Cleaning And More Cleaning

I am on vacation this whole week while our office is shut down to save money.  Don't worry, I am still employed, at least I think.  I haven't received any serious phone calls from my boss yet.

My Mom and I finished cleaning her 'media' room.  All of the books are back on the shelves.  Now she can see them and weed out the ones she wants to give away or sell.  It was great to get something accomplished.  I even took pictures but I don't have my camera cord and I'm too cheap to send the picture with my camera phone.  

Next I will head over to my sister's house and see if I can help her out.  I'm sure she will find something for me to do.  My Mom is trying to figure out where I could live if I moved here.  There is a small problem with the septic tank location.  I'd have to park my RV on the front lawn!  Of course I could build myself a cabin in the back with a composting toilet.  That's always an option.  I'm having fun thinking of ideas. 

I Miss My Job

Ha ha...just kidding.  The only time I think about my job is when people ask me questions about it.  I have plenty to keep me busy here from watching kids to cleaning and organizing.  It's much easier to organize other people's stuff.  My Mom has a ton of books.  I even found multiple copies of the same book!  I told her about paperback swap online but I don't think she would actually do it.  I could stay here for months and sort books.  Too bad it isn't a paying job.  Soon I will have to go back to my own pile of stuff which is much harder to sort because I am emotionally attached to all of it.  Gee, I wonder where I got that trait from?  The apple definitely doesn't fall far from the tree. :)

Bumpy Flights

So, I got up early and arrived for my flight an hour and a half ahead of time like I was supposed to. I made it through security with my little baggie of liquids and sat down at my gate with my snacks from home. Just as we were about to board they made an announcement that a small private plane had flipped on the runway thus we would have to wait in line for an open space on the other runways. A few minutes later they came back and said that the available runways were shorter so 17 people would have to give up their seats in order for the plane to be light enough for take off. I got in line to get re-booked along with many other people who thought they would probably miss their connecting flights anyway. 10 more minutes passed while the ticket agents tried to re-book people. Of course they were not having any luck finding open seats on the day before a holiday. Then all of a sudden the gate agent came back and said that the runway was clear and we could all get on the plane. We were happy except for some of us who worried about missing our next planes.

When we landed in Salt Lake City at runway door #32, the people who didn't have connecting flights let the rest of us off first so that we could run to our gates. I took off in the direction of my next connection even though I only had 10 minutes and was sure I would never make it in time. I ran around one corner, then another and made it to the gate where everyone was standing around waiting to board. I was happy that I made it and wondered what was delaying this next plane. A few minutes later we were allowed to board and I walked through gate 79 down the hallway to door #32! It was the exact same plane I had just been on! It was nice of them to let me get a little exercise between flights like that. Haha.

The rest of the flight was uneventful and I made it safely to my destination where the weather is almost as hot as Arizona. Everything is a lot greener though.

I hope everyone has a nice 4th of July tomorrow! I'll be hanging out with the family. :)

I Got My 10% Back!

Well, not yet but soon. A company email went out today notifying us that business is picking up and our other branches are going back to 5 day work weeks instead of 4. Plus, starting July 20th, the salaried folks get their full pay again!

That is wonderful news. Of course, I'll have to wait a while until I actually see an increase in my paycheck but I'll be on vacation for the next 10 days so time will go quickly.

After I read that announcement, I saw this article in the paper:
Paychecks shrinking for most who still have jobs Hopefully that won't happen to me again anytime soon.

The first thing I did was to re-adjust my mortgage payoff spreadsheets. Before, I thought I would have to add a month on to my plan because I was close to my maximum payment for the last month, November 2010. Now I am able to chop a month off the end and my last extra payment is only $300 so I have a cushion for unexpected expenses. New payoff date is October 2010. If nothing expensive happens then I might even be able to shave another month off the end. Remember the $400 stimulus money that started appearing in our paychecks in March? I haven't allocated that to any budget category so who knows, it could go toward the mortgage (but more likely it will go to medical bills or car repairs).

All things considered, it was a very good day. Do you think I'll still get a raise in September? Hmm, something tells me this was my raise. Well, it's better than getting laid off.

