jottings by jemyl

Today, some many years ago --- I know exactly how many, but Ravan may want that information to be kept between family and friends, ---- I got a precious, tiny, sweet and a joy to all of us. Turns out she was/is also a firecracker and kept me hopping when she was a child and a teen too.

Happy Birthday, Ravan! I am proud of the woman you have become. You have always been a good daughter. I know I didn't always tell you that. I didn't always understand you, but most of the time I have been proud of your stubbornness, independence and free thinking spirit. Some would say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in those qualities. your grandma was happy to point that out to me on many occasions through the years that she was alive with her "well, what do you expect? She's YOUR daughter, Ellen!"

I hope your day has been all that you wanted it to be. I would call you, and I think your sister tried to do so. She told me she was going to do so when she called this afternoon. Laura is in India. She arrived safely but Chris has heard nothing else. I think that means Laura is busy and having a good time, or that there is no phone or cell coverage where they are in a city in Northeastern India. I can't remember the name of it, though Chris told me. I didn't quite catch it and it's not one I recognized right off the bat.

Anyway, gotta run. I hope you see this. I'll probably shoot you and email tomorrow or Monday. I'm really tired at the moment as this morning was WPVFD breakfast and we served about 100 or so breakfasts --- not bad for the middle of the summer and no snow birds, lots of political candidates and their entourages though. LOL

For the rest of the universe reading this, Ravan lives some 3,000 miles away from me. She is on the West Coast and I am 50 miles from the East Coast. The only thing similar is the climate! It is sunny and mild in both locations, California and Florida. Terrain and all are very different as is the cost of living.

I ordered a Precision Induction Cooktop from Hearthware after seeing their infomercial several times. Now, I've had a Flav'r Wave oven, now sold as a NuWave, made by this company for almost 20 years of trouble free cooking from frozen quickly and with lots of flavor. I have recommended them to several friends.

Now I must question the ethics of this company. They offered a buy-one get one free deal on the cooktops. I did that, though I didn't take their other offer for a full set of cookware and probably should have in hindsight. Well, the cooktop came last week. In the box was also a letter explaining that the second cooktop was on backorder and would be shipped at a later date. (they didn't charge the shipping and handling either)

I called their customer service to see when the second cooktop might arrive. Customer Service told me that they have NO IDEA when they will get those in, BUT THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO FILL ANY NEW ORDERS THEY GET. Something is wrong here in addition to horrible customer service.

IFirst off, they charge $10 more shipping and handling for the second piece of the same item, making it not quite free. I'm sure they pay more than that for it. It's just that I like complete disclosure on the infomercials.

They also "forget" to mention that the cooktop only works with cookware that can be magnetized, i.e. no aluminum, glass or clay cooking containers will work on it. That is OK since they do sell a set of cookware with it for $49 that is the right kind to work. I still would like to have known that the appliance would only work with steel, iron or clad steel cookware. I will give them that they did explain in great detail that the cooktop works by magnetizing the cookpot and thus heating it up which then heats the food to the exact temperature set. The top does stay cool except where it contacts the bottom of the pot as they stated.

Oh, and it cannot be used on a metal surface as it will magnetize that surface and, I assume, make it hot as well. That's another thing they neglected to mention in their infomercial. The third thing they didn't mention there is that the cooktop needs to be at least two feet away from electronic devices--- microwaves, burglar alarm control panels, their NuWave and Flav'r Wave ovens --- when operating or it will disrupt the

I really like my Precision Induction Cooktop! I can set an exact temperature and that's what the food will come to and stay at for as long as I set the time for on the unit. This is great! I can cook eggs or an omelet slowly without burning them, or can up the temperature and do them quickly. I love that versatility.

