WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR NOVEMBER 2020

(((Allie:))) I am sorry things are not easy but absolutely delighted that you are still here with us. I hope the results of the medical work are spectacular and you are able to go out and have fun again in the near future. :flowerforyou:

SuziQ: Staying in the present is a good strategy.


I went shopping for vitamins and spent too much on them. I will likely buy somewhere else next time. :grumble: I bought a concrete patio paver to place in a small garden area next to our driveway. Our original Alberta Spruce tree is in a permanent pot & will be placed there for the holidays. It lives in its pot all year long. We will decorate it with Christmas lights that are on a daylight/dark timer. When it is getting dark the lights come on, when it is getting light they go back off.

The inside tree is also an Alberta Spruce that we bought several years after the original tree. We’ll transition it into the house starting the second week in December unless I get impatient and can't control myself. It will spend a week or so in the garage before we move it into the house. After Christmas it will have to be gradually transitioned to outside temperatures. I like to do my 'undecorating' while watching the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. I hope we can take the tree outside the day after the parade. We’ll see how things go.

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

SuziQ113 wrote: »

Hello everyone.

Lanette – I have never been a big turkey fan so when my friends and I decided to cancel our tiny celebration I decided Cornish hens would work for me. I love, love, homemade dumplings!

Allie – Yes, you need to get yourself back in gear for yourself. 😊 Rest well and wishing you continue towards a quick recovery.

Rori – I agree with you regarding the holiday and the history thereafter. I do celebrate it because it is the holiday of gratefulness and am mindful of the suffering we, as humans, cause one another. Sending positive thoughts to you.

Annie – Sorry to hear about your parents – I almost sounds like you are going to have to childproof (adult proof – ha) all of the doors with alarms. Big hug to you.

Pip – Oh, homemade tamales! I am sure you and Kirby will be fine as long as you are playing it safe.

Debbie – Oh, cranberry and guava sauce!! I love, love, love guava. Is it a family recipe or is it posted somewhere online? Please share. Sending positive thoughts your FFIL is just under the weather.

Tracey – Oh, your post made me chuckle. I think “The Munsters” would be my choice. Everyone in the family is weird but honest. 😊

Evie – We both picked the same family! I agree there would never be a dull moment.

Kate – Love your display. I agree with your assessment of how things are being handled (everywhere). I think the length of time is getting to many of us.

Rita – This is a long post so spoiling it…..

A dear friend who is a general attorney referred me to her friend who is a bankruptcy attorney. After filling out what I thought was a book on my financial life we had a conference call to discuss my options. After his review he determined I would only qualify for a 100% bankruptcy which basically means paying 100% back along with attorney fees and paying the bankruptcy court so in essence I would owe more claiming bankruptcy.

The attorney then said, you sound like you’re intelligent, just get on the phone with your creditors and negotiate with them. He provided some pointers like saying I do not have enough to pay, I am thinking about bankruptcy, asking what can you do for me, telling them what I could afford, etc. He reviewed the laws with me (each State is different). In FL credit card companies and collection agencies can sue if dept is $10k+. In FL one can simply ignore everything under $10k for unsecured debt and after 7 years it will drop off. But, as soon as you communicate with them the clock starts ticking again.

Personally, I felt I made the debt so I should pay it. Note here, this is a personal decision, and each person has different thoughts and feelings. I will say it took a lot of stamina, I had to brave myself for each call, it was tiring and stressful, but in the long run all of it was worth it to me.
The first step (that book the attorney made me write was worth it) is to log every single creditor, the balance, last payment made, etc., list out every cost of living (rent, medical insurance, car payment, food, utilities) then list out all income prior to making any calls.

If I was able to I would have claimed bankruptcy. It would have been easier and cheaper if I was somewhat insolvent.

So long and longer…..get organized, speak with a good bankruptcy attorney, find out your options, and then go for it. Most decent attorneys will provide a free consultation and it is worth it to call a few.

It took me almost 10 years to get in the horrible shape I was in and I am more than halfway through in two years. If all goes according to plan (ha) I have another year to go and then I am done. If things do not go according to plan it will only be two more years. Considering most bankruptcies (if not 100% cleared) take five years I am still ahead of the curve.

Barbara – I so enjoy the baking and creating of sweet treats to share this time of year too. I am fortunate there are a few neighbors who trust I am masked and gloved while baking so I have been able to keep a little and give away the rest. A couple of secrets the postal person told me a while back…..either use the flat rate boxes because it does not matter how much a package weights (still can be pricey) or request the package be sent using book rates. Book rate packages can take a long time to get where they are going but are less than half the price of the normal rates.

Time for me to fly. It’s a rainy day here so I think I will spend some time cleaning the house and putting away the Thanksgiving decorations. “May” pull out Christmas too. 😊
Hugs to all,
SuziQ – SFL

No secret family recipe for the cranberry guava sauce- I wanted to make cranberry sauce using fresh berries in the pressure cooker. I have a bucket of fresh guava that I picked up from my parents house so thought they might go good together. So, looked up a recipe for cranberry sauce for the timing. One bag of cranberries, one kids juice box of apple juice(calls for oj but I had apple juice) 1 cup of sugar(I used 3/4 and it is a bit tart but ok) a little orange rind and 5 guava sliced up. Set the pressure cooker to 2 min then let it natural release. Use immersion blender to puree it. That is it. .

Thank you for the thought for former father in law. He is such a sweet man and living on his own now that his wife is in an assisted living home. Two of the three sons live near him but he does get lonely. Wish they were closer(they are in Indiana)

I use the priority boxes when shipping all the fudge and treats because, like you said, it is EXPENSIVE! I do spend more on shipping than the ingredients for the stuff but I plan ahead on what shipping will cost. I know how to pack it and I get my money's worth for sure in them.