Considering Internet Providers

I got an email from Verizon today. They are offering a special deal on the new HP mini netbooks.
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$199 after $50 rebate with a 2 year contract.
The HP Mini netbook gives you the connectivity of a laptop with the mobility of a phone. It's easy to carry and fun to use, making it the perfect travel companion—with coverage to over 90% of the U.S. population and in more than 175 destinations worldwide. Take advantage of a special Netbook price when you sign up for a Mobile Broadband Plan—starting at just $39.99 a month!
(Activation fees, taxes and other charges apply.*)
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I do want a portable little netbook like this one but I don't want to switch to Verizon internet right now. Verizon costs $40/m (plus tax and fees). I have Qwest now and it costs me $37/m (including tax and fees). Plus, by combining my Verizon cell phone bill and my Qwest bill I get $5 off. So why would I switch? I don't have time to travel yet although I hope to do that in the near future. Sure I could save $50 on a netbook up front, but signing on to a 2 year Verizon plan would cost me $192! (that's the $8 difference in internet costs for 24 months not including tax and fees. Almost the price of the netbook!) I think I'll wait a little longer. These internet and netbook deals are getting better and better every day. By the time I'm ready to buy they might be giving netbooks away like they do with phones!

Fixing Things Myself

It feels really good when I am able to fix something myself. My garage roof, for example, has been missing a screw for months. Every time the wind blew it would vibrate and make a very loud noise. Of course I didn't notice it unless I was in the garage at the time. After the storm came through yesterday and seeing the metal panel blow wildly in the wind I was determined to fix it.

I came home from work and after changing out of my office clothes, and filling up my front tire with air because it seems to have a slow leak, I got out the ladder and hauled it down to the garage to inspect the damage. I saw one nail lying in the gutter and one screw was missing. I found a similar screw and washer in my tool box and managed to secure my metal panel. Then, since I was up there, I tightened all of the loose screws, hammered the loose nails and reattached the gutter in 2 places. I had to stop when the thunder started but I finished securing all of the obvious loose spots. I feel much better about my garage surviving another monsoon season. Ok, so the inside has been ravaged by termites but the roof won't blow off, at least not this year.

Finally Some Rain

Yea! It rained today. The roads were wet when I got home and my 300 gallon water tank was almost full. Then I thought, the hot tub is empty and the 300 gallon tank is going to overflow soon so obviously I should fill up the hot tub right? Haha. It sounded simpler than it was.

First, I had to clean out the hot tub. I got a sponge and cleaned out as much as I could. Then I started filling it up with water. Unfortunately, the flow from the spigot wasn't fast enough for the water pump and when I took off the spigot the flow was too fast for the pump. That meant I had to babysit it. So, while I was regulating the water flow it started raining again. Then it was pouring. I hid in the garage while I waited for the pump to empty the water bucket. Then I would run out and take the spigot off so the bucket would fill up again. The rain was so loud on the metal roof and there is one metal panel that is loose. Every time I notice that loose panel I am either hauling water for the laundry and it is very hot outside or it is windy and I don't think getting on a ladder is a good idea. This time it was windy with rain, thunder and lightning so there wasn't anything I could do to fix it. Hopefully I will get a chance before I go on my trip. I don't want to come back to find the roof has blown off the garage. While I was standing by the water tank a big fat pack rat came out to investigate. I usually don't see them. He was probably 6-8 inches without his tail. No wonder my rat poison isn't working. I'm not putting nearly enough out to kill a rat that big. He probably wanted to thank me for the nice snacks I've been leaving and for the cushy accommodations in my old car.