I'll keep everyone posted on my attempts to get my second cooktop from them. I really don't want to have to pay out the $39.95 for it this month, but it will be worth it to have my complete order. I am also considering not paying the final payment on the cooktop until and unless I get that second one. I have to check with my legal eagle buddy out in San Jose before I do that. It would be a Federal case since the company is located in another state. I just wanted everyone to know that part of the Precision Induction Cooktop infomercial offer might be a scam even though the appliance is really nice and cooks as it claims to do on the infomercial.

One of Ravan's recent posts struck a nerve with me, really resonated in the wake (pun intended) of a large number of recent deaths, wakes and funerals in our local fire service and my Lions' Club(s) present and past. I don't like funerals either, for somewhat the same reasons as Ravan.

Funerals and other such memorial services are not for the dead. They are for those left behind to get some sort of closure. In December of 2005 and January of 2006 I had two of the things to plan, first for my mother and then for Bill, my husband. The two of them died twenty-four days apart, in December of 2005.

It was not an unexpected event for either of them. In fact, it was a blessing and, indeed, a beautiful thing for both. Mama died one day after my deceased dad's birthday and Bill just before New Year's. I think she went to be with him after a month of misery with C-diff, increasing blindness and dementia and a long hospital stay. Bill died in my arms after five years in bed following a disabling stroke. Both were ready to go.

For both of their services I requested happy hymns, their favorites, and that the preacher's involved emphasize that we were there to celebrate their moving to another stage of their journey. In each service I asked that friends share happy memories of Mama or of Bill, what the person meant to the friend as a celebration of their life well lived. Mom's service ended with the hymn I'll Fly Away at the funeral home before we went to the cemetery where she received full fire department honors, including the traditional Amazing Grace on bagpipes, the ceremonial folding and presentation of the flag and the County Wide Last Call broadcast on the radio. It was a beautiful tribute to her and all she had done for Putnam County EMS and the formation of the West Putnam Volunteer Fire Dept, Inc.

When I die I want people to celebrate my life and also my death. I want my body to be cremated after any parts that can be used are harvested and donated to help others. Any memorial service that people choose to have I ask that the songs and hymns be upbeat. My favorite hymns are the first verse of Blest Be The Tie That Binds, Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, In The Garden, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Pass It On, Morning Has Broken, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Lord of the Dance, Just a Closer Walk With Thee and Kumbaya. If I had my druthers, I'd have each person share one happy memory or good thing that I had done with or said to them and everyone would sing all of my favorite songs and end with I'll Fly Away, 'cause that's what I'll be doing. Then all could go to the cemetery,or some could to simply spread my ashes over the family plot and then everyone go have a happy party in my honor. Now, since I'm only 70 years young, I may have a few more songs to add to this list before I leave this earth for the next part of my soul's being. Whenever it occurs, though, please make sure my "funeral" has lots of fun in it. Save your tears for someone who can't say they lived and loved well as I can. Like Frank Sinatra, I did it my way (and it was and continues to be always an interesting journey) Peace -----Ellen

Last week kind of ended a bit weird when I left the headlights on for the van whilst I went into CVS to pick up my meds and some Halloween Candy. All was well until I got to the line to check out.

First I had to wait about twenty minutes for the pharmacist/clerk to finish with the lady two in front of me. That was OK as the lady in front of me and I chatted a bit. She was from one of the lakes just a bit south of me and in our fire district. We talked about who we both knew and what was going on with Station 20, where to get an ankle brace in the store and such. The lady waiting for the pharmacist to redo her prescriptions two ahead of was an old friend/neighbor of the lady ahead of me so the three of us got to introduce ourselves and chat while we waited.

It took the lady ahead of me about five minutes once she got to the pharmacist. They had made an error on her script too, but it was easily fixed.

Finally, it was my turn and I thought I was home free. I should have known better. First the clerk told me it would be $42 for one of my meds. Here we go again, I thought, and asked her to check that it was run right through medicare Part D and United American, my supplement. Of course, it wasn't and had to be rerun, including having the other pharmacist check that I really did have that insurance. Translation I sat down to wait another fifteen minutes for them to correct it. They just couldn't believe that I had reached my catastrophic section of Part D. Once they, finally, confirmed that I got both scripts for $0 copay. Whoppee! that means all my prescriptions from now until January First of 2012 have no copay.

