7-3-11

11:00am

Got up and went down to the twin

drive-in flea market on the South end

this morning from 9-10am.

Not as much vendors there considering

it's a holiday weekend.

Christopher got 4 Car Craft magazines 

for .20 cents for all.

I got Tony 2 Matchbox type cars

that were Trans Ams to add to our collection.

They were .25 cents each.

Here's just some of the collection.

I got the light light blue and black

car to the left of the blue one today.
I buy them in any condition.

Trying to find the 70's and 80's 

cars is a little harder at yard sales

and flea markets.

And I bought an area rug for $5.00.

The lady started out at $8.00.

It's an indoor/outdoor rug.

 I thought it would go well in our living/dining

room with a color like our wall paint

and scrolls on it like our tables.

I'll run over it with the carpet

cleaner when I get a moment

before using it.

Gas on the South end is still $3.65.

Here on the North end it's about $3.59.

Yesterday we stopped in Turkey Hill

and used our Kroger card and got

gas for $3.07 a gallon.

So by using the Kroger card saved

us .50 cents a gallon!

------------------------------------

I have been doing some research on
Insights web site about the digital upgrade.
The only information I found at the moment
was about when they upgraded to all digital
in Kentucky/Indiana recently.  I wouldn't think
it would be any different here.


So here is what I found out about 
the Kentucky customers.
Upgrade is free.
There was no installation charge of $25
because you got online and ordered 
the boxes you needed and you installed
them yourself.
There was no extra monthly fee of $7.
You only need the converter boxes on
the older tv's without the digital tuners
built in them.
And nowhere did I see that you
were required to have another
DVR box.
But like I said this was for Kentucky
and some areas of Indiana.
Kentucky digital Upgrade #1.
Kentucky Digital Upgrade #2.
Indiana Upgrade. 

I'll keep you updated when I find out things
because to me something just doesn't
sound right or make sense!


-----------------------------------------


6:00pm


We spent most of the afternoon cleaning
more of the carport off and going through
outdoor cabinets and getting rid of things.
The kids swam in the pool most of the
afternoon.


Tomorrow morning we would like to
get up about 6:30am and take the kids fishing.
I've got ham slices, cheese, mayo and
bread to take along and make
sandwiches with along with chips.


We had to stop by Kroger this eve to
pick up some Big K canned pop
and some ice to take with us tomorrow.
This was University Plaza Kroger.
They changed all their checkouts
since the last time we were in there.
They no longer have any regular checkouts.
Now at this Kroger there is nothing
but U-Scan checkout lanes.
I prefer checkouts that have cashiers
attending them when I have a bunch of stuff.


I found these mark downs at Kroger-


Kraft Mayo for $1.00
I grabbed 4 bottles at that price.
They were normally $5.49 each!!

1 pound cubed ham $2.89.
Was $4.89.
Will use some of this for potato soup.
The other day when we were at Henderson
Rd Kroger we couldn't find any potatoes!
So today I found them at Univervisty Plaza.

Helluva Good buffalo wing chip dip $1.00.
was  ?

1.5 pounds Ranch chip dip $1.89.
Was  ?

And two gallons 1% milk $2.00 each.
Was $2.89 each.

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We also stopped in Auto Zone.
Last year our air condition in the suburban
worked excellent but now it blows
lukewarm air.
We splurged and got a large can of
freon with sealant in it.
It's supposed to repair any leaks
if there are any in air conditioner's lines.
The can also has the hose and guage
to be able to put it in yourself.
The stuff wasn't cheap but I'm sure
it was a lot cheaper than taking
to a repair shop.
It cost $35.00 so hoping and praying
the air condition starts working
so we can drive it in this stupid, hot weather.
If not I don't know how we're going to
haul the stuff out of here that I need
weeded out or how we're going to
go find stuff during the college move outs.


----------------------------------


I did tinker with making a couple
jelly bean cupcakes today.


Hand.
One regular cupcake frosted on top and sides.
Circus peanut fingers with jelly bean finger nails.

Foot.

Foot with ankle.
I decided to jazz up the above cupcake some.
Place a regular cupcake and
a mini cupcake side-by-side, frost top and sides.
Then frost another mini cupcake on top and sides
and stack on the other mini cupcake for ankle.
Add circus peanut toes.  Add
a whole jelly bean for big toe
and half jelly beans for other toes.
This would be cool for a Halloween party!

------------------------------------


10:50pm


Well doesn't look like we'll be going
fishing tomorrow.  We tried to put more
refrigerant in the truck.   It seems to take
it and reads the correct pounds on the guage
but the compressor doesn't want to kick on.
It does turn by hand so it's not froze up.
We checked all fuses which were fine
and even tried to get the compressor to
reboot by unhooking battery cables
and then hooking them back up again
right before filling.  We ran the truck
while filling and blowers
were on full speed. (front and back)
And lastly checked to see if juice was
getting to it with a voltage meter.


