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October 19th, 2011 at 06:49 pm
I have completely paid off the dental bill as of...well however long it takes ing to pay a bill once you tell it to do so...
Which is cool, sadly the CC will not be paid off this week. Most but not all. Prolly in two weeks. Not sure because I am not the one who pays it, I could be, but every time he shows me the info I forget.
Bad news for the week. I went camping with my daughters sleeping bag, it sucked, she needs a 20 degree or even a zero. a 40 degree bag means you wont die in 40 degree weather, since we camp down to 30 ish we really need to be a bit warmer when we sleep.
So birthday present for my younger son, Birthday party for both him and his sister, sleeping bags for the two of them, and.....tennis shoes for my oldest son. He keeps ruining his shoes. Not cheap, and this is why the CC will wait another two weeks.
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October 14th, 2011 at 05:39 pm
While I frequently counsel my kids, friends and anyone else who wants to listen, that counting chickens is best done after they hatch (actually after they mature and manage not to die of diseases...)
I still like to waste a bit of time dreaming about my 'chickens'. That being a metaphor for money that may or may not ever appear.
So here it is, Of course 'regular bills' need paid first, and right now they are, debt needs gone (looks like end of Oct), and the EF needs restored....
but then....after we take care of real health insurance, like for the whole family. Then we want real retirement savings, Not sure how much that would be, but more than current.
And THEN...my dream of dreams...a maid.
I am currently putting a maid before a bigger house, what good is more space if I can't spend any time enjoying it because I am constantly vacuuming, mopping and cleaning bathrooms?
I really really hate cleaning, and I hate being in a house that needs cleaned......
Unfortunately with how many folk we have here, and all being way to messy by nature, we would need a daily maid.
After the maid, then yeah, sure a bigger house would be lovely, or an addition to this one? But really I would rather live a bit closer to all the 'stuff' we do.
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October 11th, 2011 at 05:58 pm
I work very hard to keep the initial cost of scouting in both my troop and my pack low.
But I am failing miserably to keep MY costs low. Between the enormous amount of printing, the last minute nuke a dinner, and the constant outflow of food or supplies for den meetings, I am going broke.
Not that we didn't have scouting last two years when I Was broke, just that this year is far better than those. Things are just easier with enough money that I don't have to ask for donations, money to pay for he camping supplies/printouts/food/whatever.
This year the GS is really making it even harder, they have upped the book requirements and made every rank need to do a journey for their badges. I really don't know why they went with such an expensive model. In cubs you can avoid paying anything for a book, all the information is online. We do still buy some, but not nearly as many as the GS is asking for.
Why would you choose to make the program so inaccessible to girls? The point shouldn't be about making money, it should be about helping girls grow strong and responsible.
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October 9th, 2011 at 06:07 pm
Before I got married I held down 3 jobs to pay the bills. (and before that I had two, but lived in my car). I wouldn't call that spoiled. Yet I really in many ways was, what I really wanted I got, every time.
After we got married I worked with kids, he worked with computers money was just fine, not dealt with the smartest way, but it was fine. I have no recollection of the total income, but it covered the bills and left too much for being silly (dinner out every night, really?) Though since I couldn't drive I still packed lunch every day!
Even though we both had jobs, we combined the money and spent it together.
Then when we had kids - I stopped working to take care of them. I haven't really had money to call my own since.
It is our money, if I wasn't here to take care of the kids, he wouldn't be able to go make the money. Conversely if he wasn't out making money I wouldn't be able to stay here. I can't possibly see how we could separate it into 'his' or 'mine'.
Most of the money goes to bills (including debt, and savings), then way too much for the volunteer organizations, and after that a bit of splurging I don't think either of us keeps track but all told we both splurge about the same amounts, though not at the same time. He gets more junky chocolate or pops, I get big stuff less often. When he gets big stuff he waits for the amazing deal, and even then doesn't always take the plunge.
All in all though it averages out, and the basics are all taken care of.
It is our money, it has to be how can we possibly claim to be deeply in love if we are not interested in looking out for the others best interest, monetarily and otherwise.
