DUH!!!

Today's high temperature was:  78 degrees

Today's humidity was:  46%

Sunny, once again.

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Oh Dear--I use to be so smart, so organized, so in the know--now I have trouble remembering what day it is and what I want to do!  I was just about to shut down this computer when I realized, I had not posted anything for today--and I do try and post something every day.  

My Friends--you cannot know what your comments meant to me today!!!  A great lift to my spirit.  I thought I was going totally " 'round the bend", with all this death thinking and preparation and aging and what to do, what to do...and then I read your comments and find out--I'm not quite as abnormal or weird as I thought!!!  I really don't have any people that I would share those thoughts with.  My sister wouldn't understand--too young.  Pearl would just shake her head and say, "You're weird!" and most of my long-time friends--well, I don't even want them to know how I think at times.  So---once again---you have saved me...made me smile...and lightened my mind all day today!!!! Once again, thank you so much!!!

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I got up on time and made it to church early, LOL.  We have a lot of construction zones in this area and detours.  I have a special kind of back way I go to church to avoid them.  Today--our pastor continued his story on detours--mostly he means spiritual detours--or emotional ones---and how, even if we think we are going through them alone--God is there working, making the "path", getting us through.  

I got out of church and turned to come home the usual way and--"Oh Oh".  A this street is closed, sign was up.  Not only does the town of Howell have a Farmer's Market every Sunday, all summer long, which is why I got a back way to avoid that, but this weekend, they are having a fruity festival.  Actually called--The Howell Melon Festival!!!  Ta Dah!

They have street vendors and parades and so, not only is the main street through town blocked, but a lot of side streets.  

Alas and alack--so I turned left and proceeded down a couple blocks and turned right again and...OOPS--that road didn't go all the way through.  Turned around and came back to the street I was on, and finally decided to go on north to the semi-large highway and then drive on that up to the road I mainly take when I go to Byron.  Of course--there is a HUGE construction zone on the corner of my road home and this road--on the corner--by the Wal-Mart--where I had to go to get ONE stupid prescription!!!They are putting in an expressway interchange in this area--which is needed, but still.....................

It was 12:30 by now--church got out at 11:45.  I got my prescription and decided to look around a bit.  Diet Pepsi--on sale--$1.00 for a 2 Litre--YOWSER!  and while in that area:  milk, water, ice tea, bottled water. Something that would work for "bumpers" on the lid of the big box because, YES--I have already smashed my fingers.    I couldn't find them, so guess what I used?  Those felt tipped thingies you put on the legs of a kitchen chair so it will slide around.  I ran a small bead of Elmer's Glue around each one, stuck it to each end of the lid and VOILA--they are black with dark brown felt so they don't even show.  Oh, I know, I have compromised the "vintageness" of the box, no doubt, but.........

When I got home,  which was now 1:45, I had to unload and carry in, 5 bags with 2 jugs of Pepsi per, 2 gallons of ice tea (unsweetened, please), a gallon of water for the cats, a gallon of milk and a 12 pack of bottled water.--plus a few other bags that contained, celery, cake, floor cleaner, new strainers for the kitchen sink, a new aerator for the kitchen faucet (which did not fit right) and other sundry products--$91.00 worth.  BUT if I had bought everything at the Rich People's store, it would have been a hundred and a half probably.

My back and hips were killing me, but every trip I made out and in, I kept saying, "Thank you, God" because...I am so blessed that I can tote all that stuff in because, just 9 short months ago---I couldn't!!!!!

So I am through my "detour" called physical infirmity,   I am still on the detour called grief, but mainly now, I am on the detour called "No Money"--which over the years, has turned into a familiar road that is constantly under construction.

I went down to Pearl's and tried to get her e-mail set up.  She just had cable installed and her e-mail didn't work.  I looked how my account is set up, as I have the same cable company, and did it on hers, but---nope.  I told her to call Comcast tomorrow and they will help her get it going.

Oh--I gotta tell you--gossip.  Remember a few months back when I told you Pearl had ATT for her internet connection and her TV.  ATT told her if she bundled in her home phone, they would give her faster internet at a lower price--remember that?  They had no home phone--they both have cell phones, but to get faster internet, she went out and BOUGHT A PHONE--which she never uses AND the internet was no faster then before.

