Category: Friday Five

This week, I decided to go slowly in my life. No rushing, no craziness. And I can report, at the end of this week, that progress has been made. So, here is this week’s Friday Five.

1. On Monday, as I have written, I went to the Social Security Office in Concord. It remains to be seen if I was successful in convincing them that I am alive, But I am hopeful.
2. I picked up my mail on Tuesday. I have found that there are days that I see nothing but pieces of horrific, depressing crap! On Tuesday, this was the case.
3. The company my husband worked for before he retired sent me a bill! Now, I am on Medicare, and they are no longer involved in my healthcare, but they think I owe them $1800.00! I called, and they are investigating!
4. I went out for an Asian Fusion luncheon.It was so much fun, my friend invited me, and it was great.
5. Today, two things are happening. I ordered new end tables for the family room, and I am taking another friend to lunch for her birthday!

Life isn’t perfect, but it is getting better. Have a great weekend!

We had our first snowfall on Thursday. I wonder what it is that causes people to become idiots, forgetting everything they learned about driving in the snow. So it was today. So, here’s what’s happening at the end of this week.

1. I’ve been so tired that I just haven’t been able to get out of my own way. I decided to plan a trip for myself, but the cruising prices with Princess Cruises were out of this world.
2. So, I went to bed feeling lost and depressed.
3. Wednesday found me making a few phone calls. I couldn’t believe that everyone was charging that much.
4. Thursday, with the help of Terry, I found a 9-day cruise well within my price range. Also, I have not been to two of the islands.
5. The reservations are made for the ship, my plane tickets are all set, too, and in January, I am off to recharge my batteries, hopefully.

This week was a truly busy one. My days started early, and some I had to jump out of bed for. But here we are at the end of the week, and the accomplished work was amazing.

1. The trim all around the house was fixed or replaced and painted. They discovered I needed a new walk-in basement door, and the garage doors were resealed.
2. I was cruising YouTube and found the Luke and Laura videos from way back when. I was truly a fan of General Hospital, and I am enjoying seeing them again after all these years. So many of the GH cast have passed away, but here they are again, and I thank them all for entertaining me.
3. I went to the dentist today, and my bad tooth has worsened. And I will see the Prosthedontist tomorrow.
4. My Savannah and my Quinn are in a play on Sunday. I am going down to watch them! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am.
5. Well, I am closing in on becoming an official card-carrying  Medicare member, a senior citizen. Well, it sure beats the alternative!

This was an excellent week. So much was happening here at my house, and even though my cold lingers, I can look around and smile! So, without further adieu, here’s this week’s Friday Five.

1. The carpenters arrived first thing on Monday. Besides being such friendly people, they are helping me deal with the neglect this house has suffered from.
2. I’m thinking about going on a cruise. I love the Southeastern Caribbean. I’m also thinking about next spring.
3. Lili and Heidi are feeling comfortable having made new friends.
4. The order forms are out from my favorite farm stand. Pies, squash, and quick breads. It should be fun!

5. Before and after. We had some much-needed yard work done.

Life is crazy right now, so I will jump in and write the five.

1. The health insurance drama goes on. They took payments directly from my bank and applied them to the couple’s account. Without telling me, they set up a widows account. So the widow’s account is in the red while the couple’s account is in the green. I have been trying to resolve this since August, but nothing is happening. I will engage a lawyer if I cannot resolve this on Monday.
2. I had a problem with the sewer system and had to call my plumber. He worked so hard, and looks like everything is okay now.
3. Things are very quiet here. I invited another widow lady to breakfast. They both were close to Jack’s age, and her husband passed away before Jack. It was a nice breakfast.
4. The air conditioners are out for the winter. Once the heat goes on, the air conditioners come out.
5. I will admit that I am very lonely. My grief overwhelms me at times. Not wishing Jack was still here. He was so ill, so that had to be. But I’m alone, and although I am trying very hard to fill my days, there are days I am not too successful.

Ah well, another week gone by.

Time is going by so quickly. Some days I look around and feel like it has been just the other day since Jack died. And then it feels like a long time since my life fell into a routine.

1. Thursday morning I went to the local diner and had breakfast. As I sat watching other diners a couple came in. They sat down and ordered. Once their food arrived the wife kept eating off her husbands plate. He just smiled and you could tell that these fun meal times happened between the two of them often.
2. My sister is home from her vacation to the UK. They started in London and then drove all around, including Scotland before taking a ferry to Belfast. They were gone for two weeks. So glad they are back, safe and sound.
3. We have a local country fair this weekend. Saturday rain is forecast, Sunday not so good, but Monday!!! My cousin is come up with her husband. I love these types of homemade village fairs. Best Jams and Jellies, Best Pies, and 4-H. So much fun!
4. Tomorrow I have a goal. To get all the paperwork on my kitchen table sorted and filed.
5. Lili seems a tad calmer on the Prozac for pups. And Heidi is also doing better on her meds.

