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Home > Archive: October, 2024
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Archive for October, 2024
October 27th, 2024 at 10:44 pm
Today I noticed a post on my local town FB feed from a woman looking for donations of toiletries and other items to me put into gift baskets, a fundraiser for our regional hospice. I reached out to her and offered her 7 small pieces of my mother's work, which she said they'd be happy to have.
I packaged them up carefully and put them out in my Buy Nothing bin for her to pick up. I thought perhaps I was "over" this happening, but as I cleaned and then packed each item, I felt a melancholy come over me which has stuck with me all day.
It just makes me miss my mother.
I also gifted a few other items so I felt good about decluttering ahead of a possible move in a year or two (or three, if the real estate market doesn't open up).
I also made it to the gym and changed the bedsheets. With Luther not around, I am enjoying the luxury of having nice blankets and throws on the bed, something I didn't dare do when I had cats. Tonight after changing the sheets, I decided to bring out a throw that my mother made probably 60 years ago. I always liked it. The last time I had it out was about 15 years ago when I did a photo shoot with Waldo. But just having that blanket out, much as I enjoy looking at it, also stirs up emotional stuff.
Tomorrow's a shopping trip with planned excursions to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods after I get my first ever pneumonia shot.
So my father and I are back from a 3 day trip to visit our cousin. On the drive down, I got off on an exit where they indicated that restaurants and gas was available to either the left or right. Well, I chose left, then drove for many miles without seeing a single restaurant or gas station. We finally wound up in Shenandoah, PA, where we had a not very good lunch at a pizza joint, but the scenery was probably the best we saw on the whole trip. I was feeling "lost" at the time so I didn't stop to take pictures.
My cousin's grandson and grandson's girlfriend are also living in the house. We didn't really do much but we did have a nice dinner out at the Great American Saloon (great food, lots of taxidermy) and then breakfast out on the morning that we left. It was a loooong drive but really just consisted of 3 interstates and then a local highway. I think it took about 5 hours. Both coming and going, we stopped in Milford, PA where Dido and I have met a few times. Going down, I used the rest room and picked up drinks for us at the Wren Cafe, and on the way back, we had a pretty good lunch at the Apple Valley Restaurant.
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October 20th, 2024 at 02:13 pm
So, wow.
On my to-do list was double-checking that my current Part D drug plan, Wellcare, was still a good choice for me in 2025 given that I learned Wellcare will no longer work with Boomer Benefits, the insurance agency that helped me sign up for Medicare.
The huge advantage that Boomer Benefits offers (you can find their very active Facebook page) is that unlike most any other agency, they readily intercede on your behalf should you have a billing issue or some other matter that requires contacting the insurer. I felt this was such a valuable benefit that I decided to enroll in a traditional Medicare plan that was slightly higher cost than the lowest cost plan, solely because the lowest cost plan one did not work with Boomer Benefits.
So since I had to go on the Medicare site to pay my quarterly premium (which comes out to $174 a month, or $525 a quarter), I checked Part D/prescription drug plans for 2025. Turns out my current (Wellcare) drug provider is the cheapest plan based on monthly premium costs + deductible. This year, my monthly premium has been .50; next year, it will be $12.40.
What also makes a big difference, aside from which pIan/provider you choose, is what pharmacy you fill your prescriptions at. I do take one generic drug intermittently on as as-needed basis, which so far has been every other month, and lately I've been relying on Stop & Shop Pharmacy. Based on that rate of frequency, I will never reach the point of paying the $590 annual deductible in full, BUT IF I DID, then CVS or Walgreens would be cheaper than Stop & Shop.
Just by way of example, my lowest annual cost for this one generic drug (on my current plan) is $172, but the same drug/dosage cost $532 on a different plan. Not to mention a big difference in prices between a "Preferred" pharmacy and an "In Network" pharmacy. In the past I never bothered comparing prices between pharmacies. It just seemed like too much of a hassle, but now, with Medicare's convenient pricing tool, you can compare drug costs at up to 5 different pharmacies in your area quite easily.
So it's really important EACH YEAR during open enrollment time to review whatever meds you're on and compare costs on the Medicare site. This is something I wasn't accustomed to doing when I was on either Obamacare or a private employer-sponsored plan where you had no such choices. So I'm beginning to appreciate what Medicare can do for me. It's easy enough to do, though if someone had multiple medications, I can see how things could become more complex.
I've also never tried using my yellow RX card, so maybe next time I have to fill a prescription, I will first try using it to compare costs.
