The New Water Cooler
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Yesterday was a big bunch of frustration calls for me.
Zelle(third party)is the program/app I don't know what my bank has available for electronically transferring money to other people. I thought using it would be better than signing up for Venmo or something else since it was the bank's version. And I had set it up a couple of weeks ago to transfer money to Caleb for school. I started with just a $10. It went fine. Then I did the balance of what I saved and promised him on Saturday and it gave me an error message. I called Zelle spending thirty minutes on hold going through a 'verification' process which included having to get Bernie on the phone even though it is a joint account his name is listed first (and that made him fussy). Then the lady tells me next we have to talk to the bank because they initiated the hold. Since it was Saturday night it would have to wait to Monday. So I called Monday and the 'system is done'. Finally it got cleared up, but annoying. And not that I want them to send out my money willy nilly, but if it's not going to work after doing it all correctly and testing it. Meh.
Then since I was in the mode, I worked again on this bill from Quest from Zach's bloodwork back in May that still hasn't been fixed. Quest keeps billing me even thought insurance denied them. Not me, Quest. I have spent multiple hours on the phone with Quest arguing that essentially the EOB states my responsibility is zero. Quest just states that then it's my bill. Insurance is good about telling what I owe. If I owed the who thing, that's what I owe. Quest is pissed at me and I am not giving up. They didn't process it right. I finally gave up with Quest and called BC back and the gal is like, it's really not your responsibility (whew since it's $560) and she got in the mix with Quest. She believes she has gotten them to understand that they have to write it off. We'll see what the next statement says. But at least if I get another I can/will go back to BC for an elevated call. So stressful.
I finally tried having 'the talk' with Bernie the other night. I don't know. He didn't yell or stomp off. So I guess that's something. But other than that nothing. I mean nothing will be magic, but I guess I had hoped for at least an apology or something. I don't know.0 -
Financial/billing stuff is so stressful and dealing with facilities and insurance is so frustrating. Hopefully it all works out. I had to deal with a home health care place this winter that kept billing me for something I already paid.
Did Bernie engage at all? Did he express any frustrations he has or how it all could improve? Did he understand where you were coming from?
I hope to roast a veggie assortment tomorrow (tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, fresh herbs) to use in soups and pastas this Fall/Winter. I would like to start tomorrow so Russ needs to bring in his vacuum sealer so I can get them freezer ready.
I've been searching the internet for a FL rental that would not be a camper. Prices are crazy but I did see a house in Jacksonville Beach about 30 miles from Jeff and Karah. I don't know much about the area but the house looks nice and is .8 miles from the Atlantic. Dog friendly, fenced in back yard, screen porch, nice layout and furnishings. The last review was Oct 2020, all reviews 5 star ratings. I'm wondering why so long ago and if it is because of Covid or it hasn't been rented or is no longer a viable listing. It says it is but maybe wasn't taken down? I need to message the management company and ask some questions.
I organized my clothes in my closet today (started anyway). Tomorrow I need to work on toys and books for Miles and Alayne. David and Halen will not be coming at this time. I would love to see them come to FL as a whole family in February.
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so many thoughts racing about my work yet too. It has been incredibly hard on Michele since Phil (President/CEO, etc) died and she just keeps getting more done with this place. I can't say I'm happy, but it's somewhat comfortable and I do look at what's out there and nothing sounds amazing. But I know when Michele finally pulls her pin, I'm probably going to get shuffled to another team or just shuffled out. Sigh. I know change can be good, but it can also hurt so bad getting there.0
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Are you still looking for job listings? Is there a strong chance they would let you go? Change isn't easy but can also be rejuvinating and energizing.
We booked a small house in Ormond Beach, FL from 1/25-2/22/23. We will be about an hour from Jeff and Karah, .3 miles from the Atlantic, just south of the campsite we had reserved (same area) but will be more comfortable and have a fenced in yard for Charlie, our dog. It is just north of Daytona. Neighborhood is typical FL, small cement house. We decided the camper would be a pain to pull to FL in the winter and we wouldn't be very comfortable for a whole month.
I roasted an assortment of veggies from my garden today. I included fresh herbs that I grew, lots of garlic, vacuum sealed them and put in the freezer. They taste great! I have another dozen tomatoes to harvest and will roast the ones we don't eat. Tonight was BLT's for dinner. Yum!
Tomorrow I start to clean for Hannah and Rory's visit and will continue to sort toys and books for Miles.0 -
I have been wanting to try oven roasted tomatoes recently. I love most vegetables roasted.
Tomorrow is my anniversary - 27 yrs. Bernie did send flowers today for the first time in forever. So I guess my complaining prompted something. I think they are beautiful and I do appreciate them. But it's not the only thing I want. I hope he 'heard' there is more going on.