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October 7th, 2011 at 02:09 pm
So about that windshield...it is awfully hard to pay someone to fix it if they wont come fix it!
First they said they would be here on Monday, then when I didn't answer the phone the figured we weren't here and didn't come. I know I should have been holding the phone close all do to make sure I could answer, but...somehow 5 kids got in the way.
Then when I call them the said it was too late so they would try again today. (my first free day)
Apparently they called again yesterday, of course I didn't answer, I never answer the phone! I was prolly in a meeting anyway. I called them three times this morning - no machine! How do you run a business with no answering machine!
When I finally get a hold of them to confirm they will be coming he tells me he wont get to it till after lunch time. Now I am glad you have a lot of business, but this is starting to get on my nerves!
Monday I had all day to wait, today I HAVE to be back at church at 5:45pm (preferably earlier)
Sheesh buddy, come take my money! (and fix the windshield)
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October 3rd, 2011 at 05:35 pm
Someone commented on an old post of mine from 2007 (not the reading addict one). I was trying to remember what was going on at that time, so I peeked at the rest of my posts that month.
It was a lovely walk down memory lane. The Thanksgiving we were all puky (and wonderful friends brought us food).
I was pregnant, but the rest of the house was sick.
That was also the first Winter I realized we had nearly halved our electric bill. (partly with reducing the temperature, partly with minor changes in curtains and such)
One of the neat things about blogging is the joy of looking back, seeing how far we have come, and how much has stayed the same.
I don't know that I would ever do this if it weren't for a few readers though. Some how keeping a journal or diary just for me never really seemed worth it. Between all the effort involved in spelling things actually using a pencil, and bothering to find the same book I wrote in last week was all just too much work! I know I am lazy.
But you give me an audience, and all of the sudden I am desperate to share! Though in my partial defense, some of my audience is family, and it is sorta the lazy way of keeping up with them....
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September 27th, 2011 at 02:24 pm
Question: "Why are we keeping a bunch of broken chairs?"
Answer: "Because I don't have a welder to fix them."
Really? Because we do not have the means to fix something we must save it? I don't have room for more chairs, I don't exactly have a use for more chairs, and I really can't see why I aught to use up garage space so that I might someday fix these broken chairs!
Now I do save something things, I have a broken skateboard, that the kids use as a balance tester.
We also have several old peanut butter containers, just so the kids can dump and fill. Lots of other spare pieces of wood or whatnot for the kids.
I just can't justify 5 broken chairs.
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September 23rd, 2011 at 06:13 pm
We got a crack in our windshield somewhere in the middle of our unemployment. At first it stayed up, but as it grew it slanted down into the passenger side field of view.
I have grown to barely notice it, but it does stop us from getting inspected.
And nowadays you need to be inspected before you can re-register your plates.
So with all our extra money we have been paying off the debt...not getting the windshield replaced, because it isn't bothering us.
Apparently it bothered the cop that pulled my husband over today.
So I guess we will be replacing the windshield this weekend, and then inspecting the car, and then dealing with the plates, and then dealing with the ticket.
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September 19th, 2011 at 07:33 pm
Now on the one hand google has a ton of information about me, between my browser, calender, my email, my docs, my searches, and my opinions on plus; Google has just about all they need to know about me to create an AI replica.
Which could be a bit scary if they were a government. in fact maybe they are, truth is all that free stuff they do...I need it. My life is infinitely easier due to all of it.
And who cares if they know I am an overworked, underpaid, cranky, opinionated, forgetful, libertarian, poor spelling, homeschooler. Even if they had the tech to make an AI/Android of me with all that information, how could it possibly help them?
How do they make money on me? I never click the ads in my email, or anywhere else (are they anywhere else?) I guess they get information, and that is power in some ways, but I just don't get their business model.
