Wednesday, February 23, 2011

For My Followers and Readers

Thank you all for taking time out of your lives to spend in my blog.  I welcome the comments and have responded to all and will continue to respond.  It is therapeutic.

Over the last week, things have become stagnant -- nothing is moving in any direction.  It feels like the calm before the Spring.  My husband is working his part time job, we had about another foot of snow, yet another Open House is scheduled for this weekend, people are still looking at the house and I have stopped talking to the realtor about reducing the price of our home (even as he gently but persistently pressures to do so). 

I attempted to add Google Adsense to my blog and Egads!!! I disabled not only my blog but my e-mail as well.  Yikes!!!  That was nervewracking.  But fortunately, I managed to fix it since I am here posting.  This technology isn't as easy as Google says it is (at least not for me) and yet, it seems I have added public service ads.  Blogging is like life.  You learn as you go along.

I like engaging with the world at large and it would be nice if my readership increases.  In the meantime, I hope you are all enjoying this blog as much as I am.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Economizing While Downsizing

1.   Stop Eating Out
A.  Make stews and soups using a crock pot.
B.   Make your own desserts such as cookies, brownies, fruit salads, cakes and pies. (I am learning how to make pie crust.) 
C.   Brew your own coffee.
D.    Make your own potato salad and egg salad.

2.   Shop at Aldi Supermarket
A.    You will find prices from the 1970s without buying in bulk. 

3.   If you can’t grow your own vegetables, and you have enough sunlight, try growing herbs and tomatoes.

4.   Do not go into a department store unless you need underwear or socks, but sew the holes in your socks first.  (I know no one does that anymore.)

5.   Turn your thermostat down to a temperature you can stand during the day, even lower at night.  When you go to sleep, get under a comforter in bed and you will be warm and toasty.

6.   Set the water temperature on your washing machine to cold and adjust water levels according to size of load.  Use the low dry heat setting on your dishwasher and only wash full loads.

7.    Unplug small appliances when not in use.

8.    Subscribe to one newspaper and no magazines.  Get books from the library.

9.     Buy prescription drugs from Walmart or A&P.  Much cheaper than drugstores.

10.   Barter with neighbors.  For example, rake your neighbor’s leaves and they will snow blow your driveway.

11.    Sell whatever you don’t need or want on Craigslist or bring it to a consignment shop.

12.   If you can’t cut your own hair, go to Great Clips, a discount beauty parlor.  This was a leap for me.  You may even get a senior discount.

13.   If you color your hair or manicure your nails, do it yourself.

14.   Use coupons that come in the mail for any local merchants you patronize.

15.   Eliminate the luxury of gift giving at the risk of being perceived differently. 

16.   And finally, in all things, know the difference between need and want.

Some of these suggestions are common sense.  Others will take extra effort.  Sometimes it seems like a drop in the bucket but over time will add up. 
I welcome any other ideas.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Henry Bemis Gets a Job at the Library

My husband started his new job today.  See “New Job” post for details.   It has been his dream to have an occupation surrounded by books.  Early in our marriage he pursued publishing to no avail.  It only took 2 years of unemployment, a life altering medical event, and being over 55 years of age to land this assignment.   For those of you who aren’t familiar, Henry Bemis was a character in an episode of the Twilight Zone –“the story of a man who seeks salvation in the rubble of a ruined world” and “whose passion is the printed page.”  I think that sums it up quite nicely.   This falls somewhere between be careful what you wish for and dreams can come true.  Oh Henry.  This is your calling.  Go for it.


Friday, February 11, 2011

The Bells of Psychological Toll

It has been bitterly blue cold this week and I am spending more time indoors, sinking into another valley.
When my husband first lost his job, I was still employed and he had just started his daily job search.   Nearly a year later, I had a health scare which weighed me with much anxiety, and turned out to be nothing.  Then I lost my job.  In the grand scheme of things, I’d rather be unemployed than ill, if I could pick my poison.   I spent a month on the couch, decompressing, in between doing the things I had to do, not wanting to do, but forcing myself to do.   I decided to see a doctor who put me on medication which raised my blood pressure, who then wanted to put me on high blood pressure medication.   I nixed the doctor and went it on my own.  I pulled myself out of the trenches, exercising, getting pep talks, counting my blessings, you know the drill.  
Then my husband had a stroke which threw my whole life into a tailspin.  When he was denied temporary disability and we were now living on one unemployment check until he recovered, I was in constant angst mode, day and night for months.  It seemed as though I would feel this way for the rest of my life.  When he resumed unemployment, I became more like myself again.   I told my mother-in-law I was feeling better and she remarked I was just getting used to it.   This is not something you want to get used to, like being held hostage, incarcerated or abused.  I want to break free, live my life again, with some measure of security (real or imagined) at least for a while, again. 
At this point, the timeline of my life does not reach into eternity as it did when I was 20.  There is a finite end and I want to spend that time enjoying my life, not dreading it.  So I will look back with pride and forward with hope and keep moving in the only direction I can.  Ahead.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Open House SNAFU

At the last minute, we decided to cancel the open house because of all the ice.   The realtor informed us that one couple who looked at our house wanted to look at it again and were planning to come to the open house.  He made arrangements to meet them and their realtor at our house so we wouldn’t lose them.   He was afraid they would look at other houses and move on.   They came and looked again, looked at other houses anyway, and still haven’t made up their minds.  In the meantime, someone else came by while the realtor was here and still another person later on who I e-mailed about the open house and couldn’t understand why there was no open house.  Are you still with me?   Next open house rescheduled for Sunday.   Someone.  Please.  Make an offer.  And stop the madness.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Winter Weary, Cold and Bleary

Snow, sleet, freezing rain, black ice, bags of salt, shovels, ice choppers.  Constant clearing of driveways, stairs and cars.  Gutters dammed with ice.  This has been the month of January and so far, February.   We are having another open house tomorrow.  The realtor is coming in early to do some staging.  We have to vacate for four hours.   Someone has looked at our house every week throughout the winter.  Some sellers in our area have given up and pulled their homes off the market.  Just too much work keeping everything show ready and safe for walking.   According to my realtor, other sellers don’t even seem to care if clients trudge through snow and ice to see their beautiful homes.  Isn’t that a hoot?  Welcome.  Watch your step.  In case you were wondering, not a chance this is my home.

 

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Angriness

Frustration and aggravation.   The past few days have been nothing but, with a few brief respites in between.   The realtor e-mailed me that the people who gave us five minutes notice to look at our house thought the asking price should be about $10,000 less.   They were comparing our house to one in a different neighborhood much further west and not as conveniently located.  Whatever happened to location, location, location?  Then go live somewhere else.  I e-mailed him back.   Let them make an offer.   But no.   The line of thinking is if you lower your price you will be offered even less and more in line with a $20,000 reduction.   In so many words, the realtor said our price should be lower to begin with.   I am sick and tired of being sliced and diced and pared down to minimum proportions.   All they want is their commission and to unload you.  Well, guess what?  I, too, am looking forward to the day when I can say sayonara to Mr. Realtor.   
I have had it with everyone wanting us to lower our price.  We already lowered it again.  Enough. What they really want is to get this house (or any house) for a song.  We do not want to play that tune.  If you GIVE your house away, SOMEBODY will take it.  I am about to pop a cork (literally and figuratively) and pour a stiff one.