Gramma Ray's Blog

Things got worse yesterday. When I got to the Dr. my fever had reached 102. That was after taking tylenol, mucinex, and drinking lots of fluids. Doc prescribed antibiotics and today, I feel almost human again. Yesterday is truly just a blur. Because of my insurance and flex pay, yesterday did not cost out of pocket.

I was still pretty weak this morning, so I didnt go to work again...three days off this week. Thankfully, I had two weeks of PTO stocked up just for illness, so it wont affect my planned vacation days for the rest of the year.

I feel good enough to return to work tomorrow.

I remembered a frugal idea that really saved me this week. Before I got so sick, I also got a cold sore. I did not have any chapstick in the house. But I did have olive oil. I kept a small dish next to me and dabbed it on when my lip felt dry and hard...the olive oil saved me from painful chapping. It really worked well!!

Good find:
If anyone has an aspiring young pirate, you should check out the Doug and Melissa Pirate outfit on Amazon. I ordered this for my grandson and he LOVED it. It is also VERY WELL MADE and was only $22. I was very pleased with this purchase- he is 3 and the hat and sword were his favs, but the rest of the costume was REALLY enjoyed by his friend age 5.

Well, the sore throat got much worse during the night and I ended up calling in sick today. I rarely do that, but honestly couldnt go in. I slept until 12:15, got up and took some ibuprofen, and fell back asleep until 4pm. And even though Ive been awake less than 5 hours, I feel like I could easily go to bed again.

It is pretty easy to have a no spender when you sleep all day.

Not much else to blog about today.

I woke up Saturday with a big lip...low and behold, a nasty cold sore appeared by noon. Thankfully, I have some Abreva in the medicine cabinet..but no matter what I use, cold sores are so uncomfortable.

Aside from the Perseid party Friday night, the rest of the weekend was pretty frugal. We watched my sons little ones yesterday afternoon and used some chalk that we had..out on the driveway for entertainment. I also filled a small pool for the little ones to play in, and we just hung out in the backyard.


This afternoon my job had the annual summer picnic. It was very nice. THe weather was perfect and all food, drinks and dessert was provided.

Tonight, we are just hanging out at home. I am getting laundry done with the week ahead.

I have a little bit of a sore throat to go along with the cold sore...hopefully I will feel much better by morning!! I dont want to get sick this week, but there has been a bug going around the family. My fingers are crossed that is not what I have!

The hub and I talked about finances a little today. He is supportive of my dream to retired at 60- so I want to get a financial plan mapped out to make it happen. I want to work on this soon, so that we have a good idea of what this goal will take to achieve.

Today was a no spend day. My first in a while- I had a free donut at work that was leftover from a meeting, and then had a lunch meeting, so the job picked up the tab. The hub made dinner before he went to work, so I will have a burger in a bit.

Tomorrow my morning starts at 4am...will get to work at 5- so I will be off by 2pm. Tomorrow night is the party Ive planned for the kids and grandbabies to watch the meteor shower..I rented a jump house for the kids. Then we are making s'mores over the bbq and sleeping under the stars. Should be fun.

Saturday, I plan to pull some of the veggies from the garden and enjoy them with something bbq'd. Last year I only grew zucchini...so having so much more variety is so nice! I cant wait to do a bigger garden next year! Im not sure that my garden saves me money...yet. But I do know the veggies are just so much better tasting fresh off the plant.

My friend sent in her application for Extreme Home makeover...my fingers are crossed for her!

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I decided fairly last minute last week to take a mini-trip by myself, since I was going to be home alone anyways...

I called the hotel and asked if they had a particular type of room (jacuzzi overlooking the ocean)...deciding that if they did not, I wouldnt go. But they did!! It was a splurge, but I felt so stinkin pampered by the end of the weekend, that it was well worth the $200 price tag.

Here is where I stayed:


This is looking out of the room...at the ocean..and on the left is the jacuzzi tub.


The king bed...very comfy! The room had a couch and a chair..


I loved soaking and looking out at the ocean. The temp stayed in the 60's all weekend, so it was a nice way to beat the heat too.

It was a two hour drive, so I bought a used book on CD and listened to it on the drive over. I only ate out once...and that was a burger. Otherwise, I took food from home. With gas, the meal and the room, I spent just under $270 for the whole weekend. But I came home so relaxed. To me, it was money well spent.

This weekend, I can start enjoying the garden. I had some cherry tomatoes tonight...and the corn, a zucchini and some romaine lettuce will be ready to enjoy in the next day or so. There is nothing like home grown fresh off the vine veggies.

