Grrrrrr!

I Have spent a good part of this day on the phone with the internet banking people. My bank changed to a completely new system, which I could not log on to and when I finally got that taken care of, I tried to pay bills. All my payees are GONE! The whole thing has to be re-entered and the program won't let me do it!!! I don't think I know how to pay bills without just pushing a few buttons on the computer. This has to be ironed out soon!!

I got a Centerpoint (gas for the house) bill of $287......WTF! That's unreal! I immediately turned off the gas fireplace!! In the long run, I will benefit from high natural gas prices because my mom and dad have part ownership in 15 wells, but right now that is a steep price. I have NO ownership in those wells although my parents are very generous. I just needed a WARNING that the bill would increase so much. Last month it was $90, so I have just been really enjoying the gas flowing through the remote contolled fireplace. Several nights I left it on all night.....NO MORE!

Starting the garden!

Tonight is supposed to be 19 degrees, the coldest night of the year so far. Earlier this week, Dad bought one of those seed starter domes and gave it to me along with some watermelon seeds for me to plant in it and get us some plants started. I did that today and planted some cucumber seeds as well just because I love cucumbers and want to have them as early as possible. I put the dome on and put it in the garage, but realizing how cold it is going to be tonight (even in an enclosed garage) I put a heating pad under a towel and set the planter on it. The seeds won't germinate unless they are warm. I hope I don't fry them!!!

Mission Semi-Accomplished

Queen Elizabeth
Mister Lincoln
Angel Face
Sunsprite
Well, I at least got them bought. It's too freakin' cold to plant them. I froze just looking at them in the Garden Center.

WooHoo!

Finding a dentist was the last thing on my list to do, but today I went to a new dentist and I think I'll keep him. I had my dentist in Texas for 30 years, so it's hard to change. The new doc did all the preliminary inspections and x-rays and said I have none of the age related maladies that are usually occurring by now...no gum disease and the bones of a teenager!! I have had a broken tooth for over a year, but it will get crowned on Monday to the tune of $600. A distant cousin is his hygienist and she did a good job of cleaning my teeth. I guess there just never comes a time that there isn't something or someone demanding my money!!! It's always something!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Earth moved!

Under my house, that is! I have a hairline break in the tile across my dining area. No one can see it but me. My brother came last night to look at it and we found the crack in the concrete in the garage that just comes right through the dining room. I thought that since the ground is hard red clay, the house would be stable. My brother said that is the worst kind for foundations because the clay shrinks and swells with moisture. We have had enough rain to get us out of a drought, so the clay has filled with water and cracked my foundation. It may not get any worse. I will just watch it and see what happens. I am so proud of my house that I notice every little imperfection. This one, however, could turn into a major imperfection!!!

No Roses Yet!

I had to go help Mom and Dad get their groceries at Wal Mart today, so my day didn't go as I had planned. I did look at some rose plants at Wal Mart, but didn't buy any yet. When I finally did get a chance to work in the yard, it started raining. My priorities lie with my parents, so whatever their needs are comes first. There's plenty of time to plant roses.

Mission completed....

Well, except the part about buying and planting the roses. The perfect bed awaits them complete with sand for drainage, cow manure mixed with the sand for fertilizer, and very expensive Miracle Gro potting soil. Those flowers better GROW and BLOOM! I have a gift certificate to a nursery that I have kept since my birthday, so I will go there and spend it on roses Monday.

One year ago....

TODAY, I made the huge move from Texas to Louisiana. The transition has been very smooth and I am very happy here. There are days that I just walk around this house saying outloud to myself, "I can't believe this house is mine!" I did nothing today to mark the occasion, but hang around home and enjoy it in my warm flannels. It's been 37 degrees all day. I went to Mom and Dad's yesterday so I could stay home today.

Thank Goodness!!!

The Pentagon finally grew a pair and denied Nancy Pelosi's extravagant request for a huge plane to carry her and her family around. That is a gross misuse of my measly little tax dollars. She knew when she ran for office that travel back and forth between SanFran and D.C. would be necessary. Just because she is now the Speaker, in my opinion, doesn't require a plane with 16 crew members as she was requesting!! PUUUULLLEEEZZE!!!! I DON'T LIKE HER!!!

Finally!

OK..I'm not going to jail and losing my home. My taxes finally got paid on the correct property parcel. Even though they didn't actually get paid on time in 2006, they did get claimed on my income taxes! While I was dealing with my insurance issues yesterday, I asked to be sure my house insurance had been paid. It had....now I can relax for a while, I hope!!! At least until some other mortal screws up!

Mission NOT Accomplished!

