3 Financial Wins Today

1) My friend mowed today, picked up a five gallon bucket of hickory nuts, hauled huge limbs to the road, and put grass cuttings in the chicken pen for Bette. Oh, he also hauled Cher's carcass to the garbage. She died one day last week. She had been looking ragged in the feathers for a few days. Anyway, he refused any pay. He is one of the most conscientious mowers I have had in a long time.

That saved me $30 today.

While I was at the road, I checked the mail. There was none there on Saturday when I looked, so the mailman must have been late. Today, Sunday, there was one bill and two letters from a credit union, and some address I did not recognize. 

2) One envelope from the credit union was my statement. The other was about car insurance. On a whim, I called the number.

Present insurance per year without full coverage--$1,216

New insurance per year with full coverage--$ 756

Savings per year--$460

When I opened the envelope with an address I did not recognize, I gasped and could not believe my good fortune today. A program for survivors of cancer is offering me a chance to participate in a study. I immediately called and left a message saying I was interested.

It seems I will get $500 in seeds, raised beds, garden utensils and free help with labor and knowledge about raising plants. The objective is to determine how raising one's own food impacts physical and emotional health. The catch? I have to give them two Tbsp of blood three times, answer questionnaires, and be paid for doing so. This will last two years.

When I called Tommy with all this good news, he was laughing and happy for all this good news and on one day. He said that the only thing that would complete this fortune was a call from the government saying a wealthy relative had left behind millions for me.

Sunday was a $1000 day! Oh, I received a packet of tomato seeds! And a lot of hope.

I was so happy that I had a little cry. 

Good News and Michael Traffic

Monday, I went to Gynecological Oncologist and was told my six-month visits could be moved to once a year because I am still cancer free two years later. YAY!

Today, I went to breast doctor and received good news--I do not have breast cancer. Double YAY! I was stunned when she told me that my problems were from my diet. 

Both days, Tommy came up from Hueytown and took me to the doctors. Then, he brought me home and went back to Hueytown. That is 220 miles each day. 

As we headed back, the interstate was congested in the northbound lanes. People are evacuating. It seems half the people on the road had tags from Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan. There were quite a few people from counties in South Alabama.  It took us an hour and a half to go 25 miles. I am about 4 hours from the coast. 

While heading northbound we watched as at least 30 utility trucks headed south. They will be at the ready and close by when they are needed after Michael hits. 

I told Tommy I would fix him a meal for Monday and he could take it home. Well, I was just too tired on Sunday. I gave him a package of hotdogs and wished him luck...lol. He said he had vegetables that I had frozen for him.

When I got here on Monday, I rested a bit and put a chunk of frozen ground round into the crockpot along with half a cup of water, dehydrated celery, garlic, salt and pepper. When the chunk of ground round was done, I put a can of Dawn Fresh Mushroom Steak Sauce over the meat. Around this I put carrots. When the carrots were done. I went to bed and left the crockpot on low. 

Tuesday morning, today, I put potatoes in the crockpot.  When he got here, I dished up beef, carrots, and potatoes for his lunch while he waited for me in the car. According to him, the meat was especially delicious. When we got to my house, I gave him enough for another three meals. Once again, I forgot to put in onion!

The crockpot will soon have carrots and potatoes for me, all cooked in the beefy juice and Dawn Fresh. 

Bargains--Food and Otherwise

Since I always check Publix markdown racks, I find bargains often. A Mr. Coffee teapot was marked 2/$14.95, making it $7.50.  The next time I was in WM, the cheapest teapot was nearer $20. So, I returned to Publix and purchased a teapot. It is candy apple red, not my preferred color, but certainly acceptable. I won't pay another $12 for a different color.

At Publix I found Kraft Parmesan Cheese canisters, 2/$6. Since these are usually $3.89 at WM, I bought two canisters. Unfortunately, I had no coupons.



Warehouse Discount Grocery had Kraft chunk cheese, 8 ounces, for $2. This is as good as I can usually get when price-matching. I bought three. These are $2.89 in WM and higher at other stores.

Walmart has 42 ounce canisters of Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats for $3.98. Usually, the same product is close to $5, about $4.89.  Since I had a coupon for $1 off two canisters of 42 ounces of oats, I saved a bit more. I actually bought 6 boxes, figuring this will last me all winter. I will put all this in Ball jars, and freeze for three days, storing it in the cabinet. This way, no bugs will hatch that were in there when I purchased it.