My son started his new job on Monday. He loves it. He loves the area too. I am so happy for him. While they will be 5 hours away, they will be so much better off financially. Anf my son will be much happier. So for that, I am happy for them.

I am looking forward to Friday's Meteor Shower. We are combining the backyard camp out with my middle grandson's third birthday party. Should be a lot of fun for all the grandbabies...and for us big kid stargazers!!

I got my haircut today. The last time I had it cut was in December, so it was long over due. My friend that lost her son owns a salon and just returned to work. So, I got to check on her, get my haircut and support her business all in one. I am very pleased with the cut- and am glad I got to spend time with my heartbroken friend.

My son, who is in California looking for a job, talked to a couple more places today- with good results. He now has several offers on the table- but he is leaning towards the first. I am so proud of him and happy that this has been a successful trip for him.

My daughter that took in the two foster babies stopped by tonight. The little girl, age 2, is so much more talkative and outgoing in just the month that she has been with my daughter. She is a petite, adorable little 2 year old...and she gets so excited when she comes over. The little boy, 6 months, is thriving. His little head is rounding (it was flat on the back from being left in a car seat most of the time) He also had no leg strength from never being held up to exercise his legs..poor baby. Seriously, this baby has been here numerous times for hours...and he NEVER cries...he is always so happy. I think he is just happy someone plays and talks to him. So precious.

I have a 'home alone' weekend coming up. The hub is taking dd3 on a road trip to his dads...so I am contemplating a movie, some housework and organizing, and ...well, who knows. Life is good.

My son left for California yesterday and had his first interview this morning. It sounds like it went very well, and they offered him a job. He wants to talk to a few companies before he makes a decision, but this was a huge jump to his self esteem. After trying for a couple of years to make his own business work and it NOT working out...having the first person he talks to get excited about his knowledge and experience was JUST what he needed. I know he will do great wherever he ends up. His self esteem just needs to catch up with my confidence in him. To sweeten things, they offered him MORE than he was hoping to start with. Music to his mommas ears.

Tomorrow is my first day of jury duty, but my number is not on the list of those called to show up, so I get to sleep in!!!

My corn stalks are showing silk...so those little ears are forming! I also have romaine lettuce that will be ready this weekend. YUM. Cant wait to start enjoying the 'fruits of my labor'...

I got off early today (well, off at 2pm after working 8 hours..but earlier than my normal 5pm on Fridays.) I picked up my grandson (7) and we are having a sleep over. When I got home, the box of Littlest Pet shop stuff that I bought on Ebay had arrived. The pets and accessories will be split between two granddaughters for the birthdays at the beginning of Sept. There is way more than I expected. I bought it all for $84...and there is probably $300 worth of stuff here.

I knew Id done good when my grandson got so excited over all of it saying over and over how lucky his cousins are! He played with everything all afternoon!Houses, accessories, pets...the girls will love it. And it is all in good condition.

On the night of August 12-13, the Perseid Meteor shower will be most visible. It is a Friday night, so I am planning a BIG sleepover, bbq-potluck with the family...I even rented a jump house for the kids. I watched this event last year and it was really cool. I think it is most visible in the northern states...not sure. But the meteors are already starting to show. Leaving my house at 4:30 a couple mornings this week, when I looked up I saw a couple of them. They look like shooting stars with long tails..and a little brighter. Fun, freebie from Mother Nature.

I splurged on myself this afternoon and bought one of those pads to put my laptop on when it is on my lap. Not having one was getting so hot and uncomfortable. I spent $24.99 and got a nice one - boy what a difference. I had tried using books, towels, a box, etc...nothing worked quite right...so with the hotter weather, I decided to just buy something made for the purpose, and it is so nice!

Very grateful the weekend is here. I am so looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.

So glad today is done. 5am-5:30pm with no break is too much for an old lady!!

Tomorrow is payday. Because July was a 3-payday month, I sortof caught up. I didnt get to count the third payday as extra, but I did get to pay all bills ahead a little. I stay paid-ahead until the first payday in December(the next 3 payday month), when I can consider that paycheck FREE to use as I want. There is something comforting in knowing you have money in the account to pay whatever comes along.

This weekend I am helping a dear friend videotape her application video for extreme home makeover. They are looking for someone in Oregon, and I believe she is so deserving.

Her husband died years ago leaving her almost $50k in debt from medical expenses...she worked 3 jobs while raising her daughter...and sold her plasma so that her daughter never felt like they were poor. That money paid for clothes, band expenses, karate, etc. Her daughter graduated 4.0 and was accepted to West Point...but first she earned her black belt in Karate. During her senior year, mom took in a foreign exchange student..and the next year took in a homeless high school child...40 kids later and 10 years later, mom is still taking in kids. Mom also created a training program for families in fear of losing their homes to forclosure. Hundreds of families have attended these classes...She works hard to support a homeless teen shelter...and she takes in the animals too sick to be adopted...