--------------------------------------

7-2-11

1:00pm

Went down to mom's this morning.

The same Insight cable man came to

their house to check lines and start

getting them into all digital mode.

They won't be charged the $25 installation fee

either!  Along with our new digital

converter boxes we'll also be getting

an additional DVR box for the same

price of $7.00 for all.  Cable man said

it doesn't matter if you have a newer LCD

flat screen tv with the digital converter

built in them, Insight says you still need a 

converter box on it!  Doesn't make sense!
Wow didn't require that you had to have
a converter box on a newer tv that
had one already in it.  That was one reason why
we went out and purchase another LCD TV
for our bedroom.  And Wow didn't
require that an additional tv have a dvr on it.
I asked if it was necessary to have the 
extra DVR on another tv or could we do without
it and any extra charges.  
Cable man said it was all part of
them going all digital.

Trying to keep up with the times

is getting really confusing!
To me something isn't making sense.

-------------------------------------

 When making breakfast this morning

I thought of this next tip.

Instead of buying expensive cans

of cooking spray, which are probably

filled with more air than oil,

why not buy a bottle of oil and fill

a spray bottle and use that instead.

I think a $2.50 (on sale) bottle of cooking oil

would last a lot longer than a 

can of $2- $4 cooking spray!

 --------------------------------------

 I hate the first of the month and

paying bills!

The mailman was so kind to bring

me another 3 doctor bills today, grrr.

In the past month alone 

I have shelled out a little over

$941 in doctor bills.

And today I have to pay another

$473!!

And I'm sure more are lingering

that still need paid off or

will be coming from recent 

doctor's visits.

I still have 2 years and 8 months

til Tony's hospital bill is paid off.

Once I get ahead with the rest of

the doctor bills I'd like to send the

hospital bill a little more each

month to get it paid off sooner.

I'm so tired of seeing doctor bills

I could just scream!

But I'm paying them off the best

I can to keep them off our backs.

It's still expensive with having

medical insurance.

-----------------------------------

1:35pm

Well I might go color my hair,

meaning to color it myself.

A couple weeks ago I did it

a light golden brown and you couldn't

tell I colored it.  And it sure did not cover

any gray hairs I had even though the box

said it would. This time around

I got an ultra light ash blonde.

If you should have any red undertones

in your hair color and want to go

to blonde then I suggest using

hair colors that say neutral or ash

in the color names.  This should

keep the red tones from coming through

in your new hair color or having

orangy tones.

--------------------------------

2:15pm

Doc just called Tony with results

from the chest Xray.  

He says he doesn't have pneumonia anymore

but there is still something showing

up on his left lung.  

We should

really get the xray that was done

at Urgent Care so the doc can see

it to compare theirs and his.

Maybe we'll stop in there today

when going to get his prescription

since it's close by.

Maybe he hasn't had pneumonia

and has something else.

Maybe he did have pneumonia

at first but it has now developed into

something else.  

Who knows at the moment.

I think doc wants him to get

a cat scan and will probably schedule

it when he goes back this Thursday

for another follow up visit.

Doc did call in a prescription inhaler

for him because at times it gets

difficult for him to breath. 

 We'll get ready to leave for Kroger's

once my hair gets done.

I've got another 30 minutes to go.

For light blonde hair coloring

it takes longer to develop on hair,

up to 45 minutes.

So while we're waiting I'll

post before photos-

---------------------------------------

3:15pm

---------------------------------


10:30pm


We had a friend of ours stop by today
we hadn't seen in awhile.  He used
to work with me and Tony
12+ years ago.  Then a couple other
neighbors came out to gab.


Kids are currently down the street
at their friends house watching fireworks
and me and Tony are planted in front
of the TV watching the NASCAR race.


Earlier today we went out and got
Tony's prescription and stopped
by Urgent Care to pick up x rays.
They put Tony's  x rays on a cd.
That was a first for us.
I was able to view it on the computer
before taking to the doctor's Thursday.

7-1-11

 8:00am

Went out and watered all the veggies

and fruits before the heat of the day.

Everything seems to be coming

along very well.

Yellow Wax Beans

Banana Peppers

Raspberry

Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes

Early Girl Tomatoes

 ---------------------------------------

8:25am

Woo Hoo, I was just able to send

away for another $25 Gamestop gift

card from a survey site I do.

That will make $75 in gift cards I will

have from them so far.

They don't expire so I can collect

them throughout the year.

In another 3 months I should be able

to send off for another one.

They only allow you to get this

one reward quarterly.

These sure will come in handy

at Christmas time!

----------------------------------------

10:30 - 12:30pm

I hadn't really planned on going to

yard sales today but mom called

up and wanted to go.

There wasn't very many probably

due to the holiday weekend.

Gas shot up.  Our Speedway this morning

was packed because they still had

gas for $3.35.  Everywhere else

went up to $3.65 a gallon.

My deals from yard sales-

2 bags of foam- FREE

3 packages of Christmas or craft garland.