Which is prolly why I am broke, and just slogging along doing other folks work. I have no vision nor understanding of finances beyond money in, money out (preferably less of the latter than the former)
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September 17th, 2011 at 05:04 pm
Apparently we are selling the ipad. Which is fine, I will miss the toy, but really getting money for it is smarter. Though I just might turn around and spend that money on a laptop, or a tablet with flash capabilities.
Really if you are thinking of getting a tablet, don't get an ipad, it really isn't worth the money. Between the fact that google docs doesn't work properly on it, the lack of flash capabilities and the constant fingerprints due to having to type on the screen, it really isn't worth that much money.
Though for free, it is a cute toy. Sniffle sniffle, I will prolly never again have such a cute toy .
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September 13th, 2011 at 05:14 pm
This past weekend we had a scout luncheon. Someone forgot to grab the cups, napkins and plates. So on the way out the door I grabbed what plastic 'stuff' I had around.
Most was re-usable. I rarely use 'paper' for parties, so I rarely have much around. What little disposable I had I packed up, after that I went for the tupperware, and the cheap kiddy decorated plasticish plates and bowls.
We survived, we did run out, but there were around 50 folk present, so I am not to surprised. I was slightly surprised at the lack of complaint when folk were told to use a napkin to hold their hotdogs.
Folk were very understanding.
At the end of the event, I had the plates and bowls rinsed off, stacked them in a bag, brought them home and put them in the dishwasher.
It took maybe 10 minutes between rinsing, loading and unloading all together. I am struck wondering why with lovely modern dishwashers we don't use washable plates for more simple events?
Surely we can handle the few minutes to save some trees.
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September 12th, 2011 at 05:40 pm
I have noticed that while most folk are willing to be helpful, only a handful can see the work that needs done and totally step up into it.
I love all the help I get with scouts, I really never turn away help. Though I sometimes have to use brainpower to figure out a volunteers skill set and where it would be best used. At least I try.
I hate being the person in the spotlight when there is work to be done. If I am up front directing events, leading a game, or making announcements, then I am not directing folk to refill food, correcting children who's attention has wandered, or collecting paperwork. Besides, I get all discombobulated and say things all wrong.
My favorite helpers are the ones who see a pile of food and trays and start setting up. Or they see the baby wandering up the stage so they find a teen and assign them the task of entertainment so they can get other work done. Or they see the kid in the back distracting others and they encourage them to listen, or move them to a quieter spot. Or they see the crowd of kids totally not engaged and they organize a game. These folk are so rare, but oh so wonderful. usually it is a different person based on who is really having a good day. No one can be that wonderful all the time .
My second favorite are the ones that will do literally ANYTHING. Hand em a baby they entertain it, hand them a group of 15 girls they organize a game or song, hand them a stack of paper and they alphabetize it, file it and remember where they put it, or pass it out whatever they get it right off the bat. Whatever it is they dig in and get it done. Or even the folk that can handle all but the crowd control, these folk are my right hand at all volunteer events.
Then there are the helpful, but not skilled folk. You point them to food and trays they start asking which food goes on which tray and haven't the experience to know you don't put the drippy watermelon on the same tray as the crackers. Helpful, but needing direction. Generally I find out which tasks they are good at and which to give to others. The parent who is great at clean up but not so good with passing out papers, or great with singing songs, but not good with games. Or the one who can handle boys but not girls and vice versa. I love these folk, especially the ones who keep coming back regardless of how often we come up with a job they aren't good at.
Then there are the rest of the parents. The ones who run and hide when it is time for clean up, or the ones who come late leave early and get annoyed when they have to wait on paperwork, or miss out on events because they didn't hear all the announcements (nor read their facebook, nor email, nor the newsletter we sent home)
In my opinion working in scouts will provide amazing experience for my kids for their future jobs. They know who makes a good worker, they know we are always grateful regardless of what work folk give us, and they know in the end, we have to do all the work, with or without help. We always have to have a smile on, always have to 'make do' no matter how many things go wrong.
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September 9th, 2011 at 07:56 pm
I thought I was being smart. I have lots of things I need to do floating around, but I generally remember them while I am drifting off to sleep, or in a car, or worse elbow deep in dirty diapers, dishes, and dimples.