My friends dream is to have a home big enough to take in 6-8 (or more) homeless kids...and to mentor them to a better tomorrow.

Please keep your fingers crossed that she is given this chance to change the lives of many...she has worked tirelessly to have that opprotunity.

I will let you know how it goes!

My day started before 5am...and I didnt get off until almost 5:30pm...wowza. After 9 hours, I had to attend a 3 hour meeting and keep the minutes- hard to do when you are so tired and your brain is drained. (If I wasnt salary, I think I would be a little more excited about it.) And, I get to do it again on Thursday. The good news is that I can make it a short day tomorrow. I have to say, I kinda like starting really early...and having so much time at the end of the day when I get off after 8-9 hours. (12 is just too many)

Im not sure what my days will look like on Friday and Monday. My assistant is off because she is getting married Saturday...together, we tag team supporting the CEO, so if she is not there, I should be- even if I start at 5am. Then I have jury duty on Tues-Thurs. Obviously, I need to figure out this crazy schedule.

While I would like an opportunity to serve on a jury, showing up is pretty much a waste of time. In my job, I work closely with law enforcement and am friends with many of them...defenders tend to disqualify me quickly for some reason. But I will go and see what happens.

I am starting to catch up a little financially now that DS sold his business and I am not needing to subsidize. He was able to pay me back the $600 I loaned him a couple of weeks ago, which will go back into the Christmas account.

Ds will leave on Sunday for interviews in Central-Northern California next week. I have zero doubt he will be hired. He is staying in the same business, and will make a great employee. I am so sad to know he is going, but am very proud and supportive of his decision and brave choice to do so. His wife and babies will stay up here until the first of the year- just to make sure he is certain this is what is best for his family. For that reason, I know I will see them often at least until after Christmas.

Ok...time to get to bed. 4am will come mighty early.

I work for a credit union and often see scams that are trends occuring with our members.

There is an old scam resurfacing big time that job seekers (js) need to AVOID.

The scam starts by the js reading and responding to an ad on craigslist, a job website, or receiving an unsolicited email about 'Mystery Shopping'. The correspondence back and forth can look very legit. THe js stands to earn good money, simply by 'shopping' at local stores and completing evaluations on the store. AND..the js will get paid up front!! (sound good so far?)

The instructions and a check arrive fed ex (occasionally, it will come in the mail..but this is rare as the scammers dont want to waste any time and give the js an opportunity to talk to others and learn they are being scammed.) The check is always for much more than the js stands to make, so the js is instructed to keep their pay plus any expenses and return the extra via western union or wire transfer. THIS IS THE SCAM. The check looks VERY legitimate..but they are ALWAYS fraudulent. Once the money is sent back, the js will be out when that check is returned. The checks sometimes take weeks to come back depending on how the scammer created the check. The js will be liable to the bank for all money lost.

Over the years I have seen MANY versions of this scam. People trying to sell their vehicles or other big ticket item, Bed and Breakfast owners, etc. The scammer offers to buy the item or service and sends MORE than needed to cover the purchase, then asks to have the extra sent back via western union or wire transfer. SELLER BEWARE!

Unfortunately for the job seekers and the sellers, usually they are tempted to take these offers because they really need the money and they end up in worse financial shape than they started.

If you ever receive a check (or know anyone who does)and are asked to send money back..(these scammers are tricky and will move onto a new twist when folks stop responding to this one)...ASK your credit union or bank teller if it sounds legitimate. They are trained to catch these scams and will help you with determining what to do.

The old saying is so true...If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Stay financially safe! Dont let a seemingly good deal over-ride your better judgement.

My son sold the business this morning. Bittersweet. Now he can get a job with benefits and a regular paycheck/schedule (hopefully) We reflected back last night...if the economy hadnt tanked, he would have done very well. In his third year he made almost $100k in sales...and had a three year growth of 15-20%. This year was on track for less than $60k. Not enough to support the expenses and his family. I am proud of him for making this tough call.

I finished up my first week with the temp hours (4:45am to 1:30pm)....getting up that early is new for me, but I LOVE getting off so early. I was able to get so much more done at work having the time in the morning before my staff showed up...and then got so much more done at home having so much of the day left. I am tempted to work this routine into some sort of on-going schedule!!

