Surprise $$

I was very surprised to find a couple of deposits in my bank account this last week.  Big, like $3,000 big.  In January I had a boatload of paperwork and crap to fill in because of my work injury.  I was told by my employer that I had to or I would not get my medical coverage or my pension benefits.

So a ton of photocopies, 2 trips to the Dr., too many phone calls to count and I mailed and faxed in my life story.

Apparently, I wasn't applying for what they told me or for what it said on the forms!  I had called the company and clarified twice, told them I was working full time again.  I thought it was all tickety-boo.

I got a letter from the same lady I had clarified why and for what all of the paperwork was for saying that this was my income supplement for when my employer dropped down my hours, and that they gave it to me even though I had applied 8 months too late!???

Umm Hello???  I filled in all of the BS within a week of getting the forms from my employer!  I don't have access to these forms unless they are given by my employer.  Don't tell me I am 8 months late.  I was told it was for medical benefits and pension coverage.  That wasn't done at all.  Talk about screwed up departments.  I don't care, they are all a bunch of fools.  I will take the money.
*edited to add:  I apparently met the criteria to receive it, even though not one dummy told me about it when my wage was cut by 3/4*

So I added money to my 2 savings accounts of 1. House stuff /crap happens and 2.  Vacation.

My little #3 had his other test done and it was a nightmare.  I don't even like to think about it.  I knew it had to be done but he didn't cope well and had a lot of discomfort.

Now we wait and find out what needs to happen.  3 options: 1.big surgery 2. small surgery no external work, just a scope and injection in the bladder 3. nothing - live with it and hope it doesn't get worse.

I am going to phone the specialists office today.

DH has been at his new job all week.  It is identical behavior that he has done for his last 6 jobs.  He phones me (no matter where I am or what I'm doing), tells me he hates it, tells me he's quitting.  Pretty much has a panic attack and acts like he's 4.  I tell him that we have been through this 6 times now and for the 6th time he will be fine and if he doesn't want to work he can move home and live with his mommy.  Suck it up and be a man.  Honestly!  I didn't even have to finish my spiel this time... I said my usual lines "and if you don't want to work you...."  "I can move home with my mother"  "There you go honey"
I'm tired, I too am doing a job that I don't love and find a breeze.  Trust me that the stress levels in what we do are not comparable at all.  I would love to have as little responsibility as he does.  His biggest decision this week was where to go for coffee!!!  I don't drive the sympathy bus.  I should be all gushy I suppose but really, I have supported my family for 10 years financially.  Until the mortgage was paid and since then - even with my reduced wage we split the bills in 1/2.  He does pay for the line of credit that the vehicles are on.  He could pay it off in its entirety today but he doesn't want to part with the cash.  His choice to pay the interest.

My kid #1 got a full time job this summer.  (Yeah mom and the new resume!).  I helped with his cover letter too as his dad, my idiot x told him he could and should use the same one for all jobs he applies for!?

No, you need to be specific to the job you are applying for.  He had a "Group Interview" with 6 others and he got the job.  I was very proud of him.  He's a friendly nice kid and should do fine working at this place over the summer.

As soon as we find out the plan for little #3 we are going to book a holiday or 2.  I have also had a talk with DH that IF our little guy needs the big surgery I will not work anymore.  I'll take a leave for as long as it takes for him to be fine again.  I had planned to go part time at the end of 2013 and we would be financially fine.  If I have to work 0 hours and care for my son full time we will be more than fine too.  I will just stop the big RRSP monthly buy I'm doing and reduce or stop the RESP.

It really never gets easy does it?

The Good Things...
free $$ as far as I'm concerned
We have jobs that pay well
my older 2 have good jobs for summer
I am prepared to do what I need to do for my son's health

Things that suck...
I would do anything to trade places with my little guy
not loving your job
stress

I'm Going to Roll With it this Week

I'm not sure what is happening with my blogging posts.  Ah well, add it to the long list of things going on around me that I don't know what happening.

My job that I thought I had, I don't.  Huge, huge cluster *&$#.  I now can say without hesitation that I hate my boss.

My take home pay has been reduced by 45% so spending is nil.

Dh is waiting to hear about 2 interviews that he's done.  Luckily he is still at full wage.


