comin' and it's bringing good blogging news on it. Bloggerwave - a company dedicated to providing the best "ride" for advertisers and bloggers alike gives bloggers a great way to make money by writing reviews, opinions or buzz for advertisers from around the globe. So hop on the boards, come along and ride the big one with Bloggerwave.

bloggerwave

Pay For Blogging

2009-03-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about the opportunities available by using my blog to earn a little extra money -a substance always in short supply around my home. Ever since I started my blog a little over a year ago, I've seen some other bloggers who are favorites of mine try their hand at this type of employment and wondered more and more about whether I could, whether I should try doing this too.

Last week, I made the decision to take the plunge.

I searched the 'net to see what companies are available, studied several of the blogs I read faithfully who I know do paid blogs and weighed all this in my mind too if I thought this would be a reasonable method for me to earn extra money.

Because I have some mobility issues, working outside the home would be very problematic for me as most of the jobs available where I live would require a lot of standing and/or walking, neither of which are things I can handle easily these days. Even taking a job that is mainly a desk job is risky for me as I can only sit in specific types of chairs for any length of time and most employers are not going to go buy a special chair just for me to use while I would be working there. Thus, working from home seemed to be the best type of employment for me. And, the fact that I do have a blog, enjoy working with it - a lot -the more I looked at this idea, the better I liked it. So here I am now, after being approved , doing my first "gig".

I'm excited about the opportunities this might afford me - after all, Christmas is just around the corner and I'd sure like to be able to afford to purchase a few nice little gifts for my children and especially for my grandchildren. Yes, I'm a doting Grammy but I do have rules about the gifts I give my grandchildren too - the older grandkids know, Gram doesn't buy them clothes because I can't keep track of their sizes or fashion likes/dislikes and I don't normally buy toys either, unless it is something I know that child really likes and wants and it better have an educational quality to it as well. But, Grammy will buy books for the grandchildren - as well as for my kids too - and while one book may not break my piggy bank, to get several books to make a nice gift would probably put me over budget so I figured this would be a way I can afford more books for the grandchildren. I wonder if THEY will appreciate my logic on those extra book purchases too?

With winter fast approaching, the cost of heating this old house is increasing rapidly too and having a little extra income would be a way I can contribute more to my daughter and her spouse towards the household expenses as well. I like to have my little corner where my desk and computer are located nice and toasty warm -no cold drafts on me - and doing this would allow me to help them more.

There are also a few things I'd like to be able to buy just for me too - a nice digital camera being one of those items. Perhaps, a little extra money would allow me to plan a trip now and again and there are lots and lots of places I'd love to go, people I'd like to visit - my son's Godparents down in Florida, my best friend in Washington, D.C. and other relatives scattered about too. Having a job where I control my hours, work from home which gives me access to all the things I need at my fingertips which this would give me just seems to be the ideal opportunity for me to work towards any or all of those things.

Join the crowd and give it a whirl. Who knows what things you -or I -can achieve through a chance like this.

Baker's Delight

2009-03-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Homemade Dinner

Mixer Required

I love cookbooks -love to browse through them, envision in my mind how good this cake or those cookies would taste; how nice it would be to be able to bake lots and lots of cookies, especially for holiday gifts for friends, without wearing out my arm, wrist and hand in the process.

I've also been giving a lot of thought lately to Christmas -with respect to gifts - what to get my kids, my grandkids -and what to tell my kids that I'd like for Christmas.

My kids already know virtually ANY new cookbook, especially ones geared towards holiday baking, are very acceptable gifts for me -along with the latest offering by my favorite fiction author and oh, maybe a neat calendar made by my favorite "big name" blogger that is all photos of her dog, "Chuck." But something else caught my eye recently that I REALLY could use very much and that is a nice, new Hamilton Beach ® Stand Mixer - an all-metal stand mixer, with its own fancy bowl, regular hooks AND a pair of dough hooks. The dough hooks and the 4.0 motor really drew me to this particular stand mixer though because I also like to bake bread and mixing in all that flour into the dough -well, that gets to be really hard on older joints and muscles and lets, face it, if I'm any thing, it's OLD and my joints are stiffer these days, muscles are weaker too so having the luxury of a stand mixer would be right up my alley. Yes indeedy, it sure would.