The only thing I havent really focused on yet is my goal of retiring in 10 years- but I will. That is still a very exciting thought and something I intend to plan out and prepare for! My job offers a great 401k plan, which I am participating in. My employer contributes 8% so long as I contribute at least 5%. While the economy was so depressed, they considered doing away with this benefit. THANKFULLY, that never had to happen!

August and September are very busy birthday months for me. 9 birthdays in all. Two of my grandaughters want Littlest Petshop stuff. I checked them out on Amazon and they seem ridiculously expensive. Having so many birthdays, I HAVE to stick to a budget, which unfortunately does NOT afford many of the Petshop items for either GD. So...I checked on Ebay...and found 4 houses, over 100 pets, and about 100 extra pieces...gently used for $84. (Less than the cost of the houses alone...) And since I budget $40 per grandchild birthday, this fit in nicely with my budget.

My job gets vendor gifts at Christmas..and I always ask for the leftover gift baskets...so I have a couple of nice, big ones. I will use those to 'stage' the stash of petshop items for each girl. At 4 and 6- and the way weve raised them, they will be thrilled and probably will never notice that they arent NEW. I will post pictures when I get them all ready.

Welcome weekend! No big plans, but really looking forward to sleeping in a little tomorrow!!

One of my roles at my job is to direct facilities maintenance and construction. We are about to remodel an office and build another one. In order to continue to serve our members, the work will need to primarily occur before and after our business hours. Starting tomorrow and for the next few weeks, my day starts at 4:30am. Or, when I am taking the late shift, my day wont start until noon and end at 9pm. (e-stinkin- gads) In a way it is a good thing, as I will have a few hours of uninterrupted work time each morning or evening...AND on the days I work early, I will be getting off at about 2pm.

Tonight, DD1 and I visited Kohls. She had 30% off. I found a great sale for kids clothes...t-shirts and shorts on sale for $2.20 each. My DD2 recently became a foster parent to two beautiful little ones.
The little girl is 2 1/2 and the little boy is 5 months old. The mother is only 18 and was in a very abusive situation- but was also not doing well caring for the babies. THe little boy has a flat head from being left in his car seat day and night (literally). Poor little guy also had no leg muscles as he was not held up or ever put in a bouncer. VERY sad situation. Anyways, we scored at kohls using the 30% off. I got both of the foster children 4 shirts and a pair of shorts for only $15!! I also picked up a baby shower gift for a co-worker.

FINALLY, my garden has truly taken off. The plants all look happy and are growing like crazy. There are lots of signs of veggies to come!!

Well, I suppose I better get some sleep. I have a feeling 4:15 is going to come mighty quickly once I close my eyes!!

We had a wonderful time camping this weekend. The campsite was only $16 per night and it is right on the river. Last night we had much of the campground to ourselves. I remember just a few years ago when, during the summer, the campground stayed almost full. A sign of the hard economic times that even $16 per night is too much for some...well, that plus the additional higher cost of gas to get there I suppose.

There was even a music festival going on in the area, so when we walked to the little ice cream shop we were able to listen to live bands while enjoying our cones. ($5) Music- free.

I talked to the hub about a BHAG goal I have been pondering, which is to retire in 10 years at 60. He is supportive of the idea..but I have some serious financial work to do to achieve this. I have some debt to pay off...and I have to build savings. We currently own two homes. One has equity; the other newer home, has lost significant value and is about $30k under the value I paid for it. However, it is in a very desireable location, so when home values turn around, I know this will recoup some of the loss. The question is, do I hold and wait....or not. A huge caveat is that I got the loan through my current employer. They sold it, but I will have to find out if it will affect my job if we decide to short-sale.

I intend to start doing plenty of homework on this new goal. Just thinking about retiring in the future is exciting. My hub is 7 years younger than I am, so he plans to work at least 10-14 more years, which will get us to my social security/medicare age ( if either is still around by then). Having stayed home for a couple of years to care for parents a few years ago, I KNOW I can live frugally and within our means....no matter what 'our means' is..

Suddenly, I have a clearer financial focus than I have had in a long time. Funny how BHAGs do that.

BHAG= Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal!!

My son has found a buyer for his business. I have to agree with him that it is time to sell. Of course my gut wrenches at the thought of selling for pennies on the dollar that Ive sunk into the business...but it is what it is. A very expensive learning experience. They will need any money they get out of it to move and re-establish. The silver lining for me will be that they will become self-sufficient as a family and the hole will be plugged for the sinking business- which will save me about $1000 a month. sigh. A bittersweet decision for sure.

I just watered the gardnen and see that I have a couple of ears of corn starting. Everything else is taking off- I am still hoping the garden will pay off. Last year, my zucchini was mass producing...this year...nothing yet. I see some progress on the newer plantings...but I think the colder, wetter weather this year has definately affected production.

