Long Time no Posts but Good Stuff Today!

So I dropped off for a long while.  I've been very depressed, been through massive change with my work situation and have a new injury that has really set me back.

I await to see the orthopaedic surgeon and find out if I need surgery or more physio.

I have increased my work hours to 3/4 time from half time, and I have left my previous employer of 24 years.  It has been a big change.

Some good things are a very short commute, very easy physically, better hours, same pay.  Some not good things are very low job satisfaction, I miss my colleagues and I miss my routine.

That's the employment story.

The debt story... well at least that is a happy one!

• Mortgage free since Feb 2012

We had put car and truck purchase on line of credit (This was up to the spouse to pay off - not me) and as of this week it is FINISHED!

We owe nothing - to anyone!

I have been updating my own and our joint net worth and we are in a very good position.

I have a full emergency fund.  I have maxed out my RRSP's.  I have a savings account for house improvement and any crap that happens. I will use this for the new A/C unit we need before summer, any car expenses, other crap that pops up.  I have a Vacation account so that the trips for this year are already funded.  I also have RESP's ready to go for both kids #1 and 2 this fall.

We have some vacation scheduled in a couple months and in the fall for our 10th anniversary.  We are also going to do a warm holiday in the winter and a ski trip to the mountains.  That is going to be the priority.  Vacations!

My kid #2 graduates from high school this June and will go to University.

Kid #1 is still in University but hopes to get into a college to get his Major finished in 2 years.

Kid #3 is still very active in sports and so that takes up 4-5 days a week.  My new hours accommodate this without a problem.

Somewhere in there is some "Me" time.  With the weather warming, more days off and less physical strain at work I hope to be feeling better.  Both out of this funk and getting into better physical condition.

The Good Things:
Income tax returns are very good again this year because of my RRSP deductions
I'm at least not making my injuries worse at work anymore
I have great hours

Things That Suck:
My family are a bunch losers (unchanged)
Spring is taking forever
Groceries cost too much!

That was my Winter Getaway (or the blink you missed it holiday)

I am still recovering from a marathon driving/visiting/sightseeing/eating/drinking last weekend!!

3 Days and 2 Nights and a ton of fun!

We went to see my only normal family member and his family.  It was great and the kids - my big ones included had a ball!  Sight seeing, sporting events and so many laughs.

Unless you grew up where I did, have had to be around my family, you can never really know what it was like growing up and being a part of it.  We could just talk.  No need to explain.  No need to sugar coat it.  It was like a therapy session for both of us!

The question that they had for me was "How the hell did we break away from that craziness?"  Both of us are very removed from our parents and siblings. Really, I don't know, it took a very long time. A combo of the love of my husband and kids, my personal strength, the personal growth that I have had over the years from my job and a sense of the world around me.  I don't think for one minute that the world revolves around me (unlike my parents and sibling).

I'm back to work and back to sports with my kid #3.  It was a very nice reprieve.

I'm having a dilemma of sorts for the last few days...  there is an upcoming opportunity for me to work part time.  Half as many nights and weekends.  I found it so timely to read about others that have a guilt for not working full time or bringing home the max $$ that they can.  I did that for 11 years of full time + a part time + overtime and then I almost had to pack it in from permanent injury.  My job is very physical.  The desk job I have now ends this spring.  I don't think my old job of full time is sustainable with my bad back.  I hate my boss - and I mean it Hate. My. Boss.  One of the dirtiest snakes I have had to work with in 23 years.  I think at part time I can handle it. Or I can explore other jobs as well as my previous one being only part time.  With any luck the boss will be promoted as that is what usually happens to nasty SOB's and I can go back to full time.  I am not afraid of the decreased income but I am feeling guilt or something for wanting to pull back and slow down.

I have a whack of vacation to burn up before my employer's fiscal year end or it will be paid out.  I would rather have paid time off!! So there are a lot of long weekends for me in the next 2.5 months!

Tonight I am relishing quiet time alone.  Everyone else had somewhere to go and I opted out!  Yay!! A movie that I like, popcorn and a glass of wine!!



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

Celebrating a Simple Christmas

Today I am getting some final touches done for Christmas.  The stocking stuffers are organized, the gifts are all wrapped and I'm making cookies and bread.

I have to go into work tomorrow for 45 min.  My boss is so nice (not).

My parental units will come tomorrow.  If history repeats (this will be the third time) they will arrive when the food is on the table.  So should the sibling and her 3 kids. So 5:30 is what I'm preparing for.

Whatever.  My oldest has to work until 5 so it suits me.

I'm pretty happy with the fact that I'm not overdoing it this year.  I've killed myself cleaning and baking and decorating for so many years and for what?  My kids like things simple, the dh's ocd can't handle the extra decorations and the mess and the parents are only here for a couple of hours and don't appreciate anything.  So this year is relaxed, I'm looking forward to quiet days of reading and kids around.  A couple batches of cookies that they love.  It's all good.

This year I'm not stretching my money to the brink getting ready for the final mortgage pay down.  I have some in the bank and am more worried about savings and retirement funds and vacation funds.

The mortgage freedom didn't bring a wild exciting new way to live.  It brought simple, calm and relaxed.  The pressure off of me has been a gift.

I give thanks for that.  I am grateful for what I have.  I'm grateful for what I can give.

2013 holds challenges of new jobs for both dh and I.  I am still working to recover from my injury.  The blessing of being mortgage free has taken off so much stress.

I hope that Christmas is a wonderful time for all of those that read here!