2017--This Year is Our Year!!!

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  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    We're supposed to get 8-12 inches of snow starting some time tomorrow and going through Tuesday. Geesh! Just when we thought we had it made with this winter. I'm sure it will be good for the water table. I filled the bird feeders and the suet feeders and put water in the heated bath. I'd been slacking off thinking spring was here. I'll keep refilling as the storm approaches.

    In Baltimore that forecast means everyone will hit the grocery stores for milk and other items. There will be no milk or bread on the shelves. Yeah, I know, it's nuts but that's Baltimore. Especially this time of year, even Baltimore with our poor snow response system, will be dug out by Thursday at the latest.

    I guess I'd better start taking my Aleve. If DH goes to work Tuesday I'll be in charge of shoveling out the driveway before he gets home.

    Jack has decided he likes Indy's heated bed in the laundry room. Like he doesn't have TWO of his own heated spots upstairs. I've picked him up and carried him out twice with no effect. Poor Indy doesn't quite know where her spot is right now. It makes her harder to medicate but in the long run she does need to get moved out of the laundry room. She doesn't hesitate to chase off some of the others but Jack is so laid back I don't think she quite knows what to make of him. "But mommy he won't run in terror from me..." LOL! Actually I don't know if I'm "mommy" yet or still just "Big Lady".

  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
    I love this cartoon/graphic post on Facebook.

    https://www.facebook.com/jimhuntcartoons/photos/a.253579764668772.85478.253120368048045/1657417960951605/?type=3

    Everyone seems to be having a great time in various ways. My days are essentially "groundhog days;" one is much like the other. No excitement here and little to discuss.

    I have my cardiology appointment at the end of the month, so I'm getting my data ready from the at home bp and pulse readings.
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    edited March 2017
    I haven't been on ancestry since last summer. Just got an email from someone. When I went onto ancestry I discovered there are messages. I guess they didn't go in email. So I sent off apologies to people for ignoring them. Not that I actually have time for them now but at least I could apologize.

    I certainly wouldn't say I'm having a great time but I'm keeping busy. LOL!

    Jean - that cartoon is hilarious!

    I hate, hate, hate losing an hour. Isn't that sad to be that busy?
  • Helene610
    Helene610 Posts: 2,841 Member
    I slept very poorly last night because I was afraid I'd oversleep and miss choir. I ended up getting about 2.5 hours sleep. I was up taking a shower at 6 Am even though the alarm was set for 7. I figured I'd be worse off if I fell back asleep that late. I was on time for church but I was dragging by the time I got back home. I ended up taking a 2 hour nap this afternoon and I'm not normally a napper. I see the Cape is projected to get a blizzard and a foot of snow. I'm glad to be in the sunny south instead.
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    Helene - I often have that syndrome. Absolutely have to be up? Can't sleep. Wonder why.

    We're not supposed to get 6-12 inches, depending on what you read, from tonight through Wednesday. I'm going to go out later today and feed because I'm sure I won't get out tomorrow morning. Makes me feel really bad knowing that.

    Jack has for some unknown reason moved into the laundry room. Indy is betwixt and between. This morning she was in the living room.

    I lost a pound last week. Still the right direction. Hopefully birthday will just interfere briefly with the trend!
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    That should be we're supposed to get 6-12 inches. Even 6 inches can bring Baltimore to its knees because we don't have the equipment or personnel to deal with it. Not an everyday event for which the city/county are prepared.
  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    Jean - they definitely count as eggs! LOL!
  • Helene610
    Helene610 Posts: 2,841 Member
    They look like eggs to me! I used to love Cadbury eggs but they got to be too sweet for me so I gave them up. I might get sucked back in if I tried one but Ive been able to walk by them for the last several years. Peeps never appealed to me so there's no problem with them either. I never was a marshmallow fan.

    Maybe jack is helping Indy explore more of her world by taking over the laundry room. Good job on that extra pound gone. I'm working on taxes today because company is gone and the clock is ticking.
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    One temptation not around this Easter is Mary Sue eggs. I always got them at Mars, a small regional chain which closed down. I could google them but I'm better off not.

    Weather event here turned out to be more sleet than snow. Maybe 4 inches overall - like a layer cake of snow and ice layers. HEAVY!! DH did the driveway and sidewalk with the snow blower and gave me the stairs and porch. The hand shovelling stuff. A good workout I'd say. See how I'm being positive there. Hee hee....
  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
    Helene--I can't stand peeps so they are no threat. The school's food service lab sells those super rich Easter eggs filled with peanut butter and they are not small eggs. They are so good but so, so rich. I haven't had one in a couple of years.