I took Monday the 18th off. The hub and I are going back to the beautiful campground on the river this weekend and catching the music festival there. It should be a nice, relaxing weekend!! I went to the grocery store tonight and bought steak, hamburger and hot dogs for the weekend...plus all the extras and even peanuts for the squirrels. Now to pack the clothes, etc. Im excited to get back up there.

I cant believe I will have been back at my job 5 years in a few months...at which point I will start earning a few more days of vacation-- almost 6 weeks per year. I am not one to accumulate tons of extra time on the books. I do keep two weeks banked for emergencies, but otherwise I use my PTO. I already have the two weeks banked...so next year I will take six weeks worth of time off. I reworked the budget to afford extra $$ for that time. Now to start planning what to do!

Ok. Time to pack...got a fun weekend to prepare for!!

The hub and I took a drive up to the campground we like to see if the camp host would let us reserve a good spot for next weekend. They DID! Next weekend there will be a big music festival within walking distance (within a mile) by the campground, so we anticipated the campground would fill up. Now, just waiting for this week to go by! The temprature between here where we live, and the campground, is about 15-20 degrees cooler- this makes it SO NICE during these hot summer days!

Tonight we are bbqing some steaks we got on sale...and having taters and grilled corn on the cob. Should be a fun evening.

Life seems to have a way of opening doors for us to exercise our character. I will try to keep this long story short...

I divorced my ex-husband over 20 years ago. My ex, who was the youngest of four brothers, was adopted to a distant family member when he was three and raised as an only child. While the ex and I were married, he met his oldest brother 'Jimmy'. After my divorce, I got to know Jimmy better as he kept in contact to know my children, his only neices and nephew. The brothers (my ex and Jimmy) never established much of a relationship and later basically disowned each other. The other two brothers have sadly died.

Jimmy's health is deteriorating, and so he moved this week to Oregon, to be near his only remaining 'family' which is me, my kids and grandbabies. I have promised to look out for him and to be here to help as he needs.

Tonight, Jimmy came over for a bbq with us- all the kids and grandbabies came. Jimmy beamed to be with 'family' finally. Of course we welcome him with open arms...I just have to smile at how this life story has played out. And I am glad that fate brought Jimmy into my kids lives. Since my brother died before marrying- and my ex was basically an only child....my kids would have never known an uncle or aunt...but because of Jimmy, they are blessed with that relationship. And Jimmy has no family left....so he loves me and the kids as his family.

We kept the bbq cheap...just on sale hamburger, buns and DD1 brought some pasta salad...the whole night cost about $20 for 14 of us. It was a nice way to welcome 'Uncle Jimmy' home...and just like that, our 'immediate' family grew by one more.

I have an unidentified growing vegetable (plant) in my garden...it grew last year and I basically ignored it. This year, I put a little plant food on it and it is thriving. Considering it is obviously a perinneal, Im thinking collard green...but Im not sure. I think I will take a leaf to the grange and ask to have it identified. Hate to see a good edible plant go to waste.

The hub and I are planning to return to the river campsite next weekend for a couple of days. The campground is hosting a music festival with about 15 bands over a three day period. We will buy tickets for one day...and then just enjoy the river the other day or two. The one day tickets are $20 and the campsite is $16 per night. So for both of us, the weekend will cost $72 plus gas to get there.

The hub heard that they are starting to hire again up on the slope in Alaska, so he is applying. He loved the routine of working 4 weeks on, two weeks off...and so he is really hoping to get rehired. I have mixed feelings about this, but ultimately, if it is what he really wants, I will support it.

Last night, a group of us took my friend, who recently lost her son, to dinner. She is struggling to understand how she is supposed to go on without him. I tried to just listen...and offer support. Everyone else left and she and I stayed until the restaurant closed- I just let her talk and tried to reassure her that she did the absolute best she could have done for him. Sadly, the 'what if Id done it different' thoughts are creeping in for her. It was so terribly sad- as she did everything she possibly could have done for him. sigh.

My corn is thriving, I have sunflowers growing, and the rest of the garden looks good...so I am hopeful we will have fresh homegrown veggies soon!!

Super glad the weekend is here. Plan to enjoy every second!

We have had a consecutive week of sunshine, and the weather is in the 90's, so I am thinking summer may have arrived. This is good news on a few fronts.

First, my poor garden has been slow to take off, but this past weeks sun has kicked it into gear at last. The plants are green and vibrant and I have a few veggies starting to pop on the vines.

