I woke up this morning with a smile on my face. No, no sexy man was lying next to me, I just smiled because I had another sunny day to do something with. I'm lucky to have few aches and pains, maybe a little stiffness with age, but mainly fairly healthy and able to get around and do most things. That doesn't include climbing up the second step on the step ladder...another sad story of barely being able to change the light bulb at the front door. I'm afraid of heights and afraid of falling and breaking a hip.
Sylvia and I are going shopping and out for lunch today. I'm very aware that my fun times with Sylvia are coming to an end and that there's a strong possibility I might never see her again after I leave here for home. It's one of those life changes I have no control over and can't allow myself to dwell on. The worst case scenario is that we continue to keep in contact by e-mail and phone so that's not the worst thing in the world, is it?
The sun is shining and my sweet little trailer looks even more spacious now that John straightened out the nest of wires behind the T.V. and moved it back against the kitchen counter wall. Funny how a little thing like this makes such a difference in how much space you have. He offered to hang the T.V. on the wall for me when he has time so that would be nice. I have very little counter space in the trailer and that's one small reason I don't like to prepare food for cooking. Of course, I hardly enjoy cooking at all.
Anyway, today started on a good note and I'm sure it will end the same way when our group of fun ladies plays cards tonight.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Changes
I heard part of an old Buddy Holly song today that struck a personal chord with me. I looked up the lyrics when I got home and found they weren't about what I thought they were but I'll explain my thoughts any way.
Often in our lives we make changes to our looks, habits, likes and dislikes, etc. to better fit in with a lover or a crowd. The changes are usually made gradually until we don't know who the heck we are any more. Then one day, if we're smart, we decide to revert back to the person we started out to be. If that's not acceptable to the lover or the crowd, then they're not the ones who really care about us.
It is so freeing to just be yourself and not worry about how others see you. I grew to understand that the people who found fault with me were the losers in the end. I'm "imperfectly perfect"...(Shelley described John this way). I believe the imperfections are what makes us more interesting, don't you think?
In the end, if we're not true to ourselves, we're not really living.
Often in our lives we make changes to our looks, habits, likes and dislikes, etc. to better fit in with a lover or a crowd. The changes are usually made gradually until we don't know who the heck we are any more. Then one day, if we're smart, we decide to revert back to the person we started out to be. If that's not acceptable to the lover or the crowd, then they're not the ones who really care about us.
It is so freeing to just be yourself and not worry about how others see you. I grew to understand that the people who found fault with me were the losers in the end. I'm "imperfectly perfect"...(Shelley described John this way). I believe the imperfections are what makes us more interesting, don't you think?
In the end, if we're not true to ourselves, we're not really living.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Direct TV
Because I'm so electronically retarded, I go through life these days not quite understanding my utility bills. For instance, Direct TV, which I just had installed last month.
I paid some kind of installation charge followed by a month's service. I'd expected the bonus I would receive for 12 months...$20...but, after all those ridiculous taxes, I paid almost $30. Then came this month's bill which was almost $40 because they'd slipped in (unsolicited) an $8 charge for some kind of insurance. I called them and they instantly removed the charge from my bill.
Then I sent the payment, minus the new charge, to them. When I returned from my errand, I checked my e-mail and discovered they'd given me a zero balance even before receiving the payment. I don't understand...but I won't call them about it, either.
One thing to note...always check your bills and beware of unsolicited services!
I paid some kind of installation charge followed by a month's service. I'd expected the bonus I would receive for 12 months...$20...but, after all those ridiculous taxes, I paid almost $30. Then came this month's bill which was almost $40 because they'd slipped in (unsolicited) an $8 charge for some kind of insurance. I called them and they instantly removed the charge from my bill.
Then I sent the payment, minus the new charge, to them. When I returned from my errand, I checked my e-mail and discovered they'd given me a zero balance even before receiving the payment. I don't understand...but I won't call them about it, either.
One thing to note...always check your bills and beware of unsolicited services!
Friday, March 27, 2015
Two Days of Family Pride
What a fantastic 2 days at Shelley's. Kim is visiting for a month so I got to see her on Wednesday and then we all went to see Jake inducted into his high school's honor society. Jake is 16, brilliant, and hasn't seemed to have gotten himself organized to do his best at school work so it was a surprise to find he's finally hit the mark.
