Thursday, August 31, 2017

Price Gouging

Yes, I know this isn't a political blog but it is affecting me RIGHT NOW.

Right after the hurricane water could be found for $40+ a case.  Media pressure was enough to bring the price back down.

Now the oil industry is cashing in on the disaster.  Gas prices are up almost $2 a gallon.  The media has created a false panic about nonexistent shortages.

I pray the Governor Abbot or President Trump put a stop to this fast!  We are already struggling without this mess.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Hurricane Harvey

This time we were not in the path.  We should have been but this is what happens when you name a hurricane after a man. He won't ask for directions, wanders around lost, leaves a mess and doesn't clean up after himself.

Life is getting back to the crazy normal.  Even Dragon is going back to school.  AND  I have two clients!  The first since Dragon retired.  Happy me.  A very busy me.  I like it when life keeps me busy!

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Series Book Review

I love Karen Chance as an author.  Her books have me waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one in the series.

But.  

You can't have a character that knows guns and calls a magazine a clip.  I can't stand it.  Every time Dorina calls a magazine a clip I have to put the book down for the day.  It makes the book last longer but it is irritating.

I love Cassie but how does that girl keep ending up naked?  Every book!  Good grief, give the girl some clothes.

And last but not least, over complicated scenes.  I get totally lost in the improbable battle scenes.

Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE her books.  Vampires, werewolves, magic and romance.  I highly recommend the Cassie Palmer and Dorina books but be warned, some parts are hard to read.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

A Lesson Learned in Tornado Ally

Low chance of rain. An unusually humid day.  It felt more like Florida or Alabama than our semi arid area.  Small storms were developing and fizzling all around us.  A few drops of rain and a little thunder kept us inside.

It was a good day for a nap.

No warnings.  I kept watch because I know how fast the weather turns nasty here.

A great day until it wasn't.

The light rain turned into a down pour.  The house shook with the force of wind.  Just as I was taking a breath to call the kids to the hall, one of them said, "MOM I THINK IT'S A TORNADO!!!"

A huge boom and the power was out.

By the time we were all huddled in the hall, it was over.

I left the kids in the safety of the hall while I looked at the damage.

A huge 100 year old tree was mostly down and took the power lines with it. The chicken coop was blown over and the chickens looked stunned.  Tin roofing was scattered across three yards.

Nothing on the news.  No warnings.

I called Dragon as soon as I could.  I'm glad I did. The neighbors sent him a text asking if we were okay.  I don't know what I would have done without them.

We are okay and the house had very little damage.  It took about 6 hours to get the meter repaired and power back on.  It is so wet that we are having a hard time getting the fire going.

Disaster strikes fast with very little warning.  Watch the sky and always be aware of what the weather is doing.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Gravity is a B......

It sure is.

Life gets busy and it takes a toll.

Sorry.  No spanking this week.  Fun, punishment or otherwise.

Just a fun song about life.

Enjoy


Monday, August 7, 2017

The Belt

The belt holds a place of fear in my mind.  We have been working on that fear for years.  Dragon is patient and is slowly chipping away at all those old fears.

First he just let me see it in his hand.  After a few months he stroked my bare skin with the smooth leather.  Then came light taps that didn't even come close to stinging.

Last week I asked for a real spanking with the belt.  I'll admit that I called RED long before it began to really hurt but I'm closer.  The blind lizard brained fear never hit.  I called my safe would when I began to feel my heart race.

Panic would have undone all the progress we have made. We will see what happens next time.

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Graduation

My oldest dropped out of school. Even homeschool have standards.  Requirements for graduation that must be met and I don't give away diplomas for free.

The daughter next in line met the minimum requirements last year but wanted to do a few extra college prep classes.  She is understandably nervous about succeeding and wanted to be better prepared.  She is nearly done with those last few classes.  I added them to her transcripts and turned them in to the school she chose.

I surprised her last night with a question.  "Would you like a cap and gown?  I am getting ready to order your diploma and we can get it for you. "

She gave me the biggest smile.  It is ordered.  For some reason she thought that graduation was something expected and not a big deal.  But here is mom making a very big deal of it.  I am so proud of her and she needed to know it.

Now she needs to get past this entrance exam thing.  This state has some odd requirements but we will do what needs to be done.  Proud of my baby girl.

Ps.  At 23 my oldest finally decided that maybe school was important and maybe she should have listened to momma.  She is back in school working on her GED.  She wants to be an elementary school teacher.  Sometimes they take a little longer to grow up.  I am very proud of her too!  But she can buy her own cap and gown.

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Momma Bear

Dragon got to see Momma Bear in all her glory today.

Dragon was up most of the night in pain.  He is in pain most of time from old injuries, chronic migraines and cluster headaches.  So when the man complains, I listen.

I got out of bed, got dressed and took him to the nearest ER.  IV, morphine, nausea drugs, CT, and blood work.  Lots of waiting, napping after the nice drugs and more waiting.

Then the doctor completely blew him off.  Maybe it is food poisoning or just a tummy bug.  Without seeing all the test results, that was his conclusion.  Here is this idiot blowing him off?

No way.

We don't go to the ER for a tummy bug.

I was furious and let that doctor have a piece of my mind.

I yelled at that doctor.  He walked out of the room and waited for the final test to come back.  With the final test he actually got concerned about the inflammation the CT showed and the kidney stones. Neither one had he mentioned before?  Seriously?

No official diagnosis but we left with a referral to a urologist for the kidney stones.  That was progress.

Just before he went to sleep Dragon said, "Now I know how you feel when doctors blow you off but you know something is wrong."  Those words ment the world to me.  I'm angry that he had to deal with an idiot doctor but I think it is a good thing that he can understand why I fight going to the doctor so much.

Hate hate hate hospitals and I was a paramedic for years.  Dragon is resting and I think ready to go back to work.  The man doesn't know how to take care of himself.  It has been a long day and 5 am comes early.  We shall see if he goes to work.

He probably will, pain or not.  Love that man just a little.  Even if he has a hard head

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

A Better Direction

Years ago, I turned our finances over to Dragon.  He fixed the problems with his credit and earned the best credit score it is possible to have.  The only problem we currently have is that we don't have enough revolving credit.  I think that is awesome!

BUT....

Isn't there always a but?  Dragon isn't very good at saving money or even leaving a savings account alone.  Nearly $50,000 gone and not much to show for it.  A utility trailer we can't pull and a riding lawnmower.  Fairly cheap items compared to the missing money.

Yes, I got mad.  Then I got over it.  This is who he is and I know it.  With my direction he learned how to pay bills.  He learned which corners can be cut and which ones can't.  But the man can't stand to have money sitting in a savings account and see me in rags.

Years ago we saved money in a jar for a very nice sewing machine.  I started putting money back in the jar for a down payment on land.  $30 in cash and who knows how much in change I already had in the jar.

This morning I dusted off my old jar and let Dragon know it is there.  He got excited.  He wants me to open a savings account at a different bank, without his name on the account.  No risk of cheating that way.  He wants to set up a payment plan to build the account.  The jar will stay put for pocket change but he really wants to seriously start saving.

I think he just needed a little push in the right direction.  I need a co signer just in case I'm away and he needs access to the account.  It won't be him but I haven't figured out who I trust with that responsibility.

One step at a time.  I don't have enough to open an account yet.  It is progress.  I'm not sure how serious he is taking this but he could see how happy I was to have $23 squirreled away.  I think he liked my smile and enthusiasm.  $10,000 is the first goal.  Let's see how dedicated he is this time.