I will also likely mean that I have to have them rerun each of them at the pharmacy. For some reason they just cannot seem to get that I am a medicare and United American senior citizen. I'm not sure why this happens almost every time I go in there or even what they are trying to use as my insurance company. I just know that almost every time I go in at least one of my scripts has to be redone because they have the wrong copay. It is not a bit deal for me, except when I go in around 8:30 to 8:45 at night and the pharmacy closes at 9. Now if they had it done right, this would be no problem. They just hate to have to rerun my scripts that close to closing. I think, subconsciously, that is sometimes why I go there at that time. It is also because I often fall asleep early in the evening and have to bust butt to get there in time, or a meeting runs late.

One of our firemen, Richard, was there with his brother to pick up a script for his mom. He was teasing me about my making sure I had Halloween candy I didn't like and I said hi to his brother. Then I left with my stuff and went to my van. When I approached I said "Oh shit" under my breath when I saw the lights still on. Now, this was fairly early in the evening, not quite dusk when I left the store.

I opened the door and immediately turned the lights off. Then I loaded in my purchases, opened my window, turned on the auxiliary gas pump switch and turned the key. There was NO SOUND, not even and unhh. The air under my breath was blue, at me, as I got out of the van, closed the window and locked the door, hoping I could catch Richard and Raymond to give me a jump so that I could get home.

Of course they were no longer in the store and their car was gone, just my luck. Since it was now approaching seven hours since I had food, I phoned my surrogate, the ass chief, to see if she knew of a place in Hawthorne that I could call to come out. She didn't and I told her I would go over to the pizza place have a meal and see if Bobby, the owner's husband was there as he was our first fire chief and would likely be able to give me a jump, especially since I had cables in the van.

Bobby and Judy drove in as I was pushing my cart across the parking lot. He told me he would love to do as I needed, but couldn't access his battery because he wasn't sure where it was, just that it wasn't under the hood of his new Chevelle. Someone told him it was under the back seat. At any rate, he couldn't get at it to give me a jump.

I toddled over to Family Dollar and got oil and litter. Then I went back to the restaurant and ordered a small calzone and a diet pepsi. It came and I was almost done with my first piece when one of his employees who was on the way home agreed to give me a jump. She drove me back to my van and we got it started. Then I drove over to where Bobby and Judy had been keeping an eye on my cart with my four quarts of oil and two bags of litter in it. Bobby handed that stuff to me through the window and I drove home, kept the motor running for an additional fifteen minutes and came into the house where I finished off another piece of my calzone.

That was Thursday night. Then Friday I put the trickle charger on the battery for 24 hours.

Saturday morning I noticed that the van wIas listing to one side more than usual. I quick check revealed that the passenger side rear tire was flat ----- only on the bottom though, LOL. I swore, keeping the air quite blue for a few minutes and investigated the spare. I have what seems to be a full tire spare mounted inside the van by the back seat. That is when I noticed that the van's tag ran out, was due in September and I totally forgot it with all the rest that was going on ---- more swearing as I have to renew it soon before the state reports my tardiness to my insurance company.

I explored using my airbrushing tank compressor to air up that tire on Sunday. The compressor tipped over as I wheeled it out of the garage side door. I ended up twisting both my right wrist and my back getting it back on its wheels and out of the door ----more blue air and ouch! Then I tried to use it to air up the tire and the back pressure put the tank into the red zone so I had to quit. That unit is meant for airbrushing and low pressure uses. The van tires take 80psi on the rear axle and 58 on the front. It took me most of Saturday evening to figure out where to find that information in a legible to me format.