Plus, afterward someone gave me two of the 18 ounces canisters of Quaker Oats. Yay me! I eat hot oats all year long. However, this winter I will have a bowl each day.

In WM a guy was giving out free samples--10 ounce bottles of Downy Fabric Softener. WOW, such a large size. Usually, these type products have free samples that are a little pouch, about twice the size of a catsup packet. I don't use fabric softeners, even free bottles, so I will give this to someone.

An organization gave me two gift cards, one for $50 and another for $25, to help with the cost of going to doctor for cancer--tests, surgery, and checkups. There was valet parking that was not free most of the time. I had to supply drivers with money for the valet parking. At other times, I had to give gas money. This $75 will help plug that hole in my wallet.

What freebies or bargains have you received lately?

Sleep and Doctors and Fair

It seems I have slept away two days. Finally, I awoke refreshed. When I sleep so much, I know I will wake up ill. My ears and sinuses still feel full, so I have a way to go before I am well. By religiously taking allergy meds, I hope to get better and not succumb to this.

I need a minor procedure by A. However, I was told by A to go to B to get referral or something. I went to B office for something else and messages back and forth between office staff and B and me went poorly. B sent a message for me to go to C. ??? I left without discussion. I called the office of A whose nurse told me to just come back there, to A, that I did not need to see B. ??? I took the appointment date and am still puzzled as to the discrepancy all the way around. I am leaving well alone and going to the appointment. No questions before or after. Sometimes, that is best.

Soon, I have an appointment with oncologist. I wonder how long I must see him every six months. Even though so far I am free from cancer, this appointment leaves me shaken every time. And, how can he tell about more cancer with only an internal exam?

I feel blah and am not very productive today.  The clouds have not contributed to any sense of well-being, but they are not my problem.

One pint of dehydrated food is ready for the Fair exhibit. Now, I must get the other ready. So, I have plans. Okay, here I go to dehydrate more food.

Your turn
Do you ever just feel blah or sleepy before an illness? Have doctors orders ever been confusing and contradictory when dealing with you? Is anyone entering anything in the County Fair in your area? Have you ever entered anything in the past? What are you going to enter or have entered?

Flyover Scare--Unmitigated Fear

Wednesday, exbf took me to Birmingham for follow-up after hysterectomy and forced me to ride over  flyover! ACK! Those things scare me. I go down I-65 to Birmingham and get off on University to get to my doctor.  He refuses to do so, turning on 59/20 and then turns on Red Mountain to get to University and my doctor. He knows I hate the flyovers and get sick. He goes there anyway--pooh pooh-ing my fear. I lived.

When I was attending some event in Birmingham, friends gave me directions that put me on a flyover, the lower one, I think. It felt as though I no longer had control over the car, that it was just on its on. I was extremely lightheaded, feeling like I would faint. This was 20 years ago, but I still vividly remember the sensation. Although my car is being steered by me, I just feel as though I am going to fall off the flyover--the car with me in it.

So, he upset me greatly on the way down. On the way back, he rode the outer line all the way up the interstate. However, he did take University back to the interstate. I could just kill him some days. But, he got me there and back safely. I did not have money for my co-pay and neither did he, so he put it on his credit card. Whew.

I don't know how I could forget the co-pay. The C word turns my brain to jelly. That's why I need someone to drive me.

Any time he takes me to doctor or even when another friend did so, I pack a snack to dull the boredom of sitting around.  Yesterday, he got a 1/2 cup container of applesauce, string cheese, and a bottle of water. Usually, I include a pack of peanut butter crackers.  I do this because he is diabetic. A jar of peanut butter accompanied us but was never eaten. He threw his spoon in the back seat and I couldn't reach it. I was starving.

When I went on Thursday to my now monthly trip to the urologist, I had a bladder infection. I thought I was becoming ill with this for a few days.

I added wheat back into my diet, as I mentioned. That was a two-day trial. Today, I was on the search for things I could sub for wheat. I found two. I am too tired to go get the boxes and bags, so that will be for another day. Now, I am no longer eating wheat. Next week, in time for my birthday, I intend to gorge myself on dairy products.

Your turn
Do some bridges and flyovers freak you out? Will you drive a different route to avoid the scary ones? I recognize this is irrational, but I cannot help it. Do you have a fear you just cannot seem to control?