I had a nice stand mixer that a former boyfriend had given me for Christmas, way back in 1982 and while it was fine - a good piece of equipment -after 20-plus years of usage, the motor finally burned out on me one day. I've also had some nice hand mixers, supposedly with enough power to handle mixing bread dough -after all, they did come with dough hooks in the package -but I've gone through I think about four hand mixers in the past 2-3 years, all having had the motor burn up on me in the middle of mixing up either bread dough or a stiff-type cookie dough. So, lately my baking takes me a lot longer to mix the ingredients because I can't mix the entire batch using my hand mixer or I risk burning up yet another nice little appliance that I really like to have on hand, you see.

The mixer I saw that really appeals to me is this one - the Hamilton Beach ® Mixer. This mixer has 400 Watts of power -great for bread doughs for sure -with a two-way, rotating head, flat beater, dough hook and wire whisk PLUS a pouring and splatter shield AND its own stainless steel that hold 4.5 quarts steel locking bowl with handle. How much more could any cook, any baker, possibly ask for?

If you want a colorful addition to your kitchen the Eclectrics ® collection is available in six different flavors -oops, I mean colors but they sound so yummy, the names of the colors even make you hungry. You can get your mixer in Sugar, Ultramarine, Pineapple, Apple, Sterling or Licorice! I'll take mine in the Ultramarine, if you please.

A favorite recipe that this mixer would work exceptionally great for is for this particular bread, Swedish Limpa Rye, and it came to me from a cousin of my Mom’s –Arline Calhoun –and trust me when I tell you this, Arline is one great baker! Her mother was my Grandfather’s baby sister and my Great-aunt Elin was a really wonderful baker –especially of breads –so this particular recipe then links back not only to my Great-aunt but in all likelihood, it probably was my Great-grandmother’s recipe for this delicious, slightly sweeter rye bread.

Aunt Elin’s Swedish Rye Bread swedish="" limpa="" rye

¾ cup of brown sugar – I usually use the dark, but the light sugar is fine too.
½ cup of margarine or butter
¼ cup of dark Karo syrup
¼ cup of molasses
¼ cup of honey
3 cups of very hot tap water
2 packets of dry yeast
3 cups of rye flour –I prefer the finer milled flour by Pillsbury, Betty Crocker or Robin Hood but for almost a year now, none of the grocery stores where I live have been carrying that so so I HAVE to use whatever rye flour I can find. The taste is the same, but it does change the texture somewhat If you can find the finer milled rye flour.
7 to 8 cups of white flour.

Combine the sugar, syrup, molasses, honey, margarine and hot water in a large bowl and mix till the margarine is melted in.

Next, add in the rye flour, slowly mixing it in thoroughly, To that, you then mix in the two packets of yeast and blend it well into the dough mixture.

Gradually adding about two cups of white flour at a time, mix –or knead in – the white flour until the dough mixture pulls the remaining flour off the sides of the bowl and it all becomes slightly tacky (sticky) and has a good elasticity to the feel of the dough.

Place mixture in a clean bowl and cover first with waxed paper, then with clean, dish towels and wrap the whole thing in a nice blanket or throw covering of some type. Place it in an area that is warm and draft free and allow the dough to rise for an hour or until double in size.

Then, divide the dough into fourths and using greased loaf pans, place a quarter of the dough in each pan and press it in so as to mold to the sides and corners of the pan. Cover the pans again –waxed paper, towels, blanket, etc –and set to rise again for roughly an hour or until this doubles in size.

Place pans – two at a time –in 350 degree oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Turn pans upside down to release bread and then, after uprighting the loaves, brush lightly across the top and side with margarine or butter – just enough to give it a light, very thin glaze. This softens the crust and also gives is a luscious looking glisten to the bread.

Now, you’re all set to have a scrumptious slice of bread, warm, fresh out of the oven, slathered with some great, cool pats of real butter.

Nothin’ finer!

Now, if I had this nice Hamilton Beach ® Stand Mixer, I could have had the dough kneading away under the bread hook attachment while I was busy typing this post, couldn’t I? See how this mixer even helps you multi-task too!

Letter TO Santa

2009-03-03T23:56:00.001-08:00

I've been thinking about Christmas lately – trying not to get bogged down with all the hustle and bustle and expenses too of the holiday and still finding some nifty little gifts, especially for my grandchildren.

Imagine my surprise when I learned about a way I could get a letter written directly to my little granddaughter, my Princess Maya, from Santa Claus himself and better yet, I could get this for FREE too!

A year ago, something like this wouldn't have been enticing to me as Maya and her level of comprehension was such that Santa Claus meant nothing to her. But, over the past year, she is now becoming aware of this personage and the important role he will no doubt play in her life over the next several years. To me, getting a personal letter, addressed directly to her, would be a really cute little gift that might even be framed as a permanent memento of her fourth Christmas.