Part of the reason doing the tire was so hard is that I am on nitrofurantoin, a nasty antibiotic, and it is kicking my butt with dizziness and such, especially when I have to bend over to access the tire valve. I only have a few more days to take it and it IS making a difference in my chronic sinusitis. I only hack up stuff about a tenth of as much as I was doing. That is the only reason I have continued the stuff.

I digress ---back to the van ---

On Monday, I found the other little non-tank Campbell Hausfeld compressor and switched the fill hose to it from the tank one. It worked like a charm and filled the tire. I don't have a gauge, so I can't check that I have enough pressure in it, but there is enough that I would be able to drive it into Hawthorne I think. I filled it and left it to see how long it took for the tire to go flat again. It looks to be about 24 hours, which is good. Hopefully there is only a nail or some such in it and I will be able to get it plugged.

Tomorrow my friend, Jill, is taking me into Hawthorne to go to the bank etc. At that time I will check with the two places that do car stuff to see if they are able to handle a full size van tire for repair, including remounting it on the vehicle. If they can I will be in business. If not, I will have to step up my hunt for one of my car battery compressors so that I can drive to Palatka to get it fixed. ARGH!

Now in all of this the best part is that during this time I got some really great mail. Ravan sent me a great CARE package. In it I found lots of green tea, even some instant iced, farina, oats, raisins, craisins and I think, some rice flour. That means I don't have to go shopping for breakfast foods or green tea this month. It leaves only some paper goods, garbage bags and cat food that I will have to get at the grocery this month.

On Monday, my volunteer from Suwanee River Economic Council told me that many of the meals on wheels clients are only getting three meals a week now. The funding for the program has been cut. Luckily, I am not one of those who gets the fewer meals or who is cut from the program. I am very grateful because I use that food to feed myself, with just a few additions, like fresh greens for salad, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, condiments and seasonings, to feed myself for the whole week.

I eat some of the meals just as they are, usually for dinner. Some of them I take apart and combine to make soup for lunches and then I use the bread and milk to make soups and open face sandwiches for lunch and for toast for breakfast. I use the fruit on my cereal sometimes as well as for desserts or to change up and add to ramen noodles for a lunch soup.

With what Ravan has sent me and those meals, I can make a lot of things. Tonight I made a big pot of about four cups, cooked, of mixed grains (rices, barley and millet) with some Italian vegetables and four cut up cooked chicken thighs, chicken boullion and lots of seasonings like ginger, cinnamon, poultry seasoning, lemon pepper, onion, garlic, chicken grill spice, dried basil leaves and a dash of olive oil. A splash of lime juice was also added near the end of cooking to brighten the dish up a tad. It is good, but the first dish was not quite done enough. The grain rice was too hard to suit me so I added another two cups of water and cooked it another thirty minutes on simmer. That did the trick.

Now I'm off to put the somewhat cooled chicken and rice into containers for refrigerating and freezing. It will provide several more meals for the rest of the week. I might also make some tomato base soup in a day or so. After I put the chicken 'n' rice up I will eat my last meal for today and get to bed fairly early. Jill is picking me up at ten in the morning and I want to do the water and take a nice shower before she gets here. That means I have to get up early instead of going to bed early ( in the morning) and sleeping until ten.

Please pray that the van tire can be fixed and that I can either sell some stuff to make the money I need for bills this month or that I can get into Palatka to get a short term loan again. I hate to do the loan, but bills have got to be paid over the next week. Most are due by the 27th and my fire dept dues are also due now. Peace -----Ellen

My garage is FULL of boxes, as about 100 boxes full of all my stuff from my other home that I shared with Bill. I need to go through them and sort them. I also need to find my jewelry boxes which were in our master bedroom, which is mbr in box language. Most of my books were in my office room which is br2 for boxes. Some of my important papers and geneology research for the family were stacked in Christine's old room, which is BR3. There were crafts and clothing in all three bedrooms, a special cache of new books stored in the tub of our unused bathroom and computer stuff as well as then current business stuff in the built in desk in the hall. I also had storage in the LR and DR --- and books by category in those too.