So I took to the habit of writing a cute little note on my nifty smart phone. Once or twice it worked, I would sit down at naptime to deal with computer work, and check my phone.
More often than not, I would skip the phone, do everything I had in my inbox, or remembered while doing the inbox work. Then close the computer feeling all accomplished and head off to other more fun, less time affected chores. Like baking, or crafting with the kids.
Only to remember, after we have begun our fun, and messed up the house, the REST of the the TODO list. It is still sitting there patiently waiting on my phone.
sigh.
I have finally hit upon a solution, I email myself from my phone (ain't that fancy) so I still use the phone, and I have the todo list when I turn my computer on each day.
Only one problem...forcing myself to actually DO the items on my list!
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September 8th, 2011 at 05:07 pm
This year I took on the task of getting shirts for my cub scouts and girl scouts. Previously I left the task to others, and well we don't have any shirts.
Anyway I solicited contact information, received 2 business recommendations, and one volunteer to take over for the GS.
The GS volunteer found a perfect company, managed to get a quote and started the ball rolling. We are now waiting on having the kids drawing be 'vector-ized'. for screen printing. I am so excited, and I barely had to do anything.
For the Cubs I debated on just using the same company, but thought it best to get alternate quotes. I sent off emails to the two recommended sites, and the company working with the GS.
Only the one company responded. I guess the other folk don't want our business? Admittedly I was looking at about 2 dozen shirts (since expanded to 3 dozen) But still, a few dozen shirts is more than none, and being scouts we tend to have fairly standard requests, not like I wanted something hard to do.
Ah well, We should have shirts for both groups by the end of the year, I hope to use them as early rewards for participating in the fall sales. (magazines for girls, and popcorn for boys)
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September 7th, 2011 at 05:22 pm
Every year I try to turn the AC off about Labor Day. We turn it on for July 4th, and off for Labor day.
Generally we have had pleasant weather for Labor day and find it not to hard to do without the AC. Of course several days before the heat comes on (Thanksgiving is the goal) We find ourselves wishing for cooler weather, but mostly September isn't too bad.
This year Labor day weekend was rainy, and hot. two things that do not make folk comfortable .
Part of me wanted to 'be a little crazy' and leave the AC on, but I figured if I gave in a little I would prolly keep on giving and at some point that money has to go somewhere far more useful than comfort.
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September 6th, 2011 at 09:54 am
One of the greatest things about being a homeschooler is the time. We have SO much more time than school kids which we can use to sleep in, laze around, get chores done, or take field trips.
I love the extra time I have over the schooled kids (I work with a lot of them through scouts, so I really get to know their time crunch problems)
Now you might not think I have any time if you looked at my schedule, because I have filled ALL the time! But I get to fill it my way, with some wonderful opportunities, education, some cleaning (blah) and lots of cuddling time.
The hardest part is the field trips. Their are so many wonderful opportunities here that we have trouble deciding which ones we want to test out. And worst of all, you have to pay for most of them. Or at the least have to drag the husband along, which takes time away from work. (I don't drive)
It was actually easier with no income, we just had to say no to just about everything. Now......well which ones are worth the money (and time)? Is it really worth delaying building the EF by another $20 (with this many kids most places are at least $20) Do we really need to go with the group now to get the discount?
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September 5th, 2011 at 06:44 pm
Yesterday we happened to be at Ikea, and we happened to find out that kids eat free, and we happened to grab some food for ourselves, and we happened to stop by and see a couple little items we kinda had been putting off acquiring for a long time.
So we kinda spent about $30.
Only a little crazy right?
We did not get the big black table that would be almost perfect. Nor did we get the scratched black cabinet that would match our living room perfectly.
Only part I am cranky about is not finding some kind of small hanging basket to put in my pantry to use the wasted wall space. I really need a smidgen more room in there. Well actually I need a TON more room, but I see a way to use a smidgen doing something like this:
http://pinterest.com/pin/128278020/
BTW speaking of pinterest, what a great site to keep track of things I need to try, things I want, and waste hours looking at other folks crafty things!