If you think your child might also enjoy and appreciate a surprise item, with memorable content, then check out this website for even more details. I'm sure gonna head there as sign up for the letter and check out other items they offer as well.

FREE Letter from Santa

Maybe I can even find some of her favorite items along the Princess lines there too. This might just solve a lot of my shopping issues with one quick shopping stop.

It's Not Easy Being Green

2009-03-03T23:49:00.001-08:00

One thing about getting older that can be very problematic is meeting others, making new friends, perhaps even developing a solid relationship - dating, as it were, you know. One of the major drawbacks there is the older you get, the smaller the pool of available people becomes too.

Where I live, and also, due to my own particular circumstances, this is something that really presents many problems. I live in a rural area, low population, and I am also somewhat restricted in getting out, going places where one might be able to meet people. So, what's a person to do to counter with this problem anyway.

When I saw this particular website - DateHookup.com -was advertising for people to submit applications for their services, my initial reaction was "No way! I'll not try that route again."

I had signed up a few years back for one of these places – an online dating service – one that touts itself as being of the highest caliber, guarantees results -just fill in the form, pay your dues and they survey your personality, every other aspect about you too and then, supply you with potential matches. THEY make the choices of who THEY felt would make an excellent match for you and then, you're given a means to reach out to make that initial contact.

I paid the dues for a year's membership and sat back to wait for any response. And I waited, and waited and waited! After a year, this organization had found a total of five men they determined would be a good match for me. I had taken the next step to make the initial contact with each of these gentlemen too but not one of them had ever responded to me.

So, when it came time to renew my membership there, you can figure out, I'm sure, that I sure wasn't going to shell out even $10 much less a lot more to be matched up with guys who wouldn't even respond at all. Because of that experience it also left me with a lot more insecurity with respect to the potential of meeting someone even just to establish a friendship, not necessarily a full-fledged relationship.

When I heard of this online service, it took a bit of thought as to whether or not I really wanted to take this one step further and apply for membership. After what transpired the first time, I really wasn't sure if I wanted to take a risk like that -and it is a risk too when you think of it - for the rejection potential that exists in meeting anyone the first time, much less introducing yourself via e-mail.

I decided though, since they were asking people to submit honest opinions of this service that maybe I could do someone else a favor by submitting my application. After all, had I had access to information I learned the hard (and expensive) way to the service I'd tried before, perhaps I could have saved myself a lot of aggravation and damage to my already somewhat fragile ego, as well as a good deal of money.

That's what gave me the impetus to submit my application to this service - the idea that maybe I would be able to help someone else, maybe even myself - you never can tell, you know. I filled out the profile form, made my submission and then did my initial search. I can honestly say I was very pleasantly surprised by the results I received there. From my initial search, I received profiles on 250 men, all within the age range I had specified on my application! Wow! I was impressed right there with those results.

Reading through these profiles can be a bit of a challenge - time consuming, to be sure. But even after perusing these and making the preliminary exclusions - some looking only for petite women, others who are interested in tall, slim, svelte females -and yes, a couple here and there who were pretty up front in the description of the type of relationship they wanted right from the get-go, I was still left with a fairly large group of applicants to consider further.

There were a couple problems too in that unfortunately, there were only two men of that group who live in the state of Pennsylvania - where I reside -and that no doubt will impact on potential responses I might receive if I decide to make a contact there. Also, whatever this site is using for the mileage calculations of applicants -where I live to where a potential match resides -is often way off the mark. But that's not necessarily a total drawback as long as one realizes how far it is between point A and point B is somewhat further than the site states it would be, you can work around that I'm sure.

The biggest drawback for me right now is that although you don't have to have a photograph attached to your profile to sign up, it is recommended that you do. And, a decent, recent photograph of me - well, that's gonna take some doing to locate one, for sure. It is understandable that most folks would prefer to have some idea of what others look like or they would be worried they might be getting "a pig in a poke."

But overall, I was very impressed with this service -and if I were living in California, Arizona, Texas or Florida, I would probably be ecstatic to see that many available men looking for someone to strike up a friendship, perhaps a good relationship that could develop over time too.

I still feel kind of like Kermit the Frog though as he laments in his song, "It's Not Easy Being Green" in making a move like this to try to meet someone who likes some of the same things I do, who might possibly be interested in meeting someone like me. But I do think of the sites I have seen, even tried before, I think this one actually has some very good potential to give decent results.

