Finds

Here's what I've found so far at the house, in my twenty hours of occupancy:

Allen wrench
mounted tv wall bracket (I knew about that--the seller said he would leave it for me)
Churchman's Ordo Kalendar
box for VHS tape A Few Good Men
barely smoked cigarette (neatly laid on an outside window sill)
a lot of sort of ugly paint (I knew about that too--it's most of the paint used in the house)
small tire - found in back yard
one unpopped corn kernel
one spider
one bird's nest
three wood screws
two other types of screws
one nail
one wasp's nest

Word to the Wise

I'm sure my readers are so savvy that they don't need this advice, but in case not, here it is.

Check your credit card and bank balances often and regularly. Order a free credit report every year, or perhaps even more often, though it will cost you a bit. Keep track of where you're spending money.

I used to be not so good about all three of those things. Over the years, I've gradually improved. When I started economizing in November, I began to pay particular attention to my credit card balance, checking it often.

Thus, I quickly noticed the two paltry charges from GetGrantCash.com and MyFreeGrantReport, or whatever their names were. A person in the "customer service department" at the unnamed entity behind the charges said I had ordered a free CD that would show me where to find the thousands in unclaimed government grant dollars that would keep my from losing my house in foreclosure. She also said that with the order I signed up for all kinds of paid memberships. She kindly cancelled the memberships and gave me several confirmation numbers to prove it. I promptly had the account canceled and a new credit card issued.

Two weeks later, a $20 charge from Blockbuster.com appeared on the new account. I haven't been to Blockbuster in years, and I've never been to Blockbuster.com.

The credit card security person told me the last charge was somehow tied to the previous account, even though the charge hit two weeks later, and we hope that's the end of the story.

In other news, I bought a house today.

Slippery Slope

One day without legitimate home Internet access and what am I doing? Cadging a connection and shopping for Internet packages.

Apparently, crossword puzzles can only take you so far.

Zippadeeay

Happy birth day to Lincoln and happy birthday to Adam!





(And happy half-birthday to Auntie K)

(I apparently don't have any pictures of A by himself)

(Picture of L perhaps coming soon)

(L's vital stats: 7lb 7oz 20" dob 01/16/09)

Leisure Reading is Alive and Well!

I'm so pleased that a very nice young man stopped in at the reference desk this morning to ask how to use the library catalog. On this, the first day of class, he wasn't looking for a textbook or a course catalog. No, he wanted some Clive Cussler. Now that's a student who has his priorities in order.

On My Mind

Shoji...Benjamin Moore...wire transfer...dog cheese...post office...20 laps...cashier's check...library fine...birthday...LL Bean...vegetables...built-ins...cold...automobile paint...trash pickup...red plaid...rugs...pop-tarts...rose quartz...hand cleaner...mortise and tenon...crosswords...

Lose to Win

Some women at work have started a weight loss pool. $25 per person, with 18 people in the pool. Some dedicated, disciplined person is going to win $450 in June by having lost the most weight in the group.

Not sure if I'll be that person or not, but I'm going to give it a shot. I figure my chances are as good as anyone's.* It fits nicely with all the other upcoming changes, changes I hesitate to call a lifestyle shift because I don't want to jinx myself, but which I hope, nonetheless, will signal better quality living in the coming months. There's something to be said for being close to rock bottom--it only gives you one way to go!


*In a previous contest, the winner lost 30 pounds, and in a later contest, two winners tied with less than 5 pounds lost.

photo credit: Chicago Daily News Inc. (1916). Cook County Health Commissioner, Dr. John Dill Robertson, weighing Gertrude Nelligan on a scale in an office [photo]. Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0067314. Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved from Library of Congress American Memory Project at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/
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Unplugged

After yet another look at my finances, I've decided to give up home cable and Internet access, at least for several months.

Yes I know, bad timing, with new episodes of Monk, Psych, Lost, and L&O: CI on the horizon. And having Internet access at home has been marvelous, since it enables me to do things like blog at 1:15 am without leaving the house (or even my bed, for that matter).

However, I can think of a lot I can do with $110.16 a month, not the least of which is start paying down some of the temporary debt I'm going to incur by moving.

I think I'll be OK, as long as no one mentions The Closer.

Family Affair

If all goes according to plan (that is, if St. Joseph does his job), I'll be moving into my own home in a few weeks. I was thinking about how much smoother things would go if I had everyone available to help:

A2 to handle Internet/TV/Telephone connections

A1 to make a security survey

Niece #2 to remember where I put all those little but important items in the move

Niece #1 to arrange all the books at the new house

Niece #3 to make a detailed exploration of the new yard and neighborhood

T to handle window and wall treatments

J to go furniture shopping with me

M to line the kitchen cabinets and drawers

Nephew #1 to test all the plumbing fixtures at the new house

Niece #4 to keep everyone entertained

D to do a little bit of everything, since that's his specialty