Eight days remain

Maxie feels the impending move- and is stressing on it. I did the only logical thing yesterday and got my hair cut after work- it needed it, I usually am off work after they close, and was  the first step towards order once again. I got 9 books sold last week through Amazon and there are 2 more that have been sold since I shipped the orders. Monday is Columbus Day so there is no mail. I will ship those on Tuesday.

Saturday on the bus, a woman gave me a tip that HG Hills has included a flat of eggs in their pick 5 for 19.99 The rent is a little higher than I'de like at the new place but the security is better. I lived there 7 months last time. I told my friend Sheila where I was moving , and she was delighted. She lives in an apartment complex that also includes the electric service. So with the information from the bus, I am sure I can make it work. At least I won't be facing $300 electric bills in the winter- this is a good thing.

I picked up my mail from the laundry room this morning- lots of junk mail- but noticed that the new landlord is very group oriented. He is organizing things like field trips to credit seminars etc- maybe this is good- even hiring a bus. But I am not a group participant type of person even if I were still here.
He is also family oriented-I have noticed . He has a vision of what he wants this place to be and even without our disagreements, without his lies, my disatisfaction with the maintenance and security of the place which has deteriorated , I don't fit. Many of those moving are older, some with disablities. If this were CA , there would probably be a class action suit. I don't feel up to leading the charge- you have to care for that and all I care is that I get better from the arthritis . So , there probably won't be one - though I will sign on if there is- not to get rich because only the lawyers get rich from those but to make a point. I don't regret the move , but I have lived here, good or bad over 6 years and am leaving that part of my life behind. As much as I know that this is a good thing, it was the last place the Daisybunny lived with me. Maxie , who is sitting on my CPU , is supervising this blog today and is ready for the challenge. I view this as a return to the crossroads-we go forward from here.

Moving Day-15 days remain

I am thinking about positive things that deal with the move. Things that I will change after I move . Maxie and I will both have some changes in the smaller space but at least , it will give me a chance to gather my wits in peace without constant invasion by management. Three things I liked about where I live- large enough to be like a small house, close enough to the Dollar store that I don't have to always run to Madison Station by bus to pick up things, a few of my neighbors. Three things that I hate about where I live now:Lack of respect by management/management company - they are always in your face, have no respect for your schedule and frequently lie when caught. The below par care of the buildings. The poorly lit hill on which I was mugged a few years ago. I swear it gets higher and darker every year- there is a street light at the bottom and one at the top and nothing between. The rest of the neighbors. This is not a cohesive neighborhood. I had the neighbors from AR whose young men, 12 and 14 had concrete blocks surgerically grafted onto their feet- they knocked things off my walls as they moved, followed by Psychobitch and her crew. I got a brief respite when I got the sweetest little unwed mother upstairs- the only sound from there was the giggling race of the patter of her baby daughter. When she moved on, I got Dave and Mike , 2 prison guards from Riverbend. They were the greatest comedy team since Abbott and Costello. They were very light on their feet for men of their sizes ( about 300 lb each) . It was all about the women with them and I heard about every line in the book and a few that weren't from the porch over my bedroom. They made me laugh as I heard the women give in on the dumbest lines. Strictly , and you believed that? Then they  left and I got rotating Mexican construction worker crews, not all of which may have been legal- I don't know but the initials  INS made it get really quiet.
Now there is a nice Phillipino family and they are respectful. Sure , now they move in , just as I am leaving.

Older people are not encouraged to stay. There has been a real trend towards young families. Its an owners' market due to the deflated housing bubble. I have topped out on the rent here for three years and that might be part of the issue as well. But I have noticed the departure of anyone near 60 here.

I sold some books over to Amazon- and am thinking of opening a shop there as a sideline to my regular income. I will make that decision after the move. a little extra money is always welcome.

Urban Market had Bob Evans sausage for 1.09 each this week- so I got some.

Saw a wonderful film this am on Netflix- Love's Kitchen.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

