Reflections of My Life

Since January, I have really put a dent in my debt. Half of my SS check was going for that. I did not want to have any late payments ever and I have not. Never did. The thing that was causing me to not get it down much was Amazon and Walmart (online). I took my credit cards off those sites for good. Now I only use my debit card when buying on either site. If there is something I want to buy I put it in my budget which I write out by hand every month. If it is more money than I can afford, I put part of it in the budget every month (and do not touch it!) until I have the total cost of it.

I am writing out the April budget sheet today. By September I will have paid off another card and also have more than $600 put away for my emergency fund. I have never been able to do this before. The key was to stop using the cards over and over. "Snowballing" the payments on the debt has been a positive experience for me.

Once these debt bills are paid off, it will be like my income has doubled. I have been paying more to them than my living expenses. Not ever doing this again.
 

I had another quiet day. Walked with my friend this morning. 9 laps. I didn't feel like doing it because my knee really hurt but I forced myself. After I got started, it seemed like the pain let up. I did not do laundry as I planned because I needed to keep my feet up as much as possible. So did not make my preps either (chaffles, mayo, coleslaw). Need to do them tomorrow. My friend from upstairs stopped in for awhile too. Other than that, pretty quiet except for my music.
 
I hate those YouTube shorts. If there was a way to make it so they did not come up in my feed I would. I rarely click on one on purpose and watch it. Google created those to compete with TikTok. Well, I have never gone to TikTok on purpose. Sometimes I will accidentally have one pop up on fakebook. Sonny shares those and I think he watches TikTok videos from his friend's pages and because he can see them and not have to write anything. He is struggling staying on fb because of his eye problems.

Rabbit tries to make me feed him bananas or berries by not eating his spring mix when I give it to him. I have learned to just walk away and go back to what I am doing. After a few minutes he will start eating it. Fruit is a treat but he wants it all the time. Now that he is officially old at 9 years old, I wonder if I should just give in more often than I do?

Today I have to do laundry. I have decided that I do not want my aide doing it. I am particular about it though I have started drying most of it in the dryer. The reason being that the damp laundry hanging in the bathroom was making my apartment cold at night. Saturday or Sunday is usually a good day to do laundry because nobody else is doing it. Laundry room is empty. Just the way I like it.
 

I went through my YouTube subscriptions and unsubscribed from a bunch of them. Sometimes I watch a video, mostly decorating studio apartments or keto ones, and will like the content on it. So I subscribe and then not another one of their videos appeals to me. I forget about them and just have them coming up in my feed. Some keto ones are just a lot of talking. Offering encouragement to others or people who are new. I don't need to watch those.

Today my aide will be here and I will have to sit with my feet up most of the day. I feel lazy when I see her doing all that cleaning and I am just sitting, watching her. But I guess that is why I have her. So will color while she is here. Today is one of those days when I do not have much work for her to do. This is a small apartment and I keep it clean. It is just when I can't do something, like mopping the floors for a number of weeks that it builds up. My insurance supplement wants me to have her up to 15 hours a week so I will keep her here as long as she wants to be here.
 
Good morning Kat 😁. Happy Spring! I am in a very good mood this morning because I slept all night. I have insomnia and haven't slept much lately, but last night I went to bed at 7:00 and slept for ten hours. Up multiple times to use the bathroom but fell right back to sleep after.
I'm so happy that the aide is working out! And she's lucky to have a gem like you.
Wow, I can relate to the money/budget situation. I'm about to mail out the next to the last payment on one credit card, and then 3 more on another card, and I agree, the snowball plan works! It's taken me a long time to get used to not over-spending, and I needed some things when I moved back out here, it couldn't be helped. So congrats to us both!
 
CathyHorn said:
Good morning Kat 😁. Happy Spring! I am in a very good mood this morning because I slept all night. I have insomnia and haven't slept much lately, but last night I went to bed at 7:00 and slept for ten hours. Up multiple times to use the bathroom but fell right back to sleep after.
I'm so happy that the aide is working out! And she's lucky to have a gem like you.
Wow, I can relate to the money/budget situation. I'm about to mail out the next to the last payment on one credit card, and then 3 more on another card, and I agree, the snowball plan works! It's taken me a long time to get used to not over-spending, and I needed some things when I moved back out here, it couldn't be helped. So congrats to us both!
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Yes, congrats to both of us! It has been a monkey on my back for way too many years. Dave Ramsey has made such a difference in my getting out of debt. I wish I had discovered him sooner.
 