It was a tad cooler today, high of about 84-F instead of 95-F. I decided to put a couple of hours in going through the boxes in the MBR section. I got through six of them, moved them so that I know they have been looked into and sorted the stuff that was dumped into them. In one I found several of my necklaces, a ring and some earrings just thrown into the box with only one really good silver set having its protective box. That was slow burn time for me. I know who DIDN'T pack that as my main packer is more OCD than I am, so she packs carefully. I sorted and saved the stuff and tomorrow I will tackle that which needs to come in and be evaluated carefully.

Many of the books are nonfiction reference books and my cookbooks or craft books which I DO NOT want to sell. Someone suggested that I might either clean out my smaller shed or get another one for my library. I think I will keep my eyes peeled for a good used shed about the same size as my studio and make it my library. I still have some of the shelves, most of them actually and can store some of the books in boxes until I can get the rest of the needed shelves. There are some books I definitely want to get rid of, mostly novels which I will never read again. There are only a few complete collections by favorite authors that I want to keep or to sell only as a set, even a few I can enjoy reading over again, and again. The writing is that good!

Many of the books are my text books and collection of psychological writings. Those and the poetry I really like to use a lot. I miss being able to go to that section to check one of my favorite psychologists view of a problem. Also, some of my books are just plain funny. I like to be able to go the the shelves and get the book I want, even if it is on the back row. I organize my books so that it is generally easy to find what I want by subject first and author second for nonfiction and by collection or author for the fiction. A shed for a library would be great, especially if I can air condition it and put a reading lamp and comfy chair in it too. A place to read away from the phone, cats, doorbell, TV, ahhhh.

In my search for the jewelry boxes getting six or seven boxes gone through and eliminated is a big step too. I also got some caught up on my vow to do a box a day. I got caught up for the whole week. Yea me! I am deservedly, very tired tonight, watching the Gator game in the Swamp on CBS. As weird as this game is, and I think the Gators are going to lose it, I may just go back to the create channel. LOL Have a great Sunday! Peace -----Elen

With Ravan's help I think I will be able to dodge the immediate bullet, i.e. the threats of taking my property through a tax sale. Once we buy a bit of time I think I will be able to sell some of my larger items on Craig's list and find my old wedding rings and a bit more gold to sell to get the lawn cut and such. I tried to find my old jewelry box out in the garage boxes yesterday, but it was way too hot at 100 degrees in the shade to do it. I don't have lights in that part to search at night so it will have to wait until a day that is a bit cooler and I maybe have help to move around the boxes to find the right one. There are two areas to look at and the boxes have started to fall over so it can be dangerous since they stack way higher than my five foot one half inch frame. I will find that jewelry box though and take the stuff into Gainesville or Ocala to sell sometime around the middle of September, just after payday.

Each day I work to do one thing to help change the situation --- study, sort, check for writing jobs I can do on the online sites, even look up some of my stuff on eBay to see what I could likely get for it there and how much the listing would cost. It all takes time and it is worth every bit of it.

Today I went to my new doctor. I like him and learned some things. I have to go back next week for them to do blood work and to have my UTI checked. The doc says that it is possible to get rid of MRSA. That is opposite what I was told several years ago at Shands. They said once a carrier, always a carrier. I hope Dr. Sharma is correct because some of the things I don't let myself do now I would really like to be able to do again with a clear conscience.

Now, great as Ravan has been as a daughter helping me to figure this out, her younger sister has been about as upsetting to me as anyone could be. She has decided that I should plan on selling my place an moving into an apartment in either Gainesville or Ocala since I can't take care of the place (i.e. the lawn and save for the taxes) anymore. She says she found an apartment for $500 and if I sold this place I would probably have enough from the sale to pay rent for five years or so. Mind you the mortgage, taxes and yard work now total only $300 a month and when I can get another vehicle I will be able to afford that with not much problem. The way real estate is going here now I would be lucky to come away with the $30,000 she was figuring I would get BEFORE I paid for packing and moving what stuff I had left.