Moving Day-20 Days and Counting

In the Bushama Depression , we have all had to make sacrifices. My employers lost a multimillion dollar client for damage claims and I lived without commission (2/3 of my income in better days) for about a year- not pretty. My landlord bore most of my attempts at repayment- but I just could not get over the hump . So we talked yesterday and I am moving in 20 days. I am going back to a extended stay hotel where I lived before moving here. They will allow Maxie (cat.) I am not taking storage this time- but my friend Lori says I can store some things with her. I am giving away furniture to friends and Salvation Army. I am leaving nothing for the skanks who reside in the complex who dumpster dive- they are part of the reason that I am moving, why I did not fight harder.  Some of them broke into the machines in our laundry room and stole the coin boxes and the Coke machine. Two weeks later , the laundry room is not restored. I have worn damp clothes to work 2x not knowing that it was not fixed. I told Lori, I would take an axe to the furniture before letting anyone here have it. Now what to decide to take. My computer, of course, they provide cable , electricity, free phone service- local and ld . I have lived here 6 1/2 years and the neighborhood has declined. Sadly this happens just as I got 2 new clients and the income is picking back up. I will get through this. I have sold a number of books through Amazon . I am taking the rest with me as they may pay additional expenses. It will be crowded - but I will manage - I did before. If the cost of heat goes up as it did last year- I actually break even or do a little better. There is a kitchenette and as I know I will be with them until Spring, I will buy a convection oven and a bread machine to handle the holidays. I am taking 3 small lamps , my desk lamp will go to my office (baby dragon) , clothes, of course. I will continue to write and work on my novels. I will get my credit from anything donated to Salvation Army and get a POB  downtown near my office. Its incredible how the mind works. - I awoke this am planning what to take and what to toss. There is no time for tears but I am planning on buying an incredibly large bottle of Jack Daniels for after the move. I will cry when its over. This part of my life has ended but a small part of me says that it is time and that I wouldn't have done it without this boot in the pants. Perhaps. Bottom line, I will be fine. I wouldnot have it any other way. I donot excuse or forgive Obama- he waited too long, I am a union brat and the first 500 items on my agenda are US jobs at a living wage. Minimum wage jobs do not count.

In this apartment, I have survived 4 changes of management, some good, some obnoxious. My first cat in TN moved in with me and died 14 months ago at about 13 years old. I made a new friend in my new cat , Maxie a year ago and she will continue the adventure with me. I have had a lovely young woman with a wonderful baby overhead and had her move, 2 great guards , Dave and Mike from Riverbend prison give me unending source of amusement in their pursuit of females. I have had the bad, the corporate construction folks who rotated and didn't care and then there was Psychobitch- a generational family of white trash hookers who hung out with drug dealing gangbangers. They threatened my life before they left. I know that they did not know the meaning of quiet and sincerely doubt their ability to spell it. I lived my life. I have been surrounded by interesting characters.

Its not all bad , and this I have shred a few tears about. Much as there is a sound business decision to go by both my landlord and I - and I would rent from them again if they would have me but not here.
I cannot do the stairs ( all 6 of them ) as I did when I moved in . I was in a terrible car wreck 30 plus years ago as a passenger, and arthritis has caught up with me- the hotel has elevators. This is the reminder of my mortality . But I am  reminded that Robert Lewis Stevenson was a cripple, that George Gordon aka Lord Byron had a hunchback , and in such good company, how could I fail? I have maximized what I can do for decades and now the decades are declaring victory - small for now but encrouching. I will continue to fight for my independence and will not go gentle into that good night. This is me raging against the Darkness. As Author/ Producer Kurt Sutter has said- everything has a price. It will be interesting to see what I have purchased with my coin.

I suppose if you have been following this

you are wondering why I am not posting on The Examiner. The best reason is the truth- I don't work for free and they changed the rules 2 days before I would have gotten paid.

Being flexible-Impromptu Mexican Stir Fry

It started with a bag of microwavable Old El Paso seasoned black beans being on sale for 1/2 price at Reese Market. Deals had 2lbs spaghetti noodles for sale @ $1.00. I never buy steak - too pricey. Reese sells roasts which I rebutcher into steaks and stew beef. The result was economical and delicious.

Saute about 1/3 of a white onion, 1 roma tomato and 1 jalapeno pepper in a small amount of vegetable oil. You will want to put your  salted water on for spaghetti at this time as well . When the veggies are softened, set them aside in a bowl . Brown about 1/2 lb stew beef in pan,and if the water is boiling in the other pot , add your spaghetti(2 servings not the package) . Heat the black beans following package directions, in microwave for 1 minute.

When meat is how you like it , remove from heat and add the reserved vegetables back into pan m stirring. When spaghetti is cooked, drain and add that to pan, turning the heat on once again to med.
Add heated beans and stir. Make sure that everything is heated , and mixed together . Serves 2.
Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese ( on sale at Kroger's last week) over top.
Estimated cost:$1.05 per serving.

Yahoo news reported that the Middle class is still being squeezed

Right out of existence , if their economist is to be believed. http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/america-middle-class-crisis-sobering-facts-141947274.html

The life that is being envisioned for me is not the life that I planned for myself. I am sure that is true for many other people. I don't see myself on the shores of the Cumberland River , living in a mud hut , hammering together sandals for an overseas company. Its just not in me. I won't do it. But I am alarmed that they are now predicting that the economy won't be fixed till 2018. That is seven months and 2 National elections away,which is unacceptable. I would be about 68 years old . I did the right things , went to college, have a good work record, and moved into an area where ,until recently, I could manage without credit cards and many loans.