Yesterday we decorated the yard with flowers and tables for the evening's party. Shelley had hired a restaurant owner/cook to come to the house to cook dinner for 30 guests and it was one of the nicest parties I've ever seen. The ladies who had graduated with her just amazed me with their accomplishments.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. All was going perfectly until the moment when we were to leave for Shelley's nurse practitioner graduation ceremony. John was in the shower and Jake hadn't come home from school. Shelley was frantic, thinking he'd gone off somewhere with his friends and we would be late for her ceremony. It didn't get much better when she found out Jake had gone for a haircut! A lot of angry yelling went on in the privacy of their bedroom until John emerged with a hang dog expression on his face closely followed by Jake's arrival sporting his new haircut. We all waited patiently for Shelley to emerge, wondering if she would.
We al quietly waited in the car for about 5 minutes until Shelley, stone faced, climbed into the car. Now I love my son-in-law, John, with all my heart but I'm not crazy about his driving...even when he's calm. He raced through city streets, around corners, cutting off various vehicles, in an attempt to get to the university as quickly as possible. The atmosphere was chill plus terror as I kept my big mouth shut but thought a lot!
We were among the first people to arrive at the ceremony.
There were 14 nurse practitioner students who had worked their butts off for 3 years to achieve their goals and they all looked joyful and thankful their day had come. The ceremony was lovely and Shelley even won an award for her outstanding pediatric care. John went up with her to receive her pin and he kissed her full on the lips. All was well in the world again.
The drive back to their house was much less stressful and a good sized crowd awaited us. Classmates and their families had been invited back for dinner and the party and the atmosphere reflected the happiness that comes with their reaching a sought after goal. Apparently they had all been badly treated by one of their professors and Nicole printed out a photo of her and placed it on the pinata for the graduates to whack as hard as they could with a lacrosse stick. Cheers rang out when the pinata bit the dust and the elegant graduates stomped the crap out of it! That professor must have been pretty darned horrible!
Kim and I escaped upstairs a little early but we were tired and her poor foot was badly swollen as it usually is at the end of the day. We watched a few cooking shows on the T.V. in her bedroom because I couldn't figure out how to turn on the one in my (Lisette's) room. Remember when we only needed to press a button to turn it on and off??
I got up early this morning and tidied the kitchen...the livingroom and yard had been cleaned up the night before. I took my coffee out on the patio and gloried in the perfect Florida morning. How fortunate to be able to spend the winter in Florida!
Shelley and John went out with friends for breakfast so I tried to turn on their monstrous family room T.V. to watch the news. What a laugh...I couldn't figure out how to do it! Nicole's boyfriend, Sam, wandered in and I asked him if he knew how. He's an engineer (like Nicole) and he had a difficult time figuring it out but finally managed to do so. I'm left wondering why we needed a well educated engineer to figure out how to turn a T.V. on. Hmmm!
Now I'm back at the trailer and thinking of taking a nap before going over to play Bingo tonight. Life is good!
Yesterday we decorated the yard with flowers and tables for the evening's party. Shelley had hired a restaurant owner/cook to come to the house to cook dinner for 30 guests and it was one of the nicest parties I've ever seen. The ladies who had graduated with her just amazed me with their accomplishments.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. All was going perfectly until the moment when we were to leave for Shelley's nurse practitioner graduation ceremony. John was in the shower and Jake hadn't come home from school. Shelley was frantic, thinking he'd gone off somewhere with his friends and we would be late for her ceremony. It didn't get much better when she found out Jake had gone for a haircut! A lot of angry yelling went on in the privacy of their bedroom until John emerged with a hang dog expression on his face closely followed by Jake's arrival sporting his new haircut. We all waited patiently for Shelley to emerge, wondering if she would.
We al quietly waited in the car for about 5 minutes until Shelley, stone faced, climbed into the car. Now I love my son-in-law, John, with all my heart but I'm not crazy about his driving...even when he's calm. He raced through city streets, around corners, cutting off various vehicles, in an attempt to get to the university as quickly as possible. The atmosphere was chill plus terror as I kept my big mouth shut but thought a lot!
We were among the first people to arrive at the ceremony.
There were 14 nurse practitioner students who had worked their butts off for 3 years to achieve their goals and they all looked joyful and thankful their day had come. The ceremony was lovely and Shelley even won an award for her outstanding pediatric care. John went up with her to receive her pin and he kissed her full on the lips. All was well in the world again.