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October 18th, 2024 at 02:52 pm
I finally received my IRA CD distribution in the mail this week; it took over 4 weeks to get, which I think is unacceptable. I did file a complaint with the OCC; perhaps that sped things up a bit. Now they're sending me surveys asking me if I'm happy with their service. Unreal.
I had them deduct state and federal taxes, so my net was just about $9500; still, I plan to live on that, and 2 more monthly annuity payments, to see me through the rest of the year. So glad to finally have this behind me.
I've been waiting for someone who was to show up today between 8 and 9 am to look around and provide a price on mouse exclusion. They appear to be a no-show. It's very disappointing how many service providers like this can't seem to meet even minimal requirements for doing business, like showing up.
I got one price already but at $2600 it seems pretty high to me for what they do: putting up a barrier all around the house under the lowermost level of vinyl siding. If I ever wanted to upgrade my siding, it would all be ripped out and a waste of money. I'm not planning on doing that, but still... It bothers me that after spending $2600 they won't guarantee their work unless you also subscribe to their monthly trapping program, which tells me they know that the exclusion alone won't work. Hence my hesitation.
I brought my father to Walgreens after scheduling appointments for both of us to get our flu shots (we already got covid shots, and my pneumonia shot is in another 2 weeks), but I was unable to get mine because I forgot to bring my Medicare card. I was following sensible advice about not always carrying it around, in case you lose your wallet. I've rescheduled my flu shot for this afternoon.
We still waited 50 minutes for him to get his shot because someone had not entered my father's middle initial correctly in their system, and it needed to be a perfect match. Then the home address didn't match up becus my father insisted for years on using his son's address in NJ as his home address. I won't even go into why. So Walgreen's was asking me to confirm the exact home address in NJ, and since my father has trouble standing and walking, I didn't want to make him get up and walk to the counter, and he is hard of hearing, so I was yelling at him dad, I need the exact address and so on in front of other customers. Then he was confusing his current address here in CT with the old one in NJ. Nothing is ever easy.
I'm avoiding going to CVS now because when we were there for our covid shots, they charged my shot to an old insurance provider, even though I gave the guy behind the counter my Medicare card. I only know they charged it to the old provider because I got automated text messages from CVS saying thanks for choosing XXX. I've been waiting to get a denial notice from them, but so far, nothing. Maybe they won't bother? Seems like it will be a hassle to get that straightened out. Sigh.
Today I have nothing specific on my agenda except the flu shot this afternoon, working out at the gym and cleaning up up some tree limbs I cut down 2 days ago. Hoping it will be a stress-free day.
I planted a lot of small trees when I bought this place 30 years ago, and now they've all gotten pretty big. The tree I'm working on taking down now blocked my view of the front yard and also was growing into the fence surrounding my raised vegetable beds, so I decided it should go. Maybe it will help my lawnmower from gouging the lawn in this particular area when the tree is gone.
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October 11th, 2024 at 02:42 pm
As of right now, I still don't have the IRA CD distribution I requested from US Bank on the date that CD matured on Sept 12.
After 6 painfully protracted phone calls (with 6 different individuls, of course) and 3 separate trips to the library to fax them their 3 required forms, I finally filed a complaint that was confirmed by the OCC (Office of the Controller of the Currency), which regulates US Bank.
So this morning after noting the passage of another week, I called US Bank to check on status, and they told me the check was mailed out Oct. 7 so I should have it any day now. I almost couldn't believe my ears and asked the rep to repeat what he said. Interestingly, the email confirmation of my complaint by OCC was on Oct. 7, so I am thinking that complaint really moved the needle on what has become a horrendous customer experience with an inept bank.
I can't wait to ditch my credit cards with them, but want to wait til I deposit the check.
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October 7th, 2024 at 10:07 pm
I had my mason over here a few days ago to repair a crack in my foundation. He had told me earlier it would cost "a couple hundred." I'd been trying all summer to get him over here, but I knew it was a small job and that he'd probably rather focus on the big jobs first.
I was just about ready to move on to someone else but he finally came through, sending his father, who is part of his crew, to do it.
I texted the mason later that day and asked him what I owed him. He said "No charge!" since I've referred him to others many, many times. Yay!
That's helpful, since I have just $1300 left in checking and no idea when I'll get my CD from US Bank that matured Sept. 12. . I am so aggravated with them that I filed a complaint with the OCC (Office of the Controller of the Currency) as they are the ones that regulate this bank.
