Text 38634, 149 rader
Skriven 2010-06-04 14:15:10 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
  Kommentar till text 38569 av Ruth Haffly (1:396/45.28)
Ärende: stuff 056                                                [1]
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Hi Ruth,

>> They're coming tomorrow night to spend the weekend, should be great to
>> see them.  Tomorrow morning Ron is taking the car into ANOTHER place
>> we've dealt with before... and then if all goes well, he'll stop and
>> do some shopping for me.. Just need some meats and so on since I've
>> pretty much cleaned out the freezer this week (bg). Ah boy.. it better
>> go well (bg)

> I presume he's a pretty good shopper, even without you along. (G)

Yes as long as I'm specific about exactly what I want and what it will get used
for.. He only substitutes items on the list if he has to, so that's good.

Btw, we did end up getting a new car.  It's funny looking but nice and added
bonus, it runs like a charm (vbg).  It's 2010 Kia Soul.  I told my daughter it
reminds me of a little red caboose :)  The engine on the Xterra was blown.  Ron
was so upset with the original garage where we took it to get repaired.  At
least this new one has it's own dealer warranty should any problems develop.
The mechanic at the second place Ron took the Xterra to said he'd be interested
in buying the Xterra for $500.00, which we'll be HAPPY to do :)  He figures he
can take his time and rebuild the engine, something which Ron as a programmer
would not want to tackle (bg).  It's not as much as we put in the car this
month, but who cares at this point!  You can't have everything.

>> > Yes, we have a heating system and we pay. The house is total
>> electric. > The power has been steady but it's expensive, especially
>> with a winter > as cold as the last one.

>> Yes, it cost us a bundle this year as well.. it was terrible.  Just
>> before this heatwave hit, I was thinking we might have to get the oil
>> furnace filled one last time ..

> After trying a friend's, we got a small oil filled heater (looks like a
> radiator).

Yes, we use two of them in our bedroom because that room has no heat.  It was
an added on room that was supposed to be room for a hot tub, but the previous
owner never installed anything in there.  Supposedly there is a floor
underneath the carpet that is "all ready" for the hot tub, but we've never
looked (bg).  I also use one like that in one of the downstairs bathrooms
because that room has no heat either.  We didn't notice the lack of heating
vents in either place when we bought the house (bg).

>With it, we were able to cut the thermostat a degree or 2
> and save a few pennies.  I baked a bit more from time to time to help
> warm the house (and our tummies) too.

Understand - baking does help, and with the heaters taking care of the rooms
with no heat, it doesn't have to work on warming them.  We've closed up the
upstairs pretty much for now, and also helps.  It's still insane though.. A
smaller house will help that as well "someday" :)  When we lived in Warwick, we
had total electric at one point, and for that we found that turning down the
heat at night to a very low setting really helped.

>> Right, asthma would do that.. Mom was the same way when she was here..
>> we had an AC in her room as well, and let her control it.  She was
>> really happy about that because my sister wouldn't let her touch the
>> settings at their house even though my sister turned every up (down,
>> whaterver (g)) when she left for work, to save money.

> Bummer!  Sister needs to experience what it's like to be elderly!

She'll get there some day and see what it's like first hand no doubt.. so
probably until then, she just won't care. It's a shame really.  I know housing
expenses are high these days, but you know there are places where you can cut
down to make things work when you have to.  She doesn't seem willing to do so,
period.  She won't give up going out on weekends, for example (meeting with
friends to drink and dance, etc.).

>>> though, I literally can't even think when it gets that hot.  Those are
>>> the times when Ron picks up on my reactions to the heat and just turns
>>> on the air conditioning ... I get so affected by it, I don't even know
>>> it's hitting me that way.  Then as the cold air makes it way through
>>> the house, I say, wow, I guess I did need it on (G).

>> > And start thinking of comfort food for supper.

>> Or call out to the Chinese place across the street (g)

> Sounds good to me. (G)

It's handy though I suspect not as healthy as one could eat (g).. so we don't
do it that often.  They don't put MSG in it, so that's a good thing.. they do
sweeten some things quite a bit so that's not so good.  They don't make brown
rice either, which I have to remember to talk to them about (and keep
forgetting about (g)).  There is another place in Binghamton that we used to go
to though, that does have brown rice. Too bad this one doesn't.

>> > Very much so.  Steve has Meal Master on his system; I still like to
>> buy > and read cook books. (G)

>> Would be nice if I had the time :)

> I hear you loud & clear here!

Today I ground a ton of flour so I don't have to be running to the store for
it, hard red wheat and soft white.  I was able to get it to grind very fine, I
just had to grind it a number of times.  Bread is baking now, but I cheated and
threw it in the Zojirushi and let it have at it (g).  I still have to get out
to the garden and afterwards, vaccuum downstairs today.. Aspirin will be my
friend when I'm done with all that (bg).


>> Strange, that one.  My son's doctor never mentioned that to him..
>> perhaps it's a matter of how much one has or what's being treated?
>> Who knows.. maybe he just never mentioned it :(

> Depends on the person too.  Some have a better energy level naturally.

True.. even just between Ron and I, it's apparent.  I'm a little speedy
needless to say and I always tease him about that.. his pulse is normally
barely 60.. where mine is generally over 85 or 90.

>> > And it seems to be cold every summer they're in NY.
>> Not this one, at least not right now.


> My in laws are coming up to NY next week--it'll cool off!

It might :)  It will be welcome here, maybe my broccoli will have a chance yet
:)

>> I just figured with our insurance, we'd end up paying so much money
>> for it .. I could be wrong..

> Do you qualify for any kind of govenment help?

When I was awarded disability for the MS, I chose not to take full Medicare
with it.  I only have Medicare for hospital in-patient visits, not drugs,
outpatient proceedures or doctors. I just didn't want to switch away from Ron's
insurance that he gets from work.  That was mainly because the neurologist I
was seeing at the time in Manhatten didn't accept Medicare, but he did accept
Ron's company's insurance (think it was blue cross of NY at the time).

BC of NY at the time was a great policy to have.. so much better than this
policy from Aetna is.. When we go for any blood tests the copay is $50.00, for
the neurologist I think it's $50.00.. for General practioner doctor visits it
is $25.00.  So I figure if a blood test costs us $50.00, a several thousand
dollar MRI will be right up there.. :( Besides, since I started getting
vertigo, I have a vestibular nerve induced kind of panic attack when in 'small
enclosed' spaces or dark places (that's pretty sickening to the guts when it
hits).  Think I'll skip it for now (g)

Take care,
Janis

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