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September 2nd, 2011 at 06:20 pm
Not that we can do a thing with it...Payment is pending in the bank. So we have money, we can see it, we can almost taste it!
But we can't really spend it.
Though thanks to Ings bill pay set up we can arrange payment for a future date after the the 'pending' period.
I love the ease of electronic bill pay. I am far to lazy for stamps, envelopes and writing with a pen -ugh!
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September 1st, 2011 at 05:21 pm
So now that we have this new job, we have money. Of course I mentioned that reasonable amount of debt we have to take care of.
Well it is hard to not spend the money we have. I mean it is there and we have been so 'good' for so long....
Shouldn't we have a reward?
But the smart thing to do would be to stay smart, and pay off all the debt ASAP. and then keep being smart and save up.
First the debt
Then the EF
Then ??? maybe then we get to be a little crazy?
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August 31st, 2011 at 05:30 pm
I got tired of guessing which bills were coming out of the bank on which week, so I put them all on the calender.
And of course having about a billion other things on there, I needed a new color for them.
I picked yellow, figured it was a 'important' color, but not a 'stop' nor a 'go'. So slow down take a look and proceed with caution seemed appropriate.
Now when I want to know if there will be money coming in before it has to go out, I can click the 'bills' tab on my google calender.
I love my google calender.
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August 30th, 2011 at 05:11 pm
Well, we survived the unemployment. Actually quite well. For the most part unemployment paid the bills. We took on a few odd jobs, received several gifts from anonymous (a real sweetheart). And ended up with a small CC bill, plus a small interest free dental bill.
Both should be paid by the end of September.
Sadly we have no savings left, hope to have that back by the end of December.
The new job pays better than the old, though it is only guaranteed through November. If it gets renewed it should be for another year.
All 5 kids are doing well, still homeschooled, and still as frustrating and adorable as always
You can check up on them at my homeschooling type blog.
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January 27th, 2011 at 06:56 pm
I finally logged on to pay some bills, I think I managed to get them all.
Not a pretty sight, but at least it is done.
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January 25th, 2011 at 08:09 pm
Well, I can tell you why folk avoid finances...it is annoying, frustrating, scary, boring, and quite frankly painful.
Looking at a bank balance that just keeps going down in depressing. Not knowing if it will every go up is sad.
Having to shuffle finances to pay bills is a royal PIA.
Even though so far all are paid, truthfully I would rather live in a dream world of what to do 'if I win the lottery' than have to face the real life...just barely getting by.
I aught to be happy we are getting by. I aught to be really greatful for all the skills I have learned (many from this site) to help us 'get by'. But really I am cranky again.
I am cranky because I have no time, I am cranky because I really am starting to hate my 'job' that I don't get paid for (I volunteer for both GS and CS, and a few other mini positions) And I am cranky because I would like a 'magic pill'. Both for finances and for my weight (which I haven't lost from the most recent baby)
I am however very happy about my other unpaid jobs (homeschooling, mother and housekeeper...no wait I hate that last one too) And I love my kids, I just wish I had more time for them and a clean house. Oh and all that scout crap done.
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January 12th, 2011 at 05:42 pm
Last week I finally went back and looked at the coupon sites. Turns out it was the perfect time to try using them better, Super doubles at HT. That means they double coupons up to 150 I think.
I made a list with some good deals, a couple free items, and husband headed out to pick up some stuff.
We didn't have any old papers, but we still managed a few free items to donate, a few cheap items as treats for us, and nope. Nothing important was cheap or free. Though blue berries were on sale.
This is why I get discouraged doing the 'coupon thing' Whole wheat, no HFCS and just plain fruit/veggies are so rarely on sale. (no canned, those don't count).
Ah well, It does feel good to have items to donate again without breaking the budget.
Income is still steady, nothing interesting in the works, and we still have too much savings to qualify for most state food/medical help.