To counter next to no money coming in, I did a shopping spree with Christmas gift cards!  3 pr of pants, 3 tops and 8 pr socks, and a sweater for kid #2 for $15.00 cost to me!

Then I had a free Starbucks Latte!

I'm still angry about a lot of things going on - but damn I look good !)

I would love to go into detail, who knows, if I get fired then I will publish who I am and all I know.  Complete with pictures :) 

Hope that everyone's week goes a lot better than mine!!!

2013 The year of Wait and See

2013 I have declared to be the year of uncertainty.  There are so many things that are out of my control.  The new position that I am supposed to start, there is no start date...
The new job for dh, there is no official job contract offer.  But now he interviews for another department next week.
My kid #1 is not trying very hard at university.  I am not impressed with the marks.  So no laptop and I will not be funding a second year as it stands now.  He has to get it together.

Kid #2 who is very bright, completely tanked his English.  He hates the teacher.  I've met her, spoke with her, she is not an unpleasant person but I agree with my son that she is disorganized and difficult to follow when she talks.  When I ask her a yes or no question 3 minutes later when she's done talking about god knows what, I still have to ask "So is that a YES or a NO?"  I appreciate people that are clear and concise.  She is neither.
Regardless of his difficulty to learn from her, all of the course requirements are on paper.  Shakespeare still has all of the same lines.

All of the Christmas decorations came down yesterday.  There weren't many up, so easy and quick to put away.  Christmas spending came in around $800 for 16 people's gifts and 3 hosted meals for 9,9 and 11 people.  I think I did really good.  My sibling owes me $50 for the parental units gift but I'm not going to see that I'm sure.

The parental units are going away on a little one week get-away to a 5* resort in central america somewhere.  Such a great deal ya know, only $3800.  But they are paying extra to be in the "exclusive club".  They just thought that I should know since they leave this Sunday and I am the contact number! Goody for you two.  Holy moly are they ever a pair of jerks.  They did see my kids the beginning of October when we were there for a funeral so I guess that is good enough.  I did not write down any of the resorts contact information because quite honestly there is not one thing that could happen, death included, that I would call them about.

Like my husband says "Keep our heads down and keep moving".  Life goes on, it doesn't matter what bs goes on around us.  I have to tend to life as it is happening in my house.

I have been researching what to do with my TFSA that comes due and my RRSP's that I pulled out of the high risk mutual funds.  I'm still up in the air.  I have a couple of funds that I think look promising and are less risk.  Will see when we meet with the financial planner in a month. 

Today I am procrastinating doing my paperwork.  I have a truck load of papers to fill out for benefits and pension because they were affected by my time off from injury.  I likely have 100 pages of forms and photocopies to do this weekend.  BARF.

What has gone my way this week?.... I got an awesome haircut yesterday and it was free!  I was able to help out my hairdresser a few months back and she was so grateful it was a freebie! (saved $55!)
I found dress pants for the new job (that starts god knows when) for 75% off - $23 tax incl.  And I splurged on a pair of casual low black shoes. $120 yikes!  But I love them and will wear them likely every day!  My previous pair are 7-8 years old and pretty scuffed up.  For clothes I've lost 12+ lbs so nothing in the pants department of my closet really fits properly.  I don't like saggy bum and always having to hike up my pants. (unlike many teenage boys!)

Having been through a few bouts of plantar fasciaitis good shoes are a must, not a splurge.  I can pay $30 every 6 months for cheap ones or $120 every 7-8 years.  Simple.

For some reason I can't add pictures with Blogger today.

The Good Things...
Great free haircut!
Healthy kids
I'm feeling better and moving better
My in-laws at least care about their grand kid and my older 2 their step-grand kids

Things that suck...
insurance paperwork
as always, my side of the family

What a Pleasant Surprise!

So I gave my sibling the use of our car, dh and I drove hers to the garage, then I went with her to pick it up.  Luckily it needed only a reset of the little button.  Some sort of on star magic thing.  (Didn't sound or feel like only needing a reset to me)

When I drove our car back home - the gas tank was full!

I thanked my sister for that today as she did not use 1/2 a tank.  She in turn thanked me for what I have done for her and her kids. Said that it was the very least she could do for us. Shocker.

She is in serious debt, serious marital turmoil and in serious denial.  She won't quit spending money.  Each of her kids got an ipod, with a nice case, with insurance against everything.  That was over $1000 right there.  Plus clothes, toys, games and crafts.