.50 cents each.  Original price sticker

still on them for $3.99 each!

They look like they have assorted

different colored beads on them.

They do not.  Those beads are like

clear crystals and reflect the light

with different colors.

And lastly

The Slow Cooker Bible 320 pages for .50 cents

---------------------------------------

This morning I was doing up a bunch

of pots and pans from yesterday that

wouldn't fit in the dishwasher.

One hint for washing pots and pans

that have baked or dried on food

is to fill them with water and

add a dryer sheet.

So I thought of that hint when washing

them and decided to make my own

concotion for washing dishes.

I added a tablespoon or so of 

liquid fabric softener to my 

dish soap.  
Now I only will use this on things
that are made of metal or glass,
nothing that's porous like plastic!

I also use a couple tablespoons of

liquid fabric softener in a spray bottle

filled with water.  It makes

an excellent detangler for hair.

Or you could use it just like

Febreez's fabric and air refresher.

-----------------------------------------

1:30pm


Insight came out this afternoon to
check the cable lines.  It seems
that they will be going all digital
in the near future.  And they too, just like WOW will be charging for additional tv's that
don't have cable boxes an extra
$7.00 a month.  When the cableman
told me they were going to charge me
a $25 service fee for them to come out and 
supposedly install converter boxes
I about had a hissy fit!!

This isn't something I requested,
it is something the cable company is doing.
I should NOT be charged for them
upgrading to all digital.
I already have my monthly cable
bill that I pay that should cover it.


 When I asked what the $25 service fee
covered he said it was pretty much 
to cover gas and the Insight vehicle usage
to come to my home.  
If you ask me it is a scam and a half!!

Now picture this scenario-
Insight sets up appointments for 25 people
in my neighborhood for one day.
Let's say they cover two streets that
day.  They charge every person that service
call when that one vehicle is already 
conveniently in the neighborhood.
So that Insight person telling me that
the $25 is to cover gas for that vehicle
is absolute BS.  
Take $25 for each house and times it by 25
homes they would probably visit
within a block or two of one another.
That's $625 made by telling people this.
That Insight vehicle doesn't use no
$625 worth of gas in one day!!!!

I ain't no idiot and are onto them!


Well needless to say after after I complained
to him about it and was very upset 
he magically was able
to waive that fee!!
Well ain't that something that 
people are being taken for that
fee unless they complain about it.


---------------------------------------

While at yard sales today Jonathan
found this spigot in a box of stuff.
I asked how much and the person
told me .10 cents.  I bought it.
I know, why would I buy something
like this???

The reason-
We scrap metal.  This spigot is mostly
brass with some copper mixed in.
We have a bucket of scrap metal we
are getting ready to take to the scrap yard
in the near future.
Brass is a heavy metal and I figure this
spigot weighs around a pound.
Brass is $1.30 a pound.
So by buying a .10 cent spigot I 
will profit $1.20 from it on that
one item.

Another time I found a small roll
of copper tubing at a yard sale for .50 cents.
It's also going to the recycling scrap place.
Copper is $3.00 a pound.
So there will be a $2.50 profit
from that roll!


----------------------------------------


At my husband's work they deal with
a lot of bed bug issues.  I've had people
ask me if I knew of any hints or tips
of getting rid of them.
I have no miracle cure and cannot guarantee
anything I mention.
Here are some tips to do
it yourself because it's about
$1,500 for one treatment for 
someone to come to your home,
and even then it's not guaranteed
and most will likely come back.
A heat treatment of your home
is more likely to work than having
an exterminator come out.
But it could cost more.

1.  Dust your bedding seams, cracks
of furniture like where your bed rails
attach to head and foot boards, and around baseboards with
Diatomaceous Earth.  
Get the garden safe variety
kind NOT the kind for pools!!
It is available at Lowes for $8.97
for a 4 pound bag.  It goes a long way though.


2.  Put the green alcohol that you find
in the first aid section of your grocery store
into a spray bottle and spray
onto furniture around seam areas
where they live and breed.
Alcohol will kill them and any eggs on contact.


2.  Use a steamer, whether hand held
or one for floors, across surfaces of furniture,
bedding, pillows, mattresses and floors.
Steam is hot enough to kill bed bugs.

3.  Bag up bedding, clothes and possibly
even furniture.  Wait for a hot and sunny day.
Place these items inside a vehicle that
you won't be using that day and allow
them to "bake" in your car to destroy
any hidden bugs.  Make sure they are in
bags because even though the inside of
a vehicle can get very hot,
if you don't bag up items, bed bugs can escape
to cooler areas of your vehicle such
as inside the cracks of your seats
where it is much cooler and survive.

In order to kill bed bugs with heat,
the heat has to be 120 degrees or more.
See HERE for how hot it can
get inside a vehicle on warm days.
There are 5 pages so be sure to 
click "next" at the bottom of each
picture and description.


4.  Put clothes and bedding into
dryer.


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