EF is slowly being whittled down though
Is that a good thing or bad? If it disappears and we qualify (if we apply) for the free help, it would be like getting a raise...but a raise with a 'price'. I do not welcome the govt into my house.
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December 11th, 2010 at 06:51 pm
I just read of a very interesting challenge idea
Text is 100 in 100 and Link is http://love2learn2day.blogspot.com/2010/12/can-you-get-rid-of-100-items.html 100 in 100
I think it would be a great way to purposefully downsize. Once you get past de-cluttering all the junk that tends to pile up, you need something to get you past the hump and back into downsizing. 100 items donated or sold for donations might be a cool way to do it.
Not that I am past the junk phase right now. I was at one point, then I stopped de-cluttering once the easy pickings were gone.
I have been trying to move back in the phase of de-cluttering again. And I fear that point.
Or if money doesn't pick up I might sell and keep the profit....
sorry if that isn't very nice, but the EF is nearly gone and no job in sight.
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December 10th, 2010 at 06:36 pm
I discovered as a teen that I am a spoiled person. No my parents didn't really spoil me, they never had enough money to do so. And my life hasn't always been easy.
But in general, I get what I want, or else I want what I get.
Somehow I learned not only to be grateful for what I have, but to not pine over what I don't have. (much). Which lead to me giving the attitude of spoiled brat as a teen on occasion. After all what kind of person always gets what they want? A brat. So I must be one (and in truth at times I could/can be one)
A typical teen lament is over getting cash from their parents to pay for some event or item. I never really had a complaint. Not that my parents gave me money. I never really thought they should.
Another is over asking parents for some fancy item for Christmas. In general I got what I asked for, though I only asked for things I thought were in the price range they could afford, and I kept my request to one or two items. (though I was known to tell them to replace one item with another...I distinctly recall several major moral dilemmas over if that constituted asking for a third item since I knew Mom would try to fill any want she knew of)
Occasionally a want would arise that didn't seem to eb being fulfilled. Usually sooner or later the item would fall in my lap. Sometimes literally.
I still find that sort of situation. While friends lament lack of cash for things. I find clothes fall in my lap (recently in a bag of girl clothes - which I don't need - I found 3 pairs of pants for my son, who really needs them).
I wanted a few interesting books, one of which my mother found and asked offhandedly if I wanted.
I needed a gift for a 'Dirty Santa' exchange, I found the one and only item in our house that wasn't passed on to the goodwill soon as I realized it wouldn't be used. And traded it for the perfect gift for the next Secret Santa thing. (my husband hangs on to things forever, I generally feel if I don't want it today, someone else will benefit sooner by my not holding it)
I have so much 'stuff' and so many odd things just work out perfectly I really do feel pining away after things is a big old waste of time, and counterproductive.
Oh I have my moments, I still would love a bigger house, and wouldn't it be nice if my husband had a nice well paying job? And I really could use a maid....
but in general I am very happy with what we have, and I am certain that anything we really need will pop up sooner or later, generally right after I have gotten used to doing without.
As a young teen I found this prayer on a card or coin or something......
God grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change (including what I do or do not have)
The courage to change the things I can
and the Wisdom to know the difference.
It really spoke to me then, and continues to do so.
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December 9th, 2010 at 08:30 pm
So in light of our lack of money we have been doing some smart things.
One is to look for more homemade presents for Christmas. We always did something simple for the various teachers and scout helpers. But this year we are also trying to make homemade items for the kids and for the extended family when possible.
It isn't really easy. I am terrible at gift giving, so having to not only think of something, but think of something simple enough for the kids to make is really really hard.
So far we are looking into making a flannel play set for EL, and a leather case for a scrapbook and pencils for JC.
Many folk will be getting beaded 'charms' (hanging things for backpacks or whatnot. Some will get ornaments, others simple embroidery.
Sometimes that is a perfect fit, like the music teacher who will get an embroidered ornament with a xylophone on it. For others it will be a generic Christmas thing. Not sure if they will like it, but it will be a token of our gratitude. I figure most of the folk working with kids will like it.
