Friday March 25 2022

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2022

Good morning!

Joe, sorry you're feeling down but glad you're feeling better about work. It's easy and somewhat natural to be anxious and obsessive about jobs. But at least you step out of your comfort zone. It's always a good idea to plan for retirement. They have all kinds of programs out there to help you meet your goals. Apparently the program Raymond James used for me runs 1000 different scenarios to see if I can meet my goal.

Stars, I'm glad you're dealing okay with Ozzie being gone. I remember when I was doing something like cooking and turned around expecting to see the dog that was always there looking up at me and the sinking feeling of seeing that they aren't there. Coming home to them not being there is hard. Good advice about imagining yourself to be Eleanor Roosevelt biding your time. I'll try that. LOL

Yesterday I got my car serviced and it was all free. I can understand the oil recall work being free but not the oil change and tire rotation but apparently I'm still part of the plan that provides it at certain intervals. A salesman came up to me while I was still in my car waiting to get in and offered to buy my car. I said no. If I didn't have so many other upcoming expenses I might consider an upgrade since used Corollas are getting a high price and are in demand.

I'm going to work on a new budget and try to be less of a spendthrift. Do I really need to buy books for my library collection when there is a library down the road? Do I really need to buy a record for $20 when I pay for a streaming service and can listen. Do I really need to spend $30 on lunch when I can cook at home? Groceries are my biggest challenge. I always overspend. Despite all this my financial advisor says "you're still doing pretty good". I'm doing good because of overtime and I want to stop overtime.

Speaking of the library, they are offering free passes to the museum for card holders, and best friend is trying to score some so we can go. He's the role model for me of frugality. He still looks at the flyers for sales and clips coupons if it's for something he wants, and goes to Sam's Club and gets gas. He also planned for retirement so well by being frugal he makes more money in retirement than he did when working. I haven't figured that one out yet.

Have a great day!

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 25, 2022

I thought I posted here, but it is either disappeared into Message Heaven, or I posted in in an inappropriate thread.

I am doing laundry, just like I said I would. I was going to rearrange my room, but the time has run out and so is the initial energy I started out with when I got up! Also thought to thin the clothes hanging in Nannie's room, as it is crammed too-full of clothes she doesn't and probably couldn't even wear. They'd be way too small now! So I will transfer some of them up to the front bedroom's closet, and maybe also have some clothes to donate because she wouldn't even miss them.

I also want to tackle that front bedroom, but we'll have to get a few someones to carry the old dresser with a large oval mirror, bed-frame and some other odds and ends OUT . Also the tile-top table we have in the kitchen, 'cause it's too darn big. And take the box Spring and mattress to the dump! There are also many various sized baskets, Christmas wrap and ribbons, doo-dads and what-nots, junk, and a lot of things that are not much of any use. I thought about loading it all onto the front of the lawn by the road with a big sign on either end: "TAKE IT! --- IT'S ALL FREE!"

When I lived in Cambridge, Mass., we used to go out walking the streets the day before trash and junk was picked up, and make some incredible finds! We also used to, back in the day, like to go 'dump picking' for the same reason. I had two friends, Nicholas and Jerry, who lived in or near P'Town and Truro, Mass. They were Dump-Pickers Extraordinaire, and actually furnished their whole house that way, PLUS had a small shop where they sold lots of stuff they found but couldn't use. A fascinating way to earn a living! (though I think Jerry was also some kind of town official, as well.) But dump-picking days are over now that people have yard sales, and the dumps are just bull-dozed over. it was fun while it lasted!

If someone finds the post I lost, maybe you can tell me where it was, and maybe admin knows how to transfer it to today's bunch of posts. Or not.

Can you believe it is about to tip over into yet ANOTHER week-end? Time flashes by so fast! (Unless it doesn't) ~~~~~

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 25, 2022

Grrrrr! grumble, snort, groan, ppfftt!!

Nannie was carrying on about the rug in the den needing to be vacuumed. I told her I would do it, but not right now. She said to just get the vacuum out and SHE would do it. I told her she could NOT do that. She doesn't have the strength or balance to do that. She maintained that she could, or just get her the broom and she could sweep it. No. I said, (p.o'd) "Forget it. I'll do it right now."