It took and hour and a half to fill the hot tub. The extra rain gave me just enough water to fill it up to the top. It stopped raining just in time for a pretty sunset and a rainbow. I added bleach to all of my water tanks and to the hot tub and put the cover back on. If I didn't have to work tomorrow I would test out the hot tub pump to see if it still works. But I have to go sit at a desk all day. That's not nearly as interesting as testing my hot tub. Does filling my hot tub with rainwater make me a redneck? I do live in a trailer. I think I need an old boat and a dog too. I do have an old bathtub in my yard courtesy of the last owners so that gives me extra points. :)

Time For The Kayak To Go

I love my kayak, or maybe I just love the thought of kayaking. I bought it in San Diego when I was visiting one weekend. This was back when I had a better paying job in Yuma, AZ and no lofty retirement goals, just lots of extra cash. I really wanted a small sail boat but I didn't know where I could store a sail boat and trailer. The kayak fit nicely in my RV storage compartment. I used the kayak once when I bought it and then once when I was in Yuma. The Colorado river goes through Yuma so there are a lot of dams and lakes. I didn't have any friends with kayaks so I didn't have anyone to go with. The guys that I worked with were in to fishing in these float tube things. They just floated and fished, not really compatible with a kayak. They said I could go out with them and tow them around but I never did.

There are a few lakes within an hour and a half drive of Tucson but I wouldn't want to go there. Too much drug activity and who knows what else. The lakes in Phoenix are a few hours away. Too far to be practical.


A friend of mine inquired if I still had my kayak and if I was willing to sell it. I have thought about selling it but I haven't because someday I would like to use it. But since he is a friend I decided this was a good time to say good bye. I looked on craig's list to see what a fair price would be and decided it was worth $250. He said that was an acceptable price and now he wants a picture. He lives in a different town and he won't be able to pick it up for 2 weeks. I dragged the kayak out of my back room in the mobile home and took a picture for him. Deciding to sell it and getting it out with all of it's accessories was most of the battle. If he decides that he doesn't want it after all I will still go ahead and sell it. I have already sold it in my mind and I really like the extra space in that back room.

Chores And Scorpions

I woke up this morning ready to tackle my chore list. But then I remembered that my typical routine is to get outside and start working until it gets too hot, I get dehydrated and dizzy and I have to go inside for a cold drink and a nap because I have a headache. I didn't want to do that again so I stayed in the air conditioned RV and cleaned. First I vacuumed, then cleaned the stove top, sinks, and window frames. Then I cleaned out the storage compartment under the stove. I wasn't using that space because it was so dirty. I scrubbed it out and put my mixer, crock pot and waffle maker down there. That's a perfect place for them. I also cleaned out the compartment under the fridge. I had 5 gallons of water in there that I had forgotten plus 2 gallons of distilled water. The containers that were open got emptied on to my plants. Now I just have 2 gallons in there. I haven't figured out what else to store in there yet.


While gathering up my laundry I saw something dart behind my sock drawer. I knew that shape. It was a scorpion! I have never seen a scorpion in my RV. I quickly hunted it down and got rid of it. It was a tiny one. I wonder if it has brothers and sisters in here too. Eek. I hope not. I don't mind them outside but I don't want to share my living space with them. I found a tiny one in my mobile home many years ago. So far my RV has been invaded by ants, spiders, mice and a scorpion. Just like any other house I suppose. I don't put any insecticide around my RV. That wouldn't help with scorpions though since they are not insects. I am really hoping it was an isolated incident.

Recycling TV's

I hate to admit it but I have 5 televisions. 2 are in good working order. One has a tendency to lose it's picture after a while. My 13" got zapped by lightning some years back but I think it still works. And then there is another with wacky color. It works ok in black and white mode. I should really get rid of 3 of them. One for the RV and one for the mobile home is good enough. The others just take up space. Now that I have to have a converter box I can only hook up 2 TV's at a time. I suppose the others would be ok for DVDs but I only have one DVD player.

Anyway, I saw an article in the online paper announcing a recycling event at a downtown park. They are accepting anything with a power cord, free of charge...except TV's. Televisions cost $10 to recycle. I looked at the online comments because I was sure that other people would have something to say about it and sure enough they did. They said that TV's have mercury and other hazardous materials which is why the city charges a fee. Then the commenters started bickering which is typical. But then someone posted a comment that said Best Buy has a recycling program too. Best Buy accepts TV's under 32". They do charge $10 for TV's but they give you a $10 Best Buy gift card in return. That sounds like a much better deal than the city's $10 fee with nothing in return.