Second, with the sun, comes the pests....so my son has been busy and self-sufficient for a couple of weeks, which means I am able to get back on track with my budget. This is exciting, because it has been months since I have not had to supplement the business. I have put a good deal of effort into my budget, paying bills and allowing for all the other things like vacations, birthdays, christmas, etc. Getting to stick to it and still have $ left for savings is NICE.

I am so busy at work. I am training an intern, losing one of me key employees on Friday. Thankfully I have hired her replacement...although he wont start until August 8th. I am NOT looking forward to this next 4 weeks juggling the vacated position and training this intern and then training the new guy. In the meantime, I have several construction projects to cooredinate, and an assistant getting married on Jul 30 and....well, just OMG.

Weekends will be very welcome and important to sanity this summer. THANK GOODNESS I didnt take any summer courses!!!

Tomorrow night a few of us are taking my friend, who just lost her son last month to cancer, to dinner. Again, I think of what she is going through and my problems are so small. My perspective is easily adjusted because of this.

I thought I would share this past weekends camping fun with everyone. It was such a nice weekend. We spent three days on the river...$16 dollars a nite + cheap but wonderful camp food = good, inexpensive yet unforgetable memories. Such fun. We plan to do this many more times. This campground is about an hour from our home.

We camped here...it was gorgeous!



This is a trail we took to do some site seeing nearby...


My grandaughter caught her first fish...


My grandson and I collected bags of pinecones and tossed them into the river. We counted One...two...free...and threw them in. I estimate 30 pinecones had a new water home that day. He needed a nap later...


Later, the babies went home with mom and dad...and we enjoyed quiet time. The hub fished, and I watched the sunset with a glass of wine...

Post 900.

One of my employees turned in her resignation Friday. She is moving to another state. I will be re-evaluating her position to determine what to do going forward. Needless to say, it will be a busy summer with rewriting the job description and then hiring/training her replacement. Now Im even more thankful I took the summer off from school!

My garden is struggling. Several plants are not looking good. I really am trying to water the right amount, Ive fertilized...I am not sure what Ive done wrong. But I do still have a zucchini, a sad looking tomato, and some radishes...oh, and the corn is doing ok. Pretty much everything else has either died, or is looking beyond pathetic. sigh.

Yesterday was Adams service. I learned much from Adam and his mom. Primarily, each day is a gift that should be lived and not taken for granted. I hope to always remember this lesson. Ive always loved my kids and grandbabies...but I love them more richley now. Life and family are truly precious gifts that I appreciate.

Today, my friends son, Adam, lost is fight against cancer. He was just 21 and had been fighting this nasty disease for 11 years. His poor mom is beside herself and in such pain over the unfairness of the hand her son was dealt. No mother should ever have to suffer the loss of a child. Adam, our world was a better place because of you. I promise to watch out for your mom and help her figure out how to go on with you now in Heaven.




Ironically, at the other end of this spectrum, my little houseguest was in tears tonight because her parents offer no support to her. She was tearfully asking me why no one cared that she just got all A's, no one called to ask if she was feeling better and has no idea how she will pay for her next set of classes. All I could do was hug her and reassure her she is not alone.

Mind boggling, heartbreaking day.

Kohls sent me a $10 off anything card for my birthday- and it can be combined with all other discounts. I also just received a 30% off offer. We havent had a blender in years...so I think I may get one today. They have them on sale for $19.99 - 30% off = 13.99 - $10...$3.99 for a blender that was originally $39.99. I see fruit smoothies for summer in my future!!

It is already THURSDAY of my vacation. Why do vacations go so fast?

My son has started looking for jobs here locally. He is doubtful that he will find something, but I am holding out hope that his solution is here if we look hard enough. In a perfect plan b world, the hours will be such that he can continue his business on the weekends and some evenings. He has such a loyal customer base that I am sure mose of them would be willing to work with him on service days/times. I have many connections and already offers to put in a good word for him our coming.

Our houseguest is better. They pumped her full of fluids and antibiotics in the ER and she came home so much better. Thank goodness. The sad thing is her family really didnt step up to help her. What is it with families that just throw up their hands after a certain age? I try not to judge others parenting, but sometimes I am baffled by the actions of some parents. She is attending college full time and pulling really good grades. A little financial and/or emotional assistance would go a long way for her. I dont get it.

My garden is taking off...but darn it, something ate the watermelon plant AGAIN. This is the third attempt. I will look for a cover of somesort for the next one...the pesticides that were suggested failed...miserably. We love watermelon, but I am about ready to accept that I am destined to buy them at the store. I am growing corn, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkins, artichokes, peppers, green onions and basil...(the basil may not make it- I think the sun may have been to much) So far, everything else is looking healthy.