This is the first day in a long time that I awoke with not much pain. My shoulder has been killing me and it affected my neck and back. I have been babying myself and must be it is paying off.

We are not walking this morning because my friend had to go somewhere early with her husband. Maybe later on today. Instead I started my food preps in the kitchen.
 
Well, I spoke too soon.....my friend was knocking on my door at our usual walking time. They went to the doctor appointment for her husband and then out for breakfast. And she was back at the time we usually walk.........so we did! Nine laps this morning.

Then I made my food preps.........coleslaw, Black Licorice & Amaretto Keto Chow for ice cream, ice tea. My aide came while I was making the cornbread flavored chaffles and she found that very interesting since I use the mini waffle maker for them. After she left I ground the coffee beans (I know I should not do it in advance but it is more convenient for me this way), washed all the dishes I had used to make all this stuff, cleaned the bunny cage and now making my supper.

I do hurt a bit now, but that is because I did so much. Standing in the kitchen affects me, but none of these jobs were ones I would want anyone else do for me. I am particular about certain things. Laundry, cooking & washing dishes.........oh yeah, Rabbit's cage too, are all jobs I have to do myself. I do not like anyone making changes in these jobs.

I told my friend that I walk with that I am going to take the bus to Walmart as soon as the weather really warms up a bit. Just to test myself and see that I can do it. She spoke up quickly that she wants to go with me. It will be more fun doing it with someone else. Probably for her too since she never goes anywhere without her husband. So I am looking forward to this.
 
katlupe said:
Well, I spoke too soon.....my friend was knocking on my door at our usual walking time. They went to the doctor appointment for her husband and then out for breakfast. And she was back at the time we usually walk.........so we did! Nine laps this morning.

Then I made my food preps.........coleslaw, Black Licorice & Amaretto Keto Chow for ice cream, ice tea. My aide came while I was making the cornbread flavored chaffles and she found that very interesting since I use the mini waffle maker for them. After she left I ground the coffee beans (I know I should not do it in advance but it is more convenient for me this way), washed all the dishes I had used to make all this stuff, cleaned the bunny cage and now making my supper.

I do hurt a bit now, but that is because I did so much. Standing in the kitchen affects me, but none of these jobs were ones I would want anyone else do for me. I am particular about certain things. Laundry, cooking & washing dishes.........oh yeah, Rabbit's cage too, are all jobs I have to do myself. I do not like anyone making changes in these jobs.

I told my friend that I walk with that I am going to take the bus to Walmart as soon as the weather really warms up a bit. Just to test myself and see that I can do it. She spoke up quickly that she wants to go with me. It will be more fun doing it with someone else. Probably for her too since she never goes anywhere without her husband. So I am looking forward to this.
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Do you have a little pull along cart on wheels to bring home your purchases? I did not have one but got one second hand. On the occasions when the car was in the shop I used my grandson's little red wagon. I pulled it into the store and left it at customer service. They loaded up my bags and I pulled it home. Worked out great.
 
It seems Rabbit has you figured out! ;)
Ghia chews up her rose branches like candy canes. It is amazing how fast she can make them totally disappear, thorns and all. Tomorrow she needs a nails clipped which she doesn't like but does tolerate well.
Pain also wakes me up often so you aren't alone.
 
Blessed said:
Do you have a little pull along cart on wheels to bring home your purchases? I did not have one but got one second hand. On the occasions when the car was in the shop I used my grandson's little red wagon. I pulled it into the store and left it at customer service. They loaded up my bags and I pulled it home. Worked out great.
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I would not be able to take it on a bus or pull it while using my walker. I can put about 4 shopping bags on my walker at one time. Sometimes I can even carry an extra one if it is light. I have one of those grocery shopping carts (not the store kind) and lots of people here use those but I can't because I need the walker too. So the walker will do for me.
 
