Reflections of My Life

Today is the day everyone, especially businesses, plan for and look forward to. I did not. It was too much stress and pressure when I had to buy gifts for people. I always felt they were gifts nobody cared about. I find it so much more fun to buy for myself than others. I guess I am not a giving type of person. But if you spend your money on something, it better be something someone appreciates and cares about. My parents bought gifts for each other and us kids when we were growing up. Then it was simple. They were frugal and did not spend money the did not have. We never went without the important things.

I will be alone today. So will my son but he is just down the street. He can come here if he wants to but he lives in a world of ghosts and spirits and he is happy with that. He was here yesterday for food and a lighter. Didn't even know it was Christmas today. I don't know what he does with ghosts all day but he says he talks to them. So I just say okay and tell him I love him. What more can I do? He is almost 53. It used to bother me till I saw all the other people having worse problems with their grown adult children. So he is the way he is and he is happy and not an alcoholic or druggie.
 

It doesn't bother me that it is Christmas Day and my day is like any other day. When I was grocery shopping at Walmart I saw people Christmas shopping. Buying those gift box gifts that companies put together for Christmas. Like a coffee mug and a bag of coffee. Reese's peanut butter cups and a coffee mug (now what they have to do with each other is your guess). I saw a woman with several of those in her cart. Big screen televisions (yes, people can still afford those when they are squawking about the price of gas and food). Gloves, scarves, wallets and ties are still in almost every cart.

If I was buying gifts for people this year I would buy gift cards from grocery stores or gas stations. Give a subscription of a reasonably priced coffee for the year. If they have a pet a subscription or gift card for pet food. Sonny asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I told him nothing. Because if he got me a present, I would feel that I had to buy him one. Besides he spends money on me all the time. Going out to eat when he drives me to appointments or run errands or grocery shop. He likes to go out to eat and I know it is more fun for him if I go with him I enjoy it too. I won't be seeing him today though as he will be with his family.

 
Will Sonny stop by after his family visit? You are so fortunate to have a him as a good friend and that is a gift for both of you to share.

I am sorry for your son's problems but as you said, it could be worse. I had a friend whose second husband's family included a child molester, several druggies and many moochers. When she married him the family was young so she didn't know what she was getting herself into. For her birthday one year I crocheted a small vintage style hand purse and put a coin inside. She cried and hugged me when she opened it. Sadly, that was one of the rare times that I felt my efforts were appreciated by someone. One of the last photos of her was when she was sitting in the car leaving for the hospital, skinny as cancer ate away at her heart, she was wrapped in the lambs wool scarf I knit for her. After she died, I noticed that she had left a box with every gift I had given her on the kitchen table and I wonder whether she was planning to take them with her to the home. Sorry, I'm going on a bit but as I type her house faces my window and I miss her.

There is still so much fog here this morning I can't see the end of the block. I do like the mysterious effect it has on the neighborhood.

Merry Christmas
 

Happy Heart said:
Will Sonny stop by after his family visit? You are so fortunate to have a him as a good friend and that is a gift for both of you to share.

I am sorry for your son's problems but as you said, it could be worse. I had a friend whose second husband's family included a child molester, several druggies and many moochers. When she married him the family was young so she didn't know what she was getting herself into. For her birthday one year I crocheted a small vintage style hand purse and put a coin inside. She cried and hugged me when she opened it. Sadly, that was one of the rare times that I felt my efforts were appreciated by someone. One of the last photos of her was when she was sitting in the car leaving for the hospital, skinny as cancer ate away at her heart, she was wrapped in the lambs wool scarf I knit for her. After she died, I noticed that she had left a box with every gift I had given her on the kitchen table and I wonder whether she was planning to take them with her to the home. Sorry, I'm going on a bit but as I type her house faces my window and I miss her.

There is still so much fog here this morning I can't see the end of the block. I do like the mysterious effect it has on the neighborhood.

Merry Christmas
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I am so sorry about your friend. It sounds like you were a treasured friend to her.

It is hard over the years as you lose more and more people in your life. I think that is what will happen as long as you live. My father kept saying he was the only one left. I think he meant in his own family, not our family.