The drive back to their house was much less stressful and a good sized crowd awaited us. Classmates and their families had been invited back for dinner and the party and the atmosphere reflected the happiness that comes with their reaching a sought after goal. Apparently they had all been badly treated by one of their professors and Nicole printed out a photo of her and placed it on the pinata for the graduates to whack as hard as they could with a lacrosse stick. Cheers rang out when the pinata bit the dust and the elegant graduates stomped the crap out of it! That professor must have been pretty darned horrible!
Kim and I escaped upstairs a little early but we were tired and her poor foot was badly swollen as it usually is at the end of the day. We watched a few cooking shows on the T.V. in her bedroom because I couldn't figure out how to turn on the one in my (Lisette's) room. Remember when we only needed to press a button to turn it on and off??
I got up early this morning and tidied the kitchen...the livingroom and yard had been cleaned up the night before. I took my coffee out on the patio and gloried in the perfect Florida morning. How fortunate to be able to spend the winter in Florida!
Shelley and John went out with friends for breakfast so I tried to turn on their monstrous family room T.V. to watch the news. What a laugh...I couldn't figure out how to do it! Nicole's boyfriend, Sam, wandered in and I asked him if he knew how. He's an engineer (like Nicole) and he had a difficult time figuring it out but finally managed to do so. I'm left wondering why we needed a well educated engineer to figure out how to turn a T.V. on. Hmmm!
Now I'm back at the trailer and thinking of taking a nap before going over to play Bingo tonight. Life is good!
Saturday, March 21, 2015
This and That
One of the great things about meeting with the ladies for coffee on Fridays is that such interesting and surprising subjects come up. My favorite this week was from Jean.
Jean's mother is in a nursing home and has movies sent to her every so often. I think they're provided by the public library or some other such source. Whoever sent the movies sent what they thought suitable for an old gal but they didn't really know Jean's mother who sent a message back to them.
"I'm 102 years old but I'm not dead. Send me some sex!".
The more I learn about and live old age, the more I appreciate this fabulous time in our lives. Age is just a number.
Jean's mother is in a nursing home and has movies sent to her every so often. I think they're provided by the public library or some other such source. Whoever sent the movies sent what they thought suitable for an old gal but they didn't really know Jean's mother who sent a message back to them.
"I'm 102 years old but I'm not dead. Send me some sex!".
The more I learn about and live old age, the more I appreciate this fabulous time in our lives. Age is just a number.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Too Hot
Yes, I hate winter because of the cold and blizzards but I also hate the blistering heat we've had in Florida the last few days. My poor central air conditioner can't keep up with the daytime heat in this little trailer and, if it breaks down on me, it will be replaced with one of those little units because the central air is too expensive. I don't know how anyone survives here without air conditioning.
We've had a heat wave this week that we don't normally see until April and now I'm worried about what April will bring us. I don't like cold and I don't like heat, I'd simply like it to be a perfect 75 degrees every day and drop to a comfortable 65 degrees at night for a good sleep. I've wanted this all my life and seldom gotten it so you can see you don't always get what you want, do you?
Tonight is Bingo and the last evening for Matt and Kellie's visit. I bet they're anxious to escape the Florida heat for something more comfortable but I'll bet they don't want snow and blizzards, either.
Why can't it just be perfect!
We've had a heat wave this week that we don't normally see until April and now I'm worried about what April will bring us. I don't like cold and I don't like heat, I'd simply like it to be a perfect 75 degrees every day and drop to a comfortable 65 degrees at night for a good sleep. I've wanted this all my life and seldom gotten it so you can see you don't always get what you want, do you?
Tonight is Bingo and the last evening for Matt and Kellie's visit. I bet they're anxious to escape the Florida heat for something more comfortable but I'll bet they don't want snow and blizzards, either.
Why can't it just be perfect!
Downtown Disney
Shelley came over to drive Matt, Kellie and me to Downtown Disney last night and it was a magical evening. I've always loved Downtown Disney at night but, since I can't see to drive in the dark, it's been at least 3 years since I've been there. There were changes, of course, but the lights and throngs of happy visitors were still the same.
We ate at the Earl of Sandwich...yummy!, strolled through the stores where Kellie bought some souvenirs, and finished off the evening with beignets. We'd been warned to park at Port Orleans and then take the ferry to Downtown Disney because there is lots of construction where parking used to be there and it turned out to be an easy trip.