Then there is one overriding fact for me. I really, really don't like apartment living. I didn't like it thirty years ago in San Jose and I sure as shootin' don't like it any better now. A walk up would be murder on my legs and knees unless I had a first floor unit and that is just plain dangerous in either of those cities. Then there is the distance from parking to the apartment which must be traversed in all kinds of weather situations lugging groceries and anything else one wants to take inside. We haven't even talked about my three kitties yet. One of them is not declawed and is an in and out cat which wouldn't go in an apartment. All in all, I think I'll pass on that idea, at least for the foreseeable future. Where would I airbrush? Nupe! I'm definitely not ready for that yet.

That's where things stand right now. I haven't seen either of my girls for more than 15 hours since 2005. Ravan takes time to ask me what I want and we work out a plan. She gets it and leaves me with my dignity. Christine treats me like a child. She feels she has to dictate to me exactly what I should do. Sadly, when I say no to her ideas she gets upset. This time she doesn't have any money with which to help me. When she did have it, she said she could help but I would have to show her exactly how I spent my money and she could tell me to change it if I wanted her help. I know both girls love me, and I find Christine's way of solving problems demeaning. I know her heart is in the right place, but her solutions consistently involve my giving up my freedom and rights to make any decisions and show a complete lack of understanding what is important to me, of who I am and what I want to do with my days and nights.

I have to go put out the garbage and recycling, add some to the litter and go to bed. I am very tired as I was up at 8 this morning and have been going strong except for a one hour nap late this afternoon. Schlepping around in 96 or more temperatures with the heat on full blast in the van didn't help any either. Peace ---Ellen

I really, really need to find a way to sell some stuff, enough to be able to get out of the Speedy Cash rut I am about to get into again. I hate that! Still, I see no way out of it for a month or two at least. I have $420 total in my possession. That means I am $423 short of being caught up with this month's bills with no more food purchased or gas, oil or even food for the cats and toilet bowl cleaner, both of which I will need before my next payday on Sept 14th. That means I will have to get a $450 loan to make it. I can call a couple of charities to maybe get help for my electric bill. If I do, it will mean I can not do that again for at least a year. I worry that since I need to get the tag for my car next month, I will need it more then.

I don't even know how I can get into Palatka to get the loan. I found out that Ford's have some sort of module on the firewall that if they get too hot, the vehicle shuts down and will not start again until the engine cools down. WTF! That is exactly what happened to me last week as on Saturday when I got the battery back up to charge Big Blue started and ran like a top, ran hot as usual but still strong. Bloody will TEED me off at the same time making me feel relieved. I needed that $130 and had I known that I would have left her sit in Palatka until later that night, filled her with gas and drove her home slowly. DAMN! DAmn! Damn! Losing that money for a tow this month has really shot me down.

I am tempted to get up at the crack of dawn for me and drive her slowly back to Palatka tomorrow morning to do the loan. At least, if she makes it OK, I would than be able to pay my electric, phone, car insurance, health insurance, mortgage and hosting account. Alternately I have to find someone to drive me in. Time is running out and I need to get this done so as to be able to pay my health insurance there which will save me about 20 bucks over using the post office and a money order. It has to be in an posted by Friday, so overnight from Speedy Cash for $3.50 is the cheapest way to pay it.

People keep telling me to put some stuff up on eBay to get some cash. Few of those have ever done that. I have. I know what it takes. It takes time, money to list the item, packing and shipping the item and hoping the person who bought it doesn't decide to return it et al. That is fine for someone who can get the packing supplies, go to a close place to ship or to the P.O. again to ship and gets it all going. I have an eBay account and have sold a few things that way. I likely will continue so to do. It just doesn't solve my immediate problems quickly enough.