Well, lots to do! Have a good one!

Since I last posted, I turned 50! Took my family and some friends on a long weekend retreat to a beautiful resort and had a wonderful time! We celebrated the birthday with a 'Pink' party...and everyone came with pink wear, even the guys. lol. It was such fun!

My son made up his mind that he was going to close his business and his dad talked to him about moving to southern california to work for him...I was heartbroken to realize that they were going...but his dad is a very selfish person, and at the last minute told my son hed changed his mind and wasnt going to hire him afterall. While I am relieved they wont be going, I am sad for my son for the dissapointment he feels at this. Now, to come up with a plan b.

Adam is still hanging on..but not well. He is slipping daily. I am greatful I am back to be here for his mom, my friend. Sadly, she will need her friends and family in the not so distant future....

Got home from the trip today and our lil (previously homeless) houseguest was very, very sick. We took her to the ER and she has a kidney infection and possible strep (we are waiting for results)...she is still there...six hours later, hooked to IVs for dehydration and getting morphine for the pain. I am so glad we got home today...I am sure by tomorrow her condition would have been much more serious.

It is bittersweet to be home...sad to leave the resort...but glad to be here for those who need us right now...

Oh...read Water for Elephants during the trip. Awesome book. Loved it.

Life is such a rollercoaster.

My son and I have had some long conversations about his future if the business fails this year. His initial thought is that he will need to move his family down to Southern California so that he can join his dads business. :/ This is so not what I want to see happen, but I know they need to do what is right for them. My son, his wife and I sat and talked and cried at the prospect last night. I hate this economy and what it is doing to everyone. My daughter in law is from here and has never been out of this area..she is terrified to leave her family. I wish I could continue to help the business financially, but I simply cant.

Then...right after they went home, I got a message from my good friend whose son Adam (21) has been fighting cancer. (we had a fund raiser recently for him)...The treatments have stopped working and he is only expected to live days. Hospice is with the family and they are preparing for the inevitable. Suddenly, California is not so far away afterall. I am so grateful my worries are so superficial.

Sigh.

My big trip for family and friends is two weeks away. I am looking forward to the time with my family and friends...all of the planning is done and I have just a few things left to do before we leave. I just am so sad about little Adam.

My daughters have gotten serious with couponing. I am so proud of them and the money they are saving. They are both working on small stockpiles. I appreciate that they are not taking advantage of the system as some of the couponing shows seem to encourage...but rather finding the best deals that they truly need. Some of their savings have been passed on to mom...to take to the family trip. Which I really appreciate!

Thankfully, my meds seemed to do the trick and the nasty, nasty cold is gone. I cant believe how horrible you can feel and after prednisone, how much better you can feel in just a few hours. So glad my doctor sees the need to prescribe it occasionally.

Well friends...this is off-topic...but my friend had one request today and that was to pray that her son doesnt suffer. If you believe in prayer, please say a prayer for Adam to go peacefully...and for strength for his mom when he does.

I have been really sick for 7 days. Head cold that went into the lungs...and with asthma, thats not a good thing. So today I went to the doctor and asked for help. She gave me prednisone and antibiotics...and within two hours I have stopped coughing and feel human again. THANK GOODNESS. I cant believe the difference tonight. WOW.

I have so much catching up to do and a major burst of energy...but Ive been down this road enough to know that overdoing it now is asking for trouble. So I will take it easy and bask in this wonderful ok-ness.

DD1 is cracking me up. She watched ONE EPISODE of the new extreme coupon show and is a NEW WOMAN when it comes to shopping. She is doing awesome..not extreme like the show...but very conscientous about coupons, shopping and money. She is learning how to shop at Walgreens and Rite-Aid like Retire at 50...and Im proud of her progress. Her enthusiasm is rubbing off on DD2...so we shall see where this leads.

I had to have a tough talk with DS about the business. It had gotten to the point where I was loaning (giving) the business 800-1000 a month...and I honestly dont have that much disposable income. I was beyond extended and finally told him no more. The business either makes it or it doesnt this year. It was a tearful meeting, but I had to plug the hole and get back to saving for my retirement. The summer is always plentiful for him...so we shall see how he does. And I will slowly climb out of the hole I dug trying to help.

Funny story that some of you women friends might understand...

I was at the doctor today and she asked if I was having sweats with the cold. I laughed pretty hard and asked her if she could tell me how to differentiate between sweats from a cold and sweats from being almost 50...which are non-stop anymore. She chuckled and said I get ya- nevermind that one. LOL.

Seriously.

Tonight...life feels somewhat back to normal...thank you prednisone!