It did rain on the ferry ride back to Port Orleans but the air was warm so it didn't bother us. Shelley drove us back to the trailer about midnight and then headed home to Tampa.
Matt had an asthma attack soon after and couldn't sleep so he bounced from the bed in the Florida room to the sofa in the livingroom to the car all night. I haven't seen him this morning but I'll bet he's exhausted.
Today is my last Friday coffee morning and it's pretty foggy outside. I hope it clears before 10 A.M.
We ate at the Earl of Sandwich...yummy!, strolled through the stores where Kellie bought some souvenirs, and finished off the evening with beignets. We'd been warned to park at Port Orleans and then take the ferry to Downtown Disney because there is lots of construction where parking used to be there and it turned out to be an easy trip.
It did rain on the ferry ride back to Port Orleans but the air was warm so it didn't bother us. Shelley drove us back to the trailer about midnight and then headed home to Tampa.
Matt had an asthma attack soon after and couldn't sleep so he bounced from the bed in the Florida room to the sofa in the livingroom to the car all night. I haven't seen him this morning but I'll bet he's exhausted.
Today is my last Friday coffee morning and it's pretty foggy outside. I hope it clears before 10 A.M.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
They're Here
Matt and Kellie arrived here yesterday and it was soooo good to see them. Matt is a gentle giant who is more like a son to me than a grandson and Kellie, his girlfriend, seems to have been put on this earth to be his soul mate. He's happier than I've seen in a very long time.
They played Bingo with us last night but, unfortunately, didn't win but there's always tomorrow's Bingo! Today I'm taking Kellie shopping to all the good, low priced shops around here...I know where they all are! Then Shelley is driving in from Tampa to go to Downtown Disney with us. I absolutely love Downtown Disney but haven't been there in a few years.
Matt took down the old blind in the livingroom and replaced it with the new one so I once again have privacy in my little trailer and it doesn't look like trailer trash any more. The handyman I called to do the job never showed up! I always have trouble getting someone to do small jobs like this since Sylvia's Mickey doesn't do them any more. I know he would have done this for me but he's hurting from various things and I didn't want to ask him.
Well, it's 8:18 A.M. and the kids are still sleeping. I expected as much and it doesn't matter what time we go shopping. We just have to be home when Shelley gets here!
They played Bingo with us last night but, unfortunately, didn't win but there's always tomorrow's Bingo! Today I'm taking Kellie shopping to all the good, low priced shops around here...I know where they all are! Then Shelley is driving in from Tampa to go to Downtown Disney with us. I absolutely love Downtown Disney but haven't been there in a few years.
Matt took down the old blind in the livingroom and replaced it with the new one so I once again have privacy in my little trailer and it doesn't look like trailer trash any more. The handyman I called to do the job never showed up! I always have trouble getting someone to do small jobs like this since Sylvia's Mickey doesn't do them any more. I know he would have done this for me but he's hurting from various things and I didn't want to ask him.
Well, it's 8:18 A.M. and the kids are still sleeping. I expected as much and it doesn't matter what time we go shopping. We just have to be home when Shelley gets here!
Monday, March 16, 2015
I Love Fluffy
I hustled myself up to Home Depot yesterday and then back to the trailer to replace the broken blind. I thought it would take about 5 minutes tops to do it. Nope. I can't even figure out how to remove the old one so I called Paul and asked him if he'd do it for me. How pitiful it is to not be able to replace a blind myself. Until it's fixed, my trailer looks like trailer trash lives here!
Now for Fluffy. Fluffy's real name is Gabriel Iglesias and he's a stand up comedian. He's adorable, honest, and I hope his real personality is the same one he portrays on the stage. Yesterday I spent 3 hours watching his specials and laughing my butt off.
Like my first loved stand up comedian, Russell Peters, he seems to be surrounded by lifelong friends and that is probably what keeps him grounded. Unlike Peters, he also has a long time love and a much loved stepson.
I'm not a good T.V. watcher because I switch channels during commercials and end up missing some stuff. Last night I half watched a nasty murder documentary during Fluffy's performance and often couldn't handle the negativity any more, switching quickly back to my funny man.
Fluffy is more than worthy of anyone's T.V. time. He'll make you laugh and then you'll feel much better about the world.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Yard Sale Day
When I was buying all that jewelry to sell, I never looked ahead to the day when I would run out of venues and have a ton of jewelry on my hands. Well, it may take me a few years but today we had our park yard sale and I sold about $150 of it so there is hope that one day it will all be gone. I really must stop myself from jumping whole hog into any new interests!