Now to find a camera and get a photo I can use that won't show every wrinkle, fat cell, but will make me look somewhat attractive, intelligent and not portray the really green side of me as a newbie to this particular scene.

Perfect Toys for My Little Diva

2009-03-03T23:43:00.000-08:00

Finding toys for Miss Maya – my little granddaughter -isn't really that difficult to do as long as you follow her basic interests, which right now are Princess dolls, Barbie dolls and Bratz dolls. Any of those three would fill the bill for her and preferably, in her opinion I'm sure, all of the items in those three categories would be ideal -for her. This is Maya last Christmas with the set of six princess dolls her older half-sister gave her and which she totally shocked all of us by being able to identify and name each doll based only on the attire on the doll. A feat pretty good for a three-year-old with autism I do believe. And she loved those dolls, has played with them almost every day too for the past year - I know because I am the one who often had to pick them, their clothing and other accessories up at the end of the day.

I recently found a website – Littledivatoys.com -that gives some really great information though for anyone shopping for little children but for little girls in particular. This site also has some interesting aspects to it in that it has an area showing the Top Toys for Christmas 2007, which features some very interesting items – the top item on the list is a pony that stands over three foot tall and is “interactive” as well. According to the description it “comes alive” under the attention and care given to it by your child. Named “Butterscotch” this pony makes "walking sounds" and will hold a child weighing up to 80 pounds. However, I have to say one thing about this particular toy -any purchase made for my granddaughter that runs OVER $250 better do more than just allow my little diva to sit on it and make a few little noises. Considering the fact this toy also comes unassembled is another point that would most definitely be telling me this toy will never see the light of day by our tree in this house! I don't even like toys that require batteries that I have to install. Yes, just call me the Grandma Grinch in that respect I suppose.

The top toys list does show other items in much lower price ranges though in the Bratz and Barbie groupings that I might consider getting Maya although I'm not sure they would be all that appropriate for her this year. They might be more appropriate for her by next Christmas. Besides, the Grandma Grinch thing in me tends to come forward here too as I envision those toys with oodles of little bitty pieces -clothing, accessories and the like -strewn all over the floors in the house and anyone OTHER than Miss Maya being responsible for picking those items up – definitely is a deterrent towards any purchases I might make these days.

This site also has some other interesting features available though – one being “Coupon Code” where you can search for coupons to be applied to various gift items and the other is a site that I found very interesting in light of all the announcements this past summer and fall about recalls of various toys. The “Toy Recall” area gives information dating back to this past summer of toys and their manufacturers that have been recalled including why this was deemed necessary. Let's face facts here, the safety of our little ones while they are playing is of utmost importance to all – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles -anyone looking for a gift for a little girl.

Check this site out though and see for yourself the items available, the “Top Ten” gift suggestions, Coupon site and most definitely the Toy Recall area. You're sure to be able to find something there to suit your little one's whims or desires that will also match with your ideas of what is appropriate and what's not based on space, potential mess and cost – all factors that usually are taken into consideration when toy shopping for small children.

And my apologies to my own little Diva – Miss Maya -as no amount of whining, wheedling, crying, demanding or cajoling is going to get Grandma Grinch to change her mind about getting that pony named “Butterscotch” unless your Daddy builds a barn, complete with a stall, oats, hay and whatever other needs a REAL pony would need.

But then, that would cost a lot more than the price tag on this one, wouldn't it? Of course, it would provide lots of fertilizer for the flower beds and maybe a vegetable garden as well. A little bit of a trade-off there, ya know.

Going Incognito

2009-03-03T23:33:00.001-08:00

Last spring, I finally made an appointment –long overdue, I must add – to have my eyes checked and to get new glasses. I don’t remember how long it had been since my last eye exam – just that I know it had been probably at least 8, maybe 10 years earlier.

I’ve worn glasses since I was 12 years old. By the time I was about 17 years old, the eye doctor at that time had informed me my vision in my right eye was 200. Not exactly a good number to have by your vision diagnosis, ya know. My left eye held up fairly well over the years but it too was giving way to a higher number beside it as well.

In my forties, when I started taking my glasses off in order to read the names and numbers in the telephone directory, I joked with the eye doctor then about my vision apparently improving with age. Wrong! I just needed bifocals, was his response to me.

I remember my Mom when she would take me to the eye doctor and how tense she would be. This wasn’t due to my vision deteriorating but rather her concerns as to how much of a bite the new glasses were going to take out of her already meager income. Years later, when I was in charge of paying for the eye exams and purchasing the glasses I needed myself, I could definitely understand her feelings.