No, Sonny won't be coming here till next Friday when we have our potluck supper. He will cook up something.
 
I almost started doing my laundry today. I sorted it all out. So I go out to the elevator with my basket and one load. The light will not light up and I push it several times. It usually makes a noise as it moves to your floor. No noise. So not going to get on it even if it comes to my floor till I see other people are using it. I haven't heard it since. Yet earlier, my neighbor's family was here and they were using it.
 
About the elevator, last night that same neighbor and his family came back home and used the elevator and it worked. So what was up with that? Nobody used it all day and I never heard it.

Now this morning, twice an alarm went off just like yesterday. But my friend who lives upstairs said it did not go off on their floor this time. It is not loud like usual. Just a low buzzing sound, but loud enough that I can hear it. Anyway, it went off once for a minute and quit. Then an hour later again but quit in a second. I can't see how if you pull the cord on the alarm that is on our walls (for falls) that you could stop it.
 
My 2nd cousin, Caryl lives near Buffalo and has not posted on fakebook since Christmas Eve. So I am praying she and her family are okay. Just busy. Could be without power though. I have other friends on fb that live either in or around that area. Horrible storm!

 
Good news to report here. My cousin, who I mentioned in the above post is good. She replied back to me on fakebook and said it had just missed them but not her son. He and his family were snowed in on Christmas.

The other good news is apparently the elevator is working again. I do not think anyone came here to fix it. Just sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I am dependent on it so have to live with it.
 
I took a chance and went down in the elevator to get my packages that had been delivered on Saturday (I didn't know till yesterday but the elevator was not working). Worked fine. So I was gathering up my garbage to go to the dumpster. My neighbor from downstairs came to my door and told me that he talked to our maintenance man and he said not to use the elevator until the repair man can get here to look at it. So I looked at my garbage and said I really need to go to the dumpster today. He offered to take it out for me!!! What a lifesaver he was! I just cannot have two bags sitting in my kitchen.
 
I am fortunate to have my rent go down by seventeen dollars. At least until May. In March I will renew my lease and they usually raise the rent then because of our cost of living raise. This happens every year. So the rent will go up starting in June. Whatever raise I get I lose in the rent going up and SNAP benefits go down. So I don't really get ahead as far as that goes. I will adjust my food budget to the new amount. My son's went down by $50. I haven't received any notification as of yet about my SNAP benefit going down. Mine is based on my age as well as income.

Where I get ahead is paying down the debt that I moved here with. Finally in February, a loan I have been paying on forever (it seems) will be paid off. Then in March, a credit card I used to buy a new chair last year will be paid off also. It is good to see these things going down and then finally disappearing. I live on a very low income but I have been paying off this debt I brought here in 2018. As the remaining ones are paid down and off, things will be much easier for me to live on this amount of money. I don't really need a lot. The amount of money I used to pay on those two debts I will move to the other two credit cards. My plan is to pay them down as quickly as I can using the "snowball" method of Dave Ramsey.

So I am starting off this new year with a "No Buy" month. The only things I will be buying are normal household or personal care (such as shampoo, soap, etc) supplies and food for Rabbit.
 
You are a great money manager! Wish so many others would follow your example. I remember times when I had less than a dollar in my checking account and prayed that nothing happened until the next pay day.
Yesterday, we had a blue heron in our backyard, sometimes we see green herons also. It had been a while so I was starting to think they had moved on to another part of the country. They are so tall I can go eye to eye with them but they fly away when I get a few feet from them.
Lots and lots of much needed rain last night. This morning the sky is dark blue/gray so maybe more to come.
Katlupe, have a wonderful day and thanks for sharing with us.
 
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On Walmart's site there is a listing for the All American Canner. Showing a picture of the American factory it has always been made at. They have several of the same product they are selling. The other sellers' prices are over $400. and that is the price they should be. This one is selling three different size canners all for the price of $12.95 each with free shipping......from China, where else? Some of my homesteading friends on fakebook decided to purchase it just to see what will happen.
 
My old shoes should be replaced but I'll keep them since the new ones from china are made of foam, but the price is still high. I do miss Made in America. We MUST produce our own drugs here or forever be at their mercy. Don't get me started...
 