I'm not a natural sales person but I'm polite and people seem to respond to my selling technique. I even talked one lady out of buying one of the sterling rings to wear as a wedding ring because it would tarnish if worn constantly. I wouldn't like selling at all if it was my livelihood.
Then I took the remaining stuff (not jewelry) that didn't sell to the Salvation Army and had lunch at Arby's. There's a full tote box of stuff I'll play at selling on Ebay next winter but my buying at yard sales is pretty well over. There is a time and a season for everything and my season is changing.
I talked to Kim today, too, and she's getting along fine. Her surgery will be after I get home and she's agreed to come and stay with me for a while until she's recuperated. The surgeon will try to remove her thyroid through her neck if he can but will go through her chest if he has to do so. That will take longer for her to recuperate but she has to get rid of that damned thyroid! She's coming to Florida on the 23rd for a month, too, and she really deserves the vacation from all the stress she's been through lately. Tammy is planning to come down so the 3 girls (Kim, Shelley, and Tammy) can have a great holiday.
This is my evening to stay home and vegetate in front of the T.V. Sometimes we need to vegetate! Tomorrow I get my hair cut and buy a new blind for the front window. The cord on the old blind rotted through from the sunshine so it's hanging precariously and doesn't give me much privacy. It also makes my sweet little trailer look trashy so it has to be replaced pronto.
And that was my day.
I'm not a natural sales person but I'm polite and people seem to respond to my selling technique. I even talked one lady out of buying one of the sterling rings to wear as a wedding ring because it would tarnish if worn constantly. I wouldn't like selling at all if it was my livelihood.
Then I took the remaining stuff (not jewelry) that didn't sell to the Salvation Army and had lunch at Arby's. There's a full tote box of stuff I'll play at selling on Ebay next winter but my buying at yard sales is pretty well over. There is a time and a season for everything and my season is changing.
I talked to Kim today, too, and she's getting along fine. Her surgery will be after I get home and she's agreed to come and stay with me for a while until she's recuperated. The surgeon will try to remove her thyroid through her neck if he can but will go through her chest if he has to do so. That will take longer for her to recuperate but she has to get rid of that damned thyroid! She's coming to Florida on the 23rd for a month, too, and she really deserves the vacation from all the stress she's been through lately. Tammy is planning to come down so the 3 girls (Kim, Shelley, and Tammy) can have a great holiday.
This is my evening to stay home and vegetate in front of the T.V. Sometimes we need to vegetate! Tomorrow I get my hair cut and buy a new blind for the front window. The cord on the old blind rotted through from the sunshine so it's hanging precariously and doesn't give me much privacy. It also makes my sweet little trailer look trashy so it has to be replaced pronto.
And that was my day.
Friday, March 13, 2015
Friday Coffee Morning Crew
These are the ladies that make my winters in Florida so happy...they are all wonderful people that I hope return to Florida at least every winter I'm able to come here.
Sylvia and Mickey have sold their trailer and won't be returning and that breaks my heart but they have to do what is right for them. Sylvia and I have had 10 winters of great friendship and we'll do our best to continue that long distance for the rest of our lives.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Bad Arms
One of the crappy things about aging is that most of us get flabby arms and can't or shouldn't wear sleeveless tops. I can go shopping feeling pretty darned good, try on a cute sleeveless dress or top and immediately remember just how old I am. Of course, I have lots of other bad body parts to remind me, too.
I don't mind getting older. I truly believe that my life experiences have made me a much nicer person than I used to be. If you don't learn something from life episodes, then you're brain dead.
I've mentioned before that I read somewhere that you can "choose" to be happy rather than sad, defeated, etc. and that little article has defined how I live my life. I choose to glean whatever is good and to deal with the bad in a way that some good comes from it.
Today the sun is shining on my sweet little Florida trailer and my friend, Sylvia, and I are going to drive to Tampa to have lunch with my precious Shelley. Tonight Sylvia and I will play "65" with a bunch of fun friends at the park. No, life is never perfect because there are problems lurking in the background of everyone's life but we can and will overcome.
Faye is arriving here on the 31st and we'll have a fun 10 days before heading home. Funny, but I'm getting sort of anxious to be back home...maybe just to hug my Kimmie and help see her through her present problems. But first things first...my last month in warm, sunny Florida!!!