Not being in the best of financial status today either, I was worried when I made that most recent appointment about how much the exam and new glasses were going to set me back. I had put back a couple dollars here and there in order to cushion the blow. Fortunately for me this time, since my current medical insurance also includes a vision plan, I got of with a bill I considered to be very, VERY reasonable. My current glasses –and the exam – only set me back a total of $75! Yes, I was quite happy over that fee. This was, obviously, much more in line with my budget as I had been expecting to get hit with a bill for well over $200 for the exam and glasses.

Recently though, I discovered a place where you can purchase Zenni Optical: Sell Rx Glasses $8 with case!eyeglasses for as low as $8.00. When I read that, my first thought was that has to be a mistake. But, I went to the website of Zenni Optical: Sell Rx Glasses $8 with case!Zennioptical.com and lo and behold, I discover the information I had been given was, indeed, accurate!

All you need is your prescription for your lenses from the eye doctor and you can then select from a huge assortment of frames and styles of every type imaginable. You can get single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic) lens, tinted sunglass lens, bifocals or even progressive lens. Incredible, isn’t it?

At prices like that, I’m seriously considering ordering another pair of glasses with a change of style to the frames. This was something I was somewhat restricted to the selections available when I got my most recent glasses. I HAD to select from a specific group in order for the new glasses and the cost to be covered by my insurance.

Who knows –maybe the next time you see me, I could be sporting some really fancy new glasses and can go about my travels somewhat incognito then as no one would know me if I had glasses in some really snazzy new frames, now would they?

Medical Mass Confusion

2009-03-03T23:21:00.001-08:00

Does anyone else have problems understanding all the ins and outs and what-ifs involved in health insurance --especially for those of us who are on Social Security --whether because of retirement of a medical disability?

When I was diagnosed five years ago this past spring with cancer, I was unemployed and had NO health insurance whatsoever. So, when my physician -the surgeon-began to tell me what treatments I would have to have -chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, more chemotherapy after the surgery- I was very worried about how on earth I would ever be able to pay for all this stuff.

I was fortunate in that I was able to qualify for state medical assistance for all those things and it covered all the medical bills involved until eventually I was approved for Social Security Disability coverage.

With the Social Security came Medicare Part D benefitMedicare -Part A and Part B -Part D was not then in effect. But I was very naive about how the Social Security Medicare program works. I didn't know that Medicare only covers a portion of one's doctor visits, lab tests, hospital stays, etc. Plus, as I said, when I first became eligible for Medicare, Part D -for prescriptions -hadn't become a requirement.

I learned the hard way when in October of 2005 I had to be hospitalized and have more surgery because a few months later, the balance that wasn't covered by Medicare landed in my mailbox in the form of bills from the surgeon and the hospital.

I inquired of some family members and friends who were also on social security and had Medicare Part D prescription medicare about various companies offering supplemental insurance plans and fortunately, I found a company and plan that is very affordable, allows a lot of flexibility, covers all but small co-pays for doctor visits, hospital stays, lab tests, vison and dental care and also, it include a drug plan that is very good too.

I was lucky in that this was the first plan I inquired about for costs to me and signed up for it two years ago this past spring -just in time to be registered as required for a Prescription plan.

But, had I tried to find a plan totally on my own -reading about each and every company and their coverage -or what they don't cover too -their rates and so on, I would have been extremely confused, probably to the point of being overwhelmed by all the data available to read and study. Trying to disseminate all this stuff for each plan offered is not something for the faint of heart to try to do!

So, if you are retired or on disability, I would strongly recommend doing a Medicare Drug Assistance< comparison search by using this site -and read the blog that accompanies it as well. This is not information to sell you on a particular company offering insurance but rather is a means to get good viable information presented in an easier to understand manner.

Health insurance is certainly a necessity and especially so if you are older or have medical issues already. A tool to make understanding the insurance plans, coverage, costs and so forth allows us then to get the most affordable insurance with the best coverage available.

Make your health insurance decisions be smart ones!

High Finance

2009-03-03T23:16:00.001-08:00

Why is it that the more money we have, the more we want and frequently too, the worse we do with managing it as well!

I'd be willing to bet that many, many people are having problems managing their finances right now. Some, simply because their wages have not risen at all as the cost of living has seen drastic increases lately -others, because through whatever reason, have gotten bogged down with lots of credit card debt or even are in the middle of the mortgage loan crisis that is big news these days.

I know, first hand, how easy it is to get messed up financially! Been there, done that -and because I still have a mortgage, I'm still dealing with that stuff today.