As luck would have it, I have come down with a nasty cold....or Ive suddenlyt developed uber crazy allergies. Whatever this is, it won today and I called in sick. ZERO energy.

But I am trying to stay productive, so I am looking up appetizer ideas for the party next month. I need to have food for 20...and the night of the party I am thinking of doing appetizers, fruits, veggies..

Does anyone have any fool-proof ideas that you'd like to share? Im thinking chicken wings, bacon wrapped lil smokies, 7 layer dip....of course my moms beefy bread dip....

I thought maybe some of you would have party favorites youd like to share. Would love a couple of make-earlier in the day things...or???

Party drink favorites? Im getting margarita makings...but what other quick party favs would you suggest?

There are 18-20 of us staying in an 8 bedroom home for three days (My treat to them for my 50th birthday). Each couple has their own king suite with a bathroom. I have asked each couple to take a meal- they are responsible for bringing the food, preparing and clean up for thier meal. I am taking the party night food etc. I am looking for fun things to make so that those who want to create in the kitchen can hop in and 'play'. Those who dont will have a hot tub, pool table, foosball, ping pong, shuffleboard, movies, dancing, miles of walking trails, bikes, sightseeing and golf. (The house is on the golf course.)

Im really getting excited for the party...we are officially under a month away!

And at the opposite end of the emotional spectrum...an update on my friend's son. The doctors are trying to find another medication to put him on and they may have found a possibility. The cancer is closing his trachea and he is getting a really bad cough from it. The medication that they are considering is back east? and they working to get it here asap. His mom is coming to terms with the possibility he may not be able to fight much longer. It is heartbreaking. I wish there was more I could do. He is just 21.

Friday night, we had a fundraiser for a young man (21) who is battling cancer...who has been fighting it since he was just 10. He was accepted into this final study to try one last time....and so far, the news and results have been encouraging...he is 6 weeks into the program.

The money we raised helped him get to his appointment yesterday....where he learned that the chemo has stopped working and his participation in the study is cancelled.

Understandably, he took today off from life to absorb the news.

My heart is sad tonight.

Last night was the fundraiser for my friends son who needs financial help to keep getting to cancer treatments. We had a spaghetti dinner, dance and silent auction- all thrown together in about3 weeks. We raised just under $900. I consider that a huge success expecially considering how busy my co-hort and I have been the past few weeks with our jobs. We had about 80 people show up..every silent auction item sold and te winner of the 50/50 raffle donated their half of the pool back to the cause. And everyone had a great time.

There were several ladies there in their 30s-40s...we are all friends, but we rarely talk...life is just...busy. Which is sad when you think about it. I think I will host a dinner for just sitting and visiting when the weather gets a little nicer. Just to relax and catch up. Why dont we take time to do this once in a while...I guess some ladies do...they call it bunco...hmmmm.

I am pooped.

Today is my oldest GSs birthday. Can you believe he is SEVEN??? DD2 asked to have the party here at my house...oh boy. Luckily and thankfully, my houseguest graciously offered to get the house readyand she has done a fabulous job. I hate to say it, but I am eager for the after party rnr to happen. Work has been insanely busy the past two weeks with department moves, evening functions, and a busy workload.

Again, I am pooped.

My next big event is the 50th party at the beginning of June. Oh...and a mid-term and final for psychology...

In the meantime, I have 220 eggs to stuff before the party...so I need to get busy.

Happy Saturday. Life is good!

Ok...this just doesnt happen...at least not to me...lately.

The hub stopped to pick up our taxes today. Postponed it till the last minute because the preliminary word from our tax man was that we owed $1600. ouch. The primary reason for this is because my moms memorial and the inheritence she wanted the kids and grandkids to get was all out of her IRA. I told the hub that if he would pay the $285 tax preparer fee, I would come up with the $1600. *choke*

So, the hub picked up the taxes today and called to tell me that the tax guys estimate was off...ALOT.

We DO NOT have to pay $1600....rather, we are getting $1700 BACK....OMG. I am so excited. I have been taking care of everyones shortfalls that coming up with $1600 right now was TOUGH.

Now, I can breathe again.

Now to see how the hub wants to split the refund. We are keeping our finances separate...but there are several layers of financial issues that make a 50/50 split unfair...but I want to hear his perspective.

The fundraiser dinner tonight was AWESOME! very yummy meal and great company.

My lunch meeting was around raising money for childrens hospitals and pediatric wards. The next time you are in Rite Aid or Walmart and see the paper hot air balloons for $1 for kids/hospitals...that is what I am involved in. I adopted a local Walmart to be their cheerleader for raising money..I believe it is a national campaign next month...so you just might be asked to help!!