 So I have become an advocate for life  modification not deprivation. Deprevation only leads to depression and exhaustion. Have I made cuts in my life? Yes, I cut cable off and took Clearwire as my internet provider. I watch everything on the computer , a day or so later from the networks or choose just those I enjoy and pay Amazon for the episode. It is still less expensive than cable or satellite. The cuts hurt me less than it has those who escalated prices beyond a reasonable cost. Do the math, I might spend $10 per month at Amazon , $24 for Netflix and $52.00 for Clearwire. $86.vs $140 for cable. I am seeing everything that I saw before the cuts. I am actually seeing more than previously seen. I am happy with that. For those with families , there are boxes that will transfer the programming to your tv.

Now let me show you a little trick. I pay Clearwire $52.00 for service per month . Now , what would you think if I told you that I actually pay them $26.00 per month? Here is how. Because I do the paid blog, and spend much time researching and writing, I allocated 50% of my internet bill as a business expense(based on time ) . I am not charging back apartment space , though I could ,based on home office, but IRS is hard on home offices and it is better to underreport. Still this is a savings of an additional $320 per year just for internet. Everything helps. I have to put out the money first but at the end of the year, my Netflix is offset , therefore free. I have $2 left and can have 6 bags of dollar store popcorn (Microwave popcorn) , or chocolate ice cream and (thawed ) frozen strawberries (see article that follows) per month.

I just submitted my second article for the internet publication , Examiner. Enclosed is the link for the column.: http://www.examiner.com/budget-grocery-in-madison/sue-wylie

I had answered an ad on  publishing.com for part time independant contractor work. They say that they pay standard rate - so I figure about a penny a word as that is what I have seen elsewhere. They are very clear that this will not support you . Still , I figured that anything helps ( they pay through paypal and I am happy about that) and it gives me experiance with working with editors That was another thing that I considered to be valuable.

Balance needs and wants. This is your one and only life, and quality counts.

The Indulgence of Budget Grocery Shopping

Budget grocery shopping need not be a punishment, No, wait, it should not be a punishment. Everything in life is a form of Challenge . You are capable of meeting that Challenge. The solution is not a sentence of 22 days of  unadulterated ramen noodles for $4.80 so that you can put gas into your vehicle. The slow economy ( made slower, I believe by the media touting the slow economy ) need not sentence you to a life of peanut butter sandwiches on white bread. Before you reach for your credit card and spend $20 that you could put to better use, make a list. What do you like to eat? Now , beside that , make a second list. What have you been buying because its on sale, marked down , or you have a coupon? Are the lists the same ? Because they should be pretty close to identical. If they aren't , then there is something wrong.

Think back to when you were a child and Mother put something that , maybe you did not like so much on your plate. (If this never happened to you , rent Mommy Dearest, and pay special attention to the steak scene.) There was a feeling of frustration because you could not do or get to something that you liked better without consuming the thing on the plate. Guess what , you are doing the same thing to yourself everytime you deny yourself what you  like for what is okay and on sale.

This week I had baked chicken , Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwiches(modified) , strawberry shortcake , sausage biscuits, steak with baked potato and green salad,  grilled cheese sandwiches,bacon cheese burgers and hamburger bean and green bean casserole. And I only spent $25 for 2 weeks. I shopped specials at local markets.

The bread for my sandwiches all came from Pepperidge Farm. I had their Ancient Grains and their Soft Oatmeal , both marked down to 99 sents each. The cheese was real not product and I had Swiss and Mild Cheddar. I paid $4.99 for 6 lbs of chicken. If you don't have fistsful of money to throw into the grocery store, you are going to have to invest time.

Flyers tell part of the story but if you are a good food detective, there are sometimes unadvertised specials in the store. Poke around. I found a head of butter lettuce for a dime at my local market. It wasn't advertised and was in good shape. If you don't tell and are selective in your purchases, neither will the food.

I do recommend a list but be flexible with it. Its a road map to keep you on track . Ask yourself what elements you want to eat.I am not talking high school chemistry but flavor elements. I mentioned the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich. What foods does the original recipe have ? Chicken ,ham, cheese-usually Swiss, Dijon mustard with a breaded coating. My sandwich is 2 pieces whole grained bread, toasted, on one piece , spread some commercial ham salad( was 99 cents at Reese Market in Madison),
top this with some leftover baked chicken strips from the breast, top with Swiss cheese and the other piece of toasted bread. ( I pretoasted my bread because I packed it for lunch where I nuked it for 30 seconds in the microwave- it was very nice. If you are eating this at home, you could fry it like a grilled cheese.) . What other things can be made by combining the same flavors if not the cost of your favorite foods. Remember if it rots in the refrigerator , its not a bargain.

Luxury is in mouth feel. If its creamy and delicious , it is. Your brain doesn't care that it wasn't five dollars but $1.50. The strawberries for my shortcake were an unadvertised special . My shortcake cost me $1.50 per serving and was many fresh strawberries, biscuits( from a can ), and whipped cream (from a can.) It was big, it was beautiful and it felt so good in my mouth. Learn to trick your pallet. Its not what you can't have but how you can have your favorites at lower cost. It doesn't feel like depravation if it looks and tastes indulgent.