    Maryanne--We had flurries but tomorrow morning we are expecting a wind chill of zero so the start of school has been delayed because of the time some students have to stand out to wait for the school bus. Some students board the first bus around 6:30am.

    I have cravings. I am full but not satisfied so I've been munching my way through the day. I know it is wrong but it is a phase I am going through.
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    I broke down and googled the Mary Sue eggs. You can order online but they must be out of the fruit and nut eggs in all sizes because they are nowhere to be found on their web site. One temptation removed!!

  • Helene610
    Helene610 Posts: 2,841 Member
    Can't say I've ever heard of Mary Sue eggs. Are they a local specialty? BTW, when is your birthday? I think it's pretty soon from your earlier postings.
  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
    Maryanne--someone is looking out for you and removed the fruit and nut eggs.

    I didn't work today so I spent the time going through files and ditching unneeded items, some of which I wondered why I kept. I also did my taxes and electronically filed them. We had a zero wind chill today so I think I will be looking for something hot for dinner in the line of comfort food. Meat loaf is calling me!!
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    I'm guessing Mary Sue is local because I only ever saw them in one store, a smaller chain. Didn't even check when I was on their web site.

    My birthday is Tuesday. I'll be 67. Hard to believe some days. Other days when the body is groaning it's all too easy to believe. LOL!
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
  • Helene610
    Helene610 Posts: 2,841 Member
    Dog walking self. Too funny. We're still working on taxes. and I'm finding I didn't bring every receipt I need. I have most but a few are 1,500 miles away. The question is do we file on time and do an amended return when we find the missing receipts? Or do we file for an extension? I think I'm in favor of the amended return. last time we did an extension, accountant dragged filing out until just before the October deadline. I'd rather get ost of our refund in April and wait for the small amount on the amended return. Dh and I will have to discuss it and see if he follows my thinking.
  • PamS53
    PamS53 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I'm home again after spending three days with my sister. On Tuesday I met her and my niece to watch my niece's two kids compete in their schools' Bi-District One Act Play competition. There were six plays, and at the end of the day three were chosen to advance to the next level. My niece's daughter's play advanced and her son's play was chosen as the alternate if one of the three is unable to go to the next competition, which is highly unlikely. My nephew was selected for All Star Cast, which is quite an honor, especially since he is a sophomore. I was very impressed by his performance. The play was a comedy, and he really played his role very well. It's a shame their play won't go to the next competition, but he seemed ok with it. He also participates in an activity called Winter Guard, which is sort of a drill team but has both male and female performers. They are preparing for a competition in Ohio in early April, so he's ready to move on and focus on that now. My niece's daughter's play is one of the ones that will advance to the next competition, and if it advances again, she will have earned a letter jacket, so she's excited and hopeful for that. So, all in all, it was a good day for both schools.

    On Wednesday we stayed at my sister's home and she made a skirt for me, which I plan to wear to her daughter's wedding in May. It turned out exactly the way I had hoped, so now I'm all set for the big day. I'd like to find a pair of red ballet flats to wear with it, but if I don't find a pair by then I have other options. I wear a small size that is hard to find, so I'm not holding my breath about that, lol!

    On Thursday, my sister, niece, and a friend went antiquing. We first went to a small town nearby and visited a couple of shops, then returned to the town where my sister lives and explored several more stores and had a nice lunch. I didn't buy anything, but it was fun to look.

    Today I'm back home trying to catch up on a few things. I may get out tomorrow and shop for a few spring/summer clothes. I always seem to need new tops for some reason. When I looked at what I have left from last year they looked pretty worn.
  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
    edited March 2017
    Pam--It is always nice to get a few new things. I think you are right about the tops; they seem to show wear more than the rest of the items. New things can give us a lift!

    Helene--I would lean toward using an amended return. Dragging things out is not my style.

    Maryanne--You are a young looking 67. I hate to admit it but I will be 75 next month. Time flies by so quickly.

    I'm expecting my Costco 35 day program to arrive today. I keep debating about canceling it but $259 for 35 days of food is a value at just over $7 a day. Buy a card at $79 worth S$100 from Costco when not on sale, then that brings the cost to $239 for 35 days of food.

    Add to that, the local supermarket appears to be going under so unless someone buys it, then the nearest source of groceries is over an hour away. That can be inconvenient in the Winter. I usually get one of these shipments every four months and use it to fill in. I'm lazy so those dinners are especially useful when tired after work, etc. The rumor is that the owner of the chain has overextended himself, etc. and cannot pay the food suppliers so they have stopped deliveries. This store was so great when it first came in many, many years ago. The variety of foods and prices ran the other groceries out of biz so it became the sole grocery store. Then the service began to go down hill gradually. What is left is the Dollar Store for limited odds and ends.