"Well I didn't mean you had to do it now!"

"Nannie, I know you. The minute I leave the room you will go in there and get the vacuum and try to do the vacuuming. You have a hard time waiting for things, so I'm going to vacuum NOW."

So after I was through (complaining about what a crappy vacuum-cleaner they have here. It leaves trails of light dust.) she said, "It looks better anyway." "Good."

Hubby says the vac only needs to be cleaned, and he has emptied the dirt container, but that hasn't taken care of it. I'm going to buy a vacuum for myself. I've seen a couple suitable vacs in Walmart that only cost $79 - $89. And I will buy one even if it harelips the Pope ... or my hubby who is more likely to squawk about it, but tough luck; HE seldom uses the vacuum anymore. So I'm going to get one that works well and isn't a 35 pound bohemoth!

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 25, 2022

40 minutes ago, No Stars In My Eyes said:

She maintained that she could, or just get her the broom and ...

... and she would fly away???! (at least, that's what my naughty mind came up with !)

I recently bought a new vacuum that was lighter, and one from which I could easily empty the dirt container. It was such an exciting purchase, to get WHAT WORKS! I hope you can find one that will do the job for you, No Stars.

AAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNDDDDDD: That's IT. I am now officially RETIRED. And, once I got home, I felt all-of-a-sudden tired! I did actually work most of the day, in the Stress Lab. I was able to break away around 2pm and do my check-out errands. I left probably 45 min early (what are they going to do, fire me???). When I got home, dh offered to go get Thai food from our favorite place, to celebrate. Friends are taking us out to lunch tomorrow, at a Mexican restaurant at Oak Glen. Nothing is planned for Sunday. We cancelled our Monday Disneyland trip, as there is 98% chance it will rain. As the musicians don't play in the rain, we wouldn't have much fun getting wet and bedraggled, AND missing the music! So we decided to reschedule to a date in May. In April we will go on a Sunday, for Dapper Day.

It was 89 degrees today! But temps will drop and we will probably also get rain here, as well as in Anaheim, on Monday.

Tweety, good you are re-thinking retirement planning. Maybe you can retire sooner (including Joe in this, too)? We will certainly need to be re-thinking what we do and when, especially when we need to hire pet care when we are gone to a festival or camping. That adds to the cost of the outing/event. With Covid, we had to curtail a lot, and we discovered we had more available monies, which we found uses for. So we have gotten somewhat used to doing with less. Time will tell how things go. I wish you the best in your planning!

Have a good evening, all!

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 26, 2022

Hi. I've been feeling down the last two days, no good reason why, perhaps lack of sleep. I got my haircut yesterday by a new stylist, and I'm not sure I like it. But I don't like my hair anyway, so it is sort of like making a silk purse from a sow's ear. I got up early today for an appointment with a physical trainer/massage therapist to see if he can figure out my aching/burning legs. Well, I booked on line, and apparently he didn't have me on the schedule, but he was able to fit me in. Super nice guy who seems quite knowledgeable. He was willing to explain his assessment and plan much better that the PT and acupuncturist. But he said I should avoid running for 2 weeks until I can loosen up my muscles. Sigh. And he bikes with my eldest ds, so it was nice to have that connection.

I got the front lawn cut today, for the first time. I felt really tired afterward, so I took a nap, and cleaned up the kitchen.

I only live about 5 miles from the house I grew up in. It seems so small when I drive by. My son bought it from my dad, and then sold it about 5 years ago. Other than my sisters, and a couple of cousins, most of my family is gone. Mom and dad had 1 sibling each. And as I've posted before, we don't have great longevity in this family.

I am afraid to even look at my online retirement account. But I did find out my state pension will be more than I thought, so its worth it to stay on until November. Dh finally got a new person in his office to take on one of the two jobs he's been doing for two years, and he is much happier. But he still plans to retire in September.

I vote for a new vacuum, too. They are so much lighter, and filter better than old ones. You deserve one, Stars!

I'm going out for a walk before I make dinner. If I can't run, I need to get some other kind of movement in.

Good night

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 26, 2022

FYI for y'all having sleep problems: Washington Post for 3/25/22 has an article about Melatonin....