I managed for a long time to steer clear of getting myself embroiled with credit cards, even with a mortgage too, but along the way, I did end up with three credit cards -one was for a major credit card company and the other two were for use in specific stores. I won't go into details about which credit card company or the stores involved, because this was not something that they had twisted my arm, forced me into taking on credit debt -it was all done of my own volition.

And for a long time too, I managed to do okay with the credit stuff too. Occasionally, I might be a little short on cash and make a payment late, but for the most part, I was handling things fine.

That was until after I graduated from college back in 1994 and then, ran into employment problems over the next five years. Not only was I behind -frequently -on my credit card payments, but also was being badgered constantly about repayment of those horrid -and growing daily by leaps and bounds too -student loans!

I had foolishly thought once I got through college, had that degree under my belt, that I would be able to find a job -full-time, please -that would pay a decent, respectable wage, one that I could not only make my current bills with but also, be able to make payments on my student loans as well.

How wrong I was! My first job after college was located in Baltimore, MD and I worked there for a year, Monday thru Friday, but returned back home each weekend where I then worked Saturday and Sunday at the same place (part-time) where I had worked the last 2 1/2 years I was in college. I did this just so I could cover my basic living expenses -my credit debt, car payment, insurance, phone, a roof over my head in Baltimore plus, overseeing my daughters management of the mortgage payment on this house and the accompanying bills -fuel, electric, water, etc., that came with this place. Both girls were working then, living in the homestead full-time and were responsible for the house expenses except for the phone bill here, which I paid.

I was constantly applying for every job I saw advertised, heard about around home here in hopes of getting an interview, hired and being able to come back home to live here all the time instead of that weekly commute, to and from Baltimore of 220 miles, one way! After a year of that, I was tired -really tired, exhausted -and decided to move back home and take my chances here in locating a fulltime job. But that was not a very easy process as it took me four years before I finally managed to get hired someplace, fulltime, and then, it was back at the restaurant where I was working when I decided to go to college to solve my employment -and financial -wants and needs.

In that four year period, I did continue working as many hours as I could get at the part-time job as well as working for a couple of temp agencies too so I could earn a couple extra dollars but rarely was it enough to even cover my basic bills much less those nasty student loans.

I was constantly putting my bills in a hat and drawing from there to decide which expenses would be paid for each month! Not a very good way to stay au courant, is it? And as a result, my credit rating plummeted -big time -so when I finally did land the fulltime job at the old restaurant, I was way in arrears with my credit card bills.

My solution then was to remortgage the house since I did have a good amount of equity in it then and use that extra money then to pay off the credit card debt. I know now that I should have signed up for some kind of debt management type class or something like that to help me to deal with the credit card debt better -wheel and deal with them to get a reasonable payoff to set myself back on better footing. But I didn't know a thing about stuff like that being available so I went about it on my own, doing it the best way -or so I thought -I knew how.

The biggest issue I have now is with my mortgage which, because of the problems with my credit ratings, I was unlikely enough to get the mortgage with a very high percentage rate though. Fortunately, although my payment has increased over the past 9 years since taking out this mortgage, it has been due mainly to increases to my taxes and home owner/fire insurance -not because my interest rate went skyrocketing. One small bonus in that respect!

However, I would love to be able to qualify today for a mortgage plan that would give me an interest rate almost cut in half to the one I currently am paying! But now, I'm no longer employed, having ended up on Social Security Disability five years ago after being diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer and having a bunch of other health issues then that affected my physical ability to work. So, I guess I am pretty much stuck with the mortgage I have now unless I can find a lender willing to work with me and help me qualify for one with an interest rate between 6 to 8 percent!

Money, the management of that entity, is one of the biggest problems many people will encounter throughout their lives and I firmly believe that everyone should be required to take some type of class, somewhere along the way, that would enable a much clearer, better Credit card debt help.

Papa Needs....

2008-06-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

I think there'a song isn't there that goes something to the effect about Papa needing some brand new work boots or something like that. I think it may have been James Brown who sang it -or some singer kind of like him then. Ok, I'm lousy on remembering the names of songs and even worse, when it comes to remembering who the artist is, but I got this earworm going right now where I can hear the medley and something about Papa needs -whatever. And I thought of this when I was clearing up some stuff in the sunporch, adjacent to the front door -picking up shoes, sandals, bedroom slippers, sneakers, hunting boots and work boots because in moving my son-in-law's boots, it dawned on me that he really needs some new workboots. Maybe he should go here to check out some nice ones, huh?