I do look at indeed and ziprecruiter etc everyday - mostly just browsing because I am stuck in that place where nothing looks better than I have, I carry the benefits now and if things stay the same this is good enough. If a bunch of people leave, it won't be ok... just keeping my head on a swivel and trying to keep a correct read on things
Friday eve
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Maybe Bernie will take baby steps but effort is better than no effort at all. Would he be open to a date night a couple times per month where you eat out, talk about things, go for a walk, see a movie, etc.? Maybe reconnecting that way since the kids are on their own, is a way to reconnect and see what happens.
I hope all works out with your job. Try to let the stress go since you have no control of it at this point. Keep watching the ads too.
I just roasted more veggies and added spice with dried peppers and jalapenos to it. So 4 packages, two regular and two spicy.
I sorted toys and books today. There are a couple more bins in the pole barn of books and a few toys. Russ and Rory will bring them in for me on Sunday. All that is left to do for kids arrival is dust, vacuum and clean bathrooms. Russ will grocery shop tomorrow and buy one more life jacket for the kayaks.
My lower back is sore from lifting bins and bending over. Time to rest and read.
Work week almost over for you!0 -
I really pulled a muscle in my lower back. Ouch! I can't do any kind of activity these days without feeling the pain somewhere. Russ and I have talked about joining the YMCA. It probably is a very good idea. I need to get in better shape. When the kids leave we will check it out and see what it has to offer.
Russ brought in a bin of kid's books and toys for me so I will sort today and put the rest away in the basement. I will clean bathrooms today, do laundry and tomorrow vacuum before leaving for the airport to pick up Rory and Hannah.
I'm hoping the apples on the apple trees in the backyard will be ready when Miles gets here. He can help me pick some and we could make some apple sauce.
Cold front coming through this evening with rain. Winds may be up to 30mph. After tomorrow, weather forecast looks great for the week. I hope it stays that way for the kids vacay.
TGIF!!0 -
Friyay
Oh that would be a fun memory to pick apples and make applesauce with Miles.
Hot today and then maybe cooler this weekend.
Have a wonderful visit!
Friyay0 -
Ready except for vacuuming main part of house and mopping the kitchen. Tomorrow morning...
88 degrees today. It looks like we may get rain tonight which would be nice and relieve the humidity that has built up.
Russ is cleaning up the pole barn. I hope he sweeps the floor. It's a mess!
We ordered broasted chicken from a local restaurant for dinner. It is pretty good and we were both busy all day getting ready for kids to arrive.
Jeff and Karah arrived at her parents' house in GA today. They will stay for the weekend and then come north on Monday, staying in Indianapolis over night and arriving here on Tuesday eve. Long drive! Indiana is the ugliest and worst part of the trip. Southern MI isn't much better but it improves as they head north.
I ordered a new Amazon Fire tablet and it arrived today. It has a bigger screen for reading and internet surfing.
Enjoy your weekend. I'll be checking in while they are here. They won't want to hang with us all the time.0 -
Is there anywhere to fly in close proximity or is a long drive the only option?
Ugh. This football game is painful. I think Scott Frost is losing his job. Don’t know who can turn it around. At least there’s volleyball
Had lunch in Omaha and went to Costco for the first time. Not really a fan. It was crazy
Enjoy the visit!0 -
They flew in to Traverse City yesterday. Hannah found cheap tickets for $250 each several months ago and booked them on Delta. Non-stop from Mpls to TC which is the best if you can get a ticket. They only have non-stop in the summer months, unfortunately. They said it was so easy and luxurious! I agree since the drive is 11 hours minimum. I prefer to fly it too but rare to find a deal. Typically $375 to $500 which is crazy since the flight is less than 1.5 hours.
Give Costco another chance when you can go on a week day. Saturdays are nuts! Then again you may not need to buy in bulk (2 of everything or large packages of stuff).
We took the kids to a mid day meal at a brewery. The last time we ate there it was wonderful. Yesterday it wasn't as good. Place was packed due to the holiday weekend and of course we got seated right next to the kitchen. Very noisy but a good server. The food was mediocre at best. I won't rush back.
Today, Rory is going to help Russ bring in some boxes and furniture items to the basement store room so we can sort and I can set up a craft area with my table and chairs. Rory will also help Russ replace the canvas on the camper awning today or tomorrow.
Well enjoy your Sunday!0 -
Having a pretty good weekend with Bernie. Went for a nice lunch yesterday and ice cream and spending good time together today. Watching pitch perfect with a few drinks right now. He has never seen it. Crazy. For this music nerd this is my jam.
Sun-yay!0 -
Hoping you are having continued fun with your visit.
As always, having a few drinks led to a day of being sooo sick. I don't drink often, but every once in awhile I like to try to get that buzzy/fuzzy feeling - but it just knocks me down for a whole day (or more) afterwards. Feh.