Debbie
Napa Valley,CA

Katla49 wrote: »

(((Allie:))) I am sorry things are not easy but absolutely delighted that you are still here with us. I hope the results of the medical work are spectacular and you are able to go out and have fun again in the near future. :flowerforyou:

SuziQ: Staying in the present is a good strategy.


I went shopping for vitamins and spent too much on them. I will likely buy somewhere else next time. :grumble: I bought a concrete patio paver to place in a small garden area next to our driveway. Our original Alberta Spruce tree is in a permanent pot & will be placed there for the holidays. It lives in its pot all year long. We will decorate it with Christmas lights that are on a daylight/dark timer. When it is getting dark the lights come on, when it is getting light they go back off.

The inside tree is also an Alberta Spruce that we bought several years after the original tree. We’ll transition it into the house starting the second week in December unless I get impatient and can't control myself. It will spend a week or so in the garage before we move it into the house. After Christmas it will have to be gradually transitioned to outside temperatures. I like to do my 'undecorating' while watching the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. I hope we can take the tree outside the day after the parade. We’ll see how things go.

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

I just ordered vitamins/suppliments from Swanson's online- Have never ordered from them before(but husband has) and they had great prices for what we were looking for. I went with them originally because they finally got my Hyland's biochemic phosphates(sleep/stress help) in stock (I checked over 10 sites a month ago and no one had it- found this place had the best price and got it back in stock first). Ordered all kinds of different ones. My last order was through Puritans Pride- we are all set for all kinds of vitamins/suppliments now- just need to remember to TAKE THEM

Debbie
Napa Valley,CA

Why our restaurants are still open ...


M in Oz

"Get to do"s and "chose well"s
Sad day. Learned cousin passed yesterday morning, not unexpected, a blessing really, he’d been on hospice and was in a lot of pain. But thanks to C-19 this is the first time I haven’t gone to St. Louis to be with family after a death in over 30 years.

Then had farewell stroll with B who’s moving away Tuesday. Had a little cry in the car on the way home.

Then got call from recently, suddenly, unexpectedly widowed dear friend who has to put her 10 year old dog to sleep tomorrow.

2020 has been the worst year for me since 2005, are we done with it yet?

Machka your graduation celebration sounds lovely, as does your summer work schedule. Brava!
SuziQ thank you for sharing “. . .took a lot of stamina, I had to brave myself for each call, it was tiring and stressful, but in the long run all of it was worth it” Such sound advice for any/all facing crushing debt. The interest rates credit cards charge are usurious imho. Well done!
Heather your “…took pity on him…” solution. What a win-win! Postage stamps are rationed in the UK? :noway:
Barbie “…sometimes I feel like my house is already too crowded” like when Shadow and Tumble get the zoomies indoors :laugh:
Pip :sad: your sisters’ tamales and mole don’t taste like your Mom’s.
Fae “… Fae withdraws” :laugh: no “attempt” about it, that is one classy lady look!
Michele SMH at Pete’s choice. Hope Maria has no ill effects.
Rita did you let your kids know how their comments made you feel? Have to say I was pretty thoughtless to Mama even through my 30s.
Katla your Rose Parade mention reminded me of years ago Doo-Dah parades with Synchronized Briefcase Drill Team. They were amazing!
Annie vent away. It is a very hard time you’re going through with your Mom.
Allie tiny veins that roll=Owwww! Glad they found the a-fib while you were where they can do something about it. ((hugs)) Sitting up is a huge step forward. Some hospitals have volunteers that will come and wash your hair, is that a possibility? Know how bad it feels to miss too many showers.
SuziQ I too love dumplings the way Mama made them (in an old fashioned blow-up-your-house kind of pressure cooker with chicken and vegs). Haven’t been able to make them like that, even using the same recipe, as there is no pressure cooker here.
Would it be worth buying an Instant Pot for that one thing? Maybe not. Don’t need the carbs anyway.
Beth really hoping your son’s re-test is negative. There is more than enough to cope with at your house, hope the virus stays away!
Rebecca excellent comments for Rita. Wish I could send your overseas son a nudge from pip’s boot.
Charsuzy what an efficient workout area!
Tina Sounds like the ER is where you need to be to get help. ((hugs)) Hope you get quick relief!
Debbie yes, I can cram a lot of adult fudge into a priority box and yes the shipping costs more than the ingredients, so may scale back even further this year.
Ginny in OH I made bone broth this year instead of soup. Really reduced it down. But dang your noodles sound good!

Lighter, lovelies!

Barbara, the Southern Oregon Coastie AHMOD

This is interesting.

5 new home design trends we’ll be seeing in 2021
https://www.bhg.com.au/home-design-trends-2021

I'd also add a couple things:

- 2-piece toilets (sink & toilet) near the front door so that we can wash up as soon as we come through the door.

- home offices. Nice ones, not just the smallest third bedroom stuck in the back with barely a glimpse of outside.


Machka in Oz

Not many posts today. You must all be exhausted.

DH was busy watching football, so I went out for a walk on my own. Oh boy! Was it busy! The seafront and beach were heaving on a brilliantly sunny, sparkling, Saturday afternoon. Luckily I was innured to the throng by my wonderful Soul music podcasts of Allegri 's Miserere and Tallis's Spem in Alium. Available from the Sounds App (BBC) I was soooooo happy! As I turned for home I put on my download of Dixit Dominum, Handel. I want this one played at my wake.
I really do adore church choral music. Strange, you might think, for an atheist! Anyway, I was transported.

DH spoke to DSIL this morning about the NO PRESENT rule this Christmas. He should be a professional negotiator! I always marvel when I hear him tackling difficult subjects with people. He really is a genius. So she is perfectly happy. Hooray!

Love to all, Heather UK xxxxxxxx