I don't mind getting older. I truly believe that my life experiences have made me a much nicer person than I used to be. If you don't learn something from life episodes, then you're brain dead.
I've mentioned before that I read somewhere that you can "choose" to be happy rather than sad, defeated, etc. and that little article has defined how I live my life. I choose to glean whatever is good and to deal with the bad in a way that some good comes from it.
Today the sun is shining on my sweet little Florida trailer and my friend, Sylvia, and I are going to drive to Tampa to have lunch with my precious Shelley. Tonight Sylvia and I will play "65" with a bunch of fun friends at the park. No, life is never perfect because there are problems lurking in the background of everyone's life but we can and will overcome.
Faye is arriving here on the 31st and we'll have a fun 10 days before heading home. Funny, but I'm getting sort of anxious to be back home...maybe just to hug my Kimmie and help see her through her present problems. But first things first...my last month in warm, sunny Florida!!!
Saturday, March 07, 2015
New Beginnings
The thoughts of starting a new phase in one's life has been heavy on my mind recently. I know how frightening it can be because there is so much of the unknown involved but if we can get beyond the fear we can gain hope that the future will be an even better place than it has been.
There are times in my past I never want to revisit and there were many times I accepted the status quo rather than move on and take my chances with something that might make me happier. Most of us are like that...we're too afraid of the unknown to try to better our lives. Often, when change is thrust upon us, it turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to us.
I don't like change and I've probably infected my children with the same aversion but I hope they are strong enough to work their way through adversity and make "lemonade out of lemons". One thing they'll always have is the love and support of their close family and I'm betting they already know that.
So, no matter what crap befalls them, they are blessed.
There are times in my past I never want to revisit and there were many times I accepted the status quo rather than move on and take my chances with something that might make me happier. Most of us are like that...we're too afraid of the unknown to try to better our lives. Often, when change is thrust upon us, it turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to us.
I don't like change and I've probably infected my children with the same aversion but I hope they are strong enough to work their way through adversity and make "lemonade out of lemons". One thing they'll always have is the love and support of their close family and I'm betting they already know that.
So, no matter what crap befalls them, they are blessed.
Friday, March 06, 2015
New Scam
One of our ladies here in the park (85 years old) received a phone call this morning supposedly from her granddaughter. Both she and her husband said the girl sounded like their granddaughter who was back home in Ohio. The girl said she had been in a car accident, rear ending another car, and was being put in jail for the weekend unless someone paid $4,500 to her lawyer. She put her "lawyer" on the phone to explain it to the elderly couple.
They were to go out and buy $500 prepaid cards totaling the $4500 (he wouldn't accept a check or credit card number)and overnight them to him and he would ensure their granddaughter would not have to spend the weekend in jail.
The elderly couple were frantic to help their granddaughter but had the sense to try to contact their son first before sending the money. He assured them that their granddaughter had indeed been in a car accident, rear ending another car, but was NOT in jail. The phone call had been a scam.
What is so frightening about this is that some of the information was correct and the fact that the elderly couple's cell phone number was known.
As we (our coffee morning visitors) listened to this story, another lady told us that she and her husband had received a phone call a while ago supposedly from the IRA telling them they had not paid enough money on their tax return and would be arrested if they didn't make an immediate payment of $1700. I don't remember how the caller wanted the money paid. This couple was very frightened at first but then realized that they have an accountant who does their taxes for them and the call had to be a scam. It was. This couple also had their credit card information stolen and used a couple of years ago after taking a cruise. The travel agency was the culprit. The same travel agency also was suspect in stealing credit card info on another friend who took the same cruise.
It worries me about how much personal information we hand out all the time...credit cards, passports, etc. Many of us have received those letters supposedly from friends asking for money because they were stuck in a foreign country. Our real friends had their e-mail addresses highjacked by criminals.
I know of one elderly lady who was cheated out of $800 by a scammer and it's shocking that she fell for it. These criminals come up with new scams every day and just constantly try them on us until they hit pay dirt. It's sickening. They prey on elderly or gullible people and manage to steal millions, maybe billions, of dollars every year. Nigeria is one of the prime locations where the scams originate.
When you think of the elderly couple today who thought their granddaughter called them, the scammer had to know of the accident and have the ability to find the grandparent's phone number. It will be interesting to find out who she gave that number to at the accident.