Wonder what this week will bring?
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It's already hump day. So that's something.
It is so stressful listening to Michele talk about how she doesn't know if she can make it until the end of October. Like she wouldn't find crappy people and toxic behaviors in another place. I get that she may need to leave, but I guess this constant venting about it is getting to me. Everyone needs to vent, but at a point you have to move on - or not. I don't know.
Hump day0 -
Hi. Busy with Jeff, Karah, and kids plus Rory and Hannah. Miles and Alayne are adorable and it is fun having them here in person.
I'm glad you and Bernie had a nice time together. Keep scheduling "dates" and you may get back on track and find your new normal as a couple and empty nesters.
We have had amazing weather this month. 70's during the day and 50's at night. I couldn't be happier.
The kids' naptimes and eating schedules keep Jeff and Karah tied down so we are trying to encourage them to leave kids with us and go out with Rory and Hannah to wineries and cideries so they have an adult vacay too.
Tomorrow night my sister, niece, her husband and 2 year old daughter will come over for a picnic. My other sister is at a friend's cottage at another lake so won't be attending.
It sounds like your sister is getting close to quitting?0 -
Keep enjoying that visit!!0
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We are baby sitting so Jeff/Karah and Rory/Hannah could go to a cidery and winery for a couple of hours and visit with one another. Jeff and Karah needed a break from the kids. Miles and Alayne are both napping, hopefully for awhile yet, and Russ is getting set up for tonight's picnic in the back yard with family.
We have had a horrible infestation of fruit flies. Do you get them too? I have traps of apple cider vinegar and Dawn set near each sink in the house. They lay their eggs in drains so I have poured bleach and hot water down them to hopefully kill the eggs too. They drive me crazy. Russ read that rubbing alcohol sprayed on them also kills them so we have a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol and keep dousing them. The rubbing alcohol evaporates and dries quickly. I will have some cleaning to do when everyone leaves. I keep trying to wipe up the dead ones and just refilled the traps with fresh vinegar. I hope this ends soon. The garbage can is in the garage and all produce is either covered or in the fridge.
It's getting warm and stuffy in the house so I turned on the AC for today and tomorrow. We can't really have windows open because the fruit flies fit through the screen holes. Once they lay their eggs and they hatch, it's a battle.
I wish the kids had been able to schedule longer vacays. Rory and Hannah leave on Saturday and it feels like they just got here. Rory starts his electrician classes again next week so he needs to get home. Karah has about two more weeks of maternity leave and then works from home again. They have a nanny starting end of September to take care of Lanie while Karah works. Miles will continue at this daycare/preschool setting.
TGIF for you! Any fun plans this weekend?
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The family picnic was nice but after dinner my intestines acted up so I spent a lot of time inside dealing with it. We had a fire in the fire pit and the kids got to have smores. My great niece Amy and Miles loved picking apples off the tree and eating them.
Rory and Hannah went down to the sand dunes and Lake MI beach and Jeff and family took the kids to the beach in Suttons Bay for a bit before lunch and nap. Tonight we are having Dump Dinner Shrimp Boil. I'm still battling the fruit flies and have refilled all traps and sprayed alcohol on them. I vacuumed up the dead ones and need to bleach the drains next. Sick of it!
I hope you have a great weekend. Rory and Hannah leave tomorrow already. Jeff and Karah are here for a few more days. We plan to go to my sister's pool if weather stays nice.0 -
I haven't yet had to deal with fruit flies. I would feel really aggravated by them too. Definitely not a bug person. I can't believe you weren't running your a/c. It's still so warm here, it was over 90 yesterday.
Sounds like your visit is still going so well. I totally get you wish it wasn't ending. Getting to enjoy all those years of not so much fun stuff of parenting with the rewards now.
Does Rory like the electrician stuff? I hope he is finding his path.
Not sure what the plan is yet. I enjoyed last weekend, so it would be amazing to have another fun weekend. We'll see.
Hug them tight!
Fri-yay0 -
Jeff loves heat and humidity. I had AC on and he complained their room in lower level was freezing and too cold for littles. I turned it off and have had to keep windows open. Fruit flies come through the screens. It is a really bad infestation this year. Luckily nights are cool.
We went to a cidery/winery today and sat on the deck and did tastings. We took bubbles for Miles and he was very good. Lanie just enjoyed the new sites. We ordered pizza for dinner and the kids are out on the front porch watching the sunset and having alone time. Miles is sleeping and Lanie is going down soon. Rory and Hannah made it home with no flight delays.
It may rain the next 3 days so that could be boring. Sunday tomorrow...if warm and not raining, we may go to my sister's pool. Otherwise, not sure. Miles is so fun to play with! His words, imitation, and play skills are right on for his age.0