What I should do is donate my TV's or freecycle them while they still work. I am not sure the thrift store still accepts TV's. Come to think of it, I haven't noticed any TV's in the thrift store lately. I used to see them all the time. Perhaps they don't want to be stuck paying $10 to get rid of a junk TV. I wouldn't blame them. I already paid plenty of money to unload my renter's junk and it was not fun at all.

Outgrowing My Credit Union

My first checking account was with a local bank. I was quickly introduced to their many fees and basically no benefits except that I thought their checks looked cool. They had sea shells on them. After a few months I joined the credit union where my parents belonged. I am still a member even though it is in a different state. Their member benefits are based on either the amount of money I keep with them or my length of membership. After 20 years I can be a 'premier member'. I thought I joined when I was 17 so I called the bank today to see how long I have been a member. I must be close to that 20 year mark. The woman made me tell her all of my secret info and passwords before she would tell me this top secret information. Then she said I had been a member since 1993. 1993! I couldn't figure out why they said 1993. That wasn't when I joined. It was more like 1989. Then I realised that I turned 21 in 1993. I was probably attached to my parent's accounts until I turned 21.

Well, that is disappointing. I thought I could stay at the credit union fee-free because I was going to be a 20 year member. I still can be fee-free if I have direct deposit or over $5k in my account. The $5k CD I have with them matures in September and their rates are sad. 1.83% for a 1 year CD. I don't want to keep my money there. Ally Bank and Discover Bank both have 1 year CDs for 2.3%. Other than sentimental reasons I can't think of any reason to stay with the credit union. I am sure that the credit union hold no sentimental feelings towards me so when my CD comes out I think I will close out my accounts. It is the end of a 20 year relationship with them. I'll move everything over to Chase. I like that Chase lets me send checks electronically through their on-line bill pay. Chase CD rates are horrible but I will go with an on-line bank for that.

I have a few months to think about it before September but so far I can't think of any benefit in staying with them. They aren't local, their rates are low, and I don't need a loan. Good bye credit union. It is time for me to move on.

Grocery Overload

One day without bread was long enough. I went grocery shopping. I had a list and I stuck to it quite well. The only problem was...I stocked up.

I started off in the fruits and vegetables. This grocery store always has a french bread rack in the fruit section. It looked good so I got one. Then I grabbed some carrots, 5 apples, 5 oranges and a watermelon, all on sale. Next the bread aisle. This is where I started to wander from the list. The bagels were on sale. Bagels freeze well so I got 2, then I grabbed a cinnamon raisin just because. Ok, next a loaf of sandwich bread because I can eat the french bread while it is still fresh and freeze the sandwich bread for later. Next some applesauce, alfredo sauce on sale-got 2, chicken on sale, ice cream because I am out, then over to the milk. I really wanted chocolate milk. It was $3.50 for half a gallon. Regular milk was $1.29 a gallon. I put the chocolate milk back and got a gallon of milk because I already have chocolate syrup at home. What was I thinking? I still have milk in the freezer from the last gallon I couldn't drink! Then, in the dairy section I saw...the day-old bread. I had to look. There is was-Hawaiian Bread for $1.79. I fought off 2 other ladies and scurried away with my prize.

When I got to the check out the cashier said, that's a lot of bread. I think it was the same cashier that commented on the large amount of dog food I bought a week ago. I really should have put the sandwich bread back but it was all the way on the other side of the store and I didn't want to ditch it at the check out. Now I am home and I am trying to figure out how to get all of this bread in to my tiny RV fridge. The bagels are in but the french bread and Hawaiian bread are not going to fit without some creative slicing. I think I should take one of the bagel packages to work with me. I can put them in the fridge and other people can have them too. There is really only one other person at work who would eat them. Then I will have more room in my freezer and I won't have to carry a bagel to work every morning. One of the good things about my job is that they don't care if I toast a bagel in the toaster oven and eat it at my desk. At my last job I had a mini-fridge AND microwave in my office. Now that was really cool.

My total bill came to $70 even and I have enough bread and other food to last well in to July. Now I have to get back to carving up my watermelon for lunch tomorrow. Luckily this one is sweet. It is so disappointing when they aren't.