We must NEVER send cash to an emergency caller without contacting a few family members or friends to verify the emergency. It's terribly sad that scams work even occasionally and innocent people are hurt financially.
Never let a waitress or clerk walk away with your credit card when paying for a purchase. Be careful that you're signing for the right charges. If called by your bank, don't give them any personal information but end the call and phone your bank back yourself. Just be aware and think twice before giving any information or money to strangers.
They were to go out and buy $500 prepaid cards totaling the $4500 (he wouldn't accept a check or credit card number)and overnight them to him and he would ensure their granddaughter would not have to spend the weekend in jail.
The elderly couple were frantic to help their granddaughter but had the sense to try to contact their son first before sending the money. He assured them that their granddaughter had indeed been in a car accident, rear ending another car, but was NOT in jail. The phone call had been a scam.
What is so frightening about this is that some of the information was correct and the fact that the elderly couple's cell phone number was known.
As we (our coffee morning visitors) listened to this story, another lady told us that she and her husband had received a phone call a while ago supposedly from the IRA telling them they had not paid enough money on their tax return and would be arrested if they didn't make an immediate payment of $1700. I don't remember how the caller wanted the money paid. This couple was very frightened at first but then realized that they have an accountant who does their taxes for them and the call had to be a scam. It was. This couple also had their credit card information stolen and used a couple of years ago after taking a cruise. The travel agency was the culprit. The same travel agency also was suspect in stealing credit card info on another friend who took the same cruise.
It worries me about how much personal information we hand out all the time...credit cards, passports, etc. Many of us have received those letters supposedly from friends asking for money because they were stuck in a foreign country. Our real friends had their e-mail addresses highjacked by criminals.
I know of one elderly lady who was cheated out of $800 by a scammer and it's shocking that she fell for it. These criminals come up with new scams every day and just constantly try them on us until they hit pay dirt. It's sickening. They prey on elderly or gullible people and manage to steal millions, maybe billions, of dollars every year. Nigeria is one of the prime locations where the scams originate.
When you think of the elderly couple today who thought their granddaughter called them, the scammer had to know of the accident and have the ability to find the grandparent's phone number. It will be interesting to find out who she gave that number to at the accident.
We must NEVER send cash to an emergency caller without contacting a few family members or friends to verify the emergency. It's terribly sad that scams work even occasionally and innocent people are hurt financially.
Never let a waitress or clerk walk away with your credit card when paying for a purchase. Be careful that you're signing for the right charges. If called by your bank, don't give them any personal information but end the call and phone your bank back yourself. Just be aware and think twice before giving any information or money to strangers.
Tuesday, March 03, 2015
The Good Part of the Day
I guess we always can find the silver lining to an awful day and yesterday mine was when 4 friends and I went to the game rooms. Normally I'm the big loser and my friends either win or lose just a bit but we have fun and that's why it's worth it.
Yesterday we climbed into the car (by the way, we're getting a little slower every year) and drove to game room #2 where I came out $20 richer. Then we hit game room #4 where I came out $1 richer. Then we had our $2 lunch at Wendys before going to game room #1. That's where we hit it big. Judy won over $200, Joann won almost $200, and I won $100. Shirley lost some of her money and so did Dee. The bad part was Dee flipping over in her chair and hitting her head on the concrete floor but she was okay, thank heavens. Those damn chairs are dangerous.
We went on to game room #5 and I lost $20 but ended the day over $100 to the good. We like to broadcast it when we win but never ask a gambler how much they lost. We tell each other, though.
I wish the rest of my day had been as happy.
Yesterday we climbed into the car (by the way, we're getting a little slower every year) and drove to game room #2 where I came out $20 richer. Then we hit game room #4 where I came out $1 richer. Then we had our $2 lunch at Wendys before going to game room #1. That's where we hit it big. Judy won over $200, Joann won almost $200, and I won $100. Shirley lost some of her money and so did Dee. The bad part was Dee flipping over in her chair and hitting her head on the concrete floor but she was okay, thank heavens. Those damn chairs are dangerous.
We went on to game room #5 and I lost $20 but ended the day over $100 to the good. We like to broadcast it when we win but never ask a gambler how much they lost. We tell each other, though.
I wish the rest of my day had been as happy.