I told her that she needs to stop spending money she doesn't have.  I told her that she needs counselling.  She says "I know" and does nothing.

What I fear is that she the idiot and the idiot she's married to will loose the house.  I fear that 3 little kids will have nowhere to live.  I fear that she will come to me with her hand out and I will say "NO".  I will tell her to sell some of her 6 pairs of black leather boots.  Stop spending over $1000 per month on dance lessons.  Stop getting her hair coloured something new every 6 weeks.  Stop with all of the purses.  Figure out necessities and go from there.

In the meantime what about her kids that already have problems?

The parental units have washed their hands of her and the 3 once precious and the only worth visiting grandchildren!  The once golden daughter has been kicked to the curb.  It is ridiculous what nasty people they are.  Now both retired, they have a huge, huge pile of money. Millionaires. They don't want the tarnished golden daughter to have a dime until they are dead.  And not like I was ever the shining star either.  They did increase the Xmas gift this year to $100 per person, double from last year.  But if grandparents don't want to spend Christmas with grandchildren is it still a lovely gift?  The parental units went away this weekend.  Grandma is better.  So the first thought is not to see grand kids.  That makes it 2 years in a row nothing to do with my kids at Christmas. 

 

I am finding it really hard to bite my tongue.  To take the high road.  The positive note is that I do know how I never want to be.

 

 

Maybe I'm the one that is abnormal? 

 

I am thankful that dh and I are doing really good.  In spite of family problems, injuries, job loss, we are on the same page.  Our kids are OK and our finances are OK.

 

We need a new roof in the spring, new tires for the suv, another semester for kid #1.  We have a plan and life goes on regardless.

 

 



The Best of Plans...

Things have been a bit of a  huge cluster since I hit enter on my last post. 

I had 2 loaves of bread in the oven and all of my cookie ingredients out on the counter, laundered bedding out of the dryer... phone call from my parents.  My Grandma's care home nurse just called and she had according to the Dr. a "Massive stroke and is unresponsive".

Long story short, at 6 pm Dec. 23rd I was on the road with my sibling for a one way 4 hour trip (that took 3.5).  My Grandma was very unwell but it was no stroke.  I don't know where these doc's get trained?  She had a grand mal siezure and was recovering.  Still not good but not what we were led to believe.

I was going to have my dh bring all of the kids (6) and 2 dogs and some food down but my parents literally had nothing in the fridge.  And 2 spare bedrooms were filled with mothers hoard.  Not going to work.  So that night at 2 am I said that we were going home the next afternoon.  My dh bought a lasagna from the store, a garlic bread and some romaine for a cesar salad.  Ta Da! Christmas eve will be served. The 5 of us and my sister and 3 kids. Instead of a lump of coal, I got to spend 10 hours of "alone travel time" with my sister.  Not go to church like I wanted, and not have any of the food I bought.  Next day for Christmas I pulled 2 roasts out of the freezer and we had them with potatoes and veggies. Again for the 5 of us and my sister and 3 kids.  She brought... nothing.  Oh yes, on the way home her fancy vehicle had the engine light come on and felt like the transmission was going.  So rather than have her and 3 kids stranded at -30 I gave her the use of our car.  Then yesterday I drove her suv to the shop with dh following me and she has our car.  I'm sure at any moment I will get a thank-you! For our car and providing 2 Christmas meals for her family.  I'm still waiting.

I would like a do-over.

My Grandma is much better today.  Walking short distances, eating and better oriented.  We (dh, myself and my kids) will go and visit in a week or so.

When I am feeling a little more in control of things we are going to have our Christmas meal on another day. 

Today I have to go into work for 45 min.  Not sure really how I'm getting there.  Dh may come home and get me and take kid #3 to his work.  My kids #1 and #2 are both working and spending this week with the x.

I am ready to wrap up 2012.  Scrunch it in a ball and throw it in the garbage really.

I'm not even going to ask what else can happen or how crappy can things get....

So the Good Things...
I have great, normal, nice, healthy kids
Grandma doing much better
I have 2 cars that work just fine
I am feeling healthy today
I got lovely gifts from the kids and dh
I have no mortgage and I have savings in the bank

Things that suck...
it is so cold it is ridiculous
my sibling the idiot ingrate
not the Christmas I hoped or planned on