5478 days ago

Thinking of you on your birthday and always:

I pray for the son I barely know

As I prayed for the strength to let you go.

I pray for you now, my little one

And your new life, just begun.

Your parents will shower you with love,

As God watches over you from above,

Though I miss you more than words can say,

I get so much stronger every day.

You are loved, safe and warm

And will be sheltered from every storm.

Knowing they are what’s best for you

I know that I can see this through

So I kiss you and say goodbye

And forgive myself the tears I cry.

Jeff Gordon owns Kansas!

So the race was pretty exciting since everyone was driving their wheels off and slip sliding around the track.

I had no idea who was going to win, and yes, I was hoping it would be anyone who had not won yet- I want us to get to that over 16 winners stage.


It came down to the last pit stop and once Gordon had the lead, he was on it! The whole Hendrick team came alive in Kansas, all in the top 10, but it was Gordon's night. 89 wins. Nicely done.

And, hey, Danica, 7th place- you go girl...

Can I just say THANK GOD Justin Allgaier, Jamie McMurray and David Gilliland all walked away safe and sound from some nasty wrecks- complete with fire? I was holding my breath waiting for them to get out of the cars. I have to say, they were all probably hurting in the morning after such a rough night.

All Star Race weekend is on... Can't wait to see who is picking up a million dollars.

Spending Fast 2014...

Anna Newell Jones, went on a spending fast for a 15 month in 2009 and got out of debt…And I need to be more like her.

In July of 2011 I tried this and in 2012 I was (briefly) out of debt.

But then I needed a new car so my daughter had my old car to use, and I fell away from my saving habits and ran up some medical bills … I hit the maximum salary in my current position, so there are no more cumulative raises, only bonus money, which is taxed higher… Property taxes and insurance costs increased... Gas and food prices are soaring…

I am sure it is all a familiar story to many of you…

For a little while, I was considering selling my house and moving to be closer to work… Short commute… Older homes with character…

But…

I need to be real about money. And with each realtor walking away with more of my money than I would, selling just is not an option.  I can’t lose all the equity I have in my house and start all over. This little ranch isn’t much but it is something. And it is beautifully finished. Yes, I could upgrade to a new heating and cooling system and the electric panel, and one day I would love to have a tankless water heater and a covered patio, but we are good for now.

I need to focus on limiting what I spend money on  and a spending fast will get me back on track.

To that end, my house came off the market. I have 25 years of payments ahead of me and cannot go back to having no equity in a new home.  I will look into  a 20 mortgage refinance to see if I can save money by doing it, but I have to see if the costs involved eliminate my savings from a lower interest rate.

Starting today and for the next six months, until November 8, 2014, there will be no unnecessary spending.

Today. I begin by listing the things I will and won’t spend money on.

Items I need to spend money on:

Mortgage/Home Insurance/Escrow: Not optional! And now includes flood insurance since they redrew the lines for the flood plains- Bah humbug, FEMA! The Miami River didn’t get any closer to my house.

Urgent Home repairs… but hopefully there won’t be any… Please God...

Debt repayment and emergency fund...

Utilities (keeping lights and water off as much as possible; keeping the thermostat at 65 in the winter and wearing a sweater when the cold comes and at 75 in the summer- we have ceiling fans after all!)I already had Duke connect the cycle on/off meter so they can rotate my a/c on and off during peak hours, which lowers my bill a bit.

Basic Cell phone service- no smart phone for me. If it is good enough for Warren Buffet...

Internet/TV - because as much as I need to pay my debt, I need  internet for working from home, and TV for my kids so the next six months does not kill them.

Pool expenses: with summer and the heat, it is the luxury I can’t live without.

Food (store bought and only when I run out of stuff in cupboards and freezers)

School fees (like death and taxes- unavoidable!)

Allowance for John- cause he works so hard

Fairfield Community Center Zumba for me- the exercise is essential to my health plan

Belly Dancing - again invoking the exercise clause

Doctor, Dentist and Medication co-pays- because healthy is happy

Fast Track food and supplements for my post sleeve life- but I can’t buy more till I finish all that I already have.

Essential clothing for work needed due to weight-loss- I will limit myself to used clothing stores and I will buy no item that costs more than $10.