Most local folk will also get fudge. (I have been told it is the highlight of Christmas for some folk, though two don't like it and wont get any. I have been tweaking the basic recipe for years, and folk never seem to complain.
Extended family is hard. Grandparents usually like homemade kid stuff, but... nothing particularly perfect comes to mind, and cousins certainly wont appreciate it. Which is why we wont be going %100 homemade.
With only a few short weeks till Christmas we have no ideas for the boys. I would like to have something homemade for them like the older girls will be getting.
I keep debating with myself about if the baby really needs anything. She wont notice not getting anything, and she certainly doesn't need anything. But the older kids will notice.
We will still do stockings with basis for all, some playdough, toothbrush, animal crackers, and I might do fruit or nuts, maybe a small toy.
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November 30th, 2010 at 02:46 am
Mostly by virtue of not being here we made it with no heat all the way to last night.
We came in about 2am from our trip to PA and found the house 55 degrees.
Part of me is thinking we were idiots to not test the heat out before then, what if it didn't work and we were stuck with no place warm after a 9 hour drive?
Part of me was pretty pleased we made it so long with no heat, will be nice when I get the bill next month.
Also I was very lad that when my husband turned it on he set it at 62. Which for him is great.
I am finally debating a programmable thermostat. If we could go a few degrees cooler in the middle of th night, say midnight to 5am, we prolly wouldn't even notice. Though I am not sure my husband would want to try.
If a kid should happen to wake up and need diaper/potty help it is already cold enough to have to get out of bed without letting it be 2 or 4 degrees less. So that might have to wait till all the kids sleep through the night (which means we hae to stop having more)
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November 17th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
My mother sent us her old net book that was crashed, she said if we fixed it we could keep it.
We fixed it. Ok so my husband fixed it, I just heard the daily updates.
I am not knocking my mothers generosity, it is a cool toy but....
It is just a very expensive toy. With the amount of memory and hard drive space, and especially with the type of hard drive. It really only runs a few simple kid games. (Starfall.com type online options and we barely managed to fit times attack on there)
The size of the keyboard means even my 8 year old son couldn't really use it for typing practice. Though it does make it perfect for the 5 year old and only marginally small for the 7 year old (with small hands - she is kinda petite considering her 6 ft tall parents)
No heat still, and the windows are open, so not really an achievement of mine.
We had coupons for free kids meals, with 5 kids that takes a sizable chunk out of our meal cost. Since we had a few birthdays to celebrate we thought we should take the plunge. Unfortunately with two hungry adults still add up to a pricey meal (least for unemployed folk) And no I am not sitting in a restaurant with 5 kids and not eating.
Speaking of unemployed, yep we still are. UI wont run out for a good long while, but dental bills are eating into our EF.
And as to why I'm not on here. Partly due to keeping up with education blogging, which is kinda more my life. And partly because it is embarrassing. Here it is finance, and my finances suck, and are not looking up. Both due to things I cannot change, lack of husbands job. And due to things I don't feel like changing -spending any less.
I got comfy in the level we spent, and I cut it a bit to make it all fit in UI, but...I really don't want to go back to the drastic measures I had to make a few short years ago. And yet if no new job comes before the EF runs out. OR if any other big reason to need the EF happens...I will only blame myself.
So not interested in change, and full knowing it is stupid to keep spending all the UI (which is essentially living paycheck to paycheck) I hesitate to come to a place full of smart people who might tell me I am being an idiot. (though you folk would never be so rude about it)
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November 4th, 2010 at 05:05 pm
It is now Nov 4th and we still haven't turned on the heat. I think that is a record? but not sure as I have a terrible memory.
I would like to make it as close to Thanksgiving as possible. I'll settle for after Veterans day.
Mostly it is kinda easy here in NC, mid day is plenty warm, and night time is snuggled under blankets, it is early morning that is getting uncomfortable.
Time to fire up the kettle and make some hot tea in the AM to wake up too!
hmm wonder if I made some before bed and put it in my super thermos thing it would still be hot in the AM? I think I will have to check tonight!
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