Another beautiful day in Paradise--furnace at night, cool morning, 75 degrees by 2:00
Spent an inordinate amount of time sending scanned forms to my case worker. Either they were too big to see all the information, or she didn't get all of them. Then she asked me for a proof of my mortgage monthly payment.
"What?"
"I need to see proof of your monthly mortgage payment. Either a receipt or a cancelled check or your bank account statement with it highlighted."
"I don't have a mortgage."
"It states that you have a mortgage....no wait....what the heck....this is someone elses file?"
<you must realize, this is a government run agency>
"I..."
"You don't own a house?"
"No--I own a manufactured home."
"Do you still owe on it?"
"No. I paid cash for it on December 15th, 2002 and moved in March 15th, 2003."
"Oh. Okay. I do need a proof of your lot rent, when you closed out your account at Chase and opened the new one at First National and something that shows the monthly amount you get from your pension....no not your pension...your.....what's it called...trust?."
"Guaranteed, Twenty-Year, Fixed annuity. Okay. I'll upload them and send them right away."
So--I got busy.
I went into my DHS picture folder, where all the scanned proofs are stored and I sent:
A copy of:
Chase bank checking account closed
Checking account opened at First National Bank of Howell
Certified statement of what I pay for lot rent
1099R of my annuity
Then I also sent:
Latest bank statement showing the date and amount of when my monthly annuity is direct deposited
The first page of my annuity that shows the terms: cannot be cashed in or monthly payout changed
I sent each one-one at a time, instead of a batch upload.
<BECAUSE you must realize, this is a government run agency>
So far so good, no return calls.
==============================
Then, I watched my Soap--gosh it's getting good! and went out to continue work on the undergrowth in my side garden.
I lopped and dug and raked and filled up my yard waste bag. Then I sat down to rest in my chair and all of a sudden, this little cutie came wandering out of the garden.
For some reason today, I didn't shriek, I didn't scream, I didn't get up from my chair and run into the house, I said, "You stay there just a minute, okay?" and I got my camera and took his picture. Then, I leaned over and studied him a bit. Just a plain old Garter Snake--pretty stripe, cute little head, almost like a turtle's head and I LOVE turtles. As long as he didn't slither, I was okay.
He didn't have an apple in his mouth to tempt me, but I wanted to shoo him out into the lawn and head him over towards Tami's house, she loves snakes.
I took my rake and tried to nudge him out onto the lawn and he wanted back in the garden. He moved faster than a speeding bullet, so I lunged ahead with the rake to stop him and guess what that little Son of a Sea Serpent did? He went right through the tines of my rake, back to his home base.
I noticed that one of my stepping stones was raised up a bit and thought perhaps that was his home. Oh well--I have the garden almost completely done except for one little Rose-of-Sharon sucker, back where he went, and I guess that can stay until next spring.
I think he enjoys living down in the depths of the Myrtle Vinca vine ground cover.
I amazed myself that I didn't get all shaky, per usual with snakes. I didn't yell, per usual. I was just running around the yard, playing with my new friend.
I should have just chopped him and be done with it.
==============================
When I lived on the farm, we had a whole lot of big, long, round Milk snakes. I used to keep a shovel on the back porch, because they were known to like to sun on the back steps. I can't tell you how many snakes I have chopped in my life--but the Department of Snake Preservation Bureau has a wanted poster with my face on it!!
I used to pay Mark and Pam 50 cents for every snake they killed ON THE LAWN. One day I looked out and saw Mark over by the field fence. He was pulling on something. I went out and he was trying to drag a snake back onto the lawn so he could kill it and get his bounty. Little Brat!!
===================
So now--every time I go outside, I will be looking for Mr. Sneaky Snake.
"I will name him George
and I will hug him
and pet him
and squeeze him."
YESTERDAY:
TODAY:
I hate snakes and am surprised I don't see more of them with a cattail bog less then 40 foot from the side of my house. I've only seen one in the 14 years I've been here. Toads I see daily. I love them now that the dog is old enough not to try to eat them. They do touch noses though.
ReplyDeleteYou're such an organized person and was able to gather your paperwork for the state. Can you imagine the kinds of stuff the caseworkers have to deal with with some of the people who live a lower life style than you do and don't keep that stuff on hand? They probably get sworn at a lot.
You really worked hard on those areas, they look great!
ReplyDeleteGarter snakes don't bother me, in fact, when my older son was about 8 we found one in our garden and kept it as a pet. If I encountered any other kind of snake though it would freak me out.
You are so organized. I bet they run across a lot of people who can't put their hands on a certain critical form when they need it. I wonder how some older people manage when they start to get a little confused if they don't have someone to help them out. Becoming dependent is a scary thing.
ReplyDeleteYour work in the garden paid off. It looks nice. Hope your snake friend behaves.
You are indeed very organized. I've learned to keep everything in a wire basket as it comes in the mail. Then I can sort it through later on.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with George today. We get a lot of snakes here...I'm pretty used to them. They do startle me whlle gardening though.
Balisha