My aide said that when she was given the assignment of being my aide and it said 15 hours a week she figured I needed a lot of personal care. She has another lady that is 10 hours and she cannot do much of anything. I don't know why they said I need 15 hours but that is what they did. Yesterday, I was better off than her because she is diabetic and appears to have stiffness when she gets up from the chair. I told her about the Fidelis Care telling me that I have to accept the aide in order for them to pay for the dental and vision services. So I find stuff for her to do. It is like having a friend spend the day with you.
 
hawkdon said:
Katlupe, I saw this in news story and thought of you and
others who follow keto diets, so posting just for info...
https://www.mycouriertribune.com/ne...cle_e3e220e8-1d0f-5af5-a841-d2c0b0555c43.html
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They are always putting out articles like that. Trying to prove it is bad for you and use those scare tactics. Calling it a keto craze trying to make it sound like a fad diet. Which it is not. In fact, it has been researched and many doctors are in favor of it now but say they can't or they will lose their license or insurance. Just like they did with Dr. Atkins when he first came out with low carbs.

If you did real research, you would see what the food industry did to fool the public into eating sugar and processed cereals and bread. And the government went right along with it. That is why in hospitals, prisons, schools, nursing homes, food pantries they give you standard American diet foods. I belong to a few keto groups and can't begin to tell you how many people have reversed diabetes and heart disease. Many other diseases also. Lately they are finding it helps control Lymphedema, which is what I have. It is being found to work with almost all brain conditions. The thing is keto is about food. Your food controls your health. Doesn't that make sense?

Watch Dr. Berry and the doctors he interviews on his channel.

 
This morning I did not have a good banana for Rabbit. The piece that was left in the banana bag in the refrigerator was soft, mushy and browning. I was desperate so I put a piece of it in his dish and gave it to him to see if he would eat it. He ate it as super speed! Like he loved it couldn't eat it fast enough. So I gave him the rest of the piece. Now I know he will eat them like that. Whether it is good for him or not I don't know.

Sonny and I have hair appointments this Friday. So I can go to the store then. But as always happens, Rabbit is out of his spring mix and bananas. Always a few days before Sonny is going to come up. I might take a walk to the nearby drug store (sells food too) and see if they have at least romaine lettuce. I know they have bananas. Romaine lettuce is not a good choice but better than iceberg. Cannot feed iceberg to rabbits. Everyone says it will kill them, but no, it doesn't kill them. Rabbit has eaten it in the past when I didn't know. No nutrition to speak of in iceberg and that is why people don't like it anymore. When I was a kid living at home we had salad every night and iceberg was the lettuce my mother bought.

Transportation is the hardest thing to deal with when you cannot walk good anymore. I can walk short distances with the walker. I do not know if I could walk to the Grand Union and back with my walker. Using "Jazzy" gave me my independence. Now I really need to find a way to get those casters put on. I have them because Sonny bought them for me. But now he has these health issues and I don't think he can work on it. He has to get down on the floor to do it and I doubt he can. So I will see what I can do about this.
 
After my morning walk and breakfast, my aide came. She said she checked all her paperwork and it did not say she could not take me in her car. So she took me to Walmart! I was so happy to be able to do this. I wanted to do my own shopping even though I had a small list. I picked up some stuff for Jeff too.

I had amaretto keto ice cream after she left. Now I am making taco hamburger meat for supper. Waiting for Jeff to come pick up the food I bought him (with his money). It was a really nice day. I had my window open and the breeze was pretty warm. I am thankful to have Rabbit's food for him now. I was hoping I would not have to use Instacart. Like I said earlier, I am low on money right now and that would be grocery money and a tip and small delivery fee ($2.00).
 
katlupe said:
After my morning walk and breakfast, my aide came. She said she checked all her paperwork and it did not say she could not take me in her car. So she took me to Walmart! I was so happy to be able to do this. I wanted to do my own shopping even though I had a small list. I picked up some stuff for Jeff too.

I had amaretto keto ice cream after she left. Now I am making taco hamburger meat for supper. Waiting for Jeff to come pick up the food I bought him (with his money). It was a really nice day. I had my window open and the breeze was pretty warm. I am thankful to have Rabbit's food for him now. I was hoping I would not have to use Instacart. Like I said earlier, I am low on money right now and that would be grocery money and a tip and small delivery fee ($2.00).
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that's great news that the aide was able to take you shopping. and of course it meant you didn't have to carry it back.. fabulous!
 

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