I'm tired. I think I will play a quick game of mahjong, read a bit and go to bed. Peace ---Ellen

Finally! Payday is here tomorrow. I am really excited about that. I want to figure out how to get everything done and still have some money left at the end of the month for some savings.

Most of my bills I can and will pay online. It is just quicker and much more secure. I hate to carry cash as well.

I discovered, happily, that my visa debit card doesn't expire until this coming December instead of January of this year. It made my day since I now can use it to pay some of my bills instead of having to run them through PayPal to my other bank.

The rest of today I will spend making my shopping list for the rest of the month. It will be very short as I want to put as much as possible toward finally paying off my fire insurance for this place. I still owe $347 on it. I also owe about $1,00,000 in Real Estate Taxes to the county. I need to pay something on those soon as unless they are up to date, my mortgage guy can foreclose on my place. (I've got to earn the money to get rid of that damned mortgage ASAP!)

Both of these problems wouldn't be here if I hadn't had to make a snap decision and hadn't gotten scared in 2008 and jumped to get money to catch up the taxes then and to pay off all of my credit cards. Even as little as I owed, I probably would have been better off to go bankrupt. This is what I get for letting my pride get into the mix as well.

I refuse, however, to dwell on past errors. I just strive not to repeat them. I need to focus on working my way out of this situation so that I can once again have that $200 a month I pay for the mortgage as regular income. In other words, I have to work my ass off this year to earn enough money to clear up all of these bills and pay off the mortgage. (And people wonder why I say I don't have time for a man in my life, lonely as I get and much as I miss male companionship!)

I feel a little hopeful today. Still the weight of foreclosure still hangs over my head and scares me silly. I have to find a way to sell more jewelry.

There is a contest for a pattern wire bracelet at my jewelry bootcamp club. It's members only, and I have to enter in the advanced category since I have over a year in experience. I have some ideas for a design. I have to work out the details and get it put together. A win would be wonderful! First prize is $100 in jewelry supplies and, of course, bragging rights. Even third prize is $25 in supplies and this is where I buy my wire. The contest closes next Tuesday. It will give me something to do to keep me from mooning over having no valentine this year and missing Bill.

There is also a Lions Club meeting on Monday to plan for. (I know, bad sentence structure and that's the way I think) I'm the club Tail Twister so I'd best have something good planned to make the meeting fun and special as well as to make some money for the Tail Twister Fund for the club. I also need to get crackin' on the little lion refinishing. He needs it badly. I have to clean him, rough up his finish, repaint him, shellac or varnish or something him or, if I really feel like doing it up special, I can spring for some gold leaf and leaf varnish and do him up that way. It might be a waste though. I'll see which way is the least expensive that will still give him a good, durable, finish and look.

I guess I will have a busy weekend and week after all. I just hope this nice weather holds as I hate to have to schlep to the store in the rain or cold. Big Blue won't go then either. (sigh) I've got to get enough earned to justify a better vehicle too.

The other thing I am contemplating is the way I look, particularly my hair. It needs to be colored again. The problem is, even though I have the package of stuff to do it, I can't hold my hands up on my head for that long, to do it right. The woman who used to do it for me moved away, far enough that I don't feel comfortable driving the sixty some miles to get her to do it and she can't leave her place to come back here because she has vehicle issues too and hates to drive as well as has to be home for her dog. The dog doesn't get along with cats either.

My hair also needs a cut. She did that too, and a great job. Again, I don't feel right going to someone's home to ask them to make a mess cutting my hair.

That leaves my local beauty shop. I don't have any idea what they charge to do a color job. I know a haircut is $20 with the tip. Thus I have to call and price the rest. Otherwise I have to leave my gray roots showing and I will look like a skunk again and much, much older. When my hair goes all white I will be happy to let it be. It's not there yet and I fear I won't be able to afford the cost of having the shop keep it colored. I wish I had a close friend who could and would put the color into it for me and I just don't. This is just one more thing that being poor financially probably puts out of my reach. Damn! That is so very depressing for me. Peace ---Ellen