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October 6th, 2024 at 03:05 pm
Plenty to do today, but I'm procrastinating a bit.
It's been a while since I've posted pix of my gardens, so thought you'd enjoy seeing what's in bloom here now.
This is a low-growing wood aster.
These are Autumn Joy Sedum with mums (not daisies).
This is a buttonbush I planted last spring. It's a small, native shrub that gets beautiful pure white gumdrop-looking flowers in summer that turn into these seed pods later in the season that feed wildlife.
These are snowball hydrangea flowers that start out pure white in late summer and gradually turn a bronze-pink color. It was once a small tree but it was toppled by a storm years ago and now it's more of a multi-stemmed shrub, as vigorous as ever.
These are hyssop in the back, a total bee magnet, and cosmos in front, which will bloom from early summer til frost. Such an easy, carefree flower.
This is white snakeroot and sneezeweed. I love the late-season color when many other plants are spent.
More wood aster, such an important native fall pollinator plant that grows freely around here with several different species.
My main Autumn Joy bed, photo taken in mid-September. The flowers gradually darken.
This is blue mist flower, a native that popped up in my veggie raised bed, which I then transplanted to a more suitable spot. It has already spread a bit in just one year.
This is bluebeard. Not a native (it was mislabeled by the grower) but gorgeous nonetheless and popular with the local native bees.
Milkweed seed pods
Sneezeweed with bumblebee closeup.
Tatarian aster is not native here in the Northeast, but....It gets to be about 6 feet high unless you remember to cut it by a third mid-summer.
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October 2nd, 2024 at 08:53 pm
Here's my most recent bill. People all over the state are up in arms right now because the Public Benefits charge, which allowed people to not pay their bills during covid, shot up. It also covers the cost of new EV stations? I believe these higher charges for the rest of us will last for 10 months. People are furious.
Anyone in my state would think this bill is great. I have seen people in my town's FB page post bills of $900 for a month! But then upon closer inquiry, you learn they have a heated swimming pool or Jacuzzi.
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October 2nd, 2024 at 02:34 pm
I still don't have my $12k from an IRA CD that matured on Sept 12. I'm down to about $400 in my checking account.
Had another stressful conversation on the phone with them just now. Two weeks ago, they promised to "expedite" the distribution, but here I am, still waiting for their snail mail check to arrive because banks don't operate in the 21st century. Apparently they don't believe in direct deposit of funds (they consider that a transfer, not a distribution), nor even email to send me forms to fill out; had to make 2 separate trips to library so as to use their fax machine to return said completed forms to them.
Today's rep sounded competent, so fingers crossed...but so did the last rep. She emailed her supervisor, her supervisor's supervisor and a few other people to expedite it a 2nd time. She said she saw it had been "disbursed" but not "redeemed" or "processed." This is bank code for let's slow down this process for as long as possible.
The customer service manager is supposed to call me today by 1:30 pm and a cashier's check may be overnighted tonight. The key word being "may." They acknowledged this was a banking error and said it was a "coaching opportunity" for them. However, I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for tomorrow morning, and it being less than 24 hours from then it is too late to cancel it without being charged. The bank will probably want me here to sign for it, so I don't know. Maybe they can have it delivered in the afternoon.
It's really messed up my cash flow. I know I can take an IRA distribution from other sources but prefer not to do that for various reasons. And becus I am stubborn. Banks can accept your money in about a half-hour when you purchase a CD, but getting it back should not take a month and all this aggravation.
Will they be paying me the interest for the additional weeks they've held onto my money? I don't think so. So they are making out financially by dragging their feet.
Last night I finally heard from my mason; I've been asking him all summer to repair the crack in my foundation, but it's a small job, so I think he kept putting it off in favor of higher paying jobs. Now he wants to do it this weekend, which is great, but it will be a couple hundred dollars, putting me perilously close to zero in my checking account.
But wait! I forgot that since we're now in a new month, my monthly annuity payment should show up in my checking account by tomorrow. The annuity saves the day!
Regardless of that, I will be cancelling my US Bank credit cards and will never do business with them again. Even though that will surely zing my very high credit score because between the 2 cards, my credit card limit with them is over $20K.
Or maybe what I'll do is apply for a new credit card with an upfront bonus of $200 or $250. Once that card has been secured, I will cancel just one of the US Bank cards and see how that impacts my credit score. If it's not too bad, I will cancel the other one in short order. No use shooting myself in the foot.
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