So--finally last week, their contract was up and I convinced them to go with cable--Comcast--like most of us have around here.  I told her that she didn't have to put her phone on it, because they don't use the phone.  I told her NOT to get HD, as it is ten dollars more a month and I don't have it and the lady at Comcast told me NOT to get it---unless I watch a lot of movies On Demand, as the difference in the picture is no different then just having digital.  

I found out yesterday--not only did she get Comcast--YAY, but she also bundled the phone, they don't use and is always turned off,  AND got HD.  $140.00 a month and I pay, $115.00!

So, tonight she calls and says, "Did you know that Debbie Macomber show we watched last night is on tonight too?"

"Yes, it's a re-run of last night's show."

"No it's not!  It's on channel 378 instead of 137.  I think it might be the ones I've missed."

"Channel 378 is the SAME as channel 137, except 378 is HD."

So she called back in 30 minutes and I said, "Did you watch it on HD?"

"Yes--it was the same one we watched last night on 137."

"Did you notice a better, clearer, sharper picture on HD?"

"No--am I suppose too?"

ARGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So apparently she gets her channel line-up and starts going through the HD channels and the name of the channel and on almost everyone, I say, "Yes--that is also on digital (whatever) channel too."

"Then...why did I get HD hook-up?"

"I don't know, Pearl.  Why did you?"

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I get so frustrated with her--I say her, because if she wants it, Merle doesn't argue and she goes off willy-nilly and ends up paying a lot of money for nothing.  They grew up in the same time period I did.  They went to a small school--but so did I.  They act like they don't have any brains!!!  All their lives!!!

All of a sudden, one day, she decided that she wanted new carpeting.  "The pad under this one is so thin, I feel like I am walking on a bare floor."  At first, she wanted hard wood flooring in the living room.  I tried to calmly mention that it would require an almost daily dusting with the floor mop and that the cat would probably scratch it AND when her daughter's Rottweiler dog comes to visit, he surely would scratch it.  She finally settled on carpeting--HOWEVER--she didn't get a decent pad and now she says, "This carpeting isn't very good.  It feels as thin as the old stuff I had."

They owned a motor home.  When they decided not to go to Florida anymore, they decided to let the motor home go back to the bank.  She said, "So we won't have to make payments on it anymore."  The bank sold it, but didn't get the price, so Pearl and Merle ended up having to pay $5,000.00 for it--a motor home they no longer had.

Fifteen years ago, they had property in Howell.  It was a large lot, a creek running through it and Merle built a large barn on it that they planned on living in part of the barn.  Then--because they hadn't checked, they found out it wasn't in a residential zone.  <sigh>  So--they had a nice piece of property, but could not live on it.

They purchased the trailer they live in now--it had to be completely gutted--a new roof put on--new siding, --new windows, new floors, new plumbing.  Soooooooo, they used the property in Howell as equity--to renovate the trailer and buy a 10 year old car.  Four years later--their VARIABLE mortgage on the property went up--the real estate market went south and now--they had a huge loan they could not pay back  They let it go to the county for back taxes--five years worth of back taxes--because, "We are going to save money now!"

Pearl and Merle have my old storage unit up the road.  I went with her one day to help unload some stuff.  That storage unit is FULL of Cat condos she saw on TV, an ice cream maker, a small George Foreman grill, 4 Ready Set Go's--2 toaster ovens, a juice maker, 4 Comfy Cozy cushions, 3 different kinds of steam mops and 6 coats she bought on QVC.  If it is advertised on an infomercial--Pearl has it!  She goes to the Salvation Army every Tuesday and comes home with bags and bags of "stuff" because she saved so much money.  

They filed for bankruptcy three months ago--going to save money to replace their 16 year old car--however--now that they don't have any credit cards to pay--the EXTRA money has gone into cheap carpeting, a whole new bedroom set of linens, curtains, etc. and now--she is talking about getting a new refrigerator.

Not only do they NOT have life insurance, they don't have a cemetery lot!!

I'm sorry for the gossipy rant, but I get so frustrated with her!!!

I fear Merle is going to die first and I have no idea how in this world she is going to get by.  He still works, at age 77, and is exhausted every night when he gets home.  It is seasonal work, so when winter comes--she will be crying again about not having enough money.  

I GIVE UP!!!

I'm going to bed--tomorrow will be a good day--I hope!

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