All those things I was going to do to my rose bed today didn't happen! However, my income tax got done....not by me...but it got done to my satisfaction. I always do my own, but for some reason, I just couldn't do it this year. It cost me $130 at H&R Block, but I am getting a $300 refund. She asked me if I wanted to do my state taxes as well. Uh! NO! I came here from Texas where there was NO income tax. My broker told me that he didn't think I had to pay state taxes because none of my income is from Louisiana. I asked the lady today about it and she thought that was right, but she was about to ask someone else to know for sure. I asked her to not ask! I like the "don't ask, don't tell" rule!

Mini-rants...

The word is jewel-ry! It is not jew-le-ry! Please get it right. Jew-ry has to do with Jews, so don't say that either!! It's Valentine's and the ad agencies seem to always hire goof balls who don't know how to say the word. If you can't say it right, just call it "BLING"!!!



While I'm at it, DO NOT DRIVE IN THE PASSING LANE (That would be the left lane for you pinheads) on the Interstate or any other four lane road!! That causes ROAD RAGE even in demure, shy, calm little me! SHUT UP!



And it is NOT Wal-Marts.....It is WAL MART! No "s"!!!
I feel better now! Thanks!

INCOMPETENCE IS RAMPANT!

I have ranted about this before, but nothing ruffles my feathers more. I have spent two days trying to straighten out a mistake made by an employee of Farmer's Insurance. I pay my bills using epay from my bank. My last payment in January got credited to some else's account at Farmer's. All the info from my end was correct. When I got my bill yesterday, it showed that I didn't pay last month. I immediately got on line because, yes, that indeed could happen, but it didn't!!! I had to print out the proof that I paid and take it to my local office so they could fax it to the moron's who goofed up!!! It's always something!!!!

Daddy Day

My brother has been gone on vacation for about a week. He goes to Mom and Dad's EVERY morning and has breakfast, so they really miss him when he is gone. Today I went and got Dad and his truck and took him to the bank, then to the car wash, then to Lowe's to get the stuff for me to build my rose bed. I knew he was so tired of sitting at home doing nothing and not getting to see my brother as well. I also knew Mom could use some time alone. I bought brick edgers and have begun my rose bed. I have the landscaping in my head, but I cannot believe how little I can do without having to sit down and rest. Just a couple or 3 months of doing practically nothing and I am dreadfully out of shape. It's OK....I'll just do as much as I can each day, but I am impatient about getting it done. I will have room for about 5 roses and I want them to be the good roses. The stores have them out now ready to buy. I got the edges done today. Tomorrow I will go get sand and put sand in the bottom of the bed, then I will top that with Miracle Gro potting soil, plant the roses, and then put mulch all around them. It will be beautiful!!! I HOPE!

I'm a loser!

Yes, that's right! I lost every drawing in the St. Jude auction, but they raised 756,000 dollars. That is just a miracle for a town this small. One woman had her name pulled on four...count them....four of the prizes. Unbelievable! I hope she went to the boats and played the slots after the auction. Her luck was definitely on!!

A fitting end....

to a sad day! This morning I attended a funeral making sure that Mom and Dad got there and back to their house. Early afternoon I was at a different cemetery at a little ceremony to put a DAR emblem on my cousin's headstone. At five o'clock we went to the local Mardi Gras parade. My cousin and her three grown children were here from Virginia to attend the funeral ( her mother-in-law and their grandmother). We decided we would check out the Mardi Gras parade to try to lift the spirits after this sad day. It worked. We had fun and they will be boarding a plane at 4:30 A.M. to go back to Virginia. It was their dad's mother who died. He was not quite as enthusiastic about a parade as we were. He took the opportunity to have some quiet time before going back to Virginia. If I had just buried my mother, I wouldn't be going to any parade either!!!

St. Jude Auction

My little town is famous for its contributions to St. Jude. There have been lots of children here who have benefited from St. Jude. This weekend they are having an auction with lots of awesome stuff to buy a chance on. I have already bought my $100 ticket for the grand prize of a Denali worth 49,000. Today I bought more chances on more stuff.

• Toro zero turn mower
• $1000 shopping spree from Dillard's
• Club car
• $500 Best Buy gift card
• 1 year golf membership
• $1500 lawncare/irrigation/landscape
• Nordic Track Elliptical
• 4 wheeler Arctic Cat

For a total of $165 I have bought chances on all these things. I'm probably not finished yet. St. Jude is my favorite charity. Last year they raised nearly $700,000, but there was a very sick little boy last year. He didn't make it, but there are others who need help from here.

4 down.....gazillions to go!

Here's the proof....as gross as it may be..it's a fact of my life! This one is definitely not a toddler! I'm tired of wasting my Jif on these detestable creatures.

3 down....? to go!

Yet another toddler with his tail caught in my trap succumbed today. This is totally getting ridiculous. I guess it's fairly obvious that I am obsessed with these damn rodents. I am so afraid they will somehow get inside. I have no idea how, but I know they are resourceful!!