Car payment and full Car insurance with an Umbrella policy- better safe than sorry

Gas for commuting, oil changes, and other car maintenance stuff- but I have already replaced two of four tires and just changed the oil so I should have a couple of months with only gas costs.

Life insurance

What I'm NOT spending money on:

Books… I own enough that I haven’t read… and I can get  free books on Kindle

Cards & Gifts - truth be told, I probably have enough cards in the house to last a year

Shoes – I am amazed at how many shoes I own.

Trinkets…AKA crap...There is a great deal of stuff that fits in this category...

New make-up, hair stuff- bands, elastics etc… This may belong with trinkets...AKA crap...

Eating out- it isn’t healthy anyway

Movies/DVDs/Gaming… with Prime it should be okay- I will have plenty to watch for free.

Bed linens/Towels/Houseware items… I actually need to edit down what I have.

Decorative house stuff- Since my house just got paint and carpet and staging we should be good here

Cafeteria food… I spend too much money in the cafeteria… It is healthier to bring it from home anyway.

Poker

Anything I left off the list that I do not actually NEED.

Here goes nothing!

DWTS

Julianne Hough was spiteful in her comments to Mak a few weeks ago weeks ago when he danced with Wini Cooper and I do not think it was warranted.

But to have Abby Lee Miller bash Meryl Davis then judge  Meryl and Mak much more harshly than any other couple while ogling over James (who was good, but really?) made me wonder. Of course, when asked afterwards about Miller's remarks, Mak said what he thought, “I really don’t care for anything she had to say.” But I think he sees it too...

I think they are being given a harder time to balance Meryl's obvious advantage as an ice-dancer, so when she wins the Mirrorball, it will not be a runaway.

Mak getting his first Mirrorball would be excellent!

And really, other than going too easy on James and too hard on Meryl, I have to say, Miller was, to me, the best guest judge to date because she gave real, practical criticism to the dancers.

I can't believe I just wrote that but it is true...

The moment of the night goes to Charlie and Candace, whose feet never touched the ground. It was beautiful to watch.

Close runner up moment was when Mak and Val got a surprise visit from their Granny- it was wonderful to see a softer side to both of these strong tough boys!

Scary moment goes of course to James dropping Amy when he fell- Thank God they were both okay!

Next week is the semi finals, and I am sorry Wini Cooper and Val won't be there.

Nursing oath

I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician, in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.


Before God and those assembled here, I solemnly pledge;

To adhere to the code of ethics of the nursing profession;

To co-operate faithfully with the other members of the nursing team and carry out faithfully and to the best of my ability the instructions of the physician or the nurse who may be assigned to supervise my work;

I will not do anything evil or malicious and I will not knowingly give any harmful drug or assist in malpractice.

I will not reveal any confidential information that may come to my knowledge in the course of my work.

And I pledge myself to do all in my power to raise the standards and prestige of the practical nursing;

May my life be devoted to service and to the high ideals of the nursing profession.


I have been a nurse since 1991. I am proud to be part of a group that makes a difference every day. To my classmates, instructors, co-workers and all the men and women who are nurses and studying to become nurses, Happy Nurses' Week 2014

Talladega

I get it, Brad, it was about was giving it 100%.

But after getting clipped by Danica and ending up 6 laps down, do you really want to be the guy who causes the big one?

Because if someone else had done what you did, you would not have be shy about calling it what it was- careless, thoughtless, and I have news for you- the guys who's cars you destroyed? Every one, to a man, has a LONG memory.

So now my first shout out goes to Denny Hamlin for getting his first win for points on a restrictor track! You are in it now

Second comes Danica for leading some laps... because it was newsworthy and the crowd cheering for her was awesome...

Next is young Kyle Lawson- good stuff in that one for sure- great finish and great placement in the points race.

And to Talladega- you did not disappoint!

The Flying Pig Fundraiser for DebRA of America

 Cincinnati Ohio May 3rd and 4th, 2014

So it was time once again for the Flying Pig and I was Team Captain for DebRA of America.

 I was joined by EB supporters and volunteers over the 2 days and we had a blast.

 We raffled off an iPad and two iPods

Met with the Skyline Coney

The Big Blue Blob

  

D'Artagnan

 

And some of us got to hang with Gumby. (Of course they ran for like forever, but still...)

The weather was beautiful and it was an amazing weekend- Thanks to everyone for making it happen!