Another week has gone by. I made it! I did not just survive it, I reveled in all I got done. It wasn’t just a good week. It was a great one! Here’s what’s been happening.

1. I now have two new toilets, two new shower heads, and a new kitchen sprayer/faucet. I have wanted to do this for a while, but Jack always found excuses. But like any depression-era kid, he was pretty used to his folks saying it was fine just the way it was. In any case, it is nice to have these new items! Positive #1.
2. I got a quote from a carpenter to repair the trim on the house. Yay! I am so happy about this. Positive #2.
3. I went out three times for a meal. Once to Hart’s Turkey Farm, Vida Mexican. It was a great Taco salad.
   

   And the other at George’s Diner. Poor Harts.

   

   A very drunk driver went right into the front of the building. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. It was all pleasant and nice to be out. I learned to eat alone and played with my cell phone while I ate. Positive #3.

4. I got three loads of laundry washed, dried, and put away. And the dishes made it into the dishwasher. Positive #4.
5. After dying slow deaths, the replacements for my blowdryer and electric toothbrush arrived. Just in the nick of time! Positive #5

So, that’s the list for this week. Have a great weekend, everyone!

This week seemed to go on forever. I tried valiantly to stay on top of everything, but unfortunately, I failed. So here goes the crazy week that was.

1. First thing Monday morning, I was off to the Social Security office. The clerks there are very friendly and helpful. I fear the people operating the computers on the other end messed it all up. This was my third trip there; I hope it will be the last.
2. When I saw my dentist last week to have my stitches removed, they asked about my insurance. I told them that it should be okay now. Ha! I called Delta, and my insurance is all screwed up, despite paying the Cobra amount for myself. They also took a full payment in August for our joint healthcare, and let’s face it, in August, Jack had ceased to have any health at all.
3. I am fighting it all. Social Security and health insurance that I know I have. It all just needs to be fixed. I am feeling overwhelmed by all of this though. I stopped by the cemetery, walked over to Jack’s grave, and sobbed. I also yelled at him.
4. This is something that has surprised me. I miss him, I’m grieving, but I am so angry at him. I know that makes no sense at all, but I am. But since he left it’s all been so hard.
5. Today my plumber arrives to install some new things. After 23 years, a few things needed to be replaced. Call me happy!

So that’s it. I hope everyone stays safe as Hurricane Lee approaches. I am far enough inland, so all I expect is rain.

This week, I have been so busy. More paperwork, trips to Concord and Manchester, New Hampshire, and to the shipping store to send off documents overnight. Whew. So, here is what happened this week.

1. On Tuesday, on my way home from Manchester, I stopped in Boscowen, NH, at the Veteran’s Cemetary. I received a phone call from the office informing me that Jack’s headstone had been set. They told me the lot number, row number, and space number. Another funeral was going on in Jack’s section, so I sat and waited. Then, I walked over to his section. I started to count rows and then laughed. I did not need to count.

   I looked up and allowed myself to look for the German Shepherd head I’d put at the top of the stone. It took me ten seconds to find it.

2. I walked over and glanced down. I stroked the stone, which was smooth and beautifully engraved.

   I think it is something he would have liked. I have no idea about this, as he told me where he wanted to be but not what he wanted on this stone. Jack got his first German Shepherd when he and his first wife got married, and he reported to flight school. That female had a litter of pups, and a beautiful white pup was in this litter—the first of many White Shepherds in his life. Hulda was the love of his life, and it seemed right that this German Shepherd mark his resting place.

3. Many people gave me a hard time about getting a black car. But here’s the deal. My “black car has silver and blue sparkles in the paint, and the rugs and black rubber mats are all an upgrade. It is beautiful!
4. Flash forward to today. A friend helped me load up the car to bring my TVs, Monitors, and Printers to be recycled. I brought them in, paid my fee, and decided to see the plumbers to speak to them about a few things. I noticed dirt/ink/something not good on my hand. I went to the Highlander and glanced at where the printer had been on the third-seat floor mat. There was a puddle of black ink. I returned, got more paper towels to sop it up, and then went home.
5. I parked my beautiful car away from the house. Then, carefully, I rolled the mat up and removed it. I brought the mat down the little hill away from the car, used a cleaner, and washed it off. Black Matt, Black Ink. And none of it got on my car. Yay! I swear to God, I would love to get plastic to cover everything and bubble wrap for the car. I guess we all have disasters that befall our cars. This was the first and, I hope, the last…for a while.