Sometimes Life Sucks
To me, family is everything. It hurts to think that not all of my extended family feels the same way and that two of them have committed a terrible injustice against someone I love. It isn't the end of the world but it is the end of any relationship I'll ever have with them. Family should stick together and never cause undue grief to their own!
That said, it should never come as a surprise that all your family members feel the same way you do and that their characters might be of lesser quality. You just always hope that your bonds will remain permanent and that there won't be a deal breaker to sever the relationship. But it does happen.
A case in point is the weak relationship I have with my sister. In my eyes she committed a terrible injustice to me that was unforgivable. I'll always love her but I don't want to be around her if I can help it. Yesterday's injustice by the extended family members to my loved one went deeper than that. It caused both emotional and financial damage that can never be forgiven.
I wish no harm to these awful people but know that karma will take care of them. They're not nice people and that's already their punishment because they have to live with themselves.
That said, it should never come as a surprise that all your family members feel the same way you do and that their characters might be of lesser quality. You just always hope that your bonds will remain permanent and that there won't be a deal breaker to sever the relationship. But it does happen.
A case in point is the weak relationship I have with my sister. In my eyes she committed a terrible injustice to me that was unforgivable. I'll always love her but I don't want to be around her if I can help it. Yesterday's injustice by the extended family members to my loved one went deeper than that. It caused both emotional and financial damage that can never be forgiven.
I wish no harm to these awful people but know that karma will take care of them. They're not nice people and that's already their punishment because they have to live with themselves.
Monday, March 02, 2015
This and That
My weekend was kind of uneventful, just the way I like it. Sylvia came over in the morning and got my tablet working with the internet, thank heavens. A very nice lady from India or Pakistan who worked for Verizon helped her through it, giggling at times over our confusion. Later in the afternoon, Dee called and asked if I'd like to go to the game rooms with her and escape the rainy day. I said yes! It took about 5 hours for me to lose $35 so it was worth it.
On Sunday, I did some shopping for incidentals and had lunch at Arby's. Then I spent most of the afternoon loading free games into the tablet. Amazon must have more than 100 free games available to us. About a half hour nap revived me enough to spend the rest of the evening playing those games.
All in all, a very quiet but productive weekend.
Note: Again I wonder why the size of my printing increases half way through????
On Sunday, I did some shopping for incidentals and had lunch at Arby's. Then I spent most of the afternoon loading free games into the tablet. Amazon must have more than 100 free games available to us. About a half hour nap revived me enough to spend the rest of the evening playing those games.
All in all, a very quiet but productive weekend.
Note: Again I wonder why the size of my printing increases half way through????
Sunday, March 01, 2015
2 Steps Ahead
I'm a people watcher so maybe I pick up on things a lot of others might ignore and one of my pet peeves are husbands who walk two steps ahead of their wives. My husband did this and it annoyed the life out of me. Maybe I was wrong but it always felt like a slap in the face. Right or wrong, that is how it felt.
My computer is at the front window of the trailer so I get to see lots of foot and vehicle traffic as I play my games or surf the web. Today there is church service at the clubhouse across the road and I've been occasionally watching the people traipsing in. The couples who capture my heart are the sweet seniors who walk along hand in hand. The couples who irk me are the ones where the husband is walking 2 steps ahead of his wife. Maybe I take it personally and the wives don't mind...but I don't understand the husband's mindset where he makes sure he's walking ahead of his wife. Is he the warrior on the alert for danger or is he asserting his position as head of the family? Whatever, it bugs me.
On the plus side, this behavior isn't the norm here. Most of the husbands are side by side companions to their wives and that gives me hope for our species. I really don't notice the "2 steps ahead" behavior with the younger generation but I'll be looking for it now that I think about it.
My computer is at the front window of the trailer so I get to see lots of foot and vehicle traffic as I play my games or surf the web. Today there is church service at the clubhouse across the road and I've been occasionally watching the people traipsing in. The couples who capture my heart are the sweet seniors who walk along hand in hand. The couples who irk me are the ones where the husband is walking 2 steps ahead of his wife. Maybe I take it personally and the wives don't mind...but I don't understand the husband's mindset where he makes sure he's walking ahead of his wife. Is he the warrior on the alert for danger or is he asserting his position as head of the family? Whatever, it bugs me.
On the plus side, this behavior isn't the norm here. Most of the husbands are side by side companions to their wives and that gives me hope for our species. I really don't notice the "2 steps ahead" behavior with the younger generation but I'll be looking for it now that I think about it.
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