  • Helene610
    Helene610 Posts: 2,841 Member
    It sounds like you are smart to keep your 35 day plan. The lack of grocery stories and the distance you have to travel make it worthwhile. Getting the shipment insures your not going to run out of healthy choices if you can't get to the store because of weather or illness. Add in the Costco cards and you've got a good deal.

    We're still doing our spreadsheet but I think we'll be ready to get it into the mail Monday. And I think I've convinced DH to file now and do an amended return if we find out the sales tax on the leased truck makes a difference in our refund. I'm assuming we'll get a refund since we usually do and our expenses seem similar to previous years. We need the sales contract to see the amount of sales tax and those records are 1,500 miles away. It may turn out to be o little that doing an amended form may not be worth it. We'll figure that out when we get back home.
  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
    Helene--I am definitely going to keep the 35 day plan. I've used the Costco cards up so I need to go to the site frequently to catch a sale. I miss the old site in which the sales were announced. Even if there isn't a sale, the cards still save money. I think you are making the right decision about the amended return.

    I am in Heaven I've never had one of these. Tonight, I had the NS Pumpkin Loaf. I could have one of these every night!!
  • PamS53
    PamS53 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I got good news regarding my friend's husband. Early next week he is transferring from the LTAC to a rehab hospital to continue his recovery! He still has a long way to go, but he is making really good progress. Considering that less than a month ago we were afraid he wouldn't survive, this is very good news!

    I never made it out to go shopping. My back is bothering me again and I just didn't feel like getting out of the house. Earlier in the week I was leaning down to search for something in a drawer of my nightstand and felt it seize up and it's been hurting every day since. I was in pain while I was visiting my sister, but mostly managed to ignore it, but it's a little worse today. I'm using heat and Aleve to treat it for now and I've called my orthopedic group to request an appointment with one of their spine specialists. I was trying to avoid that, but I'm starting to have these episodes too frequently to continue the way I have been.

    DH is due home from his trip tomorrow. He's had a good time, but I think he's ready to get back. I'll be glad to have him back, too. It's nice to have time apart, but not too much.
  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
    Pam--I am sorry about your back, but you are wise to make an appointment to have it checked out. Fabulous news on your friend's husband.

    I finally broke over and ordered an air fryer. It will be a QVC TSV later this month but I had early info on it and have debated, debated. It comes with some extras that are not available with the regular purchase outside of QVC.

    I got an email from NS promoting "buy $100 and get free shipping." I didn't read it as I just got a shipment yesterday.
  • KonaKat
    KonaKat Posts: 3,411 Member
    I've always enjoyed this video of our state's official song done by CMA artists in a well done video.

    http://www.viralmirror.com/30-country-singers-song/
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    Jean - the NS site Michele runs always has info on the Costco sales.

    http://ns-refugees.freeforums.net/

    That's terrible that you may be losing your store. I sometimes reassure myself, when worrying over my eyes/drivers license/etc. that where we live I could actually walk to several grocery stores. Being that far away from everything would be horribly difficult.

    You'll have to let us all know how the air fryer works.
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    I had a 2-month checkup with the retina specialist on Friday. I admit to being a little worried but turns out what I was worried about is some floaters. No new retina problems. Whew!

    I'm working on the CROM newsletter as my work has slowed right now. I'm sure it's related to that dang Republican health care bill. If you were an employer would you put money into complying with obamacare right now?

  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    Helene - tax records 1500 miles away? What horrible luck! We always get a refund from the state but owe the feds money. I thought we did great this year. We owed exactly $1 in underpayment penalty. That means I hit it right on the nose if you believe in never advancing them an extra dollar. Of course DH freaked at the size of the check we had to write so I increased my withholding at work. But I had one wonderful, shining year!! LOL!
  • mdubbs1
    mdubbs1 Posts: 6,656 Member
    Pam - sounds like you had a great time on your family visit. I had to laugh - just a little - at the thought of having shoe size that's so small as to be uncommon. I have the opposite problem. LOL!

    I'm very sorry about your back! I hope the specialists can give you some relief.
  • Helene610
    Helene610 Posts: 2,841 Member
    Maryanne, I brought most of the tax records with us but DH asked me if we'd paid sales tax on the truck we leased last summer. I'm sure we must have as MA never misses an opportunity to tax you for everything. That never occurred to me when I was packing up the tax records I expected to need. That info would be on the sales contract which is back home in a filing cabinet. I'm thinking it may not be enough money for us to claim as a deduction so we decided to file on time. I'll pull out the contract when we get home and check. If the tax was enough to claim, we'll do the ammended return. I'm writing the cover letter to the accountant, telling her about any changes in deductions compared to last year. I think the return will be very similar so it shouldn't take her long to get it done.