Happy Heart said:
My old shoes should be replaced but I'll keep them since the new ones from china are made of foam, but the price is still high. I do miss Made in America. We MUST produce our own drugs here or forever be at their mercy. Don't get me started...
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EJ's shoes in our area ruled the triple cities (Binghamton - Johnson City - Endicott, NY) for many years. Their shoes were the best. All my relatives worked in the factories. I worked in the office of the maintenance department. But when George F. Johnson died and his son took over it went downhill and out of sight. There were EJ shoe stores all over the place. Between EJ's and IBM our southern tier was thriving. Now it is just sad. I can barely stand to drive through Binghamton now.
 
katlupe said:
I use heavy whipping cream in my coffee and in various other recipes at times. So it is something I always buy. Lately, not only has it gone up in price, but is only available in small quantities. I buy the cheapest not organic one at Walmart. Today I am low on it. So thinking I might take a chance and walk to the Service Pharmacy this morning. I think they are only open till noon on Sunday. I will see how bad the parking lot looks. In the mornings they are usually still frozen or icy. If so, I will not chance it.

Last year, it was Philadelphia brand cream cheese that couldn't be found. In fact, Kraft paid their customers $20. to not make cheesecakes for the holidays. Never heard of a company doing that before! I don't buy it for holiday baking but use it year round as an ingredient in many keto/low carb recipes. Store brands don't come anywhere close to Philadelphia brand. I have about 5 boxes of it in my refrigerator right now.

A benefit of following a keto food plan is that if the price goes up on certain foods, meat, eggs, dairy, etc., I can still buy them at that price. The reason is because I don't buy any foods that contain sugar, grains, seed oils or starches. Not buying those foods gives me the extra to put on the ones I buy all the time. Like eggs. I eat them almost daily. I would say they are my favorite food of all.
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I could relate to your Keto diet! Thanks for sharing!
 
Kat I hope they get that danged elevator fixed!

The Otis Elevator Testing Tower is down the main road from me. I now think of your elevator every time I see it.... 😄

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katlupe said:
I searched it and tried to figure out what its purpose is. No real answer. What do they do there? Test elevators? How?
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Otis Elevator Company, a division of Hartford-based United Technologies Corp., tests and develops elevator components in Bristol at the company's 117-meter test tower.

The facility has a quality control and new product testing lab as well as 13 test elevator shafts: three high ones, four mid-level, and six low ones. Elevator markets differ around the world. In Paris, elevators are smaller, and more intimate, than they are in New York City. Thank both local customs and regulations for that. <a href="http://www.courant.com/business/hc-...tis-elevators-20130731,0,7741139.photogallery">Click here for a photo gallery of iconic buildings with Otis elevators</a>.

The Bristol center tests parts for the range of systems needed for elevators around the world: cable, belt, and hydraulic systems; small and large motors; the lifting hardware and "destination management systems," where you put in your desired floor and are assigned the most efficient elevator to take. Watch the video and click through the gallery for more about the testing center.

I don't understand any of this :ROFLMAO:

 
RadishRose said:
Otis Elevator Company, a division of Hartford-based United Technologies Corp., tests and develops elevator components in Bristol at the company's 117-meter test tower.

The facility has a quality control and new product testing lab as well as 13 test elevator shafts: three high ones, four mid-level, and six low ones. Elevator markets differ around the world. In Paris, elevators are smaller, and more intimate, than they are in New York City. Thank both local customs and regulations for that. <a href="http://www.courant.com/business/hc-...tis-elevators-20130731,0,7741139.photogallery">Click here for a photo gallery of iconic buildings with Otis elevators</a>.

The Bristol center tests parts for the range of systems needed for elevators around the world: cable, belt, and hydraulic systems; small and large motors; the lifting hardware and "destination management systems," where you put in your desired floor and are assigned the most efficient elevator to take. Watch the video and click through the gallery for more about the testing center.

I don't understand any of this :ROFLMAO:
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I thought you were some kind of elevator know-it-all until I read your last line. Then you went down faster than an elevator in my estimation. :ROFLMAO:
 
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